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    Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour
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    Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour
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    Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour
    Ebook289 pages4 hours

    Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour

    By Scott Westerfeld

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    This is the first book in New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld’s Midnighters series.

    A few nights after Jessica Day arrives in Bixby, Oklahoma, she wakes up at midnight to find the entire world frozen. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. And only a small group of people—Jessica included—is free to move about then. They are The Midnighters.  

    The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters trilogy, from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of the Uglies series.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperTeen
    Release dateJun 9, 2009
    ISBN9780061954528
    Unavailable
    Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour
    Author

    Scott Westerfeld

    Scott Westerfeld is the author of ten books for young adults, including Peeps, The Last Days, and the Midnighters trilogy. He was born in Texas in 1963, is married to the Hugo-nominated writer Justine Larbalestier, and splits his time between New York and Sydney. His latest book is Extras, the fourth in the bestselling Uglies series.

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    Reviews for Midnighters #1

    4/5

    800 ratings56 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Great modern fantasy. Neat concept.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed this book. An easy read but that kept you nedding more.
    • 3/5
      A group of teenagers with the ability to access a secret hour after midnight face off against the feline darkings who seem bound and determined to destroy the newest addition to their crew.THE SECRET HOUR is very much a series opener. Westerfeld introduces the series' premise, gives us a chance to get to know the characters and sets up the main conflict that'll carry us through the next two books. There's plenty of action, of course, (this is Westerfeld we're talking about here!), and there's a definite resolution to this story arc, but it's pretty clear that there's more to come.I found it quite readable, and I loved the way the magic worked, but I'll admit that I was expecting a bit more from it. The characters are all fairly interesting, (and can I just say that I am ridiculously jealous of Jonathan's talent?), but they never really came alive for me. I couldn't really connect with them; not in the way I connected with Tally in the UGLIES books or Cal in PEEPS. It's early days yet, though, and it seems clear that Westerfeld has set this up as a cumulative thing. I'm sure that some of the stuff he's established here will pay off in a big way as the series unfolds. I'd certainly recommend this to anyone who's enjoyed his other novels.(A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).
    • 4/5
      The Little BookwormJessica Day moves to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma with her family when her mom gets a new job. At first, everything seems normal. That is until midnight rolls around and the world around her freezes. Jessica learns she is a "Midnighter," one of the handful of teens in town who can live in the blue time between midnight and 1 am. But something about Jessica is different and she attracts trouble in the form of the darklings who live in the blue time, ancient creatures who are out for Jessica. With the help of the other four Midnighters, Jessica must fight the darklings and learn why they want to kill her so much.So this is Scott Westerfeld's first young adult book. I've read all the rest except this series and Leviathan, which just came out. It was really good and I enjoyed it. The concept is great though less original than his later books. It came across as appropriately chilling and suspenseful and occasionally funny and moved along at a nice pace. I liked Jessica and Jonathan and Dess and I'm not real sure about Melissa but Rex was okay. I've always found the idea of ancient creatures intriguing (must be why I'm a Buffy fan) and the mythology is great in this book without being too overwhelming, just enough to tantalize. I got a good image out of the book and I could definitely see it as a movie.
    • 4/5
      The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters series. I really liked this book. Jessica Day (perfect name) moves into Bixby, Oklahoma and soon finds out she is a Midnighter. She and her fellow Midnighers fight demons and slithers every night at midnight. Jessica seems to be a magnet for these creatures. She must find out what her special talent is before Bixby is overrun. This was a really good beginning for the series of three books. Another good story by Westerfeld who wrote another of my favorites, the Uglies series. I'm anxious to read the next book, Touching Darkness.
    • 4/5
      The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters series. I really liked this book. Jessica Day (perfect name) moves into Bixby, Oklahoma and soon finds out she is a Midnighter. She and her fellow Midnighers fight demons and slithers every night at midnight. Jessica seems to be a magnet for these creatures. She must find out what her special talent is before Bixby is overrun. This was a really good beginning for the series of three books. Another good story by Westerfeld who wrote another of my favorites, the Uglies series. I'm anxious to read the next book, Touching Darkness.
    • 3/5
      Surprisingly good teen urban fantasy. Each of the characters has a very specific, cliche-free personality, and I love the rules and tricks that govern both the good guys and the bad. Who knew that thirteen letter words could be used to fight evil?
    • 5/5
      Well, this was amazing. Thing is, I picked it up late at night and, by the time I was ready to go to bed, found that I had to keep reading. I had to reach a not-so-scary part before I would be able to sleep. ^_^ It was fascinating and wonderful, and I enjoyed it. =) (I'll probably write a better review later.)
    • 1/5
      good book
    • 1/5
      Unusual names, weird eyes, super powers, teenagers, boring. Too many chapters with differing POV. They're pretty much just Vampires with another name, working on the whole stereotypical idea that all (modern) Vampires wear black, listen to metal, like the dark, etc. The writing want terrible, which is new for a YA book, but still very much generic YA twaddle.
    • 4/5
      Better than I expected.
    • 4/5
      I adored this series. It was dark, edgy, and thrilling. It stays away from the overused fantasy tropes that have merit, but can be incredibly tiring sometimes.

