AWAKEN (Empyreal #1) by Christal M.Mosley-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK from Goodreads: Release Date January 2013

From Goodreads: AWAKEN to a NEW WORLD What if your entire life had been nothing more than a few broken images? What if every time you closed your eyes, another memory was lost? … Then … What if one day, those memories began to resurface…? Coralie Collier has never questioned the elements in her life … Until now. Strange dreams and unexplained encounters begin to unravel the world around her. As images begin to rise to the surface, missing pieces to her life begin to fall into place. Could there be more to Coralie’s existence than what appears? Will Coralie be able to unlock the secrets to her past? And what lies within the truth? A new life … A new world … … Awaken…

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REVIEW: AWAKEN is the first storyline in Christal M. Mosley’s new young adult fantasy series Empyreal. As a reader of many YA storylines I have found similarities and differences amongst a number of books and series and, in this particular novel, there are several similarities to The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.

Coralie Collier has purposely been kept in the dark about her heritage. When dreams and nightmares become a living and breathing reality, her memories would suddenly disappear and there would be black holes of emptiness and confusion whenever Coralie tried to grasp at images and thoughts. Thinking they were trying to protect their daughter, Coralie’s parents have endeavored to keep their daughter’s true identity a secret. As the one True Empyreal Warrior-a direct descendent of the Angels- Coralie’s future has been determined since her birth.

There are secrets from Coralie’s past of which she has no knowledge. When part of the truth is finally revealed Coralie is stunned to realize that parts of her memory have purposely been removed for her own protection. But in the grand scheme of world domination and pure power, keeping Coralie’s destiny a secret from her was an error in judgment by all concerned. Coralie has not been prepared for the upcoming war between good and evil, and in doing so could risk the lives of those hoping to protect her.

As a reader, I was frustrated at times at the incomprehensible situation brought about by Coralie’s parent’s refusal to inform their daughter about her heritage and the upcoming battles. And when it came time to explain, it took forever and several chapters before an explanation was finally spoken. And in this, the explanation was not very clear. I had hoped that more detail surrounding the Empyreal history would have been revealed especially her connection to the past and potential powers. Perhaps in the second storyline, more history and background of the Empyreal will be revealed.

As I said earlier, the premise is similar to The Mortal Instruments in that the protagonists are descendants of angels; the hero and his sister are Coralie’s guardians and fight to rid the world of the demons; the evil are warriors gone rogue; kidnapped siblings; jilted lovers; and a young woman who has been secreted away from her destiny only to discover she is the key to everyone’s survival. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, but it was a similarity none the less. I suspect that the missing sibling will play a major role in the war between good and evil. And there is mention of several supernatural powers including vampires and werewolves, witches and warlocks and, the fae who may or may not have a storyline in the upcoming battles.

Overall, AWAKEN is an interesting and enjoyable storyline. If you are a fan of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments you will definitely see some similarities but you should also have no problem seeing the bigger story. I wish Christal M. Mosley all the best with the release of AWAKEN. I did have an issue with the author’s continuous use of ellipses ( ….) but it was explained to me that the protagonist is reticent and naïve, and is having some issues trying to explain herself or get her point across.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy