Awakened by Spirits

by Rita Borba

A NEW WORLD. A HIDDEN BOND. A PAST SHE CAN'T ESCAPE.

Lane can see things others can’t and has, therefore, never fit in at the orphanage where she was raised. Unable to find a job and form connections, she ventures south to start anew.

When her life in the new city begins to resemble what she has always dreamed of, a swarm of demons attacks her. As she runs for her life, she stumbles upon the world of guardians—one filled with spirits, demons, and elemental magic.

As she learns to navigate this realm and her own powers begin to emerge, a dark presence grows in the distance. It senses she is a threat and seeks to possess those around her in order to destroy her. Only a memory, buried deep within her mind, prevents her from reaching her full potential. To unlock it, she must confront her painful past.

Will she do it in time? Or will the darkness claim her first?

Genres: Fantasy

Paperback

First published June 20, 2025

About the author

I am a high school biology and math teacher by day. A writer during the other hours. I used to make YouTube videos for my students to help them better understand biology. While doing so, I began my writing journey by creating scripts for the videos. I wanted to make them concise and easy to follow. Repeating myself three times wouldn't do the trick.

One day, I felt like writing something else—a story taking form in my mind. I had two vague ideas in my head, so I started typing, having no idea where that would lead me. The first few pages turned into a book, and the book turned into a trilogy.

Since then, I haven't stopped writing. I love fantasy books. They allow me to daydream on my way to anything. That's why I decided to put those dreams into paper. My mind takes me to places I never thought I would imagine. It's a wonderful journey. Now, I've decided to share what I've written with whoever wants to read it. I hope you enjoy it.

Reviews

[Marcha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free as an ebook from the author for a review of the book.

I loved it! It starts with Lane who's at an orphanage and she soon discovers that she is different then the other kids there. When she is 18 she leaves the orphanage and demons attack her. She finds herself running towards a forest where she hears someone calling before the demons attack her. She wakes up in a bed where she's met with people who are like her, they're called guardians. She discovers so much about herself, the place she's at and the people there.

the growth Lane goes through in the book is amazing to read. You feel her being proud about herself while reading but also feel the sadness when she thinks she failed. The magic in the book and the way it is connected with the spirits was awesome! The book is very detailed, in the emotions of the characters but also the different kinds of demons. This first book is a really good start for the world building, background of the demons and the characters to the next one.

overall I would recommend this book 100%!! The book feels a bit slow but that's because she explains backgrounds a lot but it makes sense with the rest of the story and it mixes well with fight scenes. I couldn't put it down and had to know everything. I also loved the way she wrote from different points of view even from the demons.

Thank you Rita for giving me the ebook!! Can't wait for book 2 :)

[Floortje Den · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

This book really entertained me! The world Rita Borba has built in Awakened by spirits was an original one, and all the pieces seemed very thought-through. I personally liked the way guardians got their abilities, and also the way the demons in this book came about. Powers are given by spirits, and those have a mind of their own, which makes the powers gardians have a lot more interesting.
The characters definetly grew on me. Their interactions were fun to read and I liked how each of them had a very distinct personallity. However, sometimes I felt like the way their dinamics developed was a little too fast, but apart from that I enjoyed reading about them. It was also nice that besides the main pov from Lane, there ware parts in the story written from other characters' pov. This give more insight in the story and a better understanding of what was going on.
The story itself was also enjoyable. There was enough tension to keep me invested, and a good amount of interactions between the characters to make me love them. The bits of mysery that the main character had to solve also added a lot to the story.
All togheter, I definetly enjoyed reading this book!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy to read YA fantasy with a very cool concept! I enjoyed the story a lot and was able to complete the book in just a few days. I think if I was 15/16, I would've given this book another star, and that says a lot about how true to the YA genre it is. Being the same age as Kage in real life made me a bit frustrated with how he handled things. I loved Lane as a character, and it was very good to see her grow as a person.

I don't know how this will develop since this is the first book in a trilogy, but for this first book, the worldbuilding felt lacking. It's set somewhere in the future, but at the same time does not have any technology and it feels kind of medieval-like. I would've loved to know a bit more about the reasons behind that, why/how the world developed as it did. Because as you read, you learn a lot about how the spirits work and evolve.

Throughout reading, I also couldn't help but think about Shadowhunters the entire time. The guardians felt very similar to the nemphilim, and the concept of Clary starting to see things that others couldn't and discovering what she was later in life was very similar. I can't wait to see how this book will start to differentiate itself more as a trilogy.

