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Lies Beneath #2
Deep Betrayal
It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a merman. Obsessed with his new identity, Lily's dad monopolizes Calder's time as the two of them spend every day in the water, leaving Lily behind.
Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .
Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2013
About the author
Anne Greenwood Brown
10 books490 followersThanks for stopping by!
I am the author of the following Young Adult novels:
COLD HARD TRUTH (contemporary/romance);
GIRL LAST SEEN (contemporary/suspense);
and the paranormal mermaid trilogy: LIES BENEATH, DEEP BETRAYAL, PROMISE BOUND.
I also write adult romance under the name A.S. Green.
I am the author of the following Young Adult novels:
COLD HARD TRUTH (contemporary/romance);
GIRL LAST SEEN (contemporary/suspense);
and the paranormal mermaid trilogy: LIES BENEATH, DEEP BETRAYAL, PROMISE BOUND.
I also write adult romance under the name A.S. Green.
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Shelved as 'maybe'
January 1, 2016March 12th 2013????? Why? Why do I have to wait that long? This is so unfair!!!!!
January 10, 2013
Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!
Aaaand another onedrowns in the water? one bites the dust. Yet another victim of the dreaded Sequel Syndrome, wherein a follow-up to well-loved first novel can't execute or maintain that level previous level of excellence, Deep Betrayal was a miss for me. My last read for the year of 2012, I was rather disappointed with how this anticipated novel turned out. I was a big fan of the eeeeevil mermaids from Lake Superior in the first book Lies Beneath, but that was far from the case with Deep Betrayal. I gave the first one 4 out of 5 stars; I hesitated to award this one even the grudging 2 I finally went with. I had high hopes and expectations for Anne Greenwood Brown's latest, and they came crashing down by page one hundred.
I can't deny that the same elements from the first are present here in the second: evil mermaids with vengeance, an often creepy and remote love interest, Lily's struggles with her parents. What was new was that it was all missing the spark, the fun that was so evident in the previous book. Yes, Calder's sisters are evil and revenge-driven, but damnit, they were so entertaining in Lies Beneath! I had fun reading about them and their plots and plans for vengeance on the hapless humans. For the majority of my two-day read of this book, I was flat-out bored....which was the least-expected reaction I'd have thought. I honestly could've finished this in one day, but I was put off by a lot of whatdoesn't happens over the course of the novel, I just had to take several breaks and watch Psych instead.
The murder mystery that is supposedly a big part of the novel's main plot takes a backseat to A LOT of angst. Especially for the begining over the novel: Lily's annoying angst over Calder's 31-day alienation from Lily (I'm sorry... you knew him for all of a month before and now you're miserable without him? Shades of Bella Swan don't look good on anyone trying to create a strong, likeable female protagonist). First-person does her no favors, either; every time she brought up Calder, I wished she was a real girl so I could smack some sense into her. The girl is separated from her family (with her father the target of a murderous plot) and who does she whine and miss? That's right, the murderous merman who lied and manipulated her for half the time she'd known him. I can forgive a lot if I like the characters, and while I admit that Lily wasn't my favorite from Lies Beneath, at least I didn't have to read her inner monologue. I missed Calder's self-deprecation and ambiguity. Lily, for me, is exactly what she reads as: a boy-crazy vapid girl.
Deep Betrayal could be summed up best for as easily as this: Lily whines about Calder. Lily whines about her dad. Someone dies mysteriously. Lily whines about her lack of mermaidness. Boy drama. Lily whines about Calder. Rinse, repeat for 330ish pages and voila! You just saved yourself from an exercise in boredom and frustration. These are, or were, interesting characters. The author just needs to do more with them than romantical bullshit to make this a good book. I can only take so from much love-triangles (it's hinted at enough to frustrate), miscommunications and pure angst.
I did give this book two stars for the only reasons that saved it from being a DNF: I honestly didn't know who the murderer was, and consequently, Brown's talent for writing a good mystery. Brown, technically, is a fairly decent author. It's just her characters and plot that I take major issues with. I was intrigued by the origin story revealed for the mermaid species, but as I feared, it was mostly glossed over to focus on Lily's issues with her maybe-boyfriend and her distant father. I had so much hope for this, but now I doubt I'll be continuing the series at all.
Deep Betrayal just wasn't the book for me. A lot of people, like me, loved the first and hopefully will have the same reaction for the sequel The weakness of the heroine and the insipid nature of her narrative were too hard for me to overcome, but at the heart of the book, I could see why/if others would find more fun in the pages. But for me personally, I have to say boredom is a killer when it comes to reading books, and boy did this one slay me.
Aaaand another one
I can't deny that the same elements from the first are present here in the second: evil mermaids with vengeance, an often creepy and remote love interest, Lily's struggles with her parents. What was new was that it was all missing the spark, the fun that was so evident in the previous book. Yes, Calder's sisters are evil and revenge-driven, but damnit, they were so entertaining in Lies Beneath! I had fun reading about them and their plots and plans for vengeance on the hapless humans. For the majority of my two-day read of this book, I was flat-out bored....which was the least-expected reaction I'd have thought. I honestly could've finished this in one day, but I was put off by a lot of what
The murder mystery that is supposedly a big part of the novel's main plot takes a backseat to A LOT of angst. Especially for the begining over the novel: Lily's annoying angst over Calder's 31-day alienation from Lily (I'm sorry... you knew him for all of a month before and now you're miserable without him? Shades of Bella Swan don't look good on anyone trying to create a strong, likeable female protagonist). First-person does her no favors, either; every time she brought up Calder, I wished she was a real girl so I could smack some sense into her. The girl is separated from her family (with her father the target of a murderous plot) and who does she whine and miss? That's right, the murderous merman who lied and manipulated her for half the time she'd known him. I can forgive a lot if I like the characters, and while I admit that Lily wasn't my favorite from Lies Beneath, at least I didn't have to read her inner monologue. I missed Calder's self-deprecation and ambiguity. Lily, for me, is exactly what she reads as: a boy-crazy vapid girl.
Deep Betrayal could be summed up best for as easily as this: Lily whines about Calder. Lily whines about her dad. Someone dies mysteriously. Lily whines about her lack of mermaidness. Boy drama. Lily whines about Calder. Rinse, repeat for 330ish pages and voila! You just saved yourself from an exercise in boredom and frustration. These are, or were, interesting characters. The author just needs to do more with them than romantical bullshit to make this a good book. I can only take so from much love-triangles (it's hinted at enough to frustrate), miscommunications and pure angst.
I did give this book two stars for the only reasons that saved it from being a DNF: I honestly didn't know who the murderer was, and consequently, Brown's talent for writing a good mystery. Brown, technically, is a fairly decent author. It's just her characters and plot that I take major issues with. I was intrigued by the origin story revealed for the mermaid species, but as I feared, it was mostly glossed over to focus on Lily's issues with her maybe-boyfriend and her distant father. I had so much hope for this, but now I doubt I'll be continuing the series at all.
Deep Betrayal just wasn't the book for me. A lot of people, like me, loved the first and hopefully will have the same reaction for the sequel The weakness of the heroine and the insipid nature of her narrative were too hard for me to overcome, but at the heart of the book, I could see why/if others would find more fun in the pages. But for me personally, I have to say boredom is a killer when it comes to reading books, and boy did this one slay me.
March 6, 2017
Oh, so great, and I loved the how myth from whom mer people are descended from, and yeah, I can't wait to read Promise Bound!!
*First read December 5th 2012*
Fantastic book, oh, wow, really enjoyed seeing Lily and Calder again! And that ending! Really good, and kinda makes me want to have a 3rd book (Kinda in that I want to see the characters again, but not have them in any conflict, but books need conflict to be entertaining, so I'm torn) Yep :)
*First read December 5th 2012*
Fantastic book, oh, wow, really enjoyed seeing Lily and Calder again! And that ending! Really good, and kinda makes me want to have a 3rd book (Kinda in that I want to see the characters again, but not have them in any conflict, but books need conflict to be entertaining, so I'm torn) Yep :)
March 15, 2013
3.5 stars
I liked it; it was, to my surprise, considerably better than the first book. Of course, it helps that this book was from the POV of Lily, and not the dumb-as-a-rock/and least-effective merman ever that is Calder White. I liked Lily from the first book. She had a good head on her shoulders, she's not too dumb and doesn't dive into dangerous situations, and seems to figure things out pretty quickly (no thanks to the stupid, stupid, and may I emphasize that he is stupid Calder?
Calder got on my nerves just a little bit, in case you couldn't tell.
This sequel is from Lily's point of view, which made a world of difference in terms of tolerability when it comes to actually liking the main character. Lily's father found out he is part mermaid in the first book, and in this one, Calder and her dad are playing buddy-buddy and practicing how to be mermen. He's spending more and more time away from home, making their family not very happy, and her mom in particular is pretty miserable, considering she is suffering from MS and wondering why the hell her husband is attending one educational conference after another. Poor woman; that just screams ADULTERY, doesn't it?
Lily's friend Jack Pettit from the previous novel is now full-blown nutcase, trying to convince everyone that there are mermaids in the lake. It doesn't help accidents are happening in the left ("riptides," ha!) and bodies are popping up left and right. Maris and Pavati are out for blood, but could Lily's father be the culprit? Dun dun duuuuuuuuuun.
I actually exaggerated my hate for Calder in this book. He's actually grown some balls over the past few months since the last novel, and I found him fairly tolerable. The writing is good, if not great; there are no great insight, nothing tremendous that knocks this book out of the park, but the storyline was enjoyable, the characters were tolerable, and this was a quick, easy read.
I liked it; it was, to my surprise, considerably better than the first book. Of course, it helps that this book was from the POV of Lily, and not the dumb-as-a-rock/and least-effective merman ever that is Calder White. I liked Lily from the first book. She had a good head on her shoulders, she's not too dumb and doesn't dive into dangerous situations, and seems to figure things out pretty quickly (no thanks to the stupid, stupid, and may I emphasize that he is stupid Calder?
Calder got on my nerves just a little bit, in case you couldn't tell.
This sequel is from Lily's point of view, which made a world of difference in terms of tolerability when it comes to actually liking the main character. Lily's father found out he is part mermaid in the first book, and in this one, Calder and her dad are playing buddy-buddy and practicing how to be mermen. He's spending more and more time away from home, making their family not very happy, and her mom in particular is pretty miserable, considering she is suffering from MS and wondering why the hell her husband is attending one educational conference after another. Poor woman; that just screams ADULTERY, doesn't it?
Lily's friend Jack Pettit from the previous novel is now full-blown nutcase, trying to convince everyone that there are mermaids in the lake. It doesn't help accidents are happening in the left ("riptides," ha!) and bodies are popping up left and right. Maris and Pavati are out for blood, but could Lily's father be the culprit? Dun dun duuuuuuuuuun.
I actually exaggerated my hate for Calder in this book. He's actually grown some balls over the past few months since the last novel, and I found him fairly tolerable. The writing is good, if not great; there are no great insight, nothing tremendous that knocks this book out of the park, but the storyline was enjoyable, the characters were tolerable, and this was a quick, easy read.
May 7, 2018
I am a sucker for completing series and I did and this just wasn't good at all
September 7, 2020
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
Short and Simple Review
Okay, I read book one seven years ago. The only thing I remembered from book one was that it had mermaids. Killer mermaids at that. And I remembered it being from a male POV. Thankfully, this book was pretty easy to get into. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it. I don't know if seven years ago, if I had the chance to read this book, I would've enjoyed it, but it just wasn't for me. I usually don't go for mermaid books anymore, though I don't think that was the issue here. The book does take a different approach to mermaids. Here we have mermaids that feed off emotions and live in the Great Lakes. But this book follows a similar format to other mermaid books, and paranormal sequels. This book is from Lily's perspective. While there is an over-arching mystery in the background of the book, Lily spends most of her time obsessing over Calder and her father. See, Lily's father has recently found out that he is a merman, so he and Calder have been spending a lot of time together. Lily is jealous that they are spending time together and is jealous that she isn't a full-blown mermaid. She also makes really dumb decisions. Calder tells Lily to stay out of the water (because the killer mermaids will sense her). What does Lily do? Get in the water. What happens? She gets attacked, of course! Yet, she goes in YET ANOTHER TIME. And this was literally her just going into the water because she wanted to. She wasn't trying to save anyone or anything.
By the end of the book, I was just tired of everything. I didn't like Lily and I just didn't care about what was happening. I think there were interesting ideas, but they were hodgepodged in an odd way, and the focus was off. I'm not continuing the series.
Short and Simple Review
Okay, I read book one seven years ago. The only thing I remembered from book one was that it had mermaids. Killer mermaids at that. And I remembered it being from a male POV. Thankfully, this book was pretty easy to get into. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it. I don't know if seven years ago, if I had the chance to read this book, I would've enjoyed it, but it just wasn't for me. I usually don't go for mermaid books anymore, though I don't think that was the issue here. The book does take a different approach to mermaids. Here we have mermaids that feed off emotions and live in the Great Lakes. But this book follows a similar format to other mermaid books, and paranormal sequels. This book is from Lily's perspective. While there is an over-arching mystery in the background of the book, Lily spends most of her time obsessing over Calder and her father. See, Lily's father has recently found out that he is a merman, so he and Calder have been spending a lot of time together. Lily is jealous that they are spending time together and is jealous that she isn't a full-blown mermaid. She also makes really dumb decisions. Calder tells Lily to stay out of the water (because the killer mermaids will sense her). What does Lily do? Get in the water. What happens? She gets attacked, of course! Yet, she goes in YET ANOTHER TIME. And this was literally her just going into the water because she wanted to. She wasn't trying to save anyone or anything.
By the end of the book, I was just tired of everything. I didn't like Lily and I just didn't care about what was happening. I think there were interesting ideas, but they were hodgepodged in an odd way, and the focus was off. I'm not continuing the series.
March 3, 2013
Initial reaction: Ooh, this was actually better than Lies Beneath in my opinion, but I'll admit that there were points where I hit a bit of a bump in the story progression. I think Lily's voice was much easier to warm up to than Calder's from the last book, and I actually liked Calder's character more in this one.
Full review:
If there's something to be said about the second book in the Lies Beneath series, this had much in the way of improvement from the first, and I'm quite happy I gave Anne Greenwood Brown's book a go despite my conflicted sentiments for the first. "Deep Betrayal" picks up where the previous book left off, but in the perspective of Lily, the girl that merman Calder White left behind. Lily is a feisty, smart young lady, maybe a little on the side of pining more for Calder in this book than the former, but at the very least this book does a better job with the narrative flow on an overarching note than the first. Calder returns to Lily in the mix of several events occurring: conflicts with her respective family (particularly her father discovering a dark secret), a host of new mysterious abilities that Lily picks up, as well as a series of murders that no one can figure out. At first it's blamed on Calder's vengeful sisters, but such an attribution is not easily given, and Lily and Calder have to work together to get to the bottom of it all.
Despite a few qualms with the romance here, Calder and Lily's chemistry is a bit improved from the first, and I actually liked Calder's character more in this novel than the former. He's still a rather dark presence, and his humor's still sharp, but he wasn't as much of a center point as Lily in this novel. As well, I think some might be slightly disappointed to not see as much evil mermaid action as the former novel, but there's enough here to whet the appetite and enough in the mystery of events to keep the story ball rolling. It held my attention and kept me guessing up to the very end. I'll say that there were some issues with pacing that remained, but this was - overall - a much better read for me. Considering the ending of this, I have no qualms about continuing this series to see where it goes, especially with Lily's subsequent development in the conclusion of this story.
Overall score: 3/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House BFYR.
Full review:
If there's something to be said about the second book in the Lies Beneath series, this had much in the way of improvement from the first, and I'm quite happy I gave Anne Greenwood Brown's book a go despite my conflicted sentiments for the first. "Deep Betrayal" picks up where the previous book left off, but in the perspective of Lily, the girl that merman Calder White left behind. Lily is a feisty, smart young lady, maybe a little on the side of pining more for Calder in this book than the former, but at the very least this book does a better job with the narrative flow on an overarching note than the first. Calder returns to Lily in the mix of several events occurring: conflicts with her respective family (particularly her father discovering a dark secret), a host of new mysterious abilities that Lily picks up, as well as a series of murders that no one can figure out. At first it's blamed on Calder's vengeful sisters, but such an attribution is not easily given, and Lily and Calder have to work together to get to the bottom of it all.
