The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

HarperCollins, April 12, 2011

359 pages

Book Source: Public Library

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.

-- Summary from GoodReads.com 

Judging by the cover...: Not the worst cover I've ever seen, not the best, but it's nice to see some continuity; the theme matches those from the first trilogy. I quite like the pretty blue, too.

Favorite Elements:

• Native American Myths - It's nice to see Native American heritage get a nod in popular teen lit. With the latest Greek/Roman craze it's easy to overlook our own continent's history.
• It's Witchcraft, Native American Style - More witches! This time, thankfully, it's not Tory-style, complete with razor sharp attitude, because that would get old real fast.
• Top Shelf Shout Out - Holla at my hometown (and the disaster that happened there in the first series)! Let's go Buff-a-lo! Seriously, mentioning that Darkest Powers took place in The City of Good Neighbors never ever gets old.

Overall: B

A solid B is nothing to sneer at. The Gathering is a continuation of the Darkest Powers series, but it isn't necessary to have read the first trilogy (though it would certainly help). Without giving too much away, Armstrong has created a whole new set of superpowers for Maya and other residents of Vancouver Island. Don't worry though; this isn't just a copy of Chloe and her friends. There are new twists and turns around every corner, and the Native American mythology added in keeps the storyline fresh and compelling.

Recommendation: It's not necessary to have read the first trilogy to understand what's going on with Maya, but it certainly helps (there are veiled references to what happened in Buffalo, along with Dr. Davidoff). Pick this up if you liked the Darkest Powers and want to see how the story continues.