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The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)

by Kelley Armstrong (Goodreads Author)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 24,030 ratings · 2,201 reviews

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.

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Hardcover, 359 pages

Published April 12th 2011 by Harper (HarperCollins), New York

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Feb 28, 2012 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, urban-fantasy, ya, 2012, b, series-dropped-lost-steam

As seen on The Readventurer

What a pleasant surprise this novel was! I did not expect to like The Gathering after being very underwhelmed by Kelley Armstrong's first YA trilogy - Darkest Powers.

While I think nothing changed in terms of the structure Armstrong chose for her trilogies (the whole story is simply separated into three parts instead of presenting three separate story arcs), this book was a much better experience for me. I attribute this to the following:

1) Setting - loved, loved that...more

94 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-na, paranormal-uf, 2012, weres-shifters

I have a confession to make... here goes. So, anyone who knows me at all on goodreads will know that I have a few friends whose reviews I rely on without question. If they say a book is better than chocolate, orgasms and Melina Marchetta combined, even if I've never heard of it, I will believe them. Except... I didn't. I doubted, it's true, I doubted. I have had this book on my shelf since not long after it's release in April last year and I have been putting if off and putting it off. Everytime I reminded myself that I should probably read it soon I would then talk myself out of it.

Why? Because while my love for dystopias keeps me reading trash in search of that one book that will prove authors still know how to do it well, my love for young adult paranormal novels up and left shortly after the publication of the Twilight series. Okay, so it occasionally makes a rare re-appearance for books that are paranormal with other elements, like Angelfall for example. And yet, Ms Armstrong has somehow successfuly delivered it back to me in a shiny, completely addicted condition. I thought my inability to enjoy Unearthly - another book that all my friends' loved - was proof that I was doomed to dislike young adult paranormal books forever. How wrong I was.

This is a wonderfully enjoyable novel with refreshing Native Canadian mythology. There's also an array of characters that interested me beyond the main character (Maya) and the guy she's hot for (Rafe)... like Daniel - her overprotective best friend, Rafe's mentally-damaged sister - Annie, Sam - the quick-tempered girl who is more than you first expect... even Maya's parents are memorable with all the funny dialogue between the family, especially between Maya and her father. And I want to hug Kelley Armstrong so much for managing to create a sexy love interest without him being a broody, crazy control-freak. A love story where both the guy and the girl have personalities and aren't abusive? I must be dreaming!

This is just so much better written than the majority of young adult paranormal novels. I'm not suggesting that it will blow your mind or give you a new perspective on life, but this is how I felt about YA UF back when they used to be fun and not so repetitive, cliched and annoying. This is how I felt at the start of the Vampire Academy series: excited.
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71 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2012 Lisa O. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal-ya, ya-lit

My history with Kelley Armstrong is a long and solid one.
I've read all her books in the Underworld series and Elena and Clay are one of my (few) most beloved couples in UF.
I inhaled all the books where they are protagonists, they're definitely my favorite in the series.

When Armstrong started writing YA lit (The Darkest Powers series) I picked up The Summoning. I wasn't very impressed, so much so that I dropped the series.
This new series, Darkness Rising, is somewhat better than DP, but still h...more

20 likes · like · see review

Apr 09, 2011 Natasa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OMG! A COMPANION SERIES TO THE DARKEST POWERS!! GLOMPHHAHAHAHYAYWOOHOO!!!!

Some more info on it, and I quote the superwoman Kelley Armstrong herself:

"It's still being called The Gathering, and it's due out next spring. Shouldn't be any later than that because it's done, edited and heading into copyedits well ahead of schedule (which, before someone asks, doesn't mean it can come out early, unfortunately--publishers have their slots set--but just that there would be no reason for a delay)"
http://w ...more

10 likes · like · see review

Apr 02, 2011 Amy or "Ames" rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-in-series, read-in-2011, young-adult, weres-shifters, paranormal, love-triangle

Well written but I think my sheer impatience with the set-up got to me.
References to Samuel Lyle (Darkest Powers trilogy) and the Nasts, Cortezes and St Clouds (Women of the Otherworld) were very welcome as I'm anxious to see characters from all the books connect but I'm seeing similarities with these other works too.

Maya reminds me of Elena (WotO) in personality and ability but the people around her made me think of Chloe's crowd. Daniel is ~~Chloe's~~ Maya's best friend and she wants to keep it...more

23 likes · like · see review

Feb 11, 2011 Beth Dawkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maya lives in a small research town. She is recovering after her best friend's questionable death. When she starts to look into it with Daniel, boyfriend of her dead friend. Instead of discovering answers all they find are more questions about themselves, and the town.

Sometimes I feel jealous of YA novels. The covers are so pretty and there are so many. I wonder if there were so many when I was in school. I don't remember, but I think the Urban Fantasy craze picked up before I graduated. So whe...more Maya lives in a small research town. She is recovering after her best friend's questionable death. When she starts to look into it with Daniel, boyfriend of her dead friend. Instead of discovering answers all they find are more questions about themselves, and the town.

Sometimes I feel jealous of YA novels. The covers are so pretty and there are so many. I wonder if there were so many when I was in school. I don't remember, but I think the Urban Fantasy craze picked up before I graduated. So when I read a YA novel I always ask myself, 'am I jealous?' The answer for this one is yes.

