BOOK REVIEW - THE GATHERING by KELLEY ARMSTRONG - DARKNESS RISING # 1

By: Kelley Armstrong
Published By : Atom
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback, 359 Pages

RATING: 4 DANIEL & RAFE STARS!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

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, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

BOOK REVIEW:

I really enjoyed ‘The Gathering’, the first book in the ‘Darkness Rising’, series. From the first chapter Kelley has you turning the pages, it is an easy read which I knocked off in one sitting. I loved the girl on the book cover, I could really see her as Maya. I would love to see what Rafe and Daniel look like.


I have only read Kelley’s, ‘Darkest Powers’, trilogy and that was quite awhile back, I was eager to get started on her new YA series. I must admit to this day I still think there was a fourth book in the ‘Darkest Powers’, series, but hey that’s just me.

I have just realised that Darkest Powers trilogy and Darkness Rising trilogy , Kelley will be joining 2 groups of characters from both trilogys into last book in Darkness Rising trilogy. Should be fun to read.


Kelley’s characters are very likable. Daniel, Maya’s bff, is a worthy contender for a love triangle. Daniel is the loyal, dependable guy , can read Maya like a book , will he be more than bff status in Maya’s life? It feels like Maya match makes for him so she doesn’t have to admit her own feelings for Daniel? You can see how much he cares for her. I do worry about his feelings.


Rafe is the guy the girls will drool over. Is he trustworthy, do we really care...he is the bad boy, we love a bad boy, but... can he read Maya like a book?


I love both guys and I can feel that tug of emotion for them like I did with Christophe and Graves, in Lili St. Crow’s series , ‘Strange Angels’....I am still torn. I feel like this is how I am going to feel with Rafe and Daniel.


I love Marv and Fitz. I have my eye on Marv, there’s something....hmmmm...I’ll wait and see.


The supporting characters have a bit of a mystery about them, I may be wrong...but there is something there.


‘The Gathering’ is setting us up with character profiles and has us wondering who we can trust..... the island and the St. Cloud’s, what is really going on? Kelley gives you a taste of what will come in the sequels. There are a few questions you are left wondering about the answers , that’s what a sequel is for, to answer them. Her ending , leaves you hoping you can get your hands on an Arc of ‘The Calling’, as it’s one of those endings......you just want to have all 3 books lined up to read one after the other...but ...not this time, it's early days.


I think ‘The Calling’ is going to be fast paced, filled with action if the ending of ‘The Gathering’, is anything to go by. 'The Gathering',  got to feverish pitch by the end....so now I wait.....let this fever fester until I can read more.

Michelle