What do you think?
Rate this book
Northern Witch #2
Awaken
Mark has everything he ever wanted. He is training to be a fully-fledged witch; and he is dating the hottest guy at school.
But events from last winter have set things into motion that he is not prepared for.
Witches, demons, and danger come together to prove that this... this is only the beginning.
But events from last winter have set things into motion that he is not prepared for.
Witches, demons, and danger come together to prove that this... this is only the beginning.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2018
17 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
K.S. Marsden
21 books741 followersKelly S. Marsden grew up in Yorkshire, and there were two constants in her life - books and horses.
She went on to author the best-selling Urban Fantasy series - "The Northern Witch" and "Witch-Hunter".
Kelly is currently working in animal nutrition, and she never outgrew her obsession with horses.
Visit her blog for book reviews and inanity:
The Northern Witch's Book Blog
She went on to author the best-selling Urban Fantasy series - "The Northern Witch" and "Witch-Hunter".
Kelly is currently working in animal nutrition, and she never outgrew her obsession with horses.
Visit her blog for book reviews and inanity:
The Northern Witch's Book Blog
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
June 23, 2019
3.5 ⭐️
copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review
I enjoyed this second visit into Mark’s world of witches. Mark’s boyfriend Damien still has a demon inside of him, and Mark’s nana, along with her coven of witches are waiting until it has matured until they can get rid of it.
Alongside the supernatural elements, Mark has all the usual teenage drama - arguments with his best friend, ongoing romantic complications with Damian.
Overall, a light hearted, entertaining story. I enjoyed the characters, and the magical side spiced things up.
copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review
I enjoyed this second visit into Mark’s world of witches. Mark’s boyfriend Damien still has a demon inside of him, and Mark’s nana, along with her coven of witches are waiting until it has matured until they can get rid of it.
Alongside the supernatural elements, Mark has all the usual teenage drama - arguments with his best friend, ongoing romantic complications with Damian.
Overall, a light hearted, entertaining story. I enjoyed the characters, and the magical side spiced things up.
November 11, 2024
Wishlist | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Ko-fi
#1 Winter Trials - ★★★★
#2 Awaken - ★★★
#3 The Breaking - ★★★
Awaken is book 2 from the Northern Witch Series. Read my review for Winter Trials, book one in the series.
I have enjoyed reading the first book, and I was so eager to get to the second one. This is a story about a young boy Mark and his grandma, who is a witch. This is also a story about Damien, a new guy in town, in which Mark falls in love with.
The second book starts where the first book left off. Mark and Damien have feelings for each other, but Damien is a danger to himself and others, and grandma will try to fix this with her power.
The book is a short and fast read. It is fast-paced, and I kept spinning the pages intensely. It brings you the feelings of home, and winter times, and family moments, and high-school memories. It has all the good vibes put together neatly.
The high-school romance was an addition to the book, and it was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed it a lot, even though we didn’t see as much romance in this book as we do in book one.
And then, there is the word ‘’Dunno.’’ A word that I don’t really mind, unless it’s used too often. And it bothered me, I will admit it.
But then, there was Nanna – a character full of light and power that pierces through. A character full of wittiness, giving life to each scene unlike any character can. A woman I so greatly admire, for her love and dedication to the family, and unconditional love and teaching towards her grandchild.
I read about magic, and high-school, more about high-school than magic. I wish there were more romance scenes, and was terrified when the book finished the way it did. I was afraid, and happy, and excited and sad, and not to forget, annoyed, but this book gave me all the right feels at times, and all the wrong ones too.
It has never been harder to judge a book in-between this space of annoyance and love, and I am struggling. But I love Nanna too much.
I would recommend you to read this (or the first book in the series, if you haven’t yet). If you enjoy LGBT high-school romance and witchcraft adventures, this one will be a pleasurable read for you.
Thank you to the author, K.S. Marsden, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
#1 Winter Trials - ★★★★
#2 Awaken - ★★★
#3 The Breaking - ★★★
Awaken is book 2 from the Northern Witch Series. Read my review for Winter Trials, book one in the series.
I have enjoyed reading the first book, and I was so eager to get to the second one. This is a story about a young boy Mark and his grandma, who is a witch. This is also a story about Damien, a new guy in town, in which Mark falls in love with.
The second book starts where the first book left off. Mark and Damien have feelings for each other, but Damien is a danger to himself and others, and grandma will try to fix this with her power.
