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Mooncallers #1
Stars Wake
A starry-eyed woman awakens without her memories in the city of Tel Ashir. Having no place to call home, she joins the Mooncallers, the army of Tzapodia, and fights in the name of the Moon Goddess Oscerin. A year later, she and her mentor, Avari, stumble across a massacre brought on by the unseen divine, Widow, who is bent on recreating the world of Amniven. This twist in fate’s design leads the starry-eyed woman to the doorstep of the Prince of Tzapodia and Speaker of Oscerin, Ares Lavrenthea. As new faces arrive, a group of unlikely friends traverses the Joined Hands to repair the bonds of The Six, protecting one another as they dismantle Widow’s Brood. However, their journey takes a dark turn when they learn that the starry-eyed woman is Widow’s immediate target. Is the starry-eyed woman more connected to this faceless divine than she appears? Only the Moon will tell.
- GenresFantasy
442 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 21, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 3, 2018
It’s not terrible, but it’s not that great. There is a very workable and somewhat enticing story-line; however, the writing style, briefness of backstory, partial neglect of side characters, non-fleshed out main characters, and info-dump from time to time really bring the book (and my rating) down. The “telling” aspect of the story never ceases. My two biggest criticisms are that the characters are insanely flat due to there being no inner dialogue present, and that the world/lore are very undeveloped. With the former, I really love inner dialogue from characters because, as a reader, you come to understand their world, problems, personality, etc. through their thoughts, but in Mooncallers, all you get is a lot of dialogue, that in most cases, isn’t that strong to begin with. With the latter, there is so much name dropping of people and towns, but the names don’t really stick and the map is a bit difficult to read. Leda spends more time semi-fleshing out a scene than actually developing the world as a whole.
Due to the briefness and clunkiness in some parts of the writing, I sometimes have no idea what’s happening in the story. Only when I reread a sentence a second time+ will I finally get the image she’s going for. When Leda kept saying that she needed to split the book into 6 books, I thought that it was because she had too much to say, yet every encounter, every scene, every exchange of dialogue, every discovery is just so damn brief, especially in the beginning. I will give her credit however because the middle and ending becomes more fleshed out and enjoyable to read. There are also many adjectives and an over-saturation of similes that really tear the reader out of the fantasy setting.
This would've been a three stars for me if it wasn't how Leda perceives this book to be. Leda has described this book as “a psychological thriller that takes place in a fantasy setting”…But the story doesn’t build, it’s just given to you, right there in the moment, and then you move on. This book isn’t some sort of emotional roller-coaster that I feel like she’s making it out to be. Sometimes things get interesting but the build up in many scenes can be done a lot better. Also, she has said: “just for a hint: I’d say about 98% of the dialogue and narrative in the book leads to one secret or another”…But 98% of the dialogue is flat – it’s either Luxea or Avari screaming, characters discussing something about the lands or of other people and it’s hard to follow, thesaurus words, childish words, or over-saturated with similes and metaphors. The ending of the book isn’t even a cliff-hanger, it’s just one of those “to be continued” sort of endings. There is way to much “telling” and not enough “showing” from Leda in order for this book to be considered “psychological”. Nowhere in or on the book is it advertised as one, but with this idea in mind, my rating drops down to a 2/5 stars.
In terms of our main characters, Luxea has a good heart and when she sees others in danger, she’ll give her all to protect them, but she’s just so bland. She’s suppose to be “curious” and “quick-witted,” but the countless times she just takes in her surroundings and moves on doesn’t speak to these traits. I think what’s disappointing is that Leda created her to be this way though? It’s like her position as the main character is somehow sufficient for her purpose in the story. With Ares, it’s odd: he’s smart, he stands up for himself, and he fights for those who he wishes to help, but I just can’t warm up to him. He’s like a superficial Daenerys with the frankness and drinking habits of Cersei. I think if we had access into his mind via inner dialogue, I would appreciate his intelligence more, but without it he just seems a bit dry to me. The other characters can be either irritating or enjoyable at times.
Overall, if you really want to read this book because you want to see what Leda has been working on the last 2 years, read it, but if you want a great new fantasy read, I wouldn't purchase this book. This truly is an interesting story-line and universe, but it's just poorly executed. I hope for the best in the upcoming book.
