Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly (Review + Giveaway)

Genre:	Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy
Publication Date:	January 6, 2015
Published By:	Disney Hyperion
Website	Rogue Wave on Goodreads
	Jennifer Donnelly Website
My review copy:	Provided by publisher for honest review in event.

 Where to get:

Serafina, Neela, Ling, Ava, Becca, and Astrid, six mermaids from realms scattered throughout the seas and freshwaters, were summoned by the leader of the river witches to learn an incredible truth: the mermaids are direct descendants of the Six Who Ruled-powerful mages who once governed the lost empire of Atlantis. The ancient evil that destroyed Atlantis is stirring again, and only the mermaids can defeat it. To do so, they need to find magical talismans that belonged to the Six.

Serafina believes her talisman was buried with an old shipwreck. While researching its location, she is almost discovered by a death rider patrol led by someone familiar. . . . The pain of seeing him turned traitor is devastating.

Neela travels to Matali to warn her parents of the grave threat facing their world. But they find her story outlandish; a sign that she needs to be confined to her chamber for rest and recovery. She escapes and travels to Kandina, where her talisman is in the possession of fearsome razormouth dragons.

As they hunt for their talismans, both Serafina and Neela find reserves of courage and cunning they didn't know they possessed. They face down danger and death, only to endure a game-changing betrayal, as shocking as a rogue wave.
(Goodreads)

Kiraat and her parents thought they were protecting her.  They thought they were helping her come back to her senses, but all they were doing was killing her spirit, bit by bit.

  Sera was beginning to see that love wasn't pretty words and easy promises.  Love was hard.  It challenged you and changed you.  It filled your heart and sometimes hardened it, too.  Love demanded sacrifices.  

  She looked at the prison again, and the people in it, and realized that there was no better.  Not from a bing-bang.  If she wanted things to be better, she would have to make them so.

  This was a stunning second novel.  I did enjoy the first book but there was a slow start due to Donnelly developing everything so well.  However, this book was the complete opposite.  With everything set up so well Donnelly was able to just craft this novel into a fast paced and action packed read.

  Rogue Wave focuses on Serafina and Neela.  Though Donnelly did a lot of setting development and character development in Deep Blue, it was mainly Serafina that we really got to know.  Well, at least that is how I felt.  Sure you do get a feel for all of the other Mermaids and who they were, but Rogue Wave may be the start of something more.  Seeing this journey does not belong to Serafina alone, and she is not the only one changed I enjoyed the switching POV and getting to see the changed Neela as well.  

  I truly admire Neela and her growth.  I wouldn't say she was shallow because I enjoyed her in Deep Blue but she was very much a little fashion princess.  Neela was the good girl, the one that did as she was supposed to and all her worries were solved with sweets.  However, despite everything and how unreal it seems, Neela is taking her role seriously.  She has become something that she would have never considered.  Neela has become brave and what others may see as crazy or rebellious, but in reality she is really becoming a hero.  She has even let her fashionista was slid away.  Basically Neela has become the girl that I want on my side.

  Serafina is doing what she has to.  She still has a lot of self doubt but she is learning.  She feels the pressure of the entire mission on her shoulders and yet she doesn't cave.  Honestly thou I can't say that there was much growth for Seraphina this time.  Her determination and stress triggers were set up really well in Deep Blue.  Basically in Rogue Wave you just get to see the lengths that she is willing to go to, and watch her as she realizes that sometimes doing what's best means making sacrifices that you aren't always prepared for.  This Mermaid realizes now that as a ruler you have to suffer personally losses in order to gain.

  Romance...  Well I have to say that this remains as an undercurrent in the book.  There are certain things that I had guessed that remained floating in my head until this book, and for the most part I had it right.  However, like I said the romance is not something that takes over this book and I think honestly that it leaves more room for heartbreak than anything else.  The twist that it creates left me with mixed feelings and a lot of anger for certain characters.  With this being said it also created some hope in a time where it was needed.  There are so many ways that this could all play out and though the romance doesn't run the show I am looking forward to seeing more.

  Rogue Wave surpassed everything I had expected.  Basically it blew away any chance of second book syndrome within the first few chapters.  Donnelly has hooked me completely and I know that the Waterfire Saga will easily become one of my favourite series.  I can't recommend this book enough especially if you have read Deep Blue.  If you haven't read Deep Blue I recommend you pick it up (the first bit is slow and packed with details but it's worth it I promise).  Fans of mermaids... Well, this is a MUST READ! 

A HUGE thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with this prize.  I basically

fell in love with it and may not have been able to share if they weren't awesome 

enough to send me one for all of you and one for me :)  What I have is probably

the softest beach towel EVER that folds into its own little bag and has the stunning 

cover of Deep Blue on it (sorry couldn't get a picture, but picture the below cover on a towel).

I'm going to open this giveaway to everyone because it is AWESOME!!! Good luck :)

Seriously the towel is THIS COVER!!! It's BEAUTIFUL!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway