Eyes Wide Shut

Theia's Moons #1

by Niki Livingston

The wars ended years earlier. The people of Esaki pulled themselves together and learned to enjoy life again, despite their dwindled population.

Malkia became leader of her town, not by choice but by the calling of God. She lived in a state of peace and turned to her source whenever she felt a need of strength. However, danger was coming their way and it was time to face the reality of their situation.

Malkia and her people travel through their broken world to escape the savages coming their way and learn more about their world, their lives and their true circumstances throughout their journey. Life is not what it seems and as their eyes begin to open to the truth, the world as they know it, crumbles beneath their feet.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2014

About the author

International Bestselling Author Niki Livingston writes tales of epic and dystopian fantasy worlds filled with magic, mysticism, and mystery.

When she’s not busy writing enchanting stories of diverse women rising in their power and strength, she spends her time walking her rescue puppy, quieting her mind with meditation and yoga, diving into the newest books of Veronica Roth and Anne Bishop, and binge-watching The Vikings, The Mandalorian, and Lost In Space.

For all her latest releases and updates, subscribe to Niki Livingston’s newsletter!

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun story of magic, intrigue and a possible romance. Loved the characters. Well written to keep you wanting more.

[Lincoln Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good first installment in a series, I'm looking forward to reading more books as they come out.

There is a lot of magic and intrigue in this novel, as well as some very strong romantic undertones that make the story interesting and kept me coming back for more. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in the fantasy genre who likes stories with a powerful female protagonist and story about overcoming great obstacles to make the world better.

Once I started reading this novel i simply couldn't stop until I was finished and made it through very quickly. There are a few parts that are slower than others, but they usually serve to build the world and showcase the characters and help make the story feel more complete.

For fans of the genre, this is an excellent addition.

[Clifton Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very imaginative! I was impressed by Livingston's creativity, the depth of her characters, and the plot development. All of these elements kept the pages turning for me! Definitely worth a look, can't wait for more. :)

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

If it wasn't for my inability to read a series out of order I would never have forced myself through this book and I'm admittedly dreading the fact that I have to read book 2 for the team challenge. While some aspects of this story were interesting the writing is not. This book is not well written. The world building is practically nonexistent. We're thrust into a fantasy world but aren't guided into understanding anything of the way in which the world functions. Magic exists, mythical creatures exist, but again there's no explanation given for any of it. The writing is not descriptive and the character development is horrid. I swear there's not a character in this story who can maintain the same opinion from one paragraph to the next. The main characters back and forth "I love him" / "I hate him" dialogue in her own head makes absolutely zero sense. Oh there's this strange connection between us, I'm so drawn to him even though he is a horrific human being, is not a good explanation. Not to mention every other friend of Malkia's is fully supporting her as their leader one minute and then giving her side eye and seemingly talking behind her back the next. There's not one constant character in the whole thing. Frankly the only person I'm interested in at this moment isn't even human. Dragon for the win!

I'm dreading reading book two and assume it's going to be no easier to get through with just as many random decisions that seemingly come out of nowhere that change the entire plot of the story.

[blueyed_cntry_girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an unique story but definitely great. Several people with different abilities working together to outrun savages. But what happens when one finds out they’re not from this moon and has more power than anyone? Will this person stop or be stopped? I’m looking forward to getting the next book. I want to see what happens!!. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rob Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling read. THIS genre isn't my favourite and I wasn't sure if I would like it. Boy I was wrong!I loved it!The storyline was interesting throughout and I found myself connecting with the characters. I would DEFINITELY recommend it and I can't wait to read Enyo's Warrior.

[Wanda Jewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did I like about the book? I liked that it was a full story and there was no cliffhanger. It is a full length book and not one of those short 100 pages they say is a book. There is room for other books to come in the series, but this book had an ending and you weren't left thinking what is gonna happen next and feeling unsatisfied with the story ending. I enjoyed the book. The characters were well written. The story line was varied and had surprises in store for you. I would recommend it.

[C.H. Eryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read.

I found it difficult to get into the book in the beginning but I wanted to explore a new world so I continued on. It's storyline picked up and I found myself wanting to know what was next. It satisfied my curiosity even if it did end on a cliffhanger.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This book was reviewed for Reader's Favourite**

Eyes Wide Shut by Niki Livingston, is the first in the Theia’s Moons YA series. Devastating war has robbed Malkia of parents, husband, child. Only her sister, Mataya, survives. Now, war threatens again. Malkia and the other villagers who withstood the ravages of bloody conflict must flee their homes or else run the risk of oppression and death. Most of this book involves the search to find a new home.

