REVIEW: Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

 

Author: Mandy Hubbard

Pages: 272

Genre: YA - Paranormal

Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin

AMAZON: Ripple

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

REVIEW: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Lexi has distanced herself from everyone since the drowning death of her boyfriend Steven on her 16^th birthday, not wanting to get close to anyone again because of what she is – a Siren, she has become a recluse and isolated herself from the friends and the popularity she once knew.

She swims nightly in a private lake in the mountains, to prevent pain and to be far enough away from anyone that might learn of what she is or hear her deadly song which could ultimately lure them to their deaths.

Lexi was realistically flawed, she had teenage angst and worried about those close to her; when Cole, the only person who seems to still hold a shred of respect for her starts to slowly ease his way into her life she starts to think things could really be different and he could be someone she could lean on and trust.

It isn’t long though until newcomer Erik introduces himself to Lexi as a Nix and gives her a solution to a possible cure to what they are. I was shocked by the major personality change Erik underwent; I wouldn’t have guessed his motives whatsoever.

I truly felt sorry for Lexi and the blame she had placed on herself, having to live 2 years without companionship or love from anyone but her grand-mother would have been heartbreaking and knowing her mother killed her father and then herself would have been devastating to find out, especially knowing it would be the same fate for her; there was no one she could confide in. I was truly hoping she would find happiness and forgiveness in herself.

I adored Cole! He underwent major changes in himself after losing his best friend Steven so was cautious and took things slow with Lexi – he is sweet, caring and understanding, I am glad he pushed with her to slowly crack the walls she had built around herself.

Although there is a love triangle of sorts, I didn’t find myself cringing or despising what was going on as I usually do; it was well written and was done for a purpose with a suitable resolution and HEA.

What I didn’t like: I wish there was more detail about the siren curse, there was brief detail provided in the journal from her mother but that was really the extent of it. Also, although Lexi’s grandmother is present, she was sneaking out nightly without once being caught in 2 years; you would think living in such close proximity it would be noticed. There was certainly a lack a parental supervision for all of the teen characters.

This is the first book I have read about Sirens and although I liked it, it didn’t leave me thinking ‘wow!’ I enjoyed Ms Hubbard’s style of writing, it is detailed with great visuals and the plot was intriguing.

Ripple is an emotional and heartfelt story of self discovery and learning to accept things that can’t be changed. The pacing for me started off slowly but soon picked up, I enjoyed all of the characters, the secondary included and I look forward to reading more books written by Mandy Hubbard.