Tag: mermaids

5 Beach Reads to Dive Into

Dreaming of sun and sand? Me too!

Hi everyone! I’m sorry for the delay in posting lately, but I have been so busy with preparing for the Pie-Jinks launch! Every day we get closer, and I’m getting more and more excited to share Vanilla Bean Vampire with you.

Just to give you a quick rundown before I get into this week’s book recommendations, here is all the stuff I’ve been setting up for your enjoyment:

Yeah, quite busy. As I said, I’m seriously excited for this launch, so please feel free to join in wherever you are and however you feel comfortable! Even if you can’t purchase the first book, just attending the launch event or sharing it with your friends is greatly appreciated. ♥

And now, the reason you’re here: BEACH READS!

I’m going to be visiting the beach soon, so it feels like the perfect time to share some books I’ve read that feel just perfect for a trip to the beach (and yes, there may be some mermaids in here… I can’t help myself, I love those creatures!).

Here we go!

The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Ann Noble (Fantasy)

Okay, so yes there is a mermaid here. But the story centers on her sister, who arrived at their adoptive family’s doorstep from a stork. One day, her sister begins transforming into a mermaid, and they must return her to the sea before she dies.

And so the adventure begins.

This tale is told in such a warm, familiar way of storytelling that it feels like you’re sitting around a campfire. Even better, to me it has the same kind of feel as Stardust… a bit of whimsy and fantasy mixed in with a road trip adventure.

I definitely recommend this fantasy for your next beach trip!

Say It’s the Sea by Kristina Mahr (Poetry)

Okay, first of all this cover!

Now that that’s out of the way, this is something a little different. It’s a book of poetry that I actually did read at the beach (I think last year), and it was honestly so fitting. Many of Mahr’s poems focus on heartbreak, but her imagery and senses in her works are so evocative and emotional.

What better place to absorb words like these then with the sounds of the ocean waves and gulls?

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (YA Contemporary)

Of course I have to include something with a touch of romance! This book occurs during summer break after the main character’s father, a political figure, is swamped by scandal. She’s home for the summer and decides to start walking dogs… and meets someone incredibly intriguing.

This feels like the perfect summer break book to me; it’s sweet and wholesome and entertaining all in one.

Sourdough by Robin Sloan (Speculative Fiction)

This is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s kind of fluffy, but it’s also very big on the self-discovery scale. This story follows a tech gal who is overwhelmed by the demands of her job and still searching for her place in the world.

And then, she is gifted a magical sourdough starter and everything begins to change.

Seriously, if you’re looking for something a little silly and a lot heartfelt, this is it.

This One Summer by Jillian & Mariko Tamaki (YA Graphic Novel)

This is a Printz award winning graphic novel, and for good reason. Like The Unexpected Everything, this book is a summer break book. But it has a lot of growing up feels and coming of age. It’s a little heartbreaking but also provides a lot of hope and may just make you reminisce about your own childhood.

Bonus: Cold Snap by Selina J. Eckert (Fantasy Novella-fairy tale retelling)

Of course I have to include this one. Cold Snap is one of my favorites… partly because I FINALLY got to write some mermaids and partly because it is one of my own coming-of-age stories. Those kinds of stories always make me think and wish and dream. They evoke so much emotion.

Plus… Snow White is a mermaid? So there’s that.

Final Thoughts

I think I end up making a post like this every year, and you know what? It’s a lot of fun! I love thinking of beach reads, especially when I’m preparing for my own trips. All of the books above were ones that I love and highly recommend.

But there are so many more! And that is why I make this post every summer.

So how about you? What are your favorite beach reads? What do you recommend? Tell me in the comments below!

Fantasy Creatures Blog Tag

Happy weekend (end of the weekend) everyone! Today to continue the fantasy month fun, I’m going to do the Fantasy Creatures Blog Tag by Jenelle Schmidt! Thanks, Jenelle! If anyone would like to play this game, consider yourself tagged and click through to Jenelle’s post for the list of rules and a “clean” set of questions. đŸ™‚

And now, without further ado, the Fantasy Creatures Blog Tag!

1. In a strange twist of fate, you are transported into a fantasy realm of your choice. The catch? You have also been transformed into your least favorite fantasy creature. Where are you, and what are you?

Ooo, such an interesting question! So for me, I absolutely hate vampires, so I suppose I am a vampire.