All in all, a very good YA book. I enjoyed the writing style and I'd love to read the other parts when they come out.

Thank you Rita Borba for letting me read the book for free! I greatly enjoyed it.

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

"Awakened by Spirits" starts with a chilling, emotionally charged prologue that sets the reader up for a new type of supernatural coming-of-age tale. We're introduced to Lane, an orphan who's been marked since she was a child by the presence of dark, slithering creatures only she can see; Shadow Crawlers. Her social and emotional isolation are rendered with gut-wrenching power. The narrative hooks you from the beginning, drawing you into Lane's solitary yet determined life.

Rita Borba weaves mystery, fantasy, and emotional resonance into this haunting opening. Lane is a protagonist easy to root for: she's defiant, brave, and deeply human. The themes of isolation, unknown abilities, and inner strength are beautifully rendered. I appreciated the slow-burn development of her combat skills and survival instincts, especially how she earns every morsel of progress the difficult way.

Highly recommended for fans of YA fantasy with darker themes and complex, gritty heroines.

Adored reading every page!!

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the free copy for an honest review.

I love the story and the world building.
Lane is an orpheline who always sees things that no one else can see.

All her life, she has to fight them in secrets. When she enters a world where demons and Spirits exist, she finally can learn and understand what she is.

Lane was a fantastic character. She's brave, resilient and loyal.

But, it's written in the third person and I always have a harder time reading those stories but it's a "me" thing. There were also parts that were slower and a little bit confusing but the story was still good and it made me think of ShadowHunters.

Read this if you like :

✨ YA Fantasy ;
✨ Shadows and Spirits ;
✨ Found Family;
✨ Hidden World ;
✨ Training and Fighting.

[Soph · Rating 3 out of 5]

A True YA, Percy Jackson meets Shadowhunters vibes in this book where:
Light meets Darkness
Elemental magic!
Reliving a painful past..
And Demons..

Are you new with fantasy books? Or Want something that is a easy read and doesn't make it too complicated? Then I think this is a perfect book to give a try! In my opinion it is a easy read, the writing is easy to folow and is very comforting.. I did truly love how Lane grew as a person in this book and was fighting her own battles about her past. I also love her dynamic with Cage but I would love to see more of it in the next part!

For me personally I was missing a lot of depth.. Don't get me wrong, I did truly like this book and I will Definitely read it again if I am looking for some comfort reading! But it stayed very superficial and then especially on the world building! But this is my opinion and it is probably a me problem hahahah

Definitely favourite part was chapter 13!
I wont quote anything! So you can experience this magical moment for yourself!! :)


This book is the first in a trilogy and I am very curious how this book will evolve in the next part.
I rate this book 3 stars, this because I was missing a lot of depth..

Very fun read and enjoyed it very much!

[Shireen · Rating 4 out of 5]

mild spoilers
I had a good time reading this. Monsters (demons) from the beginning!
The pov from the demons is a nice touch, without overdoing it.
the book was super fast paced, what i liked! But sometimes things moved a little to fast and i was still processing what just happend while the next thing was already set in motion haha. Looking forward to the 2nd book.

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all the world and powers are very interesting. I really loved it all and it made me very curious. But sadly I do miss something, I feel like the conversations were sometimes too short or quick. I also missed a bigger ending at the book. But besides that it was a fun read. Can’t say it enough, but the magic and spirits are really cool.

[Nanoi Bocquaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I’m not a fan of like the third person writing, but I was so sucked into the world of the book it didn’t matter. I fell in love with the story, the characters, the world just everything. I liked the whole storyline and the plots. There was a fun dynamics between all the characters and with the switching pov you had a idea of how everyone experienced the situations. I’m already so excited to read the next part.

[Nanouk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really hoping this would be a good book. The premise and the concept were so nice and interesting. The execution was a bit unfortunate. I feel like if it had a few more rounds of editing it could have delivered.

Let’s start with the very first thing that bugged me: “show don’t tell”. As someone who has done a theatre study for the past three years and thus has been through three years of storytelling classes, “show don’t tell” is one of, if not the most, important things of a story. It can make of break a story. It is also not the easiest thing to do. The author did show us what they wanted to show us, unfortunately they also had to tell us. Making it more of a “show and tell” rather than a “show don’t tell”. An example for this happens in the first few chapters. We read a prologue about how our main character “Lane”, get bullied and shut down at the orphanage she grows up in. The next chapter (or the one after that, I forgot. My apologies) this is repeated but in a recap kind of way. I just read it not even 5 minutes ago, I remember. I promise.

