I was lucky enough to read the Arc for Blood Moon Prophecy by Dilani Kahawala through Net galley. This being my very first arc review I am thrilled. I wasn’t sure what to expect, then this book hit me right in the Nostalgia. The plotline is reminiscent of Harry potter and the Mortal instrument series, not in a bad way. The author has her inspirations, and you can see those inspirations through the plot, and writing style. So this would be a great read for anyone who has enjoyed those series and you’re looking for something similar.

First things first the plot. Kahawala did great with her plot points and ensuring there was enough mystery and intrigue throughout the stories while still giving us some revelations before the grand finale at the end of the book. The writing style reminds of Cassandra Claire and J.K. Rowling while still having her own flare. Tilly our main character was believable as she makes her way through her own angry teenager journey. This book plays into the found family trope, and there is little to no romance with the characters focused on other things.

This book shows great character development as the characters develop throughout their adventure together. Creating a found family/a team. This was great to watch them grow together, and confront who they each are, their abilities, and their weaknesses. This was a great read, and I highly recommend. I'm looking forward to the next book.



Rating: 4 Stars!

3.5 stars
While I enjoyed this book overall, I feel like I didn´t connect with it the way I expected to. THe world-building is intriguing, the characters are nice to like and it is perfectly paced. The ending was pretty big and made room for a highly anticipated sequel. I just didn´t feel things as strongly for the characters, at least not in the way I´m used to. Nonetheless, it is a very enjoyable read, with lots of action and twists. The strong relationships also stood out for me, they were very nice to read about. My thanks to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC
'Blood Moon Prophecy' was an elaborate and gripping debut by Dilani Kahawala. Only, it left me unsatisfied.

The novel follows Tilly Nyx as she navigates the world after her mother's death. With disjointed memories from her youth and a mysterious map, she mourns a life she can't remember. Yet someone is trying to kill her. Tilly is forced to confront a world of oceans, ships, and magic, to follow her map and unravel the tangle of secrets attached to her past.

From the first chapter, Kahawala brilliantly captures the reader in a tense action sequence, exposing the gruesome horrors that are after our protagonist. But most of the novel operates at this high intensity, taking away from the climax. I found this disappointing as a reader; nothing quite beats the 'ultimate battle' at the end of a fantasy novel.

'Blood Moon Prophecy' boasts the largest number of periphery characters I have encountered. Although this aids world development, I lost track of the characters, devastatingly taking away from the most impactful reveals. In a novel filled with mystery and the promise of a satisfying resolve, I couldn't enjoy the detail Kahawala had so skilfully implemented because the world was too populated.

Although some elements didn't deliver the comprehensive fantasy I was looking for, Kahawala delivered a fitting coming-of-age story composed of detailed world-building and the touching sentiment of family, both inherited and made.

From the first chapter of this book I knew it was going to be quite the story with a lot of twists and turns. Through the eyes of Tilly the MC there is so much she and therefore we do not know. But slowly things get revealed one by one was fantastic. Things I assumed about characters were NOT at all what ended up happening and I loved being surprised because the author does such a good job at turning your attention elsewhere.

Also, I love the setting of an island world and its maritime ways. The vast naval community that is built between ships was just so interesting. And all of the food described in this book make me super hungry with how it is described and how vast the array of meals is.

Every character brings something to the story in one way or another even the ones that are made to be distrusted.

The ending is, of course, a cliffhanger, but still ends in a way that if you didn't pick up the next book you could be satisfied with the end in general.

Great book im so glad that you wrote this i love fantasy and your an amazing writer and the book is amazing keep writing more like this.

Definitely the kind of YA nostalgia that you feel when reading things like Divergent, Harry Potter or any of your other favs from the wave of YA dystopia that overtook us in the mid 2000s. Easy plot to follow, with characters young adults will be able to relate to and enjoy journeying with.

Blood Moon Prophecy is set to be published on October 11, 2022. Thank you to Cedar Street Press, NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

I was really looking forward to reading this book but I had lots of trouble focusing on the plot. The beginning felt very slow and boring and I couldn’t feel any bond to Tilly whatsoever. While there is a lot of action happening and it’s somewhat fast-paced, I just didn’t feel any connection to the book.
I can see how this book could be interesting to others but it wasn’t for me.

Please help the book be made available at Aldiko app. I m facing issues with downloading otherwise. Thank you.

