The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Calling (The Darkest Rising, #2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Publication Date: April 10, 2012

Summary (taken from Amazon):

On the heels of the wildly popular The Gathering comes the second in the "Darkness Rising" YA trilogy from NYT bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is--a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

Review:

The Calling starts off right where The Gathering ended with Maya and her friends being flown away from Salmon Creek to safety. On the helicopter it soon becomes clear that the pilot is heading in the wrong direction so a confrontation ensues and the helicopter crashes, killing both the pilot and Mayor Tillson. Left stranded in an unknown part of the island, the teens must fend for themselves while evading capture by an unknown group hell-bent on finding them.

Both Maya and Daniel really stepped up in this book because they both have the most experience with being in the forest, they try to help their friends the best they can. Maya’s always thinking of her friends even knowing what she’s about to do is dangerous and can lead to her capture and that goes both ways with Daniel, Corey, Sam, and Hayley all looking out for each other.

It also comes to light the Maya and Rafe aren’t the only ones with supernatural powers. They’re all coming to terms with the fact the supernatural’s do exist and that they might be one themselves. Maya and Rafe are shape shifters but its still not exactly clear what kind of powers their friends might have though there are signs of their powers manifesting now that they are away from the St. Clouds.

The ending is still something I’m giddy about. What I’ve been waiting for since the beginning of the series looks like its finally going to happen in the next book. I’m excited for it and can’t wait to see what the character’s reactions will be.

I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong and The Calling was everything that I thought it would be. With lots of danger and action which made for a thrilling, and ever suspenseful read. If you haven’t read any of Kelley Armstrong’s books yet, what are you waiting for? Give this series a try along with her previous YA series too.

Rating 5 Stars
* Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Other books in the series:
The Gathering

Check out the trailer!