Review: Siren - Tricia Rayburn

Something deadly waits beneath the waves off Winter Harbor, and this summer, no one's safe.

Timid seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands has always had her sister Justine to protect her.  Until Justine is found dead near their holiday home and her boyfriend Caleb goes missing.

Looking for answers, Vanessa finds solace in Simon, Caleb's handsome brother.  But time is running out as more men disappear, their bodies washed ashore grinning from ear-to-ear.

As Vanessa delves deeper into Winter Harbor's murky past she discovers that nothing is what it seems.  Not even her.  And only she may have the power to stop this.

Will she find the courage to face up to what she really is - before Simon becomes the next victim?

Siren Trilogy:
Siren
Undercurrent (US release date July 2011, UK release date not known at this time)
I was unable to find a name for the 3rd book in the trilogy

Visit Tricia Rayburn's website for more information

Review:
Vanessa is timid and shy, the complete opposite of her daredevil, fun loving sister Justine but they have always been close and Justine has always protected and looked out for Vanessa.  When Justine dies after what is assumed to be a tragic accident Vanessa can't help but be suspicious of the circumstances of her sister's death.  Vanessa is determined to get to the bottom of what happened and the first person she wants to speak to is Justine's boyfriend Caleb. When she finds out that Caleb is missing so she turns to his brother Simon for help but the more digging they do the more it looks like she never really knew her sister at all.  With more bodies appearing every day it is up to Vanessa and Simon to investigate and try and stop whatever is happening before they end up as victims themselves.  Nothing is what it seems and the secrets Vanessa discovers will change her life forever.

Siren is one of those books that I picked up expecting to enjoy but had no idea just how much I would love.  I loved the characters, the mythology, the mystery, in fact Siren ticked just about every box and kept me captivated enough to stay up all night reading.  If you're looking for something a bit different in the YA paranormal genre you can't go far wrong with this one, I just hope I don't have to wait too long before I can read the rest of the series!

Vanessa is a very easy character to relate to, she is very shy and scares easily but has always had her big sister Justine to protect her and make her feel safe.  After Justine dies it would have been easy for Vanessa to stay at home with her parents and try to ignore her doubts about what caused her sister's death but she is determined to do the right thing and find out what really happened.  We get to see big changes in Vanessa as she faces her fears head on and learns that she can cope living on her own. 

Simon is another character you can't help but like - he is a science geek but very cute with it and you can tell how much he cares for both Vanessa and his brother Caleb.  I loved the romance between Simon and Vanessa, they have been friends forever so they have a real connection and I always enjoy a good friends to lovers romance.

I don't want to say too much about the mystery surrounding the deaths at Winter Harbor and the mythology Tricia Rayburn has created because I don't want to give any spoilers.  All I'm going to say is that the story is fast paced and full of twists and turns and will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I've not come across many YA books about sirens but I think this one will be hard to beat and I can't wait to get my hands on Undercurrent.

Source: Received from Faber & Faber in exchange for an honest review

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