The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!
My 56 for this week is from:
Meddling Kids
by Edgar Cantero
Genre: Horror
My 56 from the hardcover.
Kerri: You’ve been in jail? What for?
Andy: Nothing serious. A street fight. Collateral damage…I accidentally damaged what turned out to be a congressman’s car… With the congressman inside…. By throwing the congressman’s son through the windshield.
Andy has some anger issues. LOL
I wish you could see the cover for the print copy. It’s all bright, florescent colors. Looks like it will glow in the dark.
~~~~~
Read on if you want to know more.
Synopsis
1990. The teen detectives once known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club (of Blyton Hills, a small mining town in the Zoinx River Valley in Oregon) are all grown up and haven’t seen each other since their fateful, final case in 1977. Andy, the tomboy, is twenty-five and on the run, wanted in at least two states. Kerri, one-time kid genius and budding biologist, is bartending in New York, working on a serious drinking problem. At least she’s got Tim, an excitable Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the team. Nate, the horror nerd, has spent the last thirteen years in and out of mental health institutions, and currently resides in an asylum in Arhkam, Massachusetts. The only friend he still sees is Peter, the handsome jock turned movie star. The problem is, Peter’s been dead for years.
The time has come to uncover the source of their nightmares and return to where it all began in 1977. This time, it better not be a man in a mask. The real monsters are waiting.
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (November 7, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250172624
ISBN-13: 978-1250172624
Genre: Science Fiction
~~~~~
My Review
When I realized this was based on a podcast series I thought I’d listen to them first. Glad I didn’t so I can compare them now.
This is a very different take on discovering aliens exist. They’ve had Moss, the alien, hidden away for a long time. If you are chosen to work at the facility, you are an employee for life. No quitting allowed. And just going to work each day is a whole bunch of weird, complicated check points.
Dak won me over right away. She’s something else. You wouldn’t want to get on her bad side. But she’s also vulnerable, lonely. When Matt, a handsome, eager younger man joins her security team, she’s immediately smitten, as is he. But fraternizing between employees in any way is expressly forbidden and could get them sent to the far corners of the planet, or worse.
I know, sounds like insta love. Sure, they fall for each other quickly, but working for such a secretive project doesn’t allow you many opportunities to connect and the mushy stuff isn’t a focal point in the story.
Their decision to run away and take Moss with them isn’t as simple as it sounds. I got nervous just reading how they had to plan and sneak and lie. I felt for sure one or both would trip up.
Very suspenseful reading. And the ending isn’t anything I was prepared for. All I could think was I liked how it concluded and, it figures.
Great science fiction and now I must listen to the podcasts.
4 Stars
~~~~~
THE NOVEL BASED ON THE DEBUT SCIENCE FICTION PODCAST FROM TOR LABS
Dakota “Dak” Prentiss guards the biggest secret in the world.
They call it “Moss.” It’s your standard grey alien from innumerable abduction stories. Moss still sits at what looks like the controls of the spaceship it crash-landed twenty-five years ago. A secret military base was built around the crash site to study both Moss and the dangerous technology it brought to Earth.
The day Matt Salem joins her security team, Dak’s whole world changes.
It’s love at first sight—which is a problem, since they both signed ironclad contracts before joining the base security team, vowing not to fraternize with other military personnel. If they run away, they’ll be hunted for the secret they know. So Dak and Matt decide to escape to a better life on the wings of an incredibly dangerous plan: They’re going to steal the alien body they’ve been guarding and sell the secret of its existence.
NatCassidy is an actor, director, musician, and playwright. He has appeared on shows such as The Following (Fox), The Affair (Showtime), Red Oaks (Amazon), High Maintenance (HBO), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), as well as on stage in numerous productions and workshops both Off- and Off-Off-Broadway. Nat’s plays have been nominated for a combined total of 17 New York Innovative Theatre Awards, including 3 times for Outstanding Full-Length Script (which he won in 2009, and in 2011 for Outstanding Solo Performance for his one man show about H.P. Lovecraft). In 2012 Nat was commissioned by The Kennedy Center to write the libretto for a world-premiere opera, and in 2014 his play Any Day Now was chosen to be part of Primary Stages’ ESPADrills (The Duke Theatre, directed by Tony-nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel). He is also thrilled to be writing the novelization of Steal the Stars, which will be published by Tor Books in November 2017.
