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Kasadya #1

Hellhound Awakened

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Alt Cover for ASIN: B0090UM3YW

In a constant battle between good and evil, evil is dominating the battle field and leading mankind to its destruction. With our Creator's intervention a creature destined to conquer and destroy is created. He gives mankind hellhounds to fight back and reclaim freedom.

Join seventeen year old Kasadya Levourne as she fights against evil to protect us. With each step she faces destruction, and yet she has the talent to give it back tenfold. Stubborn and hardheaded she makes her mark in the fallen world and starts a battle none can escape. Not even her trainer, the very attractive Chax de Luca, was prepared for her presence.

Will evil prevail? Or will Kas and her fallen friends succeed in protecting us against it?

Hold on to your seats, this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Kindle Edition

First published August 21, 2012

63 people are currently reading
1330 people want to read

About the author

Karen Swart

9 books313 followers
Karen Swart is the bestselling author of the spellbinding young adult series - The Kasadya Hellhound Series. Her novels have won awards in the Best YA Paranormal and Best YA Fantasy categories of Book Junkies Choice Awards.

Born and raised South African, Karen spends her time with her family and writing her next novel. You can learn more about Karen, her love of books and all her upcoming books at www.authorkarenswart.com or http://facebook.com/authorkarenswart. Sign up for her newsletter and receive exclusive content and giveaways - http://eepurl.com/bh0dmz

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5 stars
455 (40%)
4 stars
344 (30%)
3 stars
208 (18%)
2 stars
67 (5%)
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45 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
Profile Image for Glory.
350 reviews55 followers
Read
August 23, 2015
DNF
Без оценки.
Самое короткое чтиво в моей жизни.
Мне понравилась идея - не оригинальная, но ладно скроенная, - понравилось, как автор начала замешивать этот коктейль, но...

Написано ужасно. Язык простецкий, ладно, это можно пережить, и порой даже бывает приятно такое читать, однако манера изложения и ошибки (ошибки, блин! это даже не мой родной язык, а я бесилась) наводят на мысль, что автору лет четырнадцать.
В какой-то момент начала перескакивать через страницы, нашла все нужные штампы, посмотрела, как героиня пускает сопли и слюни по придурку - явному герою, угу, - и плюнула.
Спасибо, я пас.

Пы.сы. И еще в прологе слегка озадачилась... Не, я все понимаю, авторское видение, фэнтези, блаблабла, но каким боком Иисус Христос появился раньше человечества? Согласно этой версии, именно из-за него один из Архангелов взбунтовался, после чего был низвергнут и стал Дьяволом, а потом уже соблазнял Адама и Еву в Райском саду. В общем, я человек не религиозный, многих нюансов не знаю и не понимаю, но как-то что-то не склеивается, ага...
Profile Image for Lesley.
399 reviews12 followers
October 15, 2013
I disagree with the majority of the ratings for this book. Because the ratings were so high, and the books were a decent price, I went ahead and bought all three prior to reading the first. I will not ever do that again. While the story might warrant a 4.0, the writing really detracted from it. If based on writing alone, I would have given the book a 1.0. Every other page was rife with errors, misspelled words, misused words, etc., and I found it really hard to get through.

Plot:
Most of us know that Lucifer and some of his fellow angels rebelled against God and were thrown out of Heaven. In this story, some of the fallen angels were repentant, so instead of being deemed totally unworthy of returning to Heaven, their penitence was to earn their way back in by protecting humans from the demons that exist in the world. The fallen – which consist of hellhounds, vampires, gryphons, fairies, werewolves, etc. – go to Hellhouse to receive training once they become teenagers. Kasadya Levourne, a hellhound, is naturally talented, but struggles through the training because she is hardheaded and impulsive and refuses to listen to anyone’s instruction. As a result, she is temporarily “grounded,” and during her grounding, she disappears into a world that truly tests her ability to survive.

Characters:
Kasadya is the heroine of the story. While she is a strong female, she is also snarky and critical (in addition to hardheaded and impulsive), so she is sometimes hard to like. Her redeeming quality is that she cares deeply about the people around her. The other primary character is Kasadya’s instructor, Chax DeLuca, who is cold, unyielding, and pretty much unlikable. To me, that equals misunderstood and automatically makes him my favorite character. The fact that Kasadya can’t stand him makes me like him even more.

At Hellhouse, Kasadya is surrounded by a ton of different characters. A few stick out more than others. She has two roommates Lada, who is calm and rational, and Nanini who is hyper and flighty. Kasadya’s love interest in the book is Seth, who is also an instructor. Seth, while sweet, basically lacks personality, and that makes his scenes with Kasadya underwhelming. There is also Kali, your typical mean girl; I can’t give away too much about Kali without giving away any important plot developments. Two other non-Hellhouse characters appear frequently, Draco and Ballen, both of whom are demons. While they don’t appear consistently throughout the book, they do have a major impact on the plot and on Kasadya.

