Book Reviews of The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Bk 1)

This book will leave you desperate for the sequel! I am glad that I had both before I started reading this one. I highly recommend having both before you start reading them. There are some laugh out loud moments. I couldn't stand Tori!

On the day that fifteen-year-old Chloe Saunders finally gets her period, she sees the ghost, her first since her childhood. It freaks her out so much that she is sent to the hospital and then referred to Lyle House, a private home for mentally ill adolescents--otherwise known as a place to lock the crazy kids up in.

At Lyle House, Chloe takes medication for her diagnosis--schizophrenia--and attends to a strict schedule of chores and schoolwork. But she continues to encounter strange occurrences, such as the ghost who's attempting to contact her. It just might be that there's more to herself than she knows... and more to Lyle House and her housemates than others are letting onto. Chloe and her newfound friends may be in much more danger than they expect.

After hearing so much hype about Armstrong's upcoming sequel, The Awakening, I'm very glad I picked The Summoning up. It felt to me almost like Harry Potter with a female protagonist and fewer subplots. The strength of this series lies in its idea: these teenagers with supernatural powers are funneled into this peculiar house for possibly sinister purposes! The characters' interactions with one another are spiritful, the dialogue vibrant; the characters themselves, though, do not stand out to me in the heavily populated world of YA paranormal fiction.

The exception may be Chloe, who is wonderful, constantly changing and growing and doubting herself--all the things that a normal teenage girl should do, all without being petty or annoyingly shallow. I also found Derek interesting, and would like to see much more of him in the future. Perhaps there will be a romance between him and Chloe...?

But that's a minor complaint, for the story more than makes up for the less-than-outstanding characters. The Summoning ends on a suspenseful, slightly disappointing note as readers wait for the sequel impatiently to find out what happens to Chloe and her friends.

I really enjoyed this story! Because it is written for young adults it goes a little slower than her adult novels, but it is just as good! The second book can't come soon enough for me! I think this book is well worth the read.

I have not read Kelley Armstrong before, and the story "The Summoning", makes me want to check out all her other books! The storyline is great it keeps you guessing! I am a rabid fan of the vampire genre, so this book was out of my "comfort zone", but I am glad I read it and can't wait to read the next installment of this series! Thumbs up!!!

Reviewed by Margaret Waterman for TeensReadToo.com

"A banner week for me. Getting short-listed for the director spot. Nate asking me about the dance. My first period. And now my first criminal act. After I fixed myself up, I dug into my backpack for my brush and emerged instead with the tube of hair color. I lifted it. My reflection in the mirror grinned back."

Chloe Saunders is a very special girl. Not just because she has an in-depth and intense obsession with movies, filming, and directing. Not just because of her unusual home life. She is special, because on top of all this, Chloe Saunders can see ghosts.

On the day of her first period, she goes to the bathroom and skips class. She dyes her hair, feeling particularly rebellious. Upon exiting, Chloe sees a strange man wearing an old custodian's uniform, who follows her around school. She thinks she is in trouble for skipping class...

When he starts to talk to her, she ignores him. He gets angry, and deliberately shows her his face... and she sees it is burned so badly she can barely distinguish his features. When he disappears into thin air, she starts making a scene and freaking out, and school officials round her up. When she accidentally punches a teacher, they sedate her and take her to the hospital.

From there she is sent to Lyle House, which is a place for troubled teenagers. There she meets a wide variety of people - a pyromaniac, a girl with a poltergeist, an unusually moody girl, a boy with extremely bad people-skills, and a boy who, strangely, she finds nothing unusual about. As her new friends' stories unfold, Chloe begins to question the motivation behind Lyle House.

With everything from ghosts and magic to romance, humor, and growing up, THE SUMMONING will have you laughing, wondering, and in disbelief. This book has many plot twists that will keep the reader guessing throughout the course of the novel. Kelley Armstrong uses great characterization and dialogue, which makes THE SUMMONING an overall good read.

The book is very good. I have read Kelley Armstrong's adult seriers. I think it is better, but i think I know the characters better. I felt the book started very slowly, but the second half was quite good. I just bought the sequal Awakening and expect it will be evan better. It is suppose to be a trilogy, with 3rd book the Reckoning coming out in May 2010.

This is what young adult fiction should be like! (can you tell I hated Twilight) I found this book super engaging, read it all in one sitting. It's age appropriate without talking down, and has plenty of action. I picked it up because I'm a fan of Kelley Armstrong's adult novels, and this one definitely holds its own against them.

The Summoning was one of the best books I've read. A total page-turner and suspenseful book, Kelley Armstrong did a magnificent job on this masterpiece. I'm just dying to read The Awakening!

<< Back to Book Details of " The Summoning "