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The Shaw Confessions #1
The Becoming of Noah Shaw
In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.
Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.
They’re wrong.
Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.
He shouldn’t.
And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.
They’re right.
Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.
They’re wrong.
Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.
He shouldn’t.
And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.
They’re right.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2017
448 people are currently reading
25.9k people want to read
About the author
Michelle Hodkin
15books12.4kfollowersMichelle Hodkin is the author of the Mara Dyer Trilogy, which was a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling series. The trilogy, which includes The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, and The Retribution of Mara Dyer, was described as “haunting and dreamlike� by Cassandra Clare and “darkly funny, deliciously creepy, and genuinely thoughtful� by Veronica Roth. Lev Grossman has called Hodkin “One of the greatest talents in Young Adult fiction.� The novels were praised by Romantic Times, MTV’s Hollywood Crush, and the Los Angeles Times, and books from the series appeared on several state reading lists. Additionally, The Retribution of Mara Dyer was selected as one of TIME.com’s Top 10 YA Books of 2014. Hodkin grew up in Florida, went to college in New York, and studied law in Michigan, before finally settling in Brooklyn last year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,367 reviews
October 22, 2017
The Short
Actual rating: 2.25* (yes I'm getting very specific here)
Trigger warning: self harm, suicide
Writing: 3 stars
Characters: 2.5 stars
Plot: 1 star
Originality: 2 stars
(All out of 5 stars)
The Long
Writing: the writing of this was on par with the Mara Dyer trilogy. I really enjoyed the first two books of that trilogy but then, the third was a disappointment. As such, going into this I was apprehensive. Reading from Noah Shaw's perspective was just as I'd expected it to be. Snarky and sarcastic as he is, it came through in this story. However there were a lot of instances where showing vs. telling was an issue for me. Before speaking it would say like exactly what he was doing in the most simplistic terms. I felt like there was a better way to show that rather than saying it in plain terms. Maybe that's just me, but I found it off putting. (Also keep in mind I read an ARC so that could be rectified in the final version). I do find that her books have a way of keeping me reading though. They definitely go by quickly.
I hated how there were some cheap lame jokes in here that just made me uncomfortable. I will not specify what just because I read an ARC and it may be edited out, so once I compare the two I will share.
Characters: the characters were just as they were in Mara Dyer. However I felt we didn't get to see a lot of any characters apart from Noah. He was definitely developed, but everyone else just kind of faded into the background.
Plot: the plot is where my biggest issues with this story lie. N o t h i n g h a p p e n e d. I kept waiting and waiting for the story to start and to figure out what it was about but it felt like it never really started. Not until the last 20ish pages. The plot twist at the end surprised me to a certain extent but I felt like it was an odd twist as there were so many hints scattered throughout.
I watched someone else's review where they had read this book (I believe it was BooksandLala but I don't remember entirely) and they mentioned it read like fan fiction and once that was in my head I couldn't stop seeing it (which is why I generally try and avoid reviews before reading a book). I felt like it was trying so hard to be a sexy, dark mystery story but the plot has moved more into the realm of scifi dystopia, so that kind of failed.
Overall: this was an okay start to the series. I probably will continue just out of curiousity but I wasn't thrilled with this. There was just a lot of inaction where I expected action, so that was a bit of a disappointment.
Note: you should read the Mara Dyer books before this series, as eves from the previous trilogy are constantly referred to in this book.
*I received an ARC from Chapters Indigo, the bookstore I am an employee of. Thank you to them!*
Actual rating: 2.25* (yes I'm getting very specific here)
Trigger warning: self harm, suicide
Writing: 3 stars
Characters: 2.5 stars
Plot: 1 star
Originality: 2 stars
(All out of 5 stars)
The Long
Writing: the writing of this was on par with the Mara Dyer trilogy. I really enjoyed the first two books of that trilogy but then, the third was a disappointment. As such, going into this I was apprehensive. Reading from Noah Shaw's perspective was just as I'd expected it to be. Snarky and sarcastic as he is, it came through in this story. However there were a lot of instances where showing vs. telling was an issue for me. Before speaking it would say like exactly what he was doing in the most simplistic terms. I felt like there was a better way to show that rather than saying it in plain terms. Maybe that's just me, but I found it off putting. (Also keep in mind I read an ARC so that could be rectified in the final version). I do find that her books have a way of keeping me reading though. They definitely go by quickly.
I hated how there were some cheap lame jokes in here that just made me uncomfortable. I will not specify what just because I read an ARC and it may be edited out, so once I compare the two I will share.
Characters: the characters were just as they were in Mara Dyer. However I felt we didn't get to see a lot of any characters apart from Noah. He was definitely developed, but everyone else just kind of faded into the background.
Plot: the plot is where my biggest issues with this story lie. N o t h i n g h a p p e n e d. I kept waiting and waiting for the story to start and to figure out what it was about but it felt like it never really started. Not until the last 20ish pages. The plot twist at the end surprised me to a certain extent but I felt like it was an odd twist as there were so many hints scattered throughout.
I watched someone else's review where they had read this book (I believe it was BooksandLala but I don't remember entirely) and they mentioned it read like fan fiction and once that was in my head I couldn't stop seeing it (which is why I generally try and avoid reviews before reading a book). I felt like it was trying so hard to be a sexy, dark mystery story but the plot has moved more into the realm of scifi dystopia, so that kind of failed.
Overall: this was an okay start to the series. I probably will continue just out of curiousity but I wasn't thrilled with this. There was just a lot of inaction where I expected action, so that was a bit of a disappointment.
Note: you should read the Mara Dyer books before this series, as eves from the previous trilogy are constantly referred to in this book.
*I received an ARC from Chapters Indigo, the bookstore I am an employee of. Thank you to them!*
Want to read
July 31, 2015I AM BEYOND EXCITED I WILL READ ANYTHING THAT MICHELLE WRITES BC SHE CREATED MY BABY NOAH ELLIOT SIMON SHAW
September 28, 2017
uh...so, yeah...
Want to read
October 4, 2020To be honest, I am not sure how this will go. I loved Mara series. I have to hope this won't ruin it for me. And I am terrified to read this. What if it ruins Mara series for me for good?
And while I'm struggling to decide whether I should read this or not, I already own a hard copy of this and the second book.
Which is another reminder that I need to re-read Mara! The best series.
And while I'm struggling to decide whether I should read this or not, I already own a hard copy of this and the second book.
Which is another reminder that I need to re-read Mara! The best series.
October 23, 2018
10/22/18: I stand by my previous review. I still don’t have words. I’m still speechless at the ending and it was still one hell of a roller coaster.
I don’t know if I’ll survive the next book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6/27/17: Holy shit, I don't have words for this.
Being in Noah's head is exactly what I expected. He's smart and rude and shamelessly loves Mara and I was maniacally gleeful as I read every word on every page.
It was one hell of a roller coaster I should have been prepared for, but was still stunned speechless when I got to the end.
Yes, this review is vague af, but I wouldn't dream of ruining one single page.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for providing the arc free of charge.**
I don’t know if I’ll survive the next book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6/27/17: Holy shit, I don't have words for this.
Being in Noah's head is exactly what I expected. He's smart and rude and shamelessly loves Mara and I was maniacally gleeful as I read every word on every page.
It was one hell of a roller coaster I should have been prepared for, but was still stunned speechless when I got to the end.
Yes, this review is vague af, but I wouldn't dream of ruining one single page.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for providing the arc free of charge.**
Read
January 20, 2017I DO NOT CARE WHEN THIS BOOK TAKES PLACE
I AM NOT READING IT!!
NO! HELL NO! NAW! NON! NU! NEE! NOPE!
NAHI! NAH-UH! NIE! NET! TIDAK! NEIN!
F. . . . U . . . . C . . . . K . . . . N . . . . O
(yes, i used google translate)
Why are all authors doing this?! I am so fucking over this.
Here is another unpopular opinion.
I never liked Noah Shaw,
nor do i give a shit about Mara Dyer.
The first book had potential, that was till Noah showed up.
