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Command the Moon
A witch can command the moon, but can Zoya Lane command her own heart?
Zoya Lane has always been an outcast on Swans Island. Ostracized by the locals during the day, but visited for tarot readings and helpful spells as the sun sets, witchcraft fills her life from morning to night. Even her dreams are flooded with the visions of her pesnya dushi, the person whose life threads are forever tied with hers.
Unfortunately for her that person is Johnny Sharpe, and he’s burned her more times than she cares to count. While she can’t escape her dreams, she would at least like to keep him out of her waking hours. But when Johnny returns to the island, he barrels back into her life with a heart determined to make her forgive him.
To complicate her love life, there’s a new mysterious man in her dreams and he's handsome, powerful, and with definitely questionable motives. Is he here because he’s Zee’s soulmate or does it have something to do with Aunt Nadia, the elusive house ghost?
When the protective wards on the house and island start cracking, Zee’s emotions are more tangled than ever. It’s going to take everything Zee has to keep her home and aunt’s spirit safe from a threat more powerful than spelled trinkets and magic charms have prepared her for.
Zoya Lane has always been an outcast on Swans Island. Ostracized by the locals during the day, but visited for tarot readings and helpful spells as the sun sets, witchcraft fills her life from morning to night. Even her dreams are flooded with the visions of her pesnya dushi, the person whose life threads are forever tied with hers.
Unfortunately for her that person is Johnny Sharpe, and he’s burned her more times than she cares to count. While she can’t escape her dreams, she would at least like to keep him out of her waking hours. But when Johnny returns to the island, he barrels back into her life with a heart determined to make her forgive him.
To complicate her love life, there’s a new mysterious man in her dreams and he's handsome, powerful, and with definitely questionable motives. Is he here because he’s Zee’s soulmate or does it have something to do with Aunt Nadia, the elusive house ghost?
When the protective wards on the house and island start cracking, Zee’s emotions are more tangled than ever. It’s going to take everything Zee has to keep her home and aunt’s spirit safe from a threat more powerful than spelled trinkets and magic charms have prepared her for.
370 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2019
131 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Moon
40 books5,215 followersKathryn Moon is a country mouse who started dictating stories to her mother at an early age. The fascination with building new worlds and discovering the lives of the characters who grew in her head never faltered, and she graduated college with a fiction writing degree. She loves writing women were are strong in their vulnerability, romances that are as affectionate as they are challenging, and worlds that a reader sinks into and never wants to leave. When her hands aren't busy typing they're probably knitting sweaters or crimping pie crust in Ohio. She definitely believes in magic.
You can reach her on Facebook and at ohkathrynmoon@gmail.com
You can reach her on Facebook and at ohkathrynmoon@gmail.com
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May 29, 2020
I read two Kathryn Moon books in the same day and one gets five stars, and the other two...
This was beautifully written and destroyed my heartstrings, but there was a glaring issue which dogged me for the entire time I was reading, and that is: Zoya, you forgave Johnny WAY too easily.
Let's backtrack. Zoya is a witch living on an island, who's been having dreams of her true love Johnny since she was twelve. She's ecstatic when he shows up in middle school... and then he proceeds to bully her and throw OW in her face for basically the next decade. He returns to the island when they're adults, says sorry, and she essentially falls head over heels for him again. It was kind of painful to read, I won't lie.
I realise he apologised, and his justification is that he thought she put a love spell on him so he was cruel to her, but that really did not wash with me. Throughout the book it's constantly emphasised that he's had almost every woman on the island - something Zoya never even brings up with him, nor does he display any real embarrassment or regret. The good news is she's had boyfriends in the meantime, but considering she's then the first to actually vocalise the 'I love you' to him, I felt deeply irritated by all their interactions.
I also felt really strongly that this should not have been an MMF story. To have Johnny fall in love with someone else as well as Zoya brought up my annoyance re. the above paragraph all over again. If it had been an MFM I'd have handled it better, but as it stands I dislike Johnny too much to want to see him get another lover. Also, since Johnny and Zoya had such a long and tangled history, the sudden appearance of Lucas as their third did not feel like it really meshed into their existing relationship, and I didn't feel the connection.
Stylistically, the story is written almost in third-person diary format, with the date at the top of every new chapter. This wasn't great either because in most cases, not much was written for each individual day, giving the flow a kind of choppy feel as it was constantly interrupted by these new dates.
I'm disappointed by this book, but it's the only dud and I've read almost Moon's entire backlist, so I highly encourage everyone to go ahead and pick up one of her other books instead. I'm off myself now to reread Good Deeds!
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
This was beautifully written and destroyed my heartstrings, but there was a glaring issue which dogged me for the entire time I was reading, and that is: Zoya, you forgave Johnny WAY too easily.
Let's backtrack. Zoya is a witch living on an island, who's been having dreams of her true love Johnny since she was twelve. She's ecstatic when he shows up in middle school... and then he proceeds to bully her and throw OW in her face for basically the next decade. He returns to the island when they're adults, says sorry, and she essentially falls head over heels for him again. It was kind of painful to read, I won't lie.
I realise he apologised, and his justification is that he thought she put a love spell on him so he was cruel to her, but that really did not wash with me. Throughout the book it's constantly emphasised that he's had almost every woman on the island - something Zoya never even brings up with him, nor does he display any real embarrassment or regret. The good news is she's had boyfriends in the meantime, but considering she's then the first to actually vocalise the 'I love you' to him, I felt deeply irritated by all their interactions.
