Running from The Past

Shadowlands by Kate Brian

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Songs for this read: Jump into The Fog by The Wombats, Did It Really Even Matter by The Rescues, Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men


Shadowands is the perfect blend of “two” of my favorite authors, Kieran Scott and her infamous pen name Kate Brian. The story, to me, was a mix of the mystery and suspense of The Private series (Brian) with the drama and elite setting of the newer series She’s So Dead to Us (Scott). Little did I know the extra element added in at the end that made this book very, very different.
Shadowlands is the story of Rory Miller, a highschooler who is attacked by her math teacher in the woods one day and miraculously escapes with her life. She soon discovers this man is a serial killer who the FBI have been tracking for over 10 years. And he is not done with Rory. When her safety at home is threatened a second time they are forced to take evasive measures and Rory with her father and sister Darcy, are thrust into the witness protection program.
The Miller family soon arrives at Juniper Landing, a quaint little vacation island, under the new name of the Thayer family. Rory and Darcy are quickly adopted by the carefree and beautiful group of kids on the island. And they all seem to have a special interest in Rory, which causes tension between the sisters. But Rory is standoffish and not ready to trust anyone. Her PTSD is back and she doesn’t know if she can trust her own eyes and ears anymore; that and she keeps have horrible flashbacks to that very vivid nightmare where her math teacher tracks her down and kills her and her family in the woods. All Rory does know is that the more she finds out about her new town, the less things make sense. It’s only when her sister goes missing that Rory gets any answers from her new friends. And even then they are not the ones she ever would have expected.

I love anything Kate Brian and Shadowlands is definitely up towards the top of that list. I have recently discovered I love psychological thrillers and the total mystery that comes from having an unreliable narrator. This revelation was thanks to the amazing Mara Dyer series (which if you haven’t read you simply must, must, MUST) which I really see a lot of in Shadowlands. I like to post-it my books and on more than one occasion I stuck a sticky in reading something like “omg! Like in Mara when…” or “gosh Rory is being just like Mara”. I’m sure to people who have read both you can see how the characters relate, especially with their PTSD. – To those who haven’t read Mara, I think Shadowland is a great kind of training wheels book so to speak, where if you like Shadowlands and can handle the mystery, creep-factor and frustration of it all then you are ready for The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.
But enough about Mara. Shadowlands is an amazing set up to this series. To me that was all it really was, a set up. Even about 200 pages in I was looking at how much I had left to read and remember thinking, I have way too many questions and relatively no answers and nearly enough pages to get anything done. So while this was just a very detailed prologue to me, I am very excited to see where Brian takes it. With the ended her gave us, the possibilities are endless. This is a great read, a new story line for Brian and ultimately unique to YA fiction. Brian is on to something, and it looks like she’s ahead of the curve.

4 ½ stars and a round of applause for Shadowlands

Now I think I need to sit back and process what just happened...




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M.A.D.N.E.S.S.

This would be my follow up to the Evolution of Mara Dyer. I could talk about this book for days. There may be some light *spoilers* if you are very sensitive to that, but nothing huge.
I don't know exactly how I want to set up this post so I'm just winging it. First up just some snippets and pieces that I love way too much not to mention. Mainly I want to point a spotlight on the magnificent, amazing, wonderful brother that is Daniel Dyer. While Noah Shaw is Mr Panty Dropping Grin, Daniel Dyer is the one that would have me as putty in his hands. He is the sweetest person and his love for Mara just melts me. I hate "ruining" things for people but I love this quote of Daniels, so if you don't want to read it don't look at the quote below. But i swear its just the sweetest thing I've ever read.

"I wish she knew that she's really Mom's favorite". . . "I wish Mara knew that I never minded, because she's my favorite too."

I start tearing up every time I read this chapter. So three cheers and some tears for Daniel, my favorite.

Now moving on to my findings and theories. The biggest thing in this sequel is the emphasis Michelle puts on names."There is power in a name," the phrase is repeated throughout the book. So I took the hint and searched the meaning of just about all the names and I must say it paid off. Here is a list of some of the names I found:

• Mara- Demon, Hebrew for bitter
• Amitra (Mara's middle name)- Sanskrit for destroyer of the enemy
• Sarin (Indie Dyer's maiden name)- all i could find on this one is it may be Hindi for "helpful" and that is it also the name of a lethal nerve gas. 
• Noah- Rest, Comfort
• Elliot (Noah's middle name) - "My God is the Lord"
• Simon (Noah's other middle name) - Hebrew for "He has heard" 
• Jamal (Jamie's full name)- Arabic for handsome or beauty 
• Stella- Star
• Benicia (Stella's last name)- Blessed 
• Jude-Praised 
• Lowe- Hebrew for Combined or old French for "young-wolf"
• Phoebe- bright, radiant, pure 
• Daniel- Hebrew for "God is my judge" 
• Joseph- Hebrew for "he will add" or "he will enlarge" 
• Rachel- a lamb; one with purity

So that's what I found, some names I suggest reading into more than others; it's interesting to read the characters with their meanings in mind. You can see how well some things fit such as Noah or Mara Amitra. Some of these meanings I looked up as I was reading this book and I was a little shocked by them when I found them, its so exciting I wrote them all right in the book.
*Mild Spoiler* I Love good symbolism in a story. One of my favorites in Evolution was when Mara and Noah found the other charm, the one just like the one Noah always wears. "They're mirror images," Mara says which set off sparks of thought in my head. Of course they are mirror images because one is Mara's and the other Noah's and while they are one and the same they are each others opposites. Mara destroys and Noah heals, Mara points anger outward, Noah in; Mara is open and thinks magically, Noah is more rigid and comfortable with science. As Michelle puts it "Healer and destroyer, noon and midnight." perfect symbolism.
And that seems to be all I have for today, although I did say I could talk about this for hours so I might be back with more. Until then enjoy my Evolution of Mara Dyer playlist below!!

Prefectly Imperfect

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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?

These books are so beyond unreal. I have never read into every word of a book the way I do these. I marked this book up like it was a notebook. Michelle has little "easter eggs" hidden all over this book which I am determined to get to the bottom to. I might do a whole post on my blog later about some of my finding. This book played heavily on my emotions. I kind of break it up into segments based on the core feeling. It goes from cautious and picks up speed to heart wrenching and takes a stop at the creepy crazy psycho station then we get to the secret part and the avoidance and then a brief moment of acceptance and peace only to be followed by terror and the most gnawing feeling of frustration that makes you want to pull your hair out, you are rewarded for you patience with this uncomfortable feeling with revelation which of course then brings you crashing down to earth at warp speed, stripping you of all prior theories, hopes, or ability to feel joy. The latter side effects could last for hours, days, or months after reading, for Michelle Hodkin has once again left us all holding our breaths.

I will most definitely have more of this review and/or a post of my findings in The Evolution of Mara Dyer, including a playlist, in the very near future on my blog, so be sure to check it out soon!





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Evolutionary

So as some may know the new Mara Dyer book is coming out in just about a wekk and I am FREAKING out!! :) If you have no idea what i am talking about please go educate yourself, google it or better yet scroll down to my review of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. These books blow my mind and I want to share their mind blowing awesomeness with the world, I also really want to win this Mara Swag contest. So for both selfish and altruistic reasons here is the teaser trailer for The Evolution of Mara Dyer on shelves next Tuesday October 23. What a beautiful date.  If video doesn't work here is the link: http://youtu.be/JnJyeDV2gcg