Besides Damon, and his 'savages’, as the tech-savvy group is called, we meet a plethora of others along the way, who help and hinder as they may. I don't want to give anything away, but I love the choices Malkia is confronted with. We all have the potential to follow the crooked path in life, especially if temptation, be it good or bad, is strong enough.

Oh, but the cover is a beauty. A marvellous palette of colour, depicting a pegasus with wide-spread wings set against a backdrop of Esaki’s sky. I love the companion planet in the background. I know you shouldn't judge a book by the cover, but that was precisely what drew my attention first. This was an enjoyable, engaging read, and is also among one of my cub’s favourite stories now. There was nothing for it but Aspen had to have her own copy, or I'd never get my Kindle back. We also got the second in the series, with a equally beautiful cover depicting a dragon.

There's a strong theme of technology bad vs nature good to this story. Once, I would have agreed. Now, though, I am more for humanity learning to smoothly integrate technology and nature. That change in my own thinking happened when I found the key to my own world of Evalyce to chronicle. Now… our current trend towards obsessing over technology is not so great a thing in my mind. I would love to see the two sides integrated, where the technological and the natural work smoothly together.

I loved the threaded storyline between Malkia and Damon. In some ways, I can relate. Things 'forbidden’ for the other side, well it's kinda like saying not to think of a pink elephant. Now where's the first place the mind goes? My cub who fell in love with this book loves Malkia's strength. Okay, and yeah, we all loved the plethora of magickal beasties. Because Dragons! And I adore that Livingston pluralised 'pegasus’ in correct Latin 'pegasi’. It drives me absolutely nuts when people don't. Seeing words like 'octopuses, cactuses, tyrannosauruses, hippopotamuses’, oooh, that makes my teeth grind. So, that made me extremely happy. The small things in life, eh?

[Kenneth Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Niki Livingston is a talent! In "Theia's Moons: Eyes Wide Shut," she has crafted a mesmerizing fantasy world filled with complex characters. The protagonist, Malkia, is the most complex character of the bunch. She is a powerful woman, a strong leader and a dedicated member of a group struggling to survive in the aftermath of a devastating event. Her world has been turned upside down when a vicious attack has claimed the lives of most of her family. Rather than letting adversity beat her down, she rises to the occasion to become the guiding light of her new family. It is a pleasure follow the adventures of a strong female leader. In a world surrounded by many powerful men, Malkia has risen to the top through sheer strength, will-power and perseverance. She is a strong leader but an equally understanding and nurturing one. She has taken the reigns of her group but allows others to share in the decision-making process in their struggle to survive.
Like many complex characters, she is conflicted, finding herself torn between her love for her new family and the powerful but mysterious attraction feels toward Damon, the ruthless leader of the savages, who becomes obsessed with Malkia and is determined to capture her at all costs. There is little doubt about where her true loyalties lie, but the reader can't help but wonder if her mysterious attraction to Damion will affect her judgment and pose a threat to the group.
The story is a page-turner. It flows from one page to the next. It has everything a science fiction/fantasy fan could hope for: imaginative worlds, fascinating mythical creatures, ruthless villains who will stop at nothing to get what they want and strong heroic characters who must use their incredible powers to overcome incredible odds. Highly recommended!

[Kshitij · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an epic fantasy novel, with characters having various interesting mystical powers. The story takes place at Theia’s Moon Esaki and it is about Malkia, who is the leader of the group running away from another group of savages. Malkia lost her parents, husband and child in a war that destroyed everything. Eight years has gone by and they are still in the process of rebuilding the community.
This is a very intense and imaginative work of fiction. The main character Malkia, is bold and caring, and I felt being part of the group she was leading. But as we progress in the story, we learn that there is something not right with her and the dreams that she frequently have. The story is written in a simple prose and that makes it easy to remember the characters and their unique powers.
The book has a surprise in the end as Malkia finally learns the truth about herself, and it makes up a satisfying read; also it nicely opens the way for a sequel. If you like mythical creatures like Dragons, Pegasus and enjoy reading about witches and warlocks, this is the book you may want to pick.

I’ll surely check out for the sequel to follow Malkia’s adventure.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This Epic Fantasy series begins with one woman's haunted dreams of a forgotten past, which then spirals into a gripping story of courage, perseverance, and unconditional love." That is the perfect description of this novel. The story line is strong, the characters well fleshed and the protagonist is one strong woman who just needs to learn her strengths and weaknesses and this she has never been alone. I enjoyed this novel and would read more by this author.

[The Christian Book Critic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eyes Wide Shut by Niki Livingston is the first book in the Theia's Moons series and the winner of the Readers' Favorite Award. Eyes Wide Shut is a riveting and captivating young adult fantasy series about a young woman named Malkia, who has been left by her parents (The Gods) to lead the people of the moon to the safe land of Domesca. With memories of the previous battle still fresh in her mind. With the help of the moon people, their hawks, and pixies (fairies), Malkia must learn to let go of her fears and tap into her full power, to fight the wolf-men, an evil witch, and their vicious leader, Damion. As Malkia reaches her final destination, she discovers, everything is not always what it seems.

[Makala Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was brilliant one of the best fantasy stories I have read in quite a while! Malkia is a complex and loving character who I adore and felt connected to; as the tale went on I fell deeper in love with it. Fantasy, romance and crime are my favourite genres and this book has all three! I got so excited towards the end because of a massive twist; Malkia discovers she has extraordinary powers and instead of turning dark like she was tempted to, she became a whirlwind of fire and greatness. A must read for all fantasy addicts. Loved it!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was interesting. I couldn’t figure out a time period. My first picture of witches and dragons and riding a Pegasus (Pegasi) and castles is medieval times. Then I read of Malkia putting on a clean tank top and jeans. Couldn’t get a real picture in my head. I like the story and I like the characters. I have to know the connection between Damon and Malkia. Their relationship is very strange. Also wanted to mention the title. I don’t think it works for the book. Malkia not knowing who or what she is (eyes closed) is actually a super small part of the story.

[M.S. Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is certainly imaginative. the writer has created a world of her own imagination and has managed to develop the main character well. The story line has quite some turns and twists.

[Caroline Hannam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to the core characters of the series, though I don’t have a good grasp on the world the story takes place in, and the significance of the titular Theia’s Moons has escaped me.
I admit I struggled a bit for the first third of the book, the description of the characters; their relationships to each other and their history seemed to me a bit longwinded, but also vague at times.
Then the action started properly and drew me in. I liked the different mythical creatures and their interaction with the people. For me the most intriguing character is The Leader (Damon) and his fascination and the fascination relationship and interaction with Malkia the protagonist of the book. This promises to be an interesting development in the forthcoming books.
I would have liked a little more detail about the talents and how they developed and less detail about the discussions of what to do next.
This series is probably not for me, but there is a lot of potential for the continuing series and if there weren’t so many other books to read I would give the next book go, and who knows...

I received this book as ARC copy from the author and am leaving this review of my own volition.

[Kris McPeake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is full of lost memories, magic, lies, those who want to control and those born to be leaders. But Malkia, who has been thrust into the leader role, first must find the past truth of who she is to be able to save those close to her now. There are many many surprises that will make you wonder what's next. Everything will come together in the end. Just keep reading.

[Sissy Satterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

While YA is something that I do not read much of these days, I found that I truly enjoyed this story. The story drew me in and I stayed until the end. All in all I liked it and would recommend for fantasy lovers an young adults as well. Well Done! No Spoilers Here!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Niki Livingston]

Writing Theia's Moons Eyes Wide Shut was exhilarating for me. I had a vivid dream of the story and once I began writing down scenes and creating the characters, it was as if a life force opened up inside. I thought about my characters daily. I formed each character from myself, from the people in my lives and from people who I have met and inspired me. Malkia, the main character, is an extension of myself with pieces of different people who have influenced my life. She dreams of a better life, while battling her own demons and fears.

I enjoyed writing this book and I am excited to continue on with the series. I hope those who do take the time to read Eyes Wide Shut, will find enjoyment from their journey in my thoughts.

[J.L. Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!!!

Okay, so the author has an amazing way of pulling you into her world. I loved this story so much.
Author Livingston is simply brilliant, weaving a fantasy world filled with complex characters. The lead character, Malkia is strong and powerful, which I love in a leader. A must read.