Galley Galore 2.0

Hey all! Welcome to Wednesday.  On this spectacular hump day, I am featuring some reviews of galley copies of books that I'd been privileged enough to receive through Netgalley.  This edition of Galley Galore will be featuring five books total, four of which are in one singular series.  I've still got a couple of fantastic galleys to review for you, but for some of them you are just going to have to wait a while because they aren't due out for another couple of months yet.  The books featured in this edition of Galley Galore are: Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster, Moonstone, Moon Rise, Moon Spun, and Shadow Moon all by Marilee Brothers and make up the Unbidden Magic series.

Without further rambling from me, here is the first book up for review today...

Book blurb: When Grace's husband, Adam, inherits a cottage on the Yorkshire moors, they leave London behind to try a new life.  A week later, Adam disappears.  The following year, Grace returns with her baby daughter Millie.  She is desperate for answers, but resigned to preparing the cottage for sale.  With no one prepared to divulge their secrets, Grace finds herself unwilling to trust anyone.  Then, just as snow fall threatens to cut her off from the rest of the world, she makes a terrible discovery.  In the aftermath, she realizes that she has been looking in the wrong place for answers all along.  In the wild winter weather she sets out to reclaim her daughter from the one person seemingly intent on taking Millie away, praying that she will reach them in time.

This book was awesome and earned four stars from me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading mystery and thriller books because while there are some gothic undertones, it is quite a thrilling read!  Review: Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

Moonstone book blurb: A sickly mother.  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. 

This is the first book in the Unbidden Magic series by Marilee Brothers, and I'd actually received all four books from the publisher via Netgalley and so did not get a chance to look at any of the cover art until after I'd read the books and added them to my completed reads over on Goodreads.  I do like the covers of all four books and am quite glad I got the chance to read this series.  Review: Moonstone (Unbidden Magic #1) by Marilee Brothers

Moon Rise book blurb: 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 the second book in the Unbidden Magic series, and is just as good as the first in the series.  We learn more about Allie, and in this part of her life her newly found powers have done what she initially wanted them to do - gone away - she can no longer do the things that she could before, and evil is closing in, but Allie has no way to stop them with her powers gone.  Oh, and lets start dating a demon while we are at it!  It yet another page turner by Marilee Brothers.  This one, like the first got four stars from me. Review: Moon Rise (Unbidden Magic #2) by Marilee Brothers 

Moon Spun blurb: 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.

Moon Spun is the third installment of the Unbidden Magic series, and another reason for me to love Allie all the more.  Lots of interesting things continue to happen to dear Allie since her discovery of her powers.  Oh, wait, now we add faery blood into the mix - as if she didn't have enough to worry about.  Thanks Ryker, who can turn himself into a hawk...and is destined to marry Allie (GAH! Boy #3 already!).  This book pulls you into a rich other-world, Boundless, the faery land that is under threat greater than the Tri-Marks and high school.  What will happen to Allie in this installment? Oh, and did I mention that JUNIOR IS BACK FROM MEXICO?! Beck is still around too.  Dreamy, dreamy, and dreamy that is what Allie's got before her. Review: Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3) by Marilee Brothers

Shadow Moon blurb: 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 Alvarez, 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.

Allie is a twin and part faery! Right, so much for being a normal teenager, and some downtime.  Seriously, I think my head would explode if I didn't at some point get a nice long vacation and some time to myself.  However, Allie's hopes for a normal year are dashed right at the beginning of the school year.  There is unfinished business abounding from the fae, to Junior, and the ever present menace of the Tri-Marks.  

Junior wants her back, like with a vengeance.  Also, everything is pushing Allie to find "the girl" and in the mean time, she ends up having to travel cross-country and hopefully save everyone she loves if she can find the right answers!  Definitely a fantastic installment to this series and by the Gods I want more! Review: Shadow Moon (Unbidden Magic #4) by Marilee Brothers

So, there you have Galley Galore 2.0.  Five EPIC stories that you must read! 

See you next time! 

Cae 

Review: Shadow Moon (Unbidden Magic #4) by Marilee Brothers

Title:  Shadow Moon (Unbidden Magic #4)
Author:  Marilee Brothers
Rating: 5/5

Summary:  Allie is a faerie princess, destined to marry Ryker, and she’s a twin.  After all these discoveries, all she wants is some down time to process it and catch her breath, however, that is not going to be allowed.  Any hope that Allie had of a normal school year is gone, and she has countless levels of unfinished business with the fae, the Tri-Marks and the returned Junior Alvarez, who wants her back in a major way.  This danger filled cross-country journey will provide more twists and turns into Allie’s already convoluted life and hopefully she will find the answers and save everyone she loves.


Review:  Two words: CLIFF HANGER! Dear god, I am restraining myself from tracking down Ms. Brothers and begging for an ARC of book number five that she is working on.  Seriously, I want it that bad.  This book was fantastic, this book was even more of a rollercoaster than the other books in the series.  The adventure and excitement in Moon Spun have NOTHING on the twists and turns of this book. 

The play on government conspiracies, the threat from our own government added to the mix, was something expected yet unexpected.  Something I once thought as filler has become its own full blown storyline, and there was absolutely nothing that I could find fault with aside from the fact that it ends on a cliff hanger and those drive me crazy with want for more.

