The Reckoning (Darkest Powers)

Simply put, I liked it.

I felt that the plot progressed slower in this book. I wanted to learn more about all the different species, have the kids learn more about themselves and others. In some ways, the book seemed static.

However, I will probably read it again.

Amazing. That is all. I'm in love with this series... it's plot twists the story line it's just the best series I've read in a long time. Usually the author gets bored. This author kept coming strong. I love this book the most.

love this book!i think however there should be more books considering there is so much left to tell!there really wasen't no ending! there was no grate battle or anything,i mean come on a story like that needs a great battle!

I really enjoyed this book series. Kelley Armstrong is a great writer and I am looking forward to the next set she puts out I think the first book is called The Gathering. I know she has other series and I am looking forward to reading them also.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Unlike the previous two installments of the Darkest Powers Series, which are driven both by plot and character development, The Reckoning is driven solely by a few of its action sequences. That a few of these scenes did keep me near the edge of my seat is, unfortunately, the only positive thing I can bring myself to say about this utterly disappointing conclusion to the trilogy.

My main criticism is that the author builds up a number of compelling issues in the previous two books which are left completely unresolved at the end of the third.

Of all of these, the most disappointing for me deals with the character development, particularly the romance between Chloe and Derek. I have to say, I was impressed with the build-up of this romance in the first two books. Derek and Chloe did seem to share a unique understanding of each other. And there were the necessary frustrating, yet interesting obstacles to their being together. But in The Reckoning, this romantic tension completely fizzled, in my opinion. None of the obstacles between Chloe and Derek are actually resolved, but somehow they magically seem to go away? The way I see it, the primary obstacle to Chloe and Derek being together is Derek's selflessness. This manifests itself in two concrete ways: 1) he is a genetically modified werewolf and fears he will lose control and hurt her (hence his shock and horror when he suspects that she likes him earlier in the series); 2) he knows his brother Simon has a crush on her and would never want to hurt Simon.

As to the first: Derek completes his transformation for the first time, realizes he retains his basic humanity even as a wolf, and therefore assumes he'll never hurt Chloe? Too convenient. What about that evil poltergeist that haunts the house, always reminding Chloe and the others that their genetic modifications will drive them to insanity before long? What about Derek's uncontrollable strength that sometimes leads to violent outbreaks with disastrous consequences? We're just supposed to forget all of these issues, which only a few days ago were apparently so crippling that when Derek suspected Chloe might have feelings for him, he responded with shock and horror? More importantly, we're expected to believe that Derek would allow himself to forget it so that he could be with Chloe? Completely out of character for him. Really corny, really unrealistic - laughable, even.

As for the second obstacle: I'm sorry, but Simon's drawing a poignant little comic to show Derek that he doesn't mind him being with Chloe is, in a word, lame. the selfless Derek that we have come to know and admire would never accept that so quickly. Plus, Derek had basically already attached himself to Chloe before Simon even gave him the comic.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying Chloe and Derek should never end up together. I'm just disappointed that these two very serious, very compelling obstacles were erased so easily. Did Armstrong just get lazy? For me, it cheapened the romance and the series as a whole.

Putting Derek and Chloe's not-so-star-crossed romance aside, there are about a hundred other issues that are unresolved. I'll just list several off the top of my head:

-Chloe's father. Why keep bringing him up in the books if he's never going to make an actual appearance? If Chloe's never actually going to contact him?

-Chloe's mother. Why show us glimpses of her ghost if she's not actually going to play a role?

-Chloe's dream to be a film director. Personally, I found all the director/screenwriter references kind of grating. That said, this was an interesting component of Chloe, and I was kind of hoping we'd have some kind of epilogue or something showing that she didn't give it up.

-Tori and Simon being siblings, and Kit being Tori's father. Why in the world does Tori never find out about this? Would have been really interesting to see her reaction. What's the point of all the build up in the previous books, of planting the suspicion in the reader's mind about it, if there's not going to be any resolution or follow through???

-Simon's character in general. What a boring, one dimensional person. I kept thinking there would be some revelation about Simon. No idea what it might be. But just something to make him more than this flat, boring, friendly preppy dude - "Whoa, bro, cool it, bro" - ughhhh. No such luck.

-Liz. Ever since she and Chloe have that heart wrenching scene in the 2nd book, where Liz accepts that she's a ghost and warns Chloe she'll have to cross over to the other side eventually (but isn't ready yet) - I've been bracing myself for it to happen. I really thought it would at the end of The Reckoning - would have been so perfect and bittersweet. But nope! Apparently Armstrong forgot about that scene.

-Chloe's necklace. Where did it come from? How was it made? How does it work? Again, I kept thinking there was going to be some back story here, some revelation. But we got nothing. Apparently it was just a handy plot device, and something pretty to put on the jackets.

-The Demi-Demon. I found the Demi-Demon enormously interesting. I was very excited when Chloe had to make a deal with her so she'd help break the crew out of the Edison Group building; couldn't wait to find out what horrid things she'd have to do in return. But...she winds up not having to do anything, because in a typical manipulation of the plot, the Demi Demon is somehow sucked back down into hell, never to bother Chloe again. Seriously? Soooo boring.

-The warning that Chloe and the band of genetically enhanced supernaturals will eventually go insane because of their powers. This was a very interesting and stressful part of the plot. I kept waiting for it. When's the insanity going to kick in! How are the characters going to cope!? I couldn't wait for them to support each other and show some real strength in the face of their impending doom. But, no. This never happened. One of the most interesting components of the whole story, which is, predictably, left utterly unresolved.

I really do feel like the author just got kind of bored and decided to just slap this story down as fast as humanly possible, so she could get it over with and move on to the next series. From a marketing standpoint, I suppose the content of The Reckoning doesn't really matter. Most anyone who read the first two books would buy the third just to find out what happens. But I have to say, as a reader, I find it offensive. I felt manipulated when I finished the Reckoning. As you read the first two books, Armstrong makes you think she's got some master plan worked out, that all the little hints and clues she's dropped along the way will eventually add up to something. I suppose I have only myself to blame for this disappointment--for allowing myself to have faith in this author!

I really don't appreciate books where the "love interest" is broody and verbally abusive. Sure she just wants him to be nice to her and the guy she can confide in, well guess what there, is another guy right there who is all of those things ready and willing. You are still searching for that in the one who doesn't respect you enough to give it you. Why do we teach young girls this is romantic???? oh but he is a werewolf and he will commit to you forever... a forever of being insulted and shouted at but still kind of loved... in his way. Sounds great.
Love does not solve any of your problems, it magnifies them. You have to be a good person to have a good relationship.
This is not a book about that. But oh it had potential, and failed to meet it.
They never overcome their problems. It just leaves you hoping they do.

Kelley Armstrong’s Darkest Power Trilogy comes to an end in The Reckoning. You definitely need to read The Summoning then The Awakening or you won’t get the full story and understand the importance of certain events.

I pretty much blew through this because after reading the first two so quickly I had to know how the story was going to end especially as it came full circle. Armstrong has written some great characters that felt so realistic and I could actually invest in, I wanted to see where their journey would take them.

I really liked that Armstrong didn’t turn this into a typical teen romance novel where the girl relies on the guy and suddenly loses all ability to think for herself.

Overall it was a great ending that tied up a lot of things, made the characters go through a full journey so you could see how they evolved and their actions continued to make sense from beginning to end based on their development.

Now I wish there was a spin off which could easily occur since Armstrong left a bit of the story open ended just enough that she could easily create more adventures.

I'm halfway through the 5th book in the Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising set of trilogies. This book was my favorite so far and I kind of like Chloe a little more than Maya (also in my brain, I keep singing "Maya and Miguel..."). It's very difficult to stop reading these books (and I honestly very rarely read firm tion books), and I wish that there was a discount if you buy all six books! I believe that in the 6th book (The Rising) both supernatural teen groups meet up and I can't wait to read what that's about! (Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part). I've started to write a screenplay based on the 1st book and it's very exciting so far.
Kelley Armstrong is a fascinating writer I must admit, even if she is Canadian! Lol!!

Chloe and co. received some much needed coaching from Andrew’s team, however that quickly backfired when the adults realized that their charges trump them by leaps and bounds in the power department. I really hated Margaret, her insolence and insistence on pushing Saunders to crank up the juice resulted in a brilliant oh-shit moment that served as her just deserts. The author tied up the bulk of this series’ lose ends with finesse, and I knew from the get-go that DARKEST POWERS was set in the WOTO universe, but in this installment that was finally confirmed with references to the various cabals, and how the story was linked to Savannah & Adam’s short in Kelley Armstrong’s OTHERWORLD NIGHTS anthology. I very much liked how the romance concluded, and some interesting new characters were introduced towards the end that have left me scrambling to place them—the DARKNESS RISING trilogy perhaps?

Cassandra Morris’ narration was appropriate for these audiobooks, her voice fit that of the fifteen year old MC’s, and she incorporated Chloe’s speech impediment into the dialogue admirably. However, as the story progressed and the heroine evolved, the child-like tone would have benefited from a slight adjustment. I had zero issues with listening to these installments one after the other because the performance was homogeneous, and the character voices didn’t deviate. The pacing did Armstrong’s writing style proud, and the built-in creep factor that comes with seeing ghosts was always present. I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase another Young Adult title that featured Morris as the narrator.

I came at this backwards, having read the Darkness Rising trilogy first. I liked this book. The story picks up where the Summoning left off. I didn't like the stop-in-the-middle-of-the-story ending in the Summoning, but since I was able to immediately pick up the Reckoning I'll forgive and forget. The strong points of the Reckoning: the evolution of Chloe and Derek. Chloe really comes into her own in this story and Derek finally begins to develop some real depth too. Chloe's relationship with Derek is very engaging, particularly as Derek begins to change. The rest of the story is just okay, but the author's handling of the Chloe and Derek story threads are what earns the book 4 stars. I agree with other reviewers that the author leaves a lot of loose ends, but a lot of those loose ends didn't really interest me anyway. The loose ends that did matter to me were resolved and I thought resolved nicely.

Trilogy: Overall, the trilogy was very entertaining. I would rate it a notch above the Darkness Rising trilogy. Book 1 was very strong, book 2 less so, and book 3 somewhere in between. What makes this trilogy work is Chloe and her evolution through the 3 books, with a strong supporting hand by the character Derek. Some of the characters don't measure up, but I didn't care about them anyway. For example, Tori is a little shallow and over the top, and more could have been done with Simon. Some may complain about the endings, which are a bit abrupt, and even the end of series lacks sufficient resolution--the gang is still on the run, the story ends with them pausing to catch their breath before hitting the road again. But, I'm okay with that. There is no room in this story for a 'they all lived happily ever after' ending.

Now that I am finished with the series, I can conclude that it was a pretty good series. I flew through the books pretty quickly, although I fly through most series pretty quickly. While some of the book was typical of a Young Adult novel, there was a lot about it that surprised me.

This was probably the best book in the series, because Chloe really starts to come into herself. She is accepting her powers and realizing that they may not be the curse she has always thought they were. Chloe has become a formidable person to mess with, and with Derek, Tori, and Simon behind her, she is practically unstoppable. Although, if I had to hear her complain one more time about how useless she is, I was going to smack her. One, she is an incredibly strong necromancer. Two, she is a smart girl and that is never useless.

I still love Simon, but I finally started to like Derek in this book. He wasn’t as much of a jerk all the time and he finally began to move beyond his faults. Tori is completely different from the Tori we met in the first book, but at the same time she is still the same Tori, complaining at every chance she gets. I have really come to like her character.

I do have one pretty big complaint concerning this book and that is the ending. I think the ending could have used a bit more closure. A lot of it was still left open and while things left off happy, I feel like it was a conclusion where things could still go wrong again at any second. It really didn’t feel like a final book in a series. There could easily be another book. The bad guys are still out there, and the little gang still isn’t really safe, they are just safer.

All in all, it is a good series and the necromancy stuff is really cool. The book gave me chills constantly. Normally I try to avoid books with ghosts, cause they creep me out, but this series was the exception.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book much more than the previous two books in the series. I had finally grown accustomed to the idea of a 15 year old girl raising rotting corpses accidentally and Armstrong finally explained things enough that I could grasp the full extent to which Chloe differed so drastically from those who weren't genetically engineered.

In the first two books, I struggled with the desire to roll my eyes every time Chloe got into another scrape. It seemed as though she was always finding herself backed into a corner with no way out, over and over just with different people. Having Armstrong have Chloe point out how dumb that was for the heroine of a movie didn't help matters. However, with this book, I thought that the character development was brilliant and the scrapes that Chloe and her gang got in (and out of) had more of a unique feel to them.

For an author who is just testing the waters of YA fiction, I think Armstrong was a little out of her depths at first. However her writing strengthened considerably through the process of these three books and gave us a great finale for the trilogy. I enjoyed the scenes she wrote that had me reminiscing about how I felt with my first real boyfriend and first real kiss - something Armstrong seems to know how to craft really well with just the right amount of realistic nervous awkwardness.

Over all the series was not my favorite of all the YA series I've read (it seemed to, at first, borrow very heavily from the Dark Visions series by LJ Smith) but this last installment was very well done. I'd recommend the whole series knowing the payoff is well worth it and I'm looking forward to the next installment of Armstrong's teen books in the same universe.

It's nearly impossible for me to write a review for books that I love. I'm never able to do them justice, but I'll give it a whirl. "The Reckoning" is the final installment to Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers Trilogy. If you haven't read "The Summoning" and "The Awakening", I would advise you not to read this installment until you have. The Darkest Powers' world is constantly evolving and Armstrong doesn't waste her time catching readers up to what they should already know, which I have to admit, is part of what I love about her writing.

I devoured this book. Read it in one setting even and I was glad to see "The Reckoning" took us back to "The Summoning's" eerie roots. To a place meant to be a sanctuary, but is eerily much more similar to a prison, where the do-gooders may pull a Judas, and the menaces make for the best allies. While this series may have a red-herring or two, I was so caught up in these characters and their journey that I didn't even notice them until I had read the last page. In my mind, that is a testament to good writing, to see a flaw, and not register it or care because the story is just that good.

Chloe is equally impressive. She has shown tremendous growth and has somehow avoided the Mary Sue pitfall. It seems as though writers pen two types of heroines, the uber sweet, oh so pretty girl, despairing over her shortcomings as a mortal, who somehow rises to the challenge and smites everyone, becoming the bestest superhuman ever and miraculously saves the day or the oh so snide and cynical girl, jaded by everything and everyone, who has a hard edge, but somehow softens and like her counterpart, rises to the occasion and saves the day. Both types are cliché, neither apply to Chloe. Chloe is a necromancer, but as she often admits, isn't of much use unless there is a corpse nearby. She is petite, but not overly pretty, or exceptionally smart. The word that comes to mind is average. And yet, Chloe doesn't despair over things she lacks, nor does she turn into Chloe, Necromancer Goddess, though she is an extremely powerful necromancer. Rather, Chloe does what she can, and admits, that sometimes the best she can do is keep out of the way, and let those with more suited gifts run the show. Can we say refreshing?

I'm also enamored with Derek, who like his leading lady, avoids the stigma attached to leading men. He doesn't kiss Chloe's arse, nor is he mocking. He is honest and frank, protective and insecure, yet confident in his abilities. I appreciated the fact that Armstrong allowed him to lay into Chloe when she had made a mistake, and didn't then force him to grovel as though honesty were a sin. And I'll admit, I think Armstrong might lace her books with a bit of magic, cause she made me lust after someone, who upon first description, is very physically unattractive. That is simply unprecedented.

But what ultimately garnered my attention is the stereotype that Armstrong herself manages to bypass with ease. She can write and adult series, filled with some of the best steam I've read, and then turn around, write a book about supernatural teens, whose scenes together are so freaking sweet and endearing, that my stomach flips. Kudos.

All in all, a great non-ending to a series. While there was certainly a conclusion to the trilogy, Armstrong has left Chloe's story fairly open ended to allow for more adventures with Chloe and Co, and hopefully, we'll see her again, in Women of the Otherworld.

I love this book! It is the best out of the 3 packed from the start to keep up from putting it down.

Chloe, Tori and the guys think they are finally safe from the Edison Group now that they are with Andrew. But of course Chloe sees someones ghost in the house and he doesn't seem to nice. He tells her he knows things that her and her friends need to know but she isn't so sure she should trust him. He leads her to the roof, she tried to wake Derek to get him to come with her but it didn't work. The ghost locks her on the roof and throws things at her and she realizes his powers are stronger than Liz's. She realized it to late she is in trouble and can't get away from him. She gave him a push and silence he went away but she still stuck on the unstable part of the roof. She hears footsteps and its Derek. He manages to get her to safety again. He gets her to tell him what happen and she finds that she confides in Derek more than the others even Simon. The decide to not tell Andrew about the ghost and try to get answers on their own.

Andrew brings in a few friends that is suppose to help them. Margaret is an older woman and a necromancer. Gwen is young, early twenties and a witch like Tori and then Russel an older man who is a shaman paramedic. Andrew also tells Derek Tomas should be here in a few days and he knows more about werewolves than any of they know. So they all can get some training and learn to try and control their powers. They realize that Russel and Margaret aren't fully behind helping them but Gwen is all for it. She even answers a few quick questions for Tori before she heads out and tells her they will have a lesson tomorrow.

