BURNING MIDNIGHT is a refreshing read in many aspects. This is a world where different colored spheres can grant you abilities like better eyesight, speed and agility, and enhanced hearing. Hunting, collecting, and selling these spheres is a lucrative business, with some being worth well over a million dollars. But there is another price to pay for these powers, one that is much more sinister. 
 "Every time you absorb a pair of those titillating balls, you welcome Satan into your soul. They are Trojan horses, sin in your choice of colors." 
 People have a wide variety of theories to explain the sphere's sudden appearance and powers; some think they are gifts and some think they are a curse. Sully, our narrator, isn't sure what to believe beyond the fact that selling these spheres allows him to help his mom pay the bills. 
 A male narrator in YA is always welcome, and I was surprised at how much I liked Sully. He did make some decisions that seemed little foolish, but I liked his voice. Unfortunately, I didn't like the other characters nearly as much. They weren't as fleshed out, and they weren't super great friends to Sully, either. 
 "Anyone who wanted to be a little taller, more athletic, or better looking could just pick up a couple of spheres, if they were willing to take the chance." 
 This book is full of real-world references like Slate, CSI New York, and Wal-Mart. I found that these kind of took me out of the story instead of making it more realistic. The writing itself is very readable and flows well. It was just what I needed after my reading slump where I was struggling through other books. 
 The climax and reveal felt rushed. When everything came to a head I became a little confused and it seemed like way too much was happening way too fast. The twist seemed a little random and I wish more time had been spent on the ending, even though it did wrap up well. 
 Overall, BURNING MIDNIGHT was an interesting read that kept me turning the pages.