Customer Reviews

Siren

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I wanted to like this book. The plot sounded really cool and this specific fantasy element is one that hasn't been explored much (if at all) in YA fiction. But it just didn't work for me. The beginning was strong and definitely pulled me into the story. But the remainder of the book felt disjointed and I had a hard time following the plot at certain points. Specifically:

- I was pretty surprised at the fact that after the loss of their older daughter, Vanessa's parents were comfortable allowing her to stay in their summer cottage without supervision. It felt forced and unrealistic.

- Speaking of parents, why do ALL the parents in this book seem totally clueless and/or irresponsible. What the hell happened to Caleb and Simon's parents? Their youngest son vanishes and we never hear a peep from them. And the less said about Paige's mom, the better.

- The romance element felt flat to me. I don't mind that it didn't dominate the entire story...but I would have liked it to feel more real than it did. I never got a sense of Simon's appearance at all...nor did I really understand what Vanessa saw in him.

- I'm still trying to figure out what the heck happened at the end of the story.

- Vanessa's total lack of insight about herself, her relationship with her sister, and the big reveal towards the end of the book jarred with her otherwise intelligent and perceptive nature. It felt like there were two Vanessas...one who seemed to be Vanessa and one who popped in once in a while to introduce key, dramatic elements into the plot and then vanish.

In summary, the author is obviously very talented but the story lacks cohesion and the characters were either too flat or schizo to hold my interest. I assume this is going to be a series...I might pick up the next book just to see if the plot gels and comes together more. We'll see.

Tricia Rayburn's Siren, is a paranormal mystery with a nice touch of romance. Are you looking for a suspenseful paranormal novel that doesn't involve vampires, werewolves, or angels? If so, then Siren might be exactly what you need. This quick summertime read follows Vanessa Sands, a teenager looking into a series of mysterious deaths off the coast of Maine.

What I Liked:

- This book pulled me into the story immediately. Not only is Justine's death tragic and suspicious, but the overall atmosphere in Winter Harbor is eerie and intriguing.

- Vanessa is a likable heroine with a family that cares about her. Vanessa's fears feel genuine and endearing, and it is impossible not to hope she is able to find some closure regarding her sister's death.

- Simon is not a 'bad boy' romantic hero. He is a kind, slightly nerdy guy with an interest in meteorology. He and Vanessa have known each other for many years, and when they begin to act on their non-platonic feelings for one another, their changing relationship is presented in a lovely, realistic way. Their romantic scenes together are sweet and sensuous without being overly explicit.

- Winter Harbor is filled with a variety of unique characters that keep the story interesting - snotty Zara, friendly Paige, gorgeous Raina, intelligent Bettina, smitten Garrett, and unsociable Oliver.

- Much like his brother Simon, Caleb is also sincere, thoughtful, and easy to like. Both Carmichael brothers increase this novel's appeal, but I would still consider the story more of a paranormal thriller than a paranormal romance.

- Siren is not afraid to venture into dark territory with several murders and an unremorseful villain. It is spooky and suspenseful, and I often found myself wondering which characters would survive until the end of the book.

- There are quite a few twists in this story, but I think the best one involves a moment when it becomes clear that our understanding of Justine has been dictated by Vanessa's perception of her.

- I liked the way one particular line of dialogue from the very beginning is repeated much later in the story when the stakes are high.

- Layers of this mystery are revealed little by little which keeps the book's pace moving forward at a fast clip, so Siren feels like a very quick read.

What I Wished:

- I wanted more answers. A few aspects of this story are wrapped up too quickly at the end, and there are a couple of story elements that are never explained. I don't mind mysterious or ambiguous endings if it is obvious that the author wanted readers to draw their own conclusions or intended to set up a cliffhanger ending that would leave readers desperate for a second book, but I wouldn't actually classify this book in either of those two categories. It has a fairly conclusive ending that leaves room for a sequel but doesn't demand one, but somehow it still left me wondering if I had missed a few answers along the way. For example, I felt that I had missed the meaning behind "Boo" and didn't fully understand why Justine was able to communicate with Vanessa from beyond the grave. I wanted a bit more resolution and explanation.

- While I like that this story is visually descriptive and almost reads as though you are watching a film, I was not so fond of the way the story sometimes felt a little too much like a cheesy thriller like I Know What You Did Last Summer. Many of the secondary characters seemed conveniently devised to play a single key roll in the plot, and some characters seemed a bit like caricatures at times. A few examples of this include the wise old blind woman, the reclusive old man who happens to have written a book about the town's dark history, and a couple of secondary characters who seem as though they are introduced simply to become the next victims (kind of like the red-shirted ensigns in Star Trek).

- This last note is an extremely nit-picky complaint, but Vanessa's father's nickname - 'Big Poppa' - seemed so laughably odd to me that it took me out of the story each time it appeared. The humorous nickname just did not seem to fit the tone of the rest of the novel.

