Review: The Calling (Darkness Rising book #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Spoiler warning! This book is the second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, which follows on from the Darkest Powers trilogy. If you haven't read The Gathering, The Summoning, The Awakening or The Reckoning then look away now! Reviews of all four books are on the Reviews page. You have been warned...

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong. Website, Twitter

Published: 5 April 2012 (Atom)

Pages: 336

Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's

Source: Borrowed from a friend.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)

Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

My Review:
This book picks up right after where The Gathering left off, with Maya and the others on the helicopter being evacuated from a fire ravaged Salmon Creek. It soon becomes obvious that something isn't quite right with the evacuation and the story suddenly becomes a tense, exciting fight for survival.

I absolutely loved this book; even more than The Gathering! You find out a lot more about Maya and her hidden abilities, and more excitingly you start to learn more about some of the background characters. I was really excited to learn more about Sam and Nicole in particular. I'm always really pleased when there's more to a character that originally meets the eye!

The characters spend a lot of this book in constant peril which really amps up the tension. Unlike the previous book, I didn't get bored once and was gripped throughout. There's plenty of twists and turns throughout and everyone's loyalty comes into question. Seeing Maya explore her new found powers was really exciting too and she got some really great action heroine moments. There's just something about her character I really like especially her sense of humour and the way she interacts with the male characters - like she's an equal to them.

A really exciting second instalment in the Darkness Rising trilogy with plenty of action and surprises that kept me glued to the page.

Rating: 5*
What to read next: The Rising by Kelley Armstrong, the third book in the Darkness Rising trilogy - coming 2013.
Books like this: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.

Related news: Kelley Armstrong reveals cover for The Rising.