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.”
Starcrossed – Josephine Angelini
“Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.”
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Like most lovers of YA fiction, I’m a fan of paranormal romance/urban fantasy. Some stories are amazing, others are….well, lacklustre or cheesy. It’s the not so great stories that then make us PR/UF fans a bit wary when approaching a new story, which was my reaction to first receiving Josephine Angelini’s debut, Starcrossed. The beautiful cover and interesting blurb however won me over and I gave it a shot.
The story centres on Helen Hamilton who, till the Delos family showed up, lived a fairly mundane existence. Upon seeing Lucas Delos for the first time some readers might suspect an instant attraction between the two – you’re half right. Seeing him fills Helen with an overwhelming, all consuming and inexplicable urge….to kill him. And the feeling is mutual.
Which can be problematic when you’re meant to be classmates with someone.
What Helen doesn’t realize is that her life is influenced by the Fates, which leads her to discover not just where she came from, but what’s in store, and the Delos family is only one piece of the puzzle.
My problem with Starcrossed was that I didn’t really enjoy the first half of the book. Helen annoyed me like crazy – her intense shyness, being desperate to fade into the background, she just came across as very weak. There were moments that were predictable or cheesy and I even had a ‘man this is so Twilight moment’ (I know, I know, authors hate Twilight references, sorry!).
However!
After the halfway point things started to get interesting – very interesting. Helen’s character had a total turn around and the twists in the plot only made things so much more exciting. The ending was heart stopping and dramatic, it’ll leave you dying for more once it’s over. There’s so much left hanging in the end it’ll be interesting to see how it will all unfold in the next book.
I loved the mix of Greek mythology, bringing it into a modern setting, it was really well done and totally fascinating to read. The romantic side of the story was also really great but also a lot more complicated than you might expect.
Though Starcrossed and I didn’t get off to a good start, by the end, I really liked it. Mythology, family conflict, fate, a dramatic cliffhanger ending and of course, lurrrrve, Starcrossed has all the right elements for a great read.
Pages: 487
Publication Date: May 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Challenge: Debut Author
Rating: : 
Teaser Quote: “He’s not going around telling everyone you’re monkey-butt crazy, so at least you brutalized a seriously sweet guy.”
Interview with Keary Taylor
Keary Taylor is the independent author of the Fall of Angels trilogy and the standalone post-apocalyptic Eden. Not only does she successfully write and publish her own novels, but she also designs book covers for herself and other authors. Keary was kind enough to take the time and answer a few of my questions about her Eden. For more information, visit her website or check out her blog.
How did you first come up with the idea for Eden?
What significance does the name “Eden” hold?
What are the advantages to self-publishing?There are so many. I have to say first is Stephenie Meyer. I have a lot of respect for her. Also authors like Andrew Davidson, Veronica Roth, Ally Condie, Amanda Hocking, and so, so many others. There are some amazing people in this industry!
Thanks, Keary! Eden is currently available at local bookstores. You can follow Keary on Twitter and don’t forget to read our review of Eden.
Eden — Keary Taylor
Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She’s seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn’t just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve’s reality.
In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior.
The technology wants to spread and it won’t stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.
First, let me draw your attention to the incredibly beautiful cover. It was impossible for this cover not to catch my eye. As a self-published author, the cover design was left up to Keary Taylor and she truly did an amazing job with an image that leaps off the shelves. And now, onto the review. Eve doesn’t remember anything before the Fall. As far as she knows, her life began when she was thirteen, found by Avian, Sarah, and Tye. The three of them are the only family Eve knows and together they live in a safe haven for perhaps the only humans left alive, Eden. That is, until West, Victoria, and Brady show up.
Now eighteen, Eve recognizes that she’s different from the other inhabitants of Eden. She’s fast, strong, rarely tires, and feels kind of disconnected — emotionally. She doesn’t think she knows what love is, even when it comes to simply loving her best friends and “family.” Yet as she spends more time with West, she finds he awakens certain emotions in her. But for someone who has only ever known life in Eden, how can she learn to trust an outsider? Especially since Avian is suddenly vying for her affection; Avian, whose very presence calms Eve and who understands her better than anyone else. Neither West nor Avian want to push Eve, but it’s clear she has a decision to make.
At first, Eden reminded me of Stephanie Meyer’s The Host, but with non-stop action and a more likable protagonist. Eve is a strong, independent, and utterly selfless heroine. She is so busy taking care of everyone else that she neglects her own feelings. When her inner conflict regarding West and Avian begins, she thinks avoiding the situation will make it go away. She piles on more and more work, leaving barely enough time to even sleep. But it’s impossible for her to ignore the two men. She’s drawn to each one for completely different reasons. This is why the love triangle in Eden appealed to me so much. Eve’s conflicting emotions are completely warranted as she shares common interests with both of her suitors. There is no obviously apparent or “right” choice. It truly seems like she could be happy with either guy and I was right there with her, confused as to who she should pick. Keary Taylor does a great job of opening up Eve’s mind to the reader, allowing us to slip effortlessly into her thoughts. She’s not only a protagonist you can respect, but also one you can identify with.
While the love triangle dominates a majority of the book, the plot is in no way slighted or overlooked. Eden is four hundred pages of glorious characterization, world-building, suspense, breathtaking twists, and heart-pounding action. The post-apocalyptic United States is described in visceral, frighteningly believable detail. The science and mechanical details behind the Fall and the Fallen are innovative and so intriguing. It’s impossible to put the book down because you just want to know more and more — how, why, when? Taylor doles out the answers to these questions, but sparingly, building up the suspense until the very last page.
Personally, I loved the ending to Eden. First of all, I was satisfied with Eve’s choice. Second, even though Eden is meant as a standalone novel, I appreciated the open-ended conclusion. It does leave some questions unanswered and Taylor could easily write a sequel with this incredible world she’s created, but since she’s not planning on it, the openness of the ending leaves room for your imagination, for you to continue the story for yourself. Some books don’t do this well, but I think Eden pulls it off.
At times, I feel like Eve’s inner dialogue unnecessarily rehashes the same thoughts over and over. But since these new feelings are so overwhelming and all-consuming, I can see where she’s coming from. The characters’ dialogue also seems oddly formal and forced, sometimes. It can be hard to get through those occasional formal bouts, as they’re distracting in how noticeable they are, but once they pass, it’s easy to fall back into the story. Still, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves insane world-building, intricate love stories, and the idea of technology growing too powerful. Eden does an excellent job of dealing with themes of what it means to human, where we draw the lines of morality and ethics, selflessness vs selfishness, and acceptance. If you’re looking for a completely new world to jump into, try Eden.
Pages: 408
Publication Date: June 2011
Publisher: Self-Published
Challenge: N/A
Rating :
Teaser Quote: “By month four, ninety-eight percent of the world’s population had become infected, not even human anymore. More machine than man. We, mankind, were a dying race.“
Cover of the Week #49
You should never judge a book by its cover.
Sure…but they never said we couldn’t admire them. Cover of the Week pays homage to the beautiful and eye catching graphics that grace the covers of our young adult titles.
This week’s cover of the week goes to Incarnate by Jodi Meadows.
Release Date: January 2012
Book of the Month
