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Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #1
Ice Massacre
Warrior girls. Killer mermaids. A forbidden love that could doom them all.
A sapphic enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance full of dark secrets, breathtaking action, and star-crossed love.
*
For twenty years, the island of Eriana Kwai has sent its young men to battle the mermaids that plague their waters. None have ever returned alive.
Now, Eriana Kwai sends its daughters to fight—their last hope against the mermaids� deadly allure. Among them is eighteen-year-old Meela, trained as a warrior and ready to avenge her brother's death.
But Meela has a secret: a lost childhood friend named Lysi, a mermaid who is nothing like the vicious creatures Meela was taught to hate and fear. When Meela comes face-to-face with the mermaids in battle and reunites with Lysi, their hatred for each other melts as their old friendship lingers beneath the surface.
With her loyalties tested and her mission in jeopardy, Meela must choose between duty to her people and the dangerous yet irresistible connection she feels with Lysi. Her decision could either end the war or ruin them all.
Ice Massacre is a thrilling fantasy adventure with a sapphic friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you craving the sequel.
*
Ice Massacre is the first book in Tiana Warner’s multi-award-winning YA Sapphic Romantasy trilogy. The series is best enjoyed in order:
Ice Massacre (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #1)
Ice Crypt (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai, #2)
Ice Kingdom (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai, #3)
A sapphic enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance full of dark secrets, breathtaking action, and star-crossed love.
*
For twenty years, the island of Eriana Kwai has sent its young men to battle the mermaids that plague their waters. None have ever returned alive.
Now, Eriana Kwai sends its daughters to fight—their last hope against the mermaids� deadly allure. Among them is eighteen-year-old Meela, trained as a warrior and ready to avenge her brother's death.
But Meela has a secret: a lost childhood friend named Lysi, a mermaid who is nothing like the vicious creatures Meela was taught to hate and fear. When Meela comes face-to-face with the mermaids in battle and reunites with Lysi, their hatred for each other melts as their old friendship lingers beneath the surface.
With her loyalties tested and her mission in jeopardy, Meela must choose between duty to her people and the dangerous yet irresistible connection she feels with Lysi. Her decision could either end the war or ruin them all.
Ice Massacre is a thrilling fantasy adventure with a sapphic friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you craving the sequel.
*
Ice Massacre is the first book in Tiana Warner’s multi-award-winning YA Sapphic Romantasy trilogy. The series is best enjoyed in order:
Ice Massacre (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #1)
Ice Crypt (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai, #2)
Ice Kingdom (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai, #3)
375 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2014
114 people are currently reading
10.2k people want to read
About the author
Tiana Warner
54books702followersTiana Warner is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author whose books have been featured on BuzzFeed, Gizmodo, Paste Magazine, Tor, Book Riot, Foreword Reviews, and more. She is the winner of the Best Indie Book Award, the Dante Rossetti Awards, and Sequential Magazine’s Favourite Writer Award. Her works have been optioned for film and TV.
Tiana is a bisexual author who mainly writes sapphic fiction. Her books include the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling series, Mermaids of Eriana Kwai and its graphic novel adaptation, as well as The Valkyrie’s Daughter (Entangled Teen), and several lesbian romance novels with Ylva Publishing.
Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Tiana is a former programmer with a Computer Science degree, a lifelong horseback rider, and an outdoor enthusiast who loves to explore BC with her hyperactive rescue mutt, Joey.
Find her online at .
Tiana is a bisexual author who mainly writes sapphic fiction. Her books include the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling series, Mermaids of Eriana Kwai and its graphic novel adaptation, as well as The Valkyrie’s Daughter (Entangled Teen), and several lesbian romance novels with Ylva Publishing.
Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Tiana is a former programmer with a Computer Science degree, a lifelong horseback rider, and an outdoor enthusiast who loves to explore BC with her hyperactive rescue mutt, Joey.
Find her online at .
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May 29, 2018Gay mermaids? GAY MERMAIDS?
GAY. MERMAIDS.
GAY. MERMAIDS.
February 5, 2019
4 stars
Oh man,look at this cover,it's awesome with blood and all,so creative,and it fits the story perfectly,like this is how I imaged some of the scenes happening.
Ice Massacre is a mermaid fantasy YA.When I say mermaid you may think something fluffy,but I assure you this is no such thing,otherwise I wouldn't have read it,yet liked it this much.I admit mermaids are some of my least favorite creatures along with witches and werewolves,but I must say I liked these creatures here.Maybe because growing up I always imagined mermaids as some spoiled girls who can only comb their hair and do nothing else,but mermaids in this book proved me wrong.There are some quite angry and scary ones here with strange eyes and things,and I think that's awesome.And I don't know why this book reminded me of some of the video games I played growing up,because I kept imaging these mermaid as the final boss to beat,I know weird.
I am really bad at explaining the book without giving spoilers,and I don't want to do that so I am going to try to wrap up the story with the helping of the description.So yeah...The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.
Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.But new friendships and feelings come out,things that she didn't thought she was capable of feeling and doing.So whose side is Meela keeping,who is the fighting against really?(I just tried to be mysterious in the last sentence but I think I failed completely,but anyway you have the idea)
I did like the characters.Especially Meela,she is one hell of a hot angry mermaid,that can be really scary sometimes.I am glad she did not remind me Ariel,because every other mermaid reminds me or Ariel.(Go away Ariel).
I highly recommend this book to every fantasy reader out there,it's a story about friendship and fighting for what's right,and also includes some really hot mermaids so yeah you get the picture.And I want to see this one as a movie,it would rock:)
Oh man,look at this cover,it's awesome with blood and all,so creative,and it fits the story perfectly,like this is how I imaged some of the scenes happening.
