Moon in the Day Sky: Valley of Thunder

by Jessie E. Turner

"Run, Starsha, Run! You’re stronger than you think you are. Keep your brother safe from Garthazor.”

Sixteen-year-old Starsha is a dreamer in a world where female dreamers are feared, hunted, and destroyed. When an angry mob burns down Starsha’s home, her mother’s final words haunt her. She must flee with her baby brother, Pinay, to a cottage in the forest, where she is safe until her hiding place becomes more dangerous than the field of battle.

Starsha is hiding more than her brother—she’s been chosen to fulfill an ancient When the Moon is in the day sky in the Valley of Thunder, the dreamer will rise on wings of power and reclaim dominion. Her power is tested when Pinay is abducted by Garthazor’s men.

Nothing will stop Starsha from embarking on the perilous journey to rescue her brother. In her quest, she encounters an angry dragon, a benevolent and magical grandmother, and an attacker linked to her mother’s death.

With an army amassed against her and the powers of mutated magic threatening her destruction, Starsha must summon all her courage to claim the promised legacy and save her brother.

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[MarryAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very conflicted when I picked a rating for this book, because I finished the book, I didn't think about DNF-ing it at any time (it is quite short tho) it was easy to understand, but I also didn't see the point in most of the things. I eventually decided to round the score up because I'm a strong believer that writing anything and publishing it is not an easy task, and I want to encourage the authors to keep improving and bring out the best work they can. That being said, the book is a 2.5 stars in my opinion.

While the ideas were interesting and I wanted to like this book a lot, it felt very simplistic and not developed enough, which for me often left to confusion as in why some things were happening.

I like many elements, but this felt really rushed and the writing style is more suited for kids, not so much for teens or young adults. It is a short and fast read, but that's all there is.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-book copy in exchange for my honest review

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to fantasy for younger readers!

I sped through this pretty quickly and felt myself rooting for Starsha from fairly early on. I really enjoyed the concept of "dreamers' and who doesn't love a dragon?

Howver, I did feel as though certain bits were rushed through and needed more explanation, often a betrayal or major plot point was done within a single sentence and I think more depth and detail would have greatly improved the overall experience. There were quite a few characters and dynamics to get used to in a short amount of pages which meant some of the high stakes situations didn't quite pack as much of an emotional punch as they could have.

The interactions with the dragons and the llamacorns were a highlight for me and I would be intrigued by further books in this world/series.

[Jacinta Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

** I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review **
This is such a quick and wholesome story about destiny and family sacrifice.
I do feel that this book would've benefited from more pages to give the main characters more depth, but, this was ultimately a quick and easy adventure into a fantasy land and its survival.
Also, who doesn't love a llamacorn?

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little book. I definitely think the beginning was strong. However, the middle got a little muddled. With a little more length, I think some of that would have cleared up well.

Recommended for younger fantasy readers, readers new to the genre, or someone looking for a quick read with solid world-building.

[🍄Noordinarylibrary🍄 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book and I will say this is a great fantasy for young readers. This is a high fantasy for youths to get them into the fantasy genre. I enjoyed the story but I could definitely see younger ones enjoying it more. There are dragons and high stakes. The fmc will do anything to protect her family and her brother and at one point you don’t know who to trust! Fantastic.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐

I honestly really wanted to like this going in; however, whilst I liked the overall plot, I was quite bored throughout and found this to be very anti-climatic.

I got this arc for free via netgalley. This review and rating is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that younger readers will love this book, I really wanted to be dragged in immediately, but found that a bit challenging. I think that overall the story of Starsha will continue to grow, and I would be willing to read the next to see where they go with it.

[Jan Nerenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've known Jessie for years and watched her evolve from writer to author. Congratulations on you newest novel.

[Gabic Reads]

Original review at Gabic Reads. eARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story was an easy read but felt very surface level. I was also often left wanting on scene descriptions, wondering how things happened. The social heirarchy/politics was not explained well (though maybe this was better explained later on). I felt like almost 30% of the way through a fantasy book, I should have a better grasp on the world than I did. This book was very simplistic and was an easy read, I got to the point I did pretty fast. I did not enjoy this book, but some readers may find it a nice fast read.