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The Middlemist Trilogy #2

A Song of Ash and Moonlight: A Novel

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New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, enchants with a lush, sweeping, steamy enemies to lovers fantasy romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

THE OLD WAR IS OVER. A NEW ONE IS JUST BEGINNING.

The curse plaguing the Ashbourne and Bask families has finally been broken, but Farrin, the eldest Ashbourne daughter, still struggles to find peace. Unflappable and tireless, her composure masks a seething sorrow. Since her mother abandoned the family, Farrin has been their rock—managing her father's temper, running the estate, keeping tight control over her dangerous musical power, and ignoring her own need for rest, distraction, and most of all, love.

In Ryder Bask, Farrin's stubborn strength has met its match. The man infuriates her. He's coarse, arrogant, annoyingly handsome. He's as tired of their feuding parents as she is, and he brims with some secret anger that mirrors Farrin's frustrated rage.

But Farrin must work with every ally she can—even the man she has been raised to hate. With every rising dawn, the Middlemist weakens further. Anointed magicians are disappearing. A fiery Olden creature is stalking Farrin. Strange visions haunt the High Queen Yvaine. And as Farrin and Ryder race to find stolen loved ones, they begin to realize a horrifying

The gods are not dead. They're waking up. And someone is hunting them.

672 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2024

241 people are currently reading
11783 people want to read

About the author

Claire Legrand

27 books5,096 followers
Claire Legrand is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fourteen novels, including the Empirium trilogy, the Middlemist trilogy, SAWKILL GIRLS, and SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS. She is one of the four authors behind THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, an anthology of dark middle grade fiction.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
Profile Image for Robin.
637 reviews4,716 followers
March 27, 2025
ladies if your man speaks to horses and a whole manner of beasts, would take anything from you even your punches and harsh words, begs for your affection, runs headlong into danger with you, and yearns from afar, that’s not your man that’s Ryder Bask.

Read my full review here

also im obsessed with farrin at all times being like: “i need to punch him in the face (but also kiss him)”

Claire Legrand returns to her Middlemist Trilogy and a world on the brink of change as the Ashbourne siblings set aside old grudges and work to rebuild a relationship with their family’s sworn enemies, the Basks. In this brilliant sequel, Claire Legrand elevates her foundations to create a beautiful slow burn enemies to lovers romance between steadfast sister Farrin Ashbourne, and the eldest son of the Bask family, Ryder. A Song of Ash and Moonlight weaves a cunning mythos and romantic arc in a sequel that showcases its characters at their height and brings old gods and new smashing together in cataclysmic ways. The stakes are the highest they can be with old barriers breaking down, and new horrors descending on the Ashbourne family and the world entire. A Song of Ash and Moonlight is exactly what I wanted from a sequel, revealing hidden ancestry and an unexpected connection to the gods while flawlessly merging high-stakes fantasy and devastating romance. The Middlemist Trilogy is an incomparable fantasy series and this sequel only has me more excited for its conclusion next year.

thank you to Edelweiss for the review copy

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Profile Image for Caitlin.
314 reviews7 followers
September 17, 2024
This book had a good plot, but while this was a good book, it was very long. In my opinion, things did not need to be that long and I found myself zoning out when things just kept getting dragged on. I kept finding myself not really caring about what happened in the story or to the characters. And maybe it was just me, but the magical singing had me rolling my eyes.
Profile Image for Brittany Taft.
281 reviews371 followers
May 16, 2024
I think I liked the main character and love interest of the first book more, but the plot of this book was better than the first. Easy fast read!
Profile Image for Nessa’s Book Reviews.
1,478 reviews71 followers
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September 16, 2024
A Song of Ash and Moonlight is a mesmerising blend of magic, mystery, and simmering romance that will sweep you off your feet and plunge you into a world where the gods aren’t dead, they’re waking up, and they’re bringing chaos with them.

Farrin Ashbourne is the kind of FMC you can’t help but admire, strong, stubborn, and fierce, but burdened by the weight of her family's curse and her own heartbreak. As the eldest Ashbourne daughter, she’s spent years holding her family together, hiding her dangerous musical magic, and ignoring her own need for love and happiness. Enter Ryder Bask, the infuriatingly handsome and equally stubborn scion of the Ashbournes' rival family. Their chemistry crackles from the very first page, and watching them go from enemies to reluctant allies is pure magic.

