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Their Paranormal Tales #1
How to be a Mermaid
All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid.
So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.
Everything's great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare -- she's turning into a mermaid herself. For real.
Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it's sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.
***
Summer 2015, award-winning, and best-selling authors will bring you romantic tales of mermaids, sirens, sprites, and other creatures of the deep! Keep in touch as we reveal each title in our collection!
So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.
Everything's great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare -- she's turning into a mermaid herself. For real.
Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it's sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.
***
Summer 2015, award-winning, and best-selling authors will bring you romantic tales of mermaids, sirens, sprites, and other creatures of the deep! Keep in touch as we reveal each title in our collection!
212 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2015
339 people are currently reading
2949 people want to read
About the author
Erin Hayes
100 books529 followersSci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books.
She works as an advertising copywriter by day, and she's a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author by night. She has lived in New Zealand, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, and now San Francisco with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.
You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.
She works as an advertising copywriter by day, and she's a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author by night. She has lived in New Zealand, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, and now San Francisco with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.
You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
July 6, 2015
I didn’t know what to expect when I got this book but it was about mermaids so I was excited. The story was unique and captivating. I couldn’t put it down once I started. Tara is a character I not only related to, with her fascination for mermaids and other sea creatures; I wished I could be her. What girl obsessed with the Little Mermaid doesn’t fantasize about becoming a mermaid every time they step into water? The author captured all the elements of a great story, mystery, action, romance, and a great message. I loved Tara’s spirit and determination and Finn’s loyalty and inner strength. I definitely recommend this story (and the collection it was originally featured in, Falling in Deep) to anyone who loves the ocean and all its inhabitants, real or mythical. I really hope there will be more stories with these characters, even the secondary characters leave my imagination running wild with untold stories!
December 31, 2018
I honestly chose this e-book because the cover was beautiful 😅 It was an interesting read and I really liked the story. I wish there was more to it though. Felt like it was lacking in details and back story. Felt like the story needed to be longer. But what I did like what there was.
August 7, 2015
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
How to be a Mermaid was exactly what I hoped and expected from the blurb. It follows Tara who is a professional mermaid, she dons a mermaid tail and does shows in aquariums. Then things change and she really does become a mermaid. I really liked getting a view of professional mermaiding, I didn't even knew this really existed before reading this book.
Tara is living her dream life, until her dream really becomes real. Her reaction to finding out mermaids are real was so realistic, disbelief and then almost scared. Her world gets upside down and it takes her a while to get used to this. I loved that aspect, she didn't accept things too easily, but she did deal with her new reality pretty well. Then there is the whole mermaid aspect which I loved. I am not sure why, but there's something I love about mermaids. How they are both human and fish and live underwater. The underwater setting and focus on mermaids really worked for me and I thought the descriptions of being underwater and the story was well done.
The pace of the story was done well, even though it's short it didn't feel rushed. Things wrap up nicely at the end and I felt like it was the perfect length for the story it tells. I liked the ending and how the main issues are solved and the ending gives a view of how Tara her life is in the future with an epilogue. There's also some focus on our ocean and the creatures that live here and how human are damaging the ocean, but it was more of a sub plot and not in preaching way. I liked the explanation for why Tara turned into a mermaid, it made sense and there was an original twist involved. It was fun to see Tara figure things out and then having to decide what to do next and how to deal with this change.
Tara was a great main character. She's pretty realistic, nice and helpful. When she realizes someone is in danger she wants to helps. She's the best person for the job and she realizes that and convinces the others of that as well. I also liked the little fish she meets in the ocean, Sponge I think his name was. The other sea creatures we meet were interesting as well, but I liked him best. And the sea witch was an interesting character as well. Uranus, the boss of the aquarium the mermaids are originally from is also an interesting characters, especially when we learn his story towards the end.
We don't learn a lot about the other professional mermaids and Tara almost forgot about them when the focus switched to the real mermaid and ocean aspect. I did feel sorry for Christine as she was worrying about Tara, the first time I could understand why Tara didn't say anything as she didn't plan anything, but the second time I thought she could've said sometimes to put the others at ease. So some of the side characters stayed a bit flat.
There is some romance in this book as well, but it didn't really work for me. I didn't really feel their connection. Sure Finn was a nice guy, but I didn't really feel it. I liked how he protected the ocean and did his best to help the creatures who lived there, I just didn't feel the spark between him and Tara. Even so I didn't mind the romance and I did think it was well done, I just hoped for a little bit more. And the fact that mermaids didn't know what kissing was, was a bit weird. I mean they still know things about the surface right? And how do they show love and affection to each other then? It just didn't make sense to me.
The world building is there, but there isn't too much depth to it. I did like getting a view of the world underwater and how things worked there with the mermaids and other sea creatures and I could pretty well imagine how it looked like. On the other hand a lot of things do stay unclear like how the humans never find them, how their society works, the sea witch her potions etc. And for example the kissing incident made me wonder how much the mermaids knew of the world above ground.
