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The Wakening
A team of paranormal investigators, a priest and a defrocked priest with a dark secret join forces to combat of a vengeful ancient demon, and the evil spreading throughout a small New York town.
Fifty years ago, Father Leo Bonaventura, a young exorcist, cast a demon out from a young boy in Central America. The demon, Asmodeus, vowed revenge. Now the demon has returned, in the same town where Bonaventura is a retired priest nearing the end of his life. In a series of not-so-coincidental events, the possession of a young girl brings together an unlikely group of people, all of whom are linked in their pasts in some way: A group of paranormal investigators, including twin psychics. Robert Lockhart, a defrocked priest with a dark secret that only the twins know. A father whose dead wife was a college girlfriend of Robert’s and once conjured an evil spirit with him through a Ouiji board. Now they must all join forces and help Father Bonaventura rid the town not only of Asmodeus, but also the plague of poltergeists that have followed the demon into our world.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
Fifty years ago, Father Leo Bonaventura, a young exorcist, cast a demon out from a young boy in Central America. The demon, Asmodeus, vowed revenge. Now the demon has returned, in the same town where Bonaventura is a retired priest nearing the end of his life. In a series of not-so-coincidental events, the possession of a young girl brings together an unlikely group of people, all of whom are linked in their pasts in some way: A group of paranormal investigators, including twin psychics. Robert Lockhart, a defrocked priest with a dark secret that only the twins know. A father whose dead wife was a college girlfriend of Robert’s and once conjured an evil spirit with him through a Ouiji board. Now they must all join forces and help Father Bonaventura rid the town not only of Asmodeus, but also the plague of poltergeists that have followed the demon into our world.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
56 people are currently reading
630 people want to read
About the author
J.G. Faherty
89 books138 followersJG Faherty is a Bram Stoker Award® and ITW Thriller Award nominee and the author of six novels, nine novellas, and more than 50 short stories. He writes adult and YA horror/sci-fi/fantasy, and his works range from quiet, dark suspense to over-the-top comic gruesomeness.
His novels and novellas, all of which are listed on Goodreads, include THE CURE, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, CEMETERY CLUB, THE BURNING TIME, LEGACY, CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THIEF OF SOULS, THE COLD SPOT, and HE WAITS.
He enjoys urban exploring, photography, classic B-movies, good wine, and pumpkin beer. As a child, his favorite playground was a 17th-century cemetery, which many people feel explains a lot. His personal motto is "Photobombing people since 1979!" You can follow him at www.twitter.com/jgfaherty, www.facebook.com/jgfaherty, http://about.me/jgfaherty, and www.jgfaherty.com.
His novels and novellas, all of which are listed on Goodreads, include THE CURE, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, CEMETERY CLUB, THE BURNING TIME, LEGACY, CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THIEF OF SOULS, THE COLD SPOT, and HE WAITS.
He enjoys urban exploring, photography, classic B-movies, good wine, and pumpkin beer. As a child, his favorite playground was a 17th-century cemetery, which many people feel explains a lot. His personal motto is "Photobombing people since 1979!" You can follow him at www.twitter.com/jgfaherty, www.facebook.com/jgfaherty, http://about.me/jgfaherty, and www.jgfaherty.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
February 5, 2022
Father Leo Bonaventura is now a retired exorcist, professor and teacher of many degrees and aspects of religion and theology specializing in the true facts of Catholic exorcisms. When Father Leo was a young priest stationed somewhere in in South America his dear old friend and mentor called him to assist with an exorcism of a young boy who was plagued by one of the most powerful demons ever known named Amodeus. Fortunately the exorcism did cast out the demon but sadly it took his beloved friend's life as well and the demon told Father Leo this would not be the end and it would see the priest again one day.
Fifty-five years later a television crew specializing in investigating the paranormal are called upon by an old friend of the producer to help with a child and their home which was experiencing poltergeist activity and other possible paranormal phenomenon. When the television team arrives things suddenly take a darker turn and they all wonder if they should leave immediately when all of them can feel a heaviness in the atmosphere and begin to witness major abnormal events taking place and unsure if they are paranormal in nature or can be explained away by science. Within days Father Leo will become a name that the crew and others will always remember because without him all their lives and souls could be doomed forever.
This was a very dark and scary story but a lot of fun for horror readers who enjoy books dealing with evil and the supernatural. When I tell you that I couldn't read this book during the night I was not joking. I could only read it in the daylight hours because it was that frightening to me and also because I am a true believer in good and evil and everything they represent so I almost didn't want to read this book at first but I'm so glad that I did. There were many characters to remember but eventually they will all catch up with one another and have huge parts to play within the entire story. I loved the way the author factored all of this in (Genius). I truly loved Father Leo and a few of the others plus there were some I came to despise. There was plenty of action, suspense with chills and thrills galore. The only problem I had with the story was the last ten percent there was too much thrown about within too short an amount of time and I would have liked the book to have been drawn out longer with maybe 70-100 more pages where all the climatic events progressed rapidly but not crashing down in a chaotic way, all at once (imo). The touch of romance thrown in would have had a better effect if they had more time to develop it realistically or just left it out completely. The little nitpicks that I stated did not take away any of the enjoyment or the spontaneity of the story. I loved this book and I also truly loved the final page! Brilliantly done! Another way to have a sequel for J G Flaherty.
Warning for sensitive readers: Extreme profanity, blatant sexual situations, ghastly killings, extreme supernatural evil, paedophilia, child nudity, child endangerment, sacrilegious situations etc.
Read At Your Own Risk! Oh! Extreme Frenetic Fun!
I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this creepy book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this novel a rating of 4 HELLISH AND FRIGHTENING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
Fifty-five years later a television crew specializing in investigating the paranormal are called upon by an old friend of the producer to help with a child and their home which was experiencing poltergeist activity and other possible paranormal phenomenon. When the television team arrives things suddenly take a darker turn and they all wonder if they should leave immediately when all of them can feel a heaviness in the atmosphere and begin to witness major abnormal events taking place and unsure if they are paranormal in nature or can be explained away by science. Within days Father Leo will become a name that the crew and others will always remember because without him all their lives and souls could be doomed forever.
This was a very dark and scary story but a lot of fun for horror readers who enjoy books dealing with evil and the supernatural. When I tell you that I couldn't read this book during the night I was not joking. I could only read it in the daylight hours because it was that frightening to me and also because I am a true believer in good and evil and everything they represent so I almost didn't want to read this book at first but I'm so glad that I did. There were many characters to remember but eventually they will all catch up with one another and have huge parts to play within the entire story. I loved the way the author factored all of this in (Genius). I truly loved Father Leo and a few of the others plus there were some I came to despise. There was plenty of action, suspense with chills and thrills galore. The only problem I had with the story was the last ten percent there was too much thrown about within too short an amount of time and I would have liked the book to have been drawn out longer with maybe 70-100 more pages where all the climatic events progressed rapidly but not crashing down in a chaotic way, all at once (imo). The touch of romance thrown in would have had a better effect if they had more time to develop it realistically or just left it out completely. The little nitpicks that I stated did not take away any of the enjoyment or the spontaneity of the story. I loved this book and I also truly loved the final page! Brilliantly done! Another way to have a sequel for J G Flaherty.
Warning for sensitive readers: Extreme profanity, blatant sexual situations, ghastly killings, extreme supernatural evil, paedophilia, child nudity, child endangerment, sacrilegious situations etc.
