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Mechanized Hearts #1
Sundered Moon
The galaxy is a dark and deadly place, run by vicious corporate empires.
Only Central, a nation that rose three hundred years ago after violent insurrection, remains as a beacon of hope and equity to all who reside in their borders.
Dia, a young mech pilot from Central, has infiltrated the upper echelons of the Fomorian Armory, an empire that prides themselves on their exceptional pilots and otherworldly weapons. It's a dangerous game she must play—bringing down an empire—especially after becoming an unlikely ally with the imperial princess, a woman hellbent on gaining her own freedom.
Fates will intertwine in this fast-paced mecha romance!
Only Central, a nation that rose three hundred years ago after violent insurrection, remains as a beacon of hope and equity to all who reside in their borders.
Dia, a young mech pilot from Central, has infiltrated the upper echelons of the Fomorian Armory, an empire that prides themselves on their exceptional pilots and otherworldly weapons. It's a dangerous game she must play—bringing down an empire—especially after becoming an unlikely ally with the imperial princess, a woman hellbent on gaining her own freedom.
Fates will intertwine in this fast-paced mecha romance!
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 29, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 4, 2024
This book was a blast from start to finish.
If you want to get a sense of it, I highly recommend checking out the intro that's freely available. Spicy, action-packed, and lots of trans sapphic goodness.
I'll admit, I wasn't sure about starting this one because I'm personally not drawn to mecha stories, but I feel like this balanced the mechs as being part of the action but the story being well-supported by the cast of characters and the chemistry between them. Most of the main cast are instantly likeable, which helps move things along as you go.
My nits with this are minor and don't take away from the force of the story or the impact the relationships as they are built. Definitely looking forward to reading the sequel once it's available.
If you want to get a sense of it, I highly recommend checking out the intro that's freely available. Spicy, action-packed, and lots of trans sapphic goodness.
I'll admit, I wasn't sure about starting this one because I'm personally not drawn to mecha stories, but I feel like this balanced the mechs as being part of the action but the story being well-supported by the cast of characters and the chemistry between them. Most of the main cast are instantly likeable, which helps move things along as you go.
My nits with this are minor and don't take away from the force of the story or the impact the relationships as they are built. Definitely looking forward to reading the sequel once it's available.
April 8, 2024
This is a fantastic action-romance in a sci-fi Mech-setting with a proper power escalation and no angst at all. All trans- and body modification aspects are handled like an afternoon stroll in the park. The normalization of self-discovery and and self-fulfillment gives "Sundered Moon" an exceptionally wholesome vibe and makes me want to reread it again at once.
April 3, 2024
I wanted to like this book, but ultimately felt let down by it. This book is pitched as being very fast paced, and this is true, but instead of being a feature it feels like a post-hoc justification for the way the pacing glosses over much of the main conflict points in the story.
There is a noted disparity between the main body of the book's prose, and the prose and pacing when the MC's are having sex, or being intimate. These scenes are very good in my opinion. There is also trans representation that's really good, and is saturated with lesbian relationships. No complaints there.
The main reason I don't rate this book highly is that I feel it promises to be one thing: A political intrigue with mech combat and an unlikely romance. But delivers another: a romance that happens immediately, with no build up, all intrigue is watered down, and there are no major consequences for any of the characters throughout the story.
There are portions i found myself enjoying, and roughly midway through the central theme is paused in favor of a sequence that focuses on the MC's relationships, and showing off elements of the transhumanist socialist-esque futuristic society of Central. These are cool ideas and the story would have benefited from focusing more on these elements without attempting to be about a high stakes political intrigue. Much of the politics are simple and surface level rhetoric, and the MC's are ardent in their beliefs which, happen to align with my own, but which are not given the complexity i would expect from a political centered story where these beliefs are pitted against an industrialized, capitalist and patriarchal society. These sequences ended up feeling shallow in comparison, hastily pushed through to focus on the relationship. I like the setting, it's intriguing but it's not given enough service.
I wanted to update this review because I felt my first review was hastily written in the aftermath of my initial read, which does a disservice.
There is a noted disparity between the main body of the book's prose, and the prose and pacing when the MC's are having sex, or being intimate. These scenes are very good in my opinion. There is also trans representation that's really good, and is saturated with lesbian relationships. No complaints there.
