The Awakening (Immortals of Indriell Book 1) - Immortals of Indriell Book 1 (Volume 1)

The story line was intriguing and was really the only thing that stopped me from putting the book down several times.I had to give it 2 stars because it was just so poorly written. The author jumps to different scenes that leave you scratching your head and rereading pages because you think you missed something, but nope, it just doesn't make sense. One minute Allie is half in (believable) love with Aiden but the next page she's 'in love' with Vince. One minute someone is chopping someone else's head off to get Allie to understand her immortality and that they can't die except for very few ways, later Allie has been through a beating but getting punched is too much, and she will die if they don't do car surgery. It is really choppy and a lot really doesn't make sense. Another problem, the main characters are the typical badly written teenage love saga. She loves him. He loves her. She says she doesn't love him. She loves someone else. He dates someone else. She acts like a spoiled brat about not wanting him. Blah blah blah. It happened so much it was a big reason for 2 stars. Also Allie acts like a mean snot most of the time. I think the author was trying to make sarcasm a genetic trait thru her family line, but it came off as her just acting so mean and spoiled it was hard to like her at all. Especially because with the beginning story line of her loneliness and constant moving, you wouldn't expect her to act like a jerk all the time when she finally has friends.
The bad being said, the idea is very intriguing. If the author can strengthen her writing skills , this book series has a lot of potential.

This is self published? No way. I wouldn't believe it if the author hadn't sent me a copy. It in no way feels self published. Everything flows perfectly and the characters are authentic. I also love how this is such an original novel. It never gave me the vibe that some books do. Never once when reading did I stop and think, this kind of reminds me of (whatever book insert here). I also love how it's set in Ohio as I used to live there and miss it a lot.

Allie, our main character is awesome. She feels real and she's very strong. I love that more YA is starting to have strong female characters. We need them and I just love reading about them! I also love the romance in Emerge. It's not rushed to me nor does it feel like insta-love. I enjoyed the world building and there is a lot in the beginning. So if you don't like slow beginnings then don't get this book. I didn't mind, I actually like it. Let's me get a feel for everything before jumping into the action.

I love the urban feeling and just how real it feels. This author made superpowers as real as they could seem and it worked perfectly. I could see it happening in the real world. Bottom line, get this book. It's amazing and worthy of your time. Warning though... you might get obsessed.

Fifteen-year-old Allie isn't exactly a social butterfly, but then her parents move every few months and for some reason, people don't like to be around her. When she finally does find a boyfriend who accepts her (although he still flinches at her touch), her parent's move suddenly again, this time for good.

First, I enjoyed this story. The more I read it, the more I fell into Allie's world and by the end, I couldn't put it down and ended up staying up much too late into the night. However, the first chapter or so was a little rough to get through. The first scenes are okay--we see Allie at a bonfire with her boyfriend, shunned by his friends. It wasn't clear to me why the others saw her as weird...but then she doesn't know herself. Which was odd (most of the story through). I missed something solid during this first part to prove this--to hold on to because it kind of flapped out there as an 'accept it, it is so.' And the sudden move of the parents was too quick as well as the reactions.

But the rest of the story grew on me. And now, I can't wait to get my hands on book two.

Allie is awesome. A little difficult to grasp at first and sulky, but as the pieces fall together, so does she. It takes awhile to know exactly what's going on with her and those around her, but the author does a great job of letting us feel our way through the uncertainty with her. There are times where I didn't understand Allie's sudden reactions, but this could be hacked up to her coping with her abilities, I guess. Allie's special-ness isn't something she embraces right away (but she's not completely sure what she's embracing). This hesitation and her need to cling to normal life seems very realistic.

The pace in this story is great. I did wonder when the 'evil' guys would get involved, but until they did, the author kept the action running. Allie doesn't get much sleep, and neither did I as a reader. There are a few moments which slow down as the information concerning other character's pasts and the history of their people is brought to light. But I like the way these small dumps were done--as a story time, making the history itself into a mini-adventure. There are some logic holes in the powers and how this all works, but I was willing to slide over them and cheer for Allie as she learned to accept the new her.

