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Shadow and Moonlight #2
To Ashes and Dust
A dark secret, a terrible prophecy, and a dangerous bargain.
An unsettling energy has settled over the city of Johnstown. When the darkling's behavior suddenly changes and immortal families start disappearing from their homes-Cassie and Damien are called to a meeting with The Council of the Kyrios, to discuss how they intend to bring an end to Melantha and her darkling brood. The time comes for Cassie to make her appearance known, rising to the role of queen of the immortals at Damien's side.
Cassie battles with the inner turmoil left in the wake of Marcus' torment and Cole's betrayal. When she uncovers the truth, she's left questioning everything, and the dark secret she's guarded her entire life threatens to be revealed.
Damien works to expand the warriors of The Order to face the looming threat of the countless darklings building in the shadows while searching for a means of saving Cassie from the fate Selene warned them of. Instead of finding answers, he stumbles upon a terrible prophecy.
Foe becomes friend, friend becomes foe, and Cassie and Damien are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered reality.
An unsettling energy has settled over the city of Johnstown. When the darkling's behavior suddenly changes and immortal families start disappearing from their homes-Cassie and Damien are called to a meeting with The Council of the Kyrios, to discuss how they intend to bring an end to Melantha and her darkling brood. The time comes for Cassie to make her appearance known, rising to the role of queen of the immortals at Damien's side.
Cassie battles with the inner turmoil left in the wake of Marcus' torment and Cole's betrayal. When she uncovers the truth, she's left questioning everything, and the dark secret she's guarded her entire life threatens to be revealed.
Damien works to expand the warriors of The Order to face the looming threat of the countless darklings building in the shadows while searching for a means of saving Cassie from the fate Selene warned them of. Instead of finding answers, he stumbles upon a terrible prophecy.
Foe becomes friend, friend becomes foe, and Cassie and Damien are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered reality.
382 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2023
124 people are currently reading
2290 people want to read
About the author
Luna Laurier
15 books508 followersLuna Laurier is the Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s Bestselling author of Of Shadow and Moonlight. She lives in the south with her husband and son on their little farm. She has a Bachelor’s in Business, and when she’s not writing you can find her reading, filming cheesy book humor and bookish cosplay Tiktoks, and buying more books when she already has more than she can read. She is currently working on her debut series, and cannot wait to see where it leads.
social media: @authorlunalaurier
www.lunalaurier.com
social media: @authorlunalaurier
www.lunalaurier.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
March 10, 2023
Two words: destroyed me.
Incredible. Just plain incredible.
Incredible. Just plain incredible.
March 19, 2023
WOW! Just WOW! I am…. There are no words I can say to give this book justice. This book had me hooked from the beginning and gave me the ride of my life! Luna graciously gave me this awesome arc to read. It is the second book in the Shadow and Moonlight series. I have sooo many emotions right now. The passion. The devotion. The eroticism. The intimacy. The solidarity of the Order. This book absolutely ROCKED my world to its core. The main characters and the side characters are amazingly written. The settings she writes are awe inspiring. The plot is woven carefully and provokes so many emotions in my soul. Luna you out did yourself in this book. I positively LOVED every single moment of this book! I hope this review encourages you to read the first book and this book.
March 18, 2023
I was hooked from page 1 and devoured this book in a single sitting.
Luna has such a talent for writing. There is an elegance in how she tells a story. The way she's created such a detailed world and absolutely loveable characters is amazing.
This book had me laughing, crying, gasping, and rioting; truly an amazing roller coaster that I will gladly hop on again.
If you think you know everything, you're wrong.
Buckle up kids.
Luna has such a talent for writing. There is an elegance in how she tells a story. The way she's created such a detailed world and absolutely loveable characters is amazing.
This book had me laughing, crying, gasping, and rioting; truly an amazing roller coaster that I will gladly hop on again.
If you think you know everything, you're wrong.
Buckle up kids.
