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The Alchemy of Moonlight
When Emile’s aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gay—he runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoni’s mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the count’s charismatic nephew, Henri.
Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.
When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle—where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves—and survive the Montoni family.
Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.
When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle—where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves—and survive the Montoni family.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2023
66 people are currently reading
10341 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 404 reviews
May 29, 2022
I'm not biased or anything, I'm just the author, and of course think this deserves 5 stars 😅😂
March 13, 2023
The Alchemy of Moonlight has been on my TBR since I saw the cover reveal. Beautiful covers aside, I am a sucker for anything to do with werewolves, so y’all know I was excited to read this book.
The first thing I loved about this book was the dark, gothic atmosphere. It reminded me of books I read last year like My Dear Henry. The Alchemy of Moonlight has such a gloomy vibe to the story. The cold, dimly lit castles and houses were such joys to explore with Emile. Udolpho castle was a highlight. I wish the entire book had been set there.
The werewolf lore was interesting. Some of the features of the wolves reminded me of how vampirism has worked in other books and shows I’ve devoured. I don’t recall ever reading a book where werewolves could be revived from the dead, which was incredibly engaging. I think there was a hint at immortality, or perhaps wolves living a longer lifespan than humans, but it wasn’t completely clear.
Count Montoni was a brilliant villain, but for a character often described as a monster, I wish I got to see more of his monstrous actions. Montoni was cold. Unforgiving. Vicious and cunning. Yet, I’ve known worse men, which is worrying if you think about it.
Emile was torn between two men. When he was with one, he longed for the other. I wanted to feel Emile’s yearning in my chest. I was constantly being told how the characters felt, but never really feeling it. The romance felt a little underdeveloped. I struggled to follow Emile’s journey with Bram and Henri. The majority of the book closely followed the love triangle trope which made the ending a little confusing. I didn’t feel like any groundwork had been set to create a satisfying conclusion. I think I would have enjoyed the romance more if Henri was the only love interest. Maybe I just love a brooding man. Who knows.
I think I would have loved this more if it were 100 pages shorter. I think the werewolf reveal came far too late. It was obvious that they were werewolves, and I felt like the inevitable was dragged on a bit too long. I would have loved to get inside the heads of the other characters. Henri was the most complex, and there were a lot of confrontations he has with his uncle that the reader only hears about through Emile. I’d love to have seen those scenes, and perhaps more personal exchanges between the siblings. I think the reveal happening earlier would have also helped strengthen the werewolf lore, as the reader would get more time to explore and learn about the wolves. These may be more personal desires, as I enjoyed the book a lot more when the werewolf action was unravelling.
The story did feel a little repetitive towards the end. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable slice of queer gothic horror. If you love spooky stories, this one is for you!
Thank you to the author & Page Street Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
You can follow me on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
The first thing I loved about this book was the dark, gothic atmosphere. It reminded me of books I read last year like My Dear Henry. The Alchemy of Moonlight has such a gloomy vibe to the story. The cold, dimly lit castles and houses were such joys to explore with Emile. Udolpho castle was a highlight. I wish the entire book had been set there.
The werewolf lore was interesting. Some of the features of the wolves reminded me of how vampirism has worked in other books and shows I’ve devoured. I don’t recall ever reading a book where werewolves could be revived from the dead, which was incredibly engaging. I think there was a hint at immortality, or perhaps wolves living a longer lifespan than humans, but it wasn’t completely clear.
Count Montoni was a brilliant villain, but for a character often described as a monster, I wish I got to see more of his monstrous actions. Montoni was cold. Unforgiving. Vicious and cunning. Yet, I’ve known worse men, which is worrying if you think about it.
Emile was torn between two men. When he was with one, he longed for the other. I wanted to feel Emile’s yearning in my chest. I was constantly being told how the characters felt, but never really feeling it. The romance felt a little underdeveloped. I struggled to follow Emile’s journey with Bram and Henri. The majority of the book closely followed the love triangle trope which made the ending a little confusing. I didn’t feel like any groundwork had been set to create a satisfying conclusion. I think I would have enjoyed the romance more if Henri was the only love interest. Maybe I just love a brooding man. Who knows.
