The book cover is beautiful and the story grabs you but I stupidly didn't realize it was book #2 in the series when I requested it so I felt lost also, lol.

✨Medieval Murder Mystery✨

This duology is so interesting and intense:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧I received an audiobook ARC of BOOK TWO: SILENCE & SHADOW from NetGalley and I’m so glad that I did. The narration is perfect and the tone of the series is intense. Normally murder mystery isn’t my thing but author Erin Beaty throws in a medieval setting, a slow burn romance, and forbidden magic. All without vulgarity and spice, I’m definitely into it! Highly recommend this great duology.

Author: Erin Beaty
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Audio: Macmillan Audio

🔔Content notes: mild language, fantasy/real world violence, murd** and death discussed and described, high levels of gore, romance present, age 14+

This was such a fantastic read! I loved the first one, and I loved watching things go down in this one, as they deal with another serial killer, as she learns more about her magic, and has to deal with the threat of erasing Simon's memories, there was a lot going on and I loved it!

Cat only learned about her abilities recently. So living in the Sealanae quarter, taking classes, immersing herself in the culture, she learns a lot. Which she's going to need for this latest case, which kept getting bigger and bigger. The supporting characters were so great, from acting suspicious, to helping with the case, to being connected in unforeseen ways, it all worked together so well!

Besides the magic and the mystery, there was also her and Simon's relationship. Before, he was in the position of power but here, its the opposite, and he's having trouble finding his place. What with the threats against them, and the building pressures, I loved seeing how things developed between them!

If we get more of this series, I will absolutely read it, I love this world and the magic and these characters and watching them investigate. Things were left off in a place where this could be the end, things are settled, but I would love to spend more time with them!

I absolutely loved reading this book, it was utterly fantastic!

While I loved the first book very much, the second book just didn't end up filling the same place in my heart. It was good but I definitely loved the Jack the Ripper aspect of the first book more. Still a solid story and a great end to the duology.

I really love this series.

This book picks up right where the last one left off with Cat and Simon moving to a new town. Cat plans to enroll in a Selenae academy, but they are quickly thrown into a new mystery involving a series of murders right outside the town.
There's plenty of mystery and betrayal, and the past plays a large role in solving the mystery. While I did manage to call the big "betrayal" from what I believe was the character's second appearance (and I was adamant that they were the killer and refused to hear evidence otherwise), I didn't officially "catch" the murderer.
However, I think that it wasn't foreshadowed well and I think it would've been nearly impossible to predict... they also find out the killer's identity at like 65%, they just don't do anything about it and it's not a red herring.

Overall, I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

I have no idea where to start on how I much I love these books. Every moment was filled with intrigue and twists, from the worldbuilding and magic system itself to the murder mysteries at the center of the story. I had so much fun reading this book and going on a new adventure with the characters that I already loved so much. Learning more about the Selenae and their magic was incredibly interesting, especially considering that I've never read a similar sort of magic system.

One thing was that I wished there was more of the medical school aspect, but I think I'm just biased as a doctor! I loved the mystery in this one and the way that it was so entrenched in Selenae society Catrin's magic. And don't even get me started on the romance. My favorite tropes with fake marriage/engagement and some slight memory loss? The pining was amazing! And Simon is so sweet I simply can't handle him. The journey that they both went on to find themselves and learn what they really wanted out of life was so bittersweet.

This duo is one that will stick with me forever, and I would recommend it to absolutely any fantasy lover!

Silence and Shadow is book two of Blood and Moonlight. So not going to tell too much about the plot it's self but the vibe and feels I get.
I love this world and the setting. The uneasiness of magick, the Selanae University, the council and the can we trust them or not; all made me enjoy this story.
Cat was a fun character to follow. She and her magick are different, it's neat. We get to learn more about her background, and her magick. The push and pull of herself and her magick is interesting. Cat and Simon are adorable. But I did feel that there were a lot of on and off again, ups and downs, in their relationship that made them feel hot and cold to me.
There are many plots woven together to make a full story. I liked some plots while others not so much. There are a few mysterious plot lines. Sadly I guessed most of the twists.
It was well written. I liked the writing style. The magick is the most interesting part of this world and Erin Beaty does a swell job writing, showing it, and building that part of the world. Overall, I will for sure read more by Erin because of the unique world and magick.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Kathleen McInerney, did a wonderful job. Her voice was smooth while also great during intense action scenes, even sad scenes. I am sure I have heard other books by her as she's done a lot. It was fun reading this story in this format.
If you like unique magick, strong worldbuild, and a swoony romance then give this medieval fantasy-thriller a read.