Read At Your Own Risk! Oh! Extreme Frenetic Fun!
I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this creepy book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this novel a rating of 4 HELLISH AND FRIGHTENING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
September 25, 2023
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Greetings, Geeks & Ghouls!
Halloween Weekend is FINALLY upon us. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Am I right?!
If you love possession stories, if you love an exorcism, if you love an exorcism gone wrong, may I present J.G. Faherty's, The Wakening, for your consideration. This could be the perfect weekend read for you!
This story follows a group of individuals, pulled together through an eerie set of circumstances, trying to save one small New York town from the grips of an ancient evil.
The story actually began over 50-years ago in a remote Guatemalan village, when a young Father Leo Bonaventura was called to assist a friend with a complicated exorcism.
Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well. In an effort to learn from that day, Bonaventura brings some evidence of that exorcism back with him to the United States to be studied. Ultimately depositing the objects at a University in upstate New York.
The University is in the small town of Hastings Mills. Over the years the town witnesses multiple atrocities, including an extremely vivid scene taking place in the abandoned attic room of one of the University buildings, when a group of students gathers to perform a seance.
I'm talking, extremely vivid. This was honestly my favorite scene of the entire book. It got my pulse racing. It seriously creeped me out. I could picture it all and the horror imagery was absolutely fantastic!!
It's a little difficult to explain the set-up of this one, but after the background of the paranormal activities of the town, we begin to follow a group of paranormal investigators who get called to assist with a young girl, Abigail, who appears to be possessed.
Stone Graves is their leader and he is the host of a reality paranormal show. The group gets to Abigail's home, much to the relief of Abby's father, a single-parent, and immediately begin filming.
It's clear that Abigail's issues are no farce, the adults find themselves in a true battle, not just for their lives, but for the lives of the entire town. How can one little girl be so powerful?
Father Bonaventura, now well past his prime, just may be the key to it all.
Dun, dun dun. Y'all, this book was pedal to the floor the entire way through. I hope I have given an intriguing enough synopsis to get at least some of you Horror fans interested.
I don't think it gets enough love yet, but we can change that. I appreciated the set-up of this so much. You can literally watch the timeline unfold of the horrors of this town.
And trust me, there are a lot of horrors happening with Abby's house being the center of it all. When I mentioned above it is pedal to the floor, I meant it. There are no pages and pages of nonsense waiting for something paranormal to occur, it is in your face all the time.
Sometimes, maybe it was too much. I can see how some Readers may feel that way. My one small criticism would be that I did feel it was a touch too long. There was so much happening at Abby's house that on occasion it began to feel a bit repetitive.
Also, this didn't bother me at all, but I feel like I should provide a caution for others, the entity involved is sort of a demon of lust and chaos. Therefore, their power seeping over the town can cause blatant acts of hyper-sexualization.
To be clear, you will find that on page. Again, didn't bother me, but if you feel you are sensitive to highly-sexual content, this may not be the book for you.
With this being said, I did love the build-up, including the set of characters that were brought together to battle the evil and the entire possession element. Even though it was a touch too long, I feel like it was worth the investment of my time.
I absolutely plan to pick up more of J.G. Faherty's work. I was impressed by the imagery he was able to evoke with his words. Yikes.
Overall, The Wakening is an entertaining, pulse-racing, toe-curling, gag-inducing possession story!
Greetings, Geeks & Ghouls!
Halloween Weekend is FINALLY upon us. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Am I right?!
If you love possession stories, if you love an exorcism, if you love an exorcism gone wrong, may I present J.G. Faherty's, The Wakening, for your consideration. This could be the perfect weekend read for you!
This story follows a group of individuals, pulled together through an eerie set of circumstances, trying to save one small New York town from the grips of an ancient evil.
The story actually began over 50-years ago in a remote Guatemalan village, when a young Father Leo Bonaventura was called to assist a friend with a complicated exorcism.
Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well. In an effort to learn from that day, Bonaventura brings some evidence of that exorcism back with him to the United States to be studied. Ultimately depositing the objects at a University in upstate New York.
The University is in the small town of Hastings Mills. Over the years the town witnesses multiple atrocities, including an extremely vivid scene taking place in the abandoned attic room of one of the University buildings, when a group of students gathers to perform a seance.
I'm talking, extremely vivid. This was honestly my favorite scene of the entire book. It got my pulse racing. It seriously creeped me out. I could picture it all and the horror imagery was absolutely fantastic!!
It's a little difficult to explain the set-up of this one, but after the background of the paranormal activities of the town, we begin to follow a group of paranormal investigators who get called to assist with a young girl, Abigail, who appears to be possessed.
Stone Graves is their leader and he is the host of a reality paranormal show. The group gets to Abigail's home, much to the relief of Abby's father, a single-parent, and immediately begin filming.
It's clear that Abigail's issues are no farce, the adults find themselves in a true battle, not just for their lives, but for the lives of the entire town. How can one little girl be so powerful?
Father Bonaventura, now well past his prime, just may be the key to it all.
Dun, dun dun. Y'all, this book was pedal to the floor the entire way through. I hope I have given an intriguing enough synopsis to get at least some of you Horror fans interested.
I don't think it gets enough love yet, but we can change that. I appreciated the set-up of this so much. You can literally watch the timeline unfold of the horrors of this town.
And trust me, there are a lot of horrors happening with Abby's house being the center of it all. When I mentioned above it is pedal to the floor, I meant it. There are no pages and pages of nonsense waiting for something paranormal to occur, it is in your face all the time.
Sometimes, maybe it was too much. I can see how some Readers may feel that way. My one small criticism would be that I did feel it was a touch too long. There was so much happening at Abby's house that on occasion it began to feel a bit repetitive.
Also, this didn't bother me at all, but I feel like I should provide a caution for others, the entity involved is sort of a demon of lust and chaos. Therefore, their power seeping over the town can cause blatant acts of hyper-sexualization.
To be clear, you will find that on page. Again, didn't bother me, but if you feel you are sensitive to highly-sexual content, this may not be the book for you.
With this being said, I did love the build-up, including the set of characters that were brought together to battle the evil and the entire possession element. Even though it was a touch too long, I feel like it was worth the investment of my time.
I absolutely plan to pick up more of J.G. Faherty's work. I was impressed by the imagery he was able to evoke with his words. Yikes.
Overall, The Wakening is an entertaining, pulse-racing, toe-curling, gag-inducing possession story!
December 11, 2021
3.5/5
55 years ago, Father Bonaventura exorcized a demon from a child in Costa Rica. The demon vowed vengeance upon the priest, and now that time has come.
Little Abby Rawlings starts showing signs of being possessed and soon the entire town of Hastings Mills seems possessed too. Can a team of ghost hunters, including psychic twins, a disgraced former priest, and Father Bonaventura save Abby and the town?
This book is non stop action. Which is both good and bad. It's good in that it sucks you in from the get go and you want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next, but at the same time, it's a bit over the top.
The main characters were developed enough for a book that's focused more on action. We see self reflection and growth as the book progresses. There are multiple points of view in this book, and a lot of characters to keep track of. For the most part, though, I was able to do this without much confusion.
If you like horror or books about demonic possessions where the plot advances at a break neck pace, this is for you! Content warnings for this one include animal death, suicide, pedophilia, and religious blasphemy.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press, JG Flaherty, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book to review. All my opinions are my own.
