Blood and Moonlight - by Erin Beaty

“We all live in cages. Only those of us who are lucky get to choose which one.” After watching a murderer flee the crime scene, Catrin helps the investigator assigned to the case, Simon. They soon find themselves tracking a serial killer. Simon knows far too much about the mind of a killer and Catrin keeps her supernatural sight abilities secret. How long can secrets last when there’s a killer running around? BLOOD AND MOONLIGHT is a YA fantasy mystery-thriller that doesn’t read like a typical angsty YA book. I quickly became engrossed in Catrin’s world, turning pages to see if I could solve the mystery of who the murderer was. I was guessing up to the end. I enjoyed the world building. The idea of Catrin’s supernatural ability to have increased sight being granted by the moon was interesting and I liked how it was executed within plot. There are some deeper topics to think about when reading and I always enjoy when a book is thought provoking. BLOOD AND MOONLIGHT was an enjoyable read that I’d recommend to fantasy mystery-thriller fans.

Are you currently in reader's block? Then pick this baby up right now. Not only do you get a beautiful fantasy story that just sucks you right in, but you also get a cool medieval mystery twist as well. I loveddd that the romance wasn't the main plot of the story, but just very nicely on the side. I love how the delicate writing style was put together in a very interesting way. If you love a good interesting read, pick this book up right now and dig right in. I'm head over heels for Cat, she's what I love in my women characters, smart and strong. Two beautiful things I adore. I can't even put into words for how deeply I feel for this book, you're just going to have to jump right into it to really understand. While reading this book I actually got a more mature vibe of cassandra clare kind of writing style. The cover certainly drew me in, and it's very eye catching and pretty to look at. Anyways get out there and read this book, you won't be disappointed!

Blood and Moonlight is a mystery set in a fantasy world which parallels medieval Europe. Catrin is an orphan who grew up in an Abbey and has been hired by the chief architect of the Sanctum, a magnificent cathedral. Her job is to check the stability of the scaffolding to prevent construction accidents. One night she is on the roof of the Sanctum and hears someone crying for help. She tries to find the person and encounters a gruesome murder scene with the desecrated body of a woman. She meets Simon, a young man who is assigned to solve the case because he has the expertise of a criminal profiler. Cat finds herself helping Simon, while, at the same time discovering that she has magical abilities tied to the moon. These powers help her to assist in the murder investigation. The characters in Blood and Moonlight are interesting and well developed. Catrin is determined to solve the murders and to discover her origins and magical abilities. I enjoyed her voice and perspective. Simon is also an intriguing character with his ability to see into the killer's mind. The world building is lush and vivid. The religions of this world, which are tied to the sun and the moon, are fascinating. There is a slow start, but the pace picks up a third of the way in. The book explores themes of socioeconomic disparity, politics, religion, prejudice in the justice system and mental illness. The issue of mental illness is well-researched and handled sensitively. Blood and Moonlight is a compelling YA fantasy, mystery and romance with plenty of twists and turns and a fascinating dark medieval setting. The cover is absolutely beautiful.