May 23, 2023
BETA/ARC Read **Spoiler Free**
THANK YOU, Luna, for including me in this EMOTIONAL ROLLACOSTER!!!! 🩵🖤
She has done it again. And as I have said at the beginning of this, I was ready to be hurt again...AND I WAS. (In a good way!)
The second installment in The Shadow and Moonlight Series, it picks up right where Cas and Damian left off. As Cas begins to strengthen herself to prepare for the possible upcoming war between the Darklings and the Immortals, her world shifts in more ways than one.
This book is filled with amazing fight scenes, SHADOW PUPPIES, Shadow Spice 🌶🌶🌶, political conflict, love, and....MORE FREAKING BETRAYALS. My heart went through a heart attack or two myself during this book.
I may never forgive her for Chapter 47....but I will always keep Hot Head in my heart! 💔
I can NOT WAIT for BOOK 3 of this series!!!
THANK YOU, Luna, for including me in this EMOTIONAL ROLLACOSTER!!!! 🩵🖤
She has done it again. And as I have said at the beginning of this, I was ready to be hurt again...AND I WAS. (In a good way!)
The second installment in The Shadow and Moonlight Series, it picks up right where Cas and Damian left off. As Cas begins to strengthen herself to prepare for the possible upcoming war between the Darklings and the Immortals, her world shifts in more ways than one.
This book is filled with amazing fight scenes, SHADOW PUPPIES, Shadow Spice 🌶🌶🌶, political conflict, love, and....MORE FREAKING BETRAYALS. My heart went through a heart attack or two myself during this book.
I may never forgive her for Chapter 47....but I will always keep Hot Head in my heart! 💔
I can NOT WAIT for BOOK 3 of this series!!!
March 21, 2023
I was given a free copy as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions on the continuation of the “Of Shadow and Moonlight” series.
Cassie struggles with inner turmoil over a decision she had to make and a friends betrayal. The decision that resulted in a life being taken. As she starts to uncover the truth, she’s left with more questions than answers, and a secret that is threatened to be revealed.
Forced to accept the reality that she can’t hide from Damien’s world anymore, she steps into the role as Queen and faces the ruling council. But she’s only human in a world full of gods, immortals and monsters that most people couldn’t even imagine.
Damien is trying to build his armies, to strengthen them to fight back against the growing darkness. He petitions the council for help only to have pushback and his mates capabilities called into question. Through all this, he is trying to find a way to save Cassie from her mortal lifespan, unbeknownst to him that her life is threatened by an internal battle that will take her far before her time.
Cassie and Damien are struggling to pick up the pieces as friends become foe, and foe turns to friends.
This book….
The author came in with both arms swinging with this one. She had no mercy and made sure you knew from the beginning that that tone in this book has changed. She starts off strong, throwing you back into the action and giving you a glimpse of the past that explains …. Well nothing … until later.
I could see Luna’s confidence in this book versus the first. She hit her stride as an author and it’s so clear in her character’s interactions, development and the way the story unfolds. There are tiny hints and nods throughout the story that later turn out to be teasers to bigger reveals. The twists and turns that the story takes, along with the way the author slaps you across the face with your feelings were truly inspired.
I really enjoyed the way that Cassie continued to explore her past lives and come into her own with her abilities. I enjoyed that there were redemption arcs for previous characters that made sense within the world and didn’t feel rushed or forced.
My only critique about the book is how much of it was “daily life” of the characters. You see a lot of simply hanging out, or more relaxed moments with the characters but there is plenty of action. In saying so, the author still managed to continue the plot even within those moments, I would just say to be aware that there isn’t as much action as it may seem.
Also, while the majority of this story did take place because of a mating bond between Damian and Cassie, the romance plot is still somewhat of a backseat plot to the book. Don’t get me wrong, there are some spicy scenes present, but the majority of the story is Cassie’s training and the war/politics that is occurring.