The main reason I don't rate this book highly is that I feel it promises to be one thing: A political intrigue with mech combat and an unlikely romance. But delivers another: a romance that happens immediately, with no build up, all intrigue is watered down, and there are no major consequences for any of the characters throughout the story.
There are portions i found myself enjoying, and roughly midway through the central theme is paused in favor of a sequence that focuses on the MC's relationships, and showing off elements of the transhumanist socialist-esque futuristic society of Central. These are cool ideas and the story would have benefited from focusing more on these elements without attempting to be about a high stakes political intrigue. Much of the politics are simple and surface level rhetoric, and the MC's are ardent in their beliefs which, happen to align with my own, but which are not given the complexity i would expect from a political centered story where these beliefs are pitted against an industrialized, capitalist and patriarchal society. These sequences ended up feeling shallow in comparison, hastily pushed through to focus on the relationship. I like the setting, it's intriguing but it's not given enough service.
I wanted to update this review because I felt my first review was hastily written in the aftermath of my initial read, which does a disservice.
March 18, 2024
There is a lot that comes to personal taste in there because the book includes a lot of tropes that only arouse my interest through specific angles (in the matrimony of the flesh and the machine, I only care about the flesh, but the mecha genre and this book as well really love the machine), but regardless of that I found much of it pretty awkwardly written and even juvenile at the time.
Neither the G-Witch inspired setting and political intrigue or the romance that is the meat of the story, give much to chew on as they lack depth. If the primary romance we follow between Dia and Braìnne gets a very quickly resolved build-up, and there is a sense of history between Dia and Eva, we have so little reason to get why Eva and Braìnne would be on the same level of intensity it is addressed in a dialogue to reassure the reader it is the case. Maybe "fast-paced" and "polyamorous romance" don't mesh so well. I can tell the author cares deeply about the characters she has created but there is a fear of true asperities. All emotional stakes are smoothed out to not leave any ambiguity in the choices made by the characters, it is always correct and only has good consequences.
Although, perhaps those desperatly absent asperities may appear in the sequel, the general tone of my reading didn't transpire an interest to explore interpersonal collusion, but I'll keep an open mind.
Neither the G-Witch inspired setting and political intrigue or the romance that is the meat of the story, give much to chew on as they lack depth. If the primary romance we follow between Dia and Braìnne gets a very quickly resolved build-up, and there is a sense of history between Dia and Eva, we have so little reason to get why Eva and Braìnne would be on the same level of intensity it is addressed in a dialogue to reassure the reader it is the case. Maybe "fast-paced" and "polyamorous romance" don't mesh so well. I can tell the author cares deeply about the characters she has created but there is a fear of true asperities. All emotional stakes are smoothed out to not leave any ambiguity in the choices made by the characters, it is always correct and only has good consequences.
Although, perhaps those desperatly absent asperities may appear in the sequel, the general tone of my reading didn't transpire an interest to explore interpersonal collusion, but I'll keep an open mind.
March 13, 2024
This was so much fun :-D. A fun space opera romp with shades of G-Witch but with more trans women and numerically more lesbians. A fast-paced action romance where the mecha fights are somehow as homoerotic as the sex scenes, the descriptions of the fights and the mechas are so engaging, not to mention every single character in the book perfectly crafted to be lesbian catnip. Can't wait for the bodyguard x warlord Gilgamesh x Enkidu sequel and for the evil Frankenstein scientist to turn up like a bad penny again.
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October 10, 2026I can't fairly give this a star rating but it was a pretty quick three strikes to DNF for me: first offense was a military space setting that felt nothing like military or space (sassing your commanding officer? Talking about your sex life with a commanding officer? Elaborate boring details of making coffee and long hot showers in space? Why even bother setting it in space then? And also I don't care what temperature a character likes to brew their coffee, that adds nothing but words to the book.) second offense was a VERY graphic multi page sex scene almost immediately (ymmv on this but I HATE that, I don't mind sex scenes in books but not extremely explicit ones in the first few pages, let the reader warm up a bit first, yikes!) and third was a character getting pregnant right away (again ymmv but pregnancy plot lines are very much not for me).
It's a shame too, it sounded like something I'd like, trans lesbians and mechs and space, but the prologue was just a non-stop buffet of no thanks.
It's a shame too, it sounded like something I'd like, trans lesbians and mechs and space, but the prologue was just a non-stop buffet of no thanks.
