Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh

Feb 16, 2016 Wendy Darling rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-favorites, aliens, male-pov, male-ya-author, own-dtb-tbr, young-adult, rh, lgbtqi, read-2016, poc

3.5 stars A really terrific high-concept scifi novel--except it kinda lost me once, well, midnight is burned. It's the same problem I had with THE FOLD--great premise, engrossing plot, decent characterization, engaging narrative voice, and then the direction the story went/the reveal felt rather silly.

I liked it tremendously up until that point, however, so I'm rounding up in star ratings, even though the resolution and ending felt underdeveloped and a bit rushed. (Surprising, considering how c ...more

flag 79 likes · Like · see review

Jun 28, 2015 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss, riddikulus, check-and-recheck, ya, not-your-ordinary-creatures, superheroes-superhero-like-powers, that-bastard, meh, aliens-i-love-em, rabid-reads-reviews

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

David Sullivan lives in a version of our world where ability enhancing spheres just appeared out of the blue one day. Canary Yellow for perfect memory, Aquamarine for fast healing, Cranberry to become more attractive, etc.

As far as anyone can tell, once "burned" the gifts granted by the spheres last forever.

The problem is that not enough time has elapsed since their discovery to know for sure.

The other problem is that no one knows where they came from. God? Satan? Aliens? ...more

flag 78 likes · Like · see review

Jul 02, 2015 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, young-adult, arcs-and-galleys, science-fiction

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/01/31/y...

Burning Midnight is Will McIntosh’s first Young Adult novel, and even though it didn’t hit me emotionally as hard as his adult books Defenders or Love Minus Eighty (which is one of my favorite books ever!) I nonetheless found it incredibly entertaining and addictive. It even disrupted my nightly ritual of reading to calm my mind before bed, because all this book did was make me even more wide awake with my blood pumped up 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/01/31/y...

Burning Midnight is Will McIntosh’s first Young Adult novel, and even though it didn’t hit me emotionally as hard as his adult books Defenders or Love Minus Eighty (which is one of my favorite books ever!) I nonetheless found it incredibly entertaining and addictive. It even disrupted my nightly ritual of reading to calm my mind before bed, because all this book did was make me even more wide awake with my blood pumped up and heart pounding.

I also loved the unique concept behind Midnight Burning. Imagine going to sleep one day and waking up the next to find that everything has changed, thanks to the sudden appearance of strange, colorful marble-sized spheres all over the world. You can find them anywhere there is human activity, but they are always hidden well–inside storm drains, fountains, crawlspaces, discarded bottles, etc. And when you put a matched set of the same color to your temples (in a process called “burning” the spheres) they can permanently enhance your features and abilities. Burning a pair of Chocolate browns can make you stronger, for example, and Cranberries can make you better looking. Aquamarines will grant you quick healing, Vermillions allow you to sleep less (that’s one I could TOTALLY use), and Ruby reds give you perfect teeth…basically, there are dozens upon dozens of sphere colors and their effects.

Of course, some colors are rarer than others, and there’s a lot more demand for the desirable traits. As a result, a whole industry has sprung up around the spheres. Some businessmen made a fortune dealing in spheres, like the shady industry mogul Alex Holliday, but also on the other side of the spectrum are those like our protagonist David “Sully” Sullivan, a high school student who buys and sells them out of a modest little stall at the local flea market on weekends. Desperate for money after his mom loses his job, Sully decides to join forces with Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres. Together, they hope to strike it rich soon with one big find, and then one day, they get lucky—really lucky. Sully and Hunter find a Gold, a color that no one has ever seen before, so it’s a mystery what a pair of them will even do. But it doesn’t matter, because it’s possibly the rarest sphere in the world, and when Holliday catches wind of it, Sully knows the evil billionaire will do anything in his power to possess it.

In the acknowledgements, I found out Burning Midnight was actually expanded from a short story by Will McIntosh called “Midnight Blue”, and it would be really interesting to see how that might have influenced the structure of the plot, since I noticed a distinct shift between the first half of the novel and its second half. The pivotal point, of course, was when Sully and Hunter find the Gold—which happens almost exactly halfway through the book. Before this, the story was definitely slower, focusing more on the world building and developing the characters and their relationships. On the other hand, the second half was where all the action was! In truth, this turned out really well, with the more gradual pacing in the beginning acting as a nice long fuse to work up to the explosive ending. I was practically burning with anticipation (sorry, pun unavoidable) to find out the mystery behind the spheres and how everything would play out.

I have to say, the answers were surprising. I won’t spoil the end, but it’s safe to say I didn’t see the twist coming at all. Throughout the entire book is this disconcerting feeling that the spheres are too good to be true, and McIntosh even encourages the suspicion by including a character who wisely suggests that there’s “no free lunch”. Things in the book did wrap up a little too quickly and neatly for my tastes, but my mind is still blown by the revelations which I can only describe as pretty unexpected and far out there.

Ultimately, it was really refreshing to get away from magic and dive into something strange, weird and mysterious like the spheres. One has to wonder if the story was in any way inspired by collectible card games or other hobbies that involve hunting for rare items (assigning a value to spheres based on its rarity, listing/buying spheres on eBay, hitting up sphere dealers for the best price to complete a set, etc.…all these activities inevitably reminded me of my days of scouring hobby store displays to find those rare cards I needed to build my Magic deck.) Whichever way you look at it though, the story was tons of fun and the originality alone makes this book worth checking out.

Overall, Midnight Burning was a very quick and enjoyable read, with one of the coolest concepts I’ve ever seen. I devoured it in about two sittings, after I finally gave up on trying to go to sleep and admitted to myself I’d so much rather be reading this book. Will McIntosh is one of my favorite authors and I’ll read any book he writes, and I am thrilled that he made such a great debut into YA fiction. ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

May 05, 2016 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, sci-fi, 2016-shelf

This might be a real surprise hit that everyone is going to be talking about for a long time. Or perhaps it simply should be. :) I'm not generally a YA fan, but even so, I keep running into real gems lately. Or spheres. Lots and lots of ability-granting spheres for appreciating really good stories with fascinating characters and plots that are literally impossible to put down.

I read this and skipped dinner, for heaven's sake, even forgoing a potty break because this was just that good.

