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Moonlight War: Act I

(The Realmers #2)

William Collins (Goodreads Author)

4.37 · Rating details · 59 ratings · 26 reviews

After the catastrophic events of book 1, Evan and Brooke are trying to come to terms with recent revelations. However, it isn’t long before their duties as Venators throw them back into action.

Whilst Evan faces a deathly trial to advance further in his training, Brooke embarks on her very first mission, which sees her embroiled in a war between the vampires and werewolve ...more

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Kindle Edition, 458 pages

Published August 29th 2016 by Amazon

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Apr 25, 2018 Evgeny rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

The book contains so many plot-lines it is hard to describe them all. However, it ends up with three main ones each ending in a cliffhanger, so I will try to describe the beginning of these three.

Not surprisingly Evan got the blame for the events of in the end of the first book. While he resented this he also felt the blame was not exactly misplaced. To make everything even more complicated it seems half of the pupils of the school were bullies - unless the situation changed since my schooling ...more

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Nov 15, 2016 Erin Dunn rated it really liked it

http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/11...

Short Review Summary:
Never a dull moment!

Moonlight War picks up right where A Darker Shade of Sorcery (A Darker Shade of Sorcery Review) left off and I easily got right back into the story! A fantasy novel was exactly what I needed since I was headed to slumpsville. Luckily, this book was the perfect read at the perfect time and kept that from happening. I really enjoyed coming back to this story and to Evan, Brooke, Arantay, and the rest of the gang. Esp ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Whispering Stories rated it it was amazing

‘Moonlight War’ is the second book in the Realmers Series by British author William Collins. We join the action at the end of the first book therefore if you haven’t read ‘A Darker Side of Sorcery‘ I think you may well struggle to pick up the story.

We reconnect with Evan, the main protagonist, near the beginning of the book and find a rather different young man to the one we met previously. He has learned some startling facts about himself and has much to re-evaluate. However to counterbalance t ‘Moonlight War’ is the second book in the Realmers Series by British author William Collins. We join the action at the end of the first book therefore if you haven’t read ‘A Darker Side of Sorcery‘ I think you may well struggle to pick up the story.

We reconnect with Evan, the main protagonist, near the beginning of the book and find a rather different young man to the one we met previously. He has learned some startling facts about himself and has much to re-evaluate. However to counterbalance this, he has finally found real home on Veneseron and friends who value him.

We also meet Brooke once again and see the dynamic of her troubled relationship with Arantay develop further when circumstances contrive to throw them together.

There were a lot of new characters with some very imaginative names and I must confess to getting a little bit confused as to who was who, so it is not the book to read if you’re tired and not able to concentrate properly. There is a very useful glossary at the beginning which certainly helped in the early stages.

Collins paints vivid pictures of the characters along with interesting sub-plots and a few little cameo back stories to add depth to the peripheral cast.

The story zips along and the pace never sags, at times bordering on being frenetic and I felt quite exhausted reading it. Nonetheless, Collins has a very easy style without too many convoluted sentences and there is a good balance between dialogue and description.

I was particularly absorbed by the Great Games which was featured in detail in the latter stages of the book and brought to mind a parallel with the amphitheatres of the Roman Empire when gladiators fought for their lives.

It is always a difficult task to write a sequel and in many cases I am left rather underwhelmed by the results but Collins gives us enough new material in this book to pass my ‘monotony test’ with flying colours. This novel is pure escapism and as such, fighting evil creatures is the norm. My only qualification would be that an over-dependence on violent scenes could cause a loss of impact. Nonetheless, this book will enthral its intended target audience.

‘Moonlight War’ held my attention from start to finish and I commend the author for his imagination and delivery. I look forward to the next instalment with high expectations and award ‘Moonlight War’ five stars.

Reviewed by Julie at www.whisperingstories.com ...more

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Jan 09, 2017 Dianne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: action-and-adventure, author-review, dark-fantasy, own, paranormal

The battle of good versus evil is never ending and Evan and Brooke are about to find that there is little time for taking a breath before they must heed the call to duty as Venators. Have things gotten so dire that even the under-trained must be forced into active duty?

