Book Reviews

Review: Out of the Blue by Jason June

I am on the forever search for mermaid books. I dream about them and just wish I could read all the mermaid books. So it’s an utter joy to have read Out of the Blue which is a precious queer mermaid story! Keep reading this book review to see my full thoughts.

Summary

Crest is not excited to be on their Journey: the monthlong sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder–or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with: after all, humans are disgusting. They’ve pollluted the planet so much that there’s a floating island of trash that’s literally the size of a country.

In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together and Crest’s pespective on humans begins to change, they’ll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings…

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

From the beginning, I could tell I was going to love Out of the Blue. Not only does it feature dual POV – which has to be one of my favorite narration types – it also features queer mermaids. It was an instant love affair because from the very beginning, Out of the Blue screams character. From the fantastic side characters who chase away our exes for us, all the way to Crest and Sean, each of these characters so firmly and completely solidify themselves in our mind. At the same time, Out of the Blue is a perfect balance of contemporary world and fantasy elements because mermaids, duh!

It has though out and charming fantasy vibes – the merfolk culture is seriously fabulous – all with a core of contemporary setting. While reading Out of the Blue, both Sean and Crest so utterly embody themselves in our minds. It’s like in each chapter they are talking directly to us. To the ways in which Sean’s heart is broken to Crest’s desire to return home. With clever touches, Out of the Blue feels like it subverts some popular tropes and references to mermaids in hilarious and fun ways.

Moving away from the characters for a moment, Out of the Blue also has a tremendous and important foundation of choice and love. It’s one of those books which I have to recommend to everyone regardless of if they like mermaids in the way it discusses love and jealously. The ways jealously can tread the line of possessiveness. And how difficult it is to see our own love and wishes separate from someone else. The importance of our own self-value, the knowledge we all too quickly lose which is to know our own worth. Both Crest and Sean truly have to question not only what love means to them – and who it might be with – but also who they are. What they want and their own future.

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Out of the Blue manages to balance all of this and more. It’s one of those books I’m already looking forwards to re-reading. And that ending? Firmly solidified in my list of top contemporary fantasy books, Out of the Blue is an utter gem. Find Out of the Blue on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.

Discussion

Do you have a favorite or upcoming mermaid release? Please share!


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