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halynah's review
5.0
Great beginning of the series - exciting, emotional, witty, interesting, with perfect pacing and wonderful characters! I loved it and highly recommend it to all the fans of paranormal young adult - this book is fun and pleasure to read!!!
obtuse_angle's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
That was wild
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism
bethanieawp's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty
desirearian's review
3.0
I appreciated this book for what it attempted to do with reality. Many books will focus on romance or the supernatural and characters can become flat and generic because of it. It's not always a bad read but it's pretty formulaic. I have to give serious kudos to this book for tying in real world issues and creating a fuller world because of it.
As for characters, I'll say this: I hated Kylie. At first. I thought she was an annoying character and was put off by her view of the world she was stepping into, but as the story progressed I found that I started seeing her in a different light. One downside I will say is that some of the relationships seemed to come out of nowhere (Lucas I'm looking at you), and the interactions between the characters seemed out of place because of it.
All that aside I'm intrigued to see where this series leads me. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it has me picking up the next one to see what happens next!
As for characters, I'll say this: I hated Kylie. At first. I thought she was an annoying character and was put off by her view of the world she was stepping into, but as the story progressed I found that I started seeing her in a different light. One downside I will say is that some of the relationships seemed to come out of nowhere (Lucas I'm looking at you), and the interactions between the characters seemed out of place because of it.
All that aside I'm intrigued to see where this series leads me. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it has me picking up the next one to see what happens next!
parpacifica's review
2.0
2 stars.
I don't know. It was readable...sometimes.
Storyline:
We start the story with Kylie Galen, who you will notice almost immediately is whiny as hell. Her mother and father are fighting and we hear about her mother burning her father's shorts, and that they are getting a divorce. This of course leads us to believe that mom= bad, and dad=good. No inbetweens (this'll play an important role late).Kylie flees this all and decides to go to a party. The police arrive,of course, shut down the party and take Kylie as well as the others to the police station. Her mom goes to get her and then tells her that she has had enough (we all know what that means...) and puts Kylie into a boarding school for the special (sound familair??). Here she meets a persistent Half-fae named Derek, and a flighty-yet-broody werewolf named Lucas that Kylie shares a past with.
If I had an icecube for the amount of times Kylie called her mother an "Ice Queen" in just the first four chapters, I'd be the Ice Queen. Kylie displays I-don't-wanna-be-here syndrome throughout the novel, and that's cool, but it gets pretty annoying reading about this whiny, grumpy, kid.
Nothing ever bothered the Ice Queen.
That was her mom all right, nonchalant. Cold as Ice.
She didn't blame her dad for wanting to leave her mom, aka the Ice Queen.
"Tell him you're sorry...." That you're sorry you've got ice water running through your veins.
Characters:
Kylie: Kylie is a Mild to Moderate Mary Sue. She has all the characteristics nailed down. She is gorgeous yet unaware. But see, Kylie is a big baby. She seems to think that think that she is the only victim in her parents' divorce.
I know that neither my mom or dad want me. That's why I'm here.
She has a big heart. She is funny and kind and all that good stuff. No flaws. Nothing. But the only difference is she is is mildly strong willed. She finds it annoying when people tell her they want to protect her, when she is capable herself.
That is her only redeeming quality.
Derek: He is funny, kind, amazing, the whole package. At first he is appealing because he has this charm to him but as the book progresses he develops this weird Beta-male type of personality. Especially at the end, he constantly worries about Kylie's safety, always assumed she can't protect herself.
Lucas: This guy is like Waldo in Where's Waldo. We hear about him, glance over him in the story a couple of times, and then, we finally find him. Lucas gets only one proper intro. He is a werewolf, and has this macho Alpha-male thing going on. And sometimes it borders on creepy as fuck. Derek and Kylie were on a date, and this guy just jumps out of nowhere like the Nun from Conjuring 2. Her is the definition of a flighty person. He's here, and there, but somehow Kylie still seemed enamored with him.
(IDK HOW BUT LIKING GUUYS WHO ARE UNLIKABLE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD IS A RECURRENT THEM IN YA NOVELS)
So basically, I was like mildly interested in Derek, Lucas, but then it became evident (through the series) that this love triangle was going to be the focus of this series.
I can't do love triangle plot lines.
Honesty, I was rooting for neither and the storylines revolved around the romances.
2 stars.
It was readable.
I don't know. It was readable...sometimes.
