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We Awaken
One year ago a car accident killed Victoria Dinham’s father, and now all that keeps her going is the hope of getting into the Manhattan Dance Conservatory. That is, until an ethereal girl named Ashlinn visits her in her sleep claiming to be the creator of good dreams and carrying a message from her comatose brother. They meet in Victoria’s subconscious, and over time they come to care for each other. Ashlinn is secure in her asexuality, but Victoria has never heard of it. Soon, however, she realizes she too must be asexual.
On the day of Victoria’s big dance audition, her mother is unable to drive her to town so Ashlinn must turn human to help Victoria chase her dreams. While in New York City, Victoria and Ashlinn explore their affections for each other and try to understand what it means to be asexual teenagers. Unfortunately for the couple, Ashlinn cannot stay human forever, and humanity begins to suffer from not having her around to create pleasant fantasies each night.
On the day of Victoria’s big dance audition, her mother is unable to drive her to town so Ashlinn must turn human to help Victoria chase her dreams. While in New York City, Victoria and Ashlinn explore their affections for each other and try to understand what it means to be asexual teenagers. Unfortunately for the couple, Ashlinn cannot stay human forever, and humanity begins to suffer from not having her around to create pleasant fantasies each night.
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2016
15 people are currently reading
2629 people want to read
About the author
Calista Lynne
2 books101 followersCalista Lynne is a perpetual runaway and glitter addict who grew up on the American East Coast and is currently studying in London. She is having difficulty adjusting to the lack of Oxford commas across the pond and writes because it always seemed to make more sense than mathematics.
Look for her near the caffeinated beverages.
Look for her near the caffeinated beverages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
June 22, 2016
First of all, just look at that beautiful cover and how gorgeous it would look just sitting on your shelf!
I got an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review and when I heard that this book was a fantasy with asexual characters and something about the dream world, I couldn't resist reading it right away. And it wasn't that long so didn't take me much time either. Now as to what I think about this book, my thoughts are conflicted. So I'm just going to lay it all out for you.
Positive points :
I like the main character Victoria and how she's written, a little confused and self-conscious. She isn't that open or fun loving but considering her father died and brother is in a coma, it's acceptable. Also, she's a ballerina and trying to discover her sexuality.
I think I've never read a book about asexuals, I didn't even know that was a thing before. It's a unique concept that adds to the charm of the book.
Ellie is my absolute fav. She's outgoing, kinda crazy best friend who speaks her mind. And so what if she didn't understand asexuality at first, I didn't either!
Negative points :
Unanswered questions and not so well built world. The dreamworld and the concept of having two people responsible for making dreams and nightmares seems fine. But they're are too many missing pieces that weren't explained. Like how can Ashlin spend time in Victoria's dream and still be creating dreams for others. How is she at so many places at the same time? I mean the answer's obvious, magic. But I hate how that topic didn't even come up in the book. And why did she pick Victoria out of all the people to be with. Victoria's reasons for being with Ashlin seem understandable but we don't know anything about why Ashlin's doing all this.
Why the hell isn't there more to this book? It seems more like a contemporary than a fantasy novel because of such a weak world-building. And if this book was really a contemporary novel (just make Ashlin a real person and remove the dreamworld) it would have been so amazing. A contemporary book about an asexual Ballerina discovering love. Now doesn't that sound perfect! But that just ain't so.
More things to consider :
I think this book could become so much more if it's made into a longer book. I mean it's a fantasy book, they're meant to be long because details and premise and back stories. I want to know more about Semira. And it would have been great to have more parts about Reeves and Victoria together as kids, also, Victoria and her father. Her relationship with her mother could've been better explored. There's just so much potential with this story that it feels incomplete somehow.
But that's just me. Hey, some people loved this book. I've seen some 5 star reviews. Maybe I just have high expectations now. But I did like the book, even with all its flaws.
I got an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review and when I heard that this book was a fantasy with asexual characters and something about the dream world, I couldn't resist reading it right away. And it wasn't that long so didn't take me much time either. Now as to what I think about this book, my thoughts are conflicted. So I'm just going to lay it all out for you.
Positive points :
I like the main character Victoria and how she's written, a little confused and self-conscious. She isn't that open or fun loving but considering her father died and brother is in a coma, it's acceptable. Also, she's a ballerina and trying to discover her sexuality.
I think I've never read a book about asexuals, I didn't even know that was a thing before. It's a unique concept that adds to the charm of the book.
Ellie is my absolute fav. She's outgoing, kinda crazy best friend who speaks her mind. And so what if she didn't understand asexuality at first, I didn't either!
Negative points :
Unanswered questions and not so well built world. The dreamworld and the concept of having two people responsible for making dreams and nightmares seems fine. But they're are too many missing pieces that weren't explained. Like how can Ashlin spend time in Victoria's dream and still be creating dreams for others. How is she at so many places at the same time? I mean the answer's obvious, magic. But I hate how that topic didn't even come up in the book. And why did she pick Victoria out of all the people to be with. Victoria's reasons for being with Ashlin seem understandable but we don't know anything about why Ashlin's doing all this.
Why the hell isn't there more to this book? It seems more like a contemporary than a fantasy novel because of such a weak world-building. And if this book was really a contemporary novel (just make Ashlin a real person and remove the dreamworld) it would have been so amazing. A contemporary book about an asexual Ballerina discovering love. Now doesn't that sound perfect! But that just ain't so.
More things to consider :
I think this book could become so much more if it's made into a longer book. I mean it's a fantasy book, they're meant to be long because details and premise and back stories. I want to know more about Semira. And it would have been great to have more parts about Reeves and Victoria together as kids, also, Victoria and her father. Her relationship with her mother could've been better explored. There's just so much potential with this story that it feels incomplete somehow.
But that's just me. Hey, some people loved this book. I've seen some 5 star reviews. Maybe I just have high expectations now. But I did like the book, even with all its flaws.
June 27, 2016
Originally posted on Bookshelves & Paperbacks.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me this opportunity to read it in advance.
Calista Lynne's We Awaken follows the story of Victoria Dinham, who is still very much struggling to deal with the aftermath of the accident that took the life of her father, and put her brother in a coma a year ago. Things get a little strange when Victoria is paid a visit in her dreams by Ashlinn, who claims to have a message from her comatose brother. Victoria finds herself drawn to this 'dream girl' and finds that their nightly meetings are what she looks forward to most. As the two girls grow close, Ashlinn helps Victoria realize that she is asexual, and gives her the much needed support and knowledge to deal with this revelation about her sexuality.
We Awaken exists in a literary world where asexuality is largely ignored; in this way, Calista Lynne has written an incredibly important novel about a community which is severely underrepresented in literature. I have very conflicting feelings about this novel, but I'm sure of one thing: if you are not aware of what asexuality is, and want to know more, this novel is an accurate while entertaining means to get this information. In some places, it almost read like an Asexuality 101 textbook, and while the integration felt a little clunky in the larger context of the story, it did the job. I now feel like I have a tentative grasp on the basics of asexuality, and can maybe even explain it to someone who is completely unfamiliar.
I used the word 'textbook' above, but I have to point out that unlike textbooks, We Awaken is beautifully written. Lynne's writing is the perfect midpoint between being too simplistic and too flowery- the result is a novel that is both fast-paced, entertaining and can offer beautiful language as well.
But alas, the writing technique and the subject matter are perhaps the only things that worked. Before going into this novel, I was under the impression that Victoria's asexuality would seamlessly integrate into a novel about loss, family and love. But in truth, her asexuality is largely at the forefront, which in itself is not a negative at all. What is a negative is that there was so much going on- her father's death and her brother's coma was largely brushed aside when Ashlinn came into the picture, so much so that when the topic of them was brought up here and there, I questioned its genuineness. We Awaken is an amalgamation of contemporary and paranormal; half reads like one genre, half reads like the other. Again, I did not think the two complemented each other. While in the paranormal areas, the issues of the contemporary world were largely forgotten, and vice versa. Sometimes I felt as if I was reading two different books instead of one cohesive, well-balanced story.
Which brings me to the topic of pacing. Now, We Awaken is a very short novel; Goodreads tells me that the page count is 180 pages. But 180 pages is still a good number to tell a story with all the details that matter. Lynne chose to focus on the scenes that felt rather unimportant considering all that was going on in Victoria's life. These scenes could have been eliminated to make way for more heartfelt scenes between Ashlinn and Victora- more build-up because I felt that their romance was rushed and very insta-lovey. More time could have been spent on Victoria dealing with her family. And more time could be spent on an issue dealing with mental illness that was tossed aside as a plot point- I cannot say more for the risk of spoilers.