The book is a short and fast read. It is fast-paced, and I kept spinning the pages intensely. It brings you the feelings of home, and winter times, and family moments, and high-school memories. It has all the good vibes put together neatly.
The high-school romance was an addition to the book, and it was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed it a lot, even though we didn’t see as much romance in this book as we do in book one.
And then, there is the word ‘’Dunno.’’ A word that I don’t really mind, unless it’s used too often. And it bothered me, I will admit it.
But then, there was Nanna – a character full of light and power that pierces through. A character full of wittiness, giving life to each scene unlike any character can. A woman I so greatly admire, for her love and dedication to the family, and unconditional love and teaching towards her grandchild.
I read about magic, and high-school, more about high-school than magic. I wish there were more romance scenes, and was terrified when the book finished the way it did. I was afraid, and happy, and excited and sad, and not to forget, annoyed, but this book gave me all the right feels at times, and all the wrong ones too.
It has never been harder to judge a book in-between this space of annoyance and love, and I am struggling. But I love Nanna too much.
I would recommend you to read this (or the first book in the series, if you haven’t yet). If you enjoy LGBT high-school romance and witchcraft adventures, this one will be a pleasurable read for you.
Thank you to the author, K.S. Marsden, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
July 29, 2020
I’d like to thank the author for offering this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Book 2 of the Northern Witch series
Well Mark is still with Damian as the coven keeps an eye out for when the Demon comes into power.
Things are just getting hotter. People are giving Mark bad looks because of what went down at the party. His best friend Harry and Sarah are giving him the cold shoulder. And the Valentine date with Damian just went from good to bad in 0 to 60.
Engaging read that keeps you glued to the page. Well written . Great flow. Just when you think something else is going to happen the story ends leaving you to want to read onto the next book.
Book 2 of the Northern Witch series
Well Mark is still with Damian as the coven keeps an eye out for when the Demon comes into power.
Things are just getting hotter. People are giving Mark bad looks because of what went down at the party. His best friend Harry and Sarah are giving him the cold shoulder. And the Valentine date with Damian just went from good to bad in 0 to 60.
Engaging read that keeps you glued to the page. Well written . Great flow. Just when you think something else is going to happen the story ends leaving you to want to read onto the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2024
3.5*
A nice improvement in nearly every aspect of the first book.
“[…] even when teenagers are not listening, it’s amazing how much they hear.”
I was right about what I wrote in my review of Winter Trials: the first book is actually the “setting” book, and this one is where the story really starts.
I enjoyed this more than the first one and I was right about the possible potential of the story. The mystery is finally starting to materialize and there’s a good balance between magic, enigma and teen drama.
The narrative is still light and fast paced, and it doesn’t feel as rushed as the first one, the story is entertaining and the characters are starting to get that very needed development (not there yet though).
In the other hand, some adjectives are very unnecessary(I don’t know how many times I read “flushed red”) because if your characters are well written then the reader comes to understand how they react to some situations and those adjectives are no more necessary if you already explained them a pair of times.
The Best: The mix of magic+drama is working.
The Worst: I hate when cliffhangers are used in a way that makes you feel that the book’s incomplete. And yes, I completely understand the reasoning behind this, but still.
And I have to say, without it having any effect on my review, that I really don’t like the bookcover, also I think it doesn’t match the saga’s cover design (as far as I’ve seen in the author’s goodreads profile).
I received this for free via Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
A nice improvement in nearly every aspect of the first book.
“[…] even when teenagers are not listening, it’s amazing how much they hear.”
I was right about what I wrote in my review of Winter Trials: the first book is actually the “setting” book, and this one is where the story really starts.
I enjoyed this more than the first one and I was right about the possible potential of the story. The mystery is finally starting to materialize and there’s a good balance between magic, enigma and teen drama.
The narrative is still light and fast paced, and it doesn’t feel as rushed as the first one, the story is entertaining and the characters are starting to get that very needed development (not there yet though).
In the other hand, some adjectives are very unnecessary
The Best: The mix of magic+drama is working.
The Worst: I hate when cliffhangers are used in a way that makes you feel that the book’s incomplete. And yes, I completely understand the reasoning behind this, but still.
And I have to say, without it having any effect on my review, that I really don’t like the bookcover, also I think it doesn’t match the saga’s cover design (as far as I’ve seen in the author’s goodreads profile).
I received this for free via Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2022
The Northern Witch series continues with Awaken. My recommendation is to start with the FIRST book. Trust me - you'll enjoy this one a lot more if you know what came before it. Because the second book logically continues the action of the first.
