Title: The Calling (Darkness Rising #2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Release Date: April 10, 2012 (hardcover)
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Pages: 336
Source: Copy provided by publisher

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

On the heels of the wildly popular The Gathering comes the second in the "Darkness Rising" YA trilogy from NYT bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is--a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone 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.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.  

My Thoughts:
After I finished reading The Gathering, I had no doubts that the continuation in the Darkness Rising series would only get better from there... and I was right! Picking up directly where the cliffhanger ending left off on previously, Kelley Armstrong doesn't miss a beat as she torments her characters and pushes them to their limits. 

Maya's courage and leadership has never shined more bright than in this book! She's only just beginning to discover her true potential as a skin-walker, but there are still so many answers she wishes to seek about her heritage. And she's not the only with special abilities – the St. Cloud Corporation has made sure of that. Maya, Sam and Daniel have their suspicions, but with their kidnappers in hot pursuit trying to capture them again, it's going to take all their wits and skills to outrun them. Differences will have to be set aside, and all of the friends will have to work together if they wish to survive and make it out of the wilderness of Vancouver Island.

If you felt The Gathering was rather on the slow side, there's definitely no way you'll be feeling the same way about The Calling. The entire novel was filled with action, suspense, and tons of exciting moments which left you holding your breath. Once I began reading, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages until I finished a few hours later! And, okay, I'm firmly Team Daniel now! I was so proud of the way Maya and Daniel firmly supported each other and took charge in this book to help lead the others.

Kelley Armstrong's The Calling is a pure adrenaline rush that doesn't stop for a breather until the very end! With several allusions to events from the Darkest Powers series throughout the book, I have a very good feeling we'll be seeing characters from both of the series finally meeting in book three. And hopefully, they'll be joining forces! I cannot wait to see what will happen in The Rising!

Thanks so much to Random House Canada for providing this review copy!