The Gathering

The Gathering
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Darkness Rising #1
Published by HarperCollins
Pages: 359
My Rating: 5/5 stars
My Grade: A

Summary: (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.

My Review:
The Gathering is a very engrossing and addicting read. I could not put it down! What do I want right now? MORE!

Woah. I say this a lot, but I do mean it. I like this series (so far) more than Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy. I found The Gathering more entertaining, the love interests to be hotter and easier to love, and a more likeable heroine.

The Gathering is the first book in the Darkness Rising trilogy. I guess you could say it's a second trilogy, since Kelley Armstrong's first YA trilogy, The Darkest Powers (The Summoning, The Awakening, The Reckoning,) though they aren't connected so far. The only thing that is similair is that they both revolve around experiments that the Edison Group did on people with paranormal gifts. If you have read The Darkest Powers, you will know all the little hints about this in The Gathering, and if you haven't, you probably don't need to read the other trilogy before reading this one. You're safe so far, but I'm not sure what's in store for two and three!

I loved the setting in this book. There was something just so awesome and fascinting about the small Vancouver Island town. Maybe it was much loved by me because there were so many great outdoor scenes. It makes me want to go for a hike! I loved reading about Maya treading through the forest, whether it was under dangerous circumstances that had my heart pounding, or just simple walks.

And speaking of Maya, I thought she was a great narrator and main character. I liked her because she was strong and she thought for herself. I liked how she made her own decisions, calmly at that, and seemed very level headed. She didn't just fall over the place, and her relationship with Rafe wasn't all comsuming.

Well.....now that were on to the boys.......how hot were they? I fell instantly, but I am definitely into Daniel, though I did love Rafe. TEAM DANIEL! I'm in love.

Overall, a fantastic book.  I wanted book two before I even finished! I can't believe I have to wait almost a year for the next one. Stupid cliffhanger! Suspense, romance, and more blend in this book, and boy, it's awesome.