Awaken

The Awakener #1

by R.E.S. Tidmore

Searching for a way to help her best friend, Rachel, through a psychological break, Lily McMaster travels to a small town where she must seek a guide into the backcountry of Northern Idaho. But before she can start her journey, Lily begins to have hallucinations, causing a crippling bloodheat that threatens to tear her in two. Are the hallucinations a glimpse of her own psychological break with reality? Or could they be glimpses into a past she might share with the hard, muscled warrior who guides her? As she and her companions travel to the site of both her past and future, she discovers the bloodheat foretells the coming of her birthright as the Awakener of Souls, and the man who walks by her side holds the key to her salvation.

Genres: Paranormal

236 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2013

About the author

I am a defective writer that writes. I have an MFA in creative writing. Being dyslexic: Writing was never something I thought I would make a living at. Writing isn’t only about crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s. It’s about storytelling and doing it in all the best ways. I love Jane Austen, tattoos, sarcasm, quick wit, gardening, all things Harry Potter, being a writing coach, and a happy ever after.

Check out my adult romance series: The Awakener series, The Verbecks of Idaho series, The Managing Mayhem series, and coming soon, my new YA novel D IS FOR DEFECTIVE.

If you want to know when my next book will come out, please visit my website at http://www.restidmore.com or swing by and see my new company www.ruthlesswriters.com where you can find fun fiction writing prompts and coloring books for writers.

Reviews

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Sonal Panse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an interesting premise of reincarnation. Lily McMaster is a psychiatrist and, to make sense of the delusions that have caused her best friend and assistant Rachel to be locked up in a psychiatric ward, she travels from San Diego to Kaloosh in Idaho to investigate a tragedy that Rachel mentions having witnessed.

In Kaloosh, she meets the mysterious Gavin Jones and she finds herself strangely attracted to this large, scarred man. Together they undertake a journey to the site of the tragedy and this journey, as it turns out, offers Lily an answer to the trauma that has devastated her troubled friend Rachel. She also ends up discovering some remarkable facets of her own past that have the power to influence her present and her future.

It is an intriguing read and the author has done a good job with descriptions, in particular Lily's fluctuating emotions and her memories of the past.

[Shaheen Darr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leora Marks is the Light, the Awakener of Souls who reincarnates to help people awaken and find their purpose in life. In her present lifetime she is reborn as Lily McMaster, a psychiatrist whose mentally ill friend, Rachel Perry has been having visions about the Wood Creek Fire that occurred 30 years ago in Kaloosh, Idaho. Are the visions a part of Rachel’s illness or is there more to it that cannot be explained. To find answers Lily decides to travel to Idaho and investigate further.
Here she meets Gavin Jones, the huge, scarred man whom she calls the “Beast”, she is repulsed by him and yet cannot deny the powerful “blood heat” that flows whenever they are together. How will Gavin tell her that he has been her protector in every lifetime? Will he be able to protect her from the Hound and the Council of Souls and most of all can he help her to “awaken” to the truth about her own powers, about Rachel and about the truth behind the Wood Creek Fire?
The story is enthralling, it holds interest and you cannot stop reading as you want to find out more about the characters. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of R.E.S. Tidmore’s books.

[Stephanie Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, exciting tale that kept me glued to my Kindle from start to finish. The characters are interesting, believable, and easy to root for. The plot is refreshingly unique, and I particularly like how the author didn't "spoon-feed" the storyline. Information is offered at just the right pace to allow us to understand what we "need" at the moment, but still maintain plenty of mystery to hold our interest riveted until the end.The romance included just enough love and spice to keep me hungry for more, and speaking of hungry for more, the ending left me excited for the next in the series, but not frustrated with an abrupt cliffhanger. I look forward to continuing on to the sequel!

[J.M. Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one that you just can’t put down. I'm looking forward to the second in the series, Oblivion. Coming soon.

