The magical realism in this book was so well done and this is probably one of my favourite books. I started off kind of disliking the book, but stuck with it and by about 20% into the book I was hooked. I cried, I laughed and I was on the edge of my seat. I absolutely loved it.

I was hesitant to read this even though I love the author and her other books because I’ve only ever enjoyed 2 books with the use of memory. This book officially makes it 3. I should have never doubted her. That was my mistake.

This book is so soft but unyielding in its tragedy and heartache. However, it is also full of hope and love. My favorite aspect aside from the setting and characters was actually how memory was used in this book to be magical, but also tied to the reality that many face. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but Nash does such a good job at making you love and hate characters, and man, did I hate a few of them.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Great premise; wanted more from it

Zoe Underhill can share other people’s memories with just a touch. She can even take on their memories to become a new person. This ancestral gift made her run far away to live a life free of chaos and dysfunctional drama. However, Zoe’s brother comes for her; their mother (who disappeared twenty years ago) has been found dead. To find the truth, her brother needs Zoe’s help to access the memories of their family members and separate emotions from facts.
Legend says Abraham Underhill, Zoe’s ancestor stopped by the Gale in 1898 to save Kingstowe. In return, he and his family were gifted strange powers. The townsfolk are wary of the Underhill family because of this.
As the 130th anniversary of the Gale approaches, Zoe realizes that she needs to tap into the past and her own memories to find the truth.
The story comes from Zoe’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
I’ve enjoyed the author’s works before, so was excited to read this one. The premise is terrific. Imagine a person with the power to see your memories with just a touch!
There’s a bit of everything, which can make it hard to highlight a single genre. It has dysfunctional family drama, a mystery about the mother’s disappearance, paranormal abilities, and a touch of romance.
The family drama gets the highest marks. The tension, toxicity, and stress of living with such people are very well done. I could feel the same itch as Zoe, to escape the house and go somewhere peaceful. The relationship dynamics are complex and the characters are just as messy, adding to the feeling of suffocation. This can be a trigger for some readers.
The mystery is okay, decent enough as the family drama often takes over. Can’t help it since both tracks are interconnected. I could guess the killer halfway through and got it right, though I didn’t know the reason until the reveal.
The FMC’s abilities are shown through various scenes. This makes it easy to understand how her abilities work as well as see the side effects. I like her enough, though something feels missing. I can’t point out what exactly, sorry!
The MMC, Duncan, is the right type of counterpart for the FMC. His stability and steadfastness are evident. It is easy to see why the FMC is attracted to his calm and assured personality. At the same time, he is competent and assertive; just not in-your-face type, and a very comforting presence to have around.
While the story definitely has some atmosphere, I was hoping for more. I need to feel the storm and salty sea breeze around me. Some scenes were quite there but some weren’t.
The side characters have definite personalities. I like that the relationship between Zoe and her brother is a bit strained but they also share a deep sibling bond. It feels realistic.
The climax is pretty cool. I like how the resolution aligns with the character’s personality and delivers justice.
However, the ending is more of HFN and a bit open-ish. An epilogue set a year or two later would have helped a lot. I want to know if the nasty old aunt got what she deserved. Maybe newsletter subscribers can get a bonus epilogue (hint, hint).

To summarize, Breathings of the Moon is an intriguing and dark story about family secrets, memories, and relationships.
Thank you, NetGalley and Rook and Castle (Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Breathings of the Moon is magic realism with a murder mystery, dysfunctional family dynamics, and some ghostly elements. The book was well written, fast paced, and engaging. Character backgrounds explained the motivations and actions of all the main players in a believable way. This is magic realism at its best, when the magic is seamlessly integrated into stories and lives of the characters. Solid 4 stars.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

I swallow hard before asking Duncan, "Has anyone said this building is haunted?"
"No one has mentioned it."
Zoe
Seeing ghosts is not my gift.

