Book Review : The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong | Amie
- READefineToday
- Aug 22, 2020
- 6 min read
Spoiler Free!
I’ve thought about which book I should write a review on for my first book review on this blog, and I figured that my best bet was the first book of the series that got me into reading and literature; The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. The Summoning is the first book in the Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong, followed by The Awakening and The Reckoning. Technically, the book that got me invested in reading was The Reckoning, since I read that book first (yes, I read the last novel in the trilogy first, but I didn’t know it was apart of a series, and it was the only novel of the Darkest Powers collection available at my school library at the time), but it felt wrong to write a review on the last book of a series without any coverage on the preceding installments.
Although I first discovered this trilogy four years ago — I was pretty young when I read this, considering the content of the novel; I wasn’t kidding when I said* I read novels ahead of my time — I have re-read the books many times throughout the succeeding years. I even read The Reckoning at least 9 times throughout my time at that particular school, since it was my favorite installment of that trilogy, and partially because I had already read most of the books I found interesting at the school library. That is EXACTLY how much I love Darkest Powers Trilogy.
When I discovered that Kelley Armstrong wrote another trilogy, Darkness Rising, I knew I had to read it as well. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least when I found out they were linked trilogies (they took place in the same world). Darkness Rising Trilogy consists of The Gathering, The Calling, & The Rising. And HOLY NUGGETS The Rising finale was EPIC! Σ(°ロ°)
I don’t know HOW Kelley Armstrong did it; how she managed to weave the two fantasy worlds together, delicately stitching along the border of reality and fiction and bringing it all together in such a fulfilling and satisfying conclusion . . . No words could ever describe how much Darkest Powers x Darkness Rising means to me.
Okay, enough of my excessive ranting about my love for Darkest Powers x Darkness Rising series, lets get on to the actual review:
Genres : Paranormal Romance / Fiction, Thriller Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural
Content : Mental Illnesses / Disorders, A little bit gory and/or violent, Eerie scary descriptions / scenes (well it's a thriller, what’d you expect?)
Page Count : 390
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong is a Paranormal Teen Romance about Supernatural Behavior. The story follows 15 year old Chloe Saunders, who aspires to be a movie screenwriter. Chloe just wants to live a peaceful, normal life, make friends, maybe get a boy to notice her. But when she suddenly starts seeing ghosts, Chloe realizes she is anything but normal. She soon finds herself in Lyle House, a home for “troubled teens.” At first, Chloe is determined to remain unnoticed and get better as soon as possible. But when Chloe realizes that the other patients in Lyle House also seem to be manifesting some sort of paranormal behavior, she starts questioning Lyle House; is this all just a coincidence? Or is there more to this than it seems?
Reading this novel really opened me up to the world of Mental Health, especially since I didn’t really know or understand what Mental Heath, Mental Illnesses, and Mental Disorders were. The Summoning made me aware of the many conditions many individuals go through, and the treatment they receive, especially when they are embedded into the story line. Mental Health is a very significant and important part of our everyday lives, and the condition of our mind and subconscious could really impact the way you live. Mental Illness is not a joke, and shouldn’t be treated lightly; living with Mental Illnesses/Disorders is not easy.
If you or someone you know is struggling with some sort of Mental Health issues, such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and more, help them by getting help. You could talk to a trusted adult or friend, or consult a Professional. You can also contact Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 to speak to a Mental Health Counselor, or you can text 686868. For more information about Kids Help Phone, go to their website https://kidshelpphone.ca/ (may differ depending on which country you are in). There are also a variety of resources to educate yourself and get help available online and at libraries.
This novel also underlines many problems teenagers face, like accepting yourself for who you are and embracing yourself, flaws and all. Throughout the series, Chloe has longed to be ‘normal’ (by societal standards) and ‘like her friends’. But normal is different for everyone, and finding your normal is a huge part of growing up. Though I have yet to find mine, following Chloe’s journey to finding herself has led me to think about myself and reflect. What would my normal look like? Feel like? After reading the Darkest Powers x Darkness Rising series, I have come to a sort of constant that finding your normal feels like being at peace with yourself and the world, tuned into the same frequency and being connected.
The story line of The Summoning is really exciting, and will leave you craving for more. The characters also have unique backstories and personalities that you could probably relate to the people you know in real life (am I the only one who does this?). The realistic style and setting of the story (apart from all the supernatural paranormal stuff) makes The Summoning even more alluring and compelling.
Although I do have to admit, the beginning was a little slow, in which the author took her time to explain all the not-as-interesting but necessary aspects of Chloe’s life. You do have to be patient with The Summoning though, because after all the backstory is revealed you get kick-started into the supernatural world of Chloe. It’s kind of like a roller coaster that starts slow, allowing you to enjoy and absorb your surroundings, then tension builds up and you are launched straight into a page-turning paranormal adventure. If you do decide to read the Darkest Powers Trilogy, I really hope that you give The Summoning a chance, even if it seems a little anticlimactic and dull in the beginning, because I promise the rest of the trilogy will make up for it big time.
In conclusion, The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong is a great book for teens to read. You can learn a lot (maybe more than you think) from reading novels, even if they don’t have anything to do with our reality. Especially if you decide to continue the trilogy, and maybe read the sequel-trilogy, Darkness Rising, I swear it’ll be worth your time (if the genres and content listed above is your jam). Darkest Powers Trilogy will always hold a special place in my heart. Every time I read it, I would always be on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what happens next (especially with my ship <3). I’ve laughed, loved and breathed The Summoning (in a totally non-creepy way, as non-creepy as this gets) and I would really recommend this to anyone who is up for a somewhat-romantic teenage supernatural thriller. Seriously, when I finished the trilogy I tried to get anyone and everyone who would listen to read it. Ask literally any of my classmates from my old school.
My overall rating of The Summoning is 4 out of 5 stars. Perhaps my reasoning may be a little biased (since the Darkest Powers Trilogy is my all-time favorite), I have faith that if you read it as well, you could really enjoy it as well. The reason I gave it a 4 and not a 5 is because I found the first novel in the trilogy isn’t as climatic as, for example, the last. The Reckoning is my favorite installment of the series because when you get to the destination of a journey, it’ll make all the obstacles worthwhile. The Reckoning would definitely be a 5 in my opinion (just saying) (≧◡≦) .
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