When it comes to the lessons Margaret decides to take Chloe out for hers. Tori decides to go with them because Gwen is at work and her lesson want be till later. When Margaret pulls up at the cemetery they try to tell Margaret that its a bad idea that Chloe can raise the dead but she thinks they are liars. She beats around the bush and keeps saying there is no way Chloe can do things like that as young as she is. She quickly finds out how wrong she was. Margaret has her call forth a ghost but she pulls several through and they all want help, Margaret uses vervain and sends them away except for one that Chloe insist on listening too. He tells her is family thinks he abandoned them, but that his car ran off a cliff and was never found. He wants her to get a message to his family. She takes down the location and his wife's information to do it and when she releases the ghost Margaret takes the paper and tells her she can't. That if she does word will get out she helps ghost and they will all expect her help. They go to another place in the cemetery to a ghost that doesn't want to be messed with and Margaret tells her to up her powers and pull him through. When she does she tells her it doesn't feel right but she makes her. The ground shifts and she has exposed several coffins and raised the dead and has to send them back without letting the coming poeple see what is going on. She freaks Margaret out. When they get back Margaret wants to blame Chloe for it all but Tori goes off on her in front of Andrew. Due to this problem Tori's lesson gets canceled.

Derek gets really mad a Chloe for not saying no to summoning in the cemetery. Tori tells him he is out of line that she told Margaret it didn't feel right and she pushed her to continue. Chloes says she knows she was wrong but that doesn't stop Derek from continuing to chew her out. Simon comes and takes Chloe outside to find out what happened. After she tells him she feels better and then he ask her on a date for ice cream after dinner. Andrew said they could go. She is excited her first date.

They realize fast they need to learn more so they look around the house and find a picture of the ghost. Andrew tells her that the picture is Dr. Todd Banks and his nephews. He tries to tell her the boys went to live with other relatives after Dr. Banks died but Chloe knows both boys are dead she has seen both of their ghost. Derek had been looking in the basement while she was talking to Andrew. He tells her there are boxes of clothes with names on them: Todd, Austin and Royce. She tells him Todd was a doctor and work with the Edison group. She explained that she had seen Andrew laying in Tori's bed in a pool of blood with his head bashed in. Royce is the half-demon ghost that locked her on the roof. They decide they need to do more digging to get more answers. Simon lets Derek know they will be gone after dinner and he is surpised Anrew is letting them go. Simon takes Chloe and Tori for self defense lessons in the back yard.

After dinner Simmon and Chloe go on their date. The walk to the store and he goes in to get the ice cream then they set on a log to talk. He tells her he is nervous to and not the best a conversation skills. On the way back he holds her hand and they laugh and joke. He stopped and tugged her infront of him and she was excited about her first kiss. He ask if he won a second date and she says yes, he leans in to kiss her and she jumps. He asks if he is moving to fast and she says no so he kissed her again and she just stood there. She finally kisses him back but its awkward like something is holding her back. She almost feels like its a mistake. He says wrong guy huh and she's like no what? He wants to know if there is someone else she says no one from before and he says no from now. She says you mean Derek no there is nothing going on between us. But when he wants her to say she doesn't like him she can't say it. He says he knew they were getting closer he could see it. She can't deny it cause she does have feeling for Derek, but she liked Simon too and didn't want to hurt him. Simon turns and walks off from her headed away from the house. She heads towards the house and realizes Derek is out back. She tries to avoid him since she is crying but it doesn't work. He wants to know what happen, why Simon left her outside by herself. She tells him to talk to Simon but he want leave. She gets embarrassed because she tells him and then he acts like she should be thankful Simon likes her and she says she knows, but that he feels she likes him. She finally tells him she likes Simon, but apparently not like that.

Later that night Derek comes to get Chloe for help even though they aren't on the best of terms at the moment. He is about to change and begs her to come. She doesn't want to but she sees how scared he is and can't say no. He tries to talk to her explain things but she tells him later that he needs to concentrate on the change. With her help he makes the full change to wolf and he doesn't scare her, he understands what she is saying and even lets her curl up to him to stay warm. Then when they wake he tries to get the hang of walking and running. He smells trouble. The weres from before Liam and Ramon. Things get bad. They are their to take Derek but don't mind killing either of them. Derek slows Ramon down. Derek hides Chloe and she hears Liam on the phone and knows someone hired them to get rid of Derek and he if need be. Derek has to kill Liam to save Chloe and himself. They get his phone and learn it was Russel behind it. Once back at the house they decide to start seeing who all helped Russel. They soon find out that Margaret and Andrew have been keeping things from them too.

Tori finds info on the computers that lets them know Andrew has been in contact with the boys dad and has been lying to him the entire time. Keeping them away from him. He also help plan to get rid of Derek but apparently didn't want him killed like Margaret and Russel. Andrew just wanted him with the local pack of wolves. They manage to get the upper hand on Andrew that night and get some answers. They decide that they have to do something but its too late. They have already called in other people from their group and its going to be harder to get away. The next day things get bad. They hid Derek make the group think he left. Margaret kills Gwen and Russel kills Andrew and they turn them over to the Edison group.

SO they have to escape again...... Derek shows up with the help of Liz and Chloe is already trying to get out with the help of the demi-demon. Things get crazy.

The only thing I didn't like was the abrupt ending and questions that weren't ever answered in the book. Tori never finds out that Simon is her brother. They don't know what happened to Rae, they never contact Chloe's dad, they let you know they plan to find more of the subjects and they will be on the run and YES Chloe and Derek finally kiss a lot and get together!!! NEED more LOL

*possible spoilers*

The Reckoning is the third and final book in The Darkest Powers Trilogy. When you finish a final book in a series, a reader comes to expect questions being answered and loose ties to be, well, tied up. Readers hate having questions still when they finish a series because we know there is not another book on the horizon.

Finishing up this series has left me with more questions than answers. I was hoping that this book would be the saving grace of this series. After such let downs with the first two books, I was hoping that the author was leaving the best for last. While the action scenes were plentiful and the characters have shown growth and maturity, I still couldn't bring myself to rate this book higher than what I have.

These are just a few of the questions I still have even though the series is done.

1. Why does the necklace that Chloe wears change color?
Did I miss the answer to this question somewhere in the series? I don't remember reading it and it really bugs me that it was never explained.

2. Does Tori ever realize who her Father is? I know this was one of the mysteries of the first two books, and Chloe has her suspicions confirmed in book three, but no one ever tells her who her true father is by the end of the book.

3. What was Chloe's Mom trying to tell her and where is she now? When Chloe pushes spirits back, where do they go?
Now I understand that Chloe's mother was trying to tell her to run, but she never made it clear why she knew and how she had this information anyway.

4. After Chloe releases the demi demon, the head honcho demon appears in the room. He tells Chloe to grow up strong and shows an interest in her. Why? Is there some secret in the demon world that they get to have the necromancer souls after death?

As you can see, some of the questions are ones that could be critical to the story. Also at the end of the book when they are deciding what to do with their lives, why does Chloe just automatically forgive her Aunt Lauren? I would have been giving her hell for what she had done, but that is just my opinion.

After finishing this series, I can honestly say that this trilogy was a disappointment to me. I do think the author had a great plot in mind, but it didn't feel fleshed out and executed to the full potential. I am still glad I did finish reading all three books and found some answers in the final book. I even found myself starting to enjoy Tori in this one. Will I read the series again in the future? Probably not, but I would read other stories by author Kelley Armstrong.

Chloe, Tori, Derek and Simon are safe now with Andrew, a friend of Simon and Derek's father. Andrew introduces the kids to group of supernaturals (necromancer, witch and shaman) hoping they could teach the kids and helping them to control their powers. They don't seem to believe that the Edison Group is actually trying to kill them. And when they found out how powerful the kids really are without training, things are starting to go from bad to worse.

Chloe has always been little too nice and I'm happy she's finally learning to stand up and not letting others run her down. She finally stands up to Derek who seems to take out his frustrations on Chloe more than anyone else. Derek has his first Change and I love how supportive Chloe is about the thing. But I found it little funny how well she seems to understand Derek in his wolf form. How many different snort/frown can a wolf have? I love it how in books everyone knows what others are thinking and how eyes seems to show everything...

Tori has made some growing up and while she's still bitchy she seems to be more part of the group. And the thing about her dad was so unexpected! I wish there would have some more information on that.

Simon wasn't much in the book and it seemed his only purpose was to be a part of a love triangle. But for once the triangle didn't bother me and the guys weren't really fighting each other for it.

I still wish there would have been more about their powers. Like why were they given the experiences? What was the ulterior motive?

I enjoyed the book but it left the feeling that it was unfinished. As far as I know there's no more books but I could be wrong though.

Title: The Reckoning (Book 3 in The Darkest Powers Trilogy)

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date of Release: April 1, 2010

Number of Pages: 391

Synopsis From Back of Book:

"You're telling me you can raise the dead by simply summoning?"

"Yes."

"My God," she whispered, starring at me. "What have they done?"

Hearing her words and seeing her expression, I knew I'd just done something worse than raising the dead- I'd confirmed her worst fears about us. In her eyes, I saw the same thing I saw when people looked at Derek. I saw fear. And I knew we where in trouble.

Review: I had the fortunate experience of getting all the books at the same time and not having to wait for them all to come out individually. I am addicted to this series. The characters parallel to the classic story of Lennie and George in Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck. I am amazed at how well the story flows and keeps you engaged. The characters are flawlessly written. After reading all the books, I felt like I knew them all and was fearful for their lives. Armstrong's writing style is heart wrenching and mixes the perfect amount of action and romance to create the total package. I also have to say the cover is beautiful from front to back. The back is almost as mesmerizing as the front.

Chloe Sanders only wanted to be normal. She soon realizes her life will never be normal again. At a safe house Simon, Derek and Tori finally feel safe from The Edison Group. Andrew, Simon and Derek's dad's friend seems genuinely concerned for them. Some of the others aren't as kind though. Chloe's instructor is jealous of her abilities. Derek's is a demon and from his past life living in the lab. Still Tori, Derek, Simon and Chloe want to find Derek and Simon's dad and go back to the Lab to save Chloe's aunt and Rae who they left behind. Andrew and his group of friends don't seem to want to risk it though. Chloe refuses to leave them behind though and soon things are not what they appear to be.

Okay so that little summary gave nothing away! I loved this book. It did not let me down at all. If you are new to the series I suggest you read the first one and catch up to this one. All of Armstrong's books are fabulous! They are everything you could ever want in a YA paranormal, kind of science fiction and romantic novel. So go out and pick up this final installment in a brilliant written trilogy!

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If you are interested in reading this series, purchase the version that has all the books in one single book. It truly reads like one single book that is broken in three portions based on a change in location. I actually read all three in one setting (during Dewey's read-a-thon in October) and this worked really well.

In this installment, all the characters are in the picture and I was certainly loving it. I realized after I finished the book that all the characters really grew on me and I was sad to see them go. I especially connected with Chloe. I realized, for the first time, that she had a back-bone and she had a nice teenage head on her shoulders. Her struggles and decisions seemed realistic and I found myself really liking her here. I still really really loved Derek. He isn't perfect by any means but he's just so loveable. I just wanted to wrap him up and put him in my pocket, but I'm sure he wouldn't fit. I also ended up really liking Tori and I'm glad her character was consistent throughout the series. She never changed into the "good" girl, you just kind of accepted her for who she was and appreciated what she could offer.

With the return of this amazing eclectic cast, comes a plot that is a tad disappointing. I was interested from the beginning to the end but was dismayed to have so many unanswered questions. It wasn't wrapped up in a bow-tie which is great. I love that the reader knows that the crew will continue on more adventures, but I felt that the only real resolution involved the romance. Now I don't want to be unclear here. The conflict is wrapped up. So there is no cliff hanger or anything.

But I wanted to know more about so many things: (1) Chloe's mom and the circumstances around her death; (2) the necklace; (3) How Tori's parentage came about; (4) What's going to happen to Liz; (5) What are they going to do about the "traitors" (as I call them); (6) Ummm...did everyone forget that Chloe has this gift that she can't control...is she just going to continue to sleep with one eye open or what; (7) Chloe made her special deal at the end...what's up with that. What was that really about anyway?

Ultimately, it was a very satisfying and enjoyable read. I truly enjoyed the book from start to finish. However, it was not a satisfying end to a series. There were too many unanswered questions.

Honestly this book deserves a "good" rating like all the others, but the series rating should be a "good" with a little asterisk after it. Note to future readers. Ms. Armstrong owes us another book.

"You know children, always playing with the forces of darkness."

Last we left them, Chloe and her former roommates at Lloyd House--Derek, Simon, and Tori--were being transported to Andrew's safe house. Now that they are there, they desperately seek to save Aunt Lauren and Rae, who are still in the Edison Group Laboratory that Chloe and Tori had escaped from in "The Awakening". But there are strange occurrences, and Chloe isn't sure whom they can trust.

I Liked:
I've been waiting months to get my hands on the paperback copy of "The Reckoning" ever since I whipped through the amazing "The Summoning" and "The Awakening". And this is a decent sequel.
Our characters remain as brilliant and loveable as last time. Chloe is a resourceful girl, witty, brave, and yet sometimes awkward and not all powerful. She mostly relies on her brains to solve solutions, instead of her superpowers (which, while impressive, still aren't the most useful at times). Derek is still gruff, selflessly trying to ensure the safety of Chloe and Simon, while sometimes struggling with himself and his feelings. I really liked Chloe and Derek together. Chloe really puts Derek in his place when he goes overboard in the protection department, while Derek is truly trying to make sure she is safe in his own awkward way. Simon is still as funny and charming as ever. Tori is really fascinating; of all the characters, she is probably the most powerful and has some of the most useful abilities (at least, in a battle!). She is abrasive, sometimes rude, and sometimes selfish, but when she curls into a ball and cries, I want to cry with her. She definitely is not your stereotypical mean b!tch.
After about the halfway point, the action ramps up to the levels we saw in the previous books. Chloe is continuously learning more about her powers; Derek gets to learn more about his. We have some nice, intense fight scenes, some good chase scenes, and, of course, a few good escape scenes.

I Didn't Like:
Was it the fact I read it so long after the last two books? Was it the fact that I wasn't in the same "groove" when I read the last two books? I don't know, but I did find this book had a few hiccups.
Firstly, the Romantic Triangle. Yeah, you knew I was going to talk about it. There was one in the background of the earlier books, but it wasn't the primary focus, and I felt it was decently done. Here, however, the Romantic Plot Triangle takes up the first 150 or so pages. Not my cup of tea. I would much rather have had the team doing something than to have to watch Simon and Chloe go on a date and all the rigmarole that goes along with being a teen in love (apparently, I never experienced any such drama in my teenaged years, but that is a pathetic, miserable, boring story well out of the scope of this review).
But even when not discussing the Romantic Triangle, the first 200 pages go absolutely nowhere. The team hangs around the safe house. That is literally all that happens. Oh, there are points when you think something happens, but those end up being dropped or don't go anywhere. For instance, there is an interesting sequence in the opening with a ghost going after Chloe, but what the purpose of this was, I have no clue. There's also a scene where Chloe inadvertently shows off her extreme necromancy powers in a cemetery, but, again, not quite sure what this told that couldn't have been relayed elsewhere in a way that kept the plot moving forward. There was a point where Chloe and gang investigate the former owners of the house, but that goes nowhere (including that ghost that won't leave her alone). There was something about a Dr. Banks, but none of it really makes a whole lot of sense and I'm not sure why it was included.
In fact, there are a lot of places where I was confused beyond belief. Again, maybe it was because I hadn't read the previous books recently, but it almost seemed that Armstrong was changing her mind about who was the ultimate bad guy. First, it was the Edison Group, then Margaret, then Russell, then Gwen, then something about Cabals (perhaps this is included in her adult books, which I haven't read yet)...after a while, I gave up and just read.
Some of the fight scenes I found hard to visualize, such as the one between Derek and the werewolves. Of course, again, maybe this was because I wasn't in the "groove".
And the final complaint I have is about the ending. I had expected it to be somewhat open-ended (there is a new trilogy after all), but definitely not this open-ended. I won't spoil, but I had hoped for a bit more of a "happily ever after". Instead, it almost feels like this ending is just BEGGING for sequels. If they are good sequels, great, but if not...

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
The cursing is light, but expect a lot of b!tch's and a few da**'s.
Several adults think that Derek and Chloe are sneaking away to make out. Chloe goes on a date. A ghost makes some lecherous remarks.
Our main character is a necromancer, so expect a lot of zombies and rotting corpses. Several characters get bludgeoned, there are plenty of fights complete with nice, bloody wounds.

Overall:
It's a decent sequel, but, in my opinion, nowhere near as good as the first two. Our characters remain as great as ever, but Romantic Plot Triangle, a slow beginning, and confusing turn of events make this a bit harder to get through. Also, if you don't like your stories open-ended, you will probably not like this. I should probably rate this 3, but for the good memories of the previous book, I will round up to 4.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

The darkest powers finally comes to a close in this twisty-curvy finale. Chloe and her gang uncover a plethora of secrets and information that turn their worlds upside down. The first two books should definitely be read before picking this one up. If not, you will be lost for the entire book.
We pick up right where we left Chloe and her gang as they are hiding away from the Edison group. During this time a lot of changes happen and the gang has to grow up quickly. I was happy to see Chloe actually standing up this time around, she can finally hold her own. Unfortunately, she and the others still have issues with their powers and its really problematic for their journey. There is a lot of back story for Derek and Simon included this time around. They end up playing a larger part than what I originally thought. Romance drips off the pages of this book. Relationships begin, grow stronger, and end, but not necessarily the way you think they will. The book has a steady stream of action that keeps you rolling for a majority of the book. Plot twists and turns will have you second guessing everyone's motive for even breathing.
While this is the ending of an entire series, I feel that it should have either been condensed or another couple of books added. There are so many unanswered questions at the end. More needed to be said about the necklace, Chloe's mother, Tori's secret, and what in the world happens with the relationships. It's an excellent book for the series, but I think there is still so much that needs to be said.

