Review: The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Summoning

Series: Darkest Powers #1

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, paranormal

Publication date: March 2009

Published by: HarperCollins

Source: Own Paperback

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Synopsis:

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, and meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

My rating: ★★★★☆
I picked up this book when i saw it was about a girl (Chloe) who could see ghosts and eventually raise the dead. I really like ghost stories... basically anything having to do with the paranormal, so this book seemed like a good option.

And i wasn't wrong. Chloe's life changes abruptly in one day after she saw her 1st ghost at school. And everything goes downhill from there. She gets sent to a group home to "rehabilitate". But this place is more than just a group home for crazy kids. There she meets a witch, a sorcerer, and a werewolf. And things get worse when she finds out that one of the girls who lived there, and was Chloe's friend, was killed. They eventually escape from the house that has so many horrible secrets involving Chloe and her friends being put through experiments. After leaving she runs into the one person she could trust... or so she thought.

The mystery and suspense in this book kept me turning the pages wanting for more, until the book ended. Then I just wanted the next book altogether :P

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)