But despite my problems with the storytelling aspect of the novel, I do think that this is a book worthy of being read, if not only for the subject matter it deals with. It was perfectly enjoyable while also giving its readers some much needed truths, so I would still recommend it to readers, especially those who look further than entertainment, and look to learn something concrete from what they read.
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August 10, 2016The cover of this books is so, so beautiful and I'm happy to say that everything inside of this book is beautiful too.
If you're looking for a book to help your understanding of asexuality or would like to broaden your mind, you NEED to pick this book up. Calista Lynne writes this story in a great, easy way to help the reader understand asexuality and her writing is amazing.
It's the kind of book you can read in one sitting. The writing is easy and poetic at the same time making it a great, page-turning book that you'll never want to put down.
Although I liked the characters I didn't manage to get attached to any of them. The romance fell a little flat to me too. The book is small and I understand that there isn't a lot of pages to dedicate to building up the relationship between the two main characters, Ashlinn and Victoria but I found that some parts of this book had too much detail and others not enough. In this case, their relationship.
However, I did still thoroughly enjoy this book and I highly recommend it!
4 out of 5 stars!
If you're looking for a book to help your understanding of asexuality or would like to broaden your mind, you NEED to pick this book up. Calista Lynne writes this story in a great, easy way to help the reader understand asexuality and her writing is amazing.
It's the kind of book you can read in one sitting. The writing is easy and poetic at the same time making it a great, page-turning book that you'll never want to put down.
Although I liked the characters I didn't manage to get attached to any of them. The romance fell a little flat to me too. The book is small and I understand that there isn't a lot of pages to dedicate to building up the relationship between the two main characters, Ashlinn and Victoria but I found that some parts of this book had too much detail and others not enough. In this case, their relationship.
However, I did still thoroughly enjoy this book and I highly recommend it!
4 out of 5 stars!
July 18, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley and Harmony Ink Press for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It is really hard for me to write a proper review for this book.
First of all, I have to admit that I wanted to read this book especially because of its gorgeous cover, like many other people here. But the description also sounded very interesting and since I really love dreaming and also to read about the state of dreaming I thought this book would be a great idea.
The good things about it were not only the cover, but also the beautiful language. Sometimes it was even kind of philosophical and truly evocative. It was easy to picture the surroundings and you could relate to the feelings of the characters, as well. Therefore it was a really enjoyable read.
But I had a problem with the plot line. I always had the feeling that there is something missing and thus the story seemed incomplete. For example, there was a character called Semira, who was responsible for people having nightmares. And it looked like she was an important person of the story, but apparently she just happened to be there and the reader got no background information or anything else about her.
Another thing that bothered me was the weak world-building. I thought it was a pretty great idea to write about a relationship between a normal human being and a fantasy figure who's job it is to create positive dreams, but I never understood how this person was able to jump so easily between the two worlds, the real one and the dream world. There were so many unanswered questions and I was really disappointed not to learn anything else at the end.
There is one little thing left which I would like to address. Of course, this book handles the topic asexuality and how to deal with it very well, but the story was not only about asexuality but also about dreams. I don't know if the author didn't inform herself well enough about dreaming in general or if she did this on purpose, but the way dreams were portrayed in the book was a bit weird.
Based on the story of this book it would be possible for everyone to remember every dream and also to control it. Thus every dream in this book seemed to be a lucid dream and this is not only very unlikely but I found it also a little sad, because otherwise the plot wouldn't have been so fast paced and the book wouldn't have been so short. I am aware of the fact that this was a work of fiction and also fantasy, but it is just something to consider if the author decides to write a sequel to this story.
It is really hard for me to write a proper review for this book.
First of all, I have to admit that I wanted to read this book especially because of its gorgeous cover, like many other people here. But the description also sounded very interesting and since I really love dreaming and also to read about the state of dreaming I thought this book would be a great idea.
The good things about it were not only the cover, but also the beautiful language. Sometimes it was even kind of philosophical and truly evocative. It was easy to picture the surroundings and you could relate to the feelings of the characters, as well. Therefore it was a really enjoyable read.
But I had a problem with the plot line. I always had the feeling that there is something missing and thus the story seemed incomplete. For example, there was a character called Semira, who was responsible for people having nightmares. And it looked like she was an important person of the story, but apparently she just happened to be there and the reader got no background information or anything else about her.
Another thing that bothered me was the weak world-building. I thought it was a pretty great idea to write about a relationship between a normal human being and a fantasy figure who's job it is to create positive dreams, but I never understood how this person was able to jump so easily between the two worlds, the real one and the dream world. There were so many unanswered questions and I was really disappointed not to learn anything else at the end.
There is one little thing left which I would like to address. Of course, this book handles the topic asexuality and how to deal with it very well, but the story was not only about asexuality but also about dreams. I don't know if the author didn't inform herself well enough about dreaming in general or if she did this on purpose, but the way dreams were portrayed in the book was a bit weird.
Based on the story of this book it would be possible for everyone to remember every dream and also to control it. Thus every dream in this book seemed to be a lucid dream and this is not only very unlikely but I found it also a little sad, because otherwise the plot wouldn't have been so fast paced and the book wouldn't have been so short. I am aware of the fact that this was a work of fiction and also fantasy, but it is just something to consider if the author decides to write a sequel to this story.
August 4, 2018
This wasn't bad, but I'm kinda glad to be done with it. Victoria and Ashlinn are incredibly cute together, and it's great to see a protagonist go from feeling broken to being confident in her asexuality, but wow do I wish I did not have to go through so much ace antagonism to get a happy ending. This includes constant dismissal and hate from Victoria's best friend (it shifts into "i cannot possibly understand this weirdness but whatever if it makes you happy towards the very end), and another antagonist (tw for sexual assault in the spoiler tag).
The result is that while the romance itself is ADORABLE (also!! interracial f/f!! so much cuddling and non-sexual intimacy!!) and Victoria's questioning is immensely relatable, reading the story itself is a constant battering of anti-aceness and difficult scenes that leaves you never quite feeling safe. Not just from Victoria's interior narration, which I would find fair, but with the outside world constantly reaffirming everyone thinks aces are freaks, broken, and confused. Come prepared, and please warn your ace friends when you recommend this book so they know what they expect, and might enjoy it more.
The result is that while the romance itself is ADORABLE (also!! interracial f/f!! so much cuddling and non-sexual intimacy!!) and Victoria's questioning is immensely relatable, reading the story itself is a constant battering of anti-aceness and difficult scenes that leaves you never quite feeling safe. Not just from Victoria's interior narration, which I would find fair, but with the outside world constantly reaffirming everyone thinks aces are freaks, broken, and confused. Come prepared, and please warn your ace friends when you recommend this book so they know what they expect, and might enjoy it more.
July 11, 2016
I was interested in this book because of the gorgeous cover but, mostly, because it focus on something that's not really portrayed or even talked about in any media: asexuality.
I read this book very quickly, which means I was definitely entertained. the writing is beautiful and overall, this novel is a really nice read. unfortunately, although there were many good points/moments in this book, I can't say I really cared for the plot. I feel like it needed a few more pages to really have some depth. some scenes could be added and little plot points would seem much more realistic. everything, the romance, the protagonist career interests and her family problems, seemed rushed and I don't really see the point for that.
even so, this is a great first book and I can see a lot of potential in it. I would also definitely recommend it to anyone interested in learning about asexuality. there's a lot of good and valuable info about it!
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2016/0...
I read this book very quickly, which means I was definitely entertained. the writing is beautiful and overall, this novel is a really nice read. unfortunately, although there were many good points/moments in this book, I can't say I really cared for the plot. I feel like it needed a few more pages to really have some depth. some scenes could be added and little plot points would seem much more realistic. everything, the romance, the protagonist career interests and her family problems, seemed rushed and I don't really see the point for that.
even so, this is a great first book and I can see a lot of potential in it. I would also definitely recommend it to anyone interested in learning about asexuality. there's a lot of good and valuable info about it!
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2016/0...
July 18, 2016
My video review can be found here: https://youtu.be/FONFTBGzGiw
I was sent an arc to review from the author. I want to thank Calista Lynne for the wonderful opportunity to review her debut novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The artistic prose Lynne paints with introduces us to a female sandwoman, Ashlinn, who shows us the beauty in dreams as well as the beauty life has offer. Our main protagonist, Victoria has recently experienced a traumatic life altering event. While working through that, preparing for college she also struggles with her sexual identity. Ashlinn explains that she identifies as asexual and has Victoria look up what that means. This technique seems like info dumping for the reader but at the same time it's important to understand this sexuality outside of the narrative as well. I felt it was very informative and now I understand more than I ever did when looking it up on my own.
