Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Galen is a merperson, and the prince of a Syrena tribe who has come onto land after hearing from a friend about a girl who can speak to fish. Meanwhile, Emma is vacationing with her friend in Florida when she meets Galen. Although Galen is soon convinced that Emma is more than merely human, she wants nothing to do with him and refuses to believe his claims. But Galen believes that she could be important and works hard to gain her trust; it just has to be in time...

There were things I liked about this book. It was an interesting way of approaching myths about mermaids and the characters were fairly realistic. I felt like some of the pieces were a bit predictable, but it didn't detract from the story. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy books about mermaids or stories with a bit of romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Mermaid's Mirror, Half-Human, Midnight Pearls, or the Trylle trilogy

The Mermaid's Mirror by L. K. Madigan

Lena has always been drawn to the ocean; living in Diamond Bay, a small town on the San Francisco Bay, the water is practically in her backyard. She desperately wants to surf with her friends, and, as her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena decides that it may be time to learn. Her father, who nearly died while surfing before Lena was born, has never allowed her to take lessons, but Lena doesn't want to watch from the shoreline any longer. Her life starts to change in other ways as well, particularly when she discovers a hidden trunk containing her mother's things; she decides it's finally time to know more about her mother's suicide while she was young. As Lena searches for the answers to her questions, she will begin to learn more about her family -- and about herself.

This was an interesting story, though parts of it were fairly predictable and occasionally a little slow. Lena's character has to deal with many changes and difficult choices, which make the story more realistic. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about mermaids and heroines finding themselves.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Lost Voices, Half-Human, Trylle trilogy, or Water Steps

The Lost Voices Trilogy by Sarah Porter

In Lost Voices, the first book, Lucette's father was lost at sea, leaving her orphaned and living with her abusive uncle. But when her uncle tries to rape her on her fourteenth birthday, Luce feels trapped and tired of the cruelty, finally deciding to throw herself off a cliff. But instead of dying she changes into a mermaid and discovers a whole new life with a nearby tribe. Suddenly, Luce has friends and magical abilities. But the relationships in the tribe are complex and she struggles with the fact that their magic is used to lead humans to their deaths.

The second book, Waking Storms, is told from the point of view of both Luce and Dorian, the human boy that Luce saved. After leaving the tribe, Luce is living alone and trying to figure out how to become more comfortable with her life as a mermaid. But larger problems may be on the horizon for Luce and all of the mermaids in the area as they face the possibility of exposure.

The final book in the trilogy (The Twice Lost) will be released June 2, 2013.

This story was very compelling and definitely drew me in; I was a little disappointed when I realized that the final book isn't out yet and I would have to wait to finish reading the trilogy. Even though a lot of the plot is fairly light, there is still an underlying serious tone. The focus of these books is really on character development and the social interaction of the mermaids, since they are all "lost girls" who have given up on humanity because of their own horrific experiences. I would recommend these books to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about magic in the real world, or stories that are a little more serious.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Half-Human, Rampant, Wicked Lovely, or Morganvill Vampires series