Legrand cleverly weaves together an intricate plot of gods, curses, and ancient magic, but it’s the emotional depth of her characters that makes this book truly shine. Farrin and Ryder’s banter is sharp, their tension deliciously slow-burning, and their journey together is as much about healing old wounds as it is about saving the world. Their fiery partnership is impossible to resist, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them, both as individuals and as a couple, every step of the way.

But this isn’t just a romance. A Song of Ash and Moonlight is packed with heart-pounding action, haunting visions, and high-stakes danger. The Middlemist is weakening, magicians are vanishing, and something dark and ancient is stalking Farrin, making for a gripping plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The stakes are sky-high, and the twisty, unpredictable plot is full of surprises that will leave you anxious.

If you love fierce heroines, smouldering enemies-to-lovers romance, and epic fantasy worlds where gods are waking and chaos reigns, A Song of Ash and Moonlight is a must-read.
Profile Image for ˗ˏˋ maddie ˊˎ˗.
1,571 reviews10 followers
October 7, 2024
2.5. Gah, Farrin got in the way of all of this for me. The plot, the characters, the background dynamics, mostly they were all fine but Farrin was so unlikable. I'm glad she realized herself that she was being ridiculous by deciding Ryder was the worst ever for... saving her life? Ankaret even tells her that's the one secret he's kept from Farrin when it's revelaed and she still follows it up with: what else is he hiding from me?! Um, dumbass, the god in front of you literally just told you it's this one thing and that thing is that he.... saved your life. Like.

The manufactured drama of that? I could not.

I'm glad Farrin eventually figured out her knee-jerk reaction to that made literally zero sense but she still... didn't admit that or say that for way too long. And by then so much other stuff had happened that she didn't really have to say what an idiot she was. I also hated that her three emotions were: tears (yes, that is the emotion I s2fg), insecurity, and blaming everyone else for everything that happens all the time. Like, at no point in time does this woman seem like a good partner or like someone who is ready to be in a relationship. She should be getting a shit-ton of therapy first, because she clearly needs it, and she shouldn't be making her partner regularly step into that role. I'm glad Ryder seems so patient and willing to twist and contort himself to meet her needs but that man has no support of his own and that seems unkind to him. His sister is missing and he has to keep reminding Farrin about that reality for him, that that matters for him, and that the world doesn't revolve around her (and only when Farrin states out loud that it does does he get to correct that for her; she's still reeeegularly thinking that way though and no one can check those thoughts for her). I just don't like her, she's such an asshole - unintentionally almost always, but still, and not in a mean way but in a 'my emotions are so big there's no room for anyone else to have any' way (with her sisters and with Ryder especially). Even when Ryder does get to have an emotion there's always such a clear ticking clock on it and I can practically hear Farrin tapping her foot in the background going: that's great but I'm going to have to cry about something in four pages so I hope you'll be done by then.
Profile Image for Carina Olsen.
843 reviews158 followers
February 18, 2026
It has been two years since I first read this second book. And I seem to have forgotten several details. So rude. And I may have loved it even more this second time that I read it. Sigh. I am just so fully in love with this world and these sisters and their stories. I am even more desperate for book three. Not long to wait now.

This time I'm not writing such a long review, for real now. As I'm not sure what to write at all. I had forgotten many of the smaller details, despite also remembering all of it. And oh, how much I loved reading this book this second time. Maybe more than the first time I read it. The writing was, as always, perfect. So good.

I am trying so hard not to go back and read my review from two years ago. I do not want to get distracted. So I may write some of the same things. Oh, well. This book takes place right after A Crown of Ivy and Glass ends. But this time we get to read from the point of view of Farrin. The oldest of these three sisters. And she is so very much different from Gemma. And while I still love Gemma the most, I started loving Farrin even more this second time. She is more grumpy and less sweet. Yet she has such a big heart. And I do relate to her a whole lot as well. Farrin is a whole lot of broken. Yet strong, having had to run their house for so many years pretty much by herself. Farrin does not have much love in her life. And she deserved all of the love in the world.

There is so very much that I could write about this book. But I am going to try to keep it short. So I shall just mention some of my favorite things. But not all of them, as that would take forever, haha. I honestly just love these books so very much. I am so excited to finally get to read book three shortly, eee. I must know how it all ends, ack. These books are adult romance, telling the stories of three sisters in their early twenties. The romance is a big part, but there is so much story and magic and so much else. I love it all.