This being the first book I've read with an asexual protagonist makes me realize how much more representation is needed in all genres. Some friends have recently identified as asexual and said that if they had resources like this when they were growing up they would have been able to understand themselves better.
This book reinforces the fact that everyone deserves a chance to be understood and everyone looks for love in their own ways, but that we are all deserving of the love we desire.
Calista Lynne's writing is breath taking and addictive. Each chapter and scene feels like viewing the next arrangement in an art show; They are all cohesive but most of all meaningful and thought provoking.
I enjoyed the fast paced plot line as well as several of the characters. Victoria, as a character wasn't my favorite because there were several decisions that she made that were really selfish but at the same time she was very relatable.
The dream sequences were beautiful and I want Ashlinn to visit and paint through my dreams.
This book reminded me of Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds in the sense that the reader is diving into the dream world of the character and the F/f romance is swoon worthy. I loved the dream world and magic in this book. It was a really interesting concept.
I thought the education of asexuality, by an asexual character to another non identified asexual character was a great way to open up this dialogue and get the reader understanding that education on all sexualities is something that should be learned by all.
I was sent an arc to review from the author. I want to thank Calista Lynne for the wonderful opportunity to review her debut novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The artistic prose Lynne paints with introduces us to a female sandwoman, Ashlinn, who shows us the beauty in dreams as well as the beauty life has offer. Our main protagonist, Victoria has recently experienced a traumatic life altering event. While working through that, preparing for college she also struggles with her sexual identity. Ashlinn explains that she identifies as asexual and has Victoria look up what that means. This technique seems like info dumping for the reader but at the same time it's important to understand this sexuality outside of the narrative as well. I felt it was very informative and now I understand more than I ever did when looking it up on my own.
This being the first book I've read with an asexual protagonist makes me realize how much more representation is needed in all genres. Some friends have recently identified as asexual and said that if they had resources like this when they were growing up they would have been able to understand themselves better.
This book reinforces the fact that everyone deserves a chance to be understood and everyone looks for love in their own ways, but that we are all deserving of the love we desire.
Calista Lynne's writing is breath taking and addictive. Each chapter and scene feels like viewing the next arrangement in an art show; They are all cohesive but most of all meaningful and thought provoking.
I enjoyed the fast paced plot line as well as several of the characters. Victoria, as a character wasn't my favorite because there were several decisions that she made that were really selfish but at the same time she was very relatable.
The dream sequences were beautiful and I want Ashlinn to visit and paint through my dreams.
This book reminded me of Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds in the sense that the reader is diving into the dream world of the character and the F/f romance is swoon worthy. I loved the dream world and magic in this book. It was a really interesting concept.
I thought the education of asexuality, by an asexual character to another non identified asexual character was a great way to open up this dialogue and get the reader understanding that education on all sexualities is something that should be learned by all.
September 19, 2024
Things I loved about this book:
- The main character and the main character's love interest are both asexual
- The cover
- There are excellent explanations of asexuality without it feeling like an infodump
- The dream elements of the story were fascinating
Things I was confused about with this book:
- How old Victoria's brother was supposed to be. I mean, he's her YOUNGER brother, so he's 17 at the oldest. And a lot of the time, it read like he was meant to be 14-16. But at other times, it seemed like he was 7 or 8?? So basically, any time he was discussed, I was trying to work out how old he was and failing constantly.
- Why there were so many random side plots. Like...why was there the whole ballet audition side plot when we never find out the outcome? Why was there the going-with-Ellie-to-get-a-tattoo side plot? Why was there the go-to-Ellie's-for-a-sleepover side plot? Considering the book is less than 180 pages, all of these felt like they distracted from the main story and made it feel slightly undeveloped.
- Seriously, why the hell was this so short?! It could easily have been doubled in length and the dreaming stuff, the romance, the friendships, the comatose brother, and the ballet side of things could all have been fleshed out in much more depth.
Things I wasn't really a fan of:
- The romance. Don't get me wrong, I *LOVE* that it's a F/F relationship between two asexual characters. I love that there's no pressure to take things further, that Ashlinn wants Victoria to find out what she likes and what she doesn't like in her own time. BUT. The book was so short that it felt very much like instalove. And Victoria goes from "Oh shit, I guess I'm asexual?" to "Ew, kissing is gross" to "We should shower together so I can wash your naked body" in the space of about 10-20 pages and...it felt too fast.
- Ellie. Yes, her reaction to Victoria's asexuality is realistic. But I'm not entirely convinced that any teenage girl would go "Oh, my best friend has a girlfriend now? COOL, I CAN TELL THE STORY ABOUT THIS GUY I SLEPT WITH WHO HAD WEIRD KINKS INVOLVING KNIVES!" Um. Nooooo. Keep that shit to yourself, girl. Especially when you're telling the story to two people who've LITERALLY JUST TOLD YOU THEY'RE ASEXUAL.
So yeah. I *loved* the diversity. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements to the story. And I liked the writing. But I suspect I would have enjoyed it MUCH more if it had been a 300+ page book rather than a 173 page book.
- The main character and the main character's love interest are both asexual
- The cover
- There are excellent explanations of asexuality without it feeling like an infodump
- The dream elements of the story were fascinating
Things I was confused about with this book:
- How old Victoria's brother was supposed to be. I mean, he's her YOUNGER brother, so he's 17 at the oldest. And a lot of the time, it read like he was meant to be 14-16. But at other times, it seemed like he was 7 or 8?? So basically, any time he was discussed, I was trying to work out how old he was and failing constantly.
- Why there were so many random side plots. Like...why was there the whole ballet audition side plot when we never find out the outcome? Why was there the going-with-Ellie-to-get-a-tattoo side plot? Why was there the go-to-Ellie's-for-a-sleepover side plot? Considering the book is less than 180 pages, all of these felt like they distracted from the main story and made it feel slightly undeveloped.
- Seriously, why the hell was this so short?! It could easily have been doubled in length and the dreaming stuff, the romance, the friendships, the comatose brother, and the ballet side of things could all have been fleshed out in much more depth.
Things I wasn't really a fan of:
- The romance. Don't get me wrong, I *LOVE* that it's a F/F relationship between two asexual characters. I love that there's no pressure to take things further, that Ashlinn wants Victoria to find out what she likes and what she doesn't like in her own time. BUT. The book was so short that it felt very much like instalove. And Victoria goes from "Oh shit, I guess I'm asexual?" to "Ew, kissing is gross" to "We should shower together so I can wash your naked body" in the space of about 10-20 pages and...it felt too fast.
- Ellie. Yes, her reaction to Victoria's asexuality is realistic. But I'm not entirely convinced that any teenage girl would go "Oh, my best friend has a girlfriend now? COOL, I CAN TELL THE STORY ABOUT THIS GUY I SLEPT WITH WHO HAD WEIRD KINKS INVOLVING KNIVES!" Um. Nooooo. Keep that shit to yourself, girl. Especially when you're telling the story to two people who've LITERALLY JUST TOLD YOU THEY'RE ASEXUAL.
So yeah. I *loved* the diversity. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements to the story. And I liked the writing. But I suspect I would have enjoyed it MUCH more if it had been a 300+ page book rather than a 173 page book.
July 30, 2017
As someone who falls under the ace spectrum, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed.
- Great asexual representation and explicitly explains what asexuality is through the lens of the protagonist (who is asexual).
- Beautiful, dreamlike writing befitting of the stories tone and themes.
- Despite its very short length, the overarching story was very, very lacking and boring. It was difficult to feel invested in the story and the characters.
- My advice: read for the representation or to understand asexuality better, but don't expect a riveting story.
- Great asexual representation and explicitly explains what asexuality is through the lens of the protagonist (who is asexual).
- Beautiful, dreamlike writing befitting of the stories tone and themes.
- Despite its very short length, the overarching story was very, very lacking and boring. It was difficult to feel invested in the story and the characters.
- My advice: read for the representation or to understand asexuality better, but don't expect a riveting story.
June 28, 2016
Finished reading: June 27th 2016
“You know your sexuality isn't set in stone. There are more things than just gay or straight. ”
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Harmony Ink Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
November 30, 2025
A YA story about asexuality.
I think this is something of a romance-cum- educational story. The part about educating people regarding asexuality and using two asexual romantics, Victoria and Ashlinn as the MCs.
The romance is between a human and a mythical sandman-like being something like a dream weaver. Perhaps to highlight the interracial aspect of the story. Similar to the Netflix series First Kill.
