What do you think?
Rate this book
The Chronicles of Nerezia #1
Awakenings
Innkeep, hunter, blacksmith, nurse—Horace has apprenticed for every clan in the domed city of Trenaze, and they've all rejected em. Too hare-brained. Too talkative. Too slow. Ever the optimist, e has joined Trenaze's guards to be mentored. Horace has high hopes to earn eir place during eir trial at the Great Market. That is, until the glowing shards haunting the world break through the city's protective dome, fused together in a single, monstrous amalgam of Fragments.
Armed with a sword, a shield, and far too little training, Horace doubts eir ability to defend the market-goers. But eir last stand is interrupted by a mysterious elven figure who can dissipate the Fragments with a single, strange sentence: your story is my story.
From the moment it is uttered, Horace knows the sentences holds true for em, too—and when the elf collapses in the middle of the market, e carries them to safety, to recover away from the panicked crowd and inevitable questions from eir fellow guards. It could cost em eir apprenticeship—eir last chance to find eir place in eir home city—but Horace cannot resist the pull of this mystery elf and the call of a new friend.
Aliyah has but one desire: to leave Trenaze's safe boundaries and find the forest that haunts their dreams. After an afternoon of board games in their quiet, sharp-witted company, Horace is ready to follow, confronting Fragments and other dangers of the road to understand what happened that day, hear Aliyah's laugh again and finally feel like e belongs.
Armed with a sword, a shield, and far too little training, Horace doubts eir ability to defend the market-goers. But eir last stand is interrupted by a mysterious elven figure who can dissipate the Fragments with a single, strange sentence: your story is my story.
From the moment it is uttered, Horace knows the sentences holds true for em, too—and when the elf collapses in the middle of the market, e carries them to safety, to recover away from the panicked crowd and inevitable questions from eir fellow guards. It could cost em eir apprenticeship—eir last chance to find eir place in eir home city—but Horace cannot resist the pull of this mystery elf and the call of a new friend.
Aliyah has but one desire: to leave Trenaze's safe boundaries and find the forest that haunts their dreams. After an afternoon of board games in their quiet, sharp-witted company, Horace is ready to follow, confronting Fragments and other dangers of the road to understand what happened that day, hear Aliyah's laugh again and finally feel like e belongs.
104 pages, ebook
First published February 9, 2024
7 people are currently reading
548 people want to read
About the author
Claudie Arseneault
26 books461 followersClaudie Arseneault is an asexual and aromantic-spectrum writer hailing from the very-French Québec City. Her long studies in biochemistry and immunology often sneak back into her science-fiction, and her love for sprawling casts invariably turns her novels into multi-storylined wonders. The most recent, City of Strife, came out on February 22, 2017! Claudie is a founding member of The Kraken Collective and is well-known for her involvement in solarpunk, her database of aro and ace characters in speculative fiction, and her unending love of squids. Find out more on her website!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 4, 2024
Sometimes you just want to find your place in the world. But what if that place proves to be a quest to help someone regain their memories? And that someone can also turn into a tree? Such is the dilemma of the protagonist of Awakenings, the first novella in a new series by Claudie Arseneault. I received a copy in exchange for a review.
Horace, described in the dramatis personae as an “embo extraordinaire,” has had several apprenticeships in the city of Trenaze—and e has failed all of them. Desperate to find eir calling, e is settling into eir first day as a market guard when disaster strikes. The shield dome around Trenaze flickers, just for a second, just long enough for several of the mysterious Fragments to enter and terrorize the population. Horace witnesses a stranger somehow stop the Fragments, and e later befriends this person and joins them as they leave Trenaze behind in a quest for their home and their memories. Rounding out this gang is Rumi, trader and proprietor of a semi-sentient wooden wagon. The three (four?) of them head out across Nerezia, searching for Aliyah’s home, for their memories. But, as is often the case, they run into trouble along the way….
From the start, Awakenings is a delight. Arseneault plunges us into the action, introducing us to Horace and then wasting no time in having disaster strike. It’s predictable, actually, what happens—which makes it all the more satisfying. As Horace wins over first Aliyah and then Rumi with eir guileless sincerity and charisma, e wins over the reader too. I haven’t read a ton of so obviously telegraphed embo/himbo/bimbo characters—Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove is probably my generation’s gold standard, and Horace is an earnest nonbinary equivalent.
Indeed, let’s take a moment to marvel at Arseneault’s choice of protagonist. Most authors, especially for adventure-fantasy stories such as this, these days tend to go for the wisecracking, slightly world-weary rogue. Maybe it’s the writer’s own biases for a clever, word-wise narrator. Maybe it’s to avoid the gee-gosh atmosphere of one-too-many young, farmboy Chosen Ones from the eighties and nineties. Suffice it to say, writing a protagonist who lacks much in the way of life experience, who is so uncertain of eir place in the world, is challenging. Arseneault makes it work, however, mostly by committing to the bit.
I particularly love the slow-burn nature of the worldbuilding. The Fragments are a devious concept, full of potential. Horace casually mentions them early in the book because, from eir point of view, they are simply a part of life in Nerezia. Slowly, Arseneault divulges a little more—but not much—exposition. Given the length of Awakenings and the number of titles listed in the front matter of this book, it’s safe to say that the overarching mystery of this world will unfold gradually indeed.
So what of the plot here and now, Aliyah’s quest and Horace’s companionship and Rumi’s reluctant involvement? If you are expecting a full-throated, epic fantasy, then you will likely be disappointed. This is a novella, and the set pieces are limited in scope and number. That made it the perfect first read for me of 2024, something easy and bite-sized to start my year right. There is plenty of action and combat in Awakenings, but there is also a lot that is cozy about this book in a way that feels like a necessary and powerful antidote to the grimdark stories that inundated the past decade of the genre. Two of the most memorable scenes in this book are not combat sequences but rather when Horace teaches Aliyah how to play a game. Both scenes are masterful examples of characterization and how to write relationships.
It should go without saying but, because we live in the world we live in, doesn’t: this is a queernormative book with characters of diverse genders and sexualities, and the conflict does not in any way involve around them struggling with those things. The focus on platonic relationships instead of romantic ones is also something I, as an aromantic reader, appreciate—but to be clear, readers of any background can enjoy the friendships forged here.
