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Crowns of the Twelve #2
Moonlight
One vow. One curse. One thousand moons.
While Princess Aowyn's six brothers are favored by their father, Aowyn is the jewel in her mother's crown. When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait - who is more than she seems.
In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep.
Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.
Set in a Celtic world, "Moonlight" is the story of faith and true love woven through a breathtaking retelling of the classic folktale "The Swan Princess".
While Princess Aowyn's six brothers are favored by their father, Aowyn is the jewel in her mother's crown. When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait - who is more than she seems.
In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep.
Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.
Set in a Celtic world, "Moonlight" is the story of faith and true love woven through a breathtaking retelling of the classic folktale "The Swan Princess".
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2014
18 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
Ann Hunter
32 books163 followersMulti-award winning author, Ann Hunter, is the creator of the young adult fantasy series Crowns of the Twelve (including the novels The Subtle Beauty, Moonlight, Fallen, with A Piece of Sky, Ashes, and The Rose In The Briar to follow). She likes cherry soda with chocolate ice cream, is a mom first and a writer second, has a secret identity, and thinks the Twilight movies are cheesier than cheez whiz (which is why they are her guilty pleasure!)
She lives in a cozy Utah home with her two awesome kids and epic husband.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT HER HOMEPAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/authorannhunter
AND MAILING LIST:
http://eepurl.com/VZsFn
She lives in a cozy Utah home with her two awesome kids and epic husband.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT HER HOMEPAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/authorannhunter
AND MAILING LIST:
http://eepurl.com/VZsFn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
May 19, 2023
Fear departs when faith endures. —Naomi W. Randall
I appreciated the Celtic undertones and the Celtic lore interwoven throughout Moonlight, and the entire aesthetic of this novella was full of fairytale magic. I also found the reoccurring motif of the moon to be both beautiful and meaningful. I did think the names of Aowyn's six brothers were confusing at times, but the audiobook narration ensured that I wouldn't have any problems with pronunciation.
I also thought the villains were super interesting, and their darkness contrasted nicely with Aowyn's light. (How does Silas Mortas's story end, though? I want to know! xD)
I did feel like the pacing was much too quick at times, and I would've liked to get to know many of the characters better. For example, I loved every scene featuring Aowyn's brothers, and I would've loved to see them more. Even Aowyn herself (and also Xander) could've been more developed, which could've made her more relatable.
A few of the scenes also happened too quickly, especially the ones that involved action, because, again, the book goes by really fast. It says on Amazon that the paperback is 276 pages, which is the length of a normal novel, but I could feel how quickly the story was told, and it felt much more like it was novella-length.
Although I do wish Moonlight had lasted longer, I would still say that it was worth it overall. The story and characters were both interesting, and the aesthetic was just up my alley. I'm happy to have gotten the chance to read this!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book via StoryOrigin. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own, and I was not required to leave a positive review.
I appreciated the Celtic undertones and the Celtic lore interwoven throughout Moonlight, and the entire aesthetic of this novella was full of fairytale magic. I also found the reoccurring motif of the moon to be both beautiful and meaningful. I did think the names of Aowyn's six brothers were confusing at times, but the audiobook narration ensured that I wouldn't have any problems with pronunciation.
I also thought the villains were super interesting, and their darkness contrasted nicely with Aowyn's light. (How does Silas Mortas's story end, though? I want to know! xD)
I did feel like the pacing was much too quick at times, and I would've liked to get to know many of the characters better. For example, I loved every scene featuring Aowyn's brothers, and I would've loved to see them more. Even Aowyn herself (and also Xander) could've been more developed, which could've made her more relatable.
A few of the scenes also happened too quickly, especially the ones that involved action, because, again, the book goes by really fast. It says on Amazon that the paperback is 276 pages, which is the length of a normal novel, but I could feel how quickly the story was told, and it felt much more like it was novella-length.
Although I do wish Moonlight had lasted longer, I would still say that it was worth it overall. The story and characters were both interesting, and the aesthetic was just up my alley. I'm happy to have gotten the chance to read this!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book via StoryOrigin. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own, and I was not required to leave a positive review.
April 4, 2014
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Love, determination, strength of character, loss, loyalty and sacrifice, they’re all there in this amazing fantasy novella! Moonlight by Ann Hunter is filled with Celtic mythology, and a strong young heroine who will win your heart within the first few pages. The lone daughter of the king, her brothers are far more valuable to him, especially after the death of her mother when she vowed to always protect her siblings at any cost. When evil rears its ugly head and her brothers are cursed to be swans, Aowyn makes a pact with magical creature to save them. For one thousand days she may not utter a word about their existence as swans or all is forfeited. Can Aowyn keep her commitment? When she finds a man who steals her heart, she hesitates too long in accepting his proposal and he disappears. Should she leave her brothers undefended and follow her heart or should she stay to stop the evil that has crept into her castle. How does one choose between the love of family and the vows made for them and the love of a man who may be your destiny?