Writing:
So many errors. Conquered was spelled concurred in every reference. Were was spelled where. There were apostrophes on plurals, and no apostrophes on possessives. This may not bother some people, but if you are a strict grammarian, you should prepare yourself for a difficult read. Additionally, the emotions aren’t as deep as I would like them to be, and the love scenes aren’t as powerful either. It’s as if the author tells you what to feel instead of evoking those feelings through the writing.

The Bottom Line:
With all I have said, it might seem like I absolutely hated the book, and that’s not necessarily true. One of the reviewers mentioned that it was addictive, and I think that’s a good way to describe it. There were times that I didn’t want to put the book down because I did want to see what happened. (Don’t get me wrong…. There were also a couple of times I had to really motivate myself to read.) The story is way out there (if you are reading this genre of book, you probably consider that a given), and that makes the story pretty unpredictable. There is also a major cliffhanger at the end, so if you choose to go on, you will likely want to have the second book ready immediately.
Profile Image for Marguerite (M).
767 reviews653 followers
April 24, 2018
Rating : ~2 stars

Hellhound Awakened is an interesting concept and has a lot of potential. I haven't read much stories about angels & co ; everything related to it kind of looks new and original to me. So I can say I was waiting to have the time of my life a good time, but the first book of Kasadya really fell short to my expectations.
Let's see in a few points.


THE GOOD
1. The story has potential and the plot sounds kind of baddass.
2. The last third of the book.
3. The friendship bond that forms between two female characters.

THE NOT SO GOOD
1. The characters. I mean, they don't have the spark or some kind of charisma. They are so much flawed it became kind of sad.
2. The pace. It's very very uneven. Sometimes it's action packed and pretty exciting, sometimes we are just wasting time in slice-of-life moments. Also the first half of the story is just so very boring. Didn't even counted how many times I wanted to drop it.

THE BAD
1. Kasadya. Even if she redeems herself a bit by the end of the first book, becoming a killing machine and stuff, she's simply fucking stupid and impulsive. The girl works on mistakes like people do on caffeine, it's a tiny bit extremely annoying.
2. The "good guys". We have no doubt about who they are, but they are the worst good guys ever. They are bitchy and annoying and all have sticks in their asses.
3. INSTA-FUCKING-LOVE. Do I need to say more??
4. INSTA-FUCKING-LOVE/LUST with two guys : one is the king of boredom, the other is a dick.
5. The errors. It is in serious need of an editor. Words are missing or replaced by other with the same amount of letters, and we're switching tense so much it's giving me a headache. It was actually painful to read. EDIT : About that, I have the first edition. Maybe it's a bit different now.

Conclusion : While I did enjoy the end, I didn't like the book in itself & the heroine is joining my Pantheon of Disliked Books' Leading Ladies.
Profile Image for Melissa.
88 reviews6 followers
August 24, 2012
I was in love with this story from page one. With a storyline unlike any other, how could you not be? Kasadya is only seventeen and thrust into a world she doesn't want ... and gets more than she expected. Unfortunately she has the hardest trainer in the school she has to attend. From day one he pushes her to the limits ... in many ways.
Trained to fight against evil to save humanity, she's unsure she even wants to. Why hurt herself to protect humans when they only harm themselves anyways? Soon she's literally dragged through hell and in a fight for her life. After only a little training how can she possibly fight her way out of this one? Will she ever return home? Will she ever be the girl she once was or is she changed for good? Guess you'll have to pick up the book to find out!
This was a very well written book. The author was very descriptive and drags the reader in. I couldn't put the book down ... I ate it up! And read it three times. Trust me, if you like the fight of good vs. evil, Angels and demons, or just love a great book, you will want this. I was not paid for this review. The opinions stated here are my own and were in no way swayed. Thank you for taking the time to read!-Melissa
Profile Image for Derinda.
Author 7 books217 followers
September 5, 2012
So how to start this review off. Well let me start off by saying Dmitri from Vampire Ac.
Yes, that is how this book started off for me. Chaux, reminded me of him. Now, when things
like that happen to you. Guess what! Holy smokes you are liking the book right. :)

Kas, was a great main character! She bold, determined and sometimes stupid. But she was
awesome. She went from a spoiled teen to a warrior! Yes a great warrior with BAT wings!!

This book has it all.....witt, action, HOT males! Not to much romance but it will come :)


The way this Author spun this story is........do I say it (squeezing my eyes shut)?????
I will come back to that part!


Let me tell you this the characters that Karen, introduced in this book are just as incredible and
everyone has been done perfect.You get vampires, werewolves, harpys, fae and more.

Well I am just going to spit it out. With the final tweeks and touches, to this book.....Keep in mind
*My opinion* I think this could possibly be a top seller! Even with some of it's flaws, I am going
to tell you. I loved this book!

So to the Author of this book You now have a dedicated fan! But very un-patiently waitng for the next book!

