"Blood and Moonlight"
I confess that I discovered the murderer well before everyone else, but the story didn't leave anything to be desired, putting several suspects, it's a mystery with a thriller touch and all this in a fantasy is kind of hard to fit in but IT WAS. I've never read anything by Erin before but I've always had recommendations, so when I saw the ARC I thought I might take it and see if it would be good enough to know if I read another book of hers - and yes, it was.
I know there will be a sequel, although it can be read alone, but I've read the first one and I think I'll read the second in the future. 4.5 stars.

4/5 stars. To be released June 2022.

Blood and Moonlight has a lot going on. We have a murder mystery with a sprinkle of magic intertwined in the story. Our main character, Catrin, finds herself in the middle of a series of murders that she happens to hear happening while no one else can. Simon, a distant cousin of the prominent Monticuir family, is named to investigate. Catrin is a former orphan with no knowledge of her parents and her history. As the murders continue she comes to realize that hearing the murders as they occur is only something she is experiencing. We are constantly being thrown off about who the actually murder is (and the murders are quite gruesome).

The novel touches on mental illness, the struggles the individuals face, and, sadly, both the negative and positive ways families react to those with the illness.

I do wish there had been more of a development and explanation of the magic system. We were given bits and pieces of information in the beginning of the book and then it expanded more on it towards the second half. The magic system was pretty cool and unique!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

This was such an interesting story, and the author’s note at the end made it even more so.

If you’re a fan of murder mysteries, and even a little bit of horror, then this will be right up your alley. It also has a bit of a magical element that made it feel fantasy-ish.

Be warned that it is a little bit gruesome, but the author truly does know how to paint a picture without turning stomachs, which is such an art. I love how she handled the topic of mental illness without glamorizing it in a way that other books/movies have.

Catrin, Simon, Juliane, Remi.. all of the characters were very well developed and although this is written in first person, I felt as if I knew them all well enough to care what happened to them.

While it wasn’t the most twisted ending, the journey to finding out who the killer was had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and I had to keep myself from looking ahead to find out the answer.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow! This book was *Chef's kiss* I started this book when I was in a a tough reading mood, I started it and wasn't planning to finish it, but I took a break read some fluff and tried again. I'm so glad I did that. It is rare to find a mystery/fantasy book to begin with, but this one blend the genres so perfectly it will likely be the book I judge all future mystery/fantasy by. First and foremost, I was impressed by the characters choices never annoying me, even when they made bad decisions their motives were clear nothing felt like it was contrived just to move the plot along, the whole book read like each character was real and they were doing only what they had to do. The authors character work also made the mystery harder to figure out I was second guessing myself throughout, I've never been one to really analyze books for clues but her writing style made me want to puzzle it out, and I was relieved the conclusion didn't betray the rest of the journey, so many times with mysteries I find myself disappointed with the wrap up, but this one played out fantastically

This book was beyond beautiful with amazingly well-written characters and complex relationships. The main characters were easy to love while we’re also being shown that they’re not perfect, making them easy to relate to. The plot was quite dark which was something I personally immediately fell in love with and had an interesting yet not overbearing magic system behind it. This was everything I have ever wanted from a fantasy mystery/thriller book and Erin Beaty truly created something very unique with this book. I am very excited to read more from her in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I loved this book. It perfectly combines magic, mystery and romance. I could not but it down. The main characters were well written and intriguing. Fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper will also love Blood and Moonlight. I cannot wait for it to be released so I can read it again.

Erin Beaty accomplished a not-so-easy feat with BLOOD AND MOONLIGHT – blending together a high stakes chase after a serial killer, an intriguing new fantasy world with its own magic system and hierarchy, and building out *several* three-dimensional character relationships... all within a standalone novel that did not leave me wanting at the end.

I am so so impressed, and though I feel satisfied with the bittersweet ending, I am definitely hoping for more in this world in the future!

