Scan barcode
k_lenn's review
4.0
That COVER! Kudos to the designer, Daqri Combs, because dang. If you're as blown-away as I am, you can find her other work here. She's brilliant.
Okay, now for the actual book.
Blood Awakens follows four people as they navigate the emergence of the Awakened and society's immediate hatred of them. Sean is what society now calls a blood guide: he can hear heartbeats and control blood flow, which can either heal people or mercilessly kill them. Graciela is an Unawakened meaning she has no powers, but she's heavily involved because her brother is an empath. They may be different, but they all want the same thing: safety. But in a world filled with hate and bloodlust, is that even possible?
I think the writing is absolutely wonderful for a debut series, but there are definitely a few times where it seems a bit clumsy. That being said, I cannot wait to see how Willis grows as an author. She's definitely somebody to keep an eye out for in the genre!
This novel is filled with suspense and keeps you on your toes, and the characters are all easy to love and empathize with. Not to mention, the idea of a blood guide is so unique- I've never seen a similar power before.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of Blood Awakens. :-)
Okay, now for the actual book.
Blood Awakens follows four people as they navigate the emergence of the Awakened and society's immediate hatred of them. Sean is what society now calls a blood guide: he can hear heartbeats and control blood flow, which can either heal people or mercilessly kill them. Graciela is an Unawakened meaning she has no powers, but she's heavily involved because her brother is an empath. They may be different, but they all want the same thing: safety. But in a world filled with hate and bloodlust, is that even possible?
I think the writing is absolutely wonderful for a debut series, but there are definitely a few times where it seems a bit clumsy. That being said, I cannot wait to see how Willis grows as an author. She's definitely somebody to keep an eye out for in the genre!
This novel is filled with suspense and keeps you on your toes, and the characters are all easy to love and empathize with. Not to mention, the idea of a blood guide is so unique- I've never seen a similar power before.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of Blood Awakens. :-)
ameserole's review
4.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blood Awakens was AMAZING! I honestly didn't know what I was going to get when I got that lovely email of being accepted to read this ARC. Yet, I wasn't disappointed one bit. Maybe it's because I just watched both zombieland movies that anything post-apocalyptic makes me happy or even more intrigued? No idea, but loved everything about this one.
This book follows about four people throughout the entire thing but you should definitely look out for Sean and Graciela. They were my obvious favorites but they were interesting when they were completely different people but wanted the same goal. He has this super cool power to control blood flow. No idea why anyone wouldn't want that superpower because it seems pretty freaking cool or kind of gross if you don't like blood. So, he can either heal someone or kill them. Plain and simple. Then there's Graciela who has no powers. Just a regular ole' human like us folks.
Each chapter sucked me even further into their stories. Again, I just loved every damn second of it that I can't wait for the next book to come out!!
Blood Awakens was AMAZING! I honestly didn't know what I was going to get when I got that lovely email of being accepted to read this ARC. Yet, I wasn't disappointed one bit. Maybe it's because I just watched both zombieland movies that anything post-apocalyptic makes me happy or even more intrigued? No idea, but loved everything about this one.
This book follows about four people throughout the entire thing but you should definitely look out for Sean and Graciela. They were my obvious favorites but they were interesting when they were completely different people but wanted the same goal. He has this super cool power to control blood flow. No idea why anyone wouldn't want that superpower because it seems pretty freaking cool or kind of gross if you don't like blood. So, he can either heal someone or kill them. Plain and simple. Then there's Graciela who has no powers. Just a regular ole' human like us folks.
Each chapter sucked me even further into their stories. Again, I just loved every damn second of it that I can't wait for the next book to come out!!
tabatha_shipley's review
4.0
What I Did Like:
-The characters are well written. I loved each of them and felt like they had depth. I want to find out more about them so I will certainly be eager to get Book 2.
-The world of the Awakened is intriguing. The powers are a good combination of things you’ve heard of before and things you haven’t.
-The world building in this one is well done. A good first book in a series balances questions answered with questions still lingering in order to make you want to read the next book. This absolutely does that.
Who Should Read It:
-Fantasy fans who love world building and strong characters.
-Readers who like stories involving supernatural abilities, powers, and characters learning how to deal with all those entail.
My Rating:
-For me this was 4 stars. The characters were wonderful and I want more of them.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/yiFfaKcRmag
-The characters are well written. I loved each of them and felt like they had depth. I want to find out more about them so I will certainly be eager to get Book 2.
-The world of the Awakened is intriguing. The powers are a good combination of things you’ve heard of before and things you haven’t.
-The world building in this one is well done. A good first book in a series balances questions answered with questions still lingering in order to make you want to read the next book. This absolutely does that.
Who Should Read It:
-Fantasy fans who love world building and strong characters.
-Readers who like stories involving supernatural abilities, powers, and characters learning how to deal with all those entail.
