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Magic to Memphis: What if your life is working from the inside out?
Music, murder and everyday magic. Jessie is seventeen years old, a runaway musician living rough in a trailer with a pit bull dog called Bear. That’s fine by Jessie; she’s got big plans. A music contest in Memphis offers the chance of money, fame and escape from a nowhere town with no real prospects. Turns out there’s more in Memphis than music. When Jessie’s mom sends her a box of things belonging to her dad, she finds out that he made the same trip years ago. She’s determined to find him, but has no idea that the ring her dad left her is being hunted by a sadistic killer. Nor does she realize that he will stop at nothing to get it back. Suddenly, a simple music contest turns into a fight for survival and only a puzzling traveler called Finch has the answers Jessie needs. But will she listen? And can she trust in herself enough to change her luck and make magic happen?
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 3, 2016
This is perhaps one of the most memorable books I've read this year. The kind of book where its characters keep on lingering in my mind. The kind of book that make me appreciate music and lyrics and love even more.
Jessie ran away from her home to lead her own life and come to terms by finding her real father. Daddy dearest was MIA since she was a kid, and she only knew him by the name Billy J and that he was part of a band called Braves. She herself was the lead vocalist in a band named Political Love (corny name.... I know) but soon found herself evicted from the group after one loss to another. When her mother sent her some items about his father, she decided to travel to Memphis to continue her search for Billy J. And join a musical contest that would cement her future as a musician.
With the help of a cigar box containing his dad's memorabilias, Jessie and her trusted pitbull companion Bear endured loss, fire, tragedy, feathers and everyday magic. The kind of magic that worked inside out. The kind of magic that triggered domino effect of events. The kind of magic that made Jessie doubt reality and make-beliefs.
And along the way, a crazy serial killer was on the loose, and everyone involved in Jessie's life had a taste of fear, madness, pain and death in his hands. From Dorma to Memphis, this killer was set on one thing and one thing alone. An ancient ring artifact that cost the lives of so many people. And a dog.
Bear, the bravest pitbull I've ever known served his purpose until the end. Gosh, I couldn't help my tears from falling whenever I thought of Bear. He was so unbelievably great and loving and pure. I am already missing that dog.
Another interesting character was Finch. Finch, a mysterious wanderer, traveler, hippie, musician, healer and jack-of-all-trades, was the one person that made Jessie believe again in magic. From their first encounter to the last,all her questions were answered by another set of questions. And another.. And another.. That is the magic that Finch brought.
Was Jessie able to find her dad somehow? Not really.. But you'd be surprised with the twist. Beware!
Did Jessie and her band win the newcomer contest? That is what you have to find out. Like I said, prepare to be twisted... One thing for sure, you'll realize this wasn't a romantic story until you read the end.
I only have good things to say about this story. Julie Starr's writing was nothing extra-ordinary, but the concept, the setting, the lessons and the people involved created their own blend of magic... a magic that haunts, confronts, teaches and twists your mind in the most extra-ordinary way. Plus the music, the song, the lyrics - they were seamless, inspiring, blissful and most importantly - magical!
Jessie ran away from her home to lead her own life and come to terms by finding her real father. Daddy dearest was MIA since she was a kid, and she only knew him by the name Billy J and that he was part of a band called Braves. She herself was the lead vocalist in a band named Political Love (corny name.... I know) but soon found herself evicted from the group after one loss to another. When her mother sent her some items about his father, she decided to travel to Memphis to continue her search for Billy J. And join a musical contest that would cement her future as a musician.
With the help of a cigar box containing his dad's memorabilias, Jessie and her trusted pitbull companion Bear endured loss, fire, tragedy, feathers and everyday magic. The kind of magic that worked inside out. The kind of magic that triggered domino effect of events. The kind of magic that made Jessie doubt reality and make-beliefs.
And along the way, a crazy serial killer was on the loose, and everyone involved in Jessie's life had a taste of fear, madness, pain and death in his hands. From Dorma to Memphis, this killer was set on one thing and one thing alone. An ancient ring artifact that cost the lives of so many people. And a dog.
