Review: Aradia Awakens is fast-paced, engaging, refreshing, and a must read.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 23, 2013
Aradia Awakens is fast-paced, engaging, refreshing, and a must read.  The characters are done well.  They feel real, and I love how her bad guys are as much multi-dimentional characters as everyone else.  In fact, one of my favorite characters in the book was a bad guy.I like how the book starts... with her fantasizing about dessert.  It's so comical, considering her surroundings.  It makes me immediately become enamored with the main character, allowing the reader to quickly become engaged, invested in the outcome.I also like how the book is organized.  I am a strong advocate for short chapters.  They make a book seem faster.  And this book already moves quickly, even without the short chapters.  There seemed to be a pull dragging me through the story, moving me forward toward some inevitable end.  It moved along like a freight train.  So quickly, in fact, that I checked to see if it was a novella and I didn't realize, but the paper copy is 376 pages, which is no novella.I kind of love Devin, but I've always been attracted to sassy, sarcastic, smart-alec characters.  I mean, why else would I watch House?  It certainly isn't for the medical accuracy...The book had just the right amount of cursing.  Not so much that it felt like overkill but not completely devoid, which would seem silly.  Especially with one of the characters being a bartender.  The language is smooth, flows well.  It feels natural, unforced.The book had me frequently laughing.  It's very action-packed, filled with mystery and awe, but it didn't let that be all there was.  And while the book seemed fairly predictable, I didn't mind because that was the only outcome I wanted.  I might have been upset if things had gone down differently.Oh God, I loved the ending of this book!  Just bloody brilliant!  I've found, one of the biggest challenges for new authors writing series is making it feel like the book has ended while simultaneously leaving room for a continuing story arc.  Here, the author does that perfectly.  I finished the book, and immediately wanted to pick up the next one.