My Lunatic Life (Lunatic Life, #1)

Sep 03, 2012 Stormi (Lightning Book Promotions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book by this author that I have read, though after finding her on amazon I see that she has written a lot of books. This is a YA novel and I really enjoyed it, it was a short novel, and read very fast. I was close to the end and I was thinking to myself, I can't believe I am almost done. I was also thinking, umm they still have a dead body to find and a murder to catch, then I found out there was a sequel! Which I just bought today as I have to find out who the murderer of the...more This is the first book by this author that I have read, though after finding her on amazon I see that she has written a lot of books. This is a YA novel and I really enjoyed it, it was a short novel, and read very fast. I was close to the end and I was thinking to myself, I can't believe I am almost done. I was also thinking, umm they still have a dead body to find and a murder to catch, then I found out there was a sequel! Which I just bought today as I have to find out who the murderer of the ghost girl really is!

Okay so back to My Lunatic Life, Tara Luna is always the new girl. Her gypsy style uncle is always moving them from place to place so she never really gets to make any permanent friends or boyfriends. She is a bit of a spitfire and stands up to the three cheerleaders she calls The Blonde Mafia. They get even with her by dubbing her Lunatic since her last name is Luna. Tara is psychic and a medium, so she has a double dose of strangeness in her life. She uses this to her advantage when it comes to the mean girls but it gets also gets her dubbed a witch. Especially when her ghost friend stirs up some fun trouble.

Tara is use to being different and seeing ghost, but she has a new ghost that is really creeping her out. Then her friendly ghost find out that she is a young girl who use to live in the house Tara is in and she was murdered. So Tara sets out to help her and stirs up a little trouble with that, but it's not the only thing she has going on. In the mist of all this she finds herself a boyfriend and he is a hottie!

Flynn, is known as the bad boy, but he is actually really sweet. He finds Tara interesting and different, but tries to stay away from her, but he can't. Tara is not sure she wants a boyfriend because she is always moving and it only leads to heartache. They are like kindred spirits though and fate has other plans. Flynn is a very likeable character.

Things get interesting when Bethany one of the mean girls go missing and Tara has visions of her being held captive but there isn't anything she can do, or is there?

There was a lot packed into this short novel but I didn't really feel like it rushed the book or anything. The only thing that bothered me was not finding the ghost girls body, etc, but knowing that that will happen in the next book doesn't bother me so much.

If you like YA and fun paranormal novels then I think you should give this book a try and I really found it entertaining. Besides getting the next book in this series I will be checking out more novels by this author.(less)

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Feb 29, 2012 Wendy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, digital-edition

I read an uncorrected ARC from NetGalley on my Kindle.

Oh, dear. Well, let me get this out of the way first. I do not want dialogue in a book I read to be indicated in any way other than the standard quotation marks. I especially do not want my dialogue to be indicated with an extra-long dash, like so--- and then ended with two vertical lines, like so││. RAGE. I don't know if this formatting issue is only found in the ARC or not, but it drove me abso-flipping-lutely CRAZY!

There were also some maj...more I read an uncorrected ARC from NetGalley on my Kindle.

Oh, dear. Well, let me get this out of the way first. I do not want dialogue in a book I read to be indicated in any way other than the standard quotation marks. I especially do not want my dialogue to be indicated with an extra-long dash, like so--- and then ended with two vertical lines, like so││. RAGE. I don't know if this formatting issue is only found in the ARC or not, but it drove me abso-flipping-lutely CRAZY!

There were also some major character issues that I had with the book. Tara and Flynn are both pretty cliche character types--spunky yet vulnerable heroine and brooding loner with a heart of gold. Also, towards the end, both Tara and her boyfriend Flynn lapse into decidedly un-teenagerish dialogue. It ends up in some places reading more like, "this is what a 50-year old woman who is never around children thinks teenagers talk like" rather than what actual teenagers talk like. For instance, the Snoop-isms aren't really used so much anymore, fo' shizzle.

