Showing posts with label C.C. Hunter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label C.C. Hunter. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Top Ten Books Featuring Purple, Green, or Gold on the Cover


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. This week's cover feature is in honor of Mardi Gras, which starts today! I picked all of these books off of my Favorites shelf on Goodreads.

1. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter



2. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini



3. Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy



4. Beauty Tempts the Beast by Lorraine Heath



5. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter



6. Splintered by A.G. Howard



7. Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier



8. The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead



9. With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent



10. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas



Have you read and enjoyed any of these books? Or do you have other books with green/purple/yellow covers that you enjoy? Let me know in the comments!

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Top Ten Books That Should Be Made Into Netflix Programs


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. These are books that I see as having cinematic qualities or having storylines that would make for a good translation to screen!

1. Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan - I imagine this series as a trilogy of epic fantasy movies! Think Lord of the Rings, but more eyeballs

2. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter - I would love it if this became a Netflix TV series, where each book was one season!

3. Born at Midnight by CC Hunter - This series would make for a great paranormal teen drama!

4. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting - Like the book, this could work as a standalone movie or as multiple movies!

5. Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent - Another series that would make for a great paranormal teen drama!

6. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - We don't have enough twisty, thriller movies based off of YA books, and the mind bending aspects of this book are made for the screen!

7. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton - I imagine a movie adaption of this book leaning into the campy aspects and playing off of themes of The Princess Bride!

8. Geekerella by Ashley Poston - This would make a great standalone teen romantic comedy for nerds! All the Cinderella imagery and moments, but in cosplay!

9. All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis - This book would make for a great sci-fi/dystopian movie!

10. The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco - Imagine the visual possibilities with a movie based off of this book! Half eternal night, have eternal day, with all the environmental aspects that come with it!

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Top Ten Books That Give Me Autumn Vibes


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. This list is based mostly, though not entirely, on color scheme.

1. The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout - The pinkish-red with the falling confetti makes me think of falling leaves.


2. Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter - The colors and the trees make me think of fall, and the birds make me think of birds migrating south for the winter.


3. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas - This is the bright yellow of many of the falling leaves, and the sparks are the pops of red.


4. If I Should Die by Amy Plum - Some great fall coloring! The decals also make me think of vines snaking around buildings.


5. Endless by Jessica Shirvington - Orangey fall colors and falling feathers like falling leaves.


6. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen - This book is really great for fall representation, as it literally centers around the first frost of the season! Plus, look at that gorgeous apple!


7. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - This is more early fall/late summer, but it makes me think of back to school.


8. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi - This has some fall and some spring vibes, but the colors make me think of fall blooms.


9. Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards - Instead of a bright red phoenix feather, imagine a bright red leaf.


10. The Reckoning of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin - Fall colors with sparks like falling leaves!

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Top Ten Platonic Relationships in Books


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Juliette and Kenji in the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi

2. Cammie, Bex, Liz, and Macey in the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter

3. Aelin and Lysandra in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

4. Jane and Helen in My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

5. Emma and Christina in Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

6. Iseult and Safi in Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

7. Anna and Jay in Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

8. Will and Jem in The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

9. Kylie, Della, and Miranda in the Shadow Falls series by C.C. Hunter

10. Cinder and Iko in Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Top Ten Books By My Favorite Authors That I Still Haven't Read


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler

2. A Prom to Remember by Sandy Hall

3. Royals by Rachel Hawkins

4. Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

5. Brave New Girl by Rachel Vincent

6. Invictus by Ryan Graudin

7. One Foot in the Grave by C.C. Hunter

8. And I Darken by Kiersten White

9. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

10. Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday (84)


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm super excited for This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter! I read her Shadow Falls series, and instantly fell in love. I'm also part of her street team, so I have an early copy to read. Once I finish my current stack of books, I plan to dig in!

Synopsis:


A new heart saved her life—but will it help her find out what really happened to its donor?

Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie is heartless. An artificial heart in a backpack is keeping her alive. However, this route only offers her a few years. And with her rare blood type, a transplant isn’t likely. Living like you are dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when a heart becomes available, she’s given a second chance at life. Except Leah discovers who the donor was — a boy from her school — and they’re saying he killed himself. Plagued with dreams since the transplant, she realizes she may hold the clues to what really happened.

Matt refuses to believe his twin killed himself. When Leah seeks him out, he learns they are both having similar dreams and he’s certain it means something. While unraveling the secrets of his brother’s final moments, Leah and Matt find each other, and a love they are terrified to lose. But life and even new hearts don’t come with guarantees. Who knew living, took more courage than dying?


This Heart of Mine is a haunting, poignant tale about living and dying, surviving grief, guilt, and heartache, while discovering love and hope in the midst of sadness.

Release: February 27, 2018

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Blog Tour: Midnight Hour by C.C. Hunter

Welcome to my stop on the Midnight Hour blog tour! Below I have some awesome teasers and a superb giveaway! Check back soon for my interview questions with CC Hunter herself!

Teasers:

Just because you think you might be in love with someone doesn’t mean you can’t admire another’s derrière.

When you lose your sister, you lose a part of yourself.

Love can make you do crazy things—like go on the lam with a guy wanted by the FRU.

Sometimes doing the right thing can hurt, but it’s still right.

If you can be anything, sometimes the hardest thing to be—is yourself.

Who knew that becoming a pink polka dotted elephant could save people you love?

Crawling under a dark, damp house with spiders and rodents is unpleasant, even when you’re a snake.


Being stuck between two guys is like being the white filling of an Oreo. And when you pull it apart, you’ll stick to only one wafer.

Some families have the occasional skeleton in the closet, other families have a warehouse full.

Sometimes the truth is sharp and jagged and can cut you.

Belief in yourself not only changes how you see yourself, but also how others see you.

Change can be both exhilarating and scare the crap out of you—all at the same time.

Some of us are born fighters and others need a little training.

Breaking up is hard to do!

There is a girlfriend code of ethics that shouldn’t be broken.


Parents makes mistakes, some of them are forgivable.  Others should have never become parents to start with.

Sometimes when someone says they are there to help you, it’s hard to believe—especially if it’s an armadillo.

Becoming who you need to be is sometimes more about accepting who you are.

Our decisions, the paths we think we should take are often paths that our parents guided us to follow.

Sometimes we need to stop and listen to our own hearts to know which road to take.

Sometimes the irritating tension between two people can end up to be a different kind of tension--one that involves the heart.

Sometimes the hardest thing to forgive someone is when someone you love puts themselves in a dangerous situation.  But sometimes when we do put ourselves in danger, we’re doing to save the same person who will likely never forgive us.


Even in the supernatural world, men are from Mars and women are from Venus.  We will never quite see things the same way, but it’s a lot of fun trying.

No matter terrible or horrific things stem from family linage, you don’t have to follow that path.  The sins of our fathers are not our sins to bear.  Our destinies are our own.

There is almost nothing that can’t be solved at a round-table-diet-coke discussion.

Graduation means saying goodbye. Graduation means leaving pieces and parts of our past behind.  But it is a passage that we must take in one of the first steps into adulthood.

If you don’t talk about problems in your relationship, they can fester.

Relationships are alive, they need to be fed, watered and given TLC to continue to flourish.

When you have to fart, make sure you sit next to a dog you can blame.

Sometimes a thing can start out feeling like a curse, but end up feeling like a gift.


A relationship is never fifty-fifty.  Sometimes you end up giving more and sometimes you end up getting more, but watching that balance is essential to keeping love alive.

There is such thing as the perfect apology.

Sometimes the people you respect don’t deserve it.  Sometime people use their status and power for their own good, or for the good of evil.

The past is meant to be overcome.  Holding on to hatred and grievances will keep you from finding the best future.

When one window is locked, use another.  But be prepared to face a pissed off vampire protecting her friend who purposely locked that window.

Ghost are a real B with an itch to deal with, but most of the time, they are there to save the day.

Sometimes it’s the most unlikely friends who can help save you.

Even when someone you love dies, you don’t give up.  You never, ever give up!

