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crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
5.0
“I guess the irony is that, the whole time I was dreaming of a normal life, I already had one...”
Chloe Saunders had a fairly normal life. High school, Dad, Aunt Lauren, friends, the usual. Sure, she went to an art high school, hasn't quite hit puberty, and has a father who travels a lot, but nothing really out of the ordinary—until she sees her first ghost. She is then sent to Lyle House, a teen group home. But she quickly learns that something is up; she still sees ghosts and her other companions have their own quirks. What is going on in this place?
I Liked:
EVERYTHING! From page one til page 390, I couldn't put it down, reading until late at night, staring longingly at it while at work, even sneaking peeks at it while at stoplights!
Firstly, our protagonist Chloe Saunders rocks. She is a brilliant girl, an excellent combination of smarts and independence with clumsiness and awkwardness. She lost her mother, but you don't see her griping about it. Her dad jet sets a lot, but Chloe doesn't resent him. She reacts to her surroundings, to her gradual discovery of the events with pure realism: shock, denial, anger, but not in too great of quantities that the book sags with her vacillations.
The other characters proved to be interesting. While at Lyle House, Chloe meets Simon, his adopted brother, Derek, Rachelle “Rae”, Victoria “Tori”, and Liz. Each teenager is interesting, new, and likeable—even the rude ones, like Derek and Tori. Simon bucks the “Smart Asian” stereotype. He's pleasant, a nice balance to his rude, acne-covered (yes, our characters actually LOOK like teeangers!!) brother, Derek. Derek is abrasive, yet there is something intriguing about him, making you want to learn more. Rachelle is a sweet girl, and she handles her situation so well (the reason she is there is kinda sad). Tori is the resident b****, but Armstrong wrote her so that I felt sympathy for her, instead of hatred.
I said earlier that I had a hard time putting it down. That's because Armstrong wrote such a darn good book! It was so interesting, from Chloe arriving at Lyle House and slowly learning about the others, to her seeing ghosts, how it became more and more clear that the adults were hiding something. And the end is pulse pounding, edge of your seat, don't set it down til you finish it, read it all in one night! That is what I am always looking for in a book, that sort of adrenaline rush, and Armstrong more than delivers, even deliciously ending the story at something of a cliffhanging. Thank God I have book two!!
With all the werewolves, vampires, witches, wizards, and the like, Armstrong has a tough job making hers stand out. I've heard this is an extension of her adult series (haven't read it, but seeing how good this is, I am so putting it on my reading list!), and I've liked the world she's created. Of course, this is just the beginning and Chloe is only starting to get involved. However, I do like the setup and can't wait to learn more!
I Didn't Like:
So minimal, it's insane.
Some transitions were a little unclear. For example, Derek and Chloe are outside, taking a walk, and after the section break, Chloe is all of a sudden being awakened from bed.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Mild. Aunt Lauren almost uses the f-word, but she rephrases. Same with most other curses. Tori calls Chloe a b****, and I think Chloe said either da** or crap.
Dr. Gill and the nurses stumble upon Derek and Chloe in the crawl space and assume they've been making out. Chloe tries to use this later on as a diversion.
Chloe wonders if Liz is killed. Chloe watches a ghost commit suicide over and over.
Overall:
This is an amazing book! People who diss teen lit (and I used to be one of those) are totally off their rocker. I read this book in a few days, and only that long because I work. Great for teens (I would have fallen in love with this as a teenager) and excellent for adults.
Chloe Saunders had a fairly normal life. High school, Dad, Aunt Lauren, friends, the usual. Sure, she went to an art high school, hasn't quite hit puberty, and has a father who travels a lot, but nothing really out of the ordinary—until she sees her first ghost. She is then sent to Lyle House, a teen group home. But she quickly learns that something is up; she still sees ghosts and her other companions have their own quirks. What is going on in this place?
I Liked:
EVERYTHING! From page one til page 390, I couldn't put it down, reading until late at night, staring longingly at it while at work, even sneaking peeks at it while at stoplights!
Firstly, our protagonist Chloe Saunders rocks. She is a brilliant girl, an excellent combination of smarts and independence with clumsiness and awkwardness. She lost her mother, but you don't see her griping about it. Her dad jet sets a lot, but Chloe doesn't resent him. She reacts to her surroundings, to her gradual discovery of the events with pure realism: shock, denial, anger, but not in too great of quantities that the book sags with her vacillations.
