Princess Of The Moon: Of Light And Stardust

by Marlen B. Reese

552 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2026

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I received an E-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.]

Wow! This book completely took me by surprise in the best way possible! I don’t want to be too specific in order to avoid spoilers because the many plot twists were so much fun! I loved the story going in but every time I thought I knew what happening a new plot twist changed everything! I loved that I couldn’t predict what would happen and that it’s so different from the other books I’ve read recently. I loved the beautiful moon setting and world building. The magic system is fascinating and the characters are very well developed. The drama and action continued to build throughout the book with more suspense, surprises and higher stakes as the story progressed. The more I read the more I became invested in the story and the second half had me completely riveted! (I read 75% of the book in less than 24 hours!) No spoilers, but the ending was so satisfying and perfect. It gives you closure while still leaving the door open for more to come…

I want to go back and read it again. I was so anxious to find out what was going to happen that I think I read too quickly. I have a tendency to read too fast when I’m loving a book so I want to reread it and catch details I may have missed. (This book was originally written in German and I hope book two will be translated to English soon because I definitely want to continue the series ASAP! )I could have highlighted passages all over the place had I not been so anxious to finish it. There were so many beautiful descriptive passages and sections of highlight-worthy dialogue that had my emotions all over the place! This book was so much fun to read and it took me on an exciting adventure. It has everything-the moon, magic, love, war, secrets, betrayal, class wars, sworn enemies, magical creatures, revenge…all the epic drama you could ask for! I was completely hooked!

The cover is gorgeous and the story totally does it justice! There’s an impressive cast of characters and I love Leetha and Xaven and everything they went through in order to become who they were meant to be. I was on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the story and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for them next. A huge thank you to the author for sending me this ARC. I will definitely be buying a hard copy with that beautiful cover!

*(for those wondering about spice there are some open door love scenes.)

[Marija · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌙 Princess of The Moon 🌘
By @mar.len.author.books

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶

I would like to thank the author for providing me with the eARC of this amazing book!!

Oh the story and the ride I was in for!! I had no idea!! When I started reading the book, I was perhaps a bit skeptical since the story is happening on the Moon, and it's not something I'm used to in the romantasy world. But, just like the world setting, the story, too, was simply unique and just so captivating!

At the beginning we meet Leetha, apparently cold and arrogant princess that gets engaged to a soldier. However, she gets caught up in political intrigue and in an attempt to run away from a king seeking revenge, she ends up on Earth, the planet she's been longing for! And that's when the story just took off for me. Immediately I was swayed by the events, not to mention development of hers and Xay's story!

Enemies to lovers with morally grey MMC and love triangle are tropes so well done here!! I was so immersed, on the edge of my seat, trying to predict what will happen, and at the same time getting frustrated by some moments. Although, everything was so well packed into the story! I was not happy with Leetha and Caidan's relationship, but it got fixed by the end. My romantic heart was very pleased with the ending and characters' growth as well as the growth of their romantic relationship!

Again, the plot was truly so good, whenever I taught: "Okay, that's the real villain, I was contradicted." That depth to the plot, along with complicated character arcs and beautiful writing style made this book a 5 ⭐ for me!! It has genuinely surprised me!!

As a nosy reader, of course I did a little research once the author mentioned there are already 4 volumes to this series in German, the original language the author writes in! The story seems to keep developing and getting more interesting judging by the reception of the books and I am definitely interested to see whether we'll get a chance to read the continuation of Leetha, Xay and Luc's story, although this book ended perfectly and just how it should per my opinion! All I want to say is, @mar.len.author.books, if there are more to their story, don't break our hearts and please let Xay and Leetha be an endgame!!

