This was a masterpiece. Going into it I wasn't quite sure what to think, but the history and world building just brings its to life. As the battle rages for who will take control and what powers will be revealed, this book will keep you on your toes! I couldn't put it down. What an amazing book and I'm hoping there's another after this!

I love the story, I could not put it down! The characters pull you in into their story!

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this - the author brought an interesting twist to the "brave girl leads revolution" story by adding what I think is a more believable story arc - she is hugely conflicted, after being essentially a hostage most of her life. But, a hostage who's treated much like a beloved member of the family - so she has bought into the narrative told her there. When circumstances force her into a situation opposing that ruling family, she doesn't immediately buy into the change. Stockholm syndrome - but, to me, that felt real - having been treated pretty well since she was 5 years old, it would seem normal that she wouldn't just flip a switch and change all her long-held beliefs.

Unlike many fantasy books, there was - gasp - more than one strong female character, and they were much more developed than is often the case. I have read that this is planned to be the first in a trilogy and I'll definitely get the next book if/when it comes out - it will be fascinating to see where the author goes with these characters and how they develop.

Every once in a while a book will come along that I have to ask myself what in the world is this? This one for this year is that one. I have to ask myself what was the author and publisher thinking when they decided to write and publish a book with SO much to keep track of? This one has so many characters and so many kingdoms to keep track of that I DNFed it about 40% in. I ended up restarting the book twice just to see if I could get things straight and ya it just wasn't happening. This book started out great but got so frustrating shortly into it.

So although this one had a lot going for it the author just bogged down the story in a way that you just can't follow it.

I loved this book so much that I did something I rarely do- I emailed the author and asked her "Will there be more?" She kindly and quickly replied that this is the first in a trilogy, so more is on the way! I rarely give out five stars, but this fantasy deserves them.

There are two opposing lands in a pseudo-medieval world. The Ereni Empire outlaws magic. The Caerisians are mounting a Revolution against the Ereni because they value their rare magic that allows some of them to communicate with nature in a very beautiful and also scary strong way. Stuck in the middle of these two empires is Elana (El) who was held as a hostage by the Ereni King since she was 5 years old. While growing up Ereni, she comes to think of herself as Ereni and the Ereni King as her father even if everyone there has not been nice to her. But El has strong powers. Shes not allowed to use them in Ereni and she does not feel like she belongs with her true family.

This is such an entertaining story with great characters. El is strong and coming into and magic and learning about love, duty, and family. The story reminded me a little of Uprooted but I enjoyed this one much more. It also reminded me a little of The Fifth Season based on how things in the environment can so drastically change. Highly recommended.

This book was provided by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

I liked the concept of this book including the fact that the author got her inspiration from nature and the Lord of the Rings and I absolutely loved the ending, but there were some parts throughout where I was extremely frustrated that the main character, Lady Elanna, couldn't make up her mind on what she was feeling or thinking and the fluctuation was confusing. But all in all it was pretty good!

I was kind of disappointed with this book. Which is unfortunate because I really, really wanted to love this book. The cover was gorgeous and the premise sounded really interesting, but in the end, the execution fell short.

My main issue with this book was Elanna aka El, the protagonist of the story. While I love having strong main characters in books, it's not necessarily bad when a female character isn't amazing all the time. Characters can have flaws, of course. However, what really bothered me was El's personality and how quickly it flipped when she became the "steward of the land".

Initially, El was kind of likable in that she was stuck in another land, raised by a man who wasn't her father, and disliked by so many of the people in the castle. I felt a little bad for her situation and I wanted her to rise up from it at the end of the book to show them how she wasn't all the things they said she was. 

It was when she met up with her father's comrades/the rebellion that I started to get really irritated with Elanna. She was constantly complaining about her life in a way that bordered on whining. She was constantly crying or feeling sorry for herself. 

Not only that but even after she was treated so poorly by others for being Caerisian, she went on to look down on her companions just because of where they came from. She acted like she was better than them like they were ignorant and backward. It irritated me so much because you would think that she would know more than anyone else how terrible it felt to be treated that way, to be in that position, and she still did it anyways. Sure, part of it was that was raised to believe so many lies by the king, but for someone who claimed to be so smart she was quick to believe just about anything.