In this final book in the Darkest Powers Trilogy, Chloe and the gang are on the run from the people who were involved in creating them. Chloe is starting to fall for Derek. Will she end up with him or Simon? I know a lot of people are all "Team Derek" but I really like Simon! I think he is such a sweetheart. I can understand why people would be rooting for Derek though too. Ugh. Can't there be two of Chloe so she can be with both of them?! Chloe has grown a lot as a person since the first book. I really like Chloe because even though she is a very powerful necromancer, it doesn't go to her head. She is very humble which is a breath of fresh air. A lot of female protagonists aren't like this.

Even though this is the last book in the trilogy, there is still a lot left to wonder about which makes me think that we may be seeing Chloe again in another series, which I think is a brilliant way to keep you readers buying more books! I really love how Kelley Armstrong's books intertwine, I think it makes it even more interesting and you get a better view of the entire world Armstrong has created. I will definitely be reading more of her books.

The Reckoning is the third book (and I assume final) in the trilogy of the Darkest Powers. In order for my review to make sense, I have to explain my journey with these books. My sister recommended the first book and I blazed through it. I thought it was promising, because the characters were interesting and the setup of the world had a lot of dark secrets that I did want to figure out. My sister a year later borrowed this book from the library. I never read the second book, and honestly, I'm not sure what I missed because I actually thought this installment was almost right after the first book. I thought it was a huge improvement, a lot of action, a lot of twists and we get to learn more about Derek and his brother and their family and many secrets that have been piling up were finally revealed. At the end, I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions and was eager to see the "final" installment. To my shock, this was the final installment and I felt totally robbed. I'm not sure if the author was thinking of writing a fourth book, and if so, I may consider upping my stars, because I am writing this review with the thought that this is the final book.

This is a pretty awesome series. It has great action, romance, fantasy, and mystery. I loved every nail biting adventure Armstrong took me through. Unfortunately, i am not a huge fan of her third book.
I am a fan however of the relationship between the two in love. They have such a great connection it leaves a smile on my glowing face as i read it.
Yet, as good of a writer as Armstrong is i was left disappointed with her "ending" book. She is such a powerful writer i love the world she created, but it was just left with too many unanswered questions. I get why she did it and how she connected it with her adult series otherworld, but i dont agree with it.

Don't get me wrong, the book is actually pretty good just not a ender for me.

The series is set in Kelley Armstrongs' `Women of the Otherworld' universe - characters from that world are alluded to, but never make an appearance. `The Darkest Powers' trilogy instead follows four uniquely gifted children as they learn the truth about their childhoods and `abilities' - Chloe; the necromancer, Tori the witch, Simon; the sorcerer and Derek; the werewolf. All are children of the `Edison Program' - a scientific study that genetically modified supernatural's to increase and sharpen their abilities. The only thing is that the program worked a little too well - each of the children was born with a unique gift, amplified. The study tweaked their abilities to manifest at a younger age, and much more potently. The scientists behind `Edison' now believe these kids are a threat to society, and cannot be allowed to roam around with their increased powers. That means, termination...

The action in `The Reckoning' picks up where second book, `The Awakening', left off. Chloe, Simon, Tori and Derek are free from the Edison group and on the run with their dad's friend, Andrew. They're hiding out in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, and desperate for answers.

There's a lot happening in this final book - a lot of answers and explanations are given and there's emotional closure.

Kelley Armstrong is a master of action writing. Her scenes are filled with adrenaline and read vividly. The action is ten-fold in `The Reckoning' - the emotional stakes are high, the clock is ticking and I spent 391 pages on the edge-of-my-seat. And I loved it. Armstrong really is a master of action writing, and she definitely shows her prowess in this book.

Since book 1 there has been romantic tension between Simon, Derek and Chloe. Fans will be relieved (/thrilled) to know that their love triangle comes to a head... with a very satisfying conclusion. The romance is tame, very PG13 (since Chloe is only 15). But it's still very sweet and tender, and there were plenty of times throughout when I was saying "awwww". Armstrong navigated this romance beautifully. Fans will know that she is talented at writing `hot n' steamy' romances, Clay/Elena and Lucas/Paige are prime examples from her `Otherworld' series. But Armstrong has proven in this series that she can write such romance at a different pace for a younger readership. Like I said, very tame, but still satisfying and tingly-inducing.

This may be the final book in the `Darkest Powers' trilogy, but my reader's intuition tells me it may not be the last we see of Chloe Sanders... A character is introduced toward the end who hints at a possible reappearance. I for one would be thrilled if that was the case. Yes, Armstrong answers lots of pertinent questions in this final book. BUT there's still plenty of room for future plots and revisiting of characters. I think it would be great if these teens could be introduced to the `Otherworld' world and pick up their continuing stories that way...

But even as I say this is the `final' book, it's a bit of a fib. At the back of `The Reckoning' is a small (tiny, miniscule) excerpt from new book `The Gathering'. This new book is set in the same `Darkest Powers' universe, but will follow a new group of supernatural teens as they navigate their way through the Edison Experiment. So while Chloe's story comes to a close in `The Reckoning', the series lives on for another trilogy (release date pending).

But like I said, I strongly believe that Chloe, Derek, Tori and Simon would make wonderful *adult* characters in Armstrong's `Otherworld' universe. I don't know if her YA readership would follow their story over to an adult series (that is, admittedly, already 10 books deep) but I think Armstrong's adult fan base would really appreciate the new additions to a beloved series. Just my 2 cents.

I love, love, loved this book. This was another `most anticipated' 2010 release for me, and as usual Ms. Armstrong did not disappoint. `The Reckoning' reiterates her status as one of the head-honchos of the Urban Fantasy genre, while also highlighting her versatility in genre swapping from adult to YA. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you read her `Darkest Powers' trilogy - it's a doozy!

The previous book of the Darkest Powers trilogy had the little gang of supernatural teens finally finding sanctuary.

Well, how boring would it be if that sanctuary were all they thought it would be? So of course, "The Reckoning" throws the teen protagonists into a tangle of ghosts, lycanthropy, deceptions and long-forgotten crimes, as well as a long-awaited clash with the Edison Group. Kelley Armstrong does a solid job wrapping up the main story, though the last quarter of the book feels REALLY rushed.

Chloe and her friends have finally found the house where a bunch of the Edison Group's enemies are living. But it soon becomes obvious that they aren't exactly welcome -- the adults are wary of the various "freak" powers that the teens have, and they's especially dismissive of "the werewolf boy." To make matters worse, Chloe is being stalked by a half-demon ghost, and a snooty necromancer's attempt to tutor her at a local graveyard almost ends in disaster.

It's only a matter of time until the kids are imprisoned again, this time by their new "hosts" -- and when a pair of werewolf thugs show up to kill Derek on the night he Changes, Chloe knows that she's not just being phobic. Now she and her friends must figure out how to escape their new "home" alive, and somehow free the friends'n'relatives still being held captive by the Edison Group.

Compared to the last couple Darkest Powers novels, "The Reckoning" is less thrilleresque and more suspenseful -- Armstrong keeps you guessing about who's an ally and who's an enemy, who's lying and who's not. Things only speed up in the last quarter of the book... and unfortunately Armstrong rushes through the action-packed part of the story. She needed at least another hundred pages to do that ending justice.

And while slower-paced overall, "The Reckoning" still has outstanding writing. It has plenty of balanced dialogue (with much bickering), solid descriptions, a dark sense of humour, and some gloriously eerie scenes that dip into the realm of horror, such as Chloe resurrecting a rotted rabbit and dog to save her. And the plot is a tight-knit tangle of lies, deceptions, and unexpected twists -- particularly when Chloe stumbles across some new problems from her powers.

And Armstrong does a brilliant job sketching out fully-realized teen characters who aren't walking cliches -- they've matured a great deal, and each has a unique problem. Chloe worries about the possibility of becoming a mad necromancer, and keeps working to overcome her passive nature. Derek is having a bad time struggling with his lupine nature, and a somewhat less snarky Tori has to deal with her foul mother (and some unpleasant revelations about her family history).

"The Reckoning" leaves the door open for future stories in this niche of Armstrong's Otherworld, but Armstrong does an excellent job wrapping up the whole storyline about the Edison Group. The only problem: It's kind of rushed at the end.

Chloe and her friends Simon (sorcerer), Derek (werewolf), Tori (witch) and Liz (poltergeist) find themselves in the care of Andrew, a friend of Simon & Derek's dad after escaping a SWAT attack at Andrew's place. They are to meet with a group of Supernaturals who left the Edision Group, in hopes of saving Rae and Lauren, still hostages at the Group's lab.

But the group are scared of their powers, and not so anxious to help them. It starts to raise doubts in the kids' minds and they are going to investigate by all means to discover whom they can trust and whom they can't. This heteroclite group will once again fight for their lives in another breath-taking adventure.

The reckoning is the last installment of this trilogy and you'll be up for quite a ride. Those teens will be dodging attacks from all sides trying to break free of the multiple enemies chasing them and it won't be easy task. Ghosts, werewolves, sorcerers and witches are after them and not all of them wants to catch em alive.

I have to say I LOVED the characters growth in the book. At the beginning of the series Tori was a real bitch and Chloe was pretty winy but they both evolved tremendously. Tori is suspected to be a spy from the Edition Group but will hold her ground and try her best to fit in and Chloe learns to control her emotions and her powers better. She also find her heart torn between Simon and Derek and will deal with it better than I thought she would. She will also face multiple crisis situation which she will take in stride. I enjoyed the relation developing between the two girls. I also need to mention I loved to see Derek and Chloe together, they got a really special relation.

The plot was well driven and fast-paced, you were moving from scenes to scenes seamlessly and efficiently which made it hard to put the book down. You always want to know what's next.

I also liked the end, everything wraps-up nicely and Armstrong leaves tidbits of what the characters will live next. Unfortunately for us, we won't get to read more of their adventures. I really wish there was more books to come in that series because I love it's characters so much.

And I don't want to give any punch but we get to meet characters for the first time at the end of this book and I really wanted to know more about them.

I strongly recommend this series to all of you Young Adult Fantasy fans out their, you won't be disappointed =)

Title: The Reckoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins
Length: 400pgs Hardcover
Rating: 4.5/5

To say that I loved this series right away would be an overstatement. When I first picked up a copy of The Summoning I was actually frustrated with the writing, and wasn't a fan of the main character. But things started changing when I got through The Awakening and by the time I finished The Reckoning I was completely smitten with the characters and the manipulated realistic world that I was sad that it came to an end.

In the world Kelley Armstrong constructed there is more to some people than meets the eye. There are people with special abilities such as being able to raise the dead, talk to ghosts, work with magic, levitate things, or even become a wolf. Of course, no one really knows of these peoples unless they're one of them, other than the mad scientists that is.

The series follows the main character, Chloe Saunders, and her friends on their quest for freedom. In The Summoning we are introduced to Chloe and her power are awoken in her - she's a necromancer. This is also the novel we are introduced to her friends. In The Awakening the group escape from some mad scientists and try to find a place that would be considered safe - which is anywhere where there isn't someone trying to kill them, or experiment on them.

In the series finale, The Reckoning, it picks up where The Summoning leaves off. The gang is still working their way to safety and they find it with a supposed friend. They go through some trying times and work through problems. By the end of the novel I was very attached to Chloe, which I had never expected, especially after how I felt about her in the first novel.

This novel has a great pacing, the action ebbs and flows correctly, questions are answered, and it leads up to an ending that finishes the story so readers will feel that sense of completion, but it also leaves writing more an opportunity.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a little urban fantasy, looking for a relatively quick read. This novel kept me turning the pages, and by the end I was extremely glad that I had kept with the series rather than giving up.

Reckoning is the third book in the Darkest Powers Trilogy. Chloe, Tori, Derek, and Simon are at the safe house with Andrew. The house belongs to a group of supernaturals who broke away from the Edison group. There's a meeting held with the supernaturals and Chloe and the others try to convince them to go back to the Edison group headquarters to rescue Rae and Lauren and then to help them find Derek and Simons dad. The group seem unsure of the young supernaturals and think maybe the experimentation has made their powers too strong and they are a danger. With the many things that are going against them throughout, Chloe, Tori, Derek and Simon, begin to feel that they cannot trust the adults and come up with a plan to escape again.

This book was completely action packed and fast moving with the romance finally taking off in this one. Chloe and Tori are becoming more familiar with their powers and Derek makes the full change to werewolf. I read this in one sitting and was totally captivated by this book. I was very sorry to be saying goodbye to Chloe and Derek who I had really gotten to like. They were both great characters and I loved the way there relationship blossomed.

This is the last in the series but I didn't really feel like the story was finished.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes YA paranormal romance/science fiction.

The series is set in Kelley Armstrongs' `Women of the Otherworld' universe - characters from that world are alluded to, but never make an appearance. `The Darkest Powers' trilogy instead follows four uniquely gifted children as they learn the truth about their childhoods and `abilities' - Chloe; the necromancer, Tori the witch, Simon; the sorcerer and Derek; the werewolf. All are children of the `Edison Program' - a scientific study that genetically modified supernatural's to increase and sharpen their abilities. The only thing is that the program worked a little too well - each of the children was born with a unique gift, amplified. The study tweaked their abilities to manifest at a younger age, and much more potently. The scientists behind `Edison' now believe these kids are a threat to society, and cannot be allowed to roam around with their increased powers. That means, termination...

The action in `The Reckoning' picks up where second book, `The Awakening', left off. Chloe, Simon, Tori and Derek are free from the Edison group and on the run with their dad's friend, Andrew. They're hiding out in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, and desperate for answers.

There's a lot happening in this final book - a lot of answers and explanations are given and there's emotional closure.

Kelley Armstrong is a master of action writing. Her scenes are filled with adrenaline and read vividly. The action is ten-fold in `The Reckoning' - the emotional stakes are high, the clock is ticking and I spent 391 pages on the edge-of-my-seat. And I loved it. Armstrong really is a master of action writing, and she definitely shows her prowess in this book.

Since book 1 there has been romantic tension between Simon, Derek and Chloe. Fans will be relieved (/thrilled) to know that their love triangle comes to a head... with a very satisfying conclusion. The romance is tame, very PG13 (since Chloe is only 15). But it's still very sweet and tender, and there were plenty of times throughout when I was saying "awwww". Armstrong navigated this romance beautifully. Fans will know that she is talented at writing `hot n' steamy' romances, Clay/Elena and Lucas/Paige are prime examples from her `Otherworld' series. But Armstrong has proven in this series that she can write such romance at a different pace for a younger readership. Like I said, very tame, but still satisfying and tingly-inducing.

This may be the final book in the `Darkest Powers' trilogy, but my reader's intuition tells me it may not be the last we see of Chloe Sanders... A character is introduced toward the end who hints at a possible reappearance. I for one would be thrilled if that was the case. Yes, Armstrong answers lots of pertinent questions in this final book. BUT there's still plenty of room for future plots and revisiting of characters. I think it would be great if these teens could be introduced to the `Otherworld' world and pick up their continuing stories that way...

But even as I say this is the `final' book, it's a bit of a fib. At the back of `The Reckoning' is a small (tiny, miniscule) excerpt from new book `The Gathering'. This new book is set in the same `Darkest Powers' universe, but will follow a new group of supernatural teens as they navigate their way through the Edison Experiment. So while Chloe's story comes to a close in `The Reckoning', the series lives on for another trilogy (release date pending).

But like I said, I strongly believe that Chloe, Derek, Tori and Simon would make wonderful *adult* characters in Armstrong's `Otherworld' universe. I don't know if her YA readership would follow their story over to an adult series (that is, admittedly, already 10 books deep) but I think Armstrong's adult fan base would really appreciate the new additions to a beloved series. Just my 2 cents.

I love, love, loved this book. This was another `most anticipated' 2010 release for me, and as usual Ms. Armstrong did not disappoint. `The Reckoning' reiterates her status as one of the head-honchos of the Urban Fantasy genre, while also highlighting her versatility in genre swapping from adult to YA. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you read her `Darkest Powers' trilogy - it's a doozy!

The previous book of the Darkest Powers trilogy had the little gang of supernatural teens finally finding sanctuary.

Well, how boring would it be if that sanctuary were all they thought it would be? So of course, "The Reckoning" throws the teen protagonists into a tangle of ghosts, lycanthropy, deceptions and long-forgotten crimes, as well as a long-awaited clash with the Edison Group. Kelley Armstrong does a solid job wrapping up the main story, though the last quarter of the book feels REALLY rushed.

Chloe and her friends have finally found the house where a bunch of the Edison Group's enemies are living. But it soon becomes obvious that they aren't exactly welcome -- the adults are wary of the various "freak" powers that the teens have, and they's especially dismissive of "the werewolf boy." To make matters worse, Chloe is being stalked by a half-demon ghost, and a snooty necromancer's attempt to tutor her at a local graveyard almost ends in disaster.

It's only a matter of time until the kids are imprisoned again, this time by their new "hosts" -- and when a pair of werewolf thugs show up to kill Derek on the night he Changes, Chloe knows that she's not just being phobic. Now she and her friends must figure out how to escape their new "home" alive, and somehow free the friends'n'relatives still being held captive by the Edison Group.

