The Taking
By: Kimberly Derting
Release Date: April 29th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Electronic ARC
An electronic copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Summary:
A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.
When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.
Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.
Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?
My Thoughts:
When originally reading the summary of The Taking prior to requesting this book I did notice that there was an ‘undeniable attraction’ to the kid brother of her long time boyfriend. I saw this but figured I’d deal with that little bit because the story seemed so intriguing. Sadly, that little bit was entirely too much for me and I had to DNF this book at 20%. I had no clue I was as opposed to having an interest in two brothers until reading this. I couldn’t get over this aspect and it truly ruined everything about this book for me. I kept rolling my eyes and felt disgusted by the Kyra. It seemed so implausible that she’s attracted to Tyler and it’s been ONE day for her–yes, it’s been five for everyone else but ONE day for her and she’s already attracted to the love of her life’s brother?? No.
Beyond that I still wasn’t loving this book. The reason was due solely to all the characters being completely unrelatable to me and unlikeable. I am sad that I’ll never know what that flash of light was and where Kyra went for those five years.
Have you read The Taking? Did the brotherly switch bother you too?
Ha! I don’t blame you! I specifically didn’t request this book because of the icky romance. She dated his freaking brother. Not only that, but the new love interest is the LITTLE BROTHER. It’s just too weird and gross for me, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to ignore it. I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you, but at least now you know what to avoid in the future!
I will avoid it at ALL COSTS. I was so repulsed by it I couldn’t get over it–even to find out what that light was. Maybe some one can spoil it for me in private message 🙂 I’m happy to know a new pet peeve to avoid in the future.
I was a little bothered by the romance, but I managed to look past that and see an interesting Alien story 😀 It might be because I don’t read many Alien books (don’t really like it) so it was fascinating to me. I hope your next book is better!
So happy you were able to look past all of that and enjoy the book. I think the light part was fascinating I just couldn’t move past the romance.
I’m still not sure if I’ll read it or not… I guess I’ll give it a try and see if I can deal with the romance enough to discover what the plot surprises are all about!
Thanks for your very honest review as always, Kristen!
Thanks Pili! I was rather disturbed personally but I imagine it won’t bother the vast majority of people. I never knew that was a bookish pet peeve! Now I know!
I have read some really good reviews of this one. However the few bad ones that I have read were really negative! I am not surprised you stopped at 20% by the sounds of the romance!
Here is to a better read next time! 🙂
Alex @ The Shelf Diaries
I guess people either are ok with the romance or not. I think the writing was ok and the story interesting so I can see why others would enjoy it 🙂
I HATE these disgusting romances. There was a brother/brother love triangle in Dollhouse Asylum – one of the reasons why I disliked it so much. Of course, there’s a more famous example in a series I disliked a great deal. I’m sure you know which one, but I won’t type it for spoiler reasons.
I’m with you. Now I know not to read The Dollhouse Asylum. I never knew it was such a make it/break it for me but it really was! I couldn’t handle it. Now you are prepared on this one. Had you downloaded it?
We all have our things we can’t handle in books! I definitely understand your frustration here–I definitely would have been frustrated too. That feels way too much like insta-love for plot convenience, and I’m not all about that life. Thanks for your great explanation of why you couldn’t finish it!
Yep, it did feel like insta-attraction (at the point I stopped). If you read this one I hope it doesn’t distract you as much as it did me.
Oh yes. I truly hated this book. Agh. I’m sorry. I didn’t read all of it either, though I think I read a little bit more than you. But seriously. It was AWFUL. I hated that romance twist. Ugh. It was just.. not good. And like you say. It has been ONE DAY for her. How is she ready to move on from her “ex-boyfriend” who she was planning on living with forever? I just don’t get it. And I didn’t like the plot either in this book. I just.. did not enjoy it much :p So I’m glad I quit reading it, hih. Anyway. Thank you for sharing Kristen. <3
I was so just UGH about the whole romance thing. I couldn’t believe she was ‘moving on’ so fast. how in the world could she be finding him attractive that soon? I didn’t get it at all either. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it either. Perhaps Derting’s next book will work better for us both.
I’ve been seeing this around a lot lately but that romance is seriously bothering me, so I’m unsure of reading it. It just doesn’t make any sense and it’s honestly kind of disgusting. I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you, Kristen!
I was so excited about this book! I loved the plot idea and the hope that aliens would be involved…but that romance was just too much for me. If you read it I want to hear your thoughts Aimee.
Oh, that sounds remarkably disappointing. :(( I’m a bit tired of the whole amnesia thing too though. It doesn’t catch my attention so much anymore! Sorry you didn’t enjoy this. It’s no fun wasting time reading a dodgy book, right?!
You know, I’m pretty sick of the amnesia plot device too. When it’s done well it works beautifully. Not so much here (for me).
I haven’t read this, but swapping brothers is TACKY.
It didn’t work for me!
The romance here does not sound like my cup of tea AT ALL. I’ve been hearing a lot of mixed things about this book, but I think now it’s probably best if I skip it. I can’t see myself getting into this if the romance bothers me as much as it did you. Sorry it didn’t work out for you, Kristen. I hope your next read is much better!
I really have trouble thinking that with the way the romance was written it’ll appeal to anyone. I think some will be able to deal with it to see the bigger story line because there was some interesting things going on. Sadly, just not interesting enough for me to continue. 🙁
Tough break, but I can definitely see why this one didn’t work out. Thanks for the review! 🙂
Thank you Kel!
Ugh this book. I absolutely detested the romance as well. Her instant attraction to her boyfriend’s little bro? Just ew. Not right.
Agreed!! Is it bad I’m happy you didn’t like it either?
I don’t blame you! I think if done right then I don’t mind it as much. One of the books I just finished is about a girl loving one brother but ending up with the other. The situation isn’t like this one though. I remember another book I read where a girl ends up dating her sister’s ex-boyfriend soon after they broke up. While I liked the book, I always felt that was a big no-no. I always count any of my sister’s ex as off limits. He could be the hottest guy on earth, even the whole universe and I would still say no. I’m not sure if I would be able to like this book too. It’s almost as if she had the hots for her old boyfriend’s kid brother before she disappeared.
Prior to the disappearance she seemed so in love with the older brother–that was why it was so horrible that she started seeing the younger one attractive so fast. Just seemed ew. I agree that I have read books where something concerning brothers works out well but the writing and characters have to be done well. Here, for me, they were not. I have a sister too and I feel the exact same way!
I won an ARC of this and a friend warned me INSTA-LOVE as soon as she saw that I had the book. I was thinking of giving it a try anyways because I feel guilty when I don’t review books I won, but after your review, no thank you.
I can’t stand it when the hero or heroine switch love interests to their original love interest’s brother or sister. I read a book similar to that and just, no.
I would love reading your review for this one Kelly. It was very insta-love and I really couldn’t get over the brother switch. I’ve seen that some people enjoyed it…just wasn’t for me.
Boo. I was kind of looking forward to this book. Hahah..but after reading your thoughts..I’ll definitely be staying away now. Thanks for the heads up!
Seems some readers aren’t as bothered by the romance as I was so you might like it? I don’t know..just wasn’t a good read for me. If you do read it I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts.
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