Profile Image for Janie.
235 reviews5 followers
August 26, 2012
I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
OMG!!!!!!!!! This is a brilliant story from start to finish, it keeps you so gripped with every twist and turn that you just CANNOT put it down!!!!!! It has a bit of every type of paranormal to it, the story of Kasadya's journey is so compelling and awe-inspiring.
Profile Image for Jane.
556 reviews24 followers
August 27, 2012
3.5 Stars

Being born from a Hellhound and a fae, Kasadya’s destiny was already written. She could live along side humans but she couldn’t interact with them, and she was to spend her life trying to redeem herself for the sins of the Hellhounds who came before her. She was not happy about her fate and was even less happy when her parents decided it was time for her to go to the ‘Hellhouse’ to learn the ‘trade’! Kasadya was in training and she had the strictest coach in the school -just her luck- but would his teachings be enough to prepare her for what was about to come?

There are a variety of characters all with different personalities who blended together make for an interesting cast. Kasadya is what I would call a typical teenager even though she isn’t human. She has the moany attitude of so many teens I have come across, this helped to make her real and believable. ‘Kasadya’ is a great story made more enjoyable by Karen Swart’s writing style which is relaxed and informal with natural sounding narrative. The plot isn’t that unique and it’s quite predictable but still fun and entertaining to read.

Clearly the start of a series from the way the story ended, I am looking forward to the next instalment of this fantasy adventure with the girl and her friends.

Copy Supplied for review
Profile Image for Merisha28.
330 reviews19 followers
March 30, 2013
I bought this book on amazon!!
Kasadya Hellhound Awakened by Karen Swart

WOW! Holy Crap what a book!!! Not a moment without action and something going on! First book I read by this author and I'm enthralled with this series. As soon as I got done with this book picked up her second book and part way through it now! I love the characters and the dialogue between them. I don't know who I love more on the guys Chaz, Caim, Max?! So much hut maleness it is unbelievable!! The characters are intriguing and you experience everything with Kas, her emotions and mental battles. Absolutely in love with this book it became one of my most favorite!! The ending is unbelievably shocking and an absolute cliffhanger. Once you read the ending you will know why I had to pick up the next book. A very unique take on the angels vs demons and good vs evil story line.

Kas is a regular teen until she so happens to shift to another place. She is then plunged into a cursed life trying to redeem herself since she is a fallen. Her parents take her to the Hellhouse to start her training on becoming a demon fighter. A week after she is there the unthinkable happens, she follows a fellow student that is in a trance like state. Only when she touches her, she is taken to a new hell. Will she survive? Can she save her friend with what little training she has?

Profile Image for Jessica.
185 reviews17 followers
March 24, 2013
I was really amazed when I started to read this book. I became one with the book from the first page. The author did a really good job explaining everything in simple terms. Which made the book easy to follow. Full of action. Kasadya(Kas)was just a teen that never seem to fit in with her peers. One day her parents told her she was a born Hellbound. Confused, but now knew why she didn't fit in. Kas was sent to a facility for training. Her future of killing demons to save the humans. Found some great friends. A traitor in the facility got her kidnapped by a demon. Living amoung the demons for a little over two years. She gained power and control. Then she meets a fellow fallen. Things start to change for her. Flashbacks to the facility and Chax(Kasadya trainer) starts to come back. Kas out smarted the demons and got away. Thinking she was going to shift back to the Hellhouse, she ended up some place new. Finding out she can't get back to the facitity, Kas decides to stay with the new group and joined them. While doing her job as a Hellhound, her friends from the Hellhouse show up. Then all Hell breaks loose. Chax is pissed at her and the situation her new friends have created. The Archangel steps out from the shadows. What will happen now?
Profile Image for Emily.
5,871 reviews548 followers
June 20, 2013
Seventeen year old Kasadya “Kas” Levourne is at the pivotal moment in her life where her destiny outweighs all other wants of a normal teenager. Destined as one of the hellhounds sent to earth to protect mankind, Kas begins her first year at The Hell house the training school for future creatures who are in training to become fighters.

She is given her trainer Chax, a vampire, who is stern, emotionless, and an utter pain in her but. Chax causes Kas confusion with his demeanor and yet there is a built in mechanism to Kas that says to trust what she does not understand. Kas begins to feel like she is fitting in, a newfound romance with a werewolf, she is finding talents she did not know she had, and she has friends for the first time. All comes to a crumbling halt when an action out of emotion by Kas has her becoming prisoner and choices about the path she needs to take.

I can’t truly explain this story without divulging too much. I was not sure what to expect from the blurb, but what I can say about Hellhound Awakened is it was unpredictable. I thought (too many times to count) I had this figured out and I was so wrong. This was an absolute treasure of read, I am anxious for the next in the series.
Profile Image for Carrie (Book Fairy) Fort .
758 reviews176 followers
June 28, 2013
Favourite line " A crazy archangel, a gang of pure fallen who hate me, and then me and my half-breed human gang. Yip, this is going to be fun.”

