Blood Moon Prophecy

Legend of the Nyx #1

by Dilani Kahawala

With a bone-chilling beast chasing her, can Tilly awaken her powers, decipher her cryptic, ancestral map, and find the treasure before it's too late? Tilly Nyx has only vague memories of her childhood, but the one thing she knows for sure is that eleven years ago, she ruined everything. Her mother is dead, her sister is gone, and her home is destroyed.

Now, she endures a thankless life in New York City serving the snobby family that deigned to take her in. There are only two things that give her a mysterious map her mother left for her and an even more mysterious promise from a man called the Time Keeper.

But when the Time Keeper is found dead in his hotel room with Tilly's name branded into his arm, Tilly's life is upended and hidden dangers loom in the shadows.

With a terrifying, red-eyed creature on her trail and a new understanding of her importance, Tilly sets off to unravel the mystery that has followed her for over a decade. She plunges into the world where her story began—a world of high seas, magical powers, and maritime adventure.

Can she and her friends follow the murky trail of thousand-year-old clues left behind by her ancestors and uncover the truth behind the map? Or will the shadows close in on them before they reach their destination?

Blood Moon Prophecy is the first book in a captivating, coming of age fantasy series perfect for readers looking to immerse themselves in a high-stakes world of sailing, magic, and adventure.

Order your copy now and join Tilly on the journey of a lifetime.----- ----- -----

"...a delightful, inventive fantasy novel whose young cast grapples with a sense of destiny in a magical world."

—Foreword Clarion Reviews

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2022

About the author

Dilani started out adulting by becoming a theoretical physicist working on extra dimensions (no, seriously!). She figured out pretty quickly that there weren’t that many people who wanted to read her work, so she turned her hand to fiction. Many of the characters in her stories are inspired by the various cultures she grew up in. Born in Sri Lanka, she has lived in New Zealand and Australia and now lives in the United States. When she’s not writing, she’s chasing after her two toddlers with her husband, eating pizza, and watching escapist movies.

Reviews

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 3.75* of five, rounded up for lots of promise

The Publisher Says: Eleven years ago, Tilly Nyx did something she wasn’t supposed to. As a result, her mother was killed. Her village was destroyed. Her sister disappeared. And an ancient horror sent her into hiding.

Now sixteen years old, Tilly is determined to go home, even though she doesn’t know where home is or how to get there. All she has is the map that her mother made her swear to protect with her life.

Tilly soon finds herself plunged into the world where it all began—a world of oceans, sailing ships, and feuds between ancient magical families. She joins a fleet in search of the secret that her map holds, the secret that has been guarded by her family for thousands of years.

As Tilly learns how to cast sprites and make potions, she and her three friends must follow the trail of murky clues left by her ancestors before time runs out. But the closer they get to their destination, the more Tilly learns about her true identity–and everything is not as it seems.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Young-adult fantasy with cosmic horror overtones isn't my go-to genre reading. This debut novel got in under my radar because I liked the cover and the storytelling voice lulled my concerns about the subject matter.

Because most of the story is told in short chapters heavy on description, I wasn't asked to "listen" to a chosen-one teenaged girl. That was a huge plus to me. I still came away from the read wanting to swat this bratty child for being so completely and unwarrantedly willing to be guided only by her own thoughts and feelings. She never consulted anyone with more information than she possessed, she never changed her mind until her stubborn skull got thumped and hard...she is, in short, a typical smart teen. That made me nutso!

The reason I finished the read was that I liked the found-family aspect, I found the author's descriptions and world-building were very well done, and the cover art. Oh my heck. I am such a fool for a gorgeous cover. This one really fits the story being told...you'll see why. So much of the story's action is sea-borne that I mention it as a possible deal-maker or -breaker, depending on whom the read is destined for; the ships aren't, for once, the relation- type but the wooden type. The author's grasp of sailing is probably superficial but, as mine is too, I found nothing eye-rolling in her depiction of life aboard them. The sailing themes served as handy reasons to bring characters together but only briefly...as that is a deeply rooted feature of chosen-one quests, that worked very well.

Mei, James, and Nav, Tilly's scooby-group, are all standard characters. The vibe one gets from the read is very much Harry Potter and those Mortal Instruments books; the side characters, though very much side characters, are more than furnishings for the heroine's story. That dubious honor goes to the immense cast of secondary characters, seemingly dozens of them, all serving one and only one purpose. These are features of YA fantasy stories, I hasten to add, not bugs. The author is quite clear about her purpose for each one of the secondary characters. When the occasional one pops back up in a later chapter I felt quite surprised.

If you're looking for something to please your classical-magic loving tween/early-teen niece/cousin/grandchild, this introductory volume in what I expect to be a successful series will earn you early-adopter points. This is an author to watch...her journey, beginning here, can go to much greater heights.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Moon Prophecy was recommended to me based on my never ending love of The Descent of the Drowned, and while they're not that similar, I still loved this one too.

It was crazy fast paced, I haven't read a book that moves that fast in ages. AND, the chapters are short which I always prefer so it was much easier to read.

