The Calling Kelley Armstrong Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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.
From the Hardcover edition.

You know that song A Country Boy Can Survive by Hank Williams Jr? No? Okay, well when I think about The Calling, second in Kelley Armstrong’s Darkness Rising trilogy, I can’t help but think the song applies to Maya, because, bro, that girl CAN survive and she’s totes a country girl and a full on bad ass.

No slow boring beginning for The Calling by Kelley Armstrong. Nope. Instead Maya and her dog Kenji and friends are on a helicopter escaping a fire that is raging in her isolated town. BUT OMG the pilot tries to kidnap them THEN the plane crashes in the wilderness and the gang has to SURVIVE. Of course, Maya loves the woods, so she and her BFF Daniel become de facto leaders and try to take the group back to civilization. Meanwhile, Maya’s body is going through changes much worse than puberty, ya know, turning into a cougar and such.

You guys, I really like Maya as a main character. She’s tough. She’s loyal. But she’s not a brick wall or anything. She does make a few judgment mistakes and actually learns from them. I like that. One of my peeves when it comes to books is when characters experience no growth and don’t learn anything. And luckily The Calling delivers on rocking characters.

But, to be completely and totally honest the dog Kenji who is a German shepherd, totally steals the show. Maybe I am biased because I have a few German shepherds of my own, but y’all the dog is constantly helping the group out of danger and generally being awesome. She deserves a mention in this review. OH and there is NO DEAD DOG in The Calling.

I guess the most important lesson learned from The Calling by Kelley Armstrong is that I still like paranormal. There’s no huge deeper meaning to these books, but you guys, they are perfect escape your stress reads. Like the other Kelley Armstrong books I’ve read, The Calling is easy to slip into and forget the outside world. I’d definitely recommend The Calling if you are looking for a nice fluffy read.

Disclosure: Received for review.

Other reviews of The Calling by Kelley Armstrong:

Pure Imagination
Candace’s Book Blog
A Beautiful Madness
The Reader Bee
Xpresso Reads
Shortie Says

Series Order:

The Gathering (Book One)
The Calling (Book Two)
The Rising (Book Three)

Support Good Books & Good Wine:

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Latest posts by April (Books&Wine) (see all)

• The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth | Audiobook Review - May 12, 2025
• Stay Awake by Megan Goldin | Audiobook Review - May 10, 2025
• Mapping The Interior by Stephen Graham Jones | Novella Review - May 4, 2025