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!

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RISING by Holly Kelly

(New Adult- Paranormal Romance)

Release Date: September 6, 2013

Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
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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.