Hello, beautiful people! Finally! The last book review for Kelley Armstrong’s Darkness Rising trilogy — The Rising. In this series finale, we FINALLY learn the truth behind all the mysterious events happening to Maya and her friends, with some BIG plot twist by the end of the novel.

If you HAVEN’T read book one or two, please read the previous books first before proceeding:

↠ The Gathering (Darkness Rising, Book One) by Kelley Armstrong
↠ The Calling (Darkness Rising, Book Two) by Kelley Armstrong

Then you can come back and not worry too much about any SPOILERS.Source: Goodreads

Title: The Rising
Series: Darkness Rising, Book Three
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Published on April 2nd 2013 by HarperCollins (first published January 1st 2013)
Format: Hardcover, 406 pages

Genre / Themes: Contemporary | Supernatural | Urban Fantasy
Point of View: First Person

Synopsis: 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.

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 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.

With all the twists, thrills, and romance that have made Kelley Armstrong an international bestseller, plus the surprising return of some fan-favorite characters, The Rising will hold you under its spell long after its breathtaking end.

THE PROS

Hold onto your butts! We FINALLY have some information on WHAT’S GOING ON! From the different abilities each teen has to what these different organizations are after, Armstrong finally discloses so many of our unanswered questions. Learning more about the teens’ abilities was fantastic, especially since they have such unique abilities that differ from traditional urban fantasy novels.

Now … calling all action and character-oriented readers! Seriously, Maya and her friends are constantly faced with different challenges to overcome. Once you think they have a moment to take a breath, a new obstacle appears. There’s also great attention to the development of the central characters, especially Maya and Daniel. But I enjoyed how Armstrong still provided some moments to demonstrate the way other minor characters have changed over the course of the series.

My FAVOURITE part of this novel was the connection with the spin-off and original trilogy, Darkest Powers. Without giving away too much, let’s just say that Armstrong BEAUTIFULLY crafted the two stories together without overtaking the plot of Darkness Rising. Blending the two trilogies together really brought the story to life as a whole.

THE WOES

Again with the undeveloped plot. The Rising DOES explain a lot more to readers, revealing most of the unanswered questions from the previous two books. But it still felt almost linear, as though there was so much more that could’ve been explored. Rather than more of the “running around in the woods” moments, I would’ve enjoyed more information regarding the different organizations, and more about Maya and her friends.

The end of Armstrong’s Darkness Rising trilogy was … well, anti-climatic. Though I’m happy that certain parts of the story were closed off in a tightly knit manner, there was a lot left open-ended. The big head-to-head showdown was also a BIT of a letdown. The ending makes you feel as though there’s going to be another spin-off series, but I’m fairly certain Armstrong has confirmed there won’t be.

OVERALL

Armstrong’s The Rising is a wonderful finale to the Darkness Rising trilogy. Most of the questions and mysterious were resolved by the end, leaving readers with a relatively “happy ending”. Though the characters are left in almost a limbo and temporary state by the end, it does add some more realism to their stories. The action packed series makes this a SUPER fast read, needing to move quickly from one book to the next.

I recommend this novel if you enjoy: fast-paced plot; a diverse cast of characters; urban fantasy; action-oriented novels; strong female leads.

Discussion time!

Have you read Kelley Armstrong’s The Rising? Have you read any of her other books? What were your thoughts on this novel or her other novels?

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