Excerpt From: Karen. “Kasadya Hellhound Awakened by Karen Swart.” iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Even though Chax was hard and sometimes a jerk he was my favourite! As was Seth!! Hot hot fallen! Kas is a hellhound!! She's amazing, strong, and so brave! She goes from one crazy situation to another and knickers butt! OMG I want to be a fallen! These characters was amazing! I've always thought hell hounds couldn't be graceful and amazing but, this story changes that!
In a believable fabulous way though she makes the best of every problem she is faced with.
In trying to help another fallen she was taken by a demon who makes my skin crawl.
Can Kas survive this demon and survive the bloodlust of being a hellhound?
OMG you must read this book! If you like paranormal kick butt characters then THIS is the book for you! I want more!!
Oh I love how this author says Yip instead of yep throughout this story!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review..

FIVE FALLEN FAIRIES
590 reviews91 followers
August 28, 2012
If this is the start of the series, I can only imagine how amazing it is going to be. When I was given this book to read, the person who gave it to me told me she knew it would be my cup of tea. She was so right. I loved it. The child of a fae and a hell hound. Genius. I could not put this book down. It had darkness, lots of action, romance, and teen angst. I am so excited to see where this story goes from here. I will most definitely be reading the rest of this series.
Profile Image for Claire Taylor.
417 reviews13 followers
August 29, 2012
I received this book in return for an honest review.

Whilst reading the prologue, I was wondering what I had started reading. After chapter one I stopped wondering and was completely hooked.

It’s well written and the character development throughout the book is great. I thought I knew where the story was going at one point, but was so glad it completely surprised me and took another direction.

WARNING: This book will leave you wanting more.
Profile Image for Marsha Berg.
35 reviews5 followers
January 10, 2013
Kas is a girl determined to take on the world, if necessary! What happens and where she ends up are not what she had in mind!
This book takes you on a journey that you will not expect! The characters fulfill your expectations from the beginning of the story!
Excellent book!
67 reviews6 followers
August 30, 2014
Great Read!

I honestly could not put this book down once I started reading it! I've never really been into "good versus evil" all that much, but this story grabbed my attention from the first page, and now I have to read the other books by this author. Great story!
Profile Image for S. Policar.
Author 24 books135 followers
May 29, 2013
This book starts with the story of Lucifer "Star of the morning" and his fall from grace. It recounts the creation of hell and the punishments delivered upon Lucifer and his followers. It's an interesting take on the tale.
I have to admit this story is right up my ally. Anyone that loves myths, lore, paranormal will fall in love by chapter two! Chax De Luca is a hard butt. It's clear that while his methods are effective, they're rather harsh. I won't if he's ever lost any of his trainees to death honestly. It's a wonder no one really likes him.
Kas' harmones are certainly in overdrive throughout this entire book. I imagine it has a lot to do with the whole rules that were enforced before she was returned to her true home.
This story definitely covers the array of the snap emotion an adolescent female goes through. Kas definitely comes into her own very quickly in the story, much to everyone else's dismay. She isn't as weak as not only they but she herself thought her to be.
There are a few things that left me wondering though. A major loophole in the story is why Chax and the fallen hate Kas when they first spot her. It would be an abvious assumption that Caim told his brother all the events that preceeded his release, but they hated her before even noticing Max and the others. Perhaps the author will seal that loophole in the next installment.
All in all this book kept up well past my bedtime as I had to finish it. That in my eyes is a good thing.
I give this book 5 of 5 paws based on the originality of the story and the way it can hold its audience, though I would suggest the author pay just a little more attention on their spelling, or hire a better editor.





Reviewed by


S.Cu'Anam Policar
Freaky Fiction Writing Author
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Profile Image for Elizabeth.
Author 7 books93 followers
May 7, 2013
Kasadya Hell Hound Awakened Kasadya: Hell Hound Awaken Synopsis:

In a constant battle between good and evil, evil is dominating the battle field and leading mankind to its destruction. With our Creator's intervention a creature destined to concur and destroy is created. He gives mankind hellhounds to fight back and reclaim freedom. Join seventeen year old Kasadya Levourne as she fights against evil to protect us. With each step she faces destruction, and yet she has the talent to give it back tenfold. Stubborn and hardheaded she makes her mark in the fallen world and starts a battle none can escape. Not even her trainer, the very attractive Chax de Luca, was prepared for her presence. Will evil prevail? Or will Kas and her fallen friends succeed in protecting us against it? Hold on to your seats, this is going to be one hell of a ride.

I used the Amazon Synopsis because it is perfect for this book (we all know in some cases it isn't.) I actually got this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. The world created was original, the book was well edited and I loved the transition of Kas the main character from scared teen to bad tail.

I give this book 5 enthusiastic flowers!!

[caption id="attachment_3821" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 5 Flowers 5 Flowers[/caption]

 

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Karen lives in a small town in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. She shares her live with her husband, two sons and daughter. If she isn't reading she is writing. Her preferred genres are Paranormal and Urban fantasy. Karen specializes in payroll and HRIS systems analysis and development. At the age of 21 Karen's professional success reached it highest platform, an outstanding achievement at such a young age.

