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Love and Star Stuff #1
Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde
My life is spinning out of control faster than I can say sorry for all the things I've done since this whole planetary shift began.
Like apologize for the fact I made out with my soon-to-be stepbrother. And his stepbrother. And that I'm crushing on the one guy I swore I'd never be into…while keeping it all from my BFF.
Mom says I think the world revolves around me, but the truth is, I'm just trying to survive the worst week of my life. The universe is legit out to get me.
It started when my gaming nemesis deleted my AsteroMine galaxy and it's only gone downhill from there.
It isn't my fault. I swear.
Like apologize for the fact I made out with my soon-to-be stepbrother. And his stepbrother. And that I'm crushing on the one guy I swore I'd never be into…while keeping it all from my BFF.
Mom says I think the world revolves around me, but the truth is, I'm just trying to survive the worst week of my life. The universe is legit out to get me.
It started when my gaming nemesis deleted my AsteroMine galaxy and it's only gone downhill from there.
It isn't my fault. I swear.
- GenresYoung AdultFiction
218 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2015
5 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 30, 2015
*2 ½ ★
This book was one of the hardest book for me to review in a long time. I really loved the idea and concept of the book but I hated the main character.
She was one of the most selfish, self-centered and annoying characters I read in LONG LONG time. Many times I wanted to smack the living hell out of her for being such a rude little brat who makes nothing but excuses for herself for her behavior.
I think what made it worse for me was that she knew it and acknowledged it but did nothing about it until the end where she pretty much gets what she wants so , really nothing changed.
I really was looking for a book with a great female character who loves geeking out and gaming. Being a major gamer myself and actually having met my husband in an online game that would have been great.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/magg...
This book was one of the hardest book for me to review in a long time. I really loved the idea and concept of the book but I hated the main character.
She was one of the most selfish, self-centered and annoying characters I read in LONG LONG time. Many times I wanted to smack the living hell out of her for being such a rude little brat who makes nothing but excuses for herself for her behavior.
I think what made it worse for me was that she knew it and acknowledged it but did nothing about it until the end where she pretty much gets what she wants so , really nothing changed.
I really was looking for a book with a great female character who loves geeking out and gaming. Being a major gamer myself and actually having met my husband in an online game that would have been great.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/magg...
October 5, 2015
Read this review along with others on my blog by clicking here.
Told from the perspective of titular protagonist Maggie, Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde is set over a few days, and focusses on the vast changes one can experience in such a short time. This is a book definitely supposed for those who love a little bit of fun, an easy read, and love a book that will make you laugh. If you tick those criterea, this may be the new release for you!
Anya Monroe has a really unique way of writing, wherein it is simultaneously fast-paced and exciting, but also not rushed, and not confusing. She manages to keep up suspense and excitement throughout, despite it being a rather fluffy novel. Frankly, Monroe is hilarious, and manages to keep an up-beat, up-tempo, humorous tone in even the novel's darkest moments. Granted, said moments aren't very dark, but Monroe definitely has a comedic tone you cannot find in everyone.
Also, Monroe writes this novel as though she is a teenager. Each phrase used wasn't overdone, nor was it out of date. Honestly, this novel is surprisingly modern, and like a breath of fresh air, for it is very rare - in my opinion - one comes across an author who manages to engage you with your own teenage dialect.
Likewise, Monroe has here crafted a very relateable novel. Common readers of mine will know how richly I despise it when authors try to be relateable, yet - with Monroe - it doesn't feel as though I'm being forced into relating with what she's writing. Instead, I feel as though I relate to Maggie, not her story - I should be so lucky!
Furthermore, this story has a rather original plot, in my opinion. On many occasions, it was impossible to predict what was going to come next, which kept me on the edge of my book-ish seat throughout. Also, I haven't read a book with so many love interests and confusions before! It was really entertaining, and brought a really unprecedented element to the novel.
In terms of characters, all were very believable, and I felt as though elements of people I've met were intermingled with their personality, which I really liked.
Maggie is very funny, relateable, and a great perspective to read from. At no point is she boring, nor is she overdone, and I really like the progression her character makes over the course of the book.
We all know a girl like Tallie, and we all want a friend like Tallie. She's the organised friend with the strict parents, who always knows what she's doing and where she's going. Despite this orchestrated personality, Monroe still manages to craft her into a really nice character to read about who is, again, very relateable.
Orion is a dreamboat, and the boy most girls dream of - moody, mysterious, funny, innocent, and totally into you. I really liked his character, and I feel as though Monroe portrayed him well throughout the entirety of the novel.
Avery is the boy the rest of the girls dream about. He has a bad-boy persona that was portrayed really well throughout the book, wherein said bad-boy believes he is larger than life. Monroe managed to make Avery outrageously egotistical, but not so extensively that it's unbelievable, and I really liked that about him.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and thus awarded it 4/5 stars.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I would like to send a big thank you to Anya Monroe for this book, as well as a big congratulations for such a great novel.)
Somewhere in the galaxy it wasn't black and white. Somewhere it was stardust and a lunar eclipse. Somewhere it was magic, and somewhere it was mine.
