Review: Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh

Burning Midnight

by Will McIntosh

Feb. 2, 2016

Delacorte Press

For fans of The Maze Runner and The Fifth Wave, this debut YA novel from Hugo Award winner Will McIntosh pits four underprivileged teens against an evil billionaire in the race of a lifetime.

Sully is a sphere dealer at a flea market. It doesn’t pay much—Alex Holliday’s stores have muscled out most of the independent sellers—but it helps him and his mom make the rent. No one knows where the brilliant-colored spheres came from. One day they were just there, hidden all over the earth like huge gemstones. Burn a pair and they make you a little better: an inch taller, skilled at math, better-looking. The rarer the sphere, the greater the improvement—and the more expensive the sphere.

When Sully meets Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres, the two start searching together. One day they find a Gold—a color no one has ever seen. And when Alex Holliday learns what they have, he will go to any lengths, will use all of his wealth and power, to take it from them.

There’s no question the Gold is priceless, but what does it actually do? None of them is aware of it yet, but the fate of the world rests on this little golden orb. Because all the world fights over the spheres, but no one knows where they come from, what their powers are, or why they’re here.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

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The brightly colored orbs appeared out of nowhere, hiding around the world. When two orbs of the same color are burned together they give you a boost and make you better in some way (better looking, smarter, taller, stronger senses, etc). The rarer the orb, the higher people are willing to pay for it. Sully, an orb dealer by weekend and regular high school student by weekday, is just trying to help his mom get by. When Sully meets a mysterious girl named Hunter, with a knack for finding orbs, the two set out to find rare orbs and cash in big...and they uncover the orb find of a lifetime, a never-before-seen Gold orb. But when billionaire businessman and orb seller, Alex Holliday, finds out what the two teens have found, he’s willing to stop at nothing to get his greedy hand on it.

Will McIntosh’s Burning Midnight is a fast-paced and thrilling YA with a complex, fascinating, and incredibly inventive premise! McIntosh spins a wildly compelling and addictive read that had me excitedly turning pages all night long. Deftly weaving together smart sci-fi elements, speculative notions, edge-of-your seat action, and just enough romance, this YA debut is so fun and entertaining. The world Sully and Hunter live in is just like ours, with the exception of the extraordinary orbs.  The brightly hued orbs, and the amazing abilities they bestow, are just such a wickedly cool idea! Through the orbs, McIntosh offers readers an insightful and thought-provoking look into our own modern society and what people are willing to do and pay to be just a little bit better and more.

Burning Midnight features four distinct and engaging young characters- Sully and Hunter, Sully’s best friend Dom, and their new friend Mandy. Sully and Dom are great, likable characters, but it’s the girls who really shine. Hunter and Mandy both possess strong, fierce, kickass, take-no-crap-from-anyone, but still vulnerable personalities, but in very different ways. Both girls are assertive and confident in ways that, unfortunately, many YA heroines are not.

Burning Midnight is full of twists and turns, and its explosive climax is made even better by excellent execution!

my final thoughts: I had such a blast reading this book! With an irresistible premise, cinematic storytelling, and smart execution, Burning Midnight is a definite must read.

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

Will McIntosh is the author of several adult speculative fiction novels and is a frequent short-story writer. His first novel, Soft Apocalypse, was a finalist for the Locus Award. “Bridesicle,” a short story published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, won a Hugo Award for Best Short Story and was later expanded into his novel Love Minus Eighty, which was an ALA-RUSA Reading List selection for science fiction. His newest novel for adults,Defenders, has been optioned for film by Warner Bros. Burning Midnight is his first novel for young adults. Will lives with his wife and twin children in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he is working on his next young adult novel.website * twitter

Review: The Radiant Road by Katherine Catmull

The Radiant Road

by Katherine Catmull

January 19, 2016

Dutton

A gorgeously written tale of magic, friendship, and self-discovery set in a dream-like landscape filled with fairies.

After years of living in America, Clare Macleod and her father are returning to Ireland, where they’ll inhabit the house Clare was born in—a house built into a green hillside with a tree for a wall. For Clare, the house is not only full of memories of her mother, but also of a mysterious boy with raven-dark hair and dreamlike nights filled with stars and magic. Clare soon discovers that the boy is as real as the fairy-making magic, and that they’re both in great danger from an ancient foe.