Lily McMaster is a psychiatrist. Her assistant, Rachel, has been suffering with hallucinations and has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Her hallucinations are recurring and in such detail that Lily decides to investigate. She finds that there is some historical fact to her friend’s visions and embarks on a road trip to investigate.

Lily meets Gavin; a huge, scarred, beast of a man. She recruits him to be her guide on her trek to the scene of Rachel’s visions. Although she is intimidated by Gavin, she is inexplicably drawn to him. His presence sparks a fire in her blood and initiates her own hallucinations.

During the hike Lily learns of her past and the meaning behind the visions she and Rachel have been experiencing. Gavin and Lily must rush against time and dark forces to get her to safety before it’s too late and she loses her mind completely.

This story is epic. It could be made into a movie, it’s so intriguing. The build-up between Lily and Gavin is smouldering - literally.
I love that Gavin is not your typical hero and Lily might have been scared off if it wasn't for their timeless, irrevocable connection.
The author uses third person, multiple P.O.V. to give the best insight into a complex series of events.

Brilliant. Loved it!

[wendy Shelton(obsessedbybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

* ** obsessed by books arc given for an honest review*** lily is the type of friend every girl wants. lily is trying to help her friend Rachel who is suffering from hallucinations, this is what keeps her going to continue her research.
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Lily meets Gavin, who she feels close to and he is willing to help her along with Darron who claims to be her brother. they all have to face their past. this story is not my typical read, but I did enjoy it, it was well written and the characters were interesting. I gave it a 4 star rating.

[Odelia Floris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This paranormal romance has an edgy, contemporary vibe. The close focus on Lily and Gavin thrusts the reader into the intense and sometimes brutal world of their existence, and creates a feeling of rawness and physicality. There is plenty of action and the stakes are high, which means lots of drama and suspense to keep readers interested. But Awaken is not a ‘sweet’ romance – the language is sometimes strong, the sex explicit, and I found the content quite dark and tortured.

[Suzie Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Great book and easy to read. Very original

[Spunky N Sassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

SNS Rating: 4.25

~~~~~~~~~~Dee's ★★★★★ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Lily is a psychiatrist trying to help her best friend who is experiencing hallucinations and is locked up in a mental hospital. Lily begins a long journey in search of truth that will help her friend. Traveling to Idaho, she meets two men that become her protectors and revealer of truth. There is so much mystery, adventure, suspense, danger and drama that to mention a little of it would diminish the joy of reading. Twists and turns and surprises galore will have you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath. The author tells an amazing story and skillfully weaves it tightly with unbelievable excitement, emotion and even a little romance. I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Five Stars.

~~~~~~~~~~Amanda's ★★★★★ Review~~~~~~~~~~

The first book in the series is about Gavin and Leora. It is very intriguing and suspenseful and was very hard to put down. They went through so much for many many years, and yet they still found each other. Their bond was for love and that is the strongest bond of all.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be bonded to someone? Would you want to be bonded by love or would you want to be bonded for your accomplishments? How much would you fight for the one you are bonded to?
I was given an ARC for my honest review.

~~~~~~~~~~Sharlene's ★★★★✰ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Lilly and Gavin are the main characters in this first installment of the Awakener Series. The main characters are likable and really help to draw you in to the story. I'm not usually a fan of paranormal romance but I had read some of this author's other works and wanted to give this one a try. So glad that I did. I loved watching the transitions and "awakening" that the characters go through. These characters made me hope and pray that they could figure out where they were going and get their HEA. The story sucks you in and won't leave you until you finish it. The author's writing is phenomenal, so easy to read and follow. This is not a stand alone but does have an HEA. But there is a cliffhanger too. Now I'm just waiting for the next installment.......

~~~~~~~~~~Zarah's ★★★✰✰ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Awaken (The awakener Series) is not the genre I would usually enjoy reading, but I didn't mind this one. I did find myself a little confused at times by all the different characters and their dual purposes, but the Author did really well in her explanations and I found myself falling in a little bit in love with the scared beast, Gavin.