Synopsis:

After captivating millions across the globe, the Shadow Falls saga reaches its final-and most unforgettable-chapter yet! Prepare to fall in love all over again...

Being a dyslexic witch is a curse in itself, but Miranda Kane's time at Shadow Falls has helped her harness her magical powers. Now, just as she's finally mastered them and is preparing to graduate with her friends, a near-death experience threatens to ruin it all.

Miranda awakens in the hospital with a mysterious tattoo that no one can explain. As she struggles to make sense of it - and questions her feelings for a certain irresistible shape-shifter and a hot new guy - the strange markings begin to spread all over her body, leaving her desperate to find answers. But before she can solve that problem, a new one arises: her sister is missing.

Has her sister been kidnapped? Miranda will risk her life to find out. Will she live to share the day she's worked so hard for with her friends? When the clock strikes midnight, will Miranda make it to her graduation at Shadow Falls?


C. C. Hunter brings The Shadow Falls saga to a spectacular conclusion in this thrilling finale: Midnight Hour!

You Can Find it At:
Amazon

Author Bio:

C.C. Hunter grew up in Alabama, where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and regularly rescued potential princes, in the form of Alabama bullfrogs, from her brothers. Today, she's still fascinated with lightning bugs, mostly wears shoes, but has turned her focus to rescuing mammals. She now lives in Texas with her four rescued cats, one dog, and a prince of a husband, who for the record, is so not a frog. When she's not writing, she's reading, spending time with her family, or is shooting things-with a camera, not a gun.

C.C. Hunter is a pseudonym. Her real name is Christie Craig and she also writes humorous romantic suspense romance novels for Grand Central.

You Can Find Her At:

Giveaway:

Macmillan is running an awesome giveaway for some Midnight Hour swag! Go to the link to see how to enter!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Top Ten Favorite Books in Paranormal Romance


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. I haven't necessarily read these, but I bought/read them on a whim.

1. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

2. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

3. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

4. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

5. Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent

6. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

7. The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

8. Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

9. Hourglass by Myra McEntire

10. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Top Ten Books From the Past Three Years


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

1. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins - The best book ever!

2. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

3. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

4. Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

5. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

6. All That Glows by Ryan Graudin

7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

8. The Selection by Kiera Cass

9. Legend by Marie Lu

10. If I Die/Before I Wake/With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

So basically, the books I mention every week.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Eternal by C.C. Hunter

Title: Eternal
Author: C.C. Hunter
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release: October 28, 2014
Series: Shadow Falls: After Dark
Pages: 386 (ARC, 400 full)
Review: 4 Stars

Synopsis:

Just when Della feels like she’s starting to figure out her life, she finds herself reborn…and her new existence comes with a whole different rulebook.

Della's secret powers always made her feel like an outsider in the human world. Now, just when she’s starting to feel like she belongs—at Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with paranormal powers—her life is turned upside down all over again. Attacked by a deadly virus, she must make the difficult choice to be reborn. It’s her only chance at survival, but it comes with a price: It irreparably bonds her to Chase, a tall, dark and mesmerizing vampire who makes her laugh one minute and infuriates her the next.

Chase already knows too many of Della’s secrets, and being eternally bonded to him is the last thing she wants. Even worse, she doesn’t fully understand what their bond means. Is the attraction she’s started feeling for Chase real—or does fate have something else in store? And what does that mean for Steve, the hot shapeshifter whose kisses make her weak in the knees?

Now Della’s battered heart is about to take another hit. While investigating her latest case, she discovers shocking evidence about her father’s dark past, making her question everything she believes to be true…and her place in the world she loves.

You Can Find it At:
Amazon

Review:

Second books in a series, especially a trilogy, will often fall into two categories. Either they have Second Book Syndrome, or they are totally, epically, amazing. Thankfully, this one fell into the latter category.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Reborn by C.C. Hunter

Title: Reborn
Author: C.C. Hunter
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release: May 20, 2014
Series: Shadow Falls: After Dark
Pages: 386
Review: 4.5 Stars

My only problem with this book was that Kylie wasn't the narrator. As much as I love Della, Kylie is Kylie. I don't know if it's that I relate to her better or that I'm simply more used to her character. While I understand that this series is about Della and will therefore be from her point of view, I'm crossing my fingers and toes for a novella or two from Kylie's POV that *hopefully* has sexy scenes between her and Lucas! :) Oh, also, my one other complaint is that the male protagonist is named Steve. Who names their kid Steve? I was thinking of Blues Clues every time his name popped up.