 
Profile Image for Colleen.
21 reviews2 followers
August 20, 2013
This was the first book I’ve read that has had Hell Hounds in it. The synopsis intrigued me. I enjoyed reading Hellhound Awakened very much. I found myself wondering about certain aspects of the story and its characters.

The prolog had an interesting religion unto itself. It was like it was taken from a bible. As I kept reading I got excited. Finding out the many different characters added so much to the story.

When I found out that Kas was from Toronto I loved it! I grew up in Toronto myself!!

When Kas goes to The Hell House I pictured it as this interesting magical place that would feel just like home. I wanted to explore it. The gardens were so beautiful. The sparring rings were fun too. Kas’s roommates made me laugh. I found that they were a perfect fit for each other. Of course with any school there’s always going to be the divas. I liked the reference to Harry Potter and Diagone Alley.

The early training sessions with Chax were brutal. He works her so harshly. Chax’s character was mysterious making me want to know more about him.

I liked the relationship that Kas has with her father. The good fatherly advice he gave her “take one step at a time and you will find some steps are worth taking.” The advice was well advised. I would like to know more about why Kas and her mother have such an estranged relationship.
I enjoyed Vulcan’s classes. It was like you were learning with the other students.

When Kas’s world is turned upside down it seems to come from all directions. Draco pitches her into the ring and you just want to hold your breath and pray everything will turn out alright. I would have liked it a little bit better if the fight in the demon ring had lasted longer. The power that surged through Kas was immense, but short lived as the death blow was dealt swiftly. Kas becomes pretty bad ass in her fighting skills. Even though she had a very limited training she learned to find her inner bitch so to say.

It was fascinating to meet Amon and his band of humans. Their pessimistic ways of handling demons was motivating. Max’s transformation had me a little shocked, after what Melissa decided to do it had me shaking my head. I could understand why some of them decided to take the route they did. But would the council understand?

The cliff hanger had me wondering what the next book would be like. Would they all comply with the arch angels reasoning? Would Kali be ok? Would Kas be allowed to explain herself once the battle was over? What about Seth? Would Seth be there for Kas?

This book was gifted to me by YA Book Addict for an honest review.
Profile Image for Eclipse Reviews.
70 reviews24 followers
April 22, 2013
At a young age Kasadya learns that she is born a Hellhound. Creatures created by God to battle and destroy demons. As a young Hellhound she is taken to the realm Exsilium to begin her apprentice training. She gets the toughest of all trainers that has absolute no mercy for his apprentice’s and she has a hard time surviving his training. Soon she starts to fit in and discover her new world and the reasons for their existence and war. But then the inevitable happens and she and her friend ends up in hell where she must fight demons to survive. Her journey is hard with no silver lining awaiting her. But then a group of humans comes to her aid, or would it be her destruction?

This was great combination of the paranormal world. Karen takes a lot of paranormal creatures and elements and infuses them into one single book. The plot was set out nicely with a lot of twist and turns that kept me intrigued and unable to put the book down. Kasadya was my favorite from all the characters. She starts out an uncertain teenager, and then slowly develops into a warrior and woman she was meant to be. Chax’s character left so many questions that I can’t wait to read the next book to find out more about him. He reminded me of Demitri of Vampire Academy but with something more dangerous around his character. Karen’s description about each character was great and I could picture them easy. Even hopping Nanini was a great addition to the cast.

During my read a lot of other novels came to mind that is similar to her novel. Great novels like Immortal After Dark from Kresley Cole, Larrisa Ione’s Demonica series, Vampire Academy and Underworld.

The novel started off slow to explain and develop the story. But with a lot of twist and turns the novel quickly went into a fast pace with action after action to follow. Her description of the fighting scenes was well developed and I was able to see each scene playoff in my own head. Karen’s talent for action is just beginning and I would love to see more action packed novels from her. Being a Young Adult book, her writing style is well suited for them. As an adult you might find some of the writing confusing at first, but soon it will be second nature and you will be settled into the novel.

My favorite quote from this novel: “Take life one step at a time, and you would find that some steps where worth taking,”

http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.c...
Profile Image for Kelly.
5,690 reviews228 followers
March 8, 2013
I am torn on this book. I liked the overall mythology and the idea of a group of supernaturals that defended humanity against demons buuuuut... I was bothered by the way Kas handled some of the things that were thrown at her. Or, not how she handled them so much as how she didn't handle them. I mean, if you're ruthlessly separated from everything you've known and forced to do terrible, awful things, I find it hard to believe that when the chance came to reconnect with them you wouldn't do everything in your power to track them down. She had a brief moment of "OMG! My friends! My family!" and then she fell into line and it seemed to become a non-issue.

