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Fantasy. Suspense. Thriller. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: In Erin Beaty's medieval YA fantasy thriller, Blood and Moonlight, an orphan with a secret, magical sight gets caught between a mysterious genius and the serial killer he's hunting. Rising above the city of Collis is the holy Sanctum. And watching over its spires is Catrin, an orphan girl with unique skills�??for she alone can spot the building's flaws in construction before they turn deadly. But when Catrin witnesses a murderer escaping the scene of his crime, she's pulled into the web of a dangerous man who will definitely strike again. Assigned to capture the culprit is the mysterious, brilliant, and enigmatic Simon, whose insights into the mind of a killer are frighteningly accurate. As the grisly crimes continue, Catrin finds herself caught between murderer and detective while hiding her own secret�??a supernatural sight granted by the moon, destined to make her an outcast, and the only thing that might save her and those she loves from becoming the next victims... A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this book from NetGalley to review.
Thoughts: This was a decent read that introduces us to a lush fantasy world and some intriguing characters. At the heart this is a “whodunit” type of mystery. The characters are trying to
Catrin is an intriguing character and I enjoyed reading about the work she does on the Sanctum; it involves a lot of dangerous climbing and precarious architecture. I also loved how her moon magic slowly comes to light and how she learns to deal with it. The side characters are also very well done; they have a lot of depth and are very unique. There is a lot of discussion about madness; both the killer’s madness and the strange insanity of some of the side characters and the abilities they have.
This is very much a “who dun it” type of murder mystery where Catrin and crew are trying to figure out who the serial killer is before he/she kills again. There is a lot of speculation and back and forth and misleading information. You are led to think it is person A and then suddenly maybe it is person B. As a backdrop to the main serial killer plot, Catrin is developing special powers and is trying to figure out why that is happening.
This is the second “hunting down the serial killer” type of story I have read in the last couple weeks. I am not a huge fan of these types of plots. Just like the other book I read (Kelley Armstrong’s “A Rip Through Time”), there are a lot of the characters standing around speculating for a lot of the book. This was very slow for the first 50% to 70% of the book. I almost put it down and stopped reading it altogether. However, I do try to finish books I get for review. I did end up enjoying how everything wrapped up and the pace did pick up quite a bit towards the end of the book.
My Summary (4/5): Overall while I didn’t love this, it was well written. I enjoyed the world-building and the intricate characters. I thought the pacing was too slow and I don’t enjoy these types of “hunting down a serial killer” types of plots. I had been wanting to read something by Beaty since she released her first fantasy series which is why I picked up this book for review. I wasn’t super impressed and don’t plan on reading more by her. However, if you enjoy her more deliberate writing style this might be a great book for you.
Thoughts: This was a decent read that introduces us to a lush fantasy world and some intriguing characters. At the heart this is a “whodunit” type of mystery. The characters are trying to
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track down a serial killer before he/she kills again. I enjoyed this but found the pacing to be fairly slow, especially in the first half of the book.Catrin is an intriguing character and I enjoyed reading about the work she does on the Sanctum; it involves a lot of dangerous climbing and precarious architecture. I also loved how her moon magic slowly comes to light and how she learns to deal with it. The side characters are also very well done; they have a lot of depth and are very unique. There is a lot of discussion about madness; both the killer’s madness and the strange insanity of some of the side characters and the abilities they have.
This is very much a “who dun it” type of murder mystery where Catrin and crew are trying to figure out who the serial killer is before he/she kills again. There is a lot of speculation and back and forth and misleading information. You are led to think it is person A and then suddenly maybe it is person B. As a backdrop to the main serial killer plot, Catrin is developing special powers and is trying to figure out why that is happening.
This is the second “hunting down the serial killer” type of story I have read in the last couple weeks. I am not a huge fan of these types of plots. Just like the other book I read (Kelley Armstrong’s “A Rip Through Time”), there are a lot of the characters standing around speculating for a lot of the book. This was very slow for the first 50% to 70% of the book. I almost put it down and stopped reading it altogether. However, I do try to finish books I get for review. I did end up enjoying how everything wrapped up and the pace did pick up quite a bit towards the end of the book.
My Summary (4/5): Overall while I didn’t love this, it was well written. I enjoyed the world-building and the intricate characters. I thought the pacing was too slow and I don’t enjoy these types of “hunting down a serial killer” types of plots. I had been wanting to read something by Beaty since she released her first fantasy series which is why I picked up this book for review. I wasn’t super impressed and don’t plan on reading more by her. However, if you enjoy her more deliberate writing style this might be a great book for you.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.