The only change I saw in Elanna was that once she had her parents attention--when she could see how "proud" they were--she started to change her mind about things. It wasn't her as a character making a choice to stand up for what was right, but about getting approval from others. She kept repeating how she was the "steward of the land" and acting with authority without really understanding everything that came with that title. I felt like Elanna shouldn't have been the face of the rebellion.

Finn was also a really pathetic character. He was cowardly and complained about his situation often enough that it made me roll my eyes. I could understand him not wanting the responsibility put on him, but he couldn't even try to fake being a leader when people needed him the most just for morale.

Aside from Elanna and Finn, the rest of the characters didn't necessarily feel especially memorable. I can't remember the name for most of the people that Elanna traveled with. I think the only exceptions to this might be Victoire and Rhia--both of whom had a more (consistent) character, in my opinion, than Elanna.

Now, some of the descriptions in the book were nice. The writing wasn't too terrible for most of the time, but it was repetitive. I can't even guess the number of times that we were reminded that Elanna was the steward of the land and that the land was alive or waking. We get it. 

As for the pacing, the book felt slow. It was hard to remember that the story was moving toward a rebellion because it just didn't feel like it was moving in that direction. Plus, the ending just felt... cheap. Hardly anyone died. I know, that sounds like a weird thing to complain about, but really... if you're having a rebellion someone has to die right? And I'm talking about characters that mattered, even a little.

The only people who really died were faceless, nameless characters. Hardly anyone that actually mattered to Elanna was lost in this book. It was like no one wanted anything bad to happen to Elanna besides being forced to grow up in another kingdom. And that hardly even counts because her situation wasn't that bad, even with people making fun of her for being Caerisian. The king cared for her more than he did his own daughter. Elanna wasn't treated like a prisoner, and she made it clear more than once that she preferred living there, so I can't feel too bad for her.

In the end, it felt like this was the story of a whiny girl who got returned to her homeland, got some cool powers, realized said powers were cool and people liked her for them, and then proceeded to act like her powers suddenly made her a better person. Honestly, the book was just kinda boring. If you like strong female characters or even just good character development, this would probably not be the book for you.

Strong fantasy that comes off as overly confusing (so many names! people! places!). Solid three star read for me.

I’m impressed with Bates imagination to create such an intricate world of magic, political turmoil, and how the “Warden of the Land” fought for her people. I read page after page with curiosity and intrigue right from the start. I can’t pick which parts I love most; the strong heroine, supporting characters, the amazing world building or the magical land.

Let me start with the characters. Elanna, our fearless heroine, was kidnapped and raised by the king who kidnapped her. Thinking the people, culture, and beliefs she had grown up to know are far more superior than the one she was born with. But when the king dies, she is left with no choice but to go back to where she truly belongs. Finding out the truth of her past was a rude awakening for Elanna but she took it like a champ. She had all kinds of reservations and resentment but when the truth presented itself, she was able to take it in her stride. The use of her power to help her people was amazing and awe inspiring. And I really love her powers to control the land. It thought that power to be super cool.

The well-developed supporting characters blew me away. Our hero, Johan who helps Elanna escape and lead her to her people and eventually lead the rebellion against the king. I love Johan and his ability to let Elanna be the badass that she is. He has now qualms about letting her take the lead yet not feeling insecure. The romance was slow and really just a small part but it was sweet. I initially thought there might have been a triangle romance but I was relieved to know that it wasn’t the case. Last, her family and the people who fought (some died) for their cause; I think Bates did a great job incorporating what they do and how strongly they believed in it. It made their loyalty believable and it supported Elanna’s decisions in so many ways.

I was floored by Bates world building. She eases you in slowly into this magical world as the protagonist eases into who she is and the power she posses. The magical world and its history are a bit complicated, but not once I was overwhelmed. What I love most is the connection of the land to Elanna’s powers. She reminded me a little of a hippie version of Poison Ivy.

There were some slow bits but only due to the storytelling of the past and I know some might not like that, but it didn’t deter me from enjoying this book to the fullest. I actually can’t wait, and I’m dying to ask the author what’s to come for Elanna and her people, but I refrain in fear of getting blocked in her social media. LOL. I do recommend this book if you like Mary Pearson, Kiersten White, or Sarah Beth Durst novels.

