She Awakens

She Awakens #1

by Caitlin Denman

In this Young Adult page turner, Attina finds herself in an unlikely predicament when it's uncovered the normal, human existence she thought she lived is turned upside down. Finding out she’s half Fae not only confounds her, but in a time where the brutal Fae run the world she is suddenly tasked with bringing the Fae and humans together.

With the help of her trusty, and somewhat snarky steed Raven, Attina sets out on a mission to save the human race from extinction. As she continues on her mission, she discovers powers beyond her wildest dreams.

In a world where it’s tricky to discern who’s good and where the evil really lies, Attina finds herself in one predicament after another, not knowing who to trust except for Raven. As her journey unfolds, her strength and will are tested.

Will she ever be strong enough to bridge the gap between these two worlds?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Ebooks, Young Adult, Fae, Paranormal, Romantasy

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2021

Reviews

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much going for itself before it flatlined. It's so frustrating to have a book with this much potential and then rookie mistakes ruin it...

So, what I loved:
The world! What an amazing concept. This is a human-fae experience that's very, very different. For one thing, it isn't set in our world, it's in a completely invented realm where humans and fae were separate until the humans did something stupid that the fae interpreted as an act of war and went all out to destroy humans. Add to that a super evil villain of a fae king who used the opportunity to find truly heinous ways to commit genocide on the humans. Really awesome stuff.

I love the idea of fae coming into their magic in painful, earth-shattering ways. That, again was an amazing twist from the general lore that I really found wonderful. The beasts were good. The fae horses were fun, although sometimes they did things so un-horselike it did raise an eyebrow, but I was still able to suspend belief for it.

The action sequences are really well written. I breezed through those and combined with the worldbuilding they're the main reason I finished the book.

Some of the reveals for Attina were great. I really liked them although I feel the author could have extrapolated better because there's a lot to be said from Attina's experiences about how things are in our world, but Denman avoids any satire or food for thought, which was a little frustrating. Nevertheless, I appreciate the attempt and I at least saw opportunity for connections to our world, and the experiences many are going through right now, so that was great because hopefully it will help some readers feel seen with their personal experiences.

What I didn't like:
The characters. Where to start? I suppose let's go with Attina, the MC, first. Her age is never actually stated, but the author provides a set of ages and time spans that allows an invested reader to calculate that the MC ought to be 20. However, she doesn't behave like a twenty year old in the least. Sixteen, maybe. I found it really jarring and even went back to double check. And yes, she was six when she met James and fourteen years have supposedly elapsed since then, which makes Attina twenty. It was very jarring for me to be presented with a 20 y/o who behaves like a 16 y/o and then also have this marketed as YA when there's a fade-to-black sex scene. Considering YA is first kiss, first relationship but never (in my experience) first intercourse, I found the mixed messages very jarring and confusing, which took away from the experience as I was constantly second guessing and doubling back to check if I'd misunderstood something.

Anyway, on to the next character. In the first few chapters, James is presented as the very definite love interest. He's Attina's whole world although he's a bit creepily possessive (loads of red flags for me, actually), and she has sex with him but then events in the wider plot mean they get separated for a bit and there's not a single thought dedicated to him. What kind of friends-to-lovers I just lost my virginity to the guy situation is this? Attina doesn't think about James for one second for two thirds of the book! Really? Unfortunately, I'm not buying it. I kept asking myself: what's the point of having James in this book?

Then there's the fated mates addition towards the end, which threw me for another loop. I mean, really?

Another thing I couldn't stand is the author's decision to randomly throw in other points of view halfway through the book. James has this weird five sentence "chapter" in his perspective just before he disappears for two thirds of the book. Why? It makes no sense. And then an entirely new character who's never been introduced before randomly gets chapters from 72% into the book. I have to say it again. Really?

