Blood & Moonlight has a thrilling mystery that kept me guessing for most of the book. I love that. I do not always see things coming and that makes it so fun. Cat is an orphan with unique skills. One that she does not understand. But when she witnesses a murder and sees that the killer isn’t going to stop, she must help solve these murders. She is not sure who to trust and sometimes makes the wrong choice. I loved this medieval thriller filled with secrets and magic! I cannot wait to read book two! I loved the narrator. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun, fast mystery steeped in magic and fantasy, with a bit of romance thrown in as well.

Catrin finds an ally and partner in Simon in trying to identify a killer who could be targeting people she knows and loves. There is an enemies-to-lovers storyline here, and would also call this historical fiction. Can't wait for the second book!

DNF'd at 30%, I was struggling to pay attention to the plot and this far in I wasn't invested in any of the characters.

The audiobook kept pronouncing Simon's name in different ways and that was super frustrating.

Blood and Moonlight is a a mix of mystery, love and murder. Catrin is the person who can spot flaws in the foundation of the church. But while she is working at night, she witnesses a murder and the mystery begins. The mystery is tricky and will have the reader t the edge of their seats. The romance adds some spice but does not deter from the overall plot.

I, too, would like to spend my days crawling along the scaffolds of a fancy cathedral. It's literally all I want in life.

This was a heckin' solid murder mystery! I'm actually quite impressed with how well it unraveled. All the pieces were there to make it work but all my guesses on who the murderer was were proven wrong over and over. Not a lot of stories such as this can do that half as well so bravo. There were a few instances where I did feel Simon was stretching with his theories. He sees one murder victim and makes a ton of assumptions about the killer that felt way too convenient. Thankfully the rest of the mystery was complex and intriguing so it didn't bother me too much. It also incorporated mental health and sex work in an interesting and compassionate way that I found a nice surprise.

I really loved this world. A gothic medieval city that doesn't revolve around a monarchy feels like such a rare setting when it comes to western fantasy and it felt so immersive. I believe the author based it off a city in Belgium but I was thinking more French. I'm particularly obsessed with how much time takes place in a vast cathedral that reminded me of Notre Dame. The imagery it evokes is so lush, and I love the idea of Catrin climbing all over its face and getting to know its buttresses and vaults and arches personally. There's something so romantic in that for me.

Did I miss the memo about YA fantasies and the female main character having way too many boys in love with her? This is the second I've read in a row where the girl has not one, not two, but three boys falling over her feet, and I'm not sure why. I tend to not care for love triangles--or a square in this case--so I'm just glad that the only boy I cared about came out on top with Catrin.

I suppose the only thing that kept me from love-loving this book was the magic system. It is based around the sun and the moon, with those obtaining magic from moonlight deemed as lesser than and ostracized from the rest of the city. While I liked the magic in action and how it played into the story, I feel like the system itself was poorly utilized and quite surface level. The explanations provided also didn't seem to fit with the narrative and left me with more questions.

I confess I'm confused as to why this has a sequel that seems to be completely separate from this story. This book is just shy of being deemed a standalone as it leaves a few avenues open to explore with the magic system and certain characters, but the sequel takes place in an entirely different city. I'll reserve judgement until I read it. *If* I read it. We'll see.

3.5/5 Stars

Catrin, a young orphan girl becomes caught up in a serial killer's murder investigation while trying to hide secrets of her own.

First off, can we take in this GORGEOUS cover. I enjoyed this, but did feel as though it dragged a bit in the middle. I liked Catrin (Cat) as a main character, and learning more about her moon magic and where she came from. I definitely was more intrigued by Simon and Juliane though. I also wouldn't say I was fully on board with the romance between Simon and Catrin in the end. I love a good serial killer, so I had a lot of fun trying to figure out who this one was. There were so many possible suspects, I was glad it wasn't completely obvious right from the beginning. I loved the profiling that Simon, Juliane, and Cat attempted as they chased the killer. I also enjoyed the discussions on mental illnesses, and the care with which they were handled in this book.