Being a paranormal romance, R.E.S. Tidmore has taken that creative licence and really run with it. From the very beginning all the way through you are kept intrigued by beasts, awakeners, hounds, flash backs, hallucinations and a love that has lasted over 300 years.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

About The Book:
Searching for a way to help her best friend, Rachel, through a psychological break, Lily McMaster travels to a small town where she must seek a guide into the backcountry of Northern Idaho. But before she can start her journey, Lily begins to have hallucinations, causing a crippling bloodheat that threatens to tear her in two. Are the hallucinations a glimpse of her own psychological break with reality? Or could they be glimpses into a past she might share with the hard, muscled warrior who guides her? As she and her companions travel to the site of both her past and future, she discovers the bloodheat foretells the coming of her birthright as the Awakener of Souls, and the man who walks by her side holds the key to her salvation.

What I Thought:

Lily McMaster heads to the back country of Northern Idaho, in search of a way to help her best-friend. Knowing hardly a thing about where she travels, she confides in a burly man. Though he is scarred and mysterious, Lily is almost automatically drawn to him. As desire starts to set in, Lily has a hard time focusing on the matter at hand. And soon finds out the things she never knew about her birth parents, which could be a little strange. Lily soon starts to question her meaning in life, will she ever know the truth?

Gavin Jones is anything but perfect. He's been alone for years. He busies himself with his work, drowning the world out. When Lily comes to him for help, he can't help but want to protect her. With her not knowing who she really is, he is determined to help her with the research and send her back home. But things become complicated as their desire for one another comes into play.

About The Author (from the authors words):

I am a Navy wife and mother of three. Stationed in San Diego, writing is my passion that has helped me deal with my husband's many deployments over the past fourteen years. I hope to make my readers, laugh, sigh, and root for my characters I so enjoy creating.

Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the Author for my honest review.

[Debbie Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awaken by R.E.S. Tidmore a free goodreads giveaway is a suspenseful, paranormal book that keeps the reader riveted to the story and characters. Lily McMaster wants to help her best friend, Rachel, fight her way out of a mental hospital by traveling to a small town in Idaho in which Rachel described in vivid detail a fire. A man named Gavin, who Lily feels unbelievably close to, helps her get to the site of the fire. Along the way, Lily has hallucinations and feels herself starting to go insane. As Gavin helps her make sense of her hallucinations, she also meets Darron, who claims to be her brother. Gavin and Darron rush to the site with Lily while danger threatens to stop them. Lily finds that her hallucinations are visions of her past that all have terrible endings of death and pain and that she is the Awakener of souls. Will Lily, Gavin, and Darron overcome the obstacles? Will Lily have time to become the Awakener? Will death and pain continue? Read to find out what happens to Lily, Gavin, and Darron on their journey.

[Eeva Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a first novel, R.E.S Tidmore really proved that Indies can write a mean fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed Awaken from the moment I met Leora or Lily McMaster, the Awakener, and the scarred but sexy and attractive Gavin, her protector. Can you imagine a failed love story every lifetime? And they have to do it all over again in the next one? The Council of Souls cannot allow Leora to Awaken and they try to kill her every time she's reborn and Gavin has to watch her die every time. Yes, she is reborn as a human and must Awaken to her purpose, as the Awakener of souls. As Lily McMasters discovers her identity as the Awakener, she tries to understand her destiny and the strong feelings she has for Gavin. Will she survive her awakening this time? Will they be able to change their destinies?

Loved the story and the characters and I will definitely read Oblivion, the 2nd book of the Awakener series. Highly recommended. Deserves a 5 Star.

