The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)

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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1)

by Michelle Hodkin (Goodreads Author)

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 26,714 ratings · 4,321 reviews

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.

Hardcover, 452 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

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Beautiful Book Covers of 2011

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Jun 06, 2011 Tatiana rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of "Hush, Hush"

Shelves: 2011, why-the-hype, ya, romancelandia, tres-annoying

Well, let me get this out of the way - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer has nothing whatsoever in common with The Adoration of Jenna Fox, even though their publisher-provided plot descriptions are almost identical. What it is similar to is the infamous bestseller Hush, Hush, but it is just a tad less offensive. So, if you are a fan of that novel, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is your next natural reading choice.

I'll attempt to refrain from excessive ranting here, but, goodness, this novel is just as ba...more

278 likes · like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Lori (Pure Imagination) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I truly have no idea where to even start. I'm sure if I just said 'Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow' over and over again that it would get my point across just fine, but that might be a little repetitive and inarticulate. I'm going to try to get my very gushing thoughts in order for you guys.

When I opened the pages of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I had no idea what to expect. The synopsis really doesn't give you much, and I like it that way. The vague synopsis, the eerie cover, and the fantastic titl...more I truly have no idea where to even start. I'm sure if I just said 'Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow' over and over again that it would get my point across just fine, but that might be a little repetitive and inarticulate. I'm going to try to get my very gushing thoughts in order for you guys.

When I opened the pages of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I had no idea what to expect. The synopsis really doesn't give you much, and I like it that way. The vague synopsis, the eerie cover, and the fantastic title really set the tone for the book. The overall feel of this book is very different than most YA's out right now. It's very dark. You will realize that from the first page. Sometimes it sent shivers up my spine. But it's also a fantastically done love story that had me aswoon on many occasions. So although I didn't quite know what to expect, I fell in love with this unique and extremely captivating story very, very early on.

Who is Mara Dyer you may ask. Well, I'm not telling. You will have to find out for yourself, but I will say that she was damaged and she was unreliable because of that. That was a aspect that I absolutely loved! Mara just really wanted to be a normal girl and that made her relatable and realistic. I loved her sense of humor, it reminded me of mine. Mara Dyer is a mystery you will want to figure out. You will love her!

Now for the romance....sigh. Michelle Hodkin is trying to kill us with this romance. Heart attacks and swooning will ensue. Noah, Noah, Noah. He is everything you love!I guarantee it! He even has an accent! He's also a bit of a bad boy with a reputation. He's just....Whoa. I'm gushing, huh? Let put it into more intelligent sentences. There's no insta-love. There is a believable, intense, sexy attraction that builds slowly and makes you fall in love right along with the characters. I swooned, I giggled and by the end of it I was head over heels. This was the best romance I have read in a long, long time.

I'm not done! No, there is more to this story than great characters and heart stopping sexy romance. Much more. It's scary. It's 'make the hairs on your arm stand up' eerie. It's awesome! There were many times I just had to set the book down for a few moments so I could just take it all in. I died a thousand little deaths from the sheer hotness and awesomeness of this book. It left me speechless and breathless and this review in no way does it justice! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a book I could read over and over, and I probably will.

This is an incredible debut. Michelle Hodkin is an author that everyone will be talking about. This book is the next big thing. I LOVED it! It claimed my favorite book of the year spot before I hit page 50. I will hand sell this if I have to--but I won't have to. Am I getting my point across? READ IT!(less)

108 likes · like · see review

Oct 06, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, read-2011, annoying-main-characters, boys-who-are-jerks, heroines-wimpy, inexplicably-violent, huge-disappointments, mystery-traditional, mythic-and-fairy-tale-ish, unreliable-narrator, paranormal-general, horror, adolescent-wish-fulfillment, poc, 2011-publication, cover-fraud

1.5 stars Welcome to yet another teen romance masquerading as a paranormal novel. If you’re like me, you’ve been salivating to read this book for months because of the breathtaking cover—and of course, the premise of a girl waking up in a hospital with no memory of how her friends were killed is pretty intriguing. I’m sorry to say, however, that the maddening phenomenon I’m calling “cover fraud” strikes again, since this is another book whose interior does not live up to its beautiful cover art....more

248 likes · like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Cait rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: desperate-to-read, pretty-freaking-awesome-cover, this-makes-no-sense, ahhhh-the-plot-thins, oblivious-characters, what-plot, annoying-ending, i-need-some-asprin, inception-fail

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This review can also be found at my blog, Cait's Corner!

Laides and Gentlemen, gather 'round! welcome to......*trumpets blare* Cait's Review of Mara Dyer!

The profound, prolific, and purely dramatic prologue. *lights dim and a single spotlight focuses on me; a narrator's voice comes out of the loudspeakers*

Cait doesn't think The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer can get any more terrible than reading Twilight and having no memory how she read that without imploding.

It can.

She believes that there must...more

87 likes · like · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: I don't know. This book is a strange one.

Shelves: ebook, pretty-covers, 2-am-or-later, 2011-reads, books-i-should-hate-but-i-don-t, it-wasn-t-all-that-but-enjoyable, what-kind-of-ending-was-that, all-the-wrong-choices, could-have-been-better, funny, i-didn-t-see-that-coming, lots-of-fail-going-on-here, strange, confused-the-hell-outta-me, omg-that-ending, that-cover-misled-me

Hmm...Where do I even start with this book? I guess I should start by saying The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and I have this awkward love/hate relationship. If this book were a person, it'd be the boyfriend I sometimes had fun with, but never wanted to take with me in public because I knew he would do something stupid and embarrass the hell outta me. For majority of the first half of the book, I wanted to stomp it into the ground with my pair of patent leather pumps. However, somewhere along the lin...more

115 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Lora marked it as looks-promising

Shelves: lib-to-read

Quite possibly my favorite cover of 2011. Simply beautiful.

40 likes · like · see review

Jun 21, 2011 Trisha Leigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mind=blown. *sits and thinks* *sits* *thinks*

35 likes · like · see review

Oct 08, 2011 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, paranormal

I think this was probably my most anticipated book in the past months, and I also think that was it's downfall. You really look forward to a book. Everyone is saying how incredibly awesome it is. Nothing could ever be as good as this book - except maybe Daughter of Smoke and Bone - so how can it possibly live up to my already extreme expectations? Well... not like this.

Mara Dyer - Oh Mara Dyer, you had such an awesome beginning. A mysterious and creepy letter to set the mood. A strange event no...more I think this was probably my most anticipated book in the past months, and I also think that was it's downfall. You really look forward to a book. Everyone is saying how incredibly awesome it is. Nothing could ever be as good as this book - except maybe Daughter of Smoke and Bone - so how can it possibly live up to my already extreme expectations? Well... not like this.

Mara Dyer - Oh Mara Dyer, you had such an awesome beginning. A mysterious and creepy letter to set the mood. A strange event no one could explain or remember. Mirroring hallways. Disturbing hallucinations. Then Edward from Twilight pops up. Well hello there - I know Mara and Bella sound similar, but sorry, wrong book buddy!

Other than being a 17 year old who speaks several languages, gets straight As without ever paying attention or having to study, has loads of money, an incredibly big house, and no girl who's ever been able to get under his skin until the new girl arrives - the new girl who falls unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him - he's very original, right? If this wasn't enough to convince you, he composes music. That's right! We've got an impostor!

*End rant*

I have a soft spot for thrillers and creepy stories. Always have. My best birthday was when my mom brought me to see Carrie 2 when I was 14 (which was horrible btw, but still, it was Carrie!). So I still quite enjoyed that part of the story. The part where Mara pictures someone dead, and the next day they're found exactly like she pictured. The part where Mara sits down to drink a glass of water, and what seems to be 5 minutes later, 4 hours has passed. The creepy parts were very well done. I was thus still entertained for the most part. The last 100 pages or so is what pushed me off the cliff. I wasn't fond of the way it ended, at all. I thought it could have been much more… again… original. I felt like Hodkins took the easy way out. I had so many cool theories and guesses on what was happening with Mara, and they were all worthless. There wasn't really anything to guess, it was just very plain.

*I guess I wasn't done*

Now, has anyone ever wondered why we needed to have a homosexual jew, crocodiles, and an abused dog in this story? Or any one story? Let's also not forget the case her father was working on, which was put there as a bonus "twist" to the story, but seemed incredibly out of place and unnecessary. It felt like I was reading several plots/novels all mushed in together to give us this jumbled mess.

I was going to give this one three stars because of the eerie factor and great beginning - it was actually getting 4 before the last hundred pages. But after having written this, I can't. The bad clearly trumps the good in this book.(less)

32 likes · like · see review

Feb 13, 2012 Mrs.Heise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac2011-debut-author, all-time-favorites, conf-ncte-alan-2011, mystery

