Tilly had to flee her home when she was young after her village was destroyed, her mother killed, and her sister vanished. But she wants to go home, not having a happy life with her new family. She has a secret map, one that her mother made her promise to protect with her very life. But when someone who was supposed to explain things to her is killed and a monster appears to be hunting her, Tilly finds her wish to travel home coming true and her magic beginning to grow.

The premise of this work was promising, but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The worldbuilding had some interesting ideas and was okay overall, though it never managed to really become immersive. This was largely due to a major lack of descriptions or incorporation of any details that might make a setting/world feel real.

The characters were not written well – most of the first half of the book, Tilly was pitiful and unengaging. This was largely because she was given zero agency. Things continuously happened to her, and she was simply along for the ride or being rescued or being pushed around by the plot. Then she undergoes some “growth” and honestly becomes even more unrelatable due to her obnoxious bratty behavior. The other characters were almost impossible to become invested in as none of them felt alive or well developed. There were also just so many characters that were introduced, caused some problems, then dropped from the story completely, leaving them all feeling unnecessary.

I think the issues of the work can mainly be boiled down to the author relying on telling rather than showing. This did away with any immersion I may have felt with the setting and world and created characters that didn’t feel alive. I’m sure others may be able to enjoy this work, but there was simply nothing about it that was able to grab my interest. My thanks to NetGalley and Cedar Street Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This story has a lot of promise, but I struggled with it. The world building is practically nonexistent. Not enough description was given about the characters, the magic system, how the different dimensions worked, etc… The villain also had absolutely no backstory. I kept thinking, “Things will become clear as I read. There’s gotta be a big reveal coming.” Nope. A small reveal, but not one that answered any questions.

Also, cut out some characters. Why are there so many bullies? What’s the point of Charlie? What’s the point of Melvina? What’s the point of that bully duo whose names I can’t even remember—Val and Bryn, maybe? All these characters were introduced and then also randomly dropped and we never heard from them again. Why include them at all?

And why are some of the adults being complete dicks to a 16 year old girl who just found out about magic and the existence of another dimension and some prophecy that only she can solve? Why did they expect her to come into this world, get thrown immediately into battle games (basically like Ender’s Game) and know how to cast these “sprites” (which are basically vapor Pokémon) without any training?

Also, don’t introduce new parts to the prophecy in the last 20 pages with absolutely no description of what it is and no reaction from the characters to say, “Woah, that’s new! What’s that?!” The alchemist? The abbysmith? Not introduced until the last minute. Why is “the alchemist” called the alchemist? Who are Crom Fahll and the alchemist? What is their beef and how did it start?

There is a clear “found family” trope, but again, the lack of character building and description made it unsatisfying.

The story just fell flat because there was no world building and no description. Hopefully if there’s a sequel (which it seems there has to be because lots of random info was introduced at the very end) it will be more engaging and descriptive so I can more clearly see the world I’m reading about.

So, 2 stars.

tl;dr - Really promising concept. No world building or character building, so story falls flat. Ender’s Game meets Pokemon Battles with a found family trope.

Thanks to NetGalley and Cedar Street Press for ARC.

16 year old Tilly has never quite fit in with the family that took her in after tragedy struck. After Tilly didn't follow one very important rule her mother was killed and Tilly has lived her life with that weight on her shoulders. Suddenly, on her 16th birthday, Tilly is swept into the magical realm from which she came from as a young girl, a world she cannot remember but a world to which she may be very important.

I felt like this book felt a bit like Harry Potter at sea. Tilly was taken in by rude relatives, she joined a boat crew but was one of the few not raised by magic, other boats targeted her while some "teachers" gave her special attention. Not only Harry Potter but I kept finding myself comparing it to other young adult books or shows throughout. Despite the comparisons though I felt it does stand up for itself and never feels identical so it did not work against my overall feelings on the book.

Pick this up if you like magical fantasy and obviously if you'd like a book that gives off Harry Potter vibes but in a more inclusive way.

Eleven years after her mother died, Tilly discovers that she is from an ancient magical family from another land. She is destined to join an adventure across seas where she builds friendships and develops her powers with the end goal of solving the secrets she carried.