I do like the way the author brought back into the forefront Cassie’s medical condition. I did feel like at one point in book one it kinda got forgotten, but Luna explained why perfectly! I can now say proudly that it wasn’t an oversight, it was a nod to information that gets revealed in this book. Honestly, it attests to the authors ability to plan things out.
I absolutely loved this story and I am so grateful to be apart of the arc reader community for this sequel.
Cassie struggles with inner turmoil over a decision she had to make and a friends betrayal. The decision that resulted in a life being taken. As she starts to uncover the truth, she’s left with more questions than answers, and a secret that is threatened to be revealed.
Forced to accept the reality that she can’t hide from Damien’s world anymore, she steps into the role as Queen and faces the ruling council. But she’s only human in a world full of gods, immortals and monsters that most people couldn’t even imagine.
Damien is trying to build his armies, to strengthen them to fight back against the growing darkness. He petitions the council for help only to have pushback and his mates capabilities called into question. Through all this, he is trying to find a way to save Cassie from her mortal lifespan, unbeknownst to him that her life is threatened by an internal battle that will take her far before her time.
Cassie and Damien are struggling to pick up the pieces as friends become foe, and foe turns to friends.
This book….
The author came in with both arms swinging with this one. She had no mercy and made sure you knew from the beginning that that tone in this book has changed. She starts off strong, throwing you back into the action and giving you a glimpse of the past that explains …. Well nothing … until later.
I could see Luna’s confidence in this book versus the first. She hit her stride as an author and it’s so clear in her character’s interactions, development and the way the story unfolds. There are tiny hints and nods throughout the story that later turn out to be teasers to bigger reveals. The twists and turns that the story takes, along with the way the author slaps you across the face with your feelings were truly inspired.
I really enjoyed the way that Cassie continued to explore her past lives and come into her own with her abilities. I enjoyed that there were redemption arcs for previous characters that made sense within the world and didn’t feel rushed or forced.
My only critique about the book is how much of it was “daily life” of the characters. You see a lot of simply hanging out, or more relaxed moments with the characters but there is plenty of action. In saying so, the author still managed to continue the plot even within those moments, I would just say to be aware that there isn’t as much action as it may seem.
Also, while the majority of this story did take place because of a mating bond between Damian and Cassie, the romance plot is still somewhat of a backseat plot to the book. Don’t get me wrong, there are some spicy scenes present, but the majority of the story is Cassie’s training and the war/politics that is occurring.
I do like the way the author brought back into the forefront Cassie’s medical condition. I did feel like at one point in book one it kinda got forgotten, but Luna explained why perfectly! I can now say proudly that it wasn’t an oversight, it was a nod to information that gets revealed in this book. Honestly, it attests to the authors ability to plan things out.
I absolutely loved this story and I am so grateful to be apart of the arc reader community for this sequel.
March 21, 2023
This book completely crushed my soul, my heart and everything in me.
It was SO hard to put this book down!!! The plot twists, the tears I cried chapter after chapter.
My heart hurts so much after this book and I can’t wait for Luna to put it back together in book 3!
I was so blessed to be able to receive an arc for this book.
It was SO hard to put this book down!!! The plot twists, the tears I cried chapter after chapter.
My heart hurts so much after this book and I can’t wait for Luna to put it back together in book 3!
I was so blessed to be able to receive an arc for this book.
March 19, 2023
Holy. Crap. That was both absolutely incredible and extremely painful at the same time.
I read it in 4 hours- all in one sitting-it was just that good! It made me laugh and cry- god did it make me cry. Absolutely worth it though!
Thank you so much, Luna, for allowing me to opportunity to ARC read To Ashes and Dust! I cannot wait to find out what happens next!
I read it in 4 hours- all in one sitting-it was just that good! It made me laugh and cry- god did it make me cry. Absolutely worth it though!
Thank you so much, Luna, for allowing me to opportunity to ARC read To Ashes and Dust! I cannot wait to find out what happens next!
