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    Between the Sea and Sky
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    Between the Sea and Sky
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    Between the Sea and Sky
    Ebook227 pages3 hours

    Between the Sea and Sky

    By Jaclyn Dolamore

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateOct 25, 2011
    ISBN9781599906522
    Unavailable
    Between the Sea and Sky
    Author

    Jaclyn Dolamore

    JACLYN DOLAMORE is the author of Magic Under Glass and Between the Sea and Sky. She spent her childhood reading as many books as she could lug home from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. www.jaclyndolamore.com

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    Reviews for Between the Sea and Sky

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Cute and quick read with fun characters and a sweet romance.Opening Sentence: It was not every day that a mermaid became a siren, and not every day that Esmerine attended such a party.The Review:Esmerine is a mermaid and she has always wanted to be a siren. The siren’s are trained to protect the sea and all its inhabitants from those that would harm them. They are given a magical belt that helps them to harness magic, but they are never to give this belt to a human. If they do their tail will turn to legs and they will never be able to return to the sea. Esmerine’s sister, Dosinia, has been a siren for a few years now and it is finally Esmerine’s turn to join the ranks of the sirens. But right after she finally gets her dream Dosinia runs away to the mainland.Esmerine’s family is heartbroken and she decides that she will go after her sister and see if there is any way she can bring her home. She enlists the help of childhood friend, Alander. He is a part of the winged race people. When they were children he would visit her often and bring her books to read. They haven’t seen each other in years but Esmerine has many found memories of Alander. As they journey together to find her sister they not only rekindle their friendship but also start to fall in love. But they come from two very different worlds and being together may come at too high a price.Esmerine is a sweet girl that has a lot to learn. She has lived a very sheltered life and it was interesting to watch her grow as a person throughout the story. I also loved that she really enjoyed to read and learn. In the world she grew up in there were obviously no books but she always loved when Alander would bring her something new to read. She was an easy character to like and I enjoyed being inside her head.Alander was a very cute guy. At first he seems very distant and cold to Esmerine but as they spend more time together he starts to warm up to her. I actually really enjoyed watching their relationship develop. They had the original connection from when they were kids but they haven’t seen each other in four years so a lot has changed. They form a new bound and eventually they fall in love. I thought that Alander was adorable and he was fun to get to know.Between the Sea and Sky was a cute, quick read. The beginning started out really slow but once things picked up it got a lot better. There were still a few places where the story lagged slightly, but overall, it flowed fairly well. The romance was well done and I could really feel the connection between the characters. The plot was very predictable and everything felt a little too convenient at times, but I still found it to be an enjoyable book. It was pretty thin so I was able to sit down and read it in one sitting, so it’s one of those books that you don’t have to invest a lot of time into it. Also, the book is not extremely memorable, but if you are looking for a light fun read, I would recommend you give this one a try.Notable Scene:He didn’t even recognize her!She rose to her feet, pushing her hair back behind her ears, waiting for it to dawn on him.He stepped closer. His eyes filled with sudden shock. Oh, thank the waters!“Esmerine?” he said, slowly replacing his hat on the back of his head.“Yes, It’s me.” A flutter rushed from her stomach to her throat. Oh dear oh dear. Alander. He was real. She didn’t know what else to say. She hadn’t realized how different they’d be now. Of course she hadn’t really expected to find a boy, but she also hadn’t realized she’d find a man of Sormesen with a hat to doff and a necktie. His cropped bangs clung to his forehead in the heat. He was taller than her by a good half a fin, where they had once been nearly the same height. He came very close to her, close enough that she smelled the smoke and fire of the human world on his clothes.FTC Advisory: Bloomsbury provided me with a copy of Between the Sea and Sky. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 3/5
      I found Dolamore's debut “Magic Under Glass” to be a charming and creative book that could have benefited from some tighter plotting and characterisation. It certainly sparked my interest for her next book, a standalone mermaid story, especially after Dolamore mentioned how she wrote the book to the scores of Studio Ghibli films (indeed, I noted in my earlier review how her creative worlds would be ideal for Hayao Miyizaki's next film.) While the mermaid craze never quite took off the way that many bloggers and publishers thought it would, there is still a gap in the market for a strong mermaid YA to join the myriad of vampires, werewolves, angels and other assorted creatures of mythology already so well known to readerrs. Unfortunately this book did not meet my excpectations.

      I found that many of the same problems I had with Dolamore's previous novel appeared in “Between the Sea and the Sky”. Wonderfully imaginative elements of world-building, including the mermaid-siren hierarchy, the relations between each of the species and the world of the winged creatures, the Fandarsee, were introduced to us but never fully developed. In “Magic Under Glass”, Dolamore introduced the strands of political and cultural complexities that I was desperate to know more about, yet such elements never came to fruition, and the exact same thing happens here. While there were moments of vivid descriptive scenes throughout her consistently strong prose, I never felt fully immersed in the world-building. To be honest, much of it felt very underdeveloped. I have a feeling this book may be marketed to a younger, more middle-grade audience. The prose and story-telling feels more suited to pre-teen readers, although it's very readable for all ages. I did find that the frequent dumping of exposition began to grate extremely quickly, especially since this is such a short book with very little action and a highly predictable plot.

