The Calling by Kelley Armstrong [Review]

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong
Format: hardcover
Source: purchased
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Date read: August 24, 2013

Darkness Rising
1. The Gathering
2. The Calling - Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle
3. The Rising
3.1. Atoning

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Darkest Powers
1. The Summoning

Kelley Armstrong
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone 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 Thoughts on The Calling: I'm having one of those "Why did I wait so long to continue this series???" moments here. Because I adore Kelley Armstrong's writing and now I want to reread everything she's ever written. After I finish this trilogy, that is.

Soooo... Maya and her friends. They uncover some painful truths about the town they've grown up in and the people they should be trusting. Finding out that they're all basically lab rats is jarring. Coming to terms with what that means for them individually is more than jarring. They adapt well, I must say. Considering they've all been dealing with odd things about themselves and this information helps put it all in perspective, that makes sense.

We have a little betrayal, a little kissing, and a little danger. Not knowing who they can trust -- are their parents in on what was done to them? -- leaves them in a sticky situation. I do love that they're getting hints about what happened to Chloe and her gang in Buffalo as Maya's crew race to stay one step ahead of the Cabal.

Things are rough. They've lost some, they're being hunted, they have no idea what to expect with the genetic tinkering that was done to them. And, OMG!, I so want to read the next book immediately. Maybe I'll do just that!