I realize a lot of readers complain of the thin and weird plot and storyline and also the instalove aspect, but personally I find the story enjoyably amusing, funny and sweet. And I don't think it's really instalove since they've been seeing each other in the dream world for quite some time before meeting in the real world. Besides it's not as bad as some others I've read before. And if you've heard Taylor Swift's Fifteen: "when you're fifteen...," you're gonna believe them.
Many also hate Victoria's BF Ellie but I think she's really a representation of how real people in real life would view asexuality since it makes up only 1% of the global population.
If you put aside any expectations and take it for what it is, you might actually find it quite enjoyable.
I think this is something of a romance-cum- educational story. The part about educating people regarding asexuality and using two asexual romantics, Victoria and Ashlinn as the MCs.
The romance is between a human and a mythical sandman-like being something like a dream weaver. Perhaps to highlight the interracial aspect of the story. Similar to the Netflix series First Kill.
I realize a lot of readers complain of the thin and weird plot and storyline and also the instalove aspect, but personally I find the story enjoyably amusing, funny and sweet. And I don't think it's really instalove since they've been seeing each other in the dream world for quite some time before meeting in the real world. Besides it's not as bad as some others I've read before. And if you've heard Taylor Swift's Fifteen: "when you're fifteen...," you're gonna believe them.
Many also hate Victoria's BF Ellie but I think she's really a representation of how real people in real life would view asexuality since it makes up only 1% of the global population.
If you put aside any expectations and take it for what it is, you might actually find it quite enjoyable.
September 21, 2016
2.5 stars
I was really excited to read this book but sadly I wasn't a fan of the writing and the overall plot. Also found the romance to be a bit insta-lovey.
I did like that it touched on asexuality and explained certain aspects of it.
I was really excited to read this book but sadly I wasn't a fan of the writing and the overall plot. Also found the romance to be a bit insta-lovey.
I did like that it touched on asexuality and explained certain aspects of it.
August 7, 2016
This book is a beautiful exploration of sexuality -- realizing you may not identify how you thought, finding a new descriptor of your feelings, coming to terms with how it may make you think you're a freak or there's something wrong with you, and coming out. It's an important story for people of all ages who may be questioning their sexuality, and particularly so as it's one of the few books I've seen/read with not one, but two, asexual main characters. I'm thankful this book exists in the world, and I hope other queer kids find it and it helps them.
December 15, 2017
SapphicAThon: Ace spec mc
2.5/5
Ugh, I really wanted to like this but I found it kind of boring, the world building subpar, and I hate the mc's best friend.
2.5/5
Ugh, I really wanted to like this but I found it kind of boring, the world building subpar, and I hate the mc's best friend.
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May 26, 2020
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May 13, 2021Full RTC
July 7, 2016
I received a free digital copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read the full review at Belle's Book Nook!
In the world of YA literature, there are increasing amounts of diversity taking place all the time, but there is still one identity that remains severely lacking in young adult literature, and that is asexuality. You'd be heard-pressed to find a book that features an asexual character, let alone one where asexuality is actually a major part of the plot and is properly discussed. For someone like myself who is asexual, it can be incredibly frustrating to not be able to find a book where you feel truly represented. That's why, when I heard about We Awaken by Calista Lynn, I knew I had to read it. A YA fantasy with a same-sex asexual relationship? Yes!
As far as books about asexuality go, I have to say that We Awaken does a great job of properly delving into the identity of asexuality and what that means while also tackling many common misconceptions, like being able to show other forms of affection an intimacy in an asexual relationship, even in the absence of actually having sex. With Ashlinn and Victoria's relationship, the novel also confronts the topic of being both asexual and in a same-sex relationship. At one point in the story, Victoria struggles with understanding that she can still be a lesbian even though she is also asexual. For myself personally, I also felt like I could identify a lot with Victoria as she began reflecting on her own asexuality, and I felt many of my own thoughts and feelings mirrored in her words: "How does one go about telling her friend that she didn't seem to have grown out of the kissing-is-icky phase we spent out whole youth in?"
Unfortunately, while this novel does an excellent job of presenting asexuality, I found it to be overall pretty bland. The problem, mainly is that the prose of this novel is so overwhelmingly flowery—and at times so are the characters—that you have a hard time truly connecting with either. While there are moments full beautiful descriptions, at the same time this can be too much and the writing doesn't seem to fit with the time period. It's contemporary. So when you have a story that's meant to take place in modern day, yet the characters don't at all speak like it and the writing is told in this incredibly elegant, honeyed way, then saying words like "dear," "upon," and "such," and throwing out phrases like, "Oh you must," and, "Elation is a troublesome thing"... it just doesn't fit. You can't really visualize this teenage protagonist, because that's not how teenagers today speak. Not to mention Victoria calls her mom "Mother," which is pretty old-fashioned. So in this way, a lot of the time the writing and characters just seemed rather flat and artificial rather than coming across as truly genuine, palatable people. As a side note, I also just found it a bit odd that a dream creator who has existed for so many years is called Ashlinn. To me, this name is too modern and teenage-y. I would think a more classic and traditional name would be more fitting, but maybe that's just me.
I approached We Awaken with such promise and hope for an ace-representation novel that I would fall in love with. While it was a flop for me and while I would've preferred the novel to be written in a more contemporary style, I still have to respect it and the author herself for finally giving asexuality a place within YA literature and giving it the attention it deserves. For anyone who is asexual or interested in learning more about asexuality, this book will serve as a good introduction. I only hope that We Awaken will pave the way for more asexuality novels to come.
Read the full review at Belle's Book Nook!
In the world of YA literature, there are increasing amounts of diversity taking place all the time, but there is still one identity that remains severely lacking in young adult literature, and that is asexuality. You'd be heard-pressed to find a book that features an asexual character, let alone one where asexuality is actually a major part of the plot and is properly discussed. For someone like myself who is asexual, it can be incredibly frustrating to not be able to find a book where you feel truly represented. That's why, when I heard about We Awaken by Calista Lynn, I knew I had to read it. A YA fantasy with a same-sex asexual relationship? Yes!
As far as books about asexuality go, I have to say that We Awaken does a great job of properly delving into the identity of asexuality and what that means while also tackling many common misconceptions, like being able to show other forms of affection an intimacy in an asexual relationship, even in the absence of actually having sex. With Ashlinn and Victoria's relationship, the novel also confronts the topic of being both asexual and in a same-sex relationship. At one point in the story, Victoria struggles with understanding that she can still be a lesbian even though she is also asexual. For myself personally, I also felt like I could identify a lot with Victoria as she began reflecting on her own asexuality, and I felt many of my own thoughts and feelings mirrored in her words: "How does one go about telling her friend that she didn't seem to have grown out of the kissing-is-icky phase we spent out whole youth in?"
Unfortunately, while this novel does an excellent job of presenting asexuality, I found it to be overall pretty bland. The problem, mainly is that the prose of this novel is so overwhelmingly flowery—and at times so are the characters—that you have a hard time truly connecting with either. While there are moments full beautiful descriptions, at the same time this can be too much and the writing doesn't seem to fit with the time period. It's contemporary. So when you have a story that's meant to take place in modern day, yet the characters don't at all speak like it and the writing is told in this incredibly elegant, honeyed way, then saying words like "dear," "upon," and "such," and throwing out phrases like, "Oh you must," and, "Elation is a troublesome thing"... it just doesn't fit. You can't really visualize this teenage protagonist, because that's not how teenagers today speak. Not to mention Victoria calls her mom "Mother," which is pretty old-fashioned. So in this way, a lot of the time the writing and characters just seemed rather flat and artificial rather than coming across as truly genuine, palatable people. As a side note, I also just found it a bit odd that a dream creator who has existed for so many years is called Ashlinn. To me, this name is too modern and teenage-y. I would think a more classic and traditional name would be more fitting, but maybe that's just me.
I approached We Awaken with such promise and hope for an ace-representation novel that I would fall in love with. While it was a flop for me and while I would've preferred the novel to be written in a more contemporary style, I still have to respect it and the author herself for finally giving asexuality a place within YA literature and giving it the attention it deserves. For anyone who is asexual or interested in learning more about asexuality, this book will serve as a good introduction. I only hope that We Awaken will pave the way for more asexuality novels to come.
February 17, 2017
Eye roll. This book is so ridiculous, I was rolling my eyes so much, more and more as the story progressed.
