Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh (ISBN: 9780553534108)
This book falls into the genre of science fiction with a slight smidge of romance. The premise is that in the future, colorful marbles have started showing up all around the world, mostly concentrated in urban areas, and hiding in any number of places. People have hunted for and found these spheres in order to own pairs of matching colors. You see, when a person holds a matching pair of marbles to their temples, a magic ability transfers to the holder. Teal: fall asleep easily; slate gray: enhanced singing ability; cranberry: better looking; mustard: high intelligence. As you can imagine, the wealthy are willing to pay exorbitant amounts to obtain rare marbles, and thus increase their standing in the world. Sully is a kid growing up in New York with a single mom who has just lost her job, and finding and selling marbles is the only way they survive. Hunter is a homeless girl, alone in the world, with a knack for finding hidden spheres. So the two team up together to locate rare marbles. The end up finding something unheard of: a larger marble that's gold - the only one of its kind. This marble is special though - it actively helps the holder locate its pair. A marble entrepreneur wants the gold... the two teens want cold hard cash... but what do the marbles want? You'll have to read Burning Midnight to find out! I grabbed this book off of the "New Releases" shelf at our local public library because the premise seemed interesting to me. It took a while to get into the real crux of the story, but the ending is something I didn't see coming at all. For readers who enjoyed I am Number Four or The Fifth Wave or for anyone who has secretly wished for the magical abilities of Harry Potter's wand or Clary's stele, this book will be right up your ally. Don't trust me? Check out Mandy the Glittery Nerd's review!
Lore, P. (n.d.). I am number four [digital image]. Retrieved November 22, 2016 from http://iamnumberfour fans.com/3559/i-am-number-four/
Lore, P. (2010). I am
number four. New York: Harper Collins.
ISBN: 978-0-06-196955-3, $17.99 (hardcover).
In the beginning we were a group of
nine. Three are gone, dead. There are
six of us left. They are hunting us, and
they won’t stop until they’ve killed us all.
I am Number Four. I know that I am next.
John Smith
is Number Four – a Lorian sent to earth as the alien planet was in its death
throes, attacked by enemy Mogadorians.
He and his guardian, or cêpan, Henri have to try and both assimilate on
earth as well as stay hidden from the Mogadorians who continue to track them on
a new planet. So while John knows his
true identity, he also struggles with the yearning to fit in like a normal
earthen teenager. His two worlds collide
when he starts to fall for a human girl named Sarah and has to decide which
secrets to keep and which ones to share in the name of love. Will he be able to keep both himself and
Sarah alive? Or will Number Four fall
next?
* 2011 Isinglass Teen Read Award -- Grades 6-8 (Winner) * 2013 Iowa Teen Award -- Young Adult (Winner) * 2011 Delaware Diamonds Award -- High School (Nominee) * 2012 Volunteer State Book Award -- High School (Runner-Up) * 2013 Grand Canyon Reader Award -- Teen (Recommended) * 2015 Colorado Blue Spruce Award -- Young Adult (Nominee)
HOMEMADE TEES:
Sure, you can go buy a t-shirt that says, "I am Number Four," or a movie-inspired item of clothing. But perhaps the better course of follow is something unique that shows your support, but is only obvious to other Lorian Legacies fans. This t-shirt from Red Bubble would make a great choice! The charms of all 9 Legacies, proudly displayed.
AmazingFSPH. (n.d.). Lorian legacies [digital image]. Retrieved November 22, 2016 from https://www.redbubble.com/people/amazingfsph/ works/22885881-lorien-legacies?grid_ pos=1&p=t-shirt&style=mens
WANT MORE? In addition to having an awesome fan page, this book was also turned into a movie. Catch the trailer here!
