Moth Dark

by Kika Hatzopoulou

From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor.

The dark has come alive . . .

Six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and with it Sascia’s fascination with the darkness was born. Now eighteen, that fascination has become an obsession, and while exploring an area known for its connection to the Darkworld, Sascia sees a person climb out of the darkness. But Nugau is no ordinary person, they’re a genderfluid elf prince with one mission . . . to kill Sascia.

Except, the second time they meet, Nugau is younger and doesn’t recognise Sascia. And the third time, Nugau stumbles out of the darkness with poison running through their veins, expressing their undying love for her.

Piecing together the puzzle, Sascia makes two shocking the timelines of her world and Nugau’s are not linear, and she is inexplicably enmeshed in a war between humanity and elves. But with their worlds at battle, is it worth fighting for each other . . . ?

Praise for Threads that Bind:
'A fantastical – and utterly original – world. A must-read for all fantasy fans.’ Sarah Underwood, author of Lies We Sing to the Sea

'A gorgeous dark tapestry of mystery, fated romance and modern myth.’ Alexandra Bracken, author of Lore

'Kika Hatzopoulou delivers a high-stakes, page-turning mystery with an utterly gasp-worthy twist.’ Leslie Vedder, author of the Bone Spindle trilogy

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy, Queer, Young Adult Fantasy, LGBT

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2025

About the author

Kika Hatzopoulou is the bestselling and award-winning author of Threads That Bind and Hearts That Cut. She is a native Greek and current Londoner and holds an MFA in writing for children from the New School. Find Kika on Instagram and TikTok @kikahatzopoulou and on her website kikahatzopoulou.com.

For school and library visits, you can contact: YRAuthorVisits@prh.com

Reviews

[Esta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Moth Dark feeling fairly agreeable toward moths. Harmless little things, soft, attracted to light. But after reading this book, I for one welcome our new insect overlords.

The moths in this aptly named book aren’t your typical Earthly light loving friends though. They embrace the darkness, and they’re almost deity-like, if you will. But they’re also endearing in the way they will boop you on the nose if they deem you worthy of their friendship. This is now my life aspiration. I want a cosmic moth to choose me.

Trying to describe this book feels difficult. But if I had to give you a moodboard, Ivana and myself discussed Guillermo del Toro and Holly Black, with a touch of Greek mythology.

Writing-wise, there was a beautiful lyricism that I almost associate with V. E. Schwab’s style, in some parts at least. There is solid YA fantasy romance structure, with also speculative and science fiction aspects and a dash of mild horror. And it’s gorgeous and weird and bioluminescent and cinematic.

Moth Dark also holds some of the most tender, thoughtful explorations of gender and identity I’ve ever seen in fiction. You’ll meet non-human species who embody all genders, non-binary, fluid, intersex and undefinable and it’s written with grace and care. For example, our FMC, Sascia, is pansexual and Nugau, our scythe-wielding elf, is gender fluid.

Another thing to add is that I usually overthink grandfather paradoxes when books start tinkering with timelines but I thought the way the author used time and space here was pretty cool and clever and resonated with me on an emotional level. I can’t say much more because this is best discovered yourself, but it all came together very nicely for me.

Finally, I really appreciated the themes in Moth Dark. It got my brain thinking about power and profit, and about the very senseless and cyclical nature of war and violence that keeps spinning because someone somewhere keeps making money. Timely, relevant, yes.

Anyway, Moth Dark made a couple of plot choices which I subjectively wasn’t a huge fan of, but otherwise it really, truly was beautifully done. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Penguin Young Readers Group for the arc.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

When the meet-cute is a murder-cute with a hot rando elf wielding an onyx scythe who emerged from a dark hole in the ground in NYC.

Buddy reading this with bsf Ivana.

(This was so good. Review to come.)

[edie-may ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ── 4.25 stars .ᐟ ⊹₊⋆


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎❝ Not all bravery is loud. Not all
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ defiance is violent. ❞


‎ ‎ ‎ ⌗ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎started: oct 16, 2025 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌝
‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌞ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎finished: oct 18, 2025 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✶


‎ ‎ ‎ ⤿ age rating: 13+
‎ ‎ ‎ ⤿ spice level: 0.5/5
‎ ‎ ‎ ⤿ content warnings:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⋆ violence & death
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⋆ language


‎ ‎ ‎ thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⤷ Moth Dark is out now! ᰔ


‎ ‎ ‎ ✩ tl;dr: this book was so dreamlike. the world-building, the writing, and the romance was all so stunning and delicate. i’m in love with both sascia and nugau.


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┈┈・୨ ✦ ୧・┈┈

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎daylight - david kushner
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 01:01 ━━●─────── 03:32
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┈┈・୨ ✦ ୧・┈┈


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 🪻┆ main tropes:

‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ animal sidekick
‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ folklore
‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ queer
‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ star crossed lovers
‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ tending to wounds
‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ war
‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ ‘who did this to you?’


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──〝 there’s darkness in the distance 〞


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 🔮┆ review:

‎ ‎ ‎ i don’t know where to begin with this review, i’m genuinely in awe. i don’t think i’ll have much to say, but i advise you to take that as a good sign, as it means i am pretty much speechless.

‎ ‎ ‎ the plot was well-paced and intriguing, and it felt so original. the world-building was beautiful and well done. i loved the concept of the ‘dark’ and the intersecting universes. the overall message was both important and timely, and so well handled. the romance between sascia and nugau was delicate and so so stunning… this book was as beautiful as its cover.


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──〝 from the way that i’ve been living 〞


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 💜┆ writing style:

‎ ‎ ‎ my word, was the writing in this book pretty. i was drawn in from the first page. i really loved its balance between wit and intricate prose. one thing i will say, however, is that i’m a big fan of subtlety in books. that is to say, i don’t like being spoon fed information. the concept of gender in the faerie world was, funnily enough, the most believable part about it. i adore casual rep, and while the gender binary (or lack thereof) felt completely natural, the conversations regarding it did not. however, that seems to be the only real complaint i have, which should speak volumes.


