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Forbidden Tides eBook Kyla Stan

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Forbidden Tides eBook Kyla Stan

I love a good mermaid book, and when I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of Kyla Stan’s new book, Forbidden Tides, I took it. I had already read her YA werewolf novel, Poet Tongue, and some of the aspects of that book I enjoyed were its vivid descriptions of the natural setting and its strong message of conservation of nature. Oh yeah, and that book had a good plot and theme about finding one’s sense of belonging within a community. I wondered if she’d transport some of those themes into an underwater realm, and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

The story starts with a prologue occurring when main character Astrid Murphy was only a few years old. While at a beach celebration with her parents, a figure appears from the water and beckons to Astrid. Yes, it telegraphs a good chunk of the upcoming story, but it’s so well-written that I don’t mind knowing that early that Astrid is part Sirenia (Stan’s species name for the mermaids in this story)—after all, it is mentioned in the book description.

Jump ahead to Astrid when she’s eighteen years old and dismayed by her father’s coarse attitude and disgusted with his occupation. He has a lucrative business fishing for Sirenia; apparently, they’re a culinary delicacy. Though I agree with the message against hunting endangered species, and though I’m no vegan, I can understand the message of seeking healthier and/or more humane alternatives than eating meat. However, the eating of Sirenia can be interpreted as borderline cannibalism since they have human-like upper halves. Fortunately, this is only a side detail briefly mentioned and never shown.

The majority of the story deals with Astrid coming to terms with her true heritage, a Sirenia male named Zander tasked with finding his dying king’s heir, and the interconnected history between the two stories and Astrid’s parents on land. I’m not going to spoil the details, but some of them are easily spotted and others are hidden well. There are some fun fish-out-of-water moments as Zander comes to land looking for Astrid. And there are some tense interactions between Astrid and her father. For the most part, the story is solid.

My only issues with the story are that I think it rushed to its conclusion and some elements needed for that conclusion seem to come out of nowhere—without saying much, I’m talking about Astrid adapting to her role among the Sirenia and Zander’s fate near the ending. The novel reads at a relatively quick pace, so it wouldn’t be hard to plant a few necessary seeds for the ending to flow better earlier or to slow down some events at the ending. Also, the epilogue is a fantastic idea concerning Astrid’s younger brother, but it would be more meaningful if he had had a greater role earlier in the story. But I guess when the criticism is that you want more, it’s a lot better than wanting there to be less.

Because what’s there is good. Like her previous novel, Kyla does a great job describing the wonder of nature. And her mermaid world is different from some others I’ve read, so that’s a welcome touch. For its interesting characters, strong imagery, and some clearly thought-out themes, you should dive into Forbidden Tides, which I give FOUR STARS.


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Forbidden Tides eBook Kyla Stan Reviews

This novel was very engaging. Astrid is different and has known so all her life. Zander also feels the same way.

Together they learn to embrace themselves, their love and fight for what is right. I loved that while this novel focuses of Merpeople, and their hardships...this novel also focuses on real issues that we are facing daily. With pollution, lack of clean water...and overall what humans are doing to the planet which is causing way too much destruction to land but also sea.This novel was very detailed into the destruction that is plaguing the ocean.

I really loved Zander as a main character. He is a strong warrior, but is able to let his walls down slowly around Astrid. And him showing her the underwater world was really neat.

I was worried how this novel would end, as it was extremely fast paced. However, I loved the arc that this novel took overall. I loved the characters growth and the lies that were told throughout. I definitely recommend this novel for anyone that has an affinity to the water, has an interest in merpeople or just really loves a good action-love story.
Even though it would seem that "mermaid" is a universal character, there's much that's not canon about life beneath the waves, and it leaves so much to the individual author's imagination that each mermaid story ends up with unique twists and explanations for how mermaids survive, speak to one another, and travel on dry land (if they can.)

Kyla Stan has created one such unique world. FORBIDDEN TIDES is an engaging mermaid fantasy, where the myths of Selkies and Mermaids are twisted together and set on the California coast. Danger, greed, suspense and light romance weave together with a strong environmental message to create an interesting tale.

The main character, Astrid, is obviously a half breed, although she doesn't know it and it's unclear for most of the book whether her mother is a mermaid or not. (The mom does seem to know an awful lot she's not sharing....) Astrid's father is the greedy monster who gets rich by catching and killing mermaids to sell for their "pelts" and as specialty food. He also routinely cuts the webbing from between Astrid's fingers. He doesn't want her to ever know of her close connection to the ocean or to the underwater creatures he now hunts.

Zander is the merman given the mission to find Astrid and bring her back to the clan before they die off from over-hunting and pollution. He doesn't expect to fall in love with her, or to end up spending time on dry land with her and her human family. He certainly doesn't expect her to love him back.

And it gets more complicated from there.

Told in alternating points of view between Zander and Astrid, the book also has a disturbing amount of head hopping and omniscient narrator going on. The author also describes a few merfolk feeding frenzies that makes their race sound downright scary. Even scarier are Astrid's father and the other fishermen, bloodthirsty and driven by greed, as well as the directors at the local aquarium, who decide it's easier to study the mer-creatures when they're dead. Rather than embrace this new race and try to learn about them, everyone acts like they're fish. Animals. Less than.

The book is an odd mix of light ocean imagery and banter, and soul-wrenching darkness. Mermaid lovers will enjoy this unique take on our favorite underwater paranormals.
I love a good mermaid book, and when I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of Kyla Stan’s new book, Forbidden Tides, I took it. I had already read her YA werewolf novel, Poet Tongue, and some of the aspects of that book I enjoyed were its vivid descriptions of the natural setting and its strong message of conservation of nature. Oh yeah, and that book had a good plot and theme about finding one’s sense of belonging within a community. I wondered if she’d transport some of those themes into an underwater realm, and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

The story starts with a prologue occurring when main character Astrid Murphy was only a few years old. While at a beach celebration with her parents, a figure appears from the water and beckons to Astrid. Yes, it telegraphs a good chunk of the upcoming story, but it’s so well-written that I don’t mind knowing that early that Astrid is part Sirenia (Stan’s species name for the mermaids in this story)—after all, it is mentioned in the book description.

Jump ahead to Astrid when she’s eighteen years old and dismayed by her father’s coarse attitude and disgusted with his occupation. He has a lucrative business fishing for Sirenia; apparently, they’re a culinary delicacy. Though I agree with the message against hunting endangered species, and though I’m no vegan, I can understand the message of seeking healthier and/or more humane alternatives than eating meat. However, the eating of Sirenia can be interpreted as borderline cannibalism since they have human-like upper halves. Fortunately, this is only a side detail briefly mentioned and never shown.

The majority of the story deals with Astrid coming to terms with her true heritage, a Sirenia male named Zander tasked with finding his dying king’s heir, and the interconnected history between the two stories and Astrid’s parents on land. I’m not going to spoil the details, but some of them are easily spotted and others are hidden well. There are some fun fish-out-of-water moments as Zander comes to land looking for Astrid. And there are some tense interactions between Astrid and her father. For the most part, the story is solid.

My only issues with the story are that I think it rushed to its conclusion and some elements needed for that conclusion seem to come out of nowhere—without saying much, I’m talking about Astrid adapting to her role among the Sirenia and Zander’s fate near the ending. The novel reads at a relatively quick pace, so it wouldn’t be hard to plant a few necessary seeds for the ending to flow better earlier or to slow down some events at the ending. Also, the epilogue is a fantastic idea concerning Astrid’s younger brother, but it would be more meaningful if he had had a greater role earlier in the story. But I guess when the criticism is that you want more, it’s a lot better than wanting there to be less.

Because what’s there is good. Like her previous novel, Kyla does a great job describing the wonder of nature. And her mermaid world is different from some others I’ve read, so that’s a welcome touch. For its interesting characters, strong imagery, and some clearly thought-out themes, you should dive into Forbidden Tides, which I give FOUR STARS.