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The Taking

(The Taking #1)

Kimberly Derting (Goodreads Author)

3.78 · Rating details · 6,230 ratings · 978 reviews

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her ...more

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Hardcover, 368 pages

Published April 29th 2014 by HarperTeen

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Nov 06, 2013 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it did not like it

Shelves: ya, romance, tstl, on-the-run, siblings, high-school, why-do-i-hate-myself, sci-fi, mary-sue, aliens

This was Tyler Wahl. Tyler, who looked far too much like his older brother—my seventeen-year-old boyfriend—in looks, in stature...and, most of all, in age.
Tyler, who, the last time I’d seen him just the day before, had been only twelve years old.

This is the story of a special (and different) girl who got abducted by aliens, only to awaken five years later to fall in love with her boyfriend's 12-year old brother.

Who is now 17. But really, does that make it any less creepy, man?

The Summary:

This was Tyler Wahl. Tyler, who looked far too much like his older brother—my seventeen-year-old boyfriend—in looks, in stature...and, most of all, in age.
Tyler, who, the last time I’d seen him just the day before, had been only twelve years old.

This is the story of a special (and different) girl who got abducted by aliens, only to awaken five years later to fall in love with her boyfriend's 12-year old brother.

Who is now 17. But really, does that make it any less creepy, man?

The Summary:

"They’ve done something different to you—to make you special.”
I was still attempting to process what he’d just told me. About me being different from everyone else.

16-year old Kyra has just finished her softball game. She is a brilliant player, being scouted by multiple prestigious universities. Kyra doesn't give a flying fuck about all the other universities. She is in love with her childhood best friend, Austin. They've been in love since they were young teenagers, they're neighbors, they've been dating for years. Kyra wants to spend the rest of her life with Austin. Her dad thinks differently; in an argument with him over Austin, Kyra runs out of the car...and vanishes.

Kyra wakes up behind a gas station. She doesn't know how she got there, but she decides to go home. But it's not home anymore...The man who opens the door is not her dad.

“I don’t know what you’re problem is,” he hissed, trying to keep his voice low. “But this is my house, and you’re scaring my son. If you need help, then call 9-1-1. I can’t do anything for you.”

Freaked out, Kyra runs next door, into Austin's arm...or so she thought. Only it's not Austin. It's Tyler. Little baby Tyler...

...pipsqueak Tyler, who used to follow us around the house, intruding on conversations and telling the same annoying jokes that we used to tell when we were his age

AND MAN, IS HE HOT.

I tried not to look at how defined his bare chest was. Tried to keep my gaze from moving lower and noticing his muscled stomach and his navel, which was surrounded by a tuft of dark hair.

Austin who?! What's better than your 17-year old boyfriend?! His little brother! Who wants a 21-year old man when you can have a 17-year old boy?! YEAH!

And man, is he primed for seduction!

"You should know I’m glad you’re back.” He flashed me a sheepish smile as he added, “And now that I’m older, I’ll try to be a little more memorable.”

Way to usurp your big bro's girlfriend, man!

Austin who?

So now poor wittle Kyra's got a brand new family, she's lost five years of her life, but who cares, when she's got all-grown-up Tyler making googly eyes and staring at her?

We stood there for a moment, our eyes locked. It was too long, and we both knew it, but neither of us looked away, and then it was way, way too long. I’m not sure if it meant something, or nothing, and I hated how badly I wished I could see inside his head, to read his thoughts. But eventually my cheeks got hot, and I blinked first.

Austin who?

Who cares about her dad going insane and becoming an alcoholic because of her disappearance, when the consequences mean that Kyra and Tyler can spend heartbeats looking at each other feeling like fainting goats?

I saw a show on Animal Planet once about these fainting goats whose muscles froze up when they were startled, and they passed out. Like, they literally fell over if you scared them.
That was me, right now.
We stood like that for fifty-five straight heartbeats.

Austin who?

Oh! There's Austin. Only it's been five years, and he's, like, so old now. Not to mention he's got a girlfriend. But it's Tyler who makes her heart go pitter-patter now despite what she tries to tell herself.

Besides, on top of everything else, Tyler was still just Austin’s little brother. Too young to be anything more than a friend.

If I stopped lying to myself for even a second, then maybe there was a part of me where Tyler mattered more than he should.

Austin who?

Who cares if there are Men In Black from the National Security Agency following her when she's thinking about Tyler?

His green eyes, his new deeper voice, the way he teased me, his disarming smile. I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Ins't that sweet? She remembers Tyler before his voice broke. Just adorable.

Austin who?

I mean, who's got time to think about the strange guy with copper eyes who's been following Kyra around all over the place when she can't stop comparing how much BETTER Tyler is than Austin. At everything. Even at opening car doors. Who knew there was such a specific way of opening car doors to make it extra-special. Just like Kyra.

He got out and came around to my side, opening my door and waiting for me. No one had ever opened my car door like that, not even Austin.

Who cares about the fact that aliens abducted her and returned her, that she's now extra-special? Who the fuck cares about her powers, when it's clear as the light of the hovering UFO that Tyler is the reason she came back. Not anyone else. Not her family. Not her friends. Not Austin (Austin who?). Not the government. Not her new group of friends.

Just Tyler.

I’d never been so alive, and I knew this was why I’d come back. To be here, right now, in this moment, with Tyler.

Austin who?

Bros Before Hos:

“Don’t pretend you didn’t know I had the hugest crush on you, Kyra. It wasn’t my fault I was only in the seventh grade and you barely noticed me.”

Also known as THY SHALT NOT COVET THY BROTHER'S CHICK, MOTHERFUCKER. Tyler, you are SO fucked up, man. You're lusting over your big brother's ex-girlfriend, the one to whom you now refer...as a cougar. Such a sweet hit line.

If you’re worried that I think you’re too old for me or something, I’m not.” He directed his gaze back to the road, but he was scowling now. “It’s not a big deal, Kyra. Really.” His lazy smile made a fleeting appearance. “I kinda like the whole cougar thing you’ve got goin’ on.”