55 years ago, Father Bonaventura exorcized a demon from a child in Costa Rica. The demon vowed vengeance upon the priest, and now that time has come.
Little Abby Rawlings starts showing signs of being possessed and soon the entire town of Hastings Mills seems possessed too. Can a team of ghost hunters, including psychic twins, a disgraced former priest, and Father Bonaventura save Abby and the town?
This book is non stop action. Which is both good and bad. It's good in that it sucks you in from the get go and you want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next, but at the same time, it's a bit over the top.
The main characters were developed enough for a book that's focused more on action. We see self reflection and growth as the book progresses. There are multiple points of view in this book, and a lot of characters to keep track of. For the most part, though, I was able to do this without much confusion.
If you like horror or books about demonic possessions where the plot advances at a break neck pace, this is for you! Content warnings for this one include animal death, suicide, pedophilia, and religious blasphemy.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press, JG Flaherty, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book to review. All my opinions are my own.
December 19, 2021
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Zooloos Book Tours.
TRIGGER WARNING: animal death, suicide, blasphemy, paedophilia.
The Wakening is a supernatural head spinner of a read.
More than 50 years ago, Father Bonaventura exercised a demon out of a child's body - the demons hold had reached other habitants of the village and wreaked havoc upon them all. As the demon was exercised it vowed vengeance upon Father Bonaventura.
Present day - A young girl in another small town is now showing signs of being possessed by a demon. This time the whole town has been possessed as-well. The demon wants vengeance and nothing will stop on its way,but can a band of mismatched experts save the people and expell the demons for good.
This book was very fast paced and rammed with action on every page. It was a page turner but instead admit it was a little stomach turning and extreme for me in places.
The characters were well thought out and developed within the story but there was quite a lot of them that in occasion I did get a little confused.
TRIGGER WARNING: animal death, suicide, blasphemy, paedophilia.
The Wakening is a supernatural head spinner of a read.
More than 50 years ago, Father Bonaventura exercised a demon out of a child's body - the demons hold had reached other habitants of the village and wreaked havoc upon them all. As the demon was exercised it vowed vengeance upon Father Bonaventura.
Present day - A young girl in another small town is now showing signs of being possessed by a demon. This time the whole town has been possessed as-well. The demon wants vengeance and nothing will stop on its way,but can a band of mismatched experts save the people and expell the demons for good.
This book was very fast paced and rammed with action on every page. It was a page turner but instead admit it was a little stomach turning and extreme for me in places.
The characters were well thought out and developed within the story but there was quite a lot of them that in occasion I did get a little confused.
February 27, 2022
3.5 Stars
I love possession stories so I was naturally biased to enjoy this novel. I loved the Catholic focus in this story and found Father Leo to be an immediately likeable character.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story with a fast paced and engaging narrative. The exorcism and possession scenes were particularly intense and memorable.
I would recommend it to readers who (like myself) cannot get enough of possession fiction.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review
I love possession stories so I was naturally biased to enjoy this novel. I loved the Catholic focus in this story and found Father Leo to be an immediately likeable character.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story with a fast paced and engaging narrative. The exorcism and possession scenes were particularly intense and memorable.
I would recommend it to readers who (like myself) cannot get enough of possession fiction.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review
December 10, 2021
Enjoyable overall but not without its flaws.
Its a story of possession and exorcisms, poltergeists, pedophile priests, ghost hunters, the whole shebang!
It starts off at a 10 and doesnt really let up until the last page. The opening chapters will grab your attention for sure and had sucked me right in. Unfortunately the book never reaches the heights of the opening.
Although I did enjoy this one to a point, its real problem was it being at a 10 more or less throughout the whole book. Little light and shade, just full on throughout. It made the impact of the shocking or big scenes much less than they should have been. Think of those 80s action flicks that were just pure action throughout with little story - this book is nearly like the Exorcist version of that. Its just too much and your interest wanes as you move from one set piece to another.
The book also felt incredibly long for the story it told and could have done with trimming at least 50 pages off the read total.
Criticism aside, I did enjoy this one overall, just not as much as I though I would after reading the first few chapters. It has some really interesting ideas and angles here despite obviously being hugely influenced by The Exorcist, but maybe it had too many ideas for its own good.
Anyway, a solid 3 star book. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
Its a story of possession and exorcisms, poltergeists, pedophile priests, ghost hunters, the whole shebang!
It starts off at a 10 and doesnt really let up until the last page. The opening chapters will grab your attention for sure and had sucked me right in. Unfortunately the book never reaches the heights of the opening.
Although I did enjoy this one to a point, its real problem was it being at a 10 more or less throughout the whole book. Little light and shade, just full on throughout. It made the impact of the shocking or big scenes much less than they should have been. Think of those 80s action flicks that were just pure action throughout with little story - this book is nearly like the Exorcist version of that. Its just too much and your interest wanes as you move from one set piece to another.
The book also felt incredibly long for the story it told and could have done with trimming at least 50 pages off the read total.
Criticism aside, I did enjoy this one overall, just not as much as I though I would after reading the first few chapters. It has some really interesting ideas and angles here despite obviously being hugely influenced by The Exorcist, but maybe it had too many ideas for its own good.
Anyway, a solid 3 star book. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
February 18, 2022
Half a century ago, a young priest was called to the jungle to help with an exorcism. Though he was successful, the demon vowed to come back for Father Bonaventura someday.
30 years ago, a group of friends attempted a séance in a haunted dorm and woke a sleeping evil.
One year ago, little Abby Rawlings began suffering the torments of unseen forces. Unable to cope, her father calls for help, bringing in a group of paranormal experts who do not believe in demons but intend to either debunk these supernatural goings on or possibly clear the home of poltergeist activity.
A little slice of hell has come to the town of Hastings Mills and it's growing day by day. Before long the non believers will be forced to face the truth. Whatever is tormenting Abby is not confined to her and they can not handle this alone. Father Bonaventura has grown old and frail, but he may be the only hope.
There are a lot of characters to unpack and get to know here. It took me some time to get everyone straight. I did once have to flip back closer to the beginning to get the names of those who were present at the séance to make sure I was clear on the attendees, so pay attention there, it matters later on, these things are all connected.
I don't think I have been so freaked out since I read the story that inspired a head spinning Linda Blair to visit my nightmares in my teens. The earlier events in the book that introduce the characters and set the scene are chilling enough, but as the book progresses into full throttle hell on earth it makes those earlier incidents seem mild by comparison. This is a good vs evil story of epic proportions. The action just never lets up.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
30 years ago, a group of friends attempted a séance in a haunted dorm and woke a sleeping evil.
One year ago, little Abby Rawlings began suffering the torments of unseen forces. Unable to cope, her father calls for help, bringing in a group of paranormal experts who do not believe in demons but intend to either debunk these supernatural goings on or possibly clear the home of poltergeist activity.
A little slice of hell has come to the town of Hastings Mills and it's growing day by day. Before long the non believers will be forced to face the truth. Whatever is tormenting Abby is not confined to her and they can not handle this alone. Father Bonaventura has grown old and frail, but he may be the only hope.
There are a lot of characters to unpack and get to know here. It took me some time to get everyone straight. I did once have to flip back closer to the beginning to get the names of those who were present at the séance to make sure I was clear on the attendees, so pay attention there, it matters later on, these things are all connected.