      I did not find Esmerine to be as interesting or well developed as Nimira in “Magic Under Glass.” The idea of the young beautiful mermaid dissatisfied with her lot in life and yearning for more on the surface is nothing new. In fact, it's a staple of the great mermaid tales going back as far as Hans Christian Andersen, maybe even further. I can understand the harking back to influential tales but so little is developed from that point onwards that it can't help but feel stagnant and unsatisfying. This applies to pretty much every supporting character in the book, although nobody is ever really given any real time to shine or become more three-dimensional. Of course, this doesn't bode well for the romantic element, which felt too heavily reliant on the childhood friends trope to explain Esmerine and Alandare's relationship. One part of the book that really left me scratching my head was the depiction of humans. While mermaids and the Fandarsee are granted some variety of characterisation, pretty much every human is seen as selfish, rude or extremely ignorant of other species aside from themselves. They seem to view all others as a side-show novelty. I could understand this possibly for one or two characters from more isolated parts of the country, but these interactions and knowledge of other creatures are well known, so it didn't make much sense to have every human act like a fool when in the presence of a mermaid (whom they are especially susceptible to falling under their charms) or Fandarsee.

      While “Between the Sea and the Sky” possesses much of the charm and imagination of Dolamore's debut work, the same flaws are also still present and overwhelm the positive elements. Wonderfully creative elements and ideas are introduced but left to flounder instead of being given their deserved attention, while the characters and romantic element are pretty stock for the genre for the most part. The readability of its prose and short length make it ideally suited to younger readers, although the book itself is not without merit for readers of all ages. Once again, it's an ideal framework for a Ghibli film, but also hints are Dolamore's possible strengths as a short story writer.

      2.5/5.
    • 4/5
      Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore calls to mind and old proverb: "A bird may love a fish, but where would they build a home together?" Mermaid Esmerine has taken a vow to be a siren, one of the magical protectors of the sea. She looks forward to joining her older sister Dosia in this calling . . . but shortly after Esmerine takes her vow, Dosia disappears. Was she taken captive by humans when she ventured too close to the human world -- or did she join them of her own free will? Esmerine uses her siren magic to effect a painful transformation to a human form. She travels to the seaside town where Dosia was last seen, only to learn that Dosia's new husband has taken her to his home in the mountains. In the town, Esmerine seeks out her old friend Alander, one of the Fandarsee or winged people. Alander has grown up into a stuffy, bookish young man, but his strong sense of duty and his nostalgic fondness for Esmerine leads him to help her in her quest to find, and if necessary, rescue, Dosia. They face dangers along the journey that draw them closer together, and as they realize that their childhood friendship is blossoming into something more, they each must think about the challenges and hardships that a relationship between them would have to overcome.There are relatively few mermaid books on the young adult market (compared to, say, vampires, werewolves, zombies, angels, elves, dragons, or ghosts), and even fewer that are well-written. This is one of those rare mermaid stories that strikes the right balance. Part of the success of the book, in my opinion, is due to the setting -- a world like ours, but not quite ours. I also love the Fandarsee, who are much more fascinating than the merfolk to me.My only real issue with the book is how casually Esmerine takes her vow to be a siren -- it's almost set up as a made-to-be-broken sort of promise (sirens are generally fascinated with the human world, and there seems to be a high rate of attrition as they abandon the under-sea world for human husbands), and I felt all the way through that both Esmerine and Dosia seemed to take the promises that they had made very lightly. I also thought that the pacing was almost too quick in places. That's a rare complaint for me, especially with fantasy books, but I thought a bit more time could have been taken at the beginning to establish the setting and the relationships between Esmerine and her family. All in all, though, I found this an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to readers who like this sort of light fantasy.
    • 4/5
      Evoking the classic fairytale feel of Hans Christian Andersen, Jaclyn Dolamore has woven a beautiful tale about a fish who loved a bird. Esmerine, a mermaid on the cusp of adulthood, anxiously awaits her siren’s initiation. For as long as she can remember, Esmerine and her sister Dosia have dreamed about being sirens together and a life beyond the confines of the sea. However, after Esmerine’s siren ceremony, Dosia goes missing. Esmerine, terrified that her sister has been lured to the human world to an existence of pain and misery, leaves behind sea and family determined to find Dosia and save her. Along the way, Esmerine stumbles upon an old childhood friend, the winged man, Alander. Parted by circumstances beyond their control so many years before, Esmerine and Alander have never forgotten one another, and their friendship begins evolving into something more. Can there be a happily ever after for a love that exists between the sea and sky? As with her lovely debut, Magic Under Glass, Dolamore has once again demonstrated her incredible ability to craft beautiful fairytale worlds and characters. Mermaids who can transform their fins to legs. A race of winged people who harness the magic of the wind. Humans from exotic lands unknown. Medieval towns, cities on cliffs and craggy rocks where sirens sing to passing ships. A mysterious history,only hinted at, filled with ancient beings, knights and oracles. All these things combine to create a fantastic, dimensional canvas onto which Dolamore paints her story. Both main characters surprised me as they were somewhat different than what I was expecting, and pleasantly so. Esmerine was not at all what I imagined a siren to be – wild, free-spirited and perhaps a little impetuous or reckless. That description would more accurately be applied to Dosia. Instead Esmerine is cautious, mindful of consequences, responsible, and rather mature for her sixteen years. She adores the world of written stories ever since introduced to books by a much younger Alander who taught her to read. Because of her friendship with Alander, she’s endured the stigma from her fellow Mer of being that “odd” girl who associated with “that winged boy.” Alander was an interesting male lead. Bookish, serious, intense and straight-laced, he was a unique change from the alpha-male heroes that so often populate young adult romances. With his rigid ideals of the man he should be and bearing the weight of his father’s disapproval, Alander is much different than the boy Esmerine once knew and watching his character develop as his friendship with her rekindles is one of my favorite parts of the story. I also love the descriptions of him and the Fandarsee, the winged people – what they looked like, their society and how their wings worked. It felt like a very creative, original concept. The romance. It’s probably quite apparent by now that every book I pick up has some kind of romantic storyline. And this book is no exception. I just adore the concept of two totally different creatures falling in love with each other. Not only does their love face opposition by outside forces but because of what they are, it’s also completely impractical. But when is passion or love ever practical? It’s this wide gulf that separates them from being together – the crucial problem you don’t know if they’ll be able to find a way past – that drove this story for me. While I loved the characters, the world and the romance of Between the Sea and Sky, at times the story fell just a little bit flat. At times it felt more like a middle grade novel than young adult, but it could be that this book is supposed to fall somewhere in between. At times the story seemed a bit rushed with not enough detail and depth for my liking, but then other times it felt like the pacing was really slow. I also had some issues with the conclusion that I’m not going to share here, for obvious reasons. But despite these detractors, I really enjoyed Esmerine and Alander’s story and being immersed in their world. Overall, In Between the Sea and Sky, Dolamore has created an enchanting, beautiful fairytale about the things that would separate and the love that binds.
    • 2/5
      I give every book I read a hundred pages to hook me. If I'm still not interested by then, I drop it and move on, because my to-read list is ridiculously long and I don't have time to focus on something I'm not enjoying. Between the Sea and Sky didn't do it for me. There are so many places a book about a mermaid siren and a romance with a flying boy could have gone, but nothing really happens. There's no emotion to the book, and it never delves into the depths of what could be in a world inspired by the darker origins of The Little Mermaid.
    • 3/5
      Esmerine has always felt like she was living in the shadow of her older, more beautiful sister Dosinia. All of that is about to change, because Esmerine is about to be initiated as a siren. Then she'll finally be equal to Dosinia (called Dosia for short) and be able to do something more with her life than just getting married to some Merman. Than, the day after Esmerine is initiated, Dosia goes missing without a trace - not before telling Esmerine about the two human men she met on land though. Coming to the conclusion that her sister was probably kidnapped, Esmerine is determined to get her back or at least know for sure what happened. The only way she can think of to do this is to contact Alander, a winged boy she was friends with as a child and enlist him for help. It's been years since they've seen one another. Can Esmerine count on Alan to help her bring back Dosia? This was definitely an interesting book. It brought together the sea and the sky, plus it added in the plain old humans walking around between the two. It WAS an adventure story and a romance, but the reality of this book was an odyssey of self-discovery. Esmerine is trying to figure out how to satisfy her heart, what she wants to do with her life and how to make a difference. All the while she has to decide which world she truly belongs in - the one she was born to or the one she longs for. It was a cute book with a cute ending. Don't pick this one up if you're expecting in-depth, major subject material. It's light-hearted but worth it for a bit of fun.VERDICT: 3/5 Stars*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*
    • 5/5
      I picked up Between the Sea and Sky and literally couldn't put it down. A couple of hours later, I was done and I wished I weren't. I very easily got lost in the world of merfolk and winged folk. What a fabulous world this is! Humans and fanatical creatures living in a Victorian like time. Such a great fantasy setting! I pretty much fell in love with Esmerine and Alander instantly. Each is such a unique character and each has such a complex background but when it really comes down to it, they want the same things most people do. They want to be loved and accepted. They want to be happy and thankful for what life has to offer. It was so wonderful watching these two discover the possibilities that their lives could offer them if they just gave it a chance. I very much felt transported into Esmerine and Alander's world. A fantasy world yes, but one that also felt very real to me. Fantasy at it's best!Like I said, I really couldn't put this book down! If you're a fan of Jaclyn or really just a fan of fantasy, you'll love Between the Sea and Sky as much as I did, I'm sure!
