Blog Tour: Jennifer Murgia Interview

1. In what ways do you relate to your main character, Teagan? Were any of your characters inspired by people you know in real life?

Teagan and I share a lot of similarities. We’re both quiet and insightful and both enjoy watching the world from the sidelines a bit. Growing up, I only had a few close friends in high school. I was never the one to have a crowd around me and I was okay with that. I also grew up as an only child, just like Tea.

Were any characters fashioned after real life people besides her? Nope, they were strictly from my brain.

2. Your covers are simple, yet eye catching. What was your reaction to them when you first saw them? Were they what you had imagined them looking like?

I gushed when I saw them! I sat for the longest time in front of my computer staring at them, shrinking them to thumbnail size, then enlarging them, staring a little longer. Then of course as each book came out I made each cover my wallpaper background on my computer.

I love their simple elegance. Both were designed based not only on the symbol portrayed in each book but after jewelry I own. I own both an octagram and lemniscate necklace so the fact that they are on my covers is entirely special to me.

3. Did you have to do any research on angels before writing?

I had my own beliefs and a general idea of how I wanted to format the mythology for the books but yes, to make everything as plausible as possible I did research on my subject. Surprisingly I found I wasn’t too far off with my ideas!

4. If you could sit down to lunch with three other authors (living or dead) who would you choose and why?

Anne Rice – I would love to pick her brain! Her descriptions are amazing! She has an uncanny ability to transport her readers to her settings and can shift from the beautiful to the menacing with such skill.

Milan Kundera – because for a long time I thought he and I shared a brain.

Jeff Kinney - who would most likely make me laugh and shoot soda out of my nose. I think people watching with him would be an unforgettable experience.

5. Why did you decide to write YA? Did you ever consider writing for adult or middle grade audiences instead?

I’ve tried all three but YA is my niche. It’s what feels comfortable. I’d like to try a MG again – I actually have an idea brewing in my head, but all in good time.

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Thanks so much, Jennifer! Be sure to check out her website for more info, as well as my review of Angel Star!

Review: Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.
But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.
Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.

Review:

Angel Star was a captivating and well developed debut novel that stands out against other novels in the angel "genre". My favorite aspect of the story, in addition to the angel mythology, was the relationship between the two main characters. Teagan and Garreth were a fantastic couple and I loved how much they cared for each other and about doing the right thing. There was also a whirlwind of action surrounding Teagan and Garreth and a lot of moments when I couldn't put the book down- anxious to know what was going to happen next.

Teagan McNeel is an average seventeen year old girl whose life is turned upside down when the sweet and mysterious Garreth enters the picture. While Teagan and Garreth's relationship developed a little too quickly, I ended up liking them both a lot. Together they protected each other and worked hard to save the day. What I liked most about Garreth was that he was completely honest to Teagan- both about himself and about what was going on. He treated her like an equal, but was still a gentleman.

While there were quite a few secondary characters, most of them didn't have too big of a role. I did like how active Teagan's mom was in the story. Sometimes parents just fall away into the background and the main character is basically doing whatever they want, but not in the case of Teagan's mother.

Angel Star was more than just a romance. Garreth is actually a guardian angel. The angel mythology and lore contained in Angel Star was fascinating. While I am not at all religious, it was very intriguing to read about Hadrien and Lucifer and the different expectations associated with being an angel. There were dark forces after Teagan and she had to make some difficult choices over the course of the novel. A lot of exciting and unexpected things occurred once Teagan learned the truth about Garreth and I was often on my toes, unsure what was going to happen next. This was a truly a battle of good versus evil and I was always rooting for Teagan and Garreth to succeed.

The plot was well orchestrated and very original. Teagan learned a lot not only about Garreth and his background, but also her own, and how she was connected to everything that was going on. Garreth definitely goes on my list of favorite YA male leads! I've had this on my TBR pile for a long time and am glad I decided to pick it up. While it wasn't perfect, Angel Star was a solid debut novel and I'm sure the sequel will be even better.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

May 18, 2010/Lands Atlantic Publishing/251 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Publisher (ARC)

Other books in the series: Lemniscate