The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

5 Stars. (Young Adult - PNR)

The Awakening was even better than the first in the series The Summoning . It was jammed packed full of action from the first page and they literally fly by as you read. I was about 300 pages in after buying it last night and sitting down to read for a few hours.

All the great characters from the first novel are back in the second and I love the development of them all. I will say that the only character I still feel I don't know that well is Simon, but really I don't even care that much because I'm so in love with Derek and Chloe. It's not even their chemistry that is compelling, although that is a draw. It's the individual characters and how they interact and react to one another. Chloe and Derek who were always snipping and griping at one another in book one, fall into same old patterns in the beginning of book two, but I loved seeing this pair evolve and come to understand each other better. Chloe is a sweet girl, as Tori says "the sweet energizer bunny...always going." Although Chloe has her moment when she's not so sweet, I felt that she was the most herself when she was interacting with Derek, for better or worse, snippy or sweet she was great to read when she was sharing a scene with the resident dark and broody anti-hero. These two had some pretty great moments, especially one in the woods which was a pivotal scene in creating a turning point for these two (and no it's not what you all think...get your minds out of the gutter! :p) My heart ached for Derek in this scene and Chloe's reaction only made me love her more.

Although the book opens with the foursome separated from one another and takes about 130 pages for them to reunite, it felt super quick and everything you learn while Chloe and the girls are locked away is essential to the progression of the plot. I was itchy for them to meet up with the boys again and when it happened everything zoomed!

The Edison Group is one creepy bunch and I thought that Armstrong have just enough detail and info to keep readers interested and on the edge of their seats without giving all the fun away. I'm eager to see where the whole conspiracy will be taken in the final book.
I'm also eager to see how things evolve between my two fav characters. I suspect Simon will come along to throw a wrench in things, but tension always makes things more interesting.

**A special nod to those who have read Bitten the first in Armstrong's adult Women of the Underworld series. A minor character from that book, Zachary Cain is mentioned briefly in a scene in this novel and I smiled when I read it. I was wondering if Armstrong would find a way to connect her two worlds even though they take place in different cities. But as the group passed through Syracuse, heading for NY I figured she'd find a way. It's always fun to pull out the connections.

A great installment in the Darkest Powers series.