106) Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

Two brand new tales anchor this wide-ranging collection from one of urban fantasy's most successful authors. Here is the first time that best-selling fantasy, YA, and crime author Kelley Armstrong has had her stories collected from Otherworld and beyond. With her signature twists and turns, Armstrong gives a fresh spin on city-dwelling vampires, werewolves, and zombies, while also traveling further afield, to a post-apocalyptic fortress, a superstitious village, a supernatural brothel, and even to feudal Japan.

My Thoughts :

I should really take the time to read the blurb before pouncing on books by my favourite authors.  I see their name, see a release date that is quickly approaching and just grab a copy.  However within seconds of starting the book I realised I had made a mistake.  This wasn't 'new' and this wasn't at all what I was expecting.

Led Astray is an anthology.  The best of Kelley Armstrong.  Now this may seem like a great idea.  All of Kelley's short stories in one book.  However I have already read the majority of them.  So I ended up speed reading at least two thirds of the book.  The other stories, two new, weren't anything extremely special to write home about.  Although on saying that, I do tend to get a little negative about anthologies.  I'm just not a fan and rarely find one worth praising.

Now if you are a hardcore fan you will have read most of the stories already.  Over the years we have all craved just a little bit more of Armstrong in between books and have grabbed the occasional novella.  So this won't be a top priority for you unless you really want to make sure your collection is complete.  Yes there are two new short stories in here but weigh up the pro's and con's first.  You are buying a whole book full of stories you have already read just to get two new short stories. Think about it and don't blame anyone else for your decision.

If you enjoy Kelley's books but haven't had the chance to read any or many of her short stories then you will want to get a hold of this one.  There are some really nice ones in here and the stories are set in all of her various 'worlds'.  So there is something for everyone.  However if you haven't read many or any of Kelley's books you may want to leave this one for a later date.  There aren't really huge spoilers in here but there are some.  It would certainly annoy me and most likely confuse me if I wasn't that far along with the books in any of the series.

Lots of the stories are standalone but quite a few fit into a certain series somewhere.  One of the original stories (and one of the longest of the collection) is from the Cainsville series where as the other is a standalone.  Actually my favourite of the bunch was the original standalone called 'The Door' but it was a quick read.

In all honesty I nearly didn't finish this book.  After about 20% I had to put the book down and have a break.  My head hurt and I felt like the book should be over already.  The first 20% felt like a whole novel.  If it wasn't for the fact that I was stuck at the doctors for two hours with only my trusty Kindle to keep me occupied I may not have finished this book.

All in all this is a nice collection and also a wonderful idea.  I don't think I would have bought this one but definitely would have borrowed it from the library or a friend.  Kelley is an experienced and special author with some amazing books behind her and hopefully more in her future.  She has the gift of writing a great short story so Led Astray isn't full unworthy reads.  Just full of novellas you may have read before.

70) The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

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.

My Thoughts :

The Rising is the conclusion to the Darkness Rising Trilogy and sees all the loose ends being tied up.  Actually it sees some loose ends being tied up that I didn't expect.  However I won't do any spoilers and spoil things but will tell you that this series ends up mixing itself up with the Darkest Powers series and also finishes by getting involved more in the Women of the Otherworld.  The cross over into her already well established world is a fun aspect but it isn't by far the most important part of this book.

What is important in this third and final book?  Well things take a slight twist when Maya finds some family.  However things get complicated when she ends up in the hands of the people she is trying desperately to stay away from.  There is some action and interesting twists and turns and while the ending was nice and all wrapped up with a bow on top I found it slightly unimpressive.

I remember being really excited about the first part in this trilogy, The Gathering, and I know I enjoyed the book a lot.  However the second book, The Calling, wasn't so special and this third installment just come across as a poor ending to a spectacular start.  I am not saying this was bad and you shouldn't bother with it.  I just think this one came across as more Young Adult as the previous books and made me realise that the women of the Otherworld are over and this could never be as good.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my all time favourite writers and I will always read her work because I love the stories she tells.  However this trilogy wasn't one of my favourites.  It showed so how great an author Kelley is and how special and original her stories are but for me it just wasn't as good as some of her other work.  However the author remains on my must read and must buy list and I can't wait for her next book to come out later this year.

