Canadian Spotlight Month: Review - The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Series: The Darkest Powers trilogy, Book #2

Published: April 28th, 2009

Publisher: HarperCollins

357 pages (paperback)

Genre: Young adult paranormal

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: If you haven’t read The Summoning, this review will contain spoilers

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Synopsis: Chloe Saunders is not your average supernatural teenager. Genetically altered at birth by a sinister team of scientists, she can barely control her terrifying powers. Now the team that created her has decided it's time to end the experiment. Permanently.

Chloe is running for her life along with a charming sorcerer, a troubled werewolf, and a temperamental young witch. Together they have a chance for freedom - but can Chloe trust her new friends?

  

I read the first book in the Darkest Powers trilogy - The Summoning - before I became a book blogger, so I don’t have a review for it, but I remember really enjoying it, and I’m glad I finally decided to carry on with the trilogy.

Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are all part of the Genesis Project - an experiment that genetically modifies supernatural beings in the hopes of minimizing side effects and helping to control powers. The problem is, for the most part the DNA manipulations had the opposite effect, creating supernaturals with superpowers.

When Chloe was sent to Lyle House - supposedly a group home for troubled teens - she was told she was schizophrenic, because of the voices she heard. Turned out the voices were actually ghosts, and Chloe was a necromancer. Lyle House wasn’t a home for troubled teens, it was basically a prison for supernatural teens whose powers had the possibility of getting out of control.

When the four supernatural teens go on the run, they’re hoping to find Derek and Simon’s dad, a powerful sorcerer. The only problem is actually finding him - he hasn’t been seen in years.

The kids are scared because they don’t know exactly how their powers will manifest or how to control them. Chloe, Derek, and Simon don’t really trust Tori, because they thought she betrayed them previously. The four of them are forced to work together if they want to escape without being captured and possibly killed.

Chloe really starts to come into her own in The Awakening. She’s learning about her powers and how to control them and not let them control her, but she has little background knowledge or help. She’s left to learn on her own, like the others with their respective powers/abilities. She gets a taste of just how powerful her necromancer abilities are, and she’s horrified. Derek and Simon do everything they can to comfort and encourage her, and even Tori has her moments. Slowly the four of them start to form a strong bond.

A nice break from all the running and hiding and fighting and supernatural bits is the ‘normal teenage stuff’. Chloe’s obviously developing feelings for both Simon and Derek. It wasn’t a blatant love triangle - there was no ‘fighting over the girl’, and despite liking both boys, I was definitely rooting for one in particular.

Overall, The Awakening is an exciting book that goes beyond your typical supernatural story. Action-packed, full of suspense, sometimes disturbing, at times even a bit heartbreaking, I think fans of the paranormal - and Armstrong’s books in general - will really enjoy this book. 

Be sure to enter for a chance to win Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, which has a short story about Chloe and the gang that takes place after the trilogy ends. Kelley Armstrong has very generously donated a signed copy, as well as a signed copy of The Reckoning (I'll be posting my review along the with the giveaway tomorrow) for Canadian Spotlight Month.

 

This post has been part of the Canadian Spotlight Month. Click the graphic below to check out the schedule and all things Canadian here at Ramblings of a Daydreamer.