The Malice of Moons and Mages was an engaging and thrilling book. It captured my attention and drew me in, albeit with a start that was slightly confusing due to alternate points of views, jumping around a new world. However, this was in fact vital to the overall story, and thus I recommend readers continue, as the book was incredibly well written and highly enjoyable.
The writing was engaging, accessible for younger adults, whilst maintaining a level of interest for those older. Additionally, the political side was highly interesting, and whilst I don't typically find this, it was not too complex that I understood it, whilst providing another layer of intrigue with enough body to prevent plot holes. The final few chapters were read in a single sitting, the climax intense and exciting.
Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read, which I would highly recommend!

The cover and description drew me in and it wasn't long before I was obsessed. The Malice of Moons and Mages brings together action, romance and political themes (Game of Thrones ish) in a world with a unique magic system that draws on celestial forces.
The characters and their relationships are well built, weaving stories of the past into the present to give us a full picture to their motivations. I adore Audra, her snarky attitude and swearing. She is authetically herself and met l never apologizes for it. Her growth arc is significant.
There was not much I didn't like about this story. I do feel like we've yet to fully understand Lua's involvement in the war with the westerners. The one thing that had me scratching my head was that in chapter 1 Audra cuts her hair so short that she knicks her scalp and can pass for a boy. The entire book takes place over about a months time. Yet towards the end, Audras hair has grown enough that it can be cut at an angle and styled.
Overall, this was a phenomenal read. The ending left me desperate for book 2.

This is a bit of a mixed review.

I enjoyed the overall story and romance in this. I especially liked the usual enemies to lovers back to enemies wasn't the same in this at all. A nice changing of the trope.

I liked both of the main characters and the different politics between the tribes. It helped to progress the plot significantly.

However, it was often hard to understand who was who as there were a lot of characters in the book that were introduced in a relatively short space of time. Additionally, the first few chapters are really hard to understand what is going on. There are a lot of terms that are used for the book that didn't make sense and aren't explained until much, much later in the book. I didn't understand that Song, Silence, and Starling were all named of the moons and sun for way too many chapters, for example.

The pacing was also all of over the place. At times, it was very quick, but at others, it was very slow and seemed to really drag, making it take longer to read than it would usually take. I almost lost interest a few times and thought about giving up.

However, I am glad I stuck it out. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the overall plot. I really enjoyed the ending. I think this shows a lot of promise and look forward to the next.

3.5 stars

I liked aspects of this quite a bit. It felt very original, and the multiple tribes created a lot of tension between characters. That said, it got pretty confusing about who was fighting with whom. Despite quite a lot of action, the pace also felt pretty slow, and it took me longer than it usually would to finish. The ending conversely felt a bit rushed, and it would have been nice to have an epilogue chapter to soften the edges a bit.

There were also a couple of typos (wrung instead of rung) and in chapter 41 (i think -- the one where Arn was accidentally injured) Audra was in a different room and then magically in the same room. I reread the pages 4-5 times trying to figure out where she's magically appeared from and did not figure it out -- seems to be a substantive error.

3.75✨

The Rajav Li-Hun is dead and the courts of the Moon mages is turned upside down. Through a turn of events, the Oji Lua finds himself tethered to a skilled thief with her own missions. Together they must head on a journey to break their bond while powerful forces hunt them down at every turn.

Audra is highly skilled, insanely stubborn and loyal to her core. I don’t love or hate her. I find her incredibly passionate especially on her quest for justice. I found similar traits in Lua as well which makes them a fantastic pairing. This is portrayed as enemies to lovers but I found the former part fizzes rather quickly. I would have liked a bit more tension between the two of them. I do think romantasy fans will love our “touch her and die” MMC.

The magic system here is like a breath of fresh air. Sets itself apart within the genre. The only issues I had with it is that everything was insanely fast paced. Found myself putting it down because the world building felt so overwhelmed. The first few chapters are pure unlimited chaos that only is ramped up but 3 POV’s. Eventually it gets into a good stride and all comes together neatly. It is a ruthless and mystical high fantasy world. Fans of gripping vivid fast paced high fantasy with a touch of romance will devour this.

Thank you to Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing, N.V. Haskell & Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Malace of Moons and Mages

Thank You NetGalley for this ARC. All reviews are my own personal thoughts and opinions.

Overall Rating: 3.75

I have read a ton of fantasy and this one’s magic system is truly unique - it’s refreshing and creative. Without getting into too much detail, let’s just say it requires pairings and a balancing act of giving and taking.

This story follows a tale of an unwilling pair - Audra and Lua. Both hate the bond and are set on a course to remove it.

Spoiler Warnings Ahead

Pros
- Fast-paced moving adventure
- Excellent side characters that you truly care for.
- enemies to lovers
- LGBTQ rep
- Morally Grey MMC
- Unique magic system
- Bonds

Cons:
- Writing in the beginning was a little bit hard to follow and visualize.
- I felt that certain themes or systems were not explained thoroughly until much later in the book. This uncles the 2 moons and 1 star,

Despite the cons, the story truly shines in the adventures these two encounter - especially once the chase begins. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a whimsical Romantasy woven into a unique magic system..

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.

Our story starts out with the (realistically) badass FMC being jailed for stealing dragon's eye jade to save her baby brother who had a spell cast on him and to return her people of the Western tribe to their former glory after a war between the Moon and Starling tribes and a bide for power left her people and decimated. Fate intervenes when we meet our MMC after he and Audra bond unwillingly Lua has some serious generational trauma to contend with and a psychopathic sister who has no empathy and her only goal is complete control. In this true enemies to lovers romantasy our FMC and MMC are conflicted with their differing background and figuring if their loyalties and feeling are due to the bond or something more.


I will say that the first couple of chapters were pretty confusing. I am one who loves multiple POV's and intense world building but it was just too much too fast. That being said once you push through meeting each character the story really ramps up and keeps you hooked. There is great comedic banter between our FMC and MMC within the first 30% of the book but once the romance was introduced I felt it lacked chemistry and could seem a little bit controlling and obsessive at times. Also....Moonie....I can't get over that nickname I despised reading it several times throughout the book. I kept thinking that Selene would have some type of redemption arc but nope that girl is actually insane.

All in all I loved the plot twist towards the middle of the book and how things were built up at the end for a possible duology...trilogy? I'm not sure but I can't wait to read it!

Spice rating 2.5🌶️one open door scene that is very short but not explicit.

Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, touch her and die
Plenty of Diversity and 🏳️‍🌈 inclusion

I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book at first. I hated The MMC and believed him an entirely irredeemable character. He was a wildly unlikable, unfeeling , selfish and without mercy. I wasn’t sure how the author was going to redeem him, but the storytelling pulled me in and I couldn’t put it down.

His redemption snuck up slowly and I’m not even sure what chapter it was by the time I stopped hating him. This story swept me away, and held me captive. I didn’t want to leave. The world was rich, the characters were all complex, and I really love a book with multiple POVs.

The end wasn’t really a cliffhanger, but left me devastated that there weren’t more pages. I can’t wait to see where this author takes us next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This spellbinding story follows sneaky thief Audra who becomes bound to the ruthless, mysterious “Moon”. They journey together to find a solution to their less than ideal fate, with plenty of questions and secrets to uncover along the way.

Whilst the multiple POVs, different characters and celestial entities took me a while to grasp, once I did I found the world building and magic system was really interesting. It reminded me of the TV show ‘Merlin’ which I loved. There’s plenty of political elements to build the background of the story.

It’s a well-paced, high stakes fantasy with the addition of an entertaining romance featuring a possessive, “touch her and die” mmc and strong, self-assured fmc.

Once I’d grasped the background I was unable to put this down, and found myself itching to find out what happened next. There’s drama; tension and yearning right to the end.

Highly recommend for fantasy lovers of magic, dragons, politics and angst.

Absolutely spellbinding. The Malice of Moons and Mages is a gripping high fantasy novel with elements of magic, political intrigue and destiny. The story follows thief Audra and the mysterious ‘Moon’ after a fated encounter leaves them searching for solutions. Their journey together, however, unearths more questions than answers, and the pair are running out of time.

Fans of rich world-building and imaginative magic systems will find this story immensely enjoyable. Fans of romantasy will adore an excruciating slow burn and a ‘touch her and die’ main male character. Fans of immense spice who prefer romance over plot, you might want to sit this one out.

A dazzling introduction to what will undoubtedly be a stunning series, The Malice of Moons and Mages will stay with the reader long after the last page.

I received an ARC copy of this book, but my review is entirely my own thoughts.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked. The setting/background building did not feel overwhelming, a bit confusing but done well and slow, to the point it’s even still happening like half way through.

We have our FMC, Audra, who really stood out to me because she stayed true to herself and her goals/values through out the whole book. I feel all too often in fantasy/romance novels, the FMC starts out a badass, meets the MMC and suddenly her whole personality has shifted. Haskell did not let that happen though!!

In general, this was a quick, easy, and insanely entertaining read. Some things are obvious like with any fantasy novel but there are a couple times that I was bamboozled in the best way possible. I would recommend to any fantasy/romantasy lover, it has dragons, magic, angst, romance, all of the components of an amazing book!

˗ˏˋ 4 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .

i was hooked from the first page, the twists and turns kept me flipping through the pages. i loved the unique magic system and did i mention there are dragons too?

if you're looking for LGBTQ+ representation, this book has it. it has multiple same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples.

i just didn't really like the multiple POVs, it was really hard to follow since there were so many characters. i also got a bit confused about the politics, but in the end it got cleared up.

anyways, such a fun read. can't wait for book two!!

⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing end to a book! I can't wait to read the next one.
The Malice of Moons and Mages is a story that follows Audra, a Western Mage, and thief, and Lua, Oji of the Moon tribe, who end up anchored to each other for unexplainable reasons. As they race to the Silence monastery in hopes of breaking this bond and going their separate ways, they start to question their goals and what they really want.
This is by far one of the best books i've ever read on Netgalley. It had me from the very beginning, wanting to read it at every given free moment. Every detail in the book is well thought through and the writing itself is very strong and powerful (some parts did tug some heart strings for me).
The only reason I didn't rate this a 5 star is that i'm personally just not really a fan of multiple POV'S when it comes to reading lots in the POV of a character that isn't the FMC or MMC, however i found nothing else that i disliked about reading this.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this absolute masterpiece, I cannot wait to be able to find out what happens next.
(All opinions are my own)

"The Malice of Moons and Mages" provides a wonderfully new fantasy world for readers to get lost in. Through the eyes of Audra, our fierce, determined thief, and Lua, our cunning, secretive yet surprisingly selfless crown prince, we traverse the lands of Raia as they struggle tooth and nail to make it to the Silent Monastery, where Lua will be crowned prince of the Moon Tribes. As if surviving the Empyrean Sea and making their way through treacherous lands isn't hard enough, our reluctant pair have to race against several groups who want them dead. Can they beat the odds and make it to the Silent Monastery before the eclipses have passed?

This book provides a unique insight into the other characters present, telling the stories of not only our two protagonists but even the very people they are fighting against. We are able to see their wants and desires, their hidden motivations for their questionable actions, and gain insight into what they might do next. Just like the threads that tie the mages and their anchors, the different points of view tie the entire story together in a beautiful weave of trouble, longing, triumph, and regret.

What I love most about this book, and it's a 5-star book for me, is the amount of detail that goes into the world-building. From the description of the space outside of this world, where two moons weave in and out of planetary rings, to the delicate magic system that requires sacrifice, it was extremely difficult for me to put this book down. Never would I ever consider a magic system that asks for its more powerful practitioners to anchor their lives to another individual, nor twist it into a system where the anchor is eventually robbed of their life force. I especially enjoyed the contrast between the magic systems of different peoples, with the Moon and Starling tribes sticking to the clever star system while the Western tribes practice something completely different.

My only regret is finishing this book. I truly am devastated that I do not have the second book to continue where I left off, and I truly cannot wait until the second comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I didn’t make it far into The Malice of Moons and Mages, but I don’t believe that’s a reflection of the book itself. The writing was strong, and the story had an intriguing premise, but I think I may be heading into a bit of a reading slump, which made it difficult to fully engage.

I plan to revisit this book when I’m in a better reading mindset because I do think it deserves a fair chance. Readers who love fantasy with rich world-building and magic-infused storytelling may find a new favorite here.

I was giving the opportunity to read this as an ARC. At first I found it difficult to get into but no matter how many times I put it down, I had the itch to pick it up and continue and I’m so glad I did. There was a lot of world building which you don’t get often in books and I think that’s where I found it difficult BUT throughout the book, it made me realise how important that was to understand everything going on.

Thank you so much for allowing me the chance to read this masterpiece!

I really enjoyed this book. Assuming it’s the first in a series (duology? trilogy?), but I’m already hankering for the next one. A high level mage needing an ‘anchor’ to help with controlling/channelling their power was a nice concept, and worked well as an integral part of the plot. The pacing of the book was good. Right at the beginning there are 4 chapters all from different POVS, which personally didn’t work for me. I understand it was probably just trying to get the story moving on all sides, but it felt a bit info heavy, and I got a bit confused with the number of characters I’d been introduced to in a short space of time. However it did clear itself up a further few chapters in and start making sense.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

this book is a rich, high-stakes fantasy filled with magic, betrayal, and an unlikely alliance. i loved the tension in this book and the character!! this is a multiple pov book and a gripping read for fans of intricate fantasy!

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read "The Malice of Moons and Mages" by N.V. Haskell as an ARC!
This unique multi-POV story captivates from the very first chapter. Audra is a tough, determined, while still utterly compassionate FMC which I love to see. The writing is wonderful, and the author doesn't info-dump at the beginning, instead letting answers to previous questions unfold very naturally. This can be a little confusing at first, but I guarantee it is worth it! Each POV was captivating, though slightly less so than Lua and Audra. It was a lovely balance of story building, magic, and just the right amount of romance without being graphic. It was a wonderfully diverse story as well, very LGBTQ+ friendly!

My favorite aspect to this story was how the magic worked. I loved the concept of celestial bodies granting the magic and making it stronger, as well as how mages can bond to their anchors, both drawing from and giving power to them. Excellent read!

“The Malice of Moons and Mages” N.V. Haskell takes place in a world where mages harness magic from celestial bodies - the sun, Starling, and two moons named Silence and Song. The story centers on Audra, a determined Westerner who will go to great lengths for her family, and Lua, a gifted Moon mage on the run.

One of the highlights and things I loved about this stoy was the aspect of the magic bonding! While I don’t usually gravitate toward the bonded mates trope, the way it was woven into the story was so compelling that I couldn’t help but love it.

I was also drawn to the rich and whimsical lore and enjoyed the included multiple POVs, though I felt most connected to Audra and Lua’s perspectives. While the other characters’ romances didn’t resonate with me as strongly, I could still appreciate how their viewpoints added depth to the overall narrative.

If you’re looking for a story with strong diverse representation, this one excels. Most of the romantic relationships are queer, and both main characters have had same-sex partners.