Dude, I know she's hot, but man, she dated your BROTHER. There's got to be some kind of awkwardness about that. Austin and Kyra were together for years. They were best friends as well as lovers. Kyra snuck into Austin's bedroom every night, Tyler KNEW this. He still covets Kyra knowing what Kyra meant to Austin. What Austin meant to Kyra (apparently not much considering she forgot him 5 minutes after she saw the almost-all-grown-up-Tyler). All the emotional ties. All the secrets, the love. And you expect Kyra to forget about all the years that she had with Austin the instant she sees you?

Well, apparently, she does, but that's not the point!

Tyler is so fucking smooth. He's got this while seduction thing planned out. He draws beautiful artwork for her on the driveway on several mornings.

Tyler had drawn a cobblestone pathway that stretched all the way from one side of our street to the other, bridging our two houses, practically from my front door to his. And running across the top of the pathway was a saying, written in beautiful, scrawling script. It said:

I’ll remember you always.

He gives her his favorite old books.

My phone buzzed again. "I’m saying I want to share one of my very favorite things in the world with you, Kyra."

He pretty much does everything he can, full-stop, to make Kyra his.

“You like that? I like to pull out the big guns when I’m trying to make an impression.”
My eyes lifted. “Is that what you were trying to do, impress me?”
There was a beat, a moment in which our eyes met and my heart leaped, and then his voice dropped, feathering my skin and making me shiver. “Of course I am, Kyra. I was sort of hoping you understood that.”

Which is cute, but it really doesn't disguise the creepy level.

PEDOBEAR APPROVES: My little sister is 10 years younger than me. She has a lot of guy friends. I've known her little guy friends from grade school to this day. Some of them have grown up well, tall, handsome, smart, charming, exemplary young men.

Am I ever attracted to any of them? Will I ever be?

HELL TO THE NO. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW. FUCK, MAN, THAT'S SO GROSS.

Yeah. Let's not forget that Kyra's known Tyler since he was practically a toddler.

I’d known Tyler his whole life. I’d been to all of his birthday parties, teased him when he had a lisp because he lost his front teeth, walked him to school on his first day, pushed him on the swing set until he cried mercy because it was too high, and built snowmen with him on snow days.

No, thank you. *shudder*

Kyra, the Special Girl: Kyra is very, very teenager. Which is to say she is self-centered, egotistical, and only sees what she wants to see. She is selfish, she cannot comprehend the fact that the fucking world doesn't revolve around her.

Ok, so it's been five years since Kyra disappeared. Did she want the whole fucking world to stay the same? Yes. You heard me. It's one thing to know that teenagers can be so ego-centric, it's another thing to read about one who makes me want to motherfucking punch her every other page.

Kyra expects the world to wait on her hand and foot. She hates the fact that her mother is remarried, to a kind man that Kyra now refers to only as "THE HUSBAND," her new little brother? "The kid." "The brat." That is, when he's not...

...the brat who’d stolen my mom.

It's a little baby! A little baby who can't even hold his own spoon and eat in a normal manner, which Kyra goes to mock, naturally. Because god help us if a toddler makes a mess while eating!

I’d already offended her and The Husband that morning when I’d implied that, perhaps, he needed more practice with a spoon as more of the oatmeal had fallen off it than made it to his mouth.

Her boyfriend, Austin, has moved on. He is now dating Cat, her best friend. Both former. They didn't mean for it to happen, but five years have passed; they were friends already, and they grew closer after Kyra's disappearance. And they're both trying to be friends with her again, but that's not how Kyra sees it!

The only two people I thought I’d wanted to talk to were now the enemy, camped out together and colluding against me.

I know it hurts, but there is a reasonable way for a character to get my sympathy. I want to take my sympathy, freeze it into a brick, and smash it into Kyra's face. Kyra can't really comprehend that people have a right to move on BECAUSE IT'S BEEN FIVE FUCKING YEARS.

So let's see, she came back after five years. Everyone's paying attention to her, pampering her, watching out for her...and still, Kyra feels like...

I bet I could implode, disintegrate into ash on this very spot where I was perched in my hospital gown on the edge of the bed, and no one would even notice.

Are you kidding me? You don't think everyone's looking at you and trying to figure you out and trying to get you to open up, bitch? Kyra somehow feeeeeeeeeeels that Tyler, hot Tyler, little Tyler is the only one who cares.

She snaps at everyone. The slightest comment from her ex-boyfriend regarding her ex-best friend Cat asking about her makes her snap.

“Cat misses you,” Austin said at last, clearing his throat loudly.
And with that, any nerves or worry that I might not say or do the right thing evaporated. Older, yes, but still just a stupid boy who said stupid things when he opened his mouth. “Cat? Really? You drove all this way to talk about Cat?”

The only one whose actions mean anything to her at all is Tyler. TYYYYYYYYLER.

The fact that he was here, standing outside my window and asking me how my day was, almost made me cry. No one else had bothered to ask how I was. He was the first person who wasn’t pulling me at both ends, like I was a rope in a tug-of-war.

Bullshit. Both her attitude and this book.

Austin who?

Disclaimer: I DO NOT ENDORSE PEDOPHILIA ...more

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Nov 06, 2013 Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: words-cannot-explain, gothic-romance, fantasy-and-magic, young-adult, creepy-or-weird, kidnap-or-abduction, crime-mystery, thriller-suspense, favourites, give-this-author-a-bells

So upon reading this book, my initial reaction went something like this:

As in I couldn't articulate, look I'm a novice to YA science fiction particularly when it comes to aliens. But I have watched many movies, I absolutely love watching anything of the extraterrestrial kind. That being said, although I'm a novice, I do feel that this book was very light science fiction, it really appealed to me because first and foremost this book is a romance, it's a coming of age story. A book about a young g ...more

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Nov 05, 2013 Giselle rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, ebook

This is another of those books that are fun and entertaining, but just don't have that spark that could have made them truly memorable. At least I have plenty of fun during the ride.

With an engaging start, The Taking pulls you right into its plot full of mystery and wonderment. Imagine being blinded by a light, and the next thing you know your world and everyone you know is 5 years older… except you. You're still sporting a bruise left from a game just that week, your phone is still fully charge This is another of those books that are fun and entertaining, but just don't have that spark that could have made them truly memorable. At least I have plenty of fun during the ride.