Awakenings ends with the main quest unresolved. This leaves the reader wanting more—yet it does not leave one unsatisfied! That’s the true magic happening here; Arseneault manages to tell a cozy tale replete with mysterious memory loss, identity crises, and combat against husks driven by eldritch objects. It’s wonderful and wild and maybe shouldn’t work, yet it does.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
Horace, described in the dramatis personae as an “embo extraordinaire,” has had several apprenticeships in the city of Trenaze—and e has failed all of them. Desperate to find eir calling, e is settling into eir first day as a market guard when disaster strikes. The shield dome around Trenaze flickers, just for a second, just long enough for several of the mysterious Fragments to enter and terrorize the population. Horace witnesses a stranger somehow stop the Fragments, and e later befriends this person and joins them as they leave Trenaze behind in a quest for their home and their memories. Rounding out this gang is Rumi, trader and proprietor of a semi-sentient wooden wagon. The three (four?) of them head out across Nerezia, searching for Aliyah’s home, for their memories. But, as is often the case, they run into trouble along the way….
From the start, Awakenings is a delight. Arseneault plunges us into the action, introducing us to Horace and then wasting no time in having disaster strike. It’s predictable, actually, what happens—which makes it all the more satisfying. As Horace wins over first Aliyah and then Rumi with eir guileless sincerity and charisma, e wins over the reader too. I haven’t read a ton of so obviously telegraphed embo/himbo/bimbo characters—Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove is probably my generation’s gold standard, and Horace is an earnest nonbinary equivalent.
Indeed, let’s take a moment to marvel at Arseneault’s choice of protagonist. Most authors, especially for adventure-fantasy stories such as this, these days tend to go for the wisecracking, slightly world-weary rogue. Maybe it’s the writer’s own biases for a clever, word-wise narrator. Maybe it’s to avoid the gee-gosh atmosphere of one-too-many young, farmboy Chosen Ones from the eighties and nineties. Suffice it to say, writing a protagonist who lacks much in the way of life experience, who is so uncertain of eir place in the world, is challenging. Arseneault makes it work, however, mostly by committing to the bit.
I particularly love the slow-burn nature of the worldbuilding. The Fragments are a devious concept, full of potential. Horace casually mentions them early in the book because, from eir point of view, they are simply a part of life in Nerezia. Slowly, Arseneault divulges a little more—but not much—exposition. Given the length of Awakenings and the number of titles listed in the front matter of this book, it’s safe to say that the overarching mystery of this world will unfold gradually indeed.
So what of the plot here and now, Aliyah’s quest and Horace’s companionship and Rumi’s reluctant involvement? If you are expecting a full-throated, epic fantasy, then you will likely be disappointed. This is a novella, and the set pieces are limited in scope and number. That made it the perfect first read for me of 2024, something easy and bite-sized to start my year right. There is plenty of action and combat in Awakenings, but there is also a lot that is cozy about this book in a way that feels like a necessary and powerful antidote to the grimdark stories that inundated the past decade of the genre. Two of the most memorable scenes in this book are not combat sequences but rather when Horace teaches Aliyah how to play a game. Both scenes are masterful examples of characterization and how to write relationships.
It should go without saying but, because we live in the world we live in, doesn’t: this is a queernormative book with characters of diverse genders and sexualities, and the conflict does not in any way involve around them struggling with those things. The focus on platonic relationships instead of romantic ones is also something I, as an aromantic reader, appreciate—but to be clear, readers of any background can enjoy the friendships forged here.
Awakenings ends with the main quest unresolved. This leaves the reader wanting more—yet it does not leave one unsatisfied! That’s the true magic happening here; Arseneault manages to tell a cozy tale replete with mysterious memory loss, identity crises, and combat against husks driven by eldritch objects. It’s wonderful and wild and maybe shouldn’t work, yet it does.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
May 9, 2024
Thank you to Claudie Arsenault for sending me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always all thoughts and opinions written in this review are my own.
In short: This is the book for everyone who didn't love Legends & Latte's because they thought not enough really happened. It has the same cosy vibes between a cast of queer characters who are just figuring out what makes them happy and just overall many cosy moments while still having more action throughout the plot.
This is such a fun read as always with Arsenault's books. I have read most of the books in the city of spires series (I think that's what its called?), and this is very different to that but has the familiar twist that I love from Arsenault. I love that we have a queer-normative world and that we have a core group of characters who just have this platonic connection where you can just implicitly trust eachother and no one is out to get anyone else (I hope that makes sense).
I really liked the world building, it was interesting to see how Horace (e/em) as a main character and it was a good way to introduce the world by talking through ems failed apprenticeships. I'm not sure if Horace will remain to be the main character but it'll be interesting to see where e, Aliyah & Rumi go from here. This book was very much a set up book, you just get little hints for the further plot. I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.
In short: This is the book for everyone who didn't love Legends & Latte's because they thought not enough really happened. It has the same cosy vibes between a cast of queer characters who are just figuring out what makes them happy and just overall many cosy moments while still having more action throughout the plot.
This is such a fun read as always with Arsenault's books. I have read most of the books in the city of spires series (I think that's what its called?), and this is very different to that but has the familiar twist that I love from Arsenault. I love that we have a queer-normative world and that we have a core group of characters who just have this platonic connection where you can just implicitly trust eachother and no one is out to get anyone else (I hope that makes sense).
I really liked the world building, it was interesting to see how Horace (e/em) as a main character and it was a good way to introduce the world by talking through ems failed apprenticeships. I'm not sure if Horace will remain to be the main character but it'll be interesting to see where e, Aliyah & Rumi go from here. This book was very much a set up book, you just get little hints for the further plot. I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.
February 1, 2024
This is the first book in a new fantasy series of novellas from the author of (among others) the City of Spires series and “Baker thief” !
I love such quick reads because I’ve started way too many series with 500+ pages and books like “Awakenings” are a breath of fresh air to read in between other more massive works. What I appreciate is that this series seems to be heading to several instalments so I’ll be able to follow those characters for a long time, just like another novella series I love and read a new one recently, the wayward children by Seanan McGuire.
Here we follow Horace, a young person (using e/em pronouns) who really wants to belong, tries eir best but keeps failing at every apprenticeship e begins. At the beginning of this tale, Horace is tasked with being the guard on duty on the market that day and with guarding the glyph maintaining the dome protecting the city from swarms of Fragments. E’s very keen on doing what’s asked of em but eir tendency to have a wandering mind, eir curiosity on the new arrivals at the market or eir friendliness to go and talk to everyone will put em in the middle of difficult situations… E’s clearly adhd coded and seeing a character with this disorder navigating life and adventures in a fantasy world is really nice and refreshing, that’s what I like about those self published stories that are sometimes (but not as much as before) missing from trad pub ones.
I don’t want to talk too much about the plot as it’s so short and I could easily say too much, but I loved the little group that forms during this novella and that we’re sure to follow for several books ! I loved most of all the sentient wagon bigger on the inside ! I also loved how implied it is that Horace is not the Hero of the story but that eir presence and support might help the hero in their quest ! The trope of following a character that’s not the central piece of a big story is one I really like (I first saw this in “the rest of us just live there” by Patrick Ness back in 2015 and loved it)
Overall this new little fantasy series is promising adventures, budding friendship, queernormative world, cosy meals by the fire and fighting monsters !