This is one of the most ridiculous fantasy stories I read this year. When I started this book, I wasn't expecting fantasy story. I just knew that this book features interracial f/f romance and that there is an asexual character. I've never read a book with an asexual character so I was curious about the book and eager to learn more about asexuality. And because I learned a bit about asexuality, I'm giving this book this extra star. Extra star for the educational benefits.
The romance itself and how the educational part was delivered is just painful to read. The whole story was absolutely unbelievable, I know that I'm talking about a fantasy, but still, fantasy novels still should convince us that this world could happen, that is some detention it's all real, we should be able to understand and believe in the world we read about. I could not understand and believe in the world Victoria lives in. Well, she lives in a contemporary New Jersey, I can understand that. But then there is a world of dreams introduced. And in a dream, she meets Ashlinn - creator of good dreams. She comes to her to give her a message from her brother who is in a coma. I don't remember what this message even was because it wasn't really important. What's was important is that Ashlinn is super beautiful and Victoria is instantly drowned to her and she wants to get to know her. And this dream creator also is interested in her! Just because! A creature living in dreams forever and ever and creating happy dreams for the whole world population just befriended Victoria's brother in this dream world and decided to get to know Victoria. And she just instantly loved her and cared about her. Cared about her so much that when Victoria took pills to get back to sleep and meet beautiful Ashlinn, she got so angry that she jumped out from the dream world to the real world! WTF?! I don't get it! Oh! And, on the second night that Ashlinn personally visited Victoria's dream (when Victoria already was thinking there Ashlinn probably has crush on her, but definitely not because how she could have crush on her, but maybe she's flirting with her, blah blah), Ashlinn comes out to Victoria that she's asexual. Victoria's first response was - what? Like plants?! - WTF? How could that be anyone's first response? Also, I didn't see any reasoning behind introducing Ashlinn sexual orientation at this point.
Victoria was bothering me so much. I couldn't understand most of her reasoning. She was understanding the world in a way that I could follow, I didn't get how she got to some conclusions. I won't be getting into the part about her dance auditions because I think it was just in the story to annoy us. Seriously you just give up on an audition to a ballet school you dream of because your mother cannot drive you there? And you act all surprised and outraged that someone wants to help you get there?! Throughout the book, there are pieces of evidence that there is no logic, that I could understand, to Victoria's reasoning whatsoever. It was really annoying to read about.
Throughout the story, Victoria explores her sexuality - in a very painful to read way. She gets in my opinion unreasonably overly angry with her friend for her comments when she blurts out that she's asexual not lesbian like this friend made her think of herself before (seriously - there was a line that Ellie just forced homosexuality on Victoria, which is beyond me). Putting aside the whole ridiculous story of how Ashlinn becomes reality, the whole romance is so so strange, and I cannot imagine it happening anything like that in a real world. It seemed like a bunch of examples of what asexual people do in relationship instead of having sex. It was presented to us, without any prior build up and showing us how those two characters fall so hard for each other. Really, the first think you would suggest to a person from your dreams (literally!) That you know for 3 nights is - can I bathe you tomorrow morning? The relationship was presented as highly unusual as if it was impossible that two teens (one of them definitely virgin) who met 3 nights ago are not having sex and yet have feelings for each other. As if any other romantic relationship was based solely on sex. Victoria's ex-BFF was the embodiment of this opinion, constantly challenging legitimacy of Victoria and Ashlinn's relationship because they don't have sex. Which wasn't really going with how Ellie was introduced -as a social justice warrior.
This is one of the most ridiculous fantasy stories I read this year. When I started this book, I wasn't expecting fantasy story. I just knew that this book features interracial f/f romance and that there is an asexual character. I've never read a book with an asexual character so I was curious about the book and eager to learn more about asexuality. And because I learned a bit about asexuality, I'm giving this book this extra star. Extra star for the educational benefits.
The romance itself and how the educational part was delivered is just painful to read. The whole story was absolutely unbelievable, I know that I'm talking about a fantasy, but still, fantasy novels still should convince us that this world could happen, that is some detention it's all real, we should be able to understand and believe in the world we read about. I could not understand and believe in the world Victoria lives in. Well, she lives in a contemporary New Jersey, I can understand that. But then there is a world of dreams introduced. And in a dream, she meets Ashlinn - creator of good dreams. She comes to her to give her a message from her brother who is in a coma. I don't remember what this message even was because it wasn't really important. What's was important is that Ashlinn is super beautiful and Victoria is instantly drowned to her and she wants to get to know her. And this dream creator also is interested in her! Just because! A creature living in dreams forever and ever and creating happy dreams for the whole world population just befriended Victoria's brother in this dream world and decided to get to know Victoria. And she just instantly loved her and cared about her. Cared about her so much that when Victoria took pills to get back to sleep and meet beautiful Ashlinn, she got so angry that she jumped out from the dream world to the real world! WTF?! I don't get it! Oh! And, on the second night that Ashlinn personally visited Victoria's dream (when Victoria already was thinking there Ashlinn probably has crush on her, but definitely not because how she could have crush on her, but maybe she's flirting with her, blah blah), Ashlinn comes out to Victoria that she's asexual. Victoria's first response was - what? Like plants?! - WTF? How could that be anyone's first response? Also, I didn't see any reasoning behind introducing Ashlinn sexual orientation at this point.
Victoria was bothering me so much. I couldn't understand most of her reasoning. She was understanding the world in a way that I could follow, I didn't get how she got to some conclusions. I won't be getting into the part about her dance auditions because I think it was just in the story to annoy us. Seriously you just give up on an audition to a ballet school you dream of because your mother cannot drive you there? And you act all surprised and outraged that someone wants to help you get there?! Throughout the book, there are pieces of evidence that there is no logic, that I could understand, to Victoria's reasoning whatsoever. It was really annoying to read about.
Throughout the story, Victoria explores her sexuality - in a very painful to read way. She gets in my opinion unreasonably overly angry with her friend for her comments when she blurts out that she's asexual not lesbian like this friend made her think of herself before (seriously - there was a line that Ellie just forced homosexuality on Victoria, which is beyond me). Putting aside the whole ridiculous story of how Ashlinn becomes reality, the whole romance is so so strange, and I cannot imagine it happening anything like that in a real world. It seemed like a bunch of examples of what asexual people do in relationship instead of having sex. It was presented to us, without any prior build up and showing us how those two characters fall so hard for each other. Really, the first think you would suggest to a person from your dreams (literally!) That you know for 3 nights is - can I bathe you tomorrow morning? The relationship was presented as highly unusual as if it was impossible that two teens (one of them definitely virgin) who met 3 nights ago are not having sex and yet have feelings for each other. As if any other romantic relationship was based solely on sex. Victoria's ex-BFF was the embodiment of this opinion, constantly challenging legitimacy of Victoria and Ashlinn's relationship because they don't have sex. Which wasn't really going with how Ellie was introduced -as a social justice warrior.
July 27, 2016
Thank you so much Calista Lynne, the author of We Awaken, for my e-ARC of this book!
We Awaken is such an important book, this book shows us that interracial couples within the LGBTQIA community can thrive, survive and get the happy ending they deserve. This book is about two asexual girls and their journey together realizing who they are and how they can be together. We Awaken is a reminder that once sexuality is yours alone, yours to claim, yours not to claim and no matter what, you are valid just as you are.
I love We Awaken, this book is character driven and there is so much to love about it. We Awaken is about two asexual girl who tackle everyday problems as well as otherworldly problems involving the realm of dreams. However, Ashlinn helping Victoria in the real world can lead to a horrible fate for all of humanity.
What I like the most about We Awaken is how it explores asexuality. Though I can see why some might think this book is very informative I’d say that is not a bad thing. Sure if you google asexuality all of this information will appear, however, if you don’t know what asexuality is it is kind of hard to do this. We Awaken is a young adult book, it’s written for young people and teenagers. They might be confused, or unsure, just like Victoria is. They might not have an Ashlinn to tell them what being asexual means. That is why this book is so important and powerful. It will give teenagers who are finding themselves a place where they can see themselves and finally understand who they are. Nobody else but you can decide who and what you are. There is incredible magic in that.
If you want to read something fluffy, romantic and light then We Awaken is the book for you. It has a perfect mix of fantasy and magic in the real world, with characters you will admire and moments so adorable you will never forget them. In a time where the A is still mistaken for Ally instead of Asexual by huge companies in the world, it’s more important than ever we show the world books like We Awaken. Everyone needs to see that asexual people (as well as everyone else in the LGBTQIA community) can get the happy ending they deserve.
