Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - When the Moon Hatched

I loved the worldbuilding! There was so much attention to detail in the magic systems and the creature. Appreciated how those elements were brought together. The characters have potential for sure. What missed the mark for me was the pacing and organization of the story itself. It was more heavy on the romance than the action. I will probably reach for the next in the series, but I hope the next book is more exciting.

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saana_g's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

It took me a while to get through the book. I just didn't find the interest to pick it up and continue. Up until the first 2/3 of the book, I had to push through and almost DNF'ed it. However, the last part got better. Will I continue the series? Perhaps. I'll probably give the next book a chance, but if it the same struggle as the first I will DNF.

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dayna250's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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evilinchw0rm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

An interesting world we don’t get to explore enough because we spend all of our time over the shoulders of the leading characters. I would have loved a more macro perspective, or perspectives from characters in other realms of society, to build the world out more and help me care about the narrative.

The spice is limited but deliciously spicy. The dragons are 10/10. The system of magic is novel and I’d like to explore the universe established here more. Just with 50% fewer words and 50% less rage.

The first 400 pages of this book could simply be rewritten to

“She’s angry, she kills stuff, she was mean to a piece of paper.”

and you wouldn’t lose much. Picks up significantly about halfway through, but everyone is still so angry all the time. Lots of rumbling and snarling and rage, not a lot of character development.

My biggest beefs:
-

The Fate Herder was just lazy writing that existed only as a plot device.

It came out of left field; was never introduced, was never mentioned again.
-

Raeve spends so much time being angry that she spends no time asking questions to find answers to situations.

What’s the point?

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happytayls's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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avialaeleigh's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was so interesting. At first I couldn't figure out why we were seeing diary entries for Elluin when our main gal was Raeve. Plus the way that Kaan reacted to her when she had no idea who he was. At first I thought maybe Kaan and Raeve were like destined mates or something, but that is definitely not the case.

This book made me cry, laugh, horny, and get so mad. I wish that there was more to the book. Even with how hefty it already is I hate were it stopped. I feel like we were so close to Raeve recovering her memories and rembering not only that she's Elluin but who Kaan is to her as well as her daughter Kyzari, though I'm not sure if she knows the name of her child.

I hope that Kyzari doesn't get the same treatment that Raeve receive by the scavenger king, and it makes me wonder I'd he knows that Kyzari is his "neice" did he know that Raeve was Elluin and that she was his "sister-in-law"? And if he did why did he do what I think he did, considering we don't have much information on the time that Raeve spent with the scavenger king.

Also is the other that we see from time to time is Slátra, Elluin's moonplume inside her somehow? Is that how she was able to be healed and reborn sorta? And if so do we learn how this happened. And if it has happened before.

Also does Tyroth know that Kyzari isn't his child but Kaan's? And if so why hasn't he done anything with that knowledge. Or did he not see the point when Elluin and Slàtra died and went into the sky together?

Also fuck the author having the last thing being us finding out who sent Nee to Raeve. That is almost worse than being left on a cliff hanger with more questions than answers. Especially with where Kyzari is when she gets the return lark. Of all the people that I thought could have sent the lark throughout the book it was not her own daughter.

I have so many questions and I am not a patient person. I need the second book now and not next October.

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riettecawthorn's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When the Moon Hatched is the first book in Sarah A Parker’s The Moonfall Series.

I did not know much about this book when I started reading it, only what I had heard from other readers - which was that it was really good - and that it had dragons, which will convince me every time.

This book did not disappoint. The writing is beautiful, it has such a poetic feeling to it and I want to go back and read it again just because of that. The plot was so interesting, it makes you wonder and guess and gasp and I just never wanted the book to end. The characters were intriguing and I just wanted to get to know them and their stories better… mostly.

I had so many feelings whilst reading this book, it made me really sad, really angry, it shocked me and frustrated me, it made me happy, it made me wonder and so much more.

I knew when I started this book that it was the first book in the series and that there would be a cliffhanger and that the next book will only be coming out in 2025, I read it anyway and even though I did not want the book to end, I am so glad I did read it, there is so much there and I will be reading it again before the second book comes out.

If it’s not already clear, I absolutely loved this book, the writing was just really really beautiful and Sarah A Parker definitely has a new fan. I haven’t read her other books, but they have been added to my “To Be Read” list because I need to read more from this author.

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sustainably_lucia's review

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

It took me a minute to orient myself in this new world but once I did I was completely immersed in the richness and depth of it all and read it much more quickly than I was anticipating.

It started off with an action packed bang and then slowed down for the second half. I liked the balance of predictability and surprise. It was a mysterious and addicting to read. I enjoyed the descriptive and emotional writing style, especially the author describing the inner worlds of the characters. As a neurodivergent who sometimes struggles to read people, I really appreciated this.

The swearing felt excessive and unnecessary so I docked a few points for that. I also feel like the last 3rd could have been tightened up. It dragged a bit in places with some unnecessary scenes. I’m assuming many of the things introduced will become important later and I am looking forward to the next book.

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