Addictive and unputdownable, When the Moon Hatched is a high fantasy rich with fierce characters and a slow-burn romance that will grip you to near death.

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When the Moon Hatched takes readers into this new realm, this world where light and darkness separate the land, where elves rule, and where many have powers connected to the elements, the world-building is rich, and the characterization is fantastic, giving us Reave in all her violent glory.

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

If Reave had a song, this would be it: Reave is an assassin, and the story begins with her on a job, masquerading as a singer to get her prey alone.

We learn a bit about her here. She hates abusers’ fire and is connected to Clode, the air element. This opening sequence reminded me of Lisbeth Salander from the Millennium series. And I loved that series.

It’s funny; for me, it’s the opposite. The Tempest was the first work of Shakespeare I read back in 7th grade. My mom bought me one of those books, classics for kids, and this was the story I gravitated towards.

We see her ferocity, but we also see how broken she is, especially when she returns home to Essie, her roommate and the only friend she has in the world.

And when tragedy strikes, well, it’s heartbreaking. But Reave, she’s relentless.

I loved that she was such a badass b****. It made for such an entertaining read and allowed for layering with her characterization.

Reave is complex; she is relentless, and she feels so deeply. As the driving force behind the novel, you can’t help but feel with her, drawn in by her emotions and thoughts.

While this is a multiple-POV novel, the other characters, such as Kaan and Veya, don’t get as much “screen” time, but you can still connect with them.

Parker does a fantastic job with characterization. Instantly, she gives the character’s personality and attitude. These short chapters give the story more history without dragging down the novel’s pacing.

Final Thoughts

When the Moon Hatched moves effortlessly. Although somewhat epistolary, with diary entries breaking up the story, every moment with Reave is tension-driven, emotionally charged, and action-packed.