I had some personal issues that prevented me from finishing it all the way back in mid September, but trust me, were it not for those issues, this book would've been binged in one go.

At first I wasn't sure where the story was going, but as it picked up the pace it became a lot more interesting and unlike anything I've read before. I especially love the old language, the little clues AND THE FOOD! GIVE ME ALL THE FOOD RIGHT NOW. NOW I SAY.

The characters are a perfect example of the well-done found family trope. They don't all immediately get along, but by the end of the book they're a team, a family, they'd do anything to save each other and it's beautiful.

Then we have a creative magic system which I can't wait to learn more about. IT'S SO GOOD! If I say it's kind of like casting charms, but cooler, I wouldn't be doing it justice so you'll just have to read it.

I wish we got a tiiiiiny bit more answers, but I'm also fine with waiting until the next book to get them. Can't rush perfection now can we?

Speaking of the next book, I'd like it N O W, please and thank you.

4.5

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[mesal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Cedar Street Press in association with NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed below are my own.

I did not enjoy this book at all, and I don't really think its target audience of YA readers would, either. A unique blend of Harry Potter and Pokemon, Blood Moon Prophecy is the story of an orphan child named Tilly who, upon the death of her mother, was sent to live with indifferent-at-best relatives. After years of suffering their disdain, Tilly's past comes back to haunt her, and she's forced to escape into a world of magic and mayhem, prophecies and ancient feuds. A significant portion of the book is set on the sea, and while usually that's one of my favorite settings, so many other aspects of the story fell short of my expectations that I was unable to appreciate this as fully as I otherwise might have.

One of the major issues was the fact that Tilly and her classmates, despite being around sixteen years old, all acted and sounded like eleven-year-olds. If this book were marketed towards middle-grade readers, it would make far more sense: Tilly's personality and the lessons she learns based on her actions are all very childlike, suited more to younger readers than the older YA community. These lessons only show up during the latter half of the novel, though. For the first several chapters, Tilly is nothing more than a vessel through which the reader is introduced to the world and its characters. Very rarely do we get to hear her thoughts; for the most part, she's just a reference point from which we get to view everyone else and the conversations they have. There is little substance to her during the first half of the novel beyond this function.

There are also far too many characters. I understand the purpose of Tilly's friend group and quite a few of the adults surrounding her—each had their own place in her life—but a lot of others were superfluous. We don't need seven different characters playing the role of bully, for example. People kept getting introduced and only playing very minor roles in the narrative, and I believe keeping track of character names would be much easier if there were less of them to keep track of in the first place.

Though on the whole the plot was interesting, there were moments within it that I found to be inconsistent with earlier scenes. James is one example. He acts like he's dying to return to his old team aboard a different ship, only for the reader to be told much later that he actually hates everyone on that team and used to be constantly bullied by them. He holds a "my father will hear about this" attitude for so long that discovering his father essentially disowned him is less of a plot twist and more a point of immediate confusion. Tilly is told not to cast fire sprites since they're all living on a ship, but the ship has fireplaces. The whole book is written from the perspective of Tilly, but we sometimes get sentences like "Tilly sounded hurt." Sounded... to whom? There's a distinct lack of cohesion to the plot which adds to the overall effect that the novel is packed with much more—information, characters, backstories, plot twists (without any form of foreshadowing whatsoever)—than it actually needed.

With some editing and a change in direction from young adults to middle-grade readers, I believe this could be a good book. As it stands right now, I'm not willing to recommend it to others, whether within the age range of its current target audience or outside of it.

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood Moon Prophecy follows sixteen-year-old Tilly as she learns of her past and a world she never knew. Thrust into a world of magic, Tilly joins a fleet that helps her follow the secrets of a map her mother gave Tilly before she died. Tilly makes friends with many of her shipmates, but the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous their journey becomes.

Tilly goes on an incredible journey over the course of the story. She is a layered and interesting protagonist who has had a very difficult and often heart-breaking life. Losing her mother at a young age, Tilly receives no support from her cold relatives, and she doesn’t feel like she belongs. She longs to return home, though she doesn’t really know where that is. I felt for Tilly and was eager to learn more of her story and the prophecy she’s trying to figure out. Her entire life is upended more than once in her young life, and she shows such courage in the face of so many dangerous obstacles.

The found family is one of the highlights of the story, and I like that Tilly finds her people. She had such a horrible childhood, very much reminiscent of Harry Potter’s life with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, so seeing her find people she can trust and who care for her changes her. She becomes part of a team, and she finds a sense of belonging. The banter between Tilly and her friends is fantastic, as is much of the dialogue throughout the story. It really adds to the character and relationship development while also progressing the plot.

The story is action-packed and exciting, as Tilly learns to navigate a new, magical world, finds out more about her past and her connection to a mysterious prophecy, and trains with crew mates in magic, sailing, and more. The book begins with a super intense scene, which sets the stage for the rest of the book. Tilly’s journey into an unknown world changes everything for her, and this sense of foreboding and danger permeates the story. There are a lot of twists and turns and surprising revelations for Tilly and her friends, and I enjoyed their journey.

