THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Source: Amazon Vine
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (September 27, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442421762
ISBN-13: 978-1442421769

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.

Where do I start with my review? Amazing. Haunting. Outstanding. Un-freaking-believable!

That sums up my experience with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.  I dipped my toes into the well deserved hype of this book and slowly started reading it.  Once I got through the first chapter, I was hooked so much on the story that I dove in head first and didn’t want to come up for air.  I stayed up all night to finish this book just so I could see how it would end. 

When Mara wakes up after an accident involving her friends, she realizes life is never going to be the same.  Not only did her friends die and she lived, but she can’t remember what really happened the night of the accident.  Her mind is literally hiding the event to keep her shielded from the pain.  As her mind slowly unravels the mystery of that night, Mara is also haunted by her friends in more ways than one.  Mara thinks she is losing her mind, but is she really seeing her friends or are they truly the ghosts of her lost friends?

I just loved this new book by author Michelle Hodkin.  I can’t stress how good this book is! The author gives you just enough clues to keep guessing and wanting more.  I definitely will be looking for news on the next book in this series to help quench my thirst of young adult suspense!

DARK OF THE MOON
Author: Tracy Barrett
Source: RAAB Associates
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books; None edition (September 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547581327
ISBN-13: 978-0547581323

Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety.

So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship—one that could perhaps become something more.

Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace—unless he can kill the beast first. And that “monster” is Ariadne’s brother . . .

Since I never really paid any attention in school when they were discussing Greek mythology,  I wasn’t too sure what to expect in Dark of the Moon.  It is based on the Greek myth of Theseus, Ariadne, the Minotaur and the labyrinth.  Now since none of the myth was familiar to me, I knew this would be something fresh for me to read.

I really had a hard time getting into this book.  It begins rather slowly and had an overabundance of narrative dialogue that was a little repetitive at times.  It didn’t really start getting interesting until the characters started their dialogue and started interacting.  Although the dialogue picked up the pace of the book, it still wasn’t as interesting as I was hoping it would be.  I wasn’t a fan of the characters like I should have been.  Maybe if I had known about the legendary myth at little more, it would have had me engrossed in the revelations a little more.

While the story wasn’t as great as I was expecting, the author did execute  the story with a twist nicely.  She has you thinking how tales can be twisted throughout the ages and how some things might have been different from a different point of view.  If you are a fan of Greek mythology then I would say to give this book a chance.  You might just find out more about the legend than you already know.

SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
A Lucky Harbor Novel #1
Author: Jill Shalvis
Source: Personal Purchase

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Forever; 1 Original edition (October 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 044657161X
ISBN-13: 978-0446571616

Maddie Moore’s whole life needs a makeover.

In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

Starting over won’t be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too. 

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes-and mouth-are making it hard for her to remember that she’s sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie’s struggles to overcome the past, though she’s about to discover that there’s no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

I just love the writing of Jill Shalvis!  After reading her Animal series, I went out and purchased the first book in the Lucky Harbor series. Simply Irresistible was just that — Irresistible!

I loved Jax and the whole town of Lucky Harbor.  Plus who can go wrong for a rich and sexy man who is sweet at heart?  Maddie and her sisters were also a fun group to read about. They each had their own personality and they were described as The Steel Magnolia, The Mouse, and The Wild One.  Each description fit each character perfectly!  I liked how Maddie — The Mouse — was trying to turn her life around.  When the half sisters inherit the inn after their Mother dies, they realize it is going to take a lot of work and money to bring the inn back to its former glory.  With secrets involved for the family members, secrets in Jax’s past, and obstacles to overcome that are from each characters past, we get to see the journey unfold in a sweet story.

The only problem I had with this book was the constant wavering from Maddie.  One minute she was happy to have Jax, then she would change her mind and not want him.  I understand she had some issues to work out from a previous relationship, but the reason behind it was not believable.  Even with that issue, I still can’t wait to pick up a copy of the next book in the series.  I want to learn more about Maddie’s sisters and their adventure in Lucky Harbor.