Indigo - Das Erwachen

The Hunted #1

by Jordan Dane

"Ich will dich sehen, aber es ist zu gefährlich. Du darfst nicht nach mir suchen. Versprich es mir."
Als Rayne Darby die Nachricht ihres Bruders Luke auf ihrem Anrufbeantworter hört, ist sie völlig verwirrt. Überstürzt macht Rayne sich auf die Suche, bemerkt jedoch bald, dass sie verfolgt wird. In einem Tunnel sieht sie dann plötzlich ein blaues Licht, das von einem fremden Jungen ausgeht. Er hat die Arme ausgestreckt, die Lippen geöffnet in einem stummen Schrei – und ihre Verfolger ergreifen die Flucht.
Ihr Retter heißt Gabe – mehr gibt er nicht von sich preis. Er scheint jedoch zu wissen, wo Luke steckt …

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Dystopia

362 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2012

About the author

Bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Jordan Dane’s gritty thrillers are ripped from the headlines with vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense novels to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag, naming her debut novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM as Best Books of 2008. Dane is multi-published in crime fiction thrillers and young adult novels and has books in over seven countries. Jordan shares her Texas residence with three lucky rescue dogs.

Reviews

[Giselle]

Gah. I can't do it.

This is about where I knew this book and I weren't meant to be (about page 10 or so):
"Good one. LMAO," she said with her serious face.

She. Said. LMAO. *stares*

[Steph Sinclair]

I'm not giving this book a star rating because I only made it to about 10% in, but UGH. I'm so not impressed with what I did read. Cheesy lines, pervy guy, and the writing style wasn't for me. Premise sounded interesting, but it turned out to not be my thing.

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The summary for this sounds a lot creepier than the book actually is. You would think that when some crazy church cult is involved in kidnapping kids, shit is about to get good, right? Well not in Indigo Awakening since it's just a huge pile of boredom and unoriginality. After the initial excitement that I had upon reading the summary, I quickly started to skim the pages because everything is boring. Luke would have been an interesting character if it weren't for the fact that nothing other than his odd, vivid look on the world

Jordan Dane tries too hard. She tries and tries to fit in with teenagers today by making her character, Rayne say, 'LMAO' out loud (Who says that out loud?) and 'jacked up' among other annoying things with the humour being every bit cheesy and forced. What makes the novel worse is the relationship between Gabriel and Rayne because it is every bit complete insta-love. Gabe has been running for so very long but when his eyes stare into Rayne's, *sighs dramatically* he suddenly wants her and wants to risk everything for her. Because this is what happens in zoos when mysterious boys who call freaky animals out save your life.



I think the only reason I finished this is because I accidentally requested the second novel and I feel the need to give the second one a go before I call it quits.

Indigo Awakening actually could have been pretty decent if there wasn't so much insta-love and unoriginality in it. I mean, crazy cult people are in it! That should be cool and exciting! Children with freaky powers who see the world in vivid colours in emotions! Crap, that sounds so cool. Unfortunately, I fell asleep multiple times so I don't recommend this to anyone.

[Sarah (saz101)]

I'm sorry. So sorry.
I wanted to love this book, because I LOVE Jordan.
And I'm not prepared to say it's the book's fault, because hey. I'm a mood reader. I'm self aware enough to know it.

But... this book and I... we have problems. A few of them, and each of them narrators. All... oh... nine of them, if I count correctly.

Rayne seems a fairly typical 'loner girl' type: angry and cagey, alone against the world. She's resilient and determined, possessing all the traits necessary to make a fine heroine, but... she felt forced, to me. She seems the obvious choice for main character, but she shares the book's narrative with a half dozen other characters, so it's kind of hard to say.

There's a terse, matter of fact, quality to Dane's writing, and it gives the book... an adult sensibility, which feels odd to say, as I'm not even sure what I mean by that. When Rayne, Mia and antagonist, O'Dell, narrate, Indigo Awakening reads somewhat like a nineties crime pulp: dark and gritty, a little bit angry. I got a similar tone reading Jim Butcher's Storm Front, but there was a difference: that was funny and clever. When the book's titular Indigo Children take the reins, it becomes something else, preternatural powers, strange connections and over-generous servings of teen angst taking centre stage. I suppose the book feels a little bipolar?

But for all these strange powers and mysteries, Indigo Awakening is not a book with answers. None of its many narrators are forthcoming with them. We discover Gabriel and Lucas' talents as they do. While its constant action, events, situations and stakes that should create suspense, that suspense felt strangely lacking, and I found it difficult to fully invest in the story. While events don't feel contrived, relationships DO. Characters develop instant, unshakeable connections with people they should distrust or fear.

Ah, and on that note: the villans. Where Doctor Fiona could prove a compelling Bad Guy, she become dull, a caricature as her actions are spelled out, as with O'Darby. There is no mystery, and thus no real sense of danger to what would otherwise be a pair of genuinely frightening and morally bankrupt villains. Fiona was the biggest disappointment for me, as she's intriguing. A cold scientific mind, unburdened with ethics or empathy.

It's nearly 60% of the way through the book before we're offered explanation of the book's 'Indigo' and 'Crystal' children jargon, which... you know, fair enough. Create suspense. Questions. This? I was confused. It's worth noting the language isn't unique to the book. A quick search of Indigo Children will bring up a plethora of results in Google discussing pseudoscientific term, topped, of course, by Wikipedia. Yet I don't believe this is a part of the collective cultural psyche enough to pass it off as given, and I felt I was navigating blind through the tale's pages.

Indigo Awakening comes across as cinematic crime thriller -- something between X-men and the Bourne Legacy, but... it doesn't live up to that promise. It's an OK book from a good writer. Just not the book for me.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Review at Bewitched Bookworms

Colorful Cast of unique Characters with special Gifts!
The most striking point about Indigo Awakening is the incredible cast of characters! Written in 3rd POV, the story shifts between the major kexyplayers which let’s us get glimpses into different aspects of this story! Also, Jordan Dane truly has a wonderful way introducing all characters and making us care for them pretty fast. Moreover, the whole plot and world building was amazingly played out. Not revealing too much and keeping an aura of mystery and secrets that will keep us glued to the pages.

Gabriel – Lucas – Raine and more
I absolutely adored all the characters and I do not want to go into much detail about all them and just want to point out my favorite and most striking ones. Gabriel captured my heart the easiest and the most! He’s one of the kids with “gifts” and he’s living as an outcast when Rayne finds hime. Gabriel is broken, tortured but has the strong to potential to kick ass! Definitely my favorite kind of contradiction! Filled with guild, he doesn’t want to let anyone close— but the he meets Rayne.

And, she#s the other amazing character I feel for in this book! I loved her! despite being only 17, she’s strong independent, loyal and a wonderful caring and empathic girl. she’s one of the few ones without a gift, but that doesn’t bother her as her heart is strong! All she cares about is keeping her brother Lucas save and later taking care of Gabriel!

Powerful Story – Twisting Plot
The whole story was fast paced and full of amazing twists and turn. It was never a boring page to be found! The plot moves on mercilessly and does not gives you much time to breath! It was a great and amazing ride! The Gifts of the kids were a great idea, and a paranormal element I absolutely loved. Even though some basics were explained, I would have wished for a little more explanation about the gifts and how they work. But I guess this will be dealed with in the next book


Bottom Line
Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane is a phenomenal start in a unique new paranormal series that is highly unique and fast paced. Especially the characters were developed with uttermost care and love and will easily find a place in your heart! I cannot wait for the next book in this great series!

[Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Courtesy of HarlequinTEEN through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

It always pains me to give a book two stars, and I don't do it often. I even slept on it, chewed it over in my head and still decided to be honest about it. Indigo Awakening just wasn't a book for me no matter how I swing it. Some of this MIGHT have some spoilers, but nothing major so read on at your own risk.