Brooke’s first mission is to step into the war between vampires and werewolves in London, where she is confronted by Arantay, who has changed more than she could have believed. Is his change permanent? A result of the life he liv ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 Vivian Chen (Vivian's Book Pavilion) rated it really liked it

This is post originally on Vivian's Book Pavilion

Shocking…I actually like this book a lot more better than the first one!!!! I love the fast pace, the continuous events and catastrophic…all the bloody scenes. Oh don’t worry, I’m just kidding about the bloody scenes…or perhaps not. But no matter what, a lot of things I’m not happy with the first book seems to disappear in the second one, and I can finally see its own unique and creativity. Don’t get it wrong, I still like the first, but I’d ra This is post originally on Vivian's Book Pavilion

Shocking…I actually like this book a lot more better than the first one!!!! I love the fast pace, the continuous events and catastrophic…all the bloody scenes. Oh don’t worry, I’m just kidding about the bloody scenes…or perhaps not. But no matter what, a lot of things I’m not happy with the first book seems to disappear in the second one, and I can finally see its own unique and creativity. Don’t get it wrong, I still like the first, but I’d rate a lot higher for the second book. it’s far greater than I expected.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it’s follow by endless events. Venators missing, Evan’s trials, Brooks’ first mission… Somehow, the slow paces in first book was follow by an extremely fast pace of this book. And I love it, it makes me don’t want to stop reading. I basically finished it with a few hours. Like non-stop. So…first! Brook’s first mission. Mawhahahaha!!!!!! Brook was promoted directly after the invasion for her bravely and now a mid-realmer. She was appointed her mission with…Lok!!!!! Yeah!!!! No, I’m just kidding. Of course, she was appointed with Arantay. Bla…although I’m interested in watching what will happen between them…but it’ll be quite interesting if the three of them go out together. Yet, my point here is…everything about romance I hate in the first book was now gone. (Despite the little show with Brook in the forest finding what-so-ever brutal elfpire…sorry Brook, but that is pathetic. But I really love the strong will you show after that…I guess?) I really like the way Brook and Arantay turns out now and I hope nothing horrible will happen in the third book. I really want to read the third book now…I can’t see what happen in London. (Shh!!!!) Oh…and the thing I love most is still the actions. Those actions scenes are vivid and thrilling…I barely breathes when I’m reading Brook and Arantay’s fighting scenes. It’s just so good!

Secondly, Evan’s Trail. Evan…he is still the boy being bullied. Poor guy, but at least he got friends now. I really like his argument with the lame Master who I don’t even want to recall the name. The master is like the lazy, male edition of Professor Umbridge…see how bad it is? The most thrilling part of Evan is definitely the Trail of mid-realmer. I really love how the author manage to skip Evan’s apprentice trail in case we reader read something again. But the mid-realmer trail…damn! That is good!!!! It’s so excited and thrilling and my hand just gripped the pages so hard that I almost afraid I’d ripped the pages out. However, I’m a little bit disappoint that nothing really happen much about Evan and Brook’s demon magic and about their siblings. There is something else going on…but not much. And, although Brook’s brother Adam turned out to be a great jerk…I’m disappointed that there are no further details about how he managed to get Evan’s blood. I would really love to see that scene.

Next, Elijah also played an important part in this book. It wasn’t that he is becoming really important…I’d consider as a sub-plot. When the Venators are start missing, he started to find the clue about their disappearance. And he did…which led to an awkward situation…and I’m looking forward to find out what will happen to them. The interesting about this part is that you don’t really know why Elijah is so concerned about this event. From the beginning to the end, he had been so enthusiastic about finding them and…I must say, his actions are thoughtless, impetuous. Compared to a lot of young adult novel characters, he seems to be the one who fit his age the most. Which is quite a funny thing to read…and, I’ll consider that a good thing. They are teenagers!! Not all of them are supposed to be thoughtful and careful.

