The Siren by Kiera Cass - Restarting February 8th 2018

[Dr. Andy]

Hey guys I might have to drop this one because I'm behind in some of my buddy reads and I realized I can't count this for this months challenge :(

[Susan]

It has to be new to us right? I may not be able to either because I read The Selection so she is not a new to me author. It's a new to me book though...does that count???

[Susan]

Vernie wrote: "Same here! The Selection series is one of my favorites so I have high hopes!"

Vernie, are we still reading this book? I am about 126 pages into it and was checking in with you on this buddy read. This is a new to me genre. I have never read anything like this book before. I wasn't at all sure what a Siren was until now...

Chapter 1-6
(view spoiler)[

I had no idea what this book was about or what a Siren was so this is all new to me. The story starts off with a family on a cruise and they whole ship hears music playing and they are drawn to this music. This music leads them to jump overboard into their deaths. Kahlen doesn't want to die and says as much and She )the ocean)hears this and give Kahlen an ultimatum as to whether she is going to live or die. If she wants to live she belongs to the ocean for 100 years and must follow all the rules and sing songs that will bring others to their death or she can say no and she will die right then like her family and the others on board. They refer to this being like their mother. They find comfort and talk to Her in all things. Her is the ocean and they belong to her for 100 years. We fast forward to 80 years later and Kahlen is one of the best Sirens but she hates what she has to do and makes a scrapbook of all those who have died because of her. They cannot speak to humans and if they do it can lead to their death. They can be among humans but no talking, they may interact with them but through sign language or written notes. Kahlen
has met a boy in the library and I am looking forward to how this will go. (hide spoiler)]

[Vernie♡]

Susan wrote: "Vernie, are we still reading this book? I am about 126 pages into it and was checking in with you on th..."

Hey! Yeah I am, schools been a little hectic so I'm not as far, but I should be completely caught up tomorrow!

[Vernie♡]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ Aww I really like Akinli. He's cute and wants to know her even if she can't verbally speak to him.
Honestly, I feel like the siren thing is kind of weird, the whole thing that they got to live while everyone else died and they keep living for an extra 100 years as Sirens. Also, what exactly is the ocean, is it just a voice in their heads when they're in the ocean, or does it have a serious form? (hide spoiler)]

[Susan]

Chapter 7-13

I have to say I was finding this book hard to get into but no longer is that a problem. Loving this book

(view spoiler)[ I love the little romance that Kahlen has got going on with Akinli, the boy she met in the library. I think it's sweet that even though she can't talk he still wants to be with her. The first date was her baking him a cake and that was so cute. I was so sad when she ran away from him... (hide spoiler)]

[Susan]

Chapter 14-24

I am done with this book and now have to back up for the reviews. I was in the hospital with my saon and his wife while she was having a baby and didn't have access to post the last 2 reviews.

(view spoiler)[

Kahlen was called to sing a cruise ship and there was a bridal party and Kahlen stopped singing and let down her sisters and the newest sister Padma. She has only ever wanted to be a wife and a mother so this singing affected her in the worse way. She let everyone down and ran away from everyone and ended up in Maine where Akinli was from. She washed up on shore and who discovered her but Akinli. The romance that happened in less then 24 hours was so sweet and touching. I am not one for insta love but knowing this book was a stand alone it needed to be. They shared a kiss that made Kahlen let her guard down and she said WOW and it had the same effect on Akinli that it does on passengers on ships or near water and he headed straight to the ocean. All those who hear a Siren's voice die. She begged and pleaded to save im and She (the ocean) gave in but sentenced her to 50 more years of service with her. She accepted if that meant Akinli would survive. In the meantime Padma never forgot her terrors of the life she left before becoming a SIren and even the the Ocean did not give permission for her to end her parents lives for all the years of torture the girls devised a plan to carry out Padma's wish with Kahlen organizing the whole thing. (hide spoiler)]

[Susan]

Chapter 25-to the end

I am so happy I stuck with this book. I loved that it was a stand alone and that it was all wrapped up in one book. I miss that sometimes.