Due to the briefness and clunkiness in some parts of the writing, I sometimes have no idea what’s happening in the story. Only when I reread a sentence a second time+ will I finally get the image she’s going for. When Leda kept saying that she needed to split the book into 6 books, I thought that it was because she had too much to say, yet every encounter, every scene, every exchange of dialogue, every discovery is just so damn brief, especially in the beginning. I will give her credit however because the middle and ending becomes more fleshed out and enjoyable to read. There are also many adjectives and an over-saturation of similes that really tear the reader out of the fantasy setting.
This would've been a three stars for me if it wasn't how Leda perceives this book to be. Leda has described this book as “a psychological thriller that takes place in a fantasy setting”…But the story doesn’t build, it’s just given to you, right there in the moment, and then you move on. This book isn’t some sort of emotional roller-coaster that I feel like she’s making it out to be. Sometimes things get interesting but the build up in many scenes can be done a lot better. Also, she has said: “just for a hint: I’d say about 98% of the dialogue and narrative in the book leads to one secret or another”…But 98% of the dialogue is flat – it’s either Luxea or Avari screaming, characters discussing something about the lands or of other people and it’s hard to follow, thesaurus words, childish words, or over-saturated with similes and metaphors. The ending of the book isn’t even a cliff-hanger, it’s just one of those “to be continued” sort of endings. There is way to much “telling” and not enough “showing” from Leda in order for this book to be considered “psychological”. Nowhere in or on the book is it advertised as one, but with this idea in mind, my rating drops down to a 2/5 stars.
In terms of our main characters, Luxea has a good heart and when she sees others in danger, she’ll give her all to protect them, but she’s just so bland. She’s suppose to be “curious” and “quick-witted,” but the countless times she just takes in her surroundings and moves on doesn’t speak to these traits. I think what’s disappointing is that Leda created her to be this way though? It’s like her position as the main character is somehow sufficient for her purpose in the story. With Ares, it’s odd: he’s smart, he stands up for himself, and he fights for those who he wishes to help, but I just can’t warm up to him. He’s like a superficial Daenerys with the frankness and drinking habits of Cersei. I think if we had access into his mind via inner dialogue, I would appreciate his intelligence more, but without it he just seems a bit dry to me. The other characters can be either irritating or enjoyable at times.
Overall, if you really want to read this book because you want to see what Leda has been working on the last 2 years, read it, but if you want a great new fantasy read, I wouldn't purchase this book. This truly is an interesting story-line and universe, but it's just poorly executed. I hope for the best in the upcoming book.
April 30, 2018
This unfortunately reads like a very, very rough first draft. With some proper editing this could be a nice book, but as it stands? No.
July 13, 2019
someone had described this book as written for fans of leda, not for avid fantasy readers, and that will be the best description you'll ever get. mooncallers reads like that 300,000 word big name fanfic you find in 2008 that you swear is the greatest thing you've ever read. there's so much purple prose and odd descriptions, such as describing a woman's voice like the sound of the scent of fallen leaves, where it can completely take you out of the story and make you think about what the fuck that means. there are perspective switches in the middle of chapters, too much exposition in places there shouldnt be, drastic time skips that gloss over development for plot, characters, and necessary worldbuilding.
when i heard that muir was coming out with a first anniversary addition with an additional 20,000 words, or essentially a rewrite, i was put off. as someone who is an inspiring author, that isnt how books are written. and if i remember correctly, she rewrote mooncallers only a handful of times before publication.
leda has good, whimsical, weird ideas that have potential but muir never expands on them. getting beta readers is not hard. there are websites dedicated to recruiting them. getting a professional editor costs money, but so does publishing a book so you might as well invest. leda muir needs to do more research, cut out the unneccesary parts to the story, and expand on character. from an instagram post, the second book is where the story essentially begins but this book was an introduction to the world. muir, again, that isnt how you write books. no one wants to read what is essentially a history book.
tl/dr: if muir had put in more of an effort in the writing, i would have liked it. not worth the price. get some betas and a professional editor.
when i heard that muir was coming out with a first anniversary addition with an additional 20,000 words, or essentially a rewrite, i was put off. as someone who is an inspiring author, that isnt how books are written. and if i remember correctly, she rewrote mooncallers only a handful of times before publication.
leda has good, whimsical, weird ideas that have potential but muir never expands on them. getting beta readers is not hard. there are websites dedicated to recruiting them. getting a professional editor costs money, but so does publishing a book so you might as well invest. leda muir needs to do more research, cut out the unneccesary parts to the story, and expand on character. from an instagram post, the second book is where the story essentially begins but this book was an introduction to the world. muir, again, that isnt how you write books. no one wants to read what is essentially a history book.
tl/dr: if muir had put in more of an effort in the writing, i would have liked it. not worth the price. get some betas and a professional editor.
