Night Sky

Night Sky #1

by Suzanne Brockmann, Melanie Brockmann

SHE’S THE ULTIMATE WEAPON IN FIGHTING DESTINY.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann and her daughter Melanie Brockmann have written a pulse-pounding novel of paranormal suspense set in a near future both fantastic and frightening.

Skylar Reid is shaken when Sasha, the little girl she babysits, is kidnapped. Scared that the weird dreams she’s been having about Sasha are real—and even more afraid that Sasha is already dead. When a mysterious girl with extreme butt-kicking abilities roars into town on a motorcycle and, well, stalks Skylar things get even weirder. Supergirl Dana tells Sky that she also has abilities – that a hormone in their blood makes them stronger, faster, smarter. A hormone that the makers of a new drug called Destiny will murder to get their hands on.

Dana and Milo, her dangerously hot yet oh-so-forbidden partner in crime, want Sky to join them in their mission – to mold Sky into the ultimate weapon. She can sense there’s something about her abilities they’re not telling her. But the only way to save Sasha and stop other girls from being taken is to embrace the weird…and fight Destiny.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Urban Fantasy

484 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2014

About the author

After childhood plans to become the captain of a starship didn’t pan out, Suzanne Brockmann took her fascination with military history, her respect for the men and women who serve, her reverence for diversity, and her love of storytelling, and explored brave new worlds as a bestselling romance author.

Over the past thirty years she has written sixty-three novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. Her personal favorite is the one where her most popular character, gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy, wins his happily-ever-after and marries the man of his dreams. Called All Through the Night, this mainstream romance novel with a hero and a hero hit the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. In 2007, Suz donated all of her earnings from this book, in perpetuity, to MassEquality, to help win and preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.

In addition to writing books, Suz writes and produces indie movies and TV including the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding. Her recent feature, Out of Body, is streaming on Amazon Prime.

In 2018, Suz was given the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest projects are Blame It on Rio (Tall, Dark & Dangerous # 14), available in print and e-book from Suzanne Brockmann Books, and Marriage of Inconvenience, a six-episode LBGTQ rom-com TV series, streaming on Dekkoo in April 2023.

Reviews

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I was really unsure how I'd like this book at first. I tend to like YA a whole lot more than most NA, as it deals less with drama and more with action. Kind of ironic, but that's been my experience so far.

During the initial setup, this was a three star read. It was good but not great. I liked the best friend, Calvin. I liked how his being wheelchair bound wasn't hushed up too much or forced into a little PC corner. He was also black, and that wasn't made an issue either. He was the comedic relief and exactly the kind of guy you'd want as a best friend. And he did get a little romantic interest, which was also something unexpected for me. It gave him more focus and added depth to his already deep character. I hope we get a lot more of him in future books because I feel like he has a lot more story to tell.

Skylar was in turns a very brave go-getter and a bratty teenager. Possibly my feelings come from being on the parental side of things, but the way she treated her mom (even though her mom was absolutely overbearing and overprotective) made me sad. She knew she'd hurt her mom's feelings but didn't really care. And I don't like that in a heroine. I wanted her to be more compassionate sometimes. On the other hand, she IS seventeen, and what seventeen year old really cares all that much about their parents? So I suppose that could be me, hoping against all hope that my girls will notice if they make me sad when they are teens :D

Milo...yeah, I love Milo. A perfect beta male, no need for the spotlight. He's soft spoken and gentle, tall and lanky...and the kind of guy that gets more amazing with each encounter. The reader can sit there and fall more and more in love with him with each revelation...because that's what he was for me. Every time he and Sky were together, something new was revealed about Milo. Nothing big and dramatic, just enough to make me feel just a tiny bit giddy. A look, a smile, the occasional dimpled grin, and once in awhile something that made me hold my breath in anticipation. Epic swooniness, indeed.

Dana is the ultimate bada$$ chick. From her spiky blonde hair to her wicked cool boots, she's the instant leader of the pack...another really cool thing about this book. The heroine is the newby, not the leader. Dana is the teacher and ultimate authority, if sometimes maybe too authoritative and not quite as sympathetic as she could be. Good thing for Milo.

One thing I want to mention is that this book takes place in the future, by maybe a couple of generations. It's not necessarily post-apocalyptic, but it has the same feel. I think it's supposed to take place after an economic crash. Examples being that China is now a kind of corporation, not a country, and various government agencies also have given up the pretense of existing for the people. It was a great concept, and one which I wish they had explored a bit more.

The storyline is a bit brutal at times, alluding to some pretty awful things to be happening to a nine year old girl. Lots of blood, terrible smells (believe me, this is a BIG part of the story), and for me, it bordered on horror as well as paranormal. Add in the romance and the amazing sidekicks, and I ended up being awfully impressed with this pseudo-debut. I'm a huge fan of Suzanne Brockmann, but I have to state here that I heard the voice of Melanie loud and clear. This was wildly imaginative, yet cohesive, and with a nice mix of subgenres. Two authors made for a fantastic first book in this new series. I will definitely continue. This book ended part of the story, but left it wide open for a whole lot more.

Advance copy provided by the publisher for review

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teenager Skylar Reid is upset when she learns that her neighbor Sasha, the child she babysits, has been kidnapped. Police believe Sasha was killed by her father who is also missing. Sky is also scared because she has been having strange dreams about Sasha. While Sky and her best friend Calvin are shopping, they meet a mysterious girl named Dana who tells Sky that she is a "Greater-Than", a person with mental powers. She believes Skylar also has those powers; and warns her that people are willing to kill for them. Dana is on a mission. She believes Sasha was kidnapped for evil purposes and wants Sky to join her in stopping them.

This young adult story is a mix of action, paranormal, and suspense. I was a little confused by the setting. It was either in an alternate universe where somethings are just a little different, or it may be futuristic.

The first half of the story was a little slow while the story was being set up. We met Sky, Calvin, Dana, and Dana's buddy Milo. All of the characters were well developed. The second half of the story had a lot more action. I was totally drawn into the story and didn't want to stop listening to it. The audiobook was narrated by Melanie Brockmann who did a very good job. My rating: 4 Stars.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my other reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!

First of all, it needs to be said that I am a HUGE fan of Suzanne Brockmann. Huge. To be honest, I didn't even realize that she was one of the authors of this book until after I had already started reading it. The premise was so catching that I didn't even take a moment to look the book up before I practically begged NetGalley to let me have a shot at it. Anyhow ... there's that. I had a bit of a rating issue with this one as well. It see-sawed between 4 and 5 the entire time I was reading. It was a pretty difficult decision ... one I'm still struggling with, actually.

Getting back to the book ... it was a little slow going for me. And not because the novel was actually slow ... it was just a little confusing in the first few pages. Now, this could be totally my fault. I could have been trying to devour this too quickly and I skipped over some important bits. While this doesn't happen very often, it does happen and so this could be totally my fault. But once I was 2 or 3 chapters in, it was good. Too good. This was the point where I stopped what I was doing and checked to see who the author was. Man, was I surprised. And not surprised at the same time. The writing is stellar and the action scenes are so thought out that it feels like you are there.

I was pretty attached to Sky from the very beginning. Sky and Cal are so endearing that you can't help but love them and be totally sympathetic to their individual and combined plights. Remember, these kids are in high school. The Brockmann ladies took me back to those days (which was FAR too long ago) and I felt like the story I was reading was one that could have happened in my high school. Their writing style is so realistic that you can almost hear lockers being slammed shut and sneakers squeaking across the linoleum as kids race to beat the bell. I derailed a bit, I meant to talk about how realistic the characters were and then I went ahead with everything else.

Back on track ... the characters ... you'll love Sky, Cal, Milo and Dana. You'll eat up every interaction between the 4 of them and you'll be waiting with bated breath for the next one. It took me a couple of days to read this one but it was because I had to force myself to put it down. I didn't want to just blow through it and then wish I could get that magic back. You know the magic ... the stuff you get when you read an amazing novel for the first time. You only get that once so I had to make a conscious decision to not squander this first time. Night Sky was just a great novel that has everything in it, a little fantasy, a little romance, a few parental unit issues, and some amazing moments where people stand up for themselves, their friends and what they believe in.

There is only one thing that really stinks about this book. It's the fact that Night Sky isn't even out yet and I'm going to have to wait for Lord only knows how long for the next installment and let me tell you, it will be an excruciating wait.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A great idea that just didn’t come together for me. I tried really hard to like this book, but I felt so indifferent to it that I only got about half way through before quitting.

Opening Sentence: I had not been under the impression that trophy wives owned guns.

The Review:

Skylar Reid is just your average teenage girl. She currently moved to Florida from Connecticut and it has been a difficult change for her. The only good thing about moving is the fact that she gets to babysit the cute nine year old girl that lives down the street. Sasha is quirky and weird at times but Skylar loves spending time with her and her family. It fills a need that her dysfunctional family doesn’t, but something terrible happens to Sasha. She is kidnapped in the middle of the night from her room and her father is the main suspect. Skylar knows Sasha’s father would never hurt her or anyone for that matter.

On top of Sasha’s disappearance weird things start to happen to Skylar. Things like one of her favorite posters from her room disappearing or the fact that she can smell some really awful scents that no one else can smell. Then a girl with some very unique abilities starts to show up all the time and informs Skylar that she also has abilities. It turns out that Skylar’s blood contains a very unique hormone that makes her stronger and faster than a normal person, but it also makes her a target because the hormone is used to make a very expensive drug called Destiny. Skylar will have to learn to control her powers if she wants to survive and stop anymore little girls from being kidnapped.

Skylar seemed like a sweet girl that really wanted to do the right thing, but unfortunately I pretty much felt indifferent to her character. There was nothing about her that really stood out to me as someone that I really wanted to get to know better. Sure she had a somewhat funny personality and she was very loyal, which are great qualities, but nothing unique. I also thought it was weird that she all the sudden she had all these amazing abilities that just popped out of nowhere. I understand that superpowers are abnormal, but there is usually something that triggers them and that wasn’t the case with this story. I really wish I could have liked Skylar better, but I never developed any type of connection with her at all which made it so I didn’t really care to read the rest of her story.

There was a pretty big cast of secondary characters and there were a few that were just introduced before I stopped reading so I didn’t really get to know them very well. I believe that the love interest in the book was supposed to be a boy named Milo and he is one of the characters that I barely had a chance to meet. But as far as first impressions go, I wasn’t all that impressed. I will admit that there was a possibility for potential with his character, but nothing that kept me interested enough to find out. There was nothing romantic in the story at all up to the point that I read, which lead me to believe that there wasn’t going to be much romance or it was going to feel extremely rushed since there wasn’t much time left to develop it. That is total speculation since I didn’t finish the book, but I’m pretty sure it is accurate.

The only other character you really get to know is Skylar’s best friend Calvin. He was probably the only thing I actually like about the book. I thought that he was witty and some of the things he would say were pretty hilarious. He is in a wheelchair, which I thought was a good twist to the story and it added some diversity. But even though I liked him it wasn’t enough to want to keep reading.

