BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY by Jaclyn Dolamore

For two weeks, come celebrate mermaids, whether it’s winter or summer where you live. Splash into Summer runs from June 28th to July 12th. There will be author interviews, guest posts, giveaways, reviews, and more! Now is the time to celebrate mermaids, especially with so many new novels about them coming out.

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren—the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood—a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

From Goodreads

Don't miss my interview with Jaclyn Dolamore, a preview from BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY, or your chance to win an autographed ARC!


Get ready to swim into one of the best mermaid novels to hit the genre, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY by Jaclyn Dolamore. The novel reads like a traditional-style fairy tale; Hans Christen Andersen could have written this. The book is stunning and lyrical, beautifully written and dripping with an epic story. I’m going to have a hard time writing a review that encapsulates all this wonderful book entails, but I’ll try my hardest. If this review isn’t enough to convince you, that’s my fault, not Jaclyn Dolamore’s. You should still pick this book up and read it.

BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY takes place in a world where mermaids aren’t in hiding, but living alongside humans. In addition, there’s a race known as Fandarsee, winged-people who love knowledge. The novel centers around a mermaid named Esmerine, who has just received her magical Siren belt. Sirens are one of the most prestigious positions for a mermaid to have, and Esmerine and her sister Dosinia are the first two mer in their family to ever receive this distinction. One day, Dosinia disappears and never returns home. Everyone fears that a human stole her belt, forcing her to live on land with him, especially after hearing rumors of a man taking his new mer-bride into the mountains away from the sea. Esmerine is desperate to save her sister and vows to find her as one of the few mer able to withstand the pain of walking on land.

After shifting, Esmerine seeks help from Alandare, a Fandarsee she befriended as a child. Without him, her search would be impossible, as the pain she feels on land would make getting to the mountains on her own impractical. Because of their childhood friendship, Esmerine has always been viewed as peculiar by the other merfolk. Alandare taught her to read and write, unnecessary frivolities beneath the sea. The merfolk aren’t fans of the Fandarsee, and even now, Esmerine is still known as that girl who used to be friends with the winged-boy. Likewise, Alandare is different from the rest of his race, seeking to share information with others rather than studying all the time in order to gain more of his own. His father is controlling, but Alandare seeks his help in order to help Esmerine track down Dosinia.

I love the way the two characters have fully-developed backgrounds that set them apart from everyone around them. They don’t quite fit into their own worlds, but are something in between. In this regard, the novel’s title, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY, is perfect. Not quite sea, not quite sky. There’s also a deeper, secondary meaning for both characters revealed later in the story that I won’t spoil here. Esmerine and Alandare reunite in a way that develops slowly, beautifully. Their friendship blooms into something more, which scares them both because Alandare cannot live beneath the sea and Esmerine will always be uncomfortable on land. This is a true novel of a couple from different backgrounds overcoming huge obstacles in order to be together, full of pain, sorrow, and yes, even hope.

The only negative about the book is that it felt much too short (and I mean that in a good way!). The ARC is only 230 pages, and I wish the story had continued for another 230! Dolamore is brilliant and weaves together tales in a fashion that brings us back to days of yore. One of the must-reads this coming fall!


COVER DESIGN:

I reviewed this cover in detail earlier this month. Click here to see what I said! I’ll tell you this: I’m still in love with that B!!!