Accidental Awakening

Guardians #1

by Damien Benoit-Ledoux

After high school juniors Quinn McAlester and Blake Hargreaves found themselves restrained in a hospital room after a freak accident in a dangerous cave, they had no idea how much their lives would change. Shortly after a man named Agent Victor Kraze questions the boys about their weekend activities, they are discharged from the hospital into the care of their parents and their normal lives.

Life back in Portsmouth, NH soon proved to be anything but ordinary as unusual phenomena begins to manifest around them without their knowledge or control. When Quinn mysteriously stops a car from running over a toddler with his mind, the boys quickly realize they are developing super powers. That’s when they decide to seek help from their nerdy, superhero and comic-book loving science teacher. What Mr. St. Germain helps them see forever alters the course of their lives.

This is Book 1 of the GUARDIANS series, a tale of unexpected teenage superheroes and villains. GUARDIANS is a fun superhero/urban fantasy novel series based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. With lovable characters, exciting action, memorable moments, and unexpected twists, GUARDIANS is sure to delight all fans of the genre.

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Queer, Paranormal, Contemporary, Young Adult

225 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2018

About the author

Damien Benoit-Ledoux is an author and freelance editor. His mind is a magical and nerdy place where fantastic heroes defend amazing worlds from dangerous villains who run amuck in an epic struggle to take over the universe. Recently, the brightest and best from this colorful cast of characters have made their way into notes, plots, stories, and novels for you to read and enjoy.

Damien strongly believes the real world we live in should be a place where LGBTQ equality and respect are second nature and never questioned. When he's not working or spending time with his husband, their two beautiful sons, and their dog, Damien weaves this philosophy into the exciting lives of his characters and the fantastic space battles and romances they endure so they'll stop taking over his dreams at night.

And finally, he wants you to remember a very important thing: No matter how bad your day is at work, it’s always important to be grateful that you don’t work for a Sith Lord.

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a good superhero story? Questions come to mind. If you had superhero abilities, would you hide them? Use them for good, or evil? To improve your own life? Who knew orgone energy is a real thing.

There is an LGBT+ element but it’s almost incidental to the story and should not put off even the “straightest” of readers. Think sweet HS crush. I can’t wait to start reading book two in this series.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It’s a nice story to spend your time with but it doesn’t burden you with to thinking.

If you enjoy superhero stories and stories about friendship, this is a good choice.

At some points the story is told very fast and I had the feeling there could be so much more in between.

The book is really the first part of more books that are to come yet. If you would read this as a stand-alone, you were disappointed. But I am looking forward to the second book.

[Gea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this is a story about the making of new superhero’s! Or will they become villains?

Quinn and Blake are very different and also best friends. When they go camping they go somewhere not many people know of.
‘’Keep out’ that sign is not for us is it?’
Uh oh, is that asking for trouble or adventure?

Awesome adversary is this Victor. They better not underestimate him.
Can’t wait to read the next book!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accidental Awakening by Damien Benoit-Ledoux is the first book in his Guardians series. This book is a young adult, coming-of-age, superhero origin story. It is written in third-person and is told from two sixteen-year-old best friends' perspectives, Quinn and Blake. Quinn has a happy home life, his two dads love each other and him, he enjoys school and knows what he wants to do with his life. Blake has two alcoholic parents who are always fighting and seem to care more about drinking then they do him, and he has no idea what he wants to do with his life other than getting away from home when he turns eighteen. When the two best friends go on a camping the trip they stumble upon a strange cave and end up becoming infused with an unknown energy source that leaves them with startling abilities.

This book was an entertaining read, was easy to follow, and had a nice flow to it. I never found myself bored while reading, and was very interested in finding out what was going to happen next. Both of the main characters are interesting and likable, especially if you're a bit of a geek. There are a lot of references to things like Star Wars, Star Trek and comics like the X-men. I really liked all the references and felt like these two guys would fit right in with my friends and me. If you like superhero comics and movies you should give this story a chance.

This book ends by setting up the next in the series and will leave you wanting to read the next one.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Sixteen year olds while walking in the woods find cave opening a door they are hit by a blue light.Quinn and Blake are spending the weekend camping with Quinn's two dads and while walking in the woods they notice a row of fallen trees and decide to explore. When they get to the notice a cave but once inside realize that it has been mined as there are rail tracks going into the deeper cave. Exploring further they fine a door with blue light showing around it and when they open the door and step in they a struck by the light. Managing to get out they make it back to the trail and both pass out. An fast paced adventure story to curl up and enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! I will admit when I first started to read this story, I sort of snoozed off...it reminded me of the first time I started, tried!!, to read the Hobbit. Once I got past the first two pages, I was hooked!! This is a wonderful story of two boys who get what most teens, or even adults, wish...super powers of sorts. Unfortunately to get there they go through alot and some is so coincidental that if it wasn't for circumstances that surround them, they would have died. Thank goodness there is a teacher, yes i said teacher, that both really connect with that they can turn to for help. Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime. Be prepared to be riveted to the story till the last word!
Fantastic story and read with a side dish of some social issues that will make you ponder how to handle things.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

they woke up tied to hospital beds. they had been in an accident in a cave. they are asked questions by an agent. after a week they are released and everything seems normal. until one day they start doing things that should not be possible. what happened to them? what will happen? find out their tale as you read this book

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mitchell Dufrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Guardians Accidental Awakening” by Damien Benoit-Ledoux

I have been in the mood for a series, and well the author sent me these a while back, and I wasn’t quite in the mood for a series. So book one of this series, is a origin story of how Quinn and Blake get superpowers. I will admit I have a love/hate for story lines that deal with superheroes, but this one so fare I’m very much in love. Quinn and Blake goes on a camping trip with Quinn’s parents, and while exploring they come across some wired phenomenon in the woods. They come across a cave, they explore this said cave. They get hit with this powerful light, you could say lightning. As they escape this cave, they become weak and unconscious, found by a family. Sent to the hospital were the lies begin…and after the day they leave they start noticing something odd. They have powers? I won’t tell the rest of the story that is for you to read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🏳️‍🌈

[Leon Fairley · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, as a gay man, I try to read and watch everything with LGBTIQA+, and that is how this came across my desk. I mean, growing up gay, superhero, mutants, they all spoke to my powerlessness and my desire to find 'my tribe'. I probably had unreasonable high expectations of some gay kids (or at least a gay kid) who, with their best friend, are involved in some strange event and end up with abilities that are tied to emotional responses.

I am not sure if this is intentional because it is about high-school adolescents and their emotional immaturity, but the story feels mostly pretty lightweight and without direction to carry it forward. Maybe this is because the story was drawn out to fit into three books. I'll read another to see if the story gets some heft and value.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed

I personally don’t care for LGBTQ books, which is what this is. It should have been labeled as such. In my opinion, it does nothing for the story. It takes away from it when you put it in nearly every single paragraph. Sorry, but no for me. I’m sure others will find it good, but it just wasn’t for me.

[Ben Pound · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hooked

I'm not usually a big reader of comics, sci-fi, or fantasy stuff. Give a couple hot guys superpowers (and have one be a gay character) and you've got my attention! Nicely written with good detail work and character development. I'm hooked and have to continue the series.

[Daniel Hand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great start to this series. I am very curious to how the author develops the relationship between our main characters. I am hoping for some twists and turns. Guess I will need to read the next books to find out, which I will be doing.