Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy, #1) in And So It Begins Reading Challenge

Jun 01, 2013 Darlene rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: freebie, read-in-2013, audiobook, books-i-own, 2013-just-for-fun-reading-challenge

I downloaded this audiobook free of charge, as it was the YA selection for Week #1 of the 2013 SYNC YA Summer Listening Program.

Of Poseidon is about an 18 year old girl named Emma MacIntosh from Jersey Shore. Emma accompanies her best friend, Chloe, and Chloe’s parents to Florida for some fun in the sun before returning for their senior year at Middlepoint High School. Klutzy Emma trips and falls into a gorgeous guy with olive skin and violet eyes, and they both feel an immediate attraction. Hi I downloaded this audiobook free of charge, as it was the YA selection for Week #1 of the 2013 SYNC YA Summer Listening Program.

Of Poseidon is about an 18 year old girl named Emma MacIntosh from Jersey Shore. Emma accompanies her best friend, Chloe, and Chloe’s parents to Florida for some fun in the sun before returning for their senior year at Middlepoint High School. Klutzy Emma trips and falls into a gorgeous guy with olive skin and violet eyes, and they both feel an immediate attraction. His name is Galen Forza, and he is at the beach with his twin sister named Rayna. Galen is confused by this pull that he feels towards Emma because he is a Syrena (a mer-man) who is only supposed to be attracted to his own kind. Emma looks nothing like a Syrena: Her hair is so blonde that it is practically white and her skin tone is so fair that it is nearly translucent, but she does have those trademark violet eyes.

I can’t believe that this is Banks’ YA debut! I absolutely loved it! Banks sucked me in right at the beginning and never let me go. I cannot recall the last time that I read a book containing mermaids, and it was a refreshing change of pace. Emma is a strong heroine who is both funny and snarky without being irritating. Her chemistry with Galen was hot! And what’s not to love about Galen? He is naïve to the ways of humans, and he comes across as sweet with a fierce streak. I loved the alternating points of view between Emma and Galen, which I thought added depth to both the characters and the story.

The book ends on a cliff-hanger, and it came on so suddenly that I had to pull out my iPod and actually check that the battery didn’t just die. Nope, it actually ended like that. Banks has me chomping at the bit for the next book in the series, Of Triton, which was just released earlier this month.

The cherry on the top of this amazing book was the narrator, Rebecca Gibel. I have gushed about Gibel on a number of occasions, and she has never let me down. Her unique vocalizations for each character feel authentic, and I love how she can slip into a character and nail it! ...more

Like · see review

Jun 02, 2012 Anasheh Satoorian rated it it was ok

Wow what an ending! How long till book two?

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 02, 2012 Carrie Ardoin rated it really liked it

Shelves: from-netgalley, merpeople

Emma's summer ended on a very somber note with the death of her best friend, Chloe...by shark attack, of all things. Even so, Emma is shocked to see the hot guy she literally ran into just moments before Chloe's death, named Galen, in her school in Jersey. Emma doesn't really feel up to getting involved with anyone, but Galen makes it a point to inject himself into her life.

As Galen and Emma get closer, she discovers not only does he have a secret, she may have one too. And what she is may hold Emma's summer ended on a very somber note with the death of her best friend, Chloe...by shark attack, of all things. Even so, Emma is shocked to see the hot guy she literally ran into just moments before Chloe's death, named Galen, in her school in Jersey. Emma doesn't really feel up to getting involved with anyone, but Galen makes it a point to inject himself into her life.

As Galen and Emma get closer, she discovers not only does he have a secret, she may have one too. And what she is may hold the key to saving an entire civilization.

I must say this was my first mermaid (merpeople?) book. It was not a bad introduction to the genre, but then again I wasn't sure at all what to expect.

Emma was just OK to me--some of her quirks I could relate to, but she had some habits that were just annoying. Who does things just cause someone tells them not to? I will tell you who: my 3 year old. Emma is 18 and should act like it.

Galen was actually more likable to me, and I could really feel his anguish about falling for Emma and having to lie to her about it because he thought he wouldn't be able to have her. He is also very patient when she is irrationally stubborn, and is the more mature one in the relationship.

The story alternated chapters between Emma's and Galen's points of view. Emma's chapters were in first person, and Galen's were in third person. I actually liked this, because in some books with alternating people's POV's you can forget whose chapter you are in because the voices are often similar--when they say "I", you have to think about who the narrator is referring to.

The best thing about this book to me was the snarky attitude and banter between characters. Not just Emma and Galen, I also liked the dynamic between Rayna and Toraf. I also loved the fight scenes...they were so hilarious. Two characters would go at each other full force while the others watched and made commentary on the fight. LOL.

I found bits of the story to be predictable, however...particularly (view spoiler) Also, I called it when it came to the truth about Emma's parentage.

I liked this book overall, I just wish there had been a bit more action. But I understand that this was the first book in a (probable) series, and things have to unfold over more than one book. I will most likely read the next book in this series...for more Galen, at least. ...more

1 like · Like · see review