ARC provided to me by author E.S. Bell in exchange for an honest review.

“A fool’s first and biggest weakness is thinking he doesn’t have one”

This book was such an unexpected joy! I went into this expecting pirates from the cover, but I also was blessed with paladins, merfolk, dragons, demons, gods, and more! And if you guys have been following my reviews for any length of time, you probably know that my favorite settings in books will always be taverns (be still, my The Name of the Wind heart), and this book completely delivered me so many shanty pirate town taverns! I really enjoyed this book, and I completely loved this world! The world of Lumos is now made up of many different islands, and the people that reside on those islands worship different gods.

The Dark of the Moon stars an Aluren Paladin named Selena Koren, who is also a very rare summoner. Even though she is the second most gifted Paladin this world knows, because of her summoning and healing abilities, she is constantly reminded of a grave mistake she made, while using her powers against the warring Zak’reth, one night. Selena worships the Two-Faced God, who has given her a crescent moon shaped hole in her chest that always causes her constant cold. Even though she has given her life to her god, she was still punished for that one night and now lives and fights in a constant dark place of loneliness.

“It takes more strength and will to be kind than it does to indulge in anger or hate.”

Her only friend is a Vai’Ensai named Ilior, who is a one-winged dragon-like humanoid, who can never go back to his homeland, Cloud Isles, because of his unfortunate wound, too. Selena and Ilior have been friends for ten years, and their friendship gives Selena the hope and strength to go on, but she is always hoping for a way to make her god heal her chest wound, so that she can know what warmth feels like again.

Selena gets an opportunity, in the form a very dangerous mission, to finally heal the hole that has made her feel empty for so long. Her mission is to kill two dark priests, who have risen in the Bazira faith. She is even told that she probably won’t survive this task, but nothing will keep her from healing her wound. All she needs is a pirate who will take her to the dark priests.

Sebastian Vass is a pirate who holds his secrets very close to his chest. So close, that his entire crew is unable to speak! Most of them not having tongues. Sebastian has been running away from a past that hunts him, when his family was brutally tortured and murdered. This dark event has turned him into one of the most deadly assassins this world knows, yet he is looking for one last job so that he can retire forever. And luckily for him, Bazira has recruited him to bring back the head of an Aluren Paladin named Selena.

“It only takes two acts of real fucking depravity to make a reputation.” Sebastian counted off on his thumb and forefinger. “The first to get everyone’s attention and the second to show you were serious the first time.”

These two character’s storylines quickly mingle, and secrets, betrayals, and mystery ensue! This book is one magical plot twist after magical plot twist, and I loved it completely.

Trigger warnings for graphic violence, torture, assault, attempted rape, and mention of rape.

E.S. Bell is a pen name of romance writer Emma Scott, and the romance bleeds into this fantasy story so very well. I was so impressed with this debut fantasy take, because it reads like perfection.

The only reason I’m giving this four stars is because the first couple chapters are a little slow, and you get a lot of information thrown at you very quickly. After that initial bump though, this story becomes an immersive and absolutely addictive read. I couldn’t put this down, and I need the next installment immediately.

It’s been so long since I’ve read a story that surrounded a paladin! Paladins are very close to my heart, thanks to World of Warcraft. I love how they are holy warriors, always trying to do what is right and lawful, yet still capable of retribution! I seriously am beyond words with happiness that this story is about a paladin, and I couldn’t not mention my joy in this review.

This book was amazing! The prose is lyrical, the settings are absolutely fantastic, the characters completely stole my heart, and the mystery of these gods had me completely enthralled. If you’re looking for a story filled with pirates, mythical creatures, wrath of gods, intrigue, and mystery, please pick up The Dark of the Moon. I think this series is going to be absolutely everything I look for in adult fantasy, and I can’t wait to read more!

I love a good fantasy, especially high fantasies but The Dark of the Moon wasn't my kind of fun. It dragged at times and neither Selena nor Sebastian were appealing to me. I was intrigued by the blurb but unfortunately the book didn't captivate my imagination as I thought it would. I apologize for not finishing the book. Receiving an ARC is always a honor, I'm just disappointed that I couldn't get into it.

