What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mer Chronicles #1
Updrift
For Kate Sweeting, love isn’t in the air. It’s in the water.
Since her father died, Kate Sweeting’s home life has been in the pits, her well-being on life support. Her future looks desolate until she and her mother, Cara, make another plan: abandon their shriveled existence for more promising prospects on the coast, where Cara can play small-town librarian-bachelorette and Kate can figure out what’s up with that secretive Blake family from the beach.
Everyone is eerily captivated with Kate and her mother, and Cara is the first to figure out why when the man of her dreams arrives all dripping and devoted and closed-mouthed about what he intends. Kate is willing to go along with their subterfuge for a while, but eventually makes a charge for the water to learn what her mother is hiding. Gabe Blake is there waiting for her…and so is someone considerably less friendly. By the time Kate navigates her way home, everything will have changed for her—what she feels, what she wants, and what she’ll risk to be with the man she loves.
Since her father died, Kate Sweeting’s home life has been in the pits, her well-being on life support. Her future looks desolate until she and her mother, Cara, make another plan: abandon their shriveled existence for more promising prospects on the coast, where Cara can play small-town librarian-bachelorette and Kate can figure out what’s up with that secretive Blake family from the beach.
Everyone is eerily captivated with Kate and her mother, and Cara is the first to figure out why when the man of her dreams arrives all dripping and devoted and closed-mouthed about what he intends. Kate is willing to go along with their subterfuge for a while, but eventually makes a charge for the water to learn what her mother is hiding. Gabe Blake is there waiting for her…and so is someone considerably less friendly. By the time Kate navigates her way home, everything will have changed for her—what she feels, what she wants, and what she’ll risk to be with the man she loves.
269 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2015
About the author
Errin Stevens
8 books249 followersErrin Stevens writes paranormal fiction and reads practically everything she can get her hands on. She's currently working and gardening and mothering, and will think about posting reviews if she can get to it... Her first novel, Updrift is followed by Breakwater (bk 2) and Outrush (bk 3). She's present on several social media platforms but most active on Instagram, @errinstevens.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 21, 2018
Adorable story!
Kate and her mother Cara are new in town in moving after her father's death. She immediately be friends a young boy named Gabe. The circumstances in which they met or a bit hazy. Nevertheless they become lifelong friends. Having grown up together they eventually become adults and fall in love which pleases everyone around them. But there's just one problem... Gabe is hiding a very big family secret. One that could definitely rock the waves in the ocean of Kate's life.
This book was great but I did find a few issues with it. Let me address those real quick:
The beginning of the book is very difficult to follow and develop a straight timeline. I think when they first arrived Kate was 5 years old. As she grew older we revisit the story when she turned 17. But I could be wrong. But you do not actually learn that Kate is indeed 17 years old until chapter 6. Before then it seems like a little bit of a guessing game. Perhaps a little fine-tuning on the beginning of this book would help the reader to understand a lot better.
There are characters that seem to pop up out of nowhere at times and have not been introduced or developed or don't get those two until later in the book. It would be great if when the characters are being introduced that we get a little backstory on who they are and how they relate to the main characters we already know.
I have found a few grammatical and punctuation errors in the book as well. Re-editing this book would definitely be a good idea.
All these points aside, the story was absolutely adorable. I really enjoyed reading this coming of age fantasy novel. The ups and downs in the story are written almost perfectly. The characters are believable, even being set in fantasy, and very relatable. Great praise to Errin Stevens for weaving such an intriguing web that pulls you right in for a nice little swim with a siren.
After errors the are fixed, I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
Kate and her mother Cara are new in town in moving after her father's death. She immediately be friends a young boy named Gabe. The circumstances in which they met or a bit hazy. Nevertheless they become lifelong friends. Having grown up together they eventually become adults and fall in love which pleases everyone around them. But there's just one problem... Gabe is hiding a very big family secret. One that could definitely rock the waves in the ocean of Kate's life.
This book was great but I did find a few issues with it. Let me address those real quick:
The beginning of the book is very difficult to follow and develop a straight timeline. I think when they first arrived Kate was 5 years old. As she grew older we revisit the story when she turned 17. But I could be wrong. But you do not actually learn that Kate is indeed 17 years old until chapter 6. Before then it seems like a little bit of a guessing game. Perhaps a little fine-tuning on the beginning of this book would help the reader to understand a lot better.
There are characters that seem to pop up out of nowhere at times and have not been introduced or developed or don't get those two until later in the book. It would be great if when the characters are being introduced that we get a little backstory on who they are and how they relate to the main characters we already know.
I have found a few grammatical and punctuation errors in the book as well. Re-editing this book would definitely be a good idea.
All these points aside, the story was absolutely adorable. I really enjoyed reading this coming of age fantasy novel. The ups and downs in the story are written almost perfectly. The characters are believable, even being set in fantasy, and very relatable. Great praise to Errin Stevens for weaving such an intriguing web that pulls you right in for a nice little swim with a siren.
After errors the are fixed, I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
February 18, 2018
Overall Rate 4
Performance Rate 5
Story Rate 4
This book is going to be hard to review. Not because I disliked it, on the contrary I think it's fantastic but it is so good that I don't want to ruin any of it with spoilers. Oh well here goes...
After the death of her husband, Cara decides to move, with her daughter Kate to become a librarian in a small coastal town. They find contentment there, and make some good friends including the mysterious Blake family. Cara falls in love with John, they marry and Kate is happy for her mother and really likes her new family set up. Her sadness is that she knows her mother, step-father, and her friend and childhood love Gabe Blake are keeping her in the dark over something...
Updrift is a really gripping tale, even though there are a couple of lulls at times (they are necessary to the story and not boring) but the narration maintains energy throughout these areas. The characters are mostly likeable though I did find myself feeling frustrated with them at times for Kate. Their secrecy is necessary and the reason for this becomes clear about halfway through the story.
This is where the story really gains pace and adventure and it is also where I stop talking about what is happening, no spoilers from here on out..
Some stories work wonderfully in audiobook format, this is definitely one of those books.
Lets focus on the Narration and writing as the final part of this review...
Errin Stevens writes with such flair and a wealth of imagination. Parts of the story reflect real world day to day problems while other parts are more fantasy and they are merged seamlessly.
The narrator Sean Posvistak is absolutely fantastic! He blends characters talking along with the storytelling without any awkward pauses. It felt like he was reading to me and acting out the narrative at the same time.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Errin Stevens. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Performance Rate 5
Story Rate 4
This book is going to be hard to review. Not because I disliked it, on the contrary I think it's fantastic but it is so good that I don't want to ruin any of it with spoilers. Oh well here goes...
After the death of her husband, Cara decides to move, with her daughter Kate to become a librarian in a small coastal town. They find contentment there, and make some good friends including the mysterious Blake family. Cara falls in love with John, they marry and Kate is happy for her mother and really likes her new family set up. Her sadness is that she knows her mother, step-father, and her friend and childhood love Gabe Blake are keeping her in the dark over something...
Updrift is a really gripping tale, even though there are a couple of lulls at times (they are necessary to the story and not boring) but the narration maintains energy throughout these areas. The characters are mostly likeable though I did find myself feeling frustrated with them at times for Kate. Their secrecy is necessary and the reason for this becomes clear about halfway through the story.
This is where the story really gains pace and adventure and it is also where I stop talking about what is happening, no spoilers from here on out..
Some stories work wonderfully in audiobook format, this is definitely one of those books.
Lets focus on the Narration and writing as the final part of this review...
Errin Stevens writes with such flair and a wealth of imagination. Parts of the story reflect real world day to day problems while other parts are more fantasy and they are merged seamlessly.
The narrator Sean Posvistak is absolutely fantastic! He blends characters talking along with the storytelling without any awkward pauses. It felt like he was reading to me and acting out the narrative at the same time.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Errin Stevens. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
March 16, 2016
If any of you guys know my bookish taste, you would know i love a great mermaid novel, and Uplift is one amazing one.
An intense romance to end all romances. Updrift is a very original story. The “rules” in mermaid novels are completely different from the “rules” in this novel! and thats why this book is very unique. Mermaids and Sirens everywhere it awesome. The relationships in this novel were INTENSE! Like SO intense and i loved every minute of it. I loved Gabe and Kates relationship! Errin has written them so wonderfully and I was on the edge of my seat through out!
You can defiantly see the love and care Errin has put into this novel! I think its descriptive and effective. Erin has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through the beautiful ocean as Kate navigates her way home, everything will have changed for her - what she feels, what she wants and what she’ll wish to be with the man she loves. it had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.
An intense romance to end all romances. Updrift is a very original story. The “rules” in mermaid novels are completely different from the “rules” in this novel! and thats why this book is very unique. Mermaids and Sirens everywhere it awesome. The relationships in this novel were INTENSE! Like SO intense and i loved every minute of it. I loved Gabe and Kates relationship! Errin has written them so wonderfully and I was on the edge of my seat through out!
You can defiantly see the love and care Errin has put into this novel! I think its descriptive and effective. Erin has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through the beautiful ocean as Kate navigates her way home, everything will have changed for her - what she feels, what she wants and what she’ll wish to be with the man she loves. it had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.
February 23, 2016
Well this was the book to get me out of my reading slump. I started Updrift and found it beyond difficult to ever put it down.
