The when the moon hatched Paperback – May 7, 2024

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker is a slow burn—but so worth the wait. The first part of the book had me scratching my head a bit (I’ve seen other readers mention confusion too, and I totally get it), but once things started to click... I could not put it down. And that ending? I have no words. I'm not crying, you're crying!This is a richly woven fantasy with an intricate world and multiple POVs. The story follows a cast of complex characters navigating prophecy, power, and secrets in a world unlike anything I’ve read before. It's got dragons, magic, politics, and a slow-burn tension that builds until it explodes in the final chapters. Don’t expect everything to make sense right away—just trust the process.A few tips:- Pay close attention to the chapter titles—they indicate who’s narrating, and with multiple perspectives, that really helps.- There’s a glossary in the back and YES, it’s super helpful! I referred to it more than once.

"He's fire and brimstone. I'm shattered ice. Our collision is steam and destruction, destined to dissipate, but I'll gladly burn beneath him until the world comes crumbling down."If you love:✔️ High fantasy✔️ Fae + dragons✔️ Multi-POV✔️ Star-crossed lovers✔️ Forbidden romance✔️ Angst + slow burn✔️ Only one horse dragonThen this book is an absolute must-read.I picked this up after hearing it compared to ACOTAR and hailed as one of the best romantasy books of the year. While I’d argue it’s nothing like ACOTAR — and honestly, I’m thrilled about that — it gives Throne of Glass vibes with its fierce FMC, intricate worldbuilding, and emotional depth. If I had to compare, ToG fans will likely devour this one. It’s easily in my top 5 reads of the year — maybe even the best romantasy I’ve read so far 👀.From the start, everything clicked for me: the pacing, the worldbuilding, the layered characters, and the rising tension. It’s one of those rare books where nothing could have prepared me for how it all unraveled. That said — fair warning — this is high fantasy at its core. The world is complex, and it’s easy to get lost in the lore if you’re not in the mood for something dense and immersive. But wow, is it worth it. The whole concept of creators, dragons, and mythical beings felt fresh and utterly mesmerizing.The Characters:Raeve is a badass FMC with a sharp tongue and a heart wrapped in barbed wire. She’s witty, sassy, and unapologetically self-protective — the kind of character you root for from page one. Her trauma and resilience give her so much depth, and I’m dying to see how she evolves emotionally in future books.Kaan, though? New book boyfriend unlocked. He radiates protective, broody, "I’d burn the world for her" energy — and I ate up every second of it. His love for Raeve is raw, unwavering, and heart-achingly tender. The way he worships her, even when she pushes him away, had me yearning right alongside him."Your hands know me.""Know you, crave you, worship you."The Romance:The slow burn is downright delicious — angst, tension, push-and-pull... it’s all there. The chemistry between Raeve and Kaan is electric, and the banter is chef’s kiss. Their dynamic is the definition of star-crossed lovers, and every moment of close proximity had me holding my breath. The spice? Off the charts 🔥🔥.The Plot and Worldbuilding:The action scenes are brutal yet beautifully described — vivid enough that I felt like I was right there. The twists? I didn’t see half of them coming. The ending has me desperate for answers — I didn’t want it to end 😩.One thing that stood out was how the romance complements the plot rather than overshadowing it. Even if you stripped the romance away, the story would still stand strong — a rare find in the romantasy genre. The worldbuilding is intricate and well-structured, with lore that weaves seamlessly into the plot. And the dragons? They felt like characters in their own right, each with their own personality and purpose.Final Thoughts:Sarah A. Parker absolutely outdid herself. The writing has improved so much since her earlier works — it’s fluid, accessible, and packed with emotion. The 30+ page guide at the start was genius — it saved us from info dumps later and let the story flow without interruption.If you’re in the mood for a heart-wrenching, beautifully crafted fantasy romance with unforgettable characters and a world you can lose yourself in — When the Moon Hatched is it.Highly, highly recommended — especially for Throne of Glass fans.🖤Length: 718 Pages🖤Genre: Romantsy🖤Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🖤Violence: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🖤Editing: Nothing that pulled me from the story🖤Series: Moonfall🖤Ending: Cliffhanger

To be quite honest, the world-building was intimidating and a lot to process. Thank goodness for the glossary that's included in the beginning. That being said, if you can muster through it, get ready to go through a rollercoaster of emotions! I loved the FMC and MMC so much! Their love story is heart-wrenching, but true and everlasting. I wish I could say more, but I think it's best if the reader doesn't know much more than what is provided from the glossary. 🤗💖

I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read When the Moon Hatched. I borrowed via Kindle Unlimited and it sat on my Kindle for months before I finally opened it. I will never forgive myself for waiting. WTMH immediately became my hyperfixation - I couldn't put it down. I purchased the Kindle version, ordered a physical copy and suddenly found myself purchasing special editions. Money absolutely well spent. There's nothing I can say that others haven't already said. The world building is incredible and the characters are relatable. Sarah absolutely nailed this story, and I can't wait to read Ballad.

I loved the world this was set in. I did not love that the author had to make up caveman terms for items. Like lighter, we all read this book knowing she’s talking about a lighter. I just replaced what we she said with lighter every time. And smoke stick? There were so many items she tried to give originality to, but it did not work for me.I loooves that the beginning of the book started out so poetic. So eloquent! Was it a lot of useless fluff? Yes. But I LOVED it! I thought, ‘ah, makes sense why this book is so long!’ Except it suddenly stops being written in that style and moves onto being basic.I truly appreciated what the author was trying to do with the character’s mental health and growth. It could have been done so much better. I too could relate to once being soft and now not knowing how to truly be human anymore, but I still know what is right and wrong. Even if she wants to stuff her memories away and hide from them, she doesn’t need to be so rude, whiny and ungrateful. Like when she steals the bag of coins! Yes, she paid him back, but what if she’d lost that gamble?! She did not ask!! She just took it! So rude!I actually loved Kaan, but come on. He was a horrible enabler for a large portion of the book.The book became nothing but sec scenes and vulgarity at the end. I get it, we’re supposed to really hate Rekk! It just kind of trashed the book for me though.I’m sad because while I loved many things about this book, it did not live up to the hype for me and I’m not invested enough to read the next book.