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wildflowerleahg's review against another edition
5.0
*There are major conversations about parental neglect/abuse and racism/antisemitism so people know that going in.*
This story was a bit on the slower side but I loved sipping on every single beautiful detail of the world and our main characters. I WISH there was more of the hung but I really enjoyed this author’s writing style.
Graphic: Antisemitism and Racism
Moderate: Blood, Violence, and Emotional abuse
earlgreywithroom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Xenophobia and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Gore and Violence
not_another_ana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Since her childhood, the hunt has been nothing but a blood-soaked myth. The fare of true New Albian heroes, not country girls with Yu'adir fathers. It's never been real. But now it's here. Close enough to register. Close enough to win.
In New Albian, where alchemy is common and mythical beasts still roam about, Margaret Welty is stuck in a town that hates her waiting for her mother to return from her travels. She's resigned to an unexciting life when the hala, a supernatural violent creature resembling a fox, is spotted in her neck of the woods bringing the Halfmoon Hunt to her little town. Whoever can kill the hala will get riches and fame and Maggie is ready to take on the challenge. There's just one little problem, only pairs (consisting of a hunter and an alchemist) can enter the hunt. Enter Weston Winters, a wannabe alchemist who comes looking for Margaret's mother to hopefully become her apprentice. Together they're an unlikely pair, but they might just have what it takes to win.
If you want to read this book because the hunt and the alchemy sounded interesting then put it back down. The Halfmoon Hunt doesn't really being until 80% or so of the book. It isn't plot driven, it's propelled by the characters. The hala is only there to get the two protagonist to meet and spend time together. This is why I'm rating it 4 stars and not 5, even though I loved it. The action did not deliver and was more of an afterthought.
Here's what this book is really about: a slow burn romance that hinges on the understanding between these two characters that outwordly seem wildly different yet, on the inside, are both longing to belong. It is beautifully written, I lost count of how many lines of this I highlighted. The protagonists inner worlds are so well constructed and carefully layered that you deeply feel for them. The book also deals with a lot of religious discrimination and xenophobia, with Maggie and Wes both being religious minorities and having to face a lot of bigotry in the midst of their romance. If the action had been set up correctly this would have been an easy 5 stars to me.
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Violence, Classism, and Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death
graycloudsnsuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Animal death, Xenophobia, and Violence
modernmatilda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider romance vibes
Cottagecore vibes for days
Soft fantasy
Audiobook Weston Winters has a Newies-boy accent and my entire heart
An absolutely LOVELY read that I wish I could spent eternity in.
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Bullying, Animal death, Hate crime, Violence, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Racial slurs, and Alcohol
teaspoonaddict's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and Death
chichisode's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Gore, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Classism, Body horror, and Alcohol
neni's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I loved Trouble the hound, especially because my own dear dog is of the same breed so I kept picturing her in the book :)
The pacing was a bit all over the place. The first third of the book felt slow and like nothing was happening, the middle was satisfying in that we finally had some progress in both the plot and the relationship between the main character's, but then the ending, while entertaining, was a bit rushed and left quite a few issues that had been brought up either unresolved or fixed so quickly it didn't feel believable.
I must say as well: the fact that the whole character's main thing was being a huntress and loving it, didn't sit quite well with me as I don't agree with hunting for sport. The descriptions of fox killing as a sport (both the magical/mythical type and the plain normal animal) bothered me.
Overall, this was an okay read, especially vibesy for autumn and with some good romance and pining in the middle but not particularly strong either in plot or character complexity.
Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Racism, Death, Abandonment, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Body horror, Child abuse, and Violence
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
3.5
I'm also not a fan of white, raised Christian people writing about marginalized people when they haven't had those experiences. I know the author is LGBT+ and probably has faced prejudice because of it, but the discrimination and oppression one experiences based on religion and race/ethnicity is quite different. I don't like white authors saying that racial and religious minorities need to take the high road to be better than their oppressors like what has been illustrated in this book.
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Violence, Xenophobia, Bullying, Child death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Alcohol, Animal death, Antisemitism, Classism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
zoiejanelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
a few qualms: and listen, i’m not trying to get cancelled here or make any accusations… but at times i truly felt like some scenes were lifted directly out of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood or Roy Mustang/Riza Hawkeye fanfiction i’ve read. an alchemist and a sharpshooter? the sharpshooter has a mad scientist/absentee parent? the alchemist wants to become a politician? blonde and black hair (actually, their whole physical descriptions honestly)? set in the same fantasy time period? (spoilers)
also i can’t give it a 5 because
ANYWAY i loved this book, seriously. it was so well-paced, no major plot holes, the writing was actually GOOD and tasteful, there were clear allegories to current world issues, i loved all the characters and thought they were all believable and enjoyable, and the ending was very satisfying.
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Child death