Woven in Moonlight (Woven in Moonlight, #1) (édition 2020)

Honestly this is one of the best YA novels I have ever read. Kudos to this new author, I eagerly look forward to more of her writing. ( )

This book has one of the most beautiful covers I've seen all year. The book is political fantasy with a sprinkle of romance thrown in as well. I enjoyed the fact that it is based on Bolivia, setting it apart from a lot of the other YA books. I'd recommend this young adult readers looking for a fantasy novel with a political bent. ( )

RGG: Great premise: Bolivian folklore and culture, especially food; conflict with the indigenous peoples. But the characters feel flat, the plot has holes and the romance seems to be an afterthought. Reading Interest: 12-YA.

Name: Woven in Moonlight
Author: Isabel Ibanez
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Drama, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Rating:4.1/5

Summary:
The story is set in the magical world of Inkasia based on Bolivian culture politics and history. The protagonist is Ximena Rajas, a decoy condesa (duchess) in place of the last living royal, Caitilina. After the revolt, the usurper, Atoc took control of the power. While the Illustrations lost everything.

When King Atoc asks the Condesa's hand in marriage, Ximena must step forward in her friend's place. This is her chance to take her revenge by finding the magical artefact from Atoc and restore the original condesa back to power. But when she comes to know the truth behind the revolt, will she betray the trust of her best friend for the sake of all the people? With her resolute determination, magic to weave tapestries from moonlight and help from a masked vigilante, she may change the course of the history.

The story weaves through magic, reign revolution, love and betrayal. From the beginning, Ximena is portrayed to be someone with no identity of her own. She lived in the shadows of Caitilina. But through the pages, she develops an identity of her own. Her personality also develops as she lives in the palace of Atoc. She learns that their history was not what she had known. With the truth spilled, everything changes, her believes, her perspective and her instincts.

The chapters are numbered in Spanish and there has a significant use of Spanish words throughout the story, which is quite impressive. I liked the development of Ximena's character and her perspective. How can I not like the witty character of Rumi? He is a true cinnamon roll surrounded by herbs and quirky remarks.

I liked the fact that the author has shown two sides of the story, portraying that the history can be very different from what we know. The character of Atoc was very complex for me, I am really intrigued to know his backstory.
The story was good, but it was easily predictable though I liked the plot twists in between. The writing style was really incredible and kept me engrossed in the magical world of Inkasia. Overall, I am fascinated by this book and would love to read the next book "Written in Starlight".

For Further Reading:
Switched by Amanda Hocking
The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead ( )

By the end, I enjoyed the story. This is an interesting world and I like how the magic played out. However, the first half of the book felt pretty heavy-handed and forced. This could be an amazing book for some people, but it just wasn’t love for me. ( )