July 3, 2025
Dropped after the prologue. Dialogue is written like a fanfic on wattpad. Stilted, unimaginative prose. Cannot reccomend anyone pick this up.
December 24, 2025
DNF 81%
The story’s not bad but I wish there was more plot and that the actual plot didn’t feel like the sideplot to all the smut. I’m not into smut just for smut’s sake so I just kind of got bored. I’m also not into polyamory or furries (absolutely no shade or judgement; they’re just not my thing) so once I felt like the book started to run on all three, I gave up. I also listened this as an audio book and found the narrator terrible for this book. The tones and deliveries just didn’t suit the characters nor the situations at all.
The story’s not bad but I wish there was more plot and that the actual plot didn’t feel like the sideplot to all the smut. I’m not into smut just for smut’s sake so I just kind of got bored. I’m also not into polyamory or furries (absolutely no shade or judgement; they’re just not my thing) so once I felt like the book started to run on all three, I gave up. I also listened this as an audio book and found the narrator terrible for this book. The tones and deliveries just didn’t suit the characters nor the situations at all.
March 11, 2024
This book was a ton of fun, an aged-up homage to G-Witch with enough action (both kinds) to keep you riveted to the page. This is a trans sapphic space opera, the first of its kind that I'm aware of, a heady mix of spicy romance, mecha battles, and intergalactic revolution. Oppression and freedom, both on a personal level and a societal one, are major themes; the struggle to liberate the self from the chains of society becomes the struggle to free everyone else in the society, and one it's hard not to root for.
I'm not super into mechas as a rule, but I enjoy what trans authors do with them especially as a kind of avatar for the self. I loved how the MC was integrated into her mecha and how it was personalized to her, an extension of the body. This theme was prevalent throughout the book, from the body modifications the characters get on earth to the way Grainne talks about her relationship to tech. It's a utopian vision of a future in which you can be anything, become anything, and make the world to suit your needs even as you sculpt your body to better express who you are.
One thing that pulled me out of the story on occasion was the resolution of interpersonal conflicts and attractions. Everything moves at the pace of a mecha battle, and things tended to get solved rather easily. I would have liked a bit more tension in the forming of the relationships and a few other key scenes where everyone gets okay with sudden change rather quickly. I'd have liked to slow down and see a bit more emotional friction at times, but the overall arc of the relationship(s) and the romance(s) were enjoyable and they related well to the sci-fi plot.
And of course I can't review a romance (and this is a poly lesbian romance, to be clear) without talking about the smut. Fae'Rynn delivers an amazing opening sex scene and doesn't shy away from giving us the heat we deserve early and often. Cis and trans characters blend together in a frenzy of love and lust, and the sex scenes were great, with excellent use of tech, a particular favorite of mine.
In short, if you're looking for a fun, fast read with trans-inclusive poly lesbian romance, giant space robots, and a hearty side of social justice, Sundered Moon is the book for you.
I'm not super into mechas as a rule, but I enjoy what trans authors do with them especially as a kind of avatar for the self. I loved how the MC was integrated into her mecha and how it was personalized to her, an extension of the body. This theme was prevalent throughout the book, from the body modifications the characters get on earth to the way Grainne talks about her relationship to tech. It's a utopian vision of a future in which you can be anything, become anything, and make the world to suit your needs even as you sculpt your body to better express who you are.
One thing that pulled me out of the story on occasion was the resolution of interpersonal conflicts and attractions. Everything moves at the pace of a mecha battle, and things tended to get solved rather easily. I would have liked a bit more tension in the forming of the relationships and a few other key scenes where everyone gets okay with sudden change rather quickly. I'd have liked to slow down and see a bit more emotional friction at times, but the overall arc of the relationship(s) and the romance(s) were enjoyable and they related well to the sci-fi plot.
And of course I can't review a romance (and this is a poly lesbian romance, to be clear) without talking about the smut. Fae'Rynn delivers an amazing opening sex scene and doesn't shy away from giving us the heat we deserve early and often. Cis and trans characters blend together in a frenzy of love and lust, and the sex scenes were great, with excellent use of tech, a particular favorite of mine.
In short, if you're looking for a fun, fast read with trans-inclusive poly lesbian romance, giant space robots, and a hearty side of social justice, Sundered Moon is the book for you.
