Between the Land and the Sea

Marina's Tales #1

by Derrolyn Anderson

Marina is a privileged girl who’s had an unusual upbringing. Traveling the world with her scientist father, doted on by her wealthy and glamorous neighbor Evie, Marina’s life seems perfect.

Everything changes in the summer of her sixteenth year when she is sent to live with her Aunt Abby and Cousin Cruz in the lovely seaside town of Aptos, California.

Only a few weeks after arriving, sixteen year-old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can manage to survive some increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might be able to unlock the mystery of her past and appease the mysterious forces that want something from her...

And maybe even find true love along the way.

Genres: Fantasy, Mermaids, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Fiction, Ebooks

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2011

About the author

Hello Goodreaders. About me:

I'm a mom of three, artist and author.
Always working on the next big thing ;)

Like romance?
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Reviews

[Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karly's Authors Who Rock Challenge



Buddy-read with my girls, Heather & Jess, for sometime in August.



As Jess would say, "I'd rather be a mermaid".

The Review

2.5 Stars

Full disclosure: Yes, I am friends with Derrolyn Anderson here on Goodreads and no, that isn’t going to affect my review of this story in any way. If you think it would (or should) back away…. back away VERY quickly.

I feel very mid-ground about Between the Land and the Sea, there were a number of elements present that annoyed me beyond belief and yet it was an easy, fluffy read that hit me at exactly the right time. How to review, how to review?!

The Good:

I enjoyed the concept behind the love interest, Ethan. He was a refreshing break from all the brooding, anger riddled, angsty bad boy types you generally come across in this genre. Ethan was kind, considerate, driven towards an achievable goal and he had none of those stalkery vibes so common in today’s YA.

A serious LACK of instalove! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I found that Anderson separated the concept of instant attraction to a person from instantly loving a person and I have to applaud her for that, it is a rare thing in YA today to differentiate between the two.

THE MERMAIDS!!!! I love mermaids, guys, and I loved the way Anderson portrayed the mermaids as a mix of both wizened and childish. I also enjoyed her interpretation of how they would look, with scaled, pale flesh rather than the Disneyesque green tails and shells look. The ferocity of these mythical creatures was a lovely touch, as well, it made them feel like the mythical creatures of sublime beauty I have always viewed them as.

The Bad:

While I enjoyed the idea of Ethan quite a bit I found the actuality of him terribly boring. He was like a rock (Oh goodie, now I have Bob Seger suck in my head!!) in the least appealing way, in the he is just kind of ‘there’ and unmoving way. He had his own passions and goals but they were never really explored, it was ALL about Marina.

The parental figures, while somewhat present and nice, were pretty absentminded and forgetful. I found Abby’s choice to just pawn the taking care of Marina off on Ethan highly unbelievable especially considering the near-death accidents that occurred early in the story. AND the whole pretty pink bow-ness of her ending up with Ethan’s Dad was just off and strange to me, it felt a bit like a plot device to leave our love interest in a situation of protecting the MC.

And, finally...

The Ugly

SPESHUL SNOWFLAKE ALERT!!! Marina was such a precious snowflake, it frustrated me so much. It was ALL about her, in the worst possible way! She was the new, super-uber pretty girl with the rich ‘Aunt’ who spoiled her completely rotten. OF COURSE the new boy and other boys would fawn all over her…. Marina is soooooo special and unique and fashionable. Blah de blah blah.



GIRL-ON-GIRL HATE, over a fucking boy!!! This is one of my biggest pet peeves, I loathe that so many YA novels use this tactic. The other girls were just evil, window dressing for how precious Marina and Ethan’s romance was. Why do writers do this?! It’s so frustrating! There are plenty of reasons to add an antagonist without making it dreary and overdone this way but it seems to always come down to some 'perfect' boy that all the girls love (because girls are all fucking lemmings, after all) and then our MC wins his attention and gets shit on for it. Bleh.

I would call this book a fluffy, fun beach read. It doesn’t have a lot of meat to it but it is quick to read and Anderson’s style of writing is enjoyable.


Category: A Popular Author's First Book

[Jess ❈Harbinger of Blood-Soaked Rainbows❈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read a popular author's first book



August is mermaid month!

Buddy read with my fellow sea creatures, Karly and Heather set for August.

Because really, everything is better under the sea.

So, I have been looking forward to reading this because a: mermaids and b:Derrolyn Anderson. Though I am not friends with Derrolyn, I have many friends who are friends with her, and I have heard nothing but praise about this amazing lady. So, in light of my brilliant friend Karly's idea to have an "Authors Who Rock" month to celebrate those fantastic people who write and who also love and respect their readers and reviewers, I thought this book would be a perfect start to that little challenge.

And I cannot say that I loved this book. It is a solid three. There were parts I thoroughly enjoyed, some parts I found annoying, and other parts I could definitely do without. I will try and cover each one in this review.

First off, mermaids. Duh! I mean, this is ME we're talking about here. I really really enjoyed this author's take on my mythological doppelganger. The mermaids depicted within this novel are a delightful blend of savior of the sea and killer sirens which is how I love my mermaids to be. They are watchful of the humans who tread their waters and save them from shark attacks and storms. However, they have violent tempers and are remarkably strong creatures. Not to be taken lightly. They are beautiful but definitely in an otherworldy way with shimmering, not so human skin, translucent scales, and webbed hands. Reading about them was delightful. On the downside of the mermaid plotline, I found their childish behavior somewhat annoying and I wish that their characters were more fully developed and that they were in the story more. I am still holding out hope for the rest of the series on that front.

Second, though everyone knows I am not a fan of romance, I do have to admit that the romance in this YA novel was handled better than most I've read. There was no instalove, and Marina and Ethan developed a pretty solid friendship first before a relationship was ever explored. This was a breath of fresh air. Now with that being said, Ethan was on the boring side, and I think this has to do with his character never really being explored more than just references to things he's done or experienced. It was a major case of show rather than tell, and I hope I get to know Ethan more in the coming novels.

The writing is decent, especially for a debut, and this novel is immensely readable. The pages practically turned themselves, and barely took any effort to get into or to keep going. I also have way more of a desire to continue with the series. More urge than I felt with Twilight and the Vampire Academy series. This book was light and breezy and kinda what I needed. However, some of the bad needs to be mentioned.

I still got big big gulps of this:

which was really really annoying. And Marina really reminded me of a more likeable Bella Swan which didn't win her any popularity contests with me. New girl, kinda bland, always seems to get herself in trouble, catches the eye of the hunky popular senior, he saves her life time after time, they fall in love. Ok. Been there. Done that. It's called Twilight. I don't want to re-read Twilight.

I also wish some of the secondary characters were more dynamic. I really enjoyed Marina's cousin Cruz, an androgynous outcast with immense talent in fashion design. Oh yeah, Marina was also conveniently raised across the hall from a rich and famous fashion icon who constantly buys her designer clothes, surfboards, anything she wants. So Marina never wants for anything. To, me this plot device was just a little too convenient and very worthy of some eye-rolls from yours truly. Evie (the fairy fashionista godmother) was also one of my least favorite characters. She was bland and one-dimensional, and I didn't really like any scenes she was in. I wish the Cruz, his mother Abby, and his best friend Megan become more dynamic as the series continues because the potential for some great meaty supporting characters is totally there.

The thing I hated the most was the girl-on-girl hate between Marina and Ethan's "groupies," the skinny blonde beach girls who are in love with Ethan and follow him around. I understand this does tend to happen in high school, but it was so ridiculously over-the-top and unrealistically portrayed in this book it made me crazy. It became a cliche stereotype and one that I loathed reading about.

