Thank you net gallery for providing me an arc copy in exchange for a honest review.
I found this story to be more of a gothic mystery than a gothic romance. The romance elements were lacking for me I wouldn't read this expected a huge romance.
The atmosphere in the book was eerie and creepy set in an isolated house in the woods (which i enjoyed) however the characters I felt needed more development. The only main characters that stood out where Camille and Lucy. The past and present jumping parts did confuse me alittle bit.I did really enjoy it I just feel like it could of been better.
I have been meaning to read the silent companions for a while and will be picking it up in the future after reading Laura's work.

Firstly, thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this book.

I want to start of by saying that I just really wish that I’d been able to love this read more. From the blurb it really did hold my interest, however throughout the read it just was falling a bit flat in places for me. It’s such a shame that I feel this way, because I gelled with Laura’s writing in this book.

I really enjoyed the way this book was written, the way Laura’s sets scenes is quite atmospheric. I had a good understanding of the world building in this book, the locations, the Lodge, I could imagine it all very clearly. This was the first book I ever read of hers and now I’m intrigued to read more by here to understand the comments around how her adult stories are enjoyable reads.

The story overall was just too slow. There was a lot of back and fourth and I felt that taking up to around 70% in the book to really reveal what Lucy was just seemed a bit lackluster. The idea that it took that long for Camille work it out? I’d like to know the thought process behind leaving the reveal very towards the end of the story.

The ending felt really rushed. All the drama happened in the last 15-20% of the book. There was so much time spent on the world building and talking about the ‘mysterious illness’ that for it to be rushed at the end was a shame.

I didn’t particularly understand the introduction to the romance? Like I don’t understand how they could even become romantically linked.

I didn’t feel the characters were fleshed out enough, and we were getting a lot more surface level and little depth. I know this was a short book, and this is the first YA - however I’ve read other YA’s that do focus on fleshing out the characters more. I just didn’t feel an emotional connection to them at all.

The plot twist just fell flat for me, I really wanted to enjoy it but it just wasn’t working for me.

Overall what I do have to say is Laura’s writing is amazing in terms of atmospherics, setting the scene, and really making us feel ‘there’ in the moment. The writing was really what kept me reading, not so much the story.

I will definitely be going through some of Laura’s other works now and hopefully I can join others in giving raving reviews for her other books ❤️

I’m giving it a 4 for the writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Plot:
After a scandal Camille gets sent to live with her godmother for a year where she starts to live with Rowena, her godmother, Lucy, Rowena's daughter and Bridget, a physic/apothecary/friend of Rowena's. Lucy's unnamed ailment, their strange behaviour and lonely living keeps Camille out of danger but not for very long if she starts finding holes in their stories.
Thoughts:
Laura Purcell's writing and atmospheric setting is something that I've always enjoyed. The title and the cover spoiled the story for me. Knowing the mystery which in itself isn't new or interesting made everything bleak. With the story being too predictable, the characters did not instill any intrigue to the story making everything borderline boring. There were few pages of infatuation and few lines of romance thrown in. Overall the plot, the characters and the writing were all just average. Maybe this would've worked if it had been released a decade ago.

Thank you to Harper Collins / Harper Voyager UK for giving me the chance to receive an arc of Moonstone by Laura Purcell.

Moonstone is a gothic romantasy with beautiful lyric prose and moody, atmospheric descriptions. The writing reflects and mimics the classic gothic literature vibes with gentle otherworldliness, foreshadowing events with suspicion and mystery as the story jumps between the past and present, telling Camille's story. The plot might seem a little predictable – werewolf mythology is pretty standard – a werewolf bites a human, and the human turns into a werewolf. What was unique and intriguing about Moonstone was the theme of coming of age and self-discovery wrapped around the werewolf lore and sapphic romance.

