The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Published: 3 July 2008 (Orbit)
Pages: 400
Buy: Amazon, Kindle, Waterstone's
Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Chloe Saunders sees dead people. Yes, like in the films. The problem is, in real life saying you see ghosts gets you a one-way ticket to the psych ward. And at 15, all Chloe wants to do is fit in at school and maybe get a boy to notice her. But when a particularly violent ghost haunts her, she gets noticed for all the wrong reasons. Her seemingly crazed behaviour earns her a trip to Lyle House, a centre for disturbed teens.
At first Chloe is determined to keep her head down. But then her room mate disappears after confessing she has a poltergeist, and some of the other patients also seem to be manifesting paranormal behaviour. Could that be a coincidence? Or is Lyle House not quite what it seems…? Chloe realises that if she doesn’t uncover the truth, she could be destined for a lifetime in a psychiatric hospital. Or could her fate be even worse…? Can she trust her fellow students, and does she dare reveal her dark secret?
At first Chloe is determined to keep her head down. But then her room mate disappears after confessing she has a poltergeist, and some of the other patients also seem to be manifesting paranormal behaviour. Could that be a coincidence? Or is Lyle House not quite what it seems…? Chloe realises that if she doesn’t uncover the truth, she could be destined for a lifetime in a psychiatric hospital. Or could her fate be even worse…? Can she trust her fellow students, and does she dare reveal her dark secret?
My Review:
Chloe is a typical teenager who gets nervous around boys, wants to change the colour of her hair and worries about what's happening to her body. Add in the fact she sees dead people and it makes for a pretty exciting teenage supernatural drama.
One of the greatest things about this book is the way it's written; narrated by film-loving, aspiring screenwriter Chloe. The scenes play out like a film and it gets you completely wrapped up in the action. I loved the way the story developed and the way the information about the characters was revealed slowly, keeping the suspense up all the way through. The tension in some of the more dramatic scenes was perfect, creating an un-put-downable story with some genuinely hair raising moments. The characters were intriguing, and it captured the sense of being a teenager without becoming too cliche.
If you like urban fantasy then this trilogy is one you can't miss. The ending had me desperate to read the next book straight away!
Rating: 5*
What to read next: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong, the 2nd book in the Darkest Powers trilogy.
Books like this: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.
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