Despite a few qualms with the romance here, Calder and Lily's chemistry is a bit improved from the first, and I actually liked Calder's character more in this novel than the former. He's still a rather dark presence, and his humor's still sharp, but he wasn't as much of a center point as Lily in this novel. As well, I think some might be slightly disappointed to not see as much evil mermaid action as the former novel, but there's enough here to whet the appetite and enough in the mystery of events to keep the story ball rolling. It held my attention and kept me guessing up to the very end. I'll say that there were some issues with pacing that remained, but this was - overall - a much better read for me. Considering the ending of this, I have no qualms about continuing this series to see where it goes, especially with Lily's subsequent development in the conclusion of this story.
Overall score: 3/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House BFYR.
December 6, 2022
3.5 stars. Overall, definitely enjoyable for me. There are some sentences that are worded super weirdly, and times when I was reminded this was published in 2013 when it was cool to have a possessive boyfriend in a YA novel lol, but otherwise it was super fast paced and I always wanted to know what would happen next. And, like, I 100% connected with Lily on wanting to be a mermaid so badly 😂
March 7, 2013
Definitely not your ordinary mermaids…
Deep Betrayal is the sequel to Lies Beneath and takes place about a month after the events of that book. Lily has been sent away from her family’s home on the shores of Lake Superior in order to keep her safe. All she can think of is Calder, her merman boyfriend. Lily also feels strangely attracted to the water.
Like the first book, this is a darker, more sinister take on mermaids. The author blends intriguing mermaid lore with native Indian legends to create a captivating read. Even Coyote makes an appearance. The narrative is enhanced by the addition of mermaid themed poetry. The underwater sequences are beautifully detailed as well.
I enjoyed Deep Betrayal more than Lies Beneath. I think it’s because the characters had another level of development. Whereas in the first book Calder was a little creepy, in this book he became the family’s protector and mentor. Calder even took his relationship with Lily a step further, attempting to take her on dates like a regular boyfriend. Calder seemed a little more human in this book.
In Deep Betrayal, Lily’s father Jason realizes his calling and begins to spend more time in the lake, abandoning his family. Calder takes him under his wing (fins?) and is showing Jason how to live as a merman. Meanwhile, something sinister is going on in the town and the surrounding areas. Someone or something is killing off the local townspeople. Calder and Lily work together to find out who or what is responsible.
This is a fun book to read if you ignore a few of the little inconsistencies and just enjoy the ride. (I’m not too sure that a human could deep dive 20 fathoms without a sub or specialized equipment). Also, Lily holds her breath for quite a while. I’m sure it’s possible, but a tad unrealistic.
Despite these niggling little things, Deep Betrayal still was an enjoyable read. For a darker take on mermaids, Deep Betrayal fits the bill (fins?). I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
Deep Betrayal is the sequel to Lies Beneath and takes place about a month after the events of that book. Lily has been sent away from her family’s home on the shores of Lake Superior in order to keep her safe. All she can think of is Calder, her merman boyfriend. Lily also feels strangely attracted to the water.
Like the first book, this is a darker, more sinister take on mermaids. The author blends intriguing mermaid lore with native Indian legends to create a captivating read. Even Coyote makes an appearance. The narrative is enhanced by the addition of mermaid themed poetry. The underwater sequences are beautifully detailed as well.
I enjoyed Deep Betrayal more than Lies Beneath. I think it’s because the characters had another level of development. Whereas in the first book Calder was a little creepy, in this book he became the family’s protector and mentor. Calder even took his relationship with Lily a step further, attempting to take her on dates like a regular boyfriend. Calder seemed a little more human in this book.
In Deep Betrayal, Lily’s father Jason realizes his calling and begins to spend more time in the lake, abandoning his family. Calder takes him under his wing (fins?) and is showing Jason how to live as a merman. Meanwhile, something sinister is going on in the town and the surrounding areas. Someone or something is killing off the local townspeople. Calder and Lily work together to find out who or what is responsible.
This is a fun book to read if you ignore a few of the little inconsistencies and just enjoy the ride. (I’m not too sure that a human could deep dive 20 fathoms without a sub or specialized equipment). Also, Lily holds her breath for quite a while. I’m sure it’s possible, but a tad unrealistic.
Despite these niggling little things, Deep Betrayal still was an enjoyable read. For a darker take on mermaids, Deep Betrayal fits the bill (fins?). I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
October 30, 2020
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This is the second book in the Lies Beneath Trilogy that takes place a month after the first book.
I was a bit disappointed in this... I liked the first book with the idea of the killer mermaids hunting for human emotions. Unfortunately, this book was just Lily whining about Calder or not being a mermaid for 333 pages. She drives me crazy in this book, how she repeatedly does silly things she is specifically told not to do.. such as getting in the water because revenge-driven mermaids are after her... I also hated the relationship between Calder and Lily, it was extremely toxic and just made me angry the entire time. Honestly, I just wish there was more Maris and Pavati, as they were the two characters I was the most intrigued with in the first book, but they were barely on page.
I will be finishing the series, only because I own the last book, but I don't have high hopes.
This is the second book in the Lies Beneath Trilogy that takes place a month after the first book.
I was a bit disappointed in this... I liked the first book with the idea of the killer mermaids hunting for human emotions. Unfortunately, this book was just Lily whining about Calder or not being a mermaid for 333 pages. She drives me crazy in this book, how she repeatedly does silly things she is specifically told not to do.. such as getting in the water because revenge-driven mermaids are after her... I also hated the relationship between Calder and Lily, it was extremely toxic and just made me angry the entire time. Honestly, I just wish there was more Maris and Pavati, as they were the two characters I was the most intrigued with in the first book, but they were barely on page.
I will be finishing the series, only because I own the last book, but I don't have high hopes.
March 15, 2021
3.5 stars
I think I prefered this to the first book, most likely because it was from Lily's point of view, and Lily showed a bit more emotion than Calder did. I knew that
I think I prefered this to the first book, most likely because it was from Lily's point of view, and Lily showed a bit more emotion than Calder did. I knew that
February 19, 2013
Lily has missed Calder after he's been away for more then a month but now that she's graduated she can finally go home, but not before telling her father the truth about who he really is. He's a merman.
Little did she know that once she revealed this life long secret that she would have to fight for her boyfriends attention since Calder is taking it upon himself to help him with his new transformation.
All the while there have been random killings out in the lake and no one is sure who's doing it.
Could it be Calder's grief stricken sisters? Jason, who finally found his new skin? Or is it something or someone else entirely?
Anne Greenwood Brown's debut novel, Lies Beneath was like a breath of fresh air. It was alluring, mysterious, bold, dangerous and had an all consuming vibe that I couldn't get enough of. It was also done in a males pov, which I found exceptionally refreshing. Calder has a very complex mind and desires and I was immediately impressed and fascinated with him and the world of mermaids/mermans.
I only wish I could have loved the sequel just as much as the first.
Now, please don't get me wrong here, Deep Betrayal was a decent sequel, but it just didn't have that spark that I was hoping for.
First off, I love Brown's writing. She has a way of taking a scene and capturing my imagination so profoundly I felt like I was actual immersed underwater. I also love how she expresses such complex emotions in her characters and uses it to guide them throughout the entire story. I also loved what she brought into this mythical lore and thought the history is sold and sharp. She makes it so easy to lose myself in her world.
But I'm not gonna lie, I think this sequel would have been more powerful if it was told in Calder's point of view. I missed him. As much as I liked what Lily brought into the story, she felt like a spectator in her own novel. Other then the last fifty pages of this book, everything else around her seemed to be so much bigger then anything she was going through, doing or seeing. The ending was the highlight of the entire story line and I'm glad we got to see that in her perspective, but I couldn't help find myself wanting to know more about Jason and his transformation, about Calder training him. I wanted to know more about his sisters, Maris and Pavati and I desperately wanted to know what Calder saw in Lily and what he was thinking.