Initial thoughts:
This book is a book everyone needs in their life, We Awaken left me feeling enchanted and hopeful. We Awaken is a book I believe will give hope to so many people in the world, it will teach people to be whoever they want to be and the message it sends out, that happy endings are real and possible, is so incredibly important right now. Just two weeks ago we had a major American company believe the A in LGBTQIA stands for Ally instead of Asexual. However, this book has two on-page asexuals, and it's a smack in the face to everyone who has ever believed asexuality isn't as an important part of LGBTQIA as the rest of the letters. This is truly magical.
A more detailed review to come.
We Awaken is such an important book, this book shows us that interracial couples within the LGBTQIA community can thrive, survive and get the happy ending they deserve. This book is about two asexual girls and their journey together realizing who they are and how they can be together. We Awaken is a reminder that once sexuality is yours alone, yours to claim, yours not to claim and no matter what, you are valid just as you are.
“No woman in reality could ever possess such grace. That’s how I realized it had to be a dream. Her skin was barely lighter than the dark of night and a hood was pulled so far over her head it was impossible to make out whether she had any hair. The whites of her eyes stood out greatly in contrast to her skin, matching the intense purity of the lace parasol hanging over her right arm. Her clothing was iridescent and looked almost like oil as it reflected cloudy rainbows with her movements.”
I love We Awaken, this book is character driven and there is so much to love about it. We Awaken is about two asexual girl who tackle everyday problems as well as otherworldly problems involving the realm of dreams. However, Ashlinn helping Victoria in the real world can lead to a horrible fate for all of humanity.
What I like the most about We Awaken is how it explores asexuality. Though I can see why some might think this book is very informative I’d say that is not a bad thing. Sure if you google asexuality all of this information will appear, however, if you don’t know what asexuality is it is kind of hard to do this. We Awaken is a young adult book, it’s written for young people and teenagers. They might be confused, or unsure, just like Victoria is. They might not have an Ashlinn to tell them what being asexual means. That is why this book is so important and powerful. It will give teenagers who are finding themselves a place where they can see themselves and finally understand who they are. Nobody else but you can decide who and what you are. There is incredible magic in that.
“I draped myself over her shoulders as her arms snaked around my waist. It felt safe in her embrace, and she still smelled like summer nights. This was acceptance, not of her but of myself. Our foreheads were so close we were breathing the same air. Who needs kissing when you can share oxygen?”
If you want to read something fluffy, romantic and light then We Awaken is the book for you. It has a perfect mix of fantasy and magic in the real world, with characters you will admire and moments so adorable you will never forget them. In a time where the A is still mistaken for Ally instead of Asexual by huge companies in the world, it’s more important than ever we show the world books like We Awaken. Everyone needs to see that asexual people (as well as everyone else in the LGBTQIA community) can get the happy ending they deserve.
Initial thoughts:
This book is a book everyone needs in their life, We Awaken left me feeling enchanted and hopeful. We Awaken is a book I believe will give hope to so many people in the world, it will teach people to be whoever they want to be and the message it sends out, that happy endings are real and possible, is so incredibly important right now. Just two weeks ago we had a major American company believe the A in LGBTQIA stands for Ally instead of Asexual. However, this book has two on-page asexuals, and it's a smack in the face to everyone who has ever believed asexuality isn't as an important part of LGBTQIA as the rest of the letters. This is truly magical.
A more detailed review to come.
July 16, 2016
You can also see the review on my blog.
What got me into reading We Awaken was the prospect of LGBTQIA+ representation and for that it delivered. The topic of asexuality was handled well and for people who are not aware of its existence or have questions about it, it's a great start. Sadly, the rest of the book felt like a sketch that was never fully developed. There were some great ideas, but I found myself constantly wishing for more depth for each of them.
This book is equal parts contemporary and fantasy, but the two never find a way to work together smoothly. I think that was because we only got to scratch the surface of the many themes that were included in the novel. On one side we have Victoria dealing with the loss of her father, her brother in a coma, the strain in the relationship with her mother, and an important ballet audition to get into dream school. These all play a part in the story, and yet I felt like they didn't really matter because the focus relied heavily on the romantic plot. The dream world was a bridge between Victoria and Ashlinn, but it wasn't a fully developed fantasy setting. Victoria questioning and discovering her sexuality was the only idea that was thoroughly dealt with in the novel and that was what I enjoyed the most. My only complaint would be how bluntly asexuality was incorporated into the prose, it felt a bit like info dumping. Because this story is about Victoria's self-discovery, the overall events where underwhelming. The writing, though, is really nice and easy to read. I really loved the descriptions of Ashlinn and the dreams.
As for the characters, I think they also lacked depth, especially Ashlinn. She had no personality whatsoever and she felt like an asexuality teacher. Because of that and the insta-love, the romance between her and Victoria fell flat for me. Victoria also lacked something for me and I think the problem was that where story failed, so did her character. For example, she worried more about Ashlinn than her own brother and mother because the focus was on the romance, making her seem unconcerned about her family. Lastly, there's Ellie, Victoria's best friend. She was probably the most distinct character and sadly I disliked her very much. She never really respected the relationship between Victoria and Ashlinn nor Victoria's sexuality, though she seemed to by trying.
Overall, the ideas and themes behind this book were intriguing, but the execution wasn't the best. Still, I truly enjoyed the representation of asexuality, so if you are interested in that, I would say to give it a go.
What got me into reading We Awaken was the prospect of LGBTQIA+ representation and for that it delivered. The topic of asexuality was handled well and for people who are not aware of its existence or have questions about it, it's a great start. Sadly, the rest of the book felt like a sketch that was never fully developed. There were some great ideas, but I found myself constantly wishing for more depth for each of them.
This book is equal parts contemporary and fantasy, but the two never find a way to work together smoothly. I think that was because we only got to scratch the surface of the many themes that were included in the novel. On one side we have Victoria dealing with the loss of her father, her brother in a coma, the strain in the relationship with her mother, and an important ballet audition to get into dream school. These all play a part in the story, and yet I felt like they didn't really matter because the focus relied heavily on the romantic plot. The dream world was a bridge between Victoria and Ashlinn, but it wasn't a fully developed fantasy setting. Victoria questioning and discovering her sexuality was the only idea that was thoroughly dealt with in the novel and that was what I enjoyed the most. My only complaint would be how bluntly asexuality was incorporated into the prose, it felt a bit like info dumping. Because this story is about Victoria's self-discovery, the overall events where underwhelming. The writing, though, is really nice and easy to read. I really loved the descriptions of Ashlinn and the dreams.
As for the characters, I think they also lacked depth, especially Ashlinn. She had no personality whatsoever and she felt like an asexuality teacher. Because of that and the insta-love, the romance between her and Victoria fell flat for me. Victoria also lacked something for me and I think the problem was that where story failed, so did her character. For example, she worried more about Ashlinn than her own brother and mother because the focus was on the romance, making her seem unconcerned about her family. Lastly, there's Ellie, Victoria's best friend. She was probably the most distinct character and sadly I disliked her very much. She never really respected the relationship between Victoria and Ashlinn nor Victoria's sexuality, though she seemed to by trying.
Overall, the ideas and themes behind this book were intriguing, but the execution wasn't the best. Still, I truly enjoyed the representation of asexuality, so if you are interested in that, I would say to give it a go.
August 19, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It's hard to find good literature with characters expressly identifying as asexual, so that aspect in particular had my interest. I thought the matter of both young women's sense of self was done well, especially because they had somewhat different feelings surrounding their sexuality.
The story itself is intriguing, even if I wish there had been a bit more world-building. It mostly takes place in the waking human world, but there is a good bit about the dream world as well. I would have loved to know more about the place Ashlinn came from and how she became the bringer of good dreams (and how Semira became the bringer of bad dreams). I can't say much more without spoilers, but it seems like there's more to it than what we read on the page.
In the dream world, I was a bit confused as to what exactly the point was for some things. I definitely understood---and appreciated---the need for balance between good and bad dreams. What made me a little uncomfortable was how good dreams seemed to be equated with youth and beauty while bad dreams were equated with age and ugliness. That seemed unnecessary for the plot and not necessarily well thought out.
There were three things which stood out to me that I loved. One, it's incredibly well-written in terms of the poetic language. It all has a quiet, dreamy quality to it, even the parts in Victoria's waking life. The prose is lovely and evocative. I thought the flow of the words matched the tone and plot of the book perfectly.
The second thing I loved were the characters. Victoria was easy for me to connect to in her insecurities and worries. She's an excellent narrator, believable in her imperfections. Ashlinn is a wonderful balance to Victoria with her gentle confidence. And Ellie is the perfect sidekick, free-spirited and fun but the sort of person who has Victoria's back whether Victoria realizes it or not (she eventually does).
