Review: The Awakening

Info: 
Title: The Awakening
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Darkest Powers #2
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: April 8, 2009
Source: Gift

Synopsis:

You don't have to be alive to be awakened.

Chloe Saunders is a living science experiment—not only can she see ghosts, but she was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. She's a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control, which means she can raise the dead without even trying. Now Chloe's running for her life with three of her supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and they have to find someone who can help them before the Edison Group catches them.

Or die trying.

Review:
I'm not too sure why, but this series just isn't doing it for me. It's not bad, but there's just nothing striking me and special about it.

Chloe is likable enough, but I don't love her. It almost feels like she's so likable that something is missing and she's a little boring. The more I think about it, the more I realize I'd probably prefer a book set in Victoria's POV. It would be more interesting.

I think a love triangle is starting to brew, although it's very one-sided for me at this point. Simon and Chloe would be great together, since he's likable to the point of boring as well.

This review may come across a bit negative, but there's really nothing particularly wrong with this book/series and I know a lot of people have enjoyed it, so I think this is just a 'It's not you, it's me' kind of situation.

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Review: The Summoning

Info: 
Title: The Summoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Darkest Powers #1
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
Source: Gifted.

Synopsis:
My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? it's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House...before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

Review:
I always hear people raving about Kelley Armstrong, but this is my second book by her and I still haven't found the magic. The Summoning felt to me a bit generic. Which is a bit weird, since there is actually some interesting ideas, including necromancy, which isn't as common in YA paranormal. 

But I think the blame for this can fall on the main character Chloe. She just wasn't able to grab my attention and make me like her. I wish she was a bit stronger of a character and was able to actually make me care about her and her friends.

Another thing that bothered me a bit was the over-used idea of all adults being either useless or evil. Although I guess I should give one of the adults in question a chance to explain herself in the next book before labeling her as evil. But you know what I mean.

I still feel fairly neutral towards the other kids at Chloe's home. Victoria is a bitch, but has her reasons, as we find out. Derek creeps me out, even though I don't think he's supposed to (anymore). Simon and Rae are pretty neutral for me all around. I feel super bad for Liz and hope we get to hear from her a bit in the next book.

Overall, The Summoning felt a bit like generic YA paranormal for me, but I still plan to finish the series and see how things end up.

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Don't Just Take My Word For It:

Burning Impossibly Bright 

Review: Sea of Shadows

Info:
Title: Sea of Shadows
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Age of Legends #1
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Source: I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:


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.

Review:
After years of seeing (and owning) her books, I finally managed to read a Kelley Armstrong book. And it was good! I'm not head-over-heels with this book, but I did enjoy it and definitely plan to continue with this series.

Our story centers on twin sisters Moira and Ashyn. These girls are as different as night and day. I think many readers will connect with Moira, who is a fiesty, headstrong girl, like many of my favourite YA heroines. I think by comparison, Ashyn can fade into the background. She's a much quieter, gentler person and even bordered on boring for me. However, at the same time, she seems like the kind of person I'd be friends with.

I was intrigued by the world Kelley Armstrong described, but I really wanted more details. Especially about Moira and Ashyn's roles as Keeper and Seeker. I actually don't really know what a Keeper does and have only a bit of an idea about one aspect of being the Seeker. In fact, I actually forgot a few times about Moira and Ashyn's identities. I really feel like that aspect of the story should have been emphasized more.

Another aspect I'm not sure about is the romance. It was pretty light in general, which is great for me, since I'm much more of a plot girl than a romance girl. However, it just felt a little convenient that two boys their own age happened to be available to accompany the girls on their journey.

I also felt like the plot got a little lost for a while. There was a lot of travelling and plenty of travelling adventures, but a couple times I had to rack my brain for where they were going and why. However, I feel like this is going to be less of a problem in the next book, which might be a bit more political.

I feel like this review might be coming across kind of negative, but I actually did enjoy this book, despite the few flaws I've mentioned. The characters are likeable, there are animal characters (which is always a huge plus for me) and it was overall entertaining. The ending really threw me for a loop, which I like, although I'm fairly mad at a certain someone. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series!

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Don't Just Take My Word For It:

Read.Sleep.Repeat

Event Recap: Kelley Armstrong Signing

I absolutely love signed books. Knowing that the author touched that exact copy and took the time to sign it is amazing. But having the author sign and personalize a book while you are standing right there borders on mind-blowing!

Tuesday night Kelley Armstrong was in Calgary to do a signing. Unfortunately for me, I miscalculated the amount of seats available, so when I arrived 45 minutes early, they were already all taken! Since I was in the line-up further down the store, I missed most of the Q & A session, but it was still really great to meet Kelley and get a few books signed, plus pick up some sweet book swag. Here's a picture of the event and my signed books. Apparently I was too buying being nervous and awkward to look at the camera.

Don't forget to check out the two giveaways going on right now, SIGNED copy of Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes (US only) and an ARC of The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond (US/CAN).

You Had Me From Hello (1): Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

You Had Me From Hello is a new feature on Megan Likes Books where I showcase some of my favourite first lines of books. The first line is so important, as it sets the mood for the rest of the book.

In light of attending the Kelley Armstrong signing last night (it was awesome, more on that on Friday's post), I've chosen Bitten for the first You Had Me From Hello pick.

"I have to."

Wow, there's something so direct and urgent about this line, I really want to keep reading to she what it is the character has to do. I haven't read this one yet, so I'm not sure what this need is, but I want to know.


Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Elena Michaels seems like the typically strong and sexy modern woman, She lives with her architect boyfriend, writes for a popular newspaper, and works out at the gym. She's also a werewolf.

Elena has done all she can to assimilate to the human world, but the man whose bite changed her existence forever, and his legacy, continue to haunt her. Thrown into a desperate war for survival that tests her allegiance to a secret clan of werewolves, Elena must recon with who, and what, she is in this passionate, page-turning novel.