mrose21's review
1.0
I offically need to give up YA. Its just so frustrating.
This has been on my TBR for years. Literal years. And this was so disappointing I can see why I put it off.
The writing was jarring. I didn't like the way this is written as if shes speaking to you the reader. Its just very difficult to sink into the book for me and that made the whole read a struggle. Thankfully it isn't too long but its off putting when thats the first experience.
The book is written at teenage girl level so I do believe shes the age meant. However it didn't make me like her.
This has been on my TBR for years. Literal years. And this was so disappointing I can see why I put it off.
The writing was jarring. I didn't like the way this is written as if shes speaking to you the reader. Its just very difficult to sink into the book for me and that made the whole read a struggle. Thankfully it isn't too long but its off putting when thats the first experience.
The book is written at teenage girl level so I do believe shes the age meant. However it didn't make me like her.
pine_wulf's review
2.0
Ok, the writing is not good. But at first I didn't care. It's narrated by a 16 year old girl and it feels like it. Not bad, immersive. Later on it switched to 3 person POV and then I couldn't really deal with it so much, but I was already close to finishing.
As for the plot, it's fun. I loved sometimes at how ridiculous it got. There were minor inconsistencies with background stuff. Like two boys get into a fight and one, at least, gets a one day suspension and then he's at school the next day. But maybe suspensions work differently here? And the narrator's ability to lie/act changed as necessary. Honestly, despite that, if the writing was better I might read the next one.
As for the plot, it's fun. I loved sometimes at how ridiculous it got. There were minor inconsistencies with background stuff. Like two boys get into a fight and one, at least, gets a one day suspension and then he's at school the next day. But maybe suspensions work differently here? And the narrator's ability to lie/act changed as necessary. Honestly, despite that, if the writing was better I might read the next one.
pheash95's review against another edition
3.0
It was a really good book. It kept me on the edge of my set and I never wanted to put it down. Second book should be good as the first!!!
hey_mj's review
1.0
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This book frustrated me. A lot. I felt like the whole idea behind it was good. I love books about fallen angels and all that, but the terrible writing in this book kept me from enjoying it like I should have. The language felt stiff and not at all natural and I had to force myself to keep reading instead of stopping out of frustration. I'm interested in what will happen with Kayla and Hunter in the next book, but I don't know if I can handle Lanzarotta's writing for a whole other book. Sad face.
This book frustrated me. A lot. I felt like the whole idea behind it was good. I love books about fallen angels and all that, but the terrible writing in this book kept me from enjoying it like I should have. The language felt stiff and not at all natural and I had to force myself to keep reading instead of stopping out of frustration. I'm interested in what will happen with Kayla and Hunter in the next book, but I don't know if I can handle Lanzarotta's writing for a whole other book. Sad face.
eline_berk's review
1.0
First off, I want to say that I found the Kindle book of this for free in the Kindle store. I never spend a penny on this. Just to be clear.
The story starts off quite alright. Kayla is a typical American teenager; at least, a typical stereotype American teenager. Either way, she is a teen.
She is adopted, something that is made very clear throughout the book. She seems to have the perfect life with perfect parents and perfect friends and a perfect boyfri... Okay, a boyfriend who is an annoying asshole which she did not know at the time. And then she starts seeing "them".
Kayla is able to see and talk to things that nobody else is able to see or talk to. Nobody but Hunter Chambers. Because for some mysterious reason, the boy who now is totally unsocial and rude whilst he first was mister socialguy went to study abroad for a year and when he came back, he simply wasn't the same.
The first half was actually quite okay. 2.5 or 3 stars, I'd say. It was nice and easy going, I was quite amused.
And then the second half came.
Everything became rushed, weird and utmost confusing. Many things were just shot at you without a single word of explanation. "He is the son of ..." (I do not even recall the name of whatever it was and I do not feel the need to look it up).
Without explaining who or what that is, things get confusing very quickly.
More and more of this started to happen, and then people were sucked into the Otherworld and they couldn't get out and...
I had this sudden Evermore experience and I do NOT want to have another Evermore experience. I have been through enough of that, thank you very much.
In conclusion, it started out all right but it became very bad very quickly. I shall not continue to read this series and I am happy that this was for free because believe me when I say that this was not even worth my time, let alone money.
