Monday, April 2, 2012

Review: Tempest Rising - Tracy Deebs


Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Walker Childrens (May 10, 2011)

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.


Tempest is a totally radical California surfer girl. She is content to live her life surfing, hanging out with her boyfriend Mark, and helping her dad take care of her brothers. The only problem with all this is that Tempest is half mermaid, and her birthday is coming up soon. This birthday is the one where she is supposed to decide if she wants to stay on land and live as a human or if she wants to embrace her mermaid heritage and live in the water. She thought she already had her mind made up, she didn't want to abandon her friends and family the way her mother did. All this starts to change though, when she meets dark and mysterious Kai. Tempest finds herself torn between her love for Mark and her growing attraction to Kai. Eventually Tempest gives in to the call of the water in an attempt to try to save Kai. During the time she spends in the water she sees that she has a destiny and that the people living under the water are counting on her to save them all.

Tempest was a wonderful character, she was scared, tempted, brave, and caring. With two worlds pulling her in complete opposite directions she is confused. She is a very genuine character and her feelings come through to the reader loud and clear. you can feel her grief at the thought of leaving her human friends and family behind, and hurting Mark. But you also get the same feeling when she thinks of leaving Kai and the others below the waves. 

The part of the story spent in the water in my opinion was great! I love mermaids, and love to see every authors take on life under the waves. There was also quite a bit of action going on in this book. As scared as Tempest may have been she never backed down. 

This was a great story with amazing characters, and terrific settings. I am dying to read the second book and see what comes next for Tempest. I give this one 5 stars and a very high recommendation.


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