Wake

By Amanda Hocking

The first in the thrilling Watersong series, Wake is a dramatic story of family, love and the devastating power of the sea, by the bestselling author of the Trylle trilogy, Amanda Hocking.

Beautiful. 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, Thea, and Lexi have caught everyone's attention, including the eye of practical Harper. But it's her sister, Gemma, they've chosen to be part of their group. Sixteen-year-old Gemma seems to have it all - carefree, pretty, and falling in love with the boy next door. But her greatest passion has always been the water. She craves late night swims under the stars, where she can be alone yet belong to the sea. Lately she's had company. Penn, Thea, and Lexi spend their nights dancing, singing, and partying on the cove - and one night Gemma joins them. When she wakes up groggy on the beach the next morning, she knows something has changed.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. As she uncovers the truth about her new mythical powers, Gemma is forced to choose between staying with those she loves or entering a dark world brimming with unimaginable secrets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Aug 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9780230766075

Amanda Hocking

Amanda Hocking lives in Minnesota, had never sold a book before April 2010 and has now sold over a million. According to the Observer, she is now 'the most spectacular example of an author striking gold through ebooks'. Amanda is a self-confessed 'Obsessive tweeter. John Hughes mourner. Batman devotee. Unicorn enthusiast. Muppet activist.' Her books include the Trylle Trilogy, the Watersong series and the Kanin Chronicles.

Reviews for Wake

[vykic37 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Find this review and more at On The Shelf!I really enjoyed Amanda Hocking’s Trylle Trilogy, so when I found out about Wake and that it was about mermaids, I was very excited. Wake wasn’t exactly what I expected it to be. The first almost 3/4 of the book were kind of slow and I didn’t feel like there was much to the book about the mermaid/siren aspect. It didn’t really pick up until the last bit of the book.As for Gemma, I didn’t care for her a whole lot. There were points were she was ok, but for the most part, she wasn’t very bright and didn’t make the best of decisions. At one point, yes I know she couldn’t control what she did exactly, but other points after that she should have made better choices. Her sister Harper, has a much better head on her shoulders than Gemma did and she was the protective older sister. She annoyed me a lot at first because she sounded like she was trying to be Gemma’s mom.I’m not exactly sure why the group of girls was disliked so much, other than the fact that they were seen as creepy. There was no reason given other than that. Would you stop your sister from hanging out with someone because they were creepy to you? You might express your opinion on them, but you can’t really forbid someone from seeing a person because you think they are creepy, in my opinion.The end of the book really started to pick up, and I will continue this series because I want to know what is going to happen and how things will be resolved, but I can’t say it is going to be at the top of my list. The story does have potential to be a really good series and hopefully the next book will be faster than this one.As for the narrator, she was mostly a good reader, but there were parts I didn’t care for, like how she made Harper sound so whiny. She actually drug out the words into an annoying whine.On the slow side, characters only ok, wanted more, series has potential.

[jeneaw-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gemma is a young, very likable girl. She has a sister and father who care about her. Gemma loves the water. She is on the swim team and loves to train everyday, but not just in a pool, her favorite place is the ocean. Gemma share a very close relationship with her sister. I absolutely loved this aspect of the book. Harper is trying to help raise Gemma during the absence of her mother. Sometimes she can be a little overbearing, but she truly does love Gemma and wants what is best for her. They are different in a few ways too. Harper is very overprotective and wants everything to be set, where as Gemma is just this carefree spirit. She finds they good in everyone. We don’t see much of their father, he works alot which is why Harper feels responsible for Gemma. I feel that Gemma and Harpers characters are strong smart, and very likable.

The boys in both of these girls lives are really great. First we have Daniel who works and lives down at the docks where their father works. He is the hot, bad boy, but is really a really nice guy too. Alex is the neighbor and is best friends with Harper. I think the best part of romance in this book, is the fact that Harper ends up liking Daniel the bad boy, and Gemma with Alex. I did really enjoy the relationships that both Gemma and Harper have. I thought Gemma and Alex were sweet and Harper and Daniel were great too. You couldn’t ask for better guys.

Where they live, there has been strange disappearances, and no one can explain them. And then there’s the 3 girls that are new to town, and they don’t really fit in for some reason. We have Penn, Lexi and Thea. When Gemma goes and hangs out with them, everything in her life is turned upside down. But she so much faster at swimming that ever before, and so much stronger. When Gemma learns the truth about what has happened to her and what she has become, she is devastated. She has to choose to stay and deal with the consequences or leave her family and her boyfriend. A decision that could mean life or death. I don’t wish that on anyone. Gemma is a smart girl and will make the right decision. I am intrigued with the story.