Another issue I had with the book was the big reveal from Tara's uncle at the end of the book (view spoiler)

Having said that, I did enjoy the plot of the book--psychic Tara enrolls at new school, cute boy sees Tara, complications ensue. I also liked how Tara wasn't afraid to stand up for herself to the mean girls in the school, as well as how considerate she was towards her uncle.

All in all, it was a fairly fun, entertaining read. I would definitely read the following books in the series to find out what happens to Tara. It's just not the best-written thing I've ever read.(less)

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Jan 05, 2012 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-and-or-paranormal, mystery, contemporary

~This review is of the uncorrected proof provided by Netgalley~

With My Lunatic Life, long-time adult fiction author Sharon Sala makes her first foray into YA paranormal literature.

The story is about Tara, an engagingly feisty girl who has trouble fitting into adolescent society because the uncle she lives with has wanderlust. Constant moves have made it hard for Tara to make and keep friends, but navigating the minefield of high school culture is not Tara's biggest problem; the fact that she als...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, mystery, young-adult

Tara Luna doesn’t live life as a typical teenager. She has lived with her uncle since the day her parents died. He is constantly moving around. He two best companions are two ghosts named Millicent and Henry, and oh, did I forget to mention she can read minds?
Tara has moved to a new school. It is her senior year which makes thing even more difficult. She deal with the stuck up cheerleaders, lands herself a boyfriend named Flynn. Tara has used her abilities to help people at school and to get bac...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Erika Badass rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

For a YA book, I didn't hate this one, so that's a plus =)
I was looking for something quick and light, and when thumbing through my kindle, saw I owned this one. (Thank you Amazon free books)

Tara Luna is a 17yr old girl with two ghosts as best friends, and a wandering soul of an Uncle. Her parents were killed when she was one, and has been raised by her Uncle Pat ever since. They move around. A lot. She is starting her senior year at a new school on a whim because her Uncle was bored,...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, netgalley, arc

Not My Normal Cuppa, But...
Starting at a new school for senior year is no easy thing, but at least Tara Luna has a lot of experience with new schools. Her Uncle Pat, Tara's guardian since her parents' death years ago, is a throwback to hippie days, a free spirit with wanderlust in his soul. New schools were old hat to Tara. Still, she wasn't exactly looking forward to what she knew was coming.

Fortunately Tara, who wouldn't mind being a normal girl but had long since given up that particular pipe...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, paranormal

Review by Jen: the first in Sharon Sala's new YA paranormal mystery series. Sala is a well-known romantic suspense author with 85 novels under her belt. And now she's trying her hand with YA fiction.

As I read this book, I had to keep reminding myself that I was reading an uncorrected proof, review copy because there were some small things that should be caught during the final editing. But I found the premise of this series intriguing and this first book solid.

Sala keeps the mystery in this book...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Betty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, mystery

Tara Luna leads a very unusual life. First, she is being raised by her Uncle Pat, who is a displaced hippie who moves her from place to place, never staying for very long. He has been raising her since she was a baby, when her parents died in a car accident. Second, her two best friends are Milllicent and Henry, ghosts who have been with her for as long as she can remember. Third, she's psychic, although she has tried very hard to hide it from everyone. When she was younger she used to try to te...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Readersentertainment rated it 5 of 5 stars

