Book Review: The Gathering

Darkness Rising…

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. 

In The Gathering, Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

For those of you who’ve not read my other reviews of books by Kelley Armstrong, you may not know this… but Kelley is my absolute favorite author ever! I love her adult series, and I was thrilled when I heard she was coming out with a YA series. The Gathering is the first in the “Darkness Rising” trilogy, which follows “The Darkest Powers” trilogy. And as much as I enjoyed “The Darkest Powers” I enjoyed The Gathering twice as much. I like Maya better than Chloe. And so far the story is more interesting/exciting.

Maya is a supernatural, and, as a teen, she doesn’t quite know it yet. In Kelley’s world, supernaturals start exhibiting their powers in their teen years. And considering Maya is adopted, the parents who raised her have no clue either. But… just what is she? When I met Kelley in person several years ago, she told us what kind of supernatural might show up. So I was spoiled a bit on that, but didn’t mind one bit. Maya is something we’ve never seen in Kelley’s world before, something unique to her ancestry.

“The Darkest Powers” trilogy was about changing supernaturals… either suppressing their powers or strengthening them. In “Darkness Rising”, it’s all about bringing extinct supernaturals back into the fold. What many seem to not know is that both trilogies are in the same series, so if you’re weary of reading the new trilogy because you loved Chloe, Derek, Tori, Simon, Liz, and Rae, don’t fear. They’ll be back later in this trilogy. But, already, there was a reference to one of the six teens in The Gathering. And, of course, if you’re a fan of her adult series, well… there are too many references to number.

I’m very excited about The Calling, which hits shelves next spring, and will follow Maya and gang where the cliffhanger left us at The Gathering. And after that... The Rising. Who else is excited?!