DNF @ 20%

When I saw Kristin and PC Cast it sent me right back to buying books by these authors for my sister. While this is tagged as YA, in my opinion, it reads much younger- almost middle grade. Which is ok! That’s essentially what YA started as, but I feel like it’s just not what I’m interested in reading right now. That age group will love this, but it’s just not for me.

I’m rating this a one just because I have to put a star rating, but that’s not fair as I don’t think I’m the target for this. Thanks for the chance to read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC.

This was a tough one for me. Let me start with the parts that I think were good.

The magic system is simple but interesting. It doesn't go out of its way to overexplain how the magic works, so that it feels natural and understandable. The discovery of what Wren's powers actually are comes across naturally and fits well into the already established rules of the world, without coming off as too overpowered or out of nowhere. In general, the world-building is done well. The Moon Isle is well described and feels homey and cozy, someplace that readers will want to visit and be a part of. I think that kind of open world where a reader can view themselves as being a part of is an important part of YA fantasy.

Other than that, however, I felt there were a lot of clumsy elements that dragged down my experience.

First off, I felt there was no reason for these characters to be defined as 18 year olds. None of them acted like freshly graduated high school students, and in fact, a lot of times, they felt even younger than teens. I think this would have made more sense if they were perhaps 14-15. I've often been confused as to why YA protagonists keep getting older, and I worry that it's due to a sense that it has to cater to adult readers, and in this case it really felt like the number was just slapped on these characters without actually working to write them as older, nearly adult characters.

On that same note, the characters themselves felt a bit undefined. Character relationships happen extremely quickly - one character befriends another two characters and becomes very close, best friends with them, almost entirely off screen. Other characters seem to be defined by one or two character traits and rarely edge beyond that. There is one, extremely clumsily written character who sprinkles their sentences with random Japanese words, and it comes across like the writing of a younger teen who just learned what anime is and wants to sound cooler by adding the few words they know into the narrative. The romance ends up feeling clunky, as romantic parts are forced between plot points so that it feels as though we are being jerked back and forth, and comes to what feels like an unsatisfying, pre-sequel break at the end, that genuinely doesn't make any sense based on how the characters have felt about each other up to this point.

Those are my main complaints, but there were other minor nitpicks. Like, why do the Elementals speak Spanish, of all things? Isn't it a bit concerning that Moonstruck are constantly in the shadows manipulating other human beings for no particular reason, and why doesn't anyone think that's a problem? Why are "Mundanes" treated as so extraneous when the main character thought she was one for so long? In the major climax moment towards the end, why does [spoiler] make the ridiculous decision to meet somewhere in the middle of nowhere instead of in the safety of their dorm rooms, so that they can [spoiler] for the main character's angst journey?

This has the elements of what could be a very good magic school series, but unfortunately, the clunky scene transitions, clumsy relationship writing, and frankly annoying character choices really drag down its ability to have any staying power. This is not one that I would feel interested in reading further.

i would love to provide a full review as soon as SMP addresses the boycott and the issues within its brand!

The Academia de Luna become Wren's unexpected home when magic she wasn't supposed to have appears on her birthday. But this school of magic is surrounded by vicious magic, has deathly trials, and apparitions as house parents. I need the resolution in book two, because that ending was a cliff hanger!

This book is sort of hard to rate. The first chapter was really strong and drew me into the story but then it sort of fizzled out for a while and got good again towards the end.

It’s told with alternating perspectives between the two main characters and I feel like I would have liked it more if it was just told from Wren’s perspective. Occasionally I would forget whose perspective I was reading as they sounded similar.

The magic system was interesting. It focuses around the moon being their source of power but is really more of an elemental and zodiac based magic. The political corruption and student deaths definitely add an air of mystery and intrigue.

I’m glad I stuck with this one but it was a little rough for awhile there and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to finish it. It felt a little predictable and obvious in places but the ending might be enough to get me to continue the series.

I will not be providing full feedback or posting public reviews of this book until SMP addresses the demands of the reader publicity boycott. Please see https://www.instagram.com/readersforaccountability/?hl=en for more details.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Draw Down the Moon" by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast takes readers on an enchanting journey into a world where magic and mystery combine. Set in a contemporary world where humans and witches coexist, the novel introduces us to Wren Nightingale and Lee Young, two teenagers whose lives are forever changed by the discovery of their magical abilities. If you enjoyed the House of Night series by these authors as well as stories of magic(k) academies, then you will definitely enjoy this book. I will say, however, that this is definitely a younger book, even though the main characters are 18. I would classify this book as younger YA, but if you have read and enjoyed the House of Night series, then you will find the writing very similar. I think the main characters could have been aged down to better appeal to younger YA readers who would better connect to the writing style as well as the plot/humor.

The novel's premise, while not entirely unique, was an engaging experience, especially with the worldbuilding from the authors as well as the developed, intricate magic systems. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in this story as I learned more about the magick shown throughout the book. The novel also shines in its exploration of friendship and love in the backdrop of a magickal school setting. The alternating perspectives of Wren and Lee provide depth to the narrative, and I like how we got both of their perspectives.

Overall, "Draw Down the Moon" is a fun read that will appeal to younger fans of young adult fantasy. With its blend of magic, mystery, and romance, it offers an entertaining escape into a world where anything is possible. I think middle schoolers and 9th/10th graders would really get into this book. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I would buy this book just to have that cover on my bookshelf.

This book was solidly middling and I DNF’ed. I’m an adult reader who enjoys YA but this felt very juvenile to me and not anything particularly special. The characters weren’t all that memorable and I didn’t love the use of dual POV. I hadn’t read any PC Cast in my youth but I had higher expectations. Probably ok for a younger reader exploring fantasy books.

Draw Down the Moon is a good beginner fantasy for teen readers. Young characters in academic setting, astrology themed magic and a little bit of romance. While I wasn’t the demographic for this book, I appreciate the whimsical magical elements but unfortunately it just wasn’t very unique or memorable for me. Featuring coming of age themes for teen readers, I recommend this for a younger audience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the review copy.

This book felt very young to me and i was unable to finish. It felt more middle grade than YA and the pacing was strange. DNF at 20%.

Draw Down the Moon by PC Cast and Kristin Cast is a new yong adult fantasy book. I was so excited to read this one as I enjoyed the House of Night series growing up. I was excited to see what these authors were writing next but unfortunately, this book did not work for me.

There are some young adult books that I feel like anyone can enjoy and some that are only meant for young adult readers and this book is the latter. I think for the age appropriate audience, this book will be a hit. But it just read to juvenile for me. It almost felt like a middle grade at times.

I would recommend this to early high school kids because I think they would really enjoy this!

It has been years since I read a Pc Castbook, and I was excited to pick up this one when I saw it on NetGalley.

Wren is supposed to be a Mundane, a person with no magical powers. On her birthday, she suddenly finds herself with magic and off to a school to learn to use her power. Her best friend Lee is going too, and they quickly fin danger at the academy.

I found the inner dialogue to quite immature, which took me out of the story a bit. Perhaps if the characters had been a younger age it wouldn’t have felt so jarring. I think this one would fare well with younger teens who may be able to see themselves in the characters and their conversations, but I struggled with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I am an adult who still enjoys a well written YA book. Wednesday Books is usually a publisher I can trust. The blurb sounded engrossing and the cover art is gorgeous. And while the story focuses on 18 year olds, I was repeatedly taken out of the story by their immature dialogue—internal and external. I don’t see this doing well as it’s currently advertised. But aging down the characters and making this a Middle Grade book would be a lot more fitting.

I would like the thank NetGalley and St. Martins press for giving us this arc in exchange for our honest review.

It has been awhile since I have read a PC Cast book and I loved her writing before but this time just didn't hit the mark for me. I was excited for the magic school trope as it is one of my favorites but I am going to echo a lot of other reviews. The characters were on the juvenile side and the pacing was off overall.

I feel that if this book was angled at the younger side of the YA genre and that they aged the characters down a bit the flow and dialogue may not have felt as wonky as it did. I say this as an older reader and maybe this just didn't hit the mark for me because it isn't marketed toward my age range.

I hope this book does well but overall 3 stars for me.

3⭐️

Wren Nightingale has always known about magic even though she always knew she would be a Mundane. Even though she was born to magickal parents, she wasn't born under a moon sign. So she's shocked when she begins to glow on her eighteenth birthday. This jumpstarts a whirlwind of events that includes Wren attending Academia de la Luna and participating in the trials on a secret island off the Seattle coast. While Wren still doesn't understand her powers, she feels better knowing her best friends, Lee and Sam, are magickal as well.

Lee Young has always known about his future at the Academia. He has one goal: pass the trials, impress the Moon Council, and uphold his family's reputation. But Lee and Wren quickly find out something is different, and more dangerous, this year.

This is being marketed as a YA fantasy, but even though the main characters are 18 and recent high school graduates, this read very much as a middle school/more juvenile book. So if you look at it as a middle grade book, I think this would be a good transition into the YA fantasy genre. I enjoyed that the magical system was based off the moon. I also liked the mystery the surrounded the school and what was going on on the island. The characters were also interesting.

This might be a me issue, but the fact that the magic system wasn't only moon based but also zodiac based made this feel more juvenile to me. Hearing the houses described as Leo Moon, Taurus Moon, etc was very off putting. And while I don't really know anything about the characteristics of different moon signs and this is just a way to characterize people like Hogwarts Houses, it just felt like a very black and white break down. Even though the characters were all 18 years old+, a lot of their conversations felt like ones I had in middle school. And the drama between Le and Wren's relationship all boiled down to a lack of conversation and I hate the miscommunication trope.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC to me!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing an eARC of this book. Unfortunately this book is just not for me but I do think in 2009 I would have liked it. It just reads very juvenile and on the very young side of young adult. I think it would make more sense for the characters to be 15-16 and going to a magical high school. The dialog was awkward and the inner thoughts were immaturely written. It read like Harry Potter fanfic to me. On the positive side, the cover art is absolutely beautiful. The magic system has a lot of potential, the tie to the moon and zodiacs is interesting.

This beautiful, magical and mysterious read is a must for YA Fantasy lovers!
The moonstruck concept and the love interests, Wren and Lee, are a joy to follow on this journey.

3.5⭐️

The hidden magical school setting with the power system based on moon signs in this one were intriguing…I haven’t read a book with a magical system like that before.

That being said, it’s definitely geared towards a younger YA audience despite the characters being 18. It’s not like some of the upper YA reads I’ve read recently like I was expecting.
The characters narratives and actions were what you’d find in a younger teen book/show. So, if you’re just starting to read fantasy or are part of the younger YA audience, you probably would have enjoyed this one more.

Seasoned fantasy readers, like myself, might find the plot more predictable with less depth and complexity than expected.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

In this first of a Young Adult duology, the authors have done a lovely job of creating a contemporary world that holds both "mundane" (humans) and supernatural witches living side by side but without the humans having any cognizance of magic. Wren (FMC) is one of the rare few because she was born into a magical family but without any magic, herself. That is until her eighteenth birthday when every changes dramatically. Suddenly she is shipped off to a secret academy to learn the extent of her powers, along with all other magic-holding teenagers.

The premise, while nothing terribly unique, is engaging and the characters are compelling. There is just one single problem - but that problem affects the entire reading experience: The characters read MUCH younger than their stated 18 years old! If the premise was of 15 or 16 year old protagonists, the entire feel and enjoyment would have been substantially higher. As is, however, all of the inner dialogue, immature musings, reactions etc. throw the reader completely out of the story because it just doesn't fit with the age they are supposed to be.

SO... if the story were to be promoted to a middle school/tween age market, this story would absolutely be a five star read. Geared to an older YA or even a YA that adults might enjoy, it doesn't work as well.

Ok , i enjoy and this was interesting. Would be looking more into this books, would definitely recommend to friends , i did like the setting and characters