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Geeky lesbian Dakota Shepherd was just a bored night security guard, working at a museum in Knoxville, Tennessee until one fateful encounter changed it all.
A rogue wizard. A demonic ritual. A silver chalice.
Dakota Awakened, Hellfire blazing from her hands.
Dakota's powers are a danger to herself and everyone around her, and she has to learn to control them quickly or risk losing her one chance to finally fulfill a lifelong dream.
While coming to terms with her new reality, she stumbles upon a secret that changed the course of her life.
Now she wants to know who is responsible for the holes in her memory, the blocks that hold back her powers, and all the years she spent alone.
Who put her back to sleep when she Awakened years before?
A rogue wizard. A demonic ritual. A silver chalice.
Dakota Awakened, Hellfire blazing from her hands.
Dakota's powers are a danger to herself and everyone around her, and she has to learn to control them quickly or risk losing her one chance to finally fulfill a lifelong dream.
While coming to terms with her new reality, she stumbles upon a secret that changed the course of her life.
Now she wants to know who is responsible for the holes in her memory, the blocks that hold back her powers, and all the years she spent alone.
Who put her back to sleep when she Awakened years before?
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 20, 2015
41 people are currently reading
818 people want to read
About the author
Shei Darksbane
15 books68 followersShei Darksbane is the author of theDakota Shepherd series, an Urban Fantasy series featuring snarky lesbian geek-girl, Dakota Shepherd!
She writes alongside her wife, author Annathesa Nikola Darksbane, working on both of their projects together, contributing in various ways.
Shei is a proud pansexual, feminist, and natural bluenette.
She writes alongside her wife, author Annathesa Nikola Darksbane, working on both of their projects together, contributing in various ways.
Shei is a proud pansexual, feminist, and natural bluenette.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 2, 2017
To me this is the best F/F paranormal book series available for free with Kindle Unlimited. Don't have much more to say than I loved it! I really hope the author puts out book 3 quickly, the wait is a killer.
Do not hesitate to read this if you enjoy story of Vampires, Werewolves and magic!
Do not hesitate to read this if you enjoy story of Vampires, Werewolves and magic!
October 23, 2015
This was a really fun book. The world-building had numerous fascinating elements to it and I'm really looking forward to seeing more of it in future books. As this was the first book in a series, much of its length was dedicated to fleshing out the rules and background, so it was vital that all of said information be delivered in an accessible, entertaining way. It was. While there might not have been much action or conflict in the story, it was chock full of funny dialogue, likable characters, an interesting mystery, a few emotional moments, some family drama, and probably a number of other things I'm not remembering right now.
If there's a part of the story I'm not completely sold on, it's the love triangle. I'm not a big fan of that device in general, but if you're going to do it, make it work. I just never felt the connection between Amorie and Dakota. Dakota and Raelya? Totally. I'm 100% team Raelya. But, I mean, I shouldn't be; I should be torn. I should be able to see the appeal of the Amorie relationship, and I just didn't. At all. Ever. That's an issue, especially with a first-person point-of-view. I definitely should not be thinking, "Gee, I hope Amorie betrays her soon so Dakota can end up in a healthy relationship."
Still, the romance is only one part of the book. Granted, it's the part I was most looking forward to (and I really hope the triangle thing wraps up quickly), but there was a lot of really good stuff in the story that compensated for it. I loved the familial relationship of the pack, the fun world details about things like auras, the little character details such as Dakota's dyslexia, the constant stream of references, and so on and so on.
As far as editing and proofreading go, there were errors. Nowhere near as many as you'd find in the worst self-published fiction, but there were enough to occasionally pull me out of the story. I think some editing would have been useful in a few of the descriptions, too. I love a good kitchen, but I don't need two pages of descriptive text for a room the characters only visit once or twice, nor did I really need the huge blocks of text describing Amorie's hallways or bedroom. A little flavor is great -- by all means, let me know that she's wealthy and has great taste -- but detailed passages about wood grain, crown moldings and decorative chair rails just aren't necessary.
Really, though, my criticisms are pretty minor in scope and scale. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I bought both the novella and the sequel long before I'd turned the last page. There's a lot of world to explore here, and I'm eager to do it.
4.25 stars.
Also, #TeamJacobRaelya
Haha, just kidding.
(No, but seriously, #TeamRaelya.)
If there's a part of the story I'm not completely sold on, it's the love triangle. I'm not a big fan of that device in general, but if you're going to do it, make it work. I just never felt the connection between Amorie and Dakota. Dakota and Raelya? Totally. I'm 100% team Raelya. But, I mean, I shouldn't be; I should be torn. I should be able to see the appeal of the Amorie relationship, and I just didn't. At all. Ever. That's an issue, especially with a first-person point-of-view. I definitely should not be thinking, "Gee, I hope Amorie betrays her soon so Dakota can end up in a healthy relationship."
