Air Awakens (Air Awakens Series #1)

Spoiler-free Review: In the last few years the YA/Fantasy market has exploded. While this provides limitless opportunity to discover amazing new series and authors, it often means wading through and sometimes drowning in an ocean of not so stellar ones. I was fortunate enough to find this rare gem. Elise Kova is a new author and self-published, but don’t let that dissuade you. This book is the type that completely draws you into its world. I quickly became engrossed and near obsessive contemplating its characters and their fate. Air Awakens is everything you want in a fantasy/YA book: a solid premise, relatable characters, amazing relationship development, entertaining, and well written. Vhalla Yarl is a library apprentice accidently discovers she is a sorcerer with an affinity for air. The magic in this book focuses on four elements- earth, water, fire, and air- which correspond to geographic regions (north, south, west, and east). Parallels have been drawn to Avatar: The Last Airbender. When Vhalla is ‘awoken’ into her powers, she struggles with her preconceived notions of sorcerers. Ironic, as her new abilities now make her one of the most powerful and sought after of her ilk. However, she is given a choice- to accept her new fate and train or eradicate her powers completely. Neither is a decision to be taken lightly. Much of the first half the book focuses on her overcoming her misinformed perception of sorcerers and fear of rejection by her friends and society. As Vhalla contemplates whether she should accept the new identity that was literally pushed on her, she meets new friends and we are introduced to key characters in the series. From the fiercely loyal Larel to the endearing Fritz, none of them feel contrived and are likeable in their unique own way. The most complex and intriguing of all being the Crown Prince Aldrik. Considered standoffish at best and feared by many, he’s tall, dark, and brooding. Despite this, or maybe because of this, he’s a swoon-worthy lead male. He makes questionable decisions at times, but this only adds depth to his character as you try to decipher his reasoning and true intentions. This is a quintessential YA book in the sense that the protagonist struggles with identity and her place in the world, all while dealing with growing romantic feelings. What really makes this book stand apart is that there is no insta-love. There is a fully developed, drawn out relationship rift with tension and conflict. There is a journey into friendship and more as both Vhalla and Aldrik slowly learn about the other and build trust. In other words, it’s real. This, in conjunction with it’s multifaceted characters, is what propels this book from a stereotypical storyline into a life-consuming world that keeps you awake reading until 3am. See more of my reviews at: http://FantasyBookNook.com and like us at Facebook.com/TheFantasyBookNook

"Fans of AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER would love this book!" Air Awakens tells the story of a seventeen-year-old library apprentice named Vhalla. Since the ancient times the people Solaris Empire are told to fear magic and sorcerers are considered as evil and cursed creatures. Vhalla always tries to get hold of unread books from the library during her free hours from work. As Solaris Empire is fighting a war and one of the prince gets hurt. Vhalla unintentionally saves the fiercest and powerful sorcerer of her time, Prince Aldrik. Since then, fate aligned their stars with a strong and magical bond. Vhalla soon learns that her whole existence was a lie. She holds a magical power and is a sorcerer. Her elemental magic is rare and powerful. Her whole empire could benefit and rise if she wills. Gradually, Vhalla finds herself spellbound by the mysterious and fierce Crown Prince Aldrik. So many things were happening simultaneously in Vhalla's life. Her simple life of an apprentice was gone and she could no longer hides her face behind the books even, if she wants to. Her powers were taking control over her and she must decide before its too late to save the ones around her. The plot was intriguing. Since the beginning the book holds the attention of a reader. Usually it takes time to get into the book and its setup. But Air Awakens took no time, it didn't let me avert my eyes even once. The chemistry and frustration between the the two main characters were creatively adjusted according to their circumstances. It was not like those two characters were forced into an item. Well, the elemental powers and their relation to specific area reminded me of the concept of "Avatar: The Last Airbender". But, magic along with affinity was something new. I think the book is molded in a way to feed the readers with new perception of magic, elemental powers and their affinities. Elise Kova artistically weaved every detail of the story to devour the imagination of the readers. The writing style was captivating and intellectual. Author used the moderate level of vocabulary and it allowed the reader to focus more on the story rather than difficult words and their meanings. Disclaimer: I received an ARC via author for an honest review. Receiving an ARC doesn't changed or altered my opinion regarding the book and its rating.

