Rating: 3.5

As per the request of my best friend, I ended up continuing with this series sooner than I expected. Despite the average rating, I do find myself liking this series. The only problem is that I wished I had been fifteen when I read this. Although I'm a total YA fan, there are just some books where the protagonist, or whatever voice is speaking, just connects better with a certain audience; and sadly, I am five years too late. But that didn't take away from my interest in these characters.

The Awakening didn't have as much of an interacting plot as the first book. If anything, this one was written purely for character development - not that I'm complaining. We got to see more of Derek and what he's like behind his cautious, broody side. His transformation into a werewolf was also interesting and definitely a different concept than how werewolves are represented in the media currently. (I do admit to channel my love for the show, Teen Wolf, on multiple occasions when reading about him.) We also got to experience Tori when she's not trying to hurt Chloe physically. Mentally/emotionally? That's another matter with how much she pokes fun. But it was definitely refreshing seeing the whole group interacting together and dealing with the many revelations with their previous captors and their relations with an even bigger power.

Strangely enough, it might have been this that made me more excited for the series than The Summoning, which I guess means Armstrong's doing her job right in writing a series.