(view spoiler)[

Once the plan to kill Padma's parents was done the girls had to do another singing and Kahlen had made a promise to the Ocean and vise versa and Kahlen would be a model Siren again and the Ocean would never injure Akinli and if he was hurt the Ocean would save him. Kahlen ended up very ill which doesn't happen to Sirens. She couldn't breathe under water, she couldn't sing and the Ocean thought her to be disobedient. Then she was hit with a fever and became weaker and weaker. Come to find out Akinli was doing just as poorly and both were deteriorating with no cure. In the end the Ocean released Kahlen because they found what they had hoped was a cure (I don't want to spoil this) and it was indeed the cure they were needing. The two went on to live happily ever after. LOVED IT!!!! I am a sucker for a sappy love story but not to often or it gets boring (hide spoiler)]

[Book_Lover]

I don't know what you guys are thinking but personally i LOVED this book! <3 <3

[Susan]

Book_Lover wrote: "I don't know what you guys are thinking but personally i LOVED this book! <3 <3"

I loved the book but for me I was having a hard time getting into it but once I did get into it I was hooked and loved the story. I love Kiera Cass and her writing and knew I would love this book. Some of why I couldn't get into it was because we had a lot going on with a baby coming. My mind was elsewhere but the day she had my grandson I had a long time to read and I was hooked. I just needed uninterrupted reading time I wasn't getting :) I loved this book and gave it 4 stars

[Book_Lover]

Susan wrote: "Book_Lover wrote: "I don't know what you guys are thinking but personally i LOVED this book!

I loved the book but for me I was having a hard time getting into it but once I did get into it I was ..."


Five stars from me!!

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting February 19th 2017. Happy Reading ☺

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[Gillian]

1/4 (view spoiler)[ 100 years as a Siren wow thats a long time everyone you knew would be dead but I guess thats the point of making it 100 years (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

2/4 (view spoiler)[ Oh dear Akinli is so nice to her. Kahlen is bound to fall for him but she still has 20 years to go. (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

3/4 (view spoiler)[ How can they stand to kill all those people and I don't understand why the Ocean needs their bodies (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

4/4 (view spoiler)[ All sorted out in the end I don't think kahlen could have coped with an extra 50 years even if she didn't get sick (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[ A couple of things I find annoying. The dialogue between the girls. It bugs me. Also, don't love the MC so far. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Chapter 8: (view spoiler)[ It is slow and I'm not entirely sure I like it. The sense of doom and unease is great. I liked the Selection series better. However, I do understand that this was her first publish story that was republished in 2016. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Gillian wrote: "3/4 [spoilers removed]"

I agree. (view spoiler)[ I wonder why the Ocean needs the bodies as well. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Ending Thoughts: (view spoiler)[ The ending redeemed the book for me. It was not great, but it wasn't bad either. I think it was okay. I could not really identify with the main character. The weirdness of the spelling of Akinli was putting me off because I am in science program and in it is making my think of Alkene. Haha silly me. (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

yeh can't say it was one of my favourite books is was OK but nothing flash

[Gillian]

Sharon wrote: "Ending Thoughts: [spoilers removed]"

lol I read it on Audio at double speed which I don't normally do but I think it would have driven me nuts at single speed.

[Megan]

Chapter 8 (view spoiler)[Wow, a hundred years?!? At least they don't have to spend them all in the ocean.

Akinli is sweet, but something about him seems strange to me. I also have the feeling that his home state of Maine will play a role, with the way it's being mentioned. Maybe the sirens will call for him or his family and Kahlen will save him somehow. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Chapter 15 (view spoiler)[I hope that Akinli's parents didn't kill themselves on purpose, because that's be too sad. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[I hope it's not Akinli in the hospital, but I have a strong feeling it will be. :( (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Gillian wrote: "3/4 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I don't understand why the ocean needs the bodies either. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Can I get this reset for may 12th? Please and thank you! :D

[Abi]

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Reading from the 12th of May 2017

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[Sophie]

I'll be joining you tomorrow!