I feel the need to say this, because clearly not enough readers point it out: authors, please, please, please, if you're going to do multiple points of view, PLEASE, do so from the start of the book. It's so much easier not to be thrown off a reading roll when one can anticipate what's coming based on the book's structure. In this case, I had to put the book down at the 72% mark because I absolutely could NOT get into the head of an entirely new character without taking a break. It totally sent me for a loop. I was fully in Attina's head. It was impossible, without a serious switch to be able to shift into someone else's, most especially not when that switch came so unexpectedly, without any forewarning. I expect many readers never pick the book back up again. I almost didn't. There are so many books out there, why carry on with one that's already given a jarring experience? So, authors, please, if you need multiple points of view, structure your book so it doesn't come as a total surprise to your reader. Honestly, if you need to give more than the MC's point of view, maybe you should be fleshing out those extra characters to have alternating chapters. In all honesty, for this book, I would have loved to know what was happening with James throughout. It would have made his absence in Attina's chapters a little less "silence to hear the crickets". And of course, having Atticus's point of view from the start could have really given the worldbuilding all it was worth.

So yeah, fantastic idea, great concept, but alas it does not achieve its potential.

[Nicole Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Debut

I love finding new to me authors. I have been on a fantasy kick, and was browsing and came across this absolutely beautiful cover. And snagged it right up. It had a bit of everything
Dystopian vibe Fae fantasy.

We get to join Attina the FMC on her journey in
Self discovery and learning her true heritage.
I really enjoyed this read and I am looking forward to book 2.

[CAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story

This story of Attina's journey was wonderful.

It has been just Attina and her dad all her life. Her mother not in the picture from when she was born

All Raven has is her dad, her horse Raven and her best friend James.

The Fae have been hunting the human world under the leader, King Hannik.

Attina's life takes a sudden change when they set out a journey to have her discover who she really is.

This booked walked us through her self discovery, her bravery, and self determination.

The ending where James' true character shines through will leave you gasping in shock!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderous world-building and incredible imagination fills the pages of this gripping story, describing the tragic story of a lone heroine on a mission to unite her peoples.

Read full review in the 2021 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Lunnaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews please visit https://awindowtomysoul.com/

Attina is a 20-year-old girl who lives in a small town with her father. Her mother passed away when she was born. Also in the village lives James, her lifelong best friend, who is seven years older and "in love" with her. He even constantly tells her that they will eventually getting married.

“Why do you always say you want to marry me?”
At my question, his mouth drops open. “You have no idea, do you?” I purse my lips. “Attina, you are my best friend. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. Our families already love each other, and being with you would be as easy as breathing; and just so you know, I plan to be breathing for the rest of my life.”

A few years ago, humans tried to blow up a place known as Shadow Mountain to make a tunnel, ignoring the legends about it. The Fae took advantage of this "provocation" and slaughtered every human who crossed their path. Fortunately and for no apparent reason, they stopped and humans live in peace. However, food is scarce, so Attina and James go hunting every day.

Growing up, all the children in our town were told stories about the Fae. I guess you could call them scary stories. Stories where a Fae drags a fair maiden back to it's realm and she doesn’t ever return. What a simpler time when fairies were only characters in a story. These stories were even called fairytales. Those were the good old days when the monsters weren’t real; now it seems like they are.

One of these huntings changes their lives completely when they are attacked by a Solis. Basically zombies created by the Faes to destroy their own race. Until this moment Attina believed them a myth, but discovering one and so close to the village was too dangerous. To protect themselves, they all decide to head towards a Sanctuary.

Since they would have to leave the village, Silas, Attina's father, takes her to one last camp at their usual place. However, his true intention is to reveal the truth to Attina: that her mother was a Fae, and that now the fate of the Fae and humans is in her hands.

Queen Attina?
My parents seriously expect me to kill my grandfather and become a queen? How is such a thing even possible? I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around all of this.

The "camp" was also intended to train Attina in combat, to use a sword, and even her powers once fully manifested (if she had powers).

In the meantime, the Fae king will not rest easy knowing of the existence of a half-Fae, so he sends his best guard to dispose of her, his stepson Allister.

“Well little kitten, you seem to have gotten yourself into a bind. Haven’t you ever heard curiosity killed the cat?”
Before I realize it, words are pouring out of my mouth. “Finish the quote. Satisfaction brought it back.” I don’t know why, but I can’t stop myself from being a smartass to him, even now.

I didn't really like the beginning of this book, and it was difficult for me to keep going, but it was because James really scares me. When thinking about it, and especially when rereading some quotes, there are moments when it truly seems that James is just a boy in love with his friend, however from the beginning I saw something strange about him that disturbed me deeply. His attitude with Attina, I felt that he was constantly forcing their relationship, and I was concerned that this behavior had not been noticed by the author. Fortunately, it is clear to me now that it was intentional.

