User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
OM freaking fascinating creative Gs! This is marvelous long prologue to a new series. The entire book impeccably introduces us the likable, falling in lovable characters and their past and present stories and preparing us like a calmness before the storm for the next exciting adventures of the characters!
I have to admit after reading this book I prayed the borders will open soon because this book gives you addictive craving to schedule an urgent trip to Ireland and get lost in its folkloric, ancient historical , magical places. Those tempting forests, the supernatural creatures and mystical elements perfectly summon your soul and you just die to be part of those incredibly breathtaking and life changing adventures. ( oh I forget to tell you how tempting to hear those sexy, ear tickling Irish accents!)
The book starts with a quick introduction of Breen Kelly, 26 years old, insecure, introverted , reluctant teacher who hates the guts of her job, barely making her ends meet, drowning into her debts, hard worker, shopping from thrift shops, wearing grey colors, laying low to be invisible because her own mother made her believe she was not capable to achieve something extraordinary: she is under average. But when she goes to her mother’s place as she’s directed to finish her chores: including watering her plants and organizing her correspondences when she was in spa treatment-having fun (bitchy monstrous, intimidating mother model) she coincidentally finds out( thanks to the cat’s sudden move) the financial statements about her own account she never knows its existence.
After her father and mother has been separated when she was a little girl, her father has left them and never contacted with her but now she sees each year he has sent her money and now it’s a huge amount may cover her all expenses and give her better life choices to chase her dreams.
So Breen tells her sweet pie, supportive, BFF Marco what she discovered and offers him to go to a journey with her to find her father and learn about her ancestors in Ireland. Marco the bestie, so much likable friend accepts her offer.
From her bus trip to her mother’s house throughout her airplane trip, Breen realizes a bearded man is following him but as soon as she realizes his existence, he disappears into thin air. She asks herself as if she’s been hallucinating. But she forgets that mysterious guy as soon as her plane land into the magical Leprechauns 🍀🍀🍀
And of course the magical atmosphere of Ireland awakens true potential of Breen, after Marco’s going back to the US, she starts work on her blog and two different novel concepts but when the storm blasts out and as she hears the voice summoning her, she discovers an opening portal to another world which her father has been born and raised and her grandmother has been waiting for her with open hands. A magical universe with werewolves, elves, Magicks, powerful talismans, dragons and the one of the most charismatic leader, warrior Keegan!
Breen discovers her abilities, supernatural powers and her extraordinary skills which frightened her own mother and she realizes that’s why she has lived in over protective cocoon her mother built for her during her old life in Philadelphia and as soon as she discovers her potential and her important role to protect both of the worlds from the danger of her own blood thirsty grandfather she realizes she has to make a decision. Will she fight or will she escape to the world where she came from?
The story is great introduction to give enough about the characters and their pasts, motives. And we witnessed the beginning of Keegan and Breen’s love story ( we also met with the bad woman who may create conflict about their love interest at the upcoming installments) and we learned more about upcoming war between evil and good! The story finishes with a cliffhanger as we expected! So am I in to read what’s gonna happen next! Abso-freaking-lutely! I’m hooked, I’m chanted, I’m all in!
Cannot wait to read more Breen, Keegan and Marco’s journeys!
So much special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this incredible Arc with me in exchange my honest review.
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Rating: really liked it
RereadThis book made me so happy...and that’s all you need to know...
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Rating: really liked it
Well I've reached that point where I'm trolling Goodreads looking for negative reviews to support my opinions, so it's time to give up. I made it 30%. I've never read Nora Roberts before and can confidently say I won't again. Not be blunt, but this was just...bad writing. Like weird turns of phrase and grammatically unpleasant sentences. Not to mention the incredibly slow pacing, and weak character writing. The LGBTQ characters were so stereotypical that I felt embarrassed reading them. Breen didn't feel like a real person, and neither did anyone else for that matter, except perhaps the insanely kind Irish people. I really did love the Irish setting and travel part of the book, but actually lost interest in the fantasy aspect. Another reviewer described it as "goofy", which I think is apt. It reminded me of something I would have written as a teen, which is not a compliment. The fact that it was not even actually Ireland, which is already a magical place teeming with incredible stories and folklore, but a weird, parallel universe where my 12 year old self's collection of porcelain unicorns and fairies would have fit right in was just baffling to me. Rant over, I'm out.
