Moonstone

Unbidden Magic #1

by Marilee Brothers

MOONSTONE A Fictionwise Fantasy bestseller Young Adult A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez. Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command. "Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fiction

236 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2008

Reviews

[Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars:
Full Disclosure: I participate in reviews with Netgalley and an e-copy was provided to me by Netgalley and/or the publishers. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I actually received all four of Marilee Brothers’ books in her Unbidden Magic Series. So I didn’t get to peek a glimpse of the cover until after I finished the first. The model used for Allie was not what I pictured in my head. However, I enjoyed the touch of the moonstone necklace the model wore.

For Brothers first attempt she did pretty good job. The story starts a little strange but as you progress through the chapters it becomes more exciting and suspenseful. Where there any flaws?? Yes, but that is just something I have come to be expected of self published books. Allie progresses through several stages in this installment from discovery, rejection and ultimately acceptance of her new found powers. Brothers tries but in the end fails at setting the rules for the many magical talents Allie now holds.

Moonstone introduces the readers to Allie. It a really great read about fifteen year old, as she discovers she can move things with her mind. However, when she first makes the discovery she's not all thrilled and would like this new power to go away. She's given a beautiful necklace buy an eccentric almost neighbor/mentor to have know all along who she is. It seems to somehow amplify her powers; unfortunately, there are others who also want it. All the sudden Allie’s world is turned upside down and filled with an ancient prophesy. Then she trusted in to an age old battle of good versus evil only she’s not sure who she can trust.

The characters are for the most part are pretty well developed. They are the type you can love ‘em or hate ‘em. Allie is a typical girl who just wants a normal life but with a mother like Faye that’s never going to happen. Her mother Faye is the type you just want to shake some common sense into and tell to grow up. Junior is the local bad boy who was once a member of a gang and is trying hard to right his many wrongs and stay out of trouble.

The interactions between Allie and Junior are irresistible. The connection these two have leap off the page. Allie wants a boyfriend but doesn’t know if she can trust Junior. Though the two never get together by the end the spark of a potential budding relationship is so evident I can’t wait to see what the future books hold for these two.

My recommendation is if you’re looking for a young adult paranormal read that has some suspense, mystery, and light romance you are in luck. Sit back and enjoy!!

Among some of my favorites. Outstanding literary work. The characters are well developed, interesting. The liked characters are likable and the hated are unlikable. The writing is captivating enough to keep you interested until the end and leave you wanting more. It has a fairly original or uniquely well-developed plot. The pretense and romance was well balanced and done with properly distributed amounts of hints, behaviors and chemistry. Not so much predictable if at all. Overall, loved it, I recommend reading!!

[Leann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can really go either way with this novel. I had read some great reviews and the story just did not live up to them (in my opinion). I hate to be the one to say that I disliked this book, a lot.

Allie was a good main character, but it took me awhile before I started to really like her. In fact, in the end, I'm still not sure if I did like her as a character. Her mother, on the other hand, I despised. This is what I wanted to say to her: Get off your *&$@ing @#$ and get a job (use your imagination). Needless to say, her mom - Faye - landed on my list of characters I want to punch in the face (and I don't even have a list...).

The story was kind of blah for me because it didn't seem too original, and in the end I saw it all coming. None of the "shocking" moments shocked me. As a whole, I was really disappointed with the story. Usually I love magic and whatnot in stories, but this one just made me think about how much I loved all those other stories.

HIGHLIGHTS: It actually was pretty amusing at some points. I also liked how Allie didn't just say "Oh sweet, I have magical powers". She was more realistic about the whole scenario, and she was a giving kind of character.

LOWLIGHTS: I think I've said enough. However, do not let my review keep you from reading this story, because everyone has different tastes and sometimes certain stories don't mesh well with certain readers. This story + me = not good.

Despite that, I've seen some absolutely amazing reviews about this novel on Amazon and Goodreads, so I would definitely recommend anyone to check out their thoughts to see if it's something you'd like to read. While this wasn't my type of book, it may be yours! :)

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a free special eBook version of this series, including all four books in one, from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Synopsis Book 1: Moonstone: A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez. Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command. "Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

My Thoughts: I know it is hard to handle a mom that is sick all the time – my mom was chronically ill when I was growing up. But I should point out that fibromyalgia is a real illness and very debilitating – while Faye does take herself more seriously than is perhaps warranted, the occasional hints that Faye really isn’t that debilitated rubbed me the wrong way - I have fibromyalgia, and it is very debilitating. Anyway, that’s just a minor issue.

This was a fun book, and one I quite enjoyed. Fast-paced with interesting characters and ideas, weaving in Gypsy legends, an ancient prophecy, and palm reading. Of course the idea of the Trimarks, who have an inverted pyramid on their hands, amused me greatly - I challenge everyone to take a close look at their right palms, and I think the majority of people will find an inverted pyramid on their palms – personally, I have several of them. Anyway, this was a fun start to the series and I think I will quite like the rest of what I have, which is the currently available four works. I’m not sure if there are any more planned or not. Recommended for fans of YA paranormal fiction and urban fantasy. 5 out of 5 stars.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moonstone is a half-way decent YA urban fantasy. It's the story of Allie who I guess is a witch although that's not entirely clear. She lives in a trailer with her mom, goes to a public school and can look into people's minds. She is entrusted with a magical gemstone called the Moonstone and it's her job to protect it from the powers of evil.

I quite enjoyed this book but I think there was a little too much going on. There were a bunch of characters who really didn't need to be there and parts of the story were left dangling. OK, this is a series and I assume some of those characters will come to the fore in ensuing stories and those incomplete story arcs will be further developed later...but I think maybe the author should have just concentrated on the main story and left the rest for later.

That said, it was an entertaining read and I'll probably have a look at the next book in the series.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, but that special attachment that endears you to the characters was missing and left the story a little flat for me.

[Patricia Keelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book!

Magic, mayhem, and a reluctant heroine all wrapped together with strong writing and an interesting storyline. What a fun book. I’m looking forward to the second book.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally published at Epic (Chocolate) Fantasy.

Bite-Sized Review
I'm honestly not sure what to say about Moonstone. It contains many things I don't really like – a prophecy, overly credulous characters, simplistic designations of good and evil – but as much as these things irritated me, I never found myself wanting to put the book down.

King-Sized Review
Moonstone begins the day before Allie's fifteenth birthday, when she first discovers her paranormal abilities. Events progress rather quickly after that: she's visited by a spirit guide, finds out that she's the star of a prophecy, gets a magical moonstone, gets to know a cute boy, and discovers the existence of secret magical organizations. The problem I had with credulity wasn't precisely the events themselves, which were fairly interesting, but with Allie's reaction to them. After about eleven seconds of disbelief, she accepts the existence of her abilities and the prophecy. With tangible evidence of her own power, that part isn't really an issue, particularly for a fifteen year old, but the prophecy is a translation of faded words in a foreign language written by a person who died over a hundred years ago. Not once does anyone say, "Hey, I wonder if this is right?" much less "Why should we believe what this unsubstantiated paper says?" and that really bothered me. Prophecies should only be a plot device if they themselves are a point of contention. They can provoke a fascinating discussion of free will and determinism, but they should never dictate the plot on their own. It wasn't even a very good prophecy.