Basically, I liked this book but didn't love it. Marina's secrets about her family and her mother were kind of predictable, but with that being said, I still enjoyed getting to them. It also ended neat and tidy and clean so I'm looking forward to where the story goes from here.

2.5 rounded up to 3.

[oliviasbooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this book was a muffin I would say that it contained too much topping and that it dripped with artificial aroma. If this book was a muffin I would be nauseated after swallowing 30% percent of it and I would be craving a simple scone after letting the rest drop into the bin. I do love muffins, but there has to be some dough besides all the fudge and the fruit and the icing. Do you know what I mean? If not, you are invited to read the rest of my review:

Between The Land And The Sea is a mermaid book. It starts with a prologue in which a surfer is saved from “an efficient eating machine, emotionless and methodical”, a vicious shark “on a lethal mission”, by a powerful, otherworldly beautiful mermaid and precedes to tell the story of Marina, a girl with “water in her eyes”, who spends her last year of school in a small town by the sea with her father’s sister and her cousin in order to catch up on the social experiences a normal teenager indulges in – like dances, romance and friendship. Before the school year has started Marina has become friends with the social outcasts of her grade – her cousin and his best friend –, a homeless lady, a mysterious Asian-looking fisherman with “ancient eyes” and Lorelai, a mermaid whose face mirrors her own on the dot, who speaks a language only Marina can understand, who calls her sister and who has not been detected by anyone yet in spite of her habit to frolic around with the sea lions under a tourist attraction ship wreck. In addition, the heroine is overcome by a severe case of instant attraction to the school’s top catch, surfer and gardener Ethan. Hunky Ethan falls backwards into a rosebush, when he first catches sight of Marina, and the oracle with the fishing rod mumbles “Very good match, Earth and Water,” concerning the heroine and her love interest. So, if I got this right after almost a third of the book, Marina has been conceived in a harbour (therefore her name), when her father was overcome by a mermaid’s inhuman screeches, whereas Ethan has to be the offspring of an earth-bound troll or garden gnome. His smell certainly backs up that theory.

So far, so good. This is sadly standard Young Adult Paranormal Romance and nothing to complain about. As a mermaid book lover I still might have enjoyed the story and the mercreature-related scenes to come. Even a muffin from the supermarket can melt on your tongue with the help of some Earl Grey. But there is that unfortunate case of topping overflow:

Marina’s Dad is a university professor who develops new kinds of crop - rice or wheat which thrives under bad weather and water conditions in less optimal soil. Marina has accompanied him all her life to the various countries where he researched and planted his stuff. Marina is supposed to be a girl who places family before a plush living, someone who knows the world and its customs, someone who recognizes from which part of Thailand a dish is and who bows, palms pressed respectfully together, saying ”Kob kun kup” when necessary. She is super-smart and super-educated: ”The private tutors I’d studied with had put me beyond American high school level in most areas. Traveling with my father was an education in itself, and I’d read so many classics that there wasn’t one textbook on the syllabus that I didn’t already know.” On top Marina excels in art, because she ”had taken art lessons at museums and galleries in the city” and has an art studio in her San Francisco apartment. The private tutors, the art studio and also the immediate effect a threat to contact her apparently well-known father had on her teachers made me wonder how much money an US university professor, who is into third world research, earns. German professors are surely well-fed, but I doubt that they could afford a San Francisco penthouse apartment next to a wealthy widow, who owns an underground car park full of vintage Rolls Royces, has her own chauffeur, spends her days shopping for designer clothes and financially boosts startup artists, designers and pop-stars. Said widow, former super-model Evie, is the artificial crutch that lets sophisticated and seemingly down-to-earth Marina be a rich kid without being rich herself: Every piece of cloth inside of Marina’s extensive wardrobe has been provided and chosen by “Aunt Evie”, who has an eye for fashion and never goes wrong. Marina’s father does not mind his neighbour spending hundred thousands of dollars on his daughter’s look. And Marina is now a best-dressed girl and fashion expert, who can entertain her new class mates with tales from the dressing room while laughingly denying to be loaded or snobbish. And when Marina mentions her desire to learn to surf, her personal tooth fairy sends two boards and a designer wetsuit. Because of being daily immersed in Gucci and Pucci Marina sees at one glance that her cousin Cruz has a glowing future in fashion design. And certainly it goes without saying that the other outsider Marina befriends, pudgy Megan of the gorgeous hair, is ”incredibly talented” in song-writing, has a voice that makes the heroine ”blink away tears” and needs to be introduced to Evie. I really thought that more talent and more specialness was not possible to integrate in such a small place as Aptos, but I was mistaken: Wise-eyed fisherman Lue Khang turned out to be a former CIA agent who had been working undercover in Vietnam. *Yuck*. My virtual teeth really hurt when biting on that final frosted violet on the plate. Too much is too much. The book had to go unfinished.

I deeply apologize to my brave and disciplined read-along buddy Teccc, who said that he came to hate Aunt Evie as the plot progressed, for persuading him to read the book with me. The next book will be better, Teccc. Promise.

And I thank the author, Derrolyn Anderson, for sending me a free Smashwords coupon in exchange for this honest review.

[Alana ~ The Book Pimp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, engaging YA Mermaid Story.

Marina has traveled the world with her father, but when he is headed to Afghanistan he refuses to allow her to join him like usual. Instead, she must spend her senior year with her aunt and cousin and attend public school for the first time in her life. She leaves behind San Fransisco, and heads to Atpos, and much smaller town by the sea. Is drawn to the water, and quickly sees hauntingly familiar eyes in the water, almost as familiar with her own reflection. Could it have been a scuba diver or a surfer playing tricks? High School is hard enough without having already humiliated herself in front of the hottest surfer at school, let alone worry about mythological creatures....

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this book. I even stayed up late the final night I was reading just to find out what happened. The ending seemingly buttoned up a little more quickly than I would have liked. Foreshadowing to the sequel was good, almost too good- I was expecting a few "revelations" during the first book that did not come to pass. Sweet and innocent, but does not suffer, in my opinion, from the "love at first sight" syndrome; the story allowed time for the romance to begin and grow at a normal pace. As it is a YA story, don't go into this expecting hot and heavy romantic action; but there is still romance aplenty. This is a book you can give to a teen without worry of inappropriate or too adult themes.

I liked the variety of characters. Just because it had surfers and on a beach, they were not all blonde, ripped magazine cover teenagers. The main character was brunette, there was even a 'plumper' redhead friend... there was not an over-use of stereotypical, cookie-cutter characters. I really appreciated the diversity.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys YA, likes a mermaid story, or even just paranormal/urban fantasy in general. It was a charming book definitely worth reading, and I will most definitely look at getting the sequel see how it continues...

[Nicole Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marina normally travels with her Dad as part of his job. This time her Dad has to go to Afghanistan for a year and doesn't feel that it is safe for her to travel with him. So she dejectedly moves in with her aunt and cousin, in a small coastal town.

She goes down to the shore and happens upon a mermaid who calls her "sister". She falls into the water and between the mermaid and popular surfer, Ethan, they rescue her from drowning. Ethan then is asked by Marina's aunt to give Marina swimming lessons and thus the romance starts.

Meeting up with the mermaid again, she comes to find out that her mother was a mermaid. The mermaid wants Marina to follow her to get Marina's birthright, inherited when her mother passed away giving birth to her. Now she has a choice to make that will affect her whole future.

This was a relly good read. It flowed smoothly and was easy to follow. No distracting typos.

