Awakened Discussion (spoilers go here please, not anywhere else)

1) Jack's death - i just knew it. I really knew it when PC said she cried twice. But it's so sad that my thoughts were completely right. Oh Goddness, why cutie Jack And in my oppinion, his death wasn't a necessary one. I mean, common, if he'd died for saving someone, but not falling on a sword. Neferet could have picked someone else. Poor Damien, i cried so much when i read the whole thing with him. I really say it wasn't necessary and just an act for putting some (useless) drama in the story. Jack was one of my favourites

2) The death of Linda wasn't necessary either. She was ready to start a whole new life with Z, they could really become a happy mother-daughter-couple again but no, she had to die after she left John! It was just not fair! I mean, it's "better" than Sylvia dead, but it wasn't really fair!

3) Kalona really surprised me. I always thought he really wanna be with Neferet but it was really the opposite thing. The white feather and his decision to let Rephaim go to have a future with SR showed me that he could have still something good inside him - but then the thing with Stark in the last chapter, i didn't understood it! I mean Kalona is free from Neferet now, why does he still chase Zoey? That Stark said something like we have to keep an eye on Rephaim was a look in the future for me, i mean otherwise Stark wouldn't have said this, doesn't he?

3) Zoey was great in the book - too winy in the beginning on the island, but finally she really fell in love with Stark and i was like "yeah, no new boy drama!" - ok but Heath will return within the Vessel, so there will be probably new boy drama in Destined. I mean Stark seemed to be ok with Z havin' a consort, but all in all there were signs that Kalona really would use his connection with Stark as a weapon... Which i quite don't understand. All in all Z was so grown and acted so good when she found out about SR and Rephaim (she just accept it too fast, but ok...) and she was nice and understanding. I hope she'll stay like this!

4) Nyx is soooo great, i love her so much! In this book we get some great scenes with her, i really liked it that she forgive Rephaim and that SHE was the little ghost who annoyed Rephaim in Gilcrease, i just couldn't believe it! That was so great when Rephaim realised that! But is it necessary that he have to turn to a bird during the daylight ours? I mean a real bird (i understood it like that)?? He wouldn't be able to protect SR when something happens to her, and i really don't want it that SR get a warrior and maybe a lot of boy drama... I'm curious what blessing she'll give Heath and how his role in Destined will be. it's nice that he'll appear again, but i really don't wanna have new boy drama with Z, stark and Heath. It was soooo nice that there practically none in Awakened.

5) the relationship with SR and Rephaim was one thing that really disappointed me. They had just one real meeting before she told him in front of the whole bunch of people that she loves him and he just said yes i love you, too... And everyone was like "ok i cannot understand it but they love each other, so we have to accept it, though he was a bad killer-bird" I mean, it's great that they could be really together now and i cried so much when he was finally a guy and kissed her, but it was really really really too short and no one except Dragon was really annoyed, that's just unrealistic! I hated it that there was so few space for the two before... And like i said at point 4), it's really bad that Rephaim seems to be a bird during the day, so he isn't able to rescue SR when something bad happens to her. But all in all the scene when it all comes out was very touching for me. I just expected more! I'm scared that there will be no more povs in destined from the two, cause even in Awakened there were so less of them that it distrubed me really! They're my favourite characters, i hope so much they would still have povs in Destined! In this case i have to say that i didn't understand the awakened-cover. Why does Rephaim have wings there and those tattoos? He get none of it when he finally become human!

6) Neferet is such a great bi*h! I really didn't know what she's planning in her crazy mind but all the stuff on the funeral pyre from Jack was so weird that i really cannot say what happens next with her. And this Vessel. To be honest i hated it that she get so much povs and Rephaim/SR just so few, after they had such a gread role in Burned. Oh i'm hating Neferet right now, really - killing Jack, Linda, treating Kalona like a pet... b**ch!

7) I guess Dragon would become one of the bad ones. To be honest i could understood that he couldn't forgive Rephaim, but the offer that Rephaim gave him would have been a great chance for Dragon to get a strong and loyal warrior and he could have watched the enveloping of Rephaim to prevent that he could be drawn to Darkness again... He didn't really acted wise. He always knew that Neferet is evil, now he's on her side. I'm really sad about it course i never saw that happen. I also wondering if Lenobia is now evil, too, cause Neferet threw some Darkness at her or so. I'm really confused and sad about that stuff.