Ann Hunter has created a fantasy world and filled it with a strong heroine who is an amazing role model for children and an endearing character for adults. Magic, danger, death and love all dot this short, yet satisfying read. With her gift for writing, Ann Hunter will sweep you away into a fairytale world that will steal your heart and fuel your imagination no matter what your age. A wonderful escape into the fantasy of reading.
I received a review copy from Ann Hunter in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: March 3, 2014
Publisher: Afterglow Productions
Genre: Fantasy / Coming of Age
Number of Pages: 122
Available from: Amazon
March 10, 2014
This fairytale examines love from every angle. The characters all love someone or something, and that love makes them selfless, brave, and patient. It also makes them cruel, hateful, jealous, and power-hungry. It terrifies them. It makes them behave foolishly. It saves them. It destroys them. It makes curses and breaks curses. It's the most powerful force in the world.
Moonlight is the prequel to The Subtle Beauty, but it is a stand-alone novella, so you don't have to read The Subtle Beauty to understand it. The heroes of Moonlight, Aowyn and Xander, aren't afraid to take on the bad guys and stand up for what they believe. Aowyn is a strong female character who can think for herself and fight just as well as the men. Xander can be brash when he's with his fellow soldiers, but he loves Aowyn, respects her decisions, and sees her as his equal.
Moonlight puts a new Celtic spin on the classic fairytale The Swan Princess. I enjoyed reading it.
Moonlight is the prequel to The Subtle Beauty, but it is a stand-alone novella, so you don't have to read The Subtle Beauty to understand it. The heroes of Moonlight, Aowyn and Xander, aren't afraid to take on the bad guys and stand up for what they believe. Aowyn is a strong female character who can think for herself and fight just as well as the men. Xander can be brash when he's with his fellow soldiers, but he loves Aowyn, respects her decisions, and sees her as his equal.
Moonlight puts a new Celtic spin on the classic fairytale The Swan Princess. I enjoyed reading it.
May 6, 2020
I really liked this story about a young princess that has to battle an evil witch, watch over her magically transformed brothers, not speak for 1000 moons, and still fall in love together with a prince from another land. Nicely written piece of fantasy fiction.
April 4, 2019
I don't know why, but as a child, I never liked the swan princess film, even though everyone else seem to love it. Years later, reading this book, I realize that although I might not have loved the film, I do really enjoy this story.
Read
July 10, 2024Any "Six Swans" retelling is going to be fighting an uphill battle for me...nothing will ever compare to Daughter of the Forest.
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This novella was just too dull and uninteresting. I never felt able to distinguish any of the characters from one another, made even more difficult by the most outrageously Celtic names imaginable. This made it hard to care about any of them.
.
DNF @100 pages.
.
This novella was just too dull and uninteresting. I never felt able to distinguish any of the characters from one another, made even more difficult by the most outrageously Celtic names imaginable. This made it hard to care about any of them.
.
DNF @100 pages.
May 22, 2019
I love fairy tale retellings!
March 7, 2014
Moonlight is the second story by Ann Hunter, and is prequel of sorts to her first book The Subtle Beauty. I was asked to read an advance release copy of the book and do the review for the book, and after reading the book, I could honestly say, I would have read the book anyway.
Moonlight is the story of Aowyn and her six brothers, as they grow up in the Summer Isle. Aowyn is the red-headed princess and love of her mother Sulwyn’s heart. As the book opens, Sulwyn is struck with an illness and dies, leaving her father Aodhagain alone --- at least for a while. The queen’s handmaid, Ciatillait, swoops in and puts a spell over him, so all he sees is her and that is all he cares for. Caitillait is so obsessed with the kingdom that she drives the sons out of the castle with magic - - - magic that turns them into swans.
Aowyn cannot stand to see this happen to her brothers and goes to make a pact with the person who gave Caitillait her power, and this man – Silas Mortas – advises that he will return the brothers to their human form, after a thousand moons. All she has to do is tell no one of what has happened between them.
In the meantime, war breaks out between the Twelve Kingdoms and the Summer Isle and Xander and his brother are sent to fight at the front for their king, Rab Blacksteed. Xander spots Aowyn after an unfortunate event with two of the swan/brothers, and the result is love at first sight.
As the war rages on, Aowyn convinces Xander that they have a common enemy, Caitallait, who is now in charge of the kingdom, after wedding Aodhagain and causing him to have an illness. Together, they rid the kingdom of Caitillait, and Xander professes his love for Aowyn. When she does not return his love, he leaves and heads back to the Twelve Kingdoms to marry his brother’s fiancé, after the custom when your brother dies.
Aowyn goes after Xander, finding that he is her true love, and the book ends with a twist that you would not expect (I don’t want to give it away).
This, like The Subtle Beauty, is a short read, but well worth the investment, as it will teach your children about love, determination, and sacrifice. It is a great book to read to your children as they are going to sleep, as it has everything that a fairy tale should have: love, fighting, magic, and a happy ending.
It heartily deserves the five star rating that I have given it, and it will make its way into my children’s bedtime stories when they are old enough to appreciate good reading.
Moonlight is the story of Aowyn and her six brothers, as they grow up in the Summer Isle. Aowyn is the red-headed princess and love of her mother Sulwyn’s heart. As the book opens, Sulwyn is struck with an illness and dies, leaving her father Aodhagain alone --- at least for a while. The queen’s handmaid, Ciatillait, swoops in and puts a spell over him, so all he sees is her and that is all he cares for. Caitillait is so obsessed with the kingdom that she drives the sons out of the castle with magic - - - magic that turns them into swans.
Aowyn cannot stand to see this happen to her brothers and goes to make a pact with the person who gave Caitillait her power, and this man – Silas Mortas – advises that he will return the brothers to their human form, after a thousand moons. All she has to do is tell no one of what has happened between them.
In the meantime, war breaks out between the Twelve Kingdoms and the Summer Isle and Xander and his brother are sent to fight at the front for their king, Rab Blacksteed. Xander spots Aowyn after an unfortunate event with two of the swan/brothers, and the result is love at first sight.
As the war rages on, Aowyn convinces Xander that they have a common enemy, Caitallait, who is now in charge of the kingdom, after wedding Aodhagain and causing him to have an illness. Together, they rid the kingdom of Caitillait, and Xander professes his love for Aowyn. When she does not return his love, he leaves and heads back to the Twelve Kingdoms to marry his brother’s fiancé, after the custom when your brother dies.
Aowyn goes after Xander, finding that he is her true love, and the book ends with a twist that you would not expect (I don’t want to give it away).
This, like The Subtle Beauty, is a short read, but well worth the investment, as it will teach your children about love, determination, and sacrifice. It is a great book to read to your children as they are going to sleep, as it has everything that a fairy tale should have: love, fighting, magic, and a happy ending.
It heartily deserves the five star rating that I have given it, and it will make its way into my children’s bedtime stories when they are old enough to appreciate good reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2016
I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a copy of the book for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.
Moonlight is full of fun and adventure and peppered with action. While I found the book an entertaining read I was left yet again longing for more character development. Hunter's characters continue to be hollow shells begging to be further developed. This certainly attributes to the length of her novellas. While the characters have personality the changes in them are so abrupt. The romance between Aowyn and Xander is disjointed and forced. Additionally, I found the plot to be a bit muddy and a lot of the motivations behind Caitllait were never explained. The use of Gaelic words while meaningful and fresh often left me confused about their meaning. I continued to feel unsympathetic towards the characters yet, Aowyn and Xander were a lot easier to accept as likeable. Aowyn's brothers are treated poorly in the novella and I almost don't care about their plight. Hunter simply did not devote enough time to the brother showcasing their personalities.
The subject matter dealt in this novella is aimed at a younger age demographic. With this in mind, there are several episodes of sexual exploits that make me hesitate to recommend this for a young adult. Again with Hunter's work the story was very predictable. Yet, the one thing I was intrigued by was the actions of Sylas. It will be interesting to read his story and see his journey since he appears to be the most dimensional character in any of Hunter's books.
Ann Hunter is a detailed writer with imaginative storytelling, and she spins a tale that is sure to entertain an avid reader in the fantasy fiction genre. Moonlight has some fun fantasy elements, yet much more time in her story should be devoted to character development.
If you are a fan of this genre and enjoy The Swan Princess you might want to take a look at this book.
Moonlight is full of fun and adventure and peppered with action. While I found the book an entertaining read I was left yet again longing for more character development. Hunter's characters continue to be hollow shells begging to be further developed. This certainly attributes to the length of her novellas. While the characters have personality the changes in them are so abrupt. The romance between Aowyn and Xander is disjointed and forced. Additionally, I found the plot to be a bit muddy and a lot of the motivations behind Caitllait were never explained. The use of Gaelic words while meaningful and fresh often left me confused about their meaning. I continued to feel unsympathetic towards the characters yet, Aowyn and Xander were a lot easier to accept as likeable. Aowyn's brothers are treated poorly in the novella and I almost don't care about their plight. Hunter simply did not devote enough time to the brother showcasing their personalities.
The subject matter dealt in this novella is aimed at a younger age demographic. With this in mind, there are several episodes of sexual exploits that make me hesitate to recommend this for a young adult. Again with Hunter's work the story was very predictable. Yet, the one thing I was intrigued by was the actions of Sylas. It will be interesting to read his story and see his journey since he appears to be the most dimensional character in any of Hunter's books.
Ann Hunter is a detailed writer with imaginative storytelling, and she spins a tale that is sure to entertain an avid reader in the fantasy fiction genre. Moonlight has some fun fantasy elements, yet much more time in her story should be devoted to character development.
If you are a fan of this genre and enjoy The Swan Princess you might want to take a look at this book.
May 28, 2014
Review copy given in exchange for an honest review.
This is a rather lovely retelling of a mash up
Of several Celtic legends - six wild swans and the four fair children of Lir among them. If you haven't read The Subtle Beauty yet then read this one first. Although both books do stand alone I think you get a better perspective of Xander's character from reading this one first.
Aowyn is a great character - fey, wise and tempestuous. Definitely an interesting mix! Sylas Mortis also makes a larger appearance in this book. What I like about him is that even though he is designated the bad guy, he really isn't good or evil. He just is: he exists in the grand tradition of Celtic fairytales. Considering that it's not a long book the brothers are fleshed out and individual enough. My objection is what happens to them! Wasn't happy about that at all but then we can't have every fairy tale end as we would like it too!
I am curious to see two fundamentally weak father figures in this book - one because he loves too much and gives into despair and another because he doesn't live at all...
Overall an otherworldly fantasy read with strong Celtic overtones. Definitely one for the fairytale lovers.
3.5 stars
This is a rather lovely retelling of a mash up
Of several Celtic legends - six wild swans and the four fair children of Lir among them. If you haven't read The Subtle Beauty yet then read this one first. Although both books do stand alone I think you get a better perspective of Xander's character from reading this one first.
Aowyn is a great character - fey, wise and tempestuous. Definitely an interesting mix! Sylas Mortis also makes a larger appearance in this book. What I like about him is that even though he is designated the bad guy, he really isn't good or evil. He just is: he exists in the grand tradition of Celtic fairytales. Considering that it's not a long book the brothers are fleshed out and individual enough. My objection is what happens to them! Wasn't happy about that at all but then we can't have every fairy tale end as we would like it too!
I am curious to see two fundamentally weak father figures in this book - one because he loves too much and gives into despair and another because he doesn't live at all...
Overall an otherworldly fantasy read with strong Celtic overtones. Definitely one for the fairytale lovers.
3.5 stars
December 17, 2021
I am SO glad I read this story!! Ann Hunter has done a wonderful job putting new twists on classic fairy tales. I read her book, The Subtle Beauty, and found it to be a sweet, moving tale. What she has done with Moonlight is even better! I absolutely adore and believe in Princess Aowyn. She became completely real for me. I felt her sorrow and cheered her joy. As her family becomes cursed, I was angered with her. The villains in this tale are very easy to dislike despite that there is an air of mystery surrounding the ultimate purpose to what they do. I am also a huge fan of Xander Blacksteed. How he grows and learns to believe in himself caused ME to do the same. I found him to be a great balance to Aowyn. I liked that it took time for her to accept and know him. This was not your classic "love at first sight" circumstance. Huge kudos to the author for taking that course with these characters! I am eager to read the next book, Fallen, which I hear is about to be released! I would also encourage author Ann Hunter to consider giving us tales based on Aowyn's brothers. :)
Proof of purchase, Amazon.com order number: D01-1007418-3300327
Proof of purchase, Amazon.com order number: D01-1007418-3300327
October 10, 2015
A new take on an old story.
This is the second book in the series. I believe that this is better than the first. Ann Hunter is a wonderful writer who brings the story to life. I love reading a book when the characters are something you can connect with. This book is one of the best fairytales I have read in a long time. Great job, Ann. Please keep writing. You are quickly becoming one of my favorites.
This is the second book in the series. I believe that this is better than the first. Ann Hunter is a wonderful writer who brings the story to life. I love reading a book when the characters are something you can connect with. This book is one of the best fairytales I have read in a long time. Great job, Ann. Please keep writing. You are quickly becoming one of my favorites.
