The Waking Land (The Waking Land, #1)

by Callie Bates

[Sam@WLABB]

There was a lot more than the land waking in this tale. This was a story of a young woman awakening from years of imprisonment to realize that she had been peddled lies, and that she had a legacy which she needed to fully embrace.

This book was not perfect, but I liked a lot of things about it.

The earth magic - I found Elanna's link to the land quite interesting and Bates' descriptions had me fully enthralled. I still have some questions regarding this magic, Jahan's as well, and I hope to learn more in the next installment.

The history and the old ways were also very intriguing. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Alanna's power and the history of the Caveadear and the kingdoms. I hope more will be revealed in subsequent books to fill in those gaps regarding the Caerisian people.

Elanna's squad was filled with many complex and appealing characters. The females were all quite empowered, and definitely played a huge role in her growth over the course of the story. But there was so much more to this group of people brought together by a revolt. I loved their dynamic and found the bond that grew between them quite special.

I always love the romance in a book, so it was no surprise to me that I loved Elanna and Jahan so much. The push and pull as they tried to resist each other, and the way Elanna struggles with her obligation to Caeris and the wants of her heart. I was totally on board this ship.

Elanna was a characters with quite a few flaws. At 19, everything she believed had been shattered. She was then asked to put her life on the line to protect people she believed betrayed her many years ago. She did make some poor choices and some mistakes, but these were the missteps that shaped her and helped her grown into the woman and leader that was needed for this revolution.

Overall: a good beginning to a promising series.

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