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Moonlight and Dust
An intriguing, fast-paced debut YA fantasy novel, featuring sixteen-year-old Torres Strait Islander Zillah, who is caught up in the world of exclusive high school parties after her sister has a mysterious accident. For fans of kick-arse girls, enigmatic boys, true friendships, family secrets and illicit magic.
There's something dangerous in the air. It shimmers in the night, wrapped in the warm, humid breeze. I stand on the kerb outside my cousin's house waiting for my sister.
Zillah has always been a good girl - nothing like her rebellious big sister Nik. After Nik has an accident that leaves her comatose, Zillah has to find a way to navigate life and high school in Cairns without Nik's guiding light.
Determined to fit in, Zillah seeks out the secrets of her school's after-hours party scene and discovers Moondust - a sparkling elixir with magical properties. Could this have something to do with Nik's accident? To find out, she must plunge further into a world of moonlit parties and take out-of-character risks.
As Zillah unravels what might be going on at Craigmont High, she forges friendships with other Island students and starts falling for a boy who might know more about Nik than he lets on. But Zillah is not entirely sure who she can trust. And she has no idea of the danger they're all in.
A wonderful new voice in YA fantasy with a unique story about family and friendship, mysterious parties and unknowable secrets.
There's something dangerous in the air. It shimmers in the night, wrapped in the warm, humid breeze. I stand on the kerb outside my cousin's house waiting for my sister.
Zillah has always been a good girl - nothing like her rebellious big sister Nik. After Nik has an accident that leaves her comatose, Zillah has to find a way to navigate life and high school in Cairns without Nik's guiding light.
Determined to fit in, Zillah seeks out the secrets of her school's after-hours party scene and discovers Moondust - a sparkling elixir with magical properties. Could this have something to do with Nik's accident? To find out, she must plunge further into a world of moonlit parties and take out-of-character risks.
As Zillah unravels what might be going on at Craigmont High, she forges friendships with other Island students and starts falling for a boy who might know more about Nik than he lets on. But Zillah is not entirely sure who she can trust. And she has no idea of the danger they're all in.
A wonderful new voice in YA fantasy with a unique story about family and friendship, mysterious parties and unknowable secrets.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2025
1 person is currently reading
174 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 13, 2025
ARC review
2.5 stars
Moonlight and Dust is a YA fantasy following Zillah as she moves school while her sister is in a coma after a mysterious accident. Zillah has always been a good kid but on her quest for answers she finds herself drawn to the school's party scene, where she discovers Nik's old friend group are taking Moondust every weekend and gaining temporary magical abilities.
Firstly, I love seeing Indigenous representation in fantasy!! Zillah and her family are Torres Strait Islanders (as is the author) and the book explores how they view and value their families through hard times. I also like how open Zillah's family are with one another for the most part, especially when discussing Nik's out-of-the-ordinary and rebellious behaviour prior to her accident. This book uses magic to contextualise the real struggles many families face when young people start experimenting with substances and falling in with the wrong crowd.
Unfortunately I struggled to get through this book because despite the characters being in year 12 (so 17-18 years old) they all read like 12-14 year olds. I enjoy YA but the writing is VERY lower YA, almost middle grade level. Which isn't a problem if you know what you're expecting, however generally the age of the main character is a pretty good indicator of the target audience in YA fiction. The dialogue for the most part was incredibly juvenile and I just couldn't picture 17-18 year olds doing the things the characters were doing. As for the fantasy, this definitely belongs in the magical realism sub-genre so that's important to know going in too. I love a potion-based magic system but the actual magic is few and far between sadly.
I would recommend this to pre-teens/young teens or anyone who specifically enjoys books for that age group. It is not lost of me that this author does also write children's books so that's perhaps where their passion/expertise is, I just wish this had been elevated more for an older audience. It is always great to see authors from diverse backgrounds sharing their voices.
