Summary:
Scarlett doesn’t remember
anything before the age of five. Her parents say it’s from the trauma
of seeing her house burn down, and she accepts the life they’ve created
for her without question—until a car accident causes Scarlett to start
remembering pieces of an unfamiliar past.When a new guy moves into town, Scarlett feels an instant spark. But Noah knows the truth of Scarlett’s past, and he’s determined to shield her from it...because Scarlett grew up in a cult called Eternal Light, controlled by her biological parents.
And they want her back.
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Age Group: YA
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed By: Kelli
Review:
I'm a sucker for a book with a good extremist religion premise, so I knew I had to read Awake. I had a few issues with this book, but overall, I liked the story.
I didn't re-read the summary before starting Awake, so for the first third of the book or so, I thought that Noah and his family were fae. Ha! The description of his former life: living off the land, being outside, being away from civilization, it all fed into my belief that Noah was a faery. And Scarlett spent a lot of time thinking about how handsome he was, which is also a fae attribute. So, I was surprised when I learned that Noah was a regular human, just part of a cult (not a spoiler, this is in the summary!). I have to confess that thinking Noah was fae made me want to read a Julie Kagawa book. Because when I think of romance between humans and fae, I think of Julie Kagawa. And given those thoughts, it was very hard not to compare this book with Kagawa's work. But, once I learned that Eternal Light was a cult, not some kind of code name for a faery village, I was able to appreciate Awake for itself.
I did have some issues with Awake. The love story was a little too saccharine. I know this was first love for both characters, but it was just too sappy for me. There were a few too many "I love yous" exchanged and they fell in love super fast. I know things move faster when you're that young (sometimes) but it was insta-love and I'm not a fan of insta-love. Secondly, I felt that the story was not always realistic. There were several small things that didn't add up or make sense to me. And, once I learned of Noah's betrayal, it was hard to forgive him. At least it was hard for me to like him as much as I did in the beginning.
Despite these issues, I did like Awake. I liked the plot, which felt fresh for the genre. The imagery was beautiful and made me want to visit Ireland. The emotions were raw and unfiltered. Preston's pacing was great and the conflict resolution was good as well. I enjoyed Awake and would definitely read Natasha Preston again.
I'm a sucker for a book with a good extremist religion premise, so I knew I had to read Awake. I had a few issues with this book, but overall, I liked the story.
I didn't re-read the summary before starting Awake, so for the first third of the book or so, I thought that Noah and his family were fae. Ha! The description of his former life: living off the land, being outside, being away from civilization, it all fed into my belief that Noah was a faery. And Scarlett spent a lot of time thinking about how handsome he was, which is also a fae attribute. So, I was surprised when I learned that Noah was a regular human, just part of a cult (not a spoiler, this is in the summary!). I have to confess that thinking Noah was fae made me want to read a Julie Kagawa book. Because when I think of romance between humans and fae, I think of Julie Kagawa. And given those thoughts, it was very hard not to compare this book with Kagawa's work. But, once I learned that Eternal Light was a cult, not some kind of code name for a faery village, I was able to appreciate Awake for itself.
I did have some issues with Awake. The love story was a little too saccharine. I know this was first love for both characters, but it was just too sappy for me. There were a few too many "I love yous" exchanged and they fell in love super fast. I know things move faster when you're that young (sometimes) but it was insta-love and I'm not a fan of insta-love. Secondly, I felt that the story was not always realistic. There were several small things that didn't add up or make sense to me. And, once I learned of Noah's betrayal, it was hard to forgive him. At least it was hard for me to like him as much as I did in the beginning.
Despite these issues, I did like Awake. I liked the plot, which felt fresh for the genre. The imagery was beautiful and made me want to visit Ireland. The emotions were raw and unfiltered. Preston's pacing was great and the conflict resolution was good as well. I enjoyed Awake and would definitely read Natasha Preston again.
Well, from what I'm hearing, this would've been much better if it had fae in it :)))
ReplyDeleteDoesn't sound like a book I'm gonna enjoy, but I liked your review, hun! ^^
Naga Sanctuary
Thank you, Ella! It was definitely an odd beginning, but overall still a good read. Just different than I was expecting. :)
DeleteIs there a second book ? At the end she says she has a sister and she wants to find her , but then it's over ! I hate not knowing what happens....
Delete