Told from the perspective of titular protagonist Maggie, Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde is set over a few days, and focusses on the vast changes one can experience in such a short time. This is a book definitely supposed for those who love a little bit of fun, an easy read, and love a book that will make you laugh. If you tick those criterea, this may be the new release for you!
Anya Monroe has a really unique way of writing, wherein it is simultaneously fast-paced and exciting, but also not rushed, and not confusing. She manages to keep up suspense and excitement throughout, despite it being a rather fluffy novel. Frankly, Monroe is hilarious, and manages to keep an up-beat, up-tempo, humorous tone in even the novel's darkest moments. Granted, said moments aren't very dark, but Monroe definitely has a comedic tone you cannot find in everyone.
Also, Monroe writes this novel as though she is a teenager. Each phrase used wasn't overdone, nor was it out of date. Honestly, this novel is surprisingly modern, and like a breath of fresh air, for it is very rare - in my opinion - one comes across an author who manages to engage you with your own teenage dialect.
Likewise, Monroe has here crafted a very relateable novel. Common readers of mine will know how richly I despise it when authors try to be relateable, yet - with Monroe - it doesn't feel as though I'm being forced into relating with what she's writing. Instead, I feel as though I relate to Maggie, not her story - I should be so lucky!
Furthermore, this story has a rather original plot, in my opinion. On many occasions, it was impossible to predict what was going to come next, which kept me on the edge of my book-ish seat throughout. Also, I haven't read a book with so many love interests and confusions before! It was really entertaining, and brought a really unprecedented element to the novel.
In terms of characters, all were very believable, and I felt as though elements of people I've met were intermingled with their personality, which I really liked.
Maggie is very funny, relateable, and a great perspective to read from. At no point is she boring, nor is she overdone, and I really like the progression her character makes over the course of the book.
We all know a girl like Tallie, and we all want a friend like Tallie. She's the organised friend with the strict parents, who always knows what she's doing and where she's going. Despite this orchestrated personality, Monroe still manages to craft her into a really nice character to read about who is, again, very relateable.
Orion is a dreamboat, and the boy most girls dream of - moody, mysterious, funny, innocent, and totally into you. I really liked his character, and I feel as though Monroe portrayed him well throughout the entirety of the novel.
Avery is the boy the rest of the girls dream about. He has a bad-boy persona that was portrayed really well throughout the book, wherein said bad-boy believes he is larger than life. Monroe managed to make Avery outrageously egotistical, but not so extensively that it's unbelievable, and I really liked that about him.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and thus awarded it 4/5 stars.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I would like to send a big thank you to Anya Monroe for this book, as well as a big congratulations for such a great novel.)
November 3, 2015
2 1/2 Platypires for Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde by Anya Monroe
I picked this up after a friend of mine gave this book a rave review and couldn't stop talking about it. Therefore, I was immediately interested and really wanted to check this book out. For those who don't know I'm on a quest to read books with nerdy/geeky characters. I thought this book would fit the bill.
Uh... not so much. Maggie was indeed a gamer geek. I really liked the beginning and thought I was in for a good ride. I really thought I was gonna read a true gamer geek book. I did not. This is a rom/com book in the likes of Bridget Jones Diary and the Shopoholic series but minus the endearing characters. Plus add in a billionaire and the step brother tropes and you get Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde.
I guess I knew once the characters hoped on a private plane and went to Bora Bora this was going to be a different book than what I expected. It did have some cute over the top moments and it was a pretty quick read. The story was an easy flow and I did like the ending. Just overall this book just wasn't for me. I need more believable moments and more likable characters. Maggie could have had more humility for my taste.
I picked this up after a friend of mine gave this book a rave review and couldn't stop talking about it. Therefore, I was immediately interested and really wanted to check this book out. For those who don't know I'm on a quest to read books with nerdy/geeky characters. I thought this book would fit the bill.
Uh... not so much. Maggie was indeed a gamer geek. I really liked the beginning and thought I was in for a good ride. I really thought I was gonna read a true gamer geek book. I did not. This is a rom/com book in the likes of Bridget Jones Diary and the Shopoholic series but minus the endearing characters. Plus add in a billionaire and the step brother tropes and you get Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde.
I guess I knew once the characters hoped on a private plane and went to Bora Bora this was going to be a different book than what I expected. It did have some cute over the top moments and it was a pretty quick read. The story was an easy flow and I did like the ending. Just overall this book just wasn't for me. I need more believable moments and more likable characters. Maggie could have had more humility for my taste.
September 26, 2015
Really sweet and fun book to read. The characters are great and have such personality. And I loved watching Maggie neurotically obsess over things - I could totally relate. I especially loved the whole Mercury in retrograde theme because I swear every time things are going wrong in my life - Mercury's in retrograde! Anya Monroe is a superb writer with a lot of spunk and sparkling personality. Great book for young girls who aren't afraid to come of age.
November 2, 2015
http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/m...