After that:
You say what? Mara has a problem?
Worry not. Noah is there with his daddy's money to save the day!
That was pretty much it.
Now we get to see all of that from his POV!
Aren't we lucky?! How am i going to wait this long?
I AM NOT READING IT!!
NO! HELL NO! NAW! NON! NU! NEE! NOPE!
NAHI! NAH-UH! NIE! NET! TIDAK! NEIN!
F. . . . U . . . . C . . . . K . . . . N . . . . O
(yes, i used google translate)
Why are all authors doing this?! I am so fucking over this.
Here is another unpopular opinion.
I never liked Noah Shaw,
nor do i give a shit about Mara Dyer.
The first book had potential, that was till Noah showed up.
After that:
You say what? Mara has a problem?
Worry not. Noah is there with his daddy's money to save the day!
That was pretty much it.
Now we get to see all of that from his POV!
Aren't we lucky?! How am i going to wait this long?
November 27, 2023
——Must read The Mara Dyer trilogy BEFORE The Becoming of Noah Shaw—�
There’s so much time, endless time, and I stand here in the centre of it with my dick in my hand, completely clueless
***Still 5 stars in 2018 (re-read)!! Also edited original review and removed the excessive profanity *cringe* I was so naughty in 2017, apologies***
I don’t get all the dislike here because, to me, this is bloody brilliant!
I want to personally thank you, Michelle Hodkin, for being one of the only YA authors who writes THE type of YA I am on an endless quest to find! You have fulfilled me! Noah Shaw has satiated me again, as he did in the Mara Dyer trilogy. Michelle, you are an auto-buy-hardcover author for me for sure! Kudos!
I had the time of my life getting to be inside Noah Shaw’s head! And Michelle did his British-ness (monologue, dialogue, slang, mannerisms, he was so perfectly English, I was in heaven!) spot on!
I was very pleased by that because I hate it when American authors don’t do their research and botch up a Brit in their books.
*swoon moment*......British boys..........mmmm
Anyway The Becoming of Noah was one of my most anticipated new releases of 2017. And it was worth the wait. I was not let down. I was thrilled.
And pleasantly surprised that this takes place pretty much immediately following The Mara Dyer trilogy. I was expecting this to be about Noah’s dirty past. But not disappointed to find that it’s about his dirty present *heart eyes*
Fast paced, deeply interesting, we get some lovely character building on Mr-Dark-and-Brooding-Rich-Boy, we even got to join him on his home turf in the drizzly and gray United Kingdom*more heart eyes*
(Which reminds me, Noah Shaw had Tea (as in like a proper tea time, if you don’t get the context), by his own little British self, in his own little (not so little) flat! Like how freaking adorable??!)
We get a nice introduction of new characters; including an old friend of Noah’s, called Goose, who I greatly enjoyed.
We get some adventure (fun!), some swoony bits (yum), and some danger. And the plot just delves into a whole new level of the drama we saw in the trilogy.
But most importantly we get some lovely-smutty-freaking-omg-hotness. Did Noah just�? He really just did THAT?!! Damn, Mara....And he’s kinda kinky. And I think I died. And I love him even more.
That mouth.
That filthy British mouth of his.
Can he come to life? Please?? Can this become a show???I need to hear him talk. I need to see him smoking a cigarette, leaning up against a wall, I need to see him in that hot opening scene with Mara...
And I almost forgot, that cliff hanger??? Yes please, where’s the next book please?!!!
Image aesthetic by @kazzbrekkers tumblr
There’s so much time, endless time, and I stand here in the centre of it with my dick in my hand, completely clueless
***Still 5 stars in 2018 (re-read)!! Also edited original review and removed the excessive profanity *cringe* I was so naughty in 2017, apologies***
I don’t get all the dislike here because, to me, this is bloody brilliant!
I want to personally thank you, Michelle Hodkin, for being one of the only YA authors who writes THE type of YA I am on an endless quest to find! You have fulfilled me! Noah Shaw has satiated me again, as he did in the Mara Dyer trilogy. Michelle, you are an auto-buy-hardcover author for me for sure! Kudos!
I had the time of my life getting to be inside Noah Shaw’s head! And Michelle did his British-ness (monologue, dialogue, slang, mannerisms, he was so perfectly English, I was in heaven!) spot on!
I was very pleased by that because I hate it when American authors don’t do their research and botch up a Brit in their books.
*swoon moment*......British boys..........mmmm
Anyway The Becoming of Noah was one of my most anticipated new releases of 2017. And it was worth the wait. I was not let down. I was thrilled.
And pleasantly surprised that this takes place pretty much immediately following The Mara Dyer trilogy. I was expecting this to be about Noah’s dirty past. But not disappointed to find that it’s about his dirty present *heart eyes*
Fast paced, deeply interesting, we get some lovely character building on Mr-Dark-and-Brooding-Rich-Boy, we even got to join him on his home turf in the drizzly and gray United Kingdom*more heart eyes*
(Which reminds me, Noah Shaw had Tea (as in like a proper tea time, if you don’t get the context), by his own little British self, in his own little (not so little) flat! Like how freaking adorable??!)
We get a nice introduction of new characters; including an old friend of Noah’s, called Goose, who I greatly enjoyed.
We get some adventure (fun!), some swoony bits (yum), and some danger. And the plot just delves into a whole new level of the drama we saw in the trilogy.
But most importantly we get some lovely-smutty-freaking-omg-hotness. Did Noah just�? He really just did THAT?!! Damn, Mara....And he’s kinda kinky. And I think I died. And I love him even more.
That mouth.
That filthy British mouth of his.
Can he come to life? Please?? Can this become a show???I need to hear him talk. I need to see him smoking a cigarette, leaning up against a wall, I need to see him in that hot opening scene with Mara...
And I almost forgot, that cliff hanger??? Yes please, where’s the next book please?!!!
Image aesthetic by @kazzbrekkers tumblr
November 22, 2017
major TW: suicide, depression, self-harm (seriously, do NOT read this book if suicide attempts & discussion thereof makes you uncomfortable)
2.5 stars
honestly just love yourself and pretend that mara dyer was a duology. i majorly hyped myself up for this because it was revisiting characters i havent seen since i was 16 and redelving into their world and conflicts. And there were things I liked about it like the setting in New York City. From subway rides to top floor apartments to just the busy atmosphere, it was everything I wanted it to be. But there was more that I didn’t enjoy.
I just can’t get over my feeling that I don’t think this continuation is necessary. And if it is, it definitely wasn’t meant for Noah. Mara is such an interesting, morally ambiguous character. Jamie completes me, I love him so much. Noah’s perspective could be so bland and so inundated with pessimism that it was a hassle after a while. I craved some vulnerability from him. A lighthearted break from his constant clouded thoughts. Where was book 2 Noah Shaw with the sass and declarations of love and a will to live? It’s just so strange to see him suddenly suffering because it's SUCH a random downgrade from where he was in earlier books?
Noah’s inner turmoil is so shocking to read about, though. From Mara’s perspective and from Retribution we learned a lot about him, but his thought processes and pessimism and mental illness in this book were so apparent that it was almost painful to read at times. Definite major trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and nihilism. Noah just ignored his suicidal thoughts though and was like “what am i supposed to do if I don’t want to live?� and i just want to be like …� there’s medicine. therapists. other stuff. It just seemed so tacky and fake edgy for none of those solutions to be mentioned, and almost damaging to not imply why he wouldn’t want to get help for himself.
I was careful to keep an eye out for mental health rep, since this series deals a lot with suicide attempts, self-harm, depression, and other dark topics. Mental health rep in paranormal/urban fantasy books is so rare so I'm grateful for Hodkin attempting this..... but it probably will do more damage than help anything. There were a couple of lines that made me wary. Particularly, one time Noah tells Mara, “You’re my favorite method of self-harm,� and I know Mara & Noah’s powers may provide some context to this that doesn’t mean actual self-harm, but it was still a really disturbing line.
