Ripple

 

Author: Mandy Hubbard
Format: eBook
Print Length: 268 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Published:  July 21, 2011

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

My Thoughts
The author opens the book with Lexi, the heroine, admitting to killing her first love.  The book description alerts the reader to this so it was no surprise.  Before the tragedy, Lexi was in the "in-crowd", on track to be valedictorian and well-liked.  Afterwards, Lexi becomes an "Ice queen" and avoids contact with everyone but her grandmother.  So much so that her old friends treat her terribly and she does nothing to defend herself because of the guilt.  Two years has passed since the tragedy and Lexi is completely ostracized by everyone at school.  To the rescue is Cole, her first love's best friend.  He starts to talk to Lexi in English class on the first day of school her senior year.  The beginning of romance happens here...Cue the new guy to the school.  Lexi pushes Cole away and in walks Erik.  Insert eye roll.  Darn another love triangle, does anyone else ever wonder why the nice guy never gets the girl? This one however is not really what you think it is and the author actually did surprise me. 

Best thing about this book- there is an ending.  No cliffhanger, no waiting until the second and third book to find out what happens.  Don't get me wrong I HEART BOOK SERIES.  But sometimes you just want to read a book that has an ending instead of a continuation.

 

Other Characters

Sienna is Lexi's old best friend, and her first love's sister. Sienna comes off as a self-righteous spoiled brat.  She apparently was not a really good friend if she could not see how much Lexi had needed her. 

Nikki is the group's resident "mean girl."

Gram is Lexi's granny.  She is pretty sharp and is beginning to think Lexi no longer has friends.

Erik the new kid.  You know those characters that you just hate but for no reason.  That was Erik for me.  No reason, just really did not like him.