Real Rating: 3.75* of five, rounded up for lots of promise

Young-adult fantasy with cosmic horror overtones isn't my go-to genre reading. This debut novel got in under my radar because I liked the cover and the storytelling voice lulled my concerns about the subject matter.

Because most of the story is told in short chapters heavy on description, I wasn't asked to "listen" to a chosen-one teenaged girl. That was a huge plus to me. I still came away from the read wanting to swat this bratty child for being so completely and unwarrantedly willing to be guided only by her own thoughts and feelings. She never consulted anyone with more information than she possessed, she never changed her mind until her stubborn skull got thumped and hard...she is, in short, a typical smart teen. That made me nutso!

The reason I finished the read was that I liked the found-family aspect, I found the author's descriptions and world-building were very well done, and the cover art. Oh my heck. I am such a fool for a gorgeous cover. This one really fits the story being told...you'll see why. So much of the story's action is sea-borne that I mention it as a possible deal-maker or -breaker, depending on whom the read is destined for; the ships aren't, for once, the relation- type but the wooden type. The author's grasp of sailing is probably superficial but, as mine is too, I found nothing eye-rolling in her depiction of life aboard them. The sailing themes served as handy reasons to bring characters together but only briefly...as that is a deeply rooted feature of chosen-one quests, that worked very well.

Mei, James, and Nav, Tilly's scooby-group, are all standard characters. The vibe one gets from the read is very much Harry Potter and those Mortal Instruments books; the side characters, though very much side characters, are more than furnishings for the heroine's story. That dubious honor goes to the immense cast of secondary characters, seemingly dozens of them, all serving one and only one purpose. These are features of YA fantasy stories, I hasten to add, not bugs. The author is quite clear about her purpose for each one of the secondary characters. When the occasional one pops back up in a later chapter I felt quite surprised.

If you're looking for something to please your classical-magic loving tween/early-teen niece/cousin/grandchild, this introductory volume in what I expect to be a successful series will earn you early-adopter points. This is an author to watch...her journey, beginning here, can go to much greater heights.

I really do like YA novels, sadly this book reads more like a children's book and not a good one.

It starts off with a scene which could be used as an opening for an episode of Supernatural (and I'm not talking about anywhere before s12) or Grimm, and this scene sets of feeling of cliche which will follow you all the way through the book, which feels like a cheap Harry Potter knock-off with some radical changes made to it.

What saddens me the most is the fact that there's rarely any build up or any logic behind everything that's happening. Things just happen and you have to go with it. Tilly is being taken into another world and then she gets introduced to the fleet admiral who immideately steals several ships from the fleed to go chasing a legend just after spending less than a minute with her. We get to discover that one character has in fact a notorious personality behind him, but we've only heard about this personality once or didn't hear at all. One of characters turns out to be a traitor, but once again nothing was building up to it and it just seems sudden and abrupt, so you simply shrug it off. The ending fits this whole profile of "it just happened" so there's not much to love there.

The author is obsessed with foods, it feels like there are waay to many food names and descriptions and while you can tell that she was going for something cute there, like the feeling you get from watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, it actually turns into a creepy obsession midway and you can't help but keep wondering why was so much food needed there.

There's little to none in terms of setting the scene: the descriptions are rare and far between, as well as erratic. We get to know about one wooden panel and its smell and that's basically it.

Characters seem flat and uninspired. By the end of the book author's milking of "poor orphan girl who misses her mother" became really tiresome.

All in all: a nice book idea which could have had the potential, but the realisation fell short.

Blood Moon Prophecy was recommended to me based on my never ending love of The Descent of the Drowned, and while they're not that similar, I still loved this one too.

It was crazy fast paced, I haven't read a book that moves that fast in ages. AND, the chapters are short which I always prefer so it was much easier to read.

I had some personal issues that prevented me from finishing it all the way back in mid September, but trust me, were it not for those issues, this book would've been binged in one go.

At first I wasn't sure where the story was going, but as it picked up the pace it became a lot more interesting and unlike anything I've read before. I especially love the old language, the little clues AND THE FOOD! GIVE ME ALL THE FOOD RIGHT NOW. NOW I SAY.

The characters are a perfect example of the well-done found family trope. They don't all immediately get along, but by the end of the book they're a team, a family, they'd do anything to save each other and it's beautiful.

Then we have a creative magic system which I can't wait to learn more about. IT'S SO GOOD! If I say it's kind of like casting charms, but cooler, I wouldn't be doing it justice so you'll just have to read it.

