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jalepahe's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall, this book was good. Not a lot of fleshing out of the characters, admittedly, side-characters especially, but I picked this book up for the mystery, and that was okay. Kind of wish it wasn't super-powers and definitely wish that the 'love interest' was shown to have known MD more like it hinted in the synopsis, but whatever, in general. May continue reading. Probably.
lcwaskom's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ⭐️’s
I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but I was absolutely blown away anyway. I absolutely have to know what happens next because there’s no way I’ll be able to continue living my life without knowing. I was so hooked that I read this 450 page book in ONE day.
The characters are realistic, and they seem like actual teenagers and not caricatures of us. I thought that Mara reacted in a completely reasonable (yet unhinged) way. Noah is incredible, Daniel is the wingman we all need, and Jamie needs more page time. I cannot believe I haven’t read this sooner
I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but I was absolutely blown away anyway. I absolutely have to know what happens next because there’s no way I’ll be able to continue living my life without knowing. I was so hooked that I read this 450 page book in ONE day.
The characters are realistic, and they seem like actual teenagers and not caricatures of us. I thought that Mara reacted in a completely reasonable (yet unhinged) way. Noah is incredible, Daniel is the wingman we all need, and Jamie needs more page time. I cannot believe I haven’t read this sooner
svreads's review against another edition
5.0
From the very attractive men with British accents to the rescuing of neglected puppies, I feel like Michelle Hodkin really gets me. Really, really gets me.
"Noah Shaw drove girls crazy, and I was already crazy."
Suddenly he crouched down
"What are you-"
In my rush, I hadn't tied my shoelaces.
Noah was now tying them for me. He looked up at me through his dark fringe of lashes and smiled.
The expression on his face melted me completely. I knew I had the goofiest grin plastered on my lips, and I didn't care.
"There," he said as he finished tying the laces on my left shoe. "Now you won't fall."
Too late.
If this is the future of young adult fiction, then I am not willing to give it up just yet. The dialogue in this book was so much better than most YA novels in my opinion. The story wasn't just focused on the relationship between two teenagers, but the larger picture of what their past means for their future. I loved every character in this book, even the ones I hated. Hodkin has done such an amazing job of creating every single character to be both believable and important. But then again I knew I was going to love this woman whether I loved this book or not after reading her bio. "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...Michelle lives with her three rescued pets and may or may not be a reliable narrator of her own life." Yes please! And the suspense....I was hooked from page 1. But she didn't overdo it or make it cheesy in the slightest. At one point, I thought I had everything figured out, but I was wrong and yet still pleasantly surprised. AND THAT ENDING. OH THAT ENDING. I cannot wait to read the next two books in the series!
Thank you Michelle Hodkin for giving my life purpose now that I'm almost through all ten seasons of Friends on Netflix.
"Noah Shaw drove girls crazy, and I was already crazy."
Suddenly he crouched down
"What are you-"
In my rush, I hadn't tied my shoelaces.
Noah was now tying them for me. He looked up at me through his dark fringe of lashes and smiled.
The expression on his face melted me completely. I knew I had the goofiest grin plastered on my lips, and I didn't care.
"There," he said as he finished tying the laces on my left shoe. "Now you won't fall."
Too late.
If this is the future of young adult fiction, then I am not willing to give it up just yet. The dialogue in this book was so much better than most YA novels in my opinion. The story wasn't just focused on the relationship between two teenagers, but the larger picture of what their past means for their future. I loved every character in this book, even the ones I hated. Hodkin has done such an amazing job of creating every single character to be both believable and important. But then again I knew I was going to love this woman whether I loved this book or not after reading her bio. "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...Michelle lives with her three rescued pets and may or may not be a reliable narrator of her own life." Yes please! And the suspense....I was hooked from page 1. But she didn't overdo it or make it cheesy in the slightest. At one point, I thought I had everything figured out, but I was wrong and yet still pleasantly surprised. AND THAT ENDING. OH THAT ENDING. I cannot wait to read the next two books in the series!