      A secret hour that a few teens enjoy alone? Primordial predators that can be fended off with math and metal? Pure genius, and the recipe for a fantastic book.


      Although I did find Jessica, the heroine, to be kind of a blank slate, it actually worked well in this series. It lets you take in the wild and wacky world she discovers, without getting caught up in the character. The other characters have more than enough personality to make up for Jess's lack, and their point of view is explored in the later books.

      I read this book in one night, and moved on to the other books straight away. You will be swept up in this book, and it will keep you completely engaged right up to the last word.
    • 4/5
      I have had this book for a long time and was excited to finally get to read it. This is the first book in the Midnighters series by Westerfeld and is one of the few Westerfeld series I haven’t read yet. It ended up being an entertaining and creepy story that was well written and easy to read. I liked it better than his Uglies series but not as much as his Leviathan series.Strange things happen in Bixby, Oklahoma when the clock strikes midnight. That is when the 13th hour starts; an hour in which most of the town stops but a select few teens are able to move around and gain special abilities. So far there have always been four midnighters; a Seer, a Polymath, an Arcrobat, and a Mindcaster...that is until Jessica Day moves to Bixby. Jessica seems to have a power that is unknown. Not only is Jessica’s power a mystery but for some reason it is causing the shadow creatures that dwell in the midnight hour to become more and more violent.This book was a quick and easy read and was entertaining. It’s mostly a paranormal story with some mystery and some super-hero like overtones. I really enjoyed the idea of a 13th hour and I absolutely loved how if you give an object a thirteen letter name it can repel the shadow creatures.There are some wonderful scenes in this book, in particular the first night Jessica awakes in the 13th hour and walks into the rain. The whole story has a creepy vibe to it, but never got all that scary. The viewpoint switches between each of the different Midnighters, which worked well for the story.There is some excellent mystery here as the mystery of Jessica’s power is explored. There is also the overall mystery behind why Bixby is like it is and has this strange 13th hour. There is some high school drama in here as well, but it never really overwhelmed the story. The story was well paced and made for a quick read. There are some creative ideas in here and some interesting characters. Things are wrapped up nicely for this first book, but there are unsolved mysteries left for the rest of the series.Overall this was a fun and creepy paranormal read. I enjoyed the crazy 13th hour and the interesting powers our characters have. There was also some good mystery and some awesome supernatural elements to the story. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
    • 4/5
      A nice ride. I'm sure we've all wished we had a little more time in the day, but I'm not sure this is what we had in mind.
    • 4/5
      Super-quick read, just what I was looking for. I think I may track down all of Scott Westerfeld's books, considering how easy they are to read and how nice it is to have a short trilogy to pick up and read at a moment's notice.
    • 4/5
      A fantastic read. Westerfeld just plain gets how to combine an interesting plot with characters that, though a little stereo-type-y, still walk and talk like humans. I like the mythology of this series a lot so far, as well, which is a bonus. The only reason I don't give it a 5 is that there's a bit of clunkiness to the dialogue from time to time that really underscores just how amazing his dialogue in the Uglies series is. HIGHLY recommend this novel.
    • 5/5
      Loved it. As far as my reading goes- I haven't read anything with a storyline like this. If you really think about it- What would you do/ Could you do if you were awake and everyone else was asleep? No doubt that I am going to go purchase to read the other 2 books right now.
    • 3/5
      Well, the description on the back was far more intriguing than the actual story inside. I was left pretty unimpressed by the story and the characters. It was not awful and it was easy to read and a nice original idea but it was missing the kind of spark that takes a book from 'okay' to 'compelling' for me. It mostly just lacked any sort of focused. The story just felt very jumpy and bitty to me. It was also packed full of YA clichés such as the-new-interesting-girl-moving-to-the-tiny-high school but it was easy enough to ignore those. I'm not completely turned off the series and will definitely have a read of the second book as I think the story definitely has potential, especially now that it's (hopefully) moving away from the mundane descriptions of every action taking place inside the school.
    • 4/5
      A very refreshing and original addition to the blooming YA genre. Im normally a single POV book type of gal, but I really appreciated the authors multiple perspective writing sty;e. Even though in Mr Westerfelds other series The Uglies was told in single POV. Both of the series are equally engaging. Packed full of action and a hint of age appropriate romance both are a must read for any fan of the YA genre!!
    • 5/5
