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The Moonlight Blade Hardcover – March 21, 2023

by Tessa Barbosa (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 47 ratings
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I promised my mother I would never come to Bato-Ko…and yet here I am.

Narra Jal is one of the cursed, cast aside her whole life, considered unlucky. But with her mother’s life on the line, she will return to the city where she was born to face the trials: a grueling, bloodthirsty series of challenges designed to weed out the weak, the greedy, and the foolish. Trials to select the next ruler of Tigang.

Narra has nothing. No weapons. No training. No magic. No real chance of leaving with her life. Just her fierce grit and a refusal to accept the destiny she’s been handed. Even the intense, dark-eyed Guardian she feels a strangely electric connection with cannot help her. Narra is on her own. But she’ll show everyone what the unlucky can do.

Let the bloodbath begin.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Entangled: Teen
  4. Publication date
    March 21, 2023
  5. Grade level
    10 - 12
  6. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  7. Dimensions
    5.85 x 1.2 x 8.5 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    1649373368
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1649373366
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rich worldbuilding, complicated intrigue, and compelling characters combine in this stunning debut novel. With a swoon-worthy romance and hidden secrets spanning a truly epic scope, The Moonlight Blade is not a book to miss." -Elisa A. Bonnin, author of Dauntless and Stolen City

"A page-turning fantasy with a daring protagonist, thrilling mysteries, and romance." -Kirkus Reviews

"This was a great story filled with tension and lore and magic! I really enjoyed it and it was executed beautifully." -Sarah.sbooks

"A Filipino fantasy that I couldn't put it down." -Shastar 1980

"I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, character-driven plots, different cultures, and some pretty awesome characters." -Tor Tor Reads

"This book was a breath of fresh air." -Away in Books

"A Filipino YA fantasy!? I've been so excited to read this ever since I heard about it, and it delivered and then some on my hopes for a truly Filipino-inspired world." -Tita Linda's Corner

"The synopsis of this book reminded me of 'The Hunger Games', and I would definitely place this book next to that one. The story is thrilling and compelling and I found myself rooting for the main character" -Boeken Babbel

"Compelling storytelling...." -Between Pages and Imagination

"I was obsessed with the story and couldn't put it down." -Capes and Covers

"[A] dynamic original fantasy filled with mystery, love, and sacrifice." -Wandering Witch Reads

"The ending had me in tears with anticipation. I highly recommend this one!" -Balance Books and Beauties

"Absolutely loved this book. The lore is interesting and the storyline addictive" -M1dn1ght R3ad3r

"[T]his book had a great world and magic system, I had never read a book like it!! The characters were amazing and writing was beautiful and the plot was great." -Anabel's Bookshelf

About the Author

Tessa Barbosa is a Filipina-Canadian author who writes fantasy novels by night and software help by day. She studied computer science and the fine arts in university, but stories were her first love, and she’s thrilled she gets to write them now. Tessa currently lives in Vancouver with her family, and when she’s not at the keyboard, you can find her reading, covered in paint, or making things. Find out more at tessabarbosa.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Entangled: Teen (March 21, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1649373368
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1649373366
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.09 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.85 x 1.2 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 47 ratings

About the author

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Tessa Barbosa

Tessa Barbosa

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Tessa Barbosa is a Filipina-Canadian author who writes fantasy novels by night, and software help by day. Her debut YA Fantasy novel THE MOONLIGHT BLADE will be out in March 2023 from Entangled Teen. Tessa lives in Vancouver, Canada and when she’s not at the keyboard, you’re likely to find her covered in paint, or making things. Find out more at tessabarbosa.com

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
47 global ratings
BOOKWORM REVIEW: The Moonlight Blade by Tessa Barbosa
4 Stars
BOOKWORM REVIEW: The Moonlight Blade by Tessa Barbosa
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐SPICE: 🔥This book had me at Filipino fantasy.The odds to survive the trials are against Narra Jal. With nothing in her arsenal but the motivation of saving her mother to see her through, she goes into the competition anyway. A serious underdog, she is the last bet to win the throne of Tigang.Visions plague her mind, but these mysterious messages soon become important to her success at the trials. These visions also link her to an enigmatic Guardian named Teloh. Can Narra use her visions to survive the competition?The world-building in this read stole the show for me. Tessa Barbosa fed us wonderfully intricate details that made the struggle of the trials too real. She also nicely contrasts that with the imagery of Narra's visions.I also love the little Easter egg references to Filipino culture. Representation certainly matters, and it was refreshing to see my culture represented in a fantasy romance.I knocked off a star for three reasons:- The romance was incredibly subtle in this read; I had wished so hard that they developed it better.- Pacing in the beginning was rather slow. I promise it does pick up at around the 30-40% mark.- The ending was too abrupt. The world-building and storytelling were incredibly rich, so it was disappointing to have the ending and final battle not be as equally decadent.That said, those three took little away from an enjoyable read. If you like mysterious fantasies with fantastic world-building, this standalone read is a great pick-up.
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Top reviews from the United States

Melissa DeGravelles
5.0 out of 5 stars Great debut novel!
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2023
Really enjoyed this epic story and how Barbosa weaves in Filipinx and Southeast Asian cultures. I was drawn in by the main character's stories and kept on my toes with all the adventures and intrigue.
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Filipino Bookworm
4.0 out of 5 stars BOOKWORM REVIEW: The Moonlight Blade by Tessa Barbosa
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥

This book had me at Filipino fantasy.

