Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - When the Moon Hatched

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

334 reviews

hannahnmac's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 61%

Bleh
So tired of being conned by tiktok/instagram recs
The world building was really interesting and I would have liked to see it unfold more but the writing was weird. I feel like the author took extra time to add every unnecessary adjective that she could. The fmc was annoying and the romance was so cringey. She wants him in her pants the second after she’s about to kill him!?!? No thanks🫸

Content Warnings

scarlett_librarian's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Dark. Possible split personality.

Content Warnings

cake38141's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

As far as fantasy goes, it was a pretty easy read with a somewhat familiar magic system derived from multiple influences. Aka it didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it did rebuild it in a different way that still acts as a wheel. I would not say I am particularly fussy or expert enough to judge the way this book was written however, having multiple points of views dotted around the main voice of the book, being our female protagonist Reave, felt like it removed an element of mystery. From the start we understand that Reave knows who she is in that moment but that there is clearly a dark troubled past that we have very minimal insight into. Although it is potentially predictable, having her be the mysterious princess/queen (still unsure) is something to discover through reading her experience through the story, but upon meeting other characters who have known her in the past, we immediately see their points of view explaining exactly who she is, removing somewhat the innocent joy of us discovering it through Reaves own voice. It’s as I said, it may be a predictable turn, but immediately removing that sense of discovery takes the trope, acknowledges it and moves on with you still having to read all points of views with the main voice still being not fully aware. It adds to quite a frustrating experience where you question if the answers are given to the reader immediately, why is the book so long? Whilst I am on the negative, the miscommunication trope really is too much to physically bare. I love an enemies to lovers, but not if it relies on the convoluted unjustified internal monologue of a character who just can’t move on from their ‘cold unfeeling heart’ or ‘icy lake deep within them’. ‘Icy lake’ by the way, a phrase used faaaarrrrr too many times. Just maybe consider having some form of character development rather then the same excuse sprouted for approximately 30 chapters before any progress is made. My final issue is mainly the abrupt ending, it felt like the book was intentionally set up to not be resolved and while I understand how book deals work and there is clearly more to this series, I feel the first book in any series should be able to exist in a self-contained bubble. Having so many open ends with Reave, Kaan, Rekk, Veya, the kings missing daughter, the guy looking for a dragon egg and a war constantly teased was a bit anti-climatic. It’s almost as if it was all given in too much detail then cut dead without any flourish. While there is obviously more to come with answers, it would have felt more well rounded and impactful if wider issues were more subtly set up and hinted at, with the main concern of the book being Reave, Kaan and the resolution with a villain (who’s not so high up on the villain potential of this world) Rekk.

With that rant having come to an end, what was good about the book? What I can say is, this book did something not good but great in my eyes. I find it hard to instantly sympathise with characters I have just met, but within the first 5-10 chapters I was emotionally invested in Reaves experience with loss and grief to a character I feel only really appeared in any significant way for a couple of chapters. The response to this loss was visceral, portrayed through an entity that seemed to float over Reaves shoulders. This grief felt vast and her responses throughout the book were proportional to that grief, while it did dissipate in the second half of the book, the driving force in the first half was her entire world being consumed by this loss and pinned vision on avenging it. As I said, it did dissipate in the second half of the book, but I wasn’t so upset about it as we begin to see that the consuming grief has led her to a place were she realises she has never really felt alive or at peace. Discovering that, Reave exists in a temporary state of escape where everything is stripped back to bare essentials. Walking, swimming, basic crafts and cooking, all the plot noise of the book is almost muted as you see someone discover they have basic needs to survive and how to fulfill them. When the plot returns and Reave is snapped back to a sense of reality connected to the wider world, we finally see some progress in character development, a shame it happened so late on into the book. Overall, my point to this is that I feel grief was well explored within this book but has yet to be fully resolved and something I hope to see come to fruition in the next book.Now, I am a sucker for a love story, and when they finally moved over that painful slow hurdle of miscommunication, the connection between Reaves and Kaan was palpable. There was chemistry on the page between their banter, physical intimacy and emotional intelligence. I was so enthralled when Kaan finally put his foot down and demanded to Reave to meet him where she was while Reave let her guard down and didn’t immediately bolt when she felt something stir in that god forsaken ‘icy lake’ of her emotions (still not recovered from the god awful phrase). Although unrealistic (sadly), it was great to see Kaan accept Reaves boundaries, potentially push when needed, and practically step over no line she set and allow her to pursue her plans for revenge. It’s all about the yearning and it’s clear he has eyes for only her, nicer still that towards the end he didn’t she her for how he know her before the book, but for the version of Reave that we know as a reader.

Overall, a solid read that was interesting, captured my imagination with a fleshed out world that does have me wanting to know, what the hell happens next?… as long as I never hear the words ‘icy lake’ to describe how someone feels again.

Content Warnings

ashleybakerwrites's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Maybe this wasn't for me, but i feel like I spent 20 hours of this book desperate for it to go somewhere. It felt like 3/100 secrets were solved here. I LOVE the world building. The dragons, the paper larks. Its so cool. But the fmc drives me batty with her recklessness especially when she's supposed to be a top assassin and the mmc is hot. I like how he talks to her but bro, barely any actual movement in their misunderstandings. This book should have been half as long. Probably won't keep going which is a bummer.

Content Warnings

teeleebee's review against another edition

2.0

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book treats people like animals by putting them into vulnerable situations then coercing them into submission with basic needs and calling it love. The protagonist is groomed like a feral cat TWICE by a man who claims to love her more than anyone.

Also it reads like a fanfiction. The sentence structure is so bad; how can there be page long sentences and one word paragraphs in the same chapter? I get that this is a first person narrative, but the tone of voice gets real confusing when the narration includes personal thoughts by the protagonist with no change in punctuation or font. I’m drawn away from the world every time I have to hear this feral woman’s insane thought process.

The dragons were cool, though. Two stars for the dragons.

Content Warnings

sshclln's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Points enlevés à cause de quelques dialogues maladroits

Content Warnings

annabannana's review against another edition

dark sad

Content Warnings

angelxread's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Love but how the MC almsot got raped is just... no. Very confusing at times, but I figured it out very quickly

the ending!? One, whose the other? It mentioned irs using Raeves body as a host; so i suspect its either Elluin or Sereme

I cant wait for the next book. Poor Nee, and Kyazari ending up being Kaans daughter!? (I spoiled it for myself so I knew) Wow.

Content Warnings

katieg4's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

hypnoty's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book is a lot. Will I remember all of it after today, unlikely, will certain scenes stay in my head? Most likely.

Raeve and Kaan have interesting relationship throughout the whole book.

The side characters and the subjects you’ll need to follow the story.

Content Warnings

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