Release Date: 05/04/12
BOOK BLURB:
Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is - a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone 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 including local bad boy Rafe, with whom she shares a dangerous, powerful secret. Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. After a terrifying helicopter crash, they find themselves stranded in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. But can Maya really trust her friends? And can she learn how to control the frightening new gift she has discovered before it controls her?
REVIEW:
As a fan of Kelley’s writing, I’ve always loved it when she brings her skills to a new set of characters as well as allowing another generation to enjoy what she does so well. The action is crisp, the characters not only fun to be around but a gang with flaws as well as boons that allow them to feel fully fleshed. Add to this some wonderful twists as well as a good use of pace which when backed with Kelley’s understanding of what a reader wants in her books, makes them one of the best Supernatural writers on the market.
Add to this a great understanding of prose and character dialogue that has a realistic bent to it and the reader really won’t notice where the time goes. My only gripe is that a lot of the chase sequences felt like the resembled others that had gone before in Kelley’s previous YA series, although that said, it is fun, it generates a whole lot of excitement and I really couldn’t put it down. Great fun all in.
Release Date: 07/04/11
BOOK BLURB:
The world seemed to dip and darken and I smelled wet earth and thick musk and fresh blood. The wind whipped past, like I was running. Running so fast the ground whizzed beneath me and the wind cut across my skin ...Maya Delaney has always felt a close bond with nature. The woods around her home are a much-loved sanctuary - and the pawprint birthmark on her hip feels like a sign that she belongs. But then strange and terrible things begin to happen in the tiny medical-research town of Salmon Creek (population: 200). The captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Mountain lions appear around Maya's home, and won't go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing 'bad vibes' about certain people and things. One of those people is Rafe - the new bad boy in town. What is he hiding - and why is he suddenly so interested in Maya ...?
REVIEW:
I love Kelley’s writing so when a new title lands it’s always a treat. What I got from Kelley’s first title in her new Young Adult series is a story that whilst different to a number of titles out there will invariably draw parallels between Maya and Mercy Hauptman (Nee Thompson) by Patricia Briggs. Whilst the characters are different certain physical traits that appear will draw many a fans discussion and as such will allow the reader to hopefully explore the mythos of the American Natives to gain a deeper understanding of the mysteries that have so intrigued readers of the paranormal for years.
Add to this a good understanding of the myths involved as well as in-depth info dumps that are similar to the type utilised by Lori Handeland in her Nightcreature Novels and it will make for very interesting reading. If you’re looking for a bridge between the adult writing world and the Young Adult then this could well be the series for you. It definitely has a great lead character, some great mysteries as well as decent plotline which when looked at from the overall arc could well leave the reader wondering why they didn’t spot certain clues before. Finally add to this solid storytelling which when backed with a real understanding for the Young Adult Mind with the characters and you know tis going to be a title that’s hard to put down making the wait for the second part nearly unbearable.
BOOK BLURB:
The nail-biting climax to Kelley Armstrong's bestselling Darkest Powers trilogy Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, Chloe happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are now running for their lives from the evil corporation that created them. As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...Definitely not normal.
REVIEW:
As a huge fan of Kelley’s writing I really did have to own this title as soon as I could. What was perhaps harder was waiting to read this title as I wanted to reread the previous offerings in the series to refresh not only my memory but to build the tension and pleasure of the first read.
Not only does the tale carry on from where the previous have left off but the characters do continue to grow as does their friendships. Its unique, its positive and when you add an authors experience into the story arc delivers something that is immensely satisfying for the reader. Add some scary moments, some Saturday Morning cliff hangers and top it off with some great dialogue and you have a title that will enthuse readers the world over.
Release Date: 05/04/12