July 2, 2018
''Leaves may grow and fall away,
but roots forever will remain.''
-Anonymous
(Leda C. Muir; Mooncallers: Stars Wake)
★★★★✩
I have been following Leda on YouTube and Twitter since 2012 or so. When I heard she was writing a fantasy novel, I was over the Moon (Pun intended)! I was so excited to read this and the story was so much better than expected. The characters, the world building and the general lore of Amniven, the realm this story takes place, was just impressive for a debut. Leda's writing is really descriptive, which helped a lot to get a good picture of the characters. Another thing I really liked is how Leda drew chapter headers and also included dates, written in dating canon to the story, with most chapters to keep track of the timeline. The story had a nice pacing and each character had proper introduction and backstory. I felt like I really bonded with the characters, they felt so real and each and every one of them had such a unique personality, which is amazing. I felt genuine sympathy and compassion towards the bunch and with each event the display of character's emotional arc was very realistic. The story itself is amazing all the same. It has elements I recognise from other fantasy stories/tales and even games, but stitched together with a very unique and personal twist which makes it a wonderful story.
I gave it 4 stars instead of five as there were some bumps in the story. It was nothing I haven't seen in a debut before, but worth to note. I sometimes got confused who was talking as the different POV's weren't written as most authors do and once in a while there were sentences I had to reread to understand. You can easily read over these things and they won't make you enjoy the book less. Leda does have a real talent for writing, but still needs to learn. I do want to credit her for publishing this book on her own with only help from friends and without help of a big publishing company.
If you love elves, magic, dragons and fantasy in general, I would really recommend this book. It is the first book in the Mooncallers series and the second book, Mooncallers: Shadows Burn is coming soon! Leda said the story of the sequel will be better and more complex and I do not doubt that even a little bit. The cover isn't revealed yet, but she is planning on doing that later this month, probably on Twitter.
Read other reviews on my blog:
https://ezziesbookshelf.wordpress.com
June 5, 2018
I am not someone who is a big reader, in fact, I don't really care to read that much. I wanted to support Leda, so I bought the book. I started reading and found myself immensely enjoying my time while I learned about her fantasy world and characters. I love that each character has their own personality--and even accent. The story jumps around a bit, but I find that to be a good thing. Personally, I find Luxea to be an amazing main character, she's not focused on too much or too little. I love all of the descriptions that the book is full of. Reading the book lets a detailed movie play in my head. I never once wandered from the pages or closed the book. I'm very excited for book two!
May 17, 2018
I really loved this book! I honestly couldn’t put it down. The world the author created was so immersive, and I loved (or deeply hated) some of the characters. I’m interested to see what else happens in the story, especially since the author has said there are (I believe) 6 books total in the series.
January 29, 2023
2nd read: january 2023, the first anniversary edition
★★★★★
this book is so precious to me. ♡
1st read: april 2018
★★★★
I enjoyed the overall simplicity of Muir’s writing and some of the vagueness that consequently came along with it. I appreciate when writing is open-ended and allows some use of the imagination while leaving you with questions about the world and overall story, just enough to keep you reading, which I feel Muir accomplishes here. The purple prose that Muir experiments with felt exactly like that: an experimentation. There are some lines that are a little awkward to read and pull you out of the story with an uncommon adjective that seems like it was plucked directly from a thesaurus. However, I do not think it is that bad and I believe Muir's writing will only get better with more experience. There's also plenty of solid lines and great writing throughout the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing and found it to be refreshing, and with a bit more polish it could be even better.
I’m going to end this review on a bit of a personal note. As an aspiring fantasy author and someone close in age to Muir, I see a lot of myself in Muir and her writing. Seeing her self-publish her work is inspiring. I can't wait to read the other installments in the series and any other possible future works from Muir. I loved this story and I loved immersing myself in this world Muir has created, it truly does feel like a second home.
★★★★★
this book is so precious to me. ♡
1st read: april 2018
★★★★
"The butterfly mustn't meet the spider's eyes."
Mooncallers: Stars Wake is a beautiful and imaginative story with a lot of potential.
I first read this book at a time when I had fallen out of love with reading and become stagnant in my own writing. When I heard Muir was publishing her own fantasy book I was intrigued and excited for her. To put your story out there and actually publish it is no small feat. From the way Muir talks about her book I can tell how passionate she is about the world and characters she's created. Mooncallers is exactly what I needed to read in a time when I had lost my own passion for storytelling.
