Audiobook Review: Just for Fins

Just for Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
(Series: Fins #3)
July 3, 2012
246 pages
Katherine Tegan Books
Narrated by: Emily Bauer
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Personal purchase via Audible

Book Blurb:

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.

Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!

In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.

My Review:

Just for Fins picks up where Fins are Forever left off. Where the first book or two focused more on Lily and her boy issues, this final book adds in the environmental aspect of ocean problems. Lily must start taking on her crown role, and she is thrown right into the whirlpool of issues the kingdoms around her have. In addition to that, Quince must face yet another challenge to test whether his relationship with Lily will be forever accepted in the merworld or not.

I genuinely liked Lily and her "voice" in this series. The author allows you to feel and sense her internal and external struggles. We also get to see other characters from the series grow and change, and how Lily herself grows into her role as Crown Princess. The character growth in this book is really important and I love that it's in a YA book. We are also presented with a variety of "ocean problems" and how humans affect the oceans. This came across as appropriate for Lily's situation, yet I didn't feel like the author was overly preachy about things. There were ideas and concerns tossed out there, but I didn't feel like I was being hit over the head with it.

I only wish there was more Quince in the book. While we did get to see him deal with the challenges the merworld threw at him, I missed all the interactions between him and Lily from the previous books (though they did still have some nice moments together). I genuinely liked Lily and Quince, but felt like their relationship and Quince's challenges were overshadowed a bit by the problems in the kingdoms (though understandable since Lily had a lot going on). But I will say the author leaves the series on a good note and I captured a great vision for their future.

Bottomline: Just for Fins is an easy, fast, and enjoyable read, and a great ending to the Fins Series. I think this is a terrific series, especially for the Young Adult genre. It keeps things age appropriate and I genuinely feel like the characters in this series act their age, yet grow in their maturity. I've enjoyed all three books, whether I was reading the book or listening to the audio version. Additionally, the audiobook narrator does a good job capturing Lily's voice and emotions (and the male voices were okay).

4 STARS

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