I really enjoyed Erin Beaty's Traitor series. This one was well written and well researched, plus the inclusion of mental illness is important in YA literature. However though it had a promising start, I lost interest about 45% through and had to force myself to finish the book.

Blood and Moonlight combines medieval architecture, a murder mystery, and fantasy to create a compelling story unique in the YA scene. Multi-faceted characters kept me riveted to the pages, as they attempted to get into the mind of a serial killer and stop him before his victims pile even higher.

To some extent, I think this is the book Four Dead Queens hoped to be (and failed, in my opinion). It expertly combines three genres — historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery — and does it seamlessly. The "main" plot is solving the murder, but Cat's magic powers are integral to the process, as is her status as a worker at the Sanctum and her knowledge of architecture. None of the parts seem out of place or as if they are distracting from the others. They are all fully developed, from the magic system to the world building, and they work together perfectly. The result is a book that feels different, even if you're an avid reader of YA fantasy.

Personally, I did find the lengthy discussions of what the killer was doing and probably thinking a bit much, and at times I didn't really "get" it — and then I struggled with not connecting with it or thinking it sounded right because I have to believe that the author spent a lot of time researching the minds of serial killers while I have . . . spent literally zero time doing so. That is, the author and the characters are probably right, so I'm not quite sure why some of the speculation sounded off to me.

The best part is: I really had no idea who the killer was throughout the entire novel. I was like the characters themselves, going back and forth suspecting one person, then another, then another, then the first person. I couldn't figure it out, and I always love a book that is truly unpredictable.

This is a must-read book this year for anyone who loves YA.

Ya fantasy mystery/thriller.

Great for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper!

I really liked the mc. Her past and character arc were really well done.

Blood and Moonlight is a high fantasy murder mystery with a fantastic cast of interesting characters and a smart, devious killer.

Firstly, the pacing of this novel is phenomenal. It's a rare book to pull me in so quickly. I read it at night and thought about it all day. I loved the urban setting, which is less common in high fantasy. The whole cast is suspicious and I was turning the pages, gathering clues. I enjoyed Cat, the protag, her work with an architect, and her journey.

Secondly, fun magic system. It wasn't overwrought nor was it so complicated that it slowed the pacing. Lovely touch to see it so well thought out, even though it wasn't a huge element in the story. It was lovely icing on the cake of the story.

I liked seeing characters with mental illness challenges. All of the characters suffer from different traumas, but one character in particular realistically struggled but was also intelligent and contributed. I also liked seeing other characters who, due to their professions, are traditionally villainized but in this novel are treated with sensitivity. It subtly shines a light on issues we still struggle with today, and it was good to see the protagonist begin to see this group of women in more compassionate light as the story progressed. Plus, those with magic live separately from the others in society, keeping to their own quarter of the city. We see them treated "less than" by some characters and the protagonist pushes back on those attitudes as well. Most importantly, the story didn't feel didactic or emotionally heavy in any of these above areas; these were treated as part of the story, while never dragging the pacing or detracting from the "whodunit".

There is a romance subplot in the story, but not spicy. The murders are dark (and get darker through the novel), and I would recommend this for older teens for this reason. The true evil of the villain did keep me up at night, and I personally found him to be disturbing.

Note for the editor just in case he/she/they are reading this: I do wish that some of the murder's inappropriate/abusive familial relationship was kept [a lot] more vague, as it's young adult (not adult). Those kinds of details I expect from George RR Martin, but not YA fantasy. Also because that info is revealed in the denouement the reader expects resolution and general "lightening" of the grim murders, not a last dip into dark waters. Overall, the whole book is a masterpiece. It's important to the character development of the villain, but it threw me.

Great ending. It wraps up this murder mystery and can be read as a stand-alone. There is a planned sequel.