This was a series that one of my best friends had recommended to me years ago and it was one that I had special orders from my bookstore but unfortunately after relieving it, I put it to the pile of books I told myself I would read but never get to. However, that changed this summer when I made it a purpose to read books on my shelves. A slow but steady process. I think it did take me the entire day to read through this but I could have honestly finished this in a few hours. I of course had to eat and take a shower but then it was back to reading. Immersing myself into a story with magic, adventure, a conquest, and a girl with a power that can change the tide of the world forever. It felt like I was reading a Avatar the Last Airbender story but with a kick-ass female heroine as the main character. Vhalla is a library apprentice that is soon to find herself in a political battle where war might be the only option. Does she know how to fight? No. Does she know how to control her power? No. But that all changes when encountering Prince Aldrick and the shove he gives her. Literally. Now she must learn to conquer her fears and find the control within herself she needs to win this war before all is lost. This was such a thrilling read. I found it very hard to put it down for even the slightest of breaks. I always found myself wanting to know more. There were moments I wanted to be there for Vhalla to be a friend and guide her. To be there when she felt alone. I felt that even though there were people as her friends, there were always moments she felt secluded because of who she was, well more likely the ability she had. I do have to say that there were some confusing moments where I did have to go back and re-read scenes because either I didn't fully catch what was going on or I was in disbelief that something like that had to happen. Most of these moments always happened with Prince Aldrick. Do I have a laid out option on him as a character? No. But I feel that there is more to him that we are not getting. Elise Kova is a brilliant writer. Air Awakens is a brilliant book. Am I glad that I waited so long to read this book after buying it? Yes and No. I came in not knowing what to expect, except the content test messages from my friend telling me how much she loves the book. os for my overall option, this is a story worth reading, a story worth buying, and a story that I will most definitely keep reading. I give this book 4 souls!

The characters really grabbed me and pulled me into the story. Kova builds an interesting world, but this series feels like it's more character-driven than plot driven. After finishing this book, I immediately bought the whole series in paperback because I feel like it's something I'll want to come bac to revisit.

awesome

Loved it

Hated and feared by many, the sorcerers live in the confinement of the Tower to study in peace. That is, until a library apprentice grabs the attention of one of the most powerful sorcerers ever and the crown prince. The apprentice, Vhalla, isn't just a normal girl, though. She not only saved, the prince, Aldrik's life, but created a magical bond that lead to the discovery of her very rare and special magic. There is a war raging and no one can be trusted. As Aldrik and Vhalla grow closer more enemies try to tear them apart. What is so special about Vhalla? Will war tear the bonded apart? This is a GREAT book!! Using Affinities as magical elements is a cool change. For example, Elise Kova chose the name Waterunner for a sorcerer using the element of water. I loved Vhalla's character as a whole. She was very strong(not physically) and her personality made her very easy to follow. I love this book and can't wait to read the next books in the series. I would definitely recommend this book for most ages.

Air Awakens is a story that quickly escalates into multiple love affairs that truly have no business being anything other than a cloud that shrouds a potentially great story because when it actually tries to reach beyond all the sappy romance, the plot line achieves something genuinely good. That said, Air Awakens was far too preoccupied with silly romantic clichés and left me with a lot to be desired; thus, the book was just okay for me. ___________________________________ WHAT I LIKED + Air Awakens started off strong and with one of my favorite tropes! That being, the interwoven delicacies of a tragic hero who has the potential for heroism but never quite fulfills that promise because they become a victim of tragedy ― and let me just say that the tragedy surrounding our protagonist is no meager fatal flaw, it is heartrending! I was gripped and moved not simply because of all the adversity that befalls poor, Vhalla, but because hers is the type of character arc that reminds us of our human frailty and inability to defeat evil forces despite our good morals ― and this is by far what made the overarching story line so affecting and oh so good. + It behooves me to say that only one character managed to truly win me over and it was not our protagonist, Vhalla Yarl ― which is surprising in view of how much I thoroughly enjoyed the tragedy surrounding her character arc, but I’ll get to more of this in a minute. The character I want to place the focus on now is Prince Aldrik who, in truth, is the best character in Air Awakens thus far! Driven by an unknown agenda, his character arc really gave the story a lot of depth and a sort of mysterious intrigue. Too, Prince Aldrik is the quiet strength behind Air Awakens and I found myself wishing that Vhalla matched his depth. THINGS THAT MADE GO HMMM. . . - Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the tragic hero trope, sadly, Vhalla was not a character that quite grew on me in fact, I was rather vexed with many of her attributes; her main and foremost hamartia being her apologetic and self-deprecating expressions and demeanor; ugh! Granted, I understand that life has been unfair and reasonably brutal for Vhalla, but to heap the blame for everything in the world for the sake of “modesty” and “humility” ― not to mention, the continual self-abasement ― was a bit too much to swallow and really grated on the nerves. As a result, Vhalla came across as a sort of doormat and not a prominent protagonist. - Essentially speaking, character development is the very core of Air Awakens as it decides to dedicate more than 90% of its storyline on a romantic plotline between not 2, not 3, but 4 characters! Yes, you read that correctly, a “love square” is what Air Awakens serves its audience. Even less appealing are the unnatural ways the characters interact with each other and how their personalities consisted of a few exaggerated traits. (view spoiler). And yet, what I couldn’t take in, was the way Vhalla stood utterly defeated in every situation allowing these men to easily take advantage of her ― and need I mention how incredibly painful and plodding it is to read a plot where every male in the book falls in love with the protagonist? Full Review @ http://www.mysoulcalledlife.com/2016/09/16/book-review-air-awakens-by-elise-kova/