[Julie]

I'm pretty excited to read this! 😁

[Sophie]

@Julie me too! I love this author and the Selection series! But I've heard some mixed opinions about the Siren. Hole it turns out to be great!

[Julie]

@Sophie

I used to work at a book store and we could borrow books and I think I borrowed this one and read like 2 pages and decided I couldn't do it at that particular point. But now that I own it I'm hoping I'll be able to get through it.
Do you have a date that you want to be finished by or like a schedule?

[Dr. Andy]

I don't have a set schedule, but I'm probably going to finish it as fast as I can. I need to catch up on my reading.

[Dr. Andy]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ I already really like this book. Yeah I think there's a bit of insta-love between Kahlen and Akinli, but it's just so cute! I hope it works out somehow. And wow I can't believe Aisling kept a secret for so long and from the ocean. She managed to protect her daughter all those years. Amazing. (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie]

Yeah I want to finish it quickly as well... Will start in a few hours.

[Dr. Andy]

Chapter 17 (view spoiler)[ I'm shocked that Kahlen stopped singing, but it made sense because of the wedding party. Thought everything was almost ruined there! And then she runs away and to Port Clyde of all places where Akinli just happens to find her. What luck! Things are so nice right now, but I have a feeling this can't last. I really like Akinli and Kahlen together, but something bad is going to happen. I can feel it. (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie]

Chapter 8
(view spoiler)[ I like it a lot! The plot is nice and the whole concept is unique. I like the characters so far. Kahlen is a bit complicated but I liked the romance with Akinli. Hope it works out somehow. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Going to try and start this tonight c:

(So many books to read @_@)

[Sophie]

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[ It was sad to see Aisling go, as she and Kahlen had a special friendship. Also I can't believe that the Ocean never found out about her baby. I thought she could read their minds? (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 1:

(view spoiler)[
The way in which this is written is great c: The style and prose really draws you in.
---
So they can't read, but can understand any language? Why is it that they don't need to speak though, is it because being sirens they just start singing and lure men to their death? Seems lonely, not being able to hold a proper conversation with someone :/
---
So Aisling... didn't want to become a siren? Or just doesn't want to be around other sirens...
---
So they don't need their lungs? I thought maybe they could breathe underwater, but not needing to breathe at all is something completely different.
---
So it was sirens that sank The Titanic?
---
...The ocean eats in order to be able to sustain the planet? That's a... different... way of looking at things o.O
---
I suppose if their bodies are frozen from the time they "died" (or almost died), it makes sense that they don't need to breathe...
Pretty depressing that they can never speak to a human - unless they want them to go drown themselves - though :|
(hide spoiler)]

[Sophie]

Chapter 27
I think I will finish it today. The plot is fast paced and I am so worried about the characters that I can't put it down. Can't write any spoilers because I'm on my phone but I like it so much!

[Sophie]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ I am very happy with the ending. Generally I enjoyed reading this book a lot. When they were both sick I was so worried but all ended well. A bit like a fairy tale just like the Selection series. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ That was a good, but sad ending. It was interesting to see how the sirens figured out what was wrong with Kahlen and Akinli. It was so adorable that they were able to save each other and the Ocean let Kahlen go. I liked that Kahlen loved that bottle of Ocean even though she didn't know who/what it was. All in all I enjoyed the story, though not as much as the Selection. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

