fantasy – Page 2 – The Constellation of Moon

Moon Reads: The Book of Fallen Leaves

Posted on March 17, 2026

The Book of Fallen Leaves by A. S. Tamaki

Rating:

Nothing is perfect, and as such, the reviews in this blog are chaotic. My main aim is to share my thoughts, joy and opinions on a book, not make a publication perfect review. This blog endorses authenticity, showing up and joy over perfection.

Disclaimer: Receiving a review copy from the publisher does not affect my opinion of the book. If you think I review it highly it is due to me knowing my taste well and therefore not requesting books I won’t enjoy. And I am not obligated to review the book if I do not like it, so you may not see bad reviews due to me preferring not to hype down a particular book. I only do reviews of books I disagreed with if I think it is worth bringing a topic or warning to light.

When Orbit announced this book I was in a Ghost of Tsushima mindset preparing for Ghost of Yotei, so of course I had to read it and review it. The description of it felt like it suited my gamer mind and would fit anyone else who enjoyed the games (yes, it is not actually anything to do with them, but I feel like they are a good match in how they approach Japan and Samurai with some mysticism and magic).

I haven’t written a review for Ghost of Tsushima or Ghost of Yotei, which are both games on Playstation. I mostly don’t have a review because I don’t have screenshots to share, but I loved the first game and also the second one. So if you as a gamer, enjoyed them, then the quickest review I can give you is, that this is a similar feeling to playing through the Ghost games but as a book and you have more character points of view.

If you are not a gamer and your eyes are glazing over why I would recommend this book, I am sorry, I will now review it as a book lover. The Book of Fallen Leaves follows Rui, who is a commoner, a no’in, and Sen who is the surviving son of a clan lord that tried to rebel against the Emperor and was caught. Both of them in their own ways feel a little bit at a loss on their purpose and life, and there’s something tugging at them that “there’s more than this provincial life” for them. Circumstances put them into the path of a civil war and various schemes that are political and some that involve the gods too.

Overall I did enjoy the book a lot, however I will say that the introduction or prologue is superb and then it just doesn’t measure up for the first third of the book. That first third is slow, it is doing a lot of trying to set up the politics and in some ways it over explains things while trying to keep a sense of mystery (which fell a bit flat for me after the start, maybe if the start hadn’t been such a punch, this wouldn’t have been such a contrast).

You are also introduced to a bazillion characters and each of their points of view, which again, felt slightly a bit too much without giving enough significant story, just a lot of backstory and setting each side character into their position for the real story to start. I do understand we needed a view into the Empire, the Capital and the factions brewing, but I feel like this could’ve happened in a different way and maybe be a little bit better. It ended up feeling slgihtly repetitive or dragging out certain chapters.

But, once the pieces are in the right places and we introduce Jobo, we go at better speed and then it is a chaotic adventure and I enjoyed the ride a lot. My favourite characters where Jobo, Rui and Sen’s sister (Sen to me was actually pretty boring over all, sorry!), because you get a delightful balance of politics, intrigue, mystery, magic and samurai life.

Overall, it was a fun read and I am curious to see what the next book will bring since the ending left a lot to ponder. And I recommend this if you like politics, Japan and samurai inspired books, and obviously magic martial arts (I would even say it gave me the vibes of Drunken Master Jackie Chan even if that’s not exactly what is going on here, but it was that type of fun chaos).

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Rival Realms Illumicrate

Posted on March 10, 2026

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Rival Realms, April 2025

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

Illumicrate is a book subscription box that usually features fantasy and sci-fi, and curates a wide range of books, including both young adult and adult fiction. It usually contains a new release and several bookish goodies.

This was such a purplebox and I really like purple sp automatic love of it, but let’s see what it had inside, and starting differently today at the botoom and going clockwise upwards:

A Gorgeous tote back which is super spacious, it is a favourite for conventions since it has a zipper (the only other better bag than this is a very similar one that I got at a convention, same design but it had two pockets inside). I’d love more bags like this one.
Cosmic Fray Suncatcher stickers. You basically put these on your windows and they are like shimmery sun catchers making the sun make pretty glass reflections inside the house, like the effect of having stained glass on your windows, but conveniently in a sticker. I have not stuck them because I am renting but I can’t wait to put them up!
A puzzle for Velaris, I love their puzzles so no complaints here.
The Raven Scholar, which I admit I haven’t read yet but it is on my list.
And the usual leaflet for the box

Overall I think I basically loved everything from this box and the only thing not really yet defined on is the book, but it looks like it is the right book for me. Probably best box of 2025 so far.

