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Ghost Moon Night
A Secret to Save Them All . . .
It was whispered years ago that when a pirate cursed a Philippine village with langbuan, or flying undead, a boy received a secret that would protect him from certain death. But even armed with a secret, can anyone survive the undead for long?
Seventeen-year-old Antonio Pulido has never known a time when the langbuan didn’t roam the streets every Ghost Moon Night, killing anyone in their path. He works hard to protect his family and the girl he loves from the deadly attacks, but he wants them stopped once and for all. Can Antonio uncover the decades-old secret and will it help him defeat the langbuan? Or will Ghost Moon Night come again and take someone he truly cares about? It falls on Antonio to save his village, but time is running out. The next Ghost Moon Night is nearly here and Antonio knows this is his last chance to destroy the undead and end their reign of terror -- or die trying.
It was whispered years ago that when a pirate cursed a Philippine village with langbuan, or flying undead, a boy received a secret that would protect him from certain death. But even armed with a secret, can anyone survive the undead for long?
Seventeen-year-old Antonio Pulido has never known a time when the langbuan didn’t roam the streets every Ghost Moon Night, killing anyone in their path. He works hard to protect his family and the girl he loves from the deadly attacks, but he wants them stopped once and for all. Can Antonio uncover the decades-old secret and will it help him defeat the langbuan? Or will Ghost Moon Night come again and take someone he truly cares about? It falls on Antonio to save his village, but time is running out. The next Ghost Moon Night is nearly here and Antonio knows this is his last chance to destroy the undead and end their reign of terror -- or die trying.
360 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2014
6 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Jewel Allen
73 books292 followersJewel Allen is an award-winning journalist, author and ghostwriter who grew up in the tropics (Manila, Philippines) and now lives in the desert (Utah, USA). She writes historical fiction, sweet contemporary romance, paranormal mystery, and memoir.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 6, 2014
Ghost Moon Night
Riveting.
The novel chronicles the story of a small town , Dasalin, which is situated north of the Philippines that being haunted by flying creatures known as langbuans. Langbuans are like the crossbreed of zombies and aswang (a vampire-like ghoul with wings in Filipino culture). They drain out heat from the humans that they touch eventually killing that person. The creatures only appear once a month during ghost moon night when there is no moon hence the name "langbuan", taken from two Tagalog words "walang" meaning no/not present and "buwan" which refers to the moon.
The story starts when a group of pirates was caught trying to steal some of the boats of the villagers. As a punishment they were left to die in the beach but before they succumbed to death a curse was cast that on every ghost moon night the village will be visited by the langbuans. And before the pirates die they were able to tell the secret as to how to ward off the langbuans to a boy who because of his good heart tried to save them to death but eventually failed. Who is that boy? That'll spoil the book so might as well leave it like that. :)
The story then jumped 75 years later. And there we meet Antonio Pulido, the main protagonist in the story. A teenage boy coming into terms with what he wants contrasting with what other wants for his life. Then there's the priest, coming into terms with his new life from city life to province life. Then the villagers coming into terms with everyday life and with the attacks of the langbuans.
What interested me first with the book is the setting which is the Philippines. I have since been wanting to read a book that touches the topic of Philippine folklores. The author is a Filipina living in US and I like how she was able to describe the culture and the people of the Philippines in a very realistic way. There's the strong family conenction among families, different superstitions, the bayanihan, fiesta and parades and offerings for a bountiful harvest among others. I myself is form the province working in the city now and me not being able to go home for quite a long time now made me miss my hometown because of this book. The province life was depicted perfectly and just enough to picture how life was so simple in the province.
The book is also full of delightful characters. The primary reason why I like the book is because of the characters. I like the ensemble of antagonists and protagonists. Such a perfect balance. The main protagonist is very likeable and whom one can easily relate to. The supporting characters grew with the main character as the story progressed. I like Jose the most, he's the bestfriend of Antonio. He's an easy-go-lucky guy who has a deep sense of humor. I can't help but LOL on his antics and lines.
I like how the author was able to portray the different conflicts in the story. There is that conflict with religion and tradition, conflict within the family and conflict within self. The book also discussed how decisions could make or break a person. How we should be responsible with the decisions that we make and make a strong stand to what we believe in.
Being a mystery-thriller novel, the book is action packed. This is a novel where there is literally no dull moment. I like how spontaneous the book is and how it was able to maintain the momentum throughout the book. Aside form the langbuan, the novel also have other creatures which made the story even more creepier like the tiyanak (a vampiric creature taking the form of a baby) and other sorts of ghosts. I like how that author was able to play with my imagination.
One of the strong points also of the are the subplots. There's romance, tragedy and other adventures. I like how that author was able to work with the subplots and she made it worked to make the main plot stronger.
As for the ending, I liked the twist in it. I like how the revelations were presented. There are no loose ends. Everything ended smoothly. After finishing the book, it made me want to clamor for more from the author. Maybe a sequel perhaps? ;)
Overall, this book is worth the read. I just couldn't put into writing how I enjoyed the book. I recommend it to others who like to read folklores and wants to introduce themselves to other cultures. This book is a great start to those who wants to introduce themselves to Philippines folklores.
An easy 5/5 for me.
Riveting.
The novel chronicles the story of a small town , Dasalin, which is situated north of the Philippines that being haunted by flying creatures known as langbuans. Langbuans are like the crossbreed of zombies and aswang (a vampire-like ghoul with wings in Filipino culture). They drain out heat from the humans that they touch eventually killing that person. The creatures only appear once a month during ghost moon night when there is no moon hence the name "langbuan", taken from two Tagalog words "walang" meaning no/not present and "buwan" which refers to the moon.
The story starts when a group of pirates was caught trying to steal some of the boats of the villagers. As a punishment they were left to die in the beach but before they succumbed to death a curse was cast that on every ghost moon night the village will be visited by the langbuans. And before the pirates die they were able to tell the secret as to how to ward off the langbuans to a boy who because of his good heart tried to save them to death but eventually failed. Who is that boy? That'll spoil the book so might as well leave it like that. :)
The story then jumped 75 years later. And there we meet Antonio Pulido, the main protagonist in the story. A teenage boy coming into terms with what he wants contrasting with what other wants for his life. Then there's the priest, coming into terms with his new life from city life to province life. Then the villagers coming into terms with everyday life and with the attacks of the langbuans.
What interested me first with the book is the setting which is the Philippines. I have since been wanting to read a book that touches the topic of Philippine folklores. The author is a Filipina living in US and I like how she was able to describe the culture and the people of the Philippines in a very realistic way. There's the strong family conenction among families, different superstitions, the bayanihan, fiesta and parades and offerings for a bountiful harvest among others. I myself is form the province working in the city now and me not being able to go home for quite a long time now made me miss my hometown because of this book. The province life was depicted perfectly and just enough to picture how life was so simple in the province.
The book is also full of delightful characters. The primary reason why I like the book is because of the characters. I like the ensemble of antagonists and protagonists. Such a perfect balance. The main protagonist is very likeable and whom one can easily relate to. The supporting characters grew with the main character as the story progressed. I like Jose the most, he's the bestfriend of Antonio. He's an easy-go-lucky guy who has a deep sense of humor. I can't help but LOL on his antics and lines.
I like how the author was able to portray the different conflicts in the story. There is that conflict with religion and tradition, conflict within the family and conflict within self. The book also discussed how decisions could make or break a person. How we should be responsible with the decisions that we make and make a strong stand to what we believe in.
Being a mystery-thriller novel, the book is action packed. This is a novel where there is literally no dull moment. I like how spontaneous the book is and how it was able to maintain the momentum throughout the book. Aside form the langbuan, the novel also have other creatures which made the story even more creepier like the tiyanak (a vampiric creature taking the form of a baby) and other sorts of ghosts. I like how that author was able to play with my imagination.
One of the strong points also of the are the subplots. There's romance, tragedy and other adventures. I like how that author was able to work with the subplots and she made it worked to make the main plot stronger.
As for the ending, I liked the twist in it. I like how the revelations were presented. There are no loose ends. Everything ended smoothly. After finishing the book, it made me want to clamor for more from the author. Maybe a sequel perhaps? ;)
Overall, this book is worth the read. I just couldn't put into writing how I enjoyed the book. I recommend it to others who like to read folklores and wants to introduce themselves to other cultures. This book is a great start to those who wants to introduce themselves to Philippines folklores.
An easy 5/5 for me.
December 1, 2014
Disclaimer: I wrote this book in exchange for an honest review.:-)
Okay, now that I got that out of the way, I just want to say what I loved about this book. It's set in the Philippines, where I grew up the first 15 years of my life. Ghost Moon Night is scary, with lots of intense zombie-fighting and graveyard scenes, but it's not gory. There's a light romance and it's clean. It made me laugh out loud as I was writing it, and reading it. There's a girl protagonist who does not shirk from zombie fighting, a boy protagonist who is imperfect but tries to do what is right, and a best friend who keeps everything from getting too solemn. And finally, there's a super sweet and cute water buffalo named Cupid who keeps all the zombies in this book (called langbuan) on their toes (or at least any they still have).
I'm so happy to finally release it into the world! :-)
Okay, now that I got that out of the way, I just want to say what I loved about this book. It's set in the Philippines, where I grew up the first 15 years of my life. Ghost Moon Night is scary, with lots of intense zombie-fighting and graveyard scenes, but it's not gory. There's a light romance and it's clean. It made me laugh out loud as I was writing it, and reading it. There's a girl protagonist who does not shirk from zombie fighting, a boy protagonist who is imperfect but tries to do what is right, and a best friend who keeps everything from getting too solemn. And finally, there's a super sweet and cute water buffalo named Cupid who keeps all the zombies in this book (called langbuan) on their toes (or at least any they still have).
I'm so happy to finally release it into the world! :-)
January 2, 2015
Amazingly unique and undeniably amazing. Curses, thieves, pirates, ghosts and a young boy from a small village in the Philippines make for an unusual and riveting story. The style was lyrical and the pace made for a quick read. I loved everything from the plot to the wonderful character development. I’d say this falls into the coming of age category for me and was a quick and easy read. There was a depth to the character growth that surprised and delighted me. Choices had to be made and they weren’t easy ones. Overall, a phenomenal read well worthy of five stars!
December 2, 2014
I received a digital copy of this title from ebooksforreview.com in exchange for an honest review.
Full review here: http://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress... (Dec 5)
Ten Second Synopsis:
Antonio tries to decide what to do with his life now he's finished school, while clouds of creepy, flying undead make his life more difficult one night every month.
Ghost Moon Night by Jewel Allen is an atmospheric and unusual tale of a village suffering from a long-ago curse, set in the Philippines. It was entirely not what I expected, but I actually enjoyed it more because of that. When I read the blurb of this book, I expected a fast-paced paranormal aventure with a bit of humour thrown in. I certainly got that, but a whole lot more as well.
Allen has managed to create what is essentially a tale about a young man trying to find his place in a village where everyone has known him, and his family, since … well, since forever. Punctuating Antonio’s very ordinary travails in finding a job, being a good son and all the rest of it are some genuinely creepy action scenes featuring flying zombies (some of whom are people that until very recently, lived in the village with Antonio!) with an abiding desire to tear flesh from bones. So instead of just being a zombie, scary book, this is a strange yet satisfying tale with a lot to offer the reader of straight – as in, not paranormal or fantasy – YA fiction.
The Filippino setting and the background themes of religion and cultural tradition running through the book also provide a point of difference for anyone looking for a YA read that isn’t your standard, set-in-a-big-city, sort of a story.
I ended up enjoying this story very much, as much for its sensitive and realistic portrayal of a young man trying to do the best he can and please the people who are important to him as for the freaky langbaun, who have shot up to near the top of my list of “creepiest fictional/mythical monsters”. Definitely give this one a go if you’re looking for something a little bit different and out of the ordinary in the paranormal department.
Full review here: http://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress... (Dec 5)
Ten Second Synopsis:
Antonio tries to decide what to do with his life now he's finished school, while clouds of creepy, flying undead make his life more difficult one night every month.
Ghost Moon Night by Jewel Allen is an atmospheric and unusual tale of a village suffering from a long-ago curse, set in the Philippines. It was entirely not what I expected, but I actually enjoyed it more because of that. When I read the blurb of this book, I expected a fast-paced paranormal aventure with a bit of humour thrown in. I certainly got that, but a whole lot more as well.
Allen has managed to create what is essentially a tale about a young man trying to find his place in a village where everyone has known him, and his family, since … well, since forever. Punctuating Antonio’s very ordinary travails in finding a job, being a good son and all the rest of it are some genuinely creepy action scenes featuring flying zombies (some of whom are people that until very recently, lived in the village with Antonio!) with an abiding desire to tear flesh from bones. So instead of just being a zombie, scary book, this is a strange yet satisfying tale with a lot to offer the reader of straight – as in, not paranormal or fantasy – YA fiction.
The Filippino setting and the background themes of religion and cultural tradition running through the book also provide a point of difference for anyone looking for a YA read that isn’t your standard, set-in-a-big-city, sort of a story.
I ended up enjoying this story very much, as much for its sensitive and realistic portrayal of a young man trying to do the best he can and please the people who are important to him as for the freaky langbaun, who have shot up to near the top of my list of “creepiest fictional/mythical monsters”. Definitely give this one a go if you’re looking for something a little bit different and out of the ordinary in the paranormal department.
December 23, 2015
Wow another missing review! This one definitely puts it over 20! I will have to copy and easterly Amazon review. If you like folklore you will love this book. It is also had Historical Fiction set in the Philippines.
November 28, 2014
Watch Out For Ghost Moon Night an Absolute Must Read!
A magical Philippine story that explores the customs and mythology of a pirate's curse! and the after effects there of!
I thought that Ghost Moon Night was a very interesting book full of lyrical prose about the lush scenery and the effect of the leader of the pirate's curse... but I digress!
Ghost Moon Night begins in 1881 with the arrival of pirates in the coastal village of Dasalin with the purpose of getting food because they are starving, unfortunately they get caught because of one young boy's inquisitive night time wandering because of an unusual noise.. the penalty for their crime is death usually by being beaten to death but because their island got hit by a typhoon the council decision is that they be taken to the beach and buried in the sand up to their necks so that they will drown, thus it will be the sea that kills them not the villagers!? The 8 year old boy feels sorry that he said anything because now these men will die because of him, so he tries to dig them out but the sea pours in faster than he can dig! Just before the sea water does the inevitable the pirate curled up and crying but Unhurt! and Safe!
The pirate leader's curse brought the Langbuan, a type of winged vampire that sucks the warmth out of you thus killing you, to the village Every Ghost Moon Night the Langbuan descend on the village to feast on any person stupid enough not to be behind locked houses! Even though it has been 75 years villagers still get caught!
Then the story jumps ahead 75 years to 1956 and we meet 17 year old Antonio Pulido who brings the new priest, Father Dionisio Sebastian to the village church and he is the first person to meet him before the council.. thus a tentative relationship is built.. that becomes friendship as time passes.
Antonio is often a little inconsiderate in his choices, making the wrong ones but he is young and hopefully a little sense will works it's way into his head as the book progresses! It is also 3 weeks away from the next Ghost Moon Night when the priest arrives(the story is told by how much time there is until the next Ghost Moon Night) unfortunately he only learns about the curse and the Langbuan after he talks to Antonio!!
