Book picks similar to
Kai by Jessica Santiago


mermaids
fantasy-paranormal-mythology
mermaid-mermen

Glamour of Midnight


Casey L. Bond - 2018
    Like A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Snow White and the Huntsman. A must read for 2018." -Meagan Ashley, Instagram. Nineteen-year-old Karis has been blind since birth, but for some reason, she can see through the wall of smoke that separates the human lands from those of the Faeries that rule in grand courts on the other side. Most of the time, the only thing she can see on the other side of the wall is the swipe of a tail or the trailing of a bony hand along the surface. But one day, a handsome faerie appears and sweeps her away into his world—a world that is being ravaged by an evil so dark and deadly, she fears she may never see her home again. Loftin is a bounty hunter and he has been searching for Karis since she went missing from the Court of Ash. He needs to return her and collect the ransom. But the longer they travel together and the more he teaches her about what she is now able to see, the more difficult he finds the thought of letting her go. A fiery passion ignites between them, but with a monster tracking their every move, they must find a way to reach the Court of Ash before it kills them both.

Siren


Tricia Rayburn - 2010
    Vanessa's parents want to work through the tragedy by returning to their everyday lives back in Boston, but Vanessa can't help feeling that her sister's death was more than an accident.  After discovering that Justine never applied to colleges, and that she was secretly in a relationship with longtime family friend Caleb Carmichael, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor to seek some answers.But when Vanessa learns that Caleb has been missing since Justine's death, she and Caleb's older brother, Simon, join forces to try to find him, and in the process, their childhood friendship blossoms into something more.  Soon it's not just Vanessa who is afraid.  All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes home to a string of fatal, water-related accidents . . . in which all the victims are found grinning from ear to ear.  As Vanessa and Simon probe further into the connections between Justine's death and the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance, and that will change her life forever.

Awful Curse


Elena Monroe - 2020
    Forced to forget everyone I fell in love with, laughed with and bonded with.For a certain price you could unburden yourself from your hormonal teen at Arcadia Prep too.I’m reckless.I’m impatient.Purple hair, a don’t care attitude and my Doc Martins all screamed leave me alone, fending off any new relationships.I vowed to keep my heart safe this time, locking it away right under my anger but he knew exactly where I hid the spare key – in his mysterious eyes the minute ours locked.BOLTONI was stuck – the essence of a God in some kind of limbo of high school.I was meant for more than this.Being king here meant nothing.Arcadia Prep wasn’t for the weak. The expectations, the pressure, the standards, the success and privilege smug on everyone’s face wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.I thrived in chaos.I’m fearless.I’m ruthless.The new girl was not my cup of tea.She stomped her doc martins all over my tradition, rules and my reign.We all have secrets. Mine were paper weighted down by my heavy crown.Her violet eyes and her abrupt attitude spewed sass all over my black on black. She didn’t faze me until I realized she was after my crown…

Suppressed


Wendi L. Wilson - 2017
    Things I thought only existed in fairy tales.My name is Kailani Ericson and my life pretty much sucks. My mother is an indentured servant in this lonely house, serving a hateful old woman who gets her kicks by terrorizing me. One of my few comforts is the sea in my backyard. Diving into its frigid depths is the one thing that makes me truly happy.Then he shows up, and my entire world shifts. Bryce Howell is gorgeous, every girl’s fantasy. He’s also arrogant, insolent, and strictly forbidden. But he’s not normal. He’s something different. Something magical. Our attraction to each other just may be my downfall.As it turns out, I’m not normal either. I am the stuff of myths and legends. Suddenly, my love of the sea and its pull on me make a lot more sense. They say legends never die, and I hope that’s true. There are those who want me dead, and if I can’t put a halt to my seemingly inevitable transformation, there will be nothing I can do to stop them.I love the sea, but ultimately, it might just be what kills me.

Beyond the Sea


Emily Goodwin - 2012
    Beyond the Sea is a NA paranormal romance intended for mature readers.** The rules are simple: Stay away from the surface, remain hidden at all times, and never fall in love with a human...but rules are meant to be broken. After the brutal murder of her sister, Melia is forced to flee from the only place she’s ever called home, the Pacific Ocean, leaving her life as a merrow behind and pretending to be human. Peter Anderson is just trying to get through college when Melia walks into his life. He knows there is something different about her, and it’s not just that she lives alone in a mansion overlooking the ocean, spending all her time with Jamie Forester, the only goth girl in the sunny town of San Morado.Worlds collide when Melia must make a life or death decision, and risk being seen in order to save Peter from drowning. Knowing that falling in love with a human is forbidden, Melia resists her attraction to Peter, but soon she finds herself in love with him…and in danger. Melia knows love might not be enough to protect them from the dangers that lurk in the deep waters she once called home. They say love knows no boundaries, but can it survive the darkest depths of the ocean?