I really enjoyed the character depth, not only with Allie, but the others as well. Allie's falling into a big family, which loves her and immediately accepts her as their own. They are all willing to give their life for each other, and learning their histories made it easier to understand this devotion. Allie learns to love them, and so did I, the reader.

Summed up, this is a fast-paced, fun read, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book and see where Allie and her friends are headed.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emerge by Melissa Craven is a wonderful, original fantasy story and a great start to a new series. We are introduced to the main protagonist, Allie, a young girl on the verge of turning 16 and who sees herself as an outcast. But on her birthday she experiences the Awakening and her life is changed forever.

Ms Craven’s writing style is a pleasure to read. The opening of the story was very intriguing and hooked me in from the very beginning and kept me engaged throughout, culminating in a great ending with an incredible final line. Now I need to read the next book to find out what happens next! I felt the book was medium to fast paced throughout, only getting a little stuck in the middle with lots of detail about Allie’s training. The world building was done really well and I enjoyed the old stories told by the adults to explain their history to Allie.

There were quite a lot of characters in the book and it was at times difficult to keep up with them all, but they were all properly developed and complex and I liked them all. I also loved Allie who is a strong heroine in the story and I found her to be quite real and believable. I enjoyed her banter with Aidan, and her light sarcasm made me smile.

Overall, Emerge is a very enjoyable read. It’s by no means a short quick read, but it is a page turner and will keep you up at night reading to find out what happens next. I would recommend it to lovers of fantasy, history and mythology.

“Immortality doesn’t come cheap.” (Page 149).

Allie is different. Her family is different. She won’t know how unique she really is until she finds that even amongst the other immortals she is in a class all her own. After moving again and again as a child with her adopted family, they finally move back to their home town and Allie, who had never fit in before, immediately is welcomed by a group of teenagers who are not as normal as they let on.

It wasn’t the paranormal part of this book that bothered me so much. It was the inability of the writing to let me know who was talking and the jumpiness of all the scenes. This book made me work to figure out who was talking and what was going on when what was really happening wasn’t complicated at all!

There was something missing from the sentences, from the characters, and from the story. The end felt rushed and forced to come to a climax while grinding to a halt to keep the storyline open to a sequel.

The addition of myth/backstory/memory was unnecessary and I skipped over it. Either the book is historical fiction or it’s not and this book was not, so no need for this type of in-depth addition.

I didn’t feel like I knew any of the characters other than Allie, Aiden and towards the end, Liam. There were too many people to keep track of and I started to get a serious Twilight vibe with the way the family kept together and was set against a Coalition.

What was the point of Vince? He added absolutely nothing to the story and he had basically no personality and the reader knew nothing about him. He was basically soothing arm-candy for Allie and annoyingly bereft of usefulness. I wish Aiden was the main character and not Allie. She was annoying and flawed. She didn’t step up her game when it mattered the most, which would have been great for her backstory but not for her (lack of) moment of triumph during the climax.

In Emerge: The Awakening, we meet Allie, a diminutive teenage girl with fiery red hair and a snarky attitude. She has been on the run, moving from place to place, her entire life, and she's had nary a clue as to why.

But that changes when she meets Aidan, a handsome boy who explains to her that she is an Immortal, a being of incredible untapped power who is about to undergo a change that will transform her life completely.

A fantastic premise, to be sure, and I dove right into the story, which caught my attention with its great characters and dialogue. Allie is wonderfully snarky, which I love, and the interplay between Allie and Aidan was the highlight of the book.

The reason I could not give this book five stars was because, in my opinion, there were time when I felt that there was too much dialogue and not enough exposition. There were many flashbacks, and there were many, many characters (too many to keep track of), and there were a couple of times when I found myself a little lost.