Storyline:
We start the story with Kylie Galen, who you will notice almost immediately is whiny as hell. Her mother and father are fighting and we hear about her mother burning her father's shorts, and that they are getting a divorce. This of course leads us to believe that mom= bad, and dad=good. No inbetweens (this'll play an important role late).Kylie flees this all and decides to go to a party. The police arrive,of course, shut down the party and take Kylie as well as the others to the police station. Her mom goes to get her and then tells her that she has had enough (we all know what that means...) and puts Kylie into a boarding school for the special (sound familair??). Here she meets a persistent Half-fae named Derek, and a flighty-yet-broody werewolf named Lucas that Kylie shares a past with.
If I had an icecube for the amount of times Kylie called her mother an "Ice Queen" in just the first four chapters, I'd be the Ice Queen. Kylie displays I-don't-wanna-be-here syndrome throughout the novel, and that's cool, but it gets pretty annoying reading about this whiny, grumpy, kid.
Nothing ever bothered the Ice Queen.
That was her mom all right, nonchalant. Cold as Ice.
She didn't blame her dad for wanting to leave her mom, aka the Ice Queen.
"Tell him you're sorry...." That you're sorry you've got ice water running through your veins.
Characters:
Kylie: Kylie is a Mild to Moderate Mary Sue. She has all the characteristics nailed down. She is gorgeous yet unaware. But see, Kylie is a big baby. She seems to think that think that she is the only victim in her parents' divorce.
I know that neither my mom or dad want me. That's why I'm here.
She has a big heart. She is funny and kind and all that good stuff. No flaws. Nothing. But the only difference is she is is mildly strong willed. She finds it annoying when people tell her they want to protect her, when she is capable herself.
That is her only redeeming quality.
Derek: He is funny, kind, amazing, the whole package. At first he is appealing because he has this charm to him but as the book progresses he develops this weird Beta-male type of personality. Especially at the end, he constantly worries about Kylie's safety, always assumed she can't protect herself.
Lucas: This guy is like Waldo in Where's Waldo. We hear about him, glance over him in the story a couple of times, and then, we finally find him. Lucas gets only one proper intro. He is a werewolf, and has this macho Alpha-male thing going on. And sometimes it borders on creepy as fuck. Derek and Kylie were on a date, and this guy just jumps out of nowhere like the Nun from Conjuring 2. Her is the definition of a flighty person. He's here, and there, but somehow Kylie still seemed enamored with him.
(IDK HOW BUT LIKING GUUYS WHO ARE UNLIKABLE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD IS A RECURRENT THEM IN YA NOVELS)
So basically, I was like mildly interested in Derek, Lucas, but then it became evident (through the series) that this love triangle was going to be the focus of this series.
I can't do love triangle plot lines.
Honesty, I was rooting for neither and the storylines revolved around the romances.
2 stars.
It was readable.
halesnbooks's review
5.0
1st read: sometime in 2013
2nd read: 3/16/20-3/17/20
oh my god i knew there was a reason i kept these books. i have unhauled so many old series from 2012 but i only kept three series, this being one of them. im SO glad i kept it because even though the writing is not the best and not the most realistic, it is so enjoyable and so mystical. i have not read anything in forever due to school but since its spring break and i was sad, i wanted something i was familiar with. i LOVE this series with my whole heart, even after reading it at 18 and being so much more mature.
the characters are surprisingly developed, even though they seem like stock characters and stereotypical, i can see some dimension. and boy is kylie dramatic and weak but im so excited to see her grow. i also love the boy sitch cause c.c. hunter makes you fall in love with BOTH of them and you just want her to have them both.
i just am speechless rn and can’t believe how fast i sped thru the book. i feel so whole. this is what i was looking for and this has made me feel so good.
2nd read: 3/16/20-3/17/20
oh my god i knew there was a reason i kept these books. i have unhauled so many old series from 2012 but i only kept three series, this being one of them. im SO glad i kept it because even though the writing is not the best and not the most realistic, it is so enjoyable and so mystical. i have not read anything in forever due to school but since its spring break and i was sad, i wanted something i was familiar with. i LOVE this series with my whole heart, even after reading it at 18 and being so much more mature.
the characters are surprisingly developed, even though they seem like stock characters and stereotypical, i can see some dimension. and boy is kylie dramatic and weak but im so excited to see her grow. i also love the boy sitch cause c.c. hunter makes you fall in love with BOTH of them and you just want her to have them both.
i just am speechless rn and can’t believe how fast i sped thru the book. i feel so whole. this is what i was looking for and this has made me feel so good.
hnnh_lntz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ladytiara's review
3.0
Born at Midnight is the first book in a new paranormal YA series. It’s the story of a teenager named Kylie, who’s having a really rough time. Her parents are splitting up, and she’s stuck living with her emotionally distant mother rather than her beloved father. She’s pining for the boyfriend who dumped her because she wouldn’t put out. She’s got a stalker no one else can see, and she suffers from night terrors. As if things weren’t bad enough, she gets caught by the police at a party (although she wasn’t drinking or doing drugs), and her shrink convinces her mother to send her off to a summer camp for troubled teens.
