Review of Wandering Stars From Romancing the Book
Review: Wandering Stars is Young Adult Paranormal at its very best!
Filled with characters that are excellently brought to life in a way that makes the reader truly care for them, Marlon Pierre-Antoinne tells an age old tale of forbidden love, with a deep dark twist.
I am a huge lover of the young adult genre, as well as the paranormal genre. Put these two together and my interest and curiosity is instantly piqued. When I read the synopsis of Wandering Stars I was anxious to get my hands on a copy and see if it was as good as it sounded. Well, I can honestly say that, no, it was not as good as it sounded; however it was amazingly better than it sounded. We have all heard tales of forbidden love and most recently falling in love with creatures of the night – particularly vampires. Well, take that a bit further and imagine falling in love with Lucifer, himself; a man who has been known through all of time as evil and the one that God tossed asunder for his rebellion. Imagine knowing that the man, for which you have given your heart to, will cause eternal damnation to your soul. This is exactly what Alice Valdez faces when she meets Lucas. Alice knows from the beginning that something is out of the ordinary; the dreams where she sees Lucas, his sudden appearances and disappearances, nothing makes complete sense. Then one day, that all changes and she learns truths beyond her wildest imagination and learns just how far she will go for love. Wandering Stars in told in different character perspectives. Chapters are told from Alice’s point of few, as well as Lucas’s and Leo’s (a strong secondary character whose development will surprise readers). Within the main story, another age old story is also told, giving readers excellent background information and plays out a bit like a story within a story. I loved reading these past sequences as well as the main story itself. This method of storytelling truly gave an added depth to the story.
Could you ever imagine yourself having empathy for the Prince of Darkness? Feeling tugs of emotion and cheering on a woman who is leading herself to true damnation; instead of wanting her to turn away and save her soul? Would you go through each individual and terror filled circles of Hell to save the person you loved, nearly losing yourself in the process? Hmmm, I am not sure there are many that would, but this is a story of just that kind of deep love and connection.
When I first began reading Wandering Stars, I was not quite sure what to expect and if I would like it as much as I had thought I would. However, after reading the first few pages, I was quickly and instantly absorbed. I quickly found myself caring about the characters and the story, itself, it written in such a way that there is something continuously going on, making it incredibly difficult to put down. When I finished reading the final page, I felt a heavy sadness because the story had come to an end. I am going to assume that there will be a sequel, because, quite frankly, if there is not, I may just have to go into mourning for bit of time. The way the story ends, leaves the perfect opening for a continuation.
Do I recommend Wandering Stars? Absolutely YES! It is a delicious and addictive story that will hook you from the beginning and leave you suffering withdrawals when you finish. Marlon Pierre-Antoinne has a definite and amazing talent that is sure to take him far. I can’t wait for the next installment of his work!
Favorite Quote: "My eyes slowly surveyed my surroundings, watching as the pale blue canvass mixed with shades of orange that swept upwards from above. The two merging midway through the sky and blending seamlessly into bands of flush pink. The wind had swept away most of the clouds from sight, making the scene all the more glowing, and all the more lonely. Without even a flock of birds to grace across the horizon, the sunset itself seemed to be a stunning portrait of radiant solitude, as if painted in broad strokes by a lonely artist up above.
I looked down, blinking rapidly to fight away the coming tears. It was unlike me to cry, especially because of something so beautiful, but it was hard not to feel alone after what happened at work last weekend, especially when it seemed like nature itself was conspiring to remind you of how lonely you are."
*****
Jen: Today we welcome YA author, Marlon Pierre-Antoine to Romancing the Book. Marlon, will you please share a short bio with us?
Marlon: I spent the first seventeen years of my life in Daytona Beach, where much of Wandering Stars is set. I moved to Iowa just before my eighteenth birthday to be with my now-fiancée, which if I went into too much more detail about would constitute a book in itself. A lot has happened since then, some of which have inspired me to begin this series.
Jen: Tell us about Wandering Stars and where it can be purchased.
Marlon: Wandering Stars is about a girl who falls for the “bad boy.” Actually, he's the ultimate bad boy – he's Lucifer. The Devil is a figure known throughout the world as this ultimate archetype of evil, and you do see that side of him in Wandering Stars, but I wanted to uncover a different part of him as well, something that perhaps even he didn't know existed.
Alice is a young woman standing on the springboard that leads to her future, Lucifer has his apocalyptic plans, but love calls all of that into question. Suddenly they're in a situation where every truth in their lives is thrown up in the air, and they have to find their new truths together.
The ebook version is $5.99 for Nook, Kindle, on Smashwords and World Castle Publishing's web store. Right now you can get it for $4.79 on All Romance Ebooks. There's also a paperback version available on Amazon or from the publisher's website.
The ebook version is $5.99 for Nook, Kindle, on Smashwords and World Castle Publishing's web store. Right now you can get it for $4.79 on All Romance Ebooks. There's also a paperback version available on Amazon or from the publisher's website.
Jen: At what age did you discover writing? When where you first published? Tell us your call story.
Marlon: I discovered writing in my freshman year of high school. It was a way to entertain people, but it was also a way to create something lasting, an extension of myself that actually went beyond me and took on a life of its own. The feeling was exhilarating and I ran with it. Most if not all of my earlier writings aren't fit to see the light of day, of course, but the character of Alice Valdez in Wandering Stars actually emerged in 2004 as Alice Daysia, then Alice Moreaux. She was different back then, of course, but I think it's rather interesting to note that I have this character who has basically just grown up with me for the last seven years of my life until she was ready to delve into her true story.
