Coral & Bone (Siren Chronicles, #1)

by Tiffany Daune

[Angie]

I really need to stop reading mermaid books; I really do not like them. I was sucked into Coral & Bone because of that cover! It promised dark mermaids! I mean, she has a skeletal hand in her hair and her eyebrow is made of smoke! But my goodness, this was one frustrating read, because nothing makes any sense! None at all! I honestly have no clue what's going on here!

Coral & Bone starts off with Halen hearing voices and having electricity tingle her fingers. Then a boy shows up at her house with a knife, so she and her....friend? roommate? acquaintance? (I really don't know the nature of their relationship) run for it, straight into the ocean! Because...obviously they'll be safe in the ocean...with deadly mermaids...and where the strange boy can still follow them....but they have the added issue of deadly mermaids. Immediately, things make no sense. Of course, Halen is rescued, and she's taken to Elosia where things make even less sense.

The world building of Coral & Bone is the worst. I understand nothing. This is a mermaid book, but not really, but it is. Elosia is some other dimension where Elosians live. They hate mermaids. They also hate sirens, which are the half human children of Elosians. But they're also mermaids? I think? They can breathe in water and die if they stay on land too long. So what is the difference between Elosians and mermaids?! Are mermaids only in our realm, while Elosians are the mermaids of the alternate realm? I have no idea! I just know they hate their half human children and mermaids, and...that's about it.

Then the whole plot is centered about Halen being the chosen one to fight some evil siren name Asair. Well, okay, that's pretty typical. But...Halen didn't know she was a siren until they rescued her from the deadly mermaids and the boy with the knife. She has no clue about anything, but everyone is telling her that she's their only hope or everyone is going to die. Then she's told that her parents kept all of this a secret to protect her, and her mother wanted to keep her human longer, even though her magical powers were manifesting. Umm...you can't make her stay human just by telling her she's human, and then tell her she has to save the world with no training and no knowledge of her heritage. And instead of anyone teaching her anything, they just talk in circles and continue to withhold information, then get frustrated that she sucks at magic. Seriously people.

Let's talk about Asair a minute. He's like the most evil of evil, and only Halen can stop him because she's like him, but not evil (yet). But this dude is locked away in yet another dimension and can't get out. He's been in there for 100 years with no problem. So Halen has to LET HIM OUT. Like, she's the only one who can open the portal to his dimension. Why not just leave him there?! I get killing him is probably a more permanent solution, but Halen has no idea what she's doing and will probably die or screw up and everyone else will die. It's not like anyone else can mess with the portal to his prison, so LEAVE IT ALONE!

Coral & Bone also has a nonsense ending, which I do not even being to understand. Was that one of those twisty surprise endings? Or a cliffhanger? I don't have the slightest idea. Honestly, I don't actually care either way. This book just doesn't make any kind of sense no matter the conclusion.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.