Wake

Author: Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: August 7, 2012

Format: ARC

Source: For Review

Goodreads Description:

"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."

***

I love Greek mythology, so I was really excited when I read the description for Wake. Sirens have always fascinated me, and I loved reading Hocking’s take on how and why they were created. While I loved the premise and the mythology in Wake, the story just left me wanting something more.

The best part if Wake is definitely the plot. We all know there is something creepy about Penn, Lexi, and Thea from the prologue and everyone in the book knows it too. I loved watching Gemma flirt with danger as she continually goes out for midnight swims, despite the many warnings from everyone around her—but I couldn’t help asking myself “what the hell is she doing?”. I couldn’t relate to Gemma’s behavior at all, but it did make for an interesting story.

Harper, Gemma’s sister, is my favorite character by far. She is very maternal and responsible, and I related to her most (must be a big sister thing). That said Harper did need to learn to take a chill pill, and I liked watching her grow.

While Wake certainly had its positive points, there were two things missing that kept me from loving this story: mystery and romance. Yes, each of the sisters has a love interest. Neither of them sucked me in, however. It just didn’t have enough feeling to it. I don’t believe in their love the way I’d like to—it felt more like a plot point then a genuine love interest. As far as the mystery goes—we know that there are sirens going into the novel. We know that Penn, Lexi, and Thea are bad going into the story. We even know that Gemma develops supernatural qualities going into the story. There is nothing left to be surprised by!

Although Wake is an enjoyable read, it just doesn’t sparkle. The plot is good, the characters are enjoyable, but it really needs some mystery and true romance to liven it up. If you are a Greek mythology fan, Hocking’s take on sirens will make this worth the read. I am hoping that this is one of those series that gets better as it continues and that we will be getting a deeper dive into mythology as the story progresses.

Sound Good? Check Out...
*Click the image for more information