Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - The Night and Its Moon

Like many others, I had seen all the content warnings about this book from booktok and was nervous about dedicating time to this large novel. And while I think some of the criticisms are well worth it, a lot just plain aren't.
The bad: the editors at Bloom Books deserve ALL the hate. There are so many typos, repeated phrases/sentences, contradicting sentences and inconsistencies that should have EASILY been picked up by a skilled editor, especially as i have the Barnes &Noble exclusive edition. Writers can only be blamed for so much. This was a failed team effort. Story wise: I thought it took a while to really get moving, I didn't love the characters as children which made it harder to like them as adult, but indid eventually root for them. I wish we would've spent more time with them right after their separation rather than prior, would've made me root more for their development. Instead I found myself finding it hard to believe a love like theirs persisted for as long as it did or that they found so much success in their new positions.

The good: the descriptions in this book were absolutely beautiful. CJ does an incredible job of painting a picture of every landscape, every feeling, that I felt transported. There were very few phrasing that I felt were cliche or common and many many more were poetic and beautiful. I loved the interactions between Amaris and Ash as friends, especially the inn scene. They felt very natural and organic. The last 25% of this novel really gripped me, the pace quickened, the stakes raised and the reveals were well timed.

Overall, I feel like this is a good book and I'll probably read the sequel BUT if typos and editing mistakes bother you, maybe not the book for you.

Content Warnings

crown14's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.0

I don't know how to say this nicely but it kinda grows on you like a rash. I (along with like a billion other people because the author was getting torn to shreds for a while and it was definitely deserved lmao) have my criticisms and they are not small but in the end, I liked it enough to pick up the second one today. I think it's a work of passion above all else and it shows, just like the fact that she wrote it 6 days.

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morgie27's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This was a fun read. I felt it was fast paced in the sense that I was captivated the entire time. If it wasn't the story line keeping me going, the character development did. There were lots of parts that made me laugh out loud. Plot twist was thrown in that I did not see coming. Will definitely be reading book 2!! I also tried my hand at annotating for the first time with this book and it was a good choice. I highlighted parts that were about beauty and wonderment, funny moments, character development, places, monsters, trauma, growth and development and self reflection, significant events or foreshadowing and steamy moments.

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portablebunbun's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

I tried really hard to like this book but the only thing that stopped me from dropping it was the intrigue. I almost DNF it twice, at 44% and 91%. The characters seem flat, motives underdeveloped, world building is plain, certain parts are so repetitive, and I found myself skipping paragraphs to get to more interesting parts.

Amaris such a meh character and I find it hard to root for her at all. At one point, a character asks her why she’s doing this at all and girl I’m honestly asking you the same question.

My biggest issue is with Nox. She is definitely my favorite character but her POVs were few and far between and it’s really hard to miss that she’s the only POC AND constantly getting the short end of the stick. She’s sold to a brothel, SA’d, being used as a white woman’s pawn, etc. Her main goal is to find Amaris again and Amaris doesn’t seem to care about Nox at all!!! I’m not a stranger to some good ol one side pining, but it’s just another burden she has to bear for Amaris. Nox lays down her life over and over again for Amaris and even until the end, Amaris doesn’t seem to give a shit. There’s something so heinous about a POC constantly suffering for the sake of The Whitest Girl.

I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequels for now. Reading this was honestly kind of a frustrating experience.

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