Being a teenager is complicated enough for the average human being. The continued (and seemingly endless) demands of school, mounting social pressures, dating—it tends to be a lot for a person to handle. If only Tara Luna's life were so simple...
...In addition to these ordinary adolescent concerns, Tara has special problems, unless of course you consider seeing dead people and hearing the thoughts of others a great advantage in life. And you might assume that such powers would be beneficial, bu...more Being a teenager is complicated enough for the average human being. The continued (and seemingly endless) demands of school, mounting social pressures, dating—it tends to be a lot for a person to handle. If only Tara Luna's life were so simple...
...In addition to these ordinary adolescent concerns, Tara has special problems, unless of course you consider seeing dead people and hearing the thoughts of others a great advantage in life. And you might assume that such powers would be beneficial, but before you jump to conclusions, let us take a practical look at Tara's circumstance. Going out on a date with a fellow has just become more complicated, since, as a psychic, Tara can read his thoughts. Believe me when I say that it does not serve her as well as you might imagine. Seeing ghosts would not be so terrible, but conversations with what those (ordinary people) around you perceive as nothingness tend to convince others that a mental problem is at work. Of course, there are also ghosts that tend to pester her for favors, but at least Tara has the help and friendship of Henry and Millicent, two spirits that follow her wherever she and her Uncle Pat may go. And they move everywhere, owing to her uncle's “gypsy heart” and his inability to stay settled in one place for any great duration of time. She follows because he is the only family Tara has.
Now that Tara is in a new school, fresh challenges rise to the surface of her life, like the popular and prissy young ladies (in all seriousness, one of them is named Prissy) who are determined to make her life miserable. Fortunately, she has the support of her new boyfriend, Flynn, who is as much of an outcast as she is. But her biggest problem is the dark spirit making demands from Tara and threatening harm and hell if she refuses to assist. The ghost wants her mysterious murder solved and knows that Tara can help. And when a student at her school disappears, Tara realizes that she may be the only one who can solve the case before time runs out. What will it take? Welcome to Tara's lunatic life.
My Lunatic Life is a new novel from highly-acclaimed author Sharon Sala. It serves as the basis for a new series from Sala that will detail the course of Tara's adolescence as she struggles to maintain sanity in the midst of both ordinary and extraordinary pressures. Sala specializes in romance and suspense, but this particular piece is classified as paranormal mystery for young adult audiences. Tara is an endearing and somehow familiar character with enough dimension to make this a very worthwhile read for fans of young adult fiction. The story engages with its elements of verisimilitude and the paranormal, which form a good blend in this context.
Look for My Lunatic Life by Sharon Sala, now in bookstores everywhere. If you would like more information about this title and new series, Sala's previous works, or the author herself, then visit the following web-address: http://www.sharonsalabooks.com/.(less)

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Oct 19, 2011 Julie Witt added it

Shelves: netgalley, reviewed

I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tara Luna leads a very unusual life. First, she is being raised by her Uncle Pat, who is a displaced hippie who moves her from place to place, never staying for very long. He has been raising her since she was a baby, when her parents died in a car accident. Second, her two best friends are Milllicent and Henry, ghosts who have been with her for as long as she can remember. Third, she's psychic, althou...more I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tara Luna leads a very unusual life. First, she is being raised by her Uncle Pat, who is a displaced hippie who moves her from place to place, never staying for very long. He has been raising her since she was a baby, when her parents died in a car accident. Second, her two best friends are Milllicent and Henry, ghosts who have been with her for as long as she can remember. Third, she's psychic, although she has tried very hard to hide it from everyone. When she was younger she used to try to tell her Uncle Pat about her visions and her "friends", but he told her not to talk about, that he didn't believe in that stuff at all. She learned that it's hard enough always being the new girl without everyone thinking she was crazy to boot.

When the book starts, she and Uncle Pat have moved again and she is starting her senior year of high school. She starts out with her usual routine of trying to blend in and not draw attention to herself, but when the cheerleaders demand that she move from the table she is sitting at (THEIR table), she decides enough is enough! It's her last year and she's not just gonna take it any more! She stands up to them and is immediately put on their hit list. Instead of hiding her talent, she starts using it, sometimes to help people (a teacher who doesn't know her babysitter is stealing money from her, and a boy who is having a seizure in one of the boy's bathrooms), and sometimes just to get people off her back and out of her face (usually the aforementioned cheerleaders!). When the head cheerleader, Bethany, is kidnapped, Tara starts getting psychic flashes that only last moments where she sees what Bethany sees and feels what Bethany feels.

The only good thing that happens to Tara when she starts the new school is Flynn O'Mara, the hottest boy in the school, and he's noticing her right back! Unfortunately, he's the ex-boyfriend of the missing cheerleader, Bethany, which complicates things a bit.

Another problem in Tara's life is that her new house has a ghost living in, and what she learns about this new house-guest sets her off on another quest to use her gift to help the ghost get justice.

I really liked this book because it was nonstop action from page 1. It had a good clean YA romance, a couple of mysteries to solve, and a lot of humor. It was really funny! This is how the book starts off:

"The alarm that Tara Luna had set with such confidence last night yanked her rudely from Channing Tatum's arms, just when he was about to kiss her.

OMG ... did the universe have a wicked sense of humor or what?"

Maybe you have to have a huge crush on Channing Tatum like I do to really appreciate that one, but I laughed out loud when I read it!

I could go on longer about all the things I liked about this book and other things going on, but I'm sure you're bored with me by now! The book ended on a cliff hanger, setting up the next book in the series, and I for one am going to be buying it as soon as I can :D(less)

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Oct 11, 2011 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, kindle

I am a big fan of Sharon Sala's books. I have read most of them. When I saw that she was delving into the YA genre, I was very curious. My Lunatic Life is a new series that features 17YO Tara Luna. She is a psychic who has also has 2 ghosts who are her best friends. She has moved around most of her life with her Uncle Pat who raised her.

Tara is a great character. She is confident, headstrong and responsible. Used to being the new girl, she doesn't let the teasing from the popular girls get to h...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Cela Esqueda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Review from e-galley provided by publisher via net galley.com

Most characters with an unusual ability normally try to keep it secret from the rest of the world because either people will not understand or no one will believe them. In My Lunatic Life, Tara Luna embraces her psychic abilities to help those in need. Granted, this was not always the case but circumstances in her new hometown make it impossible for her to keep her gift a secret. With the help of meddlesome but caring ghosts and a myst...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed from e-galley provided by publisher via netgalley.com.

Tara Luna and her aging hippie uncle, Pat, have just moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, in time for the start of Tara's senior year in high school, and naturally she's overjoyed. Not really. While she's grown accustomed to the constant moving occasioned by her uncle's restless nature, and she deeply appreciates the care he's taken of her since her parents died when she was a baby, she's hoping they'll stay put this time. Aside from Uncle...more Reviewed from e-galley provided by publisher via netgalley.com.

Tara Luna and her aging hippie uncle, Pat, have just moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, in time for the start of Tara's senior year in high school, and naturally she's overjoyed. Not really. While she's grown accustomed to the constant moving occasioned by her uncle's restless nature, and she deeply appreciates the care he's taken of her since her parents died when she was a baby, she's hoping they'll stay put this time. Aside from Uncle Pat, the two constants in her life--her best friends really--are ghosts, Millicent and Henry, who have been with her as long as she can remember. She can see them (Millicent usually takes the shape of a pink vapor, Henry a grayish form) and talk to them. Oh, and she's psychic, too, so she can sense what people are feeling, read their auras, and hear their thoughts. It may not be normal, but it's her normal.

Now that she's a senior Tara's decided she's not going to try to blend in, the way she has in the past. Whatever happens, happens. Unfortunately, she tangles with the cheerleader clique on the first day of school and even attracts the attention of Flynn O'Mara, the hottest guy she's ever seen. Plus she feels compelled to help people when she senses they need help--like the teacher whose babysitter is stealing from her, or the guy who nearly dies in the boys' bathroom. Then there's the dark spirit in her house who seems to need something and the head cheerleader goes missing.