March 20, 2020
I did the audio which added a little confusion. Hearing names and places from another land was confusing. I think reading it would help. I was a little frustrated and annoyed with the beginning. It seemed too much like Brave or even swan princess. But it changed story lines. Little struggle through the middle, but picked up in the end. Continue twisting kept me interested enough to finish it but not enough to love it. Overall Good book. Quick read.
August 28, 2014
LOVED it! I love fairytales though, and I especially love when people put a good spin on one! Admittedly, I have never heard of this specific fairytale, but I enjoyed it regardless. It read like a fairytale, and was full of magic, and evil and good, and love. *sigh* What's NOT to love?!?!?!
November 21, 2014
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Ann Hunter did a great job of mixing fantasy, great characters, fairytale and mythology. After a few pages you'll fall in love with the protagonist and a few pages later you'll be sucked into this amazing world. Everyone should read this.
January 24, 2021
I think the best way to describe this book's failings is to compare it to a movie that is beautifully shot but utterly fails storywise. The actual writing is good, it flows nicely and carries you along and doesn't drag. The story however is ... not good. Time and time again things happen without consequence.
It would be misleading to say that when the princes disappear (having been turned into swans) no one notices. That would leave you with the impression that the book acknowledges that no one notices, that the lack of noticing too might be mystical in nature. It literally never comes up. The book does not seem to think that this would be a BIG FREAKING DEAL. Neither is Aowyn taking a vow of silence - wait, no, that is also misleading. The deal she makes is not to talk about the deal she is making to save her brothers. Nowhere in that scene does anyone say Aowyn has to stop talking completely. Yet just a few scenes later it's made clear that that really is how the deal works. How Aowyn figured this out I have NO IDEA. (Also THAT'S not even how the deal really works, as we find out at the end. Deals with fairies are menacing because they get you with precise language. Not because they change the parameters of the deal at will.)
And all of that I was willing to look past. I get it. This is self-published. I was willing to excuse all of that because the writing was structurally good and it's a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales. But then it couldn't even do that right. The thing about the Six Swans is that the heroine is in a position of extreme disadvantage. Even after she's married and queen, she is still incredibly vulnerable due to the oath she's made to save her family and she suffers greatly for it but perseveres. This princess? Never disadvantaged.
She can't speak for three years? It's cool, she figures out how to make herself understood to literally everyone she ever has to communicate with.
I'm not saying Aowyn doesn't suffer. She does. But it's always so shallow. There's so much to be mined from this fairy tale - even keeping the changes the author chose to make here - and it just ... isn't. All in all this was a massive disappointment. It only gets two stars because one is the bare minimum reserved for unreadable trash and this at least was readable.
Editing to add this travesty so that I never forget just how utterly this book failed:
It would be misleading to say that when the princes disappear (having been turned into swans) no one notices. That would leave you with the impression that the book acknowledges that no one notices, that the lack of noticing too might be mystical in nature. It literally never comes up. The book does not seem to think that this would be a BIG FREAKING DEAL. Neither is Aowyn taking a vow of silence - wait, no, that is also misleading. The deal she makes is not to talk about the deal she is making to save her brothers. Nowhere in that scene does anyone say Aowyn has to stop talking completely. Yet just a few scenes later it's made clear that that really is how the deal works. How Aowyn figured this out I have NO IDEA. (Also THAT'S not even how the deal really works, as we find out at the end. Deals with fairies are menacing because they get you with precise language. Not because they change the parameters of the deal at will.)
And all of that I was willing to look past. I get it. This is self-published. I was willing to excuse all of that because the writing was structurally good and it's a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales. But then it couldn't even do that right. The thing about the Six Swans is that the heroine is in a position of extreme disadvantage. Even after she's married and queen, she is still incredibly vulnerable due to the oath she's made to save her family and she suffers greatly for it but perseveres. This princess? Never disadvantaged.
She can't speak for three years? It's cool, she figures out how to make herself understood to literally everyone she ever has to communicate with.
I'm not saying Aowyn doesn't suffer. She does. But it's always so shallow. There's so much to be mined from this fairy tale - even keeping the changes the author chose to make here - and it just ... isn't. All in all this was a massive disappointment. It only gets two stars because one is the bare minimum reserved for unreadable trash and this at least was readable.
Editing to add this travesty so that I never forget just how utterly this book failed:
July 28, 2021
I have read a few retellings of the Six Swans fairy tale, and, for me, this one is not the best. I know it is a shorter book, and because of that, the story cannot be fleshed out as much as a full length novel. The author used Celtic names, which were a bit hard for me to keep in my head. Also, the love seemed to be too easy and quick.
