Taken at Dusk: A Shadow Falls Novel

Written by C. C. Hunter

Narrated by Katie Schorr

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she's meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she's about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it's not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. In C.C. Hunter's Taken at Dusk, Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, finally unlocking the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Feb 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781427232137

C. C. Hunter

C.C. Hunter is the author of the young adult fantasy series Shadow Falls, including the books Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn. She grew up in Alabama, where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and regularly rescued potential princes, in the form of Alabama bullfrogs, from her brothers. Today, she's still fascinated with lightning bugs, mostly wears shoes, but has turned her focus to rescuing mammals. She now lives in Texas with her four rescued cats, one dog, and a prince of a husband, who for the record, is so not a frog. When she's not writing, she's reading, spending time with her family, or shooting things--with a camera, not a gun. C.C. Hunter is a pseudonym. Her real name is Christie Craig and she also writes humorous romantic suspense romance novels.

Reviews for Taken at Dusk

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not a formal review, but I have to get some of these thoughts out there.

This series continues to be highly addictive, but the love triangle is killing me! The romances among the secondary characters, however, are saving the day - especially Miranda and Perry's on-again/off-again relationship (I adore Perry!), and Holiday's ongoing spark-filled entanglement with Agent Burnett. Also, Kylie's pet (kitten-turned-skunk Socks) is always good for a laugh.

As another reviewer commented, Kylie seems to always want the guy she doesn't have - and I have to agree with that assessment. It's also way too obvious as this series progresses that Kylie needs to dump Lucas. The contrast between him and Derek is pitiful. Although I love everything else about this series, the love triangle is one of the worst I've ever come across.

[snazz_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is exceedingly rare that a third book in a series is as good as this one was. In fact, I've been thoroughly impressed with all three books. This one was better than the second and nearly as amazing as the first. I will admit that I thought this was the final book in the series and I'm a little disappointed that it's not. But we do get more answers. By the end of the book Kylie has a name for what she is. But don't get too excited, because a label is all she has. Another great thing about this book is that I felt satisfied with the ending once again. It is both self-contained and part of a larger plot line. I love authors who can bring a finality to a book without sacrificing the draw of the next in the series. And Hunter has this down. Also, I was pretty surprised at the resolutions she gave us. There wasn't much that I saw coming. Kylie is still smart, which makes me so happy. I hate it when authors have to make their main character stupid in order to advance the plot. Kylie did everything right and yet bad things still had their way of finding her. Great book, you will not be disappointed.

[payday1999-430350 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the third book in the installment and Kylie finally figures out what she is. I like this booked and would gives it a 3.5 rating. I just didn't feel like it was good enough for a four. I can't put my finger on it but I just didn't feel this book was as good as the first two.

Overall it's a good series.

[damiella-533991 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another book, another 'theme ghost' to guess not only who they are but also how they relate to the wider events. I didn't guess this time but there's a definite theme running through things with this. Kylie is still trying to find 'what she is' (and expecting others to twiddle their thumbs until it's convenient for her to move forward).

There are definitely some more mysterious stuff going on as proven with the 'evil animals' which start showing up (really intriguing). And Parent's Day with Kylie involved must be becoming a regular show for everyone around.