Tears of the Sea


MaryLu Tyndall - 2014
    Every ten years she has a chance to break the curse when she emerges from the sea fully human for one month. The catch? She must find a man willing to die for her. After 300 years, her failures have left her heartbroken and alone.Savion Ryne wants nothing to do with beautiful women. It was one such woman whose betrayal sent him far away to battle Natas’ rebellion. He longs to return to his father’s kingdom in Nevaeh but must first complete an unknown mission. After Savion falls off his ship during a storm, he wakes on the shores of an island with visions of a dark haired mermaid tending his wounds. When a woman similar in appearance begs for his protection, he is suspicious.Perdita has never met anyone as honorable as Savion. Even though he shuns her every advance, she falls for him. But as the end of her time on land approaches, she faces the hardest decision of all, save Savion and remain cursed for all eternity or break the curse and watch the man she loves die.

Water and Blood


B. Kristin McMichael - 2016
    It was a chance to start over, a fresh start outside the paranormal night human world she grew up in. She was ready to be a normal human; one who didn't have to worry about drinking blood or all the fighting that went on in that world. Perfectionist Sam did everything well. He protected his family and friends as he swore he would. He had jobs to help everyone survive while they hid in plain sight. He even taught swimming lessons. His life was perfect, at least until Whitney showed up in his town. Without thinking of the consequences, Sam makes a choice to follow his heart for a change. That choice changes everything, maybe for better or for worse. After one year of getting used to her new reality, Whitney discovers that maybe she was never meant to leave the night human world after all. Deciding to take swimming lessons, she is paired with high school hottie Prince Sam, as her friends called him. That one decision changes her life, and she's quickly thrown right back into the night human world she thought she was getting away from. The only question is: Can she survive going back?

Atlantis Riptide


Allie Burton - 2013
    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? This is the start of a young adult fantasy action adventure novel series. “Free sweet summer young adult paranormal with death-defying underwater rescues.” Reviewer Other books in the Atlantis series: Atlantis Red Tide, Atlantis Rising Tide, Atlantis Tide Breaker, Atlantis Dark Tides, Atlantis Twisting Tides, Atlantis Glacial Tides

Stolen: Dakota


Marissa Farrar - 2016
    Now I’m eighteen and they’ve given me to a vampire. Roman is the most beautiful man I have ever seen. He stirs up feelings inside me that I didn’t know existed. I was raised to be the perfect blood courtesan, existing only to feed him and submit to his every whim, but the vampire won’t lay a finger on me. He won’t set me free either. We’re at an impasse. Which of us will break first? *Please note, this is a multi-author series and each book is a stand-alone. They do not need to be read in any order*

Never Forgotten


Kelly Risser - 2014
    Like discovering there's a secret being kept from her and knowing it's a life-changer. After experiencing vivid visions of her absentee father, Meara decides she deserves answers. With the help of her new friend Evan, a guy she happens to be falling for, she embarks on a journey in the hopes of unlocking family history and finding her true self. But when she meets a handsome stranger at a local club who knows far more about her than he should, her world is again shaken. In him, Meara may have uncovered the key to the very secret that will reveal not only who she is... but what she is.

Between the Sea and Sky


Jaclyn Dolamore - 2011
    When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alander, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alander band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Drown


Esther Dalseno - 2015
    Discovering music, a magnificent palace of glass and limestone, and a troubled human prince, she is driven by love to consult the elusive sea-witch who secretly dominates the entire species of merfolk. Upon paying an enormous price for her humanity, the little mermaid begins a new life, uncovering secrets of sexuality and the Immortal Soul. As a deadly virus threatens to contaminate the bloodstreams of the whole merfolk race, the little mermaid must choose between the lives of her people, the man she loves, or herself.A complete reinvention of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, this is a magical-realist fable that captures the essence of sacrifice and the price of humanity.

Mermaid Park


Beth Mayall - 2005
    Working at the park changes Amy's life in more ways than she could have imagined. She finds romance, a newfound self-confidence, and discovers breathtaking revelations about long-buried family secrets.

The Secret History of Mermaids and Creatures of the Deep


Ari Berk - 2009
    Variously known as Finfolk, Dinny Mara, Nereids, Blue Men, and Merrymaids, merfolk have been the source of both gifts and disasters for humankind. Now a lavishly illustrated resource offers insight into the lives, origins, language, and magic of these elusive peoples. Like a siren’s song, this fascinating tome is sure to enthrall all who fall under its spell. Special features include:— paper novelties — including sundry flaps, booklets, and gatefolds— a lavish cover with foil, embossing, and glittery jewels

Of Poseidon


Anna Banks - 2012
    Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.