I didn't know that this was the second book in a series. I tried reading the first before reading this one, but I didn't like it and dnf'd it.

I love Claire Legrand’s writing style and this book was no exception. The story was very interesting and I loved the romance in this book.

As an eldest daughter…I feel called out. I feel like I connected really well with Farrin and how she internalized her trauma and it made this book more compelling emotionally. I think parts of this came of as more predictable but that may have been more because of the FMC s nature. Overall I really enjoyed this continuation of the series!

Unfortunately this was i dnf for me. I was finding it hard to stay invented the the series from book one amazing though in audiobook I would be more present. I did find the imagery beautiful but was unable to stick with the series. The person doing the audiobook was very great. This was just personal preference.

Claire Legrand has such a way with characters, I am finding I really enjoy her books. Even if you don’t like a character, you’re still going to grow to appreciate them, you just can’t help it. That’s how I felt about Ryder. A Crown of Ivy and Glass did a fantastic job setting you up to dislike Ryder, but in this book you learn more and really get to learn more about him and why he is the way he is.
The same goes for Farrin. She’s set up in the previous book as the unapproachable and cold older sister. This gives you another look. It’s kind of heartbreaking but absolutely wonderful watching her grow in this book and finally getting the things she really does deserve.

This book was magical. The world is unlike any other and it’s really a must read. It’s a LONG book but I really struggled putting it down once I started it. It is another must have for our school library.


A huge thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Claire Legrand, and Evelyn Rose (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of A Song of Ash and Moonlight in exchange for an honest review.

A Song of Ash and Moonlight is the second installment of The Middlemist Trilogy, preceded by A Crown of Ivy and Glass.

Where the first novel is told from the perspective of Gemma, this second installment follows the first person narrative from her sister, Farrin's, perspective. The novel begins with a bit of information regarding Farrin's time in the mists, where she spent much of her childhood. Upon her return to help delineate a family feud and bring down a malicious demon, she find's herself in the midst of a task regarding the Queen and the Middlemist because of numerous disappearances.

Farrin wants to be stronger, and she seeks training and guidance from her house rival, Rhyder. Of course, this becomes an enemies-to-lovers romance, as she is meant to hate the man that supposedly set her house on fire when she was a child. But there is more to his story, and she is learning that rather quickly.

While the story does follow Farrin in her adventures of romance, family history, and magic, it goes deeper as she discovers secrets about the world that were once unheard of or thought as myth. Old gods and new are revealed, and Farrin finds herself tangles up in the middle, a house war that goes beyond family name into the roots of the world.

This novel is an exciting second installment, though the romance isn't quite as intriguing as the first. It answers some questions only to open up a whole can more for the reader to expect closure to in the final book of the trilogy. The use of song as power has been seen in books before, but Legrand's craft and characterization offer a unique take that makes for a powerful female protagonist.

Fantasy and romantasy lovers will devour The Middlemist Trilogy!

I loved this. I am so glad I was approved to listen; seriously what an amazing read. The narrator was superb

Claire Legrand is a fantastic author that showcases some of her best work in the second book of the Middlemist trilogy, in a song of Ash and Moonlight. Farrin and Ryder take you on a journey, with enemies to lovers, magic, and heartbreak. This is a longer book, almost a little too long, but leaves you ready for the next book. The character development is good, and the plot is fantastic. I look forward to (hopefully) seeing Mara’s story next in the last book.

This book is for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

I was absolutely desperate to get my hands on the book that would give us an Ashbourne/Bask romance, from the first moment Ryder and Farrin were in the same room. I loved every interaction between them and seeing their love grow. If anything, I wish I could get more! I'm also so excited by this book because it has been super keen for the next Ashbourne sister coupling (don't worry, no spoilers!). I did have the chance to read this via text and/or audiobook and in my personal opinion the story shines especially bright via audiobook.

I feel like I want to love this series more than I do, but it’s more of a middle of the road romantasy for me.

I think the idea is fun and fresh and new. But I think the books are unnecessarily long. I actually could have used more of the romance/interactions between Ryder and Farrin. And a slightly better ending of the book for the two of them.

Will I probably read book 3? Yes because I’m curious to see what happens. But I think I’ll go in knowing a little more of what to expect.

Thank you for the early reader copy!

Overall I did enjoy this story, but mostly only because I could just play the audiobook in the background over the weekend while doing chores. It's not bad by any means, but there's a lot of room for improvement.

I had issues understanding the audio book at first because it was the same voice actor but we now follow Ferrin instead of Gemma from book one. Because of this I kept getting confused at who was talking. I also found Farrin's character confusing, her flaws weren't explained and don't really make sense for what we've seen of her character thus far and throughout this book.

The story felt like the romance was forefront with the plot happening when needed. A lot more effort felt like it was spent building up our "enemies to lovers"(sort of) then the actual big bad motivations.

This book had a lot of telling without showing, especially the ending where Farrin just speed run explains the big bad motivations to wrap everything up for the final book.

