| Title | : | The Awakening (Emerge, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 2015 |
| Awards | : | USA Best Book Award (2015), International Book Awards Fiction: Young Adult (Finalist) (2015), Chanticleer Book Reviews' Dante Rossetti Awards (2015) |
You’re born. You live. You die.
She has no cause to believe that equation works differently for her, but there has to be a reason the world treats her like a pariah.
When an unexpected move to Kelleys Island brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, Allie is thrown by his reaction. He doesn’t shrink from her touch. He doesn’t stutter or make a quick exit. He smiles and welcomes her into his circle of friends, who aren’t exactly comfortable with Allie, but they seem to get her in a way most people don’t.
Finally, Allie has a real shot at normal and rides that high right up to her sixteenth birthday when she wakes in agony—an experience Aidan insists they have all faced. She struggles in ignorance, uncertain of what is real and what isn’t. When she emerges, Allie is different. She has always been different, but even among her extraordinary friends, she and Aidan are special.
As Allie struggles to maintain her tenuous grasp on the power that threatens to overwhelm her, she worries she will lose herself in this strange new world. A dangerous world where she will have to fight tooth and nail to defend the power and freedom that is her birthright.
…only Allie hates to fight.
The Awakening (Emerge, #1) Reviews
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**I received an ebook copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
There are pros and cons in this book and I'm going to start with my favorite parts about it first.
In the beginning, the female main character, Alexis Ann Carmichael, a.k.a. Allie/Lex, was seemingly an ordinary high school student whoescapedmoved around the world with her family but she turned out to be a completely different girl after her "Awakening" on her 16th birthday. That is, she was one of the specially chosen immortals on Earth. Thus, that explained why and how she met Aidenaccidentallyon purpose when she last resided in Kelleys Island. It seemed that there was a certain instinct which drew her to the most powerful equal. However, she had a hard time accepting her true identity and unfortunately, she didn't have enough time to mourn over her mortality. What I like about the first part of the story is her Awakening, and how amazing Aiden was when he secretly sacrificed himself to absorb all of her unbearable pain during the process in order to heal her faster. Their relationship/friendship was really adorable for me, though Allie was stubborn enough to be with another mortal boy named Vince, the kind of love-triangle in this book didn't annoy me as usual. Surprisingly, I didn't find the jealousy, or argument between Aiden and Allie disturbing AT ALL! I guess that's because they still maintained a nice friendship despite their coldness as well as indifference toward each other.He began a different melody she didn't recognize and suspected it was something he composed himself. It was slow and broody and she knew he was talking to her.
All I want to say is that I genuinely hope Allie can eventually choose Aiden over Vince and there are a variety of reasons for it! For starters, he tried to express his deepest feeling for her and took the initiative to show how much he cared for her, but somehow she was extremely stubborn and kept relying on Vince."Please don't cry, Lex." He settled her on his lap. "Your tears are like a knife in the gut and there's nothing I can do to make it better."
I seriously don't understand why she couldn't see through everything clearly then. So, yeah, I'll be on top of the world if they end up together HEA later. :)“I'll always be here when you need me."His words echoed Vince's, but somehow, his carried more weights.
In the middle of this book, I personally think the story was a little bit dragging and too slow-paced. After Allie's Awakening, all the same species friends and family gathered around her and kept telling her that "Don't worry. Everything will be okay.", or "Oh, Allie-girl, you have to brace yourself and be strong." and blah, blah, blah. The problem is that there were way too many comforts and that just weakened the strength of Allie. I mean, if she could overcome those difficulties on her own or simply withhopefully Aiden'ssome people's help, at least we can see how strong and brave she was. And that'd make her one of the badass heroines we came to love. As a consequence, this is what I dislike about the book. It still had room for improvement, so to speak.
As for the ending, to be honest, I think it was a bit rushed. I was fascinated by the attack from their enemies, and then Allie got rescued after some painful struggling, and just when I thought they were going to map out something huge or revealed an unbelievable truth, the story ended abruptly. To view it differently, I did like the cliffhanger in the end, but apparently, something was definitely missing there. The author left us with many unanswered questions, unsolved problems, and important disclosure for the secret hidden behind Allie's heirloom. Therefore, I'm looking forward to figuring them out in the next book.
What's more, I forgot to mention the similarity I found in this book when comparing with the other stories. For example, those collars the enemy used to control Allie's species(to prevent them from wielding their special gifts) reminded me of the ones in
Sarah J. Maas's
Queen of Shadows. They both had the magic to fully manipulate the victims; only the collars in this book weren't as powerful as those in QoS. Another familiar idea in the story was the particular skills for the characters. Such as Aiden's healing power was so much similar to that of Noah Shaw's in
Michelle Hodkin's Mara Dyer trilogy. Gladly, although there are many paranormal stories about magic, fantasy, and supernatural phenomena,
Melissa a Craven indeed added some originality in this book. She managed to create something entirely unique and that's what interested me in Allie's adventure.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and most of the time, the plot was intriguing. Regardless of some imperfect details in it, the overall story was kind of creative for me. So I totally recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal (romance) novels and you'll meet some fantastic (historical) characters here! Last but not least, thanks to the author for offering me this chance to read such a great book and it's really a nice debut. :D -
I'm not going to rate my own book because I'm biased and that wouldn't be fair to potential readers looking for genuine reviews. But I will take this opportunity to share my inspiration for writing Emerge: The Awakening. I am an avid reader of all things fantasy and I have a special love for the Young Adult genre in particular. BUT…there are so few books out there that truly represent a good example of a strong young woman to the impressionable readers of the YA genre.