One of my favorite parts was the world created. I so loved reading more about it and learning all of the secrets. I love the fantasy part of this place. I love the pieces of magic. Most of all I love the three sisters of this story. Gemma and Mara and Farrin. They are not as close as they should have been, as they were when they were children. Things came between them. But they are now getting close again, which I loved reading about so much. And their love for each other was just the best. I loved all three of them together.

This second book belongs to Farrin. She was a complicated woman. Yet I loved her to pieces. It takes a little while for her to open up. And she is full of dark thoughts and feelings. She has no love for herself at all. Which is so sad and depressing. But she is trying. Somewhat. And there is love around her. There are people who care about her. Which was the best. Farrin needed all the love. And I love how she got better at it. Well, mostly. She overreacted a bit at a secret near the end of the book. That hurt. But was needed.

Another complicated thing was the relationship between Farrin and their father. He was such an idiot. And I still do not like him at all. I just cannot. But she loves him. Well, she tries to. He doesn't make it easy. He got better at the end of the book. And I do hope he continues to get better. But even so. He wasn't a nice person, honestly. But Farrin tried her best. I loved that about her. I loved how she took care of everything. But she needed a break as well. This book was a lot about Farrin. With her learning more about herself.

I'm not sure where to begin with the plot. There is too much of it. Something was happening from the very beginning to end in this second book. And I am not going to share about all of it. Farrin spends a lot more time with the Basks. Especially with Ryder. He teaches her to fight. Which I loved. He was so obviously in love with her. It took her a little longer to realize it. But oh, how much I loved them together. Ryder was a huge man. A little wild. But so soft and gentle and loving with Farrin. I just loved that the very most. Sigh.

I think I did not love the romance as much the first time I read this book. But now, two years later, I loved it much more. Their love is more gentle, especially compared to Gemma and Talan. But their love is so very good, even so. It's slow, because Farrin is so unsure of herself. Yet she wants love so badly. And I just loved reading about them together. Sigh. We get some of Gemma in this book as well, although the focus is more on Farrin. And more of Mara too, and I simply cannot wait to finally get to know her better.

There is honestly so very much going on in this book. We get to see more of the Queen, Yvaine. She is somewhat going insane. And possibly dying. It's all such a mystery. Loved it so. I loved how Farrin and Yvaine were such good friends. I loved their small moments together. And I really loved reading about this queen and getting to know her more. The sisters visit a place called Wardwell. Which messed with my head a little. Unsure how I feel about it. So very interesting, though. Some secrets about their mother.

There was a scene with a Harpy, that also bothered me. It was so dark. Yet kind of excellent too. Oops. It made me even more excited for Mara's story. Yet nervous too. I hope to love her very much. Then there was the place called Moonhollow. It is such a big part of this story, though we do not officially see it until closer to the end. And it was so dark and ohh. I loved every part of it. So exciting as well. I just loved this entire world. And these characters were the absolute best. I loved reading the story of Farrin and Ryder.

This whole second book was dark. Their world is falling apart. And they need to figure out why and then how they can save everyone. As people are disappearing. People they know and love. Which was pretty heartbreaking. But all kinds of exciting. I wanted to know what was going on. Especially the ending was so thrilling. So much was happening at once. And then it ended. How rude. I need to know what happens next. So very excited for the final book in this series. It is going to be the best one, I think. I love them all.

Of course I forgot to mention the firebird. So now I'm writing about it when I had almost finished putting my review together. I could of course not talk about it. But I have to mention it. As this firebird was both awesome and creepy. Maybe a friend, maybe an enemy. Her name is Ankaret. And oh, I loved getting to know this bird on fire so very much. Full of secrets. Full of magic and power. I loved trying to figure out if she was actually helping Farrin or maybe trying to kill her. Both could be true, ha. Such a great character.

I have already written way more than I was going to. Sigh. That always happens. Yet there is very much that I did not write about, that I probably could have. Just, oh. A Song of Ash and Moonlight was all kinds of wonderful. Such an excellent second book. With a thrilling story and a lovely romance. I so love these sisters the most. And this story is honestly so exciting. And so dark at times. Shudders. I love it so much. I can't wait to see how it all ends. You really need this series in your life as well. Claire is the best author.
---

I read this book for the first time from February 25th to 27th 2024. See my review here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2024...

