Under A Lavender Moon
Christina Mai Fong
(Nightingale Songs, #1)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: February 11th 2021
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Sixteen-year-old Rilla Marseas believes she has a calling to become a healer. Her soul yearns to help people and save lives. Why else would Heaven grant her a singing voice that can heal any ailment? But if the palace discovers her power, she’ll be selected for the annual Showcase, where the most beautiful and magically gifted girls in Seracedar Kingdom compete for the chance to enter the emperor’s harem. That’s the last thing Rilla wants. To avoid such a fate, she hides her power. No matter how the other villagers ridicule her for being worthless and talentless, she suppresses the urge to reveal her powerful voice and prove them wrong. When a palace scout poisons Rilla’s auntie and coerces her into revealing her power, she’s thrown into the competition. The scout threatens to harm her family if she doesn’t win. But Rilla learns there really is no winning. The emperor and empress keep girls with magical powers as pets. In cages. With some help from a handsome, but brooding prince and his mysterious bodyguard, Rilla must outsmart the palace and escape. If she fails, she’ll spend the rest of her life as the royal couple’s puppet, using her voice to grant them eternal youth.
My Review:
All her life Rilla Marseas has wanted to be a healer. Rilla has magical powers that are called tai-chi. Rilla has been taught by her mother and her family to always hide her powers. If she is ever caught using her powers she could be sent to the palace to be a part of the emperor’s harem.
All the girls in Rilla’s town is always practicing their powers so that they can hopefully become a part of the emperor’s harem. The girls are trained from birth by their mothers to use their powers and to become as strong as they can be. Each year the girls compete in trials with their powers to see who is the strongest and who will be selected to become a part of the emperor’s harem.
One day Rilla is out with her Auntie helping her when she becomes ill. Rilla knows that if she uses her powers and she is caught she will probably be sent to the palace. Rilla knows she shouldn’t use her powers but not knowing what else to do she uses them anyway. Besides she can’t lose her Auntie knowing she could save her.
Rilla knows right away that she has been duped when one of the palace’s scouts comes out of hiding and she is whisked away to the palace. At first Rilla refuses but the scouts threaten to harm her family so without any other choice Rilla complies with their orders.
Rilla’s only option now is to lie low and abide her time at the palace and hopefully, the day will come when she can escape from the emperor’s embrace. Rilla is once again told to hide her powers after she arrives at the palace. Why is she told once again to hide her powers?
Under A Lavender Moon is packed with action from the first page to the last. Once you pick it up you are racing to the end, rooting for Rilla all the way. Under A Lavender Moon will keep you in suspense wanting to know where Rilla’s story is going to turn next, it will leave you wanting more and more.
I would recommend Under A Lavender Moon to anyone who is looking for a great fantasy read. One-click your copy of Under A Lavender Moon to begin this epic journey with Rilla today!
Author Bio:
I was a Bio major, pre-med in college, but I couldn’t stand the sight of blood. I used to write poems and stories in the margins of my science notebooks. Well, after a reality check, I decided to pursue a career in Food Science because I like food, and everyone needs to eat. Meanwhile, I continued to write. My absolute FAVORITE books are YA Fantasy, so it’s no surprise that I chose to write it, too.
Having been raised in Southern California, where there’s a healthy blend of cultures, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t put an Asian American spin in my stories. And having always been the “quiet, shy girl,” who often felt like a wallflower even though I wanted desperately to be the heroine, I’m so glad I now get the opportunity to make the underestimated good girls my heroines. But of course, I’m forcing them out of their comfort zones so they have to embrace their dark side and kick some villainous butt.
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1 comments:
This sounds like an exciting read! Great review! :)
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