I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

I didn’t love reading this as much as I thought I would - I found the plot to be quite slow paced, and I didn’t find the characters particularly interesting.

To be honest, I didn't really like this book, it was a bit too fantastical and completely unrealistic.

I'm a bit of a nerd who also just so happens to love Disney Renaissance Era animated movies. So the mix between the chemistry related stuff and all the The Little Mermaid references, made my nerdy millennial heart sing. I loved this book too much for words, and feel like reading it just one time is NOT doing it justice. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

The Shape of Water meets Free Willy.

I loved the approach of murderous, almost alien mermaids. However, I found the story quite predictable and the characters uninteresting. Still, it’s a new take on mermaids, and that’s something worth seeing.

The story begins and develops with a fairly calm and sometimes even slow pace, detailing down to the smallest detail so that the reader has a very complete picture of what's happening and to reveal this gloomy world similar to the real one. At first, I was not going to classify this story as a fantasy novel, but a monsters' one, but an unexpected twist made me change my mind. What's important about this? That the world's constructed in a very careful way, without using magic at any time.
Full review (May 4): https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/2021/05/resena-review-speak-ocean.html

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of Speak the Ocean.
I thought the premise and idea of this book were unique and fresh. The writing and prose were good.
However, I, unfortunately, could not connect with the characters. And so I struggled to get through this book.

But, Speak the Ocean would be a great book for fans of magical realism and mermaids.

A unique spin on mermaid tales, 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 was told from the powerfully-voiced dual POV’s of Finn and Erie, mermaid trainer and captured mermaid. 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 was suspenseful, gritty, unfaltering, jaw-dropping, and hard to put down. Highly recommend!

𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬! 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

Title: Speak the Ocean
Author: Rebecca Enzor
Pub. Date: July 9, 2019
Rating: 4

This will be a spoiler free review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review. If you’re looking for a mermaid fix, then this is something you probably want to pick up.

Strangely enough, this book reminded me of a fanfic I read years ago that featured Dean, Sam and Cas from Supernatural. Cas was a merman. Don’t ask me what it was called, I don’t remember and – hold on, I might actually still have the tab…omfg I do. It’s still saved in Safari. It’s called Out of the Deep by riseofthefallenone.
I’m getting sidetracked.

Anyways, I inhaled this book. I couldn’t put it down. I started it two nights ago before bed, had to stop reading since I had to get up early for work. And then all day at work I kept thinking about it and I realized how much I love and how much I miss mermaid stories. Especially darker ones like this. Though, I did expect this to be darker.
I enjoyed the cast of characters and the changes they went through. Finn went from slightly annoying playboy to someone who actually cares and figures out what he wants. Jen goes from caring but unsure, to fighting for what she believes in and righting wrongs. Sergio realizes that his rose-colored tinted world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Aunt D can get fucked. I wasn’t a fan from the beginning. She seemed a little wack. Erie is wonderful. She’s fierce, though a little naïve, but she’s also incredibly curious. Her curiosity is what I loved most about her.

Overall it was a good book. The pacing was perfect and kept me turning the page, needing to know what happened next. Like I said, I inhaled this book. I could easily imagine the world Enzor created. The only thing that I didn’t love about the book was the ending. I know, with how it ends you’d think I’d be all on board. But it felt a bit cheap and I just didn’t buy it. It had me rolling my eyes. I just didn’t buy it. The relationship between Finn and Erie is cute and endearing and I love that they care for each other, but like of course that has to happen. All I could think about was everything Finn was losing and his lack of caring about those things drove me nuts.

Will I still recommend this book? 100% definitively because it’s such an enjoyable read all around. And even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, I could very easily read a second book. Like, if the author wanted to write more books set in this world about humans and mer – I’d totally be down for it.
I’m glad I finally read this book and I’m kicking myself for having waited this long. I can honestly see myself rereading this down the line, because I truly loved and enjoyed it. So, if you’re looking for a mermaid fix, you’re going to want to check this out.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Eh. I will pretty much read any mermaid book I come across (or at least give them a solid try) and I just wasn't feeling this one. I'm personally not a fan of thinly-veiled allegory and fiction books that are judgmental or try to (so obviously, at least) teach a lesson.

If you want scary mermaids, read Seanan McGuire's Into the Drowning Deep and then beg the publisher for a sequel. Otherwise, just watch Blackfish/google the Sea World controversy.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of “Speak the Ocean” by Rebecca Enzor. Thoughts and opinions are my own. Although I was surprised this was available for request as it had been published already but I appreciate getting a review copy either way.

The concept for this story is so creative: The Little Mermaid meets Blackfish. I was a bit nervous about the Blackfish comp, but I was glad the injustices done to the mermaids weren’t on the same level as the documentary. I think Blackfish is such an important documentary for people to watch and examine how society has normalized such cruel mistreatment of animals in the name of entertainment. There are some particularly horrifying parts of the documentary (such as the breeding programs) and I was relieved the author chose not to include these elements in her story in a very smart way. By having the mermaid be too murderous to get close to, there was no way there could be a breeding program.

Told in dual perspectives of a mermaid and her trainer, the story had great pacing that kept me turning the pages. I also liked the addition of the employee handbook procedures. I would have liked more of those included.

Erie, the mermaid, was my favorite character. Although I did think her POV sounded a bit too human even before her capture when she’d had no previous interactions with humans to have her think that way. I was also curious as to how the mermaids named after the Great Lakes came to be named that since they were in the ocean. How did they gain knowledge of landlocked lakes? It was impossible not to root for Erie especially as she learns more and more about humans.

Finn, the mer trainer, I didn’t care for as much. I felt like the book wanted me to root for him, but he annoyed me with his condescending way of treating all the female characters. I wasn’t rooting for the romance either and I didn’t think Finn deserved the ending he got. I would have liked to see him make amends on land with his new position of power within the marine park. He hurt so many mer so it would have been nice to see him try to atone and be a bridge between people and the mer to raise awareness and inspire change.

The strength of this story was in using the mer to emphasize the plight of orcas in captivity. “Don’t humanize the mer” is cautioned to the trainers, but this served the story well as its impossible not to humanize them. The scene where the trainers realize the mer recognize their family members is particularly heartbreaking when you know this is true for orcas as well. This story does such a great service in the quest to drain the tanks and stop orca captivity by changing the public’s perspectives. And while Finn’s ending didn’t work for me, it was still a strong and enjoyable story.

4/5 stars

Finn is a young student who was interested in the ocean all his life. He’s working at Oceanica, the place that is training mermaids to perform and entertain the audience. For many years he was waiting for the day when he will become a trainer. His dream came true when they brought new mer to train. However, it wasn’t just some other mermaid. She looked exactly like the first mer that was discovered by his father. He decided to train her in his own way, without shocking her with the loop as most of the trainers do. Thanks to his new approach he discovered that mermaids are more than dangerous fish.

Erie is a princess of Seadom. She spends her days trying to find a pattern between the disappearing of the mermaids in her kingdom. However, the dates don’t make any sense to her. Her kingdom lives in the fear and hunger. She tries to find a way to help her people, but instead of helping she is the one who’s taken away to the land. Thankfully, her loyal guard Niku didn’t leave her alone and let the landfolk to take him with her. Since there is no way back, she decides to learn the language of humans and find out why are they doing this.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster. Erie is such a precious soul, and I couldn’t bear anyone who tried to heart her. She cares for her people more than for her own life. I loved the moments when she was showing Finn and Jen that she is smarter than they thought. It was so cute how interested she was in the Disney movies and any other new thing that they showed them. It was so easy to fall in love with her. I wanted to cry whenever someone tried to break her like other Mer. Mermaids in the Oceanica were treated worse than you can imagine. They couldn’t speak or touch each other. If they do, they were shocked until they couldn’t move. The funniest thing is that people were surprised that they are trying to attack them or kill them whenever they have a chance. After all, they do to them I would be surprised if they wouldn’t want to do that.

Finn was the only trainer that proved it. He taught Erie respectfully and kindly and he received back the same thing. He understood that mermaids are not the bad guys here and that it needs to be changed. However, this change didn’t come fast to him. Throughout most of the book, he was one of the most annoying characters in this book. It’s not that I don’t like him because I do, he’s a good guy. I feel like he’s very lost because he finally found out that everything he believed in and dreamed about was a lie. Most of the time he behaves in a way that he doesn’t even want to notice it. Moreover, he is very selfish. He thinks only about what will be good for him and he doesn’t see how much he can hurt people around him with his actions. Thankfully, my precious Erie showed him that it’s not what life is about and changed him.

The story overall is beautiful. I love the smooth changes in the characters. It was very hard for me to get through the violence with which the trainers treat the mermaids and the reasons they were stating, she’s only a fish, were completely dumb. Even if she would be only an animal or fish, it doesn’t matter you can hurt them for your own entertainment.

The thing I loved the most about this book is a presentation of the cruelty to animals/sea creatures in places like Oceanica. Even if the mermaids do not exist and this is just a fantasy book, I’m sure that animals are not treated better in places like this. I’m really grateful that the author touched on this subject since the subject seems a little bit forgotten.

I feel that this book deserves much more attention than it gets. It’s an amazing, well-written book that will make you forget about reality. I would like to thank NetGalley, Rebecca Enzor, and REUTS Publications for providing me with a copy of this book. I think that this book is joining the list of my favorite releases of 2020.

this was a really unique read, I love mermaid stories and this really brought back the hardcore mermaids. It was a great premise and I loved the cover.

Speak the ocean provides a deliciously dark look at your typical mermaid tale.
Our two main characters are intriguing and their motivations relatable.
Fans of siren tales and twisted fairy tales will find themselves at home among the pages of this story where a mer trainer and a captured mermaid must navigate the morals and and needs of their people and selves.

A mermaid book that delivers on so many fronts! This reminded me of a mix between SeaWorld (may it release its attractions ASAP) and the Meg series by Steve Alton.
Mers are dangerous creatures and should never be humanized. Once you think you understand a Mer, that’s when it rips your face off. However, the Mers are intelligent and emotional beings, well-versed in loss and love. While it does take Jen and Finn time to reverse their perception of Mers, Erie and Niku do their best to survive long enough to return to the ocean.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to any additional stories written by the author in this series.

I don't even know where to start with this retelling. The Little Mermaid was my absolute favorite when I was a child, so reading this was fun. I really didn't want to finish the book because I enjoyed it so much. I loved the multiple twists, how well the book was written and the interaction between all the characters. Side note, this is told in dual-POV for each chapter. I liked being able to get the perspective of the Mer as well as humans.

Speak the Ocean contains political, familial, relationship and "animal" rights issues as a big part of the story. Also, I will mention that there is some sex, so if you are sensitive or adverse to reading it then I recommend you skip this.

I wish there was a little more background on certain characters, such as Finn's father, mother and his Aunt D.


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Easy to get lost in and totally absorbing, this is a brilliant read for those who love realistic fantasy or magical realism. Well written, engaging, and with characters who motivate a variety of emotions, a superb young adult read.

Many thanks to REUTS Publications and NetGalley for the ARC! This book was published on July 9 and is now available for purchase.

Speak the Ocean is a new adult contemporary fantasy that uses aspects of “The Little Mermaid” while still distinctly being it’s own story. After discovery mermaids, or the Mer, humans immediately built Oceanica, a Sea World-like park that captures and trains Mer to perform. Finn Jarvis, a Mer handler at the park, has always believed that the Mer are mindless predators who are more fish than human. His perspective begins to change when he starts training newly caught Erie. I absolutely love what Enzor has done with her mermaids! They aren’t just humans with fish tails; she’s put a great amount of thought into their physiology and creates a whole culture for them, including a symbiotic relationship with dolphins. She does keep some aspects from legends and fairy tales, such as them turning to sea foam when they die. Learning more and more about them was one of my favorite parts of the book.

I also adored Erie as a character. She is the epitome of a cinnamon roll. She’s sweet and wants to believe the best in people, but she is also incredibly strong and willing to fight for her freedom. Watching her learn to speak English and develop relationships with Finn and Jen is a joy. And my heart broke for her whenever she suffered cruelty from her captors at Oceanica. She’s probably one of my favorite characters I’ve encountered this year. Finn is also an excellently built character, though he is much harder to like than Erie. Honestly, he starts off as a real jerk. However, he goes through a huge amount of development as the story progresses, and I think Enzor handles it in an excellent and realistic way.

As you may gather from the description, this book brings up some big moral and political issues. Is it ethical to use another species as a form of entertainment? Is it moral to subject them to pain even if we believe they don’t have the same capacity for feeling and emotion as humans? Enzor handles these questions with grace, bringing us to some disturbing moments but never crossing the line into what could be considered “torture porn.” The comparison to Sea World and the controversy there is quite obvious and even mentioned in the text. This is a book that will make the reader really think about the way we as humans treat animals and how that needs to change.

My only complaint with the book is that I found the two antagonists poorly developed. Slight spoiler here, but the motivations for both can be boiled down to them being rejected by men in favor of other women. Honestly, I’m kind of sick of that as a motivation for female antagonists, and I didn’t feel that it matched the level of horrific these women went to. There are so many other options that could have worked for this book and would have resulted in more complex and interesting villains.

Overall, this is an excellent fantasy with wonderful concepts and a message that will leave you thinking about it well after you finish it.

Would you work with mermaids if you were given the chance? If they had a tenancy to be violent? I probably would.

This is such a story, as humans capture Mer to make money and study them for science. Our main han character is Finn, who although he feels bad for some of the treatment the mer relieve at his hands, would not change his job for the world. He has his own reasons for this which are understandable and relatable.

Unfortunately I did not receive the whole book but given the chance I would Definitely continue reading it!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book is amazing. If you love mermaids, you will love this book. Guaranteed.

The plot started off with a bang and it doesn’t let up for the entire book. It is at a good pace and keeps you guessing. When I read the description of keeping mermaids at a theme park, it caught my attention but the author adds so much more to this story that it was just so wonderful from start to finish.

At first, I wasn’t a big Finn fan, but his love for the ocean and his slow realization of what Erie was sold me. Jen was a great character who asked questions that I would ask and it was a great way of introducing how the whole theme park worked. I didn’t trust Jen though since I knew she was holding back, but it all worked out in the end. And the ending is great too, it was something out a movie.

I loved the fact that Erie and Niku, the dolphin, were cursing. My favorite catch phrase is fuck that. I love it and it made me giggle like a high schooler every time. I loved Erie and her quiet determination. I loved Niku for protecting her so well. I loved how the author built up tension before and after Erie is caught and made to perform. It was great character building and world building. I enjoyed every minute it.

I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want it to end.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to all the people who watched The Little Mermaid when they were a kid. I recommend this book to people who want their fantasy with a heaping side of romance. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.