The world of Amniven is rich in lore. I love that there's a glossary and pronunciation guide at the back of the book. This is something I wish was more common in fantasy books nowadays, and not just in the collector's or anniversary editions. In addition to the appendices, there are some beautifully hand drawn maps and illustrations by the author herself.
The main cast of characters are all lovable in their own ways, but upon further reflection, I do feel like they are a bit too comical sometimes. Mostly the comic relief characters, of course, which I would consider to be two of the main cast of characters—but the protagonist Luxea, and the secondary protagonist, Ares, have a few moments as well where they act a bit too immaturely for my taste. Ultimately, I can look past this and consider it as part of the charm of the story.
"Never can shadow touch you with moonlight in your veins."
I enjoyed the overall simplicity of Muir’s writing and some of the vagueness that consequently came along with it. I appreciate when writing is open-ended and allows some use of the imagination while leaving you with questions about the world and overall story, just enough to keep you reading, which I feel Muir accomplishes here. The purple prose that Muir experiments with felt exactly like that: an experimentation. There are some lines that are a little awkward to read and pull you out of the story with an uncommon adjective that seems like it was plucked directly from a thesaurus. However, I do not think it is that bad and I believe Muir's writing will only get better with more experience. There's also plenty of solid lines and great writing throughout the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing and found it to be refreshing, and with a bit more polish it could be even better.
"There's a world in every head, in every heart. We visit them in dreams, in memories, and in nightmares. Because of that world, all of us, at some point in all of our lives, experience a feeling.
I want to go home."
I’m going to end this review on a bit of a personal note. As an aspiring fantasy author and someone close in age to Muir, I see a lot of myself in Muir and her writing. Seeing her self-publish her work is inspiring. I can't wait to read the other installments in the series and any other possible future works from Muir. I loved this story and I loved immersing myself in this world Muir has created, it truly does feel like a second home.
July 9, 2018
I may be biased because I have been a follower of Leda since we were teenagers making YouTube videos, but I loved this book. I don’t normally read fantasy books, I prefer horror/thrillers, but this one was quite good. I didn’t give it a perfect 5 stars only because I felt like it took me a while to get really involved with the story. In the beginning it was hard to follow and a lot of information was being thrown at me. But once I familiarized myself with the main characters and the world, I was swept away on one hell of a ride. The only other issue I have with this book is the ending!!!! Now I have to wait on the edge of my seat for the next book!! Y u do dis Leda????!??
All kidding aside, it’s a lovely world and story and in a really weird way I am so proud of Leda even though she doesn’t even know who I am. I’ve known she’s wanted to write a book for a long time and it makes me so happy to see her dreams come true. Can’t wait for the next part!
All kidding aside, it’s a lovely world and story and in a really weird way I am so proud of Leda even though she doesn’t even know who I am. I’ve known she’s wanted to write a book for a long time and it makes me so happy to see her dreams come true. Can’t wait for the next part!
January 21, 2019
3.5
The plot was interesting and the characters were cool but it reads like fanfic at many points which was a bit off putting. Certain dialogues felt out of place for the world to me and there were times when there could have been more descriptions for the amount of plot that was put together in this novel. Nonetheless I’ll probably read the second book to see if changes in the writing style are made, I really hope the second one is better because the world is pretty cool and Muir has obviously put a lot of work into the universe.
The plot was interesting and the characters were cool but it reads like fanfic at many points which was a bit off putting. Certain dialogues felt out of place for the world to me and there were times when there could have been more descriptions for the amount of plot that was put together in this novel. Nonetheless I’ll probably read the second book to see if changes in the writing style are made, I really hope the second one is better because the world is pretty cool and Muir has obviously put a lot of work into the universe.
June 11, 2019
I’ve been following Leda for nearly a decade now. I’m so proud of how far she’s come, and now with this series how far she’s going to go. Ignore the reviews saying this book is rough and needs work. She’s releasing a revised version, and the second book is written much differently. She kept this one simplistic so that her father would be able to read it and enjoy it. I definitely recommend giving this series a chance!
December 5, 2018
Mooncallers is a beautiful fantasy that pays attention to detail and really allows you to immerse yourself into the world. I cant wait to read the second book.the only reason I didnt give this 5 stars is because there were grammatical errors that were very noticeable. I would definitely recommend giving this book a try especially if your a D&D, lord of the rings, world of warcraft fan.
January 1, 2022
This book was a lovely read! The characters were very entertaining, and I found myself engrossed in the book the more I kept reading. There is a part that talks about sex trafficking, which is definitely a weird topic for a fantasy book like this, and it was very uncomfortable to read.