To conclude: this was a fun and enjoyable mermaid story. I really enjoyed this book. The mermaid aspect and the explanation of why tara changes into one was well done. There's an original twist surrounding Tara and I liked seeing the pieces fall on it's place and her finding out what to do next and how to handle the change. I didn't really feel the romance and there are some questions left unanswered about the underwater world and society, but I didn't mind too much as the interesting story made up for it. I would recommend this if you are looking for an enjoyable short story about mermaids with an original twist.
How to be a Mermaid was exactly what I hoped and expected from the blurb. It follows Tara who is a professional mermaid, she dons a mermaid tail and does shows in aquariums. Then things change and she really does become a mermaid. I really liked getting a view of professional mermaiding, I didn't even knew this really existed before reading this book.
Tara is living her dream life, until her dream really becomes real. Her reaction to finding out mermaids are real was so realistic, disbelief and then almost scared. Her world gets upside down and it takes her a while to get used to this. I loved that aspect, she didn't accept things too easily, but she did deal with her new reality pretty well. Then there is the whole mermaid aspect which I loved. I am not sure why, but there's something I love about mermaids. How they are both human and fish and live underwater. The underwater setting and focus on mermaids really worked for me and I thought the descriptions of being underwater and the story was well done.
The pace of the story was done well, even though it's short it didn't feel rushed. Things wrap up nicely at the end and I felt like it was the perfect length for the story it tells. I liked the ending and how the main issues are solved and the ending gives a view of how Tara her life is in the future with an epilogue. There's also some focus on our ocean and the creatures that live here and how human are damaging the ocean, but it was more of a sub plot and not in preaching way. I liked the explanation for why Tara turned into a mermaid, it made sense and there was an original twist involved. It was fun to see Tara figure things out and then having to decide what to do next and how to deal with this change.
Tara was a great main character. She's pretty realistic, nice and helpful. When she realizes someone is in danger she wants to helps. She's the best person for the job and she realizes that and convinces the others of that as well. I also liked the little fish she meets in the ocean, Sponge I think his name was. The other sea creatures we meet were interesting as well, but I liked him best. And the sea witch was an interesting character as well. Uranus, the boss of the aquarium the mermaids are originally from is also an interesting characters, especially when we learn his story towards the end.
We don't learn a lot about the other professional mermaids and Tara almost forgot about them when the focus switched to the real mermaid and ocean aspect. I did feel sorry for Christine as she was worrying about Tara, the first time I could understand why Tara didn't say anything as she didn't plan anything, but the second time I thought she could've said sometimes to put the others at ease. So some of the side characters stayed a bit flat.
There is some romance in this book as well, but it didn't really work for me. I didn't really feel their connection. Sure Finn was a nice guy, but I didn't really feel it. I liked how he protected the ocean and did his best to help the creatures who lived there, I just didn't feel the spark between him and Tara. Even so I didn't mind the romance and I did think it was well done, I just hoped for a little bit more. And the fact that mermaids didn't know what kissing was, was a bit weird. I mean they still know things about the surface right? And how do they show love and affection to each other then? It just didn't make sense to me.
The world building is there, but there isn't too much depth to it. I did like getting a view of the world underwater and how things worked there with the mermaids and other sea creatures and I could pretty well imagine how it looked like. On the other hand a lot of things do stay unclear like how the humans never find them, how their society works, the sea witch her potions etc. And for example the kissing incident made me wonder how much the mermaids knew of the world above ground.
To conclude: this was a fun and enjoyable mermaid story. I really enjoyed this book. The mermaid aspect and the explanation of why tara changes into one was well done. There's an original twist surrounding Tara and I liked seeing the pieces fall on it's place and her finding out what to do next and how to handle the change. I didn't really feel the romance and there are some questions left unanswered about the underwater world and society, but I didn't mind too much as the interesting story made up for it. I would recommend this if you are looking for an enjoyable short story about mermaids with an original twist.
January 10, 2017
3.5 stars
"Anyone who ever bragged about being a good public speaker never had to do it in front of thirty kids and their parents while wearing a bikini top and a mermaid tail."
Mermaid books. They're tough. Honestly, I have yet to read one I become completely immersed in and this was no exception.
I felt like this short story was very similar to Disney's The Little Mermaid. The characters were flat and the love story, if you can call it that, was rushed. The plot was also quite thin. I actually believe that if this story had been longer and the characters had more time to develop, this could have been one of the better mermaid books I have read.
All in all, this a cute story that can be enjoyed if you allow yourself to look past some of the flaws and imagine yourself at a sunny beach in the Gulf. I would recommend this book to tweens or anyone who wants a [very] lighthearted, easy read.
"Anyone who ever bragged about being a good public speaker never had to do it in front of thirty kids and their parents while wearing a bikini top and a mermaid tail."
Mermaid books. They're tough. Honestly, I have yet to read one I become completely immersed in and this was no exception.
I felt like this short story was very similar to Disney's The Little Mermaid. The characters were flat and the love story, if you can call it that, was rushed. The plot was also quite thin. I actually believe that if this story had been longer and the characters had more time to develop, this could have been one of the better mermaid books I have read.
All in all, this a cute story that can be enjoyed if you allow yourself to look past some of the flaws and imagine yourself at a sunny beach in the Gulf. I would recommend this book to tweens or anyone who wants a [very] lighthearted, easy read.
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July 28, 2018💝FREE on iBooks today (7/28/2018)!💝
March 5, 2024
Some aspects of this book are 4 stars, some 2, so we'll go with 3 stars and split the difference.
I really like the mermaid performer parts of this, they feel really grounded in the experience of finding community mermaiding, and I'd love more exploration of Tara's mermaid troupe. What I really want is for us to dig into the potential found family just waiting there...but it kinda just falls off halfway through the book. I'm also really disappointed that we didn't get a reveal that Neptune was a merwalker, but that's a personal preference. He could at least also have been a mer performer, too. Big beardy mer performers are rad, and toxic masculinity should get dead.
Tara's actual mermaid transformation was pretty nice, though in a situation like this, where her tf is creeping in like the tide I'd prefer more slow burn aspects, like she starts noticing patches of scales or her skin discoloring at the edges before she pulls her performance mertail on to go swim off into the ocean to go find Finn (seriously. Finn?), or her fingers starting to grow webbing. Like, you're playing the, "Oh no, I'm so horrified about this thing I've literally always wanted actually happening," song, at least give us some nice body horror to hammer the idea home, and act as good contrast when she does complete her transformation, and its result is lovely.
Also, DAMN, dude? You know those silicone mertails are upwards of 50 lbs, right? Shit's HEAVY. Like, a training monofin? Sure, that makes sense. Even a fabric tail? Actually unsafe in reality, but sure, I'll suspend my disbelief. A SCULPTED SILICONE MERTAIL!? Fuuuck, dude. Even with mermaid powers you got a death wish!
This book needs to both stop referencing The Little Mermaid AND cribbing from its notes. There are far too many nods to it, and not enough good descriptions to offset that fact. We have: A sea witch, a buff bearded king, a fish sidekick, a mer city of spires that's TOTALLY not like Disney, a tiny seahorse herald/messenger, and PROBABLY more that aren't simply jumping to my brain. I mean, also the colors described. "Yeah, scientifically it SHOULD be dark this deep, but actually it's a whimsy of colors!" Dude, don't lampshade it unless you've got commentary or it's informing character. You feel anxious, but you have a Way You Want It so you're doing it anyway.
And Ponce shouldn't be a snapper. Like, fully, it's simply one of my pet peeves when merfolk fiction starts acting like eating fish in general is cannibalism--it's no more cannibalism than humans eating cows, we're both mammals--if you don't think eating meat is ethical, that's fine, you should argue that side of it instead. Ponce being a Very Tasty Fish just brushes too close to Eating Fish Bad for me. It doesn't get into the real problem being overfishing, or unethical fishing practices, it doesn't dance in the slanted moonlight of nuance.
Ponce should've been a sea turtle. It echoes Tara's merwalker-ness (also? You coward, not naming her Terra), it's a species that has a really interesting, complex relationship with humanity. Sea turtles are a protected species, environmental groups protect and mark their nests, or even move nests closer to the water so the hatching turtles have a better chance getting to water. Baby turtles are super vulnerable that first night they hatch, it's easy for them not to make it, and human intervention can vastly increase their survivability. But also, our light pollution is a severe threat to those same babies because it can misdirect them from the water and survival to death. Plus they live a HELLA long time, and that gives an awesome potential for some really cool character history. Plus then, the author could crib off Finding Nemo more, and Little Mermaid less.
The undertones of Tara feeling she's doing a cultural appropriation with being a performer in mermaid shows make me squirm. Like, yes, in the reality of this fiction, yes, that's technically what's happening, BUT it's such a wholly uneven comparison to IRL cultural appropriation and exchange that it doesn't even belong in the same room, and this shallow scratching at it feels like it could do real harm with its false equivalence. It's mermaids. It's not that deep, and you're helping no one by pretending this is the same as what happens with white people playacting other cultures.
And her deciding it's okay for her to stay a merwalker because she was already biologically half merwalker SUCKS.
I really like the mermaid performer parts of this, they feel really grounded in the experience of finding community mermaiding, and I'd love more exploration of Tara's mermaid troupe. What I really want is for us to dig into the potential found family just waiting there...but it kinda just falls off halfway through the book. I'm also really disappointed that we didn't get a reveal that Neptune was a merwalker, but that's a personal preference. He could at least also have been a mer performer, too. Big beardy mer performers are rad, and toxic masculinity should get dead.
