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Goodreads Synopsis:
Rising above the city of Collis is the holy Sanctum. And watching over its spires is Catrin, an orphan girl with unique skills—for she alone can spot the building’s flaws in construction before they turn deadly.
But when Catrin witnesses a murderer escaping the scene of his crime, she’s pulled into the web of a dangerous man who will definitely strike again. Assigned to capture the culprit is the mysterious, brilliant, and enigmatic Simon, whose insights into the mind of a killer are frighteningly accurate.
As the grisly crimes continue, Catrin finds herself caught between murderer and detective while hiding her own secret—a supernatural sight granted by the moon, destined to make her an outcast, and the only thing that might save her and those she loves from becoming the next victims…
In this medieval YA fantasy thriller, an orphan with a secret, magical sight gets caught between a mysterious genius and the serial killer he’s hunting.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ½ My Blood and Moonlight Review:
I loved this book. Beaty creates rich and layered characters that you want to befriend as must as you want to throttle for some of their life choices. The story unfolds slowly with moments of deep reflection from our MC Catrin. Weaving a mysterious whodunit with medieval settings and social norms, we follow Catrin as she tries to uncover the truth behind a serial killer’s victims.
One of my favorite plots in fantasy is the blend of solving a mystery while trying to discover the truth about a character’s own heritage, and this book does both beautifully. The cautious partnership that builds between Catrin and Simon (is he good? evil? yes?) is given time to ebb and flow in a way that never feels trope-y or forced.
With characterizations as beautiful as the cover, this is a book to take time to get lost in and savor – not speed run through to get to the next chapter. Perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove who like their fantasy with a side of serial killer.
Thank you to NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.