The other characters proved to be interesting. While at Lyle House, Chloe meets Simon, his adopted brother, Derek, Rachelle “Rae”, Victoria “Tori”, and Liz. Each teenager is interesting, new, and likeable—even the rude ones, like Derek and Tori. Simon bucks the “Smart Asian” stereotype. He's pleasant, a nice balance to his rude, acne-covered (yes, our characters actually LOOK like teeangers!!) brother, Derek. Derek is abrasive, yet there is something intriguing about him, making you want to learn more. Rachelle is a sweet girl, and she handles her situation so well (the reason she is there is kinda sad). Tori is the resident b****, but Armstrong wrote her so that I felt sympathy for her, instead of hatred.
I said earlier that I had a hard time putting it down. That's because Armstrong wrote such a darn good book! It was so interesting, from Chloe arriving at Lyle House and slowly learning about the others, to her seeing ghosts, how it became more and more clear that the adults were hiding something. And the end is pulse pounding, edge of your seat, don't set it down til you finish it, read it all in one night! That is what I am always looking for in a book, that sort of adrenaline rush, and Armstrong more than delivers, even deliciously ending the story at something of a cliffhanging. Thank God I have book two!!
With all the werewolves, vampires, witches, wizards, and the like, Armstrong has a tough job making hers stand out. I've heard this is an extension of her adult series (haven't read it, but seeing how good this is, I am so putting it on my reading list!), and I've liked the world she's created. Of course, this is just the beginning and Chloe is only starting to get involved. However, I do like the setup and can't wait to learn more!
I Didn't Like:
So minimal, it's insane.
Some transitions were a little unclear. For example, Derek and Chloe are outside, taking a walk, and after the section break, Chloe is all of a sudden being awakened from bed.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Mild. Aunt Lauren almost uses the f-word, but she rephrases. Same with most other curses. Tori calls Chloe a b****, and I think Chloe said either da** or crap.
Dr. Gill and the nurses stumble upon Derek and Chloe in the crawl space and assume they've been making out. Chloe tries to use this later on as a diversion.
Chloe wonders if Liz is killed. Chloe watches a ghost commit suicide over and over.
Overall:
This is an amazing book! People who diss teen lit (and I used to be one of those) are totally off their rocker. I read this book in a few days, and only that long because I work. Great for teens (I would have fallen in love with this as a teenager) and excellent for adults.
mbpartlow's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. For a teen read, I could NOT put it down. Finished today after both daughters (11 and 13) read, will go out and buy the next one tomorrow. Would do it today but we're having company for dinner.
Love her adult series, but ...WOW. The writing is no less excellent in this series.
Love her adult series, but ...WOW. The writing is no less excellent in this series.
breezy610's review against another edition
4.0
very good. wasn't much romance in the book, but had that fast-pace nature that wanted to keep in the book's clutches.
ladyhippolyta's review against another edition
3.0
Chloe Saunders was just a regular girl, negotiating her way through high school, and dreaming of a career as a film director. Chloe’s active mind sees everything through the lens of a potential film- until she begins seeing dead people wandering the halls of her school. Chloe is labelled as schizophrenic, and lands in Lyle House, a group home for troubled teens. It soon becomes apparent that ‘troubled teen’ is a byword for ‘supernaturally empowered’ when Chloe’s new housemates begin displaying strange abilities.
The Summoning is set in the world of Armstrong’s popular Otherworld series. Unlike Armstrong’s previous works, The Summoning is a Young Adult novel, holding back on the sexual situations and violence. Despite being a novel aimed at teens, Armstrong pulls no punches in the gruesome imagery, and on display is the same dark underbelly found in her other novels. In one striking example, Chloe is tied up and trapped in the bowels of Lyle House, forced to face her abilities, and resulting in her accidentally performing necromancy. The long dead corpses dragging themselves out of their graves and reaching for Chloe in the dark is a haunting image that isn’t soon forgotten.
Armstrong treats the extraordinary abilities of the children as a serious issue. The abilities on display are not pretty or ‘cute’, are often traumatic for the children, and always have consequences. The supernatural powers are a metaphor for mental illness, a theme that resonates throughout the novel. These elements are dealt with sympathetically and realistically, especially as Chloe questions her own sanity in the face of being given the label of schizophrenia.
The story is told from Chloe’s point of view, and the first person perspective gives the story immediacy. Chloe’s voice is clear, an interesting amalgam of innocence and wisdom. Chloe talks about films as though she is a peer of Steven Spielberg, and it is easy to forget how young she is as she analyses the world around her, framing potential shots in her mind. This, however, is Chloe’s method of comforting herself in the scary situations she finds herself in; she is still an awkward young girl, battling with a speech impediment and what she thinks is a mental illness.