Other than Han's Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid, I haven't ventured much into the waters of siren mythology. So I found the modern take on the folklore of Updrift to be fascinating and refreshing.
The romance here is spot on. I found myself riding the waves of sexual tension with pleasure. And the intrigue kept me turning pages far into the night.
Beautifully written, Updrift has been one of my favorite reads this year and my hands are itching for the sequel.
Other than Han's Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid, I haven't ventured much into the waters of siren mythology. So I found the modern take on the folklore of Updrift to be fascinating and refreshing.
The romance here is spot on. I found myself riding the waves of sexual tension with pleasure. And the intrigue kept me turning pages far into the night.
Beautifully written, Updrift has been one of my favorite reads this year and my hands are itching for the sequel.
January 17, 2020
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
UPDRIFT (The Mer Chronicles Book #1) by Errin Stevens is the first book in a new enchanting paranormal romance series featuring Sirens. Ms. Stevens’ worldbuilding introduces us to Sirens that interact and live along-side humans, but only a very few know of their existence.
The beginning of this story introduces Cara and Kate Sweeting. Cara lost her husband in an accident while Kate was still very young. She decides to accept a job as the town librarian and moves them to a small community on the North Carolina coast to start over.
While on a boat tour while only five years old, Kate sees a young boy her age swimming in the sea who calls out for her to join him. She goes over the side of the boat. While she swims with her new friend, Gabe all the adults are frantically searching for her. They find Kate and Gabe on the beach with Gabe’s family safe and sound. This begins a life-long interaction and attraction between the two.
The second part of the story has Kate and Gabe coming together as young adults and all of Kate’s questions about Gabe and his family’s differences are answered. Kate and Gabe are planning to be together forever and just as it seems all is right in their world, another Siren wants Kate for himself. Will Gabe be able to find and rescue Kate before she is lost to him?
This is my first audiobook review and this story was very well suited to this media. It is a story that has a lot of worldbuilding to bring the Sirens and their world to life, while entwining it around the human characters and Kate and Gabe’s life stories. Then it seamlessly flows into a paranormal romance plot that had me just as engrossed. All the characters were fully fleshed out and believable to the fantasy.
Ms. Stevens’ story pulled me effortlessly into her Mer Chronicles world and I am looking forward to listening to Book #2. I also enjoyed Mr. Posvistak’s narration.
I recommend this new paranormal world!
UPDRIFT (The Mer Chronicles Book #1) by Errin Stevens is the first book in a new enchanting paranormal romance series featuring Sirens. Ms. Stevens’ worldbuilding introduces us to Sirens that interact and live along-side humans, but only a very few know of their existence.
The beginning of this story introduces Cara and Kate Sweeting. Cara lost her husband in an accident while Kate was still very young. She decides to accept a job as the town librarian and moves them to a small community on the North Carolina coast to start over.
While on a boat tour while only five years old, Kate sees a young boy her age swimming in the sea who calls out for her to join him. She goes over the side of the boat. While she swims with her new friend, Gabe all the adults are frantically searching for her. They find Kate and Gabe on the beach with Gabe’s family safe and sound. This begins a life-long interaction and attraction between the two.
The second part of the story has Kate and Gabe coming together as young adults and all of Kate’s questions about Gabe and his family’s differences are answered. Kate and Gabe are planning to be together forever and just as it seems all is right in their world, another Siren wants Kate for himself. Will Gabe be able to find and rescue Kate before she is lost to him?
This is my first audiobook review and this story was very well suited to this media. It is a story that has a lot of worldbuilding to bring the Sirens and their world to life, while entwining it around the human characters and Kate and Gabe’s life stories. Then it seamlessly flows into a paranormal romance plot that had me just as engrossed. All the characters were fully fleshed out and believable to the fantasy.
Ms. Stevens’ story pulled me effortlessly into her Mer Chronicles world and I am looking forward to listening to Book #2. I also enjoyed Mr. Posvistak’s narration.
I recommend this new paranormal world!
December 7, 2016
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
2.5 Stars
VIDEO REVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR8h7...
After the passing of Kate Sweeting's father when she was 3, her mother, Cara, has never been the same. They decide to move from Kansas down to the shores where they meet the mysterious Blake family. After a many years of living down at the shores, Cara finds the man of her dreams. Kate is happy for her mother's new found happiness, but after a while, she feels that her mother is hiding things from her and she wants to get to the bottom of it. Kate immediately turns to the mysterious Blake family for answers, but no one will give her any. That is until Gabe Blake, her lifelong friend, brings her into his world, a world full of sirens and mermaids. But Kate is in danger and its going to take everything in her to make it home to her family before everything changes.
I found the book to be to slow paced for me at the beginning but by the last 100 pages, it became more interesting. Once the action started, I did enjoy the story a lot more. I loved the mother-daughter relationship between Cara and Kate, it was very easy to feel the love between the two. I also found the book a little confusing until things began to be revealed about half way through the book. I like how the book was broken into 3 separate parts. Part One focused on the back story of Kate and Gabe meeting, part 2 turned to the romance and part 3 focused on the mystery and suspense of the novel. I really liked Peter's character and thought that his character was very well done. I really liked the ending of the novel because I didn't see the ending coming at all, which was very refreshing!
I liked how the author chose to create her own 'rules' for the Siren community that I haven't seen in other mermaid stories. I liked learning all the things that the Sirens were able to do and the different ceremonies and values they held. It was refreshing and an interesting new take on the mythical creature. One complaint I have is the dialogue... I found it to be annoying how often the characters used each other's names to address each other because in my opinion, this does not occur in every day life in the real world. This is a personal preference and it may not bother other people as much as it bothers me. Otherwise, I did enjoy the characters and how they grew up through out the story. PLUS NO INSTA-LOVE HURRAH!!!
*I received this book as part of a vlog tour in exchange for my honest opinion*
2.5 Stars
VIDEO REVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR8h7...
After the passing of Kate Sweeting's father when she was 3, her mother, Cara, has never been the same. They decide to move from Kansas down to the shores where they meet the mysterious Blake family. After a many years of living down at the shores, Cara finds the man of her dreams. Kate is happy for her mother's new found happiness, but after a while, she feels that her mother is hiding things from her and she wants to get to the bottom of it. Kate immediately turns to the mysterious Blake family for answers, but no one will give her any. That is until Gabe Blake, her lifelong friend, brings her into his world, a world full of sirens and mermaids. But Kate is in danger and its going to take everything in her to make it home to her family before everything changes.
I found the book to be to slow paced for me at the beginning but by the last 100 pages, it became more interesting. Once the action started, I did enjoy the story a lot more. I loved the mother-daughter relationship between Cara and Kate, it was very easy to feel the love between the two. I also found the book a little confusing until things began to be revealed about half way through the book. I like how the book was broken into 3 separate parts. Part One focused on the back story of Kate and Gabe meeting, part 2 turned to the romance and part 3 focused on the mystery and suspense of the novel. I really liked Peter's character and thought that his character was very well done. I really liked the ending of the novel because I didn't see the ending coming at all, which was very refreshing!
I liked how the author chose to create her own 'rules' for the Siren community that I haven't seen in other mermaid stories. I liked learning all the things that the Sirens were able to do and the different ceremonies and values they held. It was refreshing and an interesting new take on the mythical creature. One complaint I have is the dialogue... I found it to be annoying how often the characters used each other's names to address each other because in my opinion, this does not occur in every day life in the real world. This is a personal preference and it may not bother other people as much as it bothers me. Otherwise, I did enjoy the characters and how they grew up through out the story. PLUS NO INSTA-LOVE HURRAH!!!
*I received this book as part of a vlog tour in exchange for my honest opinion*
February 21, 2018
YAY! Mermaids! Love mermaids and the cover, so reading this is a no brainer. I immediately thought of Splash, only in reverse, the girl ‘falls’ in the water and falls in love with the ‘boy’. I’m hooked.
Updrift by Errin Stevens is Kate’s life from the time she is five years old to adulthood. I love seeing her grow and develop from an introverted nerd, to a strong, determined woman with desires that will not be denied and one who knows the difference between right and wrong and will step up.
After the death of her father, Kate and her mother move from Kansas to Griffin Bay, North Carolina for a fresh start.
Kate is confused about all the secrecy surrounding her and the push for her to fill her days with tons of schoolwork, an internship, and little to no socializing, especially with Gabe. And Gabe? And, now that they were meeting after being kept apart for so long, is he still interested in her? Were they being kept apart on purpose…And, what now?
Kate and Gabe do not sense the danger coming their way, but I do and I fear for them. What could they do, even if they knew?
I love all things in their mer world. They have their own set of rules and customs, but there are those who think changes need to be made. After all, it is the 21st century.
I haven’t read a book quite like Updrift and Errin Stevens’ mer world had me thinking, hey can I play too? Who wouldn’t want to swim with the fishes…in a good way?
I loved it and if you love mermaids as much as I do, this is one you want on your reading list. I want more, and thank goodness I have Breakwater, the second book in The Mer Chronicles waiting for me on my Kindle. As a matter of fact, I cannot wait and will begin…NOW.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Updrift by Errin Stevens.
