Awakened Review

Awakened by PC and Kristin Cast

Maybe I've just become immune to the House of Night, but I actually didn't think this was the worst the series has to offer.

Spoilers Ahead

Zoey starts off the book being a whiny baby. She wants all the benefits of being the super special fledgling high priestess specifically chosen and blessed by Nyx, but she doesn't want any of that pesky saving the world business to be her responsibility. So, even though Neferet got the blessing of the council and was reinstated as the high priestess at the Tulsa HON, Zoey wants to stay of the Isle of Sky and hide from her responsibilities. And everyone there is willing to indulge her.

And it seems that, in order for Zoey to see the error of her ways, someone has to die. This time it's Jack. I accidentally got spoiled with this, but I didn't really expect that it'd be so early in the book. Neferet owed the darkness the blood of an innocent, and Jack was it. Unselfishly, Zoey decided to return to Tulsa to be there for her friends that she's barely talked to for 2 books.

So let me cover some problems I had with this book, though I'll probably sound like a broken record. When will the authors realize that people are not just stereotypes? Sure, stereotypes exist for a reason, but most people are more than that. But not in HON world. It's like the authors went out of their way to make Damien and Jack the most stereotypical gay men ever. And Kramisha talks in this weird ghetto way just to point out she's black. And if there isn't a stereotype for the character, they just disappear... like the twins, whose names I can't even remember because they were barely present in this book.

And I've hated the way the authors have crucified Erik. He turned into a coward because he dares to want to leave the Tulsa HON and go to LA to do what he's gifted at. Zoey has already banished him from her inner circle so he's not important anyway. But Zoey graciously forgives him for his horrible behavior so all is well and he learns to accept his lot in life as a seeker for 3 years.

But most of the book deals with Stevie Rae, and maybe that's why it wasn't so bad. I actually felt for her and Rephiam during their portion of the book. But, despite taking most of the book, there's not much to say. Rephiam chose Stevie Rae over Kalona and, as a result, became a real boy. Well, kind of. He's a bird during the day and a boy at night. So kind of like a reverse were.

Neferet used this to try to get people to turn on Zoey, Stevie Rae and the rest of the group... so they decided to leave and form their own HON in the tunnels.

Neferet also has no control over Kalona anymore and chooses to align herself with the white bull. The white bull can create a vessel that will serve the same purpose as Kalona and it require the sacrifice of... surprise surprise... someone just like Zoey's grandmother. But her grandmother isn't there when Neferet goes to her. Zoey's mother is, so she's the sacrifice.

Then, because Nyx doesn't meddle at all in the lives of her people, she finds a loophole in the vessel creation and can put someone in it so she picks Heath. Heath jumps at the chance to be near Zoey again and goes for it.

End Spoilers

The book was kind of ridiculous. And I can't begin to express my hatred for the word "bullpoopie." But it was better than the last. It did have one really funny crack at Anita Blake, though it wasn't written well enough to really tell if it was at the character or the author. And at least it moved forward a little. I do hope it's over soon, though, so I can get off this train wreck. 3 out of 5

Read my reviews on the rest of the series on goodreads
Marked
Betrayed
Chosen
Untamed
Hunted
Tempted
Burned