    • 5/5
      This is a great and interesting story about mermaids and sirens. When Esmerine becomes a siren she longs for the time when her and her sister Dosinia can go out together. The next day Dosinia disappears and Esmerine is on a mission to find out what happened to her sister. She goes to the mainland and meets up with an old friend of her's Alandare, a winged man who she use to spend time with. He now works in a local book store and decides to help Esmerine find out what happened to her sister.We also meet another Mermaid who's takin' to leaving the water for the mainland wanting something more than signing and swimming, also Swift another winged boy who is on a mission for Esmerine to find Dosinia and deliver a letter from her sister asking what happened.As Esmerine and Alan decide to fly to where Dosinia is they find they are bonding over time. Their first stop is to see Alan's father to get more magic to help them to get to the mountains where Dosinia lives. Alan's father has a crude opinion of mermaids and sirens being ignorant to which Esmerine pleads her case with him. Alan acquires his mothers belt which held her mermaid magic.Finally they get to the mountains, and Esmerine learns that Dosinia isn't upset about her choice, she hasn't been kidnapped or had her belt stolen from her. She has chosen this life. Dosinia inquires to her sister what she is going to do about Alan and the feelings there.This book was a great story about Esmerine and Alandare. A great love story and adventured combined together.
    • 3/5
      Now that Esmerine has finally become a siren, she can’t wait to guard the underwater mermaid world from overly curious humans alongside her older sister Dosia. But when Dosia seems to have been kidnapped by humans, it is up to Esmerine to enter the human world and find news about Dosia. Esmerine is forced to accept the reluctant help of Alander, the winged young man who used to be her friend and taught her how to read. But it’s been years since they’ve talked, and they are now, more than ever, aware of the great differences that separate them. What happy ending can occur for these former friends who have come from such different worlds?BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY is a mermaid book for those who are wary of books categorized by the particular creatures that inhabit the stories. Told in Jaclyn Dolamore’s trademark writing style—straightforward narration that nevertheless paints a lush magical world—BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY is a charming story that, while not perfect, is still a quick and enjoyable read.Much like in her debut novel Magic Under Glass, Jaclyn Dolamore has the quiet but valuable ability of deftly portraying elaborate new worlds with no over-fanfare. The first few chapters pulled me completely into the unfamiliar mermaid world of Dolamore’s creation, where magic lanterns are borrowed as a sign of status and being chosen as a siren is one of the highest honors a mermaid can receive. Mermaids, humans, winged people, and who knows what else exist in an unusual society that nevertheless seems to operate in a completely natural and self-contained manner—the mark, in my opinion, of a skilled world-building writer.Where this book falters a bit is in plot and pacing. BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY starts out so engagingly, with the introduction of this new mermaid world, and the somewhat uneasy dynamics between the different creatures. Unfortunately, I felt that the plot was rather uneven: for a great amount of time, Esmerine is simply waiting to hear of news about her sister, and then the next thing we know she and Alander are off on a confoundingly simple adventure to seek Dosia. I say “confounding” because, with such a wonderful beginning to a novel, I really wanted more from the plot.That being said, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY is a humbly sparkling story that will make for a sweet read one quiet afternoon. If you are a fan of mermaids or Magic Under Glass, Jaclyn Dolamore’s sophomore novel is not to be missed!
    • 4/5
      What first drew my interest to “Between the Sea and Sky” is that gorgeous cover. Then I read the description and I found myself intrigued. Unfortunately, the end result wasn’t what I had in mind. It isn’t that I disliked “Between the Sea and Sky”, that isn’t the case at all. I did enjoy it. It flowed nicely and Jaclyn Dolamore crafted a wonderful sea world. My problem was that I never truly cared about the characters. There was never that moment in which I felt a connection as I read.“Between the Sea and Sky” is a story about a new Siren named Esmerine and her search to find her missing sister, Dosinia. For years, Dosinia and Esmerine dreamed of the day they would be sirens together. But the day following Esmerine’s Siren ceremony, Dosinia is nowhere to be found. After finding out that Dosinia has made her way to the surface with the humans, Esmerine sets out to find her sister – but as Siren, who is able to walk on legs easily, she must seek help from Alandare¸ an old friend (also a “winged boy”). In their search for Dosinia, both Esmerine and Alandare reconnect while igniting a romance.I love the concept behind the story, I really do. I enjoyed the world that Dolamore created very much. To blend mermaids, angels, and humans altogether in one story? It’s definitely a unique twist. I just wish I got more from the characters. The bond that I was supposed to feel for Dosinia and Esmerine…I never really felt it. Then the way her parents were willing to let their daughter go to the surface in search of Dosinia – it just wasn’t believable. Mainly because during the Siren ceremony they go on and on about how dangerous humans are. And yet Esmerine’s parents seem to have no trouble sending her amongst the humans to find Dosinia. That was my biggest problem; I just never fully connected with any of the characters or understood their actions.I’d recommend “Between the Sea and Sky” to anyone who enjoys a nice mermaid tale and/or a cute love story.
