3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not only does Nova rock, but she's incredibly charming, as well!, May 2, 2006
This review is from: Nova and the Charmed Three (Star Sisterz) (Paperback)
Ever since the first moment Nova Darling laid eyes on Joe Tsai last summer while volunteering at the library, she's wanted to do one thing more than anything in the world...play guitar in Joe's band. And now her wish is finally coming true. Nova has finally landed the coveted position in Joe's band, and couldn't be more stoked. And now that they have an upcoming Band Idol competition looming in the horizon, Nova knows that it's her and Roxie's - the name of her guitar - time to shine like superstars, in an attempt to win the competition and the affections of Joe. But suddenly Nova's dreams are being destroyed. For in The Charmed Three, three is turning out to be quite a crowd, when Nova realizes that the third member in the band is a girl named Ivy, who can really tear it up on the drums. Sadly, Ivy is also harboring a crush on Joe, and she will do anything to knock Nova out of the way, and claim the cutie for herself. Now, it's up to Nova to rock her way past the manipulative, nasty, Poison Ivy, in an attempt to win herself a place in Joe's heart, before The Charmed Three turns into The Charmed Two, and leaves Nova out in the cold.
I fell in love with Tea Emesse's Nova in NOVA ROCKS! But Nova's star has certainly begun to shine brighter in my heart since completing NOVA AND THE CHARMED THREE. Nova is a girl trying to chase her dreams - and the guy who stars in them - who is easy to relate to, and absolutely adorable in everything she does. Tea Emesse truly captures the sordid affairs that plague the lives of adolescents everyday, from clothing choices to competing with each other over guys. Filled with enjoyable scenarios that mirror true-life problems pre-teens and teens face during every waking moment, NOVA AND THE CHARMED THREE is a fresh, laugh-out-loud funny tale that conveys one very important message: chase your dreams, because no one else will. An enjoyable new tale from the amazing Tea Emesse that proves two very important things: not only does Nova rock, but she's incredibly charming, as well!
Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An entertaining and realistic story about growing up, May 31, 2006
This review is from: Nova and the Charmed Three (Star Sisterz) (Paperback)
Ever have your dream come true --- only to turn into a nightmare? That's what happens to Nova Darling when she's invited by Joe, her longtime crush, to join his band. Nova's in seventh heaven, until she realizes that she's not the only one after Joe --- and her rival is fellow band mate Ivy.
NOVA AND THE CHARMED THREE is the fifth book in the Star Sisterz series and the second about Nova. Nova loves everything about being a member of The Charmed Three: the practices, being near Joe, and especially the music. Everything, that is, except condescending Ivy, who acts as though she and Joe were just made for each other. Nova needs to figure out how to untangle the complex three's-a-crowd relationship and find a way for the band members to get along. She better figure it out fast, because The Charmed Three has a shot at an American Idol-like competition that could send them to the finals in Hawaii --- but not if Nova and Ivy can't appear on stage without snarling at each other.
Can Nova reach out to Ivy in a way that will benefit them both? Maybe, if she can solve the mystery of Ivy's sometimes strange behavior. Why does Ivy act so curt and demanding sometimes? And what really happened in the strange little drama that Nova saw play out in Ivy's house, between Ivy, her father and Joe? Only when she sits down and rethinks some of her own assumptions is Nova able to solve the mystery --- and her problem.
NOVA AND THE CHARMED THREE contains the requisite paranormal element of the series --- a strange phrase that appears in a weird place that no one else can see, which prompts Nova to do something surprising --- but as usual in these books, that element is kept very much in the background. Instead, the story focuses on Nova's relationships: with her mother, who has taken up the ballet career she once pushed on Nova; with her best friend Yumi; and most importantly, with Joe and Ivy.
I continue to enjoy this series, and its strength remains in its characters. While the mystery about Ivy is not very complicated, reading about Nova and her dilemma is a pleasure. While Nova definitely learned things in book #1, NOVA ROCKS, and her actions here reflect that growth, I appreciated the fact that her difficulties this time stem --- at least in part --- from similar problems: most importantly, a difficulty in communication. This seems realistic to me, because these kinds of problems are not what most kids conquer in one swoop --- instead they chip away at them, little by little, as they grow older. This focus also gave Nova a connection to the first book, as well as a strong realistic tinge.
--- Reviewed by Paula Jolin
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