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──〝 but i know i can’t resist it 〞


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 🧬┆ characters:

‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ sascia petrou
‎ ‎ ‎ sascia is a xenoscientist specialising in dark insects, primarily moths. now, i love a smart fmc as much as the next person (provided that the next person is head over heels in love with them). she was such a strong character, and had such a real soul.

‎ ‎ ‎ ⟢ nugau
‎ ‎ ‎ i’ll be honest, all i needed to know about this book was that it served up a genderqueer fae prince as a love interest, and i was locked in. nugau was such a beautiful character, and i was so invested in their story.


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──〝 oh, i love it and i hate it at the same time 〞


┆ ⤿ 🦋 ⌗ thoughts:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⋆ prediction: 4.00★ ✓

‎ ‎ ‎ ⤿ pre-read: my arcs may be starting to pile up so i’m locking tf in. (the book cover was too pretty.)

‎ ‎ ‎ ⤿ post-read: this was profound and beautiful. my heart was not nearly prepared for this, but i have no regrets in reading it.


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──〝 you and i drink the poison from the same vine. 〞


‎ ‎ ‎ ✶ i would recommend this book to anyone looking for an ethereal romantasy containing queer characters and a star crossed love story!


જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ✩

[Ricarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This definitely wasn't the super romance-heavy story that the cover suggests and maybe that's why it was such a nice surprise for me. Don't worry, there is an intricate romance in here (with a genderfluid love interest even), but I personally was more in love with the cool natural science + fantasy mix. The story basically takes place in our world but if it were interrupted by large dark holes leading into a shadow realm. Dark creatures pass through on a regular basis, but humans can't go to the other side so the whole situation is both everyday stuff and a big mystery. Sometimes giant monsters come to the human world and that is of course dangerous, but the dark holes mostly are a normal view. Take 18-year-old Sascia for instance. She is giving tours along the shores of the darkness and sometimes she even fishes harmless creatures out of it. As part of a research team she has a special interest in Darkmoths and she studies how humanity can learn from them and protect itself when necessary. Only animal species are confirmed to live in the darkness and so Sascia naturally freaks out when she pulls out a humanoid one day. It's a hot fairy guy of course and Sascia soon learns that there is more to the Darkworld than humans know of and that she is somehow linked to it. It does sound like she is a special snowflake protagonist, but she was actually a very well-developed character with many flaws. She often doesn't know how to act and she is giving herself the hardest time for the mistakes that she made. She has loving family and friends, but she is always scared of disappointing everyone while also being stubborn and opinionated. I loved reading about her and the super intriguing concept had me hooked right away too. It's not high fantasy and also not super intricate, but the author did a good job in showing how an unexplainable supernatural event would shape the world. I think that the strength of this story lies more in the connection between the worlds than in a well-developed fantasy world. The plot eventually leads Sascia into the Darkworld and I did like that whole part way less than everything that happened in the 'real' world. It didn't feel like a fully fleshed-out world to me, because I only got to see like one place and five people. Maybe the author wanted too much for her 400-page standalone YA novel, but I don't think that there was enough time to talk about two worlds and I would have preferred it if we just stayed in one. So I really liked the beginning and the end, but the middle part was not my favorite. Still, this story had such a great concept backed up by many cool moments and plot elements that just spoke to me. From the the-dark-is-genderfluid concept to a chapter called "Fairy Smut" to moth gods and a time-bending romance. It really was such a joy to read about all these ideas and they also came together and made a solid story. The book offered way more than I expected from the cover, which is very pretty but also makes me think of a generic fairy romance. But I actually don't know why I was so surprised by this book, because I also remember really liking Threads That Bind by the same author. And now I will definitely keep an eye on her future releases as well.

(Fun fact: the word 'dark' is used 391 times in this book. And I did the search for that in the very first chapter, because the overuse was very noticeable right away. Every creature from the Darkworld is named with a 'dark-' attached to its name and it was a lot. But maybe better than making up a fantasy name for every single thing. I don't know, you be the judge of that.)

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group / G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[TheConnieFox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books of the year! The cover is beautiful and is what initially caught my attention. I haven’t read anything by this author prior to this book, so I had no idea what to expect diving into this one! It is magical, adventurous, atmospheric and romantic. This novel had all of the elements in it that I love. This young adult fantasy novel was unique and intriguing. It was emotional and came with a lyrical prose. It was beautifully written and well paced. This book was character driven and came with a queer representation.

It had lovable characters that were strongly developed. The teen protagonist in this story, named Sascia is intrigued by the darkness. She starts studying creatures at the program. She goes on a crazy ride and ends up having an unexpected romance. This book has nonlinear timelines and a diverse set of characters. This was such an exciting read and was I was fully immersed while reading it! Overall, I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars! Content warnings include gore and trauma. This book gave me the movie “Beautiful Creatures” vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Kika Hatzopoulou and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be released on October 28, 2025!

[Trin ˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ󠀮࣪ ִֶָ☾ pre-read: Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this beautiful eArc! 💜🦋

I loved this book so much. The writing was beautiful and really pulled me so quickly. The dark world felt mysterious, but also so fun to explore, and the limited page count made me want moreeeeee

Sascia was easily my favorite part. She’s such a strong and captivating fmc, and I felt connected to her from the beginning. (And yes, I definitely pronounced her name Sasha in my head the whole way through.)