March 19, 2023
This book was absolutely phenomenal. It was so fast-paced and hit the ground running. I could not put it down. The roller coaster of emotions this book put me through. I was bawling so hard for a couple of chapters that my husband was like everything, okay? Of course it wasn't. No spoilers, but just wow. This was better than book 1. I am so honored that I was able to have been an arc reader .
May 23, 2023
Okay, if you've read the first book then you absolutely HAVE TO READ THIS ONE!
**I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review** and boy am I glad I did!
First, it had me captivated from beginning to end. I literally couldn't put it down and had it read by the end of the night (2am to be exact! 😂) It was worth every minute!
The characters,as usual, are loveable and funny. Cas and Damien are my fav book couple and their smex scenes were. .🔥🔥🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️ I love the funny banter between them all.
That being said it was an emotional rollercoaster and I will not lie, I sobbed like a little girl on several occasions. I cannot recommend this series enough! It has all the feels, vampires, monsters, Greek mythology, SPICE, and everything you could ever want in a book.
I can't wait for book 3! Luna you're such a talented writer and this series is fantastic!
**I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review** and boy am I glad I did!
First, it had me captivated from beginning to end. I literally couldn't put it down and had it read by the end of the night (2am to be exact! 😂) It was worth every minute!
The characters,as usual, are loveable and funny. Cas and Damien are my fav book couple and their smex scenes were. .🔥🔥🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️ I love the funny banter between them all.
That being said it was an emotional rollercoaster and I will not lie, I sobbed like a little girl on several occasions. I cannot recommend this series enough! It has all the feels, vampires, monsters, Greek mythology, SPICE, and everything you could ever want in a book.
I can't wait for book 3! Luna you're such a talented writer and this series is fantastic!
May 23, 2023
I was very lucky to be chosen as an ARC reader of this amazing book.
If you had read the first book in this amazing series, then you HAVE TO READ this next book.
This has captivated me from the very first page, the world that Luna has created is just stunning, to say the least, it was so hard to put this down once I had gotten my hands on it. I cried both happy and sad tears, and every second of it was worth it. The relationship between Cas and Damien is just adorable, as well as the relationships Cas forms with the rest of the gang. You will not regret reading this absolutely amazing book and I can't wait for book 3 already!!!!
If you had read the first book in this amazing series, then you HAVE TO READ this next book.
This has captivated me from the very first page, the world that Luna has created is just stunning, to say the least, it was so hard to put this down once I had gotten my hands on it. I cried both happy and sad tears, and every second of it was worth it. The relationship between Cas and Damien is just adorable, as well as the relationships Cas forms with the rest of the gang. You will not regret reading this absolutely amazing book and I can't wait for book 3 already!!!!
June 6, 2023
yes!
Have you ever sat down to read the ARC you’ve been looking forward to for months only to start a whole journey of a mystery illness and migraines? I have! And that’s why it took me until after the launch to finish this lovely!
There were moments when I was frustrated, there were moments when I thought, “really?!” And then she did it! Luna Laurier actually had me going “you sneaky dog! You almost had me monologuing!” I’m going to have to reread to see what I missed when I was being dumb and frustrated because I’m sure I missed stuff.
The world building in this book! The atmosphere! The balance of description and plot! THE REVEALS!!!
I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the next part!
Have you ever sat down to read the ARC you’ve been looking forward to for months only to start a whole journey of a mystery illness and migraines? I have! And that’s why it took me until after the launch to finish this lovely!
There were moments when I was frustrated, there were moments when I thought, “really?!” And then she did it! Luna Laurier actually had me going “you sneaky dog! You almost had me monologuing!” I’m going to have to reread to see what I missed when I was being dumb and frustrated because I’m sure I missed stuff.
The world building in this book! The atmosphere! The balance of description and plot! THE REVEALS!!!
I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the next part!