See more at fundinmental
Updrift by Errin Stevens is Kate’s life from the time she is five years old to adulthood. I love seeing her grow and develop from an introverted nerd, to a strong, determined woman with desires that will not be denied and one who knows the difference between right and wrong and will step up.
After the death of her father, Kate and her mother move from Kansas to Griffin Bay, North Carolina for a fresh start.
Kate is confused about all the secrecy surrounding her and the push for her to fill her days with tons of schoolwork, an internship, and little to no socializing, especially with Gabe. And Gabe? And, now that they were meeting after being kept apart for so long, is he still interested in her? Were they being kept apart on purpose…And, what now?
Kate and Gabe do not sense the danger coming their way, but I do and I fear for them. What could they do, even if they knew?
I love all things in their mer world. They have their own set of rules and customs, but there are those who think changes need to be made. After all, it is the 21st century.
I haven’t read a book quite like Updrift and Errin Stevens’ mer world had me thinking, hey can I play too? Who wouldn’t want to swim with the fishes…in a good way?
I loved it and if you love mermaids as much as I do, this is one you want on your reading list. I want more, and thank goodness I have Breakwater, the second book in The Mer Chronicles waiting for me on my Kindle. As a matter of fact, I cannot wait and will begin…NOW.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Updrift by Errin Stevens.
See more at fundinmental
February 6, 2017
With so few mermaid tales out there I was thrilled to discover Updrift, even more so when I realized that the mermaid’s in the book were actually the guys – or Siren’s I should say.
The story is simple enough, Kate and her mum move to a new town where they both form strong bonds with a couple of the local men. The book then follows them through many years and life changing events. For me, this is where a lot of my issues with Updrift lay.
When the story begins Kate is just six years old. The first part of the book (which is about half of it) then quickly follows her as she ages to twenty-one. With it covering so much time so quickly it felt a little like it was rushing through her life, mentioning life altering events like weddings and new career’s as though they were simply choices of what to wear.
Some pretty big things happen in the space of just a few pages and Kate barely reacts to them. This was another sticking point for me, Kate didn’t react to things the way you would realistically expect someone to. Her reaction to Gabe’s big secret and the consequences of it was completely left field for me, she didn’t have even a shred of doubt or stop to really consider what this decision would mean for her life and her future, she just dived in head first. Books like Twilight get a lot of stick for Bella being hopelessly in love with Edward to the point where she makes reckless decisions solely based on her feelings for him and that is so much worse in Updrift. At least in Twilight Bella spent time in Edward’s world and truly understood what her future was going to be like with him, In Updrift Kate makes her commitment with minimal knowledge and only her desire to be with Gabe driving her. This isn’t the kind of role model I want for young women this age. .
I won’t go too much into my feelings about Kate as I think it’s already clear that I didn’t really care for her. She was pleasant enough but she didn’t think things through and she seemed blinded by her affection for Gabe. She studied immensely hard to get her degree a year early and to secure a great job and then was happy to just give all that up for him.
In terms of the other characters, Gabe was actually ok. He grew on me throughout the book and though he too was a little irresponsible he was better than Kate and of the pair his were the only feelings I truly believed in, I actually felt like he did care for her. Outside of the two main characters there was a whole range of side characters, from each of their families, and all seemed to have their own mini storylines going on that made the plot a little messy and made it hard for me to connect well with a lot of the characters.
I’ve been very critical of several aspects of this book so far but I will go as far as to say that the writing was very enjoyable. Errin has a very smooth style and it gave the book a fresh and modern feel. Her ideas on the culture of the Sirens were very original and I would’ve loved to have seen more of this in the book. I know that there is a sequel, Breakwater, where the main character appears to be aware of the Sirens so perhaps this one will be set more in their world.
The paperback itself is also beautifully illustrated and each chapter is headed by a picture of a shell which I found to be quite a nice touch.
In terms of the ending, it is very much a HEA which follows the only real portion of angst in the book. For me, I wasn’t too keen on the storyline involving Peter. It felt a little bit out of the blue, almost like it was added as an afterthought as a way to inject some drama into the plot. That being said, there was a nice section afterwards which felt more like an epilogue to me than the actual epilogue and it tied things up for Kate and her family very nicely.
I have tried to be as honest as I can when reviewing this and it isn’t my intention to deter anyone from giving Updrift a try. All I wanted to do was highlight some of the issues I had with it and explain why they affected my enjoyment. I always struggle when writing fairly critical reviews because it’s always in the back of my mind that this is someone’s work and they’ve poured their heart into it. In no way am I saying that Updrift isn’t a good book, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me personally.
So, would I recommend this to anyone? Yes, if you’re a fan of mermaid tales and if the things I’ve mentioned above don’t seem like deal breakers for you then why not grab yourself a copy and see how you feel, you might thoroughly enjoy it!
The story is simple enough, Kate and her mum move to a new town where they both form strong bonds with a couple of the local men. The book then follows them through many years and life changing events. For me, this is where a lot of my issues with Updrift lay.
When the story begins Kate is just six years old. The first part of the book (which is about half of it) then quickly follows her as she ages to twenty-one. With it covering so much time so quickly it felt a little like it was rushing through her life, mentioning life altering events like weddings and new career’s as though they were simply choices of what to wear.
Some pretty big things happen in the space of just a few pages and Kate barely reacts to them. This was another sticking point for me, Kate didn’t react to things the way you would realistically expect someone to. Her reaction to Gabe’s big secret and the consequences of it was completely left field for me, she didn’t have even a shred of doubt or stop to really consider what this decision would mean for her life and her future, she just dived in head first. Books like Twilight get a lot of stick for Bella being hopelessly in love with Edward to the point where she makes reckless decisions solely based on her feelings for him and that is so much worse in Updrift. At least in Twilight Bella spent time in Edward’s world and truly understood what her future was going to be like with him, In Updrift Kate makes her commitment with minimal knowledge and only her desire to be with Gabe driving her. This isn’t the kind of role model I want for young women this age. .
I won’t go too much into my feelings about Kate as I think it’s already clear that I didn’t really care for her. She was pleasant enough but she didn’t think things through and she seemed blinded by her affection for Gabe. She studied immensely hard to get her degree a year early and to secure a great job and then was happy to just give all that up for him.
In terms of the other characters, Gabe was actually ok. He grew on me throughout the book and though he too was a little irresponsible he was better than Kate and of the pair his were the only feelings I truly believed in, I actually felt like he did care for her. Outside of the two main characters there was a whole range of side characters, from each of their families, and all seemed to have their own mini storylines going on that made the plot a little messy and made it hard for me to connect well with a lot of the characters.
I’ve been very critical of several aspects of this book so far but I will go as far as to say that the writing was very enjoyable. Errin has a very smooth style and it gave the book a fresh and modern feel. Her ideas on the culture of the Sirens were very original and I would’ve loved to have seen more of this in the book. I know that there is a sequel, Breakwater, where the main character appears to be aware of the Sirens so perhaps this one will be set more in their world.
The paperback itself is also beautifully illustrated and each chapter is headed by a picture of a shell which I found to be quite a nice touch.
In terms of the ending, it is very much a HEA which follows the only real portion of angst in the book. For me, I wasn’t too keen on the storyline involving Peter. It felt a little bit out of the blue, almost like it was added as an afterthought as a way to inject some drama into the plot. That being said, there was a nice section afterwards which felt more like an epilogue to me than the actual epilogue and it tied things up for Kate and her family very nicely.
I have tried to be as honest as I can when reviewing this and it isn’t my intention to deter anyone from giving Updrift a try. All I wanted to do was highlight some of the issues I had with it and explain why they affected my enjoyment. I always struggle when writing fairly critical reviews because it’s always in the back of my mind that this is someone’s work and they’ve poured their heart into it. In no way am I saying that Updrift isn’t a good book, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me personally.
So, would I recommend this to anyone? Yes, if you’re a fan of mermaid tales and if the things I’ve mentioned above don’t seem like deal breakers for you then why not grab yourself a copy and see how you feel, you might thoroughly enjoy it!
December 18, 2018
I'm deciding to DNF this one because there are just so many problems with it that I'm struggling now to continue on.
Let's start with the writing: There is so much TELLING! Like it's mostly the narrator prattling off a list of stuff that's happening. The POV is third person but switches who he focus is at random increments and introduces new character focuses 1/3 of the way thru the book.
The pacing was just awful . In the beginning I never could figure out what age the characters were when stuff was happening. And there would be a time skip and I couldn't tell how much time had passed. I got really frustrated.
Boy tells girl he is a mermaid and she just giggles and says I always wanted to date a merman
At about 40% of the way thru the book the girl MC and the boy MC have been made to wait for each other without seeing each other but once and very little interaction thru two years of high school and two of college. The boy says he NEEDS to see the girl and she just drives on down and tells him she has always loved him. ROLLS EYES. He explains that when his family does this thing where they hold your hand against their hearts and the other hands' wrist they are checking if you are ovulating and she is and he loves her so it's time to put a baby in her. Kate says "okay we will figure it out" I am on the floor in disbelief. He says "it could be twins. That would be nice" UM NOO. Then after lovemaking he casually slides in that they are going to medical school together . But she already has a degree and a job as a job journalist. Like he is just making decisions for her. I couldn't do it. Nope no thank you.
