Review: Reborn by C.C. Hunter

 
Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1) by C.C. Hunter

Return to the beloved world of Shadow Falls, a camp that teaches supernatural teens to harness their powers—and where a vampire named Della will discover who she’s meant to be.
For Della Tsang, Shadow Falls isn't just a camp: it's home. As a vampire who's never fit in with her human family, it's the one place she can truly be herself. But when a mysterious new guy arrives at camp, Della’s whole world is thrown into turmoil. Chase is a vampire with secrets, who knows more than he’s telling. But the more time she spends with him, the more she begins to trust this attractive stranger—and feel drawn to him. But romance is the last thing she wants—as she keeps telling Steve, the hunky shapeshifter who won’t stop trying to win her heart. And if Della isn't careful, he just might succeed.　 When a new case puts everyone she cares about in danger, Della’s determined to do everything she can to save them . . . even if it means teaming up with Steve and Chase, who leave her more confused than ever. With their lives on the line, will Della and her friends survive—with their hearts intact?

Publishes in US: May 20th 2014 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Netgalley
Series? Yes. Shadow Falls: After Dark #1
Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark, #2) Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by St. Martin's Griffin

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Author stalk away: Website   series

 

    Reborn was on my wishlist because I enjoyed the Shadow Falls series, and I so wanted to be in Della's head. I love C.C.'s writing so far, and from what I have seen from Della as Kylie's best friend, I love her humor, her loyalty and her badassness. 

    Things get going pretty quickly, giving Della a mystery to look into with her family history and maybe figuring out if there was another supernatural in the family. Her parents and sister are norms, and she has to hide who she truly is. They are disappointed in her and think that she is just a teen getting in trouble and suspect she's doing drugs. Having the weight of that on her shoulders is hard on her and wishes that they understood. But she has made Shadow Falls her home, and the teachers and other people there her family so that is adding some balance. 

    She chases after a new person who she thought was a rogue when she first gets back to campus, and when she finds out he's not, they have started out on the wrong foot. He is infuriating and cute, and gives her a hard time. But she is also trying to figure out things with Steve, who she has some history and also major chemistry going on with. So, thus begins what I feel like might be another series long love triangle, but as I am writing up to this point at 15% we'll see how things shake out. 

    Turns out that things between the trio only gets more complicated as the story goes on. It was a fun one to read, and in the end no matter where Della's heart it, some things form a bond and those can't be broken. I love the layers in this and how even the things that don't seem to be connected end up playing a part into the story. There are several plot lines--her friendship with Miranda and Kylie, her cousin Chan, her family at home, Burnette and FRU work, as well as the whole love scenario. 

    While I loved reading from Kylie's perspective, reading from Della's is a whole other story. She is strong, she is smart and sarcastic, she has a harder time opening up to others but underneath she has this insecurity and vulnerability that she masks to the outside world. It stems from not feeling accepted at home, as well as having issues with how others view the rogue and violent vampires and the fact that she is one so she is all wrapped up in that one. 

    While I loved the message that women are strong, and while it is nice to be protected, if they can handle things, they should be allowed to, I think that the conversation she ended up having with Burnett like three or four times got a little repetitive. Which maybe its just realistic because sometimes men are just that hard headed and need to hear something that much for it to sink in. There were a few other things that I felt were done more than necessary to get the point across, but it really didn't annoy me that much, just thought that it was worth mentioning. 

    It was so fun to follow Della through this one, and watch her grow. She found herself doing things or saying things that she never really thought she would, and it stretches her in a good way. It shows her fight and will to succeed and make something of herself. She also learns that others besides Kylie and Miranda admire her and care for her more than she may realize and that she may need to open her heart a little more to let more in. She also has to face the age old quandary of when to toe or step over the line, and when it is just pure disobedience and that some actions just prove that you are immature and not ready for more responsibility instead of proving that you are ready for more. 

    The ending wraps up those story line pretty well for these while opening another thread that leaves me so hungry for the next book. 

   

Bottom Line: Fast paced wild ride with strong and sarcastic Della, with layered plot, great romance as well as friendship.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Have you ever been a part of a real life love triangle? Or seen one played out?