Review - Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins
by Tera Lynn Childs

Published: June 1, 2010

Description from Goodreads:

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 feel 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 neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when 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.

My Thoughts:

When my librarian first received Forgive My Fins, I was in the middle of reading a few other books and wasn’t able to get to it before the students.  When I saw one of my students with it, I asked how it was and she said, “You have to read it, you’ll LOVE it!”  So, when it came time to check out books for summer reading, Forgive my Fins was on the top of my stack.  After reading this book in a day because I just couldn’t put it down, I must agree with my former student, I LOVED IT!

The book starts out with Lily going through typical high school girl challenges.  Crushing on a guy who doesn’t notice her, all the while, someone has been crushing on her.  When she relaxes at home by changing into her full mermaid form and receives a phone call from her neighbor, I almost though that she was busted.  I enjoyed watching how the interactions between the different characters played out.  As in life, mistakes are sometimes made for a reason and may just turn out to not be such a mistake after all.  As a swimmer I was immediately drawn into Lily’s life on land working with the swim team as a manager and my love of mermaids (which I’ve had since I was little) was fully entertained by her life in Thalassinia, her ocean home.  As I read I have to admit that I was pulling for Brody at first, but Quince soon won me over and I was wishing Lily or “Princess” as Quince has called her from the beginning, would catch on to what was happening.  This was such an enjoyable read that I had to prevent myself from buying Fins Are Forever as I’m waiting until I meet the wonderful Tera Lynn Childs when she comes to Blue Willow Books on July 8^th.  

With all the awesome YA books out there that have action, angst, loss and love, I found Forgive My Fins a refreshing change of pace.  Not to mention how I LOVED the use of “fish” terms in choice situations, that is classic!!  I laughed at loud the first time I read those words and continued to grin and laugh throughout the book when other words popped up.  You’ll have to read the book to see what I mean, as I will never think of swordfish or damselfish the same way again!!

After reading Forgive My Fins, don't forget to pick up Fins Are Forever that was released June 28, 2011 


You can find Tera on:
Twitter: @teralynnchilds
 Her Website:  http://www.teralynnchilds.com/books/fmf.htm