The Calling (Darkness Rising) [Hardcover]

Kelley Armstrong (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 10, 2012 | Series: Darkness Rising (Book 2)

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.

In The Calling, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of The Gathering clamoring for more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This engaging read is plot-driven and action-packed.” (School Library Journal)

About the Author

Kelley Armstrongis the bestselling author of the Darkest Powers trilogy, which includes The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning. This is the third book in her New York Times bestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061797057
• ISBN-13: 978-0061797057
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm married with three kids and live in rural Ontario, Canada. After graduating with a degree in psychology, I switched gears and studied computer programming. Currently, I'm a full-time writer and parent. Could I make this section any more dull? Probably not.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#79 in Books > Teens

#79 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Exciting, Better than the First April 17, 2012

By Mary Bookhounds VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Wow, talk about excitment! I was almost running with the group the whole time I was reading this in a wonderful follow up to The Gathering. I had mixed feelings about the first one in this series and didn't quite get all of the characters or where the plot was going, but just like a great stew this one came together in one big pot! That story was all about the set up and The Calling delivered everything. So Maya and her group of friends have been kidnapped in a diversion that ended the first book in a fire. They are taken on a helicopter ride in order to evacuate them from the town. Of course, the teens sense something is not quite right and when the mayor is suddenly taken out (with a tranquilizer), they really feel out of sorts. Then the helicopter crashes and they escape with their lives, well, almost all of them.

This a major road of discovery for all of the group. Maya now knows she is a skin walker and her instincts really kick in almost to the point where is becomes a know it all and a bit annoying. She is determined that the group survive and begins to suspect that some of the teens are a bit on the dark side. I am not giving away too much detail here, but I will say that this is an amazing ride full of nail biting adventure and will have you staying up until you finish the whole thing. I really hate the dreaded waiting for book three right now since this one was so amazing with all the little twists and turns in the plot.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Writing continues to Improve June 10, 2012

By A Journey Through Pages

Format:Hardcover

Compared to all the other Kelley Armstrong books I read, The Calling feels incredibly unique in the way they are finding themselves in the wilderness having to survive on top of the normal secret organization trying to find them trope. We are stuck with a small cast of characters this time around and we are surrounded by so many mysteries: What is going on? Who can they trust? What are they? Unlike the other half of this supernatural creature equation, these kids do not know what they are at all. Maya knows what she is, and Daniel soon comes to terms with what he is, and it's starting to become apparent that the others are something as well, but the other two terms they come across xana and sileni are foreign to them and they have no idea, other than one must be good at singing and swimming.

Rafe is lost pretty early in the book, which made me wonder about Daniel in this second book, but I really liked how Armstrong didn't do the obvious ploy of having Daniel move on in, trying to get Maya's heart, thus creating the obvious YA Supernatural Love Triangle. It's obvious to us as the readers and the others with them that Daniel likes Maya more than just friends, but Maya is oblivious and Daniel is content right now for her to stay that way, especially since it's quite obvious her heart is Rafe's. Of course she will have the opportunity for things to come out next book.

One other thing I really liked about this plot is the slight horror element to it (anyone who keeps up with my reviews knows I love YA horror) with the kids being picked off one by one, leading up the the major "attack" at the end. As the cast of characters gets smaller and smaller, we can only wonder how this will play out, and if maybe things can truly be brought down.

I also have realized that I should really go read that final book in Kelley's necromancer books, as now it's very obvious these books take place in the exact same world and there may be some crossover coming up.

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I really do think Armstrong is steadily improving as a writer, things were definitely less dramatic this time around in a good way, and more interesting as well. The world building is grabbing me even more as well, especially since she isn't using the normal everyday known paranormal types in this half of the series. If you enjoyed the first book, I highly recommend taking this one a whirl, and if you enjoyed her Necromancer series, I recommend picking up this as well as it is a continuation in the world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Survival Thriller April 17, 2012

By SciFiChick TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

A forest fire forces Maya Delaney to flee town in a helicopter along with the mayor, and several other teens. But she's sure the fire was set on purpose, and her fear is justified when the teens are kidnapped. But a helicopter crash helps them to flee deep into the woods of Vancouver Island. With their would-be captors hot on their trail, the group must rely on their wits and special abilities to see them home.

The second installment in the Darkness Rising trilogy, The Calling centers on a select group of teenagers and their wild adventure trying to find a way back to civilization, knowing they can't trust anyone. Maya has a secret - that she's a skin-walker, just one of the gifts that have been bred into the teens.

Though the trilogy must be read in order, there is a convenient, brief review of events from the first novel that I found extremely beneficial since it's been a year since the last release. This novel reads like a survival thriller film - an abundance of suspense, adventure, and pulse-pounding excitement. While the first laid the foundation with the characters and was engaging, this sequel was darker with non-stop danger and suspense. This fast-paced, young adult fantasy trilogy is entirely captivating. I'm not sure how all the loose ends will tie up in just one more final installment, but it promises to be a wild ride.