Mark Schreiber

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Christy Marlowe has lived her life through the stars -- it's astrology all the way! Then one fateful day occurs where Christy goes to the surgeon to get her tattoo removed (featuring her ex-boyfriend's name) and meets Ben Penrose, who also wants to get rid of an unwanted tattoo. Turns out Ben, or Benjamin, is the exact name of Christy's ex-boyfriend, who was just sent to prison. The looking-at-each-other part of their encounter goes perfectly fine, but the actual talking between the two isn't so great. Christy can't believe how blunt Ben is, which isn't much of a turn-on.

After this first meeting, Christy and Ben don't see each other for quite some time, maybe because they didn't trade any information. Christy seems fine with it at first, but the more she wants to forget about Ben the more she thinks about him and so wants to meet up with him. Then another fateful day happens -- at the bike store, Christy and Ben finally meet up again. With the approval of Christy's psychic, Svetlana, Christy and Ben began a very intense relationship. They have everything in common and Ben actually gets along with Christy's parents, who didn't approve of the other Ben.

But then their relationship becomes filled with secrets and a few lies that both do not want the other to know about. And their love for each other just may be tested when Christy's ex-boyfriend is released from prison. Was it fate for Christy and Ben to meet or are the stars playing a wicked game?

STARCROSSED may seem a little unusual at first but, as the story progresses, the lives of Christy and Ben become even more intriguing. With a few influences from Shakespeare's well known play ROMEO AND JULIET, Mark Schreiber creates a tale that isn't only unique but is also absolutely lovely.… (mer)

When Christy meets Ben in the plastic surgeon's waiting room, she knows instantly that they're fated to be together. She's there to get the tattoo of her ex-boyfriend's name (which just happens to be Benjamin) removed, and he's there there for tattoo removal also - the tattoo on his arm says "Christy." It's obviously a sign. And Christy believes in fate and signs - and horoscopes, alien abductions, crop circles - she completely embraces all manner of New Age mysticism. Ben, on the other hand, is a hard-boiled skeptic who believes in none of it. Somehow they make it work, bringing out the best in each other despite their differences, in their highly improbable romance that blossoms in Part One.

Part Two, however, is heavy with foreshadowing and repeated allusions to Romeo and Juliet, implying that the planets have shifted and the lovers are in fact star-crossed and fated for tragedy. Secrets and lies come between them, as does the jealous ex-boyfriend (the Benjamin whose name is no longer tattooed on her breast)who just got out of prison for murder.

There are flashes of loveliness in the writing here - the opening sentence just blew me away - and the sense of impending doom and dark mystery kept me reading, but the romance between the main characters left me kind of cold. I just didn't feel it or entirely buy into it.… (mer)