It is fast paced, easy to read (but also a beta run right now so it could change.)and has a action packed story. This is also the first thing I have ever read by Kelly Armstrong, but I look forward to reading more from her in the near future. She does an amazing job with bringing the characters through with dialogue which made it special. I want to read the next one, now, but that won't be for a while since this one is not even out yet.

Then why a four, and not five stars? Two reasons, there are books we read for entertainment, and books we read for its depth. This is entertainment. The magical five star books are those that can weave both and bring us face to face with the characters. This is not one of those. The second reason is a lack of.. well more. Its a YA novel so the description is not grand because we don't want to bore our teens to death. I don't know if I fully believe that lack of description is a good thing. Then again I have always been a 'push the limits' girl.

Bottom line is that I do think this story has promise and I look forward to another one... It left me wanting more. Which, lucky me, the author has LOTS more to gobble up. I don't think it is for everyone but I would have liked it as a young teen (12?). Its also a book that a mother and daughter could share and discuss.

There is a fair amount of supernatural in the book. All of the main characters start to show some type of ability. This amounted to tense situations. It does have a fair amount of romance, but nothing, in my opinion, that is too racy for teens. It tries to work in a love triangle between Maya, Daniel and bad boy Rafe. Still the romance feels like background noise in comparison to the action and danger surrounding the teens.

All this is just a impression, I didn't go into details about the story because it is a beta, a lot could change. I did enjoy it! After a cliff hanger ending, I am ready for the second. (less)

11 likes · like · see review

Aug 01, 2011 Chelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kelley-armstrong

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

6 likes · like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Andrea for TeensReadToo.com

Maya lives in a special community - it's based around a research hospital. And only certain families are invited to live there.

Maya's family lives in a park where her dad is the ranger. She's always had a special connection with the mountain lions, but recently they've been seen around a lot more. Suddenly, Maya is having flashes of the world from a mountain lion's point of view. But she has no idea why. And she still wonders what really happened a little w...more

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, urban-fantasy-paranormal, scifi-dystopian-apocalyptic, thriller, paranormal-humans, swapped-or-given-away, unfinished-2011, high-expectations

Since I loved the Darkest Powers trilogy so very much, the realization that was already bored and did not enjoy myself particularly hit me rather unexpectedly when I started flipping forward around page 190. Certainly my heavy cold with a nasty headache included in the package has to carry part of my inability to focus on the supposedly unnerving small-town-story, but I really do not care enough about the characters' fate to prove this theory under stabilized conditions later. So. After 194 page...more

11 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2011 Tina (Fantastic Book Review) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult, other, shapeshifters

The Queen of the Otherworld is back with this exciting new series as Maya tries to uncover the mysteries surrounding her heritage along with the death of a friend. Armstrong introduces us to a new cast of characters and a small town setting on the edge of nowhere, where a medical research facility sets the stage for tons of mystery.

I have to say that I am really fond of the characters in this book. Maya is that girl next door, who you can't help but love. I love her personality and her interacti...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jun 02, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh Kelley Armstrong, how you TEASE!

I love Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, so I was very excited to hear about her new YA series: Darkness Rising! And I must say that fans of the Darkest Powers series will not be disappointed! This has all the great elements of an Armstrong novel, great characterization, awesome story... and an ending that makes you wis you had the next book setting on your shelf!

I'm already captivated by these characters and their story and I have a feeling that we've...more

5 likes · like · see review

May 29, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who don't mind reading a book similar in set-up to Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy

Shelves: exceeded-my-expectations, 2011-reads, paranormal-supernatural-books, best-characters, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, left-me-feeling-conflicted, left-me-with-mixed-feelings, reviewed

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

Confession: I've had The Gathering sitting and collecting dust since I bought it in April. Why for so long did I allow it to languish among my books when I really enjoyed Armstrong's last young adult trilogy, The Darkest Powers? Well. . .I guess my love for the first trilogy was part of the reason why I couldn't just pick this one up and delve into it. The Reckoning, the last book I read from Armstrong, ended on a nice note (albeit too much of an open ending for my tast...more

17 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2011 Jennifer Rayment rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Good Stuff

* I cannot believe I have never read one of Kelley's books before, she is an incredible storyteller. She is also a lovely women who sent me a signed copy of one of her books for my SB&H (Spina Bifida Association) raffle
* The story grabs your attention from the 1st chapter and doesn't let go until the very last page
* Maya's parents are AWESOME -- this is the first YA book I have read where the parents aren't self-involved, clueless douche bags - Thank you Kelley for this I wi...more

9 likes · like · see review

May 10, 2012 Charlene marked it as finishing-later

Awww... I hope Derek and Chloe comes back...

