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A review by shelleyrae
Awakened by Ednah Walters
4.0
Awakened is a strong debut YA Urban Fantasy series that pits Earth's Guardians against soul reaping demons. Lil Falcon is stunned when she discovers she is a guardian-in-training when her powers emerge after her sixteenth birthday. After a gyspy like childhood spent with her grandfather, Lil has never wanted much more than to fit in, but now she is worried her new knowledge and powerful abilities make her a freak. Lil is torn between maintaining the status quo with her human friends and joining her fellow trainees but it's Bran, a half demon who needs the assistance of the Cardinals, that helps her make the choice.
Walters world is strongly imagined with interesting myth, the author combines her own creativity with the traditional idea of Nephilim. The story can be a little crowded in its desire to introduce the characters and world but it does give the reader a solid understanding of her world's rules and boundaries. While the general premise is of good vs evil it is not a black and white world, there are demons who have no plans to destroy humanity and there are guardians that put political maneuvering ahead of their purpose and I appreciate this realistic balance. Most intriguing is the range of magic's, including control of the elements and enchanted weapons, that offer plenty of scope for action and variety in confrontations.
Lil makes an appealing protagonist, she demonstrates strength and courage but is still a vulnerable teen, worried about her friendships and her first kiss. Even though there were moments when I thought her internal monologue got a bit repetitive, I felt that Walters approached Lil with a keen sense for creating a realistic and likeable heroine that would appeal to both teens and a mature audience.
I liked what we learn about Bran though I felt there are some aspects of his character that could be better defined. His background is interesting and his motivations well thought out. The immediate attraction between he and Lil works because there is a defined reason for it, though teenagers rarely need metaphysical connections to fall almost instantly in love.
There are a lot of characters introduced in this first installment yet Walters manages to establish personality for most of them. Lil's fellow guardians-in-training perhaps the best developed with hints of the roles they may play later in the series. Lil's human friends are created with broader strokes, as are the Cardinals she meets. The villian of the story is suitably motivated though perhaps a bit predicatable.
Combining action, romance and fantasy, Awakened is an enjoyable, fast paced read that I think has potential to develop into a popular series with appeal to an audience of paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans. I've added [b:Betrayed|8970151|Betrayed (The Guardian Legacy, #2)|Ednah Walters|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|13847166] to my TBR list.
Walters world is strongly imagined with interesting myth, the author combines her own creativity with the traditional idea of Nephilim. The story can be a little crowded in its desire to introduce the characters and world but it does give the reader a solid understanding of her world's rules and boundaries. While the general premise is of good vs evil it is not a black and white world, there are demons who have no plans to destroy humanity and there are guardians that put political maneuvering ahead of their purpose and I appreciate this realistic balance. Most intriguing is the range of magic's, including control of the elements and enchanted weapons, that offer plenty of scope for action and variety in confrontations.
Lil makes an appealing protagonist, she demonstrates strength and courage but is still a vulnerable teen, worried about her friendships and her first kiss. Even though there were moments when I thought her internal monologue got a bit repetitive, I felt that Walters approached Lil with a keen sense for creating a realistic and likeable heroine that would appeal to both teens and a mature audience.
I liked what we learn about Bran though I felt there are some aspects of his character that could be better defined. His background is interesting and his motivations well thought out. The immediate attraction between he and Lil works because there is a defined reason for it, though teenagers rarely need metaphysical connections to fall almost instantly in love.
There are a lot of characters introduced in this first installment yet Walters manages to establish personality for most of them. Lil's fellow guardians-in-training perhaps the best developed with hints of the roles they may play later in the series. Lil's human friends are created with broader strokes, as are the Cardinals she meets. The villian of the story is suitably motivated though perhaps a bit predicatable.
Combining action, romance and fantasy, Awakened is an enjoyable, fast paced read that I think has potential to develop into a popular series with appeal to an audience of paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans. I've added [b:Betrayed|8970151|Betrayed (The Guardian Legacy, #2)|Ednah Walters|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|13847166] to my TBR list.