I think I would have loved this more if it were 100 pages shorter. I think the werewolf reveal came far too late. It was obvious that they were werewolves, and I felt like the inevitable was dragged on a bit too long. I would have loved to get inside the heads of the other characters. Henri was the most complex, and there were a lot of confrontations he has with his uncle that the reader only hears about through Emile. I’d love to have seen those scenes, and perhaps more personal exchanges between the siblings. I think the reveal happening earlier would have also helped strengthen the werewolf lore, as the reader would get more time to explore and learn about the wolves. These may be more personal desires, as I enjoyed the book a lot more when the werewolf action was unravelling.
The story did feel a little repetitive towards the end. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable slice of queer gothic horror. If you love spooky stories, this one is for you!
Thank you to the author & Page Street Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
You can follow me on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
June 5, 2023
Why didn't anyone tell me this is a queer retelling of The Mysteries of Udolpho?!! With werewolves no less! Maybe because it's a lesser read classic gothic romance so that's not the direction the marketing took, but as a retelling this is really brilliant. It follows the plot beats of the original but smooths the pacing, adds a different paranormal element, and throws in a queer love triangle for good measure.
Emile's aunt has said she will have him committed and lose his inheritance if he doesn't marry a woman. But Emile is gay and wants to live authentically, so he runs away and poses as a servant to get a job at an estate. The family all suffer from a strange affliction during a full moon and Emile draws the attention of both the handsome son of the family and the quiet young doctor from town. But of course, things go very wrong and there are dark secrets to be uncovered....
There was a point at which I was concerned about the direction the story was going to take but the ending was perfection. And I'm curious if we might get a sapphic sequel??? Because it definitely leaves space for that in an interesting way. As a lover of gothic stories (horror, or romance) this really worked for me. And I think it does a great job of having characters who make harmful decisions but then taking responsibility for them and doing better. Having read the original Udolpho I especially loved this because it's such a good retelling, but I think you can enjoy it even if you aren't familiar with the source material. Definitely recommend! The audio narration is excellent as well. I received an audio review copy of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Emile's aunt has said she will have him committed and lose his inheritance if he doesn't marry a woman. But Emile is gay and wants to live authentically, so he runs away and poses as a servant to get a job at an estate. The family all suffer from a strange affliction during a full moon and Emile draws the attention of both the handsome son of the family and the quiet young doctor from town. But of course, things go very wrong and there are dark secrets to be uncovered....
There was a point at which I was concerned about the direction the story was going to take but the ending was perfection. And I'm curious if we might get a sapphic sequel??? Because it definitely leaves space for that in an interesting way. As a lover of gothic stories (horror, or romance) this really worked for me. And I think it does a great job of having characters who make harmful decisions but then taking responsibility for them and doing better. Having read the original Udolpho I especially loved this because it's such a good retelling, but I think you can enjoy it even if you aren't familiar with the source material. Definitely recommend! The audio narration is excellent as well. I received an audio review copy of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
July 11, 2023
I’m not particularly a fan of love triangles, gothic or horror stories, but I loved all these aspects in The Alchemy of Moonlight!
Let me sum up some great things about this book:
That cover is gorgeous! It made me a little anxious because what if I judged this book too much by its cover? But I shouldn’t have worried!
The love interests are fantastic. I loved both Bram (so sweet) and Henri (so energetic), and I understood so well why it was hard for Emile to choose between those boys and the animosity Bram and Henri felt toward each other.
This story is kind of insta love (or more like insta physical attraction), but the romance part is so sweet that I didn’t care at all. Some people might think there’s cheating involved, but both Henri and Bram knew Emile liked them both. So well, is it or is it not cheating?
The atmosphere is amazing and so subtle. I’m not much of a horror reader, but I devour books like these easily. For people with arachnophobia, be aware there are lots of spiders in this story!
I really loved the first half, and I liked the ending, but I had wanted to have some more time with Bram. In the second half of the book, when the family moved up to Udolpho Castle, he disappeared for a long time from the story, and I wanted him back so badly. He was the cinnamon roll in this book.
Overall, The Alchemy of Moonlight is an enjoyable, swoony and sometimes angsty read, and I round my 3.5 star rating up to four. I was over the moon when I won this book in a giveaway and I want to thank the author, Dave Ferraro, for the awesome gift! And Dave, I’m really curious about your next book, A Vile Season.
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Let me sum up some great things about this book:
That cover is gorgeous! It made me a little anxious because what if I judged this book too much by its cover? But I shouldn’t have worried!
The love interests are fantastic. I loved both Bram (so sweet) and Henri (so energetic), and I understood so well why it was hard for Emile to choose between those boys and the animosity Bram and Henri felt toward each other.
This story is kind of insta love (or more like insta physical attraction), but the romance part is so sweet that I didn’t care at all. Some people might think there’s cheating involved, but both Henri and Bram knew Emile liked them both. So well, is it or is it not cheating?
The atmosphere is amazing and so subtle. I’m not much of a horror reader, but I devour books like these easily. For people with arachnophobia, be aware there are lots of spiders in this story!
I really loved the first half, and I liked the ending, but I had wanted to have some more time with Bram. In the second half of the book, when the family moved up to Udolpho Castle, he disappeared for a long time from the story, and I wanted him back so badly. He was the cinnamon roll in this book.
Overall, The Alchemy of Moonlight is an enjoyable, swoony and sometimes angsty read, and I round my 3.5 star rating up to four. I was over the moon when I won this book in a giveaway and I want to thank the author, Dave Ferraro, for the awesome gift! And Dave, I’m really curious about your next book, A Vile Season.
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May 26, 2023
"To living in sin in plain sight of everyone"
*cheering*
The house of Count Montoni's newest servant has a secret: he is actually a marquis who has fled his home to avoid being forced into marriage by his aunt. Emile's plan is to hide until he becomes of age, when he could inherit his fortune without being subjugated to his aunt's demands.
He's not doing a great job of hiding though, during an outing with the local doctor he swears he recognizes someone, the Count's troublemaker of a nephew has decided to demote his valet and promote Emile to the position on a whim, and above all, there is most definitely something monstrous roaming around the manor at night.
This book had more horror elements than I'd expected, which would normally be fun except that I've been ill and already having trouble sleeping so I was super traumatized at some points like "Emile for the love of god do NOT go there, Don't do That, Emile GO BACK TO THE ROOM DAMMIT."
Unfortunately for Emile he isn't aware of present day horror films so that boy had no sense, I swear.
This book is a fun and pretty fast read (surprised to see the hardcover copy is pushing 400 pages). It has a well balanced blend of mystery, horror, and romance. And of course the gothic vibe, especially once they characters move into a creepy old castle, is strong with this one.
June 29, 2023
I have a star chart in my gr bio that explains exactly what my ratings mean. a 1 star means, and i quote, “absolutely despised it. either DNFed or forced myself to finish out of spite.” and that sums up my feelings about this book pretty well.
starting off, emile’s voice was really interesting. i dive into the book with a good first impression and was easily able to keep up with whatever was going on. when Henri was first introduced, i adored him too. then his true colors were revealed and yeah he’s an abusive, narcissistic piece of shit. and his redemption arc? yeah that was bullshit. i didn’t trust it for a second. like yeah,
is emile naive, yes. is he an idiot, especially after he saw what happened to his aunt? no. so yeah that wasn’t well done, imo. then there’s bram. bram is a literal angel sent to earth. he deserves the world and was one of the few characters i actually liked. his voice was solid, his intentions clear and he wasn’t scared to stand up for someone he cared about.
so the book is chugging along and then, out of nowhere, the characters are taken to a remote ancient castle and that’s where you discover that (*was anyone really surprised at all*) SPOILER they’re werewolves not only that but even more shocking (he says sarcastically) their cure is the blood of innocent people. SPOILER. and then they try to get away and someone almost dies and blah blah blah. i was ready to rip this book up and burn it for entertainment at this point. and then it finished. and the abuser was suddenly nice and he and bram started getting along like magic. the end.