I also felt really strongly that this should not have been an MMF story. To have Johnny fall in love with someone else as well as Zoya brought up my annoyance re. the above paragraph all over again. If it had been an MFM I'd have handled it better, but as it stands I dislike Johnny too much to want to see him get another lover. Also, since Johnny and Zoya had such a long and tangled history, the sudden appearance of Lucas as their third did not feel like it really meshed into their existing relationship, and I didn't feel the connection.
Stylistically, the story is written almost in third-person diary format, with the date at the top of every new chapter. This wasn't great either because in most cases, not much was written for each individual day, giving the flow a kind of choppy feel as it was constantly interrupted by these new dates.
I'm disappointed by this book, but it's the only dud and I've read almost Moon's entire backlist, so I highly encourage everyone to go ahead and pick up one of her other books instead. I'm off myself now to reread Good Deeds!
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
October 18, 2020
Spoilers ahead
The h Zoya comes from a long line of witches, from the age of 12 she's been dreaming of a boy and is ecstatic when he shows up at school....only he's a jerk to her and proceeds to spend years sleeping with every OW beside her.
10 years later the Island is in a tizzy as he returns, now a big name artist. Zoya is determined to ignore him especially as millions of his exes descend upon her home to talk about his return. He eventually comes to see her and like a typical romance h she folds in the blink of an eye. Yadda yadda yadda, bam another guy is introduced....why? Maybe cuz the undeserving,cowardly prick of an H was bi so he not only gets the girl he treated like trash for years, he also gets some good dick thrown in
I generally enjoy this author's books but the h disappointed me and the H was one of the most disgusting and undeserving pieces of Shit hero I've read in a while
I've got a serious aversion to books written with flashbacks and this one had them almost like a diary or journal entry. Either way it was way too much back and forth
1* because the h had had boyfriends but he'd basically slept with the entire island of women, some of whom knew she wanted him. Then to give him his perfect HEA. 😨
The h Zoya comes from a long line of witches, from the age of 12 she's been dreaming of a boy and is ecstatic when he shows up at school....only he's a jerk to her and proceeds to spend years sleeping with every OW beside her.
10 years later the Island is in a tizzy as he returns, now a big name artist. Zoya is determined to ignore him especially as millions of his exes descend upon her home to talk about his return. He eventually comes to see her and like a typical romance h she folds in the blink of an eye. Yadda yadda yadda, bam another guy is introduced....why? Maybe cuz the undeserving,cowardly prick of an H was bi so he not only gets the girl he treated like trash for years, he also gets some good dick thrown in
I generally enjoy this author's books but the h disappointed me and the H was one of the most disgusting and undeserving pieces of Shit hero I've read in a while
I've got a serious aversion to books written with flashbacks and this one had them almost like a diary or journal entry. Either way it was way too much back and forth
1* because the h had had boyfriends but he'd basically slept with the entire island of women, some of whom knew she wanted him. Then to give him his perfect HEA. 😨
Want to read
May 19, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/19/2019)! 🎁
July 25, 2020
Moon's books seem to be a hit or miss for me. Sometimes they're 5 stars and sometimes they're 2. Unfortunately, this is one of the latter.
Everything that initially excited me about this book ended up disappointing me. The magic was vague and often uninteresting, the enemies-to-lovers burns past the enemies phase right into lovers territory, and the menage aspect leans heavily towards one ML. I was especially excited for that sweet slow burn of resentment and forgiveness but MC forgives his asshole behavior in the blink of an eye. Moon's heroines tend to be particularly forgiving (often leaning towards Mary Sue territory), and I might just be over them, but this one was especially annoying. She's so nice and forgiving and "woe is me" that I DNF'd at 30% and skipped around up to halfway.
Everything that initially excited me about this book ended up disappointing me. The magic was vague and often uninteresting, the enemies-to-lovers burns past the enemies phase right into lovers territory, and the menage aspect leans heavily towards one ML. I was especially excited for that sweet slow burn of resentment and forgiveness but MC forgives his asshole behavior in the blink of an eye. Moon's heroines tend to be particularly forgiving (often leaning towards Mary Sue territory), and I might just be over them, but this one was especially annoying. She's so nice and forgiving and "woe is me" that I DNF'd at 30% and skipped around up to halfway.
February 22, 2019
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love Kathryn Moons books- the librarians coven series is one of my favorites but I felt like Command the Moon fell short. The story is okay but it reminded me of Practical Magic a little too much and I found myself making comparisons. It didn’t grab me or make me feel for the characters as strongly as her writing usually does. I also feel like Zee was way too forgiving in the beginning and I couldn’t get past her treatment in school just being forgotten for this special bond.
I love Kathryn Moons books- the librarians coven series is one of my favorites but I felt like Command the Moon fell short. The story is okay but it reminded me of Practical Magic a little too much and I found myself making comparisons. It didn’t grab me or make me feel for the characters as strongly as her writing usually does. I also feel like Zee was way too forgiving in the beginning and I couldn’t get past her treatment in school just being forgotten for this special bond.
September 20, 2023
I love the magic in this. The communication and the acceptance is beautiful 💖 love this so much.
February 24, 2019
I love Kathryn Moon! I am a fan of her other series and I was so excited to read this new book. She's such a creative, original writer. I LOVED this book. It was different but captivating. The characters are amazing. I want more!