My Rating:
-For me this was 4 stars. The characters were wonderful and I want more of them.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/yiFfaKcRmag
gonewithflynn's review
4.0
This book gave me such X-men vibes and I am here for it! Everyone's abilities are so unique - blood guides especially. They are simultaneously cool and oh so scary
ohthesheenanigans's review
5.0
Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: Blood Awakens
Author(s): Jessaca Willis
Character(s):
― Graciela Canul Ortiz: Brunette
― Mara Giordano: Green
― Sean: Brown Eyed
― Santiago Canul Ortiz: 20 years old, Brunette
Setting: USA
Tag(s): Contemporary, Fantasy, Dystopia, Sci-Fi
Content Rating:R
POV: Alternate between Heroines/Hero; Third Person
Smexy Level: Subtle
Favorite Quote(s):
― “Today will be filled with the light and peace I bring to it. I control my happiness.”
Overall Opinion:
Jessaca Willis was able to deliver with her debut series "Blood Awakens". This groundbreaking urban fantasy series started off slow and my initial intake was standoffish but once I was 1/4 through, the momentum started to build up and it became a little more than difficult to put this down. From the beginning to the end, each and every individual character has their own story to share and the author was able emphasized that with the detail writing that could easily immersed anyone to the story. The struggles and life alternating moments everyone suffered through were easily felt through the pages and to sum it up this phenomenal story particularly speaks for itself. In conclusion, "Blood Awakens" is honestly one of the best books I have read this far in the second half of 2019 and would highly recommend anyone looking for dystonia fantasy novel that would surely blow their breath away.
jessaca_with_an_a's review
5.0
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I feel very slimy leaving my own book a review, but it is the best way to make an announcement about the book, and I have a lot to say!
First, let me tell you a little about this story and how it came to be (skip the next 3-4 paragraphs if you'd rather jump to the book links). In 2015, I had just returned from a trip to Guatemala to wrap-up my final year of grad school, but I was feeling a bit lost. My day job at the time was no longer feeling meaningful and I was beginning to question whether or not I was wasting time (and money) on studying for a degree I might be losing interest in. I only had six months left before finishing so I was committed, but in order to get through the next few months with my sanity intact, I knew I would need a new passion project to keep me going.
At the same time, I had just finished watching HBO's True Blood series, and I was starting to wonder why every book, TV show, and movie seemed to be about vampires when there are so many other interesting and terrifying "creatures" in our imaginations. I wondered if all of them had already been made-up, or if I could create any of my own, so I started jotting down ideas. Turns out, most of the "creatures" and "powers" I created, were either directly derived from a popular being of magic, or heavily giving a nod to one.
But once I had a list of about twenty, some of them started coming to life in my head. I couldn't stop thinking, "What if people really did have powers? What would that do to the world?" I imagined the family I stayed with in Guatemala, and how their lives might've been different if some of them were suddenly able to hear thoughts, create balls of fire in their hands, or, say, sense each others' emotions (*cough cough* like one of the characters in this book).
Blood Awakens began as an attempt to create new creatures of magic, but wound up being more of an experiment in what humanity would do if supernatural powers were suddenly introduced into our lives. For those choosing to read it, I hope you enjoy it!
Now for my announcements:
THE BOOK COVER FOR BLOOD AWAKENS IS FINALLY COMPLETE! And if you couldn't tell, I am over the moon about it! Daqri Combs, if you're reading this, you did a fantastic job! <3
My other announcement is that you can now get Blood Awakens on NetGalley! But have no fear, if you aren't a member on NetGalley you can still get a copy of Blood Awakens on Amazon. OR if you're mildly interested but not sure you want to invest in a debut indie author with no cred, or just unsure if this type of story would speak to you, you can also download the short story prequel The Awakening for free from StoryOrigin (this link also signs you up for my newsletter, but feel free to unsubscribe if you decide my writing isn't for you!).
First, let me tell you a little about this story and how it came to be (skip the next 3-4 paragraphs if you'd rather jump to the book links). In 2015, I had just returned from a trip to Guatemala to wrap-up my final year of grad school, but I was feeling a bit lost. My day job at the time was no longer feeling meaningful and I was beginning to question whether or not I was wasting time (and money) on studying for a degree I might be losing interest in. I only had six months left before finishing so I was committed, but in order to get through the next few months with my sanity intact, I knew I would need a new passion project to keep me going.
At the same time, I had just finished watching HBO's True Blood series, and I was starting to wonder why every book, TV show, and movie seemed to be about vampires when there are so many other interesting and terrifying "creatures" in our imaginations. I wondered if all of them had already been made-up, or if I could create any of my own, so I started jotting down ideas. Turns out, most of the "creatures" and "powers" I created, were either directly derived from a popular being of magic, or heavily giving a nod to one.