For me personally, the first book was like a nice prelude to the world of Northern Witch. Unlike her, the second totally entangled me in her magical world. It had everything I love - magic, witches, demons, witchcraft, adventure, love drama, high-school setting and more and more…
The author's writing style is extremely friendly. Adding to that the interesting story, I read the book very quickly. As we say in my country: "I ate it with the covers!".
The characters of Mark and Damian here underwent further development. I really liked their Valentine date. They were both very sweet and at the same time fun to see things totally turn around and go in a different direction.
And OMG - Nana - she's still the QUEEN of stealing the spotlight. It doesn't matter if he shows up to say two lines or is present for more. I adore this woman and would certainly be interested in learning more about her.
And with that I will end, so as not to spoil what happens in the book. (You have no idea how hard it is for me to refrain from a short review.)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
For me personally, the first book was like a nice prelude to the world of Northern Witch. Unlike her, the second totally entangled me in her magical world. It had everything I love - magic, witches, demons, witchcraft, adventure, love drama, high-school setting and more and more…
The author's writing style is extremely friendly. Adding to that the interesting story, I read the book very quickly. As we say in my country: "I ate it with the covers!".
The characters of Mark and Damian here underwent further development. I really liked their Valentine date. They were both very sweet and at the same time fun to see things totally turn around and go in a different direction.
And OMG - Nana - she's still the QUEEN of stealing the spotlight. It doesn't matter if he shows up to say two lines or is present for more. I adore this woman and would certainly be interested in learning more about her.
And with that I will end, so as not to spoil what happens in the book. (You have no idea how hard it is for me to refrain from a short review.)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 25, 2018
The second book of the series picks up where book one finished. This book has a darker feel to it than the first.
Mark has a hard time coping as his boyfriend is possessed by a demon that causes trouble as it gets a stronger hold on Damien. Misunderstanding causes a rift between Mark and his friends, Harry and Sarah. On top of which, the other students and residents are scared of him, as they think he's using dark magic.
All in all an exciting read that doesn't let up until the last page - which left me wanting to know more!
Mark has a hard time coping as his boyfriend is possessed by a demon that causes trouble as it gets a stronger hold on Damien. Misunderstanding causes a rift between Mark and his friends, Harry and Sarah. On top of which, the other students and residents are scared of him, as they think he's using dark magic.
All in all an exciting read that doesn't let up until the last page - which left me wanting to know more!
May 10, 2020
“Awaken” immediately picks up where book one, “Winter Trials” left off. Mark is officially a witch in training. Nana has been working with him and teaching him some basic protection and healing spells. He even learns how to invoke his spirit guide, which was one of my favorite scenes. I was thrilled to find that Nana remains a powerful character in the series.
Damian and Mark’s friendship continues to grow while Harry and Sarah seem to distance themselves from the boys even more. To make matters worse, a misunderstanding splits up Mark and his two old friends. Additional difficulties surface when the demon inside of Damien grows more powerful, as he now can influence his decisions.
Mark struggles with all these challenges. There are disagreements at home. And even when he uses all the magic he knows to help Damien fight against the demon, it’s not enough. Eventually, he’s forced to consult with Nana and her coven because he’s reached the limits of his abilities.
When the end of the year Winter Solstice party doesn’t go off as planned, Mark’s friends from school, and the residents of the town turn against him. Could Mark have tapped into an evil source of black magic?
Kelly Marsden’s writing is filled with magical descriptions and realistic dialogue. Her gift is in describing magic in all its wondrous forms. If she’s not a practitioner in the craft, she should be! Many thanks to the author for the gift of a complimentary copy of this book, which I chose to review.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this coming of age tale and can’t wait to read the third book. There’s superb storytelling, characters that could be your neighbors (especially in my neighborhood), and suspense! Be prepared for the cliff hanger ending!
Damian and Mark’s friendship continues to grow while Harry and Sarah seem to distance themselves from the boys even more. To make matters worse, a misunderstanding splits up Mark and his two old friends. Additional difficulties surface when the demon inside of Damien grows more powerful, as he now can influence his decisions.
Mark struggles with all these challenges. There are disagreements at home. And even when he uses all the magic he knows to help Damien fight against the demon, it’s not enough. Eventually, he’s forced to consult with Nana and her coven because he’s reached the limits of his abilities.