Princess of the Moon releases on March 20th and will be available on Kindle unlimited!! This story was different, it is a mature romantasy with unique elements and originality to the plot and that already proves the worth of this book!! Do not sleep on this! You will be very pleasantly surprised!!! 💫

Tropes:
▪️ancient war between light and dark
▪️multi POV
▪️amnesia / hidden identity
▪️revenge
▪️worldbuilding on the Moon and Earth
▪️childhood sweethearts to enemies to lovers

Blurb:
Leetha is the heir to the throne of the light side of the moon. The king of the dark side declared war many years ago. But a threat seems to be lurking within her own ranks. Rebels are rising up against her father's rule, and Leetha is pressured to marry a soldier she doesn't know. Meanwhile, she dreams of a distant planet she will never reach. Even as a little girl, she longed to travel to Earth. But everything changes… Suddenly, Leetha finds herself caught in a web of power struggles, lies, and secrets that turn all her previous beliefs upside down. Whom can she trust? And what is right for the future of the moon?

[Alli MacManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about:
• power and control
• class division
• betrayal within families
• and choosing who you trust when everything falls apart

With:
🌙 intricate worldbuilding
⚔️ high emotional stakes
💔 messy, evolving relationships

⭐ Rating: 4–4.5 stars
🔥 Rage Level: extremely high (some of these people need consequences immediately)
💫 Romance Verdict: chaotic but compelling

Princess of the Moon of Light and Stardust is a sweeping, high-drama fantasy filled with political betrayal, shifting loyalties, and a romance that refuses to stay in one lane.

At the center of the story is Leetha, sole heir to the kingdom of Meridian on the light side of the moon—a world deeply divided by class, where “full bloods” rule and lowborns are treated as lesser.

When Leetha defies expectations and secretly marries a lowborn man, Caidan, everything begins to unravel. What starts as an act of rebellion quickly spirals into something much larger when King Xaver of Tenebra, the dark side of the moon, enters the picture.

From there, the story takes a dramatic turn:
• Leetha flees to Earth
• memories are lost
• identities are rewritten

And what follows is a tangled web of forgotten love, rediscovered truth, and shifting allegiances.

The emotional core of the story lies in its relationships—particularly the dynamic between Leetha and Xay. Their connection evolves across multiple phases:

👉 childhood crush
👉 enemies
👉 lovers
👉 enemies again
👉 back to lovers

It’s messy, complicated, and constantly shifting in a way that keeps the tension high.

As memories return and the truth of their world is revealed, the stakes escalate dramatically. Political betrayal runs deep—within families, within kingdoms, and across both sides of the moon.

When Leetha returns to Meridian, she finds everything changed, and she finds her own beloved family entangled in the betrayal

What follows is a tense and emotional second half filled with:
🔥 power struggles
🔥 rescue attempts
🔥 shifting loyalties
🔥 and a fight for both her child and her autonomy

One of the most compelling elements of the story is the worldbuilding. The contrast between:
• Meridian (light side of the moon)
• Tenebra (dark side)
• and Earth

…adds layers to both the magic system and political dynamics. The ability to travel between these worlds—tied to lunar cycles—creates a unique structure that keeps the plot moving in unexpected ways.

And while the story leans heavily into drama, it works because it fully commits. The betrayals are big, the emotions are intense, and the stakes never really let up.

I’m very curious to see how the next book expands this world—especially after everything that’s been set in motion.

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝕆𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤."

A cosmic story layered with tension,  deciet, class division, and identity crisis.

💫 Hidden Identities
💫 Love triangle
💫 Enemies to lovers
💫 He falls first
💫 Shadow daddy
💫 Multiple POVs
💫 Forced Proximity
💫 War and Politics

Leetha is a princess of the light side of the moon known as Meridem. A kingdom known for its class division between 'Full bloods' and people deemed 'low born'. 'The Circle' - trusted councilors to the king- advise for Leetha to enter an arranged marriage to avoid a rebellion.

"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎, 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑰 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔."

Leetha in defiance secretly sets about marrying a low born warrior named Caiden who is  revered by the common people of her kingdom.

" ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ ʀᴇᴀᴘᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇʀɪᴅᴇᴍ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏɴ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴅᴍɪʀɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ꜱᴇᴠᴇʀᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴄᴀᴅᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ".

King Xavier of the dark side of the moon also known as The Kingdom of Tenebra is after revenge.