The second thing I noticed was the world building. The world is so interesting and I really liked it. Only a lot of it was told through monologues or a Q&A kind of way. It didn’t really work for me, it was a lot of information to take in and, unlike my previous point, I had to remember it from the page long monologue. I did really like it when it would be a sprinkle here and there. The way they would curse with “demons” instead of a curse world was really clever and really added to the immersion of the story.

The last thing was the inconsistency of the characters. Now I do understand that that was a plot point for Diana. So I can excuse her. But not the rest. As soon as it was revealed that !spoilers! Diana was possessed and that’s why she acted out of character, I started reading into a lot more characters that they were possessed. In the end they weren’t.
Besides the possession stuff was I let to believe that Luke was a pedo for about 70% of the book. The way he interacted with Diana was far too suspicious.
Also Kage is a big baby who seriously drops his best friend because a girl he loves happens to die near Luke? Knowing he couldn’t have prevented it. Was that really the reason why you were so pissed at him for 5 years? What a baby. Also lowkey an abuser. He does not react well at the end of the book at all. Like what the hell.
The men are unbearable.

I would like to end this by saying that the concept was really interesting and the world also was. But it didn’t resonate with me the way I wanted it to.

This was also an arc and I feel really bad for not liking it, but felt I had to be honest so the author and the readers know. Author if you’re reading this, please don’t let me discourage you. I know how hard it is to make art, especially when others don’t like it. Don’t take this too personally and learn from your mistakes. Take feedback and see if you can improve from it, if not throw it away like the garbage that it is. Thank you for letting me read this.

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super surprising! It took me a little bit to get into it because the first few chapters felt a bit info dumpy and repetitive (more telling than showing) and in the beginning I found the characters’ personality and maturity inconsistent. But as the story progressed I became more invested. Sometimes I felt like we were reading along with some thinking steps that made the story a bit slower and at other times characters very suddenly completely changed their mind about something, so the pacing was not always balanced.

I especially found the magical system super interesting. There are some elements you might recognise from other stories but it also has a very unique spin on it.

The writing style reminded me of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater — which is especially well geared towards the YA audience.

I also thought the different perspectives offered some very interesting insights into the bad guys that not many other books in the same genre have.

Overall I felt like there was already a lot of growth in the writing from the start of the book towards the end, and I feel like this world and the magical system has so much potential. I can already start to see all the preparations in the plot for the story to expand and stakes to be raised.


Thanks so much for the free advance version of this book!

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love fantasies with monsters, secret societies and girls who grew up in orphanages you absolutely need to read this book!

It's about Lane, who grew up in a orphanage and who could always see demons, nobody believed her, until she was 18 and left the orphanage. She left to find herself at the keep, where she get to know Kage and his sister Diana. She finds out that al of the monsters that she have seen are called Karazak and that she is a so called guardian, with extremly powerfull powers. She needs to find a way to get control over her powers and get to a very emotional journey.

This book was exciting, fun and mysterious from start to end. Although it's written in 3th person and I personally think you get a worse idea about what's going on in the minds of the characters, in this book it didn't bother me at all, because of, among others, dialogues with the spirits and the descriptions about the characters feeling.

I really love this book, because of how exciting it was! I love al the fithing and monsters in the book and I really reccommend it!

I have gotten this e-book for free to review it and I hope it's a good review! I want to really thank the author, Rita Borba, for giving me this change! I really enjoyed your book, thank you!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. The fantasy world was so original and detailed—it genuinely felt like stepping into a completely different universe. Everything was so well thought out, from the big concepts to the tiniest details, and it all just made sense. I could picture it so clearly that it felt like a real place I could actually go visit.

The romance. I'm a total sucker for enemies-to-lovers, and this one delivered all the tension and slow-burn I could want. It was emotional, intense, and had those heart-pounding moments that completely pulled me in. Watching their relationship slowly shift and grow and fall was so satisfying.

And the characters! Lane completely stole the show for me. They were such a complex, unpredictable character—in the best way. I never quite knew what they were going to do, and that made every scene with them so compelling. Their choices weren’t always perfect, but that just made them feel more real—flawed, messy, and deeply human.

The ending left a few things unresolved, and normally that would bother me, but here? It just made me need the next book even more. I have so many questions and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

[Melody.leest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Lane. She lives in an orphanage. When she is 6 years old she sees these weird creatures. But when she tells it to the other kids they start bullying her. In the years that follow she keeps to her self and starts training to defeat these creatures.

