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The Awakened #1

Blood Awakens

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Fans of The Young Elites and Year One will devour this diverse, post-apocalyptic, paranormal series.

People called Sean a blood guide, though he never fully understood why. As far as he knew, he could hear heartbeats and heal people. It wasn’t until he walked in on his brother’s brutal murder that he learned of the darker nature of his power: blood speaks to him, and he to it. With a simple song, he can command it to do whatever he wants, and in that moment, he showed his brother’s murderers no mercy. Now Sean must fight to keep his inner demons in check and his path to redemption begins with the establishment of a sanctuary for people like him, people with powers, the Awakened.

Two years after the Awakening, after the wars that destroyed entire societies and brought about "the end of the world," Graciela and her brother Santiago are struggling to survive. Graciela is one of many who never Awakened, but she’s watched as her brother’s power as an empath—the ability to sense other’s emotions—has brought him to the brink of death. Together, they set across Central America in search of a cure, or at the very least, safety in a crumbling, dangerous world. What they find is a sanctuary called Hope, the same one Sean governs.

But they soon discover that even from within the compounds of the sanctuary, no one is safe. Not when there are people in the world with unimaginable power and an insatiable bloodlust.

Important note for readers: This book is "new adult" fantasy, with moderate violence, and one or two mild curse words, but otherwise appropriate for mature teenagers and older. There is no sex or drugs in this book.

601 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2019

56 people are currently reading
112 people want to read

About the author

Jessaca Willis

31 books258 followers
JESSACA is a fantasy writer with an inclination toward the dark, epic, and romance sub-genres. She draws inspiration from books like the Nevernight Chronicles & ACOTAR, videogames like Dark Souls III, and television shows like Game of Thrones and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

She is a self-proclaimed nerd who loves cosplay, video games, and comics, and if you live in the PNW, you just might see her at one of the local comic conventions in one of her favorite RWBY cosplays!


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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Jessaca Willis.
Author 31 books258 followers
June 21, 2019
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I feel very slimy leaving my own book a review, but it is the best way to make an announcement about the book, and I have a lot to say!

First, let me tell you a little about this story and how it came to be (skip the next 3-4 paragraphs if you'd rather jump to the book links). In 2015, I had just returned from a trip to Guatemala to wrap-up my final year of grad school, but I was feeling a bit lost. My day job at the time was no longer feeling meaningful and I was beginning to question whether or not I was wasting time (and money) on studying for a degree I might be losing interest in. I only had six months left before finishing so I was committed, but in order to get through the next few months with my sanity intact, I knew I would need a new passion project to keep me going.

At the same time, I had just finished watching HBO's True Blood series, and I was starting to wonder why every book, TV show, and movie seemed to be about vampires when there are so many other interesting and terrifying "creatures" in our imaginations. I wondered if all of them had already been made-up, or if I could create any of my own, so I started jotting down ideas. Turns out, most of the "creatures" and "powers" I created, were either directly derived from a popular being of magic, or heavily giving a nod to one.

But once I had a list of about twenty, some of them started coming to life in my head. I couldn't stop thinking, "What if people really did have powers? What would that do to the world?" I imagined the family I stayed with in Guatemala, and how their lives might've been different if some of them were suddenly able to hear thoughts, create balls of fire in their hands, or, say, sense each others' emotions (*cough cough* like one of the characters in this book).

Blood Awakens began as an attempt to create new creatures of magic, but wound up being more of an experiment in what humanity would do if supernatural powers were suddenly introduced into our lives. For those choosing to read it, I hope you enjoy it!

Now for my announcements:

THE BOOK COVER FOR BLOOD AWAKENS IS FINALLY COMPLETE! And if you couldn't tell, I am over the moon about it! Daqri Combs, if you're reading this, you did a fantastic job! <3

My other announcement is that you can now get Blood Awakens on NetGalley! But have no fear, if you aren't a member on NetGalley you can still get a copy of Blood Awakens on Amazon. OR if you're mildly interested but not sure you want to invest in a debut indie author with no cred, or just unsure if this type of story would speak to you, you can also download the short story prequel The Awakening for free from StoryOrigin (this link also signs you up for my newsletter, but feel free to unsubscribe if you decide my writing isn't for you!).
Profile Image for Kalyn✨.
541 reviews88 followers
June 26, 2019
That COVER! Kudos to the designer, Daqri Combs, because dang. If you're as blown-away as I am, you can find her other work here. She's brilliant.