2.5 stars
Moonlight and Dust is a YA fantasy following Zillah as she moves school while her sister is in a coma after a mysterious accident. Zillah has always been a good kid but on her quest for answers she finds herself drawn to the school's party scene, where she discovers Nik's old friend group are taking Moondust every weekend and gaining temporary magical abilities.
Firstly, I love seeing Indigenous representation in fantasy!! Zillah and her family are Torres Strait Islanders (as is the author) and the book explores how they view and value their families through hard times. I also like how open Zillah's family are with one another for the most part, especially when discussing Nik's out-of-the-ordinary and rebellious behaviour prior to her accident. This book uses magic to contextualise the real struggles many families face when young people start experimenting with substances and falling in with the wrong crowd.
Unfortunately I struggled to get through this book because despite the characters being in year 12 (so 17-18 years old) they all read like 12-14 year olds. I enjoy YA but the writing is VERY lower YA, almost middle grade level. Which isn't a problem if you know what you're expecting, however generally the age of the main character is a pretty good indicator of the target audience in YA fiction. The dialogue for the most part was incredibly juvenile and I just couldn't picture 17-18 year olds doing the things the characters were doing. As for the fantasy, this definitely belongs in the magical realism sub-genre so that's important to know going in too. I love a potion-based magic system but the actual magic is few and far between sadly.
I would recommend this to pre-teens/young teens or anyone who specifically enjoys books for that age group. It is not lost of me that this author does also write children's books so that's perhaps where their passion/expertise is, I just wish this had been elevated more for an older audience. It is always great to see authors from diverse backgrounds sharing their voices.
June 19, 2025
★★★★★
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝑴𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍. 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍. *ೃ༄
First Nations author Jasmin McGaughey brings magic, mystery, family and friendships and culture to life in her YA Fantasy novel.
I’m so thrilled to receive the ARC and have the chance to read Jas’s book! You’re so talented with what you do and you’re an amazing soul! Can’t wait for the offical release of your novel, I’ll definitely be adding this to my staff picks!!
⁀➷ First Nation Voices
⁀➷ Friends to Lovers
⁀➷ Banter
⁀➷ Magic
⁀➷ Mystery
Firstly, what an amazing story - both in the sense of cultural aspects and fantasy elements intertwining to truely become something beautiful.
I loved the steadiness of the story and that it went at a pace that kept me hooked but didn’t give anything away. Throughout each chapter, it was unputdownable. Zillah’s character development - our smart, witty and studious protagonist - grew immensely from wanting to lay low and not be seen, to willing to take risks in order to find out what happened to her sister (as the mystery unfolds).
Not only was the magic system used in this novel unique, the culture shown through its pages were heartwarming. I had a small sense of culture shock to know that the author has spelt Creole different to how I’d spell it, Kriol. It’s funny to think about this, since Kriol/Creole is used by majority of the Indigenous population. I haven’t spoken/used much of it but it’s amazing to see it written out in this book! It made this feel all the more authentic to the Indigenous culture.
I loved all the characters that were introduced and how every single one of them were different to each other, bringing the dynamics to each interaction to life.
Right off the bat, I fell in love with Artie and Zillah. They were so cute together that the romance sprinkled throughout scenes gave me butterflies. Their flirtatious banter, their interactions, the way Artie would look at Zillah… I’m all for it! I think his easy going personality was captured well to an extend that helps Zillah feel more relaxed while adjusting to an environment she’d been away from for a long time.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝑴𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍. 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍. *ೃ༄
First Nations author Jasmin McGaughey brings magic, mystery, family and friendships and culture to life in her YA Fantasy novel.
I’m so thrilled to receive the ARC and have the chance to read Jas’s book! You’re so talented with what you do and you’re an amazing soul! Can’t wait for the offical release of your novel, I’ll definitely be adding this to my staff picks!!
⁀➷ First Nation Voices
⁀➷ Friends to Lovers
⁀➷ Banter
⁀➷ Magic
⁀➷ Mystery
Firstly, what an amazing story - both in the sense of cultural aspects and fantasy elements intertwining to truely become something beautiful.
I loved the steadiness of the story and that it went at a pace that kept me hooked but didn’t give anything away. Throughout each chapter, it was unputdownable. Zillah’s character development - our smart, witty and studious protagonist - grew immensely from wanting to lay low and not be seen, to willing to take risks in order to find out what happened to her sister (as the mystery unfolds).
Not only was the magic system used in this novel unique, the culture shown through its pages were heartwarming. I had a small sense of culture shock to know that the author has spelt Creole different to how I’d spell it, Kriol. It’s funny to think about this, since Kriol/Creole is used by majority of the Indigenous population. I haven’t spoken/used much of it but it’s amazing to see it written out in this book! It made this feel all the more authentic to the Indigenous culture.
I loved all the characters that were introduced and how every single one of them were different to each other, bringing the dynamics to each interaction to life.
Right off the bat, I fell in love with Artie and Zillah. They were so cute together that the romance sprinkled throughout scenes gave me butterflies. Their flirtatious banter, their interactions, the way Artie would look at Zillah… I’m all for it! I think his easy going personality was captured well to an extend that helps Zillah feel more relaxed while adjusting to an environment she’d been away from for a long time.
August 26, 2025
What I truly adored about this book was the Torres Straight Islander representation. It was so great to see the author integrate her native tongue into the novel, imbuing the characters with her heritage. I haven’t read any novels previously with this representation, so I’m glad I got to see it here.
The magic element in this novel was also really cool. Magic is an engineered drug that teenagers take without concern for any side effects. That is, of course, the side effects begin to catch-up with them. It speaks to themes of peer pressure and substance abuse, using magic as a vessel for these messages.
I will say that the tone of the novel felt a little younger, but I believe that it would suit teenage audiences well.
Thanks so much to Allen & Unwin NZ for gifting me a copy to review!
The magic element in this novel was also really cool. Magic is an engineered drug that teenagers take without concern for any side effects. That is, of course, the side effects begin to catch-up with them. It speaks to themes of peer pressure and substance abuse, using magic as a vessel for these messages.
I will say that the tone of the novel felt a little younger, but I believe that it would suit teenage audiences well.
Thanks so much to Allen & Unwin NZ for gifting me a copy to review!
July 11, 2025
3.5 stars
August 22, 2025
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Thank you Allen and Unwin for this book in exchange for an honest review
Imagine stepping back to high school, but with moondust that grants power every weekend. That’s exactly what happens when Zillah, who returns to Cairns and discovers her sister’s boarding school hides a shimmering secret.
Zillah’s journey is equal parts mystery, sisterhood, and YA fantasy magic. She’s not one for reckless risks, until Moondust tempts her out of her comfort zone and straight into underground parties, friendship drama, and a romance that might just hold answers to her sister’s coma.
What sets this apart? McGaughey’s vivid Cairns setting glows on the page, legit making me remember the holidays that I’ve personally had in that area of Aus. The character’s shines with authenticity, depth, and a sense of community that's rooted in culture, though I thought their dialogue was more yanky than aussie in some parts.
Overall, Moonlight and Dust is a sparkling YA fantasy debut that is fast-paced and heartfelt. If you want a TBR-worthy mix of family ties, glittery danger, and powers that pulse with consequence, this one is gold. One thing to note: based of that beautiful writing style, Jasmin McGaughey is an author to watch out for!
Bookstagram
Website
Thank you Allen and Unwin for this book in exchange for an honest review
Imagine stepping back to high school, but with moondust that grants power every weekend. That’s exactly what happens when Zillah, who returns to Cairns and discovers her sister’s boarding school hides a shimmering secret.
Zillah’s journey is equal parts mystery, sisterhood, and YA fantasy magic. She’s not one for reckless risks, until Moondust tempts her out of her comfort zone and straight into underground parties, friendship drama, and a romance that might just hold answers to her sister’s coma.
What sets this apart? McGaughey’s vivid Cairns setting glows on the page, legit making me remember the holidays that I’ve personally had in that area of Aus. The character’s shines with authenticity, depth, and a sense of community that's rooted in culture, though I thought their dialogue was more yanky than aussie in some parts.
Overall, Moonlight and Dust is a sparkling YA fantasy debut that is fast-paced and heartfelt. If you want a TBR-worthy mix of family ties, glittery danger, and powers that pulse with consequence, this one is gold. One thing to note: based of that beautiful writing style, Jasmin McGaughey is an author to watch out for!
Read
November 6, 2025ARC
July 11, 2025
My god, absolutely beautiful. Jasmin is such a bright talent the world needs to see more of. An absolute star, shimmering just like the gorgeous aesthetic of this book.
Zillah comes home to Cairns from boarding school to join her sister, but her sister doesn't end up going to school with her - she's in a strange coma, and Zillah is sure her skin is glistening silver.
She starts school like an echo of her sister, joining her sister's friend group but unsure who to trust. Especially when it turns out the kids use a drug that gives them powers every weekend. And the guy she's crushing on might know more than he's letting on.
The magic is stunning and exciting, but dangers start to appear, and they're connected to Zillah's sister's coma. The book begs the question, what would you choose if you could have powers, but those powers had consequences?
Moonlight and Dust is SUCH a cool book. It blends Zillah's regular teen experiences with her Torres Straight Islander culture, as well as, of course, magical powers. It's fantasy in a light the world has literally never seen before.
It's faced paced, which I loved. You certainly get enough time with all the characters that the setting is fully built out and enrapturing. Zillah is such a beautiful character. I wanted the world for her. And as she grows and learns, as she interacts with her friends and family, you fall in love with the book more and more.
What I would have loved more of was the magic itself. We didn't get long to enjoy it before the dangers appeared and the characters mostly stopped using it. I would've loved to experience more of the fantasy. This book does feel a lot more contemporary with a little magic. It also is a lot less dark than the cover's aesthetic might lead you to think.
Still, though, this book does an amazing job of fully being itself. Unique and stunning, with themes that'll stay in your heart for days after you put it down.
A huge congratulations to Jasmin and a huge thank you to A&U for my ARC 💗
Zillah comes home to Cairns from boarding school to join her sister, but her sister doesn't end up going to school with her - she's in a strange coma, and Zillah is sure her skin is glistening silver.
She starts school like an echo of her sister, joining her sister's friend group but unsure who to trust. Especially when it turns out the kids use a drug that gives them powers every weekend. And the guy she's crushing on might know more than he's letting on.
The magic is stunning and exciting, but dangers start to appear, and they're connected to Zillah's sister's coma. The book begs the question, what would you choose if you could have powers, but those powers had consequences?
Moonlight and Dust is SUCH a cool book. It blends Zillah's regular teen experiences with her Torres Straight Islander culture, as well as, of course, magical powers. It's fantasy in a light the world has literally never seen before.
It's faced paced, which I loved. You certainly get enough time with all the characters that the setting is fully built out and enrapturing. Zillah is such a beautiful character. I wanted the world for her. And as she grows and learns, as she interacts with her friends and family, you fall in love with the book more and more.
What I would have loved more of was the magic itself. We didn't get long to enjoy it before the dangers appeared and the characters mostly stopped using it. I would've loved to experience more of the fantasy. This book does feel a lot more contemporary with a little magic. It also is a lot less dark than the cover's aesthetic might lead you to think.
Still, though, this book does an amazing job of fully being itself. Unique and stunning, with themes that'll stay in your heart for days after you put it down.
A huge congratulations to Jasmin and a huge thank you to A&U for my ARC 💗
July 6, 2025
16-year-old Zillah is a Torres Strait Islander caught up in a world of exclusive high school parties, after her 18-year-old sister Nikola has a mysterious accident. Nik is now comatose, and Zillah wants answers.
Zillah has returned home to Cairns after attending school in Queensland. She is enrolled at a local high school, Craigmont High. She is a quiet and shy girl, and struggles to make friends, unlike her rebellious big sister. However, she does connect with a small group, especially Nik’s friend Artie, and is invited to exclusive high school parties, where the attendees can purchase Moondust, an illicit magic-inducing sparkling elixir with dreamlike properties.
Determined to fit in, Zillah seeks out the secrets of the after-hours school parties. Could Moondust have something to do with Nik’s accident? To find out, she must plunge further into an arcane world and take out-of-character risks. Zillah and her friends are perturbed by the fact that people’s memories are being erased, and need to get to the bottom of it
As Zillah forges friendships, she is not entirely sure whom she can trust. She eventually discovers that one of the teachers at the school is the supplier of this ‘magical’ elixir, but he isn’t acting alone. When she uses one of the varieties of Moondust to bring her sister out of her coma, the group of friends must band together to stop the supply chain.
This is a debut YA novel by the author of the Little Ash (Barty) series. The publisher has it billed as, ‘For fans of kick-arse girls, enigmatic boys, true friendships, family secrets and illicit magic.’
Zillah has returned home to Cairns after attending school in Queensland. She is enrolled at a local high school, Craigmont High. She is a quiet and shy girl, and struggles to make friends, unlike her rebellious big sister. However, she does connect with a small group, especially Nik’s friend Artie, and is invited to exclusive high school parties, where the attendees can purchase Moondust, an illicit magic-inducing sparkling elixir with dreamlike properties.
Determined to fit in, Zillah seeks out the secrets of the after-hours school parties. Could Moondust have something to do with Nik’s accident? To find out, she must plunge further into an arcane world and take out-of-character risks. Zillah and her friends are perturbed by the fact that people’s memories are being erased, and need to get to the bottom of it
As Zillah forges friendships, she is not entirely sure whom she can trust. She eventually discovers that one of the teachers at the school is the supplier of this ‘magical’ elixir, but he isn’t acting alone. When she uses one of the varieties of Moondust to bring her sister out of her coma, the group of friends must band together to stop the supply chain.
This is a debut YA novel by the author of the Little Ash (Barty) series. The publisher has it billed as, ‘For fans of kick-arse girls, enigmatic boys, true friendships, family secrets and illicit magic.’
June 5, 2025
This book is fantastic - both in the sense that it has fantasy elements and in the sense that it is excellent. It is classified as YA fantasy. I don't have a lot of experience with YA although I keep hearing how it's changing fast and not what it used to be, but this feels (in a good way) like a book I would have read and enjoyed as a teenager. As someone who is well past being a teenager I enjoyed it as a story. It terms of the other fantastic elements, these moved the story along, but were not really the point, at least the way I read the book. It was refreshing to read about Islanders in a very different way from how this cultural group is often addressed. This book has many themes - family, ethics, friendship, culture which would make it a great book to study at school, or in a book group. Mostly though it was a rollicking good read with strong characters, complex relationships and some action as well.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a free e0arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a free e0arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2025
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠: 𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙳𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚢 𝙹𝚊𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚌𝙶𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚎𝚢
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝙰𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗 & 𝚄𝚗𝚠𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚛:
𝙼𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠:
Suspenseful, magical, interesting.
Written by a First Nations Torres Strait Islander, Moonlight and Dust Portrays a beautifully written narrative, giving some insight to their language and culture.
Jasmin McGaughey has written a beautiful novel.
This book about magic, sisterly love and friendship shows what a sister will go through to find out what happened when her older sister had an accident and who was to fault.
I loved this book, their characters are book was so fun and interesting, teaching about things outside my normal scope.
I loved learning about Zilliah and her sister Nik. The character development of Zilliah was BEAUTIFUL
This book just filled me with a sense of understanding and appreciation, not to mention love.
I cannot fault this beautiful book.
𝙼𝚢 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐:
0/🌶️
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝙰𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗 & 𝚄𝚗𝚠𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚛:
𝙼𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠:
Suspenseful, magical, interesting.
Written by a First Nations Torres Strait Islander, Moonlight and Dust Portrays a beautifully written narrative, giving some insight to their language and culture.
Jasmin McGaughey has written a beautiful novel.
This book about magic, sisterly love and friendship shows what a sister will go through to find out what happened when her older sister had an accident and who was to fault.
I loved this book, their characters are book was so fun and interesting, teaching about things outside my normal scope.
I loved learning about Zilliah and her sister Nik. The character development of Zilliah was BEAUTIFUL
This book just filled me with a sense of understanding and appreciation, not to mention love.
I cannot fault this beautiful book.
𝙼𝚢 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐:
0/🌶️
July 20, 2025
Moonlight and Dust (ARC) Review
My rating: 3⭐️
Spice: Kiss
Reading this book felt nostalgic to me.
Having had grown up in Cairns in my early years, the weather, the locations, the kind of language used such as “Deadly” or “Bala” and all that felt familiar. The familiarity of the language made it easier for me to understand as well which was a bonus.
The characters were great. There wasn’t much depth in them, but in saying that, the book is short. The character growth of Zillah was great and seeing her navigate her situation was lovely.
If you like books that contain:
✨YA
🌴 Magic
✨Contemporary
🌴 Mystery
✨ And more
This book is for you.
✨ This book has since been released✨
Thank you to @allenandunwin for this copy!
My rating: 3⭐️
Spice: Kiss
Reading this book felt nostalgic to me.
Having had grown up in Cairns in my early years, the weather, the locations, the kind of language used such as “Deadly” or “Bala” and all that felt familiar. The familiarity of the language made it easier for me to understand as well which was a bonus.
The characters were great. There wasn’t much depth in them, but in saying that, the book is short. The character growth of Zillah was great and seeing her navigate her situation was lovely.
If you like books that contain:
✨YA
🌴 Magic
✨Contemporary
🌴 Mystery
✨ And more
This book is for you.
✨ This book has since been released✨
Thank you to @allenandunwin for this copy!
July 10, 2025
Ahhh! This book! I’ve been following Jasmin’s booktok the last few months in the lead up to this dropping so to say I’m excited to have read it so soon after it published is an understatement! This book is so GOOD! The magical realism is spectacular! The way it wraps into the normal world and feels so real! Almost a shame that Moondust isn’t real tbh 😜 The characters are so well written and just relatable in so many ways, and the way I felt taken back to visiting Darwin and Queensland. All major writing credits! If you’re looking for your latest YA magical realism this one is incredible!
4.5⭐️
4.5⭐️
July 2, 2025
A young adult fantasy filled with diverse characters, magic, mystery and secrets. 16 year old Zillah is adjusting to life after her older sister is hospitalized after a serious accident. At an after-school party, she discovers Moondust, a mysterious substance that will give you magical powers. Eventually, Zillah begins to question whether Moondust is even safe, and if it had anything to do with her sister’s accident. This was a quick read. I loved the characters and the friendships in this story.
July 7, 2025
Moonlight and Dust is a magical, heartfelt YA fantasy following Zillah, a Torres Strait Islander girl navigating grief, identity, and newfound powers after her sister falls into a mysterious coma.
I adored this debut from Jasmin McGaughey, the blend of fantasy and culture felt fresh and powerful. Zillah’s voice is authentic and layered, and her journey (plus the sweet romance!) gave me all the feels. A beautiful story about family, connection, and finding your place. I wish I had this book as a teen, and I’m so glad it exists now!!!
I adored this debut from Jasmin McGaughey, the blend of fantasy and culture felt fresh and powerful. Zillah’s voice is authentic and layered, and her journey (plus the sweet romance!) gave me all the feels. A beautiful story about family, connection, and finding your place. I wish I had this book as a teen, and I’m so glad it exists now!!!
September 16, 2025
This is a fantasy YA debut by an Australian First Nations author, it’s a story of magic, love and secrets.
I enjoyed this story and the magical elements woven into an everyday world.
We see how difficult it is for young people to make new friends and connections and deal with situations that they may find themselves in.
Peer pressure exists no matter where you live and sometimes a decision you make may not always be the right one.
This is a fun entertaining ya fantasy that a lot will enjoy and I cannot wait to see what Jasmin writes next
I enjoyed this story and the magical elements woven into an everyday world.
We see how difficult it is for young people to make new friends and connections and deal with situations that they may find themselves in.
Peer pressure exists no matter where you live and sometimes a decision you make may not always be the right one.
This is a fun entertaining ya fantasy that a lot will enjoy and I cannot wait to see what Jasmin writes next
September 27, 2025
Moonlight and Dust by Jasmin McGaughey is a fantastic PG-rated YA fantasy that blends magic, family, and real-world risks in a fresh and meaningful way. Following sixteen-year-old Zillah, a Torres Strait Islander teen navigating exclusive high school parties, mysterious accidents, and illicit magic, this debut delivers a fast-paced, compelling read. McGaughey’s integration of Torres Strait language and culture is both powerful and vital, offering much-needed representation in YA. Perfect for fans of fierce heroines, enigmatic boys, and urban fantasy with depth, this book is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.
July 6, 2025
A gripping YA story! The main mystery had me totally absorbed and needing to know more. I loved all the characters and friendships and family. The little sprinling of romance was super cute too. The writing is beautiful, and I can't wait to see what Jasmin McGaughey does next!
May 5, 2025
Great Torres Strait Islander rep. Genuine diversity, and a use of magic that's different and fresh.
July 12, 2025
This YA novel is not just gripping, but also takes you on an emotional journey, making you feel every beat of Zillah's heart. This book was enjoyable, and I couldn't put it down. 💛
July 18, 2025
This is such a great book. I loved reading about a story set in Cairns. I think the magic is so unique in this book.
I loved that the character is a First Nation rep. It felt like home reading this book. To the weather that is described to how the people and school is set.
Zillah is a teenager who doesn’t quite fit in any where until she starts to find people understand her. She starts to find true friendship but in a confusing world of magic and bad choices!
Zillah is strong willed but also going through discovering as one does in teenage hood.
I loved the base of the story, it’s got heritage, love, friendship, mystery and so much more too.
I loved that the character is a First Nation rep. It felt like home reading this book. To the weather that is described to how the people and school is set.
Zillah is a teenager who doesn’t quite fit in any where until she starts to find people understand her. She starts to find true friendship but in a confusing world of magic and bad choices!
Zillah is strong willed but also going through discovering as one does in teenage hood.
I loved the base of the story, it’s got heritage, love, friendship, mystery and so much more too.
July 17, 2025
I was instantly drawn to this cover. It is a fast paced YA fantasy. This story was truly amazing and i couldn't get enough of it . I adore Artie and Zillah alot .
October 3, 2025
I love how original this story was, made it refreshing.
I really liked the setting
I really liked the setting
November 10, 2025
I just found out that I follow the author on TikTok and remember when she asked for recommendations for YA books by First Nations authors and there was unfortunately only one that I knew of. I also remember her saying she was writing a book but I've never seen her promote it and actually ended up finding this book accidentally but I'm glad that I found it!
I really enjoyed the premise of the book. Yeah it was a regular YA book set in a school but the setting still felt charged with the magic system. I loved Zillah's character and how she navigated all her relationships and her own personal growth. The author also really knew how to write infuriating characters 😅. Overall, a great book and a solid debut!
I really enjoyed the premise of the book. Yeah it was a regular YA book set in a school but the setting still felt charged with the magic system. I loved Zillah's character and how she navigated all her relationships and her own personal growth. The author also really knew how to write infuriating characters 😅. Overall, a great book and a solid debut!
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