I think it is only fair to state right up front that this was a real "it's not you, it's me" situation. The author delivers in spades when it comes to her insanely beautiful magic realism and lush prose that we've come to love. I simply dont care for Romeo and Juliet inspired stories, they rarely if ever are as impactful as the original for me. I set this knowledge aside based on my immense love for The Astonishing Color of After, and gave this a try knowing that it likely would not work for me.

In an Arrow to the Moon you will follow Hunter Lee, a dead shot with a bow who is paying for his families past mistakes and Luna Chang, grappling with her parents lofty expectations of her as graduation approaches. As these two worlds collide the lines of myth and reality blur as fate and family steer this story to the very end.

These characters are depicted in such an age appropriate way, so it seems unfair to fault the story for that, but in a world where YA tends to skew older this felt very juvenile to me. It's worth noting that I listened to this, so the youthful narration might have fed into that. Per usual, I was mesmerized with the authors whimsical and magical touches but they just weren't enough to save what felt like a lackluster plot for me.

That being said, I will continue to pick up anything that Emily X.R. Pan writes. Her writing is otherworldly and when the subject matter is of interest, it's bound to be a winner.

Endless thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the review copy.

Dubbed as "Romeo and Juliet meets Chinese mythology" I thought this would be my cup of tea. The premise was so intriguing to me, and I loved Romeo and Juliet so I thought this would be a no-brainer. This book had a strong start and slowly I began to lose interest. I tend to love books that utilize mythology and folklore but this one soon went from strong to the I-lost-interest department for me.

I wonder if I had read the book and not listened to it, would I have enjoyed it more? I don't have any issues with the narrators, but words often jump off the page and I wonder what my experience would have been had I read this. The characters failed to wow me, and I really never felt for them or their plight. Hunter and Luna are so different, yet they feel an instant pull to each other. Each one is dealing with their individual family dynamics and issues. Their families are at odds, and both would not approve of their relationship.

I believe this is going to be a book that people either love or find it just doesn't work for them. Many are giving this book high marks and please seek out those reviews and decide if this book is the right one for you.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little, Brown Young Readers and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

A modern day Romeo and Juliet steeped in Chinese mythology.

This was such an ethereal, dreamy read, and I found the two main characters to be incredibly magnetic. The pacing was great, I enjoyed the multiple POVs, and I was invested from beginning to end.

I love it when an audiobook has multiple narrators, and I thought that they all did a great job with this one and really helped bring the characters to life.

4.5 stars.

Oh my heart!!
The story gives Romeo and Juliette vibes infused with Chinese mythology.
Multiple POVs, but it flowed really well with the story.
There’s just something about young love and that ending. Gosh, I’m not crying, you are!!
Such a incredible retelling. I absolutely adore this YA novel.
I’ll never look at the moon and stars the same again.

🎧If you’re a fan of audiobooks, be sure to grab it on audiobook!! I absolutely LOVE the audiobook. The accents, and tones used were fabulous and it certainly elevated the story for me.

Special thanks to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

The idea of a Romeo and Juliet retelling with Chinese mythology sounded like an amazing premise and I was initially very excited to read this.
I found myself getting lost in unnecessary details, and not intrigued by the potentially intriguing bits. The characters were all surface level. I didn't feel connected to any of them.
Some of the writing describing the feelings between Luna and Hunter was awkward and outdated to the way teens speak.
Multiple POVs and jumping back and forth in time got really confusing.
Overall, it was just OK. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Little, Brown Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

Take one part Romeo & Juliet retelling and mix it with one part Chinese mythology and add a sprinkling of a realistic teen romance and you get AN ARROW TO THE MOON. This novel is gorgeous and was such an enjoyable reading experience. When the audiobook ended, I wanted to immediately go back and start it all over again.

The meeting, befriending, and falling for each other between Luna and Hunter was so real and honest (especially the navigating the physical aspects of a relationship). The magic made sense and was so interesting and added a little something extra to the narrative. The parents aren't evil but they are complex and flawed and make mistakes in the name of trying to set their children up to have a better life than they could ever hope for for themselves. The rivalry between the families was messy and real. I also think it was important that space was given for the complexity of Taiwanese identity and that not everyone in this novel shares the same opinion on it.

In most YA novels, readers only hear from the teen characters. But I think it was such a brilliant decision by Pan to have chapters from the adults' points of view as well. AN ARROW TO THE MOON has layers and depth and is one of those books that will reveal more each time you read it. This is so much more than just a retelling of Romeo & Juliet.

Natalie Naudus, Shawn K. Jain, and David Shih do a great job with the audiobook narration.