Moon Flower brings a fresh spin to the vampire genre with its urban Los Angeles setting, but it didn’t completely draw me in. The idea of vampires in the modern city is intriguing, and the author did a good job of creating a moody, atmospheric backdrop for the story. There were definitely moments where the world-building felt solid and immersive.

That being said, the characters fell a bit short for me. While the protagonist had some interesting moments, I didn’t feel a strong connection to them, and the supporting characters lacked depth. The romantic aspect of the story seemed rushed, and I found myself wanting more time for the relationships to develop naturally.

The pacing was a bit uneven, with certain sections feeling slow while others seemed hurried. The plot had its moments, but overall, it was a little predictable and didn’t deliver the twists I was hoping for. It’s not a bad read—it’s just missing the complexity that could’ve made it stand out more.

In the end, Moon Flower is a decent option for those who enjoy vampire stories with a contemporary twist. While it didn’t completely captivate me, it’s still an entertaining read for fans of the genre.

I liked how this novel felt like a love letter to LA. I'm originally from California but live elsewhere and reading about the beauty of my home was a great experience. Outside of that, this is a very noir-styled urban fantasy that didn't pack as much of a punch as I thought it would. I felt a lot of the world-building and magic system was rushed through so you were like "oh, okay" at the end. I wasn't invested in other characters outside of the FMC and the dog.

Also, I sincerely apologize for the delay in posting my review, life got a bit hectic, but I wanted to make sure I provided a thoughtful and honest assessment. 

My thanks to the author (and NetGalley) for the opportunity to read and review their work.

Moon Flower captivated me from start to finish with its blend of drama, intrigue, and a touch of romance. Sonia finds herself thrust into the perilous world of vampire politics, where chaos and danger lurk at every turn. Prepare for unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat as the author masterfully weaves this engrossing narrative. And remember, though the book concludes, it marks only the beginning of an even greater story to come.

This was a solid 3 star read. I liked the setting, urban fantasy Australian modern setting. I thought there was going to be a bit more spice. But the drama and suspense make up for it.

I did like the reverse attraction, like for once it was 250 year old Sonia lusting after a young human.

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

Moonflower: Vampires of Los Angeles follows 200+ year old Australian Vampire Sonia in her time in LA navigating the vampire scene and adapting to the modernity of the times.
One evening, after a date gone awry, she runs into her best friend, Sunny, who is attacked out in public, risking the lives and secrecy of the vampire community. Sonia finds herself tracking the beast that attacked Sunny, trying to get answers and to make sure it doesn't happen again. Only to discover that there is so much more behind the attack on Sunny than was initially thought and it is the beginning of a much bigger issue.

This was a really enjoyable read. It's very much an urban paranormal fantasy. There are tones of romance in this book between Sonia and Alex, a human that has garnered Sonia's fascination, but if you are looking for vampire spice, there is none. The way that Heather has built the lore around her vampires feels really clever and different, explaining away the thoughts about how vampires would integrate with modern society whilst remaining hidden in a way that is in my opinion rather plausible.
I really did enjoy and find it rather cheeky all the nods to vampires in pop culture, particularly the nods to Anita Blake which had me all "I know that one!".
As far as I am aware this is just a stand-alone novel. However, the world-building and how Heather has set up the society around her vampires has left much room to create further stories within this world, which I for one would be really excited to read. I would love to learn more about the vampires, particularly learning more in-depth about how their politics, hierarchies and their histories work.
I feel this book progressed at a really good pace and it was easy to read. Part of me really wants to find a fan Wiki and read all the backstories and histories of the vampires that we encounter like Sonia, Sunny and more. I think hearing their histories and how that shaped them as people and subsequently vampires would just be utterly fascinating.

Overall really fun read, with great world-building and intriguing characters, I do hope that we get more stories in this world from Heather Ewen-Foster.

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

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Moonflower is an excellent urban fantasy with vampires and action galore. Honestly, a pretty flawless hook if I've ever seen one. The book follows Sonia as she navigates LA as a vampire. She's 250 years old and just trying to exist among humans. The book sets off at a fast pace, but does suffer from pacing issues throughout. I did really enjoy the action and political intrigue though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Heather Ewen-Foster for an eARC copy of Moonflower: Vampires of Los Angeles.

It definitely took me a lot longer than I had planned to get through this particular novel as there was a lack of direction and the writing style just was not my cup of tea. I didn't want to DNF it as I was really looking forwards to a novel based in Los Angeles that wasn't surrounding Hollywood or film. In the end, there was too much world building and less plot building that it was not memorable for me.

I was really looking forward to reading this book based off the description. It took a few chapters for world building before I became invested. The writing was good-plot became increasingly engaging. I tend to enjoy any story with old vampires set in modern Hollywood. I hope to get my hands on the second book to follow the storyline and characters!!

This particular ARC had weird formatting issues which I'm sure will not be in the final edition but wanted to mention as it made a bit of stumble to read. (Sentences were started in one paragraph, ended elsewhere. Chapters began in the middle of a page.) Present tense writing is a difficult tense to write in, but I think the author does a fairly good job handling it. The main issue is that I have a hard time believing that this is from the POV of a 183+ year old vampire.

DNF at 25%. Honestly, the pacing just wasn't doing it for me. I hate to DNF but when I read more reviews that said it just wasn't going to get better in that way, I gave up on it.

The characters were okay. Setting was okay. Everything was just kind of okay. I love urban fantasy and vampires in my books, but this one just did not work for me.

I'm giving this a solid three because I have a feeling that this world building/info dumping first installment is going to morph into something truly incredible. The Plot was really interesting and other than some small pacing issues (slow) I really enjoyed the concept. There is a good amount of action in the middle part of the story and I was continuously entertained. I did wish there was a tad more character development, but I expect more will come.

A 250 year old vampire? Sign me up! Thats literally all I needed to know to know I HAD to read this book!

“Moonflower,” by Heather Ewen-Foster

Sonia is a 250-year-old vampire just trying to live her life. When her obsession with smelling this one human in the coffee shop turns into an attack, her secret is in danger of being exposed to humans. Alex, the human she likes, knows who she is, and they can’t help but be attracted to each other. Murders of vampires start happening in L.A. is a mystery that needs to be solved, and Sonia is the only one willing to do it, with Alex beside her.

I thought it was a pretty good book. It has good relationships between friends and the love interest. There is action and mystery. All in all, it was an entertaining read. 3 out of 5 stars.

-Vampire
-Vampire Hunter
-Mystery

I did not finish this book. It was tough to keep my attention as the beginning lack direction. It seemed the writer was trying to build upon the characters but it just missed the mark for me. The "guy" of interest character seemed weak at best. What a shame as I am a big fan of vampire themes, just not this one.

This was a fun, unique vampire story! I loved the characters and the vampire x human love triangle thing that was happening - it was intriguing. The story was a little bit info-dumpy though!

I would call this book The Californians (SNL sketch) meets vampires! With a rich political world of vampires and a consistent description of locations/roads/neighborhoods in LA, Moon Flower brings to life an interesting picture of what a modern vampire's life might look like on the day to day (with a bit of action thrown in).

Our main character, Sonia, is a 250 year old vampire originally from England, turned in Australia, and "recent" Angelino (in vampire terms at least) whose world gets turned upside down when a handsome human comes into her life and triggers a series of climactic events in the lives of Sonia and her two best vampire friends, Sunny (a music producer in love with Sonia, but needs more groupie orgies before he's ready to settle down) and Neichia (a cool as heck vampire doctor who may have some secrets of her own).

I mostly enjoyed this story, as it was a quick and easy read and I was genuinely intrigued by the vampire politics going on in Los Angeles, and through learning more about each of the vampire's backstories! I could have done with a little more fleshing out of the relationships between Sonia and Sunny and Sonia and Alex, and maybe less about the roads as a non-Angelino, but this story worked for me! If a second book were to come out, I would definitely be interested in checking it out!

Thanks to Heather Ewen-Foster and Netgalley for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

“Moon Flower” by Heather Ewen-Foster takes readers into the shadowed streets of Whitley Heights, Hollywood, through the eyes of Sonia, a 250-year-old vampire. The book starts off with a vibe that might strike some as a bit cheesy, but as the pages turn, the world of LA vampires unveils itself in a more compelling light.

Sonia, as the protagonist, stands out with a well-crafted balance of strength and vulnerability, making her journey through the treacherous vampire politics and her personal relationships equally gripping. Her dynamic with Sunny, the Alpha Vampire, adds layers of intrigue and emotional depth to the story, leaving readers curious about the future of their bond.

The narrative doesn’t shy away from the complexities of relationships, especially highlighted in the imperfect and rather unclean conclusion with Alex, the human journalist. This choice adds a refreshing dose of realism to the otherwise fantastical setting.

While “Moon Flower” might not revolutionize the genre, it’s a solid pick for those looking to lose themselves in the nocturnal world of urban fantasy, complete with all the danger, romance, and mythical creatures one would expect. A 3 out of 5 stars for an enjoyable, if not earth-shattering, addition to the paranormal library.

I love that vampires are back!! This book gave me everything I ever wanted in a vampire book, and everyone should check it out 👀