I don't think I have been so freaked out since I read the story that inspired a head spinning Linda Blair to visit my nightmares in my teens. The earlier events in the book that introduce the characters and set the scene are chilling enough, but as the book progresses into full throttle hell on earth it makes those earlier incidents seem mild by comparison. This is a good vs evil story of epic proportions. The action just never lets up.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
November 15, 2021
I feel like I just barely crawled out of a supernatural battlefield filled with green ooze, spinning furniture, levitating children and possessed priests. Every page was filled with some supernatural occurrence. If you've been looking for an over the top religious-horror based on exorcism, this is the novel for you!
The town of Hastings Mills, NY has been plagued by a swarm of poltergeist following the influence of the Demon Asmodeus. There's fires breaking out and people are either committing suicide, murder or having orgies in public areas. In the midst of it all is a possesed little girl named Abby. Father Bonaventura, a priest with a dark secret, a pair of eerie twin sisters with psychic abilities and a team of paranormal investigators team up to stop the demon from spreading its evil.
I love stories about possesion, religious horror in general tends to freak me out. This book certainly had moments where I genuinely felt scared and unsettled. The possesed child in this book makes Regan look like Mickey Mouse.
However, as much as I praise Faherty for writing such immersive nightmarish scenarios, I became a little overwhelmed with the amount of things happening back to back. From acid rain, to earthquakes and raining frogs there was a lot going on that ultimately took away any shock factor. Not to mention the multiple perspectives of various different characters I also had to keep up.
Overall, minus the pedophile priests - it's a good exorcism horror novel and there was never a dull moment. I admire the author's creativity, he has lots of great ideas, but maybe too many ingredients were mixed into the pot... If action packed horror is your jam, look out for The Wakening by JG Faherty, set to be published 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟴𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars.
⚠️ Cᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ Wᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: ꜱᴇx, ᴘᴇᴅᴏᴘʜɪʟɪᴀ, ᴀɴɪᴍᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ, ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ, ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏᴜꜱ ʙʟᴀꜱᴘʜᴇᴍʏ, ɢᴏʀᴇ
Thank you NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The town of Hastings Mills, NY has been plagued by a swarm of poltergeist following the influence of the Demon Asmodeus. There's fires breaking out and people are either committing suicide, murder or having orgies in public areas. In the midst of it all is a possesed little girl named Abby. Father Bonaventura, a priest with a dark secret, a pair of eerie twin sisters with psychic abilities and a team of paranormal investigators team up to stop the demon from spreading its evil.
I love stories about possesion, religious horror in general tends to freak me out. This book certainly had moments where I genuinely felt scared and unsettled. The possesed child in this book makes Regan look like Mickey Mouse.
However, as much as I praise Faherty for writing such immersive nightmarish scenarios, I became a little overwhelmed with the amount of things happening back to back. From acid rain, to earthquakes and raining frogs there was a lot going on that ultimately took away any shock factor. Not to mention the multiple perspectives of various different characters I also had to keep up.
Overall, minus the pedophile priests - it's a good exorcism horror novel and there was never a dull moment. I admire the author's creativity, he has lots of great ideas, but maybe too many ingredients were mixed into the pot... If action packed horror is your jam, look out for The Wakening by JG Faherty, set to be published 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟴𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars.
⚠️ Cᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ Wᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: ꜱᴇx, ᴘᴇᴅᴏᴘʜɪʟɪᴀ, ᴀɴɪᴍᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ, ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ, ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏᴜꜱ ʙʟᴀꜱᴘʜᴇᴍʏ, ɢᴏʀᴇ
Thank you NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2021
The demon Asmodeus vowed revenged against Father Bonaventura decades ago and the time for revenge has come. As the Father lies in hospital recovering from surgery, a paranormal investigation team is in town to investigate unusual events in a home involving a child. In the span of a week things go from strange childhood behavior to bizarre and dangerous rainstorms and many of the town residents become crazy with lust, suicidal and murderous. Synchronicity is at play too, as the main characters begin to realize that they’re connected in some way to each other and to the damned town.
The Wakening takes evil and demonic possession to an extreme level, maybe a little bit too extreme. If this were a movie I’d say that the special effects were over done. The pages of green goo dripping down walls and spilling from the child, descriptions of stink, spinning beds, doors banging repeatedly, and levitation seemed to repeat and repeat. The effects and the wild mayhem kind of blew this into never never land, Still, It made for a fun, not scary, read with some likable characters that I did find myself caring about.
#netgalley #TheWakening
The Wakening takes evil and demonic possession to an extreme level, maybe a little bit too extreme. If this were a movie I’d say that the special effects were over done. The pages of green goo dripping down walls and spilling from the child, descriptions of stink, spinning beds, doors banging repeatedly, and levitation seemed to repeat and repeat. The effects and the wild mayhem kind of blew this into never never land, Still, It made for a fun, not scary, read with some likable characters that I did find myself caring about.
#netgalley #TheWakening
January 27, 2022
Hastings Mills is a typical small town in upstate New York, filled with… Well, that’s the point really. It’s a town that, for some reason, is enjoying far more than its due share of evil. Murders, suicides, possession. You name it, and this small town seems to have it. In abundance. But why?
Father Leo Bonaventura has some of the answers. During the exorcism of a young boy in Central America, he encountered the demon Asmodeus, one of the seven princes of Hell. If you’re looking for a powerful entity whose evil knows no limit, Asmodeus is the perfect choice.
The story leads us through decades of history to an extremely ill-advised séance, involving an Ouija board. Needless to say, the participants were never the same again. Then, one year ago, everything kicked off. The very town itself kicked off. It was the time Hell came to Hastings Mills, liked it and took up residence there.
I was swept up by The Wakening. The cast of characters amassed by the author makes for a fascinating bunch. In every case, they are flawed individuals. They are certainly a group of people that, in other circumstances, would probably never have met. In addition to Graves and Father Leo, we meet a strange pair of psychic twins, a defrocked priest (Robert Lockhart) and a friend of his. The latter two were involved in the aforementioned Ouija session.
The Wakening echoes classics such as The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror, and cranks it up a notch. Hastings Mills develops into a character of its own rather than a mere setting and this adds a whole new dimension to the shocking events that take place there.
With this epic story, J.G. Faherty lays out a cornucopia of horrific delights, a demon dripping with evil and, as for the town… Let’s just say that should you find yourself on the highway and see a turning sign for Hastings Mills, keep on driving. As far away and as fast as you can. But if you enjoy classic, scary demonic horror, grab yourself a copy of The Wakening.
Father Leo Bonaventura has some of the answers. During the exorcism of a young boy in Central America, he encountered the demon Asmodeus, one of the seven princes of Hell. If you’re looking for a powerful entity whose evil knows no limit, Asmodeus is the perfect choice.
The story leads us through decades of history to an extremely ill-advised séance, involving an Ouija board. Needless to say, the participants were never the same again. Then, one year ago, everything kicked off. The very town itself kicked off. It was the time Hell came to Hastings Mills, liked it and took up residence there.
I was swept up by The Wakening. The cast of characters amassed by the author makes for a fascinating bunch. In every case, they are flawed individuals. They are certainly a group of people that, in other circumstances, would probably never have met. In addition to Graves and Father Leo, we meet a strange pair of psychic twins, a defrocked priest (Robert Lockhart) and a friend of his. The latter two were involved in the aforementioned Ouija session.
The Wakening echoes classics such as The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror, and cranks it up a notch. Hastings Mills develops into a character of its own rather than a mere setting and this adds a whole new dimension to the shocking events that take place there.
