The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Mar 08, 2010 Cee rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, urban-fantasy

Amazing. This is young-adult as it should be. It isn't written in a condescending petty way, but challenges us as reader, without the gory details and sex.

I'm a great fan of Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, and I was afraid I would be disappointed with her Darkest Powers series, like I was when I read Kim Harrison's YA-book. And I'm very proud to say, I was not. This is a great book for both young adults and the well, not so young adults.

Our protagonist, Chloe, is a necromancer. She Amazing. This is young-adult as it should be. It isn't written in a condescending petty way, but challenges us as reader, without the gory details and sex.

I'm a great fan of Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, and I was afraid I would be disappointed with her Darkest Powers series, like I was when I read Kim Harrison's YA-book. And I'm very proud to say, I was not. This is a great book for both young adults and the well, not so young adults.

Our protagonist, Chloe, is a necromancer. She can see ghosts. And that scares the shit out of her, so when she freaks out at school because a melted janitor-ghost pursuits her, she is put in a group home, Lyle House. And finally, FINALLY the main character understands, the best way to get out, is to fake it! I can get so incredibly annoyed with the stupidity of people in books, like in Fingersmith (by Sarah Waters), where the girl that is put in an asylum, keeps telling the doctors the truth. While it sounds crazy. Don't they get that the doctors think they are mentally ill and won't listen, especially if you totally freak out and struggle and scream the whole time?! I am so glad that Kelley Armstrong has finally created a main character with BRAINS.

Apart from portraying a likeable, realistic fifteen year old girl, I also have to give the author credit for evoking a quite sinister, spooky (no pun intended) atmosphere. I always love writers that make you feel uncomfortable, without going into all those gross and horrific details. Sometimes a setting and a feeling is enough to get afraid. Laurell K Hamilton should learn a lesson from this. There doesn't have to be a lot of blood and some intestines meandering around. It is nice to read something where you don't find yourself saying "this author must be totally messed up in his head". Sometimes the horrors they come up with are just freaky.

It's fast paced and interesting, just like we are used to from Kelley Armstrong. I would surely recommend this to anyone that needs a breath from all the freaky psychopaths out there and likes some suspense. ...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Cat rated it liked it

This was a quick read. I really got into the plot at the end as it threw a bit of a curve ball. Because of that I recommend this book. It leaves ya hanging for the next in the series to find out what happens. Up untill that point the writing was only mediocre but that cliff hanger at the end really gets ya.

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Jun 15, 2010 Tash rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult-and-younger, urban-fantasy, ghosts, read-in-2023

Having read Kelley Armstrong's other books, I was intrigued by this book; which is set in the same world as her Otherworld books. Although it is a YA novel, I still found it an entertaining read- its just the language and violence is toned down. This is a great book to read if you have yet to read Kelley Armstrong's Women in the Otherworld series, as it will gently introduce you to that world. If you have read the series already, some of the intrigue and mystery in the plot won't come as much of ...more

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Mar 17, 2010 Diane ~Firefly~ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, ghost, shifters, magic, uf, ya, kindle

Chloe is sent to a group home after "seeing" things at school. She is doing her best to get better so she can get back to her life, but the longer she stays, the more she learns and in this case knowledge can be bad for you.

I like the characters. The teens in the home are all different and interesting. This book is mostly setup of the world for the next two. ...more

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Feb 08, 2010 Wenj rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2010, read-2009

Just as amazing the 4th time as the first! Brilliantly written with characters that you draw you in. This is an addictive series that you will read again and again.

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