This book’s plot is so strange because it focuses so much on the abstract. We meet new characters and old characters come back, but I don’t remember anything from book 3 and that’s what all of this is built on. In addition to that, all of the conflict is happening around them or to other people and they’re just in the middle of it like “huh, i wonder what’s wrong.� It was really slow and irritating because they weren’t actually being affected by anything, but they also weren’t doing anything to solve it, either.
I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, but my least favorite trope in books is using miscommunication as a plot point. And Noah is CONSTANTLY lying and keeping secrets from Mara, and vise versa. I hated it. We just went through an entire trilogy of their bonding and relationship, just for them to end up here. I was exasperated so much by this and quite frankly, this book felt like a slap in the face. I should have known the direction it would turn based off the POV alone. But i’m so disappointed that after 3 books of character building, everything was just slam dunked in a trash can.
When this book was good, it was great. Hilarious. Intriguing. But when it was bad, it was bad. Confusing. Problematic. A forced edginess. I’ve had difficulty recommending this series after The Retribution of Mara Dyer wasn’t that great, and this just stirred up my feelings even more. I’ll probably finish out this trilogy to see where it goes, but I think Hodkin bit off more than she can chew because these books just keep spiraling into more and more confusion with an increasing number of plot holes...
2.5 stars
honestly just love yourself and pretend that mara dyer was a duology. i majorly hyped myself up for this because it was revisiting characters i havent seen since i was 16 and redelving into their world and conflicts. And there were things I liked about it like the setting in New York City. From subway rides to top floor apartments to just the busy atmosphere, it was everything I wanted it to be. But there was more that I didn’t enjoy.
I just can’t get over my feeling that I don’t think this continuation is necessary. And if it is, it definitely wasn’t meant for Noah. Mara is such an interesting, morally ambiguous character. Jamie completes me, I love him so much. Noah’s perspective could be so bland and so inundated with pessimism that it was a hassle after a while. I craved some vulnerability from him. A lighthearted break from his constant clouded thoughts. Where was book 2 Noah Shaw with the sass and declarations of love and a will to live? It’s just so strange to see him suddenly suffering because it's SUCH a random downgrade from where he was in earlier books?
Noah’s inner turmoil is so shocking to read about, though. From Mara’s perspective and from Retribution we learned a lot about him, but his thought processes and pessimism and mental illness in this book were so apparent that it was almost painful to read at times. Definite major trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and nihilism. Noah just ignored his suicidal thoughts though and was like “what am i supposed to do if I don’t want to live?� and i just want to be like …� there’s medicine. therapists. other stuff. It just seemed so tacky and fake edgy for none of those solutions to be mentioned, and almost damaging to not imply why he wouldn’t want to get help for himself.
I was careful to keep an eye out for mental health rep, since this series deals a lot with suicide attempts, self-harm, depression, and other dark topics. Mental health rep in paranormal/urban fantasy books is so rare so I'm grateful for Hodkin attempting this..... but it probably will do more damage than help anything. There were a couple of lines that made me wary. Particularly, one time Noah tells Mara, “You’re my favorite method of self-harm,� and I know Mara & Noah’s powers may provide some context to this that doesn’t mean actual self-harm, but it was still a really disturbing line.
This book’s plot is so strange because it focuses so much on the abstract. We meet new characters and old characters come back, but I don’t remember anything from book 3 and that’s what all of this is built on. In addition to that, all of the conflict is happening around them or to other people and they’re just in the middle of it like “huh, i wonder what’s wrong.� It was really slow and irritating because they weren’t actually being affected by anything, but they also weren’t doing anything to solve it, either.
I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, but my least favorite trope in books is using miscommunication as a plot point. And Noah is CONSTANTLY lying and keeping secrets from Mara, and vise versa. I hated it. We just went through an entire trilogy of their bonding and relationship, just for them to end up here. I was exasperated so much by this and quite frankly, this book felt like a slap in the face. I should have known the direction it would turn based off the POV alone. But i’m so disappointed that after 3 books of character building, everything was just slam dunked in a trash can.
When this book was good, it was great. Hilarious. Intriguing. But when it was bad, it was bad. Confusing. Problematic. A forced edginess. I’ve had difficulty recommending this series after The Retribution of Mara Dyer wasn’t that great, and this just stirred up my feelings even more. I’ll probably finish out this trilogy to see where it goes, but I think Hodkin bit off more than she can chew because these books just keep spiraling into more and more confusion with an increasing number of plot holes...
October 12, 2017
Full review: October 12, 2017
May contain spoilers for Mara Dyer Trilogy.
My heart aches. Even after finishing reading this book for weeks, I still feel a pang in my heart when recalling the story.
To begin with, The Becoming of Noah Shaw was told completely from Noah’s POV and we got to view the whole story from his perspective, which was quite refreshing for me. Since this was a spin-off series for , the story picked up shortly after the end of and continued Noah and Mara’s journey to further explore their supernatural gifts (Noah’s healing and Mara’s killing abilities). Surprisingly, it turned out that they weren’t the only ones who had those superhuman powers; during the exploration—and by “exploration,� it was more accurate to say Noah’s peripheral vision/telepathy/connection with someone who was dying—they met new Carriers (a.k.a. the Gifted) and discovered some shocking news.
What tantalized me most was the fact that EVERY ONE of the character kept a dark, unspeakable secret; some of them got to spill it when the time comes while some of them didn’t have the chance to reveal it before they died unexpectedly. Speaking of secrets, I was actually relieved when Noah started reconsidering his role in his relationship with Mara because ever since the beginning of Mara Dyer Trilogy, Mara had always been the one taming Noah as if he were a wild beast and he had always been the one doing whatever she said without hesitation.
I wasn’t saying that they should be equals in a relationship; I just thought mutual trust was indispensable for a couple.
Well, my heart broke a little—the key word here is A LITTLE—when I read this part since I’d always had a feeling that their relationship wouldn’t work the way they used to be. At least not in a healthy way. Hence that was why I sort of hoped that we’d get to see more of their romance from Noah’s viewpoint. But again, the harsh truth in the story wasn’t something I’d like to align myself with.
Apparently, The Becoming of Noah Shaw wasn’t exactly the same story as Noah’s version of Mara Dyer Trilogy; beside our beloved old characters from MDT, the author introduced new characters such as Noah’s Westminster Plaything, Goose, and other Gifted. The protagonists as well as the character development were my top favorites in this book. I loved how easily I could picture hanging around with Noah, Mara, Jamie, Daniel, Sophie and Goose; they were such cool people I normally wouldn’t approach in reality. Or how little effort I needed to make to realize these guys weren’t as innocent as they appeared to be.
The first thought came to mind when I somehow reached the last page of the book was that I didn’t even know how or why this book had ended. I couldn’t remember flipping the pages or absorbing anything from this story at all. All I could recall was the fact that nothing seemed to have happened in the entire book but in the meanwhile, everything and anything had happened, if that made sense. There was an overwhelming emptiness in my heart that was totally beyond my comprehension. I kid you not, this bookwas pure madness that left me utterly speechless and emotionless in the end. You see, is undoubtedly an extraordinarily talented writer; her Mara Dyer Trilogy and The Becoming of Noah Shaw were proofs of her unfathomable depth of originality (and the level of creepiness in the stories). Seriously, there’s no way I’d ever get bored of her books.
Lastly, I’d like to talk about a slight problem some readers faced when reading this book and it was that they found it hard to remember what actually happened in the Mara Dyer Trilogy. Honestly, (as much as I hated to admit this) I felt the same way sometimes while reading it. Although the author had been nice enough to cite specific paragraphs/dialogues/scenes from one of the books in the trilogy just to ensure we were with her, there were still many details from MDT that I couldn’t recollect. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t reread the trilogy since I last finished reading it years ago and now I had trouble recalling everything from it. *SHAME ON ME!*
Thankfully, my poor memory of the Mara Dyer Trilogy was the only shame I felt when reading The Becoming of Noah Shaw. Aside from that, everything was quite amazing as I expected. Well, not 100% satisfying, though, since there was obviously a cliffhanger (along with a scary and shocking ending) so I couldn’t wait for the sequels now! I mean, I cared about Noah and Mara’s love life, or LIFE in general (considering how many deaths there were in this book�) but all I knew for certain now was that nothing will be certain anymore.
