Mermaid Marathon ♥ Recap 2026

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been participating in The Bright Side Girl’s mermaid marathon. This will be my third time participating in this readathon. This time I didn’t really set a reading goal for myself, but deep down I did think it would be cool if I finished reading 6 books during the marathon. Surprisingly, I surpassed my goal, and I read 8 books total! To be fair, I just finished one of these books yesterday, but I’ll still take it! Unfortunately, I didn’t have a favorite book this year. I felt like all the books I read were a blur and unforgettable, and I rated all of them under 4-stars. I probably should’ve taken more time to select my books, but I didn’t want to add too much pressure because I don’t want to force this challenge and make it feel like it’s something I have to do, but rather something I choose to do for fun. With that said, I’m going to recap all the books that I read during the mermaid readathon and share my thoughts on what I enjoyed and didn’t quite love from each book.

If you haven’t read my past posts on this mermaid marathon, during this readathon, you’re encouraged to read books about mermaids, the ocean, underwater, islands, pirates, etc. The theme of mermaids is pretty vague, but I see it was anything on land or on sea, very summery! I started participating in this challenge back in 2024 during a mermaid phase of my life. This readathon is a fun way to kick off summer (for me) by reading some mermaid, underwater, and island-themed books! If you have any mermaid, underwater, island, or pirate books that you think I might enjoy (for next year’s mermaid readathon), let me know!

There is also a series of challenges you can choose to participate in, but you didn’t have to. This year, there was a cute map graphic that featured 12 targets based around a book’s plot. Another big part of the mermaid readathon is the Instagram photo challenges. Every day during the marathon, there is a photo theme that you can participate in, featuring the books you’ve read during the readathon. I love these challenges because they’re a fun way to interact with other mermaid participants and engage with the community. There are also giveaways!

This year, I didn’t complete all the challenges because my birthday was in the middle of the readathon and I didn’t prioritize reading for a few days. However, I tried my best to participate as much as I could! Check out my Instagram to view all my themed flatlay photos!

Definitely go follow Maci of The Bright Side Girl on YouTube and Instagram if you’re interested in these types of themed readathons. She hosts several reading challenges throughout the year, but her mermaid one is one of the most popular.

DISCLAIMER: Links included in this post might be affiliate links. If you make a purchase with the links I provide, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

The Girl from the Sea by Lee Knox Ostertag ★★/5
Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can’t wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She’s desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends…who don’t understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan’s biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl.

Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn’t seem so stifling anymore.

But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they’re each trying to hide will find its way to the surface…whether Morgan is ready or not.

I thought starting the mermaid marathon with a graphic novel would be a fun way to start off the readathon. However, I hated this graphic novel! I tried not to be too harsh about it because it’s targeted towards kids/teens. But when I thought about it through that lens, it made me hate this even more! The idea that you should ignore your friends and family, even your hobbies, just so you can have a secret summer fling? I think it’s the wrong message for a young audience! Especially because the main character’s friends and family were super supportive! Maybe I would’ve understood if she came from a critical family and didn’t have a supportive friend group, but everyone in her life came off as if they were fully there for her, so I don’t get why she hid from them so much. I hate the message that one should ignore their loved ones for the sake of a relationship, especially at such a young age! It’s such an outdated mindset.

None of the charaters felt fully developed, even the lead. The selkie character also came off as super manipulative, as they only pursued their secret summer romance with the main character to get their way. Manipulation! Another theme that I don’t think should be normalized for kids. Maybe I’m just reading too far into this graphic novel, but still! There are a lot of LGBT+ friendly graphic novels with a more positive message.

You can purchase The Girl from the Sea here

Under Water by Tara Menon ★★/5
After Marissa loses her mother at five, the most intimate relationship of her life begins. Her marine biologist father, determined to channel his grief into completing his wife’s research, whisks her across the globe to Thailand. There she meets Arielle, and a fairytale friendship takes hold. During the week, the girls live at the resort owned by Arielle’s parents; on the weekends they join the tight-knit community of researchers on a nearby island. Together the girls discover the fragile wonders of its reefs, forests, and beaches. Together they learn to dive into the deep, holding their breath for minutes at a time, as effortlessly synchronized as the manta rays they come to know by name. Together they learn to swim their way out of danger. But then comes a wave Arielle can’t outpace, leaving Marissa gutted with loss.

Years later, Marissa is back in New York, adrift and haunted by the memory of her friend. Over the course of two fateful days, as another cataclysm approaches the city and the past comes flooding back, she discovers how to sustain herself in a precarious world.

I’ve seen multiple bookstagram people who I follow post about this book, and it fit in with the mermaid marathon, so I gave it a chance. The novel is told in alternating timelines from a tsunami during the main character’s time in Thailand and during days of preparation for Hurricane Sandy in New York. There are themes of friendship, grief, and guilt told throughout. It was alright. I read it quickly and emphasized with the main character.

You can purchase Under Water here

We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida ★★★/5
Teenage Eulabee and her magnetic best friend, Maria Fabiola, own the streets of Sea Cliff, their foggy oceanside San Francisco neighborhood. They know Sea Cliff’s homes and beaches, its hidden corners and eccentric characters—as well as the upscale all-girls’ school they attend. One day, walking to school with friends, they witness a horrible act—or do they? Eulabee and Maria Fabiola vehemently disagree on what happened, and their rupture is followed by Maria Fabiola’s sudden disappearance—a potential kidnapping that shakes the quiet community and threatens to expose unspoken truths.

This was a coming-of-age novel about a girl growing up in San Francisco. There wasn’t really a plot. There was a mysterious disappearance, which I thought would be the main subject of this novel, but it only lasted a few chapters! A majority of the book was just tidbits about the lead character going to school and typical teen girl angst about fitting in and growing up as a preteen. The epilogue was kind of strange. The author jumped like 40 years into the future to see what all the charaters would be like as adults. I didn’t think it added to the main story, as the girls were in their early teens for the majority of the story, then to bring them up when they’re in their 50s just to make one point I think felt unnecessary. Overall, I enjoyed We Run the Tides, but nothing was too memorable. The book’s description mentioned this was set in oceanside San Francisco, which is why I added it to my mermaid marathon TBR! lol

You can purchase We Run the Tides here

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka ★★/5
The swimmers are unknown to each other except through their private routines (slow lane, fast lane), and the solace each takes in their morning or afternoon laps. But when a crack appears at the bottom of the pool, they are cast out into an unforgiving world without comfort or relief.

This was an odd little book. The description made it feel like it was a mysterious book bout a crack at the bottom of a community pool. However, that was misleading. The Swimmers is divided into different sections. The first part is mainly commentary about what happens at the local pool. Then the novel takes a weird turn, and the book goes into discussing what happens when you enter a retirement home. Again, another book with a main plot, and this one didn’t even have any main characters! Also, the writing. Reading this felt like I was reading one continuous run-on sentence.

You can purchase The Swimmers here

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson ★★★/5
Young Jim Hawkins embarks on a quest to locate a treasure island using a map that promises untold riches in gold. Along the way, he encounters a cast of colorful characters, including the one-legged pirate Long John Silver, the ruthless Captain Flint, and the loyal Doctor Livesey

I love reading a good classic because I love to see what the hype is all about. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a notorious pirate story that most pirate adveture books are based on. If I’m honest, I was underwhelmed. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. At least now, I understand the pirate lore! lol

You can purchase Treasure Island here

Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist by Liz Kessler ★★★/5
When Emily Windsnap discovers an old diamond ring during a class hunt for trinkets, how is she supposed to know that the ring is half the key to unlocking an ancient curse by Neptune himself? Now, with the ring stuck firmly on her hand, Emily finds herself under a new in just a few days, she’ll cease to be half-human and half-mermaid and must say good-bye to one parent forever. Can she possibly find the other missing ring that will break all the curses? Is there anyone who can help her — before it’s too late?

This is now my third in the Emily Windsnap book series. I believe there are a total of ten books in the series. I’m not sure if I’ll be reading them all. These books are cute and lighthearted, and it was also my first mermaid book that I read during the mermaid marathon!

You can purchase Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist here

Chlorine by Jade Song ★★★/5
Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach is her guiding light. If she swims well enough, she will be scouted, get a scholarship, go to a good school. Her parents will love her. Her coach will be kind to her. She will have a good life.

But these are human concerns. These are the concerns of those confined to land, those with legs. Ren grew up on stories of creatures of the deep, of the oceans and the rivers. Creatures that called sailors to their doom. That dragged them down and drowned them. That feasted on their flesh. The creature that she’s always longed to the mermaid. Ren aches to be in the water. She dreams of the scent of chlorine, the feel of it on her skin. And she will do anything she can to make a life for herself where she can be free. No matter the pain. No matter what anyone else thinks. No matter how much blood she has to spill.Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach is her guiding light. If she swims well enough, she will be scouted, get a scholarship, go to a good school. Her parents will love her. Her coach will be kind to her. She will have a good life. But these are human concerns. These are the concerns of those confined to land, those with legs. Ren grew up on stories of creatures of the deep, of the oceans and the rivers. Creatures that called sailors to their doom. That dragged them down and drowned them. That feasted on their flesh. The creature that she’s always longed to the mermaid.

Ren aches to be in the water. She dreams of the scent of chlorine, the feel of it on her skin. And she will do anything she can to make a life for herself where she can be free. No matter the pain. No matter what anyone else thinks. No matter how much blood she has to spill.

I’ve been wanting to read Chlorine for the longest time! I heard this book described as a modern-day Little Mermaid with body horror mixed in. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this book too! This was another coming-of-age teen who swims and wants to become a mermaid, literally. I did enjoy the parts where the main character was transitioning into a mermaid, as it read like a horror book. Side note: it’s been a minute since I read a good scary story. There are chapters throughout the book written from the main character’s best friend, love letters. I felt like it was unnecessary. I personally don’t enjoy forced love stories if they don’t add anything to a story, and I felt like the chapters written from her friend didn’t add anything. Especially since the main characters’ chapters already mentioned what her best friend was trying to convey. It didn’t have to be so obvious, say less show more.

You can purchase Chlorine here

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig ★★★/5
When Shek Yeung sees a Portuguese sailor slay her husband, a feared pirate, she knows she must act swiftly or die. Instead of mourning, Shek Yeung launches a new plan: immediately marrying her husband’s second-in-command, and agreeing to bear him a son and heir, in order to retain power over her half of the fleet.

But as Shek Yeung vies for control over the army she knows she was born to lead, larger threats loom. The Chinese Emperor has charged a brutal, crafty nobleman with ridding the South China Seas of pirates, and the Europeans-tired of losing ships, men, and money to Shek Yeung’s alliance-have new plans for the area. Even worse, Shek Yeung’s cutthroat retributions create problems all their own. As Shek Yeung navigates new motherhood and the crises of leadership, she must decide how long she is willing to fight, and at what price, or risk losing her fleet, her new family, and even her life

Finally, I finished the mermaid marathon by reading Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig, a day or two late. Anyways, this was a historical fiction book about a female Chinese pirate, Shek Yeung. I had never heard of Shek Yeung before, so it was fascinating to read about her through the author’s narrative. Even though it was fiction. With that said, this book read too long and dragged on at parts. I don’t mind long stories, but if the story isn’t engaging enough, that’s when I have an issue.

You can purchase Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea here

Have you ever participated in a themed readathon before?