[Sarahdactyl ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

Ah, what a pleasant surprise! I'll admit, when I read books that aren't somewhat "widely known" - I have a preconceived assumption that it won't be great. Well, I feel like a jerk now, because this book blew me away. Don't go into this expecting something like The Little Mermaid, because you'll be sorely disappointed. This story is much more than a silly fairy tale.

Between the Land and the Sea is about Marina. Her father (a single parent) is going away to Afghanistan for a year (for work) and plans to leave Marina to live with her aunt Abby and cousin Cruz in Aptos, California. This is where she is to attend her senior year of high school. Marina has never attended actual school, public or otherwise; she's had tutors. High school is intimidating enough, but after nearly drowning in the sea, Marina misses the entire first week of school - and is automatically pegged as a "freak" and turns out to be the subject of numerous rumors. Needless to say, she isn't feeling very excited about the next year of her life.

The good news is, Marina is hitting it off really well with her cousin (whom she hasn't seen in years) and his friend Megan. Marina also meets the gorgeous surfer, Ethan, during her first week in Aptos. Only, when Ethan first lays eyes on her, he flips out - acts as if he's seen a ghost and all but runs away! What's up with that?

One morning while Marina is taking in the view of the sea from the pier, she sees a mermaid. She thinks that surely her eyes must be deceiving her. Only, she soon discovers this mythical creature is anything but a trick of the eye. Not only that, but mermaids are nothing like the stories say. Finding and talking to this creature soon becomes a near-obsession for Marina - for various reasons. An obsession that becomes very dangerous and potentially deadly. The mermaids want something from her, and she needs to find out what that may be.

- - -

There are so many elements to this story. It's very hard to tell you how amazing it is without giving away too much!

First of all - the way the author has described Aptos just makes me want to go live there right now. If there is truly a place like this, I need to be there. It seemed magical, and not just because the water is laden with mermaids! An extremely clear picture was drawn, and it was easy to imagine yourself inside the story.

I had no difficulty what-so-ever getting lost in this book. I read it in less than a day. I needed to know what was around the next corner. It was like a drug. "JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER!" I even stayed up well past 5:30 in the morning because I just couldn't stop. That's a big deal, considering I am usually asleep by midnight!

The character development was fantastic, and I loved each character personally. Marina was realistically portrayed. She was 16, going on 17. She was petty at times, and strong-willed at others. She wasn't overly-mature for her age like you often see in YA books. I appreciated greatly that her personality and demeanor fit the age she was supposed to be. Marina's cousin, Cruz, was a very fun character! I think he brought a lot to the story, as did her aunt Addy. A very cheerful and upbeat person. She also fit the image of what I would imagine your average California mom to be like. :) Ethan was more than just your average high school pretty boy. He has the hot, tan, surfer thing going on, but he wasn't shallow by any means.

I think the romance was realistically spread out, but also very intense. I loved Marina and Ethan together. Ethan was every gal's dream.

The mermaids were so different from what you normally read about. They weren't plucked out of your average mermaid fairy tale. They had a feral air to them, and I could never decide if I wanted to like them or not! Even though they kept referring to themselves as "sisters", their world seemed to have a form of hierarchy, but the small glimpse we got of that wasn't built upon very far. I am curious to see more of their strange ways as the series progresses. It was a nice taste that left me anxious for more!

I was never bored with this book. It had surprises and plot twists. Oh, and the epilogue/book 2 teaser was a jaw-dropper. Like, I absolutely have to know what is going to happen. I plan to begin reading book 2 very very soon!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy tale, or a book that strays a bit from the "norm". It is a very unique story. Truly a diamond in the rough!

- - -

This book was received directly from the author for review.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.

I am at a loss for words. The Little Mermaid of Disney is not the end all of imagination concerning this mythological creature. The fiction world has been mighty quiet for so long, one would assume mermaids were just for little girls and babies to marvel over. When I initially got this request, my mind was whispering a constant mantra of “♪ ♫ImpressMe- ImpressMe- ImpressMe ….LordPleaseDon’tLetThisBookSuck.♪ ♫” Well people, I am officially sockless! I just want to hug my Nook until the inner springs sequel in protest. I’m stuck in a dilemma between spoiling the story and keeping all the warm goodness feeling this book gave me all to myself! At last I’ll share a little *pouting* because that was the deal.

Between The Land And The Sea is such a complex story.
♥ First there’s the pretense of Marina moving to this new town.
♥ She crosses paths with a mermaid,
♥ meet the guy of any girl’s dreams,
♥ meets an Asian local talking in philosophical riddles,
♥ has a super rich aunt showering her with gifts and psychic premonitions,
♥ confutations with jealous locals females,
♥ and on top of all that, her parents were harboring a secret of their own!

One thing that completely sold this book were the characters. I have never been more in love with the supporting cast in all my reading life!

Aunt Evie and Cruz *sigh* are my kindred spirits! These characters were colorful and very entertaining.

Aunt Evie-the neighbor and family friend, Hollywood starlet, living life rich and oh so fabulous!

Aunt Evie had been a celebrated fashion model in her younger years and remained a style icon, traveling the globe in a relentless pursuit of luxury and pleasure. She possessed the devastating combination of wit and beauty that made people from all walks of life shamelessly fawn all over her. When Evie focused her attention on you, it felt as though you were the most important person in the world.

Cruz-the Goth boy cousin and aspiring fashion designer!

Mermaid and kickassness sounds funny in the same sentence, but is a justifiable adjective to use for Marina.

“Hey Cruzie boy,” a girl’s voice called out as we passed by, “Who’s the new hag?”

I spun around, uncharacteristically confrontational. Startled, most of them looked away or down.

This was my favorite scene. Of course this is only a teaser of the building animosity between the villain and our heroine. I've literally bookmarked and/or highlighted every other paragraph throughout this book for memorable breath stealing moments. I can go on for days talking about it, but I like to keep my reviews short and sweet. Besides if I type anymore, I’m afraid I’ll ruin the book for you! I honestly did not see this coming but I rate this book EPIC! I keep clicking, but I can't give more than 5 stars...lol! Mermaids are the new "IT" supernatural!

Books 2, 3, & 4 of this tetralogy, here I come!

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buddy read with Karly and Jess set for August.

REVIEW

I'm not sure how to talk about this book. I liked it better than Anderson's The Athena Effect, though both have Mary Sue protagonists. Still, it wasn't terrible, and better written than many debuts. It was very similar to many YA supernatural books that have proliferated the market in the last few years.

My main problem was the MC, Marina. I guess it wasn't her fault I didn't like her, since she was a pretty nice character, although idiotic at times. She let a mermaid she barely knew drag her out into the middle of the sea on scant evidence the mermaid knew her mom, and then got stranded on a buoy overnight. Did she expect anything less?.

Her relationship with her former neighbor Evie was the issue. Infinitely wealthy Evie had no problem showering Marina with designer clothes, surfboards, letting her borrow expensive, rare cars, and offering up her connections to the fashion world. Basically Evie existed so Marina wouldn't have to struggle for any material thing. When she wanted to learn to surf, the boards appeared. When she wanted to learn to drive, a car appeared. When she wanted to present a fierce image to the mean girls at school, expensive clothing appeared. When her friend showed musical talent, Evie suddenly had clout in the music industry. Since Marina didn't ask for any of this and was grateful, I guess I was supposed to be okay with it all.



Speaking of the girls at school, they were awful. Why do girls have to be characterized as hanging around the popular love interest in skimpy clothes, shooting glares at the MC? Making fun of her and being mean just because the guy they want likes her? WHY IS THIS STILL HAPPENING? None of the male characters in the book were rude to the MC for no reason. No, it was only the girls who apparently had no life other than to make themselves visible to this one guy. It wasn't necessary at all.

