Awakened

Awakened is a sci-fi LitRPG lite that follows Samantha, a graphic designer navigating the typical holiday season: winning over the big client, getting fired, exploring friendship, romance, and oh… just seeing the universe's codebase. Turns out reality is a simulation. No one sent Sam the memo. But after her direct report frames her for corporate espionage and HR escorts her out like last week's leftovers, something in her brain snaps sideways, the static on the wall starts making sense, and a voice in her head announces: LEVEL UP. So that's new. Sam does what any reasonable person would do with the power to rewrite reality: fixes her broken coffee maker, gives herself a raise, and methodically destroys the careers of everyone who wronged her. She documents everything in a leather journal titled "DEFINITELY NOT EVIL PLANS" because she's thorough like that. Awakened combines the progression fantasy of LitRPG with the simulation-reality tension of *The Matrix* for readers who like their existential crises served with a side of dry humor and complicated feelings about a fictional fae king. It's the first in a planned series, with standalone story satisfaction. → Bonus prequel chapter at booksbymandimay.com