Fast-paced adventure and spellbinding prose combine to weave a tale of love and loyalty in this young adult fantasy.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Praise for The Radiant Road

Publishers Weekly (starred review): "A stunningly atmospheric, gorgeously complicated dream of a book. Genuinely frightening and eerie moments are drawn as masterfully as the joyous, glowing, peculiar images that populate Catmull's version of a world inexorably linked to, yet separate from, our own."

School Library Journal (starred review): "An unforgettable tale that begins slowly and gently, gradually and inevitably leading to athundering crescendo. A haunting novel that contains all the darkness and light of A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Booklist: "Catmull has created an eerily lovely story, writing with an old­-fashioned style that at times sings like a lullaby. An excellent addition to either teen or juvenile collections of all sizes." 

BookPeople Top Shelf Pick: "Catmull’s writing is incomparable, unique in a genre that is already full of magical tales."

***********************************************

Fourteen year old Clare Macleod and her father return to Ireland and their home with a tree for a wall, after years of being away. Returning home brings back memories of Clare’s dead mother and a dark-haired boy from Clare’s dreams. Clare finds that the dark haired boy is very real and is so the fairy magic of her childhood. Soon, Clare is swept away into the brilliant but dangerous world of the Strange and must save it and her own world.

Katherine Catmull’s The Radiant Road is just that, radiant...and divinely so! This is the first real fantasy, in a long time, that has captivated and bewitched me so utterly and completely. With melodic, lush language, that made me feel all sparkly and fluttery, Catmull’s words and descriptions seem to dance. Combining that dazzling language with imaginative creations, Irish folklore, and a dash of pure magic, Catmull creates  a rich, engrossing world, that is both enchanting and darkly whimsical. Clare’s home, nestled into a hill, and with it’s tree-as-a-wall, makes for such a cozy, peaceful homebase for both Clare and readers. And the world of the Strange (fairies) is a delicious mix of sparkle, shivers, and Wonderland like madness. Catmull does a superb job of crafting a stunning and spellbindingly atmospheric story.

But The Radiant Road isn’t just pretty words and fanciful creations, it has heart, multi-faceted relationships, intense action, and engaging characters. I just love sweet, thoughtful, feisty Clare and witty, brave, endearing Finn (the dark haired boy). I found them relatable, charming, and beautifully complex.

my final thoughts: The Radiant Road is a gorgeous, mesmerizing book full of spectacular storytelling, enthralling world-building, and unforgettable characters. In the world of fantasy, this book shines bright and luminous!

MY RATING

5/5 cupcakes

website * twitter * facebook * tumblr

Katherine Catmull is an actor, freelance writer, voice-over artist, and sometimes playwright. Her first novel, Summer and Bird, was called “a stunning debut” that “thrills with complex storytelling” by Booklist. She lives in Austin, Texas.

The Girl At The Center Of The World Blog Tour {review}

I'm excited to have The Girl At The Center Of The World Blog Tour stopping by today with my review...

The Girl At The Center Of The World

(Islands at the End of the World #2)

by Austin Aslan

August 14, 2015

Random House

As sixteen-year-old Leilani and her family learn to live without electronics, farming the land as her ancestors did, she finds strength in her relatives, her friendships, and her strange connection to the Emerald Orchid--the force whose presence caused global devastation--but suffers regret over what she must do to survive.

An exciting and satisfying sequel that continues the thrilling ideas and adventure of THE ISLANDS AT THE END OF THE WORLD.

Native Hawaiian mythology and history is beautifully intertwined in the story.

An eco-thriller by an expert: great choice for dystopian fans who want a new spin. The author has a masters in tropical conservation biology from the University of Hawaii-Hilo.

amazon / b&n / indiebound

The Islands at the End of the World

by Austin Aslan

8/5/14

Wendy Lamb Books

Right before my eyes, my beautiful islands are changing forever. And so am I...

Sixteen-year-old Leilani loves surfing and her home in Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii. But she's an outsider - half white, half Hawaiian, and an epileptic.

While Lei and her father are on a visit to Oahu, a global disaster strikes. Technology and power fail, Hawaii is cut off from the world, and the islands revert to traditional ways of survival. As Lei and her dad embark on a nightmarish journey across islands to reach home and family, she learns that her epilepsy and her deep connection to Hawaii could be keys to ending the crisis before it becomes worse than anyone can imagine.

A powerful story enriched by fascinating elements of Hawaiian ecology, culture, and warfare, this captivating and dramatic debut from Austin Aslan is the first of two novels. The author has a master’s degree in tropical conservation biology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Praise for the series

Kirkus starred review, May 15, 2014:

“A suspenseful and engaging series opener made all the more distinctive through its careful realization of setting.”

School Library Journal starred review, June 2014:“Aslan’s debut is a riveting tale of belonging, family, overcoming perceived limitations, and finding a home.”

Publishers Weekly starred review, August 15, 2014:“Debut author Aslan shows off his promise as a writer, delivering a fresh, of-the-moment take on apocalyptic fiction […] it’s an exceptional adventure and survival story that’s intimately tied to its setting.”

Picking up a few months after the events in book one, The Girl At The Center of the World finds Leilani and her family struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic Hawaii. Without electricity, people are forced to revert to a simpler way of living: farming, foraging, and hunting. Tucked away in the hills, Leilani, her family, and neighbors have formed a tight community and work together to survive. But dangerous gangs roam the island and meteors fall from the sky. Leilani’s mysterious connection to the Emerald Orchid in the sky prevents the total destruction of the world, but there are those who would stop at nothing to control that connection.

Last year, Austin Aslan enthralled and greatly impressed me with The Islands At The End Of The World, and this sequel proves to be just as smart, thrilling, and entertaining. Aslan continues to combine fresh, complex sci-fi, dystopian, and very real scientific elements to create a captivating and thought-provoking world, and he effortlessly intertwines exciting fiction with his fascinating knowledge and expertise. This sometimes violent, harsh, backbreaking post-apocalyptic Hawaii is wonderfully and believably portrayed and laid out. But amidst all the darkness in this world, Aslan once again paints a stunning, lush, and vivid portrait of Hawaii.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Leilani, her family, and friends. Aslan does a great job of making these characters feel very real and relatable. Readers will root for these characters, celebrating in their triumphs and mourning their losses and feeling their pain. And I found the Emerald Orchid and her baby to be such complex, unforgettable characters in their own right. Some of my favorite moments in the book, are those between Leilani and the beautiful creatures in the sky, which Aslan describes with breathtaking prose.

New and old, dangerous foes arrive, sending Leilani and readers on an edge-of-your seat thrill ride, full of twists and turns, shocking revelations, and heartbreaking losses.

my final thoughts: With its smart plotting, complex world-building, engaging characters, and thought-provoking premise, The Girl At The Center of the World is a satisfying and excellent sequel.

MY RATING

4/5 yummy cupcakes

website * goodreads * twitter * facebook

Austin Aslan was inspired to write his debut novel, The Islands at the End of the World, while living on the Big Island of Hawaii. He earned a master’s degree in tropical conservation biology at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. His research on rare Hawaiian plants located on the high slopes of Mauna Loa won him a pair of destroyed hiking boots, a tattered rain jacket, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He lives outside Tucson, Arizona, deep in the Sonoran Desert, where he pets scorpions and hugs saguaro cacti with his high-school-sweetheart wife and their two young children. Austin is pursuing a PhD in geography at the University of Arizona and thinking up new stories while conducting ecosystem resilience research atop the Peruvian Andes. 

Stone Rider Blog Tour {review and giveaway}

I'm "cyced" (see what I did there?!) to have the Stone Rider Blog Tour stopping by today! Below you can read my review of David Hofmeyr's thrilling debut and enter to win a copy...

Stone Rider

(The Stone Rider Series #1)

by David Hofmeyr

July 14, 2015

Delacorte

In the vein of The Outsiders and the early Western novels of Elmore Leonard, this inventive debut novel, a cross between the cult classic Mad Max movie series and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, blends adrenaline-fueled action with an improbable yet tender romance to offer a rich and vivid portrayal of misfits and loners forced together in their struggle for a better life.

Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood. Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.

The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury.

And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything. 

