A review by gabberjaws
The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

3.0

20/05/2017: Okay. Turns out I HAVEN'T outgrown Kelley Armstrong. Her new book just isn't for me. The first trilogy was, hands down, superior, but I dearly miss Chloe, Derek, Maya and Daniel. I wonder if she'll come back to this. That might be cool.

---

First review :
It took me a while but I have finally managed to stop squealing in delight after that ending. I'm going to type this fast, just in case that was only the first wave of feels and there's more to come.

What can I say about this series that hasn't already been said? It's great. The entire mood of the book was more mature than The Darkest Powers Trilogy which is understandable, I suppose, considering that Chloe had just turned 15 when the series kicked off and while there are some definite character parallels, it never feels like I'm reading about the same people just with different names.

As a single novel, The Rising was definitely the best in the trilogy. All of the characters underwent some serious character development that worked very well with the story. And it was brilliant seeing Chloe, Derek (Never change, Derek. Never change) and the others again and seeing them interact with the Phoenix kids. (Spoiler: I am absolutely loving the Maya/Chloe and the Daniel/Derek friendship. BROTPS, MAN!)

I could go on about the book, but then I'd risk rambling and possibly giving away a bunch of spoilers, which I definitely don't want to do. What I WILL say is, if you're like me and find that it takes you a while to get properly absorbed in any of Kelley Armstrong's books, please don't let it deter you. Continue reading - you'll find properly fleshed out, whole characters that aren't always relatable or likable, but will interest you nevertheless. You'll find a compelling story line that will completely suck you in and insist that you stick around until the very end. The slow buildup is totally worth it, trust me.

Also
I am incredibly happy that the whole almost-love-triangle worked out the way it did because I would have been beyond depressed if Maya had stuck with Rafe. Daniel is an amazing character and I consider him my Derek of this Trilogy. Which, to those of you who haven't figured it out yet, means that I've adored him from the start