My Mara Dyer Obsession

I think I have spoken at length about what a bad reader/blogger/person I am.
I purchased The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer as soon as it came out, because Katie's Book Blog  gave it such a stellar recommendation. But did I read it? Did I heck.

Then the sequel came out. I pre-ordered this. Pre-ordered. Gave monies for it before the book had even seen the light of day, no less. Without having read the first book.



That said, it's such a pretty book it was worth having anyway, but I digress.

Anyway, the other week I was running out to work and I realised I only had one book in my bag. This cannot be allowed to happen, so I picked up the first book all in a rush and threw it in my bag just in case. Come lunch time I started it and, well...it was like my Hunger Games marathon to the tenth degree. I ignored family, laundry, dog, food.....it was possibly the best YA book I had ever read.

That said, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. First off, Mara is somewhat...unreliable. She's a wee bit crazy, so you never know if what she's narrating has actually happened or not. We meet her in a hospital bed, having inexplicably survived the collapse of an asylum that killed her boyfriend and two best friends. And trust me, that really is only the start of it. Following her miraculous survival, Mara's parents bundle the whole family off to Miami and some really strange things start to happen to Mara. Or do they? She doesn't quite know herself, so we don't either. That aside, you have her awesome brothers Daniel and Joseph to reel you in. Then there's mystery: why did the building fall down? Who is Jude? Why is Mara such a fruit loop? These will make no sense unless you have actually read the books, which I decree you do now this instant.

Then, there is Noah Shaw, who is so British and alluring that he should get a blog post all to himself. He is like a paranormal Etienne St Clair, only taller and possibly better looking (Yes. I mean it). He is Mara's love interest but, oh, so much more. Sigh.

Naturally, I started reading the second one with almost indecent haste and the fricking ending...I may die waiting for the third book this autumn. I mean this. But it's probably the best second-in-a series since Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (no word of a lie). It so difficult to say anything about Evolution without spoilers, so I won't expand on the general awesomeness, but....so, so good guys. Michelle Hodkin is a legitimate genius and I sort of hate and love her at the same time. Word.

PS...I am now on the Twitters. You can get me @KittyLovesDucks.