When the end of the year Winter Solstice party doesn’t go off as planned, Mark’s friends from school, and the residents of the town turn against him. Could Mark have tapped into an evil source of black magic?
Kelly Marsden’s writing is filled with magical descriptions and realistic dialogue. Her gift is in describing magic in all its wondrous forms. If she’s not a practitioner in the craft, she should be! Many thanks to the author for the gift of a complimentary copy of this book, which I chose to review.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this coming of age tale and can’t wait to read the third book. There’s superb storytelling, characters that could be your neighbors (especially in my neighborhood), and suspense! Be prepared for the cliff hanger ending!
August 15, 2018
The first book in this series was great, a coming of age book, where being gay in a small community made you different but Mark had always been accepted by his school friends. However, now in this second book Mark is not only gay but his boyfriend is being claimed by a demon and fellow students are ostracising Mark because they think he is using dark magic and that all the horrible things happening in the neighbourhood are caused by him. Mark is doing everything in his power to save Damian from the invasion of his body by the demon but he is not powerful enough to do this and his Nanna and the coven are called in to help out. I loved this book even though things are getting darker now than they were in the first book, with demons on the scene and dark magic being invoked, things are becoming more interesting. The book ends on a cliff hanger making sure we will want to read the next book!
August 22, 2018
This book was a long time coming after the first Northern Witches book, Winter Trials, but it was worth the wait. Mark, his friends, and his boyfriend face new trials and trouble from the demon who possessed Damian at the end of the first book. As the demon becomes more powerful, he is more able to influence Damian and cause trouble. Will Marc, his Nana, and the other witches be able to vanquish the demon and free Damian? We'll have to wait and see, as the story doesn't end with this book. I love the premise, and the coming of age themes, and I love the author's characters. I just hope it isn't as long a wait to the next book as it was for this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 2, 2020
3.5 stars.. This starts right after the first book ended. Mark's life was going so well. He was training to be a witch and he was dating handsome Damien. But soon Mark's world falls apart.
I'd like to read the next book, maybe the author will send me a review copy. And I did get a review copy of The Breaking. Thank you K.S. Marsden!
Likes:
* Not the usual YA paranormal or YA romance story
* Part romance, part witch in-training story, part demon-possession tale
* Mark's Nanna is my favorite character
* Harry, Mark's straight best friend was great in the first book, they are at odds in this book
* Gay guy is friends with straight guy
Dislikes:
* Damien is cursed, his friends and family get hurt
* Confusing at times, but explained later
* Though witches are acknowledged in town, still not trusted
* Mark lets his romance come between his friendship with Harry
Just Me:
For review:
Received a free review copy of the book from the author for [Shut Up and Read] Read It & Reap #1104
I'd like to read the next book, maybe the author will send me a review copy. And I did get a review copy of The Breaking. Thank you K.S. Marsden!
Likes:
* Not the usual YA paranormal or YA romance story
* Part romance, part witch in-training story, part demon-possession tale
* Mark's Nanna is my favorite character
* Harry, Mark's straight best friend was great in the first book, they are at odds in this book
* Gay guy is friends with straight guy
Dislikes:
* Damien is cursed, his friends and family get hurt
* Confusing at times, but explained later
* Though witches are acknowledged in town, still not trusted
* Mark lets his romance come between his friendship with Harry
Just Me:
For review:
Received a free review copy of the book from the author for [Shut Up and Read] Read It & Reap #1104
December 26, 2018
Book 54 of my Goodreads Challenge
Oh well, what can I say I still think Nanna is Awesome. WOW what a great read I’ve been waiting for this second book in the series for some time (in the meantime I re-read the authors Witch Hunter Series all brilliant).
This is the second book in the series, and I must stress it is a proper series in every sense of the word so if you have not read book 1 you really and I mean REALLY need to read it, to get the back story. These are not standalone books.
Book 2 Awaken starts exactly where the last book ended and yes that was a bit of a cliff hanger and made us all pray it would not be long before the next in the series and finally here it is and it certainly does not disappoint. Mark is now a full witch in-training and Nanna is teaching him little bits of magic here and there. Mainly spells of protection and healing (look out for the wonderful lesson he has to invoke his spirit guide).
The new guy Damian is settling into his life in Yorkshire and there is a possibility he can become part of the football team. Even though the team are rubbish they are still worshipped as the elite, so Damian with his good looks should fit in nicely. After the big event of the Winter Solstice Nanna has tasked Mark with keeping an eye on Damian and this is certainly no hardship for him. In fact the friendship between the boys begins to grow much to the distaste of Harry and Sarah (Marks long standing friends).
An unexpected occurrence, at the party of the year, thrown by the second openly gay student at Tealford High – Dean, has all the students turning against Mark. What has he done to upset so many people it can only get worse before it gets better?
A riveting read and very highly recommended. However, now I am praying for Book 3 hope we don’t have to wait too long?
Oh well, what can I say I still think Nanna is Awesome. WOW what a great read I’ve been waiting for this second book in the series for some time (in the meantime I re-read the authors Witch Hunter Series all brilliant).
This is the second book in the series, and I must stress it is a proper series in every sense of the word so if you have not read book 1 you really and I mean REALLY need to read it, to get the back story. These are not standalone books.
Book 2 Awaken starts exactly where the last book ended and yes that was a bit of a cliff hanger and made us all pray it would not be long before the next in the series and finally here it is and it certainly does not disappoint. Mark is now a full witch in-training and Nanna is teaching him little bits of magic here and there. Mainly spells of protection and healing (look out for the wonderful lesson he has to invoke his spirit guide).
The new guy Damian is settling into his life in Yorkshire and there is a possibility he can become part of the football team. Even though the team are rubbish they are still worshipped as the elite, so Damian with his good looks should fit in nicely. After the big event of the Winter Solstice Nanna has tasked Mark with keeping an eye on Damian and this is certainly no hardship for him. In fact the friendship between the boys begins to grow much to the distaste of Harry and Sarah (Marks long standing friends).
An unexpected occurrence, at the party of the year, thrown by the second openly gay student at Tealford High – Dean, has all the students turning against Mark. What has he done to upset so many people it can only get worse before it gets better?
A riveting read and very highly recommended. However, now I am praying for Book 3 hope we don’t have to wait too long?
December 1, 2018
I don't know that I'm going to continue this series. I read the first book because I got it for free from an ARC program, and it was okay (albeit a cliffhanger), but with this book to be honest I can't remember the last time I disliked the characters from a book so much. All the characters. I don't think I liked or even felt neutral towards even one. They all had enough wrong with them and not enough right with them that I felt very negative towards them. Maybe they were casually prejudiced, maybe they were self-centered (even about incredibly trivial things in mind blowingly serious situations!), maybe they couldn't get their priorities straight for anything, maybe they were offhandedly mean in general, whatever the problem was, I just didn't know how to deal with these twits. I wanted to get away from them all.
January 18, 2020
Life is good for Mark. He’s got everything he could possibly wish for including his best friend Harry, his boyfriend Damien and the exhilaration of training to become a witch. When an evil entity reappears to demand support from Mark, can he possibly refuse? Is he able to protect everyone he loves with his limited magical abilities or will his desperation have him seeking aid from the one source he shouldn’t?
I enjoyed Mark and Damien’s sweet, budding relationship – drama and teenaged angst and all. The story is well written and very entertaining with interesting and likeable characters, some humour, magic, action and danger. I’m curious to see how the fallout from this installment impacts everyone’s lives moving forward. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed Mark and Damien’s sweet, budding relationship – drama and teenaged angst and all. The story is well written and very entertaining with interesting and likeable characters, some humour, magic, action and danger. I’m curious to see how the fallout from this installment impacts everyone’s lives moving forward. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 22, 2018
Great read, Mark is learning magic from his grandma. Marks boyfriend Damian is possessed by a demon. Mark and the coven are trying to help remove the demon that is taking a ride in Damian’s body. Harry, Marks best friend have had a falling out, as Harry states Mark has been selfish and everything is about him. I must say this was a great read however it ends with a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next addition.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 17, 2018
I love this book.
I am in love with spells from here, they sound so powerfull even if there is just few of them.
Mark is so cute and caring, I love him.
I can´t wait for next book. He has to save world from that demon and save his boyfriend, too.
And what about those released demon and ghost, wow I am scared now.
I am in love with spells from here, they sound so powerfull even if there is just few of them.
Mark is so cute and caring, I love him.
I can´t wait for next book. He has to save world from that demon and save his boyfriend, too.
And what about those released demon and ghost, wow I am scared now.