4.5 rounded down. A fresh magic system woven into a fun whodunnit. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

Catrin has always seen better by moonlight, something she has kept hidden as moon magic is often seen as evil. While using the moonlight to her advantage for her job, she witnesses a murderer fleeing the scene of their crime....where she could swear she heard the victim pleading for help moments before....from 25 stories up. Teaming up with the detective assigned to solve the murder, Simon, Catrin must help wade through the waters of visions and hearing victims, but will she ever get to them in time to save them? Or will she find herself caught in the killer's crosshairs?

Blood and Moonlight was such a fun ride! The magic system was unique as was Catrin's origin once revealed. Simon was a likeable character from an interesting bit of the world, which was also great as it often feels like when the authors world build we only get bits and pieces of the surroundings of the main story, not fully recognized other locations. The characters really seem to be shaped by their past rather than their past being shaped to the story being told, which was a real treat. The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is how the author tried to throw readers off of different pieces of the mystery. I can't say much more without spoilers, just know it's not enough to ruin the read, just a eye roll here and there.

4.5 stars rounded down to 4, since Goodreads doesn't allow half stars. Recommended for readers of stand alone mysteries with a kiss of magic. Age recommended for 14+ as the violence isn't graphic, but could be a bit dark for younger readers.

Thank you so much to net galley for sending me a copy of this book. First of all this cover is so stunning and instantly drew me in. Then I read the description and i knew I had to read it. I love the world and the atmosphere that this world is set in as well as the lore. I usually have a hard time imagine the how things look in books but I had no issue with this one. From the beginning I could see myself running through the town along with the characters. I could see my self climbing up the scaffolding. I also love the cast of characters, they felt so real that I found myself getting mad about things they would say because it felt too real. The murder mystery was also intriguing because I didn’t know who the killer was even up till the end. I would love to read a book about the main characters parents as well as Simon. I’m looking forward to reading more from the author!

This was a mostly enjoyable stand alone fantasy but it did tend to drag in places and I felt like I was a ping pong ball going back and forth. The cover is amazing

I was really looking forward to reading Blood and Moonlight from the minute I saw that beautiful cover. The premise and the mystery was intriguing, but unfortunately I felt like the story overall was disjointed and I didn't connect with the writing. And the mystery, which I was most excited for, ended up being a little too easy to guess.

This book's best features are definitely the unique magic system and detailed world building. However, I found it difficult to relate to the characters or be invested in their lives or relationships.

First of all, the cover is gorgeous. That is initially the entire reason I wanted to read the book. After reading the synopsis I was hooked. I am not going to lie I had a hard time getting into this one. I persevered through about the first 30% and then it got much better. This book is a mythological-inspired fantasy. The society the main character Catrin lives in worships the sun. She is an employee of an architect who is in charge of the construction of the sanctum. Catrin witnesses a murder. The murders keep happening and Catrin basically becomes a detective. She discovers powers as well along the way. I also just found out this is no longer a standalone but book 1 of a duology. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
*thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Blood & Moonlight drew me in with the cover. I’ve gotten picker about my YA reads and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s a mishmash of crime, mystery, suspense thriller romance. And don’t let me forget to mention the magic. There’s a serial killer running loose and lists of mystery.
I felt like it dragged a tad in the beginning but over all was good. It had a solid story and I liked the main characters. This also touched on mental illness which is STILL a taboo topic today. I liked what the author shared about this at the end of the audiobook. The narrator was Kathleen McInerney and she was good. I chose to listen to this book on audio and I read some of it. I gave it a 4 ⭐️.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