The story starts off quite alright. Kayla is a typical American teenager; at least, a typical stereotype American teenager. Either way, she is a teen.
She is adopted, something that is made very clear throughout the book. She seems to have the perfect life with perfect parents and perfect friends and a perfect boyfri... Okay, a boyfriend who is an annoying asshole which she did not know at the time. And then she starts seeing "them".
Kayla is able to see and talk to things that nobody else is able to see or talk to. Nobody but Hunter Chambers. Because for some mysterious reason, the boy who now is totally unsocial and rude whilst he first was mister socialguy went to study abroad for a year and when he came back, he simply wasn't the same.
The first half was actually quite okay. 2.5 or 3 stars, I'd say. It was nice and easy going, I was quite amused.
And then the second half came.
Everything became rushed, weird and utmost confusing. Many things were just shot at you without a single word of explanation. "He is the son of ..." (I do not even recall the name of whatever it was and I do not feel the need to look it up).
Without explaining who or what that is, things get confusing very quickly.
More and more of this started to happen, and then people were sucked into the Otherworld and they couldn't get out and...
I had this sudden Evermore experience and I do NOT want to have another Evermore experience. I have been through enough of that, thank you very much.
In conclusion, it started out all right but it became very bad very quickly. I shall not continue to read this series and I am happy that this was for free because believe me when I say that this was not even worth my time, let alone money.
weeshubbasworld's review
4.0
Wide Awake is one of those spellbinding books that keeps you entranced all the way through. If I had the time I would have read this books in the space for a few days. It was incredible.
read full review here: http://totallybookalicious.blogspot.com/2011/08/wide-awake-academy-of-fallen-1-by.html
read full review here: http://totallybookalicious.blogspot.com/2011/08/wide-awake-academy-of-fallen-1-by.html
novelgoddess's review
2.0
Kayla is 16 and was adopted as a very young child by a loving couple who basically give her everything! She tends to be a little spoiled and a bit snotty! But that changes when suddenly she is seeing this little girl just about everywhere she goes. It takes Kayla a while to realize that the girl is a ghost. When she makes that realization she also discovers there is a “guy” in her math class that is just bugging the heck out of her…only she can see him too…or so it seems. Turns out Hunter, a kid she grew up with, can see the girl and the guy as well but his interaction with them is a bit different. For example Hunter can’t see the girl, but he can physically interact with the male ghost. Hunter and Kayle discover the guy ghost is actually a demon and he is making life a living hell!
First I have to say that I HATED the ending of this book…it was so cheesy and abrupt. It reminded me of a Friday episode of any soap opera.
Kayla is a brat and calls the people who raised her by their names rather than “mom” and “dad”…I think the least they deserve is to be called Mom and Dad especially after all they have done and given Kayla! Kayla was wishy washy…she liked Hunter but wouldn’t give into it because of the high school caste system…he wasn’t “good enough” for her. So she kept going back to her previous boyfriend who had been cheating on her with one of her best friends. Um…HELLO!?!...anyone else want to smack some sense into this girl???
Hunter I did like…accept for the pining after Kayla crap! I would have preferred the story center around Hunter and the Academy rather than Miss Whiney! I will be checking out the next book in the series in the hopes that it will focus more on the Academy now that we’ve read all the backstory. Here’s hoping it reaches it’s potential!
First I have to say that I HATED the ending of this book…it was so cheesy and abrupt. It reminded me of a Friday episode of any soap opera.
Kayla is a brat and calls the people who raised her by their names rather than “mom” and “dad”…I think the least they deserve is to be called Mom and Dad especially after all they have done and given Kayla! Kayla was wishy washy…she liked Hunter but wouldn’t give into it because of the high school caste system…he wasn’t “good enough” for her. So she kept going back to her previous boyfriend who had been cheating on her with one of her best friends. Um…HELLO!?!...anyone else want to smack some sense into this girl???
Hunter I did like…accept for the pining after Kayla crap! I would have preferred the story center around Hunter and the Academy rather than Miss Whiney! I will be checking out the next book in the series in the hopes that it will focus more on the Academy now that we’ve read all the backstory. Here’s hoping it reaches it’s potential!
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