8 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2011 Midnight Bloom rated it 5 of 5 stars

After absolutely loving Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I might have set some very high expectations for The Gathering.. but oh my goodness, I shouldn't have had any doubts because the novel surpassed them all! I devoured the novel, captivated by the beautiful, lush forest setting described and utterly fascinated by a story that hooked me right from the prologue. The Gathering also gets bonus points just for being set on Vancouver Island, British Columbia because it's so cool to see a...more After absolutely loving Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I might have set some very high expectations for The Gathering.. but oh my goodness, I shouldn't have had any doubts because the novel surpassed them all! I devoured the novel, captivated by the beautiful, lush forest setting described and utterly fascinated by a story that hooked me right from the prologue. The Gathering also gets bonus points just for being set on Vancouver Island, British Columbia because it's so cool to see a novel set in Canada!

The town of Salmon Creek is not your ordinary one. Owned by the St. Cloud Corporation and completely surrounded by forest, it was built for their employees who worked in the medical research facility. With less than 200 inhabitants, it's a town where everyone knows everyone. But strange, dark events are occurring that have never happened before and Maya is determined to learn the truth. Her best friend Serena drowned the year before but Maya's still not convinced it was an accident like it was ruled... and now her childhood friend Daniel is starting to feel weird vibes from people. And then there's bad boy Rafe, a recent newcomer to town who may just provide some surprising answers to Maya's own mysterious past. Maya's only sure of one thing: Salmon Creek is a town with secrets.

Maya is a fantastic heroine. She's strong, bold, confidant... and not afraid to take charge of the situation! It was heartbreaking to see Maya still struggling over the loss of her best friend, but we see how she's determined to move forward with her life. Her love of nature is infectious, and the compassion and joy she feels in helping rescued wild animals from the forest is so very apparent. Her Native heritage and the fact that she's never known her birth parents definitely add another touch of intrigue to the mix as we wish to learn more about her past just as much as she does.

And regarding the boys, there isn't a love triangle but I can definitely see it possibly happening somewhere down the line which makes my kind of nervous... but only because I don't think I'll be able to choose between Rafe and Daniel! Both boys have their qualities that make them swoon-worthy so I think it's ultimately going to come down to a case of bad-boy vs. best friend.

True to fashion for Kelley's YA novels, the ending of The Gathering will leave you dearly wishing the next novel was already out in stores! I turned the final pages of the novel with trepidation just knowing that I was almost finished the novel and would only have a long wait in store for the second book! I can't wait to learn what's going to happen next to Maya, Rafe, Daniel and everyone else!

And you know what? I have every confidence that the Darkness Rising trilogy is one that's only going to get spectacularly better and better as it progresses. Don't think of The Gathering as a first novel in a trilogy... think of it as the beginning chapter in a new adventure that will sweep readers off their feet!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Penny marked it as to-read

Kelley Armstrong is incapable of ending a book without a massive cliffhanger. As infuriating as that is I still like this book more than anything else she's written. Four stars.

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Pre-review: A paw print birthmark? A new bad boy in town with a dangerous secret? Really??? What other tired cliches did you include in this story Kelley Armstrong? An unnecessary love triangle? Negligent and/or too-stupid-for-words parents? Ms Armstrong, what happened to you?

I want to believe this book isn't as bad...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 14, 2012 April rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, ya, library

Kelley Armstrong is book crack. I literally say this every time I review one of her books, but friends, I inhaled The Gathering - the first of a spinoff series to Darkest Powers. You do not need to have already read any of the Darkest Powers books to enjoy or understand The Gathering, however, reading the Darkest Powers books will enhance your experiences as minor characters make appearances.

Read the rest of my review here

2 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2011 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The thing I loved most about The Gathering was the atmosphere. It was a beautiful, slightly creepy setting to step into. It would have been the perfect story to read on a rainy, dark day. The setting was so vivid I never questioned the images I carried in my head. It was rich without being overwhelming -- and we all know what I mean about overwhelming. There are some authors who would give us a pine tree by pine tree play by play of a haunted woods and think that was the interesting part. I thin...more The thing I loved most about The Gathering was the atmosphere. It was a beautiful, slightly creepy setting to step into. It would have been the perfect story to read on a rainy, dark day. The setting was so vivid I never questioned the images I carried in my head. It was rich without being overwhelming -- and we all know what I mean about overwhelming. There are some authors who would give us a pine tree by pine tree play by play of a haunted woods and think that was the interesting part. I think a lot of budding (and published) writers would do well to read The Gathering and see just how much fun Armstrong had with it. I'd love to know if Armstrong had this creepy little town in the middle of nowhere in mind first or if the supernatural creature was her first thought. I'd love for the paranormal to have evolved from the idea of Salmon Creek and not vice versa.

Before going to bed two days ago I decided to read the opening chapter of a couple of my to-be-read books and decide what I wanted to read first. I cracked The Gathering open, not entirely sure when I had bought it or even where, and began reading. I didn't put it down for two hours.

The opening chapter is a bit of cliche and yet I was hooked. I'm sure when/if you read it you'll think of some half remembered horror movie. I can almost swear there's a season one or two episode of Supernatural that opens very similarly. The main character and her friend are at the lake. Her friend is splashing around, showing off, because she's an experienced swimmer and member of the team. The main character, Maya, is content to sun herself, but strips down after some prompting. While she and her friend are talking the friend vanishes. Maya jumps in and tries to save her friend. She swears she feels something pulling her down, but since her swimming is no great shakes and she's traumatized she spends a lot of time trying to decide if that actually happens. Her friend's body is only found when they drag the lake later.

