Common Grounds-- Graphic Novel Review & Writer Interview!

Paperback, 244 pages
Released: October 15th 2004
Publisher: Top Cow Comics
ISBN 1582404364 (ISBN13: 9781582404363)
Source: Local comic shop

Writer Troy Hickman (City Of Heroes) welcomes you to Common Grounds, a chain of doughnut and coffee shops where both heroes and villains kick back in their off-hours. Hickman delivers a total of 13 tales of triumph and tragedy putting a true-to-life view on archetypes. The stories are lavishly illustrated by a galaxy of star artists, including George Perez (JLA/Avengers), Sam Kieth (The Maxx), Dan Jurgens (52) and Chris Bachalo (Ultimate X-Men)

Common Grounds was my very first experience with graphic novels. A few years ago, I read about it on a message board I used to frequent.
I decided to give it a shot. I took my very first trip to a comic shop and luckily, they had one copy on hand.
I bought it, read it, cried my eyes out, then read it again.

Since I'm not a regular comic reader, I don't feel qualified to write about this book AS a comic.
I don't know anything about artwork or drawing or ink or pencilling. I CAN tell you that the pictures are pretty. I liked looking at them and they did enhance the experience.
Instead, I'm going to talk about the stories.
I love to read, I love books, I love words, and I love stories. That's what I know and that's what I feel comfortable talking about here.

Written by two-time Eisner nominee Troy Hickman, Common Grounds (Top Cow) contains 13 stand-alone stories--although there is a bit of intertwining between some of them.
Each and every one is a delight to read. There are NO weak stories in this book. The characters come alive and the humour will make you laugh out loud.
I especially loved the character names. How Hickman comes up with so many great superhero/supervillain names is beyond me!

This is truly a side of superheroes and supervillains we never get to see. Their innermost thoughts, their weaknesses, their personal lives....Who knew that superheroes deal with the same issues WE do?
The four that I enjoyed the most were 'Elsewhere', 'Glory Days', 'Time Of Their Lives' and 'Loose Ends'.
These stories touched me. Some are heartwarming and some are heartbreaking...but all are wonderfully written and they'll make even the toughest comic book geek tear up.
And the twist in 'Time Of Their Lives' is just brilliant. Well done, Mr. Hickman!

The only complaint I have is that there aren't enough stories, and the stories we do get aren't long enough!
I wish this had been turned into a full series. I have a feeling Troy Hickman is FULL of stories just waiting to be told.

And speaking of Troy Hickman...well, I mentioned above that I found out about Common Grounds through a message board.
Troy just happened to be a frequent poster on that same message board. I'd never spoken to him, but after I read Common Grounds, I sent him a message telling him he'd made me cry and how much I'd enjoyed his book.
He wrote back to thank me and we messaged back and forth a few times until the conversation petered out.
A few years later, I happened across his name on Facebook and sent him a friend request. He accepted and because of that...and Common Grounds... today I consider Troy Hickman a friend.
We often banter back and forth and I can honestly say he's one of the most intelligent and hilarious people I know. I really hope to meet him in person one day!

Don't you LOVE social media? And comic books? ;)

Troy Hickman
Not a vampire, sparkly or otherwise.

When I told Troy I was going to review this book, I asked him if he would mind answering a few questions. Being the nice guy he is, he obliged.

So without further adeiu, here's my interview with Common Grounds writer, Mr. Troy Hickman!




Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Who are you and what have you written?


I am the Walrus. I am the man who shot Liberty Valance. I am your father, Luke…

I’m also a Hoosier, a college instructor, the fathers of a professional wrestler, and a comic book writer. Among those comics would be the Eisner-nominated Common Grounds (about a chain of donut shops which cater to superheroes and villains), the Pilot Season-winning Twilight Guardian (which deals with a possibly mentally-ill woman who patrols a nine-block area around her neighborhood each night in a hoodie and mask), City of Heroes (based on the online multi-player game, for which I’ve also done some work), Witchblade, Turok, the Hulk, and enough small press/independent publications to choke a comic-reading horse (and I hate it when they lick their hooves to turn the pages).