A second concern was Allie's relationship with her mother, Faye. Faye is a terrible mother. She never did anything that wasn't for her own benefit, and yet Allie regarded her with more affection and understanding than most teenagers have for the best of parents. She demonstrated astonishingly little resentment for her mother's ridiculous antics (pretending she had fibromyalgia to try to get disability money from the government, inviting her sleazy lawyer over, completely neglecting Allie so that her disease would be believed). Allie seemed far more like the parent than her mother, which can certainly work, but not like this. She's a teenage girl, not a saint, and there really should have been a lot more resentment and argument between them.

Finally, the entire conflict rubbed me the wrong way. There's a certain amount of motivational background that has to be present in a story for it to be believable and enjoyable, and that backstory wasn't there in Moonstone. The two (that's it?) sides were honestly just boring. There was a good side and an evil side, all based on some sort of palmistry, and that is basically all the background in this book. That's the kind of lack of support that really bothers me – couldn't there be some explanation of why these groups hated each other? It's much more interesting to see how good people do terrible things for the best of reasons, or bad people turn out to be better than expected. Simple genetics? Meh. Of course it's always possibly this part of the story will develop more in the rest of the series. I'm sure there will at least be more background. But for now, I'm quite dissatisfied.

All that aside, I did mostly enjoy the book and I plan to try the next one soon, though not immediately. This is definitely a lighter and younger read, but if you keep that in mind it could be a decent way to spend an afternoon.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of this book through NetGalley(dot)com as part of the entire series. It wasn't a great book, it wasn't a bad book. It was...okay. (Most of) the characters were likeable and the world building done well.The story is pretty simple. It basically involves Allie discovering her powers and trying to keep away from bad people. Nothing in the story was very surprising. You pretty much knew who the bad guy was from the outset. In fact, one character was so obviously dropped in for just one purpose that he was almost a distraction.

Allie (aka Alfreida Carlotta) lives with her "faking-it" sick mother in a tiny trailer on her uncle's property. Her life isn't great, but she deals. While fixing the antenna, she falls off a ladder onto an electric fence. And if that's not bad enough, she lands in the field with Blaster the bull and he's not happy. That's when things get really strange.

She ends up with a ghostly guide who is more hippie than helper and her mentor and friend gives her a Moonstone that she says is prophesied to be Allie's. She eventually finds out that she is part of a prophecy involving two ancient races that have been fighting each other for centuries. She also meets her father who took off before she was born and discovers that he also has "special" abilities (Allie can move things). When her mother is kidnapped by the rivals, it is up to Allie to save them both.

Allie is a likable character and her mom (who is definitely not mother-of-the-year) is somewhat likable. The boy, Junior, who ends up helping Allie is a good character as well. That being said, none of the characters are very deep and some are almost too obvious for their own good.

The story wraps up nicely, though it is obviously part of a larger pack because of all the loose threads left dangling. (Which was nice to have the whole set). The purpose of this book seemed to be mainly to set things up for future books, which is does while still giving a decent story. I'm most of the way through the second part and already it's better.

If you're looking for a quick, light read with little depth but still giving a satisfying read, this one may be for you. Even though I thought it was just "okay" - I'm still reading (the other books in the series) which means it did manage to catch my attention.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allie Emerson sometimes wishes she could change the life she has. She lives with her rather lazy mother in a dumpy trailer with their only income being the monthly welfare check. She’s constantly picked on by bullies, has never met her father, and is sure her aunt wants her gone. But there are some things to look forward to, namely weekend visits to her eccentric but lovable neighbor Kizzy and hanging out with her good friends Mercedes and Manny. But then strange things start happening to Allie, like making her uncle’s bull run backwards and receiving visits from her hippy “spirit guide” Trilby. And that’s when she find out she’s not just ordinary Allie anymore; she’s the most important ingredient of an age-old prophecy dating back to the beginnings of an ancient battle revolving around a magical moonstone pendant, now in Allie’s possession. But before she can save the world, Allie needs to get a grip on her own life before she loses it to her enemies.

Moonstone is an exciting and very promising start to a new paranormal series. Allie is a great main character. It’s very easy to understand her simultaneous love and hate for her life, her confusion when she discovers her destiny, and her fierce determination to make things right. I enjoyed reading this story from Allie’s perspective because her snarky yet frank voice made the plot seem even more humorous and suspenseful. There was a good mixture of psychic experiences, everyday life, heart-stopping danger, and even romance. The storyline is very original and creative, and I loved the twists in the plot. It was very difficult for me to set this book down, and I was disappointed when the story ended because I wanted to keep reading. There are a few small details that aren’t completely developed, but I fully expect them to be continued in sequels to come.

I am very excited about Brothers’ Unbidden Magic series and look forward to the continuation of Allie’s story in sequels to Moonstone, hopefully in the near future. Fans of The Named series and Old Magic by Marianne Curley will also enjoy this fantastic novel.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Tahlia Newland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgally provided me with four books in this series as an exclusive review set and it appears that there must be at least one more to the series because at the end of book 4, although Allie had found the person she needed to help her, she still hadn’t saved the world from the threat of the Dark Fey and the Trimarks.

The Moonstone series is about Allie, a fifteen year old girl who lives in a small town in Washington State. In the first book, she gains psychic powers, is given a magical moonstone pendant, and battles evil Trimarks who try to steal the stone for their own nefarious purposes. In the following books we uncover the mysteries of her family tree, travel to a fairy realm, discover a prophecy and search for the other person it mentions.

As it says in the blurb - Fun, romantic, quirky and different, this YA fantasy series is a good read for young and mid-teen readers, but also for older teens and adults.

I loved the light hearted moments in this series. It’s refreshing departure from the plethora of heavy YA books out there. The characters are all great. Alllie is someone I respect and who I like spending time with. Her boyfriends (a different one in each book) are good strong characters and her girlfriends are delightful. Allie’s mum and her friend Kizzy are both strong characters and their relationships and interactions with Allie are well thought out and realistic.

The story took me in directions I hadn’t imagined and in book 2, introduced some delightfully bizarre characters. Each book had a satisfying conclusion, but left enough unfinished to set the scene for the next instalment.

This is a terrific series and I was disappointed that the publisher hadn’t included the last book in the set. I love being able to read a whole series without having to wait for a year between books, but it seems I will be waiting for the finale of this one. I recommend that you buy the whole lot and tuck yourself away for a good long read.
The only thing I didn’t like about this read was that I didn’t get to the end, and that can be solved as soon as the next book comes out. I give it 5 stars and highly recommend it.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kinda expected something different for this book, however, I was not too disappointed.