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER is one of the most interesting books that I have read in awhile. It blew my mind, kept me on my toes, crawled under my skin, tugged at my heart, and won't get out of my head. It is a multi-layered story: part psychological thriller, part epic teen romance, part high school story, part mystery, part family dynamics, and part suspense. Oh, and I can't forget the slight paranormal tendencies (in the mental sense not creatures) underlying the events of this book. It is a...more THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER is one of the most interesting books that I have read in awhile. It blew my mind, kept me on my toes, crawled under my skin, tugged at my heart, and won't get out of my head. It is a multi-layered story: part psychological thriller, part epic teen romance, part high school story, part mystery, part family dynamics, and part suspense. Oh, and I can't forget the slight paranormal tendencies (in the mental sense not creatures) underlying the events of this book. It is a page-turning, hard to put down, want to know what will happen and how the main character will figure it all out kind of book. It starts with a note from Mara setting up the premise that she's going to be telling you her story (under a pseudonym) of why her life is not normal. It's definitely a book you have to read with an open mind so you can just go with it. At times I thought, "oh, this is like ___" only to find out I was wrong, but I could definitely see the influences of other YA books, but done with unique twists. There are lots of "what is going on?!" and "did that just happen?!" moments, but that's what made it so much more readable.

Michelle Hodkin (a debut author!) has an engaging writing style that is a nice balance of descriptive, exciting, humorous, suspenseful, sarcastic, and intelligent. It just draws you in without even realizing it and you find yourself negotiating "just one more chapter before I go to sleep" fifteen times in a row until you can't keep your eyes open anymore. Parts of this book (especially the dialogue) were so smile to myself entertaining I found myself rereading them just to soak them in more and deeply process the subtle references and entertaining quality.

And the main character Michelle has written in Mara? Not the most reliable, or most sane, but she's got an awesome sass to her that I love, and underneath her insecurity and unsureness has a strength and integrity that drew me to her even more. Mara doesn't remember what happened the night the building collapsed and her friends were killed. One of the best parts of this book is the way that Mara's memories of that night start to come back to her. We get flashbacks through her dreams as she gets them - leaving us feeling as unsure as Mara does about what's going on - but eventually we finally get the whole story of that night and the story comes together really well. It's written in the way that makes you feel like the character is feeling at that point in the book - you'll be scared, hopeful, worried, confused, happy, and freaked out when Mara is feeling that way as you go through the story with her.

Should we talk boys now? How about my newest (and quite possibly best ever) literary crush - Noah Shaw. Really, after reading it, I sigh just hearing his name. I love, love, love Noah's character. He's got a great way of talking (and lots of hidden secrets to come) and interacting and being that is just captivating. The parts I found myself rereading the most were the interactions between Mara and Noah. Now, I should warn you, at first I was a little skeptical because he seemed like the stereotypical bad boy, insta-crush, jerk to girls, love interest character, but there's much, much more than meets the eye (or rumor mill as the case may be) with Noah Shaw. Don't let his early interactions fool you - there is an epic sort of romance that develops between Mara and Noah that will have you swooning by the end.

Secondary characters deserve a mention too - maybe because I have two brothers myself and am the middle/only girl, I really enjoyed Mara's relationship with her brothers - especially her older brother Daniel. He's great. He watches out for her, covers for her, protects her, and pushes her to get out there. I want a big brother like him. We also see Mara at her new school after they move out of state and meet her new friend Jamie. He is awesomely sarcastic and witty and good comedic relief. He also serves as commentary to set the stage for what's going on in the new school's dynamics. I enjoyed reading both Daniel's and Jamie's characters; I would have liked a little more of Jamie though.

This book all leads up to an ending that is unexpected and left me wondering What?! How did that happen?! It made me want to go back and reread the whole book with that new perspective and see if it changed my thoughts on earlier parts of the story. It ends at a point that added a final cliffhanger of a twist and left me hoping that there would be more - and there will be a sequel (thank goodness because I need answers!) You may feel a little off balance at the end of this one, but I truly think that's part of the reason that it is so good. I want my stories to surprise me once in awhile and this one was definitely surprising. Be on the lookout for THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER in September!

Heise Reads & Recommends
http://heisereads.blogspot.com (less)

33 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2011 Ezmirelda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: can-t-wait, must-read

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Hodkin manages to weave a story that’ll leave you pondering it long after you’ve read the last word.

Mara wakes up disoriented in a hospital with no recollection how she got there. She survived the accident, but her friends hadn’t been so lucky. Since that day she’s been having flashbacks and nightmares. In an attempt to stop her from reliving the past Mara and her family move to Miami Florida.

I really loved the fast pace and fluidity of Michelle’s writing. She knew h...more

26 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2011 Britney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, own

I absolutely loved this book! I want more of it, and I want Noah Shaw to be real! Beautiful writing, great characters, and amazing plot. Michelle Hodkin is perfect!

49 likes · like · see review

Jun 01, 2011 Lenore Appelhans added it

Shelves: signed, met-the-author

I would give this full points for Noah alone. Seriously.