This is a fantastic book, and definitely worth reading. My advice: don't get caught up trying to remember all the characters. Just focus on Allie and Aidan and a few other main characters, and you'll be fine.

Can't wait to see what happens to Allie next. Well done, Ms. Craven!

ARC kindly provided by Melissa A. Craven via YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Review

First thing that I noticed was the very attractive and crisp formatting of the novel. A lovely family tree line was established on the first few pages in the novel. There was really nothing special about the beginning and it seemed slightly too average for my liking. There was no bang or anything that really intrigued or made me feel like this book was something. It was also very typical in the sense that the girl is a high schooler who had dated a guy and then left him. Then a SECOND guy and then ANOTHER came into the picture and it's officially a love triangle. Call me overwhelmed and totally guy bamboozled! There were too many guys!!! I didn't like either of Allie's new love interests and they both seemed like genuine guy body-parts – too selfish and arrogant.
I really disliked Allie in the beginning of the novel. She seemed like the sort of girl who could be a real, downright female dog when she wanted to be and didn't really care for anybody else but herself. She could also REALLY trample an innocent person if she wished to. Allie was also overly sarcastic and bitter for me. I really didn't understand what her problem was. The way she talked to and about people wasn't something I favoured and she seemed to put herself on a pedestal above other characters.
There was simply too much going on in the beginning of the novel. Leaving people behind; attraction to two separate guys; a bonfire gone wrong leaving a girl severely burnt... It was all just a bit too much for me to process in a very small amount of time. The author seemed to want to make drama and tension to make the novel interesting but it felt like too much was squished together and it was all overdone. This was really unappealing to me.
After the first quarter, everything started to reveal itself and gradually calm down enough for me to make sense of everything. It was an interesting idea that the author introduced and I enjoyed that it was original yet unique and special. The "powers" these characters have are different from the stereotypical elemental ones or the overused magical ones. These are far more complex than that and have a system to them. It was a nice change from the vampire or fae fantasy creatures that usually fill this genre. I started to enjoy reading about Allie more but I still couldn't entirely connect to her on a basic and emotional level. It really left me put of the loop for most of the story and I sorely regret that.
Allie grew on me as time passed. She seemed to evolve into this completely different character the longer I read about her. She would grow smarter, more capable and mature. She was still sarcastic and humorous but it was now something I didn't find completely irritable.
Character development was done quite well. I really enjoyed the vibrancy and variety of characters which filled the novel. Each was unique and with a history, full of personality and character. I could grow attached to those I loved and seriously detest those that I didn't.
World building done by the author was something I also enjoyed quite well. The author created a realistic world that merged with made up history of the Immortals. The immortal world then was well connected to co-exist alongside the human/mortal world in a wonderful blend of the two. I loved all the history which the author made up to create a sense of authenticity. My only regret was that it wasn't explored as deeply as I would have liked.
The end wrapped up well and overall, I really enjoyed this first novel. I felt as if most of my questions were answered but that it left others unanswered which would lead to a GREAT sequel! There wasn't much in the way of an epic cliff-hanger but there was a great revelation that I will enjoy exploring in the later novels. I can't wait to see what will happen later!
There were a few typos but no spelling mistakes. Grammar was excellent and the authors writing style was unique and fun.
Congratulations to Melissa A. Craven on publishing a great start to a new series!

Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!

So at first setting that this book was similar to Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter series and Victoria Avyards Red Queen, i thought keys give it a whirl.
Honestly the first few chapters felt rushed to tell the story and i was getting disappointed because i really wanted to like this book.
Then after the awakening it fell into a normal YA fantasy book. She had great strong characters, males and females. The less character in Red Queen desire being powerful, was very whiny. The lead female character in The Mortal Instruments, seemed she couldn't do anything without her make counterpart there to hold her hand.
I'm looking forward to finishing this series!!