Blood Moon Prophecy turned out to be a heartwarming adventure. I found the book a bit long, but ended up quite enjoying it, I especially enjoyed the world building, found family and magical aspects of the book.

#netgalleyARC

YA fantasy with a lot happening. Tilly Nyx's life changes drastically in one night and she finds that she is part of a world she barely remembers from 11 yrs ago when she was five. Tilly is forced on an adventure she ever imagined and learns more about a world she thought she was imagining as a child. Tilly has a map that her mother made her memorize as a child and that map is the key to finding out her Momma's secrets. There is a family-found and chosen one theme throughout this adventure. I had a hard time believing Tilly was 16 though as many of her thoughts/actions reminding me more a 12 yr old but I am totally invested in this series now and need to know where the adventure takes us next.

Great book! The description and first person reaction were something I enjoyed. I felt like the main character and was seeing the world for the first time!

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book.***

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

The magic system and world building were interesting in this novel. The fantasy world is kind of parallel to our world, and it was cool to see it through the eyes of the main character who is also experiencing it for the first time. I liked the descriptions of the city, the waterways, and the ship setting that gave it a very adventurous feel. That said, I was hooked at the start and then it dragged a little bit in the middle.

I enjoyed delving into this world, but I think the plot was overly complex. The ensemble cast of characters were endearing, but there were too many to get to know anyone very deeply. I almost think this could have been two books, with one focused on the magical training and battles, and another for the main mystery and conflict. Then we could have had more character, setting, and magic system development.

While I liked the world and the writing, and look forward to trying more from this author. The book had a lot of potential, it just didn’t fully live up to my expectations.

4/5 stars

So, I really liked this book... at first it was a little hard to get into but once things started rolling, I was invested in the story.

The world building through this book was done really really well. Most of the book takes place on the sea which for me I’m indifferent to but I know for some people that can be a hit or miss. With short chapters the book was fast paced and a lot happening, but I didn’t feel too lost with all the information. I will say the book gave me “Chosen One” vibe with Tilly being thrown into a world of magic and things she never knew existed. I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing for me. What was good for me was the “found family” trope, it always makes my heart warm.
The main character was hit and miss for me throughout the book, in the beginning she def got on my nerves but then her back story and her growth throughout the book grew on me and I wanted to know more for her and what happened in her past. I will definitely be continuing the series to see what happens.

I was getting Treasure Planet vibes….. #iykyk

With this being the first in the series I will say there was a lot of info dumping which I feel like we’ve come to expect in fantasy series because if not you have no baseline to work from.

If you’re into YA fantasy on the water, then def pick this book up!
Thank you Netgalley for giving me this digital ARC for an honest review!

At about 30% I lost interest; I think it was more of me than the actual book so I will be giving it another chance in the future.

Interesting plot with great found-family trope! The pacing was great and I loved the world-building. I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would’ve wanted to, but I overall enjoyed Tilly and her friends’ journey. 3 stars.

Blood Moon Prophecy follows sixteen-year-old Tilly Nyx as she learns of her past and a world she never knew. She comes to a world of magic; Tilly joins a fleet that helps her follow the secrets of a map her mother gave Tilly before she died. The closer Tilly gets to the truth, the more dangerous her journey becomes.
I got the Harry Potter vibes in here so this book was so refreshing.

Tilly is an interesting protagonist who had a very difficult life. Losing her mother at a young age, Tilly receives no support from her cold relatives, and she doesn’t feel like she belongs. I felt for Tilly. Her entire life is upended more than once in her young life, and she shows such courage in the face of so many dangerous obstacles.

The found family is one of the most fascinating thing in this story, and I like that Tilly finds her people. Because She had such a horrible childhood, she becomes part of a team, and she finds a sense of belonging. The character development and the plot was entertaining as well.

The story is action-packed and exciting, as Tilly learns to navigate a new, magical world, finds out more about her past and her connection to a mysterious prophecy, and trains with crew mates in magic, sailing, and more. There are a lot of twists and turns and surprising revelations for Tilly and her friends, and I enjoyed their journey.

I would definitely recommend Blood Moon Prophecy to readers who enjoy exciting YA fantasy stories.