But once I had a list of about twenty, some of them started coming to life in my head. I couldn't stop thinking, "What if people really did have powers? What would that do to the world?" I imagined the family I stayed with in Guatemala, and how their lives might've been different if some of them were suddenly able to hear thoughts, create balls of fire in their hands, or, say, sense each others' emotions (*cough cough* like one of the characters in this book).
Blood Awakens began as an attempt to create new creatures of magic, but wound up being more of an experiment in what humanity would do if supernatural powers were suddenly introduced into our lives. For those choosing to read it, I hope you enjoy it!
Now for my announcements:
THE BOOK COVER FOR BLOOD AWAKENS IS FINALLY COMPLETE! And if you couldn't tell, I am over the moon about it! Daqri Combs, if you're reading this, you did a fantastic job! <3
My other announcement is that you can now get Blood Awakens on NetGalley! But have no fear, if you aren't a member on NetGalley you can still get a copy of Blood Awakens on Amazon. OR if you're mildly interested but not sure you want to invest in a debut indie author with no cred, or just unsure if this type of story would speak to you, you can also download the short story prequel The Awakening for free from StoryOrigin (this link also signs you up for my newsletter, but feel free to unsubscribe if you decide my writing isn't for you!).
annes's review
5.0
In a post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe is definitely my kind of book! Blood Awakens follows the lives of four people: Sean, Mara, Graciela and Santiago as they live each day as it comes in this dystopian world.
At the beginning of this book curiosity peaks as we meet our first of four main characters as we learn what is happening in this story and learn what sort of world this story is set in. We get a sense of danger and a hint of foreshadowing regarding Sean the first character we come in contact with.
Immediately reading the first sentence I became really intrigued by this story so much more than I already was and knew I would like reading it. Jessaca created some mystery and suspense that just made me want to know more and more.
I enjoyed every single page within this story and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel to this so I can learn more about these awesome characters and how they survive the cruel and horrible world that they live in. This is a definite 5 star read and by far one of the best books I have read in a long long time.
http://www.foreverthewanderer.ie/blood-awakens-a-r-c-book-review/
At the beginning of this book curiosity peaks as we meet our first of four main characters as we learn what is happening in this story and learn what sort of world this story is set in. We get a sense of danger and a hint of foreshadowing regarding Sean the first character we come in contact with.
Immediately reading the first sentence I became really intrigued by this story so much more than I already was and knew I would like reading it. Jessaca created some mystery and suspense that just made me want to know more and more.
I enjoyed every single page within this story and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel to this so I can learn more about these awesome characters and how they survive the cruel and horrible world that they live in. This is a definite 5 star read and by far one of the best books I have read in a long long time.
http://www.foreverthewanderer.ie/blood-awakens-a-r-c-book-review/
emmaparsnips's review
3.0
The premise of this book was really intriguing but I think it could have been executed better. There were so many perspectives and characters to remember that I don't feel like I know any character particularly well and so when they make a decision it seems confusing. The book seemed rushed throughout, not helped by the multiple perspectives. More information on the different types of awakened would be better as the lists of the different types mean very little without a brief overview. I enjoyed it enough to finish but I'm not sure I'll continue with the series.
thereadingchemist's review
4.0
A post-apocalyptic urban fantasy filled with a twist on vampirism? Yes please! Blood Awakens is about a war between two races: those who have been Awakened, supernatural beings that possess special abilities that are tied to some variation of blood magic and those who are Unawakened. The Unawakened are the humans that will stop at nothing until they rid the world of these unnatural beings.
The story follows the lives of four individuals who must band together if they are to survive: 1) Sean: the Awakened blood guide meaning that he has the ability to control blood flow. He can either heal or kill by bleeding someone from every orifice. 2) Graciela: an Unawakened who is the sister of 3) Santiago: the Awakened empath and lastly 4) Mara, Awakened and friend of Sean.
The world building that Jessaca builds is absolutely incredible as well as the visual imagery that she creates in each scene. You can literally feel yourself immersed in every single scene. You can hear the heartbeat that agonizes Sean. You can feel the crushing weight of emotions that makes Santiago buckle at his knees.
Overall, if you love a page turning urban fantasy that is full of twists and turns on the path to safety then definitely pick up Blood Awakens. You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to Melanie and Jessaca for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
The story follows the lives of four individuals who must band together if they are to survive: 1) Sean: the Awakened blood guide meaning that he has the ability to control blood flow. He can either heal or kill by bleeding someone from every orifice. 2) Graciela: an Unawakened who is the sister of 3) Santiago: the Awakened empath and lastly 4) Mara, Awakened and friend of Sean.
The world building that Jessaca builds is absolutely incredible as well as the visual imagery that she creates in each scene. You can literally feel yourself immersed in every single scene. You can hear the heartbeat that agonizes Sean. You can feel the crushing weight of emotions that makes Santiago buckle at his knees.
Overall, if you love a page turning urban fantasy that is full of twists and turns on the path to safety then definitely pick up Blood Awakens. You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to Melanie and Jessaca for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.