#mer chronicles

@booksforthoughts Photo Challenge Day 9 - Under the Sea

#BookTour #TheMerChronicles #Updrift #Breakwater #ErrinMStevens

Updrift The Mer Chronicles Book 1 by Errin M. Stevens Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense Since her father died, Kate Sweeting’s home life has been in the pits, her well-being on life support. Her future looks desolate until she and her mother, Cara, make another plan: abandon their shriveled existence for more promising…

Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) by Tobie Easton Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance) Date Published: September 12, 2017 Publisher: Month9Books, LLC

Now that Lia and Clay’s love has broken the Little Mermaid’s curse, everything has changed. Will Lia’s family remain on land, leading the only life she and her sisters have ever known, or will they move below the waves, to the sparkling new capital city? Lia is adamant about staying on land with Clay for her senior year. But at Melusine and her father’s trial, new revelations threaten what Lia holds most dear.

The verdict will shake Lia’s whole world, calling into question her future with Clay, her feelings for Caspian, and the fate of all Merkind. As she wonders who to trust, Lia sets out on a treacherous path that will lead her away from her sheltered Malibu home to a remote and mysterious school for Mermaids—Mermaids who may hold the secret to ancient magic Lia can use to either get back all she’s lost or to embark on a thrilling and dangerous journey. 

Submerge is the second book in the Mer Chronicles by Tobie Easton. I read Emerge and Submerge back to back, but even if I wasn't able to read them so close together, there were some reminders thrown in from the first book. That's so helpful to me, because sometimes a good deal of time passes in between reading books in a series, and I forget some things. With that being said, you need to read these books in order to fully appreciate and know what's going on. 

This book picks up right where the first book ended, and it turns into a roller coaster ride for the reader. There is so much going on. Lia comes into her own some more too. I know the first book was more of a coming of age story, mermaid style, so while she grew some through that, she matures even more this time around too. Watching her grow really brings her to life. 

There's magic, romance, action, suspense, humor, twists, turns... lots and lots of happenings. Plus, the world building is ridiculously good. I want to live in this world. I mean, come on! Who wouldn't?

Submerge by Tobie Easton was kindly provided to me by Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

It’s my last day of normal, and I plan to enjoy it. While my parents are getting caught up at the Foundation, I plan to sit right here, all snuggly on Clay’s couch and not think about what’s coming. Not think about how tonight, more Merfolk from across the ocean floor will surface here in Malibu. Not think about where I’ll be this time tomorrow. Nope. All I’m going to think about is Clay and maybe how I can get to know his lips even better. I scoot closer to him on the couch, rest my head on his shoulder, and inhale. He played me one of his new songs on the guitar earlier, and the cinnamon scent of his guitar polish still lingers. He strokes my hair, and this den—his den, with its overstuffed, checkered furniture, humming AC, and glowing television—turns into the most relaxing place in the world. Sitting next to Clay, I can forget for a few minutes that I’m a Mermaid and just be a normal girl. “Lia, can I … can I see your tail?” Or not. I sit up so fast, Clay’s hand gets tangled in my hair. Ow. “You’ve seen my tail plenty of times,” I say as he works his fingers free. It’s true; he’s seen it whenever he comes over and I’m swimming in my pool with my sisters or spending time in the grottos with my parents. But now that we’re alone and there’s no water in sight, deliberately transforming into my tail just so he can look at it feels like putting myself on display. “I’ve never seen it up close,” he says, twisting his thumb ring around in a circle. He’s right—and that’s on purpose. I’ve been making a point of keeping our alone time as human as possible. We hang out at the pier, walk on the promenade, grab sushi or burgers—y’know, normal stuff. Clay’s a human guy and I just … I don’t want … it’s a lot to take in. What if I scare him off? What if up close, he thinks my tail’s gross, that I’m gross? Since I haven’t said anything, he pushes on. “Every time I see you with your tail, we’re around your family, and I feel like I shouldn’t stare.” He lets his fingers sweep through his own dark hair, then claps a hand on his denim-clad leg. “It’s just, it’s a part of you. This beautiful part, and … but if you don’t want to, that’s cool. If it’s weird or whatever … ” I raise my gaze from my lap. “Did … did you say beautiful?” The corner of his mouth quirks up. An expression I know well. “Oh yeah.” I look down at my lap again, and he rests a hand on my thigh, the heat of his palm warming my skin through the thin jersey of my skirt. “I think you’re beautiful,” he says. All of me? I want to ask. Even the parts that are more halibut than human? I love my tail, but it’s always been this secret part of me, the part I have to keep hidden. How will this human boy in front of me—this handsome, patient human boy—react to seeing it up close? I guess there’s only one way I’ll find out.

Have you read the first book in the Mer Chronicles?

Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens. She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies. To learn more about Tobie Easton and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Emerge (Mer Chronicles #1) by Tobie Easton Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance) Date Published: April 19, 2016 Publisher: Month9Books, LLC

Lia Nautilus may be a Mermaid but she’s never lived in the ocean. Ever since the infamous Little Mermaid unleashed a curse that stripped Mer of their immortality, war has ravaged the Seven Seas. Now Lia lives in a secret community of land-dwelling Mer hidden among Malibu’s seaside mansions and attends high school with humans. To protect everyone around her, she must limit her contact with non-Mer. No exceptions. But when the new girl sets her sights on Lia's crush, she will risk exposing her deadly secret to stop Clay from falling in love with the wrong girl. 

