The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer / Michelle Hodkin

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I FORGOT TO POST THIS EARLIER! I read this book during the summer and saved the post in anticipation of its publication (in late September) and it totally slipped my mind! My apologies for the lateness, but here's my take...

TITLE: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
AUTHOR: Michelle Hodkin
OWNED by CCLS? On order.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin is a haunting read. Although it's 400+ pages, it is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting to know.... what, how, and really? I was fortunate enough to be able to read an uncorrected proof of this particular novel and it was worth it! Here's the story...

TUOMD is Hodkin's first novel. It is a story (some truth to it possibly??) of a seventeen year old girl named Mara Dyer who wakes up in a hospital bed with no memory of the tragic event that led to the death of her best friend, her boyfriend, and a friend of her BFF. It is this tragedy that causes her whole family to move from Rhode Island to Florida in order to allow Mara to start over. With the help of her lawyer father, her psychologist mother and her two brothers (one older and one younger), will Mara be able to move on and come to grips with the accident that may or may not have been her fault?

Read TUOMD if you're looking for something that is sure to keep you guessing. It's a twisty mystery with suspense, intrigue, romance, murder, and more....

M's Verdict: Whoa...what a story! Although it may be 400+ pages, I guarantee (no money back though;) that you won't be able to put this book down! It's gripping and has such a crazy premise that you will want to know what's coming next. What the description doesn't mention is that Mara seems to have some slight psychological issues that she needs to come to grips with. I definitely see a sequel in Hodkin's future. We'll have to stay posted for that one!

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Clarity / Kim Harrington

TITLE: Clarity

AUTHOR: Kim Harrington

OWNED by CCLS? YES!

Clarity by debut author Kim Harrington is not a book that you're going to want to miss! I read this book a month or so ago and have been waiting for the opportune time to showcase it on the blog. I cannot say enough good things about this novel! Anyhow, just because I love it, doesn't mean you're going to, so read the description below to see if it's something you might like. (May I suggest it for your first summer reading book!! It would be a great beach read!)

Clare Fern, who belongs to a family of psychics, is sixteen and lives in the tourist town of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Unbeknownst to her, she and her family are about to have the summer of their lives. When Clare's brother becomes a suspect in a murder of a teen girl in a local motel, Clare must work with the police detective, her cheating ex-boyfriend, and the new detective's quite hot son to prove that her brother is innocent. Will her gift, which is sometimes unpredictable, be able to help clear her brother's name and keep her safe from the lurking murderer? Check Clarity out if you're looking for a suspenseful novel filled with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing.

M's Verdict: Obviously it's AWESOME! (If you cannot remember why, read above:p) I will definitely be eagerly awaiting Kim Harrington's upcoming novels, including Perception (the sequel to Clarity and expected to be released in March 2012).