With that said, I still liked Lily. I thought she was brave and courageous and I love her devotion to keep everyone she knows safe. But I was a little surprised how close minded she was in a particular moment in the book where a new mythology has been introduced. She questioned it. A lot. And I didn't understand why since her entire existence is based on that exact myth? I just didn't see the point?
I simply adored Calder in the first book. But without knowing whats going on behind closed doors, he felt like a giant question mark. He was erratically intense, easily angry and distracted. There was a lot of tension between him and Lily. She's keeping things from him. He's not telling her everything she wants to know and I couldn't help feel like there was a wall between them. They're still connected but at times it felt very distant, almost making me question their bond and affection for one another, further making me wish I could get inside his head so I could understand the whys.
Brown brings in a new mythical lead that I found fascinating, well developed and well placed in the story line. On top of what's going on with Lily, her father and Calder, there are random killings that center as our mystery. I actually liked how Brown handled this twist since I never saw the killer coming. It was very well done and unpredictable.
As for the ending, that was my favorite part. It was thrilling and pulse pounding. I was on the edge of my seat it was so exciting and unexpected. I'm not sure if this was the last book in the series, but I'm mighty curious where Brown would take these characters next if she ever decided to continue on.
All in all, I might not have loved this the way I wanted to, but I think it might be just me. I tend to favor male point of views and once I get a taste of it I can't help but crave it for the rest of them.
Still, I did like this book. I found it entertaining and an enjoyable experience. Brown's writing is remarkable and I loved being in this world. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.
Little did she know that once she revealed this life long secret that she would have to fight for her boyfriends attention since Calder is taking it upon himself to help him with his new transformation.
All the while there have been random killings out in the lake and no one is sure who's doing it.
Could it be Calder's grief stricken sisters? Jason, who finally found his new skin? Or is it something or someone else entirely?
Anne Greenwood Brown's debut novel, Lies Beneath was like a breath of fresh air. It was alluring, mysterious, bold, dangerous and had an all consuming vibe that I couldn't get enough of. It was also done in a males pov, which I found exceptionally refreshing. Calder has a very complex mind and desires and I was immediately impressed and fascinated with him and the world of mermaids/mermans.
I only wish I could have loved the sequel just as much as the first.
Now, please don't get me wrong here, Deep Betrayal was a decent sequel, but it just didn't have that spark that I was hoping for.
First off, I love Brown's writing. She has a way of taking a scene and capturing my imagination so profoundly I felt like I was actual immersed underwater. I also love how she expresses such complex emotions in her characters and uses it to guide them throughout the entire story. I also loved what she brought into this mythical lore and thought the history is sold and sharp. She makes it so easy to lose myself in her world.
But I'm not gonna lie, I think this sequel would have been more powerful if it was told in Calder's point of view. I missed him. As much as I liked what Lily brought into the story, she felt like a spectator in her own novel. Other then the last fifty pages of this book, everything else around her seemed to be so much bigger then anything she was going through, doing or seeing. The ending was the highlight of the entire story line and I'm glad we got to see that in her perspective, but I couldn't help find myself wanting to know more about Jason and his transformation, about Calder training him. I wanted to know more about his sisters, Maris and Pavati and I desperately wanted to know what Calder saw in Lily and what he was thinking.
With that said, I still liked Lily. I thought she was brave and courageous and I love her devotion to keep everyone she knows safe. But I was a little surprised how close minded she was in a particular moment in the book where a new mythology has been introduced. She questioned it. A lot. And I didn't understand why since her entire existence is based on that exact myth? I just didn't see the point?
I simply adored Calder in the first book. But without knowing whats going on behind closed doors, he felt like a giant question mark. He was erratically intense, easily angry and distracted. There was a lot of tension between him and Lily. She's keeping things from him. He's not telling her everything she wants to know and I couldn't help feel like there was a wall between them. They're still connected but at times it felt very distant, almost making me question their bond and affection for one another, further making me wish I could get inside his head so I could understand the whys.
Brown brings in a new mythical lead that I found fascinating, well developed and well placed in the story line. On top of what's going on with Lily, her father and Calder, there are random killings that center as our mystery. I actually liked how Brown handled this twist since I never saw the killer coming. It was very well done and unpredictable.
As for the ending, that was my favorite part. It was thrilling and pulse pounding. I was on the edge of my seat it was so exciting and unexpected. I'm not sure if this was the last book in the series, but I'm mighty curious where Brown would take these characters next if she ever decided to continue on.
All in all, I might not have loved this the way I wanted to, but I think it might be just me. I tend to favor male point of views and once I get a taste of it I can't help but crave it for the rest of them.
Still, I did like this book. I found it entertaining and an enjoyable experience. Brown's writing is remarkable and I loved being in this world. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.
June 19, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: A romantic and beautifully written sequel about family and neglect with a sprinkle of mythology.
Opening Sentence: Death finds us all.
The Review:
Told from Lily Hancock’s point of view, Deep Betrayal picks up a month after Lies Beneath leaves us. Now that Calder’s sister’s revenge plot has been resolved, Lily thought things would be normal (well, as normal as possible with a mermaid boyfriend and mermaid blood in her veins.) But when dead citizens start popping up within weeks of Lily’s father learning he too is a merman, Lily and Calder must find out who is behind the attacks before they get out of hand. Only problem is Calder seems to disappear for days on end, training Lily’s father on how to be a merman. And throughout this entire fiasco, Lily dreams of one day joining Calder and her father in the water as a mermaid. This mysterious mythology–based story will break your heart and mend it, leaving you satisfied with the ending yet wanting more.
I enjoyed this book as much, if not more than the first book, Lies Beneath. Although Lily has always annoyed me, I thought seeing her point of view was an interesting change. Although the plot lagged in the middle because of the constant accuse-wrong cycle, the book was pretty well developed. I found the different myths from Lake Superior very creative and cleverly inter-weaved into the story. The mythology wasn’t a major factor in the book, but it did help add to the suspense and “neglect” theme of the book.
Speaking of theme, this book is more than the basic “love triumphs all things” cliche-type themes. It ranges from the importance of family to the issue of neglect of nature/people. Honestly, this made me appreciate the book even more because the characters learn and grow from these not-so-basic issues. I really can’t say more because of spoilers, so you will just have to read it yourself for full understanding!
Lily Hancock is still the poetry-obsessed, family-first girl we knew in Lies Beneath, but in this book her priorities have changed. She no longer wishes for college and her friends at home. She has grown up from the naive girl dreading the cold waters of Lake Superior. Now there’s only one thing on her mind: Calder White. This insta-love type thing pulled me out of the story and made me dislike Lily just a tad. Although I have to give her props for holding out this long because CALDER. He is infuriatingly secretive and distant in this book, yet there are times when he’s so sweet and caring…and then he leaves again. But the main guy in this book really shouldn’t be Calder. Props to Brown for creating Jack as the most complex and broken boy in this series. Jack has been neglected. And with this neglect by Parvati comes a tidal wave of insecurity, anger and rashness all rooted in his desperation to see Parvati. He by far is the most complex character in the book.
Overall, this book is a great sequel. The ending is satisfying – the series really could have ended right there, so who knows what the next book will bring!
Notable Scene:
I watched the hall for a few more moments, in the hope that he’d come back. When he didn’t, I set my jaw and flopped back on my pillow. I turned away from Dad to hide my face. He put his hand on my shoulder and rolled me back toward him. My cheeks were already wet.
“So it’s that way? You’ll miss him that much?”
“Every minute.”
“Remember you’ll be leaving for college soon, Lily. It’s not a good time for you to get so involved.” He brushed my long bangs off my forehead.
“You know what? I wish I’d never told you about any of this. This was my secret. I shared it with you, but now you’re taking it from me.”
“Lily, I’m not taking anything from you. Frankly, I don’t want any of it.”
I wiped my face on my pillow. Dad headed for the door, then he stopped and turned at the threshold. “You’re too young to feel so strongly about someone.”
I almost smiled. “Maybe you’re too old to remember.”