The last thing about this book is that there are so many things between the main plot. Endless characters play their parts in this book, some turns out to be important, some turns out not…or at least now. I originally thought I’d hate this kind of writing…since no one like tons of name hanging around the pages…and we already had a lot. But as it turns out…as long as I ignored those minor, less important characters…it’s quite a nice thing to read those tiny, little sub-plot. So…I’d say I don’t hate it…and in some point, I enjoy them pretty much. So…if you’re disappointed with the first book, I highly recommend you to continue your reading, Moonlight War Act 1 is a lot greater. If you already like The Darker Shade of Sorcery, then you must read the second one without saying.

I received the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 19, 2017 Wyborn Senna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Long Live The Venators!

A great follow-up to the first book in the Realmers Series (A Darker Shade of Sorcery), Moonlight War Act 1 unfolds like a fascinating magic trick, pulls you in, and holds your full attention. Kurrlan has been destroyed and Evan no longer has to worry about demons stalking him, but (according to Vanderain), while he is human in every way, as the son of a demon queen named Akirandon, he has the potential to access a great demon power inside of him. Vanderain assures Taretta Long Live The Venators!

A great follow-up to the first book in the Realmers Series (A Darker Shade of Sorcery), Moonlight War Act 1 unfolds like a fascinating magic trick, pulls you in, and holds your full attention. Kurrlan has been destroyed and Evan no longer has to worry about demons stalking him, but (according to Vanderain), while he is human in every way, as the son of a demon queen named Akirandon, he has the potential to access a great demon power inside of him. Vanderain assures Taretta that he will teach Evan and Brooke how to harness their powers correctly so they can’t hurt themselves or anyone else, but Tarensen is on Taretta’s side, asserting that if the prophecies are true, demon- spawn could potentially destroy entire realms and might resurrect Ezanathul, but if Evan and Brooke are destroyed, Akirandon won’t be able to sacrifice them to bring Ezanathul back. Ultimately, Vanderain creates Emerald Shade to temporarily block Evan’s and Brooke’s demonic magic.

The Dark-Venators are growing stronger, having attacked a college on Earth, targeting the Moonlight Races, harming a Venator named Amy and killing another, Silas, along with several other supernatural students. It is clear to Vanderain that war is coming with Velkarath—an all-out war, where each battle will have countless casualties. The Rakarn have been disrupting missions and have been enacting more of their own nefarious plots than ever before. To challenge them to a battle is one option. Another is to challenge Akirandon to a one-on-one fight. If she is destroyed, Velkarath will fall; the Dread Lords and demons in league with Velkarath won’t follow anyone else and the Masters at Velkarath will splinter off. This, however, poses another challenge. While many Dark-Venators are incredibly cruel, vicious or ruthlessly ambitious, some Rakarn are prisoners, forced to do bad things, or else children who never knew anything else. In an all-out war, Venators would be killing the Rakarn who are just doing what they’re told, as well as the ones beyond hope. The only option is for Vanderain to continue to search for Akirandon and meet her on the battlefield, where one of them will be slain.

Kalkavan finds out from Galk that Akirandon is far away from any civilization, searching fruitlessly for her spawn. This is important to Kalkavan, since he badly wants the demon children Vanderain is hiding. Adam delivers Evan’s blood to Kalkavan, who tips the blood out of its vial and into his open wound, and the spell takes effect. When Evan leaves Veneseron, he shall sense it, and the boy will be brought to him.

Busy as ever, and exceling in his studies, Evan is ready to leave Veneseron on his first mission as a Venator. He and his team need to track down a precious magical gem named the Crown of Quantem that an ancient race of goblins used to covet, but recent reports suggest it has resurfaced and is in the possession of a malevolent cult led by a Dread Lord. Padrake tells them they will travel to Quantem, a gnomish world.

By novel’s end, Brooke and Arantay are on their way to see Hallia, as they really have no other choice. After surviving a ferocious battle, the coven is the only place they will be safe, as Vore is out for their blood. Thus, we leave Brooke on a note of danger, certain to be resolved in book three.
Like book one, this installment in The Realmers series is rich with monsters, battles, action, heroes and adversaries, with a dash of fun (the Great Games) and detective work (the missing students), and as the fight for good over evil continues, Collins’ writing remains strong and memorable. Highly recommended to all fantasy lovers. ...more

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Jan 19, 2018 Wilde Sky rated it really liked it

This book provides a thrilling tale of demons and good fighting evil.