We see many changes the biggest being will Antonio grow up to make a good choice?, which makes him a hero?, or does it? does he rid the village of the Langbuan? Will the book have a happy ending? The first part of the story is a little slow but once it gets going(please continue reading the book because it is going to become explosive!) It is well worth reading just for the interaction between Antonio and the priest and his involvement with the Langbuan!!
4 Stars for a well executed story line, it would have been more but don't ask why maybe some of the slower spots. I really enjoyed the mythical creatures of the Langbuan!, human looking zombies with wings that suck the warmth out turn you colder and colder until you are dead!! I loved the changes in Antonio from being a callow youth into a strong and powerful man, and his protests that it was not him who stole the jar full of money for the purchase of a new altar!! The really descriptive pieces of the scenery the lush green of the forest, the green shoots in the rice paddies and work involved in keeping said fields, where we see Antonio helping his father. The characterization of Antonio an Father Sebastian were very well done they carry the story along, with Antonio's father and grandfather also in the mix.. the ending was really well done and definitely explosive! Bravo Jewel Allen for a job well done, I Highly Recommend Ghost Moon Night as a combination Thriller/Horror/Paranormal/Supernatural/ A Story of A Young Man's Coming Of Age!!
I received a free copy if the book from the author in exchange for an honest review, here it is!
A magical Philippine story that explores the customs and mythology of a pirate's curse! and the after effects there of!
I thought that Ghost Moon Night was a very interesting book full of lyrical prose about the lush scenery and the effect of the leader of the pirate's curse... but I digress!
Ghost Moon Night begins in 1881 with the arrival of pirates in the coastal village of Dasalin with the purpose of getting food because they are starving, unfortunately they get caught because of one young boy's inquisitive night time wandering because of an unusual noise.. the penalty for their crime is death usually by being beaten to death but because their island got hit by a typhoon the council decision is that they be taken to the beach and buried in the sand up to their necks so that they will drown, thus it will be the sea that kills them not the villagers!? The 8 year old boy feels sorry that he said anything because now these men will die because of him, so he tries to dig them out but the sea pours in faster than he can dig! Just before the sea water does the inevitable the pirate curled up and crying but Unhurt! and Safe!
The pirate leader's curse brought the Langbuan, a type of winged vampire that sucks the warmth out of you thus killing you, to the village Every Ghost Moon Night the Langbuan descend on the village to feast on any person stupid enough not to be behind locked houses! Even though it has been 75 years villagers still get caught!
Then the story jumps ahead 75 years to 1956 and we meet 17 year old Antonio Pulido who brings the new priest, Father Dionisio Sebastian to the village church and he is the first person to meet him before the council.. thus a tentative relationship is built.. that becomes friendship as time passes.
Antonio is often a little inconsiderate in his choices, making the wrong ones but he is young and hopefully a little sense will works it's way into his head as the book progresses! It is also 3 weeks away from the next Ghost Moon Night when the priest arrives(the story is told by how much time there is until the next Ghost Moon Night) unfortunately he only learns about the curse and the Langbuan after he talks to Antonio!!
We see many changes the biggest being will Antonio grow up to make a good choice?, which makes him a hero?, or does it? does he rid the village of the Langbuan? Will the book have a happy ending? The first part of the story is a little slow but once it gets going(please continue reading the book because it is going to become explosive!) It is well worth reading just for the interaction between Antonio and the priest and his involvement with the Langbuan!!
4 Stars for a well executed story line, it would have been more but don't ask why maybe some of the slower spots. I really enjoyed the mythical creatures of the Langbuan!, human looking zombies with wings that suck the warmth out turn you colder and colder until you are dead!! I loved the changes in Antonio from being a callow youth into a strong and powerful man, and his protests that it was not him who stole the jar full of money for the purchase of a new altar!! The really descriptive pieces of the scenery the lush green of the forest, the green shoots in the rice paddies and work involved in keeping said fields, where we see Antonio helping his father. The characterization of Antonio an Father Sebastian were very well done they carry the story along, with Antonio's father and grandfather also in the mix.. the ending was really well done and definitely explosive! Bravo Jewel Allen for a job well done, I Highly Recommend Ghost Moon Night as a combination Thriller/Horror/Paranormal/Supernatural/ A Story of A Young Man's Coming Of Age!!
I received a free copy if the book from the author in exchange for an honest review, here it is!
January 5, 2015
***I received a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.***
It’s rare for me to find a book nowadays that I can’t put down once I start it. Thus, I was surprised that I finished it in one afternoon, and felt that I had not only been entertained by a great book, but been challenged by some pretty heavy subjects I had not expected to find in a “zombie” book. The darker aspects of human nature (primarily greed and hypocrisy) are thoroughly experienced by Antonio, while the concepts of sin and redemption are masterfully explored by Allen. Conflict is also touched on––the dynamics of tradition versus religion, duty to self and family versus duty to others, and internal struggle versus external circumstance.
Like all the characters in this book, Antonio felt real. (Meaning, he was a fleshed out character with relatable flaws and motivations.) He was a likeable character with a strong personality––someone who I could root for. He made mistakes, and grew and learned from them, and allowed them to make him a better person in this take on as coming-of-age story. Growing up beside my maternal grandparents, I could often relate to Antonio’s devotion and relationship with his grandfather, too.
As I mentioned earlier, sin and redemption are explored in a rather philosophical manner. Antonio did “bad” things while trying to do “good” things. Should he be forgiven? What punishment––if any––should he receive? And what about the hypocrisy of the townspeople? They seemed to turn a blind-eye to the harm of the widespread gambling addiction in their village, yet were willing to blame Antonio and his mistakes for not being able to feed their families. For middle-grade or YA readers, these are important topics to explore and contemplate.
While I was passingly aware of small aspects of Filipino culture, I felt like I learned a lot. Allen’s descriptions of living in a small town in the Philippines are rich and engaging. The mix of Tagalog words was interesting (though sometimes jarring mid-sentence), though I wish the glossary had been at the front of the book. The langbuan also seemed a fitting monster for the Philippines (Filipino folk tales and mythology make up the bulk of what I know about the country), and while they are scary, they aren’t gory.
I don’t want to give away the ending or reveal spoilers, but the last portion of the book certainly had some plot twists that I hadn’t suspected or even seen coming. While there were a few scenes that I thought could be cut out, and that there were times where certain details were unnecessary, the pacing of the book was good overall (which is why I gave it the rating I did). What was really important to me was there weren’t loose ends nor gaping plot-holes by the end of the book––everything had been connected and wrapped up.
Ghost Moon Night may not be a book you re-read and re-read, but it is certainly worth the time to read it once. I heartily recommend it, too, for any reader interested in an introduction to other cultures.
It’s rare for me to find a book nowadays that I can’t put down once I start it. Thus, I was surprised that I finished it in one afternoon, and felt that I had not only been entertained by a great book, but been challenged by some pretty heavy subjects I had not expected to find in a “zombie” book. The darker aspects of human nature (primarily greed and hypocrisy) are thoroughly experienced by Antonio, while the concepts of sin and redemption are masterfully explored by Allen. Conflict is also touched on––the dynamics of tradition versus religion, duty to self and family versus duty to others, and internal struggle versus external circumstance.
Like all the characters in this book, Antonio felt real. (Meaning, he was a fleshed out character with relatable flaws and motivations.) He was a likeable character with a strong personality––someone who I could root for. He made mistakes, and grew and learned from them, and allowed them to make him a better person in this take on as coming-of-age story. Growing up beside my maternal grandparents, I could often relate to Antonio’s devotion and relationship with his grandfather, too.
As I mentioned earlier, sin and redemption are explored in a rather philosophical manner. Antonio did “bad” things while trying to do “good” things. Should he be forgiven? What punishment––if any––should he receive? And what about the hypocrisy of the townspeople? They seemed to turn a blind-eye to the harm of the widespread gambling addiction in their village, yet were willing to blame Antonio and his mistakes for not being able to feed their families. For middle-grade or YA readers, these are important topics to explore and contemplate.
