12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stick with it, you might be pleasantly surprised..., August 16, 2007
This review is from: The Awakening (Immortals, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
Getting past the first few chapters of The Awakening was difficult for me. Pure erotica makes me extremely uncomfortable (okay, it just plain embarrasses the heck out of me), and I was pretty sure that's where this book was heading. Not a promising start.
A few more chapters in, and I found myself hooked on a very engaging storyline. Our heroine, Christine, is a water witch with her magical powers linked to all things of beauty; art, music, sensual love. When she gives, she gives so completely, she loses herself in the magic. In many ways it makes her a bit naïve and vulnerable, she knows it, and has been hurt by it before. Regardless of her own traumatic experiences, she has agreed to help the Coven of Light find one of the Immortal warriors, Kalen, and bring him into the fight of good vs evil, light vs dark. Find him she does, in a lonely castle in Scotland, in the arms of a beautiful, cold and manipulative, half-sidhe.
Sparks fly from the beginning when Christine meets Kalen, the lust is instant, and when they first make love, Christine, true to her magical nature, holds nothing back, giving Kalen everything she is, and pretty much shatters everything he has ever believed in. She becomes his emotional muse, giving him the ability to put his own heart and soul into his art. Kalen can't, and won't, let Christine go, and is determined to keep her with him always.
Quite simply, as a love story, it is terrific.
Naturally, true love is never without problems. There is "The Calling", which Kalen has (for his own reasons) no intention of answering, Christine's promise to the Coven of Light to bring Kalen to them, and finally, Kalen's former lover, the vindictive and nasty Leanna, using death magic against both Christine and Kalen to further her own agenda. Add Demons, the insane Immortal Tain (in a continuing role), some vicious Unseelie hordes, and some selfish and apathetic Gods to the mix, just to complicate things further.
Good writing, great action, no loose threads to drive you nuts.
To sum it all up "The Awakening" has it all. A terrific love story, an emotional awakening, a glorious adventure, heroic fight scenes, sacrifice, redemption, a strong ending. I am very, very glad I plowed past those first few embarrassing chapters (my issues might not be yours, so take that with a grain of salt).
NC-17 for strong sexual content. No torture scenes this time (thank you).
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Death magic is spreading across the world and it's time for the return of the Immortals..., July 24, 2007
This review is from: The Awakening (Immortals, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
A CK2S Recommended Read!
Death magic is spreading across the world and it's time for the return of the Immortals...
Christine Lachlan is water witch and an artist who has joined the Coven of Light, a force against the evil sweeping across the land. She must seek out Kalen, one of the five goddess-born Immortals, who has long been in hiding from the modern world. She will do whatever it takes to convince Kalen to assist them in defeating the force behind this evil, Kalen's own brother, the youngest Immortal, Tain.
Kalen has long since withdrawn from the world after a grave act on his part that will condemn him should he ever lose control again. Now his solace is his art, or it would be if he could only grasp the talent he once had. Even taking a leannan-Sidhe muse to his bed does not help him master his talent. When Christine enters his world, insisting he is needed to go to war, his art suddenly takes new form and his talent soars once more.
Kalen will do almost anything to keep Christine at his side as his muse. If only it were that easy. His former lover is vindictive and will do anything to get rid of Christine so she can steal Kalen's power. Kalen refuses to pick up his spear once again and cannot reveal his dark secret to Christine. Can these two reluctant lovers come together in time to defeat the newest and most pressing danger and accept The Awakening?
I love the whole premise of the Immortals series and have been eagerly anticipating the series since I first heard about it. The third book, The Awakening by Joy Nash is the first I've read and let me tell you this story packs a magical punch! What we have here is a compelling combination of loveable characters, a strong storyline, old secrets, and more magic then you can shake a spear at. Even not having read the books in order did not affect my enjoyment of this story. Yes there is an underlying story that arcs through the entire series but each one stands alone as well and I loved reading about Kalen and Christine. Joy Nash gives enough back story to fill in the blanks so I don't feel like I missed anything crucial.
Christine's gift is enhanced by water but is still not as strong as many others in her coven. This is partially due to a tragedy in her recent past that has scarred her emotionally and magically, making it harder for her to maintain her faith in her powers. But she tries very hard to overcome past events and focus on her current mission... finding Kalen and convincing him to aid the Coven of Light in defeating Death Magic. Kalen is weary of life in these modern times, preferring to live without all the modern benefits technology provides. He also suffers in his own private hell over events in his past which, if he isn't careful, can condemn him once more. When these two tortured souls come together, nothing can keep them apart, even the very embodiment of greatest evil.
The secondary cast of characters also makes an imprint on the story. From the beautifully seductive but vindictive and cruel Leanna to loveable teenaged (or is he really?) Mac, gruff and odd-looking but kind housekeeper Pearl to a whole passel of brownie servants. And these are just a few of the assorted magical creatures we encounter on the adventure of The Awakening.
In short, Joy Nash has written another beautifully told story of love and magic. You will not be disappointed. I can promise you that!
© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2007. All rights reserved.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!, August 1, 2007
This review is from: The Awakening (Immortals, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
Joy Nash has outdone herself with Immortals: The Awakening. A great addition to the series. The characters are complete and the story will keep you reading long after you should have gone to bed.
If you've been reading Nash's Druid series, this is different, an urban fantasy set in present time but in an alternate universe where chaos and evil threaten to rule.
I'm not a big fan of urban fantasy, but Joy's books are an auto-buy for me. The Awakening did not disappoint. It has the same strong writing and tight plotting that makes Nash's other works (Celtic Fire, The Grail King) so compelling.
Couldn't put it down!
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