      This book reminded me of why I love Scott Westerfeld's books! Once again he creates a unique world that is absolutely thrilling in its adventures and surreal nature. Right from the beginning I was intrigued by the main character, Jessica Day, and her move to the town of Bixby. The friendships between the other characters and the free spirit of Jonathan only drew me in further to the storyline and anxious to find out what would happen to them. The evil slithers in the novel felt real, and were seriously something that came out of nightmares! Westerfeld has really appealed to the darker side of the human mind with these creatures.My only critique of the novel is that the lore behind the midnight hour is never fully explained, simply that it is held within the mind of Rex. I would have loved to know more background knowledge of the midnighters, and I can only hope that it is more fully covered in the other novels in the series. I can't wait to read more and discover more secrets of the five midnighters! This book was fantastic to read, and I really couldn't put it down! I want to go find the next in the series right now! Once again Scott Westerfeld has proven that he's an extraordinary author.
    • 4/5
      The Midnighters: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield as a first book in the series is the foundation that sets up the setting to the frozen world during the 25th hour. At first it is not always clear what role the midnighters play and what exactly they're contending with during the frozen hour world but as the plot begins to pick up the pace, the book ends. Hence leaves you with the desire to read the next volume in the series. I recommend this Science Fiction series for student who enjoy the genre and for its descriptive and developing characters and mysterious plot. Great for 7-10.
    • 3/5
      The premise of The Secret Hour (the first book of the Midnighters trilogy) is one that I imagine a lot of people would be drawn to. When teenage Jessica moves to Bixby, Oaklahoma, she discovers that there is an extra hour every night at midnight, which only she and few others are aware of. This was both enticing and creepy. Jessica discovers this magical world, the other Midnighters (a group of teenagers who are similarly awake during this midnight hour), and the darklings, the nightmarish creatures who inhabit it. There are parts of this world that I was very much drawn to - especially the role of mathematics and tridecalogisms in combating the darklings. But overall, I didn't enjoy these books nearly as much as Westerfeld's Uglies series.
    • 5/5
      I read this book a few years ago. I really enjoyed the characters and the world they live in. How does he think these things up?
    • 5/5
      This is sci-fi-fantasy at its best!
    • 5/5
      When Jessica moves, with her family to Bixby, Oklahoma, she never could have guessed that soon she would find out that she is one of the few who, born at midnight have a special power along with the ability to see the extra hour that exists right after exact midnight. At midnight everything turns blue and the rest of the world just stops, frozen in time. Jessica meets others who are like her: Rex, who can see things that have been specially touched by those in this ‘blue hour’, Dess, who is a complete and utter math genius, Mellissa, who can read minds, and Jonathan, who is not effected at all by gravity while in the secret hour. It does not take long for Jessica to find out that this extra secret hour is not all fun and games, ancient evil creatures (darklings) live here, they are the original nightmares that all myths and legends were ever written about. This was their hour, safe from humans and their technology. And then Jessica came. Her power scares the darklings enough that they know that they need to kill her and soon. Jessica and her new found friends (the Midnighters) must find out what her power is before that happens, and maybe Jessica and her power are just what the Midnighters need to finally defeat the threat that the darklings pose not just to them but to the whole world if they were to ever find their way out of the blue hour. But Jessica first needs to find the strength to be brave enough to face these darklings and the destiny that awaits her.
    • 3/5
      If you were asked how many hours there are in a day, you would answer 24, but what if you were wrong? In Bixby, there are 25 hours in each day, but the 25th hour passes so fast, that nobody can see it. To them it is just a fast blink of light, except for five special people, who call themselves the midnighters. You might be thinking they are really lucky to have one full hour to themselves, but what if during this secret hour, there are strange creatures who are waiting to kill you, and watching your every move. Scott Westerfeld’s book, Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour is a book guaranteed to keep your spine-tingling. Luckily, for the midnighters, these creatures never seem to bother them that much, that is, until Jessica Day arrives. Suddenly, everywhere she goes during the secret hour, there are creatures that want her dead. Creatures no one has seen before are coming outto get her. Her friends are trying to find out why this is happening, but they keep on coming to dead ends. Then one day, Jessica’s friend Dess has a dangerous idea that might help them. Every midnighter has a special power, so if they find what Jessica’s power is, then, they might know why the monsters are attacking her. All Jessica has to do is go to the bottom of the Snake Pit, right at midnight and her part of the work is done. It seems easy enough, but Snake Pit is filled with these creatures, and to make things even more complicated, she gets grounded. Will they find out in time, or was moving to Bixby the biggest mistake of her life? Scott Westerfeld’s novel is sure to keep you reading until the book is finished. I find that this book may be confusing at times, but it is still very interesting. If you like a great science-fiction book with a twist of horror, then this is definitely the right book for you. The Secret Hour is a good book.
    • 4/5
      Summary: When fifteen-year-old Jessica day moves to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma, she's expecting it to be different from her old life back in Chicago... but she had no idea exactly how different Bixby really is. The water tastes funny, the town is covered with thirteen-rayed suns - and, oh yeah, every night at midnight, time stops for an hour. For most people, that extra hour zips past in a fraction of a second, but Jessica can perceive the hidden hour, and move about through a world that seems frozen in time. But she's not the only thing moving in the midnight hour... the world is filled during that hour with darklings, ancient creatures that are the stuff of nightmares, and they all seem to hate Jessica with a bitter malice. She doesn't have to face them alone, however; there are other people like her who can see the midnight world. A group of fellow students, each of whom has a unique ability during the midnight time, will have to join forces in order to protect Jessica and figure out why she's so important that the darklings want her dead.Review: Wonderfully creepy, fantastically clever, and totally addicting. This is not a book to pick up late at night when you should already be asleep; not only is it nearly impossible to put back down again, but when you finally do, you'll lay there awake, watching the clock creep slowly towards midnight, wondering what shadowy ancient nightmares are prowling just outside your window without your knowledge. I think what I enjoyed most about this book was Westerfeld's world-building. In just a few quick-reading pages, he's able to bring the frozen midnight world to life, and fill it with the wonderful and the horrifying in quick succession. Actually, what I really enjoyed most about this book was the amount of thought that underlies all of the details of the worldbuilding. Even the most innocuous details often have a very specific reason behind them, buried just deep enough that you can feel deservedly clever when you figure it out. For example, who the hell sets their book in Bixby, Oklahoma? (Which, with a little Google Earth sleuthing, turns out to be a real place... although an important nearby location is not the middle of the badlands as it is in the book, but the backyard of a nice-looking suburban Tulsa home.) But Westerfeld's got his reasons, and they fit impeccably together with the rest of his story in a way that's very ingenious indeed. It also gives me hope that what I perceived as plot holes in this volume - for example, why are all the Midnighters teenagers? - are actually plot points that will be explained later in the series.Westerfeld's prose style has never been my favorite - it's a little bit choppy and blunt in places, and occasionally the tone slips. (Seriously, at one point he uses the phrase "ouchy stuff" to describe Jessica's mom cleaning out some of her midnight-acquired scrapes. This is a book about teenagers, for teenagers. They can handle the words "hydrogen peroxide" or "Betadine.") Mostly, though, I didn't really notice the prose; I was so sucked-in to the story and the world that Westerfeld had created that I didn't care about anything else. He also handled the ending well; wrapping up the main plot threads to create a satisfying stopping point, but leaving enough of a teaser to make me anxious to pick up the next book. Overall, I tore through this book like there was no tomorrow, and will definitely be reading the sequels. 4 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: Fans of Westerfeld's other books, or of YA horror/fantasy/sci-fi more generally, will definitely enjoy this one, as will anyone who's looking for a fast-paced, absorbing, and appropriately creepy fall read.
    • 4/5
      This first of a series leaves you rushing for the next. Very exciting, fast-paced adventure. High-schooler Jessica Day is new in Bixby, Oklahoma and quickly finds out there are strange goings on. It begins with a 'dream' where time has stopped, raindrops frozen in midair. She learns that there are ancient creatures trapped in the 25th hour of each day and she and her friends must do battle. A really fantastic world has been created here. This is action packed and imaginative. A gripping read for the young teen.
    • 4/5
      In Bixby, Oklahoma, time stops for an hour at midnight every night (though how they know it's exactly an hour isn't clear). Only a handful of teenagers experience this "secret hour" and treat it like their personal playground - until Jessica Day shows up and turns the whole thing on its head. Suddenly it's dangerous, and the "slithers" and "darklings" that used to leave people alone are attacking en masse. Each person has their own special power, and much of the book is spent attempting to discern Jessica's. I enjoyed this one. It's the first of a trilogy, but there's still a decently satisfying end while keeping the way open for more story. I would read the other books were I to find them.
    • 5/5
      Jessica Day moves, her dad gives up his job so her Mom can get a new one. But when Jessica finds out that she is a Midnighter, she is positive that she is useless. But when all of the darklings come out all at once, Rex and her friends are sure that it is that they are scared of Jessica, and don't want the Midnighters to find out what she can do. Is she useless, or is she not?