Emerge is the first book in the Mer Chronicles series by Tobie Easton. I'm in love with this world already. Lia is a descendant of the Little Mermaid. I'm not talking about the Disney little Mermaid either. Hans Christian Anderson got it closer to the truth according to these mermaids. Plus, the author added her own touches on the story that really brought it to life and gave it depth. For example, the story on how they got legs, the curse, and details on the "real" Little Mermaid. Their world intrigues me. Was it predictable? Yeah.. maybe at times. But, it was fun, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were lovable. There was humor, drama, suspense, and of course some romance. Speaking of romance, What about Caspian? I like Clay and all. So, I'm not throwing him to the sharks, but I felt like there was some chemistry with Caspian as well. Is it just me? I hope he gets his happily ever after. I'm pumped to get started on the second book. In fact, I'm going to read it now!

Emerge by Tobie Easton was kindly provided to me by Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

Chapter 1 I can’t swim. No matter how sparkly and tempting that water is. No matter how it glistens in the sunlight, ripples in the California breeze, or reflects the swaying palm trees. One quick dip and my legs will go poof.       Besides, I’m late for P.E. Again.       I run past the swimming pool and heave open the glass doors to the auditorium. I can’t keep relying on the twins to get me to school on time. I’ve got to learn to drive, but I need better control of my legs first. What dope thought giving a car foot controls was a good idea?       All my classmates turn to stare, already in gym clothes. We finished volleyball last week—thank the tides!—so today we’re starting a new unit. About half the class wears P.E. shorts and t-shirts and stands near the entrance to the yoga studio. The other half mill around in bathing suits. So lucky.       I scan the room for the coach. If she’s not here yet, I can pop into the locker room and be in yoga before she knows I’m tardy. I rush toward the changing rooms, salvation in sight, when out marches a woman whose long blond hair is at odds with her bulging muscles.Coach Crane. She was a professional wrestler on one of those gladiator shows in the eighties, and her biceps are bigger than my head. She stops in front of me, her massive frame towering over mine.       “So nice of you to show up.” A drop of her spittle lands on my cheek, and I scrunch my nose, unable to wipe it off without her noticing.       “I’m super sorry. My sisters—”       “Hurry up and change,” she says, stalking past me. Phew!Maybe this day won’t be a total shipwreck after all. Then she adds, “Put on your bathing suit. You’ll be in swim class today.”       I spin around.       “What? I’m signed up for y-yoga, not swimming,” I say. Stay calm.       “Yoga’s full up. You have a swimsuit, don’t you? It’s on your list of required materials.”       I have a swimsuit in my locker, but it’s for show. No matter what happens, I can’t get into that pool. Sure, I can maintain my legs all day on land, but as soon as I hit the water, my natural instincts will take over. My tail will emerge, scales and all, and I’ll expose my whole family. I’ll put the entire Community of land-dwelling Mer refugees at risk. My breath comes in quick, shallow pants.       “My mom filed a note in the office,” I say, clinging to the story my parents concocted for such an emergency. “I’m taking private swimming lessons with this coach my parents hired and I’m not supposed to have any outside instruction.”       Rather than help me, this story makes Coach Crane’s nostrils flare. “I haven’t seen any note, so today you’re swimming. Now go change. I’m not going to tell you again.”       “No.” Did I just say that? Hands cup over mouths as the room erupts in whispers. No one gets why I’m making a fuss. I wish Caspian were here. What I wouldn’t give for one other Mer who’d understand. “I’m not swimming.”       I’ve never disobeyed a teacher before. But as much as Coach Crane scares me, that water scares me more. If I swim in the pool, the next place I’ll be swimming is a government laboratory tank, being poked and prodded and then chopped into sushi-sized pieces.“Please. My parents’ll kill me. And I just got over the flu,” I lie, floundering for a good excuse.       “Listen up … ” the coach sticks one meaty finger in my face.Panic seizes me, and my legs tremble. My control over them is slipping. At this rate, I won’t even need to get in the water to reveal myself. If I lose my focus, I’ll be flat on my fins.       “Coach Crane?” One of the guys steps forward from the group of yoga students. Clay. His dark hair shines under the fluorescent lights as he shoots me a reassuring smile. “She can take my spot in yoga. I have swim trunks.”       “Clay, that’s not necessary. She needs to—”       “I’d rather go swimming.” He cuts the coach off, determination in his hazel eyes.       Twenty pairs of restless feet tap against the rubber floor. I’m holding everyone up. Then a sweet, chirpy voice pipes up from the throng by the doors. “At this rate, none of us will get to do anything.Can’t Lia and Clay just switch already?” It’s Kelsey, my closest human friend. She twists one of her corkscrew curls around her finger and stares blatantly at the clock.       Coach Crane looks from the clock ticking away on the wall to me to Clay and back to me. “Fine. Ericson,” she motions to Clay, “go get into your trunks. And you,” she pins me with a fierce glare, “go change into your gym uniform. You’d better be in that studio doing downward dog in less than five minutes.”

Cover Reveal: Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) by Tobie Easton

  Hello Readers! Welcome to the Cover Reveal for Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) by Tobie Easton presented by Month9Books! Be on the look out for this upcoming YA title!   What do you think of the cover?     Now that Lia and Clay’s love has broken the Little Mermaid’s curse, everything has changed. Will Lia’s family remain on land, leading the only life she and her sisters have ever known, or will…

Friday Cover Reveal: Emerge by Tobie Easton

  Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal! This week, we are revealing the cover for Emerge by Tobie Easton an upcoming Month9Books Title! Author, Tobie Easton, also shares her thoughts on the cover. Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!   It’s finally here, and you finally get to see it!! Sharing the cover of my debut novel, Emerge, with you means so much to me. When I saw…