August 20, 2018
His life is great as he training to be a witch and he is dating the hottest guy around. That is when things become more difficult. Life is about to change for them all. See what is going to happen
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 20, 2018
This is a wonderful book to read about witches, demons and danger oh my. I am so glad I got a chance to read this story and review it. I guarantee you will not be disappointed if you buy this story. I loved reading this book and I highly recommend this to everyone who loves stories with witches and demons.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 23, 2021
I enjoyed this second book in the Northern Witch series. Mark is struggling to balance learning his Craft, having a boyfriend, and not losing touch with the friend group he has had his whole life and things are not going so well. The relatable characters and situations will make this a good book for teens facing their own struggles.
Excellent editing, great characters and situations, and an exciting struggle. I enjoyed reading this ARC from BookSirens.
Excellent editing, great characters and situations, and an exciting struggle. I enjoyed reading this ARC from BookSirens.
August 10, 2018
And it has only just begun, the story of Damien and Mark.
A true love match it seems, but demon possesed Damien is trying to stay away from those he cares about to keep them save - works about as well as accepting the demon that took his parents in order to protect the coven.
prejudice of a different kind against Mark as a witch rears its head, and so does protective Nanna.
Can Mark stay ahead of the trouble, and the mistakes they all make trying to fight it?
Fighting demons and evil does not sound like a fun puberty.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A true love match it seems, but demon possesed Damien is trying to stay away from those he cares about to keep them save - works about as well as accepting the demon that took his parents in order to protect the coven.
prejudice of a different kind against Mark as a witch rears its head, and so does protective Nanna.
Can Mark stay ahead of the trouble, and the mistakes they all make trying to fight it?
Fighting demons and evil does not sound like a fun puberty.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2019
i really enjoy this series and the characters. well written. great characters. and lots of paranormal activity. i would def recommend this book.
August 28, 2018
Great fantasy book with witches. Mark has everything but there’s definitely trouble brewing. Fast paced, intriguing.
Read
May 10, 2021Book 1 review is at the bottom of this review.
This book is part of a series and CANNOT be read as a standalone. This book ends with a cliffhanger.
The author has once again done a great job with this book. Once again, I was not able to put it down once I started reading. I was able to follow the story from start to finish without losing the plot. The ending is rather sad but I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next book will resolve all issues faced by the characters - especially Mark.
In short, I would recommend this book with no hesitation. Just make sure that you read the first book as well as the sequels in this series. Happy reading :)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Winter Trials by K.S. Marsden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved it!!!
This story was rather short. It was easy and fun to read. The author has done a great job in keeping the reader interested and wondering what will happen next in the story. The way Mark and Damian connected with each other was nice, especially the way they first met (That brought a smile to my face)!
In short, I would recommend this book. Just know that this book ends with a major cliffhanger and you will need to read the sequels :)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
View all my reviews
This book is part of a series and CANNOT be read as a standalone. This book ends with a cliffhanger.
The author has once again done a great job with this book. Once again, I was not able to put it down once I started reading. I was able to follow the story from start to finish without losing the plot. The ending is rather sad but I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next book will resolve all issues faced by the characters - especially Mark.
In short, I would recommend this book with no hesitation. Just make sure that you read the first book as well as the sequels in this series. Happy reading :)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Winter Trials by K.S. MarsdenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved it!!!
This story was rather short. It was easy and fun to read. The author has done a great job in keeping the reader interested and wondering what will happen next in the story. The way Mark and Damian connected with each other was nice, especially the way they first met (That brought a smile to my face)!
In short, I would recommend this book. Just know that this book ends with a major cliffhanger and you will need to read the sequels :)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
View all my reviews
May 29, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this novel for an honest review. It has been published in August 2018.
"Awaken" by K.S. Marsden is Book 2 in the Northern Witch series, an awesome YA paranormal series focusing on witches, demons, and the struggles of growing up.
I've enjoyed reading this novel even more than I enjoyed "Winter Trials", the first book--and I had enjoyed "Winter Trials" A LOT.
It's probably because, while the novella "Winter Trials" mainly serves to set the stage and present the characters, the full-size novel "Awaken" finally gets to the heart of the magical adventures that the series is all about.
I loved how action-packed and full of twists and turns the plot is, I loved how we gradually get to see more and more layers of complexity in the characters and I loved how the protagonist being gay is not used as a major plot point; instead, it's just an accepted part of his identity.
Kudos to the author for how she skillfully managed to summarize the events of the previous book in the very first few pages of the second one without making it boring.
The only flaw with this book is some issues with punctuation, especially commas, but who cares about that, when the story is so gripping and well-written?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"Awaken" by K.S. Marsden is Book 2 in the Northern Witch series, an awesome YA paranormal series focusing on witches, demons, and the struggles of growing up.
