The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1) — Michelle Hodkin
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.
When Mara Dyer wakes up from a coma in the hospital, her memories are fuzzy. Slowly, bits and pieces start coming back to Mara and she realizes that she is the only survivor in a terrible accident that killed her best friend, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s sister. Mara can’t return to school without seeing Rachel’s face at every turn, so she and her family move to Florida for a new start. But even in Florida she’s haunted by frighteningly lifelike hallucinations. Wherever she goes, death seems to follow.
Mara’s mom is convinced that Mara is unstable and Mara is starting to agree with her when she meets Noah. Noah doesn’t think she’s crazy. And at first, when she’s around Noah, Mara doesn’t feel crazy. But even Noah can’t stave off her hallucinations forever. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to help Mara, though, if only she’s willing to trust him.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is definitely worth the hype, though it took me until about the last fifty pages to realize it. The entire book was great, but until the end, I felt like I was still waiting and waiting to be blown away. And then I was.
The first thing I loved about The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was how absolutely well-written it was. Michelle Hodkin knows her way around the English language. Her vocabulary is impressive and even introduces the reader to new words (quite a feat in the eyes of many avid readers and reviewers). Her descriptions were lyrical and powerful, avoiding cliché at every turn. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is filled with alternating chilling and searing romantic scenes. It’ll make your heart race in anticipation for a variety of reasons – and you’ll love every second of it.
I really liked Mara. She experienced so much trauma, but she never gave into defeat. Despite all the awful things happening in her life, she still persevered, refusing to give up on herself no matter how crazy she thought she was. Her strength was so, so likable. Especially when she started at a new school during her Junior year and attracted the attention of the resident mean girl and her entourage. And I liked that she didn’t automatically melt in response to Noah’s romantic advances. He had to work for her attention and friendship so that their relationship turned out extremely gratifying.
But as much as I liked Mara, her thought processes confounded me. She suffered from the typical self-doubt the comes with falling for the most desirable guy in school – the he’s-realized-I’m-not-worth-it-so-he’s-going-to-leave-me-and-there’s-nothing-I-can-do-about-it syndrome. I don’t know why it’s so hard for our favorite heroines to believe that they actually deserve love, but this rampant phenomenon is starting to grate on my nerves. Also, I didn’t understand the justification behind Mara’s actions at the end of the book. Her reasoning felt flimsy and contradicted everything we’d learned about her character throughout the entire book. I didn’t believe that she could make such a huge decision so easily, that she was willing to give up due to that one action.
Still, despite my problems with the ending, it left me even more intrigued than when I began the book. I absolutely cannot wait for the second installment of the Mara Dyer series. If you’re looking for a well-written book that’s heavy on romance and light on paranormalcy, then get your hands on a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. You won’t be disappointed.
Pages: 452
Publication Date: September 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Challenge: Debut Author
Rating : 
Teaser Quote: “You’re my girl,” he said simply, because it was true. “But if you do this, you’ll be someone else.”
Destined — Jessie Harrell
When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.
As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she’s come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.
ADORABLE. Days after finishing Destined, I can’t stop thinking about it. And every time I do, I get this warm, fuzzy feeling in my stomach. After a slew of contemporary and dystopian novels, Destined was exactly what I needed. This book retells the classic myth of Psyche and Eros, otherwise known as Cupid. It takes place in ancient Greece and while the story is set in the past, it’s given a current spin. The dialogue, mannerisms, and ways of thinking all reflect the present. This gives Destined a unique, incredibly fun flair. It’s also hard to put down and easy to love.
Destined reminds me of a mix between three of my favorite movies: Hercules, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle. I think it’d be pretty hard to read this book and not make the Hercules connection. I mean, that’s where my basic knowledge of Greek mythology comes from. Harrell portrays all the gods and goddesses in a comedic and distinct light. At no point does it feel like she’s just relying on the reader’s preconceived notions of how these immortals should act. Harrell takes the time to characterize each god or goddess, bringing them to life in a refreshing manner. She doesn’t just accept that you already know who Aphrodite is, but instead shows you the real Aphrodite. I loved all the mythology and traditions present in Destined. I also loved the fantastical and sometimes frightening/creepy elements that reminded me of Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. It wasn’t super creepy or anything, but just imagining myself in Psyche’s shoes as she faced the creature that “even the gods feared” allowed me to sympathize completely with how freaked out she was. Honestly, in her place, I would’ve been freaking out ten times more.
