Sunday, October 27, 2013

Brad About Books: Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Read from October 26 to 27, 2013
WATERFELL
Expected Publication Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: ARC
Page Count: 350 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: The Aquarathi, #1


THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN



Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age. 

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?


Welcome to the Aquarathi, the ocean's best-kept secret...

Waterfell is a completely consuming read that enchanted me in right from the beginning and had me hooked. For fans of Of Poseidon and Wake, Waterfell is a fantastic tale that shouldn't be missed.

This novel caught my attention when I heard the awesome synopsis, plus the absolutely fantastic cover, and I just knew I had to read it. What I thought was unique about Waterfell was how the dilemma and main protagonist, Nerissa, were structured. It seems like the norm would be for the character to find out that they are destined for greatness and must pass trials in order to achieve this - however, that is not the case with Waterfell. Nerissa knows exactly who she is and what she must do, and I absolutely loved that change that Howard brought us. Nerissa was a stunning character. She was flawed, but she was determined to take back her rightful throne, no matter what the cost. And though she allows herself to fall for the mortal Lo, she knows she must have Waterfell back in her possession. Waterfell is a unique, captivating read that had me turning pages as fast as I could - a fantastic whirlpool of a novel.

I love anything and everything ocean novels, and Waterfell definitely leaves its mark. I loved the legends and lore brought up in Waterfell and how Amalie Howard weaved together the Aquarathi to a mystical, enticing place of danger and deceit. If I only had one problem with Waterfell, it would be that I would have liked to seen more of the antagonist throughout the entire novel. The journey to Waterfell with Nerissa and Lo was incredible - Howard's descriptions are stellar, and I truly felt like I was emerged into this world. If you're looking for a great paranormal read, I highly recommend Waterfell.

Betrayals and scandals are afloat in Waterfell, and it was so interesting to see how Howard put a paranormal twist on these betrayals. There are so many twists and turns in Waterfell that I didn't see coming - they shocked, surprised, and captivated me, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Waterfell is an engaging, phenomenal start to a very promising series - Howard is a brilliant voice in young adult.

Overall, Waterfell is everything I love in a novel: exceptional world-building, a genuine and authentic romance, and a plot that's so addictive, I stayed up late into the night to devour this story. So, so great.

M Y    R A T I N G

3 comments:

  1. This one is really reminding me of Of Poseidon! Great review ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I enjoyed this one, too, though it took me a while to get into it, and I didn't connect with the MC very well. I still hope to read on in the series, though.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just got this book, so I'm glad to read about how much you enjoyed it! Great review :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for stopping by! I read every comment and truly appreciate them. I would love to hear your thoughts! If you leave a comment, I'll be sure to leave a comment back on your blog ASAP! -Brad