Okay, now for the actual book.

Blood Awakens follows four people as they navigate the emergence of the Awakened and society's immediate hatred of them. Sean is what society now calls a blood guide: he can hear heartbeats and control blood flow, which can either heal people or mercilessly kill them. Graciela is an Unawakened meaning she has no powers, but she's heavily involved because her brother is an empath. They may be different, but they all want the same thing: safety. But in a world filled with hate and bloodlust, is that even possible?

I think the writing is absolutely wonderful for a debut series, but there are definitely a few times where it seems a bit clumsy. That being said, I cannot wait to see how Willis grows as an author. She's definitely somebody to keep an eye out for in the genre!

This novel is filled with suspense and keeps you on your toes, and the characters are all easy to love and empathize with. Not to mention, the idea of a blood guide is so unique- I've never seen a similar power before.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of Blood Awakens. :-)
Profile Image for Dr. Andy.
2,537 reviews260 followers
March 15, 2020
3.5/5

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley

Blood Awakens was an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic genre. When the Awakening causes various people to sprout new abilities, the world is thrown into chaos. Groups polarize and begin hunting both the Awakened and the unawakened. Every day life has become chaos and the ultimate fight to survive. The overall atmosphere reminded me a lot of The Darkest Minds.

This story revolves around four main characters: Sean, a blood guide. Mara, a charmer. Santiago, an empath. And Graciela, Santiago's sister and unawakened. Sean is a big leadership role throughout the story and as a blood guide, his ability to use others' blood is both feared and respected. Mara was a fierce warrior and instantly one of my favorite characters. Graciela was so kind and amazing, the lengths she went to take care of her brother were amazing. Santiago was a character I really struggled with, which I'll explain a bit more about.

I usually struggle with the post-apocalyptic genre, because it is very depressing. There's only so much fight for survival/hunger games vibes I can handle. And I was feeling that for the first 20-30% of this book. Every chapter was a struggle for me and I was having trouble connecting with the story and characters. I think the main reason was because the beginning is very Santiago heavy and I can't completely like him. There were so many little comments he made that were sexist, and so narcissistic. Santiago was also a very selfish character, so I had to take many breaks from him.

However, the saving grace came in the form of Mara. Mara isn't introduced until a bit of a ways into the book. But as soon as she started having a POV, I was in love and ready to invest every single minute into her story. Mara is a powerful, and intense fighter. Not only with her ability to take away a person's willpower as a charmer, but physically and mentally. She's also a very guarded character, but I loved getting to know her throughout this story. After her introduction, I found it so much easier to care about the characters, except Santiago. He's got some growing to do.

Graciela and Santiago begin their story somewhere in Central America. They have been run out of their home and begin working their way to Texas in the hopes they can find an Awakened sanctuary. Sean is the head of one sanctuary, out in California, and Mara is his second-in-command and defense trainer. The four ultimately cross paths and try to assimilate the siblings to life in Hope. However, a group of Sanguinators, twisted blood guides, are determined to have Graciela and drain her blood for their own sustenance.

This main conflict was very slow to come to fruition, but there was so much to learn about the world, that I wasn't worried about the plot. The world building was very interesting, but at times there was not enough and other times, there was too much I was confused. Of the awakened, every power has a name, but these titles are not always explained which was quite confusing.

Overall, I am interested to learn more about the world and while I'm not the biggest fan of Santiago, I love all of the other characters I met.
Profile Image for Alaina.
7,376 reviews203 followers
January 15, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blood Awakens was AMAZING! I honestly didn't know what I was going to get when I got that lovely email of being accepted to read this ARC. Yet, I wasn't disappointed one bit. Maybe it's because I just watched both zombieland movies that anything post-apocalyptic makes me happy or even more intrigued? No idea, but loved everything about this one.

This book follows about four people throughout the entire thing but you should definitely look out for Sean and Graciela. They were my obvious favorites but they were interesting when they were completely different people but wanted the same goal. He has this super cool power to control blood flow. No idea why anyone wouldn't want that superpower because it seems pretty freaking cool or kind of gross if you don't like blood. So, he can either heal someone or kill them. Plain and simple. Then there's Graciela who has no powers. Just a regular ole' human like us folks.

