Princes, sea dragons, and wizards, oh my! 
 This was a sweet, carefree, innocent little book. It was written in 1988, so it reads more like a classic fantasy story than the more modern stuff I've been accustomed to. It's very nicely written, with language that paints beautiful pictures without being too complex or too simple. As the title might suggest, the story takes place by the sea and the author writes the sea into every aspect of the story, to the point where I could practically taste the salt in the air and feel the sand clinging to my clothes every time I started reading. 
 The characters are charming and sweet and innocent, straightforward and honest. There is a small trace of a romance, but it's a bittersweet one, and this isn't really a romance novel. There aren't too many characters to keep track of, but they're all wonderful (especially Lyo) in their own distinct ways. 
 This read was a refreshing change from what I've been reading lately. Everything is either too modern (faeries with cell phones, dragons attending high school, and the like) or too complex, foregoing the story in favor of the world the author has created and the rules, laws, and politics therein. This book was a little detached, probably because it was so decidedly NOT modern. But it really is a nice little book if you need a short easy read and aren't looking for something with a romance like Twilight. And seriously. Lyo is just awesome.