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A Tale of Two Crowns #2
The Moon Blessed King: Book Two of A Tale of Two Crowns Duology
In the daring sequel to The Sun Blessed Prince, Elician and Cat must confront the goddess of death to save their nations – unless it's already too late.
Elician, a Giver with the power to raise the dead, is crowned King of Soleb, but it’s forbidden for Givers to rule. However, Elician is determined to end a generations-long war with the kingdom of Alelune – and will marry Alelune's rightful heir to do so.
But Cat is a Reaper, able to kill with a touch, and is therefore feared by his own people. His claim to the throne is a gamble at best, until his tyrannical brother, Gillage, seizes power before Cat can lay his claim to it – and now the conflict Elician had hoped to avoid seems inevitable.
Just as the war between nations begins anew, the goddess of death releases a devastating plague across the continent. To stop it, Elician and Cat must confront Death herself, leaving Elician's rebellious sister, Fen, to do what she can to heal the sick in their absence. But when a coup threatens to upend her brother’s reign, Fen must decide exactly what she is willing to sacrifice to help her brother succeed.
With the death toll rising and the struggle for the Alelunen throne in the balance, it’s a race against time to appease the wrath of a god with the monarchies of both countries at stake.
Elician, a Giver with the power to raise the dead, is crowned King of Soleb, but it’s forbidden for Givers to rule. However, Elician is determined to end a generations-long war with the kingdom of Alelune – and will marry Alelune's rightful heir to do so.
But Cat is a Reaper, able to kill with a touch, and is therefore feared by his own people. His claim to the throne is a gamble at best, until his tyrannical brother, Gillage, seizes power before Cat can lay his claim to it – and now the conflict Elician had hoped to avoid seems inevitable.
Just as the war between nations begins anew, the goddess of death releases a devastating plague across the continent. To stop it, Elician and Cat must confront Death herself, leaving Elician's rebellious sister, Fen, to do what she can to heal the sick in their absence. But when a coup threatens to upend her brother’s reign, Fen must decide exactly what she is willing to sacrifice to help her brother succeed.
With the death toll rising and the struggle for the Alelunen throne in the balance, it’s a race against time to appease the wrath of a god with the monarchies of both countries at stake.
442 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
About the author
Lindsey Byrd
5 books41 followersLindsey began writing stories at a young age, enjoying the escapism of fantasy worlds where anything could happen. When she writes, she focuses on creating complex characters who are neither perfectly good or bad.
She grew up in New York, but moved to Europe to complete her doctoral studies in History. She uses a pen-name to keep her academic publications separate from her fiction work, but her pen-name does have personal meaning.
When she was a child, her mother asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Lindsey responded: "A Bird," and so this name helps make that dream come true.
Shy by nature, Lindsey does not spend much time on social media. Instead, she can be found taking long walks and looking for new birds to add to Merlin ID.
She grew up in New York, but moved to Europe to complete her doctoral studies in History. She uses a pen-name to keep her academic publications separate from her fiction work, but her pen-name does have personal meaning.
When she was a child, her mother asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Lindsey responded: "A Bird," and so this name helps make that dream come true.
Shy by nature, Lindsey does not spend much time on social media. Instead, she can be found taking long walks and looking for new birds to add to Merlin ID.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 21, 2026
This book is proof that a romance between two cinnamon roll mcs can work!
The Moon Blessed Prince is book two of the A Tale of Two Crowns Duology. It continues the story of Elician of Soleb, who is a Giver, and Alest (Cat) of Alelune, a Reaper. After being reunited at the end of book one, The Sun Blessed King, Elician and Cat must work together to broker peace between their two nations, and claim Cat’s place as rightful King of Alelune.
I’ll be honest, I loved Elician and Cat. They are both just so…good. Like, good people, deep down. There’s flaws, for sure, but rooting for them is so easy. I just wanted them to be happy.
In fact, there were a lot of well-written characters to root for. Lio was one of my favourites in book one, and while his presence is diminished in book two, he is still so strong and adds so much to the story whenever he shows up. There is a great character arc for Elician’s adopted sister, Fenlia, one of our three voices in the book.
How things begin in book one, with such a wide divide between Giver and Reaper, Life and Death, compared to where we end up in the conclusion of book two is so well done. I loved that journey. The world building really is so interesting.
I would recommend this Duology for people who like fantasy, slow burn romance, and unapologetically queer stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing the ARC of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.
******
Yay my arc request was approved! I’m so excited to see how this story wraps up.
The Moon Blessed Prince is book two of the A Tale of Two Crowns Duology. It continues the story of Elician of Soleb, who is a Giver, and Alest (Cat) of Alelune, a Reaper. After being reunited at the end of book one, The Sun Blessed King, Elician and Cat must work together to broker peace between their two nations, and claim Cat’s place as rightful King of Alelune.
I’ll be honest, I loved Elician and Cat. They are both just so…good. Like, good people, deep down. There’s flaws, for sure, but rooting for them is so easy. I just wanted them to be happy.
In fact, there were a lot of well-written characters to root for. Lio was one of my favourites in book one, and while his presence is diminished in book two, he is still so strong and adds so much to the story whenever he shows up. There is a great character arc for Elician’s adopted sister, Fenlia, one of our three voices in the book.
How things begin in book one, with such a wide divide between Giver and Reaper, Life and Death, compared to where we end up in the conclusion of book two is so well done. I loved that journey. The world building really is so interesting.
I would recommend this Duology for people who like fantasy, slow burn romance, and unapologetically queer stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing the ARC of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.
******
Yay my arc request was approved! I’m so excited to see how this story wraps up.
April 12, 2026
★★★¾ - 3.75 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the first book and this one was even better.
I really liked these characters and it’s lovely to see how much they care for each other and how after the events of the previous book they are there for each other.
Cat and Elician’s relationship had a great development. As I said before, their slow burn is really slow but it’s beautiful to see how they love each other and how they communicate and finally delve in their love.
Fen had a great character development, I feel like she finally understood her value and how she could help others.
The plot was great, I loved how everything turned out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the first book and this one was even better.
I really liked these characters and it’s lovely to see how much they care for each other and how after the events of the previous book they are there for each other.
Cat and Elician’s relationship had a great development. As I said before, their slow burn is really slow but it’s beautiful to see how they love each other and how they communicate and finally delve in their love.
Fen had a great character development, I feel like she finally understood her value and how she could help others.
The plot was great, I loved how everything turned out.
April 28, 2026
Happy publishing day!
4.5/5
This is such a CRIMINALLY underhyped duology!
I mentioned in my review for the first book that this was not a romantasy. Well, this second book definitely leans more towards the romantasy genre - there is a beautifully developed, queer, slowburn (and I mean slowwww) romance. (Although aside from the bit of spice at the end, I would still argue that Warbreaker is more of a romantasy than this series).
The Moon Blessed King picks up right where The Sun Blessed Prince left off. Without giving too much away, this is a political fantasy about a war between Life and Death, the importance of access to healthcare, and overcoming prejudices. There is a plague sweeping across the two realms and the way the author handled the story of fighting and managing a pandemic during wartime was great. There's still a lot of political intrigue, fantastic character growth, and interesting side characters (Zinnitzia, Marina, Leonde, etc).
I do feel like The Sun Blessed Prince and The Moon Blessed King could have been one standalone novel rather than split into a duology.
In any case, I really enjoyed this duology and am shocked that it hasn't received more hype.
Bonus:
I loved that this book included a recap of the first book, a character list, and a glossary.
There's no map included in this series but you can find a rough drawing on the author's Instagram or Tumblr:
* Thank you Random House Canada for the free copy of the physical arc! Review and opinions are my own. *
*** #9 of my 2026 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character ***
_____________________________
Average Rating for this duology: 4.75/5
You can also find my review for the previous book, The Sun Blessed Prince here.
_____________________________
If you liked the writing style and queer normative world from The Priory of the Orange Tree, the magic system from Warbreaker and Elantris, and the political intrigue from Elantris and The Poet Empress, then you might enjoy this duology.
4.5/5
This is such a CRIMINALLY underhyped duology!
I mentioned in my review for the first book that this was not a romantasy. Well, this second book definitely leans more towards the romantasy genre - there is a beautifully developed, queer, slowburn (and I mean slowwww) romance. (Although aside from the bit of spice at the end, I would still argue that Warbreaker is more of a romantasy than this series).
The Moon Blessed King picks up right where The Sun Blessed Prince left off. Without giving too much away, this is a political fantasy about a war between Life and Death, the importance of access to healthcare, and overcoming prejudices. There is a plague sweeping across the two realms and the way the author handled the story of fighting and managing a pandemic during wartime was great. There's still a lot of political intrigue, fantastic character growth, and interesting side characters (Zinnitzia, Marina, Leonde, etc).
I do feel like The Sun Blessed Prince and The Moon Blessed King could have been one standalone novel rather than split into a duology.
In any case, I really enjoyed this duology and am shocked that it hasn't received more hype.
Bonus:
I loved that this book included a recap of the first book, a character list, and a glossary.
There's no map included in this series but you can find a rough drawing on the author's Instagram or Tumblr:
* Thank you Random House Canada for the free copy of the physical arc! Review and opinions are my own. *
*** #9 of my 2026 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character ***
_____________________________
Average Rating for this duology: 4.75/5
You can also find my review for the previous book, The Sun Blessed Prince here.
_____________________________
If you liked the writing style and queer normative world from The Priory of the Orange Tree, the magic system from Warbreaker and Elantris, and the political intrigue from Elantris and The Poet Empress, then you might enjoy this duology.
April 12, 2026
*3.5 stars rounded down*
Following right in from where book 1 “The Sun Blessed Prince” where right back with Cat & Elician!
For obvious reasons I can’t talk too much about this book as it would spoil book 1 (and we don’t do that here 💅🏼)
But my feelings for this book is around the same as I felt for book 1 the world of fantasy is great and I love the life & death aspect of it and where this book goes & how it ends.
The slow burn is just so slow!!
But over all I’m happy where the book went and the endings each character gets!
*I would recommend if you read them to read them back to back unfortunately the year wait in between I forgot about nearly everything but over time little bits came back to me*
Following right in from where book 1 “The Sun Blessed Prince” where right back with Cat & Elician!
For obvious reasons I can’t talk too much about this book as it would spoil book 1 (and we don’t do that here 💅🏼)
But my feelings for this book is around the same as I felt for book 1 the world of fantasy is great and I love the life & death aspect of it and where this book goes & how it ends.
The slow burn is just so slow!!
But over all I’m happy where the book went and the endings each character gets!
*I would recommend if you read them to read them back to back unfortunately the year wait in between I forgot about nearly everything but over time little bits came back to me*
April 30, 2026
I was convinced the first book was marketed incorrectly but after reading the second, this is a SLOW BURN. The romance between Cat and Elician grows slowly but beautifully. They work together to save both of their kingdoms while also learning to love each other as a Giver and a Reaper! I also did like Fen's growth too. She was still very annoying but it was nice to see her grow up in the end
April 29, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the E-galley
I was very satisfied with the conclusion to this duology! The end of the first installment ramped up my interest, and I believe that The Moon Blessed Kingdelves into some interesting themes, including morality, that are hinted at or established in the first novel. The criticisms that I had of the first novel were resolved here, making for a well-paced and smooth read (for example, I really enjoyed Fenlia's chapters this time).
This novel also included some evocative prose that further kept me engaged.
I really enjoyed the aspect of travelling, which immersed me in the same way that some of my favourite fantasy novels do.
The plague was unexpected (if you do not read the blurb for the book lol) but felt like a natural progression that allowed for the exploration of the ideas that make of the heart of this duology. I also appreciated that the plague was it's own thing (eg. societal infrastructure, method of transmission), not attempting to be 1:1 to covid like I've seen in some books.
The relationship between Elician and Alest fully blossomed in this book and I feel like their romance was perfectly integrated.
Also, I loved <3
If you've read the first novel, I'd definitely recommend reading this conclusion, and if you're looking for a fantasy with discussions of morality and life and death, unique worldbuilding, and a sweet but tense slowburn romance between two men who initially seem like they're opposites, I would reccommend this duology !
I was very satisfied with the conclusion to this duology! The end of the first installment ramped up my interest, and I believe that The Moon Blessed Kingdelves into some interesting themes, including morality, that are hinted at or established in the first novel. The criticisms that I had of the first novel were resolved here, making for a well-paced and smooth read (for example, I really enjoyed Fenlia's chapters this time).
This novel also included some evocative prose that further kept me engaged.
I really enjoyed the aspect of travelling, which immersed me in the same way that some of my favourite fantasy novels do.
The plague was unexpected (if you do not read the blurb for the book lol) but felt like a natural progression that allowed for the exploration of the ideas that make of the heart of this duology. I also appreciated that the plague was it's own thing (eg. societal infrastructure, method of transmission), not attempting to be 1:1 to covid like I've seen in some books.
The relationship between Elician and Alest fully blossomed in this book and I feel like their romance was perfectly integrated.
Also, I loved <3
If you've read the first novel, I'd definitely recommend reading this conclusion, and if you're looking for a fantasy with discussions of morality and life and death, unique worldbuilding, and a sweet but tense slowburn romance between two men who initially seem like they're opposites, I would reccommend this duology !
May 10, 2026
this feels like the moment where all the hope from book one gets tested hard.. i like that it’s not just bigger stakes but more pressure on who they are and what they’re willing to sacrifice. it’s less about “can they be together” and more “can they survive what being together costs,” which makes everything feel heavier and more real.
[series synopsis]
in book one, a prince with a deadly touch and a hidden identity is forced into an arranged marriage with a rival kingdom’s king who secretly has forbidden magic, and what starts as political survival turns into a fragile, forbidden bond. in book two, that bond is tested as elician takes the throne, cat fights to reclaim his own, and war reignites alongside a devastating plague unleashed by a god, forcing them to choose between love, power, and survival.
[read for]
🖤 queer star-crossed romance
⚔️ war, coups, and political power struggles
💀 death magic, plague, and gods interfering
[series synopsis]
in book one, a prince with a deadly touch and a hidden identity is forced into an arranged marriage with a rival kingdom’s king who secretly has forbidden magic, and what starts as political survival turns into a fragile, forbidden bond. in book two, that bond is tested as elician takes the throne, cat fights to reclaim his own, and war reignites alongside a devastating plague unleashed by a god, forcing them to choose between love, power, and survival.
[read for]
🖤 queer star-crossed romance
⚔️ war, coups, and political power struggles
💀 death magic, plague, and gods interfering
May 6, 2026
Book two of a duology. In The Moon Blessed King, newly ascended king Elician and discarded heir to the throne Alest have promised to marry to unite their warring kingdoms. But even as Elician and Alest grow closer, divine retribution for Elician's use of his resurrection powers threatens to destroy everything they've built.
I was happy with the hopeful note The Sun Blessed Prince left off on, and I thought it worked decently as a standalone. But I liked the development of Alest and Elician's sweet friendship in book 1, so I thought I'd give the sequel a chance. In book 2, I think that the expansion of both of Alest and Elician's powers made it difficult to establish relatable stakes. Bringing back forty thousand people from the dead at a distance, from burnt ashes, is more power than most worldbuilding systems give their minor gods. It warps the scale of the plot into something very abstract. I also noticed the relatively thin worldbuilding more in this book—it's essentially a two-country setup in a generic fantasy world, and they've improbably been relatively continuously at war for a thousand years. Even England and France never managed that kind of record. In addition, I appreciated that the narrative took time to allow Elician's sister Fen POV sections rather than focusing exclusively on the main couple, but young Fen felt distinctly YA tonally. Overall, I don't entirely regret reading this book, but I preferred The Sun Blessed Prince.
I was happy with the hopeful note The Sun Blessed Prince left off on, and I thought it worked decently as a standalone. But I liked the development of Alest and Elician's sweet friendship in book 1, so I thought I'd give the sequel a chance. In book 2, I think that the expansion of both of Alest and Elician's powers made it difficult to establish relatable stakes. Bringing back forty thousand people from the dead at a distance, from burnt ashes, is more power than most worldbuilding systems give their minor gods. It warps the scale of the plot into something very abstract. I also noticed the relatively thin worldbuilding more in this book—it's essentially a two-country setup in a generic fantasy world, and they've improbably been relatively continuously at war for a thousand years. Even England and France never managed that kind of record. In addition, I appreciated that the narrative took time to allow Elician's sister Fen POV sections rather than focusing exclusively on the main couple, but young Fen felt distinctly YA tonally. Overall, I don't entirely regret reading this book, but I preferred The Sun Blessed Prince.
March 14, 2026
ARC provided by NetGalley and this is my honest review.
“The Sun Blessed Prince” was one of my favorite books of 2025 so “The Moon Blessed King” had a lot of hype for me. It mostly delivered.
While “The Sun Blessed Prince” was a slower paced book, its sequel’s plot moved quickly from each development and twist. There was much less time for some big developments to breathe. I found this to be somewhat disappointing, even if I really enjoyed my time reading this book.
However, the story itself was very strong and delivered. Real stakes were present. Everything set up in “Sun Blessed Prince” is wrapped up well here. Elician and Cat are such a good duo to root for. Lio kind of disappeared here after being so present in the first book, which is fine but also a bit disappointing. Fen’s arc is well executed and justified, even if other reviewers dislike her. Her POV really works here. We know Elician and Cat are dedicated to peace and unification, but Fen provides a foil of sorts. We needed to see her growth in order for peace to happen. Kudos to Byrd on her arc.
I think I will need to reread the duology again in the future as one book/story to really appreciate the tale. Due to the quick publication order, I suspect Byrd wrote this as one book that was cut in half for publication.
My final thought is that “A Tale of Two Crowns” Duology is a unique fantasy that is unapologetically queer. You can see some of the inspirations - Paolini’s “Inheritance Cycle” comes to mind - but Byrd created quite an interesting and engaging story. I wonder if we’ll see more from this world. The epilogue mostly wraps things up though a few questions linger.
“The Sun Blessed Prince” was one of my favorite books of 2025 so “The Moon Blessed King” had a lot of hype for me. It mostly delivered.
While “The Sun Blessed Prince” was a slower paced book, its sequel’s plot moved quickly from each development and twist. There was much less time for some big developments to breathe. I found this to be somewhat disappointing, even if I really enjoyed my time reading this book.
However, the story itself was very strong and delivered. Real stakes were present. Everything set up in “Sun Blessed Prince” is wrapped up well here. Elician and Cat are such a good duo to root for. Lio kind of disappeared here after being so present in the first book, which is fine but also a bit disappointing. Fen’s arc is well executed and justified, even if other reviewers dislike her. Her POV really works here. We know Elician and Cat are dedicated to peace and unification, but Fen provides a foil of sorts. We needed to see her growth in order for peace to happen. Kudos to Byrd on her arc.
I think I will need to reread the duology again in the future as one book/story to really appreciate the tale. Due to the quick publication order, I suspect Byrd wrote this as one book that was cut in half for publication.
My final thought is that “A Tale of Two Crowns” Duology is a unique fantasy that is unapologetically queer. You can see some of the inspirations - Paolini’s “Inheritance Cycle” comes to mind - but Byrd created quite an interesting and engaging story. I wonder if we’ll see more from this world. The epilogue mostly wraps things up though a few questions linger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 30, 2026Well, everything dies, baby, that's a fact……. but maybe everything that dies someday comes back :-0
Put your makeup on…. fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City ;-)
Put your makeup on…. fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City ;-)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Massive thank you to Random House Canada and NetGalley for approving me for this ARC!
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
After falling in love with Elician and Cat’s story in The Sun Blessed Prince and with the promise of a payoff to the romance that was burning beneath the veneer of the first book, I was anxious to get my hands on the ARC for the sequel, The Moon Blessed King. Four months of trying not to lose my mind later, and the book was in my hands, ready to be devoured whole.
Taking place immediately following the events of the first book, Elician and Cat seal themselves in a political marriage in an attempt to unite their two kingdoms, Soleb and Alelune respectively, and end the war that has devastated both countries for centuries. With Cat’s corrupt half-brother on the throne of Alelune and a plague that has gripped both lands as punishment for angering Life and Death, Elician and Cat must rely on their allies, and on each other, to eradicate the sickness and make a plea with Death to place Cat on the throne. In tandem with our eclipsed princes, we reunite with Elician’s adopted sister, Fenlia, as she fights against everything she’s been taught and everything she is, in order to serve her people and honor Elician’s wishes.
Ultimately, The Moon Blessed King improves upon many of its predecessor’s shortcomings, while suffering from issues that were entirely of its own creation. Nevertheless, it was immensely satisfying to see the conclusion of what is, truly, a beautiful story. A star gets taken away for any damages suffered by the inclusion of Fenlia’s character, but a solid four stars for Cat and Elician uplifting one another, our Sun and our Moon. Our Life and our Death.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
After falling in love with Elician and Cat’s story in The Sun Blessed Prince and with the promise of a payoff to the romance that was burning beneath the veneer of the first book, I was anxious to get my hands on the ARC for the sequel, The Moon Blessed King. Four months of trying not to lose my mind later, and the book was in my hands, ready to be devoured whole.
Taking place immediately following the events of the first book, Elician and Cat seal themselves in a political marriage in an attempt to unite their two kingdoms, Soleb and Alelune respectively, and end the war that has devastated both countries for centuries. With Cat’s corrupt half-brother on the throne of Alelune and a plague that has gripped both lands as punishment for angering Life and Death, Elician and Cat must rely on their allies, and on each other, to eradicate the sickness and make a plea with Death to place Cat on the throne. In tandem with our eclipsed princes, we reunite with Elician’s adopted sister, Fenlia, as she fights against everything she’s been taught and everything she is, in order to serve her people and honor Elician’s wishes.
Ultimately, The Moon Blessed King improves upon many of its predecessor’s shortcomings, while suffering from issues that were entirely of its own creation. Nevertheless, it was immensely satisfying to see the conclusion of what is, truly, a beautiful story. A star gets taken away for any damages suffered by the inclusion of Fenlia’s character, but a solid four stars for Cat and Elician uplifting one another, our Sun and our Moon. Our Life and our Death.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Book Break and to the publisher Tor Books for the finished copy, it hasn’t affected my honest review.
TW: death, plague, abuse, torture, murder, trauma, violence
Release date: 16th April 2026 (UK)/28th April 2026 (US)
Following on from the events of ‘The Sun Blessed Prince’, Elician has been crowned King of Soleb. He is a Giver, capable of restoring life to the dead, but Givers are not allowed to rule. Determined to end a centuries long war with the kingdom of Alelune, Elician knows there is only one solution to do so: marry the long lost heir. Cat is a Reaper, someone risen from the dead who is capable of killing with a single touch, and still badly traumatised by the events of his past. Having spent time with Elician in the early parts of book 1, the two have been separated for years after Elician was captured and tortured in Alelune. Cat’s role as a Reaper, and his claim to the throne following the murder of his mother, is tenuous as everyone is afraid of him. Things worsen when his teenage, tyrannical brother Gillage seizes power before Cat can even enter the country. Having hoped to avoid another war, Elician and Cat are devastated when Death herself releases a horrific plague across both countries. To stop it, Cat and Elician must journey into Alelune and petition Death to grant Cat his throne. Left behind and heavily unprepared for the crisis facing Soleb, Elician’s sister Fen- also a Giver- is forced to face her prejudices once again as she attempts to heal the deluge of sick and dying. However, when a coup threatens to end Elician’s reign before it can even start, Fen has to decide what she’s willing to give up in order to see her brother succeed. With the death toll rising, and the struggle for the Aluelune throne escalating to mass murder, it’s a race against time to appease Death before she can destroy two countries.
I was such a huge fan of the first book and I couldn’t wait to get to the sequel. I’m very happy to say that this duology is absolutely everything I ever wanted out of a queer, slow burn, political fantasy. Both Elician and Cat had my heart in the first book, they’ve come so far from the characters who met on a battlefield, but here they absolutely shone- Elician is brave and determined, terribly traumatised and painfully hopeful while Cat shows courage he never thought he could and softness and delicacy unlike everything he’s been taught. They didn’t spend that much time together in the first book but the fondness was there- here we see a relationship grow beautifully and tenderly in the worst of situations, two broken people trying to build something better than anything seen in this world before. I have so much love for these characters, for their individual and shared journeys, and I’m so happy with their ending. Another highlight for this series is the perspective of Fen, Elician’s adopted little sister who has always felt like she isn’t good enough. She’s passionate and impulsive, biased and deeply intelligent- I loved how complex and young she is. Her fractious relationship with Cat was my favourite aspect of the first because of how it changed her perspective; here the reader gets to see the impact of that on a wider scale. These books deal with so many difficult subjects- child abuse, imprisonment, war, identity and grief, just to name a few- but there is an aching amount of hope and love in every page. The ending made me cry in the best way. I adore this series and I hope more people read it!
TW: death, plague, abuse, torture, murder, trauma, violence
Release date: 16th April 2026 (UK)/28th April 2026 (US)
Following on from the events of ‘The Sun Blessed Prince’, Elician has been crowned King of Soleb. He is a Giver, capable of restoring life to the dead, but Givers are not allowed to rule. Determined to end a centuries long war with the kingdom of Alelune, Elician knows there is only one solution to do so: marry the long lost heir. Cat is a Reaper, someone risen from the dead who is capable of killing with a single touch, and still badly traumatised by the events of his past. Having spent time with Elician in the early parts of book 1, the two have been separated for years after Elician was captured and tortured in Alelune. Cat’s role as a Reaper, and his claim to the throne following the murder of his mother, is tenuous as everyone is afraid of him. Things worsen when his teenage, tyrannical brother Gillage seizes power before Cat can even enter the country. Having hoped to avoid another war, Elician and Cat are devastated when Death herself releases a horrific plague across both countries. To stop it, Cat and Elician must journey into Alelune and petition Death to grant Cat his throne. Left behind and heavily unprepared for the crisis facing Soleb, Elician’s sister Fen- also a Giver- is forced to face her prejudices once again as she attempts to heal the deluge of sick and dying. However, when a coup threatens to end Elician’s reign before it can even start, Fen has to decide what she’s willing to give up in order to see her brother succeed. With the death toll rising, and the struggle for the Aluelune throne escalating to mass murder, it’s a race against time to appease Death before she can destroy two countries.
I was such a huge fan of the first book and I couldn’t wait to get to the sequel. I’m very happy to say that this duology is absolutely everything I ever wanted out of a queer, slow burn, political fantasy. Both Elician and Cat had my heart in the first book, they’ve come so far from the characters who met on a battlefield, but here they absolutely shone- Elician is brave and determined, terribly traumatised and painfully hopeful while Cat shows courage he never thought he could and softness and delicacy unlike everything he’s been taught. They didn’t spend that much time together in the first book but the fondness was there- here we see a relationship grow beautifully and tenderly in the worst of situations, two broken people trying to build something better than anything seen in this world before. I have so much love for these characters, for their individual and shared journeys, and I’m so happy with their ending. Another highlight for this series is the perspective of Fen, Elician’s adopted little sister who has always felt like she isn’t good enough. She’s passionate and impulsive, biased and deeply intelligent- I loved how complex and young she is. Her fractious relationship with Cat was my favourite aspect of the first because of how it changed her perspective; here the reader gets to see the impact of that on a wider scale. These books deal with so many difficult subjects- child abuse, imprisonment, war, identity and grief, just to name a few- but there is an aching amount of hope and love in every page. The ending made me cry in the best way. I adore this series and I hope more people read it!
May 1, 2026
There are books you come to already a little bit in love with the premise, and The Moon Blessed King was absolutely one of those. The promise of a queer normative fantasy world sold it to me immediately, and Byrd delivers. I’d missed The Sun Blessed Prince, but a generous opening summary drops you straight in, and within pages I was completely invested.
At its heart, this is an evocative, character-driven queer fantasy that sits with the uncomfortable truth that good intentions and political power are rarely enough. Elician is a Giver, Cat a Reaper, and their dynamic is established early: “I look like death,” Elician huffs. “Death has always been beautiful,” Cat replies. Their marriage begins as political necessity before becoming something far richer. “It isn’t your crown that makes you my equal, Elician. It is you.” And when the “I love you” finally arrives, spoken in both Soleben and Lunae, it’s warm, awkward, and deeply disarming.
The supporting cast more than hold their own. Lio, glimpsed at the city gates in his uniform, carries a quiet emotional weight. Adalei is thornier: she argues, concedes grudgingly, and walks away without apology, a sharp portrait of institutional loyalty straining against something more personal.
Fen’s arc runs alongside all of this with equal force. Unlike the others, she never receives the mentorship or time to practise that they take for granted. The system, as Zinnitzia admits, was never designed for her to flourish. Dismissed and doubted at every turn, Fen works it out alone until she arrives at the only answer that was ever truly hers: “I feel possibility.” It’s a quietly radical kind of heroism.
Byrd is also doing something ambitious beyond the personal. The kingdom politics are intricate, Shakespearean in their drama and strikingly contemporary in their resonance. Elician’s plea cuts straight to it: “We are two different cultures, two different languages, two different histories. And just because they are different, does not mean they are less than.” It feels especially relevant now. Byrd, a historian working on global health inequities, brings authenticity to the plague narrative that gives the story a quiet, pointed fury.
The Moon Blessed King is a fiercely haunting, heart-deep queer romantasy. Needless to say, The Sun Blessed Prince is already on its way to me.
Please check TWs: genocide, large-scale death, plague
Thank you to Tor and Pan Macmillan for the beautiful ARC copy.
#pudseyrecommends
At its heart, this is an evocative, character-driven queer fantasy that sits with the uncomfortable truth that good intentions and political power are rarely enough. Elician is a Giver, Cat a Reaper, and their dynamic is established early: “I look like death,” Elician huffs. “Death has always been beautiful,” Cat replies. Their marriage begins as political necessity before becoming something far richer. “It isn’t your crown that makes you my equal, Elician. It is you.” And when the “I love you” finally arrives, spoken in both Soleben and Lunae, it’s warm, awkward, and deeply disarming.
The supporting cast more than hold their own. Lio, glimpsed at the city gates in his uniform, carries a quiet emotional weight. Adalei is thornier: she argues, concedes grudgingly, and walks away without apology, a sharp portrait of institutional loyalty straining against something more personal.
Fen’s arc runs alongside all of this with equal force. Unlike the others, she never receives the mentorship or time to practise that they take for granted. The system, as Zinnitzia admits, was never designed for her to flourish. Dismissed and doubted at every turn, Fen works it out alone until she arrives at the only answer that was ever truly hers: “I feel possibility.” It’s a quietly radical kind of heroism.
Byrd is also doing something ambitious beyond the personal. The kingdom politics are intricate, Shakespearean in their drama and strikingly contemporary in their resonance. Elician’s plea cuts straight to it: “We are two different cultures, two different languages, two different histories. And just because they are different, does not mean they are less than.” It feels especially relevant now. Byrd, a historian working on global health inequities, brings authenticity to the plague narrative that gives the story a quiet, pointed fury.
The Moon Blessed King is a fiercely haunting, heart-deep queer romantasy. Needless to say, The Sun Blessed Prince is already on its way to me.
Please check TWs: genocide, large-scale death, plague
Thank you to Tor and Pan Macmillan for the beautiful ARC copy.
#pudseyrecommends
May 7, 2026
Perhaps they have been hasty. Perhaps it was too much last night. Perhaps he pushed the thought too firmly. Elician had looked at him, brown eyes brimming with passion for the hope of a future better than the one they have now, and Cat had not had it in him to say no. He felt, instead, consumed by the idea. As if every part of him had been enveloped by a new sense of potential and being. As if every fear and every uncertainty paled in the face of one simple promise. Together. We'll stay together.
The strongest aspect of this duology is clearly the worldbuilding. The author has put much effort and care into creating a vivid world with an interesting magic system. I always like mythology or necromancy-inspired magic systems, and the Giver/Reaper dichotomy works well here, especially with the MMCs being on the opposite spectrum.
It was really refreshing to read a queer Fantasy story with a slow-burning romance between two princes. The supporting cast of characters worked well to support the main plot and add crucial POVs. The political intricacies of the world sometimes felt a bit too complicated and convenient for the plot. I felt like sometimes a simpler solution would've also worked. But in the end everything worked out as intended.
The weakest aspect of this book, unfortunately, is the writing itself. The dialogues feel choppy at times and are full of info-dumping. One of my biggest pet peeves is when medieval fantasy books use modern language... it weakens the immersion and disconnects me from the world. I think, if the author hones her prose more, she could become an excellent writer, because the characters and world are so intricate and well-crafted!
As a German, I appreciated when an author uses German words and DOESN'T change the spelling. Some try to make it quirky, but totally butcher the language. This author has clearly done her research and used other influences with respect, and I appreciate that greatly!
You can tell that a lot of care and thought went into writing this book. I absolutely love when authors provide a list of characters, a glossary of keywords and places, and a recap of book one! That was such a relief to see before even going into the story. Perhaps a pronunciation guide would be nice as well.
A huge thanks to Netgalley UK and Pan Macmillan for giving me access to an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! The beautiful cover absolutely drew me in, and I wish the author the best of success with this book.
May 12, 2026
ARC Review: The Moon Blessed King
[I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinion]
The What:
We follow Elician, a Giver, and Cat, a Reaper, as they navigate the aftermath of the events from book one while trying to lead a nation devastated by war. The two come together as kings/betroths and are set to be married in hopes of unifying their people and overthrowing Cat’s brother. A deadly plague begins spreading across the nation, forcing Givers and Reapers to work together to restore balance and save their people.
The How:
The story is told from multiple POV’s. The writing was honestly beautiful. It was richly descriptive, emotional, and very reflective, and you could tell a lot of care went into creating the mood and emotional depth of the story. I appreciated getting to see the internal struggles and growth of the characters unfold over time.
The Vibe:
Enemies to lovers, slow burn, forced proximity, opposing forces, queer fantasy, forbidden romance, life x death, found family, political war.
The Hit:
The sense of community and togetherness by the end of the book was probably my favorite part. Despite all the tension and differences between characters, the emotional payoff in the final third really came together for me. Once the pacing picked up, I found myself far more invested in the story and everything happening around the characters.
The Miss:
The pacing was definitely the biggest struggle for me. There were multiple moments where I had to put the book down because it felt too slow, and it became difficult to stay consistently immersed in the story. I also felt like some of the characters had moments where their progression or decisions felt a little inconsistent, which occasionally pulled me out of the experience.
Overall Thoughts:
This is one of those books where I can absolutely appreciate the beauty of the writing and the emotional depth, even if the reading experience itself didn’t fully work for me. I really wanted to love this book as I heard such amazing things from other readers. For me personally, the pacing made it hard to stay connected until the much stronger final section.
⭐️Overall Rating: 3/5
🔥Spice Rating : 1/5
[I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinion]
The What:
We follow Elician, a Giver, and Cat, a Reaper, as they navigate the aftermath of the events from book one while trying to lead a nation devastated by war. The two come together as kings/betroths and are set to be married in hopes of unifying their people and overthrowing Cat’s brother. A deadly plague begins spreading across the nation, forcing Givers and Reapers to work together to restore balance and save their people.
The How:
The story is told from multiple POV’s. The writing was honestly beautiful. It was richly descriptive, emotional, and very reflective, and you could tell a lot of care went into creating the mood and emotional depth of the story. I appreciated getting to see the internal struggles and growth of the characters unfold over time.
The Vibe:
Enemies to lovers, slow burn, forced proximity, opposing forces, queer fantasy, forbidden romance, life x death, found family, political war.
The Hit:
The sense of community and togetherness by the end of the book was probably my favorite part. Despite all the tension and differences between characters, the emotional payoff in the final third really came together for me. Once the pacing picked up, I found myself far more invested in the story and everything happening around the characters.
The Miss:
The pacing was definitely the biggest struggle for me. There were multiple moments where I had to put the book down because it felt too slow, and it became difficult to stay consistently immersed in the story. I also felt like some of the characters had moments where their progression or decisions felt a little inconsistent, which occasionally pulled me out of the experience.
Overall Thoughts:
This is one of those books where I can absolutely appreciate the beauty of the writing and the emotional depth, even if the reading experience itself didn’t fully work for me. I really wanted to love this book as I heard such amazing things from other readers. For me personally, the pacing made it hard to stay connected until the much stronger final section.
⭐️Overall Rating: 3/5
🔥Spice Rating : 1/5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Overall score 3.75
Thanks as ever to NetGalley, Lindsey Byrd and Pan Macmillan for sending me a digital ARC of this book to review!
Just like with the first book, the magic system and how it combines with science is my favourite part of the world. Byrd has clearly thought incredibly deeply about making sure the magic system is tight from top to bottom and is deeply entrenched into how it motivates the plot and all the characters in their own unique ways. I adore that the sequel picks up immediately after the first book, and all of the trauma of the finale of book one is so impactful and beautifully handled. Cat's struggle over his grief for his mother's death is really well done, as is Elician's trauma after his imprisonment and torture.
The middle slightly lagged for me sometimes as it felt like an overload of meetings and discussions of plans and logistics and battles and not enough time with Cat and Elician, whose relationship I just adored in the first book, but I understand why it was necessary for the plot. But then so many interesting threads that I had hoped would be revisited (and even some I NEVER saw coming that literally made me yell "oh my god" and go voice note my friend about how good this book is) came back in from the first book and the plot hooked me again. The growth of Cat but especially Fen were my highlights of this book because I love a good character driven novel.
The ending was fantastic, wrapping up at a good pace and fairly realistically, yet happily, and the epilogue was cute. The writing is so tight in these books, I personally couldn't find any plot holes of characters being stupid for the plot, which annoy me no end, so I'd definitely recommend the author and read her work again! I'll end the review with my fave quote that made me aww out loud: "There are twenty different words for love in Soleben. And in that moment, Elician feels all the ones that matter most."
Thanks as ever to NetGalley, Lindsey Byrd and Pan Macmillan for sending me a digital ARC of this book to review!
Just like with the first book, the magic system and how it combines with science is my favourite part of the world. Byrd has clearly thought incredibly deeply about making sure the magic system is tight from top to bottom and is deeply entrenched into how it motivates the plot and all the characters in their own unique ways. I adore that the sequel picks up immediately after the first book, and all of the trauma of the finale of book one is so impactful and beautifully handled. Cat's struggle over his grief for his mother's death is really well done, as is Elician's trauma after his imprisonment and torture.
The middle slightly lagged for me sometimes as it felt like an overload of meetings and discussions of plans and logistics and battles and not enough time with Cat and Elician, whose relationship I just adored in the first book, but I understand why it was necessary for the plot. But then so many interesting threads that I had hoped would be revisited (and even some I NEVER saw coming that literally made me yell "oh my god" and go voice note my friend about how good this book is) came back in from the first book and the plot hooked me again. The growth of Cat but especially Fen were my highlights of this book because I love a good character driven novel.
The ending was fantastic, wrapping up at a good pace and fairly realistically, yet happily, and the epilogue was cute. The writing is so tight in these books, I personally couldn't find any plot holes of characters being stupid for the plot, which annoy me no end, so I'd definitely recommend the author and read her work again! I'll end the review with my fave quote that made me aww out loud: "There are twenty different words for love in Soleben. And in that moment, Elician feels all the ones that matter most."
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March 7, 2026 Thank you to Netgalley and Panmacmillan for the eARC
'The moon blessed king' is the second book of a duology, following Elician, Cat and Fen through struggles, connexions and discoveries. The author put a lot of work into crafting a world deviating from the classic medieval fantasy, drawing strongly on her historical knowledge, specifically a more germanic/prussian history. It adds a nice touch to story, but I still felt a lack of texture in the creation. The lever of technology and knowledge could have been interesting, but it isn't strong enough to really draw me in.
This is also true for the belief system and the big themes of the book, namely, Sun/Moon, Life/Death. It is a topic I have explored a lot, and I must say I found the way it was treated in this book too familiar and seen. But note this is probably more of a me problem than a general thruth about the story.
The characters have a similar treatment : they're worked to have nuances and depth, tied to their upbringing and culture. Unfortunately, their emotions are explained too much for it to really land for me. I need more shadows and stuff to draw out of context, less descriptions.
If I was invested in the romance, and if the structure for it makes sense and is believable, the way emotions are explained made it harder to swoon when it happened.
I still want to give Byrd credit for her work and what she tried to do. It didn't work for me but it might appeal to other readers. The book is quite well written on a prose level, and I think the characters and world might appeal to other readers.
'The moon blessed king' is the second book of a duology, following Elician, Cat and Fen through struggles, connexions and discoveries. The author put a lot of work into crafting a world deviating from the classic medieval fantasy, drawing strongly on her historical knowledge, specifically a more germanic/prussian history. It adds a nice touch to story, but I still felt a lack of texture in the creation. The lever of technology and knowledge could have been interesting, but it isn't strong enough to really draw me in.
This is also true for the belief system and the big themes of the book, namely, Sun/Moon, Life/Death. It is a topic I have explored a lot, and I must say I found the way it was treated in this book too familiar and seen. But note this is probably more of a me problem than a general thruth about the story.
The characters have a similar treatment : they're worked to have nuances and depth, tied to their upbringing and culture. Unfortunately, their emotions are explained too much for it to really land for me. I need more shadows and stuff to draw out of context, less descriptions.
If I was invested in the romance, and if the structure for it makes sense and is believable, the way emotions are explained made it harder to swoon when it happened.
I still want to give Byrd credit for her work and what she tried to do. It didn't work for me but it might appeal to other readers. The book is quite well written on a prose level, and I think the characters and world might appeal to other readers.
May 4, 2026
Form: Audiobook
Narrator: Joe Jameson
Length : 15 hours 30 minutes
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Diversity: themes of bigotry ( reapers are seen as less) bipoc mcs , scs and bcs
Queerness: Queer mcs
Associated song: The Fire by Vincent Lima
Content Warnings: Murder, references to torture and off screen beheading
I have been waiting for this book since I read the first one back in September 2025.
The narrator once again was amazing qns im shocked on how well he can do all the voices. You would have thought they were all different voice actors but they are all Joe! Also for those who were reading
Cat has a French accent.
I feel like there wasnt enough on screen exploration of elicans trauma after his literal torture but also at the same time the character was actively trying to ignore the fact it happened. We see it in how he cant sleep on a bed , how for so long he wont eat
The fact that eilican went though so much , more the Leo did but its kinda glossed over by everyone because unlike Leo, elicians body doesn't show it
He didnt eat for months but being a healer his body would heal BUT HE WAS STILL STARVING *MY SHELYA*
I loved the fact that healers and reapers have the power to do both , I also love the fact that cat spared his brothers life
The character is so forgiving and no wonder eilican fell in love with him.
Narrator: Joe Jameson
Length : 15 hours 30 minutes
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Diversity: themes of bigotry ( reapers are seen as less) bipoc mcs , scs and bcs
Queerness: Queer mcs
Associated song: The Fire by Vincent Lima
Content Warnings: Murder, references to torture and off screen beheading
I have been waiting for this book since I read the first one back in September 2025.
The narrator once again was amazing qns im shocked on how well he can do all the voices. You would have thought they were all different voice actors but they are all Joe! Also for those who were reading
Cat has a French accent.
I feel like there wasnt enough on screen exploration of elicans trauma after his literal torture but also at the same time the character was actively trying to ignore the fact it happened. We see it in how he cant sleep on a bed , how for so long he wont eat
The fact that eilican went though so much , more the Leo did but its kinda glossed over by everyone because unlike Leo, elicians body doesn't show it
He didnt eat for months but being a healer his body would heal BUT HE WAS STILL STARVING *MY SHELYA*
I loved the fact that healers and reapers have the power to do both , I also love the fact that cat spared his brothers life
The character is so forgiving and no wonder eilican fell in love with him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2026
The Moon Blessed King starts right where The Sun Blessed Prince ends and uses it as a great launching point.
This book explores life and death and what it means to have control over them. It also explores the actions of the characters in the previous book and the consequences of their actions. This something I particularly enjoyed as there was accountability that felt realistic. This book also had some good philosophical takes and discussions.
I enjoyed the characters again in this book and their journeys and development. Fen’d character development was particularly inter and enjoying to see, especially as she was quite frustrating at times. I also loved Cat and Elician’s relationship and seeing that develop throughout the book! It still continued with its slow burn and it was so rewarding! There were some pop ups from characters in the first book as well that were fun to see.
This book was written during the pandemic and was heavily inspired by it. It’s not an easy read by any stretch but was very interesting a few years removed from the quarantines in our world. However I would avoid this book if that’s something you don’t want to read.
An amazing follow up to the Sun Blessed Prince and great end to the characters stories!
Thank you to the NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book explores life and death and what it means to have control over them. It also explores the actions of the characters in the previous book and the consequences of their actions. This something I particularly enjoyed as there was accountability that felt realistic. This book also had some good philosophical takes and discussions.
I enjoyed the characters again in this book and their journeys and development. Fen’d character development was particularly inter and enjoying to see, especially as she was quite frustrating at times. I also loved Cat and Elician’s relationship and seeing that develop throughout the book! It still continued with its slow burn and it was so rewarding! There were some pop ups from characters in the first book as well that were fun to see.
This book was written during the pandemic and was heavily inspired by it. It’s not an easy read by any stretch but was very interesting a few years removed from the quarantines in our world. However I would avoid this book if that’s something you don’t want to read.
An amazing follow up to the Sun Blessed Prince and great end to the characters stories!
Thank you to the NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First things first: I loved having a recap of the first book in the duology at the beginning! I definitely didn’t remember all of the plot details of The Sun Blessed Prince, so I appreciated a chance to refresh my memory. More of this in fantasy series please!
I have my issues with this book, but overall it kept me invested — I always wanted to keep reading. Still, at times it was slow. A lot of the opening scenes were political conversations; these are fine, but they don’t exactly draw in the reader. I also think that the budding, super-slowburn relationship promised in all descriptions of the book should actually be de-centred a bit. While I loved the dynamic between Elician and Cat, most of the time it’s more on the sidelines than you might expect it to be. This is mostly because of the overwhelming amount of chapters from Elician’s teenage sister, Fen’s, point of view. I tried my best to be understanding of her character arc, but for most of the book she was still frustrating.
I enjoyed the conversations around life and death and how they balance one another. The world was very well built. It probably could have been a bit shorter, especially the last fifty or so pages. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.
I received a free digital ARC via NetGalley.
I have my issues with this book, but overall it kept me invested — I always wanted to keep reading. Still, at times it was slow. A lot of the opening scenes were political conversations; these are fine, but they don’t exactly draw in the reader. I also think that the budding, super-slowburn relationship promised in all descriptions of the book should actually be de-centred a bit. While I loved the dynamic between Elician and Cat, most of the time it’s more on the sidelines than you might expect it to be. This is mostly because of the overwhelming amount of chapters from Elician’s teenage sister, Fen’s, point of view. I tried my best to be understanding of her character arc, but for most of the book she was still frustrating.
I enjoyed the conversations around life and death and how they balance one another. The world was very well built. It probably could have been a bit shorter, especially the last fifty or so pages. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.
I received a free digital ARC via NetGalley.
May 7, 2026
Thank you to the publishers for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had a read of the first book again first to really get to grips with the story and I have to say this duo logy has blown me away as I enjoyed this second book even more than the first! This one has a lot more slow burn romance in it which is great and also a little bit of spice towards the very end. I love our two princes - Elician and Cat - and they have both stolen my heart completely. They were shining through in this novel and I loved seeing the sweetness of their relationship unfold and that their story turns out the way that it did. There are a lot of triggering things in these books but they are all dealt with sensitively and respectfully and honestly I would love to see more books set in this world - maybe something about Fens journey?
May 17, 2026
It took me longer then I thought it would to read this book.
The first one was so light, beautiful and innocently fun that the amount of emotion and ANGST in the second one absolutely wrecked me. So it took a while for me to get through it. But honestly, I fucked loved it.
The writing, the twists and the fucking metaphor of it all 10/10. This hurt in the best ways and the story was one that I couldn’t see coming, which meant usually I figured it out like one page before I read it and then got to feel mildly accomplished by something the author absolutely intended me to figure out. Thanks for that.
Anything that makes someone feel that much while on Sertraline deserves more than 5 stars 😂
The first one was so light, beautiful and innocently fun that the amount of emotion and ANGST in the second one absolutely wrecked me. So it took a while for me to get through it. But honestly, I fucked loved it.
The writing, the twists and the fucking metaphor of it all 10/10. This hurt in the best ways and the story was one that I couldn’t see coming, which meant usually I figured it out like one page before I read it and then got to feel mildly accomplished by something the author absolutely intended me to figure out. Thanks for that.
Anything that makes someone feel that much while on Sertraline deserves more than 5 stars 😂
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC!
Byrd’s prose is the sort you can just sink into, it feels like someone reading a story to you, totally immersive yet gentle.
The romance between Cat and Elician is so tender and slow burn—the most romantic political romance I’ve ever read. I also enjoyed seeing it from Fenlia’s perspective.
The plot is slow-paced, but still fascinating, and the depth of detail to the politics, especially the impact of a pandemic is impressive. This duology is perfect for readers who love nuanced characters, lyrical storytelling and a mixture of dark and light—or are they really one and the same after all?
Byrd’s prose is the sort you can just sink into, it feels like someone reading a story to you, totally immersive yet gentle.
The romance between Cat and Elician is so tender and slow burn—the most romantic political romance I’ve ever read. I also enjoyed seeing it from Fenlia’s perspective.
The plot is slow-paced, but still fascinating, and the depth of detail to the politics, especially the impact of a pandemic is impressive. This duology is perfect for readers who love nuanced characters, lyrical storytelling and a mixture of dark and light—or are they really one and the same after all?
May 16, 2026
If a book can make you feel emotions, it is a good book indeed.
This book is a wonderful conclusion to this duology. I am incredibly saddened for the story to be over, but I think that speaks to how amazing it was more than anything else. I laughed, screamed, cried, and even felt proud of a character while reading this. I adore how the author is able to show growth in a character, even doing so quietly at times. I have a feeling I will be reaching for this duology to reread many times in my life.
This book is a wonderful conclusion to this duology. I am incredibly saddened for the story to be over, but I think that speaks to how amazing it was more than anything else. I laughed, screamed, cried, and even felt proud of a character while reading this. I adore how the author is able to show growth in a character, even doing so quietly at times. I have a feeling I will be reaching for this duology to reread many times in my life.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think this duology might be a bit mismarketed. When I first picked up book 1 I expected something more akin to romantasy, but this series is really more of a political fantasy with strong medical elements, and it might not be reaching its audience due to this mismatch. There's really not much romance in book 1, and this only picked up in the second book, but I would still say this is not at the forefront.
At the start of this book, Elician and Cat get married for political reasons. They want to finally end the war that has been raging on between their two countries for centuries. But while Elician was able to claim his throne, Cat's younger half brother is on the throne of Alelunen and he has no desire for peace. First, Cat must claim his own throne, and much of this book is about the politics of this, of ensuring this pair actually has the power to end this war, and much goes wrong before they can get there.
At the same time, a disease breaks out as a consequence of all the raising the dead, and I liked to see that resurrection does have consequences. A bit on an issue earlier on in this series was how the MC can essentially raise the dead whenever, and the only thing stopping him is that it's taboo (which the MC largely ignores), and I liked to see that death cannot be evaded forever.
I really liked the handling of this disease outbreak, and the inspirations from the pandemic are very obvious here, so keep that in mind if that's something you're sensitive to. Fen's character arc was particularly strong in this regard as she has to learn to work alongside the reapers she previously hated to heal the afflicted people.
I really liked the further world building in this book, including more development of the concept's of givers and reapers as well as the gods who gave these powers, which made for an interesting take on life and death as concepts.
The romance does ultimately build up in this book, and while it was sweet, I did not think it was particularly strong, and I would recommend this book more so for the healing magic and pandemic plotline than the romance.
At the start of this book, Elician and Cat get married for political reasons. They want to finally end the war that has been raging on between their two countries for centuries. But while Elician was able to claim his throne, Cat's younger half brother is on the throne of Alelunen and he has no desire for peace. First, Cat must claim his own throne, and much of this book is about the politics of this, of ensuring this pair actually has the power to end this war, and much goes wrong before they can get there.
At the same time, a disease breaks out as a consequence of all the raising the dead, and I liked to see that resurrection does have consequences. A bit on an issue earlier on in this series was how the MC can essentially raise the dead whenever, and the only thing stopping him is that it's taboo (which the MC largely ignores), and I liked to see that death cannot be evaded forever.
I really liked the handling of this disease outbreak, and the inspirations from the pandemic are very obvious here, so keep that in mind if that's something you're sensitive to. Fen's character arc was particularly strong in this regard as she has to learn to work alongside the reapers she previously hated to heal the afflicted people.
I really liked the further world building in this book, including more development of the concept's of givers and reapers as well as the gods who gave these powers, which made for an interesting take on life and death as concepts.
The romance does ultimately build up in this book, and while it was sweet, I did not think it was particularly strong, and I would recommend this book more so for the healing magic and pandemic plotline than the romance.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This sequel delivered.
Book one built a stunning world, this one lets the story soar.
Cat & Elician’s romance? Tender. Political. Slow-burn perfection. The pacing is thoughtful, the politics feel eerily real (pandemic impact included), and the storytelling balances darkness and hope beautifully.
Perfect for readers who love lyrical writing, nuanced characters, and stories that quietly steal your heart.
Thank you Random House Canada for the complimentary copy.
Book one built a stunning world, this one lets the story soar.
Cat & Elician’s romance? Tender. Political. Slow-burn perfection. The pacing is thoughtful, the politics feel eerily real (pandemic impact included), and the storytelling balances darkness and hope beautifully.
Perfect for readers who love lyrical writing, nuanced characters, and stories that quietly steal your heart.
Thank you Random House Canada for the complimentary copy.
May 5, 2026
The Moon Blessed King is an outstanding sequel the The Sun Blessed Prince. While it’s not uncommon for sequels to be a little worse than the first book, Lindsey Byrd knocked it out of the park. She did a fantastic job balancing the different characters and you get to see the characters grow and develop as people. The prose is lyrical and has some beautiful and profound quotes while not dragging. Byrd did a great job balancing both the fantasy elements and the romance elements of the story, allowing both to be fleshed out. Overall just a fantastic conclusion to the duology.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Life is death and death is life. Givers can be reapers and reapers can be givers. I really enjoyed this. I like the way that each kingdom represents either life or death and how they eventually become one through their kings as you can’t have one without the other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2026
Veryyyy similar to CS Pacat’s captive prince series. Liked that this one was shorter and felt more condensed. Also less of a slow burn. Really loved the themes in this book and the philosophy of it all.
April 20, 2026
I'm still working through my thoughts about this book, but this duology hit me right in the heart and will be on my mind for a long time, I expect.
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