Still, the romance is only one part of the book. Granted, it's the part I was most looking forward to (and I really hope the triangle thing wraps up quickly), but there was a lot of really good stuff in the story that compensated for it. I loved the familial relationship of the pack, the fun world details about things like auras, the little character details such as Dakota's dyslexia, the constant stream of references, and so on and so on.
As far as editing and proofreading go, there were errors. Nowhere near as many as you'd find in the worst self-published fiction, but there were enough to occasionally pull me out of the story. I think some editing would have been useful in a few of the descriptions, too. I love a good kitchen, but I don't need two pages of descriptive text for a room the characters only visit once or twice, nor did I really need the huge blocks of text describing Amorie's hallways or bedroom. A little flavor is great -- by all means, let me know that she's wealthy and has great taste -- but detailed passages about wood grain, crown moldings and decorative chair rails just aren't necessary.
Really, though, my criticisms are pretty minor in scope and scale. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I bought both the novella and the sequel long before I'd turned the last page. There's a lot of world to explore here, and I'm eager to do it.
4.25 stars.
Also, #Team
Haha, just kidding.
(No, but seriously, #TeamRaelya.)
June 6, 2021
3,5 stars
This was really good.
Has room for improvement, but was fun to read nevertheless.
I like werewolves
This was really good.
Has room for improvement, but was fun to read nevertheless.
I like werewolves
January 31, 2017
My first work by these authors.
I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting when I decided, kind of randomly, to try this book. I even did something I had somewhat gotten out of the habit of doing – checking out the preview before starting/downloading. Read the first couple of pages and got sucked in immediately. There’s a kind of hypnotic quality to the writing that grabs the reader by the scruff of the neck and tugs them further and further along. Somewhere along the way this tugging lessons, and the reader is gently let to walk on their own four paws (I do not know why I pictured a mother cat carrying along a kitten, these be werewolves not cats).
One example of the hypnotic pull – The first and second chapters seem as if they move from one moment to another. Flow naturally together. A security guard is prowling around at night, gets caught up in a robbery, captures that guy, and has something magical happen to them. They are all shocked and trembling and confused. They curl up to eat some food and attempt to rest. Second chapter starts. She’s clocking in at work, apparently the next day but . . . . somewhere along the way I realized that this was a flashback. Probably around the point where the first chapter got repeated. I just now looked and no, there’s nothing to indicate ‘One week ago’ or anything like that. Just moving from one chapter to the next. This is one of those things that kind of messes with my mind and causes me to get all annoyed and angry like. Yet, I just shrugged, caught up in the hypnotic pull of the writing.
So. There was that. The writing was good. Interesting fantasy world overlaying the non-fantasy world. A world of vampires, werewolves, magic users, fae, and others who are ‘awake’ and then there are those who are not ‘awake’. Who travel the world refusing to know the truth. Looking grey and uncolorful. These would be the humans (and any unawaken creature who shares some human dna, like, say, werewolves (which are born in this world, not made – though they have to be awakened).
There’s this neat way that the ‘awake’ world and the ‘unawake’ world is shown in this book. When Dakota goes outside for the first time after being awoken she’s confused. It’s like the film Pleasantville (not mentioned in the book) where some people are in color, and others aren’t. Those not awake appear grey and without color. Those awake share two characteristics – they are in color and they have aura’s mostly unique to themselves. That’s also why Dakota’s attacked for the first time – she’s awoken now, and so others like say a Vampire, sees her as something interesting. And unprotected.
Before we go too far down the road of ‘vampire = evil’ it should be noted that only one seemed to be described that way. One of the magic users/mentalists Dakota encounters has a vampire boyfriend, and Dakota herself is circling a female vampire.
Did I not mention that yet? Well, until it actually matters, it didn’t matter. For most of the story the fact that Dakota is a lesbian doesn’t really matter. Sure, near the beginning she mentions being attracted to a certain female she meets, but then she also ‘checked out’ the man that woman was with (more in noticing what he looked like and that he appeared handsome, less in the drooling way she was checking out the woman). Of course at some point it does matter. I mean this is, in addition to being a fantasy, a lesbian romance. And that rears its head to sniff the air and bounce around. I appear to finding weird word choices and phrases. Odd that. I had a point. I think I lost the point before I successfully conveyed said point.
Right so, this is a fantasy. It mostly takes place in an urban setting (Knoxville Tennessee and, Nashville Tennessee, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and a moment or two in Dallas Texas), and takes place in a dwelling that may or may not be in a suburb/rural area (I forget now; just that it is in the mountains). Still, there’s a certain feel of being in a city, but the urbanness of the story doesn’t really seem to matter. So, should I call it an urban fantasy? Maybe. Paranormal activity occurs. Has a kind of different vibe though. Hmms. Well, um, it’s a fantasy that includes a bit of romance, a bit of lesbian stuff, mystery, magic, and . . . stuff.
