Wake
by Amanda HockingSeries: Watersong #1
Release date: 7th August, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 309 (eARC provided for blog-tour)
Summary from Goodreads:
Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.
Review by Alaiel Kreuz:
The main character, Gemma, loves to swim like no one else, if she could I'm sure she would spend every second of her life inside the water, first because she enjoys it and second because she shares a dream with her coach: to compite in the Olympics.
This summer her times are getting better everyday and her love life is also improving a whole lot... The boy next door, Alex, it's beginning to show feeling towards her. The only problem is that Alex is also Harper's best friend.
And who is Harper? Well, she is Gemma's big sister and right now, something like a mother figure too. Their real mom suffered an accident and although alive she barely remembers her daughters and forgets almost everything after a second...
Dramas aside, both girls and their dad, Brian, try to live with their current situation as best as they can. Harper is a very practical, straightforward and protective of Gemma. In the other hand Gemma is the complete opposite: carefree, a little bit naive and irresponsible at times they love each other but at the same time would like the other to disappear for a day.
Harper's love life is also improving after meeting Daniel -in a very embarrassing way-, a boy that lives in a boat, has no job and is incredible handsome. But Harper being Harper knows that, since she is leaving town in a few months, there's no reason to have a relationship now.
Their peaceful town turns upside down when a group of beautiful girls arrive and a handful of disappearances happen one after the other. Now every time Gemma sees them a feeling of danger lures her body completely.
Personal opinion:
This book was certainly a very refreshing read for this summer. While were I live the temperature keeps rising I enjoyed every second that Gemma was swimming at the bay or the pool... every time she did I wished I could join her right away!
Gemma and Harper personalities were, at some points, a little bit annoying... Gemma because she does things that are not very clever and Harper because she is very, very protective.
Saying that their personalities complemented each other and, in the end, were really funny and real.
My favorite character was, of course, Daniel. He is just the type of guy that I would love to have as a friend, very easygoing, funny, clever and a good listener. His relationship with Harper, that evolves little by little trough the book, is what I liked the most.
There is only one thing I didn't like that much: the changes between different POV. Amanda, while describing some scenes would change the POV from one line to the other and I had a difficult time following these changes. Hopefully, the final version will improve this.
As for the plot it's good but not amazing. Sometimes predictable the story is enjoyable and the end, I'm sure, will leave you wanting more pages to appear magically.
Alaiel's Rating:
US only this time (sorry international people!!!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for the giveaway. Wish you were giving away Daniel. He sounds so sweet. :D
ReplyDelete@TayteH: I'm not sure I would give him away... I think I would keep him for myself xD
ReplyDeleteBut he truly is my favorite one ;)
Us only. Uh. Okay T.T
ReplyDeleteI pressed return before finishing to type my facebook name - Christina Rita Condomaros
ReplyDeleteSorry and thanks so much:)
I have tried to win this book in several different giveaways so maybe i will get lucky in htis one lol Thanks for the giveaway
ReplyDeletecrystalc23@yahoo.com
So.... I need to meet Daniel ASAP?!?! Win!
ReplyDeleteSounds very interesting! Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI work at B&N sooo..I need to look it up soon!
p.s. I like happy-go-lucky characters that are perhaps...a bit irresponsible...after all, life will take to make them grow up well enough...eventually ;)
I have been thinking about jumping on the Amanda Hocking train for a while now, but I am seriously hesitant. I have heard so many not so great things about her books from reviewers that I trust the most, and that makes me very wary! Very! I have been thinking about starting with Wake since I heard about it though. I have had serious problems finding a mermaid book that I like, so I figure that if Wake isn't that good I will just chalk it up to mermaids, and not Hocking, and then I can try another! THanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any paranormal books yet but Hockings' Watersong series looks like a good place to start. The covers are really pretty.
I do enjoy books where the author writes from the different characters' POV. A couple of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult & Emily Giffin, write in this style. But the POV's change by chapter. I can imagine it would be difficult and confusing if POV changes by line and I'm somewhat wary.