Awakened

Last year, I read and loved Resilient by Patricia Vanasse. It was one of those surprising books. The kind that are a slow burn, but that finish strong. I've been eagerly awaiting the sequel ever since! There were so many questions I had, and the cliffhanger was an evil one. Let's just say that I had very high hopes for Awakened. I couldn't wait to see if everything I wanted was there.

Livia was the same main character that I knew and loved, if a little more tough around the edges. From a girl who wasn't comfortable in her own skin, to a girl who is willing to put everything on the line to do what is right, her transformation was instantly recognizable. My biggest problem with the last book was that Adam seemed to steal Livia's fire. The romance ate away her tough outer shell. This time around, she was once again on her own, and I loved her all the more for it.

Truth be told, I actually enjoyed the characters in this installment much more than the first. There was a lot more depth to everyone who I had already met but, best of all, there were new characters in the mix. I enjoyed meeting each one of them in turn. By the time this motley crew of rebels was assembled, the chemistry between them was perfect and I was lost in it.

Still, there were some things that didn't really click for me in Awakened. The biggest being that this particular book isn't very action heavy. While there is just enough forward movement to keep things fresh, and keep the characters growing, it wasn't as exciting as the first book. I know this is because there's still one book left, but it didn't change the fact that I missed that dynamic. Also, I wasn't a big fan of the ending. It seemed to take everything I knew about these characters, and throw it out the window. Perhaps it's a ploy, and I'll regret thinking that? I just don't know.

Overall, I'd say this is a fairly solid middle book. It gets the job done, especially in the character development department. I'm just hoping the next book is even more exciting.