Awaken by G. R. Thomas

Instagrammer, G. R. Thomas is the author of this urban, dystopian fantasy.  Awaken is about a young woman who finds out she's not just a gal in the world, but a woman with a people that need saving.  

SOME PEOPLE AREN'T DESTINED TO BE ORDINARY. With a special gift held close to her heart, it was always going to be hard for Sophia Woodville to live an ordinary life. As a 20 year old nursing grad, she thought she had her future all sorted. However, destiny was about to intervene. Her secret was not so secret. The gift she possessed was just a hint of something far beyond her wildest imagination. Sophia will be pulled, kicking and screaming, into an unseen, ancient world that challenges all that she thought to be true of herself, her family and the origins of humanity. Original sin, forbidden love and her life in constant danger. Will Sophia survive this dark twist of fate? Will the devil be her saviour? Will an Angel be her downfall?
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     This story is complex to follow, but we're talking about someone's destiny, right?  I love female heroes because they're strong and even when faced with the worst in themselves, they can stand against it all.  For me, the story was a bit fairytale-ish.  Things happened a bit fast and in a way I thought stole from the focus, but it worked.  After all, this is YA, right?  That's how the world of young adults works!  
    I like the cover for the story, but while reading, I tend to look back at the cover for recognition and some relatability.  This cover, though it looks gorgeous, I can't say I'd have grabbed it from the bookshelf.  It doesn't tell the story, you know?

     When it came to the story, in world creating, you have to be able to bring foreign information into a sort of relatability- especially when it comes to things like other-worldly land, water, trees, etc. I found it a tqad bit troublesome to see into Thomas' world because she briefly pushed past those differentiating details.  Things that are the norm but off from this world were described, but not enough.  I felt a little off during those parts, trying to see what she was seeing.  I've got an awesome imagination, but I'm also one of those gals who needs to see it all if it's foreign.  The story itself was pretty good and I found myself turning page after page, wondering what would happen next.  Though slightly expected, the story still took me on a fun ride!

     I appreciate that Awaken's a new adult novel, not YA.  Not that I don't love YA, but I believe the story was a change of pace for me.  The adventure was fantasy breaking through, into a the real one. It carried a magical theme, with biblical and historical references as well, that gave an "Ah-ha" from time to time.  Not to mention angels, demons and lots and lots of magic!  It allowed a grown-up like me to enjoy the real world with a huge blend of the imaginary.  

     Awaken is cool; grab yourself a copy while I move on to the next read!