While I was passingly aware of small aspects of Filipino culture, I felt like I learned a lot. Allen’s descriptions of living in a small town in the Philippines are rich and engaging. The mix of Tagalog words was interesting (though sometimes jarring mid-sentence), though I wish the glossary had been at the front of the book. The langbuan also seemed a fitting monster for the Philippines (Filipino folk tales and mythology make up the bulk of what I know about the country), and while they are scary, they aren’t gory.
I don’t want to give away the ending or reveal spoilers, but the last portion of the book certainly had some plot twists that I hadn’t suspected or even seen coming. While there were a few scenes that I thought could be cut out, and that there were times where certain details were unnecessary, the pacing of the book was good overall (which is why I gave it the rating I did). What was really important to me was there weren’t loose ends nor gaping plot-holes by the end of the book––everything had been connected and wrapped up.
Ghost Moon Night may not be a book you re-read and re-read, but it is certainly worth the time to read it once. I heartily recommend it, too, for any reader interested in an introduction to other cultures.
January 4, 2015
Original review at Whatever You Can Still Betray.
Actual rating 4.5/5
A huge part of my decision to read this book is because it is set in the Philippines. Second reason is Halloween was just days away when I read this book and, yes, I'm a huge sucker for ghost stories.
Philippine folklore is every bit as rich and full of otherworldly creatures as those of more popular fare. We have nuno sa punso, tiyanak, manananggal, kapre, tikbalang and other beings that I'm not as familiar as the ones mentioned. Pair those creatures with the traditions and superstitions of an island nation that successfully melded together Christian and folk beliefs and you've got Ghost Moon Night.
Looking at my notes, I should point out that there was, uhm, a bit a of too much exposition of otherworldly creatures in the first few chapters of the book. For those who are not familiar with such maybe scratching their heads to what these creatures are. Maybe a glossary of Philippine otherworldlies would've helped.
Then again, we are not concerned about the tiyanak nor the nuno sa punso. They were a great device though for showing that the sleepy town of Dasalin is still deep in tradition despite the "modernization" and "progress" of that time. We are more concerned with the langbuan, a creature I could not put my finger on while I mentally scanned my bestiary. It turned out that they were made for the book. Great lore addition though.
The great thing about Ghost Moon Night was that it progressed at a fast pace while fleshing out characters without sacrificing the plot. The transition from one scene to the next was seamless and every gesture and nuance had something to do with the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
Actual rating 4.5/5
A huge part of my decision to read this book is because it is set in the Philippines. Second reason is Halloween was just days away when I read this book and, yes, I'm a huge sucker for ghost stories.
Philippine folklore is every bit as rich and full of otherworldly creatures as those of more popular fare. We have nuno sa punso, tiyanak, manananggal, kapre, tikbalang and other beings that I'm not as familiar as the ones mentioned. Pair those creatures with the traditions and superstitions of an island nation that successfully melded together Christian and folk beliefs and you've got Ghost Moon Night.
Looking at my notes, I should point out that there was, uhm, a bit a of too much exposition of otherworldly creatures in the first few chapters of the book. For those who are not familiar with such maybe scratching their heads to what these creatures are. Maybe a glossary of Philippine otherworldlies would've helped.
Then again, we are not concerned about the tiyanak nor the nuno sa punso. They were a great device though for showing that the sleepy town of Dasalin is still deep in tradition despite the "modernization" and "progress" of that time. We are more concerned with the langbuan, a creature I could not put my finger on while I mentally scanned my bestiary. It turned out that they were made for the book. Great lore addition though.
The great thing about Ghost Moon Night was that it progressed at a fast pace while fleshing out characters without sacrificing the plot. The transition from one scene to the next was seamless and every gesture and nuance had something to do with the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
January 19, 2015
Wow! I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up, but this wasn't it. I can safely say that this is different than anything I've ever read before. I loved the setting, a small village in the Philippines. I always find it interesting to read about places I've never been. Antonio is an interesting character in that it is clear from the beginning that he is a complex character. He makes some good decisions along the way, but he also makes some bad ones that have unpleasant consequences. There were several different plot lines here that all blend together, like real life, as the choices of Antonio, his family and friends as well as enemies all come together to create a fascinating story with plenty of twists and turns. I figured that Antonio would play a role in trying to break the curse, but it came about in a way that I really did not expect.
Interestingly, the book did not read like a zombie story, in fact I didn't really think about the langbuan being zombies until the end while reading the author's note. Except for the parts where Antonio fights with the langbuan, most of the story felt pretty realistic. The author did a great job saving up details for the big reveal at the end. I had suspicions about some of the events of the story, but I was still very surprised at the end. I thought that I'd already passed the climax when boom, something is revealed that changed everything. It was a great move on the part of the author. It's always fun when an author still manages to surprise you after you think you've figured everything out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it's quite different than anything I've read before. A culturally interesting read with some intense fantasy elements that add a nice spark to the story. Recommended.
Interestingly, the book did not read like a zombie story, in fact I didn't really think about the langbuan being zombies until the end while reading the author's note. Except for the parts where Antonio fights with the langbuan, most of the story felt pretty realistic. The author did a great job saving up details for the big reveal at the end. I had suspicions about some of the events of the story, but I was still very surprised at the end. I thought that I'd already passed the climax when boom, something is revealed that changed everything. It was a great move on the part of the author. It's always fun when an author still manages to surprise you after you think you've figured everything out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it's quite different than anything I've read before. A culturally interesting read with some intense fantasy elements that add a nice spark to the story. Recommended.
November 1, 2014
Reading Ghost Moon Night was somewhat of an adventure for me do to the myths and superstitions of a different culture and place, but all in all I really enjoyed it.
The story took place in a small village in the Philippines called Dasalin, so small it isn't even on the map. As the story unfolded I felt myself getting into it more and more. The story began in the past in 1881. Pirates had invaded a village and were pilfering from the villagers. They were caught and punished with their lives. It was because of this that a curse was put upon this tiny village.
The story then jumps to 75 years later (1956). The rest of story you learn about the villagers, the church priest and parish and the old traditions and the superstitions of the people there. You also learn that the night that there is no moon is when the village curse comes alive and people go inside their homes and lock their doors.
The first person you meet in 1956 is the priest who has come to the village to fill the position at the church. He meets Antonio Pulido, from there you meet more people of the village and find out about their lives. The more you read into the story the more you want to see what happens next.
Wrong decisions made by Antonio land him into some trouble with the town and the only way out of the trouble is to help the town to finally be rid of Ghost Moon Night and the curse.
By the time I finished the book I was relieved how the story ended and was finding myself wanting to find out more of the characters in the town.
I'd recommend it to others who like mysteries and folk lore and superstitions of different cultures and who also like to read a book that ends good.
The story took place in a small village in the Philippines called Dasalin, so small it isn't even on the map. As the story unfolded I felt myself getting into it more and more. The story began in the past in 1881. Pirates had invaded a village and were pilfering from the villagers. They were caught and punished with their lives. It was because of this that a curse was put upon this tiny village.
The story then jumps to 75 years later (1956). The rest of story you learn about the villagers, the church priest and parish and the old traditions and the superstitions of the people there. You also learn that the night that there is no moon is when the village curse comes alive and people go inside their homes and lock their doors.
The first person you meet in 1956 is the priest who has come to the village to fill the position at the church. He meets Antonio Pulido, from there you meet more people of the village and find out about their lives. The more you read into the story the more you want to see what happens next.
Wrong decisions made by Antonio land him into some trouble with the town and the only way out of the trouble is to help the town to finally be rid of Ghost Moon Night and the curse.
