Thirsty Mermaids

Chad

Rating: really liked it
Three mermaids run out of beer while they are drunk and get the bright idea to become human so they can go on dry land and get more beer. The only problem is magic no longer works as a human. Befriended by a local bartender, these three have to figure out how to live as humans by getting jobs and paying rent.

I really like how all different body types are represented. However, the art is quite rudimentary. Still it's a quick, entertaining read.

Received a review copy from Gallery 13 and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

Melki

Rating: really liked it
"We may be on land but we're STILL US!"

It's a hilarious fish-out-of-water story when three mermaids decide to try living life as landlubbers for a while. They're having the time of their lives until the sea witch realizes she doesn't know how to change their legs back into fins, and they might just have to stay humans . . . permanently.

This was a blast - watching the three gals living it up on the town - "Three alcohols, please!" - before hangovers and reality set in, and the ladies realize the seriousness of their situation. I enjoyed their attempts to fit in, including getting jobs, and I LOVED the fact that they were not drawn as your typical lovely, fin-tailed sirens. And, while I wasn't overly crazy about the artwork, it did fit pretty well with the frenzied, wacky tone of the story.





*Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a sneak peek at this fun title.

Bookishrealm

Rating: really liked it
I'm not going to lie. This was a lot better than I expected. Thirsty Mermaids is about two mermaids and a sea witch who decide to randomly transform themselves into humans because the need more alcohol (they loveeeeee to drink). Once on the land, the three have a difficult time adjusting to human life but are able to make a friend that helps them get acclimated. I was not expecting this graphic novel to be as funny as it was. It starts off a little on the rough side, but eventually the characters begin to grow on you and as a reader you enjoy their awkwardness. While it is humorous, I was surprised to see that it also tackled some really deep topics like body dysmorphia and anxiety. Two of the characters, Tooth and Pearl, have an easy time adjusting to life as humans and find it quite entertaining. Unfortunately, Eek has a lot of trouble adjusting and wants nothing more than to find the right spell to change them back. When she begins to struggle more and more to find the spell, readers see Eek slip into a sort of depression that makes the read more emotional than anticipated. Even with all of the jokes and silliness, it is clear that this is also a story about true bonds and friendship. The illustrations weren't the most complex, but I thought that they worked really well for the story. And I absolutely loved the color palette for a lot of the panels especially those that included cooler colors that would coincide with the ocean. This was a cute little gem that I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did. I genuinely can see myself reading this again sometime soon and I can't wait to check out more from Kat Leyh.

Maia

Rating: really liked it
Three mermaids recklessly transform themselves into humans in a quest for alcohol. What they didn't expect to find on land was capitalism or the identity crises that come from being stuck in a body that's not your own. Luckily, a kind human takes them under her wing and lets them crash in her apartment as they attempt to get jobs. Tooth and Pearl take the challenges in stride, but deep-sea-eel-witch Eez feels trapped and panicky cut off from the magic of the ocean. The book starts rather silly and light and I was very glad that it got more deep and emotional as it went a long. Absolutely gorgeous artwork- Kat Leyh is one of my favorites cartoonists out there.

Meisha (ALittleReader)

Rating: really liked it
I wasn't really liking this to start with. The humor felt forced and over done and it really put me off. However, as I went on, I grew to love the quirky and unique characters...
This is about a ”pod” of mermaids who decide to cast a spell to go on land to drink booze. Only to realize too late that they have no idea how to turn back into mermaids and are now stuck on land. Recipe for an interesting story right? Well I agree. The moral being about found family and being unapologetically yourself. To love yourself inside and out. And the added bonus being that the graphics/ colors were absolutely stunning!!
As I previously stated, I adored the characters and their individuality. They're definitely not what you would imagine a mermaid to be and I was here for it! There was so much diversity in all of the different characters and it was really refreshing to see so many different kinds of people represented. I loved getting to see what it would be like for a mermaid (mermaids with big personalities for that matter) to be on land and how they navigated everything. There were parts that definitely had me giggling!
I do wish that it was mentioned some where that this isn't intended for kids though 😅 The cover is very eye catching and I can see it appealing to a child. Plus, where a lot of the authors other works are intended for kids, I can see this being confused for a child's graphic novel.
Over all, I enjoyed this and can see me picking up more by the author. This just wasn't a favorite graphic novel of mine. But I do recommend giving it a read if it seems like something you'd like!
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the E-ARC!!

Rod Brown

Rating: really liked it
Pearl, Tooth, and Eez are hard-partying mermaids who awake one day with the worst hangovers . . . and legs! . . . in this literal fish-out-of-water story. I'll admit, it took me a while to warm up to the obnoxious trio, but their friendship and growth won me over.

It's a delightful new take on an old fairy tale, loaded up with the good stuff: diversity, positive body images, LGBTQ+, humor, adventure, nudity, and swearing.

Highly recommended! And check out Ley's Snapdragon too. She's really on a roll!