I would recommend this book to fans of paranormal mysteries and to anyone looking for a quick summer read with the spooky atmosphere of a small coastal town that finds itself tormented by a slew of unexplained drownings. I was pleased to hear that Siren will be the first book in a trilogy, and I look forward to checking out Tricia Rayburn's middle-grade novels.

I know I am the first person to give this book less than a "4 star" rating, but I couldn't help it. Although I love YA fiction, I loved the premise of this story, and I loved the folklore, I couldn't help but be left wanting. The ending was inappropriately placed as I feel much was left to be desired. I wanted to know what happened between Vanessa and Simon, what about Caleb? I know those who have not read the book and therefore don't know what I mean about questioning the relationships between the characters, but I have to throw it in here.

As for the plot, the story had/has great potential (if it becomes a series). If it becomes a series, then I know why I was left hanging on at the end. I agree with the other reviews that it was well written and interesting, but I couldn't help but believe that some of the mythology and folklore could have been explained a little better. I know what sirens are mythologically speaking, but what are they and how are they different in this story? I could try to flesh it out for you, but I don't feel like it was done justice. If the author had been pushed a bit further developing the idea of using a powerful creature like the siren, I believe this story could have been truly superb.

I do believe it is worth reading, if anything to give other writers an idea about how to flesh out their mythologies a little better. As for characterization, that I believe, was done beautifully. Not only were the primary characters interesting, but so were the secondary. Twists and turns definitely kept me reading and I finished the book in a little over a day. It is a wonderful piece to add to my YA fiction collection, but unless there is a series, the best rating I can give is three stars.

I do not regret buying or reading this novel, and I encourage any paranormal/supernatural YA or adult fiction reader to buy and read this novel. It is smart, sweet, but a little under developed, and therefore I cannot join the troops among the 4+ star ratings!

Great job though to Tricia Rayburn and I truly hope this is one of at least a trilogy as Vanessa's fate (both personally and romantically) are definitely left up in the air.

I have to admit, I'm glad I got this one from the library. I'd heard some buzz about it and was excited to read it, but it ultimately felt really flat to me. I love a good teen paranormal read, but this one felt underdeveloped with boring characters that I couldn't bring myself to really care about. I found the lack of parental supervision when something so horrific had just happened to be completely unrealistic, and I was bothered that Vanessa, who had never kissed a boy before, went from kissing her friend Simon to sleeping with him in practically the same paragraph. Frankly, the romance was just flat and pretty lifeless.

And let's talk about the ending. It felt really rushed and left me wondering what had just happened. And sirens? I'm still not totally clear on them, either. The mythology was never really explained or developed, so I'm lost there, too.

And just a side note, did anyone who's read Carrie Jones' Need series (which was written first) see a lot of quirky similarities? Both stories had a major character named Zara (an unusual name) with a Grandma Betty (seriously, same name). Both stories had the characters driving a Subaru and a red Mini Cooper, and they were both set in Maine with a main character who's afraid of everything. I mean, lots of stories take place in Maine, but it was strange how the characters drove the same unique cars and had the same unusual names. I know it's minor, but I was just wondering if anyone else noticed the strange similarities.

Anyway, I know a lot of people enjoyed this novel, but for me, I wish I'd skipped it and read something else with my time like Sophie Jordan's Firelight. Now THAT was worth spending an evening reading.

1. New creatures. No vamps or weres. Just sirens, not mermaids. No Ariel and Sebastian the Crab singing Under the Sea here.

2. There's a good boy! Not a bad boy! And he doesn't want to use the heroine as an ingredient to make his dinner!

3. Present parents. Maybe they're a wee bit distracted, but they have good reasons.

4. Spectacular setting. I read SIREN while I was at the beach, and I grew increasingly nervous about going in the water. I'm serious.

5. Really compelling subplots. The secondary characters aren't forgotten, and the potential for exploration of their stories is wide open. *waits for sequel*

6. Our heroine, Vanessa, is not hyper aware of herself. By this, I mean she thinks about other people and their problems. She takes steps to solve them. She has her own issues, but she overcomes them.

7. The sister, Justine. Wow. The sister. Discovering the mystery behind her death drives the plot, so she's not present, but she's present.

8. Well-written. Tricia has a middle-grade series, Maggie Bean, and I think she'll make quite a splash in her jump to YA.

9. THAT COVER. I'm lusting. I am.

10. Tricia. She's a sweetheart, y'all. She really loves what she does. That always makes a difference for m

For Vanessa Sands, summer has always been in Winter Harbor with her wild older sister Justine and the Carmichael boys. But Vanessa has never really felt part of the group; her shyness and fears prevent her from participating in all of Justine's daring excursions. When Justine dies in a cliff diving accident, everything changes for Vanessa. She discovers that her beloved sister Justine had been keeping secrets from everyone. Torn between wanting to move on and figuring out who her sister really was, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor on her own, but Winter Harbor is no longer a safe haven. Brutalized bodies are being washed ashore--smiling. Along with Simon Carmichael, Vanessa sets out to figure out what's really going on--only to discover some startling truths about Winter Harbor, her family, and herself.

