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A review by jessaca_with_an_a
Blood Awakens by Jessaca Willis
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!).