He smiled, and for a second, he was just my dad again. Normal dad. The dad I wanted to remember. “Touché, sweet girl. I’ll be as quick a study. I’ll have him back soon.”
“Promise?” I asked, wondering if he was enough of a merman that I could bind him to his word. But he wouldn’t take the bait, and my door closed softly behind him, without an answer.
FTC Advisory: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Deep Betrayal. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A romantic and beautifully written sequel about family and neglect with a sprinkle of mythology.
Opening Sentence: Death finds us all.
The Review:
Told from Lily Hancock’s point of view, Deep Betrayal picks up a month after Lies Beneath leaves us. Now that Calder’s sister’s revenge plot has been resolved, Lily thought things would be normal (well, as normal as possible with a mermaid boyfriend and mermaid blood in her veins.) But when dead citizens start popping up within weeks of Lily’s father learning he too is a merman, Lily and Calder must find out who is behind the attacks before they get out of hand. Only problem is Calder seems to disappear for days on end, training Lily’s father on how to be a merman. And throughout this entire fiasco, Lily dreams of one day joining Calder and her father in the water as a mermaid. This mysterious mythology–based story will break your heart and mend it, leaving you satisfied with the ending yet wanting more.
I enjoyed this book as much, if not more than the first book, Lies Beneath. Although Lily has always annoyed me, I thought seeing her point of view was an interesting change. Although the plot lagged in the middle because of the constant accuse-wrong cycle, the book was pretty well developed. I found the different myths from Lake Superior very creative and cleverly inter-weaved into the story. The mythology wasn’t a major factor in the book, but it did help add to the suspense and “neglect” theme of the book.
Speaking of theme, this book is more than the basic “love triumphs all things” cliche-type themes. It ranges from the importance of family to the issue of neglect of nature/people. Honestly, this made me appreciate the book even more because the characters learn and grow from these not-so-basic issues. I really can’t say more because of spoilers, so you will just have to read it yourself for full understanding!
Lily Hancock is still the poetry-obsessed, family-first girl we knew in Lies Beneath, but in this book her priorities have changed. She no longer wishes for college and her friends at home. She has grown up from the naive girl dreading the cold waters of Lake Superior. Now there’s only one thing on her mind: Calder White. This insta-love type thing pulled me out of the story and made me dislike Lily just a tad. Although I have to give her props for holding out this long because CALDER. He is infuriatingly secretive and distant in this book, yet there are times when he’s so sweet and caring…and then he leaves again. But the main guy in this book really shouldn’t be Calder. Props to Brown for creating Jack as the most complex and broken boy in this series. Jack has been neglected. And with this neglect by Parvati comes a tidal wave of insecurity, anger and rashness all rooted in his desperation to see Parvati. He by far is the most complex character in the book.
Overall, this book is a great sequel. The ending is satisfying – the series really could have ended right there, so who knows what the next book will bring!
Notable Scene:
I watched the hall for a few more moments, in the hope that he’d come back. When he didn’t, I set my jaw and flopped back on my pillow. I turned away from Dad to hide my face. He put his hand on my shoulder and rolled me back toward him. My cheeks were already wet.
“So it’s that way? You’ll miss him that much?”
“Every minute.”
“Remember you’ll be leaving for college soon, Lily. It’s not a good time for you to get so involved.” He brushed my long bangs off my forehead.
“You know what? I wish I’d never told you about any of this. This was my secret. I shared it with you, but now you’re taking it from me.”
“Lily, I’m not taking anything from you. Frankly, I don’t want any of it.”
I wiped my face on my pillow. Dad headed for the door, then he stopped and turned at the threshold. “You’re too young to feel so strongly about someone.”
I almost smiled. “Maybe you’re too old to remember.”
He smiled, and for a second, he was just my dad again. Normal dad. The dad I wanted to remember. “Touché, sweet girl. I’ll be as quick a study. I’ll have him back soon.”
“Promise?” I asked, wondering if he was enough of a merman that I could bind him to his word. But he wouldn’t take the bait, and my door closed softly behind him, without an answer.
FTC Advisory: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Deep Betrayal. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
April 1, 2013
I have to say I was excited to get back into this world as I liked the first book in the series and wanted to see what had become of Calder and Lily. We start this book out with Lily dealing with graduation and missing Calder. I have to say that I loved Lily more in the first book as she wasn't so clingy and everything wasn't all about Calder. We find her in this book moping around because she has seen him since he left. I felt that she lost some of what made me love her as a character from the first book. I won't say I didn't like her at all though because she starts to redeem herself as the story goes on.
Calder eventually comes back to Lily and she learns that she may be in danger again as there are forces out there that she hadn't thought about hurting her. Lily also has to deal with her dad learning what he really is and the pull that the water has on mer people. I have to say that Calder was still the same Calder and I still loved how much he cared for Lily and her family. He really would do anything to make her happy. The interaction between him and Lily's dad really showed how vulnerable he was and how much he missed out on having a normal life. I loved seeing this side of him and and seeing him and Lily's relationship progress.
I will say that what happens towards the end of this book left my mouth open in shock. I so didn't see that coming and I love the author for putting it in there and shocking me. It made it such a great way for this story to close out and I am hoping there will be a third book as I love this world and the characters a lot. The author told another amazing tale and really had me hooked again from start to finish. Overall this was another great read and one that I recommend to others especially lovers of mer people tales.
I received a copy of this from the publisher for an honest review.
Calder eventually comes back to Lily and she learns that she may be in danger again as there are forces out there that she hadn't thought about hurting her. Lily also has to deal with her dad learning what he really is and the pull that the water has on mer people. I have to say that Calder was still the same Calder and I still loved how much he cared for Lily and her family. He really would do anything to make her happy. The interaction between him and Lily's dad really showed how vulnerable he was and how much he missed out on having a normal life. I loved seeing this side of him and and seeing him and Lily's relationship progress.
I will say that what happens towards the end of this book left my mouth open in shock. I so didn't see that coming and I love the author for putting it in there and shocking me. It made it such a great way for this story to close out and I am hoping there will be a third book as I love this world and the characters a lot. The author told another amazing tale and really had me hooked again from start to finish. Overall this was another great read and one that I recommend to others especially lovers of mer people tales.
I received a copy of this from the publisher for an honest review.
Want to read
July 26, 2012Loved the first story in the series and cant wait to here the rest of thr story.
Read
December 18, 2017I really like the mythology that goes along with origin story of mermaids. I'd love to explore more of that. It was nice to see more of Calder and his sisters. This one felt a little scarier to me than the first which is a good thing.
January 27, 2019
Could not finish this book!
I feel so bad, but I was bored..... :’(
I feel so bad, but I was bored..... :’(
March 3, 2013
This was a bit disappointing given my love for the first book in this series. I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher, Delacorte Books, for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review. Obtaining this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or review.
Blurb from Goodreads:
It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a merman. Obsessed with his new identity, Lily's dad monopolizes Calder's time as the two of them spend every day in the water, leaving Lily behind.
Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .
So, as soon as I heard this was up on Net Galley, I had to request it. The first book in this series was so amazingly good I could not put it down once I started and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. I loved Calder's POV! So, when I heard this book was from Lily's POV, I was a bit skeptical, but intrigued. I was excited to get to see things from her POV.
Lily's character in this book does not strike me as the strong girl she was in the first book. Of course, we were inside Calder's head at that time, so all our knowledge of her was second hand. Calder made her out to be this strong, determined girl who wasn't afraid to take chances. In this book I found her to be more needy than anything else. She was whinny and annoying, constantly talking about her need to be with Calder. Ok, we get it, you love him and want him badly, but you need to take care of you, girl! I don't feel like she grew much as a character during this book. She kind of just chugged along, trying to find the answers to her questions and the mysteries surrounding the lake, but not really changing in anyway once she found what she was looking for. But Lily has some highly redeeming qualities as well: she is determined to keep the ones she loves safe.
Calder, well, while he was in this book I felt most like he was absent. He spent so much time off doing other things, that we didn't get to see much of him. And I missed that because I really loved Calder in the first book. But seeing him from Lily's POV changed that, made him seem like he cared less than I know he does. It was frustrating to listen to Lily carry on about how he was not around, how she didn't get to see him and maybe he'd changed his mind about being with her.