Compared to the last couple Darkest Powers novels, "The Reckoning" is less thrilleresque and more suspenseful -- Armstrong keeps you guessing about who's an ally and who's an enemy, who's lying and who's not. Things only speed up in the last quarter of the book... and unfortunately Armstrong rushes through the action-packed part of the story. She needed at least another hundred pages to do that ending justice.

And while slower-paced overall, "The Reckoning" still has outstanding writing. It has plenty of balanced dialogue (with much bickering), solid descriptions, a dark sense of humour, and some gloriously eerie scenes that dip into the realm of horror, such as Chloe resurrecting a rotted rabbit and dog to save her. And the plot is a tight-knit tangle of lies, deceptions, and unexpected twists -- particularly when Chloe stumbles across some new problems from her powers.

And Armstrong does a brilliant job sketching out fully-realized teen characters who aren't walking cliches -- they've matured a great deal, and each has a unique problem. Chloe worries about the possibility of becoming a mad necromancer, and keeps working to overcome her passive nature. Derek is having a bad time struggling with his lupine nature, and a somewhat less snarky Tori has to deal with her foul mother (and some unpleasant revelations about her family history).

"The Reckoning" leaves the door open for future stories in this niche of Armstrong's Otherworld, but Armstrong does an excellent job wrapping up the whole storyline about the Edison Group. The only problem: It's kind of rushed at the end.

Chloe and her friends Simon (sorcerer), Derek (werewolf), Tori (witch) and Liz (poltergeist) find themselves in the care of Andrew, a friend of Simon & Derek's dad after escaping a SWAT attack at Andrew's place. They are to meet with a group of Supernaturals who left the Edision Group, in hopes of saving Rae and Lauren, still hostages at the Group's lab.

But the group are scared of their powers, and not so anxious to help them. It starts to raise doubts in the kids' minds and they are going to investigate by all means to discover whom they can trust and whom they can't. This heteroclite group will once again fight for their lives in another breath-taking adventure.

The reckoning is the last installment of this trilogy and you'll be up for quite a ride. Those teens will be dodging attacks from all sides trying to break free of the multiple enemies chasing them and it won't be easy task. Ghosts, werewolves, sorcerers and witches are after them and not all of them wants to catch em alive.

I have to say I LOVED the characters growth in the book. At the beginning of the series Tori was a real bitch and Chloe was pretty winy but they both evolved tremendously. Tori is suspected to be a spy from the Edition Group but will hold her ground and try her best to fit in and Chloe learns to control her emotions and her powers better. She also find her heart torn between Simon and Derek and will deal with it better than I thought she would. She will also face multiple crisis situation which she will take in stride. I enjoyed the relation developing between the two girls. I also need to mention I loved to see Derek and Chloe together, they got a really special relation.

The plot was well driven and fast-paced, you were moving from scenes to scenes seamlessly and efficiently which made it hard to put the book down. You always want to know what's next.

I also liked the end, everything wraps-up nicely and Armstrong leaves tidbits of what the characters will live next. Unfortunately for us, we won't get to read more of their adventures. I really wish there was more books to come in that series because I love it's characters so much.

And I don't want to give any punch but we get to meet characters for the first time at the end of this book and I really wanted to know more about them.

I strongly recommend this series to all of you Young Adult Fantasy fans out their, you won't be disappointed =)

Title: The Reckoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins
Length: 400pgs Hardcover
Rating: 4.5/5

To say that I loved this series right away would be an overstatement. When I first picked up a copy of The Summoning I was actually frustrated with the writing, and wasn't a fan of the main character. But things started changing when I got through The Awakening and by the time I finished The Reckoning I was completely smitten with the characters and the manipulated realistic world that I was sad that it came to an end.

In the world Kelley Armstrong constructed there is more to some people than meets the eye. There are people with special abilities such as being able to raise the dead, talk to ghosts, work with magic, levitate things, or even become a wolf. Of course, no one really knows of these peoples unless they're one of them, other than the mad scientists that is.

The series follows the main character, Chloe Saunders, and her friends on their quest for freedom. In The Summoning we are introduced to Chloe and her power are awoken in her - she's a necromancer. This is also the novel we are introduced to her friends. In The Awakening the group escape from some mad scientists and try to find a place that would be considered safe - which is anywhere where there isn't someone trying to kill them, or experiment on them.

In the series finale, The Reckoning, it picks up where The Summoning leaves off. The gang is still working their way to safety and they find it with a supposed friend. They go through some trying times and work through problems. By the end of the novel I was very attached to Chloe, which I had never expected, especially after how I felt about her in the first novel.

This novel has a great pacing, the action ebbs and flows correctly, questions are answered, and it leads up to an ending that finishes the story so readers will feel that sense of completion, but it also leaves writing more an opportunity.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a little urban fantasy, looking for a relatively quick read. This novel kept me turning the pages, and by the end I was extremely glad that I had kept with the series rather than giving up.

Reckoning is the third book in the Darkest Powers Trilogy. Chloe, Tori, Derek, and Simon are at the safe house with Andrew. The house belongs to a group of supernaturals who broke away from the Edison group. There's a meeting held with the supernaturals and Chloe and the others try to convince them to go back to the Edison group headquarters to rescue Rae and Lauren and then to help them find Derek and Simons dad. The group seem unsure of the young supernaturals and think maybe the experimentation has made their powers too strong and they are a danger. With the many things that are going against them throughout, Chloe, Tori, Derek and Simon, begin to feel that they cannot trust the adults and come up with a plan to escape again.

This book was completely action packed and fast moving with the romance finally taking off in this one. Chloe and Tori are becoming more familiar with their powers and Derek makes the full change to werewolf. I read this in one sitting and was totally captivated by this book. I was very sorry to be saying goodbye to Chloe and Derek who I had really gotten to like. They were both great characters and I loved the way there relationship blossomed.

This is the last in the series but I didn't really feel like the story was finished.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes YA paranormal romance/science fiction.

Again, Armstrong picks up right where book number two left off... literally the same night. Since it's the third book in the trilogy and I don't want to really give anything away by recapping what happens in this book. What I can say is that they are still getting chased by the Edison group and Chloe is still learning to control her powers. The only thing that changes is pretty much the setting and new characters are introduced. Oh and we finally get to see what happens when Derek's change is complete.

I said this before and I will say it again, I was a Derek girl from the start. I don't know why but I was. I always was the type to root for the underdog. So I was really happy that in the last book the two of them started to get closer and even more so in this book. Although you can see that Derek is trying really hard to fight his feelings for Chloe since after all his brother Simon is smitten with her. However, you can tell he notices the change in Chloe and how she is acting different around him and I think that makes him even more confused.

I liked the addition of the extra characters. I thought they added a nice bonus to the story and I wonder if we will ever get a glimpse into the pack in Syracuse (yes I am still hung up on that!).

I really, really loved the first two books in Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, so I was excited and also a bit sad to come to the end of the trilogy. It took me a little bit just to get into the book because I wanted to make it last as long as possible. When I came to the end of the novel, I was sad but also very pleased with how it all ended.

Reasons to Read:

1.Chloe's acceptance of her powers:

Throughout the whole Darkest powers series, Chloe has been very apprehensive about her newfound power. She refuses to use it(not even for practice), so she is basically left defenseless, acting as the damsel in distress. By the time the third book rolls around, she is still scared about using it, but she comes to an acceptance of it. She finally comes to realize that it's okay for her to use her power. The change is gradual, but I really liked seeing just how much Chloe has come along from the first book.

2.A twist! A twist!:

I really think that Kelley Armstrong writes twists well. While they are not the most unique plot twists there are, I do fnd myself genuinely surprised when I come across them. There have been plot twists in the previous two novels, but I really liked the ones in this particular book. I thought that they made a lot of sense to the plot, and they added to the overall story very nicely. There aren't too many turns, so you don't become tired of them easily. There are enough, though, to keep a strong interest in the book.

3.The Open Ending:

This book has one of those endings that you will either love or hate. I just happened to love it. Many of the loose ends are tied up at the end, but there are still a lot of questions that are left unanswered. I liked that the ending is left so open. We get to imagine where the characters go next, and how their lives turn out ourselves. Although I usually dislike this kind of ending, everything that I was hoping would happen, happened. So I was happy with that. It also left a space for another novel if the author did decide to write another book-even though this is only supposed to be a trilogy.

Again, a couple of times Chloe did get a little bit annoying because of her refusing to use her powers, so she was basically useless. I was really glad that she did evolve a bit so she was not half as useless by the end of the novel.I think that fans of the Darkest Powers trilogy will really enjoy this novel. If you haven't read the Darkest Powers, I highly reccomend you do so. I'm sad that this trilogy is over, but I'm really glad that I finally gave in and read it.

Reason for Reading: Next and final book in the trilogy.

Summary: The four supernatural teens finally arrive at a safe house only it may not be as safe as it seems. In this concluding book of the trilogy they prepare for the final showdown with The Edison Group and try to rescue those who are still in their clutches.

Comments: One can't give much information on what happens in this conclusion as it is all so dependent on the previous books with everything finally all coming together. What I can tell you is that it is a brilliant, satisfying conclusion! A fast-paced read with plenty of reveals and shockers throughout. While Ms. Armstrong has kept the high octane action fore and centre, she has also managed to fully develop Derek, Simon, Tori and Chloe's characters and relationships. They have all changed so much from the characters we first met in "The Summoning".

This is one of the best supernatural YA trilogies I've read in some years. The Reckoning is a worthy conclusion that fans will appreciate having had the wait. The ending is quite interesting. Leaving us with a complete, finite finish and yet also leaving a few dangling threads and foreshadowing the upcoming future of the characters. This leaves the reader satisfied that the story is over, yet also leaves room for one to hope we may yet see these characters again. Which brings us to Kelley's next YA book due out next spring, "The Gathering". A visit to the author's website reveals it described as continuing the series while giving the current characters "a well-deserved break". From this I could envision this series continuing on indefinitely as sets of trilogies which really makes me excited.

Now if I could only find the time to start her adult series, which is set in the same world!

I've enjoyed this trilogy greatly and I have to admit I got the book confused with another series I was reading because the cover art was so similar, so it took me awhile to realize this was the series I liked. This one, like the other two, was fast-paced. The characters continued to evolve and change, but their suspicious natures didn't.

Chloe becomes a stronger more self-reliant character who refuses to be a wiping mat to anyone, including Derek, but doesn't let her new backbone stop her from being there for him when he needs her again during his change. She became very likable in this book. Derek grows enough to try to control his protective issues that bring about his anger. Tori changes the most. She becomes a whole completely new character. I won't go there and spoil it. It was the least believable, but I think it was needed to keep the story going. The only one who doesn't change is Simon. Poor Simon, constantly relegated to the least important character with the smallest powers.

Armstrong wraps up a lot of the story. Finding the boys' dad among them, but opens new problems. This is suppose to be the end of the story, and yet she pulls situations and groups of organized people from her other novel series. The kids even state that they are still on the run because that said group of organized people will be after them. Then the story ends. This is not an ending and totally messes with the idea of what a trilogy is. So, I give it four instead of five stars. Otherwise, this was a great series. I read this particlar book in one evening. I just couldn't put it down.

The end has finally come...or the end of this trilogy anyway. If you didn't know, Kelley Armstrong is doing another trilogy based off the same story line but different characters. This is a book that you will find yourself slowly reading. You'll want to savor each chapter, because in honesty this series is awesome. After reading this book, your thoughts will mainly be on this novel. You'll keep thinking about it, which is a good thing.

The final arc of the story is probably the best out of all three. It has lots of action (way more then previous 2) and twists that you don't see coming. I seriously thought I would be right about where the story was ending, and then BAM! The author would prove me wrong. The romance fully develops, and will leave the readers with a smile on there face. The writing is top notch, like the other two books. And the questions that you've been having from the previous novels, are finally answered and cleared up for us.

What I didn't like about The Reckoning was it brought up some new issues, and left some answers unexplained or left hanging. For example the whole Royce/Dr.Banks, leaves the readers wondering what happened to them. And wonder about there story further, then already explained. Also there is a threat scene between Chloe & Dr. Banks, which is never fully solved. And I thought that could of been erased/deleted because I felt it a bit unnecessary.

Also for anyone who has read The Reckoning, who is Mr. St. Cloud?

I think this series is great, especially this novel in particular. But it left so many new things hanging. Which made the ending, not do it for me. The ending kind of hinted, that there might be a sequel. But I'm not sure!!! I feel that this story would definitely feel incomplete without one. A few things that I felt were unfinished: Demi-Demon, Rae, Mr. St. Cloud, Royce/Dr. Banks, and what happened to them when all this is finish. I think what the ending was trying to portray is that the story will go in the readers imagination, and I hate those type of endings.

There was more Liz though!!! I was so happy about that :) Liz is awesome!!!

Overall the third & final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy, will not disappoint fans. As a reader, I demand more :)

In her final installment of the Darkest Powers trilogy, The Reckoning (Darkest Powers, Book 3), Kelley Armstrong returns us to the safe house where Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are hiding from the Edison Group. Unsure of their new protectors and sometimes uncertain of each other, Chloe and her friends feel trapped and hesitant about what to do next to save themselves and to free Rae and Aunt Lauren. Combined with dangerous new ghosts, increasing romantic feelings, and the impending likelihood of Derek's first full Change, things are tense for all involved.

Like the first two books in the trilogy, I enjoyed Armstrong's strong writing and the world she has created. Pacing was solid, and the plot's twists left me guessing whom to trust and surprised when the answers were revealed. Character development continued with Chloe, Derek, and Tori, though Simon became more of a secondary character. The romantic subplot was done well again, but the romance was stronger and answered the long-awaited question of Simon versus Derek. The reader also got glimpses (though not always clear) into how the Darkest Powers trilogy relates to Armstrong's Otherworld series.

Even with these strengths, I finished feeling disappointed. This book did not provide the satisfying ending to the trilogy that I had wanted. Too many plot threads were left unexplored, unfinished, and unexplained. Nothing felt settled at the end except the romance. I understand why Armstrong may have left things as she did: the ending was just enough to close the series but also enough to leave readers wanting more, either from her adult series or from her new YA trilogy, set in the same universe, to be released next year. Though I understand this, I didn't like it. In this book, characterization also felt uneven sometimes, especially with Derek and his interactions with one character in the second half of the book. Tori's character also changed significantly within a few days' time without explanation. Though necessary to move the plot along (and in ways I liked), it didn't fit with how they had been portrayed before.

Despite these problems, I still enjoyed the book a great deal and plan to read Armstrong's future YA books. However, I will do so knowing to not expect a sense of closure from her books, even when it's the end of a trilogy or series. With her strong writing, likeable characters, and creative worldbuilding, Armstrong has the ability to craft a wonderful series of books and draw the reader in. I just wish she knew when to provide a real ending and let the reader go.

Gold Star Award Winner!

THE RECKONING takes up right where THE AWAKENING left off.

Derek, Simon, Chloe, and Tori are temporarily safe from the Edison group. They are with Andrew, who is a friend of Simon and Derek's dad, the man they were told to go to if they were ever in any trouble. They are just starting to settle in, and Derek is so very close to changing for the first time that just about anything could set him off. After being under so much stress, is it any wonder when the teens start to second guess each other?

The relationships between the four continues to develop. Chloe finds herself developing feelings for one of the boys. More secrets continue to crop up as they learn about the experiments that the Edison group conducted. Alliances are tested and what they thought they knew no longer seems true. Do they continue to trust others, or do they begin to trust in each other to see it through to the end?

This was a very exciting conclusion to the DARKEST POWERS trilogy, and fans of Kelley Armstrong won't be disappointed. With a fast-paced and elaborate plot, I was kept glued to the edge of my seat until the very end. Her characters are not the candy-coated teens that many might expect in a young adult book, but young people with wants who are willing to fight to get what they need.

With amazing action, suspense, and wonderful characters, I was sorry that this is the end of the series. Ms. Armstrong has such strong writing skills that it makes her books a definite auto-buy for me.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

The Reckoning is the final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy and opens with Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori at the safe house found by Andrew in the final few pages of The Awakening. Relieved at no longer being on the run, Chloe now can take the time to examine her feelings for both Derek and Simon and where she will go from here. All too soon though, the situation starts to become strange. Her new mentors may not be as helpful and kind as they first seemed, and Chloe is once again in a fight for her life.

I liked that this book wrapped up some of the loose ends from the series (there are still a lot of unanswered questions though) and that it was action packed, but it was pretty similar to the other two and seemed a bit like the same story of them being on the run told again. Still an interesting read, and Chloe works on resolving her love triangle which I enjoyed.

So I read this trilogy in about a week hence the high ratings. This book was the biggest disappointment. I would give it 3.5 stars but I read it quickly and decided to round it up to 4.

I did like that the kids grew into their characters even more and they got along really well and became such close friends. I enjoyed getting to know Derek's character as well as Tori's. I really enjoyed the villains and the action. This book did not hold back when it came to action and there was more romance than in any other of the three. It was G rated romance so definitely okay for all ages.

I felt that the ending wasn't completed enough. For how thorough Kelley Armstrong was with her books and how well she writes I had expected a better ending. I think she left it more open on purpose but I felt empty and that it was incomplete. Knowing there isn't another book coming, I guess that's why I rated this lower.

Still, for a fan of the series, it is a good quick read. The author writes with a lot of passion, her characters are easy to love and hate. You feel as if you are with Chloe on all of her ventures. 3.5 overall on the third book.

