Book Review- Ripple

I just finished reading Ripple by Mandy Hubbard for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

Ripple was a quick read, an engrossing story.  I was completely into the book right from the start.  I felt so bad for Lexi.  She had everything going for her until the night of her sixteenth birthday happened.  And the way she punished herself, by not letting herself have friends, was so sad.  I really liked her and wanted her to forgive herself.

And then there's the boys.  Cole and Erik.  Cole kinda confused me.  On one hand, I loved him and how kind he was to Lexi.  But a part of me thinks that it seemed a little too good to be true.  That he would go against what all of his friends thought about Lexi...although I liked that he didn't listen to them, it didn't really ring true.  If that makes any sense.  And then Erik.  The beautiful boy.  He seemed so into Lexi.  But I'm glad that she realized that he was so very wrong for her in the end.

Another thing I had a problem with, was Lexi swimming in her lake all night, every night.  I mean, I know her guardian is grandmother, and grandmothers can often times be naive.  But I can't imagine that doesn't realize that Lexi is gone all night long. 

Anyways, that didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.  I love how the theme was pretty much love (although I won't tell you how).  I'm such a sap...a sucker for a good love story :)

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Ripple will be released on July 21, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 41
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 35
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 32

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.