Blurb From Goodreads:
Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans and absorb their positive energy. Usually, they select their victims at random, but this time around, the underwater clan chooses its target for a reason: revenge. They want to kill Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother's death.
It's going to take a concerted effort to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder's job is to gain Hancock's trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love--just as Lily starts to suspect there's more to the monster-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between them and the girl he loves.
One thing's for sure: whatever Calder decides, the outcome won't be pretty
It's going to take a concerted effort to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder's job is to gain Hancock's trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love--just as Lily starts to suspect there's more to the monster-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between them and the girl he loves.
One thing's for sure: whatever Calder decides, the outcome won't be pretty
Title: Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1)
Author: Anne Greenwood Brown
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 12, 2012
I will be honest and tell you I read this book because I got approved to read the second book through Net Galley. I am so glad I did! Here's my review:
AH-MAE-ZING! Started and finished this TODAY!
I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did! I actually had no idea what to expect. I met this author at a huge book signing last year and purchased the book 1) because I LOVE the cover and 2) because I was trying to be supportive of the authors at the event! Typically, I don't read the blurb for books, so I wasn't sure what this book was about, except that it had to do with mermaids. I was completely surprised by the POV, the story and most of all the fact that it took me very little time to read through it. I didn't want to put it down!
First, as I said, I love this cover. It's just totally beautiful. I love the colors and the total simplicity of what it says. It really drew me into wanting to read it.
Next, a YA book from the male POV? I was totally surprised by this. I have not read many YA books from the male POV at all. So I wasn't sure what to expect from this, to be honest, but I really loved it. And the author handled it very well. Calder is this handsome, hard to resist 18 year old guy who easily draws people in. The fact that he's a mermaid helps, of course. He's smooth and sexy, tan, with perfect hair and the greatest green eyes. But he's different from his family, always has been. He doesn't want to be this monster of prey that mer-people are known to be. But it's in his nature and he finds it really hard to resist. I really fell for him, despite being undecided as to whether or not he's a good guy. He's so torn, I like it. Teen angst from a boy!
Lily is an awesome heroine. She's very strong, and strong minded. She doesn't come off as the innocent, easily swayed type, which I really like. She's smart and sassy and doesn't whine in any way. Of course we see her through Calder's eyes and I think he's as surprised by her as she is by him. And it's nice that there is no "insta-love" between her and Calder, we watch it grow and blossom throughout the story.
Calder's sisters were a force to be reckoned with. Like Calder they are beautiful and easily get what they want. But make no mistake, they area deadly. Mermaids are not at all the "Little Mermaid" from the Disney movies, Think more Pirate's of the Caribbean, scary stuff!
This book was much darker than what I expected. I guess not having read any mermaid stories, my mind was not sure what to expect. But I wasn't expecting all the talk of death and stealing people's emotions. I guess my mind was stuck on the Disney aspect of mermaids. But they are predatory and calculating. And they will manipulate anyone and anything that they need to to get their way. It blew me away. I found it hard to put this one down. The plot line was well laid out and the character development was spot on. The author easily overlapped the world of the mermaids with those of the humans. It was flawlessly perfected.
Brown has written a book that is filled with bite. Brown wastes no time in showing the true nature of mer-people and running with it to create a story that is original and keeps you captivated from beginning to end. And the twists were unexpected. Fans of paranormal romance and mermaids will truly be engrossed in this story. Well done!
5/5 stars from me.
I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did! I actually had no idea what to expect. I met this author at a huge book signing last year and purchased the book 1) because I LOVE the cover and 2) because I was trying to be supportive of the authors at the event! Typically, I don't read the blurb for books, so I wasn't sure what this book was about, except that it had to do with mermaids. I was completely surprised by the POV, the story and most of all the fact that it took me very little time to read through it. I didn't want to put it down!
First, as I said, I love this cover. It's just totally beautiful. I love the colors and the total simplicity of what it says. It really drew me into wanting to read it.
Next, a YA book from the male POV? I was totally surprised by this. I have not read many YA books from the male POV at all. So I wasn't sure what to expect from this, to be honest, but I really loved it. And the author handled it very well. Calder is this handsome, hard to resist 18 year old guy who easily draws people in. The fact that he's a mermaid helps, of course. He's smooth and sexy, tan, with perfect hair and the greatest green eyes. But he's different from his family, always has been. He doesn't want to be this monster of prey that mer-people are known to be. But it's in his nature and he finds it really hard to resist. I really fell for him, despite being undecided as to whether or not he's a good guy. He's so torn, I like it. Teen angst from a boy!
Lily is an awesome heroine. She's very strong, and strong minded. She doesn't come off as the innocent, easily swayed type, which I really like. She's smart and sassy and doesn't whine in any way. Of course we see her through Calder's eyes and I think he's as surprised by her as she is by him. And it's nice that there is no "insta-love" between her and Calder, we watch it grow and blossom throughout the story.
Calder's sisters were a force to be reckoned with. Like Calder they are beautiful and easily get what they want. But make no mistake, they area deadly. Mermaids are not at all the "Little Mermaid" from the Disney movies, Think more Pirate's of the Caribbean, scary stuff!
This book was much darker than what I expected. I guess not having read any mermaid stories, my mind was not sure what to expect. But I wasn't expecting all the talk of death and stealing people's emotions. I guess my mind was stuck on the Disney aspect of mermaids. But they are predatory and calculating. And they will manipulate anyone and anything that they need to to get their way. It blew me away. I found it hard to put this one down. The plot line was well laid out and the character development was spot on. The author easily overlapped the world of the mermaids with those of the humans. It was flawlessly perfected.
Brown has written a book that is filled with bite. Brown wastes no time in showing the true nature of mer-people and running with it to create a story that is original and keeps you captivated from beginning to end. And the twists were unexpected. Fans of paranormal romance and mermaids will truly be engrossed in this story. Well done!
5/5 stars from me.
I am a Minnesota author, writing about mermaid assassins on Lake Superior. My debut YA series begins with LIES BENEATH, coming June 12, 2012 from Random House/Delacorte.The sequel (DEEP BETRAYAL) is anticipated for March 2013.
Besides writing and reading YA literature, I love all things Irish, romantic movies, beef stroganoff, and Nutella.
If I'm listening to music it's Violent Femmes, The Coronas (awesome band out of Dublin), and Great Big Sea (out of Newfoundland).
Anne's Website: http://annegreenwoodbrown.com/contacts/
Anne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnneGreenwoodBrown
Anne on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnneGBrown
Anne on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4651111.Anne_Greenwood_Brown
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