This story had the perfect mix of everythinggg, adventure, character depth, etc. Its just as beautiful as the cover 🥲💜

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I will not be your enemy.”
“No, little gnat. You’re far, far worse.”

rating: 4.25★
i was totally drawn to this by the gorgeous cover art and i'm happy to report that this YA urban fantasy was fantastical, exciting, bittersweet, and moving.

“Not all bravery is loud,” she tells him. “Not all defiance is violent."

in the vein of holly black's tithe, our protagonist sascia lives in present day-ish new york city where creatures have begun emerging from dark tears between our world and what is known as the Darkworld.

sascia has a specific affinity with darkmoths that emerge from these shadows and in part of a prestigious group of students studying them and creating tech to learn more. but some of these creatures are more dangerous, and she soon discovers a humanoid dark species lurking. elf princet nugau crosses sascia's path and sets off the chain of events resulting in their lives intertwining over time and space.

It feels both an injustice and an inevitability, to be thrown together and ripped apart.

i really enjoyed the fantasy and adventure aspect of the story, but even moreso the romance and the message of choosing kindness and love over violence. to care for nature and its creatures more than power and profit.

A cycle of violence between a world of darkness and a world of light, over and over again, with not a spare moment to pause, to think, to understand—to make the hard choice, the choice of kindness.

the queerness is also very normalized with sascia being bi/pan and nugau being genderfluid/queer - the entire dimension of darkworld creatures having the ability to choose and change as they please. it's not a main focus but definitely very present.

this was another time wimey story this year that won over my heart, with a touch of greek tragedy.

Her story is one of perseverance. She has failed, spectacularly, desperately, but each time, she has gotten back up and tried again. She will always try.

an honest arc review ♡

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 ★— This book, in a relatively limited page count, managed to tell a fascinating tale with an ending that left me a little wistful, but still, really satisfied.

Our heroine, Sascia, is a teenager enrolled in a special program dedicated to studying the Dark and its mysterious inhabitants. The Dark — a quasi-parallel world filled with elves, so-called Darkcreatures, only accessible through portal-like maws scattered across the globe — revealed itself to humanity in a world-shattering event six years before the story begins. This event has left people both fascinated and divided.

Sascia, who belongs to the side that’s fascinated, has her life altered when she encounters Nugau, heir to this strange and mysterious world.

Sascia herself is such a layered and complex character. Her childhood was shaped by an obsession with Darkcreatures and the Dark’s flora and fauna, an obsession that made her an outsider in her own world. I loved how the author tied her trauma, flaws, and passions so closely to this otherworldly connection! She felt real, vulnerable, but still fiercely driven.

Her relationship with Nugau is the heart of the story. It’s full of intricately woven threads of trust, vulnerability, cultural discovery, and just a deep tenderness that felt both fragile and warm. Nugau, too, is fascinating in their own right. I loved how their identity — and the way gender works within their society — was presented as something fluid and unique to their species. While I sometimes wished the author could have explored that more deeply, I also understood that it wasn’t the central focus here.

Instead, the story grapples more with its big themes: environmental collapse, war, conservation, and, at its core, humanity’s perception of the “other”, embodied by the Dark and the Darkcreatures. And despite the large scope of the story, the narrative remains intimate, grounded in Sascia’s own life and the choices she faces.

Without giving too much away, the book also incorporates a storytelling device that I personally love, but that can be difficult to handle well in fiction. Here, it fit seamlessly, all tied to the Dark’s strange, rule-defying nature.

At times, especially early on, the book had a distinct sci-fi vibe. It reminded me a lot of the short story Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang, which the movie Arrival is based on. It manages to blend in fantasy, romance, and coming-of-age in a way that makes the whole experience feel both otherworldly and deeply, deeply human.

If you’re into YA that’s a little different, with portals, weird creatures, and a romance that’s actually really sweet, this one’s for you.
_____________________________

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Cute YA adventure romp with X-Men/"Avengers assemble" energy, a gender fluid princet who either wanted to get down or was out for blood, comic book villainry, and a Darkworld ecosystem of flora and fauna that was so dope Esta and I had no choice but to initiate protocol: "protect at all costs" star-docking mode!

There was the requisite teen emo angst "nobody gets me" identity spirals, hand-in-hand with the kind of privilege I could not look past no matter which lens I filtered the narrative through.

This story also got me thinking about psychosis in kids, and the lack of support or misguided approaches to kids and teens navigating trauma that requires a psychopathologist more than interventions for wayward teens.

In Sascia's case, the Dark was indeed a time-churning otherworld, with real shadow-travelling entities just trying to survive being bombed to sh!t, like any other nation currently being obliterated off the face of the Earth. From Fae culture to space-time rending Moth gods, the span of personalities and family drama was a familiar one.

Definitely no escaping disaster moms in any realm.

Despite some inconsistencies, and Sascia's melodrama that I could not source for the life of my eyes as I reread chunks of narrative to make sure I didn't miss anything…I didn't…I did enjoy the worldbuilding. It was unique, dynamic, imaginative, and Mooch (Itkalin Moth god) would be welcome to creep my shadows any day.

Overall this was a fun, quick read, with a Marvel-esque villain war machine in effect, a team of super young smart kids that Professor X would be proud of, and ofc an otherworldly time-travelling situationship that read like a fevered YA dream more than anything else.

~
~
~

🦋🌒 🌑I saw Laini Taylor + "The dark has come alive..." + shadowy magical prince and obvs with all that Darkworld energy powering this bad boy, there's NO ONE i would rather read this monstery urban fantasy with than super babe Esta 🎣🕳️

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/5 stars. Yes, you have read that correctly. 10 out of 5 stars.
Moth Dark is thrilling, captivating, and darkly romantic. I could not get enough of this absolute masterpiece.