What I liked about this book was the supernatural stuff, the mystery and the anticipation. There were times in the book where I felt like oh, this person must be the bad guy, however, I was often sorely mistaken.

I loved the hippy-dippy guardian angel. She made me laugh. A lot. I loved the idea of having a guardian angel who not only gave me answers but was funny. Though there were not many scenes where it described her, I still felt like she was a pretty well-written character due to her personality.

Allie, on the other hand, I felt like she was a 2D character. She just seemed like the ordinary girl with no real defining character. I felt like she could have been written in a better manner. Yes, she seemed real and believable, but I expected more of her.

The plot was the typical ordinary girl who ends up with some sort of power and ...ends up saving the day. However, Marilee writes it in a fashion that allows you to get into the book quickly and leaves you hungry for more at the end. The ending was also pretty good because it definitely resolved the conflict and didn't leave much of a cliff-hanger.

[Sarah BT · Rating 4 out of 5]

With so many paranormal young adult books out right now it's hard for each one to be different or stand out. Marilee Brothers succeeds in creating a fun original heroine in Allie. Allie is smart, sassy, she stand up to bullies and fights for her mom. I really liked the setting that Marilee plopped Allie down in-it's refreshing to see a character that isn't immediatly popular, rich, and has everything work out perfectly.
Another review on Amazon labeled Moonstone as "Stephenie Meyer meets Stephanie Plum" and I wish I would have been the one to come up with that! This story mixed humor with paranormal adventure. There were many times I found myself laughing out loud.
Allie's relationship with her mom Faye is one that's more of a child parenting a parent and Marilee Brothers does such a great job giving depth to their relationship. She deftly weaves a great coming of age tale into a paranormal backdrop and I was cheering Allie on all the way.
Moonstone is the first in a trilogy and the next installment is out this summer. I can't wait to see where Allie's power's take her next and will be eagerly awaiting book two.

[Andrea Heltsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. The author provided a great paranormal concept. BUT I didn't like some of the elements in the story. There is a lot of teenage bullying and I found it to be unnecessary.
The bad boy, Junior, was a previous gang member and the bad boy. When the main character describes Peacock Flats, she makes it sound like some hillbilly town. A Gang member, really?
Then, there is her trashy family. They are the picture of a low income family with no ambition. (Of course, not the MC)
She gets a necklace and gains some powers. Then she's grappling with evil people and a relationship building between her and Junior.
Overall, the author is a good writer, but this series wasn't for me. Three glittery stars.

[AH]

Kobo free download 5/6/11

[Sandra]

Not sure how this looks, but all four offered together on NetGalley

[Liz Kittencat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Allie Emmerson (Alfrieda Carlota Emmerson para ser exactos) tiene una vida bastante poco convencional:Su madre Faye "padece" (en su mente mas que en su cuerpo) fibromalgia, lo cual le da una buena escusa para no trabajar y vivir del cheque de asistencia social, su padre desapareció hace años, vive en un pequeño remolque aparcado detrás de la finca de su tío Sid, cuya religiosa esposa lo único que desea es echarlas, no es popular en la escuela y...tiene 15 años. Como si eso no fuera suficiente descubre que posee "dones especiales", los cuales se acentúan de una manera considerable, al igual que sus ya incontables problemas,cuando Kizzy Lovell una anciana amiga (de quien se murmura es bruja y gitana) le regala el murallón de la Piedra Lunar. Con el se convierta en una "Buscadora de estrellas" quien debe luchar contra los malignos Trimarks , mientras se enamora de ex-pandillero salido de la cárcel bajo palabra llamado Junior Rodríguez.

Etiqueta Interna: Paranormal/mágica

Scooby Doo,¿ Donde estás tu?, versión libro


Lo bueno de "Moonstone"

Definitivamente adoré a Allie.Debo decir que me encariñé con este personaje extrovertido, cómico, simpático, atribulado y en varias ocasiones ridículo, ¿pero quien no lo es a los 15 años , sobre todo si tienes una estrella en tu mano que te confiere poderes?¿ah? Puede que por momentos te canse su excesiva energía, pero al final te rindes a su simpatía y terminas creyéndote todo el cuento de la Piedra Lunar, los buenos sentimientos, la madre irresponsable, el primo libidinoso, la tía hipócrita y el hot chicode turno.Para mi es un excelente protagonista para un tipo de novela "teeneger , después de aburrirme mortalmente leyendo libros donde la "jovencita" es una doncella-en-desgracia-que-finge-fortaleza-que-no-cree-ser-cool-aunque-si-lo-es-y-que-derrama-incontables-lágrimas-por-el-príncipe-azul-vampiro-ángelbueno/malo-semidiós-hombre-lobo-a-quien-ama-etc...Uff! ustedes ya conocen las historias.Además fueron demasiados guiones en un párrafo. Allie sabe arreglárselas sola bastante bien en medio de todo este inmenso embrollo cósmico en que está metida y eso me agrada sobremanera.También celebré,en varios momentos con grandes sonrisas, su forma de expresarse totalmente deslenguada. Me pareció que sin caer en lo vulgar es libre, fresco, gracioso, sin demasiadas frases cliches (¿porqué será que todo el tiempo aparecen justo en la misma hoja que el chico guapo?), siempre con alguna ocurrencia descabellada o con un pensamiento irónico, inocentón o cómico. Allie...eres mi chica regalona del mes de julio.

Me gusta el estilo de la autora. Sus descripciones psicológicas y de la ambientación son mínimas, practicas, pero suficientes para crear imágenes mentales que puedan "hacerte ver lo que escribe".Las acciones se suceden una a otras sin dejarte tiempo para pesar si en realidad eso puede suceder-en-alguna-recóndita-dimensión (gracias Marilee, si empezáramos a cuestionarnos tu novela sería un fracaso).Tiene un oficio, que sin bien no es depurado, poético ni para el novel, te envuelve como una araña en su tela y te deja feliz leyendo las cuitas,desparpajos e increíbles descubrimientos de Allie.

Ciertas frases que la autora usa para detallar emociones o personas a través de Allie me parecieron jocosas, pero por sobre todo ocurrentes .Como " un real momento Kodak de madre e hija"o "el gran Ed era un tipo pequeño con el pelo blanco y revuelto parecido a un diente de león".No suelen encontrarse tan seguidas en un texto y este estaba plagada de ellos.Un buen recurso literario a mis humildes ojos.

Pienso que es punto a favor que los personajes no sean los típicos ganadores, los jovencitos con dinero o ridículos nerds looser que siempre salen e las novelas juveniles de trama fantástica. Si bien Allie no las tiene todas consigo, tampoco es una rana que se convierte en princesa por adquirir esta especial alhaja...más bien la Piedra Lunar es un imán de inconvenientes. Pero sobre todo encuentro interesante que Marilee Brothers retrate hispanos esforzados,"gente blanca", pandilleros y familias que no son precisamente "los Cullen". Me atrajo mucho el hecho de que Allie tenga como mejores amigos a Manny y a Mercedes de procedencia hispana ("frijoleros" como se les llama despectivamente"), y que su Prince Charming sea precisamente un ex-pandillero en rehabilitanco, Juior Rodriguez Pienso que esto nos habla de una multicultiralidad, la cual aunque sea un poco acartonada, tiene validez ,pues no siempre es retratada en novelas de este tipo.

