As usual, Claire Legrand amazes me with her magical world-building and even more magical prose. I absolutely loved the second book of the Middlemist trilogy and would highly recommend this series to anyone! Legrand's characters are human - sometimes loveable and sometimes irritating - but full of heart. She does an amazing job at highlighting disabilities without making them the center of attention or the only thing to advance the plot. And the enemies-to-lovers tension? Immaculate. There's something so giddy and fun about the slow burn in this book.

If you love sweeping, magical tales of lost heroines learning who they are, strong sisterly bonds that overcome just about anything, and swoony romance - this series is for you. And if you didn't know - each book is based on one of Claire's favorite ballets (which I think makes these series even more enjoyable).

Would highly recommend checking out the playlists that go along with each book. The instrumental music add to the epic vibes and it really feels like you're watching this play out in a theater - which I really need to make happen with at least one of Claire's series.

5/5 stars - would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC. 3.5/5 stars rounded up. I was on the fence whether or not I was going to continue this series as I was extremely frustrated with Gemma’s character in the first book of the series. By the end of A Crown of Ivy and Glass, I was interested enough to see Farrin and Ryder’s relationship develop. Although I enjoyed Farrin and Ryder’s story more, I still was not crazy about Farrin’s character. My second complaint is the length of the book - it seemed a few scenes could have been removed and still have all the important elements remain. I did enjoy learning more about the world and magic. If you enjoyed the first book in the Middlemist Triology I would recommend this one as well. Despite my FMC complaints, I will be interested in finishing the series and have hopes that Mara will be my favorite of the three sisters.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the arcs. My opinions are my own.

I have been anxiously awaiting this sequel and it did not disappoint. I started out reading the ebook and was able to switch to the audiobook about 40% of the way through. Claire has crafted a very layered world that reveals more of itself as the story goes on. I loved the dynamic between Farrin and Ryder and continuing the fight against same evil as before.

Let me start off by saying this book really held a mirror up to my own eldest parentified daughter trauma god damn. 🫣

This suffered a little bit from book two-itis, BUT it really expanded on the world and the magic and the lore and gave a whole new perspective on everything from book one which was quite neat.
While book one followed Gemma, this book follows Farrin and from the get go it’s very obvious both girls have internalized trauma and I loved seeing both the different ways that manifested for them and the different ways they overcame the struggles that comes with it.
This book felt a little bit more predictable, but in a good way. Gemma was not a very observant person, she leaned toward self centered where as Farrin is more observant and is constantly thinking about the people around her, so she naturally was more aware of things which really just meant the reveals had slightly less shock value that the revels in book one.

But all of this aside the plot and mystery really took off in this book! You got a lot of answers but you also got so many more questions. The magic and lives of people were so greatly expanded and the mystery we were following grew more layers.

I’m still 100% obsessed and fully invested in what’s to come next.

Closer to 3.5/5 -- thank you Netgalley for the review copy!

Like the first in the series, there were things I liked, and things I didn't like, but overall enjoyed it. Following Farrin (the sister of the protagonist from the first book, Gemma) it picks up after the first left off, and I'm assuming that the next book in the series will follow the third sister. Dark, fantastical, and romantic, the premise is a decent follow-up from the first, though fell flat because this book felt entirely too long. I was reading page upon page, yet felt not a huge amount happened. My second issue with A SONG OF ASH AND MOONLIGHT is that Farrin's personality also was quite similar to Gemma's, and while I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, it did mean elements of the two books came across very repetitive. I'm hoping the third will be a switch of pace regarding character narration.

I love it when the 2nd book doesn’t fall flat! This is such an amazing dark epic fantasy adventure with just a touch of spice. Ongoing conflict and character growth. Very relatable characters that are each coping with some sort of trauma, chronic illness/pain, abuse/neglect or nuerodivergency. This second installment we are immersed into Farrin’s POV as the saga continues. I love that this isn’t your standard romantasy, it’s not happy go lucky, it's deep and raw. You really get a feel for who the characters are and what made them that way without sacrificing plot. The storyline is engrossing and keeps you guessing at what will transpire next. I can’t wait to see how the story ends in the next installment!

Aside from the 3rd act breakup, this was exquisite. The plot twist at the end with the queen -- fantastic and unexpected. Looking forward to he 3rd and final book in the series!

I loved the first book so was super excited to get this! It totally delivered! It follows a different sister but I found myself connecting to her right away. I love how fast paced it is and how easy it is to fall back into the world building. Will be recommending and adding to our library!

I thought I was obsessed with the first book, A Crown of Ivy and Glass, but I was wrong. I'm in love with this book. I did a reread of ACOIAG right before this and recommend that everyone do so to remember "exactly" what is going on.

First: Farrin! Yes, love her. The enemies to lovers was perfection and I absolutely adored it. I was pulled in from the first chapter and really enjoy Legrand's writing style.

Overall: five stars and I can't wait for the next in the trilogy.

I’ve been looking forward to A Song of Ash and Moonlight ever since I read the first book, A Crown of Ivy and Glass. Based on the interactions between Farrin and Ryder in that book alone, I just KNEW this was going to be a fun time. And it was!

In the Middlemist Trilogy, each book is about one of three sisters in the Ashbourne family in a world of magic, mist, and rising evil. They are fun and fast-paced and steamy — brain candy. They’re each also inspired by a classic ballet; SONG is the Firebird. It’s about the oldest sister, Farrin, and gives us a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, he-falls-first romantasy adventure. I gobbled it up, even with a 7-week-old baby and very little sleep.

I chose not to reread the first book, even though I didn’t remember the plot in great detail. But I thought Legrand did a good job of reminding us about the most important parts, and I didn’t feel lost. Farrin is depressed and angry and has crippling intimacy anxiety, and it was clear that Legrand handled the writing of her with great care (which made it forgivable that the execution occasionally felt overdone).

If you’re looking for your next fun romantasy fix, Claire Legrand’s books (including this one) are some of my faves. Treat yourself and pick them up.

yet again, got this book when there was no indication that it was a sequel in a series. rating it 3 stars

I really enjoyed this fantasy romance that pulls you in from the first chapter. This is the second in the series and follows a different sister. Farrin and Ryder have amazing chemistry and the world building is fantastic!

I think I loved this book more than book one?? Is that possible??

The characters in this book were so much more interesting and I found myself getting more involved in what they were going to do than in book one. I love Claire's writing style and this new trilogy of hers was so much fun to get into and enjoy. I like the transition from YA to Adult and I found that in this book you can really see the difference in writing style!

I loved Farrin SO MUCH. Everything about her and Ryder was chef's kiss perfection. Give me all the enemies to lovers vibes please!! Claire did such good things when developing the relationship between the two of them. Their smut wasn't anywhere near Gemma and Talan, but I actually enjoyed the fact there was so much more development for Farrin in this book so it made up for the less spice in the book! Overall I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read the next book in this trilogy!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

I loved the absolutely bonkers, wild nature of the first book of this series, especially Gemma as a protagonist. This is much more stayed. A classic big, surly guy with black hair, pale skin and scars paired with a woman who is too used to taking care of everyone around her. I found myself less in awe of the audacity of the more is more world building this time, but Legrand is continuing to excel at bringing these very human (sort of) sisters to life, and her writing is always enjoyable. I think many people will probably like this one more than the last, and I wish I could read the third book right now!

This book is a sequel to a previous book I had read on NetGalley. The second in the series focuses on a different sister, which I didn’t realize for about a chapter. I requested this book since it was a sequel and didn’t read the abstract!

The main character is Farrin, who is not a likable character and continues to be terrible through at least 80% of the book. She makes it so hard to actually get through anything because she is so terrible. She is just mean but then is all over the place and it does not make sense.

This book is also entirely too long. Lots of pages to read but not much getting done. I assume the next book would focus on the third sister, which I am curious about and Mara is hopefully a better lead than Farrin.

I had such a blast reading this book, I love her writing and the first book was really engaging and I wanted to follow Gemma's sisters and get their stories! That this story is enemies to lovers, was particularly thrilling to read.

The Ashbourne and Bask families might have put aside their differences and worked together in the previous book, but there still are some hard emotions lingering. Plus the older generation didn't get the memo about peace and are more antagonistic, causing further problems when they are already dealing with this threat that was feeding off of their feud in the first place.

The stakes are high in this book. After the reveal of the Warden's secrets, it becomes clear that the situation is deteriorating at a rapid rate. Which raises some hard questions about what is to be done. The idea of a mandatory recruitment of all girls, regardless of age or if there's magic, well, the Warden was right to question the gods motives. Especially once they learn what's been happening with the gods. Though it's not a great look that all the ones that the gods chose for these roles that are pretty awful, are girls...

So much happens in this book, and so much was revealed. I had a guess about who rescued her from the fire, and I loved seeing that play out. Some big moves were made, and I can't wait to see how things continue on in the sequel, this one was a game changer and I'm so excited to see where it leads!

This was a fantastic read and I can’t wait for Mara's story!

Claire Legrand is a master of fantasy. She continues to write these amazing stories and I will read every word.

A hymn for eldest daughters with the sweetest melody and bold notes of adventure!

The Middlemist Trilogy has been such an adventure for my regency/romantasy loving heart. Farrin will make all of the eldest daughters feel so seen. Ryder will pull at all of your heartstrings. And Book 2 of this trilogy will not disappoint!

Four stars for an overall enjoyable read that I didn't want to put down! I love the world and mythology of the Middlemist trilogy. The team of characters - seeing Gemma and the Basks through Farrin's eyes - and the brewing conflict with Kilraith all kept me hooked from page 1. And like with all of Claire Legrand's books (Middlemist AND Empirium), she's gotten me with the plot twists! Almost to the point where I think she throws the readers a more predictable twist simply to throw them off the scent of the truly BIG twist coming later. Mad respect to Legrand for playing the long game. I didn't see it coming, but when I looked back at everything I'd just read, I could SEE it. When the final picture emerged, I could look back and remember each puzzle piece clicking into place. Beautiful.

But there were still some twists that I thought were a bit predictable. There were times when I sat back and felt the story was formulaic and tropic, and while that ordinarily wouldn't have bothered me, it did feel like the characters were being made to fit the formula instead of the other way around. The "reveal" (no spoilers) between two of the main characters seemed contrived. Even Farrin later reflects on her reaction as possibly an *over*reaction. The "betrayal" really wasn't that at all, and even in the moment of the reveal it was difficult to appreciate the Farrin's emotional turmoil because of that. It didn't feel earned. Also, Farrin herself even predicted this twist chapters before it was revealed, and then it was TRUE and she was STILL shook. I wish I had been standing next to her yelling, "BUT YOU ALREADY FIGURED THIS OUT??!!"

One thing I continue to admire about this series is Legrand's exploration of emotional and mental struggles with the FMCs - the panic, the anxiety, being emotionally overwhelmed and yet feeling compelled to carry on with a stiff upper lip out of a sense of familial duty, continuing to be strong even when they feel like collapsing under the weight of all they've endured. But LORD, every other page Farrin is crying. I think the source of her emotional turmoil could have been explored more, even just one or two sentences. Multiple times, Farrin expresses frustration over the fact that she's crying and she can't help it, and there's something in that, being emotionally out of control. But seriously, she cries at EVERYTHING. Her anger seemed almost childish at times (which she even acknowledges to herself). For someone who in the first book appeared so stoic and put together, the eldest child doing her duty, I loved that we got to be inside her mind and seeing her true emotional struggles...but it also seemed like those struggles were being worn on her sleeve this time. Even other characters remarked on how easy she is to read. Was she always like this? Her characterization at times didn't click with what I remembered of her in ACOIAG even after a skimming reread.

But I also appreciated how quickly Farrin admitted to being wrong in her meanness towards others, as if recognizing when she was lashing out due to frustration or fear. Often she would immediately apologize for outbursts. I found her thorniness relatable as an emotional defense, and appreciated Legrand's subtleties in this particular part of Farrin's personality. It's more shown and not told that she holds everyone in her life at arm's length, both physically and emotionally. Her physical anxieties were especially poignant and relatable to me as a reader, and while we saw similar struggles with Gemma, these were still unique from her sister's in a moving way. I found the exploration of the two sisters similar to ACOMAF and ACOSF by SJM in a very pleasing way - not a replication by any means, but a good connection for fans looking for their next great read. All in all, have already recommended to a friend :)

“Come to the northern stable yard in the morning, read the note. I'll be there at eight. It's time to fight.”

"Moon by day," she said, her voice soft as falling snow, "fire by night. Come and dance. Don't try to fight. The beauty of shadows, the garish sunlight.
Spin for the watchers, their revels so bright."

I have to admit I was much looking forward to this book. The second in the Middlemist trilogy. Each book about a sister and while book one was about Gemma, this one is all about sister one, Farrin. The plot is connected and you won’t be able to understand what is happening if you have not read book one. I have to admit that at the very beginning I remembered little about the first book since it’s been a while since I read it. But when I got into this one and I had time to remind myself of what had happened and what the sisters were facing, I enjoyed every minute of this new adventure. I remember from book one being very intrigued by these characters and while Gemma felt like a character that I could relate to a lot, Farrin completely surprised me. She is the first child. The one everyone relies will do the deeds and will take care of things. After what happened to their mother and what happened to her sister, she now has to face an enemy she doesn’t know anything about, with the help of a boy she doesn’t want as friends but soon enough will realise is so much more. Her insecurities and doubts and fears made her so close to me that I couldn’t help but feel for her. The enemies to lovers part of the story and the fact that their families are rivals and their fathers cannot stand one another was a plus. Did Ryder made me fall very early on, and gave me the vibes of the “first to fall, obsessed with her” boy? Absolutely!! And I loved that!! Plus, the way he loves her … goodness me, I want that!! Once again the author managed to enchant me with the plot and the magic and twists and turns of the narrative while also excite me with the romance story that was blossoming between our main characters. I expected this book to follow once again Gemma to be honest so when I read that the fmc had changed I didn’t know how to feel about it. What I do know is that after finishing it, i won’t be complaining about this change one bit. I loved that, since it’s a trilogy, every book is centred on one sister while also following one plot made of magic, gods, powers and the war. I cannot wait to hear about Mara and get to the bottom of this all story!!

"Wanting you is not the issue. I want you. I want everything about you."

"Right now," he added, "I'm just glad to be with you. Brave Farrin, in the forest light."

"Every day, every moment. Everything you wear, everything you don't. Every time I look at you, every moment I'm apart from you and have to imagine your face instead." He drew in a breath, let it out. He cradled my face in his hands, his eyes storm bright. "Farrin, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever known. In the forest light, in the candlelight. Star of my life. You're perfect.”