Rating: really liked it
First one in a new series - and it's set in IRELAND - woohoo!!!!
Nora Roberts descriptions of Ireland will give you the biggest craving to visit immediately!! In The Awakening the scenery is so vibrant and authentic that I felt I was on the island myself. It’s proof how well the author has researched this place, visited herself and how much she loves Ireland. And it was palpable how much she put herself into this book.
If you haven’t been to Ireland yet, after reading this book you’ll put the island on the very top of your bucket list. The novel gives you the best kind of Wanderlust.
The Awakening is an introduction to what is to come. Similar to her last trilogy, Chronicles of The One, the author splits the trilogy into three parts. In the first book The Awakening, we are introduced to the characters, their connections, possible love interests, and the first glimpse of what is to come. The book has a slow build up, almost a bit too slow at times, but with a cast like this, and the world building the author put in place, there is a lot to cover.
As always the author loves to pitch Good agains Evil. And that’s exactly what she does with this new trilogy. I can only imagine what’s to come next! A big showdown, battles, wonderful relationships and friendships, and fantastic writing.
The Awakening was a massive start to a new fantastical trilogy, that will leave you wanting to book a flight to Ireland stat.
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
Rating: really liked it
I adore Nora Roberts, in a comforting and reliable kind of way. Having read everything she's written (as Nora Roberts), admittedly I tend to go into each new story with certain...expectations. THE AWAKENING being The Dragon Heart Legacy: Book 1, I'm sort of certain as to how it will end.
But, no. Ms. Roberts pulled a fast one and sucked me straight in, anxiously awaiting Book 2.
Rating: really liked it
An author new to me, check. A fantasy read, which I rarely venture into, check. A book won via Shelf Awareness that is coming out in November, check. After all that, why not jump in and read it. So I did and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Breen is living with her best friend Marco. She's kinda frumpy, let's people push her around, doesn't think much of herself, and her mother just adds to that putting her down, telling her she will not amount to anything. Keep your job, which you hate Breen, as a school teacher. Her mother, while travelling, has her daughter check her apartment, pick up her mail, etc. While there, a wind blows some papers all around and Breen discovers that in her name is an account for 4 million dollars, which her mother has been hiding from her. She's also been hiding the fate of her father from her. So everything changes for Breen, and she flees to Ireland, the birth place of her father, to look for him, dragging along Marco. But odd things begin to happen to Breen. She begins to see a strange man, she has the most bizarre dreams, that seem real. And one day while out walking, she falls.....through a portal to another world. Her world, Talamh, the world of the Fey. And here, Breen has superpowers, where she must fight to protect herself and her world. There are spells, magic, dragons, evil...but dragons!
Sometimes it's great to step outside of a comfort zone and read something totally different. And this was one of those times. I really enjoyed this one and kept picking it up, not wanting to put it down. I wanted to know what happened. So yeah, it's quite long (something the dialog could have been trimmed down, just too much), it's a bit cheesy in places, a bit predictable (in the romance area) and it's part of a series of books to come. Hence, I had to knock it in my rating. I'm not big on series, I tend to loose interest and never finish them. But this one ended on SUCH a cliff hanger, I can't imagine NOT picking up the next in the series, when ever that may come. Overall, a good book for fans of fantasy, for fans of Nora Roberts, or for those who want to step outside of their comfort zone a bit. Also, thanks to Shelf Awareness and St. Martins Press for an early release copy of this book, it in no way influenced my review.
Rating: really liked it
Quick thoughts: A shiny new series set in Ireland, this book is stunning and so unlike anything else I’ve read. I’m ready for book two and hope it won’t be a long wait! More thoughts to come.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Rating: really liked it
Breen Kelly is a middle school language arts teacher in Philadelphia not really living her best life. She’s insecure about herself, reinforced by her mother who constantly confirms she’s just average, and struggles to make ends meet. Despite her lack of confidence, Breen has managed to make some terrific friends, one who is her roommate. During one fortuitous afternoon where she was tending to her mother’s plants while she was away, Breen discovers documents that reveal not only had her father not abandoned her when she was eleven years old but had regularly sent money on her behalf. Hurt and furious at her mother’s duplicity, she decides to visit Ireland, her father’s home, and discovers family and the magical Otherworld of the Fey. She also meets the warrior Keegan O’Broin, the fearless and fierce leader of Talamh in that realm who changes her life.
The world created in this story is fantastical...mermaids, elves, demons, faeries, witches and more. It was a lot for me to absorb and it overwhelmed Breen. Her resistance was believable as she had to slowly evolve in understanding her own true identity as well as accept the weight of her ancestry. It wouldn’t have rung true to the character if she’d suddenly transformed and embraced this new world and all that it means.
While the world building was slow moving, the excitement certainly wasn’t. There are threats everywhere and Breen’s inexperience places her at even greater risk. Her relationship with Keegan brings even more tension as he doesn’t fully trust her but devotes himself to her training...to a fault. I loved everything about this story as it lays the foundation for what’s to come while creating an imaginative world with lots of interesting and intriguing characters. The narrator was absolutely wonderful, managing a host of roles, genders and accents effortlessly and believably. I hope she continues the series as I plan to listen to all of the books. The ending left my own imagination running amok. I can’t wait for the next installment.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Rating: really liked it
2.5 stars -- I am a huge fan of La Nora, but I had a very mixed experience with this first entry in a new paranormal series from her. The things I liked were the actual magic system and world the fantasy elements are based on. They are all coorelated to the Fey and set in an alternate fey realm in Ireland, which was really fun. But this book feels so messy in terms of structure. It is nearly 500 pages, and honestly, I think it would have been a far stronger book had it been cut down to half that. Better still, cut to 250 pages of this book & then have the next entry start at that point for the last 250 pages. That said, I am intrigued about where this story may go, so if you go into this knowing there's a lot of lag, you may find a new series to invest in.
Rating: really liked it
TITLE: THE AWAKENING
AUTHOR: Nora Roberts
SERIES: The Dragon Heart Legacy #1
RELEASE DATE: November 24, 2020
GENRE: UF/PNR
THEMES & TROPES: Celtic Myths, Ireland
RATING: 3.5 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: Yes!
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
I'm gonna come out with it right away...thiswasmyfirstnorarobertsbook. Yeah I deserve those judgy eyes. One thing's for sure thought, it won't be my last book by her.
That she is an accomplished writer is crystal clear from the get-go. The world building, the landscape descriptions, the character development, it was all very well done. If you've never been to Ireland you'll want to go after reading THE AWAKENING. I saw every little detail in my mind, every beautiful place Breen visited. I loved to spend time in this world.
The inclusion of LGBT and non-binary characters in romance becomes more and more normal, as it should, and I couldn't be happier about it. Marco wasn't just Breen's best friend by name, he was amazing, a constant in her life. And Sally was a delight!
Two worlds, both somehow hers. How would she ever balance them?
Breen's journey from an insecure, meek teacher who hated her profession into a self confident, strong-willed witch was slow but rewarding. Her mom did a number on her and Breen always thought of herself as never being enough. Until she has to step up in a big way. Helping her along the way are well-meaning people - one of them Keegan, who becomes her teacher in all things warfare. Here is where I'll admit that I thought he wasn't very likable. We know the brooding type but they usually have a sweet and funny side about them too. I think the author failed for a majority of the book to let me see another side of him except the rude hardass and judgmental, impatient jerk he was.
“She’s beautiful. I’ve tried not to notice, but I’ve eyes in my head, after all. When that spirit flashes, she’s more beautiful than any I’ve known."
So when all of a sudden he admitted to himself being attracted to her I had a rough time believing it. From this point forward though I got to see a softer side of him. His connection with Breen though was a bit of a stretch. I hope that this will become more natural in the next book.
He’d wondered and wondered how she would feel under his hands, how her body would move under his, and now he knew and wanted hours of her, days of her, nights of her.
I also have to say that this book could have been a good 25% shorter. In parts it dragged and made it slower than it should have been. But niggles aside, I had fun with this first installment of this new series and enjoyed this world and its people. The cliffhanger will have you craving the next book. If you're a fan of Ireland and the magic this country is famous for, pixies, fairies, dragons, were, witches, any fantasy creature you can imagine, then this is definitely a recommendation for you.
Rating: really liked it
This was an interesting first book in a series that very much felt like a very extended introduction. The bulk of the middle of this book was the training sequence in any chosen one narrative. It wasn't entirely unenjoyable, it just went on for so long. The beginning bit was a really descriptive vacation story that also went on for too long.
And that my primary gripe here is that I wish an editor had reigned Roberts in a bit and helped her tightened this story up so that it felt like more than a 450 page introduction.
That said, I rather enjoyed the pieces of magic, folklore and world building. I love a good chosen one story and this hits all the tropes well, from she never knew she was special to one of a kind powers. In an attempt to balance her super specialness, it does go a little ham on the training sequences (as stated above) but I appreciated the effort to ground our chosen one's weaknesses and strengths.
I feel like I would've appreciated Breen's character more in a tighter version of this story. As it was, her characterization came through a bunch of repetition that made me kind of annoyed with some of her woe-is-me-ing. When I look past that, though, there were some positives: she was hardworking and loyal and rational in a magical story. On the flip side, I would've appreciated Keegan more had he been a bit more fleshed out. We spend so little time with him, in the grand scheme of things, and a lot of that time is him being all hard and broody.
The ending was probably my favorite part, for the way it brought the whole ramble together and finally felt like it was taking off. I think that, more than anything, is why I intend to read on in the series. I've invested so much in this intro already and I can see a second book being better.
Rating: really liked it
Actual rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up.
I know of no medicine better than a Nora Roberts book. Whenever I’m feeling down or overwhelmed or just in need of something comforting, her books are always a welcoming escape.
The Awakening, the first installment in her newest series, is no exception. If the rest of the
Dragon Heart Legacy is as great as
The Awakening, it promises to be one of her best.
“You have to look to find. You have to ask to have the answers. You have to awaken to become.”
In recent years, Nora has been taking more and more risks with her work. She’s been writing about weightier topics, departing from the formula she’d adhered to for so many novels, and diving further into the fantasy genre. All of these changes absolutely delight me. While there’s a part of me that misses the predictability, as it was part of the the draw and comfort of her work,
I have so much respect for the risks she’s taking and the ways in which she is stretching herself.“You have to work to have peace, and there are times you have to fight for it.”
In this novel, Nora really highlights her strengths: characterization and strong sense of place. Breen, our main character, grows tremendously over the course of the book. And her supporting cast is simply delightful. There are a lot of musicians in this novel, and the way Nora portrays music was, as it always is, moving and true. I loved getting to know this cast, and I can’t wait to see how they develop over the next two books.
“An instrument was a garden, needed love, needed tending.”
My very favorite element of the story is the setting. We actually have three main settings here: Philadelphia, Ireland, and the fictional Talamh. All three settings are vibrant and well fleshed out, but there’s something about Ireland that just shines. I’m not sure how many novels Nora has written that are set at least in part in Ireland, but I’d say there are at least a couple dozen or so. You can tell that Ireland holds an incredible appeal for her, and her love for it comes through brilliantly in each of those aforementioned books.
Reading one of her stories set on the Emerald Isle is my favorite way to travel when traveling is impossible. Because of Nora, Ireland is the top bucket list destination for every woman in my family.
The way she paints the setting with her words is nothing short of stunning. I can always close my eyes and see just exactly what she’s described, and it’s always lovely.
“If you fail, well, greatness rises from first failures.”
The fantasy elements in this story are so much fun. For the most part, they are elements she has utilized in past novels, but the parallel worlds motif is a new one for her, and it adds some resonance to the rest. There’s magic, and fairies, and dragons, and more. I feel like these elements will be further explored in the next installment, and I’m beyond excited.
“If you rock no boat, you never end up in the water to see where the waves might take you.”
One way in which this book differs greatly from most of Nora’s novels is that it ends on a cliffhanger. I’m never a fan of such endings, but it definitely packed a punch. Thankfully, I know I won’t have to wait forever for the next book. Nora’s work ethic is insane, and I can’t remember once in my adult life when a book wasn’t published on the date she promised. Because she’s so dependable, I feel pretty secure in the belief that I won’t have to wait more than a year to see what happens next.
“I’ve learned that life, a good one, is about love, about standing up for yourself and others, about generosity, about giving back.”
I had a wonderful time reading
The Awakening, and discussing it with my mom and grandmother as we all read it together. Even if it’s not my new favorite book,
there’s nothing quite as soothing and captivating as diving into the writing of Nora Roberts when the real world is so far from perfect. This novel met all of my expectations, and I have a feeling it’s just going to get better when I revisit it next year.You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
Rating: really liked it
I would give this book 4&1/2 stars if I could. A slow start kept it from getting 5 stars. Once I got into the story and met all the characters the book moved quickly. It is the first book in NR's new trilogy. I'm looking forward to the second book as Nora left her readers with a big cliffhanger! Recommended for NR fans and fantasy fans.
Rating: really liked it
A rather disappointing read coming from such a seasoned author. I agree with other reviewers that it's far longer than it needed to be given what's there.
Its biggest failing is that it's a mish-mash of tropes and cliches - You have your chosen one trope. You have the sassy gay best friend trope with matching "gayborhood." (One can only assume it was a misguided attempt to signal inclusiveness, though it instead comes off as pandering and shallow.) And then you have your overpowered-yet-bumbling heroine who's a little TSTL, and your emotionally unavailable hero who thinks brutishness is a love language. And just when you thought you had the whole salad, this book even manages to throw in the perfect setup for a beautiful scorned ex-lover who will no doubt morph into a vindictive beast in following books.
It's 2020. Haven't we already read this book a million times?
Rating: really liked it
This was disappointing on several levels.
1) I don't get the feeling Roberts has read many modern fantasy books. She's thrown everything at the page in terms of worldbuilding a Fae world, but there's almost zero plot in the last 2/3rds of this book. The fantasy characters talk in a very stilted, stereotypical fantasy way. Most of the book is the main character, Breen, following a very strict daily routine (with fitness videos and two long walks a day, of course! Gotta stay thin and not lazy!) We read many, many descriptions of Breen's days, and this daily routine forms the backbone of novel. Unfortunately, we don't deviate much beyond this routine, and it gets old, fast.
Breen also happens to be perfect in every single way, her one flaw seems to be that she just doesn't believe in herself enough. I don't mind a bit of wish-fulfilment, but then there needs to be an exciting plot to make up for a bland character.
2) The diversity that Roberts' has tried to include unfortunately comes off feeling shallow and forced. She's added a Black, gay best friend, and local drag queen bar where Breen hangs out a lot, but we don't learn enough about any of these characters to really make them come alive. Even Marco, who we do actually spend some time with, seems to mostly exist to be Breen's cheerleader. While I think it's great to see more of the bigger names trying to diversify their casts, the actual execution here could have gone a lot better. The diversity also comes to an abrupt halt once we enter fantasy land.
3) Mild fatphobia. This isn't new for a Nora Roberts book -- she always makes sure to cast two thin, fitness obsessed main characters. In every book she makes sure to extensively list her characters eating and exercise habits, just to reinforce how hard they work at being hot, so underlying opinions of "worthy" bodies have always been there in Roberts' books, but it was easy enough to ignore in the past. However, in this latest book, Roberts tells us that magical children aren't allowed to do their chores with magic because it will make them "fat and lazy", and I can't help but feel that this, combined with her obsession of telling us how much her characters work out, tells us a lot about she feels about fat bodies. Because of course, one cannot be fat without also being lazy *eyeroll*
Overall, this feels very much like a first draft, and needed much heavier editing, and as well as a pass by sensitivity readers.