Thank You Netgalley for the Audio Arc. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of the narrator. Although this book was a bit better than the first book, I still wish they changed narrators since it was for the other sister. I liked the plot of Gods waking up and creating havoc among the worlds. Farrin was fun from the beginning with her haughty and hate attitude. Ryder, broody and sexy was a perfect match. Very Romeo and Juliet love. Such a very long book though.

Again, I have mixed feelings here. My biggest complaint for the first book was pacing, and sadly that did not change here. Especially with the length of the book. Several times the story dragged and I had to force myself through. However, the plot was EXCELLENT. So that is were it is tough. The story is so dang good, when it was flowing and moving I couldn't put it down.

I loved the first book and the second did not disappoint. I discovered this author a while back and have been devouring any book I can find. She will be an auto buy for me!

I did not get to finish this book in the allotted time as I did not realize it was book 2 and wanted to read book 1 first. Total mistake on my end and i still want to read it.

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This installment follows Farrin, who if you have read book 1 you will remember as the oldest of the Ashborne sisters. The first book followed Gemma, and if the trilogy follows this trend I expect the next book to follow Mara, the third sister. That being said I don't feel like you can really read this as a stand alone, you really need to read the first book in the series, as it sets up events in this book and introduces you to many of the characters.

This was hard for me to get through as the main character was very hard for me to connect with. She was so angry all of the time. The audiobook is just shy of 23 hours, so you really need someone you can root for. I felt like she never wanted to solve the problems and only wanted to whine and wallow in her own issues and block everyone from moving forward. She never actually had any suggestions to move the plot forward and always acted emotionally, admitting that she let her emotions get the best of her in every situation. That being said this is very romance heavy and I found that the romance between Farrin and Ryder lacked chemistry. She is always so mean and distrusting of him that I found it hard to believe their attraction and affection.

I liked the plot and the setting, but the length of the book and the lack of connection with the characters really had me putting this book down more often than I wanted to pick it up. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements when we get them, the creatures and lore are really unique in this series. Much like the first book this is more character driven and there are long periods where the characters are interacting or having inner monologues and the plot isn't advancing. Then there are periods of fast paced action where alot happens all at once and you learn quite a bit of information. I'm interested to see how the series concludes as I actually enjoy the plot, and if Mara is the focus I think she will make and interested main character.

Loved the audio. This was a perfect second book to the first and the audio was even better. From the beginning it was enchanting and whimsical but there was also a strong emoted response from the narration. The audiobook truly brought this story to life.

I'm really having a great time with this series.
On the one hand I love the idea of the books, the world and the magic system are potentially such a good idea but I just can't stand the fmc's. In book 1 Gemma grew in me but I did not like Farrin at all. There was not 1 page where I sympathized with her. She was irrationally angry and the back story did not add any insight as to why she was the way she was. It alluded to some things but it never felt like it was enough to have shadows her into the person she was.
Ryder on the other hand is wonderful. He is kind and patient. He had a terrible childhood and it shaped him into a better person then the world deserved.
The action at the end of the l this was exciting and the reveal was unexpected.
I will read the last one because I wasn't to see how it all ends.
The narrators voice suited Farrin.

Review of A Song of Ash and Moonlight (Audiobook)

As a follow-up to the first book, A Song of Ash and Moonlight brings readers back into a complex world of family feuds, magical intrigue, and slow-burning romance. However, while I was eager to continue the journey, this installment left me with mixed feelings.

Farrin, the protagonist, unfortunately felt like a tired trope of the bitter, overburdened heroine hiding a softer side. Instead of endearing me, her constant anger and abrasive attitude made her hard to root for. A particularly frustrating moment late in the book sealed my dislike for her, leaving little room for redemption in my eyes.

On the other hand, Ryder, though a typical brooding love interest, was more palatable, if not overly original. The romance between them provided a few steamy scenes that were enjoyable, even if I struggled to connect with Farrin as a character.

Another point of frustration was the overly complex world-building. While Romantasy can thrive on immersive settings, the narrative often felt disjointed, with convoluted elements that detracted from the flow of the story. It seemed to be reaching for high fantasy intricacy but ended up over-complicating things.

That said, I appreciated the growth of Gemma, who continues to evolve into a more interesting and dynamic character. She provided a refreshing contrast to Farrin’s frustrating demeanor.

Overall, A Song of Ash and Moonlight has its moments, but it left me hoping for more clarity in the world-building and a more likable heroine in future installments. Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy.

the step up from book 1 to book 2 is outstanding. the pace, the romance, the magic, the plot twists?! ASOAAM had everything that i felt ACOIAG was missing. first of all, i am in love with ryder bask. that man was written by a woman and i love to see it. he is so kind and compassionate and soft despite his scars and his tough exterior. and farrin? that’s MY GAL! she had her moments that annoyed me but for the most part she is a fierce warrior who rides for her people. kilraith’s continuing role as primary antagonist is very interesting and mhorgast was such a creative demonic world. i expected that this book was going to be very good and im so happy with the outcome. excited for book 3!

additionally, i loved the narration for the audiobook. the attention to accents and regional divide was fantastic and i felt very immersed in the story. 10/10!