Tara is a super character to read about; Sala handles the paranormal elements deftly and with great humor. The ghosts pull ghostly stunts, but also have their own distinct characters as well. Millicent's malapropisms add some laughs and her text messages are funny, too. The romance moves along nicely, plus there's the mystery of figuring out what's going on with the dark spirit and trying to locate the missing cheerleader. All in all, My Lunatic Life is a great start to what looks to be a fun series. Recommended for teens 13 and up. (less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Aimee (Coffee Table Reviews) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

This was a book I was actually excited for once I read the blurb and saw the cover. I was expecting a snarky character who was trying to stay under the radar. But it didn't quite work out the way I thought it would. I wasn't able to connect with Tara throughout the book. I wanted to but then Tara would do or say something that would make me cringe.

Tara Luna is a psychic who can see ghosts and doesn't want anyone to know about her "special gifts." But, throughout the book, she kept using her gift...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Lunatic Life by Sharon Sala

Imagine being the the new girl in school. The new girl starting your SENIOR YEAR in a new school. Now imagine having ghosts as your best friends. Not only ghosts but having psychic abilities. That's just a day in the life of Tara Luna. She takes it all in stride. She doesn't reject her gift or explain herself to others. She encounters the "A" crowd of girls, you know, the popular cheerleader types that make fun of anyone different. She very ably reacts and responds...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Janga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sharon Sala (a. k. a. Dinah McCall), the most recent recipient of RWA’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, makes her YA debut with My Lunatic Life from Bell Bridge Books.

Tara Luna begins her senior year in yet another school. Being the new girl is never easy, but it’s a particular problem for Tara whose psychic gifts and unusual family consisting of her Uncle Pat, a loving but eccentric guardian, and two ghosts who have always been part of her life, the prankster Henry and the militantly p...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed tara luna. Life would be much easier if she did not use her gifts to help others. Tara is psychic and she has two ghosts since she was little always hanging around. Millicent lived over 100 years ago and is always checking guys out. Henry hates all the moving from state to state. He also likes to hide talk things when he is upset. He doesn't talk.
Tara lives with her uncle Pat. Both of her parents died in a car accident when s he was little. Her uncle is her only relative. Tara is a sen...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Soma "Insomnia Of Books" rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't know why. But I feel like I am in a very strange luck with books for the past month and a half. Every book I read, I end up giving it four or five stars. They are just so good, and it's not fair to give them less. I have the third book in the series, Lunatic Revenge, for review. So I had to read the first two books. I knew this series was about ghosts, but I had no idea that it would be so good! A lovely, light paranormal read.
Tara Luna, is tired of moving around so much. Yes, she love...more I don't know why. But I feel like I am in a very strange luck with books for the past month and a half. Every book I read, I end up giving it four or five stars. They are just so good, and it's not fair to give them less. I have the third book in the series, Lunatic Revenge, for review. So I had to read the first two books. I knew this series was about ghosts, but I had no idea that it would be so good! A lovely, light paranormal read.
Tara Luna, is tired of moving around so much. Yes, she loves her uncle, but moving into a new school every year is very hard. She can never fit in, and she can never make friends, or fall in love. How could she fit in anyway? She is psychic, is able to see ghosts, and feel people's emotions. When she arrives into a new town for her senior year, things are a bit different.
First of all, there is a ghost at Tara's new house. Who, surprisingly, has her body buried in the backyard and wants Tara's help. Second, there is the absolutely-gorgeous Flynn who is the ultimate bad-boy and every girl's fantasy. The surprise of the year? He seems to be interested in her. Don't forget the mean girls who want nothing more than humiliate Tara. But when one of these girls, Bethany, disappears, it's up to Tara to find her.
Will Tara find the body of the ghost? Will she be able to find Bethany in time? And will she take it a step further with Flynn? Find out what it's like to be psychic when you read Sharon Sala's imaginative, light, and quirky novel, My Lunatic Life...
I liked this book a lot. It reminded me of Kim Harrington's Clarity series. But it was different and even better. On one hand, I loved Sharon Sala's writing. It is short, to-the-point, and quirky! I loved her simple manner. One the other hand, I loved the characters. Not all of them. But most of them, I loved. Tara is one hell of a psychic. She is smart, and not afraid to follow her heart. Flynn is also gorgeous, the typical bad boy with the sincere heart. I wonder why I can't find these kinds of guys here, in my HUGE town?
This book was a really good mystery ride. We catch glimpses of where Bethany's kidnapped. But never the true place, which leaves Tara to find out. Loved the interactions between the characters and I think Tara's uncle is adorable! If you want to read a funny, mysterious book, then why not try this one?(less)

