The Summer of Chasing Mermards by Sarah Ockler ---> Restarting January 10th 2016

[Adriana]

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Reading from the 12th of September 2015

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[Adriana]

Ch. 3 (view spoiler)[ So I wonder if she can talk and refuses too because most of her voice is gone.

Is her aunt Lemon/Ursula evil? I doubt it but she's a witch so I wonder what part she'll play. Elyse won't really turn into a mermaid will she?

In the prologue it seems like she wanted to die. She thought she was so she let herself die or all that blood must have meant she was in trouble and she was resigned to death/drowning.

So far I don't like Christian but she feels he has some pain/mystery about him that she connect to so maybe.

Isn't it her birthday too? Where's Elyse's cake? (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

ch. 7 (view spoiler)[ So I love Sebastian and the tale he told about the first mermaid. I don't think this book is going to get into fantasy but I really like the lore nonetheless. Her voice in the shell was a nice touch by the author. I hope Sebastian doesn't get hurt or anything.

It sounds like Elyse and Christian are going to get into a storm or something is going to happen on The Queen of.

I wonder if all the sea talk is real or they just believe it is real like the oath with her blood with the sea. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

ch. 10 (view spoiler)[ Vanessa is trying to play it cool and she's acting like an idiot. Get a room? Seriously? And she offered to help but doesn't really.

I hope she gets the mentality out of her head that she is going to be taken by the sea. That was cute that she started dancing again. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

ch. 14 (view spoiler)[ Ugh. The mayor is a pain in my side with his sexism. It feels kind of forced in the writing though for some reason.

I can't believe Jess did that. I do understand that she needs more business though. It's still messed up.

Aw! Christian paid and he has never done that before. Love it. And they talked for hours...

Of course Christian's dad changed his mind. What a pain. (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

I'm starting this tonight or tomorrow morning. I just finished Everything Everything, but I'll get to it!

[Adriana]

ch. 20(view spoiler)[ Gasp! It was her twin sisters fault???

My girl. Noah caught that. Christian must have never said that before.

I wonder who sent the money. I think it was Lemon.

If she does dress up as a mermaid and is one during the race then that means when she is drowning she will look like the mermaid from the tale. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

It's good so far Victoria!

[Adriana]

ch. 32 (view spoiler)[The mom! Of course she put money on them. I hope she ends up divorcing the husband.

Sebastian and his mermaid outfit. Love it. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

Done (view spoiler)[ This was really enjoyable. I liked how everything was wrapped up in lore and how everything didn't end with a perfect bow on top. Sebastian was adorable. Elyse and Christian were great together. There was something missing that would have really put it over the edge with me, but I thought The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was a really good read in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

Sorry! I've read this and have my commentary on my laptop but I have no internet on campus right now. I'll do it once it's come back! :D

[Victoria]

20%
(view spoiler)[
Oh my god, I love the protagonist of this book on such a spiritual level. Oh my goooooood. I'm kind of bored with the plotline a little bit but everything about Elyse -- is just perfectly imperfect. How she's a WoC (as one myself I appreciate this intensely), the whole mystery behind her and mythical stories or how she connects with the ocean and her family. I just, Elyse gives me life.

The boy, whatshisname, and the other characters...mmm, meh.

The little brother, sebastian? I think. I like him!
(hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

40%
(view spoiler)[

I knew it! I knew she'd have to be the one that goes out on the boat. I hope this doesn't bring up bad memories for her. How the dad's just bargained away things that could effect people so much bothers me. It's like it was nothing to them.
I don't know -- the plotline is kind of flatlining for me but Elyse kind of keeps me reading.

I love that mermaid story too!
(hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

50%
(view spoiler)[
The sexism coming from the dad's in this book is making me want to punch something. I mean, honestly.
(hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

60%
(view spoiler)[
STOP. IT WAS HER SISTER'S FAULT???

also-- despite my little bit of dislike for christian, can we just- the adorableness that was that conversation with Noah?
(hide spoiler)]

80%
(view spoiler)[
Sebastian is the most adorable thing on this planet.
(hide spoiler)]

100%
(view spoiler)[

This book was enjoyable. I have a complicated relationship with it -- let me just completely clarify that Elyse is the sole reason why this book was given 4 stars. If the plot line had been better, it'd had been perfect. Elyse is one of my favorite characters that I've read in a long time.

(hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

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Reading from the 10th of January 2016

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[Mei]

Hi Martha, just a heads up.
I'm 80+% into my book right now so I'll finish that first before going into this. Aaaand it's 2 hours before January 11 here, so I'd just read this tomorrow :D

[Martha]

Hehe no worries I'm a bit behind too I'm going to start tomorrow :)

[Mei]

I'm halfway through Chapter 1 and I feel like I wanna give up already. Given that it's too soon... but of course I'll still try.

I just couldn't connect much to the story. I hardly understood anything :|

[Mei]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[Where are her other sisters again? And her dad and grandma? Where are they? It's easy to get distracted in this book... I mean the writing is nice, the place is actually well-described. But there's something to it... (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[Okay, I get Christian's a jerk. I hope they'd be more subtle about it in the next chapters.

Also, I do not know who Noah is. Is he even introduced before this chapter? Is Terra the name of the mayor's wife? (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[ Christian sighed. “You can take the corporate stiff out of the office, but you can’t take the office out of the stiff.”

I felt my eyes go wide. I couldn’t imagine me or my sisters talking like that to Dad or Granna, but Mr. Kane didn’t seem to notice the insult.

I actually didn't understand this... What was insulting about it?

Okay, so Noah is the mayor's son.. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[Ugh, it's just so sad!!! For someone who loves music and singing in particular, it's really heartbreaking to lose your voice!! (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

Chapter 15: (view spoiler)[So it was her twin's fault she lost her voice? How? (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 16: (view spoiler)[Loving the beach and Mermaid festival vibes, sounds really fun and unique, strictly for the Cove only. Like if went there you'd feel you belong and have a place. I love the descriptions and how they want it to remain the town as it is, not adding more modern and commercialized businesses. They didn't mind if the shops are an hour away! (hide spoiler)]

[Martha]

So sorry Mei, I've been ill so haven't been able to read any!

Mei wrote: "I'm halfway through Chapter 1 and I feel like I wanna give up already. Given that it's too soon... but of course I'll still try.

I just couldn't connect much to the story. I hardly understood anyt..."

I'm on chapter two and I completely agree with this! I barely understand what's going on, which makes reading when you've still got a bit of a cold slightly impossible >.< I think the language is just way too expressive for my taste.

[Brooke]

20%
(view spoiler)[ even without much talking, i am reading through this quickly, which is always a good sign. I'm glad she hasn't spiraled down to crazy depressed because of losing her voice! Reminds me of Ariel :D (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

35%
(view spoiler)[ How dare you book!? Don't freaking scare me like that. I find myself on the edge while reading this because her flashbacks are killing me! I'm digging the Mermaids hunts thou! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

63%
(view spoiler)[ Holy snap. way to stand up for him. I figured this small town would act like that. Ever hear of mermans!!!! How do you think mermaids are made. Sheesh. shaking my head! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

73%
(view spoiler)[ Oh hell no. Get out of her dress. I would throw the biggest fit. You think it's funny to dress up in a dress she has only because her freaking voice was working!!! Ugh! some friends there. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Ending Thoughts
(view spoiler)[ Ok, Christian is a whore. Just saying. I was freaked out by the flashbacks. I loved the mermaid parade and Vanessa's mom! Lol indeed. Mermans rule!!! I had a hard time keeping tack of everyone. Who the heck is Ursula?! It got snappy towards the end, really could have done without the dang sex scenes! (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

@Martha - That's okay! No rush :) I hope you get well completely asap!

[Mei]

Brooke wrote: "20%
[spoilers removed]"

The book's a loose retelling of The Little Mermaid, in case you don't know, yet :D

[Mei]

Brooke wrote: "63%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[But even then, he's just a kid who wants to join! Whether or not he'll be gay. He made a great point when he said he knows everything about mermaids more than others do! (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

Brooke wrote: "Ending Thoughts
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Ursula is basically Lemon. That's her real name :)
The sex scenes are fine to me, and yeah I agree that even though Christian's all eyes on Elyse I didn't exactly fell in love with him. I just didn't feel him that much despite his issues. (hide spoiler)]