This is a unique take on a mermaid type story. It was very descriptive, never leaving us confused on just how the girls came to be. This was set up very well for the story to continue, and it is quite an intriguing plot too. I really can’t wait to see how the story continues on Lullaby. Overall I was very pleased with this. It was also my first book from Amanda Hocking, and it did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend picking this one up and reading it for sure.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Another mermaid series that falls flat in the plot and has shallow characters, but the world-building is something a reader can get invested in.Opening Sentence: The engine made a bizarre chugging sound, like a dying robot llama, followed by an ominous click-click.The Review:I was pleasantly surprised by Wake. Told between the alternating perspectives of two sisters, Harper and Gemma, their relationship is really what drives the plot of the story. When Gemma spends the night hanging out with Penn, Thea and Lexi, only to wake up feeling changed. Most people shy away from the three beautiful strangers, and as Gemma tries to find out what happened to her that night, she begins to learn why. With a new boyfriend and loving family, Gemma’s choices through the novel might just break the only relationships she cares about.The siren-basis for Wake and the Watersong Quartet is exceptionally well-explored and really my favorite part of the book. Based in myth, Hocking doesn’t pull punches when it comes to real sirens. This isn’t The Little Mermaid. It’s a battle of kill-or-be-killed and Gemma’s choices in Wake (and Lullaby) are going to define her life. Gemma wants to do what’s right, but if it means dying herself, what choice does she have?Gemma lives for the water, pretty much revolving her life around swimming. The younger sister, she’s carefree and beautiful, leaving Harper to take on the role of protective, mothering older sister. A little cliché, but it’s easy for the reader to see they love each other. The fact they care about each other is what makes the reader see past the shallow cliché and invest in them. The two POVs are well done, even if there are a few points where you get confused about who’s speaking.The love interests for both girls are different, yet loveable. Alex, the geeky boy-next-door- who’s sexy and sweet ends up matching with Gemma. Their relationship seems a little bit forced and a little too insta-love for me to really get invested in them. Then there’s Daniel, Harper’s love interest, who’s somehow immune to the siren’s powers. Their relationship is clumsy and a little awkward and completely perfect. He’s funny and I found myself enjoying scenes with Daniel more than others in the book. I fell a bit in love with him when I saw how much he cared for Harper, because why can’t real guys be that perfect?The writing isn’t the best it could be, but I love the way Hocking gives the reader both the main character’s thoughts and feelings as well as the secondary characters. It’s written in the third person with multiple perspectives, so we get to see the story from all sides. The novel picks up speed towards the end as the truth about the siren myth is explored and hard choices have to be made. If you like The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, this series strikes the same chord. I hope to see the characters develop more in Lullaby so their unique, and if the plot pans out the way it’s hinted at in Wake the rest of this series has a lot of promise.Notable Scene:“You look…good,” Harper said, for lack of a better word.Gemma glanced down, looking herself over, but she knew what Harper meant. She’d already noticed it today. While she’d never been prone to acne, her skin was smoother, and it almost appeared to be glowing. She’d gone beyond her usual scope of pretty into something almost supernatural.“I’ve just been using a different moisturizer,” Gemma shrugged, trying to play it off.“Really?” Harper asked.“No, actually”—Gemma sighed and rubbed her forehead—“that’s what I came in here to talk to you about.”“You came to talk to me about moisturizer?” Harper raised an eyebrow.“No it’s not moisturizer.”FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Wake. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[jaylia3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book featuring two equally interesting sisters living in what would be an idyllic small town by the ocean if it weren’t for three creepy but beautiful girls who are hanging around. In the water those creepy girls transform into what looks like mermaids but they’re actually sirens, overly attractive sea monsters who lure teenage boys to their deaths. Gemma, one of the sisters, is being pursued by the sirens, but her sister Harper is determined to keep Gemma out of trouble. Both sisters are portrayed sympathetically--a nice touch--and it’s a well balanced story with a mythological backstory, good pacing, and the early stages of young love.

