Best of
Mermaids

2013

Captive


Avery Duncan - 2013
    The name is not only feared, but shunned and reviled. He’s a monster sentenced to a life of desolation and loneliness, and no one but his tormentor knows his whereabouts — at the bottom of the ocean. A creature of the sea cursed because of one simple mistake… Mari. Her life was a small happy bubble until it’s popped by the finding out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her — just as the cruise ship she’s on starts to sink! She’s sure that death is near until she drowns upon an underwater cave…and a hulking man with swirling eyes. Seeing a chance to escape, Ambrose forces the terrified Mari to help them both, but not before ultimately changing her life…and her legs. Their worlds turning upside in the matter of minutes, Ambrose is on a mission to clear his name and Mari’s on a mission to return to land. But how can she do that when she slowly starts to fall for the dangerous, damaged man who only wants to be free…and heal her own heart in the process?

Waterborn


Kimberly James - 2013
    You can be both. The girl with the charm, the girl without. They both suit you." Caris Harper lives a charmed life. Literally.When her dad offers to take her to the Emerald Coast of Florida for summer vacation, Caris jumps at the chance. The chance to get answers to questions she’s always been too afraid to ask. The chance to be normal. Isn’t that what her dreams have been telling her, that here in the place of her birth she can be normal? But from the first moment the wind caresses her face and the sun touches her skin, the charm begins to fade, revealing a girl Caris never knew existed, one that is anything but normal. The long-buried Song that awakens is only the beginning of a transformation that will challenge her ideas about loyalty and family. Noah Jacobs is a waterbreather—a species of human fully adaptable to life in the water. Like his older brother Jamie, Noah wants to prove they can use their abilities and be heroes in service to their country. When a simple mission goes wrong and Jamie goes missing, Noah exiles himself to the Deep in a desperate search. MIA is a classification Noah is not ready to accept. But instinct can’t be ignored. Not when he hears her Song. Caris is not what he expects and Noah is determined to get her out of his head. Instead he finds himself acting as her mentor and the more time they spend together, the more Noah realizes he just wants Caris. When a startling truth threatens their newly formed trust, Noah straddles the line between love and obsession while Caris struggles to find a balance between the girl she thought she was and the young woman she wants to be.

Village of the Mermaids


Carlton Mellick III - 2013
    Mermaids are protected by the government under the Endangered Species Act, which means you aren't able to kill them even in self-defense. This is especially problematic if you happen to live in the isolated fishing village of Siren Cove, where there exists a healthy population of mermaids in the surrounding waters that view you as the main source of protein in their diet.The only thing standing between you and the ravenous sea women is the equally-dangerous supply of human livestock known as Food People. Normally, these "feeder humans" are enough to keep the mermaid population happy and well-fed. But in Siren Cove, the mermaids are avoiding the human livestock and have returned to hunting the frightened local fishermen. It is up to Doctor Black, an eccentric representative of the Food People Corporation, to investigate the matter and hopefully find a way to correct the mermaids' new eating patterns before the remaining villagers end up as fish food.Like a Lovecraftian version of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks," "Village of the Mermaids" is a dystopian mystery for the bizarro fiction fan. It proves, once again, how cult author Carlton Mellick III brings the weird to a whole new level.

Into the Deep


Missy Fleming - 2013
    Ten years ago, she lost her leg in a freak shark attack. The night after her sixteenth birthday, she has yet to accept her awkward prosthetic limb or the fact she will always be different. Wary of the sea, and its hidden threats, she ventures to a bonfire at the beach. She’s mesmerized by its awesome power, wondering what she ever had to fear, until a rogue wave sweeps her into the cool, salty water. Zoey believed mermaids were creatures of legend, characters in silly children’s stories, but it’s hard to ignore the captivating tail that’s suddenly appeared, or the sense of finally being whole. She abandons her life on land in search of answers about who she really is and where she came from.What she discovers is a kingdom full of intrigue and danger, as well as a royal father she never knew existed. Settling into her role as a mermaid princess, she learns her family is under attack, both on land and in the water. Raging storms swell up, threatening coastal cities, and sea levels rise practically overnight, endangering the lives of everyone she loves. Determined to stop the strange phenomena, Zoey becomes caught up in the race to track down what, or who, is responsible for the catastrophic events.But, Zoey possesses another secret, one born of legend and more powerful than any mer or human can imagine.

A Mermaid Tea Party


Sally Huss - 2013
    Fun, Beautifully Illustrated Bedtime Story/Picture Book about Thoughtfulness and Good Manners for Beginner Readers, Ages 2-8

Shifting


Shana Norris - 2013
    But now Sailor has left, and no one knows if she’ll ever return. Dylan remains stuck in a half-life between land and sea on an island that is slowly dying.Dylan thinks he knows where his life is headed, until a human girl makes him wish for something more. Now he wonders if maybe there is another way of living, another choice he never imagined possible.But is one girl worth crossing the line that separates humans and finfolk, and causing tensions on the island to erupt?

Droplets


Meaghan Rauscher - 2013
    BUT TO LISSIE DARROW IT IS A NIGHTMARE... One night on an annual cruise with her family, Lissie is standing on the deck of her father’s fishing boat when she begins to hear a strange murmur across the surface of the ocean. The voice rises and falls with her own, dancing in and out of her hearing, but before she can get a glimpse of the creature it disappears into the depths of the ocean with a shimmery flash. The next evening throws her family in the midst of a horrific storm. Lissie is swept overboard and all hope is lost until she comes face to face with a dark-haired merman. She is saved, but the cost is her future. The merman transforms her into a mermaid, with the ability to both sprout fins and walk on land; she now finds herself a captive of the dark merman and flees into the night. When Lissie ends up on a stranded island and meets its sole inhabitant, the handsome and mysterious Patrick, she begins to realize that meeting the dark merman was not a mere twist of fate. But if it was destined, why is Patrick’s past entangled with her future? And just what does Patrick have to do with the dark merman who haunts her nightmares…

Mermaids: Faerie Magazine #25, Winter 2013


Kim Cross - 2013
    Mami Wata The Sacred Water Spirit. Tim Gunn Talks About Mermaid Fashion. Hanna Fraser On Life Underwater. Stephen G. Bloom On Pearls, The Tears Of Mermaids.

Mythos


Heather McLaren - 2013
    The last thing he expected was to meet the girl of his dreams--and discover a hidden world he'd thought existed only in legend.David and Faryn's forbidden love would be enough of a challenge; but both their worlds are threatened by the savage sea demons, and it's up to them to find a way to save not just their people but their own future.

Surface


Tiffany Daune - 2013
    Hidden beneath the rolling waves lies the secret to Theia’s past and as she unveils each haunting truth, she realizes the last seventeen years of her life have been a lie. Now, drawn into a mysterious new world and with nowhere to turn, Theia must place her trust in Luc, a beautiful boy who stops her heart with each dazzling smile, but even his unearthly charm can’t hide the truth—he has secrets— dark secrets binding him to his world—an underwater world where Theia will never belong—a world determined to destroy her soul.OUT OF PRINT

The Call of the Deep


Tracy Lane - 2013
    Born in the deep as a princess with fins and gills, she was hidden among the humans, so her father - a corrupt sea king - could not use her to his advantage, or worse, destroy her in order to keep his position as ruler of a kingdom in the North Atlantic.A mysterious visit from a crystal-eyed stranger, along with the onset of startling abilities brings Meri to a realization that her life is in for a drastic change. Expectations are high and duties aren't taken lightly in the Deep. Thankfully, Meri's true form knows exactly what's expected of it. With the guidance of her mentor and his unmatched 'charm', and a few others along the way, Meri will have to make some tough decisions. Will she fulfill her dream of becoming a small town veterinarian or give it all up to save a world and a lifestyle she remembers nothing about? Is there someone she's destined to be with after all? Will her deadly fear of water be a problem?

Silver Tides


Susan Fodor - 2013
    A social misfit tolerated at the popular table only because of her best friend Jaimie… but ignored by everyone at school.On the night of the big beach party before senior year everything changes. Mya rescues a drowning stranger from the sea and as the amnesiac boy “John” struggles with the after affects of his accident, Mya finds herself drawn to him - first as she nurses him and then as they form an unexpected friendship.As Mya’s social star rises, so do the mysteries surrounding John. The more time Mya spends with him the more their attraction grows. But John is harbouring secrets that threaten to tear them apart. His flawless features and enchanting charisma hide an unbelievable truth.Could John’s secrets put Mya and her family in danger?