As a reader, I grew frustrated with female leads who were either incredibly weak without their strong male counterparts, or they were the complete opposite as strong, frustratingly stubborn and jaded girls with their love interests trailing along behind them as a liability, offering little to the story.
I wondered where was the BALANCE? Where was the example of equality and actual-for-real girl power? So I wrote Emerge. Allie's story has morphed over the years, but that message of "equality" and "real girl power" has always remained the same. Book one is about Allie as she struggles to accept the immortality she never expected or wanted. Behind the veil of exciting supernatural themes, Emerge is a story about a strong, stubborn young woman fighting to maintain her identity when everyone around her expects her to do things their way. Allie is meant to be a shining example of that real girl, with flaws and insecurities, while Aidan is meant to be her equal in every way. This is not a story about an extraordinary girl and the boy who loves her. It is about showing young readers what equality and strength looks like. -
Her touch made people draw back, as if she had the plague. For all of Allie’s life she stood on the sidelines, a stranger to everyone around her and now, at fifteen, it doesn’t hurt any less. When her family moves to Kelleys Island, Allie is prepared for the usual reactions, but what happens to Allie is anything but usual. Enter Aidan and miracle of miracles, not only did he not flinch at her touch, he welcomes it and Allie finally learns what friendship is and all she has missed.
Is it possible that Allie can finally feel “normal?” It was the pain and agony she felt on her sixteenth birthday that proved she would never be normal. And yet, to her new friends, it is a rite of passage they have all experienced and it is called an Awakening. Once again she is the odd teen out, she is clueless as to what it means, but in a world of unique people, she and Aidan may be the most unique of all.
Just another young adult fantasy read? No, not at all! THE AWAKENING BY Melissa A. Craven has heart as she brings a tale of coming of age and longing to belong somewhere to life. Ms. Craven gives us a strong heroine, in spite of her youth. Allie finally has a reason to strive to master her new skills, as well as take chances in the new life she has. Best of all? She maintains her true self, one full of snark, attitude and wry humor.
Melissa A. Craven has carved her own niche with strong writing that brings her characters to life, draws on the past experiences of the adults in this tale and makes finding a place where one finally fits in seem magical! Her world building plays a huge part in her tale until it actually feels as if you went somewhere else, among new friends who you watch grow from within.
Series: Emerge - Book 1
Publisher: Midnight Hour Studio (March 31, 2015)
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Genre: YA Suspense | Social Coming of Age
Print Length: 440 pages
Available from:
Amazon |
Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More:
http://tometender.blogspot.com
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3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this YA fantasy tale!
Young Allie moves with her family from place to place around the world for reasons unknown to her. Finally she settles in Kelleys island, only to discover that the reason her family have been on the run, and that nobody ever really feels comfortable with her, is because she isn’t exactly normal. She is developing powers that she doesn’t know how to handle. Together with a group of new friends, she must discover who she really is, and what she is capable of.
I think The Awakening will really appeal to the younger readers, it has normal kids developing powers and realising that they are not exactly as normal as they thought they were, it has a trademark YA love triangle and an exciting plot. Exactly the recipe YA fans love!
I tend to get extremely annoyed at love triangles, this one wasn’t too bad. There is something about needy young love that drives me crazy, but this wasn’t done like that. It was more respectful and much less “I will die without you”, although her bantering with Aiden got extremely frustrating at times, overall I liked it. Definitely leaves the potential for a lot more depth to the saga in following books. I enjoyed all the characters. However, I don’t think I liked Aiden as much as I’m sure everyone else does. I didn’t see him as the “dream boat” I think he was meant to be. I didn’t like how he was really pushy towards Allie when she was telling him to back off. I understand that all the characters are so young, and there is something so appealing to readers when young people are pushed into circumstances way beyond their emotional maturity level. But the ‘relationship’ didn’t particularly work for me, however it was still enjoyable none the less.
I enjoyed the developing powers that all the different characters had, some more established than others. I liked the action scenes and fighting scenes. I also really enjoyed all the history that the older characters had. It really enriched the story.
The writing was fantastic! Easy to read and it flowed really well.
I thought the ending was really well done, leaving it wide open for the next book!
Would I recommend The Awakening?
Yes, to avid YA fans. Although I didn’t “love” it, I really liked it! I would absolutely be interested to read the next one to see how the story progresses! Overall a solid 3.5 Stars!