The characters felt odd to me – like cast in shadow for most of the story. I felt the writing was the glue to keep me reading, not the presence of the characters' personalities. None of the adults in the story came fully alive – Lucy and Camille were the only fully flesh and blood characters. I enjoyed the characters' arcs, which took Lucy and Camille out of their comfort zones and forced them to face harsh truths about themselves and their futures. Lucy's character is wild, grumpy, and guarded; quite the clash to Camille's spoilt, naïve, and quickly lead by others personalities. I liked the dynamics between the girls and how they bring out the best and worst in each other with haunting and deadly consequences.

There is an innocence to the romance between Camille and Lucy – it starts as a strange fascination for both girls as their lives are popular opposites, and so are their personalities Closeted away in forced proximity due to Camille's scandal and the remote location of Lucy's home, develops the emotional bonds of friendship and the begins of attraction between them. I felt the romance element came on suddenly from just Camille's POV,; it is hard to judge how her side of the attraction grew without Lucy's POV.

A sapphic gothic YA romantasy with Northanger Abbey vibes involving werewolves pinpointed around a plot of scandal, secrets, and intrigue. I enjoyed the simple elegance of the storytelling and character growth of coming of age, which is the core heart of this story for Lucy and Camille, who are opposite both worldly and naïve at their cores because of their different lives. I give this book 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and NetGalley

I enjoyed the foreshadowing that took place throughout this book. Right from the first page you knew what was going to happen, you just didn’t know when or how. It made for a really tense read so that even the lulls in the plot still felt fraught.

The growing friendship between Camille and Lucy added an underlying beauty to the narrative. Ashley they grow closer it is easy to see how they are changing each other and how their lives are gradually becoming entwined.

The gothic darkness at the heart of this book is masterfully crafted with perfect settings and a dark air of secrecy. Lucy plays the princess trapped in the tower whilst monsters prowl in the forest - the perfect setting for a fairytale. However her illness is the darkness that warns the reader there may not be a happily ever after.

This is my first Laura Purcell book. I would start by saying that overall, the story is nice, and I enjoyed it. However, I found it predictable, and it took a while to get into the story. BUT I would still recommend this book to the Romantasy girlies.

I've loved all of Laura Purcell's books so far so to say I didn't enjoy this as much breaks my heart. I think it's because it's written as YA (so not my age range at all).
Easy to read with a fast paced storyline. If you like YA you'll love it!

● Moonstone ●

⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Don't misbehave, beware of the moon and don't go out after dark.."

Following scandal and cast out from polite society, Camille is sent to live with her estranged godmother and her daughter Lucy in the middle of the woods. Camille must learn to live by her godmothers strict rules for fear of what would happen if she didn't.

Camille has never met anyone quite like Lucy before, and as they grow closer and cross forbidden boundaries, strange things begin to happen. Mysterious deaths, claw marks raking the doors, and the nights are pierced by the howls of a creature that sounds almost . . . otherworldly.

I enjoyed this story in the end but I did struggle to get into it, it was a little slow to start. The characters were intriguing, and the overall premise was interesting but i did find it a little obvious. It promises a chilling, gothic story but I feel I wanted more from it. That being said, it was a good story and it ends with a possibility of a second installment. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick easy read, with slight fantasy elements, but it's maybe not for experienced fantasy readers.

Moonstone comes out tomorrow, May 23rd.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After a stolen kiss with a charming gentleman at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Camille is cast out from polite society and sent to live with her reclusive godmother Rowena in the countryside of Yorkshire until the scandal has passed. Far away from the comforts of home, Camille has to adjust to the daily grind of life on a small farm away from high society. Camille also has to deal with her godmother's strict and unusual rules, especially regarding her daughter Lucy. Lucy suffers from a mysterious illness which can be triggered by the slightest thing, from sugar to the presence of blood. Camille is kept in the dark regarding Lucy's mysterious illness and grows increasingly suspicious of the supposed herbal remedies that Bridget, Rowena's companion, is giving her. Are they in fact poisoning her rather than healing her? What exactly is wrong with Lucy? As tensions build and Camille tries to find out the truth of Lucy's sickness, there are rumours of a wild animal roaming the local village and killing livestock. Could these strange occurrences be linked to Lucy's strange illness?

