I was supposed to like this book because of the mermaids but....
The only reason this book didn't get two or less stars is because I LOVED the mermaid character in this book. She was dangerous and fearless, tempestuous like the sea and she really was a favorite of mine. Honestly, this book was okay. But, it was so predictable that I found myself rolling my eyes several times during the listen of this audiobook. Also, whoever produced the audiobook didn't do a great job with representation. In fact, it was a little offensive how the Haitian/Caribbean accent was used to depict characters that were ignorant and the mermaid character.
That being said, what did this book do RIGHT:
Well, the MC (young, independent, royal female in trouble... go figure) actually had to deal with her period throughout the course of the book. And the boys involved were appropriately horrified, which I found hilarious beyond measure and really enjoyed reading.
Although this book was beyond predictable, there were some really cool world building moments that I enjoyed.
All in all, if you want something to read that is a bit paint-by-numbers but still entertaining, this book will do it for you. Also, be prepared to spend the majority of the book being explained the magic system. But, if you like that then this is your read. Otherwise, you may want to skip it for something less bland.