Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn-Childs

Series: Fins, Book One

Publisher: Templar

Format: Paperback

Published: 1^st July 2011

Number of Pages: 295

Book: Borrowed From The Library

Genre: Urban Fantasty, Magic, Romance, Paranormal, Mythical, YA

Recommended Age: 11+

Contains: Mild Violence and Swearing

No Alcohol, Drug References

Author's Site: Tera Lynn Childs

Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenager, but when you’re half-human, half-mermaid, like Lily Sanderson, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.  Especially when your crush is gorgeous (and 100% human) Brody Bennett.

The problem is, mermaids aren’t the casual dating type – the instant they kiss someone, they ‘bond’ with them for life.  When Lily’s attempts to win Brody’s love leads to an ginormous case of mistaken identity, she finds herself facing a tidal wave of relationship drama.

Review:

Lily is in love with a boy who doesn’t love her back.  Complicated enough already for her, right?  Wrong.  Lily isn’t just any girl: she’s a mermaid.  And one kiss will leave her and any boy bonded for life.  But Lily has chosen human Brody to be her mate.  All she has to do is tell him the truth, and introduce him to her father.  And kiss him, of course.  Only, one night at a party, one she’s arranged to meet Brody at, takes an unexpected turn, with one wicked case of mismatched identity…

I was hooked to this book, hook line and sinker (pun intended).  From the very beginning, from Lily’s first sentence, I was just addicted.  Once I’d started reading, I just had to find out what would happen.  I just could not put it down.  I didn’t WANT to put it down.  I could read about Lily and her mismatched relationship forever!

Lily Sanderson was someone I liked straight away.  She was really nice and funny, her voice totally believable.  She used lots of “fishy phrases”, like “pain in the fins”, which I found so cute and so funny!  I mean, she was just wonderfully bonkers.  And kind of a drama queen… love it!  Love her!  Her mind was wonderful, bonkers, funny and maybe a little twisted.    She really underestimated herself sometimes, and was occasionally quite naïve… but she was very loyal and very easily distracted...   Seriously, have I mentioned I love the girl?  But what made Lily special was how much I found I could relate to her: she just felt so real, like she could be any girl. 

Quince Fletcher was a bit of a jerk… and he was also very, very funny – hilarious, even.  He was too cute, really cheeky, and so obviously liked Lily!   He was the “shock-inducing” type.  And as I got to know him more: how sweet and wonderful he was, I just loved him even more!  I want a Quince! 

He and Lily were so cute.  I just loved the way Quince joked around, totally getting on Lily’s nerves.  The way their relationship changed was just too sweet.  I could so feel the chemistry.  Wow.  They SO belonged together.  Such a dreamy couple!
The rest of the characters were equally amazing.  Peri, Lily’s mermaid best-friend, who knew Lily better than anyone.  She was the method to Lily’s madness.  Lily’s dad, who was so protective of Lily, and didn’t think anyone was good enough for her, scaring away all the merboys when she was younger.  The bond between Lily and her father was really sweet!  The two of them were so close and the bond felt 100% real.  Davina, Lily’s cousin: spiteful and jealous in my opinion, but we shall be seeing more of her.  Fingers crossed she pulls a Cordelia!  And the boy who started the chain of events: Brody Bennett.  He seemed nice, seemed sweet: he hung out with Lily even though she was a “freak”.  He had that charm – the one that meant he could fit in everywhere.  He made Lily feel special.  But, boy can you not judge by appearances…

I just loved how Childs took historical and mythical references and made them cool, modern and completely her own.  It was brilliant!  This was just such an original, new, creative book: loved it!

The mermaids in Forgive My Fins were amazing!  They were kind of cowardly, according to Lily, anyway.  But they had to be, to stay hidden.  And they had all these awesome powers: they could control water temperature, mind wash people, swim super-fast and find their way home from anywhere.  I just loved learning all the new heritage… and the funny words: Oceanista dolls, mertechnology – and did ya know, mermaids invented the bikini?  I wanna be a mermaid, please! 

God, this made me laugh!  Lily was hilarious, as was her sea-slang and bananas mind.  I really was not expecting such a funny read when I picked it up.  But I laughed out loud.  A lot.  I even got the funny stares.  Lily rocked!

Full of romance, humour, mermaids and magic, Forgive My Fins was a really brilliant, addictive read.  All the characters were 100% real to me.  The relationships jumped off of the page.  I could see Thalassinia in my mind’s eye.  A just all round amazing read, one I recommend to you all!  Plus: SO didn’t see the ending coming!

A fun, cute, all-round awesome read that had me in its power from start to finish. 

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Siren by Tricia Raybrn

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Happy Reading

Megan