Besides, The Becoming of Noah Shaw gave me a Halloween-like spooky feeling because of all the resurrected people (I didn’t know why, but I’d assumed those characters were deceased long time ago since they made little to none appearance in the Mara Dyer Trilogy). Anyway, The Becoming of Noah Shaw did indeed answer some questions from the previous trilogy but it also left us with even more unsolved problems. On top of that, what I wanted, no, NEEDED to find out was: WHO THE HELL WAS MARA DYER????? Or WAS THERE SOMEONE ELSE BEHIND THE SCENE THAT WE WEREN’T AWARE OF?????
Okay, I’d better wrap this lengthy review up ASAP just in case I started rambling nonsense. Last but not least, I, of course, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED The Becoming of Noah Shaw to everyone who loved the Mara Dyer Trilogy because how could you not!!?? For those who haven’t read the Mara Dyer Trilogy, I strongly suggest you read it soon! It’s going to be a perfect fit for the upcoming Halloween. Also, since The Shaw Confessions is a spin-off series of MDT, I think it’s better if you read the trilogy first before diving into this one! All in all, The Becoming of Noah Shaw is an incredibly fascinating read for me, just like the MDT!
*whispering* Pssst, one of my favorite chapters is quite familiar to me because I think I’ve read it somewhere on the author’s . Just saying! *shhh*
***Huge thanks to the lovely Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.***
Half review: October 1, 2017
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I don't even know how I've reached the end of this book already?!! I mean, the story is like a blur for me after I'm finished. What's worse, it leaves me breathless and speechless and emotionless.
***A more coherent review to come.***
Update: August 10, 2017
Ahhhhh!!! I can't imagine having to wait for another 90 days......
I've been searching frantically for more information about this book recently and here are what I've found so far:
Do you know there's an held by the author for a chance to win 1 of 4 early copies? I desperately want to enter but it's quite challenging for me since I'm terrible at creating art. So GOOD LUCK to those who'd like to join!
Last but definitely not least, here's a new teaser/snippet from the author's website:
Anyway, I'm dying.
May contain spoilers for Mara Dyer Trilogy.
I don’t quit the game. I’ll destroy the fucking board.
My heart aches. Even after finishing reading this book for weeks, I still feel a pang in my heart when recalling the story.
To begin with, The Becoming of Noah Shaw was told completely from Noah’s POV and we got to view the whole story from his perspective, which was quite refreshing for me. Since this was a spin-off series for , the story picked up shortly after the end of and continued Noah and Mara’s journey to further explore their supernatural gifts (Noah’s healing and Mara’s killing abilities). Surprisingly, it turned out that they weren’t the only ones who had those superhuman powers; during the exploration—and by “exploration,� it was more accurate to say Noah’s peripheral vision/telepathy/connection with someone who was dying—they met new Carriers (a.k.a. the Gifted) and discovered some shocking news.
What tantalized me most was the fact that EVERY ONE of the character kept a dark, unspeakable secret; some of them got to spill it when the time comes while some of them didn’t have the chance to reveal it before they died unexpectedly. Speaking of secrets, I was actually relieved when Noah started reconsidering his role in his relationship with Mara because ever since the beginning of Mara Dyer Trilogy, Mara had always been the one taming Noah as if he were a wild beast and he had always been the one doing whatever she said without hesitation.
”If Mara were missing,� I say, “and someone told me that cutting off my limbs might help me find her? I’d be fucking limbless, mate.�
I wasn’t saying that they should be equals in a relationship; I just thought mutual trust was indispensable for a couple.
You can’t keep a secret from the person you love and expect it not to change him, too. She doesn’t trust me with something, which makes me distrust her, and that makes our hands miss each other when we pass something over the table. It makes my mouth just miss hers when I lean to kiss her lips and end up with cheek instead.
Well, my heart broke a little—the key word here is A LITTLE—when I read this part since I’d always had a feeling that their relationship wouldn’t work the way they used to be. At least not in a healthy way. Hence that was why I sort of hoped that we’d get to see more of their romance from Noah’s viewpoint. But again, the harsh truth in the story wasn’t something I’d like to align myself with.
I turn her face toward me. I open my fist. The cut is deep, still open, but not bleeding. “Look. No scar.�
There is, though, and Mara knows it. The scars you can’t see are the ones that hurt the most.
Apparently, The Becoming of Noah Shaw wasn’t exactly the same story as Noah’s version of Mara Dyer Trilogy; beside our beloved old characters from MDT, the author introduced new characters such as Noah’s Westminster Plaything, Goose, and other Gifted. The protagonists as well as the character development were my top favorites in this book. I loved how easily I could picture hanging around with Noah, Mara, Jamie, Daniel, Sophie and Goose; they were such cool people I normally wouldn’t approach in reality. Or how little effort I needed to make to realize these guys weren’t as innocent as they appeared to be.
The first thought came to mind when I somehow reached the last page of the book was that I didn’t even know how or why this book had ended. I couldn’t remember flipping the pages or absorbing anything from this story at all. All I could recall was the fact that nothing seemed to have happened in the entire book but in the meanwhile, everything and anything had happened, if that made sense. There was an overwhelming emptiness in my heart that was totally beyond my comprehension. I kid you not, this book
Lastly, I’d like to talk about a slight problem some readers faced when reading this book and it was that they found it hard to remember what actually happened in the Mara Dyer Trilogy. Honestly, (as much as I hated to admit this) I felt the same way sometimes while reading it. Although the author had been nice enough to cite specific paragraphs/dialogues/scenes from one of the books in the trilogy just to ensure we were with her, there were still many details from MDT that I couldn’t recollect. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t reread the trilogy since I last finished reading it years ago and now I had trouble recalling everything from it. *SHAME ON ME!*
Thankfully, my poor memory of the Mara Dyer Trilogy was the only shame I felt when reading The Becoming of Noah Shaw. Aside from that, everything was quite amazing as I expected. Well, not 100% satisfying, though, since there was obviously a cliffhanger (along with a scary and shocking ending) so I couldn’t wait for the sequels now! I mean, I cared about Noah and Mara’s love life, or LIFE in general (considering how many deaths there were in this book�) but all I knew for certain now was that nothing will be certain anymore.
Besides, The Becoming of Noah Shaw gave me a Halloween-like spooky feeling because of all the resurrected people (I didn’t know why, but I’d assumed those characters were deceased long time ago since they made little to none appearance in the Mara Dyer Trilogy). Anyway, The Becoming of Noah Shaw did indeed answer some questions from the previous trilogy but it also left us with even more unsolved problems. On top of that, what I wanted, no, NEEDED to find out was: WHO THE HELL WAS MARA DYER????? Or WAS THERE SOMEONE ELSE BEHIND THE SCENE THAT WE WEREN’T AWARE OF?????
But there are whisperings, Simon. That she fled in the night with a demon. That she was a demon, one we had foolishly welcomed into our home and let settle into our family to feed on our kindness and generosity and love like a tick, until she’d grown full, and found someone else to feed on.
Okay, I’d better wrap this lengthy review up ASAP just in case I started rambling nonsense. Last but not least, I, of course, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED The Becoming of Noah Shaw to everyone who loved the Mara Dyer Trilogy because how could you not!!?? For those who haven’t read the Mara Dyer Trilogy, I strongly suggest you read it soon! It’s going to be a perfect fit for the upcoming Halloween. Also, since The Shaw Confessions is a spin-off series of MDT, I think it’s better if you read the trilogy first before diving into this one! All in all, The Becoming of Noah Shaw is an incredibly fascinating read for me, just like the MDT!
*whispering* Pssst, one of my favorite chapters is quite familiar to me because I think I’ve read it somewhere on the author’s . Just saying! *shhh*
***Huge thanks to the lovely Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.***
Half review: October 1, 2017
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I don't even know how I've reached the end of this book already?!! I mean, the story is like a blur for me after I'm finished. What's worse, it leaves me breathless and speechless and emotionless.