    • 3/5
      : Between the Sea and Sky is a young adult fantasy that focuses on the life of Esmerine a newly initiated siren that has lost her sister and goes on a journey to find out what has become of her. Along the way, she meets up with a childhood friend and discovers who she really is.When I first read the summary for this book, I was looking forward to reading a fantasy that merged two worlds together, the sea and the sky. Esmerine is a siren, who does have the ability to walk on land, but it pains her every time she does so. She had a childhood friend, Alandare who is a Fandarsee or winged person. He used to come visit her on the beach, bring her books and taught her how to read and write. She always looked forward to his visits and was crushed when he told her he could not see her anymore. Flash forward to some years later and Esmerine finds herself on a mission, searching for her sister and seeking out Alandare for help. As these two reunite and the book progresses I discovered that this story is much more of a contemporary book with diversity issues rather than a fantasy. I was expecting the conflict to be more action driven when in reality it was an internal struggle for Esmerine and Alandare. The two were trying to decide who they really were and not let their species define them.I enjoyed Esmerine very much. She grew up before our eyes though the pages of this book and it was interesting to watch her grow into her own personality as she uncovered what she really wanted from life. Alandare on the other hand did rub me the wrong way when we first met him. He is a pompous snob and it was driving me crazy! He works in a bookstore and when people came in to buy books he always tries to push the “right” books into their hands. He thinks that reading fairy tales or fiction is a waste and people should be reading books that only improve their minds. Sorry Alandare, but one of my biggest pet peeves is censorship and I just wanted to reach through the book and throttle you at times. Luckily, when Esmerine finds Alandare and helps out in the store she points out what he is doing and calls him on his rude behavior. When she continually does this he starts to come around, but it still took a while for me to warm up to him.The plot developed nicely, but the ending happened just a little too quickly. The book is around two hundred thirty pages and I wish more time was taken to wrap things up at the end. It all just came together too fast and too perfectly. I wanted to have more conflict or at least more detail as to how certain events at the end transpired. I cannot say too much without spoiling anything, I just wanted more detail and time put in to the resolution of the story.Overall I thought this was a good read, but not quite what I was expecting. I liked the story, but I am not in love with it. The message I got out of Between the Sea and Sky is not to let what other people think of you define you. Everyone gets to choose who they want to be and I did love how Jaclyn sent this message out into the world. If you are looking for a contemporary with a fantasy twist, then I would give this a try, otherwise I would check out some other reviews and see what other people think before you buy this book.
    • 4/5
      Jaclyn Dolamore’s take on mermaids is positively magical. She infuses traditional mermaid lore (sirens’ belts, walking on land feels like stepping on knives) with some more well-known qualities, which makes for very well-rounded mythology. Dolamore also invents something entirely new: the Fandarsee, a race of winged people. Between the Sea and Sky is also set in some sort of alternate past, where humans are aware of the existence of mermaids and Fandarsee, and they interact on a regular basis. This alternate past harkens back to the 1800’s, where women donned stays and showing skin was considered scandalous. The relations between the three different cultures are very interesting, and Dolamore uses these relations to comment upon prejudice and stereotyping.As for the actual story, Between the Sea and Sky is a rollicking adventure that takes the reader (as the title suggests) to the sea, the sky, and the place in between. The transition between each vivid locale is done flawlessly, but I found myself reluctant to move on; I almost wish we’d had more time to explore the different settings. Still, the story clips along at a steady pace, and between the politics, the mystery of Esmerine’s sister, and the blossoming romance between Esmerine and Alan, Between the Sea and Sky is very absorbing and difficult to put down.The characters of Between the Sea and Sky, save for one, are excellent. I enjoyed Esmerine and her curiosity; I adored Alan and his bookishness. The only character I found difficult to like was Esmerine’s sister, Dosia. She was wonderful at first, but later in the novel she becomes a bit inconsistent, and it’s difficult to rekindle affection for her. The relationship between Esmerine and Alan was lovely; I’ve always been a big fan of romances between childhood friends, and Jaclyn Dolamore builds up the tension perfectly. Between the Sea and Sky does not focus too heavily on the romance, highlighting the adventure and magical aspects of the story instead. I found this quite refreshing for a fantasy read!Between the Sea and Sky is a vibrant, lyrical, and overall plain fun book. Fans of fantasy or stories involving magic will definitely want to give this one a try.
    • 5/5
      Esmerine has just turned 16 and becomes a siren which is a step up in the mer world and she looks forward to collecting tribute from ships with her sister, Dosinia. Dosia, as she is nicknamed, doesn't meet her sister at the rock where they are to work. Esmerine becomes worried and discovers her sister has run away to live with a human mate. While not unheard of, a mermaid who does this is considered dead to her family and Esmerine just can't give up on her sister. With her parent's blessing she tries to discover her sister's fate and hope for her happiness. By accident, she finds her childhood friend, Alandare, who is a Faransee, a person who has wings and can fly, working in a book store owned by a former mermaid. And books are key to this book! When Esmerine first meets Alan as children he teaches her to read and write and she develops a love for books that becomes her driving force.Alan helps Emerine track down her sister and you can sense the bond between the two. It is much more than romance, but so sweetly done that you will be sad when this one ends. I immediately liked Esmerine and Alan and the story between the two. This just isn't a mermaid tale, but one of young love filled with magic and light. The world of humans, mermaids and humans intersecting so easily and believably will make you want to read more about it. Dolamore creates a complete fairy tale in a no fuss way and the pacing is perfect. I read this one straight through in a few hours and now I am waiting until her next book, Magic Under Stone is released. Can't we just force her to stay at her computer and write?
    • 5/5
      The Dame's Review:Gentle story replete with all the fantasy of mermaids' culture in their seaside home, this book will take you back to the classic tale of "The Little Mermaid." Jaclyn Dolamore writes like a dream, lending her fantasies to the cause of siren songs, wrecked ships, castaway treasures, stranded pearls and sailors' tall tales throughout time. This is a star-cast book, replete with angels and mermaids that steal your heart. And, it's age appropriate as well as being beautiful and romantic.Let's not forget the fantastic/gorgeous cover of this book. Widely compelling to YAs, the cover was already a draw even before much was known about the story! A lot can be surmised about the story inside, and the beautiful rendering of a mermaid swimming to the surface is a fantasy that many a young woman has wished she could be. I loved the photography and wish every author could understand how important this element is to selling their book. Many don't "get" that, and it's a shame because they miss a good deal of the market. Not like it used to be when we felt guilty if we did "judge a book by the cover," YAs and even adults now have dropped that old adage.Jaclyn Dolamore has delivered a book that has the perfection of a bridal cake. So delicious, so on tone and texture that you'll want to eat it up in one sitting. This is a novel for reading at seaside, or when you want to remember those days of summer...at any age.
    • 5/5
      This book blew me away! It took me by the heart dragging me into a wonderful and great reading adventure!What I liked most about this book is the plot. I loved the Ms. Dolamore, presented to the reader a fresh and unique stand on mermaids. I loved the rules, the society, but I also liked the choices that they made. The plot made the reader feel the pressure of the society and how to approach it. The characters ion this book are greatly written. I loved that the choices facing them have such dramatic consequences, but also gives them to have a chance to be free. I loved that the reader follows the characters in a journey to find someone lost but also a journey within themselves. I love that you felt the characters struggle to come to terms with what they want.The love interest took my breath away! I loved that this love has not only history but such major chemistry in it. Every time that Esmerine and Alan were together, all I wanted to do was giggle. Their love bloomed in front of the readers eyes, giving the reading a nice romantic touch. Their was no insta-love, just a love yearning to burn right the pages of the book!If you want a different kind of mermaid story, read this book. It is not what you think. Between Sea and Sky will take you places you never been before. It will hold you against your will and you will fall in love before you know it. Filled with an amazing characters and a love that burn brights, Between Sea and Sky is a great book!
    • 4/5
      I didn't honestly really know what to think going into this book, paranormals can be either a hit or miss for me, and i've never read a book regarding mermaids, but loved The Little Mermaid as a child, and thought maybe this book would bring me back to that time, which it did. I loved that the main character Esmerine loved books, I found her extremely likable and relateble from the start of the story to the very end.This story follows Esmerine through becoming a siren, only to find that her older sister Dosia who's told her previously that she's travelled to land to meet with humans, is missing and is assumed that she's been kidnapped and made into a wife to a human man against her will. Esme travels to the land to help find her sister, and to see if what they think happened to her, really happened or if she is indeed happy. Esme meets up with a childhood friend, Alander, and together they search for Dosia.I loved the relationship between Esme and Alander, who was a childhood friend who brought her books as a youngster, and found their relationship to be true and not cheesy as some books would portray young love. I loved the ending of this book as well, exactally what I wanted to happen, happened and I couldn't be happier with it, I'm not sure if this book is a series or not, but i'm definitly hoping it is, because I would love more from these characters, and the world that Dolamore created. Dolamore created such a magical world and characters with her writing, and i'm left with a feeling of wanting more. I also wish there was more depth into the Sky with Alander, but maybe if there is a sequel, thats where the focus will be? one can only hope! if your a fan of YA, paranormal romance, or even just mermaids, you definitely should pick this one up, it won't let you down.