Lane (now older) knows her time in the orphanage is almost done. So she decides to leave earlier. She starts living in a new town. And for a while she does not see any creatures. But that does not last. When they are back they seem to have it out for Lane. But then she stumbles upon people that also see these creatures. Who are they? And better yet: why was she raised in the orphanage?

First of all i just love this book! Wow it is so good 😍 is kind of like Shadow hunters. But with a very unique magic system. Also the pace of the book is so good. You want to keep reading. Its so detailed but not overwhelming. Lane is such an understandable character. Her doubt and insecurities are so well writen. And i just love this book so much! I can not say it enough. This for me is a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ book. 6 yes 6. 5 just is not enough.

[Yush_and_her_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been following Rita Borba for a while now.
So when she announced that her first book was coming I got really excited. A year or a few months before the book came out I got the chance to read the first few chapters. I was hooked. So I met her this year at Dutch Comic con to buy her book.

I absolutely loved this!!! Guardians and demons are the center of this book. But the core and the heart of this book is found family. Lane is a great main character and she already makes such big steps forward in this first book. I can't wait to see her evolve in the next book. Diana, Kate, Luke and Althea are also fantastic characters. I can't wait to learn more about them in the next book. Especially Althea. Diana has my heart, she is so sweet. And maybe even a bit of romance in this book?...we will see how that develops in the next book.

This book is fast paced, fantastic world building and some great twists and turns!! It's such a good debut.
It has a very interesting and intriguing magical system. I can't wait for the next book!! You got me hooked Rita Borba

[Lonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes, the greatest battle is the one you fight within.”

Warning: spoilers up ahead‼️

Set in a world teetering on the edge of another war—where demons lurk in the shadows and only the Guardians stand between humanity and destruction—this book explores what it truly means to find yourself when the world around you is falling apart.

The story follows Lane, an outsider who becomes entangled in the centuries-old war between the Guardians and the demonic forces threatening existence. A world she thought only she could see.

The deeper she falls into this world of demons, the closer she finds herself to a man who’s as much a mystery as the war itself. As they are pulled deeper into this hidden world, the external conflict becomes a mirror to their internal one—forcing them to confront fears, buried trauma, and unanswered questions about identity and purpose.

You better believe I’ll be grabbing the next book the moment it’s out!

[Anouk · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

The book was very surprising, even more considering it is Rita’s first book. I love that she set this whole world (including a map! I love books with maps!) with a cool magic and spirits system. Powers are given by spirits and spirits have a mind of their own.

In the prologue we read about Lane, the FMC, she gets bullied at the orphanage she grows up in. She is different than the others and kids can be very mean. Then when the book starts, she is a few years older and about to leave the Orphanage. Lane’s story is very interesting, she learns a lot about her powers and during the book she really grows.

I am not a huge fan of third person writing, but it was interesting that there were multiple POV.
Overall, I really liked the book. At times it felt quite slow, but that had to do with the worldbuilding, explaining of the magic systems etc. This is a very good start of the trilogy.

Thank you Rita for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[kaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't begin to express how much I enjoyed this book. From the beginning, I quickly got dragged into the storyline and struggled to put it down. I'm a sucker for third person books since I feel like they give so much more depth and was so glad to find out that this one was written in third person. Right off the bat, I was really into your writing style and fell in love with it. I enjoyed the fast pace since I tend to struggle to get into books that start off slow. I loved the character development, and the characters were so likable. You knew how to keep me interested and hooked into the book, and I really loved the magical feeling this book gave me. I loved the plot, and I quite literally can't wait to read the next book because there are so many more things I want to experience and know in your writing. -Nora <3

[Elisa Van A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overal I can definitely recommend this YA book to every fantasy lover.

At first It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I got there it was hard to put the book down.
It did felt like you are growing and learning together with Lane along the way.

I do had to remind myself a few times that this is a YA book cus I got a little bit frustrated by how some characters thought or handled some situations. But then again some of it makes sense in the end story wise.

I could see the ending happen from pretty early on but it does makes me want to know more, it made me scream "kage get your head out of your ass and focus on what really matters"

its clear to say that I definitely want to know more about everything, the world, the characters, the stoy,...

A big thank you Rita to let me read this book, I'm curious about the rest.