I did like the difference with having the land being invaded, as well as the pov of the invading prince. I also like the interaction between our heroine and the invading army. However, again, I wanted this fleshed out much more.
I would say this was at about 3.25 stars.
I did like the difference with having the land being invaded, as well as the pov of the invading prince. I also like the interaction between our heroine and the invading army. However, again, I wanted this fleshed out much more.
I would say this was at about 3.25 stars.
April 11, 2022
Swan Princes + Guardian Sister= New Fairytale
I did not read book one but I found quickly that book two stands well on it's own. I am not overly familiar with the Swan Princess but from what I do know this story has such a large departure in plot from that tale that I would say it's very much a new fairytale. It's a quick read with an eerie heartbreaking feel that leaves you searching for the "happily ever after." A great read for fairytale lovers and older elementary/middle grade readers on up.
Parents- PG
Language- Gods, minimal language
Violence- normal to genre, battle scenes but not over graphic
Sexual Content- none, mild romance
Narrator- 3⭐ Better at 1.2x speed, had good differentiation but a bit flat when not in character
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I did not read book one but I found quickly that book two stands well on it's own. I am not overly familiar with the Swan Princess but from what I do know this story has such a large departure in plot from that tale that I would say it's very much a new fairytale. It's a quick read with an eerie heartbreaking feel that leaves you searching for the "happily ever after." A great read for fairytale lovers and older elementary/middle grade readers on up.
Parents- PG
Language- Gods, minimal language
Violence- normal to genre, battle scenes but not over graphic
Sexual Content- none, mild romance
Narrator- 3⭐ Better at 1.2x speed, had good differentiation but a bit flat when not in character
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
April 10, 2022
I didn't know exactly what I was getting with this one. I chose it because of the cover (pretty swans!) and the title. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It made me a bit nostalgic because I had a book with the original fairy tale when I was little. My only complaint was that the narrator seemed a bit flat at times. She did individual voices, and that was great, but when it came to the actual story narration, I would have liked more inflections. Even so, I don't regret listening to it, it was entertaining.
June 12, 2017
I enjoyed reading this store though parts of it is very sad and some heart breaking. She lost two brothers because she broke her silence and then two more when they came to her rescue. She finds her love and saves her kingdom as well as her father, But at a great price.
March 27, 2020
*3.5 STARS*
I thought this was interesting. I liked the story but have to be honest that the names gave me a bit of trouble. I'm glad that I had this one in audio and ebook because I was a bit lost with some of them.
Otherwise, I thought it was good story and had a good ending.
I thought this was interesting. I liked the story but have to be honest that the names gave me a bit of trouble. I'm glad that I had this one in audio and ebook because I was a bit lost with some of them.
Otherwise, I thought it was good story and had a good ending.
February 4, 2019
Fun short read. Great retelling of the Swan Princess.
Read
November 19, 2019idk it wont let me read it and there is now way i can buy it i dont eve have a dang card
March 19, 2022
A deep beautiful story, with a happy ending. The witch gets defeated. A gets her man and a brother finally takes the throne.
July 24, 2022
Read this book
This book really kept my interest there was never a boring part. I was glued to the page! I will definitely be reading more of this author!
This book really kept my interest there was never a boring part. I was glued to the page! I will definitely be reading more of this author!
Read
April 20, 2023dnfed this book — couldnt keep me interested and it sucks bc i really like swan retellings
January 14, 2017
This was definitely NOT like the cartoon movie my daughter watched in the 90's. This princess did not turn into a swan, but her 6 brothers did, seemed kind of odd referring to her as the swan princess. I don't know for sure, but I think this was meant as a Y/A book, though I don't think it would be good for the younger ages of Y/A.
The whole story was just too sad, between the deaths of her Mother & of 4 of the 6 brothers, the strange romance, the emotional abuse on Xander by his father & brother, over all made this just too sad for my taste. I don't enjoy reading stuff like that. I also didn't relate to the names of all the characters, though they may be from the Celtic origins of the story, they were just to confusing & most were too similar sounding to follow, I kept getting confused of who was who. There were quite a few incomplete ideas or gaps in the story that left this reader puzzled of intent or what happened or having to backtrack to see if I missed something. Like who/what was Sylas Mortas? He could have been any kind of creature, but I wanted to know what, to help me understand where the story was going with him. What was the bargain that Aowynn made with him? I was very confused over that bargain, took me a ways in to figure out her silence meant no speaking. Or who/what was Crwys? How did she inhabit the body of Ciatlllait? Were they separate identities? & what did some of the pharses translate too, like "Go dtachta an diabhal thú"? I don't know if that's Celtic/Gaelic or whatever, but I need a translation in order to appreciate it in a book written in English. The overall flow was very slow & choppy, I almost put the book down. The characters aren't super likable, the majority of the brothers were not likable in my opinion. Princess Aowyn was ok, not the type of heroine I would have thought. Xander, just seemed odd until near the end. Just not enough background/world building to get more of a feeling for the characters to like them.