This young adult read uses a medieval France-inspired setting and overlays that with a grim case of a Jack-the-Ripper-esque criminal and a heady dose of moon magic. It follows Cat, a teenage orphan who is an assistant on a project to essentially
Some of the positives: the author approaches mental illness with a deft touch. This book could really open readers' minds to what those thought processes are like and the importance of patience, friendship, and compassion. The setting is interesting, too, though I was left craving deeper worldbuilding; if there are more books, I hope to understand more about this world and its magic. Cat's job is fascinating and that premise hooked me from the very start. That said... Cat's actions also frustrated me at times. She seems to be in a strange place of privilege, to be able to get buddy-buddy with powerful people so quickly. She's also the type of lead heroine that all the boys fall in love with, and that's a tiresome trope for me personally.
This book should also come with some trigger warnings in published form, as it is quite dark. Sexual assault happens and there are graphic descriptions of grizzly murders. That said, the book makes an effort not to dwell on these scenes or glorify what happens.
This young adult read uses a medieval France-inspired setting and overlays that with a grim case of a Jack-the-Ripper-esque criminal and a heady dose of moon magic. It follows Cat, a teenage orphan who is an assistant on a project to essentially
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build a massive cathedral devoted to the Sun. When one night she can mysteriously hear a woman being murdered, she rushes to help and ends up being part of the investigation--and with a keen romantic interest in the investigator, Simon, a young man who seems almost too capable of thinking like a serial killer.Some of the positives: the author approaches mental illness with a deft touch. This book could really open readers' minds to what those thought processes are like and the importance of patience, friendship, and compassion. The setting is interesting, too, though I was left craving deeper worldbuilding; if there are more books, I hope to understand more about this world and its magic. Cat's job is fascinating and that premise hooked me from the very start. That said... Cat's actions also frustrated me at times. She seems to be in a strange place of privilege, to be able to get buddy-buddy with powerful people so quickly. She's also the type of lead heroine that all the boys fall in love with, and that's a tiresome trope for me personally.
This book should also come with some trigger warnings in published form, as it is quite dark. Sexual assault happens and there are graphic descriptions of grizzly murders. That said, the book makes an effort not to dwell on these scenes or glorify what happens.
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LibraryThing member sennebec
Intriguing concept and Catrin is a likable protagonist. I think the killer could have been better revealed, but that's a tiny quibble. The magic and how it affects Cat are well done as is the way the author wraps up things at the end, making this a satisfying read.
LibraryThing member WhiskeyintheJar
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“Go home, little Cat.”
This YA medieval fantasy thriller is set in the city of Collis where the People of the Sun and the People of the Moon live
It was the moon. The moon had done something to me.
Blood and Moonlight captured me with it's hint of magic, Cat's struggle to find out who she is, and the hunt to stop and capture the serial killer. The beginning half spent a lot of time with Simon and his crew of cousins and Cat working to profile the killer. This is YA, so even though some of the murders are described in gruesome detail (there is also brief mention of rape and childhood sexual abuse), the story was a little lighter on the procedural aspects. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the pointing out of the puzzle pieces and how they all worked together to fit them into place, but I did pretty much know who the killer was at around 30%.
“And what if I drag you Beyond the Moon and to the Gates of Hell itself?”
“Then we'll find our way back.”
The second half shifts for a bit from the serial killer profiling to Cat. We learn about who her family is and why she was given to the Abbey when she was a baby. It's tied into the magic, fantasy elements and brings in some plot threads that could help support turning this into a series. The fantasy side of the story was compelling and I found myself caught up in it all. I did struggle with the time period setting and not really feeling it as medieval. Some clothing was described, the religious sects, and obviously, technology wise, fit with what I was expecting but their vernacular and lack of flushing out the physical world had me a little disappointed in what felt like it's lack of solid setting. The characters shone much brighter than the setting and added to the story, each in their own way. There's credible red-herrings to keep the reader guessing as to who the murderer is and, while a little rushed, I liked the relationship developing between Cat and Simon. The thriller/mystery and fantasy aspects are the focus but the romance element had a good showing and delivered a happy for now.
The night welcomes you.
The beginning half kept me intrigued with mystery and putting the puzzle pieces together profiling of the serial killer, while at around 70% the fantasy plot came more into play with delving into Cat's character capturing my attention. All the guys that wanted Cat was a bit much and the ending leaned a little too chaotic with the quick back and forth of “This is the killer!” “No, THIS is the killer!”. However, the overall story absorbed my attention with it's smooth writing, thriller vibe, and fantasy elements. The ending leaves itself open to continuing the series and I would definitely sign up to follow along with Cat and Simon as Cat explores her magick more and her and Simon hunt and solve murders.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“Go home, little Cat.”
This YA medieval fantasy thriller is set in the city of Collis where the People of the Sun and the People of the Moon live
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together and separately. The moon worshipers are feared, as they live more in the night and seem to have magick along with their superior physician skills. The story is told in first person narrative from seventeen year old Catrin, an orphan from the Solis Abbey who since twelve years old has worked for the architect Thomas. We meet Cat as she sort of feels and sort of witnesses a murder. As Cat a witness, the Montcuir family comes into the picture, with siblings Oudin, Lambert, Juliane, and cousin Simon. The provost names nineteen year old Simon the Venatre, lead investigator, to solve the brutal murder because his son Oudin is looking like a suspect. As Cat works to help Simon, she gets pulled into a mystery that only gets bigger and bigger with each murder and may have more to do with her than she could ever imagine. It was the moon. The moon had done something to me.
Blood and Moonlight captured me with it's hint of magic, Cat's struggle to find out who she is, and the hunt to stop and capture the serial killer. The beginning half spent a lot of time with Simon and his crew of cousins and Cat working to profile the killer. This is YA, so even though some of the murders are described in gruesome detail (there is also brief mention of rape and childhood sexual abuse), the story was a little lighter on the procedural aspects. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the pointing out of the puzzle pieces and how they all worked together to fit them into place, but I did pretty much know who the killer was at around 30%.
“And what if I drag you Beyond the Moon and to the Gates of Hell itself?”
“Then we'll find our way back.”
The second half shifts for a bit from the serial killer profiling to Cat. We learn about who her family is and why she was given to the Abbey when she was a baby. It's tied into the magic, fantasy elements and brings in some plot threads that could help support turning this into a series. The fantasy side of the story was compelling and I found myself caught up in it all. I did struggle with the time period setting and not really feeling it as medieval. Some clothing was described, the religious sects, and obviously, technology wise, fit with what I was expecting but their vernacular and lack of flushing out the physical world had me a little disappointed in what felt like it's lack of solid setting. The characters shone much brighter than the setting and added to the story, each in their own way. There's credible red-herrings to keep the reader guessing as to who the murderer is and, while a little rushed, I liked the relationship developing between Cat and Simon. The thriller/mystery and fantasy aspects are the focus but the romance element had a good showing and delivered a happy for now.
The night welcomes you.
The beginning half kept me intrigued with mystery and putting the puzzle pieces together profiling of the serial killer, while at around 70% the fantasy plot came more into play with delving into Cat's character capturing my attention. All the guys that wanted Cat was a bit much and the ending leaned a little too chaotic with the quick back and forth of “This is the killer!” “No, THIS is the killer!”. However, the overall story absorbed my attention with it's smooth writing, thriller vibe, and fantasy elements. The ending leaves itself open to continuing the series and I would definitely sign up to follow along with Cat and Simon as Cat explores her magick more and her and Simon hunt and solve murders.
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LibraryThing member murderbydeath
Thanks to Whisky in the Jar for putting this book on my radar. I finished it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters make this a YA murder mystery with a side of romance, but the plot has some dark and disturbing elements that are touched upon (sexual violence/incest) that put it at the
Mental illness is a very prominent theme in the story and though I have no first, or even second-hand experience with it myself, the inclusion in the story didn't feel disrespectful or heavy-handed. The moon magic was interesting and felt like a fresh take on magic systems; the mystery plotting was a little clunky, possibly over-complicated, but overall it kept the story moving along.
In general, I thought it was a good read and if the author were to make a series out of it (could easily go either way) I'd read the next one happily.
The characters make this a YA murder mystery with a side of romance, but the plot has some dark and disturbing elements that are touched upon (sexual violence/incest) that put it at the
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older end of YA. The setting is supposed to be, I think, medieval, but it worked better for me to imagine it as an alternate reality, thereby making anachronisms less anachronistic. This was easy to do as the city/country names have little to no similarity to real ones, and the religious system is based entirely on the sun and moon.Mental illness is a very prominent theme in the story and though I have no first, or even second-hand experience with it myself, the inclusion in the story didn't feel disrespectful or heavy-handed. The moon magic was interesting and felt like a fresh take on magic systems; the mystery plotting was a little clunky, possibly over-complicated, but overall it kept the story moving along.
In general, I thought it was a good read and if the author were to make a series out of it (could easily go either way) I'd read the next one happily.
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LibraryThing member mybookloveobsession
Well written characters, the evolve nicely through the story. A hint of romance that will push you to hope for one side over the other. A little bit of mystery mixed with moon magic. The ending left me wanting another book but didn’t frustrate me. This story is wrapped up but leaves space for
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another to continue. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
7.76 inches
ISBN
1035039737 / 9781035039739
DDC/MDS
| 813.6 |