I'm still enjoying these (well truth be told I'm inhaling them.. having read all 4 currently released within the space of 24 hours) but they're definitely 'candy'. Fortunately I have a sweet tooth.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the third book in the Shadow Falls series. There are 5 books in this series and all have been released. There is also a spin-off series called Shadow Falls: After Dark. I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the previous books but still found it to be a compelling read. Kylie is still struggling to figure out what she is. Additionally she is dealing with another freaky ghost who keeps telling her that “Someone lives and someone dies”. I was happy that Kylie made some progress in discovering what she was and how her powers work.I continue to enjoy most of the characters in this series. Each book has had a contained mystery as well as the overarching story; I really enjoy this format for urban fantasy/paranormal books. These books are well written, entertaining and make for a quick read.My only disappointment for this book was that the love triangle between Lucas, Derek, and Kylie is still taking up a lot of page space. I was hoping this would be resolved and we could move on. I don’t really understand why so many YA paranormal books feel it’s necessary to put the heroine in these love triangle situations. Wouldn’t it be enough for the heroine to find one person to respect, relate to, and fall in love with? Is every teen out there dramatically torn between two great loves?Overall I enjoyed this book and plan on continuing with the series. I like the characters and how all the different races interact (witches, shapeshifters, vampires, etc). I also really enjoyed watching Kylie finally learn more about her past and powers. I would recommend to those looking for a quick and fun YA paranormal read. Hopefully the next book doesn’t spend so much time dwelling on the love triangle aspect.

[elizabeth1929-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Hmm...actually, maybe 3.5 stars...
This book wasn't too bad, although I did like the second one better. The first one was okay, then it took me a long times to finally pick up the second one, and the second one was awesome, so when I picked up this book, I was expecting something equally good. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed. But nonetheless, it was still okay.

WHAT I LIKED:
Kylie finally figured out what she was, so that's good...yay.
Kylie also decided on which guy to go out with, thankfully. I was so tired of reading about Kylie with one guy, and just when I started to take a liking to him, she starts having feelings for the other guy, it's infuriating! Frankly, I think she should just marry Red (he's not so bad once you get to know him) and get over it. Anyways, so now that she has picked a guy, she'd better stick to him. No more switching back and forth. I can't stand it anymore. I feel bad for the guys, one day she's friendly with Derek, then the next, she's kissing Lucas. Siiiiiiigh...

WHAT I DISLIKED:
1) The deaths. I won't say who, but I hate that people have to die. Especially when I've learned so much about them, and I get emotionally attached to them. I read to escape reality, right? In reality, people die, so when I read, I hope to escape the fact that people die all the time, everyday. So, why do stories have to have people dying too? I know everyone dies eventually, but still...why?! It's so, so sad.
2) I know that the author was trying to make things realistic so that readers can relate to it, but, honestly, I think the author didn't have to make the characters lives' that difficult. Can't a single thing go right? Yeah, so that really frustrated me.

All in all, it wasn't too bad, but it wasn't great either. I'll definitely read the next book though, because I never leave a series unfinished.