The book starts out with Lucas who escapes a mental ward that his older sister had stuck him in, because she works for this church who convinced her that she would be helping her brother – because his different, unstable. Lucas runs away and warns his other sister, Rayne not to look for him, but Rayne doesn't listen and goes looking for him regardless. While searching for her younger brother Lucas, Rayne runs into trouble and is saved by Gabriel, a boy with great power that knows nothing about it and enlists in his help finding Lucas. Gabriel and Lucas are both special, and are both a high form of Indigo. The church that owns this 'mental' ward hunts thess psychic Indigo kids who are looked and feared as the next evolution of mankind and only 'Believers' know why.

There were several things that I did not enjoy about this book.. For one, it was a fanatic church that hunted these kids and did things to them even killed them, which put me off completely. I could have done without the POV of the people who hunted them, I felt it was unnecessary to get to know the bad guys this much. There was insta-love between Gabe and Rayne even thought he scares her, but she still ends up with stars in her eyes. Which I think... would have drove a wedge between them, but instead drew her to him from the moment she sees him. Mia, the older sister was irrational and irritating, I was glad her appearance was short in the book. Oh and the only thing that made me keep reading this book, got taken away in the end, so that was that. It took me several tries to pick up the book and get into it, it started a bit slow in the beginning for my taste and just became harder.

Also for being teenagers, they acted more like adults at times – which I guess in a way makes sense since they are pretty much forced in a way to take care of themselves and grow up quickly. BUT the only adults that were in the book, were basically the evil so that was another thing that put me off.

There are many who would enjoy all of this, so do not get discouraged. I know everyone has their own taste and should test it themselves. There are plenty that liked it, and many will, so ultimately it is you as a reader who decides.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5

I‘ve always had a thing for psychic kids and superpowers. I love the X-Men and love books with a similar theme, which is why I was very intrigued by Indigo Awakening‘s premise.

The book definitely has all the elements to create a suspenseful story filled with action and intrigue. Rayne and Lucas are likable, and their sister-brother bond only strengthens this feeling. It is easy to care for them and what happens to them as the story moves on. I also found the romance not to be too heavy. Sure, Rayne and Gabriel’s connection is quickly established, but they take some time getting to know each other – especially considering Gabriel’s big secrets.

I’ll admit there were a few too many point of views for my taste. I would have preferred for the author to stick with the two main characters, with maybe an extra one or two. But whenever the narration skipped to the bad guys’ side, I wasn’t much interested. I couldn’t care for them, and only wanted to get back to following Rayne and Lucas (or maybe, exceptionally, Mia).

It didn’t help that I found the villains to be a tad too villainy, and the good peeps to be a bit too good. In other words, I found the characterization was a bit too black and white for my taste. That’s just me though; I know many readers like the darkness versus light stories, and sometimes I do too; it just happened not to work too well for me this time around.

I enjoyed the story and its many twists though. And while I mentioned not liking the numerous point of views, I can say that it definitely helped to build up the tension. It kept me on my toes, wanting to know what happened to other characters, or how they would react when their stories converge.

All in all, Indigo Awakening was an okay read. I liked that the author got her inspiration from an existing theory (that of Indigo Children), but made it her own. There are so many possibilities in this story, so many ways it could go! It’s a rich premise that could develop into a very interesting series. Indigo Awakening had its faults, but I am sure many readers will enjoy the adventure.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indigo Awakening started off with many question marks. The story revolves around a brother and a sister as well as an organization under a church that hunts kids called Indigos. Lucas Darby hears voices in his head and was locked up in a mental institution under the church. He was able to escape and reunite with people that are like him, even though he doesn't even know what the hell he is. At the same time, his sister, Rayne, is looking everywhere for him. She never wanted Lucas to end up at the institution, but her older sister, who works at the church, has full custody and put him there.

Things get interesting when Rayne finds one of those Indigos, Gabriel, who is messed up in his own way because of the powers he has and also in hiding. The readers know about the existence of many indigos and their powers, however the characters themselves are clueless, which allows me to not get frustrated trying to find out what the big secret is, but at the same time the mystery is still there for the characters. Indigo Awakening centers on the children harnessing their power and fighting back against this oppressive organization to live the normal life they deserve.

Plot wise, Indigo Awakening was very different from the usual books I read. It is told from many POVs, including many from the church's side, as well as being told from a 3rd person POV. Those two styles of writing usually break it for me when it comes to books but strangely, it worked for Indigo Awakening. What is also in the plot is romance; I don't want to dwell on it because the romance isn't that significant compared to the plot and I am sure Jordan Dane will expand on it in the second book, something I am excited for. Also, Dane ended the book with a bang; I literally (yes, really) gasped and had my mouth gaping trying to find the word to explain how unexpected and awesome that plot twist and cliffhanger was. I would recommend this novel to fans of superpowers and supernatural YA novels with a bit of mystery and conspiracy!

[Savannah (Books With Bite) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way Ms. Jordan capture the reader with great characters!

What I loved most about this book are the characters. I love a great story where the characters are left out of the loop along with the reader. The author created such great dimension within the characters growth and their future. I love that all of the characters voices were unique yet strong. They all played a role significantly, to the entire plot, bringing the picture together right before the readers eyes. Another great addition is the great back round history. The story has so much history, deception, and power in it, I'm yearning to know what is hidden beneath it all.

Now, the plot, it felt a bit off to me. Maybe cause there are a lot of unanswered questions. I felt like, I need more of the story in order to grasp it more. You know what I mean? Still, the plot kept me on my toes and piecing everything together, is fun! The ending definitely left me hanging and wanting more.

The love interest has a spark and I am hoping that it develops more! I love that it is starting off on a rocky note. It's not the same like others, which means that it will be much more fulfilling in the end. (At least, I'm hoping it will!!)

Indigo Awakening is a great story that is strong and fast. Faced with solving mysteries and hunting down people, you never get bored. Presented with tightly-paced story, Indigo Awakening is excellent!

[Book Twirps · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Rayne’s younger brother, Lucas, escapes from an institution, the last thing she can do is let it go, even though Lucas left her a message warning her against looking for him. According to Lucas, their older sister, Mia, had him committed to the church-run institution and the people running the place have a questionable reputation. Rayne doesn’t trust her sister either, but she can’t let Lucas wander the dangerous streets of L.A. alone.

Rayne sets out to find Lucas, only to get mixed up in some trouble of her own. Lucky for her, she happens upon a mysterious boy named Gabriel. Unknown to Gabriel, he is tied to Lucas. One night Rayne witnesses Gabriel slipping into a trance-like state, drawing furiously in a sketch pad. The picture he sketches is of Lucas. Despite Gabriel’s insistence that he is dangerous, Rayne refuses to let him go. She needs him to find her brother.

What they soon learn is that Lucas and a group of other kids are being hunted by a religious organization, out to destroy what are known as Indigo Children. The church sees them as a threat to the future of humanity and wants them destroyed. It’s up to Rayne and Gabriel to find the group of kids before the church’s henchmen do, but what Rayne doesn’t realize is that the boy who’s helping her may be even more dangerous than the men they are running from.

I have to say that I MIGHT be a little partial to this book because I am a character in it — well kind of. The character has the same name as me, and Jordan hooked him up with a bunker, an endless supply of Chinese takeout and a fear of snakes — all things I love (or fear). I loved seeing what an evil incarnation of me would be like, and I have to say I’m quite the nasty weirdo. I loved it.

With that said, I also very much enjoyed the rest of the book. It’s no secret that I am a fan of Jordan’s. In the Arms of Stone Angels was one of the first books I reviewed on the blog and was one of my top picks of 2011. When I found out about this book, I immediately knew I wanted to read it. These Indigo Kids sounded a little bit like super heroes in the making and if there’s anything I love, it’s people with super powers.

