Review: Wondeful YA novel for ages 12 and up
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 19, 2011
THIS REVIEW RECEIVED FOR BEING BY T.R. MOUSNER A '4.5 STAR' REVIEW FROM TALINA PERKINS OF NIGHT OWL REVIEWS AS WELL AS A 'TOP PICK REVIEW' FROM NIGHT OWL REVIEWS.FAVORITE LINE:"And when life presses your back against the wall, always remember to stand straight and meet your challenges head on." ~ EBN-Reyoz-X Guardian of the SkyTEASER:"We can never control what is in a person's mind or heart, but we can hold them accountable for their behavior." I slowly stood and got into my stance facing Shale. I should have known better standing less than an arm's length from him. The air between us crackled with electricity and our eyes met and held. Before I knew what was happening, he leaned toward me and I toward him. For a moment, all my cares fell away as our lips brushed in a tender kiss.PLOT:Being is my very first YA novel and I want more! I had no idea what to expect going in. Being that I am not a fan of science fiction nor fantasy, I thought I would have a difficult time reading this book at first. However, I knew I wanted to branch out and experience a genre beyond my norm. A decision I am glad I made.Not only did the author deliver adventure and a unique plot, she also threw in family values and intricate world building that brought her story to life. The book starts off with EBN crashing to Earth, a planet believed to be in chaos and war. Then it quickly cascades into an adventurous story of an alien trying to learn the ways of SENTS or people while waiting for rescue. And to add the the story's depth, the author switches back and forth between EBN and her brother located on her home planet; whom in unknowingly in the middle of uncovering a plot as to why EBN is left cut off from her home world. Which I will leave for you to discover! The excitement of seeing earth through another creatures eyes, rather than my own, was revealing to say the least. EBN's ability to cut through the taboos of our world left the real issues we are facing uncovered and visible to the naked eye. The author's use of real world occurrences brought the matter of our planet's health close to home, making me stop and think each time I might take clean water or air for granted as well as my fellow human beings. EBN represents the opposite of what our world is, I completely understood her ability to leave trails of wild flowers in her wake. Since her touch heals, it only made sense that when her feet hit the earth she would heal the earth with each touch.The closer I got to finishing Being, the more I wanted to read. I knew the story would have to come to an end, but I was not prepared for it. The author answered all the important story questions for Being, yet she left just enough of a cliffhanger at the end to have me anxiously awaiting the sequel to come.SETTING:EBN's adventures starts out with her navigating her ship, Surety, through earth's atmosphere for simple routine data collection. Which result in her crash landing and seeking refuge in a trailer park outside of Los Angeles. Being also shifted to EBN's home world, Pharralax. The intricate detail provided through Aix's thoughts and actions were so intriguing I completely forgot I do not read science fiction. I simply could not get enough!WRITING:I admire Ms. Mousner's ability to show so much detail within her writing. Her writing style pulled me in without me even noticing just how invested I was in the story. Her sense of creativity and ability to weave together wonderful characters and plot delivered a well written and entertaining story. I also enjoyed the variety of narratives she used in telling the story. I normally do not enjoy switching in and out of third person, yet for this book and story it worked well.CHARACTERS:It was EBN's character and not the story plot that made me want to read Being. She is an alien yes, yet her thoughts and feelings on many subjects paralleled to that of my own. Her kindness towards others is unmeasurable, even when it would do harm to her own health. She also showed a deep rooted determination to reach her goals which is something that we all could use a reminder of every once in a while. But the one thing that she reinforced in myself and had me connecting to her was her belief in respect. Not only to her elders and her responsibility as a Guardian of the Sky, but also to those around her and the planet to which sustained her life. When EBN's family was introduced I was amazed by the connection they shared. The author includes a strong family theme in Being, something I consider to be a wonderful thing to include within a YA novel. The secondary characters served to only make the the story richer and more engrossing. I loved running across Mrs. Perkins' character. It's always fun reading a book with a character that shares your name!LAST THOUGHTS:T.R. Mousner's debut YA novel is a must read. The story is filled with adventures and characters that should not be missed! Whether you like the science fiction angle or sense of family and connections made in life, there is something for everyone in this book. I will definitely be on the look out for the sequel from Ms. Mousner!