Book Review- Awakened, Book 1 of the Guardian Legacy

By Ednah Walters

Published by Pill Hill Press

Released on August 22nd, 2010

Source- Ednah Walters

4.5 Stars- I recommend picking this book up

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons, but no one told her she is not supposed to fall in love with one. At approximately 87,000 words, THE AWAKENING written by my client Ednah Walters is a compelling young adult paranormal romance novel.

Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware she's a Guardian—a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. But when she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can destroy their growing relationship. He's part demon.

But in her heart, Lil knows Bran is not evil. So when her grandfather is kidnapped by a powerful nature-bender and Bran is the only one who knows where he's being kept, Lil convinces the other Guardians to trust him, not knowing her grandfather is just the bait. And the truth that she discovers in the demonic enclave may just destroy everything she believes in, unless she makes the right choice—love and sacrifice (quoted from Goodreads).

I really enjoyed Awakened, as Ednah gave her debut book a very unique, captivating spin. It's not just another angel vs demons book. I felt drawn into the story from the get go and enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and learning more about the Guardian world. I really liked Awakened's mythology and real world setting. Ednah does a great job at making the story come to life, as she drew me into with her vivid descriptions and memorizing plot.

From page one I was drawn into the mysterious world that 16 year old Lil learns about through Bran, the secretive, hot new guy she meets who completely turns her world upside down. There's more to Bran than Lil knows.... Lil learns who she really is as she unravels secrets her Grandfather had kept from her until now. With powers awakening in her she never knew she had, Lil is about to enter a world she never thought existed. Angels and Demons have the power to manipulate the elements, control time and either save or wipe out the human race.

Awakened has a whole cast of unforgettable characters, and though many of them have varying degrees of powers, I found them to be real and I was able to connect to them on some level. I really liked Lil, even though at times I felt she was a little too emotional. I can't blame her, as she finds out her Grandpa is a leader of Guardians sent to protect the humans. Her father is... well for the sake of not giving away spoilers, a very powerful guy, whom she gets many of her powers from, and she's surrounded by a group of Guardians whom become more than friends, something she's never had. Lil is a character who's true to her word, strong, accepting, loving and when she makes a decision, she follows through. Sometimes her choice isn't the best, but life is about learning and that's something Lil is learning.

I love her Grandfather and understood why he tried so hard to protect her. I really enjoyed watching Bran and Lil's relationship grow. Feeling like out casts, both of them found acceptance, trust and love in each other. For me Awakened is a fulfilling, intriguing, read with suspense, action, and romance, woven together with a great mythology. Even though I didn't feel lost as to who was who or what was going on, Awakened has a helpful glossary for of the lineage of the Nephilim, the characters and glossary of terminology. I enjoyed escaping into the world of Awakened and while I am very satisfied with the story, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel, Betrayed, to find out what happens next. This is one book I will read again and one I definitely recommend.

To learn more, be sure to visit Ednah's site here http://ednahwalters.blogspot.com/