En cuanto al Hot-Sea-lo-que-sea-de-Allie en ningún momento se roba la película, no es el "otro fundamental de la trama" y que, para mi felicidad recién hace su aparición más o menos a la mitad del libro. Es decir, el romance existe, pero no es el CENTRO de todo lo que ocurre en el libro.

Tengo muchas dudas (gracias Marilee por sembrarlas, sino hasta aquí dejaba los libros) sobre el famoso Abuelo Claude y el resto de "buscadoras de Estrellas"

Lo Malo de "Moonstone"

El punto más débil es la trama misma.Si la historia típica, repetitiva,obvia reiterada-hasta-el-cansancio de la "chosen one", de la chica con problemas que es elegida para portar una piedra mágica y salvar el mundo se hace soportable, es precisamente porque está cotada por un personaje jocoso y agradable como Allie y, como ya lo dije, porque la autora no nos da tiempo para pensar. Nos envuelve hábilmente mediente miles de acontecimientos que se suceden unos a otros o paralelamente.Si leen "Moonstone" tienen dos opciones o se tragan el argumento y se dejan atrapar por el o no lean el libro... así de simple.

Me sobran personajes, por ejemplo la "angelical guía espiritual Trilby", nunca debería haber existido, ya que no desempeña ningún papel trascendental en la trama, cuando debió haber sido un estrambótico pilar de este.Me da la impresión que su participación en el argumento fue reducido o casi eliminado, porque era bastante ingenioso y...sobra completamente.

La cantidad de personajes estereotipados (Calmel, la hija de Kissie, Rovell el malvado, Matt, la tía Sandra etc) es enorme, agota junto con sus ya palmarias y típicas razones para perseguir,atormentar y dañar a la "niñita molesta y si muchos recursos" o a la "mocosa que se quedó con la Piedra Lunar que trae fortuna, el éxito etc etc. etc." Realmente en esto la autora sólo hizo un copy-paste de estereotipos comunes a todos los libros de con tramas parecidas.

Me impresiona como todos ayudan a la chica PORQUE SI o le creen tan con una facilidad impresionante la historia de la Piedra Lunar , que IMPLICA NADA MENOS que magia, poderes paranormales, profecías ancestrales y todo lo típico de este tipo de narraciones ¡¡¡Hello...estamos en el siglo XXI, se supone que somos todos muy racionales!!!!¿que nadie es capaz de dudar o poner aprueba a esta "niñita elegida"? y ¿si hubiese estado loca?,¿AH?...No, todos, TODOS le creían a pies juntillas, sin alegato ninguno ¬¬

A veces, si nose está completamente concentrado puede perderse entre tanto nombre, poder extrasensorial y trepidante acción.Algunos pasajes no quedan claros y bueno, espero que sea porque sirven para la segunda parte. De los contrario esos huecos sin justificación son más grandes que el océano pacífico y significarían un claro error de la autora.

Cuento a parte es el padre de Allie...¬¬ ..realmente encontré pésima su inserción en la trama. Lo del celular con voz distorsionada me pareció enfremantemente ridículo, lo peor del argumento.Lo más tragicómico es como la autora trata de crear un "aire de misterio" en torno a él, cuando es tan fácil adivinar...TODO.Este es quizás uno de los puntos más bajos , sino el más bajo del libros. El padre de Allie pudo ser un magnífico personaje, interesante o incluso decisivo y no una simple voz al teléfono, cuyo auricular estaba sostenido por una mano con una ostensible estrella en la palma...como la de... ¡¡ADIVINEN!...Allie ¬¬. Pésimo...horrible. Osea me moría de la risa con lo absurdo que sonaba la frase "Después de un silencio largo, él dijo, —Esto es solo el comienzo. —".Sin más comentarios al respecto...juzguen ustedes aquella expresión para el bronce.

Frases interesantes

"Debes de tener el caos dentro de ti para dar a luz a una estrella que baila... Friedrich Nietzsche."

"Cuando yo era pequeña, pensaba que la luna cambiaba de forma mágicamente, aumentando de tamaño hasta que fuera perfectamente redonda, luego haciéndose más pequeño hasta que desapareciera completamente. Recordé a Faye diciéndome, —No, Allie. Está siempre allí. Solo no podemos ver lo que está oculto en la oscuridad de la luna. —"

Lo recomiendo a quienes quieran leer un libro cuya única intención es entretenerte, hacerte olvidar el stress y sumergirte en un mundo donde todo es posible.Eso si, no exijas a un Gandalf o un viejo ropero, porque no lo encontrarás en estas hojas.Mas bien piensa en "Moonstone" como en un entretenido capítulo de larga duración de los antiguos cartoons de Scooby Doo, donde Dafne es una jovencita adorable y bastante torpe, Fred es un ex-pandillero y el resto de sus amigos brujos,hechiceras y trabajadores latinos fieles a su palabra.Debo decir que por mementos me pareció refrescante por su sencilla trama sin pretensiones, lo cual me parece algo bastante liberador
No es una obra maestra pero vale la pena.SOLO para quienes toleran leer un libro con el única intención de reírse un rato

LIZCLASIFICACIÔN 4 castillos de 7...Entretenido, porque A pesar de lo manida y obvia de la trama, Allie me hizo pasar un par de excelentes tardes/noches

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first four books in the Unbidden Magic Series at once. To review them, I wrote a mini review of each book followed by an overall review of the complete series. For the full review of all four books, see Chronicles of a Book Evangelist.

Mini Review:

I have to be up front and say that, had I not been given copies of the Unbidden Magic books to review, I probably would never have made it through to the end. That is not to say that the series wasn't good; it, in fact, was. My problem would have been ever reaching a point in the books where I would have known that. I force myself to read at least 30 pages of a 'for review' book before giving it up, and that is about how long it took me to get interested in Moonstone.

I will give Marilee Brothers the benefit of the doubt (considering she lives in Washington State) and believe that rural Washington at least resembles the southern stereotype. The first few chapters read like someone has went through a list of Jeff Foxworthy "you might be a redneck" jokes and ticked them off one by one. In fact, most of the characters were such extremes of stereotypical behaviour - the bully, the cowboy, the hippie, the welfare mom, the super evil bad guys - that they were more caricatures than characters.

However, once Brothers found her groove, the characters mellowed out quite a bit, developed a little nuance, and the result was that Moonstone leveled out into a pretty interesting read. One thing I absolutely loved? Marilee Brothers managed to avoid the trope that just because a child is a bully their parents will be, too. Deputy Philpott was awesome (and he showed his awesomeness on precisely page 30!)

Series Overall:

Do not read this portion if you do not want to be spoiled. Okay? Okay.

