Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Forgive My Fins, Fins #1

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 304

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewed by: Sabrina

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 (love's a strong word) 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 (like anyone would believe her), since she's not just any mermaid—she's a Thalassinian princess (how do you pronounce that?). 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 (Coincidence? I think not!) High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems—like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher (*sigh*)—but it has that one major perk: Brody (eww). The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type—the instant 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.

My Thoughts

I have to admit, I was reluctant to read this book. Why? Because it has mermaids. I kind of have a thing against mermaids and it's not because of Disney's The Little Mermaid. I thought it would be corny and clichéd. Also, this was the same author of Oh. My. Gods. which, as you can guess, I didn't like. Overall, I thought it would be absolutely terrible. Boy, was I wrong.

I didn't like how the way the book started out being that Lily was going to bond with her crush and take him to her undersea world, without his consent. Even though she was going to do that, I thought she was an understandable character. You're a teenager, you have all these new emotions and you're on your way to becoming an adult. Crushes become a very strong and important matter than when you were a kid. I remember when I wanted to marry my crush. Good thing that didn't happen.

Quince is very similar to a guy I know. When I read about him, I was thinking: Oh my god! He's exactly like-but I'm getting off topic here. I thought Quince was so cute! I was like: Come on, Lily! How come you don't get a crush on Quinn?

The story starts with Lily carrying out her plan to make her crush, Brody, fall in love with her. She plans to kiss him, making him become a mermaid (or in this case, merman). Then she accidently kisses someone else (I won't tell who, but you'll probably guess it right, anyway) and now, she has to take him to her undersea kingdom to turn him back before he becomes a merman forever!

Despite my reluctance at first, I really enjoyed this book. I'm satisfied with the ending and heard there was a new book coming out soon, Fins are Forever. I'm gave this book 5/5 stars, a rating it rightfully deserves.