Review - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Mara Dyer doesn't believe 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 strangely unharmed. There is.

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

I received this book courtesy of Simon&Schuster by way of Goodreads.

Let me start off by saying that I thought this was one of the most beautifully written books I have read all year. Hodkin's writing is so descriptive and breathtaking; I could feel what was happening to the main character. "It was a gray and white day, a biting New England winter day," I swear I could feel the room get colder and felt a cool breeze on my face as I read that line.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer had me the first time I saw the cover. It intrigued me and I knew that I had to read it. I did not know much about the book because I was experiencing the truth and the story as Mara was discovering it for herself. I gasped, cried, and got the chills a couple of times too. You don't really know what to expect when you're reading it and I loved that. I loved learning things through Mara's perspective. I tried to stay away from other reviews and thoughts about this book because I wanted to have a fresh view of it myself.

How can I review a book and not talk about the story line? Well here is what I can tell you. I did not know much about the book except for the very brief synopsis and for me, the less I knew, the better. Reading the book was like watching a movie. Some parts of the book gave me the chills and even scared me a little. It's a thrilling, romantic tale that keeps you guessing and wondering what exactly happened to Mara and why.

All I will say about the story, is that I loved meeting Mara's family and love interest, Noah. He is sexy, smart and hot, without even trying. You get that sense when he's first introduced and it's confirmed as you continue to get to know who he is.

The book is a good, solid 450 pages and there are 59 chapters in the book. I welcomed the short length of each chapter because it allowed me to take frequent breaks and feel like I gained so much in each chapter. Hodkin's gives you very subtle hints and nuggets of information throughout the book and then in the end you are left with your eyes wide and your heart beating fast. I was more than satisfied when I finished reading this book. I kept thinking about it for almost a full week before I could even start writing the review. I loved The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and look forward to reading everything and anything Michelle Hodkin's writes.

5 out of 5 Stars

Review by Jenn Valencia

Pre-Order The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer out September 27, 2011
Who is Mara Dyer?
Michelle Hodkin's Official Website
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Author and Book Details at Simon & Schuster