Emily Knight I am...Awakened

Emily Knight #2

by A. Bello, Abiola Bello

Dark times are upon us. Neci is back and she is more dangerous than ever. The warriors are forced to pick a side and to stand up for what they believe in. The race is on to find the missing warrior first. It's the only way to prevent a war from happening and to stop Neci from destroying everything. Emily Knight has to get sharper, stronger and faster because Neci has made her a target and someone is going to great lengths to hurt her. Can Emily win the race? Or will Neci take her down once and for all?

Paperback

About the author

Abiola Bello is a Nigerian-British, prize-winning children’s/YA author who was born and raised in London. She wrote her first novel at the age of eight and experienced her first taste of ‘being published’ after winning a school poetry competition at the age of 12.

Abiola is an advocate for diversity in books for young people. She’s the author of the award-winning fantasy series EMILY KNIGHT (EMILY KNIGHT I AM, EMILY KNIGHT I AM…AWAKENED and EMILY KNIGHT I AM BECOMING). EMILY KNIGHT I AM…AWAKENED was nominated for the CILIP’s Carnegie Award, won London’s BIG Read 2019, and was a finalist for the People’s Book Prize Best Children’s Book.

Abiola contributed to THE VERY MERRY MURDER CLUB, a collection of new mystery fiction from thirteen exciting and diverse children’s writers which published in October 2021 (Farshore/HarperCollins). It was Waterstones November Children's Book of the Month, Amazon Number 1 bestseller, The Bookseller One To Watch, The Guardian's Children's & Teens Best New Novels.

Her debut YA, LOVE IN WINTER WONDERLAND, published Winter 2022 (Simon & Schuster UK). It was an Amazon Number 1 bestseller, The Bookseller One To Watch, Amazon Editor's Choice for Black History Month 2022, featured in The Guardian Children's & Teens Best New Novels and was on an Amazon Billboard for Black History Month in Leicester Square. LOVE IN WINTER WONDERLAND was sold to the US, Germany and Poland. The US edition is a Junior Library Guild Pick and the German edition was shortlisted for Best YA and Best Cover for the Lovely Books Community Award 2023.

Abiola's latest book ONLY FOR THE HOLIDAYS published Autumn 2023 (Simon & Schuster UK). It was The Bookseller One To Watch, one of Waterstones Best Paperbacks of 2023 and featured in The Guardian Children's & Teens Best New Novels.

Abiola won The Black British Business Awards - Arts and Media 2023, The London Book Fair Trailblazer Awards 2018. She is the co-founder of Hashtag Press, Hashtag BLAK, The Diverse Book Awards and ink!

Abiola has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Female First Magazine, The Mirror, BBC1XTRA to name a few. As well as being a writer, Abiola is a professional dancer. She has performed for more than a decade in prestigious venues including The Royal Opera House, The Barbican, Sadler’s Wells, Hammersmith Apollo, Unicorn Theatre. Abiola has also appeared on BBC’s The Apprentice, “Got To Dance” and Street Dance AllStars The Movie.

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Middle Grade/Tween Fantasy

Pages: 306

Amazon

Author

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Dark times are upon us. Neci is back and she is more dangerous than ever. The warriors are forced to pick a side and to stand up for what they believe in. The race is on to find the missing warrior first. It's the only way to prevent a war from happening and to stop Neci from destroying everything. Emily Knight has to get sharper, stronger and faster because Neci has made her a target and someone is going to great lengths to hurt her. Can Emily win the race? Or will Neci take her down once and for all? - Amazon.com

So earlier this year I read the first book in this middle grade series and absolutely loved the book. I got another chance to read the second installment in this series and absolutely loved it. The story continues with Emily Knight and her struggles to not only fit in at school and figure out her feelings for a certain guy friend of hers, but also to figure out what she should do concerning Neci, the big bad villain of the series. I thought this book did really good character development wise. There are not a lot of books out there that conquer the tween phase and I thought A. Bello did magnificient with Emily's inner monologue and her growth as a character and as a girl overall. I also thought the plot was very intriguing, it kept me wanting to read throughout the book and the pacing was very well done as well. Not too fast or too slow. This is also another book with a ton of diversity in it. Not only is Emily, our main character, a strong black female (I believe she's British? I think this is set in the UK? Correct me if I'm wrong!) but Emily lives in a blended family with her godparents, her friends come in different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds, and nothing about this feels forced like it does sometimes in some of the books I've read in the past.

