A Song of Ash and Moonlight picks up where A Crown of Ivy and Glass left off. Instead of following Gemma, the story features Farrin, the eldest Ashbourne sister with the power to enchant with her voice. Farrin and her family thought they earned a reprieve after the events in the house by the sea, but monsters are stirring in the Mist and their old foe waits in the shadows. Enter Ryder Bask, heir to the rival family, who the queen commands to help the Ashbourne sisters get to the bottom of strange disappearances. As sparks fly and ancient things wake, Farrin must find the power within herself… or die trying.

After being disappointed by the first Middlemist novel, I tried not to get my hopes too high for A Song of Ash and Moonlight, but I was still beyond excited to read this book. Legrand’s Empirum Trilogy remains one of my favorite series of all time and I adored her standalone Winterspell, so I kept hoping ACOIAG was a fluke. After reading ASOAAM, the first novel was unfortunately not a fluke.

My first issue with this novel was the love interest. In theory, I loved Ryder. He was brooding and commanding a little bit barbaric with a hint of a gentleman—the perfect Stark look-alike, if you will. Unfortunately, his character was surface-level. He had no depth or growth, remaining stagnant and boring. The romance between him and Farrin that was supposed to dominate the book felt passionless and instant. A "rival families" set-up offers tension and yearning and mistrust. Rather than capitalizing on the abundance of conflict that would have driven the plot forward, the romance felt rushed and almost too easy.

The side characters also felt like shadows rather than fleshed-out individuals. Part of that may be because the author spent so much time having Farrin explain everyone’s relationships that she forgot to show them. Additionally, the characters spent more time talking than anything else. Don’t get me wrong, I love banter and politics and characters fighting verbally, but there wasn’t conflict in most of the conversations. Instead, there was a lot of worldbuilding and description that did nothing to drive the story forward. In fact, the entire middle section of the book was essentially travel montagues and conversations that needed more conflict to remain interesting.

There were also some smaller plot threads that the author forgot about or let disappear entirely. Collateral damage was massive in this story, but it went completely unaddressed. The only lives that mattered were those of the main cast, and while I understand that page-time can’t be spent on every person who died in the conflict, I wished the characters had reflected on the cost of their decisions. Or at least had to deal with the very real repercussions of their inaction.

Thankfully, the last hundred pages felt like the incredible Claire Legrand novels I love. The pace ramped up, the stakes rose, and there were action scenes. Legrand’s fight scenes are incredibly vivid, and I only wish that there would’ve been more of them in this story. By the last chapter, I couldn’t wait to read book three and escape into the world all over again. Just like the first novel, A Song of Ash and Moonlight set up an amazing sequel. I hope I can love the next book as much as I wanted to love this one.

That being said, this novel—and this series—remains one of the rare honest portrayals of female mental health in fantasy. Farrin was neurodivergent and I loved her way of viewing the world. I could empathize with her anger and grief and fear, and I appreciated that her neurodivergence didn’t disappear the moment it was convenient for the plot. Her struggles felt incredibly real and human. Additionally, the way the author handled intimacy was so amazing I wanted to cry. Without getting into spoilers, Farrin has issues with physical contact, and Ryder responded perfectly. There was no judgment or harshness or condemnation: only understanding. I may not have liked how quickly the romance developed, but I nevertheless appreciated how physical intimacy was handled.

All in all, I enjoyed most of A Song of Ash and Moonlight. I’m so glad that most of the early reviews have been positive and that readers are able to fall in love with the story more than I did. For those who loved A Crown of Ivy and Glass; you’ll love this one even more. For those who are new to Legrand’s work, I highly recommend reading Furyborn because this book’s premise is just a little too good to be true.

Claire Legrand does it again!!! If you’re looking for a swoon worthy fantasy romance look no further!! I LOVED Farrin!! She’s such a well written character. She’s insecure and angry yet she tries her best not to take it out on others, mostly internalizing it. And Ryder OH RYDER ARE YOU KIDDING ME. He’s everything- so sweet and caring 😍 They are perfect for eachother, both healing from trauma and taking that journey together. I loved seen snippets of Gemma and Talan (who are my fav couple so far!) and the quests they had to go in in this story were captivating! Some definitely plot twists I didn’t see coming. Very much looking forward to book 3 !!!

