Book Review: “The Aziza Chronicles: Awakening” by TreVaughn Malik Roach-Carter

“The Aziza Chronicles: Awakening” by TreVaughn Malik Roach-Carter (2022)

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fiction

Page Length: 414 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

Discovering her descent from mythological African warriors called the Aziza was just the beginning of Justice Montgomery’s troubles. For not only has she been chosen to be their champion against supernatural evils—a demon is on the loose seeking to manipulate her into misusing her newfound powers.

Determined to do what’s right and live up to her heritage, Justice trains and forms a band of allies, both human and supernatural. Yet the demon is determined to lead her astray, in the hope that her power might be used to enact an ancient prophecy.

Should she succeed, Justice might become one of the most legendary Aziza to ever live. But should she fail, she might resurrect a goddess of Hell, and doom the world.

Review:

The Aziza Chronicles is a thrill ride of a fantasy story from beginning to end. The novel follows Justice a teenage girl who learns she is part of a legacy of guardians and powerful beings. She opens her eyes to this new world as best as she can while trying to navigate her powers. When danger strikes her hometown and it’s up to Justice and her friends to save the day. Will she be able to harness all of her skills in time or crumble under the pressure?

While this book is mainly focused on Justice’s journey of becoming one with her powers and culture the same goes for the other cast of characters too. I also enjoy reading coming-of-age narratives in YA novels (especially) and each of the main cast of characters goes on their own journey of reckoning with their past, becoming a more confident person, or just trying to discover who they truly are. The way these stories were navigated through the midst of action and the fast pace of the novel felt very smooth. And by the end of the story, the characters still have more growing to do which makes it feel very realistic.

There are a lot of characters and certain terms referred to throughout this novel and I wish that there was a glossary to help out with this. Besides that, I enjoyed all aspects of the novel and how the story progresses with each new chapter. There was never a dull moment and even the quieter moments felt powerful as well. The world-building was solid and the action-packed fight scenes had me on the edge of my seat. I was excited to see what would happen next or what surprises would be through my way. On top of everything I appreciated, the author explores African culture though through various elements and intertwines it with fantasy elements.

The novel definitely ends on a cliffhanger that leaves the reader wanting more. This is a recommended read for fantasy readers!

Final Verdict: