Title: Awaken
Author: Michelle Bryan
Series: New Bloods Trilogy, #1
Genres: Dystopian, Sci-Fi
Publication/Year: • 2014
Page Numbers: 216
Synopsis from Goodreads:
"Imagine a world devastated by The Shift. The cities left in ruins and the people all gone. Technology now nothing but the subject of folklore. Each and every day a struggle to survive. This is Tara's world.My Rating: ★★★.75
Raised as a survivor in the harsh, lawless sand lands, Tara is no stranger to hardship. But when her village is destroyed and the young people taken by the merciless Prezedant, she quickly learns how much of a fighter she truly is.
Now on a quest to rescue her only remaining kin, she is joined by the most unlikely of companions. Together, this little band of travelers will face dangerous adversaries on their journey into the unknown. Nothing will ever be the same."
Quote(s) I Like:
"She laughs at herself. I laugh too though I don't think it's funny at all but I don't wanna be ill mannered." - Tara
"I'm sorry child but you must stay alive." - Gra'da
My Thoughts:
Going to start by saying chapter one is crucial in understanding the culture and how the characters speak so be mindful of chapter one! Totally helps because the writing can make you think there is an error, but its just the way they talk after the Shift.
The main character, Tara, is basically an orphan living in Rivercross after the Shift. She was taken in by her gra'da when he found her as a baby. The story starts off on Tara preparing to celebrate her born day. She goes out to check the trapline, runs into Ben and then notices the metal monsters. When the metal monsters arrive she is forced to hide, young are taken and adults killed. All she can remember is gra'da telling her to go to another place to find a woman. The rest of the story is about her journey.
Tara isn't the average 18 year old and is destined for much more. After meeting a few people and encountering a few things she gives into her destiny.
Although this novel is amazingly written I just personally couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I found Tara to be a bit stubborn and her journey long and overdrawn.
Looking forward to reading the second book just to see where it goes.
Have you read this book?