Thank you Netgalley and the author for this ARC!

i struggled a lot to finish this book, and that pains me to say it. the writing style felt very clunky and rushed in a sense where i often was left a little unsatisfied or pulled out of the story, especially with the jumps to different POV’s that felt a little abrupt. the children did not sound like children also, which threw me.

i think the concept of this story has such potential as it is so interesting. i just felt that this version did not do what i assumed it would when i requested this ARC sadly.

This is a book I found difficult to finish. There were many moments that made me uncomfortable due to the explicitness of the content involved. I found the plot quite slow but interesting in terms of how the events of alien abductions can affect all those around the town.

thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

’The greatest fear you have is that one day you’ll think of yourself only as stardust instead of flesh and blood’

The Taking is, sadly, a debut novel that misses the mark.

Centred on a father-daughter relationship, a missing mother, and the strange happenings surrounding a small town, this really should have been something I loved. The premise is interesting, and does a good job at blending sci-fi and horror together.

Unfortunately that’s where my praise ends.

This book is just not written well, at all. The prose is clunky and robotic, and reads very much as rushed or a first draft. The dialogue is just plain awful, characters that sound like aliens pretending to be humans. The children speak like full-blown adults, and the adults themselves in this uncanny-valley-way as if it’s the first time they’ve had a conversation. There is a lack of fluidity to conversations that really pulled me out of whatever scene I was reading, and trampled on any sense of atmosphere this book was trying to present. Changes between perspectives are also incredibly abrupt, and scenes end and begin with seemingly no rhyme nor rhythm to them. This just desperately needed editing and rewriting in parts.

This is an example of a good premise but poor execution. It left me not caring at all about the characters or the plot by the time I was finished reading.

Overall, The Taking gets 2/5 stars.

A suspenseful story of a girl besieged by strange events, the novel explores what it means to confront the unknown. Really thrilling and I want to stop at start but then really good.

3.25 ⭐️

Before anything else, a quick thank you to NetGalley and Roundfire books for the advanced copy of this title.

I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated. I am not typically one to get wrapped up in books with a science-fiction take to them, but this one didn’t get too technical. It was simply the perspective of strange happenings by a small group of people in a small town, and I think that worked really well for me.

Personally, going in expecting that I was not going to be the right reader for this book, I almost filed it under “DNF’s” a time or two at the beginning, but Masi did a great job at making me feel genuine concern for Vera. This concern kept me hanging on. In all honesty, some of the written dialogue was a bit clunky and didn’t sound real in my head. It was choppy at points and a couple times felt like too much information was trying to be conveyed to the reader through character conversations that weren’t properly broken up with bits of narrative or movements/expressions from the characters. It sort of felt lazy or rushed.

Overall though, I enjoyed the concept and the way the story played out. I just feel with better editing this book could have been even better. For the shorter length of the book, it was worth the time. With more experienced editors I feel Masi could really create some great stories in the future that I will look forward to reading.

Note: another reviewer mentioned that there is sexual assault within the pages, which she technically correct, but it wasn’t nearly at the level implied. I can see how it may make some cringe, but it didn’t bother me or feel out of line for the story.

I really wanted to like this book because I do like the unknown and I do like a good abduction and UFO story but it was enjoyable not extraordinary which is sad I was really hoping for more and I really wanted to like specially because I'm a huge fan of the x-files

I was initially drawn into this book by the description—an X-file's-esque story taking place in New England is definitely something that I would love. The writing was hard for me to get into a groove with, but it has been a while since I've read sci-fi adjacent books. Excited to have been able to read the work of a new local author, looking forward to reading more of her work.

The cover is what initially drew me to this book and then reading the synopsis I became very interested. It is a book about alien contact but the author tried to incorporate it into a finding love story which only pulled my attention away from the storyline. It’s very readable but goes nowhere and if you don’t like stories that leave you hanging, I wouldn’t suggest this one.

The Taking by Dona Masi centers on a father raising his young daughter who experiences strange events that may be connected to his wife’s disappearance. The “mysterious outside force” controlling them, as described in the Description, made me curious to read the story and request it. But then I learned the book was about alien abductions after reading A Note From the Publisher and Advance Praise listed under the Description, and that removed all the mystery for me. But by then, I had already been approved to read it. I already knew the answer going into the book, so this might have lessened the impact the story might have had on me. Overall, there were some suspenseful parts in the story. But I don’t think I’m the best reader for this book—it’s just not for me. This is for those who like to read about the details of alien abductions. Thanks to Collective Ink Limited and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

The Taking by Dona Masi is a suspenseful and gripping novel that explores the psychological impact of loss and survival through a complex storyline filled with twists and unexpected revelations. Masi masterfully weaves a narrative that combines elements of mystery, thriller, and emotional drama, creating a book that captivates readers from start to finish.

The story centers around a protagonist thrust into a world of deception and danger, where the stakes grow higher with each chapter. Masi's attention to detail and vivid descriptions immerse readers in the emotional turmoil and fear faced by her characters. Her skillful character development allows readers to connect with the protagonist on a deep level, understanding their motivations, anxieties, and resilience.

As the plot unfolds, Masi introduces themes of resilience, identity, and justice. The protagonist's journey becomes not only a battle for survival but also a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Through her struggles, readers are invited to ponder complex ethical dilemmas and the price of truth.

The pacing of *The Taking* is well-crafted, with a balance of suspenseful moments and reflective passages that build tension while giving readers room to process the deeper implications of the storyline. Masi’s writing style is sharp and evocative, with dialogue and action sequences that feel authentic and grounded in the emotional realities of the characters.

Overall, *The Taking* is a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers and mysteries. Dona Masi has crafted a page-turner that is as introspective as it is suspenseful, making it an excellent choice for readers who enjoy thrillers with emotional depth and moral complexity.

I really enjoyed this book about grief and traumatic experiences. I loved that it was an atmospheric slow burn, but in the best kind of way. I would recommend this to readers who like Twin Peaks and the X-Files.

Sorry but I found this book very difficult to read. There was no difference between the characters "voices", they all sounded alike. There seemed little to like about most of them and they were difficult to connect and empathise with. There were some upsetting scenes that were just written as though they were quite normal . Sorry, just not for me.

In The Taking, we follow Vera, who spends years of her life having strange, otherworldly dreams and finding herself with gaps in her memory sometimes hours in length. To make matters worse, Vera's mother disappeared when she was just a baby, leaving her father, John, on his own to figure out how to raise a girl as a single dad. We follow Vera and John through the strains in their relationship as father and daughter, as well as their struggles with other relationships, like with friends and romantic partners.

At it's core, this book is a story about relationships. The twist is that we are witnessing how relationships are impacted by alien encounters. The story is believable in that it doesn't involve vast amounts of time spent on alien ships or other planets, and rather spends time unpacking how these encounters impact all people involved. Unfortunately, this is where my enjoyment of the book ended.

What the book seemingly tried to do was present an extra-terrestrial tale which centers around the relationships of our main characters; however, I found that the relationship dynamics did not feel believable or natural. This book relies heavily on "telling" rather than "showing," and the prose felt very mechanical. Dialogue was awkward and not conversational, and the book felt very "stream-of-conscious" and disorganized. Paragraphs would often start in one place and then jump to different characters in entire different locations, making it very difficult to follow along. I also had a hard time understanding who this book is meant for, as the prose reads like a middle-grade book while the subject matter is oftentimes leaning towards adult or YA audiences.

This book has potential - it has an interesting premise. Unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me.