Showing posts with label Shadow Falls Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shadow Falls Series. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

BOOK REVIEW - AWAKE AT DAWN by C.C. HUNTER - SHADOW FALLS # 2 - ST. MARTINS PRESS

By: C.C. HUNTER
Published By: St. Martins Press
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 383 Pages

RATING: 4.25 TEAM STARS!!

Blurb: Goodreads

Step into the world of Shadow Falls, a camp that helps teens tap into their special…talents. Once you visit, you’ll never forget it—and you’ll never, ever be the same.

From the moment Kylie Galen arrived at Shadow Falls Camp, she’s had one burning question: What am I? Surrounded by vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, fairies and witches, Kylie longs to figure out her own supernatural identity…and what her burgeoning powers mean. And now she’ll need them more than ever, because she’s being haunted by a new spirit who insists that someone Kylie knows—and loves—will die before the end of the summer. If only she only knew who she was supposed to save. And how…

But giving Kylie the most trouble is her aching heart. Gorgeous werewolf Lucas left camp with another girl, but he’s still visiting Kylie in her dreams. And Derek, a sexy half Fae who’s always been there for her when she needed him, is pushing to get more serious—and growing impatient, especially when Lucas returns. Kylie knows she needs to decide between the boys, and it’s tearing her up inside.

Yet romance will have to wait, because something from the dark side of the supernatural world is hiding in Shadow Falls. It’s about to threaten everything she holds dear…and bring her closer to her destiny.





BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I’m now addicted to this series, devouring the books, one after the other.

Team Lucas and Team Derek.

EEEeeeEEEeeeeeee, what does a girl do?

C.C has written two very, very likable and delicious characters. I am left licking my fingers for both of them.

Is that wrong?

Both so different. Both so appealing.

Me thinks I have a conundrum on my hands.

Me thinks Kylie has a conundrum on her hands.


“You don’t have any clothes on.” Oh, God, did she really say that?

“I know. I usually shower that way.”

...A really awesome view, too.

... His gaze from the mirror locked with hers. That rush of blood returned to her face.



He pulled her against him and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was hot, passionate, and she didn’t want it to end. And when it did, he was the one who pulled away, not her.



“If Lucas were still here, would you still be sitting next to me?”


He leaned in. “Dream of me,” he whispered.

See how am I supposed to choose?

But again, there is more to this story than these two delicious lads.

Kylie is still on her quest of self discovery.

What is Kylie?

She now believes more in her supernatural side than being just plain ol’ human.

A shopping trip ends badly and with a peeping tom.

Burnett, that big hunk of spunk ( what? he is closer to my age...I said closer!!!) man is proving very delicious and he and Holiday are still butting heads. They are still such fun to watch. It’s like waiting for one of those scenes in a movie where the smexual tension gets too much and characters are ripping their clothes off in a frenzy. I am waiting for that frenzy, lol!

Burnett continued, “Don’t let Holiday leave either. Tie her down if you have to. Got it?”



“You got the hots for me?” Burnett’s deep voice rang out as he moved to stand behind Holiday.

.... “So you’re alive,” Holiday snapped.

..”You never answered,” he said. “You got the hots for me, or not?” His dark eyes lit up with a smile.

Squaring her shoulders, Holiday started talking, “Della assumed I might have the hots for you. And you know what they say about assuming, right?”

“It makes an ass out of you and me,” Della answered, and gave Kylie the elbow. “Get it. A.S.S.U.M.E.”



“No, because it’s clear to you and everyone else that those two need to go bump uglies.”

...”To do what? Bump what?”

“Bump uglies, bang each other, burn off some of those flaming hormones they put out when they’re in the same room together.”



Burnett continued to follow her, his gaze taking in her every move, as if trying to memorize every inch of her body.





Perry has gone all serious and not so much class clown anymore. I wanted to give the cranky pants a cuddle, he went and got all growly and ...well, growly.


“Would have?” Miranda asked, her voice shaky.

“Yeah, would have.” Perry turned and started walking away. But he stuck his right hand back and shot her the bird.



Pepe le Pew! LOL!! That is all I will say.

Some bridges mend, some bridges break, some bridges totally collapse.

Kylie is discovering all sorts of new gifts and the story takes a bit of a turn towards the end.

Miranda and Della, love these two! They are still bickering best buds, but they are more best buds, than bickerers. They are the 3 muskateers when it comes to helping each other out. 


“Why would he turn his off his phone? “ Holiday’s eyes tightened. “He has to have known I would want to talk to him.”

“I can answer that,” Della said. “You see, when you’re out in the woods looking for someone, hoping to find them before they find you, nothing takes away your advantage more than a ringing phone.”



Miranda clung to Della’s back and her legs wrapped around the vampire’s waist. “Rides over. Open your eyes. We found her.”

“You let her ride on your back?” Kylie asked, hoping they wouldn’t notice her watery weakness.

“It was that or wait on her. She’s slower than a three-legged turtle using a broken walker.”

“Am not,” Miranda said.

“Are too,” Della countered.



“Do either of you wear thongs?” Miranda held up a red stringy pair of panties.

“Not me,” Kylie said. “I like regular bikini.”

“Personally for me, wearing a thong is like flossing your ass,” Della said, and all three of them burst out laughing.





Selynn needs to be shown the door. Like, seriously...there's the door, use it! 

All sorts of things are happening in this installment. Boob jobs ..of the painless variety, dreamscaping. Cheating without really cheating....errr... Tom Selleck. Step-dad needs some lessons in etiquette. Friends, ex friends are messaging but Kylie don't wanna chat. Derek finds himself useful while her mum is in a bit of a tizz and Fredericka is still being a biaaattcchh! Ghostly behavior is still happening, in cryptic messages and Kylie must stop being afraid and be willing to listen and help.




Della continued walking but held her hands out in front of her boobs. “The girls.”

Kylie looked down at her chest. “You’ve seen me without a bra before.”

Della stopped. It’s not that your girls aren’t supported. It’s that they’re bigger.”

.... “Oh, God,” muttered Kylie, staring down at herself.

“Hey, if you don’t want them, pass me a cup or two over here.” Della laughed.



Holiday is always there for advice, and some girl bonding.



“Holiday frowned. “We have to learn the lessons the hard way, don’t we?”



Holiday’s eyes pooled with tears. And that pretty much made it a cry fest. Even Della joined in the tear party.

Right then, Burnett walking into the office. His gaze went from one female to the other. Kylie could almost hear him groaning inwardly. 

“I... I’ll be ... right out here.” Obviously even a hard-bodied vampire trained by the FRU wasn’t capable of dealing with four crying women.


C.C has great fun with some of her characters and leaves us all confuzzed over our Team guys. I want to like Lucas more, but then I can't help liking Derek. They are opposites that attract us girlies like a moth to a flame.

Looking forward to Taken At Dusk. Just the title is intriguing, never lone wanting to know more about the lads and the direction this book took at the end...well, one can only wonder really. Time to crack the book open and get some answers.

Michelle




Thursday, April 18, 2013

BOOK REVIEW - BORN AT MIDNIGHT by C.C. HUNTER - SHADOW FALLS # 1

By: C.C. Hunter
Published By: St. Martins Press
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 398 Pages

RATING: 4.5 LUCAS & DEREK STARS!!

Blurb : Goodreads

Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…










BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:


I read, ‘Turned At Dark’ , the prequel to Born At Midnight, back in April 2011. Took me a while to dive into my TBR pile and haul Born At Midnight to the top and crack it open.

I loved it!

C.C. has a great handle on her character’s and yes, there is a triangle forming.

Team Derek and Team Lucas.

Gahhh!!!

Which Team am I on?

Team Lucas, the gorgeous werewolf , the misunderstood one... he comes across as the bad boy and I totally dig a bad boy.

Or

Team Derek, the emotion controlling , amongst other things, half Fae. He is gorgeous too. He respects Kylie’s boundaries.

Gahhh!!!

Rinse and repeat.

There is more to this story than these two lads. Kylie is sent off to Shadow Falls Camp for troubled teenagers. She is the odd one out as she does not believe she has any of the ...errr..... issues that the other teens have.

Kylie has had a bad time of it lately, Nan has passed away, Trey the ex boyfriend..is ..well, her ex. Sara her bff is being a bit of a handful. Mum and dad are getting divorced, she suffers night terrors and she winds up at a party.... then down at the local cop station. If that is not enough , then the shrink recommends summer camp for troubled teens.

Not to forget her mum who is a bit of an Ice Queen and her dad who is having a mid life crisis.

Oh yeah and she has a stalker!

