A Geis is a curse, a vow or a spell where, if broken, the infractor will suffer dishonor or death. 

The chief matriarch is on her deathbed with no heir to rule in her place.  She has decided that a contest will be held to find the one worthy to rule in her place. Fifty people have signed her will to participate, unknowingly being placed under a geis by a powerful sorceress.  Now, the participants must complete the challenges or face the consequences.  

 

I am just starting to read more comic books, so I am not the greatest judge.  However, I was really pulled into this story and it's cast of characters.  There is a wide variety of people who are competing for the position including a judge, Councillor, village witch and a young girl, a Kite Lord's daughter.  I enjoyed seeing the first challenge from several of the characters perspectives.  The artwork uses a muted pastel palate which brings the focus to the characters and keeps the tone classic and serious.  The story leaves us on quite a cliffhanger with the end of the first challenge.  I would have really liked to learn more about the curse itself and some of the characters and I'm hoping book two of the trilogy will answers these questions. Appropriate for middle grade readers and up, a suspenseful, exciting story with a little bit of a dark streak. 

 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.

I added this book to my TBR list when I read that it was based in Celtic mythology. I am a huge fan of mythology but most books are based in Greek and Roman mythology, so this was a unique Young Adult fantasy for me to read. I have been hooked by this story and I am official a fan of the series. Christy Dorrity did a wonderful job creating and writing Awakening. This book is not just for young adults but for adults as well. If you are a fan of mythology, fantasy, romance, and mystery than this book is for you. I cannot wait to see what Dorrity does with the next book of the series. 

Would I read it again?
Yes, I definitely would.

Will I read the next book?
YES!!

Would I recommend it to others?
Yes

Would I read other books by this author?
Absolutely

Review first appeared on fefferbooks.com.

I have to be honest: as eager as I am to read books written by friends of friends, it always makes me a little nervous. Will it be any good? Will I have to force myself to finish? Will I have to find something nice to say about it so my friend doesn’t feel bad for asking me to read it?

I was so thrilled (and relieved) to have that concern thrown right out the window, just a couple of chapters into Awakening by Christy Dorrity. I wasn’t just pleasantly surprised–I was downright shocked by Dorrity’s talent and ability. Awakening is a self-published book, which can have a certain stigma in the industry. Honestly? I would never have guessed that Dorrity published Awakening on her own. It’s impeccably edited and beautifully developed. But the proof is, as they say, in the pudding.

Dorrity has a great gift for writing: her characters are varied in nearly every way imaginable, and her story is just plain fun. Let me be the first to say that I’m not usually much for books about “magic,” and the cover didn’t necessarily appeal to me. There is, though, a great deal more to this book: it’s really a story about finding one’s talents and abilities, and caring for the people you love most. Dorrity spends the greater portion of the book developing relationships between the characters, which serves to further the plot. I was particularly fond of Rourke, the taciturn but deeply protective janitor.

Dorrity’s real talent lies in relating the psychology of her characters: she is excellent at capturing the complex emotions that make up being a teenager. I was particularly impressed by her ability to convey deep, profound communication with her characters’ subtle gestures and body language. I think it must take a high degree of observation to be able to translate such tiny but significant things into writing. Such is Dorrity’s gift.

I’m excited to see how well this book does. I’m still not quite sure about all the magic and world-building that happens at the very end (but if you’re into magic/mythology/Ireland, you will be NUTS for it), but I can’t say enough good about Dorrity as a writer. Awakening hits shelves today, and I think it has huge potential. Go! Buy! Read!

Squeaky clean, with a sweet love story. 4 stars.

Note: ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

THREE WORDS: Holy Knickerbockers Batman (translation: super crazy fun!)MY REVIEW: With a title like Hand Puppet Horror I just knew Benny Alano’s MG book was going to be something unique and fun, and boy was I right!Fourth grader Jay is a pretty average kid- he has two best friends (Becky and Sammy), lives with his mom and sister, occasionally has a run in with the class bully…oh, and his hand puppet, Yeti Booger, has come to life! At first, Jay thinks this magical event is awesome; after all, Yeti Booger does defend him against a bully. But Yeti Booger quickly becomes the monster he looks like and starts making Jay’s life miserable. Along with his two BFF’s, Jay sets out to discover how and why Yeti Booger has come to life and must face stupid dogs, principles, witches and groundings to stop Yeti Booger before anyone gets hurt.Hand Puppet Horror is a super quick read that had me laughing out loud from beginning to end. Alano has created a super imaginative and fantastical story that is a wonderful blend of dark/creepy and fun/humorous. With a very original premise, endearing characters, maybe even a bit of romance and a pitch-perfect voice, readers of all ages will have fun diving into this book.I’ll admit that puppets kinda freak me out, even when they’re not alive, and Alano’s crazy, alive Yeti Booger puppet is awesome and creepy…it’s pretty much awesomely creepy, which will simply delight and enthrall younger readers. Alano’s smart, dark yet fun style of storytelling is very reminiscent of the great R.L. Stine. The story itself is fast-paced and readers will not find themselves bored.The story is told from Jay’s point of view and I just loved his very authentic, fourth-grade “voice”. Alano has created a character that comes across realistic and believable. With his determination to do what’s right, courage, fourth-grade humor and trademark saying “Holy Knickerbockers!”, Jay is a charming and lovable character and narrator. I really loved Becky, Jay’s BFF (and secret crush), because she’s a fearless, up for anything kind of girl who will definitely grow up to kick evil’s butt and look good while doing it! And of course, there’s Yeti Booger, who is fantastically evil and entertaining. I don’t want to give away too much by saying just who is behind bringing Yeti Booger to life, but I do think younger readers will find the twist to be pretty cool.Jay, Becky and Sammy’s adventure is thrilling and downright hilarious, and Alano concludes his book with one heck of a surprise ending that will have readers gasping and wanting more.I also want to mention how awesome the illustrations by Jessica Geis are! These simple drawings really help capture Alano’s story and bring it to life.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Benny Alano’s Hand Puppet Horror is full of lots of silly humor, exciting adventure and captivating creepiness that readers of all ages will find irresistibly fun.