That said, Della is pretty kick butt. She rocks her roll, but at the same time, has insecurities like everyone else. Della really starts to realize that her friends really do have her back. She starts to finally trust people and let them in during Reborn. Shocking secrets are revealed, about both Della's family and something... else. Meanwhile, Della has to deal with one of her greatest fears, ghosts. It's really cool seeing Della slowly overcome that fear and face it head on.

A side note, Burnett, one of the lead characters who serves as guardian of the camp, can be a real poo poo head. I mean, I like him, most of the time, but I wanted to smack him in the face multiple times in this book. Also, Holiday, the faery who runs Shadow Falls, continues to be awesome. Kylie is all kinds of kick butt, and Miranda's pinkie finger does the talking for her.

I always get worried about spin-off books, but Reborn did not disappoint. Whatever expectations you have, unless that Della will suddenly turn into Kylie, will be met. There is action, major romance, and lots of fun times, mixed in with regular teen issues, such as classes, friendship, family, and boys. Reborn, like C.C.'s other books, really shows friendship and how wonderful it can be. The novel is really fun and I finished it in record time. If you have not already, read the Shadow Falls series, and read Reborn when it comes out in May!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Characterize It (14)


Welcome to Characterize It, a meme held every Thursday and hosted by The YA Book Butterfly. It's a weekly meme, each week featuring a different characteristic. Basically, each week, she'll pick a new characteristic and participating bloggers as well as herself will choose a character that fits that description. For more information, look here.

This week's theme is still good: character that retains their likability throughout the series.

With many books, the main character is awesome, except for the half of a book where I just want to stab the main character and all her friends. There almost always comes a point, where I can't get over how stupid/weak/annoying the main character is acting. Off the top of my head, the character that really retains their likability the best is Kylie from the Shadow Falls series. I have reread those books so many times, and not once have I wanted to kill her. She does some embarrassing stuff, but that's life. I really like Kylie's character, and can't wait to read the spin-off series!



Who do you think is the most likable character in YA?

Friday, August 30, 2013

Authors Are Rockstars Blog Tour Featuring C.C. Hunter!

Hello, and welcome to my stop on the Authors are Rockstars second annual blog tour! Check out this link for the other tour stops. Now let the fun begin!

I am happy to have my rockstar, C.C. Hunter on the blog today! My love for her cannot be expressed in words, but I'll try as hard as I can. She has written the spectacular YA series, Shadow Falls and it's spin-off Shadow Falls: After Dark, which comes out 2014. Her books are amazing! Along with being fun and entertaining, they're deep in ways that only YA can be. They have real life lessons that I know I'll carry with me. These are books that I recommend to everyone! I've loaned my copies to all my friends and have even bought the books for a couple. They're a treasure on my shelves and I have reread the books more times than I can count. The writing is spectacular. She writes from the POV of a teenage girl and it feels authentic. The emotions and actions seem real. I can get into her characters heads as easily as my own and was drawn in from page one. If you check out her blog (link at the bottom), then you can see that C.C. writes about all sorts of topics that engage her readers. For even more squeeing, because there's a lot, check out my reviews of Whispers at Moonrise, Chosen at Nightfall, and the whole Shadow Falls series!