With an engaging start, The Taking pulls you right into its plot full of mystery and wonderment. Imagine being blinded by a light, and the next thing you know your world and everyone you know is 5 years older… except you. You're still sporting a bruise left from a game just that week, your phone is still fully charged, your clothes and appearance are exactly the same, yet 5 years have apparently passed. This is what happened to Kyra as she brings us along into her baffling story that leaves you dying for answers on every page. While it also contains family and romance, the mystery aspect is by far my favorite part of the book. I was salivating with theories, each one more exciting that the last. As the plot moves forward, we get curious developments that slowly reshape it into a completely different story than its contemporary-like beginning. What we uncover is nothing more than what's revealed in the blurb, but it's interesting nonetheless.

What disappointed me was the lack of depth. It had so much potential that went unexplored, choosing to focus instead on frivolous diversions. Sure there are passing mentions of Kyra being obsessed with keeping time, but she has a mostly unconcerned attitude towards the last 5 years. Her refusal to consider her dad's theories is one thing, but she could have been abused or tortured for years, her mind blocking it out to protect itself, for all she knew. Who has time to worry about that with the excitement of a new crush (although they did have great chemistry) and the stress of her ex-boyfriend hooking up with her ex-BFF anyways!? Priorities, guys! More psychological depth would have given the book much more dimension, not to mention realism. The brush off on that angle was rather disappointing. Another thing: when strange things start happening to her, she's in complete denial each and every time. Dude, accept you're a mutant already!

Starting with a contemporary feel, The Taking gradually molds itself into a full-out sci-fi novel filled with conspiracies and superpowers. It does have a few forced conveniences, and it's unfortunate that its potential is mostly left untapped, but it's a fun story that ends on an intriguing note.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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Apr 30, 2015 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015

My second time reading this in preparation for 'The Replaced' and I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH OH MAN

First read -
All of my reviews are spoiler free (unless stated otherwise) so you can go ahead and read my review!

THIS WAS SO INTRIGUING! I honestly couldn't put it down! It follows Kyra, a 16 year old girl who wakes up behind a dumpster and finds that five years have passed and yet she hasn't aged a day. All she remembers is seeing a flash of light before finding herself somehow in the same clothes ...more

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Oct 21, 2013 Melanie rated it it was ok

Shelves: books-i-own, bleh, romance, e-arc, fantasy, aliens-and-other-creepy-creatures, could-have-been-so-much-better, take-your-instant-love-and-get-lost, young-adult, mystery

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

In the end, The Taking wasn't too bad of a read. While I have a lot of nit-picks here and there, but the concept was refreshing and was just engaging enough to keep me reading till the very end.

Just yesterday, 16 year old Kyra was in a softball game. Today, she wakes up behind a dumpster at the Gas 'n' Sip with no idea how she got there in the first place. When she gets home, there's a strange man and boy shouting at her, telling her that this wasn't her home See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

In the end, The Taking wasn't too bad of a read. While I have a lot of nit-picks here and there, but the concept was refreshing and was just engaging enough to keep me reading till the very end.

Just yesterday, 16 year old Kyra was in a softball game. Today, she wakes up behind a dumpster at the Gas 'n' Sip with no idea how she got there in the first place. When she gets home, there's a strange man and boy shouting at her, telling her that this wasn't her home. So she goes to her boyfriend's house just across the street but something isn't right. Her boyfriend's 12 year old brother, Tyler, looks older. Looks older than Kyra. Soon she learns that she wasn't at a softball game yesterday. Yesterday, she was missing. She has been missing for 5 years now, and Kyra has no memory of where she has been. But what's more scary is that while everyone else has aged by 5 years, Kyra looks completely the same. Like she's still 16.

Sounds awesome doesn't it? A fantastic mystery thriller with aliens. Sadly, a series of criticisms made it obvious that this wasn't the fantastic alien mystery thriller. Firstly, I struggled to connect with the main character, Kyra. She's shallow and insipid, and I felt no empathy for her situation. I wanted to like her, but her character didn't jump out at me and her narration was boring and terribly mundane. Moreover, I was expecting her reaction to coming home 5 years later to be a little more significant. Sure, she's shocked and confused and lost but it didn't feel or come off as genuine to me. Kyra was more interested in Tyler than what was happening to her, in my opinion.

Another quibble was the romance which I have no interest in. There was instant love. Like instant love towards her ex-boyfriend's little brother that she knew when he was 12. Instant love in less than 7 days. Mel does not approve. I also got annoyed at how many times Kyra felt the need to point out Tyler's dimples. He sounded pretty cute at the start, but then it got aggravating. Here's a quote at 27%:

His response was immediate. I left you something. Look out your window.
I hoped that "something" was him.

WOAAAH. Getting a little too fast there. Also, très corny.

I also have a HUGE grudge with the pacing in The Taking. The first half was excessively slow and tedious. All there is in the first has is watching Kyra settle back into her old life again--which I do appreciate--but it was boring, uneventful and had quite a large focus on the romance tension between Kyra and Tyler. As for the second half, things do begin to pick and gradually get more absorbing. We start getting some answers (some in which I had early on predicted) but the big question wasn't answered until the last quarter. I really wished we got more answers because it's rather awful being in the dark for majority of the read.

Ultimately, I don't think The Taking was a worthwhile read. While the concept will remain in my memory for a long time, the characters, romance and pacing made this book rather unmemorable.

~Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy!~

...more

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Sep 03, 2014 Emma Giordano rated it it was amazing

THIS BOOK WAS SO FREAKING AMAZING AND EVERYONE ON EARTH NEEDS TO READ IT NOW OKAY?! <3

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Apr 17, 2014 Faye, la Patata rated it it was ok

I've read my share of alien stories these past two years. There's just something about extraterrestrial creatures that intrigue the geek in me - the unfamiliarity, that sense of other-worldliness, the knowing they come from somewhere that's beyond human comprehension. I'm not sure where this curiosity of mine started, but watching X Files has surely solidified that. Unfortunately, many of what I read that had this subject matter last year have been largely disappointing, and I've yet to read a ...more

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May 04, 2014 pstreads rated it it was amazing

Shelves: absolute-faves, books-i-have, paranormal, higher-power, other-realms, fucked-up, traumatic, bad-assery, memorable, cool-plot-twist

I LOVE The Body Finder series, and I've heard such positive things about these books too. Finally starting it, I'm pretty excited!

