ARC Review: Awake

Title: Awake by Natasha Preston
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Format: advanced ebook from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review
Pages: 336 Pages
Genre: YA

This title is due to be released August 4, 2015

Synopsis: Of course, the dress was white. This is what I’m supposed to die in, I thought. Not many people knew what their last outfit would be. I pulled it over my head. It fit me perfectly. It had long, loose fitting sleeves, a modest neckline, and waves of material on the skirt. I hated it.

There were no shoes, and I was afraid I’d have to run through the forest barefoot but there weren’t a lot of options. Besides, I’d run barefoot over a bed of nails to get away.

“Scarlett, are you ready?” he called.

I looked in the mirror and took a deep breath. Time to fight for my life.

Scarlett Garner doesn’t remember anything before the age of four—until a car accident changes everything. She starts to remember pieces of a past that frighten her. A past her parents hid from her…and a secret that could get her killed.

(46) Review: I enjoyed this book.  It kept my attention, it moved fluidly, and the mystery was just enough to keep me going.  Did it have some flaws and issues? There were a few things that could be corrected with editing but honestly I got too wrapped up in the story and the disturbing reality that stuff like this really does happen to get too nit picky.

Scarlett doesn't remember anything before the age of four...then again how many of us actually do? This is one of those issues that some people had with this book and while I can see their point, it might have been better if she had been older when she lost her memory it didn't ruin the book for me.

Scarlett meets the new boy at school and starts having flashbacks to her past opening a Pandora's box of questions that aren't being answered to her satisfaction. Who is this girl she keeps dreaming of? Why is she dressed in white? How did the fire start that caused her to lose her memory? The answers to these questions are disturbing and leave Scarlett fighting for her life. Can she survive? Will the new boy Noah betray her? I don't want to give anything away but lets just say the story keeps the pages turning.

Sure the romance between Scarlett and Noah was quick and a bit unrealistic, but this is a YA mystery/romance so not sure what people expected.  Maybe in the hands of another writer this story could have taken a much more creepy disturbing thrill ride but I think this worked.  I haven't read any of Natasha Preston's other books so I have nothing to compare it to but Awake kept me turning pages and routing for the underdog.