<i>Arc provided via Netgalley.</i>

TW: graphic violence, gore, swearing

This is a Bolivian-inspired YA fantasy, set in a world were certain people have varied magical abilities, about two warring races: the Illustrians who used to rule and the Llacsan who were once oppressed but have risen to power after a revolution. The story follows Ximena, who is a decoy for the real Illustrian Condesa and is being forced to go to the dictator King in order to be his wife. But Ximena uses this as an opportunity to spy for her people and recover a magical artefact that might help them win the war. In the picture there is also a mysterious masked vigilante, who seems to be against the king, but Ximena isn't quite sure whose side he is on...

There are some intriguing aspects of the story and I enjoyed how the author used this fantasy world to tell a story of dictatorship after a revolution, which is something very real, not only in Bolivia, but many other countries in South American and the rest of the world as well; and I also like how a recurring theme of this book is how there are always two sides to every story and you might not always be sure who is right or wrong, especially if you are too close to one side.

It was, however very predictable: if you have read any YA fantasy ever, you can see where some things were going to go from a mile away - at least, I could. I felt like the magical world and the explanation for things were glossed over and the overall political arc of the story was rushed and contrived.

I personally couldn't really connect with the characters (and much less to the romance, which wasn't exactly insta-love, but made very little sense and had very little build up) nor to the writing style, and I get the characters switching to Spanish is realistic for bilingual people in the real world, but it kind of drove me out of the story a little bit. I guess the writing overall just didn't feel very immersive to me.

I enjoyed learning about some aspects of Bolivian culture, and mainly the food, that were included in the story and I appreciate that the author added a glossary explaining what things were.

Despite my reservations, I would still recommend this book for someone who likes plot-driven stories and is maybe looking for a fun YA-fantasy that is based on Latinx culture. This is a standalone but there will be another book set in the same world, so maybe there will be some more depth to the world building...

*4.5 stars rounded up*

As soon as I started reading this book I was captivated by its atmosphere. The setting is so rich and tangible that even before I was grounded in the story I felt like I was with these characters

We follow Ximena, the decoy condesa (countess) of the downtrodden Illustrian people. As part of a plot overthrow the Llacsan prince, Ximena is sent into the palace under the guise of promising to marry the false prince and unite their people once more

The plot was so beautifully woven, just like Ximena's tapestries of moonlight. The feud between the Llacsans and the Illustrians was palpable, their animosity and the history behind it so rich. This was based on real events in Bolivian history, but this richness is primarily a testament to the writing

The characters were interesting and flawed. Even the protagonist, who I was supposed to be rooting for, has serious flaws that make it difficult to trust and like her completely. The story weaves together so beautifully that I was captured to the very end

I received a complimentary copy of Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez from Page Street Kids through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Woven in Moonlight will be released on January 7th!
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Ximena is the condesa's decoy and now that the usurper Llacsan king Atoc has demanded the Illustrian condesa marry him, Ximena will go in her place. Years ago, Atoc used the Estrella, a powerful magical relic, to wield a ghost army that overthrew the Illustrians and allowed him to take power. Now Ximena is determined to spend her time in Atoc's court searching for the relic so the condesa can reclaim her throne. A vigilante known as El Lobo is wreaking havoc on Atoc's court and Ximena accidentally runs into him during a late night scouting mission. As Ximena learns more about El Lobo, the Llacsans, and Atoc's family, she begins to question whether the condesa should be queen. Atoc is cruel and must be stopped, but won't the condesa just oppress the Llacsans the way her family did? Ximena must decide if her loyalty to her longtime friend outweighs equality and freedom for both Illustrians and Llacsans.
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Woven in Moonlight was such a fantastic book! It started out a tiny bit slow for me, but I was still fascinated by the world and the story. At about the halfway point everything really clicked into place and I inhaled the last half in one sitting! The Bolivian influence in this novel creates a truly lovely and captivating world. Also, our heroine Ximena can turn moonlight into thread and weaves magical tapestries. I don't want to ruin this book for anyone, but her gift goes in an unexpected and mesmerizing direction! Overall, this was a fun adventure full of magic and food descriptions that will make your mouth water. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fantasy novel with a unique setting!

Bolivian-American artist and author Isabel Ibañez has served up an excellent debut novel, first in what appears to be a duology (the second novel, Written in Starlight should release next year), though the world and magic system are such that she could continue for a longer series. Woven in Moonlight tells the story of Ximena, a young woman whose sole purpose is to serve as a double for Catalina, La Condesa (the Contessa), leader of a community of refugees on the losing side of a war between the aristocracy and an indigenous group. Based in La Ciudad Blanca (The White City), the story takes place in a land called Inkasisa inspired by Ibañez's parents' home country of Bolivia. In Quechua, Inkasisa means "royal flower," and La Ciudad Blanca is modeled after the Bolivian city of Sucre, the city in which Bolivia's Declaration of Independence was signed. In Latinx tradition, this is a novel of magical realism. In addition to being trained as a fighter to protect Catalina, Ximena is also a weaver and her magic allows her to weave moonlight into her weavings. She also has the power of using moondust to make someone sleep.

As the novel opens, the Condesa, who in public, even with her own people, uses Ximena as her decoy, is not dealing very wisely with the fact that her people are on the verge of starvation. Instead of rationing, she wants them all to believe everything will be fine as she waits for one of her generals to return with supplies. Only she doesn't return and Ximena and Catalina grow increasingly worried. Things take a turn for the worse when a messenger arrives from the usurper king Atoc demanding the Condesa's hand in marriage and saying it's the only way to save her captured general. Catalina sends Ximena in her stead, of course, but only after Ximena makes the mistake of killing the messenger in a fit of fury. Everything in Ximena's life plunges off a cliff at that point. She is to marry a brutal man she despises, and one who is angry that she (the Condesa) killed his messenger, who was a cousin of his. He wants to subjugate the remnant aristocracy and plans to marry the Condesa during the annual Carnaval celebration that is only weeks away. Held under close watch and often locked up, Ximena is searching as much as she's able for a magical relic that is giving Atoc his power. She is watched by his cousin Rumi, who is also a healer, and Juan Carlos, who is one of the heads of the palace guard. Over the course of several weeks, Ximena begins to question what she knows about the war between the Llacsan people of Atoc and the Condesa's family. She's been raised, possibly even indoctrinated, hearing only half of the story. While Atoc seems to be a brutal person, his rise to power seems to have been because of the abuse of a Llacsan working class that may no longer give Atoc their support. A masked vigilante, El Lobo (the Wolf), has been actively working against Atoc. But is he on the side of the Condesa's people? Ximena is isolated in La Ciudad but feels increasingly drawn to some of the Llacsans she's been told to revile. When her weavings begin to come to life, whose cause will they fight for? The Condesa's? The Llacsans's? The mysterious Princesa Tamaya, who is Atoc's very popular but likely doomed sister? Or is Ximena just on the side of all the people of Inkasisa? Perhaps the best cause is the cause of peace.

While I wasn't always thrilled with the pacing and some aspects of the plot, Ibañez's world is rich and creative. She's put so much creativity into the physical book itself, too. Also an artist by day, Ibañez designed the cover of the book, as well as the interior page designs. It is such a labor of her love. And the message of this book, that of questioning ideas you've been raised with, is an incredibly important one for young readers.

I am looking forward to Written in Starlight as I'm intrigued to see if she can make me like Catalina.


I received a Digital Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Woven in Moonlight was an absolutely fantastic way to start off the year! It had incredible magic, a wonderful romance (but seriously, the development of the relationship and the romantic tension are both A+), and a revolution.

Ximena’s character development was amazing. I loved that she questioned her own beliefs and perception. And that she was willing to listen when other characters pointed out some of her one-sided or problematic beliefs. Plus her magic is just cool (I dare you to read this book and not want to try out weaving).

I also loved that this book was based on Bolivian politics and history! I’ve definitely spent some time researching the history behind this book because the author made me so curious.

If you’re looking for a fresh and vibrant YA fantasy book, pick this one up. This was Ibañez’s debut novel but she’s already landed on my auto-buy author list.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I finished reading this one almost a month ago and I’m still sorting through my feelings about it. I honestly think I need to reread it to fully absorb the story. It took me 3 weeks to finish, which isn’t long but also quite a while for me.

I thought that Isabel did an amazing job setting up the story, weaving in new (to me) folklore and I definitely didn’t foresee some of the twists towards the end. I found the magic system very unique and intriguing. The last third/quarter of the book had me completely entranced. I couldn’t put it down.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book and plan to reread it, as well as continue with the series. This is a fantasy debut that I think will capture the heats of many.