Each chapter sucked me even further into their stories. Again, I just loved every damn second of it that I can't wait for the next book to come out!!

Profile Image for Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans .
1,524 reviews436 followers
July 3, 2019

Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: Blood Awakens
Author(s): Jessaca Willis
Character(s):
Graciela Canul Ortiz: Brunette
Mara Giordano: Green
Sean: Brown Eyed
Santiago Canul Ortiz: 20 years old, Brunette
Setting: USA
Tag(s): Contemporary, Fantasy, Dystopia, Sci-Fi
Content Rating:R
POV: Alternate between Heroines/Hero; Third Person
Smexy Level: Subtle
Favorite Quote(s):
― “Today will be filled with the light and peace I bring to it. I control my happiness.”
Overall Opinion:
Jessaca Willis was able to deliver with her debut series "Blood Awakens". This groundbreaking urban fantasy series started off slow and my initial intake was standoffish but once I was 1/4 through, the momentum started to build up and it became a little more than difficult to put this down. From the beginning to the end, each and every individual character has their own story to share and the author was able emphasized that with the detail writing that could easily immersed anyone to the story. The struggles and life alternating moments everyone suffered through were easily felt through the pages and to sum it up this phenomenal story particularly speaks for itself. In conclusion, "Blood Awakens" is honestly one of the best books I have read this far in the second half of 2019 and would highly recommend anyone looking for dystonia fantasy novel that would surely blow their breath away.

Profile Image for Renee Marski.
Author 93 books80 followers
September 2, 2019
Such an amazing story! Sean is a great leader, kind and understanding. Mara is your tough, no nonsense girl. Graciela is sweet and understanding. Santiago is self centered but fights for those he loves. In this new world of awakened they all have to find their place. Hope is a sanctuary where they can do just that. Until that is shattered by someone evil.

Full of action. Definitely a fun read. Didnt want to put it down. Highly recommend!!
Profile Image for Toya (thereadingchemist).
1,390 reviews190 followers
July 31, 2019
A post-apocalyptic urban fantasy filled with a twist on vampirism? Yes please! Blood Awakens is about a war between two races: those who have been Awakened, supernatural beings that possess special abilities that are tied to some variation of blood magic and those who are Unawakened. The Unawakened are the humans that will stop at nothing until they rid the world of these unnatural beings.

The story follows the lives of four individuals who must band together if they are to survive: 1) Sean: the Awakened blood guide meaning that he has the ability to control blood flow. He can either heal or kill by bleeding someone from every orifice. 2) Graciela: an Unawakened who is the sister of 3) Santiago: the Awakened empath and lastly 4) Mara, Awakened and friend of Sean.

The world building that Jessaca builds is absolutely incredible as well as the visual imagery that she creates in each scene. You can literally feel yourself immersed in every single scene. You can hear the heartbeat that agonizes Sean. You can feel the crushing weight of emotions that makes Santiago buckle at his knees.