That said, I liked Kas for the most part. She's put in a situation that isn't easy and she finds a way to work with it. Chax isn't an easy person to get along with, but she sees his commitment to the fallen and their fight and she grows to respect him for that. I do think she should have *talked* to someone about some of the things she was experiencing at Hellhouse (dreams where you wake up screaming tend to be a harbinger of bad things) but I can also understand that she was doing her best to be strong and deal with things on her own. Of course, dealing with things on her own ended up landing her in a world of hurt, so the lesson that they're stronger together would have been a good one to learn at that point.

Now, I do have a bit of a thing when it comes to authority figures purposefully keeping critical information from their charges. In this case, it was why Hellhounds were pushed into pairing off with their mates at fairly young ages. I can only assume that their secrecy will be explained at a later date because, right now, I'm not understanding why it isn't something that everyone knows.

Overall, this was a fun book. I wasn't entirely sold on some of Kas's decisions but I do like the direction the storyline is heading in. And I must say that I hope we see more of Chax in the future because I like that guy. He's intense. Intense is good.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Profile Image for Pam.
916 reviews45 followers
September 5, 2012
I recieved this book for a honest review from the author. Kasadya or Kas is a Fallen even though she didn't really know she was until she is told by her parents. She has to redeem herself and all the other hellhounds who came before her. She can have no human friends or interact with them. Of course as a 16 year old girl she is pissed about this. She is sent to Hellhouse to train with other Fallen creatures. There she is taught to transform into her hellhound self and taught to fight by Chax and taught that she is to save human and kill demons. While she is there she also makes friends with the other Fallen creatures. She hadn't been there long when she and another fallen are taken by Demons and she is told she must fight or she and her friend will die. So she fights other demons till she is saved a long time later. She has become stronger and harder after her time trapped with the demons and makes a few mistakes when she is rescued. Some that may lead to horrible things for her and her new found friends the humans.

I truly loved and enjoyed this book. It is about different kinds of Fallen some you never get to read much about. I loved the authors take on Hellhounds. Usually they are seen as large dogs nope not here. Kas is an incredible character that sticks in your mind. No matter what is thrown at her she stands up and faces it. The other characters introduced in this book are just as incredible. You get fae, vampires, werewolves, harpys and so much more. I kept thinking I wanted Kas to end up with one guy but after reading the whole book I want her with someone different. I won't say who my pick is as this really isn't a love story so far. It is more about action and watching a girl become the hellhound and woman she is meant to be. This is an amazing start to what I hope is a series. The author knows how to drag you in and make you want more. I eagerly look forward to the next book. Pick this up if you want a different paranormal creature to read about and an incredible story.
Profile Image for Heather Alexander.
276 reviews26 followers
August 31, 2012
I was given this book in return for an honest review. Kasadya (Kas) is a teenage girl who is told by her parents that she is a fallen, not just any fallen, but a hellhound, the fiercest of all the fallen. She can't have human friends or boyfriends and is angry. She is sent to the school in her realm called Hellhouse, where she will train and learn how to use her abilities to fight demons and protect humans. Chax is her Custos (trainer/guardian) he's grumpy and impatient, but the best at training. Kas makes friends with others of her kind and starts to settle in. After a month of training and a few romantic entanglements, she is confused and angry. She tries to help a girl,Kali, that she doesn't even like and gets shifted into hell with the girl. Kas has to battle demons for the entertainment of her captor or he will kill Kali. Kas has to learn to embrace her hellhound and do all that she can to stay alive so she can find a way to escape. There are some suprises in hell that will stun her to the core. While Kas and Kali do escape, it is not to Hellhouse, they find a Fallen running a training facility for humans to fight demons. They cannot find the Fallen or contact Hellhouse so they stay to help. They go to raid a demon club and run into their demon captors. During the battle, her Fallen finally show up. This book definately will have a sequel, I loved the story. It wasn't just your regular teen angst book, Kas has her moments but is a strong female character who adapts to whatever situation she is put into. I love the angle and appreciate that it isn't like the other Fallen books. You will be left wondering what is going to happen next, who will Kas end up with (as there are several potential boyfriends) and can she make the stiff necked counsel see reason. The story is chock full of fae,vampires,were's,harpy's,hellhounds,demons,griffins, etc. This was just a really good book that I read cover to cover in 1 day. Loved It! WaAr
Profile Image for Romina.
94 reviews6 followers
June 14, 2013
Kasadya is a Hellhound. Borne from her Hellhound Father and her Fae Mother. Her only sin is being a descendant from the fallen who betrayed God.
For this sin she must forever serve God to earn her place beside him after her death.
In serving God she must fight all Demons in his name.
At 17 years old Kas is about to start her training to begin her service to God. She is taken to Hellhouse in Exsilium the banished realm. This will become her home for the duration of her training.
Her chosen trainer is Chax De Luca, a revered hunter of Demons with centuries of experience.
In the training arena at Hellhouse Chax will pushed her to her limits to reach her true potential but with a plethora of hot guys around could she find someone to love her too.
Within the safe confines of Hellhouse all is not what it seems and Kas is soon faced with a near impossible situation. At the hands of a Demon she decides to use her situation to her advantage and take out as many Demons from within as she can.
Every part of this story had me completely hooked.
Although written from the point of view of a teen. This is not a whiney kid with an attitude problem which was such a relief. I find strong characters win me over every time and Kas certainly did.
Every detail in this book draws you into a fascinating world that intrigued me immensely. Imagining a banished realm full of Gods fallen, picturing them training to take on the most evil of Demons and then the ideas that came to mind when reading some of the battles really challenged me. I loved it!
Each surrounding character in this is essential in this story, each one taking their place perfectly. With such a dynamic mix of creatures from Fae, Werewolves, Hellhounds even Vampires I thought it offered a touch of everything that appealed to me.
It’s so easy to get lost in this story and I was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more!
I will certainly be getting the next instalment.
Profile Image for Hot Stuff Book Reviews.
245 reviews31 followers
September 25, 2012
http://freak-ya-tastic.blogspot.fr/20...