Let's start with the writing: There is so much TELLING! Like it's mostly the narrator prattling off a list of stuff that's happening. The POV is third person but switches who he focus is at random increments and introduces new character focuses 1/3 of the way thru the book.
The pacing was just awful . In the beginning I never could figure out what age the characters were when stuff was happening. And there would be a time skip and I couldn't tell how much time had passed. I got really frustrated.
Boy tells girl he is a mermaid and she just giggles and says I always wanted to date a merman
At about 40% of the way thru the book the girl MC and the boy MC have been made to wait for each other without seeing each other but once and very little interaction thru two years of high school and two of college. The boy says he NEEDS to see the girl and she just drives on down and tells him she has always loved him. ROLLS EYES. He explains that when his family does this thing where they hold your hand against their hearts and the other hands' wrist they are checking if you are ovulating and she is and he loves her so it's time to put a baby in her. Kate says "okay we will figure it out" I am on the floor in disbelief. He says "it could be twins. That would be nice" UM NOO. Then after lovemaking he casually slides in that they are going to medical school together . But she already has a degree and a job as a job journalist. Like he is just making decisions for her. I couldn't do it. Nope no thank you.
September 26, 2017
*Warning - harsh, maybe brutal* I really wanted to like this book. Bottom line, I felt like this was an info dump. It was the prime example writers are told NOT to do... show not tell. I felt shoved through this story as fast as Kate's hijacked life set by her mother and Gabe's mother. Brutal, I know. Snobbish? Most certainly. I always try to find the good in stories and there were glimmers of hope sprinkled about but not seized upon. As a reader I was told about dialogue but not made a part of. I was told how Kate wanted to stay home and raise a child but let's check off that obligation to feminism box that she owed it to the universe to do SOMETHING with her degree. Everything was predictably tied up pretty little tidy bows. That's not realistic. Where was the romance? Gabe liked Kate A LOT (towards the end it showed but too late) Kate liked Gabe... enough to NOT even been tempted in high school or college when she was forcibly kept away from him. Gabe didn't seem to struggle with the separation and if he did we were told by Gabe ... that he did. "Oh hey, I'm a mermaid." "Nice. Let's spend the rest of our lives together." I didn't feel a part of this story. Maybe book two shows her writing evolving but I will never know. I think this could have been a decent book. There's some great ideas here, a touch of magic, but they didn't make it past the outline stage. Loved the ceremony when a siren dies. Beautiful concept. Ok 'nuff said. So, I'll shut up and start writing my own dern mermaid story.
October 26, 2017
"Use the term siren, please," he begged. "I always picture myself in drag when I hear mermaid, and I'm not very pretty." He shuddered.
This is my favourite line in the book.
I have wanted to read Updrift ever since I met Erri on I stagram over a year ago and I honestly have to say that I absolutely loved this story! It's exciting, it's new and fresh and it has all the feels!!
I have nothing bad to say about this book. Sure, part 1 is a little slow but it's not boring or dull in any way. There's humour, drama, suspense; and the romance! Oh, I wish some guy would sweep me off my feet like Gabe does with Kate... sigh.
I have heard a lot of people compare this with The Little Mermaid, and though it has references to TLM, it is a completely new take on mermaids - for me, anyway; I haven't read many mermaid stories - which is very refreshing.
Errin is an amazing person which is carried through in her book. Her writing style consists of long sentences, almost paragraph like, but it is similar to the way I think so the words just flowed; I couldn't read this book fast enough!
Character development is amazing and the world building is extremely good!
I give Updrift a stupendous 4 1/2 stars and I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Thank you, Errin, for writing such a beautiful story; I will cherish it forever!
This is my favourite line in the book.
I have wanted to read Updrift ever since I met Erri on I stagram over a year ago and I honestly have to say that I absolutely loved this story! It's exciting, it's new and fresh and it has all the feels!!
I have nothing bad to say about this book. Sure, part 1 is a little slow but it's not boring or dull in any way. There's humour, drama, suspense; and the romance! Oh, I wish some guy would sweep me off my feet like Gabe does with Kate... sigh.
I have heard a lot of people compare this with The Little Mermaid, and though it has references to TLM, it is a completely new take on mermaids - for me, anyway; I haven't read many mermaid stories - which is very refreshing.
Errin is an amazing person which is carried through in her book. Her writing style consists of long sentences, almost paragraph like, but it is similar to the way I think so the words just flowed; I couldn't read this book fast enough!
Character development is amazing and the world building is extremely good!
I give Updrift a stupendous 4 1/2 stars and I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Thank you, Errin, for writing such a beautiful story; I will cherish it forever!
December 16, 2018
What do I think? For one--I wish I were a mermaid!! I mean, a "siren" (actually I love that term). There was a lot packed in this novel that could have easily been broken out and expanded into a few different ones. But the main love story with Kate and Gabrielle was absolutely adorable from the start, and riveting at the end. Without giving spoilers, the true excitement begins halfway after they "bond", and Kate is pursued by a siren prince obsessed with her, as well as Gabe's response to it. I so much want to tell you, but you'll just have to buy the book to find out (LOL)! There's a teaser at the end that makes me eager for the sequel, and you can be certain I'm getting it right away. Highly recommend for all ages--nothing inappropriate for young teens, but still interesting for adults. Awesome read!
October 12, 2016
A copy was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
As much as I wanted to like this book, it was quite disappointing.
The story's premise was interestimg, yes. Thats's what made me want to read it in the first place, but the story was dragging. I put it down one too many times, even considered DNFing it, but decided not to. After ignoring it again and again, I gave it another go.
I finished it, but it still didn't change my opinion about it.
The pacing was slow.
The characters didn't really leave that much mark on me.
But, I'd say that the story was interesting enough for me to keep reading it until the end.
As much as I wanted to like this book, it was quite disappointing.
The story's premise was interestimg, yes. Thats's what made me want to read it in the first place, but the story was dragging. I put it down one too many times, even considered DNFing it, but decided not to. After ignoring it again and again, I gave it another go.
I finished it, but it still didn't change my opinion about it.
The pacing was slow.
The characters didn't really leave that much mark on me.
But, I'd say that the story was interesting enough for me to keep reading it until the end.
October 18, 2022
TLDR: I finished the book and realized I should've DNFd in the first 10 chapters...which is when I wanted to DNF in the first place...but I'm a sucker for mermaids so I read the whole thing.
This book sucked. Let me tell you why:
Telling Not Showing
The writing itself was ok and readable but the writing style was horrid. The style was "telling" the reader information rather than "showing" 100% of the time and done in such a way that it was impossible to fully immerse yourself in the story. The entire book felt like one massive info dump that skims over EVERYTHING that ever happens. Writers are told to show not tell and Errin Stevens told all.
Random
The 3rd person POV shifts focus between random characters at seemingly random intervals to give us fairly random info dumps. We also got random and pointless storylines along the way. The book is written in 3 parts. There was no understandable logic to the division of "parts" at all.
Emotionless
Huge life altering things happen (like they do) and no one reacts to anything. Anything that happens in this book is all just taken in stride by everyone. No screaming, crying, shock, horror, or hesitation. Nothing but unbridled enthusiasm!
Other Notes
Part 1 was all just dull and painfully sloooooooow back story. We flit from one supposedly important scene to the next in the lives of the most boring characters in the story while ignoring the interesting ones. Ages, dates, and the timeline of events was frequently confused by both me and the author. I almost DNFd here.
Part 2 was the insta-love honeymoon/snooze fest. Yes, they love each other. Yes, the uptight aunt gets a vague happy ending too (and I think they broke siren laws to achieve that??). Peter was a pervert. Our main girl is pregnant. I really don't care about any of it. I should've DNFd here.
Part 3 was the interesting plot, climax, and resolution all in a single part. Peter got creepier and her husband got cooler. The final fight scene is probably the best scene in the whole book and the only thing that felt like it wasn't skimmed over when written. The scene was told and not shown but it's still easily the best scene in the book.
Mermaid genre readers looking for a good book be advised to read something else.
This book sucked. Let me tell you why:
Telling Not Showing
The writing itself was ok and readable but the writing style was horrid. The style was "telling" the reader information rather than "showing" 100% of the time and done in such a way that it was impossible to fully immerse yourself in the story. The entire book felt like one massive info dump that skims over EVERYTHING that ever happens. Writers are told to show not tell and Errin Stevens told all.
Random
The 3rd person POV shifts focus between random characters at seemingly random intervals to give us fairly random info dumps. We also got random and pointless storylines along the way. The book is written in 3 parts. There was no understandable logic to the division of "parts" at all.
Emotionless
Huge life altering things happen (like they do) and no one reacts to anything. Anything that happens in this book is all just taken in stride by everyone. No screaming, crying, shock, horror, or hesitation. Nothing but unbridled enthusiasm!
Other Notes
Part 1 was all just dull and painfully sloooooooow back story. We flit from one supposedly important scene to the next in the lives of the most boring characters in the story while ignoring the interesting ones. Ages, dates, and the timeline of events was frequently confused by both me and the author. I almost DNFd here.
Part 2 was the insta-love honeymoon/snooze fest. Yes, they love each other. Yes, the uptight aunt gets a vague happy ending too (and I think they broke siren laws to achieve that??). Peter was a pervert. Our main girl is pregnant. I really don't care about any of it. I should've DNFd here.
