Shadow Falls Camp (5) - Chosen at Nightfall by C. C. Hunter
And now to the last book of this overwhelming series - Chosen at Nightfall (in German Erwählt in tiefster Nacht, in French not published yet). I read it in German where it contained 483 pages. Originally published in 2013.
Kylie knows where she should be: In Shadow Falls. Not at the chameleons' settlement, even though she learnt a lot there. The reasons she'd gone? Lucas. And to know more about her kind. But when Helen was attacked by Mario and Burnett finally found the settlement, Kylie decides to go with him, even though this means to spend time with Lucas Parker. But he isn't her only problem, no: Her latest ghost wants her to kill somebody (so Kylie doesn't die herself, so the ghost has a point), Mario threatens her, her mother has a new boyfriend Kylie is afraid of, and our protagonist is stalked by a glowing sword. Additionally, Derek wants to win her back, Kylie wants to help the younger chameleons to get along in the real world and the camp sees her as the best ally if someone wants to get the attention of a specific individual. Oh, and her (dead) dad promises her they would spent a lot of time in the future. Kylies life is a whole mess - but she has this feeling it might come to an end very soon. And that she should prepare herself as best as she can.
This book was as funny, breathtaking and heartbreaking as the last. The characters, especially the relationships, are very realistic and it is funny how the camp copes with Kylie's powers. How she is really liked by everyone in the camp, even though she doesn't realise it. The ending of the book is very, very beautiful and fits to the series. I like it. Especially how Lucas fights for Kylie, and why she says he should go back to his original plan. It's completely her to do this, she'd do that. But it's also great she found another possibility. Because in the end, Lucas won my heart as well as hers (okay, in a completely other way, of course – everything else would be more than weird) and he deserves her. He did all of this not for his benefit, but for other's.
It is so nice, how the whole Derek-Kylie-Lucas relationship turns out in the end. And it is cool Della finally finds someone whom she can maybe love in the distant future - even though she has her problems with him.
I like the ghost. She's got something. Her description is really, really realistic and she's cool in her own way (still, the I-really-don't-want-to-meet-that-person-myself-but-as-a-book-character-she's-fine-way, of course). It's great Red's past still plays a role in this. Sometimes, in books, the side characters and bad guys are forgotten really fast. Here? Never.
It would have been better if the fight in the end would have been a little harder. Because this is like... I don't know, basically since the second part of the series he's the arch-enemy and he just dies like that! It was still fine and realistic – but you could have made it a little more epic.
But the development of Kylie is very well done, in the end. This Holy Warrior-stuff (with the stalking sword)? Reaaaaaaally cool stuff. But what I find even more fascinating is that she's changed in character: She got stronger and knows what she wants, how to fight for it... and that she should do it. That she shouldn't be afraid of doing what's right and trusting her heart.
Fredericka's development is well done, too. It's nice she found a new love. I hope, we hear something from her.
I give this book a star for the characters, a star for style, a star for the ideas and for content.