    • 4/5
      I've been looking forward to Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore for quite a while now. I love stories that mix fantasy with fairy tale vibes - and this story definitely delivers that! It is a pretty calm story overall, giving readers a chance to get to know the characters and embrace the legends and traditions they live under.When the book opens, Esmerine is undergoing the ceremony that will make her a siren, setting her apart from the mermaid majority. She joins her older sister, who is also a siren, and looks forward to the time they'll be able to spend together. Oops, too bad her older sister decides to cash in her siren magic to marry a human on land. Esmerine and her family are devastated, and Esmerine is determined to set out and make sure her sister is okay. She tracks down her childhood friend Alandare to help her even though she hasn't seen him in several years. Their friendship is quite complicated, considering he is of a race that can fly.So, basically Esmerine and Alandare are opposites. Alan also isn't quite as sweet and accommodating as he was when they were kids, so things start out pretty awkward. It doesn't take them too long to find a rhythm together though, and Alan devotes himself to helping Esmerine find her sister fairly willingly.One thing I loved is that none of the characters are perfect. This is a fairly short book, and I love that Jaclyn took the time to explore the character's faults (stubbornness, fear, impatience, anger...) - it definitely makes them seem more realistic and well-rounded. Definite kudos there. I also think the way Esmerine and Alandare went from "uhh...nice to see you again? maybe?" to "okay, we can do this whole friends thing" to "let's get it onnnn" was very well done. Once again, for a short book - I was highly impressed by the fact that nothing seemed hurried.Well, now that I say that...at first I felt like the ending might have been rushed. Then I beat my head against the desk when I realized I only felt that way because I'm so woefully out of practice of reading stand-alone books. I finally have an author that doesn't needlessly drag her story into a series and it is a sad day when I fail to appreciate that.So, if you're in the mood for a nice, flowing story that focuses on the characters without a great deal of significant plot detail - this is definitely a book worth picking up! I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world in which they lived.
    • 5/5
      What can I say about this book?I guess I'll start with the world building. This story is, obviously, not set in the real world, but it still felt a lot like the real world. The way Jaclyn wrote, it came off like historical fiction with this magical touch woven in. I could picture the worlds of our mermaids and our "winged race" just as well. The only thing I really want to know more about was the history of these two different races and how they came to be, but it wasn't something that bothered me while I was reading. It was something I didn't realize I wanted until I sat down to write this review and remembered it wasn't there. But it definitely did not take away from the story. The writing is absolutely gorgeous. It was so fluid and vivid and I wanted to hug it. Jackie has this magnificent talent with words that she told this whole story in less than 300 pages, but it didn't feel like a short read. And when I did finish, it didn't need more. But I wanted more. So I could make out with it, or something.Esmerine and Alandare...oh these two. They bring the adorable and the romance. To me, Alan was very Mr. Darcy-esque, which always makes me happy. And Esmerine was this unique, strong person. She was dedicated, loyal, passionate. And a book-geek. We all know that this is a wonderful thing.Each character was well crafted. Esmerine's younger sisters weren't really well defined, but they didn't play a major role in the story. But beside them, pretty much all the characters had their own distinct personality and had a role, big or small, in how the story moved.What it boils down to is this: I want more books like this one. Fantastic world building, beautiful writing, an adorable romance with just a touch of the forbidden. And a lot of love. Family, friends, partners. All kinds of love and relationships and what people are willing to do for those relationships. All done WELL.Please, please, please go get this book. It's gorgeous and wonderful and needs more love and attention than it's getting. Most definitely one of my favorites for the year.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyI remember the first time I read the original Hans Christian Anderson’s THE LITTLE MERMAID and frantically searching for the happy ending that the many retellings I‘d read/seen had reworked into the story. It wasn’t there. And the story leading up to the ending was rather depressing too. It took me a long time before I could appreciate the melancholy source of this classic fairy tale, but I do still love the happily ever after of the subsequent versions. BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY by Jaclyn Dolamore is the latest mermaid story to end up on my shelf, and while it isn’t a retelling of THE LITTLE MERMAID, is does borrow heavily from Anderson’s work and also from the less depressing versions that followed. The mermaid mythology borrows one of the more bleak rules from Anderson’s story: every step that a mermaid takes on land feels like knives stabbing her feet. So right away, I realized the happily ever after I wanted wasn’t going to be an easily accomplished thing, if it was possible at all. Especially since the mermaid in question falls in love not with a human, but with a winged folk, a sort of human/bird like race. His wings would not allow him to enter the ocean, and every step on land is agony for her. Their whole relationship is practically forbidden before they even meet, and once they do, the knowledge that a life together is impossible makes every moment they share together so bittersweet. The beginning of BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY doesn’t come close to having the depth and emotional intensity that the rest of the book has since it deals with Esmerine’s underwater life and her insipid and silly sisters, but once she is forced to leave them behind, I was completely swept away by this tender and mournful love story. BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY, although a YA title, is much more mature than the other mermaid tales that this genre has recently produced. It is full of heartbreak and impossibly difficult choices, but that’s part of what made is a love story I won’t soon be forgeting. Sexual Content: Kissing
    • 5/5
      The story: Esmerine is a siren, but since her winged childhood friend Alan first introduced her to books, she’s yearned for adventures in the world above the sea. When her sister goes missing, she puts on legs and enlists Alan’s help to find Dosia. Which world does Esmerine belong in? I wrote on Twitter that this book reminds me of a fantasy L.M. Montgomery. The world-building is rich, full of delicious little details about what everyone’s wearing and eating, and Esmerine is a feisty, likable protagonist. This is exactly the sort of lovely little book I would have adored in middle school. Also: how pretty is that cover?
