It's sometimes interesting to witness the result of a transition, such as the aftermath of a generation successfully trumping its predecessors. Gone are the days when goth typically consisted of black eyeliner, black t-shirt, black pants, and black boots, frequently worn despite summer's stifling heat. Nowadays you can mix-n-match all types of apparel to create: Oriental Goth//Diva Goth//Dark Fairy Goth//Cyber Goth//Kindergoth//Egyptian Goth//Vampire Goth//Punk Goth.

Jade Leigh is punk goth, an outsider with few friends, and misunderstood.

I'm not a bad person. I haven't killed anyone. I (rarely) lie. I don't kick little puppies. So why do people look at me as if the world would be a better place without me?

Jade is also at the bottom of the HS food chain and ostracized by its general population, including daily wisecrack bouts with her Trig teacher, Mr. Parton. Sent to the principal's office (once again) for exchanging rebuttals with said teacher, Jade is sentenced to accompany the principal on a field trip. To her horror Jade discovers that her nemesis, the popular and beautiful Mercedes - leader of the clones a.k.a. the "Barbies", is to share her ambiguous punishment.

This vague field trip lands both ladies in a non-descript building where they are forced to enter a virtual reality game "that will whisk teenagers inside a new life-a life that will make them appreciate and respect the one they currently lead." Within this realm Goth is the norm. *screams* Oh yes, EVERYONE is goth, that is, everyone except those few "Barbie" dressed teens. In addition to the outlandish changes in standard fashion, Jade and Mercedes have also swapped each others social status and friends. Unwillingly subjected to the swarm of fashion solicitations from the student body, Jade is now admired and adored while Mercedes battles her frustration with falling from fame. In addtion to facing their worst fears, the duo must put aside their ill will in order to work together if they are to ever exit this hell.

Although the storylines are predictable and preposterous and the plot's moral dilemmas may seem too blatant, the self-reflection created by the outrageous drama should promote positive discussion in teen book groups. Never thought being goth could be "fright." Kudos to the Internet Generation for making it even more interesting and often for adults to raise their brows.

Jessica Day and her family have just moved to Bixby, Oklahoma from Chicago. Jessica settles into school okay, and is soon sought out by the Midnighters - Dess, Melissa and Rex - who see something in her that she hadn't been aware of before. Jess too, is a Midnighter.

For those born at exactly midnight, each day in Bixby has a 25th hour tinged in blue, where time stands still for everyone apart from them. Rex and Melissa were the first to discover that Midnighters are different, each having a particular strength or power unique to them. Melissa can read thoughts, and Rex is the 'lore' expert. They are not alone in midnight though, because it is where the 'darklings' and 'slithers' (scary shape-changing things) were banished to a long, long time ago. Until Jess arrived, this hadn't been a problem, and both groups had co-existed in the space by staying out of each other's way. Something about Jess antagonises the darklings though, and the Midnighters are soon under pressure to discover why Jess is different.

I enjoyed reading this book, but it was just okay. Perhaps as the first in a series, it was meant to introduce hooks without going into detail, and if that was the case then it succeeded. For instance, I wanted to know more about Rex and the others. Jess is kind of a dull narrator who isn't an outsider at school, and quickly manages to get a Midnighter boyfriend (Jonathan) while also being invited to the popular parties by other girls at school. Her biggest problem (apart from being chased by darklings) is trying to get around being grounded so that she can go to a party, and she's just not that interesting to me. Rex, Dess and Melissa on the other hand are loners and the author hints at their back stories but doesn't reveal much. I also thought I had detected a clue to Jess's power in her name, but I may be wrong on that count.

There was enough here though to make me want to read the next in the series. Westerfeld's midnight is an interesting idea, and there were some brief moments of Buffyesque wisecrackery towards the end that were quite enjoyable. Still just okay though.