What I'm reading now: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

I absolutely love Kelley Armstrong and her wild sense of adventure. I originally started reading her Otherworld novels, and fell in love with her varied paranormal characters. So when I found out that Kelley authored a teen paranormal romance trilogy, of course I had to read them!

In the first book, The Gathering, the main character, Maya, appears to be a normal teenager in love with nature, with an above average talent to heal animals. Without giving away too much, the small town that Maya lives in starts to have odd incidents, such as the captain of the swim team drowning in a calm lake. A newcomer into the quiet town seems to know some secrets, and is very interested in Maya's paw-print birthmark.

The second book of the trilogy is The Calling, which continues the story of a group of teenagers escaping a forest fire. When the helicopter goes down, the kids learn a lot about themselves and the others. While trying to survive, Maya undergoes some serious changes, and her best friend Daniel learns to be a believer.

I can't wait to read the last book, The Rising. I'm curious to find out if Maya and Daniel start a relationship beyond their friendship, and I want to know how all the kids deal with their 'gifts.'

This trilogy is completely appropriate for upper elementary, middle school, or high school students. The content is mostly clean, with only a little kissing here and there for good measure. Good book about leadership, discovering hidden talents, surviving, and learning to tolerate others.