School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Chloe, 15, can see and talk to the dead in Kelly Armstrong's novel (HarperCollins, 2008). The forward, a vignette from 12 years earlier, reveals that she was a necromancer at age 3, but her powers were repressed for most of her childhood and resurfaced again at menarche. A terrifying encounter with a gruesome ghost causes an outburst that lands Chloe in Lyle House, a facility for troubled teens. There she meets others whose special powers are eventually revealed as they attempt to discover the secrets surrounding the institution. This supernatural mystery may appeal to Harry Potter or Twilight fans, but it's a poor imitation. The story ends abruptly with no closure whatsoever-listeners will have to wait for the next episode in the series. The youthful sounding narrator, Cassandra Morris, makes little use of voice changes, so sometimes it's a bit difficult to discern which character is speaking. A technical decision to bookmark tracks on the CD to correspond with the book's chapters makes the tracks overly long and backtracking tedious.-Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School, Lancaster, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Chloe, the 15-year-old narrator of this opener in the Darkest Powers trilogy, Armstrong's (Women of the Otherworld series) first YA novel, hasn't seen ghosts since she was a little girl--until the day she finally gets her period and starts seeing ghosts everywhere. Almost immediately Chloe is sent to a small group home, Lyle House, and diagnosed as schizophrenic. Readers will forgive these familiar and even formulaic plot devices, however, given Armstrong's well-timed revelations of paranormal activity at Lyle House. What is the eminently sane Chloe to make of her new peers, especially the antisocial Derek and his foster brother, who offer their own diagnosis--that she is supernatural like them? Are they psychotic or scheming to get her in trouble, or could their idea help explain why certain disruptive teens are mysteriously transferred from Lyle, never to be heard from again? Drawing on elements dear to horror lovers (secretly buried corpses, evil doctors, werewolves, telekinesis), Armstrong adds a stylish degree of suspense. The ending, while still a cliffhanger, brings with it a chilling closure. Ages 12-up. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
After seeing a ghost in her school, Chloe Saunders arrives at the Lyle House, a home for troubled teens, but specters keep surfacing, causing her to question both her sanity and supposedly safe surroundings. Readers of Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series for adults will recognize a familiar landscape, occupied by a strong female narrator and tightly drawn supernaturals. Revelations come at a wonderfully measured pace, pulling readers deep into Chloe's psyche and a world where necromancers, werewolves and sorcerers struggle with humanity. All the Lyle House teens grapple with emerging supernatural powers, but the narrative discloses little, keeping readers guessing at their conditions until the heart of the novel. Difficult supernatural transformations align perfectly with teen experiences; after all, uncontrollable bodily changes and a fearful recognition of one's own power both comprise the scary journey to adulthood. Terrifying ghosts, smatterings of gore and diverse teen voices will prompt young adults to pick up the next in this series. Armstrong's nail-biter ending will, too: A failed escape attempt leaves Chloe imprisoned and attracted to two supernatural brothers. Teen readers might scream loud enough to raise the dead. (Fiction. 14 & up) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
