Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Last word first: (4/5) A fast-paced paranormal adventure that kept me guessing.

This review contains spoilers for anyone who has not read The Summoning.

Would Joe like this book? No, I don’t think so. Teen-girl narrators are not his favourite people.

Description: After her attempted escape from Lyle House, Chloe finds herself in yet another institution when her aunt turns her in. Learning more about the organization that is intent on keeping her, Chloe is ever more determined to escape, find Derek and Simon, and disappear. Her plans don’t go exactly the way she hoped, however, and she may have to rely on the very person she believes betrayed her.

My thoughts: The Awakening is even better than The Summoning. I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I found it a little light on, well, plot. The characters and the concept were enough to keep me going, but the story itself was lacking. Well, The Awakening continues the fantastic characters, expands the concept, and has an ever-twisting storyline that kept me riveted.

I don’t remember noticing this as much in the first book, but I found myself really enjoying the way Chloe looks at everything as if through a movie camera. Her movie references and imaginary filming gave her narration a unique flavour. I especially enjoyed the Deep Blue Sea reference.

In the end, this may be a little juvenile for some adult readers, but I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next in the series!

About Kelley Armstrong: "I'm married with three kids and live in rural Ontario, Canada. After graduating with a degree in psychology, I switched gears and studied computer programming. Currently, I'm a full-time writer and parent. Could I make this section any more dull? Probably not." - from the bio on her website. Funny picture you should go check out!