Blood Moon Prophecy
by Dilani Kahawala
YA Fantasy
NetGalley ARC

Tilly Nyx doesn't remember what happened, but deep down she knows it was her fault that her mom died, her sister disappeared, and the village they were living in was destroyed.

Eleven years later she still waits for the man who promised to come and get her, and she still practices drawing the map as her mom instructed.

After being summoned to the police station, then the family she was living with demands the map, Tilly is thrust into a world she didn't know existed.


I couldn't help but think 'Harry Potter' meets 'Pokemon' while sailing the ocean. Not the worst idea, but it really needs a lot more descriptions. Everything: the setting, characters, sprites, and spells, were all flat. Hardly any descriptions at all! I saw 'Pokemon' because the sprites they created fought each other... (Yes, I have a 'Pokemon' kid.) And the descriptions of everything including the sprites were only five words, but should've been a minimum of five sentences so the reader could 'see' something.

The setting, the ships, and even the ocean seemed as if five words were enough to paint the story's picture.

This could've been a h**l of a lot better if time was taken creating it instead of the summary it read as. The author told this story more than showed it. I felt as if I was reading a high school textbook. Nothing; past, present, or history of this world was really explained to create the story. It was as if Tilly, the MC, was 'oh yeah, I'm not surprised anymore after a few chapters.'

As a final note, I really hope the formatting is gone through really carefully because the characters' dialogue runs together within the same paragraph throughout the book. Quotation marks alone do not separate the speakers from each other, paragraphs do, (but you still need the marks to designate it as 'speech'). It was hard to tell who was talking when there was a conversation going on. It read as if they were all talking at the same time. Very frustrating for the reader.

Like I said it's a good idea, but the descriptions and 'showing of the story' were poorly executed.

2 Stars

Was attracted to this book based on the cover and the overview

The characters were very descriptive and the plot and story line were easy to follow, but I just could not get into it and found my mind wandering at times.

Loved the magic and our Tilly, but for me, I guess I enjoy a little romance.

Overall I recommend. It is a good book, but don't expect any romance.

Thank you to Cedar Street Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for my honest opinion.

3.75🌟


90% of this book was really really good.

We follow Tilly Nyx, a poor girl growing up in a Cinderella style household after her mom died. Her "family" treats her like a servant and is altogether terrible. Until one day she gets attacked and whisked away to a different world where she is the key to solving an ancient prophecy.

I thought the characters were enchanting and likeable. The mixtures of new world and our world through fashion and food was interesting. The places where I think it feel off a bit and took me out of the story was the main characters tantrums about learning to control her powers, and the long chapters that revolved around ship life and being a cadet. I know that was there to add something extra (think the Quidditch chapters in Harry Potter) but I found them a little boring. And her attitude at people just trying to help her was very...off putting. I get being frustrated but she goes from barely knowing anything to thinking she knows best. I know it is kind of realistic for a teenager...but that didn't make it any more enjoyable to read.

Overall I think it is a very interesting universe the author has built and I would suggest it. I also will be reading the rest of the series.

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story.

Fast-paced is an understatement in this rich fantasy, where magic, mystery, and adventure abound.

Tilly is treated like a servant in her second-cousin-or-whatnot's home, but after being dumped in Central Park at five-years-old, she should just be happy he took her in. Her memory of her past is sketchy, at best, but she knows to meet a man at the park on a certain day when she's sixteen. Instead of showing up for the meeting, the police escort her to find him dead. When she arrives back to her current home, everyone is pressing her to give them a map, one she promised her mother she would hide, but chaos soon breaks out, the world changes completely. Suddenly, people are fighting with magic, horrible creatures want her dead, and there's an entire world she never knew existed, but she has to enter to stay alive. Escaping on a ship to help a commander find the only tool left to stop evil from taking over everything, she finds herself caught up in the middle of saving worlds and, finally, discovering the secret behind her past.

Beginning with a very grabbing, intense scene, this book shoots off and doesn't stop for a single, tiny breath the entire way through...and at around 460 pages, that's a long, intense ride. And it's well done. The writing sits, close and tight, making every moment and word count. This isn't only in the action, however. The world building is also rich, extremely imaginative, and...well, very original in so many ways. The author leads the reader into an elaborate world, where sprites enable magic to be wielded, and there is always more to discover than meets the eye. The South-Asian flair comes through with grace, making this a world to enjoy.

