Woven In Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez is a soft fantasy novel that was released on January 7, 2020. Published by Page Street Kids, this #ownvoices book is a delightful read.
Synopsis
A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.
Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.
When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.
She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.
- Author: Isabel Ibañez
- Publisher: Page Street Kids
- Publication date: January 7, 2020
- Book Length: 384
- Genre: YA Fantasy, #ownvoice
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Mood Boards – Woven in the Moonlight
Mood Board by Isabel Ibañez
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Review
Woven in Moonlight is a light fantasy, own voices novel, heavily based on Bolivian culture.
In public, Ximena Rojas grows up to be Catalina, the Condesa’s (Queen) double. At age eight, Ximena starts impersonating Catalina and takes on the burden of protecting the last living Illustrian royal, who also becomes her best friend behind closed doors.
One day, King Atoc, an evil Llacsan and usurper, demands that the Condesa become his wife, or he will kill Ana, her general and friend. Finding herself in an impossible situation, the Condesa nevertheless sees an opportunity. If she accepts, she will have enough time in the Castillo (castle) before the wedding to steal the Estrella, a powerful weapon that could help the Illustrians win the war against the Llacsans. Unfortunately, once she reaches the Castillo, nothing goes according to plan. Ximena will learn that there is more to the story than what she was raised to believe.
I will start by saying that this book is a wonderful surprise. The cover of the book is colorful and intriguing—truly beautiful. I heard the author created the cover herself, which is pretty amazing if it is true.
The novel is well written. For a young adult novel, the book did not have much of a juvenile feel to it. Bolivian culture is ingrained into the story, and this made me feel like I was traveling without leaving my home. Both of these things made me want to read the book.
Ximena is a stubborn, sometimes reckless, character—but she also has a good heart. Her character changes as she gains knowledge of what truly happened to the Llacsans under the Illustrians’ regime. Rumi is a very interesting character too. He fights for what he believes in, not once wavering from his goal. Their romance is slow but effective.
The action is a little slow to begin with, even if it does have quite a few unexpected twists. The story becomes very interesting about a third of the way through the book. I enjoyed reading this story and would definitely recommend it for the culture, the slow burn romance, and the fight for a better world.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
About the author: Isabel Ibañez
Isabel Ibañez was born in Boca Raton, Florida, and is the proud daughter of two Bolivian immigrants. A true word nerd, she received her degree in creative writing and has been a pitch Wars mentor for three years. Isabel is an avid movie-goer and loves hosting family and friends around the dinner table.
She currently lives in Winter Park, Florida, with her husband, their adorable dog, and a serious collection of books. Say hi on social media at@IsabelWriter09.
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US/CAN GIVEAWAY
PRIZE: Win a copy of WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT by Isabel Ibañez (US/CAN Only)
STARTS: 20th January 2020 – ENDS: 3rd February 2020
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