I was hook ...more

flag 31 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2016 Jen Ryland added it

Shelves: young-ya

Fun, page-turning story about a diverse Scooby Gang of underdogs out to stop an evil billionaire and save the world. The book's premise is that colored spheres start showing up all over the world, and people soon realize that by "burning" these spheres (holding them to their temples) they can absorb the powers within (better eyesight, singing talent, etc.) The spheres are different colors and categorized according to rarity like diamonds or ...Pokémon cards. Rare spheres can go for millions and ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

May 10, 2016 Christina rated it liked it

3 stars!

Imagine waking up one day, and there are different colored, marble sized spheres all over the world. Some are out in plain sight, some are hidden. It is somehow realized that by "burning" two of the same colored spheres (meaning you touch a matched pair to your forehead) your body can absorb the unique gifts that these spheres have to give.

Mustard for high intelligence, Burnt Orange for speed reading, Canary Yellow for perfect memory, Cranberry to make you more attractive, Chocolate Brow ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2016 Justine rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2016-read

2.5 stars

Writer Madeleine L'Engle once said "[y]ou have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children."

L'Engle's statement goes to the heart of my difficulty with Burning Midnight. Here we have a great premise, spheres appear from nowhere and are able to imbue people with enhanced abilities, but the author tells it as if he is a smarter grown-up telling a story he thinks might be a tad too complicated for most you ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2015 Jeann (Happy Indulgence) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, review-copy

Initial Thoughts: This was fun at the start, then it started to get more and more ridiculous to the point where I just tuned out. The sphere hunting for abilities was an interesting part of the book and I liked Hunter and Sully, but when they start making stupid decisions, I got pretty frustrated. Everything tied up a bit too perfectly and easily.

---

This review appears on Happy Indulgence! Check it out for more reviews.

Burning Midnight gave me fond memories of Pokemon, with people trying to fin Initial Thoughts: This was fun at the start, then it started to get more and more ridiculous to the point where I just tuned out. The sphere hunting for abilities was an interesting part of the book and I liked Hunter and Sully, but when they start making stupid decisions, I got pretty frustrated. Everything tied up a bit too perfectly and easily.

---

This review appears on Happy Indulgence! Check it out for more reviews.

Burning Midnight gave me fond memories of Pokemon, with people trying to find the rarest spheres and collecting them. The coloured spheres have different abilities that get progressively cooler depending on how rare they are. Want to become better looking, improve your hearing, get a higher IQ or my favourite – read faster? There’s a sphere for everything. The spheres are hidden in random places across the world, in the wilderness, in structural buildings, in rivers and ponds and no one knows how they appeared. This concept was actually pretty cool and I enjoyed learning what each sphere was used for.
Sully is a sphere hunter who makes a living by selling them at the flea market. At the start I really felt for Sully’s character, as someone who had lost his father and was just trying to feed himself and his mum. But as someone who’s gotten scammed once before by the big sphere collector Holliday, he seems to trust Hunter and the other people at the market quickly and easily.

He progressively continues to make these mistakes throughout the book, by listening to Hunter’s whims instead of trusting his own instinct. After he was specifically told – you can’t trust anyone when it comes to million dollar rare spheres, he invites all of his friends along to find the rarest sphere. I could just see it all backfiring before my very eyes – and I was right.

While I liked how fiesty and resourceful Hunter was, and how useful she was at hunting down spheres, some of her decisions went against logic – just like Sully. Why would you decide NOT to put a million dollar sphere into a safety deposit box, and instead hug it to your chest at night? I’m pretty sure anyone could have stolen it from under your nose. And why would you take it around with you when you KNOW that Holliday can take it from you with force? Seeing these kids make stupid decisions time and time again just annoyed and frustrated me.

The ending was quite rushed and completely takes you by surprise, taking a strange turn to explain the origin of the spheres and where they came from. It’s completely unexpected, and it gets really, really weird especially what happens with Hunter.

This isn’t a story about retribution against someone who cheated you, or about bettering them. Burning Midnight was surprisingly philosophical, sharing a cautionary tale of greed and of opening Pandora’s box. It’s about learning to realise and appreciate what you have in front of you instead of pursuing more riches – to what end will you stop? Will you keep it to yourself or share it with others? What starts off as an innocent adventure can quickly turn into greed, and it doesn’t have it’s consequences.

Although I struggled with some of the character decisions and the strange ending, I enjoyed Burning Midnight’s unique, action-packed adventure with an interesting and philosophical premise. It’s also a standalone, so it’s satisfying to have everything resolved in one book.

I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2015 Figgy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-netgalley, favourites-2016, one-hundred-percent-rock-reviews, review-copy, reviewed, favourites, 100-rock-reviews, format-proof-copy, instabuy-author, publisher-pan-macmillan

When the spheres had first appeared, it sent shock waves around the world. On TV, experts and pundits had debated where they came from all day. As the years went by, though, and no solid answers to the mystery materialized, everyone started taking the spheres’ existence for granted.

No one knows where they came from. One day they were just there, hidden all over the earth like huge gemstones. Burn a pair of Mustard Yellows to boost your IQ, some Lemon Yellows to grow a little taller, a couple of ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2015 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-book-read, dtb-book

It is so much fun to not only get a guy's point of view in the young adult genre but to get something completely refreshing and original as well.

This book ended up being so much fun in a very unexpected way.

Science fiction reading has never been my strong suit. Stick me in front of a movie or tv show and I devour them, but put a book in front of me and I slug through it and more often than not, just like it, or could care less about it by the time I finish it. This however kept me interested, ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2015 Sara (Freadom Library) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-releases, young-adult, read-2016, thriller, lgbtq, science-fiction, netgalley, standalones, poc

Actual rating 3.5 stars

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

I received an e-ARC of this book from Delacorte Press and Random House Children’s via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
First off I have to say that this book was definitely not what I imagined it was going to be. There was some action and it was generally kind of creepy, especially toward the end. There was mystery and traveling. There were parts that were Actual rating 3.5 stars

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

I received an e-ARC of this book from Delacorte Press and Random House Children’s via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
First off I have to say that this book was definitely not what I imagined it was going to be. There was some action and it was generally kind of creepy, especially toward the end. There was mystery and traveling. There were parts that were boring and it kind of dragged but overall it was enjoyable.

