Kimberly Derting
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Hardback: 338 Pages
Publication: April 29, 2014
by Harper Teen
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?
Sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew jumps from a car while arguing with her father and disappears in a burst of light. When she wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she gets there. At home, she finds out that five years have passed, and she hasn’t aged a day. Her mother is remarried, her boyfriend Austin is in college and dating her best friend, and her father has become a drunken conspiracy theorist who believes that she was abducted by aliens. The only comfort and support she has is in Austin’s little brother, Tyler, who has grown up into a very cute 17-year-old boy.
I like Kyra. She handles a difficult situation really well. Upon returning to her family, she discovers that she is younger than all of her friends, who are now in college. It is an especially awkward situation with her and her former boyfriend Austin because she’s now younger than him, and he’s dating her best friend. On top of it all, she is developing feelings for Austin’s kid brother Tyler, who was only twelve years old the last time she saw him. Kyra is confused and lost, and she doesn’t know how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. Overall, she’s a likable character, and I could connect with her easily.
Tyler is a sweet addition to the cast of character. The developing friendship between them is so adorable and heartwarming; the romance
is very sweet, especially since Tyler finally has a chance to be with the girl he has crushed on for so long. He is completely loyal to Kyra and shows steadfast dedication in staying by her side. He’s willing to do anything for her. She is so lucky to have someone like him in her life! He’s someone a girl wants to bring back to her family.
The plot is fast paced. There are a lot of thrills and secrets that had me on the edge of my seat. I really like the idea of aliens taking people and altering them as some kind of experiment. That said, I would like to see more explanation on why they are doing what they do to the disappeared. I hope that the second book will provide a more satisfactory answer and further build the world that Kyra finds herself tangled up in.
The Taking is a suspenseful, mysterious, thrilling ride. Derting has provided a promising start for the next book by ending on a high note with conspiracies, underground rebel networks, and spooky government agencies.
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Author: alice
Alice is a stay-at-home mom of two children. Her favorite books are those send icy tingles down her spine, such as a good mystery or thriller, but she also enjoys a good hear-throbbing romance. She enjoys listening to music and drinking a cup of tea while reading and working.
Sarathebooklion says
Great review! Now I really want to read this book!
Christina Fiorelli says
I'm really glad you liked this because the concept rocks and the author writes very interesting characters.
I'm glad you liked how Kyra reacted to what she had to face and that the romance was nice 🙂
Lovely review 🙂
alice says
Thanks.
Mary @ BookSwarm says
Can you even imagine disappearing for years, not aging and not knowing what happened to you? Everything would be different and so scary.
alice says
Agree with you.
Cali Willette says
Great review! The Pledge by Kimberly Derting is one of my favorite series. <3
alice says
Thanks.