Marilee Brothers' Unbidden Magic series has real potential. She generally starts off a little rough, but once set gets comfortably settled in a book her style is quirky, playful and fun. She has created a lot of interesting and compelling characters. However, I think she gets a little carried away with the drama at times, causing her to lose control of her plot as well as the structure of her world. Some larger issues that I have:

1. Boys are not paper plates. (Forgive me if this comparison is profoundly redneck in nature, but it was inspired by the characters.) Let me explain. Marilee Brothers treats her male leads like Chinet paper plates. They are study enough that you can count on them. They are nice enough that you aren't ashamed to be seen with them. In a real pinch, you can wash or brush them off and still reuse them. BUT, at the end of the day, you're still going to throw them away. Junior, Beck and Ryker were each interesting in their own ways, but ultimately never more than fancy cardboard. They come and go for reasons that defy any explanation other than than Brothers wanted a new lead.

2. It is not a good idea to change the basic design of your world halfway through a series. WHERE did the fairy stuff come from? I mean really. There is absolutely NO foreshadowing in the previous novels to account for the 'big reveals' of Moon Spun. This is where planning for the story arc of the series at the beginning would really help out.

3. Along the same lines, Don't redefine characters mid-series unless they develop into something new. Good for Cory that he got over his scary, racist, bullying ways...off screen, in a single summer, at a special camp, and now is in love with Allie...huh? If something this big happens in a series, the reader should probably be shown, especially if it is going to require suspension of disbelief to this magnitude. Also, what is the opposite of character assassination? Spontanious redemption? Because that is what happens with Allie's mom. "Oh, no. She actually wasn't an immature, selfish alcoholic faking a disability to cheat the government out of SSI! She's really a fairy in constant physical and emotional pain caused by a combination of her metal trailer house and her mean, mean dad. She's a caring and involved mom deep down." What?

4. I get you bad guys are bad - they don't have to be single handedly responsible for every hangnail and genocide in the world for me to believe you. This quote really ruffled my feathers:

"The Trimarks have devoted their lives to chaos and evil, hoping to profit as a result. They were at the crucifixion of Christ, the Nazi death camps, the Kennedy assassination, Hurricane Katrina. One can only imagine what might happen if they get their hands on the moonstone."

So, was that Bobby or John? Or both? Katrina and death camps, huh? That's some pretty diverse talents. It just felt a little insulting to the magnitude of real suffering that each of these casually-tossed-out events truly represent. Events that have affected history so profoundly should never be so cheeply used.

5. Don't mix mythologies unless you can explain how they work together. Reading the Unbidden Magic series sometimes felt like sitting in the middle of the religion and spirituality section of a bookstore scanning titles: Christianity! Fairies! Tarot! Angels! Shamanism! Crystals! Demonology! Except here, unlike in the bookstore, they are all presumed to be true at the same time without explaining how conflictin ideologies worked together.

I think Marilee Brothers definitely has talent, and she can write an interesting book. The Unbidden Magic series is entertaining once you get into it, but it is ephemeral. I think that if she could exercise a little more control over her world building and plot while maintaining her interesting writing style, she could create some really great books. I will probably read the next book (also, I believe, the last?) because, at this point, I am four books in and want to know how it ends. I would recommend the Unbidden Magic series to avid readers who really like paranormal young adult and need something new. However, I don't think it would work for the discerning reader who carefully chooses what they consume.

Thanks to Bell Bridge Books for the Review Copies

[Sapphyria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 in a fun and fast-paced series with a teen who is an unlikely hero. People of all ages will enjoy this YA paranormal/supernatural series. The character development and world building were done well. I enjoyed the author’s voice/writing style.

I was provided a 4-book review copy from NG.

[Julia Brown]

Loved it!

Allie is a complex character with a sense of humor trying to hold her life (and her mom's) together. I laughed out loud, praised her spunk, and cheered at her choices. She is truly a superhero out to save the world.

[♥♥Mari♥♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Note: This book was provided by the author, in exchange for my honest opinion.)

The cover of this book drew me in right away, with its mysterious atmosphere and lovely tones of blue in the night sky. As I began to read, however, I wasn't quite sure I would enjoy this novel. I didn't particularly like the mention of "landing in a bull pie" right at the beginning of the story. While I must admit it was funny, it was also pretty gross. Still, I kept reading, because I do believe in giving every book a fair chance. I'm so very glad I did, too, because this novel has turned out to be one of my favorites, in any genre!

Allie's discovery of her sudden paranormal powers first manifests when she somehow makes a massive bull running straight at her abruptly reverse stride and start walking backward. Who wouldn't feel bewildered at such a weird turn of events? And all because she was zapped by some electricity as she tumbled from the roof of her trailer home! Now, what was she doing up on that roof? She was adjusting the TV antenna, so she and her mother could get better reception, of course. They can't afford a satellite dish, after all.

This book kept me turning the pages with Allie's madcap adventures, as she struggled to juggle high school bullies with following the advice of Trilby, her new, hippy guardian angel (whom only she could see), attempting to keep Social Services from separating her from her mother, and digging for clues to find out more about the mysterious prophecy she was supposed to fulfill.

One thing inevitably leads to another, and Allie is tested to the limit while doing her very best to take it all in stride. She's more than equal to the task, however. In fact, she's one of the sassiest, spunkiest young adult heroines I've yet come across. Her wisecracks and funny, down-to-earth descriptions of all the shenanigans sometimes had me holding my sides in helpless laughter. At the same time, her street smarts -- as well as her academic smarts -- allowed her to thread her way through the maze of events that unfolded throughout the story.

In short, Allie has emerged as one of my very favorite characters in young adult fiction. She's very real, with a lot of in-your
face appeal. Her inner strength is quite remarkable, as well. On top of everything else she has to deal with, there's the matter of her long-lost father, whom she has never met. This, along with Allie's unusual, yet close, relationship with her mother, brings poignancy to the story, while also making it a coming-of-age tale.

Along with Allie, I also love her mentor, Kizzy, a kind-hearted neighbor shunned by the townspeople because she's rumored to be a witch. Ironically, she's more of a mother to Allie than her own mother, Faye, who really seems to be more like a sister. Kizzy knows more about the history of the Star Seekers than she has ever let on, yet she's afraid to let her young friend know too much, fearing to put her in danger. Ironically, once she gives the girl the moonstone, she herself becomes a target.

Then there's Junior Martinez, the town bad boy who has supposedly scored with every girl at school he's ever dated, and who's also been in a gang. He's a delightfully surprising partner for Allie, who soon takes him into her confidence. A budding romance begins, and Junior becomes very protective of her and her mother. I thought it was sweet that he kept calling her "Emerson", while his behavior toward her, at first only one of camaraderie, began to change into something else.

The villains in this novel lend quite a bit of depth to the plot; it seems they're just as interested in Allie's moonstone as she is herself. Of course, they want it for their own nefarious purposes. The background behind the novel sounds like some sort of conspiracy theory, except that it's very real, within the setting of the novel. I was very much reminded of the Illuminati, which are a rumored secret society supposedly engineering world events, as well as controlling governments, for the purpose of bringing about a New World Order. Needless to say, I found the entire thing totally fascinating!

