Cassidy K. O'Connor's "Awakening Her Desires"

Title: An Irish-Folklore Twist on the Classic Coming-of-Age Story

Awakening Her Desires by Cassidy K. O’Connor

Reviewed by S. Davis

November 18, 2015

8:30 p.m.

Cassidy K. O’Connor’s Awakening Her Desires is everything one would want in a prequel. As one who is familiar with the other two books in the series, it was refreshing to hear Keara’s background story. The novella begins with Keara, a young feary who is about to embark on her coming-of-age ceremony, a ceremony that will determine the rest of her life. However, Keara is restless; she does not want the conventional life of marrying one man and raising a family with him for the rest of her life. Instead, she discovers fearies whose beliefs are the complete opposite of what she has been raised to trust and believe in.

The novella is told entirely from Keara’s point of view, which is invigorating and stimulating all at once. Keara’s young, naïve voice is completely different than what the other two novellas portray as Keara is coming into her own in this prequel. O’Connor does a nice job with combining Keara’s fledgling voice with that of old Irish folklore. The combination of the modern elements and the antiquated traditions of Keara’s clan make for a unique and believable coming-of-age tale.

While O’Connor’s novellas typically clip along at a quickened pace, Awakening Her Desires is no exception. While I wish at times that more scenes were drawn out so that Keara could be developed as a character more, this is not O’Connor’s style. However, O’Connor’s heightened way of telling a story works tremendously for the stories she tells. O’Connor’s detailed account of Keara’s experiences does not leave much to the imagination, but it is perfect for the story.

Awakening Her Desires combines enormously humorous moments with sad and romantic moments told through the lens of a young Keara, who followers of the Love Protector Series have come to love. The novella is full of surprising twists and turns that will keep the reader invested in the story from page one.

I gladly give Awakening Her Desires 4 out of 5 stars.    

Until next time,

S. Davis