**REVIEW** Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

I am also featuring this series in Mermaid & Myth Month!  Tera writes

for both the Mermaid & the Myth portion so I am excited to feature both!

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Release Date:  May 16, 2010 (PB released June 18 2011)
Published By:  Katherine Tegen Books 

Review Copy:  Paperback, 336 pages

**Purchased

Trailer

Review

  I can honestly say that I picked this up because it was a mermaid novel and I loved the cover.  The description on the back wasn't even looked at until I was finished and truth be told it wouldn't have really given anything away or done it justice.  Forgive My Fins was a fun, quick and easy read from start to finish.  It's the perfect start to the Fins series and already has me wishing I had the next book in my hands.

  Life as a half Mermaid, half human isn't as easy as pie.  Lily spend the majority of her life believing that she was only Mermaid until three years ago when her father spring the "You're half human,"surprise one her.  Personally I'm not sure how I would take that news and I know I would want to know why I wasn't told sooner.  Lily however seemed to have taken it a lot better than I would and actually decides to take her dad up on the offer to live on land with her aunt.  Thing is Lily has such a huge secret that life isn't always the easiest and it doesn't help that in three years not once has she spoken to her crush, the boy she is determined to bond with.

  My biggest worry to start with this one was simply Lily.  Reading the first chapter she worried me into thinking I was going to be dealing with a insecure girl that somehow knew she would get what she wanted.  Thing is that just wasn't her.  Turns out she is insecure but she is also fiercely determined and wants to do the right thing, even if she doesn't quite see the bigger picture of he right thing.  Tera did a wonderful job making this Mermaid into teen and her voice and reactions believable.  My only wish for her was that she wasn'tso blind and she could have seen what was right in front of her because I can't even count the times I found myself wanting to give her a little smack.

  Though I did not like Brody from the start I fell right in love with Quince!  He reminded me so much of the little boys that bug you because they like you.  Admittedly it is not the best approach to things but it was his way.  He also did not give up on Lily no matter what she did or said, he just wanted her to see him.  Sometimes this made him come across as a bit of a doormat but love makes you do funny things.  Quince was undeniably my favorite character in this book! 

  The world building in this is nothing short of wonderful.  I was easy to be anywhere with the characters but Lily's home Thalassinia was spectacular.  The details that were poured into it were exactly what I would expect if I were to ever find an undersea kingdom.  Tera's use of the sea life and natural phenomenon was brilliant and creatively done.  Also worth a mention is the fun and giggle worthy sea terminology that Lily used frequently.

  Though predictable at times (I guessed how it would end) the journey and the world is more than enough to make this a worthy read.  I had so many laughs and moments where I felt for the characters that it was not an easy read to put down.  When classifying this read I would put it on the light and easy read list and perfect for a sunny day where you want to kickback and just enjoy.  I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the rest of these books sometime soon because I do want to know how things turn out! 

  

Quotes

I know he means well.  I mean, he's my dad.  It's kind of his job to make decisions I hate because he thinks they're in my best interest.  That doesn't make me like it.

What crazy leap of logic ever led me to believe that we could pull this off without a hitch?  Nothing ever goes that smoothly.  especially when magic and little white lies are involved. And clearly, Quince is using this as another opportunity to make my life miserable.

He jams his hands into his jeans pockets and leans against a locker, lifting one heavy biker boot to pond on the grey metal door.  He looks me right in the eye as he says, "Love is already the strongest magic in the world."

I have to take care of him.  (No, not in a Mafia kind of way--remember, merfolk are peaceful people.)  And if I can do it withot resorting to a mindwashing rital, then all the better.