June 27, 2025
Mild spoilers ahead, but nothing that will ruin the plot, I promise.
I've never been one to write a review of a book, movie, or any other media, but I just wanted to speak my mind on this one.
Sundered Moon has an amazing premise, and I love reading more sapphic relationships, especially with trans women. I walked into this book expecting a Gundam style political story with awesome mech fights sprinkled in, and an intriguing, complex romance between the princess of a deeply corrupt nation and the rebel trying to destroy it all.
Instead, the romance goes from complete strangers to engaged in about three days, which brings up another problem. The pacing.
Passage of time can be tricky to write, but oh so important in making your story comprehensive. I don't know if its just me having trouble following a book that seems to slam through everything except the sex scenes at mach 10, or if everything really IS happening this fast.
Once again, this leads into another problem. The sex scenes.
I myself am demisexual, and don't really like sex scenes when they aren't super important to the plot. (For media that does this, Blue Eye Samurai is an amazing show.) Obviously, I won't complain just because there's sex scenes. The problem is the frequency and amount of book dedicated to it.
The opening, setting the story and scene up for the reader, almost immediately starts with a sex scene. Its very detailed, especially compared to the action scene shortly before it. It makes me feel less like I'm reading a mecha novel and more like a smut story with mechas thrown in for worldbuilding. This shows in later chapters with a fight where (no details because of spoilers) the stakes are actually pretty high is ended with zero effort.
Overall, a poorly paced book that has massively untapped potential.
I've never been one to write a review of a book, movie, or any other media, but I just wanted to speak my mind on this one.
Sundered Moon has an amazing premise, and I love reading more sapphic relationships, especially with trans women. I walked into this book expecting a Gundam style political story with awesome mech fights sprinkled in, and an intriguing, complex romance between the princess of a deeply corrupt nation and the rebel trying to destroy it all.
Instead, the romance goes from complete strangers to engaged in about three days, which brings up another problem. The pacing.
Passage of time can be tricky to write, but oh so important in making your story comprehensive. I don't know if its just me having trouble following a book that seems to slam through everything except the sex scenes at mach 10, or if everything really IS happening this fast.
Once again, this leads into another problem. The sex scenes.
I myself am demisexual, and don't really like sex scenes when they aren't super important to the plot. (For media that does this, Blue Eye Samurai is an amazing show.) Obviously, I won't complain just because there's sex scenes. The problem is the frequency and amount of book dedicated to it.
The opening, setting the story and scene up for the reader, almost immediately starts with a sex scene. Its very detailed, especially compared to the action scene shortly before it. It makes me feel less like I'm reading a mecha novel and more like a smut story with mechas thrown in for worldbuilding. This shows in later chapters with a fight where (no details because of spoilers) the stakes are actually pretty high is ended with zero effort.
Overall, a poorly paced book that has massively untapped potential.
March 7, 2024
I have to admit, I wasn't sure what I was in for when I started this book. As someone who hasn't really gotten into the whole mecha thing since I watched Mobile Suit Gundam Wing back in the 90's, I didn't think the book would be for me.
I was pretty damned wrong.
The book was honestly amazing. It was action packed, had some great sentimental moments, and truly showed a group of people who wanted to change the world giving it their all to do it. The mechs were really cool and unique and the characters were lovingly crafted on the page. I would love to read more about the triad, so we'll see where the second book goes.
I was pretty damned wrong.
The book was honestly amazing. It was action packed, had some great sentimental moments, and truly showed a group of people who wanted to change the world giving it their all to do it. The mechs were really cool and unique and the characters were lovingly crafted on the page. I would love to read more about the triad, so we'll see where the second book goes.
November 19, 2024
It's nice to be pandered to, and trans lesbians piloting giant robots vascillating between smashing the state and eachother is certainly catered to my tastes.
It was a fun read. All of my quibbles are down to taste, effectively. I wish people had taken longer to fall in love and get to know eachother. Some characters could have spent more time reflecting on their growth arcs, or struggling with old bad habbits and beliefs they were trying to set down. I could have spent more time in the world and society and less time in the combat scenes, but they didn't exactly overstay their welcome either.
