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Moonstruck #2
Give up the Night: La Regina della Notte (L'accademia della luna)
Quando, allo scoccare del suo diciottesimo compleanno, Wren Nightingale ha sviluppato i poteri magici che hanno fatto di lei una Lunare, sapeva che avrebbe dovuto lasciare tutto ed entrare all’Accademia della Luna. Non si aspettava però di essere messa davanti a prove che si sarebbero rivelate quasi mortali. E, soprattutto, mai avrebbe immaginato di diventare il pomo della discordia in una guerra che vede schierate due fazioni opposte di Elementali, gli straordinari esseri ancestrali che determinano i destini del mondo. Perché Wren è l’incarnazione di un potere antichissimo, un potere che per ora è intrappolato dentro di lei e può essere liberato solo tramite un rituale. E tra gli Elementali c’è chi vorrebbe portarlo a compimento, spezzando così l’incantesimo che li tiene legati all’Accademia, e chi invece ritiene che tanta magia sia troppo pericolosa e vorrebbe annientare quella minaccia…
Lee Young ha un solo scalare la gerarchia dell’Accademia. A poco a poco, però, si rende conto che la scuola nasconde un cuore nero di corruzione, per cui spesso al suo interno le decisioni mirano più a soddisfare la sete di potere di pochi che al bene comune. E, ora che un’oscura alleanza sta prendendo forma tra alcuni professori e la fazione di Elementali che si oppone al rituale, è solo questione di tempo prima che il cerchio si stringa intorno a Wren e ai suoi alleati. Lee dovrà quindi decidere se restare fedele all’Accademia, rinunciando per sempre alla ragazza che ama, o rischiare tutto per salvarle la vita.
Lee Young ha un solo scalare la gerarchia dell’Accademia. A poco a poco, però, si rende conto che la scuola nasconde un cuore nero di corruzione, per cui spesso al suo interno le decisioni mirano più a soddisfare la sete di potere di pochi che al bene comune. E, ora che un’oscura alleanza sta prendendo forma tra alcuni professori e la fazione di Elementali che si oppone al rituale, è solo questione di tempo prima che il cerchio si stringa intorno a Wren e ai suoi alleati. Lee dovrà quindi decidere se restare fedele all’Accademia, rinunciando per sempre alla ragazza che ama, o rischiare tutto per salvarle la vita.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2025
37 people are currently reading
11402 people want to read
About the author
P.C. Cast
208 books28.3k followersPC was born in the Midwest, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school, she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. After her tour in the USAF, she taught high school for 15 years before retiring to write full time. PC is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today Best-Selling author and a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and the Laurel Wreath. PC is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. Ms. Cast lives in Oregon near her fabulous daughter, her adorable pack of dogs, her eccentric Maine Coon, and a bunch of horses. House of Night Other World, book 4, FOUND, releases July 7th, 2020. More info to come soon about the HoN TV series!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
March 11, 2025
Give Up the Night
by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Moonstruck #2
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 1, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Ages: 14+
Wren Nightingale is on the run after finding out the original Moonstruck ritual was broken, and while she wants to fix it, the one who broke it will kill to keep things as they are.
With the help of two friends and her spirit elemental, she runs into the forest to pass four tests to prove she is worthy of being the Maiden.
Lee is torn between the Academia and his love for Wren, but believes Wren had tried to kill Selene. But deep down, he knows something is wrong with the school and if he could talk Wren into coming back, they could fix it.
This is the final book in the Moonstruck series and picks up from the last, and moves along at a good pace. The characters and writing at times come across a lot younger than their supposed eighteen years, acting more like fourteen-year-olds with how they presented themselves and I wonder if that is the age group the authors intended to reach.
There is some pretty good recapping of the first book, but more details about Wren and Lee's relationship could have made the reader feel the hurt of the betrayal.
I do wish more depth was added to this world, there was so much potential in these books, but sadly this series felt hurried, as if written as quickly as possible to get the books on the shelf. More history of the world; school, characters, and elementals could have made this story as good and immersing as another series from these authors, but this one didn't reach half of what it could've.
The violence isn't overly graphic, and the romance is clean so the book is suitable for readers fourteen and older.
Also, this book is left open so more books could follow either with the present characters or new ones.
Almost didn't make it to...
3 Stars
by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Moonstruck #2
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 1, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Ages: 14+
Wren Nightingale is on the run after finding out the original Moonstruck ritual was broken, and while she wants to fix it, the one who broke it will kill to keep things as they are.
With the help of two friends and her spirit elemental, she runs into the forest to pass four tests to prove she is worthy of being the Maiden.
Lee is torn between the Academia and his love for Wren, but believes Wren had tried to kill Selene. But deep down, he knows something is wrong with the school and if he could talk Wren into coming back, they could fix it.
This is the final book in the Moonstruck series and picks up from the last, and moves along at a good pace. The characters and writing at times come across a lot younger than their supposed eighteen years, acting more like fourteen-year-olds with how they presented themselves and I wonder if that is the age group the authors intended to reach.
There is some pretty good recapping of the first book, but more details about Wren and Lee's relationship could have made the reader feel the hurt of the betrayal.
I do wish more depth was added to this world, there was so much potential in these books, but sadly this series felt hurried, as if written as quickly as possible to get the books on the shelf. More history of the world; school, characters, and elementals could have made this story as good and immersing as another series from these authors, but this one didn't reach half of what it could've.
The violence isn't overly graphic, and the romance is clean so the book is suitable for readers fourteen and older.
Also, this book is left open so more books could follow either with the present characters or new ones.
Almost didn't make it to...
3 Stars
Want to read
April 3, 2025AHHHH I am so incredibly grateful to receive the arc of this book! Thank you so much NetGalley, I already know ik gonna love it <3
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
pre-read
AHHH FINALLY THEY GAVE US SOME INFO!!
Last book was a HUGE cliffhanger, I’m so friggin excited!!
AND I LOVE THE COVER AHH it matches so well with the first book 🥹🥹
WE NEED MORE WREN LEE CONTENT 🥰🥰
I should reread the first book soon <3 <3
my review of book one: Draw Down the Moon 🌙
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
pre-read
AHHH FINALLY THEY GAVE US SOME INFO!!
Last book was a HUGE cliffhanger, I’m so friggin excited!!
AND I LOVE THE COVER AHH it matches so well with the first book 🥹🥹
WE NEED MORE WREN LEE CONTENT 🥰🥰
I should reread the first book soon <3 <3
my review of book one: Draw Down the Moon 🌙
March 27, 2025
Slightly better than the first, but only because the turmoil & plot actually moved in this book.
Just as cringe in terms of dialogue, just as convoluted when it came to mending relationships, just... really frustrating overall.
And I'll be honest... the ending was entirely unsatisfying as far as consequences for villains goes.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book early and share my honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Netgalley, Goodreads, Fable, IG).
Just as cringe in terms of dialogue, just as convoluted when it came to mending relationships, just... really frustrating overall.
And I'll be honest... the ending was entirely unsatisfying as far as consequences for villains goes.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book early and share my honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Netgalley, Goodreads, Fable, IG).
September 1, 2025
2.5
Admittedly I do think this book is better than the first one. But not by much.
I still can’t believe this is a YA series, it reads like a Middle Grade book and barely at that. I don’t think any of the characters grow; they all feel pretty one dimensional still. There’s a strange “plot twist” with one of them but it reads more like the authors just wanted some kind of twist.
The magic system still doesn’t make much sense. There’s more magic overall which was fun but how it relates to the characters’ magic is beyond me. The elementals were interesting and I think part of that is because the majority of them didn’t speak.
There are still a lot of strange writing choices. I caught at least one continuity error with character names. Ruby, the only non-binary character, is *still* misgendered like they were in the first book. A lot of phrases are repeated, Wren really likes to relay what Viento says to Ruby and Lily.
It’s better than the first book but again only by a few points. I genuinely can’t tell if this is the end of the series or if there’s another book because it could go either way based on the ending.
Admittedly I do think this book is better than the first one. But not by much.
I still can’t believe this is a YA series, it reads like a Middle Grade book and barely at that. I don’t think any of the characters grow; they all feel pretty one dimensional still. There’s a strange “plot twist” with one of them but it reads more like the authors just wanted some kind of twist.
The magic system still doesn’t make much sense. There’s more magic overall which was fun but how it relates to the characters’ magic is beyond me. The elementals were interesting and I think part of that is because the majority of them didn’t speak.
There are still a lot of strange writing choices. I caught at least one continuity error with character names. Ruby, the only non-binary character, is *still* misgendered like they were in the first book. A lot of phrases are repeated, Wren really likes to relay what Viento says to Ruby and Lily.
It’s better than the first book but again only by a few points. I genuinely can’t tell if this is the end of the series or if there’s another book because it could go either way based on the ending.
April 1, 2025
This continues the first book without interruptions. The stakes are higher now because Wren is being hunted, and she has few allies that will help her run and complete the ritual. I love that Viento is her protector, and Lily made me laugh. I think readers will enjoy to binge both volumes as one and ignore that it's two volumes. Vivid imagery, bingeble, and great magickal academy and characters. My fav chapters were from when they met the elder forward.
May 14, 2025
Well, with an ending like that I wonder if there will be a sequel or if it will stop here.
September 2, 2025
La protagonista, Wren Nightingale, nel giorno del suo diciottesimo compleanno scopre di essere una Lunare e di possedere poteri che cambieranno per sempre la sua vita. Costretta a lasciare tutto ciò che conosce, entra all’Accademia della Luna, luogo che promette di essere rifugio e formazione, ma che presto si rivela un campo di battaglia. Qui, Wren si trova di fronte a prove che sfiorano la morte, scoprendo poco alla volta la sua vera identità: l’incarnazione di un potere antico, tanto grande quanto pericoloso.
Attorno a lei si muovono le due fazioni degli Elementali, divisi tra chi vuole liberare quel potere con un rituale e chi, al contrario, vede in lei una minaccia da eliminare. Questa frattura non riguarda solo la magia, ma mette in discussione anche il destino dell’Accademia e il fragile equilibrio del loro mondo.
Accanto a Wren troviamo Lee Young, un ragazzo ambizioso che sogna di scalare la gerarchia dell’Accademia. Ma ciò che scoprirà lo cambierà per sempre: dietro la disciplina e i sorrisi ufficiali, l’Accademia nasconde una corruzione profonda, alimentata da professori complici di alleanze oscure. Davanti a lui si apre un bivio doloroso: rimanere fedele a un’istituzione che tradisce i suoi stessi principi o rischiare tutto per proteggere Wren, la ragazza che ama.
Il romanzo è un crescendo di tensione e colpi di scena, in cui i temi dell’identità, del sacrificio e dell’amore proibito vengono raccontati con intensità. Wren incarna la lotta per accettare se stessa e il proprio destino, mentre Lee rappresenta il conflitto tra lealtà e cuore.
Le autrici costruiscono una storia dal ritmo serrato, che alterna momenti di pura azione a scene più intime ed emozionanti. I personaggi crescono pagina dopo pagina, mostrando fragilità e forza, mentre lo sfondo dell’Accademia diventa un microcosmo di intrighi e misteri, specchio del mondo più grande che rischia di crollare.
Give up the Night. La regina della notte non è solo un fantasy avvincente: è anche un viaggio dentro le paure più profonde, la ricerca del coraggio e la scoperta di quanto amore e libertà possano essere rivoluzionari.
Un libro perfetto per chi ama le storie intense, piene di magia e passioni che sfidano il destino.
Attorno a lei si muovono le due fazioni degli Elementali, divisi tra chi vuole liberare quel potere con un rituale e chi, al contrario, vede in lei una minaccia da eliminare. Questa frattura non riguarda solo la magia, ma mette in discussione anche il destino dell’Accademia e il fragile equilibrio del loro mondo.
Accanto a Wren troviamo Lee Young, un ragazzo ambizioso che sogna di scalare la gerarchia dell’Accademia. Ma ciò che scoprirà lo cambierà per sempre: dietro la disciplina e i sorrisi ufficiali, l’Accademia nasconde una corruzione profonda, alimentata da professori complici di alleanze oscure. Davanti a lui si apre un bivio doloroso: rimanere fedele a un’istituzione che tradisce i suoi stessi principi o rischiare tutto per proteggere Wren, la ragazza che ama.
Il romanzo è un crescendo di tensione e colpi di scena, in cui i temi dell’identità, del sacrificio e dell’amore proibito vengono raccontati con intensità. Wren incarna la lotta per accettare se stessa e il proprio destino, mentre Lee rappresenta il conflitto tra lealtà e cuore.
Le autrici costruiscono una storia dal ritmo serrato, che alterna momenti di pura azione a scene più intime ed emozionanti. I personaggi crescono pagina dopo pagina, mostrando fragilità e forza, mentre lo sfondo dell’Accademia diventa un microcosmo di intrighi e misteri, specchio del mondo più grande che rischia di crollare.
Give up the Night. La regina della notte non è solo un fantasy avvincente: è anche un viaggio dentro le paure più profonde, la ricerca del coraggio e la scoperta di quanto amore e libertà possano essere rivoluzionari.
Un libro perfetto per chi ama le storie intense, piene di magia e passioni che sfidano il destino.
March 28, 2025
I'm totally an idiot... I didn't even realize this is book 2 😂 but I literally wasn't confused at all.. maybe book one gives you more of an insight on everything?
----
Story: 3.5 ⭐ Rounded up
Spice: 0 (There is only 1 non descriptive kissing scene)
Narration: 4⭐
This is read in dual narration and the both narrators for their roles of being 18 year olds. The both bring a great emotion range to characters and were fun to listen too.
This is more of a note to self .. I need to stop picking up extremely YA books, I just think I've grown out of them but it makes me sad because I used to love them so much.
The story itself was very unique. It's set as a urban fantasy. Kids that are bless with magic by the Moon get to go to the school on an island with other magical beings. There was a deal made long ago with these magical beings (Elementals) with a Mother, Maiden, and Elder to allow them to be and practice magic
There is a betrayal and Wren is in the middle of all this. She has to learn to trust, deal with grief, all while having to complete a quest to save the magic and the elementals.
There are some great diversity in Wren's inner circle and fantastic magical creatures.
If you like elemental magic, urban fantasy, core friend group, quest for truth, and great action pack scenes. You will love this!
----
Story: 3.5 ⭐ Rounded up
Spice: 0 (There is only 1 non descriptive kissing scene)
Narration: 4⭐
This is read in dual narration and the both narrators for their roles of being 18 year olds. The both bring a great emotion range to characters and were fun to listen too.
This is more of a note to self .. I need to stop picking up extremely YA books, I just think I've grown out of them but it makes me sad because I used to love them so much.
The story itself was very unique. It's set as a urban fantasy. Kids that are bless with magic by the Moon get to go to the school on an island with other magical beings. There was a deal made long ago with these magical beings (Elementals) with a Mother, Maiden, and Elder to allow them to be and practice magic
There is a betrayal and Wren is in the middle of all this. She has to learn to trust, deal with grief, all while having to complete a quest to save the magic and the elementals.
There are some great diversity in Wren's inner circle and fantastic magical creatures.
If you like elemental magic, urban fantasy, core friend group, quest for truth, and great action pack scenes. You will love this!
March 20, 2025
Ｅｂｏｏｋ & Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟.2
Give Up the Night is book two in the Moonstruck series. Wren and Lee's romance was just too cute. I enjoyed the world-building and the elemental creatures. That part gave me Frozen II vibes, and I loved it. The friendship was top-tier. This is a good book about moon magic and fantasy. Highly recommend.
The audiobook is dual narrated! The narrators did a good job bringing the story to life. They were easy to listen to and understand. Listened at 2x speed.
Since turning eighteen and becoming Moonstruck, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magic was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions—some want the ritual completed and their freedom, and others are so terrified of change that they are willing to kill Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ruined ritual can be completed.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
•Magic & Fantasy
•Young Adult
•Romance
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ebook and audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
🌟🌟🌟🌟.2
Give Up the Night is book two in the Moonstruck series. Wren and Lee's romance was just too cute. I enjoyed the world-building and the elemental creatures. That part gave me Frozen II vibes, and I loved it. The friendship was top-tier. This is a good book about moon magic and fantasy. Highly recommend.
The audiobook is dual narrated! The narrators did a good job bringing the story to life. They were easy to listen to and understand. Listened at 2x speed.
Since turning eighteen and becoming Moonstruck, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magic was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions—some want the ritual completed and their freedom, and others are so terrified of change that they are willing to kill Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ruined ritual can be completed.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
•Magic & Fantasy
•Young Adult
•Romance
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ebook and audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
December 21, 2025
3.5⭐
Wowie! So I realize that I never logged that I read the first book here so whoops but its okay lol. Anyway, this one was pretty good and the parts with the Elementals in the forest was really cool, but I feel like everything with Lee was so rushed, he wasn't even important to the plot till halfway through, and he was in the forest for maybe a few days? And yet when he came back to the academy he was a "changed person"? No, absolutely not girl. AND Wren said she was mad at Lee, which is totally fair because she should have been, but then the second Lee comes back, she's immediately okay? Even after the whole paper plane fiasco? Another no. To be completely honest, Lily and Viento were the best parts of the book. Kinda disappointed after the first book because THAT one was rlly good. Oh well! I'm actually really hoping that there's gonna be another one because I do want to see what happens to Celeste and Luke, but even if there IS gonna be another book, that's not gonna come out for a WHILE. So... yup. The cover is rly pretty tho, not as pretty as the first one but yeah. (Lee is kinda ugly...)
Wowie! So I realize that I never logged that I read the first book here so whoops but its okay lol. Anyway, this one was pretty good and the parts with the Elementals in the forest was really cool, but I feel like everything with Lee was so rushed, he wasn't even important to the plot till halfway through, and he was in the forest for maybe a few days? And yet when he came back to the academy he was a "changed person"? No, absolutely not girl. AND Wren said she was mad at Lee, which is totally fair because she should have been, but then the second Lee comes back, she's immediately okay? Even after the whole paper plane fiasco? Another no. To be completely honest, Lily and Viento were the best parts of the book. Kinda disappointed after the first book because THAT one was rlly good. Oh well! I'm actually really hoping that there's gonna be another one because I do want to see what happens to Celeste and Luke, but even if there IS gonna be another book, that's not gonna come out for a WHILE. So... yup. The cover is rly pretty tho, not as pretty as the first one but yeah. (Lee is kinda ugly...)
September 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ I WANT AN ELEMENTAL!
Give Up the Night was a solid continuation in this series, and I really enjoyed how the story developed in this second book. The FMC’s trials had me hooked—I loved watching her face challenges head-on and grow through them. The exploration of the elementals was another highlight, adding more depth and intrigue to the worldbuilding. That being said, some parts dragged a little and didn’t hold my attention as much as I’d hoped. And Luke? Don’t even get me started. His backstabbing ways had me rolling my eyes—he can go suck a big toe with the mess he caused! Overall, an enjoyable read but not one that completely blew me away.
Give Up the Night was a solid continuation in this series, and I really enjoyed how the story developed in this second book. The FMC’s trials had me hooked—I loved watching her face challenges head-on and grow through them. The exploration of the elementals was another highlight, adding more depth and intrigue to the worldbuilding. That being said, some parts dragged a little and didn’t hold my attention as much as I’d hoped. And Luke? Don’t even get me started. His backstabbing ways had me rolling my eyes—he can go suck a big toe with the mess he caused! Overall, an enjoyable read but not one that completely blew me away.
June 26, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed how this sequel picked up right where book one ended and continued the story in a seamless way. I loved the moon magic in this series as it was very interesting and a fun magic source. The quest that Wren went on in this book was great and she grew a lot on this quest. I enjoyed this series conclusion and love everything the Casts write.
I enjoyed how this sequel picked up right where book one ended and continued the story in a seamless way. I loved the moon magic in this series as it was very interesting and a fun magic source. The quest that Wren went on in this book was great and she grew a lot on this quest. I enjoyed this series conclusion and love everything the Casts write.
March 12, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for this free eARC! All opinions are my own.
I got to chapter 10 in this book, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. It picked up exactly where the first book left off, but the story just didn't seem to be going anywhere fast. The characters weren't evolving, and I just got bored. Sorry. #Edelweiss+
I got to chapter 10 in this book, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. It picked up exactly where the first book left off, but the story just didn't seem to be going anywhere fast. The characters weren't evolving, and I just got bored. Sorry. #Edelweiss+
April 28, 2025
3.75 ✨
This book did not go where I thought it was going to go, which isn’t necessarily bad thing. It was a “pretty rainbows and butterflies” ending. It’s was enjoyable but not like best book of all time level.
I was given this ARC in return for an honest review!
This book did not go where I thought it was going to go, which isn’t necessarily bad thing. It was a “pretty rainbows and butterflies” ending. It’s was enjoyable but not like best book of all time level.
I was given this ARC in return for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
Not quite what I was hoping for. I wanted a little mote from the main male character but the story was good overall.
Want to read
April 3, 2025I can't wait to read this. Check back later this week for a review.
October 3, 2025
This was a very good and unique story.. it was a great ending to a fun duology. This was about Wren and her friends on a magical journey to save all the magical beings. It was at a magic academy too. This duology is very fun and unique but it is a YA for more younger kids but I think all ages can enjoy it because I did and I’m definitely not the target audience. Thank you NetGalley for this arc.
May 15, 2025
“Give Up the Night,” by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Book two of the Moonstruck series! This series is great for readers who want a found family YA book that is truly a YA book. It follows the same vibe and everything else from book one. Magic school that focused on zodiacs which I love the entire concept. I love the bickering and fighting amongst the characters including the main romance. I liked the amateur sleuth/detective plot of trying to find out what’s happening at the school. The characters are solid, even though they are very YA coded they didn’t get annoying at all. I can’t wait for more of these books. 4 out of 5 stars, a really solid good book.
-Magic
-Magic School
-Zodiac Magic
-YA
Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.
Book two of the Moonstruck series! This series is great for readers who want a found family YA book that is truly a YA book. It follows the same vibe and everything else from book one. Magic school that focused on zodiacs which I love the entire concept. I love the bickering and fighting amongst the characters including the main romance. I liked the amateur sleuth/detective plot of trying to find out what’s happening at the school. The characters are solid, even though they are very YA coded they didn’t get annoying at all. I can’t wait for more of these books. 4 out of 5 stars, a really solid good book.
-Magic
-Magic School
-Zodiac Magic
-YA
Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.
March 30, 2025
I loved the simplicity of politeness to get one far in life paired with the importance of friendship...and so much healthy relationship modeling!
July 9, 2025
I truly enjoyed this installment of Moonstruck. It was definitely left open ended so here is hoping for another installment in the future. I would love to learn more about the elementals and see how everything has changed. A prequel would be pretty cool as well.
August 19, 2025
My overall experience is that Give Up the Night was okay. To sum it up: there was more teenage silliness than in book 1 (which might be better received by the target YA audience and not a mid-20s adult like myself), the pop culture references felt jarring (I don't remember so many in book 1?), emotional moments felt dumbed down, and the ending happened too fast and left too much open.
Let me just say - I enjoyed the first book, Draw Down the Moon a lot more than I expected to! It had a pure YA shimmer to it - full of teenage feelings while being a fun, magical read. I was hoping the second book would continue the story threads and give us a strong ending.
Instead, the plot had a quest was almost obnoxious (and that's coming from me, a quest-lover!!). It definitely had the vibes of: "task? okay done. wait, another scary situation to get through? okay done, easy and quick. another task? okay perfect we're through." I wanted more time in the trials and more reflection and struggle.
There were also an abundance of "emotional" moments that felt spoon-fed to the readers. Instead of showing us how the friends are working out their issues, or how someone is processing a previous hurt, or how someone is growing in trust, there were monologues. Lots of themes of "you are accepted as you are" and such that were presented in such preachy paragraphs.
And while we do get a conclusion of sorts to Wren's story, it was surprisingly open and had an unsatisfactory shadow to it. It also came out of nowhere? Everything looked to be wrapping up and then BAM, actually we're leaving this kind of open in a flurry of activity in the last chapter. It was...odd.
However, I did have a couple likes in Give Up the Night - there was more magic as well as more information on the Elementals, the pacing was lightning fast, and the ending was happy in tone.
Overall, I would recommend this to teens and maybe even a younger-to-mid audience. I think adults may feel it a bit contrived and wish for more depth.
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.
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Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the gifted ebook & physical copy. All opinions and thoughts are fully and genuinely my own.
Let me just say - I enjoyed the first book, Draw Down the Moon a lot more than I expected to! It had a pure YA shimmer to it - full of teenage feelings while being a fun, magical read. I was hoping the second book would continue the story threads and give us a strong ending.
Instead, the plot had a quest was almost obnoxious (and that's coming from me, a quest-lover!!). It definitely had the vibes of: "task? okay done. wait, another scary situation to get through? okay done, easy and quick. another task? okay perfect we're through." I wanted more time in the trials and more reflection and struggle.
There were also an abundance of "emotional" moments that felt spoon-fed to the readers. Instead of showing us how the friends are working out their issues, or how someone is processing a previous hurt, or how someone is growing in trust, there were monologues. Lots of themes of "you are accepted as you are" and such that were presented in such preachy paragraphs.
And while we do get a conclusion of sorts to Wren's story, it was surprisingly open and had an unsatisfactory shadow to it. It also came out of nowhere? Everything looked to be wrapping up and then BAM, actually we're leaving this kind of open in a flurry of activity in the last chapter. It was...odd.
However, I did have a couple likes in Give Up the Night - there was more magic as well as more information on the Elementals, the pacing was lightning fast, and the ending was happy in tone.
Overall, I would recommend this to teens and maybe even a younger-to-mid audience. I think adults may feel it a bit contrived and wish for more depth.
.
.
.
.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the gifted ebook & physical copy. All opinions and thoughts are fully and genuinely my own.
June 30, 2025
About as good as the first in terms of storyline, dialogue and character development. A rushed ending, lacklustre character traits and some cringe. I really wish that Wren fell in love with Viento and chose to spend eternity with him. Their relationship was so much more compelling than the one she had with Lee. I think the authors had the potential for an epic, true love story and then at the last moment were like “no it’s father/daughter.” Uh huh sure.
But what really pissed me off was how they wrote Ruby. I have no problem with non-binary people and non-binary characters in books. But come on you guys. If you’re going to say “Ruby’s pronouns are they/them” then you should make sure you write them! I counted SEVEN instances where you both used “Her” in your novel and that is embarrassing. It makes the two authors come across as they don’t give a shit but their publicist said they had to include a non-binary character to be more woke. If you hired an editor for this book, fire them immediately because they failed at their job. And if Kristin is still doing the editing, she needs to do better. Maybe you guys are just writing too many books at once (new ones are published all the time) and you need to slow down and put more thought and effort into the one you’re working on.
But what really pissed me off was how they wrote Ruby. I have no problem with non-binary people and non-binary characters in books. But come on you guys. If you’re going to say “Ruby’s pronouns are they/them” then you should make sure you write them! I counted SEVEN instances where you both used “Her” in your novel and that is embarrassing. It makes the two authors come across as they don’t give a shit but their publicist said they had to include a non-binary character to be more woke. If you hired an editor for this book, fire them immediately because they failed at their job. And if Kristin is still doing the editing, she needs to do better. Maybe you guys are just writing too many books at once (new ones are published all the time) and you need to slow down and put more thought and effort into the one you’re working on.
March 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley & McMillan Audio for the audiobook ARC! The audiobook narrators were fantastic. They fit their characters well.
Please note that these reviews may contain spoilers for this book!!
Wren has grown since we’ve last seen her and for that, I’m grateful! Understanding her role she has been Moon blessed with, she goes on a quest with two friends by her side. Meanwhile, Lee is struggling to understand the situation left by Wren, his sister, as well as his family and Dean.
Compared to the first book - I’m loving Wren’s growth in personality & confidence. She’s had a hard life, but we finally see what kindness and standing by for what’s right does for the elementals and her fellow classmates.
For that, I’m rating 4 out of 5. The story was good and wrapped up the main arch. I am interested to see what is next for Wren & Lee, as I have a feeling this isn’t the end of their story. I feel like the end was a little rushed, and we’re left off with an opening for Celeste and a betrayer to come back in future books, but overall I am satisfied with the ending!
Knowing PC & Kristen’s books - there’s always a reason for the windows they keep open in their books! 💗
Please note that these reviews may contain spoilers for this book!!
Wren has grown since we’ve last seen her and for that, I’m grateful! Understanding her role she has been Moon blessed with, she goes on a quest with two friends by her side. Meanwhile, Lee is struggling to understand the situation left by Wren, his sister, as well as his family and Dean.
Compared to the first book - I’m loving Wren’s growth in personality & confidence. She’s had a hard life, but we finally see what kindness and standing by for what’s right does for the elementals and her fellow classmates.
For that, I’m rating 4 out of 5. The story was good and wrapped up the main arch. I am interested to see what is next for Wren & Lee, as I have a feeling this isn’t the end of their story. I feel like the end was a little rushed, and we’re left off with an opening for Celeste and a betrayer to come back in future books, but overall I am satisfied with the ending!
Knowing PC & Kristen’s books - there’s always a reason for the windows they keep open in their books! 💗
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2025
I enjoyed this audiobook. I listened to the first book in the series and the sequel audio was equally engaging.
I definitely think this is a YA duology suited for younger YA readers. The magic system and world building were not as fleshed out as I’d have hoped for but still had interesting concepts. Also, there was some romance but not too much and there was no spice.
This book felt very different from the first book because we left the academia setting behind for an adventure in the wild. At times, the POVs felt a little disjointed but overall, the story came together in the end.
I’d read more from these authors and I liked both narrators and would definitely look for their works.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I definitely think this is a YA duology suited for younger YA readers. The magic system and world building were not as fleshed out as I’d have hoped for but still had interesting concepts. Also, there was some romance but not too much and there was no spice.
This book felt very different from the first book because we left the academia setting behind for an adventure in the wild. At times, the POVs felt a little disjointed but overall, the story came together in the end.
I’d read more from these authors and I liked both narrators and would definitely look for their works.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 18, 2025
2.75/5 ⭐️s //
Unfortunately, this book was bad.
That’s not to say it was without redeeming qualities. Actually, there were a few bits I really did enjoy. The Elementals, especially Viento, were such fun characters. The scene with the plants growing into them during the Earth trial? Creepy and vibey. But, sadly, the good doesn’t outweigh the bad.
Now for complaints.
1) Everytime a problem was introduced, it was solved immediately. Nothing felt high-stakes. And the Element trials got so repetitive and formulaic that I no longer felt any tension for them after the first two. It was clear our main characters weren’t in any real danger under all that plot armor.
2) The slang. The pop culture references. I wanted to die. Please don’t mention that in my fantasy book! I get we’re set on modern-day Earth, but I absolutely cannot get over how much I was cringing.
3) The dialogue sucked. Sorry, but it did. If anything amazing happened, the characters reactions were literally just, “Wow! That was so cool!” A heartfelt conversation would go something like, “I love you, but trusting you is going to take time.” “That’s okay. You helped me learn about myself. I love you too.” “I’m glad you’re back.” There was zero ‘show-don’t-tell’.
4) What little foreshadowing or set up we had was painfully obvious to guess at. Luke’s betrayal seemed pretty clear the moment he broke off from the group and returned with all the answers, and was solidified in my mind when he encouraged Lily not to go into the trap he so obviously helped set. That’s just one example, but it kept happening.
5) Supposedly, Lee and Wren have a childhood friends-to-lovers, soulmate bond going on, but their chemistry is nonexistent! There isn’t even a single moment where I question if they’ll really end up together, if she’ll really be able to forgive him, etc. And Lily and Ruby don’t really have chemistry either, other than being super clingy with each other, but I appreciate the sapphic rep.
6) The magic system is cool to me! But we barely explored it beyond the main characters. I couldn’t tell you what practically any of the powers are, except that Scorpios are fast, Leos manipulate emotions, and Aquarius can heal, pretty much. I wanted more!
7) Celeste and Luke just.. disappearing.. feels so stupid. The main antagonist disappears at the end of a duology? No satisfying consul soon there? And Lee is so chill about Luke leaving, even though he had started to feel a brotherly bond with him. Like, what?!
So, in summary, this book was just dumb. I feel like someone younger than me could enjoy it, but as ‘YA’ is a pretty broad age range, I’m disappointed. I didn’t really love the first book but wanted to finish off the series anyway, since it’s only 2 books and I’m a completionist. I’m glad I did it, but I doubt I’ll read anything by these authors again. Hopefully, this book finds itself in the hands of someone who can appreciate it, because that is not me. It wasn’t downright offensive or horrible, but it just wasn’t good.
Unfortunately, this book was bad.
That’s not to say it was without redeeming qualities. Actually, there were a few bits I really did enjoy. The Elementals, especially Viento, were such fun characters. The scene with the plants growing into them during the Earth trial? Creepy and vibey. But, sadly, the good doesn’t outweigh the bad.
Now for complaints.
1) Everytime a problem was introduced, it was solved immediately. Nothing felt high-stakes. And the Element trials got so repetitive and formulaic that I no longer felt any tension for them after the first two. It was clear our main characters weren’t in any real danger under all that plot armor.
2) The slang. The pop culture references. I wanted to die. Please don’t mention that in my fantasy book! I get we’re set on modern-day Earth, but I absolutely cannot get over how much I was cringing.
3) The dialogue sucked. Sorry, but it did. If anything amazing happened, the characters reactions were literally just, “Wow! That was so cool!” A heartfelt conversation would go something like, “I love you, but trusting you is going to take time.” “That’s okay. You helped me learn about myself. I love you too.” “I’m glad you’re back.” There was zero ‘show-don’t-tell’.
4) What little foreshadowing or set up we had was painfully obvious to guess at. Luke’s betrayal seemed pretty clear the moment he broke off from the group and returned with all the answers, and was solidified in my mind when he encouraged Lily not to go into the trap he so obviously helped set. That’s just one example, but it kept happening.
5) Supposedly, Lee and Wren have a childhood friends-to-lovers, soulmate bond going on, but their chemistry is nonexistent! There isn’t even a single moment where I question if they’ll really end up together, if she’ll really be able to forgive him, etc. And Lily and Ruby don’t really have chemistry either, other than being super clingy with each other, but I appreciate the sapphic rep.
6) The magic system is cool to me! But we barely explored it beyond the main characters. I couldn’t tell you what practically any of the powers are, except that Scorpios are fast, Leos manipulate emotions, and Aquarius can heal, pretty much. I wanted more!
7) Celeste and Luke just.. disappearing.. feels so stupid. The main antagonist disappears at the end of a duology? No satisfying consul soon there? And Lee is so chill about Luke leaving, even though he had started to feel a brotherly bond with him. Like, what?!
So, in summary, this book was just dumb. I feel like someone younger than me could enjoy it, but as ‘YA’ is a pretty broad age range, I’m disappointed. I didn’t really love the first book but wanted to finish off the series anyway, since it’s only 2 books and I’m a completionist. I’m glad I did it, but I doubt I’ll read anything by these authors again. Hopefully, this book finds itself in the hands of someone who can appreciate it, because that is not me. It wasn’t downright offensive or horrible, but it just wasn’t good.
June 3, 2025
What an adventure! In this book we see Wren and her friends and a series of trials to overcome the curse and break the world free. There were many ups and downs, but it all turned out beautiful in the end.
I enjoyed seeing Wren blossom in her confidence of her powers; she had very little time to come to terms with what she is, but she faced it head on and did a beautiful job. One thing I also really enjoy about her character, is her unconditional love and care for her friends. Even when her life was at stake, her main concern was still making sure her friends would make it out alive and healthy. Wren has a beautiful soul inside and out. There are not many people that would befriend an elemental the way she did.
Along those same lines, I do want to briefly talk about the side characters in this book. Wren‘s friends all played a huge role in the narrative. Without them, Wren would not have been able to break the curse and set the world free. Ruby is fierce and strong, Lily is loyal and kind, Lee is intelligent and passionate; all bringing something unique to the table, same goes for their powers. Wren cares very much about each one of them, so I’m glad we got to see more of their personalities, strengths, and powers in this book.
For the storyline, I enjoyed the follow-through from beginning to end, starting with book one. At the end of book one we learned that something is vastly wrong, and that Wren is a key to solving it. That remained clear and true throughout this second book. I love how the elementals were tied in as well, not only as a trial, but a fight against the curse. It was beautiful to see that there were two sides of their world, the angry ones controlled by Celeste and the ones that were helpful that we’re not under her curse. One thing I do wish, is at the end of this book. We got a little more of what this new world looks like. Even if it was just an epilogue of some things that came up in this new magical world. I feel a little left on edge, even though everything was resolved.
Spoilers for book one ahead. If you are reading this, then you most likely already read book one and this would not be a spoiler, but proceed with caution. One thing I appreciate, but also breaks my heart, is how the authors were not afraid to kill off certain characters. There are many times, especially in fantasy, when characters die, and then are magically brought back to life. In this duology, that was not the case. While I loved Sam, it was very sad to see her die, I believe it played a vital part in the story.
I enjoyed seeing Wren blossom in her confidence of her powers; she had very little time to come to terms with what she is, but she faced it head on and did a beautiful job. One thing I also really enjoy about her character, is her unconditional love and care for her friends. Even when her life was at stake, her main concern was still making sure her friends would make it out alive and healthy. Wren has a beautiful soul inside and out. There are not many people that would befriend an elemental the way she did.
Along those same lines, I do want to briefly talk about the side characters in this book. Wren‘s friends all played a huge role in the narrative. Without them, Wren would not have been able to break the curse and set the world free. Ruby is fierce and strong, Lily is loyal and kind, Lee is intelligent and passionate; all bringing something unique to the table, same goes for their powers. Wren cares very much about each one of them, so I’m glad we got to see more of their personalities, strengths, and powers in this book.
For the storyline, I enjoyed the follow-through from beginning to end, starting with book one. At the end of book one we learned that something is vastly wrong, and that Wren is a key to solving it. That remained clear and true throughout this second book. I love how the elementals were tied in as well, not only as a trial, but a fight against the curse. It was beautiful to see that there were two sides of their world, the angry ones controlled by Celeste and the ones that were helpful that we’re not under her curse. One thing I do wish, is at the end of this book. We got a little more of what this new world looks like. Even if it was just an epilogue of some things that came up in this new magical world. I feel a little left on edge, even though everything was resolved.
Spoilers for book one ahead. If you are reading this, then you most likely already read book one and this would not be a spoiler, but proceed with caution. One thing I appreciate, but also breaks my heart, is how the authors were not afraid to kill off certain characters. There are many times, especially in fantasy, when characters die, and then are magically brought back to life. In this duology, that was not the case. While I loved Sam, it was very sad to see her die, I believe it played a vital part in the story.
April 1, 2025
I received a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
What I Liked:
-The concept of a map revealed in stages and Elemental trials.
-The bit about scent being the first thing you forget about someone after they die.
-There were some good descriptions, notably the one of the bridge in the fog.
-The stuff with the fungus and plants growing into Wren and her friends was genuinely horrifying.
What I Didn't Like:
-Ruby was misgendered constantly. I counted at least 41 individual instances of she/her pronouns being used instead of they/them. This type of error does not occur with any other characters.
-Ruby is generally poorly treated by the narrative. They get misgendered, never really get their own backstory or personal motives or character arc, they're the only one who doesn't see an actual person they've lost during the death visions, and they're the only one who doesn't have someone missing them or worrying about them during the trials.
-Ruby also still randomly speaks Japanese in otherwise English conversations, albeit less frequently than in DDtM.
-The trials felt more like terrain obstacles when they would have worked better as explorations of and challenges to characters' flaws and fears.
-Lee’s section of the story mostly involved him accidentally discovering information or stumbling into solutions. A lot of convenience and luck.
-The magic system outside of astrological abilities is never adequately explained, and the distinction between the spells we're told are complex vs simple is so inconsistent as to be nonexistent.
-Betrayals and reveals failed to elicit shock because the characters are so flat I can't bring myself to care, let alone try to unpack their motives.
-The ending is very abrupt and we're never shown the allegedly enormous change the characters have brought to the world as a whole.
I also wrote a more detailed review on Medium, posted a spoiler-filled review on Patreon, and shared an abridged review on YouTube.
UPDATE: The book has officially released and it appears that most, if not all, of the pronoun errors from the ARC remain. I provided an itemized list of each pronoun error, so this was a known issue that was simply not corrected.
What I Liked:
-The concept of a map revealed in stages and Elemental trials.
-The bit about scent being the first thing you forget about someone after they die.
-There were some good descriptions, notably the one of the bridge in the fog.
-The stuff with the fungus and plants growing into Wren and her friends was genuinely horrifying.
What I Didn't Like:
-Ruby was misgendered constantly. I counted at least 41 individual instances of she/her pronouns being used instead of they/them. This type of error does not occur with any other characters.
-Ruby is generally poorly treated by the narrative. They get misgendered, never really get their own backstory or personal motives or character arc, they're the only one who doesn't see an actual person they've lost during the death visions, and they're the only one who doesn't have someone missing them or worrying about them during the trials.
-Ruby also still randomly speaks Japanese in otherwise English conversations, albeit less frequently than in DDtM.
-The trials felt more like terrain obstacles when they would have worked better as explorations of and challenges to characters' flaws and fears.
-Lee’s section of the story mostly involved him accidentally discovering information or stumbling into solutions. A lot of convenience and luck.
-The magic system outside of astrological abilities is never adequately explained, and the distinction between the spells we're told are complex vs simple is so inconsistent as to be nonexistent.
-Betrayals and reveals failed to elicit shock because the characters are so flat I can't bring myself to care, let alone try to unpack their motives.
-The ending is very abrupt and we're never shown the allegedly enormous change the characters have brought to the world as a whole.
I also wrote a more detailed review on Medium, posted a spoiler-filled review on Patreon, and shared an abridged review on YouTube.
UPDATE: The book has officially released and it appears that most, if not all, of the pronoun errors from the ARC remain. I provided an itemized list of each pronoun error, so this was a known issue that was simply not corrected.
March 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast, Marie Smith (audio narrator), and Jordan Barton (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Give Up the Night in exchange for an honest review.
Give Up the Night follows Draw Down the Moon and concludes the Moonstruck duology. As I sated with the first novel, this is categorized as a teens/young adult novel, but the characters are over eighteen as a post-high school university and there are a few adult themes, so it leans more toward new adult.
The novel picks up right where the chaos left off with Wren. She is now seen as a villain, a Moonstruck with power that is rare and signals that she should be terminated. It goes with the idea that people want to destroy things they don't understand. With the help of her air elemental, a new companion and pretty fun character to get to know, along with two of her close friends, she flees the school (or rather is barriered out) and seeks to find answers.
Within, Lee still aims to become the great council member he has always sought to be, but with everything happening with Wren, the girl he loves, he knows there is something wrong when it comes to the council. Lee will do what he can to do what's right, but that might mean getting involved in a centuries-old secret and uncovering the past in an unimaginable way.
This novel was a fun adventure. I loved the elementals and the exploration of nature and elemental magic, the connection to beings that perhaps are just misunderstood. The story alternates between the first person perspectives on Lee and Wren, so the reader gets to see secrets unraveling both inside the Academia de la Luna as well as the magical existence outside the castle and within a whole separate plane.
As a duology, this book was an enjoyable listen and the audio narrators really brought the two main characters to life. The production is an enjoyable and immersive read. The conclusion is everything it needs to be and more. If you enjoy P. C> and Kristin Cast, you will certainly adore this novel and its world.
Give Up the Night follows Draw Down the Moon and concludes the Moonstruck duology. As I sated with the first novel, this is categorized as a teens/young adult novel, but the characters are over eighteen as a post-high school university and there are a few adult themes, so it leans more toward new adult.
The novel picks up right where the chaos left off with Wren. She is now seen as a villain, a Moonstruck with power that is rare and signals that she should be terminated. It goes with the idea that people want to destroy things they don't understand. With the help of her air elemental, a new companion and pretty fun character to get to know, along with two of her close friends, she flees the school (or rather is barriered out) and seeks to find answers.
Within, Lee still aims to become the great council member he has always sought to be, but with everything happening with Wren, the girl he loves, he knows there is something wrong when it comes to the council. Lee will do what he can to do what's right, but that might mean getting involved in a centuries-old secret and uncovering the past in an unimaginable way.
This novel was a fun adventure. I loved the elementals and the exploration of nature and elemental magic, the connection to beings that perhaps are just misunderstood. The story alternates between the first person perspectives on Lee and Wren, so the reader gets to see secrets unraveling both inside the Academia de la Luna as well as the magical existence outside the castle and within a whole separate plane.
As a duology, this book was an enjoyable listen and the audio narrators really brought the two main characters to life. The production is an enjoyable and immersive read. The conclusion is everything it needs to be and more. If you enjoy P. C> and Kristin Cast, you will certainly adore this novel and its world.
April 4, 2025
GIVE UP THE NIGHT is an engaging conclusion to a magic- and action-packed fantasy duology. This book picks up right after the first left off with Wren's life feeling completely upended. Not knowing fully who she can trust, she is on the run with the elemental who has been helping her- and with additional purpose understanding that she has a larger role to play in correcting the actions of the past. Her journey will take her into a world of magic where she will need to overcome obstacles and connect with other elementals to have any hopes of her and her friends making it out alive.
What I loved: This was an action-packed sequel with a heavy adventure element. The book's pace felt quite fast and the story moved quickly. The book is told in two parts between Wren and Lee, though they are separated for the majority of the book, so they are developed separately. While their relationship is still there, the story focuses on what they need to learn and the steps they need to take to right the wrongs of the past and make it out alive.
At the same time, they are both heavily dealing with grief, defining themselves and their futures, grappling with authority figures and lies, and focusing on doing the right thing, even when it is tough. These themes were really well done throughout and will speak to teen readers. In terms of the characters, both Wren and Lee continue to grow and develop in this story, forging their own paths and questioning what they have been told. They are each compelling in their own ways, and their chapters complement each other, though they are apart.
The story is wrapped up nicely in this sequel, and the ending felt satisfying. This world of magic, quests, and adventure is one that is tough to leave though, and I wouldn't mind seeing more from it!
Final verdict: GIVE UP THE NIGHT is an engaging conclusion to a gripping YA fantasy duology that I recommend for readers who enjoy lots of adventure/questing, magic, and a quick pace.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
What I loved: This was an action-packed sequel with a heavy adventure element. The book's pace felt quite fast and the story moved quickly. The book is told in two parts between Wren and Lee, though they are separated for the majority of the book, so they are developed separately. While their relationship is still there, the story focuses on what they need to learn and the steps they need to take to right the wrongs of the past and make it out alive.
At the same time, they are both heavily dealing with grief, defining themselves and their futures, grappling with authority figures and lies, and focusing on doing the right thing, even when it is tough. These themes were really well done throughout and will speak to teen readers. In terms of the characters, both Wren and Lee continue to grow and develop in this story, forging their own paths and questioning what they have been told. They are each compelling in their own ways, and their chapters complement each other, though they are apart.
The story is wrapped up nicely in this sequel, and the ending felt satisfying. This world of magic, quests, and adventure is one that is tough to leave though, and I wouldn't mind seeing more from it!
Final verdict: GIVE UP THE NIGHT is an engaging conclusion to a gripping YA fantasy duology that I recommend for readers who enjoy lots of adventure/questing, magic, and a quick pace.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
February 2, 2025
Give Up the Night is PC & Kristin Cast back in the powerful duo we all love!
I devoured this sequel! Give Up the Night picks up immediately where Draw Down the Moon left off, right in the middle of the climactic confrontation that solidifies who the villains in this story truly are. Wren is at a crossroads but knows that she has to flee to ensure her survival, while Lee is left to manage the fallout, trying desperately to determine who he should believe. The emotional devastation of the first book sets the tone and pace for this follow-up, pulling readers into an intense whirlwind of emotions. I genuinely wasn't sure what to expect, and the twists left me breathless.
Wren embarks on a daring journey as she learns more about the Elementals that call the area surrounding the Academia home. One of the biggest strengths of PC Cast & Kristin Cast is their unparalleled ability to draw on mythology to weave stories that captivate readers. The mythology here is just as mesmerizing—interacting with the Elementals and uncovering their secrets felt like stepping into an ancient, enchanted world. It was a fast-paced adventure brimming with intrigue and wonder. While I wished the pacing allowed for deeper immersion, especially after the intense buildup of book one, the rapid progression kept me on the edge of my seat. Perhaps these two books could have been merged into one larger volume to enhance the flow, but it hardly detracts from the overall experience.
However, do not let that deter you from diving into this enthralling series. It is nothing short of excellent, and no matter what PC & Kristin Cast write, I find myself utterly captivated. From the heart-pounding love story and the dazzling powers to the rich mythology and satisfying conclusion, this dynamic writing team delivers excellence time and time again. Prepare yourself for a literary adventure you won't want to put down!
I devoured this sequel! Give Up the Night picks up immediately where Draw Down the Moon left off, right in the middle of the climactic confrontation that solidifies who the villains in this story truly are. Wren is at a crossroads but knows that she has to flee to ensure her survival, while Lee is left to manage the fallout, trying desperately to determine who he should believe. The emotional devastation of the first book sets the tone and pace for this follow-up, pulling readers into an intense whirlwind of emotions. I genuinely wasn't sure what to expect, and the twists left me breathless.
Wren embarks on a daring journey as she learns more about the Elementals that call the area surrounding the Academia home. One of the biggest strengths of PC Cast & Kristin Cast is their unparalleled ability to draw on mythology to weave stories that captivate readers. The mythology here is just as mesmerizing—interacting with the Elementals and uncovering their secrets felt like stepping into an ancient, enchanted world. It was a fast-paced adventure brimming with intrigue and wonder. While I wished the pacing allowed for deeper immersion, especially after the intense buildup of book one, the rapid progression kept me on the edge of my seat. Perhaps these two books could have been merged into one larger volume to enhance the flow, but it hardly detracts from the overall experience.
However, do not let that deter you from diving into this enthralling series. It is nothing short of excellent, and no matter what PC & Kristin Cast write, I find myself utterly captivated. From the heart-pounding love story and the dazzling powers to the rich mythology and satisfying conclusion, this dynamic writing team delivers excellence time and time again. Prepare yourself for a literary adventure you won't want to put down!
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