The story moves a little slowly and with so many interesting things it still devolves into new-boy-in-town-takes-interest-in-girl, which was a little disappointing. I also sense I'm going to be on the wrong side of this love triangle because I'm definitely not Team Rafe. I liked Daniel. He was strong and resilient and cared about Maya. Rafe lied... a lot, but he's a super sexy bad boy so who cares? Me. Sadly, me. I have a feeling these books are going to be very Team Rafe so I guess for the first time I'll understand how Jacob and Gale fans felt. Make room for me on the losers bench, guys. (Yeah, I'm also mildly ashamed to be drawn into another love triangle, pick up a team sign.)

I thought there were a lot of plot elements that would have been better spent evolving over Maya's romance with Rafe. I was interested in her relationship with the forest and the wounded animals she rescues. I was interested in the way she jumped off a two story roof and landed on her feet. I didn't really care that she was running away from Rafe or even that she'd been drugged.

Maya gets roofied at a party. She half-suspects, half-does-not-suspect Rafe. This isn't of any major importance to most of the plot, just in their relationship, but I'm going to bring it up because I think she behaved reasonably for a YA heroine afterward. She made sure she wasn't alone with him until she was more than just guessing he wasn't responsible. She was slightly traumatized by the experience. I didn't like that ultimately another girl did it to her and that the girl accused her of faking it. Yeah, another female character steps in and asks her wtf she just said, but I just wasn't thrilled with the whole thing. It didn't really bring anything to the core story, just add drama to the romantic shenanigans. I guess I'm tired of this mean girl/heroine rivalry where the mean girl is mostly mean for no reason.

Anyway, this book reads like 1/3 of a book, not one part of a trilogy. What's the difference you say? Well, it was like reading part one of a story and approaching the climax just to have it end. Despite really liking the book I think other readers might be better served to wait until all three are out. I was left very frustrated. I definitely wanted more, but instead of anticipating the next year I'm sort of annoyed by it. If I see the second book out and I can refrain from buying it then I'm going to skip until the third is on the shelf.

So slightly cliched, revisiting a lot of the current paranormal YA troupes, and a bit frustrating... but I still enjoyed it more than three stars. Maybe I'll reread and downgrade it later.

Cover art: I thought it was gorgeous until I realized the girl on the cover was supposed to be Native American. Harper, blue-tinting it did not hide the fact that you used a white chick. I don't think anyone's going to raise a riot over the cover being white washed since they blue tinted... oh the irony and shame.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Jul 08, 2011 Mary Abshire rated it 5 of 5 stars

A co-worker got this from the library and loaned it to me. So far, another great one from Kelley.

7/7 Love the story so far. I'm wondering what she is. A witch? A shape shifter? Must read more...

7/8 finished the book. LOVED IT! Another great one from Kelley. Love the characters, very relatable. But the ending... oh, I hate cliffhangers. Why do you do this Kelley? I have a bad feeling the protagonist is not going to see her family any time soon. But at least she's with Daniel and Rafe (I hope I go...more

1 like · like · see review

May 14, 2013 Heather (hungrycookiemonster) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural, young-adult

I give The Gathering By Kelley Armstrong 5/5 stars.

The Gathering mini-review:

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong is such a solid and compelling novel. I found the town the novel took place in to be very realistic and believable. The characters were very relatable and I just love the heroine, Maya.

My only problem was that the main storyline didn't start to pick up until more than halfway through. Still, the novel was very much enjoyable until then. There was a lot of character development,...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 06, 2012 K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, fantasy-sci-fi-dys, ok-fine-its-ya, 21st-cent

I can't believe how despite all the praise and excitement I've heard about Kelley Armstrong's The Gathering, I still wasn't inclined to read it. ~~I think it's the cover. Why is it blue?~~ But I'm glad I gave it a go because I was very impressed. ~~Armstrong, represent!~~...~~Sorry, I haven't slashed anything in a while. I've forgotten how much fun it is.~~

So, this book. Oh, this book. It's set on Vancouver Island, population 200. It's a medical research town. ~~Uh hum.~~ It's nature in it's naked form. Maya i...more

5 likes · like · see review

May 06, 2011 Nancy O'Toole rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, paranormal, young-adult

Maya lives in a small town of only a few hundred people. Although her life is mostly happy, she finds herself haunted by the loss of her best friend Serena, who died in front of her eyes when both were fourteen. Now sixteen, Maya's life starts to change when a reporter begins poking around in town. Maya can't help but wonder if she has any information that could solve the mystery of Serena's death. Meanwhile, strange things begin to happen to Maya that will change everything she knows about who...more Maya lives in a small town of only a few hundred people. Although her life is mostly happy, she finds herself haunted by the loss of her best friend Serena, who died in front of her eyes when both were fourteen. Now sixteen, Maya's life starts to change when a reporter begins poking around in town. Maya can't help but wonder if she has any information that could solve the mystery of Serena's death. Meanwhile, strange things begin to happen to Maya that will change everything she knows about who she is, and where she comes from.