It was a fun read. All of my quibbles are down to taste, effectively. I wish people had taken longer to fall in love and get to know eachother. Some characters could have spent more time reflecting on their growth arcs, or struggling with old bad habbits and beliefs they were trying to set down. I could have spent more time in the world and society and less time in the combat scenes, but they didn't exactly overstay their welcome either.
June 7, 2024
Queer action-romance!! 5/5 stars!!
June 13, 2024
lesbians being gay and trans in mech suits, what more could a girl ask for? very fun, very spicy, and much sweeter than i was expecting.
December 2, 2024
this fucks severely
March 10, 2025
This book is superb! It's got everything I like, exciting mech combat, crap-loads of lesbians and plenty of spice!
Really well written, and super fun. I cannot wait for book 2!!
Really well written, and super fun. I cannot wait for book 2!!
January 23, 2025
Strong 4
Typically, space operas, mechs and sci-fi, in general, are not my thing, but this was so tender and earnest I loved it.
Typically, space operas, mechs and sci-fi, in general, are not my thing, but this was so tender and earnest I loved it.
April 30, 2024
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review by the author on twitter.
When I picked this book up I knew nothing about it, except that there would be transgender polyamory and mecha lesbians. Since I like transgenderism, polyamory, lesbians and mecha, this was incredibly appealing and in these aspects this book delivered wonderfully, so if you enjoy these things as well, I can just say check out the book immediately and enjoy!
But of course that's not all this book is. It is a space opera, a book following an intergalactic revolution, about fighting back against oppressive regimes, being true to yourself and it also includes cat and wolf girl body mods (and lots of hot transgender lesbian sex!). The POV is mostly split between four characters, the first two POVs following Dia's (the main character) mothers on their quest to become mothers and also fight cool mecha space battles (and have really hot transgender sex, including a mecha penis attachment that can feel everything, which was! Fun!) and the last two POVs making up the majority of the book as it follows Dia, a young mecha pilot who's planning on bringing down an empire and Gráinne, a princess, fighting for her freedom while her father wants to arrange a marriage for her that she definitely does not want. I remember being a bit confused when the time skip happened between the first two POVs and the latter two POVs and in general, while I enjoyed the first POV a lot (cool mecha fights! in space! so good!) I struggled with finding my bearing again after the POV switch happened. Once I got into the main story however, I was intruiged by that one as well and found myself really enjoying it, from the interpersonal drama of Gráinne and her family issues, to the bigger picture drama of an oppressive regime that needs to be destroyed and how to achieve that. And of course, I do need to stress that, because it was a really good part of the story, the hot transgender lesbian sex in here. I also liked the aspects of body euphoria expressed through body modification and mechas and that we had multiple trans female characters both with and without bottom surgery, enjoying penetrative sex in multiple directions and with a variety of toys, which I enjoyed as it showcased the diversity of interests there.
In the second part of the book we also get to see the formation of a throuple and while there are some aspects of insta love with the third character that I think could have been explored in more detail, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. I absolutely could understand the story moving fast and I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to understand the quick progression of Dia's and Gráinne's relationship and feelings for each other due to their circumstances, the believability of the poly romance as not just insta-love suffered from being included later and not explored in detail and I found there to be so many aspect that I just wish had been explored a bit more. I also wish there had been at least a small scene where Dia and Gráinne at least discuss wether or not their circumstances influenced their feelings for each other and reaffirm their feelings for each other as real despite this, because I think it could have added to the romance aspect a lot and made the relationship feel more real despite the very hurried development.
I also wish the initial plot point which took place in the first POV would have played a bigger part in the second POV instead of being shuffled towards the next book, because that just made the first POV feel more disconnected to the main part of this book and so I think this book could have benefitted from having the first few chapters on the space station as its own seperate novella/in another sequel/prequel book only hinted at in this one and instead allow more time for the development of the relationships in the second POV.
I also have to say that the animal body mods came as a complete surprise to me. Not a bad one, but I wish it would have been hinted at a bit earlier, because they way they were implemented kinda of confused me (at some point I remember Dia mentions having fangs and biting Gráinne with them, drawing blood, and I was honestly expecting space vampire mecha lesbians at that point. Wolf girls are fun too though!).
Despite my (honestly minor) issues I quite enjoyed this story and found myself intruiged by mostly everything that was going on and I'm excited to check out the sequel as well!