This is a good solid great story. It just didn’t feel like a five star story. And I have no real idea why that might be. So, I’ll mark it down as a 4.5 story for now.
December 17 2015
I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting when I decided, kind of randomly, to try this book. I even did something I had somewhat gotten out of the habit of doing – checking out the preview before starting/downloading. Read the first couple of pages and got sucked in immediately. There’s a kind of hypnotic quality to the writing that grabs the reader by the scruff of the neck and tugs them further and further along. Somewhere along the way this tugging lessons, and the reader is gently let to walk on their own four paws (I do not know why I pictured a mother cat carrying along a kitten, these be werewolves not cats).
One example of the hypnotic pull – The first and second chapters seem as if they move from one moment to another. Flow naturally together. A security guard is prowling around at night, gets caught up in a robbery, captures that guy, and has something magical happen to them. They are all shocked and trembling and confused. They curl up to eat some food and attempt to rest. Second chapter starts. She’s clocking in at work, apparently the next day but . . . . somewhere along the way I realized that this was a flashback. Probably around the point where the first chapter got repeated. I just now looked and no, there’s nothing to indicate ‘One week ago’ or anything like that. Just moving from one chapter to the next. This is one of those things that kind of messes with my mind and causes me to get all annoyed and angry like. Yet, I just shrugged, caught up in the hypnotic pull of the writing.
So. There was that. The writing was good. Interesting fantasy world overlaying the non-fantasy world. A world of vampires, werewolves, magic users, fae, and others who are ‘awake’ and then there are those who are not ‘awake’. Who travel the world refusing to know the truth. Looking grey and uncolorful. These would be the humans (and any unawaken creature who shares some human dna, like, say, werewolves (which are born in this world, not made – though they have to be awakened).
There’s this neat way that the ‘awake’ world and the ‘unawake’ world is shown in this book. When Dakota goes outside for the first time after being awoken she’s confused. It’s like the film Pleasantville (not mentioned in the book) where some people are in color, and others aren’t. Those not awake appear grey and without color. Those awake share two characteristics – they are in color and they have aura’s mostly unique to themselves. That’s also why Dakota’s attacked for the first time – she’s awoken now, and so others like say a Vampire, sees her as something interesting. And unprotected.
Before we go too far down the road of ‘vampire = evil’ it should be noted that only one seemed to be described that way. One of the magic users/mentalists Dakota encounters has a vampire boyfriend, and Dakota herself is circling a female vampire.
Did I not mention that yet? Well, until it actually matters, it didn’t matter. For most of the story the fact that Dakota is a lesbian doesn’t really matter. Sure, near the beginning she mentions being attracted to a certain female she meets, but then she also ‘checked out’ the man that woman was with (more in noticing what he looked like and that he appeared handsome, less in the drooling way she was checking out the woman). Of course at some point it does matter. I mean this is, in addition to being a fantasy, a lesbian romance. And that rears its head to sniff the air and bounce around. I appear to finding weird word choices and phrases. Odd that. I had a point. I think I lost the point before I successfully conveyed said point.
Right so, this is a fantasy. It mostly takes place in an urban setting (Knoxville Tennessee and, Nashville Tennessee, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and a moment or two in Dallas Texas), and takes place in a dwelling that may or may not be in a suburb/rural area (I forget now; just that it is in the mountains). Still, there’s a certain feel of being in a city, but the urbanness of the story doesn’t really seem to matter. So, should I call it an urban fantasy? Maybe. Paranormal activity occurs. Has a kind of different vibe though. Hmms. Well, um, it’s a fantasy that includes a bit of romance, a bit of lesbian stuff, mystery, magic, and . . . stuff.
This is a good solid great story. It just didn’t feel like a five star story. And I have no real idea why that might be. So, I’ll mark it down as a 4.5 story for now.
December 17 2015
October 29, 2015
The story is okay, there's not much conflict, but it has a lot of potential in which, I hope it will be address in the second book. This whole first book is mostly about finding identity and lost memory. The main character's personality is not to my liking. I hate love triangle, especially when the main character can't even differentiate her feeling yet still let her mouth keeps saying the wrong stuffs. At time, I did felt embarrassed for her. I must admitted that she is quite honest and straightforward in saying out her feeling, so that's a plus. She did mature quite a bit throughout the story.
I hope there will be more romance; it's the reason why I hop on this ride in the first place.
I hope there will be more romance; it's the reason why I hop on this ride in the first place.
August 27, 2017
This month I'm doing ReadAtMidnight's #TheReadingQuest and Awakened fulfills my "book with one word title" along the mage path and gives me +20EXP and +33HP.
Definitely an interesting read. Nice addition to the urban fantasy genre and I love how Dakota's identity is just a part of her and the only contention comes near the end and is memories of her mother. Nothing new or spectacular in different beings, but still a good story. I definitely wanna learn more about Andrei, but overall this was a well concluded story with just enough open questions to continue Dakota's story.
Definitely an interesting read. Nice addition to the urban fantasy genre and I love how Dakota's identity is just a part of her and the only contention comes near the end and is memories of her mother. Nothing new or spectacular in different beings, but still a good story. I definitely wanna learn more about Andrei, but overall this was a well concluded story with just enough open questions to continue Dakota's story.
July 22, 2015
This book was AWESOME! I was very lucky to get an early copy and I'm utterly floored. This is Shei Darksbane's first book and I've paid good money for books--by established authors--for books that were not as exciting as this one!
The world of the Auralight Codex (Auraverse? CodexVerse?) is deeply rich, and I feel like we've only barely begun to scratch the surface in 'Awakened'! But wait, I'm letting my ramble distract me.. Ahem.. Let me actually review the book...
Okay, so, Dakota Shepard is an adorkable protagonist, just making ends meet like all of us do, until her whole world gets turned upside down and.. Ugh. I feel like I'm just parroting back the blurb... mmmh.. What to say without spoilers.... This is a great story, about a fantastical snarky protagonist, who I was cheering for every step of the way. She meets some AWESOME characters (all of which I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT) along the way of trying to figure out who and what she is! The ending was a real surprise and I cannot WAIT for book 2!
I don't know how long the author plans on making this series, but she's got a fan in me!
The world of the Auralight Codex (Auraverse? CodexVerse?) is deeply rich, and I feel like we've only barely begun to scratch the surface in 'Awakened'! But wait, I'm letting my ramble distract me.. Ahem.. Let me actually review the book...
Okay, so, Dakota Shepard is an adorkable protagonist, just making ends meet like all of us do, until her whole world gets turned upside down and.. Ugh. I feel like I'm just parroting back the blurb... mmmh.. What to say without spoilers.... This is a great story, about a fantastical snarky protagonist, who I was cheering for every step of the way. She meets some AWESOME characters (all of which I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT) along the way of trying to figure out who and what she is! The ending was a real surprise and I cannot WAIT for book 2!
I don't know how long the author plans on making this series, but she's got a fan in me!
October 20, 2017
3.5 stars. Overall a nice adventure, a bit mundane at the beginning as well as at the end. Somehow I expected more excitement. And the romance part was severely undeveloped. They met like four times, didn't really get to know each other and already the I love yous are flying around, that was straight outta left field. But other than that it is a solid read.
Gonna grab the next book too.
Gonna grab the next book too.
September 25, 2015
Main character was annoying, writer used terms such as "welp" and "Newb" which is just ridiculous if you aren't a teenager on social media. Nothing interesting happens and is just another Twilight wannabe vampire, werewolf love triangle. So sick of these.
January 10, 2017
I sort of liked the story, but there's nothing special that makes it stand out in comparison to other urban fantasy stories that feature a werewolf and a vampire as the main characters.
In fact, the Dakota Shepherd/Amorie pairing bares a lot of similarity to Winter Pennington's Kassandra Lyall and Countess Lenorre. Amorie in particular seems a carbon copy of Lenorre, down to her French origins, her position in the vampire society and the multi-million dollar mansion.
The beginning of the book is a bit strange, with chapter 1 and chapter 3 dealing with the exact same incident. Was chapter 1 meant to be a prologue of sorts? It isn't really clear when Amorie makes her first appearance, was it before or after the break-in?
The book is really a sort of large introduction to Dakota's world and the paranormal part of it. There isn't a lot happening; it involves Dakota trying to deal with the fact that she's awakened and trying to solve the mystery of why a large part of her memories seem to be missing. Her acceptance of the paranormal is almost instant and doesn't bother her at all. We are introduced to key characters and organizations, and the only mystery being solved is her missing memories, and that wasn't nearly as exciting as I'd hoped.
The other thing that I found quite annoying was the endless descriptions of all the aura's Dakota sees. I think the entire color spectrum was described, with its many, many different hues. The same could be said of the detailed descriptions of buildings and clothing (although I learned what a handkerchief dress is).
I suspect the sequels will have more action and conflict, but it will take me a while for me to delve into them.
In fact, the Dakota Shepherd/Amorie pairing bares a lot of similarity to Winter Pennington's Kassandra Lyall and Countess Lenorre. Amorie in particular seems a carbon copy of Lenorre, down to her French origins, her position in the vampire society and the multi-million dollar mansion.
The beginning of the book is a bit strange, with chapter 1 and chapter 3 dealing with the exact same incident. Was chapter 1 meant to be a prologue of sorts? It isn't really clear when Amorie makes her first appearance, was it before or after the break-in?
The book is really a sort of large introduction to Dakota's world and the paranormal part of it. There isn't a lot happening; it involves Dakota trying to deal with the fact that she's awakened and trying to solve the mystery of why a large part of her memories seem to be missing. Her acceptance of the paranormal is almost instant and doesn't bother her at all. We are introduced to key characters and organizations, and the only mystery being solved is her missing memories, and that wasn't nearly as exciting as I'd hoped.
The other thing that I found quite annoying was the endless descriptions of all the aura's Dakota sees. I think the entire color spectrum was described, with its many, many different hues. The same could be said of the detailed descriptions of buildings and clothing (although I learned what a handkerchief dress is).
I suspect the sequels will have more action and conflict, but it will take me a while for me to delve into them.
July 9, 2015
I won't get into too much details in fear of spoiling the read. What I will say is that this book sparked the reader in me to escape into a story. The characters are well developed, the pacing is great, and the ending is satisfying.
There are many elements that make this book stand out. For me, though, if you a an avid reader that has been finding many books full of the "same old story" and would like something different to spark your interest and get you back into reading, this book is for you!
There are many elements that make this book stand out. For me, though, if you a an avid reader that has been finding many books full of the "same old story" and would like something different to spark your interest and get you back into reading, this book is for you!
March 1, 2018
3/5 up until the ending, which is extremely problematic.
July 27, 2015
Awakened is one of those urban-fantasy books that absolutely eats my time and provides the force that makes me want to gobble up more and more writing. I've not read as exciting a book as this since I was first introduced to the Dresden Files series, and Shei definitely evokes the same level of 'can-barely-contain-myself-let's-stay-up-until-6-in-the-morning-reading' excitement that Butcher does. Awakened has a few loose ends that are left hanging at the end of this story, but with the promise of many more novels to come in this series, I'm sure they'll be tied up. I certainly look forward to more Dakota Shepherd and even more so to more of Shei's writing.
January 5, 2018
I really don’t like books that start with a scene from later in the book. The first chapter of this book is actually part of chapter four, fortunately I found the story interesting enough to forgive this.
This wasn’t an action packed story, but it has a kind of charm that pulls you in and keeps you reading. Having established the main characters I hope the author adds a little more excitement in the next book.
This wasn’t an action packed story, but it has a kind of charm that pulls you in and keeps you reading. Having established the main characters I hope the author adds a little more excitement in the next book.
September 13, 2016
There is a lot I could gush about copiously but like the lady says "No Spoilers". My geeky, queer heart fluttered with happiness and I just wish the story was longer. This is precisely the type of story that my very tired self was craving. Will definitely be reading more. recommend.
July 27, 2015
I loved this! My only disappointment was that it ended! Cannot wait for a sequel! Give it a try!
November 3, 2015
The only complain I personally have about the book is the grammar at times can make it difficult to read.
May 20, 2017
I found this introduction to Dakota Sheperd and her world very enticing. Dakota herself was real, engaging and sometimes side-splittingly funny. Her introduction to the paranormal world was confusing and took some time to sort out which I loved because it's just what Dakota was experiencing and you really got to live it with her. Highly recommend to paranormal, LGBT and fantasy fans.
September 2, 2017
A really fun book! The main character Dakota Shepherd is less than happy in her job, until one night she interrupts an intruder in a way that changes not just her life, but her whole understanding of herself and her place in the world. Witty dialogue with a large dose of sarcasm this book I can happily recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2016
So much fun! Really enjoyed the story and how it was written. Dakota is charming and dorky - I loved that! This book really feels like an introduction to a much larger story, so I'm really looking forward to reading the second book next.
June 12, 2017
An enjoyable read into a romantic world of werewolves, vampires, faerie and magick I feel the book could be tightened up and the plot strengthened by less attention to such minutia. Dakota is a good character and the world she's been placed in is rife with possibility .
December 30, 2024
Casual coming into paranormal story. A bit dramatic with the sniper protection when moments after had them sight seeing alone! Asides that, entertaining enough to be curious about the shadows & find out more on the vampire romance
July 24, 2017
Really liked this one! It reminds me quite a bit about the True Blood-series, which I also find entertaining. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
February 20, 2018
I READ IT AND I LOVED THIS BOOK I DON'T KNOW WHY OR WHAT REASON AND I JUST RELEASED I HAVEN'T READ ANYTHING FROM HER IN A WHILE WHAT UP WITH THAT?
June 13, 2018
Good night and good morning
Know when I’m done I’ll try something later on the next time you want me back I sz was a good day I wanna was a
Know when I’m done I’ll try something later on the next time you want me back I sz was a good day I wanna was a
February 25, 2020
Great read, well written story with interesting characters. Love the quirky humour.
December 10, 2015
**WARNING: Review may contain a few minor spoilers. Maybe. Small Ones. :WARNING**
TL;DR: It feels like it may be targeted at younger readers, but it was still a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.
Initially lost amidst a slew of other Kindle Unlimited titles downloaded at roughly the same time, this title sat in the background of my Kindle for a few weeks before I even got started with it. I knew nothing about it from the onset, aside from the fact that it appeared to have something to do with fantasy/spellcrafting (judging by the "green burny hands" on the cover) and that it was likely an urban fantasy (judging by the style of dress on the cover. Urban fantasy is usually not my thing. I just dont typically like how most authors weave the fantasy elements into the modern world. Jim Butcher is one of the few who really does it well for me. So that's why it wasn't initially terribly high on my list of priorities.
Once I had finally burned through a number of others, I finally started in on Awakened, and was at first taken aback by the modern internet references and nerd culture inserts. While initially off-putting, they came to grow on me, and I was continually shocked by how recently released that title must have been (I hadn't bothered looking at the publication date) given all of the current references. It reminded me of how I had talked and communicated with my closest friends back in college (not terribly long ago) and really made the character much more relatable, at least in my opinion. I've read a number of reviews that have found this to be a turn off, but such definitely was not the case for me.
The writing style was simple and easy to digest. It was quick, and not bogged down with detail like a lot of fantasy writing is. Maybe a little too much so? The only critique I have for the book is that it could have maybe done with a little bit more description and detail. I like long, books with long winded description and details. The opening chapter to Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, A Silence of Three Parts, is pure literary heaven to me. He takes pages upon pages to describe the fact that there was an utter lack of sound. It was wonderful to read. I realize though that not everyone enjoys that, and maybe the author was intentionally trying to avoid that. I'm not sure. Regardless, my complaint still stands that there wasn't enough description in the book. I loved the entire thing, and felt that it was, unfortunately, over too quickly. Longer winded descriptions may have served to slow down the pacing of the book and make it last longer. There is something to be said though for a quick and easy read though, and while I would prefer it to be longer, I recognize the merits of brevity and simplicity and will not in any way dock my rating for it.
Also, there is a fairly predictable love triangle that forms between the main character, her primary partner (a fast and loud "love at first sight" sort of relationship) and her later secondary romantic interest (a slow, organic building up of friendship and then more kind of relationship). Just for note, there is never any back-stabbing or anything of that sort. It is all very much on the level, but for some readers the conflicting relationships and the later results of then carried on in the second book may be a bit unsettling. It you're a hardcore, super monogamous kind of person, it may be slightly off-putting. Then again, maybe not as the main character is like that, and you may relate to the internal conflicts she goes through.
The main character also, despite being 28, often feels more like she's in her teens, maybe early twenties. She can be pretty immature, and sometimes doesn't seem to understand the seriousness of a lot of things. Then again, with her back story and all that's happened to her, and the life she's led up until the events of this book, it all kind of makes sense. She's exactly where she should be as far as her characterization goes. And it's also nice to read a book that isn't overburdened by the stresses and seriousness that we all face in our everyday lives. I enjoy her carefree attitude and occasional immaturity. It's a nice escape from the stress of the real world.
So, to make a long story short, while there are parts of this book that make if feel like it may be aimed at younger readers, I found Awakened to be a fantastic read, and immediately went and devoured the second book, Hunted, as well. Both were free through Kindle Unlimited, but I would have gladly paid for them. When I was finished with them, I also scooped up the little novella, Driven (which takes place shorts after the second book and, I assume, shortly before the third) even though I did, in fact, have to pay for it. Worth every penny.
TL;DR: It feels like it may be targeted at younger readers, but it was still a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.
Initially lost amidst a slew of other Kindle Unlimited titles downloaded at roughly the same time, this title sat in the background of my Kindle for a few weeks before I even got started with it. I knew nothing about it from the onset, aside from the fact that it appeared to have something to do with fantasy/spellcrafting (judging by the "green burny hands" on the cover) and that it was likely an urban fantasy (judging by the style of dress on the cover. Urban fantasy is usually not my thing. I just dont typically like how most authors weave the fantasy elements into the modern world. Jim Butcher is one of the few who really does it well for me. So that's why it wasn't initially terribly high on my list of priorities.
Once I had finally burned through a number of others, I finally started in on Awakened, and was at first taken aback by the modern internet references and nerd culture inserts. While initially off-putting, they came to grow on me, and I was continually shocked by how recently released that title must have been (I hadn't bothered looking at the publication date) given all of the current references. It reminded me of how I had talked and communicated with my closest friends back in college (not terribly long ago) and really made the character much more relatable, at least in my opinion. I've read a number of reviews that have found this to be a turn off, but such definitely was not the case for me.
