"Undertow" by Michael Buckley

Wow! I really hope there'll be a sequel, or at least a novella telling a future tale (more about which one I'd like that to be later)! 

Undertow by Michael Buckley was so much better than I had expected! 
Having read the blurb I started reading the book with mixed feelings, not sure if I was going to like it or not - but I was soon shown that giving everything a chance is really worth it, because I instantly fell in love with the characters and the story. 

In the beginning, Undertow reminded me a lottle (little/lot) of the tv-show Star-Crossed, which is "About an epic romance between a human girl and an alien boy when he and others of his kind are integrated into a suburban high school 10 years after they landed on Earth and were consigned to an internment camp" (imdb.com). Undertow does have some romance between a human girl and an Alpha, "a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors". It does have a camp on the shore, in which the Alpha are forced to stay. And there is a group of adolescent Alpha that are supposed to be integrated in the local high school, with a group of red-shirts violently trying to keep that from happening. But that's where the similarities end - and saying it's the same would be like arguing that after having read Romeo and Juliet, you can never read another lovestory, because each and every one of them is a rip-off - which is, quite obviously, far from the truth. But if you were to ask me whom (aka fans of what) I'd recommend the book to, I'd be confident to say that it could be described as a Star-Crossed meets Avatar meets Romeo and Juliet and Warm Bodies, meets Animal Farm, The Outsiders and Freedom Writers kind of story. It has a little bit of all of them, yet is a completely different, unique story. 

A different and unique story, that is very interesting and never gets boring - Undertow was, despite being far from my "usual", an absolute page-turner, and I already feel like giving it a re-read. Its characters are very well developed, have their ups and downs and aren't faultless, which makes them very real - even those, that are creatures made up by Buckley's imagination. And OMA (Oh My Alpha!), Fathom - BIG SIGH! While I'd love to meet all the Alpha, because each one of the characters introduced in this novel is so unique, I'd say "nevermind meeting them" if I could only meet Fathom. He is such an interesting characters, who goes through so much character development, yet stays true to himself and never loses his ways, he'd be a must-meet if only he was real. 

This YA novel is as cute as it gets, with just enough drama, tragedy and battle to not make it sappy - and still interesting to boys and girls alike. A love-triangle is no stranger to this story, but the one portrayed in Undertow is an unresolved one to the very end. While this is somewhat refreshing, it was also a little frustrating and disappointing, as I was - of course - shipping a certain pairing throughout the book... and that's where my wish for a sequel, or at least a novella, comes in. I would absolutely love to see what happens to Lyric Walker and her family after the end of the book, and, even more so, if Fathom and Lyric, and Arcade, will ever meet again - I would love to see which pairing would be endgame (pssssht, it'd totally be Fathom and Lyric if I had it my way!). 

Undertow is a beautiful tale illustrating the importance of respect, acceptance and tolerance, and that we shouldn't fear the unknown. It emphasizes that your voice matters, no matter how small or unimportant you might feel - each and every one of us can make a difference, as long as we dare to stick up for what we believe is right. 

I feel like men - male authors - are extremely underestimated when it comes to YA novels. I mean, yes, they are out there, but their books rarely create as much of a hype as a female author's; maybe it's just me, but they don't create much buzz and seemingly draw in less readers. Which is an absolute shame! This book, for one, was amazing, and in my opinion enjoyable for both male and female readers alike. I really loved Undertow and will definitely be purchasing a physical copy for myself, as well as some as gifts in the future. 

5/5!

First, we feared them. Then we fought them. Now they might be our only hope.

Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s best chance for survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.

Action, suspense, and romance whirlpool dangerously in this cinematic saga!

New York Times bestselling author Michael Buckley was born in Akron, Ohio. He tried his hand as a stand-up comic and lead singer for a punk rock back before attending Ohio University. After graduating with honors he moved to New York City to be an intern on the Late Show with David Letterman which led to stints developing programming for Discovery Networks, MTV, MTV Animation and Klasky Csupo (producers of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats). Today he lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife, Alison, and their son Finn.

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*** I was generously provided with an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review ***