8 ) Sginach is greeeeat, i hope they really would start a new House of Night in her castle! i love the Scottish accent, though i didn't understood everything^^

9) Things i didn't understood: The stone Z get from Sgiach and the whole spirits of the element stuff. I just didn't understood it! I didn't understood why Kalona still uses his link with Stark, though Kalona is free now and for me the white feather showed some kind of Light inside him for me. I was confused that it didn't seem to be a great problem for him to let his favourite son go. He just said choose and Rephaim did it! I didn't understood why SRs mum did have to appear, i mean it was nice and all, but unnecessary. I didn't really understood the reason why Jack had to die. i mean i understood why Neferet had to kill someone, but i didn't undestand the authors why it has to be Jack - i mean Damien and he were the perfect couple and he was just so cute I couldn't understand why the Casts brought up that Erik is a tracker but nothing more happend in this case. Wasn't necessary either. I couldn't understand that the whole thing with SR and Rephaim was as short as it was. I mean in Burned they had so much space but in Awakened nearly none. I will never understand Erik o.O I'm confused what happend to Lenobia. And PC said when we read Awakened, we know whose wing it is they sell as jewellery - i really still don't know, whose whing it is...

I will read the book again than maybe there will be another comment from me in this case. But for now i think i said it all. All in all i can say i'm disappointed of the book but happy to read the few really touching scenes. I'm happy that Z and Stark finally are a couple but there are too much signs that this won't stay very long like this. I'm annoyed that the book was very short. But the whole type of writing and the expressions the authors used where better than in the other books. I was sad that Kramisha and the twins hadn't really parts in the book. There wasn't a enlightment about the role of the bad red fleds, i really thought there would be one. That Dallas would become the leader was clear for me from the start. I have to say, i'm a bit sad. the book was nice and partly gripping, but i really really thougt there would be more SR and Rephaim and some enlightments in other things. But it wasn't. Genereally, it really didn't happen much - the final fight is still not in sight. I expect more from Destined...

First off, you're right, it was really short, didn't even reach 300 pages. I was disappointed a little too. But it still amazed me. ^^

1. Yeah, well, Jack's death served it's purpose though. It really, really made me hate Neferet. xD
Also, it threw Damien into trouble, so we'll have to watch and see what it means for him in the future.

2. Yeah, it was cruel. Here I thought, Linda finally saw the light and was happy and then she gets killed off. But I agree with you, it's better than Sylvia. I was really worried when Neferet went to kill Sylvia. Whoa...when Zoey finds out it was Neferet, and when she finds out she planned to kill her grandma instead...Zoey is gonna rage so much! Seriously, I expect her to totally freak out and get uber-pissed. And then she will finally be able to take Neferet on. Because I think up until now it was like "I got chosen somehow and have to save the world, but I'm just a girl and I don't know how." With Neferet killing Jack and Linda and going for her grandma and even before that "killing" SR and other things...I think she just crossed the line and made it personal for Z. Now Z will WANT to defeat Neferet at any cost.

3. Yep, I agree, Zoey was a lot better in this book. ^.^

Yeah, maybe it went a little too fast with Zoey accepting it, but then, we know that Zoey is just really clingy with SR and doesn't wanna lose her at all. Also, it was pretty confusing, so there wasn't really time to think much. So Zoey had to go with her "feeling." Also, I liked it that SR said exactly what I hoped for and the only thing which could make Zoey stand by her, so in my eyes, it's ok. Also, I don't think it's over yet. They might have accepted it, but they still don't understand it, like they said in the last scene. The "how and why" still has to be explained until they can really accept it. I guess that will happen in Destined.

4.

Quote :

i really liked it that she forgive Rephaim and that SHE was the little ghost who annoyed Rephaim in Gilcrease

This! xD

I don't think she turned him into a bird at day, I don't have the book right now to check it, but I understood it more like Rephaim being human at night and his old Raven Mocker self at day. So he'll still be able to protect SR, don't worry. And he'll still be able to fly too! What I wonder is, Nyx said something about the beast within. So will Rephaim be just a beast on the outside, or will his instincts take over at daylight and he'll be more beast-like?