It is very rare for me to not a finish a book and the reason why is that I usually find something in a story that intrigues me enough that I want to know what happens. I can honestly say that there was nothing in this story that made me want to finish it. It started out really weird which didn’t set a very good tone and things pretty much just went downhill from there. I did end up reading over 200 pages, which was about half way through and it was a struggle to get through those pages. The only reason I kept reading was because there were so many great blurbs about how wonderful it was so I kept waiting for it to get better and finally I knew it was time to just throw in the towel. I think a lot of moments were meant to be humorous, but instead of being funny they just felt awkward. I liked the whole idea of teenagers with superhuman powers, but it was overwhelming trying to figure out all the different types of powers they could have. I think I would have liked it better if everyone only had a couple different abilities versus a whole slew of possibilities. But the main reason this story just didn’t do it for me was because I felt completely indifferent to all the characters and really I just didn’t connect with the story at all. I really tried to give this book a chance, but in the end it just didn’t work for me. I do feel that there will probably be other people who love it, so if it sounds interesting to you go ahead and give it a try. Hopefully you have a better experience with it then I did.

Notable Scene:

“Okay. That’s all the questions we have for now.”

I was livid, because I knew he was going to use my statement, my yes, as some kind of twisted proof that Edmund had done terrible things to Sasha. “You know if you do this, if you blame Mr. Rodriguez, then the people who really kidnapped Sasha will go free. We’ll never find her, never get her back!”

Hughes looked up at me, and for a fraction of a moment I saw something in his eyes—sorrow, or maybe sympathy or regret. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by that defeated fatigue. He took a business card out of his pocket and slid it across the table to me. Then he took the picture and placed it back in the manila folder. “If you think of anything else that pertains to this case, please call this number.”

I couldn’t breathe. “You have to believe me,” I insisted. “Edmund didn’t kidnap Sasha! He would never hurt her!”

Hughes glanced at me again with raised eyebrows. I had called Mr. Rodriguez Edmund again. This wasn’t fair!

This wasn’t fair!

And then, just like that, from atop the conference desk, Detective Hughes’s soda can launched into the air and exploded.

FTC Advisory: Sourcebooks Fire provided me with a copy of Night Sky. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[The Literacy Advocate · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTHING BEATS A BROCKMANN - UNLESS YOU’VE GOT TWO!

NIGHT SKY is the YA (young adult lit) debut by the incomparable Suzanne Brockmann, whose adult titles (the Troubleshooters series, and other series and standalones) are, quite simply, spectacular. NIGHT SKY is co-authored by Melanie Brockmann, Suzanne’s daughter. The pair also penned a free prequel e-novella, DANGEROUS DESTINY, in which we meet the principle characters in the world of NIGHT SKY (the prequel also includes an interesting author Q&A). Skylar Reid is a high school junior transplanted from the life she enjoyed in Connecticut to the "Land of the Living Dead," otherwise known as Florida, where she tells us the average age of her neighbors is 75. Skylar meets Calvin, a witty, thoughtful boy confined to a wheelchair, who surprises Skylar by risking himself to save her when she's thrust into a life-threatening situation in an encounter at school with April, an enigmatic classmate with a troubling hidden agenda.

Skylar is coming to learn that there are special people known as "Greater-Thans," who possess an array of fledgling superpowers that must be tamed. In NIGHT SKY, when the young girl Skylar babysits is kidnapped, Skylar learns that she is one of these gifted individuals, and that she faces the inherent danger that goes along with her unique abilities. Along for this high-octane ride are new friends Dana and Milo (the love interest), who are no strangers to the bizarre abilities Skylar is developing. Together, Skylar beings to embrace her talents, and learns about what makes her a “Greater Than”…a hormone in her blood for which people in power are willing to kill…a hormone used to make the dangerous drug known as Destiny. Fans of Ms. Brockmann’s novel BORN TO DARKNESS will recognize Destiny as the drug responsible for creating the superpowers of the “Greater Thans” in her adult series.

NIGHT SKY presents a dark, futuristic vision of the United States as a land of "haves" and "have-nots" and paranormal occurrences in which the Brockmanns have created a thrilling, dangerous new world. In signature Brockmann style, we are thrust quickly into the action, with Skylar’s charge Sasha being kidnapped in order to harvest her special hormone. This new world is set in the same future as BORN TO DARKNESS, in which adult specialists and doctors based at a Boston research center are grappling to understand and control the science and powers of Greater-Thans. The Brockmanns intend to continue the NIGHT SKY series as Skylar, Calvin, Dana, and Milo get older, eventually leading them north toward Boston and the characters from BORN TO DARKNESS. Knowing Ms. Brockmann's pithy writing, the depth of her characters, her wild skills in creating fascinating military and suspense plotlines, her witty humor, and her ability to develop touching and meaningful relationships and romance, I AM THRILLED to begin this new journey with one (and now two) of my favorite authors

NIGHT SKY is a pulse-pounding first entry into what promises to be a thrilling paranormal suspense series. The NIGHT SKY series promises to be a thrill-ride for all readers who enjoy the paranormal, sci fi, adventure, suspense, mystery and romance, written by authors whose characters are impossible not to love (and, in some cases, hate!). Don't miss the wild, wonderful ride that is a Brockmann book. Perhaps Skylar and her friends can fight their “Destiny,” but we should not fight ours…read NIGHT SKY today!

[Angie Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/21/15: This book is $1.99 (Amazon Kindle US) for today only! Get it while it's hot! ;)

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS FIRE and Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Night Sky was a fun read about a teenage girl who, after the life changing event of moving, is about to experience another shock when she learns what her destiny is. Unfortunately for Skylar, she’s coming into it the hard way.

