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canderson's review
2.0
I received an ARC copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
I'm torn regarding this novel. First off, the cover is beautiful and was the reason I initially clicked the title. Second, the premise of the novel is awesome and sealed the deal for me to pick up and read. And third, the comparison novels set the bar HIGH. That being said, I'm not totally sold on the execution. Hannah, our main character, is revealed as a troubled young woman embarking on a new adventure in college. She lost her parents when she was young during an accident, and carries survivors' guilt with her wherever she goes. Perfect starting point with a tragic character with SO much room for growth.
The first few chapters had me flipping pages quickly into the dark of night as we nestle ourselves into the world the author, Ciara Duggan has created for us. The suspense was being built beautifully. We were meeting characters slowly, learning who they were, seeing Hannah start to possibly come out of this shell the narrator tells us she has been hiding in for most of her life. We connect with Hannah; we see the difficulty she has making connections with those around her; but her want/need to make those connections is equally as powerful in getting us connected to her.
We meet a love interest, we feel weirdness around a particular stretch of beach, and then find ourselves starting to tease the edges of occult through Hannah's courses at college, her research, her own weirdness. Perfect.
But then, the story seems to accelerate too quickly. 60% of the book goes by in about two days, with the remain 30% occurring in one; and by the end Hannah is in love with someone she just met. The suspense gets lost in the rushing, and I did have to force myself to continue reading through the middle. I loved the beginning so much though, and I didn't want to give up on the story.
But the main story line was jumpy and erratic—and in a few instances, the story didn’t make sense or was way too easy. The development of the magical world was a little lackluster, I wanted to know more of the history, the battle between light and dark – not just the answers to Hannah's quest. There were some plot holes that I think need refining, maybe even a developmental edit, because the holes break down the story's integrity; and the author did such a fantastic job at developing the first few chapters it's unfair to lose readers in the middle.
I'm torn regarding this novel. First off, the cover is beautiful and was the reason I initially clicked the title. Second, the premise of the novel is awesome and sealed the deal for me to pick up and read. And third, the comparison novels set the bar HIGH. That being said, I'm not totally sold on the execution. Hannah, our main character, is revealed as a troubled young woman embarking on a new adventure in college. She lost her parents when she was young during an accident, and carries survivors' guilt with her wherever she goes. Perfect starting point with a tragic character with SO much room for growth.
The first few chapters had me flipping pages quickly into the dark of night as we nestle ourselves into the world the author, Ciara Duggan has created for us. The suspense was being built beautifully. We were meeting characters slowly, learning who they were, seeing Hannah start to possibly come out of this shell the narrator tells us she has been hiding in for most of her life. We connect with Hannah; we see the difficulty she has making connections with those around her; but her want/need to make those connections is equally as powerful in getting us connected to her.
We meet a love interest, we feel weirdness around a particular stretch of beach, and then find ourselves starting to tease the edges of occult through Hannah's courses at college, her research, her own weirdness. Perfect.
But then, the story seems to accelerate too quickly. 60% of the book goes by in about two days, with the remain 30% occurring in one; and by the end Hannah is in love with someone she just met. The suspense gets lost in the rushing, and I did have to force myself to continue reading through the middle. I loved the beginning so much though, and I didn't want to give up on the story.
But the main story line was jumpy and erratic—and in a few instances, the story didn’t make sense or was way too easy. The development of the magical world was a little lackluster, I wanted to know more of the history, the battle between light and dark – not just the answers to Hannah's quest. There were some plot holes that I think need refining, maybe even a developmental edit, because the holes break down the story's integrity; and the author did such a fantastic job at developing the first few chapters it's unfair to lose readers in the middle.
neverendingtbrpile's review
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, I'm just going to jump right in.
Awakened started out GREAT. I mean I was hooked, ready for this adventure, and was really excited because the last few books I'd read ended up getting DNF'd.
So, I needed a gripping story that would suck me in and Awakened seemed just like what I needed. It started out like it too, but then the deeper I read into the book the more that grip on my attention just started slipping until I just didn't care about it anymore.
