ARC Review: Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Title: Waterfell (Aquarathi #1)
Author: Amalie Howard
Publication: October 29th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Provided by the kind publisher...
Goodreads

THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age. 

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

-- My Rating --

4/5 Oscars: Really liked it

-- My Thoughts --

     I have heard of the author and I was familiar with her writing before, since I read her other book, Bloodspell, a while ago. Although I didn't like Bloodspell a lot, I fell in love with this one. And it was a truly delightful read!
     Nerissa has been hiding among humans for a long while. She has to. No one can know her true identity. That she's a princess of a kingdom under the sea. And on her seventeenth birthday, she has to fight the evil ruler who killed her father and take back her kingdom. She can't tell Jenna, her best friend. She can't tell Lo, the human guy that she DEFINITELY shouldn't fall for, but whom she is.
     I love books about creatures under the sea. Kingdoms under the sea. They always sound like fairy tales, things that little girls dream of in the night, and I LOVE that. Amalie Howard has a talent for writing in the paranormal genre. And although her previous book was about witches and vampires and werewolves, this one is about the Aquarathi, the huge creatures living in the Waterfell Kingdom. And Nerissa is their princess. 
     I have to admit that, at first, i didn't like Nerissa at all. She acts like she's above everyone else, and she commandes the guardians she lives with. She was hard to like , but after she met Lo, and turned into a cute teenager and a brave leader, all wrappe into one, I started admiring her. But my favorite character was Jenna, Nerissa's best friend. She is the true role model of how every best friend should be. I so wanted her to be real, only because I wanted a friend like her, once that I could tell my secrets to and not worry about anyone finding out. I adored her.
     This book is full of twists and turns. In the middle , it got a bit boring and slow-moving. But that was quickly replaced by fighting scenes and a lot of things were at stake towards the end. I didn't see the twists coming, and I liked that. Although this book is not the best out there, it was still intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages, and it made me want to read more about the Aquarathi people. So, if you're a fan of the paranormal, and would like a new twist to it, then this is the book for you!