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Chapter 15 & 16 - Entry 13

WARNING: MENTIONS OF GORE

I. am. flabbergasted.

There is absolutely NO WAY these two men had their hands cut off. Protesting against a disgusting ruler definitely has its downside 😕 The man who spoke against him even had his tongue cut off. The author thankfully described it in a way that wasn’t extremely disgusting, but enough to picture what happened in the scene.

On another lighthearted note, XIMNA FINALLY LEARNED HOW TO USE HER POWERS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT!! The only thing that was holding her back was the lack of color her tapestries needed to actually come to life.

In addition to this information, we meet Atoc’s sister. Princess Tamaya. She has a lighthearted personality. Described as (seemingly) extroverted, smile-y and bubbly. I think she has a likable personality despite her current situation: being locked up in a tower to be sacrificed to the Sun God (who she may not even know is going to happen to her)

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Chapter 14 - Entry 12:

I KNEW IT

I knew El Lobo would bump into Ximena and end up helping one another. Their duo is literally perfect PLUS- it’s that flirtatious kind of duo i live for. Fighting side by side making snarky remarks while kicking butt. I’m so curious as to who it is… 😭

Thankfully Ximena made it back to her room to avoid being accused for all the ruckus the two of them caused 😫

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BLOG DISCLAIMER!!!

This blog is strictly for the purpose of my final project and will not be used again after this :)

Before viewing my page, please understand that this is a personal take on the book “Woven in Moonlight” by Isabela Ibanez, and everything as follows is my personal opinion.

!!This page also contains SPOILERS as I make entries while reading the book. If you do not wish to see spoilers, please consider ignoring my page!!

 Thank you! - Cyber

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Scene 3: Ximena and Rumi

I couldn’t resist capturing the tense moment these two characters shared in chapter 13 where Rumi tends to Ximena’s “fever”.

I HAD to draw it. Just me as a hopeless romantic and the insatiable crave for love scenes <3

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Entry 11: Character Development

It’s only been a few chapters, but I definitely like the character development Ximena has gone through. Im rooting for the best for her

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Entry 10: Enemies to Lovers

IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN!!! Rumi and Ximena are coexisting in the same room together, sharing the tension of two lovers. This time, they aren’t arguing. But flirting instead?!

The two of them slowly seem to be getting along with each other and understanding one another. But this scene.... THIS is the scene that made me put down the book for a moment just to squeal. <33

I can foresee the future now. From the moment Rumi said he was a healer I knew how these two would fall in love. Ximena acts irrationally as she usually does when her anger takes over. She winds up getting hurt, and Rumi comes to her rescue. Someone with a little bit of a temper himself, and just slightly stronger than her, enough to assert dominance. He tends to her wounds, gently caressing her and comforting her. 

Though, this is only what I wish happens.

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Chapters 9-11 - Entry 9:

Currently, Ximena has figured out how to get her first hidden message out to her Illustrian people. This message has the potential to save them and warn them.

Ximena has a lot of flaws, but she doesn’t lack empathy or kindness. She’s able to see and understand others situations by putting herself in their shoes, as she does with Rumi (the healer who’s in charge of keeping watch over her) That’s also what Ximena and I share in common.

These three chapters have been slow, but have helped me understand not only the story, but Rumi and Ximena together. Understanding characters makes reading a lot more enjoyable. It’s the same with people. (Although Rumi has a tough character to understand completely)

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Entry 8: Ximena x Rumi

I definitely feel as though Ximena and Rumi will build some kind of romantic relationship. Reading it gives me the feeling of an ‘enemies to lovers” trope. Maybe it’s the romantic in me thinking about how these two characters fight like a married couple.

Rumi already is a healer. Tending to Ximena’s wounds, caring for her although she doesn’t like him. I understand that their relationship isn’t the main point of the story, but I’d be more surprised if it didn’t happen. Considering Ximena’s current situation where she has been caught in a predicament. 

Edit: OH MY GOODNESS. Rumi literally brought up kissing.

-> He bought a bag of salteñas for the two of them. And as Ximena was about to eat it, he told her she was eating it wrong, and proceeded to show her how to eat it “correctly”, not spilling a single drop. Ximena eats one and gets a few drops spilled on the plate, to which Rumi says “You know what they say about people who spill the juice, right?” SMIRKS AT HER AND SAYS: “They’re bad kissers”

They HAVE to have some kind of tension. I refuse to believe it that they don’t

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Entry 7: Me and Ximena

I have to admit one thing. There is something that I share in common with Ximena. Both of us are artists, and not in the exact same way as you may think. 

Ximena likes to weave. Some may call it knitting or crochet, but she calls it “weaving”. In the story she says:

“I like creating with my hands. There’s something rewarding about making art out of nothing. The tucking and untucking, the folding over and under. Repeating until a bright new thing winks back at me. I make tapestries with my own two hands.”

I also like to make art. Though it’s not the same kind of art, I also relate to the feeling of turning a blank canvas into what I believe is a masterpiece. Painting, sketching, scrapbook-ing and poems are all forms of art I enjoy.

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Entry 6: What’s going on?

There’s a LOT unfolding in the story currently, and it isn’t even chapter 10. There has only been a few characters introduced to the reader and two characters have already been killed off in the span of 3 or 4 chapters.

I’m a fan of romance novels, not necessarily fantasy like this one. Romance novels unwind slowly, and the very last book I read was a romance novel, so many my negative view is because of the sudden change of pace between story genres.

