Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3) by Marilee Brothers

Title: Moon Spun

Author: Marilee Brothers

Series: 3rd in Unbidden Magic

Pages: 246

Published: July 2010 by Bell Bridge Books

ISBN: 9781935661955

Source: sent for review by Publisher

Description: Junior's back from Mexico with his movie-star entourage. Beck's using his half-demon charms to "heal" a new girl. Mom's still wacky and now she's dating Principal Hostetler. High school is still an obstacle course of drama queens, bullies and nutjobs. The Trimarks are still a menace, and the moonstone pendant has revealed even more mind-boggling powers. In other words, Allie Emerson's life as the Girl Voted Least Likely To Save The World From Evil has gone from Weird to Super-Charged Super-Weird, and it's about to get even weirder. You're a faery princess. So says the mysterious Ryker, whose handsome talents include turning himself into a hawk. By the way, he and Allie are destined to marry. In faery land--Boundless. If they can save it from forces even more deadly than Trimarks and high school. The third book in the Unbidden Magic series plunges readers into a rich other-world of danger, humor, romance, fable, fairytale and magical destiny.

I Give This ...

I think I might have been expecting to much with this one.  After enjoying Moon Rise quite a bit, I was hoping Moon Spun would continue on the same path.  But, I almost feel like the author is trying too hard and mixing too many elements.

First off, Junior is back.  I'm not sure what it is about the guy but I'm just not feeling it.  I liked Beck, but it this one he turns into an ass and disappears for most of the story.  Add in the third guy (really did we need a third) Ryker and it just gets sticky.  Ryker seems to be the most intersting, but then fairies usually are.  Thankfully Allie decides at the end that she doesn't need men, but we will see how long that lasts.

So we add in the element of fairies, and that's were I was beginning to lose interest.  I think we could have just stuck with the moonstone and the prophecy and it would have been enough.  But, the story is starting to get complicated and I'm not sure were it's going.  Plus, I'm beginning to feel like it's dragging out a little.  But, I will probably continue on if there is another one.  I've invested this much time, I was to see what Allie does with the prophecy.

Moon Rise (Unbidden Magic #2) by Marilee Brothers

Title: Moon Rise

Author: Marilee Brothers

Series: 2nd in Unbidden Magic

Pages: 254

Published: June 2009 by Belle Books

ISBN: 9780982175699

Source: sent for review by publisher

 

Description: Her mom's still dating losers. Her boyfriend's gone back to Mexico. Dad still hasn't told his wife and kids that she exists. At school, the drama queens and bullies still rule. But worst of all for Allie Emerson--aka the Star Seeker of an old Gypsy prophecy--is that her powers have taken a hike. She can't read minds anymore. She can't move stuff just by looking at it. The other Star Seekers are counting on her psychic gifts more than ever, and the evil Tri-marks are closing in, eager to snatch her magic moonstone necklace while she's helpless. The hot new guy at school is ready and willing to fight her battles, but he comes with some wicked baggage. Dear Diary: I'm a little worried. My new BF is a demon. Welcome again to Allie Emerson's funny, scary, amazing, and always unpredictable life, as the girl voted least likely to save the world from evil. 

I Give This ..

This was a marked improvement over the first in the series.  In fact, I would probably read the first just to get to this one (only because I don't think you can really skip the first).     I think all of what the first was lacking was made up in this one.

The beginning was a little choppy.  For a little bit it was almost like the personalities of the characters changed, but then the story settled down.  I was happy to see that Junior wasn't in this one.  I just didn't feel the connection there.  I almost thought it was a little cliche that the new guy in the story was supernatural.  But, it worked.  Beck just had the extra something that Junior was missing.  Add in his twin sister Nichole who seems to hate Allie and you have an interesting twist to the story.

The action is spread out through the story and involved different things.  I liked how Beck helps Allie get her powers back.  It adds to the tension.  It also helps Allie realize that there are people who she can turn to that understand the supernatural part of this world.  I also liked how the Tri-marks are still out to get her.  I thought how that all played out in the end was intense.  It seems to have a lot more magic involved that I originally thought. 

The characters are growing on me (yes even Faye).  I'll be reading the next in the series.  I want to know what else is in store for Allie!

Moonstone (Unbidden Magic #1) by Marilee Brothers

Title: Moonstone

Author: Marilee Brothers

Series: 1st in Unbidden Magic (currently 3 total)

Pages: 236

Published: August 2008 by Bell Bridge Books

ISBN: 9780980245349

Source: sent 3-1 galley by Publisher

 

Description: 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. 

I Give This ...

 

I would say this book originally came out before the young adult genre exploded like it has today.  So, I'm not sure how much recognition the author will get for what she has created.  Because, in all reality, there are better books out there (and obviously some that are worse).  

I think the author tied to hard to make readers identify with Allie.  She's seems more like the girl from the wrong side of the tracks instead of a likable heroine.  Her mother, aunt and uncle, and even her cousin are just to much to bear at times.  How is it that this girl is even remotely normal considering the influence she's surrounded by?  The development of her powers is the only thing that makes this story interesting and gives it direction.  The prophecy leaves me hope that this story can be turned into something.  It definitely kept me reading when I thought the story might have lost a lot of its charm.

Last, with the trend in young adult you might get the impression that teens want romance.  They want the swoon worthy guy.  I'm sorry to say that Junior is not it.  He seems like a good guy, but the romance just isn't quite there.  

So overall, the story is just off a little.  Maybe it's needs a little bit more development, more romance, and little bit more action.  Hopefully the next in the series satisfies those requirements a little bit more.