And that’s where things get interesting. It turns out that the troubled teens aren’t really troubled in the traditional sense. Instead, they’re having issues because they’re supernatural. There are werewolves, vampires, fairies, and witches. Once at the camp, Kylie learns that the stalker that only she can see is actually a ghost. Her shrink and the camp leaders think that she's a supernatural, but they're not sure what kind. Kylie is freaked out at the idea that she’s not human, and she’s hoping it’s all a mistake. Her time at the camp is complicated by three potential love interests (which is perhaps one too many as one of them is a jerk).
The main plot revolves around Kylie trying to figure out what she is and why she’s being stalked by a ghost. There’s also a secondary plot about something happening that might shut down the camp. The main plot is reasonably interesting, but the subplot feels kind of pointless, since the vague something that keeps being alluded to is only revealed near the end of the book, and it’s not very interesting. It feels like it was just tacked on in order to move one character out of the picture.
As a main character, Kylie is a little dull, but she experiences growth as a character, and I think she has a lot of potential for the future books in the series. Her bickering roommates Della (a vampire having serious issues because her family doesn’t know what she’s become) and Miranda (a boy-crazy and not particularly competent witch) are interesting characters, and I hope we see more of them in future books. Kylie’s three potential love interests could use a little more development. Her recent ex Trey is a jerk who dumped her but now wants her back. I could live without him in future installments. Then there are the two supernatural boys: Derek, who has fairy blood and is a real sweetheart, and Luke, a werewolf who Kylie knew many years before. Derek clearly likes Kylie, but it’s mysterious Luke who’s a bit more interesting. He’s got the aloof bad boy thing going on, and I would have liked to have seen more of him, but I assume he’ll be back in the next book.
It can be hard to review the first book in a series. There will always be unanswered questions, things that are planned for later books. Although I had some issues with this book, I think it’s a promising start to a new series, and there’s plenty of room for growth, which is a good thing.
I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads program.
And that’s where things get interesting. It turns out that the troubled teens aren’t really troubled in the traditional sense. Instead, they’re having issues because they’re supernatural. There are werewolves, vampires, fairies, and witches. Once at the camp, Kylie learns that the stalker that only she can see is actually a ghost. Her shrink and the camp leaders think that she's a supernatural, but they're not sure what kind. Kylie is freaked out at the idea that she’s not human, and she’s hoping it’s all a mistake. Her time at the camp is complicated by three potential love interests (which is perhaps one too many as one of them is a jerk).
The main plot revolves around Kylie trying to figure out what she is and why she’s being stalked by a ghost. There’s also a secondary plot about something happening that might shut down the camp. The main plot is reasonably interesting, but the subplot feels kind of pointless, since the vague something that keeps being alluded to is only revealed near the end of the book, and it’s not very interesting. It feels like it was just tacked on in order to move one character out of the picture.
As a main character, Kylie is a little dull, but she experiences growth as a character, and I think she has a lot of potential for the future books in the series. Her bickering roommates Della (a vampire having serious issues because her family doesn’t know what she’s become) and Miranda (a boy-crazy and not particularly competent witch) are interesting characters, and I hope we see more of them in future books. Kylie’s three potential love interests could use a little more development. Her recent ex Trey is a jerk who dumped her but now wants her back. I could live without him in future installments. Then there are the two supernatural boys: Derek, who has fairy blood and is a real sweetheart, and Luke, a werewolf who Kylie knew many years before. Derek clearly likes Kylie, but it’s mysterious Luke who’s a bit more interesting. He’s got the aloof bad boy thing going on, and I would have liked to have seen more of him, but I assume he’ll be back in the next book.
It can be hard to review the first book in a series. There will always be unanswered questions, things that are planned for later books. Although I had some issues with this book, I think it’s a promising start to a new series, and there’s plenty of room for growth, which is a good thing.
I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads program.
willeh's review
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book, for some strange reason. I don't think the characters were as developed as they could have been but it's a really interesting teenage story and I seem to be drawn to these as of late.
I hope to read the second part soon, seeing how I can't stop wondering what the hell the main character will turn out to be. It's aggravating, really, because some people have told me that you don't even find out on the next book but only time will tell.
I hope to read the second part soon, seeing how I can't stop wondering what the hell the main character will turn out to be. It's aggravating, really, because some people have told me that you don't even find out on the next book but only time will tell.
loulou235711's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25