Thank you Michelle Hodkin for giving my life purpose now that I'm almost through all ten seasons of Friends on Netflix.
wellreadandcaffinated's review against another edition
4.0
check out my review on abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com
http://abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer.html
http://abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer.html
anngelize's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is like being crazy. By that I mean, it's like seeing into Mara's mind. See, like Mara, I didn't know if what she was seeing were real or if she's hallucinating. It is like shifting from real to a dream/hallucination so often that I can't tell the difference from the two. Sometimes I feel the series of events are so disjointed that I believe that Mara Dyer is really crazy. And she seriously have anger management issues. Also, I was left with a lot of questions like where did Mara and Noah got their abilities? Are there others like them? Or did Joseph remember anything that happened to him? Or what about that Mr. Lukumi? What did he know? Why did he disappear? And, of course, Jude.
All in all the story has this dark, creepy vibe to it. I like reading it when all the lights are out for maximum effect. Plus, all the questions made me want to read the next book immediately!
Reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is like being crazy. By that I mean, it's like seeing into Mara's mind. See, like Mara, I didn't know if what she was seeing were real or if she's hallucinating. It is like shifting from real to a dream/hallucination so often that I can't tell the difference from the two. Sometimes I feel the series of events are so disjointed that I believe that Mara Dyer is really crazy. And she seriously have anger management issues. Also, I was left with a lot of questions like where did Mara and Noah got their abilities? Are there others like them? Or did Joseph remember anything that happened to him? Or what about that Mr. Lukumi? What did he know? Why did he disappear? And, of course, Jude.
All in all the story has this dark, creepy vibe to it. I like reading it when all the lights are out for maximum effect. Plus, all the questions made me want to read the next book immediately!
edieray's review against another edition
4.0
this book is the longest craziest rollercoaster. literally you think you have it all figured out and then bam plot twist and then you are forced to rethink EVERYTHING
lottie1803's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
curlyfries27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
brandidean's review against another edition
3.0
Heh. Feeling a little juvenile admitting it, but I actually really liked this. It was a book club pick, and I'd never heard of it before, so I went in with no idea what it was about. Since things really change in the last few chapters and it morphs into a different type of book altogether, wondering if I'll like the next one, but am def going to try it.
(Though I will say she does that thing you see a lot in these sorts of books where the characters make really ridiculously bad choices that you're supposed to see as noble or something, but actually just end up having to hand wave.)
(Though I will say she does that thing you see a lot in these sorts of books where the characters make really ridiculously bad choices that you're supposed to see as noble or something, but actually just end up having to hand wave.)
emgg's review against another edition
1.0
*warning: one slightly graphic sentence and a few swear words.*
I didn't stick around to know how Mara Dyer's magic works, because god this book was so boring. I finished [b:Hush, Hush|6339664|Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1)|Becca Fitzpatrick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1358261334s/6339664.jpg|6525609], and I didn't finish this. Yuup. Speaks volumes, doesn't it? Because in Hush, Hush, at least I made sense of what was going on at that precise moment and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was really just a clusterfuck that was just as confused with itself as I was with it.
One minute, it's brain matter splattered on the floor; the next, Mara is pretending not to hate Noah Shaw *wink wink nudge nudge*. Y'know, just pick one and stick with it. Really.
As for the romance, er, if Jace Herondale/Will Herondale (they're the same bloke, right? 3: ) is your sort of hot dude, then I'd say yes, go for it. I can't differentiate between Will Herondale and Noah Shaw. Needless to say, I dislike both.
Shaw is the most stereotypical of bad boys, you know, looks like Adonis, mannerless, sleeps around, has an English accent (since I can't hear it, I cannot, I'm sorry to say, fall under its charm), is disgustingly rich, has A DARK PAST -- stop, people, just spare the dark pasts! I get it, sob stories beguile readers to sympathize with the characters but it annoys the shit out of me!
