Serina knows that Humans are horrible… in her efforts to fit in…
…she finds out who her real friends are and which Mer are out to get her.
In a world where Mer and Humans are at war, can Serina find a way to convince them all that a greater danger lurks in the depths. Serina doesn’t believe she can do it alone, because she doesn’t have the power of a red-haired warrior.
Will she be able to save her friends?
Will the Kingdom of Coral Reef survive?
You will love this YA fantasy because Trevor Darby creates a magical underwater world with heroic characters and real dangers.
Get it now.
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YOUR TRUE SELF WILL COME OUT WHEN NEEDED
I received this book for free and am giving my honest and voluntary review.
Serina is a twelve-year old mermaid who is waiting for her hair to change color in order for her to know her true calling. Her mother and grandmother have green hair, designating them as healers. Serina wants red hair, designating a warrior. She is accepted into the Academy and saves a human, before her hair changes.
The author showed how bullying, prejudice, and privilege play a part in anyone’s life. I loved the way the author brought out Serina’s finally finding herself and her status calling. This book dealt with pre-teen angst.
She has blonde hair but to go further she needs her hair to turn red or she will kicked out. She meets a human but will she tell her merpeople that she has. A war is raging between them but there is an even bigger danger coming. What will she do? Will her hair change colour? Will she join forces with the human? See if she will
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Serina hates her plain blonde hair because, if it doesn’t change to another color – preferably red, to designate a warrior hunter — within the next year, she will be expelled from the academy in shame. She truly wanted to be a Dolphin Rider for King Theodes and Queen Mesindra, but she didn’t think that would happen. Blonde hair meant you were less talented. She is already teased because of the pale color of her hair. Her insecurities over this make her always push herself beyond her limits to surpass everyone else which makes it even harder to keep her few friends. As Serina joined a couple of friends down by the dolphin pool, they talked about the Pearls which, according to the children’s stories, join one Human and one Mer together to release a magic that can only come from the union of the two different races. Would she think of this when she helped a human boy escape from a trap – probably not, since it only made things worse for her.
Serina and her friends, ignoring the order to stay within the academy, see the Sea Hag’s army coming, intending to steal the second Pearl. They are unable to warn the Kingdom. And they are not sure they can fight against the creatures they face. They definitely would lose if the humans chose to fight! Despite feeling weaker than everyone else because of her hated blonde hair, Serina never stops pushing herself harder on behalf of her people and fighting for what she believes is right. Her courage comes from a deeper place than her hair – it comes from her heart.
There is so much going on in this story, especially with the excellent world building the author gives the reader about life underwater. These young students have much to deal with and their choices keep the suspense high. Grab your copy and enjoy this first book that promises so much more to come!
Really enjoyed this story. Engaging and entertaining. Could hardly put it down. Highly recommended.
12 yr old Mermaid, Serena always dreamed of becoming a warrior, Dolphin Rider, but for that she needs to attend Academy but with her plain blonde hair means she is useless and will be expelled…. she is obsessed with her hair, and so is her insecurities… She learns of a threat to the kingdom, both from human and a sea hag, who wants the pearls of An’Dai… Will she be able to save the kingdom?? Trevor Darby’s storylines are full of adventures,Mystery and suspense… Gladly Recommended!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Serina is a young mermaid wishing, praying, dreaming of being something, anything but blond.
In her world, you have to hope your color (hair and tail) changes before your 13th birthday. Hers hasn’t. She did well enough on her entrance exam to be admitted to the prestigious Academy, but if her color doesn’t come in, she will be kicked out and banished.
It is a great story of friends, enemies and intrigue.
I think you will enjoy it, whatever your age.
I received a free copy of this book on Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I do believe we have the makings of a new kick ass heroine even if she doesn’t know this herself. Serina is a young mer who is obsessed with hating her blonde coloured hair, she feels self-conscious and just lives for the day her hair will turn colour. Her dream was for it to turn red so she could be a warrior, a dolphin rider and she knew that if her hair did not turn before the year was up she would be expelled from the Academy. Serina was bullied whilst at the academy both by the feared Headmistress and by a mer called Cressida, she encountered a human when she knew humans were hated by the mer people and vice versa and she helped him escape from a trap laid by the mer especially to trap their enemies, and she also learned that their kingdom was under threat by the Cecaelia, who wanted to steal the pearls of An’Dai. Although she felt that her blonde hair meant that she was weaker than all the other mer at the academy she never stopped fighting and risking her life to save the kingdom. And though she was beset by demons the real demon was the one inside her who did not allow her to realise that she did not need a different colour of hair to prove her worth. This is an amazing coming of age book full of the insecurities which beset young teens and bullying which makes life so difficult for many. I loved the adventure and the courageous spirit of Serina and her two true friends. Seems like Aleric the human had captured more than just a passing interest and I look forward to see whether two mortal enemies could ever bring peace to their people.
Entertaining story. Really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down easily. Highly recommended.
Young and impetuous, can Serena save the Kingdom? Serena has plain blonde hair and if it doesn’t change to a beautiful color within the next year she will be expelled from the academy and for the rest of her life she will have a menial job. Because she is looked down on and teased because of her hair, Serena has insecurities and an inferiority complex, so she is always trying to be better than everyone else at everything, and she almost loses the few friends she has made at the academy. And befriending and saving a human boy is another strike against her. Times are scary. The Sea Hag and her army is trying to steal the Pearls of An’dai so she can use their magic. When Serene and her friends disobey an order to stay in the academy and see the army coming the try to warn the Kingdom but are attacked. How can three mer students stand up against six octopi-like creatures? And what about Prince Alarec (the boy she saved), and his father the King of the humans. Do the mer stand a chance if the humans and the Sea Hag both attack? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
I recommend this book. This book was truly delightful. It brought back so many puberty memories . Serina struggles has so many nuggets of advice that can help any kid or parent through puberty trials and tribulation. Take a dip under the sea, you will love this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have to say this book surprised me. I’m not a huge fan of mermaids in fiction as a rule, and when I realised that the protagonist is 12yrs old I was a little apprenhensive of not being to get into the story. It totally wasn’t a problem. I was sucked into the world of the mer the entire way through. The world building is amazing and the character work too. I loved Serina and her friends. There is so much intrigue and suspense, this is a real page turner, and I’m already hooked on this series
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.