What I liked about this is that the story never faltered, nor did it feel like it fell into the typical super-hero origin formula of doom. Even though it’s the first book in a series, I felt like it started at the perfect place and all of the details were filled in nicely. While Lucas is the main focus (who is he? what are his powers? why does the church want him?), the real leader of the story is Rayne. I found her very strong and likable. She’s a survivor and she loves her brother. I also really liked Gabriel, and his backstory. I can’t wait to read more.

This is a fast-paced read, and I never felt as if I was fed a lot of unnecessary back story. Jordan does a great job of diving in, telling the story, and then getting out. I didn’t feel there was any fluff mixed in to give the book extra padding. The pace is perfect, the characters are great, and while I did want to know more about the powers of all of the kids, I’m sure we’ll get to that in future installments.

I will patiently await the next book – or at least pretend to be patient.

[Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to HarleuinTEEN Australia for providing me with a copy of this to read and review!

Find my complete review on my blog here: http://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unw...

Having previously read Jordan Dane’s debut novel In the Arms of Stone Angels, I must admit I had high expectations for this book. The synopsis caught me and considering it was well written, it had all the potential to be a brilliant read. Yet, unfortunately for me, it just fell flat.

As a storyteller, Jordan Dane is very talented. Her writing is flowing and deep and very detailed. Indigo Awakening had all the elements I was looking for; interesting storyline, possibly intriguing characters and plenty of action, but in the end I struggled to connect with the characters and the story and for all her brilliance as a storyteller, in this one instance, Jordan Dane struggled to make me care.

There were times with this book when I would see a little spark that had the potential to flame brighter but ultimately burned out. The mystery and high stakes were there but I felt disconnected from the characters and their plight. The idea of the Indigo children was lost on me and even though the idea was interesting there wasn’t enough explanation and detail to really have me enticed.

The connection shared by the characters was one I liked and even though I emphasized with them throughout the book I never really felt invested in their story. I also didn’t feel the connection and chemistry between them that I wanted to see. Told in various POV’s Indigo Awakening introduces us to various characters that we follow throughout the book. Featuring Lucas Darby an Indigo child and his sister Rayne, as well as Kendra, Raphael and Gabriel other Indigo children the various perspectives did allow us a broad view of the story as well as POV’s from the ‘bad guys” but I never loved the characters.

That’s not to say I didn’t want to, because I did. I really did. I waited to find a moment when I would fall into a rhythm with a character I was reading about but it never came. Rayne was feisty and Gabe was quite interesting, but their relationship and connection came on too strong, too fast and that deterred me. Kendra I could see had incredibly good intensions, but there was just something about her that I couldn’t connect with and Lucas…..well, unfortunately he just did nothing for me.

If I had to pick a character I liked the best, I think I would have to say Raphael. He and his ‘little man’ Benny were insanely sweet and even though they weren’t brother by blood the bond between them was a strong as. They were worth reading about.

Unfortunately this book was just a major disappointment for me. I was hoping for something fierce and brilliant like I know Dane is capable of writing, but this just wasn’t the case with Indigo Awakening. I’ll definitely read more by Jordan Dane, simply because I know of the incredible books she can write, but this one just wasn’t for me……

[Bodea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indigo Awakening is a good mix of action, mystery, suspense, and romance. It's sort of like a well balanced movie that you thouroughly enjoy, feel satisified with once it's over, and wouldn't mind a well thought out sequel to.

What I like about Indigo awakening is that it's very character and plot driven. It's not a book that's centered around the romantic entanglements, but rather the the discoveries that the characters have to make about themselves and eachother. I also like that the author uses this fictional story to explore some very real and popular discussions. The plot touches on human evolution, interesting theories on brain use, and the ever present debate over students with learning disabilities. I thought the story was well written and all of these ideas were seamlessly intergrated into the story. I like that the synopsis only touches on the very foundation of Indigo Awakening. I think that works in the books favor. I went in kind of expecting one thing and got a little more than that.

Dane does a good job with character developement. I found every character interesting in their own right. The only draw back may be that we don't get to know a lot about them beyond where they presently are. However, it plays into the mystery factor of the story and I suspect the characters will continue to develop nicely as the series unfolds. I particularly enjoyed the sibling relationship between Mia, Rayne, and Luke. The conflict was a good way to introduce them and get me invested in the story as a reader.

The writing was nice. I felt at times that the switching view points sort of took me out of the story, but not so much that it affected my overall enjoyment. One thing I appreciated about the writing was that the imagery, in terms of the paranormal aspect, was very clear. Those parts were well written and it was all easy to picture. I'm gald because it was a huge part of the story and I've noticed in the past, with other stories, the writing isn't as vivid.

The romance aspect of the story was enjoyable. Though there was an instant attraction between Gabriel and Rayne, the love wasn't instant. There was time for them to get to know eachother and bond a little.I was also glad they it was full of the usual cliches. However, the relationship I liked most was that between Rayne and Lucas. I thought they were really sweet and realistic.

Overall, Indigo Awakening was a nice read. I feel like it gave me something a little different from all of the YA stories out there. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: 3 ½ out 5 stars

Indigo Awakening was kindly provided to me by Harlequin Teen and is the first book in The Hunted series by Jordan Dane.

Told from multiple POV’s it starts out with 15 year-old Lucas Darby escaping a mental institution and following a girls voice he is hearing in his head; with the only person he can trust being his sister Rayne, he leaves her a message but warns her not to search for him.

I was intrigued from the very onset of this book, with the story following a group of ‘Indigo’ children and a fanatical church group known as the Believers after them for their special abilities it was an ongoing drama filled with mystery and action.

Rayne was tough but vulnerable, being rescued by an intriguing boy named Gabriel Stewart she depends on his unique powers to aide her in the search for her brother but along the way secrets, conspiracies and the true danger is revealed. Rayne and Gabriel are standout characters for me, I enjoyed the journey they undertook in the hopes of finding the Indigo’s before Mia, Rayne’s older sister and the church did.

Indigo Awakening is a fast-paced read, we are given enough back story but without it being overload. The characters are each likeable but I would have liked to have learnt more about each of the abilities, I needed more of an explanation about who was who and why? The villains were also written quite well, I was completely shocked by the ending and the connection of one of the main characters and a villain – I am curious to see how this plays out in the sequel as it certainly wasn’t expected.

Unfortunately, with so many POV’s (5+) I found it difficult to connect with them all and at times it got to be quite confusing. My preference is a narrative told from fewer characters without the complexity.

Overall, if you are after a well written, action packed mystery then I recommend Indigo Awakening; it is an intriguing story and I am keen to see where the author will take it in the next installment.

Thank-you to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review Indigo Awakening.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jordan Dane knows how to write a book. She takes a story and twists and weaves it till you are so hooked you don't know what time it is or where you are because you have been glued to the book or your e-reader. This is in fact what happened to me while I was reading Indigo Spell. I was at work and started reading it and then before you know it I missed lunch and it was 4:30 PM and time to leave. I had just finished the last sentence and was like HOLY INDIGO AWAKENING I need book two. What the hell..... Then when I got home I googled the story behind Indigo Children http://www.2012-spiritual-growth-prop... and was blown away by what they believe. I needed more so I started cruising the internet and man what I read made so much sense after I finished reading Indigo Awakening and I have to say that Jordan is BRILLIANT!

Lucas Darby hears voices in his head. He is not sure why others don't hear it but he does and he feels like he is going crazy. After losing his parents and having to be raised by his older sister Mia Lucas finds himself in a mental institution because his older sister feels he needs to be contained. According to her church he has something and he is a danger to himself and others. Mia's church is a bunch of fanatical people who have a belief in Indigo Children and the powers they have. The church wants the powers and the children who possess them. But Lucas's other sister Rayne will stop at nothing to save him from their crazy sister. In doing this she meets Gabriel who is a runaway and has powers of his own and he has secrets. Rayne can't explain what it is about him but she is drawn to him like a moth to a flame and she will do whatever it takes to protect him as well.