This story was character driven from the get-go, and I think it stayed that way throughout the majority of the book. Though the plot revolved around Skylar learning to master her ‘abilities,’ it felt like it was merely a backdrop for the reader to get to know the characters. It was a bit thin for me in this first installment, but I think the Brockmanns are setting us up for the bigger picture, and it’s intriguing enough for me to want to read more!

There was a lot of world building to be done here, and I think Skylar’s training was the perfect platform for that. It makes it easy for the reader to step into Skylar’s shoes when we’re learning everything at the same time she is. I never felt overwhelmed or that things were simply being thrown at me. There was a reason as to why we learned things when we did, but it’s obvious there’s still a lot to be revealed. The story takes place at some point in the future following an economic collapse that seems to have wiped out the middle class, but it doesn’t seem to be that far down the road.

I liked the description in this one. The writers give us the perfect amount of detailing to set the scene, then leave just enough for us to use our imaginations and create our own surroundings.

Calvin, who we met in Dangerous Destiny, plays a huge role in this book. His quick wit and snarky sense of humor lighten the story at just the right moments. We also meet a lot of new characters in this one. Among them are Dana and Milo,two more key players we’re going to see a lot of as this series progresses. Dana, Skylar’s not so willing mentor, was a kick-ass addition to the story. She definitely has a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude, and the few things I learned about her only left me wanting to know more! Milo is the mellowest of the bunch; he has a quiet strength and is content to remain in the background. He’s one of those people who weighs what he says, and when he speaks, people know it’s going to be important, so they listen. The chemistry between the characters overall is fantastic. They seem to have a propensity for verbal sparring and getting under each other’s skin in the most entertaining ways.

There was some teenage romance in this one, but it was low-key and never overshadowed the rest of the story.

While the plot in this one could have been amped up a bit, I think the reader is left with a good grasp of the characters. There was just enough wrapped up at the end so we weren’t left hanging, but enough loose ends to leave us wanting more!

This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This science fiction story takes place in a near future United States. The economy has tanked creating a sharp divide between the haves and have-nots. Skylar Reid is a have. She and her best friend Calvin have what they need and attend a private academy. Things aren't perfect for them. Skylar's mother is overprotective and Calvin is in a wheelchair as a result of a car accident when he was younger.

When the young girl Skylar babysits for is kidnapped, Skylar is determined to find her. She is having weird dreams and odd things are happening around her. She meets a kickass young woman named Dana who tells her that she is a Greater Than - she can do extraordinary things because of a hormone that lets her use more of her brain. This hormone is the basis for the currently popular drug Destiny. Destiny is insanely expensive, instantly addictive, and can cure diseases and restore a person's youth.

Dana tells Skylar that Sasha was also a Greater Than and that she was probably killed having her blood drained to make the drug. But Skylar doesn't believe that Sasha is dead. She has recurring visions about her Dana tries to convince her that she is seeing the past.

Dana and her friend Milo are trying to track down the makers of Destiny. Dana wants revenge because they kidnapped her younger sister and framed her father for her murder years ago. Dana wants to train Skylar in her abilities so that she can help Dana find the producers of this drug.

There is a romance in the story too. Skylar falls for Milo but feels really, really guilty because she is sure that Dana and Milo are in a relationship. One of Skylar's gifts is to be able to communicate telepathically with Milo when she touches him. It is really hard for her to keep him from knowing how she feels about him especially when Milo seems to be feeling the same way about her.

The story was action packed and also filled with typical teenage stuff too. The star of the football team is bullying Calvin and wants to date Skylar. Skylar's scenes with Garrett add some humor to the story which is, otherwise, pretty dark. I liked Skylar and Calvin's relationship. They were great friends.

Fans of science fiction and fans of thrillers will enjoy this story.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

For what it's worth, I didn't mind this book - more so the second half than the first half of it which I found was a bit hard to get into at first. Now as for the rest of the book, while some aspects of the book weren't particularly original and while some characters were not favourites of mine (even though all of the characters had great chemistry with each other), however the book - at least on a whole - was an interesting read and an entertaining one at that. It will definitely please fans of the likes of Tomorrow, When the War Began or something along those lines!

* Thanks to the publisher on net galley for providing me with a review copy of this book!

3.5 stars!

[Angela]

28 January 2015: $1.99 on Kindle

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

After really enjoying the prequel novella, Dangerous Destiny, I was really excited to get started on Night Sky and learn more about the Greater-Thans and their psychic abilities. Unfortunately for some reason I really struggled with this one and it seemed to take a long time for the story to really get going. This is a long book (almost 500 pages!) and it really didn't have enough substance to justify the length. I think if it had been really trimmed back to make a faster and more streamlined read I would have found it much more enjoyable. Having said that this is the beginning of a series so there is a lot of world building to do and characters to introduce and things really picked up speed in the second half so I have hopes that future books will be more fast paced.

Skylar has no idea that she is a Greater-Than (someone with psychic abilities) so she is confused when things start happening near her that have no rational explanation. That is the least of her worries when a young girl that she babysits for goes missing though, Sky is desperate to find out what happened to Sasha but she has no idea where to start looking. Whey Sky meets Dana, another Greater-Than, she is suddenly thrown into a whole new world, a world where people can have superpowers, where she is able to move things with her mind and where she can even smell evil. Dana and Milo offer to help Sky search for answers, they believe that Sasha has been murdered by a group who use Greater-Than blood to create a drug called Destiny. They're already investigating the disappearance of other children and they want Sky and her best friend Calvin's help.

I did enjoy learning about all the different kinds of abilities that the Greater-Thans can have, they all have different strengths but skills can vary from fast movement, telekinesis, precognition, mind control, telepathy and so much more. Sky is only just beginning to discover what she is capable of but I'm already a little concerned that she's turning into a too perfect heroine. It seems like she is able to do pretty much everything, more than any other Greater-Than that Dana has ever come across before, and I think I would have liked her character more if she'd had a few more flaws. Overall I'd say the characters are okay, I felt that Sky's attraction to Milo built up far too quickly but just as I was going to start calling insta-love they started to have more interaction and develop a friendship. I love the fact that Sky is so close to her best friend Calvin, they were the two characters we'd been introduced to in the prequel and it was good to see that their friendship has grown even stronger since then.

Dana was a little harder to like, she's quite snarky and harsh but once you get to know her she has a soft side and when you learn about her past you start to understand why she has that prickly, defensive layer to protect herself. There was one particular scene where they're all in a club and Dana uses her abilities on Calvin that made me feel really uncomfortable though. I know she didn't mean it in a bad way but I couldn't help comparing her actions to a kind of mental rape. There was absolutely no sex involved but she was forcing him to do things against his will and I was cringing throughout the entire scene. I just felt that whole section was pretty pointless and quite insulting, there was no reason that Calvin couldn't have gone into the club in his wheelchair - surely people in wheelchairs are allowed to go clubbing too? - and although I know it was meant to come across as a humorous and light hearted scene it completely missed the mark for me.

Overall I'd have to say Night Sky was an okay story, it wasn't horrible but it didn't wow me like I expected it to. I do think the series has potential but I'm not sure if I'm invested enough in the characters to want to carry on reading. The great news is that it doesn't end with a major cliffhanger, the main mystery is resolved by the end of the book and although a new plot thread is introduced you aren't left feeling like you've only read half a story. I may give the next book a try to see if the issues are ironed out but I doubt it'll be a book that I end up desperate to get my hands on.

[Paranormal Kiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Night Sky by Suzanne & Melanie Brockmann is the first book in the Night Sky series. This is set in the same world as the Fight Destiny series and is a young adult spinoff of it. You do not need to read the Fight Destiny series to follow this one.

Night Sky took me awhile to get into. The beginning just didn’t capture my attention. It wasn’t until around the 20% mark that the story finally came together and got interesting. Happily, once I got past the beginning I enjoyed it and became invested in the story and the characters. Night Sky is one that gets better as it progresses and by the time I was finished I was completely engaged in the story.

Night Sky is a young adult novel and Skylar, the main character, is 17 years old. I thought she was portrayed true to her age. She was a typical teenager, dramatic and rebellious. I wasn’t sure I would like her in the beginning but she grew on me and became more likeable as the story unfolded. At the beginning of the book she catches the attention of Dana, a Greater Than. Shortly after she started noticing she was exhibiting abilities. Abilities beyond what most people view as humanly possible. When the young girl she babysits goes missing, Skylar teams up with Dana, Milo and Calvin to try and find out what happened to her.

Overall, I liked Night Sky quite a bit. Once I got past the beginning, it was interesting and I enjoyed reading as the story played out. There is action, mystery and a bit of romance. The paranormal aspect is intriguing. I’m curious to find out how Skylar’s abilities will develop as the series progresses. I also look forward to reading more about her and Milo. Their romance is endearing and sweet. Night Sky is a complete book but there is more to be told. I look forward future books in the Night Sky series.

Night Sky is recommended to fans of Young Adult Urban Fantasy.

*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.

[Megan (thebookishtwins) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley

DNF at around 40%

Skylar Reid is shaken when the girl she babysit's is kidnapped. She is starting to notice weird things. There is a horrid smell, things are being moved around her room and she isn't sure how, and she is having vivid dreams. When a girl on a motorbike comes into town things get even weirder. Skylar is told she is a Greater-Than. A human with abilities. The blood on Greater-Than's are being used to make a drug called Destiny. And Skylar sets out to fight Destiny.

While I don't really like not finishing books from NetGalley, I've been really busy with university and I don't get much time to read, so I don't want to waste the little time I have reading things I'm not that interested in. It's not that is a bad book, it is just not for me.

I found the pacing to be really slow. My kindle says I got to about 46%, and nothing had really happened at all. It was just so slow and unnecessarily long. At 500 pages, there were bits that weren't necessary in the first half. I just didn't want to waste my time reading 200+ pages when I was so disinterested in the story or the characters.The characters weren't bad, they just weren't great either. They weren't memorable or funny, and to be fair a bit cliché. I mean Dana is like this badass girl who rides a motorbike with a leather jacket and snarky personality. There was little depth to the characters, or originality. There just wasn't anything to stand out, and that is one of the reasons I gave up on this read.

Overall, not a book I would personally recommend.

[Jennifer Kirkwood (Levac) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can view the original review on Genuine Jenn


I was hooked into this story from the beginning. I have never read any of Suzanne Brockmann novels before and now I am not sure why I haven't. This is a great novel, especially a debut for Melanie! I love all the characters in some way shape or form, even Garrett, McDouche. Sky and Calvin have become great friends since Sky moved to Coconut Key. Calvin and Sky get a long so great, they are the best of friends and have a lot of fun together. Calvin has a quirky personality and love his would-you-rather game he likes to play with Sky. I absolutely love Calvin's character! I think the ladies did an amazing job with his character. There are not many YA novels that teens are in wheelchairs and function on their own. Way to go with showing his abilities instead of a disability. The story flows together really well right from the beginning, we get to know Sky and Calvin and how Sky's week was just plain weird or freaky and just got worse.


Greater-Thans and Destiny addicts are the main plot of this series and I love how Sky comes to learn about her powers and develops them throughout the book. She has a list of new powers that she is learning about, all the while trying to find and save Sasha, the little girl Sky babysits that was kidnapped. I never felt there was a dull moment in Night Sky and found I was kept on the edge of my seat with all the plot twists and turns.