***

That ENDING!!!! UGH, I need the next book asap!!! ...more

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Jan 11, 2014 Kassidy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014-release, books-i-own

*I received and e-copy ARC of this book from Edelweiss in return for an honest review. Thank you to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this story early*

It is very hard for me to put my thoughts into words....

I highly enjoyed reading this book, it was fun and definitely hard to put down!!
The book starts off with the main character Kyra disappearing for 5 years after winning her softball game. Everyone assumed she had been kidnapped or died since she was gone for so long and *I received and e-copy ARC of this book from Edelweiss in return for an honest review. Thank you to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this story early*

It is very hard for me to put my thoughts into words....

I highly enjoyed reading this book, it was fun and definitely hard to put down!!
The book starts off with the main character Kyra disappearing for 5 years after winning her softball game. Everyone assumed she had been kidnapped or died since she was gone for so long and they moved on with their lives.
Well.. Kyra comes back. Oddly enough, she doesn't look a day older than 16, she's wearing the same thing she wore when she disappeared, and she doesn't remember where she has been for the last 5 years..
This is such a wonderful and interesting premise, but the way it was developed was a little weird for me. I feel like most of the book reads like contemporary or realistic fiction, then the last part of the book we finally get some exciting supernatural answers.
I don't want to give away too many details because not knowing what is going on is the fun of this book! Overall, I really liked it and I loved the supernatural twist. The writing style is easy to read and it was very entertaining. The characters were also fun!

My more detailed thoughts:
Essentially, when Kyra returns, she has to deal with her broken family and love life. I got wrapped up in her story which does involve a lot of romance and a fun love interest. At the same time, I had to take a step back and think, woahhh... what is going on, this girl still doesn't remember or know what happened to her over the past 5 years. It almost seemed like she didn't even care and was just focused on this guy for majority of the story. It was definitely entertaining and fun, but I knew the whole time something was wrong and there was some sort of supernatural stuff going on. I wanted to know more about what happened to her and why she doesn't remember. However, we do get those answers towards the end, which I am happy about. I just wish that part of the story line began developing sooner.
I do recommend this book, and I am super excited for the sequels!
This book would be good for fans of The Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore and the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout! ...more

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Oct 30, 2016 Rachel E. Carter rated it it was amazing

Shelves: author-signed-copy, have-paperback

This was the perfect read for a spooky Halloween weekend. It reminded me of Elizabeth Chandler's Dark Secret series I grew up on: a bit of mystery, a bit of romance, a protagonist I liked, a bit of creepy, and yea, just a fun read... only of course this had aliens =) Hope to read the sequel at some point <3 ...more

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May 23, 2013 ~Tina~ rated it it was ok

Shelves: sci-fi, wanted-to-love-but-couldn-t, young-adult, arc, read-2014

It kills me that I couldn't love this book. Seriously, it hurts. One of my favorite series is The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. It's a great mix of thriller and romance and stars the cutest couple I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I was really looking forward to reading The Taking. The blurb has a very Flight of the Navigator feel to it, which is one of my favorite childhood movies, but at last I just could not love this one.

In a nutshell, this was just to dang fast. I had no time to fee It kills me that I couldn't love this book. Seriously, it hurts. One of my favorite series is The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. It's a great mix of thriller and romance and stars the cutest couple I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I was really looking forward to reading The Taking. The blurb has a very Flight of the Navigator feel to it, which is one of my favorite childhood movies, but at last I just could not love this one.

In a nutshell, this was just to dang fast. I had no time to feel connected to Kyra's life before the flash of white light that changed her life, so I couldn't feel any real sympathy for the time and people she lost. I didn't find Kyra to be very likable and thought she was closed-minded and immature. I totally get that yes, she’s been through this unspeakable ordeal, but I just couldn't understand why she didn't get that the people in her life missed her, loved her and mourned her, but after 5 years of believing she had died, had to go on with their lives. But I think it was the relationship between Tyler and Kyra that was my biggest issue. It was too much to soon and crazy instant. Like 7 days- I love you- fast. I had a hard time processing this new found love since Kyra was so hell-bent and head over heels in love with Austin just a week ago. I did find Tyler to be pretty adorkable -obsessed mind you- but he had some sweet moments. There is also a lot of loose ends, meaning we get zero answers as to why this happened to Kyra and others like her and what her new funky powers mean. I would have liked to have learned a little bit more then what we got.

With that said, I still thought the overall concept idea was fascinating. The storyline was freaky, thought provoking and filled with so much potential. But when it’s all said and done, I just didn't feel emotionally invested or personally connected by any of these characters and while the story had some entertaining factors, it wasn't the solid escape I was hoping for. This one wasn't for me, but keep in mind, this is probably just me. Kimberly Derting is an amazing writer and while I couldn't love this particular novel, it won’t stop me from reading more books by her in the future. ...more

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Feb 01, 2016 Victoria Scott rated it it was amazing

I haven't picked up a Kimberly Derting book since I read her THE BODY FINDER series (which I loved, loved). Not only was this book every bit as good as her debut series, but it's forcing me to realize my mistake in not buying THE PLEDGE trilogy. Reading THE TAKING was like watching a new series you totally fall for, and realizing there's another five series already out, ready to be downloaded. You know that feeling? It's epic. And so is Derting's storytelling.

If you need me, I'll be nose-deep i ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 Eilonwy rated it liked it

Shelves: enjoyable-enough

Kyra Agnew plays a game of softball one afternoon, sees a bright light on her way home--and wakes up on another afternoon, five years later. Everyone has changed: her parents, her boyfriend, her best friend. But Kyra hasn't. She's exactly the same, right down to the bruise on her leg. What could possibly--or impossibly--have happened?

I went into this book anticipating a taut science fiction thriller.