I got an advance reader copy for this book, I don’t do much arc reading and reviewing anymore these days especially in English but I love this author’s world and writing and wanted to try and help promoting this new series !
I love such quick reads because I’ve started way too many series with 500+ pages and books like “Awakenings” are a breath of fresh air to read in between other more massive works. What I appreciate is that this series seems to be heading to several instalments so I’ll be able to follow those characters for a long time, just like another novella series I love and read a new one recently, the wayward children by Seanan McGuire.
Here we follow Horace, a young person (using e/em pronouns) who really wants to belong, tries eir best but keeps failing at every apprenticeship e begins. At the beginning of this tale, Horace is tasked with being the guard on duty on the market that day and with guarding the glyph maintaining the dome protecting the city from swarms of Fragments. E’s very keen on doing what’s asked of em but eir tendency to have a wandering mind, eir curiosity on the new arrivals at the market or eir friendliness to go and talk to everyone will put em in the middle of difficult situations… E’s clearly adhd coded and seeing a character with this disorder navigating life and adventures in a fantasy world is really nice and refreshing, that’s what I like about those self published stories that are sometimes (but not as much as before) missing from trad pub ones.
I don’t want to talk too much about the plot as it’s so short and I could easily say too much, but I loved the little group that forms during this novella and that we’re sure to follow for several books ! I loved most of all the sentient wagon bigger on the inside ! I also loved how implied it is that Horace is not the Hero of the story but that eir presence and support might help the hero in their quest ! The trope of following a character that’s not the central piece of a big story is one I really like (I first saw this in “the rest of us just live there” by Patrick Ness back in 2015 and loved it)
Overall this new little fantasy series is promising adventures, budding friendship, queernormative world, cosy meals by the fire and fighting monsters !
I got an advance reader copy for this book, I don’t do much arc reading and reviewing anymore these days especially in English but I love this author’s world and writing and wanted to try and help promoting this new series !
January 16, 2026
This was absolutely fantastic, I'm so happy to finally be reading this series!! This was a really fun and fast read with some tense moments as well, I love the characters and their growing friendships so much, and I'm very excited to see where this series goes!
March 10, 2024
Awakenings was such a nice read.
In one small book (180 pages) you get a mix of cosy fantasy AND epic fantasy! With very likeable characters who get to play boardgames together, sometimes try to get away from villains, and find their happy place with each other.
I love that we're getting a second novella very soon, which will hopefully develop the characters even more.
I've been meaning to read Claudie Arsenault books for a while and this one definitely encouraged me to move her author books up my TBR.
Thank you to the author for sending me an eARC of this book.
I talk about books here: Instagram / TikTok / Linktree
In one small book (180 pages) you get a mix of cosy fantasy AND epic fantasy! With very likeable characters who get to play boardgames together, sometimes try to get away from villains, and find their happy place with each other.
I love that we're getting a second novella very soon, which will hopefully develop the characters even more.
I've been meaning to read Claudie Arsenault books for a while and this one definitely encouraged me to move her author books up my TBR.
Thank you to the author for sending me an eARC of this book.
I talk about books here: Instagram / TikTok / Linktree
March 1, 2024
ooh I finally get to say I read a book thanks to Mackenzie.
This was so cute and wholesome and fun. The premise isn't exactly a "cozy" fantasy, but it feels cozy just because of the queer-platonic friendships and found family aspects.
I'm so curious to see where this story goes and I wish more fantasy novella series existed because they're very quick reads, but also so much fun.
This was so cute and wholesome and fun. The premise isn't exactly a "cozy" fantasy, but it feels cozy just because of the queer-platonic friendships and found family aspects.
I'm so curious to see where this story goes and I wish more fantasy novella series existed because they're very quick reads, but also so much fun.
December 23, 2025
What a sweet, wholesome start to a much bigger adventure! Horace has such a big heart, I adored Aliyah's quiet and curious nature, and Rumi's an entertaining little fella. Claudie Arseneault does a brilliant job of making each character stand out from the other an capturing Horace's wonder for the world outside the dome. Excited to see where their journey takes them in the next book!
June 2, 2024
This novella managed to succesfully set up a lot of different aspects. It introduces us to a fun and diverse cast of likeable characters, an intriguing and mysterious plot, and a unique world that seems very real even in the limited amount of pages that this story spans. Most importantly, in my opinion, it establishes really interesting character dynamics.
We follow Horace who is very enthusiastic and tries hard, but seems to never quite be able to fit in. E has not been able to get a job because the rules are not always clear to me and e tends to get distracted. It creates a sense of the world where self-worth seems strongly tied up in usefulness, productivity and work. At the same time, it shows the frustrating reality of what it is like to try really hard and still fail because the world is not made to accommodate you.
“To leave the city was to have failed, to be without the community of a professional trade.”
It also sets up the doubts about the regime and the regulations that are going on as Horace questions what would be the right thing to do. A view that the rules might not always be right and that those who inforce those rules may not have the moral highground after all.
“Clan Zestra deals in safety, Gavin had said, but he hadn’t cared for this stranger’s safety at all, even though they’d saved them all, dissipating the Fragments.”
But the thing that I liked the most about this book was the relationships between the characters. In particular the way Horace approached and described his feelings and friendships. I loved the parts where Horace thought about Aliyah’s laughter and the intensity of eir feelings, especially after having clarified that e has no interest in romance or sex. This is something else but is given a lot of importance and detail in the writing because the relationships are still such an integral part of the story.
The take on the "there's only one bed" trope is... great!
This novella does very much feel like the set up of a larger story, which makes a lot of sense, but also comes with the feeling that I will have to wait until I read the sequels to be able to fully share my opinions.
That being said, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a short wholesome story that is filled with friendship, board games, a semi-sentient wagon and somehow tension among the wholesomeness.
It has for sure made me interested in the rest of this series. Once I read them, I will let you know if I think telling the story in a collection of novellas makes sense.
We follow Horace who is very enthusiastic and tries hard, but seems to never quite be able to fit in. E has not been able to get a job because the rules are not always clear to me and e tends to get distracted. It creates a sense of the world where self-worth seems strongly tied up in usefulness, productivity and work. At the same time, it shows the frustrating reality of what it is like to try really hard and still fail because the world is not made to accommodate you.
“To leave the city was to have failed, to be without the community of a professional trade.”
It also sets up the doubts about the regime and the regulations that are going on as Horace questions what would be the right thing to do. A view that the rules might not always be right and that those who inforce those rules may not have the moral highground after all.