The writing style was simple and easy to digest. It was quick, and not bogged down with detail like a lot of fantasy writing is. Maybe a little too much so? The only critique I have for the book is that it could have maybe done with a little bit more description and detail. I like long, books with long winded description and details. The opening chapter to Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, A Silence of Three Parts, is pure literary heaven to me. He takes pages upon pages to describe the fact that there was an utter lack of sound. It was wonderful to read. I realize though that not everyone enjoys that, and maybe the author was intentionally trying to avoid that. I'm not sure. Regardless, my complaint still stands that there wasn't enough description in the book. I loved the entire thing, and felt that it was, unfortunately, over too quickly. Longer winded descriptions may have served to slow down the pacing of the book and make it last longer. There is something to be said though for a quick and easy read though, and while I would prefer it to be longer, I recognize the merits of brevity and simplicity and will not in any way dock my rating for it.
Also, there is a fairly predictable love triangle that forms between the main character, her primary partner (a fast and loud "love at first sight" sort of relationship) and her later secondary romantic interest (a slow, organic building up of friendship and then more kind of relationship). Just for note, there is never any back-stabbing or anything of that sort. It is all very much on the level, but for some readers the conflicting relationships and the later results of then carried on in the second book may be a bit unsettling. It you're a hardcore, super monogamous kind of person, it may be slightly off-putting. Then again, maybe not as the main character is like that, and you may relate to the internal conflicts she goes through.
The main character also, despite being 28, often feels more like she's in her teens, maybe early twenties. She can be pretty immature, and sometimes doesn't seem to understand the seriousness of a lot of things. Then again, with her back story and all that's happened to her, and the life she's led up until the events of this book, it all kind of makes sense. She's exactly where she should be as far as her characterization goes. And it's also nice to read a book that isn't overburdened by the stresses and seriousness that we all face in our everyday lives. I enjoy her carefree attitude and occasional immaturity. It's a nice escape from the stress of the real world.
So, to make a long story short, while there are parts of this book that make if feel like it may be aimed at younger readers, I found Awakened to be a fantastic read, and immediately went and devoured the second book, Hunted, as well. Both were free through Kindle Unlimited, but I would have gladly paid for them. When I was finished with them, I also scooped up the little novella, Driven (which takes place shorts after the second book and, I assume, shortly before the third) even though I did, in fact, have to pay for it. Worth every penny.
September 3, 2015
I really give this a 3 1/2 star rating, but that's not allowed. This is a story about a woman whose entire life changes on a chance encounter with an intruder where she works. Dakota’s world is opened up to new possibilities she’d never dreamed of. The world is far more interesting and dangerous with her introduction to the supernatural world around her. This story has a lot of potential, being the first in the series, there are many questions that go unanswered, things that aren’t delved into that will presumably be resolved as the series continues.
Initially, I felt a bit of a disconnect with Dakota’s character. In the first few chapters, she seemed a little immature for my liking, but that did change as she seemed to mature as the story progressed. That aside, she is quirky, funny, and is a straight-forward speaks your mind type which I enjoy. Dakota has great instincts about people and the confusion of those instincts with her mysterious love interest keeps you wondering how things will play out for her, which I’m hoping we learn more about as the series progresses.
As Dakota discovers more secrets about who she is and what she can, or at least should be able to do, the story truly opens up. We meet her new family and it seems like things really begin to click into place for her. One big secret of her past is revealed, but a threat to her present is as well. Things aren’t always so black and white and it is all the grey that makes you want to see how things work out for Dakota.
Keeping it Hot!:
There’s a nice mix of magic and varied supernatural species to keep you wondering what’s going to turn up next. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good werewolf book, but when you add in more, it just makes the reading that much more fun.
The side characters are a very likeable lot. They aren’t perfect, they wear their flaws, and they wear them well.
This book is building up to what looks to be a very promising storyline for the series.
The story is laced with humor. From Dakota’s grace to her geeking out moments, she’s sure to bring you a smile.
There are very suspenseful moments that keep you on your toes.
The story breaks away from cliches with characters like a vampire who is worried she could be seen as a monster.
The discussion of dyslexia and how to assist by use of certain fonts in a larger size also adds an educational bit to a sometimes misunderstood condition, which I appreciate as I have family with dyslexia.
The cover is very well done.
Cooling it Down:
There were a few minor editing details that didn’t take away from the story.
There one time Dakota addresses the reader in parentheses. I felt the story could do without that. I admit this is a pet peeve of mine, but mostly because these methods tend to be done in a way that doesn’t feel like a natural flow of the character’s thought process, distracts from the story, and can make the character seem immature.
While I loved the education of dyslexia was addressed, I felt it was an I can’t believe that’s happening moment when Dakota exaggerated the difficulty level of her dyslexia to guilt Nita, the secretary of the place she’s wanting employment, to fill out Dakota’s job application instead of just assisting her with reading the questions in the dyslexia-unfriendly font. Let me be clear, it wasn’t the asking for assistance, it was the way it was done that felt manipulative to me.