Overall, if you love a page turning urban fantasy that is full of twists and turns on the path to safety then definitely pick up Blood Awakens. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to Melanie and Jessaca for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Madhu MaBookYard -.
1,317 reviews29 followers
July 2, 2020
My Rating : 4🌟
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Kindle/ Netgalley/ June2020
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Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions ar emy own and not influenced in any way.
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This book follows our main characters Gaciela, Maria, Sean and Santiago in a Post apocalyptic setting where a set of people called 'Awakened' possessess supernatural abilities(Blood magic hello!) and the others do not.(good ole humans). It follows the war between the two races and how the Unawakened will stop at nothing to wipe the superatural beings clean.
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First, I loved the concept of Blood magic the awakened people possess. I mean, you can either make someone healthy, or just kill them. This book had four main characters and multiple point of views which I absolutely love, and that gave a really good perspective on what was happening and how each character reacted to certain situation. Although all the characters were pretty cool, I absolutely loved Sean(Awakened) and a second close was Graciela(Human). Their take on the situation was the same, but they are completely different people and in the opposite side of the war!
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Second, the story line and the plot was freaking amazing. It totally reminded me of X-men but with Avengers mixed? Does that make any sense? If you combine Jean from X-men with Black widow how cool would that be? Except in male form and with blood magic. It really pulled me in and the progression of the story made each chapter more interesting to read. Plus the romance in this book is very very subtle and does not affect the story whic was a plus for me. I am a romance lover, but I appreciated this book more without much of it.
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Now coming to the pacing of the book, It was quite hard for me to get into the book at first. After a few of procrastinating, I finally pushed through 7 chapters, and then it picked up. After that, I read this book in 2 days! Even without the pacing, this book is 601 pages long. It was a feat to finish, but once the action started, you won't even notice the pacing. There were a lot of interesting take of arguments from each side and it added to the interest factor of the book. Did I already say Sean was my fav? Ah well.. He is. and ya'll should stan him unconditionally. And the way he weilds his power? I wish we had the audiobook to hear the song he uses!
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Overall, I absolutely loved the concept of magic weilding in this book, the war setting in the post apocalyptic world, the characters were unique and had distinct personalities, the pacing was slow at the start, but picked up once you were few chapters in, and the everyday struggle , that little bit of zombie-ness of the storyline.. This book is a complete package. If you don't mind the size of the book, I think any fantasy/ Sci-Fi lovers would fall in love this book! I can't wait for the next book to come out!
Profile Image for Sunny.
119 reviews9 followers
July 2, 2019
I was not quite sure what to expect when I decided to read this book. It was reminiscent to the X-men but instead of being called "Mutants", the changed humans were called the "Awakened". The Awakened are humans who have developed "powers" that separate them from humans without those powers.; The humans who do not have these powers then discriminate against the Awakened, many times in violent fashions just like the humans and mutants in X-Men. In fact, the powers of the "Awakened" were similar with empaths, extremely strong humans, those who could listen to people's thoughts, almost a carbon copy.

This is a book that has multiple point of views which is good when all the characters are interesting. They were not, I wanted to read more about Sean's point of view but instead we got a lot of Santiago and Graciela, the two most boring characters in the whole book. The book started with Sean and then ignored him for many chapters (months passed in this book). When we meet back up with him again, it is not clear how he got to where he was and what happened after we first met him. It really took away from the story. The author attempted to redeem Santiago but it was too late, he had become so unlikable that I was simply not impressed. Overall, this is a story about how humans are unable to handle those that are vastly different from themselves and without being able to get along, death and destruction will follow. I would like to read #2 because I liked the character, Mara, and want to know more about her.
Profile Image for Sue Plant.
2,323 reviews32 followers
June 23, 2019
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping book

and what a book it is....the awakened, people who having amazing abilities but are hounded by the unawakened and killed because the are different and possibly dangerous.....

along the way we meet several characters they are all looking for sanctuary, a place to stay safe and be among people who can help

there are good and bad in both the awakened and unawakened, but can anyone survive the blood guides...the ones that can command blood....a battle is coming...

i found this book gripping and was held captivated by this story and wanted to find out what was going to happen to everyone and i wasnt disappointed...its a rollercoaster of a ride and a book that will make you lose sleep, and for anyone who loved the program alphas or any marvel films this book is for you

have found another author to add my list to keep an eye out for...
Profile Image for Joscelyn Smith.
2,305 reviews17 followers
June 27, 2019
This was totally drawn in starting with the book's cover. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened to these characters in they journey to find sanctuary. All in all the well-written characters and great world building made this a very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Alice Lunsford.
Author 1 book3 followers
April 19, 2019
Absolutely amazing book. I had the pleasure of reading it before release, and I literally cannot say enough great things about it. The story is unique, original, beautifully written, addicting, and so much more. I cannot wait for book two! I HIGHLY recommend this book.
Profile Image for Anne Carty.
237 reviews10 followers
August 2, 2019
In a post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe is definitely my kind of book! Blood Awakens follows the lives of four people: Sean, Mara, Graciela and Santiago as they live each day as it comes in this dystopian world.

At the beginning of this book curiosity peaks as we meet our first of four main characters as we learn what is happening in this story and learn what sort of world this story is set in. We get a sense of danger and a hint of foreshadowing regarding Sean the first character we come in contact with.

Immediately reading the first sentence I became really intrigued by this story so much more than I already was and knew I would like reading it. Jessaca created some mystery and suspense that just made me want to know more and more.

