Review of Lunula by Alyssa Auch

Blurb:

The witch knows he will hunt her.

If history repeats itself, as it always does, Wynn will have no choice but to cross paths with her feared counterpart, the warlock. If given the chance, he would kill Wynn, absorbing her aura and obtaining ultimate power. In a desperate attempt to outrun destiny, Wynn moves from place to place, hoping to stray from the map laid out by the Fates. But by chance, on an urgent errand for Queen Alexandria herself, Wynn finds she has fallen into the hands of the one man she so hopelessly fled from. Now his captive, Wynn must guard her secret and that of her kingdom, or risk bringing forth a dark age not seen in hundreds of years.

Warning: Slight spoilers.

Recently, Ms. No Labels Unleashed and I did a joint review on "Lunula" by Alyssa Auch. Following is the final verdict...

Review by Y. Correa (AKA Mini Truth):

Wynn, a young witch (the Witch of the Light) in hiding—constantly running, trying to hide who she really is and what she can really do. Why? Because, if she does not, then the dreaded Warlock of the Dark will find her and kill her in order to obtain her power, thus making him the most powerful being in existence.

Wynn has made it her life's mission to flee her possible captor, because legend says that she cannot and will not survive the encounter. So, she opts to dedicate her time to becoming a spy. What other job would best suit a medieval young woman that is constantly on the run? Nothing.

But, is that really the case?

Wynn barely makes it out alive from her most current mission, and due to her “skills” is called back to see the Queen in order to receive recognition for her great work and yet another mission. The Queen commissions Wynn on yet another assignment. Take a box to the Elven King in order to ensure peace between the two lands.

The mission begins, and for the most part all is going well, until the unexpected happens. Wynn is caught and captured (for no apparent reason—as her captors don't know who she really is) and it is then that the series of event that unfolds begins to turn the story into an entirely different direction.

A man comes into her life. Gethin. He is handsome, charming—though demanding at times—caring, honest and sincere, the perfect chivalrous gentleman. What was there not to like? What female, no matter how much of a prisoner would not be wooed by the likes of him?

Though a prisoner, a streak of circumstances unfold that make Wynn chose between helping people or letting them die. Yet being who she is, she cannot help but help. It's in her nature. In all of this she is risking her life, by divulging who she really is, if someone should find out her true identity.

A group of incredible people come into Wynn's life and she has no choice but to grow fond of each and everyone of them, especially the all charming—and dangerous—Gethin.

A great story, with some interesting twists. Most, I unfortunately saw coming. I enjoyed this story, but if I had any critique, it would have been that I found it to be a little predictable. Also, at some points it felt, a little bit lacking. As if something was missing. This, of course is my own personal opinion.

I enjoyed it nonetheless!

I fell in love with the character of Gethin.

If I had a genie in a bottle, and had just 1 wish, I would wish for Gethin to be a real life man. I'd take him home to Mamma any day! He's just that charming!

I loved Wynn, and found her to be real too. She had true human emotions, and suffered of always feeling cold—something I can relate to all too well. Lol

I think that the culmination was a very compelling and ran true, as I find that there was certainly no other way to complete the story. I applaud the author for her execution therein.

All in all, “Lunula” was an enjoyable read and kept one interested the entire way through.

Review by Ms. No Labels Unleashed:

First of all, I would like to say that I love the cover (see above). The intermingling of warlock and witch along with the difference between the two lands they represent. Mr. John Phillip Cameron captured the essence of the work beautifully.

With first glance, one would think this is the battle of good vs. evil. Why would this work stand out any more than others who have continuously visited this theme? For some, the struggle is tired and redundant, but I think the battle between good and evil is reflective of life: a mirror between good and bad times.

However, Lunula goes deeper than this battle.

Wynn the witch spends the first part of this work trying to prevent her foretold destiny, which is to be killed by the menacing warlock. Her search for information gets interrupted when Queen Alexandria sends her on this assignment, which appears to be a detour to her destination. Unfortunately, during the journey, she gets captured by the gentleman who turns out to be the very person she was trying to avoid, Gethin the warlock. Gethin the warlock is King of the Dristolians, who are enemies of the Irador where Alexandria is Queen.

It was conditioned in her and other Iradorians that Dristolians are evil brutes. During her imprisonment, she is witness to events that question what she’s been told about the Dristolians. One said event occurred when the Dristolian army attempted to get medicine for King Gethin’s younger brother, Gavin. Once the healer discovered that the “enemy” is in the territory, the army not only gets attacked but two members of the Dristolian army get killed. Through that event as well as how she was treated during her imprisonment, Wynn began to shift her way of thinking not only about the Dristolians but her perception of Queen Alexandria, who was not that innocent in her selection of Wynn as the vessel for the dangerous mission.

For more on Ms. No Labels Unleashed Review of "Lunula", visit: The Review Board