Years ago, the dark entered the human world. Pits that humans named “the maw”, brought dark creatures, death and destruction.
Many fear the maw, but Sascia has always felt drawn to it.
When her interest in the dark leads her to meet Nagau, an elf/faerie royal from the dark world, she soon discovers that war is upon them.
Anger between the peoples of the two worlds may very well destroy everything, but the unlikely bond between Sascia and Nagau may be what changes the tides.

This is one of those stories that truly comes to life on the pages. You really can visualize everything, and it feels so real.
I probably could have read this entire thing in a single sitting. It goes by so insanely fast, and I was not bored for a second of it. No dragging, no bland moments. I think that is incredibly impressive for a fantasy novel.
The writing is done so well, I think this author may be a master storyteller.

Itkalin (the dark world) was actually a little terrifying, but I loved it. Think dystopian society meets ancient mythological beasts.
Why do I want to go there?

The romance between Sascia and Nagau. Do not even get me started.
I was undeniably obsessed.
Their love restored me, broke me, and somehow left me feeling full and empty at the same time. My brain is broken, but in the best way possible.
I could read hundreds and hundreds of pages just about these two, with literally no other plot. Nothing else is necessary.

Also, i have to mention the fact that gender is fluid in the dark world. All of the dark creatures are free to change and express themselves however they want to. This is literally so good. I mean how fun and unique is that?

Overall, this is the one! This is THE romantasy. I ate it up, and I think everyone else will too.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and author Kika Hatzopoulou for providing me with the eARC of “Moth Dark”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: October 28th, 2025

[Anna Makowska · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested this book because it promised a non-binary love interest. In practice, Nugau and their whole fantasy world (all species from it) aren't non-binary but genderfluid. They switch between male, female, neutral, and in-between states, even though some creatures choose not to and stay in one form. I thought the concept was interesting and fairly expanded in comparison to so many other books I've read where somehow the gender is reduced to "pick your pronouns" rather than explored what it really means.

The main character Sascia (read as Saskia) is established as bi/pan before she meets Nugau, it's mentioned she has crushes on boys and kissed a girl, so there's no sexual orientation discovery story when she finds Nugau's nature, she's immediately accepting of it.

Also for some odd reason I was under the impression it's a portal fantasy with 1920s aesthetic, no idea why, it's not, it's contemporary fantasy and while there is another world connected by some portals, we never really venture there, even the time Sascia spends among Aesin (Nugau's race) is spent in some underground ruins in our world, not in their world. I feel that's a bit of a missed opportunity.

There's also a timeloop element to this story, which makes it less predictable due to non-linear timelines, and I feel while this is YA and it wasn't as nuanced as another book I've read recently utilizing timeloops, The Everlasting, both books utilized this element to say something. While The Everlasting tackled how people manipulate history and what we say, don't say, embellish or lie about, Moth Dark tackles the cycle of violence and how it's perpetuated by fear and who benefits from it, and maybe how we can counteract it.

In both of those books the romance felt central to the story but not the story, the romance was supporting the characters' decisions serving the external plot rather than what's typical for romantasy, the external plot dictating decisions serving the romance. Romance enables and props the other plot, rather than the other way around.

The romance itself stays firmly in the YA bracket even though Sascia is 18 and I often see the upper YA fantasy be bolder with their spice. Here we have mostly kissing, some making out, and a vague fade to black scene that suggests more heavy making out than sex. I feel like the marketing on this book saying it's a "romantasy obsession" and the cover portraying the couple in a kiss suggests more romance focus and spice than the book actually has. For a big portion of the book the romance seems doomed / impossible and even the ending doesn't give a firm HEA but rather ends on a bittersweet but hopeful note, which makes me hesitant to call this a romantasy.

It's more of an exploration of a theme with a coming of age story (Sascia is judged for being a "screw-up" and Nugau is considered a coward and a traitor, and they both have to find their self-worth outside of those labels), and it does its job beautifully, but I'm seriously tired of every fantasy with a romance sub-plot being called a "romantasy" these days.

I enjoyed the writing style, it was engaging with short chapters ending on cliffhangers, which made the book a breeze to read.

The environmentalist and pacifist undertones were visible, but not too in-your-face, which I appreciate.

My biggest criticism was that we had a villain who was mostly off-page for the majority of the book and when revealed, proved to be extremely predictable. It seems to be a trend in YA fantasies I've read recently like The Princess Knight or A Fate Unwoven. I felt that a bit cheapened the ending.

Overall, a very enjoyable read. 4.5 rounded up to 5. I highly recommend for fans of YA fantasy who seek departure from popular trope-collages filling this genre. The worldbuilding was different, the romance felt different, the plot wasn't just a chain of dominoes one tripping the other, very unique. Don't let the cover fool you it's just a kissing book.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Children's for the ARC!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost never pick up YA books anymore, but this premise snagged my attention in a way I couldn't resist. With its queer romance and captivating, totally unique setup, this book felt like such a breath of fresh air for both Romantasy and YA fantasy.

Moth Dark is like if you took Holly Black's body of work (and actually, it's more Tithe than the Cruel Prince) and threw it in a blender with an old timey classic monster movie plus just a dash of a Greek tragedy, then made the resulting blend super gay. I loved the urban fantasy setting, particularly the way that magic is not a secret, but a globally known threat: a monstrous darkness has begun to encroach all around the world, and humanity is desperately researching and combatting it. Even more than that, I loved the entangled timelines of the two worlds, the way the two main characters meet over and over again before they come to know each other, and the tragedy of believing you can change the future, even though, in a way, it has already come to pass. It's very Greek.

I think this book's greatest weakness is that it sometimes feels like more of a concept than a story. It's an absolute banger of a concept, so don't get me wrong, it's still really enjoyable. But once we get through the premise as laid out in the blurb-the dark, the research organization, the three meetings between Sascia and Nugau-the book feels a bit lost as to where to go next. Characters suffer from unclear motivations, particularly Nugau and their mother, sometimes making irrational decisions seemingly just to create conflict. In spite of that, I absolutely adored the romance; I'm a sucker for fate, for fundamentally intertwined lives, and even though some of the reveals about Sascia and Nugau's lifelong entanglement were predictable, I still ate them up.

Definitely pick this one up for lovely queer romance, fresh and intriguing worldbuilding, and well-executed commentary on cyclical violence and the way we're destroying our own world. And-in spite of those themes-one of the things that stuck with me most after reading was this book's fundamentally optimistic view of humanity. How beautiful it is, to believe we can choose to do better by the earth and by each other.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

Listen, I wholeheartedly love the idea of non-linear intersecting timelines, where the person you cross paths with hasn’t yet been shaped by life’s later tribulations. I think if this device were used in a way that actually in any way addressed the central conflict, that could have played out in a really interesting way.

The inextricable entwinement between our FMC and MMC is billed to us as being part of this grander, cosmic scheme to protect and unite their worlds, but, truth be told, it doesn’t feel as though they’re very successful in this endeavor.

If they’re trying to end the cycle of violence both within their respective worlds and between them, it follows that every time they’re brought together to save their worlds, it’s to stop violence, and if they need to stop violence every time, a) that's a cycle unto itself, and b) it doesn’t seem as though the cycle of violence ever stopped, well, cycling. Are they really even saving anything at all, or are they just throwing themselves at the task each time?

By the end of the book, we're told that the FMC hopes that her and the MMC will meet again and find a way out of the cycle of violence together. So you're telling me they didn't accomplish that already? What was the whole purpose, then? If their whole mission is to stop the violence, it seems that it'll only ever be as effective as Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the mountain.

I’m overthinking this, and I don’t want to overthink this, so that’s already a problem.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this. I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I LOVED IT

Darkly imaginative, entirely all-consuming, and beautifully rendered, Moth Dark strangled me from the first chapter and refused to let me go no matter how much I gasped for air (that I didn’t actually end up wanting).

The world was fascinating and unique—and I would read a hundred more stories set in it if I could. The characters were wonderfully flawed and jumped completely off the page, dancing around my head even when I put the book down. The romance was full of what I love in a romance—intimacy and intrigue and intoxication. The plot was consistently engaging and kept me reeling, begging for more. The themes and intrigue were captivating, and I loved the way gender was approached and talked about throughout.

And the writing—holy hell, was the writing beautiful. The prose was delivered in a way that was thought-provoking and whimsical, caressing and leading you (gently and not-so-gently) through Sascia and Nugau’s story.

You’re truly not going to want to miss this one, and I’ll be screaming that until it comes out October 28 (and after because this will always deserve to be screamed about).

I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I LOVED IT

[Scarlett Kouyou · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ and .5🌶️

🖤YA Contemporary Romantasy
🖤Light vs. Dark
🖤Time Travel
🖤Chapters that visit different timelines
🖤Forbidden Love
🖤Mythical Creatures
🖤LGBTQIA+/non-binary/gender fluid rep
🖤Learning your place in the world

I absolutely loved this read. It gave me Holly Black vibes very reminiscent of both The Folk of Air series and the Tithe series - a blend of both contemporary real world and a dark fae world- constantly ripping you between both- and how the world would react to knowing about both existing… this was a masterpiece. No spice as this is YA, but the yearning and the kissing is *chefs kiss*- seriously this was such a magical read.

Thank you to the author and to Penguin Young Readers Group and GP Putnam’s sons books for young greaders and NetGalley for the e-arc.

[kylie’s been jinxed ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇʀʏ ɪs ʟᴏᴜᴅ ... ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴅᴇғɪᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪs ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴛ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄʜɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ɪs ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇᴏᴜs ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪᴛ sʜᴇᴅs ɴᴏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ "

ཐིཋྀ ₊˚⊹☆ 𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 ཐིཋྀ ₊˚⊹☆

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:
I really loved the vibes and atmosphere this book had. I ended up falling in love with the Dark after reading about Sascia's obsession with moths and darkness.

Sascia is the main character of this book and she's an eighteen year old student who studies the Dark. Her obsession leads her to illegal fishing trips in the Dark that place her in the center of coming battles. She's such a relatable character and the portrayal of her struggles and feelings is so genuine to me. (Also Mooch!)

Nugau is a gender fluid elf - the princet of the Darkworld. I couldn't really get over the usage of "little gnat", so that definitely ruined much of their dialogue for me. I do like the representation of them though. Their romance was a little messy and imperfect, but that just made it feel all the more real.

This book covers so much in quite a short time frame. This meant that a majority of it was pretty fast paced, making it a quick read for me. Also, the writing flowed really well and it really helped to immerse me into this book!

ᴍᴏʀᴇ ǫᴜᴏᴛᴇs:
"ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ʀɪɢʜᴛ ... ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ. ɪᴛ ɪs ᴀ ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ, ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏғ ᴏᴜʀ ʟɪᴠᴇs, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴏsᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴜs ᴀʀᴇ ᴡɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀʏ"

"ʜᴇʀ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴘᴇʀsᴇᴠᴇʀᴀɴᴄᴇ. sʜᴇ ʜᴀs ғᴀɪʟᴇᴅ, sᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴄᴜʟᴀʀʟʏ, ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, sʜᴇ ʜᴀs ɢᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. sʜᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴛʀʏ"

ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ
⤷ 4 stars ★★★★☆

sɪᴍɪʟᴀʀ ʙᴏᴏᴋs:
⤷ Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Laini Taylor)
⤷ Clockwork Angel (Cassandra Clare)
⤷ Water Moon (Samantha Sotto Yambao)
⤷ I Am Not Jessica Chen (Ann Liang)

[Chasing Silhouettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 🌟

“I tried to tell you in every way I could,” he hisses, lowering his singed hand from his face, “darkness and light can only ever be enemies.”' (Ch 6)

Teen / YA Romantasy | Fantasy Romance | Gender-Fluid | Magical Realism | No Spice

It was very intriguing. Once I started, I didn't want to stop reading. Though the timeline for Sascia goes back and forth from her present to her past in succession, it's still digestible and not confusing per se. However, the story gets complex because of the paradox of time involving the Dark — that conception, in of itself, is a bit of a mind boggle 🤯.

'Once upon a time, she had wished and wished to be chosen by the Dark— and now all clues point to the fact that she has been chosen, just as its enemy.' (Ch 8)

Mooch is just the cutest big little thing! Love it's penchant for all things food.

I'm both curious and perplexed by the genderfluid physiology of the aesin. Generally, in nature, such things have a specific purpose - like in defense and survival or social structures (think chameleons changing colors or octopi blending into their surroundings, or amphibian's asexual genetic manipulations... evolutionary adaptations... survival of the species). This doesn't seem to be the case here. They become by will, emotion, and/or sense of being.

'A girl in love with the dark and twisted, the inescapable, the forbidden. Sascia likes how the phrase fits her— dark and twisted things deserve to be loved too, and who better to love them than a girl deemed a little twisted herself?' (Ch 14)

There were moments of shock and sadness, as well as those that were heartening and tender that pulled at my heartstrings. Felt so bad for Sascia, the weight of the world on her shoulders, too much for one to bear on her own, let alone one so young. But she had backbone and courage, if only she could see it for what it was.

'“There is no blade. There is only this.” She kisses them, and in that kiss, she bleeds everything : how she feels, how she wishes, how she hopes.' (Ch 39l

The romance factor was a multifaceted, complicated slowburn.

In the end, it was about choices.

eARC courtesy of NetGalley | G. P. Putnam’s Sons / Penguin Random House

[corriature · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ || 4.75 - Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Times wound together in intricate ways, and occasionally the dark is looking back at you. Our heroine has always been in love with the dark and one day she realizes it loves her back. Old gods are leading her through a labyrinth of time and choices to set things right and protect not only her own people, but the inhabitants of the world she so desperately wishes to belong to.

•elves/magic/other worlds/gods
•stellar atmosphere
•GENDERFLUID REP BAYBYYYYY
•slow-burn
•yearning
•enemies to lovers
•misfit FMC
•found family

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, amazing representation!!! Set in a, I want to say, alternative New York, where the world is separated into light and dark. And within the dark there is a whole new world. But there’s so much more to it. Not everything is as it seems. I loved the concepts of alternating timelines and moths!! Never thought I’d say I love moths?!!!

[kiki’s delivery witch ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moth Dark by is like showing up to a costume party in a stunning moth-wing cape, only to realize you forgot the rest of the outfit. This book has vibes for days, but it’s also kind of a hot mess... charmingly so, but still.

First off, the world-building is like a fever dream you don’t want to wake up from. The Aesins, these shapeshifting, gender-fluid beings, are the second coolest part of the book. They swap genders like I swap out playlists when my boss walks by—Nugau, in particular, is out here changing as often as the weather in the south, and I’m living for it. No clunky “let’s explain diversity” nonsense; Hatzopoulou just lets these characters BE. Then there’s Mooch, the royal moth, who’s basically the RuPaul of insects. That winged diva steals every scene, fluttering in with more personality than the entire cast of some books I’ve read. I’d read a whole novella about Mooch’s shenanigans, no question.

Now, Sascia, our leading lady, is a scrappy, stubborn delight. She’s obsessed with Dark and the darkmoths and trying to save her city from the Ul’amoon, which sounds like a rejected Star Wars villain but is supposed to be this big, scary threat. Problem is, the plot feels like it’s stuck in a training montage where Sascia does some vague “hero prep” for a few sentences here and there, basically five minutes of sword-swishing and draining and suddenly she’s ready to take on aesin warriors. The middle drags like my Wi-Fi during a storm, with side quests and trying to understand the Timeline On Crack that don’t quite stick the landing. I wanted to feel the weight of the world on Sascia’s shoulders, but it’s more like she’s carrying a backpack with a couple of textbooks.

And the Ul’amoon? It’s resolved in one sentence, like the book decided to speed-run the climax. This big, bad threat gets wrapped up faster than my attempts to fold a fitted bedsheet. There’s this whole thread about understanding scared creatures (Sascia spares a darkmanticore because she gets that a cornered animal will lash out) and the Ul’amoon plot doesn’t tie into that at all. It’s like the book set up a gorgeous chessboard and then knocked it over with three minutes to spare. A duology, or hell, a trilogy, could’ve let this story simmer properly instead of rushing it like a microwave burrito.

Sascia’s wrestle with her identity in this crumbling world, paired with the Aesins’ fluid existence, is genuinely thought-provoking. The themes are there, even if they’re stuck together with glittery duct tape. And Mooch? That moth is the glittery duct tape of my heart.

Moth Dark is a sparkly, flawed gem, like a thrift store necklace that’s stunning but keeps snagging your hair. It’s not perfect, but it’s got enough charm to make me forgive its fumbles. 3.5 stars, with a bonus half-star for Mooch who is the real MVP of the novel. I’d still show up for a sequel, if only to see Sascia and her moth sidekick sass their way through the Dark.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou had me wishing the Dark was real and I could experience all the beautiful parts of it. I was shocked at the incredible quality of the writing (I guess I had an incorrect bias against YA.) From the very first page, I was captivated by the haunting prose and the world that unfolds like a fevered vision. Hatzopoulou’s writing is lush, poetic, and dripping with atmosphere. Each sentence feels deliberate and achingly beautiful.