The odds to survive the trials are against Narra Jal. With nothing in her arsenal but the motivation of saving her mother to see her through, she goes into the competition anyway. A serious underdog, she is the last bet to win the throne of Tigang.

Visions plague her mind, but these mysterious messages soon become important to her success at the trials. These visions also link her to an enigmatic Guardian named Teloh. Can Narra use her visions to survive the competition?

The world-building in this read stole the show for me. Tessa Barbosa fed us wonderfully intricate details that made the struggle of the trials too real. She also nicely contrasts that with the imagery of Narra's visions.

I also love the little Easter egg references to Filipino culture. Representation certainly matters, and it was refreshing to see my culture represented in a fantasy romance.

I knocked off a star for three reasons:

- The romance was incredibly subtle in this read; I had wished so hard that they developed it better.
- Pacing in the beginning was rather slow. I promise it does pick up at around the 30-40% mark.
- The ending was too abrupt. The world-building and storytelling were incredibly rich, so it was disappointing to have the ending and final battle not be as equally decadent.

That said, those three took little away from an enjoyable read. If you like mysterious fantasies with fantastic world-building, this standalone read is a great pick-up.
Customer image
Filipino Bookworm
4.0 out of 5 stars BOOKWORM REVIEW: The Moonlight Blade by Tessa Barbosa
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2023
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥

This book had me at Filipino fantasy.

The odds to survive the trials are against Narra Jal. With nothing in her arsenal but the motivation of saving her mother to see her through, she goes into the competition anyway. A serious underdog, she is the last bet to win the throne of Tigang.

Visions plague her mind, but these mysterious messages soon become important to her success at the trials. These visions also link her to an enigmatic Guardian named Teloh. Can Narra use her visions to survive the competition?

The world-building in this read stole the show for me. Tessa Barbosa fed us wonderfully intricate details that made the struggle of the trials too real. She also nicely contrasts that with the imagery of Narra's visions.

I also love the little Easter egg references to Filipino culture. Representation certainly matters, and it was refreshing to see my culture represented in a fantasy romance.

I knocked off a star for three reasons:

- The romance was incredibly subtle in this read; I had wished so hard that they developed it better.
- Pacing in the beginning was rather slow. I promise it does pick up at around the 30-40% mark.
- The ending was too abrupt. The world-building and storytelling were incredibly rich, so it was disappointing to have the ending and final battle not be as equally decadent.

That said, those three took little away from an enjoyable read. If you like mysterious fantasies with fantastic world-building, this standalone read is a great pick-up.
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Customer image
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Lauren S.
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but a least favorite trope
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2023
That is such a gorgeous cover, and the sound of a Filipino-inspired fantasy? Absolutely tantalizing! And while this book didn’t work out as well as I’d hoped, it still lived up to being a promising new voice in YA fantasy.

“Inay once told me that bravery only exists when you fear. I’ve hidden my whole life, and it’s time for me to be brave.”

When Narra’s mother disappears, she does the one thing she’s sworn she’ll never do – go to the city of Bato-Ko to search for her. But her mother is a prisoner in its palace fortress and there’s only one way in: entering the Sundo, the deadly competition for their people’s next ruler. Unprepared, friendless and posing as her sister, Narra has enough to worry about without adding in strange visions and the very handsome Guardian who seems to recognize her. But it’s the secrets from her past, not the competition, that may prove the most deadly.

I went in expecting the standard “teen must enter fantasy competition in order to….” (in this case rescue her mother from imprisonment) setup and there is that. Narra literally shows up to the competition with nothing. She’s spent her life as a nomadic cloth merchant, has very little knowledge of magic or combat or basically, well, anything that would be useful in the competition, oh, and she hates parties and sucks at making friends. That’s an amazing setup for an underdog and some crafty competitions! But rather than seeing Narra overcome the challenges through ingenuity or will or sheer spite, instead they’re mostly focused on her having visions of her past lives.

“How can our past lives matter if we are not supposed to remember them? It’s just a comfort to know that you will meet the people you love again.”

And that’s my big issue with this book. I’m not a big fan of past lives story lines and that plays a big part in this story. Things feel strangely familiar to Narra and people – especially Teloh, the cute guard – recognize her, but she has no idea why. It was especially annoying at the beginning because people – it’s Teloh, pretty much entirely Teloh – had all these expectations and baggage about Narra’s past lives, despite her repeatedly telling him that she didn’t remember him or anything else. It’s all wrapped up in an interested fate versus free will discussion, but at the end of the day, even that (and the cute doomed romance) couldn’t save it for me.

“You are a swift-moving current that alters everything around you. You are interesting, Narra Jal.”

That’s not to say there’s not a lot of good things about the book. The book draws from Filipino culture, from food to cultural mores to clothing. Elders are to be respected and family is everything. The magic system is also intriguing. Magic is performed through orasyons, written or painted magic spells, and it requires sacrifice, usually your life force. Narra also has a birthmark on her neck and shoulders that lead many people to (superstitiously) believe she’s cursed. While her mother has always tried to protect her, in the times she hasn’t been there Narra’s been subjected to violence and hatred since she was a child. And that’s part of her motivation for going after her mother – she wants to prove that she’s not worthless, that she can save the life of the person who’s saved her life so many times.

Overall, while there’s many good aspects, I just wasn’t a fan of a good chunk of the storyline. Despite that, I will be definitely be keeping an eye on this author and looking for what she writes next.

I received an advance review copy of this book from Neon Rainbow. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Olivia F.
4.0 out of 5 stars intriguing YA fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2023
THE MOONLIGHT BLADE is an intriguing YA fantasy about a cursed young woman and her quest to save her mother. Narra Jal has been a pariah her whole life due to some birth marks on her neck that mark her as cursed. Since everyone who sees them believes she is bad luck, her mother has tried to keep her out of the public eye. Since her mother was arrested, her sister has been taking care of them both, along with a greedy neighbor. However, Narra is not willing to allow her mother to face a terrible sentencing for an unknown crime, and she sees a chance to save her by entering Sundo, a series of trials designed to select the next ruler.

The trials themselves are grueling and deadly, but if she wins, she will prove to herself who she is- as well as having a chance at saving her mother. Unable to enter herself due to her age, she uses her sister's blood and name. Once there, she finds herself faced with Teloh, who immediately seems to dislike her. However, she has memories of Teloh that begin to flash through her mind as visions- perhaps from a past life. As she tries to survive the trials, she also tries to discern the secrets being hidden and the truth of her own past.

What I loved: The premise of this was really intriguing with some mythology and reincarnation stories. Other themes around cultural significance and disparate interpretations of congenital differences, the weight of truth and past decisions, the power of choice, betrayal, friendship, and family were also really thought-provoking throughout. Narra has faced some hardships due to her birthmarks, but this has also formed her into who she is and how she views the world.

The trials themselves are interesting, fashioned to weed out contestants based on various characteristics, as they define a strong ruler. They become increasingly deadly with untrustworthy politicians pulling the strings. The corruption amongst them is something that becomes clearer as the Sundo continues. The ending was quite satisfying and made this a great stand-alone. It will work well for readers who appreciate a contained and completed story.

The relationship between Narra and Teloh really drives the plot in that her visions/memories create a lot of mystery that wonder at who they were to each other and what lessons they need to learn. Their chemistry is really strong and created some really intense and emotional scenes as they continue to collide.

What left me wanting more: The beginning of the story felt quite winding before it focuses in, and there are many characters to remember, particularly amongst contestants, that take readers out of the story as they try to recall who is who. It felt a bit unfocused until it got closer to the end when it really focuses in on the key storylines. The past was glanced over and often told versus described, which also left the world-building feeling not as strong as it could be. The mythology would have been helpful to understand on a deeper level, particularly as it comes into play heavily later in the story.

Final verdict: THE MOONLIGHT BLADE is an intriguing YA fantasy stand-alone that will work well for readers who enjoy deadly contests, destined relationships, and twists along the way.

Please note that I received an eARC. All opinions are my own.
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Top reviews from other countries

_nyonya_
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved being immersed in this Universe.
Reviewed in Canada on June 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
There is mystery, intrigue, and a central underrdog protagonist you can root for. A place that is filled with wonder, fantasy, strange familiarity, and of course, magic; Tessa Barbosa takes you on an epic adventure to uncover the seeds of Narra's past. This book was difficult to put down. I hope to see more of this world she has created.
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_nyonya_
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved being immersed in this Universe.
Reviewed in Canada on June 14, 2023
There is mystery, intrigue, and a central underrdog protagonist you can root for. A place that is filled with wonder, fantasy, strange familiarity, and of course, magic; Tessa Barbosa takes you on an epic adventure to uncover the seeds of Narra's past. This book was difficult to put down. I hope to see more of this world she has created.
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NA
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, page turning, great read!
Reviewed in Canada on April 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
First time reading a fantasy novel with Asian culture embedded into the story. I thought this made this unique from other novels I read. Storyline was fast pace and kept me wanting to read more. Hope there will be a sequel!
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Michelle Gock
5.0 out of 5 stars Sequel please!
Reviewed in Canada on June 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book was a fantastical read, transporting me to a different world with past lives and romance! A gripping page turner and I really, really hope there is a sequel!!
One person found this helpful
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