56%

(view spoiler)[
The relationship between Kahlen and the ocean definitely seems to be a familial (if unusual) one, what with how despite how much Kahlen hates x and y she can't help love "Her".
---
How could one single glimpse of someone cause months of dreams?
---
After all that, all her happiness at being with people she could truly be herself around, she lost Jillian?
That should mean more to me but... Jillian hasn't even been in an entire chapter and I don't really have much of a connection to her as a result. It's sad that a child/teenager had to die.... but that's the extent of it unfortunately.
---
This meeting (or at least second meeting) is rather reminiscent of The Little Mermaid - beautiful women from the sea with no voice, "saved" by a handsome almost-stranger.
---
I like Ben. He seems like he's got a good head on his shoulders. He's suspicious. And relatable. :|
---
So Kahlen and Akinli both have something in common...
---
...So Akinli works as a lobster trapper... does that mean he's going to either a) eventually drown or b) almost drown but get saved by Kahlen?
---
...why does she dislike Evan so suddenly?
---
...well, her instincts on disliking Evan were correct.
---
Akinli is SUPER sweet. The whole thing at the restaurant (the notebook, moving closer, the lobster, etc.) is adorable.
---
I want to stay with you forever, I thought. I love you. I love no one like I love you. I’d give you anything you wanted.
How can you know that you're in love so quickly? I don't understand it (...am I old? I feel like a mother watching Frozen and going "you're not in love! you've known him for a DAY!")
---
Their relationship is adorable.
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

62%

(view spoiler)[
Fighting with the vacuum cleaner? I completely understand.
---
She still hasn't gone back to the ocean... is this going to end badly?
---
...Is Casey the ex?
---
She's definitely the ex. Didn't she break up with him? Why is she suddenly coming over to see him and pretending nothing has happened?
---
It's so sweet that he can know so much about her without ever hearing her voice or communicating in a way that doesn't involve pen and paper ;u; <3
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

74%

(view spoiler)[
So she ran to the water. This seems similar to a certain original fairy tale...
---
There's no WAY they're separated for good.
---
That is such an elaborate plan to get back to Akinli.
---
Awww... she's eating lobster.
---
And now she's sneaking back to Akinli. I somehow doubt she's going to go unnoticed.
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

88%
(view spoiler)[
It's been a year and still she needs to see him, if only once more. Definitely love.
---
Ben and Julie are having a kid? ;u;
---
And Akinli is definitely still in love with her. Looks like he's in mourning.
---
...and now I'm crying. Dammit.
---
Where is she going? The Mariana Trench or something?
---
And she's imprisoned. In the darkness. And possibly the Mariana Trench.
---
Aisling had a DAUGHTER?
---
Do NOT make me cry dammit! DO NOT. I am at WORK (on a break ;D). I do not want to ruin my makeup because I didn't bring any spare xD;;

They're all willing to add more time to their sentence so that she can be free to be with the one she loves - even though none of them want to lose her. THAT'S love.
---
Okay, now that I've finished that chapter (chapter 17) I NEED to take a break from this book so that I can end the day with my makeup intact and my eyes NOT looking like that of a raccoons. I'll finish the book off tonight ;D
(hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Natalie- I wonder if you read the version that was published earlier. It seems like there are definitely some differences in the two. (view spoiler)[ I don't remember any Jillian, Evan or Casey. Also Aisling's daughter was revealed much earlier in my book. Fascinating. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Andrea wrote: "Natalie- I wonder if you read the version that was published earlier. It seems like there are definitely some differences in the two. [spoilers removed]"

Really? That's so strange o.O I wasn't aware that there was more than one version of the novel. I read the one with this cover, and double checking from the beginning it looks like mine was printed in 2009?



Anyways, I finished it yesterday - though I still need to write a review...

(view spoiler)[The ending was absolutely beautiful, and I love how the Ocean and her sisters loved Kahlen so much that they were willing to let her go, and be with the one she loved.

I do wish that she had remembered - if only a little - of her and Akinli's previous time together, or had even just recognised her sisters at the wedding. Would've been super sweet. Still SUPER happy with the way it ended though :|
(hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Natalie wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Natalie- I wonder if you read the version that was published earlier. It seems like there are definitely some differences in the two. [spoilers removed]"

Really? That's so strange o..."

Haha yeah the newer version is essentially the same story but slightly different. She reworked some things when publishing it again :)