Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Release Date: September 22nd, 2020
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
*Thank you Vesuvian Books and Jean BookNerd Blog tours for providing a review copy and for the opportunity to be on this tour. *
Where to buy: AMAZON
Synopsis
A monstrous fate will turn a girl into a legend.
On an island in Lake Obersee, where The Sisters of St. Gertrude abide, a destitute Moor named Durra arrives. Sold for taxes, she and her two companions tend to the nuns and their collection of cats. At night, she combs the library for details on the order, the remote island, and the beasts howling outside her window.
But when a prank reveals the sisters’ gruesome secret, Durra is forced to accept a new fate. Bestowed an unearthly power, she must choose between life as a nun or living among the monsters beyond the convent walls.
Her path is about to change the tide in the ultimate war. The war between good and evil.
Praise for SISTERS OF THE MOON
“Alexandrea Weis does an outstanding job of painting succinct, hard-hitting scenes that carry Durra from a new role in a convent to a more active position confronting supernatural forces and long-hidden truths that could change not just her life, but the world. Sisters of the Moon represents a fine example of the use of the novella form at its best. It creates a superior blend of action, mystery, and evolving protagonist dilemmas and growth that will keep readers on their toes and involved up to the story’s epilogue of unexpected lessons in survival and achievement. Highly recommended for those who like their supernatural mystery stories to embrace a sense of character growth where the fine line between good and evil proves more mercurial than most.” —D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“While a horror story on the surface, Sisters of the Moon is more than a simple tale of three young women sold to satisfy the debts of others who uncover a dark secret. It’s more than just a fresh take on the werewolf mythos or another banal story about the age-old battle between good and evil. Stunning in its imagery and richly detailed, Weis’s Sisters of the Moon blends history and religion into a tale of sisterhood and empowerment as delightfully slow-burning as it is sinister, smart, and not at all shy about probing the status quo of the treatment of women who challenge patriarchal systems–and who fight to defend what is right. Sisters of the Moon is the kind of supernatural gothic horror women readers in the genre have been waiting for.” —Seven Jane, The Nerd Daily
Review
Sisters of the Moon takes us on the journey of Durra, Emily and Leida, three girls sold off to a convent for tax money. Durra and Emily are both slaves, while Leida was sold off due to a sexual act that was deemed unholy. Before I continue the review, I do want to mention some content warnings: there is mention of sex slavery, sexual abuse towards a child/minor and physical abuse. Please use discretion when reading if any of the above is a trigger or area of discomfort for you.
We start the story with Durra, Emily and Leida tied inside a boat awaiting their fate. All fear the possibility of death or a crueler punishment they have faced before. When they arrive to their destination, they realize they are being sold to work in a convent. But nothing is all as it seems and this convent is not like the ones many people know. There is something different, almost supernatural with the land surrounding the convent. But the girls are being treated much better than their previous homes and most of their weariness is blanketed by the hospitality and sense of protection they feel. But after a prank gone wrong, Durra must figure out what her next step will be – stay or risk everything and leave.
I haven’t read a paranormal fantasy in sometime, so this was both refreshing and intriguing. There is some religious presence to it that someone who doesn’t follow religion won’t be too off put by. Yes, there’s a convent, but it is nothing like the ones we have heard about. They have pictures and history of saints no one has heard of. Their convent also houses cats, which is peculiar given the notation that most Christians as Leida pointed out would have called a witch trial just seeing the sight of cats in a convent. In regards to the people in the convent, I admired how the convent was built by the women who have faced similar fates as Durra.
“I have no fear of monsters—I have known many in my life.”
This quote resonated the most because the girls, especially durra have less fear for the supernatural than the man who have put them through tortuous and unspeakable acts of abuse. The supernatural are seen as a walk in the park compared to the men Durra has encountered. Without spoiling much of the supernatural component, let’s just say it’s the howl that sucks me into this story. Speaking of Durra, she is such a brave and empowering character. She continues to show just how powerful she is and how much she did not let her past define her. Emily is full of spunk and sass and really brings levity to Durra’s more serious nature. Leida finishes that compliment by being the newest to this experience. She still has a sense of innocence that have been torn form both Durra and Emily through their lives as slaves. All characters were so well written and really worked well in the larger story. I couldn’t help but invested in all three journeys.
“Men are afraid of what they do not know, but women embrace it.”
A tale full of mystery and dark secrets, Sisters of the moon is an eerie novel that is perfect for the spooky season. It tackles the pain each girl has experienced and uses that pain to grow and embrace the unknown. Alexandra Weis beautifully creates a backdrop full of horror, intrigue and curiosity. This book is a page turner that will keep you on your toes, send shivers down your spine while you yearn for more pages to magically appear.
About The Author
Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author of over twenty-seven novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers Association, Weis writes mystery, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram
And now for a Giveaway!!!
1 Winner will receive the SISTERS OF THE MOON Storytellers BOX (Grim Reader Collection). – Ends November 16th, 2020
Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e849f7751945/
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