Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach

Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
Publisher: Speak (Penguin)
Release date: March 31, 2011
Pages: 304

Summary: Caitlyn is not like other girls. She wakes every morning from vivid, horrifying nightmares, and is haunted by them throughout the day. None of her friends or family members understand what she’s going through. The only person who would understand—her mother—is dead. When Caitlyn receives an invitation to attend a boarding school in France, she jumps at the chance, hoping things will be different. However, at the Chateau de la Fortune, Caitlyn’s dreams become even more vivid, and she soon finds herself trying to unlock the secrets that her school houses.

My thoughts: When I first read the back cover of Wake Unto Me, I had my doubts about the book. It seemed like an average paranormal romance. Well, I’m happy to say that Wake Unto Me was much, much more than I expected.

Wake Unto Me has its (crazy adorable) moments of romance, but its main focus is on solving a mystery. The pieces of the puzzle were well researched and rounded; I found myself amazed at the solution to each clue. It was exciting to read about Caitlyn and Raphael’s deductions, and the references to the Knights Templar made my history-loving heart sing.

Caitlyn was a great protagonist; though I didn’t enjoy the fact that she was always moping around after not being able to see Raphael, she was otherwise very solid. I liked that even though she was an outsider, she didn’t have a jaded outlook on life; she was always thinking positively. Caitlyn’s powers were really neat, too; I enjoyed her dreams and the eventual revelation as to what she truly was.

Lisa Cach’s writing in Wake Unto Me is gorgeous. Her writing style was very appropriate for the setting; the third-person narration is elegant and descriptive, and the addition of French and Italian words made the book feel exotic and all the more enticing.

I would definitely recommend Wake Unto Me to anyone looking for an exciting mystery with a few added bonuses—a beautiful yet creepy foreign setting and a delicious romance. I, for one, enjoyed the book quite a bit, and the intriguing story will certainly be swirling around my brain for a while.

4.5/5 stars

Source: ARC received from author