    • 4/5
      Between Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore brought me back to an old time favorite fairy-tale, The Little Mermaid. I couldn't help but have that story in the back of my mind while I read all the way through. Though this story can greatly stand alone!Just like Hans Christian Anderson, Jaclyn Dolamore has a pleasantly smooth and whimsical voice. A fanciful fairy-tale that's sure to take its place among the other delightful stories and twist of Mer folk lore.I really liked how Jaclyn Dolamore made mermaids have the ability of willing themselves to have legs if they chose to take human form, but with the complication of having/baring pain in their feet each step they took. And how not all mermaids become sirens, and to those who do become a siren will always have the compulsions of venturing into the surface world and be drawn to its humans.I adored how she made a world where humans are well aware of mermaids and interact with them as well as the 'winged people.' The combination of having two worlds, the floating city for the Fandarsee people and the sea for the Mermaids, intricately weaves with each other along with the human world flawlessly as if it can be possible in today's modern time.Between Sea and Sky is a fast read and not as challenging/require much in depth thought.The ending was very pleasing and I am so happy that it won't have me up all night fretting on a follow-up. It read like a stand alone novel, but I would not mind the least if there would be a sequel. But if it is a stand alone, I LOVED the ending!
    • 3/5
      If Hans Christian Andersen were still alive, this is a story he would write. I loved the world create by Jaclyn Dolamore in Between the Sea and Sky. Esmerine, a mermaid who befriends a "winged boy", is a little different from all the other mermaids. She has learned how to read and write; a thing most mermaids find impractical. She has also learned how to transform into a human and walk on land. Alander-- the "winged boy"-- is a Fandarsee. Like Esmerine, he is also different from the others of his kind. Instead of being content as a messenger, he enjoys reading and studying philosophy. When Esmerine's sister (Dosinia) goes missing, Esmerine travels to the human world to find her. She knows that her sister has been visiting with humans, and she fears that she has been captured. Once on land, Esmerine finds her old friend, Alander, and begins her search for Dosinia. But Esmerine is not just looking for her lost sister. She is also searching for her own place in the world and the bonds that unite her heart with Alander's. One of my all-time favorite fairy tales is The Little Mermaid, even Hans Christian Andersen's tragic version. The mystery and beauty of living under the water has always enchanted me. This book did not disappoint me. I still managed to get the tingly feeling while reading about Esmerine's life under the sea. Above all that, though, I think I liked the fact that the created world was so different from any mermaid story I have ever read. In this book, mermaids and Fandarsee are a well known fact, not a hidden secret. The humans are not surprised to see the mystical creatures walking and living among them on land. In fact, merpeople, Fandarsee and humans interact daily and conduct business together. That alone is fascinating and unique. The characters are delightful. Esmerine is different from the other merpeople. She's described as "practical" and snubbed by her peers. She has learned how to read and write from Alander, but the other sea-dwellers don't find that fascinating. How typical of people to disregard the things that they do not personally understand? Alander also deals with the same struggles on land. His father wants him to follow in the family's footsteps and become a great scientist. Alander, however, has no desire to "discover" things; instead, he wants to educate people and spread knowledge. It's no wonder that Esmerine and Alander feel like two parts of the same whole. If I had to pick one thing that I liked the best in this book, I would have to say the descriptions. The vivid details helped bring to life the setting. When the story was taking place under water, I could picture the living quarters and imagine the class rankings (Yes, social classes under the sea!). The subtle snobbery of the "rich" merpeople was felt in every word and action. I didn't feel like the human world was described in as much detail as the ocean, but you still got a good sense of the setting. I feel like there should have been a little more detail and perception given to the human experiences since Esmerine was experiencing this land for the first time in human form. Overall, this is a good read. It didn't take long to read--I finished in one sitting. If you like Hans Christian Andersen's version of The Little Mermaid, you will enjoy this story. There are elements that resonate in his version that continue in Dolamore's story. Between the Sea and Sky is romantic enough to earn a YA label, but clean enough for Disney. There are no graphic scenes--just a drunk and a few kisses. I enjoyed this one, but then again, it's hard to disappoint me with a mermaid story.