Teen-read Lullaby sugars Greek mythology with romance

Lullaby
Amanda Hocking
Tor

Lullaby is the second of Amanda Hocking's Watersong series, a modern take on mermaids, sirens, and Greek mythology iced with sugary layers of teenage romance.

It's a concoction that was surprisingly lacklustre in the previous book, Wake, which saw protagonist Gemma Fisher sacrifice her comfortable life in a seaside town to follow the call of a trio of sirens, as per an ancient curse.

Following her disappearance, it's Gemma's older sister Harper who is left to deal with the aftermath. Lullaby's chapters alternate between Harper as she devotes her time to researching the true nature of her sister's alluring kidnappers and Gemma struggling to come to grips with her newfound oceanic powers. But as useful as breathing underwater and an enchanting singing voice are, the life of a siren is not without its dark side.

Compared to its predecessor, Lullaby is more eventful and attempts to go as deep as the limits of teen fiction allow. Though not a work of art, it's an easy, harmless read for a 15- year-old girl.