Awakening is a suspense/mystery book about an Irish female assassin named Valentine McLaughlin. As a young teenager, Valentine witnesses the murders of both her mother and father. She and her younger sister, Tara, are sent to live in an orphanage after the deaths of their parents. After a few years at the orphanage, Valentine, while having trouble dealing with the emotions and pain of the loss of her parents, decides to run away; leaving her sister behind, and charges her boyfriend to watch over her. While on the run from the orphanage, Valentine is picked up by the Organization. The Organization trains the young Valentine, and molds her into one of their best assassins. After many years of killing and burying her emotions, Valentine decides that it is time to get out of the Organization. In order to do this, she has to come up with an elaborate plan to disappear after completing her final mission.