Review: Chosen At Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5) by C.C. Hunter

A thrilling end to the bestselling series that started with Born at Midnight. If you loved the first four books, you'll find this one hard to let go off long after you read the last word.

Though I wasn't a fan of the series from day one, this captured my attention. It had everything a good supernatural read had: love triangle with two smoking guys, Derek (faerie)and Lucas (werewolf), strong and independent lead (Kylie) and a good plot. Fast forward four books and here we are now, at the end. 

    I was very hesitant to read the book because I knew after I started to read, there was no going back; the end was here. Being one of my favorite series, I didn't want to let it go just yet. But, though I finished the book and loved it, I will always remember the first time I entered the world of Shadow Falls.

     From the start, Kylie's struggles seemed bigger than mine. After all, it doesn't happen every day that you find out you're not human and that your supernatural pattern isn't readable. Or that you even up being a rare type of supernatural: a chameleon. Let alone the fact that no one even knows what a chameleon is. If I was Kylie, I would have just declared myself human and given up any abilities at the start so I wouldn't have to go through all she went through up to end. Especially those ghosts. If I had to deal with them on a daily basis, I would just throw myself over a cliff or something. Seriously, those ghosts can give you nightmares. But Kylie is the type of person to finish what she starts, even if it means risking her life... again.

     That is the only thing that bugs me. Kylie had "valiantly" risked herself and gone into dangerous situations by herself to spare others. They, however, are still involved and go into the situation unprepared. I know people don't change from one day to another but it's been months! By the fourth book, she should have stopped and realized that trusting at least one other person will stop her from getting into deeper trouble that usual. In this aspect Kylie really needs to grow up and learn from her (many) mistakes.

     After Kylie left Shadow Falls, she thought she would get all the answers that she wanted- what it meant to be chameleon and where it was she belonged. However, events force her to face her problems head on rather than avoiding them. A pesky new ghost and sword just won't leave her alone. Pretending not to see her causes her nothing but grief. Not to mention all the unresolved drama left over from WHISPERS AT MOONRISE. Fortunately, Hunter cleared all of that up in CHOSEN AT NIGHTFALL.

     What about those amazing but trying-to-kill-each-other friends of hers? Della, a vampire with a knack to fight for her friends and Miranda, a witch who tends to screw spells up continue to be there for our heroine  They're male "friends" also add a little spice into the overall wholeness (and mischievous smiles) of the book. Having the relationships of the people around Kylie was a well-throughout strategy; she is the type to care about others more than herself. I especially love what happens between Holiday and Burnett. I did not see it coming but I loved it.

     Now for what everyone really wants to know: Derek or Lucas. Personally, I kept switching teams many times throughout the series. Lucas was always the hottie, who I'd like for myself but Derek was kind and wanted the best for her. Fortunately, choosing between these two (irresistible guys) wasn't the main issue like in some novels. Mostly, it still focuses on her finding answers and with them herself. But based on who she ends up with, half of the fans will be delighted and the others displeased. I am among the ones who can accept her decision. I understand her choice, though personally, I would have held everything they did wrong against them for a long time and just be single. But that's just me.

     Though I was weary as to how Hunter would conclude the series, I can say without a doubt that it does not disappoint. So now that the Shadow Falls series is over, I will wait for whatever new book she releases. Hopefully soon.

Rating: 4.5 wands

Will I read anything else C.C. Hunter in the future? Yes.

Recommended for: anyone who loves love triangles, supernatural books or has been with Kylie since Born at Midnight

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Review: The Book of the Sword (Samurai Girl #1) by Carrie Asai

From the first sentence, I was hooked.

The language and flow of the story is smooth and easily to follow. (Being slightly above 200 pages, it's a quick read as well.) However, Heaven is hard to relate to at the beginning. Having fell from the sky (literally) and being the sole survivor of flight JAL 999, she was taken in by the wealthy Kogo family. She grew up spoiled, knowing next to nothing about surviving on her own. Her wedding day is the initial event which signals to her that her life would change. After a ninja attacks her, killing her brother instead, she runs away from home, in search of answers. These answers which she's unable to attain Her brother told her to look for his friend, Hiro.    After going through the trouble of searching through L.A. and meeting strange people, Heaven finally finds him. While she thought he'd be an automatic ally, he turned out anything but. After some persuasion and guilty tripping, she manages to convince Hiro to train her in Bushido, the way of the samurai. She hopes that by becoming a samurai, she'll be able to protect herself as she looks for the low lives who killed her brother. Considering the circumstances, her initiative and plan seemed reasonable. I can't help but wonder why she set her goals only to training. I mean, how would she find the ninjas?

     Meanwhile training, Heaven develops a crush on Hiro. Unlike most novels, nowadays, their care and interest for each other is visible yet they don't let it distract them from their goals, their purpose. In this way, Heaven suits as a better heroine. On the other hand, being a sheltered child, there's  a lot she doesn't known and doesn't understand. Her ingenue is clear but so is her drive and motivation.

     However, the people who went through the trouble of trying to kill her haven't stopped looking for her. It actually comes to the point where she chooses to leave, to stop endangering Hiro's life and to trust her father again. Another attack, this time harming someone else, has her questioning everything.

     After all that action in the pre-last chapter, the ending doesn't satisfy as much as I expected it to. First of all, it was cliche. It fit considering the setting and the constant references yet I felt it could have been better. Second, it felt too calm, too serene after all she discovered, all she went through.

     Though I initially believed it to be an action type book, it wasn't. Sure, some action occurred yet it wasn't the main focus. Overall, a good read. It shouldn't take longer than an evening on your coach to finish.

     Being a series, any questions left unanswered, should be clear by the end of the sixth book.

Rating: 3 Wands
Will I be reading the rest of the series? Of course.
Recommend for: People who like a little action mixed with their romance
Buy the book here.
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