Review: Awakening (Queen of Spades #1)

Author: E.J. Dawson

Started reading: June 22ne 2022

Finished the book: June 27th 2022

Pages: 280

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance

Published: April 10th 2020

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads score: 4.38

My score:

Synopsis

Ayla is a villain. With a gift that allows her to see when anyone will die, she’s remorseless in her profession as the perfect assassin. When she wakes up in a cryo-tank three thousand years in the future, and no idea how she came to be there, all that matters is survival.

Rescued by Leith and the crew of the Nuria, Ayla discovers a far evolved world of space ships and galactic colonization. But everything comes with a price, and though Ayla is no princess locked in an icy tower, she still has to pay for the rescue she didn’t know she needed.

Given over to Leith, a darkly handsome man who reads Ayla far easier than she’d like, they must work together if Ayla is to repay her debt. As the pair come to learn how dangerous one another are, so too grows a lustful bond that comes with rules of its own. Fighting to learn why she was frozen, Ayla’s dragged into Leith’s past with a criminal organization seeking to take over this sector of the galaxy. In order to survive, Leith will need Ayla’s help, but Ayla doesn’t know if she’s willing to pay what it will cost her…

My thoughts

I love going into books blind, so I didn't really read the synopsis. I was so shocked by the first chapter and I think I read this book pretty quick! I was also surprised by the romance and the smut (you know I love it). Definitely a quick and easy to read book. So if you're looking for a nice sci-fi adventure with some romance; pick this up!

Pros

• Characters: The characters and relationships and bonds between people are so fun in this book. The power Ayla has is so unique, I've not seen it in other books before. The personalities of various characters really shone through, even to the way they spoke! Recently I found out that I'm more character than plot driven (most of the time) so this book was a hit for me.
• Electricity: Oooohhhh booiiiii. The electricity between two of the characters is yum, yum, yum. It was right there in your face and just simmering beneath the surface. And yes, the SMUT. I want it AAALLL. You know I love it. And then the combination? Sci-fi with smut and spice? I've not seen that very often.
• Questions: The questions that I have after this book make me really want to read the second one. And I definitely will, I put it on my TBR already.

Cons

• Pace: I recently find myself talking about the pace of a book much more. I feel like some books are so fast paced, that I'm missing details. There is so much happening in this book. I just needed a breath and to enjoy the characters and relationships they have, instead of something new happening every chapter. There are new characters, new companies, new locations every chapter. It made me sometimes lose the story.

Overall

Definitely a great book for people who are character driven, but also for people who are plot driven, because SO much is happening. The characters and their relationships were definitely my favorite part. Ayla is so badass and I'm just really curious to see what she is going to do next!

Memorable quotes from this book

"Time is a very human concept, given your incredibly short life span. A couple of centuries is nothing to the stars."

"People fight to live, and everyone fears their own deaths."

Thanks for reading!

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