When the Moon Hatched sparked a lot of controversy on social media, and I can see why—but I ended up loving it.

It took me a while to get into. After reading the first few pages, I set it aside for quite some time. But once I picked it up again and gave the story a proper chance, I finished it within days. The world-building and timeline were a bit confusing at first—it would have been helpful to know about the glossary at the end earlier. Still, I eventually pieced together the kingdoms, characters, and creatures, and once I did, the story became much easier to follow and a lot more enjoyable.

I loved all the characters, but Kaan was a definite favorite. He’s kind-hearted and gentle, and it was heartwarming to see how he gave Raeve the space she needed to heal. Raeve’s story, on the other hand, was utterly heartbreaking.

Unfolding through diary entries

, her journey was deeply emotional, and the ending completely took me by surprise. It was devastating and far from what I had expected. I also found the background story so compelling—I wouldn’t have minded an entire book just about that.

That said, there are still quite a few unanswered questions,

especially around what happened with the Scavenger King and the meaning of the Fire Lark. I assume those will be explored in the sequel, especially since Kyzari is now in his hands.

Although it had a slow start, When the Moon Hatched turned out to be an emotional and immersive read. I’m excited to see how the story unfolds in the next book.