The Spiral Awakens is very different from the fantasy I usually read, but nonetheless I found it to be an enjoyable read. First off, this story was juggling a lot of elements - trials, ancient gods, portals, divine magic, as well as an archaeological plotline - and I think it was able to execute all of them well.

The world-building was incredible, the perfect blend of mythological lore with gods, being called to another realm, and the mystery of the spirals, which left me consistently engaged. The bond between the characters felt very natural, and we get to see them slowly come together. The relationship between Alayna and Denali had me captivated for the entirety of the book.

There were some pacing issues at the end; it felt a bit rushed in comparison to the rest of the novel, but overall I would still highly recommend it.