Will Rayne be able to save Lucas and Gabriel or will the church get them? This is such a BRILLIANT story and a must read that I promise you you will not be disappointed once you read it!

[Amber at Fall Into Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for Indigo Awakening, and I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. Sure the characters are all realistic, and Dane addresses some important issues, such as learning disabilities, but I just couldn't get into this novel. I can't really put my finger on what I didn't like about it. It just didn't draw me in. This book took me forever to finish, and I put it down several times in order to read other things. I just wasn't blown away by this one.

The characters are likable enough, but I really couldn't make myself care about any of them. Crazy church going to capture Lucas? Oh well. Gabriel is mysterious? What love interest isn't. Rayne is strong and actually likable? I still didn't care. I'm aware, from an objective standpoint, that the characters are very realistic and well-developed, but I just didn't care if any of them lived or died. I can't tell you why, though, because I don't really know.

The plot was interesting and intriguing, but again, I just couldn't get into it. I've heard of Indigo children before, but I've never read a novel about them. I thought that'd seal the deal for me. Also, there was plenty of action, suspense, and mystery, with a touch of romance. Generally, that's a winning combination for me. The pacing was perfect, too. Furthermore, this is a Harlequin Teen book, and I LOVE their stuff. However, this book just could not hold my interest. It could have been that I needed more back-story. I'm not sure.

Overall, I'd say check this book out from the library and give it a try. I didn't like it, but most people do. Also, as I stated, from an objective standpoint, I can see that the book was well-written and developed. However, it just didn't grab me. In this case, I'm going to say that it's me and not the book that has the problem.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucas is on the run from the mental hospital his older sister Mia committed him to. His other sister Rayne is desperately trying to find him and doesn't trust Mia. Mia works for a church that is hunting kids with special abilities, indigo kids. Rayne meets Gabriel, who has visions of the future. He sees Lucas and agrees to help Rayne find him. There is also a large underground group of kids that are being hunted.

This book is in third person and follows a ton of characters. That really isn't my reading preference. I'm a first person fan all the way so this was difficult for me to get into. With so many different characters to get to know, I was often not invested and couldn't really connect to anyone. I liked Lucas but I'm going to focus on Rayne and Gabriel because I enjoyed them the most. I felt like they were center stage and I'm a romance fan and enjoyed their building relationship.

Rayne was one of those awesome sisters that will go to great lengths for her brother. As orphans they don't have anyone left to depend on but each other. Gabriel was really sweet and interesting. He has a pet ghost dog called Hellhound. I'm not fully sure what powers all the indigo kids are capable of. They seem to have a blue fire lol and some kids heal, some see the future, and some are more powerful than others. I do love plots with groups of kids with special powers, but the third person narrative just kept me too distanced. There was a bit of a shocking reveal at the end so I am interested in continuing the series.


---
"I gotta warn you. I'll be on the lookout for security cameras and people staring, stuff like that. Once we get inside, I'm gonna be weird."
"And that's different...how?"
---

*I received a free copy through Netalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Katie_la_geek · Rating 2 out of 5]

For this review and more visit my blog

I feel horrible for giving this book a low rating because it tried so hard to do something different, and it did succeed in doing something new but this just didn’t hold my attention. It was interesting enough in the beginning and I was extremely intrigued by what was going on but around the half-way point it just lost it.

The main problem was that it jumped around too much, every few pages we were with a different character, there was no time to settle down or get to know someone because nearly every character even the small ones got a voice, and to be honest I didn’t need to know what they were all thinking.

Rayne was a pretty cool character but the way she went ga-ga for Gabe was a little off putting. I felt the romance lacked chemistry mostly because I felt like I was not given the opportunity to connect with either Rayne or gabe.

It was a real shame because this book had mountains of potential, the idea was great and original and the action scenes, especially the ones with Gabe, were awesome. But in the end this just didn’t come together for me.

The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for and honest review

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one I kept changing my mind about as I was reading. One moment I enjoyed it, the next I wasn't so sure. But overall, I have decided to give it four stars (three and half).

The storyline is interesting and while not 100% original, is still something that hasn't been done for a while and then more in TV shows than books. I liked the characters on the whole, but the one issue I had was that they sometimes felt too 'adult': doing and saying things that seemed wrong for their age.

The book was well paced with plenty of action and it was a nice easy read: a book you could chill out with without needing to put too much thought into it.

I finished the book still keen to know what would happen next and so I would be happy to read on in the series once the second book comes out.

I would say that this is worth your time if you are a big fan of YA paranormal/fantasy. It may not be the best example out there, but it is still a very good read.

My thanks to Harlequin Australia for the review copy.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope, this is a DNF for me. I'm confused by all of the glowing reviews on this one.

I read until 70% and by that point I was finding myself increasingly bored, restless and skimming. The concept of it was great, Indigo children with abilities that are being hunted, but unfortunately wasn't pulled off very well. There wasn't much given by way of an explanation about the indigo children and their abilities, and you'd think with things to worry about like your brother being missing and your crazy sister trying to locate him for her own nefarious deeds, that romance would take a backseat. Unfortunately not. The book constantly changes between multiple perspectives, sometimes even several times within the same paragraph. I got frustrated by the amount of characters that were introduced and the lack of background about a lot of them but by that point I just didn't care anymore.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley for a blog tour.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I marked this as read for now because, even though I'm in the middle of it and honestly have no interest in finishing it, I invested enough time in this book to call it read. I LOATHE the idea of picking it back up and I have to push myself through every sentence. And I'm even skimming through most of it. I'm sorry, I've never not finished a book, but at this point, I don't think it's going to happen. Sadly, this is for a blog tour, so I'm hoping I can change my post to a promo because I know there are some people that will still enjoy it when I couldn't. The writing is mediocre and the story is boring and I am in no way invested in the characters. I'm annoyed by the fact that I have to label it this way, but this is a DNF for me... I'm going to go cry now.

[Shaheen]

While the concept is interesting, the multiple switches in point of view didn't allow me to get to know any of the characters and I felt disconnected from the story. To top it off there was insta-love, not once, but twice. It felt wrong, rushed, not well thought out.

I couldn't figure out any of the characters, I didn't sympathise with any of them, and although I read the first 100 pages and got a third into the story, there were no plot developments and the characters simply languished in their situations. There's no action, hardly any plot, and a lot of talking and hugging and making eyes.

[Kaugummiqueen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inhalt

Seit dem Tod ihrer Eltern lebt Raynes Bruder Lucas in einer psychiatrischen Anstalt, da er anders ist. Raynes ältere Schwester Mia schickte ihn einst dorthin, wo er jahrelang mit Drogen betäubt wurde. Nun ist Lucas geflohen und Mia bitte Rayne, ihr mitzuteilen, wenn der Bruder sich bei ihr melden sollte. Tatsächlich bekommt Rayne von ihm eine Nachricht, mit der Bitte, nicht nach ihm zu suchen und Mia nichts zu erzählen. Das schlechte Gewissen, ihrem Bruder nie geholfen zu haben, das Rayne schon seit Jahren plagt, zwingt sie nun, endgültig zu Handeln. Bei ihrer Suche nach Lucas trifft sie auf den geheimnisvollen Gabe, der ihr nichts von sich erzählt, aber zu ahnen scheint, wo Lucas stecken könnte. Gemeinsam suchen sie nach Raynes Bruder und ahnen nicht, dass auch andere Menschen Interesse an Lucas haben und ihn um jeden Preis finden wollen...

Meine Meinung

Als ich den Klappentext zu dem Buch las, war ich wirklich neugierig. Was hat es mit Lucas auf sich? Warum ist er weggelaufen und warum soll Rayne nicht nach ihm suchen? Und wer ist dieser Gabe, der nichts von sich preisgeben will, aber weiß, was mit Lucas ist? Auch wenn meine Erwartungen an das Buch nicht allzu hoch waren, so war ich doch gespannt, ob mich die Geschichte überzeugen könnte. Zumindest geht es hier nicht um Vampire, tatsächlich befasst sich das Buch mit einem Phänomen, an das viele Menschen glauben: Indigo- und Kristallkinder. Ich persönlich hatte zuvor noch nie etwas davon gehört, habe aber durch das Buch ein paar Interessante Informationen zu dieser "These" erhalten und auch ein wenig im Internet darüber recherchiert. Was diese Indigo- bzw. Kristallkinder sein sollen, werde ich hier nicht erklären, da ich denke, dass es ein zu großer Spoiler für das Buch wäre.

Hundertprozentig konnte mich das Buch am Ende dann leider nicht überzeugen, was an unterschiedlichsten Gründen lag. Gleichzeitig konnte ich aber durchaus Potential und Stärken erkennen, die dafür sorgten, dass das Buch kein richtiger Reinfall für mich war. Zu Beginn war ich etwas skeptisch, weil ich einige sehr schlechte Bewertungen zu dem Buch gesehen habe, dennoch wollte ich Indigo - Das Erwachen gerne eine faire Chance geben. Daher komme ich zunächst zu den positiven Aspekten des Buches.

Die Charaktere. Auch wenn es sich hier bei den Protagonisten hauptsächlich um einfach gestrickte Charaktere handelt, die man grundsätzlich in jedem zweiten Buch finden kann, so waren sie hier doch wirklich sympathisch und haben durchaus dazu beigetragen, dass ich das Buch stellenweise ganz gerne mochte. Rayne und Gabe als Protagonisten waren unterhaltsam und sorgten bei mir für das ein oder andere Schmunzeln, ab und zu musste ich sogar mal lachen. Sie ergänzen sich gut und haben einen interessanten Hintergrund, wobei natürlich Gabe derjenige ist, der besonders ist und heraus sticht. Die Gefühle, die die beiden füreinander entwickeln, kamen mir ein bisschen zu schnell, aber es war in Ordnung. Neben Gabe und Rayne gibt es auch noch andere wichtige Charaktere, wie zum Beispiel natürlich Lucas, dann auch noch ein Mädchen namens Kendra, ein Mann mit dem Namen O'Dell und einen geheimnisvollen Alexander Reese. Ich mochte es, dass alle Figuren ihre Geheimnisse und ihre Geschichten haben, die teilweise nur angedeutet werden und von denen der Leser noch nicht alles erfährt.

Der Schreibstil. Auch wenn es im Buch einige Sätze gab, die ich nicht so gut formuliert oder gar etwas flapsig fand, so konnte mich der Schreibstil der Autorin doch an den meisten Stellen überzeugen. Tatsächlich fand ich ihn an mancher Stelle sogar poetisch und sehr malerisch, sodass ich gar nicht das Gefühl hatte, einen Jugendroman zu lesen. Der gesamte Stil sorgte dafür, dass sich das Buch sehr leicht und angenehm lesen ließ, da er fließend und anschaulich war.

Die Idee. Man kann sagen was man will, aber ich finde die Idee hinter der Geschichte sehr gut und total interessant. Zwar erfährt man schon in diesem Band recht viel über die Bedeutung der Indigokinder, gleichzeitig schafft es die Autorin aber auch, mit wirklich interessanten Infos sparsam umzugehen, sodass man nach diesem Band längst noch nicht alles weiß und gerne mehr erfahren würde. Besonders mochte ich die Idee hinter den Gegnern, die von einer dubiosen Kirche mit sektenähnlicher Glaubensrichtung dargestellt werden. Ich war wirklich gespannt, wie das Buch ausgehen würde, welche Geheimnisse noch ans Tageslicht kommen würden und welche besondere Rolle Gabe und Lucas bei dem Ganzen innehaben. Denn es wird sehr bald deutlich, dass die beiden selbst unter den Indigokindern etwas ganz Besonderes sind. Zudem mochte ich es, wie die verschiedenen Handlungsverläufe parallel schließlich zusammengefügt wurden.

Neben den positiven Geschichtspunkten gab es aber auch einige Dinge, die ich an dem Buch sehr enttäuschend fand und die ich kritisieren muss. Auch wenn es nicht viel zu kritisieren gibt, so sind die Mängel in meinen Augen jedoch eklatant und trübten mein Lesevergnügen oftmals dann doch mehr ein, als nötig gewesen wäre.

Das Tempo. Es ist viel zu rasant. Gabe und Rayne verlieben sich zu schnell ineinander. Man erfährt zu früh zu viele Informationen über die Indigokinder. Die gesamte Handlung spielt sich binnen weniger Tagen ab und trotzdem hat man das Gefühl, dass Dinge passiert sind, die gut und gerne mal mehrere Wochen füllen können. Es war einfach zu viel. Wogegen das Ende, der "Showdown", dann überraschend kurz und leider auch ein wenig enttäuschend war, da ich mir viel mehr erhofft hatte. Gabe setzt seine geheimnisvolle Gabe ein (ja wirklich, ich musste im Buch an manchen Stellen auch überlegen und zwei Mal lesen, ob der Charakter Gabe gemeint war, oder das Talent, die Gabe eben...) und beherrscht sie viel zu schnell viel zu gut, wenn man überlegt, dass er zu Beginn des Buches eher nichts mit ihr zu tun haben wollte. Tatsächlich fand ich Gabe zum Ende hin ein wenig seltsam und an einer Stelle wurde er mir unsympathisch, da er völlig aus seiner Rolle rausfiel. Damit die Kinder den Gegnern nicht immer zu weit voraus sind, wurden Fehler auf Seiten der Kinder förmlich konstruiert, damit die Gegner aufholen konnten. Das fand ich schade, da das Buch dadurch teilweise seine Glaubwürdigkeit einbüßen musste.

Die Erzählperspektive. Ohne Witz, aber die Sicht von zehn (!!!) Charakteren auf gerade mal 362 Seiten zu verfolgen ist des Guten einfach zu viel. Es war durchaus interessant, auch die Ansichten und Pläne der Gegner zu erfahren, aber zum Einen wurden viele Geheimnisse und Informationen schon sehr früh gelüftet, und zum Anderen blieben die wichtigen Figuren teilweise auf der Strecke. Beziehungsweise sorgte es dafür, dass die Fortschritte von Rayne, Gabe oder Lucas einfach zu schnell abgehandelt wurden, weil einfach nicht genug Platz war. Meiner Meinung nach hätte man sich auf die Sicht von maximal drei Charakteren beschränken können, das hätte dem Buch sicherlich gut getan, das Erzähltempo etwas runtergeschraubt und viele Handlungen und Fortschritte hätten dadurch besser ausgebaut werden können. Zu Gute halten muss man der Autorin jedoch, dass ich nie Probleme hatte, zu verfolgen, in wessen Sicht der Leser sich gerade befindet.

Natürlich werden auch gegen Ende nicht alle Fragen beantwortet, da es sich bei diesem Buch um den Auftakt einer Reihe handelt. Ob ich die Reihe weiter verfolgen werde kann ich noch nicht sagen, denn obwohl sie durchaus Potential hat, so hat sie doch auch ihre Krücken. Vielleicht werde ich dem zweiten Band noch eine Chance geben, wenn er denn dann auf Deutsch erscheint.