Zee and Sam are from a strong witch line. They don't hide the fact that they are witches which I love. They live on a small island, people know they are witches yet they have a love-hate relationship. They crucify them publicly but go to them privately. Small town mentality.
I loved the idea of fated mates. Johnny is back and is Zee's fated mate. What I really love is that even though the concept is that you are fated, you still have a choice. They can choose whether they want them or not. I love that because it's not insta-love but they develop a relationship.
Lots of twists and turns, humor, wit and some steamy scenes but not all consuming.
Overall: 5/5
I received an ARC copy to review.
Zee and Sam are from a strong witch line. They don't hide the fact that they are witches which I love. They live on a small island, people know they are witches yet they have a love-hate relationship. They crucify them publicly but go to them privately. Small town mentality.
I loved the idea of fated mates. Johnny is back and is Zee's fated mate. What I really love is that even though the concept is that you are fated, you still have a choice. They can choose whether they want them or not. I love that because it's not insta-love but they develop a relationship.
Lots of twists and turns, humor, wit and some steamy scenes but not all consuming.
Overall: 5/5
I received an ARC copy to review.
November 15, 2023
3.5 / 5.0
This one is a little slower to get going. It reads more like a journal with entries that collectively build into a story. It’s not bad, though the writing is stunted in places, but it doesn’t have the continuity of a lot of Moon’s later work.
It is a Why Choose story with fated mates, enemies to lovers, and witches. The characters are a little less developed and it shows in the emotion of the story being a little weaker. I am not sure if this is an earlier work, I think it published in 2019, but it doesn’t have the same chemistry or emotional punch of Moon’s current work.
Overall, I am glad to have read it. If she writes it, I will read it.
Until Next Time,
MC
This one is a little slower to get going. It reads more like a journal with entries that collectively build into a story. It’s not bad, though the writing is stunted in places, but it doesn’t have the continuity of a lot of Moon’s later work.
It is a Why Choose story with fated mates, enemies to lovers, and witches. The characters are a little less developed and it shows in the emotion of the story being a little weaker. I am not sure if this is an earlier work, I think it published in 2019, but it doesn’t have the same chemistry or emotional punch of Moon’s current work.
Overall, I am glad to have read it. If she writes it, I will read it.
Until Next Time,
MC
June 8, 2024
Plot 2.5 Spice 2 FMC 3 MMC1 4 MMC2 3
Paranormal Romance, Single 3rd POV (of FMC), Ménage à Trois, Golden Retriever MMC1, Grumpy MMC2, Enemies-to-Lovers, Fated Mates, Small Town, Dual Storylines/Flashbacks, Miscommunication, Found Family
The Practical Magic vibes are immaculate, but the pacing in this story is dysfunctional.
Zee’s childhood bully just comes steamrolling back into her life, after nearly a decade, full speed ahead, barely apologizes, not a grovel insight. Zee just goes along with it, completely forgetting that he was AWFUL to her their entire childhood. I am so disappointed in Zee for just letting him waltz back into her life and not making him earn her forgiveness or prove himself in anyway. Girl. Have some self respect. Having a crush on you & caving to peer pressure does not excuse his horrendous, toxic, bullying behavior.
Yes, Johnny ends up being a sweetheart, but there was literally no redemption arc or character development. Just bam! Now we’re in love. Zee is frustrating. She’s an “I’m sorry” doormat girl, but also incredibly reckless, stubborn, and shuts people out/withholds important information. However, she is also a very strong witch & talented Tarot reader. We really don’t get much information about Luke at all, and since there really isn’t any character development in this book, he just kinda shows back up, everyone just sort of forgives him and pretends that the events of the cliffside meeting didn’t happen (not even a hint of an apology from anyone needed this time) and he, Johnny, & Zee just fall in love in the last 25% of the book for no particular reason other then they are pesnya dushi.
The story, vibes, & world building are spectacular, but the actual writing structure & execution were very poor. I just don’t think this book knew what it was. The plot was thin with gaping holes, so it wasn’t plot driven. There was almost no character development to speak of, so it wasn’t character driven. It was almost a diary slice of life situation with choppy vignettes patchworked together, but it dragged so badly through the last half it was hard to pay attention. Definitely an example of a good story, but not a well written book. Truthfully, the only reason I gave it 3 stars is bc I needed a Practical Magic fix, and that, & chaotic found family, are the only things this book did well.
Paranormal Romance, Single 3rd POV (of FMC), Ménage à Trois, Golden Retriever MMC1, Grumpy MMC2, Enemies-to-Lovers, Fated Mates, Small Town, Dual Storylines/Flashbacks, Miscommunication, Found Family
The Practical Magic vibes are immaculate, but the pacing in this story is dysfunctional.
Zee’s childhood bully just comes steamrolling back into her life, after nearly a decade, full speed ahead, barely apologizes, not a grovel insight. Zee just goes along with it, completely forgetting that he was AWFUL to her their entire childhood. I am so disappointed in Zee for just letting him waltz back into her life and not making him earn her forgiveness or prove himself in anyway. Girl. Have some self respect. Having a crush on you & caving to peer pressure does not excuse his horrendous, toxic, bullying behavior.
