Publication Date: 6 July 2023

The Blurb

‘A land that loses its stories loses its way.’

The beautiful queendom of Moonlally has fallen under a tyrant’s rule. Their queen is dead, worship of their goddess, the Dark Lady, is forbidden, and the precious black diamond that protects the city – a rare fragment of fallen star ­- has gone missing.

When fierce orphan girl Minou Moonshine’s life is unexpectedly shattered, she joins the ragtag band of rebels, the Green Orchids, who are plotting to overthrow the General.

Armed with a secret and a map, Minou sets off with her friends and a mechanical elephant, through the lush jungles of Indica, in search of the Dark Lady, a diamond and her destiny.

The Review

With July being South Asian Heritage Month, it’s the perfect time for this enchanting and exhilarating story to whisk us away to a fantasy world based on India.

Resilience and rebellion are combined with hope to produce a fierce heroine who is more than ready to take on the General she believes took her only family away, and friendships forged in the hardest of times create a group of characters who shine brightest when together.

The General, and his wife in particular, are as villainous as any power hungry tyrants you may have come across, with no limits on their cruelty. But the real threat comes in the everyday people who Minou meets throughout her tale – the General’s spies are everywhere meaning she has no idea who is trustworthy or not.

The foreboding fortress and lush jungles of Indica are brought to life with vibrant imagery and atmospheric descriptions, transporting us into an exotic realm, filled with secrets, where tyranny and treachery are part of everyday life. Add in Shri’s marvellous machines, a missing queen, and a banned goddess, and we are off on an action fuelled adventure, shrouded with mystery .

Huge thanks to Zephyr for sending me a finished copy and inviting me to take part in the blog tour. Do make sure you check out all of the other stops.