We get a bit more of Lily's father in this story, for reasons I will not go into as not to spoil things. It was interesting to watch her come to terms with all the changes her father was facing. And also nice to see him grow a bond with Calder.
I really think this book would have been much better if Brown had stuck with Calder's POV. I understand her motivation for wanting us to see things from Lily's side of it, but I don't feel like her character was strong enough to handle the reader, taking them where they needed to go. I really felt like Lily was more outside of what she was telling, as if she were just a spectator or reporter telling us what she was seeing. I did not feel a connection to her at all. There was too much angst, too much whining and certainly too much dependence to make Lily a strong character. She didn't live up to how she was portrayed by Calder in the first book at all. I was very disappointed with that.
I have to say that I love Brown's writing. It's easy to follow and flows well off the page. She makes me want to continue reading and not put the book down. Her descriptions are so acute, they really put you right into the scene so you feel like you are there experiencing what the characters are experiencing. And I can picture the scenes clearly in my mind. I also love the mythology she brings into the story and how the characters go about finding more information. It provided for some very intense scenes where I actually feared for their safety.
The ending was not a surprise to me at all. I knew that at some point what happened would happen, in some way or another. I was surprised with how it ended and I'm curious to see how it will be dealt with in the next book.
I did enjoy the book, and I'm looking forward to whatever else Brown will share with us. But I can say that I was not nearly as entertained by this book as I was by the first. It took me three days to get through this because I kept having to put it down from my annoyance at the main character. I was actually bored through much of reading this, tho the story line was interesting enough. The most redeeming quality was what happened at the end, and that is what will keep me coming back to find out more about this story.
3 out of 5 stars from me.
Blurb from Goodreads:
It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a merman. Obsessed with his new identity, Lily's dad monopolizes Calder's time as the two of them spend every day in the water, leaving Lily behind.
Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .
So, as soon as I heard this was up on Net Galley, I had to request it. The first book in this series was so amazingly good I could not put it down once I started and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. I loved Calder's POV! So, when I heard this book was from Lily's POV, I was a bit skeptical, but intrigued. I was excited to get to see things from her POV.
Lily's character in this book does not strike me as the strong girl she was in the first book. Of course, we were inside Calder's head at that time, so all our knowledge of her was second hand. Calder made her out to be this strong, determined girl who wasn't afraid to take chances. In this book I found her to be more needy than anything else. She was whinny and annoying, constantly talking about her need to be with Calder. Ok, we get it, you love him and want him badly, but you need to take care of you, girl! I don't feel like she grew much as a character during this book. She kind of just chugged along, trying to find the answers to her questions and the mysteries surrounding the lake, but not really changing in anyway once she found what she was looking for. But Lily has some highly redeeming qualities as well: she is determined to keep the ones she loves safe.
Calder, well, while he was in this book I felt most like he was absent. He spent so much time off doing other things, that we didn't get to see much of him. And I missed that because I really loved Calder in the first book. But seeing him from Lily's POV changed that, made him seem like he cared less than I know he does. It was frustrating to listen to Lily carry on about how he was not around, how she didn't get to see him and maybe he'd changed his mind about being with her.
We get a bit more of Lily's father in this story, for reasons I will not go into as not to spoil things. It was interesting to watch her come to terms with all the changes her father was facing. And also nice to see him grow a bond with Calder.
I really think this book would have been much better if Brown had stuck with Calder's POV. I understand her motivation for wanting us to see things from Lily's side of it, but I don't feel like her character was strong enough to handle the reader, taking them where they needed to go. I really felt like Lily was more outside of what she was telling, as if she were just a spectator or reporter telling us what she was seeing. I did not feel a connection to her at all. There was too much angst, too much whining and certainly too much dependence to make Lily a strong character. She didn't live up to how she was portrayed by Calder in the first book at all. I was very disappointed with that.
I have to say that I love Brown's writing. It's easy to follow and flows well off the page. She makes me want to continue reading and not put the book down. Her descriptions are so acute, they really put you right into the scene so you feel like you are there experiencing what the characters are experiencing. And I can picture the scenes clearly in my mind. I also love the mythology she brings into the story and how the characters go about finding more information. It provided for some very intense scenes where I actually feared for their safety.
The ending was not a surprise to me at all. I knew that at some point what happened would happen, in some way or another. I was surprised with how it ended and I'm curious to see how it will be dealt with in the next book.
I did enjoy the book, and I'm looking forward to whatever else Brown will share with us. But I can say that I was not nearly as entertained by this book as I was by the first. It took me three days to get through this because I kept having to put it down from my annoyance at the main character. I was actually bored through much of reading this, tho the story line was interesting enough. The most redeeming quality was what happened at the end, and that is what will keep me coming back to find out more about this story.
3 out of 5 stars from me.
August 6, 2013
Lies Beneath is one of those fantasy books that I did enjoy - I enjoyed every mermaid-y moment of it. It takes a bit of a long time to read the sequel but whatev’s I could say it’s still as enjoying as the first.
Someone is one killing spree - it's either Calder's sister or Lily's father.
From Calder's perspective we now jumped to Lily's perspective. I guess, it has its up and down side to it. It’s good because we somehow see how Lily sees through all of this craziness that seems to be happening around her and her family, I was curious about what she thinks about all this. The downside for it (which is a huge percentage for me) is that I needed the insights with everything that is happening on this book from Calder. Lily seems to bring only the human side where the story lures more into what is happening beneath the waters.
Lily seems to be a bit different here - the quirky, stubborn and hard-headed girl we all met on the first book came of as needy and only sees herself during the first parts of this book but that's just at the beginning (when Calder hasn’t made an appearance yet) and not soon enough the girl we all met on the first book came back. She greatly matured here; she sees through things and willingly considers circumstances that happened through the book.
Calder also developed hugely. On the first book he's more the killer merman and is focused on his ways of living but here he's fast becoming more human and is getting used to living the human ways. He's also fast becoming a member of the Hancock family - the very family that he and his sisters tried to break on the first book.
Calder’s sisters are given vicious on the first book and I honestly find myself missing them here. Yes, they made an appearance from time to time but it feels different; they’re not anymore the highlight of it all.
As for Calder and Lily’s sweet romance, it’s still as mellow as ever but I honestly liked it. There are no extreme complications – a little bit of misunderstanding here and there but that’s it.
The whole story was still interesting and is more interesting as ever - the mystery of the killing spree, mermaid scandals and the additional myth of Marighdean Mara. Though it confused the hell out of me the story of Marighdean Mara was a very interesting addition and a good story background for this.
My only qualm about it was the pacing of the story. It started on a really really slow pace – with Lily waiting for Calder and even counting off the days. But when Calder made his appearance all mysteries came up but then nothing happens. The succeeding pages were spent with Lily still waiting some more and wait and wait and speculate and wait. Then out of nowhere answers came and there is action, action and action but then during that time the anticipation seems to already leave out of me. It would’ve been better if all was given to us gradually and not all at once.
A little side note is that reading this makes me more curious about Lake Superior. If it’s only that near to me I would’ve visit it already but maybe soon though. ;) I consider every swim of Lily with Calder to be the highlight of the chapter or even the whole story. I was fascinated with the setting and it’s a great one made for the whole story.
Although it doesn’t give me the same excitement as the first book it was still surprising and entertaining to read. The ending is a definite killer so next book should truly be waited on! A great sequel!
Someone is one killing spree - it's either Calder's sister or Lily's father.
From Calder's perspective we now jumped to Lily's perspective. I guess, it has its up and down side to it. It’s good because we somehow see how Lily sees through all of this craziness that seems to be happening around her and her family, I was curious about what she thinks about all this. The downside for it (which is a huge percentage for me) is that I needed the insights with everything that is happening on this book from Calder. Lily seems to bring only the human side where the story lures more into what is happening beneath the waters.
