Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2)

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: October 23rd, 2013

Source: Borrowed ARC

My Rating: 5/5

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Okay, Michelle Hodkin. Go ahead and make me have ALL THE FEELINGS.

I'll admit, I was a bit nervous reading this book. Although I was a huge fan of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the direction it was taking had me worried. And as I started reading The Evolution of Mara Dyer, my fears increased. There were lots of outcomes to this story and I wasn't liking some of them. But, I was naive to doubt Hodkin's skill, because she had a plan all along (and a brilliant one at that). This novel was engrossing. Putting it down was simply not an option. 

Mara Dyer is a brilliant narrator because you never know what’s going on with her. Every word out of her mouth could be a lie, or just her distorted version of the truth. She never really knows what's happening and you get to find out right along with her (and be petrified just as she is). But the thing about Mara Dyer is that, although she’s a dark heroine, I couldn’t help but root for her. I wanted her to defeat the horrors she was facing.

There were so many different parts of this book that terrified me, but I think the most fearful part was Mara being sane and no one believing her. That she couldn’t even turn to her family for help because they thought she was insane and anything she said would only prove them right. It would be a heart-wrenching thing to endure, and one that could kill your spirit. And, at parts, it seemed to wreck Mara’s, but she stood strong. And I loved that about her.

I think this is going to shock some people, but I wasn't a huge Noah fan in the first book. Yes, he was gorgeous and funny and British, but he felt kind of a like a typical YA boy. At the end of The Unbecoming I started to see more depth to him, but I didn't get to see enough of it. But in The Evolution my opinion of him completely changed. Noah is not a typical, cookie-cutter love interest, but a complex and moving character in his own right. I loved getting to dive into his perspective (however brief) and find out just want goes on behind that mask of strength. He had countless swoon-worthy moments, and was a rock when Mara needed it most. Their relationship grew in Evolution and it was a treat to read about. Two broken people finding strength in each other. One of my favourite things that can happen in a story.

Something that I also enjoyed about this book was what intense feelings I had for the side characters. I was livid at Mara’s mother, intensely loved her two brothers, thought Jaime was even more amazing and funny than in the first book (Mara and Jamie’s banter is hilarious), and adamantly hated the antagonists. My emotions were all over the place with this book! Michelle Hodkin has a way of tapping straight into your adreline and throwing punch after punch at you. I was on edge during every page.

As a last point, THIS COVER. I mean, wow. I bow down to whoever designed, photographed, modeled, did-anything-in-creating this cover. It's stunning. Beautiful colors, amazing image and it matches! It's just so perfect I can barely handle it.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer is a dark and twisted tale, and had me guessing until the very end. Honestly, the suspense in this novel is crazy! I kept flipping the pages just knowing that it was building up for something mind-blowing. And it sure was. I think I may have loved this book more than the first. It was thrilling, heartbreaking and exceeded my every expectations.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

P.S. My awesome blogger friend Kathy hosted Mara Dyer Week over on her blog and I did a guest blurb! Go check out what bloggers say their favourite thing is about the Mara Dyer series.

Find This Book: Amazon | Goodreads | Michelle Hodkin's Website

Mara Dyer Teaser!

Hi all!

So, tomorrow I'll be posting all about my amazing trip from Ireland, but today it's all about the twisted Mara Dyer! While I was away, the teaser trailer was released for The Evolution of Mara Dyer by the amazing Michelle Hodkin. I was lucky enough to read this book last month, and it exceeded my every expectation! Guys, it's brilliant! I love it to bits. I can't wait for everyone else to read it, so I can gush about it properly!

In honor of the release (which happens in just TWO DAYS), Michelle Hodkin is holding a swag contest! This stuff looks fantastic, and I'm desperate to get my hands on some! All you have to do is either tweet, tumble, blog, Facebook, etc. something about The Evolution of Mara Dyer teaser trailer! I've watched the trailer, and think it's great! I can't wait for the full book trailer! Check out the trailer below, and make sure to enter to amazing contest over at Michelle's blog!

The Evolution begins on October 23rd! You guys need to pick up a copy!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight) 

Waiting On Wednesday (19): The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for!

