YA Fantasy Romance: Fins by Ashley Knight
Fins
Written by Ashley Knight
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Book Synopsis
Morgan just wanted her vacation to end. She should have been careful what she wished for. Suddenly, she is swept into a strange new world in which the impossible happens every day and fairy tale creatures live among unsuspecting Humans. Will Morgan discover her unknown self and fulfill her true destiny or will she doom an already vulnerable species for all eternity?Beth's Rating
Beth's Review
Ashley Knight’s novel, FINS, follows high school senior Morgandy. She is a girl who always knew she was different, she just didn’t know what made her that way. When she goes to visit her mother at Vero Beach, Florida, not only does her whole world change, but she begins to change as well. Soon after her arrival from her father’s ranch in Idaho, Morgan, as she prefers to be called, discovers that her mother has been keeping multiple secrets from her, one of which is that both her mom and step-father are mermaids. And as if it weren’t difficult enough to be a teenager, she’s beginning to phase into a mermaid as well.
These changes and discoveries force her into a world full of mystery, love, family feuds, violence, and politics leaving her to make decisions that she doesn’t understand the consequences of while trying to function in a world she doesn’t always comprehend. As her world is continually turned upside down, Morgandy rises to every occasion by discovering her unknown self and her only true love, but what will become of not only her own destiny, but the future of all mermaids as well.
Ashley Knight's characters are well-written and suited for the pace a young adult novel requires to hold a teenager's interest. In addition, she places them in settings that tease the senses without distracting from this character driven story. One of the nicest surprises in this first novel of a trilogy was that the Morgan grows into a stronger, more confident woman as she finds her soul mate. So many novels play out in the opposite direction, sending the wrong message to young women. Thankfully, Mrs. Knight chose a different approach.
FINS is a must read for anyone who loves the ocean and has dreamt of what lies below the surface. Ms. Knight’s story effortlessly carries the reader into mysterious, hidden, and sometimes dark places that will make you want to head to the ocean, sprout a fin, and explore the exciting world she has created!
Disclaimer: May not be appropriate for young children due to violence.