Why comics? 


Well, when I was a little kid I had thought about being an astronaut, but I get car sick, so that was right out. A fairly shiftless uncle of mine gave me a small stack of comics when I was about three, and it was because of them that I learned to read on my own before kindergarten. They were probably the best part of my young life, and they grew into my passion. When I was in high school, it became apparent that if I had any talent at anything, it was writing. Flash forward through a BA and an MA in Creative Writing, lots of self-publishing, and more years than I’m willing to admit, and here I am, such a legend in the comics industry that my mom thinks I draw “Marmaduke.”


What was your first published work?


My first self-published work was Yoyo the Dieting Clown, a mini-comic I published under my own Avernus imprint. It was about a bulimic clown who binges and purges, and his romance with Retaino, a lovely clowness with swollen ankles. It was slightly autobiographical, except I never mastered the purging part.

My first big-time “hey, I actually got paid for doing this, the suckers!” comic was a magazine-sized comic called Turok: Adon’s Curse. They’re fairly hard to find now, so if you get your hands on one, hold on to it like grim death. Turok was one of the first comics I got as a kid, so I appreciated the synchronicity of the whole thing.


How do you come up with story ideas?


I do most of my best thinking when I’m either in the shower, or driving my car, as that’s where my mind tends to wander (at least in the shower that tendency won’t cause me to run over anyone…very often). The majority of what I write, comic-wise at least, is superhero type stuff, and what I find is that I do pretty well if I write a short story about normal folks just interacting with each other, and then I “dress it up” with conventions of the superhero genre. So if you read most of the stories in Common Grounds, for example, they could just as easily be about people who are NOT wearing tights and capes.

I love superhero stuff, but I find myself reluctant to do “normal” superhero stories, as I would just feel like I’m churning out the kind of work of which there are already thousands of examples out there. So I do books like Common Grounds, where it’s pretty much all dialog, or Twilight Guardian where there’s NO dialog, but rather it all takes place functionally within the character’s head.


Who are your influences?


Too many to count ‘em all, but in comics it would be folks like Steve Ditko, Harvey Pekar, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Englehart, Mike W. Barr, Mark Gruenwald, Steve Gerber, Arnold Drake, Cary Bates, Elliot S. Maggin, and a ton of other folks that unfortunately far too few of today’s comic readers would know.


If you could write any characters in the current comic universe, who would you choose and why?


If you mean Marvel or DC, I tend to gravitate toward lesser-known characters like Ultra the Multi-Alien, the 3-D Man, etc. If I could write one book for Marvel, I think it might be the Liberty Legion, set in the 40s. At DC, it would be Dial H for Hero. As far as MAJOR characters, probably Captain America or the Thing at Marvel, and maybe the Flash or the Legion of Superheroes at DC.


Who is your favourite superhero? And which superhero are you most like?


My favorites are the ones I’ve created, because I’m an egomaniac (and also have low self-esteem; you work that one out). As far as which ones I’m like, I think I share a lot in common with Captain America, or at least the version of Captain America I have in my head. I’m also very much like such characters as the Thing, or Metamorpho, or my own Strangeness from Common Grounds, in that I’ve also found myself feeling kind of freakish, an outcast of sorts.


What advice would you give to budding comic writers?


The primary advice I always give is PERSISTENCE. At any given moment, there are literally ten thousand comic readers out there who also want to write them. 80% of them will give up that dream within a year or two of trying if they don’t succeed. OUTLAST THEM. Also, write comics because you have a love for the medium. Far too many publishers these days are merely using comic books as a “farm team” for creating movies, TV shows, video games, etc. That’s all fine and dandy, and if they decide to make Twilight Guardian underoos, I’ll be the first in line. But that’s secondary at best. The comics are what’s important, not getting your foot into Hollywood’s door, not being a “rock star,” etc.

