I started this and then quickly gave up. It may be amazing, but I was in the mood for a story and this is very clearly a slice-of-life tale. Not my jam. I've tried them before in the past, and for some reason it's just really hard for me to get sucked in and focus on those.

The artwork is fun Stephen Universe-style and it did kind of give me Lumberjanes vibes...a little. Check it out if it sounds like your bag!

Kat Leyh's <em>Thirsty Mermaids</em> is a debauchery filled tale about Mermaids who cast a spell to turn them human so they may partake in the drinking pastime. Of course, the intent is to return to the sea the next morning, but it seems our mermaids went into this plan just a bit too eagerly. Complete with hangovers galore, the next morning is a nightmare as the three mermaids realize they do not know how to reverse the spell and return to the sea.

<b>The Heart</b>

I have pretty mixed feelings about <em>Thirsty Mermaids</em>. I was, of course, intrigued by the premise. But I'll admit I really didn't care for the idea of mermaids obsessed with drinking. And while the overall themes of the plot, that of found family and taking care of each other, were brilliant, I didn't love the graphic novel.

There's no question to the fact that the connection between the three main characters is the heart of this story. And that, in my opinion, was the only worthwhile thing about it. And yes, I say three main characters in spite of the fact that there are <em>technically</em> four. But, honestly, the mermaids are really the only characters who actually matter.

<u>The Setup</u>

Okay, I have to say it; the opening of this book is pretty terrible. I literally could not care less about the motivations of these characters. And they're not even introduced to us in a particularly enticing way. We meet the mermaids, find out about their desire to get inordinately trashed, and soon witness their transformation into humans so they can find alcohol.

And that's the beginning. Of course, they have a few other experiences as well. Namely there's a nudity moment, theft of clothing, a fight with a drunkard, and some more theft this time via stolen debit card. But, you get the gist.

The next morning, they wake up with a massive hangover. Worse yet, the mermaids realize they have no knowledge of how to turn themselves back. Out of sheer dumb luck, they run into the bartender from the night before. This crazy compassionate lady takes them in and feeds them.

<u>Poignancy</u>

So, what follows basically encompasses the mermaids figuring out how to survive on land. There are a lot of ridiculous moments. Many of these involve Pearl and Tooth, easily the most carefree of the three. I found them both thoroughly annoying throughout most of the novel. With uncertainty looming over them regarding when they'll return to their natural forms, Pearl and Tooth have to find jobs to support them in the meantime. Eez is tasked with figuring out how to get her magic back and return them to the ocean.

While Pearl and Tooth galvanize all around the town, Eez slowly falls into depression over their circumstances. Unable to fix her magic and feeling what could be compared to body dysmorphia, it's safe to say that life on land is toughest on her. And it is this plot alone that I loved about the story. Eez's struggles and the subsequent support she receives from her pod is executed <em>brilliantly</em>.

In terms of a commentary on found family and support systems, <em>Thirsty Mermaids</em> gets an A+ from me. While I didn't always care for her pod, I <em>loved</em> Eez as a character. And in the genuine moments of true connection, I loved how she interacted with Tooth and Pearl.

<b>But, That Was All I Liked</b>

Honestly, I kind of hated everything else. I didn't care about their drinking exploits. I didn't care for their thievery. The comedy was <em>horrendous</em>, centering mainly around laughing at the poor incompetent mermaids. The plot, minus the commentary Eez allowed for, was boring as hell. And I just didn't care.

Several pop culture references about mermaids were peppered throughout the story. Obviously, a few of them garnered a nostalgic response from me. I mean, I loved <em>The Thirteenth Year</em> as a child. It pokes fun at the kisses to break a curse theory. There's a reference to <em>Splash</em>, which I couldn't help laughing at. But none of that is anything to write home about. It's just...there. And it has no real impact on the story.

<b>Then There's the Artwork</b>

I hate to say it, but I couldn't bring myself to like the artwork. Sure, I'm really excited that the characters were of varying body types. But was the creepiness necessary? Was the excessive nudity necessary? Perhaps this is something others will appreciate about the graphic novel, but it bothered me so much. The only character who I liked the design of was the friend whose apartment they lived in and her sister.

The mermaids, on the other hand, were wholly disturbing so often. Despite my complete adoration for Eez as a character, I could barely look at her design-wise. She looked like a half-decomposed body, skeleton-esque and wasting away. Pearl was prone to wearing clothes that did not fit her and stripping down regularly. Tooth was...big and sketchy looking at times, but admittedly I actually don't have too many issues with the design there.

So, I dunno. I feel like the artist was perfectly capable of drawing non-creepy looking characters that weren't nude too often. So, the fact that they were kind of creepy and nude fairly often bugged me. It definitely made it hard to connect to the story.

<b>A Final Consensus</b>

So, the opening motivation wasn't for me. The ridiculous shenanigans of Tooth and Pearl were not something I could appreciate. I didn't care for the style of artwork. But I do find the found family story to be one of merit. And so while I can say without a doubt that this is not a book <em>I</em>, personally, enjoyed it is at least a good story.

Eez's struggles, backstory, and relationships are worth telling. And I thoroughly appreciated the way her story, in particular, was told. I think, ultimately, it's safe to say that this wasn't for me. But, if my issues with the story are not ones you may have, it's very possible you may love this.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

Thank you, NetGalley, Europe Comics for an ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest review.
I might be a little bias 'cause I love mermaids and also loved this.

Wow, this book was adorable. Friendship was the main theme throughout this but there were some great underlying themes being told within the story as well. Three merfolk find some booze on a sunken ship and convince their sea witch friend to turn them into humans so they can find more. They make it to land and find a bar called "The Thirsty Mermaid" they spend the night doing exactly what they intended. The next morning they had some trouble getting back home, the sea witch couldn't figure out how to change them back. In the mean time they had to find shelter and jobs. While I don't know any real merfolk (I don't think I do anyway) these characters felt real and I wanted to be their friend. The story was fun and I enjoyed every bit of it.

True to mermaid lore there are scenes of them without tops and talk of being nude but nothing crazy inappropriate. There is also several instances of the f word. I read this book to see if it would be appropriate for my teen collection and thought this info could be helpful for someone else.

Two merfolk and one sea witch decide to become human so they can explore life on land. They quickly realize living on land isn’t as easy as they’d hope thus begins their wild adventure.

This one was definitely a little odd! I enjoyed the humor and the diversity, as well as the idea of chosen family. I’m curious to see if there will be a sequel.

Snapdragon was one of my favourite books of 2020 and I’ve been dying to see what Kat Leyh was going to do next. Although Thirsty Mermaids offers a similarly diverse cast, I had a bit of trouble getting into this one which is aimed at a slightly older audience and starts off as a vulgar booze-fueled romp. However, I’m so glad I stuck with it because it develops into a really beautiful meditation on body dysmorphia and chosen families.

It took me a while to get into this, but once I did, I was hooked (pun intended, ocean humor, heh). So much diversity, so many real-world issues expertly packed into a story about rowdy drunken mermaids. What a fun, amazing read.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The cover is cute! Simple, but eye-catching. Gets the job done.

I love mermaids. But let's be real, who doesn't?!
My kids do too. So this was one of the books we read as a family.
We loved it.
The graphics / illustrations are fabulous.
The storyline is cute.

I'll definitely be looking out for other work by this author.

This was absolutely fantastic! It's starts off as a very fun romp and gets deeper as it goes. There's wonderful found family feels and I just loved the characters so much! I look forward to rereading this in the future and seeing anything else that Kat Leyh makes!

I think that I might be the only one that didn't like this graphic novel as much as everyone else. The concept, the story is really good. Mermaids come to the shore and cause a ruckus, But, the illustrations is what got to me. I may not be used to graphic novels, but did not like the graphic illustrations. The nakedness of the mermaids even in the water and the utter innuendos throughout the novel wasn't my cup of tea. Even with it all, I can see how others would like this book.

"Thirsty Mermaids" is a graphic novel that has to grow on you. Kat Leyh does a beautiful job of allowing the reader to dive into the story of three mermaids on shore. However, it takes time for the reader to grasp the story. Oftentimes, the humor seems forced and could be saved for other situations.
I loved the characters and all the meddlesome actions they get into. It was hilarious to read the antics they dive into and the references to Disney's The Little Mermaid. The graphics were beautiful and fit the story.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes comics.

This story is a really interesting concept that includes a unique story, wonderful illustrations, and colorful characters. You won't be able to put it down.

An interesting new mermaid story about that had me charmed and laughing and sniffling at all parts. I adored the story and the art style is different than what I’ve seen before. I loved the diversity and the beauty of the group of characters. So wonderful.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

What happens when three drunken mermaids are all out of booze and wants to get more drinks? They turn into humans and flip the human world upside down with their quirky personalities.

This was surprisingly so cute. I’m Filipino and once I realized two of the characters maybe even the main characters and a few others (I’m not sure) are Filipinos, it was such a nice surprise. Even tagalog words and some decorations and Philippine culture were represented in the novel which is really rare for me to see.

Second, at first I felt all right about the premise, I saw mermaids + LGBT as the tags and thought it was interesting. But as I kept reading, I loved ALL of the characters. Also, basically EVERYONE are members of the LGBT community in this graphic novel. It’s sweet.

The book also goes over important issues. Expectations, capitalism, finding the right job, racism, even body dysmorphia. They also called out a specific clothing brand without mentioning its name. It was a hilarious scene for me. (If you know which clothing brand, you know).

Lastly, other than the previous themes I’ve mentioned that were discussed, it was seriously a fun and sweet read almost throughout the novel. I think my only concern was a little bit of the art style, but I got used go it and I ended up really enjoying reading about all of the characters, especially seeing how their characters had developed in the novel. It’s a great graphic novel for anyone who loves anything queer with BIPOC characters, mermaids and found family/friendship.

Thank you Gallery Books 13 and Netgalley for providing me an eARC of Thirsty Mermaids in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely fell in love with the characters and the beautiful illustrations! Everything was fun and colorful with such a diverse cast representing relationships between friends, family, and the LGBTQ+ community. If you’re looking for a fun read this is definitely something I recommend; I could not put this down from the first page!

This was a fun graphic novel! Three mermaids want to try out legs so they can go on dry land and find alcohol. And what a journey they have! They meet some friends and even start blending into society, sort of. There is a great amount of alcohol consumption and nudity (but what do you expect when mermaids get legs!?). I can't wait to get my physical copy so I can get a better look at the art.

This was such a fun romp! Great diverse cast of characters with tons of lovely found family vibes built in. Great character growth for our mermaids and an ending I wanted to hug. Read it!

I absolutely loved reading this! It is so much fun, and I also loved the how the mermaids (and sea witch and bartender) formed their own family/pod. I was reading it to see if it would be good for teens. I think the cartoon nudity and swearing make it even more appealing to older teens, but they'll just need to find it in the adult graphic novel section of the library.

What do you get when a pod of tipsy mermaids run out of shipwreck alcohol? The most fun, raunchy, body positive, gender queer, curse word filled adventure a land lover could ask for!

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Thank you to @gallery_13 @gallerybooks and @netgalley for the free ARC of Thirsty Mermaids and new graphic novel by Kay Leyh, who previously brought us the Lumberjanes series!

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Synopsis from the publisher: Fresh out of shipwreck wine, three tipsy mermaids decide to magically masquerade as humans and sneak onto land to indulge in much more drinking and a whole lot of fun in the heart of a local seaside tourist trap. But the good times abruptly end the next morning as, through the haze of killer hangovers, the trio realizes they never actually learned how to break the spell, and are now stuck on land for the foreseeable future. Which means everything from: enlisting the aid of their I-know-we-just-met-can-we-crash-with-you bartender friend, struggling to make sense of the world around them, and even trying to get a job with no skill set…all while attempting to somehow return to the sea and making the most of their current situation with tenacity and camaraderie (especially if someone else is buying).

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This was such a feel good book to read at the end of such a craptastic year. This story was laugh out loud funny and visually pleasing with its vibrant and whimsical illustrations. Strong female characters☑️ queer and trans representation ☑️ diverse and inclusive characters☑️ body positivity ☑️ a continued fight to normalize boobs (if men can walk around with nips out, then why can’t we?) ☑️ So free the boobies, grab a drink, and prepare to laugh your ass off. Coming to above water bookstores April 2021

This was a fun combination of girl power, mermaids, magic, and friendship. I liked the humor of all of the mermaids figuring out the human world. A fun story with quite a bit of heart to it. All of the characters had such fully formed personalities which really moved the story along. I love anything involving mermaids and I was not disappointed with this at all.