[titania86_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Gemma is a star swimmer at her school on the fast track to the Olympics in a few years. She works hard and devotes herself to her sport during the day and goes leisure swimming at night in the bay despite her sister Harper's warning that it's dangerous. The boy next door Alex is seen through new eyes and she falls for him as he falls for her. Everything is just about perfect until three very beautiful and creepy girls come into Gemma's life. Penn, Lexie, and Thea are eerily beautiful and rumors surround them everywhere they go. They take an interest in Gemma, but their dark nature and demanding attitudes put Gemma off until they force her to drink from a flask and throw her into the ocean wrapped in a golden shawl. Afterwards, Gemma feels weird and becomes faster, stronger, and more beautiful over night. She needs to find out what those girls did to her and how she has changed.I was not a fan of Amanda Hocking's Trylle series, so I was a little hesitant to start this series. The writing improved. Even when I saw the flaws in the book, the writing kept me interested and focused on the story. Some of the characters are pretty well developed. Gemma is a great character for the most part. She's driven and smart, but her relationship with Alex seems a little too perfect. I love Harper, Gemma's older sister. She became a mother to Gemma at a young age because their mom suffered brain damage after an accident. I related more to her and liked her more because of her selflessness and ability to put her father and Gemma's needs before her own, even at the expense of her own childhood. The siren aspect is interesting and not entirely expected. They proved to be more violent and gory then expected. There are also many flaws with them.Penn, Lexie, and Thea are mythological creatures who foolishly pissed off gods and have to suffer the consequences for eternity. Unfortunately, they are flat villain characters with no redeeming qualities. They have no facets and are simply evil, selfish, manipulative beings. I grew bored with them through the course of the book. They also have an extra stage of transformation beyond their finned form and I found it to be quite ridiculous. I get that both forms are present in mythology, but choose one or the other. Gemma is super annoying and selfish at times. She acted as one much younger than 16. Most of the plot points are pretty predicatable. The dialog is often stiff and unnatural. There are some huge passages of introspective inner dialog that could be shortened a lot and it just serves to spoon feed the reader motivations of the characters. Some of the writing is ham handed, but the main characters are much improved.I had some major problems with this book, but it proved to be more enjoyable than her previous series. I will be continuing the series.

[thetreereader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’ve been wanting to read something by Amanda Hocking for a while now and within the first month of 2013 I bought four of her books. I wasn’t sure where to start but I was in the mood for Wake. So I grabbed it off my shelf and read the while book in a day.It’s not a very long book and because the story is so good I just didn’t want to stop reading. I enjoyed Wake so much. I’m not sure why I’m only giving it four stars because I can’t think of a single thing I disliked. I really, really liked it. I just didn’t love it and I wish I knew why that is.Please pick up this book if you haven’t yet. I know I will be picking up the next book in this series, Lullaby. I will also be starting Switched, the first book in Hockings Trylle Trilogy very soon.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an amazing story. Read under a few short hours, I am enthralled with the amazing characters and fast-pace plotline. What grabbed me about this book are the characters. Gemma is fastnating from the start. She is a smart girl with a lot going for her. She loves the water and feels the calm in her body as soon as she touches it. I like how her characters grows up fast. Even with the hard life that she has, she faces this situation a lot different then what I thought. The great part about this book are the point of view swtiches. I adore that the reader can get into the minds of both sisters as well as their love life. I like that the sisters had each other yet they had their own lives. I can totally relate to the older sister. Like her, I grew up fast and became a second mother to my brothers while growing up. Now, both love interest are right on track. Each sister had a love interest that fits them both. Both guys are great and kind. I'm hoping that there will be no love triangle. I think, it's perfect the way that it is. But with Ms. Hocking writing and what I've read before, I'm sure the next book will knock me out of the water! Wake is an great book to dive into. Wake is ravishing yet explosive. The thrill of the water, the history that propells the reader deeper, thrills me even more. A magical story that I love, Wake is awesome!

[cinnamonowl_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have a thing for mermaid stories. I like them best when they are soulless and evil though, like the ones in Pirates of the Carribean. Maybe it all started with the Disney version of Peter Pan, I don't know, but that is one of my favorite movies of all time. I enjoy Hocking's books because although she writes in the supernatural type genre, she writes about something different than witches, ghosts, vampires, and werewolves. Her last book was about trolls, and now sirens. Huzzah Hocking!So, I was excited as I read this book because the mermaids are not really mermaids, they are sirens of myth. They are evil and heartless and to be honest were a little scarier than even I wanted! Their origin story was well done and interesting, but part of the story required that there always be four sirens, and for some reason that bothered me. I can't explain why, but it did. Irriational and a small thing, but there it is. It bugged me. Lol.The main characters of Gemma, Harper, Alex and Daniel was pretty good. I loved Harper and Daniel's story, and I was rooting for them the whole way. I kept expecting him to be something more than what he was, so we will see in book two of this series. Harper reminds me of myself in a way, how she takes care of her younger sibling. My brother is six years younger than me, and I took care of him a lot when he was younger and my mom was at work. So I totally can see where Harper is coming from. I loved Gemma and her dedication to her swimming, and her growing relationship to Alex, although in some parts the descriptions of Alex made me think he might be a little off. The big showdown was pretty cool, and a little sad. The ending of course was a cliffhanger, and now I have to wait until Winter 2013 to see what happens. I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

[laneliterati · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quite enjoyed this. Amanda Hocking has become a favorite of mine. Good for those wanting mythology based reads and some romance.

