The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong

Published: Oct 2015

Pages: 340

Publisher: Doubleday Canada

Copy Provided by: Bought

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.

Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn’t dare reveal.

The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with “issues.” But that’s exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.

The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.

Riley and Max know that if they can’t get out, they’ll be next—but they’re about to discover that even escape doesn’t equal freedom. 

Review:

I am a big fan of Kelley Armstrong. I try to attend her author visits whenever I see that she is coming to town and have followed her for many years now. She is incredibly talented and I love how she varies her writing style. I was so excited to see The Masked Truth come out. I had not heard about this title prior to browsing the shelves at Chapters one day.  As soon as I got home, I looked it up on Kindle and tried out the first few chapters. She had me hooked! Riley's hostage crisis started a huge adrenaline rush for me.  It was like reading Carrie Ryan's Daughter of Deep Silence.  So I proceeded to buy and download this title.

Unfortunately, after about 30% of the way through I lost interest. I hate losing interest in a book.  Especially by an author I admire so much.   The therapy session characters were hard to keep track of. I didn't feel like any of them were particularly memorable and the hostage events, though violent and meant to be suspenseful, felt repetitive and confusing.  I found myself putting the novel down several times and starting something new.  I finally picked it up again this week to finish it off.  At about 80% of the way through, the plot thickened and things became more interesting.  The end of the story was good.  It was unexpected so if you like surprise endings, this would be a good book for you. However, I did find the middle of the novel hard to follow and lacked the depth that I normally see from Ms. Armstrong's titles.

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

 

Published: April 8th, 2014

Publisher: Harper Colllins

Pages: 416

Copy: Edelweis

Summary: Goodreads

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever

Sea of Shadows is told through the eyes of 2 girls, Moria and Ashyn.  Identical twins, they are so alike yet so different in temperament.  Moria is fierce, fearless and intensely loyal .  Ashyn is gentler and less self assured, but no less loyal than her sister.  The are bonded to animals - Moria to Daigo - a large cat, and Ashyn to Tova, a hound.  The girls are the Keeper and Seeker and are charged with keeping their village safe at the edge of a wood where the souls of the damned take shelter.

Without giving away too much of the story, Moria pairs up with Gavril - a young warrior whose father has been exiled - and Ashyn with Ronan - a young thief, exiled for the sins of his father and uncle.  I adored the slow bonding of these two pairs.  They are sceptical and unwilling to bend, but circumstances cause them to accept each other, willingly or otherwise. Layers are peeled away slowly and relationships are formed with no instances of insta-love or unreasonable infatuation.  In other words, it felt real.

The oriental background to the story lays the groundwork for filial obedience and causes quite a twist at the end of the story, which I will admit I didn't see coming.  In hindsight, I guess I should have seen it, but I was too wrapped up in just enjoying the characters and the world building. The inclusion of some incredible monsters was a nice touch as well.  I was about 3/4 of the way through when I finally accepted that there was way too much going on for this to be a stand-alone novel, and while I'm mad that I'm going to have to wait, I'll be very happy to revisit this world and see what happens.

A wonderfully exciting and tense fantasy with engaging characters and believable world building, this one is a pleasure to recommend.

The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

Published: April 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 406

Copy Provided by: Purchased

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

Old secrets are revealed and unexpected characters make a surprising return in this stunning conclusion to Kelley Armstrong's New York Timesbestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.

Review:

The Rising is the last book of the Darkness Rising Trilogy.  Ms. Armstrong does an excellent job of integrating her highly successful Darkest Powers trilogy with the characters from this series.  I was thrilled to see all of the components tie in together so nicely and view the bigger picture as you see how the St Clouds and Cabal groups control this entire group of people.  It was like watching the Umbrella corporation...but perhaps less graphic and gory.

Fans of the Darkest Powers trilogy will enjoy these three books and see some of their favorite characters make a guest appearance.  I love it when authors intersect characters from previous series or titles.  It is like a special cameo role for fans!

So let me tell you, honestly book #3 started out slow for me.  I was expecting to fly through it but I felt it could have been about 50 pages shorter.  However, if you stick it out, the intensity increases and things heat up as Maya is on the run with her friends and are finding it increasingly difficult to discern who is really "on their side" and who to run from.  They will discover more answers to their powers and of course the sometimes there love triangle between Rafe, Maya and Daniel will finally be resolved.  (Secretly, I'm rooting for Daniel but I'm sure Curlypow is team Rafe.)  I won't give you any more details and you won't really find out until the last 10 pages of the book.  Nice one Kelley...

