Sea Change

Sea Change just isn't worth it

To start this review off, the book isn't worth your time. I thought it was going to be a good book, but it turned out to be something that I started reading, then stopped because I found something else to read, and went back to when I didn't have anything else.

When Miranda's grandmother (who she's never met) dies, Miranda and her mother drop everything and go to Selkie Island so they can clean up her house and sell it. Here is where the story takes a turn toward bad. Miranda seems to lose her mind. First, she starts hanging out with people she NEVER would have before, she goes off to a beach alone and randomly starts talking to a boy she doesn't know (Leo). The main part of the story is the question of whether Leo is a merman or not, which is tells you on the COVER, basically giving a big part of the story away. This among other things pretty much ruined the story for me.

One of the main things I didn't really like this book was the way it was written. The author could not seem to stop using the phrase "me and my mom," which drove me crazy. I don't usually correct other people's grammar, but if you're a writer AND you have an editor, you could at least use the proper syntax.

Another thing about the story was that it seemed rushed. The characters weren't fully developed, certain scenes didn't make sense, and questions were never answered (I don't think there's going to be a second book). A lot of the tension created in the book seemed to just be there, and the romance was too over the top for me.

And as someone else said, "And Miranda doesn't seem very smart, even though she tells us over and over that she's brilliant at science, she's also very immature."

There were just too many things wrong in this book for me to give it a high rating.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Sea change is a great summer read!

I enjoyed this book. Could not put it down in fact. The cover art grabbed me, but when I read the cover flap, I was really drawn in. Mermaids and selkies. Interesting.

The main character Miranda is like so many of us girls at her age. Feeling different than other girls around her, and insecure with boys she wants her periodic table and not to have to deal with socializing with the island's rich set. She wanted something and/or someone unique. Miranda sort of got her wish. Selkie island is a mysterious place with tons of local legends. It just may be that she is actually dating one of them.

The story is a coming of age drama with some great mythology. This book drew me in and I could not put it down. I really hope the author will make it into a series. It would be great to see Leo, the hero again. The love story had a Romeo and Juliet feel to it. The charm Selkie island makes me want to revisit it again. Mermaids anyone?

Read this book. It is perfect for summer, or anytime you just want a great love story.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

whoa (:

Best freaking book I have ever read. Aimee, MAKE A SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Black Fingernailed Reviews

I think this is one of those books that you glimpse in the bookstore but don't buy because your doubtful about it. Well wipe all doubts away peeps because its actually worth a read. A good long fast page turning read that leaves you wanting even more.

The book starts and ends with a ferry ride. On one Miranda is sceptical about going and on the other is reluctant to leave yet happy she was there.
Of all sixteen year old heroins I've read about i think Miranda is one of my favorites. She's very easy to relate to for any girl teenage or otherwise, because her journey on Selkie marks a journey we've all taken or will eventually take. The journey to finding ones self, it all starts somewhere. And Selkie is where it starts for Miranda.

When you get farther into the book you find yourself enveloped and consumed by the mystery of Selkie Island and i know about a million questions went threw my head.

Then there is Leo the mysterious boy that Miranda is enthralled with. He definitely plays a part in both her finding out who she is and the great mystery surrounding Selkie Island. And of course there is a bit of romance thrown in.

My favorite way to look at it is that when Miranda arrived on Selkie she was this girl who doubted herself and was shy, who didn't have the greatest sense of who she was. And when she left Selkie this amazing transformation had happened somewhere between the lines like a hermit crab coming out of its shell.

The greatest thing about the book though i don't often say this was the ending. It leaves you to come to your own conclusions instead of telling you what happened. And this leaves a lasting affect that makes you want more.


10 Reasons you need to read this book:


1. Easy to relate to characters you will fall in love with on the spot
2. Interesting plot that keeps you on your toes
3. A new mystery, you get to make your own conclusions in the end
4. Leo just about beats Edward Cullen on the 'fwaaa' meter
5. Its the perfect read for summer (i can offer an explanation for that one)
6. It leaves you wanting more
7. Your enveloped in the mystery and magic of Selkie Island
8. If I ever make a list of YA books all young adults should read this will be in the top 10
9. It's one of those books you can't forget no matter how hard you try
10. You will never say that you regret having read it

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Sweet, feel-good type novel!

Sea Change was a sweet, feel-good type novel. From start to finish I was intrigued by the whole mystery surrounding Selkie island. Miranda, the main character, was a science loving, down-to-earth girl. I really liked her persona and automatically connected with her. She was very different compared to the other girly, easy-going girls. I liked that she had this tomboy vibe and didn't feel the need to change herself unless she wanted to. Now, the plot teased me with questions until the moment Leo arrived. I sort of forgot the mystery and just focused on his endearing, magnetic and charming ways. I seriously had butterflies whenever Miranda was around him. I felt like I knew exactly what Miranda was going through since Aimee did a great job expressing the emotions radiating off of their connection.

Another aspect of the novel I enjoyed unraveling was the secrets behind Miranda's grandmother. It was exciting finding out about someone's history that was kept sealed for so many years. My only complaint was unfortunately the ending. It was a good and understandable way of ending the story. However, I wanted something more. I felt like their wasn't any closure since it was left open ended. Overall though, I really enjoyed this tale of romance, secrets and heart-melting discoveries. I recommend this book if you're looking for the perfect book to read on the beach. Trust me, you'll get lost in the story and the background sounds of the crashing waves will be icing on the cake!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Plot? Oh Plot, Where for Art Thou?

The book cover and title caught my attention, and the plot furthered it. It sounded really interesting, something I would be into... mysterious.
But it was total crud! I can honestly say that I am so glad I borrowed it from my library instead of investing money in it. It was like reading Terry Farley's "Seven Tears Into The Sea" all over again... sounds promising but was just awful. However, it did seem to touch upon another book, the excellent "China Garden" by Liz Berry, with the stressed out mother in the medical profession with a secret past and homecoming, and bringing her daughter, and a house, and the girl falling for the "Bad boy".... but "Sea Change" cannot compare.
I wanted to read something for fun, but the writing and plot were just so bad that I couldn't really enjoy this book.
Miranda and her mother were annoying characters, typical stereotypes along with the rest of the characters, and everyone seemed either too upset or too happy about NOTHING. The wealthy people are typical Southern socialites with immense egos and superficial attitudes- all the guys care about is looking at themselves in a mirror, while all the girls do it think of ways to please the boys and hook up... gah!
There was NO plot- it didn't go anywhere after reading the summary plot on the cover. It was rather predictable and nothing major happened until the last 20 pages, but then ended rather suddenly.
The house had some intrigue and I felt that a lot more could have happened there, but Miranda seemed to lack a real interest in it and in the end the house was just a house.
When Miranda finally confirms what every reader suspects about her friend Linda and ex-boyfriend Greg back home and reveals it all to Leo, it was LAME. Many part to this book were painfully lame.
In the end the big mystery of "Is Leo a Merman?" seems confirmed but left open-ended, and the "conflict" between mother and daughter seems resolved... and Miranda says that she feels she's grown up... HOW? By suspecting she's part mermaid and her boyfriend is merman? Or is it because she might have decided to make up with Linda who slept with Greg in NYC? Miranda doesn't seem to have changed at all.
Very disappointing, because this book seemed so promising, and could have been much better, but it was rushed and pointless. I feel that writing this review is time better well spent that reading the book.
Lesson learned: DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

I was really disappointed.

I was drawn to this book by its cover and the review it got from this site. I don't feel the same as those who's reviews persuaded me to pick up this book. Now before I get too far I must admit I didn't actually finish this book BUT I had three chapters to go and I didn't feel like the story even started yet. The characters are not very detailed and not very complex. And after more than half way through the book the idea of this Leo character being a 'merman' was brought up once. The story seems to mostly be about some rich kids that vacation to the island at summer, kids that we are not supposed to like. And her mother and her mother's old boyfriend. Not exactly what I was looking for. You may feel different buy I wasn't impressed.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A good, solid story with the potential for an EXCELLENT sequel.

I enjoyed this book less for what it is, and more because if what the series COULD be. This book was sort of like a set up for an even better story in the future, and the author has stated she intends to write a sequel, so I am holding out a lot of hope.

From a character standpoint, while some people have found them flat and derail the mother's change in character as random and ill-fitting, I don't agree. I think part of the point of this books is how people are greatly affected by their past, it utterly shapes who we are as people, and everyone, whether a brainy teenage girl or an all-business middle-aged mother, are constantly in the process of defining ourselves and re-inventing who we are.