I read this book for the second time from February 5th to 17th 2026. See my new review here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2026...
Profile Image for Shannon.
1,099 reviews17 followers
November 2, 2024
I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This installment follows Farrin, who if you have read book 1 you will remember as the oldest of the Ashborne sisters. The first book followed Gemma, and if the trilogy follows this trend I expect the next book to follow Mara, the third sister. That being said I don't feel like you can really read this as a stand alone, you really need to read the first book in the series, as it sets up events in this book and introduces you to many of the characters.

This was hard for me to get through as the main character was very hard for me to connect with. She was so angry all of the time. The audiobook is just shy of 23 hours, so you really need someone you can root for. I felt like she never wanted to solve the problems and only wanted to whine and wallow in her own issues and block everyone from moving forward. She never actually had any suggestions to move the plot forward and always acted emotionally, admitting that she let her emotions get the best of her in every situation. That being said this is very romance heavy and I found that the romance between Farrin and Ryder lacked chemistry. She is always so mean and distrusting of him that I found it hard to believe their attraction and affection.

I liked the plot and the setting, but the length of the book and the lack of connection with the characters really had me putting this book down more often than I wanted to pick it up. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements when we get them, the creatures and lore are really unique in this series. Much like the first book this is more character driven and there are long periods where the characters are interacting or having inner monologues and the plot isn't advancing. Then there are periods of fast paced action where alot happens all at once and you learn quite a bit of information. I'm interested to see how the series concludes as I actually enjoy the plot, and if Mara is the focus I think she will make and interested main character.
Profile Image for Laura.
786 reviews39 followers
September 20, 2024
WHAT A TWIST

I gasped out loud at the reveal- what a well placed twist to lead into the third and final book in this series. I'm so glad I continued and picked this book up because I really enjoyed Farrin and Ryder's story. The first just wasn't it for me but it was a lot of world building, to be fair. Assuming Gareth and Mara will be featured in the third and theirs might just be my favorite yet.
Profile Image for Katherine.
292 reviews19 followers
January 30, 2025
Perfect for those who have read Sarah J. Maas's ACOTAR books and wished for more plot and less sex.

Now, that isn't meant to say SJM's series is less than Legrand's, they're just different in key ways despite sharing many common factors.

A Song of Ash and Moonlight is the second book in the Middlemist Trilogy and is inspired by The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky. Unlike the first book, the ballet's influence on the story is much more obvious, and listening to the score might add to your reading experience.

After finishing A Crown of Ivy and Glass I was immediately excited for this book. Farrin and Ryder gave off big Nesta and Cassian energy in the first book, both individually and as a potential pairing. Farrin is guarded and afraid of her powers, she's angry at both her parents, and she doesn't look in mirrors because she hates what she sees. But unlike Nesta, she is warm to those she loves and makes no secret of her willingness to sacrifice for them. Ryder has his own familial issues and is determined to break the cycle of violence he was raised in, much to to the scorn of his abusive father. He's a man of few words and his scary outward appearance masks an extremely tender and devoted heart. The romance between the two is enemies to lovers with a dash of "it's always been you".

After freeing Talan of Kilraith's control all is not well at all in Gallinor. The Middlemist is expanding, Olden monsters are freely roaming the world, and the queen's government is focused on hiding the truth about a magical breach that is draining the queen's powers. As the Ashbourne girls, the Bask siblings, Talan, and Gareth race to find the answers that will help them to save their world the mysteries of the queen's origin as well as why Philippa Ashbourne abandoned her family come to light.

This series doesn't shy away from violence, but it is never too gory. Likewise, Farrin and Ryder's romance has several swoon-worthy moments, but the love scenes are tame. Legrand's fictional world of Gallinor is just as dangerous as it was in the series' opener, and the expansion of what we know about it promises a truly riveting conclusion.
Profile Image for Shadow Singer.
132 reviews157 followers
August 24, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for ARC. I received my copy in exchange of an honest review.