All in all, the entire Darkness Rising series is a hit for me.  I enjoyed it so much more than the Darkest Powers and found the characters to be more likeable.  It was the perfect ending to a great trilogy and the only thing left to say is - What shall I do until the  next series starts?

P.S. 

Kelley does have another new title coming out in August called Omens.  It will be part of a series entitled Cainsville.  Sounds interesting for those who are looking for something a bit older than YA.  

P.P.S. 

Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr have teamed up to release a middle-grade series entitled The Blackwell Pages.  Their first book called Loki's Wolves came out this month.  For all of you librarians, this might be a good one for your younger audience.  Looks like a great guy's read!

Same Book Second Look - The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Published: April 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 359

Copy: Bought

Summary: Goodreads

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. 

Review:

So as some of you know, I have a massive TBR pile.  I have so many books that I've actually given some to friends to read because I just can't read them all and they were collecting dust on my shelves.  I have chosen a select few to read through before sharing them with friends.  And this is definitely one I would share with friends.

I am a big fan of Kelley Armstrong.  I have had the privilege of meeting her in person and have read her Darkest Powers trilogy.  I can't say enough great things about this author.  She has written so many fantastic novels and she is an absolute gem to speak with.  One thing that I LOVE about her is that she takes time out for her audience.  She runs a crazy schedule just so she can hold workshops on writing and meet her fans.  She's yet another author who is in touch with her craft and her audience.  Plus, she is Canadian to boot!  

I found this new series even more entertaining than The Darkest Powers trilogy.  Being that this is the first book, I can't wait for the next one (entitled The Calling and co-incidentally comes out April 10th!)  The book takes place in Canada and there are so many references to "Canadianisms"  it had me laughing out loud.  Ms. Armstrong really showcased her wit with this one.  My favourite was how Kelley incorporated poutine into her writing. LOVE IT.

**possible spoiler**

I found The Gathering to be identifiable and believable on some level.  By linking native folklore to shapeshifting, it felt more real.  

**end spoiler**

Also, Kelley's writing tone and style felt like it was aimed at an older audience.  Sure, the quips (such as those I have quoted below) are aimed at a younger audience but her delivery felt different than The Darkest Powers books.  I'm really enjoying this series though.  If you're an older young adult reader like I am, you may as well.

My favourite quotes 

“Rafe didn't just flirt-he charmed girls right up to the point where they fell for him, then he changed his mind.I called him a player with attention deficit disorder.” 

“Rafe grinned. "So we are dating?" 
"No. You have to pass the parental exam first. It'll take you awhile to compile the data. They'd like it in triplicate." 
I turned to my parents. "We have Kenji. We have my cell phone. Since we aren't officially dating, I'm sure you'll agree that's all the protection we need." 
Dad choked on his coffee.” 

RE: Sharing with friends.  On second thought, I might not get it back....get your own copy!  :P

Still not convinced?  Here is the book trailer for The Calling.  How can you NOT be intrigued to start this series??

Don't forget to check out out Giveaways for all 6 vols of The Galahad Legacy and Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Published: April 2010

Publisher: Doubleday

Pages: 359

Copy: From Library

Summary: Goodreads

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.


The Gathering was an amazing start to Kelley Armstrong's new trilogy.  Set in the same world as her Women of the Otherworld series and the Darkest Powers trilogy, the background will be familiar to anyone who has read these amazing books.  This time around the main characters live in a small community on Vancouver Island.  While on the one hand it is completely different from what most of us are accustomed to, on the other, it was very real and believable. I felt very comfortable within the setting.

Characters this time around are Maya, Daniel and Rafe. Oh yes, and don't forget the cougars Fitz and  Marv.  I just loved those cats! One of the things I noticed was that Maya seems very comfortable in her own skin.  Yes, there are some questions about her birth mother, but Maya seems well grounded.  Daniel is her best friend and he has some interesting 'feelings' about people - an ability to sense danger.  Is there a hint of something going on between the two of them?  Maybe, but maybe not.  Not enough in this volume that I would class things as a triangle when Rafe enters the picture.  Oohh, Rafe - I really liked him.  Bad boy? Well perhaps, but there's just something about him, that hint of strangeness that makes you want to dig deeper and find out everything you can about him.