March 20, 2023
If you’ve read the first installment of this series (Of Shadow and Moonlight), then you absolutely need to read this second book because the first book leaves you on a cliff hanger that WILL get answered in book two.
I was graciously given the ARC to read for an honest review.
The main characters, Cassie (a mortal) and Damien (an immortal) are fated lovers who are finally back together after Cassie was captured and tortured by the enemy. In the beginning of the book, she is going through therapy to get through her traumatic experiences and also trying to train with her new found powers to fight in the war that is to come.
Cassie is still hiding her secret medical issues from Damien who has no idea she’s fated to die soon. But when an attack on Cassie causes her to have a heart attack he will go to great lengths to keep her alive. Will it be enough though?
There are a lot of secrets revealed in this book, heart break, flashbacks and traumatic memories, but also great supporting characters with their banter and relationships revealed! Love the paranormal activity and modern day vampires. Brings me back to my Twilight days. 🤩 Can’t wait to get more answers in the next book about Cassie’s past lives and how it will effect the war.
Some tropes I enjoyed:
Dual POV
Fated lovers
Reincarnation
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I was graciously given the ARC to read for an honest review.
The main characters, Cassie (a mortal) and Damien (an immortal) are fated lovers who are finally back together after Cassie was captured and tortured by the enemy. In the beginning of the book, she is going through therapy to get through her traumatic experiences and also trying to train with her new found powers to fight in the war that is to come.
Cassie is still hiding her secret medical issues from Damien who has no idea she’s fated to die soon. But when an attack on Cassie causes her to have a heart attack he will go to great lengths to keep her alive. Will it be enough though?
There are a lot of secrets revealed in this book, heart break, flashbacks and traumatic memories, but also great supporting characters with their banter and relationships revealed! Love the paranormal activity and modern day vampires. Brings me back to my Twilight days. 🤩 Can’t wait to get more answers in the next book about Cassie’s past lives and how it will effect the war.
Some tropes I enjoyed:
Dual POV
Fated lovers
Reincarnation
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
April 14, 2023
This is Luna's second book in her Of Shadow and Moonlight series. Book 1 - Of Shadow and Moonlight was absolutely wonderful and this one is nothing short of fantastic as well.
Damien and Cassie's story continues - more secrets, revelations, betrayals, heartache. Luna ramps up the spice between Damien and Cassie, which I'm totally not upset about! <3 We learn more about Cassie's past lives, Emilia (sob!), and Selene and her secrets. Eris continues to cause chaos, more than any of us were prepared for. The development with the side characters' stories is wonderfully done. The emotional roller coaster Luna puts us through in this book is real, there are significant losses that left an ache in my heart. The plot twist towards the end is gutting and the ending leaves so many unanswered questions, yet the determination Cassie has to overcome is powerful.
I absolutely loved this book and of course I'm so excited for book 3 from Luna!!
I received a e-copy of an ARC of this book for my honest review.
Damien and Cassie's story continues - more secrets, revelations, betrayals, heartache. Luna ramps up the spice between Damien and Cassie, which I'm totally not upset about! <3 We learn more about Cassie's past lives, Emilia (sob!), and Selene and her secrets. Eris continues to cause chaos, more than any of us were prepared for. The development with the side characters' stories is wonderfully done. The emotional roller coaster Luna puts us through in this book is real, there are significant losses that left an ache in my heart. The plot twist towards the end is gutting and the ending leaves so many unanswered questions, yet the determination Cassie has to overcome is powerful.
I absolutely loved this book and of course I'm so excited for book 3 from Luna!!
I received a e-copy of an ARC of this book for my honest review.
June 5, 2023
So I was blessed enough to be an ARC reader for both the first and second books in this series. I did not want to put this down. I cried both happy and sad tears, I was taking swigs of whiskey at like 10:30 am and do not regret a second of it. Luna is such an amazing writer. Yes she will emotionally wreck you, but you will love every minute of it. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
June 4, 2023
SIMPLY AMAZING
I’m so late leaving my review! I was selected to be on the ARC reader for this book and I am so honored and humbled by this experience. Luna is an amazing writer and has only grown since her first book! I look forward to continuing this story and seeing what happens next. This story broke my heart and took a piece. And those that have read it will know what I’m talking about. This story is beautiful and heartbreaking and I need the next installment yesterday!
I’m so late leaving my review! I was selected to be on the ARC reader for this book and I am so honored and humbled by this experience. Luna is an amazing writer and has only grown since her first book! I look forward to continuing this story and seeing what happens next. This story broke my heart and took a piece. And those that have read it will know what I’m talking about. This story is beautiful and heartbreaking and I need the next installment yesterday!
June 5, 2023
Luna Laurier did it again! To ashes and dust will make you laugh, cry tears of joy… and not tears of joy, you will jump up and down from glee and throw the book across the room. Why won’t you let your characters and readers be happy 😩 You need To Ashes and Dust in your life. Enjoy the roller coaster ride, I know I did.
March 21, 2023
Book 2 took me on the most epic of emotional rollercoasters! I laughed, I cried, I screamed. All you want is for Cas and Damien to get the peaceful, full lives they deserve. Instead they keep hitting wall after wall. The immense details that went into this book made it even better than book 1 and all around made this one of my new favorite series! I am blown away and now need book 3 immediately!
If you love Gods, vampires, fated mates, magic, romance, anguish, kick butt FMC then this is the series for you. 1000/10 stars!
If you love Gods, vampires, fated mates, magic, romance, anguish, kick butt FMC then this is the series for you. 1000/10 stars!
June 4, 2023
WOW! Book one was great.... Book 2 was fantastic! So many emotions rolled around in my thoughts as I read through the chapters of this book; I laughed, I cried, and several times I thought my heart my stop. This book has so many twists, turns and perfectly written spicy scenes. I finished this book last night and I still do not have the right words to truly describe how much I loved this book and how it made me feel.
This is the second book in the Shadow and Moonlight Series by Luna Laurier. Of Shadow and Moonlight really introduces you to the world and the characters and you get a small taste of what is to come. In my review for the first book I was left with questions.... I know realize it was all purposeful and every question was answered. Amazing work, Luna.
In book two, To Ashes and Dust, Cassie really starts to come into herself and she is truly a amazing and badass FMC. We learn more about Cassies past lives and how they all intertwined with our other characters. I don't want to say more, because I don't want to give anything away. You just need to read this book.
✔️Duel POV
✔️Fated Mates
✔️ Coming to Power
✔️ Unique Magic System
✔️ Dark Secrets
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Paranormal/New Adult Romance
Truly, I liked Of Shadow and Moonlight, but I really fell in love with To Ashes and Dust and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Luna, thank you so much for allowing me to arc read your amazing book.
This is the second book in the Shadow and Moonlight Series by Luna Laurier. Of Shadow and Moonlight really introduces you to the world and the characters and you get a small taste of what is to come. In my review for the first book I was left with questions.... I know realize it was all purposeful and every question was answered. Amazing work, Luna.
In book two, To Ashes and Dust, Cassie really starts to come into herself and she is truly a amazing and badass FMC. We learn more about Cassies past lives and how they all intertwined with our other characters. I don't want to say more, because I don't want to give anything away. You just need to read this book.
✔️Duel POV
✔️Fated Mates
✔️ Coming to Power
✔️ Unique Magic System
✔️ Dark Secrets
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Paranormal/New Adult Romance
Truly, I liked Of Shadow and Moonlight, but I really fell in love with To Ashes and Dust and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Luna, thank you so much for allowing me to arc read your amazing book.
August 5, 2023
I don’t even know what to say about this book. It was amazing and devastating all at once. An excellent extension from book one, with so much more development and heartache and love than I thought I would see in one book. For anyone that read the first and enjoyed it but wasn’t sure about anything after it, take the leap and trust in Luna’s writing.
