(It’s half term! A whole week to revise two really chunky units of Biology and Chemistry! Fun!)
Aside from the supernatural and dystopian fiction, another sort-of trend I’m seeing on bookshelves are new start/past life mystery/memories – themed fiction, which sometimes go hand in hand with the other two. I might class Quicksilver (R J Anderson), Fallen (by Lauren Kate, and which I have not read but the blurb hints at this kind of plotline) and Slated (by ___, and on my reading list) in this category.
Anyway, ‘The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer’ by Michelle Hodkin can be safely classified under this subgenre, I think.
The protagonist, Mara, is a survivor of an accident that killed her best friend, boyfriend, and boyfriend’s sister. She doesn’t remember what happened whatsoever, and has started anew with her family in Florida, where she goes to a new school and meets an astonishingly beautiful infuriating bad boy… you get the idea.
I like Mara. I don’t like this boy.
I sped through the first half during lunch breaks in between revision sessions, and despite my skepticism of the realism of Noah Shaw, TUoMD proved hard to put down.

After finishing the book, I remain cautious of Noah Shaw, but the plot line is enough to propel me forth. In fact, I love this plot! It’s a comfortable, yet unnerving ride with the occasional twist hinted at, making me go ‘ooh!’
Bring on the second book.
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