Book Review: Awakened (The Guardian Legacy #1) by Ednah Walters

Summary:

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice.

Release Date:  August 22, 2010
Age Group:  Young Adult
Publisher: Pill Hill Press
Source:  Review copy from author

Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect from Awakened.  When I accepted it as a review request, I couldn't help but think of how I felt about PC Cast's Awakened earlier this year (read my review here).  Add to that my prejudice against angel books (formed after I read Hush, Hush) and the fact that the summary and cover didn't draw me in and I was prepared to be underwhelmed.  

So you can imagine my surprise when I started Awakened and really enjoyed it.  I quickly identified with Lil and fell for Bran right along with her.  I enjoy reading about heroines discovering hidden powers, and Walters did a great job with Lil's character development in that respect.  The world-building was complex, and at times a little hard for me to follow---bear in mind that I am a new mom with a bad case of 'mommy brain.'  But, once I got all the characters and background information straight, I really enjoyed this book.

My one complaint is that the book felt a little long.  I don't really know what could have been done differently to shorten it, but it seemed to drag a little in the middle.  

I would recommend Awakened to fans of angel books and all fans of paranormal YA.  It was very well done and I started book two in the series eager to know what happens next.