A great fantasy read with heartpounding adventure, steamy romance, and a strong female protagonist. Recommended for fans of YA high fantasy.

In a story of powerful sorcery and bloody consequences, Elise Kova weaves a tale of a girl that transforms into something she never dreamed she could be, with the help of a dark and dangerous prince. With exciting plot twists and a host of intriguing characters, this book was definitely a fun read. Though it is far from original, the premise of good old traditional sorcery within a typical castle setting felt like returning to your favorite spot in your local comfy cafe. It just felt nice. However, the first 100 pages or so of the book were a very rough start. To put it simply - they were boring, cliché, and cringe-worthy. I was definitely worried about how the rest of the book would be. The overall idea behind the story is basically identical to The Last Airbender - there are four different types of magic based on the four elements, and a girl finds out she is the last of her kind, those that control air. And in the beginning of the novel, before the plot really takes off and before you get to dive into character development, all you have to go on is this basic idea of what the magic system is like and what role the main character is set up to have. So naturally, all I could think about while reading it was how completely unoriginal it was. Also, the explanations of magic and the history of the empire were pretty confusing, which did not help things start off smoothly. Then steps in Prince Aldrik, and my attention was captured immediately. He shakes things up, to say the least. He brings all kinds of questions and curiosities to the table, and I lived for his scenes throughout the book. Although the beginning was rocky, the book continuously got better and better. I found myself integrated with the characters and environment, and was able to fully invest myself in the story. The plot itself was not at break-neck speed; it was slow, sweet, and steady for the most part. While reading this book I think it's very important to keep in mind that this is book one in a five part series - not everything is going to get touched on or explained in detail right at the start. The author is mainly setting up the direction of the story in this book, as well as the fantasy world itself. There were only a couple of them, but the action scenes were definitely gripping. The romance, though a bit rushed, was full of chemistry and heart-pounding tension. I loved the way the author orchestrated Vhalla's chaos of emotions and allowed it to open all kinds of possibilites for who she could be involved with (romantically and platonically). Friendship wise, I did feel like there were some random characters thrown in that had no real purpose other than for one particular scene or plot thread (i.e., Fritz). They came off as cardboard cutouts rather than real people, and detracted from the plot. The ending was definitely satisfying, and compelled me to want to continue on with the series. Despite a poor beginning and some other iffy parts, I really enjoyed this book and the world I was introduced to. Going forward, I have very high hopes for the sequels and can't wait to see what happens to Vhalla as she continues her epic and magical journey.

I loved that it wasn't the same story being told. The writing in the first half is caught up by the world building, setting up characters and putting pieces in motion, but by the second half it all pulls together and before you know it you've been ensnared by the library apprentice who's found this magic within her, a dark prince, and all that's created between them and by them. Get ready for a series binge read!

I have been adoring AIR AWAKENS for a while now; I’m trying to get into more fantasy and I liked how this particular book deals with the elements. Many people probably already said this, but AIR AWAKENS reminded me of the TV show, Avatar: The Last Airbender, which for the record, is probably my favorite show in existence! Let’s start with the main character. The main character, Vhalla Yarl, is a librarian apprentice and a hidden sorceress (wow, dream job, anyone?). Essentially, this book is about a book nerd. Who doesn’t love that?! She is smart, determined, and a quick-learner, yet she has her flaws and is not perfect at all. She goes through this amazing character-development throughout. Starting from a frail, obedient, and even a little naïve, librarian apprentice to a loud, strong sorceress who speaks her mind and deals with what life throws at her. Then we have the two princes, Baldair and Aldrik. Both are intricate and surprising, having their own weaknesses and strengths. I was surprised by how good both are, again, in their own way. I truly thought that in the beginning, there would be the trope where one brother is good, the other bad. However, I still can’t tell who is bad or good, and even if there will be a contrast. I kind of like that; I’m left on suspicion as well as a hint of confusion. The plot had some good points and some bad points, which I’ll talk about the latter shortly. Overall, the pacing is well-done. The story itself was epic! I loved learning about the different elements and how they work. Of course, the reader and even Vhalla had to learn about Air as the story progressed since there is no other character with that particular element to provide all the information. I also liked the ending! I did kind of guess what happened but I didn’t guess her fate. However, one of my favorite parts is the message Kova presents in AIR AWAKENS. Towards the end, (not really a spoiler) Vhalla questions how much she wants to read versus how much she wants to experience what she reads about. I love this message because it shows all of us that, yeah books are great, but we need to experience what’s in them ourselves as well. And Vhalla shows that it’s totally okay to feel that way– I feel that way. Now to some of the semi- bad stuff… The plot. Okay, I thought this whole book was about Vhalla figuring out her powers but I felt that there was more romance than actual magic. Sure, magic is what started those romances but I just felt that magic should have been a bigger part. I also wish there was more information about why the territories were fighting. Now there is a sort-of love triangle. Despite some of the few bad stuff I feel there was in the story, I really enjoyed AIR AWAKENS. It’s action-packed, intriguing, and beautifully written. For me, all the good things outweigh the small bad things so I will be giving AIR AWAKENS 4.5/5 roses.

Originally posted on Hopeful Reads 4.5/5 Stars Thank you blogger community and Twitter for letting me discover this absolutely wonderful new series by Elise Kova! When I first heard about it, I immediately went to Goodreads and Barnes & Noble to check it out and was instantly sold on Air Awakens. Here's what sucked me in: Gorgeous Cover For Fans of Avatar the Last Airbender Library Apprentice Broody Male Character Blogger Love Once I started reading I knew I would not be disappointed. Vhalla Yarl's discovery of her powers and subsequent struggle to choose between sorcery and her life in the library is intriguing and action packed. The story drops the reader straight into this world leaving it to unfold throughout the pages. The history and backstory is smooth, concise and does not take away from the flow of the story. I am a big fan of elemental magic in books, movies, television shows, etc. Some of my favorite stories stem from the powers of nature. Air Awakens has a similar magic system to that of Avatar the Last Airbender with the forces of air, water, earth, and fire. People with such powers are known as Windwalkers, Waterrunners, Firebearers, and Groundbreakers. I thought it pretty nifty that it is referred to as an affinity. It really hits home the bond one would have with their magic. There is a whole cast of characters in this story ranging from the mysterious and tricky to the kind and caring. Vhalla Yarl is a smart girl who loves books but now has to deal with a whole new world thrust upon her. Prince Aldrik is that broody royal who has the weight of the Empire on his shoulders while Prince Baldair is the charismatic brother who seems to get everything he wants. I thought Kova did an excellent job portraying even the smallest of characters an no one felt one dimensional. Overall I absolutely loved Air Awakens by Elise Kova! It is a great first novel to a series I'm eagerly anticipating getting back to. The characters were compelling, the story was breathtaking, and the magic flowed off the page. I would definitely recommend this to everyone especially my fantasy lovers out there.