I seriously had to struggle to put this book down and do other things, like work and tend to household chores.  It was that good, and you cannot look away. She has a twin, and an evil looking fae who pops in and out at the weirdest times.  Also, there is the fae posing as a preacher who has evil motives.  Then we meet Sammie, who Allie has a psychic connection to.  A suspension right before the holiday, Allie is vindicated by Nicole, and this opens up the path to begin searching for her sister.  A unique mix goes along for the ride: Junior, Faye and Sammie.  However, things take a drastic turn and this search soon becomes a fight for Allie and Sammie’s life.

I wish Beck had gotten a bit more page time aside from a phone call every now and then, but perhaps it  is a good thing, because of Beck’s succubus heritage.  Junior has fallen out of favor with me, but he regained a lot of it in this installment, and I’m looking to see what develops between him and Allie in the future installments.  Another beau that is absent in this installment is Ryker, but there are some hints that lead me to believe that there maybe some kin between he and Beck.  However, the hawk feather comes through.

Sammie has become one of my favorites and I love the connection between she and Allie.  One that we do not know how close it is until the very end of the story, and I can’t wait to see more of her.

If you’ve not read this series, it is never too late to start.  There is something in it for everyone, and I am anxious to see what else is in store for Allie and her band of merry misfits. 


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
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Review: Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3) by Marilee Brothers

Title:  Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3)
Author:   Marilee Brothers
Rating:  4/5

Summary: Beck is healing a new girl.  Junior and his entourage are back from Mexico.  Mom is now dating Principal Hostetler.  Tri-Marks are still a menace and the pendant has revealed even more mind-boggling powers.  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 the rollercoaster ride of weirdness is not over yet.  Enter the mysterious Ryker, who can turn himself into a hawk btw, divulges that Allie is a faery princess and destined to be his bride.  Wait, what?! Yeah.  Oh yeah, and the faery land, Boundless, is dealing with a threat bigger than the Tri-Marks and Allie and Ryker gotta save it.


Review:  This one is just as compelling as the first two in the series, but this one has a flavor all its own.  It picks up shortly after where Moon Rise left off, summertime is here and the faeries are out to play.  Beck is in Seattle and with his departure Junior returns.  However, we also have mysterious boy number three, Ryker, who is now after Allie’s heart.

The threat in this book, thankfully is not the Tri-Marks, but in a whole new world, the Faerie Land of Boundless.  Allie’s grandmother needs her help to free the faeries of the forest from the prison they’ve been in for years.  There is a changling who wants to return to Boundless, and oh yeah, if Allie goes to Boundless, the land of her grandmother, she may never be able to return to her home.  Sounds good right?!  We learn more about her heritage in this book, her grandmother is a faerie queen, and her father has a mysterious heritage as well.

Another well written installment to this series, and kudos to Ms. Brothers for creating such a wonderful world and delightful characters – that I adore! Also, I do have to feel for Allie, I mean, the boys keep coming out of the woodworks to woo and protect her regardless of what she wants.  Allie would be just peachy settling down and being a normal teen, but that isn’t in her cards.  I love that we get this glimpse into her grandmother’s world and what it means for Allie’s future.  I love how she is further coming into her own as she bargains and stands up for what she wants.  I am more than ready for the next book in the series to see what twists and turns Allie comes across and if any more woo and protect hotties come out of the woodworks.


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
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Review: Moon Rise (Unbidden Magic #2) by Marilee Brothers

Title:  Moon Rise
Author:  Marilee Brothers
Rating: 4/5

Summary:  Allie’s powers have taken a hike, she can no longer read people’s minds and move things by looking at them.  Junior is gone off to Mexico to become a soap opera star (not something I’m thrilled with), however, Allie’s got enough to worry about.  The evil Tri-marks are closing in, wanting to grab the moonstone necklace while she is helpless, the Starseekers need her more than ever, and there is a new guy in Allie’s life that is ready and willing to fight her battles.  Oh yeah, and new hottie is a demon, always a plus right?


Review:  This was an exciting follow up to Moonstone, and a wonderful continuation of Allie’s story in the Unbidden Magic series, however, my one pet peeve is that Junior got shipped away to Mexico.  Sadness there.  However, that sadness faded away at the introduction of the new hottie on the block, this story is filled with twists and turns that are prevalent on every page and it was hard to put down once I started it.  Allie is starting to learn more about her powers, but much like her mother Faye, her grandfather will reveal nothing of what he knows, and she also has the potential to reveal secrets about her mother’s past.

Allie’s grown up quite a bit in this one, she’s growing stronger and more mature as the story goes on, and the timid Allie has been left behind.  Brothers did a fantastic job growing her up in this second book, allowing her to become a strong equal in the war of good versus evil.   Also, I truly enjoyed the introduction of some new faces Beck and Nicole, the twins.  The mixture of a nun and a succubus, with some Shaman training, that is the yummy Beck.  I also liked the inclusion of Grandfather Claude in the mix, however, saddened that he may not be around much longer, and it did annoy me that he is as closed mouthed as Faye. 

There were some questions I had about Allie and Beck’s relationship and not understanding the reason for the “pretending” of boyfriend/girlfriend when they were clearly both into each other.  Perhaps there was something more along the lines of Allie’s age, as she’s only fifteen and Brother’s is skirting the line for a more realistic setting.  The message sent to young adults by having innocents discovering the opposite sex for the first time. 

I do look forward to reading more installments of this series, this book is definitely one I would recommend along with the first, because with this series, if you do not read them in order you will miss out on important information.


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
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