Part 3 was the interesting plot, climax, and resolution all in a single part. Peter got creepier and her husband got cooler. The final fight scene is probably the best scene in the whole book and the only thing that felt like it wasn't skimmed over when written. The scene was told and not shown but it's still easily the best scene in the book.
Mermaid genre readers looking for a good book be advised to read something else.
January 7, 2017
UPDRIFT BY: ERRIN STEVENS
Updrift wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable read. I guess I was expecting a little more action and fantasy in this book, and while it did ultimately deliver on both of these, it did take quite some time to really do so. BUT where these elements were lacking in the first half or so of the story, there was really strong character and relationship development. In my opinion this was probably the strongest element in this story. So while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed the journey to get to the parts I was anticipating. I think there was a lot of exploration into coming of age, falling in love, being a friend, a daughter, a mother, an aunt, basically the whole family dynamic in general. Stevens develops and nurtures each relationship with a lot of time and care, and I appreciate that.
Once we got more into the fantasy elements of the story, I found it quite interesting. I really liked that the men (Sirens) were the feature here. I feel like so often with "mermaids" we are getting the female take on them, so it was nice to see Stevens' version with the Sirens taking the lead.
I liked the idea of them as a generally peaceful and devoted race. The fact that they mate for life was a sweet touch. I really enjoyed seeing a little of their home in the sea and their customs. Although I feel like there is a lot that could still be done with that aspect of the story. I had really high hopes for the world building here, but I feel as if there could have been more there. I would really love to see this world be expanded upon in the next book. I think that would take these books to a whole new level. All in all I enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to seeing what the next book, Breakwater holds in store!
Updrift wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable read. I guess I was expecting a little more action and fantasy in this book, and while it did ultimately deliver on both of these, it did take quite some time to really do so. BUT where these elements were lacking in the first half or so of the story, there was really strong character and relationship development. In my opinion this was probably the strongest element in this story. So while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed the journey to get to the parts I was anticipating. I think there was a lot of exploration into coming of age, falling in love, being a friend, a daughter, a mother, an aunt, basically the whole family dynamic in general. Stevens develops and nurtures each relationship with a lot of time and care, and I appreciate that.
Once we got more into the fantasy elements of the story, I found it quite interesting. I really liked that the men (Sirens) were the feature here. I feel like so often with "mermaids" we are getting the female take on them, so it was nice to see Stevens' version with the Sirens taking the lead.
I liked the idea of them as a generally peaceful and devoted race. The fact that they mate for life was a sweet touch. I really enjoyed seeing a little of their home in the sea and their customs. Although I feel like there is a lot that could still be done with that aspect of the story. I had really high hopes for the world building here, but I feel as if there could have been more there. I would really love to see this world be expanded upon in the next book. I think that would take these books to a whole new level. All in all I enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to seeing what the next book, Breakwater holds in store!
March 5, 2017
First I want to thank Errin Stevens for sending me a review copy of Updrift!
I found this book quite difficult to get into in the beginning.
We start off with Kate being a child and moving with her mother to a new town. We got a taste of her home life and her family. I really enjoyed the beginning, but I found it very fast paced. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, although it made it hard to focus. A lot of things were happening very quickly after each other. A hundred pages covered 17 years in Kate’s life. Because of this I didn’t really connect with the characters until everything began slowing down. I did like them, I just didn’t form a bond with them like I wanted to.
When the second part of the story started, it began to slow down and I started to see more of the relationships the characters had built. In the speed-through of Kate’s life I didn’t see that very much. I knew the relationships were there I just couldn’t focus on them.
That being said I did really enjoy how the characters were with each other. Especially Kate and her mom. They had a natural understanding and were there of the other. They didn’t fight like a lot of teenagers and parents in books do, but they were happy and made the book so much cuter!
The characters were overall just really relatable. I know a lot of characters are, but these were people I could see walking down the street across from me. None of them were overly achieving and I found myself enjoying the smallest things.
The storyline was interesting. It was simple but effective. I was impressed by the way the plot was worked out. The twists that were put in the tales of sirens and their ways were really good blended with not only the stories, but the real world.
I do admit that I was confused at some points but quickly picked back up and understood when I read further.
I found Errin’s writing style very refreshing. It made you flow through the book as if you were one of the characters, and not just reading about them.
I recommend this book to people who want to read something cute and lovable, but still magical!
I found this book quite difficult to get into in the beginning.
We start off with Kate being a child and moving with her mother to a new town. We got a taste of her home life and her family. I really enjoyed the beginning, but I found it very fast paced. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, although it made it hard to focus. A lot of things were happening very quickly after each other. A hundred pages covered 17 years in Kate’s life. Because of this I didn’t really connect with the characters until everything began slowing down. I did like them, I just didn’t form a bond with them like I wanted to.
When the second part of the story started, it began to slow down and I started to see more of the relationships the characters had built. In the speed-through of Kate’s life I didn’t see that very much. I knew the relationships were there I just couldn’t focus on them.
That being said I did really enjoy how the characters were with each other. Especially Kate and her mom. They had a natural understanding and were there of the other. They didn’t fight like a lot of teenagers and parents in books do, but they were happy and made the book so much cuter!
The characters were overall just really relatable. I know a lot of characters are, but these were people I could see walking down the street across from me. None of them were overly achieving and I found myself enjoying the smallest things.
The storyline was interesting. It was simple but effective. I was impressed by the way the plot was worked out. The twists that were put in the tales of sirens and their ways were really good blended with not only the stories, but the real world.
I do admit that I was confused at some points but quickly picked back up and understood when I read further.
I found Errin’s writing style very refreshing. It made you flow through the book as if you were one of the characters, and not just reading about them.
I recommend this book to people who want to read something cute and lovable, but still magical!
March 18, 2017
My Review: 3(2.5?)/5 stars (spoiler-free!!)
I was sent this book in return for an honest review.
I think in order to properly review this book, I have to do it in sections.
I'll start with the plot, which overall I would rate a 3/5. I really liked the way certain events played out, were paced, etc. However, some events felt like they weren't necessary. For example, all of the focus on Dana and Will in the middle of the book. I thought they were going to be part of a key event/turn into main characters after all of the focus on them, but then they weren't brought up again. Overall, the plot was pretty okay, I just didn't like some of the, what felt like, pointless events.
Next is characters, which I would say were 3/5. I liked some of the characters, like Gabe, Carmen, Kate, etc. However, I just wish some of them were more developed. Again, the fact that Will and Dana were so developed for no reason really bothered me. But because of the overall pacing of the novel it's understandable why only certain characters were highly developed. Overall, most of the characters were funny and likable, however they didn't leave any lasting impressions on me and I had difficulty connecting with them.
One problem I had with this book was definitely pacing, which I would give a 3/5. Especially in the beginning of the novel, almost everything is extremely rushed, years going by within pages. Then towards the end of the novel, I felt as if certain parts were dragged on and on while others were rushed. I just really wished some moments could have been less rushed, especially the events I enjoyed.
Lastly, the biggest problem I had with this book was the author's style, which is 2/5 stars for me. Throughout the book, point of views are CONSTANTLY changing, just about every sentence. It makes it so hard to understand what is going on at some points and is just extremely frustrating. I found that this was a problem mainly in the first half of the novel. However, I'm not sure if it became less rapid or if I just got used to it. ALSO, everything was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo heavily described to the point that it was honestly just tedious. I'm a HUGE supporter of world building and description to help engross readers into the world, but I personally found this amount of description to be unnecessary.
Although I did have some problems with this book, I feel like overall it was an okay read with an interesting premise. I would recommend this novel to you if you enjoy romance, mermaids (sirens), and descriptive language.
I was sent this book in return for an honest review.
I think in order to properly review this book, I have to do it in sections.
I'll start with the plot, which overall I would rate a 3/5. I really liked the way certain events played out, were paced, etc. However, some events felt like they weren't necessary. For example, all of the focus on Dana and Will in the middle of the book. I thought they were going to be part of a key event/turn into main characters after all of the focus on them, but then they weren't brought up again. Overall, the plot was pretty okay, I just didn't like some of the, what felt like, pointless events.
Next is characters, which I would say were 3/5. I liked some of the characters, like Gabe, Carmen, Kate, etc. However, I just wish some of them were more developed. Again, the fact that Will and Dana were so developed for no reason really bothered me. But because of the overall pacing of the novel it's understandable why only certain characters were highly developed. Overall, most of the characters were funny and likable, however they didn't leave any lasting impressions on me and I had difficulty connecting with them.
One problem I had with this book was definitely pacing, which I would give a 3/5. Especially in the beginning of the novel, almost everything is extremely rushed, years going by within pages. Then towards the end of the novel, I felt as if certain parts were dragged on and on while others were rushed. I just really wished some moments could have been less rushed, especially the events I enjoyed.
Lastly, the biggest problem I had with this book was the author's style, which is 2/5 stars for me. Throughout the book, point of views are CONSTANTLY changing, just about every sentence. It makes it so hard to understand what is going on at some points and is just extremely frustrating. I found that this was a problem mainly in the first half of the novel. However, I'm not sure if it became less rapid or if I just got used to it. ALSO, everything was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo heavily described to the point that it was honestly just tedious. I'm a HUGE supporter of world building and description to help engross readers into the world, but I personally found this amount of description to be unnecessary.