When I picked this book up I knew nothing about it, except that there would be transgender polyamory and mecha lesbians. Since I like transgenderism, polyamory, lesbians and mecha, this was incredibly appealing and in these aspects this book delivered wonderfully, so if you enjoy these things as well, I can just say check out the book immediately and enjoy!
But of course that's not all this book is. It is a space opera, a book following an intergalactic revolution, about fighting back against oppressive regimes, being true to yourself and it also includes cat and wolf girl body mods (and lots of hot transgender lesbian sex!). The POV is mostly split between four characters, the first two POVs following Dia's (the main character) mothers on their quest to become mothers and also fight cool mecha space battles (and have really hot transgender sex, including a mecha penis attachment that can feel everything, which was! Fun!) and the last two POVs making up the majority of the book as it follows Dia, a young mecha pilot who's planning on bringing down an empire and Gráinne, a princess, fighting for her freedom while her father wants to arrange a marriage for her that she definitely does not want. I remember being a bit confused when the time skip happened between the first two POVs and the latter two POVs and in general, while I enjoyed the first POV a lot (cool mecha fights! in space! so good!) I struggled with finding my bearing again after the POV switch happened. Once I got into the main story however, I was intruiged by that one as well and found myself really enjoying it, from the interpersonal drama of Gráinne and her family issues, to the bigger picture drama of an oppressive regime that needs to be destroyed and how to achieve that. And of course, I do need to stress that, because it was a really good part of the story, the hot transgender lesbian sex in here. I also liked the aspects of body euphoria expressed through body modification and mechas and that we had multiple trans female characters both with and without bottom surgery, enjoying penetrative sex in multiple directions and with a variety of toys, which I enjoyed as it showcased the diversity of interests there.
In the second part of the book we also get to see the formation of a throuple and while there are some aspects of insta love with the third character that I think could have been explored in more detail, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. I absolutely could understand the story moving fast and I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to understand the quick progression of Dia's and Gráinne's relationship and feelings for each other due to their circumstances, the believability of the poly romance as not just insta-love suffered from being included later and not explored in detail and I found there to be so many aspect that I just wish had been explored a bit more. I also wish there had been at least a small scene where Dia and Gráinne at least discuss wether or not their circumstances influenced their feelings for each other and reaffirm their feelings for each other as real despite this, because I think it could have added to the romance aspect a lot and made the relationship feel more real despite the very hurried development.
I also wish the initial plot point which took place in the first POV would have played a bigger part in the second POV instead of being shuffled towards the next book, because that just made the first POV feel more disconnected to the main part of this book and so I think this book could have benefitted from having the first few chapters on the space station as its own seperate novella/in another sequel/prequel book only hinted at in this one and instead allow more time for the development of the relationships in the second POV.
I also have to say that the animal body mods came as a complete surprise to me. Not a bad one, but I wish it would have been hinted at a bit earlier, because they way they were implemented kinda of confused me (at some point I remember Dia mentions having fangs and biting Gráinne with them, drawing blood, and I was honestly expecting space vampire mecha lesbians at that point. Wolf girls are fun too though!).
Despite my (honestly minor) issues I quite enjoyed this story and found myself intruiged by mostly everything that was going on and I'm excited to check out the sequel as well!
June 19, 2026
The premise of the book sounds awesome, the cover is gorgeous, and I am not at all mad about the rise of lesbian mecha books in indie circles.
Sadly, I can't say I enjoyed reading/listening to this. It's messy. Some of the plot points could fall into the charming/quirky territory that are simply not my taste (the concept of turning your main character into the scifi version of a furry, which is a surprisingly common theme in transfem literature), but a lot of is just badly plotted out and poorly executed. It has a lot of heart and there was clearly something in here that made me finish it but it's buried under a lot of mediocrity.
The prologue was off to a good start, however, once we meet our actual protagonists and get into the plot, the story zooms past you. Fast-paced? This book moves at warp speed, barely covering the current moment before it's off to the next one. This, in turn, makes any characterization suffer as people change on a switch within a single chapter simply because the narrative demands it.
Which is sad since the cast of characters created are not all that bad if rough around the edges. Yeah, the romance is too rushed, in my opinion, and I can't say I loved how quickly it all went down, yet there was a certain charm to it? It does shine when exploring transfeminine identity and polyamorous dynamics, which is no surprise to me. I will also say, make your books as sexy as you like, but the balance between sex scenes and plot is off here. The intimate scenes are detailed and are even, at times, used to explore specific dynamics, yet that intimacy and connection vanish outside the bedroom, turning the main cast back into cardboard cut-outs.
Any attempt to build a cohesive political landscape fails. Sundered Moon reads less like a novel than a bunch of ideas, strung together into the vague concept of a book, unpolished.
It all boils down to the writing style. It's - juvenile? I don't know how to say it, but there is an unseriousness and restlessness to the writing that makes all the action scenes and dramatic moments leave no impact on me. Despite all the important and drastic events in the book, the atmosphere remains upbeat and nonchalant. Nothing feels taken seriously.
I received a reading copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, I can't say I enjoyed reading/listening to this. It's messy. Some of the plot points could fall into the charming/quirky territory that are simply not my taste (the concept of turning your main character into the scifi version of a furry, which is a surprisingly common theme in transfem literature), but a lot of is just badly plotted out and poorly executed. It has a lot of heart and there was clearly something in here that made me finish it but it's buried under a lot of mediocrity.
The prologue was off to a good start, however, once we meet our actual protagonists and get into the plot, the story zooms past you. Fast-paced? This book moves at warp speed, barely covering the current moment before it's off to the next one. This, in turn, makes any characterization suffer as people change on a switch within a single chapter simply because the narrative demands it.
Which is sad since the cast of characters created are not all that bad if rough around the edges. Yeah, the romance is too rushed, in my opinion, and I can't say I loved how quickly it all went down, yet there was a certain charm to it? It does shine when exploring transfeminine identity and polyamorous dynamics, which is no surprise to me. I will also say, make your books as sexy as you like, but the balance between sex scenes and plot is off here. The intimate scenes are detailed and are even, at times, used to explore specific dynamics, yet that intimacy and connection vanish outside the bedroom, turning the main cast back into cardboard cut-outs.
Any attempt to build a cohesive political landscape fails. Sundered Moon reads less like a novel than a bunch of ideas, strung together into the vague concept of a book, unpolished.
It all boils down to the writing style. It's - juvenile? I don't know how to say it, but there is an unseriousness and restlessness to the writing that makes all the action scenes and dramatic moments leave no impact on me. Despite all the important and drastic events in the book, the atmosphere remains upbeat and nonchalant. Nothing feels taken seriously.
I received a reading copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2024
Sundered Moon was by all means a breath of fresh air compared to that which I had read previously. The story covers a lot of intensive subject matter and treats the subjects with the utmost care. If you want to read something that is willing to explore subjects of misogyny, transmisogyny, oppression, revolution, transhumanism, and so much more, this book will likely call to you. Beyond the ways that this story explores topics that are quite often overlooked, there are a lot of wonderful scenes of romance. Though I myself am aromantic and asexual, I often find such works and depictions to be comforting and I believe this case to be no different.
March 4, 2024
A fiery sapphic romance spiced with a fast-paced and delightfully vicious tale of sci-fi action and queer rebellion against oppressive corporate powers. The story moves a little too quickly for full explorations of the characters' depths and the action is squarely in the realm of power-fantasy with the heroes never really feeling in danger, but those are expected tropes in an action-romance tale. It was a fun read with a trans protagonist who finds love and gets to be stone-cold badass; not every trans story needs to be depressing or introspective literary fiction! I really look forward to more from this author and these characters.
March 23, 2024
One of the most shamelessly indulgent books I've read in a while. And I love indulging in lesbian romance, leftist idealism, feral combat, body modification, and everything else Sundered Moon is about, so that's perfect for me.
If you want some critique: the editing isn't perfect, which is to be expected from what I believe is a self-published work, so there's the occasional repetition or misplaced word. And also, the lioness character's romance (being vague to avoid spoilers) might've benefited from having a little more space to develop.
Regardless, I was excited for every minute I could steal away to read more of this, and its sequel is instantly on my "highly-interested" shelf.
If you want some critique: the editing isn't perfect, which is to be expected from what I believe is a self-published work, so there's the occasional repetition or misplaced word. And also, the lioness character's romance (being vague to avoid spoilers) might've benefited from having a little more space to develop.
Regardless, I was excited for every minute I could steal away to read more of this, and its sequel is instantly on my "highly-interested" shelf.
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