The romance wasn't quite insta-love, but it did happen seemingly out of nowhere and with little substance. It was the same thing we've seen time and time again in YA PNRs. At least this guy wasn't as controlling as some, although he did get all up in Marina's business when he had no call to do so.

All in all, this wasn't the worst thing I've ever read. But it was predictable and suffered from many clichés of the genre.

[Midu Hadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book, from Making Connections for free, in exchange for an honest review. Get your copy here.

A book about a half mermaid, half human teenage girl with a difficult choice to make.

What I liked:
Both the male and female leads were sensible characters and it was like a breath of fresh air.
The humor in the story, mostly because of Cruz and Megan made the story more fun.

What I didn’t like::
The same ol’ trope about the hottest guy in the school falling for the new girl has been done too many times.

If you want to read a sweet, funny YA book without love triangles (or vampires), check this one out.

[Wei Cho · Rating 1 out of 5]

Marina is a very lucky girl. She has a renowned scientist as a father, she travels a lot, she has a rich "aunt" who pampers her with high couture clothing, accessories, shoes, etc., she lives with an aunt and cousin who care a lot for her, she meets a handsome surfer who is going to fall in love with her. Besides that, she is part of a mystery, an adventure that envelopes her. This is the story of Marina, a girl who has everything she wants and so easily conferred upon her.

It was far too easy for Marina: meeting Ethan, looking good with all her high-end clothing and shoes, being strong as she is and fending off the "mean beach girls" who bully Cruz and Megan. Marina is the archetype of every teenager's dream: rich, talented, beautiful, mysterious, and the hottest surfer after her. It was sickening...slightly.

I found myself rolling my eyes whenever Marina spoke with such eloquence about what she was wearing and the accessories that came with it. Honestly, I didn't care. The author made Marina seemed like she didn't care about fashion too, but her actions and descriptive words pointed to a different direction. Marina did care and that score a point against her in my eyes.

Ethan, the stereotypical handsome surfer who falls in love with the new girl in town. He is unlike the rest of the surfers he hangs out with and he is deeply concerned about Marina. I just wished there was more dynamics to the romance stories nowadays. This "love" story between Marina and Ethan has been told and regurgitated so many times that is getting old. I just wished the author had come up with something entirely different for both of them. Or have Ethan be something else than a hot surfer. In a sense, I felt the author was also stereotyping California as being the land of hot surfers and beautiful, but bitchy, beach girls with short bikinis. It was all so annoying. I live in California and that is not true.

As I mentioned before, everything came so easy for Marina. It is almost unrealistic.

As for the plot, the mystery was alluring, but I was hoping for more mystery as to Marina keeping the secret for herself instead of telling everybody she knew about it. It just killed the suspense. I got bored when Marina was drowned so many times and rescued as well. I believe that was what I read most of the time. In the last part, when she was pulled into the ocean by the group of mermaids, she got turned into one. But Naida relinquished on Marina giving her a period of 50 moons to decide if she wanted to give up immortality. I think the mermaids let her go way too easily despite the fact that the mermaids wanted to get her into the ocean so vehemently. I just think there are serious inconsistencies in the plot.

I also thought it was all very predictable. I wasn't surprised at the twists (if there were any that is). And wasn't surprised at the characters' attitudes and personalities among each other. I knew those type of characters because they're all stereotypes repeated over and over again in supernatural, young adult fiction!

As for the way the book is structured and where the writing style is concerned... I think the author used way too many words that could've been expressed in less. Translated, that means that this book was unnecessarily long. There were a lot of needless descriptions that only showed me Marina's shallowness. To be honest, I skimmed over some paragraphs of the book and in the end, I felt I understood the essence of the story without reading those paragraphs. The dialogues were what I aimed to read the most because I discovered so much through them. I honestly didn't need to know every single detail of their action. Sometimes you have to let the reader wander off with details.

The mermaids are nice creatures in the book. But mythology says that they lure and drown sailors (like Peter Pan). This wasn't the case. They were nice creatures. I was a bit thrown off by this part because the author twisted the mermaids to make it conform to a typical young adult novel. It was like having a vampire who doesn't die in the sun, but sparkles in it. Utter nonsense. It would have been more thrilling to have the mermaids wanted to threatened Marina's life than being all innocent about it.

Last but not least. The romance. Ugh. I've read this type of romance all over again. Sacrifices? Love beyond everything? To sacrifice eternal life for someone you love? This is a noble act of love, but I've read about it in almost every supernatural, young adult novel. It just doesn't change, does it? And to topple it off, a surfer had to be included in the picture. Not just any kind of surfer, but the "good" type of surfer guy. I found myself hating Ethan rather than loving him for his gentleman-like personality and warm attitudes. Every girl's dream? I don't think so.

I hope all the best for Marina in the second installment.

On a final note, I would not cataloged this as fantasy.

[♥♡¢σσкιє♥♡ (Krystle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read this review and more on my blog:

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I think Mermaids may be my favorite mythical creatures. They spend most of their time in the water surrounded by all the aquatic animals that enjoy learning about on the Discovery Channel. They have mischievous and playful personalities. And they don’t have an unquenchable thirst for blood. And everything that I like about mermaids was magnified in this book.

The story revolves around Marina, and she has a pretty fantastic life. Her father is an agricultural scientist who allows her to go with him as he travels the globe in an effort to feed the world. He makes sure that she is educated by the best tutors, and teaches her how to be self sufficient and independent.

When she and her dad aren’t traveling, they just so happen to live next door to a benevolent, rich fashionista named Evie who makes it her business to spoil Marina with the finer things in life. I think Evie was my favorite character because I want someone like her in my life. I don't only like her because she buys Marina so many fancy things and allows her access to a garage full of luxury cars, mostly I like her because of how much she loves Marina. Evie always encouraged her to follow her heart and find ways to get the most out of life.

The fun begins when Marina’s father reluctantly sends her to live with his sister for a year while his job forces him to travel to a dangerous part of the world.  He wants his daughter to experience what it is like to be a “normal” teenager and attend high school, and Evie wants her to fall in love and have the adventure of a lifetime. Of course Marina hates the idea of this, but as soon as she reconnects with her aunt and  fashion loving cousin and meets a few new people, she warms up to the idea of living in the small seaside town.

To make things even better one of the people she meets is a cute surfer, Ethan. And Ethan gives her a giant dose of what it feels like to be a “normal” girl because she develops a huge crush on him.

They have the same type of cute romance, that I have come to expect in a Derrolyn Anderson novel. If the guy was being a massive jerk all the time and the girl was playing mind games, I would wonder if the author actually wrote the book because so far, she doesn’t write those types of relationships. Thankfully!

Sometimes, Marina did bug me with her extreme need to be independent. She had grown up with no one but her dad and Evie to depend on, and while they loved her well, it was impossible for them to be there for her whenever she needed it. She had to learn to work through so many things alone, and now that she has a larger support system, it is difficult for her to let go and allow them to help. But she is learning.

This is yet another story that would be spoiled if I revealed too much. I think it is safe to say that Marina is not just an ordinary girl. She has a connection to the sea that is greater than most humans, but so does everyone else in the town of Aptos. It has a magical feeling that is hard to describe, and very enjoyable to read.

I love the way this book ended. It let me know that I plenty of story to look forward to in the next books, but it didn’t leave me hanging. Marina and the gang are all in wonderful places in their lives, and I'm glad I get to go along on their journey and watch them grow.