Although I did have some problems with this book, I feel like overall it was an okay read with an interesting premise. I would recommend this novel to you if you enjoy romance, mermaids (sirens), and descriptive language.
June 15, 2018
I would have DNF'd this had I not needed a mermaid book for Ripped Bodice Bingo. I owned this one and have too many books to go and buy something new I know I would like and would fit this category.
I'm hiding this behind a spoiler because I can't review this book without spoilers. Rant ahead.
Ripped Bodice Bingo!!!!!: Mermaids
I'm hiding this behind a spoiler because I can't review this book without spoilers. Rant ahead.
Ripped Bodice Bingo!!!!!: Mermaids
June 19, 2016
Updrift is a beautifully crafted romance novel that involves fantasy and a wider scope of events. One of my favorite things about this romance was that it wasn't just merely a romance; instead, it was a fantasy adventure as well as a mystery, and that added tantalizing substance to the story.
It is not often that I read a book that captures such a beautiful perspective of a child, and this novel achieved that perspective from the beginning. Errin Stevens also made Kate's growth appear so effortless, and I felt like a mother not wanting to let go of my growing child as the novel went on; however, I loved watching her come into confidence as she became a young woman and I even felt proud. Through love she was able to grow, and I admired the love and care she had for her mother. That mother/daughter bond is very important, and I enjoyed seeing it so clearly presented in this contemporary literature. Stevens knows how to create a story that is not one - dimensional, while also satisfying that need for romance that many readers hold high. Her writing was believable but outlandish at the same time, and I couldn't help but believe every word that she wrote. Watching a young woman come into love and find out secrets that change the way she views those around her was breath taking, and so relatable to contemporary life.
Now, I have read multiple mermaid themed novels, but this one stood out to me more than anything else I have read. This is because Stevens averted from all stereotypes surrounding mermaid based literature, and wrote her own rules. I didn't feel like I had read this story before and I didn't think that it was just a redo of an exhausted story line. Her characters were vibrant and flawed, just as human as we are, and even now I have a hard time admitting that they were fictional. Stevens knows how to make myth real, and I am desperately waiting for Fall 2016 to come so that I can grab the sequel and continue this beautiful story. Updrift is a novel for multiple age groups, and I feel better off emotionally and mentally now that I have read it. That is not something I can say about a lot of literature, and Stevens is a treasure to be found in today's cluttered literary market.
It is not often that I read a book that captures such a beautiful perspective of a child, and this novel achieved that perspective from the beginning. Errin Stevens also made Kate's growth appear so effortless, and I felt like a mother not wanting to let go of my growing child as the novel went on; however, I loved watching her come into confidence as she became a young woman and I even felt proud. Through love she was able to grow, and I admired the love and care she had for her mother. That mother/daughter bond is very important, and I enjoyed seeing it so clearly presented in this contemporary literature. Stevens knows how to create a story that is not one - dimensional, while also satisfying that need for romance that many readers hold high. Her writing was believable but outlandish at the same time, and I couldn't help but believe every word that she wrote. Watching a young woman come into love and find out secrets that change the way she views those around her was breath taking, and so relatable to contemporary life.
Now, I have read multiple mermaid themed novels, but this one stood out to me more than anything else I have read. This is because Stevens averted from all stereotypes surrounding mermaid based literature, and wrote her own rules. I didn't feel like I had read this story before and I didn't think that it was just a redo of an exhausted story line. Her characters were vibrant and flawed, just as human as we are, and even now I have a hard time admitting that they were fictional. Stevens knows how to make myth real, and I am desperately waiting for Fall 2016 to come so that I can grab the sequel and continue this beautiful story. Updrift is a novel for multiple age groups, and I feel better off emotionally and mentally now that I have read it. That is not something I can say about a lot of literature, and Stevens is a treasure to be found in today's cluttered literary market.
April 1, 2018
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review *
It's hard to rate this book. I liked it, it was good, but it took me so long to finish.
It's the first book I've ever read about mermaid, excuse me, sirens. The way it was written slowed down the story though.
What I did really like was the way the story was built. The first half of the book it Kate growing up with Gabe. It takes the instant romance away that you often encounter in book. You know the history these two characters have and that makes it more special. Instead of just starting the story where they're 16 years old or something and just telling you they've been friends for years, this story tells how they've met, what they've been through, etc.
This story takes some time to read, but I still think it's worth it.
It's hard to rate this book. I liked it, it was good, but it took me so long to finish.
It's the first book I've ever read about mermaid, excuse me, sirens. The way it was written slowed down the story though.
What I did really like was the way the story was built. The first half of the book it Kate growing up with Gabe. It takes the instant romance away that you often encounter in book. You know the history these two characters have and that makes it more special. Instead of just starting the story where they're 16 years old or something and just telling you they've been friends for years, this story tells how they've met, what they've been through, etc.
This story takes some time to read, but I still think it's worth it.
January 3, 2016
I received this book for free through a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
It had a rough start for me... But to be fair I started reading it during Christmas week and was in and out of it with family distractions.
It felt much more fluid about halfway through. I loved the deep romance that the sirens experience and the magics they possess. I had been craving a mermaid novel and was pleased to find one that wasn't toooo young and fluffy.
All in all, it was a nice story. =)
It had a rough start for me... But to be fair I started reading it during Christmas week and was in and out of it with family distractions.
It felt much more fluid about halfway through. I loved the deep romance that the sirens experience and the magics they possess. I had been craving a mermaid novel and was pleased to find one that wasn't toooo young and fluffy.
All in all, it was a nice story. =)
September 28, 2016
I had yet to read a book on mermaids/sirens, and I'm glad I was able to pick this one up. The story line to this book was perfect and the characters were perfect. If you're looking for a book with some mermaids and some love tension that will take you out of a reading slump, satisfy your needs for a good book. You need to pick this up. I can't wait to read the next books in this series by Errin Stevens, this book had me wanting more!
April 11, 2016
omg!
This book starts of as one thing and ends as another! It was such an incredible romance read. The relationship between Kate and Gabe was just breath taking and refreshing. His bound with her is incredible.
I loved this take on mermaids/ sirens, such a different read.
LOVE LOVE LOVE..
Can i be a merman now!
This book starts of as one thing and ends as another! It was such an incredible romance read. The relationship between Kate and Gabe was just breath taking and refreshing. His bound with her is incredible.
I loved this take on mermaids/ sirens, such a different read.
LOVE LOVE LOVE..
Can i be a merman now!
November 14, 2015
I gobbled this book up,,,great imagination,,,great adventure,,spectacular evil/compromised character,,,a plot that just kept unwinding with an amazing ending. Highly imaginative but very real with an adventurous romance.
March 23, 2018
If you’re into mermaids, cute romances with a side of paranormal, or you just need a chill read, look no more because Updrift is what you’re looking for.
I can’t say I was too interested in mermaids/sirens before reading Updrift. To be honest I was scared of another The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen repeat, not because I didn’t love that story, but because that story broke my heart when I was little. Back then I was heartbroken because in my little kid mind the mermaid didn’t get her happy ending. Of course when I got older I realized the meaning of that story but I still get sad when I think about it.
Anyway, Updrift is nothing like The Little Mermaid and the whole sirens concept in this book is very interesting. In here sirens can mate with humans and they get their happy ending which pleases me to no end. I am a su**er for HEAs. Don’t judge! I think real life is hard enough and the HEAs from books make it more bearable.
I loved how in this book the guy is a siren and the girl is human, usually is the other way around. Gabe is a siren and no that doesn’t mean he isn’t cool, or hot, because he totally is.
*** The sirens from this book don’t live only in water, they can also live on land.
The first part of the book is a bit slow because we get to see how Kate grows up, but the second part of the book picks up the pace, because Gabe and Kate are finished with school, so Gabe tells Kate about who he is and what she means for him. Kate and Gabe are happy and in love and they’re planning their future until Peter steps in. Peter is another siren and he has bad thoughts in mind regarding Gabe.
In Updrift the focus is more on the characters and the relationships between them, the family dynamics. The interaction between Kate and Gabe is beautiful and you can feel the love they have for each other.
I also loved how we got to see the relationship between Kate and her mother, her aunt and Gabe’s siblings. It feels like a 360′ view into Kate’s life and personality, seeing how she interacts with everyone we get to understand her choices and what she really wants. Someone said in a review that Kate dives head first into her relationship with Gabe without knowing much about his world and without thinking about her future. Well it is true if you apply this in the real world, but in Updrift, I think Kate made up her mind long before finding out more about the world of sirens. I mean, she and Gabe were best friends since childhood, even if she didn’t know about his secret, she knew something was going on.
Ultimately, what we need to learn from this book is that we do learn something from every relationship we have with our friends, lovers and family. Our interactions with our parents, our siblings, our friends etc. make us who we are, we learn something from each of them and we need to love and appreciate one another with our ups and downs. Bad things happen, life changes but if we understand and care for each other, we can get through anything.
The only thing I didn’t like in Updrift were the scenes with Peter. I couldn’t care less for Peter, he was just ugh, I have no words. I didn’t like him at all, but I see why Peter happened to this story, he was there so we could understand how deep was the connection between Kate and Gabe.