Yes, Johnny ends up being a sweetheart, but there was literally no redemption arc or character development. Just bam! Now we’re in love. Zee is frustrating. She’s an “I’m sorry” doormat girl, but also incredibly reckless, stubborn, and shuts people out/withholds important information. However, she is also a very strong witch & talented Tarot reader. We really don’t get much information about Luke at all, and since there really isn’t any character development in this book, he just kinda shows back up, everyone just sort of forgives him and pretends that the events of the cliffside meeting didn’t happen (not even a hint of an apology from anyone needed this time) and he, Johnny, & Zee just fall in love in the last 25% of the book for no particular reason other then they are pesnya dushi.
The story, vibes, & world building are spectacular, but the actual writing structure & execution were very poor. I just don’t think this book knew what it was. The plot was thin with gaping holes, so it wasn’t plot driven. There was almost no character development to speak of, so it wasn’t character driven. It was almost a diary slice of life situation with choppy vignettes patchworked together, but it dragged so badly through the last half it was hard to pay attention. Definitely an example of a good story, but not a well written book. Truthfully, the only reason I gave it 3 stars is bc I needed a Practical Magic fix, and that, & chaotic found family, are the only things this book did well.
June 10, 2025
2.5 rounded down
November 28, 2020
It was ok. Not my favorite of hers. Like a lot of other reviewers, I didn't quite get how quickly Johnny switched from bully to lover. I mean, it sort of made sense from his end, since he'd left the island and grown up so had time to reconsider things (but even then, he didn't really know Zee as an adult) but I was confused by how quickly Zee trusted him. That storyline could have been the whole book, so to add on the Nadia storyline just seemed like too much plot going on in one book.
October 1, 2022
Like everyone is saying, this is like practical magic, and that's exactly what I liked about it. Not my favorite of Kathryn Moon's books, but I enjoyed it despite some flaws.
Edit: I feel the need to add, for my own remembrance later, the one of the MMCs is forgiven far too easily. It's rare that I find a book where the grovel feels up to par with the forgiveness, so I just expect to be let down these days.
Edit: I feel the need to add, for my own remembrance later, the one of the MMCs is forgiven far too easily. It's rare that I find a book where the grovel feels up to par with the forgiveness, so I just expect to be let down these days.
June 13, 2023
An okay read
Kathryn Moon is one of my favorite authors, and I love reading anything by her. That being said, this one was just an ok read. The back and forth between present happenings and flashbacks to the past was a little overwhelming. It was a bit hard to follow in the beginning, but once you get about halfway through the amount of flashbacks eases and it becomes easier to follow. Definitely was worth a read, but I wouldn't read it again.
Kathryn Moon is one of my favorite authors, and I love reading anything by her. That being said, this one was just an ok read. The back and forth between present happenings and flashbacks to the past was a little overwhelming. It was a bit hard to follow in the beginning, but once you get about halfway through the amount of flashbacks eases and it becomes easier to follow. Definitely was worth a read, but I wouldn't read it again.
March 12, 2020
3.5 ⭐️
Not my favorite Kathryn Moon book, but still a solid read. The quality of the writing and editing was great as usual, but the book just didn’t seem to ‘flow’ as well as some of her others. The ménage also didn’t really happen until towards the end. I did like the portrayal of witches and the serious Practical Magic vibe though.
Not my favorite Kathryn Moon book, but still a solid read. The quality of the writing and editing was great as usual, but the book just didn’t seem to ‘flow’ as well as some of her others. The ménage also didn’t really happen until towards the end. I did like the portrayal of witches and the serious Practical Magic vibe though.
February 4, 2024
This is a bit of a Practical Magic (the movie, not the book) retelling with all of the things I loved about the original and some other lovely additions. In typical Kathryn Moon fashion, there are multiple men for the main female character, although far less on the page sex than she usually offers. It was really, really lovely though.
October 9, 2020
Meh. Her other books are so much more in plot and character development.
December 7, 2021
I didn’t like the H who was supposed to be her first soulmate. He didn’t deserve her in my opinion.
February 21, 2019
The witches on the hill
This book follows Zoya(aka Zee) and her cousin Sam. Both women are witches and live on an island in Zee's deceased aunt's house. Between dealing with prejudice from her neighbors, Zee also has to contend with a painful reminder of her teen years and an embodiment of something that isn't all that nice.
The first thing I want to say, so I don't forget, is that this book weaves in and out of time. Pay attention to the headers of the chapters. As long as you do that, you'll be fine. If you don't then you are likely to become confused. We stay with Zee and we see how her past shaped her and what is happening now. The past scenes are important to the backstory.
I really liked the characters. Zee, the FMC, is a strong witch. She has endured a lot of pain throughout her life but is still able to care about people, even those she doesn't really want to care about. She is also a really good witch and does readings for locals and tourists as well as make charms. She can do other things, but this is where her strengths lie. She lives with her cousin, Sam. Sam is also a witch and is a whiz at potions. The two are close and you can see that they have a good relationship with one another. Nadia is their aunt and really is a nice lady who cares deeply for the girls. The rest of the cast includes her love interests, Sam's guy, some local women, new friends and her enemies. I'm not saying who is who because I don't want to give anything away before you get a chance to discover it for yourself.
The world building is well done. The setting is an island where we see some of the places in the nearby town and the girls' home which sits on a cliff near the town. It is described well enough to get a picture without being overly wordy. The rules of the world are easy to follow and makes sense. It is mostly the same as our world, but with some people having the witchy genes. Those people are able to do things that one would think of when you think of witches(charms, potions, spells and such) with a couple of fun extras thrown in. This makes the book easy to read and enjoyable.