The story is cohesive and well-structured. Characterisation is strong with clear growth of personality and development of back story. The world building is especially good, both in terms of physical characteristics and location as well as culture and philosophy. There is a strong religious component but one that is challenging and leads to personal development and self-realisation.

That aside, it is a fine tale that holds the attention and has sufficient twists and turns to make the reader want to come back for more. It was clear from partway through that not all of the threads would be followed or completed in this book and hence that a sequel was to follow. This meant that there was no real need for a cliffhanger and the books ending merely prepares the reader for the next book in the series.

This was a great story. The world building was fantastic and the characters were all interesting and unique. I especially loved Sebastian and Svoz. There's magic, fighting, secrets, dangerous creatures, and multiple gods. There could be a lot going on, and the story would jump around sometimes, but I never thought it was hard to follow.

Selena is a paladin for the what amounts to the sun god. Able to heal with her magic, she has also been gifted with the power to control the oceans. But when that power unintentionally kills hundreds of innocents, she gets cursed with a hole in her chest that fills her with cold. Desperate to feel warmth again, she accepts a mission to kill two of their enemies. Though some believe she is going to her death.

From the beginning, things go badly for her and she finds herself stranded on a pirate island with none of the captains willing to take her where she needs to go. Until Sebastian. Throughout most of the book, Selena knows him as Julian and despite it being forbidden, she finds herself falling for this rough yet sweet captain.

Same goes for Sebastian. Hired as an assassin, with Selena as one of his targets, he knew from the moment he first met her that he would never be able to kill her. So during their whole journey together he is always fighting himself. I was really really dreading when Selena would find out who he really was, and for good reason. I hate how she acts with him at the end.

It's a journey filled with a lot of danger, action and surprises everywhere they go. And we're along for the ride. The ending was great and I would love to check out the next book.

A truly promising tale of magic, love, understanding, and betrayal. And of course, a tale of second chances.

OMG!!!! Is this book for real!? While paranormal/fantasy is not my normal genre, I have to say I am blown away by this phenomenal book. I am in awe of E.S. Bell’s beautifully written words and her fascinating, imaginative mind. This author surprised us all with a very unique story compared to what she has written in the past. It’s bold and beautiful. I admit I had a difficult time keeping up and remembering all the terms . I am blaming that solely on English as my second language though. Some of the vocabulary is hard for me to grasp, but I think the fantasy world has its own vernacular that you have to learn. Fortunately, the author provided a comprehensive glossary at the end of the book and that really saved my life. How did I know it’s at the end? I usually scan the book at the beginning and the end, and then go through it slowly Don’t judge :) I also want to point out that the story is long with many characters so you need to really pay attention to all of them and their roles.

The storyline is obviously very fascinating and unique. The heroine Selena is a skilled warrior who is gifted with a special magic. A decade before, during a war, Selena summoned the seas to destroy her enemy but unfortunately hundreds of innocent people died. As a result of that, Selena was left with a crescent-shaped hole in her chest which breathes icy breaths. Now, Selena is given an opportunity to heal her wound in exchange for killing two priests. She is not sure she can kill without being provoked. Will Selena go through with the mission given her past actions that resulted in so much pain and suffering? The hero, Sebastian is a merciless assassin. His life’s mission is revenge against the Zak’reth who murdered his family. Sebastian takes one last job but he finds out his target is Selena, the same warrior who killed hundreds of Zak’reth which ended the war. What must he do? Murder Selena or betray the dark forces who hired him. The characters in this book are all complex and interesting. Sebastian seems dark, cold and dangerous but there is more to him than what meets the eye. When Sebastian’s family died part of him died right along with them. All his life Sebastian wants blood revenge but he is tired of it all. When Sebastian met Selena, he was intrigued by her kindness and courage. Selena is kindhearted, compassionate and so easy to love. During the journey to fulfill their missions they fell in love, but it’s complicated and plagued with, lies, deceit, and drama all around them. As I mentioned the story is unique, complex, and nothing is quite as it seems. You have to use your imagination and get lost in this fantasy world. There is a lot going on – war, criminals, pirates, secrets and the vast ocean surround. Half the time you will be on the edge of your seat anticipating what will happen next. If you enjoy magic, mystery, fantasy worlds action packed with twists and turns, strong heroes and heroines – this book is definitely for you. I find the story quite thrilling – it will hook and reel you in. A beautifully written tale about love (a little ), loss, forgiveness and redemption. I urge you to get a glass of wine, sit back, relax and enjoy.