"тнєу тσℓ∂ нєя тнє ѕнα∂σωѕ ωєяє тнє єηєму, вυт тнє мσѕт ∂αηgєяσυѕ ѕнα∂σωѕ αяє тнє σηєѕ тнαт ѕтαη∂ яιgнт вєѕι∂є уσυ ιη тнє ℓιgнт."

In a last minute effort to escape Leetha ends up on Earth, a place she had only admired from afar.

Soon after the story leads us into a web of forgotten pasts, unexpected romance, self- discovery and deception.

The story focuses a great deal on character development and the complexity of the relationships between Leetha, Xavier and Caiden had me constantly wondering 'what  happens next' and kept  tensions running high.

"𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓼𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓻𝓸𝓻. 𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓽𝓱? "

The world building within the story is effortless and enthralling.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was just released on March 20th called, Princess of the Moon. This is about Leetha and she is the Princess of the light side of the moon. She gets engaged to a soldier named Caiden, because her father, the king, and his advisors are trying to bridge the divide between the classes of their people. They are trying to unite their people because of a potential war coming from the kingdom of the dark side of the moon. Xaver becomes the new king of the dark side of the moon when his father is killed, and he thinks the light side is responsible. So Xaver attacks and goes after Princess Leetha, (someone he used to be friends with and have feelings for when they were kids) and she uses her magic to just barely escape with Caiden. But where they end up is somewhere they've never been before, everything changes, and Xaver isn't far behind.
I didn't want to give too much of the storyline away, but this book really surprised me! This was such an enjoyable story that was equal parts fantasy and romance! The world building and descriptions were really well done, I was easily able to picture everything as the story went along. I really enjoyed Leetha, Xaver, and Caiden and getting chapters from all of their povs throughout the story. I liked the character development for them all too, each of them were very well written! And the ending tied everything up so well, I hope we get the rest of this series translated from German to English, but if not this ended beautifully on its own. I just enjoyed this book so much that I would love to get to go back to this world and read more about these characters! 💙📚

Thank you to the author for this ARC of Princess of the Moon, in exchange for an honest review.

[Adele Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3/5
Spice: 1/5
Tropes/themes: enemies to lovers, light and shadow magic, amnesia, class war

Leetha, the Princess of Meridian and the light side of the moon, has a revolt brewing in her kingdom. There is a class divide between the lowborns (who possess no magic) and full bloods (who can harness and travel via the paths of light). The lowborns are treated as nothing more than slaves and outnumber the full bloods. In order to get more in touch with her people and stave off a rebellion, Leetha agrees to marry Caidan, a successful soldier and a lowborn.

However, before Leetha and Caidan can consummate their marriage, Xaver shows up. As King of Tenebra, the dark side of the moon and Leetha's enemy since childhood, Xaver is seen as a threat to Meridian and would not be allowed in the kingdom without Leetha's presence, so Leetha makes a rash decision. Without ever having done it before, Leetha transports herself and Caidan from the moon to the Earth. But in so doing, she and Caidan lose their memories.

Xaver sees this as a perfect time to use Leetha's amnesia against her, and of course they end up falling in love. But the fates of their warring nations still hang in the balance.

I liked the story; I really liked Xaver's character. I thought two incidences of amnesia was a bit much for Leetha. It felt like starting the story from scratch too many times. And I wasn't a big fan of Leetha's character. She was too much of a pushover. And super prejudiced. For her having so many examples of bad role models in her kingdom, it seemed unbelievable or pigheaded of her to stick to her prejudices as long as she did.

The end fighting scenes were probably the best. I would have appreciated more scenes in Tenebra, for sure!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Multi-POV
✨ Warring kingdoms / Political intrigue
✨ Revenge driven king
✨ Hidden truths
✨ Childhood connection
✨ Slow burn enemies to lovers
✨ Amnesia / Hidden identity
✨ Ancient war between light and dark

It was so refreshing to read such a unique fantasy. I loved the concept of a story set between the moon and Earth. It follows a princess with a cold reputation, a warrior with misplaced loyalty, and a king driven by revenge as the moon stands on the edge of war and the greatest threat begins to rise from within.

