The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: YA
Rating: 4/5
Source: Publisher


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.


I first found out about Kelley Armstrong when I read her Darkest Powers Trilogy and I loved it! When I heard that she was starting a new YA series, I was thrilled and when the book arrived in my mailbox, I didn't devour it the moment I got it. For some odd reason, I kept on putting this one off and until I began reading it.

I was trapped into a world, just like the Darkest Powers triology, only this was had a different plot and setting. I liked Maya. She was tough and many might think of her as a tomboy, but to me she was just a normal girl who didn't get involved in too much drama. So what if her best friend was a boy and she hanged out with boys. Less drama! Then, there's Daniel. There were times when I thought Maya and Daniel were going to be together, and then Rafe came into the picture and made me doubt everything.

I enjoy how Armstrong keeps us hanging until the very last book for which guy the girl will choose. Even though in THE GATHERING it seemed as though Maya was choosing Rafe, I'm not so sure about it, so I guess I'll just have to wait until the next book!

I thought the cover continued the whole dark feeling the Darkest Powers trilogy had and I liked that. Overall, this book was great and I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book.