Craven has created a truly unique world in this first novel of the series. The plot of the story was intriguing as Allie's character struggled with moving from place to place, always leaving her friends behind, without knowing why. Once she and her parents settled on Kenneys Island, it seemed that things were finally looking up for her. She meets other teenagers who are adopted, and a boy who seems to tolerate her touch. Aidan seems to want more than friendship from her, but Allie's attracted to a local boy instead. The night of her birthday, she feels sick, very sick. The next morning, she finds out she has supernatural powers manifesting yet no one can tell her exactly what her powers will be. On top of this news and her body's changes, Allie feels betrayed by her friends and parents and lost all over again. Trying to figure out her place in the new world is hard enough, but then she finds out she needs to train with weapons in order to protect herself and everyone she holds dear. She has no intention of using weapons to hurt anyone, but will she have a choice when the time comes? The love triangle between her, Aidan, and Vince, keeps the reader guessing to the last page. Book one leaves the reader hanging and wanting to know more about Allie's fate and her emerging powers.

My interest was piqued right away, the author did a marvellous job of throwing us into the story from chapter one. However, Allie seemed whiny and needy from the start, which was a big minus. That's an usual characteristic in YA, but an annoying one nonetheless.
A lot of things are said, rather than narrated, which makes the world feel a bit one dimensional.
I found the change of love interest rather quick, and to be frank I didn't buy into any of her affections, particularly for Vince. I put it down to the lack of narration.
There were some awkward expressions needing some work every now and then - not many, but a few.

Allie came out of her shell, stop whining too much, the story took shape, and I was enthralled from chapter three. There were the annoying moments when she definitely reverted to a five years old, such as "I need answers now!" When they are just trying to get her to wait until they are out of headshot.

In short, it's a pretty damn good book. The main reason why it's a 4 and not a 5 is the fact that 1) it really was rather choppy 2) there was too much dialog.

This is the first book in a planned YA paranormal series.
The main character Allie was used to feeling a social mis-fit and mostly blamed her lack of friends and sense of isolation on the fact her parents never settled for long in one place. This all changes when her parents abruptly move to a new town just before her 16th birthday and insist this time it will be a permanent home. As her birthday dawns Allie starts to realise not only how different she is but that she is among others of her kind and so the adventure begins.
The YA genre makes up about 15% of the books I read and I felt this one was refreshingly different as the author's voice did seem very attuned with the young characters she created. Although I enjoyed the read I feel its maximum appeal will be to the target audience rather than an old fogey like myself with grown up children. Within the story-line and conflict between the Immortals and the Coalition there is plenty of "teenage politics" and an understanding of modern teenage concerns today.
Allie is a feisty main character with a realistic combination of strengths and flaws. Her relationships with friends and the older generation, both male and female compliment her personality rather than define it and add to her roundness as a character

Allie has always felt isolated from others. People shied away from her feeling something off about her. Every time she did feel a connection with someone her parents would pack her up and move to a different town, state or even a country. One day they decided to stop running and brought her to a place where she would connect with others like her. The connection she could never understand because she never knew she was an Immortal. The journey with Allie and Aiden has grabbed me and I am anxious to get to the next book.

Allie has always known she was different - there was something about her that made people wary. She thought that was how it was always going to be, until the day when she quite literally ran into Aidan.

Allie has never met anyone like Aidan before. He does not shy away from her like others do. Instead, he is drawn towards her. But Aidan is hiding a deep secret, not only about himself, but about her as well, which, when revealed, will have life changing consequences.

This is an emotional rollercoaster of a story that drew me in and kept me engaged. I thought the characterisation was superb and well rounded. I adored the romance, especially between, Allie and Aidan. And I loved the intrigue and suspense. This book certainly kept me turning those pages!

I thought the book was great. It is a riveting read and one I would recommend.