And for those of you that are looking forward to book two, I have two words and one suggestion. Buckle up. And make sure to stock up on tissues.
And for those of you that are looking forward to book two, I have two words and one suggestion. Buckle up. And make sure to stock up on tissues.
May 16, 2023
What a Book! What a Book!
A breath of fresh air.
A book that spread its wings and flew high, directly to my best reads this year.
TY Luna for sending me an eARC. This is my utterly honest opinion!
I have read the first book in the series of Shadow and Moonlight and it was a good book with an interesting story and some intriguing characters. You can recognize the inspiration that Luna found in some of our favorite Romantasy books, some of our favorite tropes, mixed it all, and gave it a unique voice. Overall a good debut book.
Then this book comes into play. Luna amazed me with how much she has grown as an author... her writing style has advanced so much, the characters were full of life, the story was heart-gripping, and all of the points in the story that were wobbly in the first book were brought on another level. This is an example of an author who listens with her heart and writes for her readers. My "must read" author for sure.
This is a chunky book but the story is so rich that you are easily immersed in it that you do not feel as if you are reading, but it feels as if you are there with them and watching. This shows how much her writing style has improved. The scene descriptions and the atmosphere in the room are clear and go directly to your heart. Descriptive writing is giving so much to this story. I cannot imagine what the next book will bring us.
The characters are presented strongly, whether with their weaknesses, strengths, flaws, or virtues. The previous book needed a bit more character depth and with this book, it was all made up for. The side characters felt like a family and you could feel the unison between them.
The relationship between Cassie and Damien is amazing! Damien is a new-level book boyfriend. And the intimacy scenes, omg, such strong connection between them, just ... poetry.
The story was built beautifully, there are foreshadowing and explanations from the previous book and for the next one coming. This will be a series that you will have to reread and with every read, you'll have an AHA/WOW moment. If you miss something or you think it is forgotten... think again, no it is not...just wait.
A breath of fresh air.
A book that spread its wings and flew high, directly to my best reads this year.
TY Luna for sending me an eARC. This is my utterly honest opinion!
I have read the first book in the series of Shadow and Moonlight and it was a good book with an interesting story and some intriguing characters. You can recognize the inspiration that Luna found in some of our favorite Romantasy books, some of our favorite tropes, mixed it all, and gave it a unique voice. Overall a good debut book.
Then this book comes into play. Luna amazed me with how much she has grown as an author... her writing style has advanced so much, the characters were full of life, the story was heart-gripping, and all of the points in the story that were wobbly in the first book were brought on another level. This is an example of an author who listens with her heart and writes for her readers. My "must read" author for sure.
This is a chunky book but the story is so rich that you are easily immersed in it that you do not feel as if you are reading, but it feels as if you are there with them and watching. This shows how much her writing style has improved. The scene descriptions and the atmosphere in the room are clear and go directly to your heart. Descriptive writing is giving so much to this story. I cannot imagine what the next book will bring us.
The characters are presented strongly, whether with their weaknesses, strengths, flaws, or virtues. The previous book needed a bit more character depth and with this book, it was all made up for. The side characters felt like a family and you could feel the unison between them.
The relationship between Cassie and Damien is amazing! Damien is a new-level book boyfriend. And the intimacy scenes, omg, such strong connection between them, just ... poetry.
The story was built beautifully, there are foreshadowing and explanations from the previous book and for the next one coming. This will be a series that you will have to reread and with every read, you'll have an AHA/WOW moment. If you miss something or you think it is forgotten... think again, no it is not...just wait.
May 6, 2023
I was so lucky to be given the opportunity to ARC read To Ashes and Dust! This book was everything I had hoped it would be after finished Of Shadow and Moonlight.