The Gathering is the first book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, a sequel series to The Darkest Powers trilogy, but with a whole new set of characters. I came into The Gathering with very high expectations, as I had really enjoyed The Darkest Powers books, especially the third book The Reckoning. I was surprised to find myself disappointed. It's not that The Gathering is an awful book that I had to force myself to finish. It possesses many positive elements. For one thing, I really like the protagonist Maya, who's snarky, smart, and tough. I loved the unique setting and Maya's positive relationship with her parents. The book is a very easy read that I finished in just a few days. As a fan of Armstrong's other work, I loved the fact the The Gathering is embracing new paranormal types, pushing beyond vampires, witches and werewolves, to discover something new.

So why did the book leave me feeling so blah? I think the main problem stems from the fact that The Gathering feels a little too much like The Darkest Powers books. Again, we're introduced to a young female protagonist who slowly comes to discover her own supernatural abilities. In the meantime, she must deal with a budding love triangle between two very different guys, as well as the sometimes complex world of female friendships (and female enemies). The result is a book that feels like a recycling of old ideas in a new setting, and things aren't as satisfying the second time around. The book is painfully predictable, and lacks the satisfying tension and mystery found in The Summoning (the first Darkest Powers book). What makes it worse is the fact that even less is resolved in The Gathering, then was in The Summoning, which was mostly build up but not to this extend. In The Gathering, a lot of elements are thrown at us, but they don't really go anywhere.

The Gathering was a fast read with a great protagonist. I won't deny that. At the same time, I can't deny that it left me feeling pretty disappointed. Part of the reason why Kelly Armstrong's books are typically so satisfying is she's not afraid to take risks to keep things from getting stale. This can be seen with the shifting narrators in The Otherworld Series. With The Gathering, it feels like she's playing it safe. Since I enjoyed The Darkest Powers Trilogy so much (and most of Kelley's adult work), I'm planning on continuing the series and I will hope for the best. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural, young-adult

I think this is a 4.5 for me. It was a really good read and I've ordered the sequel. I really liked the writing. It takes place in a tiny isolated town on Vancouver Island that is owned by a medical research company and pretty much populated by employees of the research lab. In the very beginning of the book Serena, Maya's best friend drowns in the lake although she is an excellent swimmer. Maya is haunted by why it happened and how it could have happened. Maya lives here with her adopted parent...more I think this is a 4.5 for me. It was a really good read and I've ordered the sequel. I really liked the writing. It takes place in a tiny isolated town on Vancouver Island that is owned by a medical research company and pretty much populated by employees of the research lab. In the very beginning of the book Serena, Maya's best friend drowns in the lake although she is an excellent swimmer. Maya is haunted by why it happened and how it could have happened. Maya lives here with her adopted parents. She knows nothing of her biological parents other than she had been found on the doorstep of a hospital as a baby, and it is guessed that she is part Navajo. She loves her parents and does not worry about where she came from. Maya has an affinity for animals and often takes care of abandoned and hurt wild animals until they can be returned to the wild. She has a pet bobcat who lost a leg and refused to be returned to the wild, always returning home. Lately she has had some encounters with a cougar which she has reported to her dad who is the park warden in charge of the wilderness surrounding the town. They feel that the cat probably needs to be relocated because he does not have a natural fear of humans.

Maya has a variety of friends but none she has ever been as close to as she was with Serena. Many of them play a part in this story which is a mystery with a supernatural twist. Maya has some powers that she does not understand and hides from everyone. Enter the bad boy of the story, Rafe, who is new in town and lives in a cabin with his sister. No one knows exactly where he came from, but he is attending the high school. I do not want to do spoilers as a fun part of this story is figuring out as you go along just what the mystery is and who to trust and who sends up a red flag. This book is the first of a Young Adult series and although this is a spoiler, it is a shapeshifter story. It is a well constructed tale, and one of the things I loved about it is the humor in the dialogue between Maya and her parents. They are great together which is a contrast to so many YA books where the parents either are indifferent or are jerks. Looking forward to the next book and it is currently on it's way to me from Amazon.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 31, 2011 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

I was a little nervous to read this one because, while I always enjoy Armstrong's work, I find the narrator makes a difference to how much I enjoy it. No need to worry with this one though! I have a feeling I might even end up liking Maya more than Chloe. Maya is Native and adopted, two traits I haven't seen often in YA, and I shared some of her personality flaws, so that made her easy to relate to. It's also set in Canada, which is another unusual choice (even for Armstrong, who is in fact Cana...more

1 like · like · see review

May 22, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, adventure, book-boyfriends, favorites, library, love-the-cover, paranormal, paranormal-romance, really-liked, review, werewolves, young-adult, ya-romance, to-own

To be honest, I have no idea why I waited so long to read this book. It was amazing!

