Blue Noon (Midnighters Series #3)

( 190 )

Overview

The five teenage Midnighters of Bixby, Oklahoma, thought they understood the secret midnight hour—until one morning when time freezes in the middle of the day.

The noise of school stops. Cheerleaders are frozen in midair. Everything is the haunted blue color of the midnight hour.

As the Midnighters scramble for answers, they discover that the walls between the secret hour and real time are crumbling. Soon the dark creatures will break through ...

See more details below
Paperback (Reprint)
$8.99
BN.com price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up in Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Paperback)
  • All (49) from $1.99   
  • New (12) from $3.07   
  • Used (37) from $1.99   
Blue Noon (Midnighters Series #3)

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for Web

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)
$7.99
BN.com price
Note: Visit our Teens Store.

More About This Book

Overview

The five teenage Midnighters of Bixby, Oklahoma, thought they understood the secret midnight hour—until one morning when time freezes in the middle of the day.

The noise of school stops. Cheerleaders are frozen in midair. Everything is the haunted blue color of the midnight hour.

As the Midnighters scramble for answers, they discover that the walls between the secret hour and real time are crumbling. Soon the dark creatures will break through to feed at last . . . unless these five teenagers can find a way to stop them.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

KLIATT
AGERANGE: Ages 12 to 18.

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, March 2006: The third book in this series brings the nightmares of the midnight hour out in the middle of the day as the boundaries between the secret hour and real time begin to rip, forcing the midnighters into action to save Bixby and the innocent people who are about to be swallowed into the blue time. Rex, now a halfling, struggles to control the darkling side of him, a predator waiting to break free. Dess’s mathematical calculations indicate November 1st as the day the rip will begin to spread, allowing the hungry ancient ones to feast on every human in the rip’s wake. Together with Melissa, the light bringer, and Jonathan, who has perfected his flying techniques, the new generation of midnighters must hatch a plan to save Bixby and most likely the rest of the world. However, there is another force working against them that straddles both sides of the midnight hour. Kidnapping, high-speed chases, and the secrets of the past whirl around each other. Westerfeld has once again crafted a plot that keeps readers on the edges of their seats, not knowing what might be around the next corner. Reviewer: Michele Winship
March 2008 (Vol. 42, No.2)

Children's Literature
Not having read the first two volumes within this series made it somewhat difficult for me to follow the story. References were made to actions, events, and personality characteristics that were obviously developed in other books, necessitating a high level of inference and conjecture. Especially difficult were the references to characteristics that were not clear or evident from the actions of characters in this particular volume. Westerfeld weaves his tale of a separate time when only a chosen few are conscious, a time when the Midnighters are alive, and everyone else remains in a state of unconsciousness. He outlines the cosmic rift, which causes the special time to expand and erupt at unexpected moments. The Midnighters must fight paranormal forces and unknown entities, as well as their own insecurities, to shift the world back to some semblance of normalcy. Fast paced and full of suspense, this third book in the series would be best read in conjunction with the rest of the "Midnighters" series. 2005, Eos/HarperCollins, and Ages 12 to 18.
—Wendy M. Smith-D'Arezzo
VOYA
This novel continues the Midnighters series, set in Bixby, Oklahoma, where five teenagers were born exactly at midnight and are the only ones who have the ability to see dark creatures from another world who try to feed on humans. The monsters had been able to travel through the barrier between the known world and theirs only at midnight, during the secret hour when time freezes for everyone but the teens and the nasties. The situation has changed in this series entry: The blue time comes in the middle of the day, and the teens are hard-pressed by this new development. Young adults are drawn to this series on many different levels. Westerfeld does a good job crafting fast-paced suspense novels with hardly any deadwood in the text. Also the books depict teens who have special abilities, which appeals to readers who typically want to be set apart from the crowd. Although they are different because of their unique powers, the characters in the novels have to deal with issues such as bullying, which many readers must come to grips with on a daily basis. Although it helps to have read the other books in the series, this title can stand on its own and is recommended for all library collections. VOYA CODES: 4Q 5P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2006, HarperCollins, 384p., and PLB Ages 12 to 18.
—Sean Michael Fleming
School Library Journal
Gr 6 Up-There is something evil brewing in Bixby, and the teens from the previous "Midnighters" titles must save the world from the darklings. The monsters have found a way to expand midnight so that all humans will enter the blue time and become prey. Complicating the crisis is Rex's residual darkling characteristics that leave him with the unsettling notion that other humans are food, Jonathan's secret desire that the midnight hour could last forever so that he would always be free of the confining "flatland" gravity, and the fact that no one has yet figured out why the darklings wish to dispose of Jessica Day. Blue Noon has an "end of the world" premise that will appeal to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fans. Even though the characters are not completely developed, they all have distinct skills that set them apart from one another. Westerfeld doesn't rehash all the events of the earlier books. Instead, he subtly includes the information that is needed to follow the story. Since the characters' schemes never proceed according to plan, the plot maintains an exciting pace. However, it is never fully explained why everything works out the way it does. Despite this minor flaw, this is fun recreational reading.-Heather M. Campbell, Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Midnighter Jessica and her friends can't prevent the world from changing forever in this thrilling conclusion to the trilogy. In Bixby, Okla., those lucky enough to be born at midnight have access to the blue time, that secret hour between 11:59 and midnight in which most of the world is frozen. But lately, the blue time has been occurring without warning during the day. Worse, the frozen hour is fracturing, and normal humans will soon be in danger from the darkling monsters that roam at midnight. The midnighters' friendship might be splintering, as well: Melissa's new abilities frighten her friends; Jonathan thinks the coming apocalypse might be worthwhile if he can use his midnighter powers more; and Rex, now half-darkling, hankers after human flesh. Dess, meanwhile, realizes the algebra of midnight is more complex than even her polymath powers can easily comprehend. Even if they prevent the destruction of humanity, life-and the midnighters themselves-will be forever changed. A powerful climax smoothly ties together the complexities of this original and well-drawn world. (Fantasy. 13-15)
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780060519599
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 2/6/2007
  • Series: Midnighters Series , #3
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 384
  • Sales rank: 112014
  • Age range: 13 - 17 Years
  • Product dimensions: 4.20 (w) x 6.70 (h) x 1.30 (d)

Meet the 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.

Read More Show Less

Read an Excerpt

Midnighters #3: Blue Noon

Chapter One

8:20 A.M.

Predator

Bixby High's late bell shrieked in the distance, like something wounded and ready to be cut from the herd.

Rex Greene was always late these days, stumbling in confusion from one class to another, late with his father's pills or forgetting them altogether. But the worst was getting up for school. It didn't help that he'd unplugged his clock a few nights ago, unable to sleep with the soft buzzing sound it made all night, like a mosquito hovering just out of arm's reach. His newly acute hearing had turned every electronic contraption into something whiny and annoying.

But it was more than just the clock's noise; it was what it meant, with its false day of twenty-four hours. Since what had happened to him in the desert, Rex had started to feel time as something marked out in the sky-the rise and fall of the sun, the spinning stars, the interlocking ratios of the light moon and the dark.

The rest of the world still had their clocks, though, so Melissa had banged on his window again this morning, dragging him rudely out of his strange new dreams.

"Smells like . . . assembly," she said as they pulled into the school parking lot, her head tipping back a bit, nostrils flaring.

All Rex could smell was crumbling vinyl-the upholstery of Melissa's crappy Ford broken down by thirty-odd Oklahoma summers-and gasoline fumes leaking up through the floorboard from the car's rumbling engine. Humans loved their oil, a flash of darkling memory informed him. They scoured the desert for it, used it to make clever things like plastic and gasoline.. . .

Rex shook his head to clear it. On mornings like these, when he'd dreamed of Stone Age hunts all night, he had more trouble concentrating than usual. The old knowledge inside him seemed more real than his sixteen years of human memories. Sometimes Rex wondered if he would ever recover from what the darklings had done, the half change they'd effected before Jessica had rescued him.

Was he gradually healing from the experience? Or was the darkness they'd left inside him like a virus, slowly growing stronger?

As Melissa maneuvered the Ford into a parking place, Rex spotted a few stragglers making their way into the gymnasium entrance. The sound of an amplified voice echoed out from the propped-open double doors.

"Crap, that's right," Melissa said, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Pep rally today."

Rex groaned and closed his eyes. He hadn't faced anything like this since the change, and he wasn't looking forward to it. The thought of all those bodies pressed in close around him, chanting together, brought a trickle of nerves into his stomach.

"Don't worry," Melissa said, reaching across to take his hand. "I'll be there."

At her touch, with no more insistence than a cool breeze, a calmness fell across Rex. His stomach stopped roiling, his mind growing still as Melissa's serenity poured into him.

A shudder passed through Rex; her strength became his.