I've enjoyed reading this novel even more than I enjoyed "Winter Trials", the first book--and I had enjoyed "Winter Trials" A LOT.
It's probably because, while the novella "Winter Trials" mainly serves to set the stage and present the characters, the full-size novel "Awaken" finally gets to the heart of the magical adventures that the series is all about.
I loved how action-packed and full of twists and turns the plot is, I loved how we gradually get to see more and more layers of complexity in the characters and I loved how the protagonist being gay is not used as a major plot point; instead, it's just an accepted part of his identity.
Kudos to the author for how she skillfully managed to summarize the events of the previous book in the very first few pages of the second one without making it boring.
The only flaw with this book is some issues with punctuation, especially commas, but who cares about that, when the story is so gripping and well-written?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 17, 2021
Awaken by K.S. Marsden - 5/5 stars
I was provided a copy of this book by BookSirens for free and am choosing to leave a review freely.
If the first book in this series was a brief introduction to this story, this second installment was a deep dive. In Awaken, we get a much deeper look both at Mark's normal teenager in high school life and the witchy demon troubles he and his boyfriend, Damien, are having. Ending on a major cliffhanger, I can't wait to dive into the next installment in this series.
In typical second book in a series fashion, we see our main character's life go from wonderful with a few background problems to about as close to rock bottom as they can get. With teen drama and demon problems galore, this book does a wonderful job of playing the balancing game between forwarding the supernatural plot of the book while still remembering this is a teen in high school who is going to have high school drama that feels important no matter how much supernatural stuff is going on in their life.
Once again we get some great LGBT representation in the form of Mark and his boyfriend Damien. I can't wait to see how their relationship continues to develop in book 3.
All in all, I'm loving this series and I'm going to go pick up book 3 immediately.
I was provided a copy of this book by BookSirens for free and am choosing to leave a review freely.
If the first book in this series was a brief introduction to this story, this second installment was a deep dive. In Awaken, we get a much deeper look both at Mark's normal teenager in high school life and the witchy demon troubles he and his boyfriend, Damien, are having. Ending on a major cliffhanger, I can't wait to dive into the next installment in this series.
In typical second book in a series fashion, we see our main character's life go from wonderful with a few background problems to about as close to rock bottom as they can get. With teen drama and demon problems galore, this book does a wonderful job of playing the balancing game between forwarding the supernatural plot of the book while still remembering this is a teen in high school who is going to have high school drama that feels important no matter how much supernatural stuff is going on in their life.
Once again we get some great LGBT representation in the form of Mark and his boyfriend Damien. I can't wait to see how their relationship continues to develop in book 3.
All in all, I'm loving this series and I'm going to go pick up book 3 immediately.
July 13, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Damian's Demon is slowly awakening, so when Dean, the other gay guy in the school throws a party, hell is set loose. Mark who just began his training does the unthinkable and uses dark magic. Now the whole school is suspicious of him and there is nothing he can do. Even his friends abandon him because he failed his best friend in more ways then possible.
It seems that Mark is a typically 16 year old that runs into trouble with his emotions then with a healthy dose of common sense. This got him in more hot situations then ever , still making the wrong decisions. I have mixed feelings about Nana, as a Grand High Witch, it seems she doesn't trust him fully, understandable when he acts before he thinks.
4 stars because this story has more action in it, which I like, struggles with friendship and the deepening of his relationship with Damian. More trouble on the horizon with a unforeseen twists.
Albeit short again but this time the characters are more defined as they go about their daily school life and encounters with magic, evil and demons.
Damian's Demon is slowly awakening, so when Dean, the other gay guy in the school throws a party, hell is set loose. Mark who just began his training does the unthinkable and uses dark magic. Now the whole school is suspicious of him and there is nothing he can do. Even his friends abandon him because he failed his best friend in more ways then possible.
It seems that Mark is a typically 16 year old that runs into trouble with his emotions then with a healthy dose of common sense. This got him in more hot situations then ever , still making the wrong decisions. I have mixed feelings about Nana, as a Grand High Witch, it seems she doesn't trust him fully, understandable when he acts before he thinks.
4 stars because this story has more action in it, which I like, struggles with friendship and the deepening of his relationship with Damian. More trouble on the horizon with a unforeseen twists.
Albeit short again but this time the characters are more defined as they go about their daily school life and encounters with magic, evil and demons.