The writing style is one I think most people will like. It is a nice smooth journey that you are easily able to fall into. The dialogue sounds natural. It isn't stilted or awkward. There isn't any weird conversations either that makes you question it(aka suddenly professing their every emotion and their love while brushing their teeth or having a serious game plan convo while kissing). Things are said when they naturally would be. There is no insta love in this book.
I did not notice any issues with spelling, grammar or continuity in my copy(KU ebook).
Overall I would recommend this book. Be sure to pay attention to the headers as I said earlier. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what this author does next.
This book follows Zoya(aka Zee) and her cousin Sam. Both women are witches and live on an island in Zee's deceased aunt's house. Between dealing with prejudice from her neighbors, Zee also has to contend with a painful reminder of her teen years and an embodiment of something that isn't all that nice.
The first thing I want to say, so I don't forget, is that this book weaves in and out of time. Pay attention to the headers of the chapters. As long as you do that, you'll be fine. If you don't then you are likely to become confused. We stay with Zee and we see how her past shaped her and what is happening now. The past scenes are important to the backstory.
I really liked the characters. Zee, the FMC, is a strong witch. She has endured a lot of pain throughout her life but is still able to care about people, even those she doesn't really want to care about. She is also a really good witch and does readings for locals and tourists as well as make charms. She can do other things, but this is where her strengths lie. She lives with her cousin, Sam. Sam is also a witch and is a whiz at potions. The two are close and you can see that they have a good relationship with one another. Nadia is their aunt and really is a nice lady who cares deeply for the girls. The rest of the cast includes her love interests, Sam's guy, some local women, new friends and her enemies. I'm not saying who is who because I don't want to give anything away before you get a chance to discover it for yourself.
The world building is well done. The setting is an island where we see some of the places in the nearby town and the girls' home which sits on a cliff near the town. It is described well enough to get a picture without being overly wordy. The rules of the world are easy to follow and makes sense. It is mostly the same as our world, but with some people having the witchy genes. Those people are able to do things that one would think of when you think of witches(charms, potions, spells and such) with a couple of fun extras thrown in. This makes the book easy to read and enjoyable.
The writing style is one I think most people will like. It is a nice smooth journey that you are easily able to fall into. The dialogue sounds natural. It isn't stilted or awkward. There isn't any weird conversations either that makes you question it(aka suddenly professing their every emotion and their love while brushing their teeth or having a serious game plan convo while kissing). Things are said when they naturally would be. There is no insta love in this book.
I did not notice any issues with spelling, grammar or continuity in my copy(KU ebook).
Overall I would recommend this book. Be sure to pay attention to the headers as I said earlier. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what this author does next.
February 27, 2019
I've seen many people comparing this book to practical magic, for me, this read more like Ocean at the end of the Lane by Gaiman. Once you start reading it the book has a way of latching onto you and not letting go until the last page, I pulled an all nighter on a work night because I couldn't stop. While the type of magic used here can be akin to that from practical magical, the backgrounds and reasons differ greatly, and many other books make use of this type of magic instead of wands and fancy spell casting, just because the magic is woven in a subtle way, doesn't mean it's not real or there, and this book is indeed, magic. This is a story about second chances and believing people can change, yes Zoya can be considered naive by these days standards, but it is a character trait the world needs more of and not to be seen as something bad for the book or unrealistic. Her personality and that naivite were the reasons this story gripped me so hard, because like her I still carry with me that knowledge that people are not always good, but if we don't believe in them we become bitter and bitternes is not something worth having in ones life. As for the romance part of the book, it is steamy, it is about second chances, but those are not given easily and without work. It is about believing someone is worth saving and fighting for that. It's unorthodox, and shows that sexuality has little impact on what it means to love. Before Kathryn the only MMF book I had read before was a short by Christopher Rice that gripped me as much as this one. The theme is approached in a very natural way, and while this is a story about Zoya, Johnny and Luke have their time to shine too. Also, this is not a menage in a way that most are written, where the men cater to the woman and cringe about touching each other in a way that is not accidental, first comes love, and connection, and the three together form a cohesive unit. The first Reverse Harem I read was Written, Kathryn's first published book, I was wary of the genre but loved it so much I decided to give other authors a try, no luck. Kathryn is the only author I can read a poly relationship without cringing at the interactions or the sex scenes, her characters are full and the story woven like an ocean tide that carries you away. She's the next best thing in the literary world, she's the author that readers who grew up reading Harry Potter and Neil Gaiman go to when they want some more spice with their whimsical.
This is an honest voluntereed review of a free copy provided by Kathryn, the reason you're not seeing a "verified purchase"? I'm saving for the day when I can get print signed versions of her books shipped internationally 😉
This is an honest voluntereed review of a free copy provided by Kathryn, the reason you're not seeing a "verified purchase"? I'm saving for the day when I can get print signed versions of her books shipped internationally 😉
November 14, 2021
** Book hangover warning! ** Oh my stars! I LOVE this book. I could not put it down, and now I want brownies! It's a fantasy, slow to medium-burn menage a trois romance. This is a suspenseful, fun, and sexy story. One of the romantic relationships is a second chance and bully-to-lover romance, while the other is an enemies-to-lovers situation. I adore how much magic comes from real-world magic use (for instance witches, wiccans, and ceremonial magicians) While the main characters are witches, most of the supporting characters are human.
