The Awakening (Darkest Powers, #2)

by Kelley Armstrong

Book II in the Darkest Powers trilogy takes us deeper into a world where the supernatural intrudes on the everyday with riveting effect.

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl – someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment – not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends – a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch – and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

• ISBN10: 0385665350
• ISBN13: 9780385665353
• Publish Date: 28 April 2009
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: Doubleday Canada
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780385665353

Reviews

[Leigha]

A young woman learns she has extraordinary powers in this young adult romance.

I read the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong ages ago. During a reading slump around Thanksgiving last year, I decided to re-read the series again. I devoured the trilogy in less than a week! I’ll be writing an overview of the series rather than a review of each book, but I will attempt to be as spoiler free as possible.

I absolutely adore the main character, Chloe Saunders. She is smart, practical, and caring without being boring or unrelatable. Her motivations are always understandable. Her film screenwriting aspiration not only developed her character beyond the immediate story, it created a more atmospheric setting. The secondary characters all contain a certain amount of depth too. I adore the relationships Chloe builds with the others, especially with Tori. Chloe and Tori have a contentious relationship throughout the series. Their relationship seems to be a realistic portrayal of two women with very different personalities stuck in very close quarters.

The action-packed pacing moves forward the characters and plot at a pleasing clip. Two devices that usually drive me crazy in a story – love triangles and short timelines – are seamlessly woven into the narrative. I actually enjoyed both these devices so much more than in other stories! The intriguing world-building invests me not only in this series, but the rest of the world. I adore its focus on necromancy. Not something you read about every day!

My only complaint is the story feels unfinished. While the immediate arc is completed, so many other elements are left unfinished. I intend to read the companion series, The Darkness Rising, in hopes some of these lose ends are officially tied up.

tl;dr An action-packed thriller with a strong female character learning about love and life.

Somehow my ratings and reviews were lost for this book series, so my review won't be as detailed as before.

I loved this book series and I read them as fast as I can. I love the main character Chloe and the world the author created. Chloe and the people she meets along the way go through quite a roller coaster of events.

This has a little bit of everything with action, paranormal, fantasy, and a little romance (Which is just how I like it, just blended into the story and not the main focal point.)

I would definitely recommend this book series to people.

[Amanda]

Liked this second book even more than The Summoning. Where The Summoning took time to build to the action, The Awakening jumped right back into the story. Though it's been a few months since I read The Summoning, it was easy to get back into the world and what was going on. This was a relatively quick read that was engaging and entertaining. We were able to get more information about the Edison Group, though this seemed to deepen the mystery even as it answered questions.

Chloe goes through quite a bit of turmoil as she comes to terms with her ability and how that affects the rest of her life. She tries to be strong and tough, though, of course, half the time it leads her down the wrong path. But she is changing and growing as a character, and I'm curious to see how it all ends up.

[Hixxup]

This was definitely better than the first book, and I liked the first book. I can't wait until I can get Reckoning. I'm beginning to wonder if there is going to be something between Chloe and Big D as I like to call him. They've been getting awfully close. But then it's like there is something brewing between her and Simon as well. Tori, i'm still pretty leery of her, i'm afraid she's a spy from the start, but we shall see.

[elysium]

The Awakening starts from where The Summoning left. Chloe, Tori and Rae has been recaptured by the Edison Group. Chloe and Tori escapes and starts to search for Derek and Simon. After they are reunited they decides that the best solution is to look for a family friend of Derek and Simon who could help. They’re trying to learn to control they’re new powers and to figure out what was done to them.

It’s been some time since I read the first book and didn’t remember these were so much fun!

Chloe is trying to learn how to control necromancy and her power just seems to grow. She’s also trying to accept what she learned about her Aunt who was always there for her.

I like her , and the fact that she doesn’t come complete idiot when a boy is around, and she is starting to believe in herself more. Sure she does some stupid decisions that leads her needing to be rescued but still. From the first book she has had a crush on Simon who is this nice, thoughtful guy but there is also Derek who most of the time is kinda rude at everyone but at times is kind and caring.

I liked Simon and thought he was fun but Derek is the mysterious one. Chloe understand him and helps him with his struggle with the wolf. And I can’t feel hoping there would be more between the two!

I wish we would have been told more about how the kids have been genetically altered. It’s told that they were but never more than that. And it doesn’t come clear what is supposed to be normal so you don’t really know how different the kids really are.

Personally I found it interesting when we found out that Simon has diabetes. It doesn’t come across often in the books and not with something about medication plan explained. And even though it’s not a big deal in the story, there is still the proper information.

I really enjoyed this and it was kinda quick read too. Can’t wait to start Armstrong’s adult serie too!

[Jo]

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying. From Amazon UK

I was so excited I received this book for Christmas, seeing as I loved The Summoning so much. The Summoning was so exciting, with great characters and such a cool plot, so I was chuffed to have received this book. I've now read it, and I'm feeling a little disappointed.

Don't get me wrong, the book itself wasn't bad; the characters are just as awesome as they were before, the writing as just as good, there's no fault there. I think my problem is with the plot. I haven't read the third book in the series, The Reckoning, yet, obviously, but it felt to me like Kelley knew how the series was going to end, but couldn't just start The Reckoning after The Summoning, so needed The Awakening as filler to bridge the gap. Not an awful lot happens for a book of it's length. Before I knew it, I was over half way through, and still waiting for something important to the actual plot line from The Summoning.

I shall continue for now with some positives, because there were some really good bits! I love the way Kelley writes; Chloe's voice, thoughts and fears are just so fascinating, you don't want to put the book down. I want to get to know Chloe, and the others, better because their lives and what they're going through is just so clever. Chloe learns a little more about her necromancy ability in this book, and it's kind of freaky just how far she can go. Tori has to face some harsh truths, and I can't help but feel sorry for her, even when she is being a cow. Derek is so awesome, I swear; he's strong, he's brave, he's self-sacrificing, he's just brilliant! Simon is lovely, but he annoys me sometimes with just how nice he is. I know he likes Chloe, but he shouldn't be so happy-cheery all the time, it's grating. Liz is still one of my favourite characters, she's just on the right side of quirky, and I love her! I am liking the hint of a love triangle that weaves its way throughout the book, though I know who I would choose.

They find out something fairly huge about themselves in this book, and it puts them all on edge a little, though I can't really go into why without spoiling a major plot point (which I would like to point out we find out at the very beginning of the book). There is a fair amount of action, of the creepy ghost/zombie kind, dodging baddies kind, and fighting kind, and it's all suspenceful and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Quite a bit of a thrill rollercoaster.

This all sounds pretty good, right? So why am I disappointed? So much of what happens is just not necessary to the plot. I suppose there is the possibility that there are going to be things happening in The Reckoning that link back to small events from this book, but from what's hinted at, at the end of this book, it doesn't look likely. These small events happen, then they're over, and I'm thinking "Why was that there?" We hear from authors that when their books are edited, the editors get the authors to cut out the "filler" that's just not neccesary, to make the book tighter, and to me, it seems they forgot a fair amount. Sure, it's all interesting to read, but just leaves me thinking why? In my opinion, this book could be compressed to a third of its length.

Saying all that, The Awakening is a fairly quick read, and there are a few major plot points that are imperative to the story, so you can't just skip this book. And as I said, I did enjoy reading it, I was just a little let down. If you read and enjoyed The Summoning, I say you should definitely read this book, because The Reckoning, which will be released 6th April 2010, looks to be incredible and this book needs to be read before it. Over all, not a bad book, but did leave me wanting more. I'd still recommend it to all fans of the Darkest Power series.

From Once Upon a Bookcase - YA book blog

[jeannamichel]

It was okay. I mean the ending disappointed me. It just ended. No cliff hanger, just, "oh, we'll see you next time." I just didn't like it.
I enjoyed the different realtionship- as I'm hoping that Simon and Chole have a thing, but they also showed the Derek and Chole bit and that made me want Simon and Chole together even more. If that makes any sense.