[Carmen Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was definitely intrigued by the description of this book- I mean, come on, Awakener of soul how can this not be good? I won't comment on specific plot elements so I don't spoil the story for others.
The Cons: the pace if the book is fast- as soon as something happens then something else happens which takes away from character development for me. The characters are interesting by themselves but so much stuff happens it hard to feel them relating with each other.
The Pros: the storyline is truly creative. So creative that I have marked this author to watch. The plot of the story is captivating which kept me reading. Since this is the first book of the trilogy I am waiting for the second since I am now hooked and need to see what the author is going to think up next.

[Susan Goold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to start by saying that Awaken is not the Genre of book I would usually read. I am not into fantasy and that is how I would categorize it. However, I found the book very well written.

The character development was great especially that of the main character who went from naive young woman who was trying to help a friend to understanding and accepting the power of the awakener.

Although, there are beings with powers and dark forces at work here, it is ultimately a story of destiny and love.

The Author writes in a very descriptive manner and it allows the reader to really see and feel what is happening. This book would make a great movie that I imagine would achieve similar popularity to twilight.

Well written and an enjoyable read.

[Jocelyn Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page turning story that will keep you interested throughout the whole book. The characters are real and relatable which I found rather enjoyable. The plot is different and unique, it's done with so much creativity.

I have read one other book from this author and was excited when I got this next book to read. I loved the last one so much that I instantly knew I was going to love this book as well, and I do. This book is amazing. I loved everything about it from the characters to the plot of the story.

I recommend this book to everyone!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Past lives, being reborn and trying to not repeat the same mistakes in the future. Lily is a Soul Awakener and must be protected while coming into her powers. Good storyline and would have given it 5 stars, but it seemed a little disjointed at times. I think there will be a sequel, so perhaps it will help bring it together. Won in a giveaway and enjoyed reading it.

[David Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free from the Goodreads first-read giveaway. Here's a book with a good story line and a great heroine. The story moves along quickly and only has a few characters to keep track of. Just enough sex to make it interesting, but not so much that you think that's all the book is about.

[anne pavlish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good New idea

Started off slow. Was a bit confusing in spots, but was explained later. Good suspense. Good romance. Great idea. Stand alone novel, with the promise of another.
Hard to believe she has man issues after so many years have past, but it feeds into the plot. After all it is a fantasy.
Give this book a try, you will be glad you did.

[D'ambra Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads first read giveaway. What a great book! A bit fast paced but impossible to put down. Definitely leaves you wanting more! Im very glad its a series, I cant wait to find out what happens next.

[Kimberly Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. its very suspenseful. im not creative with reviews but you get attached to the characters. I really wanted to watch it on screen. if you enjoy passionate love stories with on the edge of your seat scenes this is it :)

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written this story immediately reaches out and grabs your attention, never releasing its hold until its final page. I read this in one sitting and wish I had the sequel in my hand to keep reading!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a giveaway. This book is a fast-paced read. It took me longer than expected to read because of my busy schedule but, I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Coffeerequired]

Really good

I so enjoyed this book! I love paranormal, but this one is special. Unlike any I have read. Strong characters and storyline. It just floated along and took me with it. I got this free on Amazon.

[Kimberly C. Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique and Entertaining!

Cohesive story with original characters. The pacing and details were good but I felt it got a bit too layered. A little more background with Rachel would have helped! Overall worth the time to read and be entertained!

[Tonya Mix · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a very good book to read. for it is one that you don't want to put down, for I could not. I recommend this to all.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put the book down. I was so engrossed in the characters that I thought I was right there with them.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and can't wait to read the next in the series. From the beginning Lily's awakening had me hooked. Finished the book in one day. I couldn't put it down.

[Connie Beadle-Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so in love with this series. I couldn't put it down. it definitely keeps you enthralled.

[jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me so many feels! I couldn't put it down. Loved it!:)

[Jan Bond · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just could not get into this book. It was an interesting idea but just didn't gel for. I actually got the book in 2014 but everytime I started to read it I would stop. I made myself finish this year. It got pretty good reviews on Amazon but it didn't work for me. So read it and judge for yourself.