TW: sexual abuse, incest, serial killer

Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to a new author. After reading this book I am looking forward to reading Beaty’s other books! What a wonderfully written story. I can’t wait for it to continue. Cat is learning about herself while helping to solve some mysterious murders. She meets new friends and discovers a family she didn’t know. She finds she has a skill that she needs to hone if she wants to solve the murders and survive.

super imaginative idea !! would give it 5 stars, and it probably deserves 5 stars, if not for the fact that it creeped me out a little too much haha! but not at all a fault with the book, i'm just a scaredy cat :)

would recommend to fans of julie kawaga and rose szabo!

Wow, this book….just wow! So so good!

This story follows Catrin who works for an architect in maintaining the holy Sanctum in their city Collis. She is an orphan, and has very observant skills noticing any flaws in the construction of the Sanctum. One night, she witnesses a murder that starts an investigation involving the son of the local Comte. To clear his name, they hire their cousin Simon, who is a Venatre(or hunter as they translate) visiting from another city, to find and stop the killer. Catrin joins Simon in this cat and mouse investigation, and along the way has to learn who to trust, as well as begins to learn more about herself, her family and about these secret abilities she has involving the moon that may cause people to shun her if they ever find out.

I just truly enjoyed this book! It’s rare for me to truly enjoy a thriller or a mystery novel, but this one captured my attention from the beginning. I was fascinated with the magic system in this book involving moonlight and blood. It’s unique and I loved learning about it at the same pace as Catrin. The mystery in this book was so well done too! The whole time you’re trying to guess who it is, and when you think you get it, Erin throws something else into the story that makes you question your choice. I did figure out who it was pretty early on based on one thing someone said, but I still would second guess myself at times. And when I’m approaching the end of the book I’m just literally screaming and yelling and cursing at the book because of what I know and trying to tell everyone the answer, but alas, they couldn’t hear me 😂

I really liked the mental health rep in this book too. It really touched on mental health, which I don’t think is talked about often in books, and it was well written about in this book and really added to the mystery and whodunnit part of the story. It touched on how many shun those with mental health issues and how those with mental health are just shut down and shunned because they’re not right in the head, and yet, as Catrin says, we are willing to help those with the plague even though we could get sick, but we don’t want to be anywhere near those with a mental health issue, something that isn’t even contagious. It’s just sad, and yet true, and I really appreciated how much Catrin grew in this book and is a good example of someone who recognized her prejudice towards those like Juliane with her mental health, or those too who she viewed as beneath her because they sold their bodies, and realized they’re people too and deserve help and love too.

I really enjoyed the characters too. Catrin is a great character. She had her flaws, some major, but she learned from them, and I loved the fact that she mentions she understand the logistics of what they build, but she’s not a math person and could never explain it in mathematical terms, just like me 😂 She is totally relatable for me! I also love Simon, actually I ADORE this man! He seems stuck up and arrogant at first, but really, he just throws feeling out the window and instead focuses all his attention on finding the killer using his mind and logic instead. He’s actually a very caring and kind person, even after you learn about his past. What he does for his cousin Juliane I just about died. He just is so loving and it’s so admirable of him. The side characters, such as Juliane, Oudin, Lambert, Remi, and others also added so much to the story. You really get to know each of them, and like them, which makes it hard when you’re wondering if any of them are the killer, or is it someone else?

My final thought about this book is the romance, I LOVED the slow burn angsty romance! It frustrated me, and made me want to smack them, but it was so well done and believable and I just wanted everything to work out well for them.

I have already preordered this book. I want the physical in my hands so bad! The cover is just stunning, and if a book makes me scream and curse at it, then it has to be good right? 😂 I highly HIGHLY recommend this book if you love medieval style fantasy, mystery/thrillers, with a slow burn romance. 5 glowing 🌟
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for the free digital copy to read 🥰

Some possible trigger warnings: This book deals a lot with death, can be graphic and violent with the murders, brief mentions of possible assault(nothing on page), and drug/alcohol abuse.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

Cat works at a construction site of the Sanctum. One night, as she was doing her job, she ends up experiencing something strange. When she finds a dead body, she begins a dark quest to find a killer and her past.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I loved that she was working for an architect when it was a woman's place. The book may take place in a historical European (I'm thinking Italian) setting, but I think it was either alt. history or in another world setting with names based in the real world. I doubt women were allowed jobs of import like Cat's in real history.

I liked that many of the characters were morally grey. They were not all good or bad. They existed in a real sense with mistakes and flaws and dealt with them in different ways.

The darker aspect reminded me of a famous person in England that was never caught. The mystery of him is still intriguing to people. For those that don't like gory things then I'd skip this book.

The inclusion of mental health was interesting. We can see how awful things could be for a person suffering from it in such a time period.

All in all, the book had some minor twists and kept me reading to find out who was what and what was where.

Thank you again NetGalley and Macmillian for allowing me the the arc copy.

This was such a great read! I absolutely loved the main characters and the plot of the story. The author did a great job making the story interesting and keeping it moving. I loved how unique the story was and all that the author brought to it. Great book!

Such a captivating mystery, I was pulled in right from the beginning, and stayed eager for the rest of the wild ride. It was such a unique twist of magic and crime, I haven’t read anything like it before. I’m definitely keeping this author in my pocket for when I need something unique to read! It was my first novel of hers, and it was quite an amazing introduction.

**Arc provided by NetGalley**

One part serial killer mystery a la Jack the Ripper, and one part fantasy romance. There was so much that I loved about this book. The writing was amazing. The mystery kept me on my toes until the very last chapter. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters.

Though I found myself really wishing that it gave me more about the lunar-based characters other than they are treated as heretics and outcasts of society. Their magic and other cultural aspects really intrigued me, but they are really only used as a plot device here and a brief explanation for the MC's powers. If this was a series I would certainly continue on and I kinda feel like a lot of things are missed by this being a one-and-done book.

But in the end, it is a lovely read.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First off this is a GORGEOUS cover! I was super stoked to see a new release from Erin Beaty and this cover sold me even more. It's absolutely stunning and kudos to the cover artist for such an eye catching cover!

Blood and Moonlight is a stand-alone mystery fantasy novel about Catrin, a seventeen year old orphan who is in charge of keeping workers safe as they build the Sanctum in their town. The book doesn't necessarily tell you what time period or where this might be based on until the Author Note at the end. I kept picturing a fantasy town that looks like Belle's village from Beauty and the Beast. Catrin is not afraid of heights or danger as she helps newcomer Simon solve a case involving women being murdered in the most gruesome ways. Simon is also an orphan but is living with the equivalent to a mayor of the town and his family.

I really loved the mystery aspect as it reminded me of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson but in a "medieval" time period when paper was still being created. The murders are described in gruesome and horrific terms that might turn readers away or flinch but I'm glad the author did not shy away from the details. Catrin and Simon and his family worked together to figure out the killer's motive and how to find him.

Erin Beaty is known for her Traitor's Kiss trilogy and the way she sways you in one direction and to another is used perfectly here. You are constantly questioning who it might be, the twists are fantastic and I definitely wasn't sure who the killer was. Beaty did a fabulous job pushing and pulling the reader in different directions and writing gasping plot twists. I applaud Erin Beaty's story telling and the way she wrote this murder mystery.

I wish we had more development in Simon, he was kind of flat for me. I did like his character overall but the development could have been better. I love Catrin and the moon magick. I do however wish there was more to the moon Quarter. We are told it's a bad place and Sun people never wander there. We are told more than shown of the moon magick and I kind of wish Catrin had spent a little more time there so we could learn more as the reader. Or if she used the powers more, too.

The romance was sweet but not a main focus. The focus was for the murder mystery, the building of the Sanctum, and Catrin's parentage. The moments between Catrin and Simon were tender and shy at times.

Blood and Moonlight is a very good book and of course I look forward to more from Erin Beaty in the future.

4.5 stars

Blood and Moonlight had a captivating premise, but it did not reach my expectations for it. It’s a medieval YA fantasy thriller which I thought would be for me, but that is not the case.