Book Review

Moon Rads – The Baker and the Bard

Posted on March 3, 2026

The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught

Rating:

Felt like this fit nicely into the same vibes as our last book. The Baker and the Bard follows two friends, Juniper who is an apprentice at the local bakery, and Hadley who is a bard that performs at the local inn. The little adventure had in this book is sparked by a stranger requesting a specific pastry that requires magical mushrooms that need to be foraged since the baker doesn’t have them in stock easily.

Our two friends will then set off on a soft gentle adventure to the forest where they will also realise there’s a little mystery of something eating local crops and leaving a glowy goo behind. Might as well find magicla mushroom and solve the mystery, right?

The story is just cute with finding new creatures, a caretaker and a bit of understanding coexisting environments. I admit the story felt a bit shoe horned to just cover certain topics and at times it was a little weak but the art came into save it and honestly the art is the best part of this cosy adventure. It is still a very cute and cosy book which left me wanting some pastries and a nice cup of tea.

Book Review

Moon Reads – Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

Posted on February 27, 2026

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Rating:

This book was the perfect excuse to pull some cute cat plushies because why not, I have my own brand of “stray” cats.

I loved this book, probably even more the Emily Wilde’s series (and I enjoyed those a lot). And I am so so thankful to Orbit for the review copy because I was able to read the book before it came out and then I raved about it to other people (I do circus arts and I have an informal “book club” where we all read different things but weekly we talk about what we each read and recommend books to each other and this book has been one I’ve recommended a few times).

Anyway, to the actual review of this book. The short version of the review would be that this felt like I was reading a mix of the film and book versions of Howl’s Moving Castle (book version including the other two which rarely ever get included, but are so good), with Agnes being a little like Sophie and Havelock being like Howl. There is also like in the books, a much more involved sister and it is just very satisfying and wholesome and worth reading. Very cosy, very cute, you will want to visit a cat cafe and maybe watch Howl’s Moving Castle or read it afterwards.

Now the longer version, we start our story with Agnes trying to find a place to move into after a mage battle destroyed her previous shop front and the landlady she had cannot afford to fix the damage. Winter is coming and she needs a warm space for the cats and herself as she runs a cat charity to pick up strays. But most places she sees aren’t accepting her because she has cats. Until she finds the perfect shop, but she thinks she can’t afford it, despite being drawn to it over and over. Finally she decides to give in and just check it out, and somehow things work out in a way that is scary but feels meant to be. She’s quickly moving in and everything is pretty smooth, but then she starts getting weird visitors that go through her charity and into the basement of the shop.

To no one’s surprise, turns out she is a front for the most known mage ever Havelock, who is super famous and sought after. And well, as you would expect chaos ensues, with a magical battle between Havelock and another mage and our poor Agnes who loves keeping track of things and organisation struggles. But she’s practical and despite the fact she doesn’t agree with magic and mages, she will make the most of this chaos thank you very much.

She then goes on a mission (if you’ve seen Howl’s Moving there’s a scene that’s very similar to Sophie cleaning Howl’s Castle and it was so satisfying to read) to make things work out for this weird arrangement. But in some ways, she seems to be adopting Havelock as one of her strays and maybe, just maybe falling in lvoe with him despite her misgivings on magic and mages and the fact she thought she couldn’t love someone other than her husband who passed away two years before.