And what I got was a paranormal romance, featuring all the vampire-human romance problems, just

Kyra Agnew plays a game of softball one afternoon, sees a bright light on her way home--and wakes up on another afternoon, five years later. Everyone has changed: her parents, her boyfriend, her best friend. But Kyra hasn't. She's exactly the same, right down to the bruise on her leg. What could possibly--or impossibly--have happened?

I went into this book anticipating a taut science fiction thriller.

And what I got was a paranormal romance, featuring all the vampire-human romance problems, just with a premise that manages not to be about vampires. I do have to give this author big credit for achieving that, since the v-word has been an automatic agent and publisher reject since at least 2010 (trust me, I know), and this story manages to do an end run around that. I can't say more without being totally spoilery.

But despite the clever vampire avoidance, my adult self found this book utterly forgettable. It's full of YA tropes that feel really old now:

✔ Instalove(TM) (with the younger brother of Kyra's "former" boyfriend! The boyfriend she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with! As of no more than a week ago, as most of this book takes place over only a few days. And the brother was 12 when Kyra disappeared, i.e., yesterday! But Kyra immediately feels an amazing attraction to him! I mean, really?! And YUCK!)

✔ Parents who are barely around. Kyra's been missing for 5 years, but when she reappears, her mother, especially, seems far less affected than you might expect. So Kyra seems to spend most of her time following her return unsupervised, just like every other teen in a paranormal romance.

✔ And of course, a focus on the romance to the detriment of the rest of the story. "Tyler, Tyler, Tyler" pretty much sums up Kyra's thought processes.

So this book felt kind of familiar. Kyra spends most of the book hating on everyone who isn't Tyler with all the passion Bella Swan brought to hating on everyone who wasn't Edward in the first volume of Twilight. I could relate some--they've all moved on after 5 years, and it's all a terrible shock for Kyra--but it still wasn't exactly pleasant (although some of it had some decent humor). The science fiction/mystery parts of the story are there, but never had the tension or urgency I was hoping for. The whole thing felt totally meh to me, and it took me ages to get through it, partly because I was so bored I completed a different book before getting back to this.

That said, I think my less-jaded teen self, who hadn't already read (a) far too many paranormal romances and (b) far better examples of science fiction, would have really liked this book. And Teen Self is, of course, the actual target audience. My adult self would give this two stars. Teen Self might give it up to four. So three it is. ...more

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May 18, 2013 Giselle rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-electronic, 4-star, from-edelweiss, genre-science-fiction, requested-for-review, age-young-adult, 2014, genre-aliens

An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.

Kyra has it all, a wonderful loving family, a boyfriend whom she knows all her life, and a best friend by her side. On the night after her softball game, she gets into a fight with her father and the next thing she knows she's behind a garbage dump. She finds out that five years has passed by and people believe she was kidnapped. With no mem An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.

Kyra has it all, a wonderful loving family, a boyfriend whom she knows all her life, and a best friend by her side. On the night after her softball game, she gets into a fight with her father and the next thing she knows she's behind a garbage dump. She finds out that five years has passed by and people believe she was kidnapped. With no memory whatsoever she i stills the help of her boyfriend's little brother Tyler to help her. What she finds can't be real right? And the ramblings of her father may not be delusional after all.

Started off slow but I guess it was a way to kick-start the romance. It was fairly predictable that it would start off with her abduction. But what surprised me was her super powers. They were all so cool and I loved reading about it. I won't spoil it for you, but it did kind of sound fun. The middle really started to pick up and I was finally invested in the story when she tries to figure out why she can do the things that she can do. The pacing is definitely a nail biter because I love these books where someone is being chased. It always brings me to the edge of my seat. Sure the romance was quick, but I ignored that in favour of the mystery surrounding the fireflies. I needed to know what they were!

As for the characters, we have Kyra and her being the main character we're privy into her mindset. Having no memories can be alarming, and tough on everyone. Imagine waking up and you believe it was just yesterday where your whole life was normal only to be living in the present where everything is wrong. It was hard on her, but I believed she acted so much like a bratty teenager. Especially towards her family. There was no need to be mean or rude at all! Then there's Austin. Who I believed to be a selfish jerk because he talked only about himself and didn't even care about what Kyra was going through. They were friends for years, yet he gave up on her?! That's not love. On the other hand, I pretty much loved Tyler. Sure he could be cocky and downright annoying, but he also had a sweet side. He is adorable and loves books and is truly kind to Kyra and treats her well. All those beautiful chalk drawings were so cute! I couldn't help but smile during those parts. All the other secondary characters played a pivotal roll and I liked them as well. Even the NSA agents. They reminded me of Mr. Smith from The Matrix movies lol

There's just something about Kimberly writing that I can't help but love. If you like your chase scenes, with super powers and a whole lot of romance thrown in, pick this one up! ...more

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May 24, 2014 Jilly rated it did not like it

Shelves: sci-fi

DNF

It just didn't make sense. I'm sorry. There is no way that a person showing up 5 years later, with no recollection of what happened to them, after a huge investigation, would have been sent home after a few minutes in the emergency room. No way. The FBI would have been involved in a missing persons case and would have been there right away. She would have been kept under observation in the hospital with psychologists helping her to figure out what happened and to re-introduce her back in to h ...more

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Mar 10, 2014 Lindsay Cummings rated it it was amazing

Ahh I loved this book!! it's the perfect mashup of scifi, paranormal, and contemp. I don't want to give away any spoilers, because there's a fun secret about what's really the cause of Kyra's disappearance. But what a fun, fast-paced read, with plenty of emotion and lots of questions. I loved the relationship between Kyra and Tyler...it was adorable and believable! And the concept for this book is so fun! :) The cover fits it perfectly---there's a hint about everything in the cover, one you'll o ...more

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Jun 07, 2015 thebookbitch rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2015, review-copies

BY FAR THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ SO FAR THIS YEAR!

The writing was great, the characters were relatable, flawed, yet funny. And there was non-stop action. I have no idea why this book doesn't have higher ratings because I honestly felt like I was watching an epic 13 episode television series in my head.

