Review: Thirteen Days of Midnight – Leo Hunt

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

SYNOPSIS: When Luke Manchett’s estranged father dies unexpectedly, he leaves his son a dark inheritance: a collection of eight restless spirits, known as his Host, who want revenge for their long enslavement. Once they figure out that Luke has no clue how to manage them, they become increasingly belligerent, and eventually mutiny. Halloween (the night when ghosts reach the height of their power) is fast approaching, and Luke knows his Host is planning something far more trick than treat. Armed with only his father’s indecipherable notes, a locked copy of The Book of Eight, and help from school outcast Elza Moss, Luke has just thirteen days to uncover the closely guarded secrets of black magic and send his unquiet spirits to their eternal rest—or join their ghostly ranks himself.  – via Goodreads

So I took this one based on the cover. Yes, I did. I thought it would be like a zombie type thing (I was thinking Nicholas Hoult as R from Warm Bodies – straight dark hair, red hoodie), didn’t read anything else on the cover, just glanced it over. Then I got into the book, and initially I wasn’t a fan. I didn’t really like the writing style too much, and I think I was in the mindset of a serious novel, and this is anything but. Sure, it has some serious and dramatic moments, but overall it is quite the fun, entertaining read. Also, as soon as I wrapped my head around this being a book for young adults, I just had a blast. There are plenty places where you need to suspend your understanding of reality, and that is fine. The introduction of the Vassal and the Judge was amusing, too, and Luke’s dealing with the way things have changed in his life gave me a laugh. Plus there is Ham, ever-present somewhere in the pages, Luke’s cowardly but exceptionally loyal dog. I was not necessarily a fan of the dialogue, and all the like, likes, irritated the hell out of me, but I also know that so many kids today speak that way. The characters were quite hollow though, and there isn’t really any development on any of them besides Luke himself and a little on Elza, who also happened to be the only two likable characters. I also like that Elza had was a different character than the girls that would usually be written in here. She was the outcast, she was the smoker and the bad girl and seen as completely crazy, and she is actually just really cool. Personally, I would have liked to know more about the necromancing, etc. but this isn’t that kind of book, which I also understood. Maybe I have spent too much time watching Supernatural and reading odd books like that, but this wasn’t the book that required that type of flesh. It was an interesting and fast read, with some decently humorous elements, though there is nothing to take seriously about it really. I liked the way it all came to a close by the end, and how many suspicious loose ends were tied up. Mr Berkley was a fascinating character, and I truly enjoyed every second we got to read about him. The Shepherd was creepy, too, and the way he spoke? I loved it. Exactly what you would expect from a centuries old and incredibly adept deceased, bitter necromancer. This was a great light read to break all the dark and dreary I have been reading lately, and I would recommend this, more to teens than anyone else, or anyone who is interested in a sixteen year old “cool” kid inheriting a powerful and dangerous Host of ghosts from his departed father.