Fazit

Indigo - Das Erwachen reizt den Leser mit einer guten Idee und einem teilweise auch stimmig umgesetzten Handlungsbogen. Durch das rasante Erzähltempo, bei dem leider viele wichtige Ereignisse auf der Strecke bleiben und zu schnell Erfolge und Misserfolge erzielt werden, büßt das Buch an Sympathie ein. Auch die Masse der Charakteren, dessen Sicht man verfolgt, sorgt einige Dämpfer beim Lesen. Der stellenweise schöne Schreibstil und die doch recht netten Figuren können aber einiges retten. Daher vergebe ich dem Buch knapp 3 von 5 Sternen !

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

INDIGO AWAKENING is the incredibly imaginative and immensely entertaining first book in author Jordan Dane’s new The Hunted series. A fascinating and somewhat chilling story with a unique premise in young adult fiction, this book will bring readers into a deadly world filled with action, suspense and a touch of mystery.

Set in what could be a modern-day Los Angeles, the story follows Rayne Darby as she searches for her missing brother Lucas. When Rayne reaches a dead end, she finds help from an unlikely source - a mysterious stranger, a boy, who both terrifies her and intrigues her. A boy with abilities that make her believe that her brother may not be crazy after all.

As the story develops, readers will discover a world where children like Lucas are hunted for their abilities and for their differences. Where no price is too great for their capture and containment. And where their lives are meaningless to those who wish to retain the evolutionary status quo.

Once again Author Jordan Dane has brought a refreshingly different subject matter to the genre - that of the Indigo children. With these psychically gifted “children” the author has crafted a story that provokes thought but is still an absolutely captivating and utterly engaging read.

Told from multiple points of view, readers get to see this story from many angles, allowing for not only greater insight into what is happening at each moment, but for tension to mount as events come to a climactic head at the story’s end. While at the outset, readers may find that their connection with the story breaks as it jumps from one perspective to another and moves to different moments in the timeline, once they find the rhythm and the change in viewpoint becomes anticipated, the story begins to flow.

And while readers may not get to make as strong a connection with all the characters in this story, there is more than enough development of Rayne and Gabriel’s characters to keep them the focal point, to make them the most likable and easiest to connect to, and to make their storyline gripping.

INDIGO AWAKENING offers up to the imagination the next evolution of mankind. The Indigo children’s psychic abilities are introduced in this first book in the series, giving readers a taste of what they are capable of, and will likely be delved into a bit deeper as the series progresses and as the characters discover for themselves just what they can do.

With its quick pace, its dark and alluring premise, its edgy and sarcastic heroine, its charming and mysterious hero, INDIGO AWAKENING is an exciting and compelling read that will keep readers on the edge of their seat throughout and as they await just what comes next in the sequel.

On a personal note...

I am always excited to read one of Jordan Dane’s stories. I’ve come to anticipate that the story will be thought-provoking, the characters will be my kind of characters - edgy, sarcastic, clever, witty - and that the author will not be afraid to tackle the tough stuff. Her stories are different - in the best possible ways - always memorable and ones that are weightier than they seem upon first glance.

INDIGO AWAKENING is not just some super cool story about kids with wicked awesome powers. It’s not just a series about these special kids being hunted down like animals. It’s a story that has concepts and ideas about human behaviors, their fears and their actions and reactions. It’s a story that definitely provides food for thought.

Of course it’s also that totally entertaining story about kids with crazy awesome abilities that I mentioned. There’s also a swoon-worthy boy with gorgeous eyes and a sexy accent, who is completely shrouded in mystery. There’s a heroine who is absolutely lovable. And there are some really nasty bad guys and girls to detest.

Oh and with the way things end... no, I probably shouldn't reveal that. Though I had a feeling....

But yeah, I'm definitely dying to find out what happens in the next book in the series.

When I first learned of the idea behind INDIGO AWAKENING I was intrigued. While from just reading the description I didn’t think it sounded too different from the typical story of kids with abilities who were being hunted down, I knew because the author was Jordan Dane that it would be.

And it totally was. Because while these kids have some seriously amazing powers and while the bad guys are horrible for what they’re doing, and have done, to them, I kind of agree with Rayne in that what they can do - what Gabe can do - is definitely scary. And, as the author touched upon in the book, if some of these kids are not so nice, just imagining what they’d be capable of doing with the abilities they have is chilling.

So on some level I understand their enemies fears. Even if I don’t agree with anything they’ve done or might do in the sequel. Which I really can’t wait for, in case I haven't mentioned it already.

I’m dying to find out what happens next. To see just where this story leads. To see whether justice gets served. To find out what happens with all those threads that were left hanging at the end of the first book... ones I can’t mention here without spoilers.

I loved getting to meet Rayne and Gabe - my two favorite characters. Though Hellboy was a close third. And no, my favorite was most definitely not Dr. Fiona Haugstad. When that one thing happened... let’s just say I couldn’t stop grinning.

But back to my favorite characters....

Rayne is funny and sarcastic, but also determined and devoted and someone who doesn’t let her fears stop her. And although she’s had to develop a certain strength to survive, she does have a vulnerability about her, too. Which makes her very relatable.

Gabriel... well, Gabe is just awesome. What he can do is amazing. The fact that he helps out Rayne when it puts him at risk made him a total hero. And what he did later in the story... yeah, well I can’t reveal that. But the word “awesome” just keeps coming to mind.

I just had this feeling the author would drop a huge bombshell at the end. And while I suspected, I thought my suspicions would be confirmed or denied much earlier. Not right there at the end with no more story left to tell... for now.

And I also knew the author would do something that would just break my heart. While I didn’t know what that would be, I just knew it would happen. And it did. And my heart broke. Even if it wasn’t for the reason I thought it would.

So, yes there was heartbreak. Yes there was a bit of a love story. Yes there was nail-biting suspense. Yes there were some supremely bad dudes. Yes there was an ending that made me want to scream.

And yes there was this story that has totally gotten me to think about things from both sides points of view.

And I love when reading a story makes that happen.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very odd book, although the premise is interesting. Lucas, Reign, and Mia are brother and sisters who have lost their parents. Mia has had Lucas confined to a mental institution due to the voices he hears in his head. Reign is an emancipated seventeen year old. When Lucas escapes from the mental institution, Mia and Reign are both desperate to find him for very different reasons. Lucas finds himself with a group that has "auras" that show in indigo blue. They call themselves the "Indigo Children" and think that Lucas is a "Crystal Child." Reign, in her search for Lucas, also meets Gabe, who may also be a "Crystal Child." All of the Indigo Children have powers that include some kind of psychic ability. The group that they are running from wants to harness these psychic abilities.

Indigo Awakening is the first book of a series called The Hunted that does show some promise. This book is really just the beginning of the story, introducing characters and problems that will be faced in future books. There is lots of action in this story, and it is fairly gritty for a teen book - including the amount of unnecessary profanity used. I'm hoping that the next book in the series, Crystal Storm, is better than the first.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Previously published on my blog here.

The following review is based on an ARC provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.


Review:
Indigo Awakening was a fast-paced read about teens with powers I found very cool, but in the end I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped because of the way it was narrated.

The story starts with Lucas, a 15-year-old teen roaming the streets in confusion. He hears voices in his head, the voices of other teens. Teens gifted like him. Lucas escaped from the mental hospital Mia, his oldest sister, had him committed to when their parents died. The hospital is owned by an organization wanting to research and control people (called Indigo or Crystal children) with gifts like his, and he’s been drugged against his will and examined for a long time. One girl’s voice in particular sticks out for him among the noise, and he follows a strange pull to where he thinks she will be.

Meanwhile, his other sister, Rayne, is told about his escape and sets out on a search for him, hoping to find him before Mia and the organization do. Rayne loves her brother fiercely and hated the way her sister simply stowed him away in an asylum. When she runs into trouble during her search she is helped by the mysterious Gabriel, a boy who has a mental connection to his dead dog and is plagued by nightmares he then sketches into a notebook. One of his sketches shows Rayne’s brother, and he’s not in a pretty shape. All of this sets in motion a mad race for who gets to Lucas most quickly, as well as a bond and strong attraction between Rayne and Gabe as they try to figure out what is really going on and why Lucas is so important to this fanatical church-like organization.

