Thursday, August 23, 2012

Book Review - Wake - A Watersong Novel - Amanda Hocking


Wake (Watersong, #1)
Title:    Wake – Watersong Series Book 1

Author:  Amanda Hocking

Review: This is a story about two sisters who have lost their mother(she’s alive but living in a group home.)  The oldest sister has pretty much raised the younger sister Gemma.  They love each other, but the relationship is strained due to their mother’s issues.  You feel for both sisters, the one who wants to be free and the one who wants to be young, but feels responsible for everyone and everything.  I’ve known both of these personality types and they can butt heads more often than not.

The story revolves around three girls who have shown up and the disappearance of some residence of the small seaside town.  Gemma becomes involved with the three and the story goes on from there but I don’t want to ruin it for you.  Romance is in the cards for both girls, even is one is not as willing to embrace it at first.  I really liked the way Gemma’s romance developed and yet her sister’s determination to be responsible made the making of her romance even sweeter.  Alex and Daniel are men I wouldn’t mind getting to know, both different and yet the same where it matters.

Wake kept me turning the pages until the bitter end and now my 12 year old daughter is reading it.  I loved the idea of the water singing to Gemma and the ending left me wanting to get my hands on the next book as soon as possible.  The ending was a bit scary and the idea of Gemma, who is sweet, driven and competitive, being involved with the three strangers is worrisome.  Will she become one of them or will she find a way to be free?  Will her sister help save her or will she be lost forever?  I want to know and think that waiting until November a bit unreasonable.  But what choice do I have?  

If you enjoy paranormal teen romance you will enjoy this book.  If you enjoy Amanda Hocking’s books then this is a must read for you.

Give the Watersong series a try, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Publisher:  Published August 7th 2012 by St.Martin's Press.

Copyright: 2012

Pages:  309

ISBN:    9781250008121

Quick Review: 4 Stars out of 5. 

Where Did I Get the Book:  Purchased at a book signing with the author.

Synopsis:   Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.
Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.
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.
Amanda Hocking 
Author Biography: I live in Minnesota, and I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy mostly. The My Blood Approves series is about vampires in Minneapolis, and its available now. I also wrote the Trylle Trilogy, which is a paranormal romance without vampires, shifters, mermaids, fae, angels, dragons, ghosts, or ninjas.

My latest book is Hollowland - a zombie urban fantasy set in the dystopian near future. It's a bit more violent and gritter than my other books, but there is still romance. Mostly though, Remy kicks a lot of butt.

I also enjoy Red Bull, Jim Henson, Batman, Jane Austen, Star Wars legos, and I absolutely hate long walks on the beach out of my intense fear/hatred of wet sand

My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Alan Moore, and J. D. Salinger, but I don't write anything like them. I have an obsession with River Phoenix, and I've seen Silence of the Lambs more than any other movie, even The Dark Knight. If I were trapped on a deserted island, the one thing I'd take with me would be a boat capable for taking me home.

I'm also the guitarist in a band called the Fraggin Aardvarks, and even though its even twice as cool as it sounds, we haven't had a practice in like two years, so I'm not sure that technically we are still a band. But we never broke up, and it's an awesome thing to tell people, so I'm sticking with it. (We even had a synethesizer!)

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