With this epic story, J.G. Faherty lays out a cornucopia of horrific delights, a demon dripping with evil and, as for the town… Let’s just say that should you find yourself on the highway and see a turning sign for Hastings Mills, keep on driving. As far away and as fast as you can. But if you enjoy classic, scary demonic horror, grab yourself a copy of The Wakening.
January 26, 2022
Faherty delivers a demonic possession tale done right. Chilling supernatural events and depictions of pure evil populate a story that spans decades without effort. This story of characters, both tragic and heroic, converging from across the country to keep a powerful demon at bay will keep you turning pages deep into the night, which is the worst possible time to read a book this unnerving.
February 3, 2022
3.5 rounded up to 4. Fifty years ago, Father Leo Bonaventura, a young exorcist, cast a demon out from a young boy in Central America. The demon, Asmodeus, vowed revenge. Now the demon has returned, in the same town where Bonaventura is a retired priest nearing the end of his life. In a series of not-so-coincidental events, the possession of a young girl brings together an unlikely group of people, all of whom are linked in their pasts in some way: A group of paranormal investigators, including twin psychics. Robert Lockhart, a defrocked priest with a dark secret that only the twins know. A father whose dead wife was a college girlfriend of Robert’s and once conjured an evil spirit with him through a Ouiji board. Now they must all join forces and help Father Bonaventura rid the town not only of Asmodeus, but also the plague of poltergeists that have followed the demon into our world.
This one was fricking downright terrifying at times.
With vibes of Blatty’s The Exorcist, The Wakening narrates the tale of a select group of people who have had the unfortunate luck to cross paths with the demon of lust… Asmodeus.
Faherty depicts their struggles and attempts to thwart the demon and expel it back to hell, but as usual nothing is ever easy; as Asmodeus uses the groups flaws and sins to corrupt and turn them against each other in his bid for power, you’re left right until the end wondering if they succeed.
Filled with horror, tension and mayhem this book is definitely not for the faint hearted, and deals with issues of sexual assault and abuse that some readers may struggle with.
This one was fricking downright terrifying at times.
With vibes of Blatty’s The Exorcist, The Wakening narrates the tale of a select group of people who have had the unfortunate luck to cross paths with the demon of lust… Asmodeus.
Faherty depicts their struggles and attempts to thwart the demon and expel it back to hell, but as usual nothing is ever easy; as Asmodeus uses the groups flaws and sins to corrupt and turn them against each other in his bid for power, you’re left right until the end wondering if they succeed.
Filled with horror, tension and mayhem this book is definitely not for the faint hearted, and deals with issues of sexual assault and abuse that some readers may struggle with.
November 10, 2021
This is another cracking read from JG Faherty! After reading, Sins of the Father (another awesome story by this author) I had high hopes for The Wakening and boy, the story does not disappoint.
From the very first page, you are dragged into this story and deposited into a world of possession and exorcisms and a demon with a taste for vengeance against a priest. Each page crackles along at an awesome pace, building up the tension to the fantastic denouement!
Highly recommend this for all horror fans.
From the very first page, you are dragged into this story and deposited into a world of possession and exorcisms and a demon with a taste for vengeance against a priest. Each page crackles along at an awesome pace, building up the tension to the fantastic denouement!
Highly recommend this for all horror fans.
Read
November 2, 2021The Wakenings an exorcism story that involves an eclectic group of characters. While there were a few chapters that did seem to have inconsistent pacing with the novel's fast pace, it was difficult to put down. I would recommend this book for fans of supernatural horror!
Thanks to the author for the advanced readers copy!
I am also publishing this review on my blog: http://glamorousbookgal.blogspot.com/...
Thanks to the author for the advanced readers copy!
I am also publishing this review on my blog: http://glamorousbookgal.blogspot.com/...
November 3, 2021
For fans of The Exorcist, Conjuring, Ed & Lorraine Warren, and Paranormal Activity.
A thrillingly mysterious novel that keeps you on your toes. A page turner that keeps you wondering what will go bump next.
A thrillingly mysterious novel that keeps you on your toes. A page turner that keeps you wondering what will go bump next.
December 18, 2021
The Wakening is just non-stop rip roaring, demonic action from the get go!
As a young priest, Father Bonaventura drives out a demon by the name of Asmodeus out of a small village in Guatemala. The demon vows revenge. Now an old man, near the end of his life, strange things start happening in his hometown. Is Asmodeus back to finish what he started all those years ago?
The intriguing storyline was backed up by a cast of unusual characters. The ones I found most fascinating were the twin psychics, Claudia and Shari, and all the strange things that seemed to happen around them.
I can't say too much more about the story, as I don't want to give away spoilers and keep that mystery for you, but the story is cleverly intertwined with plenty of shocks along the way.
My issue with the story was there were a lot of points of view in the book, which made it a little hard to keep track of who was who, but of course, that's just my opinion.
A little warning: the book contains graphic violence, sex, suicide and references to paedophilia.
The Wakening is not for the faint of heart, but if you love creepy, action packed horror, then this is a must for you.
As a young priest, Father Bonaventura drives out a demon by the name of Asmodeus out of a small village in Guatemala. The demon vows revenge. Now an old man, near the end of his life, strange things start happening in his hometown. Is Asmodeus back to finish what he started all those years ago?
The intriguing storyline was backed up by a cast of unusual characters. The ones I found most fascinating were the twin psychics, Claudia and Shari, and all the strange things that seemed to happen around them.
I can't say too much more about the story, as I don't want to give away spoilers and keep that mystery for you, but the story is cleverly intertwined with plenty of shocks along the way.
My issue with the story was there were a lot of points of view in the book, which made it a little hard to keep track of who was who, but of course, that's just my opinion.
A little warning: the book contains graphic violence, sex, suicide and references to paedophilia.
The Wakening is not for the faint of heart, but if you love creepy, action packed horror, then this is a must for you.
March 7, 2022
This book is full of every cliche I have ever read/experienced in the horror genre and I hated just about every second of it. I didn't give a damn about any of the characters and although the plot was full of things happening, it felt like I was wading through molasses...nothing felt like it was going anywhere. I forced myself to finish it and was glad when it was over.
January 20, 2022
3 ½ stars
Overall, I had a good time with this novel. It took a few chapters for me to settle in—too many characters in nonstop action sequences—but once the dust settled it was a comfortable read. The whole premise of an entity back into action sure reminds the classic of all classics The Exorcist but Faherty goes one step further and creates some originality in his plot, making it rather interesting. I’d love to say what it is but I trust that you’ll go check it out for yourself. Not really scary but highly entertaining, THE WAKENING should please fans who like their novels fast-paced and narratively decent. Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC.
Overall, I had a good time with this novel. It took a few chapters for me to settle in—too many characters in nonstop action sequences—but once the dust settled it was a comfortable read. The whole premise of an entity back into action sure reminds the classic of all classics The Exorcist but Faherty goes one step further and creates some originality in his plot, making it rather interesting. I’d love to say what it is but I trust that you’ll go check it out for yourself. Not really scary but highly entertaining, THE WAKENING should please fans who like their novels fast-paced and narratively decent. Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 23, 2022
Of all the multiple types of Horror, I think one of the most frightening for me as a reader is the trope of Demonic Possession. This trope implies by its nature that Evil will always triumph over Good, it's presented as implacable, and if Evil is victorious, not only human lives will be taken (usually that of the host human plus all the priests conducting exorcisms, but often family of the host and possibly friends). Then each time, I spend a lot of consideration and thought pondering what it means to lose not only one's natural lifetime, but also one's Soul. It's mind-breaking.
