Slayer's Pursuit

Moonshadow Academy #1

by Finley Knight

Veronica “Ronnie" Moon’s father was known as one of the best Nightwatchers around. When he mysteriously disappears during a mission, Ronnie's sole purpose is to find out what happened to him.

Enter Moonshadow Academy: the school for young mages training to become licensed Nightwatchers

Here, Ronnie will put her skills to the test. But she’ll have to face more than just elemental magic lessons, self-defense training and weapons forging. Students are going missing, demons are invading, and a traitor might be hiding at the academy. Could everything be related to her father’s disappearance? Ronnie’s in pursuit to find out!

Pursuit is book one in the Moonshadow Academy series; a YA/NA Supernatural Urban Fantasy series full of magic, demons and sarcasm. Join Ronnie on this action-packed tale of good versus evil.

Genres: Fantasy

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2020

About the author

Since they were a kid, Finley has always had an interest in all things fantasy. Anything involving magic, monsters, and adventure fascinated them. By the time they were in middle school, Finley started writing YA Fantasy stories in their school notebooks rather than taking notes in class. It wasn't until later in life that Finley finally decided to take their hobby seriously. Now, they're dedicated to bring their own stories to life.

When Finley isn't writing, you can find them heavily reading the works of their favorite authors, listening to KPOP music, daydreaming about what it'd be like to ride on the back of a dragon, or imagining themself saving the world from evil.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much. Always got you guessing on who done it and then you're surprised like what!!!! The characters are likable and what I enjoyed the most was that the main character, things didn't come easy for her although she was the main character. I can't wait for the next book!

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pursuit: Moonshadow Academy Year One by Finley Knight is an awesome story that I have had the privilege to read and give an honest review. This is book number one in this awesome start to a brand new series written by a new author for me and I am so hooked on. I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next I loved this story. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about demons and urban fantasy.

I read a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.

[ErinTurnsPages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled a bit at the beginning with the authors style. There were some errors but nothing that got in the way of the story. What kept me reading was the story though, the characters, the fact that while I could guess some things I definitely didn’t guess all of the twists. I ended up really enjoying the book and I look forward to the second installment of the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

[Dee Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, even though I am over the whole Academy scene, i liked this one. Even looking forward to the next one!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leah Dynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great series starter! I started and finished it all in one day. The characters, the storyline, both were so awesome I didn’t want to put it down.

[Tiffany Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veronica "Ronnie" Moon's father was known to be one of the best Nightwatchers around. After he disappears mysteriously while on a mission, Ronnie's sole purpose in life becomes to find out what happened to him. She decides to enter Moonshadow Academy, the school for young mages who are training to become a licensed Nightwatcher. At the academy, Ronnie's skills will be put to the ultimate test. She expects to face things like elemental magic lessons, self-defense training and weapons forging but she ends up having a lot more than that to overcome. Students are going missing, the academy is being invaded by demons, and there may be a traitor hiding at the academy. Is it possible that all of these strange occurrences are related to her father's disappearance? If she solves the mysteries, will she also solve the mystery of what happened to him?

I really enjoyed reading Pursuit. I'll be honest when I saw that it was about a school to train demon hunters, I was a little worried it would be a knock off Shadowhunters book. That was not the case at all. Finley Knight managed to make this a completely new concept with an original storyline. It was an easy read with characters that were easy to relate to and easy to root for. Most of the characters were dynamic and well rounded, and weren't just good or bad. The ending was perfect and it really has me waiting for book 2.

I'd like to thank Finley Knight for giving me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Receiving the book in this manner has no effect on my opinions or the content of this review.

[Debbie McQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pursuit was such a fun book and a great start to the series. Veronica- "Ronnie" Moon is accepted to Moonshadow Academy, where mages are trained to become Nightwatchers- an elite team of magic users that fight demons. Ronnie has worked her whole life towards becoming a Nightwatcher, but especially since her father, a highly skilled Nightwatcher went missing. She is dedicated to advancing as far as she can, though she has a few things to learn along the way.
At Moonshadow, the students are taught how to wield their magic, as well as weapons and fighting skills to prepare them for the demons they would one day face. Not everyone that attends school will graduate or go on to become a Nightwatcher, and their rankings can be improved or can descrease based on their abilities and how they use them.
Ronnie is a great main character and you really connect to her. She makes some great loyal, kick-butt friends, who each have their own strengths, and are really fun characters. There's also the guy, that one guy that's automatically better at everything, whose just oozing magic and strength. Desmond is ranked number 1 in Ronnie's class. I honestly thought he was going to be another smarmy know-it-all, but I really liked his character. While he's confident and sure of himself, he's also not an arrogant jerk. Even thought Ronnie feels drawn to him, and he to her, it isn't focused on romance, and I really like that change in this academy book. There's a lot of action, a lot of creative fights, use of magic, and interesting lore.
I love the inclusivity in this book, no negativity towards the LGBTQ characters represented.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun read, and there's a mystery woven throughout that adds intrigue to a unique academy setting. I really liked the way the book ended, and I'm sooo ready to see what happens in book 2.

[Jess Boaden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my honest review in exchange for a ARC review copy.

I give the book 3.5/5 stars. I enjoyed this book, the concept was done nicely and the characters were thought out well.

One of my concerns was with pacing. Some moments was slow and worked well, but the big reveals and major fight scenes all happened within a couple chapters at the end. The majority of the story focused on the romance and the focus was said to be the training and fights. We witnessed only a few and most didn’t involve the main character. I only wish we witnessed more of her fights.

I am a little confused over the concept of those that are taken. We still don’t have a full story of why they were taken, only that the demon king wanted revenge. I’m hoping that is explained more throughout the second book.

Overall a good fun read, just a few plot and pacing aspects that didn’t fit with the main focus.

*I have been informed that the grammar has been fixed for the official copy so I did not take that into account*

[Maya Unadkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

~I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

I really enjoyed reading this story! Of course, the setting was magical (who doesn't love a magical school setting?) and I found the characters (specifically Ronnie) pleasantly relatable. I also appreciated hoe the story was unpredictable without being overly complicated. I easily understood what was going on.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to book 2 in the series!

[Joanna Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, easy academy story. Likeable characters. No drama. Ronnie is a good main character - you hope for her success. She quickly finds a nice group of friends that look out for each other. Underlying mystery going on behind the school. Twist ending.

[Amani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Ronnie! She’s quirky but not in the annoying way and this book is perfect for anyone who wants a Harry Potter like book that isn’t written by you know who. I really hope there’s a book two and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a few days to write this review because I was excited and wanted to express my feelings for this book clearly.

Pursuit was a very compelling read. The blurb was exciting and the chapters did not disappoint. Veronica, Ronnie for her friends, is a character that I really liked. She's not a Mary Sue, which is great. She's got struggles that makes her someone relatable. I was glad to see her progression through the story, Her friends are very lovely as well and I loved that even in a competing setting, she could find such great people.

But what I loved even more was the setting of the story, the school of nightwatchers is such a great idea. I have never read a book with this plot. I love books focused on school, but I must admit magic schools tend to be a bit overdone so nightwatchers was a very welcome change. I knew I was gonna like it, but there is always a risk with the writing going wrong, well I'm glad my first impression was right. I loved all the classes and the idea of competition between the students.

I finished the book very quickly. Chapters are very fast paced, and perfectly set up the plot while introducing us to the main characters. I really liked the writing and the introduction of new mysteries along the way. When I think that this is a first book, I'm even more amazed. I will read book 2 and 3 with a lot of pleasure.

***Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review***

[Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of the MoonShadow Academy series and covers the first year at the school for the main character Ronnie (Veronica) Moon, who had been desperate to become a Nightwatcher like her father, who she looked upon as a hero. One night he disappeared whilst away on a mission and no one seems to know what happened that night and she wants to find out. She hopes that attending MoonShadow Academy, something she has been working towards for years with her uncle, who she has lived with since her father disappeared, will give her an insight into what might have happened. What she doesn’t know, is that her father is not the first, nor the last Nightwatcher to have simply disappeared without a trace! She is one of one hundred and fifty young mages who make it to the school, out of over a thousand applicants. What she didn’t know, was that her initial trial for the academy, also became her standing at the academy and anyone under position one hundred, would not be allowed to continue going forward!
She gets to have lesson about Demonology, self-defence training, weapon making, base magic lessons and even harder, their elemental magic lessons, something she has great trouble accessing, unlike most of the other students in her year. She meets and makes a friend, Aisha, who also turns out to be her roommate, who is a fierce warrior type and well up in the rankings. They are all introduced to the top three students, one of whom leaves Ronnie gasping, as she can actually feel and is affected by the sheer amount of his magic! He is called Desmond and the other two top students, Angelo and Sylviya, like to hang around all together, but it seems Desmond may have a bit of a thing for Ronnie, no matter how much she tries to deny any reciprocating feelings for him. She makes friends with another student, Dillon - the Spider – Sparks, who ends up as a good friend to her and Aisha. All the students are encouraged to work hard to raise their standing, one way is to challenge another student to a battle, non-lethal of course. Points are haggled for and the winner of the battle wins the points form their opponent.
When one student goes missing, just after confirming her worries about secrets being held by the staff at the academy about the disappearances of Nightwatchers like Ronnie’s father and her brother. Nothing seems to get done about it and Ronnie gets herself a bit too obsessed about it and her ranking it beginning to tank. Aisha and Dillon try to get her to put her obsession to one side and work on her ranking and her magic lessons. It is Desmond who helps her to access her elemental power, not in a normal manner, but then he apparently didn’t have a normal childhood and was forced to access his at age seven! He doesn’t talk much about anyone, family or even friends, just the role he is expected to fulfil and his strange connection with the other two top students Angelo and Sylviya. Months later another student goes missing, and then the academy is attacked by low level demons, all being controlled by an unheard of level five demon! Who the traitor or traitors are, that have allowed demons to access the secretive and protected island the academy is on? Some of the students are not what they seem and others are in danger of being taken by the demons, for some unknown reason. So much more to come from this series and I can’t wait to see what happens next. An academy with a difference, with students determined to lay down their lives to save others, in the role of Nightwatcher, but who must first survive all three years of studies and anything they may face as they do so! An intriguing group of main characters, one with a massive secret that is revealed to Ronnie, and we have to wait and see what she may do about it. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but lacking depth

The writing is good but lacks depth. There's no richness in the emotions of the characters. It takes me out of the story because I'm wondering if the author is young, hasn't much life experience, and/or they were more focused on the story itself vs developing characters.

The heroine is stubborn and a bit slow at connecting the dots. We begin to get some insight and a little range of emotion with some of the other main characters. However, new characters are introduced (boyfriends) but very little is said about them. It's like they are wearing red shirts and going to be killed off soon, so what's the point. The story and action is entertaining, and the flow of words is nice. I'll keep reading to see what happens next. Hopefully, the emotional development will happen. Otherwise, it gets boring and I'll move onto another series.

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because I loved the idea of the premise. I was drawn in by the first chapter and finished it in almost one sitting. The story is fast-paced and allows you to pick up on the hints of world building woven through the plot. I adore Ronnie, adored the snippets of backstory fed to us at just the right points. It’s a series that I’ll want to follow and continue and an author that I’d love to read more of. An engaging read and one that will leave you desperate for more. Highly recommended!

[Katie Buckingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new magical academy series. No supernatural beasts but humans verses demons. Young teens are chosen to go to an academy where they learn to harness magic and the elements to fight demons that come to Earth. Ronnie is the main character, who lost her father in a mysterious way. Ronnie learns a lot more about what happened and the book leaves off with a possible romance in book 2. This is a good HS, older MS book. Nothing graphic, some language and kissing.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a great start to the Moonshadow Academy series, it does a fantastic job in telling the story it needed to and I enjoyed the universe that was shown. It did what I was hoping for with the characters and left me wanting more in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jay A. Aulds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moon Shadow Academy

Definitely love the set up, the characters and twists. Ronnie, Desmon, Aisha, Dillon, Marcus and Tyrese to work together against the demon king. Can't wait to see the secrets to be revealed.

[Chrystal Roe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool

This is a great story. I really like the characters in it. There is plenty of mystery and danger and one heck of a fight scene. There is even a bit of romance. I can't wait to read the next one

[Doris Stillings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mages and Demons

The book is about a school that trains humans in fighting and battle magic. The school is for the mages to learn to fight with magic against demons. Good book with a bunch of twists.

[Naeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Truly Awesome Book..
I could not put it down, even though I had to..

The story is riveting with twists and turns, I did not expect. I recommend this book, and I can't wait to read the next..

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moonshadow Academy Year One

This is this author first book and it was a page turner from start to finish I am looking forward to reading more of their books.

[aem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and enjoyable paranormal cozy mystery.

[Sn8wflake · Rating 3 out of 5]

academy

As academy stories go, not half bad. There were plenty of secrets to go around. Romance, barely but no intimacy.

[Caitlin Shilling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got about 50% through

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story pulled me in pretty quickly. I was captivated by Ronnie’s situation and desperate to find out all the secrets that were being kept from her. I can’t say that all of them came as a surprise to me, because as we got closer and closer to the reveal, I began to suspect some of them. Where this book ends leaves me gnashing my teeth in a little bit of frustration, but only because I so badly want to know what happens next. It’s guaranteed that I can’t wait to dive into book two as soon as possible.

[Finley Knight]

Updated version now available