On the Bookshelf

Title: The Awakening
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date:  May 1st 2009
Source: Library

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 sinister organisation called 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.

Now 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 before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

I really enjoyed The Summoning, the first book in the Darkest Powers Series. The second book in the series, The Awakening, is just as strong. Kelley Armstrong is such a talented Young Adult author.

I really enjoy Chloe as a narrator. I love how she frames things with how these events would play out if she were a character in a movie. Armstrong enhances Chloe's unique character voice by giving her an interest that plays an active role in her thought and decision making process while at the same time using it to pretty much "hang a lampshade" on what conventions and techniques she plays along with and which ones she breaks away from and why.

I know that Derek has a few fans out there and they will be pleased to hear that he gets plenty of screen time (or should that be page time?) in this instalment. We also get a bit more insight in to the character of Tori but it was perhaps a bit lacking on the Simon front.

Looking back, The Awakening strikes me as a transitional book, setting things up from the major events of The Summoning for the third book in the series, The Reckoning, yet it remained well paced, action packed, and incredibly enjoyable.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Terra

From the Back Cover:
Chloe Saunders used to have a relatively normal life. But now she finds herself in the middle of some really strange situations because:

• She suddenly starts seeing dead people.
• She gets locked up in a group home for unstable teens.
• The group home isn't what it seems...

My Thoughts:
I liked The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong a lot more than I thought I was going to. Now, maybe that sounds a bit cynical but lately I have not felt so inclined towards picking up all the paranormal young adult fiction that is out at the moment. Fortunately, I decided to check it out when I heard that you can currently read the book for free over on the Harper Teen website!

I found The Summoning to be a refreshing addition to the paranormal young adult genre. Romance fans may disagree with me, but I found the absence of any trite star-crossed teen romance to be wonderful breath of fresh air. What elements of romantic inclination were included in the book were handled with a subtle realism.

Neither does Armstrong plunge straight in to full on paranormal. Chloe's ghastly visions result in her being diagnosed with schizophrenia and much of the early half of the book deals with Chloe trying to come to terms with not only what is the truth, but what "truth" would be worse. Is it better to see and hear ghosts or to be dealing with schizophrenia for the rest of her life?

The book ends on quite the cliffhanger leading into the next book. Overall, I really liked The Summoning and I will definitely by looking to check out the next book in the Darkest Powers trilogy, The Awakening, which came out last year.

Also Check Out:
Fallen by Lauren Kate

 Terra