YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Chloe Saunders used to have a relatively normal life.

But now she finds herself in the middle of some really strange situations because:
~She suddenly starts seeing dead people.
~She gets locked up in a group home for unstable teens.
~The group home isn't what it seems.

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House... before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1) by Kelley Armstrong will be our 4th GBR for August 2021.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

I read Waking Up A Witch and it was really great. Are we doing all three books or just the first one?

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start? It doesn't look like my usual type of read, with the old school YA fantasy cover, but I'm excited to try this author out :)

Has anyone read anything similar to this before? The mention of a special school for different kids reminds me of either Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children or Every Heart a Doorway

Anybody read anything else by this author previously? Nothing!

Up to the end of Chapter Ten - (view spoiler)[Lots of teen drama, concerning boys and the school's social hierarchy, and general adolescent worries, such as periods and development, featured alongside the slowly increasing paranormal elements. There was a good balance of the two though.

I quite liked how the book opened with Chloe in the real world and how the reader learned to understand her abilities as she herself did.

The ghostly appearance caused her to freak out at school and she was then removed to a special academy for troubled teens. From the synopsis the reader already knew this new school was more for those with special abilities though. (hide spoiler)]

25%: (view spoiler)[ Super good book already. I love that we just went straight into the action. I love Chloe and hate that she has to go through seeing ghosts and them freaking her out. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Ten - Lots of teen drama, concerning boys and the school's social hierarchy, and general adolescent worries, such as periods and development, featured alongside the slowly ..."

I love how we learned with her as well! That was nice instead of having to try to figure everything out.

50%: (view spoiler)[ Love it so far. I hate that Chloe is put in the group home and how everyone thinks shes crazy. I'm glad Derek and Simon are helping her realize what she is. I hope Liz isn't actually dead but I feel like she is. (hide spoiler)]

75%: (view spoiler)[Tori is a bitch for what she did. I'm glad Chloe wasn't hurt by the ghosts/zombies. I'm glad Dereck found her and was able to help her. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[Loved this book! I hated that they were able to get out but then Chloe's aunt betrayed them. I hate that Liz is actually dead. (hide spoiler)]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Ten - Lots of teen drama, concerning boys and the school's social hierarchy, and general adolescent worries, such as periods and development, featured alongs..."

(view spoiler)[I usually don't gel with fantasy books set in this world, but it does make a nice change of pace to be eased into the fantastical elements so gently. (hide spoiler)]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "25%: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I thought the author did a really good job of portraying her initial fear (hide spoiler)]

Up to the end of Chapter Twenty - (view spoiler)[Chloe searched online for any clues as to who the ghost at her school could have belonged to. I'm glad she fought for what she knew was true and was not just accepting her schizophrenic diagnosis.

Chloe's necklace was returned to her by her mother and I guessed it would have some special significance, given the book cover.

Derek and Simon were not really called Derek and Simon, posing a new mystery for Chloe. (hide spoiler)]

Up to the end of Chapter Thirty - (view spoiler)[I'm not vibing with the teen drama in the same way I am with the paranormal elements. I'm really not liking how the book is pitting Victoria against Chloe. I thought Chloe overhearing Victoria with her overbearing mother would soften them towards each other but it only made Victoria lash out again. Luckily Derek was there to help her. (hide spoiler)]

Up the end of the book - (view spoiler)[I liked this one but didn't love it, just like I was interested in what was occurring but never fully invested. I wished the focus was on Chloe and the backstories for the ghosts she saw, rather than on the other kids in the school with her. I understand the focus on their escape was tying everything together though.

This might be a controversial opinion but I didn't care much for either Derek or Simon. I really didn't understand why it hurt her so much that they worried more for each other's safety, as brothers, than hers, as a girl they only met a week ago?

Aunt Laura knew about Chloe's abilities and betrayed her by installing her at the school whilst knowing of what they did there prompting Chloe to reveal all to Liz right at the end, setting this up for book 2. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter seventeen (view spoiler)[I'm so glad that Chloe's aunt is doing something about Derek putting his hands on Chloe because that was absolutely not okay. The way Chloe was trying to down play it even though she has bruises was really disturbing to me. I really hope that Derek doesn't become the love interest because he's pretty awful. (hide spoiler)]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "75%: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I was ready to feel sorry for her at that point too! (hide spoiler)]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I didn't anticipate the ending. It led onto book 2 in a really intriguing way. (hide spoiler)]

Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) wrote: "Chapter seventeen [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I didn't really care for either Derek or Simon throughout this because of scenes like that. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I agree. I'm not a fan of either of them either. Derek is a hot head with violent tendencies and everyone is making excuses for him. And he didn't even apologize to her. I honestly cannot see myself rooting for him and Chloe to get together (because unfortunately I think that's going to happen) no matter how much his character develops. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter thirty-nine (view spoiler)[Tori and Chloe's little rivalry thing is so annoying and unnecessary. And the fact that Chloe throws in Tori's face about how her mom finds her to be spoiled was low.

The paranormal elements of this story is the only reason I'm getting through this so quickly. The characters are so unlikable to me. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[I did like the ending though it was no surprise that the aunt was going to turn on her. I hate that she did because I liked how she handled the situation between Chloe and Derek. I'll read book two but I'm not in any kind of hurry. These characters got on my nerves so bad that I need a break. I usually binge read old YA series but this one I can't see myself doing it like that.

This was a very quick paced read and the plot itself was so interesting. I just that I had liked any of the characters. (hide spoiler)]

Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) wrote: "Finished ..."

(view spoiler)[I felt pretty much the same as you. The ending was my favourite part and did interest me enough to continue on, but maybe with a break of a few books inbetween lol. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 7: (view spoiler)[ I guess it makes sense that they would diagnose her with Schizophrenia. Poor Chloe she is too young. What do the ghosts want? (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start? It doesn't look like my usual type of read, with the old school YA fantasy cover, but I'm excited to try this author out :)

Has anyone read an..."

I've read the Cainsville and Rockton series by this author before. Usually a solidly entertaining read.

Karen wrote: "Dannii wrote: "Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start? It doesn't look like my usual type of read, with the old school YA fantasy cover, but I'm excited to try this author out :)

Has..."

Good to know. I'll have to try and track some copies of them :)

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Ten - Lots of teen drama, concerning boys and the school's social hierarchy, and general adolescent worries, such as periods and development, featured alongs..."

It allowed us to find things out at a fairly natural pace, I thought.

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Ten - Lots of teen drama, concerning boys and the school's social hierarchy, and general adolescent worries, such as periods and development, featured alongside the slowly ..."

I am intrigued by Simon and Derek - there's something Chloe hasn't been told yet.

25% - The labelling seems too convenient, but I think that might be the point. I'm surprised it's taken her this long to start asking questions about the things she thinks she's seeing. Also, what on earth happened to Liz once she was taken out of the home?

50% - the second quarter has seen a bit of a shift in Chloe's mindset. I'm still not entirely sure how Derek knows so much about this, but I'm thinking we'll start to get some answers soon.

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "50%: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Pretty sure that Liz has to be dead for Chloe to still be able to talk with her. Do wonder what happened to her. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Twenty - Chloe searched online for any clues as to who the ghost at her school could have belonged to. I'm glad she fought for what she knew was true and was not just accep..."

(view spoiler)[ Simon having no records is really quite suspicious. I wondered if he might not exist, but all the others are talking to him so I guess that's not it. (hide spoiler)]

Third quarter - up to ch35. First hints that Chloe is not quite what the others are expecting. So many questions to be addressed.

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Thirty - [spoilers removed]"

I am still undecided about Tori. She doesn't seem wholly convincing in her role. (view spoiler)[ Also, curious about this idea of a necromancer guide. (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Thirty - [spoilers removed]"

I am still undecided about Tori. She doesn't seem wholly convincing in her role. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[It seemed like a lot of her actions stemmed from her lashing out as she herself was hurting. I wish we saw some resolution or delved deeper into her backstory to understand her more though. (hide spoiler)]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I disliked that her aunt was in on this. However, it makes sense in terms of getting her in there in the first place. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Up the end of the book - I liked this one but didn't love it, just like I was interested in what was occurring but never fully invested. I wished the focus was on Chloe and the backstories for the ..."

(view spoiler)[ There did seem to be rather a lot of characters to tie in here, without really giving the detail we might have appreciated. However, it's often the way that some of these elements will be addressed later in the series. (hide spoiler)]

Finished. Review on home page. Reasonable start to the series, and definitely gets us asking questions.

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Ten - Lots of teen drama, concerning boys and the school's social hierarchy, and general adolescent worries, such as periods and development, featured alongside the slowly ..."

I agree, I like how there's not an info dump and we're just going along

Ch 1-10 (view spoiler)[ I wonder what exactly happened to Liz? Did she die accidentally or did they kill her?
Seeing ghosts would be very scary, not something I would wish for (hide spoiler)]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "25%: [spoilers removed]"

Yeah the opening chapter was creepy

Karen wrote: "25% - The labelling seems too convenient, but I think that might be the point. I'm surprised it's taken her this long to start asking questions about the things she thinks she's seeing. Also, what ..."

Yes, I'd have lots of questions

Ch 11-20 (view spoiler)[ I don't like that Derek and Simon are mad at Chloe. Derek hurt her and is making excuses, why is Chloe to blame? Tori is also horrible .

I'm not totally sure about the place they're in. If all the kids have abilities, why is the staff saying they have mental illnesses? (hide spoiler)]

30% (view spoiler)[ I'm intrigued by Derek, what is his problem? and why Necromancer? Also, what did happen to Liz? Why is Tori choosing to be doped up? so many questions... onto the files.. can't wait to see what it says. (hide spoiler)]

38% (view spoiler)[ Ok now i'm intrigued! what is Derek's secret??? (hide spoiler)]

54% (view spoiler)[ I hope that's what Liz is... a Shaman! Gross saving urine but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do lol. Derek is so impatient! Chill bro (hide spoiler)]

68% (view spoiler)[ What are they going to do??? I need Derek to go too, he seems to be able to ground Chloe. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Ok, I did not see that coming. How is Aunt Lauren going to betray Chloe like that. I'm glad the boys got away. I am so sad about Liz, I was still holding out hope. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter Twenty - Chloe searched online for any clues as to who the ghost at her school could have belonged to. I'm glad she fought for what she knew was true and was not just accep..."

I want to know what that necklace means!!!