SOLVED. Sci-Fi Fantasy YA/Teen book where "merpeople" integrate into a human school to try and prevent war, girl protagonist and mer prince love interest. [s]

[Maggie]

My friends and I have been looking for this book for hours with no luck - any help appreciated! First read around 2010 and definitely more sci-fi than fantasy, the book is about a conflict between human and oceanic civilization. the oceanic mer group is made up of ocean-creature-hybrids (species vary) and are brought into and integrated into a human school (middle or high school) to try and encourage peace/prevent war. the protagonist is a young girl/student with no powers or anything- she is just human. the romantic lead is the prince of the oceanic group and is scaly - notably, with retractable sharp fins on his arms. there was at least one major fight between the oceanic merpeople and the humans, with the humans struggling to accept and, often, hating the oceanic people. We can't remember if it was a standalone or not, but we are pretty sure the cover was illustrated.

[Claire]

Is it Emerge by Tobie Easton? Or Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige?

[Maggie]

hmm I don't think so - the main girl wasn't a mermaid, she was just a normal human girl + the integration of the two groups was a pretty big focus of the book(s) iirc 🤔

[Claire]

are you sure it was a novel? Could it have been a graphic novel or manga?

[Maggie]

we're pretty confident it was a novel unfortunately 😭

[Becca]

Undertow by Michael Buckley? Published in 2015 so might be too late.

[Maggie]

it looks like Undertow is it!! omg thank you so much