Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: February 2nd, 2016
Synopsis: 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.
When I saw Burning Midnight offered on NetGalley it piqued my interest mainly because the publisher recommended it for fans of The Maze Runner. Now that I’ve read it, the comparison has me scratching my head a bit, but it doesn’t really matter because I enjoyed the story just on its own merits.
I liked the characters, although I feel they all could have been developed a little more. Sully is sweet, loyal and has a strong moral compass, but he’s a little too naive and trusting for a sixteen-year-old. Hunter as the kick-ass, worldly-wise heroine is a nice contrast to Sully’s innocence and gullibility, but she’s a little too impulsive and is prone to acting on her own without taking her team’s feelings into consideration. Sully’s friends, Dom and Mandy complete this little Scooby gang, and are likable but I found myself wanting to know a little more about them. Finally, Alex Holliday, is your average cartoonish villain and I found myself rolling my eyes a few times at his antics.
The story itself is fast-paced and flows smoothly. There are many surprising twists and turns, and when the truth is revealed behind the spheres I was completely caught by surprise. The best thing about this book is the world-building. I thought the idea behind these mysterious spheres a totally unique and imaginative concept. The ending for the most part wraps everything up, but I was still left with a few unanswered questions.
Burning Midnight is an exciting adventure filled with chills, thrills and a little light romance. Despite the ages of the characters ( 16-17 year-olds), I think the writing style makes this more suitable for tweens and reluctant readers who are looking for something a little different. Will McIntosh has said that at this time he has no future plans for a sequel but I’m hoping he reconsiders because I think this has the potential for being a great trilogy or series.
By Hook Or By Book 
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