Oh my god, this book. Let me explain something to you... I crazy stalk new release books on Amazon everyday, and I do add some of them to my wishlist. What I don't do is immediately buy a book when I see it, except this one.
I'm pretty busy right now, but I planned on reading this in December when I had a couple weeks off. As you may be able to tell, it is not December yet. I couldn't even make it a month without reading this.
5% into the story, and I knew I would love it. Do you mean character is a teenager girl obsessed with a video game. That is basically my life. Although I am no longer teenager, most of teen years were spend online playing video games.
There is a whole of a lot of drama in this book. Maggie, the main character, is trying to figure out how to balance her obsession with this game and real life. I have been there.
I met my husband on an online game. I tried to kill his character off shortly after we first met. We went from never talking, to talking online all the time, to talking on the phone all the time. The majority of our conversations were about the game, at first. But then things changed, we met in real life, and long story short we just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary.
This is the exact kind of nerdy romance that I have always wanted to read, because I can relate to it. This was fantastic, I loved it, and I had a huge grin on my face during the entire last 10% or so.
Oh my god, this book. Let me explain something to you... I crazy stalk new release books on Amazon everyday, and I do add some of them to my wishlist. What I don't do is immediately buy a book when I see it, except this one.
I'm pretty busy right now, but I planned on reading this in December when I had a couple weeks off. As you may be able to tell, it is not December yet. I couldn't even make it a month without reading this.
5% into the story, and I knew I would love it. Do you mean character is a teenager girl obsessed with a video game. That is basically my life. Although I am no longer teenager, most of teen years were spend online playing video games.
There is a whole of a lot of drama in this book. Maggie, the main character, is trying to figure out how to balance her obsession with this game and real life. I have been there.
I met my husband on an online game. I tried to kill his character off shortly after we first met. We went from never talking, to talking online all the time, to talking on the phone all the time. The majority of our conversations were about the game, at first. But then things changed, we met in real life, and long story short we just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary.
This is the exact kind of nerdy romance that I have always wanted to read, because I can relate to it. This was fantastic, I loved it, and I had a huge grin on my face during the entire last 10% or so.
October 8, 2015
Such a fun read! This is a lighthearted and fast paced YA novel. Maggie is selfish yet still likable and relatable. Kudos to the author for getting the tone and voice of an egocentric teen right without being over the top. This was a lot like many of my favorite rom coms. It has a disastrous yet delightfully enjoyable main character whose follies lead her into a comedy of errors. And while the ending may be a bit predictable I still found myself excitedly turning pages to get there.
December 31, 2015
Super cute story with a main character who isn't perfect (which was awesome). Loved the ending!
January 7, 2016
My first (of many!) review of 2016! It actually is over the last book that I read in 2015! I've been meaning to get this review up and out, so what better time than to write it at 3 am?
I first want to give a HUGE apology to Anya Monroe, the author of this book. I was given an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) for Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde back in October of last year and it got lost in my email. The copy I was originally reading was on my computer, but then I was able to get it to my phone to read when I refound the email. So again, my humblest apologizes Miss Monroe and I look forward to reading the remainder of the books in this series.
As stated, I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I found this book in part to one of my new favorite authors, Simone Pond. So I knew this would be a good book! Preface, I know many authors do not like the use of the word cute to describe their books, but it was the best word that captured the essence of this book. As I began the book, I had to adjust to the voice of Maggie. She is a teenage girl whose world revolves around an online video game called AsteroMine. She also has a boyfriend who she has been neglecting - due to her hardcore addiction to the game she plays.
While in an intense battle with her nemesis/friend spaceballz, her entire world she has created in the game gets destroyed. In shock, she somehow manages to go meet up with her boyfriend, Orion, only to be told even more disheartening news. In short, nothing is going Maggie's way. She believes it is due in part to the fact that spaceballz mentioned this mysterious force called Mercury Retrograde.
So, I looked up Mercury Retrograde, and it's real! No lies! I do like the level of research that Monroe went through in order to portray the things that can happen to a person in Mercury Retrograde. The skeptics of the concept believe that it's just an excuse for people to blame their problems on something. I can see why they believe that, as Maggie goes throughout the entire book blaming all the negative things that happen to her based on the Mercury Retrograde.
At first, I found Maggie's character to be a funny, snarky and sarcastic teenage girl. I felt Monroe gave her a very specific character type to follow. She sticks to character throughout the majority of the book, I do have to give her that. I do have to say that at times, Maggie wore on me. I wanted her to experience some type of growth from all the events that happened in her life while she is in Mercury Retrograde. With her mother's recent engagement, her new step-father to be trying to make friends, and an attractive yet annoying new step-brother to be, there are tons of opportunities for Maggie to grow. I think that the book would have been stronger if she had a greater growth.
Monroe is extremely good at capturing the voice of teenagers. This is something I give her major props for. Teenagers are very difficult to capture in writing, especially if you're writing straight YA without any dystopian/scifi/fantasy elements.
