This is a little long for my kids right now and doesn't hold their attention as much as shorter tales, but as a longtime mermaid story lover, I am certainly enjoying reading these books. In addition to a new twist on mermaids and undersea life, there is plenty of action and just the right amount of fancy to capture our imaginations. I am happy to add this to my collection of childrens books.

This is a little long for my kids right now and doesn't hold their attention as much as shorter tales, but as a longtime mermaid story lover, I am certainly enjoying reading these books. In addition to a new twist on mermaids and undersea life, there is plenty of action and just the right amount of fancy to capture our imaginations. I am happy to add this to my collection of childrens books.

Third in the Emily Windsnap series.

When half-mermaid Emily Windsnap finds an old, beat-up diamond ring, she has no idea that it will bring Neptune's anger down on her, AGAIN. Neptune wants the ring back, but it will not come off of Emily's hand. Neptune curses Emily; on the night of the full moon, she will no longer be half-human and half-mermaid. Neptune will make her one or the other and force her to say goodbye to one of her parents forever. The only way out is to find another ring to complete the pair and break the curse.

The third book to feature half-mermaid Emily Windsnap (following The Tail of Emily Windsnap and Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep (Emily Windsnap)) finds her wrapped up in another underseas mystery.

Emily's worried about her parents; her dad's a merman and her mom's human, and the two have been at odds with each other lately, spending a lot of time apart and constantly bickering. Her mom is lonely and resents all of the time that Emily spends at mermaid school rather than with her. When Emily's mermaid school is busy decorating in preparation for a visit from Neptune, she discovers a beautiful, if battered, diamond ring that settles itself onto her finger. The problem is that the ring won't come off, so she tries to hide the large diamond as best she can.

However, this ring is the source of King Neptune's wrath, and he banishes Emily, her mermaid best friend Shona, and her mom's "psychic" friend Millie to a distant ocean. Worst of all, he curses Emily to lose her dual nature, neither human nor mermaid, and tells her that at the next full moon she will be forced to go with the parent whose form she takes (human or mermaid). Neptune then bans intermarriages between humans and mermaids. Emily is devastated. But as Emily and Shona explore their surroundings, they discover a mysterious castle in the mist, a castle that will hold the answers they seek.

This third Emily Windsnap installment was a quick, enjoyable read full of beautiful underwater imagery, interesting modern takes on mermaid lore, and a beautiful update of traditional fairy tales involving the cursed castle and its lonely inhabitants. Recommended for anyone interested in modern mermaid tales (tails?).