Book of the Month YA is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, 5 curators pick out their favorite new young adult hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month. You can also add up to 2 additional books for only $9.99 each.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
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About this YA Book Box
The Subscription Box: Book of the Month YA
The Cost: $11.99 a month
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 1st book for $9.99
CODE: BOO
The Product: Subscribers get to pick from a selection of hardcover books each month. Skip any month you aren't interested in. Add up to two additional books for $9.99 each.
Ships to: The US for free
Book of the Month YA January 2020 Review
Looking for the regular Book of the Month reviews? Find them here!
I'm reviewing Woven in Moonlight:
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez - Retail Value $18.99 (found here for $13.39)
Book Summary from Amazon:
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 princesa, 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.
I was really bummed out when this book was over, which usually means I loved it. This is actually my second attempt at writing a review on it because the first time I felt pretty emotionally drained and all I could type was "This book was so charming." That sentence is true, but it oversimplifies what is actually a pretty intense book based on current-day Bolivian politics and power.
When the Llacsans take control over Inkasisa, the Illustrians are pressed further out of La Ciudad and into the surrounding jungles. Our heroine Ximena is an orphan of this violent conflict and from an early age was groomed as the decoy of Catalina, the last relative of the deposed Illustrian royals. When Atoc, the leader of the Llacsans, demands the Condesa's hand in marriage, Ximena is duty-bound to take her place and act as both decoy and spy, funneling secret messages in her magical moon-touched tapestries.
This seems like a straightforward (though dangerous) plan until Ximena begins to identify with her captors and recognize their humanity and kindness. What do you do when the world isn't black and white anymore? Does a bloodline guarantee power even if the heir might not be fit to rule? How far can loyalty stretch between what you came to do and what you actually should do? Add in the mysterious and handsome vigilante El Lobo and you have a dash of intrigue, romance, adventure, and revolution.
And Book of the Month YA includes a bookmark every month.
If you picked this book this month, please let me know what you think of it!
Verdict: My January Book of the Month YA was a delight. The lush world of Inkasisa was full to bursting with colorful characters, Bolivian food I swear I could smell through the pages, and well-built environments. The way this book blended politics and humanity was breathtaking. It was a quick read for me and I so wish there was more, though this is not a series. If you picked this one this month, drop me a note in the comments with what you thought. And if you didn't, consider this brilliant debut for your February add-ons!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this book if you sign up today? No, but the February selections are currently available! You can potentially select this book as an add-on though, so be sure to check!
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 1st book for $9.99
CODE: BOO
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