Tempest Rising [Paperback]

Written in first person narrative from Tempest perspective. Tempest has always known she is half mermaid, something that doesn't manifest itself until her 17th birthday. She hates the fact that she is half-mer mainly due to the fact that her mermaid mother left her and her family to return to the sea a number of years ago. Tempest holds the sea responsible, though she is powerfully drawn to it. Lovely reflective pieces of writing are inserted into the prose giving it a personal feel and providing insight into the plot.

There are lots of technical surfing terms and slang used within the narrative. Making me wonder if Tracy surfs herself and was able to write about surfing so thoroughly because of that fact.

Tempest has a wonderful circle of friends. The best of both her worlds really with her surfing crowd and the girls she goes to school with. Mark, her boyfriend, has hidden depths of emotion where Tempest is concerned he sees below the surface and past the carefully erected barriers she has around herself. Although I did think that his character altered negatively as the story progressed. I would have liked to see that part of the story handled slightly differently. Kona on the other hand, as well as being visually pleasing [ : D ] from the outset you can tell that there is so much more to him than meets the eye. Although I am totally burnt out on love triangles, the premise of this one is quite sound when you take into consideration that Tempest is trying to cling onto her human life with everything she has got. As an outsider, I could see that this was not necessarily what was best for her.

Tempest doesn't handle the two different sides of herself very well, trying with all her might to run away from the mermaid side of herself. She is very bitter about her mother leaving, and you keenly feel her hurt and bewilderment at that particular event. Tempest's feeling of hopelessness at the lack of options available to her really hit home with me. The mystery surrounding the reasons for her mothers departure add to the plot dynamics.

The writing is so sensory, encompassing all the senses making vivid pictures within my imagination. It was very easy to create Tempest's world. I have been scuba diving at an advanced level (before I had the children) and must say that Tracy's descriptions of being deep underwater bring those memories back to colourful life. The sense of wonder at the alien world beneath the sea; the feeling of exhilaration, the sensation of the weight of the water along with a sense of freedom are beautifully written into the narrative. There are interesting details and scientific explanations about sea life that add realism to the plot and expand the storyline.

I was especially envious of Tempest's house and it's location *sigh*. Tempest has the added benefit of a close knit family and a wonderful relationship with her father. So open, honest and equal.

I really enjoyed the pacing of the plot, there was always something new to learn or be revealed. I think there still is and would love the series to continue. There is a fairytale feel in places especially with the description of the castle and the recapping of actual fairy tales in order to add substance to the plot.

The inclusion of the tapestry depicting an ancient prophecy added to the storyline but I did feel Tempest was a little naive in not putting the pieces together sooner, but I do think hindsight is a wonderful superpower to have. Remorse and regret are an unfortunate side effect of life and the consequences of our decisions. The ending was lovely *sniff* not at all what I was expecting.

For me this story contained action, adventure, romance, the course of destiny, and the path of self-discovery. I would love to see what happens to Tempest next, please can we another book.

I have to say, I'm pretty sceptical about mermaids in YA fiction. I'm just not sure about it, so when I recieved Tempest Rising by Tracey Deebs for review last year, I wasn't 100% that I would read or review the book. But around the same time, I picked up a copy of Forgive My Fins by Tera Lyn Childs and I loved that book, so I thought that perhaps I should also give Tempest Rising a chance.

And I found myself surprised by Tempest Rising. It isn't nearly as fun or light-hearted a read as Forgive My Fins, and I found myself very confused - especially towards the end, but overall I did enjoy this book. I really enjoyed a lot of Tempest's relationship with surfer-boy Kai and also of her inner struggle to forgive and understand her mother's motivations for choosing the water over her family.

Tempest is nearing her 17th birthday and she has always known that at the time she will have a choice to make. Stay on land with her father and her younger brothers or to choose the ocean like her mother did before her. Tempest has a lot of bad feelings towards her mother for the choice that she made and Tempest is certain of how she will choose when the time comes. Even though Tempest has a real affinity for the water and could spend hours surfing the waves, she still feel as though her mother's actions were self and equal abandonment towards her and her family.

But when a hot and mysterious surfer boy, Kai, enters Tempest' life, she begins to question herself and the choice ahead of her. And it doesn't seem to be as straightforward as Tempest has been led to believe, as there is a dark force that seems after her. And when somebody Tempest cares about is attacked by this dark force, Tempest chooses the ocean. And in this choice, she discovers more about herself, about Kai and about her mother's decisions.

I did enjoy this book, I really liked the surfing towards the beginning, and I found the relationship between Tempest and Kai to be quite sweet. The mythology of the mermaids and other underwater creatures was interesting and there is this obvious big build-up to explosive events that will occur throughout the rest of the books in this series. I'm intrigued.

Tempest surely makes honor to her name. A vivid girl full of energy, full of love for the sea and for surfing. A passion she shares with her boyfriend Mark and her friends every day at 5am, going out with them, surfboard in hand, ready to conquer the waves.
Ready to show her father, her brothers and herself that she could live between the land and the sea. That she wasn't like her mother. That in her seventeenth birthday she was going to stay human, to stay with her family. That no matter what she would never become mermaid.

But like her mother tried to tell her in the letter she left for her, that decision would be really difficult to make.

And when nightmares start to circle her making Tempest remember a luring force that tried to take her deep into the sea when she was a child she begins to wonder if her decision could affect other people. Maybe her destiny wasn't her own after all.

But she wasn't ready to leave Mark behind, her hopes or her dreams of a human live. At least not until a new guy arrived to the beach. His name was Kona and she was sure that just like her he was special... merman special maybe? She didn't know but there was something that drag her close to him.

It was that something that drove her inside the sea, looking for him after he disappeared with a deathly injure. And it was then that her destiny began to unravel.

Personal opinion:
Before beginning with the book I have to say I completely love this cover and it was one of the main reasons I bought the book. Yes, pretty covers lure me like candies lure kids. Besides, it looks so pretty in my bookshelf!

And now, going back to the plot: I loved it. A lot. Despite the fact that Tempest tries to run away from her destiny a lot I understand that for her the situation wasn't easy. Her mother's departure leaving her dad, her brothers and herself alone was too much to forgive so quickly. And in fact, Tempest was happy with her human life... the thought of leaving everything behind was overwhelming.

Her fears were always understandable, her doubts between Kona and Mark also very nice developed. I mean, who wouldn't be in love with both boys? First we have Mark, her boyfriend and friend with whom she shared this love for the ocean and surfing. He is protective, sexy, supportive and he really loves her, even if she has been very cryptic about her situation with the whole mermaid thing.
And then we have Kona, gorgeous, handsome and amazing Kona who, just like her, hides something beneath that cool surface. With him Tempest feels a connection right away and even if she can't explain it she knows it means something. And the way his eyes looks always at her, with so much intensity and so much longing that it's a miracle she doesn't melt every time they are together.

The battle scenes were also well developed but I was expecting more... danger, you know? Yes, some parts were really sad and heartbreaking, that I can assure you, but a little bit more of tension could be very useful.
And the fact that there's a second book coming out in June, although a little far away, makes me supper happy because I could use some more Kona, some more intrigue and a few more answers about Tempest's destiny.

Overall a great mermaid book with a great plot, lovely characters and an ending that will make you want more.