Brothers's writing is whiplash-sharp, her characters and setting totally believable. I really enjoyed the witty interchanges between the characters, even the ones involving the bad guys. Everything unfolded like a movie before my eyes, as the action developed into increasing complexity. The author kept the suspense high throughout, as well, with unexpected plot twists and clever resolutions to the challenges presented to the characters.

This is a great start to a series that promises to deliver even more fascinating surprises and characters in subsequent volumes! Moonstone is not just any YA novel, but one that is fresh, original, quirky, funny, suspenseful, and completely entertaining! I will go on to the other books in this series as soon as I possibly can, because I want to learn more about the Star Seekers, the Trimarks, and their wonderfully inventive, although sinister, adventures! I also hope we readers can look forward to a movie, at least of this first novel, very soon!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

RECEIVED FROM: Net Galley For Review


***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***


Alfrieda Carlotta Emerson, better known as Allie, thinks she’s just having a really bad day when she falls off a ladder shortly before her fifteenth birthday and winds up in a bulls pen. But when the bull charges something strange happens, then her vision goes into this odd tunnel mode and suddenly the bull is running in reverse – Allie is alive when she shouldn’t be. Things only get weirder from there when a pot smoking hippie ghost shows up talking about prophecies. Allie wonders at first if she’s hallucinating, but her when her friend, a woman known as the witch, sees the mark on her head from her fall she informs Aliie that her third eye has awakened and give Allie an amulet, a moonstone with incredible power. Allie’s world turns upside down as she’s drawn into a war between good and evil, a war to take possession of the moonstone. Will Allie make it out of a battle she doesn’t understand with her life?

I debated on my rating for this book because it does become a really engrossing novel the further you progress into it, but considering the first few chapters I considered reading something else instead I couldn’t give it a four stars. The opening was just off-putting for me for a few reasons. The first of which was they attempts at what I consider to be crude humor. When Allie falls from a ladder she lands face first in a cow patty which while some people find stuff like this funny, I personally think it’s just gross. Some of today’s hot comedy literally makes me lose my lunch so I’m probably not in the majority when it comes to my opinion on humor like this. Then when we meet Allie’s guardian the pot smoking spirit Trilby I was even less impressed. I kept reading because the description on the book sounded so interesting that I thought this book just has to get better and I was right it did. The further we moved into the story the more engrossing that story became, the attempts at humor diminished and the magic intrigue and danger surrounded you letting you lose yourself in the story. The story is told in the first person from Allie’s point of view and she slowly draws you in to her very odd story. Allie’s already got a lot of issues before this starts, and this just adds more. The weird magical occurrences begin on page one but they don’t really get interesting until a few chapters in. While Brothers idea is similar to other popular young adult series now she gives it a whole new spin bringing in beings not already created. She doesn’t give you a new spin on witches, vampire, werewolves or angels, she creates beings all her own. Her characters are human with a something extra with purposes that are sort of explained but not fully. In the beginning Brothers gives a little too much explanation at once and people accept everything a little too easily, but the information thins out as the plot progresses so you’re left with a lot of questions at the end even though the story does include a full story arc. This book is definitely the start of what could potentially be a really great series. It does include a sort of romance between Allie and a former gangster named Junior but the plot is so secondary that you don’t really know what’s going on with them. They exchange a couple of kisses but claim to be only friends. Junior who’s previously been kind of just an acquaintance just sort of swoops in when Allie needs him most to be her white knight. I’m interested to see if things will move further between them in future stories or if they’ll remain friends. Allie has feeling for Junior and even thinks she’s in love with him, but that doesn’t promise a relationship to come. Every fourteen or fifteen year old girl at one point or another thinks they’re in love with a friend or acquaintance that they never actually end up becoming involved with.

The characters are fairly well developed, especially Allie, but a lot of what we know about them is told to us rather than shown. Junior comes across well through action and obviously we know Allie since this is a first person novel but I’m hoping future works will gives us a little more showing about the characters and a little less telling.

Overall I’d definitely recommend this book to readers who like young adult paranormal fiction. It is slow getting into it, but hanging on rewards readers with an excellent story.

[Alison (Ali's Books) Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a signed copy of this book, but I was in no way compensated for this review.

Moonstone is the first book in the Unbidden Magic Series. After reading it, I'd say it's mostly appropriate for young teens. However, I immensely enjoyed it myself & I plan to read the series to my kids after I aquire the rest of the books - as long as they are as clean as the first. I know at least that my kids would love this first book.

The book starts out with young teenaged Alfreida Carlotta Emerson "Allie" trying to fix a TV antenna. She gets zapped in the process. It doesn't take long for Allie to discover that something has changed about her. She has super powers that just weren't there before.

Allie finds herself struggling with these newfound abilities, and turns to her quirky neighbor for help. Well, let's face it here. This neighbor is more than just a neighbor. She plays a significant role in Allie's life, since Allie's father took off before she was even born, and Allie's mother, well, let's say Allie's the adult in that relationship. Back to the neighbor, she is completely understanding of what Allie has been going through and tells Allie that it's time for her to have something - a moonstone pendant. Allie is to keep it with her at all times, and it's absolutely imperative that no one else gets their hands on it.

Of course, this whole deal just leaves Allie reeling. She really wants nothing to do with it. She wants her boring, dull life back, which is saying a lot. Allie lives in a travel trailer with her mom on her aunt and uncle's property. Her aunt is disgusted that her husband is allowing them to mooch off of them. She goes so far as to turn to the CPS for help in getting rid of them. That would probably make sense, too, except at this point, Allie seems perfectly capable of taking care of herself for the most part. Allie's great at taking care of her sorry excuse for a mom, too. That's the kind of person Allie is, though. She even takes care of the local kids that are bullied at her school. She doesn't back down from anyone.

It doesn't take long for Allie to learn that people are willing to kill for this moonstone. Allie finds unexpected help in a boy, that becomes more than just a friend to her. Let me say here, that this boy is the very last boy you'd ever expect it to be. Allie finds that in order to save herself, and probably the world, that she's going to have to embrace her own powers...


I thought the story flowed well from beginning to end. I was most intrigued with the character descriptions. Some of the characters had me laughing out loud. I can imagine my kids finding Blaster the Bull quite amusing! The relationships between the characters didn't play out at all like I thought they would, and the story kept me on my toes.
I can't wait to read the rest of this fun series!

[Devz Milady · Rating 2 out of 5]

tThis is a very rare book - cos I think this is the 1st time I am seeing a nice strong heroine in a shitty stupid plot.

Seriously.

The plot is so ridiculous and stupid that it doesnt make any sense at all.
There is no reason to a lot of things that happen in this book, no fantastic feel to the whole idea of moonstone and why and where of it.

It is like - WHATTTT!!!

The sheer number of stupid things in this book is amazing, so let me start with some I find superbly ridiculous.

1. Allie stays with Kizzy every Thursday cos her mom has these 'sessions' with Big Ed. Why Kizzy? There seems to be no relationship between Kizzy and Allie's mom Faye. So why? No clue!

2. There seems to be no relationship between Allie and her step-cousins in spite of the fact that they stay near each other. Weird.

3. After just 1 meeting, Allie decides to trust Junior [what kinda name is that!!!] with her whole fantastic story.
What?????

4. Moonstone is apparently a super powerful stuff found by a guy in 1755. From there the whole history gets muddled in both books. So this guy Nicolae Romano cuts the stone. Then there is some gypsy who is an unknown person but somewhere Nicolae and Gypsy gets mixed up to become the same. Then comes Magda who travels to US and then somehow it gets into Trilby's hands - how and why, nobody knows. Then to Kizzy. And one fine day, Kizzy gets the idea to give it to Allie.
So so convenient that all these people are in the same areas.

5. So this "all-powerful" stone has so far been around the same family.
Yet there is a whole group of people who either loves it or hates it.
And they didnt do anything much to acquire it till Allie comes into picture.
Why? god knows...

6. Moonstone makes a statue of Jesus open his eyes so he can protect Allie. And then the all-powerful moonstone and Jesus does this amazing thing to scare away the intruders.. guess? It falls down from the wall.
Yes.
Thats it.
The falling down from the wall of the statue affects the killers so much that they run away.

7. Mike Purdy - Allie's dad has the whole star-business going on. Yet till Allie contacted him, he never bothered to check if his kid has the star thingy going on for her. Weird?

8. Trimark - another ridiculous name - has a whole bunch of weirdos hanging around. Yet only 2 attacks Allie at this crucial time. Why? shyness?

This is a totally ridiculous plot and novel.

The only saving grace is Allie herself who comes off as a strong heroine.

And if you think Moonrise would make any sense, well - it doesnt!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moonstone was a really fun and exciting book. The plot was original and by the middle of the book there was a lot of excitement. Mystery and suspense on every page, you never knew who to trust. At first I couldn't really get into it, but pretty soon I couldn't put the book down, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. There were a lot of sub-plots as well that really kept the book interesting. I was wondering how all the points would work out in the end, but they did. Moonstone definitely left room for a sequel, which I'm really excited to read. The ending was perfect, but there was still some things that left you wondering what was going to happen. This was a fun read for fans of mysteries because there were a lot of twists and turns in the plot that kept you guessing. And don't forget the romance. Allie, the main character, definitely had her share of romances. All in all this was a fun book, that might take you a little while to get into, but it's definitely worth it at the end.

Allie was a really cool main character. She lived with her mother in a trailer on their Uncle's property. She never complained about her way of living and didn't ever think of using her powers to get them more than they needed. Kizzy was also a great character. I loved how she lived in a big house and had tons of money, but never once overused it or acted like she was rich. Known as the town witch, from the beginning I knew something was going to happen with Kizzy. She was the one who gave Allie the moonstone necklace and told her about the prophecy. Allie has to figure out most of her powers and the facts about the prophecy by herself, but she does have a caring mom, and great friends to help her out, but I was glad Allie was mostly independent and didn't need everyone helping her all the time. She was brave and could take care of herself.

Another great aspect of the novel, was that no one was what they seemed. Every character was under suspicion at least once in the book. There were a lot of characters, but it was easy to keep up with who was who. I was surprised many times during the book, and was glad the ending surprised me. Moon Rise, the sequel, looks like it will be just as good, so I'm really looking forward to reading this. If you like mysteries, books about magic, or just a fun read, Moonstone is for you. Definitely give it a read.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

[#ReadAllTheBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a long time fan of YA fiction, I'm always ready to discover something new regardless of genre. I'll admit though that at heart I'll always be a fantasy & urban fantasy type of girl- there's just something about having a "Sweep" type series that just captures the audience's wish fulfillment needs.

Allie's never really known "the good life". The only life she's known has been one where she's lived in a trailer behind her uncle Sid's house with her mother, a woman trying to gain disability for an ailment she may or may not have. When a fall onto an electric fence jump starts her psychic abilities, Allie discovers that not only is she the proud owner of a slew of powers but also the inheritor of a moonstone necklace capable of great- or terrible- feats. Unfortunately there's more than one person interested in this necklace & their intentions aren't very good...

Brothers manages to create a very readable & enjoyable first entry into her "Unbidden Magic" series. Readers will love the spunky Allie & thrill as they see her stumble into her magic powers & use them for the first time. She's a great character & one that you just can't help but root for- especially when she starts noticing certain handsome young men that are close to her. Many will find this a nice short book that'll be great for a quick read inbetween other series.

The book isn't without its flaws, though. There's a lack of detail to the relationship between Allie & her mother Faye. It just takes a while to really see why Allie would put up with her mother's antics because there's not a lot of emotion (negative or positive) shown between the pair of them. Allie states her mother's actions with a sense of ennui that did show her well on the way to becoming world weary but without enough "oomph" behind it. This isn't the only relationship or element that could've been fleshed out a little more. Parts of the story stream by at an incredibly fast pace & while it did make for a nice fast read, many will wish that Brothers had taken just a little while longer to describe everything- especially Allie's strange otherworldly guide Trilby.

Overall though this is a great read & one that I'd recommend to a great many readers. It's just that I wish that there was a little more to it at times. I'm already planning to get the other two books in the series (both of which are already out), so hopefully the pacing & character info will improve as the series progresses.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

[Caedy Eries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Moonstone (Unbidden Magic #1)
Author: Marilee Brothers
Rating: 4/5

Summary: Allie lives in Peakcock Flats, Washington with her mom. Every day life has the typical filler of every fifteen-year-old’s life: high school bullies, snarky drama queens, bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Oh, Allie also has this prophecy to live up to about saving the world from evil. Her psychic abilities are jump started by an electrical jolt from a TV antenna which brings forth a hippy-dippy guardian angel and the gift of an incredible moonstone pendant from the town “witch,” who just happens to be Allie Emerson’s next door neighbor.


Review: The story starts off a touch strange, but it quickly becomes exciting and more suspenseful as you progress. Kudos to Marilee Brothers on her first attempt, and as a self published book there are a few flaws, but that is to be expected, and they did not bother me too much, except for the failure to set the ‘rules” so to speak for the many magical talents Allie is now in possession of by the end of the book.

Allie’s powers are telekinetic and they are amplified by the moonstone pendant that she is given by her eccentric neighbor, however, there are others that want the pendant as well, and now Allie’s world is filled with quite a bit more than your average high school drama, she has now started her part in the age old battle between good and evil, however she isn’t sure who she can trust.

The characters are pretty well developed, and they are the type you can either love or hate. Allie just wants a normal life, and actually wants her powers to go away when they first manifest themselves. She is also more grown up than her mother Faye, who you just want to shake and smack some sense into. Junior is the local bad boy, former gang member and now trying to right his wrongs and keep himself out of trouble. I love the interaction between Allie and Junior and the potential for a budding relationship is so strong, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.




If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
Confessions of a Bibliophile
Idle Musings and Random Things
Cae's Smashwords Reviews

[Erika M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this story. While I certainly respect the opinion of other reviewers, and I can understand where many of the negative reviews come from, I have to somewhat disagree. Granted, this was not a "deep" story, but we are talking young adult here. One of the things I liked about this book was that it was easy to read.

I'm not a YA addict and most of the YA books I read are ones recommended to me by my sister, who is a 5th grade teacher and avid YA reader. I liked that this book was not filled with "teenage angst", which seems to be what many YA books are about. Allie, the main character had real issues to deal wth like living in poverty and a mother/daughter relationship that is actually juxtaposed. These are issues that many kids in America actually have to deal with.

I also really liked that this book was not filled with sex or sexual tension. Ther are some minor references to sex and the beginnings of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, but it is kept refreshingly simple.

Onne reviewer mentioned that at times Allie is incredibly intelligent and at others just stupid. To me, this makes Allie all the more real. Even themost intelligent among us at times do the stupidest things, let alone a 15 year old trying to deal with adult problems. That Allie cannot always control her emotions and that her mouth often gets her in trouble is what makes her a more typical teenager, not taking her magical powers into consideration.

I think that with many of the YA books and series that have emerged of late, we have begun to expect too much from YA books. In my opinion, some of themore popular YA series should only be read by the older end of the YA group (i.e. The Hunger Games trilogy and the Twilight series). Series like those are also more for the YA who is already interested in reading. I think Moonstone would be a great book to get some teens more interested in reading.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I am not sure if I will be reading the remainder of this series, though. One of the things I most liked about Moonstone was that it dealt more with real problems encountered by teens than it did with magic. After reading the synopses of the other books in the series, it appears Ms. Brothers has gone on a more fantastical bend. We'll see...

[Karissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of this book through NetGalley(dot)com. This was a book I had had on my "to read" list for a while. It was an okay book, a quick read and the characters were likable but not incredibly original. There are two more books in this series so far Moon Rise and Moon Spun

Allie lives with her chronically sick mother in a trailer on her uncle's property. Her life isn't great, but it could be worse. Then she gets zapped by a power-line and starts being able to move things with her mind. When an old friend of hers gives her a Moonstone that she says is prophesied to be Allie's, things start getting even stranger. Allie finds out that she may be part of a prophecy involving two ancient races that have been fighting each other for centuries.

This book was okay. Allie is a likable enough character and even Allie's mom (who is definitely not mother-of-the-year) is somewhat likable at times. The boy who ends up helping Allie out is also easy to relate to. That being said none of the characters are very deep and they are all pretty 2D.

The story is pretty simple, it basically involves Allie discovering her powers and trying to keep the Moonstone away from bad people. Nothing that happened in the story was very surprising or original. It was all just okay.

Brothers writing style is readable and the dialogue natural sounding; the story was a quick read. Things were wrapped up nicely but a storyline was definitely left open for future books. The purpose of this book seemed to be mainly to set things up for future books, so I am hoping the future books in this series have more complex and deeper stories to them.

Overall this was an okay book. It wasn't an exciting read, but it wasn't horrible either. When I finished it I mainly thought, "Huh, well okay guess I am done with that." I wasn't eager to read more about these characters or learn more about the world. If you are interested in a young adult book featuring a girl with telekinesis this may be the book for you. Personally though I would skip it or get it from the library. I don't plan on reading future books in this series.

[Lissette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allie Emerson has had to grow up too fast and too soon. She's had to take care of her mother and her imaginary ailments for as long as she can remember. While this doesn't necessarily bother, she wishes for a different life sometimes. Caring for her mother is a full-time job, and it's slowly taking its toll.

An unexpected accident soon brands her with unexplained powers. At first, she wonders if what's happening to her is a side effect from the zap she received from the TV antennae. Yet as the little things start piling up, Allie's no longer sure.

Seeking answers to her curious predicament, her zany neighbor soon gifts her with an extraordinary pendant - a Moonstone she says is meant for her. While the gift is certainly mind-boggling, Allie knows that's the least of her worries. She has her mother to take care of, and a bully to put in his place at school. Not to mention that she also has to deal with her aunt, uncle, and the state's child protection services.

Trying to make sense of the situation, Allie can no longer ignore just how different things have become. Whereas she was once invisible to the student body, so to speak, she's now garnered attention to herself in more ways than one. She also has to contend with the unexpected attempts on her life and that of some of her friends.

Deep inside, she knows there more to things than meets the eye. Deciphering what she needs to know, however, is going to be trying. Someone's out to get her, and she's not exactly sure as to why. If she's to come out on top, she'll need to learn her powers to the best of her ability and fast. The Moonstone necklace is the key. The question is, can she learn how to use it before someone else is hurt in the process?

This was honestly a very enjoyable start to what looks to be a very delightful series. Allie and her predicaments are definitely realistic, to some extent. Though she occasionally stumbles through each unique situation that she finds herself, the story itself is certainly endearing. Introduced to a slew of character's, they add intrigue as well comic relief on occasion. I enjoyed the story very much, and look forward to what comes next in the series.

[Vanya D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is yet another book I got from Netgalley to review. It came in a bundle with the other 3 books of this series.
When I sat down to read it, I thought that it will probably be just like any other light book, but honestly - I liked it. It had a constant diary style voice, and in my opinion that fit with the narrator - 15 year old Allie (Alfrieda).
I loved her feisty character, loved how much she cared about the people she loved. Well, I didn't like it when she was trying to lie to her mom, but point for mom (Faye) - she always saw through the lies.

Also, until it came to be, I had no idea which of the boys would end up in a romantic relationship with Allie. But then came Junior Martinez - a total Latino hottie, who knew not to cross the boundaries with that particular girl. Because she's dangerous, powerful and not one to mess with.

The story was light, and at the same time intense. There was love, there was action, there was paranormal activity. In four words: it had it all.

Well, there were some grammar mistakes (missing conjugates and such), so yeah it kind of needs some minor editing. But really, nothing major.

The characters:
*Allie - Well she's a girl who can't be messed with. She protects her friends, and generally the weak. Sometimes she saves the bullies from the strongest of the day. Good thing is that she can also save herself, and she doesn't hesitate one second when she has to put her life in danger in order to protect her mom.

*Faye - Allie's mom who is a really irresponsible adult. She and Allie live in a trailer, and Faye doesn't care to do anything to change the situation. In many cases, Allie is the adult, while Faye is the disobedient child.

*Kizzy - that's who kind of got it all spinning. But without her, I think that Allie might not have had half as much confidence in herself as she does now.

*Junior - oh well, what can I say? He's absolutely yummy. He's the hot guy who grabs the girls' hearts and doesn't let go.

This is a very good book for 14-16 year old girls.