Book Review : Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1 edition (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061914657
• ISBN-13: 978-0061914652

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.


Forgive My Fins is absolutely lovely! The story reminds me of The Little Mermaid, which I loved dearly. This book is about Lily Sanderson, a high school girl whose real identity is a mermaid --- a princess of the kingdom of Thalassinia, in fact. She has secretly admired Brody Bennett for a long time, but never had the courage to profess her love to him.

Quince Fletcher, her neighbour is a bad boy who always torment Lily for fun. But I knew it from the beginning that he did those things to hide the fact that he actually harboured a secret liking for Lily.

According to the rules of Thalassinia, Lily has to be bonded before she turns 18 so that she can be the next ruler of her kingdom. In vain, she accepts Quince help so that she can kiss Brody Bennett and be bonded in time. But, everything goes wrong when the whole situation turns the other way round. Lily is mad, and she tries her best in order to undo the "harm" that has already been done.

Forgive My Fins is cute in a way that will make readers smile in delight. The story is well-written and the plot is good, though predictable. The beauty of the sea is described flawlessly within the pages of this book.

Among all the characters, I like Quince the most. Quince is the one who consoles Lily when she is sad and loves her with all his heart. He is cute, good-looking, mischevious, perky and caring. He makes Lily realizes that true love is not the same as day-dreams, fantasies and magic.

"I don't believe it,' Quince says with absolute certainty. ' I don't believe anything magical can make someone more in love.' He looks me right in the eye as he says, 'Love is already the strongest magic in the world."

I can feel his desperate feeling when the person he loves does not feel the same for him.

"Oh, Lily," He says shaking his head. "I know about love. About wanting and dreaming and wishing with every part of your soul. I know enough to recognize the parts that are real and the parts that are only in my fantasy."

He turns his head slightly to face me, and I find myself saying,"L-like what?"

"Like when she cries and my heart tears in to little shreds, and all I can think of is making her forget the source of her sadness." His face is blank, emotionless. his words -and the underlying emotion bombarding me through the bond- more than make up for it. "That's real." My voice is barely a whisper when I ask, "And fantasy?"

"Believing she'll ever feel the same way."

Compared to Quince, who is passionate and true to his feelings, Lily is a coward. She is not willing to admit that her love for Brody is only an image. She does not love Brody but rather the feeling of being in love with him. However, she changes in the end because she finally realizes the true meaning of love.

I love reading Forgive My Fins! It is the perfect summer read! I'm anticipating the sequel to this book, if Tera ever decides to write one. [Please do, Tera!]

Rating:

Thanks to Tera Lynn Childs for sending me a copy of Forgive My Fins. Thank you so much, Tera!

Tera Lynn Childs is the award-winning author of the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp, the mermaid tales Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever (coming June 28, 2011) and a new trilogy about monster-hunting descendants of Medusa (Fall 2011). Tera lives nowhere in particular and has spent time fleeing hurricanes, making character profiles on MySpace, blogging on her own and with the Buzz Girls, and writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages.

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