Revel- Maurissa Guibord

There’s an island off the coast of Maine that’s not on any modern map.

Shrouded in mist and protected by a deadly reef, Trespass Island is home to a community of people who guard the island and its secrets from outsiders. Seventeen-year-old Delia grew up in Kansas, but has come here in search of her family and answers to her questions: Why didn’t her mother ever talk about Trespass Island? Why did she fear the open water? But Delia’s not welcome and soon finds herself enmeshed in a frightening and supernatural world where ancient Greek symbols adorn the buildings and secret ceremonies take place on the beach at night.

Sean Gunn, a handsome young lobsterman, befriends Delia and seems willing to risk his life to protect her. But it’s Jax, the coldly elusive young man she meets at the water’s edge, who finally makes Delia understand the real dangers of life on the island. Delia is going to have to fight to survive. Because there are monsters here. And no one ever leaves Trespass alive.

So ANOTHER library book turned out to be really good.

When I picked up Revel I was thinking kind of a Wicker Man vibe, girl gets to island, is not allowed to leave and there is dark scary stuff around every corner.

What I found was a really cool book that merged small town prejudiced, Greek mythology, romance and the sea and turned it into something pretty interesting.

I cannot tell you how many mermaid/siren/water creature type books simply have been like YUCK. They just don’t appeal to me, about the same with books on fairies and angels; I just don’t care for them. So when this turned out to be similar I was like WOW, really? I LIKE this! Maybe it’s because I didn’t quite get that vibe a head of time so it was a nice wet surprise.

This story I felt was very different from a lot of the other YA around. The girl comes into magic and has to learn how to use it; she is a strong and independent. The story has great imagery, and the plot is good and kept me engaged.

There was an almost love triangle and some insta love, but it was easily over looked.

My only complaint was a felt while the MC and her love interest were flushed out the rest of the characters didn’t have a ton of depth. Though the vibe from the villagers was very reminiscent of how people in a cult, like a polygamist sect, are. They don’t know any better because this is how they are raised, they don’t feel like life could get better and that it is scarier outside than anything that might go on inside.

Be for warned there is an allusion of rape during the Revel, I mean girls present themselves to mystical god like water creatures called the Firsts (when they are 16!!!) who pick one and have sex with her, whether she wants it or not….The girls on the island just think this is how it is, they don’t really consider saying no….So that was a bit disturbing.

This was a good book and a fun read. Enjoy!