BookHounds Review THE RISING by KELLEY ARMSTRONG @KelleyArmstrong @HarperTeen

Book Description

Release date: April 9, 2013 | Series: Darkness Rising

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

Old secrets are revealed and unexpected characters make a surprising return in this stunning conclusion to Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.




About the Author
Kelley Armstrong is the bestselling author of the Darkest Powers trilogy, which includes The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning. This is the third book in her New York Timesbestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

After escaping certain death, Maya, Corey and Daniel are on the run and each are further developing their own powers with mixed results.  They do some investigation and find a contact that might be able to help them but it turns into a dead end.  Although out of that contact, they do find Maya's twin brother, Ash.  Ash turns out to be as gifted as Maya. although not a shifter, he does give them some street skills from surviving on his own in Vancouver for the last three years.  The group attend the memorial service and watch their parents grieve.

So when Maya is captured soon after, it doesn't come as complete surprise. Daniel and Corey are still at large and Maya is told that there has been an accident with one of them. Rafe convinces her that anything the St. Cloud's tell her, might not be the truth.  The group are reunited with other teens from Salmon Creek as well as Rafe and Annie.  There, Maya plots and plans to escape again and given the opportunity, she does and meets back up with her brother to track down Corey and Daniel.  There is just as much action in this installment as in the second book. YAY!

So, why did I not see this ending?  Maya proves that she has the wile of a cat even though she is still young. It is wonderful to watch her grow into an adult as well as experience her first true love.  While the plot of supernaturals being used as research subjects and trained into weapons, is a pretty common theme in paranormal romances, Armstrong brings a breath of fresh air into the story.  Parents: there is some violence, some kissing and some language and this is best suited for teens. I adored this conclusion and now I need to go back and read the author's other series since we met some of her other characters at the end of this one.

REVIEW: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

 Description

Maya and her friends--all of whom have supernatural powers--have been kidnapped after fleeing from a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set, and after a terrifying helicopter crash they find themselves pursued by evildoers in the Vancouver Island wilderness.

About the Author

KELLEY ARMSTRONG is the author of The New York Times bestselling The Summoning, The Awakening, The Reckoning, and The Gathering, as well as the internationally bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" series. Armstrong lives in rural Ontario with her husband and three children.

Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061797057
• ISBN-13: 978-0061797057

SOURCE: AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Wow, talk about excitment!  I was almost running with the group the whole time I was reading this.  In a wonderful follow up to The Gathering.  I had mixed feelings about the first one in this series and didn't quite get all of the characters or where the plot was going, but just like a great stew this one came together in one big pot! That story was all about the set up and The Calling delivered everything.  So Maya and her group of friends have been kidnapped in a diversion that ended the first book in a fire.  They are taken on a helicopter ride in order to evacuate them from the town.  Of course, the teens sense something is not quite right and when the mayor is suddenly taken out (with a tranquilizer), they really feel out of sorts.  Then the helicopter crashes and they escape with their lives, well, almost all of them.

This a major road of discovery for all of the group.  Maya now knows she is a skin walker and her instincts really kick in almost to the point where is becomes a know it all and a bit annoying.  She is determined that the group survive and begins to suspect that some of the teens are a bit on the dark side.  I am not giving away too much detail here, but I will say that this is an amazing ride full of nail biting adventure and will have you staying up until you finish the whole thing.  I really hate the dreaded waiting for book three right now since this one was so amazing with all the little twists and turns in the plot.  

REVIEW: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Description

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong is the author of the New York Times bestselling Darkest Powers trilogy, which includes The Summoning, The Awakening (which debuted at number one), and The Reckoning. 

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061797022
• ISBN-13: 978-0061797026

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
REALLY LIKED IT

Like any new series, there is a lot of set up for the characters and story development.  This one had a really slow start for me and I found myself struggling to get into the story.  I stuck with it and by found myself enchanted by the whole group of characters and now I can't wait to read the next one to see what happens next.  There are so many unanswered questions I have after finishing this one up.


What really happened to Maya's best friend, Serena? How could she possibly have drown since she was the captain of the swim team? What is the deal with Maya's birthmark?  Is Rafe really as bad as he seems? What is wrong with Daniel and is there something more to him than meets the eye?  What the heck is the deal with the medical research company that runs the area?  ARGHHH!  There, I feel better.  I tried to do this without giving away any of the plot, but I must say, I have tons of questions that I really need to know the answers to.  I guess that is what makes a series worth reading.

I really like Maya since she was strong and vulnerable with an open mind.  She never discounted any theory about anything that came across her path.  Rafe was an enigma to me and since the most of the book really centered around Maya and her history, I am sure that he will be developed more in the next book.  There is more to Daniel than meets the eye or at least that is the way I read it.  I hope I am right and I read more about him in the next installment.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone over thirteen.  There are some instances of violence, a few bad words, implied sexual situations and some alcohol/drug use. The alcohol use seems common in this group of kids, yet the do seem to be responsible.  Again, the parents are there, but not, just like in real life. 

I received this book through an advance reader group at no charge for my honest review.