Book Review: The Evolution Of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers
Publish Date: October 23rd, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2179-0
Pages: 544
Series: Mara Dyer, #2
Source: Bought

Goodreads Synopsis:

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?

My Review:

The Evolution of Mara Dyer picks up not long after Mara is having her melt down in the police station because she sees someone who should not be there. Mara is put into a hospital and all she's asking is for someone to believe her.

Book 2 definitely did not disappoint. If anything, it made me love the series even more. I loved the first book and was so eager for this one, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait! The characters we all came to love are here, the creepy feeling you got from book 1 is even creepier, and the story just keeps on twisting! 

Mara and Noah have to work together to solve the pieces of why this person keeps showing up and how. They have their work cut out for them, since Mara is supposed to be getting better and always has someone keeping an eye on her. She's got to prove to her parents and the doctors that she is not insane and that's hard when people are showing up and doing things that only you can see.
The romance in book 2 has softened a bit, only because there was so much of it develop in book 1 when Noah and Mara first meet, but it's not completely gone. And the romance we get is hot and steamy! We learn a lot about Noah's past and some of Mara's is revealed and we meet some new characters through Mara's outpatient program. And Jamie, I freaking love his character. He is funny, witty and a great personality in The Evolution.

Michelle Hodkin is a fantastic writer, she's a natural for sure. She nails it, and gets everything right. Except for the cliffhanger at the end of the book?! That was just wrong. To leave us hanging the way we are was just unfair. I actually tweeted right after I finished The Evolution - "The feeling when u finish a great book? U'll never read it 4 the 1st time again,wish u read slower?@MichelleHodkin #TheEvolutionofMaraDyer" That was my initial response (in which Michelle herself replied to!). I was truly disappointed that I had to put the book down for good.

That aside, there is humor in her books, both laugh out loud in the moment and those subtle jokes that make you snicker. The Evolution has it all. I've said before and I'll say it again, Michelle Hodkin is definitely my new favourite author. The fact that she can keep the readers so completely engrossed in her works is just amazing. And there is still so much that we need to answers to but have to wait until The Retribution of Mara Dyer comes out - which cannot come any sooner.