The writing is soo good and you can see how much the author loves her characters.
„Love was a prison. No, that wasn’t right. Love was the trap that led to the prison. But maybe he placed blame where it didn’t belong.”
*** you can also find this review both in english and romanian on my blog: https://vampressbathoryreads.wordpres...
****I had the pleasure to meet the author, Errin Stevens on Instagram and she is a such a kind and genuine person. She sent me the first two books in The Mer Chronicles all the way from U.S.A to Romania which is a long way to go. These sirens traveled across the ocean to get to me and I couldn’t be happier.
I can’t say I was too interested in mermaids/sirens before reading Updrift. To be honest I was scared of another The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen repeat, not because I didn’t love that story, but because that story broke my heart when I was little. Back then I was heartbroken because in my little kid mind the mermaid didn’t get her happy ending. Of course when I got older I realized the meaning of that story but I still get sad when I think about it.
Anyway, Updrift is nothing like The Little Mermaid and the whole sirens concept in this book is very interesting. In here sirens can mate with humans and they get their happy ending which pleases me to no end. I am a su**er for HEAs. Don’t judge! I think real life is hard enough and the HEAs from books make it more bearable.
I loved how in this book the guy is a siren and the girl is human, usually is the other way around. Gabe is a siren and no that doesn’t mean he isn’t cool, or hot, because he totally is.
*** The sirens from this book don’t live only in water, they can also live on land.
The first part of the book is a bit slow because we get to see how Kate grows up, but the second part of the book picks up the pace, because Gabe and Kate are finished with school, so Gabe tells Kate about who he is and what she means for him. Kate and Gabe are happy and in love and they’re planning their future until Peter steps in. Peter is another siren and he has bad thoughts in mind regarding Gabe.
In Updrift the focus is more on the characters and the relationships between them, the family dynamics. The interaction between Kate and Gabe is beautiful and you can feel the love they have for each other.
I also loved how we got to see the relationship between Kate and her mother, her aunt and Gabe’s siblings. It feels like a 360′ view into Kate’s life and personality, seeing how she interacts with everyone we get to understand her choices and what she really wants. Someone said in a review that Kate dives head first into her relationship with Gabe without knowing much about his world and without thinking about her future. Well it is true if you apply this in the real world, but in Updrift, I think Kate made up her mind long before finding out more about the world of sirens. I mean, she and Gabe were best friends since childhood, even if she didn’t know about his secret, she knew something was going on.
Ultimately, what we need to learn from this book is that we do learn something from every relationship we have with our friends, lovers and family. Our interactions with our parents, our siblings, our friends etc. make us who we are, we learn something from each of them and we need to love and appreciate one another with our ups and downs. Bad things happen, life changes but if we understand and care for each other, we can get through anything.
The only thing I didn’t like in Updrift were the scenes with Peter. I couldn’t care less for Peter, he was just ugh, I have no words. I didn’t like him at all, but I see why Peter happened to this story, he was there so we could understand how deep was the connection between Kate and Gabe.
The writing is soo good and you can see how much the author loves her characters.
„Love was a prison. No, that wasn’t right. Love was the trap that led to the prison. But maybe he placed blame where it didn’t belong.”
*** you can also find this review both in english and romanian on my blog: https://vampressbathoryreads.wordpres...
****I had the pleasure to meet the author, Errin Stevens on Instagram and she is a such a kind and genuine person. She sent me the first two books in The Mer Chronicles all the way from U.S.A to Romania which is a long way to go. These sirens traveled across the ocean to get to me and I couldn’t be happier.
April 1, 2018
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/EyesOpenRevi...
4.5 Stars!
This story took a turn that I was not expecting and I am here for it.
Updrift by Errin Stevens is split into three parts and, I will admit, I wasn't sure how I felt about it during part one. The author's descriptive writing is amazing, but at first the plot felt a little detached. I understand WHY it was written that way - part one is, essentially, Kate and Gabe's relationship growing and developing from childhood to adulthood - but at first I felt it was a bit difficult to connect with the characters.
However, I am VERY glad that I stuck through with it because things really, really started picking up in Part Two. I know this is going to sound a bit odd because the genres aren't at all similar, but it sort of reminds me of Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Not because of the genre or plot-lines - I don't think you could find two stories more opposite of each other if you tried - but because of the way it was written. This story had plot points that literally twisted my gut - including a certain character's attempted suicide - and I think, because of this, the characters started to become more solid to me. There IS a part at the beginning of Part Two that is a bit of an info dump, but by the end of Part Two all of the characters felt extremely real. I feel like I could reach through my screen and yank them out of the story if I wanted to.
Now...the end of Part Two.
Oh. Man.
I am not going to go into specifics because what happens at the end of Part Two is MAJOR and I cannot, will not, spoil that for any potential readers checking this review out. But, holy shit. I—
I posted about this earlier, but I LITERALLY had to STOP READING. Not because anything was bad, God no. But because...
Everything was FINE.
But then THAT happened.
And I stared at goddamn iBooks like what the HELL.
I just...gah. I have no words for The Thing other than, holy hell. That DEFINITELY solidified this book for me - especially because, by the time the end of Part Two rolled around, everyone felt so REAL. And then THAT happened.
Ugh. Moving on, even though I'm *still* tearing my hair out.
I quite liked Part Three too because at that point I was flipping pages trying to figure out what the hell was happening and my stomach was *literally* twisting into knots. I LOVE Peter's character, I can really, really appreciate him as a villain, and he most certainly did not disappoint. I do feel like, compared to the rest of the book, the epilogue was a little underwhelming following what just happened, but I did enjoy the change in narration, surprising as it was. This was the first book in a series and I'm definitely looking forward to book two! (Even though, I admit, I have *no* idea what's going to happen).
Overall, I DEFINITELY recommend this book to any lover of mermaids or fantasy in general. Fantasy is far from my favorite genre, but I LOVED this. Part One is good, a little slow plot-wise, but the rest of the book - starting from the second Part Two starts - is so, so worth it.
4.5 Stars!
This story took a turn that I was not expecting and I am here for it.
Updrift by Errin Stevens is split into three parts and, I will admit, I wasn't sure how I felt about it during part one. The author's descriptive writing is amazing, but at first the plot felt a little detached. I understand WHY it was written that way - part one is, essentially, Kate and Gabe's relationship growing and developing from childhood to adulthood - but at first I felt it was a bit difficult to connect with the characters.
However, I am VERY glad that I stuck through with it because things really, really started picking up in Part Two. I know this is going to sound a bit odd because the genres aren't at all similar, but it sort of reminds me of Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Not because of the genre or plot-lines - I don't think you could find two stories more opposite of each other if you tried - but because of the way it was written. This story had plot points that literally twisted my gut - including a certain character's attempted suicide - and I think, because of this, the characters started to become more solid to me. There IS a part at the beginning of Part Two that is a bit of an info dump, but by the end of Part Two all of the characters felt extremely real. I feel like I could reach through my screen and yank them out of the story if I wanted to.
Now...the end of Part Two.
Oh. Man.
I am not going to go into specifics because what happens at the end of Part Two is MAJOR and I cannot, will not, spoil that for any potential readers checking this review out. But, holy shit. I—
I posted about this earlier, but I LITERALLY had to STOP READING. Not because anything was bad, God no. But because...
Everything was FINE.
But then THAT happened.
And I stared at goddamn iBooks like what the HELL.
I just...gah. I have no words for The Thing other than, holy hell. That DEFINITELY solidified this book for me - especially because, by the time the end of Part Two rolled around, everyone felt so REAL. And then THAT happened.
Ugh. Moving on, even though I'm *still* tearing my hair out.
I quite liked Part Three too because at that point I was flipping pages trying to figure out what the hell was happening and my stomach was *literally* twisting into knots. I LOVE Peter's character, I can really, really appreciate him as a villain, and he most certainly did not disappoint. I do feel like, compared to the rest of the book, the epilogue was a little underwhelming following what just happened, but I did enjoy the change in narration, surprising as it was. This was the first book in a series and I'm definitely looking forward to book two! (Even though, I admit, I have *no* idea what's going to happen).
Overall, I DEFINITELY recommend this book to any lover of mermaids or fantasy in general. Fantasy is far from my favorite genre, but I LOVED this. Part One is good, a little slow plot-wise, but the rest of the book - starting from the second Part Two starts - is so, so worth it.
July 12, 2017
I was vacation in the Outerbanks of North Carolina when I read this. Was such a fun read. Loved how you followed the characters through there years of school and how Gabriel and Kate were such good friends throughout. It seemed a bit rushed once they became older, and would have liked to learn more about the way the stars had to do with how Kate and Gabe were so close to each other.
With the book taking place in North Carolina and myself visiting it made the book that much more interesting to read. I am looking forward to reading the next one. I really felt bad for Peter. It seemed he was just looking for someone to love. Having such a lonely childhood made him yearn for what Gabe and Kate had. I don't think he was a bad guy just sad. I was hoping maybe he could have gotten together with there best friend. It was Sad that he died.
All in all it was a fun read. I would recommend it to friends if they need a light enjoyable read for the summer. Definitely a summer read to me.