By the time I finished the book I was relieved how the story ended and was finding myself wanting to find out more of the characters in the town.
I'd recommend it to others who like mysteries and folk lore and superstitions of different cultures and who also like to read a book that ends good.
December 28, 2014
I received a digital copy of this title from ebooksforreview.com in exchange for an honest review.
Ghost Moon Night by Jewel Allen is a YA paranormal story set in a small town in the Philippines in the 1950’s. The town was cursed 75 years ago by pirates who were killed by the townsmen for stealing, and now every month on the darkest night there is a deadly invasion by “langbaun”, which are flying zombies, sent to wreak havoc on anyone caught outdoors between dusk and dawn. The story focuses on Antonio Pulido, a teenaged boy, who experiences coming of age through the themes of spirituality, love, loyalty, culture, and values.
Initially I struggled to stay focused on reading this book because although it is a YA book, I found the writing to be too simplistic. The other thing I found distracting was that there are many jumps in time and content throughout the book; a plot line would begin and then just end without any more discussion. I was intent on finishing the book though because I read some reviews that said that it got better as the story went along, so I continued reading. True to the reviews, the story did end up captivating me as I saw Antonio grow and gain insight into who he is as a person, mostly through making life changing mistakes. I also enjoyed the langbaun scenes, which were not too gory or frightening, but had just enough action to keep them interesting.
I would recommend this book to someone wanting to read a story set in a very different setting (I haven’t seen many other books set in the Philippines), to someone interested in paranormal stories (but not too scary), and to someone who enjoys coming of age stories.
Ghost Moon Night by Jewel Allen is a YA paranormal story set in a small town in the Philippines in the 1950’s. The town was cursed 75 years ago by pirates who were killed by the townsmen for stealing, and now every month on the darkest night there is a deadly invasion by “langbaun”, which are flying zombies, sent to wreak havoc on anyone caught outdoors between dusk and dawn. The story focuses on Antonio Pulido, a teenaged boy, who experiences coming of age through the themes of spirituality, love, loyalty, culture, and values.
Initially I struggled to stay focused on reading this book because although it is a YA book, I found the writing to be too simplistic. The other thing I found distracting was that there are many jumps in time and content throughout the book; a plot line would begin and then just end without any more discussion. I was intent on finishing the book though because I read some reviews that said that it got better as the story went along, so I continued reading. True to the reviews, the story did end up captivating me as I saw Antonio grow and gain insight into who he is as a person, mostly through making life changing mistakes. I also enjoyed the langbaun scenes, which were not too gory or frightening, but had just enough action to keep them interesting.
I would recommend this book to someone wanting to read a story set in a very different setting (I haven’t seen many other books set in the Philippines), to someone interested in paranormal stories (but not too scary), and to someone who enjoys coming of age stories.
December 30, 2023
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I was quite excited to start reading this book but then found it was very hard to get into. Twice I put this book down for days if not a week and almost walked away. If it wasn’t for my determination to find out about the “langbuan” I probably would have just given up.
The beginning of the book was not very intriguing for me. Although I found the main character of Antonio to be very likable for the first few chapters I just didn’t really care enough to continue reading and find out what happens. Also I found the random use of Filipino words ruined my flow of reading at first and it was hard to get used to. There is a glossary at the back of the book but I didn’t find that out until I finished reading. At some points in the story the author uses the Filipino word and then translates it which I found much easier.
About 30/40% into the book the story really picked up and I ended up reading the entire rest of the book in one sitting. I find myself wanting more of an explanation about the langbuan after the book ended up there were some very interesting twists in the second half of the book that really had me hooked to the end.
Overall I would give the book a 3 out of 5. It was good and well written but not something I would probably reread.
I was quite excited to start reading this book but then found it was very hard to get into. Twice I put this book down for days if not a week and almost walked away. If it wasn’t for my determination to find out about the “langbuan” I probably would have just given up.
The beginning of the book was not very intriguing for me. Although I found the main character of Antonio to be very likable for the first few chapters I just didn’t really care enough to continue reading and find out what happens. Also I found the random use of Filipino words ruined my flow of reading at first and it was hard to get used to. There is a glossary at the back of the book but I didn’t find that out until I finished reading. At some points in the story the author uses the Filipino word and then translates it which I found much easier.
About 30/40% into the book the story really picked up and I ended up reading the entire rest of the book in one sitting. I find myself wanting more of an explanation about the langbuan after the book ended up there were some very interesting twists in the second half of the book that really had me hooked to the end.
Overall I would give the book a 3 out of 5. It was good and well written but not something I would probably reread.
December 5, 2014
*I received this eBook in exchange for an honest review.*
Ghost Moon Night is written by Jewel Allen. The genre is paranormal fantasy. The story is set in a small, Philippine village, Dasalin, which was cursed because of pirates. It’s about a seventeen-year-old boy, Antonio, who protects his family from the langbuans. The langbuans are flying creatures who kill everyone they come across on Ghost Moon Night, with their deadly touch. Antonio wants to defeat them.
I give this book 2 stars. I really wanted to like it, but somehow it didn’t do it for me. I started this book and then put it down for two weeks. But because I really wanted to know how it ended, I finished it. I found the beginning a little boring, however I liked Antonio from the first moment. The story was slow-paced and the action scenes were a bit short for me.
The thing I liked about this book, was its setting. I loved the description of the Philippines and I learned a lot about the country. The glossary at the end of the book was also informative and interesting. And the romance was sweet.
Overall, this book was just not for me.
Ghost Moon Night is written by Jewel Allen. The genre is paranormal fantasy. The story is set in a small, Philippine village, Dasalin, which was cursed because of pirates. It’s about a seventeen-year-old boy, Antonio, who protects his family from the langbuans. The langbuans are flying creatures who kill everyone they come across on Ghost Moon Night, with their deadly touch. Antonio wants to defeat them.
I give this book 2 stars. I really wanted to like it, but somehow it didn’t do it for me. I started this book and then put it down for two weeks. But because I really wanted to know how it ended, I finished it. I found the beginning a little boring, however I liked Antonio from the first moment. The story was slow-paced and the action scenes were a bit short for me.
The thing I liked about this book, was its setting. I loved the description of the Philippines and I learned a lot about the country. The glossary at the end of the book was also informative and interesting. And the romance was sweet.
Overall, this book was just not for me.
January 14, 2015
The cover for this book is that really interested me right away. A boy riding a water buffalo immediately made me think that this book took place outside of the US and that got me so excited. I love reading about other places and most YA (that I read anyway) takes place somewhere in the US. But Ghost Moon Night takes places in a
Philippine village.
This book starts off so great. Right away I was hooked and I couldn't put it down. The writing style and pace work perfectly together to make for a quick read.
I just loved the concept of this book. It was original and interesting, sorta weird but in a good way. Even with the zombies, it wasn't gory so if you're looking for a paranormal horror type book but you don't want anything nasty, Ghost Moon Night is perfect. Or for a younger kid that wants something spooky but don't want to give them nightmares.
Overall, this book really surprised me with how good it was. It's really the originality of the concept that hooked me on this book and I'm looking forward to any other books that Jewel Allen writes.
Philippine village.
This book starts off so great. Right away I was hooked and I couldn't put it down. The writing style and pace work perfectly together to make for a quick read.
I just loved the concept of this book. It was original and interesting, sorta weird but in a good way. Even with the zombies, it wasn't gory so if you're looking for a paranormal horror type book but you don't want anything nasty, Ghost Moon Night is perfect. Or for a younger kid that wants something spooky but don't want to give them nightmares.
Overall, this book really surprised me with how good it was. It's really the originality of the concept that hooked me on this book and I'm looking forward to any other books that Jewel Allen writes.
December 7, 2014
As an independent reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock, I rate Ghost Moon Night with 4 fangs.