Many thanks to the author via YA Bound Blog Tours for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews check out my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
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DNF'ing at 14% because I couldn't take any more of the flat characters and flip flopping between two guys with no actual chemistry. Also, where was the plot? It felt like the author just skipped ahead from one thing to the next and didn't actually show any development of how a girl who has never had friends suddenly had a bunch. They were just THERE. Plus inexplicable insta-love and love triangle.
No. No more. -
Review Copy from Author, for more visit
Literary-ly Obsessed
This was such an impressive start to a unique new series. This story was well written but the characters are the true stars, they grew with the story and were portrayed realistically with their stroppy attitudes, tantrums and snark.
We have Allie the protagonist who has always felt alone and distanced from everyone, she’s moved from place to place and is always the new kid in school but the people there are all the same; they shy from her touch and taunt her endlessly. She soon arrives at a town to stay and literally runs into Aiden; a guy that introduces her to what she really is: an Immortal. Allie soon comes into her own powers and discovers she is more powerful than her new friends except Aiden, he's her equal in every way.
It started off a little slow and I wasn't fully immersed in the story until the second half. I was so confused in the beginning when everyone would avoid Allie's touch and we were given no clue as to why this was. However what slowed this book the most was the history of Immortals; how they came to be, their enemies, their way of life. Although some of this was important to the story, not all was necessarily needed. This compared with a large abundance in secondary characters had me troubled trying to remember who everyone was, plus we were given a look into various characters backstory, this again takes up a large amount of the book.
Regardless of these points the story soon picked up and we were thrust into a world were Immortals are hunted for their powers and this was extremely thrilling to read. The romance was good and bad (the good bad), as Allie and Aiden really hit it off in the beginning but when Allie discovers she’s an Immortal she pulls away and just wants to be best friends. The good part of this romance was that Allie and Aiden were equals, which was refreshing as it's usually the heroine who's the most powerful, these two seemed absolutely perfect together. The bad part of this was that Allie refuses to date Aiden and instead dates Vince a mortal as a way to have some normalcy to escape to. Although this drove me crazy because even Allie knew she was settling and could have the perfect relationship with Aiden. This was realistic, as you would completely freak out finding out that you are not human and will never die, this is the type of angst that I love to hate. I totally ship Allie and Aiden but she seriously needs to get her head together and be with Aiden.
Allie was a breath of fresh air when it came to heroines. She was totally badass, not afraid to say it how it is and doesn’t take any bullshit. For instance when Aiden confessed his love to Allie, she was able to take thought and not completely lose herself in the declaration but think ‘well he’s powerful like me, so maybe he’s just tired of being alone?’ I mean Allie is the only person who can touch him without quivering in fear, even his parents keep their distance… so YES, this is a completely valid thought! As I’ve said the character relationships and dynamics in this story feel realistic.
All in all this book wasn’t perfect but it was an excellent start for a debut novel with such original idea’s. I will definitely be reading the next instalment as I’m so eager to find out what happens next as this book was only just getting started by the end. I fully encourage readers to persevere with this one, it's fast paced at time but totally worth it in the end! -
This is self published? No way. I wouldn't believe it if the author hadn't sent me a copy. It in no way feels self published. Everything flows perfectly and the characters are authentic. I also love how this is such an original novel. It never gave me the vibe that some books do. Never once when reading did I stop and think, this kind of reminds me of (whichever book insert here). I also love how it's set in Ohio as I used to live there and miss it a lot.
Allie, our main character is awesome. She feels real and she's very strong. I love that more YA is starting to have strong female characters. We need them and I just love reading about them! I also love the romance in Emerge. It's not rushed to me nor does it feel like insta-love. I enjoyed the world building and there is a lot in the beginning. So if you don't like slow beginnings then don't get this book. I didn't mind, I actually like it. Let's me get a feel for everything before jumping into the action.
I love the urban feeling and just how real it feels. This author made superpowers as real as they could seem and it worked perfectly. I could see it happening in the real world. Bottom line, get this book. It's amazing and worthy of your time. Warning though... you might get obsessed. -
This is my first time writng a one star review. EVER. I'm kinda shocked that I'm doing it but I had no choice.
I tried guys, I really did. I tried to overlook all the bad parts and focus on the rare good parts that weren't nearly good enough to help. But I couldn't do. I couldn't like the book and I couldn't finish it. There are so many things wrong with it that I don't even think I can list them all. So, I'm just gonna write the things I disliked most.
1. The Writing: It was so bad. Just so so bad that reading it made me angry. It was all just talking. the entire book just jumps from conversation to conversation, instead of scene to scene. Each part starts with someone saying something and end when the talking is over.
That would have been somewhat okay if the conversation was any good. Unfortunately, it was crap. And normally, conversations are interspaced with thoughts, feeling, tidbits of information about the characters, subtext. There was none of that. It was like written a script, and a bad one too.
2. The Love Triangle: Why, oh why, do people insist on forcing love triangles into their book. Snd this book had the most forced one I've ever seen. It was also pointless, senseless, unnecessary and so stupid. I still can't, for the life of me, figure out where it came from and why it was there.
3. The backstories: Was it really necessary to give us the back story of every minor and insignificant character whose name I couldn't be bothered to remember? Did we really need to spend multiple chapters reading about the author trying to know us that she knows the Egyptian, Indian, Portugese, Greek and other histories. And them watching her fuck them up. Honestly, those backstories had absolutely NOTHING to do with the plot. We get it, you know stuff! We don't care!
4. The Characters: I didn't like any of them. I barely got to know them since the entire book was all dialogue, but what I did find out didn't impress me. The person we got to know the most was Aliie and she was just infuriating. And all the crying and whining didn't help. She was judgemental and self absorbed. And people kept complementing her! Everyone was always telling her that she was so strong ad beautiful and remarkable and wonderful and blah blah blah. It was like the author trying to convince us and herself that she wrote a good character.
I'm not even sure where Vince came from. What was his contribution to the plot? Why was he even there? Aiden was okay. The others were just... there.
Finally, there was the abruptness of the beginning and ending of scenes(and the contents), the unrealisticness, the intruduction of too many characters in too little time, the information dumping and the unoriginal plot(I have read almost everything somewhere). There was really nothing about the book that I liked.
Note for Author: I'm sure you regret sending me a copy of the book. I swear that I didn't plan this when I requested the book. I was actally excited to read it. Sorry for the incredibly negative review. Maybe at some point in the future, I'll read one of your new books and really like it. But not this one. I hope I was able to be at least a little helpful. -
Please note the following review contains minor spoilers. I usually don’t like to give anything away, but this book has affected me, and I have a feeling I’m going to ramble. Sorry in advance.
Okay, so… wow, where to start. The beginning: intriguing. It made me want to read more, but it didn’t GRAB me and pull me in completely until about half way. Don’t get me wrong, it was entertaining, and definitely a solid 4 star book for the first 50%.
I love the idea of Immortals, and their awesome abilities – the uniqueness of them blew me away. I’m not a ‘soulmate’ kind of person, but holy crap this story made me want to run out and find a “Complement” of my own! (Preferably one who looks like Channing Tatum, please.)
The major thing that slowed down the first half was the stories within the stories. Allie learns the past of all her Immortal elders, which takes up quite a chunk of story. I felt less time could’ve been spent on their history, and more could’ve been spent on Allie’s development and her relationship with Vince. We the reader only see Vince about three or four times before they’ve suddenly been together for six months. I didn’t feel a big connection between them, BUT I did understand how she needed him to keep a sense of normalcy in her world which had turned upside down when she found out she was Immortal. She even admits it herself that their connection isn’t the strongest, but he’s what she needs, so I guess that’s the point the author wanted to make. Because I didn’t see much of Vince, I was team Aidan from the beginning … even when he did dickish things. There was one point he almost lost me, but I got over it fairly quickly.
There were some things I wouldn’t have minded having more of an explanation – e.g. when Aidan started playing “with or without you” on his violin, and Vince got angry and yelled “asshat!” (love that word btw) and Allie said it was a low blow. Was this strong reaction purely for the fact it was a romantic song and Aidan was never shy about the fact he had feelings for Allie? Was he really serenading it to her? He’d put on a full-set already, so it’s not like THAT song was particularly played FOR her. Or was the song special for another reason that I’m missing? This little detail is silly to be fussing over, I know, but I just felt like it could’ve used a one line explanation as to WHY it was such a low blow. (Perhaps it has something to do with the lyrics? But all I remember of that song is “With or without yooooooou, with or without you, oh, oh. I can’t liiiiiiive, with or withooooout you.”) Oh great, now I’m singing in a review. I’m really tired, just FYI.
The other thing I just couldn’t wrap my head around was the millions of supporting characters. Nearly every time another character was mentioned or introduced, I was all “Okay, where does this person fit in?” I swear I had to ask who Daniel was three times. I finally got the hang of it, and realised who everyone was, only to have them announce a huge family reunion and millions of more characters were introduced and more confusion ensued. (It was also unclear to me for a long time that Vince and Kayla are NOT Immortals. And I still don’t know who Chloe belongs to.) Minus Chloe, I did eventually work out where everyone belonged and who was who… I think. LOL! Confusion aside, there’s no faulting the supporting characters – there was not one person I didn’t like. I LOVED them all. Have a pretty big soft spot for a few of them.
Okay, now for all the things I loved. Every. Single. Scene from the half way mark. I was SO glued to my kindle app, I was taking longer breaks at work (oops, sorry boss), staying up late, and even having trouble sleeping because all I wanted to do was keep reading. You know a book is worth 5 stars when it keeps you up at night.
I usually can’t connect with books that are written in third person, but this never once threw me or disconnected me. It’s so remarkably well written.
One last mention – this book contains an awesome female lead. She’s strong, yet vulnerable, sometimes whiny which makes her realistic, but I never once got annoyed at her whiny side. For someone who goes through what she goes through, she takes it on the chin. Her sarcastic wit helps her push through, and made me fall in love with her.
Okay, I think I have rambled and gushed enough. Seriously amazing book. I’m very upset I have to wait for the next one. -
*source : I received an ebook copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to author Melissa A. Craven
Ok first let me tell that what i liked the most about this book is the general idea , the whole "immortals" thing
I mean to read a book about immortals you would think
What would be the end ?!
It seems to logically settle somewhere beyond infinity
Or that you are reading a book with a story of a time span of thousands of years
this idea is kind of alluring
you read through out the book and you recognize that being an immortal means an infinity number of heart breaks and the acceptance of the word move-on wholeheartedly
melissa written " the enormity of loss couldnt be born without the promise of something greater " ...
i also loved the parts when the old ones shared their stories
The two thousands years old viking Liam .
Seamus was born as Gilgamesh like thousands years ago .
Greg the Celtic lived with the Romans and met Jesus at some point of his life .
Emma as a pirate or a spoiled princess .
And Naeemah , i think i always enjoyed reading about her past life
the daughter of Senenmut and Hatshepsut in ancient Eygpt and then decades after on the other part of the world she is the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal for whom the beautiful Taj Mahal was built by the grief-stricken emperor , and hundreds of years after Naeemah is a modern lady working in a museum
all living in the 21st century , using iphones and watching TV .
this interaction of cultures and eras in the characters is thrilling
one more thing i liked Is that sometimes the environment , the circumstances were well carved
Didnt she mention once the miserere a9 ? I never knew whats that
I downloaded it and listened to it
Its was perfectly matching the situation , with the shady grotto and the palatial home on the ridge !
with all what i mentioned you'd think then why not 5 stars !
in fact this is just a part of it , not even a big part . many chapters were occupied by too many long conversations , unnecessary details about training or running through the woods .
I didn't form a strong bond with main characters them selves
They are not the reason behind my fascination .
I like the subject , the mythology like in The part from the book of Indriell Queens , i enjoyed reading these few pages .
The pace is variable , Its like you're in slow motion , Everything is so slow and suddenly
boom !
Its running , so fast
That you have to re_read to get what's happening .
It been always like this in this book , You never know whats next .
One moment you're in an horror movie the next in an amusing light conversation . Once looking boringly at the sky next everything is burning .
The events are flexible , unsettled and wavering
so its a moody book , BE CAREFUL :D
The end is Good
Navid was a secret , it was nagging me every now and then
whats about navid ?
Allie, i knew that she had something with the prophecy and all , but i didnt think it would be revealed in this book And just like greg i thought its aiden not allie the chosen .
But all the lines were gathered in the very last lines of the last chapter.
The best of the book lies somewhere between chpt 10-19 and then 39-44
i recommend the book to YA fiction readers and those who like ancient mythology .
Here , you are going to meet some of your favorite heroes and heroines dressed in Armani suits and modern dresses . -
The Awakening (Emerge #1) by Melissa A. Craven
Allie Carmichael has always believed life is simple.You're born. You live. You die.She has no cause to believe those rules don't apply to her.All her life, Allie has suffered in silence as those around her shrink from her touch, too intimidated to take the time to get to know her. It's left her feeling like a pariah for fifteen years.When an unexpected move to Kelleys Island brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, Allie is thrown by his reaction. He isn't affected by her touch. He doesn't stutter or make a quick exit. He smiles and welcomes her into his circle of friends.For the first time ever, Allie knows what true friendship means. Finally, she has a real shot at normal--until "normal" crashes and burns when she wakes in agony on her sixteenth birthday. Aidan calls it her Awakening, a rite of passage he and their friends have all faced. Allie struggles in ignorance through the experience, uncertain of what is real and what isn't. When she emerges, she is different. She has always been different, but even among her extraordinary friends, she and Aidan are special.As Allie struggles to maintain her tenuous grasp on the power that threatens to overwhelm her, she worries she will lose herself in this strange new world of ancient Immortal beings.A dangerous world where she will have to fight tooth and nail to defend the power and freedom that is her birthright.
I uprated this book because there is alot of potential built both in the plot and the cast but it needs a lot of development to expand the range in detail and personalities both in depth and intrigue. I do like the concept and I hope there will be revised versions with more life to it. Its still worth the read though if you haven't read it.
The Ebook was listed for free during the posting of this review.
Melissa A. Craven
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(I received a copy from the author, In exchange for an honest review.)
Allie was an okay character, and I felt quite sorry for her at the beginning, but I didn't love her.
The storyline in this was alright, but I did think the pacing was a bit slow. A few parts dragged, and the book felt rather long because of it.
Overall, An okay read. -
Allie is used to never settling down, her parents' work constantly uproots them, going to the far side of the world at a moment's notice. What Allie doesn't know, is that her parents are actually running, and she's the reason.