Now, this isn't a bad book. I think if I were younger, I would have enjoyed this more. The writing is good and the characters were amazing. It was the pacing that just... didn't do good for me.
Like, this book spans a whole week and maybe a few days. I honestly think if this book spanned a larger amount of time and things didn't happen so quickly, where it was kind of like whiplash, this would have been an amazing book. It just really needed more... time within the pages.
To conclude this, I'm giving this book three stars. This is because it was just meh for me. I didn't hate it but didn't love it either.
Okay, I'm just going to jump right in.
Awakened started out GREAT. I mean I was hooked, ready for this adventure, and was really excited because the last few books I'd read ended up getting DNF'd.
So, I needed a gripping story that would suck me in and Awakened seemed just like what I needed. It started out like it too, but then the deeper I read into the book the more that grip on my attention just started slipping until I just didn't care about it anymore.
Now, this isn't a bad book. I think if I were younger, I would have enjoyed this more. The writing is good and the characters were amazing. It was the pacing that just... didn't do good for me.
Like, this book spans a whole week and maybe a few days. I honestly think if this book spanned a larger amount of time and things didn't happen so quickly, where it was kind of like whiplash, this would have been an amazing book. It just really needed more... time within the pages.
To conclude this, I'm giving this book three stars. This is because it was just meh for me. I didn't hate it but didn't love it either.
jeuel's review
3.0
Thank you, NetGalley and The Parliament House for sending me an eARC to read and give an honest review!
Honestly, I don’t know where to begin with Awakened.
The book cover is stunning, which is one of the main reasons why I sent a request. Then comes the description, and I was hooked.
I was expecting great things with Awakened because of its amazing concepts. Reincarnation, magic and spells, awakened witches, loss and grief. It was all there but, the concepts were poorly executed and underdeveloped. For the first few parts, the read was enjoyable but midway, it became flat; and the climax was anticlimactic.
Hannah, the main character, awakened Callan and finds out about the supernatural world hidden from her current reality along with evil witches, spells, and magical creatures; and she just accepts it as is. Which, in my opinion, wouldn’t be the most-likely reaction any main character should have. The love story between the characters (Hannah and Callan) was too instant, making it unbelievable even with the history of reincarnation. Sadly, none of the characters made a memorable impact—not even the main antagonist.
Awakened was a quick and easy read with fewer chapters, and I hoped Duggan added a few more to expand and explain the magic system and give more depth to the characters, their relationships, and history.
Honestly, I don’t know where to begin with Awakened.
The book cover is stunning, which is one of the main reasons why I sent a request. Then comes the description, and I was hooked.
I was expecting great things with Awakened because of its amazing concepts. Reincarnation, magic and spells, awakened witches, loss and grief. It was all there but, the concepts were poorly executed and underdeveloped. For the first few parts, the read was enjoyable but midway, it became flat; and the climax was anticlimactic.
Hannah, the main character, awakened Callan and finds out about the supernatural world hidden from her current reality along with evil witches, spells, and magical creatures; and she just accepts it as is. Which, in my opinion, wouldn’t be the most-likely reaction any main character should have. The love story between the characters (Hannah and Callan) was too instant, making it unbelievable even with the history of reincarnation. Sadly, none of the characters made a memorable impact—not even the main antagonist.
Awakened was a quick and easy read with fewer chapters, and I hoped Duggan added a few more to expand and explain the magic system and give more depth to the characters, their relationships, and history.
birdnestlibrary's review
4.0
I was given this ARC galley for free to read by the publisher. This is my honest review.
Hannah, a young girl just starting college,suddenly finds herself in a world of witches and magic. She learns the moment she got her magic caused accident that killed her parents, and should have killed her. With the help of a Siren she awakens when she awakens all magic while studying for a project, she must now defeat the evil let loose on the world.
I loved that this book had a little mention of the Salem witch hunts, since this book dealt with witches in that time period and in the modern world. I love reading books that take place in that time period, and I loved that this one was different. It gave me Hocus Pocus vibes with how the villain wants a song to bring all the modern witches to her power.