If you are in the mood for a YA fantasy with beautiful imagery, a likable heroine, a sweet romance, and well crafted action sequences, this book will wet your appetite. (I spelled “whet” wrong on purpose. I had to get one water pun into this review. lol)

This book is clean, but I would recommend the reading level for ages 13 and up.This review was originally posted on Kookie Krysp Reads

[♥ Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

**free on amazon!!
http://www.amazon.com/Between-Land-Ma...

WARNING: This book is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! Make sure you don't have plans before reading this, or you’ll end up like me – SOL. I skipped class today, missed a quiz, & my friends officially think I’m nuts.
**

CONFESSION: my experience with ‘mermaid lore’ is limited to my countless viewings (ages ago) of:The Little Mermaid; an 80s film I once watched on cable starring Tom Hanks, in Splash; and my most recent read: Of Poseidon. So, although I don't have much to compare this story to, I was really impressed.

BACKGROUND: Marina’s life is anything but ordinary- travelling around the world with her scientist father, homeschooled all her life, with an extremely rich and beautiful neighbor whom she calls, “Aunt Evie.” But, her already unorthodox life turns more bizarre when she relocates to Aptos, California – without her dad, for a whole year. Marina uncovers life changing secrets and revelations about her heritage, while dealing with the pressures of high-school, bonding with a tight-knit group of quirky friends, and her growing attraction for the enchanting, blue-eyed surfer, Ethan.

CHARACTERS: Basically, I was yet again, thoroughly impressed with the character development. I loved how multifaceted and unique each character was; it hurts to know that they aren’t real. I wish I had a cousin like Cruz, and there needs to be more boys like Ethan. I loved each and every character, and I could see myself forming attachments to all of them already. YIKES.

Also, Between the Land and Sea offered a very original and unique take on mermaids. I was just as intrigued, curious, and mystified with Lorelei as Marina was! And I loved that UNLIKE The Little Mermaid, the mermaids weren’t subjected to any form of patriarchy. They were beautiful, strong, fierce, and free.

LOCATION: I live minutes away from the beaches in Malibu, so I loved the details of the ocean, the waves, the surfing culture, and even the high-fashion! My cousin goes to UCSC, and though I’ve seen some beautiful Facebook photos of the beaches there, I’m thinking I need to plan a visit… I also loved how the author incorporated the Hmong – which added another unique perspective/take on mermaids.

OVERALL: I’m still kind of scratching my head as to why the Of Poseidon series has so many more followings than the Marina Tales. It’s absolutely unbelievable. Although they’re different stories, there are some similarities, and in my humble opinion, this one reigns supreme. The romance between Ethan & Marina flows so naturally. I noticed that this author can write some really good romance. Also, the mermaid aspect was fresh & unique. The characters are all lovable, and impressionable. There’s a lot of adventure, good conversations, genuine friendships, Mean Girl/HS drama, and captivating imagery.

5/5 stars.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a Disney book about the Little Mermaid! Between The Land and the Sea is so much more than a sweet little fairy tale! This is an enchanting story of mermaids with a unique perspective of their lives.

Between the Land and the Sea is about an eccentric young girl who gets sent to live with her Aunt Abby and her cousin Cruz while her dad is away on business for the year. Her dad wants her to experience a "normal" teenage high school experience but being is Aptos turns out to be anything but a normal experience. Marina is new to the idea of going to school and struggles to fit in. She is so drawn to the sea and actually almost drowns twice, most all the people around her start calling her a freak. She meets local hunky surfer Ethan right when she moves and he is the best thing in her new life is Aptos.

I have read only one other story about mermaids, called Forgive My Fins and while I loved that story, I also loved this one even though they were nothing alike! This is a unique plot that I've never heard of about mermaids. You think of mermaids as being all sweet and enchanted but not all mermaids in this story are sweet, some are very dangerous! This story flows beautifully throughout, with Marina learning how to fit in to school and her sudden eagerness to learn more about the sea and its creatures.

One thing I loved about this book was the characters! They were all really well developed and my favorite would have to be the main characters Ethan and Marina although the secondary characters were all amazing also. I connected right away to the life of Marina and you can't help but to root for her to succeed right from the beginning, she is such a sweet selfless young girl and I loved her! I also loved the eccentric Cruz, and all that he brought to the story with his fashion! And Marina's Aunt Evie was a hilarious typical rich designer!

The dialogue is great and the relationships that develop are all sweet and genuine! The romance that blooms is realistic and so sweet. There is some kissing involved but it is all sweet and done tastefully! I loved that Derrolyn keeps it clean yet passionate! There was a few touchy language moments but nothing bad and it didn't take away from the story at all.

My only complaint is that I felt like things got off to a bit of slow start and I wanted to speed things up a bit. The slow start is worth the wait though because this story is so intriguing, unique, suspenseful, humorous and sweet that I think most YA fantasy lovers would love this story! I finished the first book and instantly started on the second book because I was so drawn in to Marina's life!!

I received a copy of this book to read and review from the author. My review is not biased by the fact that I was given this book. I HONESTLY read and review any book whether bought or given to me. If I did not like the book I would definitely not give a rave review or recommend it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Mermaids. Surfing. Romance. Danger. All wrapped up into one exciting YA series. Sixteen-year-old Marina has been traveling the world with her father her entire life, but when he is stationed to work in Afghanistan for a year he leaves her at her Aunt's house. He hopes she will finally be able to live a normal life and have the teenage/high school experience. She feels at home right off the bat and even meets a good-looking surfer named Ethan. Marina is just settling in when strange things begin to happen to her--she meets a mermaid who looks all too familiar and Marina cannot stay away from the sea. She discovers secrets pertaining to her past and encounters some life threatening situations.

My Thoughts: I have not read many stories about Mermaids and this one really had me hooked. It was refreshing to read a new concept on mermaids and Anderson's take on it. This is one of those fast paced books since you're so caught up between the characters, mystery, and plot.

Lets start with the characters: I loved the characters that Anderson creates, they are realistic and funny. I liked how Marina was really just a sixteen-year-old girl; she was strong, but also needed to ask for help from her friends and family and that made it genuine for me. The side characters are great, I loved the relationship she had with her cousin Cruz and Megan and I would want them as friends. Of course we have Ethan, the love interest in the story and I liked how their relationship played out. They didn't rush into it and there was some tension lingering between the them. Anderson does a great job writing the characters because I empathized with them and was rooting for them throughout.

Now onto the writing: The writing style was fantastic and it kept the story going; there was not a dull moment and there was always something there to peak my interest. The story is told in first person (by Marina) and we get a sense of her emotions and how she personally deals with the conflicts in the book. Another thing that I enjoyed was dialogue--I found myself lost in their conversations at times.

Conclusion: I would say this story is a fun summer-read-type book and I would recommend it to those who are into YA romance books (with a bit of supernatural element added in). There are not many YA mermaid books that I know of and after reading this, I want to pick up some more. Anderson's take on the mermaid mythology was unique and I definitely want to learn more about the mermaids in this book and I hope that she elaborates more as the series progresses. I enjoyed this book and I am already on the next one in the series: The Moon and The Tide.Check this book out!

Source: Received from Author, Derroyln Anderson.

Here's where you can purchase this book: (ebook format) It's only 99 cents!
Amazon
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[Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know that mermaid books surged in popularity a few months back but for some reason I never jumped on the mermaid bandwagon and looking back all I can do is shake my head at my stupidity. By not jumping on the bandwagon I now know that I missed out on a ton of great releases- this book included. If I had to sum this book up in a few words it would be "simply breathtaking". Everything about this book was done right, from the character development, to the unique plot line, to the romance, to the pace of the story itself- I seriously could not have asked for a better read.