Writing – 3 out of 5 stars
It was simple and very descriptive. It took some time for it to absorb me and really catch my attention but that may have been the combination with the plot as well. It was very slow paced which I don’t usually mind but in this book it was a bit annoying. Because of it, the writing felt dull and it kind of lacked that extra umph to suck you into the story.

Characters – 3 out of 5 stars
Unfortunately this was one of those books where I would’ve rather had a different narrator than there was. The main character, Sully, is a boy who was cheated by a big time millionaire and is kind of obsessed with the fact and all the bad things that happened to him afterward. He’s desperate to make money and while sweet and helpful to the general plot, he was kind of dull. He fell flat to me. I never really connected with him and his motivations. It was more like alright kid, let’s see where you go. He was super easy going and chill most of the time which is a contrast to his story. Hunter, the female protagonist, was so amazing! I would’ve loved to have seen this story from her point of view. She’s stubborn and determined. She is such a survivor in life and so so strong. She’s just as desperate as Sully but because of her personality it comes off in a different way. I probably would’ve loved this book if she would’ve been the one to tell the story.

Emotionally
(view spoiler)[This book was just kind of average to me. It didn’t blow me away but it did keep me interested and reading.

The plot is interesting but not exciting. We follow Sully who sells spheres to make ends meet. Spheres showed up on Earth out of nowhere and when you “burn” them, they enhance something about you. No one knows where they came from, or how they do what they do. He meets Hunter, and they create a partnership to find spheres to sell. This is the gist of it. It takes half of the book to get to what the synopsis talks about, no joke. The beginning just felt like a waste of time. There was nothing driving the plot, it was just monotone day to day kind of things. It could’ve been shortened a lott more to make the story much faster and more engaging. Once we finally to the part where the blurb comes in, it was not what I was expecting. I was a bit more invested in what was happening but still disappointed. I thought I was going to be reading an action-packed, science fiction thriller with a hot pursuit and that’s not what I got. The reveal at the end about this mystery of the spheres was intriguing and really freaking creepy but by then it was over too soon and wrapped up too quickly. If the beginning was shorter and the end longer, I would’ve enjoyed this book a lot more than I did.

Sully was okay too. I mean, it was very hard to connect with him and to feel his motivations. He just fell flat. There were things to like. He’s very family and friend oriented, he would do anything for them. He’s genuine and strong and honest. He does the best he can with the things that happen to him. But my reaction to him was just like um, okay. There was no feeling towards me. I didn’t feel any connection at all. Which is awful because he’s the narrator.

I’ll say it again, Hunter would’ve been a way better narrator. Not only because of her backstory but because of the role she plays in the plot. They side characters are great and I am happy to say that there is diversity represented.

One point that really bothered me was a specific plot point in which a betrayal happened. I was shocked and outraged but it was never resolved in anyway between the characters involved. It doesn’t move the plot in anyway but if you’re going to add it in at least take the time to finish it up.

Overall, an average read for me. Not bad but not great either. I recommend that you read it for yourself to see what you think. You might enjoy it more if you’re a bigger fan of science fiction than I am. (hide spoiler)] ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2015 Molly Mortensen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, science-fiction, dystopian, young-adult, kindle, reviews, 2016

Colored spheres appeared all over the world nine years ago. When you burn two of the same color they make you better, taller, smarter, better looking. The rarer the sphere the more they do and the more they are worth.

Four years ago Sully found the rarest sphere in the world, and one of the richest guys around ripped him off for millions of dollars.

Recently, his mom lost her job, and they might soon lose their apartment. Sully works at a flea market selling spheres to make money. When he meets a ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2016 Robyn rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016

I really liked the conceit of the book (one day, seemingly magical spheres show up all over the world, and if you have two of the same colour, you gain heightened abilities of some kind - a better singing voice, an inch in height, etc) and the characters. I had some quibbles with the plot, mostly of the spoiler-ish variety.

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2015 Carrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

For almost a decade people have been finding magical spheres hidden all around the planet. When two are used together they give the person different improvements to themselves such as a better singing voice, whiter teeth, run faster, better hearing etc. The better the improvement the more rare and expensive each sphere with every different color giving a different outcome.

Sully is a teenager that makes a part time income buying and selling spheres at the local flea market. A few years before Su For almost a decade people have been finding magical spheres hidden all around the planet. When two are used together they give the person different improvements to themselves such as a better singing voice, whiter teeth, run faster, better hearing etc. The better the improvement the more rare and expensive each sphere with every different color giving a different outcome.

Sully is a teenager that makes a part time income buying and selling spheres at the local flea market. A few years before Sully had become famous for finding a new cherry red color of sphere but had been cheated out of his promised fee from the corrupt businessman Alex Holliday.

Sully meets Hunter, a teenage girl that spends all of her timing hunting out rare spheres to make a living from selling them. Hunter isn't quick to trust anyone but Sully soon convinces her to team up with him to go hunting and the duo soon start finding spheres together but after a big find they find themselves back to dealing with Alex Holliday.

Reading the book synopsis it had said for fans of The Maze Runner and The Fifth Wave, I have read the Maze Runner and didn't see much similarity to that other than the male lead but I haven't read The Fifth Wave yet to make any comparison there. However, what this definitely reminded me of yet again was Ready Player One by Earnest Cline.

There isn't a virtual element to the story this time but what we have are the two teenagers working to find these spheres before the evil corporate head Holliday can find them first or do anything he can to stop them. Even the name Holliday is similar to the name of the game creator Halliday in Ready Player One.

That being said though this story has a complete life of it's own taking place in what seems like our world but with these mysterious spheres. Enjoyed the creative improvements that each could do and the debate on whether people should even be messing with something they didn't understand. The ending really worked well in my opinion explaining everything I had been questioning in an exciting conclusion.

Great read, fast paced and engaging, would definitely recommend checking out this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2016 The Cover Contessa rated it liked it

I want to thank Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered or changed my opinion or review.

I'm actually not sure where to star with this read. It was interesting for sure. And totally different than what I had imagined it would be. And, in all honesty, it read more like a middle grade book for me.

The fun things about this book was the gang of underdogs who fight to be the winner. I really liked t I want to thank Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered or changed my opinion or review.

I'm actually not sure where to star with this read. It was interesting for sure. And totally different than what I had imagined it would be. And, in all honesty, it read more like a middle grade book for me.

The fun things about this book was the gang of underdogs who fight to be the winner. I really liked this. I love when the underdog is able to conquer and come out on top. Especially when they work hard for it. Nothing comes easy to these kids and they meet so many road blocks along the way.

Sully knows one thing, selling spheres. It's how he keeps his and his mother's heads above ground. But he's running out of those spheres he has. If the money doesn't come, he and his mom will have to move away from what he's always known as home. I liked Sully. He was a bit rough around the edges, and definitely mentally older than his 17 years. I suppose having hardly any money and having to help out your mom in order to live might do that to you! And he's quick to jump to conclusions without having evidence to support his accusations. I do wish there was more depth to him.

Alex Holiday is your typical villain. He's self-centered and self-preserving. He's cheated Sully before and he's not one to back down. He goes after what he wants, in whatever way possible, and takes what he thinks is his. I pretty much wanted him out of the picture throughout the whole book, even when it seemed like he might actually have a bit of a good side to him.

Sully's friends were a good compliment to him. I do wish they had been a little more developed. Other than Hunter, we really don't get much from Sully's best friend, Dom, or their unlikely companion, Mandy. It seemed like the author just scratched the surface with them. I honestly never connected with any of the characters in this book.

The writing is easy to follow though the first part of the book is a little slow paced. And I felt like these kids were never going to catch a break. That did make for a more realistic story, since the good guys don't always win right away.

Something that really bugged me in this story was lack background about the spheres. I just didn't feel like I understood how they came to be in the world. I mean, I understand they had some mystery behind them, that was essential to the story line. But I wanted to know exactly how things progressed once they were found. How did people realize they would enhance things and how to use them? Who figured it out, etc. The story was severely lacking in the world building in this area.

Also, the romance felt a bit forced and unlikely. It was kind of an instal-like, in my opinion. Sully goes from seeing this girl and spending limited time with her to all of a sudden being in love with her, when he barely knows about her. It just didn't seem complete to me.

Overall, I liked the story but I didn't love it. It's a book I might suggest for my 12 year old to read as opposed to an older teen. Definitely in the sci-fi genre, especially towards the end, this book would probably entertain anyone who has a love of anything alien to our earth.

...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2017 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2017

4/5stars

Alrighty, let’s do this. I accidentally read this entire book in a few hours and it was SUCH a fun ride! The premise of this novel was incredibly unique - a world mostly similar to ours except there are these spheres that you “burn” and they enhance some part of you (like your looks or your knowledge etc etc) - the characters were very fun and surprisingly fleshed out and I just had such a fun time because EXO (anyone who doesn’t get what that means should look up the “Power” music vid 4/5stars

Alrighty, let’s do this. I accidentally read this entire book in a few hours and it was SUCH a fun ride! The premise of this novel was incredibly unique - a world mostly similar to ours except there are these spheres that you “burn” and they enhance some part of you (like your looks or your knowledge etc etc) - the characters were very fun and surprisingly fleshed out and I just had such a fun time because EXO (anyone who doesn’t get what that means should look up the “Power” music video on YouTube 👌🏻). I swear this book had like three climaxes and I was screaming at the end cause there were like 4 pages left and thINGS WERE STILL HAPPENING!!! It had me on my toes the whole time. Though I predicted a few aspects of it, mostly it was just insanity (which I love). Also the diversity! We have a gay character, a black character, people on all different places in the economic spectrum - it was pretty good on that mark.

As an entertaining factor this is probs a 4.5 or 5 stars just cause I enjoyed it SO MUCH. But unfortunately there were a few things that put it back. (I debated putting it at 3.5 stars just cause the list is a handful of items, but I think 4 Star is simply a better statement of how much I still liked this book.)

Firstly was the writing. The writing was just okay - there were certain scenes/paragraphs that just totally took me out and had the editor in me going “wtf was that??”. Secondly was the handful of pretty problematic discussions - the first being about “girliegirls” and how none of the girls in this book are “like other girls” and that bullshit that I hate. And the second thing was this discussion of “you’re not poor, you don’t understand hardships because I’VE had it WAY WORSE than you.” This just reeeaaallllyyyy rubbed me the wrong way cause I talk about IRL how toxic it is to make things like mental health and situation into a competition because it makes people feel like they can’t talk about their problems or feelings. Soooo that was a bit pretty shitty thing that got discussed. And the last thing that brought this book down was the VERY end - it was simply too rushed for my liking. While I lovvveddd how action packed and fast paced this was, the a ending happened in like 5 pages.

Even with its flaws tho I HIGHLY recommend this if you’re looking for just a really fun, fast YA sci-fi with little to no romance and a hugely unique premise! ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Jan 15, 2016 Heidi rated it really liked it

Four stars: An exciting fast paced adventure that will keep you on your seat until the shocking finale.

Sully broods as he sits at his flea market stall. The spheres are drying up again, and he and his mother are in danger of being evicted from their apartment. People are collecting are burning through the spheres faster than ever, and the rare ones are harder and harder to come by. If only Sully could score another cherry red find. If only, he hadn't been cheated out of millions of dollars by t Four stars: An exciting fast paced adventure that will keep you on your seat until the shocking finale.

