Spoilers!

I have loved this series and read the first two every quickly, but in the third novel I got bogged down wtih the addtion of a third boyfriend, who I didn't like nearly as well as the first two (he was much too arrogant) and the addition of another magical complication in her life. She's a faerie, with another name to keep track Normally I like the "out there" books, but this just felt like overkill. I even love modern day faerie tales, but I want to know from the beginning that's what I have--don't dump it in the third book.

Instead of giving Allie a chance to grow up and mature, she keeps getting more immpossible things to deal with, maybe it's all a dream and she's living in one of Junior's Spanish soap operas. I'll look for the fourth one, but I will bail out if I meet another boyfriend. ( )

Moon Spun was also included in the Moonstone bundle I got from Netgalley. However, unlike the first two books, this one didn't really get to me.

First, there was the weirdness of the three guys going after Allie. And to be honest, I didn't like any of them besides Junior (of course). I was truly happy for his return, cuz I missed his spicy Latino air.
Second, there was the fairy stuff... seriously, why does there have to be something else weird going on? Wasn't the moonstone and the star seekers stuff enough already? Apparently not, but I honestly didn't think that the fairies were the answer here. So in a way, that kind of felt pushed. As if the story was meant to develop elsewhere, but instead was pushed into fairy land.
Third, besides Allie, Chad and Junior all other characters seemed to be lost somewhere in the pages. Especially Melia. She seemed so shallow, that I couldn't at all understand what was her purpose at all. She was so unrealistic, I was rolling my eyes at her lines. Yeah, I know this is a teen story, but that doesn't mean that the adult characters should be made to speak in a childish way. Adults are supposed to be mature, and to know what they're doing and saying. So, yeah, unrealistic.

What I liked was that the author kept Allie's voice the same. There was no change in her spunk, nor was there a change in Junior. In fact, I had expected Junior to have morphed in this super proud guy, but he was even more reachable. Loved him all the more for it :)))

And Beck?? Well, I didn't like him from the beginning, so I liked the turn of events very much ;) ( )

3.5 Stars -
This is the third of five volumes in the Unbidden Magic series, and picks up where the last left off. It is written as a sequential series, and while the first two books were enhanced by sequential reading, this book could stand alone without great confusion.

In this book, Junior returns from Mexico to express his desire for Allie, and her boy problems continue with confusion about which boy is superior. Sadly, that whole line of the story tends to find me less than enthusiastic, Allie was developing nicely as a strong and independent girl, not requiring a boy. That is a rarity in much YA fiction today, and although this was a momentary blip in Allie’s otherwise reasonably sensible approach to relationships (for a teen girl) I did find it distracting. Likewise the addition of the fae and the fairy elements to the story, while I think that the target audience of YA readers will adore the additional elements, there are still plenty of unanswered questions to do with TriMark and the Star Seeker plot lines.

Still, this was highly readable, fast paced and enjoyable in the escapist way that a YA reader will enjoy. While I missed some of the careful attention to Allie’s development and growth, the story did move forward and provide a logical middle step for the last two books in the series.
I received an eBook copy through NetGalley for purpose of honest review for the IOB Tours. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility. ( )

Junior comes back from Mexico, with an entourage no less. He was always been drool-worthy. Now all the girls, and even the grown women, in town are acting like he’s some kind of movie star, which he is if you think about it. (My reaction to Junior coming back to town was a big so what. He left us when we needed him most, so too bad for him.) Read the rest of my review for all of the books in the Unbidden Magic series at http://popcornreads.com/?p=3897 ( )

Reviewed at http://www.mandikayereads.com/archives/1150

There comes a time where you just have to say enough is enough.

Yes, I still enjoyed the story - but come on! Fairies now? It's as if Marilee Brothers is trying to cram every bit of supernatural she possibly can into this story. It's starting to get a little far-fetched - even for this paranormal supernatural lovin' gal.

And third book, third guy. Really? What is with this cycle of endless boys being paraded by us? It's hinted at that Allie will end up with Junior again in the next book, but honestly I'm not really okay with that. He left, promising to come back, and instead became a television star in Mexico. All without ever picking up the damn phone. That's a kind of untrustworthiness that does not deserve a second chance.

Allie should know better than that.

I'm frustrated with the series at this point, but I will stick it out. There's one book left. ( )