Luminous


Jasmine Angell - 2013
    To us, they are known as mermaids, sirens and water nymphs, but they call themselves the Psyne. They have lived on Earth since ancient times, wield powerful magic and have only one weakness—love.When Psyne suddenly start disappearing around the globe, the remaining aquatars are evacuated to their home world and a ban is placed on Earth. Ilauria, a devoted servant to the Psyne Council, can’t abide abandoning the missing eight, and with the help of her long-time friend, Shivan, and a subversive member of the Venvian Psyne named Adante, she embarks on a harrowing rescue mission to uncover who or what is powerful enough to subdue her kind.What Ilauria discovers will cause her to question her loyalties, reexamine her dual nature, and will shake the very foundations of the truths her society holds dear.

Lost Daughters of Atlantis Collection


Allie Burton - 2013
    How will she choose between the life she’s always known or a new dangerous adventure?The tides are rising, as is the danger in each magical quest. Join the princesses on their adventures in love and discovery.Atlantis Riptide, Book 1: For all her sixteen years, Pearl Poseidon has been a fish out of water. A freak on display for her adoptive parents’ profit. Running away from her horrible life, she craves one thing—anonymity. But when she saves a small boy from drowning she exposes herself and her mutant abilities to Chase, a budding investigative reporter.Now, he has questions. And so do the police.Once Pearl discovers her secret identity, she learns she’s part of a larger war between battling Atlanteans. A battle that will decide who rules the oceans. A battle raging between evil and her true family. Will she find a way to use her powers in time to save a kingdom she never knew existed?Atlantis Red Tide, Book 2: Princess Coral wants one thing. Actually two. Her lost sisters. Locked in her underwater castle by an evil regent intent on seizing control of her kingdom, Coral is determined to break free and find her siblings. When she tries to escape, she’s seized by her childhood crush, Finn. This wasn’t the reunion she’d expected. Finn plays a delicate game. A game of loyalty, betrayal, and honor.Even though Finn is working for the enemy, Coral needs his help to reunite with her sisters and stop an underwater war. She must risk her heart to gain his trust. But what will happen if Finn chooses against her?Atlantis Rising Tide, Book 3: Maris Sanders thinks she’s a normal high school girl. Until she starts developing underwater powers that aren’t normal at all. When a good-looking stranger, with the odd name of Cuda, comes into her life and tells her stories, she discovers a history that stuns her.A lost princess. A lost kingdom. And two lost sisters she never knew she had.Not knowing who to believe, Maris is determined to find the truth. About herself, her powers, and her sisters. But a scientist hired by Cuda’s father is determined to use her as a science experiment. Maris must decide whether to risk her life and her present human reality to join a battle under the sea. And if she doesn’t, will she ever find where she truly belongs?“I read all 3 books in the collection by Allie Burton. I read one and then I quickly purchased the other two. The way the stories tied together and how the girls realized they were sisters was enchanting. I hope there will be more books to come in this series.” ReviewerOther books in the Atlantis series: Atlantis Tide Breaker Novella, Atlantis Dark Tides, Atlantis Twisting Tides Novella, Atlantis Glacial Tides

Sapphire City


Amy Richie - 2013
    For Stella Shaw, things are about to get even more weird.Welcome to Nortica. Population: ten.After her latest run-in with the police, Stella’s mom takes her back to her childhood home, the island Nortica. But they find it much different than the stories Mom told. Most of the people have disappeared and the ones left are really weird. When her mom turns out to be the next victim of the island, Stella is forced into a dangerous race to find her while learning the secrets that the ocean holds.

Landlocked


C.S. Moore - 2013
    Her overprotective aunt and uncle have kept her away from the place that calls to her at night. And trying to push them into taking her isn’t an option. She knows how much it hurts them to talk about the very thing that took her parents’ lives so many years ago in a boating accident. In fact Maribel never pushes anything with her loving adopted family, until she meets Jaron. He is unbelievably hot and the only boy that she has ever been attracted to. For the first time in her life she feels exhilarated and truly alive. She can tell that he feels it too, so why does he keep disappearing on her? And why is it that as soon as her secretive brooding knight shows up, her world is turned upside down? People are following her, she’s having terrifying nightmares, and she suddenly gets the feeling that her beloved aunt and uncle are keeping something from her. Can she unravel the secrets of her past without her life falling apart along the way? Will the truth forever change the way she sees the people that she loves?

