Book Review: Born at Midnight

Title: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 416 pages
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary: 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…

Born at Midnight is a fun paranormal read about a girl who is going through a lot externally with family and friends and internally with herself. Kylie is still hurting from being dumped by her boyfriend and her parents are getting a divorce. Kylie had started seeing a therapist because she was having horrible night terrors and occasionally seeing a soldier appear and stare at her, but no one else can see this man. At the advice of Kylie’s therapist, her mom sends her to a summer camp for troubled teens so Kylie feels dumped by her parents as well.

Shadow Falls Camp is a haven for paranormal teens and even though C.C. Hunter does not go into the mythology of the different paranormals in a ton of detail, it’s enough to answer your basic questions. There is a love triangle (maybe even a bit of a square if you throw in the ex) but it was not the book’s main focus, which is great. The story is about Kylie coming to terms with what she may be and her relationships with family and friends.

Born at Midnight is the beginning of a really good new paranormal series. There is so much more story with these great characters and plot and I am excited about the next book, Awake at Dawn.

Content: Profanity, sexual situations, kissing, underage drinking and violence. Recommended for older teens.