I really liked this book, for the most part. Craven has created an interesting take on an immortal race. I loved how their history wove into ours.
The immortals have a big emphasis on the importance of family, whether it's a blood relation, or the family you choose. There's a strong theme of loyalty and connection.
The immortals all have their own powers, which might fall under a bracket of offensive/defensive/healing etc, but really their all unique to every person. It slightly (enormously) reminded me of Breaking Dawn (Twilight #3), where the new vampire is discovering her abilities; while all the other vampires are training and showing off their unique powers.
The similarity made me pause a little, but it didn't really detract from the story.
The Coalition were a suitable Big Bad. They were the main conflict that scarred every immortal's history, and they hovered threateningly in the shadows until it was time to act. They have their reasons for being the way they are, and after centuries of fighting, their methods have an impatience and a violence about them.
I wasn't keen on the main character, Allie. Growing up, she spent most of her time alone, as her parents kept relocating. Even if they stayed in one place for a few months, the other kids avoided her, or reacted badly to her presence. I think I felt sorry for her for the first couple of chapters, but then they make the big move "home", and it's the same old trope of every guy thinks she gorgeous, every (non-bitchy) girl thinks she's wonderful.
Allie actually came off as pretty selfish and conceited. She wants both Vince (human boyfriend) and Aidan (immortal best friend) and doesn't want to share, or concede that she might be hurting both of them.
The story on a whole felt a little disjointed, it felt like it was building towards some sort of conflict with the Coalition; but then it jumped into many chapters of story-time. Then it switched to YA teen drama. Then it was getting on with immortal life. Then oh, I remember, shady Coalition guys.
I enjoyed each part, I just wish they had been merged a little more smoothly.
All-in-all, a good book. I'm looking forward the the rest of the series. -
This book was worth the read. It brought several words to mind: unusual, intriguing, funny, and promising.
Unusual, only because I personally have never read a book like this before. I liked it, but was very surprised. I enjoyed that I learned about Allie (the main character) and her new world just as she did.
Intriguing, because I often couldn't put it down, and read several hundred pages at a time. I thought that it would simply be another dystopian novel with a strong female lead. I was wrong. Craven creates an entire history and race, but places it within a modern setting. This setting makes both the characters and their struggles really relatable. At one point I did get confused about who was who and what backstory was what. However, my questions were eventually answered. After the stories and training sessions, the book got really exciting. By the end I realized that I really cared about what happened to all of the characters, but particularly Allie and Aidan.
Funny, because it made me actually laugh out loud. I grew to like Allie more and more because of her quick and sarcastic sense of humor. Her interactions with the other characters were so clever; she said things that I wish I had thought to say.
Promising, because the conflicts that were introduced were solved, but with room to continue in the next book. It was satisfying, and surprising until the very last page.
I definitely recommend this book, especially if you like magic, prophecies, and sassy heroines. -
This is a riveting start to The Awakening series. I loved how relatable the main character was. She made mistakes! That never seems to happen in YA anymore. The storyline was well-developed, with depth to provide dimension and authenticity to the plot. The setting was a favorite point too. A fantasy world layered over the world we live in. In my opinion this always make for an exciting read. It draws the reader that one step closer to believing we could be in the novel as well!
I had one quibble only. I repeat, MINOR quibble. Though we were given many explanations for Lex making her choice of love-interest, I seemed to want something more to explain why she didn't choose the other guy...yet. I put this down to my impatience in general.
Get Emerge and you are assured of a professional copy, a great story, an addiction to Melissa A. Craven's writing, and frustration at the wait before book two is out! Get it now! -
I have written a full review of Melissa A. Craven's book, Emerge: The Awakening, at
http://hub.me/ajxUl. -
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Melissa A. Craven has seriously just joined the top of my list of favourite Authors! Such an impressive start to a series and definitely has me wanting more!
I loved this book it flowed really easily, a fast page turner that kept me engrossed from start to finish, a highly recommended top read!
This book is based on Allie who spends most of her life alone and misunderstood, people shy away from her, but there is a reason people shy away from her and she has no idea why. After a Un expected move her life is tipped upside down, this is where the handsome mysterious Aiden appears in her life, he doesn't shy away from her like she is used to. She faces hard times uncertainty, fear, and will have a lot of challenges thrown at her. I will go no further as I don't want to ruin the book for you.!
Allies is such a strong amazing character, this is a brilliant thing about this book, Y/A needs more strong female characters. I love her witty attitude and huge personality. She has such sassiness, which for me suites a flaming redhead with startling green eyes.!
Aiden for me is a great character he along with Allie are my favourite characters. I love the relationship between Allie and Aiden and I am hoping for new height with book 2.
Every character in this book flowed beautifully I enjoyed every single one of them. Liam I just adored! I loved the way they developed with the book, and they were so realistic, each and every one had a significance with the book and made it what it was, I love how Melissa built each one of them into this thrilling story, there wasn't any small time characters ( maybe apart from vince.) the focus was on all of them not just Allie and Aiden.