I was completely pulled in by the layered political tension and the constant questioning of loyalty and truth. The story blends rebellion, power struggles, and emotional stakes so well as the heiress is forced to confront whether duty and love can truly exist side by side. As alliances shift and danger closes in from every direction, the tension keeps building and more secrets begin to unravel.

This book had me constantly guessing who the true villain was. The twists kept coming and I found myself turning the pages faster and faster to see what would happen next.

Overall, this was such an intriguing and captivating fantasy filled with betrayal, high stakes, and a heroine determined to uncover the truth in a world where nothing is as clear as it seems. ✨

🤍 Thank you @mar.len.author.books for an early e-copy! I can’t wait for book 2!
4.5 Stars

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and unique reading. I haven't read anything like this before, with the Moon and travelling to Earth concept. I loved that we had both sides of the Moon, the bright and the dark side. It was interesting to see things mostly from Leetha's POV because it was quite obvious she didn't know the full story or has misconceptions about it. Up to the part where Leetha goes to the Moon, I enjoyed the fantastical elements of the story but I didn't really like her character. I felt like she had a short fuse, and acted quite reckless despite being 500+ years old. Her actions felt very contradictory to what she was saying about herself and trying to show others. You could tell that she refused to see the whole picture. Now, what through me off was their time on Earth. Honestly, it was very sweet how the romance developed but the fact that we stayed there for a long time made it feel like different books. The Earth part was too modern compared to the Moon part. While I also don't mind the amnesia trope, I think this was overdone and made the story feel exaggerated and at first made it difficult to reconcile Xay's actions but the reasoning behind it later on was justifiable. I enjoyed the part where we returned back to the Moon, but by that point, I felt disconnected from the story. I think I would have liked the book more if we spent less time on Earth and more time on the Moon. Still, I thought their romance was sweet!

Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 💞

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll never be able to look at the moon the way I did before. I’ll always wonder if there’s even the slightest possibility that this story might be true.

There’s an ancient war raging on the moon. On the light side, you have a beautiful princess who is known to be cold and her soon-to-be husband, a warrior whose loyalty is to be doubted. On the dark side, there’s a handsome king who wants one thing: revenge. What follows is a story of trust and betrayal, with a thin line between friend and foe. Who will win? And what’s the price they will have to pay?

Marlen B. Reese is a German author who gave me the chance to read the ARC of the translated version of Zwischen Licht und Sternenstaub. To be honest, it didn’t feel as if I was reading a translation. The story is beautifully written, very engaging, emotional, and well-paced. On top of that, there are some major twists and turns for which you’ll need to take a moment to process.

Next to being a story about a war between two realms, it’s also a story of love. If the MCs were on social media, their relationship status would be “It’s complicated.” I’ll say one thing about it: love triangle. There… I said it. If you want to know more, read the book 😉

Of Light and Stardust: Princess of the Moon releases on March 20. I, for one, am already hoping for a translation of the next book.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess of the Moon is the first book in the Of Light and Stardust series. From forced marriage to Moon beam travel and memory loss I was entranced and pulled into the pages and loved it.
I loved reading about the FMC Leetha or "Lee or Lea" and how she found her strength and true love. Leetha is beautiful through and through and has the kindest and purest of hearts. I found her a delight to read about and get to know her character. I felt her triumphs and struggles with every turn that she endured and felt her love grow for the man that she loved. I loved how she grew into herself and protected those she loved and cared for.
The MMC Caiden I found to be quite the opposite of the FMC. he was to quiet like I was always thinking that he had a hidden agenda and was really stand offish around the FMC at his first meeting.
The MMC Xaver or "Xay" to his friends and my favorite MMC. He was like the original Shadow Daddy. I found him strikingly handsome and polite when he was with the FMC. He was caring and comforted the FMC when she felt hurt and lonely. He had my heart all the way through the because he always told the truth and held nothing back.
So, if you love reading Strong and Courageous FMC's, Shadow Daddies, Moon Magic, Moon Beam Travel and Slow Burn to High Heat then you will be in for a treat.