24 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: covergasm, owned-ebooks, coverlove-booksuck, boooooring, dickhead-heroes, i-am-disappoint, dont-understand-why-its-hyped, pile-of-crap, unlikable-heroines, horrifyingly-bad, why-do-people-like-this-shit, is-this-some-kind-of-joke, goodbye-brain-cells, waste-of-paper, no-just-no, my-eyes-are-bleeding, hot-mess, what-the-actual-fuck, sorry-excuse-for-a-romance, get-that-thing-away-from-me, too-painful-to-finish, you-arrogant-prick

The hell am I gonna finish this.

31 likes · like · see review

Aug 02, 2011 Elise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 90-in-2011

Now usually I don't listen to reviews, but I was a little concerned when all I read was how this was a great novel UNTIL... But, as I am a curious critter, I had to read it when given the chance. I could not put this book down! I am a huge fan of character driven novels and this fit the bill. I was drawn to Mara and her issues, ok, so I wanted to fix her (it is my thing), I wanted to hug Jamie for being well, Jamie, Daniel was a whole lot of awesomesauce (can i have an older brother like him?) a...more

35 likes · like · see review

Oct 27, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-books-in-2011, 2011-debut-authors, arcs, received-from-publishers, favorites

An instant favorite. This book is beyond words incredible. Full review coming soon, but let's just say this: This book deserves much more than just 5 stars. It's brilliant!

21 likes · like · see review

Sep 15, 2011 Sarah (YA Love) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-debut-author-challenge, read-in-2011, young-adult-lit, supernatural, paranormal-ya, favorites, recommended-summer-reading-2012

This debut has received a ton of hype in the past few months and it completely lives up to the hype. I absolutely devoured this story; I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late and read until my eyes were so heavy I had to close them, then woke up early enough to pick it right back up and finish it (thank goodness for the weekends!). Michelle Hodkin is most certainly an author to watch because she not only weaves an engrossing tale, but she incorporates the perfect mix of mystery, snark, romance...more This debut has received a ton of hype in the past few months and it completely lives up to the hype. I absolutely devoured this story; I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late and read until my eyes were so heavy I had to close them, then woke up early enough to pick it right back up and finish it (thank goodness for the weekends!). Michelle Hodkin is most certainly an author to watch because she not only weaves an engrossing tale, but she incorporates the perfect mix of mystery, snark, romance and humor–extra emphasis on mystery.

Michelle Hodkin hooks us with an eerie letter from our main character, Mara Dyer, only Mara says “My name is not Mara Dyer, but my lawyer told me I had to choose something. A pseudonym.” The letter goes on to mention murders and warning us so we’re not next. Talk about grabbing our attention, right?! The thing is, now that I’m done reading this book, I’m wondering what her name really is because everyone calls her Mara. This is part of what I love most about The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer–the mystery. I know readers are calling this paranormal, but I’d rather call it magical realism or something. There are some strange things happening to and around Mara, many of which we don’t fully understand until the end or are still left wondering about until the next book. Normally I prefer an ending that leaves the book feeling like it could be a stand alone, even in a series, but this ending worked for me. Was I confused and did I want answers immediately? Yes. But the ending kept me thinking for days. I let one of my students borrow my ARC so I could discuss it with someone. An ending like that is worth the mystery and me eagerly waiting for the second book, even though the first hasn’t even officially released.

I’m a big fan of the characters in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Mara Dyer isn’t a reliable narrator, but she’s snarky, mysterious and just as confused as I was. I love that I, as a reader, am on the same page as Mara when it comes to the confusion over everything. She doesn’t remember much of the accident when her friends died and she lived. She and her family move to Florida to get away from everything which is when life gets a little weird for Mara. This is also when she meets Noah, who I adore. Oddly enough, some of the strange events happen whenever Noah is around. There’s something unique between these two that I can’t wait to learn more about in the second book. At first I didn’t think I was going to like Noah because he came off as the typical bad boy. That’s not the case. Just like Mara, there are some complex layers to Noah’s character that make him stand out from the rest of the paranormal genre love interests.

Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to write a review for The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer without giving away major plot points. There are scenes with dogs, alligators, a gun, and a guy named Jude I want to talk about. But if I do, you’d be mad at me because I’d give away all the good parts, or at least some of them. This is a book that needs you to suspend your disbelief, and if you can then you’re sure to enjoy it. I flat out love it. I don’t say this very often, but I would re-read this debut because it’s that good and I want the answers to my questions. I definitely recommend getting yourself a copy, and make sure a friend reads it as well so you can try to work out the details and mystery to Mara’s story.(less)

27 likes · like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, books-i-own, read-in-2012

Wait. WHAT?! this is going to be the most painful wait for a sequel EVER.