Titles: Shadow Falls-(Novella) Turned at Dark, Born at Midnight, Awake at Dawn, Taken at Dusk, Whispers at Moonrise, (Novella) Saved at Sunrise, Chosen at Nightfall; Shadow Falls: After Dark-Reborn (April 15, 2014), Eternal (October 2014)
Author: C.C. Hunter
Publisher: Griffin Teen
Number of Books: Seven Books, Two Novellas


Character Interview with Kylie Galen

Isabel: You have become known as the resident matchmaker of Shadow Falls. What is your mindset on that and have you helped out any campers/students recently? *Cough*Della and Steve*Cough*

Kylie: I like helping people. Especially helping people find each other. But you know, I don’t’ offer advice as much as help them see what’s right for them. And I really think part of my quest was to get Holiday and Burnett together. Now, Della? What can I say? I’ll tell you what I told Steve. Della is a little difficult. I think most of Della’s problems are that she has been so hurt. And I don’t mean just by her old boyfriend, Lee. I suspect it involves her parents. She associates caring for someone as giving them the ability to hurt you. But my gut says that if C.C. has anything to do with it, Della will do some changing. Poor Della, she’s not much for change.

Isabel: Now that your series has ended, what do you see in your future?

Kylie: Well, I’m not riding off into the sunset. C.C. is writing Shadow Falls: After Dark and I’ll be there. After that, I’ve got big plans. After I finish high school here at Shadow Falls, I want to go to college and get a degree in psychology. My hope is that Miranda, Della and I will all go the same college. And of course, after that I want to get married, and if Holiday will have me, I want to come back and work at Shadow Falls.

Isabel: Could you believe the fact that both Lucas and Derek were interested in you? When did it suddenly become real that two guys liked you?

Kylie: No, I couldn’t believe it. You know, there was a time I thought it would be a dream come true to have two guys care that much about me , but I’ve learned it’s not so cool. I cared so much about both Derek and Lucas that it made it hard to decipher in the beginning who my heart really belonged to. Then it was as if someone turned on a switch inside me and I just knew who I was meant to be with. Love is crazy, isn’t it?

(Having never been in love, I cannot attest, but it sure seems so)

Isabel: What's the coolest part of being a Chameleon? The worst?

Kylie: This might not make sense, but the coolest and the worst thing about being a Chameleon is actually the same thing. Being a minority. You see, there’s this small part of me that likes being different, it makes me unique. And I think someday when I’m more comfortable in my own skin, when my self-confidence has outgrown my fear of being different, then I will revel in my uniqueness. But until that day happens, I often long to fit in. I want people to see me, not just gawk at my Chameleon pattern. I suppose it’s the same thing people of different nationalities feel. C.C. told me once about going to China to a small city where very few tourists travel. A child saw her and started screaming in fear because he thought she was white devil. While our differences are what makes us stand out, sometimes standing out can be scary even when you are considering the odd man out.

Isabel: Could you have predicted any part of how Chosen at Nightfall turned out?

Kylie: Oh, heck no. Even C.C. didn’t know how it was going to turn out. How could I know?

Isabel: Since Jenny and Hayden have both 'come out' as Chameleons, have you become less of a display case at Shadow Falls? 

Kylie: Yes, and I think that is part of what has helped me grow more comfortable. Of course, now poor Jenny is feeling it. And seeing her issues reminds me how important it is accept ourselves for who and what we are.

Isabel: Do you think other young Chameleons will soon join you at Shadow Falls?

Kylie: I hope so. But I do believe it will take a while. Not only has my kind adapted to hiding, and disguising ourselves for fear of persecution, but I think, in part, it is just our nature to do so. Sort of like some of the traits of the werewolves are loyalty and being less social, and vampires are out-going and yet a bit controlling, I think chameleons are inclined to blend in, and maybe even tend to hide our true nature from others. 

Isabel: Has dealing with ghosts gotten any easier and has another one popped up after the events in Chosen at Nightfall?

Kylie: Oh yes, just wait until you read Reborn. There are ghost issues in there as well. Poor Della just doesn’t handle it very well.

(Ooh, now you have me extra excited to read Reborn! Ghosts do seem to freak her out . . .)

Isabel: What have been some of your favorite experiences at Shadow Falls?

Kylie: Specifically…I guess I should say my kiss at the creek with Lucas. Oh, my, but that water was so cold and he was so hot. <blush, blush> In general, however, I think it is finding family. And I don’t just mean my dad, his adopted parents, or my real grandfather, I mean everyone at Shadow Falls. Della and Miranda, Holiday, Burnett. All of them have become family.

Isabel: Why do you think you clicked with your best friends at camp, Della and Miranda? And what aspects of them do you most enjoy or find most endearing?

Kylie: I sometimes wonder if I’d been placed with other Shadow Falls campers if I would have connected so strongly with two other girls. But I really don’t think so. Amazingly, I think C.C. knew the type of people to place me with. Roommates who challenged me, roommates whose flaws as well as gifts would help me recognize things about myself. Roommates who needed me as much as I needed them.

Bonus Question With Della

Isabel: Della, you're the main character in Shadow Falls: After Dark. Does that worry you and what adventures (romantic and otherwise) do you believe you have in store?

Della: It scares the s#%t out of me. I know C.C. is going to tell me I shouldn’t talk like that in interviews. But hey, it wasn’t my question, and I’m just being honest. Besides I’m kind of ticked at C.C. for doing this. She knows how I feel about everyone knowing my business. And right now she’s writing Reborn and you wouldn’t believe the crap I’m having to put up with! Seriously, she just finished a scene yesterday that left me unconscious. Me, unconscious? What the heck was she thinking? And then there’s Steve. He’s like thinking we’re together or something, but we’re not. Okay, fine, I’ve sort of been meeting him three of four nights a week and yes he’s stolen a kiss or two, but that doesn’t make us a ‘couple.’ And with everything I’ve got on my plate right now, he needs to give me a break. I need a slowdown. I need it really, really badly. Hey, maybe you could talk to C.C. for me. Help a girl out, would ya?

Isabel: I'll see if I can put in a kind word, but I doubt readers will want me to. I can't imagine you unconscious, but I'm sure it's for a really good reason. Thank you Kylie and Della for visiting and thank you C.C. for letting them come over to play! It was great having you. It's wonderful to be taking part in the Authors are Rockstars Blog Tour! Now, to count down the months until Reborn is released . . .

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Series Sunday: Shadow Falls Series by C.C. Hunter


I have to say, this is series might very well be the love of my life. It is everything someone could want in a book series. There's magic (lots of it), supernaturals (plenty of 'em), heartbreak (painfully so), love, forgiveness, life lessons, and most important, family. These books really push forgiveness and family. The characters, of all ages, make mistakes. More often than not, they own up to these mistakes. Many of the families in the story are pretty messed up. There's distrust, contempt, and misunderstanding, but there's also love, acceptance, and forgiveness. It's a story about magic, don't get me wrong, but it's also a story about real issues. That being said, there's something very special about these books. Unlike most, if you strip the books of the magic and the supernatural, you still have a story. A story about a girl who struggles with who she is, her family, and her friends. A story about a girl who can find the strength
in herself to overcome these things and be the best woman she can be.

Kylie Galen is the main protagonist. She is an amazing role model for young women. She is exemplary at many things, but struggles in others. In the beginning, she is caught at a party and is then sent to Shadow Falls camp for teens with 'issues'. Kylie's parents are getting divorced and she is not happy about this in the least, but as she learns new things about Shadow Falls and herself, she grows up. Kylie matures tremendously over the course of the book. She goes from regular, slightly outsider-ish, normal girl, to extremely strong, heroin of a woman. Her friends help her along the way. And she does not shy away from this help. The other characters are just as amazing as Kylie. Of course, there is a love triangle. One of the boys is Lucas. Readers meet him a
few chapters in, and get a big surprise. Kylie knew Lucas when they were children, he lived next door. Lucas is werewolf, and has obviously staked his claim on Kylie's heart. BUT! There's also Derek. He is half-fairy, and meets Kylie on the way to Shadow Falls. He is nice, and funny, and is very much the opposite of Lucas. While Lucas puts off the bad-boy vibe, Derek is good through and through. The role of my favorite character is a tie between Kylie's new friend at Shadow Falls Della and the head of the camp, Holiday. Della is a vampire and has spunk to spread around. She doesn't take anyone's attitude, but has plenty of her own, which will often get her in trouble with her and Kylie's roommate, Miranda. Miranda is a dyslexic witch. Her and Della are constantly arguing in the most hilarious ways. Miranda has multi-colored hair and plenty of ingenuity. For example, she has a toad following her around. It happens to be
her piano teacher who she cast a spell on that whenever her thinks, well interesting, thoughts about young girls, he is turned into a toad. Holiday is a fairy and is amazing. She is the voice of reason in the series, and helps all the characters tremendously. The head of security is Burnett. He's a vampire who won't admit it, but is in love with Holiday. He *might* get turned into a kangaroo at some point... Other characters include Perry, Steve, Fredrika (Kylie's arch-nemisis), Sara, and Kylie's mom (deemed the Ice Queen in book one), along with plenty of ghosts.

