Whispers at Moonrise

Author: C.C. Hunter
Format: ARC
Print Length: 400 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Published: Oct. 2, 2012

The breathtaking new installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.

At a camp filled with vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Kylie Galen has always struggled to figure out what she is. Now she finally knows the truth—but she's left with more questions than answers. She doesn’t have a clue what her heritage means or how to harness her newfound powers. All she knows is that she needs to sort out her feelings for Derek, the sexy half-Fae who just confessed his love, and Lucas, her werewolf boyfriend who seems more committed to his pack than to their relationship. All the while, Kylie's dealing with a group of underground rogues who want her dead and a mysterious grandfather who makes it clear he doesn’t trust the FRU... or Shadow Falls. Soon Kylie will have to choose: Will she stay with the new family she’s formed at Shadow Falls, or will she leave with her grandfather and embrace her destiny.

My Thoughts

As a member of the Shadow Falls street team, I received an advance copy of this book.

If you do not realize that this is the fourth book in a series, stop reading now.  Otherwise you will be getting into spoilers that will ruin the Shadow Falls experience for you.

When we left Kylie at the end of Taken at Dawn, Kylie is waiting for her biological grandfather to show up.  Her daddy had just told her that she was a chameleon, which she did not understand. Derek told her, that he was in love with her.  But wait there is more- a ghost shows up looking like someone extremely close to her.  All of this happens in chapter 38.  Holy cowzers, does CC Hunter know how to end a book.  The readers had to wait forever for the next installment.  Satisfying themselves with re-reading the series; once, twice maybe three times during the wait.  In reality, it was only six months.  But man, did it seem like a long six months.

Whispers at Moonrise starts off minutes after Derek leaves Kylie alone on the porch, with the newest ghost.  Instead of turning to her mentor Holiday, she instead is pulled towards the forest.  Where, not so surprising, Derek finds her again.  Man, being in tuned with one emotionally has got to suck.  Having a boyfriend slightly jealous of the person so in tuned to you has to well, make a gal feel kinda good.

The first three books in the series were filled with more action and more danger. Whispers, on the other hand focused more on Kylie’s emotional attachments. Kylie becomes more acceptant of herself, and her friends.  She understands that they are who they are in part because of what type of supernatural being they are.  This is brought home more often than not in this book due to Kylie being a chameleon.  Which no one really believes, because who really could be a lizard?  Besides, wouldn’t the FRU know about chameleons if there was one? 

Kylie’s relationship with Lucas is strained due to him trying to get on the were council.  To be honest, his family helps to add strain to the relationship.  Darn family members, sticking their snouts where it does not belong.  Kylie’s interactions with her roommates, Della and Miranda, are some of the best scenes in the book.  It is surprising how willing they are to walk head first into trouble if any one of them even suspects that something is not right.  More surprising is how accepting of everything Derek is- loving Kylie, knowing he cannot have her, her speaking to ghosts.  The ghost, who is the exact replica of someone Kylie loves very much, keeps telling her that someone will be murdered.  Kylie, of course, has to stop this from happening.

Kylie begins a strained relationship with her biological grandfather.  He wants her to leave Shadow falls and all that she loves to move into a chameleon community.  He believes this will be the only way that she can be safe.  It does not help that the FRU keeps trying to get permission to test her.  Holiday and Kylie both refuse to allow testing to be done on her.  So the FRU tries to go through Kylie’s mom and step-dad.  Now, one of the most fun scenes to read is between these two individuals.  Let’s just leave it at Kylie’s step-dad realizes he was a douche bag.

With an ending that will leave you with tears in your eyes, mouth wide open and breathing heavy, Whispers at Moonrise is an emotional rollercoaster ride.  One cannot help but wonder if CC Hunter enjoys having her readers on the edge of their seats already counting down until the next book is published.  Regardless one thing is for sure- CC Hunter has written another best seller!

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Holly- Director of Shadow Falls, Kylie’s mentor-almost an older sister role.
Miranda- Kylie’s roommate, a dyslexic witch- has a sweet nature about her.
Della- Kylie’s roommate, a newly formed vampire- tough exterior, but loyal.
Burnett- FRU (Fallen Research Unit) agent, liaison- happens to be in love with Holly.