Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #2) by Michelle Hodkin

Release Date: October 23, 2012 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: YA 15+
Genre/s: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
Pages: 544

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.

Mara Dyer is back- this time, even stronger and better! The Evolution of Mara Dyer is everything Unbecoming is and more. Noah is back (calm yo titties ladies!), and if you can believe it, even hotter! The plot is creepier and way more twisted than ever before, and the action and number of scenes where you want to punch something is, like, every other page. I should probably aim to write a proper, sophisticated review, but my heart is going crazy with a hundred different emotions right now (predominantly fear), and all my head can process is Noah.

Evolution starts where Unbecoming left off; after that preposterous cliff-hanger that made me want to send a very strongly-worded email to Hodkin. As per usual, Mara is in a hospital. And she doesn't remember how she got there. Sound familiar? I though so too at first, but then things started getting really weird. And uncomfortable. And I kinda started flipping out, with Mara right beside me. Mara is convinced Jude is alive, but the only problem is that no one else seems to believe her, except Noah. Mara's also started having some pretty creepy dreams, and to add to that, she constantly feels like she's being followed. Together, her and Noah set off to try to discover the source of whatever's going on. 

Honestly, thank GOD Noah was there. Mara was really annoying at times! She would just blank out and end up in the hospital, or in a café when she was in her bedroom just seconds ago, and have no clue how. 

The 'villain' in this book, Jude, is a terrifying, gut-wrenching creature. He's what nightmares are made of, and from now on, I strongly suspect he's going to occupy the majority of mine. Before going in, I was convinced that Noah would be able to fix all the bad and strange going-ons, but halfway throughout Evolution, I started having my doubts. Noah may be perfect, but even he couldn't predict what a warped, sick-minded psychopath like Jude would do next.

Oh God, Noah. You know that feeling when you're in the school bus and a love song comes on, and you think of that special someone, that guy/girl who makes your palms sweat and toes tingle? You know when it happens to be a fictional character? Err, well, probably not. But that's what happened to me! I can't remember the last time I was so besotted with a guy (fictional and otherwise). Noah is just so frustratingly perfect! Not that I'm complaining, of course, but honestly, not even one itty bitty flaw? *rips hair out*

The sexual tension and chemistry between Mara and Noah was so hot, so scorching, I was afraid my book would light on fire! Even when they were having problems, they wanted to jump each other's bones. I mean, seriously! Hodkin, there better be someone like Noah out there, or I'm going to blame you for my ridiculously high expectations of what a guy should be (aka NOAH.) 

If I thought the Unbecoming's ending was a cliff-hanger, Evolution showed me. Boy, did it show me. All I can say is, keep a box of tissues handy. And don't turn the lights off.

If you like this, try:

The Pledge (The Pledge, #1) by Kimberly Derting

Hunting Lila (Lila #1) by Sarah Alderson 

Impossible by Nancy Werlin