I would definitely recommend Blood Moon Prophecy to readers who enjoy exciting YA fantasy with a great found family, high seas adventure, and long-held feuds between powerful magical families.

Special thanks to Books Forward PR and the author for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

[Aly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book didn't end up being for me. It does have a lot of action and the chapters are very short, which usually makes me feel like the pacing is quick. I think it was just that the plot felt reminiscent of a certain boy who lived in parts and the main character wasn't my favorite. I found her kind of pathetic at the beginning and then she became full of herself and bratty. Can we get a balance between those please?

I can see how it would be easy to fall in and be interested in the mystery and the new water-based world and I hope others enjoy this more than I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Cedar Street Press and NetGalley for the copy

[Karyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Summary: Tilly was orphaned at 5 years old after she broke one of her mothers rules resulting in her mother's death. The circumstances surrounding the death were shrouded in mystery. She was sent to live with a distant relative by a mysterious figure known only to Tilly as the Time Keeper and he promised that he would come back for her in exactly 11 years. Well, he's five days late and strange things are beginning to happen around Tilly, culminating in the arrival of people who reveal to Tilly that she's part of a magical lineage and that she needs to untangle a web of clues left by her mother in order to fulfill the Blood Moon Prophecy. Will Tilly be able to master her newly discovered magical heritage in time to prevent a terrible monster from destroying more of Tilly's world than it already has?

My Review: I loved the magical world established in this novel. It was unlike anything I've read before, which, given my penchant for reading high fantasy novels is saying something! The magic in this universe is created by casting sprites allied to one of the four elements: water, air, earth, fire. The resulting sprites are then these visible animals/creatures that are slightly smoky around the edges and can protect you or fight the sprites of others in battle. If you manage to defeat your opponent and they don't retract their sprite, you can snatch a small amount of their power and capture it for your own, lending this sense of urgency to any battle you enter into. I also loved the overall story and cannot wait to find out what happens next to Tilly and whether she is able to finally find some more of the answers to the clues left behind by her mother about her history. That said, and I'm not sure if this is an artifact of having read an advanced copy that had not yet received its final copy editing, there were a number of instances that I had a lot of difficult following who was speaking because in the same paragraph, you would have multiple sentences and ideas spoken by more than one character that were immediately next to one another with no indication of the voice. I also did not love the beginning of the book, when Tilly finds out that she is magical and the family she is living with goes straight to attacking her with magic without giving enough backstory as to why these people, who have sheltered Tilly for the past eleven years - albeit treating her like a Cinderella - would suddenly hate her so much as to try to cause her physical harm or death so suddenly. A little more backstory would have improved that section of the book. Especially given that their son continues throughout the rest of the book as an antagonist - so I would have loved to understand more of the dynamics of that relationship, especially as it comes out of the gates so vitriolic.

Overall: I liked the story and would absolutely read more - it is a powerful first novel by the author. I do think that some of the writing demonstrates at times that this is a first novel as it got much more cohesive and easier to follow as the book progressed, suggesting that this author will only continue to get better as we follow Tilly through the rest of her adventures.

I volunteered to read and review this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Cedar Street Press and NetGalley for the DRC.

#NetGally #YA #MagicalWorld #BloodMoonProphecy #Mystery #Fantasy #2022 #DRC

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

"Your destiny is a great one, but the path there is difficult-good and evil is not black and white. That is the price of greatness."

I got this book as an arc through netgalley, and let me just say wow. I am intrigued by all the characters. This gave me Harry Potter vibes at some points during the story, but at the same time was also a completely different story and so enticing and engaging. I fell in love with the characters and their stories, especially the story of Tilly and her background. Although I couldn't give it a full 5 stars as some parts were slow and hard for me to get into, it was definitely 4.5 stars and I can't wait to read the next book in Legend of the Nyx and see where Tilly takes us next.

[miniibooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

So, I really liked this book... at first it was a little hard to get into but once things started rolling, I was invested in the story.

The world building through this book was done really really well. Most of the book takes place on the sea which for me I’m indifferent to but I know for some people that can be a hit or miss. With short chapters the book was fast paced and a lot happening, but I didn’t feel too lost with all the information. I will say the book gave me “Chosen One” vibe with Tilly being thrown into a world of magic and things she never knew existed. I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing for me. What was good for me was the “found family” trope, it always makes my heart warm.
The main character was hit and miss for me throughout the book, in the beginning she def got on my nerves but then her back story and her growth throughout the book grew on me and I wanted to know more for her and what happened in her past. I will definitely be continuing the series to see what happens.

I was getting Treasure Planet vibes….. #iykyk

With this being the first in the series I will say there was a lot of info dumping which I feel like we’ve come to expect in fantasy series because if not you have no baseline to work from.

If you’re into YA fantasy on the water, then def pick this book up!
Thank you Netgalley for giving me this digital ARC for an honest review!