Also, if you want to succeed, do a comic for which you have passion. You know which of my comics have been the most successful? The ones that everyone told me COULD NOT possibly work. I had folks telling me that a comic about people talking in a donut shop couldn’t go beyond an issue…right up until it was nominated for a couple of Eisner awards. I had people telling me that a comic about a woman walking around at night with “nothing happening” had no future…until it won its own four-issues series through the Pilot Season competition.

But you know what HASN’T been successful? Those few times that I tried to analyze what was selling well in the comic industry and duplicate it, rather than making the kind of comics that I wanted to read myself.


Any word from Starz about the Common Grounds TV series? 


I don’t know what the status is at the moment. I’m hoping it comes to fruition, as that would almost guarantee a new run of the comic. It’s tough, though, as maybe one in a thousand projects that gets optioned ever makes it to the screen (heck, even the recent Wonder Woman TV project couldn’t make that last step). If it doesn’t come to pass, though, I have some stories that I’ve written for Common Grounds that I can easily retool into stories for something else (it’s just a matter of saying to the artist “supermarket” rather than “coffee shop”…!)

How about the Twilight Guardian movie?


The last I heard there were some folks interested in also bringing that to the small screen, maybe as a weekly show where she gets involved in the lives of people in her neighborhood. If that happens, you’ll be the first to know (perhaps literally, as no one ever tells me anything!).


Any projects in the works now?


I’m working with my pal Stan Timmons on some projects. We had a pitch for a new Night Force book at DC, but it looks like they’re doing something else with that title now, so we may have to mutate it into something else. We’re also about to pitch a VERY unconventional WWII superhero book to some publishers that will either make us both household names or cause publishers to banish us from the funnybook biz for all eternity. I’ve also got some plans for an autobiographical book that I’ve wanted to do for probably thirty years now (ever since the first time I read American Splendor).

And I’m always looking for work, so if any editors are reading this, remember that I’ve got a coupon for 40% off on scripts, but only with participating Troy Hickmans, void where prohibited…


Thank you so much for being my very first interview, Troy, and for writing such phenominal comics!


You can buy Common Grounds here, and Troy's Top Cow Pilot Winning comic, Twilight Guardian here.
And make sure to follow Troy on Twitter at @Troy_Hickman!

Book Review--Illusion

Dane and Mandy Collins have been a popular magic act for close to 30 years. In their late fifties, they plan to retire but their plans are devastated by a fiery car wreck. Dane awakens in a hospital and learns that Mandy is dead. As he reflects on their life together and how they first met at a magic show, we see nineteen-year-old Mandy in a flashback:


Mandy and two friends are visiting a county fair in Idaho when they happen upon a theater where a magician will be doing a show in an hour. While waiting to see the show, young Mandy appears to falls asleep, then awakes abruptly. She fell asleep in 1970; it is now 2010. Distraught, she is picked up by security personnel. She winds up in a mental hospital, where no one is sure who she is or where she came from?


Mandy escapes from the hospital. Alone, penniless, and mystified by her circumstances, she takes shelter with a charitable family and begins eking out a dime by performing magic for anyone who will stop, watch, and leave a tip. She winds up doing a weekly magic act at a local coffeehouse.


A friend tells Dane there’s an act he ought to see. Dane has retired but agrees to watch the girl perform. He is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot readily explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this nineteen-year-old who is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met some forty years earlier. 


When Mandy and Dane reunite, they must decide what their future is…and uncover the conspiracy behind their meeting; the strange, supernatural bent to Mandy's magic; and who is following them?
Again, Frank Peretti has crafted a riveting novel full of twists and mystery. This rich, rewarding book depicts a love story that transcends time, space, and what's meant by “death” and “life.” Exceptionally well written, Illusion will soon prove another classic in Frank's impressive list.



Now, my friends, don't let the blurb on the back of this book sway you. It may be written by the 'father of Christian fiction', but this is by no means a preachy, religious book.