Mac Rogers is an award-winning audio dramatist and playwright. His audio/podcasts dramas The Message and LifeAfter have been downloaded over eight million times. His stageplays include The Honeycomb Trilogy (winner of the New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Premiere Production), Frankenstein Upstairs, God of Obsidian, Ligature Marks, Asymmetric, Viral, Universal Robots, Hail Satan (Outstanding Playwriting Winner at FringeNYC 2007), and Fleet Week: The Musical (co-written with Sean Williams and Jordana Williams; winner of Outstanding Musical at FringeNYC 2005). He has earned acclaim from The New York Times, The Guardian, Backstage, The Wall Street Journal, Time Out New York, New York Post, Flavorpill, io9, Fangoria, Tor.com, Show Business Weekly, New York Press, and many others.
I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.
Today I’m sharing some more fun adventure books in the Captain No Beard series by Carole P. Roman.
~~~~~
Strangers On The High Seas
A Captain No Beard Story #4
by Carole P. Roman
Genre: Adventure / Children’s Book
My Review
It’s a beautiful day on the high seas and the crew of the Flying Dragon are getting to know the newest member of the gang. Cayla, the cabin girl, is a bit young and they all take turns making sure she doesn’t get inot trouble. But trouble finds them.
A ship flying the Jolly Roger is heading their way. Oh no, it’s the Shark Bait pirate ship. They say the captain is so mean he bites his own tail. What will they do?
Oh boy, I got a case of the giggles reading this one. And I laughed out loud at how new crew member, Cayla inadvertently saved the day.
Each new book I read in this series just endears the characters to me more and I’m anxious to see who joins this zany pirate gang next.
Your kids will get the giggles too, and ooh and aah over the fun, colorful illustrations. Sure to be a big hit.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Synopsis
When the Flying Dragon gets a new crew member, Captain No Beard soon discovers that every person is valuable in his or her own way.Responsible for his new crew member and baby sister, the Captain becomes unhappy with his situation and begins to think that being a captain is hard work.
However, when the dreaded Barnabas the Scurvey Dog begins to chase the Flying Dragon, the fearless Captain has to put aside his problems and keep everyone safe. In their race to escape, the Captain, his loyal First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the Lion, Fribbet the Frog, and Polly Parrot soon find out that help can come from the most unlikely of places.
The Captain’s new award winning adventure is the charming fourth entry in the Captain No Beard children’s book series. With a delightful message that teaches children not to judge a book by its cover, this exciting journey will excite young readers as well as teach them valuable life lessons. While stressing the importance of never marginalizing someone because they don’t look like they can help or keep up, the adorable crew teaches children the importance of not talking to strangers. Filled with thrilling adventure, this amusing book will teach children the important lessons in their young lives, all while keeping then riveted from the very beginning.
The seas are calm and it’s a beautiful red sky morning on the Flying Dragon.. But Polly says to take heed. A storm is brewing. The crew doesn’t believe her so she explains what she read in a book.
Red sky in morning, sailor take warning. Red sky at night, a sailor’s delight. I learned some hand rhymes like this when I was young. There’s also one for poisonous coral snakes. Red on black, friend of Jack. Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Another snake is very similar to it and it helps you know which one is poisonous.
I love how the sailor’s poem prepared the crew for a storm they couldn’t even see yet. And all because Polly the parrot loves books.
They weather the storm and follow a treasure map to a small island to hunt for bounty. It’s what pirates do, don’t you know?
Oh, it was crazy cute what was in the treasure chest they dug up. Carole sure knows how to spin a charming, funny story.
Kids will want to go on a treasure hunt too. But they’ve already found it. It’s this wonderful book of adventure and imagination.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Synopsis
After a fierce battle with a storm, the crew goes in search of treasure. Alexander, that is, Captain No Beard uses a map to locate it on the ominous sounding Snake Island. Bravely they dig until they find the best treasure ever!
Family is where life begins.
And what better time to spend with your family than Christmas week?
Ashley and Giacomo go to Upper Swainswick, a postcard village ten minutes’ drive from Bath, to stay with Ashley’s mum and stepdad. It’s their last visit before the arrival of their first child.
But babies have a habit of being unpredictable.
So when Ashley goes into labour on Christmas Eve, three weeks ahead of schedule, it takes everyone by surprise.