5. I don't think she "just" all of a sudden had a change of heart. For me it was a development throughout the book. The first step was her realising her feelings, when she muttered to herself "I l-like him" (her stumbling over it was sooo cute. xD), but she still had no clue what to do. But the meeting with her mother (which was totally random, I agree, but I'm still glad it happened) cleared it up for her. I think that meeting helped her realize two things: That there would indeed be people accepting them under the right circumstances, and that she not only really is in love with him, but he loves her too. At the end of the chapter it went like:

"How do you know that?"

"Because he came to me and..." Her eyes widened in realization. "You're right!"

I think she realized Rephaim indeed went against his father by going to her and talking to her about things he isn't supposed to talk about. Also, he instantly came to her when she needed him, so that only deepened her feelings. I think at that point SR already made her decision. Later, when everything got crazy, it wasn't that big a step for her anymore, she just understood that the time to reveal everything has come.

6. Neferet realizing SR's feelings and smiling like the vindictive *edit your post and this will go away* she is thinking how she could use their love for her own purposes, made me hate her so much more. I think one goal of PC was to make Neferet into a real antagonist in Awakened, which she totally accomplished. Until now, I only thought she was an evil *edit your post and this will go away*, but now I really, really hate her.

7. I agree on Dragon, he's lost it now. It really worries me, because I can see Rephaim get hurt by him in the future...because now that Dragon has made a turn for the worse, the only thing that can change that, is him getting what he wanted, (almost) killing Rephaim and then he sees SR crying about it, the same as he cried about Anastasia and then he'll realize what he did and snap out of it.
I don't think Lenobia is evil though, there is no reason for her to be. Yeah, Neferet hurled Darkness at her, but she did that with everyone, I guess to subdue and scare them off, so they wouldn't even think of standing up to her.

8. I like Sgiach too. ^^

9. Yeah, I didn't really get the purpose of the stone too. That's one of the things we'll just have to wait for.
About Kalona, I think he never wanted Neferet nor Zoey. What he really wants is Nyx. Now that she has banished him again though, he doesn't see a chance to get her. So he goes for the closest person there is to Nyx: Zoey.

Him releasing Rephaim was really great, but I doubt he liked it. I think he saw that Rephaim had a chance to get what Kalona wanted, to be happy at the side of the one he loves, so, if he denied it to him, what right would Kalona have to be happy? And yeah, there's still some good in him too, I think.

I think it's interesting that Erik's a tracker. Also, it forces him to stay in Tulsa. I'm curious what it will mean for Erik. And I thought it was nice, when he talked with Zoey and they agreed to stay friends and drop the whole relationship thing. I was relieved when Zoey thought "He's a good guy, I'm just not the right girl for him."

About the jewellery, I guess she means Rephaim, because he still has wings during the day, and he finally went to the side of Light, so it's white. Though there was also a white feather for Kalona. Hmm...I still think she means Rephaim, dunno.

You're right, there were many people not having any role in the book and the red renegades really didn't pop up much. I think they will from now on though.

One thing that really worries me, are those hints about SR. It's understandable and perfectly okay that she's pissed. But with the red eyes...when she sent Earth for Rephaim, her eyes glowing green and when Earth left her, they had a red glow to them. I wouldn't think about it too much, but PC mentioning explicitly like that makes me worry that it will spell trouble for SR in some way. And all that talk about making her go bad again and her reveling in Darkness at the beginning. Ugh.
What's more, she seemed to have nothing to hold against Darkness at all. Neferet just flicked it at her and she went down. Is that just because Neferet got that much more powerful, or has SR a weakness towards Darkness?

I think I'm worrying too much, because I already have a worst case scenario about it: Like I said before about Dragon, that's not good. So what if it goes like this: Dragon attacking and almost killing Rephaim, Stevie Rae trying to protect him, but having no chance and getting kidnapped. Due to Rephaim being almost dead, their Imprint breaks and worse, Neferet goes and tells her, they killed him. That alone would be enough to make SR go mad with pain and despair and then Neferet launches Darkness at her, torturing her into madness...Ugh. My fantasy is going wild. xD
Yeah, I know it's a really wild theory and I doubt the Imprint breaks and whatnot. Still, those hints with the red glowing eyes got to have some purpose...
Also, Neferet knows SR's weakness now and I totally believe she would do something sick and twisted like that.

