The Blood Moon of Winter - Review

The Blood Moon of Winter (Land of Makayra (Volume 1)
Courtney Conant (Author Website) http://www.courtneyconant.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Moon-Winter-Makayra-ebook/dp/B004KZORHI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1300248322&sr=8-2
Available in both Print an Ebook

Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Courtney A. Conant (January 28, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615439403
ISBN-13: 978-0615439402



When the survival of a world is at stake, what choice is there?

Lilyana searches for the answer in the thrilling new world she has found herself in. Choosing between what she already has and what is needed will be the hardest decision she will ever have to face.

Lilyana Makay, a young woman who prefers to be alone with a good book rather than spend time with others, finds herself in the middle of quite a conundrum. She is the reincarnated Goddess of the land of Makayra, yet this fact is completely unknown to her.

Lilyana has never wished for anything more in her life, but life has other plans. When she finds herself in this new world, she comes across an albino panther who helps to bring about her awareness of what and who she truly is. Only passion and experiences can awaken the sleeping Goddess within, not all of which are enjoyable. Lilyana must dig deep within herself to see if she can handle what is to come.

She is the only one who can save the dying land. Yet, to do so, she must leave all she has ever known. She must choose whether her new found love is enough to keep her from performing a duty that has been thrust upon her. Playing the role of Goddess might be more than she bargained for.

My Thoughts *Spoilers ahead. Don’t say I didn’t warn you*





Lilyana Makay is a bit OCD and introverted to the max. She would rather spend her days sitting and reading books than interacting with other human beings. The only people she can really stand to be around are her sister and the twins. The author does a great job of really nailing down this character. Even in the narrative voice, you can really feel how much Lilyana desperately wants to be left alone. She enjoys her peaceful and structured existence. But that wouldn’t make for much of a story, now would it? Of course not. That’s just getting to know the character.  And once you are firmly rooted in this character it becomes even more enjoyable to watch her ordered world, flip on its side! The author did a wonderful job really putting this character through the paces.

So, Lilyana’s perfect, albeit somewhat boring, life gets shaken up by the introduction of Jason Caurns. He’s not only one of her favorite authors, but an available bachelor too. Despite her need to be a loner, she’s drawn to him, as if fate is telling them to be together.  For the first time in her life, though she tries very hard to fight it, Lilyana finds someone who she could see herself spending the rest of her life with.

Ah, But fate is always a fickle friend and one never knows what its real purpose is. Jason’s entrance into her life is also the catalyst for the ultimate change yet to come. The moment Jason is introduced, things begin happening. Their very first outing, an innocent motorcycle ride in the desert turns deadly when a snake bite, sends Lilyana to the hospital. While she’s there she begins to have what she thinks are hallucinogenic dreams of another world—a world that is waiting for her to save it.  Only these aren’t dreams. As she and Jason work out the truth, Lilyana learns fates plan. From that moment on Lilyana is split: torn between revelations that she is the long awaited goddess who can save the land of Makayra, and the new love she’s found with Jason.

Without spoiling the rest of it for you, I have to say, the ending was not predictable at all. Kudos to the author there! That’s pretty hard to do these days.  I did find myself angry when I got to the last page, though. Not because I didn’t like the story, far from it, I loved it. I was mad because it left me with such a cliffhanger; I needed there to be more. That says quite a lot for the author that she made me so emotionally invested in the characters in such a short time. Needless to say, I’ll definitely be adding book two to my TBR list when it comes out.

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About The Author

Katie Salidas is a USA Today bestselling author and RONE award winner known for her unique genre-blending style.

Since 2010 she's penned five bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, Chronicles of the Uprising, and the all-new Agents of A.S.S.E.T. series. As her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.

In her spare time Katie also produces and hosts a YouTube talk show; Spilling Ink. She also has a regular column on First Comics News where she explores writing from a nerdy perspective.