"We all live in cages, Catrin. Only those of us who are lucky get to choose which one." This book was one of those situations where there's nothing truly wrong with it, the review is merely based on personal preferences and my mood while reading it. I liked the writing style and that it was set up like an old school kind of mystery, but still felt modern. It was fun to put the clues together since the explanations weren't just handed to you. Well, until the end that is. When the big reveal happened it became a bit of an info dump. The romance was sweet and believable and had me rooting for them. The characters were well developed and likeable. I think our MC Catrin was strong, independent, and smart. The author also touches upon mental illness (schizophrenia) with one of the characters in what I believe is a very realistic manner. I absolutely loved the magic but wish there was more (maybe a book 2?). The narrator was well spoken and had appropriate inflections when needed. I think she really helped set the tone for this book and created the perfect atmosphere/mood. Overall this was an enjoyable read but I don't feel that it was anything extremely profound or groundbreaking. If a 2nd book did happen I would still be very interested in reading it and would still recommend this book to others. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. I enjoyed the narrator and felt she did a good job with the characters and the overall narration.

This has a really interesting plot. I actually felt like there was too much going on here. There is a murder mystery, magic, and a romance. I felt like some of the plot points suffered for the sake of the others being included.

I think this will really appeal to the young adult reader. I think if you liked Stalking Jack the Ripper I think you will enjoy this. The pacing is good, the magic system isn't overly complex. The mystery aspect of the plot moves forward nicely, and it isn't overly filled with gore or graphic details, though there are some.

Thank you to Macmillan Books and NetGalley for the arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The plot of this book is what drew me in (as well as the cover. Look at it, it’s beautiful.), and while I wasn’t disappointed, I wasn’t WOWED either.

The story follows Catrine, a girl who works for the magistrate fixing large scale structures, who is caught in the middle of a serial killer’s path after hearing the death of a local woman one evening. She soon discovers her own power and magical ability, which sets off a chain reaction to finding the murderer.

This is really a YA Fantasy/Thriller/Romance with an Enemies to Lovers trope, along with a misunderstanding trope, and a whodunnit baseline. It all got kind of muddy as the story went on and I found myself not really caring about the relationship building. Probably because there was so much manipulation with it.

It just seemed like every man in the city was expecting Catrine to fall at their feet. Everyone was into her. Which she used to her advantage, manipulating the men around her to do what she wanted them to do. If she had no need for them, she would recoil and hide, but the moment she needed something, she was the one making the first move. It was off putting and kind of set a bad image for younger people who may be faced with similar situations.

The one thing I will say is the mental health representation was very well done. The author did a lot of research and spent a lot of time ensuring she was being sensitive, yet transparent. It was a well done piece of the story that did not go unnoticed.

Overall, 3 star read. I would definitely pick up another book from this author.

I really enjoyed this book. The twists and turns were so much fun. I thought I knew who didn't but I did not! The world is fantastic and I enjoyed the magical aspect.
The narration was perfect as she took on each character and gave them a distinct voice.
A delightful fantasy book.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was such a great read! instantly knew i would like this and just wow! I hated that this book had to end lol will buy and reread for sure!

This was a unique and intriguing fantasy. I absolutely loved the murder mystery storyline of this fantasy and thought it was so well done. The author does a great job making you not trust the characters except a select few. The romance was sweet and thankfully not instant love; it felt believable.

The world-building is great, set in a historical fantasy period. There isn't a whole lot of information presented upfront, it does unravel as you read on, so I would encourage people to keep reading through any confusion.

I also loved the narrator and thought she did a fantastic job reading and bringing the characters and story to life.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen early!

I really wanted to read this book since someone close to me suffers from Schizophrenia and I did see some things in this story that were similar and appreciated the authors note because not everyone experiences it at the same degrees. It is a condition that I would like to see in more genres. The person I know suffered in silence until his late 20’s and teens need to not feel alone. Thank you for publishing this novel. This may not be one I add to my syllabus but it will be one I talk about with my students and recommend them read.

Come for the cover, didn't quite stay for the story. This felt like there were two separate plots fighting for attention. The murder/mystery side was interesting to start, but quickly lost steam with little character development or motive. The magic system/people seemed tossed in with little connection to the overall plot other than convenience.