Somehow I doubt SR will go there again, but who knows. It would be only temporary, at least. Because I honestly can't see Rephaim dying, it would make the whole thing pointless. And as long as he's alive, SR is going to be okay.
It would be great drama though, SR going batshit crazy and then Rephaim appears and saves her from madness/Darkness. =)
And afterwards, she'd be soooo pissed at Neferet. xD

yeah it WAS a nice book...i say nice and not great cause i think with the ideas and the different story lines they really should have been able to write more than 300 pages! I just get the thought that they have problems to fill 12 books and that's why they cut some things to write about it later...and, it's hard for me to explain what i mean in english, but ya know they really started things in Awakened and i don't think they will get back to these things and so i think they could have write more to these things...
1) ok it may be a thing to make the readers hate Neferet even more, but to be honest i would have been pissed if she just killed someone else in this brutal way! I guess it wouldn't have an influence on Damien like for example Dragon, cause Damien already was able to fight when SR asked for help to save Reph!
2) i guess it was already personal for Z cause her own mentor used her and tries to kill her and they all know Jacks death has to do something with Neferet... ok it may itensify her hate so that she get more power to fight against Neferet. But it was so sad, wasn't it? Linda finally left John, everything could have become peaceful and nice between them... Z missed her mama, and Linda missed her and now that... that was a whole bunch of sh*t! Yes it would have been worse if it was sylvia but i would have liked it if Linda would have had at least a chance to tell Z that she's sorry etc...
3) i hope so much that that would be a part of Destined, the how and why, cause i'm really not happy with the way the whole relationship-thing with SR/Rephaim was managed. Yes ya might be right, in this case there was not much time to think cause otherwise Rephaim and/or SR may have been killed, but it made it just unrealistic for me. Yes, Stark and Z talked about it that it confused them but they didn't seem to be angry that SR allied with a creature of Darkness (who has chosen light, but still... I mean SR "betraid" them... dunno i would have problems with trusting SR anymore, though i'm happy SR and Rephaim are with the others and not separated) and they even made jokes like "does he have a cage during the day" or so... dunno. But ya right we will see, i hope it will have space in Destined, cause like i said i'm not happy with this fast accepting thing...
4) I remember that Stark said in the last chapter when Z asked what SR and Reph might do in this moment (oh Z what ya thinking my dear ;P) "not much cause he's a bird right now" and Nyx said something like raven... and a raven mocker is no raven! I'm really worried about it. I really understood it that he becomes a wird during the day because he did so much bad things! (to be honest i don't think it's really nice from Nyx. I mean he'd grown up in a world ruled from Darkness and he never had known something different, so how could he have known that it's wrong to do some things? He turned to light instead but still he get a punishment. I mean Nyx should be happy that he's on her side now and because she was the little gost she knows exactly how much he cared about SR and that he really become a good guy. Dunno i think it's not fair. But he accepted it, so ok...)
I understood the beast-thing like he's a real animal then (maybe SR should really put him into a cage^^ i mean when he's an animal, he might fly around in her room in the day and disturb her or even fly away?^^ i couldn't understand the balance-thing with beast and human. i just didn't understand the whole thing with his punishment in this case to be honest :/
5) thanks for explaining the "he came to me"-scene, cause i was confused what she could have mean ^^ Yes the scene with her mama was nice, though a bit kitchy. And i believe no mama would say something like "oh ya got a boyfriend who's a beast? no problem, would he visit us for dinner?" but as ya said the scene may be important for SR to realise some things. I love her mama x) The stumbling over "i like him" was really sweet I think Rephaim realised that he loves her when he thought SR hates him and he cried, oh i cried too in this moment But it wasn't really nice from SR, i mean i still think she was angry at him but wasn't able to tell him when they met (i mean she wanted to be cool and all but she just couldn't)
6) yes it was so mean from her. The Casts really managed it to made me hate Neferet. But to be honest, i can't understand why Neferet has to undress herself all the time o.Ô Sorry but WTF?? Maybe she should work in a strip-club and not as a school-leader^^
7) As i said before, he just f*cked it up, i mean he had the chance to prevent that Rephaim murder anyone else if he train him or even educate him in some ways, it would have been really the perfect chance! I cannot understand it. I'm scared that he manage to kill Rephaim. I hope so much that would not happen! but he would try it, and Dallas would try it, poor birdboy -.-

I like your explanation for the reason why Kalona released Rephaim but because Stark said it could be a benefit for Kalona to let Rephaim go, i'm worried. And the hint with the wavering air around Rephaim, cause i guess there stands something like "later SR will remember the air wavering around him" or so... What later???
I'm just curious. It was clear that it hurt Kalona to let Rephaim go but after the new attacking through Stark I think he plans something. But i really don't know the reasons for that.
Yes it is interesting that Erik is a tracker and i liked the scene with Z and him (i was scared that they would find together again...) but they could have put this in a scene where are more explanations or even actions. Dunno. I guess it was the wrong time to put this up.
See, it's difficult to say whose wing it is. I had the same thoughts like you, without any conclusion^^ i would like to ask PC on her blog herself, but i guess she wouldn't be happy to read that there are some people who already read Awakened^^ I don't want her to hate me x)
The saddest thing was for me that Kramisha had lost her great role from Burned. I mean she just said hey SR you act strange and i got some new poems for you and that was it. That is closely linked to my disappointment about Rephaim and SR losing their great role from Burned. And why i'm scared they wouldn't have any povs in Destined. I mean the whole drama is practically over. They are together now and he's even allowed to sleep in the tunnels, what else should happen to him that he need an own pov. Or SR. Dunno
Yes i thought that about the red glows, too. I cannot remember, happend that whenever she was angry because of Rephaim? I'm worried like you, too. But i cannot see her to become her evil as long as she's happy with Rephaim. Ya right that could become a problem if something happens to Rephaim what i do NOT want!!! He's too important and he just choose Light, he's not allowed to die
About the Darkness thing from Neferet what hurt SR i guess it's normal. I mean Neferet just killed the vamp from the council without even touching her. And Neferet would have said something about it if it's not normal for her to behave this way, i guess.
I don't think your scenario is unrealistic, it could happen something like that, thought i don't think they would kidnap SR, cause she wouldn't work for the ones who killed her lover. But she could get mad and use Darkness or something like that and want revenge or so, but as i said before, Rephaim should not die that would be the greatest sh*t ever!! Maybe almost die, but not completely! I don't think that their imprint could break if he's just almost dead to be honest. It seems to me that it's a very strong imprint.
But i can see SR freak out. There were so much hints.

In this case i hope that Kalona will see Rephaim and SR together again, while Rephaim is the pretty boy of course. It wasn't nice from him to say to his son that SR could never love him as a woman loves a man -.-

And one question - did you understand why the book is called awakened??

i mean i dunno if Rephaim is really "strong" any more. I read the book again, and there really stands bird! I mean, his human outward appearance was also described as a "young warrior", so maybe he's just strong like someone who did much sports, but i'm not sure if he has the power to call upon the power from his father, cause when Kalona released him, he said literally "so you're not longer my son"!

What i thought when i read the book the second time, WHY did Nyx nerved Rephaim as the ghost? And asked him a zillion of questions? It was even said in Burned that the ghost had a strange interest in him, i really wonder why it was like that? Why did Nyx that? Was she really interested cause she didn't had the chance before to talk to a Raven Mocker and really started to be curious? Dunno? It's really sweet that she played kinda "Armor" and pushed Rephaim to think about that he has to help SR etc. I guess she's one of the reasons that they're together at least

Rephaim's not as strong as he used to be NOW. In his Raven Mocker form, before Kalona released him, Rephaim was pretty strong. Their epic "Killing Neferet" battle could of happened before he became pretty, Kalona could have released Rephaim after Neferet was dead as in "You have given me my freedom, now i shall give you yours. You're life is yours. You are no longer my son." To me, that would have been cooler, then to watch as Kalona went off to some distant corner of the world to reflect upon his actions and perhaps attempt to be a better person, due to example that Rephaim has set.

Yeah that part was the most confusing. I really wanted to know what was going through Nyx's head as she took that form. I mean, did she seriously think that annoying Rephaim was what was going to get him to listen to her? I mean come on. I think the ghost is proof that that Burned and Awakened were originally planned to one book.

The black bull of Light, Nyx's male counter part has been forgotten, the balance between Light and Darkness has shifted in favour of Darkness. That's why Darkness seemed so much more powerful then before and why Stevie Rae couldn't fight it like she could before. I mean before she was just summoning her element and the sticky threads of Darkness would disappear, now their draining her energy. The white bull of Darkness has been awakened and now Neferet is his female counterpart. She's an Immortal made from the Darkness of the White Bull. She's a willing follower. I think this is Sgiach was trying to get at. She can't leave her island because then the battle of balanace would be lost because they are the only ones who still believe in the power of the Black bull. That shield is not just a protection of outside in, but inside out.

I really wish we could have gotten more scenes between SR/Rephaim before everything came out into the open, but I don't think the love declarations were random at all. On the contrary, the progression of their relationship panned throughout a total of the last three novels- all of which they were the central focus. Stevie Rae and Rephaim have harbored deep feelings for each other for quite some time now. I definitely bought that they were deeply in love with each other by the climax of the novel.

That said, I definitely see where you're coming from. The big transformation felt almost anti-climatic with how smoothly everything fell into place. I didn't find it all that farfetched how quickly Zoey and co came to accept Rephaim however. Nyx's forgiveness of Rephaim was the ultimate testimony. They had seen there was good in his heart the moment he was touched by the hand of the Goddess. They wouldn't dare question her judgment.

As far as Rephaim being stuck a bird during the day, I don't think Stevie Rae would need his protection anyway. For one, the majority of the time that he'd be trapped as a bird, Stevie Rae would be asleep anyway, but foremost as a human boy there is only so much that Rephaim can do that is humanly possible for him, in order to protect her. Thankfully for the both of them, Stevie Rae can handle herself and really doesn't need much protection on the side. And while I imagine the whole human to bird transition thing will serve as a complication for them intimacy-wise, that's always been the basis of their relationship. It will never be conventional lol.

I think the cover is strictly symbolic. The way Rephaim is depicted on it is not to be taken at face value. I'll admit I was kind of hoping Rephaim would get to keep his wings and remain an immortal, but I guess Nyx has other plans for him.

Lol I'm so in the minority here, but I LOVE that Heath is back. In my wildest of fantasies, I totally predicted something like this but didn't think it'd actually happen.

I ship Stark and Zoey, but I wouldn't mind seeing Heath and Zoety reconnect either. Especially since I didn't like how rough Stark got with Zoey at the end of the novel. I hope that wasn't meant to be taken as a sign of foreshadowing.

i was really really really mad when i saw the section headed "Heath". ugh. he should have stayed dead ):<

the thing hat i really hate was kalone "in" Stark, i imagine this may hapen 'cuz the final of Burned, but i really hate that, I luv Stark & Z and know the things will be so wrong for them [the end for exemple], 'till they discover that or Reph explain he will do a lot of things that will break with them and with the back of Heath totally suc* now
I really want a final Z & Stark

I gotta confess, i think the US cover was one of the majorly misleading things about Awakened. I thought, that due to Rephaim being on the cover, we would finally see Rephaim and Stevie Rae's relationship develop further in a romantic sense. But Awakened was really Neferet's book, of her Awakening to Darkness.

I agree with WillSuckUrBlood. I really liked the relationship dynamic between Heath/Zoey/Stark. The three of them together seemed to finally find balance. What i couldn't stand and absolutely LOATHED was the constant foreshadowing about Stark and Zoey's relationship. You know the whole "If only i had noticed... If only i had said something..." and "Before it all went wrong..." Seriously, all i could think was "For the love of Christmas! Not AGAIN! I have so had it with the Zoey boy-drama!"

Perhaps that's just me, but i just can't stand Zoey boy-drama. But i loved Heath being re-involved, The Vessal stuff is really interesting. But i couldn't help but find the Stark/Zoey parts not that interesting. I understand that those chapters held important character development, which is cool. But when i re-read the book, i tended just to skim over their parts.

Does anybody else want to know what on Earth the High Council of Vampyres are doing? Aren't they supposed to be electing a High Priestess of all Vampyres? What happened to Thanatos? I really liked her.