Specify Books Conducive To Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1)
Original Title: | Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid, #1) |
ISBN: | 0515142220 (ISBN13: 9780515142228) |
Edition Language: | English |
Series: | Fred the Mermaid #1 |
Characters: | Fredrika Bimm, Thomas Pearson |
Setting: | Boston, Massachusetts(United States) |
MaryJanice Davidson
Mass Market Paperback | Pages: 268 pages Rating: 3.65 | 6800 Users | 389 Reviews

Identify Containing Books Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1)
Title | : | Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1) |
Author | : | MaryJanice Davidson |
Book Format | : | Mass Market Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 268 pages |
Published | : | December 1st 2006 by Berkley Books (first published November 28th 2006) |
Categories | : | Romance. Fantasy. Paranormal. Paranormal Romance. Mythology. Mermaids. Womens Fiction. Chick Lit. Urban Fantasy |
Rendition To Books Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1)
I started and finished this the same day; heck, it only took a couple of hours, all total, to read this foul-mouthed, vapid, empty piece of garbage. I wanted to like this book, despite a friend's warning of its awfulness rattling around in my head. It had such potential. There are all manner of paranormal beasties starring in books and series today: vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, faeries, even ghosts. Why not mermaids as well? What a shame a perfectly good and quirky concept (half-human mermaid who's a marine biologist and works at an aquarium) was let down by bad writing, a barely-there plotline, and a laughable climax to the "story."First off, we have the heroine, Fredrika, aka Fred, the hybrid mermaid. Aside from the pseudo-amusing personality quirks (look, she's a mermaid who can't swim in human form! Oh my, she gets seasick on boats, how funny!), she stomps, she grumps, she has no patience or social skills, she's selfish and unbelievably foul-mouthed. Yet two men, both absolutely gorgeous (natch!), upon meeting her for the first time, fall in love with her. Why? Because she's just so damn irresistible? No, because she's just so gorgeous no man can resist her, but, of course, she's completely unaware of her ability to induce lustful feelings in men and some women. Aren't we tired of that 'gorgeous, but oblivious' hook yet? I know I certainly am. Speaking of the two men who love her, one is a giant, buff mer-dude with a mane of flaming red hair and red eyes. And yet nobody seems to think that maybe there's something weird about him when seeing him for the first time, that maybe he's not quite human? No screams of "Oh my god, what's wrong with his eyes? What is he?" when he walks into a local mall/eatery? How believable is that? Or maybe everyone thinks he's in a permanent Halloween costume? It makes no sense to me. The other man, a fellow marine biologist who travels the world, falls in love with her because he can see the true color of her hair, which is green not blue. That's it? Really? That's the best the author can come up with?
And that brings me to the plot of the book. I use the word plot in only the vaguest sense of the word, just as the author sketched only the vaguest outline of a plot in the story. All the "action" takes place towards the end of the book and the sequence of events is so fast and so absurdly ludicrous that it stretches the point of believability to breaking point. I think there was supposed to be some humor in the situation, but I couldn't find it. And if the author was trying for some sort of mystery, she fell well short of the mark.
I have to give Davidson some credit. She actually tells us in the acknowledgments that this is a crappy book, not in so many words, but in essence. She ripped up her manuscript and started over moments from deadline, she probably went through who-knows-how-many rewrites, and finally handed the whole thing over to a group of editors, who did they best they could with what little they had. Her editors failed, however, in making her look all, y'know, smart 'n' stuff (as she put it). I guess it's my fault for not believing her. All in all, Sleeping with the Fishes is just another crude and vulgar example of Davidson's writing "talent." I'd really like to know how she managed to get published in the first place. I just feel sorry for all the poor trees that have to die in order to support her career.
Rating Containing Books Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1)
Ratings: 3.65 From 6800 Users | 389 ReviewsRate Containing Books Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1)
This book was amazing! The main character is witty, sarcastic and just all around epic. The modern day mermaid and I'm not talkin' Ariel. I'll definitely be investing in the second book of the series.Dr. Fredrika Bimms knows that she's a mermaid and that her dad isn't her biological father. When her parents decide to drop the news, that the man she calls dad isn't biologically related to her, Fred is more bothered by catching her parents in the middle of sex, than she is by their revelation. Feeling scared for life, Fred wonders how she will get past seeing what no child ever wants to see. Little does Fred know that she'll quickly get over the trauma when the handsome Prince Artur of the
This must be my month for reading off-beat books. I picked this one up at a book sale because the cover called to me...ocean and sparkles.... Well it's an odd story about a mermaid, but it was OK and I will probably read the other 2 in the series when I find them and need a quick easy read.

This may be the dumbest book I have ever read. To say nothing of the book, I must not be a fan of the paranormal persuasion. (Even if the writing, storytelling, plot, and characters were all weak.)
Oh, brother. The premise was okay, but its so simplified! A woman gives her firstborn a bath, and said firstborn grows a tail. Instead of screaming, freaking out, or any normal reaction, the woman just smiles and accepts it. The villain obligingly fesses up on demand, and even the little sidebar with Jonas and Dr. Barb happens way too fast. They just happen to both be in love with each other, one minute theyre freaking out and the next minute theyre getting freaky.
While it is bad literature, it is a good read. Partly it is vulgar, but not in a sexy way. Don't read it unless you are into the bad kind of trashy romance books.
Maybe 2.5. It was a cute story with some laughs and a super fast read - more like a novella. I would hate to pay full price for this. Fred the Mermaid sounds a lot like Queen Betsy or her step-mom. And Jonas reminded me of Betsy's gay friend/roommate. I thought the story had a strong beginning and it kinda fizzled from there. The references and comments Fred made about hippy parents cracked me up.
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