But fantasy realm of my choice? That’s a bit harder. As discussed last week, I really love urban fantasy, but those realms are so close to our own. So…I think I’d end up in Anne Bishop’s The Others.

First off, as a vampire, I’d be one of the Sanguinati, which is a bit better than traditional vampires. They still have accents and dress very old world and drink blood, but they can turn into clouds of vapor and drift around. Also, the supernatural creatures are in charge! Fear us, humans!

2. What fantasy creature do you wish featured in more stories? What is your favorite story that has that creature in it?

I know these are both becoming a bit more common, but I want more mermaids and more kitsune (or fox shifters).

For mermaids, my favorite is absolutely the Lost Voices trilogy by Sarah Porter. They are SO GOOD, and the mythology around the development of mermaids is so sad but also so gratifying: those deeply betrayed by humanity are embraced by the ocean and become mermaids, no matter where they decide they are no longer part of the human race. It’s about finding acceptance and peace after having a life where a girl has had neither.

As for kitsune…I’m still looking for a favorite, so if you have one, be sure to share it below! There are a couple on my list, like Wicked Fox and Kitsune-Tsuki, but I haven’t gotten to read them yet. And I can’t list Janeen Ippolito’s Steel City Genie, because even though she HAS a kitsune (half-kitsune), she’s a secondary character.

3. As you are reading this, a voice rings in your ear proclaiming:

A hero true, a leader strong,
A quest is where you do belong,
So arm thyself, and take your stand
With an item to your left your fate is at hand.

Besides the fact that this prophetic voice is clearly incapable of sticking to a meter, what ordinary item do you now find yourself armed with? (And, for bonus points, what helpful magical properties does it now possess that will help you on your quest?)

I’m sitting kind of weird, so to my left is actually my purse. And guess what? It’s now a bag of holding. BOOM.

4. You happen across an ad in a catalogue promising a magical fantasy cruise that will allow you to stop in any three realms of your choice and explore each for several days before returning you home (and the ad promises your safe return or your money back, guaranteed!) Assuming this is not a hoax and that the tour guides will actually be able to cater to your requests, what three realms will you tour and what do you hope to see/who would you like to meet along the way?

Realm 1: The Others, again. I just love those books. I want to see/meet Simon and Meg for sure, and I’d love to meet the Elemental girls! I’ll have to see Lakeside as well as the retreat for the Others in Lake Silence.

Realm 2: The Siren by Kiera Cass…I want to meet the Ocean. Ocean is an actual character that speaks to the siren girls, and it’s such an interesting and well-done concept, and the Ocean has such a fascinating personality.

Realm 3: How could I not say the world of Harry Potter? I would have loved to meet Lupin and see Diagon Alley and Hogwarts and meet the Weasleys.

5. Congratulations! You are a fantasy hero/heroine about to start your adventure. You get to choose a small fantasy creature to accompany and assist you on your quest. Who/what do you choose?

Hi yes, I will choose a niffler. Might be a terrible idea, but they’re just so cute!

6. Elves or dwarves?

Hard question, but I think I’d go with Dwarves!

7. Do you prefer your dragons (we had to have at least one question devoted solely to dragons!) good or evil or a mix of both?

I prefer my dragons good, like the metallic dragons in Dungeons and Dragons. I’d love some fierce creatures to help me on my quests!

8. World building is a complicated undertaking full of many details. As a reader, what is a small detail you really appreciate seeing when it comes to diving into a new realm? What is something that helps you lose yourself in a fantasy world?

I love seeing that the writer thought out things like idioms and sayings that fit with the world they characters are familiar with, phrases that reference the religion or fairy tales of the culture. It helps ground me (and helps me lose myself) in the fantasy world.

9. You have been transformed into your favorite fantasy creature. Problem is… you’re still in your own bedroom and your family is downstairs, completely unprepared for this shock. What creature are you, and how (if at all) do you break the news to your loved ones? (Or how do you get out of your room?)

Though I love kitsune, I’ll go with mermaids because it’s more interesting for this question and giving me serious H2O vibes (Love that show forever!).

Okay, so I transform into a mermaid, and I can’t really hide that, soooo…they’ll find out! I won’t be able to get out of my room without help anyway. I’ll just let them be surprised. đŸ˜‰

Concluding thoughts

Just a reminder that you are free to participate in this tag on your own blogs! Also, don’t forget to check out the fantasy month post to look for information on the giveaways, games, and other participating posts for the month!

And please share some of your own answers with me below!