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Moonshifter
When magic is outlawed, can one shapeshifter find the strength to fight for both her lives?
The shifting of shape grew upon her as she grew. As slow and stealthy as a polecat stalking a vole.
A twitch of long ears, as yet unseen.
The sudden thump of a powerful hind-leg, hers yet not yet hers.
The sleekening of the flank.
A change in the smell of the earth and the scents on the wind.
And then it was fully upon her and she was Hare. Silver Hare - that most magical of all shape-shifters.
Loveday Gwynne is a shapeshifter. When she transforms into Hare, she is full of joy, running and leaping through the grass on the moors, a silver hare with a special connection to the silver moon.
But as a girl, she must be quiet and stay unnoticed, because the old magic of the shapeshifters is no longer trusted in the village of Penros. The new Elder of Penros is determined both to rid the village of Shapeshifters and to mine the cliffs below for gold, something forbidden by the old magic.
Balanced between the human world and the animal, Loveday must find a way to use her powers to reclaim her home, before it falls into the sea...
An enthralling story about bravery and standing up for what's right, steeped in the magic and wonder of the natural world.
The shifting of shape grew upon her as she grew. As slow and stealthy as a polecat stalking a vole.
A twitch of long ears, as yet unseen.
The sudden thump of a powerful hind-leg, hers yet not yet hers.
The sleekening of the flank.
A change in the smell of the earth and the scents on the wind.
And then it was fully upon her and she was Hare. Silver Hare - that most magical of all shape-shifters.
Loveday Gwynne is a shapeshifter. When she transforms into Hare, she is full of joy, running and leaping through the grass on the moors, a silver hare with a special connection to the silver moon.
But as a girl, she must be quiet and stay unnoticed, because the old magic of the shapeshifters is no longer trusted in the village of Penros. The new Elder of Penros is determined both to rid the village of Shapeshifters and to mine the cliffs below for gold, something forbidden by the old magic.
Balanced between the human world and the animal, Loveday must find a way to use her powers to reclaim her home, before it falls into the sea...
An enthralling story about bravery and standing up for what's right, steeped in the magic and wonder of the natural world.
- GenresMiddle GradeAnimals
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 29, 2024
1 person is currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 7, 2025
Loveday was raised by her grandmother who taught her the ways of the old magic. She can also shapeshift into a Silver Hare. But she needs to keep this a secret from everyone in her village. Because the old magic of the shapeshifters is outlawed. If she’s caught, she’ll be banished.
Loveday doesn’t like the new Elder. He’s a mysterious stranger who told the villagers to abandon the old magic. Loveday thinks he might have something to hide.
We learn that the old magic served as a bridge between the human world and the other world, the wild world. Now the balance between the two worlds is gone, and that can have major consequences.
We know from the start that this is a tale about human greed. I think this actually could have worked even better had it not been so obvious from the very beginning of the story, allowing us readers to find this out for ourselves as we immerse ourselves into this story. Apart from that though, this is a strong and beautiful story with a lot of creativity and an important message at its core.
Loveday’s character is easy to root for. You can see she cares about the world and she realizes the importance of the old magic, even if she doesn’t completely understand it. The frustrations she feels as nobody listens to her. The cloud of fear that follows her around because of her magic gift. The ghost of her grandmother that doesn’t come to her, to tell her what she needs to do. She knows something has to change, but she needs to figure out that real change starts from within. Because she realizes that there’s actually a lot to lose if she stands up for herself and other people like her. There’s comfort and safety to be found in sticking to the status quo, even if it is flawed. Loveday’s story basically serves as a cautionary tale about speaking up before it’s too late.
Quite a strong character-driven middle grade story with some very important themes. The fantasy world speaks to the imagination and makes you think about which kind of animal you’d like to shapeshift into. And it’s definitely an adventure worth reading.
Loveday doesn’t like the new Elder. He’s a mysterious stranger who told the villagers to abandon the old magic. Loveday thinks he might have something to hide.
We learn that the old magic served as a bridge between the human world and the other world, the wild world. Now the balance between the two worlds is gone, and that can have major consequences.
We know from the start that this is a tale about human greed. I think this actually could have worked even better had it not been so obvious from the very beginning of the story, allowing us readers to find this out for ourselves as we immerse ourselves into this story. Apart from that though, this is a strong and beautiful story with a lot of creativity and an important message at its core.
Loveday’s character is easy to root for. You can see she cares about the world and she realizes the importance of the old magic, even if she doesn’t completely understand it. The frustrations she feels as nobody listens to her. The cloud of fear that follows her around because of her magic gift. The ghost of her grandmother that doesn’t come to her, to tell her what she needs to do. She knows something has to change, but she needs to figure out that real change starts from within. Because she realizes that there’s actually a lot to lose if she stands up for herself and other people like her. There’s comfort and safety to be found in sticking to the status quo, even if it is flawed. Loveday’s story basically serves as a cautionary tale about speaking up before it’s too late.
Quite a strong character-driven middle grade story with some very important themes. The fantasy world speaks to the imagination and makes you think about which kind of animal you’d like to shapeshift into. And it’s definitely an adventure worth reading.
March 22, 2024
I loved the premise of this book: a girl who can shapeshift into a silver hare and I wasn’t disappointed. This is a pacy, enchanting and gripping fantasy.
Loveday Gwynne is a shapeshifter and a very brave girl who will stop at nothing to protect the old magic, although others in her village have turned their backs on it. Children will love Moonshifter. It's out of this world!
Loveday Gwynne is a shapeshifter and a very brave girl who will stop at nothing to protect the old magic, although others in her village have turned their backs on it. Children will love Moonshifter. It's out of this world!
May 14, 2024
Moonshifter
I adore anything magic, so I knew this was going to be my cup of tea as soon as I saw it. The blurb was so good and gave me all the information I needed, and then there’s the cover, that is so delightful.
When magic is outlawed, can one shapeshifter find the strength to fight for both her lives?The shifting of shape grew upon her as she grew. As slow and stealthy as a polecat stalking a vole. A twitch of long ears, as yet unseen. The sudden thump of a powerful hind-leg, hers yet not yet hers. The sleekening of the flank. A change in the smell of the earth and the scents on the wind.And then it was fully upon her and she was Hare. Silver Hare - that most magical of all shape-shifters. Loveday Gwynne is a shapeshifter. When she transforms into Hare, she is full of joy, running and leaping through the grass on the moors, a silver hare with a special connection to the silver moon.But as a girl, she must be quiet and stay unnoticed, because the old magic of the shapeshifters is no longer trusted in the village of Penros. The new Elder of Penros is determined both to rid the village of Shapeshifters and to mine the cliffs below for gold, something forbidden by the old magic.Balanced between the human world and the animal, Loveday must find a way to use her powers to reclaim her home, before it falls into the sea..
That first paragraph had me laughing out loud, I loved how Nania had a terrible time staying dead. I loved the shapeshifter aspect of this book as I haven’t seen this in books lately. Children will love this concept.
I loved this story from the very start. Loveday’s family, the Gwynne’s, were the Elders of the village in the past, but after something happened with Loveday’s father, a new Elder from a world beyond the village has come to claim the place of Elder instead. The Elder has cast out all shape-shifters and those left, like Loveday, live in fear of being discovered. I love how this story, which follows Loveday, shows how magical the world is for those that shape-shift, how connected to the natural world the shape-shifters are and how Loveday, and others, can transform from their human form to animal. When transformed the names of characters revert to their animal counterparts like Hare, Weasel or Boar, but there is never any confusion in the story and it’s so interesting throughout.
I like how we discover more about some of the shape-shifters and how this story progresses with so many dramatic things happening and ancient magic being involved too. Loveday has a special connection with the moon and I love what happens much later on as the story is reaching its finale.
There are some beautiful illustrations on a few pages in the book showing Loveday and some other characters. The pictures are all in black, white and grey and are so beautiful and mesmerising to look at. I love the way some of these images show the human form and also the animal counterpart of the shape-shifters, like Loveday, in a brilliant way.
I would recommend this book to everyone, it’s a beautiful mild fantasy read, with lots of great surprises, and a story which will stay with you for some time.
I adore anything magic, so I knew this was going to be my cup of tea as soon as I saw it. The blurb was so good and gave me all the information I needed, and then there’s the cover, that is so delightful.
When magic is outlawed, can one shapeshifter find the strength to fight for both her lives?The shifting of shape grew upon her as she grew. As slow and stealthy as a polecat stalking a vole. A twitch of long ears, as yet unseen. The sudden thump of a powerful hind-leg, hers yet not yet hers. The sleekening of the flank. A change in the smell of the earth and the scents on the wind.And then it was fully upon her and she was Hare. Silver Hare - that most magical of all shape-shifters. Loveday Gwynne is a shapeshifter. When she transforms into Hare, she is full of joy, running and leaping through the grass on the moors, a silver hare with a special connection to the silver moon.But as a girl, she must be quiet and stay unnoticed, because the old magic of the shapeshifters is no longer trusted in the village of Penros. The new Elder of Penros is determined both to rid the village of Shapeshifters and to mine the cliffs below for gold, something forbidden by the old magic.Balanced between the human world and the animal, Loveday must find a way to use her powers to reclaim her home, before it falls into the sea..
That first paragraph had me laughing out loud, I loved how Nania had a terrible time staying dead. I loved the shapeshifter aspect of this book as I haven’t seen this in books lately. Children will love this concept.
I loved this story from the very start. Loveday’s family, the Gwynne’s, were the Elders of the village in the past, but after something happened with Loveday’s father, a new Elder from a world beyond the village has come to claim the place of Elder instead. The Elder has cast out all shape-shifters and those left, like Loveday, live in fear of being discovered. I love how this story, which follows Loveday, shows how magical the world is for those that shape-shift, how connected to the natural world the shape-shifters are and how Loveday, and others, can transform from their human form to animal. When transformed the names of characters revert to their animal counterparts like Hare, Weasel or Boar, but there is never any confusion in the story and it’s so interesting throughout.
I like how we discover more about some of the shape-shifters and how this story progresses with so many dramatic things happening and ancient magic being involved too. Loveday has a special connection with the moon and I love what happens much later on as the story is reaching its finale.
There are some beautiful illustrations on a few pages in the book showing Loveday and some other characters. The pictures are all in black, white and grey and are so beautiful and mesmerising to look at. I love the way some of these images show the human form and also the animal counterpart of the shape-shifters, like Loveday, in a brilliant way.
I would recommend this book to everyone, it’s a beautiful mild fantasy read, with lots of great surprises, and a story which will stay with you for some time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews