Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Forgive My Fins (Fins #1)

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 19, 2010

Source: Library

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid--she's a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't fell quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems--like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbour, Quince Fletcher--but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type--the instant they "bond", it's for life.

When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Why I waited so long to read Forgive My Fins is a complete mystery to me. It was such a fun, light read and I enjoyed every page of it. I knew a mermaid story would be fun, I just had no idea it would be this fun.

Of course everyone in high school has secrets, but Lily's secret is bigger than most. The thing about her is that she's half human and half mermaid. That only makes high school that much more complicated for Lily, because she has a lot more on her plate than just being a mermaid. Her crush, Brody, doesn't really seem to return her affections she is determined to take him to her father's kindgom, Thalassinia, and make him her mermate for life. But not everything goes quite as planned. And the reason for that is Quince Fletcher, Lily's annoying next door neighbour, who just seems to butt in everywhere he's not needed. And now he has screwed up all of Lily's plans. What starts out as a simple case of mistaken identity ends ups completely changing the outlook of Lily's love life and causing a lot more drama than she ever thought possible.

This book was nothing if not absolutely adorable. And how could that not be when it's about a half human, half mermaid girl going to a regular high school. All this to say, I just loved this story and everything that came along with it. The story was nothing extraordinary or deep, but it was the perfect light summer read. One of my favorite aspects of the book was how real all of the settings felt, whether it was on land or in the water. It was amazing how easily I could picture Thalassinia and the whole world under the sea Tera Lynn Childs created. Though my absolute favorite part was all the sea related vocabulary Lily used in her expressions. It just made me laugh every time.

Lily was so much fun. I loved her right from the start though at times she really frustrated. Especially when it came to Brody. She just seemed completely blind to the fact that he in no way returned her affections. But still, her crazy plans to win him over amused me to no end. That and her fish related expressions had me constantly giggling. Quince was also pretty awesome. To me, it was quite obvious right from the start that he had a thing for Lily and that whole situation kept me amused. But at the time time, I felt really bad for him because Lily was so oblivious to it all. Let's just say I was totally rooting for him the whole way through.

Forgive My Fins was a fantastic read and I enjoyed every page of it. I can't wait for more of Lily's mermaid adventures when I read the sequel, Fins Are Forever.