The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Review)

Genre:	Young Adult, Paranormal
Publication.Date	September 27th 2011
Pages:	452
Published By:	Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Website	Michelle Hodkin |
	The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Goodreads
My review copy:	Provided by the publisher (thank you!)
Where to get:	Barnes and Noble | Amazon      | Book Depository

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.com)

“What would you do if I kissed you right now?"
I stared at his beautiful face and his beautiful mouth and I wanted nothing more than to taste it. "I would kiss you back.”

“You want me as much as I want you. And all I want is you."
My tongue warred with my mind. "Today," I whispered.
Noah stood slowly, his body skimming mine as he rose. "Today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever.”

“Wait," I said as Noah slipped a book from a shelf and headed toward the door. "Where are you going?"
"To read?"
But I don't want you to.
"But I need to go home," I said, my eyes meeting his. "My parents are going to kill me."
"Taken care of. You're at Sophie's house."
I loved Sophie.
"So I'm...staying here?"
"Daniel's covering for you."
I loved Daniel.
"Where's Katie?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Eliza's house."
I loved Eliza.
"And your parents?" I asked.
"Some charity thing."
I loved charity.
"So why are you going to read when I'm right here?”

“You could start a fire with the heat between you two."
"You're mistaking bitter animosity for heartfelt affection.”

“Have you kissed many boys before?" he asked quietly.
His question brought my mind back into focus. I raised an eyebrow. "Boys? That's an assumption."
Noah laughed, the sound low and husky. "Girls, then?"
"No."
"Not many girls? Or not many boys?"
"Neither," I said. Let him make of that what he would.
"How many?"
"Why—"
"I am taking away that word. You are no longer allowed to use it. How many?"
My cheeks flushed, but my voice was steady as I answered. "One."
At this, Noah leaned in impossibly closer, the slender muscles in his forearm flexing as he bent his elbow to bring himself nearer to me, almost touching. I was heady with the proximity of him and grew legitimately concerned that my heart might explode. Maybe Noah wasn't asking. Maybe I didn't mind. I closed my eyes and felt Noah's five o' clock graze my jaw, and the faintest whisper of his lips at my ear.
"He was doing it wrong.”

“In my rush, I hadn't tied my shoelaces. Noah was now tying them for me.
He looked up at me through his dark fringe of lashes and smiled. The expression on his face melted me completely. I knew I had the goofiest grin plastered on my lips, and didn't care.
"There," he said as he finished tying the laces on my left shoe. "Now you won't fall."
Too late.”

“You're distracting,' I said truthfully.
'I won't be. I promise,' Noah said. 'I'll get some crayons and draw quitely. Alone. In a corner.”

Check out the trailer guys!!! It's one of the best book trailers I've ever seen!!!

     

     There isn't anything I could say about this book, that hasn't already been said. You'd have to be some sort of seclude, living in an underground nuclear bunker, to not have heard about Unbecoming of Mara Dyer before. This book had been hyped up like CRAZY. It had been on everyone's lips! People were totally in love with it even before the ARCs were printed! It's one of the hottest releases of 2011, definitely one of my top 5 favorites. And Noah.. Noah Shaw.. *wipes drool from chin*  - don't even get me started!

      Before I start my Noah-inspired raving fit, though, I'd like to talk about the plot a bit.

      Mara Dyer wakes up in a hospital with a couple of bruises and no recollection of how she got there. Something terrible happened during her late-night exploration of an abandoned building. She wasn't alone when the accident took place, though, she was there with a group of her best friends. And now all her friends are dead and she can't remember what it was that caused the building to collapse and bury them all under tons of debris. Like that wasn't enough, weird things are starting to happen around her. She starts getting those flash-back dreams in which - piece by piece - she slowly uncovers the mystery behind the freak accident. The more she learns, the more terrified she becomes, cause maybe.. just maybe.. the building collapse wasn't accidental after all.

      That's about as much as I can tell you without giving away too much. I absolutely loved the construction of this novel - the way Mara didn't know what happened to her and we got to discover the truth along with her, step by step - it was brilliant! It made the whole thing way more mysterious and exciting. It's definitely a blood-pressure riser, I had those moments when it felt like I couldn't flip the pages fast enough! It's a pretty big novel - I mean 452 pages is not too much, but it's not exactly what you'd call a short read, right? Well, guess what?! I breezed through those 452 pages (what felt like) on a single breath! Despite the paranormal aspect of this book (which, btw, was very subtle and not overwhelming at all), this novel felt very real. I liked how it focused more on what Mara felt and what she had to go through, while discovering the shattering truth about herself and what she's capable of, rather than blowing the whole paranormal thing way out of proportion. I got to know Mara and Noah, I learned a lot about them and, thanks to Michelle Hodkin's fantastic storytelling, I could feel their emotions. And there was A LOT to feel. It's a deliciously intense book, dripping with all sorts of emotions: fear, uncertainty, anxiety, anger, regret, desire, love, curiosity, hope.. It's all there! This is a terrific read - the plot is tightly woven and well-thought out. It makes you think, makes feel, makes you sweat, leaves you slightly light-headed and wanting more - everything a great book should.

      And Noah? Oh, Noah!!! I could eat him alive - he's such a hottie! British, mysterious, total sweetheart with a reputation of a heart-breaker.. ahhhh~ So swoon worthy! It's officially my number one on the Book Bachelor list (bye bye Jace!). Undoubtedly one of the best male protagonists EVER. And not only because he is drop-dead gorgeous and bring-me-a-napkin drool-inducing hottie, but also because of his wonderful character, wittiness, mysteriousness, gentleness... everything! There is no other like Noah Shaw!!!

      I can't emphasize enough how AWESOME this book is. It's one of the 2011 YA releases that you absolutely have to read. No discussions. Go get yourself a copy, you'll thank me later!