The story is filled with action and numerous different types of bad demons. The narrative has a good pace and the alternate reality is well developed. The characters, especially those that were half-bad and hence conflicted, were all well drawn and believable. The desire of individuals to get through their training and go on a mission rang true.

Overall my rating is 3.5 as in a few places I was a bit confused, with all the diffe ...more

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Nov 22, 2017 -ˋˏc a i s e eˎˊ- rated it really liked it

To be perfectly honest, Will writes something for everyone in his books and I LOVE IT!! It's just raw, savage violence, action packed, and with so much going on! I can't say much without spoiling some plot, but bloody hell this was a great book and I'm actually shocked that this series isn't hyped up- I mean, people come on, get your noses into this!!!! ...more

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Mar 09, 2018 Anna Lane rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dark-fantasy, magic, young-adult, fantasy-ya

What a thrilling sequel to the first book and I have to admit that it is actually better in many ways. The good Venators are still fighting the evil demons. Unlike the first book, it starts slowly but still pulls you in. By the sixth chapter –Creature College- with the brutal murders by the dark Venators Rakarn, the tension ratchets up and never lets go.
There are two storylines –Brooke and Arantay in London and then with Evan undergoing his trials. The description of the realms is varied and yet ...more

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Sep 24, 2016 Donte McNeal rated it it was amazing

I received a free copy f this book in exchange for an honest review. Now, let's get to it!

To say I was eagerly awaiting this sequel would be an understatement. I was enraptured by Collin's fist book in the series, "A Darker Shade of Sorcery," what, with its captivating and immersive world, fleshed out characters and engaging storyline, so you can imagine my delight when I aw that the sequel was released. Ok, that's enough gushing; how's about I begin my review?

Moonlight War picks up where "A Dar I received a free copy f this book in exchange for an honest review. Now, let's get to it!

To say I was eagerly awaiting this sequel would be an understatement. I was enraptured by Collin's fist book in the series, "A Darker Shade of Sorcery," what, with its captivating and immersive world, fleshed out characters and engaging storyline, so you can imagine my delight when I aw that the sequel was released. Ok, that's enough gushing; how's about I begin my review?

Moonlight War picks up where "A Darker Shade" left off, with the Fortress recovering from the demon attack that occurred in the prior book's climax. You see the aftermath of the carnage and chaos the demons are capable of, and if you didn't think these characters should be scared of the hellish creatures, that attack solidified just how vicious and formidable demons can be. With the attack over and Vanderain back, things are looking up for those at the fortress...well not exactly. Evan is blamed by many of the Realmers for the demon attack, Brooke is given the cold shoulder by the haunted and revenge-driven elfpire (elf & vampire), Arantay, and there are new enemies lurking and conspiring in the shadows, looking to get their hands on the demon spawns, Evan and Brooke along with the powerful magic dwelling within them.

I was once again floored by how immense and detailed this world is, whether it's Veneseron or one of the countless realms that make up this "Realmers" universe. Collins does a great job using imagery to help the reader picture the world he's created, even if some of the descriptions slow the pace of the story at times. With that said, this continues to be one of the better parts of the story. Though, the introduction of new characters (which was a bit overwhelming at the amount of new faces) is nothing to scoff at. In Moonlight War, we meet a few new characters that bring with them dark and disturbing pasts and current predicaments. From drug-induced experiments, to insane Dark Venators, one of which I enjoy immensely (I'm talking about Saline; what can I say, I seem to love sadistic female villains), to other demon spawns; Collins does a great job bringing these new characters into the fold, while keeping our core characters at the forefront of the story.