Lily seems to be a bit different here - the quirky, stubborn and hard-headed girl we all met on the first book came of as needy and only sees herself during the first parts of this book but that's just at the beginning (when Calder hasn’t made an appearance yet) and not soon enough the girl we all met on the first book came back. She greatly matured here; she sees through things and willingly considers circumstances that happened through the book.
Calder also developed hugely. On the first book he's more the killer merman and is focused on his ways of living but here he's fast becoming more human and is getting used to living the human ways. He's also fast becoming a member of the Hancock family - the very family that he and his sisters tried to break on the first book.
Calder’s sisters are given vicious on the first book and I honestly find myself missing them here. Yes, they made an appearance from time to time but it feels different; they’re not anymore the highlight of it all.
As for Calder and Lily’s sweet romance, it’s still as mellow as ever but I honestly liked it. There are no extreme complications – a little bit of misunderstanding here and there but that’s it.
The whole story was still interesting and is more interesting as ever - the mystery of the killing spree, mermaid scandals and the additional myth of Marighdean Mara. Though it confused the hell out of me the story of Marighdean Mara was a very interesting addition and a good story background for this.
My only qualm about it was the pacing of the story. It started on a really really slow pace – with Lily waiting for Calder and even counting off the days. But when Calder made his appearance all mysteries came up but then nothing happens. The succeeding pages were spent with Lily still waiting some more and wait and wait and speculate and wait. Then out of nowhere answers came and there is action, action and action but then during that time the anticipation seems to already leave out of me. It would’ve been better if all was given to us gradually and not all at once.
A little side note is that reading this makes me more curious about Lake Superior. If it’s only that near to me I would’ve visit it already but maybe soon though. ;) I consider every swim of Lily with Calder to be the highlight of the chapter or even the whole story. I was fascinated with the setting and it’s a great one made for the whole story.
Although it doesn’t give me the same excitement as the first book it was still surprising and entertaining to read. The ending is a definite killer so next book should truly be waited on! A great sequel!
June 1, 2013
Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...
After reading Lies Beneath last year, this became one of the sequels I was waiting on desperately! I love Anne Greenwood Brown's writing. Her words have a certain way of capturing you into the story– with romance, with mermaids and with legends.
This was an interesting turn as now we get to hear what happens in Lily's perspective! I really loved Lily's character in the last book and was excited to finally get to know her more.
I felt this book was a little slower compared to the first one. I loved it– but it lacked in that fast-pacedness that I adored in Lies Beneath. And of course, the lack of Calder made it drag on a little bit more.
I enjoyed the reappearance of some of the characters from the previous book. Granted, a lot had changed since then, but I mean, for instance, Jack's character has had some major character development... the wrong way. He's COMPLETELY different now, and it's kind of a creepy paranoid-ness that's taken over his life. Calder is pretty sparse throughout this whole book, as I mentioned previously, and this was both a good and a bad thing. Good, because Lily's character really flourished in this book and now I'm really loving her character, but bad because I mean: it's CALDER. Enough said.
Oh my gosh– the ending guys! Freaking awesome. Seriously pumped up to read the next book because there's so much to be answered and the way Deep Betrayal leaves off is just like, WOW. Firstly, because there's a fabulous twist in here, and secondly, mind. blown. Yeah, that's right, seriously grab this book when you can! Here's a little snippet:
❝One small step. My toes dug into the rocky precipice, feeling its pockmarked surface. The shiny lacquer of my toenails reflected a bird overhead. We made eye contact–the bird and I– he with a questioning expression, raising a feathered eyebrow.
One small step. Tensing, I leaned forward.
One small step. I closed my eyes and inhaled the perfumed air.
One small step.
And I was falling.
A rush
of adrenaline
surged from
my stomach
to my heart.❞
– p. 2-3 (ARC* edition)
*text is subject to change in the final copy
See what I mean about flawless descriptions and that enthralling tone of the story? This is one not to miss out.
Deep Betrayal was everything I could ask for in a sequel, and by the end had me saying: MORE PLEASE! Anne Greenwood Brown has proven once again her brilliant skill as an author and shall definitely be looking forward to the third instalment of this series, Promise Bound.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Anne Greenwood Brown for providing an ARC copy for review and BTG2013! ▪ ▪ ▪
After reading Lies Beneath last year, this became one of the sequels I was waiting on desperately! I love Anne Greenwood Brown's writing. Her words have a certain way of capturing you into the story– with romance, with mermaids and with legends.
This was an interesting turn as now we get to hear what happens in Lily's perspective! I really loved Lily's character in the last book and was excited to finally get to know her more.
I felt this book was a little slower compared to the first one. I loved it– but it lacked in that fast-pacedness that I adored in Lies Beneath. And of course, the lack of Calder made it drag on a little bit more.
I enjoyed the reappearance of some of the characters from the previous book. Granted, a lot had changed since then, but I mean, for instance, Jack's character has had some major character development... the wrong way. He's COMPLETELY different now, and it's kind of a creepy paranoid-ness that's taken over his life. Calder is pretty sparse throughout this whole book, as I mentioned previously, and this was both a good and a bad thing. Good, because Lily's character really flourished in this book and now I'm really loving her character, but bad because I mean: it's CALDER. Enough said.
Oh my gosh– the ending guys! Freaking awesome. Seriously pumped up to read the next book because there's so much to be answered and the way Deep Betrayal leaves off is just like, WOW. Firstly, because there's a fabulous twist in here, and secondly, mind. blown. Yeah, that's right, seriously grab this book when you can! Here's a little snippet:
❝One small step. My toes dug into the rocky precipice, feeling its pockmarked surface. The shiny lacquer of my toenails reflected a bird overhead. We made eye contact–the bird and I– he with a questioning expression, raising a feathered eyebrow.
One small step. Tensing, I leaned forward.
One small step. I closed my eyes and inhaled the perfumed air.
One small step.
And I was falling.
A rush
of adrenaline
surged from
my stomach
to my heart.❞
– p. 2-3 (ARC* edition)
*text is subject to change in the final copy
See what I mean about flawless descriptions and that enthralling tone of the story? This is one not to miss out.
Deep Betrayal was everything I could ask for in a sequel, and by the end had me saying: MORE PLEASE! Anne Greenwood Brown has proven once again her brilliant skill as an author and shall definitely be looking forward to the third instalment of this series, Promise Bound.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Anne Greenwood Brown for providing an ARC copy for review and BTG2013! ▪ ▪ ▪
May 23, 2013
“Death finds us all. Yet I was impatient and had gone looking for it; now there was no going back. My toes curled over the edge of the rock….”
Great opening lines, as did the first in the series, Lies Beneath. However this sequel is slow to start. Lily is exiled to Minneapolis to graduate with her friend Jules. She hasn’t heard from Calder and doesn’t know if he is alive or dead. She is worried about her father (spoiler alert from the first book!) who doesn’t realize that he is a merman. Then, almost as an anti-climax, Calder does return, and together they approach Jason with the news. Of course he knew on some level, but he so wholeheartedly takes over training with Calder that his family feels abandoned. In fact, we see so little of him, that we feel he is really just a peripheral character that we don’t have to care about.
Into this frustration, we add killings- many killings. Beginning with Talullah’s body washing ashore, and continuing with lots of students, it looks like the work of the mer-people. Jason, newly alive to being a merman? Maris and Pavati come back to Lake Superior for revenge? Calder, lying to Lily? Someone else entirely? Jack, desolate now that Pavati has not come back to HIM, broadcasts loudly that the killings are done by the mer-folk. Calder says it is just a matter of time until someone believes him. The story is called “deep betrayal.” Just who is the betrayer?
Of course Lily has secrets of her own. Sophie is harboring secrets. Calder is stand-offish, then coming on to Lily. We really grow tired of the many references to Calder’s body. However, in a hot scene in the hammock, Lily proclaims she is not ready for sex at all! Lily is a real teen: sometimes self-centered and whining, sometimes caring and looking outside herself. Calder’s real intentions are absent this book. Yes, he is a teen, but he is more supposed to be more mature than teens his age. Harboring secrets? Needing something to happen? His off-again-on-again distance with Lily doesn’t ring true. He really is a bully in this book.