“Clan Zestra deals in safety, Gavin had said, but he hadn’t cared for this stranger’s safety at all, even though they’d saved them all, dissipating the Fragments.”
But the thing that I liked the most about this book was the relationships between the characters. In particular the way Horace approached and described his feelings and friendships. I loved the parts where Horace thought about Aliyah’s laughter and the intensity of eir feelings, especially after having clarified that e has no interest in romance or sex. This is something else but is given a lot of importance and detail in the writing because the relationships are still such an integral part of the story.
The take on the "there's only one bed" trope is... great!
This novella does very much feel like the set up of a larger story, which makes a lot of sense, but also comes with the feeling that I will have to wait until I read the sequels to be able to fully share my opinions.
That being said, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a short wholesome story that is filled with friendship, board games, a semi-sentient wagon and somehow tension among the wholesomeness.
It has for sure made me interested in the rest of this series. Once I read them, I will let you know if I think telling the story in a collection of novellas makes sense.
June 3, 2024
Really fun novella in a queernorm fantasy world, with a small party of three starting their journey together. Aroace non-binary MC (e/em pronouns) that also felt very ADHD coded, not sure if it's canon but the neurodiversity was def there.
Platonic relationships at the forefront of the narrative! (Didn't expect anything less from the author tbh, and I love it) Lots of cozy fantasy vibes/moments (playing board games, making food together) while also having action scenes and the beginning of a quest/mystery. Also just a lot of classic fantasy ttrpg/dnd vibes as well, which I loved.
A very fun ride I'm really excited to see more.
Platonic relationships at the forefront of the narrative! (Didn't expect anything less from the author tbh, and I love it) Lots of cozy fantasy vibes/moments (playing board games, making food together) while also having action scenes and the beginning of a quest/mystery. Also just a lot of classic fantasy ttrpg/dnd vibes as well, which I loved.
A very fun ride I'm really excited to see more.
May 15, 2025
4.5 stars
A fun read that leaves us with many many questions. The characters are fun and interesting, especially loving Rumi. Finding a place to truly belong is hard, and I'm curious to see what'll happen further down the road.
A fun read that leaves us with many many questions. The characters are fun and interesting, especially loving Rumi. Finding a place to truly belong is hard, and I'm curious to see what'll happen further down the road.
March 1, 2024
I read this because of Mackenzie and Sakina, and it was so much fun! I'm definitely going to read the sequels.
featured
June 25, 2024https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
Horace from The Chronicles of Nerezia is aromantic asexual!
Horace from The Chronicles of Nerezia is aromantic asexual!
July 31, 2024
cozy scifi-fantasy found family adventure story with big becky chambers vibes
Read
September 26, 2024Read for SFINCS 2. RTC.
December 11, 2024
Read for "SFINCS", as part of Team 3: Swordsworn
Rating: 7.4/10 ⭐
✅A unique world and setting, blending a lot of competing environs into a cohesive landscape
✅ A sense of tension and intrigue throughout, with regards to the shards and the fragments, and the strange porcelain mask figure
✅ A sense of camaraderie within the main ensemble of characters, lifting the prose
✅ A good balance between cosy fantasy and quest-based storytelling
❌ It was very clearly a launch point to a series, and didn't have the cohesion of a concluded novella (thereby lacking some character development and structural elements, which is a point raised for the purposes of the competition, and is not in any way indicative of this being a bad introduction to a series - quite the opposite; it's really good)
Rating: 7.4/10 ⭐
✅A unique world and setting, blending a lot of competing environs into a cohesive landscape
✅ A sense of tension and intrigue throughout, with regards to the shards and the fragments, and the strange porcelain mask figure
✅ A sense of camaraderie within the main ensemble of characters, lifting the prose
✅ A good balance between cosy fantasy and quest-based storytelling
❌ It was very clearly a launch point to a series, and didn't have the cohesion of a concluded novella (thereby lacking some character development and structural elements, which is a point raised for the purposes of the competition, and is not in any way indicative of this being a bad introduction to a series - quite the opposite; it's really good)
December 29, 2024
This novella feels more like the opening act of a novel than a self-contained story. There's some nice world building, but absolutely no resolution. It feels like the plot is just getting started, as our trio of mismatched outsiders meet, have their first adventure together and then the book just sort of stops. It's not like, say, the Murderbot Diaries; those are also short, but each one feels self-contained. This definitely feels like a fraction of a story, and while I'm intrigued by the plot, I don't think I'm invested enough to carry on. If these were collected into a full length novel, I might be interested in carrying on, but as it stands, I think I'll not bother. And now I want to reread Murderbot.
December 27, 2023
Gosh I love another cosy fantasy from this author. All the better if it's the beginning of a brand new series!
I'd heard a little bit about this one before I picked it up, in particular there being an 'embo' (nonbinary himbo) main character. Horace is immediately shown as a sweet and well meaning character who doesn't always get things right.
My idea of himbo/embo, though, is a lot less well meaning and a lot more arrogantly oblivious I guess, so I was super pleasantly surprised by this character being ADHD/autistic coded. The kinds of mistakes that are alluded to having been made before this story are things I myself have struggled with in working life.
The main thing is, this character is a solid and sweet one to have a series of novellas looped around.
We shortly after meeting Horace are introduced to another nonbinary, and for a long while unnamed, character who we only know absorbed or disabated a bunch of the Fragments threatening Horace's domed city.
Horace immediately bonds to this character, despite barely knowing them and their being unconscious immediately afterwards. Actually, Aliyah spends a bit of this story unconscious. But that's perhaps because they are the walking, talking inciting incident for most of the things that happen in this introductory novella.
Rounded out by the lizardlike character, Rumi, and his sentient Wagon of Wonders, this party attempts to get answers for the strange behaviour of these Fragments, and forge bonds with one another as they go.
I'd heard a little bit about this one before I picked it up, in particular there being an 'embo' (nonbinary himbo) main character. Horace is immediately shown as a sweet and well meaning character who doesn't always get things right.
My idea of himbo/embo, though, is a lot less well meaning and a lot more arrogantly oblivious I guess, so I was super pleasantly surprised by this character being ADHD/autistic coded. The kinds of mistakes that are alluded to having been made before this story are things I myself have struggled with in working life.
The main thing is, this character is a solid and sweet one to have a series of novellas looped around.
We shortly after meeting Horace are introduced to another nonbinary, and for a long while unnamed, character who we only know absorbed or disabated a bunch of the Fragments threatening Horace's domed city.
Horace immediately bonds to this character, despite barely knowing them and their being unconscious immediately afterwards. Actually, Aliyah spends a bit of this story unconscious. But that's perhaps because they are the walking, talking inciting incident for most of the things that happen in this introductory novella.
Rounded out by the lizardlike character, Rumi, and his sentient Wagon of Wonders, this party attempts to get answers for the strange behaviour of these Fragments, and forge bonds with one another as they go.
February 19, 2024
I didn’t always fully understand what was happening but the vibes were great
December 13, 2024
It was fine, but not for me. For one thing, though not marketed as YA, it read very much as YA to me.
April 9, 2025
Book Review: Awakenings by Claudie Arseneault
Claudie Arseneault’s Awakenings, the first novella in The Chronicles of Nerezia series, is a heartfelt and imaginative fantasy adventure that blends cozy storytelling with action and mystery. Featuring a richly diverse cast and a world brimming with intrigue, this novella is a delightful introduction to a larger narrative that promises to unfold gradually across future instalments.
Plot Overview:
The story centres on Horace, an optimistic yet hapless protagonist who has struggled to find eir place in the domed city of Trenaze. After failing multiple apprenticeships, Horace joins the city’s guards in hopes of proving eir worth. When glowing shards known as Fragments breach Trenaze's protective dome, Horace witnesses a mysterious elf dissipate these dangerous entities with a cryptic phrase: "Your story is my story." This encounter sets Horace on a journey with the enigmatic elf, Aliyah, who is searching for their lost memories and a forest from their dreams. Along the way, they are joined by Rumi, a trader with a semi-sentient wooden wagon, forming an unlikely trio navigating the dangers of Nerezia.
Strengths:
1. Diverse Representation: Arseneault excels in crafting a queernormative world where characters of various genders and sexualities exist without their identities being central to the conflict. Horace’s nonbinary identity and Aliyah’s mysterious nature are seamlessly woven into the narrative.
2. Compelling Characters: Horace’s earnestness and self-doubt make them an endearing protagonist. Their guileless sincerity contrasts beautifully with Aliyah’s quiet sharpness and Rumi’s reluctant pragmatism, creating a dynamic group whose relationships feel authentic and heartfelt.
3. Unique Worldbuilding: The concept of Fragments—eldritch shards that threaten humanity—is both ominous and intriguing. Arseneault reveals details about the world gradually, maintaining an air of mystery while grounding readers in Trenaze's structured yet flawed society.
4. Cozy Yet Action-Packed: While the novella offers moments of combat and danger, its true charm lies in quieter scenes, such as board games between characters or introspective moments.
5. Themes of Belonging and Found Family: The narrative explores Horace’s search for purpose and connection while emphasizing platonic relationships over romantic ones. The found family dynamic between Horace, Aliyah, and Rumi is particularly moving.
Critiques:
1. Pacing Limitations: As a novella, Awakenings has limited space to fully develop its plot or delve deeply into its overarching mysteries. I did find the unresolved ending unsatisfying, though I admit it effectively sets up future instalments.
2. Sparse Descriptions: While the worldbuilding is intriguing, I wished for more vivid sensory details about Nerezia's landscapes or environments to fully immerse themselves in the setting.
3. Horace’s Passivity: At times, Horace feels more reactive than proactive, which can make the plot seem driven by external events rather than character decisions.
Themes:
• Identity and Self-Worth: Horace’s struggles with societal expectations highlight themes of self-acceptance and finding one’s place in an imperfect world.
• Memory and Mystery: Aliyah’s quest to recover their memories adds layers of intrigue while symbolizing the importance of understanding oneself.
• Community vs. Individuality: The novella critiques rigid societal norms while celebrating the strength found in unconventional bonds.
Conclusion:
Awakenings is an enchanting start to Claudie Arseneault’s new series, offering a thoughtful blend of cozy fantasy and action-driven storytelling. Its focus on queer representation, platonic connections, and gradual worldbuilding makes it stand out in the genre. While some aspects could benefit from greater depth or detail, the novella succeeds in creating an engaging narrative that leaves readers eager for more.
Recommended for fans of character-driven fantasy looking for diverse representation and stories that balance warmth with adventure!
Claudie Arseneault’s Awakenings, the first novella in The Chronicles of Nerezia series, is a heartfelt and imaginative fantasy adventure that blends cozy storytelling with action and mystery. Featuring a richly diverse cast and a world brimming with intrigue, this novella is a delightful introduction to a larger narrative that promises to unfold gradually across future instalments.
Plot Overview:
The story centres on Horace, an optimistic yet hapless protagonist who has struggled to find eir place in the domed city of Trenaze. After failing multiple apprenticeships, Horace joins the city’s guards in hopes of proving eir worth. When glowing shards known as Fragments breach Trenaze's protective dome, Horace witnesses a mysterious elf dissipate these dangerous entities with a cryptic phrase: "Your story is my story." This encounter sets Horace on a journey with the enigmatic elf, Aliyah, who is searching for their lost memories and a forest from their dreams. Along the way, they are joined by Rumi, a trader with a semi-sentient wooden wagon, forming an unlikely trio navigating the dangers of Nerezia.
Strengths:
1. Diverse Representation: Arseneault excels in crafting a queernormative world where characters of various genders and sexualities exist without their identities being central to the conflict. Horace’s nonbinary identity and Aliyah’s mysterious nature are seamlessly woven into the narrative.
2. Compelling Characters: Horace’s earnestness and self-doubt make them an endearing protagonist. Their guileless sincerity contrasts beautifully with Aliyah’s quiet sharpness and Rumi’s reluctant pragmatism, creating a dynamic group whose relationships feel authentic and heartfelt.
3. Unique Worldbuilding: The concept of Fragments—eldritch shards that threaten humanity—is both ominous and intriguing. Arseneault reveals details about the world gradually, maintaining an air of mystery while grounding readers in Trenaze's structured yet flawed society.
4. Cozy Yet Action-Packed: While the novella offers moments of combat and danger, its true charm lies in quieter scenes, such as board games between characters or introspective moments.
5. Themes of Belonging and Found Family: The narrative explores Horace’s search for purpose and connection while emphasizing platonic relationships over romantic ones. The found family dynamic between Horace, Aliyah, and Rumi is particularly moving.
Critiques:
1. Pacing Limitations: As a novella, Awakenings has limited space to fully develop its plot or delve deeply into its overarching mysteries. I did find the unresolved ending unsatisfying, though I admit it effectively sets up future instalments.
2. Sparse Descriptions: While the worldbuilding is intriguing, I wished for more vivid sensory details about Nerezia's landscapes or environments to fully immerse themselves in the setting.
3. Horace’s Passivity: At times, Horace feels more reactive than proactive, which can make the plot seem driven by external events rather than character decisions.
Themes:
• Identity and Self-Worth: Horace’s struggles with societal expectations highlight themes of self-acceptance and finding one’s place in an imperfect world.
• Memory and Mystery: Aliyah’s quest to recover their memories adds layers of intrigue while symbolizing the importance of understanding oneself.
• Community vs. Individuality: The novella critiques rigid societal norms while celebrating the strength found in unconventional bonds.
Conclusion:
Awakenings is an enchanting start to Claudie Arseneault’s new series, offering a thoughtful blend of cozy fantasy and action-driven storytelling. Its focus on queer representation, platonic connections, and gradual worldbuilding makes it stand out in the genre. While some aspects could benefit from greater depth or detail, the novella succeeds in creating an engaging narrative that leaves readers eager for more.
Recommended for fans of character-driven fantasy looking for diverse representation and stories that balance warmth with adventure!
August 31, 2024
I think it was in a newsletter I saw the second book in this series being mentioned and something about it caught my eye. Not much later I decided to buy the first book and again it didn't take me long before I started it. I wasn't quite sure what to expect of it, but I knew I wanted to read it. And I am glad I did as I ended up really enjoying this one and already bought book 2 so I can continue the series.
While reading Awakenings I was going back and forth between a 3 star and 4 star rating in my head. I was a bit lost at times, not fully understanding what was going on, but later realized the characters don't either most of the times. I don't like being confused and I struggled a bit with that. The further I got the better I got to know the characters and once they set off in the wagon the found family theme really comes through and then the world building gets expanded a bit as well. By then this one firmly went into the 4 stars rating and I wanted to read more.
I liked Horace from the start. There's something that felt relatable about em. There's eir kind personality, the way e helps a stranger because it feels right. I felt bad for how eir hadn't found a place to belong with all eir apprenticeships ending in failure, but how eir still kept hope and determination was something I admired. And then when eir joins the wagon and eir new friend Alijah on their journey I felt happy for eir to have found a place and family to belong with. I loved the found family theme and reading about Alijay, Horace and Rumi was so fun. Alijay and Rumi I felt we got to know less than Horace, but there was still plenty to get a feel for their personalities and I look forward to getting to know more in future books.
This book is very much the start of the journey with introducing the characters, story and world. There isn't as much world building yet, but I liked the pieces that are there. And I loved the scenes where they play the dice and later the card game Proteins. I just loved the way this made the world feel even more real and those scenes were just so fun!
To summarize: I wasn't quite sure what to think of this book at first, some events of the plot could be a bit confusing at times. Then the found family theme and some world building came into play and from that moment I knew I wanted to continue the series. I really liked reading about Horace, e felt real and relatable and I enjoyed reading about em. The other characters are interesting too and I liked getting a feel for their personalities. I really liked the found family theme and seeing the three of them interact. The world building is subtle so far and there's not as much yet, but I liked the pieces that are there and I absolutely loved the way the dice and card game add to the world building. By the end of the book I was eager for more and I've already bought the next book.
While reading Awakenings I was going back and forth between a 3 star and 4 star rating in my head. I was a bit lost at times, not fully understanding what was going on, but later realized the characters don't either most of the times. I don't like being confused and I struggled a bit with that. The further I got the better I got to know the characters and once they set off in the wagon the found family theme really comes through and then the world building gets expanded a bit as well. By then this one firmly went into the 4 stars rating and I wanted to read more.
I liked Horace from the start. There's something that felt relatable about em. There's eir kind personality, the way e helps a stranger because it feels right. I felt bad for how eir hadn't found a place to belong with all eir apprenticeships ending in failure, but how eir still kept hope and determination was something I admired. And then when eir joins the wagon and eir new friend Alijah on their journey I felt happy for eir to have found a place and family to belong with. I loved the found family theme and reading about Alijay, Horace and Rumi was so fun. Alijay and Rumi I felt we got to know less than Horace, but there was still plenty to get a feel for their personalities and I look forward to getting to know more in future books.
This book is very much the start of the journey with introducing the characters, story and world. There isn't as much world building yet, but I liked the pieces that are there. And I loved the scenes where they play the dice and later the card game Proteins. I just loved the way this made the world feel even more real and those scenes were just so fun!
To summarize: I wasn't quite sure what to think of this book at first, some events of the plot could be a bit confusing at times. Then the found family theme and some world building came into play and from that moment I knew I wanted to continue the series. I really liked reading about Horace, e felt real and relatable and I enjoyed reading about em. The other characters are interesting too and I liked getting a feel for their personalities. I really liked the found family theme and seeing the three of them interact. The world building is subtle so far and there's not as much yet, but I liked the pieces that are there and I absolutely loved the way the dice and card game add to the world building. By the end of the book I was eager for more and I've already bought the next book.
June 1, 2024
Awakenings is different from anything I’ve read! With lovable, queer characters and a vast fantasy world that includes different species, strange technology, and captivating enemies, this novella seized my interest immediately and never let it go. It’s so easy to read!
There is hardly anything that could have been improved, but I would have liked a bit more description of surroundings and the characters’ senses of those surroundings, such as the oppressive heat from the desert sun, or grit finding its way into clothes and shoes. I would also have appreciated a little more character backstory for Rumi, especially, and his reasoning for so quickly accepting this “quest” of sorts.
Regardless, what this novella did in the space it had available to it was exciting. The story kicks off immediately and never stops. The plot is an interesting mix of cozy found family vibes on the road mixed with the darkness of the world and a mysterious enemy who knows more than he’s willing to say. All of this tied up with the vague impression of prophecy of some sort that may or may not come true depending on the main character’s, Horace’s, choices.
This plot is delivered with smooth, sharp writing that is easy to get absorbed in and never once distracted me from the story. It takes place in a huge fantasy world with unique markets, sprawling landscape, and a sentient, bigger-on-the-inside wagon. If I didn’t already find myself falling in love with the characters and eager to follow them on their journeys, I would be enthralled with the world-building and anxious to learn more.
Horace, the main character, is such a sweetheart. Brave, protective, and open-hearted e uses e/eir pronouns and is also aro/ace, yet finds emself inexplicably attached to the nonbinary elf, Aliyah, who transforms into a giant tree creature and protects Horace’s city from attack. Rumi, an “isixi,” a short, reptile species, is transmasc and a traveling inventor. It’s his wagon that Horace and Aliyah find themselves on as they start their journey.
This cast of characters, already is exceptional, interesting, and loveable, with individualized personalities that find they fit together. The loyalty that is already growing among them through this first of the series novella soothes something in my soul. I love the comaraderie and friendship that is increasingly growing, and I’m so excited to read book two.