Illusion is a all love story, and it's told in a beautiful, magical way (pun totally intended!).

Mandy is adorably charming--you'll love her right off the bat.
Particular highlights are her performances. Peretti describes her 'tricks' so well that you'll actually SEE them as she's doing them, and you'll marvel at the wonder in her eyes as if she was right in front of you, showing off her act.

This really isn't my usual type of book--I'm not one for romance--But Mr. Peretti definietly kept my attention through the entire novel.

The only negative I found in this book was the scientific mumbo-jumbo. It was often difficult to follow and I honestly had no idea what they were saying when they were explaining it.
It was only when I saw it in action that the 'aha!' moment came.

If you like romance, you'll adore this book. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to, which was a wonderful surprise. :)

Once Upon A Time-- Dreamy

Tonight we got the story of Grumpy....and WHAT a story it was! Once again, Lee Arenberg hit it out of the park with his brilliant performance.

In Fairytale Land, we meet Nova, played by the amazing Amy Acker. Does the woman not age?!

And how Fred-like was Nova? I literally JUST finished watching Angel for the first time two weeks ago, so seeing Amy in this type of character again was almost bittersweet.

As Nova is flying over the land, a bit of fairydust--which we find out is made from diamonds that are mined by dwarfs-- accidentally falls onto a giant egg.
That egg hatches early and who's inside? Why, a dwarf, of course! Didn't you know dwarfs are hatched? ;)

The dwarfs are all given an ax which reveals their name...And we find out that our Grumpy was originally called Dreamy!

Dreamy stumbles across Nova in the mine as she's filling up her fairydust bag and he recognizes her from the dream he had before he hatched.

Nova invites Dreamy to watch the fireflies that night on the hill and, after a good kick in the butt from none other than Belle (how great was it to see her again?!) , who's suffering from a broken heart herself after being thrown out by old Rumpy, he arrives on the hill where Nova and Dreamy declare they're love for each other.
They decide to meet the next night to run away and explore the world together on a boat.

The dwarfs catch Dreamy as he's sneaking away the next night and he tells them he's different....He's in love.
They give him their blessing, but as he's walking through the forest, Dreamy is stopped by Bossy and the Blue Fairy.
They tell him dwarfs aren't capable of love. That Nova must follow her dreams to become a fairy Godmother, but Dreamy must allow her to do so.

On the hilltop, Nova shows Dreamy the boat on the water...and Dreamy tells her he can't run away with her.
He can't get in the way of her dreams. When she asks, "Don't you love me?", Dreamy replies, his voice thick with emotion, "I'm a dwarf. I can't love."
And a single tear runs down his cheek. Yeah, I cried. So what?! :P

Dreamy goes back to the mine and, in his anger, breaks his ax on the stone. When he's given a new ax, a new name appears. Grumpy.
AWWWWWWW!



Over in Storybrooke, we meet Leroy in the diner, where he's his usual grumpy self.
In walks Mary Margaret who's trying to recruit volunteers to help sell candles to raise money for the nuns on Miner's Day.
MM asks Leroy if he'll volunteer and he bitterly replies, "...Town harlot. Town drunk. The only person people like less than me in this town...is you."
Don't hold back there, Leroy. Tell us what you're REALLY thinking. Sheesh.

Later, Leroy helps a nun named Astrid, who's none other than Nova's Storybrooke counterpart.
He's taken with her, and in an attempt to get closer to her he goes to MM and volunteers to help sell candles.
Of course, the town drunk and the town tramp sell absolutely NO candles, but instead of fessing up to Astrid with the truth, he lies and tells her they sold them all.

Leroy tries to come up with the $5000 himself to save the convent, but the evil Mr. Gold won't buy Leroy's boat and also won't give the nuns a break on their rent because, apparently, he hates nuns. (Or does he hate fairies? Hmm...)
Astrid comes to Leroy's boat with pie...and she sees the candles stacked on the deck of the boat. Leroy is forced to confess that he lied.