[jenny is reading again · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily one of the best fantasy books I’ve read so far and without a doubt my top read of the year right now. From the very beginning, it completely pulled me in and never let go.

First of all, the cover is absolutely stunning. The character art? Even better. It perfectly matches what I imagined while reading, which made the whole experience feel even more immersive.
I’m usually a slow fantasy reader, but I flew through this 500-page book in just two days. I genuinely couldn’t put it down.

I especially loved the setting between the moon and Earth. That blend of fantasy and reality worked so well for me and made the story feel unique and fresh.

The characters are incredibly well-developed. You’ll either love them or hate them. There’s no in-between and that emotional pull made everything feel more intense and real.

The magic system and world-building were also a huge highlight. Everything was explained clearly without slowing the story down, which made it easy to stay engaged and fully enjoy the journey.

I highly recommend this book! Whether you’re a fantasy lover or just looking for something truly captivating, this one is absolutely worth your time.

Huge thank you to the author for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶 3.5/5

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

😭😭😭
My tbr is sooo long, but I immediately hopped online to see if book two was translated. I was fully prepared to abandon every other book to continue this series.

Can I go live on the moon for a little bit? the dark side is calling

Princess Leetha grew up sheltered in a world of lies, making it hard for her to know who to trust. King Xay grew up with freedom, but does he really know what occurs in his own kingdom? Meanwhile, Caiden, a soldier, is ready to marry Leetha to protect those born without magical powers...but will he protect her, too?

With two enemy kingdoms at each other's necks and rebels looking for a way in, the King and Queen will do anything to save their realms... but nothing goes as expected. Especially not for Leetha, who has lived for decades with amnesia.

The beginning was so sweet and felt like a total fairytale romance. I loved the dual worlds; it initially had a YA romantasy vibe, but then everything went wild!

The writing is so vivid it felt like a movie playing in my head. I want to go back to France and live in the cottage!! ugh the connection they had in that scene 🫠

I felt every emotion from each POV. Anything else I say feels like a spoiler, but that plot twist and the betrayal... ugh! I did not see it coming at all.

[Stephanie Rhamstine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for this eARC!

This one pulled me in with the world building almost immediately.

If you like romantasy with big stakes, action, twists, and a story that slowly peels back the truth about a character’s past, this one is definitely worth checking out.

The story starts on the light and dark sides of the moon where a conflict has been raging for millions of years. After a betrayal that changes everything, the journey shifts to Earth where things get even messier and the line between ally and enemy gets very blurry.

There’s a little bit of everything in this one....banter, betrayal, action, amnesia, romance, and some spice mixed in. The pacing kept me turning pages because every time you thought you had things figured out, something else shifted.

The FMC was a little harder for me to fully connect with at times, which is the only reason this didn’t quite hit five stars. But the world building alone was incredible and made the whole story feel immersive and unique.

If you love fantasy stories that mix romance, suspense, and big twists, this one is a really fun ride.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me just start off by saying I’m not a fan of love triangles that don’t involve a why choose scenario. There was so much that I enjoyed about this book. The setting for this one was the actual moon and the author’s descriptions just make the landscape seem breathtaking. Like we dream of traveling to a place we have never been the characters in Princess of the Moon dream of traveling to Earth. The ability to travel to Earth has long been lost to the people of Meridem. The people are divided into two categories the Full-Blood and Low-Born. As a Full-Blood princess Leetha knows her place and makes a quick, drastic decision that she thinks will save her people from their enemy. There are two sides to every story and Princess of the Moon makes it hard to decide who the real villain is. Everything she thinks she knows about right and wrong is put to the test for Leetha and her heart is the highest price. Her heart is divided between her Low-Born husband and a boy from her childhood who has become a king she sees as her greatest enemy. I love a good villain and Xay just checks all those boxes for me.

[Ágnes Malta-Lakó · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d like to thank the author for the ARC and am sharing my personal thoughts about this book.

This book had a very unique world. In the beginning I was a little bit confused by the dynamics and didn’t realise there was an aid at the end of the book. This is on me though. Also, I lost the enthusiasm towards the end…

I really enjoyed the first half, it was very dynamic storytelling. However, I found the little snippets between sections spoilery. I’m the type of reader who doesn’t even read the blurb (or watch trailers for that matter) so I got a bit annoyed with the spoilers. The not indicated time jumps also confused me a bit.

