Courtesy of Teens Read TooAugust 12, 2009 TeensReadToo.com(All Over the US & Canada) Fifteen-year-old Alfrieda Emerson already had enough to deal with before finding out she has freaky psychic powers.
Crammed into a one bedroom trailer with her mother on her half-uncle's property, Allie's life has been pretty miserable since her mom decided (thanks to Oprah) that she has fibromyalgia and can't work anymore. Every Thursday, her mother's lawyer, "Big Ed," comes to spend the night, and Allie has to escape to her creepy neighbor's opulent home.
The eccentric Kizzy keeps telling Allie that she has the Gift, but Allie never believed her until a fall from a ladder into the bull pasture triggers something strange in Allie's brain, and she's suddenly able to keep the bull from charging her with a mere thought. Later that night, a hippyish ghost named Trilby appears out of nowhere, claiming to be Allie's spirit guide.
Apparently, Allie has passed "the first test," but Trilby refuses to tell her anything more, except that Allie is part of an ancient prophecy.
Things get weirder when Kizzy gives Allie a moonstone pendant that has been in her family for generations, saying that Allie is meant to have it. If this piece of jewelry means even more magic, Allie wants nothing to do with it. But despite her reluctance, she finds herself in the middle of a magical tug-of-war between those who would misuse the power of the moonstone and those who would see the prophecy fulfilled.
It's time for her to live up to her destiny as "The Maiden Who is Strong of Mind" so she can protect the people that she loves.
This first book in the new UNBIDDEN MAGIC series starts off with great promise, and draws the reader into Allie's world, where ancient conspiracy and magic meet the most common of circumstances. Watching the main character grow to take charge of her life and deal with her new role left me itching to read the next book and find out what happens to her.
Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose
From Judith at J. Kaye's Book BlogJuly 28, 2009 J. Kaye 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In the small town of Peacock Flats, Washington, fifteen year old Alfrieda "Allie" Emerson lives in a tiny trailer with her mother. Financially, they are barely getting by.
The story opens with Allie's accident involving an electrical fence and a transformation that left her with psychic powers. When she is gifted with a special moonstone, her powers increase. Little does Allie know a cult is looking for this magical stone and they'll stop at nothing to have it.
Moonstone is the first of the Unbidden Magic books. Right away, the author's writing style grabbed my attention, making this an absolutely engaging adventure. The author also does a fantastic job of setting this story up for the next book. The ending left just enough mystery that I wanted to get my hands on book two.
GreenBeanTeenQueen reviews: www.greenbeanteenqueen.comJuly 21, 2009 GreenBeanTeenQueen(MO) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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.
wonderful teen fantasyJanuary 29, 2009 Harriet Klausner 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The daughter of Faye, an impoverished single mom, Allie is living in her uncle's trailer. Allie Emerson knows she is a classic klutz. However even for her this latest fiasco could not have been more unlucky short of breaking a bone. Standing on a ten foot ladder she is fixing a TV antenna on the trailer's roof when she falls touching an electric fence before landing face first into cow pie. Though the dive would have been scored a 10 for its perfect landing right into the bulls-eye, Allie Blue Note believes she has nothing but bad luck
However, something weird happens to Allie besides Child Services stalking her and her mom. She suddenly has developed paranormal powers. Her friend Kizzy the witch gives her a moonstone to help her focus. However, as is the case with Allie, her luck turns all bad. The Trimarks now know she is the Star Seeker and need her removed to complete their evil plan starting with stealing her Moonstone. Allie turns to student Junior Martinez, a retired gangbanger for help even as her unknown stalkers abduct her mom and then her.
The first Unbidden Magic teen fantasy is a wonderful tale due to Allie. She is a terrific protagonist who holds the story line together in an optimistic way in spite of her belief that she is jinxed. The support cast like her mom and the Trimarks is weak and underdeveloped except as a major cause of her bad luck. Still young adult fans will appreciate her efforts to learn to use her power reminiscent of the Greatest American hero's early days while the Trimarks stalk her and her unique choice pf a hero as her sidekick is a former gangbanger.
Harriet Klausner
The Story Siren Reviews:November 9, 2008 The Story Siren(Indiana) I have mixed feelings about this novel. There were quite a few things that bothered me, but somehow I still felt like I enjoyed reading it. Which truthfully doesn't happen often. I think my biggest problem was that I didn't particularly like any of the characters. Allie started growing on me towards the end, but her mother... don't even get me started. And the whole Junior thing, I guess I don't get it.
I also don't get why Trilby was even in this novel? Perhaps she has a bigger role in the rest of the series, although I can't see how that will work. Basically Trilby is supposed to be her guardian angel or something like that. But all she does is reconfirm what we already know is going on. "Allie you're in danger, Watch your back" Yeah, no sh** Trilby, thanks for the heads up but Allie got that all figured out about two pages ago. It was a little bit overkill and a bit annoying. I think the only reason Trilby was in the novel is so we would know who she was from the prophecy, but we don't really need to "know" her. Complete overkill.
The plot was interesting enough, it kept me turning the pages, I will say that much. I felt as though there were a few points that needed to be fully developed, and I expect that Brothers plans to do just that in the next novel. Despite the few difficulties I had, I may be tempted to pick up the next novel in the Unbidden Magic series.
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