I wish we got a tiiiiiny bit more answers, but I'm also fine with waiting until the next book to get them. Can't rush perfection now can we?

Speaking of the next book, I'd like it N O W, please and thank you.

4.5

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

It's time to dive into a new fantasy series! Blood Moon Prophecy is the first novel in Dilani Kahawala's Legend of the Nyx series. Also, can I just say that I love this cover? It reminds me of another fantasy series, though I can't quite place my fingers on it.

We all do stupid things when we're young. However, sometimes those stupid things come with a heavier price. For example, Tilly's mistake cost her more than usual – her mother was killed, her village destroyed, and her sister disappeared. Oh, and don't forget the ancient horror. Not exactly a fun day to be had.

Now, at sixteen, Tilly is finally trying to take ownership of her life – and her past. She will do everything in her power to understand who she is and what role she has to play in this world.

It feels like a minute since I got to dive into a young adult fantasy series with a darker setting. Realistically, I know it hasn't been all that long, but it sure feels that way. So I was excited/relieved to pick up Blood Moon Prophecy and get reading.

If you're a fan of fantasy novels involving lots of action, this is probably the read for you. It's fast-paced, with short chapters and plenty of new (dangerous) twists. It's plenty to keep the average reader invested.

I'm going to give Blood Moon Prophecy bonus points for two things. First – the found family trope. I'm a sucker for this, so I know my rating is probably slightly influenced by this fact. Seeing Tilly finally find a place to belong and people to call her own was an absolute delight.

I'm also giving bonus points for the magical world, which was fascinating to read about. Something about this world was easy for me to visualize. I don't even feel like I need to beg for a movie or TV adaptation – it already played out in my head.

“Wherever you are, Mama. I hope you can hear me. I’m going. I’m going to figure out our secret.”

Tilly Nyx made a deadly mistake eleven years ago that cost her everything she’s ever loved. Because of that mistake, she was forced to relocate to New York City, but a mysterious stranger told her that in eleven years, he would come back for her. All that she brought with her to this new life was an ancient map that she was tasked with keeping safe by her mother. Now sixteen, her life takes a drastic change when she is thrown into a mystical ocean-filled world and finds herself at the center of an ancient prophecy called the “Blood Moon Prophecy.” In this world, she is introduced to sprites (a kind of magic in this world), a thriving sailing culture, and a kingdom filled with ancient grudges dividing the people amongst themselves. Not only must Tilly learn the trade of this world, but she must solve the Blood Moon Prophecy before time runs out. But, Tilly will come to find the prophecy will reveal secrets of Tilly’s lineage that are perhaps best-kept secret.

Blood Moon Prophecy was a breath of fresh air (or salty sea air) amongst the “Chosen One” trope, common in YA literature. Although this novel had many elements that reminded me of other YA novels of the same trope, Blood Moon Prophecy does a magnificent job distinguishing itself from the trope. It developed its own unique world, magic systems, and societal structure that aren’t based on cliches. One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its diverse set of characters. All the characters introduced had distinctive characteristics, abilities, and even quirks that made them stand out. Another thing I loved about this novel was the powerful friendship developed between Tilly and her team. Their interactions felt so natural and it was nice to see these characters interact with each other – their actions not entirely based on Tilly’s. And I loved the setting of this world. It made me reminiscent of the Sinbad of the Seven Seas tales, as I found it unique that the entirety of the plot took place on the sea. And finally, the sprites that the characters use to perform magic were described in a way that made it visually pleasing to imagine.

The one critique I have about this novel, due to its incredibly detailed nature, was that it sometimes felt as though it threw too much information at the reader at once. There were times when I would lose track of the plot due to me trying to retain all the new information regarding certain characters’ backgrounds, the laws/customs of this society, and even the abilities of the different sprites. However, I believe this overload does not diminish the value of the book because it puts us precisely in the same position as the main character Tilly. Tilly is expected to understand the goings on of this world despite not having been a part of it for eleven years, so it makes sense that readers feel overwhelmed just like the main character. This creates a shared experience which I believe helps readers develop an even more personal connection with the book.

Overall, I found Blood Moon Prophecy an extraordinary read. It is filled with thrills, hardships, friendships, and of course magic. If you are a fan of the Percy Jackson Series or the Harry Potter Series, I would highly recommend giving this book a read!