Ice Massacre is a mermaid fantasy YA.When I say mermaid you may think something fluffy,but I assure you this is no such thing,otherwise I wouldn't have read it,yet liked it this much.I admit mermaids are some of my least favorite creatures along with witches and werewolves,but I must say I liked these creatures here.Maybe because growing up I always imagined mermaids as some spoiled girls who can only comb their hair and do nothing else,but mermaids in this book proved me wrong.There are some quite angry and scary ones here with strange eyes and things,and I think that's awesome.And I don't know why this book reminded me of some of the video games I played growing up,because I kept imaging these mermaid as the final boss to beat,I know weird.
I am really bad at explaining the book without giving spoilers,and I don't want to do that so I am going to try to wrap up the story with the helping of the description.So yeah...The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.
Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.But new friendships and feelings come out,things that she didn't thought she was capable of feeling and doing.So whose side is Meela keeping,who is the fighting against really?(I just tried to be mysterious in the last sentence but I think I failed completely,but anyway you have the idea)
I did like the characters.Especially Meela,she is one hell of a hot angry mermaid,that can be really scary sometimes.I am glad she did not remind me Ariel,because every other mermaid reminds me or Ariel.(Go away Ariel).
I highly recommend this book to every fantasy reader out there,it's a story about friendship and fighting for what's right,and also includes some really hot mermaids so yeah you get the picture.And I want to see this one as a movie,it would rock:)
September 1, 2019
3.5 stars
This is one of those rare books where the writing and the characters are excellent, but the foundation of the story itself is shaky. I never had a hard time reading this because the plot was always fast-paced, I liked the characters and budding romance, and the writing was smooth and engaging. But I just can't get over how unrealistic and undeveloped the world building is. This book has a very big moral question of whether or not mermaids are good or bad, and the author approaches it in a very black-and-white manner rather than having a nuanced discussion about war and evil. I'm not demanding that this book tickles my sense of philosophy, but I was really confused why a war existed between humans and mermaids, seemingly only fueled by "Well, they attacked us, so we're gonna attack them back." Furthermore, this book is set in modern day, and not one character thought to take a plane or helicopter off the island?? The entire premise is that they're stuck on the island with dwindling resources and everyone is miserable and the only thing we can do is go on yearly massacres to intimidate the mermaids, and it just seems so needless if they just got on an airplane and avoided the ocean altogether. Throughout the book, there were just small questions like that that arose and made me question why did book went the direction it did when there were seemingly easier solutions.
I do have some interest in reading the sequel, but I'm not absolutely diving to pick it up immediately. If this series focuses more on the romance and the characters going forward rather than reasoning through an overly-obvious plot of "Why are we fighting with each other??" then I would definitely be more on board, no pun intended.
This is one of those rare books where the writing and the characters are excellent, but the foundation of the story itself is shaky. I never had a hard time reading this because the plot was always fast-paced, I liked the characters and budding romance, and the writing was smooth and engaging. But I just can't get over how unrealistic and undeveloped the world building is. This book has a very big moral question of whether or not mermaids are good or bad, and the author approaches it in a very black-and-white manner rather than having a nuanced discussion about war and evil. I'm not demanding that this book tickles my sense of philosophy, but I was really confused why a war existed between humans and mermaids, seemingly only fueled by "Well, they attacked us, so we're gonna attack them back." Furthermore, this book is set in modern day, and not one character thought to take a plane or helicopter off the island?? The entire premise is that they're stuck on the island with dwindling resources and everyone is miserable and the only thing we can do is go on yearly massacres to intimidate the mermaids, and it just seems so needless if they just got on an airplane and avoided the ocean altogether. Throughout the book, there were just small questions like that that arose and made me question why did book went the direction it did when there were seemingly easier solutions.
I do have some interest in reading the sequel, but I'm not absolutely diving to pick it up immediately. If this series focuses more on the romance and the characters going forward rather than reasoning through an overly-obvious plot of "Why are we fighting with each other??" then I would definitely be more on board, no pun intended.
February 14, 2021
this is a SAPPHIC love story between a WARRIOR & a MERMAID!! this is friends to enemies back to friends to lovers!! this is all ur gay dreams coming true! :>>>>
September 18, 2019
pros: hot mermaids, cool human/mermaid f/f romance with lots of angst and slowburn, actual fantasy series with an f/f romance, killer mermaids, ship setting and mermaid/human politics
cons: annoying fights between girls that weren't really justified, didn't go as into depth with the politics of the world as I hoped, skimmed the surface of some relationships when I wanted more. Basically left me wanting more and like it didn't /go there/ for a lot of it
review to come
cons: annoying fights between girls that weren't really justified, didn't go as into depth with the politics of the world as I hoped, skimmed the surface of some relationships when I wanted more. Basically left me wanting more and like it didn't /go there/ for a lot of it
review to come
August 5, 2022
"A mermaid hunter must be aggressive, bold, and, more
importantly, nimble on her feet"
Well this was a letdown for me. And I had such high hopes for this book. Mermaids, female warriors, a bloody conflict going on for generations, forbidden friendship that might become something more, it seemed like it was going to be a fast paced, high-flying adventure.
What you get instead was huge plot holes, unnecessary dialog, and 180 degree character traits that come out of nowhere with no prompt whatsoever.
You would think a bunch of women - or anyone really - that have trained together for 5+ years would be able to work together as a whole and not get into cat fights literally as soon as the ship sails - wouldn't you think???? I didn't really like how the author pitted all of them against each other, as if women are naturally inclined to form cliques and keep important, life saving advise from each because they "don't get along".
And I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have been so quick to forgive a long lost best friend that just seconds before tried to kill me and vise versa if I found out she ATE HUMAN FLESH - but that might be just me.
What saved this book from getting DNF'd where when the girls fought against the sirens. The detail of these battles along with Meela's thoughts and actions as she's trying to survive the assault and understand why they are really fighting saved this book from being a confusing mess.
importantly, nimble on her feet"
Well this was a letdown for me. And I had such high hopes for this book. Mermaids, female warriors, a bloody conflict going on for generations, forbidden friendship that might become something more, it seemed like it was going to be a fast paced, high-flying adventure.