This novel is a fast-paced YA fantasy in a water world. The action never relents, and from the first moment, 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.
Personally, the pathos was a little too heavy, and the plot too much of what I already know. But if you were a fan of "The Golden Compass" or more recently "Wicked As You Wish" and "Monsters Born and Made", this is a novel for you and you should leap on it

I was excited for this story but right from the beginning I was struggling to remain engaged. The intro felt really cliche and I didn’t connect with Tilly at all. Everything taking place felt derivative of some other story. The idea is a cool one but the flow of the book couldn’t keep me interested. I’d still recommend others check it out but it wasn’t for me.

I love this book. I started this book and I had to finish it within the day. I could not put it down. This novel makes me want to read more from this author. I did not find any issues with formatting or grammar. This quickly became one of my go-to books for a good read. I plan to buy a hard copy once this is released for sale. Once I buy a hard copy I plan to review this book on my Instagram (@bookbaddies4life).

Please keep this author on your payroll. I see this book and others going very far.

This book didn't end up being for me. It does have a lot of action and the chapters are very short, which usually makes me feel like the pacing is quick. I think it was just that the plot felt reminiscent of a certain boy who lived in parts and the main character wasn't my favorite. I found her kind of pathetic at the beginning and then she became full of herself and bratty. Can we get a balance between those please?

I can see how it would be easy to fall in and be interested in the mystery and the new water-based world and I hope others enjoy this more than I did.

I really loved this book, the world the author created was amazing and the characters were so much fun to get to know. I'm not sure I could truly imagine how huge the Kaluza must have been, or any of the ships. I look forward to book two.

Rating: 3.5/5

Tilly Nyx was dropped off in New York eleven years ago, after the death of her mother, by somebody referred to as the Time Keeper with the promise he would return. However, before he could reach Tilly he was killed. Now, our heroine has to figure out a new fantastical world, and save it, with friends she made along the way.

I absolutely loved the banter between characters in this book, especially the comments made by Nav. I feel like this is a unique fantasy world that is majority made of water and the use of sprites for magic. The reason this was not a true 4 star read was nothing surprising happened. There were no truly shocking twists. I feel like this book would make a great comfort read for someone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great and exciting fantasy novel. The plot was gripping and interesting.

Connected easily with the characters and I believe the writing flowed well. I wouldn't say it is an all time favorite, but worth a read.

I was given the opportunity by the Author and NetGalley Shelf to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 Stars for this one.

2022 has been a very slow year for me in the reading department - can't say anything better about the writing one either.

This book was unique in its own way with 3D characters that one instantly wanted to befriend (or throw off a cliff) if they were actual people in real life.
I did see some similarities of The Mortal Instruments in this one, which was promised to me when I received the email (which was a nice surprise as it was random and not a book that I requested. #Honoured)

The writing style was good, the chapters were micro-burst so I could get through them quite easily without the story dragging. Dialog was minimum, descriptions of settings, characters and scenes amazingly developed and appealing in a way that had me sitting in my uncomfortable desk chair until daunting hours of the morning. Only reason why I didn't finish it earlier is because I was busy reviewing several other books privately...

I highly recommend this book and would love to continue (and possess) the series.
And I mean COME ON! LOOK AT THE COVER! That alone is worth 5 Stars!

"Eleven years ago, Tilly Nyx did something she wasn’t supposed to. As a result, her mother was killed. Her village was destroyed. Her sister disappeared. And an ancient horror sent her into hiding.
Now sixteen years old, Tilly is determined to go home, even though she doesn’t know where home is or how to get there. All she has is the map that her mother made her swear to protect with her life."

Have to agree with others who said about the Harry Potter vibes which to me is a great thing! Will be recommending this to fans of ya reads like Harry Potter / percy Jackson but also fans of other YA books as I think this has something for everyone

Thank you to Dilani Kahawala, Cedar Street Press, and Net Galley for my copy of this E-Arc in exchange for my review.

The story building in this book is quite spectacular, with a complex system of characters and powers, which reminded me a bit of Harry Potter. However there were times when this did lead to some confusion on my part, and I had to really pay attention to small details throughout the book, or I would have to go back and look to see what I had missed.

Some of the scenes felt rushed and I wish they would have been fleshed out a bit more. I also did not find the MC Tilly that enjoyable or tolerable.

Overall though I will continue to read this series and look forward to seeing where the story goes. This book I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of YA fantasy.

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?

Overall, I think this was a fun, if young, read. There were some stark similarities to a certain YA wizard story, but the novel did have its own voice and ambience. I liked the mysterious tone, the way that the author unraveled information, but it did move slow in some parts. Overall, there is a wide world to explore with this setting and I would love to see where the author takes it. Just based on this novel alone, there is a great deal of opportunity for storytelling. Looking forward to others by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Cedar Street Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.