I loved this book! I just loved it. Everything about it was perfect: the action, the writing, the story line, everything. Although it kind of started off slow I was kept interested because Kelley Armstrong is such a good writer and she captures your attention on page one and keeps it throughout the whole book. The story line was really good. It was a perfect combination of chic-lit and paranormal. The social and...more

1 like · like · see review

May 14, 2012 Kelly Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, young-adult

3.5
Okay, this was a strange book. A strange book indeed. While I enjoyed it, and eagerly flipped each page, it wasn't long until I began to ask what the meat of the story was. I know that there's a top-secret lab on the island. So is that the plot? It couldn't be that there are cougars running amok and only respond to Maya, the MC. And it couldn't be why the love interest, Rafe, and his sister have decided to call the tiny Island of Vancouver their home. That's not plotty enough. So I waited for...more 3.5
Okay, this was a strange book. A strange book indeed. While I enjoyed it, and eagerly flipped each page, it wasn't long until I began to ask what the meat of the story was. I know that there's a top-secret lab on the island. So is that the plot? It couldn't be that there are cougars running amok and only respond to Maya, the MC. And it couldn't be why the love interest, Rafe, and his sister have decided to call the tiny Island of Vancouver their home. That's not plotty enough. So I waited for the plot's unveiling. And waited. Meanwhile, I was hit over the head with more than obvious remarks as to what some of these kids are. Huge spoiler, click at your risk. (view spoiler) Seriously, I knew from page 10 at the most what the big reveal was going to be, as far as Maya was concerned. And the same goes for Rafe. Not one for subtlety, this author. And as I stated in the above spoiler, I'm just not a fan when it comes to well, said spoiler. In fact, I was rather disappointed because I thought this book was about witchcraft. For you witchcraft lovers, that's not what this book's about. Nary a spell. Nary a witch. And I don't even know what prompted me to think that in the first place.

Regardless, one thing that drew me into reading this novel was one sentence from the Goodreads description:
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.

FYI: This mystery and death wasn't solved. In fact, the book ended in the midst of Nancy Drewing. No joke. In the dead middle. And the denouement? Nonexistent. They were running and hiding, from what I'm not sure. I mean I know it was a (view spoiler). It just happened out of the blue. Then boom. "The End" staring back at me. It's as if one book was split in two.

What I did like:
Everything else. All the characters. Maya is a very likable protagonist. And an animal lover to boot. The setting is unique. The book's quick-paced. Definitely pulls you in, but still.

I just wish the mystery or something was solved in book one. I finished reading only knowing one thing for certain and that one thing was rather obvious in chapter one, so technically I guess I finished the book with a plethora of mysteries being added to the original mystery and even more questions wafting about.

With all that said, I will definitely be reading The Calling. And I obviously cared enough to find out what the heck is going on with this mysterious island and its inhabitants. Please oh please let a mystery be solved. Fingers crossed. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2012 Marla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012, paranormal, romance, supernatural, ya

This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.

After sitting in my Nook for almost a year, I finally sat down to read The Gathering. Having enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I was glad to finally have carved out the time to read this, the first book in the Darkness Rising trilogy. Upon finishing, I was left feeling unsure as to whether I was mad at myself for waiting so long, or glad that I had waited until the second book came out. I simply couldn't stop reading and...more This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.

After sitting in my Nook for almost a year, I finally sat down to read The Gathering. Having enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I was glad to finally have carved out the time to read this, the first book in the Darkness Rising trilogy. Upon finishing, I was left feeling unsure as to whether I was mad at myself for waiting so long, or glad that I had waited until the second book came out. I simply couldn't stop reading and was reminded exactly why I loved the Darkest Powers series so very much.

I adored Maya from the very start. Her banter with her dad cracked me up more than once and the way she was when with her animal rehabilitation patients was inspiring. She doesn't put up with much nonsense and she's a very self-sufficient character. Daniel is a great friend to her and Rafe has a certain knack for keeping everyone guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed the ways in which the various characters were written and couldn't get enough once I became fully immersed in their story.

While the bulk of the action didn't occur until a few chapters from the end, I found that I didn't mind at all. There was more than enough going on with Maya's discoveries, as well as the development of a relationship between Maya and Rafe. The plot flowed very well and did a great job at holding my interest. The setting, however, really did it for me. I loved reading all about the forest in which Maya lives and spends her time. I have no complaints whatsoever in regard to the way the story was constructed. It was simply too engaging!

Though I waited a year to read The Gathering, the same can't be said of The Calling. When I finished reading The Gathering, I did not want to stop reading. In fact, I connected my Nook to a Wi-fi signal right then and there and started reading The Calling immediately. This book should be enjoyed with the understanding that you are likely going to want to read it all in one setting, so prepare yourself. If you enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, you'll definitely want to read The Gathering straight away.(less)

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Apr 05, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy added it

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia

THE GATHERING begins with the most unlikely of settings for a paranormal YA, a classic “company town” set in a remote area of Canada. Like the famed company campuses of Silicon Valley, the families of Salmon Creek receive world-class perks. Despite the small town feel, the few residents can look forward to top notch schools and fabulous medical care for their children. When ominous events begin to cast a shadow over this idyllic Mayberry, Armstrong makes it difficult to identify the true threat...more THE GATHERING begins with the most unlikely of settings for a paranormal YA, a classic “company town” set in a remote area of Canada. Like the famed company campuses of Silicon Valley, the families of Salmon Creek receive world-class perks. Despite the small town feel, the few residents can look forward to top notch schools and fabulous medical care for their children. When ominous events begin to cast a shadow over this idyllic Mayberry, Armstrong makes it difficult to identify the true threat to Maya and her friends, and just who in their sleepy little town they can trust.

The most unique aspect of this book was the teenagers’ reactions to the mystery unfolding around them. Neither preternaturally paranoid nor willfully obtuse, the teens of Salmon Creek follow their natural curiosity where it leads. And as this process takes them closer and closer to danger, the story folds in a phenomenal amount of character development. Even the bullies and the bad guys in THE GATHERING are human and well-drawn, a critical detail that makes Armstrong’s writing so satisfying (and makes it that much harder to spot the true threat). The villains of the story range from high school pettiness to sorcerous crime families, and I can honestly say that I only have inklings of who will be implicated in later books.

As for the main characters, while at times Maya seems just too witty and sassy to be true, these characteristics made her all the more entertaining to read (and made it all the more striking when she acknowledges personal shortcomings). The men in Maya’s life were particularly interesting as well, as Armstrong makes both Daniel and Rafe very attractive in different ways. Whether the well-liked best friend or the flirtatious bad boy, both guys reveal hidden depths before the books end. I have my own theory about which way this love triangle will tip, but Armstrong doesn’t leave too many hints laying around.

As much as I adored THE GATHERING in it’s own right, I can’t express how excited I was to catch hints of the Darkest Powers series as well, I can only hope Armstrong will bring characters from both series together in the long run. THE GATHERING is also a great gateway for someone who has yet to try Kelley Armstrong’s books. So many parts of the story are grounded and realistic, it makes it all the more striking when that “Thing That Goes Bump in the Night” steps out of the shadows. As I’ve already pre-ordered a copy of this book to pass on to a friend, this book has one of the most heartfelt five bat ratings I’ve offered yet.

Sexual Content: Mention of sexual relationships and a steamy make-out scene.(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 ◕ ◡ ◕ Arooj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I read Kelley Armstrong's previous YA book, The Summoning and despite it being pretty popular, I unfortunately didn't like it. I'm not sure why. So because of that I wasn't going to read The Gathering. However, I was certainly interested in this novel and heard that even if you didn't read the entire Darkest Powers series, you could still read Darkness Rising. I was hoping I wouldn't regret giving Kelley Armstrong's writing a second chance and, well, after reading this book I don't regret it. AT...more I read Kelley Armstrong's previous YA book, The Summoning and despite it being pretty popular, I unfortunately didn't like it. I'm not sure why. So because of that I wasn't going to read The Gathering. However, I was certainly interested in this novel and heard that even if you didn't read the entire Darkest Powers series, you could still read Darkness Rising. I was hoping I wouldn't regret giving Kelley Armstrong's writing a second chance and, well, after reading this book I don't regret it. AT ALL.

Right away from the prologue, I fell straight into the story which starts out with a mysterious death. I knew this book was about werewolves so I immediately began trying to link the two together. I was about a third into the book and I was already seriously LOVING it, even though the paranormal part hadn't really come up. In fact, most of the book was more focused on the mystery rather than the paranormal and I didn't mind that at all. I was enjoying learning about this small town and the mysterious things going on, and there was A LOT going on. I did have a couple things already figured out by myself but I was still shocked at some of the twists. The ending did feel a little rushed, but I'm expecting book two to make up for that!

Maya was such an awesome character! She definitely wasn't the typical heroine that some YA novels have. Maya actually had a smart brain in which she thought and stood up for herself, but what I liked the most about her was her humor. She managed to crack me up more than a few times. Daniel was, wow, such a sweety! I liked that he didn't have that typical best-guy-friend-who's-secretly-in-love-with-the-girl role. At least, not yet. Rafe sounded like a sleaze ball to me at first, but I warmed up to him...eventually. The rest of the characters were pretty great too, like the shy and kind Nicole to the intimidating Sam.

This book was definitely unique and stood out from the other YA novels that I read. I could really connect with the characters and felt really pulled into the story. I loved that it took place in Canada because not a lot of the YA books I like to read take place where I live. Even though I don't live in BC, I was just happy with the fact that it was Canadian because I'M Canadian. I dunno why.

I'm still confused as to why I didn't like Kelley Armstrong's previous book. It certainly couldn't have been her writing because she can really write well. Maybe it was just the story? Eh, I might re-read The Summoning one day. But for now, I'll look forward to her next books in the Darkness Rising series.

4.5/5(less)

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Apr 30, 2011 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hmmm, what to say? What to say? I liked this book. It was good, not quite as good as The Darkest Powers books mind you, but good in its own way. For some reason though I just didn’t love it like I thought I would. I enjoyed it, I can’t deny that but I wasn’t captured the way I was with The Darkest Powers Trilogy.
The storyline itself though was mysterious and interesting, if not a bit slow at times. It was a very different world than the one I’ve come to love in Kelley Armstrong’s other YA serie...more Hmmm, what to say? What to say? I liked this book. It was good, not quite as good as The Darkest Powers books mind you, but good in its own way. For some reason though I just didn’t love it like I thought I would. I enjoyed it, I can’t deny that but I wasn’t captured the way I was with The Darkest Powers Trilogy.
The storyline itself though was mysterious and interesting, if not a bit slow at times. It was a very different world than the one I’ve come to love in Kelley Armstrong’s other YA series, but it was a good set up for the rest of the series. I must admit there wasn’t a lot given away. It sets the story up, but doesn’t really give you a hint as to what direction the series is gonna take. We all know the history of the genetic experiments from the first series, but I’m just not quite sure what this means for this series. It’ll be interesting seeing who is friend and who is foe later on.