Blood Moon Prophecy: The Legend of the Nyx releases on October 11th, 2022.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

2.5/5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the world building and learning about the magic system! However, I felt like the pacing was way too fast, at least in the first half. It felt like the author prioritized information and events over character building and getting the readers to care about each character.

At some points, I had to push myself to trust the process and continue reading. I do think that the writing and story improved in the second half of the book. I also believe this is the author's first book, so I have no doubt that they will continue to grow as a writer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cedar Street Press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts

3.5/5
Thanks to Cedar Street Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

Tilly Nyx is a 16 year old in NYC with memories of her mother, sister and she living a very different life until her mother and sister were murdered. She was brought to NYC by the mysterious Time Keeper and placed with a family who kept her essentially living in poverty. All she possessed was a map that her mother insisted she not tell anyone about. Then the Time Keeper is killed and everyone Tilly thought she knew turns against her and she is plunged into a different world full of magic, prophecy and a dangerous opponent focused on finding her.

This story is full of many of the themes I so enjoy in fantasy stories; unknown abilities, found family, magical training and an implacable foe. The world building is well done and I liked that most of the story takes place on the ocean with a large fleet of ships, some with unique magical features. The magic system of casting sprites of different kinds to complete different tasks, like lighting a room or compete in battles against other sprites was fun to read. There was a lot of action and the story moved at a fairly brisk pace as well, and unfortunately at times this also worked against the story. So much was going on with war games, searching for answers and training that it took away from getting to know and get attached to the characters. It just never felt like we got much depth with the characters as there was so much to absorb that they felt a bit flat. Overall, the story kept my interest and there are many positives to this debut and I will certainly look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

* Thanks to Cedar Street Press and Netgalley for an advance copy for review purposes *

Tillly Nyx lives a pretty unremarkable life along her unpleasant relatives, until she discovers her role in stopping a terrifying evil that was involved in the death of her mother. The world this book is set in is fascinating - mostly water, with people living and working on ships, and an elemental magic based system that makes a lot of sense. However, the story is a little too similar to Harry Potter and I am not entirely sure who the target audience for this book is. The first 60-70% of the book seems to be aimed towards a very young audience (think Philosopher's Stone), and the last section gets significantly darker (the climax of the Goblet of Fire). I also did not connect much with the characters, Tilly is a blank slate, with zero growth, Mei is Hermione,

This is about a young girl named Tilly discovering a secret that's been kept from her since she was a child. It was hidden to protect her. As the story unfolds there is a lot of magic, action and adventure. It is well written, has good world building
and enjoyable characters.

Thank you BooksForward for this ARC.

***ARC received from Cedar Street Press and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Blood Moon Prophecy follows the story of Tilly, a young girl who has her entire world turned upside down when old evils come back to haunt. This book has a lot going for it a more classical magic system, a world that is mostly water based and a prophecy wrapped in a riddle of an ancient nearly dead language and yet Blood Moon Prophecy just didn’t fully deliver for me even with all its positive points.

Tilly is your typical chosen one hero and for the most part she was an okay heroine. She’s a bit of a brat at times, disregards the wisdom of others due to her own arrogance that inevitably backfires on her and seems to have free run to do whatever she wants that is typical of a chosen one in a YA book. But she is a good friend who is quick to learn from her mistakes and at least tries to do better so while there were times that I didn’t always like her I could at least understand her and in the end Tilly was fine for a heroine. I just wish we knew what she looked like, I cannot recall much of the book where it describes her physical appearance other than her knees. Mei, Nav and James make up the rest of Tilly’s crew and while they are side character stereotype I did like them a lot. James is a bit standoffish at the beginning, Mei a little distant but they all come around to being a strong group that cares for each other.

There are other characters that kind of get lost in the jumble of characters because wow, this book has a lot of characters. Some stick around, others pop in and out every few chapters and some seem to be mentioned and never spoken of again. Its a bunch of ships which means that there will be a lot of background characters but they don’t all need an introduction, its just too many names to remember only for them to not show back up again.

The writing is fine, the magic system feels more classical with sprites and potions that the characters use along with characters favoring elemental based magic. Also who can wield the magic is broken up while one group favors land and air, the other water and fire is interesting. I do wish it had gone a little more in depth into the system, maybe not make Tilly the only fire magic user she doesn’t need to be that unique. I did love how the two worlds were interconnected and influenced each other.

The book starts out really strong, the first chapter is really good there are some good tense moments in there. Unfortunately after that for a good section things slowly fall apart before the book sticks the landing. There is just too much happening too fast right at the beginning that doesn’t make much sense to me. The book gets lost until the maybe the 30% mark trying to fit way to much into the story that doesn’t work and wasn’t needed. That was one of the other issues in the middle of the book, it has so much stuff happening the actual plot seems to take a back seat and I slowly began to lose interest. Thankfully it does pull itself back together before the big climax I just wish it had allowed more time to focus on that as it feels like the book rushes into the final moment that was good but still felt a little compressed since it didn’t allow itself the time needed to fully go over everything.

In the end this is a good debut novel that sets itself up for a sequel which I would be back to read, I am interested in seeing how the rest of Tilly’s story turns out.

2 stars, zero spoiler review.

I was expecting YA but I don't think I was expecting fanfiction quality YA.

The writing is very much fast paced - faster than the speed of light at times. Sort of like an 'and then, and then, and then' situation where you can't even grasp who's doing what or what's even happening without rereading 2 or 3 times to parse out the action. Almost the whole book reads like that.

The plot is a bit tried, but that's ok. Don't fix what ain't broke and all that. But the magic system was a pleasant surprise, probably the best thing to come out of the book!

My Summary: Tilly was orphaned at 5 years old after she broke one of her mothers rules resulting in her mother's death. The circumstances surrounding the death were shrouded in mystery. She was sent to live with a distant relative by a mysterious figure known only to Tilly as the Time Keeper and he promised that he would come back for her in exactly 11 years. Well, he's five days late and strange things are beginning to happen around Tilly, culminating in the arrival of people who reveal to Tilly that she's part of a magical lineage and that she needs to untangle a web of clues left by her mother in order to fulfill the Blood Moon Prophecy. Will Tilly be able to master her newly discovered magical heritage in time to prevent a terrible monster from destroying more of Tilly's world than it already has?

My Review: I loved the magical world established in this novel. It was unlike anything I've read before, which, given my penchant for reading high fantasy novels is saying something! The magic in this universe is created by casting sprites allied to one of the four elements: water, air, earth, fire. The resulting sprites are then these visible animals/creatures that are slightly smoky around the edges and can protect you or fight the sprites of others in battle.. If you manage to defeat your opponent and they don't retract their sprite, you can snatch a small amount of their power and capture it for your own, lending this sense of urgency to any battle you enter into. I also loved the overall story and cannot wait to find out what happens next to Tilly and whether she is able to finally find some more of the answers from the clues left behind by her mother about her family's story. That said, and I'm not sure if this is an artifact of having read an advanced copy that had not yet received its final copy editing, there were a number of instances that I had a lot of difficult following who was speaking because in the same paragraph, you would have multiple sentences and ideas spoken by more than one character that were immediately next to one another with no indication of the voice. I also did not love the beginning of the book, when Tilly finds out that she is magical and the family she is living with goes straight to attacking her with magic without giving enough backstory as to why these people, who have sheltered Tilly for the past eleven years - albeit treating her like a Cinderella - would suddenly hate her so much as to try to cause her physical harm or death so suddenly. A little more backstory would have improved that section of the book. Especially given that their son continues throughout the rest of the book as an antagonist - so I would have loved to understand more of the dynamics of that relationship, especially as it comes out of the gates so vitriolic.

Overall: I liked the story and would absolutely read more - it is a powerful first novel by the author. I do think that some of the writing demonstrates at times that this is a first novel as it got much more cohesive and easier to follow as the book progressed, suggesting that this author will only continue to get better as we follow Tilly through the rest of her adventures.

I volunteered to read and review this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Cedar Street Press and NetGalley for the DRC.

#NetGally #YA #MagicalWorld #BloodMoonProphecy #Mystery #Fantasy #2022 #DRC

Blood Moon Prophecy is a debut novel for author Dilani Kahawala. This is a two star novel for me.

I somewhat enjoyed the plot and the short chapters, there were parts that reminded me of multiple popular YA series. I did not connect with the characters at all and found the main character, Tilly, irritating. At times, there were too many characters that just confused me.

I do recommend this to people who enjoy more descriptive and fast-paced novels, it just wasn't for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to review this arc.

Tilly is a young woman who has suffered so much for being only 16 years old. She watched her mother die, was taken from her home and given to a family that treats her like a servant. Until one day, she is rescued by a man and woman who will become her friends and teachers. She finds herself back in her home "world" with magic and where life happens on board a ship. Tilly is recruited as a first year cadet on board a ship whose purpose is to uncover Tilly's past, because that past might help save the world from an evil entity.

If this plot sounds familiar to you, then it did to me too. This is a different take on Harry Potter. There is magic, children in school, and even different ships competing against each other. The magic system in this book is unique and slightly confusing, but I kind of like how it works. The names of people and places in this are sometimes difficult to remember because they are foreign names to me. But I really liked the characters, especially in her close friend group.

I definitely will recommend this book to anyone who reads fantasy and especially loves Harry Potter. I cannot wait for the next book.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and thought this was a fun YA Fantasy.

Blood Moon Prophecy follows Tilly when she learns she is half-Obsidian, a race that isn’t well received in this magical world that she’s now a part of. After encountering a dangerous being from her past she finds herself at the center of being able to save this magical world.

Dilani creates a fun elemental magic system full of sprites and a world of magical islands with a ship centered society. The characters are fun and the plot is interesting with each character bringing something to the table.

At times the story felt rushed or unclear which left a chaotic feel to the characters and plot. A lot of things were left unclear about where characters went or who they were and I’m not sure if that was intentional. The ending definitely gave the opportunity to turn this into a series.

I like this book. In the introduction it's told that the book is perfect for fans of "The Mortal Instruments" and "Percy Jackson", which intrigued me enough to pick the book up.

*It's getting a bit spoilery from here*

I can see the comparison to "The Mortal Instruments" with the whole mother hiding stuff from the main lead Tilly (and the whole memory wiping thing). There's also something in Kahawala's writing style that reminds me of Cassandra Clare's. It gives me YA in the 2010s vibes, where the main lead never has a healthy relationship with their parents and are forced to bear the heavy burden of being the chosen one.

I can also see the comparison to "Percy Jackson", when it comes to the found family/friendship along the way trope. And the banter between the friends is everything.

Another fandom I would compare this book to is Harry Potter. Why, you may ask? Well, for starters there's the chosen one trope. Then there's the great evil trying to get the main lead,

I have nothing against these tropes or the YA vibes. If anything a part of me loves the nostalgia I feel, when reading this book.

All in all, it's a nice book.

A thing that may be a lil warning to others out there is that this book is action packed, fast paced, and with a lot - but small - chapters. For me this is understandable as the book is targeting a younger audience, but keep this in mind as many find it troublesome to keep up with.

My thanks to Netgalley and Cedar Street Press for this ARC. This review contains my honest thoughts on this book.

I adored this book. I loved the main character Tilly and her sweet friend group. The magic was fun and different, the at-sea setting was unusual, and I adored the connections discovered in the end. So many things were explained in the end that I did not see coming. I will say that the final scenes regarding the maze were a bit hard to picture at points, but I don't know that this took anything away. A good fantasy story for sure!

Tilly Nyx begins this journey a mere orphan, abandoned and miserable. As she explores a wildly imaginative world, she finds new friends, new rules, and new magical powers - but will she uncover the intricacies of the Blood Moon Prophecy? You are meant to feel for Tilly, the orphan girl who is more than she seems. There is definitely a Harry Potter vibe and I'm sure many of the younger readers will enjoy this adventure.

First I’d like to say, Thank You for access to this ARC!
Blood Moon Prophecy is a ya fantasy that follows Tilly Nyx and her friends as she discovers the world her mom hid her from. A supernatural world full of ships and aquatic creatures; magic sprites and flying transportation.
I have been craving a fantasy read for a while and this did exactly what I needed it too. I enjoyed watching Tilly experience a new world and come out of her shell. You watch her grow into the woman she was always meant to be and come into the power she has always doubted.
While I did enjoy the story line, the pace was at times chaotic and hard to keep up with. Fantasy books are usually difficult to follow because you are literally discovering a whole new world. This one at times explained too much and yet not enough all at the same time. I still have no idea what Tilly looks like. One of the only descriptors you get is her “knobby knees” and “dark hair”.
Besides this, I was still able to become fully immersed in the world and enjoy the story!

Blood Moon Prophecy follows Tilly Nyz, a teenager trying to unravel her memories of her childhood and the secrets that her mother held. There’s ships and magic and lots of secrets.

The book was action packed and engaging. It has a really strong opening chapter. But that just made it all the more disappointing when it became clear just how derivative the plot was. The storyline is very reminiscent of the Harry Potter books, making the whole book just feel a bit tired and overdone. Additionally the world building was a bit confusing.

Overall, the book was alright but it’s not something I’d see myself rereading and I’m not sure that I’ll be interested enough to pick up the next book at whatever point it is released.