[berfin]

I was really looking forward to reading this book but I had lots of trouble focusing on the plot. The beginning felt very slow and boring and I couldn’t feel any bond to Tilly whatsoever. While there is a lot of action happening and it’s somewhat fast-paced, I just didn’t feel any connection to the book.
I can see how this book could be interesting to others but it wasn’t for me.

[Ivandri Kleynhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity by the Author and NetGalley Shelf to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 Stars for this one.

2022 has been a very slow year for me in the reading department - can't say anything better about the writing one either.

This book was unique in its own way with 3D characters that one instantly wanted to befriend (or throw off a cliff) if they were actual people in real life.
I did see some similarities of The Mortal Instruments in this one, which was promised to me when I received the email (which was a nice surprise as it was random and not a book that I requested. #Honoured)

The writing style was good, the chapters were micro-burst so I could get through them quite easily without the story dragging. Dialog was minimum, descriptions of settings, characters and scenes amazingly developed and appealing in a way that had me sitting in my uncomfortable desk chair until daunting hours of the morning. Only reason why I didn't finish it earlier is because I was busy reviewing several other books privately...

I highly recommend this book and would love to continue (and possess) the series.
And I mean COME ON! LOOK AT THE COVER! That alone is worth 5 Stars!

[Christi Flaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

16 year old Tilly has never quite fit in with the family that took her in after tragedy struck. After Tilly didn't follow one very important rule her mother was killed and Tilly has lived her life with that weight on her shoulders. Suddenly, on her 16th birthday, Tilly is swept into the magical realm from which she came from as a young girl, a world she cannot remember but a world to which she may be very important.

I felt like this book felt a bit like Harry Potter at sea. Tilly was taken in by rude relatives, she joined a boat crew but was one of the few not raised by magic, other boats targeted her while some "teachers" gave her special attention. Not only Harry Potter but I kept finding myself comparing it to other young adult books or shows throughout. Despite the comparisons though I felt it does stand up for itself and never feels identical so it did not work against my overall feelings on the book.

Pick this up if you like magical fantasy and obviously if you'd like a book that gives off Harry Potter vibes but in a more inclusive way.

[Liliana Santos]

3.5 stars
While I enjoyed this book overall, I feel like I didn´t connect with it the way I expected to. THe world-building is intriguing, the characters are nice to like and it is perfectly paced. The ending was pretty big and made room for a highly anticipated sequel. I just didn´t feel things as strongly for the characters, at least not in the way I´m used to. Nonetheless, it is a very enjoyable read, with lots of action and twists. The strong relationships also stood out for me, they were very nice to read about. My thanks to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Amber Eats Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book on a day where I wasn’t sure what to read next. I decided to try the first chapter of Blood Moon Prophecy just to see if it caught my attention. It most certainly did. The unique world and magic system sucked me in and didn’t let go. It’s been a while since a YA fantasy kept my attention the way this one did. I loved the found family element. Tilly surrounds herself with a rag tag yet super loyal bunch of friends/mentors.The school-like environment was similar to other popular fantasies but it was original enough to stand on its own since it took place at sea. Another aspect I really appreciated was that there was no romance. Don’t get me wrong…I love a good romance but its refreshing to see that a YA fantasy can tell a truly compelling story without relying on a romance or love triangle. I feel like there is still so much to discover about Tilly, her magic, and this world. I need to buy my own physical copy so I can admire it on my shelves. I will be patiently (or impatiently) awaiting a sequel.

Thank you to booksforwardpr for my gifted copy.

[Tanya R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a fully engrossing YA Fantasy for a really long time….until now!

Blood Moon Prophecy begins with immediate action, a murder and a bit of a mystery. As the story unfolds, a magical world is built that is easy to understand and definitely entertaining.

High Seas adventure through uncharted waters, magical families, secrets, found families, an evil being and plenty of great scenes with exciting, fast-paced conversations.

A really fun debut novel.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this eArc!

This one just really isn’t for me. I usually try and get through more of a book before I cast judgement, but there was nothing really… gripping about what I did get through. I suppose the plot wasn’t completely lacking, but the prose and writing style just were not captivating.

My feelings are that maybe someone who doesn’t read as much or who has more patience could give a better shake at finishing this book, but with so many books to read and so little time, I’ve learned I have to be honest with myself if it just isn’t jiving for me.

In my mind, most books are average, so most of the books I read I expect to give 3 stars - I can’t really feel I can give a book 3 stars in good faith when I couldn’t finish it, when I’ve finished plenty of others I thought earned that mark.

I think there is potential here in the series and the author’s career, but this one was unfortunately a strike out for me. :(

[Readwithnikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it!
The story felt like it truly developed as it went along, which I really enjoyed, and it was so unpredictable that I couldn't predict what would happen next. The characters were also quite appealing, but Tilly really won me over. The upcoming book has me excited!

[Anonimo Stroumfaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Moon Prophecy is a fast-paced ya fantasy with a mix of sci-fi. I fell in love with the characters especially Tilly who is forced to return to a world she had long ago left behind following her mother's sad death when she was five years old.

The narrative itself evolves and changes throughout the book, giving you plenty of moments that you had no idea what is going on. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, I was proven wrong. I can not wait for the next book in the series!

(Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.)

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.75 stars

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[Sameera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleven years after her mother died, Tilly discovers that she is from an ancient magical family from another land. She is destined to join an adventure across seas where she builds friendships and develops her powers with the end goal of solving the secrets she carried.

Blood Moon Prophecy turned out to be a heartwarming adventure. I found the book a bit long, but ended up quite enjoying it, I especially enjoyed the world building, found family and magical aspects of the book.

#netgalleyARC

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an intense chase scene early on in the book, we follow the FMC Tilly as she is rescued from an old enemy and taken to a hidden world she only remembers through bits and pieces of memory. There, she's taken in as a cadet on a semi-futuristic navy ship and learns how to wield her newly discovered magical powers while trying to decipher clues about her past.

There were a few things, in particular, about this book that made a lasting impression. First, the author wrote great action scenes, especially the battles between elemental sprites. Though these battles reminded me a bit of fighting Pokémon, I really enjoyed visualizing how the different sprites interacted.

Second, I loved the ragtag band-of-brothers dynamic between Tilly and her teammates. The author did a great job capturing the banter among the young cadets, and Nav's lamenting over being on Team Krill had me chuckling. 🦐

Lastly, it would be a crime not to mention Ma Gita's character and the descriptions of all the food she cooks! By the time I was done reading this, I had a strong craving for rose chai and pakoras. 🤤

If I had to nitpick one thing, I'd say that I wished there was more reference to the specifics of the blood moon prophecy throughout the book, rather than saving it all for the end. The bright side is that it made for a hell of an ending, complete with an epic battle as Tilly takes on the enemy that has been hunting her since the beginning.

I'd say my true star rating is a 3.75, but I'm rounding it up to 4 for the series' potential. I'm hoping for a next book and more Team Krill!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blood Moon Prophecy
by Dilani Kahawala
YA Fantasy
NetGalley ARC

Tilly Nyx doesn't remember what happened, but deep down she knows it was her fault that her mom died, her sister disappeared, and the village they were living in was destroyed.

Eleven years later she still waits for the man who promised to come and get her, and she still practices drawing the map as her mom instructed.

After being summoned to the police station, then the family she was living with demands the map, Tilly is thrust into a world she didn't know existed.


I couldn't help but to think 'Harry Potter' meets 'Pokemon' while sailing the ocean. Not the worst idea, but it really needs a lot more descriptions. Everything: the setting, characters, sprites, and spells, were all flat. Hardly any descriptions at all! I saw 'Pokemon' because the sprites they created fought each other... (Yes, I have a 'Pokemon' kid.) And the descriptions of everything including the sprites were only five words, but should've been a minimum of five sentences so the reader could 'see' something.

The setting, the ships, and even the ocean seemed as if five words were enough to paint the story's picture.

This could've been a h**l of a lot better if time was taken creating it instead of the summary it read as. The author told this story more than showed it. I felt as if I was reading a high school textbook. Nothing; past, present, or history of this world was really explained to create the story. It was as if Tilly, the MC, was 'oh yeah, I'm not surprised anymore after a few chapters.'

As a final note, I really hope the formatting is gone through really carefully because the characters' dialogue runs together within the same paragraph throughout the book. Quotation marks alone do not separate the speakers from each other, paragraphs do, (but you still need the marks to designate it as 'speech'). It was hard to tell who was talking when there was a conversation going on. It read as if they were all talking at the same time. Very frustrating for the reader.

Like I said it's a good idea, but the descriptions and 'showing of the story' were poorly executed.

2 Stars

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

***ARC received from Cedar Street Press and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Blood Moon Prophecy follows the story of Tilly, a young girl who has her entire world turned upside down when old evils come back to haunt. This book has a lot going for it a more classical magic system, a world that is mostly water based and a prophecy wrapped in a riddle of an ancient nearly dead language and yet Blood Moon Prophecy just didn’t fully deliver for me even with all its positive points.

Tilly is your typical chosen one hero and for the most part she was an okay heroine. She’s a bit of a brat at times, disregards the wisdom of others due to her own arrogance that inevitably backfires on her and seems to have free run to do whatever she wants that is typical of a chosen one in a YA book. But she is a good friend who is quick to learn from her mistakes and at least tries to do better so while there were times that I didn’t always like her I could at least understand her and in the end Tilly was fine for a heroine. I just wish we knew what she looked like, I cannot recall much of the book where it describes her physical appearance other than her knees. Mei, Nav and James make up the rest of Tilly’s crew and while they are side character stereotype I did like them a lot. James is a bit standoffish at the beginning, Mei a little distant but they all come around to being a strong group that cares for each other.

There are other characters that kind of get lost in the jumble of characters because wow, this book has a lot of characters. Some stick around, others pop in and out every few chapters and some seem to be mentioned and never spoken of again. Its a bunch of ships which means that there will be a lot of background characters but they don’t all need an introduction, its just too many names to remember only for them to not show back up again.