Finally, I thought the emotional aspects were beautifully written. There are some tough subjects handled in here, from family death to fears to suicidal thoughts. Some of the content might even be triggering or upsetting to sensitive readers. However, I never felt that anything was glossed over or avoided or treated glibly. The author uses a light touch to bring readers through the difficult content.
What I think is appealing about this story is the way the real world and the fantasy dream world are a smooth blend of truth and wish fulfillment. There is a part in all of us which longs for the world to be made right when it's a confusing, painful mess. Ashlinn reaches through the pages to give all of us a good dream where hope always wins out in the end. It may not be reality, but it is why many of us read: to find in the pages of a book what we can't hope to find in our waking lives.
For beautifully written prose, an excellent primer on asexuality, and an afternoon's escape into the land of dreams, this gets 4 stars.
The story itself is intriguing, even if I wish there had been a bit more world-building. It mostly takes place in the waking human world, but there is a good bit about the dream world as well. I would have loved to know more about the place Ashlinn came from and how she became the bringer of good dreams (and how Semira became the bringer of bad dreams). I can't say much more without spoilers, but it seems like there's more to it than what we read on the page.
In the dream world, I was a bit confused as to what exactly the point was for some things. I definitely understood---and appreciated---the need for balance between good and bad dreams. What made me a little uncomfortable was how good dreams seemed to be equated with youth and beauty while bad dreams were equated with age and ugliness. That seemed unnecessary for the plot and not necessarily well thought out.
There were three things which stood out to me that I loved. One, it's incredibly well-written in terms of the poetic language. It all has a quiet, dreamy quality to it, even the parts in Victoria's waking life. The prose is lovely and evocative. I thought the flow of the words matched the tone and plot of the book perfectly.
The second thing I loved were the characters. Victoria was easy for me to connect to in her insecurities and worries. She's an excellent narrator, believable in her imperfections. Ashlinn is a wonderful balance to Victoria with her gentle confidence. And Ellie is the perfect sidekick, free-spirited and fun but the sort of person who has Victoria's back whether Victoria realizes it or not (she eventually does).
Finally, I thought the emotional aspects were beautifully written. There are some tough subjects handled in here, from family death to fears to suicidal thoughts. Some of the content might even be triggering or upsetting to sensitive readers. However, I never felt that anything was glossed over or avoided or treated glibly. The author uses a light touch to bring readers through the difficult content.
What I think is appealing about this story is the way the real world and the fantasy dream world are a smooth blend of truth and wish fulfillment. There is a part in all of us which longs for the world to be made right when it's a confusing, painful mess. Ashlinn reaches through the pages to give all of us a good dream where hope always wins out in the end. It may not be reality, but it is why many of us read: to find in the pages of a book what we can't hope to find in our waking lives.
For beautifully written prose, an excellent primer on asexuality, and an afternoon's escape into the land of dreams, this gets 4 stars.
October 6, 2016
The following review is based off my own opinions, thoughts and reactions. So in other words brace yourself. *There may be inappropriate words such as curse words.* You have been advised in advance.*
Before I get into this review, I want to thank the author for hosting the giveaway for this book and writing such a sweet note to me upon shipping it. I'm so thankful to have been given the chance to have read this book and be able to do this review for her. Thank you so much for your giveaway, kind words and your hard work!
When I first started reading this book I was in a bit of a daze. That kind of reader's daze where you don't know if you're insanely tired and need a giant tankard of coffee to wake you up or if the beginning of the book was just slow paced and confusing. Maybe it was a combination of both on the day I started reading this book.
As I was reading this book, the development of the characters and the story line began to flourish in was I didn't see coming. I guess you could say it was completely unpredictable to see the development from start to finish. However, it was written in such a beautiful way that everything from start to finished blended really well together.
I guess finishing this book you could say it was bitter-sweet for me, like biting into a piece of 100% dark chocolate. I felt as if the book ended too soon and there wasn't enough time to really develop a love connection for any of the characters in the story, but at the same time the story ended in such a unique and happy way that it almost drowns away the sorrow of the book ending so soon.
All in all, the book itself is unique and the flow of the wording is beautifully done. Definitely a bitter-sweet way to combine fantasy with reality, in my own perspective and opinion. Here's to convincing myself that there will be a sequel and to a well written book by a talented author!
Before I get into this review, I want to thank the author for hosting the giveaway for this book and writing such a sweet note to me upon shipping it. I'm so thankful to have been given the chance to have read this book and be able to do this review for her. Thank you so much for your giveaway, kind words and your hard work!
When I first started reading this book I was in a bit of a daze. That kind of reader's daze where you don't know if you're insanely tired and need a giant tankard of coffee to wake you up or if the beginning of the book was just slow paced and confusing. Maybe it was a combination of both on the day I started reading this book.
As I was reading this book, the development of the characters and the story line began to flourish in was I didn't see coming. I guess you could say it was completely unpredictable to see the development from start to finish. However, it was written in such a beautiful way that everything from start to finished blended really well together.
I guess finishing this book you could say it was bitter-sweet for me, like biting into a piece of 100% dark chocolate. I felt as if the book ended too soon and there wasn't enough time to really develop a love connection for any of the characters in the story, but at the same time the story ended in such a unique and happy way that it almost drowns away the sorrow of the book ending so soon.
All in all, the book itself is unique and the flow of the wording is beautifully done. Definitely a bitter-sweet way to combine fantasy with reality, in my own perspective and opinion. Here's to convincing myself that there will be a sequel and to a well written book by a talented author!
July 6, 2016
An asexual AND interracial romance??
We Awaken quite literally brings “the girl of your dreams” to life. It has this nice, surreal tone and some fun fish out of water scenes!
So I’ll start off by saying this is an insta-love story. I’ve never been a huge fan of love at first sight, BUT there are plenty of scenes that build up their chemistry. They could be distracting from the main plot-line at times …but they were super cute, so I’m not complaining!
The ending… well, without giving too much away, it has a really bittersweet take on grief that’ll stick with me. Sounds dark, but this was a surprisingly light read – never feeling too heavy despite the heavy topics brought up.
Any-who, I’m really hoping to see more books like this. I’m demisexual, so it’s nice to have characters to relate to in a way. It’s huge. And super progressive.
Now you must excuse me; this story contained an adorable scene with a blanket fort… and I’m compelled to go make one now.
We Awaken quite literally brings “the girl of your dreams” to life. It has this nice, surreal tone and some fun fish out of water scenes!
So I’ll start off by saying this is an insta-love story. I’ve never been a huge fan of love at first sight, BUT there are plenty of scenes that build up their chemistry. They could be distracting from the main plot-line at times …but they were super cute, so I’m not complaining!
The ending… well, without giving too much away, it has a really bittersweet take on grief that’ll stick with me. Sounds dark, but this was a surprisingly light read – never feeling too heavy despite the heavy topics brought up.
Any-who, I’m really hoping to see more books like this. I’m demisexual, so it’s nice to have characters to relate to in a way. It’s huge. And super progressive.
Now you must excuse me; this story contained an adorable scene with a blanket fort… and I’m compelled to go make one now.
July 3, 2016
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows Victoria, a girl who's father died in a car accident that also left her brother in a coma and that obviously doesn't make her life very happy. Then she meets a mysterious girl, Ashlinn, who bears a message from her comatose brother, who is tasked with bringing pleasant dreams to humans and as Victoria is one of those humans, the two become close. When Victoria needs Ashlinn's help outside of the dream realm, Ashlinn takes human form to get Victoria to her dance audition. The two of them end up falling for each other, but Ashlinn has to give up her human form to keep bringing good dreams to the humans, or all of humanity will have to pay.
I really enjoyed this book, it was really well-written and absolutely beautiful. I really appreciated the representation of a female/female romance as well as asexuality, which is way too rare in books and therefore I really appreciated reading about not only one, but two female characters who are both asexual, and it not being written like they are "broken" or anything. Instead, while not infodumping, the book really conveys what asexuality is and the entire mysterious paranormal aspect just rounded the rest of the book up really well.
We Awaken comes out July 14, 2016.
This book follows Victoria, a girl who's father died in a car accident that also left her brother in a coma and that obviously doesn't make her life very happy. Then she meets a mysterious girl, Ashlinn, who bears a message from her comatose brother, who is tasked with bringing pleasant dreams to humans and as Victoria is one of those humans, the two become close. When Victoria needs Ashlinn's help outside of the dream realm, Ashlinn takes human form to get Victoria to her dance audition. The two of them end up falling for each other, but Ashlinn has to give up her human form to keep bringing good dreams to the humans, or all of humanity will have to pay.