This is the first book in a planned YA paranormal series.
The main character Allie was used to feeling a social mis-fit and mostly blamed her lack of friends and sense of isolation on the fact her parents never settled for long in one place. This all changes when her parents abruptly move to a new town just before her 16th birthday and insist this time it will be a permanent home. As her birthday dawns Allie starts to realise not only how different she is but that she is among others of her kind and so the adventure begins.
The YA genre makes up about 15% of the books I read and I felt this one was refreshingly different as the author's voice did seem very attuned with the young characters she created. Although I enjoyed the read I feel its maximum appeal will be to the target audience rather than an old fogey like myself with grown up children. Within the story-line and conflict between the Immortals and the Coalition there is plenty of "teenage politics" and an understanding of modern teenage concerns today.
Allie is a feisty main character with a realistic combination of strengths and flaws. Her relationships with friends and the older generation, both male and female compliment her personality rather than define it and add to her roundness as a character

Allie has always felt isolated from others. People shied away from her feeling something off about her. Every time she did feel a connection with someone her parents would pack her up and move to a different town, state or even a country. One day they decided to stop running and brought her to a place where she would connect with others like her. The connection she could never understand because she never knew she was an Immortal. The journey with Allie and Aiden has grabbed me and I am anxious to get to the next book.

Allie has always known she was different - there was something about her that made people wary. She thought that was how it was always going to be, until the day when she quite literally ran into Aidan.

Allie has never met anyone like Aidan before. He does not shy away from her like others do. Instead, he is drawn towards her. But Aidan is hiding a deep secret, not only about himself, but about her as well, which, when revealed, will have life changing consequences.

This is an emotional rollercoaster of a story that drew me in and kept me engaged. I thought the characterisation was superb and well rounded. I adored the romance, especially between, Allie and Aidan. And I loved the intrigue and suspense. This book certainly kept me turning those pages!

I thought the book was great. It is a riveting read and one I would recommend.

This story is amazing, well written with lots of endearing characters some with a few quirks.
Lexi is a teen that has something wrong with her that keeps people away from her, her adopted mother even has a hard time hugging her. They move at a moment's notice and often in the middle of the night.
On their last move her mom says it is their home and she meets Aiden that has the same problem that she does and he is her first friend.
The story is complex and Melissa's imagination is outstanding.
I would highly recommend this book to everybody.

Emerge was an interesting book. It starts of with a storyline that grips you. Allie is a seemingly ordinary girl, but she causes a certain aversion out of people causing them to steer clear of her. She's had to endure this time and again because her family is always on the move with no explanation. Until they finally settle down and Allie meets Aiden, who is the only person who hasn't flinched when he's around her.
The author has created very strong characters but what kept this from being a 5 star review is, I felt like there was too many characters to keep up with. Her leads were well developed and adding in so many extra caused a lot of confusion. And another thing was, in the beginning, it felt like the story was dragging, it was very slow paced, then suddenly, you're thrown into the climax of the book and it's over. That being said, I would love to continue this series and see what becomes of Allie and her new friends and powers.

Midnight Hour Studio and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Awakening (Emerge #1). This is my honest opinion of the book.

Alexis Carmichael is no stranger to new things, as her parents are constantly packing up and moving at a moment's notice. This time is different, however, as her parents Lily and Carson are bring Allie home. Kelleys Island is beautiful, but will her first day at Cliffton Academy be derailed before it begins? A chance encounter with Aidan McBrien before school rattles her in a way that Allie did not expect. As Allie tries to fit in with a group of teens who are seemingly different, will a shocking discovery shake Allie to her core?

Not only does this book have a love triangle, but trust that usually takes years to develop happens overnight with these teens. Without the romance, The Awakening has enough supernatural elements to make it interesting. Because too much time is spent on the love triangle, the author did not fully develop the main premise. As the series continues, it is my hope that the plot will move forward in a meaningful way, taking the book out of the romance realm. I might be willing to give the series another try, as I feel that the characters may have an interesting story to tell.

Melissa has started a series that is highly innovative, fast-paced and connects with all age groups. Her character development is superior and interactions between characters is authentic and fascinating. The plot continues to build and as Emerge: The Awakening ends it leaves the reader hoping the next in the series is already written.

I eagerly await the next steps after The Awakening to see where Melissa leads us with both character interaction and plot development.

AWESOME!

Overall, I found Emerge an entertaining read. Allie was a likeable character, and her story was fun to follow. Some of the things that happen in the book were a little predictable, but others were surprising, so it kept me pretty engaged through the entire book.

I found parts to be a little rushed, which disappointed me because I like books to have a bit more depth to them. I’m not talking excessive detailing…just more story to the story. But maybe that only makes sense to me.

The fact that is was sometimes predictable and rushed that didn’t change much about my opinion of the book. In fact, I’d be happy to recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA urban fantasy.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

Emerge: The Awakening: (Immortals of Indriell Book 1) is the beginning of an awesome YA series by Melissa Craven. Allie is a great MC ~ a strong, likeable, and very relatable young woman who finds herself immersed in paranormal situations. Emerge has a good message for young and old readers alike, that friendship, equality and strength are important qualities in any world.

The story is leisurely told allowing the reader to enjoy the plot and that is a good thing as their are a lot of interesting characters to meet. While Allie the main girl discovers who and what she is the other's become more than friends. They are her family and teachers. Each have stories of their own and they are so skillfully integrated into the story that I found myself entranced. This is an author to watch.
I received a free copy of the book for a fair and honest review

This series will keep you mesmerized. My main thoughts are the series started with a teenager coming into her powers but not understanding anything that was happening to her, and the family that helps her. And that concept is new and fresh. I have absolutely nothing negative to say. Its an amazing series. Try it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

I truly enjoyed the unique story this YA series had to offer. Being just the first book, Ms Craven introduces her characters in a way that has you falling in love with them, which is really important in a new series. I thought the setting was well described and was a perfect location for someone to flex their strange powers. Lovers of X-men and superheroes will find this fresh new series as both enjoyable and also intriguing, Looking forward to continuing Allie's adventures.

The beginning was great and the last half was awesome!! The only thing is that it goes into every detail of the fighting styles.. That kind of lost me. I would rather see the person interacting with another character while learning instead of just being told. Other than that it was awesome! So since it got really good I've got to go find out what happens next!! A real surprise ending.. I actually didn't even see it coming.. wow!!

This book is fantastic!! Melissa A. Craven certainly created characters who are both interesting to follow and watch develop in a unique manner. It is fascinating to watch the young people in the story, especially Allie, learn from their elders and become aware of their own strengths and support each other in a powerful way. This book is truly captivating and holds the readers attention from beginning to end. It is a must read for those who truly like a good fantasy. You will fall in love with the characters and the story line. Looking forward to future releases from this author.

Really enjoyed this fantasy fiction story. Not my usual genre but the author's style is very engaging which made it a very good read.

Allie isn't aware of her true purpose, finds herself a bit of a longer until she is 'awakened' and finds she has strength and abilities she had never dreamed of. A great character, well created by this author.

The author develops the story really well into a good action and fantasy read, and I was left wanting to read more of her work!

Slow, bad layout. There's conversation that get jumbled easily and often. Too many back stories... Way too many. And the fact that the main character wasn't more angry when her awakening is thrust on her with no warning. She cries and cries and cries. It picks up toward the end. But I almost left three book several times and am not going forward.

(RabidReads.com)3.5/5 stars.Since reading this book a few days ago, I find myself still thinking about it. This usually happens when I read a really good book. I liked the book, but it wasn’t without a few problems. There are way too many books out there, especially in the young adult genre, that feature a girl who is just waiting to come into her powers or become something really special. And I have read more than my share of them. This book falls into that category. Unfortunately it also features a love triangle, another thing that shows up again and again in the YA genre. Add in the cliffhanger and yes, I had problems. But there were things that I did enjoy about it, thankfully!

Allie is just shy of sixteen and is moving again. Her life has been a series of moving without warning and she has no idea why. Her parents sure aren’t telling her anything. When she moves to an island on a lake near Cleveland Ohio, everything is different. Once hated by all her peers for reasons unknown, here she is more than tolerated and she finds friends. Most of her friends live on the island, most notably, Aiden and his sister, Sasha. And most of her friends have been adopted, as she was. She also meets Vince, someone that doesn’t live on the island. She begins dating Vince, much to Aiden’s dismay. And actually, I didn’t understand it much either since she has a much bigger connection with Aiden. It’s not long before she realizes that her new friends seem to be a bit different, along with having secrets as well.

The author introduces a huge cast of characters. All the friends on the island as well as their families. And all of them pretty much has a role to play in Allie’s life. I couldn’t keep them all straight in my mind at times and that was frustrating. We do get back stories on most of them, most of which I did enjoy, but thought at times this took the place of any real action in the “now” part of the story. And all this begins after Allie “changes”.

I found the premise of a group of immortals living among humans, to be fairly well done. They aren’t your usual suspects either, instead they are a new type of supernatural. Allie should have grown up knowing what she was, but instead lived with human parents. So it’s all new to her. Because of enemies of her “kind”, they all train everyday. And this is where the story really bogged down for me. I got tired of all the training, everyday. I wanted more suspense and more other things happening. At 440 pages, there could have been at least fifty less pages and the story would have more tightly written, and hopefully that wouldn’t have slowed the pace.

So girl with powers, love triangle, cliffhanger(although one that you realize early on), all things that have been done so often. This book wasn’t a bad read, it actually was very readable, even if a bit slow. I did like these new immortal supernaturals, the powers that they have, and some of the back stories stretching back thousands of years. It did feel a little like Forrest Gump at times, in that each of the characters knew so many historical figures, and I had a bit of a problem with that. I really just wanted more to happen in the story or more action, and in the end, I really missed that.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.

I received this book as a freebie in exchange for a review..besides being so caught up in the story I was up till 4:30 in the morning..well needless to say I ended up with book 1.5 and then book 2.. And I am so looking forward to book 3.. We are left hanging but Allie has certainly come into her own just wish Aiden would said up..lol ...kudos!!

Since this was not written for me is pretty good. To much stuff I found unimportant but high quality filler. I'm sure others love the depth of connection it gives to the characters. It moves to slow for me so I won't be reading the rest.

Emerge is an imaginative story filled with fantasy and self discovery. It’s a great coming of age story about a girl named Allie that begins her journey as a timid individual, but over time learns who she is and defines herself. All her life, Allie has been an outcast, with people having somewhat uncomfortable interactions with her for unknown reasons. That is, until she meets Aidan, whom doesn’t cringe at her touch or wishes to be anywhere but with her. Instead, Aidan helps Allie come out of her shell and the two become a formidable team, always there for each other, always looking out for each other. But it isn’t until her Awakening that she truly realizes who, or what she is, and with it a huge amount of responsibility.

I thoroughly enjoyed Craven’s fast paced writing and her development of memorable characters. The story itself is very gripping, leaving you wanting more. Her action scenes are incredible, and definitely one of her strengths when it comes to writing. I did feel like the love story took precedence over the rest of the story, and I found myself asking why to one of the characters quite a bit. To me, the love story was a little too much, but I am anxious to see where their journey goes in the sequel.

The world Craven created was truly mesmerizing. I thoroughly enjoyed the ancient stories of where Allie and her kind came from. As I read Emerge I couldn’t help but be eager to find out how the story would end.

I think Emerge is a fantastic debut novel from a first time author and I look forward to reading more from Melissa A. Craven, especially concerning how Allie and Aidan’s stories will turn out.

I received this book as a freebie in exchange for a review..besides being so caught up in the story I was up till 4:30 in the morning..well needless to say I ended up with book 1.5 and then book 2.. And I am so looking forward to book 3.. We are left hanging but Allie has certainly come into her own just wish Aiden would said up..lol ...kudos!!

Emerge: The Awakening is a story that begins as a single snowflake and ends in an avalanche. The story's main character, Allie Carmichael, is introduced as a teenager whose main concern in life is getting her parents to put down roots long enough for her to build some satisfying friendships. Allie gets her wish, and the friends she makes quickly become her escorts to a whole new existence.

Hang on as Allie discovers her own "awakening", family history, supernatural abilities and a life of strenuous training in the use of these gifts. By the end of the book Allie has grown into much more than a teenage girl with relationship issues. She becomes a young woman of stature and a purpose she never would have dreamed of.

Emerge begins very low key, describing the life of a teenage girl whose parents are constantly moving from one country to another, for reasons that Allie can't figure out. By the end of the book, it is clear from what and whom they are running. Events early in the book captured my curiosity, but very quickly it grabbed my attention. Soon, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Melissa Craven has put together a story that unfolds and unfolds and unfolds again, revealing characters of unusual depth and a plot that will have you cheering Allie and her friends on through good times, hardship and danger. I enthusiastically recommend this book for youth and adults who enjoy a superbly crafted fantasy tale. Emerge: The Awakening, will not disappoint you but will definitely leave you itching for more, which is yet to come.

Immortality has always fascinated me. Me Craven has woven a story of that and special powers.
It's easy to lose yourself in her work, and a shock when you finish reading and find yourself back in reality.
One of my favorite saying for years has been "whose reality is real "?

Since this was not written for me is pretty good. To much stuff I found unimportant but high quality filler. I'm sure others love the depth of connection it gives to the characters. It moves to slow for me so I won't be reading the rest.

Emerge is an imaginative story filled with fantasy and self discovery. It’s a great coming of age story about a girl named Allie that begins her journey as a timid individual, but over time learns who she is and defines herself. All her life, Allie has been an outcast, with people having somewhat uncomfortable interactions with her for unknown reasons. That is, until she meets Aidan, whom doesn’t cringe at her touch or wishes to be anywhere but with her. Instead, Aidan helps Allie come out of her shell and the two become a formidable team, always there for each other, always looking out for each other. But it isn’t until her Awakening that she truly realizes who, or what she is, and with it a huge amount of responsibility.

I thoroughly enjoyed Craven’s fast paced writing and her development of memorable characters. The story itself is very gripping, leaving you wanting more. Her action scenes are incredible, and definitely one of her strengths when it comes to writing. I did feel like the love story took precedence over the rest of the story, and I found myself asking why to one of the characters quite a bit. To me, the love story was a little too much, but I am anxious to see where their journey goes in the sequel.

The world Craven created was truly mesmerizing. I thoroughly enjoyed the ancient stories of where Allie and her kind came from. As I read Emerge I couldn’t help but be eager to find out how the story would end.

I think Emerge is a fantastic debut novel from a first time author and I look forward to reading more from Melissa A. Craven, especially concerning how Allie and Aidan’s stories will turn out.

A start to a new series. Teens that are suddenly "awakened" into immortal beings. The story really moved very slowly and I really don't know where it is heading from here. The main character is really just too full of herself. Not for me.

Interesting story line introducing a new paranormal immortal.I couldn't get past the confusion created by switching perspective on who was telling the story. We have first and second person in the same paragraph. If your grammar radar doesn't kick in perhaps you will love this story.

With the characters, the storyline, and the writing style. I couldn't stop reading. It took me less than 4 hours to finish and I want more. Definitely movie potential here. Watch out Tris and Katniss!

Time for book 1.5 and 2.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fascinating read with some strong, exciting and endearing characters. However, it took a long time to get where it was going and then it just ended, leaving me frustrated to know more, but that is not a bad thing. I recommend this book, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

The story line was amazing and I will definitely buy the next book. With that being said the writing was a little hard to follow at times so it was not exactly a smooth read. I really think the series has great potential and hope that as the series progresses the writing becomes more fluid.