if you couldn’t tell, i found this absolutely terrible and i wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. probably my LEAST favorite book of the year so far.
starting off, emile’s voice was really interesting. i dive into the book with a good first impression and was easily able to keep up with whatever was going on. when Henri was first introduced, i adored him too. then his true colors were revealed and yeah he’s an abusive, narcissistic piece of shit. and his redemption arc? yeah that was bullshit. i didn’t trust it for a second. like yeah,
is emile naive, yes. is he an idiot, especially after he saw what happened to his aunt? no. so yeah that wasn’t well done, imo. then there’s bram. bram is a literal angel sent to earth. he deserves the world and was one of the few characters i actually liked. his voice was solid, his intentions clear and he wasn’t scared to stand up for someone he cared about.
so the book is chugging along and then, out of nowhere, the characters are taken to a remote ancient castle and that’s where you discover that (*was anyone really surprised at all*) SPOILER they’re werewolves not only that but even more shocking (he says sarcastically) their cure is the blood of innocent people. SPOILER. and then they try to get away and someone almost dies and blah blah blah. i was ready to rip this book up and burn it for entertainment at this point. and then it finished. and the abuser was suddenly nice and he and bram started getting along like magic. the end.
if you couldn’t tell, i found this absolutely terrible and i wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. probably my LEAST favorite book of the year so far.
December 5, 2024
this book was just messy with no direction. finished it purely out of spite!!
February 17, 2023
I’m sad.
But I will say thank you to Page Street for sending me the gorgeous arc box of this one. I appreciate you!
Anyways….
This was yet another book that lured me with its gorgeous cover and ‘gothic atmosphere’ and GAY.
So to start, the writing was very elementary to me and it felt like an early draft. The dialogue felt very modern for some reason even though the author was obviously trying to achieve the opposite. The whole thing just fell flat, it felt like what I was promised about this book was not given. The romance—for the type of romance it was—needed way more time to develop. One of the love interests literally THROWS themselves at the protagonist in a creepy and I could even say problematic way and then I’m expected to want them to be together? Nah.
Also this book had a lot of moments where I feel like the author just needed to fill in gaps because they didn’t know what to do with that section of the book—there was a lot of filler while Emile worked and at one point he’s just playing with a spider web? Idk, I feel like all of those moments could have been dedicated to the romance’s development or the plot…or something else. Speaking of, the plot was fine, the werewolf lore was okay-it did have some unique elements but not enough to GAG me, just more underdeveloped elements of the book I guess 😩.
Overall …. Not a fan. I wish I was—BELIEVE ME. I was salivating after this book so imagine my sadness when I’m not swooning.
But I will say thank you to Page Street for sending me the gorgeous arc box of this one. I appreciate you!
Anyways….
This was yet another book that lured me with its gorgeous cover and ‘gothic atmosphere’ and GAY.
So to start, the writing was very elementary to me and it felt like an early draft. The dialogue felt very modern for some reason even though the author was obviously trying to achieve the opposite. The whole thing just fell flat, it felt like what I was promised about this book was not given. The romance—for the type of romance it was—needed way more time to develop. One of the love interests literally THROWS themselves at the protagonist in a creepy and I could even say problematic way and then I’m expected to want them to be together? Nah.
Also this book had a lot of moments where I feel like the author just needed to fill in gaps because they didn’t know what to do with that section of the book—there was a lot of filler while Emile worked and at one point he’s just playing with a spider web? Idk, I feel like all of those moments could have been dedicated to the romance’s development or the plot…or something else. Speaking of, the plot was fine, the werewolf lore was okay-it did have some unique elements but not enough to GAG me, just more underdeveloped elements of the book I guess 😩.
Overall …. Not a fan. I wish I was—BELIEVE ME. I was salivating after this book so imagine my sadness when I’m not swooning.
