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The Reckoning is the last installment in a trilogy of YA books.  Having read many of her grown-up books (Bitten is one of my all time favorites.  Must. Read. Again.) I really wanted to read all three of these.  So I bought the first two and … they are still in my stack (cue the game show loser music – wah wah wahhhh.)  Soon, I promise.

Chloe Sanders is a genetically altered 15 year old who was created and held prisoner by an evil organization called the Edison Group.  She and three other altered teens – Tori and brothers Simon and Derek – have escaped, and as the book begins are hidden in a safe house hoping to find a way to return to Edison’s lab and rescue the remaining prisoners.  Chloe is a realistic teen, and I really liked her.  No super hip slang or kiss my patootie attitude, just an average girl (who has a really scary power to raise the dead and can talk to ghosts.)  She gets scared, has crushes, gets embarrassed, doesn’t always know exactly what she’s doing, and wishes she was prettier.  Her power is terrifying but not much help in a fight, so she knows when to hang back and when to jump into the fray.  I love the way Armstrong crafts such believable characters.

And the looooove triangle – I totally love that she has her first date and first kiss while in hiding (they sneak out for ice cream!)  Chloe is attracted to both Simon, a sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a werewolf.  She has feelings for them both but … figures out on her date which one she actually loves!

Armstrong keeps the suspense going too – you really don’t know whom to trust, and the poltergeists and scary ghosts provide plenty of chills.  The grownups the kids turned to seem like they want to help – but are they to be trusted?  Will that nasty ghost hurt Chloe?  Will Derek be able to keep from changing into a wolf? 

I really love Kelley’s writing and the story really held my interest. Usually when one picks up a book in mid-series, there is a whole lot of back-story you get to slog through in the first couple chapters.  The history was slipped in very smoothly and didn’t feel like a lecture.  I will be reading the first two books, The Summoning and The Awakening, this summer for sure!  Kelley has promised that while this is the end of the trilogy, the series continues with another book due out next spring, same world but new characters.  I hope someday she will return to this cast in future books.

I give The Reckoning 3.5 STACKS

STACKGirl Nancy – who usually does not read the ending first – that’s like peeking at your Christmas presents!

Tags: cross over author, kelley armstrong, the reckoning, urban fantasy, YA
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