Overall I give this book a 3.5/5 (rounded up to a 4 star rating on Amazon and other platforms). While I enjoyed the characters and story, there was some predictability to the story that could have been pulled back on some. As a writer, I could see some of the things coming. Perhaps a younger audience and non-authors couldn't see them coming like I did? Regardless, it is a good coming of age novel for teenagers and I'm definitely going to be reading the second book in the series. I can't wait to find out what happens to Maggie's best friend!
I first want to give a HUGE apology to Anya Monroe, the author of this book. I was given an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) for Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde back in October of last year and it got lost in my email. The copy I was originally reading was on my computer, but then I was able to get it to my phone to read when I refound the email. So again, my humblest apologizes Miss Monroe and I look forward to reading the remainder of the books in this series.
As stated, I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I found this book in part to one of my new favorite authors, Simone Pond. So I knew this would be a good book! Preface, I know many authors do not like the use of the word cute to describe their books, but it was the best word that captured the essence of this book. As I began the book, I had to adjust to the voice of Maggie. She is a teenage girl whose world revolves around an online video game called AsteroMine. She also has a boyfriend who she has been neglecting - due to her hardcore addiction to the game she plays.
While in an intense battle with her nemesis/friend spaceballz, her entire world she has created in the game gets destroyed. In shock, she somehow manages to go meet up with her boyfriend, Orion, only to be told even more disheartening news. In short, nothing is going Maggie's way. She believes it is due in part to the fact that spaceballz mentioned this mysterious force called Mercury Retrograde.
So, I looked up Mercury Retrograde, and it's real! No lies! I do like the level of research that Monroe went through in order to portray the things that can happen to a person in Mercury Retrograde. The skeptics of the concept believe that it's just an excuse for people to blame their problems on something. I can see why they believe that, as Maggie goes throughout the entire book blaming all the negative things that happen to her based on the Mercury Retrograde.
At first, I found Maggie's character to be a funny, snarky and sarcastic teenage girl. I felt Monroe gave her a very specific character type to follow. She sticks to character throughout the majority of the book, I do have to give her that. I do have to say that at times, Maggie wore on me. I wanted her to experience some type of growth from all the events that happened in her life while she is in Mercury Retrograde. With her mother's recent engagement, her new step-father to be trying to make friends, and an attractive yet annoying new step-brother to be, there are tons of opportunities for Maggie to grow. I think that the book would have been stronger if she had a greater growth.
Monroe is extremely good at capturing the voice of teenagers. This is something I give her major props for. Teenagers are very difficult to capture in writing, especially if you're writing straight YA without any dystopian/scifi/fantasy elements.
Overall I give this book a 3.5/5 (rounded up to a 4 star rating on Amazon and other platforms). While I enjoyed the characters and story, there was some predictability to the story that could have been pulled back on some. As a writer, I could see some of the things coming. Perhaps a younger audience and non-authors couldn't see them coming like I did? Regardless, it is a good coming of age novel for teenagers and I'm definitely going to be reading the second book in the series. I can't wait to find out what happens to Maggie's best friend!
June 4, 2018
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
If you haven't noticed, I've hit a bit of a slump lately. Trying to get back 'in the mood' of reading has proved tougher than expected, probably because I've been reading my share of Halloween-themed books when I was meany to be picking up a light-hearted contemporary instead. Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde was exactly what I needed it right now. It had me laughing and smiling constantly, and it easily made me forget that all my distractions.
I have to say that the cover of this book is what initially caught my attention, and was, ultimately, what drew me in. As soon as I started though, I knew that this book and me was going to click. The writing style couldn't have been more perfect for the story it was telling. It nailed the perfect mix of formal writing, 'teen language' (which authors never get right) and the snarky humour of our protagonist, Maggie. It read exactly as I would expect myself Maggie to sound. The humour had me laughing and just nodding with understanding. Maggie just got it, and I think there is an almost undeniable bond between a character and a reader when they can say that that specific character feels utterly realistic and almost connected to them.
So, obviously, I thought the character development was done incredibly well written, and done with such a great twist. Maggie was not the nicest person in the world. She had a lot of flaws, but she knew that and didn't try to hide, just tried to work out how she could be a better person while staying true to herself - can you ask for much more? I don't think so!
I also loved the support network around her, and how Maggie explored what everyone in her life meant to her. Tallie was such a great friend and I cannot wait for her own story (for more reasons too, but spoilers!).
The plot was a little cheesy and over the top at the times, but it was fun, easy to breeze through and made me laugh. I think the tropical setting was perfect, but the romance was a little questionable. This book had a love-quandrangle to the extreme. Well, kind of - and I think that's the only reason I found it tolerable. The relationships in this book were all tested, and the book was truly about Maggie discovering who she wanted to be so they were necessary to her growth. I did like Orion as a character, but I felt that if had been a teeny bit more fleshed out he could have been just that little bit more fantastic (and that would have made me so much happy with the general romance).
Overall, this was an adorable story that I throughly enjoyed it. I am very excited for Tallie and the Total Eclipse now, and I hope that I get to more of Anya Monroe's books soon.
I'd definitely recommend this book if you love Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella's writing styles and general sense of humour. The setting of Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde is similar to Sophie Kinsella's Wedding Night, so if you are looking for a younger version of that book (with some of the gaming geekiness of Armada) than I'd be inclined to shove this book in your face and shout, "Read it now!"
If you haven't noticed, I've hit a bit of a slump lately. Trying to get back 'in the mood' of reading has proved tougher than expected, probably because I've been reading my share of Halloween-themed books when I was meany to be picking up a light-hearted contemporary instead. Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde was exactly what I needed it right now. It had me laughing and smiling constantly, and it easily made me forget that all my distractions.
I have to say that the cover of this book is what initially caught my attention, and was, ultimately, what drew me in. As soon as I started though, I knew that this book and me was going to click. The writing style couldn't have been more perfect for the story it was telling. It nailed the perfect mix of formal writing, 'teen language' (which authors never get right) and the snarky humour of our protagonist, Maggie. It read exactly as I would expect myself Maggie to sound. The humour had me laughing and just nodding with understanding. Maggie just got it, and I think there is an almost undeniable bond between a character and a reader when they can say that that specific character feels utterly realistic and almost connected to them.
So, obviously, I thought the character development was done incredibly well written, and done with such a great twist. Maggie was not the nicest person in the world. She had a lot of flaws, but she knew that and didn't try to hide, just tried to work out how she could be a better person while staying true to herself - can you ask for much more? I don't think so!
I also loved the support network around her, and how Maggie explored what everyone in her life meant to her. Tallie was such a great friend and I cannot wait for her own story (for more reasons too, but spoilers!).
The plot was a little cheesy and over the top at the times, but it was fun, easy to breeze through and made me laugh. I think the tropical setting was perfect, but the romance was a little questionable. This book had a love-quandrangle to the extreme. Well, kind of - and I think that's the only reason I found it tolerable. The relationships in this book were all tested, and the book was truly about Maggie discovering who she wanted to be so they were necessary to her growth. I did like Orion as a character, but I felt that if had been a teeny bit more fleshed out he could have been just that little bit more fantastic (and that would have made me so much happy with the general romance).
Overall, this was an adorable story that I throughly enjoyed it. I am very excited for Tallie and the Total Eclipse now, and I hope that I get to more of Anya Monroe's books soon.
I'd definitely recommend this book if you love Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella's writing styles and general sense of humour. The setting of Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde is similar to Sophie Kinsella's Wedding Night, so if you are looking for a younger version of that book (with some of the gaming geekiness of Armada) than I'd be inclined to shove this book in your face and shout, "Read it now!"
December 21, 2015
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Thank you to the author for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publish date: 8th October 2015
Full review can also be found on: Paein and Ms4Tune’s Book Blog
First off, I hated Maggie - I feel I need to get that out of the way right away. Also, there's not a love triangle, but a square! possibly a hexagon...
I know, I know, not my usual type of book at all, but I did warn the author that I don't do well with love triangles and if there was one I probably wasn't the right one to ask to review their book. They sent it to me anyway....because there wasn't a love triangle. Get what she did there? haha, anyway...
So now I need to say - in the end I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would - a few pages in I thought I wasn't going to get on with it at all, but I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did. Yes it was, ridiculous and silly and out there, but the writing was good, the characters had development - or at least some of them did, the rest may do in the sequel(s) - and though it was late in the game Maggie came clean (which is a pretty good message for a teen book to be carrying about). There was also a fair amount of HEA too.
I found Maggie hard to deal with though, she just had no clue. And yes, you shouldn't change yourself just for someone to like you, but if no one likes you, then it's possibly a good time to assess yourself. If you're kind and considerate, then they're the ones with the issues. If you only ever talk of yourself and do what YOU want, then you might be the problem. Luckily Maggie realised this and attempted to fix things which was very big of her. I'm sure she's much better now and she'll be far more likeable in the sequel(s).
A good book about realising that the world is both bigger and smaller than you think. Perfect for teenagers.
Thank you to the author for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publish date: 8th October 2015
Full review can also be found on: Paein and Ms4Tune’s Book Blog
First off, I hated Maggie - I feel I need to get that out of the way right away. Also, there's not a love triangle, but a square! possibly a hexagon...
I know, I know, not my usual type of book at all, but I did warn the author that I don't do well with love triangles and if there was one I probably wasn't the right one to ask to review their book. They sent it to me anyway....because there wasn't a love triangle. Get what she did there? haha, anyway...
So now I need to say - in the end I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would - a few pages in I thought I wasn't going to get on with it at all, but I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did. Yes it was, ridiculous and silly and out there, but the writing was good, the characters had development - or at least some of them did, the rest may do in the sequel(s) - and though it was late in the game Maggie came clean (which is a pretty good message for a teen book to be carrying about). There was also a fair amount of HEA too.
I found Maggie hard to deal with though, she just had no clue. And yes, you shouldn't change yourself just for someone to like you, but if no one likes you, then it's possibly a good time to assess yourself. If you're kind and considerate, then they're the ones with the issues. If you only ever talk of yourself and do what YOU want, then you might be the problem. Luckily Maggie realised this and attempted to fix things which was very big of her. I'm sure she's much better now and she'll be far more likeable in the sequel(s).
A good book about realising that the world is both bigger and smaller than you think. Perfect for teenagers.
October 7, 2015
** I received this book in exchange for an honest review. It in no way affected my opinion of this novel. I pinky swear.**
Maggie’s life is in utter chaos clearly as a result of Mercury being in retrograde. Not because of her own actions….I swear. Lol.
Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde was both short and sweet. Maggie is such a flawed character that is completely immersed in her world of gaming. I must be honest….I disliked her for (almost) the entirety of the novel. Maggie’s personality in which everything was about her drove me crazy; however, the writing took me back to high school when my mother decided to get married and I had to endure my own [self-made] love triangles. Teenage years are so filled with angst and that constant belief that everything is about you. Anya Monroe succeeded in capturing this part of the teenage experience.
I loved Maggie’s best friend, Tallie, and her character as a whole. Tallie’s character was so authentic and funny that I wouldn’t mind reading an entire novel about her. I loved the themes of change and the difficulty with which we accept change as well as the need to be true to our feelings. It was a breath of fresh air to read a YA novel that explored the feelings a MC has for their first love or crush and makes the MC question whether they should continue on in the relationship or not. I am truly excited to see that Anya is working on another story where Tallie is the main character.
If you are looking for a quick read with an authentic voice that captures the true aspects of being a teenager….read this novel.
Maggie’s life is in utter chaos clearly as a result of Mercury being in retrograde. Not because of her own actions….I swear. Lol.
Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde was both short and sweet. Maggie is such a flawed character that is completely immersed in her world of gaming. I must be honest….I disliked her for (almost) the entirety of the novel. Maggie’s personality in which everything was about her drove me crazy; however, the writing took me back to high school when my mother decided to get married and I had to endure my own [self-made] love triangles. Teenage years are so filled with angst and that constant belief that everything is about you. Anya Monroe succeeded in capturing this part of the teenage experience.
I loved Maggie’s best friend, Tallie, and her character as a whole. Tallie’s character was so authentic and funny that I wouldn’t mind reading an entire novel about her. I loved the themes of change and the difficulty with which we accept change as well as the need to be true to our feelings. It was a breath of fresh air to read a YA novel that explored the feelings a MC has for their first love or crush and makes the MC question whether they should continue on in the relationship or not. I am truly excited to see that Anya is working on another story where Tallie is the main character.
If you are looking for a quick read with an authentic voice that captures the true aspects of being a teenager….read this novel.
October 17, 2015
This was a cute YA/NA read and not what I was expecting. Maggie is a 17 year old girl who is obsessed with video games. Her life revolves around one particular video game and she puts real life aside to play that game. To be honest, she reminded me a lot of my daughter. Maggie is up for the battle of her life...she is bound and determined to finally beat her arch enemy, Spaceballz and when she goes in for the final blow.....let's just say it doesn't go as planned (you'll have to read it yourself to find out...don't want to spoil it).
After things go wonky with the boy friend, her mom throws her a curve ball and her best friend is acting a lil strangely, Maggie finds her self at the doorstep of Zora. Crying on her shoulder, Maggie gets some advice that she is determined to follow, no matter how strange some of it may seem.
A lot happens in only a weeks time....Maggie gets a new stepbrother, a step father, a trip to Bora Bora and the boy of her dreams....not too bad for someone who can't keep her nose out of her computer screen....or is it.
Like I said, you'll just have to read it yourself to find out.
Written as a single pov in 1st person. This had some lol moments, some head slap moments, and even a few groan moments. Could have used some editing but it wasn't so bad to cause the story to slow down too much.
This is the first of the series. Looks like the next book will revolve around Maggies BFF Tallie.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, this is more for the YA audience, but I did still enjoy it.
Would I read more from this author? Probably, I'm curious to see what happens with Tallie.
Sassy Beta Reading & Review
www.facebook.com/sassybetareading
After things go wonky with the boy friend, her mom throws her a curve ball and her best friend is acting a lil strangely, Maggie finds her self at the doorstep of Zora. Crying on her shoulder, Maggie gets some advice that she is determined to follow, no matter how strange some of it may seem.
A lot happens in only a weeks time....Maggie gets a new stepbrother, a step father, a trip to Bora Bora and the boy of her dreams....not too bad for someone who can't keep her nose out of her computer screen....or is it.
Like I said, you'll just have to read it yourself to find out.
Written as a single pov in 1st person. This had some lol moments, some head slap moments, and even a few groan moments. Could have used some editing but it wasn't so bad to cause the story to slow down too much.
This is the first of the series. Looks like the next book will revolve around Maggies BFF Tallie.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, this is more for the YA audience, but I did still enjoy it.
Would I read more from this author? Probably, I'm curious to see what happens with Tallie.
Sassy Beta Reading & Review
www.facebook.com/sassybetareading
October 22, 2015
The Mercury Retrograde and teenage hormones. What can go wrong?
This book is just too CUTE! The dialogue is hilarious. Maggie, our protagonist is a spoiled teenager who's all about the virtual world, namely AsteroMine. I don't like her. Why? Because at some level she reminds me of me or rather a much younger me. The theatrics (though she claim none) and that the world is really all about me seems to hit home for many. Anya has such a refreshing way of writing that gives this story enough "ummph" without rushing or slowing it down to a point of boredom. I finished this easily within one sitting and throughout, I sneered at Avery, rolled my eyes at Maggie, "Come On, you got to be kidding me" at Orion and "Really?" Tallie. There's more, but I'll let you find your own voice with Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde. Can you believe one book got all that out of me? I love reading books that gets me to be expressive. It entertained me and have me about to rush over to Anya (poke her FB) and asked her to "TELL ME MORE". Yes, this story is a standalone, even though it technically is part of the A Love and Star Stuff series (Book 1); but doesn't hurt to ask when can I get a glimpse of the next one. Yes, it never hurts to ask, right? Oh, one more, love the cover. How cute is that?!
For a full review or awesome books, check out http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2015...
NOTE: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book for an honest review.
This book is just too CUTE! The dialogue is hilarious. Maggie, our protagonist is a spoiled teenager who's all about the virtual world, namely AsteroMine. I don't like her. Why? Because at some level she reminds me of me or rather a much younger me. The theatrics (though she claim none) and that the world is really all about me seems to hit home for many. Anya has such a refreshing way of writing that gives this story enough "ummph" without rushing or slowing it down to a point of boredom. I finished this easily within one sitting and throughout, I sneered at Avery, rolled my eyes at Maggie, "Come On, you got to be kidding me" at Orion and "Really?" Tallie. There's more, but I'll let you find your own voice with Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde. Can you believe one book got all that out of me? I love reading books that gets me to be expressive. It entertained me and have me about to rush over to Anya (poke her FB) and asked her to "TELL ME MORE". Yes, this story is a standalone, even though it technically is part of the A Love and Star Stuff series (Book 1); but doesn't hurt to ask when can I get a glimpse of the next one. Yes, it never hurts to ask, right? Oh, one more, love the cover. How cute is that?!
For a full review or awesome books, check out http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2015...
NOTE: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book for an honest review.
October 8, 2015
Unique and fast-paced young adult read.
The story was interesting; I'm not a gamer but I was easily able to understand how someone could get wrapped up in that world. There was so much going on in Maggie's life but I wasn't confused at any time. The amount of coincidences seemed way too many but with the way it was all explained in the story it really all made sense.
I loved the different locations as well. From a stuffy cramped room that smelled of hot pockets (yes I could almost smell the grease LOL) to beautiful beaches each of the settings has it's own story to tell.
I liked MOST of the characters. I honestly had the hardest time with Maggie. She was the voice of the story and, while it seemed very accurate for a seventeen year old, I just found her narcissism over-whelming. There were a few times I just wanted to smack her. I mean even in her thought process she knew she was being horrible, but she just didn't stop what she was doing. BUT she did grow as a person throughout the story and I liked her better at the end than I did at the beginning.
I think my favorite character was Tallie. She was a true friend and one of Maggie's redeeming qualities was that she recognized that.
Overall it was a great story with well-written characters, but my desire to scream my head off at the main character sort of overshadowed how well thought out and detailed the story is for me.
The story was interesting; I'm not a gamer but I was easily able to understand how someone could get wrapped up in that world. There was so much going on in Maggie's life but I wasn't confused at any time. The amount of coincidences seemed way too many but with the way it was all explained in the story it really all made sense.
I loved the different locations as well. From a stuffy cramped room that smelled of hot pockets (yes I could almost smell the grease LOL) to beautiful beaches each of the settings has it's own story to tell.
I liked MOST of the characters. I honestly had the hardest time with Maggie. She was the voice of the story and, while it seemed very accurate for a seventeen year old, I just found her narcissism over-whelming. There were a few times I just wanted to smack her. I mean even in her thought process she knew she was being horrible, but she just didn't stop what she was doing. BUT she did grow as a person throughout the story and I liked her better at the end than I did at the beginning.
I think my favorite character was Tallie. She was a true friend and one of Maggie's redeeming qualities was that she recognized that.
Overall it was a great story with well-written characters, but my desire to scream my head off at the main character sort of overshadowed how well thought out and detailed the story is for me.
December 20, 2015
What do you get when you mix teenage hormones, life changing moments and a game? Or better yet the acquisition of a galaxy and subsequent loss of it?
A thrill, that's what you get.
I did not want to read this book. I scrolled down to many more books and when I could find nothing to my liking, I decided to give it a try. I'm not into gaming or YA novels with a self-centered, stubborn and selfish lead like this- but for some reason (boredom) I found myself buying the book to read it.
Let's say- I was not prepared to enjoy it as much as I did.
The story revolves around Maggie a.k.a Magz, who is a seventeen year old girl who spends most of her time online playing a game called Astromine. She's risen to the greatest ranks and cannot wait to dethrone the two year champion called 'spaceballz.'
Just when she get's the chance to do so, her galaxy is wiped out- her boyfriend, Orion, breaks up with her, and her mom suddenly announces that she is getting married and Magz cannot take it all in. To top things off, she has a jerk for a step-brother, Avery, and wait...another step brother comes in too and it's too much for her to take in.
I took in the flow and loved how it reminded me of being seventeen, when things go wrong, it's like everything falls apart and that's how it was for Maggie.
Her reaction though was priceless, sometimes it was funny with her best friend Tallie around- and sometimes when she would run off, it felt like things were really bad.
I'm glad I gave it a shot.
A thrill, that's what you get.
I did not want to read this book. I scrolled down to many more books and when I could find nothing to my liking, I decided to give it a try. I'm not into gaming or YA novels with a self-centered, stubborn and selfish lead like this- but for some reason (boredom) I found myself buying the book to read it.
Let's say- I was not prepared to enjoy it as much as I did.
The story revolves around Maggie a.k.a Magz, who is a seventeen year old girl who spends most of her time online playing a game called Astromine. She's risen to the greatest ranks and cannot wait to dethrone the two year champion called 'spaceballz.'
Just when she get's the chance to do so, her galaxy is wiped out- her boyfriend, Orion, breaks up with her, and her mom suddenly announces that she is getting married and Magz cannot take it all in. To top things off, she has a jerk for a step-brother, Avery, and wait...another step brother comes in too and it's too much for her to take in.
I took in the flow and loved how it reminded me of being seventeen, when things go wrong, it's like everything falls apart and that's how it was for Maggie.
Her reaction though was priceless, sometimes it was funny with her best friend Tallie around- and sometimes when she would run off, it felt like things were really bad.
I'm glad I gave it a shot.
September 25, 2015
Maggie and the Mercury in Retrograde was quick paced and addictive from the beginning. I felt like I was one of Maggie's internet friends, reading her tumblr (I like to imagine she has a tumblr), along for the ride. It was a witty look at friendships and love from the perspective of a messy but lovable girl. Maggie is real and flawed, yet somehow I found myself routing for her at every turn. I loved this book and can't wait to read more of Anya Monroe's books, especially looking forward to hearing from some of these characters again! Monroe's ability to shape each character had me invested in everyone's story. The characterization was my favorite part about the book.
October 12, 2015
So good!
This book kind of came at the perfect time for me. Mercury retrogrades will kick your butt, such is the case with Maggie who I found to be completely relatable when I recall my own angsty and melodramatic teen years. This is a testament to Anya who really knows how to write teenagers. The dialogue impressed me the most and even though I'm no gamer I had no trouble keeping up with the pace and plot. Tallie was a great side character and I'm stoked she's getting her own story! Also this book really made me want to visit Seattle.
This book kind of came at the perfect time for me. Mercury retrogrades will kick your butt, such is the case with Maggie who I found to be completely relatable when I recall my own angsty and melodramatic teen years. This is a testament to Anya who really knows how to write teenagers. The dialogue impressed me the most and even though I'm no gamer I had no trouble keeping up with the pace and plot. Tallie was a great side character and I'm stoked she's getting her own story! Also this book really made me want to visit Seattle.
September 27, 2015
Anya Monroe is a great author, and doesn't disappoint with Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde. She really nails the voice of Maggie, an angsty teen whose universe seems to be falling apart around her. I would have liked to have seen more of Maggie with the guy she ends up with, and am hoping we'll get to see some perks of them in Tallie and the Total Eclipse. Not my favorite of Monroe's work (that would be For Sure and Certain), but still very well done.
October 3, 2015
This was a very interesting book. It was nothing like the others I have read prior to it, by for a change of pace, it was enjoyable. Although the main character was a female, I could relate her experiences to me quite a bit. The author made you feel like you were right there with the characters and part of the story as it went along. I received an advance copy of this book to leave a review. I wonder if there are going to be any more books for this to become part of a series.
October 7, 2015
This book was such a fun, light-hearted romance! I loved getting to hear the story through Maggie's very-teen view. It had me cracking up as I read. Monroe's story crafting talent shines with exciting twists that kept me reading and smiling right through until the end. I can't wait to follow Tallie's story in book 2!
January 26, 2016
Honestly, I only downloaded this because it's rare to find my name attached to anything and when I read that Maggie was a gamer like me it intrigued me. After finishing it, I'm glad it was a free ebook because I would have been disappointed if I paid for this. It was really hard to not hate Maggie around 70% of this book.
January 25, 2019
If it weren’t for Maggie, I might have been able to give this book three stars. It’s a light, rom-com type read that was entertaining (even sometimes when it got a bit ridiculous).
But Maggie is one of the most selfish, self-centred characters I’ve read about in a long time. We learn almost nothing about the other characters and both Avery and Orion were so, so dull.
But Maggie is one of the most selfish, self-centred characters I’ve read about in a long time. We learn almost nothing about the other characters and both Avery and Orion were so, so dull.
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