The story was much more plot and quest driven. I wish there was more romance. I'm a mood reader, and I think if I read this at a time where I'm in the mood for more of the fantasy side than romance, I would've absolutely loved the book. I loved the main characters in this. I was rooting for Farrin & Ryder since book one.

3.25 Stars!!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Netgalley along with Claire Legrand for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

This book being a book that is the 2nd in a series, does not suffer from the “middle book” syndrome especially when it is in a trilogy. It is actually, in my opinion better and builds upon the 1st book in a way that I felt it was lacking. This book focuses on the oldest sister Farrin and I really enjoyed reading from the older sister’s pov given her background that we received in book 1 from Gemma’s pov.

Farrin, is the typical older sister in a fantasy universe who feels her life is centred around helping to raise her younger siblings after the supposed passing of her mother during a fire that breaks out in the home. This book follows Farrin as she struggles to find her identity in a world where she is supposed to help her father raise her younger siblings while also needing to seek out her own place in the world. This is where we get more information about the world but then are also introduced to her love interest and the MMC, Ryder.

Ryder, being the MMC was a good pick for Farrin and how similar their stories were with one another. As well how supportive he was of her journey into finding her own identity away from her younger siblings but especially with Gemma being the FMC from the last book. Ryder is also a typical fantasy MMC boyfriend who says what he needs to say and when he says it, it holds meaning. Especially when it related to the physical aspects of their relationship and how he completely respected her in those moments but also he made sure that she felt safe in this moments of deep emotional and physical intimacy. .

Ryder and Farrin are so perfectly matched for the people within this world. They’re both dealing with the trauma of their upbringings, the feuds between their families, and an impending war. Despite it all, they find the strength to trust each other and I loved watching their friendship grow into romance that blossomed on page. Plus with being friends in the beginning and how evolving your relationship especially on the levels of a physical relationship felt very honest for a friends into lovers situation where the lines of what both characters view as ok vs what society deems another was interesting. Them both wanting their relationship to work despite it all was sweet to read. This book I would give it a similar rating to the first book being 1.75 🌶️ on my own personal scale. There was spice but there wasn’t too too much.

After reading book 1 after a prime day deal, and having the opportunity to read book 2 now, im more excited to read book 3 and see how this story ends.

Claire Legrand can do no wrong and this is a clear representation of why. I read book 1 and was hopeful that book 2 would be as good, but this is so much better. I know I’m early, but I cant now wait for book 3. One of my favorite tropes is enemies to lovers and this book did such a great job building on the plot slowly. Now, the book is not slow- its perfectly balanced. The hidden ancestry was a nice surprise. Farrin and Ryder have now moved up as some of my favorite character couples. Top 10 for sure.

Im so happy I got to read this book (in two seatings!) and will be impatiently waiting for the finalization.

A Song of Ash and Moonlight builds upon the narrative begun in A Crown of Ivy and Glass and expands the world of Edyn in new and exciting ways. This sequel far surpasses its predecessor with rich world building, the perfect enemies-to-lovers romance, and a fast moving plot that raises as many questions as answers.

I absolutely adored Farrin - she is such a realistically developed character. One thing I love about all the Ashborne siblings is how well their personalities line up with their unique experiences and how this informs their actions, including their outlook on love and life.

Ryder and Farrin are so perfect for each other. They’re both dealing with the trauma of their upbringings, the feuds between their families, and an impending war. Despite it all, they find the strength to trust each other and I loved watching their friendship grow into romance. I can’t wait to see how the Middlemist trilogy concludes and for Mara’s POV!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is one of the few times the sequel was better than the first book in a series. The world building here was remarkable and creative. I didn’t feel as I often do that I was reading a repeat of other fantasy tropes. As a reader I could feel and appreciate the complex emotions and motivations of the characters. The romance was powerful. The ending suspenseful. If I had any criticism it is just some things happening without reason or explanation like the sinkhole and the queen’s behavior throughout. However it is still one of the best fantasy books I have read all year!

This book is a breathtaking gem in the world of romantasy! This second book in the trilogy dazzles with its grumpy x grumpy dynamic and the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance where he falls first, heart-meltingly tender and intense. The integration of the mythical creatures add an otherworldly charm that I couldn’t get enough of. The way it delves into childhood trauma, body insecurity, and deep desires makes it incredibly moving. Add in the powerful sisterhood and you have a fantasy romance that is both epic and emotionally rich. I was completely captivated and can't wait for the next instalment.