I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars! I just started reading book #2 Wild Sky!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I'm really glad I said yes to getting more books from VOYA because this book was amazing. I could barely put it down. One moment it was 9 o'clock, I look up and it's 12:30 pm. What?? The book was so engrossing that I didn't notice the time passing by. I probably would've read the book all at once if I didn't have to sleep and get up early. Though super humans with powers are not an unusual topic to write a book about, Night Sky managed to be different. Not only do the girls have super powers, but they each have select powers that they as individuals are good at. There blood is also coveted for the use of making a powerful drug called Destiny, so they are kidnapped and drained for their blood. Because I was reading mostly at night, just before going to bed, I had to forcibly calm my brain down because I could vividly imagine some monster crawling into my room and attacking me like in the book. I knew it wasn't happening in real life (or does it, it could be real...) but it was a little difficult to resit the temptation to turn the light on or keep opening my eyes every once in a while. But yeah. Skylar and Milo were a cute couple, some of their scenes were pretty amusing by how awkward and sexually tense they were. I really cannot wait until a sequel comes out. But because book one technically has't even been published yet, I'll have to be patient for quite a while.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Net Galley and that in no way influences my review.

I liked this book but it was a tough start for me. I felt like I started three chapters in or that maybe it was a second book in a series because it jumped right into the book without any really introduction to the characters and the plot. I now know that Suzanne Brockmann released a book Born to Darkness last year that had the same setting and is the first book in a series. If I had read that book it might have made the transition easier but I still don't understand the lack of introductory information in this series since it is a young adult title and the other series is not.

Despite the awkward beginning I quickly fell in love with the four main characters and I got pulled into the story. I will most likely read the next book in the series because I am curious about what happens but I am unsure if this is a series that I will purchase for the library.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it 2/5 stars

I enjoyed the story that NIGHT SKY told, but here were also a LOT of slow points, lot of drawn out build-up and for the length of the book, I wish I would have remembered more of what happened.

There seemed to be a LOT of world building missing from NIGHT SKY, I would say that's because that information is in the prequel DANGEROUS DESTINY, but it wasn't there either. It would have saved me from being completely confused in the beginning of the book. I probably won't continue with book 2.

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jackie Lane]

So I'm a big Suzanne Brockmann fan and found that this book, co-authored with her daughter turned out to be a nice change up for me.

I did find the beginning a bit weird and a tad bit slow, but the momentum built up and I found myself interested in learning about the G-T's. When all was said and done and the reasons revealed for why people where the way they were, I enjoyed the backstory of each of the characters.

A solid book, which has another book in the series that I'd definitely read.

4 stars

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow the clarity in which this book was written is astounding the authors did a great job depicting their characters building up the plot even though the end was predictable I am interested to read the next book.

[Angela Hates Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Suzanne Brockmann but this one is too juvenile to me.

[Shanelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skylar lives a normal life with her mom, who she doesn’t entirely like, but still loves nonetheless. Sky and her friend Calvin go to the Sav’A’Buck store to grab some supplies for some smores. The store wasn’t exactly what you would call sanitary but they continued to venture through the store anyways. That’s when they encountered a strange, psycho woman and the mysterious girl Dana. Days later after Sasha’s disappearance, she has a weird and vivid dream about her and even though the police have already declared her dead, she thinks otherwise. Later on, Sky and Calvin meet up with Dana and Milo, a good friend of hers, again and they go on crazy, wild, dangerous, and even hilarious adventures. This book always had me thrown for a loop at almost every chapter. A mixture of humor, suspense, and sorrowfulness. You can almost feel a character’s emotions and, even, what they see. There were many times in the novel where I could fully imagine a scene of sorts because of how detailed it was. The book is well detailed and I love every word of it.

Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann both speak from the point of view of Skylar Reid, with the tone of your average rebellious teenager. An example of this would be, “I rocked a little as I sat there on the edge of my bed, but made myself stop.” The setting and environment changes almost constantly like from a normal peaceful-ish neighborhood, to a run-down, Chernobyl styled neighborhood for example. No matter where’ I’, or Skylar in this instance, was in the story, it always had me either laughing or curious. Sometimes even itching to find out what happens next!


Suzanne Brockman, born in 1960, age 61, is an American romance fiction writer. She lives near Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband Ed Gaffney. Her two children are Melanie Gaffney, her daughter, and Jason T. Gaffney, her son. Her pen name is Anne Brock, which is the name she uses a lot for her written works and novels. Suzanne attended Boston University’s School of Broadcasting and Film, her major being in film while her minor was in creative writing. She dropped out just before she joined the university to go and join a band, this is when she met her husband Ed and started a family of her own. After her second child, she officially started writing , initially focused on television scripts, screen plays and Star Trek novels. Her first ever published novel, Future Perfect in 1993, was written with a whole nine other documents in 1992 after her decision to publish a romantic novel.

Brockmann has gained the attention of magazines like Out and Bay Windows, which they both serve the LGBTQ community, because of the subplot dealing with the romance taken place of an openly gay character in her Troubleshooters, Inc. series. Brockmann has also stated that she is a PFLAG mom, supporting her gay son Jason, with dedicationg her 2004 book Hot Target to him. PFLAG is the United States first and largest organixation, brining parents, families, and allies togetehrt who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+). The founder of this amazing organization is Jeanne Manford, founded on March 11, 1973 in New York City, New York. In 2014, she started writing a young adult paranormal trilogy, Night Sky, which is the series I’m currently reading, with her daughter Melanie Brockmann, a personal trainer and published author. Melanie is an actress as well, which she’s known for Russian Doll in 2016.

Suzanne is a two time winner of the RITA award from the Romance Writers of America. She’s also appeared on both USA Today and the New York Times Best Sellers lists. She’s been the giftee of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards in 1996, 1998, and in 1999, as well as the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Series Romance in 1997, 2000, and 2002.

Brockmann has been writing books for a while now and most of them have made a huge impact on the pride community especially. I would definitely recommend this book, no, series to someone who’s looking for a mixture of chills and humor. Twists and turns at every chapter keeps the reader on edge and keeps the reader entertained. I can relate to Skylar Reid herself and what’s going on in her life. She’s an outgoing kind of girl and always ready to try something out, especially after finding out she was a Greater-Than. She always goes to her closest friend, Calvin, for answers or for help. And sometimes, just someone to be around that can relate to her. With me, I normally go to my friends for comfort and for answers. Most of the morals in this novel is about growing to become stronger and find who you truly are on the inside, whether you have inhuman superpowers or just normal abilities.

[Stacey Browne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won't be able to write this without spoilers, but I think it's important, so I'll try.

On page 382, one of the white characters calls the (only, I think) black character, Calvin, the n-word. As an insult. With an a. This bothered me because that was literally the end of the conversation, it didn't even try to become any sort of statement on racism, or a learning moment. Calvin dealt with it on his own, the rest of the group actually walked away (except for one and it didn't sound like she really did anything). I'm not saying it would have been better if another of the characters had stepped in to say something, I just think it was wild that it literally never came up again, the word racism wasn't even mentioned. Also, keep in mind that the authors are two white women. Why was this in the book? What purpose did it serve? It just seemed like they wanted to say the n-word and writing it was their best option. I have no idea how it got through editing but, here we are I guess.


Spoilers ahead***


Anyway, I kind of had a bad feeling about Garrett from the beginning anyway. When he was out there bullying Calvin, I was already worried it was going the wrong direction. Garrett was already ableist, and they just slapped racism on top. What ever the goal was, it just ended up taking me straight out of the book. I couldn't stop thinking about the authors after that, so I couldn't really enjoy any part of it.

The rest of the book was ok. I usually like missing people and superpowers, I find it exciting. And this book almost had it, but then I didn't like any of the characters. I got the impression that Dana was really cool, but I really don't think I would have come to that conclusion if they hadn't mentioned it over and over. Interestingly enough, she's the only one that I know what she looks like? At least I think I do. The others, I know maybe one or two details about how they look.
Milo's got long hair and dimples. Calvin is black and has a wheelchair. Skylar... is skinny?
It didn't really bother me while reading, but once I found out what they looked like (like, halfway through the book) it was interesting to realize that those were accurate characters on the front..

I also HATED Milo and Skylar's relationship. It was gross. It kind of reminded me of Rhys and Feyre from ACOMAF (A Court of Mist and Fury), the way that they would always have conversations and share thoughts like that. Mainly, I kept thinking that it was a very one-sided relationship. They both thought that the really graphic, tmi thoughts were their own, which I guess is ok, but I'm pretty sure it was mostly Milo. He seemed to always be thinking something like that. I'm convinced that Skylar only liked him because she was assuming his feelings for her were actually her feelings for him.

I definitely think I was supposed to ship Dana and Calvin, but it was from Skylar's point of view and she didn't seem to be too perceptive. There were several times when something was written into the book, so it seemed obvious that it would be important later, but it was never brought up again. For example, when she was about to go for her run with Garrett, she smelled the sewage and there was a white van driving behind her. To me, it was clear that the white van was the connection, not Garrett's family. But she thought it was Garrett, and later on she never mentioned the van again. To the point where I'm almost thinking I made it up. But she has photo memory, so she's probably right...

To top everything off, Dana, Milo and Calvin barely had any backstory, and most of Skylar's backstory felt entirely like a plot device. We found out about her car crash in a little info dump with Milo in line for the bathroom. There was also so much that was just left. I think this is a series, but the things I'm thinking about aren't really important enough to have a whole series to talk about. What needed to happen happened. I just don't know why the mom brought them to Florida, or why Garrett hates Calvin, or what happened to Dana and Milo and the little sister who's name I forgot (Lacey?)

Anyway, yeah. There were parts of the book that I liked, but not enough that I liked the book. And the problems were really bad. I would give it 1.5 stars, but I think Goodreads said it well enough with 2: it was ok. Nothing more. Maybe a little bit less.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Night Sky series by Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann. I believe that this is a good start to what is going to be a very good series. I look forward to the next book and to see where Suzanne and Melanie take it.

This story takes place in a future United States. The economy has taken a turn for the worst and everyone is divided into the have and the have-not's. Skyler is a have along with her friend Calvin. They both have what they need and attend a private academy. Calvin is in a wheelchair from a car wreck in his earlier years. This are not all perfect for Skylar and Calvin but they do have what they need.

When the young girl that Skylar is babysitting disappears, she is determined to find her. Along the way, Skylar learns from Dana that she is a Greater Than. This means that Skylar can do extraordinary things because of a hormone that lets her use more of her brain. This hormone is the basis for the currently popular drug Destiny. Destiny is really expensive, instantly addictive, and can cure diseases and restore a person's youth.

Dana tells Skylar that Sasha, the girl she was babysitting, is probably a Greater Than and that was why she was taken. They might have killed her for her blood to make more of the drug Destiny. Dana and her friend Milo are trying to track down the makers of Destiny because Dana wants revenge for her younger sister being killed. The murder was pinned on her father which was not right so Dana is out to prove them wrong.

Skylar falls for Milo, that's where the romance comes in. Skylar feels really guilty because she just knows that Milo and Dana are in a relationship. Skylar can communicate with Milo telepathically though and that makes things even more interesting.

This is a good story that will keep your attention and keep you reading. I am excited that there is going to be another book in this series. Great job on this one!

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Hunted. Kidnapped. Bled. Destiny can be dangerous...
Skylar Reid’s world has been turned upside down. Sasha, the little girl Skylar baby-sits, is kidnapped and believed to be murdered. Then Dana, a girl with extreme abilities, roars into town on a motorcycle, claiming Sasha has been taken by the Organization because a hormone in her blood gives her special abilities. To top it all off, Dana says Skylar has the hormone too. When they discover Sasha might still be alive, all bets are off. The teens must race to uncover the Organization and rescue Sasha...before it’s too late.

Suzanne Brockmann is well-known for her plot-driven romantic thriller novels. There is a certain expectation with her novels that just doesn't come out here.

I read the prequel novella a little while ago and my two gripes about that were the character of Skylar and the language - and that is still relevant in this first novel. Skylar is a whiny, annoying teenager with superpowers who complains about everything for the first half of the book - and then spends the second half of the book deliberately overseeing all the obvious signs that, if acted on, could have made this book far shorter and easier to manage...
The other problem was the language - I don't mean bad language, although there is a vast amount of that. It is the fact that, in one sentence, Skylar would use ridiculous teenage words and phrases and then, in the next sentence, she would be eloquent and intelligent. A marriage that just doesn't work for me.

Also, on top of that, was the fact that this book was almost 500 pages - for a debut YA novel. And nothing really happens. The plot is pretty much non-existent for the first 2/3 of the book and only seems to pick up speed as we rush to the staggering climax of...oh, wait, no staggering climax, just a set-up for book 2.

Which I won't read...


Paul
ARH

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to audible for allowing us to stream for free during the pandemic.
There was definitely some odd issues with this. The underlying story actually is very good and I could have recommended it but there's a few oddities that just threw you off that you really didn't appreciate. It felt like they went through every traditionally marginalized group and somehow tried to mention them in some way. I would not have been shocked to see the Philistines mentioned in this book. But then they also took stereotypes and threw them in freely as well. So like attempting to satiate all of the minority crowds or marginalized crowds but then throwing stereotypes that kind of do the opposite. Such as poor areas are going to be criminal and dirty. People from the south are all redneck hicks. Things like that. They are peppered throughout. It was disappointing to see. They throw in a teenage pregnancy that ends up in causing the death of a girl, but then our main character keeps wanting to have sex so apparently we didn't learn from teenage sex

[✨Lexi✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great book.
I picked it up at a library sale and though hey this might be a good read.
I read the first book within a day and then reread it about a week later.
Needless to say I ended up buying the second book off of Amazon.
The book itself has a great plot and makes you believe in the story and the powers the characters have. It’s a great brook that reminds me so what of divergent in a way.
This is a book that I’ve reread many times and have fond memories of. I cannot think of anything to mention that is “wrong with the book” the plot is great and the characters are ones that you can connect to.
The overall plot of the book being to find a missing child starts off as something simple but then turns into a huge plot that leaves readers thinking,
“What’s going to happen” or “what does this mean?”
No later than a day after I finished this book did I run to amazon to order the second one.

[Tangled in Text · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book many years ago on NetGalley and realized recently I got approved for a lot more than I remember making my score horribly low. I decided to address my low score by going through and picking my read percent back up, so I'll be reading this entire series in the next few months because I had got approved for them all on NetGalley.

I wish I would have not waited so long to read this one. It had a great story development and direction. It unlocked so many more angles and power than I could have imagined and it was fun to see them all put to work. It was very creative and inclusive. I loved that the main characters' partner in crime was handicap. It brought a different dimension that was fun to experience. I loved that the ending of this one brought both closure and mystery. It both wrapped up a huge loose end and left a little open to bring into the next one and I'm excited to see what that develops into.

[Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began reading this book I was confused because it had so many elements of another book I read but the story line was completely different. I then realized the book I was remembering was "Fighting Destiny" also by Suzanne Brockmann. They are not in the same series but are related in theme. This book is in a series she is writing with her daughter, Melanie, and I believe it is considered YA. It would not surprise me if the two series intersect. I really enjoyed all the characters and their relationships. I especially like the friendship between Sky and Calvin. Although many of the themes are serious there is plenty of humor throughout. I could feel the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" vibe which makes sense as I know Ms. Brockmann and her family are huge fans of the show and the work of Joss Whedon.

[Lisa Cushman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. The characters were likable. Even though I had a hard time with Dana‘s attitude, it was understandable why she had the attitude that she had. I even started to like her by the end of the book. The pace was good. There was a great combination of angst and humor. The romance was lovely. I love that Sky‘s best friend has a disability. As a disabled person, I really appreciate the fact that he did not end the book by becoming able-bodied. I know that that is the cliché, but I appreciate the fact that Calvin is an awesome person who just happens to have a disability. However, now that Milo and Sky are together, I don’t know where the series can go. I can’t wait to find out.

[Sandie]

DNF @ 12% on 12/26/25

So nothing against the book itself. I didn’t DNF it because I felt like it was a bad book but ultimately, I just think the writing style is not for me and I’m not the target age range for this book. There were moments of fourth wall breaks that I didn’t like and banter between the characters that I just found kind of childish and very very YA. Though I don’t think that adults can’t read and enjoy YA this one I think is just marketed for a much younger audience. And ultimately and no offense to the authors, I would just rather spend my time reading something else.