If you had told me that I would love the medieval magical Criminal Minds series a year ago, I'd have said you were lying. But ask me now!

Because loved this, I did! I wasn't too sure what the second book would entail after the first ended almost like a standalone, but this was good. Admittedly, aside from the character growth of Catrin and Simon, it was almost another standalone with a new murder to solve and a new city to navigate. That said, I am so impressed by how clever it is! I don't think it went quite as deep into a murderer's psyche as the first did, but the murders themselves were far more interesting in this. Plus there's a great peek into the magic that Cat discovered within her before.

I'm so glad I read these! They were a pleasant surprise that will definitely keep me looking out for more from this author!

I loved the narrator of this audio book, i thought it did justice to the story and brought it to life. Its very rare that I like a sequel more than the first book but this one delivered above and beyond what i could have hoped for. The characters of this series are some of my favorites. Their development in this book was really a treat to watch. One of my favorite things about this series is the magic system, I absolutely love the use of the stones and moon magic. The story line was twisty and attention grabbing, every time I thought that i knew who did what or what was going to happen i was completely wrong. In the best way of course.

2.5 Stars

I was initially drawn to the dark academia vibes and the infusion of magic, but unfortunately, the FMC was too annoying. Also, I couldn't immerse myself in the story.

Overall, not for me.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Erin Beaty, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I did really enjoy this book... but just not as much as the first one. I think I loved the first one so much more because we had a lot of tension and mystery outside of just the murders. This one felt too neat, even though there was a lot going on. Cat and Simon were far too lovey-dovey for me (I personally just think I missed the slow burn of the first book).

Learning more about the Selanae magic was cool, but all of the plot twists were easily guessable for me. Hespera was probably my most favorite character in this book because though she had her judgments, she wanted to do things that were the best option for all involved and keep others safe. She also always heard every side out, which was wonderful for an older character.

Some people say that there was more character development for Catrin and Simon... I didn't really feel that. Catrin felt a bit stagnant for me and she kept not trusting those who had helped her and trusting those who had never given her reason to trust them, which got to be very annoying.

Overall still a good book, but meh. I wish we had stuck with just Blood and Moonlight.

While there is lots of intrigue, mysteries to solve, and people to protect, the crux of the story is the growing bond and dependence between Catrin and Simon. Their story is beautifully told, unfolding slowly as we see their loyalty to one another grow.

Wonderful audio narration.

Silence and Shadow is the sequel to Blood and Moonlight. It is told in first person by Cat. The book has a self-contained mystery in the new setting of Londunium, so you can read it as a stand-alone. Cat is still learning about her abilities with blood and moonlight, so you would only be missing the beginning of her relationship with Simon and with some of the other characters that are not on page for most of this book.

The audiobook is narrated by Kathleen McInerney. This was my first audiobook listen by this narrator. I found the narrator’s voice for most of the characters to be pleasant and distinctive as well as compelling enough to propel me through the story quickly. I did think her Cat sounded a little too young for a young woman representing herself as married, but I got used to it quickly.

Cat quickly seemed out of her comfort zone from the beginning of this story. She was often quiet outwardly while panicking internally during many of her initial and later confrontations with the council and especially with Haema Hespera. I often found her silence frustrating while I appreciate that at times, diplomacy may have been a better choice for their safety.

I enjoyed the mystery in this book and watching Cat come into her own, using the skills that she learned from Simon from the first story to solve the murders and master her new skills and magical abilities. However, I did feel like she spent too long focused on the wrong character as the obstacle in her path when others should have been equally weighted with suspicion. It made some of the reveals in the end a little too obvious. I also missed Simon being a more prevalent character in this one. They spent more time apart than together, though I think some readers may prefer that. It did give Cat more room for character growth.

