Review: Moon Soul by Nathaniel Luscombe

Blurb:

"I don't think I can justify it any longer. I'm going to quit my job."

August has never been good with change and isn't sure who she is beyond her job of reading memories in the sand. When she comes to the conclusion that she has to quit her job, she's left with an overwhelming sense of emptiness. What follows is the quiet chaos of a girl regaining control over her life on a small desert moon.

Deciding to take a job in the hanging gardens of the Spire, August discovers more to life as she meets new friends, forms a different connection with her home, and faces an unexpected visitor from her past.

Rich in relatable emotions and experiences, inspiring in message, and written in prose that will hook you from page one, Moon Soul is a science fantasy novella unlike any you've read before. It will leave you feeling seen and understood.

Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers and Jenni Sauer.

Review:

Set on a distant, purple moon, Moon Soul hit me right in my own soul. Initially standing out by its first-person perspective, I was immediately drawn into the cozy and surreal experience as August, a bit of a wayward individual who takes on a new job in the hanging gardens of her towering Spire home. 

With the help of her therapist, August has to navigate new experiences, feelings, difficult family dynamics, and new friendships as someone who is used to a certain routine. But quitting her decidedly monotonous job of reading the sands for a sense of renewal and adventure, the hanging gardens throw her into something exhilarating and completely fresh. She not only meets new people, some of whom she may never had met if she had stayed stagnant, but also gets involved in a soft romance. She breaks out of her shell in many ways. Luscombe painting an inspiring picture for anyone who is feeling this same way: stuck.

I believe the use of first-person by Luscombe was brilliant in bring the reader directly into the story, and it may not have had the same impact on me if it had been told in the third. I felt like I was August, navigating my new life on a paradise-like moon.

From the stunning science-fiction landscape, to fantastical beings that can read memories in the purple sands below the towering Spire, Luscombe weaves a gentle and impactful story of risk and renewal. 

This is perfect for anyone looking for a short, but compelling story of healing.