Review: Swimming Without A Net (Fred the Mermaid, #2) by MaryJanice Davidson

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5 (Maybe 4)

Publisher: Penguin (Jove Books)

Spoilers?: Some; for first book.

Goodreads Synopsis:

As Fred the Mermaid tries to fit in with her own kind, she finds herself hooked on both Artur, the High Prince of the undersea realm, and Thomas, a hunky marine biologist. She's also caught between two factions of merfolk: those happy with swimming under the radar-and those who want to bring their existence to the surface.

Review:

I am really enjoying this series. I like Davidson's writing, which makes it really easy to get through each book. And I like the characters, which also helps. And now I really want the next one, since it's the last and I want to know how it ends.

In this one, Fred goes to the Cayman Islands for a mermaid meet up thing because some mermaid want the world to know about them while others do not, bringing Jonas with her. She doesn't want to, but is kind of forced into it. While there, she gets closer to Artur, but Thomas is also there, since Artur didn't want it to be unfair for only him to be with her as Thomas is also working to get in her favors (which is awesome of him). She also finds out that her father tried to take the thrown from Artur's father, and has thus been banished and made a traitor, and everyone is avoiding Fred because of it.
I still like Jonas, but am not feeling as good about his relationship with Dr. Barb. I feel that they're moving a bit too fast. There's mention of Fred doing something about the girl that her parents are taking care of, maybe adopting,'s father, which I am especially hoping to see in the next book. I also liked the mermaids that we met. Artur's father was cool, and especially entertaining because of how he thinks surface dwellers talk. Tennian was very interesting, and I liked her.

I like the conclusion that the mermaids come to about coming out of the closet (even if it was done maybe not as well as it could have been, with how sudden Fred came to the idea and the King deciding to go with it), and I liked Fred's feelings on the matter, and totally agreed with her. I am excited to see what happens with it in the next book. Also, with her father. Since they're not really sure that he's dead, and I believe that he's going to show up in the next one. That is sure to be interesting.

The big thing that happened, though, was with Fred's love life. Thomas made kind of a dick move, what with getting feelings for someone else, which proved that he was more fascinated with Fred's being a mermaid than Fred herself. But I do like Artur, and am excited to see what happens with them next, since she decided to go back with him to his home. I was a little unsure of my feelings for him at first, but warmed up to it rather quickly, surprisingly so, and am now just looking forward to it.

I just want to read the next one now, and am hoping my local bookstore gets it in soon so that I can. I hope it's good.

Manga Review: MeruPuri, Volume 2, by Matsuri Hino

5 of 5 Stars

Publisher: VIZ Media

Goodreads Synopsis:

After Aram's elder brother Jeile fails to lift the spell on him, Aram is forced to stay with Airi. Meanwhile, an unsuspecting Airi recites Aram's full name in front of the mirror and is magically transported to Astale! But to Airi's dismay, the citizens of Aram's kingdom give her the cold shoulder. What do they know about her secret bloodline...?

Review:

In this volume, Aram has to go back to Astale, the kingdom through the mirror that he's from. He doesn't want to go, and so he protests and puts it off and refuses, but Airi talks him in to going back. They're both upset about it, but he goes. And then Airi end up saying his name and going through the mirror and into his world.

Lei, through all of this, and through most of the book, is against them. He doesn't think it's a good idea, and he lets them know this. Aram likes Airi, and he doesn't hide it from anyone. Airi is struggling because she likes him but doesn't want to like him, mostly because he's so young and from a different world, and this does not match up with her ideal. And Airi's however-many-great's grandmother was a traitor of Astale however many years ago, and so no one in Astale will accept her.

Anyway, she gets sucked into the mirror and stick in Astale, and then thrown out of the castle while trying to find Aram, and then gets to the festival thing that is being held, which is the reason that Aram had to go in the first place, and Aram sees her when she yells at him and he picks her up and the elders all protest. And she finds out that Aram is arranged to be married to a girl that is his original age. And she gets to taken to this court thing where the elders all decide that she's a traitor and should be thrown into the eternal prison, but then Aram breaks in and she kisses over his heart and cheek to turn him back to little Aram and thus vows to marry him, creating a mark on his chest, which saves her from prison. All while in her pajamas.

She doesn't know what to do about this whole marriage thing, as she can't wrap her mind around it, but then Aram talks to her, and kisses her chest, making a mark over her heart. Which is all very cute and sweet.

They get sent back to Airi's world after that. Where she goes to school and Raz, Aram's cousin, transfers, and then Aram transfers there. As well as Jeile starts as a teacher, and Lei does as well. They go on a school trip, seaside school, at the beach and all that. There are some awkward moments where Aram turns from big to little and then little to big. Raz keeps causing trouble for them, as does Nakaoji, and Lei doesn't like Airi much. And the volume ends with Airi and Aram hidden in a closet, Aram only in a towel and them almost kissing, as someone is opening the door.

I'm still having a hard time with Aram's age, because I believe it is mentioned in one of the sidenotes, that he's in around second grade. That is just way too young. But I still love them together, so I'm struggling to accept this.

Also, I love Matsuri Hino's artwork. It's very pretty and well done. Although there are some scenes, or just some panels every once in a while, that looks like she didn't go back and edit them fully. But aside from that. And I like that her characters all look different. I've read some of her other stories, and the characters don't all look the same; they have differences, so you can easily tell them apart.

I still love this series, even after all this time. I'm noticing different things about it now, but I still love Aram and Airi's relationship. I'll probably be posting the review for the next book soon, but I'm trying to not put them all up at the same, while also wanting to read them all at once.