Midnight Runes by Celeste Buie Pages: 265
Published by Createspace Independent Pub on May 21, 2014
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Love & Romance, Paranormal, Young Adult
Source: ecopy from Author
Brynn Emerson has always been in control of her life — until a mysterious stranger invades her dreams and her boyfriend, Trevor, suddenly dumps her. Life gets more complicated when secretive newcomer Landon shows up at school. The playful and handsome Landon is somehow connected to Brynn’s ex-boyfriend. Determined to find out how they know each other, Brynn draws closer to Landon… only to realize too late that she's risking more than she thought possible.
Meanwhile, a person of power has his sights on Brynn. Will Trevor and Landon work together to keep her safe? Or will she be pulled against her will into their mysterious world?
Midnight Runes is the first in the young adult paranormal series, The Bestowed Ones. I ended up liking Midnight Runes and the characters have intrigued me enough to want to read the next book. I feel like I really want to know what is going to happen with Landon and Brynn, and even Trevor. But it really took me a while to get there. For over the first half of the book we didn’t have any hint of any idea of what was going on, or what the paranormal element of the story was going to be. And because of that, I was becoming a little frustrated as a reader. Beause Brynn was in the same boat as me and because I was interested in what might possibly be going on with Trevor and with Landon, I kept reading to get some aswers. And I am glad that I did. Around 65% into the book Landon slowly, very slowly starts sharing a few bits and pieces with Brynn and it was around that time that I really started gaining some interest in their world. I still have many more unanswered questions that I hope are addressed in the next book, but at least now I have some bearings on to what is going on. It was also around this point where I started to like Landon.
There is and there isn’t really a love triangle in this book. Romance is not the main feature of the story, so while Trevor starts out as Brynn’s boyfriend and promptly breaks up with her early in the book and then the new guy Landon shows up. I didn’t really feel like it was a love triangle in the traditional sense. She doesn’t date Landon, and while you can tell there are some feelings there at the end of the story, it was more about answers for Brynn. There may be a love triangle in the next book though. And I feel bad but I will have to root for Landon. We didn’t really get a chance to get to know Trevor. I couldn’t figure out what his deal was and all of the secrecy made him look like kin of a jerk. I don’t think he is but I don’t really have anything else to go on about him at this point. We got to know Landon a lot better because he was simply around in the story more.
Midnight Runes is a really interesting premise and I think Celeste Buie did a great job imagining this paranormal world. I am certainly interested in getting to know the ins and outs of the bestowed ones better in the next book. But I do think she kept her readers in total darkness for too long. It became frustrating to know nothing about what was going on. I am all for a mysterious atmosphere, but you have to throw a couple of little breadcrumb sized clues along the way to keep us intrigued and guessing. I had nothing, not a single thing to go off of for over half of the book. And it wasn’t for lack of trying on Brynn’s part. She was asking questions and trying to figure stuff out, but still zip. This eventually changed, and that was what made me like the book. Because once I started to get answers I started wanting more and more and more. The set up of everything is so interesting, I just wish it didn’t take so long for us to get there. I am hoping that in the next book since we have already pried out little bits of answers (and because of what happened at the end of Midnight Runes) that we won’t be left so much in the dark in the next book. I am hoping that we can jump right into the action of the story and go from there. If you are a fan of Young Adult paranormal and you like mysterious atmospheres and are patient with getting some answers, the Bestowed Ones would be a good series for you to check out.
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kindlemom1
Sounds like the beginning could have been so much better. I am glad it did eventually pick up but at 65%, that was quite the wait! I think I will hold off on this until book two and see what the reviews are for it then.
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Yes it really could have. But I do have to say, it really picked up. Normally when I am feeling that way by over the half way point, I know the book and me are not working out. But Midnight Runes totally turned around. I am really glad I finished it. Ill be sure to let you know when I read the second book to see if it fixes that problem 😉