I enjoyed every single page within this story and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel to this so I can learn more about these awesome characters and how they survive the cruel and horrible world that they live in. This is a definite 5 star read and by far one of the best books I have read in a long long time.

http://www.foreverthewanderer.ie/bloo...
Profile Image for Thushara .
385 reviews102 followers
November 17, 2021
This was my first ever post apocalyptic book that I had ever read and it was amazing! In this book, the awakening gives humans special abilities. Of course this divides the people. This book reminded me of I am Legend a bit. Loved the atmosphere of this book. I found it a bit hard to get into it in the beginning but it was fine after that!. Will definitely continue with the series. It's available on KU!

4.5 stars
Profile Image for Fraser's Fun House.
205 reviews4 followers
July 30, 2019
Two years ago a widespread epidemic saw large numbers of the world’s population inexplicably develop supernatural powers, forcing both those Awakened and Un-Awakened into a world where fighting for survival is all that remains . Since then it’s been a case of hunt or be hunted with devastating carnage the only thing left in the wake of those striving to stay alive.

With the world changed beyond recognition Sean uses his own Awakened experience alongside his personal heartbreak to help create a sanctuary for those in need of shelter and help coming to terms with their new reality. Despite the supposed safety of the community Sean and his people understand just how vulnerable their position is, especially with attacks on nearby Awakened communities. They must be poised ready to fight should the need arise, but will they have the strength to prevail?

Graciela is one of the few Un-Awakened left, however instead of staying in her home she has been on the road with her brother Santiago for months after fleeing to help protect him. Santiago is an Empath, which means he absorbs the feelings of others around him. Unable to control his power Santiago is left constantly drained by the overwhelming feelings transmitted by others and Graciela doesn’t know how much longer he will survive in his weakened state without help. With one of the few Awakened sanctuaries as their destination they just have to struggle through each day as it comes and hope they make it in time.

Despite reading the blurb for this book I really had no idea how the story would play out when I initially picked it up, or in fact if it would be something I would enjoy. I need not have worried though as this book starts with one of the most dramatic opening scenes I’ve read in ages, leaving me completely blown away and with a host of questions I was desperate to read on and find out the answers to!

Willis has an absolutely incredible talent for world building, creating mind blowing post-apocalyptic scenes using highly descriptive language that played out vividly in my mind as I eagerly devoured each page. She has created a host of imaginative characters with unique powers, however many have also retained their human characteristics which really gave them that all important believable feel. Despite the desperate situations many of the characters encounter throughout the book there is an overriding theme of community, family, loyalty and hope that perfectly balances the horrors that this newly created world throws up.

Like most first books in a new series this one covers plenty of background detail and has cleverly laid the groundwork for the action seen at its climax whilst setting up the story for what’s in store next – especially with such a teasing cliff hanger which has me gagging for more!

As with all the books that I really fall in love with I have struggled and procrastinated a lot before writing this review so I hope it truly does this amazing book justice. Blood Awakens had me hooked from the first page and took me on a rollercoaster of a ride throughout, keeping me on my toes and unable to predict what would happen next. This is one of the very few books that I could see working perfectly as a film or TV series and I for one would be first in line to watch it if it was!

Blood Awakens is an exceedingly strong debut novel and I personally feel I have found not only a new favourite writer, but that is has a piqued a new interest in novels of this genre, so thank you Jessaca! Puppet Dream is the second book in the Awakened Quartet and I will certainly be first in line to find out the fate of the characters I have become so heavily in
Profile Image for Banshee.
761 reviews72 followers
July 31, 2019
General impressions
At the beginning of my journey into the world of the novel, I had some doubts. The story started rather slow, and the concept, though one I usually enjoy, was not new. I don't know know how and and when, however, but by the time I reached half of the book I was completely hooked. I wanted to learn more about the characters and witness their interactions. My curiosity about this new world spiked and I wanted to have answers to all my questions NOW. That's always a good sign. In the end, obviously I was left with many questions still unaswered upon reading the epilogue, and I can't wait for the second volume.

Worldbuilding
At the beginning, it seemed like another story about people with superpowers. I actually got a similar vibe as from one my favourite tv series, "Heroes", with the exception that in the book the powers were much more widespread and it took place in the distant future, in post-apocalyptic setting. Don't get me wrong, I love superpowers and it was a sheer pleasure to explore what this world had to offer in respect to different powers. "Blood Awakens" didn't stop at that, though. It became more nuanced as the story progressed, with more and more new concepts added. It turned out to be much deeper then I expected and I have a feeling that some more twists are coming in the sequel(s).

