Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

The Awakening
(Darkest Powers, #2)
By: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: April 28, 2009
Genre: YA
Rating:


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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. I’m a living science experiment — not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization call 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.

My thoughts...
There is a lot more action in this book than the previous one and Chloe awakens a lot more zombies both accidentally and intentionally. Now with knowing that they are all running for the lives, Tori, Derek, Simon and Chloe set off to find Simon's father. However, it isn't as easy of an adventure as it sounds since they are short of cash which leaves them sleeping on the streets.

I liked that there was a lot more Derek time in this book. While on the bus, Derek starts to have symptoms of the change and him and Chloe hop off the bus at one of the stops in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping. So a good portion of the book is just Chloe and Derek trying to catch up with Tori and Simon who took the bus all the way to their destination which was about a 12 hr drive.

I think maybe my favorite part of this book was the Syracuse part. Why? Because I'm from Syracuse, I know the bus stop that they stop at in the story. So that was pretty cool for me.

Like I said I liked the Derek and Chloe time in this book. He starts to soften a bit towards her when they are alone and he even gets mighty protective of her at times. At one point of the story it's even mentioned that he had found himself a mate (Chloe). Not only that but Chloe starts seeing Derek in a new light and realizes that she is starting to develop feeling for him. Even more so than she does for Simon.

They are still running from the Edison group and when they finally meet up at their destination they find that the Edison group is one step ahead of them. They were waiting at Simon's father's friend's house. So the ending is a bit climatic with everyone splitting apart trying to make it out of there alive since they are no longer using tranquilizer darts but actual bullets now.

Favorite quotes...
I have two. I know I know but I can't help it. The first quote explains the bonding between Chloe and Derek and sort of explains the dynamics on how these two become closer in the book.

"His back shot up, limb straightening, head dropping and there was this... sound- an awful popping and snapping, like bones cracking. Then his head flew up and the cracking was drowned out by an inhuman howl. His head whipped from side to side and I saw his face then, the nose and jaw lengthening to a muzzle, neck thick, brow receding, black lips pulled back to show teeth sharpened to fangs.
One eye caught mine, and the absolute terror in it chased mine away. I could not be afraid. I could not be freaked out. I could not make this worse for him in any way. So I met his gaze, unblinking, and kept rubbing his back."


The second is because I personally hate the prejudice against pit bulls. I was once chased down and almost attacked, luckily I made it to safe ground in time, by a pit bull. And I will be the first person to say that it isn't the breed of the the dog but rather the owner. I one day hope to own a pit bull of my own just to prove this point... plus they are gorgeous dogs.

"Hey, that thing was more vicious than a pit bull. I was at a park with Simon, kicking around a ball. All of a sudden, this little rat dog comes tearing out of nowhere, jumps up, and clamps down on my hand. Wouldn't let go. I'm shaking it, and the owner's yelling at me not to hurt little Tito. I finally get the dog off. I'm bleeding all over the place and the guy never even apologizes." - Derek

Previous books from the Darkest Powers trilogy
The Summoning