A Book Review of Awake by Natasha Preston 3.5/5

A young woman’s past comes back to haunt her.. too bad she can’t remember why.

The truth is never just one thing.
Sometimes it’s what hides between the lies we’re told.
And other times.. it’s the lie itself.

Cults.. There are benefits to a close knit community of like minded people who share the same values and beliefs as you. Is that not similar to what bloggers have created here? It’s always when things go too far that it becomes an issue.

All things in moderation!

Anyway..

This was the first time I’ve read any of Natasha Preston’s work and, while I wasn’t overly impressed, I wasn’t entirely disappointed either..

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking a moment to read my review, I hope you enjoy it!

Trigger Warning: Cults, Abduction, Sacrifice, Child abuse, Attempted murder

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through these links may earn me a small commission with no additional cost to you. In other words.. You will not be charged for using my links.)

Awake by Natasha Preston

First line: Imogen nudged my arm, nodding towards the classroom door with a predatory grin.

Scarlett is average.
With a normal family and a boring life.
If you ignore the fact that she can’t remember anything before she was four.

Noah is the new kid.
A nice guy with a great smile.
He feels an almost instant connection with Scarlett.

They fall in love and live happily ever after.
Wrong.
This isn’t a fairy tale and there will be no happy endings.

Lies. Betrayal. Danger.
Scarlett will soon discover that sometimes.. the past is meant to stay buried.

Three and a Half Stars!

Spoiler Alert!

About the book:

Scarlett’s you’re typical 16 year old girl living in England. Her family used to move around a lot but it seems like they’ve finally settled down. She has a small group of friends and a normal life.

Until the new boy at school, Noah, looks her way.

There’s a spark between them.. an instant attraction that, before long, becomes much more.

Scarlett can’t remember her past.

Noah is keeping secrets.

What will become of them when all is revealed?

Scarlett may not know it yet but there’s more going on than she could have ever imagined and she’ll soon learn that sometimes.. the past should stay buried.

Overall:

With a such a compelling synopsis, I was excited to dive into this one.. and dive I did.
I’ll just say that it’s fortunate that readers become accustomed to disappointment.

“Sweetheart,” Dad started, “Twenty years ago we were involved with a cult, although at the time we didn’t see that.”
My head hurt more. Was he joking? It didn’t make sense. A cult. “What…?”

I found Scarlett to be a little blind to what was going on around her. She’s young, naive, and hard-headed and a lot of the trouble she found herself in could have been avoided. No, really, I’m not just ‘blaming the victim.’

Noah gave the story away almost immediately and that annoyed me. A lot. It felt akin to that one obnoxious person who always has to tell you what’s going to happen next in a movie.
You never know what to feel about his character. One minute he’ll come off as such a sweet guy.. protective, understanding, patient. Quickly followed by the disbelief, anger, and later.. the pity his character evokes.

She loved me, trusted me, and I was about to throw her to the lions.

An almost constant stream of lies and manipulation made this experience akin to viewing a tennis match.. and while that can be entertaining, it’s hell on your neck.

I would like to think that, had this book been longer, more time would have allowed the author to expand on the cult, it’s history, their beliefs.. A lot of that was left for the end of the book and it disappointed me greatly that it wasn’t present in more of Scarlett’s story.

Noah and Scarlett’s instant attraction was off-putting and, for me, quickly evolved into something unhealthy and concerning. I’m not a fan of the ‘immediately and madly in love’ trope.

The sense of disquiet throughout was appreciated, the pace moved along nicely, and the development of the story was decently cohesive. It just didn’t have that spark.. that something special that grips you tight and drags you under.

I do intend to read more from this author in the future and would recommend it. To whom? I have no idea. But if you’re looking for a quick, light read brimming with love, lies, betrayal, (high school) and ultimately.. forgiveness? You may enjoy this.

Cults: What are your thoughts?
I think they have the potential to be beneficial to many.. especially considering our economy and the surge in mental health issues. There are many physical, mental, and emotional advantages to having the support and stability of your community.
Let it be known, however, that I do not believe that the brainwashing and manipulation of any group of people for any reason is acceptable or tolerable.

Thanks for reading and have a Happy Halloween!