Bear, the bravest pitbull I've ever known served his purpose until the end. Gosh, I couldn't help my tears from falling whenever I thought of Bear. He was so unbelievably great and loving and pure. I am already missing that dog.
Another interesting character was Finch. Finch, a mysterious wanderer, traveler, hippie, musician, healer and jack-of-all-trades, was the one person that made Jessie believe again in magic. From their first encounter to the last,all her questions were answered by another set of questions. And another.. And another.. That is the magic that Finch brought.
Was Jessie able to find her dad somehow? Not really.. But you'd be surprised with the twist. Beware!
Did Jessie and her band win the newcomer contest? That is what you have to find out. Like I said, prepare to be twisted... One thing for sure, you'll realize this wasn't a romantic story until you read the end.
I only have good things to say about this story. Julie Starr's writing was nothing extra-ordinary, but the concept, the setting, the lessons and the people involved created their own blend of magic... a magic that haunts, confronts, teaches and twists your mind in the most extra-ordinary way. Plus the music, the song, the lyrics - they were seamless, inspiring, blissful and most importantly - magical!
July 27, 2015
What if your life is working from the inside out?
Jessie is an underage runaway living in a trailer that is messy in the way that only teenagers can be messy. She lives with her loyal pitbull, Bear, and works at a record store. She’s also in a band, and hoping to get her big break soon at a music festival in Memphis.
This coming-of-age type story quickly turns thriller when Jessie is forced to fight for her life, thanks to a ring sent to her by her mom that’s also being hunted by someone else.
I thought Julie Starr made the storyline work, and I really liked the creativity behind it. I also really liked the everyday magic. But the book can be a bit cliché and dramatic at times.
“In front of an audience, Jessie felt alive in a way she couldn’t describe; the rest of the time she felt like a star waiting to shine.”
The writing wasn’t anything special, but it wasn’t bad either. Overall, Magic to Memphis was a very average book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jessie is an underage runaway living in a trailer that is messy in the way that only teenagers can be messy. She lives with her loyal pitbull, Bear, and works at a record store. She’s also in a band, and hoping to get her big break soon at a music festival in Memphis.
This coming-of-age type story quickly turns thriller when Jessie is forced to fight for her life, thanks to a ring sent to her by her mom that’s also being hunted by someone else.
I thought Julie Starr made the storyline work, and I really liked the creativity behind it. I also really liked the everyday magic. But the book can be a bit cliché and dramatic at times.
“In front of an audience, Jessie felt alive in a way she couldn’t describe; the rest of the time she felt like a star waiting to shine.”
The writing wasn’t anything special, but it wasn’t bad either. Overall, Magic to Memphis was a very average book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2015
I loved the characters in this story. Jessie was sweet but not sappy-sweet. I liked that she was on a journey to find her dad, but what she found was so much more than an absent parent. The journey changed how she viewed herself, her life, even her family.
I'm not a dog person, but I loved her dog Bear. The author used Bear to bridge relationships between characters in a way that felt very natural and real to me.
When Jessie and her band enter the contest, I worried for a minute that the story was going to become really predictable. It didn't go the way I expected, but the ending made sense and stayed true to the journey of its characters.
I'm not a dog person, but I loved her dog Bear. The author used Bear to bridge relationships between characters in a way that felt very natural and real to me.
When Jessie and her band enter the contest, I worried for a minute that the story was going to become really predictable. It didn't go the way I expected, but the ending made sense and stayed true to the journey of its characters.
October 21, 2015
***I received the eBook free as a review copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review***
This was a really captivating and unique book.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. It had just the right mix of contemporary, mystery and magic. What I really liked, was that the magic wasn't the typical elemental magic; it was a light, everyday magic. This book revolved around a seventeen year old girl called Jessie, who ran away from home to search for her father who went to Memphis to become a big musician. On the way, Jessie became part of a rogue band in Dorma and her goal is to go to Memphis and find out more about her father, because he never returned to his family.
I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book, because it was definitely not what I was expecting. The writing captivated me from the very beginning; however, I was very confused at the start about what was happening. Then I really loved how the story progressed from then on. The slight mix of magic in this otherwise contemporary book was really well done. I also liked the plot and the action. Close to the end was an emotional part and really well written. Another part that could be worked on, was the perspective switches. They seemed a bit abrupt and so was the transition from Jessie's dreams back to the waking world, because the dreams seemed random at first and I had no idea what was going on.
The characters were well-rounded and had their own unique personalities. My favourite characters by far are Finch and Bear. Bear was just so adorable and the way he always follows Jessie around and tries to protect her is really cute.Finch was a very interesting character. He is a journalist and wrote an article in the newspaper about everyday magic. He always seems so calm, innocent and wise at the same time, which is a strange mix that works out for him.
Overall, I loved how the story worked out, especially the closer I got to the end. I was captivated from the start and always wanted to keep on reading.
Finally, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!
This was a really captivating and unique book.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. It had just the right mix of contemporary, mystery and magic. What I really liked, was that the magic wasn't the typical elemental magic; it was a light, everyday magic. This book revolved around a seventeen year old girl called Jessie, who ran away from home to search for her father who went to Memphis to become a big musician. On the way, Jessie became part of a rogue band in Dorma and her goal is to go to Memphis and find out more about her father, because he never returned to his family.
I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book, because it was definitely not what I was expecting. The writing captivated me from the very beginning; however, I was very confused at the start about what was happening. Then I really loved how the story progressed from then on. The slight mix of magic in this otherwise contemporary book was really well done. I also liked the plot and the action. Close to the end was an emotional part and really well written. Another part that could be worked on, was the perspective switches. They seemed a bit abrupt and so was the transition from Jessie's dreams back to the waking world, because the dreams seemed random at first and I had no idea what was going on.
The characters were well-rounded and had their own unique personalities. My favourite characters by far are Finch and Bear. Bear was just so adorable and the way he always follows Jessie around and tries to protect her is really cute.Finch was a very interesting character. He is a journalist and wrote an article in the newspaper about everyday magic. He always seems so calm, innocent and wise at the same time, which is a strange mix that works out for him.
Overall, I loved how the story worked out, especially the closer I got to the end. I was captivated from the start and always wanted to keep on reading.
Finally, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!
December 3, 2015
This is an inspiring story of self-discovery. The main protagonist is a young teenage runaway named, Jessie who lives in a trailer with her dog called, Bear. After Jessie loses her job and trailer home in the same day, she decides to cut her losses and make her dream journey to Memphis, to enter a talent contest and hopefully find out more about her father who abandoned her when she was very young. However, her simple plans get thrown into turmoil when her mother sends her a surprise parcel with sentimental items belonging to her father. Jessie is unaware and unprepared that these simple items will trigger a number of life-threatening events she has little or no control over and that an evil and sadistic sorcerer who uses black magic wants the items and will stop at nothing until he gets them. Jessie is suddenly forced to step up her act to save the people she loves the most and finds solace in a mysterious friend called Finch, who leaves powerful and important cryptic messages for her to decrypt while she prepares to enter a contest that may change her and her band mate’s life paths forever. Maybe she will win with all the odds stacked neatly against her? Or maybe she will fail and will be no closer to the truth? Either way, it’s a risk she is willing to take on her road to self-discovery.
I found Magic to Memphis to be a memorable story with a good cast of characters’ along with a few tear-jerking moments with Jessie and her mother as they try to settle their differences. What I wasn’t expecting was such a turnaround in a young heroine, to start out as a lost soul, a real loner and slowly transform into a beautiful, caring and lovable character who I could relate to on many levels before and after her transformation. I am pretty much blown away by this story and it will stay with me for a while. Congratulations’ Ms Starr, you have just gained a life-long fan!
My Ranking: 5 Stars
I found Magic to Memphis to be a memorable story with a good cast of characters’ along with a few tear-jerking moments with Jessie and her mother as they try to settle their differences. What I wasn’t expecting was such a turnaround in a young heroine, to start out as a lost soul, a real loner and slowly transform into a beautiful, caring and lovable character who I could relate to on many levels before and after her transformation. I am pretty much blown away by this story and it will stay with me for a while. Congratulations’ Ms Starr, you have just gained a life-long fan!
My Ranking: 5 Stars
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December 6, 2015I couldn't get into this book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews