Yeah, no. I tried with this one, but as someone who is already picky with their romantacy, this did not hit. The writing was weak, the world-building was weaker, with a romance I could not even root for.

I loved this book... The world building is fantastic, and I love how the author builds on Jess' character as the book progresses. I can only imagine how riveting the rest of the series is going to be.

I admit the cover of this pulled me in and I was expecting to love it, I know don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but I do and most the time I’m spot on. Sadly this didn’t reach anywhere near my expectations , the MC started off great but eventually her behaviour annoyed me, ultimately it couldn’t hold my attention enough and it just wasn’t for me

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

While the blurb and the premise of the book really grab the reader's attention, I personally struggled with this title.

I found the characters to be underdeveloped and the plot to be quite thin in places. However, the language of this story was really charming and allowed for good pacing. It was a title that I struggled to maintain my attention, and I had to keep setting myself little goals in order to finish it.

This book gave you all kinds of feels. It was good and relatable. I liked that Jess was on a journey and that there were a lot of good scenes. I hope to read more from the author in the future.

I was confused by some plot points, it was as if the writer had performed more world building in a previous book. Though I looked and did not see anything else.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since I got Luna, I was really excited to dive into its pages. The synopsis made this book sound amazing and I just wanted everything to match the hype I was putting myself through. Luckily, this was very easy to devour within one sitting. Seriously, I loved getting to meet the characters and see what they were supernaturally.

Besides getting to know everyone, there's danger lurking around every corner basically. Heck! Our main girl finds herself being a suspect for a murder. It was hands down chaotic but in all the best ways possible. Each twist and turn kept me on my toes. Then the slices of romance kept my fingers tapping the screen on my kindle. I just need to know what was going to happen next and I think my finger is still sore from all the pushing I did.

In the end, I'm very excited to jump into the sequel whenever that becomes available. I have questions that demand answers and I will not rest until I find them. Or until the book gets published. Whichever comes first.

Fantastic cover
Since the beginning of this novel was so good, I was truly hoping the ending would redeem itself. Unfortunately I was disappointed. When the mystery of the tragic event unfolds, while I didn't expect it, I also didn't find myself excited for what would come next after this reveal. The characters responsible for this event weren't ones we knew anything about, so it was hard to feel any sort of shock. It just felt bland. Then, Jess's heritage was revealed and compared to the previous reveal, this sort of reveal was expected as it was heavily hinted at throughout the book, to the point where there was no surprise.
Still an enjoyable read

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jess, the main character, is put into prison, falsely accused of murder. She teams up with others to break out and escape. While there, she develops relationships with these others who are stuck in prison, and she learns more about herself, who she is and what she is, and is determined to find out who framed her and bring vengeance upon them. Each character has a different world they live in, such as for the Fae, the Wolf shifters, Mages, and Vampires. Cant wait to read how the book continues!

Thank you NetGalley for sending this arc for an honest review!

If your a fan of mystery, epic fantasies with badass females then this is the book for you. The cover truly captivated the eye but as they say never judge a book by its cover. I really thought it was going to be the most epic fantasy filled with evrey trope I’m looking for. But it didn’t reach the expectations I had set in mind. The MC was a great charcater but per usual there were iffy things about her like most female MCs that get you so annoyed that you begin to feel embarrassed for them.

Overall without to many spoilers, I give this a 3/5 because the idea was quite spectacular and I think it was really well written but I felt as if it didn’t give what it was supposed to give.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for free in return for an honest review. Thank you to the author for letting me read their work and thank you to NetGalley for enabling me to get

I thought by the cover of this book, I would be obsessed. Props to the person who made the cover because that is just a cover that makes you say "Wow!" The book begins with Jess waking up with Jess next to a lake, covered in blood and with no recollection of why she is there. The lake goes up in flames and she jumps through a portal to another world. She goes to a world that I cannot spell the name of and finds that she is a shifter, or "para". She is then accused of murder and locked away....

I'm not going to lie. I DNF'd at about 35-40%. This book felt very YA and had me asking "WHY?!" quite often. and had my two least favorite things in books; information dumping and characters you cannot connect with. I had no reason to care about Jess and no reason to like any of the other characters.

I always feel awful about leaving terrible reviews on ARCs because I know they affect the book's success... The cover is pretty yet the characterization needs some work.

It took me some time to get into the book but after I did I enjoyed it. I liked that it was not like a lot of books I have read, it was different. The story was great and also the characters. I recommend giving it a try.

Luna by Rae Else intrigued me from the moment I read the synopsis. I’m a sucker for Greek/Roman Mythology and the paranormal, so warring clans descended from Romulus and Remus sounded like my bread and butter.
The story thrusts Jess, out main character into a world she knows nothing about and brings together different characters from each of the different para factions that exist in this world. They are all locked up together in a juvie detention facility that they are trying to break out of. The story itself progresses quickly which I love but since we spend most of it in one particular setting, I cannot wait to see Jess experience the actual outside world. The mystery that surrounds Jess and her past was probably one of the parts I enjoyed the most and the twists and reveals are thrilling.
The relationships between some of the characters are fleshed out and explored so well while others seem to be cast in typical molds and cast aside. The characters that were fleshed out were well written as they were allowed to be morally grey, changing from good to bad and bad to good and having both light and darkness within.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
#Luna #NetGalley

Golly, I feel so bummed out - this could have been so good! Alas, my disappointment will show in this review, but only because I had been rooting for this book from the start.

Opening:
I thought it had such a great beginning. The mystery and wonder really captivated me and I was eager to continue reading and to find out more about this new world and its beings. Unfortunately, we never get it see it.

Setting:
About 90% of the book takes place in the prison, which sounds good in theory, but with little to do but relive each day over and over, and listen to the ramblings inside Jess' head - you can imagine how claustrophobic it becomes. I was urging Jess to escape just so I could see this magical world and experience it for myself, but sadly all we get are the secondhand accounts from the supporting characters.

Jess is as new to this world as the reader, but instead of being shown, she is told everything by the conveniently placed other beings in the prison. They answer all your questions, telling you exactly what you need to know exactly when you need to know it.

Characters:
Speaking of which, I did like all the different races and breeds. But as mentioned, their main purpose is to info dump for Jess and the reader - so there's no development. I struggled to bond with them, unfortunately.

I can't really say much about Jess. She is the typical snarky, strong female character that you would expect from YA.

Romance:
Needs to be developed.

Ending:
The ending and big reveal were disappointing as well, I'm afraid. We do not know these characters, so I was unable to care or feel anything as they mean nothing to us.

All this could have been avoided completely if we were gifted a second POV, someone else other than Matteo. Someone who we could live through on the outside, who could show us the world and its history and lore. Also giving us a much needed break from Jess and the prison.

On that last note, I did love how this book made me crave reconnecting with nature and the trees. Definitely made me want to run!

This book shows huge potential for a new fantasy series. Most of my grievances revolve around the 'no show, all tell' and lack of development. So, the building-blocks are there - it's the execution. It has such an interesting lore, it would have been so nice to see it! With some character development and world-building, it could be fantastic.

*Thank you to the author, Anchorite Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and the synopsis definitely caught my interest, as well as the fact that it's apparently aimed at fans of Sarah J Maas and Laini Taylor - I was definitely keen to read this book. It did not disappoint!

This was a refreshing and exciting start to a new series and I’m excited to continue on with this one.

2.5 stars

This book does not deserve that cover.

I couldn't get into this book. I didn't care about any of the characters. I almost DNF'd at 93% but forced myself to skim the rest. I have no interest in the next one. It isn't well-written, and it isn't terribly gripping or interesting. I don't mean to come across as harsh and hating, but as I reflect, I just don't have anything nice to say about it at all. It brought nothing to my table. It wasn't an awful book, but it was utterly forgettable.

*3.5 stars, rounded up to 4*

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Luna is a fantasy novel about Jess who was brought up in care and diagnosed with rage blackouts. One night she wakes to find herself by a lake, her clothes covered in blood, with no memory of what happened. Suddenly, a portal opens and she is transported to the Triodia Penitentiary. Jess discovers that she's a shifter, a rare type of para. When Romulus killed Remus, the wolf clans swore enmity to one another forever. Jess is accused of murder and locked up. Desperate for help, she turns to her fellow inmates and they plot an escape plan.

First of all, I have to say that the cover is beautiful and I would definitely want to pick it up, if I saw it in a bookshop. What I liked about Luna is that it was a quick and entertaining read. I flew through the book in one day. There were different paranormal species involved (werewolves, vampires, fae, etc.) which I personally really enjoyed. Luna makes me want to read more books about werewolves and it also makes me want to read more paranormal fantasy books. I can also say that I haven't read anything similar to Luna before, so this made the book even more intriguing for me.

However, there were a few things which I didn't like as much. While I liked Jess, she isn't a new favourite character and I didn't warm much to her. The romance plot was cute but it could have been more developed. The world-building was a bit confusing at times because there were so many new terms. The ending felt a bit rushed and over the course of the story, I noticed that a few things seemed a bit too convenient.

The overall idea of the story is pretty cool though and I did enjoy the book. I'm definitely going to read the sequel as I think that the series does have potential.

I love this story so much!!! I couldn’t stop reading it, I went till 4 a.m to finish this book.
I love the characters and their development, every single one of them, and I can’t wait for book two to know more about each one.
The book was a fast and very exciting journey, and with the addition of paranormal beings it only got even better, it was love at first chapter.
I’m really thankful for NetGalley and Rae Else for the opportunity to read this incredible book!! For the author, you just got a fan, everything you publish I’ll be on the lookout!!

Thank you so much Anchorite Publishing for providing a copy of Luna in exchange for an honest review. This review contains minor spoilers.


This book started out extremely promising. I was instantly captivated by the plot, and the beginning instantly grabs the reader's attention. The book starts out with a small introduction to our main character Jess, and immediately dives into action. Jess goes for a run, a tragic event happens and then Jess gets pulled into a new world where she's place under arrest.

As the book carried on more of the plot, I not only found myself lost but losing interest. There is multiple abbreviations for terms we haven't been thoroughly introduced to and the entire rules of the world weren't explained in ways that I, the reader, really remembered as I continued the book. We are introduced to new characters in this new environment, and I found the male characters lacking individuality. All of them had similar voice and I struggled separating them from one another. While the female side characters were more distinguishable, they weren't memorable or really exciting. When all the characters were speaking, I also had trouble figuring out who exactly was talking and found myself having to read conversations multiple times. Overall, there wasn't anything of massive interest between the beginning and the climax. There were some "action" moments, but nothing that really got my attention like the start of this book.

Since the beginning of this novel was so good, I was truly hoping the ending would redeem itself. Unfortunately I was disappointed. When the mystery of the tragic event unfolds, while I didn't expect it, I also didn't find myself excited for what would come next after this reveal. The characters responsible for this event weren't ones we knew anything about, so it was hard to feel any sort of shock. It just felt bland. Then, Jess's heritage was revealed and compared to the previous reveal, this sort of reveal was expected as it was heavily hinted at throughout the book, to the point where there was no surprise.

Luna definitely encouraging to start with, but I found myself bored as the rest of the novel carried on. The plot was & characters were there, it just wasn't executed enough for me to truly enjoy this book.

Quote: "Jess shouldn’t have said that; she’d meant to find the lay of the land before divulging that she was a psycho... or an accused one. The troubled look Astra was giving her was all too familiar. A shadow of the one that had plagued her at every school and home she’d ever been to. Echoes of Emma’s taunting voice rang in her head: psycho..."

Summary/Description: Seventeen-year-old Jess wakes up by a lake covered in blood with no memory of what happened. Transported to the Triodia Penitentiary, she discovers she's a shifter, a type of para. She's accused of murder and locked up. Desperate to find a way out, she turns to her fellow inmates for help. Yet as they mount an escape, the enemies circling her increase. Will Jess survive unlocking the dangerous Heights and Depths of the para world and those within herself?

Pros: The main character's foster parents are both women, which is decent representation for the LGBTQ+ community. I loved seeing all different "paras" in the prison work together to escape, such as shifters, the fae, vampires, ect. This book and series has a lot of potential, with interesting plotlines, lore, and likeable characters.

Cons: It's hard to imagine Jess, a blonde white girl, being bullied for being "too blonde." She's literally the beauty standard in Western white supremacist society. If she was described as being bullied for other characteristics, traits, sure. A lot of people, unfortunately, are bullied. But to see part of her character arc is her being bullied for being "too blonde" just feels a bit out of touch. The world building could do some work and there's a lot of info-dumping without much explanation. Also Jess is I sort of a love triangle and both the guys are a bit older than her and she's still a teenager so that felt pretty gross even though nothing happened between anyone (yet). I know she turns eighteen soon, but that still gives off slight grooming vibes and I'm just really not a fan of that whole aspect.

Content Warnings: General violence and very mild gore. Nothing outside the realms of YA fantasy/supernatural novels.

Overall Rating: 3 out if 5 stars.

P.S. I received an arc copy to read and review before the official publishing of ths book. That being said this is an honest review with honest opinions.