I really liked Rayne. She’s a tough girl with attitude who won’t just stand by and watch the action from afar. Did I mention she rides a Harley? I also loved how fiercely protective and dedicated she was to her brother. The attraction between her and Gabe was instant, but the author gives them time to actually get to know each other before anything more transpires. The story is action-packed with a lot going on at all times, but it didn’t feel breathless.

So far, so good. However, there was one big problem with this novel that took away quite a bit of my reading pleasure. I normally don’t mind books narrated in third person point of view or stories with varying narrators. However, the way it was done here just didn’t work for me.
There are three main story strands: Rayne & Gabe, Lucas and the other gifted ‘Indigo’ kids, and the organization searching for them. Within each strands, we again have multiple narrators, all of them individuals with their own agendas.

While this wasn’t confusing because it’s always clear who is talking, it also took away a lot of the depth of character development that might have been possible had the story been told from less POVs. Some of them didn’t really feel necessary. There is also quite a lot of telling instead of showing, especially when the reader is in one of the villains’ heads. No need to tell me what a bad guy this is or how little he cares about the lives of those kids – his actions should be able to show me that just fine. Many of the villains felt rather one-dimensional to me.

Another consequence of this type of narration was that I constantly felt like I was ‘hovering’ above the story. This was a problem with the focalization, the ‘lense’ through which the story is filtered. I felt like the omniscient narrator delved down to the various characters and I was sort of hovering over their heads and getting glimpses at their interiors, but I never really felt like I fully ‘entered’ that character. I just didn’t feel connected or immersed, and that made it more difficult for me to empathize with what was happening to them.

That being said, I felt most interested and invested in the Rayne/Gabriel story strand. Gabriel was a layered and intriguing character, and I loved how the story eventually delves more into his background and also features a really cool location connected to him. I don’t want to give too much away because of spoilers, but that period in the book when he and Rayne stay in this place was my favorite part of the book. Generally, I felt like he and Rayne showed the most character development throughout the book.

The powers of the kids were, as I’ve already hinted, another plus. Each kid has his/her own individual power, and they were all pretty cool. I also liked the life they had carved out for themselves and how they were connected in a sort of ‘hive mind’ held together by Kendra, the girl Lucas feels most drawn to.

The final showdown is again action-packed, and the overall pace of the book always kept me interested even though the narration bugged me. The final revelation didn’t come as a complete surprise to me, but the ending was well-done with the story strands tied up but enough room and questions left open for the sequel.

All in all, a great idea for a story about kids with special powers with at times something of a sci-fi or dystopian feel to it. Despite my difficulties with the way it was narrated, there were also passages that were beautifully written and details that were imaginative and made the story feel fresh. I’m curious about the sequel, but I hope some of the character POVs will be cut so that the remaining ones can get a little more development.

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly straight-forward tale of indigo kids being hunted by religious extremists who are in the position of power. Ends on a cliff-hanger, which is designed to make you start the next volume. There is only two books in this series. The tone was a bit uneven in places, and I tripped over some things (the "hairless bodies" of the bats!!). Written for a young female audience, perhaps, given how much the guys are worshiped for their beauty, yet the female characters in general are not given much to do.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucas Darby wurde von seiner ältesten Schwester in ein Krankenhaus eingewiesen, wo er mit Medikamenten ruhig gestellt wurde. Dass er besondere Fähigkeiten hat und anders ist, als normale Menschen, war der Grund für diese Einweisung, auch wenn seine Schwester Mia es nur gut meinte und ihm damit zu helfen versuchte. Seine Schwester Rayne ist nicht mit Mias Entscheidungen einverstanden, die seit dem Tod ihrer Eltern denkt die Verantwortung für die Geschwister zu tragen. Das Krankenhaus in dem sich Luke befindet hat zudem etwas mit der Kirche zu tun, für die Mia arbeitet. Und diese möchte ihren eigenen Nutzen aus Lucas und seien Fähigkeiten ziehen. Lucas gelingt es aus dem Krankenhaus zu fliehen und je mehr der Einfluss der Medikamente abnimmt, desto stärker werden seine Kräfte.

Rayne macht sich sorgen um ihren jüngeren Bruder und begibt sich auf die Suche nach ihm. Sie ist wütend auf Mia und hält diese auf Abstand. Während sie auf der Suche nach ihrem Bruder ist, trifft sie auf Gabe, einen Jungen, der ebenfalls ganz besondere Fähigkeiten hat. Was hat es mit diesen Kindern und Jugendlichen auf sich, die besondere Kräfte haben? Und wieso ist diese Kirche hinter ihnen her? Wird Rayne ihren Bruder finden?

Rayne hat nach dem Rod ihrer Eltern viel durchgemacht und erlebt. Das Verhältnis zu ihrer Schwester Mia ist nicht gerade das beste, da diese die Verantwortung an sich zog und es eigentlich nur gut mit Rayne und Luke meinte. Auch als sie ihn in das Krankenhaus einweisen ließ, wollte sie ihm nur helfen. Rayne hat sich dann vorzeitig für mündig erklären lassen und ist ausgezogen, da sie wütend auf Mia ist. Wir konnte sie nur ihrem Bruder so etwas antun, auch wenn es zu seinem Besten sein sollte? Dass Lucas aus der Klinik verschwunden ist, sorgt dafür, dass sie sich auf eigene Faust auf die Suche nach ihm begibt. Sie gerät in eine gefährliche Situation aus der sie nur durch Gabes Hilfe unverletzt heraus kommt. Dass er anders ist, das bemerkt sie nach und nach, fest steht es für sie jedoch erst, als sie ihn eines Nachts dabei beobachtet, wie er seine besonderen Kräfte einsetzt. Sie ist fasziniert von ihm und seiner Art. Rayne ist eine mutige, starke junge Frau, die ihr Ziel nicht so schnell aus den Augen verliert und sich für ihren Bruder, sowie sich für die Menschen einsetzt, die ihr am Herzen liegen.

Gabriel ist ein Einzelgänger, der sein Leben an abgelegenen Orten und allein führt,. Er möchte damit denen, die ihn jagen aus dem Weg gehen. Doch als er Rayne im alten Zoo begegnet verändert sich alles für ihn. Er hilft Ihr auf der Suche nach ihrem Bruder Lucas, und ist von ihr fasziniert. Nach und nach öffnet er sich Rayne und sie erfährt auch sein Geheimnis. Doch beide stellen fest, dass viel mehr hinter der Sachen stecken muss, als sie zu Beginn denken.

Luke ist der jüngere Bruder von Mia und Rayne und dass er etwas besonders ist, mehr als nur ein außergewöhnlicher Jugendlicher, wird erst sichtbar, als die Wirkung der Medikamente nachlässt. Und wieso diese Kirche so versessen darauf ist, ihn wieder in ihre Hände zu bekommen.

Unter den Nebencharakteren gibt es auch die Bösewichter, die von der Kirche ausgehen, deren Beweggründe man nicht kennt. Sie jagen die Kinder und Jugendlichen mit den besonderen Fähigkeiten und man weiß nicht, welche Pläne sie mit ihnen haben. Aber unter die Kinde rund Jugendlichen sind nicht so wehrlos, wie diese es sich wünscht. Gut ausgearbeitet und realistisch wirken diese genauso wie die Protagonisten und haben alle ihre unterschiedlichen Charakterzüge, Beweggründe und Fähigkeiten.

Das Cover des Buches ist in Blautönen gehalten und wirkt einfach und schlicht. Doch durch diese fantastische Wirkung, die mit den blauen Farbtönen, den verschiedenen, verschlungenen Mustern und der leuchtenden Schrift des Titels erzeugt wird, macht es einfach neugierig. Die blaue Blüte, die sich um das zweite I von Indigo windet ist ein kleiner Eyecatcher. Es wirkt geheimnisvoll und mystisch und passt somit wunderbar zum Inhalt des Buches.