As mentioned, the character development in this book was superb. Derrolyn masterfully molded characters that were so easy to relate to and characters who the reader could truly come to love, from Marina, to Ethan, to Abby, to Megan, to Evie, to Cruz (so basically all of the characters). Because Marina was so cultured and financially better off than all of the characters she could have really let it get to her head, becoming an arrogant person that no one could stand, but she didn't allow that to happen at all. She was genuinely a nice person who was entirely concerned about everyone around her. As for Ethan? Well, he totally could have been a cliched jocky/ overly popular/ pretty boy but he was anything but that, like Marina, he was beyond selfless, always putting everyone else's welfare in front of his own. Cruz, Megan, and Evie were the cherry on top of this book, adding such a comedic spin to it- I always had a smile on my face when reading of their antics.

All in all? Well, clearly I enjoyed this book! I highly recommend it to everyone (and I truly do believe that it can make those somewhat wary of mermaid stories into believers). Derrolyn is an author that we should all keep our eyes on- this book is truly one of the better books I have read in quite some time and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, "The Moon and The Tide"!

[Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read! I really enjoy mermaid books because there always so much talk about beach life, surfing, and their lives are always completely different than mine.

I enjoyed getting to know Marina and Ethan. The two seemed like a good pair even though I couldn't understand what kept Ethan around in the beginning. She wasn't that nice to him and was really awkward whenever he was around. It bothered me that for over half the book we didn't get one little inkling of how she felt about him. I was assuming she liked him but was avoiding her feelings but that was just me guessing how she felt. After a while though I really liked them together.

I thought the way the mermaids were calling to Marina was original. I liked that she had powers even though they weren't ever really explained why she has them. Hopefully we find out those details later in the series.

I was a little confused because the story seems to be from Marina's POV or at least we would know what she was thinking but every once in a while we would get what someone else was thinking and that bothered me a little. Also some of the conversations didn't seem to flow naturally or I felt like I was missing a couple of lines.

I loved that Cruz and Meghan seemed like real people. I also loved Aunt Evie - she was so much fun!

Overall, an enjoyable read that I will be reading the next book of. If you are a fan of mermaid books I would pick this one up!

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

got this for review from the author. So i am being completely honest this is what i thought of the book.

The book is mainly about Marina who gets sent by her father to live with her aunt Abby, and her cousin Cruz in California. When she gets there strange things start happening and she starts to uncover the truth about her mother's past. Only to find out the reason why her dad shuts down whenever she asks about her mom. While doing so Marina has to make some tough decisions along the way one of them being, living life or having to sacrifice hers.

I adored Ethan and Marina's relationship it grew more and more throughout the book. What I loved about them was that they didn't fall in love instantly like characters in other books which you don't see very often. I also liked Megan she grew on you. Its like you saw her burst out of her cocoon and she changed so much. She went from being really shy and then she became so confident overnight. I adored Cruz he was so sweet, talented and lovable. Every girl wishes she could have a friend just like that! I loved that it was about mermaids that really drew me in this was my first mermaid book and I loved it. Definitely a great read.

[Asheley T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(a similar version of this review can be found here at Into the Hall of Books: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...)

Series like Marina's Tales are exactly why more people should give Self-Published and Indie published authors a chance. When I found out about it - a series about mermaids - I knew I wanted to read it because to my recollection I've never read any mermaid stories before. Great call, Asheley! Between The Land And The Sea is the first book in the series and I loved it.

Let's talk about why you should add Between The Land And The Sea to your to-be-read list:

1. The Characters. There are a ton of characters in this book, and they are all incredible, well-developed, and three-dimensional. They are all people I would want to know. It would take up too much space to list the things I love about them all, but I'll tell you about the main characters:

**Marina. After growing up wealthy and privileged in San Francisco, she moves to Aptos while her father works abroad. There, she lives with cousin Cruz and Aunt Abby in a very small house. Marina never knew her mother but was 'mothered' by Aunt Evie, the eccentric and famous lady next door that loved to lavish her with expensive gifts. While in Aptos, Marina discovers she has a love for the ocean and comes to realize this is because she is part-mermaid. She also falls in love with Ethan.
**Ethan. Handsome, tanned, working-class boy who becomes Marina's love interest. He surfs. He works hard and has goals. He's patient and kind and protective. Loved him.

For so many of the characters to be high-schoolers, they are all so believable. They are going through what high-school age people go through, they aren't overly mature, they don't speak overly adult-like. Ethan has a good head on his shoulders and his patience and level-headedness balanced out Marina's girlish emotion and occasional bad decisions. And the adults, particular Aunt Abby and Ethan's father, were wonderfully believable as well. Only Aunt Evie was outlandish - but that was written into her character and there's a reason for it. Great, great set of characters.

2. The Setting. Aptos. I want to move there. Not only is the town described well but the description of the houses, the farmer's market, and the shore are equally great. I've spoken before of how sometimes, to me, settings can be like characters -- Aptos seems to be very fleshed out, if that is even possible. I love my own real-life proximity to the ocean, but I still found myself wanting to live in a place like Aptos.

3. The Mermaids. I'm new to this area of the paranormal. The mermaids are fascinating to me. Beautiful, with their own language, and their skin glowed in the water! Oh, and they communicated with animals! They were also very protective over Marina, which came in handy for her a few times when she was clumsy or made some bad decisions. These same mermaids seem to have some sort of strong pull over Marina that always led her toward the ocean, which was a little fascinating and mysterious and strange...I had to keep reading because I had no idea where this would end up. What a payoff, though.

4. The Romance. I love this romance. There is no triangle because Marina and Ethan have eyes only for each other the entire time! Theirs is the very definition of a slow-burn, and it was so lovely to read. I personally enjoyed the scenes between Marina and Ethan more than I did the scenes with the mermaids, but this is undoubtedly because Ethan is so doggone charming.

5. Surfing. I know pretty much nothing about surfing, despite loving the ocean so much. But there's plenty of surfing in this book and I thought it was neat.

I know I'm sounding repetitive, but this story was so much fun to read. It is definitely a romance but with the mermaid element, there is definitely some extra supernatural spunk. I didn't really know what to expect, as it was my first mermaid book, but I really loved the story and once I finished it I started book two fairly quickly.

Author Derrolyn Anderson has put together a strong series opener with Between The Land And The Sea. The characters, the setting, and the romance are all written incredibly well. If you're a fan of Indie authors, I'd love to introduce you to Marina's Tales. If you are a fan of mermaid stories, these are incredible. If you love slow-burning romance, you'll love Ethan! If you're a fan of the ocean in any way, you'll find something in this book that you'll love. Between The Land And The Sea is age-appropriate and will be enjoyed by YA readers as well as adults.

**I received a review copy from the author, Derrolyn Anderson , in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts. Thank you so much, Derrolyn!

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between The Land and The Sea by Derrolyn Anderson

Book Rating: 5/5 Stars
Cover Rating 4/5 Stars

Publisher: Self- Published
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 460 KB

"Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. In just a few weeks after moving to the small beach town, sixteen year old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can only manage to survive her increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to unlock the mystery of her past to learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her...and maybe even find true love along the way."

INTRO & SETTING: I received this book for review, and let me tell you, I'm soooo glad I accepted it. I read this book while headed up to visit some family, and it was a 14 hour drive. I couldn't set my kindle down. This book grabbed my attention from the prologue, and it doesn't let go. Since this book only comes in e-book form, I'm not totally sure how long it was, but it was just the right length for me. Longer than most, but it didn't drag. And the setting- Aptos, California- was absolutely perfect. It sets the perfect mood for the story, not to mention it's beautiful, and I have a weakness for beaches.