“No, Attina. I need to get this off my chest. Today what I said, I didn’t mean it. You are the most capable person I know. I lost my family all those years ago, but as soon as we met you became my new family, whether you know it or not. But you don’t need a man in your life for you to be happy which scares me. The fact that you don’t need me makes me feel useless, like I could disappear, and you wouldn’t notice.”

At first Attina feels similar to Katniss (The Hunger Games). In the sense that they had to hunt to survive, and their skills with the bow were masterful. I suppose they do resemble each other in the sense that they both receive a huge responsibility that they didn't ask for, but Katniss is less complaining... and less clumsy😅.

There’s no way for me to catch myself and I fall down into the water, straight onto my butt. Being a klutz I’ve learned falling on your face hurts way too much. So over the years I’ve learned how to always fall on my butt. Somehow I get a mouthful of water and I end up chest Deep in freezing cold water. My father appears on the other bank of the creek cackling.
He’s doubled over at the waist, hands on his knees, laughing.

After learning that the fate of the world is on her shoulders, she seems to take it too well, but only until she has to start training and realizes that things will not be easy. Ironically, she seemed to expect everything to play out as if her life were the story of a book 🤯. She is immature and innocent, also excessively impulsive, but this is totally understandable by the way she was raised, totally oblivious to the dangers and her true identity. Her life became complicated from one second to the next and she was forced to strengthen herself.

I vaguely realize Raven is saying something to me, but I’m too far away in my own world to hear her. I’m flipping through my memories. Each and every laugh, smile, hug, and support they gave me over the years. How they always protected me above everything else. They can’t be gone. I still need protecting. I wrap my arms around myself while rocking back and forth. I feel like a child trying to soothe themselves, but it’s the only thing that helps.

Once at the camp, I found it very interesting to see Silas train his daughter without the slightest compassion. I suppose this is the best way to train a person, but going from treating your daughter like glass to kicking her butt yourself must be quite shocking 🤣.

“What do you think you’re doing?”
I turn to glance up at him and say, “I’m eating.” He snatches the plate out of my hands and throws the plate and all into the fire pit. “You haven’t earned food yet, your little stunt this morning made sure of that,”
“But Father, I didn’t do it on purpose.” I can feel the tears welling up. Anyone who knows me knows the one way to break me is to deny me food.

Now my favorite characters are definitely the horses, especially Raven. Oak and Raven are Fae horses, so they are faster and stronger than a normal horse, and they also talk...

Apart from the fact that they are actually good characters and are very relevant to the story, I found it very funny to remember myself in the middle of the dialogue that they were horses and try to position them correctly.

“Wait so that thing was a Fae creature? That explains it’s strangeness.”
Both horses turn to peer up at me, which makes blood rush to my cheeks. I backpedal, “Oh I didn’t mean you two—I just meant—“
Oak turns his head back forward “we know what you meant. It’s okay, most Fae creatures are strange.”

The relationship between Attina and Raven is quite interesting, because they have hated each other all their lives and suddenly they must learn to work together. Their personalities are super strong, so it is impossible for them not to argue, but it's nice to see how they are able to learn to trust each other.

“How long have I been out?”
“Two and a half days.”
I lose my balance and sidestep “What?”
“Yeah, I was starting to get worried. If you didn’t wake up soon, I was thinking I’d have to buck you off and send you flying,” she says with an ornery wink.
I stick my tongue out at her like the adult I am. For a split second, everything seems like it will be okay, but my heavy heart knows that’s not true. Nothing will ever be okay or the same again.

I enjoyed the book a lot, especially from the moment Allistar appeared. It seemed pretty introductory to me though, so I'm looking forward to part two to get some answers to the thousand questions in my head.

[Books of Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 ★’s

I want to thank the author Caitlin Denman , for sending me the ebook version of her novel for an honest review. This review is not affected by anything, it contains my true feelings.
Destruction, secrets, and a little hope.
In the world of Arealea, magic is only a part of the Fae. Fae are dangerous and powerful, ready to destroy the humans at the first chance they get. But what happens when you realize you can do what normal people can’t?