There's only a tiny bit of Russian, so I was surprised by that. The main character, Zoya, her cousin, and their aunt (great-aunt) are all of Russian descent, but very little dialogue or terminology is in Russian. Having said that, one of the big parts of the story is that every witch has a "pesnya dushi" (which translates as a "soul song"). The soul song is a link to another person whose "life thread" intertwines with a witch's own thread, and said witch sees them in their dreams, as well as in life.
While I didn't get to dust off my slovar (dictionary) from college, I'm not too upset. I like it when an author knows what they're writing about, and it looks like Kathryn Moon knows plenty about herbalism, moon phases, tarot, etc. Real-life witches, sorcerers, wiccans, ceremonial magicians, etc. can read this and enjoy the magic. There's also a dash of Russian folklore, including the villainous Koshei the Deathless.
I am over the moon about Zoya / Zee, Samara / Sam (her cousin), and Nadia / Noddy (her aunt / great-aunt / mother figure). Their relationship is the kind most families should have. Zee's guys, Johnny and Lucas / Luke, are also huggable because of their relationships (after a while). Johnny does a pretty good job of groveling as he asks for a second chance, but I would have liked to see more. Luke redeems himself, and his explanations of what happened to him are important to the plot.
I also like all the support characters. Even Grace Harper. Everyone is so well fleshed out that it feels like real people inspired the characters. The island, too, seems real. I want to visit, or maybe move there and join Zoya's coven.
The story begins with some flash-backs and flash-forwards. These are indicated by date and year, so it's easy to understand the timing of the scenes.
There are several typos, but who cares when the story is this amazing?
There's only a tiny bit of Russian, so I was surprised by that. The main character, Zoya, her cousin, and their aunt (great-aunt) are all of Russian descent, but very little dialogue or terminology is in Russian. Having said that, one of the big parts of the story is that every witch has a "pesnya dushi" (which translates as a "soul song"). The soul song is a link to another person whose "life thread" intertwines with a witch's own thread, and said witch sees them in their dreams, as well as in life.
While I didn't get to dust off my slovar (dictionary) from college, I'm not too upset. I like it when an author knows what they're writing about, and it looks like Kathryn Moon knows plenty about herbalism, moon phases, tarot, etc. Real-life witches, sorcerers, wiccans, ceremonial magicians, etc. can read this and enjoy the magic. There's also a dash of Russian folklore, including the villainous Koshei the Deathless.
I am over the moon about Zoya / Zee, Samara / Sam (her cousin), and Nadia / Noddy (her aunt / great-aunt / mother figure). Their relationship is the kind most families should have. Zee's guys, Johnny and Lucas / Luke, are also huggable because of their relationships (after a while). Johnny does a pretty good job of groveling as he asks for a second chance, but I would have liked to see more. Luke redeems himself, and his explanations of what happened to him are important to the plot.
I also like all the support characters. Even Grace Harper. Everyone is so well fleshed out that it feels like real people inspired the characters. The island, too, seems real. I want to visit, or maybe move there and join Zoya's coven.
The story begins with some flash-backs and flash-forwards. These are indicated by date and year, so it's easy to understand the timing of the scenes.
There are several typos, but who cares when the story is this amazing?
March 11, 2019
Command the Moon is the newest contemporary stand alone romance book from the author. It tells the story of Zoya or Zee and her cousin Sam, witches who lives in an island where they have been shunned pretty much all their life along with their aunt, Nadia. After their aunt’s death, the cousins depended on each other to get on with their lives by running their herbal shop, The Lab. Things started to get interesting when her pesnya dunshi, the boy who has tormented and rejected her during their teens, turned up to win her back. She might open her heart for him again, but what about the new guy in town, Lucas Wolfe? The mysterious man who haunts her dream and waking hours? And what of the “little incidents” happening around their house?
I have read several of the authors work and so I have come to know a bit of her writing style. However, this book is a total 180 from her last book, Good Deeds. That goes to show how versatile the author with her writing and that is in itself big points because for me it means that you will have a lot of interesting reads to choose from.
The story telling starts with going back and forth in time, indicated by date and year of when the story happened, so be sure to take note of that. Personally, I’m not used to this style so it took me maybe 2 chapters in to get into it but after that I found my rhythm. I love the slow build up of the love story of Zee and Johnny. I am a sucker after all for “enemies to lovers” trope, well sort of. I like Zee’s character. She is one of those silently strong type of girl which is refreshing and relatable. I love how she handled Johnny’s remorse of his past deeds. When you are the island’s pariah, trust is a commodity that is not freely given. Thankfully, her exceptional instinct helps her to learn to trust again when Luke came in the picture.
Overall, I love this book and would recommend it to anyone. My only wish is that I get a novella but only because I want to see more of Luke and Zee time together.
I have read several of the authors work and so I have come to know a bit of her writing style. However, this book is a total 180 from her last book, Good Deeds. That goes to show how versatile the author with her writing and that is in itself big points because for me it means that you will have a lot of interesting reads to choose from.
The story telling starts with going back and forth in time, indicated by date and year of when the story happened, so be sure to take note of that. Personally, I’m not used to this style so it took me maybe 2 chapters in to get into it but after that I found my rhythm. I love the slow build up of the love story of Zee and Johnny. I am a sucker after all for “enemies to lovers” trope, well sort of. I like Zee’s character. She is one of those silently strong type of girl which is refreshing and relatable. I love how she handled Johnny’s remorse of his past deeds. When you are the island’s pariah, trust is a commodity that is not freely given. Thankfully, her exceptional instinct helps her to learn to trust again when Luke came in the picture.