March 13, 2023
That. Was. Intense!
THE WAKENING by JG Faherty ticked off all of the boxes for me: possession, poltergeists, characters you love and those you can’t help but hate, clipped chapters that pulsate with tension, and the perfect ending—though the last scene broke my heart, as a Horror Fan—I Loved It!
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for providing me with an eBook of THE WAKENING at the request of an honest review.
THE WAKENING by JG Faherty ticked off all of the boxes for me: possession, poltergeists, characters you love and those you can’t help but hate, clipped chapters that pulsate with tension, and the perfect ending—though the last scene broke my heart, as a Horror Fan—I Loved It!
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for providing me with an eBook of THE WAKENING at the request of an honest review.
January 19, 2022
I loved this book, it gripped me from the very first page all the way to the end.
At the beginning we meet quite a few characters and as a reader you have to remain focused – I promise you that all the characters are connected and it will make sense later on.
The story first starts in the past where we meet Father Leo Bonaventura, a young priest and an exorcist, who performs an exorcism on a 12 year-old Guatemalan boy. The powerful demon who possessed the young boy is called Asmodeus, a Prince of Hell, and a personification of lust. That fateful day Asmodeus left the boy’s boy, but vowed he will return.
Few years later, Father Leo receives a transfer from Boston to a smaller of town of Hastings Mills. He accepts as it means he will have a parish of his own and a teaching position at the St. Alphonse University. What he doesn’t know is that the fifth floor of the University building is supposedly haunted…
Ominous occurrences happened in Hastings Mills in the past: Father Bonaventura’s predecessor, Father Bonnan, jumped from a window. Was it really a suicide? One October night at the university, a group of teenagers decided to talk to spirits through the Ouija board with horrific consequences: one of them died, other two were maimed for life, and the remaining four suffered injuries. Who was the ‘spirit’ they conjured? Was it Asmodeus?
Fast forward a couple of decades: Stone Graves, a paranormal TV investigator travels to Hastings Mills with his crew consisting of four people. He received a phone call from a former colleague, Randi Zimmerman also a paranormal investigator, asking for help with suspected poltergeist activity in a house of Curt and Abby Rawlings.
Things really turn for the worse in Hastings Mills: frogs drop from the sky within the vicinity of the Rawlings’s house and a rock rain also surrounds their house. Soon, the events spread to other town residents including a fire killing two people, people feeling uncontrollable lust towards one another, and others killing each other.
Father Bonaventura is an aged man with dementia, recovering from surgery. He is called by an old acquaintance to help banish Asmodeus for good. Can he really do it before it’s too late?
You’ll have to read this book for yourselves to find out. I really enjoyed it – it reminded me of young Stephen King novels. I was actually quite spooked whilst reading it as the descriptions of the events were so vivid. It would make an excellent horror movie!
At the beginning we meet quite a few characters and as a reader you have to remain focused – I promise you that all the characters are connected and it will make sense later on.
The story first starts in the past where we meet Father Leo Bonaventura, a young priest and an exorcist, who performs an exorcism on a 12 year-old Guatemalan boy. The powerful demon who possessed the young boy is called Asmodeus, a Prince of Hell, and a personification of lust. That fateful day Asmodeus left the boy’s boy, but vowed he will return.
Few years later, Father Leo receives a transfer from Boston to a smaller of town of Hastings Mills. He accepts as it means he will have a parish of his own and a teaching position at the St. Alphonse University. What he doesn’t know is that the fifth floor of the University building is supposedly haunted…
Ominous occurrences happened in Hastings Mills in the past: Father Bonaventura’s predecessor, Father Bonnan, jumped from a window. Was it really a suicide? One October night at the university, a group of teenagers decided to talk to spirits through the Ouija board with horrific consequences: one of them died, other two were maimed for life, and the remaining four suffered injuries. Who was the ‘spirit’ they conjured? Was it Asmodeus?
Fast forward a couple of decades: Stone Graves, a paranormal TV investigator travels to Hastings Mills with his crew consisting of four people. He received a phone call from a former colleague, Randi Zimmerman also a paranormal investigator, asking for help with suspected poltergeist activity in a house of Curt and Abby Rawlings.
Things really turn for the worse in Hastings Mills: frogs drop from the sky within the vicinity of the Rawlings’s house and a rock rain also surrounds their house. Soon, the events spread to other town residents including a fire killing two people, people feeling uncontrollable lust towards one another, and others killing each other.
Father Bonaventura is an aged man with dementia, recovering from surgery. He is called by an old acquaintance to help banish Asmodeus for good. Can he really do it before it’s too late?
You’ll have to read this book for yourselves to find out. I really enjoyed it – it reminded me of young Stephen King novels. I was actually quite spooked whilst reading it as the descriptions of the events were so vivid. It would make an excellent horror movie!
January 20, 2022
A story spanning five decades, in search of an entity that shows no signs of being defeated. Paranormal investigators, priests, telepathic twins, possessed children, frightful adults, ouija boards, exorcisms, poltergeists, ghosts and demons – The Wakening is a smorgasbord of horror that brings together all the elements that make up the genre.
Fifty years ago, a young priest, Father Leo, banished a demon during an exorcism in Central America. It is back to seek revenge, bringing a now-retired Leo to confront his old enemies in the cursed town of Hastings Mills. In a series of interconnected events spread through each decade, children are possessed, spirits are called upon by reckless teenagers, and adults face their own inner demons, as secrets from the past threaten to unleash in the present. Just as the human characters are connected across place and time, the entities also forge a unique connection of their own. What has resurrected the demon? Who has followed it, and who is wreaking havoc in its name?
JG Faherty engages the reader from the first page till the last. The story doesn’t falter for a minute, even though the events of past and present alternate in an interwoven timeline. The narrative is easy to follow, leaving the reader guessing at every step of the way about the connections between the humans and non-humans. The points of view keep changing within chapters, and there are several characters to keep track of (in their childhood, adolescence and adulthood) through fifty years of the storyline. There’s a lot happening at every point, and a lot to take in for the reader. But Faherty maintains a smooth pace throughout – the story is easy to follow and never gets boring or confusing.
Faherty is a great writer and his descriptions of the various stages of possession are the highlights of the book. He transports the reader right in the middle of the inner and outer devastation. It’s almost like watching a movie. The novel is neatly balanced with research and imagination, and strikes the right blend of mystery, thriller and horror. With a range of themes that address domestic violence, child abuse, addictions and bullying, Faherty raises the question of who the real demons are. And this central arc serves as the standout feature of the novel – the coming-together of the supernatural world and the real world; each one more frightening than the other in the horrors they present.
Fifty years ago, a young priest, Father Leo, banished a demon during an exorcism in Central America. It is back to seek revenge, bringing a now-retired Leo to confront his old enemies in the cursed town of Hastings Mills. In a series of interconnected events spread through each decade, children are possessed, spirits are called upon by reckless teenagers, and adults face their own inner demons, as secrets from the past threaten to unleash in the present. Just as the human characters are connected across place and time, the entities also forge a unique connection of their own. What has resurrected the demon? Who has followed it, and who is wreaking havoc in its name?