There’s a whole plot that I don’t want to spoil, but I definitely can say that this was adorable, very satisfying to read and honestly 100% worth it. I’d recommend it for the cosy factor, the magic, the Howl vibes, the pastries, the cats and the romance.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls – Haunting Spirits Illumicrate

Posted on February 24, 2026

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Haunting Spirits, March 2025

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

I skipped February last year, the book and fandoms just weren’t my particular cup of tea (I think I usually skip one box a year if at all and I love that you can do this). So let’s see how March was, starting with the featured book and going clockwise:

The main book was The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara which is on my list to read but still hasn’t been read.
Story book Setting magnet inspired by One Dark Window (we like this book so big win here), but in general I like the collection of storybook settings. The magnets are so pretty and perfect for my recipe cards that end up on the fridge.
A super awesome coaster inspired by The Jasmine Throne and the deathless waters (you’d need to read it to understand).
A book pot and I like the desing of this one so I kept it, but it’s currently packed in storage still.
Warden of the Wood embroidery kit which is on my pile of crafty projects to do because it is very cool, but I haven’t got to it yet (embroidery and crochet are the slowest craft projects for me at the moment since I don’t have a set space to do them so I keep having to setup, then move then lose momentum).

Overall the box was full of awesome bits and fandom I like so there wasn’t anything really wasted, big win in this case and I am pretty happy with the contents and over all the box and the look of it.

Book Review

Moon Reads: How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days

Posted on February 3, 2026

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva

Rating:

I have typed this review a few times trying to find the best way to tell you “hey, this was really fun to read, and I wish everyone else would read, please go read it. I want more fun cosy chaos books like this one”, and I don’t think I know how else to say it.

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is a cute chaos hug to a fantasy nerd. You have Pansy, a halfling in search of a little adventure and that feels a little out of place in her village because of being a little odd and not wanting pure comfort. And you have Ren a goblin who is trying their best to support their clan and also they have a green thumb like nobody else.

Now have Pansy inherit her grandma’s cottage and she feels like this is her chance to make her own life without feeling a bit out of place, she has found her place. But surprise, when she goes to claim her inheritance, Ren is already living there and growing all manners of things (including lots of moss inside the house, apparently moss inside the cottage is not a halfling thing but I think is a pretty cool idea).

To the surprise of both, they somehow end up making a deal on who gets to keep the house, whomever doesn’t leave and stays in it. There’s a few ground rules like not being destructive to each other’s things and stuff, and that you can’t “remove” but only add things (you can already see this backfiring, right?). And so it starts, a little back and forth between them trying to find ways to annoy each other of the home.

It is not to the reader’s surprise of course, that these all backfire in very amusing and funny ways, but also in making the home cosy for both of them. I will say, this was a proper cosy read, with lots of plants and cooking, and questions about belonging and family (or clan) and what it means to be part of them.

But there’s also a lot of little elements reminding you of other worlds, other stories, other classics and some newer works, and it was this also that was fun to read. It felt like a good hug and was about as complex a read as I could muster at a time when I had no voice and a fever. I still enjoyed it a lot and it made me laugh, then cough then regret my life choices, but 10/10 worth it for the story.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls – Fantasy Emporiums Illumicrate

Posted on January 30, 2026

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Fantasy Emporiums, January 2025

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

Somehow we’re still trying to catch up on the boxes, but in this case I missed adding the leaflet to the photograph, so imagine it is there. Starting on the top left corner and going clockwise:

A cute little tea strainer inspired by A Tempest of Tea. I am not super big on tea strainers because they are a pain to clean up but this one is super cute!
A trivet inspired by Legends and Lattes, which was perfect becuase a great book chocie and trivets are such wonderful things! This had been in use at home but is currently in storage waiting to the next house move.
Two mini vases inspired by This Poison Heart, which are cute, I just don;t know what I will do with them.
Midnight Bridge Blanket, I didn’t feel like extending it all so there wasn’t a massive view of it, but still, blankets are great.
And finally the featured book which was Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao, which I haven’t read but I’ve head good things so I still want to.

A nice fresh start to the year box, which was fun to open, with a blanket to cuddle up with and things to make the day cosy and make you feel like you’re wrapped up by a fantasy, and I just love it overall together.

Book Review

Moon Reads – Ladycastle

Posted on January 27, 2026

Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson with Rebecca Farrow and Ashley A. Woods

Rating:

This felt like the perfect follow-up review since we have women fighting for their castle!

When the King and his men go on a crusade and somehow get eaten by a dragon, the women aren’t that bothered because at least there’s a lot less having to deal with them and they can do whatever they want. But when it turns out there is a curse that attracts monsters to the castle (thanks to the heads up from the least capable and only survivor knight, Sir Riddick), the women decide that it is their turn to claim what is theirs.

So we have Merinor who is the blacksmith’s wife and now the newly proclaimed King, Princess Aeve becomes the Captian rather than a trapped bird in a cage until she decided to marry, and well, Sir Riddick is meant to help them train up and learn how to fight, defend, build and do all things men do to defend a castle.

But maybe, just maybe, they don’t need to do it the way men do and maybe just maybe they may be quite good at keeping their castle safe and fighting the curse.

This was a fun read, even if at times a little bit frustrating. It challenges tropes and stereotypes, but it also overdoes some parts and just gets stuck in monologues that aren’t necessary and just a little bit boring. I think if it worked better at the plot and less at the woe is me, this would’ve been a higher score on my rating. but the art was fun, and I had a good quick read of this and a lot of fun.

Book Review

Moon Reads – Blood of the Old Kings

Posted on January 23, 2026

Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim. Translated by Anton Hur

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

When I first requested this book I wasn’t sure how much I would like it since I am picky with my translated fiction (the translator can make or break a book, trust me on this). But I shouldn’t have worried, this book sunk its teeth into me and didn’t let go, and though for some reason I didn’t review it at the time that I read it, it’s one of those that lives rent free in my head.

We follow Loran, a swordswoman who is desperate to avenge her family after it was killed by the Empire, so she does what anyone would do and climbs into a volcano to find an ancient dragon from legend and try to negotiate with it so she can get her revenge. She gets an interesting deal on this and comes out with a fancy shiny sword and a greater purpose to her life. But having this purpose still doesn’t solve everything and so Loran keeps trying to make her way towards making a difference and in turn finds a lot of interesting adventures and situations that kept me rooting for her and also engrossed into her side of the story.

The other side is from “inside” the Empire, given that Loran more or less is an outsider to the Empire. Arienne in contrast has magic and is pretty much resigned to having a life where she will become the battery of the Empire upon her death. She lives a relatively good life but she still has dreams and ponder son them. So when she starts hearing a voice inside her head from a powerful necromancer, she starts questioning things, particularly if she is truly meant to just be a battery and what living a life means.

You get a nice contrast between both of the points of view, first in the environment (inside and outside of the Empire), but also in personality and approaches. Loran can use strength more than brain (not that she doesn’t use her brain), whereas Arienne has to use her brain first before her strength. And yet, both of them have to learn how to wield their own power and what a life lived means, and what that implies for the Empire, because if they use what they have, they are enemies of the Empire and all they can truly do is find a way to make having a future a reality.

I enjoyed this so much, it was so interesting seeing both of them slowly become heroines and also work through their own preconceptions and ideals, try to fight not just the Empire but their own internal battles.

If you like epic fantasy with high stakes, magic, swordswomen, dragons, and necromancy, this is the book for you.

Book Review

Moon Reads: The Firelight Apprentice

Posted on November 21, 2025

The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

The Firelight Apprentice follows sisters Ada and Safi in a city that is powered by magic and recovering from a devastating war. Ada is the responsible sister making sure things work out and they are alive, but she can see Safi is developing powers of magic and knows that her sister could benefit from becoming an apprentice to a magician, but she also wants to keep her sister safe and near.

Still she decides to let her sister join a group a travelling magicians who offer to take her on as an apprentice as they see hSafi’s powers and what could be. Safi of course id delighted to be learning and developing her magic, but there are still forces of darkness lurking, particularly a lich that is power hungry and ready to steal it from those that have magic.

I’ve loved Bree’s other books and so had preordered this one, not sure why it took me forever to actually upload the review, but it was a good read. It wasn’t the same as the Garlic series, but it still had these interesting conflict of growth and what happens as you grow and who becomes your friends and allies, and how to make that work for you being yourself.

The magical world was super interesting as was the magic that exists, I feel a little like it is the same world where Garlic and the Vampire happen but maybe a different much civilised area since this is a city. Still, it was a nice addition to the collection and a good read.