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Vanessa Garden
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Captivate (Submerged Sun) Paperback – August 15, 2016

by Vanessa Garden (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 253
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In a glittering underwater world, where danger lurks behind beauty and power...For the past twelve months since her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret — a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young king named Marko.Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she wants nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie — Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people have secrets too, dangerous secrets...'Vanessa Garden's world so deeply engulfed my imagination that I devoured the book in only a few hours.' USA Today's Happily Ever After'...a great summer read for anyone who loves a mix of fantasy and romance.' GIRLFRIEND magazine
Previous page
  1. Print length
    278 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Createspace Independent Pub
  4. Publication date
    August 15, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1537032089
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1537032085
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Createspace Independent Pub (August 15, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 278 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1537032089
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1537032085
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 253

About the author

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Vanessa Garden

Vanessa Garden

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A bookseller and Young Adult author, Vanessa loves nothing more than immersing herself in the exciting world of books. When she is not sharing her favourite reads with customers, or mentally casting actors to play the characters in her next novel, she enjoys hanging out with those she loves most.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
253 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Angelique S.
5.0 out of 5 stars This series is so underrated!
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2015
Verified Purchase
Originally posted on http://angreads.blogspot.com

I don't know where I saw this on Goodreads but the cover instantly grabbed my attention. Isn't it gorgeous?! So, I searched the author and the book on Google but could not find it in any bookstore in the US. I was so disappointed, so finally I caved and bought it as an e-pub format. I really have a special place in my heart for paper copies. But, I really wanted to read this so I did what I had to.

The summary immediately grabbed my attention but for a quick scary second I immediately thought it would be a mermaid book, and those are usually hit or miss for me. Thankfully when I started reading I quickly learned it was not a mermaid book!

I've never been to Australia so I can't comment on the setting, but Bob's Bay sounds like a nice place to visit. Marin sounded so beautiful though. I can almost imagine myself having Miranda's reaction when she first went outside the palace walls.

The characters were all great and I found myself rooting for many of them. Marko and Robbie were very swoon worthy in their own ways. I could definitely see why Miranda had a tough time choosing between them. Marko's grandfather to me was a very twisted individual, and I think that rubbed off on Damir and Sylvia. I really wanted to like her, but she was just a witch! The story of how Marin came to be was extremely interesting and quite sad. I felt bad for the residents of that beautiful underwater city. That's why I could empathize with their actions with kidnapping surface girls.

One thing I didn't like was how calm Miranda was with the whole ordeal. I mean, if I had been kidnapped I would have fought until I had nothing left. I can see why she really didn't though, considering she was in an underwater city and had no idea how to escape.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I have added it to my favorites shelf, which is a big deal. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Impulse, the sequel to Captivate. Expected publication for Impulse is December of 2014.
6 people found this helpful
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V.E.
4.0 out of 5 stars Fine YA Book
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
Captivate (Submerged Sun #1) by Vanessa Garden gets off to a pretty good start, a young Miranda Sun is kidnapped by someone from the underworld, and suddenly her life takes a desperate turn. Here she is being held by the of course good looking Marko, and from there the story takes off. Initially, there is not a lot of background given about Miranda, only that she doesn't really get along with her sister, and that both of her parents are gone. Without this proper story development, it was kind of difficult to really know Miranda or have any real empathy for her. The story just delved into the kidnapping right away. Otherwise this is a fine YA book, one that is lightly entertaining, with some touches of family secrets and mystery.
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T. Banghart
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2014
Verified Purchase
Okay, it just needs to be said....this book captivated me! ;-) Miranda drew me in right away and I was immediately intrigued by the hint of her past regrets and secrets. Then, when we arrive in Marin, the underwater world Vanessa created came to beautiful life before my eyes. At first, it was wonderfully claustrophobic, much like the caves in Stephenie Meyer's THE HOST and the spaceship in Beth Revis's ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. I could feel the walls closing in on Miranda, could feel every visceral moment of her desperation. I thought Vanessa did a fantastic job of not romanticizing Miranda's kidnapping. Sure, it wouldn't be a story if Miranda didn't find a place in her new world and develop feelings for our leading men; BUT Vanessa handled Miranda's gradualy evolving feelings with grace and subtlety. And this is definitely one of those books where I couldn't figure out how it could possibly end. I love that urgency to keep reading faster and faster to see what happens next!

Another element I found super intriguing was the mystery of how the people came to be in Marin and what kind of civilization had built the underwater city. Vanessa poses all these tantalizing questions about her world...many of which she waits to answer until book two. Which was very sneaky on her part because it's just ANOTHER reason that I MUST GET MY HANDS ON BOOK TWO!!

Overall, I loved CAPTIVATE and can't wait to dive again into Miranda's world.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in Australia on January 5, 2014
Verified Purchase
Love the story hope there another book to follow this one it is a love story but with a twist and hope that they do come together again thanks for the story and can't wait for the next one l hope
One person found this helpful
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Avvers
2.0 out of 5 stars So so bad it's cringing.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
SPOILERS

This trilogy frustrates me to no end!

1st, Marko is meant to be this very quickly angered king who is so not that.

Robbie is litterally put to his death by death by shark, remarkabley kills them both without sounding like he's exhausted, then just forgets who sent him there to die!! He can also just hang about in the ocean waiting to kidnap young girls, even though he is human.
And so can a 10 year old Marko waiting who happened to be there whilst Robbie was drowning.

She thought of these storylines without even contemplating writing HOW they did all of these incredibly ridiculous and so unrealistic things.

Miranda forgives Marko for it all of it.
Just one of many illogical and completely draw dropping ( in disbelief ) storylines that are just accepted by the main characters.

Then we have the annoying dramatic way of how they speak to each other.

Swallowing thickly, grinning, hands around my waist, looking sad at me, looking this, looking that....Good lord, its infuriating amateur dialogue.

And then to top it off, I PUSHED myself to keep reading to the 3rd book and I just had to stop.

The 2nd half of book 2 and book 3 are like a child wrote it.
Immature, zero grammar skills or writing for that fact. The conversations were embarrassing and unintelligent and the phrases that they all started using????
These folk are meant to be away from earth and should have no idea how earthlings speak surely? Absurd.

And the forced jokes and laughter at crucial, important, serious moments just made it tacky and honestly cringe worthy.

Sorry to be so thoroughly blunt but it's so bad.

Shame, because the actual idea of an under city world had such great promise.

I'm asking for a refund via my Amazon settings it's so bad.

I love to read and I very rarely ask for a refund. I've spent thousands on books I just let be if I'm not fond of but these ones, I could not.

Again, I'm sorry for a truthful hard critique but it needs to be said.
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Sheridan Bartlett
5.0 out of 5 stars CAPTIVATE
Reviewed in Australia on January 21, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book is my new favourite book, the story line is fantastic and the world is a place you get lost in. I found myself wondering if a place like this actually existed.
AMAZING FROM START TO FINISH!!!
One person found this helpful
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Michelle Clarke
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Australia on March 20, 2015
Verified Purchase
Enjoyable and a bit different to the average romance novel
One person found this helpful
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