JG Faherty engages the reader from the first page till the last. The story doesn’t falter for a minute, even though the events of past and present alternate in an interwoven timeline. The narrative is easy to follow, leaving the reader guessing at every step of the way about the connections between the humans and non-humans. The points of view keep changing within chapters, and there are several characters to keep track of (in their childhood, adolescence and adulthood) through fifty years of the storyline. There’s a lot happening at every point, and a lot to take in for the reader. But Faherty maintains a smooth pace throughout – the story is easy to follow and never gets boring or confusing.
Faherty is a great writer and his descriptions of the various stages of possession are the highlights of the book. He transports the reader right in the middle of the inner and outer devastation. It’s almost like watching a movie. The novel is neatly balanced with research and imagination, and strikes the right blend of mystery, thriller and horror. With a range of themes that address domestic violence, child abuse, addictions and bullying, Faherty raises the question of who the real demons are. And this central arc serves as the standout feature of the novel – the coming-together of the supernatural world and the real world; each one more frightening than the other in the horrors they present.
December 17, 2021
It’s a long time since I’ve read a book in this genre. It’s like Dennis Wheatley meets Ghostbusters with a bit of The Exorcist thrown in for good measure. Anyone in my age bracket will remember the scene in A Devil Rides Out where the protagonists form a protected circle and fight off a giant tarantula – ‘don’t leave the circle’, finally throwing holy water at it. The film ends with Christopher Lee reciting the final words of the ‘Susamma Ritual’ to cast out the devil. Great stuff!
But in The Wakening, instead of the ‘Goat of Mendes’ ie the devil himself, we have one of his minions, a demon called Asmodeus, except this one has five heads (one of which happens to be a goat), who has returned to get revenge on Father Leo Bonaventura (the priest and exorcist, who originally cast him out) by possessing the body of a young girl and making the townspeople hold orgies, jump off cliffs and kill each other.
Robert Lockhart, a defrocked priest, has conducted numerous unofficial exorcisms, but he has a very dark and sinister past. Together with a group of reality show ghosthunters and twin psychics, 'Bobby' and Father Leo must band together to fight the evil which is gripping the small town of Hastings Mills. But why this town in particular? It appears there are links to a number of other incidents of demonic possession over the years.
And did I mention poltergeists? Lots of them and they seem to be attracted to Asmodeus and enjoy throwing pictures, toys and furniture around.
This is not a book for the squeamish or faint-hearted. It can be quite graphic at times and includes demonic possession, orgies, weeping and gnashing of teeth, extreme violence, sex and nudity. So if that’s just up your street, go for it.
Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
But in The Wakening, instead of the ‘Goat of Mendes’ ie the devil himself, we have one of his minions, a demon called Asmodeus, except this one has five heads (one of which happens to be a goat), who has returned to get revenge on Father Leo Bonaventura (the priest and exorcist, who originally cast him out) by possessing the body of a young girl and making the townspeople hold orgies, jump off cliffs and kill each other.
Robert Lockhart, a defrocked priest, has conducted numerous unofficial exorcisms, but he has a very dark and sinister past. Together with a group of reality show ghosthunters and twin psychics, 'Bobby' and Father Leo must band together to fight the evil which is gripping the small town of Hastings Mills. But why this town in particular? It appears there are links to a number of other incidents of demonic possession over the years.
And did I mention poltergeists? Lots of them and they seem to be attracted to Asmodeus and enjoy throwing pictures, toys and furniture around.
This is not a book for the squeamish or faint-hearted. It can be quite graphic at times and includes demonic possession, orgies, weeping and gnashing of teeth, extreme violence, sex and nudity. So if that’s just up your street, go for it.
Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
April 7, 2022
A terrifying dark story that will have you questioning what you thought you knew about faith and about the supernatural. “The Wakening” by JG Faherty is a thoroughly researched, tautly written novel you’ll want to read more than once -- first to keep up with the exciting and fast-moving plot, and a second read for nuance. There is a whole lot going on, and it’s all worth your attention.
A collegiate town in upstate New York becomes a battlefield between a retired priest with a fresh Alzehimer’s diagnosis, and a powerful Prince of Hell, banished but not defeated by the priest decades earlier. Along the way, you’ll encounter urban legend, a Ouija ritual gone bad, a slasher-level kill count, dangerous children, psychic twins, a defrocked pervert priest, and a ghost-hunting reality-TV star and his crew who only want to prove that the supernatural exists. There’s even some romance.
Faherty weaves together a net of characters connected as if by Fate. However, Fate, in this case, is the demon Asmodeus, whose influence creeps through this story like black mold, infecting every member of the ensemble cast of characters.
Told from various points of view and in different time frames, Faherty brings us to Hastings Mills, New York to explore a haunted house. When the haunting begins to look more like demonic possession, documentary filmmaker Stone Graves and his crew are forced to question everything they thought they knew about the supernatural – and about themselves.
It’s a true testament to Faherty’s clear writing and well-designed plot that, despite a complex web of storylines, the story is easy to follow. Read this book. And then try to tell yourself it’d be cool to visit a haunted house.
A collegiate town in upstate New York becomes a battlefield between a retired priest with a fresh Alzehimer’s diagnosis, and a powerful Prince of Hell, banished but not defeated by the priest decades earlier. Along the way, you’ll encounter urban legend, a Ouija ritual gone bad, a slasher-level kill count, dangerous children, psychic twins, a defrocked pervert priest, and a ghost-hunting reality-TV star and his crew who only want to prove that the supernatural exists. There’s even some romance.
Faherty weaves together a net of characters connected as if by Fate. However, Fate, in this case, is the demon Asmodeus, whose influence creeps through this story like black mold, infecting every member of the ensemble cast of characters.
Told from various points of view and in different time frames, Faherty brings us to Hastings Mills, New York to explore a haunted house. When the haunting begins to look more like demonic possession, documentary filmmaker Stone Graves and his crew are forced to question everything they thought they knew about the supernatural – and about themselves.
It’s a true testament to Faherty’s clear writing and well-designed plot that, despite a complex web of storylines, the story is easy to follow. Read this book. And then try to tell yourself it’d be cool to visit a haunted house.
December 22, 2021
Umm where to begin with this one. It starts off as it means to go on, brutal, shocking, elements of the supernatural. A young priest is called to evict a demon that has taken possession of a young boy. The demon, Asmodeus leaves, but vows this is not the end and will return.
The story then follows a variety of characters, in modern times, and back in the past, who all have a different experience of the supernatural.
The twins, Claudia and Shari, are fun characters, the peadophilic priests slighly uncomfortable.
The pace of the book is crazy, it starts off at 100mph and doesnt let up at any point. That is huge credit to the writer, as thats not an easy skill. He throws every trope of possession at this. There is some acid rain chucked in, earthquakes, levitating beds, promiscuous sex.
There is a huge Exorcist vibe about this book, I think it would make an interesting film, but i'm not sure its one that would ever be made, unless certain parts were cut out.
I cared about some of the characters. The time line does jump around a lot, and it does jump between a lot of characters. It becomes clear there are links between them, if you havent lost the thread of who is who and where they are and their place in the story.
This is an out and out horror, and for fans of the genre is a must read.
The story then follows a variety of characters, in modern times, and back in the past, who all have a different experience of the supernatural.
The twins, Claudia and Shari, are fun characters, the peadophilic priests slighly uncomfortable.