The relationship between Psyche and Eros is perfectly swoon-worthy. This is one of the few instances where I don’t want the amazing love interest for myself, but only because he and Psyche are so perfect together. I was rooting for their relationship from the moment they met. Harrell provides the benefit of switching between each of their points of view, which gives Eros dimension and substance, so that he doesn’t just come across as a physically flawless, yet empty shell. The only problem with seeing his point of view is that it’ll make you fall even more in love with him — and then silently beg Psyche to do the same. Even as I think of it now, I just want to read it again.
If you’re looking for the world’s most heartwarming and heart-achingly romantic love story, do yourself a favor and read Destined. Harrell’s writing style is succinct and elegant. She engages all five senses and paints amazingly vivid scenes. I’d also recommend listening to “Crack the Shutters” by Snow Patrol — Harrell’s “signature song” for Psyche and Eros — before, during, and after you read it. The song fits their story perfectly. And it’s also just plain beautiful, kind of like Destined.
Pages: 209
Publication Date: November 2011
Publisher: Mae Day Publishing
Challenge: Debut Author
Rating : 
Teaser Quote: Her touch sank into me like a sun-warmed stone. “This is what I’ve been waiting for. This day. I learned from my mistakes with Helen. But you?” She shook her head and smiled. “Oh, Psyche, you’re going to make me proud.”
The Girl in the Steel Corset (The Steampunk Chronicles) – Kady Cross
In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the “thing” inside her. When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch…
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she’s special, says she’s one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.
Griffin’s investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help – and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff’s little company of strays apart, and it isn’t long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she’s on – even it if seems no one believes her.
The Girl in the Steel Corset was my first steampunk novel and it certainly didn’t disappoint. In fact, it blew me away. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to read it all in one sitting, but by the time I got to the middle of the book, I absolutely could not put it down.
I was captivated immediately by the character of Finley, Kady Cross’s new version of Jekyll and Hyde. Finley’s dual personalities are riveting and I like that everyone immediately understands that Finley is two different people in one body. The characters of Steel Corset aren’t blind and oblivious. They are incredibly smart, talented, stubborn, and unique. It’s impossible to really dislike any character due to the fact that they all have so many layers to their personalities – layers that Cross peels back and explores in full.
The ensemble cast is one of the biggest highlights of the first novel in The Steampunk Chronicles. Cross seamlessly weaves from one character’s viewpoint to another. Though the majority of the novel is told from Finley’s and Griff’s points of view, we also spend time in the minds of Sam, Emily, and even The Machinist. Telling a story from multiple points of view increases the suspense and allows us to connect to each character more fully, which is very important when dealing with such a large cast.
In addition to phenomenal character development, this book is packed with action. There are multiple plot lines and conflicts existing at once, thus there’s never a dull moment. But at no point does it seem like there’s too much going on or like Cross has bitten off more than she can chew. The entire plot seems well-thought out and leaves the reader feeling as if Steel Corset is only the beginning of what’s sure to be a thrilling ride.
If forced, I could only cite a few faults. The first would be that I really can’t decide who I like better: Griff or Jack Dandy? Sam or Jasper? Finley and Emily certainly have their hands full with those boys. I would also say that the mystery of The Machinist’s identity is a little predictable, but not in a bad way. Sometimes it feels good, as a reader, to solve mysteries on your own. Plus, all the events surrounding The Machinist, including the end of the book, are anything but predictable.
As an added bonus, the story’s set in 1897 England, which means awesome outfits as well as a fun mixture of futuristic inventions and long-forgotten customs (and, oh yeah, masquerade balls, anyone?). Basically, there’s nothing not to love about Steel Corset. Luckily, this is just the beginning.
Pages: 473
Publication Date: May 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Challenge: N/A
Rating :
Teaser Quote: “He walked her into the moonlight as though escorting her into a ball. Even though she knew she could snap his neck in an instant, she felt slightly off center—somewhat as her other half had with Griffin. Dandy had power, and that gave him confidence.”
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