Between the Sea and the Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Title- Between the Sea and the Sky
Author- Jaclyn Dolamore
Stand Alone
Format- Hardcover
Publisher- Bloomsbury
Published- October 25th 2011
Pages- 232
Source- Library

Overview:
Esmerine has wanted to be a siren with her sister Dosia since they were children playing on an island together with Alander- a Fandarsee (he has wings!). When she finally takes the oath Dosia disappears. She decides it's up to her to see what's come of her sister and best friend.

She starts out by seeking for her old childhood friend Alander who ends up coming along with her to find her sister. On their journey old memories fill both of their minds and a whole new feeling starts to fill up their minds but with her being of sea and him being of air how could they possibly be with one another?

Review:
Such a beautiful cover that makes me long for summer and the beach... I admit I've never read a book with a mermaid in it especially not as the main character. Esmerine is the dutiful yet odd daughter. She's odd because she always hung out with Alander when she was younger and to talk with a winged person was just not... appropriate. Although Esmerine might sound safe and bring, she's far from it. She was going to find her sister no matter what. She was going to battle through pain both physical and mental.

Physical pain because sirens may be able to walk on land but there is still pain when walking so she basically limps everywhere. It's only when the magic of her siren belt (it's not as silly as it's sounding) is stolen or given away to a man that she feels no more pain because she can't transform anymore to a mermaid. It doesn't mean that she doesn't feel the calling of the ocean to come back because it's in her nature to. That's why she wants to know if her sister is okay because she knows she might die from loneliness and longing.

Mentally not only is she worried about her sister but also about her growing feelings toward Alander. She didn't come in, when looking for help from Alander, in love with him. She just really cherished their time together and missed him but Alander acts like she's a stranger. He's always been this brash and to me moody person. He's rude one moment and then nice another to her. He's not overly rude well maybe in other's eyes but I didn't really think much of it. I don't know if it was because I thought he would come around, if I didn't believe they he was being rude on purpose just him, or if I didn't really pay any mind to him because he wasn't very much the central story to me right then. I could see him acting warmly towards Esmerine so I grew warmly towards him instantly. I think before I liked him anyway. He reminds me of the book lovers who love classics and studious books that I couldn't care about but I don't mind them because they like books too. I actually didn't expect him to be like that at all. I thought he was going to this mischievous, handsome guy. It's nice that he wasn't because there is way too much of that going around.

All sirens are drawn to land. Those mermaids and mermen who are drawn to the land is what make them good candidates for being sirens. Esmerine obtained her love of books and some adventure from Alander because he would always bring her books and taught her how to read. No mermaids know how to read. I was feeling kind of indignant there for a second when I found that out but then I thought duh! They live in the ocean. They can't read a book written on paper in the water.

I noticed from all sides that everyone labeled the other one negatively. Her mother was a prime suspect. She was a bit too controlling for me. She's a hover mom who goes by the rules and how oh so boring it would have been if Esmerine stayed the rest of her life there. The adventure of it all is one I greatly enjoyed but it has a feel where I don't know if everyone would enjoy but maybe I'm selling my enjoment of the book short. Who knows? The romance was (this is beginning to be a word I'm using often thank goodness!) natural. I really liked the dynamics of their different personalities yet common interests in books and... each other! It was really sweet throughout. Alander isn't as rude as he's painted out to be really. He's this nerdy book lover so it all evens out. The one thing that got me was towards the end. Something to do with Esmerine and how she saw herself which is unfortunate. It was really minor but it's worth mentioning. So if you haven't read a mermaid book I'm here to say that you might want to try it out. This one impressed me enough to start searching for and reading more mermaid books.