[suz4haugland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[perco-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It begins with a boringnarration and the thrillingpart just started almost in themiddle of the story.If you're thinking that thiswhole thing has to do aboutmermaids. Sort of, but its not.They call themselves 'sirens'.Sirens are greek mythologicalcreatures who were oncehuman but cursed by agoddess. They are shape-shifters, they can turn into amermaid with those sharpteeths, or turn into a giantbird, and back to humanform. But what they eat?Humans.I have read all Rick Riordan'sgreek mythology books. Andit seems that sirens are neverappeared or somehow aren'temphasized in his works (Imsorry because Rick'scharacters have alreadyencountered gazillion ofmonsters, so I can'tremember them all). SoWAKE caught my attention.I somehow liked how thestory went. It was just thatthere were some cliche partslike a group of perfect hotgirls came to your place outof nowhere. And mysteriouscrimes started to happen. Andif I were just a little girlmaybe I could appreciate thelove teams between Gemmaand Alex, and Harper andDaniel. It was not thatappealing. I just didn't find itromantic at all.This was not that bad.Just that it didn't excite my interest. But it still a good book.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting and different slant on shapeshifters. Gemma is a dedicated swimmer, swimming is her main pursuit and she has a chance at becoming a professional swimmer and entering the olympics. She loves swimming at night, in the sea, all alone, but three strange women have joined her. Penn, Thea and Lexi, they're attractive but neither Gemma or her sister Harper trust them. When Gemma joins Penn, Thea and Lexi partying she wakes the next morning feeling terrible, what have the three women done to her. Her life will change forever.I liked this one, the three women are a different sort of shapeshifter, interesting and complex and the choices Gemma makes are the hard ones. This could be a very good series.

[tcgep · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a young adult paranormal read. Wake is the first in a series which has a few secrets that are reveled throughout the book. Brings in legends along with Greek mythology. As with most young adult stories; does she pick the boy or not?

[pollywannabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasySelf-published phenom Amanda Hocking launches her first traditionally published series with WAKE, book one in the Watersong series. This times she sets her sights on beautiful but deadly sirens.The general plot of WAKE reminded me a lot of The Lost Boys movie. Single parent siblings living in a resort town. One falls in with a mysterious and dangerous crowd, is unknowingly changed and harshly inducted into their world. The other sibling notices changes and seeks out more knowledgeable friends to rescue said sibling and destroy the others. Pretty familiar right? Of course there there are numerous key differences that make the similarities fun instead of rehashed like the fact that it features sisters not brothers, sirens not vampires, and sources it’s mythology back to Poseidon. But WAKE could well be titled THE LOST GIRLS.Aside from the plot, which I enjoyed, I was a little underwhelmed by the generic writing, especially in the beginning. The POV jumps back and forth between the sisters without any visual indicators so at times I’d have to reread sections when I realized there’d been a switch. Also, the plot takes awhile to get going so a lot of the early scenes drag. Once the girls hone in on Gemma and the siren mythology comes into play, the pacing increased dramatically which made the writing issues less noticeable.As the first in a planned series, WAKE doesn’t attempt to resolve it’s storyline by the end, rather it sets up the clear focus of the next book in the Watersong series which is titled LULLABY and will be published on November 27th 2012 by St. Martin’s Griffin. I love stories that incorporate Greek Mythology, so I may be back for more.Sexual Content:Kissing. Mythological story with references to rape.

[tometender · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting new twist to the entire siren tale. It was an enjoyable read but not one of my favorites by Amanda Hocking. It was kind of slow going and left us hanging for the next book because there wasn't really any closure. The sirens are C R E E P Y. Yes, I will definitely read the next in this series but all in all I found this was an easy, entertaining read with lot of potential to come. 3 1/2 Stars!

[destinyisntfree · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh my gosh, I am not even sure where to begin with this one. First of all, the cover art is absolutely amazing. I know they say you should not judge a book by it's cover, but with this one, you almost cannot help it. It is almost as if the cover has it's own siren song of sorts, and it calls out to you and you cannot ignore the amazing look and feel of the book and the pages!

I know that sounds dorky and I really try not to get all fangirl when reading and reviewing books. I try to remain objective. With this particular author, that is really hard for me because I just really love her books and I am inspired by her as an author, as well.

Wake is so completely different than anything else you have ever read. The story is gripping and when you begin to read and get into the meat of it, you will not be able to walk away. I found myself stealing time from other activities just to read a few more pages.

Wake brings us a unique, entirely original type of novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat and almost gasping for breath at the turns and twists the story takes.

What seems like a simple small bay town holds a very deep, dark secret and no one could have seen it coming, especially not Gemma. But when she gets sucked into the mysterious world she never knew existed, you will find your heart pounding, and your head shaking with "What the Hell just happened?"

