★★
Awakened is the first book from the Vampire Awakening Series and it is written by USA Today bestselling author Brenda K. Davies. This is a book where a guy meets a girl. Girl has a secret and tells it on their first date. Boy is a vampire, but we are 80% in the book until it’s mentioned (even though title clearly states it, and you keep expecting it to happen). When secret is told – boy gives girl a choice to escape. Girls chooses to stay, and boy becomes possessive because he wants her too much. Then he does something to her, kind of against her will. And then they live happily ever after.
If I was a few years younger, I would have loved this book, probably because I wouldn’t have noticed all the glitches in it. But right here, right now – I didn’t enjoy it as much I wanted too.
Strong, sexual language and sex scenes can be found throughout the book. This was a book from my sister Tea’s Wishlist Challenge – and I was embarrassed to tell her I am reading this book – because I knew what kind of scenes she has read…
Apart from that – the characters were unrealistic. And unlikable. I liked their friends and their enemies more than I liked the main characters.
Sera – a girl that doesn’t talk to men, and has her own opinion on things, suddenly meets this guy, and he becomes possessive of her, and her character development stops right here. She keeps nodding at him, and obeys his every command. Not much of a heroine, is she?
Liam – a guy that is actually a vampire, but doesn’t tell Sera until things get really serious. He lies to her, is possessive, wants to kill everyone that touches her, and loves her and wants her so much that he has to turn her into a vampire, otherwise he’ll kill her. Really?
Now, if we take the fact that this is a vampire book – firstly, we don’t get to read about vampires until the book is almost finished. And when we do, it is unfinished, and barely even described. I don’t know anything about the way they become vampires, how they survive in the world, how they feed, how they die, but apparently, they can have children, so I guess the author covered everything. Oh, and, also – vampires can walk into the sun, but the more they kill, the more the sun hurts them. So believable – and FAIR.
The only thing that I liked was the ending – the point about how children are possible seemed to have worked out well. Not believable, but it was nice to see that as a theory. And it was also a great layout for the next story to come – which I will be reading, just to see if this writing will improve.
What is your favorite vampire book?
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I haven’t read a vampire book in ages. It looked good too, pity it wasn’t. Great review.
Thank you! A pity indeed. I will still read the second one in the series, just to see if the writing can improve.
This is one of my favourite ever book series and it is my favourite Vampire series. It’s funny how people have such different reactions to the same book.
Awwwh, I am glad you liked it – wjat did you like the most?
I like Liam’s commitment to Sera, and the bond between Liam, Mike, Jack, Doug and David. I liked that Sera and Liam were really the same age because of when they were all turned. I guess for me it was like we read a different book, because of what we took from it and I don’t find that a bad thing to be honest. I am fine with steamy sexual encounters and am used to them, they seem to be a staple in adult paranormal and supernatural romances.I liked Liam’s patience with Sera about her reluctance for becoming intimate, he wasn’t pushy and he understood why. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I liked the build of the story and it’s conclusion.
I will admit that this is not my favourite book in the series but I do love every book Brenda K Davies (who also writes under the pen name Erica Stevens) has ever done. I do understand your point of view but I guess the erotica level of Awakened’s intimate scenes pale in comparison to other supernatural romances that I have read.Those scenes don’t bother me and I liked the pace of this book. I will say that if the sexual content in this book was uncomfortable for you.,(of course, not everyone likes sexy scenes) then you would not like the rest of this series. I still enjoyed your review and can appreciate our different views. 🙂
Ahh, I see. I can understand your points and there is truth in them. I also did like Liam and Sera’s attraction to each other, but once Liam started going crazy possessive, and kept lying etc. (for example, there were many things he wouldn’t have confessed, if Sera didn’t find from other places).
I also liked the friends gang, they were all quite funny. And the sex scenes didn’t bother me at all, I love reading about them, I am just unsure whether it’s suitable for teen kids, like my sister, who is 14.
I like your points of view, and I am actually glad I found someone who I can talk to about it. Not sure if many people have read it 📖💖
I understand why you feel that way about finding this on your sisters wish list. Brenda’s other pen name is more aimed at the YA readers. I would advise that The Captive Series would be more suitable for your sister to read in a couple of years, I would still say 16+ for that series. Having said that, I was reading Stephen King at 14. 🙂
I think I snagged this one on a freebie day, even though I don’t read vampire books – I cannot resist a freebie 😉
Yes, me too! I snagged the first three books for free 😀
Bummer! Hope your next read is much better.
Thank you! xx
Sorry you didn’t like it. I do love a good vampire book 🙂
I love myself a good vampire book too, but this one sadly didn’t make it 🙂