Moon Spell by Samantha Young

Moon Spell

(The Tale of Lunarmorte, Book #1)

by Samantha Young

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young-Adult (16+)

 It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves? No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs out of her sight-line, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her, with a dangerous attraction, from her decision to discover the truth.But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect.

 

Caia has been in hiding since her parents tragic death and, right before her 18th birthday, is being brought back into her father's pack, Pack Errante.  Because of her shrouded past and unfamiliarity with the supernatural society around her, Caia reluctantly accepts that she has a lot of deep trust issues to resolve with her pack due to (surprisingly!) being treated with suspension and fear. Yet, the one person who attempts to ease Caia back into being a pack member is also the one person she is (secretly!) promised to as mate-- Lucien, the young alpha. Adjusting to a new school, new family members, and a new home is tough enough, but even more so when dark secrets from Caia's past become unearthed and the life, that Caia was so familiar with, turns upside down.

I was so excited I found this e-book since I was very eager to read this series... and overall... I was NOT disappointed.  It was a fascinating book with lots of supernatural intrigue and budding romance.  Caia is a torn (and somewhat indecisive) character throughout much of the story; torn about how to react to her mysteries past, torn about her position within the pack, and torn about her acceptance of a relationship with Lucien.  As much as her uncertainty about everything could easily cause the reader to frown upon her as a faltering character, Caia succeeds in perfectly balancing out her wavering thoughts with a sense of innocent vulnerability and stubborn persistence.  Plus, her personal connections with Lucian (steamy!) and her new friends within the pack (endearing!) create a well-balance protagonist that is hard not to enjoy.  Expect lots of twists and surprises throughout the book in regards to the upcoming supernatural war and Caia's close association with it, but largely, Moon Spell, is about a girl adapting to a new life-style change (be it...a change in an out-of-the-ordinary world full of werewolves, witches, and fairies - Oh My!)

Likes: Really enjoyed the Greek Mythology weaved throughout the pack's origins.

Dislikes:  Not really a fan of the Midnight Coven and/or those associated with the magical arts throughout the tale.  I was disappointed b/c many of their scenes throughout the story, in regards to "magic," were kind of blah and humdrum.

Chapter One/Paragraph One: "Caia recognised his ruddy face and chocolate eyes from long ago memories; memories that poked and prodded her heart and set it racing, her ears burning hot with the sudden onslaught of blood rushing to them."

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