Tara's actual mermaid transformation was pretty nice, though in a situation like this, where her tf is creeping in like the tide I'd prefer more slow burn aspects, like she starts noticing patches of scales or her skin discoloring at the edges before she pulls her performance mertail on to go swim off into the ocean to go find Finn (seriously. Finn?), or her fingers starting to grow webbing. Like, you're playing the, "Oh no, I'm so horrified about this thing I've literally always wanted actually happening," song, at least give us some nice body horror to hammer the idea home, and act as good contrast when she does complete her transformation, and its result is lovely.
Also, DAMN, dude? You know those silicone mertails are upwards of 50 lbs, right? Shit's HEAVY. Like, a training monofin? Sure, that makes sense. Even a fabric tail? Actually unsafe in reality, but sure, I'll suspend my disbelief. A SCULPTED SILICONE MERTAIL!? Fuuuck, dude. Even with mermaid powers you got a death wish!
This book needs to both stop referencing The Little Mermaid AND cribbing from its notes. There are far too many nods to it, and not enough good descriptions to offset that fact. We have: A sea witch, a buff bearded king, a fish sidekick, a mer city of spires that's TOTALLY not like Disney, a tiny seahorse herald/messenger, and PROBABLY more that aren't simply jumping to my brain. I mean, also the colors described. "Yeah, scientifically it SHOULD be dark this deep, but actually it's a whimsy of colors!" Dude, don't lampshade it unless you've got commentary or it's informing character. You feel anxious, but you have a Way You Want It so you're doing it anyway.
And Ponce shouldn't be a snapper. Like, fully, it's simply one of my pet peeves when merfolk fiction starts acting like eating fish in general is cannibalism--it's no more cannibalism than humans eating cows, we're both mammals--if you don't think eating meat is ethical, that's fine, you should argue that side of it instead. Ponce being a Very Tasty Fish just brushes too close to Eating Fish Bad for me. It doesn't get into the real problem being overfishing, or unethical fishing practices, it doesn't dance in the slanted moonlight of nuance.
Ponce should've been a sea turtle. It echoes Tara's merwalker-ness (also? You coward, not naming her Terra), it's a species that has a really interesting, complex relationship with humanity. Sea turtles are a protected species, environmental groups protect and mark their nests, or even move nests closer to the water so the hatching turtles have a better chance getting to water. Baby turtles are super vulnerable that first night they hatch, it's easy for them not to make it, and human intervention can vastly increase their survivability. But also, our light pollution is a severe threat to those same babies because it can misdirect them from the water and survival to death. Plus they live a HELLA long time, and that gives an awesome potential for some really cool character history. Plus then, the author could crib off Finding Nemo more, and Little Mermaid less.
The undertones of Tara feeling she's doing a cultural appropriation with being a performer in mermaid shows make me squirm. Like, yes, in the reality of this fiction, yes, that's technically what's happening, BUT it's such a wholly uneven comparison to IRL cultural appropriation and exchange that it doesn't even belong in the same room, and this shallow scratching at it feels like it could do real harm with its false equivalence. It's mermaids. It's not that deep, and you're helping no one by pretending this is the same as what happens with white people playacting other cultures.
And her deciding it's okay for her to stay a merwalker because she was already biologically half merwalker SUCKS.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2021
#16 of 2021
I wanna be a mermaid!
I wanna be a mermaid!
August 9, 2015
I was lucky to read an ARC of this book before it came out. I love anything supernatural, and mermaids are no exception. This was a fun, lighthearted read that kept me flipping pages. I loved Tara & Finn!
September 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this story, for me it was like a reverse The Little Mermaid. If the human wanted to be a mermaid instead of the mermaid wanting to be human. It's a short, quick read and it definitely left me wanting more of the story. It's YA, but for me it was not an annoying YA book. It's a light and fluffy (like cotton candy) read. I would definitely like to read the next book in the series.
March 22, 2017
I was looking for a series to fall in love with like the Goddess summoning series. I just did not love it. I just have noticed I don't love young adult books anymore. I just can't handle the immaturity anymore. Just an okay read for me.
January 1, 2018
http://celebrityreaders.com/2018/01/0...
I really liked this story line. A mermaid who can both breath under water and walk on land was reminiscent of the movie Splash, a movie I loved as a kid…..with some big differences of course.
First, I loved how she was a mermaid performer. I think that was the coolest summer job. And how she empathized with the animals at the aquariums was pretty cool too. The romance was not a main focus in this book. It was a subtle side story and it wasn’t done very well if I’m being honest, there was a lot of looks and feeling but no real conversation about how they felt about each other. Although the kissing was was funny and cute. That irked me a bit but at least it didn’t take up a lot of the story.
The plot of this book was simple yet powerful. Save the princes or go to war. And the way it was written was very enjoyable to me. It was straight forward, thorough and held my attention.
I really liked this story line. A mermaid who can both breath under water and walk on land was reminiscent of the movie Splash, a movie I loved as a kid…..with some big differences of course.
