I was approached by Mary Parker's publicist a while ago and was asked if I was interested in reading and reviewing the debut novel The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake. I have to admit that I was a bit reluctant at first, given the fact that this is a debut YA novel, and honestly speaking, YA is not my coup of tea. But the book's blurb sounded promising and well written, so I decided to give it ago.The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake is indeed a remarkable debut written by the young first time author Mary Parker. It kicks off with a very promising start and draws you in right away:
Why is it that I only ever want to buy sunglasses when it’s autumn and the skies are in a perpetual state of overcast?
I know what you’re thinking.
Couldn’t I just save them? Wear them in the spring and summer? It’s not like sunglasses have an expiration date. At least not in anything but fashion. Not that fashion has ever been on my Top Ten list of things that matter. Or even my Top Twenty.
I’m getting sidetracked.
To me, that is a very strong beginning. However, and unfortunately for me, about one-quarter into the book I start to lose interest in it. It's not because of the quality of the writing, but simply because it became apparent to me that this is indeed a Young Adult novel. There's nothing wrong with that, nothing at all, but I fear that I am getting too old to enjoy the genre to the fullest (which probably says more about me than it does about this book). However, I continued reading, and the last quarter of the book actually managed to draw me in again and rekindle my interest in Leeowyn and what was happening to her, and like her I did not want to be kept in the dark any longer. I'm glad that I continued reading it. Why, I even find myself curious to see what happens in next instalment of this series!
 - Mary Parker)
