{ARC} Book Review... The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer:

Mara Dyer #1

By:  Michelle Hodkin

Published By:  Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Published Date:  2011

{ARC}:   450 pages

Tags:  Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Suspense, Contemporary, Supernatural, Mystery

Why the Mad Scientist Read this Book:  I picked this book up BEA 2011 in New York City.  I set this one aside because I had no real interest in this one.

Concoction of a Review:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was just a utterly beautiful read.  I do believe it rivals my blood red silver tipped parasol and that is something!


I admit that it is going to be rather hard to review this twisted tale without revealing too much of the goodness. I LOVED the book so I have to gush about it.  Just a tad.


The best thing about this book...  It is full of Crazy!!


Mara is a dark haired beauty who has hallucinations, hears voices of her dead friends, and unexpected things are happening to her.  *Sips tea*  Mara?  What can the Mad Scientist say?  She is just a little on the psychotic side.  Why?  Her best friend, boyfriend and a friend all went to the great beyond when the abandoned asylum collapsed on them while they were searching for paranormal activity.  


What!?!  


How did the building just collapse?  What if she is the only one who knows what happened?  What if she cannot remember what really happened?


Would you want to remember?


Mara's family moves to Florida to get away from what happened.  Attempting at at normal life did not work out so well for her.  She becomes the new target for the snotty prep queen of the school, Anna.  *Grr...*  Leave Mara alone!  Psychotic episodes start to happen.  She does not know what is real or not.  Neither did I!  I LOVED it!

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and all that jazz.  Anna used to be the abstinence poster girl, but post-Shaw, you could write a comic book about the many adventures of her vagina.  It could wear a cape." 
 -- Page 41

Time to swoon!  *Fans self*  Yes, even deeply troubled girls deserve some European tousled hair hunk to look at.  Noah Shaw is just the lad for this!  He is an arrogant ASS who happens to just be about the most sexy thing described lately.  He is a rumpled sight who just rolls out of bed. Gorgeous tousled messy hair. His contemptuous presumptuous ASS did not turn me away.

Here is how I picture Noah Shaw:  As William Moseley...


Lucky for the reader there is NO love at first sight!  The romance builds up very slowly.  The sexual tension even had me on edge!  I loved how Mara brushed him off like he was NOT a swoonworthy mess!  I must say... it is strong of her to be cautious instead of flouncing to his side like a ninny.

"How is it that you have friends, Noah?"

 "I ask myself that daily."  He chomped down on the plastic straw.

 "Seriously.  Inquiring minds want to know."
 -- Page 192

**Side Note:  The Mad Scientist   has a secret crush on High King Peter!  I watched the Chronicles of Narnia just to stare at him!  I'd love to mess up that hair!**

*Swoon*

"Your're distracting," I said truthfully.  

"I won't be.  I promise,"  Noah said.  "I'll get some crayons and draw quietly.  Alone.  In a corner."

Michelle Hodkin's story had the Mad Scientist  at every page.  What an amazing debut and I am trying not to be torn because I want book two now!  The story had me sending mental hugs to Mara and dreaming of dear Noah.  Plus all of the other characters were so well developed that I truly enjoyed them all.  Even her overprotective brother.  The story was sprinkled with Mara's snark which broke up the seriousness of this suspense novel.



Overall, it is safe to say that The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is easily going to be my favorite read of the year.  
Best Suspense Novel of 2011!!

*Just an after thought... but when I seen this picture I though this is Mara and Noah! 


Anna Popplewell would make a beautiful Mara. 


What do you think?  Would these two work for this epic story? *

5 Kisses