Review :Awakened - PC and Kristin Cast

Today's book is one that I had been looking forward to the 8th Book in the House of Night Series by PC and Kristin Cast. It is also the 1st book in 2011's Vampire Challenge. Though I have to agree that I love this cover better than the NZ Cover we had , its puts our covers a bit too shame as having a lack of imagination.

Review: Awakened - Book #8 House of Night Series - Jan 2011

“My love, speak to me. Tell me everything.” Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal. “What would you have me say?” He didn’t meet her eyes.  “Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless. “She does.”

“Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.” She started to walk away from him.“Where are you going? What will happen next?” “It is quite simple. I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma. There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.”

Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey. Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z. But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there. Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it? Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either.  And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship? Does he betray his father or his heart?

In Awakened, unlike the previous novels this one is less focused on the main characters of House of Night with Zoey, and Stevie Rae and more focused on Nerefet who has of course been expelled from the Vampire High Council and demoted back to her old job as High Priestess. However , when she arrives she is in for a shock as Zoey is nowhere to be found and soon Nerefet is gunning even more for revenge against Zoey when she discovers that Zoey is being groomed to be the next Queen. Will Nerefet with the help of  Kalona and Kronos stop Zoey from where she is meant to be and become ? It has been a hard year and now Stevie Rae has a dark secret., she is seeing Rephaim whom no one agrees that they should be together. Can Stevie Rae rely on her oldest friend Zoey to stand by her or will Zoey turn against Stevie when she discovers the depth of their relationship. In this book too we get to a standstill as we wonder whether Awakened is the last book in the House of Night Series , will this be the end of Zoey Redbird and the final House of Night or will Zoey be re-awakened in Awakened and we expect a book #9 ?