Three and a half
This author takes political unrest and dire intrigue in South America and attempts to give it a fantasy twist which will perhaps have a wider appeal. It’s actually not a bad idea to get people’s attention in what is an imaginative and entertaining way but sadly for this reader at times I just didn’t totally believe everything these characters were up to. I enjoyed the concept of Ximena pretending to be the Contessa and felt her loyalty felt realistic although she was terribly naive when it came to the viciously power hungry Atoc.
There is more than just a nod to the legendary Zorro here which certainly added to the fun but alas his identity was just so laughably obvious in spite of the author trying to muddy the literary waters with more than one possibility. There’s a rather tame romance which wasn’t terribly convincing but then again this is aimed I imagine at readers younger than I am so I won’t hold that against the author. I absolutely loved the magical ideas in play here ( that cover makes sense when you read this ) but actually wanted much more as it wasn’t really explained just how or why certain characters had particular abilities. However I note the author intends to revisit this world and from the anticipated title Written in Starlight it looks like the Contessa herself is stepping forward and hopefully there will be a lot more about the magic system.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Every once in a while, I feel like I've read an entirely different book than everyone else who has given an early review. I see comments about gorgeous, lush settings, whimsical fantasy elements, intricate political machinations, and I'm over here wondering where the heck those things are. While it does offer up a lively Bolivian-inspired setting, Woven in Moonlight ultimately didn't deliver on the magic or political machinations that were promised. I felt like I was reading a book about colorful paper dolls set against a flat background - there was no depth to any element of the story. The magic system - if it can even be called that - was so loosely defined and haphazardly used that it could have been entirely removed from the story and not been missed. The plot was predicable, characters were one-dimensional, and it lacked the wonder one hopes to get from a fantasy world. I struggled to buy into the romance and I found myself rolling my eyes more than once. The characters often acted out of character or did complete 180s in service to the plot. I really couldn't tell you what anyone's personality was because they always acted to move the very linear plot forward another step - not in line with their established character arc or motivations. Despite my frustrations with the lack of magic or complex characters, the writing is clear and easily understandable; paired with a simpler plot that more experienced fantasy readers will have read several times over, it may appeal more to younger tween readers than older teens.

What a journey! This book felt like it had a slow start and built itself up and for that reason for the first couple chapters I wasn’t sure I was even enjoying the story, but slowly the characters gained a place in my heart and I was completely invested.

One thing to note is that there is quite a bit of spanish in this book which is so cool (and for anyone who doesn’t understand spanish, don’t worry there’s a glossary in the back!)

As for the plot and the characters, I love everything! This book is SO BEAUTIFUL and I want there to be a movie!! (please!) The characters start out somewhat two dimensional and grow into complex roles and people as you begin to read more about them.

THE ROMANCE OK. It’s definitely a slow burning, tension-filled kind of romance and it was just so cute and I won’t say who ends up together but I love them.

If somehow none of that impresses you let me just add one more thing. While reading this book my family went to Disney World, and I legitimately read in every spare moment I could. Yes, that’s right, this had me flipping pages even when I could have been enjoying the sights and sounds of Disney World for the first time, but I have no regrets!​

This was a whimsical, lovely book. I loved the unique magic connected to weaving and to moonlight. The turn that the magic took in the second half of the book was utterly enchanting. I felt that the tone of the magic wasn't always fitting some of the grittier, darker moments that are typical with a fantasy story in this style. I wished alternative choices could have been found to keep the feel of the book more in line with the magic that was revealed. I also, personally, figured out what was going to happen pretty early on, but I don't know if that means the book was predictable or simply that I have an annoying habit of predicting how stories are going to play out. I loved the world building and all the beautiful details inspired by Bolivian life. I do worry that some readers may be bothered by how often there were phrases in Spanish only, dispersed throughout the book. I studied Spanish in high school and college and understood the phrases, but there were times I wasn't sure others would know enough from context to fully understand what was being said unless they knew at least some basic Spanish. For example, there's a super crucial moment where someone says "Te amo" and the reply is "Yo también." It would be quite unfortunate if the reader didn't realize the characters were saying they loved each other. I appreciated that the violence wasn't tooooo graphic (though there are some disturbing deaths and injuries), and romance didn't escalate beyond a bit of passionate kissing, so my twelve-year-old can enjoy this one, too, if she wants. I'd recommend this to fans of The Girl of Fire and Thorns series, and YA fantasy set in non-European worlds.
Thank you Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read a free ebook of Woven In Moonlight in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Considering this is the author’s debut I saw from reviews it was good, but I really didn’t I would love it as much as I did. Such a unique and impressive story that is woven throughout with stunning details and the story itself is just amazing. I loved the main characters, especially the “Condesa”, who has to go into enemy territory and marry the fake king Atoc. Watching her character development and grow was intriguing, because she always saw things as black and white never with any grey areas. Once she gets to meet the so called enemy people, she sees how what her people know and have been taught are wrong.