There are a few typos, grammatical and punctuation errors peppered throughout, but nothing that detracts from one's enjoyment of the book. Collins delivers again with great action sequences, surprisingly normal human character relationships and interactions in a world overflowing with magic, and the stakes are higher than ever before for our protagonists, whether they're out in the realms somewhere or within the relative safety of Veneseron. You never know how things will turn out for Brooke, Evan and their friends, and that makes for a great read. The last few chapters of this book makes that perfectly clear, but that's all I'll say on that note.

My final verdict? Read this! ...more

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Oct 02, 2016 Ailyn rated it really liked it

I have received this book for a fair review.

Evan Umbra is back in Veneseron, for you to follow Moonlight War you have to start with Darker Shade of Sorcery. The story picks up directly after Evan's ordeal, and now there is a new challenge or danger at hand. If Evan felt that he might not be able to fit in with his powers, now he fears that his peers will never accept him for who he is. At least he has a few true friends, Brooke in particular, will understand his pain.

There are more characters in ...more

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Feb 27, 2019 Hayley L. Morgan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-reviewing, 5-stars, reviewed, paranormal-demons, fantasy-urban-fantasy, magic-school

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way and the thoughts expressed are my own.

The second book in the Realmer series sees Brooke, Evan and friends as they continue their apprenticeships and take on any challenge that comes their way. The book continues immediately on from the last one, only minutes after the climactic battle. Arantay chases after his brother through several worlds, giving into his Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way and the thoughts expressed are my own.

The second book in the Realmer series sees Brooke, Evan and friends as they continue their apprenticeships and take on any challenge that comes their way. The book continues immediately on from the last one, only minutes after the climactic battle. Arantay chases after his brother through several worlds, giving into his vampire side. Meanwhile, Vanderain has checked over Brooke and Evan and explains that they are both Demon Spawn from different demons and that it would be best if they kept this knowledge to themselves, it would make them outcasts amongst their peers.

Just like the first book, Evan, Brooke and friends study various forms of magic. This time around, we get to learn about Venator sports, the main focus a game like a big arena battle. It was fun to see the Venators use their magic for fun if teenagers had magic you can believe it would be used for all sorts of entertaining things including crazy games. It also gave Evan a way of getting out his frustration over his situation, something the poor boy dearly needed.

With the games, we met new characters, though my favourite was Joelle. She was believably introduced, stated that in the previous book she was out on an extended mission. She was a lot of fun, feisty and witty. She is from a prestigious Venator family that has a feud with another family, the Madagant, which created many amusing scenes. My favourite was when we first meet her and Bane Madagant, she is walking through the library then exchanges a few words with Bane only to throw herself at him, launching over a table to tackle Bane to the ground. It was a great introduction, you understand their feud plus her personality. I must admit I agree with her, Bane is a jerk. When he pairs up with Sintian the there’s no stopping the two, they even drive the masters mad.

We don’t just follow the Venators, there’s a point of view following a Demon Disciple Kalkavan and his plans as well as a blood-thirsty werewolf, an insane girl in an asylum and the Dark Venators as they cause chaos over the realms. I loved the various pov, they provided a look at what is happening all over the realms without being a distraction to the main story nor slowing the pace. It was very intriguing to see them all, especially the insane girl who appears to have magic and was locked up by people who don’t understand it and the infamous Dark Venators. They really lived up to their build up, they were insane, power-hungry sadists.

After Cera’s betrayal, Evan isn’t exactly keen to try dating anyone no matter how much Jed tries to persuade him, but there are some girls that he is taking an interest in. Brooke isn’t fairing much better with Arantay, they were growing closer in the previous instalment yet now Arantay doesn’t believe they could ever be together because of his vampiric side and his longevity plus the fact that they are from entirely different worlds. That doesn’t stop Brooke caring for him though, the poor girl is always in pain because of it. Lok is still interested in Brooke, and they continue to have moments where it seems she feels drawn to him too.

It was intriguing to learn more about the Demon Spawn, their such powerful beings yet shrouded in so much misinformation and rumour that it’s hard to decipher what is real and what’s not. Even the great and ancient Vanderain knows little about them. His children believe that they pose an enormous threat that they should be eliminated or at the very least their magic should be removed. Though Vanderain is determined to find another way, Brooke and Evan are good kids, and he refuses to kill them, trying everything to help them control or suppress their magic. It was great to see a god-like creature care for mortals and try everything in his power to help them.

This series has plenty of humour and a fun take on the magic school sub-genre. The magic felt unique, from the Spell-zooka to the Elfpire. The characters were realistic and continued to develop in this instalment while the new characters added more to the story and were believably introduced. I loved this book and am keen to read the rest of the series. I give it 5/5.
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Jul 26, 2018 Tristen Kozinski rated it really liked it

I found Moonlight War-Act I to be wholly enjoyable and a distinct improvement on the first book in the series, the prose was tighter and suffered less from the telling aspect that diminished the first installment (though it was not entirely excised, and plagues a few scenes where the author tells the reader what to think.)
Beyond the prose, there are two area in which this book has distinctly improved over the first: foremost is the pacing. This book moves smoothly from one event to the next, all ...more

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Feb 03, 2020 Guy Estes rated it really liked it

Book 2 in this series is, as others have noted, quite action-packed. Others have already outlined the plot, so I won't do it again here. It's paced quite well and flows smoothly. The world-building is rich and varied. Most of the cast are young adults and therefore inexperienced at the things they're doing, and the author kept that realistic - they made mistakes and had reactions a newbie would make and have. I think my favorite character was Taija. We don't see much of her, but I think she was ...more

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Jan 20, 2017 Bex rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-s, reviews

This sequel is utterly explosive. It is fast paced, action packed and really good fun. You definitely need to have read Evan's first adventure though because this picks up right where we left him, straight into the aftermath of the destruction, and total chaos, caused in A Darker Shade of Sorcery. Honestly I wasn't sure this book would come close to that ending!

So with that said, you might imagine this book is going to be pretty plain sailing for Evan and co, now all the demon nasties seem to b This sequel is utterly explosive. It is fast paced, action packed and really good fun. You definitely need to have read Evan's first adventure though because this picks up right where we left him, straight into the aftermath of the destruction, and total chaos, caused in A Darker Shade of Sorcery. Honestly I wasn't sure this book would come close to that ending!

So with that said, you might imagine this book is going to be pretty plain sailing for Evan and co, now all the demon nasties seem to be somewhat dead. Oh no no. Because after such a massive event, people are looking for someone to blame, and I think you can guess who the prime candidate might be. Talk about making new enemies after just dispatching a bunch of them! Equally, Brooke (who just gets better and better by the way) has a lot on her plate and if that wasn't enough, we now have a whole host of new characters to sink our teeth into.

Something I really loved about this story and it's predecessor was that Collins has basically invented a new World, despite it's close proximity to Earth, with a whole host of unique ideas; I like the chance to learn cool things about a new place with creative terms and ideas throughout. Collins once again gave me this twofold, but actually continued to build on it, and a lot of his concepts are entirely unique to his stories rather than crafty duplicates of other work. I was worried it might plateau, but it definitely didn't. Whilst some of the incredible detail taken to create this enormous, intricate world is quite impressive, it sometimes comes as a bit of an info-dump, but it's easy to forgive with so much going on.

The humour throughout the novel is intelligently woven in, rather than being so deliberate as to be annoying. Which is important because some of the new things happening in this book definitely take a dark turn - they're savage and grim, sometimes dark and twisty, but man was this fun to read! A really great new twist. Equally, in the first book I found Evan a bit of a drip. He just seemed too conscientious, too nice, and didn't have much fire in him until the end. Now I'm starting to wonder if this might have been a deliberate move to make us see his progression, because that irritating part of his personality is largely gone now. Yay!

This was definitely an improvement on the last book, and still maintained a lot of my favourite elements - fast paced, action packed, a little bit creepy and enough intricate detail to suck me right back in. If you liked Book 1, you need this in your life. 4.5 stars from me.

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Nov 24, 2017 Lucretia rated it it was amazing

This book picks up where the last part left off with Evan, Arantay, Brooke, and the myriad of other interesting characters- human and otherwise, mostly otherwise, all awesome. The story was just as thrill filled, with two separate main lines. The one that stays on realm with Evan and his team, who have to pass a trial in order to get their first assignment. The other with Brooke and Arantay, who have to reign in a rouge werewolf before a war between moonlight creatures (Vamps & wolves) breaks ou ...more

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May 30, 2017 Stephen Merritt rated it it was amazing

This is the second book in “The Realmers” series. This book starts with Jed Jagger, Evan’s best friend, very worried about Evan who had been taken by Demons during an attack on Veneseron which should never have been possible. Veneseron had a protective spell by Venderain, who created this realm for the Venerator school. Evan and Brooke now know they are the spawn of demons and not just any demons but the most powerful. Evans mother is Akirandon, the demon queen. And Brooke is the spawn of a Demo ...more

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Sep 10, 2020 Florian Armas rated it really liked it

This is a long novel, and there are many plots and sub-plots to carry on. There is a lot of action too, continuous events and catastrophes, and a long cast of characters, from orcs and elves to Venators, some more exotic than others. People are disappearing, and a war between the moonlight creatures is brewing. Evan, Brooke and some characters are already known from the first novel, but here we meet an avalanche of new ones introduced in rapid sequences, with not much place for them to develop.
T ...more

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Jun 26, 2017 Carrie Vos rated it it was amazing

The continuation of this story in Moonlight War - Act I takes you further into the story and adds more elements to it. I read lots of things and it's a rarity when this type of book genre grabs me, but this series has me hook, line and sinker. I never give out details since so many others do because I'm one that likes to avoid details and ruin the surprise. This series of books has me wanting to see it on the screen so that I can put to life all the unique characters in each realm and see it bef ...more

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Oct 03, 2016 Mimi rated it really liked it

4/5

After enjoying the first book in this series I was very interested to see how the story would go on. I can only say that it didn't disappoint and I really enjoyed it.

'Moonlight War' sees the characters of Veneseron trying to cope with what took place near the end of the first book. For Evan and Brooke this is especially hard as they face a whole new set of challenges.

There was a lot of action and new creatures in this story that made me want to read on. From Brooke going on a mission to Evan ...more

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Oct 23, 2016 Erika rated it liked it

Find more of my reviews at my blog Books and Stars.

**I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way**

**Warning: Spoilers for Book 1**

This book picks up on the heels of the last book. After that epic climax, Evan and Brooke are trying to figure out just how to live with the fact that they are children of demons, possessing magic that no Venators should ever have. Soon enough, Brooke is sent on her first mission as a Mid-Realmer while Evan must Find more of my reviews at my blog Books and Stars.

**I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way**

**Warning: Spoilers for Book 1**

This book picks up on the heels of the last book. After that epic climax, Evan and Brooke are trying to figure out just how to live with the fact that they are children of demons, possessing magic that no Venators should ever have. Soon enough, Brooke is sent on her first mission as a Mid-Realmer while Evan must prepare for a deadly trial to earn the rank of a Mid-Realmer himself. But Evan and Brooke's secret identities as the children of demons may not be as much of a secret as they thought...

Evan remained in Veneseron, which allowed us to explore more of its world and customs. New classes, new training methods, new lifestyles, new sports and pastimes, everything was expanded. Much like the last book, I did feel like there were instances where it was more information-based than plot-based, but it didn't take away from the story. I really enjoyed reading about the vast imagination of the author, and how he was able to smoothly integrate every species together into one place.

The story definitely took a more urban fantasy and paranormal turn in this book, specifically with Brooke's journey. Though it wasn't hindering, I felt that it made the world a bit more complicated, blurring what we already know about vampires and werewolves with the author's take on them. Whereas the first book I could deem as a sci-fi novel, this one was sort of between sci-fi and paranormal.

We got a ton of new characters in this novel. New antagonists, new characters of potential importance, new allies. Though I did enjoy seeing the world and the politics behind some of them expand, I felt there were just a tad too many new characters and POVs to keep up with, along with too little information about them to really remember each one. Many didn't get enough page time for me to properly develop a connection to, with the majority of their histories remaining to be a complete mystery. There are a few I suspect will play an important role, but it's hard to say.

There was more Arantay! I was very pleased to get more of his POV, and would definitely like to see even more in the next instalments. He has the revenge character arc going on for him, which is always fascinating to me. Plus, I would love to get to know more about his feelings for Brooke, as I am ever a hopeless romantic. His character is definitely the most dynamic in this book!

This book definitely did not lack in creative imagination. There are a few unanswered questions I have, as well as some unresolved plot lines, but this is Act 1 after all, so I'm certain there will be another one to continue the story! ...more

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Oct 20, 2016 Jean (Bookish Poetess) rated it really liked it

Shelves: author-review-request, kindle

The book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Actually, I never thought he would remember me and give me the second book of his on going series. The first book, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, was given to me also for free and I loved it. That's why I was so exhilarated when he asked me if I can review his second book. And here it is…

I NEED THE ACT TWO NOW! *wails*

The book ended so abruptly especially at the scene where I was enjoying myself and the thrill it brought me and The book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Actually, I never thought he would remember me and give me the second book of his on going series. The first book, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, was given to me also for free and I loved it. That's why I was so exhilarated when he asked me if I can review his second book. And here it is…

I NEED THE ACT TWO NOW! *wails*

The book ended so abruptly especially at the scene where I was enjoying myself and the thrill it brought me and I was like "That's it? To be continued? When will it be continued?" And yeah, I sort of threw a tantrum because I need to know what happened to Brooke and Aranrtay!!! How dare you do this to me Will Collins! Oh no, just kidding. You did what you need to do but please release the act two immediately or I'll go insane wondering what happened next!!!

Okay. I'm calm. First things first, shall we?

The Moonlight War - Act I started just after the demon attack to Veneseron. It was a great start indeed. But then, as the story goes by, it got so confusing because there's been so many new characters whom I don't know what will be the roles in the future and until the end of the book, their characters have not been justified. Those characters somehow got the limelight for the main characters and I got lost who's who. There were also a lot of new terms like moonlight races, werepanthers, etc. The title doesn't even made sense to me at first. There's just a lot of things going on and on and on that in my opinion shouldn't be in the first place. But then again, it's not the end of the series yet so I guess they will make sense in the next book.

But when I got a grip to the story, it got so interesting and exciting! Okay. Starting Chapter 22 up to the end of the book were just so amazing that I can feel my adrenaline rushing while reading! The fighting scenes were awesome! Especially the scenes with Arantay and Brooke! I really love those two! I need more of them!

So all in all, I like the book and of course, if you have read the first book, I highly recommend this one, too!

(Will Collins! The Act II please!!!) ...more

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Dec 13, 2016 Jamie added it

Shelves: books-i-own, e-books, fantasy, kindle, magic, review-copy, review-copy-from-author-publisher, young-adult, demons, action

Moonlight War - Act 1 is great. With each new book in this series I find myself being drawed in more and more. This second book did not disappoint. I really enjoyed reading the first one in this series and was excited to start reading this one. It was just as good as the first one. But with this one we get to meet new characters and go to other realms.

Here we see Brooke out on a mission with Arantay. While Evan is back at Veneseron training for his next trial. Jed is being himself trying to fli ...more

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Nov 01, 2016 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-e-book

After reading the first book in this series I couldn't wait to read more.

I got this book and started reading it straight away, I love the fact that even though I hadn't read the first book in the series for a few months, I still knew what was going on and I fell in love with the characters and the world/s all over again.

Just as good as the first in the series
Can't wait to read more. ...more

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Sep 27, 2016 Jan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magic, relationships, sci-fi-fantasy

Excellent Sci Fi fantasy with lots of clear imagery and conflict. The is a large cast but it's clear on who the protagonists are despite the complexity. The publisher's blurb is helpful this time, but the important thing is that you read it!
I entered a giveaway and was delighted to have won this thrill ride! ...more

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