Book Review: 'The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer'

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong. - Goodreads

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: September 27th, 2011
Finished Reading: June 12th, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 452
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Sub-Genre(s): Suspense, Romance
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, is an ever twisting road of acid-tripping moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. From the insane hallucinations to the mystery surrounding all the deaths, it leaves a hangover for the reader, but in a good way (I know contradiction since hangovers a a beast! lol)

This is just one of those books that I do believe lived up to the hype. Not everyone would agree, but for myself it did. Not many books can impress nor leave me thinking the way this novel did. I can see this not only being a movie series, but more importantly would rather see this be made into a television series if the rights were ever bought for the book.

Anyway... Noah and Mara have this bizarre chemistry together. From the moment they lock eyes across the quad till the last chapter, you know they belong together; even if you think other wise throughout reading it. I don't know why but there seems to be a trend lately in the books I'm reading of the boys are all broody. And as it was said on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "he's all Mr. Billowy-coat, king of pain," something of which Noah easily brings to the table when it comes to his past. The one thing Mara keeps on trying to figure out. Luckily but the end she understand a lot about him and why they are drawn together. It's also very dangerous for them to be together. Something of which I won't reveal, but it's an important aspect in the story.

Now for the insanity that swept the book: Jude. That character really has a pivotal role throughout Mara's journey. Everywhere she goes, when her mind starts to slip, he will almost likely be there. The strange part? He's dead! But at the end something is revealed, BIG spoiler that I won't spill, but it changes everything about Jude, in a creepy way. Something that is sure to be explained in the sequel.

Now there were passages in the book that caught my attention. Not sure if Hodkin was trying to make certain references, but I felt that on page 17, the black crows were foreshadowing the many deaths in Mara's future. This reference has been used in other pop culture situations (i.e. - One Tree Hill's pilot episode. Lucas tells Haley that it's a murder of crows.)

Overall, TUMD (aka - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer), left me feeling baffled by the cliffhanger and desperate for the next installment of Mara's world. This isn't for everyone, but it's worth a go at least once, especially with Halloween just around the corner.

Read More

Pulse It: December Reads

"Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget.

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.

Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever." - Pulse It

"In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime." - Pulse It

Read More

Galley Grab! (Simon & Schuster)

Right now the publishing company has some great eGalley Grab reads! To get access to these eBooks, you first have to have Adobe Digital Editions to read the PDF files. But after that it's simple when downloading the books! All the books expire once the book becomes available to the public.

Right now these three YA books are up for grab!

Read More

Book Review: 'Hush, Hush'

"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life." - Goodreads.com

Title: Hush, Hush (#1)
Series: Hush, Hush Saga
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: October 13th 2009
Format: Paperback
Pages: 391
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Sub-Genre: Paranormal
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Becca Fitzpatrick's first novel of the series went above and beyond my expectations for 'Hush, Hush'. The story unfolded at a nice pace and most certainly kept you guessing through out the book as to why Patch's past was so mysterious. There was one or two spots in the book were it lagged on for a bit, but sometimes that happens when creating a story.

I really don't want to say much about what happens in the book, because it's such a great journey you take with Nora. But I guess I can say she learns a lot about herself and about life.

The one issue I've had when it came to this book was the comparisons it had against 'Twilight'. It may have had the erie supernatural tone, but it is NOTHING like 'Twilight'. Nora is a complete 180 from Belle Swan and Patch is a bad boy next to Edward Cullen. I haven't found one identical piece of evidence as to what made it so comparable by a lot of readers. 'Twilight' was about vampires and 'Hush, Hush' was about Angels. Not even in the same realm of fiction.

Which brings me to this: I actual now favor 'Hush, Hush' over the twilight saga. There was something very real and intriguing about 'Hush, Hush' from beginning to end. I had a hard time putting the book down for the last 5-6 chapters because of the way Fitzpatrick wrote her climax and ending.

Would I recommend this book: Yes I would! Mostly to those that didn't enjoy 'Twilight'.

Plus if it were ever made into a movie, I think the guys would enjoy that there is a lot more action in this novel than 'Twilight'. Anyway, I can't wait to start the sequel "Crescendo" and find out what happens next to our two lead characters Nora and Patch!

Read More