My thoughts:
First of all: LOVE the cover! It is pretty darn cool. I've
never read a mermaid story before, and was curious about how the whole
"Hide the tail" thingie would go. Holly did a clever job with this. I
enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters, and
the romance that ensued, and the tension.
I love
Sara's determination NOT to be a victim. She is a fighter, and independent,
despite her disability. Xanthus is the yummy male lead in the story. He is the
perfect mix of strong and caring. I wasn't too sure about him in the beginning,
considering his mission! But Holly wrote him masterfully. He was the right amount
of Alpha male without being over the top control freak! (BTW: My only peeve
about his book was this guy's name! I hate names that are difficult to
pronounce...grrr!)
I
enjoyed the fact that was written in both MC's POV. I feel in 1st person POV
this is important for a well-rounded story. This is a clean novel although
there is plenty of hot kisses to make everyone happy!
I hope
there is a sequel, or at least another mermaid adventure from holly! Thank you
for allowing me to read and review this story!
RISING by Holly Kelly
(New Adult- Paranormal
Romance)
Release Date: September 6, 2013
Published by: Clean
Teen Publishing
**************************************
In a war
between the humans and the inhabitants of the sea—humans will lose.
Xanthus Dimitriou—the most lethal Dagonian to rise from the ocean—is on a
mission to save mankind from annihilation. But first there’s one
small thing he needs to do… kill a beautiful young woman in
a wheelchair.
Killing her doesn’t start out as part of his plan. He entrenches himself
deep in the human world. Aligning himself with his enemies, he prepares to
send them to Triton to face their punishment. Then Sara Taylor rolls onto
the scene. Xanthus knows at once she’s a criminal. And her crime? Being
born. She’s a human/Dagonian half-breed, an abomination. Killing her
should be an easy job. All he has to do is break into her apartment, slit
her throat, and feed her body to the sharks. Simple, right? Wrong. If only
she weren’t so beautiful, so innocent, so sweet...
Saving the world may have to wait. It appears Xanthus has a woman to save.
But protecting her may cost him his own life.
A Little Bit of Inspiration
(Top Ten List)
Most
of Rising is set in Oahu, Hawaii. You may not know this, but Holly Kelly lived
on Oahu while attending college. Here are her top ten favorite spots on the
island—and possibly the planet.
#
10—Aloha Flee Market- This is the biggest flea market I’ve ever been to—I’ve haven’t
been to many. There is so much to buy here muumuus, lava lavas, beach towels,
swim suits, pearl necklaces, carved figures... and everything is negotiable.
#9—Waimea
Bay-
This beach has great surfing and beautiful sandy beaches. But be careful. You
have to time your entrance into the water just right or you’ll find yourself
knocked down and tossed by the waves. I think I took a bucket full of sand back
to my apartment--don't ask me where I kept it.
#8—USS
Arizona memorial- This is the resting place of the Arizona. It was sunk in Pearl
Harbor during World War II. Many soldiers are still buried within its hull.
It’s a sacred solemn place.
#7—Waimea
Falls-
What tropical island would be complete without a waterfall, and Oahu has Waimea
Falls. To get there you take an easy hike through a tropical forest. At the end
of that hike, there is a breathtaking waterfall and swimming pond—so worth the
trip through the jungle.
#6—Shark’s
Cove-
How can you not like something called Shark’s Cove? Well, that’s easy for me to
say, I absolutely LOVE sharks. Sharks cove has amazing snorkeling. It’s more
private than Hanauma Bay (big time snorkeling place) and it’s free. I saw some
of the most amazing and unique sea life there, including an eel, a ray, and a
puffer fish.
#5—The
Toilet Bowl-
this can be found near Hanauma Bay. It’s a tidal pool that fills and empties
like a toilet—thus the name. It’s fun to jump in and ride it up and down. Just
don’t get near the place where the water comes in or you might get flushed out
to sea. I’ve heard some sad rumors that it’s off limits now.
#4—Hanauma
Bay-
This is a huge bay with awesome snorkeling. You can swim through amazing reefs
while colorful fish swim around you. On my dives, I got to see many, many fish,
including a trumpet fish, parrot fish, and hundreds of sea urchins.
#3—Chief
Luau’s Sea Life Park- Here you can get up close and personal with sea animals,
including dolphins and sea lions. And, like the name implies, there are Luau’s
held there with roasted pig and many other delicious Hawaiian foods. The best
thing I saw from there was actually not in the park. I saw a humpback whale off
shore from the park-very cool.
#2—Polynesian
Cultural Center PCC- The PCC has the most incredible shows with lots of dancing,
food, and fun—featuring many different cultures all over Polynesia. If you are
looking to see an authentic hula dance, this is your place. You can also see
shirtless native men cracking coconuts open with their heads and climbing giant
coconut trees—quite a sight. My roommate was lucky enough to work there. I only
got to visit once—for an entrance fee.
#1—Hukilau
Beach-
I love this place best of all, because it was a half a mile from my apartment.
I got to go there all the time. I would just sit and watch the waves, dreaming
about what might lurk beneath the surface. Hukilau Beach is so beautiful! It
has white, sandy beaches and tiny rocky islands offshore. The waves there are
spectacular. On a hill top above the beach are some beautiful homes—this is the
inspiration for Nicole’s home. There is also a grove of trees nearby with
picnic tables where one can enjoy lunch while sitting under the trees, watching
the ocean. I totally love Hukilau Beach.
About Holly Kelly
Holly
Kelly is a mom who writes books in her spare time: translation--She hides in
the bathroom with her laptop and locks the door while the kids destroy the
house and smear peanut butter on the walls.
Holly
was born in Utah but lived in Salina, Kansas until she was 13 and in Garland,
Texas until she was 18. She's now back in Utah--"happy valley". Holly
is married to her wonderful husband, James, and the two of them are currently
raising 6 rambunctious children. Her interests are reading, writing (or course),
martial arts, visual arts, and spending time with family.
Holly
Kelly's first published book is: Rising. Rising was published by Clean Teen
Publishing on September 6, 2013.
Follow Holly Kelly
More
from Clean Teen Publishing:
Tonya Olsen has always had a passion for designing charming, budget-friendly rooms and projects. She loves to combine traditional interior design principles with personal, do-it-yourself flair. Tonya shares ownership of LIV Showroom, a full-service interior design firm and retail showroom, and holds a master’s degree in interior design. She is also the lead interior designer for Utah homebuilder, Rainey Homes. Tonya has over 20 years of professional design experience, bargain shopping fortitude, and do-it-yourself gumption. She spends her spare time gleaning inspiration from interior design books, magazines, blogs, and websites. Tonya and her husband have three boys and live in their recently renovated home in Bountiful, Utah.
