Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Title: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 

Release Date: April 16th, 2013

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Drama

Medium: Paperback, bought

I was slightly skeptical coming into the Wake series and the world of Amanda Hocking. I had never read any of her work before, or any books about mermaids or sirens, so this was a pleasant surprise for me! 

I really enjoyed Wake. The plot was actually very nice. It centers around a girl who finds herself naturally attracted to water. When taken in one night by three beautiful girls, she is forced to become one of them. She soon finds herself turning into one of them, only to make the choice: either become a siren and use your beauty and voice to entice men, only to kill people to sustain yourself, or refuse not to become one, and have to die. The plot was very thought out and pleasing, giving me everything I wanted and a few plot twists mingled in. In showed what happens when your are forced to make desperate decisions involving the ones you love. With underlying plot ties of family, friendship, budding romance and heartbreak, all within an nice plot. Very good.

The characters were very interesting as well. Gemma was a strong, independent character that reminded me much of myself. She was mature and thought of her family and friends before herself, and was determined to do what was best for them. Harper on the other hand, kind of got on my nerves. She's was overpowering, bossy, and annoying. Of course, she acts this way to help fill in for the position of Gemma's mother, but still. Daniel instantly caught my eyes, and I say, I'm already excited to see more of him in the series (ecspecially since I saw a depiction of him on the cover of Tidal, a sequel to Wake) and I must also say that Alex's sexy nerdy character also interests me. I can't wait to see what happens to the characters as the series progresses.

The writing was also very good. Lacking a little, but still good. Interesting and original, it was about an unusual topic, while still keeping it believable. It was easy to read and the writing was flowing, smooth, and hard to stop reading. There were very few times in which I could actually stop reading. It was that good. It wasn't the best novel I have ever read, but it definitely isn't the worst. This series is sure to be one of my favorites, and I cannot wait to get ahold of the sequel. Overall, this is an original series with a flair for mythology, showcasing both the beauty and ugly of an old myth. With interesting characters and smooth writing and a good plot line, this series is perfect for anyone wishing for an escape from reality.