Sully broods as he sits at his flea market stall. The spheres are drying up again, and he and his mother are in danger of being evicted from their apartment. People are collecting are burning through the spheres faster than ever, and the rare ones are harder and harder to come by. If only Sully could score another cherry red find. If only, he hadn't been cheated out of millions of dollars by the man who is now controlling the spheres. If only, he could find a way to score a big find. Then everything changes when Hunter appears at his booth with a forest green sphere. Soon a friendship and a daring plan follow that could change everything. Will Sully and Hunter find a rare sphere?
What I Liked:
*In the YA genre you don't get as many books written by males that feature a male protagonist. I loved that Burning Midnight did both, and that this fast paced adventure kept me entertained until the end. Definitely worth reading if you like male main characters, thrilling story lines and originality.
*I liked the whole concept of the spheres even though I had many questions. Imagine one day waking up and finding colorful spheres hidden all over the world like Easter eggs, and then discovering that when paired with another, the small round balls deliver special talents. Would you be willing to burn a sphere not knowing the long term consequences in exchange for beauty, strength, improved memory, eyesight or hearing to name a few? I enjoyed exploring the whole idea of the spheres, and I loved the way it all played out.
*I loved the fast pace of the story. Once it gets going, it doesn't let up. There are so many exciting twists and turns, all leading up to a stunning climax and a thrilling finale that I didn't see coming. I loved it.
*The story centers around Sully and Hunter, two teenagers who are down on their luck, looking to find a way to make ends meet. I liked how determined and fierce they were, and how they remained loyal to their friends despite the conflict. Yes, the make some mistakes and they have their flaws, but I found them to be likable. Joining them are Sully's long time loyal best friend Dom, and Mandy, a smart girl who questions the spheres. I liked the diversity of the characters, and how they worked together.
*As the pages dwindled and the action and danger notched up, the pace of the book moves into lightning fast speed. I was fully expecting a cliffhanger as so much happens in those final chapters, and I didn't think there was any way the author could tie off all the story lines, but surprisingly, he does. The books ends without a cliffhanger, and the story for the most part is complete. There is certainly wiggle room to continue the story arc, and I am not sure if this is intended to be a series or if this is a stand alone. Either way, I was thrilled that I wasn't left hanging.
And The Not So Much:
*The one aspect that drove me crazy about the story was the lack of detail regarding the spheres. I kept expecting there would be a point in the story where the back story on the spheres was laid out, but it doesn't really happen. Basically, you are given a simple backstory: the mysterious spheres one day appeared, no one knows from where or why, and when they are burned, they grant special talents or abilities. I was so curious to know so much more. I especially wanted the history. Who figured out how to burn them? What kind of tests were done, etc. etc. I am a detail reader, and I wasn't ready to accept that the spheres were just there. I wanted all the fine details. I guess the lack of detail is perhaps because this book is geared toward a younger audience who don't care as much about the how and why.
*Once the shocking truth is revealed about the spheres, I couldn't put it down. Even though it was mostly resolved in the end, I still had lingering questions about the why, how, where and so forth regarding the spheres.
*There is a bit of romance in the story, but it doesn't really work, and I felt like it was more of a distraction. It could have been left out. Don't read this for the romance that's for sure.
*I have to admit, I was a bit irritated with some of Sully's decisions. I was especially frustrated that he insisted on telling so many people about his big find, that can only lead to trouble. He is far too trusting, especially considering what happened in the past. Furthermore, I didn't like that he didn't pursue those who stole from him.
*The villain felt to cartoonish and he lacked development.
*I was left at the end wanting to know if there was more to the story. Yes, the loose ends are tied off, and the story could stop here, but I think there is more to tell. I need to know if there will be a sequel.

Burning Midnight was a book that I couldn't put down. This one delivers an exciting scifi tale with plenty of action, danger and a thrilling finale that you won't see coming. I loved the concept and the story, but I was a bit disappointed in the lack of depth and detail regarding the spheres. Still this was an original story, and one that I enjoyed. I would recommend checking this out if you want something fast paced and different. I hope that a sequel is in the works.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 17, 2019 Mary ♥ rated it really liked it

4/5 stars

Sully works by selling spheres, colourful balls that can grant a person superpowers such as resistance to illnesses, night vision, new talents and abilities. When a mysterious girl with a tragic past shows up and offers him the chance to hunt the rarest spheres with her, he follows her in a trip that picks up around the world, and teaches them both that the world, and spheres, are absolutely not what they were thought to be. Against a greedy millionaire who uses the spheres to make him 4/5 stars

Sully works by selling spheres, colourful balls that can grant a person superpowers such as resistance to illnesses, night vision, new talents and abilities. When a mysterious girl with a tragic past shows up and offers him the chance to hunt the rarest spheres with her, he follows her in a trip that picks up around the world, and teaches them both that the world, and spheres, are absolutely not what they were thought to be. Against a greedy millionaire who uses the spheres to make himself invincible, they must ultimately fight for the greater good. Are things the way the look, though, or is something far more sinister lurking in what they knew of the world?

This was such a weird, wild, adventurous and surprisingly enjoyable story! When my brother read it in the span of two days and refused to tell me how he felt about it, I knew I had to pick it up out of curiosity, and found myself pleasantly surprised. The world that was set up was an alternative version of our own, a utopian story turned dystopian, with heart-stopping action and a really intense mystery that kept me at the edge of my seat.

I really enjoyed the characters, and I didn't expect the diversity I got! I found Sully's, Dom's, Hunter's and Maddie's friendship absolutely incredible, and it crossed my mind many times how much I would want to be a part of their team. They were hilarious and had such a unique bonding ♥ The plot was extremely fast paced, and the book can definitely be considered a page-turner. The story took a really unexpected turn at some point, that was extremely weird and eyebrow-raising, but I will be a liar if I claim I didn't enjoy it.

The world building was unique, and I loved how every sphere had its own purpose. I also really enjoyed the trip to Mexico, and the plot twist with the Angel of Independence. The writing was nothing special, but it didn't bothered me and it helped with the flow, so that was enough ♥ The mystery and the entire set up of the book made me extremely surprised, and very eager to check more of the author's novels.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience, and I definitely believe this should become a video game or a cartoon ♥ It would be a delight ♥ Until the next review, enjoy the last day of spooky season ♥ HAPPY HALLOWEEN, WITCHES ♥

~Mary ♥ ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2015 Erin Arkin rated it liked it

Shelves: galley-arc, ya, sci-fi

3-3.5 stars

Burning Midnight is the first book I have read by Will McIntosh and I will definitely be checking out his books in the future. There were some things I liked and some things that didn’t necessarily click for me. With that said, I thought this was a solid story and I absolutely love the cover for this book.

One of the pieces of this story that I enjoyed was the fact that it was a male narrator. David Sullivan is a sphere dealer and things aren’t easy for him and his mom. In this world t 3-3.5 stars

Burning Midnight is the first book I have read by Will McIntosh and I will definitely be checking out his books in the future. There were some things I liked and some things that didn’t necessarily click for me. With that said, I thought this was a solid story and I absolutely love the cover for this book.

One of the pieces of this story that I enjoyed was the fact that it was a male narrator. David Sullivan is a sphere dealer and things aren’t easy for him and his mom. In this world that McIntosh has created, spheres are what make people more than what they were born as. Spheres mysteriously appeared on Earth and people realized they gave them certain abilities. Different colors meant different abilities and the rarer the sphere, the greater the value…and cost.