My regular readers know I always comment on the editing. I found exactly 2 little tiny errors in this one, omitted little connector words. Even for a traditionally published work, I usually find more than that, so Kudos to Ms. Hocking and whoever her editor is at St. Martin's!

In short, if you have not yet read this book, you need to. If you are a fan of young adult fantasy novels, mythology, strange tales, this is the book for you. Fair warning, though, if you are on the sensitive side, there are a few instances of swear words, so be prepared for that!

In summary, I love this book, and think you will, too.

[princess0starr · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Note: The “Best of 2012” tag refers to books I received at work for our Best of the Year program. I put those under one tag so I can find my reviews easily. It does not reflect my actual opinion.

I give Amanda Hocking credit for one thing—she knows how to market her books. Given that I did pay .99 for Switched just to see what the fuss was about, I’d say it worked. It also backfired on my case, because I detested Switched and refused to read another book by her. And if I didn’t have to read Wake for work, I would have ignored it and never added it to my shelves at all.

But I did have to read Wake. And I even thought to myself, “Well, maybe that she’s got an editor and more publishing experience, maybe it’s not as bad as the first one was.” And I will also say this about Amanda Hocking. I don’t think she’s a terrible writer. I think she’s an excessively mediocre writer who can come up with ideas but can’t characterize or develop a plot for the life of her. Wake follows the same exact paranormal formula that Switched did: Girl finds out/develops supernatural abilities. One hundred pages of nothing happening. Love interest. Girl abandons normal life. Cliffhanger.

That alone knocked this book down to two stars for me. Nothing happens for half the book. And then Gemma gets turned into a mermaid. Then another seventy pages of nothing happening. To use two of the most horrifying words in the Whedonverse, “Bored now.”

What really raises my ire and marked Amanda Hocking on my “Never again” list of authors are four reasons:

1. Gemma’s swimming career: She had to be an Olympic hopeful. I get why Gemma had to like swimming; obviously, you can’t have a mermaid novel with an aquaphobic mermaid. (Although that would be infinitely more interesting.) But she had to make Gemma a competitive swimmer. Okay, look. I swam for two years in middle school, because I liked to swim. And I quit because I realized that I’m not a good athlete and not very competitive and the competition took the fun out of it. All Gemma being on the swim team accomplishes is that hey, she’s getting faster and stronger! That’s it. Nothing more.

The Olympic hopeful bit pissed me off, because she plays up into it every time it gets mentioned. And by the way, just swimming at all hours of the day does not make a strong swimming. There is weight training, dieting…I really want to give this to my old swim coach and see him go into a rage fit over Gemma’s training regime throughout the day.

2. Everyone is an idiot: This is one of those books that gives YA a bad name. Everyone in this book carries the idiot ball and it hurts and insults my intelligence. Examples:

-Every time the character Bernie shows up, we have to be reminded that Gemma and Harper’s dad is friends with him and the girls spent summers on his island. Not once. Every time he’s mentioned.

-Apparently, four boys have gone missing in the last two months. No one is worried about this at all. Until it’s plot important.

-These wonderful gems from Gemma’s mouth:
(In regards to Greek mythology): “Those are really ridiculous names,” Gemma commented. “Didn’t anybody go by Mary or Judy back then?”

“I know, right?” Lexi laughed. “Things are so much easier to spell now.”

*hisses*

And,

“So, what is the blood of a mortal?” Gemma asked. “Is that like tears?”

“No, that’s blood.” Penn looked at her like she was a moron.

NO KIDDING.
3. The mythology

Let me state this once and for all for anyone wanting to bring in Greek mythology in their mermaid book.

SIRENS ARE NOT FUCKING MERMAIDS.

The irony is I’ve been so used to the “sirens = mermaids” confusion because it’s so fucking prevalent in media. I hate it, but I deal with it. And it would have been fine here if the mermaids said something along the lines of “Oh, we prefer sirens because we are so omg hip and cool.” But no. No. When you bring in actual mythology and still throw in the mermaid bit YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG. AND NO. You do not get points because your ‘sirens’ have an alternate bird form. You still used actual Greek myth to set up your backstory.