Hannah, a young girl just starting college,suddenly finds herself in a world of witches and magic. She learns the moment she got her magic caused accident that killed her parents, and should have killed her. With the help of a Siren she awakens when she awakens all magic while studying for a project, she must now defeat the evil let loose on the world.
I loved that this book had a little mention of the Salem witch hunts, since this book dealt with witches in that time period and in the modern world. I love reading books that take place in that time period, and I loved that this one was different. It gave me Hocus Pocus vibes with how the villain wants a song to bring all the modern witches to her power.
gmariereads's review
4.0
Such a fun debut! This was short, snappy, fast paced, and full of magic. The cliffhangers kept me turning the pages and I liked the use of some fantasy/paranormal YA tropes (oh hello reincarnation/soulmate love). Really liked the rhyming spells and honestly was pleasantly surprised by the violence (yikes that sounds bad but it was very Vampire Diaries!)! I would say that I think the editing did a disservice to the book at times by not catching certain things. Still, looking forward to what this author does next!
oracle_of_madness's review
3.0
Thank you Netgalley for this Arc, Awakened by Ciara Duggan!
This story revolves around 17 yo Hannah. She is a smart and kind girl just starting her first year at college, Bellcliff University, and really just trying to move on with a normal life after her parents death.
Hannah begins research for her Anthropology class and quickly finds herself in a mysterious part of the old school library that focuses on magic and mysticism. This is where she finds a very old book and somehow casts a spell. This is really the start to the book. She learns that magic is real and, at the same time, meets a very handsome young man, Callan. Now she becomes fully absorbed into her own history and a life that not only revolves around magic, but the very serious battle between good and evil.
I really enjoyed this story. It's a quick, fast-paced read that was easy to get into. My only issues were really that the writing style and the dialog between characters sometimes seemed awkward and because of that I felt slightly pushed away from the story. It made me feel less of a connection.
I do recommend this as a quick and fun read that focuses on the fight between good and evil magic, along with different supernatural beings.
Look for this out on Sept 7th!
This story revolves around 17 yo Hannah. She is a smart and kind girl just starting her first year at college, Bellcliff University, and really just trying to move on with a normal life after her parents death.
Hannah begins research for her Anthropology class and quickly finds herself in a mysterious part of the old school library that focuses on magic and mysticism. This is where she finds a very old book and somehow casts a spell. This is really the start to the book. She learns that magic is real and, at the same time, meets a very handsome young man, Callan. Now she becomes fully absorbed into her own history and a life that not only revolves around magic, but the very serious battle between good and evil.
I really enjoyed this story. It's a quick, fast-paced read that was easy to get into. My only issues were really that the writing style and the dialog between characters sometimes seemed awkward and because of that I felt slightly pushed away from the story. It made me feel less of a connection.
I do recommend this as a quick and fun read that focuses on the fight between good and evil magic, along with different supernatural beings.
Look for this out on Sept 7th!
_ademy_'s review
2.0
I received this book as an ARC from NETGALLEY! Thank you!
I read the description of this book and I was very curious about it. At first i wasn't very convinced about the story, but a very important plot twist had changed my mind. Unfortunately I was disappointed by the book's continuation.
The theme of reincarnation was very interesting but in my opinion it was not developed properly, as well as the relationship with the villain.
The romance was pretty enjoyable.
Many things for me were very hasty and senseless.
It was a quite enjoyable read but very delusional.
In conclusion, I rate it 2 stars.
I read the description of this book and I was very curious about it. At first i wasn't very convinced about the story, but a very important plot twist had changed my mind. Unfortunately I was disappointed by the book's continuation.
The theme of reincarnation was very interesting but in my opinion it was not developed properly, as well as the relationship with the villain.
The romance was pretty enjoyable.
Many things for me were very hasty and senseless.
It was a quite enjoyable read but very delusional.
In conclusion, I rate it 2 stars.
vikkilynn's review
2.0
Thanks to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for this honest review.
I’m not quite sure what I expected when I began to read this book. I think I was looking for a really great magical story. What I got was witches and vampires. Had I read this book back in the days of Twilight, Vampire Diaries and True Blood (Sookie!), I might be writing a different review. But it’s 2021 and I think fantasy stories have evolved beyond just witches and vampires which is why this book was a miss for me.