I really enjoyed this book, it was really well-written and absolutely beautiful. I really appreciated the representation of a female/female romance as well as asexuality, which is way too rare in books and therefore I really appreciated reading about not only one, but two female characters who are both asexual, and it not being written like they are "broken" or anything. Instead, while not infodumping, the book really conveys what asexuality is and the entire mysterious paranormal aspect just rounded the rest of the book up really well.
We Awaken comes out July 14, 2016.
April 7, 2018
I read this book for the ace rep, and it TOTALLY delivered on that as both the main character and the love interest are asexual. It was wonderful to have a main character who experiences romantic attraction, but does not enjoy kissing or anything further. In the limited books I've read with an ace MC, all MCs enjoyed kissing. It was wonderful to see some differentiation in the way that asexuality was portrayed. The plot was okay, but there were many plot points that I thought were an issue ahead of time, and the way that the story wrapped up seemed really cruel to one of the characters and I couldn't understand it. Overall, the asexuality portrayal made this book for me, but I could have read the few pages that featured those scenes and I would have been fine. I'm giving this book 2.5 stars, because I didn't enjoy the story particularly, and I didn't think that the ending was satisfactory.
April 13, 2017
I have never read a book with an asexual character, let alone two asexual women that fall in love with each other. So that aspect of it is basically awesome. Plus, the ending is happy and neither of them dies, so there’s that. I’m sick of lesbians dying in pop culture. But I digress.
The characters are my favorite. I simply adore Ashlinn. The novel riffs on the idea of the “sandman” as a mythical figure, and develops a sort of magical system within this idea.
There were a couple plot things that I wish were discussed a little more, like the result of Victoria’s audition and more about Semira, but overall I really enjoyed the love story of these two ladies.
The characters are my favorite. I simply adore Ashlinn. The novel riffs on the idea of the “sandman” as a mythical figure, and develops a sort of magical system within this idea.
There were a couple plot things that I wish were discussed a little more, like the result of Victoria’s audition and more about Semira, but overall I really enjoyed the love story of these two ladies.
May 6, 2017
More like 2,5-3 stars.
I enjoyed the book and some parts were very well written! And I loved how it dealt with and explained asexuality in a good and beautiful way. And I would absolutely recommend the book because of that! (Even more so since the author is asexual, which is something I thought was very clear while reading the book, because of how well described it was)
The things I was dissapointed in though was the worldbuilding and also the relationsship-development. Its was way too much insta-love between the two maincharacters for me to really feel for them during the rest of the book. And unfortunately that put the rating way down for the rest of the book.
There was still parts of the book that was really beautiful though, but I guess I was just expecting more from a fantasy-novel.
I enjoyed the book and some parts were very well written! And I loved how it dealt with and explained asexuality in a good and beautiful way. And I would absolutely recommend the book because of that! (Even more so since the author is asexual, which is something I thought was very clear while reading the book, because of how well described it was)
The things I was dissapointed in though was the worldbuilding and also the relationsship-development. Its was way too much insta-love between the two maincharacters for me to really feel for them during the rest of the book. And unfortunately that put the rating way down for the rest of the book.
There was still parts of the book that was really beautiful though, but I guess I was just expecting more from a fantasy-novel.
April 15, 2017
**4.5**
After her father dies and her brother might never wake up, Victoria thinks there isn't much she cares or needs to worry about, other than getting into the dance conservatory of her dreams and get out of her town. However, all that changes one night when she receives a visit from a beautiful girl, Ashlinn, carrying a message from her comatose brother.
Ashlinn soon becomes something more. She helps Victoria focus on her dreams, discover who she really is, and most importantly, accept herself.
I absolutely adore everything about this book! The characters (though there were times when not so much). The setting(s). The story itself. The dance aspect of it (though I wish there were more!). And the asexuality aspect of it. I'm both a little ashamed and proud to say that I learned much about asexuality. As some who doesn't have much contact with anything that isn't books or music, I have to say that this is something I hadn't really thought about, but not anymore, so thanks, Calista Lynne for letting me a little less ignorant.
I also really love the writing style. It's simple but in a good way. It's just easy to get into and easy to get carried away. sucked into the story. This is a very fast read, and my only complaint is that I wished it were longer. But in a good way! My issue with many short books is that everything gets resolved for the main character rather quickly, but that isn't the case with this book and I greatly appreciated that.
I got this book from Netgalley, and now I really need a physical copy of it! I can't wait to read more from this author. (:
After her father dies and her brother might never wake up, Victoria thinks there isn't much she cares or needs to worry about, other than getting into the dance conservatory of her dreams and get out of her town. However, all that changes one night when she receives a visit from a beautiful girl, Ashlinn, carrying a message from her comatose brother.
Ashlinn soon becomes something more. She helps Victoria focus on her dreams, discover who she really is, and most importantly, accept herself.
I absolutely adore everything about this book! The characters (though there were times when not so much). The setting(s). The story itself. The dance aspect of it (though I wish there were more!). And the asexuality aspect of it. I'm both a little ashamed and proud to say that I learned much about asexuality. As some who doesn't have much contact with anything that isn't books or music, I have to say that this is something I hadn't really thought about, but not anymore, so thanks, Calista Lynne for letting me a little less ignorant.
I also really love the writing style. It's simple but in a good way. It's just easy to get into and easy to get carried away. sucked into the story. This is a very fast read, and my only complaint is that I wished it were longer. But in a good way! My issue with many short books is that everything gets resolved for the main character rather quickly, but that isn't the case with this book and I greatly appreciated that.
I got this book from Netgalley, and now I really need a physical copy of it! I can't wait to read more from this author. (:
September 5, 2016
First off, it was amazing to see asexuals in a book, especially 2 ace women in a very sweet relationship, along with an easy to understand explanation of what asexuality is.
The writing style was very descriptive in many places and was overall incredibly compelling, and I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting. It was quite short, just under 200 pages, and so some parts felt a tiny bit rushed. One thing I would have quite liked was an epilogue, set maybe a year or so later to wrap up a couple of questions I had.
There were pretty much 4 characters, with another showing up very occasionally, and it was also nice that 3 of then were women, with at least one woman of colour. Both of the main relationships, between Victoria and her best friend and also her girl friend, felt quite realistic and relatable, although the ‘courtship’ element of the romance could have been a little more drawn out, but again it is quite a short book. Another element that felt very realistic was Victoria’s grief and reaction to trauma.
Overall a very sweet little read with awesome representation.
- 4.4 / 5
The writing style was very descriptive in many places and was overall incredibly compelling, and I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting. It was quite short, just under 200 pages, and so some parts felt a tiny bit rushed. One thing I would have quite liked was an epilogue, set maybe a year or so later to wrap up a couple of questions I had.
There were pretty much 4 characters, with another showing up very occasionally, and it was also nice that 3 of then were women, with at least one woman of colour. Both of the main relationships, between Victoria and her best friend and also her girl friend, felt quite realistic and relatable, although the ‘courtship’ element of the romance could have been a little more drawn out, but again it is quite a short book. Another element that felt very realistic was Victoria’s grief and reaction to trauma.
Overall a very sweet little read with awesome representation.
- 4.4 / 5
July 18, 2016
2.5 Stars.
Ah, this book. I'm having mixed feelings about it. On one hand I think it's a spectacular book. On the other hand it was exhausting— not in a good way.
Good things about this book:
•girl/girl asexual relationship
•It's an interracial relationship
•accurate representation of asexuality
•the writing was quite beautiful
Bad things about this book:
•the end
•timing was quite rushed I thought. It confused me. One paragraph they were eating lunch, next paragraph it was time to go to bed.
•I didn't like any of the characters except for one (who was barely in it!)
•I'm not a big fantasy reader and it had that fantasy vibe so it wasn't really my thing to begin with
But, yeah, I think it's just one of those mixed books. Parts of you adore it while other parts of you don't like it.
Ah, this book. I'm having mixed feelings about it. On one hand I think it's a spectacular book. On the other hand it was exhausting— not in a good way.
Good things about this book:
•girl/girl asexual relationship
•It's an interracial relationship
•accurate representation of asexuality
•the writing was quite beautiful
Bad things about this book:
•the end
•timing was quite rushed I thought. It confused me. One paragraph they were eating lunch, next paragraph it was time to go to bed.
•I didn't like any of the characters except for one (who was barely in it!)
•I'm not a big fantasy reader and it had that fantasy vibe so it wasn't really my thing to begin with
But, yeah, I think it's just one of those mixed books. Parts of you adore it while other parts of you don't like it.
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