This story is hardly original though. It is the typical coming of age tale, young love, etc., but it toys with a good concept and the reader is never really sure if the mystery it presents is fantastical and magical or not. Hence, I believe a sequel would be great. From a mystery standpoint, you'll be disappointed because none of the big AH HA! light bulb moments are expected, and the story is pretty slow for most of the book. If you are reading this book for the potential of mythical aquatic beings, merfolk, etc., this story balances on the precipce of whether they exist or not, and never falls one way or the other. HOWEVER, again, I think the sequel will delve into the magical. That is the impression I get.

Overall, if you are considering this book, I would wait to see if, in fact, a sequel is written, read the sequel's reviews, and THEN decide if you want to read this book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One question... will there be a second!?

I loved this book. When I was little I loved mermaids and the ocean. This book was really good. I read it in like a day haha. It was pretty different than all the other books I have read, which I liked. I would reccommend this book to anyone! and you'll fall in love with Leo right away!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com

Most people think that mermaids and mermen, aka "Merfolk," are creatures of myth and legend and that they don't exist. But what if they do exist? We rooted for Ariel and her prince to live happily ever after, so with that in mind allow the fantastical aspect in your brain to take over for a moment and you have Aimee Friedman's newest book, SEA CHANGE. With an air of mystery and some romance, this book will suck you in with the cover alone. It's just gorgeous, foreshadowing things to come.

Miranda is spending the summer on Selkie Island, a small island off the Georgia Coast. She is helping her mom pack up the house her grandmother left to her mother when she died. You ask anyone who lives around there about Selkie Island and they can tell you all sorts of interesting local legends and lore.

The most interesting one is about the Merfolk. According to the legend, Captain McCloud fell in love with a mermaid, married her, and they lived on an island he named Selkie, which is the Scottish word for a creature than can turn from a seal into a human. They had several children, who took after their mother and were Merfolk - human on land and fish-like in the sea. Many of their descendants are still living on the Island today.

But Miranda is a girl of science who needs proof and knowledge to proceed forward. Did I mention she is headstrong and stubborn, as well? She is not one of the those girls that swoons at the sight of a gorgeous guy. But then she meets Leo......

There is something about Leo. He is not like the people that flock to the Island over the summer. Leo is a local - he lives on the Island year-round. Miranda is instantly drawn to him, but remember, she is a girl of science, and this so goes against her logical nature. There is just something about Leo, and no matter how attracted she is to him, it's just not sitting right with her.

Just go for it, girl! I know many girls who would love to have a guy like that. But could Leo possibly be hiding something, or is there really something to the stories Miranda has come across?

To put it simply, I liked this story because I really enjoyed Miranda and Leo and the realm of possibilities. It was the magical possibilities that drew me in. I would have been very happy leaving the other characters out and just reading about Leo and Miranda. It was implied what Leo was, but never said outright, and this just made the story all the more enjoyable. Friedman leaves you hanging at the end, too. I would like to see a second book that delves deeper into Miranda and Leo's relationship.

All in all, this book is absolutely a great summer read.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Amazing summer read!!!

This book was very well written. I fell in love with the main character quickly and her narration pulled you in. Great, satisfying ending. A must read for the summer!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ok

It would be better if it was longer if it doesnt have a sequel then it really isnt worth reading.

Sexy

Idk why but i can tell this romance story could have great potential

Seaa Chage is a really good book

Awesome book

Not as good as it looks.

The characters were underdeveloped in my opinion. I didn't feel anything for any of them. I didn't feel that connection or love any of the characters. Totally disconnected.

Alright...

In all honesty, I have this sort of weakness for mermaid books.
I have to say, I enjoyed this, until the very end. I thought it was a little out of character for the main character to act like that.
*cough cough* I won't reveal any spoilers for those who are reading this currently, but be prepared for dissapointment.

No Words...

No words can discribe how much I loved reading this book. I just couldn't put it down. I am a little disapointed that this is not part of a searies, but who knows! You can tell by the way the book was written, there will probaly be a sequl.

Really good

182 pages but seemed to last longer in a good way

GREAT book!!!

Aimee you should make another one because you cannot just end it like that! You have to have another one to complete the story, but it's a good book

amazing!

i highly recommend. i hope there's a sequel because i want more!