Thanks to the publisher for access to this title in return for a fair review.

This book started out at a strong 4 stars for me. Good characters and interactions and everything I look for in a decent read. However, the last half wasn't as impressive for me, and by the end I just wanted to be done and move on. Part of this may have been my own perception at the time as I was having a hard time staying focused and interested, but then I realized I had finished 4 other books in between starting this one, so I don't think it was all me. The explanation of all the magic was severely lacking for me, and I found that I really didn't care what happened to any of the characters.

Overall, a fun fantasy, but not one that I loved.

This was a very enjoyable book. The story is set-up perfectly for a sequel (or even more) and I certainly hope another book is in the works. This was one of the best recently published fantasy novels I have read. Ms. Bates has created compelling, complex characters and a compelling world. The story has a good mix of action, drama, and mystery/suspense. I particularly liked that Elanna, the main character, had this internal struggle throughout most of the story between her life in Eren and what she had been taught as a ward of the king regarding her homeland of Caeris and its customs, in particular the use of magic and worship of the old gods, and her former life as a young child in Caeris, her magical abilities (which she had largely suppressed for years), and the beliefs and desires of her family. Multiple people, including her own father, want to use her for their own goals/ambitions and want her because of what they think she can do/who she might be, while she really just wants to be left alone to pursue botany and be herself. However, forced into a situation where she has to decide whether to embrace her magic and her role as steward of the land, Elanna finds a way to forge her own path, discover her own strength, and stay true to the citizens of both Caeris and Eren.

I really enjoyed this book, this was one I struggled to put down. Ellana starts out with a very narrow minded view of the world and through her journey learns to embrace the truth of what is really happening between the countries. Who is really loyal to the cause, who is a double agent, and who is plotting for their own gain. The intrigue kept me reading but my love for lady Ellana's beautiful gift to wake the land and what she can do with the land was fun and imaginative. I seriously cannot wait for the next installment in the series.

I loved The Waking Land, but it took me a while to accept the pace of the book. I wanted to read it fast, but it is not a fast book, I was hooked once I finally took my time to savor the character development, the writing, the world, and the characters.

Elanna's character development is at the forefront of this novel, she is incredibly conflicted about her beliefs after growing up as a well-treated hostage, she rejects the way her captives view her people and at the same time absorbs and assimilates that worldview. Elanna's obstinate personality causes her to war with herself for most of the book, often having completely contradictory feelings from one situation to the next. Elanna's acceptance of herself, her homeland and people, and duty was a slow and believable process. Elanna's conflicting behavior is a great example of how individuals can embody negative ideas whether they realize it or not.

The writing shined when describing action and especially during conversations. Much of the book is filled with lovely details that sharpen the world, "I was feeding her pretend bites of the caramel pudding the servants had brought up earlier, baked in a dish until the sugar on top was crackling hot." The writing is least enjoyable when Elanna would sinks into obsessive thoughts and ruminates for pages, much of her development is realized through these thought processes, but it felt more natural when she came to realizations about herself in conversations. The bulk of the book is written in present tense (not my favorite) and makes complete sense for the unfolding of Elanna's story. I am currently studying for the GRE so I was particularly aware of the use of fancy vocabulary in The Waking Land, I loved that I had to stop and look up words, I appreciate books that challenge young people rather than dumbing things down for them.

The world is complex and engaging. Much of the world-building is introduced through natural conversations. The world is very different from anything I have read before (lately I think a lot of writers drop us off in Westeros-land and leave most of the world building and relationships to the assumption of the reader, George has already done the building for them). Caeris and Eren have complicated relations with the greater, fickle Paladisan Empire. The magic is very interesting, it can differ depending on where the character is from and how it is bound to the land, like Elanna's magic. I also enjoyed how science is incorporated as an important aspect of magic, that magic could be studied and understood in scientific ways.

The Waking Land focuses solely on Elanna and didn't add any other POV characters, but all the secondary characters have complex lives, emotions, and motivations. There is a lot going on for everyone and it adds a great deal to the depth of the story. One of my favorite parts was the development of friendship and trust between Elanna and the other characters.

