Review: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong (Darkness Rising #1)

Title: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Published: April 12th 2011 by Harper Collins
Source: Library audiobook
Grade rate: A-

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.
My Review

I really enjoyed Kelly Armstrong’s Darkest Power’s series, so obviously The Gathering was in my TBR list for a while, and now I had the opportunity to “read it” (I listed to the audiobook) and really liked it.

Maya is a very different character; she is pragmatic, headstrong, stubborn and a little inflexible as well.  She has a very strong set of values and a clear vision of right and wrong that can be annoying to some of her friends.  She is adopted and hit the lottery with her adoptive parents, therefore she is not that interested about her natural parents, that is, until she starts experiencing some changes. 

Daniel is a great friend and I am assuming that he also has some powers, and we will learn more about it in the next book.  He is very protective of Maya, a great friend, and has freaky good instincts.  I was a little confused as he didn’t seem to be interested in Maya in a romantic way (I don hope this doesn’t develop into a love triangle).  Rafe was a complicated character, with a shady history, and lot of baggage.  He does seem to genuinely care about Maya and is in search of answers for himself and his sister Annie, although he at least knows more than Maya. Maya’s parents are a treat, as well as some of her friends. 

The plot is new, it seems to mix two seemly different problems that I’m guessing might have to do with the same lab (Maya , Rafe and Daniel’s abilities).  The writing is very straightforward, and the forest seems to be alive and become another character as well.

The ending was a complete cliffhanger which was very cruel Ms. Armstrong!  The Calling, the second book in the series will be published in April of next year *sits down to wait*

About the cover: Maya is on the cover and we can see (or imagine) what she looks like.  The dark background paired with the blue tinged skin makes it look very mysterious.

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