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Saturday, January 6, 2018

REVIEW: Broken Moon by Sarah Beth Moore @newleafwriter

Broken Moon
by Sarah Beth Moore

Thank you so much to the author for this copy in return for my honest opinion 💖.


Publisher: New Leaf Writing
Published:  November 21, 2017
Kindle Edition
363 Pages
First in a Series

Goodreads Synopsis:

What if you discovered human souls are real, but about to become extinct … and you were the only one who could stop it?

Living a thousand feet above the ground in metal slums piled upon the detritus of decades, Naiya Barrigan makes a decent living culling through the wreckage of 21st century humanity and selling what she finds to the highest bidder.

But that doesn’t mean life is perfect: demonic guards stalk the streets, mothers owe their firstborn children to the authoritarian Party, and Naiya’s pregnant sister has just turned up bone-thin, childless and dead.

This disturbing incident kicks off other revelations, such as Naiya’s membership in the ancient family line that oversees the link between the mortal world and Terminus, where souls await rebirth between lives. Unfortunately, the Party has discovered this too, and soon Naiya is on the run.

For help she has only a numbers-obsessed, slightly autistic brainiac, a hulking spy from the outside and an adopted brother toward whom she feels anything but sisterly. In a city fast becoming a death trap, she must figure out how to use the newfound magic she doesn’t even want and escape the place she’s always called home.

Elements of horror, urban fantasy and theology intertwine in this fast-paced adventure, culminating in a revelation that will haunt Naiya for the rest of her life … though her journey is far from over.

My Review:


A different look at a dystopia world where souls await new births between their lives in a place called Terminus.  A place where the "government" takes heed and makes clones in order to meet numbers.  Naiya, her adoptive brothers, Pip and Enoch, are on the run after Naiya and Enoch find themselves running into one of these "clones"... their own sister.  

There are definitely notes of your typical YA, dystopia novel.  We have Naiya, a girl who finds out that she has special powers and becomes the unwilling hero.  A love triangle of sorts - weirdly with her adoptive brother.. and the choices she must make - giving herself up, saying goodbye, letting people go.  There are also unique notes to the book.  We get a little bit of Ganesh (love that!), the Bible (which is a relic in this world) and reincarnation.  All of which definitely piqued my interest.

I do wish there was a little bit more world building.  I wanted to know more about the politics and the whys of the Mayor and the evil doctor.  This didn't make the book any less enjoyable - it's a nod to the author that I actually want to know more intricate details because I did become invested!

Enoch felt like a bit of a dud within the book.  There's no chemistry between Naiya and Enoch - we only know of her feelings because she tells you in her thoughts.  He didn't have much dialogue or made much of an impact for me.  I'm thinking maybe this will come to head in the next book.  My favorite character is Pip - we know he is a child and he is marked, which causes him to act robotically and dangerously in some scenes, while still very childlike in others.  I have to remind myself sometimes when reading Naiya's thoughts, that she too is still young and therefore we are going to see those selfish thoughts and unreliable notions that run through her head.  

Every time I saw the word Terminus, this reminded me of the Walking Dead.  I couldn't help myself.  But really, it makes sense even if my mind goes there.  The undead wandering.  Works for me! 😄  I feel this was almost like purgatory.

All in all, I did enjoy this YA dystopia.  While some places seemed to jump here and there, I loved the premise behind it and what the author was bringing to the table.  It's clear she knows how to write and I did find some descriptors very humorous, it was always in the best way and a nod to the world she created.  If you are into YA, fantasy, dystopia type reads, you should definitely give this one a chance.

★★★

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