The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyerby Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.It can.She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.There is.She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.She's wrong. (goodreads.com)

Release date: September 27, 2011I should not have read this book so early in the summer since it's not due to come out until the end of September, but I just could NOT wait! Ever since I saw the floaty countdown widget on Kristi's blog, I was obsessed with knowing more about this book! When it showed up as a surprise from Simon & Schuster Canada it was all I could do to not put the book I was currently reading down and pick this one up. I tried to read some other books first but my eye kept straying over to the cedar chest where this book was in a pile of review books... I just needed to pick it up and hold it. I felt like I was cheating on every other book I was reading while making goo-goo eyes at Mara Dyer.So I picked it up and read it in a day while I was off work this week.OH MY GOSH!I am going to get all fan-girly because I simply adored this book and I adored it way more than I thought I would. Honestly, I was excited for the book but I wasn't sure I would like it. I thought it was going to be much more contemporary YA that what it was.I don't even know how to write this post because I don't want to give anything away. As with Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson, this book is also more than it seems and if you say too much about it you'll ruin the entire thing.So what did I love about The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer?I loved the writing. Excellent, excellent writing, Ms. Hodkin. Such compelling dialogue and description, you kept me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath for most of this book.I loved Mara, as messed up and freaked out as she was, I loved her. I was won over completely when she decided to save a dog. The way to my heart is through animal rescue apparently.I actually loved Noah. I know. I never like the male lead in a novel, especially YA. But he was charming and snarky and seemed to generally care for Mara. He was written rather dreamy-like and I might be smitten just a little. Note: I don't get literary crushes!What is wrong with me? First Luke from Forgotten and now Noah from this book. It must be the summer heat. Can't be that authors are finally writing decent boy leads in books, right? Also, I feel sort of creeptastic here since these guys are all young and likely under 18 and therefore I am some sort of perv who can get arrested, right? Ick.But Noah is pretty fun. ;)I was slightly disappointed when I found out what was going on. I thought this book was more contemporary suspense and not what it turned into so although I was happy to get closure on what Mara was going though, I was also semi-gypped by what it was. Also, I had no idea what was going on by way of explanation and the guy with the chicken blood and such at the end. My guess is that it's all build-up for the next book, which I will read, although I don't think it will be nearly as suspenseful as this one was since you sort of find out all the answers at the end.As upside down as I felt from the last couple of chapters, I still hold that this book was mega-awesome and I am so, so, so happy I got to read it (thanks, S&S CA!) and I think I might even read it again in the fall so the weather will fit the mood and maybe a second reason will iron out some WTHs? from the end there.The real thing I was upset about was when the dog that seemed to like Mara when she rescued her became afraid of her later on in the story. That made me sad! (Yes, I always focus on the plot animals... shush!) I was sort of hoping that they'd bond, even if Mara couldn't keep her. I mean she saved the darn dog's life! Poor doggy.This is so vague, but I just can't give anything away! Part of the all-encompassing-AWESOME that is the book is hidden within those pages and if I say anything it'll ruin the surprises!Oh! I will say that I loved how Mara's memory came back in bits and pieces all random-like. It made the story much, much more suspenseful and I was just dying to know what the heck was going on. I couldn't but the book down!If you don't already have this on your wishlist for the Fall, I'd suggest putting it there right quick if you like suspense with a twist (I wish I could tell you what kind!) and great narration. I realized I needed to breathe when I finished the book and it all came out like a big WHOOOOOOOOMP! when I closed the cover. That's my kind of story!