This book is the first installement in the series. The author provided me of an ecopy of her novel.

This book is just awesome. I had a fabulous time reading it and I can't wait to read the sequel. This author is sadistic with her characters but also with us, her readers. What is this end? It's crazy to end a book on such a climax.

At first, I wondered if it would be really for me. The blurb made me eager to discover this novel but the prologue had me a little worried. And yet, I was immediately hooked.

The author shows real originality in her story while still using werewolves, vampires, feys and such. She adds her own things to create a different story, a different universe that works perfectly. She doesn't spare anything to her characters and that's why I read it in one sitting.

The main character – Kas – evolves drasticaly in the course of this novel and I don't know how the author succeeds, but it works perfectly. I could understand the path she had to take and that's probably why I fell for this character. I don't want to spoiler you if you decide to read this book, but I can tell you that the second part of the novel is probably my favorite.

Also, there's a male character – named Chax - that I really want to see again to know more about him. His behavior toward Kas is partly explained but he stays mysterious. How couldn't I like a mysterious male character?

But beside great characters, it's the complexity of the story itself that has me awestruck. Clearly, the author spends a good amount of time to put together such a story both for the plot and the "mythology".

I'm eager to see what happens next. I'm sure the author has many things in her sleeves to surprise us all over again.
Profile Image for Mikaela.
172 reviews
September 10, 2014
You can find my other reviews at: The Titan's Tomb

Evil is dominating the constant battle-ground of good verse evil and is leaving mankind in destruction upon its wake. But with God's intervention, a creature is created that is destined to conquer and destroy the growing numbers of the Fallen Archangel's army. He gives earth Hellhounds to help fight back and reclaim their hope and freedom. Kasadya Levourne is one of these same Hellhounds who fights against evil to protect us. With each step she faces trials and pain, and yet she has a talent for giving it back ten-fold. Stubborn and courages, she begins to make her mark in the Fallen world and starts a battle that none can escape. Will evil prevail? Or will Kas and her Fallen friends succeed in protecting us against the sins and temptations that it brings?

Hellhounds have made a new name for themselves with this story. Forget the Greek Cerberus who guards the entrance to Hades and the slavering black dogs that we have come to proclaim them as, these Hellhounds are now God-sent creatures of retribution and a whole lot of smiting. The world of the Fallen and the Demons they battle in order to reclaim their place in Heaven after Lucifer's betrayal is such a fantastically imaginative story that I fell in love with the book half-way through its introduction. The characters are all amazingly different and yet all strong-willed and brave, especially the protagonist Kas, who, after the events of the book, went through a very realistic character development and made her even more of a likeable character than before. A definite must-read for all urban fantasy fans, Hellhound Awakened will leave you on the edge of your seat and begging for more.
152 reviews4 followers
October 1, 2014
I received this book from the author, Karen Swart, and from Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock. Kasadya Hellhound Awakened is the first book of a four book series written about Kasadya. This book is about Kasadya, a seventeen year old girl, who is entering her new life. She was raised as a human but when she was seventeen she had to go start her new life. Kasadya is a fallen. Fallen were created by God after an Archangel lead some of the other Angels in a rebellion. After they were defeated, God allowed those Angels who had fought in the rebellion a chance to repent and declare their loyalty. While God took pity on them, he still believed that their deeds must be punished, so he turned them into Fallen. The Fallen were given an early realm they could live in called Exsilium. The Fallens’ job is to hunt down the Angels who had not repented and were turned into Demons as these Demons are evil and trying to hurt humankind. This book starts out as a new Fallen starts her life as a Fallen so we get to see how she learns to use her new abilities as well as about the Fallen. Kasadya is a Hellhound. There are many Fallen and they are in many shapes, faes, vampires, werewolves, and many other kind and variations.

This book was awesome! I started reading this story and was immediately drawn into the story. The characters are so detailed that the story just seems to jump off the pages. I tried to pace myself and ended up reading the whole book in just two days. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books about shape shifters or paranormal style characters. Also this is a great book for people who like books where good is fighting against evil.