It was interesting meeting all the new characters. There’s a whole new ensemble of characters, and yet I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between these characters and the ones from Kelley’s previous series. Maya, Rafe, Daniel, Sam, Nicole, Corey and even Hayley seem like they could have important roles in the progress of future storylines. We’ve learnt from The Darkest Powers that Kelley Armstrong favours strong friendships and connections. All the characters, mainly the teenagers too, tend to rely on one another a lot over the course of each book. The characters we’ve been introduced to are likable, if not typical and I truly am looking forward to how the connections form as the series continues.
I liked Maya. She has the potential to be a good female lead. She seems strong and appears to have confidence in herself; she knows who she is as a person and is even growing already which I liked. I thought it was a good thing to see her come to the realisation that she had judged people harshly, and perhaps unfairly. I can see her trying to rectify that in the future. I loved her wit and sarcastic take on some things. She always seemed to have something funny to say and it was wonderful to see the family dynamic she has with her parents. They actually do have a good relationship, which is rare to see in YA novels nowadays.

As for the boys, well I guess I’m a bit tossed up with them......
Daniel is a good guy; he’s honourable and kind, but there’s nothing about him that really stands out. He’s Maya’s best friend, and even though I think it’s horrible the life he lives with his father, I just don’t emphasise with him like I expected I would. I feel sorry for him, sure, but my heart isn’t drawn to him like it usually is in these situations. That’s not to say I don’t like him, because I do, I just think I need to see more of him before he really means something to me.
And Rafe.....Rafe, Rafe, Rafe. He’d defiantly my pick outta the two “love interests”. I’m honestly not quite sure why people dislike him the way they do; he’s really not that much of a bad person. I can’t even say he’s a bad boy, because he really isn’t. He’s actually a sweetie underneath it all and I liked how he let Maya in. He is sexy; I admit I like that dark, native look and feel about him. It’s obvious from even this book that family means a lot to Rafe. He’s lost his mother, but there’s no denying that he loves his sister. He cares about her and wants to take care of her; protecting her the only way he knows how. There’s something so appealing about a guy who cares about his family. I hated every time someone accused him of doing something wrong. God! Why must people jump to conclusions? Like when someone spiked Maya’s drink and they automatically assumed it was him—not cool. So not cool!

I really liked the relationship between Rafe and Maya; it was sweet and they really went well together. I thought it was great how Rafe let down his barriers around her. I loved the part where they were passing note like 5th graders and when they were together in the forest. I’m looking forward to seeing how that deepens.
As for the “love triangle”, am I think only one who didn’t really see it in this book? I’d be lying if I didn’t say I couldn’t see the little hints here and there about Daniels feelings towards Maya, especially when Daniel talked about his past relationship with Selena, but I didn’t see an outright love-triangle. People have mentioned that the love triangle will play a bit role in the story, but for me it just wasn’t there. There are no feelings proclaimed in this book or moves made....at least not yet. I guess this is only the first book and lots of things will probably change over time, especially seeing as in The Darkest Powers Trilogy the relationships didn’t begin to form until the 2nd book.

The ending of the book was intriguing, if not a little abrupt. Things are certainly heating up in this small little town (pun totally intended), what with the murder, secrets and fires being started. I wonder what people want with the medical research plant and which kids are actually “different”. We know Maya, Rafe, Annie and Daniel, who most likely is, but what about the others. I have my suspicions about Sam and her anger issues; I certainly want to find out more. They’ve all spent years being treated by the St. Cloud Corporation and surely there has to be a sinister reason for that.
Looking forward to reading the next book....
(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Who else just really liked the idea of Maya getting a tattoo?	2	6	May 20, 2013 11:12am
Circle of Words: The Gathering	1	2	May 01, 2013 04:07pm
Is Sam good or bad?	3	21	Apr 30, 2013 06:03am
Do I have to read the short stories that Kelley Armstrong wrote for Darkest Powers before i read The Rising?	3	20	Apr 27, 2013 12:20pm
Maya or Chloe?	8	53	Mar 27, 2013 10:25am
Paranormal Romanc...: Kelley Armstrong Reading in Toronto March 6, 6:30pm	2	6	Mar 05, 2013 01:46pm
The Otherworld of...: Kelley Armstrong The Gathering Reading in Toronto	1	9	Mar 04, 2013 09:46pm

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About 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 a...more

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Quotes from The Gathering

“Yes you're getting your tattoo." I threw my arms around Dad's neck. "Thank you!" "Hey," Mom said. "I'm the one who had to persuade him it wasn't turning his little girl into a streetwalker." "I never said that," Dad said. "No?" I said. "Cool. Cause I've decided to skip the paw print. I'm thinking of a tramp stamp with flames that says 'Hot in Here.' No wait. Arrows. For directionally challenged guys” — 127 people liked it

“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.” — 121 people liked it

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The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)

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