The Stone Awakened

Judith Sterling

Dec 2018 · The Wild Rose Press Inc

About this ebook

Since moving to Ireland, Ashling Donoghue has tackled one challenge after another. Now the mystery of her parents' disappearance seems unsolvable. Are they dead or only missing? No one—not even the godlike Breasals—has a clue. Hope and fear war inside her, but she's determined to find answers and stay strong for her siblings. Even as she hones newfound powers, her banshee-in-training sister Deirdre needs her support. Ashling could use a little help herself. She's struggling to navigate her first romance, and while Aengus Breasal stirs her body, mind, and soul, his nemesis Lorcan does too. Both men harbor secrets about her past life as Caer. One has ties to Aoife, the scheming wind demon whose influence is on the rise. As the Stone of Destiny awakens, so does the conflict within.

Ratings and reviews

This was another beautifully written book in the Guardian of Erin series. I enjoyed the Cauldron Stirred a couple of months ago and was excited to continue the adventure, and I have to say I liked this one even more. A few things stand out. First, the characters from book 1 continued to be developed. This book explored more of the sibling relationships between Ashling and her younger sister and twin brothers which I really enjoyed. I also am loving her relationship with Aengus and their sparks of first love. But her attraction to Lorcan is intriguing and also realistic because relationships can be tricky, especially when there are thousands of years of history complicating them. Second, this book got to the action more quickly as there wasn’t a need for all the introductions and world-building that are required in a first book of a series. Although I assume there are more books, planned the reader wasn’t left on a cliff-hanger waiting for the next book. I’d recommend this for teens of all ages and adults interested in the a paranormal. And if you know anything about Irish mythology, I assume it would be a must-read.

Be transported into the land of Ireland, where mythical creatures exist in other worlds. Ashling, had come to Ireland with her mother, father and siblings which was described in the first book of this series. She has experienced so much and with Aengus Breasal's help, has discovered this other world and learns to develop her own powers along with her sister Deidre. I loved the interaction between Ashling, her sister and twin brothers and it pulled them all together. When her father and mother go missing, she is determined find them and really needs some help. Her relationship with Aengus is lovely to watch as the beginnings of first love stir. But Aengus' adversary Lorcan makes her feel things too. Wonderfully written, it kept my attention as I turned that pages and with the paranormal mythology, I was hooked. You will really enjoy this tale and long for the next book in this series.

Audiobook: Narrator - Sarah Lucero I really enjoyed this narration, more so than the first book. Ms. Lucero did an excellent job of accents, male and female characters as well as pulling me into the story. Wow, this is chocked full of fantastical creatures from mythology and bursting with layer upon layer of danger and drama that will cast its spell upon you from one heartbeat to another. As Ashling searches for clues to her parent’s disappearance, there is danger at every turn. Her sister is coming into her own powers which opens doors to more secrets and adventure. Along the way, Ashling continues to grow closer to Aengus but is also being pulled in another direction. I’m not a fan of love triangles, but I have to admit, this one adds a new depth I didn’t see coming. Although this is primarily Ashling’s story, her siblings are definitely rising up to take their place and I can see that there’s a big showdown on the horizon. I was definitely engaged with this, although listening instead of reading some of the more finer details of the mythological beings could be a bit difficult at times. I wasn’t always able to rewind for a deeper listen so I lost some of the threads along the way. Nevertheless, the sheer energy of this story is evident throughout. There were moments that were down right startling and sometimes frightening. I confess, I’m curious to see how this is all going to end!