5 Wine Glass #Audio #Review of Dark Awakened by H.D. Smith

Title: Dark Awakened
Series: The Devil’s Assistant #2
Author: H. D. Smith
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Format: Unabridged Audiobook, 9 hrs and 36 mins
Published: Feb 26, 2015 (Wild Fey, LLC)
ISBN: ASIN: B00U3OEATK
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Audible
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Author
Rating: 5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Last spring Claire’s seemingly normal—if not totally screwed up—life was tossed on its head. For five years she’d been one of the damned—a human that knows the truth about the otherworldly among us. She’d worked for The Boss—the Demon King himself—as his administrative assistant, handling everything from early retirements, to Maintenance’s incessant requests for dental.

No one gets dental.

Then she walked into Purgatory—totally not her fault—went back in time, and awakened powers she never knew existed. Now Claire has a prophecy hanging over her head, a diamond ring hidden in her sock drawer, and the blood of a long dead royal running through her veins.

And it’s only going to get worse.

Her vow to live free or die takes a serious hit when she’s forced back under The Boss’s protection. Of course, there’s no protection from fate, or the Bounty Hunter sent to deliver her to Purgatory. And as if being “the girl” in the prophecy wasn’t enough, Claire soon discovers there are three other contenders for her role—two of whom want her dead.

Follow more of Claire’s adventures in Dark Awakened, the second installment of the Devil’s Assistant Series, to find out if she’s lucky enough to escape with her life, or if she’s just the first notch on the next contender’s belt.

Linda's Thoughts:
I pulled Thanos in for a kiss, surprising him. I wasn’t sure if it was our bond or the fear this might be my last kiss, but I didn’t hold anything back. I let him in. He took full advantage, plundering my mouth as if I were the last woman on Earth, which could have been a result of him being trapped in a desolate wasteland for the last five hundred years—but I decided not to over think it.

Dark Awakened is the second marvelous installment in H.D. Smith’s fascinating The Devil’s Assistant dark urban fantasy series. It picks up right from where Dark Hope, the series’ debut left off. Clare, the series namesake, continues to kick-ass and take names. She’s intelligent with an uber- quick mind, physically and mentally strong, saucy and her sense of humor is, more often than not, a quirky breath of fresh air. I’ve seen it written that this series does not have supporting characters. Indeed, every one of the rather large cast has an important part to play. They are not background; They are each integral to the story.

First of all, let me be clear. This is not a series to read out-of-order. If you attempt to do so, you will be disappointed. Do yourself a favor, start with the first book and enjoy the series as it evolves. You won’t be sorry! Luckily for new readers, the four books which comprise Clare’s arc in the series are all available. Go for it!

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Dark Awakened:

“The blue of winter, the brown of spring, the red of summer, and the fall of green. I seek the place of treasures past. I seek the truth of sand and glass. I call to the wind of seasons past. I bring with me the best of summer. I am the one with whom you bask. Deliver me and complete your task.” 
--- 

“I must complete my quest or I will die.” 
--- 

 “She shoved me against the wall, pulling a knife from her belt and pressing it against my throat. “Who are you?” she hissed.  
I winced as the blade drew a line of blood on my flesh. I considered my options. Queen of the Fallen, no. Enemy to your children, no. “I’m Claire, the Devil’s assistant,” I answered, deciding on the simplest choice.” 

As she did with the previous book, Lauren Fortgang does a fantastic job with the narration. The voices she selected for the characters sound true and they remain consistent throughout. The emotions and tones she conveys are well done. The end production quality is polished. With the first book, because of the huge amount of new characters, I found it necessary to listen to some parts multiple times just to get it straight in my mind who is who and what was going on when. It would have been handy to have a print copy to refer to with the first book. I did not have that same issue with this installment because much of the previous cast returned, and there are very few new introductions. I’m very glad I elected to listen to this series as Lauren’s performance is a definite plus.

This is a paranormal series that will challenge your mind to work overtime. There’s a bit of romance this go-around, magic, spells, curses, dark marks, dragons, time travel and more. Incredibly, I enjoyed Dark Awakened even more than Dark Hope. The world the author created was just as incredible. The story was just as complex, fast-paced and action-packed, but with many of the characters from Dark Hope returning, there weren’t very many new characters to process this time around. The bottom line is that H.D. Smith is a literary genius. I loved every second of this listen and can’t wait to jump into Dark Forsaken, the next book in this brilliant series!


Suggested Reading Order: 
Dark Hope (Book #1)
Dark Awakened (Book #2)
Dark Forsaken (Book #3)
Dark Contender (Book #4)