While I did find the plot itself to be pretty predictable, it was such a unique storyline that I never got bored. I loved the way magic worked and how descriptive everything was. How the main character has magical abilities to weave animals and how others can look at the stars and see what is going to happen. I did see the ending coming, but a couple things did shock me throughout the book.

Another thing I absolutely loved was the very slow burn romance. I won’t give away anything, but the person Ximena (the fake Condesa) is slowly but surely falling for is just such a great person and learning about his life and what brought him to who he is today, made it such an exceptional and intricate storyline. “I think it’s time we have a chat, little wolf.” I loved their silly banter, and how it went from complete and utter disgust of each other, and only seeing how they could be good or evil, but coming to realize each other’s stories.

Like I said before I really enjoyed the descriptions, but also how we got to know so many of the characters as well! Some of the side characters played such important parts, and it was nice to actually know about them and come to care for not only the main characters but them as well. This was a very satisfying read for me and had the perfect ending. I highly recommend adding this to your tbr shelf, it comes out in January!

Using political intrigue, Bolivian history, a dash of romance, and threads of moonlight, Woven in Moonlight creates an interesting tale of a girl who must stand in as a decoy for the last royal of her people, as she attempts to put the right person on the throne.

I appreciated the culture that was shown in rich settings. And parts of the plot intrigued me, especially when it took on a slightly Mask of Zorro tone, with a black masked vigilante. But I mostly felt disconnected from the plot and characters. I loved the magic aspect, but that didn’t really set in until almost halfway through. And I didn’t believe the romance.

But my complaints aside, it’s well written with pretty good characterization. It might not be the book for me, but I’m pretty sure there will be plenty of people who will feel the allure and magic of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for an e-arc to review.

Plot/Synopsis:

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.

Praise:

1. Isabel Ibanez brings a modern story to an ancient world in her debut novel - Woven In Moonlight. With immersive prose, original magic, and characters as rich as the Bolivian culture. Ibanez delivers a wholly unique book for the YA shelf. -Adrienne Young

2. Woven In Moonlight is an impressive debut novel for author Isabel Ibanez. Woven In Moonlight covers the aftermath of war and the intricacies of morality when nothing is black and white. - Goodreads/sarahxoxo

My Thoughts:
Immersive and Magical, Isabel Ibanez brings Bolivian culture, history, and magic together for a spectacular debut novel!! A unique, modern tale, set in an ancient world full of twists, magic, and uniquely rich characters!! A score for YA readers!!! Lush, vibrant, and an unbeatable prose!! You won't want to miss this spectacular tale!!

This book was fabulous. It made me so hungry though. The food they eat sounded so delicious. I love the magic in this book and I enjoyed getting to know these characters. I like that it’s a stand alone book so no story lines were stretched out for the next book.

The world built here has moments of great detail, like the weaving that Ximena does (those animals!!) or the clothing, but there are large swaths that needed more: what daily life is like in the Keep and La Ciudad, what the history of the country (and the two main societies) is, and how the different magics work. Add to that the fight scenes that don't quite make sense, the fact that Ximena's life as the decoy should have trained her to have more control and possession, and the question of Who Was El Lobo is too easily solved and, well... On the other hand, the pseudo-Bolivian setting is unusual and that difference made me continue reading.

This is supposed to be a standalone, but would have benefited from either tightening up the plot or expanding it into a duology. The author says that the next book is set in the same world, so perhaps some of what was left out here will be added then.

eARC provided by publisher.