***A more coherent review to come.***
Update: August 10, 2017
Ahhhhh!!! I can't imagine having to wait for another 90 days......
I've been searching frantically for more information about this book recently and here are what I've found so far:
Do you know there's an held by the author for a chance to win 1 of 4 early copies? I desperately want to enter but it's quite challenging for me since I'm terrible at creating art. So GOOD LUCK to those who'd like to join!
Last but definitely not least, here's a new teaser/snippet from the author's website:
“Are you ever going to tell me? What you saw?�
Ԩ.�
“W?�
“TdzǰǷ.�
She bites her lower lip, but she’s really biting back words. I close the space between us and kiss her before she can speak.
Her body is stiff at first, but she begins to melt in seconds. Just as she reaches for the back of my neck, I pull away and ask, “Have you seen the rest of the flat?�
A single shake.
“Would you like to?�
A single nod.
“Follow.� I turn away from her and pass the office without opening the door.
We turn the first corner. “How many bedrooms did you say there are?�
پ.�
"Which one’s ours?�
“Tonight, all of them.�
Anyway, I'm dying.
November 30, 2017
----
No one could be as disappointed as me. I adored the Mara Dyer series, and while I was hesitant of this series at first, I was also excited because hello! It’s a series about Noah Shaw! About Noah Shaw, told by Noah Shaw. I really used to love Noah.
Now, after reading? I’m just meh. Nothing. I didn’t care about Noah or Mara or anyone else in the book. I didn’t care about the story. About anything. Everything was just� mediocre? Borderline annoying? I don’t know.
Most of the novel is slow. It’s not even that long, but it felt like I was waiting forever for something to happen, and by the time something did, I didn’t care. I couldn’t bring myself to. I think part of this has to do with the fact that I hated Noah’s point of view. I thought I would love it, but god, I just could not stand him. Guess it really hindered everything else lmao.
So! Overall, whatever. If you liked the Mara Dyer series, I’m pretty sure most of you will like this spin-off. I think it’s unnecessary but eh, who cares. 3 stars.
December 6, 2017
Content warning: Suicide. The entire plot revolved around other Gifted people killing themselves and Noah trying to figure out why and if he can stop them. There are SEVERAL suicides and multiple methods mentioned and at least a couple of them are described in detail. There is a pretty extensive trigger warning at the start of the book, which isn't in the best taste but I do still think it's helpful.
A quick read that I got through easily during a reading slump, for which I appreciate it. But this was pretty boring. It's a lot of the characters being in one apartment and talking for 5 chapters, then going to another apartment and talking for 5 chapters, then back to the first place, back to the second place, and so on and so on.
For all the talking I had no idea what was going on.
There were several new characters added but I feel like they were just background noise. Mara and Jamie, who we know well from the first series, felt like shadows of themselves. I don't think their characters were destroyed or anything, it was just seeing them through Noah's lens made them less prominent.
I feel pretty meh about this, but I didn't hate it, and it was true to what established and how cagey Hodkin can be about her mysteries. The ending did make me curious about what will happen next.
A quick read that I got through easily during a reading slump, for which I appreciate it. But this was pretty boring. It's a lot of the characters being in one apartment and talking for 5 chapters, then going to another apartment and talking for 5 chapters, then back to the first place, back to the second place, and so on and so on.
For all the talking I had no idea what was going on.
There were several new characters added but I feel like they were just background noise. Mara and Jamie, who we know well from the first series, felt like shadows of themselves. I don't think their characters were destroyed or anything, it was just seeing them through Noah's lens made them less prominent.
I feel pretty meh about this, but I didn't hate it, and it was true to what established and how cagey Hodkin can be about her mysteries. The ending did make me curious about what will happen next.
November 17, 2017
**May contain some slight spoilers from the Mara Dyer Trilogy
*Can’t really say much on the plot without majorly spoiling the previous books, so just a few things I'd like to point out.
1) You absolutely should not read this if you haven't read the Mara Dyer trilogy first. It will make zero sense. You should also not read this if you have read the Mara Dyer trilogy but haven't at least brushed up and refreshed your memory on what occurred in those books. Though this is technically a different series, it starts where The Retribution of Mara Dyer leaves off. I was scrolling through reviews and noticed some people took off stars because they couldn't remember what happened in the first 3 books. Umm…What? Personally, the second I heard we'd be blessed with more Noah Shaw in our lives I carved out time to re-read the Mara Dyer books. Because a.) more Noah (duh), and b.) because SO much happens in those books I knew there was no way I could dive back into this world and remember everything that occurred. And honestly, bless Michelle for not reiterating every fact that was laid out in the first 3 books. If I wanted to read all that again, I would have re-read them. Which I did. ;) I am glad she didn't include too many info dumps.
2) This is a completely and totally different tone from Mara Dyer's POV. It's still creepy and sarcastic, but it's also haunting and morose and a little sad. Just like our boy Noah. And Noah's voice is SO distinct. What an undeniable talent Michelle has. This story remains completely original. It's taken turns I did not expect AT ALL.
3) Mara has always been a little bit crazy. I don't think anyone can deny that. But home girl has kind of gone full on psycho in this and you know what? I am here for it. (Which brings me back to point 1. If this bothers you, maybe you need to recall the prophecy that was discussed in book 3. It pretty much SAYS THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.) And back to point 2. I LOVE how their relationship isn't all sunshine and roses. It could never be. It would never be. All the circumstances surrounding them, the past, the secrets, all the unknowns, and that god damn prophecy- all of this has combined and is working against Noah and Mara. And I for one CAN NOT WAIT to see what will happen.
4) SO many things happen in this book. (If you need me to point them out, I will.) The last 10% had my heart in my throat. Was everything answered? No. Does that mean nothing happened? Also no. There were so many subtle things that were occurring that Michelle just slyly slipped in without drawing too much attention to them. Why is she so amazing? We got new characters, the reappearance of old characters (!!!!holyshit!!!!), deaths, mystery, and that FREAKING ENDING. WTF WAS THAT ENDING.
5.)
“I want her to split me open, to dig her fingers in and pry open my ribs, lick my heart and my blood and my bones. Pick open my bones and suck out the marrow. I want to be devoured by her. And she wants to devour me just as badly. It’s in every look, every movement, every smile.�
“If I believed in God I would pray, beg, anything to stop time, to live in this moment with her forever. Tonight is a perfect thing in a broken world, and she is the queen of it. Her pleasure, searing white, arrows through mine, and I would let the Earth ice over to keep the sun from rising, but after hours of her, it rises anyway, sunlight staining our sheets, our skin.�
^THIS reads like fan fic? HA..HAH…AHHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Please, someone show me a fanfic that’s written with the same amount of intellect, snark, and distinction that’s in Michelle’s writing.
Michelle's writing is just ridiculously good and her story telling ability is just insane. Bravo for delivering something that was so different and totally not what I was expecting. I thought we got most answers in The Retribution of Mara Dyer, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. I honestly do not know how I'll be able to wait for the second installment.
T H I S W A S J U S T S O G O O D!!!!!!!!!! The Mara Dyer Trilogy remains a top of mine, and these characters will ALWAYS be my favorite. If you want something out of the box, READ THESE BOOKS!
The Becoming of Noah Shaw |
*Should be read first:
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer |
The Evolution of Mara Dyer |
The Retribution of Mara Dyer |
Find Me On:
� � � �
April 15, 2018
The reading year is off to a kind of meh start
idk what it is but this book was kinda just ok to read. It didn't have the same spark as the Mara Dyer trilogy books, maybe i've just outgrown the characters because I found them pretty annoying whereas previously I really liked them
It just kinda felt like and unnecessary follow on plot, just for the sake of it to me, which is unfortunate because I was really looking forward to this
tbh I don't think I'll carry on reading the following books when they come out :/
Want to read
November 9, 2017THE COVER! I'm in love.
I can't wait for the book omfg!!!
I can't wait for the book omfg!!!
Want to read
November 4, 2015I AM ALIVE. THERE IS FIRE IN MY VEINS.
MORE FROM THE MARA DYER SERIES, A CONTINUATION, FROM NOAH POINT OF VIEW?????
IS THIS REAL LIFE
OR IS THIS FANTASY??????
MORE FROM THE MARA DYER SERIES, A CONTINUATION, FROM NOAH POINT OF VIEW?????
IS THIS REAL LIFE
OR IS THIS FANTASY??????
February 11, 2018
4.5/5 Stars
WOW JUST WOW. THAT ENDING.
Being in Noah’s head was exactly how I imagined. Snarky, sarcastic and smart. It was perfect.
Seeing through Noah's eyes made me realise how twisted and creepy Mara really is, which I loved.
Even though I really enjoyed this book it felt like nothing had happened even though many things had actually happened. Weird.
There were times when I was confused while reading this book. Maybe it had to do with the fact it had been awhile since I had read the 'Mara Dyer' books. Which brings me to my point of how this is a companion series? There is no way someone who hasn't read the original series will not be confused throughout the whole book. I would definitely recommend reading the 'Mara Dyer' books before starting on the 'Noah Shaw' books.
What I love about Michelle Hodkin books that they are strange and twisted, which this book did not disappoint. Overall I really enjoyed this book and think it’s worth the read!
WOW JUST WOW. THAT ENDING.
Being in Noah’s head was exactly how I imagined. Snarky, sarcastic and smart. It was perfect.
Seeing through Noah's eyes made me realise how twisted and creepy Mara really is, which I loved.
Even though I really enjoyed this book it felt like nothing had happened even though many things had actually happened. Weird.
There were times when I was confused while reading this book. Maybe it had to do with the fact it had been awhile since I had read the 'Mara Dyer' books. Which brings me to my point of how this is a companion series? There is no way someone who hasn't read the original series will not be confused throughout the whole book. I would definitely recommend reading the 'Mara Dyer' books before starting on the 'Noah Shaw' books.
What I love about Michelle Hodkin books that they are strange and twisted, which this book did not disappoint. Overall I really enjoyed this book and think it’s worth the read!
March 18, 2018
i am thrilled to have noah shaw back in my life (even if it has only been a week). i enjoy his character line more than maras, so i have high hopes for this series. which, by the way, doesnt feel like a spin off of the main trilogy, but more of a story continuation told from another perspective. either way, its more noah, so im one happy lady!
4 stars
4 stars
Want to read
July 31, 2015IM SCREAMING RIGHT NOW I WILL READ ANYTHING BY MICHELLE OMG IDK HOW IM GONNA WAIT TILL 2017 THOUGH
November 17, 2017
~ ARC was kindly provided to me by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review ~
2.2 stars
Spoilers for this book as well as the whole Mara Dyer Trilogy
You guys have no idea how much I wanted this book, the happiness I had when I learned about its existence, because even The Mara Dyer Trilogy had its weaknesses, Noah Shaw was carrying the story, and reading from his POV could only announce on of the best books of the year (and that cover is just perfect). You can’t imagine how thrilled I was when my ARC request was finally accepted, I literally exploded from joy, talked about it to everyone I met. But I guess that if you see my rating, you can at least imagine my disappointment and sadness today. I think I’ve never been that let down by a book in my reading life.
As you might have guessed, this book is a spin-off of The Mara Dyer Trilogy and it takes place a few weeks after the end of , but now we follow our little group through Noah’s eyes. And this is basically everything I can tell you, as I found the plot so empty, literally NOTHING happened for 95% of this book, and the 20 last pages or so weren’t enough to save the book for me. I felt like I was playing a boring Cluedo game, where everyone was lying but nothing happened related to those lies (or to anything else). We meet many new characters, and oh-so-surprisingly, all of them end up to be Gifted (btw, the Gifted thing is still so confusing to me, is it something rare or common? Why everyone they meet seems to have powers to one extend? Is someone Gifted will be attracted to other Gifted?).
The writing felt so clumsy, I felt like sometimes words, sometimes entire sentences were missing to make sense (I hope that would get fixed in the final version). The plot was so boring, I can’t even count how many time I fell asleep while reading it, and the lack of originality on the things that actually happened was painful. In the end, this book is lining up to the Mara Dyer Trilogy, as my rating went from 4,2 for , to 3,8 for and finally 3,5 for , and this book was even worse. Basically, I can direct you to my The Retribution of Mara Dyer review and most of it would still be true for this book.
The thing that disturbed me the most in this book that it was, as the previous ones, full romance with tiny bit paranormal and those two themes weren’t functioning well together. Noah and Mara’s relationship is not working anymore, because of all the lies and all the deception. Slowly they stopped trusting one another, hiding more, lying more. And yes, those are sign of an unhealthy relationship, but to me their relationship never was healthy to begin with. I don’t see any change, so I don’t see how their behaviour was okay in the previous book but not okay in this one.
It saddens me to say so, but I’m not even sure at this pont that I’ll read the next book. This series gradually lost everything, and now even the spooky side is gone.
“The bullies never remember, but the bullied never forget.�
2.2 stars
Spoilers for this book as well as the whole Mara Dyer Trilogy
You guys have no idea how much I wanted this book, the happiness I had when I learned about its existence, because even The Mara Dyer Trilogy had its weaknesses, Noah Shaw was carrying the story, and reading from his POV could only announce on of the best books of the year (and that cover is just perfect). You can’t imagine how thrilled I was when my ARC request was finally accepted, I literally exploded from joy, talked about it to everyone I met. But I guess that if you see my rating, you can at least imagine my disappointment and sadness today. I think I’ve never been that let down by a book in my reading life.
As you might have guessed, this book is a spin-off of The Mara Dyer Trilogy and it takes place a few weeks after the end of , but now we follow our little group through Noah’s eyes. And this is basically everything I can tell you, as I found the plot so empty, literally NOTHING happened for 95% of this book, and the 20 last pages or so weren’t enough to save the book for me. I felt like I was playing a boring Cluedo game, where everyone was lying but nothing happened related to those lies (or to anything else). We meet many new characters, and oh-so-surprisingly, all of them end up to be Gifted (btw, the Gifted thing is still so confusing to me, is it something rare or common? Why everyone they meet seems to have powers to one extend? Is someone Gifted will be attracted to other Gifted?).
“Just because you believe something doesn’t make it true.�
The writing felt so clumsy, I felt like sometimes words, sometimes entire sentences were missing to make sense (I hope that would get fixed in the final version). The plot was so boring, I can’t even count how many time I fell asleep while reading it, and the lack of originality on the things that actually happened was painful. In the end, this book is lining up to the Mara Dyer Trilogy, as my rating went from 4,2 for , to 3,8 for and finally 3,5 for , and this book was even worse. Basically, I can direct you to my The Retribution of Mara Dyer review and most of it would still be true for this book.
The thing that disturbed me the most in this book that it was, as the previous ones, full romance with tiny bit paranormal and those two themes weren’t functioning well together. Noah and Mara’s relationship is not working anymore, because of all the lies and all the deception. Slowly they stopped trusting one another, hiding more, lying more. And yes, those are sign of an unhealthy relationship, but to me their relationship never was healthy to begin with. I don’t see any change, so I don’t see how their behaviour was okay in the previous book but not okay in this one.
“To die will be an awfully big adventure.�
It saddens me to say so, but I’m not even sure at this pont that I’ll read the next book. This series gradually lost everything, and now even the spooky side is gone.
“The scars you can’t see are the one that hurt the most.�
October 25, 2017
I am in PHYSICAL PAIN from how badly I need this book
I will wait here
Right here
Until this book is released.
*THERE IS A COVER NOW I AM SCREAMING
I will wait here
Right here
Until this book is released.
*THERE IS A COVER NOW I AM SCREAMING
Want to read
May 8, 2017I love this cover and I can't wait for this book.
Shelved as 'anxiously-waiting'
May 9, 2017Ladies and gentlemen, we have the cover !
*cheers*
2017 !?!?! So cruel.
This confict of N&M will happen in this series, by the way.
*cheers*
2017 !?!?! So cruel.
This confict of N&M will happen in this series, by the way.
What happens after happily ever after? By the end of the Mara Dyer Trilogy, Noah Shaw and Mara Dyer discovered their world-changing abilities along with their love for each other. In the first book of The Shaw Confessions, Noah’s father is murdered, and Noah inherits unimaginable riches, terrible knowledge, and the chance to find other people like himself. But as Noah and Mara begin their global search, they’ll discover that they have very different goals: Noah wants peace. Mara wants power. When the girl of your dreams turns the world into a nightmare, what do you choose? The girl or the world?
Want to read
January 5, 2025Can book 3, please, pretty please, come out this year?? I'm so tired of waiting. 😭😩
________________
Has anyone heard something new whether if the third and final book is coming out or not?
I’ve been looking forward to the second trilogy of this series ever since I was a newbie on ŷ, and there’s still nothing. I’m so sad and concerned and irritated.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
At this point I'm just annoyed that even though the first book of the second trilogy of this saga came out 5 years ago, there's still no specific or rather real publication date when it comes to the final book.
________________
Has anyone heard something new whether if the third and final book is coming out or not?
I’ve been looking forward to the second trilogy of this series ever since I was a newbie on ŷ, and there’s still nothing. I’m so sad and concerned and irritated.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
At this point I'm just annoyed that even though the first book of the second trilogy of this saga came out 5 years ago, there's still no specific or rather real publication date when it comes to the final book.
Shelved as 'someday-maybe'
May 14, 2017But if it's going to be a story circulating the same main characters, why create a new separate trilogy for it? I don't get it?? And is this really necessary??? Can my babies just have their happy ending and be done with it???? Will I still be reading this anyway????? yES??????
December 29, 2017
I'm just,
speechless wow.
That heartbreaking ending. wOW.
------------
Edit #4 - May 8th, 2017: IT HAS A COVER NOW AND IDK HOW I FEEL BECAUSE ITS NOT THE UNDERWATER PICTURES BUT IM SCREAMING ANYWAYS AKSLDJASLKDASDLJASD
Edit #3 - Feb. 7th, 2017: IT HAS A TITLE NOW AND ITS PERFECT. And it has a release date!!!!! and a new synopsis!!!!!!. IM F I N E
Edit #2: Now that I've calmed down slightly, I just wanna say the premise for this book is already killing me, "When the girl of your dreams turns the world into a nightmare, what do you choose? The girl or the world?" yoU'RE KILLING ME MICHELLE, 2017 can't come fast enough
EDIT: ITS A MARA DYER SPIN OFF, AND ITS NOAHS POV, I LITERALLY CANNOT BREATHE
---
speechless wow.
That heartbreaking ending. wOW.
------------
Edit #4 - May 8th, 2017: IT HAS A COVER NOW AND IDK HOW I FEEL BECAUSE ITS NOT THE UNDERWATER PICTURES BUT IM SCREAMING ANYWAYS AKSLDJASLKDASDLJASD
Edit #3 - Feb. 7th, 2017: IT HAS A TITLE NOW AND ITS PERFECT. And it has a release date!!!!! and a new synopsis!!!!!!. IM F I N E
Edit #2: Now that I've calmed down slightly, I just wanna say the premise for this book is already killing me, "When the girl of your dreams turns the world into a nightmare, what do you choose? The girl or the world?" yoU'RE KILLING ME MICHELLE, 2017 can't come fast enough
EDIT: ITS A MARA DYER SPIN OFF, AND ITS NOAHS POV, I LITERALLY CANNOT BREATHE
---
November 5, 2018
What did I read?
RTC
RTC
October 23, 2017
Holy crap, that terrible, horrible, thrilling ending. Full review to come.
**EDITED TO ADD REVIEW:
4.5 Stars!
Full disclosure here, I was nervous picking this up. I loved how the Mara Dyer series ended and I was hesitant to read something that may ruin the satisfied feeling I had when I closed the last book and said goodbye to these unforgettable characters. But, Noah. Need I say more?
I had to get inside this strange wonderful, and unsettling boy that more often than not stole the show throughout the series. I just hoped and prayed it would stay true to the rest of the series and not screw anything up for lack of a better phrase.
And it does ruin it. And yet...it doesn't.
It's been days since I finished this and I'm still very much torn up about it. I loved it. I hated it. And, I didn't want it to end. I needed to know, after that somewhat explosive ending, what the heck happens next. I can't believe the twists that were thrown, the turns that were taken and I both loathe them and craved them.
All I can say about it is...read it. Experience it and decide for yourself if you too love and hate it. Loathe and crave it or just wish that you never would have read it. Even though I too am still undecided about it all, one thing was certain, it was so well done, so well written, and deliciously evil.
*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
**EDITED TO ADD REVIEW:
4.5 Stars!
Full disclosure here, I was nervous picking this up. I loved how the Mara Dyer series ended and I was hesitant to read something that may ruin the satisfied feeling I had when I closed the last book and said goodbye to these unforgettable characters. But, Noah. Need I say more?
I had to get inside this strange wonderful, and unsettling boy that more often than not stole the show throughout the series. I just hoped and prayed it would stay true to the rest of the series and not screw anything up for lack of a better phrase.
And it does ruin it. And yet...it doesn't.
It's been days since I finished this and I'm still very much torn up about it. I loved it. I hated it. And, I didn't want it to end. I needed to know, after that somewhat explosive ending, what the heck happens next. I can't believe the twists that were thrown, the turns that were taken and I both loathe them and craved them.
All I can say about it is...read it. Experience it and decide for yourself if you too love and hate it. Loathe and crave it or just wish that you never would have read it. Even though I too am still undecided about it all, one thing was certain, it was so well done, so well written, and deliciously evil.
*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
March 29, 2018
It was awesome to get reacquainted with some of the original characters, but still not sure how I feel about the edition of Leo. Guy seems weird and shady but we will see. Goose was funny and amusing though. I loved the Mara Dyer series with a passion. I was so hooked on it and could not be happier to have a spin-off series. Especially since it is Noah! The ending of the book really sets up for this series, since we are left aghast about Mara and also wondering on the powers issue.
My quick and simple overall: very quick and fun read. These characters are some of my favorites and I’m glad to have them back!
My quick and simple overall: very quick and fun read. These characters are some of my favorites and I’m glad to have them back!
December 14, 2018
� �
You know how authors sometimes unexpectedly add more books to a series or world and you can tell that they genuinely have important things to add to the story and were simply not done? The Becoming of Noah Shaw is NOT that story.
This had potential. When I initially found out about this new trilogy, I had JUST finished the Mara Dyer trilogy and was so happy because I thought there were so many questions left unanswered and adding more to it just felt right. Sadly, this just couldn't deliver.
Reading from Noah's perspective was fine enough. Being in his head is basically exactly how you'd imagine. Most of the other characters felt pretty true to themselves too but I had huge problems with Mara's portrayal. Maybe it's seeing her from an outside perspective instead of being in her head or maybe it's seeing her from Noah's perspective but I just didn't think her character felt quite the same. And while reading from Noah's perspective fits the story, I kinda wish this trilogy would have been written from both POVs. I think Mara's perspective would have added a lot to the story.
My biggest problem with the book was the plot. It was just so fucking boring. Honestly nothing really happened until the last 10% or so and even then it was a lot less surprising and shocking then I wanted it to be. I mean it was basically no twist at all. Honestly after I had finished the novel I tried to think back to what had happened and it definitely didn't feel like I had just read a full length novel.
This book just introduced a completely new mystery that added unnecessary drama without answering any of the old questions. WHAT? WAS? THE? POINT?
I really wish Hodkin had decided to make this new trilogy New Adult, at least. Especially in the beginning there's so much sex involved and Hodkin is trying so hard to make it steamy but there's only so far you can go in YA. I just think if you have two characters who have sex so frequently and you want to go into detail on it every time but then you can't go that one step further, it's just starting to feel a little off.
I genuinely think the whole storytelling would have benefited from a (New) Adult perspective.
I also wanna mention something that really pissed me off. Michelle Hodkin decided to put trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, which is great. But then she thought it would be a good idea to write "[trigger warning for] sex. But if you need a trigger warning for that, you're reading the wrong book" which is just a really disgusting thing to say. Why would you add trigger warnings to your book, only to then make fun of them? I find that so disgusting and I had hoped this wouldn't be in the finished copy but apparently it is so.. yeah. That's fun.
Overall this was just really fucking disappointing. I enjoyed the Mara Dyer trilogy a lot and thought it was such a solid 4-star series. I was excited to see how Hodkin's writing had developed and what great, crazy, new idea she would come up with for this new trilogy but this really didn't feel like a Mara Dyer companion at all. I think it was who said this reads a little bit like fanfiction and I would have to agree.
I wouldn't really recommend picking this up and I probably won't continue the trilogy.
Trigger warnings for suicide, suicidal thoughts and self harm.
� � � �
I was provided with an early review copy through Edelweiss.
You know how authors sometimes unexpectedly add more books to a series or world and you can tell that they genuinely have important things to add to the story and were simply not done? The Becoming of Noah Shaw is NOT that story.
This had potential. When I initially found out about this new trilogy, I had JUST finished the Mara Dyer trilogy and was so happy because I thought there were so many questions left unanswered and adding more to it just felt right. Sadly, this just couldn't deliver.
Reading from Noah's perspective was fine enough. Being in his head is basically exactly how you'd imagine. Most of the other characters felt pretty true to themselves too but I had huge problems with Mara's portrayal. Maybe it's seeing her from an outside perspective instead of being in her head or maybe it's seeing her from Noah's perspective but I just didn't think her character felt quite the same. And while reading from Noah's perspective fits the story, I kinda wish this trilogy would have been written from both POVs. I think Mara's perspective would have added a lot to the story.
My biggest problem with the book was the plot. It was just so fucking boring. Honestly nothing really happened until the last 10% or so and even then it was a lot less surprising and shocking then I wanted it to be. I mean it was basically no twist at all. Honestly after I had finished the novel I tried to think back to what had happened and it definitely didn't feel like I had just read a full length novel.
This book just introduced a completely new mystery that added unnecessary drama without answering any of the old questions. WHAT? WAS? THE? POINT?
I really wish Hodkin had decided to make this new trilogy New Adult, at least. Especially in the beginning there's so much sex involved and Hodkin is trying so hard to make it steamy but there's only so far you can go in YA. I just think if you have two characters who have sex so frequently and you want to go into detail on it every time but then you can't go that one step further, it's just starting to feel a little off.
I genuinely think the whole storytelling would have benefited from a (New) Adult perspective.
I also wanna mention something that really pissed me off. Michelle Hodkin decided to put trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, which is great. But then she thought it would be a good idea to write "[trigger warning for] sex. But if you need a trigger warning for that, you're reading the wrong book" which is just a really disgusting thing to say. Why would you add trigger warnings to your book, only to then make fun of them? I find that so disgusting and I had hoped this wouldn't be in the finished copy but apparently it is so.. yeah. That's fun.
Overall this was just really fucking disappointing. I enjoyed the Mara Dyer trilogy a lot and thought it was such a solid 4-star series. I was excited to see how Hodkin's writing had developed and what great, crazy, new idea she would come up with for this new trilogy but this really didn't feel like a Mara Dyer companion at all. I think it was who said this reads a little bit like fanfiction and I would have to agree.
I wouldn't really recommend picking this up and I probably won't continue the trilogy.
Trigger warnings for suicide, suicidal thoughts and self harm.
� � � �
I was provided with an early review copy through Edelweiss.
August 21, 2018
*I received a copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
1) The unbecoming of Mara Dyer ★★★☆�
2) The evolution of Mara Dyer ★★★☆�
3) The retribution of Mara Dyer ★★☆☆�
"Only play the games you can win.�
As you can see, the Mara Dyertrilogy series wasn’t and still isn’t a favorite of mine.
And I still think that the third book’s finale and “resolution� was stupid af, so when I found out that more books were being added to the trilogy I hoped we were gonna see the consequences of what was revealed in The retribution of Mara Dyer.
And in some twisted way, we did.
THE PLOT
aka the main reason I gave this book a low rating.
N o t h i n g h a p p e n s. You can easily skip the first 90% and just read the last 10%, I’m serious.
And it’s a shame, because the last 10% was mind blowing, and we finally get so see the repercussions of The retribution of Mara Dyer’s finale.
THE CHARACTERS
There’s only one protagonist, Noah. Mara is in many scenes, but the story doesn’t focus on her at all.
So, main reason n2 for my low rating: I can’t stand Noah. He always acts like a know-it-all, he never cares about what other people are saying, he doesn’t accept help even if he desperately needs it. And imo he also treats Mara like crap.
Mara in still a fantastic antiheroine, I love her idgaf attitude. She’s ruthless, but she’s loyal and always takes care of her loved ones. She deserves so much better than Noah.
Daniel - Mara’s older brother - is still my favorite character. He thinks before he acts and I love his relationship with Mara.
Jamie is still Mara’s amazing bff, sometimes I feel like he’s the only one who knows how to treat her and I love that, platonic frienships for the win!
THE ROMANCE
If you remember The retribution of Mara Dyer, you know that Noah and Mara’s relationship is doomed. But according to “the prophecy�, Mara will ruin everything and Noah will be the victim.
Well, imo it’s the exact opposite. Mara tries, Noah doesn’t give a fuck. He says he loves her but he never backs his words with action. We see the slow destruction of their relationship, they don't trust each other, and they keep important secrets from each other
IN CONCLUSION
I love Michelle Hodkins’s writing style, her books are quick and easy to read so I think I’m going to read the next instalments. But she really needs to focus more on the plot and less on Noah’s apathy and overall annoying personality.
1) The unbecoming of Mara Dyer ★★★☆�
2) The evolution of Mara Dyer ★★★☆�
3) The retribution of Mara Dyer ★★☆☆�
"Only play the games you can win.�
As you can see, the Mara Dyer
And I still think that the third book’s finale and “resolution� was stupid af, so when I found out that more books were being added to the trilogy I hoped we were gonna see the consequences of what was revealed in The retribution of Mara Dyer.
And in some twisted way, we did.
THE PLOT
aka the main reason I gave this book a low rating.
N o t h i n g h a p p e n s. You can easily skip the first 90% and just read the last 10%, I’m serious.
And it’s a shame, because the last 10% was mind blowing, and we finally get so see the repercussions of The retribution of Mara Dyer’s finale.
THE CHARACTERS
There’s only one protagonist, Noah. Mara is in many scenes, but the story doesn’t focus on her at all.
So, main reason n2 for my low rating: I can’t stand Noah. He always acts like a know-it-all, he never cares about what other people are saying, he doesn’t accept help even if he desperately needs it. And imo he also treats Mara like crap.
Mara in still a fantastic antiheroine, I love her idgaf attitude. She’s ruthless, but she’s loyal and always takes care of her loved ones. She deserves so much better than Noah.
Daniel - Mara’s older brother - is still my favorite character. He thinks before he acts and I love his relationship with Mara.
Jamie is still Mara’s amazing bff, sometimes I feel like he’s the only one who knows how to treat her and I love that, platonic frienships for the win!
THE ROMANCE
If you remember The retribution of Mara Dyer, you know that Noah and Mara’s relationship is doomed. But according to “the prophecy�, Mara will ruin everything and Noah will be the victim.
Well, imo it’s the exact opposite. Mara tries, Noah doesn’t give a fuck. He says he loves her but he never backs his words with action. We see the slow destruction of their relationship, they don't trust each other, and they keep important secrets from each other
IN CONCLUSION
I love Michelle Hodkins’s writing style, her books are quick and easy to read so I think I’m going to read the next instalments. But she really needs to focus more on the plot and less on Noah’s apathy and overall annoying personality.
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