SUMMARY/INFO:Title: Moonburner, Book One of the Moonburner Cycle
Publication Date: June 14, 2016
Author: Claire Luana
Publisher: Live Edge Publishing
Summary:
Her world would destroy her for what she is. Not if she breaks it first…
Kai is a Moonburner—a female sorceress reviled by her people and normally killed at birth. Except Kai’s parents saved her by disguising her as a boy—a ruse they’ve kept up for almost seventeen years. But when her village is attacked, Kai’s secret is revealed and she’s sentenced to death.Thankfully, the gods aren’t done with Kai. Despite the odds stacked against her, she escapes her fate, undertaking a harrowing journey to a land where Moonburners are revered and trained as warriors.
But her new home has dangers of its own—the ancient war against the male Sunburners has led the Moonburners down a dark path that could destroy all magic. And Kai, armed only with a secret from her past and a handsome but dangerous ally, may be the only one who can prevent the destruction of her people…
About the Author
Claire Luana grew up reading everything she could get her hands on and writing every chance she could. Eventually, adulthood won out, and she turned her writing talents to more scholarly pursuits, going to work as a commercial litigation attorney at a mid-sized law firm. While continuing to practice law, Claire decided to return to her roots and try her hand once again at creative writing. She has written and published the Moonburner Cycle and is currently working on a new trilogy about magical food. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and two dogs. In her (little) remaining spare time, she loves to hike, travel, binge-watch CW shows, and of course, fall into a good book.
Connect with Claire online at:
Website & Blog
Goodreads
Amazon
BUY LINKS
Kindle
Amazon Paperback
B&N Paperback
Audible
Goodreads Link
REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
A promising start to a fantasy series that delivers a superb sense of fun and strong female characters who are both heroes and villains.” -Kirkus Reviews
“A captivating story that will hook readers from start to finish.” -Booklife Prize for Fiction
“I found myself daydreaming about this book, my mark of a great read. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.” -Lorraine
“Luana makes the heroine different. . . . She is tough but tender, brave but bullheaded.…I’m a big fan of Luana and her first novel.” -Stephanie
“Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next I was surprised, which was frankly somewhat hard to achieve after a few dozen fantasy books in a row. . . . ” -Micah
“Even after I finished the book I still wanted more. . . . I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.” -Seraphia
“I was first struck by the brilliant weaving of Japanese folklore into the very fabric of this story. The characters are strong, independent, and intensely likable. The storyline was engaging and action-packed; it whisks the reader away to another time and place, one full of magic and danger.” -Mags
“This was a refreshing take on a saturated genre, and I’m happy to say you’re in for a treat if you pick this up.” -Tally
“[A] powerful fantasy world with a set of interesting characters and a page-turning plot in this enjoyable debut. …Pick up a copy, you won’t be disappointed.” -Kat Stiles, author of Connected
EXCERPTS
Excerpt 1
He stood before the small basin of water, resting on a rickety table on the other side of the cabin and unwrapped their daughter. She was so beautiful. Even red and wrinkled, he could tell she had her mother’s fine hands, delicate but strong. She had his square jawbone. He wondered whether she would be as stubborn as he was in his youth. But he was delaying.
He plunged her into the water and held her there, his own heart hammering in his chest like a wild beast desperate to be set free. He began counting. Ten. She flailed under the water, her tiny limbs no match for his strong calloused hands. Thirty. At sixty, he could let her up. And try to save her. Fifty. Relief and hope began to well in him.
And then a bright white light exploded from his daughter. He stumbled back, throwing an arm over his eyes. She illuminated the cabin, shining silver light into cobwebbed corners and dusty crevices.
After a few seconds, the light died and his daughter was herself again. Tiny, pink, floating on top of the water peacefully. He and Hanae locked eyes. She had turned over and was half sitting up on her cot. The look of helpless horror on her face was mirrored on his own.
“I knew she would be,” Hanae said softly. “A moonburner. And a strong one.”
Excerpt 2
The other rider! She scrambled to her feet and looked around the tangle of bushes. She saw him still on the ground, helmet thrown from him. He rolled to the side, holding his head. His mount was alive, but struggling to get to its feet. She ran over to him, feeling as if she was moving through stiff molasses. Her head still spun. She had lost the daggers in her belt in the crash, but she pulled the jade-pommeled knife from its holder on her arm. She threw herself onto him, knees pinning his arms down, knife pressed hard into his throat.
She looked into his face and her eyes widened. His widened too.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” he said with a crooked grin.
Despite herself and the severity of the situation, she grinned back. It was the man with the long golden hair, who had spared her on her way to the citadel.
She bit her lip. She should have already killed him. It was bright morning now—he could burn, she could not. Even with her knife to his throat, he could kill her at any moment. But he wasn’t. And he hadn’t.
She looked into his startling green eyes and her eyes traced his strong jaw, fine nose, and full lips. She couldn’t do it. Not because he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. But because she wasn’t a killer. Not like this.
Q&A
What inspired you to write your first book?
My husband and I were on our honeymoon and talking a lot about life. He asked me what I would do if I could do anything. I realized the answer was to write a novel. So I figured I should just go ahead and do it!
Tell us about your book!
In the country of Kita, the sentence for being a female sorceress—a moonburner—is death. So when the main character, Kai, is exposed as a moonburner, she is forced to escape to neighboring Miina, where moonburners are revered and trained as warriors. But the moonburner citadel is not the place of refuge and learning that Kai imagined. The ongoing war against the male sorcerers, or sunburners, has led the Citadel leadership down a dark path that could spell the end of all burners. After uncovering an unexpected secret in her own heritage, Kai realizes that she may be the one person able to bring peace to the two warring countries.
How did you come up with the title?
I worked for several months outlining a trilogy of novels. But every time I started writing, I got stuck. I had another idea hanging around in the back of my mind and I decided to give into it. Within about 10 minutes I had a one-page outline of the plot and the title for Moonburner, my first novel. I think it’s really true what they say about the muse striking you!
Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why?
Quitsu! My protagonist, Kai, has an animal companion, a magical talking fox named Quitsu. He was definitely the comic relief, and I had a lot of fun writing his snarky comments.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
That the world isn’t black or white, but shades of gray. All the “good guys” aren’t good in the book, and all the “bad guys” aren’t bad. If Kai gave in to stereotypes and prejudices, she would have missed out on some of her greatest friends and allies. You have to gauge each person individually based on their character and actions, not because they belong to a particular gender, race, or political group.
What makes Moonburner different?
I think Moonburner is unique because the moral of the story isn’t good triumphing over evil. It’s about mutually assured destruction…if you can’t find a way to work together and coexist, you will both perish.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
I love the creativity of it. I’m a practicing lawyer for my full-time job, and so I spend a lot of time being analytical and precise. I love the freedom to let my mind take me where it takes me with writing. I thought because I am such a type–A planner that I would be a “plotter,” making detailed outlines of every part of my book before I wrote a word. I found that in fact, I do much better when I let my creativity take the wheel. That has been a very refreshing discovery.
What is your favorite theme/genre to write?
I have always loved to read and write fantasy. There is something about being taken away to another magical world that provides just the right escape I am looking for with a novel. My goal with Moonburner was to write a novel that I would enjoy reading.
How do we find your books, blog and bio?
Come see me at claireluana.com. That’s where you’ll find my blog, as well as updates about Moonburner and Sunburner.