Talk about not getting your head above water in all that lot and feeling like everything was Fubared.

C.C. has written a great assortment of colourful teenagers that will be either friend or foe or class clown, at Shadow Falls Camp.

Perry is quite a fun character and Miranda and Della , who we met in the prequel, as it is Della Tsang’s story, are the bickering cabin mates.

Kylie has a great camp leader in Holiday Brandon. I really like her character. There are many fun moments between Holiday and Burnett, one of the Men In Black . Well, that is what I call the two hunky spunky suits.



The bigger man with darker hair was named Burnett James and the other was Austin Pearson. Up close, Kylie couldn’t help but notice how GQ perfect the two men were. Not that she was into old guys -- or she should say “older” because they looked about ten years older than her -- but she could still appreciate perfection.



Kylie has to find herself while she is at camp, which is kind of hard when a ghost keeps popping up all bloody , trying to get Kylie’s attention. That would kind of put you off your game.

‘Meet Your Campmates Hour’, makes for interesting time spent with Lucas and Derek and I kind of am leaning toward Team Lucas.... but then.......gahhh!!!



“And this is what you get for laughing at me.” He pulled her up a few inches until his lips touched hers.

She didn’t try to stop him. Oh no, she actually climbed up higher on his chest so the kiss wouldn’t be awkward.




“Kylie?” Derek whispered.

“You getting something?” she asked, hoping.

“I was until ...”

“Until what?” she asked.

“Until you pressed your breasts against me.




Mr Pepper...well he needs a stinky dead fish slap from me and Fredericka is the resident biaatcch.

C.C. adds both humour and some great little twists into her first book in the series. I think she approaches teens and their angst very well. Throw in the supernatural and some shiz is going down.

I am looking forward to the newly renamed Shadow Falls Academy and what happens within it and more of Burnett and Holiday as they are a hoot with their dialogue.


“Bite my ass, Mr James,” Holiday snapped, obviously mad enough not to care about Kylie hearing the PG-13 language.

“Don’t tempt me,” Burnett retorted.



“Jerk,” Holiday muttered.

“I can hear you,” he retorted from the other side of the wall.


A great energetic start to this series which I am looking forward to continuing and finding out more about Team Lucas and Team Derek..... and that mysterious waterfall.

Looking forward to more of C.C's humor.

His eyes widened. "Oh , hell, you think I'm going to let him bite me? No way. It's too risky and way too gay."


Michelle



#1 - Born At Midnight
#2 - Awake At Dawn
# 3 - Taken At Dusk
# 4 - Whispers At Moonrise













NOVELLA'S

#.5 - Turned At Dark
#4.5 - Saved At Sunrise -Released 2ND April 2013







# 5 - Chosen At Nightfall - Releases 23rd APRIL 2013




GOODREADS

C.C.HUNTER BLOG PAGE

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

NOVELLA BOOK REVIEW - TURNED AT DARK by C.C.HUNTER - SHADOWFALLS # 0.5 - NOVELLA

By: C.C. HUNTER
Published By : Macmillan
Released : Available Now
Details : Digital book , 32 pages

RATING :  4 STARS!!!

Book Blurb: Taken From Goodreads

Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang hadn’t believed in ghosts until she saw her dead cousin darting into the shadows of an alley. She hadn’t believed in vampires until in the dark of that same night she is turned into one. Introduced to a strange world of supernaturals, she struggles to accept this new reality. Unfortunately, the boy she loves senses something different about her and can’t accept her. Should she follow her vampire cousin’s lead–walk away from everything she’s knows and loves—and fake her own death? Or should she set her pride aside and ask for help from the camp leader of Shadow Falls—a camp where supernaturals go to learn how to cope with their powers. Either way, her life as she knows it, will never be the same.



BOOK REVIEW:

This was a short little 32 page novella about Della Tsang and how she came to be at Shadow Falls Camp. It is the prequel to 'Born At Midnight'.


We get a brief look at Della, before the change and a snappy look at the scared, confused,  Della after the change.


Will Chan, her cousin , be what she needs to understand her new life or will she listen to the doctor at the hospital and attend the Shadow Falls Camp?


I'll be giving Born At Midnight a read to see where this story is going. I felt drawn to Della and and wanted to know more about Chan.
 
A nice teaser for things to come.


This was a free novella I read clicking on the link at http://us.macmillan.com/bornatmidnight


Michelle