My first publication credit was a piece of horror flash fiction on MicroHorror, entitled The End (Link here: http://www.microhorror.com/microhorror/author/marlon-pierre-antoine/the-end-3/.) It's rather grim!
Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Marlon: I'm afraid not.
Jen: Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?
Marlon: I prefer to write my first drafts on paper. There are fewer distractions and it allows me to immerse myself in the story in a way that a computer's word processor can't.
Jen: How do you remember ideas that come to you at odd times?
Marlon: I'll provide two answers and allow the reader to choose which one is real. One, I keep scrap paper and a pen in my pocket at (almost) all times. Two, the Devil reminds me of them whenever he comes over to hang out.
Jen: What is it about the YA genre that appeals to you?
Marlon: Well, I'm only twenty one, so for one I think I'm still in the genre's target age range. I really got into YA with the Roswell High series by Melinda Metz. I think it just amazed me that the author managed to make going to high school cool. The teenage years are so difficult, they're challenging enough on their own. So when you add a speculative element, you're taking all that angst and drama and complicating it even further. To me, that is a recipe for an excellent story.
Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest? Most rewarding?
Marlon: The most rewarding aspect by far is the knowledge that the fruit of my labor isn't in vain, that people are going to pick up this book, that people become readers and readers, hopefully, become fans. The thought of a reader not only enjoying Wandering Stars but also learning something from it is amazing beyond belief.
Most of the time, my writing comes quite easily. I'll sketch out my outline of where the story needs to go and then write – actually, that's not entirely true, what really happens is that I outline the broad plan and then the characters themselves seem to fill in the rest. They grow so much, often without my conscious intent, and it's hard to let them do that sometimes, because they have to enter into situations that are difficult, painful, dangerous et cetera. I know they're not real people, but sometimes it seems that way.
Jen: Do you become attached to your characters and have a hard time letting them go, or are you happy that their story is told and you can move on?
Marlon: I haven't arrived at that point yet for Alice and Lucas, but I anticipate it will be hard for me to close their story. They're a part of me now, and whether I'm writing their adventures down or not, they'll continue to have them long after the last installment of the series has concluded.
I have found that it is difficult to kill off a character or even to leave one out of the story for an extended period of time due to the book's focus being elsewhere. I tend to miss them.
I have found that it is difficult to kill off a character or even to leave one out of the story for an extended period of time due to the book's focus being elsewhere. I tend to miss them.
Jen: If Wandering Stars was made into a movie, which actors would you cast as the main characters?
Marlon: Just off the top of my head, I'd say Tori Vega (Victorious) for Alice and Casey Jon Deidrich (Days of our Lives) for Lucas/Lucifer.
Jen: Do you do anything to celebrate a sale, new contract or release?
Marlon: Well, “smoke a cigarette” comes to mind but that's a habit I'm trying to get out of. I like to spend time with some new good friends of mine, one of which is an aspiring writer with a lot of promise, and / or go out on a dinner date with my fiancée.
Jen: What’s next for you?
Marlon: Right now I'm working on Silvernight, the next book in the series. Not only does Alice have to deal with the aftermath of Wandering Stars, but Lucifer... well, maybe I shouldn't say too much more about that right now!
Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Marlon: My website is www.marlonpierre-antoine.com, which also has a link to my GoodReads profile, and I'm also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/author.mpierreantoine) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mpierreantoine.)
Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Marlon: I'll repeat what a reviewer said of Wandering Stars in a review: "Would you fight your way through Hell for a love that could end the world? You'll find the answer to that question in my book. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed."
*****
Review by Morrigan Michele, co-author of Blood and Magick: Betrayed
My name is Morrigan Michele. I am one of the authors of the Blood and Magick Series. Marlon Pierre-Antoine and I are doing a mini blog-hop together, and I wanted to talk a little bit about his upcoming book Wandering Stars available October 1, 2011. Wandering Stars, while categorized as a Paranormal Romance has much more to offer than just romance. I recently had the privilege of reading a portion of this book and found myself on the edge of my seat; riveted and intrigued hanging on every word. This book is packed with action, adventure and suspense.
Wandering Stars follows Alice, a 17 year old girl with an ordinary life in a beach-side town. Her life quickly takes a dark turn when she meets a mysterious man that quickly steals her heart. She knows there is more to this man that what he seems. Against the advice of friends and family, she follows her heart and her lover to the depths of Hell to prove that love really can conquer all.
I can’t tell you all much more without spoiling the story, but I will leave you with this: If you’re looking for a story that will captivate your heart and mind, this is the one! Marlon Pierre-Antoine writes characters that you can laugh and cry with. He weaves a seamless tale that allows you, but for a moment, to feel like you are there with them. I highly recommend Wandering Stars for readers of all ages and all genres. Marlon Pierre-Antoine is also the author of Helena’s Empire.
*****
Interview from The Romance Radio Network
Interview on The Romance Radio Network with multi-published romance author and cool-name-haver Desmond Haas is now online and live. You can go here to listen to it on-site, here to download it as an mp3, or just click the 'play' button below to listen now!