21 likes · like · see review

Oct 04, 2011 Vy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, own-read, signed, 2011-debut-authors, favorites

My first thoughts after The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer:
*Speechless*
and then after being speechless I became very paranoid. Like scared to look in the mirror after you take a shower paranoid.

This was crazy twisted and beautiful. No one told me how creepy this was going to be. When I wasn't sitting around looking under my bed I was sitting trying to understand what just happened. One page I think I know what's going on and then the next it's like I haven't even read the pages at all. I didn't feel l...more My first thoughts after The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer:
*Speechless*
and then after being speechless I became very paranoid. Like scared to look in the mirror after you take a shower paranoid.

This was crazy twisted and beautiful. No one told me how creepy this was going to be. When I wasn't sitting around looking under my bed I was sitting trying to understand what just happened. One page I think I know what's going on and then the next it's like I haven't even read the pages at all. I didn't feel like I was READING the story of Mara, I felt like I was LIVING the life with Mara. This isn't the typical everyday normal life, but Michelle Hodkin wrote it in a way that I believed that this was normal.

As normal as the writing made it, Mara's life is anything but normal. Mara is a bit on edge when she finds that she doesn't remember what happened the night when her friends were killed. She doesn't remember why she was the only one who survived. Mara lives in fear of everything she sees and hears. Day after day with the fear of herself and what she might do.

You'd think that after being traumatized by an event like that the last thing Mara would do is fall in love. When Mara does something, it's never something ordinary, not even when she falls in love. Mara ends up falling for the school's most gorgeous guy, Noah Shaw. He got to me the second he spoke with his English/British accent. *swoons* Noah started off as a real jerk and a total player, and I'm using that loosely. He's arrogant, slick, and dark. Of course underneath there's a whole different guy who I don't even know.

I loved everything about this book. From the original plot to the characters developments, especially the characters themselves. I just ate this book up the second I got it.

I understand that there is a lot of hype going on for Mara Dyer and some may be wary of reading it. In my opinion, this book was as amazing. I do see where the opinions are kind of weighted to either you absolutely love the book like crazy or absolutely find nothing about you like. But give it a shot because The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer has to be one of my favorite books I've read this year.

I'd go get this book the second it hits shelves on September 27.(less)

30 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Saniya(Will Herondale is mine) rated it 2 of 5 stars

I...I can't even...what in the world...DID I JUST READ?
This book is wrong in so many ways. Wrong and confusing. Wrong, confusing and weird.

What is wrong?
Pfftt, honey, the whole book is wrong to be exact.

I just can't believe that this book, with such an amazing cover plus having an awesome *trailer (With a hot hero) which can convince almost everyone to read this and then having such a mysterious yet gripping blurb to make this book sound so good to the readers here, can be so...bad.
*http://ww ...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Lisa rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal-romance-urban-fantasy

If I had to pick the top ten worst books I've ever read, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer would be one of them. It ranks up there with Halo, Hush, Hush, and Fallen in terms of plotting, romance, and characterization. Consequently, if you liked all three of those books chances are you're going to love this one.

In exploring the problems with this novel, I suppose I should start at the beginning: the cover. While it's beautiful and great from a marketing standpoint, it has absolutely nothing to do with...more

17 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2012 Katy rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: young-adult, what-the

I was flipping back and forth between 1 and 2 stars but I think I have settled on 1 because I do feel like I was lured into something bad that was disguised as something good and that feels like lying which I hate. I was drawn to this book by the cover, as most on this site will admit too and I feel that the old adage about books and covers should have, in my case, been heeded, but I have yet to learn this lesson and so I will vent some of my issues with the book in the hopes of saving others fr...more I was flipping back and forth between 1 and 2 stars but I think I have settled on 1 because I do feel like I was lured into something bad that was disguised as something good and that feels like lying which I hate. I was drawn to this book by the cover, as most on this site will admit too and I feel that the old adage about books and covers should have, in my case, been heeded, but I have yet to learn this lesson and so I will vent some of my issues with the book in the hopes of saving others from my fate.

All started out well for me, as Mara wakes up in a hospital bed with no idea how she got there, only to find out that she is the only survivor of a major building collapse that claimed the lives of her best friend, boyfriend and boyfriend's sister. After being released from the hospital she convinces her family that the best way for her to "get better" is to move, so her family uproots itself from RI and moves to Florida. Because nothing helps grief and mild psychosis more than adding the stress of a new town, new school and making new friends to an already fragile psyche. Still upon moving to Florida, surprise, surprise she is still plagued by nightmares and hallucinations about that had proceeded her release from the hospital and were, in a large part the reason her family moved.