Overall, I love this book and would recommend it to anyone. My only wish is that I get a novella but only because I want to see more of Luke and Zee time together.
March 24, 2022
3.5 stars
Okay, So this book is essentially the movie plot from Practical magic, if practical magic was about cousins instead of sisters, had only one aunt instead of 2, and if Sally was polyamorous and had a Prussian background.
Does that sound amazing? Yes! And the only two reasons I read this book the whole way through is because of the nostalgic yummy feel of practical magic and because I love Kathrn Moons books.
I do have major issues with the plot, I basically convinced myself (with no help from the writing) to love the love interests even though they are nearly impossible to like.... and ill go into more details below with spoilers.
Okay, So this book is essentially the movie plot from Practical magic, if practical magic was about cousins instead of sisters, had only one aunt instead of 2, and if Sally was polyamorous and had a Prussian background.
Does that sound amazing? Yes! And the only two reasons I read this book the whole way through is because of the nostalgic yummy feel of practical magic and because I love Kathrn Moons books.
I do have major issues with the plot, I basically convinced myself (with no help from the writing) to love the love interests even though they are nearly impossible to like.... and ill go into more details below with spoilers.
February 19, 2019
In Kathryn Moon's new book, Command the Moon, we encounter witches and magic and spells, but we also experience many sides of human nature: love, grief, fear, loneliness, lust, longing, joy, anger, acceptance, self-doubt, gossip, and courage.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and ended up dragging it out a bit to savor it awhile longer. And while I love the steamy aspects (and there are some grab-your-fan moments!), I also really appreciate the complexity of the characters and attention to details throughout the novel. Flashbacks provide context to better understand the Nikolaev family, particularly our leading lady, Zee, as well as connect past experiences of characters to present-day events in the novel.
Some of my favorite things about Zee and other characters in Command the Moon are their "realness." These are characters who are multifaceted and reflect many readers' emotions and thoughts at different points in our lives, and there are characters I either would want to get to know in real life and/or who already remind me of family, friends... and even myself. It is easy to form bonds with the characters, sympathizing (and sometimes empathizing) with their current-day struggles and choices as well as those of the past - which can also end up haunting them.
The plot is engaging and well crafted, playful while serious at times. It examines insecurities individuals may struggle with while providing quiet encouragement to them to keep pushing forward; it reminds readers that good, kind people do exist, and sometimes individuals may need second chances; it demonstrates the power of family and the bonds of friends who come together for one another; and I felt that it also unapologetically highlights the fickle, duplicitous aspects of small-minded naysayers and the dangers of mob mentalities.
Overall, Command the Moon is flirtatious and sexy, mystical and grounded, honest and hopeful. Let it weave its magic on you today.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and ended up dragging it out a bit to savor it awhile longer. And while I love the steamy aspects (and there are some grab-your-fan moments!), I also really appreciate the complexity of the characters and attention to details throughout the novel. Flashbacks provide context to better understand the Nikolaev family, particularly our leading lady, Zee, as well as connect past experiences of characters to present-day events in the novel.
Some of my favorite things about Zee and other characters in Command the Moon are their "realness." These are characters who are multifaceted and reflect many readers' emotions and thoughts at different points in our lives, and there are characters I either would want to get to know in real life and/or who already remind me of family, friends... and even myself. It is easy to form bonds with the characters, sympathizing (and sometimes empathizing) with their current-day struggles and choices as well as those of the past - which can also end up haunting them.
The plot is engaging and well crafted, playful while serious at times. It examines insecurities individuals may struggle with while providing quiet encouragement to them to keep pushing forward; it reminds readers that good, kind people do exist, and sometimes individuals may need second chances; it demonstrates the power of family and the bonds of friends who come together for one another; and I felt that it also unapologetically highlights the fickle, duplicitous aspects of small-minded naysayers and the dangers of mob mentalities.
Overall, Command the Moon is flirtatious and sexy, mystical and grounded, honest and hopeful. Let it weave its magic on you today.
Read
April 4, 2025I will be completely honest here. I am DNFing this book solely because I skimmed some reviews first to get a feel for the book because I bought it a while ago.
What?! And this is mentioned in multiple reviews so I am going to assume it is true.
This doesn't sound like "Unfortunately for her that person is Johnny Sharpe, and he’s burned her more times than she cares to count" from the blurb to me. It sounds like he knowingly ripped out her heart, toss it in a blender, and dumped a bucket of salt on her wound repeatedly and now realizes he was wrong. Oops.
Having a love interest in a book use as a weapon to hurt the person they will ultimately end up with in a romance is completely unforgivable to me. I will never support that romance. Real or fiction. And to say these people are destined to be together is a tragedy. It makes me not want to ready any more by this author. Except I know later books have good relationships in them. So going to count this as a don't read early books lesson and move along.
What?! And this is mentioned in multiple reviews so I am going to assume it is true.
This doesn't sound like "Unfortunately for her that person is Johnny Sharpe, and he’s burned her more times than she cares to count" from the blurb to me. It sounds like he knowingly ripped out her heart, toss it in a blender, and dumped a bucket of salt on her wound repeatedly and now realizes he was wrong. Oops.
Having a love interest in a book use as a weapon to hurt the person they will ultimately end up with in a romance is completely unforgivable to me. I will never support that romance. Real or fiction. And to say these people are destined to be together is a tragedy. It makes me not want to ready any more by this author. Except I know later books have good relationships in them. So going to count this as a don't read early books lesson and move along.
