Reawakened (Reawakened, #1)

by Colleen Houck

[Artemis]

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I really can't tell you what possessed me to pick this book up again. Back in 2015 I attempted to read this and quickly (about 6 chapters in) gave it up. Colleen Houck provides the world with another culturally insensitive series about a rich white girl who stumbles upon an ancient quest to save the world from a ancient nasty.

There were a whole slew of problems for me, some that overlapped with the issues I had taken with Tiger's Curse series, which I painfully read all of. Lilliana Young is a terrible heroine. Instead of creating a deeper more expansive character, Houck relies on Lily to tell you that just because she's rich she isn't narcissistic or snobby or entitled because of her wealth but rest assured her actions will prove that she is some spoiled rich girl who stumbles upon an unlikely situation. Houck wastes all chances to redeem Lily (and just about every other character).

I've bullet pointed the remaining things I've had issues with.

-Amon conveniently whisks Lily away to Egypt, but don't worry Amon can bend time to send her back before this whole incident and her parents won't be mad!
-Culturally insensitive, cultural misappropriation - Houck whitewashed every character in this series, much like she did in Tiger's Curse series.
-The mythology was a mix of different interpretations and translations of myths -- advice is to pick one and stay with it. Also Seth?? It's Set. She used the Greek version of EVERYTHING. If Amon was born before the dynasties then they wouldn't have had these Greek versions or even recognized them! Do you research, and vet the sources you are choosing.
-The dialogue was atrocious. Amon and his brothers would lack common understanding of just about everything. What pissed me off the most was the inclusion of "gravity" in the Nut-Geb story retelling.

If you enjoy needless and un-complex "insta-Romance" that butchers Egyptian mythology and history - congrats you've found the book for you! If you don't stay far away from this series and probably any other series Houck writes in the future.