First, I loved how she was a mermaid performer. I think that was the coolest summer job. And how she empathized with the animals at the aquariums was pretty cool too. The romance was not a main focus in this book. It was a subtle side story and it wasn’t done very well if I’m being honest, there was a lot of looks and feeling but no real conversation about how they felt about each other. Although the kissing was was funny and cute. That irked me a bit but at least it didn’t take up a lot of the story.
The plot of this book was simple yet powerful. Save the princes or go to war. And the way it was written was very enjoyable to me. It was straight forward, thorough and held my attention.
August 13, 2015
I got an ARC copy of this book at UtopYA con this year, and immediately loved the cover because it's so pretty and summery!
However, I was not a fan of the writing style and our main girl Tara.
Tara has a strange obsession with mermaids, and references mermaids and being a mermaid almost constantly before finding out they exist.
The insta-love she experiences in this book is a dosey, and I just don't understand her reactions to things. For instance, screaming when she realizes she's underwater. And then she starts talking immediately.
People are hardwired with the basic survival instinct to NOT breathe under water, and I could maybe forgive it if it was explained she doesn't have that instinct, but then later on she goes under again and says her brain is having trouble letting her breathe naturally because the survival instinct is so strong.
This girl drove me insane. She didn't speak or think like an 18 year old until towards the last half of the book, and although I understand she's really smart, it felt inauthentic for the first half and then just inconsistent in the second.
Since this book is 130 pages long, the story wraps up quickly and that's totally fine, I think the story line worked for being such a short book.
That being said, Tara has strong feelings for the love intrest, Finn, very quickly. As in, the second time she sees him.
Finn wasn't bad though, I felt he acted pretty natural compared to Tara. His reactions to Tara being human and the human things he experiences with her felt genuine but unfortunately he also ends up falling a little quickly for my taste.
Again, most of the dialogue felt awkward and maybe needed some more tweaking, but that probably has more to do with the author's personal writing style than anything else.
How to be a Mermaid wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was definitely was not for me.
However, I was not a fan of the writing style and our main girl Tara.
Tara has a strange obsession with mermaids, and references mermaids and being a mermaid almost constantly before finding out they exist.
The insta-love she experiences in this book is a dosey, and I just don't understand her reactions to things. For instance, screaming when she realizes she's underwater. And then she starts talking immediately.
People are hardwired with the basic survival instinct to NOT breathe under water, and I could maybe forgive it if it was explained she doesn't have that instinct, but then later on she goes under again and says her brain is having trouble letting her breathe naturally because the survival instinct is so strong.
This girl drove me insane. She didn't speak or think like an 18 year old until towards the last half of the book, and although I understand she's really smart, it felt inauthentic for the first half and then just inconsistent in the second.
Since this book is 130 pages long, the story wraps up quickly and that's totally fine, I think the story line worked for being such a short book.
That being said, Tara has strong feelings for the love intrest, Finn, very quickly. As in, the second time she sees him.
Finn wasn't bad though, I felt he acted pretty natural compared to Tara. His reactions to Tara being human and the human things he experiences with her felt genuine but unfortunately he also ends up falling a little quickly for my taste.
Again, most of the dialogue felt awkward and maybe needed some more tweaking, but that probably has more to do with the author's personal writing style than anything else.
How to be a Mermaid wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was definitely was not for me.
January 23, 2016
*I was provided an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review.
How to be a mermaid is one of those stories that will stick with you for a long time.
It's simple and yet complex all wrapped up in the prettiest pink and blue cover!
Tara is a young girl that has always had a dream to be a real mermaid, working in aquariums gives her that chance as close as life could allow. One day, she is taken off guard when she hears something that just isn't possible. Upon investigating it... a series of events unfolds that will show Tara just how narrow her ideas of the world have been.
When she meets Finn, he isn't anything that she would expect from a merman, and she isn't what he expected from an air breather. As they learn more about each other the sea even lights up!
Tara and Finn work together to save both the sea and the land from a terrible fate.
My only issue with this book, is that it isn't longer. I loved it! Now even I want to be a mermaid!!
~Dowie
How to be a mermaid is one of those stories that will stick with you for a long time.
It's simple and yet complex all wrapped up in the prettiest pink and blue cover!
Tara is a young girl that has always had a dream to be a real mermaid, working in aquariums gives her that chance as close as life could allow. One day, she is taken off guard when she hears something that just isn't possible. Upon investigating it... a series of events unfolds that will show Tara just how narrow her ideas of the world have been.
When she meets Finn, he isn't anything that she would expect from a merman, and she isn't what he expected from an air breather. As they learn more about each other the sea even lights up!
Tara and Finn work together to save both the sea and the land from a terrible fate.
My only issue with this book, is that it isn't longer. I loved it! Now even I want to be a mermaid!!
~Dowie
October 9, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I love all things mermaid and HTBAM did not disappoint. It flowed nicely and kept my interest all the way through. I could visualize the main character going through her adventures deep in the ocean with different species of fish following her. The idea of being able to communicate with these creatures and see the reality of what we as humans are doing to the oceans and it inhabitants really struck a cord with me.
Great job Erin Hayes and thank you for taking me on this under water adventure!
Great job Erin Hayes and thank you for taking me on this under water adventure!
October 26, 2016
** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
Tara was drawn to being a mermaid...she performed in a traveling group as one and really enjoyed it...but there was something else driving her....she believes she hears a little dolphin asking for help and checks it out one night...she stumbles across his rescue by a gorgeous man...and bumps her head and almost drowns...his nae is Finn and he saves her and she gets introduced into a world of real life mermaids!
Super Cute...and worth a listen...I have book 2 in my library now!
Tara was drawn to being a mermaid...she performed in a traveling group as one and really enjoyed it...but there was something else driving her....she believes she hears a little dolphin asking for help and checks it out one night...she stumbles across his rescue by a gorgeous man...and bumps her head and almost drowns...his nae is Finn and he saves her and she gets introduced into a world of real life mermaids!
Super Cute...and worth a listen...I have book 2 in my library now!
June 8, 2017
Available on Kindle Unlimited.
The cover art is beautiful and the summary was interesting enough, so I had high expectations. Sadly it did not live up to what I hoped it would be. Weak character development and a bunch of insta-love. Tara describes people as mermaids a little too much, it was almost hard to distinguish between the real mermaids and her fellow workers unless you were paying attention to the setting and whatnot.
The book itself was not horrible, it was an easy read. It was just not my cup of tea.
The cover art is beautiful and the summary was interesting enough, so I had high expectations. Sadly it did not live up to what I hoped it would be. Weak character development and a bunch of insta-love. Tara describes people as mermaids a little too much, it was almost hard to distinguish between the real mermaids and her fellow workers unless you were paying attention to the setting and whatnot.
The book itself was not horrible, it was an easy read. It was just not my cup of tea.
July 17, 2015
I really liked this book. Is such a sweet mature YA. It was entertaining and it got me hooked since the first chapter.
The characters were likable and funny. The writing style was so easy going and the plot was good.
I have to admit that the story was a little predictable but it was still great and funny. And so far it's the best mermaid story I have read so far.
The characters were likable and funny. The writing style was so easy going and the plot was good.
I have to admit that the story was a little predictable but it was still great and funny. And so far it's the best mermaid story I have read so far.
July 29, 2015
I recieved this book with my July Lit-Cube box and although I would not have normally picked up this book, it was okay. It was cute. I'd recommend it for tweens/young teens or anyone with a fascination of mermaids. It will keep you busy for a day though if you're looking for some light reading. I suppose I am just into a different style of book.
January 17, 2019
I got this ebook free. At first, I though it was just about a girl who works as a mermaid. I did not expect that it would turn out that she is a real mermaid. I liked how the story brought me to a different world. It’s a light read and very entertaining.
July 12, 2015
Seriously if you're looking for a fun, quick read that keeps you turning pages then pick up How to be Mermaid. I enjoyed it a lot!
August 10, 2017
I read this book in an anthology, being a huge fan of this authors work I was excited to read this book and I definitely was not disappointed.
I have always been of the mind that wild animals should not be kept in captivity and should have limited contact with them and I think this is one aspect of this book that I really enjoyed, you see it from the sea creatures point of view which was really refreshing. That s is a hook that is so unique, I have never read anything like this book and that's another reason that I loved this. The way that this author writes this story really is outstanding and she is able to make it look feel like reality, after reading this book you definitely crave more of these s series and the other books written by this author. There are a lot of surprises and twists within this book that keeps you guessing right up until the end!!
I loved reading Tara’s character, she has a deep strength within her that she doesn't realise that she has. I live her fire and her deep rooted need to do what is right no matter the danger to herself. She is highly protective of those that she cares about and will also do anything to protect them. Finn is also a big character in this book, not just the amount of time he is in the book but he is a big character that you know when he is around. He comes across a certain way at the beginning of the book but throughout the story you see behind the barrier he has erected around him and realise why he acts certain ways.
I can't recommend this book highly enough, it is just amazing and I can't wait to read the next book. Such a talented author!!!!
I have always been of the mind that wild animals should not be kept in captivity and should have limited contact with them and I think this is one aspect of this book that I really enjoyed, you see it from the sea creatures point of view which was really refreshing. That s is a hook that is so unique, I have never read anything like this book and that's another reason that I loved this. The way that this author writes this story really is outstanding and she is able to make it look feel like reality, after reading this book you definitely crave more of these s series and the other books written by this author. There are a lot of surprises and twists within this book that keeps you guessing right up until the end!!
I loved reading Tara’s character, she has a deep strength within her that she doesn't realise that she has. I live her fire and her deep rooted need to do what is right no matter the danger to herself. She is highly protective of those that she cares about and will also do anything to protect them. Finn is also a big character in this book, not just the amount of time he is in the book but he is a big character that you know when he is around. He comes across a certain way at the beginning of the book but throughout the story you see behind the barrier he has erected around him and realise why he acts certain ways.