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Oct 19, 2011 Turtles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-modern

Sharon Sala is a smooth author and there was little to worry about her foray into YA fiction, the story was solid and I was pleasantly surprised to be left hanging on an unsolved point rather than reading a rush conclusion. I like the main character and I like her ghosts, although I would have liked to know more of their background. The love interest, Flynn, came across somewhat pale because I couldn't get a good fix on him. He didn't feel as fleshed out despite having more "screen time" than so...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Tiffiane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, 5-star-favs

This was my first Sharon Sala read. I read the synopsis and thought it sounded interesting. I had no idea how great it would be! Sharon has a very easy writing style and the story flowed very well.

Originally, in the first few chapters, I was worried about the direction of the story, and I thought the dynamic between Tara and her Uncle Pat was a bit odd, yet also very endearing. The ghosts surrounding Tara threw me for a loop until I got used to them and realized they were basically the only supp...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Angelic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Angelic by: anzal6@aol.com

Very cool book. I liked the ghost thing, thats cool and the phsycic thing thats cool too. Its hard for Tara when she moves to a new school again. She is called a witch when certain things seem to happen around her. I like Tara shes a solid and strong character and she has enough to deal with in her life on top of being a senior and getting on the bad side of the schools cheerleaders aka the blonde mafia. I thought that was funny. She befriends a hottie named Flynn, he is the first to help here f...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is so much fun! Tara Luna is new to Stillwater, Oklahoma, a senior in high school, and is followed around by a couple of ghosts. Millicent and Henry died a long time ago, but now they are Tara's bff's. Millicent shows up only as a puff of pink smoke, but talks to Millicent, usually about hot guys. Henry is more traditional in appearance, but doesn't talk. Both have her back, both in the angst filled halls of the high school to her new house that has it's own ghostly occupant.
I stayed...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Jaime rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I'm pretty sure I downloaded this for free on Amazon, which is what I would pay for it.

I'm glad I read it though, it was cute YA, I have a 13 yr old niece I'm buying a Kindle for and this would be a perfect read for her.

"Moon girl" sees ghosts and connect with people through their belongings. I was confused that the beginning of the book the plot was more so wrapped around the dead girl who is buried in the backyard, that's where the story was headed. It turned and ended with the basic afterth...more

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Jan 09, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult

Very good teen character plagued with ghosts and a phychic gift and joining a new high school as a senior. She's got problems including some mean girls and a dark spirit of a murder victim in her new house. Those problems just get worse when a hot local boy pays attention to her and one of the mean girls disappears.

I liked her intelligence, smart mouth, willingness to do research to help solve her issues and her love for her Uncle Pat who has raised her since her parents died.

A quick, fun and sa...more

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May 06, 2013 Kate McMurry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, ya-paranormal-mystery, young-adult-paranormal-mystery

Fun, young-adult, paranormal mystery

Seventeen-year-old, high-school senior, Tara Luna, was orphaned when she was a year-old baby and has been raised by her Uncle Pat, an unconventional, "hippie" type who loves to move around. Tara is even more unusual than her uncle. Her two closest friends in her wandering life are ghosts. Millicent can move people and things and can physically materialize, but mostly she takes a form that looks like smoke. Henry doesn't materialize, and he doesn't talk much, b...more Fun, young-adult, paranormal mystery

