Taken at Dusk by C. C. Hunter

Genre: paranormal
Series and Book #: Shadow Falls #3
Pages: 380
Summary:

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

 

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

 

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering a frightful warning: someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the secret to her supernatural identity. And the truth is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

 

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One thing I like about C. C. Hunter's books is that they are not coated in darkness and mystery. Yes, it's somewhat dark (it's paranormal, how can it not be dark?) and yes, it has mystery (Kylie's whole life tends to be a mystery), C. C. doesn't make it uber-dramatic. Kylie is a teenage girl with teenage problems that include, but are not limited to: boys, friends, family, and, of course, identity.

Lucas? Or Derek? It is so hard to decide, especially when both love Kylie, but one is away and the other can't have her and it's just a mess. Add that to Kylie's increasing ghost problem where even her ghost-seeing counselor can't help, her sometimes frustrating friends, her mother who doesn't know the truth, and the sudden discovery that her father was adopted, making it even harder to figure out what kind of paranormal she is. Mix it all together and you have the Shadow Falls series. Somehow C. C. doesn't make the problems overwhelming. While there are a lot of them (a lot, a lot of them) she balances the book so that there's never a dull moment. Plus the characters make for a flirty, fun, and funny book.

Overall, quite honestly, this wasn't any different than the other books. True, we finally discover Kylie's identity (Still not quite solved though. I mean, what the heck? You really won't believe it. I didn't.) and she's finally a step closer to finding her real grandparents, but she still hasn't settled on a boy, her mother remains oblivious to Shadow Falls's true identity, and Kylie's still piling on everyone else's problems. They are, for me, a nice break from serious, melodramatic tales, and they are a fast read-through that are great for between books, but it isn't a series I'm dying for more of.

The Cover: I've always liked these covers. The sky is beautiful and they reflect the main event of the story well.

Awake at Dawn by C. C. Hunter

Genre: paranormal
Series and Book #: Shadow Falls #2
Pages: 383
Summary:

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 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 Kylie holds dear…and bring her closer to her destiny.

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I wish that Hunter had wrote more about the paranormal stuff than Kylie's personal problems. But it's also a relief from the usually dark paranormal romance types. Hunter's making a series that does focus on paranormal, but it's also mixed with humor, friendship, and an excellent love angle.

LUCAS IS BACK! Don't get me wrong, Derek is great and all, but LUCAS! I will take sexy smokin' hot werewolf any day. *Faints from extreme love of book boys*

Overall, we've gotten a half step closer to discovering what Kylie is, a love angle that's getting more tangled by the chapter, and a dash of mystery and adventure that's giving the book bite. I cannot wait for Taken at Dusk! More Lucas, more mystery, more Shadow Falls!

The Cover: Pretty.... The colors (and the metallic sheen that you can't see in the picture) is eye-catching and beautiful.

Cover Love and Preview: Awake at Dawn by C. C. Hunter

As I mentioned earlier, I loved C. C. Hunter's Born at Midnight! As I was looking at the sequel, Awake at Dawn, I fell even more in love with this cover! Check it out:

Now that she’s settled in at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie Galen’s determined to discover the extent of her supernatural abilities.  But with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about die, a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, and her sixth sense telling her someone is watching her, Kylie’s quest for answers is quickly put on hold. 

To make matters worse, just when she’s about to give her heart to Derek, a half-fairy, he starts pulling away.  When Lucas, a werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past, returns, Kylie’s feels more conflicted than ever. Her weekend with her mom should have been the just the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point.  Someone from the dark side of the supernatural world has plans for Kylie--and it'll take all her resources to get back to Shadow Falls alive...

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The cover is just amazing with Kylie standing in front of Shadow Falls. I have to admit that I'm a sucker for blues and turquoises like this. The waterfall is just breathtaking!! *Gush*

I can't wait to see the next installment in Kylie's life. Hunter does a nice job with her characterization, and truth be told, I can't wait for Lucas to come back! He was my favorite out of Derek and Lucas, the two boys vying for Kylie's attention. Can't wait for this one!

Awake at Dawn comes out on October 11, 2011

Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1) by C. C. Hunter

Genre: teen paranormal
Series and Book #: Shadow Falls #1
Pages: 398
Synopsis: 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, shapeshifters, witches, and faeries 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. 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 this is becoming painfully clear: Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs....

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Kylie comes off as a brat in the first couple of chapters. She cries because her "daddy doesn't love her anymore" and she pouts when her mother sends her to Shadow Falls Camp. She also avoids everyone around her when she's there, except for "normal-looking" Derek who looks extremely like her ex-boyfriend Trey. But her change as she gets to know her roommates Della and Miranda is a relief. Her obvious prejudice gives way to care about everyone at the camp. She was really awesome once she started to forget that everyone was different and just focused on who they were.

I loved the setting of this book. A beautiful camp in a secluded town really set up the story well. Hunter did a nice job describing the camp, but I thought the use of electronics was a little unrealistic for it being a campground. The side characters were awesome and Hunter did a nice job with her characterization.

Overall, I will definitely be picking up the sequel to this book. Hunter's setting and characters were awesome and I just flew through the pages (in a good way!) Some parts of the book felt childish, but I loved how she closed the book and tied up the loose ends and answered questions.

The Cover: Dark, and very haunting. I have to admit that I judged this book mostly by its cover...lovely cover. Love it.