I NEED BOOK 2 NOW! ...more

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Jul 19, 2016 Colleen Houck added it

Shelves: my-recommendations, secrets, secret-organizations, swoonworthy-guys, aliens

Love this one, especially the fireflies. The hero is very swoonworthy and that gets me every time. Can't wait to find out what happens next! ...more

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Mar 04, 2017 Nicolinia Spurgeon rated it it was amazing

Words I have none!!! This book is everything!! Simply amazing!!!

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Nov 26, 2013 Farrah rated it it was amazing

A thrilling and romantic read that was full of secrets, The Taking was a fantastic YA paranormal romance. I really enjoyed reading this brilliant book. Loved it!

Kyra was a good heroine. She was put in a rather difficult situation. She disappeared for 5 years, though she doesn't remember having been gone, and wakes up to a vastly different life. But she dealt with it as best she could and stood strong despite everything that was thrown at her. My one problem with her, though, is that she could be A thrilling and romantic read that was full of secrets, The Taking was a fantastic YA paranormal romance. I really enjoyed reading this brilliant book. Loved it!

Kyra was a good heroine. She was put in a rather difficult situation. She disappeared for 5 years, though she doesn't remember having been gone, and wakes up to a vastly different life. But she dealt with it as best she could and stood strong despite everything that was thrown at her. My one problem with her, though, is that she could be a bit bratty and somewhat selfish and kind of petulant. I understood that her life had changed drastically and she wanted it all to be as it was, but she acted really immature and wasn't understanding that 5 years was a long time and her loved ones had moved on. So, that was a bother. Regardless, I still really liked her. Overall, I thought she was a great heroine.

Tyler was so adorable. He was so sweet and wonderful and I totally loved him. He'd had a crush on Kyra 5 years ago, but, obviously, she was older than him and, since he was only 12 years old, that wasn't going to work. But, after 5 years, that crush didn't go away and, now that it could go somewhere, it deepened into something much more meaningful. He was just so sweet to Kyra. I could go on and on about how wonderful he was, but I'll just say that I adored him and move on.

The romance was very sweet. I thought it was especially adorable with Tyler's situation and how he finally had a chance to be with the girl he crushed on for so long. I thought they were really sweet together and, after that ending, I really hope they can end up with a happy ending.

The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were tons of thrills and secrets that had me on the edge of my seat. I really liked the idea of aliens taking people and altering them as some kind of experiment. But, I wish there had been more explanation as to why they were doing that and how. I wasn't really bothered by it, though, because I assume we'll get more of that explanation later in the series. I really enjoyed the story and that ending has me itching to get my hands on book 2. So much changed for the characters and I'm dying to see how it works out for them.

The Taking was a brilliant YA paranormal romance. It had thrills and secrets and an ending that left me wanting more. I totally loved it! Lovers of YA romance, this is a book you don't want to miss.

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-by-kaitlin

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: The Taking is a pulse-racing, action packed story of a girl who doesn’t know what to believe. A stunning book and something I will definitely check out the sequel for!

Opening Sentence: We killed them.

The Review:

Kyla is an ordinary girl, with ordinary parents and an ordinary life. She’s madly in love with her boyfriend, Austin, and she just won the championships for her softball team by her amazing pitching skills. Her father wants her to get a s ...more

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May 20, 2018 Rissa rated it liked it

Shelves: nook

The taking⭐️

Everything looks the same but her house is not her house her boyfriend is not her boyfriend. Nothing is as she once knew.

Its been 5 years but what happened in those years and why cant she remember?!

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Nov 19, 2013 Tanecia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: april-2014

omg, this gave me such a rush!

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Jul 27, 2015 Phoebe rated it did not like it

Shelves: the-worst-book

This is the stupidest book I've ever read. I'm making a new shelf just for this book, because thats how bad it was. It doesn't deserve to touch the other books, because it might be contagious. Oh also there are some spoilers below, so if you make really poor life choices and decide to read this book, don't read the rest of this I guess.

Let's talk. Kyra, softball super genius who has been in love with Austin, her boy-next-door neighbor, eternal confidant, childhood friend turned teenage crush, goes missing one day. Five years later she reappears to find the whole world has... CHANGED? Is such a thing...possible?? Other people have AGED of all things. Kyra is personally offended that other people have been alive the 5 years she's been gone, except of course when it comes to her new crush, Tyler. Tyler is the younger brother of her *BEST FRIEND CHILDHOOD CONFIDANT AND SUPER HOT SUPPORTIVE SPEND-THE-REST-OF-MY-LIFE-WITH-HIM* boyfriend, Austin. Since she can't remember anything that's happened in the last five years, for all intents and purposes, yesterday Tyler was 12. The fact that Kyra spends about 0 seconds being weirded out by him hitting on her and takes about 10 hours to forget about Austin and decide that Tyler's the new hot thing on the block is... fucking gross. Let's be real. That's fucking weird and gross. He was 12- YESTERDAY. But Kyra's got some teenage hormones that can't be ignored, so, fuck all that- Tyler's her new squeeze.

Kyra also spends some time hating her mom for getting divorced, getting remarried and having another kid. All 3 of these people will be hated uniformly for the rest of the book, despite any and all efforts by them to make her feel welcome and at home. It's not like Kyra just fucking mysteriously reappeared after 5 years without aging or something? OH WAIT YES IT IS. The fact that her family isn't totally fucking freaked out by this and calmly attempt to reincorporate her into their lives doesn't really matter to Kyra.

What about Kyra's Dad? Well he went a little crazy while she was gone. Kyra disappeared into thin air after a giant flash of white light, and Dad thinks it was aliens. But...PSHAW! Who believes in ALIENS? Kyra is disappointed and angry that her Dad has turned into such a nutcase. She doesn't really want anything to do with him. At this point, its also important to note that Kyra spends NO time, as in not even ONE SECOND, being frightened or scared about what happened to her. She's just pissed at everyone. Kyra LITERALLY does not spend any time wondering what happened to her, or trying to find that shit out, or even considering aliens, or thinking of alternatives to aliens. She spends approximately 95% of her time thinking about her 12 year old boyfriend Tyler and the other 5% hating her new family and thinking about how she'd rather gouge her eyeballs out with forks than hear her mom refer to her new kid brother as her brother again. (no she actually says that)

So when the NSA comes knocking, Kyra, who is super stupid and really would have needed those softball scholarships to get into college, doesn't understand what they could possibly want with her. Mysterious reappearance? No, that's probably not it. When someone leaves her a cryptic note- what could they POSSIBLY want to talk about? Kyra is so stupid. So stupid. For someone who magically reappeared out of think air 5 years in the future, Kyra sure does seem to think that nothing supernatural or weird happened to her. When the NSA reappears with helicopters and hazmat suits and she's saved from their abduction by a very "normal" guy, Kyra still doesn't think aliens are a possibility. Her new friend, Simon, says he was abducted too and slices his arm open so she can watch it heal. Kyra still puts air quotes around words like "abduction" and "aliens" because she's a savvy girl who knows whats possible and what's not- RIGHT???????????? She realizes she hasn't aged in 5 years, knows that shady government agencies are trying to kidnap her in HAZMAT suits, but, like, aliens? Like, no way, that's just, like, totally too weird.

At this point, its important to note that Kyra eventually comes to terms with the fact that she's the specialist of the alien abductees and that she's sort of got superpowers (speed, strength, healing, telepathy, etc etc) and eternal youth on her side- BUT WHAT IF TYLER THINKS SHE'S A FREAK???/ FUCK, HER NEW 12 YEAR OLD BOYFRIEND THAT SHE'S BEEN GOING OUT WITH FOR 4 DAYS MIGHT NOT LIKE HER ANYMORE FUCKKKKK. THE NSA MIGHT KIDNAP HER AND EXPERIMENT ON HER BUT WHAT ABOUT TYLER???????????????????????? WHAT WILL HE DO IF HE CAN'T DRAW HER CHALK MASTERPIECES? I know, I know, Kyra has her priorities ever so slightly out of whack. Also, after the whole aliens thing is confirmed to be true, Kyra doesn't consider apologizing to her Dad who, it turned out, was right and never gave up on her. Nah, it was cool to treat him like he was crazy and basically tell him to leave her alone. TYLER ON THE OTHER HAND.

Also like fuck the last 30 pages of this book were ESPECIALLY hard. Kyra teams up with some other abductees to save Tyler (it turns out Kyra's blood is poisonous or some shit and she's killing him) by trying to get him abducted by aliens too.

FUck. ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Ornella (Nyx) rated it did not like it

Shelves: arcs, abandoned-series, sci-fi, paranormal

I was hesitant to read this book because it was by Derting and her previous Body Finder series just didn't do it for me, but the subject matter and that beautiful cover made me cave in, not to mention I just had to press that little green Download Now button instead of actually requesting. So download I did. I really shouldn't have. I really could have gone without.

I didn't like Kyra. At all. She was a brat, spoiled, and selfish. Worst case of Only child syndrome ever. Look, it can't be easy wak ...more

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Apr 06, 2014 Ioana rated it it was ok

Shelves: my-reviews, young-adult, scifi, romance, paranormal, should-ve-been-great-but-it-wasn-t, et-phones-home-aka-aliens

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I'm a sucker for a pretty cover and The Taking? It has a pretty cover with a healthy dose of interesting synopsis which simply means I really wanted to like it.

If I'm to be completely honest, I did like the actual plot. The disappearance, the aliens, the why of it all, it was compelling. The rest..wasn't.

The main character, Kyra, is your run of the mill Mary Sue. She's good at everything she does, she's got the perfect boyfriend with whom she has a perfect ...more

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Dec 30, 2013 Brooke (The Cover Contessa) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction

I want to thank Harper Teen for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and review. This is my first book from author Kimberly Derting and I'm so glad that I jumped in! Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or my review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.
When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of d I want to thank Harper Teen for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and review. This is my first book from author Kimberly Derting and I'm so glad that I jumped in! Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or my review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.
When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.
Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.
Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

As of late I have been very into Sci-Fi reads. So, when I picked this one up, I was hoping it would live up to the other Sci-Fi books I've been reading. And I'm so glad I did. First off, did you see this cover? Don't understand it? Well, pick up the book and you will!

Kyra, I love her. She's smart and sassy and strong, super strong. She will do anything to figure out what happened to her, why she was missing for so many years but still looks sixteen! She spends the entire story fighting for herself and figuring out who she really was (before she was Taken). Kyra is faced with twists and turns and uncertainty. And she's also faced with feelings for a boy who was only twelve last time she saw him. I think my favorite part of Kyra is that she keeps a clear and level head for most of this book (although the romance does throw that off a bit for her, but that's nothing new for a YA book).

Tyler, oh how I loved him. He was super sweet and totally swoon worthy. At first, I felt like it was odd that he and Kyra became this pair, but then it just kind of clicked and made sense. He was so much more her speed than his older brother. And Kyra knew herself so much better with Tyler than she did with Austin. So Tyler was really good for her. Best of all he's super loyal and totally believes in Kyra. It seems he would do anything for her, risk anything for her because she is all he's ever wanted.

I blasted through this book in one day. I loved every page of it. I was never bored. The action and twists and turns kept me wanting more (and I still want more even now that the book is over). It was fast paced and never boring. The story seems completely plausible, if you believe there is more out there than just the human race. But Derting left quite a bit of mystery in the story and I really loved that. She was able to give little bits here and there to create a rich and intriguing story. I loved her writing and prose, it was easy to read and flowed well.

Most interesting of all for me is that the story reads as a bit of a contemporary, with the romance that blooms between Tyler and Kyra and the fact that it's set in our time, as opposed to a future or something of that sort. The romance was sweet and slow for the most part (although Tyler was acting on a crush that he had had on Kyra for 5 years, but for Kyra the relationship was new). I enjoyed that the characters were completely relatable and fleshed out well and their emotions were very real. I could really feel the situations they were placed in and what affect they hd on them.