Family and friendship are key in these pages, and without it, the heroine wouldn't have a chance. There's a lovely bonding of a hodge-podge family as Tilly meets friends, and they are forced to stretch all of their capabilities in order to achieve their goal. It is wholesome and heartening in a way, which makes readers wish they could jump right in...except for the very dangerous parts, of course.

There are quite a few characters and subplots, which work out well and promise much to come in the upcoming books...and if they pack just as much, this will be quite the series. While the action and world building definitely had me, I was a little distracted by the similarities to the entire Percy Jackson/Harry Potter trope and wasn't sure why the entire adventure suddenly had to become a type of school on the ship. While this is for the young adult audience, there were quite a few times where it felt more like an upper middle grade read with a little lack on character and background depth. Still, it was well written and definitely draws in. There is so much happening and so much still to explore, and I am excited to see where Tilly and her band go next.

After an intense chase scene early on in the book, we follow the FMC Tilly as she is rescued from an old enemy and taken to a hidden world she only remembers through bits and pieces of memory. There, she's taken in as a cadet on a semi-futuristic navy ship and learns how to wield her newly discovered magical powers while trying to decipher clues about her past.

There were a few things, in particular, about this book that made a lasting impression. First, the author wrote great action scenes, especially the battles between elemental sprites. Though these battles reminded me a bit of fighting Pokémon, I really enjoyed visualizing how the different sprites interacted.

Second, I loved the ragtag band-of-brothers dynamic between Tilly and her teammates. The author did a great job capturing the banter among the young cadets, and Nav's lamenting over being on Team Krill had me chuckling. 🦐

Lastly, it would be a crime not to mention Ma Gita's character and the descriptions of all the food she cooks! By the time I was done reading this, I had a strong craving for rose chai and pakoras. 🤤

If I had to nitpick one thing, I'd say that I wished there was more reference to the specifics of the blood moon prophecy throughout the book, rather than saving it all for the end. The bright side is that it made for a hell of an ending, complete with an epic battle as Tilly takes on the enemy that has been hunting her since the beginning.

I'd say my true star rating is a 3.75, but I'm rounding it up to 4 for the series' potential. I'm hoping for a next book and more Team Krill!

Thank you for the ARC! This review will be cross-posted on Goodreads and Instagram.

I picked up this book on a day where I wasn’t sure what to read next. I decided to try the first chapter of Blood Moon Prophecy just to see if it caught my attention. It most certainly did. The unique world and magic system sucked me in and didn’t let go. It’s been a while since a YA fantasy kept my attention the way this one did. I loved the found family element. Tilly surrounds herself with a rag tag yet super loyal bunch of friends/mentors.The school-like environment was similar to other popular fantasies but it was original enough to stand on its own since it took place at sea. Another aspect I really appreciated was that there was no romance. Don’t get me wrong…I love a good romance but its refreshing to see that a YA fantasy can tell a truly compelling story without relying on a romance or love triangle. I feel like there is still so much to discover about Tilly, her magic, and this world. I need to buy my own physical copy so I can admire it on my shelves. I will be patiently (or impatiently) awaiting a sequel.

Blood Moon Prophecy follows sixteen-year-old Tilly who has been living a Cinderella-like existence with family members in New York City, since her mother died when she was five. Tilly is transported to the land of her birth, is rapidly immersed in a magical world she only dimly remembers, and learns of a prophecy in which she is central. She becomes a cadet in a fleet of sailing ships on a dangerous quest to confront the monster who killed her mother.
The story is fast-paced and full of high-seas adventure with a fascinating and creative magic system. The characters are varied and interesting; they are so numerous that a character index would have been helpful. I really liked the group of young cadets, all with their own strengths and challenges, that Tilly befriends. Blood Moon Prophecy is reminiscent of Harry Potter, although the story and setting are very different. The reader does not receive all the answers in this book, but this feels like it's going to be a series, so please, bring on the sequel.
Recommended for readers who like action-packed adventure, imaginative YA fantasy, found family, maps, magic and mouth-watering descriptions of food.
Thank you to Books Forward PR and the author for a copy to review. @BooksForwardPR #BooksForwardPR #BFF