Seventeen-year-old, high-school senior, Tara Luna, was orphaned when she was a year-old baby and has been raised by her Uncle Pat, an unconventional, "hippie" type who loves to move around. Tara is even more unusual than her uncle. Her two closest friends in her wandering life are ghosts. Millicent can move people and things and can physically materialize, but mostly she takes a form that looks like smoke. Henry doesn't materialize, and he doesn't talk much, but when he is peeved, he lets it be known by hiding things. In addition to seeing and speaking to ghosts, Tara can read the minds of living people. Between the traveling, the ghosts and the mind-reading, Tara has never tried to make friends with living people because it seems pointless. Even if anyone could relate to her, she's always moving on. But suddenly, in this new school, the whole pattern of her life changes. An angry, dangerous, teen-girl ghost demands that Tara solve her murder--and she's hard to ignore because she inhabits Tara's home. A beautiful cheerleader who has persecuted Tara is in danger, and only Tara can save her. And a gorgeous, bad boy named Flynn proves more irresistible than any guy Tara has ever known.

At 156 pages, this is a fast, entertaining read suitable for YA readers ages 12-15, though older teens and adults will enjoy it too.

I was a big fan of the TV series, Medium, and Tara is kind of a teenage Allison Dubois. Like Allison, Tara has the powers of precognition through instant intuitions of people and situations, touching something a person owns and going into her perceptions, dreaming about someone and getting information, and obtaining vital information from ghosts. Also like Allison, these gifts run in her lineage. But Tara has an additional power that Allison does not--she can read minds.

I really liked Flynn, and Tara's budding romance with him is one of my favorite parts of this book.

Anyone who enjoyed the Dead Is books by Marlene Perez won't want to miss this fun new paranormal mystery series.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Fantasy World-Building: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Mystery Plot: 5 stars
Romantic Subplot: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
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Dec 20, 2011 Hope rated it 1 of 5 stars

I got this book from NetGalley for a review; it sounded neat and interesting so I thought what the hell the worst thing they can say no access denied to this book. It did take me a while to read this even though it not that long of a book. It was taking me a long time because I just could not get into this book.

The story line was alright, predictable and not much was going on. Teenage girl , with psychic powers, two ghosts for company and no friends. Oh not to forget that she is an outcast in h...more

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May 08, 2013 Witchmag rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 00kindle, read-2013, young-adult, paranormal, zzz-reviewed

Originally reviewed at Witchmag's Boekenplank

Well this was a very light / fluffy read (with emphasis on very). There’s no other way to describe this book. Even though it was entertaining, and very amusing when a certain ghost started meddling, there was not much depth in this story. Everything went too smooth, too easy. Even when watching CSI, they usually end up with several dead ends before finding the murderer. Here it was way too obvious how the story would end and therefore I could not feel...more Originally reviewed at Witchmag's Boekenplank

Well this was a very light / fluffy read (with emphasis on very). There’s no other way to describe this book. Even though it was entertaining, and very amusing when a certain ghost started meddling, there was not much depth in this story. Everything went too smooth, too easy. Even when watching CSI, they usually end up with several dead ends before finding the murderer. Here it was way too obvious how the story would end and therefore I could not feel any angst or excitement for figuring everything out correctly.

There were also times in the book were the point of view switched to Flynn, to see his thoughts about certain events. Normally I’m someone who can’t get enough from reading through the eyes of the romantic interest, the very hot bad boy, who might or might not have certain feelings for the main character. This time, however, I cringed every time I was in Flynn’s head. It just felt wrong (sorry can’t describe it any other way). It was like Flynn didn’t have his own voice, his own identity. It seemed as if he became Tara, what should not be possible even with all her powers. And it just felt awful.

We also have a major case of insta love. Fortunately there were not a lot of romantic moments. That was another thing that made me cringe. Unless you’re soulmates (and even then) it’s just not possible to develop such strong feelings in such a short amount of time. Thank God romance wasn’t a big issue in this story and was kept in the background.

