Wake is a breath taking vividly imaginative magical tale of mystery and intrigue. The sweet serene world that Amanda Hocking creates, is delightful to explore filled with memorable characters who possess interesting quirks, sinister sirens who won't take no for an answer, and danger filled excitement. She has penned a wonderful blend of underwater mythology with just the right tinge of paranormal, weaving a beautiful balance of realistic contemporary issues between the two main characters. The plot is chalk full of intense drama and interesting situations that Gemma and Harper both find themselves in. There's wonderful romance and humor sprinkled throughout the novel that make it even more enjoyable and engaging.
Amanda Hocking's wonderfully crafted world building skills are strong, stunning, and will keep readers entranced. She's mixed a beautiful captivating, suspenseful feel to her story by giving an imaginative enthralling nod to Greek mythology, introducing her own original spin giving it a modern edge. It's a world that's rich and dark, full of compelling mystery, and unimaginable secrets. The mysterious girls of summer are fearless, deceptive, and dangerous. Their beauty is the kind most envy, yet they harbor a darker seductive secret of their own that affects the lives of a few of the locals gone missing. They are predators of their own disguise, sirens, that have chosen Gemma to be part of their group whether she wants to or not.
I enjoyed the atmosphere that Amanda Hocking crafted so beautifully, her sparkling descriptions reflecting Gemma's love of water. It made it easier to sink into the world and really enjoy it. Gemma is beautiful and carefree, so full of vibrant life, and tenderly falling in love with the boy next door. So full of sweet earnest vulnerability, she's such a delightful character to get to know. It was a joy to witness the honest relationship that she shares with her sister, Harper.
Harper is more practical than her sister, wonderfully strong and independent caring a great deal about her family. She tackles the role of caretaker, putting them before herself and her own needs, and being incredibly unafraid to stand up for them and unyieldingly loyal. She's made sacrifices for their benefit more than her own and even though she has her moments, she really does have her family's best interests at heart. She wants the best for them and she will stop at nothing to keep them all together and from falling apart. Though it's slow building, it is sweet to watch her start living her life, letting herself have a summer romance with a handsome swoon worthy guy on the docks that usually annoys her, and trying to save her sister's life.
Wake is full of breathless heart pounding action, mystery, and intrigue. It's intensely gripping and will keep readers on the edge of their cliffs, ending with a cliff-hanger that will have them screaming in anticipation for more. It's an epic adventure of love and survival, family loyalty, intermingled with a sprinkling of vibrant Greek mythology, and the ultimate choice of sacrifice. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of mythical under-water-adventures, dark compelling fantasy, and wonderful author's like Elizabeth Fama, Anna Banks, and Anne Greenwood Brown.
