The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

The Rising:
Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

The Darkness Rising trilogy by Kelley Armstrong was an action packed, thrill ride and filled with emotional torment. I pushed off reading these books because I knew I was going to love them and that it would be over all too soon. Based in the same world as Kelley’s Women of the Otherworld series, this is an intricate environment filled with every supernatural being imaginative, and Kelley drew me into this universe with ease. While there was the obligatory love triangle that is usually seen in most young adult novels, the angst and romance were more subtle and not so much the in-your-face-distracts-from-the-story kind. And I have to say, I was over the moon with Maya’s final decision because the sweet and tender relationship there was built on strong bonds. Throughout the trilogy Maya was such a capable, independent character that it hardly seemed like she needed anyone at all, but she was strong enough to realize when she needed help. Daniel was a true hero’s hero, he always stood up for what is right and never tried to stand in front of Maya because he knew she was able to take care of herself, but he always stood beside her. Kelley creates such incredibly detailed characters and I loved them all, I especially liked seeing returning characters like Derek and Chloe and the others from the Darkest Powers trilogy.  

From the day of the forest fire Maya and her friends have been through so much, torn from the only home they knew only to become hunted by two different powerful groups. Over the course of their escape they were captured and managed to break out, more than once. They have lost people along the way, but their small group had also gained a new ally: Maya’s twin brother whom she has been separated from since birth. The people pursuing them were nothing short of relentless and in the end, Maya’s only option is to trust one of the people she was once running from: her father. Following his instructions Maya and a few of her friends join forces with the escapees from Project Genesis, and together they negotiate with the Nast Cabal for their freedom, even if that freedom is farther in the future then they hoped.

The Rising is more than just an ending for Maya and her friends, it also brings a close to Derek and Chloe’s journey. While the resolution is not perfect, it is the best solution for all involved. Both the Genesis and Phoenix “subjects” gain a meager sense of freedom and the hope that in the future, once they have gained control over their powers, they will truly be free of the Cabals.