[bookloverslife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it. C C Hunter never fails and this series is amazing.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Really fun YA paranormal with an engaging story, fun characters, and a really good premise. The drama is a little over done at times, but overall I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.Opening Sentence: They were here.The Review: Kylie Galen has been at Shadow Falls all summer now, but she still hasn’t been able to figure out what she is. With new powers and traits emerging all the time she honestly has no idea what she is going to end up being. On top of that her current ghost that needs help can only seem to remember a cryptic message: someone lives and someone dies. If Kylie can’t figure out the ghost’s past and help solve the mystery someone she loves is going to die.Kylie is also torn between the fairy who left her behind and betrayed her trust. Or the werewolf who she wants to give her heart to, but it is forbidden for him to be with anyone but another werewolf. She cares about both of the boys but she can’t choose both of them. Kylie has some tough decisions to make and someone is going to get their heart broken.So Kylie is our wonderful heroine and for the most part I love her. She is kind and caring but she also doesn’t take crap from anyone. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and be honest with people. She has a lot of fears but she is usually willing to face them head on. My only problem with Kylie is the love triangle. She can never make up her mind and she goes back in forth so much it drives me nuts. Honestly, I wish that the love triangle would end. I feel that it adds unneeded drama to the story and it is a little annoying. There is enough drama in her relationships with both boys that she doesn’t need the added drama by being torn between them as well. I think that it takes from the story versus adding to it. But with that being said I love everything else about Kylie and can’t wait to see what happens next in her story.Even though the boys drive me nuts I still have to talk about them. First off we have Derek. He is a fairy and had been drawn to Kylie ever since they met, but he can also feel her emotions and at times it is overwhelming for him. When he realized that she was attracted to Lucas he pushed her away and left Shadow Falls to get away from her. He is now back and things are awkward between them. Kylie doesn’t know how to act around him, which was sad to me. I missed their easy conversations and the fun they had together. I think Derek is a total hottie, but I also thought he turned into a little bit of a jerk in this one. I am hoping he will redeem himself in the next book.Next we have Lucas. My feelings for Lucas are very hot and cold. There are times when I totally adore him and then there are times when I can’t believe Kylie likes him. There are a lot of times when he acts before he thinks and Kylie always seems to get hurt because of it. I realize he has an impossible situation, but honestly I felt that Kylie deserved better most of the time. The one thing Lucas does have going for him is that him and Kylie have really hot chemistry. He also can be really sweet and when he messes up he does try to make things right, which I respect. Overall, I have to say that I am Team Lucas.This was a really fun book and a great addition to the series. I loved the action and the mystery. It is fast paced and once you start it’s really hard to put down. One of my other favorite parts about this book is the friendships that Kylie has developed with her roommates. They are so fun together and they have so many funny teenage girl moments that I loved. Overall, I really love all of the characters. Even though I’m not a fan of the love triangle, the romance in this book is actually really well done and very sexy. Like the two books before this one there is a wonderful cliffhanger ending, but lucky for me all of the books have been released so I don’t have to wait to read the next one. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is a YA Paranormal fan, and fans of the series it will not disappoint.Notable Scene:“Let’s make a deal,” Della said. “You give Lucas a chance and I’ll give Steve a chance.”Kylie smiled. “Are you that worried about me, or do you just need an excuse to go after the good-looking shape-shifter?”“Maybe both.” Della grinned. “We got a deal?”Kylie considered it, and mentally she stopped trying to hang on, stopped trying to fix something that didn’t seem fixable, and opened herself up to other possibilities. “Yeah.”Della started walking, and Kylie took a step. Then the cold grabbed her. She turned and watched Jane Doe’s spirit materialize in the beam of sunlight.The woman met Kylie’s gaze. “Do you know?”“Know what?” Kylie asked.Della turned around. “What?” She stared at kylie for a second and the said. “Oh Shit. Not again.” She backed up. “I’m not freaking out. I’m not. Really, I’m not freaking out.”Kylie held up her hand to silence Della and stared at the spirit as she edged closer.“Do you know what I am?” Jane spoke in a hushed tone that seemed to whisper through the trees. The blue jay in the tree chirped extra loud.“No,” Kylie said. “I don’t.” Then the bird chirped oddly and fell from the tree and landed with a lifeless thud at the spirit’s feet.FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Taken at Dusk. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kylie is starting to realise that she has to discover things for herself. Everyone seems to be putting road blocks up in the way of her learning thing and it's frustrating. She's also trying to work out if it's Lucas or Derek that her love really belongs with (and to be honest I'm rooting for Derek, Lucas sounds a bit racist). There's an amnesiac ghost haunting her telling her that someone close to her will die and there's still the matter of the rogues who want her with them or dead.It's interesting, the twists and turns are entertaining me and keeping me reading and I want to know more about this world.

[shanons_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really can't even explain how much I love this series! Taken At Dusk is the the third book in the Shadow Falls series, and it did not disappoint. C.C. Hunter once again had me laughing and connecting with all of the fantastic characters in this story!Throughout most of this book, Kylie is still trying to find answers as to what she really is and her brain pattern continues to remain unreadable--which doesn't go unnoticed by anyone at camp. On top of her issues dealing with her identity, odd events start happening around her and she also keeps getting visits from a very confused ghost. She also comes across an actual living link to her father, who could explain once and for all what kind of supernatural she is. One of the things I like most about Kylie though, is that she continues to evolve and become a stronger person as her story unfolds. I really feel for her because she has so many things going on at once but she still handles her frustration well, even when she discovers that there are more to her current abilities than she thought.One of Kylie's dilemmas is her conflicting emotions surrounding two very different (and two very HOT) boys, Lucas and Derek. Lucas is a werewolf and Derek is half fae, and both of them have their own sets of swoon-worthy qualities! Kylie gets to spend a lot more time with Lucas during this book and it was nice to uncover a little more about him. But of course, Derek still has a place in Kylie's heart and I must say, I quite like him as well! Sadly, as much as I was so excited for Lucas and Kylie to get together, I later started to have my doubts about their compatibility due to Lucas' incessant not-so-subtle hints about what he wants Kylie to be. But at any rate, it's clear that both Lucas and Derek care deeply for Kylie, and I'll never grow tired of their steamy encounters!As always, I LOVE all of Kylie's friends! They are so supportive and wonderful to her. C.C. Hunter could write spin-off series for every one of these characters and I'd happily read them all! I will never get enough of Della, Miranda, Perry, Holiday and Burnett--they are all so different and awesome in their own ways. Overall I had a blast reading this book, and the ending was equal parts satisfying, frustrating and sad--but we finally discover what Kylie is! I can't wait to read the next book in this series because I'm so excited for the author to elaborate on this new puzzling and exciting information. I'm sure the plot will continue to tempt and surprise me!

[pacey1927 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the first book in the Shadow Fall's series, "Born At Midnight". I found the idea of a camp filled with a variety of paranormal teenagers to be absolutely intriguing. Kylie, as the main character, is truly a delight. She is loyal to her friends and family and would do absolutely anything for them. She also has a strong sense of what is right and wrong and she stands up for what she believes . The supporting characters are also appealing. I especially enjoy Kylie's roommates, Miranda the witch and Della the vampire. I enjoyed reading about Kylie's search into what she was, which was explored in more detail in the second novel. The most engaging storylines seem to come from the ghosts that Kylie can see and even communicate with. Those stories weave into the camp plotlines seamlessly.In the third installment, "Taken At Dusk", we see more emphasis placed on the obligatory YA love triangle. Kylie has been hurt by both mysterious werewolf Lucas and by boy next door (who happens to be able to feel Kylie's emotions), Derek. Now Kylie has decided to forget Derek and focus on being happy with Lucas. My first real complaint with this book is the back and forth inner turmoil Kylie continuously has deciding between the boys. It was just too much. I get the Kylie is young and she has room to date both but there were just too many pages devoted to the inner drama this time around.My biggest peeve though is the cliffhanger. As others have pointed out, we end this book in an almost identical manner as in the second book. We know only the barest hint more at the end of this book than we did at the end of the second. It just feels like this part of the series is really dragging on. It is time to get somewhere with the overall plot. I also felt like there was less of a climax this time around than in the previous books. There is supposed to be a big danger to Kylie's life but that sort of ends with a whimper instead of with the bang readers have come to expect.This isn't to say this book was bad. It is really good in fact. The personalities of the characters are vibrant as always. The humor is strong and I had some chuckle aloud moments. I loved the story about Miranda and Perry; it was absolutely adorable. We are introduced to a new character named Ellie who I thought brought a nice twist to things at Shadow Falls. I just don't feel like this book was as strong as the others. It really did feel like a filler book. I am looking forward to the forthcoming installment and I don't hesitate to pre-order it because I am sure it will be good. The question is will it be great?

[shellypya · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Continues Kylie's quest to discover what she is. The people she thought were her birthgrandparents may not be. Romance with Lucas heats up, but she finds out that unless she's at least part werewolf, the pack and his grandmother won't accept her. She deals with her feelings for Derek and tries to be friends.

[jacquietalento · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ms. Hunter’s books are always an easy 5 star review. I won her first book in this series and have been hooked ever since. I just can’t seem to get enough of her writing. I cried and laughed, boy did I laugh. Her stories just keep getting better and tug at your heart strings. Kylie is finally going to get some answers.