What you get instead was huge plot holes, unnecessary dialog, and 180 degree character traits that come out of nowhere with no prompt whatsoever.
You would think a bunch of women - or anyone really - that have trained together for 5+ years would be able to work together as a whole and not get into cat fights literally as soon as the ship sails - wouldn't you think???? I didn't really like how the author pitted all of them against each other, as if women are naturally inclined to form cliques and keep important, life saving advise from each because they "don't get along".
And I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have been so quick to forgive a long lost best friend that just seconds before tried to kill me and vise versa if I found out she ATE HUMAN FLESH - but that might be just me.
What saved this book from getting DNF'd where when the girls fought against the sirens. The detail of these battles along with Meela's thoughts and actions as she's trying to survive the assault and understand why they are really fighting saved this book from being a confusing mess.
June 23, 2016
I'm pretty sure this is the book that Tumblr has been waiting for. A human warrior raised to battle mermaids falls in love with the enemy. Except this fierce warrior is a woman. Yep, you got it. Ice Massacre is not only a story about mermaids with a kick-butt protagonist; it also features a lesbian love story. It’s subtle, but it’s there! Oh and get this, not only are they in an interspecies relationship, they're also in an interracial relationship. Meela, our main character is a P.O.C. Tumblr has been asking for this type of story for years!
I didn't have high expectations going into this. As you know I've been obsessed with mermaids since the ripe old age of, oh say, BIRTH. (Seriously, I just love them so much.) This love has led to me to read my fair share of mermaid books and 96.7% of the time they let me down. (Plus I never could jump on board with the whole warrior-princess-thing.) You can see why I wasn't really setting the bar high. However, I was pleasantly surprised with this one! If I'm sounding overly sassy here, I don't mean to be, I just want to make it clear that I expected to just skim through this story and be bored. I was anything BUT bored!
The story sets off in a similar tone to The Hunger Games. Meela is getting ready to fight a battle she never expected to fight. Every year her island sends twenty men to fend for their land and every year one man returns� if he’s lucky. Even Meela’s own brother succumbed to the mermaids during his voyage. This is the first year that women will be going into battle. In the first few chapters Meela reminds me of Katniss. She doesn’t want to fight but is willing to make the sacrifice she needs to keep her family safe. There is even a "Gale" that professes his love and vows to wait for her. The similarities end about there. Things really start to get interesting when we are taken back to a 10 year old Meela's narrative when she meets her mermaid friend, Lysi, in secret. This is when the foundations for the story are built for us. I enjoyed reading about Meela’s childhood because it gave us inside look at the characters and where everything began. Cut about halfway through, we return back to a present day Meela who is about to set sail. Things on the ship are intense. There are some characters who I wish got thrown overboard. The last half of the novel is mostly battles and crazy weather conditions that the girls need to brave in order to survive. I thought I’d really be bored with this section of the novel, as mentioned previously I’m not into all that warrior type fantasy, but I surprisingly loved it. I was on the edge of me seat and frantically turning the pages to see if my favorite characters would be killed next.
What I liked about Ice Massacre, besides the thrill of it all and Tiana Warner’s writing, is that it gives a fresh and different take on mermaids but still rings true to the original myth. They are still luring men to death with their beauty and voice, but underneath their beauty is a sickening monster that feeds on human flesh. (Gross right?!) These mermaids aren’t sitting on rocks brushing their hair with a fork. ::cough:: dinglehopper ::cough:: They are warriors with unimaginable speed and are terrifying enough to scare the devil himself when they are in fighting mode. (I don’t know what this says about me, but I want to be a mermaid even more now.)
This novel went above and beyond all my expectations. It was thrilling, terrifying, magical, and overall fantastic. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
I didn't have high expectations going into this. As you know I've been obsessed with mermaids since the ripe old age of, oh say, BIRTH. (Seriously, I just love them so much.) This love has led to me to read my fair share of mermaid books and 96.7% of the time they let me down. (Plus I never could jump on board with the whole warrior-princess-thing.) You can see why I wasn't really setting the bar high. However, I was pleasantly surprised with this one! If I'm sounding overly sassy here, I don't mean to be, I just want to make it clear that I expected to just skim through this story and be bored. I was anything BUT bored!
The story sets off in a similar tone to The Hunger Games. Meela is getting ready to fight a battle she never expected to fight. Every year her island sends twenty men to fend for their land and every year one man returns� if he’s lucky. Even Meela’s own brother succumbed to the mermaids during his voyage. This is the first year that women will be going into battle. In the first few chapters Meela reminds me of Katniss. She doesn’t want to fight but is willing to make the sacrifice she needs to keep her family safe. There is even a "Gale" that professes his love and vows to wait for her. The similarities end about there. Things really start to get interesting when we are taken back to a 10 year old Meela's narrative when she meets her mermaid friend, Lysi, in secret. This is when the foundations for the story are built for us. I enjoyed reading about Meela’s childhood because it gave us inside look at the characters and where everything began. Cut about halfway through, we return back to a present day Meela who is about to set sail. Things on the ship are intense. There are some characters who I wish got thrown overboard. The last half of the novel is mostly battles and crazy weather conditions that the girls need to brave in order to survive. I thought I’d really be bored with this section of the novel, as mentioned previously I’m not into all that warrior type fantasy, but I surprisingly loved it. I was on the edge of me seat and frantically turning the pages to see if my favorite characters would be killed next.
What I liked about Ice Massacre, besides the thrill of it all and Tiana Warner’s writing, is that it gives a fresh and different take on mermaids but still rings true to the original myth. They are still luring men to death with their beauty and voice, but underneath their beauty is a sickening monster that feeds on human flesh. (Gross right?!) These mermaids aren’t sitting on rocks brushing their hair with a fork. ::cough:: dinglehopper ::cough:: They are warriors with unimaginable speed and are terrifying enough to scare the devil himself when they are in fighting mode. (I don’t know what this says about me, but I want to be a mermaid even more now.)
