Review: Wide Awake by Shelly Crane

A girl.
A coma.

A life she can't remember.

When Emma Walker wakes up in the hospital with no knowledge of how she got there, she learns that she's been in a coma for six months. Strangers show up and claim to be her parents, but she can't remember them. She can't remember anyone. Not her friends, not even her boyfriend. Even though she can't remember, everyone wants her to just pick up where she left off, but what she learns about the 'old her' makes her start to wish she'd never woken up. Her boyfriend breaks up with the new girl he's dating to be with her, her parents want her to start planning for college, her friends want their leader back, and her physical therapist with the hazel eyes keeps his distance to save his position at the hospital.

Will she ever feel like she recognizes the girl in the mirror?

March 24, 2013

Usually when I read a book, I get lost in the story, almost picturing myself as the character and living their lives along with them. But with this one, I felt like I was standing beside my best friend as she was living her life. I was cheering her on, telling her how awesome she was, and generally just being the cheerleader Emma didn't want to be. 

Emma wakes up from a 6 month coma, brought on by a hit and run, staring at strangers. People who claim to be her parents, but she has no recollection of them. As she proceeds to learn more about the girl she was, she's even more confused, unable to reconcile herself and this Emma that they say she is. By all accounts, Emma appears to be a spoiled, self-centered B*$(# and she can't imagine herself acting this way. 

"How does one gain weight when they aren't eating anything? I was in a coma! I was literally eating nothing and I gained weight. Which can only mean that I had a serious problem before I went into a coma" 

Emma learns she has a boyfriend, Andy, that she's having some trouble understanding why she would ever be attracted to him. But everyone tells her that the best way to get back to who she was is to immerse herself in that life. To be Emma. To be with her boyfriend, to hang with her friends, to dress, talk and act like Emma would. But none of it feels right. 

Through all of this, she is falling in love with her physical therapist, Mason. To say he's swoon worthy would be an understatement. 

"I want to give you back your first kiss, the one that jerk stole from you. And I want it to be something that even a coma can't make you forget."

But must like everyone, he's far from perfect. He's hot and cold with Emma has he tries to resist his feelings for her. Mason also has some secrets that could burn out any potential relationship with Emma before they even get going. 

Shelly is such an awesome author and this story gripped me. Also, her chapter titles were AWESOME! Each chapter was a different useless fact that was all together, too funny. I looked forward to each chapter, partially just for that. 

Useless Fact number Six

Every time you sneeze, brain cells die

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