I can't recommend this book highly enough, it is just amazing and I can't wait to read the next book. Such a talented author!!!!
February 2, 2019
Not fitting in to particular situations has often been described as being a fish out of water, but in How To Be A Mermaid by Erin Hayes, that phrase takes on a new level of meaning.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Tara has always wanted to be a mermaid and despite her mother's protests has joined a troupe of professional performing mermaids, traveling the country as she takes a year before starting college. While preparing to perform at an aquarium in Houston, Tara encounters a sad and isolated dolphin calf. Startled when she thinks she hears the young dolphin's pleas for his parents, Tara goes to check back on him after her show only to see a strange silhouette of a man with a tail. Having been rescued by the merman, Finn, Tara seems to be becoming a mermaid, or as the sea witch calls her a merwalker - someone who can traverse both the land and the sea. Finding that an impending war is coming between the sea and the land if the young dolphin Kai isn't returned by a deadline drawing close, Tara becomes invested in trying to prevent calamity by helping in the efforts to rescue Kai, and in doing so finds greater clarity in her life's direction.
This is a light, cute, entertaining, and quick story that particularly speaks to anyone who has fantasized about being a mermaid at some point in their lives. The general trajectory of the tale and some of the secondary characters are incredibly close to Disney's The Little Mermaid, which offers a sense of familiarity, but also feels as if the story didn't develop enough of its own voice. Though questions were raised surrounding the magic that allowed Tara to become a merwalker, as well as the mystery behind her father's life as a merwalker, the logistics of Tara's ability to breathe underwater and speak with sea creatures was at least addressed in an adequate fashion; however, I do feel as though there is much more to this world, briefly sketched, that could have been explored and incorporated within the narrative.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Tara has always wanted to be a mermaid and despite her mother's protests has joined a troupe of professional performing mermaids, traveling the country as she takes a year before starting college. While preparing to perform at an aquarium in Houston, Tara encounters a sad and isolated dolphin calf. Startled when she thinks she hears the young dolphin's pleas for his parents, Tara goes to check back on him after her show only to see a strange silhouette of a man with a tail. Having been rescued by the merman, Finn, Tara seems to be becoming a mermaid, or as the sea witch calls her a merwalker - someone who can traverse both the land and the sea. Finding that an impending war is coming between the sea and the land if the young dolphin Kai isn't returned by a deadline drawing close, Tara becomes invested in trying to prevent calamity by helping in the efforts to rescue Kai, and in doing so finds greater clarity in her life's direction.
This is a light, cute, entertaining, and quick story that particularly speaks to anyone who has fantasized about being a mermaid at some point in their lives. The general trajectory of the tale and some of the secondary characters are incredibly close to Disney's The Little Mermaid, which offers a sense of familiarity, but also feels as if the story didn't develop enough of its own voice. Though questions were raised surrounding the magic that allowed Tara to become a merwalker, as well as the mystery behind her father's life as a merwalker, the logistics of Tara's ability to breathe underwater and speak with sea creatures was at least addressed in an adequate fashion; however, I do feel as though there is much more to this world, briefly sketched, that could have been explored and incorporated within the narrative.
October 22, 2019
Tara is a professional mermaid who dons a mermaid tail and does shows in aquariums. Then things change and she really does become a mermaid. It was really interesting in getting a view of professional mermaiding. I think is would be a cool thing to do and honestly did not know this existed.
Tara is living her dream until her dream becomes real. Her reaction to finding out mermaids are real was so realistic, disbelief and then almost scared. Her world turns upside down and it takes her a while to get used to this. She didn't accept her reality too easily, but she did deal with her new reality pretty well. The whole mermaid aspect which I enjoyed. How they are both human and fish and live underwater. The underwater setting and focus on mermaids really worked for me in this story. I thought the descriptions of being underwater and the story was well done and felt realistic. I recommend this story it was a fun read.
Tara is living her dream until her dream becomes real. Her reaction to finding out mermaids are real was so realistic, disbelief and then almost scared. Her world turns upside down and it takes her a while to get used to this. She didn't accept her reality too easily, but she did deal with her new reality pretty well. The whole mermaid aspect which I enjoyed. How they are both human and fish and live underwater. The underwater setting and focus on mermaids really worked for me in this story. I thought the descriptions of being underwater and the story was well done and felt realistic. I recommend this story it was a fun read.
September 25, 2017
She wanted to be a mermaid since she was a child and against all of her family she goes to work at Neptunes. The story shows her going from being a self absorbed teen to one involved in a host of events and having to fight for the welfare of someone else and stop a war. Yup it's all peaches and roses watching her change (which is cool how it happens) and deal with the lies and secrets. This author reveals it all in pieces and let's us in on the secrets and fun. This is a light and fun read and great start to the series which can be read out of order cos I did and didn't get too lost since they are standalone reads with carry over characters but there is an overall story that details are spread throughout the series. I love this author and the way she blends all types of magical types into this story of this troupe of mermaids coming into their individual powers.
December 12, 2023
I really wanted to love this book but it was far too "cutesy" and unbelievable for me. The cover is beautiful although now the cover is different and the books title is Mermaids and Mayhem. I feel the Author should have kept the original cover and maybe the original title also. I understand that this is a fantasy book and not everything is going to be believable but the fact that the humans who captured the baby dolphin and named it Kai, only to find out the mermaids also called the dolphin Kai also was just eye rolling worthy to me. The fact they spoke English and Tera could breathe underwater right away etc etc. Plus the insta-love and just the Authors way of almost over explaining things just killed the book for me. I'll be honest. I didn't finish the book. I might finish it later but I feel like it's honestly a waste of my time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2019
Tara has dreamed of being a mermaid her whole life. When an opportunity arises for her to be a mermaid and tour aquariums for a year, Tara convinces her mother to let her postpone college life. Tara is drawn to the sea life at the aquarium and distinctly hears a dolphin cry for help and for his mother. While trying to help Kai, a dolphin, she meets a gorgeous merman, Finn, and is faced with conflicting emotions and difficult decisions.
It was an enjoyable read as an escape from the heat in PA this week. At 212 pages it was a very quick romance and fantasy book. Since the most intense part of the book is Tara and Finn kissing, it would be okay for a preteen who loves mermaids.
Reviewed at https://pennyformythoughts-nona.blogs...
It was an enjoyable read as an escape from the heat in PA this week. At 212 pages it was a very quick romance and fantasy book. Since the most intense part of the book is Tara and Finn kissing, it would be okay for a preteen who loves mermaids.
Reviewed at https://pennyformythoughts-nona.blogs...
February 16, 2021
I would say this book is more of a novella than a novel. At a little more than 150 pages, it is a good choice for middle grade readers who enjoy romance and paranormal genres. The protagonist is and eighteen-year-old young lady taking a year off before going off to study marine biology in college. Tara gets a summer job working for aquariums across the country. While in Houston, she undergoes a mysterious transformation in the seas.
Tara is transformed into a mermaid and she meets Finn. A romance soon develops. Now, enter the problem. Will Tara remain a sea creature and pursue her romance or will she return to land and resume her human life. Tara has always wanted to be a mermaid, but?????
Recommended as a quick read for readers ages ten and older.
Tara is transformed into a mermaid and she meets Finn. A romance soon develops. Now, enter the problem. Will Tara remain a sea creature and pursue her romance or will she return to land and resume her human life. Tara has always wanted to be a mermaid, but?????
Recommended as a quick read for readers ages ten and older.
September 11, 2022
Undersea adventure
I enjoyed this fun mermaid adventure story. What elevated it for me was the role of the marine animals in the story and Tara’s job as a mermaid performer in an aquarium.
I liked Tara. I thought the mermaid performances sounded lots of fun. I really liked how she wanted to help the dolphins and when she heard them talk - I was hooked!
The underwater descriptions were beautiful and imaginative.
The plot was simple, but I liked it and Tara’s role in the story.
I wasn’t a fan of the romance or the royalty aspect, but I know it’s standard in these kind of books and it was okay.
A very entertaining mermaid tale.
I enjoyed this fun mermaid adventure story. What elevated it for me was the role of the marine animals in the story and Tara’s job as a mermaid performer in an aquarium.
I liked Tara. I thought the mermaid performances sounded lots of fun. I really liked how she wanted to help the dolphins and when she heard them talk - I was hooked!
The underwater descriptions were beautiful and imaginative.
The plot was simple, but I liked it and Tara’s role in the story.
I wasn’t a fan of the romance or the royalty aspect, but I know it’s standard in these kind of books and it was okay.
A very entertaining mermaid tale.
July 16, 2017
Tara has dreamed about being a mermaid since forever so takes a year out to wear a fake tail and be one in a professional group of performers. Then she meets a real one called Finn and starts to become a real one. When she tries to find him to stop the transformation she gets caught in the middle of a war between the land and sea - her only escape is to learn to be a real mermaid.
A charming story with a gentle love story mixed in with the being a mermaid transformation and the impending war. Well written, clear and easy to understand. An enjoyable light read.
A charming story with a gentle love story mixed in with the being a mermaid transformation and the impending war. Well written, clear and easy to understand. An enjoyable light read.
December 13, 2018
As a fellow Mermaid (yes, I own my own tail and swim around). I was fascinated by this just to see how it would come out in a book. I was a bit annoyed by the whole “all I ever wanted to be was a mermaid” chat as a lot of girl’s who do the whole dressing up as a mermaid say that so the start for me was boring, but once the story started picking up it got a lot more interesting.
All the underwater parts were lovely, I really enjoyed that and I like how she took the fairy tale out of it and made it more real and believable. Overall I did enjoy this book.
All the underwater parts were lovely, I really enjoyed that and I like how she took the fairy tale out of it and made it more real and believable. Overall I did enjoy this book.
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