This novel went above and beyond all my expectations. It was thrilling, terrifying, magical, and overall fantastic. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
July 5, 2016
I love my book. And you know what I love even more? Book 2: .
July 20, 2019
This book is March's Sapphic Book Club read hosted by .
★★★★½
"Papa almost always called me by my full name. He and Mama named me after the earth and a sort of matronaly figure, a choice I always thought was terrible. I liked the sea better than the earth and I sooner would've taken care of a snail than a baby."
Mermaids are the enemy to the people of Eriana Kwai. Metlaa Gaela should know this having lost her only brother to the Massacre - a yearly event when the wariors of Eriana Kwai battle the sea demons.
And yet, when she goes on her own Massacre, she still longs for the sea. She still has doubts about slaughtering mermaids. She still has compassion.
"Don't think about it. You're part of the sea now."
I wasn't sure where my boldness came from, but soemhow I felt like I belonged on the water I thought maybe it was best not to say that aloud.
I enjoyed how the characters grew throughout the book. They started out as basically children facing impossible but still children. It was interesting to watch how stress and battles affected each of them - how they hardened, how they made decisions, how they tried to survive.
"Five hundred and four demons weren't enough. For them, and for all the people who depended on me back home, I would slay every single one."
Even Meela, with all her compassion, keeps on fighting to save herself and her crew. She struggles with her loyalty to her people and reuniting with a person from her past but she keeps on fighting. She wants both. She will make mistakes because of it. But ultimately her inside conflict can finally bring a change.
I liked the way side characters were written - they all had distinct personalities and they processed the stress of the battle differently. It was a great background to Meela's struggles and provided some nice contrast.
I particulary loved the battle scenes. They were intense and realistic. They showed the struggle of killing and the struggle of losing your own people. They deceipted the stress, the desperation, the will to live.
As I said, it only took me so long to finish this book because I was in a reading slump. Otherwise i would be done with it in 3 days max - the pace is amazing and the suspense makes you want to read just one more chapter.
I don't have many complaints about this book but I think the flashback was a bit too long or at least should be weaved into the main story because it dragged on a bit at the end. Also, I'm still trying to figure out a realistic reason to send 18 year olds to fight a war. I understand the bit as to why the island didn't get much help from the mainland - with the current events it's a great social commentary - but my brain hung onto placing the responsibility to slaughter the enemies onto a bunch of children.
"For Eriana Kwai," she said. "We'll make sure this Massacre was the last."
"For Eriana Kwai."
And for Lysi I thought.
__________________________
| | | |
March 8, 2017
This was a fantastic story and a joy to read. Once the young women set out on the ship the book was such a page turner that I couldn't put it down. This story had the full package of amazing battle scenes, characters, imagery, dialogue, fantasy, burgeoning love story, the works. I was completely delighted that young women drove the tale especially in this genre of books. The suspense, bad ass slaughter scenes and developments between the characters reminded me of Dog Soldiers, Jaws, and Lord of the Flies all mixed together with a big dose of uniqueness and charm all its own. I loved this book and can't wait for the sequel. Thank you to Tiana Warner for writing it!
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
May 31, 2018This isn't working out for me
January 26, 2020
I WISH THE FOCUS WAS MORE ON THE ROMANCE
March 6, 2018
This book was the March's Sapphic Book Club read hosted by .
Oh boy, this is gonna be a long one...
It was really insanely hard to get myself to put the book down from time to time in the last 3 days to sleep or pretend I have a life, because it was so freaking intense.
I've wanted to read a good wlw mermaid story for a while - and this is more than I thought I wanted.
So this book goes right on my favorites shelf and now I’m gonna sit and stare at my wall until Amazon delivers the second part to my door in a few days. Or stare at the cover of this book because it’s so beautiful, I’m obsessed with it.
The writing is great and has an easy flow to it.
I generally prefer third person perspective to first person, but besides that, I’m blown away by every aspect of this story.
So... with writing this I am ~15 minutes closer to starting the second book.
Oh boy, this is gonna be a long one...
It was really insanely hard to get myself to put the book down from time to time in the last 3 days to sleep or pretend I have a life, because it was so freaking intense.
I've wanted to read a good wlw mermaid story for a while - and this is more than I thought I wanted.
So this book goes right on my favorites shelf and now I’m gonna sit and stare at my wall until Amazon delivers the second part to my door in a few days. Or stare at the cover of this book because it’s so beautiful, I’m obsessed with it.
The writing is great and has an easy flow to it.
I generally prefer third person perspective to first person, but besides that, I’m blown away by every aspect of this story.
So... with writing this I am ~15 minutes closer to starting the second book.
August 25, 2018
This is truly one of the best books I've ever read with a lesbian character.
The whole narrative is full of action and suspense and have a moment of calm is rather rare.
Don't expect a romance from this book.
Yes, there is the element of the romance, but the story doesn't revolve around this, but rather of Meela on her way to war and her conflicts over the Massacre, her humanity and her feelings towards Lsy.
Anyway...To not extend this review...I wish that I could give 10 stars to it.
The whole narrative is full of action and suspense and have a moment of calm is rather rare.
Don't expect a romance from this book.
Yes, there is the element of the romance, but the story doesn't revolve around this, but rather of Meela on her way to war and her conflicts over the Massacre, her humanity and her feelings towards Lsy.
Anyway...To not extend this review...I wish that I could give 10 stars to it.
August 14, 2019
Ever since I read Into the Drowning Deep by MiraGrant, I’ve wanted more and more killer mermaid stories. This book filled that space in my heart. I loved every single thing about this book and I CANNOT wait to pick up the next two.
March 17, 2021
I've had an odd run of late. I've just completed six young adult books in a row (not that I put them on that shelf, for various reasons), and the work before that was from the point of view of a cat. *shrugs*
I'm vaguely curious if anyone who tried this book, and/or everyone who read this book can immediately pinpoint where this book took place. Because it does take place on Earth. A fairly modern one at that.