Jessica Haider

Rating: really liked it
If you're like me and read and enjoyed Snapdragon last year, then you will be excited to hear that Kat Leyh has a new book out. This book features a pod made up of two mermaids and a sea witch. They realize they are out of wine from shipwrecks and NEED.MORE.BOOZE so the sea witch casts a spell on them to turn them into humans. They make their way to a coastal community in search of booze. They aren't quite familiar with human ways, so show up on the boardwalk naked. They quickly get some clothes by various means and eventually find a bar call The Thirsty Mermaid where they befriend the bartender who tries to help them out. This was a fun romp of a book, with lots of girl power, messages about mental health, LGBTQ representation and body positivity.

Thank you to the publisher for the lovely review copy!

Deborah

Rating: really liked it
Three drunken mermaids (oops, two merfolk and a seawitch) venture on land for more wine. Through a spell, Pearl, Tooth, and Eez transform into humans. To their delight they discover a bar, The Thirsty Mermaid, and have the time of their lives. The next day brings hangovers and the realization that Eez does not know how to cast a spell to revert them back to themselves. Vivi, the bartender, befriends them believing they are humans down on their luck and lets them stay with her as long as they work. Pearl and Tooth learn about money, jobs, and capitalism while Eez tries to break the spell for them to return to the sea. Vivi and her skeptical sister, Angel, try to help. This graphic novel is not for kids as there is nudity, alcohol, and more.

Silvia

Rating: really liked it
I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

This was a seriously wholesome comic about a pod of three tipsy mermaids venturing on land but not knowing how to get back because they're stranded (hah) in a coastal city without magic to turn back into their original bodies. I think saying more than this would spoil the fun, and while this might not work for everyone, it did work for me with its mix of humor, tender found family feelings and captivatingly honest art.

I really loved the casual diverse rep: the mermaids have different body types, there's queer and trans characters of color, there's anxiety (and depression?) rep. Despite its overall wholesome feel, the comic doesn't shy away from showing difficult moments, but it's at its heart a hopeful story that took me by surprise and I would recommend checking out if you're into diverse graphic novels.

TWs: getting drunk, discussion and portrayal of body dysmorphia, accidental almost-drowning that can be interpreted as the character being suicidal

Melanie Gillman

Rating: really liked it
This is a goddamn DELIGHT. Gorgeous art, hilarious, and just non-stop weird queer fun from start to finish.

rachel ☾

Rating: really liked it
[fatmisia, sexism, sexual harassment, suicidal ideation mentioned, body dysmorphia discussed, alcohol consumption, near-drowning, tsunami, and bullying (hide spoiler)]

JennyCash

Rating: really liked it
Sorry this is dumb. It does get better as it goes but overall it's stupid. Two mermaids and a sea witch run out of alcohol (which they find on sunken ships) so they decide to turn themselves into humans just to find more booze. Of course, they then have trouble figuring out how to go back into the sea as mermaids. There's a tiny story line about friendship mixed in so that's why three stars instead of two.

Oriana

Rating: really liked it
What a boisterous, joyful, voluptuous romp! A really fun fantasy world full of mermaids and magick, where everyone is some degree of queer, some degree of sweetly fragile, has a nontraditional body type, is working hard to find themselves, and is right there to save someone else just at the most important moment. Certainly a bit wish-fulfill-y, but very loving all around. 🌊🌊🌊

Steven

Rating: really liked it
Want a funny, irreverent, LGBTQ- & body-image positive book? Here's a hysterical read for adult readers from the creator of LUMBERJANES.

I knew this author/creative from her previous graphic novels, so I knew I'd be in for a fun read, regardless of its plot or focus.

I didn't expect this raucous (yet at-times-serious) journey of three mermaids adjusting to life on land. Their plots are easy metaphors for outsiders discovering their personal places in the world. I loved the positivity of the characters regardless of their conflicts and situations. I loved the normalcy of these characters, despite their mermaid-out-of-water origins; even more, I loved the acceptance everyone finds because they’re not limited by predefined social norms.

Were it not for the everpresent alcohol consumption throughout the book, I'd say this is a perfect read for teens seeking those who support them for who they are and for those looking to feel comfortable in their own skins.

As it is, I'd still recommend this book for mature teens or adults looking for a good story with heart and soul.

Anna

Rating: really liked it
This was so quirky and weird and fun! It's about these three mermaids who cast a spell and become humans except they are not prepared and they have no way to get back. This leads to them befriending a local bartender and getting a drunk off their asses and having some hard lessons about capitalism. This book is so weird guys. Our main characters are VERY unique and will have you laughing the entire time. Tooth is big and brawny and known for taking the teeth of the sharks she fights, Pearl is cute and hefty with her piercings and shaved head and love of crop tops or no tops, and Eez is actually a sea witch with a case of body dysphoria who gets told one too many times to put a shirt on to be in the bar 😂

These three are troublemakers and anxiety inducing to any type A people, but they are a family (I'm convinced they're all aspec and in a QPR but it's not canon) and they're gonna find a way back to the sea together.

They meet their fair share of helpful friends along the way like a trans bartender named Vivi who's too kind for her own good and opens up her home to the girls. Then there's Vivi's sister and her sibling in law who help with the science aspects of the ocean. Can forget Jim and Spud, the old gay couple who dives in shipwrecks and helps find treasure.

This graphic novel is an adventure and a great one at that. I can't recommend it enough.

Rep: 2 fat MCs, trans, queer, Black, and gay side characters. Non canon aspec rep.

CW: alcohol