I really liked Lies Beneath and hoped this wasn’t a middle-book-to-get-to-the-end, but I am afraid it is. Yes, there is a real ending; yes there are new revelations; and yes, they are too few to really carry the book on its own. The last in the series, Promise Bound is out in spring, 2014. Will we all read it? It’s a toss up. But really: pink??!!
Great opening lines, as did the first in the series, Lies Beneath. However this sequel is slow to start. Lily is exiled to Minneapolis to graduate with her friend Jules. She hasn’t heard from Calder and doesn’t know if he is alive or dead. She is worried about her father (spoiler alert from the first book!) who doesn’t realize that he is a merman. Then, almost as an anti-climax, Calder does return, and together they approach Jason with the news. Of course he knew on some level, but he so wholeheartedly takes over training with Calder that his family feels abandoned. In fact, we see so little of him, that we feel he is really just a peripheral character that we don’t have to care about.
Into this frustration, we add killings- many killings. Beginning with Talullah’s body washing ashore, and continuing with lots of students, it looks like the work of the mer-people. Jason, newly alive to being a merman? Maris and Pavati come back to Lake Superior for revenge? Calder, lying to Lily? Someone else entirely? Jack, desolate now that Pavati has not come back to HIM, broadcasts loudly that the killings are done by the mer-folk. Calder says it is just a matter of time until someone believes him. The story is called “deep betrayal.” Just who is the betrayer?
Of course Lily has secrets of her own. Sophie is harboring secrets. Calder is stand-offish, then coming on to Lily. We really grow tired of the many references to Calder’s body. However, in a hot scene in the hammock, Lily proclaims she is not ready for sex at all! Lily is a real teen: sometimes self-centered and whining, sometimes caring and looking outside herself. Calder’s real intentions are absent this book. Yes, he is a teen, but he is more supposed to be more mature than teens his age. Harboring secrets? Needing something to happen? His off-again-on-again distance with Lily doesn’t ring true. He really is a bully in this book.
I really liked Lies Beneath and hoped this wasn’t a middle-book-to-get-to-the-end, but I am afraid it is. Yes, there is a real ending; yes there are new revelations; and yes, they are too few to really carry the book on its own. The last in the series, Promise Bound is out in spring, 2014. Will we all read it? It’s a toss up. But really: pink??!!
March 16, 2013
*Genre* YA Paranormal Mermaids
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Full Review Shortly*
Having heard that this book was supposed to be from Calder's POV, color me disappointed that we didn't get a chance. I would have really liked to learn more about Calder, and especially now that Lily's father has come into his inheritance as it were. Lily is still a smart character who pines just a little bit too much for Calder and then has the audacity to whine whenever he's not around or helping her own father struggle through his changes.
In the end, I still liked this book because there was a hint of horror in that nobody knew who was responsible for the murders around the lake and it could have been a whole slew of characters including her own father. Lily also learns a few new tricks all her own, and her little sister Sophie was probably the most remarkable character in that she could tell there was something different about her father and Lily just by looking at them. This story isn't so much as a romance novel as it is a suspense and mystery one.
Yes, I will be totally interested in finding out what happens next in this series/trilogy since AGB left a few questions unanswered including the fate of Lily's entire family.
*Recvd via Netgalley 12/03/2012* Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by Random House/ Delacorte
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Full Review Shortly*
Having heard that this book was supposed to be from Calder's POV, color me disappointed that we didn't get a chance. I would have really liked to learn more about Calder, and especially now that Lily's father has come into his inheritance as it were. Lily is still a smart character who pines just a little bit too much for Calder and then has the audacity to whine whenever he's not around or helping her own father struggle through his changes.
In the end, I still liked this book because there was a hint of horror in that nobody knew who was responsible for the murders around the lake and it could have been a whole slew of characters including her own father. Lily also learns a few new tricks all her own, and her little sister Sophie was probably the most remarkable character in that she could tell there was something different about her father and Lily just by looking at them. This story isn't so much as a romance novel as it is a suspense and mystery one.
Yes, I will be totally interested in finding out what happens next in this series/trilogy since AGB left a few questions unanswered including the fate of Lily's entire family.
*Recvd via Netgalley 12/03/2012* Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by Random House/ Delacorte
November 29, 2013
Je tiens à préciser que je n'ai pas détesté cette lecture. Les dix dernières pages (environ) m'ont même bien plu, la donne change, l'auteur a relancé mon intérêt en peu de temps, et je n'ai pas terminé la lecture sur un sentiment négatif. Seulement, trop de points m'ont agacé et c'est ce qui ressort le plus dans mon avis. Selon moi le changement de point de vue dessert l'histoire, ou alors l'auteur aurait dû faire le contraire, ouvrir le bal avec Lily pour le poursuivre avec Calder. Ou alors, voir à alterner les points de vue. L'excellente découverte qu'avait été le tome 1 est retombée comme un soufflet. Lily n'est pas un mauvais personnage, elle a des bons côtés, mais déjà dans le tome 1 elle m'avait paru commune et à côté d'une sirène elle ne fait clairement pas le poids. Sa personnalité ne m'a pas marqué, ses émotions sont moins belles que celles de Calder. Il est à noter que son histoire avec lui ne ressort pas des masses dans cette suite. Dommage, mais je n'ai pas dit mon dernier mot.
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2013/...
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2013/...
March 18, 2013
all i can say is wow!!! This is the sequel to Lies Beneath and the story totally sucked me in. It was a non stop read till the end which leaves a few strings still loose for the author to tie up in the third book.
I actually cant say much with out giving away too much about the story. If you really and truely loved the first book, you are going to enjoy the second on. Although it did leave me with a slight reminder of New Moon when Bella was missing Edward and couldnt function without him. lol but other than that the story line keeps you guessing right up until the end and you are still left with a "whodunnit" feeling.
I actually cant say much with out giving away too much about the story. If you really and truely loved the first book, you are going to enjoy the second on. Although it did leave me with a slight reminder of New Moon when Bella was missing Edward and couldnt function without him. lol but other than that the story line keeps you guessing right up until the end and you are still left with a "whodunnit" feeling.
July 8, 2013
I LOVED the fact the author decided to switch perspectives to Lily for this story. I really liked her character in the first book,and it was fun to get inside her head in this second story where she becomes even more interesting.
I can't wait for the third one to come out next spring so I can see what Anne has in store for the family of mermaids. That said, this story also could have ended things nicely, so there's a hint of trepidation as well. I assume we're going to see and understand a lot more about both Calder and Lily's families in the next, and I'm really interested to see what happens.
I can't wait for the third one to come out next spring so I can see what Anne has in store for the family of mermaids. That said, this story also could have ended things nicely, so there's a hint of trepidation as well. I assume we're going to see and understand a lot more about both Calder and Lily's families in the next, and I'm really interested to see what happens.
Read
March 16, 2013While Deep Betrayal lost a lot of the things I loved about the first book (Calder's narration, the revenge theme, the carnivorous merfolk) and replaced it with stuff I am less excited about (Lily's narration, lack of revenge, red herrings and a character I liked gone bad) I am still a fan of the way that this series takes the typical mermaid story and gives it .. teeth!
Full review on my blog, YA Romantics
Full review on my blog, YA Romantics
March 29, 2015
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more stupid and boring leading couple than Lily and Calder. The most interesting character in the whole book is Sophie, the little sister, who barely gets enough page time to make reading this worthwhile. Greenwood Brown has an unforgivable habit of trying to make every character redeemable to the point where the entire book becomes a whiny, navel-gazing diary entry interspersed with Lily's abominable poetry.
August 16, 2015
This series is truly amazing.. I am honestly hooked and dreading the ending.
Deep Betrayal was a great continuation and it being written from Lily's point of view- made it even more interesting, more to the fact that the ending was completely unexpected.. But I absolutely looooooved it! Already purchased the last book in the series all ready to be read tomorrow:)
Deep Betrayal was a great continuation and it being written from Lily's point of view- made it even more interesting, more to the fact that the ending was completely unexpected.. But I absolutely looooooved it! Already purchased the last book in the series all ready to be read tomorrow:)
July 19, 2013
This is a great series! I can't wait for the final book, "Promise Bound", to be released. So glad I gave this book a chance.
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