Mark of a Crescent Moon
by Clara Fay
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Apr 17 2023 | Archive Date May 30 2023
Talking about this book? Use #MarkofaCrescentMoon #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
Dancing between the modern world and sixth-century Scotland, this riveting tale blends portal fantasy with an exploration of what it means to align with one’s true self.
Struggling to make sense of her life after a bitter divorce, Fleur La Salle has returned to her hometown of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, to rebuild her self-confidence. She longs to rekindle the passion for painting that she lost during her brief marriage. Even more urgently, she hopes to discover the meaning behind her recurring dreams of a mysterious woman pleading for help, dreams that increasingly feel real.
Fleur’s grandmother Eileen, the healer who raised Fleur, intuits a connection between these dreams and their family secret: generations of women said to suffer from an ancient curse. So when a strange letter arrives from Scotland, Eileen encourages Fleur to act quickly, to go claim her disputed inheritance and uncover the details of their shadowy ancestry before it’s too late.
On the remote Scottish Isle of Mull, Fleur stumbles upon a hidden portal of standing stones where her dreams become visceral encounters that cause her physical trauma. Suddenly, the year is AD 560, when Picts roamed, establishing societies of myth and magic. Fleur finds herself racing against time to unlock the secret of her family curse and to unravel the meaning of her dreams. Could she be the mysterious woman, and could the man recently appearing beside her be Thomas B. Hayden, the attractive historical architect Fleur briefly dated back home—the same man now disputing Fleur’s inheritance?
Are her dreams a peek at true love’s destiny . . . or a warning?
Advance Praise
Praise for Mark of a Crescent Moon
"Through the experiences of Fleur La Salle, author Clara Fay leads readers on an exploration of concepts related to spirituality, intuition, portals, and dreams and visions. Ms. Fay breathes life into these mysteries by staging them against a background of Scotland's Hebrides islands and Scottish history. This book is rich and beautiful in details without slowing or stalling the unraveling of the story. Definitely worth the read!"
—Sandra Valencia, award-winning author of The Chikondra Trilogy and the Legends of Turand series
"Mark of a Crescent Moon is a fantastical and intriguing novel. Clara Fay knows how to paint a beautiful picture with words, and the lyrical narrative and beautifully portrayed setting transported me into a fairytale-like world. Fleur is an intriguing character, warm and passionate—her passion was what drew me into her story. I saw her haunting dreams to be an opportunity for her to get back something she lost and maybe even gain something new. Magical and suspenseful, Clara Fay's Mark of a Crescent Moon took me on an unforgettable adventure of romance, magic, and so much more! Excellent work!"
—Jessica Barbosa for Reader's Favorite ®
"Mark of a Crescent Moon is a gorgeous debut from author Clara Fay. A blend of fantasy and historical fiction, Fay's tight command of prose and character development elevates this book from your standard genre fiction fare. This is a story of secrets, a story rich with Scottish history and lore, and, perhaps most important, a story of dreams and visions—the power of spiritual development to transcend time and place."
—David Arthur, Goodreads reviewer
Imaginative. Engaging. Crafted with Excellence. Following Fleur LaSalle, the heroine of Mark of a Crescent Moon, in both her physical and spiritual journeys is indeed a mixture of adventure, intrigue, romance and introspection.
From 1987 to AD 560, the author moves the heroine across the landscapes of time and geography while providing the reader a clear and colorful visual of what life was life during the pre-internet days of the 1980’s and the ancient time of the Picts.
Clara cleverly builds the relationship between Fleur and her ancestors and ties in a fascinating relationship with the famous Book Of Kells.
The historical timeline is especially interesting to those of Scottish heritage and Outlander fans will be intrigued by the portal activity within the standing stone circles.
As a Maritime Canadian, I enjoyed the familiarity of the Canadian East Coast setting where Fleur begins her quest to understand her dreams and subsequently acts on the mysterious calling that she hears in those dreams.
—5-star Verified Amazon Purchase Review
Magical! Mark of a Crescent Moon had me enthralled from the first chapter. The wonderful narrative transported me to Scotland where I could picture the heather covered hills and taste the homemade scones and whiskey. The author’s sense of humor had me laughing out loud in places. The struggles of the main character Fleur had me cheering for her throughout the book. This was a very enjoyable book one I will be recommending to family and friends. Congratulations to the author Clara Fay!
—5-star Verified Amazon Purchase Review
Excellent debut novel. Mark of a Crescent Moon is a phenomenal novel by Clara Fay that takes us on a historic and spiritual adventure. An ancestral curse that was afflicted on the women of a Scottish family has Fleur, the last living line of these women, on a quest to break this curse. Clara brings the story alive with mystery, magic, healing, and romance which makes for a fantastic read. Outstanding!
—5-star Verified Amazon Purchase Review
A really enjoyable read and fans of Kate Mosse would enjoy the journeys from past to present set in the beautiful Hebrides and the history attached to these Islands. A time when the natural environment was so intertwined in everyday life .
I liked the focus on the generations of strong women and how the past can sometimes determine our future.
—5-star Verified Amazon Purchase Review
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9798987216910 |
| PRICE | |