On the first day at her new, private school she sees Noah and is instantly in intrigued by him, only problem is Noah has a quite a reputation around school and she is warned by the only decent character in the book, Jamie, that Noah is a a-hole, heartbreaker, and a bit of a whore, all of which, Mara takes hold of for all of 48 hours, if that. Noah's reputation and track record alone should have been enough to keep her away from him, but how can you say no to a guy who speaks 3 languages, but knows the word vagina in 3 more, has an English accent, but only "sounds" English half the time, drives a Prius, but smokes, and is a troubled soul, but treats girls like tissues? Well I could, but I guess Mara can't and this is were the book falls apart for me. Why are women writing books for young girls that encourage these girls to lower their standards and give them false hope? PEOPLE DON'T CHANGE FOR OTHER PEOPLE. And yet here we are being presented with the idea that this man-whore would become a one gal man just because Mara is "different" from the other girls in school. PLEASE! The best part is that Mara was insistent early on that Noah was not a guy she would date, but it seemed like 4 chapters later she is thinking she was in love with him!?!?!? I was seeing red at this point and wanted to throw the book across the room.

The language itself left something to be desired, I am even really talking about the cussing that was going on, but I know NO teenagers who speak like Mara and Noah and at times their conversations were awkward to the point of heavy eye rolling on my part. What really did me in through was Mara passing comment about her "Spanish class being brought to you by the letter C", this in reference to her teacher who gave her a failing grade!?!?!?! What is going on here? I was shocked and disgusted to see even a reference to this in a YA book, I am beginning to wonder who these books are written for, is it the 14 to 15 year old High School student or the 20 to 30 TwiMom? I hate to be this critical but this is the point in the book that dropped this from 2 stars to 1 star.

All told, this book has a serious identity crisis going on, it can't decide what genre it wants to be which frustrated me to no end, just when I was getting used to the idea of Mara having some super secret power, Hodkin would throw a curve, but not a good one, this curve would involve a new or different plot twist that would last for 25 to 30 pages and then swing back to either an old or new plot twist all of which resulted in me getting whiplash.

Finally, I think what bothered me the most was that this could have been a good, fun story, if the author had only stayed to one plot and story line and kept Mara the same throughout the book, instead of going from a girl with a set of standards to a girl willing to lower them because Noah was a pretty face. Do not be deceived, that was what drew her in, not that they had things in common or great conversation, but that Noah was a pretty face with a nice body and Mara compromised herself to get it.
What is this telling young people? (less)

18 likes · like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-re-read, favorites

Posted in august: This cover is absolutely breathtaking! I know not to judge by the cover but, really, how can anything with such a stunning picture on the front not be amazing? truly gorgeous

Review:
Well I was right. With a cover that great this book had to be amazing. And whatever i was expecting, this was 100X more amazing. This is arguable the best book I have read all year. There is a lot of mystery surrounding this book. There was no real plot summary given before the book was released, I...more Posted in august: This cover is absolutely breathtaking! I know not to judge by the cover but, really, how can anything with such a stunning picture on the front not be amazing? truly gorgeous

Review:
Well I was right. With a cover that great this book had to be amazing. And whatever i was expecting, this was 100X more amazing. This is arguable the best book I have read all year. There is a lot of mystery surrounding this book. There was no real plot summary given before the book was released, I wasn't even sure of the exact genre when I picked it up. But that really just added to the craziness of this story.

To break it down for you, while keeping the mystery intact, here is a bit of a deeper summary. Mara Dyer has just moved to Florida from Rhode Island. She hates Florida. But there is nothing for her in RI anymore, all her friends are dead. She doesn't remember how it happened, but she knows that something is not right. How was it that she is the only one who survived the building collapse? Mara thinks she is going crazy. A kind of crazy that goes beyond the PTSD. Mara thinks she is broken. Everyday is a struggle to avoid hallucinations and shy away from mirrors which may hold more than her own reflection. This is Mara's life, until she meets Noah Shaw. Ruggedly handsome, permanently disheveled, English accented, Noah Shaw. Despite his man-whore reputation Mara finds herself trusting and enjoying his company more and more. In fact Mara is falling hard. But it is hard to have a healthy relationship when you think you are certifiable.

I loved this book. Characters are always the most important component of a story in my opinion. And Mara did not disappoint. Mara Dyer herself is a puzzle. And I was truly riveted by her thoughts. She is a captivating protagonist. Noah of course is a dream boy. let me explain my thought process of Noah: If Noah Shaw and Jace Wayland (City of Bones sex god) were to have a sexiness competition ... well the jury is still out on the winner but it would be a close race. And then there is Daniel. Perfect, dorky, lovable, over achiever older brother Daniel. Think Justin Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place but slightly less awkward and abnormal. Oh and not a wizard :P I pretty much love all of Mara's family.
Next comes the plot its self. Well I have to give Hodkin credit, she has really kept the contents of this book under wraps. In fact we still don't really know what is going on. And I finally understand why all the secrets. The mystery adds so much to the contents of the story.
The language of this book was lyrical. I loved the abstract and unconventional vocabulary (probably comes with having a British character) And the words really just flowed off the page. I loved reading this book. I was addicted. truly Addicted.
Please Please PLease read this book! Its mind blowing.

For more of my reviews including special features such as personal playlists, check out my blog! Click Here!(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2011 Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Somewhere in the 3.5-4 range if I MUST give a star rating

So hard to give this one a star rating. I flew through it and could not put it down but I didn't find it perfect the way many other people did. It's hard for me to measure it's level of enjoyability and unputdown-ablity versus some things that straight up confounded me and peeved me. It's hard to find the balance for me. Especially since this was the first book, after starting and abandoning (and not reaaaading a book at all) a total of 6...more

11 likes · like · see review

Jun 13, 2011 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, bea-2011

I am on tenterhooks and it is all because of Michelle Hodkin, or more specifically her debut novel The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. After reading this, I feel like I have been put through the ringer. I literally inhaled this book over the course of two days.

Read the rest of my review here

11 likes · like · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Meghan M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Love, love, LOVED The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer! The story line leaves you tearing through pages and wanting more. I cannot wait for book #2!

22 likes · like · see review

Nov 06, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own

I'm probably a little bit biased, but I absolutely adored this book.

I've been PSYCHED to read this book for over a year now.... one of the downsides of me seeking out books to die for.... er I mean pine for. The cover was what drew me in, I'm not going to lie. Look at that thing, it's freaggin gorgeous. Then I got an email from Michelle about possibly interviewing her on stage at BEA. Now... they don't usually ask us lowly ole bloggers to do that sort of thing, so I was extremely humbled to eve...more I'm probably a little bit biased, but I absolutely adored this book.

I've been PSYCHED to read this book for over a year now.... one of the downsides of me seeking out books to die for.... er I mean pine for. The cover was what drew me in, I'm not going to lie. Look at that thing, it's freaggin gorgeous. Then I got an email from Michelle about possibly interviewing her on stage at BEA. Now... they don't usually ask us lowly ole bloggers to do that sort of thing, so I was extremely humbled to even be asked.... but I had to, you know.... actually read the book. So, there I was in the airplane on the way to NYC pumped to be going and then pumped to be interviewing Michelle, so I was just generally excited to read this book. That being said..... without that whole experience and meeting Michelle in person and sharing email correspondence with her and learning about what a very awesome person she was, I believe I would still have adored this book.

This book surprised me. It stunned me. I was expecting one flavor, and I got something totally different. I think if I had to describe this one it would be a contemporary novel - part psychological thriller, with a supernatural twist ... a BIG supernatural twist and one that you don't really see coming until it is IN YOUR FACE. And then you're all like.. "whoa did that really just happen!" and you go back and read that last paragraph... and you're like "yeah, that totally did just happen... holy $*#&$&!" I had a very similar reaction to the ending.

Mara Dyer is a book you are either going to LOVE.... or HATE. Very passionately.

Although the story is told through Mara's eyes, considering everything that she's been through, you don't always know if you can believe what she is "seeing." But you will love her as a character. She's not the type of character to settle back and let everyone else control her. She has a mouth and an opionon and she uses it. Love her. And I can't fail to mention the incredibly sexy Noah Shaw.... whew. Just wait until you read that locker scene.. don't worry you'll know what I'm talking about. Like me you'll probably be on the fence about Mr. Shaw.... but that locker scene will win you over, for sure. HOT!

And the writing and the story... it's just addicting. I never tried to guess what was going to happen next because it was just a wasted effort. Sit back and enjoy the ride people. You will not be sorry.

Not to mention there is a part in the story where Mara rescues a dog, and I think we all know how I feel about those four legged canines, so that also made the story full of win for me. Michelle ROCKS!

Dying for book two!
(less)

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Oct 10, 2011 Noelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this when it was in semi/draft form and found it to be AWESOME! Since this is a book made for my age group, I could not have loved the plot, storyline, or dramatic flare more! I felt a real connection to all character troubles. Mara's love to Noah added a new fold to a already fascinating plot. Noah helps her with the hard times-and often inspires the good times- just as any boyfriend should. Their romance is cute but intense at the same time. This book is a perfectly balanced peace of ar...more

15 likes · like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Raeleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sexy-cover, own, 2013

WOOO. AWESOME BOOK. At times the main Mara and Noah gave off a very "Bella & Edward" vibe which was a bit of a turn-off for me, but the whole mystery and creepiness of the book was great! And THAT ENDING. Now I really want to read the second book, but I'll have to wait until my birthday or something for somebody to get it for me since I'm not allowed to buy books this year!

12 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Demonic Circus Princess rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of detective shows

Recommended to Demonic Circus Princess by: Karma

Shelves: makes-you-really-think, stupid-love-interest, better-than-expected, demented, don-t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover, fangirling, originality, so-insanely-in-love-with, made-me-puke-rainbows-of-joy

I love this.

When it comes to mysteries and whodunits, I'm not very easy to surprise. The culprit is usually stupidly obvious, all the clues have something in common, and meanwhile the detectives are just standing around like idiots going, "Hmm... Who's the killer? The weird looking guy with the bitter glare? Or the flamboyant grinning woman?"

"I know, it's the creepy dude!"

No, you imbeciles, I always feel like saying to them. It's the lady. Duh.

But somehow, this book had me jaw-dropping and "No f...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jul 12, 2012 Haleema rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-never-listen, brain-cells-went-bye-bye, characters-are-half-troll, half-wit-heroine, its-so-stupid-it-hurts, what-the-falafel, da-hell-is-that-cover, thats-not-writing

The cover is creepy. First of all, I can't see their faces. I want to see their faces. Second, I just don't like the position of their bodies. It's very strange for some reason. The girl's left arm is out but not the right one. Why does that bother me. *looks at the cover some more* I don't know.

This is such a stupid book. I'm plagued with Mary Sues from all corners, ~~Jace Wayland~~ Noah Shaw is a complete jerk with an arrogance that makes me want to freaking eat kiwis. I hate kiwis, by the way! Th...more The cover is creepy. First of all, I can't see their faces. I want to see their faces. Second, I just don't like the position of their bodies. It's very strange for some reason. The girl's left arm is out but not the right one. Why does that bother me. *looks at the cover some more* I don't know.

This is such a stupid book. I'm plagued with Mary Sues from all corners, ~~Jace Wayland~~ Noah Shaw is a complete jerk with an arrogance that makes me want to freaking eat kiwis. I hate kiwis, by the way! This guy just needs to be told how strikingly beautiful he is all the time. When he compliments Mara, he tells her to compliment him back! What the falafel?! He thinks he's incredible.

Noah:
description

I was that one dude who screwed all the chicks in my school, was a jerk about it, and now wants to screw you. You better like it, beotch. Oh, and I have very sexy unkempt hair. And I have a British accent. Everyone loves British accents.

Anyway, the writing looked like it needed to be told what's important to mention and what's not.

"There were two nurses standing behind me. I felt disoriented and weak. One had a welt on her cheek." Knowing that the nurse had a welt on her cheek really made my day. If you're going to mention that, at least build up on it by mentioning the nurse's other qualities. Randomly pointing that out makes me laugh.

Back to Noah. He's worse than Jace Wayland. Noah's the type of guy that thinks his poopoo smells better than any other guy's poopoo in the school. Well, you're wrong. Your poopoo smells just as bad as any other guy's poopoo, you arrogant slime!

Mara Dyer thinks she's so cool. Her sense of humor makes no sense to me! She lets Noah be a complete bully to her. I also hate heroines that always compare themselves to their mothers or their best friends. "Oh, while her hair is brown, thick, and wavy, mine is pasty blonde and simple. I'm nothing compared to her. Her features are so astonishing." Accept yourself and move on! Mara also does---

Wait.

Why am I complaining so much? I mean, I should be used to this, right? I should be used to heroines that don't do crap for their dignitity. I should be used to Jace-asses. However, I like to complain. I like to get my anger out and let it roll down the sidewalk. I like to moan and whine about these kinds of silly books. It's healthy! (less)

17 likes · like · see review

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Retribution of Mara Dyer release date	3	10	32 minutes ago
My name is not Mara Dyer, buy my lawyer told me I had to choose something...?	10	54	34 minutes ago
Crazy for Young A...: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1) by Michelle Hodkin → Start Date: June 24, 2013	11	23	10 hours, 17 min ago
Is it worth reading?	48	161	14 hours, 42 min ago
! YA Heroines !: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer	1	7	Jun 01, 2013 05:53pm
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About Michelle Hodkin

At the age of sixteen, Michelle Hodkin lost the rights to her soul in a poker game with pirates just south of Natchez. Shortly thereafter, she joined an acting troupe and traveled the world performing feats of wonder and mischief. She has been seen on stages nationwide and earned rave reviews for her one woman performance of Titus Andronicus before writing the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer...more

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“Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real.” — 686 people liked it

“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.” — 552 people liked it

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