I looked up reviews on the book, and many people seem to enjoy it. Good words being put in about characters I don’t favor. Praise about storytelling and execution I obviously don’t seem to be understanding. Maybe my perspective will change the further I continue.

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Chapter 7- Entry 5:

I am ENRAGED. Ibanez killed off another character! This one was an important character, who I thought would have at least been kept alive for so much longer. 

The character that also met an unfortunate death was Ana, Sofia’s mother. A powerful woman who was a necessity for the Illustrian people in order to keep them safe, has been killed. Ana’s purpose was to serve and protect her people. Going out of her way to explore and spy on the neighboring kingdom. She holds one of the strongest powers to protect her people, and that’s to conceal the Illustrian territory and bridge with darkness. 

She ended up dying in the worst way possible. And not by means of sadness, she got swallowed whole by King Atoc’s earthly power. He created a mass of earthquakes, opened the ground, threw her inside and closed the ground shut. 

WHAT IS GOING ON?? ITS ONLY XIMENA’S SECOND DAY IN ENEMY TERRITORY. I’m so upset, not only how Ana’s life was taken and how little we knew of her or when she was seen in the story, but also the excecution. I won’t lie however... the story is somewhat interesting. I want to see how it continues to unfold now that Ximena has nobody to rely on and has only herself in enemy territory. Unexpectedly, I do want the best for the Ximena despite my current disliking towards her.

((Note: I do think that the masked vigilante “El Lobo” will help her out.))

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Entry 4: Culture

I have to give props for the author and their use of their culture in the story. From the names of characters like Ximena and Juan Carlos. Atoc,el Lobo and Rumi. She incorporates names that aren’t typically American, but Hispanic. 

Not only the names of people, but places too. (ex: La Ciudad)

Alongside names, she uses Spanish inside of the story as well. Sometimes, the characters will speak their native tongue in the middle of sentences. For example: “Andate a la mierda, Atoc!’ “Un minuto” Ximena asks for one more minute of sleep before she has to get up for whatever plans the King has for her. Even simpler stuff, like “Si?” and “Callate”.

Isabel Ibanez also incorporates foods and attire that are usually worn in Hispanic cultures. Like common wear of sandals, and long, ankle length dresses usually worn by the women.

It’s interesting to view her culture through a fantasy book. This aspect is one that I really do enjoy. And I bet she enjoys using her culture in her books too. She seems proud of it. :)

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Entry 3: Character analysis: Ximena

I. cannot. STAND Ximena.

Reading a book where the main character is unlikable makes it hard to willingly read the book in the first place. The book seems to move gruelingly slow when the main character irritates you.

Ximena is irrational, arrogant, violent, and sassy. I’d say she has anger issues from how she’s described. She doesn’t think about the consequences of her actions (AND IT DEFINETLY SHOWS LATER ON IN THE STORY) The amount of conflict she could’ve avoided makes me face palm.

Ex:  In chapters 2 or 3, (I can’t remember) King Atoc from the neighboring territory sends a messenger and a small army to deliver a message to Ximena, the condesa (A queen based on my understanding). The message was a request to marry the king, or he would kill her subjects that are imprisoned in his territory.

Now, Ximena decides to let her anger take over because of his ghastly request, SO SHE DECIDES IT WOULD BE OKAY TO TELL HER ARMY TO KILL THE MESSENGER AND THE ARMY??!?! Only to later find out that, the very messenger she killed was the King’s cousin. Now the king wishes to take part of her territory to repay for what happened to him. 

Every story has conflicts, I get it, however, when the main character is the issue, it makes you think: “Wtf are you doing..?”

 It may seem pessimistic when the possibility of her gaining character development is a likely probability (especially since most characters change from beginning to end of a story).

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Scene 2: Sofia’s Death

“Something long and thin blurs past me.

My mouth drops open as the force of an arrow catapults Sofia off her horse. Her head cracks against the ground.

Blood gushes from the hole in her chest, staining the white stone.”

A scene from the end of chapter three into the beginning of chapter 4. Sofia meets her unfortunate demise, as her life is taken by an arrow. Not following the King’s orders of the Condesa arriving alone, his servants shoot a fatal blow.

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Chapter 4 - Entry 2:

I'm reading the end of chapter four right now. It seems too early to kill off a character but the author did anyway?? 🤨

 I wouldn’t have expected that at all and I was definitely caught by surprise. I'm super shocked, and I actually liked Sofía’s character for the short time she was featured.

What a bummer.... RIP Sofía 😕 💔

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Scene 1: “Woven in Moonlight”

In this drawing, Ximena, the main character, is using her special ability granted to her by the blessings of Luna. She and her people, the “Illustrians” have a unique power; manipulating the moon to their advantage. For example:

Night vision

Enhanced strength 

Enhanced speed at night

Ximena was granted the ability to turn the rays of the moonlight into yarn. And from that yarn, she can turn the moon dust into sleeping dust. Blowing a deep, and dreamless sleep onto anyone she wishes.

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Chapters 1-3 - Entry 1:

Reading the start of the story, I realized how confusing everything is right now.  There’s a lot to take in at the moment....

Names of characters

Settings and scenes

Conflicts

Names of good guys and bad guys

And granted, most stories do this, but easing into these kinds of things would feel so much better and easy to understand rather than this information being dropped all at once. Though, I do have some faith. Every book starts out slow, you know?