The Band From Another World (Alien Survival Guide 3) by Kevin Garone

What worked:

Each chapter begins with an excerpt from a guidebook that describes what to do in case of an alien invasion. These passages are usually related to events in the book, and Marv follows the information as though it’s the absolute truth. He’s convinced Earth is being invaded, so he interprets most situations as evidence supporting his ideas. The story is told through Marv’s eyes, so readers are aware of every thought of an alien conspiracy. Nora joined his team in the first book, but Marv continues to think her father is an alien. Marv’s given each character a nickname. His best friend, Jace, is called Baller One, Nora is Space Cadet, Kenji is Pyro, and Marv calls himself Gold Leader.

This book introduces a new character named Liv, but Marv immediately starts calling her Alien Lover. As you can guess from her name, Liv thinks visiting aliens will be friendly, and she would like to travel into space with them. Her character contrasts with Marv’s view of aliens, so readers will be entertained by their interactions. On the plus side, they share a strong interest in aliens, so Liv is supportive of Marv’s efforts to find proof. Nora thinks Marv is nuts, and Jace goes along with his friend’s strange ideas. Kenji just loves the adventure and opportunities to play with fire or create pranks.

Considering the possibility of alien lifeforms visiting Earth is an entertaining aspect of the series. Marv is convinced it’s going to happen, or it’s already happened, but the first two books had science-related explanations for what occurred. This book follows that same pattern, so readers start to wonder if aliens will ever show up. Marv and his friends find musical instruments in an old, abandoned house, and they begin to behave strangely. Their behavior is worst while playing the instruments, so readers may suspect they’re possessed by spirits. Marv’s sister, Reformed Skeptic, contacts paranormal experts, and they seem to resolve the problem. However, the handbook warns that a dangerous time period arises when you think everything is fine.

What didn’t work as well:

The story is meant to be humorous, but some readers may think Marv is wackadoodle. The characters' names and nicknames are used interchangeably without a pattern for when they are used. This is unusual since the story is told from Marv’s point of view. He uses nicknames within dialogue, so why don’t his thoughts use those same names?

The final verdict:

This book can be enjoyed on its own, but I suggest you start with the first book in the series, I Know What UFO Did Last Summer. The climax brings back events from previous books, so it will help to be more aware of them. I recommend this book for paranormal/UFO lovers, so give it a chance.