Attina, a small town girl, realizes that the objects in her room are floating. Is she losing her mind? Certainly not. Her twelve years long best friend, James, wants to marry her but there’s a different life ahead of her. Like there wasn’t enough problems in her life, they find a horrible looking man. The man is a Solis, one of the creatures sent by the Fae folk to kill humans, now appearing in the forest of the town.

Attina learns that she is half Fae. Her mother was the daughter of the ruthless Fae King, who she tried to run away from to live a peaceful life with her family until she vanished from the surface of the earth. Now, Attina is the rightful heir to the throne. She must fight her own grandfather, claim the throne, and change the cruel faith waiting for both the human and the Fae world. She must do everything in her power to save her loved ones. Will a half-breed be able to beat the most powerful Fae of them all?

🌻

I started this book without reading the full description to keep it mysterious. Its easy to get into the story. It is mostly told from Attina's point of view, which I quite liked. Once you learn more about Attina’s life, you don’t realize how fast you turn the pages. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy and wants to explore new books.

The exciting part for me was the speaking Fae horses. As well as her father, they are a big part of Attina's journey. Definitely loved Oak and Raven!

As for the other characters, Attina is smart and brave, isn’t afraid to say or do anything she puts into her mind. I would have liked to see a stronger and more independent side of James and learn more about his life except the parts he obsesses over Attina all the time lol. He wasn’t very involved after a certain point. But, this is where we meet Allister. Oh, Allister.. I have high hopes about him. His quest will turn into something else other than what he expected. He is definitely my favorite character even though his appearance was almost at the end. Cannot wait to read the 2nd book once its out. I think that will be a more exciting action packed story with lots of Allister scenes in it.

[Geovanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun quick read! Before I realized I was already halfway through the book and didn't want to put it down. I did feel like there was a few chapters that was just overloaded with so much information that it did take me some time to absorb. But I'm glad it was there because it really helped with the worldbuilding.

I loved seeing Attina start to gain confidence in herself throughout the book and really discover who she is. Raven is definitely one of my favorite characters loved that the horses each had their own personalities. Now James on the other hand is someone I know is going to annoy me lol! I really wanted to like him but I just can't he's a bit to controlling. Allister is someone I'm very interested in learning more about. He only made a brief appearance at the end but I can't wait to see more of him in book 2. I was so mad with the ending becauseI wanted to know more lol I can't wait to read She Rises and find out what's next for Attina.

She Awakens was a fun read and I highly recommend if your looking for a new Fantasy/Dystopian series to start!

I did receive a free eARC of this book but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea of the book and is a new take on the fae. What bothered me as I am too scientific or realistic or practical when reading (I don’t know which word is best) but horses talking just like humans isn’t possible. It honestly felt like the horses were an after thought and it was another person that were replaced with horses.

The typos were few but were present.

The item that bothered me most though was when what sounded like an indigenous group was mentioned, they were referred to as “Indians”. Ugh. I just can’t. This story doesn’t even take place in a land that exists.

I’m going to read the next book but I hope items like these were caught and rectified.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description of the world building and journey this overall book takes was a nice read. Attina (how old is she) there were moments I thought hs then adult but never sure. I am usually down for dual POV but like it somewhat back and forth.

[Vanessa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to DNF it 😔 The writing was really throwing me off and I couldn't stand the characters 😬

[Belinda Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. Attina was a strong character from the beginning, hunting to provide for her village. Finding out her true parentage and that her life was in danger at the same time was a shocking revelation but she took it well.

I definitely loved the concept of fae horses that could talk! Raven is strong and snarky and an amazing companion! Attina's childhood friend, James rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning and I am not a fan of him at all.

I am excited about the sequel!

[Tea_Reading_and_Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I helped out with a cover reveal for the next book and was interested to see what the first book was about. This one took me happily by surprise!

Attina is flawed but not flawed in a way that pisses me off. She's learning and dealing with everything as she goes and dealing with all new information she received surprisingly well, albeit with help from her horses. I am jealy of the weapons she has cuz they seem to be look really interesting!

The world itself is really interesting since it's almost a post-apocalyptic with fae zombies (?) and some other creatures. I haven't seen zombies and fae together so this was a refreshing fae story! The horses too are a little different but I won't spoil that part 😏.