I felt the story could have used a little more details on some of the groups and beings. That being said, I do understand this is the first in the series and I'm sure we will get more to come.
Overall: Overall, I give this book a rating of 3 ½ stars. (Please note, the author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review; however, since the book is on Kindle Unlimited, that is the copy I used for the review). While I felt there were things which took away from the story for me, mostly at the beginning, they won’t apply to everyone. The plot is right up my alley with the mixture of magic, supernatural beings, mystery, and suspense. If you enjoy those types of reads, you will enjoy this one.
Initially, I felt a bit of a disconnect with Dakota’s character. In the first few chapters, she seemed a little immature for my liking, but that did change as she seemed to mature as the story progressed. That aside, she is quirky, funny, and is a straight-forward speaks your mind type which I enjoy. Dakota has great instincts about people and the confusion of those instincts with her mysterious love interest keeps you wondering how things will play out for her, which I’m hoping we learn more about as the series progresses.
As Dakota discovers more secrets about who she is and what she can, or at least should be able to do, the story truly opens up. We meet her new family and it seems like things really begin to click into place for her. One big secret of her past is revealed, but a threat to her present is as well. Things aren’t always so black and white and it is all the grey that makes you want to see how things work out for Dakota.
Keeping it Hot!:
There’s a nice mix of magic and varied supernatural species to keep you wondering what’s going to turn up next. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good werewolf book, but when you add in more, it just makes the reading that much more fun.
The side characters are a very likeable lot. They aren’t perfect, they wear their flaws, and they wear them well.
This book is building up to what looks to be a very promising storyline for the series.
The story is laced with humor. From Dakota’s grace to her geeking out moments, she’s sure to bring you a smile.
There are very suspenseful moments that keep you on your toes.
The story breaks away from cliches with characters like a vampire who is worried she could be seen as a monster.
The discussion of dyslexia and how to assist by use of certain fonts in a larger size also adds an educational bit to a sometimes misunderstood condition, which I appreciate as I have family with dyslexia.
The cover is very well done.
Cooling it Down:
There were a few minor editing details that didn’t take away from the story.
There one time Dakota addresses the reader in parentheses. I felt the story could do without that. I admit this is a pet peeve of mine, but mostly because these methods tend to be done in a way that doesn’t feel like a natural flow of the character’s thought process, distracts from the story, and can make the character seem immature.
While I loved the education of dyslexia was addressed, I felt it was an I can’t believe that’s happening moment when Dakota exaggerated the difficulty level of her dyslexia to guilt Nita, the secretary of the place she’s wanting employment, to fill out Dakota’s job application instead of just assisting her with reading the questions in the dyslexia-unfriendly font. Let me be clear, it wasn’t the asking for assistance, it was the way it was done that felt manipulative to me.
I felt the story could have used a little more details on some of the groups and beings. That being said, I do understand this is the first in the series and I'm sure we will get more to come.
Overall: Overall, I give this book a rating of 3 ½ stars. (Please note, the author provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review; however, since the book is on Kindle Unlimited, that is the copy I used for the review). While I felt there were things which took away from the story for me, mostly at the beginning, they won’t apply to everyone. The plot is right up my alley with the mixture of magic, supernatural beings, mystery, and suspense. If you enjoy those types of reads, you will enjoy this one.
February 8, 2018
A good first publication. Gave me a fun new cast to read about within a relatively well defened world. I like the main character Dakota with her geeky quips and clumsy attitude. She doesn't stand out as a super hero just a regular girl going through this and getting help along the way which I deffenetly enjoyed reading.
June 10, 2019
Protagonist was about to get raped during a scene, this scene doesn't get treated with the respect it should be, it wasn't traumatizing at all. After that scene she goes out and can only think of waffle, and the lips of the person who knows her would-be-rapist. But this isn't really why I disliked the book, since that part of the book was treated passingly, I also didn't get hung up on it. It's the characters that made this unenjoyable.
Plain, dumb, ugly, and fake nerdy protagonist who likes to remind the reader how much of a nerd she is every page makes an extremely hot out of this world powerful vampire fall for her for absolutely no reason. The book spends some time berating the protagonist, how she's a nobody, you are constantly reminded of how awkward, and nerdy she is. It was difficult to buy any interaction in the book, real people don't speak in the manner that they do in this book. Conversations are stilted, and it feels like a robot has been given some nerdy "personality."
Plain, dumb, ugly, and fake nerdy protagonist who likes to remind the reader how much of a nerd she is every page makes an extremely hot out of this world powerful vampire fall for her for absolutely no reason. The book spends some time berating the protagonist, how she's a nobody, you are constantly reminded of how awkward, and nerdy she is. It was difficult to buy any interaction in the book, real people don't speak in the manner that they do in this book. Conversations are stilted, and it feels like a robot has been given some nerdy "personality."
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