The characters: The story centers around Sascia, who is equal parts chaotic and magnetic. Her obsession with the Dark—a mysterious force that shattered her world six years ago—drives the narrative forward in a way that’s reckless and painfully human. And then there’s Nugau, who is enigmatic, soft, and yet so powerful. Their connection is revealed slowly and in non-linear time, which makes it feel like there are secrets and with each revelation the story gets even deeper and more devastating. Their bond is messy, slow-burning, and absolutely electric.

The world-building: Excellent! The emotional stakes feel sky-high. There are themes of fate, betrayal, and connection that ripple across time and reality in a blend of fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopia. The world is dark, strange and wondrous. I also loved the way that gender is expansive and that this is treated as simply a matter of fact.

If you love atmospheric worlds, morally complex characters, aching romance, and stories that explore fate and longing, Moth Dark is for you.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

[Mackenzie (mackenziespocket) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!! this was such a wonderful YA fantasy!! definitely under-appreciated. i loved the concept of the Dark, and all of the flora and fauna associated with it. it was very cool to see Sascia and her friends studying it and getting to know it that way. the time bending/time travel aspect was actually really well done i thought - it can definitely be tricky to do, but the author pulled it off really well. also such a cool concept to have a whole world where everything and everyone is genderfluid and can choose how to express themselves?? absolutely love that. so much. Sascia's friends were great, and i'm glad we got to see them more in the second half of the book. i think the plot was a bit ambitious of scope for a standalone, and some parts towards the end felt a little rushed, but overall i think it worked. my one complaint is that there is a week where Sascia is trained in fighting and etc. and then is able to somewhat hold her own after that? not well, but much more so than is realistic for only one week of training in my opinion. that was the only thing that kinda made me skeptical/roll my eyes and took me out of the enjoyment a bit. but it was pretty minor in the scheme of things, and the rest of the book definitely had me eager and on the edge of my seat. would def look forward to more from this author!

REP: queer main character; genderfluid love interest; queer side characters

[Grace McGraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading Kika Hatzopoulou and—wow. Why aren’t more people talking about her? The moment I finished Moth Dark, I immediately added her other books to my TBR because this one completely floored me.

The worldbuilding is so seamless—you’re dropped right in, yet it feels vivid and alive. And the timeline weaving? Brilliant. Everything connects so thoughtfully that by the end it all just clicks, and it’s genius.

Sascia’s curiosity and courage made her such a compelling main character, and Nugau was the perfect mix of mysterious and complex. Their dynamic—tense, emotional, and impossible to look away from—kept me hooked.

This book left me wanting more: more of the story, more of the world, more of these characters. Dark, clever, and unforgettable—Moth Dark is a must-read for fantasy lovers.

I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review ~

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads: 356/300

i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley. i am leaving this review voluntarily.

six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and this is where sascia’s obsession with them began. now, sascia notices a person climb out of the darkness, but this is no ordinary person: nugau is a genderfluid elf prince with the single mission to kill sascia. the second time they meet, though, nugau is younger and doesn’t remember her. the third time, nugau is poisoned and confesses their undying love for sascia. she has to quickly put the pieces together to find that her world and nugau’s is in danger, and with their worlds at war, they must decide if fighting for each other is worth it.

as i enjoyed kika hatzopoulou’s threads that bind duology, i was really looking forward to this book! the magic was so interesting to me, especially as this aspect was studied in such a scientific way. i loved the depiction of nugau’s gender and how sascia wholly accepted them for who they were. the timeline, though a bit confusing, was also very interesting, as we learn very early on (in the synopsis, even) that nugau’s timeline is far from linear. overall, this was a fascinating YA romantic fantasy. i am looking forward to more from the author.

[shereads_theworld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh this book was EVERYTHING!
Full review to come 🖤

[Hannah (The Book Snek) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a blurb claims a book is for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor, I'm instantly hooked. As a huge fan of both, I immediately imagine colourful, magical worlds brimming with fae creatures and fantastic powers. Much to my joy, all of this is present in Moth Dark. But there's so much more to this story than that, explored in new and unique ways that had me gripped from the very first handful of chapters.

Full disclosure: I'm a massive kaiju girly. I adore monster movies; Godzilla is my spirit animal! So, imagine my absolute pleasure when I picked up a novel that not only scratched that itch but also indulged my love for faeries and magic!

Our lead, Sascia, has a passion for the Dark, something the majority of humans in this real-world setting are, quite rightly, terrified of. After all, giant, building-crushing monsters do tend to emerge from the rips in time and space it makes! But Sascia longs to explore the Dark. And oh, there is so much longing in this book for that.

And on that subject of longing; the slow burn of the romance is absolutely stunning. I'd personally describe Moth Dark as a fantasy-sci-fi crossover with a beautifully explored romantic subplot, rather than a straightforward romantasy. The exploration of this romance is particularly captivating. Without giving too many spoilers (it's on the book cover) Sascia's counterpart in this story is fae, where gender is fluid, and the author explores this wider theme incredibly well.

Unique, beautiful, powerful; Moth Dark was a difficult one to put down and return to real life. It had me longing to delve back into the Dark.

[Flor Montiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

My feelings on this one are varied.
First, for some reason I thought this would take place in a fantastical setting - which it (sorta?) does - but I would say 'urban fantasy' is a more accurate description. That wasn't an issue but given the blurb said it was a romantasy I think I just went in with different expectations.

I guess I'll start with what didn't work for me. I'm a fan of enemies to lovers and enjoy a dagger to the throat scene, but unfortunately there wasn't enough tension built for the romance to pay off. The significant moments between Sascia and Nugau that should have shown them slowly earning each other's trust and getting to know one another was told rather than shown to the reader, which made the build up to the romance a bit unsatisfying for me.

Still there were many things that I enjoyed. The story read quickly, the characters were diverse and were involved in STEM, the mythology and the moths, and the inclusion of gender-fluidity. I also loved the sense of found family within the Umbra Cohort. I could so easily see this story and it's characters in a tv show.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Moth Dark on October 28, 2025.

I fear this book has irrevocably changed me. How am I supposed to recover after that ending?? That emotional devastation?? This is the second time this year I've been walloped with an inevitable-doom-time-travel-romantic-fantasy and MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT Y'ALL.

But let me back up. Moth Dark takes place in a not-so-distant future where patches of darkness have opened up in the earth and unleashed creatures from a different world. This world, referred to simply as the Dark, is unnavigable by humans, but they can and do interact with the various flora, fauna, and creatures that emerge from its depths.

Sascia, our FMC, has been entranced by the Dark her whole life, to the point that she now studies it with an elite group of teenage prodigies. But her world gets absolutely rocked when she reaches into the Dark one day and pulls out the first-ever humanoid Dark creature.

This is the beginning of the end for Sascia and Nugau, our gender-fluid and non-binary protagonist who is trapped with Sascia in an endless cycle of passion and violence and love and betrayal. As the two continue to meet through time, Sascia learns more about the Dark, herself, and what humanity will do to protect itself in the throes of fear and manipulation.

I haven't been this devastated by a book in a while. Kika Haztopoulou pulls no punches when diving into her characters' lowest of low points, and when depicting the lengths people and other beings will go to to protect themselves. "When met with a blade, with a blade you'll meet."

I was absolutely entranced by this world, the blend of magic and science Kika cooked up, and the absolutely impeccable character relationships and individual growth we see in this book. Sascia is scrappy and selfish and unapologetic in the best way, but her kindness and compassion show through at every turn, especially when she's with Nugau. I also love how Kika played with gender and sexuality in this book, depicting such a vivid queer normative world that I wish we could see reflected in our everyday lives.

I wish I could read Moth Dark all over again and experience the devastation firsthand once more. But for now, I'll settle for telling you all to PICK IT UP ASAP!! DON'T HESITATE!! PUT IN YOUR PREORDERS NOW!! Thank you ❤️

[Rebecca Dee Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sascia was always obsessed with the allure of the dark after an event in her childhood that no one believed.

So when the Dark becomes a real thing and the world is terrified, Sascia becomes obsessed. Sascia and her cousin Danny love the Dark and the strange things that grow and live there, but what Sascia could never have expected when exploring the dark was a hand to grab her own...

What Sascia also could never have dreamed of is what that hand could lead to, and will it save their worlds, or destroy them.

The hand belongs to Nugau, a princlet of the Dark who seems to have a very complicated connection to Sascia.

Sascia and Nugau come to discover the link between their worlds is not linear at all, with her trusty DarkMoth (Mooch) the pair need to unravel the past, present and future and try and not doom either of their worlds in the process.

I loved this book and the vibes, enough intrigue to definitely keep you turning those pages and the imagery around the dark sounds eerily beautiful.

Out now and thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the review copy. All opinions my own.

Definitely after Kikas previous duo I was intrigued to read her next book, after this, consistently enjoying whatever she writes, autobuy author for sure.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

Moth Dark is dark, twisty, and completely unlike anything I’ve read recently…in the best way.

Kika Hatzopoulou blends romantic tension, eerie atmosphere, and nonlinear storytelling into something that feels both emotionally rich and deeply strange (in a good way).

Sascia is an instantly relatable main character if, like me, you’ve ever been fascinated by the unknown. Her obsession with the “dark” is intense but also kind of beautiful. She’s curious, bold, and just reckless enough to make things interesting. She stumbles into a whole other world when she meets Nugau, a gender fluid elf assassin who’s supposed to kill her…

Except time isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. The timelines between Sascia and Nugau are all out of sync, and each time they meet, something has changed; who they are, what they remember, and what they feel.

I really enjoyed the way the story plays with time. It kept me on my toes trying to piece together what was real, what was past or future, and what might be happening next. It’s a puzzle, but an enjoyable one. The world building is atmospheric, mysterious, and occasionally terrifying, full of monsters that crawl from the dark and a war that feels like it’s simmering just beneath the surface.

The romance is complicated and slow-burn, with just the right amount of angst. I loved Nugau’s unpredictability and the way their relationship with Sascia evolves across multiple versions of themselves. You can really feel the weight of fate vs. free will in their dynamic.

My only small critique: some of the timeline shifts made me pause and reread to keep up. It’s a layered book, and you need to be in the mood to let it wash over you and trust that it will come together..which it does!

Moth Dark is a gorgeously written, emotionally charged romantasy that blends the poetic and the terrifying. Definitely recommended if you’re into stories that feel like dreams with a bite.

Would love a sequel or more stories in this universe!

[lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to penguin and netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

i apologise for being a bit late on this review, i've really hit a bad reading slump recently but i finally got there in the end!!

i love kika's writing, and this book didn't disappoint me at all! this was a bit less my thing that the threads that bind duology, so i'm not rating it as highly, but i would really recommend to people who like dark fantasy romance, especially with elves and other magical creatures!

i loved sascia and nugau's relationship and dynamic, and it was sooo tense!! enemies to lovers type vibes are again, not really what i usually drift towards but this was so well written.

the representation throughout was amazing, including nugau being genderfluid, which i really think we need to see more of, especially in fantasy writing where the concept of quite literal gender fluidity is so much easier to conceptualise.

sascia has also been one of my favourite characters to read about, she's flawed but i honestly relate to a lot of her flaws, her addiction to a certain interest, and her connection with the moths and the dark itself was so beautifully crafted.

all in all, amazing writing from kika as always, just not as much my thing as other books are, but that's not a quality aspect it's purely personal to me!