[Laura en Douwe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved this book! Can't wait for the second book out of the three. Characters are really strong, especially the head character. Don't want to give spoilers, but just let yourself get sucked up in the mystery and darkness that she has to face. For everyone who love young adult, fantasy and mystery, I highly recommend this book. Just give yourself the time to get into the build up. Don't put it down to quickly it builds up and will definitely grap you.

It doesn't have smut and I didn't miss it! Normally I read fantasy with a bit of smut. But this book didn't need it.

Hopefully no 2 follows quickly and hopefully I will be able to read it.

Congrats for this new Dutch Writer, writing English Young Adults!!

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the gifted copy for an honest review.

I loved the world building of this one. It reminds me of my love of Shadowhunters with the fights against the demons !

The feeling of Found Family between Lane and the other guardians was well written. I'm so happy she found her place. She deserves it so much after her childhood.

There were times I was a little bit confused from some events descriptions and I had a hard time following and it's written in third person. It isn't my favorite but I still like the book and I'm interested in knowing how it will unfold.

Read this if you love :

✨ Found Family ;
✨ Guardians x Demons ;
✨ Magic System;
✨ Training ;
✨ Spirits ;
✨ Friendship.

[Jippe Huisman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb de EPUB van dit boek gekregen van de schrijfster om te reviewen. Dit duurde wat langer dan gepland door weinig tijd om te lezen.

Echter, toen ik eenmaal goed begon aan het boek, kwam ik er ook heel snel in. De manier van schrijven is pakkend en zorgt ervoor dat je door het boek heen vliegt. Ik weet nog niet zo goed wat ik van Kage vind, maar ik denk dat ik daar wel achterkom als het tweede boek uit komt.
Ik vind de band tussen Lane en Diana erg leuk. Ik vraag me alleen nog wel af wat er speelde tussen Luke en Diana tijdens de ‘demon infested’ in haar. En hoe komt het dat Luke dan redelijk snel een ding kreeg met Althea. Ach, maakt ook eigenlijk niet uit😂😂

Al met al een goed boek, las lekker snel door, enorm groot open einde. Nu al zin in het volgende deel.

[readsbyinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by the author and the first impression I had was "Wow this cover is so beautiful". I was really curious about the book and it didn't disappoint.

This is a YA fantasy with spirits and demons and it is so fun to read. The characters are really good and we get to know a lot about them. The plot twists!! I dropped my jaw on the floor so many times because I was not expecting so many things.

The authors write is really easy to read and it flows really well. I loved every second of it and I am really curious for the next two books. Yes! This is a trilogy! Sooo exciting yeyyyy.

[Pernille · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️
This is a really strong YA novel that pulled me in right away. There's something about the way the story unfolds. I found myself needing to know where it would go, especially with Lane's journey.

It touches on some deep themes, like how the past can shape us and how healing doesn’t always come all at once. Sometimes it's more of a slow process, something you return to again and again.

There’s action, emotion, and that wonderful feeling of connection you get when characters find their place, or their people. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the sequel!

[Veronique Vermeersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know what to expect. the story is written so well that everything is clear. there is no confusion when it is a flashback, a dream or the present. And that makes it easy for me to read. you know this story is going somewhere. at the end of the book you know what each character is going to do next. you know how the second book will start but I´m also wondering how the story will go on. I loved reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

[Karlijne Simons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lane sees things no one else can, and her life’s been kinda rough because of it. When she tries to start over, it all goes sideways (cue demons, magic, and chaos). She ends up in this hidden world full of spirits, guardians, and powers she didn’t know she had.

Honestly? It was a fun, fast read. Lots of mystery, a bit spooky, and Lane is easy to root for. If you’re into chosen-one stories, secret magic, and emotional backstories, this one’s for you 👻🔥

Can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually loved this book! It is a quick read which I love. As someone who is younger and has been bullied it was very easy to relate to Lane. I understood how she felt easily which made the book even better. Also the connection between Lane and Kage made me want to read more. I also enjoyed how there where different perspectives. I can't wait to read the second book, I'm really looking forward to it!

[Malene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! I enjoy fast-paced books where it's not dragged along too much, which is hard to find in fantasy books, but this one nailed it! The concept of elemental magic is something I find really cool and fun to read about. Also the story made it hard to put the book down, and I can't wait for book number 2 since there is a storyline I NEED to find out about!!!

[Chia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I see incredible potential in this author, especially in the way they write. This book has great worldbuilding, interesting characters and good writing. I'm sad that it didn't really end up working for me

thanks to the author for sending me a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review!