David has been selling spheres at the local flea market but because he is competing with the big box stores…namely Alex Holiday’s stores, business and money isn’t steady. When he meets Hunter, a girl who makes a living searching for spheres, they make a deal to hunt together and that is when things begin to get interesting.

Let’s talk characters for a minute. I really liked Sully (David) and thought he was developed well. He is a great mix of caring, driven, and smart…when he actually does what he thinks they should do instead of listening to Hunter. I found Hunter frustrating. She was so distrustful and refused to listen to reason which really annoyed me. I think this is why I didn’t believe the romance between Sully and Hunter…at all.

The secondary characters in this story are well done and I wish we would have had more of them with Sully. I loved the friendship between Sully and Dom and the brief glimpses we had were well done. Alex Holiday is the bad guy. He burned Sully in the past and now that Sully and Hunter have found something he wants, he is willing to do anything to get it. He clearly doesn’t care about anyone but himself and what he wants. I was glad that Sully didn’t fall for his tricks and stood up to him. Eventually he got what was coming to him and I wasn’t sorry about how things ended up for him.

Going back to the spheres…things come to a head and we finally find out where the spheres came from and why. I found it interesting although slightly rushed at the end and what happened with Hunter was a bit odd but overall what I liked most about this story was that it is different. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of action, an interesting premise, and a solid male point of view. If you are looking for a YA in the science fiction genre that gives you a story that is different than other books out there, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to the Publisher for the review copy! ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2016 Mitchell rated it really liked it

Shelves: library, science-fiction, published-2016, four-star-science-fiction, liked-reviews, young-adult, fiction

I don't know how many of you have discovered Will McIntosh. At this point I jump to read whenever he releases something new. His books are consistently inventive and interesting and good and not like each other much at all. This one is kind of a more normal one, and a ya at that. Set in a recognizable world of today with the minor different of spheres that when you find two and put them to your ears give you permanent enhancements. It's definitely ya and kind of predictable at times and then it ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Feb 05, 2016 Tammy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The nitty-gritty: A fast-paced sci-fi adventure, with one of the coolest concepts I’ve ever run across, and a twist that you won’t see coming.

I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Will McIntosh’s adult novels (Love Minus Eighty and Defenders) but this is the first book of his I've read. In his YA debut, McIntosh has come up with a truly awesome idea and built an exciting and engaging story around it, with well-drawn and sympathetic characters. Much of the story revolves around the mystery of

The nitty-gritty: A fast-paced sci-fi adventure, with one of the coolest concepts I’ve ever run across, and a twist that you won’t see coming.

I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Will McIntosh’s adult novels (Love Minus Eighty and Defenders) but this is the first book of his I've read. In his YA debut, McIntosh has come up with a truly awesome idea and built an exciting and engaging story around it, with well-drawn and sympathetic characters. Much of the story revolves around the mystery of the marble-sized spheres that suddenly appeared all over the world, hidden in nooks and crannies, and when the author finally reveals their purpose, well, get ready to have your mind blown! I think the word “outrageous” would not be out-of-place when describing this story, and I mean outrageous in the best possible way.

The story takes place five years after the spheres appeared, and in that time a booming economy has grown around them. Different colored spheres will give the lucky owner special abilities when they “burn” two of the same color by holding them up to their temples. For example, Rose gives you the ability to hold your breath, while Lemon Yellow will make you grow an inch. There are literally dozens of colors and special abilities, and you can either find spheres “in the wild” (spheres that haven’t yet been discovered) or purchase them for ridiculous prices from dealers and on Ebay.

Sully runs a booth at the local flea market buying and selling spheres, and even though he’s made a name for himself with the local dealers, what he’s really famous for is being cheated out of millions of dollars by billionaire Alex Holliday after finding a Cherry Red. When a girl name Hunter comes to his booth one day and proposes that they work together and split the profits, Sully agrees (and it doesn’t hurt that he’s attracted to her). But one thing they never expected to find was a new color, and that’s exactly what happens when Hunter unearths a Gold in a rooftop water tower. Their incredible find sets off a chain of events that could make them rich—or change the world forever.

I have to say that the “treasure hunt” story is one I don’t run into too often, and I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense and excitement as the characters maniacally search for the colored spheres. And of course, when they find one it’s even more thrilling! I simply loved this idea, and although some of the world-building elements were hard to swallow, and as an adult reader I had so many questions about the nature of the spheres, this story is perfect for anyone with a sense of adventure. This book has a page-turnability of eleven, and I gobbled it up in only two days (which is saying something, because I’m not a very fast reader!). The first half of the book does a great job of introducing the characters and the world of the colored spheres, but the real action begins when Sully and Hunter discover the Gold, and from that point on Burning Midnight reads like a runaway roller-coaster. My only complaint about the pacing of the story is near the end when it feels like McIntosh is trying to pack too much into his tale, and some of the time jumps were a bit on the awkward side. But by that point most readers will be too engrossed in the action to worry about things like that. You’ll simply want to keep reading to find out what the hell is going on!

The story involves three main characters—Sully, whose life revolves around the spheres (OK, I guess everyone’s life revolves around the spheres!), and who desperately wants to make a big sale so that he and his mom can stop worrying about where their next rent payment is coming from; Hunter, a canny but distrustful girl who’s been homeless her whole life and fights for every dollar she makes hunting spheres; and the evil Alex Holliday, a ruthless and slimy man who has built up his sphere empire by cheating and preying on the weak. McIntosh did all the right things with his characters: I loved the heroes and hated the villain. And his side characters are extremely well-developed, in particular Sully’s friend Mandy, who is the voice of reason in the story (I mean, what are the spheres really here for??). Mandy is an “organic,” someone who never has and never will burn spheres herself.

I mentioned before that some of the world-building was a little on the sketchy side. For example, who was the first person to discover what the spheres do? It seems odd that someone would have randomly stumbled upon that detail. And yet, without it, this story wouldn’t exist. Asking questions like these generally happens when I read a book for younger readers, which leads me to my other issue with Burning Midnight, which is that this book felt much more middle grade to me than young adult. Despite the characters’ ages—most of the teens are around seventeen—everything felt too squeaky clean, and I was never really worried about anything bad happening. Even when the purpose of the spheres is revealed, and the book suddenly turns on a dime and becomes more of a horror story, it never felt as if the characters were in any danger. Some violent stuff happens at the end, but it was almost comically violent, which is one reason I’m using the middle grade comparison. You can definitely hand this over to a ten or eleven-year-old and they’d enjoy it just fine.

And the big reveal? Well, you won’t get any more about that in this review. All I can say is Will McIntosh has the best imagination ever! Unpredictable endings are few and far between, and so I revel in each one I come across.

I guess in the end I have to say Burning Midnight is a book for anyone, no matter what your age, who enjoys adventure, treasure hunts, intrigue, evil corporations, true friendships and especially crazy story-lines. I simply cannot wait to read more from this author!

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy

...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2016 Karen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, sci-fi, adventure, fiction

This story was so much fun. I love the concept and the delivery on this. The world building and imagination in this story was pretty addictive. Plus, a male protagonist was such a nice change of pace.

This story starts off with Sully, our protagonist, selling spheres at his flea market booth. A girl named Hunter shows up and tries to sell him a rare forest green sphere. From there we learn about how Sully once found a really rare ruby red and how he got stiffed for it. The spheres just showed up

This story was so much fun. I love the concept and the delivery on this. The world building and imagination in this story was pretty addictive. Plus, a male protagonist was such a nice change of pace.

This story starts off with Sully, our protagonist, selling spheres at his flea market booth. A girl named Hunter shows up and tries to sell him a rare forest green sphere. From there we learn about how Sully once found a really rare ruby red and how he got stiffed for it. The spheres just showed up all over the planet. This is the second wave of spheres and people are hoping there will be another wave. Somehow people realized that by placing them to their temple they could absorb the power within. Each color sphere represents a different sort of power. Things like memory, ability to go without much sleep, speed, photographic memory, beauty and many more skills lie within the spheres. Many people have become rich by selling spheres, and even more people have burned them to absorb their powers. Sully and Hunter quickly join forces to hunt the few remaining spheres, hoping to find a rare color in order to get rich quick. Along the way they will find trouble and learn more about the spheres then anyone else.

This is another book I find hard to describe. I found myself really wrapped up in the mystery of the spheres and the greed to make money off of them. The spheres have opened up a market to people who had nothing, and given them a chance to gain an advantage and/or get rich quick. The world they live in is just like ours but the spheres have changed everything about it. There are people who don’t trust the spheres. Sully has a friend, Mandy, who questions the safety of burning the spheres and basically throws out questions the reader might have about them. Can the spheres be trusted?

Sully and Hunter are living very different lives. Sully, although poor, lives like a typical teenager. His goes to school and lives with his single mother who really loves him. He really wants to make things better for them both. Hunter was abandoned at a young age. Her loyalty is to herself and getting out of poverty. I rooted for both of these kids so hard. They are good people and deserved a break. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and how the spheres have changed their lives.

This story starts out without a clear explanation of what the sphere are. At first, I assumed it was a gamer type of product, but the fact that everyone is in on it cleared that up quickly. The first half of this book is really character building and setting the scene. Once Hunter and Sully find a rare sphere, around 50% in the book, things really start to take off. After the 50% mark, the action is quick and the story moves at a great pace.

I think the author did a fantastic job telling this story. It is a bit of a far out concept. The slower pace in the beginning helped me to catch up and really understand the opportunity the spheres represent, both good and bad. This story explores the way the world might exploit the market of the spheres and answers every questions a reader might have about consequences of burning them.

I read this book at a furious pace and I really enjoyed reading this. I think it was really original and very well written. All of the characters had redeeming qualities that are hard not to love. My only issue was at my own confusion at the beginning. This is a great YA Sci-fi that I know readers will enjoy. I will definitely be reading more from this author. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2016 La La rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle, review-arcs-netgalley

It would be 2.5 stars on my blog. The premise of this story was super fresh and interesting and I was rooting for it to be a five star read after a meh, a DNF, and an ugh read. At 25% I let myself read the synopsis and some of the non-spoilery reviews. Many of the reviews said it was great and then tanked in the backhalf. I was hoping that I would not think likewise. After I passed the 50% mark and was still loving it I breathed a sigh of relief, but my contentment was short lived.

Somewhere bet ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2016 Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition

2.5 that I'm rounding up. This started out a 3 briefly went to a 4 and then quickly deteriorated to a 1. Very frustrating book with a ton of potential that never, at least for me, panned out. It was entertaining in parts but there is much much better YA out there. ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2015 Kelly (Diva Booknerd) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: panmacmillan

An easy and simplistic read that is much more suited to the middle grade audience who enjoy action / adventure. Quick and entertaining.

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2016 Kate rated it really liked it

Very entertaining with a great premise! I think younger teens in particular will love it. 3.5 stars

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 02, 2016 Karina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, 2016

Very near ideas that could be much fun - unfortunately, weak couple of protagonists with cringe-inducing interactions.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Jun 10, 2016 Kaye rated it liked it

2.5

It started off good but it went nowhere.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2015 Brittany S. rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, read-as-arc, sci-fi, dystopian-apocalyptic-speculative

Initial Impressions 2/23/16: 3.5 - 3.75 stars | Well, I will agree that was a "crazy and surprising climax"! Was it what I wanted it to be? No. Not at all. But it wrapped up the book with plenty of fast-paced action.
This is a weird rating for me because I actually really enjoyed the book the whole time. (Or until the ending?) I LOVED the idea of the spheres, the different colors, and the abilities they gave people. Anything with colors and/or powers and very specific rules and I am there. I was Initial Impressions 2/23/16: 3.5 - 3.75 stars | Well, I will agree that was a "crazy and surprising climax"! Was it what I wanted it to be? No. Not at all. But it wrapped up the book with plenty of fast-paced action.
This is a weird rating for me because I actually really enjoyed the book the whole time. (Or until the ending?) I LOVED the idea of the spheres, the different colors, and the abilities they gave people. Anything with colors and/or powers and very specific rules and I am there. I was really curious the whole time why they were there and I liked that it was held until the end of the book.
I was actually disappointed in the ending though. I was really kind of hoping it wouldn't go there because it was kind of cheesy an obvious sort of twist. It was really one of my only guesses and I was hoping it was going to be something more obscure and science-based.
It was a fun read and I don't want to rate it less than four stars because I really did enjoy reading it but I'd be hard pressed to recommend it based on my disappointment in the ending.

Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 2/26/16: Young adult sci-fi? Crazy ending? A world full of colorful sphere that enhance people’s abilities? Yep, I was totally hooked by the pitch for BURNING MIDNIGHT! I’m such a sucker for all of these things and I’m always interested to see where sci-fi will head next, especially since I’m still discovering so many different types of science-fiction. I will definitely agree that BURNING MIDNIGHT was a fun read and had a crazy ending but it was also a bit of a mixed bag for me.

I actually had a really great time reading this book. It was easy to read and the concept of the spheres/marbles/whatever you want to call them was really neat! They’re hidden all over the world in hundreds of different colors. Find two of the same color and you can “burn” the pair to enhance an ability, from a better singing voice or ability to fall asleep easier to better memory or enhanced speed. Each color endows a different gift and now that the spheres have been around for a while, there’s a whole market based off of the value of each color and how valuable that trait is. I love concepts like this. Specific rules, special abilities, and a specific way to identify them all have me hooked so I really enjoyed the whole first half of BURNING MIDNIGHT! I loved learning what each color did and the hunt for the different colors was exciting!

The characters made for a fun cast as well. I liked Sully (David Sullivan) and his friends a lot and they always seemed really down-to-earth and realistic. The friendship dynamic was a lot of fun and I especially loved Dom, who has been Sully’s best friend for a long time, and new-comer to the group Mandy. They had a great working dynamic and it was a great balance of serious and fun. Sully also ends up working with and falling for mysterious girl Hunter (who hunts spheres) and although I did enjoy their relationship, I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been more platonic than romantic.

I was really enjoying the book right up until the end and then things started to get… weird. I was hooked by the concept of a crazy, twisty ending so naturally I was hypothesizing what the spheres could possible be and where they came from and this is in fact revealed in the end. Did I like the answer? Frankly, no. The answer to the twist was one of my only real guesses and I was just hoping the book really wasn’t going to to there. It seemed like an easy and obvious twist and also made the book that much more unrealistic instead of having some possible technological, political, or other science-fiction answer. I was fairly disappointed and it really sort of cheapened the book for me. I was just hoping for so much more.

BURNING MIDNIGHT was an exciting and fun read but unfortunately the ending wasn’t a hit for me. I had a really good time reading it but my experience with the ending makes me wary to recommend it to others. If you’re ready for just about anything, I say take a chance but if you’re picky with your sci-fi, maybe peek at some reviews before you pick this one up! ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 02, 2016 Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, source-publisher, format-physical, publisher-5-macmillan, stand-alone, audience-young-adult, sts, 2016-published, 2016-read, genre-sci-fi

SUMMARY

Overnight they appeared – spheres that granted enhanced properties like straight teeth, intelligence, and strength when a pair were ‘burned’. Some were rarer than others, and so a business grew around hunting these spheres. And that’s how Sully and Hunter met. But no one know if these mysterious spheres are a gift from God or something far worse – after all, they used to say cigarettes were good for you, right?
PLOT

Sully is known as the kid who lost the Cherry Reds – when he sold them to a SUMMARY

Overnight they appeared – spheres that granted enhanced properties like straight teeth, intelligence, and strength when a pair were ‘burned’. Some were rarer than others, and so a business grew around hunting these spheres. And that’s how Sully and Hunter met. But no one know if these mysterious spheres are a gift from God or something far worse – after all, they used to say cigarettes were good for you, right?
PLOT

Sully is known as the kid who lost the Cherry Reds – when he sold them to an insidious collector, they didn’t grant powers but simply reseeded the Earth with more spheres. Sully’s $2.5 million vanished and now he’s back to collecting and selling at the flea market. He teams up with a hunter named Hunter who’s figured out likely places people haven’t looked yet. Together they find the rarest of all, a Gold sphere, and its twin, but they’re faced with being murdered for the Golds or burning them with no idea what will happen.
CHARACTERS

Sully seemed like a regular kid who just lucked out on the deal of a lifetime. He’s trying to make money buying and selling spheres because he lives alone with his mother who has a crappy job and they might have to move away if they can’t afford rent. Although he’s largely driven by financial motivations, the relationships he develops with Hunter and Mandy, who he met during the novel, and his ongoing relationship with Dom, was really lovely to watch.

Hunter was your typical badass YA female character, ninja-like and almost super-powered, even though she hadn’t burned any spheres. She couldn’t afford to. She was one of those ‘I’m capable and I don’t need a man’ types, which is why I liked it when she fell in love with Sully. Oops. Is that a spoiler? Anyway, it showed her gentle side, but it also re-established that her selfish nature and how when she felt something was for the best she wouldn’t listen to the other characters at all, even though she was supposed to love them. I think this self-reliance was due to her being homeless for a few years and never having anyone to count on.

I loved Dom and Mandy. Dom seemed like a great big brother character and it was cool to see lots of diversity in Mandy, a gay Asian girl who kept her friendship with Sully and Dom despite her distrust of burning spheres. They really were the perfect supporting character, arguing against Sully and Hunter’s more selfish ideas in a realistic way.
WRITING

I had no idea this was going to lead to where it led and so I was pleasantly surprised with the massive plot twist. It really came out of nowhere and seemed really imaginative. I liked the writing fair enough, I didn’t really see anything wrong with it.
PACING

I did feel like the novel was slow to get going because for a long time we didn’t know if the spheres were bad or good or really what they were or even how they were used. Everything was eventually revealed but it took its sweet time and sometimes I was flipping through the pages for the next part and sometimes I was glad to put the book down at the end of the chapter. I will say I did have a big battle of willpower not to check the final pages to see who survived and what the outcome was, boy that was hard to fight but I’m glad I fought it because all was revealed in time.
OVERALL

This novel was just so unexpected. I thought it was going to be about superheroes, not making money looking for the spheres to sell to people for enhanced attributes. I certainly was not expecting where it eventually took us!

I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Magic balls give cool powers. [s]	3	16	Sep 17, 2018 11:16AM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Burning Midnight By Will McIntosh - Starting January 20th 2016	14	18	Jan 26, 2016 02:00AM

See a Problem?

Preview — Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh

Burning Midnight

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Will McIntosh

Books by Will McIntosh

Related Articles

Trivia About Burning Midnight

See a Problem?

Preview — Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh

Burning Midnight

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Will McIntosh

Books by Will McIntosh

Related Articles

Trivia About Burning Midnight

new topic
Discuss This Book