There was a vaguely Hawaiian vibe to the islands, though it was supposed to be close-ish to Alaska (I think?), but not part of the Aleutian Islands, since that is described as a separate set of islands. Water was cold, but that doesn't really mean anything . . . much; no glaciers or mention of snow . . .. eh, whatever.
Right, so . . . as I mentioned, the action that takes place in this book takes place on an Earth that has things like Alaska, the United States of America, the Aleutian Islands, a Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic ocean; cars, helicopters, etc. That's the basic setting. More or less. Earth. Specifically the Pacific Ocean, some islands in the Pacific Ocean and the pacific ocean itself.
Who does it involve? Dark-skinned humans. Pale-skinned Mermaids. Merman. Various types of sharkes, Orcas, whales, dolphins. Specifically the interaction of a group of humans from a specific island, and the merpeople, and the war they are fighting.
Roughly thirty years ago, the merpeople arrived. Started taking a lot of fish. Which is important, because the people of a specific island make their living from fishing. And, so, naturally the humans set out on a mission of genocide. They were going to wipe out the invasive species, the 'sea-demons', the mermaids. So, each year, they send out a ship with 20 warriors on it. And they go about killing the sea-demons. There are years where 500+ 'sea-demons' are slaughtered. But before people get a particularly wrong idea, most years, especially the more recent years, the slaughtered tend to be the humans. And many a year anywhere between zero to . . . 3 to 7 of the humans return. Most often zero.
This is not a world where 'mermaids' or 'merman' or the like is a foreign concept/word/etc. So this is not like a world that has, basically, vampires but call them something else like Grasalt. No, there be mermaids, and the people here call them that. On the other hand, almost no one sees the merpeople as an intelligent sapient species. They see them as sea monsters. In the same way they would see an especially large and vicious shark as a sea monster.
The book opens with the star of the show, Meela (18 years old I believe), on the night before her group of warriors is to go out on their Massacre. The book is entirely from her point of view. The next chapter, and for a little bit thereafter, the book goes back to when Meela roughly 10 or so. Fills in some of the backstory, adds some information about Meela and the mermaids, and shows Meela's first meeting with one - with a mermaid. One roughly her own age, named Lysi. Despite a long time war, Lysi & Meela become best friends.
Once the flash back part is over, we are back to the 'present time' with Meela about to go off to war, as part of a ship of 20 warriors.
Quite interesting story. Lots of stuff happen. War, bloodshed, lots of water....
Rating: 4.25
March 15 2021
I'm vaguely curious if anyone who tried this book, and/or everyone who read this book can immediately pinpoint where this book took place. Because it does take place on Earth. A fairly modern one at that.
There was a vaguely Hawaiian vibe to the islands, though it was supposed to be close-ish to Alaska (I think?), but not part of the Aleutian Islands, since that is described as a separate set of islands. Water was cold, but that doesn't really mean anything . . . much; no glaciers or mention of snow . . .. eh, whatever.
Right, so . . . as I mentioned, the action that takes place in this book takes place on an Earth that has things like Alaska, the United States of America, the Aleutian Islands, a Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic ocean; cars, helicopters, etc. That's the basic setting. More or less. Earth. Specifically the Pacific Ocean, some islands in the Pacific Ocean and the pacific ocean itself.
Who does it involve? Dark-skinned humans. Pale-skinned Mermaids. Merman. Various types of sharkes, Orcas, whales, dolphins. Specifically the interaction of a group of humans from a specific island, and the merpeople, and the war they are fighting.
Roughly thirty years ago, the merpeople arrived. Started taking a lot of fish. Which is important, because the people of a specific island make their living from fishing. And, so, naturally the humans set out on a mission of genocide. They were going to wipe out the invasive species, the 'sea-demons', the mermaids. So, each year, they send out a ship with 20 warriors on it. And they go about killing the sea-demons. There are years where 500+ 'sea-demons' are slaughtered. But before people get a particularly wrong idea, most years, especially the more recent years, the slaughtered tend to be the humans. And many a year anywhere between zero to . . . 3 to 7 of the humans return. Most often zero.
This is not a world where 'mermaids' or 'merman' or the like is a foreign concept/word/etc. So this is not like a world that has, basically, vampires but call them something else like Grasalt. No, there be mermaids, and the people here call them that. On the other hand, almost no one sees the merpeople as an intelligent sapient species. They see them as sea monsters. In the same way they would see an especially large and vicious shark as a sea monster.
The book opens with the star of the show, Meela (18 years old I believe), on the night before her group of warriors is to go out on their Massacre. The book is entirely from her point of view. The next chapter, and for a little bit thereafter, the book goes back to when Meela roughly 10 or so. Fills in some of the backstory, adds some information about Meela and the mermaids, and shows Meela's first meeting with one - with a mermaid. One roughly her own age, named Lysi. Despite a long time war, Lysi & Meela become best friends.
Once the flash back part is over, we are back to the 'present time' with Meela about to go off to war, as part of a ship of 20 warriors.
Quite interesting story. Lots of stuff happen. War, bloodshed, lots of water....
Rating: 4.25
March 15 2021
July 12, 2018
Mermaids of Eriana Kwai has a huge following. It's a lesbian mermaid story. The hunter falls for their prey, but it's difficult to know who's on the wrong side. Ice Massacre is the first book in the trilogy and has had great success. It has won awards and has a great average rating. The reason I'm telling you all this is because I'm in the minority. I really struggled with the writing style. The story its self is excellent. It's creative, touching and magical.
Meela met a mermaid (Lysithea) as a child. She thought she'd made a beautiful friendship but when the environmental factors play their cards, the lines are blurred. She believes she was blinded by false kindness. Meela believes her friendship was built on lies. Now years later humans are trying a new tactic to deal with the sea demons. Instead of sending men to battle the seas sirens they have trained a team of female warriors. Meela is part of this team. She wants to do her family proud and avenge her brother's death. What she finds is more than she expected. A love once lost can be mended but the price is great and once again the lines are blurred to what is right. This book is a full-length story, however, the ending sets up the story for book two. Ice Massacre is more than an initial set-up.
ARC as part of the blog tour.
Meela met a mermaid (Lysithea) as a child. She thought she'd made a beautiful friendship but when the environmental factors play their cards, the lines are blurred. She believes she was blinded by false kindness. Meela believes her friendship was built on lies. Now years later humans are trying a new tactic to deal with the sea demons. Instead of sending men to battle the seas sirens they have trained a team of female warriors. Meela is part of this team. She wants to do her family proud and avenge her brother's death. What she finds is more than she expected. A love once lost can be mended but the price is great and once again the lines are blurred to what is right. This book is a full-length story, however, the ending sets up the story for book two. Ice Massacre is more than an initial set-up.
ARC as part of the blog tour.
December 27, 2016
This was really good! A team of trained 18 year old girl fighters are sent on a ship to massacre the vicious mermaid population. But one girl made friends with a mermaid when she was a kid! Like Fox and the Hound with mermaids and lesbians.
July 19, 2016
If you like a good story
Read.
This.
Book.
If someone had told me a week ago I would even pick up a book called ICE MASSACRE I would have laughed. Hard. But I am here now to say I loved this book and that its only weakness was the title.
The plot line, on the other hand, got my attention. The people of the island of Eriana Kwai are in trouble. Merpeople have waged war on them and are starving them out. Warrior mermaids--who morph into (seriously) terrifying sea demons--send fish away from the island and brutally murder fishermen. Like sirens, the mermaids can also cast hypnotic spells over men. So what do the people of Eriana Kwai do? They send a band of trained, 18-year-old women out to battle at sea.
Ice Massacre kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing is strong, the characters believable, the mermaids so, so scary. Worthy of mentioning is that the book also features diverse characters. A good plot twist also lends depth to the story; as a young girl, the main character Meela befriends an injured mermaid. When she grows up, Meela opts to defend her people and battle the mermaids but must keep her cross-species friendship a secret.
This might be one of those books that hit me at a time when I was exactly in the right mood for it. Who knows? Bottom line: it was a blast to read.
Read.
This.
Book.
If someone had told me a week ago I would even pick up a book called ICE MASSACRE I would have laughed. Hard. But I am here now to say I loved this book and that its only weakness was the title.
The plot line, on the other hand, got my attention. The people of the island of Eriana Kwai are in trouble. Merpeople have waged war on them and are starving them out. Warrior mermaids--who morph into (seriously) terrifying sea demons--send fish away from the island and brutally murder fishermen. Like sirens, the mermaids can also cast hypnotic spells over men. So what do the people of Eriana Kwai do? They send a band of trained, 18-year-old women out to battle at sea.
Ice Massacre kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing is strong, the characters believable, the mermaids so, so scary. Worthy of mentioning is that the book also features diverse characters. A good plot twist also lends depth to the story; as a young girl, the main character Meela befriends an injured mermaid. When she grows up, Meela opts to defend her people and battle the mermaids but must keep her cross-species friendship a secret.
This might be one of those books that hit me at a time when I was exactly in the right mood for it. Who knows? Bottom line: it was a blast to read.
February 23, 2017
Really awesome book!
This is my first time to read something like this, a mermaid as one of the MCs. Quite frankly I'm preparing myself to be bored and I also expected that this is set around 1500-1800's but well I'm wrong!
Sponge Bob is mentioned here so, yeah!
It's a slow burn I must admit and it's not really a romance book. It's more of a friendship than romance. Then I'm reminding myself that it's only the first book of the installment..
There's a back story on how they met.
I think Meela and Lysi are pretty cute together.
And I also think they've been In love since the first time they saw each other although they don't really know that time. Well, how can a 10 years old know?
Once they're off hunting mermaid (Mee's team) that's the real action starts.
This book also reminds me of "When women were warriors"
Can't wait to read the next one!!
4.25
This is my first time to read something like this, a mermaid as one of the MCs. Quite frankly I'm preparing myself to be bored and I also expected that this is set around 1500-1800's but well I'm wrong!
Sponge Bob is mentioned here so, yeah!
It's a slow burn I must admit and it's not really a romance book. It's more of a friendship than romance. Then I'm reminding myself that it's only the first book of the installment..
There's a back story on how they met.
I think Meela and Lysi are pretty cute together.
And I also think they've been In love since the first time they saw each other although they don't really know that time. Well, how can a 10 years old know?
Once they're off hunting mermaid (Mee's team) that's the real action starts.
This book also reminds me of "When women were warriors"
Can't wait to read the next one!!
4.25
May 22, 2019
Yes, I read this a year ago. But then never continued the trilogy despite the fact I loved it! So, i've read it again, and will be continuing the trilogy! But last year I read the kindle version, loved it so much I bought the trilogy in paperback, so yes i'm rating it 5 stars twice. My initial review is here /review/show...
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April 11, 2022
STAR CROSSED LESBIAN MERMAID LADY FRIENDSHIP WARRIORS LOVE STORY!!!! i've never needed or wanted anything more in my whole damn life.
June 9, 2017
YA with a lesbian monster love interest! This book is engaging, its eerie, mysterious, action packed and bloody; basically exactly what you could expect from a book called Ice Massacre. There is mostly women in this book, young badass female warriors fighting for their lives versus gruesome flesh eating mermaid monsters, but wait! There is also a ff romance that will keep your interest pinned along with the horrors that transpire. The relationship with Lysi is an interesting one, a friendship sort of romance that will remind you a lot of a tuned down Romeo and Juliet, two different sides of warring nations, it may sound cliche, but its good. Did I mention beautiful, yet gruesome flesh eating mermaids? Been looking for something like this for ages, a YA that doesn't feel immature, I loved this book!
Had a tiny annoyance about technology that sort of breaks the immersion.