Ghost Moon Night is an interesting story about a cursed town. Once a month the langbuan (crazy monsters) invade the town. The town lives in fear on the ghost moon night. They board up their windows and hide in the dark from dusk to dawn. The main character, Antonio is very likable and he makes you want to see him succeed in defeating the langbuan.
I really this book. The characters were very likable. There were a couple plot twists that I didn't see coming. It kept me interested from beginning to end. I liked learning a little bit about a different culture but the culture wasn't overtly in your face. It has a little bit of everything; suspense, romance, crime, heartbreak and love.
Ghost Moon Night is an interesting story about a cursed town. Once a month the langbuan (crazy monsters) invade the town. The town lives in fear on the ghost moon night. They board up their windows and hide in the dark from dusk to dawn. The main character, Antonio is very likable and he makes you want to see him succeed in defeating the langbuan.
I really this book. The characters were very likable. There were a couple plot twists that I didn't see coming. It kept me interested from beginning to end. I liked learning a little bit about a different culture but the culture wasn't overtly in your face. It has a little bit of everything; suspense, romance, crime, heartbreak and love.
January 5, 2015
This book is set in a small Philippino village that has a problem with flying undead known as langbuan. Antonio is 17 as the story starts. He is just graduating from high school and trying to decide what he wants to do. His father expects him to help him on the farm, but doesn't praise him when he does. His mother does sewing. His grandfather is losing his memories and only seems to be calm when he hears traditional music. He is mentioned in the prologue as being a young boy when the curse starts.
Antonio makes some good choices and ends up saving several people during Ghost Moon nights. He also makes poor choices that cause a lot of people pain and suffering. He does discover who he is and what he is willing to live with and what he isn't. I enjoyed discovering another culture and language.
Antonio makes some good choices and ends up saving several people during Ghost Moon nights. He also makes poor choices that cause a lot of people pain and suffering. He does discover who he is and what he is willing to live with and what he isn't. I enjoyed discovering another culture and language.
January 6, 2015
I was given this book for free to do a honest review. This book started out a horror story then as it goes into the modern day it seemed like he was going to be a book I wouldn't like but as I continued to read it got really good. I was pulled into the story and kept turning the pages to see what was going to happen in the end. This book is about a curse being released onto a village but a young boy was saved as he tried to save the pirates. As the years go on the night of no moon the evil spirits where released upon this village. It took a priest and a brave boy named Antonio and his friend to end this curse. You will have to read the book to find out how. This book is idea for all ages. Hope you have as good a time reading this as I sure did. Thanks Jewell Allen for giving us this story!
December 19, 2014
I started reading this book at 5 p.m. and finished it just after midnight because I didn't want to put it down. I made my husband fix dinner and put the kids to bed so I could keep reading. I loved being pulled into the Philippine culture. The descriptions of the people and customs were so clear that I could picture it all. And the new (to me) mythology of the langbuan was creepy in a fun way without being gory or over the top. The lead character, Antonio, was very likeable and relateable and I was really rooting for him. A couple of twists at the very end were a great surprise. All together a really fun read and worth staying up past bedtime!
November 2, 2014
I enjoyed this book it is a good coming of age book and learning responsibility, but it did not really go into a whole lot of detail about the curse until the end of the book. I enjoyed learning new words but they were distracting with the meaning of the word after every one, it distracted from the reading. The main character is a good kid with a lot of choices and he does what is right in the end.
August 4, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, however I struggled really hard to even finish it. #1. The blurb on the back is so misleading. (this kid isn't in love, doesn't try to fight the langbuan until the last 3 or so chapters and had no desire to stop them - he was fine thinking about running away and just living somewhere else.) #2 the foreign words were TOO often, I love learning about other cultures and their beliefs, but if I want to learn a language I'll go to a non-fiction book, thank you. #3 weird fables were thrown in, that had NOTHING to do with the overall story. #4 Antonio is inconsistent in; honesty, dedication, family devotion and work ethics.
I am glad I read a different story of this author first. I'll give her another try, because the idea was great...the delivery need more editing.
I am glad I read a different story of this author first. I'll give her another try, because the idea was great...the delivery need more editing.
April 24, 2023
3.5 stars: the story was interesting enough to keep me reading, but some of the filler between Ghost Moon Nights was a little much. Antonio is a hero to all and a hero to none. He’s constantly getting himself into trouble, but he doesn’t realize or accept what he’s doing.
Figuring out the secret to Ghost Moon Night was neat and tidy, without much explanation as to the mechanics of how it works, just that if you were bad or had secrets in life, you became langbaun. And the random vampire baby! A little more story building around these things would’ve made the story a little more full for me.
Overall, it was a fun read!
Figuring out the secret to Ghost Moon Night was neat and tidy, without much explanation as to the mechanics of how it works, just that if you were bad or had secrets in life, you became langbaun. And the random vampire baby! A little more story building around these things would’ve made the story a little more full for me.
Overall, it was a fun read!
November 15, 2015
This story is definitely for middle grade kids. I felt like it the direction of the book was of Antonio's life. The rights and wrongs he did and what he learned from them as he graduates from high school and works around his village. When we first meet Antonio he feels immature for graduation age, and expects more of the world. He knows what's right and wrong but gets caught up in worrying for his family. But, Antonio grows through the book. He seems to learn from his mistakes and becomes a better person for it.
****FULL REVIEW****
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.
Antonio is a young man in Dasalin, his home village. He's graduating from high school and his life is changing. He knows there is something more out there for him, but he doesn't know what. But the langbuan that terrorize the village once a month on Ghost Moon Night seem like a good reason to leave, but he can't. His family needs him to stay and help. He will do about anything to help his grandfather who is not well.
The story starts with a mesmerizing tale of how the curse came to be in this village. Years ago, Pirates caught pillaging livestock were punished to death by drowning on the beach. A young boy tries to dig them out, but can't. So before drowning the leader curses the village. Once a month on ghost moon night the evil spirits will rise. Now we live in a world where langbuan terrorize the village one night a month, on Ghost Moon Night.
Keith shows his talent in vocals in this story. He's added an echo type feel to when the langbuan are talking. He's done different tones and personalities in voices to know character to character who is talking. Keith does a wonderful job of pronouncing many of the local words in this story. He speaks them in their sentence as if they roll off his tongue on a regular bases.
We all have those tendencies to do something that's not right, but what do you do with the knowledge after you've done it? Or learned of how things are far worse than you expected? This book is full of these moments as Antonio grows and sees more of the way of the world around him and what Antonio has to work through. Decisions and actions have repercussions.
This story is definitely for middle grade kids. I felt like it the direction of the book was of Antonio's life. The rights and wrongs he did and what he learned from them as he graduates from high school and works around his village. When we first meet Antonio he feels immature for graduation age, and expects more of the world. He knows what's right and wrong but gets caught up in worrying for his family. But, Antonio grows through the book. He seems to learn from his mistakes and becomes a better person for it.
This book was on the slow side for me as a listener. I think because it's of a middle school grade and easier for younger readers to follow and enjoy. For that, it's wonderful for young readers. There is no violence, other than the langbaun who terrorize and cause deaths, and there are no over intimate moments either. It's just right to trust with young readers.
We start in the story weeks away from Ghost Moon Night and this is getting to know the characters before then, but feels as it doesn't have a direction. I thought the book would focus around Ghost Moon Night and it's events. It's something that's a curse in this village and people work around it. It's always in the back of their minds and after the Ghost Moon Night there are consequences that people have to work through. But it's not the primary focus of the story. The story focuses on Antonio. But in the last two hours of the audio book, the story takes off and all that Antonio went though comes back together to solve the mystery of the langbuan and how he can stop them.
I really liked the creation of the beliefs, spirits, and curses here in the village. It was alive and felt real.
****FULL REVIEW****
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.
Antonio is a young man in Dasalin, his home village. He's graduating from high school and his life is changing. He knows there is something more out there for him, but he doesn't know what. But the langbuan that terrorize the village once a month on Ghost Moon Night seem like a good reason to leave, but he can't. His family needs him to stay and help. He will do about anything to help his grandfather who is not well.
The story starts with a mesmerizing tale of how the curse came to be in this village. Years ago, Pirates caught pillaging livestock were punished to death by drowning on the beach. A young boy tries to dig them out, but can't. So before drowning the leader curses the village. Once a month on ghost moon night the evil spirits will rise. Now we live in a world where langbuan terrorize the village one night a month, on Ghost Moon Night.
Keith shows his talent in vocals in this story. He's added an echo type feel to when the langbuan are talking. He's done different tones and personalities in voices to know character to character who is talking. Keith does a wonderful job of pronouncing many of the local words in this story. He speaks them in their sentence as if they roll off his tongue on a regular bases.
We all have those tendencies to do something that's not right, but what do you do with the knowledge after you've done it? Or learned of how things are far worse than you expected? This book is full of these moments as Antonio grows and sees more of the way of the world around him and what Antonio has to work through. Decisions and actions have repercussions.
This story is definitely for middle grade kids. I felt like it the direction of the book was of Antonio's life. The rights and wrongs he did and what he learned from them as he graduates from high school and works around his village. When we first meet Antonio he feels immature for graduation age, and expects more of the world. He knows what's right and wrong but gets caught up in worrying for his family. But, Antonio grows through the book. He seems to learn from his mistakes and becomes a better person for it.
This book was on the slow side for me as a listener. I think because it's of a middle school grade and easier for younger readers to follow and enjoy. For that, it's wonderful for young readers. There is no violence, other than the langbaun who terrorize and cause deaths, and there are no over intimate moments either. It's just right to trust with young readers.
We start in the story weeks away from Ghost Moon Night and this is getting to know the characters before then, but feels as it doesn't have a direction. I thought the book would focus around Ghost Moon Night and it's events. It's something that's a curse in this village and people work around it. It's always in the back of their minds and after the Ghost Moon Night there are consequences that people have to work through. But it's not the primary focus of the story. The story focuses on Antonio. But in the last two hours of the audio book, the story takes off and all that Antonio went though comes back together to solve the mystery of the langbuan and how he can stop them.
I really liked the creation of the beliefs, spirits, and curses here in the village. It was alive and felt real.
December 22, 2014
The prologue of this YA paranormal story grabs readers and pulls them back in time to a small town in the Philippines, 1881. Thieves have been caught and are shown no mercy and put to death in a torturous way. One young village boy tries to save them, and in doing so, saves himself but not his town from the curse of the langbuan. Starting that very night and every Ghost Moon Night after, the evil winged spirits of the dead rise and kill the villagers by clinging to them until the langbuan have drawn all the warmth from the victims' bodies. SUPER creepy. I am not surprised that Jewel Allen, the author, won a first chapter contest with this story.
From there, the story jumps forward to the same village in 1956, still cursed but accepting the monthly Ghost Moon Night as the norm. They have a new parish priest, Father Sebastien, who wasn't told about the town's curse ahead of time, and is quite shocked to hear about the langbuan from Antonio Pulido, the seventeen-year-old main character of the story. Father Sebastien decides it's his mission to get the villagers to stop putting their faith in pagan rituals, but instead in God, and to figure out how to break the curse. He befriends and confides in Antonio, who has great respect for the priest.
Ghost Moon Night is definitely a coming of age story for Antonio, though he deals with a great deal more than does your average teen -- and that's without factoring in his encounters with the langbuan, which are intense! Antonio is a complex character who really grows by making mistakes and learning from them. His relationship with his father is particularly complicated and often painful, even more so as Antonio discovers his father's many secrets. What is most revealing about Antonio's character is his love for his grandfather and what he's willing to do for him.
Allen's writing is beautiful and descriptive, and her passages really bring the setting of a small village in the Philippines to life. She uses a lot of Tagalog words, which mostly can be defined by context, but also there is a glossary at the end of the book that lists all the words (which I didn't find until I finished -- would be great to have a heads-up at the beginning). There were a few scenes that were confusing to me and which I didn't feel moved the story forward (ex. nuno sa punso, cleaning the morgue). They seemed out of place or in need of more explanation as to how they were connected. Also, the action slowed down significantly through the middle of the story and got a bit bogged down with some unnecessary details; however, the last third of the book had some great, unexpected twists as well as some pretty intense and scary langbuan encounters, which forgave the parts that dragged.
Ghost Moon Night will leave readers thinking about more than just its flying zombies -- there are many deeper messages. There is no profanity or sexual situations, but there are death and grief, references to domestic abuse and alcoholism, and violence, though it is not overly graphic. As such, I would recommend this book for upper middle grade or young adult readers.
This book was provided by eBooks for Review in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.
From there, the story jumps forward to the same village in 1956, still cursed but accepting the monthly Ghost Moon Night as the norm. They have a new parish priest, Father Sebastien, who wasn't told about the town's curse ahead of time, and is quite shocked to hear about the langbuan from Antonio Pulido, the seventeen-year-old main character of the story. Father Sebastien decides it's his mission to get the villagers to stop putting their faith in pagan rituals, but instead in God, and to figure out how to break the curse. He befriends and confides in Antonio, who has great respect for the priest.
Ghost Moon Night is definitely a coming of age story for Antonio, though he deals with a great deal more than does your average teen -- and that's without factoring in his encounters with the langbuan, which are intense! Antonio is a complex character who really grows by making mistakes and learning from them. His relationship with his father is particularly complicated and often painful, even more so as Antonio discovers his father's many secrets. What is most revealing about Antonio's character is his love for his grandfather and what he's willing to do for him.
Allen's writing is beautiful and descriptive, and her passages really bring the setting of a small village in the Philippines to life. She uses a lot of Tagalog words, which mostly can be defined by context, but also there is a glossary at the end of the book that lists all the words (which I didn't find until I finished -- would be great to have a heads-up at the beginning). There were a few scenes that were confusing to me and which I didn't feel moved the story forward (ex. nuno sa punso, cleaning the morgue). They seemed out of place or in need of more explanation as to how they were connected. Also, the action slowed down significantly through the middle of the story and got a bit bogged down with some unnecessary details; however, the last third of the book had some great, unexpected twists as well as some pretty intense and scary langbuan encounters, which forgave the parts that dragged.
Ghost Moon Night will leave readers thinking about more than just its flying zombies -- there are many deeper messages. There is no profanity or sexual situations, but there are death and grief, references to domestic abuse and alcoholism, and violence, though it is not overly graphic. As such, I would recommend this book for upper middle grade or young adult readers.
This book was provided by eBooks for Review in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.
November 10, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. The story is set in the Philippines and it is set in a small village that was cursed by pirates with the flying undead 75 years before the story itself. It is up to Antonio Pulido, a 17 year old to help rid the village of the curse that has been plaguing people every Ghost Moon Night.
I enjoyed that the book was set in the Philippines. It's the first book that I read that was set there and it was nice reading the descriptions of the buildings and the village. That and the intriguing plot is what made me want to read this book and it is what kept me reading. I could see the potential Antionio had and would a good strong character he could be. He had a strong personality and the drive to do anything he wanted.
For me, unfortunately, that is where the good points ended. The book has that unfortunate slump in the middle. The actions scenes were few and far between and when they were just getting started, they ended. By 60% there had only been one Ghost Moon Night and even that was over quickly. I also expected more talk about it and how they were going to end the curse and rid the village of the Langbaum. It seemed like it was all but forgotten about and Antonio was just trying to make a life for himself. I also didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters, he didn't seem very real to me and I didn't seem to care about what happened to him at all.
When it actually came to the ended, I expected more than I got. I feel like it was a little anticlimactic.
Overall, I felt it was a little slow and the action scenes dropped off too quickly back to Antonio acting anything but himself. Some scenes felt forced, like the author was adding it just because she needed to word count, not because Antonio would do that. I would have liked to see more planning for ending the curse. It read more like it was a last minute thought and I felt like she spent a lot of it telling the story rather than showing the story.
Overall, an OK story, but not one that I would likely re-read.
www.lfbookreviews.co.uk
I enjoyed that the book was set in the Philippines. It's the first book that I read that was set there and it was nice reading the descriptions of the buildings and the village. That and the intriguing plot is what made me want to read this book and it is what kept me reading. I could see the potential Antionio had and would a good strong character he could be. He had a strong personality and the drive to do anything he wanted.
For me, unfortunately, that is where the good points ended. The book has that unfortunate slump in the middle. The actions scenes were few and far between and when they were just getting started, they ended. By 60% there had only been one Ghost Moon Night and even that was over quickly. I also expected more talk about it and how they were going to end the curse and rid the village of the Langbaum. It seemed like it was all but forgotten about and Antonio was just trying to make a life for himself. I also didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters, he didn't seem very real to me and I didn't seem to care about what happened to him at all.
When it actually came to the ended, I expected more than I got. I feel like it was a little anticlimactic.
Overall, I felt it was a little slow and the action scenes dropped off too quickly back to Antonio acting anything but himself. Some scenes felt forced, like the author was adding it just because she needed to word count, not because Antonio would do that. I would have liked to see more planning for ending the curse. It read more like it was a last minute thought and I felt like she spent a lot of it telling the story rather than showing the story.
Overall, an OK story, but not one that I would likely re-read.
www.lfbookreviews.co.uk
January 9, 2015
An exciting YA book that both I and my son read. Each of us had a slow start with it. Picking it up, putting it down several times trying to get past the beginning which seemed a little wordy and just not pulling us in but eventually we set sail and moved past that and dove in. We did not always understand the Philippine folklore at first trying to figure out who is who but we got the hang of it and we both are really glad we read it because we think it expanded our reading explorations. I know I have never read a Philippine centered book and I am sure my son never has so it was a fun exploration of traditions, superstitions, and customs. I kinda think we learned a thing or two. We both really liked the historical fiction of the book because that is a genre we love best and it totally satisfied our hunger for it. My son loved the teenage main character, Antonio, and how he grows with the story. Give him pirates, paranormal, curses, mystery, and some time jumps and this kid is in hog heaven. Sometimes for me the time jumps came a little sudden and I was not ready for a back and forth in time but my son had no problems with it. I think my son liked the book a bit more than I did but I thought it was worth writing a review that also included a YA opinion for a YA book although I enjoy a great many YA books myself. My review on it was 3.5 and his 4 stars. I think it is worth your time reading just for the location of the story alone.
January 17, 2015
This one started out really slow for me, but then became unusual and creepy. This was supposed to be a scary zombie mystery book, but the underlying messages are what I liked about it. I enjoyed Antonio's character. I enjoyed seeing him work through his struggles with life, family, and friendships. I loved the friendship between Jose and Antonio and the relationship that Antonio had with his Lolo Sonny. For me, this book was all about what you are and aren't willing to do to make something of yourself. I admired Antonio for his determination to serve his grandfather. Their relationship was sweet and respectful. Although he eventually succumbed to pressure to get what he wanted illegally, he was an honest, dependable, and good-hearted person. He selflessly served family, community, and God through the priest. I understood his frustration with his dishonest and unapproachable father. Antonio was more the adult than his father. This was a clean story with humor, growing pains, and minor terror. I would recommend it to teens and adults. I could see jr. high and high school students reading this in an English class because of all the moral and familial aspects. Not to mention the Philippine culture. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2015
I was very excited to read this book because it's set in the Philippines and I've never read a book with that setting.
The synopsis sounded just amazing so the day I received the copy (for review btw) I started reading it. But, I just could not stay focused. After the struggle of getting through the first chapter I had to stop because I was not ejoying myself.
After 2 days I started reading again and this time I could not even finish 2 pages. It took me 2 months of on and off reading to finish this book.
Now, I loved the description of the Philippines! The author did a amazing job with that aspect. But there were many things that I did not like.
The most important thing is; The story was too slow-paced for me. I really got bored at times. It was not because of the story itself, but the way it was told just made me sleepy at times.
I think that the big problem was that I just was not in the mood for this kind of book, I do want to reread it one day in this year just to see if it really is because of my mood or just not for me in general.
The synopsis sounded just amazing so the day I received the copy (for review btw) I started reading it. But, I just could not stay focused. After the struggle of getting through the first chapter I had to stop because I was not ejoying myself.
After 2 days I started reading again and this time I could not even finish 2 pages. It took me 2 months of on and off reading to finish this book.
Now, I loved the description of the Philippines! The author did a amazing job with that aspect. But there were many things that I did not like.
The most important thing is; The story was too slow-paced for me. I really got bored at times. It was not because of the story itself, but the way it was told just made me sleepy at times.
I think that the big problem was that I just was not in the mood for this kind of book, I do want to reread it one day in this year just to see if it really is because of my mood or just not for me in general.
January 13, 2015
There are a lot of different elements to the story beyond a supernatural event that happens in this cursed village. When a new pastor has moved to the village he is introduced to the people and the curse, besides a bit of a prologue this is how the reader is introduced to the story as well. We see that the people all know each other, their families and history is important to them and they take loss seriously.
I was a little surprised with how often the event takes place that there are a lot of people that still seem to be caught outside and unprepared for the attacks, so their is death and loss.
I wish that it was a bit of a shorter/quicker read I did have some troubles getting through it very fast. There is quite a bit of action and events that take place. Great plot twist and I highly enjoyed the main character. It is still a book I would recommend depending on what the reader is looking for.
I was a little surprised with how often the event takes place that there are a lot of people that still seem to be caught outside and unprepared for the attacks, so their is death and loss.
I wish that it was a bit of a shorter/quicker read I did have some troubles getting through it very fast. There is quite a bit of action and events that take place. Great plot twist and I highly enjoyed the main character. It is still a book I would recommend depending on what the reader is looking for.
January 14, 2015
Great YA read set in the Philippines. It grips you up and really does not let go. What I like in a book. :) I was taken to many places mentally in reading this ARC. Our main character, a young boy, tries to save the people when more terror arises than could be imagined. It is a coming of age for him of sorts. There is much religion factored in as well. A small village is attacked and pirates and winds up cursed. Every month on Ghost Moon Night the village is attacked by Langbuan, vampire like mythical creatures that kill the villagers by sucking the warmth out of them any way they can, and nothing keeps them away..Later the young boy returns and attempts to face the Langbaun. This story is hauntingly well written and has tremendous character development. I highly recommend.
November 25, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a coming of age story with emphasis on the ability and willigness to make decisions even the tough ones, and had some great elements. I liked the fact that it was based on a Philipines ghost story since I've never come across this kind of story before. I did find the prologue to be very interesting and it made me want to read further. It was a quick read with quite a few action scenes and some light romance elements. The I do think however that the curse could have been explored in more detail. That said however I would definitely recommend this book for young adults or anyone else who likes ghost stories.
This book is a coming of age story with emphasis on the ability and willigness to make decisions even the tough ones, and had some great elements. I liked the fact that it was based on a Philipines ghost story since I've never come across this kind of story before. I did find the prologue to be very interesting and it made me want to read further. It was a quick read with quite a few action scenes and some light romance elements. The I do think however that the curse could have been explored in more detail. That said however I would definitely recommend this book for young adults or anyone else who likes ghost stories.
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