By C.C. Hunter
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: NetgalleyShadow Falls Camp is back in session with the most explosive installment yet. A shocking new threat will rock Shadow Falls—changing it forever and altering Kylie’s journey in ways she never imagined.
Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf. With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.
As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante. Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway. Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever. In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure. Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.
Goodreads Summary
The Shadow Falls books are one of the rare series’ for me that I don’t have any trouble at all picking up in the new book exactly where the last book left off, which is always one of those dun dun dun moments. Taken at Dusk ended with a bigger than usual bang, so my expectations for this book were pretty high.
When the last book ended, Kylie had just been told by the ghost of her dead father that in addition to being a protector, she was a chameleon. Instead of being happy about it, Kylie was panicked – chameleon means scaly lizard to her, not any kind of paranormal classification that she or anyone else can think of. Her meltdown comes at a bad time for wanting sympathy: camp counselor Holiday and FRU agent Burnett have finally started locking lips more than fighting; Miranda couldn’t be sappier over Perry and Della is crabby and feeling left out of the whole love thing. Kylie’s still got Derek in love with her while she’s trying to have a relationship with Lucas, and oh, a new ghost is talking to her and predicting a horrible death for someone she loves. It’s life as usual at Camp Shadow Falls.
It’s been a little peeve of mine that the ghost mysteries have always involved someone very close to Kylie and this isn’t any different at least in that regard. I don’t want to say too much to spoil it because it’s a bigger suspense story than usual, but it has a lot of twists that involve new characters and bring in Kylie’s new abilities as a chameleon. Because of the danger she’s still in because of Mario’s obsession with her, Kylie’s not allowed to go anywhere alone and definitely not allowed in the woods, the one place her instinct is calling her this time.
One of the things that made Whispers at Moonrise feel a little darker and like we’re getting to the end, is that Kylie’s instincts are going crazy this time. They’re not wrong, she just has so many things going on that she’s getting them all confused and when they’re all finally sorted out and things are clear, this time they show her a path she may not want. Nobody really knows what a paranormal chameleon is – although it’s not terribly hard to guess – and the answers Kylie seeks may be with the FRU, her sworn enemy. The ghost mystery is seriously personal this time and messes with her head the way none ever has before – she even brings in other people, including Derek, which is painful for both of them.
I swear, I’m going to dive into the book and beat a certain were with a stick pretty soon. Kylie is bound and determined to have a relationship with Lucas even though she knows his species is completely against non-were/were pairings. He’s been stringing her along for a couple of books with his promises that he’s going to change things when he’s head of the Council and it continues here, although he’s closer than ever. You know what else is closer? More hot female weres. Smack. Meanwhile, Derek is still feeling every emotion Kylie does and while that’s a little creepy, he’s always right there when she needs comforting or help, and she knows he loves her. He’s hot, she’s still a little attracted so why is she so stupid? Please, C.C., make her wake up in the last book, I’m begging you. There’s a difference between a bad boy and a pile of manure and I don’t think I need to tell you which one I think Lucas is, do I?
Just like in all of the other books, I love, love, love Kylie and every single one of the supporting characters. The camp wouldn’t be the same without any of them: Miranda, the sweet, emotional and slightly incompetent witch; Della, the bitchy vampire who hides a bruised heart; Perry, the wacky shapeshifter who loves Miranda and is always stirring up trouble; Burnett, the gruff FRU agent vampire who’s all but switched allegiances and has given his heart to the camp and a certain counselor and of course Holiday, that fae camp counselor. Kylie is the engine, brain and soul of the book but Holiday is the heart, always there to support Kylie and unselfishly give anything to the camp. Kylie is in many ways a typical teen – her mom is dating a creep and she can’t help but let her know it – but she’s also got to make some serious decisions about her abilities and where she’s taking them. The end of the book broke my heart and yes, I’m a crier and yes, I cried.
My Summary: I really love this series and if you like YA paranormal series’ that include long-term friendships then I think you’ll love it too. It isn’t one you can pick up anywhere but the beginning though – each book builds on the other and none are standalones, but they are completely worth it. Whispers at Moonrise leaves Kylie in an interesting and scary new place. It’s breaking the mold of the other books and I’m so excited for the next book even though it’s the last one.
My Rating: A
I haven’t read this series and now you have me curious, especially since this ended with a bang!
It’s so good – I really love that all of the characters are written with the same care as the main characters. I pretty much start begging St. Martin’s as soon as I know ARCs are ready. lol
I know I have been eyeing this series for awhile and I did not read love triangle or cliffhanger only that you want to beat a were with a stick…Better borrow that lumber jack’s ax from last week!
Yes, there is my most hated plot device, The Love Triangle. But to be fair, it’s only four books in and Kylie choose a couple of books ago even though she obviously made the wrong choice.
It’s a little bit angsty because the other guy is fae and is sort of emotionally connected to her and the other guy is were and a pain in the ass. I do need to find that axe…where is it, where is it?
Ha, there aren’t really cliffhangers that end each book. They resolve the current book and have a little oooooh teaser for the next. This one ended a little differently, more of a “holy crap, now I have to read the end” but then again, if you’ve read this far, you’ll read the last one anyway!
Yeah, I know…. I need to read this series! Gah, I wish I read faster. Seriously, so many books I want to read, but can’t keep up.