The whole Immortal thing is just great you would think well they are immortal so they are going to be something like your typical Angels or Vampire, but no they are immortal beings, who live supposedly for Infinity. However there are ways for them to be killed! And this makes this book so exciting as you don't quite know what is going to happen to them.
This is a fabulous story line a perfect read if you like Action, sassiness, Romance, suspense and hot sexy immortals that can kick ass... -
I am at a loss for words and in complete awe of this book. I was hooked from the first page an unwilling to put this book down. Its an innovative and unique story with loveable characters.
Allie is such a strong female lead and I loved that she didn't need a man to define her or her abilities, as a matter of fact romance was not even really a factor in this story which is really really refreshing. Sure, there are love interests but that does not make pr break the story. I really can not find enoug words to describe how utterly awesome this story was!
The Great (Pros):
Allie. Like I said, Allie is a super strong and feisty character. I loved her tenacity.
Aiden. He's adorably jaded and such an amazing character.
Sasha. I loved Sasha. She wasn't a character that was mentioned a lot but I really loved when she interacted with the other leads!
Other Supporting Characters. I really enjoyed the interactions between the other supporting characters just like I enjoyed Sasha's character. It was really fun to learn about these characters and what made them tick.
Bonds. I loved all the bonds formed between characters, superficial or otherwise. The inclusion of these 'supernatural' bonds that are formed between individuals was also another major selling point for me.
Storyline. This story line is in a league of its own. Never once did I feel like I was reading a world I had already visited. I loved all the intricacies that make up this story and all the character story lines.
History. The history of these characters is astounding. I've always been a bit of a history junkie so I got a massive kick at the inclusion of these great figure heads in history being included in the history of this book. I also really like how these characters shared their history with others.
The Not So Great (Cons):
Vince. I really was not a fan of his character. He just felt so unnecessary. Granted, he seems less annoying now that I've read the novella that follows this book and serves as a prequel. It makes a lot of this going ons in this book make so much sense, so I really recommend reading them both! But anyways, Vince wasn't a 'bad' guy per say, at least not in this book or yet, but he just irks me and felt like a useless character although in retrospect he probably is a tad more important than I give him credit for now that I've read book 1.5.
Some minor inconsistencies. Nothing to get all in a huff about but there were like maybe 3 or 4 moments that didn't really match up, but I'm just overly observant. Once again, if you read 1.5, its cleared up for you but since this is a review of book 1, it has to be mentioned.
Use of har har. I know it seems like such a random con but it was just really annoying and broke up the flow of the dialogue. I got really peeved after about the 10th time I read it so yea lol.
I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read and review this book and I am anxiously awaiting book 2 in the series. Unfortunately, I could find no info on the release of that novel or even a working title so sadly I in the dark completely BUT based off of the 2 I have read, I have high hope for the sequel. If you are looking for a great read with strong and loyal character that you will most probably fall in love with, then look no further! Emerge: The Awakening is an action packed, emotionally driven story that is sure to draw you in.
“I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own” -
This is the first book in a fantastic new series that I have loved every word of. This is a world of Immortals and mortals, where you can't die but you can be murdered, where the amount of power you have corresponds to how people react to you.
Allie has lived an unconventional life so far, globetrotting with her parents but always alone. She has made few friends as most people seem to be uncomfortable around her. She no longer questions this, instead accepts it as inevitable. Just as she thinks she is making headway with a friend/boyfriend, her parents tell her they are moving again. This time she ends up in America. Whilst psyching herself up for starting a new school, she meets a boy called Aidan and a whole new world opens up for her.
This is incredibly well-written and I was completely drawn into the story. I LOVED Allie and her sarcasm. She seriously made me snort out loud on more than one occasion, much to the amusement of my family. The interaction and banter between her and Aidan is fantastic. I will say this, I usually hate love triangles, and I mean loathe them! This somehow didn't seem like that though, and although I like Vince, I really REALLY don't want Allie to be with him. Trust me when I say I have fingers, toes and other body parts crossed for Aidan.
If I had to say anything against this book, I would say that with the amount of characters involved, and their convoluted relationships/bonds, it sometimes made it a bit confusing to figure out just who was what in relation to whom. However, this is something very minor and quickly becomes irrelevant as you become more immersed in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book and found it to be over far too quickly, even though it is a good sized book. Not only can I highly recommend this book, but I will also be on the lookout for the next in the series and waiting with bated breath!
* I received this book from Xpresso Reads in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books! -
Wait! No! That simply CAN NOT be the end! I need more. I must have more! This book was so awesome! I absolutely loved it! The characters were so real and just so cool! The story line was so believable. This whole book was just wow! This was a fantastic paranormal book that gripped me and drew me in from the very first page.