To start with, the world and character building picked up immensely in this book. We finally get a deeper dive into this world, into the Godsrealm, and into a lot of the history that was only touched on in book 1. Additionally, we finally get to spend a significant amount of time with the entire found family, both as a group and each individually with Cas and Damien, which helps fully pull you into the storyline.
As for the story itself, it is a wonderful mix of completely emotional damage and just enough sweet, happy, hopeful moments throughout to show you exactly what the characters are fighting for, what they want to keep and why they want to survive.
Overall another amazing installment in the series and I can't wait to read the next! An honorable mention: the art blew my mind even more in book 2 than it did in book 1. Absolutely stunning and perfectly placed!
To start with, the world and character building picked up immensely in this book. We finally get a deeper dive into this world, into the Godsrealm, and into a lot of the history that was only touched on in book 1. Additionally, we finally get to spend a significant amount of time with the entire found family, both as a group and each individually with Cas and Damien, which helps fully pull you into the storyline.
As for the story itself, it is a wonderful mix of completely emotional damage and just enough sweet, happy, hopeful moments throughout to show you exactly what the characters are fighting for, what they want to keep and why they want to survive.
Overall another amazing installment in the series and I can't wait to read the next! An honorable mention: the art blew my mind even more in book 2 than it did in book 1. Absolutely stunning and perfectly placed!
June 17, 2023
One could argue this book felt like FBAA: long and lots of plot that could have been edited out. The only reason I held out as long was to figure out what would happen to Cassie. I sort of expected more political intrigue and actual battle. Cassie definitely found herself more in this book but the amount of times I wanted to claw my eyes out when they called each other mea Luna/Sol was staggering. I’m all for cute nicknames but I do have a limit. Definitely got some much needed world building here. I wish they would talk about why Selene is the way she is by spilling more of her history through Damien’s memories. The spice was also pretty good and I enjoyed Luna’s writing style (it’s been growing on me). So aside from those pet peeves this book definitely did better than the first one (which felt like a prequel).
March 22, 2023
There are not many books that make me physically cry. This....this was one of them. This book was marvelous. It was suspenseful, it was loving, it was joyous, and of course had incredible spice in it. The dual POV was brilliant. I couldn't read this fast enough, couldn't put it down. And of course it has so many romance tropes that we all love! Fated Mates, morally gray man, a kickbutt woman as the main character, and it has vampires and gods/goddesses.
March 22, 2023
Well, Luna said she would collect the tears of her readers. And if you finished the book, you know that, that's exactly what she did. This book covers a lot and sets the groundwork for the next book in the series. We do have a lot of heartache in this one. We see a lot of sacrifice and how far one will go to save their soul mate. Absolutely outstanding.
March 21, 2023
Definitely need to read the first book in the series!
So much happens, too much to write here but all I can say is it is addicting, pulls on your heart strings and there's quite a few moments that leave you questioning!
Thoughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the next installment.
So much happens, too much to write here but all I can say is it is addicting, pulls on your heart strings and there's quite a few moments that leave you questioning!
Thoughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the next installment.
April 15, 2023
SO FREAKING AMAZING
October 27, 2025
The plot twists and romance in this book were soo good!! I really am so invested in this story. Can't wait for the next part...
May 2, 2023
Just like Of Shadow and Moonlight, this book had me hooked from the beginning! Luna is so creative in her plot and world building, and she is outstanding when it comes to fleshing out both her main and supporting characters. If you haven’t read this series yet, RUN to your local bookstore and grab these. You won’t be disappointed!!
You may smile, giggle, scream, cry, curse the Gods - and maybe Luna too - but I promise you will not regret giving this debut series a chance.
You may smile, giggle, scream, cry, curse the Gods - and maybe Luna too - but I promise you will not regret giving this debut series a chance.
January 21, 2025
That was insane
March 24, 2023
Wow, Luna has done it again with her 2nd book. It’s so hard to put into words how amazing this book was. A roller coaster of emotions and the spice in this book 🔥. I can’t wait to see what Luna does next!
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