I really enjoyed this one though slightly less than Blood and Moonlight. Recommended to fantasy readers interested in blood and moon magic.

Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar Straus & Giroux and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

Love the choice in narrator. It’s nice to listen to a YA book that’s more about the plot line. It follows a young couple that have a fake marriage to get him into a town where he is not welcomed, but goes with her to help solve murders that have been happening more frequently. She starts going to school to learn how to harness her powers in blood magic while helping him solve murders.

Well, I might be finally growing away from teen/ya books. To be fair I did go from a darker adult book to this so I might be feeling biased. I just found myself analyzing the story too much and finding problems. The main character is oddly overpowered. She’s less interesting than her boyfriend. This probably isn’t the author’s fault (oh puritanical editing/publishing) but if you can’t say the word sex then you aren’t ready to do it. If you don’t analyze the text too deeply it can just be a casual mystery read. Speaking of, the mystery elements kind of annoyed me because there wasn’t a ton of collectable evidence to connect the killer. It was more just handed to you instead of getting to actually figure it out. I still feel like Simon would be such an interesting main character to read about so that made it much more difficult to put up with Cat as the narrator instead. Overall it was just fine. My personal feelings were that it was kind of boring and I was just trying to finish it, but again, I would say to take that with a grain of salt because I’m an adult reading a teen book.

I really enjoyed the murder mystery plot in this one and wish there had been more focus on it, especially since it also offered an opportunity for more world-building. I think that Simon is sweet but ultimately the romance interfered with the flow of the story.

Because the murder mysteries in these books are so well-written, I'll likely continue on with the series but it won't be a priority of mine.

I absolutely loved this! I am such a sucker for medieval history and any fiction in the time period. While this is a fantasy and the world is made-up it still gives the feeling of reading historical fiction. And there's a forensics style serial killer murder mystery to boot. I'd strongly recommend reading this if you are a fan of classics like Robin Hood, Catherine Called Birdy or Cadfael mysteries.

Content is free of profanity. Portrayals of victims are vague and inexplicit.

**Review will be published on release day!**

A GREAT MYSTERY.

Audio notes: I think the narrator's voice was fantastic. I did notice (even at 3x) that there was a slight stilted pause throughout the reading. It didn't bother me enough to not want to listen, but I did want to mention!

I just have no complaints. I really enjoyed listening, I thought the story was great, the subtle romance was sweet (with some fade to black steam) and I love these characters. They’re flawed without making you feel like pushing them off a cliff. There’s apologies and strength and I love the way Erin Beaty crafts her characters.

The mystery kept me guessing and I love the change of location from the previous book (which you do have to read before this one!!). Exploring a new area, side characters and a killer on the loose. This has a slight cozy vibe while also being on the darker edge. With some action mixed in and some twists that made the ending feel like you have to keep going.

I’m a big fan girl of Erin Beaty and this continues to ring true. Another brilliant book!

Overall audience notes:
- Upper YA Fantasy + Romance
- Language: light
- Romance: multiple fade to black
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: serial killer, blood/gore depiction

This is such a fun blend of mystery and fantasy, and especially enjoyable on audio!

In this book, Cat & Simon have fled their home and are posing as husband and wife in Londonium, where Cat is hoping to learn healing magic at the Selanae university, and one of the highlights of this one for me was getting to learn more about Cat's magic, the world, the politics and how all of it comes together to effect the murder mystery. This gives big Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes, but make it fantasy (and with a bit less charm in terms of the romantic relationship, but I do still quite like Cat & Simon!)

I really enjoy the audiobook narrator and how she differentiates different characters voices, its very easy to imagine them all being different people. This book was similar to Blood & Moonlight with all of the twists and turns, and I imagine that them all sounding the same would have undermined the story and the way the different characters and their motivations charged everything.

Ultimately I definitely recommend this series for fans of blended fantasy and mystery! The characters are charming, the world is complex and different but not so much so that it makes it difficult to follow or understand on audio, and the twists in the mystery always take me by surprise. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the early audiobook copy of this title!