Tempest Unleashed

Gr 7 Up—Tempest Maguire used to be a surf goddess, catching waves every day with her boyfriend Mark, but her life changes forever when she finds out that she is part mermaid and that a prophecy states that she will save her clan by killing the evil seawitch Tiamat. Tempest now belongs to the sea. She has a new boyfriend, Kona, who is a selkie prince, and life is going pretty well, but she cannot shake the draw she still feels toward Mark, her family, and her old life on land. When her younger brother is nearly killed by Tiamat, Tempest rushes to land to be by his side. While with her family, she questions her love for both Mark and Kona; she is torn between fulfilling the prophecy and Kona and the passion she feels when she kisses Mark, and her joy at being home. The many questions unanswered or unexplained leave this sequel to Tempest Rising (Walker, 2011) open for the next installment. This title, however, falls flat. Tempest quickly becomes an annoying character who seems more concerned with which boy she should date than matters of life and death. She seems too defined by her relationships with both suitors and relies on others to make her decisions. Deebs's writing style is also at times flowery and melodramatic. An additional purchase for libraries in which the first book is popular.—Lauren Newman, Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School, East Columbus, NJ