Claire Legrand does it again! What a plot, characters, world building and romance! I just swallowed all of it and now I can't wait for the 3rd book.
One of my all-the-time favorite fantasy series is The Empirium Trilogy which is written by Claire Legrand and now... I am happy that my favorite author is back with another masterpiece.
I enjoyed reading A Crown of Ivy And Glass but I fell in love with A Song of Ash And Moonlight!
This book begins where the previous book ended but this time Farrin is the main character and narrator. Also we have Jemma and all of the pack as side characters too.
There were more notes and details about the world building, Gods and Godesses and magic system in this book that I loved.
Plot was much more interesting than the previous book and those plot twists were great.
And the love interest. Well... I like Jemma and Talan and I enjoyed reading about them again in this book but I stand for Farrin and Ryder. Just look at them? They're beautiful and a lovely couple. Ryder is one of the best male characters among all fantasy books that I read. Farrinryder reminds me of Nesta and Cassian but they had their own chemistry and personality too.
I have so many guess about the final book. What's going to happen? Who will be Mara's love interest after all? And please Clair! give us more Farrinryder in the 3rd book.
At the end, I just want to say that I found every trop and janre that I like in this book. Classic Gothic Fantasy with Enemies to lovers trop and Claire Legrand as Author.
Profile Image for Travis.
852 reviews6 followers
December 22, 2024
I LOVED THIS. I love Claire Legrand, period. In my heart she can do know wrong. A Song of Ash and Moonlight is the continuation of the Middlemist series and it takes place a couple a months after the events of book one. Farrin takes center stage now. The oldest of the Ashbourne sisters. I read this book like I needed air to breathe. I appreciate that Claire is telling this series through the eyes of each sister, while not sacrificing the story. Claire is able to transition the story from Gemma to Farrin seamlessly. The story is still the same, but the emotional impact is vastly different because the sisters are all dealing with their own demons. Farrin's journey is one of abandonment and self worth. Claire Legrand, like with Gemma, handled these elements extremely well. It is something I have come to appreciate within Claire Legrand's writing and stories. A Song of Ash and Moonlight may be over, but Mara's story has yet to be told and I for one am looking forward to seeing how Claire Legrand will bring the curtain down on the Middlemist series.
Profile Image for Chloe.
14 reviews42 followers
April 25, 2025
3.5 - Overall, it was too long. Similar to the first book in the series, the story didn’t really unfold until the last quarter. I wanted to be less in Farrin’s head and more in the action. However, I enjoyed learning even more about this world, and I’ll be definitely reading the next (and final) book.
Profile Image for Megan Miller.
28 reviews
May 8, 2024
Wow! Not much else would be able to begin to describe this book. My very first ARC and I couldn’t be more thrilled that it was by Claire Legrand. I was enthralled by the first words of The Crowns of Ivy and Glass and the world of the MiddleMist, and I was psyched when I was given this ARC to review. I am going to try not to give too much away in this review, but I’m going to mark this one with spoilers anyways.

A Song of Ash and Moonlight has everything a fantasy reader could want. An enemies to lovers tale that unraveled like a tightly wound ball of yarn. I could not get enough of the small touches and gentleness of their love blossoming. The little details of both Farrin and Ryder’s upbringing made for a heartbreaking tale, Ryder overcoming obstacles not of his making and Farrin’s battle to love herself, of loving each other in spite of their families curses and hatred.

Mixed in with my favorite trope (enemies to lovers) there was plenty of mystery and even more world building. Talan was traversing the world, and we see even more of the Citadel, and the Old Country, the Wardwell, and Moonhollow too. Lots and lots of places were explored and timelines were a little hard to keep up with. Despite that fact, this book had me in a chokehold. It gave me unnecessary anxiety, as I worried about some of my favorite characters and their outcomes. The ending was shocking and I’m more than a little sad that I will have to wait for the third book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laurie Nocerino.
32 reviews1 follower
October 4, 2024
I love Claire Legrands books. So giving this review hurts. I had a hard time keeping interest and found myself almost dfn'ing multiple times.. im hoping the third book is better
Profile Image for Amanda Seifert.
2 reviews4 followers
Read
August 26, 2024
An overall enjoyable read that I didn't want to put down! I love the world and mythology of the Middlemist trilogy. The team of characters - seeing Gemma and the Basks through Farrin's eyes - and the brewing conflict with Kilraith all kept me hooked from page 1. And like with all of Claire Legrand's books (Middlemist AND Empirium), she's gotten me with the plot twists! Almost to the point where I think she throws the readers a more predictable twist simply to throw them off the scent of the truly BIG twist coming later. Mad respect to Legrand for playing the long game. I didn't see it coming, but when I looked back at everything I'd just read, I could SEE it. When the final picture emerged, I could look back and remember each puzzle piece clicking into place. Beautiful.

But there were still some twists that I thought were a bit predictable. There were times when I sat back and felt the story was formulaic and tropic, and while that ordinarily wouldn't have bothered me, it did feel like the characters were being made to fit the formula instead of the other way around. The "reveal" (no spoilers) between two of the main characters seemed contrived. Even Farrin later reflects on her reaction as possibly an *over*reaction. The "betrayal" really wasn't that at all, and even in the moment of the reveal it was difficult to appreciate the Farrin's emotional turmoil because of that. It didn't feel earned. Also, Farrin herself even predicted this twist chapters before it was revealed, and then it was TRUE and she was STILL shook. I wish I had been standing next to her yelling, "BUT YOU ALREADY FIGURED THIS OUT??!!"

One thing I continue to admire about this series is Legrand's exploration of emotional and mental struggles with the FMCs - the panic, the anxiety, being emotionally overwhelmed and yet feeling compelled to carry on with a stiff upper lip out of a sense of familial duty, continuing to be strong even when they feel like collapsing under the weight of all they've endured. But LORD, every other page Farrin is crying. I think the source of her emotional turmoil could have been explored more, even just one or two sentences. Multiple times, Farrin expresses frustration over the fact that she's crying and she can't help it, and there's something in that, being emotionally out of control. But seriously, she cries at EVERYTHING. Her anger seemed almost childish at times (which she even acknowledges to herself). For someone who in the first book appeared so stoic and put together, the eldest child doing her duty, I loved that we got to be inside her mind and seeing her true emotional struggles...but it also seemed like those struggles were being worn on her sleeve this time. Even other characters remarked on how easy she is to read. Was she always like this? Her characterization at times didn't click with what I remembered of her in ACOIAG even after a skimming reread.

But I also appreciated how quickly Farrin admitted to being wrong in her meanness towards others, as if recognizing when she was lashing out due to frustration or fear. Often she would immediately apologize for outbursts. I found her thorniness relatable as an emotional defense, and appreciated Legrand's subtleties in this particular part of Farrin's personality. It's more shown and not told that she holds everyone in her life at arm's length, both physically and emotionally. Her physical anxieties were especially poignant and relatable to me as a reader, and while we saw similar struggles with Gemma, these were still unique from her sister's in a moving way. I found the exploration of the two sisters similar to ACOMAF and ACOSF by SJM in a very pleasing way - not a replication by any means, but a good connection for fans looking for their next great read. All in all, have already recommended to a friend :)
Profile Image for Deedi Brown (DeediReads).
908 reviews168 followers
September 4, 2024
All my reviews live at https://deedireads.com/.

I’ve been looking forward to A Song of Ash and Moonlight ever since I read the first book, A Crown of Ivy and Glass. Based on the interactions between Farrin and Ryder in that book alone, I just KNEW this was going to be a fun time. And it was!

In the Middlemist Trilogy, each book is about one of three sisters in the Ashbourne family in a world of magic, mist, and rising evil. They are fun and fast-paced and steamy — brain candy. They’re each also inspired by a classic ballet; SONG is the Firebird. It’s about the oldest sister, Farrin, and gives us a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, he-falls-first romantasy adventure. I gobbled it up, even with a 7-week-old baby and very little sleep.

I chose not to reread the first book, even though I didn’t remember the plot in great detail. But I thought Legrand did a good job of reminding us about the most important parts, and I didn’t feel lost. Farrin is depressed and angry and has crippling intimacy anxiety, and it was clear that Legrand handled the writing of her with great care (which made it forgivable that the execution occasionally felt overdone).

If you’re looking for your next fun romantasy fix, Claire Legrand’s books (including this one) are some of my faves. Treat yourself and pick them up.



Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content; Kidnapping; Violence and death; Child abuse / domestic abuse; Alcoholism
Profile Image for Britney ☆.
438 reviews45 followers
September 15, 2024
I wasn’t sure that I could like this book quite as much as the first but gosh was I freaking wrong! I absolutely fell in love with this book right from the very beginning.

