Emerge
The Awakening #1
Melissa A. Craven
Publication date: April 1, 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Allie Carmichael has always believed life is simple.

You’re born. You live. You die.
She has no cause to believe that equation works differently for her, but there has to be a reason the world treats her like a pariah.

When an unexpected move to Kelleys Island brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, Allie is thrown by his reaction. He doesn’t shrink from her touch. He doesn’t stutter or make a quick exit. He smiles and welcomes her into his circle of friends, who aren’t exactly comfortable with Allie, but they seem to get her in a way most people don’t.

Finally, Allie has a real shot at normal and rides that high right up to her sixteenth birthday when she wakes in agony—an experience Aidan insists they have all faced. She struggles in ignorance, uncertain of what is real and what isn’t. When she emerges, Allie is different. She has always been different, but even among her extraordinary friends, she and Aidan are special.

As Allie struggles to maintain her tenuous grasp on the power that threatens to overwhelm her, she worries she will lose herself in this strange new world. A dangerous world where she will have to fight tooth and nail to defend the power and freedom that is her birthright.

…only Allie hates to fight.

 Emerge takes the reader into a fantastic world full of old tales mixed with new interpretations and ideas. This Young Adult story couples the fantasy with modern day life so well. There is intrigue and mystery about what is happening to Allie and these new people who are in her filtering into her life. It was fascinating to learn about the new world she was a part of and to see the way it had filtered through with the history we know today. Allie is such a feisty heroine in this book. She is attempting to learn the purpose of who she is and what exactly she is, all while balancing normal teenage girl things. I loved that when you read this story, you learn with her side by side. This story is told in her POV and that allows for us to see what she experiencing and how she is handling everything. Allie is a sixteen year old girl and the story balances her teenager angst with a supernatural story very well.

One of the primary characters that is close to Allie is Aiden. He is such an important character, someone who is her equal in power and her confidant throughout the transition. He understands what she is going through on a deeper level than anyone else. It allows them to be linked in an important way. Watching them become best friends is sweet, and seeing Aiden fall in love with her is bittersweet. I am interested to see where that plot line leads. I have some theories and I cannot wait to see what happens between these two dominant characters.

I loved the new family that Allie is surrounded by. There are so many unique personalities and people that have brought her into the world she is now a part of. After moving to Kelleys Island, each person we meet in this story has a role to fill and many have an incredible story to tell. That was one of my favorite parts of what I read. Many of the  adults share their story of life and love with Allie, allowing her to see where they have come from and what they have endured in the centuries before. Mixing real life historical timelines with the story lines of the charters we meet in this book was an incredible idea, one that gives the paranormal realm a sense of authenticity. The history buff in me loved that thread and I was enraptured the more I learned about each person in Allie’s life.

This story has a good amount of mystery and adventure. There are things happening that you can feel as you read. Unknown forces are brewing and there is something big coming soon. Allie learns to tap into her power after her Awakening and watching her learn to fight, defend, and use her magic was a magical ideal brought to life. There is action in past experiences Allie witnesses and so much training in the present. The book flows constantly from one thing to another and it feels like it is gearing up to something great and dangerous. The story was well paced and the characters were perfect for the Young Adult genre. The story primarily focuses in Allie and her newfound power but there is so much more, giving the story a very broad spectrum with Allie in the middle. I am excited to see where the series leads and to see how the prophecies and story unfold.