CHARACTERS: Wow. I'm really not sure where to get started. Marina, the MC, thinks a lot like I do. And after reading this book and being halfway into the sequel, I feel like I know her really well. She's smart and has a feisty side even she didn't know she had. Marina's dad, who travels the globe helping third-world countries with his studies, is protective and loving, but her mom, who died when Marina was born, is a touchy subject for him. Aunt Evie, who isn't really Marina's aunt, but prefers to be called that, is a rich model who shared a floor Marina and her father when they lived in a high-end San Fransisco apartment. Marina's real aunt, Abby, is sweet and a vegan who has a slight problem with cooking, but that just makes her more endearing. Cruz, Abby's son and Marina's only cousin, just rocks. He's got an aversion to tofu, thanks to Abby, and makes kick-ass designs that leave me drooling. Megan, a close friend of Cruz's and Marina's, is level headed with, as Marina put it, "wicked sense of humor." And, finally, *swoon* Ethan. He's gorgeous, but that's not all to him. He's protective (just the right amount) and sweet at the same time, and works too much. He likes to plan ahead, and spends a lot of time gardening and landscaping, not to mention working at the local farmers market. All the characters are extremely well developed. They become real to you. I feel like I've lived in Aptos and met all these people.


PLOT: I love the beach, and I have always adored books about mermaids. And like the characters, the plot is extremely well developed. Marina has to accept things she's never even thought about, deal with terrible, sleep-walking nightmares, and make a huge, nearly impossible choice. Not to mention she's head-over-heels in love. The plot keeps your attention, and although I wish the climax was a bit more dramatic, it still left you satisfied and on your toes.


RANT SPACE: I just simply loved this book. It's detailed and real. If you love para-romance, and if you have a mermaid or ocean obsession, like me, you should totally check this book out. Actually, check it out even if you don't because I promise you'll enjoy it. I have tremendous respect for the author- this book is amazing.
--Riley

[Nicole Etolen · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how sometimes you read a book and you get so into it that you really feel like you’re part of the character’s lives? Then, when it’s over, you actually miss them the way you would a good friend? Well, Between the Land and the Sea by Derrolyn Anderson was like that for me. I read the whole book in two sittings, and would have read it in one if I didn’t have to pick my son up from the bus stop. I just didn’t want to stop reading!

The story is about Marina, an intelligent 16-year old who has spent her life learning from tutors or teaching herself as she traveled the world with her father, a brilliant man that develops agricultural techniques to help save starving nations. Marina never stepped foot in a real school, but now that her father is traveling to Afghanistan, he feels it’s best she stay with her aunt and at least try out a normal teenage life. But life in Aptos, Ca. is far from normal. Marina feels like she’s come home again the moment she steps foot in her aunt Abby’s house, and soon discovers that she has more of a connection to the place than she ever thought possible. Marina discovers new friends, new love, and new beings she never thought could exist, as well as a few shocking secrets about herself.

This book had so many great qualities, I don’t quite know where to start. First, the plot- I’ve never really read mermaid fiction before, so it was completely original to me. Beyond that, it was smoothly executed throughout the pages, never moving too fast or too slow. Every detail was revealed at precisely the right time in a wavelike rhythm not unlike the titular sea. Second- the writing was absolutely flawless, with the exception of one or two typos. Considering that I’ve read huge names that have more typos than this, I’d say that’s some pretty excellent editing! The dialogue was natural and the descriptions (especially of the clothes) were luscious.

Third, and most notable, were the characters. Every single one, from the main character Marina to the bit players like the mean girls and the surfers, were so well-drawn that they could have walked off the pages and into my living room, and I would have recognized them in an instant. Marina’s “aunt” Evie was, as the author described her, a “real life Auntie Mame,” and how I wish she was my fake aunt! Cruz’ passion for fashion and Megan’s melodious voice came through brilliantly. Aunt Abby was sweet and gentle, Shayla a bruiser bully with an extremely well-hidden soft underside.The love story between Marina and Ethan developed slowly, which I liked. It wasn’t an instant “oh, I love you, I need you, I can’t live without you” that tends to drive me batty. It was realistic and innocent.

This is the first book in Marina’s Tales, and it was mostly about a journey of discovery. I’ve already started the second one, and I’ll review that as well when I finish it, but so far it seems to be more about the conflict that arose from the result of this book’s journey. If you enjoy YA fantasy, strong characters, and great writing, you will enjoy Between the Land and the Sea.

[Samantha Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The actions, reactions, and feelings of the characters seem realistic.

Ethan is an complicated, understanding and interesting character. He is the perfect match for Marina.

Marina develops well throughout the story. She is very mysterious. As the story goes on you find out more and more about her and start to understand her better. Marina isn't very good with opening up and sharing things with others.

I can see why Marina and Ethan are together. Their lives are so very similar. They are both extremely caring and protective with each other. They don't doubt each other and would believe whatever the other said. That I'd say is true trust and is hard to find. Their love is very strong and intimate. I must say that I love reading about them being together. I love how Megan and Cruz are always making fun of them. You can tell straight away that they have a very bumpy road ahead of them.

Cruz is very supportive and sweet. I understand his reaction from when he found out about his dad. He seems to see the best in everyone. He is able to stay grounded when people are rude to him.

Megan is understanding and seems pretty pushy. I'd say she's a bit girly. She'd be a pretty good match for Cruz.

I am actually kinda upset that Cruz and Megan didn't end up together. They'd be a cute couple. Although Cruz seems like he'd be more interested in guys, I think he and Megan would be great together.

Martin is a great father. I'm dissapointed and feel Marina's pain when he had moved her over to Aptos so he could go to Afganistan. If it were somewhere else safer, I would be furious. However it is a very dangerous place he is in, and I understand his need to protect her. Even though I am dissapointed in him moving Marina to Aptos and going somewhere else, I would be extremely mad at him if he had taking her along. For one he'd be failing his job as a father in some ways. Also we wouldn't get to read that magnificent adventure in Aptos. I'd like to congratulate him on winning the award - if he were real!!! Hahaha.

Did this book meet my high expectations? Almost, because I could guess quite some of the events that happened in the story.

Would I recommend it and who? Yes. I'd recommend it to all fantasy and romance lovers.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story to be entertaining and engaging. The characters were well-rounded and realistic. I liked Marina. She seemed like a real teen who resented having her life rearranged by her father. Her reluctance to go to live for a year with her aunt and cousin in a small Northern California beach community and attend the local high school. She is clearly intelligent and independent. Once she arrives in Aptos she becomes reconciled to her new situation and begins to make both friends and enemies. She even meets a boy - Ethan - who intrigues her.

There are strong elements of wish fulfillment in this story. Marina has an adopted aunt - Evie - who is the embodiment of any fairy tale's fairy godmother. Evie is rich and famous and determined to give Marina anything she wants even before she knows she wants it. Marina is used to the wealthy lifestyle of fancy cars and designer clothes. But she isn't spoiled. She is also a very accomplished artist.

The story takes a turn to the paranormal when Marina sees and talks to a mermaid who calls her "Sister." I liked that the mermaids were not just portrayed as humans with tails. Lorelei was not human. She didn't understand human culture. She was a creature of nature. Marina was fascinated with her and the mermaids were equally fascinated with Marina. Marina has to fight against the mermaids' desire that she give up her human life and live as a mermaid with them.