Amazon / B&N / Indiebound

PRAISE FOR STONE RIDER

“Intense, original, compelling . . . bristles with attitude. So cool. Just read it.”–Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author

“A dangerous race is run with everything on the line in this gritty dystopian thrill ride.”–Kirkus Reviews“Hofmeyr constructs a bleak futuristic world and a landscape both sublime and unforgiving…[in his] novel about self-preservation and reclaiming one’s humanity amid brutality.”–Publishers Weekly

“. . . gritty nonstop action.”–School Library Journal
“. . . a truly gripping dystopian novel.”–VOYA

Fifteen year old Adam Stone lives in the harsh desert town of Blackwater and wants nothing more than to get out. His one chance of earning a one-way ticket to the luxurious world of Sky-Base is also a potentially deadly one: win the brutal Blackwater Trail byke race. Adam, along with the mysterious Kane and tough, gorgeous Sadie Blood, set out to ride this hellish race and find themselves pushed to their limits, hunted by dangerous foes, and faced with cruel truths.

David Hofmeyr’s Stone Rider is an entertaining, wonderfully crafted Young Adult novel that is part dystopian, part western, and all kinds of thrilling! While reminiscent of The Hunger Games, in its razor-sharp, thought-provoking look at class; humanity; and survival, and its unabashed brutality, Stone Rider offers its own unique and complex premise. Hofmeyr creates a bleak, yet entirely enthralling setting with his harsh desert landscapes and almost otherworldly seeming Sky-Base. Adam’s world is a gritty, unforgiving, and, at times, bloody, one. From the saloons selling surprising offerings and the sparse, broken feel of Blackwater to the high-tech world of bykes and Riders, drones, and space civilizations, I loved the cool mix of old-time western and futuristic sci-fi elements within Stone Rider.

What I like most about the characters in Stone Rider, is that they aren’t necessarily likable in a traditional sense. These aren’t characters I would want to be friends with, but I found them utterly engrossing and engaging. From earnest Adam, to mysterious Kane, capable Sadie, and a handful of nasty baddies, readers will be captivated by their stories.

Wickedly fast-paced, Stone Rider takes its characters and readers on an edge of your seat (or byke!) ride. Hofmeyr does an excellent job of creating suspense off all kinds, from explosive to quiet. Adam, Kane, and Sadie are definitely put through the hellish, bloody ringer and readers won’t be able to look away for a second of it.

my final thoughts: With its smart concept, exhilarating storytelling, and memorable characters, Stone Rider is an awesome debut and exciting Young Adult read. I can’t wait for the sequel!

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

website * goodreads * facebook * twitter

DAVID HOFMEYR was born in South Africa and lives in London and Paris. In 2012 he was a finalist in the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices competition, and in 2013 he graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People. He works as a Planner for Ogilvy & Mather in the UK. Stone Rider is David Hofmeyr’s first novel. He also wrote the companion novel, Blood Rider.

Win a copy of Stone Rider!

Thanks to Penguin-Random House, I have one brand new copy of Stone Rider for one winner.

DETAILS

-US/CAN only

-ends 8/9/15

-please read the full list of rules below the rafflecopter form

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NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington D.C. who are 13 years old or older as of date of entry.

To enter, fill out the appropriate Rafflecopter form associated with each giveaway.

The start and end dates for each giveaway will be clearly stated and followed.

The specified amount of winners shall be selected in a random drawing.

Winners will be notified by email and must claim their prize within 48 hours. If a winner does not respond within 48 hours, then a new winner will be chosen.
Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen prizes in the mail. Once a prize is dropped off at the post office, it is no longer my responsibility and I will not compensate in anyway for prizes not delivered because of the USPS.
If a third-party (author, publisher, etc) is shipping a prize, once I provide the winner(s)' mailing information to them, the prize is no longer my responsibility. I will forward your mailing info to the proper people within 48 hours after getting it from you. If you have not received your prize from an author or publisher within 8 weeks, it is your responsibility to contact them further.
By participating in any giveaway, you agree to adhere to these rules. Any breaking of these rules by entrants will disqualify them from the giveaway and their entries will be deleted.

The Girl At Midnight Blog Tour {review & giveaway}

I'm so very excited to have The Girl At Midnight Blog Tour stopping by today...