My only issue was James. I liked him in the start but I'm hoping he gets his ass kicked later on. I won't say why but that boy ("man" I guess) deserves an ass kicking. His actions though, almost made me think he's maybe another creature or half creature thing, but nothing seems to show that beside his actions toward Attina after the first few chapters.

Overall I did enjoy this since it was a quick easy read, with a refreshing take on the fae world. Now I'm glad I signed up for an arc of the next one!

[Miranda Martinovich · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the author has potential, but the conversations we unrealistic and robotic. The logic behind the story didn’t flow well. The grammar was also lacking, the story has potential, but the author really needs someone who loves these kind of books to let her know where she can improve.

[K.E. Barden · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great debut novel!

I love anything fae so I was sucked in just by the premise. I’m also all about supporting indie talent!

First of all, James is a creep. He gave me red flags and set off my spidey sensors from chapter two. He was creepy weird and pushy. Possessive and aggressive. I didn’t understand the friendship at all. I get he’s usually different; but we never got to see that in this book.

I love the talking horses and the father/daughter relationship. I loved the training sequences and the bow and arrow. I loved the sword and her awakening.
But most of all, I loved her growth.

I’m definitely keen to know about Alistair and I’m stoked with the whole ‘mate’ vibes they have going. I’m also super keen to see James and the fae king do some twisted sh*t.

This is a 3.5 for me, if only for some of the stilted dialogue and repetitive words. Storyline is a straight up 5 though.

Pick it up, you won’t be disappointed.

[Ana-Maria Derzsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦

The story begins with Silas saving someone’s life. That chapter ending is abrupt and throws us into a glimpse of Attina & James’ life where they’re going on their daily life. Everything goes as planned – till they meet a half-dead human, that looks very similar to a zombie, and from that moment forward things change completely.

What I really enjoyed from the beginning was the fact Attina wanted and dreamed more for her, she doesn’t want to settle, she knows she’s made for more and that’s what she’s looking towards. Her life might be simple but she’s happy with what she has but she dreams big and I liked that. Attina is for sure a flawed character, she’s young and innocent and thinks that everything will work out the way she wants to. I kind of hated her at the beginning because she was whining about every single thing and changed her mind from a to z, one day she knew she can do the tasks she was challenged with and other days she would just give up. However, slowly I started to get her, her life has changed in a blink of an eye, young and innocent and now she has to fight for her people and her future AND fight a king – all that info was dumped on top of her so slowly you get to understand she’s just young and what she’s going through is a self-discovery, a coming of age period.

James on the other hand from the beginning made me feel uncomfortable. He seems very controlling and obsessed with the fact he will marry Attina. He doesn’t seem genuine in love with her, but with the idea of never being alone, which is even more frightening.

The fae horses have to be my fave characters in the book. For some reason in my mind Raven the horse was more like a cow, no idea why, but she legit gave me the sass of a very big and beautiful cow ready to take the world – I couldn’t change her image in my mind no matter how hard I’ve tried, but she is a horse in all her glory and she talks. I loved the scenes when Attina was riding Raven, fast and powerful and they together make such a great team.

The world-building is very post-apocalyptic, is interesting, and gave me some Hunger Games vibes because they were hunting for resources similar to Hunger Games, but the whole world was so different, so beautiful build and so unique. It was really interesting to see the surroundings in my head.

The magic system is varied. The humans have no power whatsoever, however, the fae can control different elements, from reading minds to controlling the elements around them like water, air, etc. One thing that I’ve really, really enjoyed about the fae’s magic is that when a fae is Awakened, there’s an earthquake because their power is so strong that shakes everything around them – I really loved that explanation and made my imagination go nuts.

Overall the story is a nice one. Its been slow till towards the end because there’s a lot of world-building, character development but the details are rich and beautiful and there are plenty of hilarious moments that made me giggle and I had fun reading it.

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[Merrit Townsend (always1morebook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love finding new authors especially if they are Indie Published. For some reason I seem to enjoy their books a bit more and this one was no exception. Caitlin Denman is a new author to me and I really enjoyed her debut novel.

This book follows Attina, a young woman in a Dystopian society where the Fae want to destroy the humans and there is a creature called the Solis which are kind of like zombie vampires. Attina lives in a small village with her father and best friend ,James. Attina goes on a camping trip ith her father and discovers things about family and herself that she never could have imagined. She has a lot to deal with including finding her way to a safe haven.

The story is very original and I enjoyed it very much. I loved the the different aspects of the world where humans are hunted and need to survive by hunting and foraging. The talking horses were a great surprise and I absolutely loved Raven and Oak. I had a little bit of a problem with James and I just couldn't connect with him. Attina could be a bit whiney sometimes but towards the end of the book I found her likable and becoming quite the warrior. Allister is going to be a big part of the series and I cannot wait to read where he come in. There were a few parts of the book that I found the pace was a bit off for me but overall the story is wonderful and I cannot wait those what happens in the next book! I give this book 4 stars.

[Anshul (stories.buddy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any story with Fae interests me completely and this book has my interest piqued in the same way. From the start, there were a lot of questions about the story and they kept rising with each chapter, eventually and gradually they were answered in a very intricate way. By the end of the book, my anxiety got doubled to know further. Luckily I have the second book in the series to read and I’m diving into it right away but before that let me tell you the main character Attina is a strong female protagonist and her character development is marvelous. With all the secrets revealed to her about her past and future, the patience and understanding she shows are perfect to see. It is a story to save the existence of the human race along with fae, and while doing so she discovers new abilities and strengths. I feel we have a stalker too and he’ll be a problem for her in things she wants to accomplish. We have a newly introduced fae who interests me from line one, he seems a great ally for the future. It has me eger for the third book, and I have high hopes for it.

[Kayla Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh, yet captivating story about a young woman learning what it means to survive in a world of dangerous Fae.

The story follows Attina, a young woman whose life becomes completely uprooted on a single hunting trip with her best friend. The Solis are intriguing and hold an air of mystery. After the exposure, Attina must wander the country in search of a place known as Sanctuary.

I really liked Attina and her sharp tongue. She could do just about anything she set her mind too, despite the overly snarky Raven.

I wanted to know more about Alistair, he was probably one of the most intriguing characters next to Attina. I cannot wait to see more of him in She Rises.

James. Oh James. At first, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt in the beginning. But, as the book progresses, my dislike for him steadily grew.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has put together a great debut novel. I enjoyed Attina, the main character, who had a great deal dumped on her all at once and I could sympathize with her feeling so overwhelmed. I loved the wonderful world building. You really get a great feel for how it all began and how the events of the past are affecting things in the present. I disliked Attina's best friend, James. I found him manipulative and I disliked that Attina gave into him. Allister, however, was a welcome addition. I look forward to getting to know him further. I also loved the Fae horses. All in all, it was enjoyable and easy to get caught up into the story. I look forward to learning even more about Attina and her world in the next book.

[Cherokee - Books With A Chance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good debut novel.
It's a great coming of age story about discovering one's true self.
The author proves a great storyteller, with only a few minor hiccups along the way.
I really need to know how old Attina is, because the relationship with James, being seven years her senior.. is a bit creepy. Attina is also very childish at times.
Allistar is probably my favorite character, followed closely by Attina.
Attina is going to grow to be such a strong character, it will be interesting to see how it goes down!

The author does a great descriptive job. We've got a fantasy/scifi/Dystopian feel going on and it's something I didn't know I needed until now.
The emotions in the book are raw and powerful, and they are used to their full advantage.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start to this now-finished series is unassuming, a tiny little village with a young woman around 19-20 years old and her male friend 6 years older. Living the type of life with a set routine, knowing they will one day end up married. Attina wants adventure and travel in her life, wanting to see beyond the confines of the forest they hunt in. James is happy to continue their life, together, in that same small village, and start a family together. Fate, and the Fae, turn all those thoughts upside down. This book was not was I was expecting at first, but I enjoyed it. Attina “awakens” and the whole world feels it. Low romance but potential for more. This was a quick read, so I’m on to the next one.

Considerations for parental death.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review: She Awakens by Caitlin Denman
Rated: 2 Stars (DNF at 16%)*

Unfortunately, She Awakens didn’t work for me. While I’m usually fine with age gaps in fiction, this one crossed into uncomfortable territory—especially with the male character expressing intentions to marry the protagonist when she was still a child. That dynamic felt off-putting and hard to move past.

Beyond that, the writing itself didn’t hold up. Some ideas and phrases were repeated almost back-to-back, making it feel like the editing process missed a few key passes. It disrupted the flow and made it difficult to stay engaged with the story.

I ended up DNFing at 16%. While others might connect with it more, this just wasn’t the book for me.

[Bookdeemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sum up of the book -


Attina discovers that the thing she believed to be a scary story told by the town is real. The town must make a choice to flee to sanctuary or stay. She believed she was a normal human only to discover she is half fae, and the one person who can protect the humans from being enslaved by the fae.



Review-


This book really world builds beautifully and doesn’t overwhelm you and flood the story. I loved Attina and from the way the story left off I think she will turn into a real badass. Raven is such an awesome character because I connected with her bitchy moody character 😂. I can’t say too much because i don’t want to post spoilers. I do recommend picking this book up. It was a good read and I will definitely be reading the next book!

[Shelly Wygant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attina spends her days helping her community. When trouble comes knocking at the door the sets out to move to a safe place. As the town moves Attina's father takes her on a trip and explains her past to her. As she tries to accept her future she has so much to learn.

This was a fast paced young adult read. It was amazing to watch Attina come into her powers. She accepts who she is and what she needs to do. There were so many amazing characters in this book. The world building was amazing. Each predicament that Attina had to face made you feel like you were right there fighting along side her.

I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My actual rating for this is 3.5 stars, but in math class, I was told to round to the nearest whole number.

This was a quick read. I loved the world-building, and the Day of Destruction was a great way to introduce the Fae to the world.

Oak, Raven, and Allister were by far my favorite characters. James was a snake, but I'm curious to see if the author tells us a bit about what makes him that way. I'm anxious to see more about Allister in the next book.

Attina reminded me a lot of Katniss with her love of hunting and for the bow.

I enjoyed the book, but I think it could be great with a little polishing.

Most likely, I will be diving into book 2 tomorrow.

[Katy Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grabbed this in my Fae phase of reading. I was not disappointed at all! A new to me author, I am sure to read more by her! I couldn't eat up the words fast enough. A fierce and strong willed MFC is always a plus with me because I adore the courage and sass. Attina was a great character, rounded and flawed, yet still brave and empathetic. I really enjoyed getting lost on her journey and look forward to reading more about not only her but Allister's future adventures. I hope book two is just as fast paced as this one!

[Renee Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. When Attina finds out the she is half Fae which she has grown up hating, she also finds out tha since her mother’s death she is next in line for the throne since her grandfather is now king. but he is evil and has taken over the entire fae world and wants all the humans dead. Can Attina live to become queen and change the way humans think of the faes? Or will her grandfather remain in charge and kill and humans which would be her since her father was human. I definitely recommend this book and am anx to read the next one

[Lei Gaerlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read and very engaging book. Even though it's about fae, I like that Attina is a strong character who provides for her village.

What's good about this book is even when the characters are flawed, there is a growth along the way. And that's what's important for me because you get to grow with them!

This also reminded me of The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden because of the talking horses!

After reading the book, I recommend following Caitlin in Instagram. She's so fun to chat with. Very genuine person 🥰

She's my new fave author ❤️

[Drew Kibler · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re an ACOTAR fan, you’ll love this book!

The characters are extremely well written! Attina is a relatable main character! Allister was introduced towards the end, and his character has already gripped me. I can’t wait to see his role in the next book.

About half way through the book, the plot thickened and I couldn’t put the book down! The first half of the book really let me get to know the world and Attina. The world-building was well done- it didn’t feel like it was piled onto me!

There were quite a few typos, but that’s not unusual and not a big deal to me.

Overall, a great read that left me needing to read the next one!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very YA read, following Attina find herself, not knowing how to feel about James while discovering her true identity as half fae. There are brief insight into James and his toxic character, but the story is predominantly about Attina's character arc. The book is written in the present tense, so readers read the narrative in real-time. A personal pleasant way to read since nothing in the future can be foreseen and readers learn what happens at the same time as the characters.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to StoryOrigin and author.