Moonstone

Marilee Brothers

 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 Take:

Honestly, though I enjoyed "Moonstone", I didn't love it.  Some of the language sounded a lot like that out of touch parent trying to use outdated "hip lingo" to get in with the "youngsters these days".   I half expected to actually hear the term "whippersnapper" at some point in the book.  The strong language used throughout had the same feel.  It felt as if she had written a book for teenagers and then as an after thought, added in strong language to have a wider appeal, but it just didn't feel natural.  If a book is going to have language, it can't be in there just to have it in there, it's got to at least feel natural.  While the writing felt a bit strained, the story line was interesting and new, and it really made up for some of the awkward writing.  The characters were also intriguing.  I really found myself rooting for the hero, as she was relatable and normal.  While reading the book, I was very wrapped up in it, and it was definitely a page turner, but I forgot about it the second I was done.  If you are in the mood for just a fun little way to pass the time, this is definitely the book for that, but not necessarily one to purchase and keep in your library for all time.  I rate this book a 4, Borrow from a Friend, not a waste of time to read, just, don't spend money on it.

Do you agree with my review, or do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

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If this book were made into a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for moderately strong language throughout.

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