The Midnighters Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld

If you like the idea of "odd" abilities, then go after these books! 

These are about a group of teenagers that have special abilities.  But wait...not during the "official" time of day we know as the 24 hour period.  In fact, there is another hour during the day.  The Secret Hour.  It's a time when it turns midnight in Bixby, Oklahoma that only these people that have these special abilities have and are also the only ones who are able to interact with this time of the day.  Only to get these powers, and have this privilege, you must be born right on the second of midnight.  Pretty cool, but also pretty rare.

Although it's really cool to be able to have powers during a time of night that no one cares or even knows you're out using these powers but there are dangers that also come with the secret hour.  Creatures that only people haven't seen for hundreds of years come out. 

These were the first books I picked up by Scott Westerfeld (author also of Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras, and Peeps).  My little brother recommended them to me.  It took me a while to pick them up, but when I was out of things to read, I went to the library and got them.  They are really fun stories to read.  The last book can get a bit dark at points in the story, but I really liked them.  It was almost like I could have these powers that these teenagers in Bixby have...or I wish I could have.  One is a "seer", one is a type of math genius, another can hear thoughts of everyone around her, one can fly (bonus fun one!), and one can use electricity during the secret hour--which you can find electricity during that time. 

Scott wrote these in a great third person view from each of the Midnighters.  And each character has a symbol that associates them with their power.  And kudos to Scott for finding (or even making up, which I doubt) way too many thirteen letter words for me to count in these books.  Thirteen is a big number, it hurts the "demons" in the secret hour and is able to give the Midnighters something to fight against them with. 

These are books that are just super fun, easy reads that you could pick up over and over again and still have a great time with each of the characters.  I love the way it was written, I love the fact that it's a different kind of superhero story, and I love the fact that he went through all the trouble to find all the thirteen letter words.  I don't think I have that kind of stamina to do that with the dictionary.

I'm glad my brother recommended these to me.  I'm glad his English teacher his Sophomore year of high school recommended them to him.  I'm glad I picked these up.  And I am just starting the Uglies series, so we will see how those go, but if I liked Scott Westerfeld in The Midnighters, I am pretty sure I'll like the Uglies.  And I'm pretty sure that if you get these books just for a fun read, you'll like them too.