She’s not ready! Her perfect Birth Plan is packed away in her hospital bag two hundred miles away, she has no going home outfit, and she has a live event planned for New Year’s Eve for her YouTube channel, The Sinking Chef. People have been signing up for it for weeks. She can’t possibly disappoint them on the last day of the year. What is she to do?
The tinsel gets even more tangled when Giacomo’s parents decide to fly from Italy to meet their first grandchild. Hotels are fully booked, so everyone has to stay under the same roof.
Would eleven people in the house, not counting the baby, turn out to be simply too much for Ashley?
It’s normal. Nothing to worry about. Everyone has little things that keep them awake at night with their stomachs knotted, right? I’m no different to anybody else.
For me those things are Eatwell and bad curry.
And the curry last night must’ve been really bad because it’s giving me awful cramps.
At dawn I tiptoe to Mum’s kitchen to make myself a cup of hot chocolate. I drop a few giant marshmallows on top and watch them melt into the dark liquid. It reminds me of snow softening into the ground. I love snow. It’s a pity we hardly ever get it in England.
There’s only frost outside now as far as I can see.
In the fluffy dawn light, Mum’s garden looks stunning in a quaint, English-village sort of way. With it’s perfectly trimmed hedges that are currently covered in curtain light strings and Christmas icicle lights.
Mum’s even bought a mummy and baby penguin for the patio. The baby is looking up and the mummy is doting down on it. They are made out of metal framing and glittery strands and illuminate the darkness around them with cool spark.
I glide a hand over my stomach in which my own baby is growing.
‘A few more weeks to go, little one.’ I whisper in the dark. ‘I can’t wait to meet you!’
My tummy tightens and I feel the baby turn. It’s too big to move now, I’m in my thirty-seventh week, but it manages to roll a bit and slam into my bladder.
I totter towards the toilet. That’s another thing I can’t wait for – to regain control over my own bladder. This baby has been keeping me as fidgety as a popcorn in a frying pan.
Another cramp grips me as I’m washing my hands.
‘Aw, aw, aw, aw!’ I double over the sink. ‘Bloody curry.’
I’m surprised everyone else isn’t up and queuing for the loos, considering we all ate—’
And that’s when it hits me – it’s not the curry.
I’m in labour!
~~~~~
Author Sylvia Ashby
Sylvia Ashby is fond of the written word: books, blog posts, recipes, even an explanation to the HM Revenue & Customs as to why she thinks skirts should be exempt from VAT – she’s written it all!
She likes travelling and has lived all over Europe – London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Sofia, Bulgaria. Currently, she lives in Leuven, Belgium with her husband, daughter, son and a sparrow called Jack, who comes occasionally to peck the seeds she leaves for him on top of the garden shed.
In Simone Pond’s captivating new fantasy series, a peasant girl
embraces her dragon slayer destiny, calling on the legendary power of
her family’s bloodline to conquer an evil kingdom and kill every
last dragon in Galicia.
Unknowing descendant of a legendary dragon slayer, Evelyn is convinced that
getting out of her quaint yhamlet is the answer to finding true love
and happiness. But she seems destined to work on her mother’s farm,
while the other girls present themselves before the gallant Prince
Kieran in his quest to find a lady-in-waiting.
When the prince finally takes notice of Evelyn, he’s smitten and chooses
her above all the others. Evelyn is elated about living in Verubri
Castle and the possibility of marriage. But her happiness is quickly
squelched when the prince invites Evelyn’s arch rival, Ciara, to
join them.
Before traveling north, Evelyn discovers her dragon slayer ancestry,
something she knows must be concealed from Prince Kieran who
would consider it treason against his kingdom. But the only way to
survive the treacherous journey is to expose herself and possibly
ruin her future and even end her life.
The Dragons of Galicia series is set in a world inspired by Celtic
legends. Fire and Fate leads directly into the next book in the
series, Fire and Chains.
In the second book of the
vibrantly depicted Dragons of Galicia Series, Evelyn of Gorias rises
to her dragon slayer calling as she fights to conquer a kingdom of
deceit, betrayal, and powerful dragons.
Though Evelyn survived the journey across the mountain ranges, the challenges
are just beginning. Verubri Castle holds dark secrets, Prince Kieran
is a tyrant, and Ciara is resolute on destroying Evelyn and seducing the prince.
When a dragon nearly burns down an entire village, Evelyn must go after the
beast. But this won’t be easy, not when the prince has her heavily
guarded. Evelyn’s hope wains, until she encounters a stranger who
changes the course of everything.