I really was not expecting much from Siren, because I figured it would be another standard paranormal story. However, Siren turned out to be something more. At first, the reader can't really tell if this is a paranormal novel because that element doesn't enter the story until almost mid-way through the book. Rayburn eases in the supernatural angle so that the story appears more realistic. I loved reading along as Vanessa and Simon unraveled the mystery of certain inhabitants of Winter Harbor piece by piece. As in many paranormal stories, there is a central romance and some kind of ultimate life-threatening event. Rayburn actually does these rather well; the romance between Vanessa and Simon was realistic and sweet and the great mystery turns out to be rather unique with Rayburn's version of the femme fatale. The story may start out a little slow, but it pays off to continue reading, because Siren is an immensely enjoyable and unique paranormal read.

Siren will be enjoyed by fans of Sea Change by Aimee Friedman, Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus, and Evermore by Alyson Noël.

In a market filled with vampires, werewolves and other supernatural and paranormal creatures Siren was a refreshing step away into the land of the deep sea. Set in a small lake-side town in Maine the Sands sisters are preparing for their last summer of fun with the Carmichael brothers before Justine heads off to college. The only problem is that this sleepy town is now ground zero for a rash of sea-based deaths, including Justine's own.

Light on the town's history and mermaid-ish folklore, Siren had the perfect mix of romance, suspense and action. For me, this made the story all that more enjoyable. I received just the right amount of information to understand the story without being hit over the head with interesting but needless facts. I also enjoyed the fact that there were strong romantic elements but they weren't the main theme of the story.

The romantic elements of the Sands sisters and Charmichael brothers was sweet, longing and tender. It lacked hard core passion but for this story that feeling was rightfully meant for Zara, the town bombshell. Vanessa and Simon circled each other and had a great push/pull kind of relationship but the point of the story wan't about their love as much as it was about love in general.

Vanessa, as a character, is as dynamic as it gets. She starts the story as a fearful introverted girl, dependent on the strength and support of her sister only to be left to fend for herself. Watching her embrace her fears and grow to be strong on her own was a fabulous element of the story. Feeling every bit of Vanessa's angst and sorrow after the death of her sister I wasn't surprised that her reaction wasn't to immediately cloister herself but to go back to where it all happened and investigate Justine's last moments.

The secondary characters were created with equal depth. Zara - the bitch on wheels, Paige - the good natured sister who smoothed over Zara's harshness, Simon - the weather-geek turned investigator wanting to protect Vanessa, and Caleb -- the love of Justine's life; each a story in their own right. What worked really well about this? The fact that even though we could have gone much deeper into the lives of each we were taken just far enough to related them to Vanessa and the mystery of the murders. Not only that but certain facts were let go at the most opportune moments to create the strongest impact.

Rayburn crafted an excellent mystery and wrote it beautifully. Depth of emotion was not in short supply. Power and control were large parts of the main theme. Sirens wanted it and would do what they could to have it. Those whom they were setting their sites on weren't going to give it up without a fight.

The bonds of sisterhood was another central theme. Vanessa had a very strong connection to her recently deceased sister, it was this bond that drove all of her actions. The sirens, too, had a strong connection to each other. Knowing where, when and how things were happening in each of their lives so as to produce maximum results in their attempts to remain undetected and alive.

Pacing of the story was fantastic. It wasn't too slow but didn't rush to tell us everything in the first chapter. I enjoyed that we slowly learned more about the characters and their relationships to each other. The suspense of the murder mystery was held throughout -- giving us small tastes of resolution only to pull us backwards a few steps rig to the bitter end.

I've learned that there will be a follow-up to this story which excites me. I'm extremely interested to read the sequel, particularly given how this book ended (which I won't give away).

Siren is a strongly written paranormal thriller with a splash of romance. Definitely worth a read if you are into young adult literature. Since it's light on the magic and super powers I'll say it's even a good foot in the door of the paranormal genre. Give it a read, you'll enjoy it.

SIREN, by Tricia Rayburn, is a thrilling tale about the events surrounding the mysterious deaths in a Maine vacation town. Rayburn opened my eyes to the wonderful world of the mythological siren. My previous encounters with sirens in books have only been limited, so I was excited to delve into this book and explore these fascinating creatures.

From the synopsis, I anticipated the death of Justine and the disappearance of Caleb. But within the first chapter I was already connected with them, that when the time came for these tragedies, I was downright depressed. I was captured by Vanessa's love for Justine and the budding romance between her and Simon. The characters came to life on the page, and I felt that Justine was taken away from me too soon as she was from Vanessa and her family.

Vanessa's love for her sister drove her to dig deeper into the bizarre deaths of Winter Harbor, but she ended up uncovering a secret that changes everything. I really enjoyed the way Rayburn slowly unraveled the story to keep the tension high. And when she made the big reveal, I have to say I was very surprised.

The characters in this book really added to the dynamic. They all had secrets and it was surprising when all of their secrets weaved together. Vanessa was a great character. She started off afraid of everything but eventually she faced her fears and became selfless in her journey to help Simon find Caleb. Vanessa and Simon were adorable together. Their relationship blossomed from time and growing up together. At times I felt bad for Caleb, he just had his heart broken which made him vulnerable and weak and the perfect prey.

I thought the ending of this book was bittersweet and absolutely perfect. It left me wanting more but also feeling content. I am very excited to read the next installments.

If you've been a long-time reader of my blog, you'll know that I've been looking forward to reading this book for quite awhile now, since the cover was eye-catching and the premise seemed mysterious (and I do like my mysteries, you know). So when the chance came up to read an early copy of it, I jumped at, and I'm so glad I did! Since while Siren didn't always live up to expectations, it still was one book that proved to be an exciting and un-put-a-down-able guilty pleasure!

Vanessa is a character who to put it lightly seems to be afraid of everything. Water, heights, life... you name it and she'll probably be at least a wee bit afraid of it, but when it came to her sister's death, she puts aside her own fears and became a fighter with only one mission. That mission? Find out who killed her sister along with all those other men.

While sometimes I was put down by the fact that Vanessa constantly let her fears get the better part of her, I did like her. I could feel her sorrow for loosing her sister too soon radiate off the page, as well as her exciting non-friendship feelings for the alluring, brilliant Simon. And seeing her find out the mystery behind her sister's death made me proud of her in a way that I wasn't before. Also her friendship with Paige was anther aspect of this book that I enjoyed because it was easy to see what great of friends they were given the short amount of time.

The plot of this was also proved to have me hooked, as it will any reader who loves mysteries, siren stories, and romance. I was always rushing through the pages, eager to find out what happened to Justine and whether or not Simon and Vanessa would ever get together, as well if the two of them would ever overcome each road-block thrown in the way to figure out the mystery. Though I felt that some of it could have been better explained, especially in the last few chapters were everything seemed to be a rush of excitement with no real, logical explanation. Though don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this story, but I felt that it would've been better if explained.

Overall, Siren proves to be an easy, light read that will be perfect read for the summer season, since it does drop on July 13. And the ending has left me with the hope that there will be sequel, thankfully.

Grade: B

Where to start? I loved this book, I think that much is obvious, considering I've added it to the Faerie of Honor list on my blog.

Initially, I wasn't interested in Siren. It was a YA, and I was slowly--yet surely--growing tired of all the paranormal YA that has bombarding me at every angle. After a while, I grow tired of reading about young teenage girls making stupid decisions that ultimately echo throughout the rest of the book. Yes, most teenagers aren't as experienced and don't understand certain things, but it appeared as if this was a trend--no, more like an excuse by some authors to be less creative.

Suffice to say, Vanessa has some instances where she is being somewhat silly, but she does not fit into this typical mold of the teenage heroine. She is strong, brave (despite what she may believe), and beautiful. When her sister dies, this young woman takes matters into her own hands. Most people would simply accept Justine's death for what it was, yet Vanessa does not. She knows there is something wrong... and I loved her for it. I love heroines who take the initiative, but are also wary during the process. That's not to say I don't love the other heroines who run into a fight with guns blazing, or the ones who slowly and patiently wait it out, those are different books, for different times.

The cover was visually appealing, and it is extremely beautiful. In the beginning, I didn't understand the significance of the colors or the overall designing of it. Now that I do, I appreciate it so much more. I know a lot of people instantly dismissed the colors and the somewhat creepy feeling emanating from the closeup, but I guarantee you, should you read this tale, you will understand why.

I loved the relationship that had just began to sprout between Vanessa and Simon. Simon's cute, and I adored his character. It was frustrating towards the end listening to all the worries our young heroine had, especially after the two seemed to experience a monumental moment together. The romantic in me yipped in joy... only to wail in dismay towards the end.

This intricate world of sirens Tricia has created intrigued me so much that I'm curious to see if there will be a second book, and whether or not this will turn into a series. While looking, I couldn't figure out if there was going to be one... I really hope there is! Witnessing the change Vanessa undergoes towards the end will be an interesting followup. As will the relationship--PLEASE tell me it'll work out!--with Simon.

Overall verdict? Loved it, highly suggest it. It's a refreshingly new summer read that is absolutely perfect for the beach!