The Girl at Midnight (#1)

by Melissa Grey

4/28/15

Random House

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Praise for The Girl At Midnight

"Grey’s energetic debut offers a strong protagonist…[and the] well-built world, vivid characters, and perfect blend of action and amour should have readers eagerly seeking the sequel." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred 

"Sparks fly...This first novel will please fans of Cassandra Clare and Game of Thrones watchers with its remarkable world building; richly developed characters...[and] a breathtaking climax that...cannot come soon enough!""—Booklist starred review 

"Inventive, gorgeous, and epic—Grey dazzles in her debut." —Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die 

“A stunning debut. Equal parts atmosphere and adventure … positively divine.” – Victoria Schwab, author of A Darker Shade of Magic 

A runaway and pickpocket, Echo has no one until she is adopted by the Avicen, a magical race of feathered beings who live beneath the city. Echo survives by selling the treasures she steals and has come to love the Avicen like family. So when the fate of the Avicen is threatened by an old enemy, Echo is determined to do what it takes to save them and to finally prove that she belongs with the Avicen. Ancient legend tells of the mystical Firebird, a creature who will bestow ultimate power to the one who controls it. Echo and a band of unexpected allies set out to find the Firebird before it falls into the wrong, very dangerous hands and end the bloody war...but this journey forces Echo to face truths she’s not ready for and makes her question everything she thought she knew about the enemy.

Melissa Grey’s The Girl At Midnight was such a pleasant surprise and such a joy to read! Grey has crafted a lush, fantastical world full of exciting elements, engaging characters, and lovely writing. The Girl At Midnight’s unique; refreshing premise is woven together with captivating and addicting storytelling. The world within The Girl At Midnight, from the enchanting Avicen to their fiery enemy; the streets of fascinating cities; and everything in between; is richly developed and described and fiercely beautiful. The fantasy elements, from magic doorways; enchantments; seers; fire conjuring; and more, are darkly whimsical and enthralling. While somewhat predictable, I found the story within The Girl At Midnight to be quite the page-turner anyway.

However, I have rather mixed feelings about the romantic elements in this book. There are some super cute flirtations and genuine feelings being explored between characters...these things I really liked! Although I wasn’t thrilled with the whole  “love-triangle-ish-sorta-insta-love” thing the heroine experiences...fortunately, these romantic elements don’t dominate the story and didn’t hinder my ability to really dig the book!

And anything lacking in the storyline and the romance is made up for with the three main young characters: our heroine Echo and her two friends, Ivy and Jasper. I just LOVE Echo! She’s smart, funny, delightfully brash, independent, and feels refreshingly real. Ivy is full of as much feist and spunk as her BFF, Echo, and proves to be an admirable, brave heroine in her own right. Jasper, with his laugh-out-loud musings and adorable ways, is probably my favorite character! Grey fills this world with an eclectic and intriguing mix of characters, some- readers will fall in love with, some- readers will love to hate.

my final thoughts: With stellar world-building, wonderful storytelling, and fun characters, The Girl At Midnight is a fantastic addition to YA Fantasy...I will eagerly be awaiting book two!

my rating

4/5 yummy cupcakes

website * goodreads * twitter * instagram

Melissa Grey penned her first short story at the age of twelve and hasn't stopped writing since. As an undergrad at Yale, she learned how ride a horse and shoot a bow and arrow at the same time, but hasn't had much use for that skill since graduating in 2008. 

Her debut novel, THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT, will be published by Delacorte/Random House in spring 2015.

Win a brand new copy of

The Girl At Midnight!

Random House has generously offered 2 copies for two winners.

Details

-US/CAN only

-ends 5/22

-each winner will get one copy

please read full rules below rafflecopter form

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Unless otherwise stated, the policies and rules for each giveaway are as follows:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington D.C. who are 13 years old or older as of date of entry.

To enter, fill out the appropriate Rafflecopter form associated with each giveaway.

The start and end dates for each giveaway will be clearly stated and followed.

The specified amount of winners shall be selected in a random drawing.

Winners will be notified by email and must claim their prize within 48 hours. If a winner does not respond within 48 hours, then a new winner will be chosen.
Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen prizes in the mail. Once a prize is dropped off at the post office, it is no longer my responsibility and I will not compensate in anyway for prizes not delivered because of the USPS.
If a third-party (author, publisher, etc) is shipping a prize, once I provide the winner(s)' mailing information to them, the prize is no longer my responsibility. I will forward your mailing info to the proper people within 48 hours after getting it from you. If you have not received your prize from an author or publisher within 8 weeks, it is your responsibility to contact them further.
By participating in any giveaway, you agree to adhere to these rules. Any breaking of these rules by entrants will disqualify them from the giveaway and their entries will be deleted.