Review: The Gathering - Kelley Armstrong

Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 12, 2011)

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.
Until now.
Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

I wanted to read this book, and I picked it up a few times and put it back down. I was afraid I wouldn't like it as much as the Darkest Powers books. Once I got past that fear I loved this book. Maya was pretty awesome! She is adopted, but happy and loved, she likes where she lives and has an afinity for animals. She takes care of injured animals and releases them back into the wild. Her best friend Daniel always has her back and is someone I would love to hang out with. I also really liked Rafe, even if he wasn't always doing what I thought he should be. 

Watching Maya and Daniel investigate the reporter who shows up in there tiny town was fun, yet a little spooky. And watching Maya and Rafe get to know eachother was both heart warming and frustrating. The end part of this book had me on the edge of my seat and flipping the pages until I hit the last one and just about cried becuase I wanted to keep reading. 

The story, setting, and characters sucked me in and kept me turning the pages. I learned something while reading this book, I should never doubt Kelley Armstrong! I give this one 5 stars!