Chloe Saunders may seem like an ordinary girl from her appearance, but she is anything but ordinary. For instance, her closest friends are a werewolf and a sorcerer. And she fits in nicely with her supernatural friends, because she herself has an abnormal ability, namely the power to reanimate the dead. Chloe is a necromancer who is fighting to stay alive, but it is difficult when a sinister corporation wishes to dispose of you and your less than ordinary companions. Chloe's life may not be normal, but she is doing all that she can in order to make it work. How will she ever find refuge from those who would so readily destroy her? The answers lie in The Reckoning, the latest and final installment of award-winning author Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy. Armstrong is also well-known for her work as writer of the Women of the Otherworld series. Her books, and The Reckoning in particular, are an excellent choice for middle age and adolescent readers who enjoy gothic style horror full of drama, as well as readers who appreciate stories with fantasy elements and darkly supernatural overtones embedded within the fictional fabric of an engaging and thrilling plot. If you have yet to enjoy the first two components of the Darkest Powers trilogy, The Summoning and The Awakening, you may also want to pick up your copies of these enjoyable reads before starting the exciting finale.

Like others have said, the ending leaves so many plot threads unexplained.

SPOILER ALERT!!!
- Are Tori and Simon siblings?? We will never know for sure. Yes it seems to be true but no one ever tell them that.
- Chloe NEVER reunites or contacts her father. As far as we know, he is a good guy out there thinking his daughter is mentally ill and a runaway. How terrible for a dad.
- Is Liz ever going to cross over?
- Was Chloe's mom killed or was it just an accident?
- What the heck is Chloe's necklace? Where did they get it?
- So....will these genetically altered supernaturals go insane?
- What the heck happened with the Demi-Demon? There was such a huge build-up, that there something terrible would happen if Chloe used the Demi-Demon to break-out of the Edison Group building. Unfortunately, nothing really happen because satan (?) made the demi go home. This just felt like taking the easy way out.

I still enjoyed the book just wished it didn't leave me hanging on so many issues.

The one major downfall I found with "The Reckoning" is that it starts out slowly. It picks up right where The Awakening left off and because of that the lack of action does make sense, but I found myself biding my time until something happened.

As usual, Kelley Armstrong does not let down, though, because once things do start happening there is a lot going on and very quickly at that. It's not long before our ragtag group of supernaturals is pitted against the forces of evil . . . or at least justifiable paranoia. That might sound cheesy, but it actually is the wonder of Armstrong's writing that it never seems that way. Through Chloe her narrative just sucks a reader into her world, making the peril she's experiencing quite palpable. I'm especially fond of Chloe's voice -- especially given my recent issues with language abuse in some other young adult novels -- because she is just the right mix of young and mature that keeps the story purely centered in a young adult world but doesn't alienate the reader with excessive slang or juvenile speech.

Of course, the dynamic between Chloe and Derek will always be the major draw for me in this series and they are especially adorable in this installment of the story. Call me a hapless romantic, but the two of them just define first, young love to me. They are such a wonderfully compatible pair for one another and anytime they manage to have a moment alone I can't help but smile at their interaction. Most interesting for me is that they both have truly grown since the first novel and while it's only been a few weeks it's a believable arc.

I also found that I enjoyed the side characters more in this one than before. Tori in particular was actually likable, while still maintaining the mystery element that's been inherent to her character. I wouldn't have minded if her and Simon had a bit more time to evolve into their own, but I was pleased with the end product of their specific journeys as well. It was also pleasing to see all the supernaturals really come into their own regarding accepting their lot in life due to the Edison Group's gene manipulation. And, of course, doing something about all the creeps trying to lock them up and/or kill them! However, I was quite shocked at some of the events in some of these fights. Nothing graphic -- which I appreciate immensely -- but much darker than the first two have been.

For what it's worth, I really don't have any complaints. I greatly enjoyed this conclusion to the series and as a whole I found the entire trilogy incredibly endearing and entertaining. And while I'll miss these characters, I am quite excited for "The Gathering" and the continuing story that Armstrong has in store in the next three books.

After finishing up this book i was like: "Wait, thats all? I want more!" This book in the Trilogy wraps up the story with Chloe and the rest of her supernatural friends.

After they are betrayed, again, by the least expected person... again, they are re-captured by the Edison group who originally messed with their DNA and locked them up in the research facility. But also Chloe, who originally thought she might be having feelings for Simon, falls for Derek instead. Its a great romance story with twists and turns you wouldn't expect.

After running for so long and being captured so many times, they are finally able to escape from the lab for good... and the best part: Simon and Derek's dad, the only person who could help them and keep them safe, came to find them. So with his help and Chloe's aunt, who realized she made a big mistake by staying in the Edison group, fled to safety. But they'll have to stay hidden. The Eddison group will be looking for them, although its not their priority.

And with that, it left me wanting for more. But luckily, the series doesnt end just yet. So i'll be awaiting for the story to continue in the future.

I hate to compare this book to Twilight, as the idea of sparkling vampires makes me wince, but think of this as how Twilight should have gone. It's got the supernatural elements, it's got the love triangle and it's got the powerful group out to get our protagonist. Now, on top of that, add a main character who actually has a back bone, some guts and a kick-butt power and you have a book that puts Twilight soundly to bed.
Probably the best thing about this book is that Chloe really is a character you can get behind. She's put into difficult and dangerous situations, betrayed and frightened by both her powerful friends, her own powers and of course the bad guys out to get her. Through it all, Chloe rarely whines, fights just as hard if not harder than her more powerful allies and does it all with style. Now, remember Bella, who sunk into a deep funk when her boyfriend dumped her (Chloe would have gone right on with her life and then given said boy a good talking too when he crawled back begging forgiveness). Or Bella putting her friends in danger, because God-forbid she let her oh so cute boyfriend go anywhere without her. While Chloe lead and guids her rag tag crew without weeping and gets into her trouble along the way. I love this book for what it is and what it isn't and recommend it to any age group (I'm a tad bit over that recommended range and I've still got friends begging to read it). Especially if you came away from Twilight with a bad taste for what passed as "Romance" there.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, The Summoning, and thought the second, The Awakening, was only OK. I thought that this was a great finish to this series and what it was intended for - but I am still hoping for more.

This book picks up where the last left off. Chloe, Derek, Simon and Tory have fled the Edison Group and have taken refuge with an old family friend, Andrew. But can they trust Andrew and his colleagues? They have their doubts, especially when their new protectors seem scared and horrified by the teen's genetically enhanced powers. The kids have to stick together to fight back against the Edison Group and rescue friends and relatives.

This book is well written, with continued character development. I especially enjoyed the growing relationship between Chloe and Derek, filled with teenage and werewolf insecurities. It's cute and endearingly written. The other characters don't get as much screen time, but still add to the plot. The only problem that I have with the book: it ended. Although I fell that all the major points of the are finalized as far as the immediate plot's concerned, I also felt that there would be plenty of room to turn this into a long running series. I would really love to see what happens to these kids.

I've loved this series from the start. The Summoning drew me in, The Awakening left me a tad disappointed, but The Reckoning was my favorite of the series.

These three books involve a lot of running around. Always running from the bad guy. Running through big cities, forests, construction sites, your grandma's backyard, you name it. But, somehow, Kelly Armstrong makes every chase scene new and exciting. I don't know how she does it, but I salute her for it. Also, this particular book isn't as focused on chase scenes as The Awakening was, but is more a combination of the first two books. On one front, you have a big creepy house with many potential secrets, like The Summoning. On another, you have the inevitable threat of the Edison Group, like The Awakening.

The Reckoning focuses more on the Derek vs. Simon love triangle more than the previous two books. I loved what the author did with this scenario, too. Both potential boyfriends aren't Edward-Cullen-perfect, and are seen as having flaws, on both the interior and exterior. They aren't omgperfect, and that may be the first YA book I've read where that occurs. The final choice between the two will leave you satisfied as well.

Chloe. Oh, Chloe. Finally, a YA heroine who has a brain. Someone who can stick up for herself, and doesn't run screaming for Simon/Derek whenever there is a problem. She also doesn't instantly fall head over heels for the first guy who gives her any attention. Basically, she's probably the most likeable heroine in YA fiction.

**THIS SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Many people found the ending disappointing. I almost agree with them, because so much was left up in the air. I figured, by the end, they'd at least find themselves safe from the Edison Group. Wrong. Mr. Bae even said after the Edison Group gets organized again, they'll plan a search to track them all down. So, basically, we're left with the fact that our characters will never be safe and will always be on the run. A little disappointing, but not enough to ruin the book for me. I still loved it!
**SPOILERS OVER. YOU CAN READ ON!**

Overall, read this series if you haven't yet. They're fast, fun, and exciting, and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This was my favorite book of the entire series. I just finished it about a minute ago and now I have to write a review on it! Emotions run high, not sure where to turn, and who knows, a lesson gone horribly wrong for Chloe. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Chloe comes to terms with who she is and she knows there's no going back. . . but she DOESN'T want to go back anyway. There was a whole bunch of surprises. When they though they were safe they discovered something that made them question where they were. I like the ghosts in this book too. Royce ,a subject went wrong, who went totally crazy who likes to hurt things. Dr. Banks the guy dedicated to helping destroy the Edison Group, even if it meant possessing a body. But what about the necklace??? What does it really do? Why does it change colors? What does THAT mean? This book was awesome! It's my favorite and OMG Chloe gets to choose between Simon and Derek! Who does she want?? This book kept me up thinking at night and hoping for more.

First if you haven't read the first two then it's a must because you'll be like what the is this. This book was worth the wait and I'm glad I got mine when I did. Chole is a genetically altered necromancer in short she can raise and talk to the dead that's what a normal one can do, Like I said she's been genetically altered, so she can do more. You can't really talk about the book with out giving way spoilers but you get a were-wolf, witches and sorcercers and then there are these demons that Chole can talk to and you can bet they well be showing up again.

But here's some good news the series isn't ending this group is taking a small break and a new group well be coming into the picture sometime next year so maybe these questions well be answered. What happended in the safe to the Doc and his son and nephew? What's Chole's mom trying to tell here. Well Tori be told who her real father is? And what about the other groups they mentioned what are thier abilites and when well they all collided?

This book was indeed a grande finale for the series. Chloe and her friends are not any closer to freedom than they were in the first book. However, Armstrong added a few more intriguing reveals her and there that led to more even more suspense than I though I possible. Chloe has a new problem in this novel that began somewhere in the middle of The Awakening. She's developing feelings for a certain someone but there's another complication... she also has feelings for his brother. It goes to show that even in life threatening situations, a teenager is still a teenager.

I simply adore the subtle romance that blooms between Chloe and a certain someone (I hate spoilers).

Armstrong really knows how to set a scene and pull her readers into her stories. I found myself cheering them on, cowering in fear with them, and smiling with them.

I tore through this book so quickly I had to go back for a second look. It was simply delightful and my heart was broken when I had to say farewell to Chloe and her clan of misfits.

i was so excited to find this book in borders today because i have been waiting for it to come out that i finished it in a few hours. The action was awesome and romance was sweet. I loved the character development and how Chloe's powers developed. Tori for me has become a lot more likeable in this installment. the only thing i didnt like was the ending. i was left wanting more and frustrated with some loose ends that weren't answered. The back of the book said finale so i am a bit dissapointed because there was so much room to write up another book in the series to really finish everything and tie up the loose ends.do not read on if you do not want to be spoiled!

spoilers!!-----> A loose end i REALLY want to see answered is the big bad demon Chloe managed accidently summon near the end. What happends to it? she just lets it run around in a dead guy's body to cause havoc? and will Tori ever realize she is related to Simon?? the author should really write up another book to finish this story.

Again, the Darkest Powers trilogy doesn't have enough plot to fill 3 books. This flaw reared its little head in The Awakening (Book #2) and becomes quite prevalent in the last book, The Reckoning. The issues Chloe and friends must deal with repeat themselves throughout the trilogy and the only thing that changes is the setting: from the Lyle House to the Edison Group lab/jail to a safe house for supernaturals.

Once more a love triangle is played out and even settled in a very "clean" manner, which leads me to believe that the tension the triangle is meant to invoke is nothing but well, empty tension meant to fill pages and nothing more. Loyalty is questioned once more, friends' lives are at stake once more, and once more the reader is left with a lot of Chloe's inner monologue. With all the elements of ghosts and necromancy Armstrong had to work with, the Darkest Powers trilogy could've been edgier, darker, and more terrifying.

Kelley Armstrong is a dark fantasy writer, so her world building is quite good and each character is multi-layered. But because the Darkest Powers is an extension of her Otherworld series, not to mention a part of her new YA trilogy the Darkness Rising, everything about Kelley's worlds, adult or teen, is beginning to be redundant and predictable.

I really wanted to become completely immersed in Armstrong's dark world in The Reckoning, but instead I was left feeling like I missed the bus to Shadow Town, and it seems like Kelley Armstrong missed it too.

From a marketing perspective this is a good book. Proven author, popular series and a storyline that draws the reader in. The Reckoning has everything it needs to get read and make sales.

Probably by now you are getting the impression there is a hitch. Unfortunately being a problem with the end I am unable to continue without SPOILERS of some form.

As fans will recall, Chloe our necromancer protagonist has gotten herself away from the Edison Group, a group of dubious supernatural experimenters with no one's other then themselves' best interest in mind.

The Reckoning largely deals with the Chloe's allies (the other children from the institute) striking back at the Edison Group. Everything about the storyline is good, loose ends are tied up, relationships are solidified, and the action adventure tension builds as the heroes find themselves in the clutches of the Edison Group again.

Then the balloon pops. "Oh its my Dad." one of the boys of whom I cannot tell apart says. Plot ends.

(remember SPOILERS) You see, one of the main themes of the series is Chloe's ever increasing power and whether its going to get her into trouble or if she's going to become more dangerous than the bad guys ever were. Well it turns out her powers won't. In fact they manifest in a perfect manner to solve all the heroes problems, but not cause any of their own at all. Then someone' Dad turns up (unlike everyone else's random family appearances there is nothing suspicious about him) and they all live happily (OK always on the run) ever after.

I lurve Kelly Armstrong, but something happened with this book that made it feel like a movie that ran out of production money. At first I thought I had just daydreamed past the climax, but after conferring with another reader we agreed it was a fault of the book not the readers.

I love Kelley Armstrong. I love her adult "Women of the Otherworld" series. I do not love her YA books, I think they are just OK reads, with overabundance of action but lacking actual plot and satisfying story resolutions. The same applies to this final book in the Chloe Saunders trilogy.

Most likely, if you enjoyed "The Summoning" and "The Awakening," I expect you will like "The Reckoning," because it's basically more of the same - the same running around scenarios with little story progression. Just like in the first two books, the majority of the story is devoted to the same hiding from the bad guys, figuring out if the good guys are actually good, trying to learn the nature of the Genesis project and... that's it. Although this book takes place mostly in the same house, there is the same going back and forth, planning and discussing escapes, just like in the previous two books. The story goes around in circles coming back to the Edison group each time. The novel is entertaining, but the constant action/walking around/scheming eventually gets tiresome. Some characters' miraculous appearances are surprising. Considering the villains are so quick to kill off kids, why some meddling adults are left alive and free is a mystery to me.

Fortunately, "The Reckoning" is more like "The Summoning" in terms of plot, there is a more defined high point/climax in the novel, where "The Awakening" was 90% running without any resolution. In addition, there is also more "meat" to the story - I enjoyed learning more about the project the kids are a part of and about everyone's powers. I also liked the budding romance between Chloe and Derek, their relationship is written well, it is healthy (unlike many portrayed in YA literature) and the teens themselves feel real and not in the least annoying. For us, fans of Armstrong's adult books, there is a nice surprise too - a tiny bridge to her "Women of the Otherworld" series.

The rest - well, the book is more entertaining than the 2nd in the trilogy, but ultimately it is not as satisfying as Armstrong's adult novels which all have definitive endings and completed story arcs. Even this final book in the trilogy leaves the story wide open for more sequels with many loose ends left unexplored (I wish to at least know why Chloe's necklace changes colors). I still believe (as I did after finishing the 1st book in the trilogy), that this trilogy has just enough story for one good YA novel, but instead is unwisely stretched into a series. I will however most likely read the next book in the Dark Powers - "The Gathering," because in spite of the flaws, Armstrong's books are better than 90% of the YA literature out there.

The Reckoning is the final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy. This is NOT a series that can be read out of order as each book picks up essentially where the last one leaves off and it is a continuous storyline throughout the three books. All three of the books are filled with non-stop action as the teens must contend with a variety of obstacles to their freedom.

Just looking at this book individually, I loved it. Chloe and her friends all continue to grow as they learn more about their powers and how they were altered. They learn a bit more important information about their larger role in the experiments and who is really behind the Edison Group. Their relationships within the group continue to evolve as each teen takes on new roles as necessary. There were a few times when I thought I knew something that was happening only to find out a bit later that it wasn't exactly the way I thought. This kept me a bit off balance which is exactly how the teens felt most of the book. The things they thought they understood were constantly shifting.

However, as much as I loved the book, I did not think it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. There were many loose ends and unanswered questions. After reading a bit more on Kelley Armstrong's website, I do now understand why she left things this way. The Darkest Powers trilogy is actually the first in a series of trilogies. While the next set of books will focus on a different group of characters, Armstrong says we will see Chloe and her friends again at some point in the series. The next trilogy is called Darkness Rising and will begin with The Gathering (Spring 2011). I can see how using another set of characters will be useful for approaching information about the Edison Group from a different direction. I do have one question about Chloe specifically that I wish had been answered because there was an obvious significance to another character but it is never explained fully. Knowing that Chloe and friends won't show up until at least the third book in the next series is an awfully long time to wait and I hope this question won't get lost along the way. (Yes, I'm being intentionally vague because I don't want to give away anything in the story.)

Kelly Armstrong continues this amazing series. she keeps you on your toes.
Chloe, Simon and Derek are amazing. this series is very well written and will easily become a favorite. it's creepy and just perfect. I love that she keeps it clean and innocent enough for
having my 12 yr old niece to enjoy. it has a little of everything Action, Romance and Mystery. it's amazing for all ages to enjoy.

This is the third, and final, book in the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. It was an excellent conclusion to the series and I actually liked it a lot better than the previous two books.

This book starts with Tori, Chloe, Derek and Simon with Andrew at the house they are hiding out in. Andrew is part of a rebel group that is focused on shutting down the Edison Group. Chloe and her friends want to go back and rescue Rae and Chloe's aunt from the Edison Group; while Andrew and his crew want them to be patient so that the rebels can stage a larger coup. Chloe is again running into evil ghosts, as she finds out that the house they're staying in has its own violent past. Chloe and crew finally get some training in their powers, but there is a still a question of who they can really trust.

I thought this book was much better than the previous books in this series. We are finally getting some insight into how the characters' powers work and we get to watch them test their abilities. The characters gain more dimension (especially Tori) and are more interesting to read about.

I thought that the chemistry between Chloe, Derek, and Simon was awesome in this book. You can just feel the heat between Chloe and Derek as an undercurrent to every action they do. Derek struggling with his werewolf abilities (which we saw a bit of in the last book) really adds depth to Derek's character and shows some vulnerability that makes him a character to cheer for. Chloe is finally taking some initiative and learning how to use her necromancer powers to defend herself (although she still spends some time whining about how little she helps in battle situations).

A lot happens in this book. Chloe and Derek are being hunted, there are more betrayals, and more revelations. It was a very hard book to put down, I ended up reading it all in one day. It was hard to catch your breath at times.

The ending is satisfying and I really enjoyed it. There are a few questions left unanswered and the future of the characters is uncertain.

Overall this was an excellent close to this series. I thought it was, by far, the best book of the series. It is exciting and the characters really mature. I wasn't a huge fan of the first two books in this series, but after reading this book I agree that this ended up being a pretty good series. As far as reading more of Armstrong's works, I am not sure. I read her Women of the Otherworld series for a bit but didn't love it, same with this series. We will have to see what future works she writes.

Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series has been a big hit for me. Although I felt like the series started off a little slow in The Summoning, I saw much potential plot and character-wise. Luckily, I stuck with the books and was rewarded with some truly fabulous storytelling in The Awakening. I loved everything about Chloe's gradual discovery of her powers and the way her relationship with the other Edison Group teens was allowed to naturally develop - all of which left me with some very high hopes for the conclusion of Chloe's story in The Reckoning.

The Reckoning picks up right where The Awakening so cruelly left us hanging: Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are hiding out (again) in hopes of finally evading the nefarious Edison Group, who used the four teens - and others - as lab rats in hopes of genetically altering their supernatural powers. The Edison Group didn't exactly succeed with their little experiment which resulted in some super-charged teens who don't have the foggiest notion of how to control their powers. While Simon can barely cast a spell to save his life, Tori is picking up powerful spells with no apparent effort, and Derek is struggling to cope with his first change into a werewolf with absolutely no direction. Chloe herself is a impressive necromancer but doesn't have a clue how to control her abilities. What these four teens have become masters at however is loyalty. Hoping they have finally stumbled upon allies they can actually trust, Chloe et al set out to rescue the remaining super-teens from the clutches of the Edison Group in hopes of finally shutting the laboratory down once and for all.

I am so sad to see this series at an end. The entire concept of a group of extra-powerful genetically altered teens held under lock and key caught my interest from the first but the well-developed characters and non-stop action kept me happy. Even though much of the story arc and plot devices were similar to those found in the earlier two books, The Reckoning was vastly different from its predecessors. The pace itself was set at a much slower rate: the teens spent much of their time waiting around, gathering information about the Edison Group a bit at a time. This left a lot of time for Chloe to digest her feelings on the Boy Front. To me at least, it's been obvious all along which direction her hormones would lead her, but when Chloe finally admitted to herself which guy she was crushing on, well, my heart did a happy little flip-flop of joy. Despite the fact that I wanted to shake her (repeatedly) for taking so long to figure it out.

Chloe is a powerful necromancer but aside from being able to raise the dead, she's short, average, and doesn't have a clue when it comes to boys. There is much to like about Chloe. I found it intriguing to watch her grow as a character over the course of this series. She's finally got a better grip on her necromancer powers and was even learning to stand up for herself now and again *gasp* - my only complaint is that in The Reckoning Chloe decides she needs to tell us that fact several times. Which quickly got old. On multiple occasions, Chloe repeats that she is no longer a little girl or that her Aunt Lauren was finally seeing her 'all grown up.' Just let the story tell us for itself, mmmkay Chloe? Other than a few issues of that nature, I was happy with this final conclusion - it wasn't as great as The Awakening, but still a solid read.

Chloe Saunders and her friends think that they may have finally found a safe haven with Andrew, who has rejected everything the Edison Group works for and has connections to other supernaturals who feel the same way. But Chloe, Tori, Simon, and Derek are nothing if not cautious, and they don't entirely trust these adults, who are afraid of what their genetically modified powers are capable of. As the four dig deeper and deeper into the mysteries of their abilities and the politics concerning their well-being, they'll find some chilling secrets and shocking revelations that will force them to realize that there is only one way out this danger...if they can survive long enough.

The main focus of this final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy seems to be the question of trust. Who can Chloe trust among her friends, who can they trust out of all of the adults supposedly taking care of them, and most importantly, do the trust each other enough to work together and find a safe place? The story can get a bit convoluted as loyalties continue to shift, and surprise after surprise is revealed, but one thing that really keeps the book grounded in Chloe's relationship with Derek, with all of its believable and relatable tension, attractions, and frustration. It's not overly complicated, but it is realistic and well drawn out.

As with the previous books, plenty of action is packed between the pages, leading up to the final showdown, which is a bit dragged out, but nonetheless dramatic and exciting as Chloe, Tori, Simon, and Derek must face hard choices (Chloe especially flirts with danger) and work under pressure to figure out a way to escape. The story wraps up in a satisfactory manner in that all old grudges and issues are resolved, but Armstrong leaves the group's future wide open. Luckily for readers, Armstrong has a new series coming out, beginning with The Gathering and with new characters, which will allow readers to remain in Chloe's world a little while longer. Overall, The Reckoning is a very fine finish to a thrilling trilogy.

I really enjoy this series. Armstrong has a fun way of writing that really sucks you into the story and unfortunately before you know it you've finished the book. The Reckoning reminded me a lot of the first two books, in that it grabs your attention and keeps you reading. We're reunited with all our favorite characters and introduced to a few new ones. To be honest, I was expecting a little more out of this one, thinking it was the last of the series. While it's the last of the "Project Genesis Trilogy" it's not necessarily the last of the Darkest Power series. Have I confused you yet? For those who don't know, here is a quote I found from Kelley Armstrong:

"I've been calling the next book (The Gathering, 2011) "Darkest Powers 4" because it's the same overall series. It's new characters, though, in a new trilogy. I do something similar with my adult books--one series with changing narrators. My publisher may decide to give it a new title, but until then, I'm calling it all the Darkest Powers series, with the first three being the Project Genesis trilogy and the next three being the Project Phoenix trilogy."
I'm really excited that there is going to be a whole new trilogy, although I admit I thought The Reckoning ended with a lot of unanswered questions. I hope that Chole, Derek, Tori and Simon all end up in the Phoenix trilogy as well. Anyway, if you enjoyed the first two books you will really enjoy this one. Chloe finally makes up her mind on which guy to be with (a decision I was very happy with), Tori shows her true colors, and Simon and Derek are both fun to read.

Content Warning: There is a little swearing, violence and ghosts. But, otherwise pretty clean.

Bookworm Rating: 4.5
([...]

Project Genesis (Darkest Powers) Series:
Book One: The Summoning
Book Two: The Awakening
Book Three: The Reckoning

Project Phoenix (Darkest Powers) Series:
Book One (4): The Gathering (Coming 2011)

That's what you get when you read books written for teenagers; that was what I told myself when I was done with the series. I think it is going to be really interesting for teenagers and I recommended it to my sister but I guess I am too old for that. The book lacked a compelling plot. It was all about running away, betrayal and boring conversations. The whole series could have been easily a single 300-page long book. The end was easily predictable and not so much memorable or touching. Also I didn't find any explanation as why the main character's necklace color changed through out the story.

This was a great ending to a great series. Kelley Armstrong is a clean, crisp writer and I am excited to read more of her work.

Chloe and the gang start off feeling very safe in the house that they are sharing with Andrew. Until, Chloe raises a not-so-nice ghost. That is when she starts questioning whom they can trust and whom they can't. This book takes the reader through all of the ups and downs with the group trying to learn and get a hold on each of their powers. They get to meet other supernaturals like themselves and in the end realize that the only ones they can trust are each other.

The book was left a little open ended, which could leave room for another, but as of right now, this will be the end.

definately 5 Stars!!!

Oh, my goodness - do I ever love this series. The first two books were beyond amazing and I must admit, I was afraid that the final book in the trilogy might be a let down. I mean, how do you end such an amazing series? But, Kelley Armstrong, being the wonder woman that she is, some how managed do it. Be warned now, this review is going to completely consist of me gushing; it is basically a love letter to the series.

I cannot begin to express how much I love the Darkest Powers series. The Summoning and The Awakening were both phenomenal and The Reckoning was no different. I eagerly tore through the story and absolutely devoured it. I enjoyed every word within it, the pacing was wonderful. I think the reason why I loved it so much was that it is so well rounded. It is so uncommon to find a story where all the different aspects, characters, action, pacing and plot, are so well developed. There is not a single character that I did not enjoy. I honestly cared about them all. This book, like The Awakening, centers around Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori as they try to locate Simon and Derek's father and get away from the Edison Group. Liz, Chloe's dead ex-roommate, makes several appearances throughout the book. She often helps the teens in tricky situations by scouting out the bad guys or by slipping into full-on poltergeist mode.

There is plenty of action throughout the book and they are constantly on the run. However, in the midst of the adventure, the characters themselves develop and their relationships with each other really bloom as well. Chloe and Tori continue to form a friendship and they learn to rely on each other. Tori is still a spitfire, but she is beginning to soften.

Another relationship develops throughout the course of The Reckoning as well. I don't want to giveaway who Chloe ends up with, but let me just tell you this. I, quite literally, did a happy dance. This next part is for those of you who have read it... When Chloe goes on her date when one of the boys, I was in full on turmoil. I was terrified she would end up picking him.. but then when what happened after the date, happened.. I was ecstatic. Do you follow me? Maybe not, but hopefully you get my point.

Anyways, for those of you who have yet to read this series, I am begging you, please, read it. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. I read the entire series in 3 days and have gone back several times and re-read certain parts. I am absolutely devastated that The Reckoning was the final book in the trilogy, it just seems so unfair. But, like I said in my previous Kelley Armstrong Book signing post, she is currently under contract for 6 books. The next three books (which will make a total of 6) are going to feature a different narrator. However, Chloe's gang may make an appearance in book 6. Also, she is working out a deal with her publishers right now, for an extra 3 books, bringing the total to 9. My only hope, is that at least one of the extra 3 books will be a Chloe book. She left so many unanswered questions at the end of The Reckoning, that it seems like a plausible explanation. God, one can only hope.

Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori are still on the run from the Edison group, but now they are semi safe in a safe house with Simon and Derek's father's old friend Andrew. Now, that they have escape, there new mission is to save Chloe's Aunt Lauren and Rae from the Edison group. But it is easier said than done. They can't just barge out and rescue them plus they have other issues like Derek changing, a not so friendly Poltergeist ghost, and the constant wondering if they can trust Andrew and his gang. While they wait to go out and rescue they do learn more about their powers and other stuff related to the Edison group and Supernaturals.

Sometimes I felt like the author had lack of imagination in some parts. There are parts where Chloe says they have a plan and she hopes it will work but the reader never really gets a glimpse of what actually is that plan, and then something else happens and the plan gets foiled. Or someone will go off to talk to someone else away from Chloe so we never get to know what they are talking about. And it kind of leaves you hanging. There are also parts where there will be dialogue between the characters and then it will stop and Chloe will summarize some of it and then the dialogue would begin again like the author didn't know how to proceed with it so she just summarize a part because she didn't know how to write it.

I also felt that characters changed too much in such a short time. Growing in a two weeks time period or less? I don't really like it when a trilogy is set in such a small time period but yet everyone has changed drastically. Chloe relies on Liz too much for only knowing her hardly a day before she dies.

But even with those problems, I thought there was a lot of good parts. There were a lot of small twist like who can Chloe trust? Can she trust her aunt? Can she trust Andrew? Can she trust Margaret? Can she trust the demi demon? Can she trust the ghost that come to her? There are also a couple good action parts that I really enjoyed. And, I did enjoy the relationships the characters had together as well.

In the end, it felt like there was a bunch that was left hanging and I really wanted to know more. Especially about one character which is just left dangling and I want to know what happens! Overall it was an okay series.

--------------Spoiler------------------
I felt there was a huge inconsistency in this book and it bothered me a bunch. At one point, Chloe gets werewolf blood on her and Derek begins to freak out trying to get it all off of her because there is two ways to turn into a werewolf, their blood and their saliva. So, he methodically cleans every bit of blood off of her that belonged to the werewolf but later in the book it is okay for him to kiss Chloe, which involves saliva. So, is Chloe now going to turn into a werewolf?

I couldn't wait at all to read this book. Right after I finished The Awakening I knew I had to read The Reckoning immediately. I had to read it so bad that I ended up betraying my morals and reading the book on my friends e-reader. I know, shame, but it was so worth it. The plot line of the Darkest Powers series deepens and thickens so much in this book. And so many new aspects of Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori's past is revealed and the role they play in this book is so extensive that I am coming out of this series with a lot more questions than I went into it with.

The plot in this book is far more intense, fast paced, and all in all more interesting than the other books. This book introduced and really developed many parts of the series I was hoping to learn more about. But as true as that was, the way the plot thickened and different parts were developing, I had no idea how it could possibly be the last book in the series and until the end of the book, I still felt the same way. Many of the secrets of the Edison group and how exactly why they are out to get the "altered supernaturals" are revealed, but not as developed as I would have liked.

The romance is amplified 100% in this third book, and I was definitely happy to see that. I really don't want to give anything away, but from the beginning of the book I could feel the attraction between these two characters even as the plot became a lot more action-packed and serious.

I so desperately wanted to give this book a perfect score. I loved it that much. But that love was fresh in my mind for about 10 minutes until my brain began registering, and the immense amount of questions built up. I can't really say without spoiling the book, but they were pretty significant, maybe not that much to the main plot, but to the bunches of mini plots going on in the story as well. The book itself did not feel rushed, but the details felt rushed and overlooked, which led to many new questions, with none of them being evaluated or answered. I definitely believe that this book could have gone on to have a fourth even fifth book, and I know I would have been more satisfied with an ending that answered my questions.

In a nutshell, I loved this book. Mainly because I loved the rest of the series and it had as much strong points as a book can have. Beware
though, don't come into reading this book thinking that all the answers you have from the books before or this book will be answered, you are going to have to make your own inferences regarding those.

[...]

Chloe leads us on an adventure in this Darkest Power Series. As a fifteen year old necromancer; Chloe is no ordinary girl. Talking to ghosts and bringing the dead back to life is more than enough for one young girl, but now she finds herself on the run with only her three friends. Simon, Derrick, and Tori are all superhuman with special abilities that landed them in the same mental instution as Chloe. When things being to unravel it is soon apparent that they are all in danger. All three books thus far have followed a timeline of just over a week. Chloe and her friends are continuing to run, but will find themselves at a dead end in this book. The entire journey seems to have made one huge circle that is still not allowing them any answers. With the list of enemies ever growing these four kids have no idea whom to trust or where to turn. Kelley Armstrong is a very experience author, and very talented story builder. I have followed many of her series, and her talents never cease to amaze me. After completing The Reckoning I was reading the description for The Gathering it seems that the next novel is about two new characters. I am interested to see if this novel was the end to Chloe, Derrick, Simon, and Tori; or if the next book is just a break that will add more amazing characters to this series.

This was a great ending to a great series. Kelley Armstrong is a clean, crisp writer and I am excited to read more of her work.

Chloe and the gang start off feeling very safe in the house that they are sharing with Andrew. Until, Chloe raises a not-so-nice ghost. That is when she starts questioning whom they can trust and whom they can't. This book takes the reader through all of the ups and downs with the group trying to learn and get a hold on each of their powers. They get to meet other supernaturals like themselves and in the end realize that the only ones they can trust are each other.

The book was left a little open ended, which could leave room for another, but as of right now, this will be the end.

definately 5 Stars!!!

Oh, my goodness - do I ever love this series. The first two books were beyond amazing and I must admit, I was afraid that the final book in the trilogy might be a let down. I mean, how do you end such an amazing series? But, Kelley Armstrong, being the wonder woman that she is, some how managed do it. Be warned now, this review is going to completely consist of me gushing; it is basically a love letter to the series.

