The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island. Until now. Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

Review: I enjoyed Armstrong’s Darkest Powers trilogy (Summoning, Awakening, and Reckoning) and really looked forward to this spinoff Darkness Rising trilogy. A part of me wishes I had re-read Darkest Powers so I could refresh myself on characters and history, but another part is glad that I went into the Gathering somewhat fresh.

While I totally enjoyed the story, I was also a little disappointed. Not much happened and Maya took FOREVER to figure out what was going on. Since I could guess at least a little of what was going to happen from the beginning, I was frustrated that it was taking so long for the characters to catch up. I did like Maya. She was a good lead, very independent, strong and yet pretty nice too. I liked her relationship with her parents. It was refreshing to see a healthy family unit for a change. I also really liked Maya’s best friend Daniel. In fact I think I’m on Team Daniel, even though they didn’t have any romantic chemistry together, I was hoping he’d win out. I liked Rafe too actually, I thought he had good chemistry with Maya, but I just didn’t like him as much as Daniel. It was actually nice that there wasn’t the typical love-triangle going on. Maya knew her feelings and wasn’t leading anyone on, such a refreshing change! By the end though, I felt like nothing was answered and the cliffhanger was kind of lackluster. It felt more like an end to a chapter, not the end of a book.

I guess I felt like the book was kind of filler, we got to know the characters (which I liked), the setting (which I liked) and a tiny bit of Maya’s history. There wasn’t enough mystery/action, and if I hadn’t read the first trilogy I wouldn’t have enjoyed The Gathering as much as I did. I still really look forward to the next book, I love the story and writing and I know I’ll probably end up liking this trilogy as much as the first.

Content: A little swearing, underage drinking, and a bit of making out.

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: April 2010

One Word Review: Captivating

Author Website: www.kelleyarmstrong.com

First Line: “After four nights on the run, I was finally safe, tucked in bed and enjoying the deep, dreamless sleep of the dead…until the dead decided they’d really rather have me awake.”

GoodReads Synopsis: Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

Kathy’s Review: I really enjoy this series. Armstrong has a fun way of writing that really sucks you into the story and unfortunately before you know it you’ve finished the book. The Reckoning reminded me a lot of the first two books, in that it grabs your attention and keeps you reading. We’re reunited with all our favorite characters and introduced to a few new ones. To be honest, I was expecting a little more out of this one, thinking it was the last of the series. While it’s the last of the “Project Genesis Trilogy” it’s not necessarily the last of the Darkest Power series. Have I confused you yet? For those who don’t know, here is a quote I found from Kelley Armstrong:

"I've been calling the next book (The Gathering, 2011) "Darkest Powers 4" because it's the same overall series. It's new characters, though, in a new trilogy. I do something similar with my adult books--one series with changing narrators. My publisher may decide to give it a new title, but until then, I'm calling it all the Darkest Powers series, with the first three being the Project Genesis trilogy and the next three being the Project Phoenix trilogy."

I’m really excited that there is going to be a whole new trilogy, although I admit I thought The Reckoning ended with a lot of unanswered questions. I hope that Chole, Derek, Tori and Simon all end up in the Phoenix trilogy as well. Anyway, if you enjoyed the first two books you will really enjoy this one. Chloe finally makes up her mind on which guy to be with (a decision I was very happy with), Tori shows her true colors, and Simon and Derek are both fun to read.

Content Warning: There is a little swearing, violence and ghosts. But, otherwise pretty clean.

Bookworm Rating: 4.5

Project Genesis (Darkest Powers) Series:

Book One: The Summoning

Book Two: The Awakening
Book Three: The Reckoning

Project Phoenix (Darkest Powers) Series:
Book One (4): The Gathering (Coming 2011)

Do You Believe In Ghosts?

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Thanks to my new link, Upcoming Releases, I can now focus my WOWs on individual books that I'm dying to read and not worry about leaving any out. This week's selection is:

The Reckoning (book 3)

By Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: April 6, 2010

Synopsis: Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I'm on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We're hiding in a sage house that might not be as safe as it seems. We'll be gone soon anyway, nack t rescue those we'd left behind and to take out the Edison Group...or so we hope.

Why I'm Waiting: I love this series! This is unfortuntately the last book in the trilogy and I admist, I'm sad to see it end. If you haven't read this series yet, I recommend it. It's well-written, filled with action, sprinkled with a little romance and of course there's a nice side of the supernatural thrown in for good measure. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Genre: YA-Fantasy

First Line: When the door to my cell clicked open, the first thought that flited through my doped-up brain was that Liz had changed her mind and come back.

One Word Review: Captivating

Book Synopsis:
"If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever. I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying." -GoodReads

My Review:

This is the second book in the Darkest Powers trilogy. I had to laugh when I re-read my review of book one, The Summoning. It’s funny what a little perspective and reading the next book will do to you. I do remember The Summoning being a bit slow, more character building than anything else. The Awakening was a lot more exciting and I was surprised when I finished it so quickly. This book picks up right where we left off, with Chloe trapped at The Edison Group and her friends on the run. I’ll have to keep this short to prevent any spoilers, which makes it hard because I wouldn’t mind discussing everything that went on in this installment. I’ll just say that there is something about these books that are intriguing. Chloe is a great heroine and the chemistry with her and “one of the guys” is fun to read. One issue that wasn't really addressed was Chloe's necklace. On the cover of The Summoning and in the story Chloe’s necklace is red, now it has changed to blue with no explanation. What is going on with the necklace?? When I reached page 300 I was wondering how Armstrong was going to tie everything up and it did seem that the book ended right when things were finally getting started, both story-wise and romance-wise. I guess I will just have to wait, patiently, for the last book to come out next May. In the meantime, I recommend these books to anyone who likes a little fantasy, mystery, romance and adventure.

Reading Order:
Book One: The Summoning
Book Two: The Awakening
Book Three: The Reckoning (May 2010)

Other Reviews:

The Book Bind

Karin's Book Nook

Royal Reviews

Eclectic Reader

See Michelle Read

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

“My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again. All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don’t even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me. Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won’t leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a “special home: for troubled teens. Yet the home inst what it seems. Don’t tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It’s up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House…before its skeletons come back to haunt me.”

I’m usually not really into ghost stories, so although the cover kind of called to me I wasn’t sure about a story where the main heroine can see and speak to ghosts. It actually turned out to be a pretty enjoyable read. It was clearly written as a first book in a series (browsing through the authors other works it seems she is fond of series. I hope this one ends up as a trilogy and not a long dragged out series.). Since it is the first, it was a bit slow at times, but I guess that it was meant to really develop the characters and set the background. I feel the next book will be a little more exciting. I thought Chloe and Derek had great chemistry, although their relationship, at this point, was not meant to be a romantic one. It seems that Chloe and Simon are the “couple” but I didn’t really feel any chemistry between them. I like Rae and I can see she will probably cause a lot of problems for everyone, but she seems to have good intentions. The book ends on a cliff-hanger and definitely left me wanting more. Luckily, book two will be released Aril 28, so I won’t have to wait long.

Book One: The Summoning
Book Two: The Awakening