Other than that, this book made me laugh and have a good time!
Other than that, this book made me laugh and have a good time!
November 13, 2022
I’m not sure why some readers are bitter about Leda’s playful portrayal of her characters - it seems to be more of a Y/A Fantasy anyways, why nag? The book had serious moments and used sophisticated language in proper context. Very intriguing storyline, I invested a lot of time understanding Mooncaller’s universe and characters. No regrets.
October 4, 2019
I envy Leda's imagination and ability to create such an interesting world and characters! As a writer, I wish I had that skill. But like most first novels, it is not without flaws. Leda has a knack for writing that will definitely grow stronger with more practice. I'm rooting for her 100%
December 23, 2023
Absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.
May 11, 2026
Idk if it’s because I haven’t read a lot of high fantasy like this, or because people didn’t read this version with 20k more words added but i’m shocked by the low ratings.
This world was so fascinating to be pulled into. The world building had me enthralled, honestly it was so in depth that I feel like I had to take breaks and read slowly to really digest it. I don’t even think my bias for loving her growing up would change my mind, I really love the characters, honestly some the side quests and characters povs at first didn’t seem necessary but then I understood it helped build out out mains and what’s to come. The mystery here with who Luxea is and why she and Ares are the chosen has me gripped. I also love that Ares is half dragon and in a consistent battle with himself, where Luxea is softening and being brutally honest with him. The juxtaposition is fun. Also can’t believe Oliver started to grow on me.
I can’t believe I hadn’t read it sooner but for me, I think now was the perfect time for me to appreciate it, her love for fantasy and understanding what we look for in escapism is so apparent. I really left this world every time I opened it, there is so much discover within the pages.
This world was so fascinating to be pulled into. The world building had me enthralled, honestly it was so in depth that I feel like I had to take breaks and read slowly to really digest it. I don’t even think my bias for loving her growing up would change my mind, I really love the characters, honestly some the side quests and characters povs at first didn’t seem necessary but then I understood it helped build out out mains and what’s to come. The mystery here with who Luxea is and why she and Ares are the chosen has me gripped. I also love that Ares is half dragon and in a consistent battle with himself, where Luxea is softening and being brutally honest with him. The juxtaposition is fun. Also can’t believe Oliver started to grow on me.
I can’t believe I hadn’t read it sooner but for me, I think now was the perfect time for me to appreciate it, her love for fantasy and understanding what we look for in escapism is so apparent. I really left this world every time I opened it, there is so much discover within the pages.
January 1, 2021
The book, especially the first half, reads like terrible fanfiction and there are some super awkward (but hilarious) descriptions. If you're into super flowery prose that doesn't really make sense, then perhaps this book is for you. I gave it two stars because it was super easy to read and I actually kind of enjoyed it.
October 20, 2020
This book is super underrated! The worldbuilding and characters make up for any language issues one might have. I loved this so much and Mooncallers definitely helped revive my love for fantasy!
January 8, 2025
I enjoyed this a lot! Left me wanting more of this cool world.
August 13, 2018
Honestly, I LOVED this book.
The entire universe Leda has created is so whimsical and compelling and I can’t stop wishing I could be a character in the world of Amniven.
The four stars is because unfortunately there were a few clear editing mistakes, such as wrong words or words I thought were missing completely. But keeping in mind it was her first published book, I found it easy to ignore the mistakes and still get completely entranced in the story. I honestly cried during the last few chapters and that’s never happened to me when reading anything. There was a few moments when I thought the characters and their actions would be predictable but I was often pleasantly surprised and found them relatable and realistic, while still feeling enough distance that I think there should be with fantasy characters.
I’m really proud of Leda and I think the second book will really showcase her talent and will hopefully have more than one editor listed! x
The entire universe Leda has created is so whimsical and compelling and I can’t stop wishing I could be a character in the world of Amniven.
The four stars is because unfortunately there were a few clear editing mistakes, such as wrong words or words I thought were missing completely. But keeping in mind it was her first published book, I found it easy to ignore the mistakes and still get completely entranced in the story. I honestly cried during the last few chapters and that’s never happened to me when reading anything. There was a few moments when I thought the characters and their actions would be predictable but I was often pleasantly surprised and found them relatable and realistic, while still feeling enough distance that I think there should be with fantasy characters.
I’m really proud of Leda and I think the second book will really showcase her talent and will hopefully have more than one editor listed! x
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews