The Summoning (The Darkest Powers 1)

Reader reviewed by The Bookshelf Sophisticate

Kelley Armstrong took her creativity to new heights if you ask me, with her series opener, The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1). I'm not sure what I was expecting and I know I'm late to join the fan club for this series, but I'm joining all the same. The Summoning is chalk full of mystery, paranormal events, suspense, budding romances, and bite your nails because you can't stand it tension and of course tons of fun in between.

Chloe is our main character and narrator in this series and the poor thing can't have her dreams come true for a normal life. No, normal is not how you would describe someone who can see ghosts, now is it? She's sent to a group home following a pretty scary incident at school revolving around, you guessed it...ghosts, and Lyle House is not your typical "rehabilitation" facility for troubled teens. She's introduced to her "house mates" and although reluctant to make friends and trust her "crazy" fellow inmates, Chloe quickly learns to befriend some of her co-residents.

Along the way Armstrong unfolds a mystery that still has me thinking. This is a mega-mystery, a conspiracy and an all out complex puzzle that will keep all readers guessing and questioning everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) the whole way through. The ending was also a turn of events I did not see coming for all the world, whoa! is all I can say! I love when an author can keep me entertained and not frustrated with the lack of answers, but instead has me chomping at the bit and flying through the pages to know more, more, more. I'm officially a Kelley Armstrong fan and I'm going straight to the bookstore to pick up The Awakening (Darkest Powers, #2) to see where the fun and mystery goes from here.