Bon Voyage everyone!!!

PS: A movie on the horizon perhaps? Kind of reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean :)

4 - Find the light... or die... Stars!

If you have read this authors other work under her other name (Emma Scott) you will know that you are guaranteed a well written and emotive story. The Dark of the Moon took it to a whole other level though.

This is 100% one of those books where you cannot say a whole lot about the story for fear of giving away massive spoilers. There are a lot of pages, filled with a lot of beautiful words, you get to meet a lot of characters, and the story is told through a lot of different POVs.

I was a Summoner. Not for a thousand years had there been one such as me...

There are several plots playing out around the main story which is told by Paladin Selema Koren, who for all her worldly knowledge came across as vulnerable and a little naive at points, but you can attribute that to how she has spent the last ten years of her life.

"She’s been lied to by everyone around her since the beginning..."

The building relationship between her and Assassin-for-Hire Sebastian Vaas is definitely more of a secondary point to the rest of the story playing out.

"War makes interesting bedfellows..."

As I said this isn't a short book, its one to be savored like good chocolate, and sipped slowly like fine wine, you also need to be prepared, the story for me was a little confusing at the beginning, I think mainly because of the wealth of information being introduced, but once I got through the first 10-15% things started to become clear and I just got absorbed in the story.

"That’s how it goes... Something bad for something good... There’s always a price to be paid."

There are questions asked, answered and new ones raised as the story progresses, I think you can say at the end we are left with a HFN rather than a HEA, I shed a few tears at certain points, and the author certainly didn’t hold back when it came to her imagination and the world that she has created.

The Dark of the Moon is definitely just the beginning of that tale, and if the author carries on the story with the same level of skill as she did with this book, I can see it ending up on my book shelf right next to The Lord of The Rings trilogy.

"Beware for the dark will try to swallow you, consume you, to make you something like itself..."

I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book, but I'm enthralled by what I read. The Dark of the Moon is an expertly written novel that is sure to please any lover of epic fantasy and nautical adventures.

The world created by E. S. Bell is wonderfully crafted. Lunos was once a solid land mass, but now is comprised of many different islands. The descriptions of the world are vivid and inventive, and it was easy to imagine myself there. The different religions and gods were intriguing to read about, as were the aspects of magic. In addition, the inclusion of other fantastical creatures and species added greatly to the complexity of the world the author created. The Vai'Ensai are one example of such and I greatly look forward to learning more about them in the future books!

All of the characters were well developed and complex. Selena was a wonderful protagonist and I felt myself rooting for her throughout the entire novel as she embarked on her quest. She was fierce, kind, unwavering in her faith, brave, and real. I also really enjoyed Sebastian as the other main character. Once driven by his need to avenge his family, he now wants to move beyond his dark, dangerous past. The taciturn, brooding man was easy for me to love, despite his menacing nature. The cast of secondary characters were engaging and delightful to read about also, and each have their own distinct personalities and backgrounds. 

There is romance in the book, and from the blurb you can pretty much figure it out, but I absolutely adored the way it unfolded. It was very believable and well-developed, built slowly throughout the story, and didn't take away from the plot but rather added to it. This book is not without its twists turns, however, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how events unfold in the next one.

I want to comment on how excellent the writing is. I was in the middle of reading another series when I started this and had to stop because it was just too good to put down. Before starting, I actually was not aware the E. S. Bell was a pseudonym for contemporary romance writer, Emma Scott, and I honestly never would have guessed. Not many authors can go from writing one genre to the next so seamlessly. The Dark of the Moon reads like the work of a seasoned fantasy writer and I am very, very impressed.

The Dark of the Moon is a captivating novel that readers of fantasy and adventure books will absolutely love. I highly recommend it and I promise you will it will not disappoint!

The Dark of the Moon isn't a book you speed through, it's one you savour as missing something could impact everything.. And my review will be vague because it's one of those where if I slip up, it could ruin the whole reading experience.

"A voyage awaits you. You are a beacon in the dark..."

I won't deny, I spent the first 25% confused as there's so much to take on board: the plot is intricate and we have multiple POV's (although it's predominately the main protagonists, Serena and Sebastian at the helm). But everything is so described in such detail, you're picked up and transported into the midst of their world, so even though you're wrapping your head around everything and everyone from dragonmen to undead mermaids, you're immersed as you do so.

"He will bleed for you. He will die for you."

This is a fairly hefty book and had I not been reviewing I'd have read it over weeks as opposed to days simply as there's so much to take in and perspectives. But once I passed that 25% point, things started to fall into place that bit more, it picked up momentum and I certainly couldn't have predicted the path the story would take—some of which left me conflicted in feeling which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. With an vast array of characters bringing that conflict and additional depth to the story, E.S Bell has crafted a captivating opener to her Chronicles of Lunos series.

Find the light or die

I am so glad I started reading this book on a Friday cause I couldn’t stop reading! This is a fantastic fantasy book.

The world E.S. Bell created is wonderful and so well built I felt I was actually there. That’s what I like about fantasy novels, that I can escape to faraway lands and see and experience things I would never be able to experience in real life. This book did just that. It was magical.

The characters were complex and well developed. I loved Selena and her kind, fierce heart. She is so brave and I had so much respect for her after all she’s been through. Can I just say I loved Sebastian? He is a hunted man, who lost his family to the Zak’reth. Don’t get me wrong, he is dangerous (he is after all an assassin), but his heart is not dead. He is faced with a very hard choice, and I liked seeing him struggle with what to do. I really enjoyed the relationship between Selena and Sebastian, and how they helped each other out on so many levels.

Overall this was a great book. It had some great twists too that left me speechless. I loved that! I highly recommend this book to everyone that likes a very well written, developed fantasy novel, with great characters and many adventures. I can assure you, you won’t be disappointed!

By the way, I am recommending this book to all of my GR friends that like Fantasy. Please read it! :D

This novel was a long and enjoyable read. It is written in third person point of view, but offers other perspectives from other characters besides the major ones. It combines so many themes including love, action, adventure, betrayal, magic, and vengeance. Every character has an agenda, but it not always forthcoming. It keeps you guessing as to how the characters will change or what they will become.
Selena Koren is a Paladin, a warrior for the shining face god. There 3 other gods, but Selena was chosen and given special powers. 10 years ago, she destroyed an invading army of thousands but caused the death of innocents. She was punished and only knows cold, never warmth. She is tasked with a journey to murder two people and this will destroy the crescent-shaped hole in her chest that breathes its icy breath. She has no choice but to accept this mission, for it is commanded by the leaders of her people, the Alluren, who also abandoned after the defeat of the Zak’reth. Selena is very trusting, which is dangerous.
Sebastian Vaas has several aliases but is known for being the world's deadliest assassin for the past 10 years. However, for the last 4 years, he has avoided assassination plots until he is approached by the Bazira, who ask him to kill Selena. He needs the money, but does not trust the Bazira. He agrees to the job. Sebastian hates all Zak’reth, since they killed his family, which was where he became known as "Bloody Bastian". He is a rather complex individual.
When Sebastian meets Selena, it is under an alias and he agrees for a price to take her on her journey. Selena does not know who he truly is. Selena's protector, Ilior, does not trust him, but guards Selena since she saved his life. However, there is more to Ilior than meets the eye. As they travel, they encounter others who join them on their journey, each with their own secrets. Sebastian and Selena fall in love with each other, but both do not realize how much the other means to them, but maybe that person can save them as well as accept them. Darkness still looms and many enemies will try to stop their mission. What is comes to down to is, can Selena be successful in her mission and if so, will it cause Sebastian to kill her? I cannot wait to read the next novel in the series to see where their journey takes them to next!!