Aqua by M.A. George Pages: 612
Published by Createspace Independent Pub on April 16, 2014
Genres: Love & Romance, Paranormal, Young Adult
Source: ecopy from Author
Meet Layla McKelland:
Novelist (unpublished, but cut her some slack…seventeen is a bit early to despair),
Slightly neurotic introvert (Alright, let’s be honest…there’s no “slightly” about it),
International Woman of Mystery, and…
Okay, just scratch the bio.
The only real “mystery” in Layla’s life is why her father has never been on the scene. Or why her mother drags Layla to a new coastal home every year.
Nothing about the latest hometown seems too newsworthy…until a routine day at the beach leaves Layla questioning whether she’s read one too many paranormal fantasy novels. The plot thickens when a random guy claims to know things about her father—a bizarre claim he backs up with an equally impossible stunt. And Layla soon finds herself on the wrong side of a mysterious attempted drowning…on her own kitchen floor.
When all is done, Layla will attest that fact is far stranger than fiction. And nothing in real life is ever as transparent as it seems…Not even water.
Especially not water.
I really enjoyed Aqua by M.A. George. It is a young adult paranormal, but it felt different than your typical book. For one thing, romance is certainly present in the story, but it was not the driving force. And for another, the main character Layla had to work VERY hard at developing her “abilities”. She was not super powerful overnight. To put it simply, Aqua is an excellent book. The progression and pacing are detailed and purposeful. The characters are fleshed out and fully developed and the relationships are never forced. Layla moves to a new house in a new city and state every year like clockwork on her birthday. Her mom and her aunt pack up everything and move to a new house. Always somewhere along the coast though. This time, they moved to Texas. Where Layla meets two guys down at the beach. One of which disappeared for quite a long time under the water and then inexplicably turned up completely dry on the beach minutes later. And that is just the start of the weird events for Layla. Obviously you know the book has to do something with Water. But I am not telling you exactly what that is. I will tell you that you that there are two guys: Tristan and Pyke, there is no love triangle, you may hate Pyke, you may love Pyke, you will probably love Tristan (I do!), and that the writing is excellent and will make you not want to put the book down. This book is on the longer end, so some of the scenes in the middle of the book felt kind of dragged out. It is slower paced than your average young adult book because the author takes you through all of the preparation before the action. I liked it because it felt completely realistic. If a teenage girl suddenly has her world turned upside down and supernatural introduced into it, she might not be an overnight superstar at whatever her ability is. Layla had to work at it. I haven’t seen that in a long time in books. Plus the romance with Tristan is about as opposite of insta love as it gets in books. They don’t even kiss until 80% into the story…of a 600 page book. I’m not sure if there is going to be a sequel or not…the ending kind of leaves that open, but I certainly hope that there is. I want to see more of everyone. Even Pyke. 
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
finley jayne
Oooh, really like the sound of this one, and the cover is really great! Just added it to my TBR list 🙂
Michelle @ Book Briefs
I hope you get a chance to read it Finley 😉 Let me know what you think!
kindlemom1
I don’t know how I have missed seeing this one but I so want to read it now! Great review!! I love coming here because I always know I will find something great to add to my TBR pile. 🙂
Happy Friday!!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
That is exactly why I love your site. We seem to have very similar reading tastes and preferences. I have auto-added more books from your blog to my TBR than I care to admit. Haha. I can’t wait to get some great romance recs from you this summer 🙂
Shane @ Itching for Books
Great review. I’m definitely intrigued by the fact that the story surrounds water. Could she be a mermaid? 🙂 Gonna check this one out.
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Shane, I think you will really like this one! I hope you get a chance to check it out. It is not your average water/sea creature book 😉
Kim { Book Swoon }
Wow, you have me so curious now as to how the water element comes to play in this story. I love stories that have a sort of anitheroe in them, and Pyke sounds like he might be one of them…Hmmm. Great review, Michelle.
Happy Friday 🙂
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Thanks Kim,
this one was great. The water element was interesting and unique, and the writing was excellent. If you are looking for a book longer than your average YA, you should try this one 🙂
Alyn Y
My first thought as I read the blurb was mehhhh…then towards the end I was going Oooooo. Thank you for your review too! Now I have another book I would like to read!
Natalie
The cover sold it but the blurb and review sealed the deal. I must read it!!
Christina R.
This sounds so awesome!! LOVE paranormal books and the fact that this is fresh and unique is awesome!! LOVE that there’s no love triangle and that it’s self published!!
Lovely review 🙂
Brit M.
This book sounds good and I do admire the cover. Thanks for the great review!
Sue @ Crushingcinders
Oh this cover is stunning! I am glad the story lives up to it. Great review.