There's a wonderful thread of mystery throughout the story that is only partially solved by the end of the book. Also, we never completely find out what Maya's 'secret' is - we can make an extremely good guess, but we don't find out for sure.  The ending is not quite a cliff-hanger, but it does leave you ready for more, which is unfortunate since there won't be any more for a good few months, more's the pity - The Calling is not due out until some time in 2012. Thank you Ms Armstrong for another great read.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong (April 20)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads):

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

This title was released April 12, 2011.  Can't wait to read it!!

Ist Annual Darklit Fest of Durham

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend some of Darklit Fest of Durham, which was held at the Oshawa library. I was there with two friends and we particularly wanted to hear the panel on Putting YA in the Graveyard:writng supernatural teen fiction and to meet Kelley Armstrong, who was the guest of honour.We didn't get there until 2.00 pm as the YA panel was the one that really interested us but there were lots of other great things going on. If you are at all interested in what you missed, check out THIS LINK to the festival home page.


Participating on the YA panel were Kelley Armstrong, Megan Crewe and Robert Paul Weston, and Joel Sutherland (who writes for younger readers) was the moderator. (Unfortunately, Lesley Livingstone had to cancel.) I could write an essay on the questions asked and answers given, but I'll just say that it was very interesting listening to three successful authors discuss their take on the trends in YA publishing today. Just before the panel, each author did a short reading from their novels.




Published April 2011 by Harper Collins

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve. Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.



Published Sept 2009 by Henry Holt


Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts over "breathers". Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school. But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees. As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad — and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance...



Published September 2010 by Razorbill


Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
His son, that's who.
Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.
Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City; a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner. Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?


Kelley, as guest of honour, did a reading from The Gathering, and answered some questions by herself at the end of the session. Lots of questions and answers that we've heard before, but this one stood out.

Q Is there any genre or subject that you would like to write about that you haven't yet tried?

A Werewolf Western!

Isn't that a hoot. There were several publishers there for the 'Pitch' sessions earlier in the day, and it was really funny when one of them spoke up and said if Kelley wanted to write a werewolf western, they would publish it. Who knows what we might see in Kelley's future!

I came home with signed copies of Dust City and Give up the Ghost, so look for reviews of those in the near(ish) future, and as soon as I can lay my hands on a copy of The Gathering, you'll see that review as well. All in all a fun afternoon, and I got to have lunch with friends into the bargain. What more could you ask?

The Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong

Published: 2009/2010
Publisher: Harper Collins
Copies provided by: Library

I have been a fan of Ms. Armstrong since she wrote her first adult novel, 'Bitten'. I had gone to a workshop on 'horror fiction' and was surprised to find her werewolf book included under the horror banner, but I tried it out and loved it and have been a major fan ever since then. The fact that she is one of us, i.e. Canadian, just made it all the sweeter. When I heard that she was going to venture into YA fiction, I was immediately curious and decided I had to try them out.

The world that this series is based in is the same as the one her adult books inhabit, so most of the actual world building is already in place, and some of the characters from those novels are mentioned in passing. Psychic and magical powers are accepted as part of life, if swept under the carpet somewhat, and just about anything can and does happen. Chloe Saunders can see ghosts, in fact it turns out she's a 'genetically altered necromancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying'. (from Ms Armstrong's website) When she finds herself at Lyle House, a home for troubled teens, she discovers that she is not the only one with problems (read powers). Chloe runs away from Lyle House with Simon, Derek and Rae, but instead of finding a safe place they are betrayed over and over again. It's a wonderful story, with complex twists and turns and if you haven't tried the series yet, I highly recommend it.

I've just been looking on Ms Armstrong's website and here is the cover for the next YA book 'The Gathering'

It looks as if it follows in the series, but the blurb on the website doesn't mention any of the old characters! It's due out April 2011 in hardcover, so keep your eyes peeled.

You can find a list of Ms Armstrongs adult novels HERE and if you are an older teen, there is no reason that you can't try them out for yourself. Some of you may remember me saying that Christinabean had given me a copy of the latest title 'Waking the Witch' for my birthday, which I am looking forward to reading. May'be I'll be able to get it signed at the Smart Chicks Kick It tour stop in Brampton, which Christinabean and I are going to on Sept 25th. If you're interested in a list of the dates you can find one HERE.