"In the exciting conclusion to the Dark Star trilogy, Audrey Whitticomb is faced with a tough decision: save her people from the demons known as Harrowers, or save her best friend from certain death?
Audrey Whitticomb wants to be a Guardian like her superhero mom, Morning Star, and her superhot boyfriend, Leon. But at seventeen, Audrey still hasn't been called--unlike reluctant Tink, who'd rather not deal with all those scaly-skinned, red-eyed demons.
The truth: Audrey can no longer fight her fate. She has a different role to play.
The Beneath is waking. Demons are rising. Friends are falling. And the future is waiting. Will Audrey stop the Harrowing in time to save the Kin? Or will she save her best friend, Gideon, from certain death? Can Audrey find the power and the courage to act before it's too late?"
"Audrey Whitticomb saved her entire city.
Well,
kind of. The superhero Morning Star (who just happens to be Audrey's
mom) might have played a small part, and her sidekick, Leon—Audrey's
sort-of boyfriend, who is gorgeous... and frustrating—maybe helped, too.
But
after two peaceful months, there is a vicious new threat in
Minneapolis. Her name is Susannah, and she's a Harrower, a demon
hell-bent on destroying people like Morning Star, Leon, and Audrey—the
Kin. Like others before her, she seeks the Remnant, a Kin girl who has
the power to unleash the inhabitants of the Beneath. But to what end?
Audrey
already has a ton on her plate: dealing with her best friend Tink's boy
drama, helping her other best friend Gideon figure out his nightmares,
and exploring the highs and lows of "dating" Leon. But when she develops
a powerful new ability, Audrey seizes on the chance to fight, despite
her mother's protests and Leon's pleas.
As Audrey gets closer to
figuring out Susannah's motives and tracking down the Remnant, she'll
uncover more than she bargained for. The terrible truth is staring
Audrey in the face. But knowing the truth and accepting it are very
different things."
I love the prequel of Burn Bright. The debut had a great amount of romance, mystery, secrets, demons/Harrowers, and superhero action. Of course, now I know the truth. We all know the truth. Audrey's mom isn't just a superhero. She is also a hunter. Or Guardian. (Hunter of Harrowers, in case you are wondering; not Supernatural hunter/Ghostbuster).
But Burn Bright? Oh, it was amazing! I couldn't let it go. I wanted to pull an all-nighter, but then those people who work 8 to 5 would be so grumpy in the morning. At me. So I waited. Patiently. Agonizing every second until morning. When I was finished with the book, I was left angry, hungry, and starving. (I didn't eat breakfast). Furious, too. Red-hot angry at the book.
Why?
Because I want the sequel! I love the Leon/Audrey drama. I love the beginning of the oncoming war. But most of all, the mystery and intrigue is killing me. I just can't wait for all of the secrets to spill out. 2015 is a long way to go. I hate how long the wait is. A year or more.
The plot and book goes by quickly. The chase to find the powerful Kin-blooded girl, the Remnant, started in the prequel. Now it goes on. And it ends. I'll tell you that it is fun and exciting. More secrets are revealed as the plot goes further; Audrey remains driven and determined as ever to find the special girl before the Harrowers (you can call them demons, if you like) kills/uses the girl for their own advantages. I should also mention that the author could had expanded Audrey's character or explored it a bit more. She seems a bit unwhole to me.
That may be the main plot, but there is humor in other parts of Burn Bright. A common gag is Audrey asking Leon, her Guardian/boyfriend, for a first date. The answer/conclusion always turns out to be amusing from the Audrey's mother's input to an eyeroll from Leon or a sarcastic remark from Audrey. I really like the story about Audrey's mom breaking Leon's kneecaps if he hurts her. Awesome mom.
(What plot do I care about more? Audrey finding the girl/Remnant, but I wouldn't mind if Leon/Audrey's subplot goes even further).
In conclusion, Burn Bright burns brightly throughout the entire book. It is a wonderful story for preteens with awesome scenes and fun humor. It could use a bit of work in foreshadowing and character development, but honestly? Bethany Frenette is doing really well. Keep those books coming!
Rating: Four out of Five
"Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it's hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she's lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human--something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.
Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn't fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers--livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.
To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person's memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers' next move. But Leon, her mother's bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won't let Audrey out of his sight.
When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything--and everyone--she loves."
Dark Star is one of those books that's worth reading throughout the entire night, even though you have something important planned tomorrow. (Yeah, I totally did that, blowing off my beauty sleep cycle. I don't want a grumpy attitude in the morning. Then again, I don't really care because I have a book in my hands.) Although Dark Star seems to be like superhero/Superman type, it isn't. Let me repeat this: It isn't. (More of angel vs demons type.) No, it's really about Guardians (Audrey's mom is one of them) fighting demons (Complicated part: Not all demons/Harrowers are bad. Some are neutral and others are apparently descended from Harrowers. [WOW. I made this even more complicated.]). Ignore the parentheses. They're too confusing.
Dark Star is overall a pretty awesome book. It's unfortunate that not many people has heard of Dark Star. It is thrilling and so full of action, including a visit down to the Harrower's secret lair. (I wonder if this is what's like for the children of superheroes. Maybe, maybe not. The little kid [Franklin Richards, the son of Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic] from Fantastic Four would know.)
The beginning of Dark Star ease the readers through into the story. Hints of Audrey's feelings are revealed while she is also jealous of her mother's superhero power. The plot goes up and down, as Audrey struggles to find the key to saving Minneapolis after Harrowers attack sixteen year old girls over and over again. (The girls are left to bleed until they die unless they are saved by the Guardians.) The author's writing is hilarious while also being deep and meaningful. (I love what she put in the acknowledgements. "Is this a kissing book?" Priceless and gold. And yes sometimes I do read acknowledgements even though I'm slightly bored by them.)
Wow, I love the ending. It reminds of me similar endings like Scarlet (Ciner's POV), and Unravel Me. The decision to fight and to live gives off a good feeling of righteousness and strength. It always makes the character seem more appealing, fascinating, and entertaining. Although sometimes the ending is a little bit of a promise, it is awesome. (That's the only word I have for this ending. I can describe it better with music, though.)
Characters:
Audrey is one of those innocent girls. She doesn't know what is really going on, even though she thinks she knows. She is kept in the dark, until now. Together, we and Audrey journey together to find the true truth and unravel the false truths, hidden within everything. In the beginning, Audrey's feelings and hopes are hinted. She seems to be benevolent (although that's far from what she truly is), hopeful (that trait dies and born again), and a perfect schoolgirl (no, she goes and be reckless whenever she likes or whenever someone is in serious danger).
Leon, Leon, Leon, I knew you were the secret love interest in this book! Leon is adorable and cute in the nerdy way. Everytime Audrey says that Leon is going "Hungry Puppy Eyes", I'm sure I've swoon over and over again. It's so sweet how Audrey skirts around Leon, subconsciously liking him yet he doesn't seem to be returning the flame. If he isn't a good boyfriend in the next book, I'm so going to cross his name out on my 'Cute guys in YA books'. (Yes, I do have a list. BTW, Tobias Eaton from Divergent and Aaron Warner from Unravel Me is totally on it.)
Rating: Five out of Five