The series is well plotted and never has a dull moment. I'm able to read these books in a few hours flat, I love them so much. Each book, along with contributing to the overall story, has a story of its own. Kylie can see
ghosts,which makes for some interesting encounters. Readers can't help but love the characters and each of their stories. Everyone has a backstory, some crazier than others. There is a fairly obvious antagonist who has not-so-obvious evil schemes. Pacing is amazing and I can really feel the characters. Like I said earlier, strip the story of anything supernatural and you still have a story. These are some of the most phenomenal books I've read and I highly recommend them. Keep your eyes peeled, the author said that there will be a spin-off series about everyone's favorite vampire, Della. Excited doesn't even begin to cover the feelings I got when that was announced. These books are so good, I just can't let them go. I give them a full five stars.



Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter

A pre-warning, this review will contain spoilers for the previous books in the series. Read at your own risk.

Wow. I literally just finished this book. It blew me away. Like, I think I'm on Neptune or something right now, this book was so amazing. Chosen at Nightfall is the final book in the Shadow Falls series by C.C. Hunter. C.C. does an amazing job messing with my feels. She does everything just right, so that I am completely overwhelmed by feels, but in a good way. The book did not murder or harm my feels in any way. Which, let me say, was a welcome reprieve. Books recently *cough*Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare*cough* have simply harmed my heart. Chosen at Nightfall caused my heart to leap and soar, there was some pain, but everything is wrapped up in the end. There are a couple strings left untied, but they will lead perfectly into the sequel series about the main character's best friend Della, which comes out next year.

The main character is Kylie Galen. In short, her father and grandmother are dead ghosts who visit her on occasion, her mother and stepfather are divorced, her mother is dating a man Kylie believes to be a creep, and her grandfather and great-aunt are WAY overprotective. But somehow, she manages to love her family anyway. Oh, and I forgot to mention something. Kylie was dating a guy named Lucas. Turns out, he cheated on her. To his credit he didn't go through with the other girl, and never planned to, but still. And then there's Derek. He may not be the love of her life like Lucas, but he's a steady constant. He's always there when she needs support. In the book, Kylie will choose one of the boys mentioned above. Kylie is a REALLY strong character. She makes a lot of tough decisions sixteen year-olds should not half to make. Yet somehow, she makes them with pride and grace, even though she doesn't always realize it. These decision making skills have also made her the official relationship guru at Shadow Falls (the camp and school she attends with other supernaturals). The fact that she actually has good relationship advice completely baffles her. Kylie is also a strong person who doesn't back down, though this can sometimes (okay, very often) lead to her being obnoxiously stubborn about some things, it also makes her relatable.

The writing in this book is superb. C.C. Hunter is able to perfectly portray the voice of a teenage girl going through teenage issues. Not necessarily normal issues, but teenage issues non the less. The story is powerful and has a clear, and good, message. One of the characters, a woman named Holiday who is like an older sister to Kylie, often talks about people's quests. Meaning, you set a goal for a period of time or for life. Kylie has a reoccurring quest to discovery who she is. This is an issue often addressed by teens. The teen years is really a time when we change, as well as discover who we are. And the author shows just that. Each of the characters goes through a journey in the book and the series, slowly discovering themselves and just what they stand for and how far they're willing to go to make change happen. For more info on the author, check out her Facebook page and website. Also check out the series Facebook page. There's no question about it, I give this book five stars!