Falling For YA

Lies Beneath the debut novel by Anne Greenwood Brown is set on Lake Superior just as late winter blooms into spring which makes for a perfect summer read. The novel is set around Calder a merman mentally tied to his sisters Tallulah, Pavati, and Maris who are all looking to avenge their mothers death. It is this summer that the siblings will get there revenge on Hancock whose father killed their mother. That is if Lily, Hancock’s Daughter, doesn’t get in the way.

The story in Lies Beneath was very well developed and the writing is spectacular. Forget everything you think you know about Mermaids. The mermaids in Lies Beneath are not The Little Mermaid and her sisters these mermaids are murderous, vengeful, and a bit monstrous. This mad the story all the more enjoyable for me!

It was refreshing to have a male point of view in a YA novel. Calder was just the right mix of mysterious, brooding, and caring. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about Calder. He was so focused on the mission to kill Hancock that I had a hard time relating to that bloodlust. It wasn’t until Calder realized his feelings for Lily that I began to really like him in earnest. I loved the slow pace the relationship between Lily and Calder took, too often YA relationships just happen and the girl falls for the boy. In Lies Beneath Calder had to work to get Lily’s attention and even then she tried to push him away, it was a nice change! I loved what a strong girl Lily was, it made for a more realistic heroine.

This is my first encounter with mermaids. Like the faerie genre I have steadfastly avoided anything to do with mermaids and now that I have had my first taste I keep asking myself why? I thoroughly enjoyed Lies Beneath and am now eagerly awaiting the second book in the series Deep Betrayal! I think a trip to Lake Superior is in the works to make the long wait more bearable.

Thank your Random House Children's Books and Anne Greenwood Brown for allowing me to review an advanced readers copy of Lies Beneath.