OH. And btw. YOU DO NOT REFER TO PERSEPHONE AS A BITCH. It’s a fucking stupid thing to throw in the backstory. If you wanted Lexi to be justified in hating the gods, here’s a really good reason: Most of the Greek pantheon were assholes. You didn’t have to throw in the fact that they couldn’t be bothered to find Persephone—and in fact, that makes me like the mermaids less. (Do not slander Persephone. She is awesome and better than this tripe. *loves on Persephone*)

(Btw, I have very little issues with people playing with Greek mythology—hell, *I’ve* done it. Even when it’s something like Disney’s Hercules that so badly messes up the source material, I can take it on its own merits. But when you use actual myth in the book and still fuck it up--*frustrated scream*)

The mythology alone could’ve knocked this down to one star for me. But then Hocking has to go and pull this:

4. Gemma and Harper’s mother

WOW. Wow. I don’t even. I think this is the lowest way to make ineffectual parents in a YA novel ever. Apparently, brain damage gives you the mentality of a thirteen year old girl, right down to the temper tantrums and being a Belieber. It’s another stupid excuse to shove tragic backstory for the characters, and it really pisses me off more because it’s an insulting way to do so.

Switched had already left a bad taste in my mouth. But, as noted above, I was willing to give Wake a fair shot, despite my previous disinterest. Having now read it, I can honestly say that I will not be as willing to read another book by Amanda Hocking in the future.

[the1butterfly · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm definitely liking Amanda Hocking's writing style- I'm going to keep watching for her. I'm curious about where this is going and I'm excited to see what will happen next. I'm curious about whether Gemma can get out of her situation.

[flashlight_reader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I just love mermaid stories. Make it a story about killer mermaids and I'm even more entranced. I had a lot of fun reading Wake by Amanda Hocking. While the plot didn't amaze me, I was intrigued. I hate to say this, but there is only so much you can do with a story about sirens. It was everything I expected it to be, and very little more. Now, don't take that the wrong way. I did enjoy it; it just didn't break the mold. Gemma was a decent character. She was strong and beautiful-- perfect bait for a gang of deadly sirens. I know the majority of the story focused on Gemma and her plight, but I was really more interested in Daniel. He was mysterious and fun. He had this aura of bad-boy swirling around him that had me hooked from the beginning. Alex was that "boy next door" kind of character, which worked well with being Gemma's love interest. Gemma's sister was also decent as far as foils go. Overall, the characters were all balanced out and did a nice job of supporting one another-- but I'm still team Daniel. What review of a book about mermaids would be complete without mentioning the main characters? These sirens were not all singing crabs and sunshine. These girls were hard-core. Penn is certainly the most vicious of the three. Talia came across as aloof and uninterested. I'm sure there will be more to that in future books. What I did enjoy about this book is that the focus really wasn't on sparkling mermaid tails. Yes, it was mentioned a few times, but not as much as you would think. There was certainly an underlying mystery that was more prevalent to the plot. The mythology that was subtly introduced was also used in a very clever way. I am curious to see how Gemma and the other unravel that mystery in future books. Overall, Wake was a fun read. It was quick and had enough romance to make it a page turner. (Very clean romance by the way.) I feel like this was a nice introduction to the upcoming books, which will probably have more plot twists in store.

[thelostentwife · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't remember where I first encountered Wake by Amanda Hocking - but I think it was on one of those "must read fantasy" lists. Amanda Hocking is well known for selling, well ... quite a few self-published novels, but having not read any of them, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with Wake, the first book of a new trilogy.I'm touch and go on stories with mermaids/selkies/sirens. They are so awkward to write about, to try to figure out logistics and such. I mean - it's not like you can actually be sexy with a fin for your lower half, right? So while I think Hocking did an admirable job trying to make this strange, mystifying race alluring, I think it all kind of got lost in a strange loops.Because, honestly, I finished the book yesterday and here's what I remember about it: girl swims, girl falls for guy, sister falls for guy, girl swims, something bad, the end. Oh, and let's not forget: . Was I entertained while reading Wake? Sure. I mean, I wanted to finish the book, it wasn't difficult to read, but it was a sort of morbid curiosity that ultimately led to me finishing it. I won't be picking up book 2, not because I hated Wake, but rather.. because I'm just disinterested in the story and frankly, I'm tired of cliffhangers which exist solely to sell books.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

2.5 stars. It was OK but I found myself getting bored in parts.

[urbanfan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Being a long time fan of Hocking's work, I really wanted to love WAKE. But, this one didn't connect with me as her previous books have. While I could easily follow the flow of the book, I never connected with the characters or the sense of urgency I'm sure was meant to be present with the 'mean girls' and the changes the main character undergoes. I felt as if I was just reading a framework of the story, but I never actually found myself 'living' in the book's world. The concept of adding mythology as a tie in was an interesting take. I know I won't like every book I read, and I do still remain a fan and stand by the previous reviews for previous titles. WAKE just wasn't one for me this go around. I would still recommend fans and new readers give it a try for themselves, especially if you are merfolk/myth fan.

[kitkat1242 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gemma is a very beautiful girl & loves the sea. It gives her freedom, and she feels safe there. Gemma then starts falling in love with the boy next door, Alex, who was always the best friend, but this summer, they have decided to take their relationship to the next level. Harper, her sister, has a caring bone inside her, and has looked after Gemma ever since their Mum had a terrible accident. Three strange girls have arrived in town. They are fearless, gorgeous and enticing, and although they have captured everyone's attention, it's Gemma they are interested in, and they want her to be part of their group. One night, Gemma decides to take a swim, when she finds the three girls having a party on the cove. They invite her, and draw her in into drinking a mysterious concoction. The next morning, Gemma wakes up feeling different, and immediately knows something is wrong. Gemma is faster, stronger and beautiful than before. As she tries to uncover the truth, she ends up being torn between leaving her family, or going off with the strange girls, and entering a world with so many different possibilities.This is the first book I have ever read from the author Amanda Hocking. It is the first book in the 'Watersong' series. I have heard a load of good things about this new series from her, and I decided to take the plunge, and I'm glad I did.All the characters are like-able in this. The story mainly revolves around the two sisters Gemma and Harper, and the things that their life encounters. I feel sorry for both of them because their Mum had a terrible accident, and is now in a home where they occasionally visit her, normally on a Saturday. The Mum has to be constantly reminded who they are and why they're there upon every visit. You then have the three mysterious girls: Penn, Lexi and Thea. They seem to have a certain danger about them, and when they enter a room all eyes are on them. The Dad only plays a minor part in this story, as he is normally working a lot, and he tends to be very forgetful with his lunch for work, which Harper normally makes for him and brings to him. Finally, you have the two guy interests of the sisters. Alex is the typical friend who suddenly becomes hot, and he begins his relationship with Gemma. Daniel lives on a boat by the dock, which was left to him. There are definite romantic sparks between Harper and Daniel, but because Harper is going to study in a couple of months, she is holding back.There is a nice size to this book. The chapters aren't too short, nor too long. Not a lot happens in this novel, and it probably seems that way as it is being spread across a series.I wouldn't say there was anything I disliked about the story, as I do enjoy books about mermaids and sirens, etc. I can't wait to read the next book from this series.I really like the cover design to this. Not only is it blue, which is my favourite colour, but it holds a certain mystery behind it.Overall, I give this book five stars because I liked the storyline, would recommend, and would most definitely read again, if given the time.Add this book to your "to read" list, because I give it two thumbs up.Happy reading =)

[paisean13 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Hmmm....I had a hard time with this book. I really did not enjoy the character of Gemma. On the other hand, I did like her sister, Harper and the relationship between the two sisters. I also liked the character of Daniel. Honestly, those two characters are the only reason I gave this book 2 stars. I will most likely read the second book only because I am interested in seeing where Harper and Daniel end up.

[angelina0justice · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Gemma Fisher gets a rude "awakening" in this tale of cursed Sirens who need a new pod mate. It is a touch melodramatic, but given the content matter, that's a given. The characters are real, if not as fully developed as I'd like. My favorite character is the seaside bum, Daniel. I look forward to getting to know him better in Lullaby.

[bookishthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gemma has confidence and a love for the water. When boys begin going missing, Gemma's sister, Harper, forbids her to go on her nightly swims in the bay.

The family dynamic stands out in this book. Harper has practically raised Gemma since their mother's accident. Both girls live with their father. He's not very present, unless something happens. He's guarded with this feelings, and you never really know how he is coping. The sisters are pretty close, and I admire their relationship.

The creepy girls in town annoyed the hell out me, but also freaked me out. They are almost stalker-ish. They are used to getting what they want, and Gemma proves to be difficult for them.

Daniel and Alex are the dominant male characters. Alex is worried about the sudden change in Gemma's character. Daniel keeps bugging Harper for a date. These are loyal guys and willing to do what they can to help the girls. Although, I wonder about Daniel's past and why he can resist the call.
All in all, I did like this book, and will be picking up Lullaby. It's a great spin on mermaids. They aren't content all the time. They are deadly, and monsters. The only question left is, what will happen to Gemma?