Legasea


Krystalyn Drown - 2013
    The only thing she knows about Jamie is that he personifies the one thing she has been drawn to her entire life – the ocean. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes he knows more about the murder than he's telling. When another girl is attacked, and Jamie refuses to answer her questions, Aileen searches for answers on her own. Aileen learns that Jamie's family belongs more to myths and legends than they do in the real world. They are selkies, and after the Flannigans threaten her family, Aileen suspects they are responsible for both attacks.But they aren't the only ones in her small fishing town who can keep a secret. As Aileen uncovers the truth about the murder, the selkies, and her own family, she learns why her soul is bonded to the sea. But with that revelation comes a choice – to permanently sever her connection with the water, which comes at a painful cost, or embrace a legacy that just might get her killed.

Westward to Strange


Ray Litt - 2013
    He's a college kid--a refreshing reprieve from high-school mundanity--and he's undeniably interested in Lu. And Lu is interested in him. But try as she might, she can't clear her mind long enough to enjoy it. She can't stop thinking about the kid in the cove.On her way to the drum circle, Lu stopped to help a boy caught in the rough waves between the cove jetties. She was lucky to see him. It's dangerous there during the day; to swim there at night is practical suicide. But after a chilling conversation, she finds the boy isn't in as much trouble as she thought. And their meeting does more than prevent Lu from nurturing a new crush. It casts her into a whirlwind investigation of coastal urban legends--one in particular that seems eerily tied to her own family.Family skeletons are a funny thing. They can quickly turn a sleepy beach existence into an existential nightmare. Lu's once loving relationship with the water becomes confusing. Primal. She loses patches of time. She has vivid nightmares. She has a fallout with her closest friend and becomes obsessed with a mysterious newcomer. Soon she finds herself wondering if there isn’t something more to these legends. If, in fact, her life depends on how quickly she can unravel the age-old mysteries of the dark water.First in the Dark Water series, Litt’s tale—carried on the backs of a funny cast and enchanting setting—is a thrilling trip into the mesmerizing arena of mermaid mythology. Continue the adventure with To Each Her Own, available on Amazon.

Mermaids


Lori Hile - 2013
    Are they all just myths and legends, or could some of these stories be true? Using the scientific method and available information, this book attempts to find out!

Wave Singers (Equilibria #1)


Echo Fox - 2013
    Merry’s past leads to a faraway land with strange customs and an even stranger people, the Mer. Discovering a realm of shapeshifters led by a tyrant king, Merry is quickly drawn into their magical, musical world. Underneath the waves of a continent lost to time, the Mer are governed by forces she doesn’t understand. But the Mer need help and for some reason, they are starting to look to Merry to provide it. EQUILIBRIA COLLECTIONTrouble is brewing in the harmonious land of Pangaea. Ever since the continent was split into it’s four elemental parts by Strife, the balance has been edging ever so slightly in favour of the dark. Now, four elementals just coming into their powers must meet Strife head on and restore balance to their world.In Wave Singers, we wonder; which future will Merry choose?

Time For School! (Bubble Guppies)


Nickelodeon Publishing - 2013
    Nickelodeon's Bubble Guppies learn about going to school in this full-color book that sure to entertain boys and girls ages 2-5.

Immersion


M.J. Prest - 2013
    But 16-year-old Artemis doesn't know that yet.She's more concerned with her impending engagement to Troy, the son of her family's archenemy. Artemis has enjoyed a life of privilege on Atlantis, but debts have swamped her home life. Her marriage has been arranged by her parents, who hope the union will put to rest the feud between their families. Artemis desperately wishes to chart her own course, but her loyalty to those she loves complicates her yearning for freedom.When a boating accident plunges her into the arms of Egis, an enthralling merman from the undersea kingdom of Aegon, Artemis learns of Atlantis's doomed fate. She must decide whether to follow her head or her heart as she races against time to save the lives of her fellow islanders before Atlantis sinks into the sea forever.A coming-of-age tale of first love and free will, "Immersion" will leave you breathless.

Between Land and Sea


Joanne Guidoccio - 2013
    The horrified banker abandons her on the fog-drenched shores of southwest England, leaving her to face a difficult human journey as a plain and practically destitute fifty-three-year-old woman.With the help of a magic tablet and online mermaid support, Isabella evolves into Barbara Davies. Along the way, she encounters a cast of unforgettable characters, among them ex-mermaids, supportive and not-so-supportive women, deserving and undeserving men, and several New Agers.