Marina also develops a love of the sea and surfing. Ethan is an excellent surfer and teaches her and then is astonished at how quickly she learns it. It becomes almost an addiction for her. The book is filled with both adventure and romance as Marina needs to decide which holds her more strongly - the land or the sea.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between The Land And The Sea was an overall good book. It had a signifigant amount of hooks to pull you deeper into the story. That being said I found myself on multiple occasions thinking "I wonder what is happening with Marina and her friends" Or "I wonder what will happen next".

In general, I am not a fan of Mermaid books. This one caught my interest because the mermaids seemed slightly evil from the synopsis. I'm a sucker for evil. And although not quite "evil" the mermaids had very interesting ideals that were not at all human based. This constantly remind you that these were not your Disney mermaids.

One theme that I truly loved in the book was the characters were very well developed, yet they still have room for growth. Not just the adolescents but the adults as well. I also loved the aforementioned ideals of the mermaids. This makes sense, as how WOULD a mermaid tell time in the same way as a human whilst underwater. The Mermaids' unique set of codes added to the plot and keep you wondering more about them. With that being said I was disappointed that we learned slim to none about mermaid culture. Another recurring theme in the book that I disliked was the "That's what she said" jokes. I realize that this was a YA book however, those jokes made it feel as if the author WAS a YA.

For me, the moment I decided I would read the next installment was the epilogue. I generally stray away from epilogues in series, they tend to bore me. However, this one was great, Derrolyn Anderson has a wonderful concept of cliff hangers.

The good: A good book with reasonable development and plot. Definitely worth picking up.

The bad: A few irritating recurring themes and I wanted to learn more about the mermaids.

[Sannie Hald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book to review for the ReadIt&Reap program in the ShutUp&Read group (www.goodreads.com)

Marina is used to travelling the world with her father, however, when he is to help the unfortunate in Afghanistan she is sent to live with her aunt and cousin. She has never attended regular school before so she is happy that she gets to spend her senior year of high school with her cousin, so she will not be alone. Marina feels the ocean speak to her and she is intrigued by it. She is soon to discover a truth about herself she never would have imagined.

I really wanted to like this book, as I have never actually read anything with mermaids before, so I was really excited. However I found myself to dislike Marina because it felt like, in my opinion, that she just had it all; travelling the world – been places we others dream about, and a rich fashion icon who buys her everything, and she is down to earth. I know that this is possible, and maybe I am just jealous of her, but she just seemed fake to me, but that is my opinion, mine alone.

I do like how the mermaids were portrayed, did not know our human words, and how childlike and free of worries they seemed. And the fact that she did not fall for the hot guy immediately and the fact that there never were such cliché descriptions as “his tongue explored my mouth” that you tend to see in every story involving teenage love.

I liked the writing, however, the content seemed to concern too much everyday life information. She had a nightmare, woke up, spoke to her friends, drove around, and went to bed – over and over again. I would have loved the ending to be different but then again this book is part 1 of a series, so the ending I want may as well come later on.

[Tammy Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mermaids! How cool is that? In a group of genres, (PNR,YA,Fantasy YA),normally inundated with Vamps, Werewolves, Demons, and Witches a Mermaid story was refreshing!

Here is the book Summary: Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. Just a few weeks after moving to the beach town, sixteen year-old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can manage to survive her increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to unlock the mystery of her past and learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her... and maybe even find true love along the way.
Derrolyn Anderson knows exactly what young women want to read. Between the Land and Sea has a down to earth protagonist in Marina. Lovable secondary characters. A cute surfer, rich 'aunt', designer clothes and an exciting mystery.

I had fun losing myself in this story and remembering what my teenage years were like. Derrolyn's character's were very likable and her story well thought out.

I HIGHLY recommend this to lovers of YA but I also encourage older women like me to pick this up for a pick-me up!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit, I judged when I saw this book was $.99 and self-published. I would not normally have purchased this book. And I would have made a huge mistake, because Between the Land and the Sea was easily as good as the majority of young adult novels I have read by celebrated authors and publishers.

The story of Marina was impossible to put down; it kept me up until 5:00 AM last night! Derrolyn Anderson pulled me in with mystery, romance, and drama, but the characters were what made this novel for me. From Marina to Ethan, Cruz, and Abby, I found them all to be people I wanted to be friends with, despite being almost too perfect.

My only complaint lies in the tendency Derrolyn Anderson had to underemphasize the most important moments of the novel. I found myself having to reread certain passages, like Marina's first encounter with Lorelei, because they seemed far too casual and insignificant.

However, overall I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to lovers of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, Wings by Aprilynne Pike, or the Mediator Series by Meg Cabot. You will not be disappointed!!!

Thank you to Shut Up & Read's Read it & Reap Program for the opportunity to read this book!

[Fany · Rating 4 out of 5]

mm I don't find where to start ... let me think ... Ok! THIS BOOK TOTALLY DID IT! xD

This has been my first book of mermaids and totally convinced me that I should read more like this one.! Waou! you know I'm not kidding neither exaggerating when I write that was super-hiper-good!!

the way it was written completely charm me because it was super-easy to read, there was no confusing part, everything was clear. the plot fascinated me from the beginning, was like it had something that caught my attention from start. It made me imagine the whole scenario and made ​​me fantasize about the mermaids.

The characters were well described, each has its charm. I really like Marina her strength, the love she feel for Cruz and Meghan, took her to defend them and take the best of them. Oh my Gush! and lets begin to talk about the guy, his name is Ethan he WAS sooo cute,special, a hard worker nothing like the other dummy-surfers, he was thinking in his future, He love soo much Marina and care alot about her.

The End was sooo romantic *.*

Was a successful book, I'm super-anxious to read the next!!!
I would totally recommend it xD

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This fantasy mixes the real highschool life with the life of a mermaid to be. Have you ever thought you wanted immortality? Well, what if you would have to live without your family, friend ,and everyone you loved, just to live forever underwater as a mermaid. If you had the choice what would you do, well image if you have to decidethat when you were only sixteen. Marina is a half mermaid, her mother died and now the mermaid want her instead. She has to decide wether her new found sisterhood or her newfound home is more important.Marina has recently moved to Aptos, California on the coast. At first she can't wait to get back to her city life, but in her journy relizes that this is her home. ( of course, having the hottest boy in school as a boyfriend would of course help with that.)And with her friendly Aunt Abby and close cousin Cruz, she feels right at home while her dad traels the world. With her new BF Ethan and her new friends ( and rivals) she is already on her way to fitting in at her first school. This is a great story about love, highschool, and MERMAIDS!!

[Lint · Rating 2 out of 5]

“You don’t see yourself at all, do you? It seems to me that you’re good at everything you try,” said Ethan sincerely.
“I had a dream I could breathe underwater,” I said flippantly, “Maybe I’ll go swim with the mermaids.”
Ethan turned to look at me with shock in his eyes.
“Just kidding,” I said, alarmed at his reaction.

Marina :
Take me with you to Paris.
I admire your sense of character.
Romantic and strong willed ; I like it :D

Cruz :
If only you were my cousin
You talented little thing :')
Other than that, I wouldn't mind having you as a best friend.

Ethan :
Everything a girl wants in a guy :)

People I would shove in the trunk of my car :
Shayla, Heather and her posse, and the boys in art class.

Other :
Just read it.
I didn't like the ending,
But the romance was spot on !

[Englishrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. From start to finish it was filled with colorful characters and exciting twists and turns. Marina is a fantastic character who really appeals with her independent attitude and unspoiled point of view. Ethan is the perfect teenage heart-throb -- down to the surf boy tan and generous heart. I loved how they grew closer in their relationship (I kept rooting for their first kiss long before it happened). The idea of mermaids was actually very realistic and had a great supernatural vibe throughout the storyline. Great read and I can't wait to read the next one.

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