The FMC was a bit hard to love, she was both arrogant and ignorant, AND miserable. I liked one of the MMCs.
So much happened in this book, especially yelling from the FMC’s side. I honestly don’t see that much character improvement from her.

I really liked the portrayal of inequality and the difference between ruling based on respect or fear. This was very nicely done.

It’s a solid 4stars from me.

[TiffanyMarieTicer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was entertained and able to read in a few days. It’s pretty long.

This was a very different scifi Romantasy than I have read before. I loved the light and shadow travel and there is a clear difference between earth and Meridem which was good. Initially, I did not like our FMC and her insta love, but it made sense as you read on and then I loved her! The transition to earth was a little confusing and first, but then I was like oh wow that’s crazy! I definitely found myself rooting for one MMC over the other! This could be described as a love triangle probably, but it’s not really. The world in space is very dystopian thinking with magic abilities although that is not front and center. Loved the unexpected twist! This is a standalone which is nice, although I actually would have liked this as a Duology.

Unique Space Travel
Princess of the light
King of the shadow
Enemies to Lovers
Friends to enemies
Some open door spice

Thank you to the author for this e-arc! These are my honest opinions.

[Danielle Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @mar.len.author.books for an ARC of this gorgeous book. First thing I thought of when I saw the cover was Sailor Moon vibes!

The magic system and politics of both sides of the moon are fascinating. The writing was easy to sink into and I couldn't stop turning the pages. I really enjoyed the time spent on Earth (it was the only time I liked Leetha), but I would have liked to spend more time on the Moon learning more about the politics and such. Hopefully that will come in future installments. Leetha, the FMC, was irritating and bratty for most of the book - makes sense considering how and where she was raised, but it felt like any character development had to be beaten into her. I've never cared for love triangles before, but this was a well-done one and I could see why she might go either way. I didn't care for either man until the end of the book, but curious to see how these relationships will further develop in the future. Overall, a strong romantasy book and I hope there will be more books in the future.

[Becci Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read a book by this author last year after she reached out to me to read her book ‘ A Dance with Waves and Flames’. I absolutely fell in love with her writing so as soon as I knew she was writing another series I jumped at the chance to read it.
The author always writes unique stories which I absolutely adore as I’m fed up of reading the same type of stories over and over again.
I love how this story starts on the moon where two kingdoms are fighting against each other all whilst watching earth from a far (earth have no idea that there are beings let alone kingdoms on the moon ).
I was completely pulled into this world and the only reason that I didn’t give it 5 stars - I gave it 4.5 was because I’m terrible at guessing the twists. That being said although I guessed what was happening and who the true villains were the whole story is captivating and beautifully written. The world building is beautifully done without being confusing and the characters are well thought out and easy to like / dislike allowing you to see why they are the way they are.

[Heather Altundağ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it was a different type of fantasy novel. Instead of a completely foreign world, the characters simply live in the moon and long to visit earth someday. The two kingdoms have various powers based on if they come from the light side of the moon (facing the sun) or the dark side of the moon (facing space and stars). This was just a unique way to incorporate known knowledge of space to the reader. I will say, it felt like the beginning was rushed a little bit (like a lot happened all at once), and then the middle just kind of cruised before it slowly picked up a little at the end. I also feel like the ending was kind of spoiled in the beginning, because you already know who one of the ‘bad guys’ are. So some things did end up being pretty predictable, but there was one character in the end that did shock me a little with their intentions. That one I do not see coming at all. Overall, I think this book was just very unique in the plot and story and was a fairly easy read on the eyes. I can’t wait to see where the story will continue next! ☺️

[Summer Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank the author for the eARC that I received. This review is solely my own.

This one starts off very unique and I loved the atmosphere where you are on the moon looking at the Earth. This has more fantasy with a little spice rather than being spice heavy which is a change I liked. The pacing was well done to allow for world building and character development.

