Coral & Bone

I went through the full range of emotions while reading Coral & Bone, and instead of writing this review like I normally do with several paragraphs, I'd like to instead take you through those emotions and the thoughts I had while feeling different ways. First I'll give a little background so you can have some context for later on. And I'm sorrynotsorry for the many all caps you'll encounter. ;)

My favorite Disney movie growing up was The Little Mermaid. Had I ever imagined mermaids with razor sharp teeth and nails that can deliver a lethal dose of venom straight into your veins, I would have seriously rethought my wish to become one. In this book, mermaids are like demons straight from hell. Think Weeping Angels with fins, fellow Whovians. That's how I pictured them.

Halen has been lied to for her entire life, and when she finds this out, everything comes crashing down around her. And then all hell breaks loose.

Adoration - Just look at that cover! I could lovingly gaze at it all day, and doesn't the cover model remind you of Milla Jovovich? Surprise - Elosia is much more than I thought it was going to be. Much more than an underwater realm, more than just mermaids, and more secrets coming out than a teenager's diary. Curiosity - How did Halen's mom and dad meet? And what's up with Daspar and Tage? How do they fit into the picture? Frustration - I wish they'd answer her questions instead of either ignoring her or telling her they'll answer them soon. I think she's gone long enough without knowing the truth. Take five seconds and fill her in!! XD Anger - How could people who are supposed to love her deceive her on such a deep level? And behave towards her in such a way? She doesn't deserve any of this. Shock - Full-out, unbridled OH MY GOD NO THEY DIDN'T!
Sadness - Is it really almost over??? Elation - Reading a book this fantastic is utterly blissful!

So there you have it - the complete picture of what Coral & Bone has done to me. I couldn't have asked for a more exciting experience, and this is EXACTLY why I love books.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen year-old Halen knows that something is different about her; she has enough magic sparking in her fingers to burn down a building, her hearing is good enough that she wears earplugs throughout her day and she can still hear whispers, lately she has been drawing detailed pictures of a boy who she has never seen. Recently, Halen and her mom have moved back to Rockaway Beach, the place where Halen watched her father drown and Halen is having trouble keeping her powers at bay. When a mysterious boy shows up at Halen's door one night, Halen jumps into the ocean to escape him and is transported to the realm of Elosia, a land of sirens. In Elosia Halen finds out that she has been lied to all her life and that those closest to her have kept secrets from her about her destiny and the fate of Elosia.

First of all, I have a huge case of cover love for this book! I wasn't quite sure what exactly I was getting into with Coral and Bone, but I was pleased to find out that it is a young adult paranormal with a darker side. I haven't read many YA books where mermaids and sirens are characters and I was happy to read about something a little different. The mermaids and sirens aren't what I would have thought, they are uniquely done in a thoughtful, creative and surprising way. I just wanted to give Halen's character a hug, for having been lied to her whole life she handles all of the situations that she has been thrown into pretty well. It was nice that there was a touch of a romance, but it was not overdone, was not the driving factor and actually fit well into the plot line. There was a really interesting twist with the villain, Astair, also. I'm still not quite sure how much of a villain he is. I do wish that Elosia was explored a little more, that realm seemed awesome!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.