On the plus side, I think this was a great effort by the author. The writing style and the pace of the book was nicely done. It wasn’t too long and the story didn’t really linger in one place for longer than necessary.
On the minus side, I’m not a fan of reincarnation stories, or stories with vampires. I did enjoy the witches and the attempt to create a type of lore with the behind-the-real-world-world-building but overall, it felt a little deflated. The love interest didn’t interest me. It all felt...well...a little too young.
That being said, I do hope to see more by this author. I may not have loved the story but I always will praise a good attempt.
I’m not quite sure what I expected when I began to read this book. I think I was looking for a really great magical story. What I got was witches and vampires. Had I read this book back in the days of Twilight, Vampire Diaries and True Blood (Sookie!), I might be writing a different review. But it’s 2021 and I think fantasy stories have evolved beyond just witches and vampires which is why this book was a miss for me.
On the plus side, I think this was a great effort by the author. The writing style and the pace of the book was nicely done. It wasn’t too long and the story didn’t really linger in one place for longer than necessary.
On the minus side, I’m not a fan of reincarnation stories, or stories with vampires. I did enjoy the witches and the attempt to create a type of lore with the behind-the-real-world-world-building but overall, it felt a little deflated. The love interest didn’t interest me. It all felt...well...a little too young.
That being said, I do hope to see more by this author. I may not have loved the story but I always will praise a good attempt.
jagodasbooks's review
2.0
I must admit I judged this book by it's cover, because it's very pretty, but the plot is not so much. Let me just say this book wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either. It was kinda meh. Our YA protagonist (with of course dead parents) tries to move on with her life and goes to college. She of course ends up summoning a witch (hear me roll my eyes). The romance was meh. It was like all the predictable schemes all over. It's like a book you read and think is okey, but you'll never think about it again, because it gets lost in the crowd of other YA books like this. 2,5/5⭐
thisreadergirl's review
3.0
Hannah loses her parents in an accident 2 years ago, an accident which still has her haunted and finding answers to what happened on that terrible day because she has tried all possible logics but nothing makes sense. To move away from all that is hurting her she comes to Bellcliff University. As she passes the halls she feels a pull in the library as if someone is calling out to her.
H-a-n-n-a-h
H-a-n-n-a-h
Only to find no one, this continues for another day and becomes impossible to resist. Her this mistake leads to awakening a Callan, a witch. Someone who used to exist centuries ago, someone entirely handsome and seems familiar but isn't. She has awakened not only Callan but also the devil, the darkness who wants nothing more than to destroy her. This all opens her eyes to magic and she understands that it is very much real and she is more related to it than she knows off.
Hannah is smart, strong with a curious nature that is maybe because of things she didn't believe in or her grief. She is willing to fight a battle she knows nothing of.
The start had an eerie feeling to it. This debut was pretty good, fast paced and easy to read. It is enjoyable. The world building and magic system could have been more developed. The battle of good and evil seemed nice but a bit more to it would have made this book great. Overall it was a good read. Looking forward to more books by the author.
Thank you Netgalley and The Parliament House for ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
H-a-n-n-a-h
H-a-n-n-a-h
Only to find no one, this continues for another day and becomes impossible to resist. Her this mistake leads to awakening a Callan, a witch. Someone who used to exist centuries ago, someone entirely handsome and seems familiar but isn't. She has awakened not only Callan but also the devil, the darkness who wants nothing more than to destroy her. This all opens her eyes to magic and she understands that it is very much real and she is more related to it than she knows off.
Hannah is smart, strong with a curious nature that is maybe because of things she didn't believe in or her grief. She is willing to fight a battle she knows nothing of.
The start had an eerie feeling to it. This debut was pretty good, fast paced and easy to read. It is enjoyable. The world building and magic system could have been more developed. The battle of good and evil seemed nice but a bit more to it would have made this book great. Overall it was a good read. Looking forward to more books by the author.
Thank you Netgalley and The Parliament House for ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.