The Calling by Kelley Armstrong - Book Review

Non stop, action packed and  fantastic addition to the YA series by Kelly Armstrong.

Summary courtesy of KelleyArmstrong.com: 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.

This second book in the YA series, Darkness Rising, doesn't need to start with a bang. The bang has already happened at the end of the first book in the series, The Gathering , and this starts if it was only a turn of a page rather than a new book. As a companion series to her other YA series Darkest Powers, they compliment each other perfectly, throwing in inter-textual references left, right and centre from both Darkest Powers and her adult fantasy series Women of the Otherworld, this is a real treat for Armstrong fans.

Maya Delaney is soon becoming one of my favourite YA protagonists. Strong willed, talented and a skin-walker. What more do you need to look up to? Superbly written the love triangle in the book is just on the right side of teenage awkward without being overly predictable. Rafe is troubled, invincible and most of all hot for a 15 year old! But with a minor revelation at the end of this book I feel that the relationship may develop in a way I have never imagined before.

As this group of teens struggle to find out who, or what, they really are they are forced to flee for their lives with no one to trust. There is something about this narrative that I really fell in love with, and I can't wait to see where the next instalment will take us next.

Not read any of Kelley Armstrongs YA fiction before? What are you waiting for! My recommendation would be to start with the Darkest Powers series, and work your way to this companion series. Although I don't doubt you will enjoy it as a stand alone novel, its well worth the wait to understand all the complexities and inter-textual references.

Overall I have got really fan girl over this book. In my mind YA fiction doesn't get much better than this!

10/10!

Let me know in the comments below what you think of this book? Think you have a better YA series I will like, let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

Short Story Review: Kelley Armstrong Free Fiction!!

Regular readers will know I am a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's writing. I discovered her adult fantasy series "Women of the Otherworld" in a Waterstones many years ago, when a short read of the back cover made me purchase it for my good friend Sam. Just weeks later he had purchased the rest of the series and we were reading it with a frenzy! The books are all a perfect length and effortless reads with a tantalising adult edge that doesn't over power a superb fantasy narrative.

But as everybody who calls them self a reader will tell you, the worst part about reading a series is having to wait for the next instalment. But Armstrong has given us something else to enjoy between her books for over a decade. On her website, she offers a total of 12 short stories, that act as companions to her adult series, as well as her YA series Darkness Rising & Darkest Powers as well as detective series Nadia Stafford.

I have been meaning for a while to do a review of these fab little bit sized fiction for super fans like myself, and newcomers a like. I will split this in to two posts, and review the first six now, and the next six another time.

Demonology
At 21 pages this short is longer than some of the other offerings on her site. But this is written superbly for newcomers to the series. The things you learn within this addition to the series about Talia and her son Adam, who is having problems with a 'heated' temper could be considered a very small spoiler. However I think the ending to this would make anyone want to read on. I have to say, having read all of them this is still my favourite of the collection, as an addition to the Women of the Otherworld series.

Kat
This short is from Darkest Powers & Darkness Rising series. Originally published in a short series collection (Eternal Kiss) it follows another patient from the Edison group. I read this a number of weeks ago now, and it hasn't made a lasting impression, but having said that I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about reading the series as an introduction of Armstrong's YA writting style.

Recruit
This is another short from the Women of the Otherworld series, which is set just before Frost Bitten. If you haven't yet read Broken I would save this short for after as it contains a pretty massive spoiler. On written for the fans of the series and a real bite sized treat at only 5 pages!

Framed
This is the longest of the shorts on the website, but also one of the best. Another great one for newcomers to the series, this novella is described as:

"Nick wakes up next to a stranger. Nothing new for Nick…except that this woman’s dead. He’s sure he’s being framed. With the rest of the Pack busy, he’s determined to handle this on his own."

Anyone who is familiar with the character of Nick will really enjoy this, one of my favourite werewolves who is not a Danver.

Case of the Half Demon Spy
This short surrounds Paige and Adam as children, trying to listen into a council meeting. Another one for the fans I think, as it really adds to the series and changed my opinion of some characters for the better.


Truth & Consequences
This was where Armstrong first created the character of Elena. In terms of chronology it is set before Bitten, the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series, and a real gem. Must read of the collection for fans and new comers to the series alike.

I hope anyone looking to read these shorts will find this intresting. I will repeat these are all free on Kelley Armstrongs website to download as PDF's so what are you waiting for?

Fancy checking out the books in the series, here are some of my favs :)

Have you read any of these shorts, let me know what is your favourite in the comments! Know a book or series I might like, please let me know as well, I am always on the hunt for new reads :)

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x