With the looming threat of the
entire clan of Galician Dragons being reawakened, Evelyn must hurry
to save the kingdom, while Ciara aims to rule it. To accomplish their
goals, they must defeat Prince Kieran. In their individual struggles
to conquer and prevail, Evelyn and Ciara face external and internal
demons they never imagined possible.
In the final book of the Dragons of Galicia Series, every turn is
fraught with dangerous threats in the quest to save the kingdom.
Narrowly escaping the castle to be captured by a dragon is only the beginning
of Evelyn’s problems. The list of opponents grows as she battles
Ciara, Prince Kieran’s army, and more dragons.
With the neighboring villages being burned and pillaged, Evelyn must pull
together her own army of dragon warriors to fight the prince and his
knights. As her love for Doran
deepens, she’ll do anything to ensure he stays alive, even at the
cost of going to battle without him.
As the war reaches an explosive peak, both Evelyn and Ciara face deadly
consequences. And the only way to save the north from total
destruction is for Evelyn to trust her most deceitful adversary,
Ciara. If the two don’t join forces, all will be lost.
I write hard-to-put-down, action-packed novels for young and new
adults. I’m obsessed with Boston Terriers, Victorian dresses, and
the end of the world. I’m a warrior of light.
I grew up in Kensington, Maryland––a small town just outside
Washington D.C.––and spent most of my time filling up journals.
In 2013, I published my first fiction novel, The City Center, which
won a gold medal in dystopian fiction. I publish a book every couple
months, so be sure to sign my mailing list at simonepond.com for
updates on new releases.
Welcome to my Monday Minis where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.
I’m reading this cute, fun series By Carole P. Roman called Captain No Beard.
~~~~~
An Imaginary Tale Of A Pirate’s Life
A Captain No Beard Story
by Carole P. Roman
Genre: Adventure / Children’s Book
My Review
It’s a busy day on the Flying Dragon and all hands are on deck for a new adventure. But before they set sail, the pirates all have their assigned chores to do. Then its off to sea, where they battle a raging storm and a mysterious voice from the deep to get back home.
What a charming story.
Alexander is a young boy with a big imagination. His crew is made up of stuffed animals and his cousin and first mate, Hallie.
I adored the fun character’s in Carole’s story, such as Fribbet the frog, Mongo the monkey and Captain No Beard. And the illustrations were colorful and busy.
This crew of pirates set my imagination to buzzing, remembering when I was young and all of the flights of fancy I had then. And while there’s lessons to be learned, they’re subtle and add to the fun.
A story to be shared and read over and over again, the adventure will never get old and the lively illustrations will reveal something new each time.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Description
Captain No Beard and his pirate ship The Flying Dragon set sail for a voyage of the imagination with his fearless crew of four: First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbit the floppy frog. Normally a young boy named Alexander, his cousin Hallie, and three stuffed animals, once they board his bed their world is transformed into a magical vessel, sailing the seven seas on dangerous and exciting adventures!
Captain No Beard – An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life named to Kirkus Reviews’ BEST OF 2012 for Children’s Indie Books, and garnered the star of remarkable merit!
There’s a new member on the crew of the Flying Dragon. Before they can set sail, Pepper the Parrot must learn the drills. Pepper can’t tell left from right and keeps getting frustrated. It’s up to the crew to help her learn and to accept that some things take time and practice.
Carole once again makes learning fun with her lovable band of pirates. I fell in love with them all over again. And every page shares delightful illustrations that will charm both parent’s and children.
I love these pirates. How they work together. Help each other overcome obstacles. And all end up happy and ready for the next adventure.
Another extraordinary children’s tale, sure to get plenty of bedtime story requests.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Description
The crew of the Flying Dragon is sailing again. This time, new crew member, Pepper Parrot is having a hard time keeping up with the drills. Captain No Beard and his mates join together to help Pepper achieve her goals with patience and tolerance.
Captain No Beard always says being captain is hard work. He thinks he has to be best. That he knows all. But when his crew doesn’t do what he wants, he gets mad and decides he doesn’t need them. Until he does.
A fun story about having friends but also being one. And that it’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to do everything yourself. I’m sure many kids will identify with that.
The lively illustrations tell the story as much as the words do. I continue to be charmed by these rambunctious pirates.