The Summoning is an easy read that, while suitable for young adults, isn’t treated as a children’s novel. Armstrong has written a novel about teenagers, rather than specifically for teenagers, which means The Summoning is enjoyably dark and intriguing.
The Summoning is set in the world of Armstrong’s popular Otherworld series. Unlike Armstrong’s previous works, The Summoning is a Young Adult novel, holding back on the sexual situations and violence. Despite being a novel aimed at teens, Armstrong pulls no punches in the gruesome imagery, and on display is the same dark underbelly found in her other novels. In one striking example, Chloe is tied up and trapped in the bowels of Lyle House, forced to face her abilities, and resulting in her accidentally performing necromancy. The long dead corpses dragging themselves out of their graves and reaching for Chloe in the dark is a haunting image that isn’t soon forgotten.
Armstrong treats the extraordinary abilities of the children as a serious issue. The abilities on display are not pretty or ‘cute’, are often traumatic for the children, and always have consequences. The supernatural powers are a metaphor for mental illness, a theme that resonates throughout the novel. These elements are dealt with sympathetically and realistically, especially as Chloe questions her own sanity in the face of being given the label of schizophrenia.
The story is told from Chloe’s point of view, and the first person perspective gives the story immediacy. Chloe’s voice is clear, an interesting amalgam of innocence and wisdom. Chloe talks about films as though she is a peer of Steven Spielberg, and it is easy to forget how young she is as she analyses the world around her, framing potential shots in her mind. This, however, is Chloe’s method of comforting herself in the scary situations she finds herself in; she is still an awkward young girl, battling with a speech impediment and what she thinks is a mental illness.
The Summoning is an easy read that, while suitable for young adults, isn’t treated as a children’s novel. Armstrong has written a novel about teenagers, rather than specifically for teenagers, which means The Summoning is enjoyably dark and intriguing.
jgurniak's review against another edition
4.0
I quite liked the plot and the characters (even Tori!). I found the author managed to keep it realistic even with the entire book being about the supernatural. It's a fun start to the trilogy and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
cobycoyle's review against another edition
5.0
I thought this was great. I think the werewolf transformation was more realistic compared to other books (not that I’d know though lol) and the twist at the end with her aunt was unexpected. The mystery around Liz’s fate, a realistic view of what would happen if teens with supernatural powers were actually discovered…realistic physical depictions of teens. I thought this was well written and really liked that Chloe isn’t a master at her powers, has problems like her stutter to overcome, etc.
eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
So... Where do I start...? Oh, yes.
This book follows Chloe Saunders whose big goal in life is to be normal. Not the rich girl, the short girl or the new girl. Just a girl. That becomes difficult though after being chased down the school hallway by a ghost only she can see lands her in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens.
On top of that, something seems to be amiss with the house and it's residents and Chloe has to find out what that is before it's too late and...
I liked this book. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I would because I didn't like the writing, but it got better. It still wasn't the best, but it didn't hinder my reading experience. There were a few scenes that, had they been better written, would have been so much more creepy and awesome, but overall, it was okay.
The story I found really interesting. And the way it was handled. There was just something about it that was refreshing. I think it was a combination of the fast pace, the narrative and what the author put emphasis on.
The narrative I liked because it was influenced by Chloe's love for movies and her desire to make movies herself one day. That gave it a personalised touch. And Chloe was a smart girl. She did make some silly mistakes but rarely was there a time when you wanted to yell at her.
Also, even though Chloe was actually seeing ghosts, the book still managed to provide some insight into how someone who is mentally unwell might feel and how he/she may be treated differently even though it's not their fault. That was probably my favourite aspect of the book.
Another great thing was that the romance was low. There is literally a scene in the book when Chloe yells at someone that she has more important things to worry about that getting a boyfriend. Did I mention I love Chloe? Because I do.
Last but the not least, the ending. It was slightly rushed and abrupt in my opinion. Could've been smoothed out a little.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this book. It was very engrossing and I flew through it. I'll be reading the next book soon and I highly recommend checking this one out.
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
The first in the Young Adult, paranormal series, Darkest Powers, Summoning has a familiarity to it: troubled teens in a halfway house with secrets. Only these aren't your average troubled teens.
Well-written with characters you can embrace. I'm chomping at the bit to read Awakening. Kelley Armstrong does NOT disappoint!
Well-written with characters you can embrace. I'm chomping at the bit to read Awakening. Kelley Armstrong does NOT disappoint!
arogers159's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this book, its creepy and I couldn't put it down. I literally stayed up all night finishing it and quickly picking up the next book. That's how addicting it is. This entire series impressed me.