The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Seventeen-year-old Mara cannot remember the accident that took the lives of three of her friends but, after moving from Rhode Island to Florida, finding love with Noah, and more deaths, she realizes uncovering something buried in her memory might save her family and her future.

Okay... here it goes. This book is hard for me to review. I liked the book a lot I REALLY REALLY enjoyed the writing, the writing style etc...  I felt so much emotion while I read it. I could feel myself gasping as Mara was gasping, However I was ALWAYS confused. I never really understood, well anything. Not even at the end when it was supposed to come together (in my mind) I still can't tell you how people were dying or how Noah and Mara were connected. I enjoyed reading it, I really loved the characters, especially Jaime. He was a smart ass, and witty and reminds me of some of my high school friends. I liked Noah too but the whole flashing of the money gets a bit old. But he is sweet and caring and a perfect prince charming. 

I like how close the brothers were and protective of their sister. Made me wish for a big brother. :) 

Like I said I REALLY liked the writing, I just wish I understood the story.  The cover is stunning. The words are lyrical and it the relationships developed in the book are intriguing. I was just confused. I am glad I read it though. Michelle can right really well descriptions, comes up with fantastic scenes, invents great characters. 

If I was to rate the cover of the book it'd be a 5 star rating. The cover is gorgeous! How can you NOT judge a book by it's cover? Hard... 

*Spoiler*

I don't understand if the whole thing with the little brother joseph was true or not true. DId it happen? What did it have anything to do with the Dad's case? So did Jude die or not? 

Crossroads by Mary Ting

Claudia Emerson has a good friend who shares the same first name and last name. That friend unfortunately dies in a tragic accident during homecoming dance. Claudia is distraught at the loss of her friend, but is even more disturbed by her dreams, which seem to take her to another place called Crossroads. Unknown to her, Crossroads is like a second heaven, a place between heaven and earth. It is where the souls of humans in comas or near death experiences may wander. Where, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn’t her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia. 

Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed, about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most. Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should?

*First and for most I must say thank you to Mary Ting for sending my daughter this book... YOU SPOIL HER! She loves it! Thanks for making her feel special, she really needed it.* 

This is my daughters FAVORITE book, we read it together, so we are writing the review together. :) 

It was so refreshing to read a YA not full of smut... I never had to skip anything or blushed as my daughter was reading it. PURE DELIGHT! 

We were hooked from the first page. There was always something going on. Full of action, romance that is pure. I felt like I was in another world right along with Claudia while I was reading the book. 

I just don't feel like my words are good enough to describe how awesome this read is! 

The ending shocked us a little, I can't wait for more. Luckily we have the second book and are just waiting until we finish what we are currently reading to read it together... But I am pretty sure my daughter cheated and read it all ready... :) 

"My Sweet Butterfly, Zoey"

And in honor of Zoey I am going to show you all how dang cute she is.... 

THE TAKER

"True love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . "

On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae--Lanny--walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.

Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town's founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep--an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.

Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, "The Taker" is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.

The Taker by Alma Katsu *This has quickly become my favorite book*

First I must say thank you, Alma for the opportunity to read and review your debut novel! I loved it and I know my words can not give it justice.

To all readers, I would HIGHLY suggest you read this in hard back. The book is so beautiful and sometimes there is just something about holding a book in your hand enjoying turning the pages, seeing it stained with tears (proof of the emotion felt while reading) etc... The cover is GORGEOUS!

This story was so addictive. I didn't want to put it down, my poor family... LOL! The story deals with immortal love, has great aspects of historical fiction. The Taker, kept me reading late in the night. I wanted/ want more! Combining paranormal romance and historical fiction, this book will take your emotions up and down leave you gasping, eyes watering, heart racing, wanting to know what is going to happen next. I really enjoyed the research and history that went into this book. I am writing this review several months later after reading it a second time and I enjoyed it more the second time than I did the first! This book is cleverly put together and has a few stories within a story, it's very well written. Alma is able to describe characters and scenes like nothing I have experienced before. Everything is so very detailed. She describes things so well I was not left wondering, I could picture everything perfectly.

The ending COMPLETELY shocked me! I was not expecting it all. I can't wait to read The Reckoning (Taker #2), also excited to read The Devils Scribe, but sad that it is only available electronically.

I have to say thank you again to Alma for captivating me like no one ever has. :)