[elliepotten · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in Hocking's Watersong series, and it's mostly about a girl called Gemma. She's a brilliant swimmer and local beauty (the natural lovely kind, not a primped and preened prima donna) who loves nothing more than taking off for nighttime swims in the bay, marvelling at the stars and basking in the ocean waves. Of late she has found her moonlit peace disturbed by the town's newest residents: three hypnotically stunning young women who take to the deserted beach at night to sing and dance by firelight. Found dishevelled and alone on the sand one morning, Gemma knows only that she was invited to join Penn, Lexie and Thea on the beach the previous night, and something is now different. Who are the girls? How will all this affect her growing relationship with the boy next door? Meanwhile, her older sister Harper is battling a local beach bum while trying to keep one eye on Gemma's safety, and the community is rocked as several local boys disappear without a trace... As you may have guessed by now, this is a novel about sirens, which is one of the things that attracted me to it in the first place. I really enjoyed the siren mythology, explained to Gemma by the girls during another night by the fire on the beach, and the way the less savoury elements of their story are gradually revealed, much to Gemma's horror. The siren plot made a nice change from the usual 'paranormal trinity' of vampires, angels and shifters! The characters aren't massively fleshed out - the focus is more on the plot and mythology, at least in this first book - but I very much liked Daniel, Harper's dockside nemesis, who lives on his boat and delights in teasing her at every opportunity. The relationship between Harper and Gemma was quite realistic, and convincing enough to have me welling up at least once as Harper blindly fought to help her sister. I found the description quite repetitive at times (it's very obvious that something's amiss from the first appearance of the sirens) but seeing the various elements of their mythology coming together kept me turning the pages. After some of the recent novels I've read, one thing I DID appreciate was the fact that it was refreshingly typo-free, although I did spot a stray 'who's' instead of 'whose' at one point, which is a silly mistake. All in all it was a good fluffy YA read, perfect for summer reading at the beach or by the pool. It felt right to be reading it on holiday, by water, stopping for the occasional dip every now and again! The end of the novel paved the way nicely for the (presumably more brutal) books to come, and since I got home I've already bought the three remaining Watersong novels: Lullaby, Tidal and Elegy. I want to delve deeper into the sirens' mythological history, find out what's next for Gemma, and see how Harper fares trying to rescue her sister from the sirens' clutches...

[ishanella · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Amanda Hocking’s first traditionally published work, Wake, is the first in a series of books about Gemma. Gemma loves the water and everything about it. She’s a great swimmer with her eyes on the Olympics. In her little island town she meets three girls - Penn, Thea and Lexi - with a strange secret. As Gemma gets more entangled in their lives she is faced with a difficult decision that might cost her own life.

Amanda Hocking has a knack for taking myths and making them her own, she’s very imaginative and even though I wasn’t a super fan of her trolls or vampire books, I wanted to see how being published the traditional way would shape her as an author. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with Wake.

One of the main things that I disliked about the story is the continuous use of unnecessary descriptions that I can only assume was placed there as padding. I didn’t think it necessary to let the reader know every step the characters took, especially when it was something we could assume and when it wasn’t pertinent to the furthering the plot. Some of this over describing spoiled, more than enhanced, some key scenes; I found myself pulled out of the story instead of being engaged.

We meet a lot of characters, and it was nice to see the family involved in the protagonist’s life. There were a lot of switching perspectives, and while it worked in some areas, I thought, the fact that we saw everything from everyone’s point of view took away from the mystery of the story a bit.

Overall, I think this is one of her better stories, it’s a quick read for a rainy day or a beach day. I can’t say I saw much difference between this and her self-published work, but, the plot itself was interesting enough to keep me reading.

[received an ARC at BEA]

[nlsobon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having read and enjoyed Hocking's Trylle trilogy, I was curious to see what her next series was about. Wake is an intriguing siren story, and I can't wait for the second book, Lullaby, to release in 2013.Wake is about two sisters, Harper and Gemma.After a car accident leaves their mother unable to live at home, Harper finds herself feeling responsible for both Gemma and their father, Brian. She doesn't socialize much. She's focused on working, preparing fro college, and her family. She isn't one for going out, or even dating. Gemma, on the other hand, is on the swim team at her high school. And Gemma, unlike Harper, manages to find time for a love life - something that will nearly destroy her in the end. At the beginning of the story, both girls seem like typical teens. Until one night, when Gemma heads out for her nightly swim, and she doesn't make it back.When Harper finds Gemma at the bay the next morning, she isn't sure what happened, but she knows that the "creepy girls" (Penn, Thea and Lexi) are somehow involved.The ending of Wake will leave you desperate for the second book.The final scene between Harper and Gemma is heartbreaking, and I can't wait to see what Harper does next.Like I said, I'm a fan of Hocking's Trylle trilogy, so I was incredibly excited to get my hands on a copy of Wake. She has a knack for creating a world that readers are able to easily lose themselves in, and Wake is no exception. Had it not been for a cold, I would have devoured this book in one setting.Thank you to St.Martin's Griffin for sending me an ARC for review.

[cozylover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely loved this book! The author's writing skills have come a long way from where they were with her first novel, Switched. The characters are developed fully, the storyline held my interest from the very first page and there was just enough creepiness to make it chilling. A few parts were too gross for my tastes and I could of lived without those parts. Overall a great read.