ARC kindly provided by Elise Kova via YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Review I was really REALLY REALLY EXCITED about launching myself into this new novel and new series. Not only was the cover SO DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, the blurb literally BESPELLED me to pick up the novel. I have always loved the concept of magic and the fact that the main character was a librarian apprentice (surrounded by books) and got to SAVE THE LIFE of a PRINCE! *swoons* It just kept reeling me in. I was completely defenceless. ‘Air Awakens’ started off with a BANG and transported me into the world of Vhalla Yarl. I was IN LOVE with this novel only TWO pages in. How's that?! The novel had beautiful writing that SCREAMED confidence, style, maturity and talented skill. The story and it's characters were also surprisingly seductive and sexy. Its mystery and drama make it even more so. 'Air Awakens' was written in third person present tense – my very favourite writing style. I've favoured this one since FOREVER because it allowed for so many perspectives and in depth looks into stories without the clouding judgement or view of the character who is narrating. It allowed for a sense of presence in the story for the reader whilst he/she is reading. And not only did this novel give us all that but also much MORE, giving me a very deep understanding of Vhalla Yarl. A really intellectual young woman of seventeen she was everything I had hoped for in a female lead. She had a very realistic feel to her; a very tangible essence. Character development was EXTREMELY good! A prime example was of Prince Aldrick who we see as one person at the beginning – dangerous, uncaring, cruel and selfish – and then gradually open up to become a vulnerable, considerate, humorous and loyal person. One who it was also possible to fall in love with. Aldrick is not in any way a "good" or "handsome" prince as he had killed and used many people and his facial features were too sharp and pronounced – masculine – in some ways. But his other qualities made up for his lack of "goodness" and Vhalla Yarl still foundd him attractive. Drama, tension and anticipation WAS OFF THE CHARTS! Oh, my gosh, I did NOT know how to stop reading at times – especially in the first 65 percent of the book. It was UNPUTDOWNABLE! Readers, prepare to become ADDICTED! Elise Kova was able to manipulate the emotions of her characters (not to mention me) to really suck me into her world. There was STACKS of romantic tension between our two significant characters! Really, an on-the-edge-of-my-seat-about-to-fall-off-a-cliff novel! The imagery and emotive language the author utilised was just WOW! It was extremely impressive and very well applied to events and situations. Together these two techniques really took hold of my inner reading movie, as I like to call it, and created a stunning story in my mind's eye. I would get attached to certain events and recall them vividly later on. I could see, touch, taste, hear and smell what the main protagonist – Vhalla Yarl – could. The author really created a stunning visual! I must highly commend her on her writing. Read more at: https://staceykym.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/review-air-awakens-air-awakens-1-by-elise-kova/

Wow just wow. This book drew me in from page can't stop reading it-!!!!!! Best series ever

Elise Kova is extremely well rounded in her story telling. Characters seem to come to life and feel as if they are your friend. The amount of depth on this book in foreshadowing, plot development and twists. Start reading this series, you won't be disappointed! From fp..... -rebecca

I came across Air Awakens and its author Elise Kova maybe four or so months ago. I read Michelle Madow's review and the fact that she said it was "Phantom of the Opera meets Cinderella" had me completely drawn in. Not so much for the Cinderella part but for the Phantom of the Opera part. I love Phantom of the Opera. So I just had to pick this one up and read it. There are many things that I like about this book. For one, it is high fantasy. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres ever and I've been wanting to read more fantasy. The world definitely has a lot to it. I can tell that there is still much to be revealed about this world. It is obviously very intricate and I liked the grandiose nature of the Solaris Empire. I'm not saying that I necessarily like the Solaris Empire but the fact that it seemed to be a very well thought out world. I'm waiting to learn much more about this empire and the war in the North. Vhalla was a good enough character. I was interested enough in her story that I kept reading. It is a little bit of an overdone thing that the plain girl finds out she is anything but and that she has enormous power. But the fact that she didn't just jump on it seemed reasonable. To suddenly find out that everything you are right now might not be what you really are is rather overwhelming. Especially given most of the society's opinion of the Tower of Sorcerers. However, I would like more background on why so many people have such a hatred of the sorcerers. I feel like I would be lying in my review if I didn't bring up the grammatical errors in the text. I understand all too well that some errors slip through the editing process. But the grammatical errors that I'm referring to are misused throughout the whole text. It isn't an overwhelming amount but I did notice it every time that it came up. It wasn't enough to make me stop reading it, though. There were a couple of other things that I wasn't that keen on. To be honest, the first 100 pages or so moved very slowly for me. That was the chunk of the book that took me the longest to get through. I felt like there wasn't that much happening. Also, I'm pretty sure that Vhalla is described as having tan skin. The girl on the cover is white. Even if I'm wrong about her skin color, Vhalla has dark hair. The girl on the cover is blonde. Am I missing something? Is this not Vhalla on the cover? Don't get me wrong I love the cover. I love that it is an illustrated cover and the illustration is amazing but if it is Vhalla then I don't understand why the girl on the cover has blonde hair. Moving on, I'm not sure what to think about Prince Baldair. On the surface he seems like a good guy but there's this suspicion in me that just isn't so sure of it. I quite like Master Mohned and I did end up liking Minister Victor. Larel was a very likable character and I'm hoping to see more of her. Crown Prince Aldrik was definitely an interesting character. In the first bit of the book I wasn't sure how I felt about it. But I did end up liking Aldrik lot. He may very well be my favorite character in the book. I also feel like there is so much more to know about him and I really want to find out. The next book seems like it is going to have a lot more action in it. And I'm taking a guess that there will be a lot more on Aldrik. Which may be what I'm most excited to see. 3.5 stars. See rest of review here: http://girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com