August 9, 2020
*Copy provided from author in exchange for a review
I'm really liking this series. It doesn't have the usual YA tropes that I find annoying. The MC Mark is just so sweet. He isn't bratty or whiney. I'm more upset by the obtuseness of the father than he is! I do love that Mark’s whole family is involved too. Especially grandma. And no love triangle! Just complicated friendships. This is a light read with, well, nothing too ground breaking. But overall great work from an independent author.
So, 4 stars it is and on to the next installment.
I'm really liking this series. It doesn't have the usual YA tropes that I find annoying. The MC Mark is just so sweet. He isn't bratty or whiney. I'm more upset by the obtuseness of the father than he is! I do love that Mark’s whole family is involved too. Especially grandma. And no love triangle! Just complicated friendships. This is a light read with, well, nothing too ground breaking. But overall great work from an independent author.
So, 4 stars it is and on to the next installment.
October 28, 2021
The second book of "Northern witch" saga was everything a second book of a series should be!
All that drama and passion, magic and family, friends and lovers really had me hooked throughout the story!
I really admire the way that magic represents in those books. That raw and comfortable feeling of magic through Mark's system. Really love it!
I really liked that we weren't just followed the basic plot but Mark had to deal with everything a sixteen year old had to deal with his every day life.
THAT PLOT TWIST! I am still shaken about that plot twist!
My one star got lost because english aren't my first language and it really bothered me that I couldn't follow a character's way of speaking. Really made me feel like an outcast and that the book wasn't made for any non-English native speakers.
Anyway, I can't wait to start the third book!
All that drama and passion, magic and family, friends and lovers really had me hooked throughout the story!
I really admire the way that magic represents in those books. That raw and comfortable feeling of magic through Mark's system. Really love it!
I really liked that we weren't just followed the basic plot but Mark had to deal with everything a sixteen year old had to deal with his every day life.
THAT PLOT TWIST! I am still shaken about that plot twist!
My one star got lost because english aren't my first language and it really bothered me that I couldn't follow a character's way of speaking. Really made me feel like an outcast and that the book wasn't made for any non-English native speakers.
Anyway, I can't wait to start the third book!
April 10, 2024
I absolutely loved AWAKEN! At its base, it’s a coming of age story about a young gay man in the midst of his first love. And then you toss in some demons, witches and high school drama. The end result is a book that I couldn’t set aside until the ending which is a definite cliffhanger.
What really makes this book is the characters. It doesn’t matter if they are primary or secondary, they are all so real. Mark’s grandmother reminds me so much of my own that it’s almost like she is back with me again.
Overall, even with the danger and demons, this book leaves me with warm feelings and worry about what’s going to happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading young adult books with that touch of magic added.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What really makes this book is the characters. It doesn’t matter if they are primary or secondary, they are all so real. Mark’s grandmother reminds me so much of my own that it’s almost like she is back with me again.
Overall, even with the danger and demons, this book leaves me with warm feelings and worry about what’s going to happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading young adult books with that touch of magic added.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 1, 2021
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Oh so good. As always, I find the second book in a series better than the first. I thought the author did a fantastic job of pacing this story and developing the characters. Mark is such a perfect teenage boy: he doesn't understand why his best friend is upset when he misses his performance, among other boy things. The magic and witchy things just fit so well into the story. I would have given this 5 stars, had there not been a few issues that would have been improved by a good editor. There was one spot where is noticed that Silvaticus was spelled "Silvaticas," which is relatively minor. Looking forward to reading the last book!
Oh so good. As always, I find the second book in a series better than the first. I thought the author did a fantastic job of pacing this story and developing the characters. Mark is such a perfect teenage boy: he doesn't understand why his best friend is upset when he misses his performance, among other boy things. The magic and witchy things just fit so well into the story. I would have given this 5 stars, had there not been a few issues that would have been improved by a good editor. There was one spot where is noticed that Silvaticus was spelled "Silvaticas," which is relatively minor. Looking forward to reading the last book!
May 27, 2021
This second book and series is a fun read but each book ends in a cliff hanger / continuation, with no true end. So my reviews for the 4 books that I've read so far are going to be similar. The books aren't very long. It has great characters and an interesting plot. In this second book I like Mark and Damian the best. They are gay so if that bothers you, you might not like this story. This book is well written and an easy read. No graphic sexual content and no violence. Not much magic either. I recommend for teens and up. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews