Wake - Amanda Hocking

I must admit, I put off reading this series for awhile because I have never been big on the whole "mermaid" thing.  I know the girls in the book aren't actually mermaids, but close enough.  So I kept passing it over.  Finally, when I was at the library over the weekend, I decided to give it a try.  After all, I like some of Amanda Hocking's other books.  It definitely exceeded my expectation.  

Wake follows Gemma, a teenager who's life basically revolves around swimming.  When she isn't at swim practice, she's swimming in the sea.  Right around some sharp rocks.  At night.  Gemma's a whole lot braver than I am.  Gemma's family, especially her overprotective sister, does not approve of her night swims, but she does it anyway.  When she's not swimming, she's crushing on her cute neighbor, Alex, who is her sister's best friend.  It sounds like a nice beginning to a story.

But enter three creepy, yet totally beautiful girls who seem to take a liking to Gemma.  They invite her to join their small group and suddenly, her life changes.  She gets faster, stronger, and even more beautiful that she already was.  Unfortunately, these special new abilities are not a good thing.  She ends up trapped in a curse that will tear her from her family forever.  

At first, I thought, "hey, why shouldn't Gemma join this group?"  But then I learned that they drink blood (not like a vampire) and they kinda, sorta kill people.  So.....she probably shouldn't join them.  

At certain points, some of the characters got on my nerves.  Gemma's sister was a little too overbearing and uptight for my taste, but I foresee that in future books, she will lighten up a bit.  It may or may not have something to do with the hottie that lives at the dock in his boat.  Needless to say, I will probably add the next book to my long queue of books to read this year, even if it is just to see if Gemma's sister chills out.