From the Publisher
"Best book of the year! A masterpiece from the queen of romantasy!" —Laura Thalassa, bestselling author of the Four Horsemen series
NOVEMBER 2023 - AudioFile
In this first audiobook in Awakening, a new fantasy series, Calista's power of intuition and foretelling have made her a favorite of the Baron of Archwood. When Hyborn Prince Thorne visits, he and Calista are inexplicably drawn to each other despite their differing classes and impending war. Soneela Nankani narrates Calista and Thorne's story, as told from Calista's point of view. Nankani captures the couple's developing relationship and imbues her performance with Calista's growing fear of her visions and her, at times, whiny personality. Secondary characters, such as the baron and his cousin, are consistently recognizable. Smooth transitions and appropriate pacing further showcase Nankani's talents. Listeners, especially fans of the author's other works, will be entertained. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2023-06-10
A courtesan uses her power of intuition to save a Hyhborn immortal.
After growing up in an orphanage, Calista made a deal with Claude, the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection and a place in his court, Calista agrees to use her magical abilities to gather information for him. Her intuition is so powerful that she's compelled to follow its directives, and she can also divine a person’s future by touching them, skills unusual in a lowborn human. Calista values the safety and security of this arrangement even though she has the uneasy feeling that her skills have made her a pawn in a political game she doesn’t understand. One night, she overhears a strange conversation about an immortal being in trouble, and her intuition forces her to investigate. Calista finds Thorne, the Prince of Vytrus and right hand of King Euros, being tortured and drained of blood to be sold on the black market for use in illegal bone magic. She saves him and becomes his lover and companion for his time in Archwood. Thorne reveals that the king has sent him to deliver a message to Claude about the dangers facing the city: Archwood is being targeted by a rebel faction of lowborns, and the King and other Hyhborn immortals are considering destroying the city rather than involve themselves in a messy human conflict. Armentrout delivers a standard palace intrigue plot, but the characters and story are sexy and compelling. Thorne is more mysterious and opaque compared to Calista, who has a well-developed arc. She abandons her passive acceptance of her circumstances and tries to uncover the truth about her past and her magical abilities, but she fears the truth will pit her against Thorne as malevolent forces threaten the city.
A compelling first book in a new fantasy series will leave readers wanting more.