Characters
The characters, both the protagonists and the antagonists were well-rounded and flawed each in their own way. And when I say "flawed", I mean it in a positive way, as I enjoy characters in different shades of grey. Graciela was a bit too naive, Mara had a bad taste in guys and Sean had to struggle with controlling a difficult power. The only character I found completely annoying, unlikable and irredeemable was Santiago: stubborn, arrogant, short-sighted, selfish and with surprising lack of regard for other people's feeling for an empath.

Language
The language was smooth and it kept the story flowing in the right way. It was neither too complex, nor too simple (as it often happens in many bigshot YA novels). At times it felt a bit "wooden" and awkward, but since we're talking about a debut author, that's completely to be expected. Finding one's voice takes time and experience.

Final verdict
In the end, the book gave my a captivating story, some fresh ideas sprinkled on top of existing tropes, interesting characters and the need for more of this world. There were flaws, sure, but I can definitely see a big potential for the debut author.

*I received a free copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Calypso Reads.
53 reviews9 followers
July 31, 2019
Blood Awakens is the first installment in ‘The Awakened Quartet’ by Jessaca Willis. Blood Awakens is set two years after ‘The Awakening’ which triggered unusual powers in humans all over. The awakening left both people who had been awakened and the unawakened fighting for their own survival each afraid of the other.

Sean is a blood guide who has the ability to control peoples blood, his power can be used to heal but it can also be used to kill. Affected by the loss of his brother and being outcasted for his awakened power, Sean sets up a sanctuary for all to seek shelter, and help build a community. Attacks on other local sanctuaries leave Sean and the community he’s built on edge.

Graciela and her brother Santiago, are both on the move struggling to get by strapping for food. Whilst Graciela is un-awakened she refuses to leave her brother behind, even though his awakened abilities are beginning to cause problems on his health. Santiago is an empath who has the ability to sense others emotions, which helped lead him to Mara who is at the Hope Sanctuary built by Sean. He manages to convince Graciela to find the sanctuary but they are unaware of the attacks on the sanctuary and the dangers which lie ahead.

Read the full review here - https://whatsinmywonderland.com/2019/...
Profile Image for Melissa Edwards .
13 reviews
June 29, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Initially the text font and spacing threw me off, but the story took me over. First, hurray, for characters of color that are well done and represented on the cover. And the themes of family and unity and love are true, despite the allure of easy success. Second, the world building is done well. I feel the complexity that an Awakened person must survive. Great first book!
Profile Image for Bookish-Tinka.
14 reviews45 followers
July 30, 2019
All the characters in this novel are extremely well written and engaging. Giving you a little glimpse each time into their lives, their thoughts and feelings, I truly felt as though I was living in a post-apocalyptic world where anyone could turn on you in a second if you were “Awakened”, where I truly experience the irrational fear to the unknown.

you can read my full review of this phenomenal book here:
https://littletinkablee.com/2019/07/3...
62 reviews6 followers
September 28, 2019
First off, the cover! That alone made me want to pick up this book for a read, even if it is an ebook. It is powerful.

The characters Blood Awakens are well developed, and the story follows them well as they adjust to their new world and to their new selves. It is humanity in a nutshell within a dystopian fantasy.

Not everyone is brave. Not everyone is invincible. The story shows human nature at its worst and best. As usual there is an “us” and “them”: the Awakened, who have new powers, and the unawakened. The unawakened are fearful and lash out, causing the Awakened to band together in settlements for protection (at best) or to use their powers to destroy others (at worst). Some of the unawakened have family who are Awakened. Some try to help and traipse with them to the settlements (the best) and some kick the Awakened out of their lives (the worst).

The superpowers arrived after World War II and other disasters. The story follows four main characters. Sean turned into a “blood guide,” or someone who can heel as well as drain a person’s blood and life with a simple song. Mara, a former law student from Italy, can now control a person’s mind and actions. Santiago, a soccer player from Central America, becomes an empath who is overwhelmed by people’s feelings. Graciela is Santiago’s sister and who is unawakened but wants to help her brother. The readers follow these four, and some minor characters, and experience the new world through them.

There was a part about midway through when I began to ask, “Will this book ever end?” but that feeling didn’t last for long. By the end I found myself looking forward to Book 2.
Profile Image for Emma.
101 reviews4 followers
October 6, 2019
The premise of this book was really intriguing but I think it could have been executed better. There were so many perspectives and characters to remember that I don't feel like I know any character particularly well and so when they make a decision it seems confusing. The book seemed rushed throughout, not helped by the multiple perspectives. More information on the different types of awakened would be better as the lists of the different types mean very little without a brief overview. I enjoyed it enough to finish but I'm not sure I'll continue with the series.
Profile Image for Meghan.
2,474 reviews
July 10, 2019
This book was received as an ARC from Jessaca Willis Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have never read a book like this before and I mean this in a spectacular way. Fantasy books are my all time favorite genre especially when it involves powers, superhuman/vampire qualities to the characters and plot. But these powers were so unique that they were packed with impressive abilities but also consequential at the same time. The battle Sean had to go through to witness his brother being murdered and the connection he got with his dark power to read and connect to blood was unlike anything I have ever read before and it lead to many obstacles that were exciting and unexpected. But then just when this power seemed unreal, it came with major consequences that Sean and Graciela were not remotely prepared for and they seek to Central America to find a cure for this dark power and put an end to it once and for all. This book is packed with drama, adventure and conflict to the max and was an invigorating experience.

We will consider adding this to our Adult Fantasy collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
Profile Image for Andrew Holtz.
Author 4 books8 followers
October 8, 2019
The characters are relatable and well-developed. The drama is compelling and suspenseful. The way the characters respond to the fantastic challenges of the Awakening feels authentic.
I can't wait for #2!
Profile Image for Kayla Busch.
347 reviews5 followers
July 16, 2020
This book awakened me to the magical and intriguing dystopian world fantasy world. The storyline is fascinating and the characters are really unique and interesting. I found myself drawn to their story and I didn't want to put down this book. The whole concept of the awakening is very fascinating and I loved the magical/power elements in the novel. Sean, Mara, Santiago and Graciela all had unique powers that I haven't seen characters have in novels before and I loved seeing how each of them chose to use their given talents. I honestly didn't want this book to end, it was a thrilling adventure and I can't wait to see what happens in future books.
Profile Image for Tabatha Shipley.
Author 15 books90 followers
August 14, 2019
What I Did Like:
-The characters are well written. I loved each of them and felt like they had depth. I want to find out more about them so I will certainly be eager to get Book 2.
-The world of the Awakened is intriguing. The powers are a good combination of things you’ve heard of before and things you haven’t.
-The world building in this one is well done. A good first book in a series balances questions answered with questions still lingering in order to make you want to read the next book. This absolutely does that.


Who Should Read It:
-Fantasy fans who love world building and strong characters.
-Readers who like stories involving supernatural abilities, powers, and characters learning how to deal with all those entail.

My Rating:
-For me this was 4 stars. The characters were wonderful and I want more of them.

For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/yiFfaKcRmag
Profile Image for TWKS.
138 reviews3 followers
August 12, 2019
What a debut! Amazingly well written book with well developed characters, who are balanced with a lot of exciting action. I can't wait to see where the series goes next. I really liked how we saw the new world from different perspectives. The villain in this story was creepy and terrifying.
8 reviews
July 10, 2019
A futuristic fantasy story of how the world could be if some of us had special powers, and some of us didnt! Would you stand by your loved ones or turn them away as an abomination? Complexities of families and of course, a little bit of romance
Author 1 book1 follower
March 2, 2020
First I must say, as I searched for a book written by an Indie author, the cover drew me in to the Amazon page. I read the description and was interested in the story so I purchased it. I do not regret it one bit

As a reader, I found the story unique. As I read, I wanted to see where the story would take me. I absolutely loved the superpowers highlighted in the book as I am a sucker for uniqueness. I am a slow reader due to the little time I have to read, so it did take me a while to finish. But I finished it and that is a compliment to the author.

As a writer, I found a few things that bring it down half a star. They are things that do not affect the reading quality. Mainly, I was a bit confused by the choices of names and the locations where the characters originated from. I understand loving names and wanting to use them, but felt at times I would have to suspend my disbelief a bit too much. An example would be the name Zane originating as a character from Mexico. Again I will repeat, this is such a minor thing that is still in the realm of reality for the book. Or potentially, a misunderstanding on my end.

Overall I truly enjoyed Blood Awakens, and will be reading the next book by Jessaca Willis.
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