With the book taking place in North Carolina and myself visiting it made the book that much more interesting to read. I am looking forward to reading the next one. I really felt bad for Peter. It seemed he was just looking for someone to love. Having such a lonely childhood made him yearn for what Gabe and Kate had. I don't think he was a bad guy just sad. I was hoping maybe he could have gotten together with there best friend. It was Sad that he died.
All in all it was a fun read. I would recommend it to friends if they need a light enjoyable read for the summer. Definitely a summer read to me.
February 19, 2018
First of all let me say that I'm not usually a fan of paranormal romance, but honestly I've never read a mermaid story before (except for watching The Little Mermaid with my daughters of course)! But when I happened on this title on Litsy, I realized I needed to give it a chance and I was pleasantly surprised! I liked the relationship between Kate and her mother, Cara who is mourning her husband's untimely death. When the two relocate, we meet the Blake family and it's clear there are some oddities and secrets surrounding their lives. But what those secrets hold is the paranormal premise that plays out in a very sweet story of love between Cara and her new husband and Kate and Gabe. Mystery, suspense, and lovely ceremonies all contribute to making this novel an enjoyable read!
February 22, 2018
Firstly I would like to say thank you to AudiobookWorm for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook.
UPDRIFT is the first book in a series called THE MER CHRONICLES. There are literally thousands of books on mermaids on the market today and most have been written for a Young Adult readership, this is not so for UPDRIFT.
This audiobook drew me in right away and held my attention for the entirety of the eight and a half hours.
I was pleasantly surprised by the storyline - there is no Disney princess in this book. The Mermaids and Mermen in this book are also called Sirens and it even gives a bit of history and explains how and why ancient sailors got their information wrong.
The story centers on two "people." One is human (Kate) and one is a siren (Gabe). They meet at age five and the story follows the paths of their separate lives right up to the age of twenty-one. I don't want to give too much away with my review, so, suffice it to say that the waiting is worth it.
But of course, someone is always out to stomp on another's happiness.
There are several themes included in this audiobook that are taken very seriously by the characters. These themes persist throughout the book and I think they should also be important to listeners.
The first theme is FAMILY.
At the very beginning of the book we learn that Kate who is a toddler at that time, has lost her father to a farming accident. Kate's mother, who is only in her twenties when she becomes a widow, decides to answer an advertisement for a small-town librarian. Her older sister, Dana, laments Kate's choice and cannot understand why she wouldn't pursue a higher paying and more prestigious career. Kate's reasons are both simple and admirable. She wants a job that she can enjoy and that offers her flexibility and working hours that allow her to spend as much time with her daughter as possible.
There are many more examples of the importance of family throughout this book. There is also an example of what the lack of a loving family can do to a person.
Theme #2 is COMMUNITY.
This Audiobook does a wonderful job of relaying the importance of community, not only for children, but also for adults.
Theme #3 is THE ENVIRONMENT.
In one scene, Carmen (Gabe's Mother) is reading a magazine article regarding the effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and she becomes so upset that she has to stop reading.
All of the Mer wear belts that hold knives while they are in the water. The reason for this is so that if they become entangled in a fisherman's net, they can cut themselves free. They can escape unlike whales and dolphins who often drown from being stuck in a net and unable to surface and take a breath.
There are several other themes in this audiobook and I encourage potential readers/listeners to return to my blog after finishing the book and to post the themes they have discovered.
The narration was terrific and even though it was a male Narrator, he did an excellent job of voicing characters of both sexes.
I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 Stars.⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read my full review visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Follow me on Instagram @Amiesbookreviews
UPDRIFT is the first book in a series called THE MER CHRONICLES. There are literally thousands of books on mermaids on the market today and most have been written for a Young Adult readership, this is not so for UPDRIFT.
This audiobook drew me in right away and held my attention for the entirety of the eight and a half hours.
I was pleasantly surprised by the storyline - there is no Disney princess in this book. The Mermaids and Mermen in this book are also called Sirens and it even gives a bit of history and explains how and why ancient sailors got their information wrong.
The story centers on two "people." One is human (Kate) and one is a siren (Gabe). They meet at age five and the story follows the paths of their separate lives right up to the age of twenty-one. I don't want to give too much away with my review, so, suffice it to say that the waiting is worth it.
But of course, someone is always out to stomp on another's happiness.
There are several themes included in this audiobook that are taken very seriously by the characters. These themes persist throughout the book and I think they should also be important to listeners.
The first theme is FAMILY.
At the very beginning of the book we learn that Kate who is a toddler at that time, has lost her father to a farming accident. Kate's mother, who is only in her twenties when she becomes a widow, decides to answer an advertisement for a small-town librarian. Her older sister, Dana, laments Kate's choice and cannot understand why she wouldn't pursue a higher paying and more prestigious career. Kate's reasons are both simple and admirable. She wants a job that she can enjoy and that offers her flexibility and working hours that allow her to spend as much time with her daughter as possible.
There are many more examples of the importance of family throughout this book. There is also an example of what the lack of a loving family can do to a person.
Theme #2 is COMMUNITY.
This Audiobook does a wonderful job of relaying the importance of community, not only for children, but also for adults.
Theme #3 is THE ENVIRONMENT.
In one scene, Carmen (Gabe's Mother) is reading a magazine article regarding the effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and she becomes so upset that she has to stop reading.
All of the Mer wear belts that hold knives while they are in the water. The reason for this is so that if they become entangled in a fisherman's net, they can cut themselves free. They can escape unlike whales and dolphins who often drown from being stuck in a net and unable to surface and take a breath.
There are several other themes in this audiobook and I encourage potential readers/listeners to return to my blog after finishing the book and to post the themes they have discovered.
The narration was terrific and even though it was a male Narrator, he did an excellent job of voicing characters of both sexes.
I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 Stars.⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read my full review visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Follow me on Instagram @Amiesbookreviews
July 27, 2016
This book was hands down one of the best that I've read this year. I love books about fantasy creatures and Updrift doesn't dissapoint.
The author has taken the normal stories of mermaids and breathed new life into them.
Kate, a sweet and caring girl from Kansas, moves to a small North Carolina town with her mother after the death of her father. In the new nurturing environment Kate's mom finally starts to heal, the two become happier then they have in years.
Kate meets Gabe a cute and charming little boy cloaked in a veil of mystery. The story follows along with Kate, Gabe and their friend Maya as they grow and go through school together. With each passing year the three families grow closer and closer but still Gabe's family has a certain mystery about them.
Around the time they are 17 Kate and Gabe finally realize that they have some very strong feelings for each other. However being together will not be as easy as they would like.
Will their love for each other be able to last? Will she finally get the answers she's been asking about the Gabe's family? Will anyone try to get in the way?
I love how the story starts out with them as children and slowly and effortlessly transitions throughout the next 10+ years of their life. The love story between Gabe and Kate was intense and sweet. It had me hooked the moment they met. Unlike normal romance or even paranormal romance the author didn't jump right into it. She let it blossom and grow like a real relationship would. It felt real.
I've read many novels based on mermaids/sirens and while I enjoyed them this book was on an entirely different level. It didn't feel cheesy or fake, I could have believed every bit of this happening in some small town in North Carolina.
The twist towards the ending was magnificent, I never saw that type of hardship coming. I love that Gabe never gives up hope and does all he can to find his lost love.
I would recommend this book to any lover of mermaids/sirens it was fantastic. 5 of 5
Also the sneak peak of the next book........... Holy mackerel...........another twist I didn't see coming. I cannot wait to read the next installment I'm sure it will be just as fantastic.
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no means effected my opinion on the book. The words written above are my own uninfluenced thoughts**
The author has taken the normal stories of mermaids and breathed new life into them.
Kate, a sweet and caring girl from Kansas, moves to a small North Carolina town with her mother after the death of her father. In the new nurturing environment Kate's mom finally starts to heal, the two become happier then they have in years.
Kate meets Gabe a cute and charming little boy cloaked in a veil of mystery. The story follows along with Kate, Gabe and their friend Maya as they grow and go through school together. With each passing year the three families grow closer and closer but still Gabe's family has a certain mystery about them.
Around the time they are 17 Kate and Gabe finally realize that they have some very strong feelings for each other. However being together will not be as easy as they would like.
Will their love for each other be able to last? Will she finally get the answers she's been asking about the Gabe's family? Will anyone try to get in the way?
I love how the story starts out with them as children and slowly and effortlessly transitions throughout the next 10+ years of their life. The love story between Gabe and Kate was intense and sweet. It had me hooked the moment they met. Unlike normal romance or even paranormal romance the author didn't jump right into it. She let it blossom and grow like a real relationship would. It felt real.
I've read many novels based on mermaids/sirens and while I enjoyed them this book was on an entirely different level. It didn't feel cheesy or fake, I could have believed every bit of this happening in some small town in North Carolina.
The twist towards the ending was magnificent, I never saw that type of hardship coming. I love that Gabe never gives up hope and does all he can to find his lost love.
I would recommend this book to any lover of mermaids/sirens it was fantastic. 5 of 5
Also the sneak peak of the next book........... Holy mackerel...........another twist I didn't see coming. I cannot wait to read the next installment I'm sure it will be just as fantastic.
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no means effected my opinion on the book. The words written above are my own uninfluenced thoughts**
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews