Review: The Gathering

Hardcover

Paperback

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‚The Gathering‘
by Kelley Armstrong

Darkness Rising # 1
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Synopsis:
Strange things are happening in Maya’s tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya’s home and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy her paw-print birthmark. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
After I was extremely thrilled by Armstrong’s ‚Dark Powers‘ series, I absolutely also wanted to try her new YA series and I must say that also here again she could completely persuade me.

Not only Armstrong‘s writing style is again great and fluently to read, but also the characters were described well and likeable and above that I also got a female main character which I’ve really liked and was not irritated with a whiny attitude, but she was thinking rationally and has acted realistic and authentic. Also the other figures were nicely worked out, so that very soon I’ve been fond of them and the male combatant are not only physically very attractive, but also from their personality and character. 😉

At some places the plot is partially a little longbreathed or also a bit foreseeable, but not so much that it would have disturbed me.
The only other criticism point here was to me, that the book is simply too short and it seemed to me like a prehistory, to introduce the scenery and the figures, but it is not really very much about the general story behind it.  But that doesn’t bother me much now, because on the one hand I’ll read the next part soon, and on the other hand I already know this approach of Armstrong from her first YA series. And hence, I’m persuaded of the fact that the book two and three will bubble over with tension and thrilling events that I won’t know any more how fast I should read, to get to know everything at once – and I love that!

Cover:
Unfortunately I‘ve the paperback version at home – for financial reasons – but I find the hardcover much more attractively with the illustrated face on it and the dark coloring. It’s really beautiful.

All in all:
An interesting prelude of a new book series, from where I’m persuaded that in the end, it will be one of my favorite series.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points

Quotes:

Maya: „This is so cool,“ I said loudly as Dad walked away. „Have you met the tattoo artist? Is he hot?“ „He’s a she,“ Mom said. „Is she hot? Cause I’m still young, you know. My sexual identity isnt fully formed.“ „Your father can’t hear you anymore, Maya.“ Mom sighed.

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Mom said. ‚Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.‚
Maya: ‚Or,‘ I said turning to Rafe, ‚if you want to skip the whole awkward meet-the-family social event you could just submit your life story including your view on politics religion and every social issue imaginable along with anything else you think they might need to conduct a thorough background check.‘
Mom sighed. ‚I really don’t know why we even bother trying to be subtle around you.‘
Maya: ‚Neither do I. It’s not like he isn’t going to realize he’s being vetted as daughter-dating material.‘
Rafe grinned. ‚So we are dating.‚
Maya: ‚No. You have to pass the parental exam first. It’ll take you awhile to compile the data. They’d like it in triplicate.‚ I turned to my parents. ‚We have Kenjii. We have my cell phone. Since we aren’t yet officially dating I’m sure you’ll agree that’s all the protection we need.‘
Dad choked on his coffee.

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Succession:

# 1: Kelley Armstrong – The Gathering »»
# 2: Kelley Armstrong – The Calling
# 3: Kelley Armstrong – The Rising
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(© goodreads)

About the author – Kelley Armstrong:

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers‘ dismay. All efforts to make her produce „normal“ stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She’s the author of the NYT-bestselling „Women of the Otherworld“ paranormal suspense series and „Darkest Powers“ young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets. 
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

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