The writing is fine, the magic system feels more classical with sprites and potions that the characters use along with characters favoring elemental based magic. Also who can wield the magic is broken up while one group favors land and air, the other water and fire is interesting. I do wish it had gone a little more in depth into the system, maybe not make Tilly the only fire magic user she doesn’t need to be that unique. I did love how the two worlds were interconnected and influenced each other.

The book starts out really strong, the first chapter is really good there are some good tense moments in there. Unfortunately after that for a good section things slowly fall apart before the book sticks the landing. There is just too much happening too fast right at the beginning that doesn’t make much sense to me. The book gets lost until the maybe the 30% mark trying to fit way to much into the story that doesn’t work and wasn’t needed. That was one of the other issues in the middle of the book, it has so much stuff happening the actual plot seems to take a back seat and I slowly began to lose interest. Thankfully it does pull itself back together before the big climax I just wish it had allowed more time to focus on that as it feels like the book rushes into the final moment that was good but still felt a little compressed since it didn’t allow itself the time needed to fully go over everything.

In the end this is a good debut novel that sets itself up for a sequel which I would be back to read, I am interested in seeing how the rest of Tilly’s story turns out.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced is an understatement in this rich fantasy, where magic, mystery, and adventure abound.

Tilly is treated like a servant in her second-cousin-or-whatnot's home, but after being dumped in Central Park at five-years-old, she should just be happy he took her in. Her memory of her past is sketchy, at best, but she knows to meet a man at the park on a certain day when she's sixteen. Instead of showing up for the meeting, the police escort her to find him dead. When she arrives back to her current home, everyone is pressing her to give them a map, one she promised her mother she would hide, but chaos soon breaks out, the world changes completely. Suddenly, people are fighting with magic, horrible creatures want her dead, and there's an entire world she never knew existed, but she has to enter to stay alive. Escaping on a ship to help a commander find the only tool left to stop evil from taking over everything, she finds herself caught up in the middle of saving worlds and, finally, discovering the secret behind her past.

Beginning with a very grabbing, intense scene, this book shoots off and doesn't stop for a single, tiny breath the entire way through...and at around 460 pages, that's a long, intense ride. And it's well done. The writing sits, close and tight, making every moment and word count. This isn't only in the action, however. The world building is also rich, extremely imaginative, and...well, very original in so many ways. The author leads the reader into an elaborate world, where sprites enable magic to be wielded, and there is always more to discover than meets the eye. The South-Asian flair comes through with grace, making this a world to enjoy.

Family and friendship are key in these pages, and without it, the heroine wouldn't have a chance. There's a lovely bonding of a hodge-podge family as Tilly meets friends, and they are forced to stretch all of their capabilities in order to achieve their goal. It is wholesome and heartening in a way, which makes readers wish they could jump right in...except for the very dangerous parts, of course.

There are quite a few characters and subplots, which work out well and promise much to come in the upcoming books...and if they pack just as much, this will be quite the series. While the action and world building definitely had me, I was a little distracted by the similarities to the entire Percy Jackson/Harry Potter trope and wasn't sure why the entire adventure suddenly had to become a type of school on the ship. While this is for the young adult audience, there were quite a few times where it felt more like an upper middle grade read with a little lack on character and background depth. Still, it was well written and definitely draws in. There is so much happening and so much still to explore, and I am excited to see where Tilly and her band go next. I received a DRC and was surprised at how rich and full of action this one is.

[Gabrielle (bookmarkedgab) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
* This review contains spoilers. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! *

This is an impressive first novel. I found that, like other fantasy novels, if you’re not paying attention you *will* miss details. Now, that’s mostly on me for forgetting or having to go back to understand, but there were some things that I wish were explained more.

Tilly takes a LONG time to get her answers, and her confusion means that the reader is confused, which makes sense. However, a large chunk of this book is spent trying to figure out what on Earth is going on, and no one seems to have a clue until the very end. Suddenly Tilly knows that part of her is Salia but I’m not that sure who Salia is and apparently SHE is the one who created the prophecy the book is named after. It just started to feel like there were so many details that were incredibly important that they were hard to keep track of.

An example of this is the last line in the note from Tillys mother, where she finally understands that she has to open the ancesturn to get all of the memories, except that like is mentioned in the beginning of the book and then not again until a major fight scene. Or another would be Lux, who shows up several times as Tilly learns about the Kaluza and is attending classes, and then not again until they meet face to face on the Mordexa, also at the end of the book.

I also wish that Tilly had trained more, either with Archie or in general. Like I mentioned before, most of this book is her trying to figure out the hints and clues she’s given to decipher the prophecy, but she also never gets ahold of her sprites - until the major fight scene. She blows off Archie often and is always doing things just because she feels like it, but then somehow at the end manages to see through the eyes of the Zaroth and control it, when she could barely handle the power of all of the other sprites she cast.

Either that, or I wish we had gotten answers quicker. I feel like there were almost too many conflicts where we had no idea what was going on AND Tilly wasn’t prepared. Like, maybe she figured out the Ancesturn earlier, or she deciphered her mothers note faster, or things like that. I did thoroughly enjoy the plot twist with Lux and Crom Fahll, but it felt like there were too many plot points/storylines to keep track of.

