Awakened by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Title: Awakened (House of Night #8)

Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Acquired: Bought

Age Group: Young Adult

Grade: 68% or D+

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 the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

For me these books are becoming a downward spiral. I've been feeling that for the last three books, and I'm pretty sure other people agree. It's time for this series to wrap it up and come to a close. It's been a good run, but I think that now the story is just dragging.

The plot still has things going for it. When we're actually paying attention to the STORYLINE I very much enjoy the books, but honestly, if it was just about the storyline we could have been done four books ago. Now it just looks like bad fanfiction. Most of it is just petty drama. I want to yell at the characters nonstop. The WORLD could be destroyed and all anyone cares about is their boyfriend. Also, it bothers me how very few people can see past Neferet. These are supposed to be old and wise vampires, so how are only the fledglings noticing that she is full of it? I am predicting that Kalona will team up with the Zoey and the gang and take out Neferet. In turn he will be allowed to serve for Nyx again.

Most of the characters are just predictable and annoying now. It never bothered me before how much they are built off of complete stereotypes, but now it is. There are few characters now that don't make me want to punch them in the face. I feel like these books could have been so great. The vampire mythology was built up fantastically. But instead of leaning on that to sell, the books are more about boy drama and tons of unnecessary lies.

Overall I think The House of Night books still have enough awesome left in them to move in the right direction. I'd recommend this books to the people who haven't jumped off this train yet.