Jordan Danes Schreibstil ist sehr flüssig und man taucht relativ schnell in die Geschichte ein. Von Anfang an ist man gefesselt von der Handlung und den Ideen zu den Indigo- und den Kristallkindern. Durch die Art, wie die Autorin immer wider detaillierte Beschreibungen einfließen lässt wird beim Lesen geradezu ein Kopfkino angeregt, in dem man sich die Geschehnisse vorstellt und somit mit den Protagonisten mitfiebert. Die Handlung wird immer wieder aus wechselnden Perspektiven vorangetrieben, so lernt man die einzelnen Charaktere viel besser kennen, was der Storyline Tiefe und Spannung verleiht. Die Idee der Indigo- und Kristallkinder bringt frische und neue Ideen in die Welt der Fantasy, und sorgt auch dafür, dass man darüber nachdenkt, ob es richtig ist, wie man sich Menschen gegenüber verhält, die teilweise anders sind. Das Ende hat einen Cliffhanger, der einen dazu bringt, dass man den zweiten Band am liebsten gleich lesen würde, um zu wissen, wie es mit Rayne, Gabe, Luke und den anderen weiter geht.

“Indigo – Das Erwachen“ ist mit seinen neuen und frischen Ideen ein gelungener Auftakt zu einer spannenden Reihe. Durch die ständigen Perspektivenwechsel bleibt die Handlung stets spannend und mit Action angereichert. Es ist eine komplexe und spanende Geschichte, die mit ihren neuen Elementen sehr viel Spaß macht beim Lesen.

Vielen Dank an Darkiss (MIRA Taschenbuch Verlag) und Blogg Dein Buch für das Rezensionsexemplar

[TheGertken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this during my adolescence and enjoyed every page.

[sundragonheart]

A weird little book I read when I was younger. Honestly don’t remember much about it, just that I liked the cover and overall vibe of the story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Indigo – Das Erwachen“ von Jordan Dane ist der Auftakt einer Jugendbuch-Fantasy-Reihe, der durch sein zum Titel passendes strahlend blaues Cover direkt ins Auge springt.

Inhaltlich geht es um Folgendes: Rayne Darbys jüngerer Bruder Lucas flieht aus der psychiatrischen Einrichtung, in die ihre ältere Schwester Mia ihn nach dem Tod der Eltern einwiesen ließ. Rayne beschließt ihn zu suchen, doch das ist alles andere als ungefährlich, denn eine zweifelhafte Sekte, die Church of Spiritual Freedom, sucht ebenfalls nach Lucas und schreckt vor nichts zurück. Als Rayne in Gefahr gerät, ist es ein Junge namens Gabe, der sie rettet – indem er in blaue Flammen aufgeht. Es scheint eine Verbindung zu ihrem Bruder zu geben…

Die Grundidee der Romans empfand ich von vornherein als überzeugend. Die Autorin verbindet in „Indigo“ Fantasy mit der Idee einer evolutionären Weiterentwicklung der Menschheit, die sich in paranormalen Fähigkeiten von Gedankenmanipulation bis hin zum Kontakt ins Totenreich äußert. Die Verbindung gelingt Jordan Dane recht gut, die Umsetzung der ungewöhnlichen Idee funktioniert durch sehr bildhafte, gut vorstellbare Beschreibungen und einem Aufbau, der zwar noch einige Details im Ungewissen lässt, die Entwicklung der einzelnen Gruppierungen sowie die Herkunft der sogenannten Indigo-Kinder aber Stück für Stück logisch und glaubhaft erklären kann und dem Roman damit ein solides Grundgerüst verschafft.

Im Gegensatz zu der Fantasy-Idee, die mich durchgehend begeistert hat, fiel mir der Einstieg in die Handlung aufgrund eines anderen vermeintlichen Merkmals des Romans allerdings schwer: Es schien kitschig zu werden. Die Liebesgeschichte entwickelte sich jedenfalls zunächst so vorhersehbar und offensive, so plötzlich, dass sich ein Verständnis meinerseits für die großen Gefühle der Protagonisten nicht entwickeln wollte. Schon wieder so eine aus dem Nichts kommende Romanze zweier junger Menschen, die sich dennoch immer wieder abweisen, weil sie „gefährlich“ für den anderen sein könnten? Haben wir das nicht in diesem Genre schon zu oft gelesen?

Ich war also skeptisch, aber zum Glück fand der Roman doch noch den Notausgang aus dem Reich des Kitsches heraus und hinein in eine – zumindest halbwegs – glaubhafte, romantische Beziehung zwischen den Figuren, die sich auch nicht zu sehr in den Vordergrund drängte, sondern der Fantasy-Handlung noch genug Raum ließ. Das Nebeneinander von Action und Liebe funktionierte hier gut, was mich nach meinen anfänglichen Zweifeln tatsächlich selbst positiv überraschte.

Neben der ausgewogenen Handlung kann dieser Reihenauftakt auch mit seinen Charakteren überzeugen. Die Autorin begleitet parallel Figuren auf unterschiedlichen Seiten des Konflikts zwischen den Indigo-Kindern und ihren Verfolgern, die sie f��r eine Gefahr für die Menschheit halten, sie wegsperren und erforschen wollen. Auf beiden Seiten schafft Dane interessante Charaktere, manche außergewöhnlicher als andere, manche erschreckend fanatisch, manche unendlich liebenswürdig und manche herrlich bodenständig normal. Von Sympathieträgern zu Identifikationsfiguren über Figuren, die den Zweifel im Leser wecken, bis hin zu den klassischen Bösewichten ist alles dabei, wodurch sich wiederrum eine ausgewogene Mischung ergibt.

Besonders die Hauptfigur Rayne überzeugt durch ihre Menschlich- aber nicht Fehlerlosigkeit, während Gabe in der Rolle des spannenden, geheimnisvollen Protagonisten mit schwer einschätzbaren übernatürlichen Fähigkeiten einen gelungenen männlichen Gegenpart darstellt. Nebenfiguren wie Hauptfiguren zeigen Entwicklungen, die den Roman zusammen mit den Fantasy-Elementen, die sich im Laufe der Geschichte in ihrer Intensität deutlich steigern und durch ihr Ausmaß immer wieder überraschen, nicht langweilig werden lassen.

Ein kleiner Kritikpunkt ist für mich allerdings die etwas sprunghafte Entwicklung der Handlung, die teilweise dem häufigen Schauplatz- und Protagonistenwechsel geschuldet, teilweise aber auch auf einen Verlust des berühmten roten Fadens zurückzuführen ist. Gelegentlich wirkten Handlungen eher unzusammenhängend und waren dadurch nicht immer nachvollziehbar. Warum wird die eine Idee nicht weiterverfolgt? Warum erscheint eine gewisse Information erst jetzt, wo sie doch eine Situation vorher viel stimmiger gemacht hätte? Da fehlte manchmal die Durchgängigkeit.
Am Ende kommt noch eine etwas zu vorhersehbare Wendung hinzu, die sich den halben Roman über so klar angedeutet hatte, dass der wohl beabsichtigte Cliffhanger auf den letzten Seiten wirkungslos verpuffte.

Fazit: Jordan Dane verbindet in „Indigo – Das Erwachen“ eine gut durchdachte Fantasy mit einer frischen Liebesgeschichte. Fans der Urban-Fantasy ab 14 Jahren können hier durch abwechslungsreiche Charaktere und eine spannende Handlung voll auf ihre Kosten kommen. Ich vergebe 4 von 5 Sternen für den Reihenauftakt und freue mich auf den zweiten Teil.