Derting creates a thrilling ride through this new sci-fi mystery. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout. I can't wait for the next installment as the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger. ...more

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Feb 25, 2014 Donna {Book Passion For Life} rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, ya-dystopian-scifi-thriller

Sixteen-year-old Kyra wakes up behind the Gas ‘n’ Sip gas station with no memory of what has happened to her. All she can remember is the arguement with her father, the flash of light and then nothing. Thinking she passed out and it’s now the following day, Kyra makes her way home, however she suddenly finds that things are how she left them last night. Five years have passed, her family has changed and aged, her boyfriend has a life in College with a new girlfriend but Kyra, Kyra is still the s Sixteen-year-old Kyra wakes up behind the Gas ‘n’ Sip gas station with no memory of what has happened to her. All she can remember is the arguement with her father, the flash of light and then nothing. Thinking she passed out and it’s now the following day, Kyra makes her way home, however she suddenly finds that things are how she left them last night. Five years have passed, her family has changed and aged, her boyfriend has a life in College with a new girlfriend but Kyra, Kyra is still the same….she hasn’t aged. What happened to Kyra during them five years is a mystery, but Kyra wants answers but will she like what she finds?

The Taking started off with such an engaging and strong start that I instantly assumed this would be a fantastic read. It’s intriguing and exciting. It reminded me of one of my favourite films that was released in the late 80’s called Fight of the Navigator and even though I knew it wouldn’t have the same final outcome, I was still so impressed with the start of the story, I was dying to rate it 5 stars straight away. But then, I have no idea what happened because once I hit about a quarter of the book, I suddenly lost interest.

I liked Krya and I felt for her situation but I almost felt as though I was more concerned for her than she was herself. She has no idea what has happened, her parents have no idea and I felt as though there wasn’t much concern of that. No concern from doctors, or the police. Everyone seemed to accept Kyra’s story and just try to get on with their lives. I kept reading and thinking that surely there should be more hype over the fact she’s returned without aging, but there wasn’t any. Kyra was obsessed with keeping time, but we never find out the reason why. She also spent a lot of time being upset over her ex-boyfriend and her new love interest, but for a girl who has lost five years of her life and she has no reason why, surely she would be more upset? For me the lack of emotions didn’t make her story believable.

The plot of the story was quite entertaining, however it’s not until a third of the book that you start to get a hint of what is going on. The romance was good, a little fast but good. I didn’t mind that Kyra fell for her ex-boyfriends brother. I think the way the author did their story was quite good and especially with ending – that was totally unexpected.

In all, The Taking was an okay read. I just felt it was a little poorly executed and needed to be a little more believable. Would I read the sequel? Maybe, I’m not sure if the ending grabbed me enough to but I could change my mind.

Thank you to HarperTeen for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 17, 2013 Bang Bang Books rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, mystery

2.5
Received this book from Edelweiss.
For more reviews visit www.bangbangbookblog.com
(view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 11, 2013 Sara Grochowski rated it it was amazing

Shelves: april-2014, harper, young-adult, paranormal, romance

It's been five years since Kyra Agnew mysteriously disappeared after a fight with her father. A lot can change in five years - people age, marriages fall apart, new relationships develop - but, when Kyra reappears, there's nothing new about her. Everything, right down to the bruises and dusty softball uniform she was wearing when she disappeared, are exactly the same. For Kyra, it feels like the softball game, kissing her boyfriend, and fighting with her dad happened mere hours before... for the It's been five years since Kyra Agnew mysteriously disappeared after a fight with her father. A lot can change in five years - people age, marriages fall apart, new relationships develop - but, when Kyra reappears, there's nothing new about her. Everything, right down to the bruises and dusty softball uniform she was wearing when she disappeared, are exactly the same. For Kyra, it feels like the softball game, kissing her boyfriend, and fighting with her dad happened mere hours before... for the rest of the world, life has moved on. Kyra finds her parents divorced and her boyfriend five years older... and his little brother, Tyler, too. Kyra's life has been taken from her and she's determined to find out how and why. Things have definitely taken a turn for the weird, and her father's conspiracy theories don't sound near as far fetched as they would have five years ago... or, for Kyra, yesterday.

I love, love, love this book! Admittedly, I love everything Derting has written, but still. Derting's first series, which begins with THE BODY FINDER, also has a paranormal slant, so to me, she's returning to her roots with THE TAKING. I love her dystopian series - THE PLEDGE - too, but there's something compelling about her paranormal novels. I think it's the fact that her characters are so normal, except for that one element that sets them apart. In THE BODY FINDER, it's the main character's ability to sense the aura of a dead body. In THE TAKING, it's a mysterious, perhaps otherworldly, disappearance that steals five years from the main character's life and leaves her... changed. When you read one of Derting's novels, you can't help but wonder 'what if.'

It doesn't hurt that Derting writes romantic leads that leave you a bit breathless and a whole lot in love. In THE TAKING, Kyra finds herself - somewhat inappropriately - drawn to Tyler, who was only twelve when she disappeared. Now Tyler is the same age as Kyra and all to determined to prove he's no longer a little kid. The Tyler/Kyra romance was so wrong it was right. Even though Kyra tries to resist Tyler's charm, I'm not sure any girl could resist someone so determined to sweep her off her feet.

If you haven't read a Kimberly Derting book yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? If you have, give yourself a pat on the back, you have impeccable taste. ...more

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About Kimberly Derting

Kimberly Derting

5,069 followers

Kimberly is the author of the award-winning THE BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE, and THE TAKING trilogies. She is also the co-author of the popular "Loves Science" picture book series, featuring our favorite science-loving superstars Cece, Libby, and Vivi!

Her books have been translated into 15 languages, and both THE BODY FINDER and THE PLEDGE were YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selections.

T ...more

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Quotes from The Taking

“Love required sacrifice and making hard choices and doing things that were bigger than just you. It wasn't something you asked for, or could control or change. It was something you accepted. Love was a force of nature.” — 8 likes

“He was right; I'd barely noticed him back then. Most of my memories of Tyler were fragments, held together by Austin.
"See how you went and made things all awkward?" I accused, getting up from my swing and dusting off the back of my borrowed yoga pants. Undeterred, Tyler fell into step beside me as we made our way toward the park entrance.
"Awkward or not, you should know I'm glad you're back." He flashed me a sheepish smile as he added, "And now that I'm older, I'll try to be a little more memorable.” — 0 likes

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