This is the third book in the series and I love that a new character was added. I wonder who the next one will be and what challenge they will face. I’m sure it will be fun to find out.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Description
When the wind stops blowing, Captain No Beard and his crew, including First Mate Hallie, Linus the Lion, Fribbet the Frog, Mongo the Monkey and Polly the Parrot, are stuck on a desert
island. Marooned with nothing to do, they begin to play and enjoy themselves. However, Captain No Beard has other ideas, bossing his crew around and making playtime cheerless for everyone. Soon, Captain No Beard decides he has had enough and storms off. When his ship is attacked by a giant squid, he realizes he needs his crew more than ever.
Captain No Beard and his crew show young readers that’s it’s important to cooperate and share your belongings. The crew teaches us that if you want to have friends, then you must be a friend too.
I love Anthony’s stories and have read and shared a bunch of them. He’s got a new release you should check out.
Like your horror in smaller bites? The Dragon will do the trick. And it comes with a couple of bonus stories too!
The Dragon
With Bonus Stories
by Anthony Renfro
Synopsis
What happens when they ask The Dragon to summon a demon? A simple machine. Able to answer requests. Able to play music. Able to turn on lights and answer questions. Fun and enjoyable technology, but what happens when this machine is able to manifest actual things. In this short story two guys worst fears will come to life.
Bonus Short Story: Webs
.
A pyramid in the deep dry desert. What secrets lie within its walls? One explorer is about to find his greatest desire and his worst nightmare inside this ancient artifact.
.
Bonus Short Story: The Headless Fountain Man
.
A simple photo. A quick snap shot. One woman’s perfect picture is about to become her scariest nightmare.
.
~~~~~
.
Enjoy this excerpt from The Dragon
.
Pat followed, looking around at the huge house, no, not looking, gawking would be the appropriate word. The place was huge with a dining room filled with a table that could sit twenty, a library full of books (some rare, some new), and further down the massive hallway with the vaulted ceilings stood four more rooms, all of them hidden behind closed doors. They opened each closed door, and found bedrooms with full baths behind them. They moved on, stopping at the end of the hall when they reached the staircase.
“Would you look at that?” Doug replied, as he stepped onto the bottom part of it. He ran his hand over the ivory railing, and eye balled the expensive carpet that covered each step.
“I bet this place has at least ten rooms in it.”
“Probably more if you consider the attic and basement,” Doug replied, shining his light up the curved staircase. He couldn’t see beyond the curve, but he knew there was another massive amount of space lurking upstairs.
Pat started to move. “Come on, let’s see what’s at the end?”
Doug followed, and at the end of the hall they found a kitchen big enough for a hotel. It was covered with cabinets and hanging cookware, all kinds of cookware, from cast iron to copper bottom. They took a few moments to raid the pantry and fridge, both of which had lots of supplies in them. It was the packaged food and cold beer that both boys took advantage of. They were under 21, but just above the age of 18 so the alcohol was the real treat. After pounding back a few beers, Doug got up to go find a bathroom and on his way back to the kitchen he stumbled upon The Dragon.
“Look what I found,” Doug replied.
“Is that one of those Dragon things that work only with your voice?” Pat asked, standing up, stumbling over to where his friend was standing.
“I wonder if the house is hooked up to it?” Doug asked, looking at his friend.
“Plug it in, find out.”
Doug found a USB outlet, and slipped the plug into the square hole. He was happy to discover that the power hadn’t been turned off in the house. Both boys let the machine warm up, watching the blue light spin around the top, waiting for it to be ready to use. When the light died, the machine sat cold and lifeless, waiting for a response to wake it from slumber.
Another week of not much happening. Work was slow and I had a couple of extra days off. The weather has been wonderful. Cool nights and warm days so I worked in the yard, cleaning out the dead stuff and spiffing everything up.
I was so tempted to start decorating for Christmas. It takes time to get everything the way I want and then it’s almost time to take it back down.
Been doing a bunch of reading. So many of them were really good too. I realized most of them weren’t my holiday books so I’m starting on those now. Other than that, just watching the telly and taking some naps. The daylight savings time makes it get dark so early I struggle to stay awake.
I hope you all had a fabulous week and thanks for stopping by!
*****
My new books this week.
*****
And here are some FREEBIES for ya. Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.
*****
Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers to read my reviews.
Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share books that, well, make you scream!
I’ve got a couple wicked ones to share today. How do you like your mermaids. Pretty and sweet…or dark and lethal?
Rolling In The Deep
Rolling In The Deep #0.5
By Mira Grant
Genre: Horror / Mermaids
My Review
What a rush. For a short story it sure came packing a lot of terror and bloody mayhem. And we like that, don’t we?
I like how the story is presented. It’s like found footage, only in words instead of tapes. And you don’t miss a thing.
With failing ratings, Imagine Network discovers its golden ticket when they decide to do a documentary on mermaids. Many believe they exit and others scoff. Mermaid, myth or real? The Atargatis sets sail hoping to delve the depths and find answers. They travel to the an area far from land, anchoring over the deepest part of the ocean, in an place known for mysterious disappearances.
Along with Image Network members, scientists with studies in several areas, and a film crew to document everything, an unusual group is included. Professional performing mermaids. Partly for show and also to provide a mermaid sighting if the real ones deign to avail themselves. I really liked the gals with tails. The descriptions of the many colored mermaids was amazing. I could see them cavorting and dashing about in the water.
Just as visual was the description of the real mermaids. They claw up from the depths, scale the ship, and devour their bounty. Slimy, gray things with mouths full of needle sharp teeth and cold lifeless black eyes like a shark. I admit I have a fondness for the pretty, sparkly mermaids, but I’ll always go for the scary ones. The ones of nightmares. I feel if we ever do find real ones, they’ll be a lot more like these.
Knowing the outcome, that none survived, didn’t take away from my enjoyment while reading this book. In fact, it heightened my curiosity and excitement. I was going to get my evil mermaids and a high body count.
What I didn’t expect was how easily I connected with some characters. This isn’t a long book but I came to know and care for several of them. And then there were those I felt deserved to become mermaid poop.
I was hooked before I even started reading Rolling In The Deep. Just look at that spectacular cover art. Read that thrilling blurb. This was horror fodder for me and I read it in one bloody, happy gulp.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Synopsis
When the Imagine Network commissioned a documentary on mermaids, to be filmed from the cruise ship Atargatis, they expected what they had always received before: an assortment of eyewitness reports that proved nothing, some footage that proved even less, and the kind of ratings that only came from peddling imaginary creatures to the masses.
They didn’t expect actual mermaids. They certainly didn’t expect those mermaids to have teeth.
This is the story of the Atargatis, lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the bathypelagic zone in the Mariana Trench…and the depths are very good at keeping secrets.
After devouring and loving Rolling In The Deep, I couldn’t wait to get on the ocean, set sail, and see how this next venture would wind up.
It’s been seven years since all were lost on the Atargatis. It’s no longer top news and many think it was a hoax. Imagine Network isn’t done yet. They commission a new ship, a much larger crew, security guards, and supposedly failproof systems to protect them from what they now know lives under the waves, deep in the Marianna Trench.
Among the crew is a girl who wants vengeance, a reporter trying to make her name, two big game hunters looking to add mermaid heads to their walls, more scientists than you can shake a stick at, and some who feel it’s their duty to be there.
There is a lot more character development in this second book. It’s a longer story and I needed that. Sure, I couldn’t wait for the mermaid scenes, and there were were plenty of crazy ones, but I wanted to care about the character’s, feel their hopes and fears, and worry for their safety. I also wanted to select the ones I’d feed to the mermaids. It’s fun to have some that you loathe. I imagine how they might meet their sticky ends. And Mira Grant doesn’t disappoint with any of this.
And the mermaids. We learn quite a bit about them. We already know they’re killers. Now we find out what they really are. What it might mean to mankind, and the world. Scary stuff, indeed.
If you like your mermaids dark and lethal, you’ll love this one. You don’t have to have read Rolling In The Deep to enjoy it. Mira does a great job of filling in the blanks without breaking the easy flow of the story. But why miss out on more fun. I’d recommend you read them both.
And I’m hoping for more in this series. That titillating ending has me crossing my fingers that the author hasn’t weighed anchor on these mermaids yet.
5 Stars
~~~~~
Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Mira Grant, author of the renowned Newsflesh series, returns with a novel that takes us to a new world of ancient mysteries and mythological dangers come to life.
Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.
Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.
Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves.
Did you happen to catch the Animal Planet Documentary, Mermaids The Body Found, when it came out? Here’s a short clip supposedly capturing a real mermaid on video from a deep sea submersible.
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