The whole story was just too sad, between the deaths of her Mother & of 4 of the 6 brothers, the strange romance, the emotional abuse on Xander by his father & brother, over all made this just too sad for my taste. I don't enjoy reading stuff like that. I also didn't relate to the names of all the characters, though they may be from the Celtic origins of the story, they were just to confusing & most were too similar sounding to follow, I kept getting confused of who was who. There were quite a few incomplete ideas or gaps in the story that left this reader puzzled of intent or what happened or having to backtrack to see if I missed something. Like who/what was Sylas Mortas? He could have been any kind of creature, but I wanted to know what, to help me understand where the story was going with him. What was the bargain that Aowynn made with him? I was very confused over that bargain, took me a ways in to figure out her silence meant no speaking. Or who/what was Crwys? How did she inhabit the body of Ciatlllait? Were they separate identities? & what did some of the pharses translate too, like "Go dtachta an diabhal thú"? I don't know if that's Celtic/Gaelic or whatever, but I need a translation in order to appreciate it in a book written in English. The overall flow was very slow & choppy, I almost put the book down. The characters aren't super likable, the majority of the brothers were not likable in my opinion. Princess Aowyn was ok, not the type of heroine I would have thought. Xander, just seemed odd until near the end. Just not enough background/world building to get more of a feeling for the characters to like them.
March 5, 2016
Review Posted at Rachael Turns Pages
* I recieved Moonlight from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own and I was in no way compensated for this review*
I read The Wild Swans and watched the Russian movie in preparation for reading Moonlight. This novel is based on the celtic story of "The Swan Princess." The basic premise is that Aowyn's brothers are turned to swans. Aowyn makes a deal with the villan Sylas Mortas. She will not speak for one thousand moons.
I have to give props to Ann Hunter for writing a novel where the main character does not speak for most of the novel. I'm sure it was no easy feat. I already knew Aowyn from reading The Subtle Beauty, but I have to say I fell in love with her character more through reading Moonlight. I think she made a very bold choice for her brothers.
Then Aowyn meets Xander. Xander comes to the kingdom with plans for war, but fate has other ideas. Their love story reminded me a little bit of Airel and Eric's relationship from Disney's Version of The Little Mermaid. Xander was forced to get to know Aowyn when Aowyn could not communicate with Xander unless she was willing to risk her brother's safety. Aowyn had to keep her promise to Sylas while getting to know Xander. I loved the way Aowyn's name was eventually revealed.
The beginning of Moonlight was slow for me, but the second half really picked up and got more into the elements of the fairy tale. I really enjoyed the way The Swan Princess was worked into this story. I think it added richness to the story. Overall I think Moonlight was a great book. I did not enjoy it as much as The Subtle Beauty, but I enjoyed it never the less. I will be reading Fallen soon.
* I recieved Moonlight from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own and I was in no way compensated for this review*
I read The Wild Swans and watched the Russian movie in preparation for reading Moonlight. This novel is based on the celtic story of "The Swan Princess." The basic premise is that Aowyn's brothers are turned to swans. Aowyn makes a deal with the villan Sylas Mortas. She will not speak for one thousand moons.
I have to give props to Ann Hunter for writing a novel where the main character does not speak for most of the novel. I'm sure it was no easy feat. I already knew Aowyn from reading The Subtle Beauty, but I have to say I fell in love with her character more through reading Moonlight. I think she made a very bold choice for her brothers.
Then Aowyn meets Xander. Xander comes to the kingdom with plans for war, but fate has other ideas. Their love story reminded me a little bit of Airel and Eric's relationship from Disney's Version of The Little Mermaid. Xander was forced to get to know Aowyn when Aowyn could not communicate with Xander unless she was willing to risk her brother's safety. Aowyn had to keep her promise to Sylas while getting to know Xander. I loved the way Aowyn's name was eventually revealed.
The beginning of Moonlight was slow for me, but the second half really picked up and got more into the elements of the fairy tale. I really enjoyed the way The Swan Princess was worked into this story. I think it added richness to the story. Overall I think Moonlight was a great book. I did not enjoy it as much as The Subtle Beauty, but I enjoyed it never the less. I will be reading Fallen soon.