March 12, 2023
Picked this one up because I had a book hangover from Sol and Lune and Kathryn Moon pointed out at the end of Sol and Lune that if you were looking for something lighter you should pick up Command The Moon (and a few other choices).
I enjoyed it! Reading it after Sol and Lune, it was certainly a lot lighter, but it is not a light book. It has dark themes and angst. It's medium burn, with sex dream sequences as well as real life. The book jumps back and forth between the past and the present, and sometimes it took me a minute / a couple pages to figure out how the flashback that KM was revealing related to the current story.
4.5 stars, and I'd love to give it 5 stars, but lately, I've been using 5 stars to denote books I would read again. While I fully enjoyed this book and will happily recommend it, I don't think I would read it again, too much angst / former bullying for me. Like literally, both of the FMCs' love interests started off being mean to her, and I'm not into the whole 'enemies to lovers' trope (but this book was well written!)
I enjoyed it! Reading it after Sol and Lune, it was certainly a lot lighter, but it is not a light book. It has dark themes and angst. It's medium burn, with sex dream sequences as well as real life. The book jumps back and forth between the past and the present, and sometimes it took me a minute / a couple pages to figure out how the flashback that KM was revealing related to the current story.
4.5 stars, and I'd love to give it 5 stars, but lately, I've been using 5 stars to denote books I would read again. While I fully enjoyed this book and will happily recommend it, I don't think I would read it again, too much angst / former bullying for me. Like literally, both of the FMCs' love interests started off being mean to her, and I'm not into the whole 'enemies to lovers' trope (but this book was well written!)
April 21, 2019
Interesting concept for a stand alone book. Felt a bit drawn out though.
Catching up on reviews. Didn’t realize kindle wasn’t marking these completed.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
Catching up on reviews. Didn’t realize kindle wasn’t marking these completed.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
July 27, 2022
This was an enjoyable read but it wasn't as light and fun as I was expecting. The witchcraft aspect was heavy and sciencey, which made for dense reading sometimes. The book also contains a lot of dream sequences, which I found confusing. Plus there are a lot of characters to keep track of.
That makes it sound like I didn't like it, doesn't it? But I truly did like it a lot. I especially appreciated the diversity of the characters and that this ended up being a polyamorous romance, which I wasn't expecting. I didn't read the blurb because the book was highly recommended by two good friends!
I also loved the setting of the story. Zee and her cousin Sam are witches who live in that typical "spooky house on the hill" and are often shunned by the townsfolk (except for when they want a tarot reading, of course.) The town eventually comes to accept the withes and that was a fun process to witness.
I highly recommend this one for readers of paranormal romance.
That makes it sound like I didn't like it, doesn't it? But I truly did like it a lot. I especially appreciated the diversity of the characters and that this ended up being a polyamorous romance, which I wasn't expecting. I didn't read the blurb because the book was highly recommended by two good friends!
I also loved the setting of the story. Zee and her cousin Sam are witches who live in that typical "spooky house on the hill" and are often shunned by the townsfolk (except for when they want a tarot reading, of course.) The town eventually comes to accept the withes and that was a fun process to witness.
I highly recommend this one for readers of paranormal romance.
June 23, 2021
I loved this book! It was so unique and interesting that I was wrapped up in the storyline right away. I loved Zee and Sam and as they started to open up, I fell in love with Johnny, Cameron, Luke, Will, Eric and Brian too.
This story, while certainly different and completely it’s own, gave me some Practical Magic vibes and I loved it!
There was such a great amount of mystery, suspense, love, passion, and hope throughout the story and it left me feeling ridiculously happy as I read. I feel for these characters and became invested in their lives and their story as it weaved.
Definitely a book I’d recommend!
This story, while certainly different and completely it’s own, gave me some Practical Magic vibes and I loved it!
There was such a great amount of mystery, suspense, love, passion, and hope throughout the story and it left me feeling ridiculously happy as I read. I feel for these characters and became invested in their lives and their story as it weaved.
Definitely a book I’d recommend!
February 21, 2019
Refreshing
I really enjoyed this take on magic. This book made being a witch less extravagant, but at the same time made it seem more natural. Zee is a witch, just trying to mind her own business on the island. She has a chance to rekindle some old love while potentially finding new love. Oh yeah, there is a bad guy she’s gotta deal with too. I loved this witching family and this take on the magical practice.
Seriously, this book was great and I highly recommend it. PS there is some lovely m/m action.
I really enjoyed this take on magic. This book made being a witch less extravagant, but at the same time made it seem more natural. Zee is a witch, just trying to mind her own business on the island. She has a chance to rekindle some old love while potentially finding new love. Oh yeah, there is a bad guy she’s gotta deal with too. I loved this witching family and this take on the magical practice.
Seriously, this book was great and I highly recommend it. PS there is some lovely m/m action.
August 23, 2020
I've read three Kathryn Moon books in the past week, and with each one I marveled at how much story she manages to fit in the page count. Her work is plotted tightly, built with themes of family, community, and care. The worldbuilding is always clean and simple, and what she doesn't say about the world speaks as loudly as what she does.
The biggest flaw with this particular book is its need for just one more line edit to pick out a few typos and misplaced quotations, but even those are fairly few and far between.
The biggest flaw with this particular book is its need for just one more line edit to pick out a few typos and misplaced quotations, but even those are fairly few and far between.
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