Byrd Nash and her writing with mysterious/paranormal undertones is just fabulous. Breathings of the Moon was no exception.
Zoe has zero interest in being with or apart of her family, she wants nothing to do with the Gifts that have been passed down from generation to generation, but she also knows she can't get away from it or the family. When her mother is found dead after being missing for twenty years Zoe is being brought back to the family estate. She wants to find out what happened on the last night of her Mother's life, but no one "seems to know what happened". The family is more interested in celebrating the Legend of the Gale and the rise of the Underhills.
Zoe knows that history is missing, people are lying and using their Gifts to cover up everything. The story goes through how she unravels her own family past. It is gripping, mysterious, so good!

"The Gale takes back what was gifted. The Underhills take back their heritage. You are cast out. Exiled. Alone, without name or power."

An interesting and engaging read with a unique fantasy twist! Very enjoyable! Thank you to NetGalley and Rook and Castle Press for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After the discovery of her missing mother’s body, Zoe Underhill is drawn back into the suffocating embrace of the Big House and her family’s legacy. Utilizing her Gift, Zoe attempts to discover the truth behind her mother’s murder and the secrets her family would rather keep hidden.

“Breathings of the Moon” was a combination of all my favorite things: magic, crime, and family secrets. Nash crafts an atmospheric tale where the weather is its own character and the narrator is unreliable, in the best way. Through her Gift, Zoe has built a collection of identities through memories she has absorbed from others, separating herself from her family in as many ways as possible. This makes Zoe the perfect instrument for discovery as an ‘outsider’ in her family but tied to it enough to have an understanding. I appreciated the overall narrative of fighting for the truth and the pruning of spoiled fruit, poisoning the entire tree.

While the mystery of who killed her mother is what brought Zoe back to Kingstowe, other discoveries pull focus for a good part of the middle of the book. Even though discovery is a theme of the book, I would have liked to see a stronger through line of finding her mother’s murderer. Through the middle, the focus is shifted to other topics so that it almost seems as if Zoe must be reminded about her goal.

I really enjoyed the relationship fostered between Duncan and Zoe throughout the book, as well as the threading of the family’s Gifts through the storyline. The magical realism brought an extra depth to the book that I appreciated. I believe this book would be a great read for those who might not be sold on fantasy as a genre, as the magical realism and the mystery aspects are enough to pull in even the most averse readers.

Zoe Underhill comes from a wealthy and prestigious family who are the self-proclaimed caretakers of their town called Kingstowe. In 1898 their ancestor Abraham allegedly saved the whole town from a mighty Gale. Ever since then, the Underhills have had special powers; the powers of Charm and Memory. Zoe left the town but is pulled back in when the body of her long lost mother is recovered. Presumed to be dead when Zoe was only 6, Zoe will use her Memory abilities to try to uncover her mother’s murderer.

I love the premise of the this! The whole idea of this subtle family magic, the deep rooted history the Underhills have with their town, the mystery of her mother’s murder, and there is even a small romance. It is an excellent idea and has the trappings of a phenomenal book. My 3 star rating comes from the execution, which fell short for me. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, and clunky linear writing “then this then this then.” It just seemed very amateur to me. Easy for me to say, I’ve never written a book! I am sure it is harder than I can imagine. I do read a ton of them though. I am not trying to be mean, I really did love the story and for me that is most important. I’m just trying to be honest. Great story! Lackluster execution!

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book releases March 4, 2025.

Thank you to Byrd Nash, Rook and Castle Press, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The synopsis and beautiful book cover art intrigued me and the book did not let me down. Such an interesting concept executed very well. A great blend of fantasy / magical realism / mystery / romance.

I enjoyed this book, primarily because the main characters were well written. The book is genre defying, a mix of magical realism and suspense. I are well written.

The plot wasn't very suspenseful. The ending was a let down. I'd like to know what happens with the characters after Nolan is gone.

I appreciate the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read t

I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this book. This was the first time reading Byrd Nash, and I was not disappointed. This book captivated me from the first page, and I couldn't put it down. The character of Zoe was well written, and had some tremendous growth. I found the story to be well plotted and laid out. I highly recommend this one to other readers. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, Rook and Castle Press, and Byrd Nash