Five stars

This book totally surprised me in the very best way. My exclusive reason for requesting it, I'll admit, is that I thought the cover was so cool looking. I had little idea of what I was to find inside.

In short, I loved this novel. The world building is developed and fascinating, and while the author has announced that this is a stand-alone novel, and it does come with a complete narrative and plot, I can easily see this work developing into a series of spin-offs. I often find works of this nature tedious and repetitive because the world building can turn into constant reminders about characters' relationships to each other and historical explanations that go on and on, but none of that applies here. The main character is complex and experiences an intriguing learning process which is just the right balance of explained and evolved. She grapples with both her role as a decoy and her status as an authentic, thinking being, and I love that she maintains her position as a "typical" person even when she exhibits extraordinary traits and skills. In this way, she is quite relatable. The ancillary characters in the piece are also riveting. Readers get just enough info to find their stories believable but not obvious/expected. I enjoyed that I was often surprised by various turns of events; this can be...challenging in a YA novel. My favorite aspect is the way weaving is used for communication, creativity, critical thinking, and bridge building. This is reminiscent of the loom's use in classic mythology (Penelope, Circe), and I really love that the author takes a known technique and theme and makes it her own here. The animals are an added - and fantastic - bonus.

I cannot wait to read more by this author. Without question, this is a book I'll be referencing and recommending to students for years to come, and I am already recommending it to friends and family.

❥My Review: I have had so much anticipation feels towards this novel.. from the moment I found out about it, I found the author on social, and I followed her, wanting to know EVERYTHING about this book. This is such a special book, it’s so wonderful to have a Latinx author in YA, they are rare, and we must support each and every one. Isabel is a wonderful writer (and illustrator!) I am proud and honored to have been able to read this novel prior to its release day!

We meet Ximena, the Queen, or is she.. we learn all about Ximena and the journey she’s about to embark on, and it takes on one of the most amazing stories I have ever read.

A story filled with Magic, politics, and finding strength to fight for what’s right for the people. The story evolves in such a powerful way, and it really made me as the reader question some things I felt “right” for the story line. Isabel did an amazing job, telling both sides of the story, in a heart breaking but raw way, and shows us that sometimes, things can change.. for the better.

I am so excited, and greatly looking forward to the next installment of this series, although this is a standalone novel, and the next one will be read as one as well, reading them both I feel will give me a true sense of what the story is about as a whole.

Congratulations Isabel So excited for your debut novel to be out in the world!

On Sale January 7th, 2020!

Make your first read of 2020, your favorite!😍

Thank You #PageStreetKids and #Netgalley for the galley copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.. #Partner

Whimsically written! Reminded me a lot of Caraval in the descriptions and the overall dreamy atmosphere. Slow burn romance that had me sucked in from the beginning. The way the cultural and political factors intertwined were pretty interesting. It's great to see that books now make us aware of the outside world even through fantasy. With regards to the main characters, I had a little trouble connecting with them in the beginning but nothing too big that made me want to stop reading. I did feel it to be just a tad predictable as well, but like I said nothing that made me want to get rid of the book. Ximena was sassy and witty which is what always pulls me when I am reading, and that worked out great. The good outweighed that bad in this one. Solid 4 stars! Can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you so much to the author for sharing an arc of this title with me.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, who stands in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. When the usurper king Atoc demands the Condesa’s hand in marriage, Ximena goes in her stead, determined to use the opportunity to find the ancient relic that Atoc used to summon a ghost army and take the throne years before. But as Ximena gets to know the enemy and starts seeing them as actual individuals, she finds herself questioning what course of action is best for her kingdom – and whether that means betraying her Condesa and need for revenge. I’ll admit that it was the beautiful cover (designed by the author!) that caught my eye first! Happily, this story ended up being a fun read! The plot structure and characters are typical of YA fantasy reads, but what does make this story stand out is the integration of Bolivian culture (particularly in language, fashion and food). It was enjoyable (particularly the last 30%) and I flew quickly through this book. If you’re in the mood for a lighter YA fantasy read, Woven in Moonlight might be an ideal choice.

I was very excited to get approved for this ARC; however, the formatting of the Kindle file makes it impossible to read. I have tried both on my Kindle device and in the app, but the text is weirdly overlapped and jumbled. If an updated version is provided, I'll review that; otherwise, I will return here and update this review based on a final copy of the book after it publishes.