Awakened

From time to time I find a book that I really-really like, with some characters that I really-really love, and this is one of those.

As I said, books with ‘almost naked teenagers’ on the cover are not my type at all, but now I am glad that I didn’t mind that when I’ve decided to read this novel. From the first page I got hooked up by this story, and I felt a connection with the main character Lil, because she is so sweet and funny, it’s a pleasure to hear her story.

I also fell in love with Bran, the mysterious “ghost” that keeps talking in her mind, who is not perfect and has some background that might ruin whatever is building between them through the story, but who is just perfect enough for Lil.. Sweet, funny, caring, with a great sense of humor and with a touch of a mystery in his life. Their story unfolds in a natural way, slowly from the first page to the last one, and this makes it seem more real to me, I had enough time to care about them and to be happy for them when they were together. And the scene from the beginning is so much fun, I kept laughing and new from that point that this book is gonna be a “5 stars” and they didn’t disappointed me after that.

It’s also great that the secondary characters are pretty well developed. I liked a lot Lil’s grandpa who is such a great character, and has such an important part in the story. He is always there for her, giving her answers about everything, and even though he kept some things from her to protect her, I think that he always made the right choice when it came to Lil. Reading the synopsis I thought that his disappearance will happen earlier in the story, but I was glad to see more of him into the book before that happened, because I got the chance to really know him and understand him.

Even though I didn’t particularly find that Sykes would be a good match for Lil (as I read in so many reviews), I liked him very much too.. I liked the way he and Lil flirted more in a friendly way (I had such a friend when I was a teenager, maybe that’s way I always saw him only as a friend). All the trainees were nicely developed and I enjoyed reading about them all getting closer, and trying to help one another. I liked the way Kim changed her attitude through the story, and I understood her very well.

I should also mention the ‘humans’ too, because Lil is not antisocial as many other teens in YA book, and she cares for them, she gets attached to them (a heroine should probably never get attached, but this makes it all more interesting right? ), and tries to help them when needed. I liked those girls too.

This book is also full of surprises, and sweet moments (I must confess I didn’t particularly liked the “wings” moment which seemed kind of twilight-ish for my taste, but it was also kind of sweet and nicely done). After the last book I’ve read, this one seemed very well written, I don’t know if the comparison made it look like this but I really enjoyed reading this story. Also I must say that I found some similarities with the book “Beautiful Creatures”.. you know the girl with powers, the boy with a secret of his own, talking via telepathy, the uncle/grandpa thing, some secrets about the parents.. it all screamed “we look the same!” but this story in my opinion was better in so many ways.

All in one, I loved this book, it was fun, interesting and I can’t wait for the sequel.
A ‘goodread’ indeed 😀