Woven in Moonlight is the fantastic debut from Isabel Ibañez with gorgeous prose, excellent pacing, and a compelling plot. (And what a beautiful cover!) One of my favorite parts of this book was the lyrical descriptions: of colors, weaving, magic, and FOOD. The descriptions of food were unreal, buying this book should really come with an option to purchase all the delicious food described within so you can eat it as you read.
Our heroine, Ximena, is the decoy for her Condesa and forced into an engagement with Atoc, the twisted and creepy villain. One of the things I loved about this book is how you can see the growth of characters. There are no easy answers for Ximena and this book is such a fun and adventure-filled story as she decides who she wants to be and how she will help her people.
Ximena’s magic was intriguing and I liked how she found a creative way to use it to accomplish her goals. I also love a story with animal companions and these were particularly lovable. The witty dialogue, the Spanish used throughout (there’s a glossary in the back if you don’t speak Spanish or not sure of the meaning from context), and the slowburn romance all made this a stellar read. This book is inspired from true events in Bolivia and you can certainly see the parallels. The author’s love for Inkasisa and for Bolivia shine through beautifully.
Did I mention the food? Because my mouth is still watering from the salteñas (baked empanadas from Bolivia), cuñapes (cheese bread, usually served at teatime), and pasankalla (puffed white maize, coated in sugar) etc….do not read this book on an empty stomach! I highly recommend this book and am already eagerly awaiting the sequel.
Our heroine, Ximena, is the decoy for her Condesa and forced into an engagement with Atoc, the twisted and creepy villain. One of the things I loved about this book is how you can see the growth of characters. There are no easy answers for Ximena and this book is such a fun and adventure-filled story as she decides who she wants to be and how she will help her people.
Ximena’s magic was intriguing and I liked how she found a creative way to use it to accomplish her goals. I also love a story with animal companions and these were particularly lovable. The witty dialogue, the Spanish used throughout (there’s a glossary in the back if you don’t speak Spanish or not sure of the meaning from context), and the slowburn romance all made this a stellar read. This book is inspired from true events in Bolivia and you can certainly see the parallels. The author’s love for Inkasisa and for Bolivia shine through beautifully.
Did I mention the food? Because my mouth is still watering from the salteñas (baked empanadas from Bolivia), cuñapes (cheese bread, usually served at teatime), and pasankalla (puffed white maize, coated in sugar) etc….do not read this book on an empty stomach! I highly recommend this book and am already eagerly awaiting the sequel.