Later that evening, Leroy and Mary Margaret are getting drunk in the diner. Leroy tells MM to suck it up. To remember what she DID have with David and stop moping about what she doesn't have, because he didn't get ANYTHING with the woman he loves.
Leroy has an epiphany and goes to the roof of the diner. With MM watching on, Leroy smashes the power transformer (with a pickax, no less!) and causes a town-wide blackout.
MM asks him what he's doing and in a GREAT line, Leroy replies with a smirk, "I'm sellin' candles, sister." Ha!

Of course, because of the blackout, everyone is now buying candles and MM and Leroy quickly sell out, raising the $5000 the nuns need to pay the rent.

Leroy has his moment with Astrid after he hands her the money. He tells her he's going to fix up the boat and she'll be his first passenger.
AWWWWWW!

MM walks to her car and, once again, someone has spray painted 'TRAMP' on the side.
Dejected, MM holds her head up and resolves to walk home.
Granny, of all people, reaches out to her, lights her candle and smiles apologetically. Looks like MM will be forgiven...eventually.


And through all this, the side-plot was Emma, Sidney, Regina, David....and Kathryn's disappearance.
David tells Emma that he'd had no contact with Kathryn the day she disappeared, but the phone records Sidney gives to Emma tell a different story. They show an 8 minute call from David on Kathryn's phone records.
With Regina's threats ringing in her ears, Emma brings David to the station for questioning...and that's where we end.

Another BRILLIANT episode. Every week I wonder how they're going to top themselves and they ALWAYS do.


Highlights:
- Belle's guest appearance!
- The parallels between the Fairytale plot and the Storybrooke plot. Nova/Astrid sprinkles Dreamy/Leroy with 'dust', the candles/fireflies, Dreamy tells Nova and Astrid tells Leroy, "You can do anything if you dream it."
- Amy Acker!
- "I'm sellin' candles, sister." I LOVE that line!
- Seeing how the dwarfs came to be!
- Heigh Ho!
- Did you see the 'rabbit' eating the carrot? Could that be the White Rabbit and Alice we saw? ;)
- "You don't like nuns? Who doesn't like nuns?!" Ha!

Questions we have after this episode:
-Why does Gold hate nuns (or fairies)?
-WHAT does fairydust do, exactly? WHY is it so important?
-What happened to Nova after Grumpy said goodbye?
-Why were Grumpy and Stealthy looking for Nova in the dungeons?
-Where's Katheryn?!


Looks like we FINALLY see Ruby/Red Riding Hood's story next week! Who's else is crazy-excited about that?!
What did YOU think of 'Dreamy'? As always, comments are welcome!

Until  next week, Oncers!

Celebration Giveaway!

I recently hit 500 followers on Twitter and 4000 views right here on my blog! I think that's cause for a celebration!

So how about a giveaway? Everyone likes giveaways, right? And everyone likes vampires, right? Yes? Then you'll LOVE this giveaway!

ONE winner will receive ALL THREE books seen below! That's right! You get THREE awesome YA novels if you win!
All three are second hand books from my personal collection, but they're in great condition!

First up is Marked--Book 1 in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast.

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire -- that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Next is Vampire Academy--Book 1 in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.

Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . . 

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever...


And last is The Awakening/The Struggle--Book 1 & 2 of The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith.

Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants. 
Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past. 
Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her. 
Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.


Pretty great books, right?! 


To enter, just use the Rafflecopter form below!
Open to the US and Canada only this time. (Sorry, international folks!)
Giveaway ends at 12:01am ET on Sunday, March 11, 2012.


Good luck, everyone!

Ready? Set? GO!

YA Book Review-- Erebos

ebook
Source: Net galley
Published: January 19th 2012 by Annick Press (first published January 7th 2010)
ISBN" 1554513723 (ISBN13: 9781554513727)



When 16-year-old Nick receives a package containing the mysterious computer game Erebos, he wonders if it will explain the behavior of his classmates, who have been secretive lately. Players of the game must obey strict rules: always play alone, never talk about the game, and never tell anyone your nickname. 
Curious, Nick joins the game and quickly becomes addicted. But Erebos knows a lot about the players and begins to manipulate their lives. When it sends Nick on a deadly assignment, he refuses and is banished from the game. 
Now unable to play, Nick turns to a friend for help in finding out who controls the game. The two set off on a dangerous mission in which the border between reality and the virtual world begins to blur. This utterly convincing and suspenseful thriller originated in Germany, where it has become a runaway bestseller. 



It may come as a surprise to you (or not) to hear that I'm a gamer!
And as a gamer who LOVES MMORPG's, I've often gotten so sucked into those amazing little worlds that 12 or more hours can pass in the blink of an eye before I realize that I've been playing ALL DAY (or all night!).

So Erebos was right up my alley--And HOLY COW, it DIDN'T disappoint!
This is a fun book that had me turning the pages waaaaay past my bedtime. (I was up reading it until 5am one night. No joke.)
It's JUST as addictive as the game itself!

Speaking of the game, it's written brilliantly by author Ursula Poznanski.
As Nick is playing, you're completely immersed in the world of Erebos. So much so that when Nick's mom interrupts him at one point while you're reading, you get angry with her and just want her to go away...exactly like Nick does!
And when Nick is kicked out of Erebos...well, again, just like Nick, you're devestated and lost and can't help but wonder how on earth the book can go on!

Nick is a great character, if a little flat. I often found myself wondering if some of his personality was lost in the translation because the writing while in the game is just so good.
His friends are also a little static, at least until we meet a few new ones after Nick stops playing the game and goes on his outside adventure. Then they seem to come alive again.

Erebos is exciting and it'll have you trying to figure out the puzzles right along with the characters. The fun of it is that the reader never knows more than Nick does, so we're kept guessing.

The only issue I had with this book was with the translation. It's a VERY British translation with terms I doubt North American kids will understand. (The use of the word full stop for the word period, for instance.)
I'm truly hoping the publisher considers putting out an Americanized version of Erebos. I can see this being a HUGE bestseller across the US and Canada...and I would love to see it turned into a film!

But even with the Bristish terms, this is a GREAT little book, especially for boys.
It's not often I get to say this--and I'm THRILLED to be able to--But this is really the PERFECT book for those young men in your lives, ages 12 and up, to get them to put down those game controllers and pick up a book. ;)
I guarantee they'll love Erebos!

YA Book Series Review-- Unbidden Magic

ebooks
Source: Net Galley
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Release dates:
Moonstone- Aug. 1/08
Moon Rise- July 22/09
Moon Spun- July 1/10
Shadow Moon- Nov. 11/11
Series: Unbidden Magic #1-4


I was lucky enough to get Marilees Brothers' Unbidden Magic series as a set from the publisher, so I'm going to review each book seperately, but in one post.

First up is 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.

Moonstone is the first book in Marilee Brothers' Unbidden Magic series, and it's by far the weakest of the series.

Moonstone introduces us to Allie (short for Alfreida), her special powers, her lazy mother, Faye, her friend, Kizzy, and her adorable boyfriend, Junior.

Allie is a great character. Right from the start I liked her. She's easy to relate to. She's the type of girl you'd love to have for a friend.

Faye...argh, Faye. I give the writer props for this character. You dislike her SO MUCH in Moonstone, and you seriously just want to shake her and tell her to smarten up!

Junior is a real sweetie and I love him with Allie. They make an adorable couple.

The first book obviously sets up the rest of the series. Allie discovers her powers and the moonstone, she and Junior search for clues about what the moonstone is, exactly and Allie finds her estranged father....

But it's all very simple and un-original.

Luckily it's a pretty short book and it IS worth reading, however, because the series gets much, much better. ;)



Book #2 is Moon Rise.

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. 

Moon Rise is a HUGE improvement over Moonstone.

Allie continues to grow as a character, and you finally start to understand Faye a bit better.

Junior leaves town, but luckily there's a nice half-demon to take his place, so he's not really missed much.

There are some great action scenes, we learn more about the Trimarks and the Star Seekers, and we find out the moonstone can do even MORE really cool things!

Moon Rise has some fun twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages long after bedtime. ;)

Next is Moon Spun.

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.

Now, I'm a HUGE faerie fan. HUGE. I think it's safe to say that I love everything to do with fae, the Tuatha de Danann and the underworld in general, so THIS was my favourite of the four books.

I absolutely loved pretty much the entire plot and gobbled up every word. The scenes in Boundless are breathtaking, and the fae characters are absolutely amazing. 

A few scenes were so beautifully written that I was honestly moved to tears.

The one problem I did have with this third book was the addition of Ryker. I just didn't like his character and he didn't seem to really have a point.

Not to mention that now with a THIRD love interest, Allie looks like a boy-hopper. He's just not needed.

Other than that, Moon Spun is a really great book.

And lastly is Shadow Moon.

Allie Emerson is hoping for a few quiet months to catch her breath after a summer that included the discovery she is not only a twin and of faery blood, but also destined to play a pivotal role in faery world. 

School has barely begun when Allie must kiss her hope of a normal year goodbye.

She can't escape her unfinished business with the fae, the Trimarks, or Junior Martinez, who is making it clear he plans to win her back. 

Signs, portents and whispers are pushing Allie to "find the girl" before it's too late. Hoping her twin can help her solve the riddle of their destiny, Allie uncovers old secrets and begins a cross-country journey that puts her in more danger than ever before. If she succeeds, she may just find the answers that can save everyone she loves.

Sadly, this book isn't as strong as the second or third, although it is still shades better than the first.

We tenderly say goodbye to one character (although I have a feeling that it may not be the last time we see them), and we're introduced to others...one in particular that I absolutely love.

There is a twist that I saw coming, but it's a nice twist nonetheless.

The plot isn't as strong and, for me at least, not as interesting or thrilling as the previous books. It seemed disjointed and awkward in places. It felt rushed, especially since this book is very short. I wish it had been longer and more character-driven.

But the series as a whole, although not yet complete (book 5, Midnight Moon, is due in July I believe), is a really fun read.

A few things bothered me, like Allie pretty much telling everyone about her powers and the moonstone. The book often mentions Allie's trust issues, then in the next chapter, she's telling yet another person her secrets.

As mentioned above, there are just too many boys...although I think I may understand why Ryker was introduced now that I've read Shadow Moon...but that's all just my little theory. ;)

All in all, these are some excellent little books that your teens will love. I'd highly recommend them for kids 14+. 

I'm definitely looking forward to book five and reading the conclusion to Allie's story.

There's still so much plot left to resolve, I'm hoping Midnight Moon is a nice big, juicy book!

(And wouldn't it be nice to get it early so I could review it for you? Hint, hint, Bell Bridge Books!) ;)

YA Book Review--Starters

ebook
Source: Net Galley
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
URL: http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/starters/



Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. 


He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .


I don't usually let the cover of a book influence whether or not I'll read it...but this was one exception.
I LOVED this cover. It's beautiful and mysetrious and unique!

Starters is Lissa Price's debut novel, and it's written so wonderfully that you'd never know it!

The plot reminded me a bit of the short-lived Fox TV show, 'Dollhouse', with rich people coming in to rent and use other people bodies.
But that's as far as the comparison goes, really.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun and vivid. The author makes you care what happens to them.

The twists and turns were great to try to figure out. Just when you think things couldn't possibly get any worse for Callie...they do.
And speaking of Callie, she's definitely a great character for teen girls to identify with. She's strong, she's smart, she's resiliant and she would do anything for her family.

Teens between the ages of about 15 and 17 will love this book--especially teen girls.
It's got a great amount of sci-fi, mystery, thrills and, yes, even romance.

I'm definitely looking forward to book 2...especially after the way Starters ends!