Luminaire
Author: Ciye Cho
Publication Date: December 1st, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance
Synopsis:
Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness. The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it? Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love.My Thoughts: I was quite pleased when Ciye asked if I was interested in reading the second book in the Florence Waverley series. I read Florence a little while ago, you can find the review here. and I really enjoyed it, so of course I accepted his offer right away.
I'll start by saying this was a really great sequel. We got to pick up right where we left off. We were led on some high strung, fast paced, edge of your seat adventure. We learned about some brand new dangers that come with living within a mer world while still holding onto previous enemies. Florence is continually trying to find her place among the mer. They are still not overly receptive, but her determination refuses to let her give up. She is beyond selfless and she feels she needs to be there to help in any way she can.
I was happy to again be immersed in Ciye's incredible vibrant world. It's definitely what I enjoy most about this series. The bright colorful images painted within this story are just beautiful. I just love sitting there and envisioning this awe inspiring world he has created. What I wouldn't give to be Florence for a day. Or even to live in Ciye's creative mind for a day to see where all the inspiration comes from.
The romance development was heart breaking at times. It's obviously not easy to be in love with a merman, let alone the king of mermen. Same goes for Rolan, it does not put him in an easy position to be a strong leader who is in love with a weak little human. Not to mention the fact that if a human and mermaid fall in love, the human supposedly loses their soul. So yeah, definitely not an easy pairing here. But their feelings for each other are ever growing. Will they be able to find a way to make it work? Or will Rolan's stern nature drive her back to the surface?
In an attempt to find her place and prove she is not just some weak little human, Florence enters the life path tournament. Which in itself is incredibly dangerous and not everyone survives. But this year, things are even worse due to unforeseen enemies.
You'll have to read it yourself to fill in the blanks. It's a good read and fun for fantasy lovers. It's great if you're looking to experience a brand new and unique world. And, obviously if you are into mermaids than this is your next read :).
Omg this cover freaks me out! She looks more elfish than mermaid-ish though but creeepy!! I don't think I've heard of this series before though but glad that the sequel did not disappoint. I'm not one for mermaid books so not sure it would be for me.
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