**REVIEW** Wake by Amanda Hocking

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

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.

Release Date:  August 7, 2012

Published By:  St. Martin's Griffin
Review Copy:  Hardcover, 320 pages
**purchased

  Wake was not what I had expected it to be at all.  After doing a huge event month dedicated to Mermaids and Myth I thought I had read it all but obviously not.  Hocking has done a great job of creating Mermaids that are Mermaids but are really something completely different.  Do I still have you or have I confused you now?  Well they are mermaids but they aren't because they are really Sirens and can do more than your typical Mermaid stuff.  What I am trying to stress really is that Hocking did a wonderful job of making this her own.

  There is multiple POV's in this one which I am totally in love with.  To me there is more depth in a story when you get it from more than one person and Wake was for sure not lacking in depth.  What I really loved was that not only did you get the story from more than one person but Hocking put a really great background story in place for the Sirens.  Not only was it there but it was actually the first time I had heard that particular story.  Maybe that's because I am out of the loop when it comes to that piece of Greek mythology.  Either way it was great and I was overall pleased with the thought and development of the story itself.

  For the most part you get things from Gemma's eyes.  For me Gemma was almost the weakest link and it wasn't that I didn't like her but more that she just made a large string of seriously bad decisions.  Everyone makes mistakes and we all have to learn from them and a large part of me understands that and hopes that all the bad for this girl will start leading to more good in the future.  Gemma does have some great points too, like she is strong and does want to do what's best.  Unfortunately she just has horrible luck and great swimming skills that caught the eye of the wrong people.  The feelings that she let show when it came to Alex was the best part with her.  He helped her cling to what she feared she was loosing and I loved him for that.  Their talks and banter was easy.  The moments between these two were often sweet and had me falling for Alex and hoping that he would be enough to save her.

  Though seriously motherly for a sister I loved Harper.  She is basically the most practical person in the entire book and at times it may have become almost a bit much but that was her.  She is the one that is on top of Gemma and being a mother to her but this also makes for a very boring life.  What I think made her more likable was her and Daniel's encounters and the breaking down of her shell.  The romance that gradually built between these two really brought out the Harper that I loved.  Her snark, determination and the way she tried to push her own feelings away every time she had to interact with Daniel was so much fun and I found myself looking forward to those moments the most.

  Wake was very unlike anything I have read in the Mer/Siren world before.  Hocking did a wonderful job with creating something unique with several characters to relate to or dislike.  The "bad girls" were quite simply what I would expect from a story that revolves around the devious and sneaky beings that I have read but were different in their own ways.  The writing was for the most part wonderful once I had everyone's voices down and I find myself excited to start the next installment of this series.  This is a read for people that enjoy seeing things from more than one person's eyes and enjoy a good Mer/Siren read! 

"But don't you ever get sick of being wet?" Alex asked.

"Nope.  That's like asking you, Don't you ever get sick of breathing air?"

"As a matter of fact, I do.  Sometimes I think, wouldn't it be grand if I didn't need to breathe?"

She ran to the end of the dock and dove in.  The morning air still had a chill to it, and the water was a tad icy, but Gemma didn't mind.  It really didn't matter what the water temperature was or what the water was like.  Gemma never felt more at home than when she was in the water.

Sighing, Harper took his hand.  It was strong and rough, the hand of a guy who'd spent his whole life working.  He pulled her up easily, as if she weighed nothing.  To get her up over the rail, he had to pull her into his arms, and he held her there for a second longer than he needed to.

"You think Lexi and Penn and that other girl are somehow involved with the murders?  That's what you're suggesting?"

  "I don't know," Harper said, then changed her mind.  "Yes.  I do.  I think they're connected."

  "At the risk of being accused of being a sexist pig, I'm going to say something-they're just girls."  He took a small step back from Harper, as if he expected her to hit him, but she didn't.