March 9, 2016
* I recieved Moonlight from the author in exchange for an honest review. All words are my own and I was in no way compensated for this review*
This is a story of true love, infatuation, evil and good. While this was not my favorite kind of book I would normally read, I really enjoy it. The story was quite interesting even though in the beginning, I couldn't quite follow it, but then it got more and more interesting.
I thought the Author, Ann Hunter, did a great job. She is wonderful writer who brought the story to life and showed how the power of Aowyn's Family and the love they have for one another stayed strong even in the times of evil. Aowyn was the only female born to King Aodhagain and Queen Sulwen and sister to 6 brothers. Aowyn was the most precious jewel to her mother, where as the sons were more favored by their father. When the Queen dies, Aowyn vows to protect her brothers and their father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait, whom was out to take over the queens position, no matter what the cost. Aowyn is not sure what she is trying to do, but knows she is up to nothing but evil.
Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark evil creature Sylas Mortas and in return for her brother's safety, She was to not speak for one thousand moons. In the meantime, Aowyn meets Xander. Xander comes to the kingdom with plans for war but instead meets Aowyn and everything started to change. Xander was forced to get to know Aowyn when Aowyn could not communicate with Xander unless she was willing to risk her brother's safety. Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.
Very good read and awesome story. Thank you again for the copy to read and review.
This is a story of true love, infatuation, evil and good. While this was not my favorite kind of book I would normally read, I really enjoy it. The story was quite interesting even though in the beginning, I couldn't quite follow it, but then it got more and more interesting.
I thought the Author, Ann Hunter, did a great job. She is wonderful writer who brought the story to life and showed how the power of Aowyn's Family and the love they have for one another stayed strong even in the times of evil. Aowyn was the only female born to King Aodhagain and Queen Sulwen and sister to 6 brothers. Aowyn was the most precious jewel to her mother, where as the sons were more favored by their father. When the Queen dies, Aowyn vows to protect her brothers and their father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait, whom was out to take over the queens position, no matter what the cost. Aowyn is not sure what she is trying to do, but knows she is up to nothing but evil.
Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark evil creature Sylas Mortas and in return for her brother's safety, She was to not speak for one thousand moons. In the meantime, Aowyn meets Xander. Xander comes to the kingdom with plans for war but instead meets Aowyn and everything started to change. Xander was forced to get to know Aowyn when Aowyn could not communicate with Xander unless she was willing to risk her brother's safety. Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.
Very good read and awesome story. Thank you again for the copy to read and review.
March 5, 2014
Goodreads synopsis: One vow. One curse. One thousand moons.
While Princess Aowyn's six brothers are favored by their father, Aowyn is the jewel in her mother's crown. When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait - who is more than she seems.
In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep.
Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.
Set in a Celtic world, "Moonlight" is the story of faith and true love woven through a breathtaking retelling of the classic folktale "The Swan Princess".
My review: I liked this book, I really did. I thought the story was good, and it kept me mostly entertained, but I just wish that the page in the back of the book was in the front of the book instead. I had an insanely tough time trying to read all those crazy names. they were a little hard to pronounce, even in my head, lol. I got a copy of this book in exchange for a review, and I'm glad I got to read it. Honestly, I didn't realize that three years had passed in the short time it took to read a couple chapters, so that was a little confusing. I didn't even realize until the end! haha, crazy. I finished this book pretty quickly, and it was an interesting short book that I needed to read to take a break from all the other books I am reading. I think that's all I have to say, Thanks again to the author for providing me with a copy! (':
Thanks for reading, Here's a link to my blog. :D
radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com
While Princess Aowyn's six brothers are favored by their father, Aowyn is the jewel in her mother's crown. When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait - who is more than she seems.
In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep.
Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.
Set in a Celtic world, "Moonlight" is the story of faith and true love woven through a breathtaking retelling of the classic folktale "The Swan Princess".
My review: I liked this book, I really did. I thought the story was good, and it kept me mostly entertained, but I just wish that the page in the back of the book was in the front of the book instead. I had an insanely tough time trying to read all those crazy names. they were a little hard to pronounce, even in my head, lol. I got a copy of this book in exchange for a review, and I'm glad I got to read it. Honestly, I didn't realize that three years had passed in the short time it took to read a couple chapters, so that was a little confusing. I didn't even realize until the end! haha, crazy. I finished this book pretty quickly, and it was an interesting short book that I needed to read to take a break from all the other books I am reading. I think that's all I have to say, Thanks again to the author for providing me with a copy! (':
Thanks for reading, Here's a link to my blog. :D
radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com
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