Mara Dyer so didn't fall for that - Oh wait she did. This joke is getting as old as the cliches here.
As for Mara Dyer I don't even know how to describe her because she was so flat and uninteresting. Just your typical hormonal high schooler I guess.
Don't get me talking about Anna. I hate, absolutely hate how girls like Anna are slut-shamed when really all they are doing is trying to score the hottest boy in the school as their boyfriend. Maybe they flirt too much with the hot dude. But lookie here now, the hot dude sleeps around! Isn't that much sluttier than those "bitchy girls"? That's one thing I can never get used to. So much slut-shaming for girls, almost none going on for boys.
Jamie. Nuh-uh. Funny black bisexual. Excuuuse me but please could you be more subtle with the "I'm pro-diversity! WOOT" message here? Because it's hitting me in the face and not cheering me up at all. I don't mind not having any lgbt characters around, but what I mind is stuffing one there and putting zero effort into establishing their personality.
I'm done writing this review. I don't want to relive the whole painful experience again. Nawp.
(I really, really love the font on the cover though. That cover. If there weren't that spooky faceless awkward vaguely disturbing underwater hugging thing going on I might actually shelf this as amazing-covers.
Now [b:The Becoming of Noah Shaw|25548744|The Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions, #1)|Michelle Hodkin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494267312s/25548744.jpg|45342171] has a super gorgeous cover!)
I didn't stick around to know how Mara Dyer's magic works, because god this book was so boring. I finished [b:Hush, Hush|6339664|Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1)|Becca Fitzpatrick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1358261334s/6339664.jpg|6525609], and I didn't finish this. Yuup. Speaks volumes, doesn't it? Because in Hush, Hush, at least I made sense of what was going on at that precise moment and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was really just a clusterfuck that was just as confused with itself as I was with it.
One minute, it's brain matter splattered on the floor; the next, Mara is pretending not to hate Noah Shaw *wink wink nudge nudge*. Y'know, just pick one and stick with it. Really.
As for the romance, er, if Jace Herondale/Will Herondale (they're the same bloke, right? 3: ) is your sort of hot dude, then I'd say yes, go for it. I can't differentiate between Will Herondale and Noah Shaw. Needless to say, I dislike both.
Shaw is the most stereotypical of bad boys, you know, looks like Adonis, mannerless, sleeps around, has an English accent (since I can't hear it, I cannot, I'm sorry to say, fall under its charm), is disgustingly rich, has A DARK PAST -- stop, people, just spare the dark pasts! I get it, sob stories beguile readers to sympathize with the characters but it annoys the shit out of me!
Mara Dyer so didn't fall for that - Oh wait she did. This joke is getting as old as the cliches here.
As for Mara Dyer I don't even know how to describe her because she was so flat and uninteresting. Just your typical hormonal high schooler I guess.
Don't get me talking about Anna. I hate, absolutely hate how girls like Anna are slut-shamed when really all they are doing is trying to score the hottest boy in the school as their boyfriend. Maybe they flirt too much with the hot dude. But lookie here now, the hot dude sleeps around! Isn't that much sluttier than those "bitchy girls"? That's one thing I can never get used to. So much slut-shaming for girls, almost none going on for boys.
Jamie. Nuh-uh. Funny black bisexual. Excuuuse me but please could you be more subtle with the "I'm pro-diversity! WOOT" message here? Because it's hitting me in the face and not cheering me up at all. I don't mind not having any lgbt characters around, but what I mind is stuffing one there and putting zero effort into establishing their personality.
I'm done writing this review. I don't want to relive the whole painful experience again. Nawp.
(I really, really love the font on the cover though. That cover. If there weren't that spooky faceless awkward vaguely disturbing underwater hugging thing going on I might actually shelf this as amazing-covers.
Now [b:The Becoming of Noah Shaw|25548744|The Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions, #1)|Michelle Hodkin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494267312s/25548744.jpg|45342171] has a super gorgeous cover!)