I absolutely adored this book. The hauntingly lyrical prose, the gothic setting, the slow burn mystery - all of it. For my it was a 4.5 star read, no questions asked. It was my first time reading anything by Laura Purcell so I will definitely be picking up some of her adult books. This was *chef's kiss*.

The rural setting is beautifully constructed - it felt very atmospheric and unsettling. The hunting lodge is far away from civilisation and makes the perfect setting for the events of the novel. I also enjoyed the fact that the novel is set in the regency era.

The novel builds tension beautifully and the mystery really draws you in. Although I did feel that the overall plot and even the twist was quite predictable (especially thanks to the cover!), the clues were expertly woven through the novel. There was no clunky exposition at all - everything was slowly built up and we were given little breadcrumbs throughout. The more Rowena and Bridget hid the truth of Lucy's condition from Camille, the more I NEEDED to find out exactly what was going on. I feel that if the book was marketed differently I might have been left guessing a bit more. This being said, the mystery element of this novel was really spot on.

I did feel that the ending was a little rushed. It felt like the book went from subtle build up to then a sudden climax. The writing really carried this, but I felt that the book could have taken a little more time with the climax of the novel.

Camille is a very naive and dare I say even slightly annoying character but I slowly grew to love her as her character developed over the course of the novel. Her journey from high society to the farm really makes her question her values and what she wants from life. The girl at the end of the novel couldn't be more different to the girl at the start of the novel and I really enjoy books where characters grow and develop in unexpected ways.

I did feel that the romance subplot came a little bit out of nowhere. Looking back I do see the romantic tension and attraction developing between the two but it didn't register on my first read. That being said, I did really love who Camille ends up with and how the novel ends. I can't say anymore without giving away spoilers but it was a very sweet and satisfying conclusion. I just wish there was more romance threaded through the story - I was definitely left wanting more.

I would recommend this book if you like:
✨ Slow burn mystery
✨ Regency era
✨ Werewolves
✨ Gothic rural setting

Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars rounded up. I enjoyed the writing so much and although I knew where the plot was headed, I enjoyed the drama and atmosphere.

This was my first book by Laura Purcell, and I must admit I was slightly disappointed. I have nothing against the writing style, but the plot and the characters did not catch my interest. I had a hard time getting used to the heroines and caring about their adventures. Despite the gothic atmosphere and the werewolves, the book is inspired by Victorian classics, especially Jane Austen, to the point that it became predictable. Nothing surprised me in this story. Also, I didn’t like the romantic subplot, as nothing in the early scenes indicated the depth of feelings we see later on. I would instead like the characters to remain friends.

3★

Thank you, NetGalley, for the e-arc of this book!
First of all, I want to say this was definitely not a bad read, but I really thought I’d have loved it much more. I'm kind of sad it was “just fine” for me as I adored the writing so much.

Thoughts:
- First of all, the writing was amazing. I only read a short story by this author before reading this and it was my favorite in that collection. So seeing she wrote this book, I had to pick it up. Unfortunately, I think I’ll stick to her adult stories.
- The story overall was very slow and predictable. It felt like nothing much happened up to the 80% mark. From there, it started to get a bit more interesting. There was this “mystery” going until then but was it really a mystery? Just read the title and look at the cover, don’t tell me you don’t know what it is about just based on that. Though I can’t say I was bored, the writing really kept me going.
- I didn’t like a single character in this book. Camille was annoying, loved her name though, and the rest felt bland. They were all pretty rude to each other and just didn’t treat each other well. I’m not into that. And on top of it, Camille was… dumb. No better way to say it.
- Also, the romance didn’t hit for me at all. There was no chemistry. Zero. Didn’t enjoy it.
- One thing I loved, except for the writing but it is connected to it as well, were the vibes. The book was beautifully described and very atmospheric!
- I did not really care for the plot twist at the end. Overall, I don’t think I cared for the story as such. I was just vibing with the writing and that was it.
- I think this would be great for a younger audience for sure, as it is a young adult, but since there are a lot of young adult books I still enjoy I thought it might’ve been for me as well.
- Last thing I have to mention is the cover. Look at it! It’s gorgeous! I wish I enjoyed this more so I could have it on my shelf. Simply a beautiful piece of art.

Overall, this is a good book but not for everyone. I’d definitely read more by this author in the future.

I always struggle with Laura's writing, and this book was no different. While I really enjoyed the story, I had to focus really hard to get into the story. A little too hard, and it took the joy a little out of it. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy this, because I most certainly did! If you love atmospheric gothic stories, I can definitely recommend this!

https://lynns-books.com/2024/05/20/moonstone-by-laura-purcell/
2.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : I Wanted to Love It

Well, I had mixed feelings about requesting this book because it is YA and to be fair YA rarely works well for me as I have too many questions along the way. But, I do so love this author and I thought if anyone can write a winning YA it could be Purcell so I couldn’t resist. So, pinch of salt time, I’m not the target audience for this book and it could very well work wonders for younger readers. I would also say that this is packed with glorious writing and the author’s trademark gothic atmosphere.

This story is told in two timelines by Camille. Camille has been sent away for a cooling period following a scandal that has impacted on the family in a negative way. She’s been sent to live with her godmother Rowena and her daughter Lucy. Lucy suffers from a mystery illness that the whole household revolves around. When I say the ‘household’ this is quite different from what Camille is used to, no servants here. This is a working farm and Camille is expected to muck in. The only other person is Bridget who is something of an apothecarist herself and a dab hand at knocking up concoctions for Lucy’s ailments.

Rowena has ran away from a violent marriage and is effectively in hiding. She lives almost like a recluse and Bridget is their connection to the local village. Of course there is much gossip about the family, particularly as Bridget visits the local apothecary on a frequent basis, often purchasing items that are highly toxic.

The timelines jump between Camille’s time on the farm and then takes us forward to Camille, once again reunited with her family but suffering herself from a terrible illness.

My feelings about this book.

I loved that the story is set in the Regency period, it really plays into the plot, particularly Camille’s obsession with gothic novels which were all the rage during the period.

The setting of the farm was really well done. Rowena’s family had an old hunting lodge which is nestled in the forest. A foreboding stone structure with creeping ivy and crenellations poking out through the tree tops.

The writing is lovely, which is exactly as I expected. Purcell creates fantastic atmosphere and a wonderful sense of foreboding.

What didn’t work so well for me.

Well, firstly, there’s the whole issue of keeping Camille in the dark about Lucy’s condition. It was so obvious as a reader what was going on and yet Camille, with her fantastic imagination, was unable to piece things together and in fact went off on totally the wrong tangent. Personally, given the danger of the situation it surely would have been more sensible for Rowena to share with Camille what was really going on. As it was, the secrecy and veiled conversations simply led her to keep digging and causing much more of a nuisance than was necessary.

Camille was a little bit shallow. She questions things all the time and yet things that are really as plain as the nose on your face she fails to pick up on. It was a bit frustrating, like she was willfully ignorant. And some of her actions were infuriating.

There are two potential love interests here but for me both lacked any sort of chemistry.

The ending felt rushed and a little bit incredulous.

I realise that this comes across as very negative and it pains me to write such a review for a favourite author but even with the wonderful setting and gorgeous writing this one just didn’t work for me.

Again though, I’m not the target audience, I had misgivings in the first place and I think I should have stuck with my gut feelings. YA rarely works for me, it simply fails to answer my need for information. And, to be honest, I felt like Purcell’s wonderful storytelling ability was shackled by the restraints that writing in this bracket placed upon her.

Anyway, I will still avidly await Purcell’s next work.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

3.5 Stars Rounded
Firstly I’d like to point out that the cover of this book is really beautiful. The book’s description really drew me in as it’s got a lot of what I enjoy in a book.
I really enjoyed this book and found that the slow world building really helped to set the book up. The world building was great I loved how descriptive it was and it truly built a gothic atmosphere for the book.
I loved the mystery aspect of the book and how it kept me guessing as to what was going on.
The characters were really interesting and I found them to be really well written. I loved the contrasts between Camille and Lucy and how they were vastly different.
There was barely any romance and I kind of wished there was a little more than we got.
I enjoyed the authors writing style in this book.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and if you enjoy werewolves and mysteries then this one is for you. It’s a fairly quick read as it’s not very long. It can easily be read in a day I found.
This is the first time reading from this author and I’d definitely pick up more books in the future.

Thank you to the Publisher, Author and Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The main thing that drew me to this book, and probably my favourite aspect of it, was how gothic and fairytale-like the story and setting were. Being set in some semblance of the Edwardian/ Victorian era really complimented the 'monster' plot and made the storytelling quite engaging.

I also quite liked the characters - I thought that Camille in particular had great character growth from a wealthy but rather shielded young woman to becoming more modest and hardworking, it made me really like her.

However, one problem I had with this book was that the style of the story (being rather like a slice of life) didn’t really feel like it suited the plot. We easily spent around 70-80% of the book just going through Camille and Lucy’s everyday lives with rather obvious hints of what the overarching ‘twist’ would be and it was a little frustrating that all of the action was right in the last 20% of the book.

I think that the issue is that the target audience seems unclear. The writing and storytelling were quite sophisticated, and coupled with the slow pacing makes this book feel more appropriate for slightly older audiences; however, I found that the ending was very predictable and I thought that it was very easy to guess what Rowena and her family were hiding from Camille, which I think an older audience would get frustrated at.

Overall, this was quite a charming book that fits into the ‘fairytale retelling’ genre that I’m quite fond of. However, I thought that the pacing was a little slow and I wish that there had been some subversion of expectations to keep the story fresh and interesting until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4 Stars

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for my digital review copy.

This was quite a slow pace and I loved it! The slow pace helped to build the gothic atmosphere and the slow burn relationship.

I loved how atmospheric the prose was- especially in the choice of language picked to further the gothic aspects.

I loved being able to unravel the mystery of this book, however, I was able to work out the plot twists and I know this may not be for everyone (especially if they want to be surprised) but I really enjoyed it.

I’ve been a huge fan of Laura Purcell right from the start. This hasn’t upset that run! A deliciously gothic read, an isolated godmother with endless secrets hiding in a Yorkshire wood. Sign me up. I couldn’t put it down, to be quite frank. A perfect read for a cosy night under a blanket.

I love Laura Purcell and the exquisite gothic world she creates, but this book felt like a sorry attempt at recreating the same vibes at the YA level! It definitely lacked emotions and character development, but the idea was definitely something I liked. if you are a fan of werewolves, you can look this up!

Moonstone by Laura Purcell is a gothic paranormal romance.
 
This story is about Camille who is sent to her conservative godmother to live with her in this reclusive town. I didn’t like the godmother who was often way too strict and old-fashioned. The godmother also has a daughter called Lucy who seems a bit strange at first. Camille is trying her best to settle in, but then strange things start happening and that’s when you get some gothic vibes. That was definitely my favorite part in this story.
 
There is also a hint of romance, but because this book is ya it only scratched the surface and there were definitely a few scenes where I would have liked for the story to be a bit more mature. The story is definitely more focused on Camille and her journey and that made the plot seem lengthy at times.
 
Overall, Moonstone is a good paranormal story with some great gothic vibes. 3,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

It doesn't seem five minutes I was reading Laura Purcell's last novel!

I did struggle a little with this one. The storyline was good and the writing as always good. I just couldn't really connect with it and found myself skim reading rather than being completely absorbed.