The pace of the book is crazy, it starts off at 100mph and doesnt let up at any point. That is huge credit to the writer, as thats not an easy skill. He throws every trope of possession at this. There is some acid rain chucked in, earthquakes, levitating beds, promiscuous sex.
There is a huge Exorcist vibe about this book, I think it would make an interesting film, but i'm not sure its one that would ever be made, unless certain parts were cut out.
I cared about some of the characters. The time line does jump around a lot, and it does jump between a lot of characters. It becomes clear there are links between them, if you havent lost the thread of who is who and where they are and their place in the story.
This is an out and out horror, and for fans of the genre is a must read.
February 18, 2022
Faherty another new voice of horror that should be read by fans of the genre and fans of a good read, gives us another remarkable book about exorcism and media. He weaves a story that gives nods to exorcism books and novels such as Exorcist, and puts his own unique spin on them to take control and command of a plot that could come up derivative and stale but makes it remarkable, important and one that needs to be read.
Faherty loves to keep his readers off balance by giving a book that doesn’t hit the horror normal beats but gives you something unique and fresh. The Wakening characters are strongly well written and keeps the reader invested while the plot keeps you on the end of your seat. You do not want to go on because it delves into a very dark world that you wonder if any light will ever come to be being.
This is an excellent read and Faherty never disappoints. Although people tend to go on and on about horror being primarily Stephen King, there are new voices out there that speaks to today and have their own unique voice, vision and expertise and Faherty is one of those writers. Another excellent book with three dimensional characters, well written plot and a narrative that never bores but excites. A definite must read.
Faherty loves to keep his readers off balance by giving a book that doesn’t hit the horror normal beats but gives you something unique and fresh. The Wakening characters are strongly well written and keeps the reader invested while the plot keeps you on the end of your seat. You do not want to go on because it delves into a very dark world that you wonder if any light will ever come to be being.
This is an excellent read and Faherty never disappoints. Although people tend to go on and on about horror being primarily Stephen King, there are new voices out there that speaks to today and have their own unique voice, vision and expertise and Faherty is one of those writers. Another excellent book with three dimensional characters, well written plot and a narrative that never bores but excites. A definite must read.
December 21, 2021
The Wakening by JG Faherty is a story about demonic possession that spans 55 years. Father Leo Bonaventura is a priest who first faces a demon, a Prince of Hell, named Asmodeus in a small village in Guatemala 55 years ago. He helps perform an exorcism, but the demon vows that it will get revenge. Fast forward to a year ago and a little girl named Abby Rawlings appears to be possessed by a demon. A ghost hunter calls for backup from a TV supernatural hunting team. Together they try to find out how to help Abby while simultaneously proving the existence of the supernatural. So begins a crazy story of how the this team of meddling ghost hunters try to thwart a demon who is so powerful that its influence can literally corrupt an entire town of people. Can they save Abby and the town from this demon?
The Wakening is full force action right from the start of the book. I enjoyed reading it, but there were a lot of characters and time periods to keep up with throughout the story. Overall, it all worked because you end up with an epic tale of demonic possession versus one episode. I enjoyed the book. This is my second book by JG Faherty, and I will definitely continue to read his works.
The Wakening is full force action right from the start of the book. I enjoyed reading it, but there were a lot of characters and time periods to keep up with throughout the story. Overall, it all worked because you end up with an epic tale of demonic possession versus one episode. I enjoyed the book. This is my second book by JG Faherty, and I will definitely continue to read his works.
February 5, 2022
This review contains mild spoilers.
The set up of the Awakening is pure Exorcist. Aging priest, traumatised by past exorcism and so on. As the story zooms out it builds into something more.
The character types are pulpy in the best possible way. The disgraced priest with a dark secret. The creepy psychic identical twins. The TV producer known as a sceptic who really believes. Flaherty sketches the characters out in enough detail to breath life into them.
The aspect that I found most disturbing was how Faherty explored a certain dark side of the Catholic Church. I haven't seen this explored like this before. It made for one of the most uncomfortable perspectives to be in.
Deeply uncomfortable, deeply disturbing.
These sequences were hard to read but affected me in a way horror of this kind should.
The Awakening feels like a horror paperback from the late 70s/80s in the best possible way. Faherty does everything he can to revive a dead horse. One that the horror industry has flogged senseless for decades now. It's a testament to him that so much of this feels fresh, even if the elements often feel familiar.
The set up of the Awakening is pure Exorcist. Aging priest, traumatised by past exorcism and so on. As the story zooms out it builds into something more.
The character types are pulpy in the best possible way. The disgraced priest with a dark secret. The creepy psychic identical twins. The TV producer known as a sceptic who really believes. Flaherty sketches the characters out in enough detail to breath life into them.
The aspect that I found most disturbing was how Faherty explored a certain dark side of the Catholic Church. I haven't seen this explored like this before. It made for one of the most uncomfortable perspectives to be in.
Deeply uncomfortable, deeply disturbing.
These sequences were hard to read but affected me in a way horror of this kind should.
The Awakening feels like a horror paperback from the late 70s/80s in the best possible way. Faherty does everything he can to revive a dead horse. One that the horror industry has flogged senseless for decades now. It's a testament to him that so much of this feels fresh, even if the elements often feel familiar.
March 1, 2025
Honestly, this just isn't very good. I enjoyed the beginning, although it has the usual problems of too many narrators and writing that needs some polishing, but the last half or so was a real slog. The characters were empty, the possession slipped into trying to describe ever more fantastical versions of the same thing in a way that ended up reading like a synopsis of a movie that could only afford 4 effects, and frankly it was difficult following what was happening. There's also a seriously weird thread going on with the pedophilia stuff - more or less, it's bad because God says so but fine so long as the perpetrator does at the end? Sexual violence is oddly portrayed as a crime that has very little to do with the victim all the way through. It's not the main thing that stood out but is worth mentioning because while I was fine with it for a while by the end it had got weird enough that I was fairly uncomfortable, and not (I think) in the way that's intended.
Props for being unafraid to kill off whole swathes of a town and multiple kids, I guess.
Props for being unafraid to kill off whole swathes of a town and multiple kids, I guess.
January 2, 2022
A horror story that starts as it means to go on! With more than a nod to The Exorcist film, this is absolutely action-packed! The author brings demons, exorcisms and possession, among a lot of other things too.
Father Bonaventura, as a young priest, drives out a demon, called Asmodeus from a village in Guatemala, he vowed to get revenge. Now, as an old man, strange events begin happening in his hometown...could Asmodeus be back to exact revenge?
A storyline that is more than intriguing, and JG Fahertys cast of eclectic characters makes for a very vivid and entertaining story. The characters are all so different, and there are quite a few to keep up with as the story unfolds.
The author has definitely brought everything he could to make this shockingly brutal, but saying that it is also a story that keeps throwing things at you so you are sucked in and need to know what will be next. A horror story that brings everything a good horror would and more.
Father Bonaventura, as a young priest, drives out a demon, called Asmodeus from a village in Guatemala, he vowed to get revenge. Now, as an old man, strange events begin happening in his hometown...could Asmodeus be back to exact revenge?
A storyline that is more than intriguing, and JG Fahertys cast of eclectic characters makes for a very vivid and entertaining story. The characters are all so different, and there are quite a few to keep up with as the story unfolds.
The author has definitely brought everything he could to make this shockingly brutal, but saying that it is also a story that keeps throwing things at you so you are sucked in and need to know what will be next. A horror story that brings everything a good horror would and more.
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