If you are a fan of the author and have been following this series then you really need to check it out and get closure in regards to Maya story.  If you haven't yet read the Darkest Powers trilogy then you really need to before reading this set of books or at least before reading this final part.  Otherwise you will spoil the ending. However if you haven't yet tried this authors work I recommend starting with Bitten and working your way through that series first before trying this Young Adult set of books.

     

   

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78) Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

Kat is a sixteen-year-old vampire, and she's not too happy about it. After an experiment-gone-wrong and a bullet to the heart, she now hungers for human blood, and the worst part about that is the guilt. But guilt isn't the only thing stressing her. Kat is being hunted by the Edison Group, a dangerous Cabal that is responsible for her undead state.

Kat is running out of places to hide, and she has no one to turn to—until she meets Chad and Neil. They're on the run like she is, and they offer to help Kat against their common enemy. But the boys aren't all that they seem, and for Kat, deciding whether to trust them may be a matter of life or death.

My Thoughts :

Hunting Kat is a short story that takes place in the Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising world that fans will have come to know and love. There isn't much really to tell about this novella other than it surprises by bringing in vampires to the mix. I believe that they have been mentioned in the previous books but an actual vampire experiment is, from what I can remember, new. Maybe it is a preview of what is to come in the next three Young Adult installments?

If you have been following the series you will know all about the Edison Group and what the other teens have gone through. This means Hunting Kat will make a lot of sense. If you haven't already enjoyed this special series then you will get a little insight into the world and basic story line.

Any lovers of Armstrong's work will enjoy this short tale. How the author manages to put some much feeling and action into such a short story is mystery but she does is well. The novella left me satisfied and even though I would have loved a full length novel, Hunting Kat took the edge off. Now I don't mind waiting a little more for the next delicious story.

Darkest Powers

#1 - The Summoning
#2 - The Awakening
#3 - The Reckoning

Darkness Rising

#1 - The Calling
#2 - The Gathering
#3 - The Rising (Due out in 2013)

58) The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

Maya and her friends--all of whom have supernatural powers--have been kidnapped after fleeing from a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set, and after a terrifying helicopter crash they find themselves pursued by evildoers in the Vancouver Island wilderness.

My Review :

I have been waiting for The Calling since the moment I finished reading The Gathering. Kelley has a knack for leaving me extremely happy and amazed by a book and then making me suffer by waiting for the next installment. Her stories are always amazing and addictive and The Calling is no exception.

This second part in the Darkness Rising series continues straight on from where we left the story in The Gathering. Back in the helicopter, trying to get away from a forest fire, the characters present left me confused for a few pages. It has been a year since the previous book was released and read so I felt a little thrown into the deep end after such a long break. However within a few pages and then with the following chapters I managed to find my way again. Which was good, I needed to keep track of what was going on.

The story was fast, furious and full of surprises. If you blink you may just miss something in this trip through the Canadian wilderness. There was a lot of action as the youngsters try and get back home and find out what is really happening. They need answers and there are way too many questions and possibilities, a lot of them too crazy to believe. However as the truth becomes clear and they begin to accept what could be happening something comes along and ruins their theories or adds more questions to the mix. This makes for stunning reading as the author just keeps you guessing. There are enough snatches of what could actually be going on and it keeps the story wonderfully addictive. Although you know, just know, that it isn't over. There is more to come.

Maya makes some interesting and scary discoveries in this new instalment but what is actually true or just speculation is still to be seen. Book three will obviously bring some more concrete answers (or an end?) to everything but I think she still has a long way to go before things are put to bed. Book three promises to blend this series into the Darkest Powers trilogy but how it will all add up is yet to be seen. Will we get to see some of the Women of the Otherworld too? Who cares? At the end of the day Kelley Armstrong delivers a fantastic, addictive and special story and each part just makes me love her work even more.

The author has written another spectacular book and managed to keep it unique and unusual but at the same time connected it to her other paranormal series. If you haven't tried Kelley's books yet then you have been missing out on the best of the best. There is no reason not to try this, or any other, of Kelley's books. They are Paranormal goodness and the tastiest treat in the genre. The Calling was everything I expected and more. Please don't let us wait too long for the next part!!!