Claire Legrand has such a way with characters. Even if you don’t like a character you’re still going to grow to love them, you just can’t help it. That’s how I felt about Ryder. A Crown of Ivy and Glass did a fantastic job setting you up to dislike Ryder and wow did my feelings change in this one. You get to learn a lot more about him, why he is the way that he is, what he truly wants, and who he truly wants. It was really refreshing getting to see the softer and more vulnerable side of him. Ryder, they could never make me hate you.

The same really goes for Farrin. She’s set up in the previous book as the unapproachable and cold older sister. A Song of Ash and Moonlight really gives you a look behind the curtain into how harsh her life actually has been and why she built those walls around herself. It’s kind of heartbreaking but absolutely wonderful watching her grow in this book and finally getting the things she really does deserve.

This book was magical. The world is unlike any other and it’s really a must read. It’s a LONG book but I really struggled putting it down once I started it.


A huge thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Kristine.
3,505 reviews53 followers
September 19, 2024
Unfortunately, after being awarded this audio ARC, I realized that this was the second book in the series. Anyone who has read any of my reviews knows that I have an issue with starting ANY series in the middle of the series. So, I debated whether or not to continue. Because of that, when I decided to go ahead and continue, I tried to keep the fact that I was missing the first book in mind with my rating.

You never know what goes into the feelings that you feel when you finish a book. Sometimes the writing is so good that it takes you to a different world and time flies. Other times, it could be that you are in the wrong mood, or there are things going on in your own life that impact the overall feelings from what you just read.

Regardless, I just couldn't get into this book and finishing it became a huge chore. Again, I do not know if it is because I came into the second book, or if it was just me. I honestly do not know.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to and review this audio ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on September 17, 2024.
Profile Image for emily.
74 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2024
3/5⭐️

first time giving a legrand book less than 5 and I think I’m actually crashing out because of it. I just wasn’t feeling this book. I was so excited to see Ryder and Farrin together but I felt the banter did not last long enough. Or maybe I wasn’t feeling this book because this is only the second book I’ve been able to read and finish since getting to college. I am still excited for the last but hoping I have more time to read without huge chunks of time in between like I did with this one, which also probably affected my rating for this book.
Profile Image for Jasmyne.
32 reviews
July 11, 2025
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would; at first I wasn’t looking forward to being in Farrin’s pov however I found I related to her a lot.

I don’t really have much to say other than the writing style is poetic but quite dense and the chapters are pretty long so this isn’t just something you can pick up and read a chapter because you have 10 minutes to spare. Being a mom, this did impact my reading experience and made it hard for me to gravitate towards this book at times.

Absolute love the characters and how much we get to see the fmcs inner thoughts
3.75 stars
Profile Image for Mackenzie Ward.
151 reviews
January 14, 2026
Okay: I have opinions. I liked this book a LOT! I liked that it had a clear ending and also room for the next book. The enemy/villian isn’t dead but at least they have each other 3. Kinda wish we got more personality / dynamic from Ryder and Farrin than what was written. I wish the book spent more time on the storyline of the daughters being DEMI GODS and their mother being a GOD. To me, that would have been more interesting than them travelling back and forth from the palace to the estate to the mist to the palace to the
Profile Image for Michelle (Bamamele.reads).
1,331 reviews86 followers
Read
September 14, 2024
I have to admit that I just don’t care.
DNF at 63%

YALL, just go read The Empirium Trilogy to understand what this author is really capable of.
Once again, this book is just too long, and the characters just can’t make me care.
I’m just so disappointed.

Many thanks to Libro.fm for the opportunity to preview this.
Profile Image for Jillian.
193 reviews
October 11, 2024
I love this book! The first one was a bit slow and hard to get into at times but I’m so happy I stuck with it and decided to give this one a shot. Although, like Gemma, there were times when Farrin annoyed the hell out of me, she was a much more like-able character from the start. I could not put this one down.
Profile Image for Grace Elizabeth.
25 reviews
March 1, 2026
I was so disappointed in this book - I love the author and maybe I got overexcited? In the prior book of the series I really connected with the protagonist Gemma, but not so much in this book with her sister. If you connect with Farrin, you’ll love this book. But if you don’t it may feel never ending like it did for me. I tried both physical and audio books and struggled with both versions. Rounding up from 2.5 stars.
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