This Week's Pick: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2) by Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release Date: October 23rd, 2012

The truth about Mara Dyer's dangerous and mysterious abilities continues to unravel in this gripping sequel to the thrilling "The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer." One week after Mara walked into a police station in Miami at the close of "The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer," she has been committed to psychiatric treatment for what her parents believe was a mental breakdown. But what seems like a hallucination to everyone else is a chilling reality for Mara. Someone from her past has discovered her strange, deeply disturbing secret and that someone wants her to pay. But when no one believes the truth, Mara is totally helpless. The only person on her side is Noah Shaw, as sexy and handsome as he is loyal and cunning. Noah is the only person who can help Mara--as long as he doesn't get himself killed in the process.

Look at that exquisite piece of art called The Evolution of Mara Dyer cover. It's gorgeous. I love the color, love the scene, and love that it matches perfectly with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. They are going to look beautiful on a shelf together.

As I mentioned in my review of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I love dark heroines. Ones that fascinate readers by their twisted logic and tragic flaws. Mara Dyer happens to be one of them, and I can't get enough of her. She's messed up in the best way. And her boy, Noah Shaw, is one swoon-worthy fellow.

Although The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer scared the sauce out of me, I loved it. I couldn't look in the mirror for days, and jumped at every sound; it messed with my head that much. I can't wait to dive back into the story, especially after the final events of the last novel! Disturbed heroines, hot boys, and one terrifying plot line? Sign me up.

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1)

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: September 27th, 2011

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Mara Dyer believes life can't 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 strangely unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

I've always been slightly afraid of mirrors. You know in horror movies were people look away from the mirror then look back and the knife-wielding axe-murderer whatever is standing behind them? Yeah, that has made me very scared of mirrors.

So has this book.

I was literally shaking when I read it, and kept ducking and hiding from mirrors for days afterwards! I'm sorry, but seeing dead friends in mirrors instead of yourself? Yeah, it was terrifying. It was probably not my best idea to stay up 'til two reading but I couldn't help myself! I needed to know what happened! A midnight read at its finest.

I was absolutely hooked from the first page. That letter! Wow! What a grab. Actually, I could say I was hooked from the cover cause, um, yeah, one of the best covers I've ever seen. One question I heard about the cover, which made me love it that much more, was "Is the boy on the cover saving her, or pulling her under?" Every time I look at the cover I can't help but shiver.

The story itself was shudder-inducing (in a good way). Watching the main character, Mara Dyer, slowly slip into madness was engrossing while terrifying. Her visions had me cowering from the pages, while flipping them faster to read more. The flashbacks of the incident, the constant nightmares, and Mara's attempt to survive it all kept the story moving, and kept my heart-pounding.

Mara Dyer is not your typical heroine, and I loved that about her. She's dark, haunted, and scary in her own right. She's a bit of a tragic heroine; one fatal flaw could bring her all down. Which is fantastic (in a literary sense. I'm sure it's not so fantastic for Mara). A lot of books have strong female leads that have you cheering and rooting for their success. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer has a protagonist that has you staring in horror, yet fascinated by her every decision. I have to say, this series has a lot of potential. And the dark heroine of Mara is one to watch out for.

I have to also mention Noah Shaw. Although I found the beginning of their relationship slightly typical (by YA book standards), I adored him. I can't help but love a sarcastic hottie, with a sweet side. I mean really, who can!

I don't want to give away anything, so I'm going to put a big SPOILER ALERT right here (although, it's not really a huge spoiler, but if you don't want any, don't read this paragraph) but there was one thing that irked me about the book. I didn't like the supernatural element that was thrown in at the end. I liked the more contemporary, although a bit paranormal, style it was taking. But the end! Oh the end. Let's just say I NEED to have The Evolution of Mara Dyer in my hands...like yesterday.

If you're looking for a scary thrill-ride, pick up The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. It'll have you cowering in a corner, while gluing your eyes to the page.
 
The cover of The Evolution of Mara Dyer was just released and my goodness is it gorgeous! As stunning and as deeply haunting as the first. Makes me wonder what's going to happen in the second book!

-Ciara who is lost at midnight