The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Summoning is about a young 15 year old girl named Chloe Sanders. She lives a lonely life with her father after her mother passes away. One day, Chloe starts to see things, like people who disappear without warning. Believing her eyes are playing tricks on her, she ignores it. But when she encounters a violent ghost at school – causing her to create a scene – she can no longer ignore what’s happening.  Adults around her start to think that maybe Chloe has had a mental break down and they send her to the best and finest place they can think of: The Lyle House. The Lyle House is a place for disturbed teens to go to get better, and Chloe meets all sorts of strange characters there including the moody and withdrawn Drake, his handsome and smart brother Simon, and annoying, prideful, Victoria. Chloe keeps her eyes on a simple goal: be good and get out. But, when stranger things start to happen that not even Chloe can ignore, it’s up to her and the other patients to get out. How will they get out when everyone on the outside thinks they’re crazy? They can only trust each other to discover the truths of The Lyle House before it’s too late – all while controlling a power Chloe never knew she had.
This story is a fast- paced novel that you will not be able to put down.  It’s the first book in a trilogy (and there’s a second connected trilogy called Darkness Rising which I also highly recommend).  The Summoning is on my list of top 3 favorite books for sure! It was the first book I had ever read by Ms. Armstrong and I quickly grew attached to her writing and characters.
Kelley Armstrong a bestselling Canadian author from Ontario and she has mastered writing Adult fiction (Otherworld series), teen fiction (Darkness Rising) and children’s fiction (Loki’s Wolves).  I think my favourite thing about this author is how she writes female characters! No matter what age or what they’re doing – if they’re a werewolf or if they see ghosts – all the women are strong and never back down. They never let their male counterparts control what they do or say (something I find surprisingly common in young adult books with supernatural elements).  She shows that women don’t need saving and they can do it all on their own. If you’re looking for a supernatural series for our looong winter months that includes action, romance and a strong female character, this series might be perfect for you.

By Patience Marino-Hutton- www.tbpl.ca