The ghosts were very fun, though. Especially Millicent and her mother-bear-whose-cub-is-threatened behavior made me smile. I really liked her. It was a shame, though, that we only got to know the ghosts as clouds of plasma with a voice. I’d really liked some more info. Like how old they are, how they became a ghost, what they look like. And most of all: why stick with Luna? That and more questions came to my mind. But only a very few got answered…

Tara was also a character that I liked quite a bit. Even though she could be a bit dense at times. Who would otherwise go and confront a possible murder all alone, without saying anyone where she was going???? On the other hand she’s got just the right amount of spunk to stand up against bullies. Although having psychic powers and two ghosts as back-up helps a lot

Conclusion

2 HEARTS. A very, very light book where you don’t have to use your mind. Just sit back and enjoy, even with cringe worthy scenes like Flynn’s point of view and the attempt at romance. Though, Tara and the ghosts are amusing enough to stop you from throwing the book away.(less)

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Jan 29, 2012 Dianne Socci-Tetro rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm sorry that I waited 3 months to read this book. I would have then bought the sequel that much earlier! I loved this book. I have been dissatisfied with what I have been reading and was looking for something a little different and this did it for me!

Tara Luna lives with her bachelor Underlie and they move all over the country like vagabonds at Uncle Bob's whim. Well this is Tara's last year in high school and she really wants to stay. She would like to go to college, she wants a boyfriend, sh...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Rachel's Book Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy

My Lunatic Life
By Sharon Sala
Tara Luna worries about all the natural tings, the new town, new school, new popular kids, and a new crush on a nice looking guy who may or may not have done prison time. Outside being a social outcast, she has the SUPER-natural worries. Like her two best-friends (ghosts…as in, dead but vocal and overprotective) not to mention she has some not-so-friendly ghosts haunting her new house. Then she finds out about an old murder…..If she doesn’t solve the murder, the enra...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ghosts, paranormal

Tara Luna was great - she's quick witted, down to earth and not afraid to stand up for herself against the popular crowd. Her best friends are two over-protective ghosts that follow her around and cause choas when anyone doesn't get on with Tara, adding a fun lighthearted element to the story. Her uncle Pat is also an interesting character, with his love for odd food combinations and fatherly concern for Tara. I would have liked the other characters to have been more developed though, as we didn...more Tara Luna was great - she's quick witted, down to earth and not afraid to stand up for herself against the popular crowd. Her best friends are two over-protective ghosts that follow her around and cause choas when anyone doesn't get on with Tara, adding a fun lighthearted element to the story. Her uncle Pat is also an interesting character, with his love for odd food combinations and fatherly concern for Tara. I would have liked the other characters to have been more developed though, as we didn't really know much about the mean girls or Tara's love interest Flynn who I would have liked to have known in more depth.

Although Tara tries to hide her gifts, she uses them to get her own back on the mean girls as well as help find why and where Bethany has disappeared to. This main plot is fairly simple and quick, with no major twists or turns, but it does mean Tara has to face her fear of telling others about her gift. The subplot, of the mysterious dark shape that is haunting her house is left open, but done in a way that really makes me want to read the next story to find out what happens. Although the ending is a bit sickly sweet, with everything ending pretty much perfectly, I think it would suit a younger YA audience.

Being psychic, Luna can see and talk to ghosts. I really liked this element, because her ghost friends added so much to the plot, but I wasn't expecting her talent of telepathy, mainly because it wasn't ever mentioned as a separate gift but bundled in with being psychic. Perhaps I'm being fussy, but I found it a little jarring when it was suddenly introduced because she hadn't mentioned for several chapters that she could read anyone's mind. I also thought that considering she could hear Flynn's thoughts, the guy she fancies, they are all very innocent thoughts and she doesn't seem very pertubed to hear what he's thinking. These issues are only touched on very lightly, and her gifts are rarely explored as a burden or difficult for her to handle, and this is one of the other reasons why I think the story is suited to a younger audience, or someone looking for a quick, easy read.

With plenty of paranormal intrigue, My Lunatic Life is a fun, lighthearted read.

Rating: 3.5*(less)

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My Lunatic Life (Lunatic Life #1)

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