Allie has lived a dull life. She has always felt like an out cast. She has never made any friends because her parents are constantly moving her around the world. Most people cower from Allie's touch. But why? Anytime she starts to relax and let down her guard, they move to a different country. That is until she moves to Kelleys Island. Aiden comes crashing into her life. His reaction to her leaves her reeling. He doesn't cower from her or run in the other direction. With Aiden and his group of friends accepting Allie into their circle, Allie finally feels like she is getting the normal life she has always dreamed of. Then her 16th birthday changes everything! What changes for Allie? What challenges lie ahead for her? Why has the world always treated her like an outcast? To get these answers and more you will definitely have to pick up this book!!
I highly recommend this book. I am still on a book hangover while typing this! This book has definitely gone to the top of my best books read of 2015 list!!! I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series and hope that there are MANY more to come!!! Thank you Melissa for a wonderful read!!! -
In Emerge: The Awakening, we meet Allie, a diminutive teenage girl with fiery red hair and a snarky attitude. She has been on the run, moving from place to place, her entire life, and she's had nary a clue as to why.
But that changes when she meets Aidan, a handsome boy who explains to her that she is an Immortal, a being of incredible untapped power who is about to undergo a change that will transform her life completely.
A fantastic premise, to be sure, and I dove right into the story, which caught my attention with its great characters and dialogue. Allie is wonderfully snarky, which I love, and the interplay between Allie and Aidan was the highlight of the book.
The reason I could not give this book five stars was because, in my opinion, there were time when I felt that there was too much dialogue and not enough exposition. There were many flashbacks, and there were many, many characters (too many to keep track of), and there were a couple of times when I found myself a little lost.
This is a fantastic book, and definitely worth reading. My advice: don't get caught up trying to remember all the characters. Just focus on Allie and Aidan and a few other main characters, and you'll be fine.
Can't wait to see what happens to Allie next. Well done, Ms. Craven! -
I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was a great debut novel. The book was very intriguing when I read the description for it, and I was not disappointed. The story was interesting and enjoyable to read. The plot did drag in some parts, but it was not so bad.
The characters were great too. Allie is a snarky girl. In the beginning, I felt bad for her because she always had to move around and Never had a place to call home. Aidan is handsome, smart and funny. He is an Immortal just like Allie. Their inner dialogues are my favourite part of this book. The secondary characters were good too.
However, the dialogue did take away time in the story. Hence, I gave the book a 3.5/5. I thought that the mixture of fantasy and a bit of historical genre was a good blend. I can't wait to read the other books in the series to find out what happens next. Overall, a great read. -
When I saw this book on Netgalley, I loved the cover and was really interested in reading it. But this turned out to be one of those don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover case. The writing was flat, making the characters look flat. Added to that, the instant friendship felt off and the characters had an emo thing going, like they couldn't decide which mood they wanted to be in. It was annoying. And the way all the kids were straight-forward and told their feelings honestly to each other? What teen does that? It was unrealistic.
Even more annoying, the constant shifting from guy-to-guy without a specific love triangle thing going on. The twists that came out of nowhere without proper explanations. There was no specific plot-line either. The scenes didn't seem to lead to a proper intense climax and were too frivolous at times.
I really tried to like this book but it just wasn't for me.
***Note: Received from Netgalley for an honest review. -
Got this on a whim. Never heard of the author but the cover art was so awesome I couldn't resist. Amazing, completely unexpected and original story. This author is golden! Lots of reviews say it's a slow start, but I didn't get that at all. The first chapter really took off and the pace was steady not slow. About the halfway point the pace just exploded like crazy from there and I thought it was a nice steady build up to that point. Loved the histories of the Immortals, great characters and awesome world building. Seriously, everything in YA has been done to death and this author managed to create something fresh and original. I feel like i just read the next big thing that no one knows about yet. If you love YA get this book. If you are sick of dystopian get this book. This series is one to watch.
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This book is fantastic!! Melissa A. Craven certainly created characters who are both interesting to follow and watch develop in a unique manner. It is fascinating to watch the young people in the story, especially Allie, learn from their elders and become aware of their own strengths and special abilities and support each other in a powerful way. This book is truly captivating and holds the readers attention from beginning to end. It is a must read for those who truly like a good fantasy. You will fall in love with the characters and the story line. Looking forward to future releases from this author.
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Thank-you so much for writing this book. Allie is the epitome of what every parent secretly wishes their daughter was like. In addition, the chemistry between Allie and Aiden is palpable. From page one, Allie made me want to know more about her. Her constant moving is reminiscent of my children's military life. When we first meet Aiden, it is hard to tell whether he is a good bad guy, or a very bad good guy. Still, it is easy to see why Allie wants to know more...If I have any negatives about this book, it is that it ended to soon. lol
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This book snagged me from the start. I love it that not everything is clear and I can't predict what's going to happen. The characters are well-developed and the storyline moves along at a good pace.
I love Allie and Aiden! I can't wait for book 2, so can find out if they are Complements- you'll just have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about!
If you like YA adventure/paranormal romance, I highly recommend!
