3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this story, it got my attention right from the start. The world was interesting to learn about. there's some mystery to it because the main character, Serefina, keeps having this weird dream and you don't know why or what exactly it means. The book opens up with her dream about the river witches trying to contact her, so from the start you're not exactly sure what's going to happen and you find out more and more as you go along. I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure the book takes place from Serefina's POV, so you find out things as she's figuring them out. The downside to this book is there are a lot of new terms that you're introduced to and while it's helpful that there's a glossary in the back of the book with all the new terms, it's also very annoying to have to stop and look them up all the time. Also, the way their world is described, it doesn't feel like they're mermaids living in the sea. The way their world is described is too similar to our world, one of the mermaids even talked about her after school job working in her parents shop. I wanted it to feel more like they were living in the ocean but it just didn't to me. I still plan on continuing with this series and I can't wait to see what happens next. ( )

First [a:Sherry Thomas|266470|Sherry Thomas|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1273340380p2/266470.jpg] writes a YA fantasy and now Jennifer Donnelly another historical romance author is doing the same.

Kind of cool to see authors writing out of their normal genre. Must be something in the water.

I wanted to LOVE this book. It started out with a bang and fell apart in the middle. I was so discouraged I couldn't finish to the end. ( )

I love the concept and the girl power, not so much the execution of the storytelling. ( )

There are definitely some cheesy, kiddish elements of this book ("merlfriend," for instance? C'mon), but there are other more rewarding aspects that make this a great read for teen girls in particular. Where this book shines is in its depiction of sisterhood through female friendships. This is a book where the Bechdel test would ping wildly with joy--young merl women are friends and their conversations revolve around their own and each other's talents, instead of around boys. Refreshing! ( )