Adult Book review - The Last Awakening

*This is a review of an adult novel. If you are a minor or find sexual and/or violent references offensive please do not read on*

The Last Awakening
Rachel Firasek

Author URL:www.rachelfirasek.com
Series: Curse of the Phoenix #2
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
ASIN: B006D9SVD0
Format: E-book
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

‘Danger and darkness bled from the brown-black recesses of his eyes. She knew what lay beneath the pissed-off aura he radiated—a pain so ugly only those that shared it could understand.’ (30/118)

Meet the author...

Rachel’s writing career began at the impressionable age of twelve with a poem dedicated to the soldiers of Desert Storm. A dark macabre affair that earned her a publication in an anthology and many raised eyebrows from family and friends, she hid her poetry and artistic style for years…

Tucked away in the heart of Central Texas, with the loving support of her husband and three children, she dusted the cobwebs from her craft. Returning to those twisted regions of her mind, she creates dark urban fantasies and soul-searching paranormal romance.

Goodreads synopsis...
For three hundred years, Arabella’s life has been one meaningless death after another. In a cruel twist of fate, Osiris–god of the Underworld–gifts the phoenix her mortality and returns her voodoo magic. If she fails to harness her wayward magic and save a man worthy of a second chance, she’ll forfeit her power and her soul–forever.

Ex-soldier Greyson Meadows desperately wants to be freed from the nightmares and guilt that haunt him after the tragedy that brought him and Ari together. Confronted by the waif of a woman who forces him to face his worst fears, he resists, fighting the need to keep his personal demons hidden instead of setting them free.

When Ari becomes the target of her own magical blunder, it’s not just her life in danger, but now the one of the man she loves.

My thoughts...

I'd considered the high standard of the first book in the series, The Last Rising, unable to be met by this sequel in terms of it's originality, intensity and quick pace. I was wrong. The first book was captivating: i rated it four stars, but The Last Awakening was both captivating and utterly enthralling! This book includes everything you expect and enjoy from a full-length novel and in no way feels as though it's been crammed in.

We had the strong-willed Ice serving her penance as a phoenix in The Last Rising, but this time we have Arabella. An equally likable and tough protagonist, Ari is a French-speaking former priestess voodoo practioner with a torturous past that ultimately led her to the life as a phoenix. For over three hundred years Ari has spent her time dying to save another, then being re-born to do it over and over again.

Finding her latest mark to save in a store, Ari comes face to face with an aggrieved ex-soldier called Greyson. She immediately identifies with anguish and torment in his eyes but even moreso after she performs her 'phoenix duty' and saves him during a shootout. Ari realizes he's emotionally damaged further since he was unable to save those he loved at the scene.

Returning to Osiris, the Egyptian God of the Underworld, Arabella demands he send her back to Grey. Relating to his misery she wants to help him heal and banish his undeserved guilt. It's immediately evident she's a fierce and no-nonense heroine as it's through blackmailing Osiris, Ari gets her wish. Though instead of being sent back with her phoenix powers, Osiris gives her back the very thing that has caused her own emotional conflict throughout the years. Her voodoo powers. Powers of which she has absolutely no control over and may just cause the deaths of those she loves.

 

 

Neither the plot nor the characters alone carry the story, they both compliment each other. Though i have to admit the three-dimensional characters are the driving force behind my high praises. I just loved them.

The special bond between Grey and Ari is tangible right from the start and oh-so-sizzling. The hero and heroine both possess their own personal demons and overwhelming guilt, that they have to fight. Yet they must learn to help one another to win the battles. The two characters grow and change with their experiences and the love that blossoms is truly adorable *swoon*.

We also see the return of Turner, Brodie and Ice from The Last Rising, as Grey is Turner's friend and Ari, Ice's. It's a tricky matter to have a series with each book containing a new protagonist or two, and keeping hold of the readers interest. But i personally wouldn't have minded if they had been there or not- even though i was sure i'd miss them in this sequel! Regardless, it was a nice touch!

The inclusion of Osiris on the other-hand i feel was important to the story's progression. I can't wait to read more about him and hope he has book of his own in the series :-)

I haven't mentioned the suprise antagonist yet have i!? Well, i'm not naming names because he or she ;-), is part of a twist that i'm sure will have your jaw dropping. But i will say that this badass went against my expections of the direction of the novella and created an even more solid plot.

Summary...

This is a tale of love, redemption, guilt and non-stop entertainment. All key points to the plot are tied up nicely, yet leave room for the series to grow.

For me the key strengths of The Last Awakening are the well-rounded and likeable characters, the pace, the author's ability when creating such riveting intensity and the sexual tension- that is void of typical pnr cliches by the way.

Refreshing. I loved it. This author's one to watch.

Recommended to...

Pnr fans, romance fans, Greek mythology-with-a-twist fans and novella phobes lol.

Rating...

Don't need to guess how many stars i'm giving this one...

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Thanks for reading

xo

TToria♥