I cannot begin to express how much I love the Darkest Powers series. The Summoning and The Awakening were both phenomenal and The Reckoning was no different. I eagerly tore through the story and absolutely devoured it. I enjoyed every word within it, the pacing was wonderful. I think the reason why I loved it so much was that it is so well rounded. It is so uncommon to find a story where all the different aspects, characters, action, pacing and plot, are so well developed. There is not a single character that I did not enjoy. I honestly cared about them all. This book, like The Awakening, centers around Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori as they try to locate Simon and Derek's father and get away from the Edison Group. Liz, Chloe's dead ex-roommate, makes several appearances throughout the book. She often helps the teens in tricky situations by scouting out the bad guys or by slipping into full-on poltergeist mode.

There is plenty of action throughout the book and they are constantly on the run. However, in the midst of the adventure, the characters themselves develop and their relationships with each other really bloom as well. Chloe and Tori continue to form a friendship and they learn to rely on each other. Tori is still a spitfire, but she is beginning to soften.

Another relationship develops throughout the course of The Reckoning as well. I don't want to giveaway who Chloe ends up with, but let me just tell you this. I, quite literally, did a happy dance. This next part is for those of you who have read it... When Chloe goes on her date when one of the boys, I was in full on turmoil. I was terrified she would end up picking him.. but then when what happened after the date, happened.. I was ecstatic. Do you follow me? Maybe not, but hopefully you get my point.

Anyways, for those of you who have yet to read this series, I am begging you, please, read it. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. I read the entire series in 3 days and have gone back several times and re-read certain parts. I am absolutely devastated that The Reckoning was the final book in the trilogy, it just seems so unfair. But, like I said in my previous Kelley Armstrong Book signing post, she is currently under contract for 6 books. The next three books (which will make a total of 6) are going to feature a different narrator. However, Chloe's gang may make an appearance in book 6. Also, she is working out a deal with her publishers right now, for an extra 3 books, bringing the total to 9. My only hope, is that at least one of the extra 3 books will be a Chloe book. She left so many unanswered questions at the end of The Reckoning, that it seems like a plausible explanation. God, one can only hope.

Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori are still on the run from the Edison group, but now they are semi safe in a safe house with Simon and Derek's father's old friend Andrew. Now, that they have escape, there new mission is to save Chloe's Aunt Lauren and Rae from the Edison group. But it is easier said than done. They can't just barge out and rescue them plus they have other issues like Derek changing, a not so friendly Poltergeist ghost, and the constant wondering if they can trust Andrew and his gang. While they wait to go out and rescue they do learn more about their powers and other stuff related to the Edison group and Supernaturals.

Sometimes I felt like the author had lack of imagination in some parts. There are parts where Chloe says they have a plan and she hopes it will work but the reader never really gets a glimpse of what actually is that plan, and then something else happens and the plan gets foiled. Or someone will go off to talk to someone else away from Chloe so we never get to know what they are talking about. And it kind of leaves you hanging. There are also parts where there will be dialogue between the characters and then it will stop and Chloe will summarize some of it and then the dialogue would begin again like the author didn't know how to proceed with it so she just summarize a part because she didn't know how to write it.

I also felt that characters changed too much in such a short time. Growing in a two weeks time period or less? I don't really like it when a trilogy is set in such a small time period but yet everyone has changed drastically. Chloe relies on Liz too much for only knowing her hardly a day before she dies.

But even with those problems, I thought there was a lot of good parts. There were a lot of small twist like who can Chloe trust? Can she trust her aunt? Can she trust Andrew? Can she trust Margaret? Can she trust the demi demon? Can she trust the ghost that come to her? There are also a couple good action parts that I really enjoyed. And, I did enjoy the relationships the characters had together as well.

In the end, it felt like there was a bunch that was left hanging and I really wanted to know more. Especially about one character which is just left dangling and I want to know what happens! Overall it was an okay series.

--------------Spoiler------------------
I felt there was a huge inconsistency in this book and it bothered me a bunch. At one point, Chloe gets werewolf blood on her and Derek begins to freak out trying to get it all off of her because there is two ways to turn into a werewolf, their blood and their saliva. So, he methodically cleans every bit of blood off of her that belonged to the werewolf but later in the book it is okay for him to kiss Chloe, which involves saliva. So, is Chloe now going to turn into a werewolf?

I couldn't wait at all to read this book. Right after I finished The Awakening I knew I had to read The Reckoning immediately. I had to read it so bad that I ended up betraying my morals and reading the book on my friends e-reader. I know, shame, but it was so worth it. The plot line of the Darkest Powers series deepens and thickens so much in this book. And so many new aspects of Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori's past is revealed and the role they play in this book is so extensive that I am coming out of this series with a lot more questions than I went into it with.

The plot in this book is far more intense, fast paced, and all in all more interesting than the other books. This book introduced and really developed many parts of the series I was hoping to learn more about. But as true as that was, the way the plot thickened and different parts were developing, I had no idea how it could possibly be the last book in the series and until the end of the book, I still felt the same way. Many of the secrets of the Edison group and how exactly why they are out to get the "altered supernaturals" are revealed, but not as developed as I would have liked.

The romance is amplified 100% in this third book, and I was definitely happy to see that. I really don't want to give anything away, but from the beginning of the book I could feel the attraction between these two characters even as the plot became a lot more action-packed and serious.

I so desperately wanted to give this book a perfect score. I loved it that much. But that love was fresh in my mind for about 10 minutes until my brain began registering, and the immense amount of questions built up. I can't really say without spoiling the book, but they were pretty significant, maybe not that much to the main plot, but to the bunches of mini plots going on in the story as well. The book itself did not feel rushed, but the details felt rushed and overlooked, which led to many new questions, with none of them being evaluated or answered. I definitely believe that this book could have gone on to have a fourth even fifth book, and I know I would have been more satisfied with an ending that answered my questions.

In a nutshell, I loved this book. Mainly because I loved the rest of the series and it had as much strong points as a book can have. Beware
though, don't come into reading this book thinking that all the answers you have from the books before or this book will be answered, you are going to have to make your own inferences regarding those.

[...]

Chloe leads us on an adventure in this Darkest Power Series. As a fifteen year old necromancer; Chloe is no ordinary girl. Talking to ghosts and bringing the dead back to life is more than enough for one young girl, but now she finds herself on the run with only her three friends. Simon, Derrick, and Tori are all superhuman with special abilities that landed them in the same mental instution as Chloe. When things being to unravel it is soon apparent that they are all in danger. All three books thus far have followed a timeline of just over a week. Chloe and her friends are continuing to run, but will find themselves at a dead end in this book. The entire journey seems to have made one huge circle that is still not allowing them any answers. With the list of enemies ever growing these four kids have no idea whom to trust or where to turn. Kelley Armstrong is a very experience author, and very talented story builder. I have followed many of her series, and her talents never cease to amaze me. After completing The Reckoning I was reading the description for The Gathering it seems that the next novel is about two new characters. I am interested to see if this novel was the end to Chloe, Derrick, Simon, and Tori; or if the next book is just a break that will add more amazing characters to this series.

While I did enjoy The Reckoning, I thought it wasn't as strong as it could have been. I feel like Armstrong purposefully left some threads dangling, as if she might want to revisit these characters in a future series. I'd be fine with that, because I enjoy Chloe's character and there is a lot about her and her powers that could still be explored. I just wish this book had done more to resolve some of the things that had become major elements in the series. Chloe's best friend, Rachelle, has a storyline that ends in an unsatisfying manner. I don't understand why such a big deal was made about who Tori's biological father was, and then this was never addressed by any of the characters. Once the Edison Group is handled (and bravo for the way Mrs. Enright is taken out!), the group immediately has to start running again from a Cabal that sort of cropped up out of nowhere. And we never did learn what the deal was with Chloe's necklace. I also wanted her to have some sort of closure with her father.
I really liked how the romantic triangle played out, and the character development of Chloe and Derek in particular was well done. There was a lot of action in this book, just like in the previous two, and the good guys won while the bad guys all got what was coming to them. I liked The Reckoning, but I didn't love it.

I love the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre told from a young adult perspective. A great read that you can connect with your own kids by sharing a good story. What a good way to talk and share what ifs, what could be better and how do you think it would Beas a movie, tv series or whatever you can stretch your imagination in fun and exciting ways. A fun filled fantastic scary thriller that will keep you I the edge of your seat without a R rated dialogue.

Overall,I liked the end of the Darkest Powers series. Armstrong clarifies the reasons for the Edison Group and how the villains become what they are. With that said, there are both positives and negatives to this book.

Negatives: I was a bit disappointed with how quickly she concluded the series. I wished she had given a bit more information on the psycological reasoning for Tori's mood swings as well as why Derek was so bitter and rude in the beginning. Obviously as a reader you can make up your own conclusions, but I would have liked to hear from the author the specifics on that. Also, I would like to know what is going to happen about the kids education. It would have been nice to have had a more detailed conclusion with a description of their future plans. Essentially, the book ends too fast. It almost felt like the author got tired of writing and decided to give it a quick ending.

Positives: The book keeps the reader's attention from beginning to end. The action scenes are very enticing and will keep the reader well entertained. The Chloe, Simon and Derek love triangle wraps up very well. The reencounter of Derek and Simon with their dad is well done, although a bit fast. Overall, I feel the trilogy is very appealing and would reccomend to anyone who likes adventure with mild scary themes.

I am thoroughly impressed with this trilogy, and I’m giddy that there are multiple short stories that go along with it! I can’t wait to hunt them all down!

I do wish there were more full length books to this series. I would have loved to see how Chloe evolves with her necromancy powers. It really sounded like there was more to come, since not all of the bad guys are struck down by the end, and the central group still seems to be on the run. Maybe I’ll find more closure in the related short stories.

I have very much enjoyed this trilogy, and this final book does not disappoint. While some might feel that the ending does not actually tie up everything, rest assured that this is just the first set of books taking place in Armstrong's YA Otherworld. She has a new trilogy coming out that doesn't deal specifically with Chloe and her friends, but with subjects from another Edison Group experiment. Hopefully, we'll get to see Chloe again, Armstrong says that is her current plan.
The Reckoning gives the readers a happy ending, but doesn't solve everything neatly, which would seem too easy for the adventures this group has been through. She also shares more details of the Edison Group, including that they are financed by the St. Cloud cabal. I read her Women of the Otherworld series, as well, in fact I don't normally read YA, but enjoy that series so much I try to read everything she writes. She makes it clear that this is the same world, referencing the Pack, as well as the same cabals.
Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori all become closer, as friends, as love interests (yay!), and as siblings (and not just the two obvious ones!). I admit this book left me wanting more of their story, but that's what we love about Armstrong, and I trust her to satisfy my cravings for great stories with her next trilogy, Darkness Rising.
I would definitely recommend this book, however if you are coming into the series late, start with the first book. This is not a trilogy of three separate but related stories, it's more like one long book, read it as such.

I admit it, I had to instantly buy the second and third books in the series so I could see what happened to our super natural friends. The Reckoning is the third book in the series and helped to bring the story to somewhat of a conclusion. Chloe, Derek, Simon and Tori are children who have been medically enhanced so their super natural powers are vamped up beyond control. Now the ones who vamped them up want to take them out. The kids need to figure out how to find a safe place to go and how to safely control their own powers so they don't hurt themselves or others. Can the kids find their way out of the Edison Groups control, find the boys dad and Aunt Lauren without any of them getting hurt or killed? You'll need to read to find out! I think if you enjoy reading about werewolves, seeing the dead and other super natural powers this is a great series to read. I enjoyed all three books and I think many teens to adults would too!

Written by Kerri J. Busteed
Author of Will's First Hunt Will's First Hunt

I enjoyed the first two installments of this series and the ending certainly didn't disappoint. We are once again following this group of unique characters as they struggle to find the secrets behind their supernatural powers. To me, the strength of this series has always been it's characters. The author has created a group of intelligent teens and has written dialogue for them that is authentic and not overly dramatic and "angsty". The pacing here is perfect; the story moves along at a brisk pace while still leaving time for a bit of romance. My only reservation is that some of the action scenes came across as a bit implausible, but hey, I enjoyed them anyway!

Ms. Armstrong definitely has a flair for the supernatural. Her creation of such believable, firmly grounded characters helps draw the reader into the supernatural elements of her stories. This is a great series that I would recommend to any young adult or adult reader who is a fan of supernatural fiction. An impressive ending to a solid series.

The Reckoning is an engaging, thrilling book that leaves you on edge the entire time. The book starts with the main heroine, Chloe Saunders, asleep in a safe house with her friends, Derek Souza, Simon Bae, and Victoria Enright. Chloe, along with the others, are no normal teens. Chloe is a powerful necromancer, Simon is a sorcerer, Derek is a werewolf, and Tori is a witch with an attitude. All are trying to avoid capture, but who can they trust? This book will keep you on edge from the first to the last page.
The Reckoning really connects to its readers. Chloe is 15 and starting out in high school, trying to fit in, like all of those teenage girls out there. The reader can really connect with this book, it's like you are Chloe and living her crazy life. I recommend this book to any other reader along with the Maximum ride series. Both books have advanced characters that are unrealistic but it makes you wonder if sorcerers or bird kids truly exist. In both books the characters were made into something powerful by mad scientists and now the characters are running and fighting for their lives because the experiments had back fired. Both series are a "must read" to anyone who loves adventure, excitement, and thrilling cliffhangers that leave you wanting more, if you can get over the creep factor of ghost and zombies.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was recommended to me by a dear friend and I gave it a shot because she said it was good, except she didn't mention how amazing it was. Literally I was trembling during the action parts, my mind reeling on Chloe's next move. I truly recommend this to anyone who loves a thrilling action, and a secret romance hidden between the pages.

Kelley Armstrong is a very talented author. In her third book in the Darkest Powers Series, "The Reckoning," she brings us action, romance, and just the right amount of evil! I love how she writes outside the box and how she develops these fascinating characters. In just a matter of three books I watched them grow into some of my favorites. I can't wait for her fourth novel to come out and I would recommend this series to any YA reader enthusiast. It's a beautiful story of struggle between humans with supernatural powers. Chloe is exactly as I would see a 15 yr old struggling with such abilities. Kelley, you are a genius with this story.

As the Darkest Powers series comes to a close Chloe and her friends must find out what secrets their society of supernaturals, specifically the Edison Group, is hiding. Chloe and her friends have had one heck of a week, after running from Lyle House and then the Edison Group they have finally found a place where they are safe. At least for now. As Chloe, a ghost seer or necromancer will exceptional powers, starts to uncover the secrets of the house they are staying in and the people they are beginning to trust. The group, Simon, Damon, and Tori, must decide who is telling the truth, while dealing with the uncertainties of their accelerated powers. Friendships and loyalties are tested as traitors are revealed. Ultimately, Chloe and the rest must find a way to overcome their differences and figure out the story behind all the secrets.

The Good: The Reckoning is an exciting, action-packed conclusion to a series I have enjoyed immensely. Chloe is an ambitious, stubborn, witty character that makes this story come to life. Damon, on the other hand, is loud and overbearing, but is always trying to put others first. Both of their inner struggles develop them into dynamic, relatable characters that are a joy to read. This story continues to unravel and then form new secrets and twists that keep you turning the pages. And though the first two novels had little romance this one does. And let me just say it's intense. Romantics will not be disappointed. The end of the story is wrapped up very nicely leaving no loose ends unanswered, which most people enjoy at the end of the series. Overall this novel has good flow and style with adventurous characters and enough twists to keep our minds guessing.

The Bad: This novel was very hard to find something negative about it. I found a certain decisions made by the characters unrealistic, even for a paranormal novel. But this novel was my favorite of the trilogy and was an interesting, suspenseful read.

For the rest of this review and others like it visit [...]

Excellent third book in the series. I loved the way that the story played out. It was extremely believable. Her characters are so vivid and real that you can easily get lost on their adventures.

The story picks up right where the last one left off. The twists in the story in regard to who the group should trust were unexpected as was the reality of the situation as to who and what the Edison Group really was.

Chloe's decision in the end was not something that I expected her to do, but she's such a strong female character that I really should have expected it or something like it.

I love this book! I love everything Kelley Armstrong so I wasn't surprised to find this book to be amazing. Completely recommend it. It has a hint of scary and a lot of fun I live the characters and the storyline, just everything about it really.

-This is the conclusion to Part 1 of the series. Character development is spot on. The pace is steady, with an ending that leaves you wanting more yet satisfied. Next Book 'The Gathering' Book 1 Darkness Rising. I personally consider this part 2 to the Darkest Powers series.

An Amazing and hypnotizing book. I love this author! Kelley Armstrong has written many books that have enticed me and she has yet to let me down. I look forward to reading more of her books. I also enjoyed that this series had left a lot of the unknown even in the descriptions I had read. It left a mystery that tugged my interest into never wanting to put the books down.

Whenever I pick up any book by this author, I just cannot put it down. The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong is full of so many surprises and twists it will make you feel like you are on a roller coaster ride without even leaving your room. This is one of my favorite young adult fiction books I have ever read.

The first two books of this series are about a 15 year-old girl, Chloe Saunders, who gets put in a group home, because she can see ghosts. In this home she meets many people, some of which become her friends, crushes, and enemies. The other children in the home include: Derek, a teenage werewolf, Simon, a cute sorcerer and Derek's brother, Tori, a bratty witch, and Liz, a friendly poltergeist. However, when Liz disappears, the kids know the group home is not what it seems so they pack up and run away. Sadly, they get caught by the group that runs the home, the Edison Group, and are taken back into custody. The kids then manage to escape from the Edison Group to go find Andrew, Simon and Derek's uncle. The third book resumes from this point.

Once the kids have found Andrew, a theme of romance starts to emerge between Chloe and the two boys. From Derek constantly changing into a ware-wolf and Chloe being by his side, to Simon and Chloe going on a date. A theme of power also starts to show in this book when the kids start to find out how powerful they are and how to use their different capabilities.

I loved the entire book, but I absolutely loved the risk and adventure put into it. It made reading exhilarating and fun! I also enjoyed the romance in this story. I was very happy that it was not all about relationships but it was hinted here and there. Kelley Armstrong has definitely outdone herself in this exciting novel that I recommend for anyone looking for adventure, suspense, and a good time.

A friend recommended Kelley Armstrong to me and I flew through her YA series. I really enjoyed this series - the romantic triangle, her struggling friendship with Tori, and the adventurous who-can-we-trust escape from the Edison Group. But at the end of it all I found myself with some unanswered questions. The romantic angle is resolved, but I wanted more clarity in regards to the Edison Group, the Cabal, and even some more insight into what the kids were going to do next. Obviously she couldn't wrap up all the character's storylines in one book. I do recommend this series and look forward to her next YA series, though I know it won't answer any of my questions.

I personally love this series, and unlike most, I think it has a very appropriate ending. They will never have a "happily ever after" because they work always be on the run. They will always be planning that next step so I found the ending to be a good place to stop. She finished with the story line and I think if she would have wrote it any different it would have started another line. The only reason it's not a 5 star book is out of all of them this one is my least favorite. The adult characters just never set right with me, not because they were bad, maybe just because they weren't as well created? Anyways, this is a great book choice that you can read many times without getting bored.

This is a great book 3 of a 4 book series and I'm looking forward to Ms Armstrong turning it into that from it being just a trilogy. Having read several other books by Ms Armstrong, I know that all of her characters live in the same world (The Otherworld) and because of that they show up in other books not specifically about them. But I'd really like to know more about what happens to Derek and Chloe together not just snippets in other books.

I waited for the third Darkest Powers in great anticipation. The first two books were wonderful and exciting and got right to the point. I expected the third book to be the same. It was a wonderful read, if only it hadn't been the last installment. The author was very vague. I had many questions while reading the first two books, questions I expected to be answered in The Reckoning. Although she did answer most, they were not solid conclusions. Other than that, it was just as exciting as the others. Also finally the romance department is finally concluded which is a good thing for all you Derek fans.

Just like the other two books there is little progression of storyline in the third. The characters are constantly running around in circles always coming back to the same conclusions and making little headway with answers. The only thing I really did enjoy about this book was learning more about Derek who kind of grew on me throughout the series.

Armstrong does YA right, these books are just fine for your 12 year old but certainly enjoyable for older teens and fans of Armstrong as well.

Chloe is an awesome heroine--coming off very genuine and relatable but still admirable. The romantic elements are well done and wonderful and there's plenty of action as well.

Armstrong is a master of Sweet and Simple, keeping the plot clear but very well rounded. Also, she's created her Young Adult version of the Otherworld which she's populating with an entirely new cast of characters. I can't wait for The Gathering.

This series started off kind of boring but once you get past the first book it becomes one that you cant put down. I really felt the ending just stopped I felt like I wanted more another book still. Overall i would recommend and I will be giving this author another chance. Cant wait to see what else she has out

finally a story that lets us truly enjoy the development of the characters. i loved what was happening between derek and chloe. it was mesmerizing . kelly armstrong took her time, letting us savor each and everything there was to know about the wonderful people in her book. i can't imagine anyone not liking this series. i just can't. its to good. not a single boring moment.

Despite the fact that I know this was only ever meant to be a triology, I enjoyed the story so much that I wish it had continued. I do like the fact that the author left the end open to our imagination but I did want to see a little more. I understood and liked the ending but I still wanted to see more from Chloe's unintentional summoning of the demon and the interest he expressed in her. I also wished to understand the transformation process of werewolves after the change just a little more but I did enjoy what she explained. It was very well done and I thoroughly recommend this series to anyone who enjoyes the world of fantasy and enjoy a good coming of age story.

Okay, if your like me, and is so sick of books about vampires and angels OH great eternal love blah blah blah. This series will captivate you SOOO much. I mean seriously? You might look at the description and be like wtf? But this series is amazing, I could not stop reading, not even to eat. I spent 8 straight hours in the same spot, and reading book after book. This series is amazing, and worth looking into. I am highly disappointed that she ended it. I mean the series that suck, go on and on, but this series, was absolutely amazing, and the thing you least expect to happen happens. I mean, I expected them, mostly because I am a huge fan of reading, and can predict almost EVERY fairy tale ending, but this series was amazing. Fascinating and EXTRAORDINARY, I loved it. My compliments to the author. AMAZING STUFF, and I'm only 14

The Reckoning picks up right where The Awakening left off, with Chloe and her group of genetically modified supernaturals safe from the clutches of the Edison Group at last. Once they get a chance to rest and stop running, the teens finally start learning how to use their powers. But it quickly becomes evident that no one is ready for what the Edison Group's experiments have created. When their safe house suddenly doesn't feel so safe, Chloe and her friends are forced to run again, and this time the stakes are even higher.

The Darkest Powers trilogy does a wonderful job of building on the supernatural world created in Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series without ever leaning on those characters to propel the story. Like the first two books in the series, The Reckoning is an action packed adventure that will keep you guessing as the story unfolds and loyalties are put into question. Never knowing who to trust keeps the reader in the same mindset as the characters, and heightens the suspense as things progress to the high-stakes conclusion. I actually found this series to be scarier than the Women of the Otherworld books, and was often on the edge of my seat as Chloe battled her ghosts and demons.

The character development in The Reckoning is fantastic! As usual, Kelley Armstrong's characters are so layered and authentic that you miss them when they're not around. Chloe, Derek and Tori all really grow and change throughout the course of this novel. Simon's role is reduced quite a bit in The Reckoning, but this makes sense as the other characters powers continue to grow.

Between the action, suspense and great characters, The Reckoning is a gripping adventure set in an amazing supernatural world that meshes seamlessly with our own.

I cannot believe that this is the last book in this series?!! There is so much that was not answered!! I feel very disappointed and let down. But I have to say, this is the best book of the series! If this is how the author finishes her other books, then I won't bother reading any of it. I like closure to my series.

I LOVE THIS SERIES, ITS A LOT FOCUSED ON SURVIVAL BUT AS WELL AS FIGURING OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE AND GETTING OT KNOW PEOPLE AND FALL IN LOVE, THE STORY IS VERY UNIQUE, AND INTERESTING. ALL IN ALL I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE LOOKING FOR SOME ACTION AND FANTASY!!

On the Darkest Powers website blog pages, I learned that this book is *not* the final book in the series. It is the third book in the first trilogy of the larger series centered around the Edison Group research projects. This trilogy arises from Edison's Project Genesis; the next set of books arises from Edison's Project Phoenix starting with The Gathering. I recommend the blog for some interesting links...edisongroup.org & a link to the publisher site that has the first 90 pages of The Gathering.

The Reckoning was one of those books where you get to the end and say, "That's it?" and you're left wanting more even though it was a really good book. I don't like spoilers, so I'm not going to say anything that could potentially spoil the book for anyone who hasn't read The Reckoning yet. I can say though that I loved the characters and their story. Tori & Derek make me laugh, Chloe is coming into her own, and Simon is just trying to keep up with the superpowers.

Okay, if your like me, and is so sick of books about vampires and angels OH great eternal love blah blah blah. This series will captivate you SOOO much. I mean seriously? You might look at the description and be like wtf? But this series is amazing, I could not stop reading, not even to eat. I spent 8 straight hours in the same spot, and reading book after book. This series is amazing, and worth looking into. I am highly disappointed that she ended it. I mean the series that suck, go on and on, but this series, was absolutely amazing, and the thing you least expect to happen happens. I mean, I expected them, mostly because I am a huge fan of reading, and can predict almost EVERY fairy tale ending, but this series was amazing. Fascinating and EXTRAORDINARY, I loved it. My compliments to the author. AMAZING STUFF, and I'm only 14

The Reckoning picks up right where The Awakening left off, with Chloe and her group of genetically modified supernaturals safe from the clutches of the Edison Group at last. Once they get a chance to rest and stop running, the teens finally start learning how to use their powers. But it quickly becomes evident that no one is ready for what the Edison Group's experiments have created. When their safe house suddenly doesn't feel so safe, Chloe and her friends are forced to run again, and this time the stakes are even higher.

The Darkest Powers trilogy does a wonderful job of building on the supernatural world created in Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series without ever leaning on those characters to propel the story. Like the first two books in the series, The Reckoning is an action packed adventure that will keep you guessing as the story unfolds and loyalties are put into question. Never knowing who to trust keeps the reader in the same mindset as the characters, and heightens the suspense as things progress to the high-stakes conclusion. I actually found this series to be scarier than the Women of the Otherworld books, and was often on the edge of my seat as Chloe battled her ghosts and demons.

The character development in The Reckoning is fantastic! As usual, Kelley Armstrong's characters are so layered and authentic that you miss them when they're not around. Chloe, Derek and Tori all really grow and change throughout the course of this novel. Simon's role is reduced quite a bit in The Reckoning, but this makes sense as the other characters powers continue to grow.

Between the action, suspense and great characters, The Reckoning is a gripping adventure set in an amazing supernatural world that meshes seamlessly with our own.

I cannot believe that this is the last book in this series?!! There is so much that was not answered!! I feel very disappointed and let down. But I have to say, this is the best book of the series! If this is how the author finishes her other books, then I won't bother reading any of it. I like closure to my series.

I LOVE THIS SERIES, ITS A LOT FOCUSED ON SURVIVAL BUT AS WELL AS FIGURING OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE AND GETTING OT KNOW PEOPLE AND FALL IN LOVE, THE STORY IS VERY UNIQUE, AND INTERESTING. ALL IN ALL I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE LOOKING FOR SOME ACTION AND FANTASY!!

On the Darkest Powers website blog pages, I learned that this book is *not* the final book in the series. It is the third book in the first trilogy of the larger series centered around the Edison Group research projects. This trilogy arises from Edison's Project Genesis; the next set of books arises from Edison's Project Phoenix starting with The Gathering. I recommend the blog for some interesting links...edisongroup.org & a link to the publisher site that has the first 90 pages of The Gathering.

The Reckoning was one of those books where you get to the end and say, "That's it?" and you're left wanting more even though it was a really good book. I don't like spoilers, so I'm not going to say anything that could potentially spoil the book for anyone who hasn't read The Reckoning yet. I can say though that I loved the characters and their story. Tori & Derek make me laugh, Chloe is coming into her own, and Simon is just trying to keep up with the superpowers.

This is the 3rd and final installment of this series. I really enjoyed the first two books (The Summoning and The Awakening) as I did with this one until I got to the ending. I felt that there were too many things left unresolved. The book held strong like the first two and it never slowed down but the next thing you know it ended and I was left with questions unanswered. It still is a good series and I would still highly recommend it

What I most like about this trilogy was the way the characters ended. There's real evolution in this piece that is often absent in other place. Protagonist Chole begins as a sheltered, overly sensitive and naive girl and in this book arrives as a confident badass woman aware of th consequences of her decision. Likewise her suitor Derek, and frenemy Tori become more layered and complex characters in their own right. Read for the characters!

This is a great book for those who love fantasy and the paranormal in a modern-day setting. It's done very well and incorporated in a way that doesn't seem so drastically unreasonable. The romance isn't overwhelming either which is very nice.

I couldn't read The Reckoning when it first came out because it was checked out of the library until like two weeks ago and I didn't have any money to buy one. Then I checked it out - then my sister stole it from me and read it - then she gave it back to me as soon as she was done. I finally got to read it - and I loved every word of The Reckoning. Everything that I wanted to happen since the end of The Awakening happened.
This series for me is a must read for me - and as soon as The Gathering comes out I'm going to get it because I really don't want to wait on the library again.

I read The Summoning, The Awakening and The Reckoning over 2 days! I loved them all! They are a great young adult read but even if you are a more mature aged sci-fi/teen romance reader you will enjoy them!

Kelly Armstrong provides such diversity in all her books and this trilogy has witches, werewolves, sorcerers, teen love in a fun loving way!

Go get them now!

i love these books best books ive read in a while actullay. i read a lot too. the only thing is in this book and the second one kelly armstrong creates a lot of loose ends. she doesnt sum them up or anything. the endng was awesome in one aspect but dint tie so many loose ends. the only improvment i would make is the ending. i would have liked the book longer just so it would tie up the loose ends.

still i LOVE the darkest powerbooks!!!!!!

The Reckoning was one of those books where you get to the end and say, "That's it?" and you're left wanting more even though it was a really good book. I don't like spoilers, so I'm not going to say anything that could potentially spoil the book for anyone who hasn't read The Reckoning yet. I can say though that I loved the characters and their story. Tori & Derek make me laugh, Chloe is coming into her own, and Simon is just trying to keep up with the superpowers.

This story is a great finish to the trilogy. It keeps you hooked right up until the end. Great storytelling from a great author who really cares about her characters and delivers a tale well worth reading.

Kelly Armstrong is an amazing author. My 13 year old daughter and I fought over who would read 'The Reckoning' first. It was an addictive read full of danger, suspense and a touch of romance. We are mortified that there are no more books planned for this series. Please reconsider.

I absolutely love this series! The ending to this last book was ...ugh! I mean, there is NO sense of closure to this story. I was really irked when I finished this book and realized THAT was the end! I gave the book 5 stars due to it being an amazing story but I still feel like I've been gypped!

At the end of the third installment, I was left with unanswered questions and a few concerns.

I loved the series as a whole. Nothing is better than having several supernatural teens on the run. If you enjoyed the first two books, this book will not let you down. But you may put down the book and wonder, is that all there is?

when you think kelley armstrong books can't get any better BAM the Reckoning comes out! Chloe sees and talks to ghost but she can also rasie the dead and is in a mixed up love triangle! On the run from the Edison Group sparks fly and punches are thrown! this is one of the best books i've ever read!

This story was amazing with a great blend of action and drama! I was hoping for another book but it seems this is the conclusion, which makes me sad. This is a great story that could keep on going because of the loose ends not tied up.

I would recommend this book to other readers of fantasy!

amazing book! i couldn't put it down. i highly reccomend this entire series to anyone and everyone who wants a good read. i liked the ending despite the fact that it left the story open ended. hopefully kelley armstrong will write more about these characters in the near future (fingers crossed!) .

i love this series. the author. i loved the booked one of my favorite. i love how it is writing through a teen point of veiw. i loved the ending but the over all plot ending i was extremly disappointed. the serise was left un completed. they never figured out who was behind it all. i think it needs another book to finish the plot. over all i loved the book but hated how i was unfufiled and never knew the true ending

Of all the books in the Darkest Powers trilogy, I have to say I like this best. New traits of some characters come through and the old ones are there and seem more expanded on. Characters change. Although it can be a bit predictable, it's an awesome read.

From the beginning to the end, I thought it was FANTASTIC! If you're into supernatural stuff like magic, necromacy, werewolves, etc. you should read this series! If you're more into vamps...well I don't know if you could like this or not 'cuz i'm not really into vamps...

I LOVED this series! There needs to be more books I want to know what happens to Chloe and Derek and Tori with kit and Simon! There's so much un finished business! I just couldn't put the books down! Wonderful!

I could not but it down once! I love all of the people but I really love derek and the wrighting of kelly armstrong. I really love this book and if have not read any of kelly armstrongs books then read this one!

This final book of the Darkest Powers series closes everything up showing what happens between the chracters andthe Edison Group. It encloses the series in a very well way and makes me want to read more!

i love this series. the author. i loved the booked one of my favorite. i love how it is writing through a teen point of veiw. i loved the ending but the over all plot ending i was extremly disappointed. the serise was left un completed. they never figured out who was behind it all. i think it needs another book to finish the plot. over all i loved the book but hated how i was unfufiled and never knew the true ending

The Reckoning was definitely my favorite of the 3. The characters were fully developed and I absolutely loved the characters! So much action as well as some romance!!! PERFECT CONCLUSION! I’m not going to give a synopsis mostly because everyone has read this trilogy, but also because this is the final book and I don’t want to spoil everything from the first 2!

I cannot get over how much I loved this trilogy! I’ll admit, the first wasn’t my favorite. Gave it a 4/5 stars, but it had potential to be an AMAZING trilogy and it did! I owned the first 2 books for about 5 years. I believed up until earlier in 2013, that this trilogy was about witches…. I was WAYYY off! I don’t know why I thought that.. The back cover even says necromancy. I don’t know. But I’m glad this was necromancy/supernatural and not witches! There’s A LOT of witch books out there and not very many (that I know of) that deal with necromancy! Let’s not forget to mention Kelley Armstrong’s writing style!!! HOLY COW! SHE CAN WRITE CREEPY SCENES!

This trilogy is very hard to put down. It is VERY fast paced and somewhat predictable at times. But that’s what makes this trilogy amazing! The characters are absolutely amazing, I adore them all and I’m sad to say goodbye to them! I just started to really love Derek, yes, Team Derek! But I’m excited to start The Darkest Rising trilogy, which is a companion trilogy to this. It features new characters with the appearance of characters from this trilogy, so I don’t have to completely say goodbye just yet!

If you have not picked up this trilogy yet… What are you doing?! Stop what your reading and start this! It’s fast paced and absolutely amazing!!!!