Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Vibe: Dragons, assassins, secret pasts, slow-burn love, and a whole lot of stabbing
A Magical World Full of Moons, Messages, and Mayhem
A Magical World Full of Moons, Messages, and Mayhem
The worldbuilding in 'When the Moon Hatched' is one of the first things that pulled me in—especially the poetic, lyrical style of the prologue. Dragons that curl into moons after death? That’s the kind of hauntingly beautiful idea I LIVE for. The writing was like reading a dream, soft and poetic. I genuinely felt like I got lost in that world from the very first page.
The book throws you into a complex world, no doubt about it. There's a rebellion group, elemental powers, royal politics, and a lot of lore and I mean a lot. The beginning 200 pages felt heavy with info-dumps, and the writing was complicated in both structure and content. I had to reread paragraphs sometimes just to keep track of what was going on. And while that’s kind of expected with high fantasy, I personally think the worldbuilding could’ve been explained more clearly or spaced out better.
That said, there were some very cute and clever parts of this world—like the parchment larks. Basically, origami birds that carry messages and come alive again if you fold them back. I adored Raeve’s lark, Nee. Such a tiny detail, but it added a lot of charm and warmth to an otherwise brutal world.
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Meet Raeve and Kaan
Meet Raeve and Kaan
Let’s talk about Raeve first. She’s the main female character (FMC), an assassin working for a rebel group called Fíur du Ath. Like most fantasy heroines these days, she’s strong, skilled with weapons, and full of sass. But Raeve has something more—she’s also deeply emotional. She’s seen so much death and destruction, but still finds joy in the little things. That made her stand out for me.
Her humor in stressful situations was one of the best parts of her personality. She’s not fearless but she faces her fear, and that’s even better. I also loved how her past slowly unraveled through flashbacks and story reveals. Her strength wasn’t just physical, it was mental and emotional too. She felt real.
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Kaan, the male lead, is your classic grumpy, brooding warrior king. He’s HUGE (of course 😂), covered in mystery and grief, and totally in love with Raeve. While I wish their romantic buildup had a little more build (more on that in the next section), I liked how gentle he was deep down. His pain wasn’t brushed aside, which I really appreciated. the author did a great job showing how grief still shaped him and why he connected so deeply with Raeve.
The chemistry between these two? Spicy but soft. Their romance had tension, angst, and that quiet kind of closeness that sneaks up on you.
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A Romance That’s Not Quite Slow Burn... But Still Simmers
A Romance That’s Not Quite Slow Burn... But Still Simmers
Now here’s where I’m torn.
This book is technically a slow burn. They don’t jump into romance right away. But also... it kind of felt like they skipped the real buildup? Like yes, time passed in the story, but there weren’t enough meaningful interactions between Raeve and Kaan to feel that tension grow. So instead of a slow burn, it felt more like... insta-lust. 🥵
There was definitely heat and spark. And their scenes were written with a lot of passion and emotion. But I didn’t always feel like I saw them fall for each other, you know? Still, the lines between them? Fire. Especially stuff like:
“He’s fire and brimstone. I’m shattered ice. Our collision is steam and destruction.”
So while I wasn’t fully sold on the pacing of their love story, I still enjoyed the romance. And that’s saying something, because sometimes fantasy books push romance into the background. Not this one, it’s a key part, but it doesn’t overshadow the main plot either. Perfect balance.
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Worldbuilding, Lore, and Things That Needed a Little Work
Okay, so let’s talk about the trickier parts. The worldbuilding, while creative, was also overwhelming. I mean... a 20+ page glossary before the prologue?? That’s a lot. I get why it was there, the author clearly put a TON of work into building this world and didn’t want to keep explaining things mid-action, but it did feel like being pushed into the deep end.
And the magic system? It’s cool—based on the four elements (fire, water, earth, wind)—but not super unique. We’ve seen this before (Avatar, anyone?). I was hoping for something a little more original.
One thing that always feels weird to me—and I’ve seen it happen in so many books—is when a character hears a completely foreign language for the first time, and the book shows the dialogue written out in that language. Now, if the story is written in third person, it kind of makes sense because it’s like the narrator knows more than the character.
But when it’s written in first person or really close third person—basically from the character’s direct point of view—it doesn’t add up. Because realistically, if you’re hearing a new language for the first time, it doesn’t sound like words. It’s just a blur of unfamiliar sounds. There’s no way you’d be able to separate the words, let alone know how they’re spelled or what they mean.
I get why authors do it, it’s a way to show that a new language is being spoken but it’s still super unrealistic. Maybe if there’s a single word that gets repeated a lot, sure, the character could pick it up. But full sentences? No way. This book did the same thing, and while it’s not a dealbreaker, I just think it’s something authors should reconsider. There are more believable ways to show language barriers, and it’d make the experience feel a bit more authentic.
Still, there were a lot of interesting touches in the world—tribes with strict traditions, secret powers, dragon-lore—and they all came together in a way that made the world feel alive. Even if it was a bit confusing at times, I can’t deny the imagination behind it.
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Final Thoughts: Messy, Magical, and Full of Emotion
When the Moon Hatched is a book that tries to do a LOT. Some parts hit harder than others. The pacing could be smoother. The first 200 pages are slow, and then things go from 0 to 100. At times it felt like a 700+ page book that could’ve been trimmed by about 100 pages.
But despite all that, I loved it. The writing style was beautiful—especially the poetic moments. The characters were layered. The romance made me feel things. There were lines that just stayed with me.
Like this one:
“Sadness is like stones that stack inside you, making it harder to move.”
Or this:
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Those words? They hit deep. And they show just how powerful Sarah’s writing can be when it connects.
Even the dragons—though they didn’t play a huge role in the plot—were symbolically important. They shaped the world, the lore, and even the sky. That’s poetic and just so cool to imagine.
So yes, the book has flaws. It’s dramatic, complicated, and kind of chaotic at times. But it’s also fun. It’s romantic. It’s heartbreaking. And it leaves you wanting more.
If you like:
Strong heroines with a sense of humor
Broody cinnamon roll love interests
Fantasy politics + rebellion stories
Poetic writing that feels like art
And yes, even dragons that double as moons…
Then this one’s definitely worth picking up 🐉
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Final Verdict:
✨ When the Moon Hatched is messy but magical, and despite some hiccups, it’s an experience I’ll remember. Would I reread it? Absolutely. Would I recommend it? Yes, especially to fans of Sarah J. Maas, lyrical fantasy, and stories where emotions hit as hard as the plot twists. ✨