I actually did not want to go past 50% of Air Awakens because I didn't want to experience the pain of waiting for the next book, Fire Falling, which is stupid of me because I forgot I received Fire Falling early. So, I read Air Awakens from the start again; I was too busy reading, gushing, squealing and flailing that I didn't notice it was way past my bedtime and it was getting creepier every minute-- dogs howling, birds chirping (at this hour?) and footsteps (no one was outside), but I could not put this book down! Every word was important that if I did not finish one chapter after another, I would get crazy thinking about what will happen. Heck, I am even getting crazy how will I write a review with my incoherent feelings and words. Do you think I care about that? No, brain. Then start talking about the precious. Okay... I suppose I thought it would be easy to talk about a book you loved because if you loved it so much, words would just keep flowing as you already know what you will say and you could talk about it for hours with your eyes glowing from all the happiness you felt and never get bored speaking of your adventures in even the littlest of things. But I don't know where to start. But I do know what I felt. I'm very picky with fantasy books; it's like all or nothing with me. The reason would be is that fantasy has always been my narnia, my home and my escape. That said, I'm always in search for fantasies with high expectations. You know those types of books that deserve a whole box (because I don't have a shelf) just for that author and his/her books? Yeah, those. This book, Air Awakens, deserves it. I discovered Air Awakens through Michelle Madow and for that I am grateful! I wouldn't have know this masterpiece if not for her. Vhalla is a great protagonist; proved that herself as the story progresses. I liked it when they told her what she was, she didn't immediately jump on the bandwagon like in most books. She was a young woman who's afraid and confused, but when there are times that she needed to be brave, she'll do it nonetheless. I loved that. That said, Vhalla's interactions, actions and feelings were realistic and believable. I mean, I would have reacted the same way too, you know. And bonus points for being a library apprentice and for reading books! I was both intrigued and attracted to Aldrik since their exchanges even though I haven't seen him yet, there was this some sort of pull to his writing that really made me like him and frustrated at the same time. And at their first meeting, I admit he was arrogant, mean and bad and hot, but then what came into my mind was that my love for Aldrik would be like the Darkling -- I don't care what he does. I'd still offer myself my heart to him. To the other characters, they are unique; they all have some traits in them that make you love them. Larel, Fritz and Prince Baldair... *sighs dreamily* It's also awesome to read that you don't have to recite a spell when they use their magic. I was worried for them! What if they recited the spell wrong and it backfires? All in all, I loved it that I finished reading Air Awakens at 4:03 am. I loved that I woke up high from reading that I didn't mind my brother scolding me for taking up most of the space on his bed that morning. I loved that I loved and enjoy Air Awakens that I don't even care if Elise Kova takes all of my stars. I'll even shower those stars at her. And. I. Meant. Every. Word.

If you are a fan of Sarah J Mass or Victoria Aveyard there is a good chance that you will like this book.

I stayed up reading this book all night. That isn't an exaggeration- I clocked in at 6:30 am. The reason? I absolutely could not put this book down, nor could I sleep without knowing how it would end. From the start, Vhalla sucked me in. She just was so realistic, relatable, believable. Some of her thought processes reminded me of my own, which I basically never see in fantasy and I found so refreshing. Vhalla didn't feel stereotypical- that is, she was neither the "badass heroine", nor was she the shy, breakable wallflower. She was just... a young woman, who was scared and confused, but also willing to be strong when she needed to be. Her character growth and development throughout the book was also fabulous. She didn't suddenly become one of those stereotypes either. In some ways she grew, and she even grew into new flaws while shedding old ones. She didn't become perfect, she just began to grow. Also, she loves books. So there's a huge win right of the bat, really. I mean, homegirl works in a library, what more can a booknerd even ask for? And then there is romance. It's slow, but my goodness, the chemistry! There are a few young men who could be Vhalla's love interest, so I won't tell you which one she has the chemistry with, but WOW. It was super slow burning, but that doesn't mean that the chemistry was lacking, because it was NOT. I think that is what I am most excited about for the next book, really! The other characters were really great too. Again, realistic- no one was perfect, everyone had their own issues, agendas, secrets, and good qualities. There was just enough doubt in each character that I always wondered if they could be trusted, but plenty of lovely moments between characters to remind us of the good in the world. The plot was really fun, I loved the idea of Vhalla's magic, and that there were different kinds of magic! Magic is hit or miss with me, so I was a tad apprehensive, but luckily, this worked for me completely. I liked that Vhalla didn't wake up one day been some fabulous magical being. It took time, and she didn't know what was even happening to her half the time, and the other half, she was in denial. Which again, was awesome, because isn't that how you or I would react? The world is split into territories, and while I would like to know more about the world, I think there will be much more to come, and it did not detract from the story- especially since Vhalla wouldn't have been likely to know a lot about the world around her from her sheltered existence. And the twists-especially the final one- were just mind blowing! I admit that I never saw it coming, and I am so glad I didn't! I was on the edge of my seat (bed?) holding my breath, because I seriously didn't know how it would play out. And the ending set up the next book perfectly. It ended at a point where I wouldn't have to scream in frustration, but left me wanting more, needing to know what was going to happen next, because things just escalated VERY quickly, and opened up a ton of possibilities for where the story could go! Bottom Line: Basically, I adored this book, if you couldn't tell. Vhalla is definitely my new favorite heroine, and I cannot wait for the next installment of this series!

This is one of those reviews that is difficult to write. How do I express my thoughts about this story without just gushing over everything and spoil stuff because I’m too excited to hold back? I shall try, but sorry if I don’t succeed. I discovered Air Awakens on Goodreads when I spotted the beautiful cover. Being a big fan of cover art in that style, I had to click and find out more about this book. I didn’t know then that the story behind the cover would be equally as beautiful. The summary hooked me, after all it had three big selling points for me: A library apprentice-This book has a main character that loves to read! A prince- Well hello my Disney loving side. Who doesn’t like a good story with a prince? Magic- As a fantasy reader, I love a story about magic! Before I even started reading what this story was about I was already needing it! Getting the info from the summary just help add to my anticipation. Going into the story, I didn’t know what to expect. Elise Kova is a debut author so I had no idea how her writing style would be. I’m glad to say, within the first few pages I was in love with the way she made the story flow. With the combination of her writing style and interesting plot, this story was a fun ride from start to finish! I want to keep typing, but I literally can’t think of what else to add without spoiling those that have yet to read! Overall I found this to be an exciting story. Not only was it fun to read, the story has stuck with me and I keep finding myself thinking about it! I know there is going to be more to the series and I’m seriously excited! If the plot doesn’t interest you, the characters will find their way into your mind and heart! This is one of those stories that slowly pulls you in and wraps you in the magic of it’s words. If you are looking for a new series to read, I HIGHLY recommend this one! If you want see more of this review, please check out the review on my blog. You can find it here: https://livelovereadya.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/review-air-awakens-by-elise-kova/

So expertly written you never want the story to end. I love everything about these characters and their world. Most of all I love the Fire Prince. I'm sure some won't agree with me on his strong points but that just means there's more of him for me! The hints of romance are heartwarming. Tingle down to your toes reading. A new fantasy world you want to get lost in over-and-over. Magic, fantasy, intrigue, romance, conflict, war, adventure. Everything you want and even things you didn't know you needed. This is a book I know I will love to come back to and read again and again. Air Awakens could never lose its appeal to readers. Bring on Book 2 Fire Falling!