I’m giving this book 5 fangs.
Profile Image for Justine.
2,141 reviews78 followers
March 28, 2013
I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. At first I didn't know if I would enjoy this book or not but I quickly learned that yes I would enjoy this book, and not only like it but love it. And I am totally a sucker for a school/ academy setting, I just love it! I think it stems from my younger self always wanting to have gone to a French boarding school. Alas my parents never allowed it sigh. At the same time it was so different from any book I have ever read. It included hellhounds, which I always thought were hounds from hell but yet again I was shown otherwise. Plus there were a Ron of other creatures such as harpies, Fae, vampires, werewolves and many more. Karen Swart used such amazing descriptions that I could almost feel the fur on some of the creatures or feel them drool on me lol.
I loved Kas! She was so awesome. She is brave and an ass kicker, but she has a softer side as well. There were a couple of mini romances going on with Kas in the centre, but unfortunately she was pulled away and we never learned what became of them, but hopefully in book two we will. I'm thing from one of those romances, judging only on the sexiness of the kisses that one of those romances might be Kas's soul mate, and I can't wait to find out. There are a ton of other characters that also rocked and I can't wait to continue the series and learn more about them.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Well done Karen Swart, well done. Two thumbs way way up. You earned these 5 stars let me tell you. I will absolutely carry on with this series. I would recommend it to angel/ demon loves, paranormal/ fantasy fans and anyone who loves a good read!
Profile Image for Melanie.
86 reviews7 followers
March 28, 2013
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. I read Kasadya (Hellhound Awaken) by Karen Swart. I definitely recommend this book. I would have not chosen this book if I saw it in a store, but being written by an indie author and published by an awesome group, I knew I had to try it. This book amazed me with the imagination this author has. It started telling about how the devil got his position in hell and how he had demons that agreed with him and followed him. There were others that agreed at first, but then turned back to God wanting to come back. They are called the Fallen. There are many different types, Fae, Werewolf, Vampire, etc, and their way to get back to heaven is by helping the humans by killing the demons on earth. The Fallen were having a hard time, so God created a creature called a Hellhound. The hellhound was made to be stronger than the demons and so the Fallen had a chance. Kasadya is a girl, born a hellhound. She lives a semi-typical life here on earth until she was 16, then she had to leave to live on the Fallen plane, Exsilium. She then enrolls and lives in The Hellhouse, a school for the Fallen coming into their powers. She gets a mentor, called a Custos, who is the best but worst to learn from. From that I'll let you read the good stuff, but this author is so imaginative and something new is around every corner! Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, it shocked me (in a good way). The book created a new world of sorts and the style this book was written in is consuming. I hated to tear myself away from it when I had to. I look forward to reading the next in the series Kasadya Hellhound Twisted.
Profile Image for Kristin Scearce.
769 reviews23 followers
March 30, 2013
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kasadya is a hellhound, and she must learn to accept that part of her. Hellhounds are the strongest, created by God to cast down the demons of the world, but it's not an automatic ability. That means going to a school for the supernatural, training with a Custos to build her strength and powers, and fighting the demons of the world to protect the human race. However, it's a lot more difficult than she thought it'd be, and after her first day of training, she's completely drained. Her Custos, Chax, is the best, according to practically everyone around her, but he's tough on her in every way, delivering brutal training sessions and sometimes harsher words to fuel her fire. Eventually, bad things happen, as they always do, and Kasadya must learn on the fly to survive and thrive in the demon world, before she loses her head, literally.

This book was fantastic; so many supernatural elements, various magical beings, and a ton of background on how their world and their fight came to be what it is today. As the story progressed, I was drawn into Kasadya's world, putting myself right alongside her through the training sessions, the classes, and ultimately her time with demons. She becomes an extremely strong character, and by the ending, I could tell this is going to be a wild series. Can't wait to read the next one!

5 stars
Profile Image for Katherine.
173 reviews6 followers
March 7, 2013
Kasadya tells the story of Kas, a teenager who finds out that she's not a normal teenager, in fact she's not even human. She is a child of the fallen and she is a hellhound, one of the most powerful of the fallen that God created to defeat demons.
I had a hard time getting into this story at first. But as the story progressed, I became more and more entranced by Kas's story. I loved seeing Kas grow from an immature teenage to a strong, powerful, confident woman. And I loved how kickass she became as she embraced being a hellhound.
Although Kas is the main character, there were some amazing secondary characters. Kas's friends Nanini and Lada were fiesty and fun. The characters of Kali became a wonderful complement to Kas's character.. And the guys in the story were to die for - Seth, the sexy & caring werewolf...Chax, the brooding vampire with a heart....and then Max, the human who fights demons. Kas is going to have a hell of a time choosing between those three.
I really enjoyed this book and I've already bought the second book in the series (I had to - the cliffhanger ending had me going to Amazon to buy the second book as soon as I finished this book.)

Disclaimer - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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