The themes of class, inequality, duty, respect; played a big role in the plot.

Would you rather be a ruler that leads with respect of your people or a ruler that leads with fear and power?

If you like plot building, light spice, enemies to lovers, unique world setting, this one is for you!

[Abbie O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marlen has created such an incredible world, rich in history, layered with detail, and completely immersive from start to finish. The plot felt truly original, blending modern elements with fantasy in a way that kept everything feeling fresh and exciting.
I especially loved the multi POV which added so much depth to the story. It gave different perspectives that made the characters feel more real. Each viewpoint brought something new, keeping me engaged the whole way through.
A beautifully built world with a unique storyline. Definitely one to pick up if you enjoy fantasy with a modern twist.

[Hannah Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨I received an advance reader copy from the author. All opinions are my own.✨

Princess of the Moon was a refreshing read, the story was very captivating from page one. You follow Leetha, through a very intense journey and amazing character growth. There is a tiny bit of a love triangle here but the enemies to lovers *chefs kiss*. There's twists and turns, banter, spice, betrayal, amnesia, and a FMC who's put through it. It does have a HEA, but ultimately sets you up for book 2 and hopefully we get one soon. ❤️

[Aimee Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pulled me in right from the beginning. Plot twists, elemental magic, enemies to lovers. It has all the tidbits that make up a fantastic story and keep you guessing around every corner. There is a strong FMC, a little bit of a love triangle (think Hunger Games meets Twilight), family plots against each other, and a thread of redemption. A breath of fresh air, this book takes what you assume will be another high fantasy storyline and turns it on its head, leaving you wondering what’s next.

[Neiwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️
ARC review.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.
I did really enjoy the world it’s set it and felt like the magical elements were something new and exciting.
The first and the last part of the book were enjoyable, but the middle just felt a bit messy for me. I didn’t like the double amnesia, it felt excessive. And I also felt like we stayed to long on earth and everything that happened there was a bit all over the place.

There were definitely elements I enjoyed, I just think it needed to be tied together a bit better.

[angies_book_garden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author for my review.

This book was between 3.5 stars and 4 stars. Leetha felt too immature for someone who has been around for centuries and used to sit in on very important meetings with her dad, the king, and his inner circle. To me, she was stubborn and acted rashly with and without information.

The portion of the story where the MCs spent time on earth was okay, but the story just felt up and down to me. I couldn’t become fully immersed in it, which is a bummer because the idea is so unique.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the eARC of this! *all thoughts and opinions are my own*

Wow this was an incredible book, probably my favourite of the year so far! I loved everything about it, the writing, the world, the characters, all amazing! I was interesting seeing the setting of the moon and the earth and having some modern life in it.
The story and the twists were amazing and it flowed perfectly and was an easy read.

I would highly recommend it if you want a book with a different setting (I had never read a fantasy book set on the moon before this one)!

[Amanda Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess of the Moon by Marlen B. Reese

🌕🌕🌕🌕

This book was a perfect blend of world building, romance, action, and suspense. I was guessing about everything and everyone as the story unfolded. While the story was set on the moon, everything seemed to make perfect sense, but as soon as we switched to Earth and the “character” changed, I kept second-guessing who was on what side of the war and kept guessing until we returned to the moon. There's so much more to say, but I don’t want to give anything away.

After finishing, I kept thinking about which planet I preferred the story on — the moon or Earth — but the answer kept changing the more I pondered.

[Samantha T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting read. This romantasy was very different from others I've read. And of course, I do love a good enemies to lovers trope. So many hidden secrets, betrayals, and unexpected turns. The storyline likes to change and keeps you on your toes the whole time. I do hope the remainder of this story gets translated into English so I can keep reading.

[Dakota Fields Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it as an arc reader willingly and am happily leaving a review.
Holy batman the world building, jumping, romance, action, turmoil and suspense was perfectly blended.
Also, my favorite pet is in this book!!! Run run run to this book!

[Dabeisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC from author.
This book sucked me in harder than a black hole. The world-building was next level—layered, vivid, and incredibly immersive. Easily my best read of the year so far.