The only downside I had about the book was that I felt that as a middle grade read it might be a bit too much for younger middle graders. That's the downside of the reading system is that there's not a middle ground between middle grade and young adult. If there was (a tween reader?) then this book would certainly fit into that category.

Verdict: If you haven't checked out this series for you or your children then WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? Go check it out now and see why I love this series! This would be a perfect christmas present for any fantasy lover and especially younger tween fantasy lovers.

[Erika Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well the second book is out and Emily is back! Unfortunately, so is Neci. So once again they have to figure out a way to stop her, but she is more powerful now. The great part about these books is that even though Neci is the villain, we also see her backstory and she almost becomes a sympathetic character in some ways because of what happened to her. Of course I am always rooting for Emily Knight though :) Will Emily and her friends be strong enough in their powers to defeat Neci once and for all? And why does everyone expect Emily and Lox's father to just come running into the picture after all these years to save the day? I got the feeling that perhaps their father had gone over to the dark side and no one knew it, but I won't give away the answer to that!

This series from what I have read is great for pretty much all young adults. Sure it's a little scary at times and can be dark, but overall I do think that teens will love the storyline and they will really relate to Emily and her friends. And of course also to the struggles of being a teenager even if they aren't magical. I think a lot of young people have lost parents or loved ones and been raised by others, and this series definitely puts a spotlight on the fact that you don't have to be the perfect family to have a good life and be strong - that comes from within. It's a good lesson for all kids to learn and a lot of adults too. And even though the school is for magical kids, it seems to be a fairly normal atmosphere otherwise - such as boys and friendships and all that stuff that every kid goes through. Definitely another great read and I wouldn't mind seeing another book in this series at all :)

**I received a free book to read

[Eden Royce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I read Emily Knight I Am and reviewed it. It was a fun adventure with Emily, a heroine of color who was from a wealthy family, which I don’t see often, who had to learn the skills of how to be a warrior while mourning her mother’s death. Her father, one of the best warriors in the world, has disappeared, just as an old threat resurfaces. Emily’s brother has also disappeared, leaving her to learn the way of the warrior without their support.

It was full of action, unusual abilities – flying, breathing underwater, growing fireballs in bare hands – and diverse characters.

The second book in the series Emily Knight I Am Awakened begins with a prologue featuring Rose, a young girl we haven’t met before. Or have we? We’re given insights to the horrors of her childhood and are sympathetic. But there is an undertone of darkness and hatred in Rose that made me wonder…

Then we come back to present. Emily is now fourteen and is back at Osaki Warrior School after the holidays. I was surprised to read that this was her age, as the cover art made me think this book was for much younger readers, maybe 8-12.

As I read on, I found some of the language and situations felt like they were for older readers. The characters comment on the hotness of some of the boys’ bare, muscular chests. At a party, several of the girls wear tight-fitting dresses and grind against boys on the dance floor. They drink alcohol. Blood and teeth fly at the dojo fights, and kids are pummeled into unconsciousness.

The story itself is strong, though. Neci, the big bad from Book One has escalated, declaring war on anyone who doesn’t agree with her regime, which includes getting her microchip implanted under their skin. There is dissension even within Osaki itself, as to who is for the Warriors and who is for Neci. Who will prevail? Which side is Emily’s brother on? The bonds of friendship and family will tested.

This is an enjoyable read, with high stakes and magic, and a likable, sympathetic heroine.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entertaining adventure provided continuous action, genuine emotions, and diverse characters that the reader kept rooting for, even when all hope would seem lost based on dire threats!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all, it's a fast-paced, enjoyable read, combining both magical fantasy and real life teenage concerns, that tweens and teens of both sexes would definitely enjoy. Imagine a cross between Harry Potter and The Hunger Games and don't be fooled by the childish cover.

Full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Knight is back. She is still at the Osaki Training School and very much a teenager. She is starting to mature and see boys in a different light. There is still the same school issues like friends, bullies, and trying to fit in. But things are getting worse. Neci has declared war on those that don’t follow her decrees, like the microchips. Of course the school is trying to prepare the new warriors yet at the same time hoping Emily’s father will come back and save the day again.

I love how Emily has grown since the last book. Of course now we have more hormones and being boy crazy to add to the mix. But I loved Neci and more of her story. I understand why she would want revenge. But what gets me is how everyone is just expecting Emily’s dad to come back and save the day.

This is a great fantasy story for older mid-grade readers, teens, and anyone else that loves young adult fantasy. I love where this story is progressing and I can’t wait to read the next book. Make sure you check out the Emily Knight series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.