{Review} A Trace of Moonlight by Allison Pang

ISBN #: 978-1439198360

Page Count: 381

Copyright: October 30, 2012

Publisher: Pocket Books

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Abby's pact with a daemon - whether or not she remembers making it - is binding, so she'd better count herself lucky that (in the words of a daemon who knows better) there's nearly always a loophole. But her friends' reckless attempts to free her, well intentioned though they may be, set off a disastrous chain of events. In no time at all, Abby turns her incubus lover mortal, then gets herself killed, cursed, and married to an elven prince whose mother wants her dead. On top of everything else, she's lost the Key to the CrossRoads to her mortal enemy, who promptly uses his restored power to wreak havoc on the OtherWorld and put its very existence in jeopardy. Only one person can make things right again, but to find her, Abby must place her trust in allies of mixed loyalties, and conquer her nightmares once and for all.

Mandy's Review:

This is the third (and final?) book in this series. It's amazing to me just how much action is packed into these novels. If I were told beforehand everything that would happen, I would have a hard time figuring out just how it would all work. Somehow, though, Allison Pang does an extraordinary job of packing a ton of action into the pages of her novels yet makes it seem as effortless as breathing. They don't feel overwritten at all.

When this book starts off Abby still has amnesia. She believes herself to be engaged to Talivar and well-received by his mother, the Queen. One man changes that when he kills her. Thankfully Phin was there to save the day by using his horn to revive Abby (in case you forgot, Phineas, aka Phin, is a unicorn) and from there begins a whole slew of trouble for Abby to get herself in.

It still annoys me (just a little) that everything falls to Abby to try and solve, save, help, hinder, control, etc. I did appreciate that she was finally able to get a grip on her nightmares. She didn't eliminate them, but she learned how to live with them ... which was symbolic and could relate to anyone reading her story. We all have our own nightmares, things that frighten us and have control over us. Instead of trying to get rid of them altogether, perhaps we should take a closer look at them and figure out how they can help us. After all, our nightmares are a part of who we've become.

I enjoyed the progression of this series. The ending of this novel has some ambiguity to it and could be interpreted a couple different ways, but I think I'll take it to mean the most obvious: Abby lives happily ever after with her true love. No, I'm not going to tell you if she chose Talivar or Brystion. You'll just have to read this series for yourself to know that.


*A paperback copy of this novel was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.