While The Waking Land is not the typical sugar-coated, compulsively readable young adult novel, it has an enduring, complex story that will keep readers coming for years to come when all the sugary books have been discarded. I'm excited to see what Callie Bates does next.

After seeing the cover and synopsis on NetGalley, I couldn’t request a review copy fast enough. Sadly, despite the interesting premise, this one fell completely flat for me. I am a huge fantasy fan and seldom find myself bored, but the magical and world building elements are completely overshadowed by the political ones. About half way into the story, I was no longer interested in the numerous factions and endless politics.

I didn’t dislike Elanna but never felt invested in her plight either. She is somewhat immature and cold to those who only wanted to help her and her people. The romantic element felt bizarre at times and completely rushed. Had this not been a review copy, I likely would have given up on finishing it.

I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading this one, but wouldn’t recommend it either. I don’t see myself continuing on with the next installment. The author seems to have potential, but the story was too long and not focused on elements I enjoy.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for my copy.*

I was super excited to read this when I read the synopsis. But the story have to many characters that it is hard to keep up. Sad to say I loss interest when I got to the middle of the story.

Bates, Callie The Waking Land, 400 pages. Del Rey, 2017. Language: PG-13 (29 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (on page sex); Violence: PG-13 (fighting, death).

Elanna has been a hostage for 14 years as ransom for her father’s good behavior. When she accused of murdering her protector, King Antoine, by his greedy heir, the new Queen Loyce, She must run for her life, and perhaps towards her destiny. Along the wasy she will learn about friendship, about love, and about the three-part power of her land.

Bates writes a tour-de-force of high fantasy. I can’t wait to read more in the series. Rich in detail, in magic, and connections. Were it not for the scene where Elanna “weds the land” it would be appropriate for a much wider audience.

HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher

There are some really nice ideas at play in this novel, but the execution just didn't quite hang together, in my opinion. It tells the story of El, a young girl who finds herself involved in a rebellion while trying to come to terms with her own magic. The narrative has some nice nods to medieval legend and there is a sense of court romance and chivalry at play in terms of place name and language (all very French sounding). The magic system is quite original with its emphasis on 'waking' the land and it had a druidical feel about it. However, the pacing is really awkward. The narrative jumps forward abruptly in places, sometimes in the course of a single paragraph, which I found really jarring. I found our protagonist pretty irritating, with her wilful ability to make outstandingly horrible decisions and did not empathise with her at all. Some of the peripheral characters were more interesting for me. Finally, I thought the decision to write the novel in the first person present tense a little strange. It seems weird for someone to be narrating events as they are happening to her. All in all, it was interesting in places but left me a little disappointed.

The Waking Land is a Hot Mess of heart-thumping pacing, serviceable world building, eye roll–worthy instalove, a hotheaded and unreliable narrator (other POVs would have been most welcome!), an intriguing magic system, unbelievable 180s, and promising but underdeveloped secondary characters. Callie Bates is not without talent as a writer and storyteller, but I hope she continues to hone her craft.

After being dramatically kidnapped at age five, Elanna lives at the court of her homeland's oppressor. Fourteen years later, she is framed for regicide and must flee. She is not eager to reunite with her parents or take their part in the ongoing conflict; having been thoroughly brainwashed, she is mistrustful and suspicious of them and their allies. I'll offer a piece of advice to a would-be reader: focus on the myriad ways in which the adults in Elanna's life all fail her. They use her as a pawn, they don't communicate with or explain things to her, they assume that she will fall into line when she has been given no incentive to do so, they try to make her choices for her, etc. If you keep these things at the front of your mind, you may find Elanna less annoying and more sympathetic.

On cue, Elanna's Super Special Powers awaken and it is soon taken as a given that she is the Only One Who Can Save the World. From unwanted stepchild to everyone eating out of her hands—stop me if you've heard this one before! That said, I liked the Druidic flavor to the magic system and its connection to the land, and the pacing had me inhaling pages in a positively unladylike manner. The story works fine as a standalone, though I hear it will be a trilogy.