Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (Book Review)

Title: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (imprint of Macmillan)
Source: From the publisher, after I wrote and requested a copy.
Format: Paperback advance reader edition.
Book Trailer: YouTube
Buy It: Amazon
Add It: Goodreads

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Before I get into my review, can I gush a little about something? I am SO excited about this book, and not just because I loved it. I had been wanting this book SO bad! I knew it was coming out while I was in Europe, and I would probably not get it while I was gone. But... I was really not wanting to wait a day longer than I had to, because mermaids and mythology are my THING. So I figured, "Hey! What the heck? I'll try to write and request this from the publisher!" This was my first attempt at requesting a book, so I was kind of nervous. I found the contact info and wrote out a nice little e-mail, not expecting anything to come of it since my blog is still a little young. About a month later, a package arrived at my door, and I opened it without really thinking about it. And GUESS WHAT? It was OF POSEIDON!!! And seriously, I hugged it for about an hour, stroking and staring at the cover. My first attempt at requesting a book from a publisher had worked, and it was for a book I was DYING to read! I swear, it has been a very long time since I was that excited about anything. And let me tell you. I was totally justified in my drastic efforts to get this book early, because it is AMAZING. Make sure you clear your calendars, set aside some uninterrupted time, and prepare to be transported to another world! As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. This book is funny! Right at the beginning, Emma meets Galen by slamming face first into his bare chest at the beach in Florida. She was completely mortified. Her inner dialogue is hilarious. I was trying really hard not to laugh, because I didn't want anyone to hear me in the middle of the night. And the things she says out loud are funny too! "Ohmysweetgoodness." is a common outburst, along with "Fan-flipping-tastic". I could just hear them as I read them, and I'll admit I kind of giggled every time. There are serious moments as well, but I was not expecting the humor at all. It was a pleasant surprise.

2. I really liked all the characters. Emma is quirky, funny, a little eccentric, dramatic, a bit of an accident waiting to happen, and extremely skeptical. Her mom is ultra-protective, so much so that it becomes completely unbelievable, but funny at the same time. She means well, though. Galen is tall, dark, and handsome, and he is so sweet with Emma. Utterly swoon-worthy. I liked that he was not overprotective (although he's the jealous type, which I LOVE), but still showed how much he cared for her. His serious nature was a nice compliment to Emma's huge personality. I totally fell for him. Galen's "mom", Rachel is a human who is really Galen's assistant. She makes sure he knows everything he needs to know about humans, manages his money, and takes care of his on-land necessities. She's pretty funny as well. Then we have Galen's sister, Rayna, who has been "mated" (married) to Toraf without her consent. She's this rude, bitter, spunky grump who has a soft side if you're willing to take the time to find it. Her husband (whom she despises), Toraf is the concerned big brother type that pretty much everyone wishes they had in their own family. He's so funny, and I felt bad for him because of the way Rayna treated him. Heck, I'll take him if she's going to be such a brat about it! The entire cast (including unmentioned supporting characters) are all very likeable, and different enough from one another that you don't forget who's who.

3. I really loved the dual perspectives, with each chapter switching back and forth between Emma and Galen. I have a thing for male protagonists, so I loved jumping into Galen's head as well.

4. Anna's take on mermaid and Greek mythology was very refreshing. In this book, Poseidon is presented as a ruling Syrena (merman), rather than a Greek God. The Syrena have violet eyes, and can switch between having a fin and having legs. They can sense the electric pulse of one another in the water, which causes a lot of "duh dun" moments like in the movie Jaws, with some unknown Syrena swimming up and grabbing another one. The Syrena can also blend into the water, and become invisible. I thought it was pretty awesome. Oh, and Emma can talk to and control sea life. Can I do that?

5. There were some really intense moments! I was totally captivated and drawn in to them. I love a little suspense, and since this deals with the ocean, a scary place in my mind, I found myself biting my nails and burrowing deeper into my bed while I read.

6. The underwater scenes are gorgeous! This is why I love mermaid books. The author can turn the ocean into anything they want, and describe it any way they want. Pure imagination at its finest.

7. Ahhhh! The ending! I'm dying! Major cliffhanger, people, and my jaw completely dropped! But I LOVED IT! Is there a sequel? There has to be! 

I would definitely recommend this to lovers of a new take on Greek mythology, mermaids, swoon-worthy male leads, a book that keeps you guessing, and some on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. LOVED this book!