All that being said, I really did enjoy this novel. And to have such an intricate system of characters and ships and powers and sprites is incredibly impressive. I can almost imagine a wall with string connecting all the dots like they do in crime shows. And you must trust that the effort and work and years that went into writing this is not lost on me! Something like this takes a lot of patience and knowledge, and I enjoyed it immensely!

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's time to dive into a new fantasy series! Blood Moon Prophecy is the first novel in Dilani Kahawala's Legend of the Nyx series. Also, can I just say that I love this cover? It reminds me of another fantasy series, though I can't quite place my fingers on it.

We all do stupid things when we're young. However, sometimes those stupid things come with a heavier price. For example, Tilly's mistake cost her more than usual – her mother was killed, her village destroyed, and her sister disappeared. Oh, and don't forget the ancient horror. Not exactly a fun day to be had.

Now, at sixteen, Tilly is finally trying to take ownership of her life – and her past. She will do everything in her power to understand who she is and what role she has to play in this world.

It feels like a minute since I got to dive into a young adult fantasy series with a darker setting. Realistically, I know it hasn't been all that long, but it sure feels that way. So I was excited/relieved to pick up Blood Moon Prophecy and get reading.

If you're a fan of fantasy novels involving lots of action, this is probably the read for you. It's fast-paced, with short chapters and plenty of new (dangerous) twists. It's plenty to keep the average reader invested.

I'm going to give Blood Moon Prophecy bonus points for two things. First – the found family trope. I'm a sucker for this, so I know my rating is probably slightly influenced by this fact. Seeing Tilly finally find a place to belong and people to call her own was an absolute delight.

I'm also giving bonus points for the magical world, which was fascinating to read about. Something about this world was easy for me to visualize. I don't even feel like I need to beg for a movie or TV adaptation – it already played out in my head.

Thanks to Cedar Street Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

tl;dr - Really promising concept. No world building or character building, so story falls flat. Ender’s Game meets Pokemon Battles with a found family trope.

This story has a lot of promise, and the cover is lovely and made me want to read it, but I struggled with it. The world building is practically nonexistent. Not enough description was given about the characters, the magic system, how the different dimensions worked, etc… The villain also had absolutely no backstory. I kept thinking, “Things will become clear as I read. There’s gotta be a big reveal coming.” Nope. A small reveal, but not one that answered any questions.

Also, cut out some characters. Why are there so many bullies? What’s the point of Charlie? What’s the point of Melvina? What’s the point of that bully duo whose names I can’t even remember—Val and Bryn, maybe? All these characters were introduced and then also randomly dropped and we never heard from them again. Why include them at all?

And why are some of the adults being complete dicks to a 16 year old girl who just found out about magic and the existence of another dimension and some prophecy that only she can solve? Why did they expect her to come into this world, get thrown immediately into battle games (basically like Ender’s Game) and know how to cast these “sprites” (which are basically vapor Pokémon) without any training?

Also, don’t introduce new parts to the prophecy in the last 20 pages with absolutely no description of what it is and no reaction from the characters to say, “Woah, that’s new! What’s that?!” The alchemist? The abbysmith? Not introduced until the last minute. Why is “the alchemist” called the alchemist?

And the villains? Who are Crom Fahll and the alchemist? What is their beef and how did it start? What are their end goals?

There is a clear “found family” trope, but again, the lack of character building and description made it unsatisfying.

The story just fell flat because there was no world building and no description. Hopefully if there’s a sequel (which it seems there has to be because lots of random info was introduced at the very end) it will be more engaging and descriptive so I can more clearly see the world I’m reading about.

So, 2 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Cedar Street Press for ARC.

[Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of magic, sailing, prophecies and all-around chaos.

//some content warnings I picked up on; death (mentioned throughout), violence, self-harm (via magic and potion use)//

Stats:
Overall: 4.5/5 ☆
Characters: 4.5/5 ☆
Relationships/Friendships: 4/5 ☆
Setting: 4.5/5 ☆
Writing: 4/5 ☆
Plot and Themes: 4/5 ☆

(thank you NetGalley for the eARC!)

Blood Moon Prophecy is a fast-paced ya fantasy unlike any other that's been written! It follows our main character Tilly Nyx, who at sixteen is made to return to a world she’d long since left behind after her mother's tragic death when she was five. This initial instalment in the series centres around Tilly as she learns to navigate this world of magic, sailing and adventure while battling to solve the questions she has surrounding her past.

This book was an amazing mix of young adult fantasy and sci-fi that was blended effortlessly into a story unlike any I’ve read before with a magic system and world that both felt refreshing and new.

As for the characters and relationships, well I can comfortably say that Tilly and her friends are one of my new favourite additions to the found family trope! All of the main characters bring something to the story that makes it more enjoyable and had me extremely invested in their safety as the plot began to take darker turns. The entire dynamic between the characters was a joy to read and left me with a big grin on my face and excited to see how this will develop in the upcoming books.

The plot itself is ever-evolving and changing throughout the book leaving you with a lot of great ‘I knew it’ moments, as well as times where you just had to admit to yourself that you have absolutely no idea what is going on. Every time I thought I had figured out the plot I was proven incorrect and left reeling as new information was revealed and Tilly was sent scrambling to figure out another riddle from her past.

In the end, this book was a fantastic introduction to what I’m sure will be a much-loved fantasy series and has left me (not so patiently) sitting and waiting for the next book to be written and released so I can join Tilly and her crew on their next adventure.

[Micheal Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Moon Prophecy, the first installment in the Legend of the Nyx series by Dilani Kahawala, is an imaginative young adult fantasy that blends mystery, magic, and high seas adventure into an engaging coming of age story.

The novel follows Tilly Nyx, a young woman haunted by fragments of a painful past. Eleven years earlier, tragedy struck her family her mother died, her sister disappeared, and the life she once knew was shattered. Since then, Tilly has lived a difficult life in New York City, working for a family that treats her more like a servant than a member of their household.

Despite the hardships she faces, Tilly clings to two mysterious remnants of her past: a cryptic map left behind by her mother and a promise made by a strange figure known as the Time Keeper. These clues hint at a deeper story about her family and her own hidden destiny.

Everything changes when the Time Keeper is discovered dead under suspicious circumstances, with Tilly’s name mysteriously branded into his arm. Suddenly, the quiet life she has endured is replaced by danger, mystery, and a terrifying red-eyed creature that begins to pursue her relentlessly.

Forced to confront secrets buried in her past, Tilly embarks on a journey that takes her far beyond the familiar streets of the city. Guided by ancient clues and the map left by her mother, she enters a world filled with maritime adventure, magical powers, and centuries-old mysteries tied to her ancestry.

As the story unfolds, Tilly must learn to trust her companions and uncover the truth about her abilities while navigating a trail of clues left behind by generations before her. The stakes grow higher as the shadows surrounding her past begin to close in, making it clear that the answers she seeks could change not only her future but the fate of those around her.

With its blend of magical discovery, thrilling adventure, and emotional depth, Blood Moon Prophecy invites readers into a richly imagined world where destiny, courage, and self-discovery take center stage. For fans of young adult fantasy filled with mystery and high-stakes quests, Kahawala’s novel offers the promising beginning of an exciting series.

[A Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tilly had to flee her home when she was young after her village was destroyed, her mother killed, and her sister vanished. But she wants to go home, not having a happy life with her new family. She has a secret map, one that her mother made her promise to protect with her very life. But when someone who was supposed to explain things to her is killed and a monster appears to be hunting her, Tilly finds her wish to travel home coming true and her magic beginning to grow.

The premise of this work was promising, but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The worldbuilding had some interesting ideas and was okay overall, though it never managed to really become immersive. This was largely due to a major lack of descriptions or incorporation of any details that might make a setting/world feel real.

The characters were not written well – most of the first half of the book, Tilly was pitiful and unengaging. This was largely because she was given zero agency. Things continuously happened to her, and she was simply along for the ride or being rescued or being pushed around by the plot. Then she undergoes some “growth” and honestly becomes even more unrelatable due to her obnoxious bratty behavior. The other characters were almost impossible to become invested in as none of them felt alive or well developed. There were also just so many characters that were introduced, caused some problems, then dropped from the story completely, leaving them all feeling unnecessary.

I think the issues of the work can mainly be boiled down to the author relying on telling rather than showing. This did away with any immersion I may have felt with the setting and world and created characters that didn’t feel alive. I’m sure others may be able to enjoy this work, but there was simply nothing about it that was able to grab my interest. My thanks to NetGalley and Cedar Street Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Maykala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Blood Moon Prophecy is a young adult, high fantasy novel that follows Tilly Nyx, an orphan living in New York City. As a child, Tilly's mother died. Tilly knows she has a sister, but she has no idea what happened to her. All Tilly knows about her early childhood is that a man called the Time Keeper brought her to NYC and told her he would eventually come back for her. Tilly lives as a servant to a rich family who treats her badly. All she has of her past is an important map given to her by her mother. When Tilly finds out that the Time Keeper has been murdered, her past and all it's secrets start to unfold. Tilly finds herself on a ship full of magical people and she learns she has an important part to play in the fight against the evil Crom Fahll, her mother's killer.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it is so thought out and original in it's magical and fantastical elements. Also, the food descriptions were amazing!! They made me so hungry. The length of the book was what brought my enjoyment down a bit. Don't get me wrong in depth fantasies and longer stories are great, but in this case it seemed like the same plot formula was being used over and over again. Tilly is looking for something, or she find something, something bad happens, people get hurt, and then it repeats 5 or 6 more times. It wasn't necessarily that the same thing was happening over and over, but the formula was exactly the same and it made me question why it was all necessary. I was like "were in the infirmary again??" Besides the fact that the book could have wrapped up a little sooner, I would definitely recommend it to fantasy readers. Along with the great fantastical elements and food descriptions, there is also heaps of excellent characters and a good storyline. I will be looking out for the next book in the series.

e-ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.