Had a tiny annoyance about technology that sort of breaks the immersion.
March 1, 2018
I'm always here for a good lesbian mermaid romance! This was a really interesting story about a girl and a mermaid who are on opposing sides of a war on/around an island somewhere around the Alaska/Canada area. Honestly I was a bit unsure on some of the setting/world-building aspects of the book so I'm hoping that gets expanded on more in book 2. As far as I can tell it's set in a kind alternate-modern day universe, but some things don't entirely make sense to me [like why they don't utilize more helicopters/airplanes seeing as how the sea is so dangerous].
It also falls into the pitfalls of many YA books, namely 'why on earth are you sending CHILDREN to fight your wars for you???' I know the answer is 'because it makes for a better story' but honestly if you send adults they are 1. going to be stronger because these children are literally not even finished growing at age 17 and 2. be less inclined to fight over the most ridiculous things [but then where would all the plot drama come from lol]. BUT those are just things you have to suspend your disbelief for. Overall this was a very interesting story with a lot of suspense and I'm definitely going to read the sequel.
It also falls into the pitfalls of many YA books, namely 'why on earth are you sending CHILDREN to fight your wars for you???' I know the answer is 'because it makes for a better story' but honestly if you send adults they are 1. going to be stronger because these children are literally not even finished growing at age 17 and 2. be less inclined to fight over the most ridiculous things [but then where would all the plot drama come from lol]. BUT those are just things you have to suspend your disbelief for. Overall this was a very interesting story with a lot of suspense and I'm definitely going to read the sequel.
February 15, 2020
I'm actually really disappointed in this book. The world-building just didn't make sense. I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it.
Also, the words 'bear' and 'apelike' are used to describe Black/indigenous characters so.....bit not good.
Full review to come.
Find more from me:
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Also, the words 'bear' and 'apelike' are used to describe Black/indigenous characters so.....bit not good.
Full review to come.
Find more from me:
|| || ||
November 27, 2024
Trigger warnings: violence, death, murder, war, strained relationships, injuries, lying, manipulation
November 2024: Current rating 4 stars
I picked up this book as a re-read to use it as a focus for an upcoming essay in one of my graduate classes (jury is still out on whether I regret that decision or not haha). However, I did enjoy reading this again. I remembered what it was that I loved about this story and why aspects of it remained so clearly ingrained in my head. The violence inherent in the story is still really intense and shocking while reading, but it feels a lot less unique this time around, an effect of the current times I think. Reading it through the lens of a scholar was a different experience, and it made me think about some of the details much more critically and with my specific interpretation in mind. Overall, this is a complex, slightly problematic but entertaining novel and I hope I can say something important about it for my class haha.
June 2015: Actual rating 4.5 stars
I NEED MORE!!
Critically
Plot � 4.5 out of 5 stars
This book is so good! The plot is intense and exciting. This is not the usual mermaid tale that you’re used to. These are man eating, gruesome, violent mermaids and the plot definitely shows that. It’s bloody and harsh and all about survival of the fittest. It’s about how you can lose yourself in something you believe in, and not in a good way. There’s also an LGBTQ+ aspect that I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed.
Writing Style � 4 out of 5 stars
The writing style definitely lent well to the kind of story the author was telling. It was dark and intense. Strong and gripping with great descriptions and lots of details. It’s extremely graphic so if you get squeamish easily, I wouldn’t recommend it but I loved it because it was real and powerful. It caught me completely and made me devour this book.
Characters � 4 out of 5 stars
There’s a few characters in this book though only one narrator which is Meela, a girl from Eriana Kwai who is preparing for the first Massacre with only female fighters. I really liked her. She’s strong, brave and smart. She’s conscious of what she’s doing and isn’t emotionally closed off to being affected to the act of war and of killing which I really appreciated. She’s determined to get through the Massacre and is looking out for the rest of the crew. Not only do we get to meet Meela’s crew but we also encounter a mermaid up close and personal. The side characters are all very interesting and complex. I definitely like some more than others as Meela did. Some let the environment get the best of them and others were just plain crazy pants. I really liked how the author showed those differences, how these extreme situations affect different people and what this thought process makes you do. This book focused a lot on friendships and what makes someone else an enemy to you.
Emotionally
November 2024: Current rating 4 stars
I picked up this book as a re-read to use it as a focus for an upcoming essay in one of my graduate classes (jury is still out on whether I regret that decision or not haha). However, I did enjoy reading this again. I remembered what it was that I loved about this story and why aspects of it remained so clearly ingrained in my head. The violence inherent in the story is still really intense and shocking while reading, but it feels a lot less unique this time around, an effect of the current times I think. Reading it through the lens of a scholar was a different experience, and it made me think about some of the details much more critically and with my specific interpretation in mind. Overall, this is a complex, slightly problematic but entertaining novel and I hope I can say something important about it for my class haha.
June 2015: Actual rating 4.5 stars
I NEED MORE!!
Critically
Plot � 4.5 out of 5 stars
This book is so good! The plot is intense and exciting. This is not the usual mermaid tale that you’re used to. These are man eating, gruesome, violent mermaids and the plot definitely shows that. It’s bloody and harsh and all about survival of the fittest. It’s about how you can lose yourself in something you believe in, and not in a good way. There’s also an LGBTQ+ aspect that I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed.
Writing Style � 4 out of 5 stars
The writing style definitely lent well to the kind of story the author was telling. It was dark and intense. Strong and gripping with great descriptions and lots of details. It’s extremely graphic so if you get squeamish easily, I wouldn’t recommend it but I loved it because it was real and powerful. It caught me completely and made me devour this book.
Characters � 4 out of 5 stars
There’s a few characters in this book though only one narrator which is Meela, a girl from Eriana Kwai who is preparing for the first Massacre with only female fighters. I really liked her. She’s strong, brave and smart. She’s conscious of what she’s doing and isn’t emotionally closed off to being affected to the act of war and of killing which I really appreciated. She’s determined to get through the Massacre and is looking out for the rest of the crew. Not only do we get to meet Meela’s crew but we also encounter a mermaid up close and personal. The side characters are all very interesting and complex. I definitely like some more than others as Meela did. Some let the environment get the best of them and others were just plain crazy pants. I really liked how the author showed those differences, how these extreme situations affect different people and what this thought process makes you do. This book focused a lot on friendships and what makes someone else an enemy to you.
Emotionally
June 29, 2020
- 3 stars
- would have been a lot better if not for all of the fighting between the female crew
- like not all girls fight each other constantly and want to start drama????? why can't we have girls who build each other up and support one another
- i think a quote from the book early on said something like "put this many girls in a space together and there's gonna be fighting" which just made me roll my eyes
- i went to an all girls school for high school and there was hardly any fighting.......like yes, there are people who are awful to each other and just generally won't ever get along but this book didn't need to reiterate this stereotype
- it was CONSTANT as well for about 60% of the book too and listen if you want to have a side character that the main character doesn't get along with that's fine with me, but does it have to consume the entire plot which is INTERESTING ENOUGH AS IT IS LIKE HELLO THEY'RE FIGHTING KILLER MERMAIDS TO PROTECT THEIR ISLAND!!!!!!!!!!! FOCUS PLEASE
- that being said, i just want to reiterate what many other reviewers have said about this novel, which is that there isn't enough about the island itself and the lore/plot around why they must protect themselves from these mermaids and what exactly keeps them from leaving their land
- i wanted more of that and i think this book would have greatly benefited from this
- meela is a character i actually really liked and i think is a bright spot to this novel!!! i did love her friendship with some of the other girls on the ship as well as lysi (the mermaid) who obviously becomes the love interest
- haven't decided if i'll read the sequel or not, idk if i want to :/
- would have been a lot better if not for all of the fighting between the female crew
- like not all girls fight each other constantly and want to start drama????? why can't we have girls who build each other up and support one another
- i think a quote from the book early on said something like "put this many girls in a space together and there's gonna be fighting" which just made me roll my eyes
- i went to an all girls school for high school and there was hardly any fighting.......like yes, there are people who are awful to each other and just generally won't ever get along but this book didn't need to reiterate this stereotype
- it was CONSTANT as well for about 60% of the book too and listen if you want to have a side character that the main character doesn't get along with that's fine with me, but does it have to consume the entire plot which is INTERESTING ENOUGH AS IT IS LIKE HELLO THEY'RE FIGHTING KILLER MERMAIDS TO PROTECT THEIR ISLAND!!!!!!!!!!! FOCUS PLEASE
- that being said, i just want to reiterate what many other reviewers have said about this novel, which is that there isn't enough about the island itself and the lore/plot around why they must protect themselves from these mermaids and what exactly keeps them from leaving their land
- i wanted more of that and i think this book would have greatly benefited from this
- meela is a character i actually really liked and i think is a bright spot to this novel!!! i did love her friendship with some of the other girls on the ship as well as lysi (the mermaid) who obviously becomes the love interest
- haven't decided if i'll read the sequel or not, idk if i want to :/
August 24, 2015
From the moment I picked up my ARC of Ice Massacre I couldn't put it down. It has everything--action, suspense, romance, and lots of twists. It's a truly unique story in a market of re-tellings and I wish more books had the quality of this read.
I've never read about mermaids before and wasn't sure what to expect with a YA set in the ocean with a bunch of girls turned warriors who are expected to do what their male counterparts failed to do each year before--kill as many mermaids as possible.
The narrative was intriguing and fast-paced. The world Tiana Warner creates is captivating with a balance of contemporary, fantastical and folklore elements that sweep the reader up into a new world in and out of the sea.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next book from this author.
I've never read about mermaids before and wasn't sure what to expect with a YA set in the ocean with a bunch of girls turned warriors who are expected to do what their male counterparts failed to do each year before--kill as many mermaids as possible.
The narrative was intriguing and fast-paced. The world Tiana Warner creates is captivating with a balance of contemporary, fantastical and folklore elements that sweep the reader up into a new world in and out of the sea.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next book from this author.
September 10, 2019
I don't have time to write a proper review but I wanted to comment so:
What made me want to read this book was the promise of an angsty, sapphic, childhood friends to enemies to lovers. But this book was so much more than that. Yes, the relationship was there but it was not the main plot. We follow our main character, Meela, as she tries to figure out her conflicting feelings towards the species she has been sent out to kill. And, oh my, the battle scenes. They were very well written and fast. I found myself not being able to put it down once I was reading one.
Everyone should read this book it deserves so much more hype
What made me want to read this book was the promise of an angsty, sapphic, childhood friends to enemies to lovers. But this book was so much more than that. Yes, the relationship was there but it was not the main plot. We follow our main character, Meela, as she tries to figure out her conflicting feelings towards the species she has been sent out to kill. And, oh my, the battle scenes. They were very well written and fast. I found myself not being able to put it down once I was reading one.
Everyone should read this book it deserves so much more hype
July 20, 2019
4.25/5
- I would like all the other ya mermaid books I’ve read before to apologize to me for almost making me write off all mermaid books as mediocre
- THIS!! IS!! IT!!!!!
- the pacing, the action, the lore, the *gore* 💋👌🏼
- the f/f romance is a bit of slow burn and while I liked it, I loved the crew dynamics the best, pitted crews, spiralling into madness more
- the action scenes they’re practically theatrical
- I’m immediately reading the next part
- I would like all the other ya mermaid books I’ve read before to apologize to me for almost making me write off all mermaid books as mediocre
- THIS!! IS!! IT!!!!!
- the pacing, the action, the lore, the *gore* 💋👌🏼
- the f/f romance is a bit of slow burn and while I liked it, I loved the crew dynamics the best, pitted crews, spiralling into madness more
- the action scenes they’re practically theatrical
- I’m immediately reading the next part
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