If you’re looking for a fantasy with platonic, queer relationships, I couldn’t recommend this more. It’s gripping, yet feel-good, and it possesses every element of fantasy I love so much. It’s so worth picking up!
There is hardly anything that could have been improved, but I would have liked a bit more description of surroundings and the characters’ senses of those surroundings, such as the oppressive heat from the desert sun, or grit finding its way into clothes and shoes. I would also have appreciated a little more character backstory for Rumi, especially, and his reasoning for so quickly accepting this “quest” of sorts.
Regardless, what this novella did in the space it had available to it was exciting. The story kicks off immediately and never stops. The plot is an interesting mix of cozy found family vibes on the road mixed with the darkness of the world and a mysterious enemy who knows more than he’s willing to say. All of this tied up with the vague impression of prophecy of some sort that may or may not come true depending on the main character’s, Horace’s, choices.
This plot is delivered with smooth, sharp writing that is easy to get absorbed in and never once distracted me from the story. It takes place in a huge fantasy world with unique markets, sprawling landscape, and a sentient, bigger-on-the-inside wagon. If I didn’t already find myself falling in love with the characters and eager to follow them on their journeys, I would be enthralled with the world-building and anxious to learn more.
Horace, the main character, is such a sweetheart. Brave, protective, and open-hearted e uses e/eir pronouns and is also aro/ace, yet finds emself inexplicably attached to the nonbinary elf, Aliyah, who transforms into a giant tree creature and protects Horace’s city from attack. Rumi, an “isixi,” a short, reptile species, is transmasc and a traveling inventor. It’s his wagon that Horace and Aliyah find themselves on as they start their journey.
This cast of characters, already is exceptional, interesting, and loveable, with individualized personalities that find they fit together. The loyalty that is already growing among them through this first of the series novella soothes something in my soul. I love the comaraderie and friendship that is increasingly growing, and I’m so excited to read book two.
If you’re looking for a fantasy with platonic, queer relationships, I couldn’t recommend this more. It’s gripping, yet feel-good, and it possesses every element of fantasy I love so much. It’s so worth picking up!
February 28, 2024
I really didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this novella but I got invested very quickly in the lives of our characters.
Horace is a delightful cinnamon roll who has tried almost every apprenticeship in eir city and not passed a single one. On eir latest apprenticeship test, everything goes horribly wrong and e ends up meeting our other two characters, Aliyah and Rumi, as well as Rumi's sentient wagon. Aliyah is a very closed-off but not unfriendly elf and Rumi is a messy but lovable artificer who is unsure about having passengers on his wagon.
This story manages to be both cozy like a warm hug yet still tense in places with decently high stakes. It is in a desert-like setting and includes a helpful map so you can see where they travel. I found the world really interesting and not hard to understand at all.
The delightful sense of found family and sticking together is probably my favorite thing about the story and how well-balanced the characters are together, though they are all very different. Horace and Rumi both are very caring and loving in their own ways and I loved to see how they showed affection differently.
My one and only complaint is that the story was over too soon! I need more in this world already!
I received a free eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review is written voluntarily.
Horace is a delightful cinnamon roll who has tried almost every apprenticeship in eir city and not passed a single one. On eir latest apprenticeship test, everything goes horribly wrong and e ends up meeting our other two characters, Aliyah and Rumi, as well as Rumi's sentient wagon. Aliyah is a very closed-off but not unfriendly elf and Rumi is a messy but lovable artificer who is unsure about having passengers on his wagon.
This story manages to be both cozy like a warm hug yet still tense in places with decently high stakes. It is in a desert-like setting and includes a helpful map so you can see where they travel. I found the world really interesting and not hard to understand at all.
The delightful sense of found family and sticking together is probably my favorite thing about the story and how well-balanced the characters are together, though they are all very different. Horace and Rumi both are very caring and loving in their own ways and I loved to see how they showed affection differently.
My one and only complaint is that the story was over too soon! I need more in this world already!
I received a free eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review is written voluntarily.
Read
February 9, 2025I haven’t previously read anything by this author and picked up Awakenings as part of a cosy fantasy Storybundle. It’s an introductory novella in what I see is planned as a 9-part series.
We experience the story through the perspective of Horace, who is good-hearted and trying to find eir place in the world (both metaphorically and physically/socially). Although Horace has moments of uncertainty and send-guessing emselves, I liked that e didn’t wallow in continuous angst. E did feel a bit passive in terms of decision making, being more “moved” to act by gut feeling, instinct or someone/something else rather than explicit thought. That can make me feel that the plot rather than character is making the decisions, so to say.
I liked the found family elements and the generally cosy feel. There were also curious dangers to encounter. The language was on the ornate side for my tastes which I felt slowed things down (but see most of my previous reviews for similar thoughts…) Various worldbuilding elements were introduced, which I expect will feature more in the sequels. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more indication what was going on in terms of the wider world. If there were clues presented, but Horace didn’t pick up on them, they were also too subtle for me to see.
Overall, an engaging introduction to a new fantasy series.
We experience the story through the perspective of Horace, who is good-hearted and trying to find eir place in the world (both metaphorically and physically/socially). Although Horace has moments of uncertainty and send-guessing emselves, I liked that e didn’t wallow in continuous angst. E did feel a bit passive in terms of decision making, being more “moved” to act by gut feeling, instinct or someone/something else rather than explicit thought. That can make me feel that the plot rather than character is making the decisions, so to say.
I liked the found family elements and the generally cosy feel. There were also curious dangers to encounter. The language was on the ornate side for my tastes which I felt slowed things down (but see most of my previous reviews for similar thoughts…) Various worldbuilding elements were introduced, which I expect will feature more in the sequels. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more indication what was going on in terms of the wider world. If there were clues presented, but Horace didn’t pick up on them, they were also too subtle for me to see.
Overall, an engaging introduction to a new fantasy series.
February 1, 2024
Awakenings and the Chronicles of Nerezia by Claudie Arseneault
Release date: Feb 9th
Mini road trip adventure that introduces us to a new fantasy world. This book gave me all the warm, feel good fuzzies.
Can we please have more board games in fantasy please? You can learn a lot about someone during a board game so by showing us what kind of players the characters are, I learned more about their personalities.
This book has pretty high steaks while still giving us that warm cosy book feel. It manages to slow things down and focuses on how the characters relax in between tense moments, especially given we don’t know much about these characters yet.
Our main Character Horace is a massive softie who just wants to find eir place in the world and to make friends along the way. I’m really glad we have such a caring person as a main character because e just embodies cosyness in every scene.
I can’t wait to continue this series.
Queernorm world where sexual/romantic relationships take a back seat.
I backed this as a kick starter and received an eARC from the author. This review was written voluntarily.
Release date: Feb 9th
Mini road trip adventure that introduces us to a new fantasy world. This book gave me all the warm, feel good fuzzies.
Can we please have more board games in fantasy please? You can learn a lot about someone during a board game so by showing us what kind of players the characters are, I learned more about their personalities.
This book has pretty high steaks while still giving us that warm cosy book feel. It manages to slow things down and focuses on how the characters relax in between tense moments, especially given we don’t know much about these characters yet.
Our main Character Horace is a massive softie who just wants to find eir place in the world and to make friends along the way. I’m really glad we have such a caring person as a main character because e just embodies cosyness in every scene.
I can’t wait to continue this series.
Queernorm world where sexual/romantic relationships take a back seat.
I backed this as a kick starter and received an eARC from the author. This review was written voluntarily.
December 27, 2024
An intriguing, if slow, start to the series. It’s hard to give much of an impression of the plot since this first novella is mainly set up of the world, the characters, and the mystery to be explored. However, the tone and the main character, Horace, were established well.
It’s building a cozy vibe – as much if not more focus and time is given to the mundane, soft moments as to the fighting and the darker elements of this world. I enjoyed Horace’s genuine and optimistic character. It was nice to read an ADHD/autistic-coded and aroace character who has struggled to find where e belongs and build the relationships e desires but wasn’t miserable or outcasted because of it. And of course, it’s sweet to see em settling in and the friendship (building to found family) developing between the characters.
I’d like to see Horace and Aliyah connect more. They do have some nice scenes bonding over games with Aliyah starting to let down their guard, but Horace’s immediate attachment to them before they’d even really spoken was not an interesting or compelling start to their relationship. Turns out non-romantic insta-love doesn’t appeal to me any more than the romantic kind. I hope to see them grow closer without that initial flash of generic attraction being leaned on too hard.
It’s building a cozy vibe – as much if not more focus and time is given to the mundane, soft moments as to the fighting and the darker elements of this world. I enjoyed Horace’s genuine and optimistic character. It was nice to read an ADHD/autistic-coded and aroace character who has struggled to find where e belongs and build the relationships e desires but wasn’t miserable or outcasted because of it. And of course, it’s sweet to see em settling in and the friendship (building to found family) developing between the characters.
I’d like to see Horace and Aliyah connect more. They do have some nice scenes bonding over games with Aliyah starting to let down their guard, but Horace’s immediate attachment to them before they’d even really spoken was not an interesting or compelling start to their relationship. Turns out non-romantic insta-love doesn’t appeal to me any more than the romantic kind. I hope to see them grow closer without that initial flash of generic attraction being leaned on too hard.
December 20, 2023
This is such a lovely little novella, which manages to combine a cozy atmosphere with surprisingly high stakes and tense moments of thrilling action. I love every character—including the Wagon!—and I’m looking forward to finding out where they’ll go from here and how they will develop from travel companions into, hopefully, a true found family. Horace’s sweet, extroverted embo personality is a joy to read, and contrasts nicely with the pricklier and/or more reserved personalities of eir companions.
The setting is also fascinating; I can’t wait to learn more about the fragments and the archivists and all of the other mysteries underlying these tales, and to see more of the environments and landmarks that this world holds. Fantastic quick read for anyone looking for an easy entry point into an enthralling new universe.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
The setting is also fascinating; I can’t wait to learn more about the fragments and the archivists and all of the other mysteries underlying these tales, and to see more of the environments and landmarks that this world holds. Fantastic quick read for anyone looking for an easy entry point into an enthralling new universe.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
September 13, 2024
Content warnings for Awakenings include: descriptive violence (two brief instances), mentions of memory loss and systemic ableism in the worldbuilding.
☆
☆
I hate to say it, but I kinda found it a bit difficult to get through this. Fantasy is a genre I know I can have a difficult time reading. Having a different world and new species to get my head around means that I don't tend to reach for fantasy books very often.
~
I had hoped that with this series being novellas I wouldn't have too hard a time with it, but it doesn't seem to have made really any difference.
~
With that being said. I did like the characters and the setting, and I'm definitely intrigued enough to read the other two novellas I have. I'll have to put my differences with fantasy aside for this series.
•
Thank you to author Claudie Arseneault for sending me an ebook copy of this book.
☆
☆
I hate to say it, but I kinda found it a bit difficult to get through this. Fantasy is a genre I know I can have a difficult time reading. Having a different world and new species to get my head around means that I don't tend to reach for fantasy books very often.
~
I had hoped that with this series being novellas I wouldn't have too hard a time with it, but it doesn't seem to have made really any difference.
~
With that being said. I did like the characters and the setting, and I'm definitely intrigued enough to read the other two novellas I have. I'll have to put my differences with fantasy aside for this series.
•
Thank you to author Claudie Arseneault for sending me an ebook copy of this book.
May 10, 2024
Very fun fantasy adventure novella that promises more mysteries in future installments. I loved the found family element most here, with this very diverse trio getting to know each other as the begin traveling together. Horace is a delightful protagonist you can't help but root for, and I enjoyed the remaining mysteries surrounding both Aliyah and Rumi - I'm hoping for (and expecting) more of their backstories in the future. This felt very cozy and semi low stakes but with some good action as well, and of course I love seeing queer normative societies in any fiction. Looking forward to seeing more unfold in subsequent novellas.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own*
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own*
June 24, 2024
3.5/5 stars
Awakenings is the start of a fantasy adventure series, where Horace meets Aliyah and Rumi and sets off in a magical wagon to help Aliyah discover why they can turn into a tree.
I loved the representation in this book. There is a ton of casual queerness: Horace uses e/em/eir pronouns and is aroace, and Aliyah uses they/them pronouns. Horace is also ADHD-coded (I’m unsure if it’s confirmed by the author).
The book as a whole was very slow, as exposition made up the first half of the book. The action finally picked up in the last two chapters, but I was disinterested by that point.
Eventually, I’ll probably read the rest of the series, but I’m not in a hurry at the moment.
CW: panic attacks; violence/injury
Awakenings is the start of a fantasy adventure series, where Horace meets Aliyah and Rumi and sets off in a magical wagon to help Aliyah discover why they can turn into a tree.
I loved the representation in this book. There is a ton of casual queerness: Horace uses e/em/eir pronouns and is aroace, and Aliyah uses they/them pronouns. Horace is also ADHD-coded (I’m unsure if it’s confirmed by the author).
The book as a whole was very slow, as exposition made up the first half of the book. The action finally picked up in the last two chapters, but I was disinterested by that point.
Eventually, I’ll probably read the rest of the series, but I’m not in a hurry at the moment.
CW: panic attacks; violence/injury
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews