The Awakening (Immortals) [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).

The Immortals Series:

The Calling (Jennifer Ashley)

The Darkening (Robin T. Popp)

The Awakening (Joy Nash)

The Gathering (Jennifer Ashley)

The Redeeming (Jennifer Ashley) Due for release in Sept. 2008

The Crossing (Joy Nash) Due for release in Sept/ Oct 2008

This series needs to be read in order. Start from the beginning to follow the unfolding story. Personally, I've enjoyed books 1 and 3 far more than book 2. But 2 does have a role in the series, so it's worth reading.
The authors of books 1 and 3 are continuing the series for the next few books. I'm looking forward to reading them.

Christine is a powerful witch with gifts she has yet to discover. After helping to perform The Calling spell with her coven, she is heading to Scotland to find the one brother whom they completely failed to reach. Kalen has not been seen or heard from in over 700 years. Christine finds him with a sex muse who has talked him into giving her a child. Kalen doesn't recognize that the spells the muse is performing are death magic. Christine has seen the spells before. Risking her own life, Christine attacks the muse to save Kalen.

Kalen is shocked when a witch interrupts the spell that his lover is performing. He saw Christine in a vision days before. He doesn't know who she is, or why she is here, but he knows he can't let the muse harm her. Kalen grabs the witch and transports her to his castle where she will be safe behind his magically protected walls.

Kalen and Christine share a love of art. Kalen has been trying for centuries to create beautiful pieces. Something is leashing his abilities. After one night with Christine, his talent is astonishing. Realizing that it is Christine's magic that has freed his talent, he resolves to keep her forever.

Christine can't convince Kalen to join Adrian's army in Seattle. She will spend some days with him trying to change his mind, but she knows she has to leave soon to join the army of light magic. Death magic beings are multiplying at an alarming rate. Humans and light magic creatures are being slaughtered. If the death magic leader is not stopped soon, earth will become the new hell.

It has been centuries since Kalen last fought in his role as a protector of innocent beings. A spell holds his fate in limbo. If he takes a life, he will be imprisoned in silent darkness for eternity. He has made a new life as an art dealer, forcing himself to become a man of peace. When Christine's life is threatened, he has to make a choice. Allow her to be enslaved and slowly tortured to death by a demon, or kill the beast and spend eternity imprisoned in torment himself.

Why 4 stars instead of 5? The story took a bit too long to get moving. Once it caught fire, the action was great.

Here are the links for the rest of the series so far:

The Calling (Immortals, Book 1)

The Darkening (Immortals, Book 2)

The Gathering (Immortals, Book 4)

Book 5: The Redeeming is due for release in Sept 2008

Book 6: The Crossing is due for release in Sept/ Oct 2008

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.