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Moon Witch
Fall in love within a French Gothic manor . . .
While exploring an abandoned manor, budding photographer Evangeline and her best friend Alice fall through a portal to the realm of witches.
On the other side, they’re separated – initially swept up by this mesmerizing new world, returning home to the drudgery of everyday life is the last thing on Eva’s mind. She falls head over heels for Cassius, heir to the manor house and son of the most powerful witch in the realm. But when she persists in wanting to return home, he will not let her go so easily . . .
Set in a lush, gaslamp-era world, Moon Witch is a new adult romantic fantasy with elements inspired by Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast, perfect for readers who love witches and fairy tales.
While exploring an abandoned manor, budding photographer Evangeline and her best friend Alice fall through a portal to the realm of witches.
On the other side, they’re separated – initially swept up by this mesmerizing new world, returning home to the drudgery of everyday life is the last thing on Eva’s mind. She falls head over heels for Cassius, heir to the manor house and son of the most powerful witch in the realm. But when she persists in wanting to return home, he will not let her go so easily . . .
Set in a lush, gaslamp-era world, Moon Witch is a new adult romantic fantasy with elements inspired by Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast, perfect for readers who love witches and fairy tales.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2025
10 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Grace Zhu
1 book2 followersGrace is a Chinese-Canadian author of fantasy, romance, and anything on the spectrum between the two, based in Montreal, Canada. While not writing, she spends her days pushing pixels on AAA games you've likely heard of, as well as illustrating book covers and creating other bookish artwork for various authors, book boxes, and publishers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 28, 2025
✨🖤
Gothic manor, portal magic, witches & forbidden romance
🌙🔮
Moon Witch is a YA romantasy heavily inspired by Beauty & the Beast and Alice in Wonderland
Moon Witch is a YA romantasy heavily inspired by Beauty & the Beast and Alice in Wonderland
August 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC I received of Moon Witch in exchange for an honest review.
First off, the positives:
The cover art is gorgeous. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Grace Zhu’s illustration in the past and I love the art here.
There were a few times I found this book to be quite funny, because of a cheesy joke or a remark that felt so inappropriate to the tone of the moment that it just came off as campy to me.
I’m always happy to see Asian diaspora representation.
I liked the secondary love interest/rival character from the get-go and liked that he seemed older and (possibly) bisexual.
Aside from that… Great gowns, beautiful gowns. Well, the gowns all sounded a bit like prom dresses, and I don’t really understand the difference between a “gothic corset” and a “so-tight-she-couldn’t breathe-historical” one but I do appreciate any book that has a few elaborate dressing-up scenes.
If a book is going to use the word ‘gothic’ in its description, that, to me, sets up an expectation that this book does not deliver on – as does the cover art (which only bears discussions because the art is by the author). The writing is very straightforward and modern, with a reliance on cliché and popular culture to the point where the narrative struggled to find a voice. The story does not build up a proper sense of dread, darkness or tension, nor did it indulge in much description in what was clearly meant to be a very atmospheric and mysterious world.
While I think there is a world where some of the plot contrivances could work quite well – a story doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel, it just has to to tell its story well-- it felt difficult to believe because reactions often felt quite stilted. Characters lacked their own unique voices, gestures, etc. And, above all, important plot details, characters, world building, all felt like they were introduced at the exact they had to be, and never sooner. Important information is deliberately held back, sometimes because a character is deliberately keeping secrets, sometimes just because it feels like it’s better to keep the main character in the dark for the time being because if she had more information she’d act against the movements of the plot. This leads to a whole bunch of very important things just simply getting introduced suddenly in the final third of the book. Foreshadowing, and again, more solid attempt to build atmosphere and tension, would have gone a long way to help like the action at the end was paying something off. There were several moments that were clearly meant to be shocking but didn’t feel earned. It also feels as though a lot of important moments and character relationships were sort of just summarized rather than happening on the page. The book always feels a bit like it’s in a hurry to hit the next beat, and yet it rarely remains long enough on those beats for them to have an impact.
That is my biggest criticism of the book: the tone and writing style just don’t seem up to the task to the story it’s telling. I don’t mind dark and disturbing things at all, I in fact often prefer them, and I am well aware that everyone has a different journey and a different reaction to shocking things. However, overall, Moon Witch simply lacks a tangible weight to the seriousness of many of its plot elements. Even setting aside that dark things could happen and it could take place in a gothic manor and not be a gothic romance, I don’t think it really succeeds as fantasy or mystery romance either.
Mostly, I didn’t find myself wondering what would happen next, I found myself thinking about rereading Elizabeth Gouge’s The Little White Horse. There’s no sexy elements to that one as it’s a children’s book from the mid-1940s, but did have a lot of descriptions of pretty dresses, a manor, an ancient mystery, world-traveling, and sun and moon myths.
First off, the positives:
The cover art is gorgeous. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Grace Zhu’s illustration in the past and I love the art here.
There were a few times I found this book to be quite funny, because of a cheesy joke or a remark that felt so inappropriate to the tone of the moment that it just came off as campy to me.
I’m always happy to see Asian diaspora representation.
I liked the secondary love interest/rival character from the get-go and liked that he seemed older and (possibly) bisexual.
Aside from that… Great gowns, beautiful gowns. Well, the gowns all sounded a bit like prom dresses, and I don’t really understand the difference between a “gothic corset” and a “so-tight-she-couldn’t breathe-historical” one but I do appreciate any book that has a few elaborate dressing-up scenes.
If a book is going to use the word ‘gothic’ in its description, that, to me, sets up an expectation that this book does not deliver on – as does the cover art (which only bears discussions because the art is by the author). The writing is very straightforward and modern, with a reliance on cliché and popular culture to the point where the narrative struggled to find a voice. The story does not build up a proper sense of dread, darkness or tension, nor did it indulge in much description in what was clearly meant to be a very atmospheric and mysterious world.
While I think there is a world where some of the plot contrivances could work quite well – a story doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel, it just has to to tell its story well-- it felt difficult to believe because reactions often felt quite stilted. Characters lacked their own unique voices, gestures, etc. And, above all, important plot details, characters, world building, all felt like they were introduced at the exact they had to be, and never sooner. Important information is deliberately held back, sometimes because a character is deliberately keeping secrets, sometimes just because it feels like it’s better to keep the main character in the dark for the time being because if she had more information she’d act against the movements of the plot. This leads to a whole bunch of very important things just simply getting introduced suddenly in the final third of the book. Foreshadowing, and again, more solid attempt to build atmosphere and tension, would have gone a long way to help like the action at the end was paying something off. There were several moments that were clearly meant to be shocking but didn’t feel earned. It also feels as though a lot of important moments and character relationships were sort of just summarized rather than happening on the page. The book always feels a bit like it’s in a hurry to hit the next beat, and yet it rarely remains long enough on those beats for them to have an impact.
That is my biggest criticism of the book: the tone and writing style just don’t seem up to the task to the story it’s telling. I don’t mind dark and disturbing things at all, I in fact often prefer them, and I am well aware that everyone has a different journey and a different reaction to shocking things. However, overall, Moon Witch simply lacks a tangible weight to the seriousness of many of its plot elements. Even setting aside that dark things could happen and it could take place in a gothic manor and not be a gothic romance, I don’t think it really succeeds as fantasy or mystery romance either.
Mostly, I didn’t find myself wondering what would happen next, I found myself thinking about rereading Elizabeth Gouge’s The Little White Horse. There’s no sexy elements to that one as it’s a children’s book from the mid-1940s, but did have a lot of descriptions of pretty dresses, a manor, an ancient mystery, world-traveling, and sun and moon myths.
September 20, 2025
I loved the beautiful cover for this Romantasy book. It's a portal adventure into a mysterious world of magic, where the FMC Eva is swept into a charming fairytale life with a gothic twist.
She's a guest in a manor, lavished with dresses and gifts, attends balls, and is courted by the charming Cassius. But the house has secrets, her friend is missing, and things aren't what they seem.
I enjoyed the conflict between Cassius and Orion, and their mysterious motives.
Caught up in hostile schemes, Eva is torn with who to trust and what to believe, especially when voices start to guide her, and her own abilities start to appear.
It's a world of mystery, magic and danger, and Eva is caught in the centre.
Some areas felt a little rushed or that more build up or information was needed, but I'm invested enough for more of this series.
She's a guest in a manor, lavished with dresses and gifts, attends balls, and is courted by the charming Cassius. But the house has secrets, her friend is missing, and things aren't what they seem.
I enjoyed the conflict between Cassius and Orion, and their mysterious motives.
Caught up in hostile schemes, Eva is torn with who to trust and what to believe, especially when voices start to guide her, and her own abilities start to appear.
It's a world of mystery, magic and danger, and Eva is caught in the centre.
Some areas felt a little rushed or that more build up or information was needed, but I'm invested enough for more of this series.
September 16, 2025
I went into this ARC with such high expectations and honestly, the disappointment hit harder because of how much potential this book had. The concep is brilliant and the cover is a bsolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, the execution just wasn’t there and it made the reading experience rough for me.
The writing was the first thing that really threw me off. The prose felt immature and confusing, especially with the tense shifts. Sometimes it read like the author couldn’t decide between past or present, which left me disoriented and not in the fun, dreamy gothic way. The overall style felt surface-level, like a draft that hadn’t been refined and it made me feel detached instead of immersed.
Then there’s Eva, our main character. She gets transported into a completely different world, which should have been terrifying and surreal but she barely reacts. There’s a flicker of confusion and then suddenly she’s shopping & dressing up. It was such a strange leap, like the entire emotional arc of being lost in a foreign, magical place was just skipped over. It made her feel flat and unconvincing and I couldn’t buy into her journey.
The story itself also felt messy. Around the halfway point, it starts throwing out details that get emphasized like they’re important but they end up going nowhere. Meanwhile, other things that should’ve been built up were either revealed too soon or held back until way too late. That imbalance killed a lot of the tension. Instead of feeling like a carefully woven gothic fantasy, it just came across as all over the place. The characters surrounding Eva didn’t help either bc they lacked depth and sometimes their actions were just plain nonsensical.
Here’s the part that stings the most, this didn’t feel gothic at all. The marketing, the cover, even the premise promised a dark, eerie, atmospheric story. What I got was writing that felt contemporary, casual, even a little silly in tone. Gothic can be whimsical but it still needs weight, atmosphere, dread. None of that carried through here and it felt like a bait-and-switch.
That’s why this book frustrates me because I can see the incredible version of it that could’ve existed. A gothic Alice in Wonderland, full of dark whimsy, unsettling atmosphere and strange magic. The ingredients are there but they’re scattered, underdeveloped or handled without the care needed to make them shine.
The writing was the first thing that really threw me off. The prose felt immature and confusing, especially with the tense shifts. Sometimes it read like the author couldn’t decide between past or present, which left me disoriented and not in the fun, dreamy gothic way. The overall style felt surface-level, like a draft that hadn’t been refined and it made me feel detached instead of immersed.
Then there’s Eva, our main character. She gets transported into a completely different world, which should have been terrifying and surreal but she barely reacts. There’s a flicker of confusion and then suddenly she’s shopping & dressing up. It was such a strange leap, like the entire emotional arc of being lost in a foreign, magical place was just skipped over. It made her feel flat and unconvincing and I couldn’t buy into her journey.
The story itself also felt messy. Around the halfway point, it starts throwing out details that get emphasized like they’re important but they end up going nowhere. Meanwhile, other things that should’ve been built up were either revealed too soon or held back until way too late. That imbalance killed a lot of the tension. Instead of feeling like a carefully woven gothic fantasy, it just came across as all over the place. The characters surrounding Eva didn’t help either bc they lacked depth and sometimes their actions were just plain nonsensical.
Here’s the part that stings the most, this didn’t feel gothic at all. The marketing, the cover, even the premise promised a dark, eerie, atmospheric story. What I got was writing that felt contemporary, casual, even a little silly in tone. Gothic can be whimsical but it still needs weight, atmosphere, dread. None of that carried through here and it felt like a bait-and-switch.
That’s why this book frustrates me because I can see the incredible version of it that could’ve existed. A gothic Alice in Wonderland, full of dark whimsy, unsettling atmosphere and strange magic. The ingredients are there but they’re scattered, underdeveloped or handled without the care needed to make them shine.
December 25, 2025
This was a great fantasy read. I loved this book’s Beauty and The Beast and Alice in Wonderland vibes as the story took Eva and her friend Alice through a portal into a gas lamp- era world. I loved the atmospheric setting and this book took a few unexpected turns which kept me invested throughout the story. I can’t wait to see how the story continues in the next book in this trilogy.
Read this if you like:
📖 Beauty and the beast
📖 Alice in wonderland
📖 Gothic vibes
📖 Portal magic
📖 Some spice
Thank you to @ingram_books for the gifted copy.
Read this if you like:
📖 Beauty and the beast
📖 Alice in wonderland
📖 Gothic vibes
📖 Portal magic
📖 Some spice
Thank you to @ingram_books for the gifted copy.
September 10, 2025
I really struggled to make it through this book, but I persevered in order to give it a fair review.
Overall the writing felt very immature and unpolished. At times past and present tense were confused in the narrative. There were many clichés and pop culture references, and although we find out several chapters in that the main character, Eva, is a 21-year-old university student, she seems quite a bit younger. I didn't find her likable or relatable at all.
Despite being magically transported to an unknown place and time, Eva spends the first half of the book flirting, shopping, and attending parties with little concern for her lifelong best friend who is missing and likely in danger. The writer does nothing to create an atmosphere of fear, tension, or uncertainty when Eva is faced with the possibility that she might never return home, and is essentially a prisoner. Upon realizing that summer has somehow become autumn and she has skipped over three months of her life, Eva bemoans missing out on her "hot girl summer" plans but decides that getting a pumpkin spice latte (in this unknown, magical world that is not Earth) will somehow make it all okay.
The secondary characters are very one dimensional and almost all of them act exactly the same: cold, secretive, rude, and aggressive. We meet a mysterious gardener early in the book who then completely disappears from the story for no apparent reason. Later on, every flower in the garden is cut down without any explanation why, and no reappearance of the gardener to provide insight.
I found Cassius smarmy and fake from the start. One moment Eva is being held in a prison cell, and the next he is releasing her and pouring on the charm, again with no clear motive.
There were a lot of seemingly random things that didn't make sense or even matter. We're told that Orion "didn't have a fridge, nor much in the way of food storage" but somehow a couple of pages later he is said to be an "amazing cook." Apparently he doesn't need to refrigerate any ingredients.
Great emphasis is placed on Eva having a fancy camera but it's not actually important to the plot. Cameras are forbidden, but again we aren't told why. She doesn't take any photos that reveal anything helpful. The camera's only value is as a bargaining chip, which really could have been anything else.
Very little happens in terms of world building or plot for the first 70% of the story. Then suddenly the last part of the book is a mash up of action, introducing yet more characters, and at long last explaining some of the lore all at once. At 85% we finally learn when and why this world was formed, and that it is called Seera.
Somehow helpless, incompetent, vapid Eva turns out to be the reincarnation of a powerful witch, and can hear that witch's voice in her own head. (If she's reincarnated, wouldn't it be her own voice, not Alessandra's?)
At one point, the characters are in a collapsing, unstable mansion literally split down the middle. Debris and broken glass rains down and they become trapped by a pile of rubble. In order to get free and continue scrabbling like rats through the wreckage, one of the characters tosses a BOMB at the rubble. Because who doesn't carry a bomb around in case it comes in handy? And of course setting off a massive explosion won't cause the entire rickety building to fall down on top of them. 🤦♀️
Unfortunately this story just did not work for me on so many levels: the writing, the characters, the confusing plot, and the sheer silliness of it all.
My thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall the writing felt very immature and unpolished. At times past and present tense were confused in the narrative. There were many clichés and pop culture references, and although we find out several chapters in that the main character, Eva, is a 21-year-old university student, she seems quite a bit younger. I didn't find her likable or relatable at all.
Despite being magically transported to an unknown place and time, Eva spends the first half of the book flirting, shopping, and attending parties with little concern for her lifelong best friend who is missing and likely in danger. The writer does nothing to create an atmosphere of fear, tension, or uncertainty when Eva is faced with the possibility that she might never return home, and is essentially a prisoner. Upon realizing that summer has somehow become autumn and she has skipped over three months of her life, Eva bemoans missing out on her "hot girl summer" plans but decides that getting a pumpkin spice latte (in this unknown, magical world that is not Earth) will somehow make it all okay.
The secondary characters are very one dimensional and almost all of them act exactly the same: cold, secretive, rude, and aggressive. We meet a mysterious gardener early in the book who then completely disappears from the story for no apparent reason. Later on, every flower in the garden is cut down without any explanation why, and no reappearance of the gardener to provide insight.
I found Cassius smarmy and fake from the start. One moment Eva is being held in a prison cell, and the next he is releasing her and pouring on the charm, again with no clear motive.
There were a lot of seemingly random things that didn't make sense or even matter. We're told that Orion "didn't have a fridge, nor much in the way of food storage" but somehow a couple of pages later he is said to be an "amazing cook." Apparently he doesn't need to refrigerate any ingredients.
Great emphasis is placed on Eva having a fancy camera but it's not actually important to the plot. Cameras are forbidden, but again we aren't told why. She doesn't take any photos that reveal anything helpful. The camera's only value is as a bargaining chip, which really could have been anything else.
Very little happens in terms of world building or plot for the first 70% of the story. Then suddenly the last part of the book is a mash up of action, introducing yet more characters, and at long last explaining some of the lore all at once. At 85% we finally learn when and why this world was formed, and that it is called Seera.
Somehow helpless, incompetent, vapid Eva turns out to be the reincarnation of a powerful witch, and can hear that witch's voice in her own head. (If she's reincarnated, wouldn't it be her own voice, not Alessandra's?)
At one point, the characters are in a collapsing, unstable mansion literally split down the middle. Debris and broken glass rains down and they become trapped by a pile of rubble. In order to get free and continue scrabbling like rats through the wreckage, one of the characters tosses a BOMB at the rubble. Because who doesn't carry a bomb around in case it comes in handy? And of course setting off a massive explosion won't cause the entire rickety building to fall down on top of them. 🤦♀️
Unfortunately this story just did not work for me on so many levels: the writing, the characters, the confusing plot, and the sheer silliness of it all.
My thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2025
2.5/5 I am so sorry, but I did not love this.
Like I'm sure many others were, I was attracted to this book because of the cover. It is just so pretty. But the book within it was quite disappointing.
If I did not look it up, I would have assumed this was written by a teenager. It really reads like a younger teen wrote it. I am so sorry if that sounds harsh, but the writing felt so young and amateurish and I'm pretty sure this is considered an adult fantasy novel, so it should not sound like that. At all. It read like very young YA. The sentences were trying to hard but also had a choppy nature, explaining things in a way that did not need to be done.
The lore was also confusing.
I think people that are moving from YA to adult should be the main target audience for this book, I think they would enjoy it most. But it wasn't more me. And I really wish it was, the description sounded so fun and whimsical. The characters were flat and it just disappointed me overall. I do think that certain character POVs were written better, even writing style-wise, so there's that!
This just wasn't for me, I've gotten too picky over my years of fantasy reading.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Like I'm sure many others were, I was attracted to this book because of the cover. It is just so pretty. But the book within it was quite disappointing.
If I did not look it up, I would have assumed this was written by a teenager. It really reads like a younger teen wrote it. I am so sorry if that sounds harsh, but the writing felt so young and amateurish and I'm pretty sure this is considered an adult fantasy novel, so it should not sound like that. At all. It read like very young YA. The sentences were trying to hard but also had a choppy nature, explaining things in a way that did not need to be done.
The lore was also confusing.
I think people that are moving from YA to adult should be the main target audience for this book, I think they would enjoy it most. But it wasn't more me. And I really wish it was, the description sounded so fun and whimsical. The characters were flat and it just disappointed me overall. I do think that certain character POVs were written better, even writing style-wise, so there's that!
This just wasn't for me, I've gotten too picky over my years of fantasy reading.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
December 10, 2025
Have you ever wanted a book to last as long as physically possible?
Have you ever gotten so lost in the world that is within a book that you do not want it to end?
This book swept me up and took me away into a French Gothic manner, and I did fall in love, hard.
The character development - I genuinely have the chills thinking about it because it was so well done..
The writing style pulled me in immediately, and I loved it so so much.
I have nothing bad to say about this book and the amount of love I have for this book is hard to put into words.
I need to buy it the second I am able to because not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but there’s an actual world within this book in the coolest story and I didn’t see anything coming, but it was cozy, but also spooky but also sexy and I don’t know how this author managed to do that in one book. The best part is this is the first book in a trilogy so I get spoiled with two more books in the future and yes, they all need to go on my shelf once they come out.
I actually had to put the book down for a second just to soak in my feelings because I was so overwhelmed with how much I loved this book and during different scenes from humor to shock to just straight entertainment.
I would love to see this book as a movie and I need to have this book on my shelf so I can reread it whenever I need to comfort read. I have an additional part of the review that I am not going to put in here to avoid spoilers, but I will put on my blog with a spoiler alert and on good review with a spoiler alert once the book is published.
I don’t want to spoil any part of this book. For anyone and everyone who loves fantasy, Alice in Wonderland, retellings romantasy, and just a good story in general, you need to read this one. I am really picky with fantasy and I wasn’t even really in a fantasy mood when I was reading this and it has stolen my heart completely and I’m at a loss for words yet. I also want to talk to someone about this book for at least seven hours.
Thank you so much for this treat. I loved this ARC. I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.
Have you ever gotten so lost in the world that is within a book that you do not want it to end?
This book swept me up and took me away into a French Gothic manner, and I did fall in love, hard.
The character development - I genuinely have the chills thinking about it because it was so well done..
The writing style pulled me in immediately, and I loved it so so much.
I have nothing bad to say about this book and the amount of love I have for this book is hard to put into words.
I need to buy it the second I am able to because not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but there’s an actual world within this book in the coolest story and I didn’t see anything coming, but it was cozy, but also spooky but also sexy and I don’t know how this author managed to do that in one book. The best part is this is the first book in a trilogy so I get spoiled with two more books in the future and yes, they all need to go on my shelf once they come out.
I actually had to put the book down for a second just to soak in my feelings because I was so overwhelmed with how much I loved this book and during different scenes from humor to shock to just straight entertainment.
I would love to see this book as a movie and I need to have this book on my shelf so I can reread it whenever I need to comfort read. I have an additional part of the review that I am not going to put in here to avoid spoilers, but I will put on my blog with a spoiler alert and on good review with a spoiler alert once the book is published.
I don’t want to spoil any part of this book. For anyone and everyone who loves fantasy, Alice in Wonderland, retellings romantasy, and just a good story in general, you need to read this one. I am really picky with fantasy and I wasn’t even really in a fantasy mood when I was reading this and it has stolen my heart completely and I’m at a loss for words yet. I also want to talk to someone about this book for at least seven hours.
Thank you so much for this treat. I loved this ARC. I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.
September 13, 2025
2.5 stars - Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc! This is my honest opinion.
Like many others have reviewed, I love the concept, but not so much the execution. I just felt the narrative didn't quite live up to it's premise, and had quite juvenile prose with a ton of modern slang and pop culture references that somehow no one in the alternative world questions? There's some attempt to be more in depth, but overall both the worldbuilding and characterisation is quite shallow.
It's advertised as gothic, but the only gothic part was the manor house, and even then it was hardly spooky? There was also a lot of detail where detail wasn't needed, and hardly enough detail for emotional exploration or characterisation.
Orion's POV was nice but hardly needed. He's in barely two scenes in the first half and Eva never thinks of him at all. Like I do enjoy him more as a love interest but there was just no build up to it. With Cassius, at least they did things together despite having a lack of connection through it (it was meant to be superficial yes, but it basically wasn't even a betrayal bc they had nothing between them anyway). Like none of the characters have more than a surface level understanding of each other, and while I did like the idea of a toxic relationship, the execution wasn't there (it was just bland and boring).
I have so many questions, like who are Eva's parents and why does she bring them up after not thinking of them at all the whole book? What of Alice and Eva's life before? The dialogue is quite unrealistic and again feels "written" rather than lived. A lot of telling and not enough showing.
Not to say I didn't enjoy it, but there just wasn't enough in depth exploration of the things that mattered - worldbuilding and character relationships. I do love the author's art a LOT though!! I do hope they write more in the future but this specific one was just not for me.
Like many others have reviewed, I love the concept, but not so much the execution. I just felt the narrative didn't quite live up to it's premise, and had quite juvenile prose with a ton of modern slang and pop culture references that somehow no one in the alternative world questions? There's some attempt to be more in depth, but overall both the worldbuilding and characterisation is quite shallow.
It's advertised as gothic, but the only gothic part was the manor house, and even then it was hardly spooky? There was also a lot of detail where detail wasn't needed, and hardly enough detail for emotional exploration or characterisation.
Orion's POV was nice but hardly needed. He's in barely two scenes in the first half and Eva never thinks of him at all. Like I do enjoy him more as a love interest but there was just no build up to it. With Cassius, at least they did things together despite having a lack of connection through it (it was meant to be superficial yes, but it basically wasn't even a betrayal bc they had nothing between them anyway). Like none of the characters have more than a surface level understanding of each other, and while I did like the idea of a toxic relationship, the execution wasn't there (it was just bland and boring).
I have so many questions, like who are Eva's parents and why does she bring them up after not thinking of them at all the whole book? What of Alice and Eva's life before? The dialogue is quite unrealistic and again feels "written" rather than lived. A lot of telling and not enough showing.
Not to say I didn't enjoy it, but there just wasn't enough in depth exploration of the things that mattered - worldbuilding and character relationships. I do love the author's art a LOT though!! I do hope they write more in the future but this specific one was just not for me.
September 7, 2025
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
2.5⭐
I found myself drawn to this novel based on the title and the absolutely stunning cover art - Grace Zhu is a phenomenal artist. In my opinion however the book, sadly, did not live up to the promise of it's cover or title.
It began with a bang - two best friends exploring an abandoned gothic manor, when suddenly they find themselves transported to the House of Stygian wood, in a totally different time period. The first half of the novel focuses on Eva and what happens to her from the moment she is discovered by the house's staff. Unfortunately the bang soon fizzles out - Eva very quickly settles into life in this new place, forgetting all about her best friend Alice for a while (even after she attempts to rescue Eva!). A great deal of focus goes onto her relationship with creepy Cassius - depicted as a romance for the ages but in actuality is red flag central, with love bombing, emotional blackmail and coercive control. The eventual reveal of him drugging her is not a surprise at all, more of a "finally!" eyeroll moment for the reader. Eva's character becomes a lot more likeable once she breaks out of the House of Stygian Wood, allying herself with the mysterious Orion, Devin and Alice - and it felt like the story truly came to life at that point. Orion's character kept me interested throughout the first half, knowing he would be integral to Eva escaping the clutches of Cassius (which took far too long to happen!) - though it was a bit too obvious that he would not be the villain he was painted to be. There is still a huge amount of mystery to his character by the end - I would have liked to have seen a bit more of his history filled in. There seems to be a lot of unexplained backstory with the staff at the manor also, like the maid and the gardener. They feel like they are important to the events to come, key almost - but then nothing. It felt like foundations were hinted at for no reason - unless there is more to be revealed in part two of the story. Again, it feels like a bit too much is being held back, making it harder to connect with everything that is happening.
In terms of pacing, the first half of the novel stretches on for far too long - but the world building is fantastic, with incredible imagery conjured of the manor, the local town, the clothing and jewellery. The world building truly elevated the rating I've given this book, because it is beautifully done. In contrast, the second half absolutely flies by, so much so that you feel like you need time to catch your breath. The reveal of Eva as the titular Moon Witch is not at all unexpected, but a lack of witchy content until that point (other than creepy Cassius and his orchestra controlling) leaves you wondering what being a Witch means in that time period, and what exactly it means for the story going forward.
Overall, the story feels like it has a lot of promise, but the execution leaves you wondering what exactly you've just read. I found I didn't connect with any character, including Eva herself, until she escaped and joined up with Orion, Devin and Alice - and unfortunately it felt like this happened far too late for me to save this book. The foreshadowing is either painfully obvious or leaves crumbs that go nowhere. There is still a great deal of mystery in the book, which I'm sure is done intentionally in order to hook the reader ready for book two and beyond - but for me, there is too much unresolved mystery for me to want to continue.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
2.5⭐
I found myself drawn to this novel based on the title and the absolutely stunning cover art - Grace Zhu is a phenomenal artist. In my opinion however the book, sadly, did not live up to the promise of it's cover or title.
It began with a bang - two best friends exploring an abandoned gothic manor, when suddenly they find themselves transported to the House of Stygian wood, in a totally different time period. The first half of the novel focuses on Eva and what happens to her from the moment she is discovered by the house's staff. Unfortunately the bang soon fizzles out - Eva very quickly settles into life in this new place, forgetting all about her best friend Alice for a while (even after she attempts to rescue Eva!). A great deal of focus goes onto her relationship with creepy Cassius - depicted as a romance for the ages but in actuality is red flag central, with love bombing, emotional blackmail and coercive control. The eventual reveal of him drugging her is not a surprise at all, more of a "finally!" eyeroll moment for the reader. Eva's character becomes a lot more likeable once she breaks out of the House of Stygian Wood, allying herself with the mysterious Orion, Devin and Alice - and it felt like the story truly came to life at that point. Orion's character kept me interested throughout the first half, knowing he would be integral to Eva escaping the clutches of Cassius (which took far too long to happen!) - though it was a bit too obvious that he would not be the villain he was painted to be. There is still a huge amount of mystery to his character by the end - I would have liked to have seen a bit more of his history filled in. There seems to be a lot of unexplained backstory with the staff at the manor also, like the maid and the gardener. They feel like they are important to the events to come, key almost - but then nothing. It felt like foundations were hinted at for no reason - unless there is more to be revealed in part two of the story. Again, it feels like a bit too much is being held back, making it harder to connect with everything that is happening.
In terms of pacing, the first half of the novel stretches on for far too long - but the world building is fantastic, with incredible imagery conjured of the manor, the local town, the clothing and jewellery. The world building truly elevated the rating I've given this book, because it is beautifully done. In contrast, the second half absolutely flies by, so much so that you feel like you need time to catch your breath. The reveal of Eva as the titular Moon Witch is not at all unexpected, but a lack of witchy content until that point (other than creepy Cassius and his orchestra controlling) leaves you wondering what being a Witch means in that time period, and what exactly it means for the story going forward.
Overall, the story feels like it has a lot of promise, but the execution leaves you wondering what exactly you've just read. I found I didn't connect with any character, including Eva herself, until she escaped and joined up with Orion, Devin and Alice - and unfortunately it felt like this happened far too late for me to save this book. The foreshadowing is either painfully obvious or leaves crumbs that go nowhere. There is still a great deal of mystery in the book, which I'm sure is done intentionally in order to hook the reader ready for book two and beyond - but for me, there is too much unresolved mystery for me to want to continue.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
October 24, 2025
2/5 stars
Unfortunately, Moon Witch for me was a bit of a slog and a disappointment, as evidenced by how long it took me to finish this book. For the description, I was anticipating a much more lush and immersive world and compelling characters. I think the potential is there for it to be more interesting, but I don't think I will be continuing the series.
Although the very beginning was interesting and the plot moved along, once Eva was allowed to stay around in the manor, the plot and her character quickly fell apart. It made no sense to me that she just wanders around the manor for weeks and weeks and seems to have no great urgency to finding out what happened to her friend, or figure out what is the case with the world she's fallen into or anything. It is the same thing over and over again for about 60% of the book, way too long to not have anything substantial happen in the plot. We learn basically nothing about the world or any real worldbuilding or how magic works in their world until about 80% of the way through the story in a huge info-dump from a couple side characters. I think the world could be very interesting, but it needs more fleshing out and concrete details.
Eva is also a really frustrating main character to follow through the story. Despite her being in her early 20s, many of her decisions and naivete and general lack of understanding of her own world, not to even mention the magical world she falls into, give the impression that she's instead a 16-year-old. There was a long stretch of the book where I was second-guessing her age because of how immature she acted. It also felt like the author stuck a sex scene (however mild it was) in simply to force it into the adult category, but it felt forced when the entire story feels very YA.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, Moon Witch for me was a bit of a slog and a disappointment, as evidenced by how long it took me to finish this book. For the description, I was anticipating a much more lush and immersive world and compelling characters. I think the potential is there for it to be more interesting, but I don't think I will be continuing the series.
Although the very beginning was interesting and the plot moved along, once Eva was allowed to stay around in the manor, the plot and her character quickly fell apart. It made no sense to me that she just wanders around the manor for weeks and weeks and seems to have no great urgency to finding out what happened to her friend, or figure out what is the case with the world she's fallen into or anything. It is the same thing over and over again for about 60% of the book, way too long to not have anything substantial happen in the plot. We learn basically nothing about the world or any real worldbuilding or how magic works in their world until about 80% of the way through the story in a huge info-dump from a couple side characters. I think the world could be very interesting, but it needs more fleshing out and concrete details.
Eva is also a really frustrating main character to follow through the story. Despite her being in her early 20s, many of her decisions and naivete and general lack of understanding of her own world, not to even mention the magical world she falls into, give the impression that she's instead a 16-year-old. There was a long stretch of the book where I was second-guessing her age because of how immature she acted. It also felt like the author stuck a sex scene (however mild it was) in simply to force it into the adult category, but it felt forced when the entire story feels very YA.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 15, 2025
3.5 rating
Firstly, I thank Netgalley, Victoria editing Netgalley Co-op and the author Grace Zhu for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Moon Witch is a new adult fantasy novel with strong fairytale like storyline and gothic themes. It follows two friends, Eva and Alice, who explores an abandoned manor only to find themselves slip into a portal which takes them to a magical world. Although Eva wants to get back to their world, certain situations and new people have made her question - go back or stay?
Firstly, the premise of the books is really good. Gives a whole Alice in wonderland vibes plus the huge manor setting gives that gothic fantasy touch.
The first half of the book is really slow, but it picks up afterwards. At certain points I feel like the story was rushed and the fantasy elements could have been explored more. We were thrust into the lore of that world, but not given all the details of it. But given that this is the author's debut book, I think she did a good job and hopefully her future books make it well enough!💙
Firstly, I thank Netgalley, Victoria editing Netgalley Co-op and the author Grace Zhu for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Moon Witch is a new adult fantasy novel with strong fairytale like storyline and gothic themes. It follows two friends, Eva and Alice, who explores an abandoned manor only to find themselves slip into a portal which takes them to a magical world. Although Eva wants to get back to their world, certain situations and new people have made her question - go back or stay?
Firstly, the premise of the books is really good. Gives a whole Alice in wonderland vibes plus the huge manor setting gives that gothic fantasy touch.
The first half of the book is really slow, but it picks up afterwards. At certain points I feel like the story was rushed and the fantasy elements could have been explored more. We were thrust into the lore of that world, but not given all the details of it. But given that this is the author's debut book, I think she did a good job and hopefully her future books make it well enough!💙
August 17, 2025
3.75⭐️
Moon Witch is a lovely novel, perfect for fans of Once Upon A Broken Heart and What The River Knows 📚
✨It starts out with our main character, Eva and, her best friend Alice falling through a portal into another world. Then we follow Eva as she finds herself in this new and strange world, being courted by mysterious Cassius & living in a possibly sentient estate ✨
What I liked:
📷the atmospheric vibes were good
📷The dialogue Feels like you’re playing a video game
📷There were some very funny and relatable lines
What I didn’t like:
The first half of the book dragged a lot for me… (I devoured the second half tho). It would’ve been a 4 star read if not for the first 50% feeling like an eternity. Also, the writing style is a bit y/a & some of the characters felt a bit flat.
Still, I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a chill, atmospheric read & don’t want to invest too much energy 🫶
Moon Witch is a lovely novel, perfect for fans of Once Upon A Broken Heart and What The River Knows 📚
✨It starts out with our main character, Eva and, her best friend Alice falling through a portal into another world. Then we follow Eva as she finds herself in this new and strange world, being courted by mysterious Cassius & living in a possibly sentient estate ✨
What I liked:
📷the atmospheric vibes were good
📷The dialogue Feels like you’re playing a video game
📷There were some very funny and relatable lines
What I didn’t like:
The first half of the book dragged a lot for me… (I devoured the second half tho). It would’ve been a 4 star read if not for the first 50% feeling like an eternity. Also, the writing style is a bit y/a & some of the characters felt a bit flat.
Still, I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a chill, atmospheric read & don’t want to invest too much energy 🫶
September 6, 2025
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me.
At first, I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and intriguing premise, but the actual execution fell flat. The writing style felt choppy and awkward, almost as if it were aimed at a much younger audience than intended. For an adult fantasy, I expected more polish, but the prose came across as amateurish, with explanations that were either too obvious or unnecessary.
The pacing was another issue. Instead of flowing naturally, the story dragged in some places and rushed in others, which made it hard to stay immersed. The lore/worldbuilding was also confusing at times, leaving me more frustrated than invested.
Character-wise, they felt one-dimensional. I struggled to connect with their motivations, and the dialogue didn’t always feel authentic. Some POVs were stronger than others, but overall, the cast lacked depth and growth, which made it difficult to care about their journeys.
I think readers transitioning from YA to adult fantasy might appreciate this more, but as someone who’s been reading fantasy for years, I found myself too picky and disappointed. The description made it sound whimsical and fun, but the reality just didn’t match.
Sadly, this one wasn’t for me.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book to review for my honest opinion.
At first, I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and intriguing premise, but the actual execution fell flat. The writing style felt choppy and awkward, almost as if it were aimed at a much younger audience than intended. For an adult fantasy, I expected more polish, but the prose came across as amateurish, with explanations that were either too obvious or unnecessary.
The pacing was another issue. Instead of flowing naturally, the story dragged in some places and rushed in others, which made it hard to stay immersed. The lore/worldbuilding was also confusing at times, leaving me more frustrated than invested.
Character-wise, they felt one-dimensional. I struggled to connect with their motivations, and the dialogue didn’t always feel authentic. Some POVs were stronger than others, but overall, the cast lacked depth and growth, which made it difficult to care about their journeys.
I think readers transitioning from YA to adult fantasy might appreciate this more, but as someone who’s been reading fantasy for years, I found myself too picky and disappointed. The description made it sound whimsical and fun, but the reality just didn’t match.
Sadly, this one wasn’t for me.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book to review for my honest opinion.
September 1, 2025
3.5 stars!
First off, I was absolutely mesmerized by the cover and concept of the book. But the writing itself is what eventually caught me off guard. It kind of read like a YA book while the contents are not exactly YA. The characters also felt a little flat. Though the world sounded really magical and atmospheric, I could imagine it really well!
The first half is also a tad slow, while the latter half made me fly through the story! Which isn't necessarily a bad thing :).
Moon Witch is perfect for those searching for an easy, atmospheric read, the world will definitely pull you in! And I honestly cannot wait to see what else Grace Zhu brings next, als I am looking forward for her next story and artworks.
Thankyou to the publisher and Grace Zhu for providing me the ARC through NetGalley. All my thoughts are my own and these are my own opinions.
First off, I was absolutely mesmerized by the cover and concept of the book. But the writing itself is what eventually caught me off guard. It kind of read like a YA book while the contents are not exactly YA. The characters also felt a little flat. Though the world sounded really magical and atmospheric, I could imagine it really well!
The first half is also a tad slow, while the latter half made me fly through the story! Which isn't necessarily a bad thing :).
Moon Witch is perfect for those searching for an easy, atmospheric read, the world will definitely pull you in! And I honestly cannot wait to see what else Grace Zhu brings next, als I am looking forward for her next story and artworks.
Thankyou to the publisher and Grace Zhu for providing me the ARC through NetGalley. All my thoughts are my own and these are my own opinions.
August 10, 2025
thank you so much Netgally for this beautiful arch! such a haunting compelling story!
This story is perfect for lovers of Gothic fantasy and fairytale!
I love the mix of Alice in wonderland throw in some suspence and you have the making of a great books! I love how fast paced this was and it really captured you from the first page!
Cassius the man that you are 😍 umm talk about a MMC!
Eva! what a pocket rocket!
if you are looking for something a little different and need your Gothic and disney fix i highly recommend this story!
This story is perfect for lovers of Gothic fantasy and fairytale!
I love the mix of Alice in wonderland throw in some suspence and you have the making of a great books! I love how fast paced this was and it really captured you from the first page!
Cassius the man that you are 😍 umm talk about a MMC!
Eva! what a pocket rocket!
if you are looking for something a little different and need your Gothic and disney fix i highly recommend this story!
August 27, 2025
2🌟
I’m really sorry to say this, but I couldn’t give this ARC a great score. The story was a bit one-dimensional, and the dialogue didn’t really grab me. The ending was tough for me to connect with because I wasn’t fully invested in the story from the beginning. I didn’t quite connect with this book. I think it could have been more developed and might have been better suited for a YA or teen fantasy audience. Grace did an excellent job with the cover and descriptions of the mansion as the main character explores it, but unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
I’m really sorry to say this, but I couldn’t give this ARC a great score. The story was a bit one-dimensional, and the dialogue didn’t really grab me. The ending was tough for me to connect with because I wasn’t fully invested in the story from the beginning. I didn’t quite connect with this book. I think it could have been more developed and might have been better suited for a YA or teen fantasy audience. Grace did an excellent job with the cover and descriptions of the mansion as the main character explores it, but unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
August 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Moon Witch felt like slipping into a velvet-covered storybook — full of soft shadows, glowing moons, and a little magic tucked between the lines 🌙. Grace Zhu paints Serapolis in such lovely, moody colors that it almost becomes the star of the show. I adored the way the world felt lived-in, as though you could wander its winding streets and find something new each turn ✨
The pacing moves at its own quiet rhythm, which gave me plenty of time to linger in each scene and really picture it. I especially enjoyed how the city itself almost felt alive — like a character with moods and mysteries of its own.
Cassius plays a big role in the story, and while he didn’t completely steal my heart (I tend to fall for the more outgoing types 💌), I can see how his mysterious, reserved nature would be swoon-worthy for many readers. He adds a quiet pull to the narrative, like a tide you don’t realize is moving until you’ve been carried away.
The whole book has this slow-blooming, candlelit charm that’s perfect for cozy reading nights. If you enjoy atmospheric fantasy with a hint of romance and a city that feels like its own character, Moon Witch will make for a lovely, lingering escape.
Moon Witch felt like slipping into a velvet-covered storybook — full of soft shadows, glowing moons, and a little magic tucked between the lines 🌙. Grace Zhu paints Serapolis in such lovely, moody colors that it almost becomes the star of the show. I adored the way the world felt lived-in, as though you could wander its winding streets and find something new each turn ✨
The pacing moves at its own quiet rhythm, which gave me plenty of time to linger in each scene and really picture it. I especially enjoyed how the city itself almost felt alive — like a character with moods and mysteries of its own.
Cassius plays a big role in the story, and while he didn’t completely steal my heart (I tend to fall for the more outgoing types 💌), I can see how his mysterious, reserved nature would be swoon-worthy for many readers. He adds a quiet pull to the narrative, like a tide you don’t realize is moving until you’ve been carried away.
The whole book has this slow-blooming, candlelit charm that’s perfect for cozy reading nights. If you enjoy atmospheric fantasy with a hint of romance and a city that feels like its own character, Moon Witch will make for a lovely, lingering escape.
August 23, 2025
2.25⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was attracted to this book because of the beautiful cover and the description sounded amazing however I don't feel it really delivered.
I found the FMC really unlikeable, her utter disregard for her friend's wellbeing really annoyed me and made it hard to connect with her. I also found the dialogue to be very juvenile, not just from Eva but pretty much across the board.
I also feel like there were a lot of areas that should have been developed further, including the lore as a whole which was often confusing and only explained when required for the plot. For example, the significance of the camera or the moonflowers. However, this is always something that can be developed in later books so I can give this the benefit of the doubt. Or the character of Primerose who threatened to add obstacles or tension and just... didn't.
I also didn't feel any tension in regards to the romantic relationships which also left them underwhelming.
It was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the magical elements but I think it could have been executed better.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was attracted to this book because of the beautiful cover and the description sounded amazing however I don't feel it really delivered.
I found the FMC really unlikeable, her utter disregard for her friend's wellbeing really annoyed me and made it hard to connect with her. I also found the dialogue to be very juvenile, not just from Eva but pretty much across the board.
I also feel like there were a lot of areas that should have been developed further, including the lore as a whole which was often confusing and only explained when required for the plot. For example, the significance of the camera or the moonflowers. However, this is always something that can be developed in later books so I can give this the benefit of the doubt. Or the character of Primerose who threatened to add obstacles or tension and just... didn't.
I also didn't feel any tension in regards to the romantic relationships which also left them underwhelming.
It was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the magical elements but I think it could have been executed better.
August 28, 2025
I want to start by saying, I only wish the author the best. She has a beautiful prose that draws you in, delights in descriptions and setting up an atmosphere. I definetely see a potential of a great writer in making.
Unfortunately, it's painstakingly obvious that this is one of the first - if not the very first - full-lenght novels she has ever written. As beautiful as the text is, it lacks maturity and experience that only comes with practice. This is the kind of book I would expect to read on wattpad or during a high-school creative writing course.
The main character is a textbook Mary Sue. A girl who is "plain and ordinary" and doesn't think herself to beautiful, but still manages to instantly make every single guy fall in love with her, even though she is "clumsy and socially awkward". She is cheeky and uses modern slang in a way that is supposed to be quirky, but comes off as cringe instead. She plays a damsel in distress for the majority of the book, letting everyone do the work for her, only so at the end she can be revealed to be the most powerful witch of all, this world's equivalent of chosen one - because of course she is - and save the day without any prior training!
She of course has a best friend who is missing for the most of the book - and she keeps saying she'll look for her, but never does - but who appears just in time to save her ass. The other characters are equally plain - because even if they do have a potential for depth, it is either never explored, or explicitly told to us, in often very inconvinient time.
Which brings me to the pacing. I had no idea what the plot is going to be for the first 250 pages of this book, it was just one long-winded descriptions of the MC's new lavish life, dates, visits to the city where her boyfriend buys her everything she wants, and occassional ball where she gets screamed at by her cartoonishly evil rival. The ending incredibly drags. "The final battle" is spread over 100 pages, and is often interrupted by exposition dumps and characters revealing their
backstories in unrealistcally long and poetic monologue - that literally spreads over pages.
The thing is, for all her truly beautiful prose, the author has yet to learn how to kill her darlings. She shows obvious signs of overwriting, and hasn't learned how to edit herself just yet. This book could be cut in half in terms of wordcount without missing any of the important descriptions and important elements - and would be more enjoyable for it.
This book is definetely not adult. I didn't even know it was supposed to be until I read some of the rewies. Sure, there are few "spicy" scenes, but everything else makes this middle grade, YA at best - and there is nothing wrong with that, in fact I think the author is doing herself a great disservice by not targeting those audiences instead.
Unfortunately, it's painstakingly obvious that this is one of the first - if not the very first - full-lenght novels she has ever written. As beautiful as the text is, it lacks maturity and experience that only comes with practice. This is the kind of book I would expect to read on wattpad or during a high-school creative writing course.
The main character is a textbook Mary Sue. A girl who is "plain and ordinary" and doesn't think herself to beautiful, but still manages to instantly make every single guy fall in love with her, even though she is "clumsy and socially awkward". She is cheeky and uses modern slang in a way that is supposed to be quirky, but comes off as cringe instead. She plays a damsel in distress for the majority of the book, letting everyone do the work for her, only so at the end she can be revealed to be the most powerful witch of all, this world's equivalent of chosen one - because of course she is - and save the day without any prior training!
She of course has a best friend who is missing for the most of the book - and she keeps saying she'll look for her, but never does - but who appears just in time to save her ass. The other characters are equally plain - because even if they do have a potential for depth, it is either never explored, or explicitly told to us, in often very inconvinient time.
Which brings me to the pacing. I had no idea what the plot is going to be for the first 250 pages of this book, it was just one long-winded descriptions of the MC's new lavish life, dates, visits to the city where her boyfriend buys her everything she wants, and occassional ball where she gets screamed at by her cartoonishly evil rival. The ending incredibly drags. "The final battle" is spread over 100 pages, and is often interrupted by exposition dumps and characters revealing their
backstories in unrealistcally long and poetic monologue - that literally spreads over pages.
The thing is, for all her truly beautiful prose, the author has yet to learn how to kill her darlings. She shows obvious signs of overwriting, and hasn't learned how to edit herself just yet. This book could be cut in half in terms of wordcount without missing any of the important descriptions and important elements - and would be more enjoyable for it.
This book is definetely not adult. I didn't even know it was supposed to be until I read some of the rewies. Sure, there are few "spicy" scenes, but everything else makes this middle grade, YA at best - and there is nothing wrong with that, in fact I think the author is doing herself a great disservice by not targeting those audiences instead.
September 1, 2025
✨️ ARC Review – Moon Witch 🌕🔮
I’ve been following Grace for a while because of her absolutely stunning art, so when I saw she was releasing a book, I knew I had to read it.
Honestly, half the fun while reading was pulling up her posts and character cards to match the faces in my head—it really brought the story to life!
Now, onto the book itself.
I’ll be honest: the beginning gave me mixed feelings.
The girls are suddenly transported to a new world, and the way they accepted it so quickly felt a little rushed, almost like this was a totally normal occurrence. Even more jarring for me was how fast Eva and Cassius’s relationship developed—it had only been days (maybe weeks at most), and suddenly we were diving into insta-love territory. And then the spice scene… oof. It came way too early and felt more like a smutty fanfic insert than something that fit naturally into the story. I think this is why I kept feeling like the book would’ve worked so well as YA rather than adult. The writing style, pacing, and tone fit YA perfectly, and since I love YA, I kind of wish it had leaned fully into that genre.
But here’s where things got better for me. Once Orion entered the picture, I was hooked. Every scene with him was layered, intriguing, and full of that mysterious energy that keeps you flipping pages. And later, when Alice returns and even more characters are introduced, the stakes finally rise and I found myself really invested. It’s one of those “they had me in the first half” situations—because once I was in, I was in.
That said, given the title Moon Witch, I did expect more witches and magic. The magical world has so much potential, and I really hope book two digs deeper into it. But since this is the first in a trilogy, I can understand why it may have been for laying groundwork and some of the bigger reveals are saved for later.
Moon Witch has a lot of potential. It didn’t always land for me—especially with the rushed romance and misplaced spice—but the characters (especially Orion!), the worldbuilding hints, and the foundation for a larger story kept me curious.
My biggest gripe would be that it is fitting for YA or even middle grade (if we leave out the spice scene) and it would do a lot better in those genres than in the adult world imo.
If you enjoy YA fantasy (ignoring that this book is stamped as adult) with a dash of romance and don’t mind a bit of uneven pacing in book one, I think you might enjoy this one. Personally, I’m interested enough to see where book two takes the story, especially if it leans more into the witches and magic I was hoping for!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been following Grace for a while because of her absolutely stunning art, so when I saw she was releasing a book, I knew I had to read it.
Honestly, half the fun while reading was pulling up her posts and character cards to match the faces in my head—it really brought the story to life!
Now, onto the book itself.
I’ll be honest: the beginning gave me mixed feelings.
The girls are suddenly transported to a new world, and the way they accepted it so quickly felt a little rushed, almost like this was a totally normal occurrence. Even more jarring for me was how fast Eva and Cassius’s relationship developed—it had only been days (maybe weeks at most), and suddenly we were diving into insta-love territory. And then the spice scene… oof. It came way too early and felt more like a smutty fanfic insert than something that fit naturally into the story. I think this is why I kept feeling like the book would’ve worked so well as YA rather than adult. The writing style, pacing, and tone fit YA perfectly, and since I love YA, I kind of wish it had leaned fully into that genre.
But here’s where things got better for me. Once Orion entered the picture, I was hooked. Every scene with him was layered, intriguing, and full of that mysterious energy that keeps you flipping pages. And later, when Alice returns and even more characters are introduced, the stakes finally rise and I found myself really invested. It’s one of those “they had me in the first half” situations—because once I was in, I was in.
That said, given the title Moon Witch, I did expect more witches and magic. The magical world has so much potential, and I really hope book two digs deeper into it. But since this is the first in a trilogy, I can understand why it may have been for laying groundwork and some of the bigger reveals are saved for later.
Moon Witch has a lot of potential. It didn’t always land for me—especially with the rushed romance and misplaced spice—but the characters (especially Orion!), the worldbuilding hints, and the foundation for a larger story kept me curious.
My biggest gripe would be that it is fitting for YA or even middle grade (if we leave out the spice scene) and it would do a lot better in those genres than in the adult world imo.
If you enjoy YA fantasy (ignoring that this book is stamped as adult) with a dash of romance and don’t mind a bit of uneven pacing in book one, I think you might enjoy this one. Personally, I’m interested enough to see where book two takes the story, especially if it leans more into the witches and magic I was hoping for!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2025
✨ Moon Witch Review ✨
First off, let’s talk about the cover. Absolutely enchanting. The kind of cover that makes you stop mid-scroll, stare a little too long, and whisper, “you’re coming home with me.” The promise of a whimsical fairytale with a dark little twist was irresistible, and I couldn’t wait to fall down the rabbit hole (or in this case, slip through the veil).
Eva and her best friend Alice tumble into another world that looks magical at first glance but quickly shows its shadows. Castles, gowns, power struggles, a mysterious hierarchy, it’s all there. And honestly? It was fun tagging along on their journey out of this wonderland as much as in.
Now, confession: this book wasn’t fully for me. But, big but, I can absolutely see why someone else might fall head over heels for it. If the premise catches your eye, you should give it a try, because there’s enough sparkle here to charm the right reader.
💜 The Bright Spots
• Orion. He’s the star for me. His POV chapters felt richer, the writing sharper, and the character depth miles ahead. Every time he appeared, the story lit up, and I’d honestly read book two just to spend more time with him (also… “help me bathe” trope? I will never not eat that up).
• Devin. Another highlight, every scene with him pulled me in.
• The Setting. The lush visuals, manor-house vibes, and elegant details of this world were gorgeous. The gowns, the rooms, the way everything looked, it was easy to picture, and I loved getting swept into those aesthetics.
🖤 Where It Wobbled for Me
• Eva never quite clicked. She felt one-dimensional, and I couldn’t connect with her the way I wanted to. Her relationships, especially with Cassius and Alice, didn’t have the chemistry or depth I was hoping for. In fact, I often found myself more worried about Alice than Eva did.
• The dialogue sometimes felt like filler, especially between Eva and Alice. Instead of moving the plot, it circled without much payoff.
• The camera, such an intriguing object! It was set up as important, but didn’t really come into play the way I expected. Maybe book two will deliver that moment.
🎭 Final Thoughts
This book is marketed as New Adult, and while the romance and spice lean that way, Eva’s voice often read younger, almost like a teenager figuring things out. Still, the pacing was a win for me, the story jumped straight into action, and the world-building was refreshingly easy to grasp.
First off, let’s talk about the cover. Absolutely enchanting. The kind of cover that makes you stop mid-scroll, stare a little too long, and whisper, “you’re coming home with me.” The promise of a whimsical fairytale with a dark little twist was irresistible, and I couldn’t wait to fall down the rabbit hole (or in this case, slip through the veil).
Eva and her best friend Alice tumble into another world that looks magical at first glance but quickly shows its shadows. Castles, gowns, power struggles, a mysterious hierarchy, it’s all there. And honestly? It was fun tagging along on their journey out of this wonderland as much as in.
Now, confession: this book wasn’t fully for me. But, big but, I can absolutely see why someone else might fall head over heels for it. If the premise catches your eye, you should give it a try, because there’s enough sparkle here to charm the right reader.
💜 The Bright Spots
• Orion. He’s the star for me. His POV chapters felt richer, the writing sharper, and the character depth miles ahead. Every time he appeared, the story lit up, and I’d honestly read book two just to spend more time with him (also… “help me bathe” trope? I will never not eat that up).
• Devin. Another highlight, every scene with him pulled me in.
• The Setting. The lush visuals, manor-house vibes, and elegant details of this world were gorgeous. The gowns, the rooms, the way everything looked, it was easy to picture, and I loved getting swept into those aesthetics.
🖤 Where It Wobbled for Me
• Eva never quite clicked. She felt one-dimensional, and I couldn’t connect with her the way I wanted to. Her relationships, especially with Cassius and Alice, didn’t have the chemistry or depth I was hoping for. In fact, I often found myself more worried about Alice than Eva did.
• The dialogue sometimes felt like filler, especially between Eva and Alice. Instead of moving the plot, it circled without much payoff.
• The camera, such an intriguing object! It was set up as important, but didn’t really come into play the way I expected. Maybe book two will deliver that moment.
🎭 Final Thoughts
This book is marketed as New Adult, and while the romance and spice lean that way, Eva’s voice often read younger, almost like a teenager figuring things out. Still, the pacing was a win for me, the story jumped straight into action, and the world-building was refreshingly easy to grasp.
August 28, 2025
I was instantly enthralled by the cover of Moon Witch—it's so beautiful that I can’t write this review without mentioning it first. The artwork is absolutely stunning and was a major reason I picked up the book.
The story follows two friends, Eva and Alice, who stumble upon an old, gothic manor and, quite literally, fall into another world. This new realm—Serapolis—is filled with witches, strange magic, and elegant nobility. Eva soon finds herself being courted by Cassius, a well-spoken Lord who promises to help her return home while introducing her to the wonders and secrets of this strange place.
Unfortunately, the first half of the book was difficult to get through. The writing style felt more YA than adult, which wouldn’t be an issue if it weren’t marketed as adult fantasy. The tone and emotional depth felt mismatched for the target audience, and I found much of the early dialogue, especially between Eva and Cassius, awkward and flat. I didn’t feel a single spark of chemistry between them—if anything, their connection felt rushed and underdeveloped. (Spoiler: I’m actually glad their romance didn’t fully take off.)
That said, the descriptions of the manor and the world of Serapolis were absolutely one of the highlights. Zhu has a strong gift for atmosphere—the lush, gothic environment really pulled me in and made the world feel almost fairy-tale-like. That dreamy, otherworldly aesthetic is one of the book’s strongest features.
The second half of the novel is where things improved. The writing matured, and the plot finally found its footing. The character Orion, in particular, stood out—hands down the most engaging figure in the story. His POV added much-needed complexity and depth. I already know he’ll be a fan favorite. We also got more magical lore, which was intriguing and made me wish those elements had been introduced much earlier.
In the end, Moon Witch felt like a novel with real potential that didn’t fully deliver. The aesthetics and worldbuilding were compelling, but the emotional depth, pacing, and romantic subplot fell short for me. I’d still be curious to see where the story goes next, especially if it leans more into the magic, mystery, and Orion’s arc.
The story follows two friends, Eva and Alice, who stumble upon an old, gothic manor and, quite literally, fall into another world. This new realm—Serapolis—is filled with witches, strange magic, and elegant nobility. Eva soon finds herself being courted by Cassius, a well-spoken Lord who promises to help her return home while introducing her to the wonders and secrets of this strange place.
Unfortunately, the first half of the book was difficult to get through. The writing style felt more YA than adult, which wouldn’t be an issue if it weren’t marketed as adult fantasy. The tone and emotional depth felt mismatched for the target audience, and I found much of the early dialogue, especially between Eva and Cassius, awkward and flat. I didn’t feel a single spark of chemistry between them—if anything, their connection felt rushed and underdeveloped. (Spoiler: I’m actually glad their romance didn’t fully take off.)
That said, the descriptions of the manor and the world of Serapolis were absolutely one of the highlights. Zhu has a strong gift for atmosphere—the lush, gothic environment really pulled me in and made the world feel almost fairy-tale-like. That dreamy, otherworldly aesthetic is one of the book’s strongest features.
The second half of the novel is where things improved. The writing matured, and the plot finally found its footing. The character Orion, in particular, stood out—hands down the most engaging figure in the story. His POV added much-needed complexity and depth. I already know he’ll be a fan favorite. We also got more magical lore, which was intriguing and made me wish those elements had been introduced much earlier.
In the end, Moon Witch felt like a novel with real potential that didn’t fully deliver. The aesthetics and worldbuilding were compelling, but the emotional depth, pacing, and romantic subplot fell short for me. I’d still be curious to see where the story goes next, especially if it leans more into the magic, mystery, and Orion’s arc.
August 11, 2025
🌙 Moon Witch pulled me in with its stunning cover art and a description that promised a whimsy fairytale with a twist.
Eva and her friend Alice slip into another world. It seems like a beautiful fantasy, but looks can be deceiving! It was fun to follow the MC’s on their adventure OUT of their personal wonderland.
I did not personally enjoy this book, but I can see the appeal for someone to love it. I still encourage anyone that is captivated by the description to give this book a try!
I will start with what I did enjoy. I really loved Orion’s character. He really saved the story for me. I loved the chapters in his POV and felt the writing style in his chapters were more captivating. He has depth that other characters lacked for me. I would even read book two to learn more about Orion… also I love a help me bathe trope. Gets me every time! I also loved Devin!
The overall premise of the book is interesting and I would like to see where it went in the following books.
Now onto some things that I believe made me not enjoy the book as much. I think the main characters needed more development. I couldn’t connect to Eva. She felt very one dimensional. Her relationships weren’t believable to me. I never truly saw the desire she said she felt for Cassius- and that could’ve been intentional (without giving spoilers!). But, I also didn’t feel that strong connection between her and Alice. I think I was more worried about Alice than Eva was during this book 😅.
In my opinion, the dialogue in the book wasn’t pushing the plot forward. There were many points where back and forth dialogue just felt like filler and it felt awkward. Especially with Eva and Alice- which goes back to developing the relationship between those characters.
I’m also left wondering if there will be more with the camera. We hear how important the camera is, so I thought I’d see a pivotal moment involving it. Maybe in book 2!
Even though this book wasn’t for me, thank you NetGalley and Grace Zhu for this ARC. I see that Grace Zhu does incredible artwork for book covers and I can’t wait to watch her grow as an author.
August 24, 2025
Firstly, I want to thank NetGalley for allowing me this ARC of Moon Witch in exchange for an honest review.
I was instantly enthralled by the cover - it’s so beautiful and I cannot write this review without mentioning it first. It’s just stunning.
Moon Witch follows two friends, Eva and Alice who stumble upon an old manor and eventually, find themselves in a completely new world quite literally. They don’t know how they have stumbled upon this new realm with witches and magic or how it’s possible. Eva is courted by Cassius, a well-spoken Lord who manages to charm her while showing Eva the new world and promises to find her way back home.
The first half of this book, I really struggled with. The writing felt very YA (not a bad thing at all) and borderline immature considering this book is marketed as adult fantasy.
The descriptions of the manor and the world of Serapolis was one of the best parts of the book but the dialogue really didn’t hit for me especially between Eva and Cassius. I honestly did not feel a single bit of chemistry between them. (Spoiler: I’m glad for it). It all happened so fast and so underdeveloped I just did not believe in them at all.
The second half of book though? It probably saved it for me. The writing felt more natural, more developed in places that lacked in the first 50%. Orion is hands down the best character and I was so glad we got his POV and more of him even if it was in the last half. I already know he will be a readers fave. We get more of the magical lore in their world which I would love to see more of.
I really appreciate what is being presented in this story and the concepts being introduced. It’s giving Alice in Wonderland with twists and turns. Eva does have potential, and I feel that in the second book there is so much more to be explored with her and her magic that I would still continue to see what happens, I just wish I enjoyed it much more than I did.
I was instantly enthralled by the cover - it’s so beautiful and I cannot write this review without mentioning it first. It’s just stunning.
Moon Witch follows two friends, Eva and Alice who stumble upon an old manor and eventually, find themselves in a completely new world quite literally. They don’t know how they have stumbled upon this new realm with witches and magic or how it’s possible. Eva is courted by Cassius, a well-spoken Lord who manages to charm her while showing Eva the new world and promises to find her way back home.
The first half of this book, I really struggled with. The writing felt very YA (not a bad thing at all) and borderline immature considering this book is marketed as adult fantasy.
The descriptions of the manor and the world of Serapolis was one of the best parts of the book but the dialogue really didn’t hit for me especially between Eva and Cassius. I honestly did not feel a single bit of chemistry between them. (Spoiler: I’m glad for it). It all happened so fast and so underdeveloped I just did not believe in them at all.
The second half of book though? It probably saved it for me. The writing felt more natural, more developed in places that lacked in the first 50%. Orion is hands down the best character and I was so glad we got his POV and more of him even if it was in the last half. I already know he will be a readers fave. We get more of the magical lore in their world which I would love to see more of.
I really appreciate what is being presented in this story and the concepts being introduced. It’s giving Alice in Wonderland with twists and turns. Eva does have potential, and I feel that in the second book there is so much more to be explored with her and her magic that I would still continue to see what happens, I just wish I enjoyed it much more than I did.
August 24, 2025
2.5 - ⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited to read Moon Witch – the cover is stunning and the premise sounded right up my street. There were moments, especially around the halfway mark, where the story picked up and I felt more invested, but overall it didn’t quite land for me. I did appreciate the diversity and inclusion in the book, which added a nice layer to the story.
The main character’s voice felt flat at times, and her conversations with Cassius were monotonous and lacked spark. She didn’t seem particularly concerned about her family or missing friend, which made it hard to connect with her choices. The romance also fell a bit flat – Cassius was friendly but their connection didn’t feel strong enough to make her desire to stay believable.
The casual writing style sometimes worked, but often felt too immature for the story. Dialogue between Eva and Alice gave more teenage vibes than early-twenties characters, and moments like “duderuses before uteruses” pulled me out of the story. The small intimate scenes also felt out of place given the otherwise PG tone.
Worldbuilding and character description were limited. I struggled to picture the settings, and several story threads – the portals, glowing flowers, Cassius’s backstory, Aurore’s knowledge, even Howard’s fate – were under explored or unresolved. Whilst the characters lacked depth, I did like Orion; he was probably the most interesting character, and I would have liked a bit more backstory on him even knowing this will be a series.
I felt the pacing was uneven, and the book could have been shorter without losing anything. Though marketed as adult romantic fantasy, it reads more like a teen book, YA at a push.
That said, readers who enjoy lighter, casual fantasy with witches, romance, and a moody manor setting might enjoy it. For me, it was a beautiful cover and an interesting concept that just didn’t fully deliver.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited to read Moon Witch – the cover is stunning and the premise sounded right up my street. There were moments, especially around the halfway mark, where the story picked up and I felt more invested, but overall it didn’t quite land for me. I did appreciate the diversity and inclusion in the book, which added a nice layer to the story.
The main character’s voice felt flat at times, and her conversations with Cassius were monotonous and lacked spark. She didn’t seem particularly concerned about her family or missing friend, which made it hard to connect with her choices. The romance also fell a bit flat – Cassius was friendly but their connection didn’t feel strong enough to make her desire to stay believable.
The casual writing style sometimes worked, but often felt too immature for the story. Dialogue between Eva and Alice gave more teenage vibes than early-twenties characters, and moments like “duderuses before uteruses” pulled me out of the story. The small intimate scenes also felt out of place given the otherwise PG tone.
Worldbuilding and character description were limited. I struggled to picture the settings, and several story threads – the portals, glowing flowers, Cassius’s backstory, Aurore’s knowledge, even Howard’s fate – were under explored or unresolved. Whilst the characters lacked depth, I did like Orion; he was probably the most interesting character, and I would have liked a bit more backstory on him even knowing this will be a series.
I felt the pacing was uneven, and the book could have been shorter without losing anything. Though marketed as adult romantic fantasy, it reads more like a teen book, YA at a push.
That said, readers who enjoy lighter, casual fantasy with witches, romance, and a moody manor setting might enjoy it. For me, it was a beautiful cover and an interesting concept that just didn’t fully deliver.
August 26, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for a free ebook in exchange for a honest review.
I really wanted to like this book, but there were so many things that irked me. I tried so hard to find anything that could help me enjoy it, but other than the cover and the idea of what it was about, I couldn’t find anything. What had originally caught my eye was the gorgeous cover and the title “Moon witch.” The synopsis had also caught my attention, which gave me the idea that I was going to read an ethereal new adult fantasy with a strong and refreshing world.
Moon Witch had been described the setting as a gothic French manor that seemed to be abandoned at the naked eye but held a portal to another and magical world. This was something I had wanted to get my hands on badly. I will say that the first chapter was a good hook into the world, catching my attention enough to keep reading.
Unfortunately, rather than seeming adult anything, this book felt immature and YA at best. There were a lot of modern references, and I understand that the character came from a modern world, but these references took me out of the fantasy world. It became so hard to find the magic, and not picture a standard manor with rich people in it.
One thing that really bothered me was the conversations between characters. It either felt super flat at times, or they refused to answer basic questions for no reason other than to push the plot forward.
Another thing that I noticed, was that it seemed as though the author had a hard time keeping track of details. There was a chapter that ended stating that Eva was out of Bobby pins only for a few pages later to suddenly have them to break into a room. Or when she finally finds her bag has it for a couple of lines and then suddenly it’s missing again.
Overall, I give this story three stars because I liked the idea of the book, the overall story, and the cover. However, don’t let my review stop you from reading this book.
I really wanted to like this book, but there were so many things that irked me. I tried so hard to find anything that could help me enjoy it, but other than the cover and the idea of what it was about, I couldn’t find anything. What had originally caught my eye was the gorgeous cover and the title “Moon witch.” The synopsis had also caught my attention, which gave me the idea that I was going to read an ethereal new adult fantasy with a strong and refreshing world.
Moon Witch had been described the setting as a gothic French manor that seemed to be abandoned at the naked eye but held a portal to another and magical world. This was something I had wanted to get my hands on badly. I will say that the first chapter was a good hook into the world, catching my attention enough to keep reading.
Unfortunately, rather than seeming adult anything, this book felt immature and YA at best. There were a lot of modern references, and I understand that the character came from a modern world, but these references took me out of the fantasy world. It became so hard to find the magic, and not picture a standard manor with rich people in it.
One thing that really bothered me was the conversations between characters. It either felt super flat at times, or they refused to answer basic questions for no reason other than to push the plot forward.
Another thing that I noticed, was that it seemed as though the author had a hard time keeping track of details. There was a chapter that ended stating that Eva was out of Bobby pins only for a few pages later to suddenly have them to break into a room. Or when she finally finds her bag has it for a couple of lines and then suddenly it’s missing again.
Overall, I give this story three stars because I liked the idea of the book, the overall story, and the cover. However, don’t let my review stop you from reading this book.
September 12, 2025
True rating: 2.5
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Unfortunately, Moon Witch was just not what I thought it was going to be.
It is a new adult romantasy that follows our main character Eva, who is transported through a portal with her friend Alice while they are exploring an abandoned manor in France. This portal takes them to the manor in an alternate, historical dimension where they are separated and Eva is taken in by the affluent family who live in the manor- initially as a criminal and then as a ‘guest’. Eva soon learns that there is magic in this world but things are not completely as they seem, as she tries to get back home and is met with some challenges.
This book didn’t work for me for a few reasons. Firstly, I felt the pacing was not quite right, we rush into the story at the beginning and then not much happens until the last 10-15% of the book- which again feels rather rushed.
The mix of modern and more dated language- while intentional and understandable in the context of the novel- was a bit jarring. One minute we’re talking about balls and political houses and the next we’re reminiscing over Netflix.
I also struggled to connect with the main character and feel invested in her story. She reads as quite a superficial human being who is willing to abandon her friend and home in order to be with the love interest.
That was another part I struggled with, the romance felt forced and there are very few actions that substantiate the characters feelings for each other.
Overall, I think the premise of the novel was really promising, the writing was descriptive and atmospheric but the weak characters and poor plot pacing really let down what could have been a great read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Unfortunately, Moon Witch was just not what I thought it was going to be.
It is a new adult romantasy that follows our main character Eva, who is transported through a portal with her friend Alice while they are exploring an abandoned manor in France. This portal takes them to the manor in an alternate, historical dimension where they are separated and Eva is taken in by the affluent family who live in the manor- initially as a criminal and then as a ‘guest’. Eva soon learns that there is magic in this world but things are not completely as they seem, as she tries to get back home and is met with some challenges.
This book didn’t work for me for a few reasons. Firstly, I felt the pacing was not quite right, we rush into the story at the beginning and then not much happens until the last 10-15% of the book- which again feels rather rushed.
The mix of modern and more dated language- while intentional and understandable in the context of the novel- was a bit jarring. One minute we’re talking about balls and political houses and the next we’re reminiscing over Netflix.
I also struggled to connect with the main character and feel invested in her story. She reads as quite a superficial human being who is willing to abandon her friend and home in order to be with the love interest.
That was another part I struggled with, the romance felt forced and there are very few actions that substantiate the characters feelings for each other.
Overall, I think the premise of the novel was really promising, the writing was descriptive and atmospheric but the weak characters and poor plot pacing really let down what could have been a great read.
September 6, 2025
Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. As someone who loves supporting indie authors, I always aim to share thoughtful, fair feedback. While I have personal reading preferences like a love for fantasy, horses, or specific tropes, I never let that impact my rating unless it is relevant to the book’s intent or audience. I review with the genre and readership in mind.
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️ but half it
I was really pulled in by the cover that is absolutely stunning. I love the colors, the setting and everything about it!
The story is somewhat interesting, but I kept waiting for the promised gothic feel, I kept waiting for anything dark and slowly struggled to read. The writing is not as bad as other reviews state, certainly meant for a younger audience (if we forget the adult scenes) it also did quite well on bringing this victorian feel too. What I found troubles with were the consistency of characters, Eva speaks exactly like the owners of the manor, in this prideful, old style which is quite the opposite of how she started out. I absolutely didn't understand why she cared so little about her friend, it was really unnatural even if she was sucked into the world of the manor. I can't believe a 21 years old girl can't see screaming red flags and can't reflect on them better than this, I really just wanted to take her and give her a shake to start the critical thinking machine in her head.
I think with better advertisement and no false promises the book would have less backlash, and turning it into a YA would help the story as well. Adults won't really enjoy an immature and thoughtless girl running around, but a younger audience might even learn from the mistakes Eva makes!
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️ but half it
I was really pulled in by the cover that is absolutely stunning. I love the colors, the setting and everything about it!
The story is somewhat interesting, but I kept waiting for the promised gothic feel, I kept waiting for anything dark and slowly struggled to read. The writing is not as bad as other reviews state, certainly meant for a younger audience (if we forget the adult scenes) it also did quite well on bringing this victorian feel too. What I found troubles with were the consistency of characters, Eva speaks exactly like the owners of the manor, in this prideful, old style which is quite the opposite of how she started out. I absolutely didn't understand why she cared so little about her friend, it was really unnatural even if she was sucked into the world of the manor. I can't believe a 21 years old girl can't see screaming red flags and can't reflect on them better than this, I really just wanted to take her and give her a shake to start the critical thinking machine in her head.
I think with better advertisement and no false promises the book would have less backlash, and turning it into a YA would help the story as well. Adults won't really enjoy an immature and thoughtless girl running around, but a younger audience might even learn from the mistakes Eva makes!
September 13, 2025
Like most other reviews, I was drawn to this book due its gorgeous cover art. I only wish the writing and story inside matched the promise of the cover.
The story began interestingly enough, two best friends (Eva & Alice) exploring an abandoned French manor house and suddenly they're transported into a different realm and completely alternate time period where magic is real and not everything is as it seems.
The first half of the novel is focused on Eva becoming comfortable to this lifestyle in the manor, "dating" the main love interest, Cassius, and enjoying her time. All the while forgetting that her best friend is in the same realm, abandoned and god knows where as she never really tries to find her after a shockingly small amount of time. Alice even visits her in the manor, by cover of night, and Eva still doesn't truly try and find her friend and is distracted by Cassius constantly.
As soon as Eva breaks free of Cassius, this is where the story truly begins for me. She spends time with Orion and Devin and you get a better feel for the environment she's been transported to. The larger plot is to leave the world and get back home with Alice... yet it all feels so rushed and I really wish the part with Cassius was much, much shorter - more should have been focused on the world building and getting to know the characters and houses and magic a bit more.
Ultimately, while the overall story had promise, the execution fell flat for me. The writing was a bit childish but with adult themes, which was whiplash for me when the sex scene happened, honestly felt wrong and in my opinion with this writing style absolutely should have been a close door scene. Really wanted to like this one but is a 2 star from me. Would be interested in reading other works by Grace Zhu but I think only if they're in the right genre as this one would have fit much better in teen fantasy or solidly in YA.
✨ Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own. ✨
The story began interestingly enough, two best friends (Eva & Alice) exploring an abandoned French manor house and suddenly they're transported into a different realm and completely alternate time period where magic is real and not everything is as it seems.
The first half of the novel is focused on Eva becoming comfortable to this lifestyle in the manor, "dating" the main love interest, Cassius, and enjoying her time. All the while forgetting that her best friend is in the same realm, abandoned and god knows where as she never really tries to find her after a shockingly small amount of time. Alice even visits her in the manor, by cover of night, and Eva still doesn't truly try and find her friend and is distracted by Cassius constantly.
As soon as Eva breaks free of Cassius, this is where the story truly begins for me. She spends time with Orion and Devin and you get a better feel for the environment she's been transported to. The larger plot is to leave the world and get back home with Alice... yet it all feels so rushed and I really wish the part with Cassius was much, much shorter - more should have been focused on the world building and getting to know the characters and houses and magic a bit more.
Ultimately, while the overall story had promise, the execution fell flat for me. The writing was a bit childish but with adult themes, which was whiplash for me when the sex scene happened, honestly felt wrong and in my opinion with this writing style absolutely should have been a close door scene. Really wanted to like this one but is a 2 star from me. Would be interested in reading other works by Grace Zhu but I think only if they're in the right genre as this one would have fit much better in teen fantasy or solidly in YA.
✨ Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own. ✨
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