Funny. A month ago it had been Rex who'd had to talk Melissa through the beginning-of-football-season pep rally. Now she was the sane one, and he was . . .

What, exactly?

He didn't know yet, and Rex hated not knowing. There were no halflings in the lore, much less recovering halflings.

Bad dreams last night?

Rex smiled and turned to face Melissa. The words had come through as clear as speech. They could have whole conversations now without her uttering a sound.

Her control was almost perfect, not a leaked thought anywhere, so different from the vomited rush of fear and pain that had struck him when they had first begun to touch each other. Although sometimes Rex missed those early experiments, the terrifying moments when he saw all of Melissa at once.

When his mind was focused, he hardly had to speak himself; Melissa simply pulled the words from him. But this morning he was too much of a wreck.

"Yeah, some bad dreams," Rex said aloud. "But not all of them."

The hunting dreams had been sweet-the cold, patient hunger as he tracked prey for days across the plain, anticipation building as the weakest were cut from the group, and then the burning rush of the kill.

But of course, there'd been those other dreams as well, memories of when the clever little monkeys had started hunting back. The beginning of the end.

"Jeez, lighten up," Melissa said, pulling her hand away and rubbing it, as if to wring out the ancient horror she'd felt in his mind. "I think someone forgot to drink his coffee this morning."

"Sorry, Cowgirl. Yeah, I guess I could use a cup. Or six." Rex shook his head again. His brain felt stuffed full, his own thoughts almost crowded out by the memories that the darklings had implanted to make him one of them. "Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get back to normal."

Melissa snorted. "When were you ever normal, Rex? When were any of us?"

"Well, maybe not normal," Rex admitted. "But I'd settle for human."

She laughed and touched his shoulder, and he felt a spark of her pleasure even through the fabric of his long black coat. "You're totally human, Rex. Trust me on that one."

"Glad you think so," he said, smiling.

Melissa's fingers stayed on his shoulder, drumming out a nervous rhythm, and her glance strayed to the open gymnasium door. Rex realized that however much her control had improved, the thought of enduring a pep rally still made Melissa anxious.

"You'll be okay," he said softly, pulling her closer.

She turned to him, and their lips met.

At first Rex felt serenity in the warmth of their kiss, her new calmness and self-control flowing into him. But then Melissa allowed her composure to slip, and it was like their first time. Everything inside her crashed out in a torrent: the enduring . . .

Midnighters #3: Blue Noon. Copyright (c) by Scott Westerfeld . Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 190 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(102)

4 Star

(57)

3 Star

(23)

2 Star

(7)

1 Star

(1)
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 191 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Jul 28 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    Awesome Series

    I just finished reading the third book Blue Moon and I loved it. Of course I didn't like the ending which made me sad. My eyes got all teary. What can I tell you I'm sentimental. But overall the series was excellent. It was intersesting and fill with suspense. I couldn't put the book down. Let's hope the author decides to add on more books to the series.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Sun May 03 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Touching Darkness (Midnighters Series #2)
    The Secret Hour (Midnighters Series #1)

    Wonderful Conclusion!

    This book was a wonderful conclusion to the Midnighters series. The ending was a bit sad but overall everything turned out fine. I hope that I can find a good book to read after this. Too bad there are not any more books to this series.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Thu Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Great Story and Satisfying Ending I would pick the Midnighter s

    Great Story and Satisfying Ending

    I would pick the Midnighter series over the Twilight series any given day. That's right, suck on that (pun intended).

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Tue Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Uglies (Uglies Series #1)
    Peeps (Peeps Series #1)
    Pretties (Uglies Series #2)

    AWESOME :)

    This is the third and final book in the Midnighters trilogy.LOVED IT!!!!! I'm a lil sad now that I'm done reading them,they were really good books. Jessica got on my nerves throughout the whole series, though she was more selfish,whiny, and annoying in this book. After what happened at the end though I sort of felt sorry for her and those feelings toward her kinda melted away for me. In this book the rules are changing,something big is happening in Bixby and the surrounding areas. Blue time has started coming during the day and at unexpected hours. The Midnighters have no clue what's going on at first, but soon learn of the Darklings and their plans when the blue time will make them the top of the food chain again. Rex deals his new dark half and Jessica deals with her sister snooping around trying to find out why Jessica has been acting so strange. I don't really want to give to much away,so go read it now! If you haven't read the Midnighter's series then you really don't know what you're missing!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Fri Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments Series #3)
    Touching Darkness (Midnighters Series #2)
    The Secret Hour (Midnighters Series #1)
    Uglies Box Set (Uglies, Pretties, Specials) [3 Volume Set]
    The Twilight Saga Collection

    AWESOME BUT KIND OF SAD!

    This book was amazing!! but the ending is a bit depressing. still my favorite of the series was touching darkness but it made sense how it ended.But other than that this book was one word : FANTASTIC!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Sun Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Touching Darkness (Midnighters Series #2)
    The Secret Hour (Midnighters Series #1)

    This book was pretty good.

    THe book was good it had me crying at the end. I just don't like how they ended it.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    Pretty Darn Good

    I have to admit that I have not read Blue Noon just yet. I am still on the second book, Touching Darkness. I have to say that this trilogy has been a pleasant surprise for me. I have enjoyed the first two so far, and cannot wait to start the third! I would suggest this to anyone who is looking for an easy read that wants a little thrill and chill thrown in.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2006

    Unconquerable

    I have to say the ending was really unexpected. Having Jessica save the world and then be trapped in the blue time, forever. Never saw it coming. I thought she fell from the roof and died, the way everyone was talking, but it seems what happened was much worse. I feel sorry for Johnathan and Beth. I really would like another book where Jess comes back. I loved the last line, 'It was way cool, being the one who did the math.' I love math and numbers, so I took great liking to Dess. I would have liked if Melissa were portrayed in a nicer light because we share the same name but whatever. Rex's transformations were awesome. I loved how the beast in him was portrayed and half the things he said about humanity while his darkling mind was in control were pretty much true. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying all humans are bad but we are great at royally screwing things over. I give props to Scott Westerfeld for this awesome series.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Jan 19 00:00:00 EST 2013

    Mad

    I had a paper back of this book and did not get to read it becuse it was published wrong the book started over in the middle

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Dec 13 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Wonderful

    Scott Westerfeld is such a fantastic writer

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Oct 21 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Blue noon

    This is a very good interesting book

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Great until the ending

    I loved this series! I loved how scott westerfeld kept the fast paced action. I love melissa and rex! But the ending threw me off. So many unanswered questions. The ending made me not want to read anymore of his books. But overall, until the ending, the series is good. I took two stars off just because of the ending

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Awesome

    Great trilogy but i wanted more when finished the series. Which shows how great it is but also how its sorta open ended for posible addtions that dont come. But an easy vread that lets you use the define feature in an odd way. Its also a topic i have not seen before.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    A great story right till the very end

    I remember reading these books in 7th grade and now neating the end of high school i decided to read them again. This was one of the best trilogies i've ever read and although the ending was sad and i wished that it didn't end that way, i thought it taught a lot about sacrafice and the true meaning of a hero. I think these books need to be noticed more.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Hi, please answer this...

    How does the book end? Nobody will tell me and i want to know SOO bad!!!!!!:)

    THANKS!!!!!!!!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Mon Mar 26 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    this is a really attention grabbing series. it just sucked me in

    this is a really attention grabbing series. it just sucked me in.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Fast paced and exciting!

    Scott Westerfeld's Blue Noon kept me on the edge. I couldn't put it down. The constant humor-filled thrills of fighting back were amazing. Like the Hunger Games, when I put this book down, I couldn't help wishing for more. If you liked the first 2 Midnighters, you are gonna LOVE Blue Noon!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2011

    Highly Recommended

    I loved this series. I wish there was more to this series though or an add on series. Like what Rick Riordan did with the Percy Jackson series. Other then that I loved it!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Fri Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2011

    wow what an outcome!

    this was a very good read it was exciting and intense

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Wed Aug 11 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Uglies (Uglies Series #1)
    Extras (Uglies Series #4)
    The Secret Hour (Midnighters Series #1)
    Peeps (Peeps Series #1) (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
    Lord Loss (Demonata Series #1)

    blue noon

    In Bixby, the secret hour used to only happen at midnight. Now it's happening not only then but sometimes during the day too. The Midnighters find out that soon Bixby will be swallowed for a day by the secret hour on Halloween night and they have to prepare Bixby to battle the darklings. Along with this Rex is trying to calm the darkling half of himself and Jessica is trying to keep her noisy little sister in the dark about the secret hour and failing.
    The third volume of the Midnighters series was fantastic. Love Scott Westerfeld books. He always creates new worlds that no one has ever dreamed of before.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 191 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)