June 7, 2023
****SPOILER in last paragraph.****
Okay! Let me start by saying that I am a FAN of a love triangle when it’s done right and the main character is into them both! And The Alchemy of Moonlight had that and more!
Emile has both Henri and Bram who WANT him. I want in on this action! Henri is the nephew of a Count and Bram’s family are Doctors. That is a sandwich I’d happily be a part of. At different times of the book, he is into them both, but in very different ways. I love the journey we got to go on with him as he navigated the rollercoaster that is courtship.
This is a gothic romance/horror, so the setting and time period were what really gave us the mood for the whole story. It’s set in the 1800’s and we travel between an old manor and a castle. A CASTLE!!!!!! There is nothing more gothic than an old haunted castle, am I right?
I tried to go in without too much info, because I wanted the surprise to be EPIC. Did I know that there would be werewolves? Absolutely not! Looking at the synopsis afterwards, I would have definitely had that clue, but not knowing was even better. I tried to figure out what they were as I went along with the book, but the reveal was 👨🏻🍳🤌��💋!!!
Also, I need more poly rep in YA!! I now have 2 books that I know about, but I can’t even talk about this one, because that’s a spoiler for the ending. I love that they all end up together. It made me so happy! 😍
Okay! Let me start by saying that I am a FAN of a love triangle when it’s done right and the main character is into them both! And The Alchemy of Moonlight had that and more!
Emile has both Henri and Bram who WANT him. I want in on this action! Henri is the nephew of a Count and Bram’s family are Doctors. That is a sandwich I’d happily be a part of. At different times of the book, he is into them both, but in very different ways. I love the journey we got to go on with him as he navigated the rollercoaster that is courtship.
This is a gothic romance/horror, so the setting and time period were what really gave us the mood for the whole story. It’s set in the 1800’s and we travel between an old manor and a castle. A CASTLE!!!!!! There is nothing more gothic than an old haunted castle, am I right?
I tried to go in without too much info, because I wanted the surprise to be EPIC. Did I know that there would be werewolves? Absolutely not! Looking at the synopsis afterwards, I would have definitely had that clue, but not knowing was even better. I tried to figure out what they were as I went along with the book, but the reveal was 👨🏻🍳🤌��💋!!!
Also, I need more poly rep in YA!! I now have 2 books that I know about, but I can’t even talk about this one, because that’s a spoiler for the ending. I love that they all end up together. It made me so happy! 😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2023
The sole reason I'm giving this book generous 3 stars is the climax and ending, which were really intense and gripping.
I'm sad to say the romance ruined this one for me. Emile is torn between Henri and Bram, and it got old way, way too soon. He is so easily swayed and his vacillation was annoying - especially since it was basically instalove in both cases, and I didn't really understand what he liked in either man. I think the annoyance was also due to this being ya (like why?) and the first person narration, which might be why there was mostly tell and no show.
The lack of development also applies to the secondary characters as well, not just the romantic relationships.
You can defo tell this is a debut, but an editor could have made the prose tighter, especially in the first half.
I'm sad to say the romance ruined this one for me. Emile is torn between Henri and Bram, and it got old way, way too soon. He is so easily swayed and his vacillation was annoying - especially since it was basically instalove in both cases, and I didn't really understand what he liked in either man. I think the annoyance was also due to this being ya (like why?) and the first person narration, which might be why there was mostly tell and no show.
The lack of development also applies to the secondary characters as well, not just the romantic relationships.
You can defo tell this is a debut, but an editor could have made the prose tighter, especially in the first half.
Read
December 21, 2022FOAMING AT THE MOUTH!!!
That cover!
If there isn’t at least one werewolf in this book I might scream.
That cover!
If there isn’t at least one werewolf in this book I might scream.
June 15, 2023
Fans of gothic settings, mmm love triangles, and historical romances will enjoy this book.
I loved the setting and details - very atmospheric and gothic, and so well done. There is also some great werewolf lore.
I loved the setting and details - very atmospheric and gothic, and so well done. There is also some great werewolf lore.
January 7, 2024
Listened to this on audiobook, narrated by Will Watt.
I stumbled upon this little gem through the narrator, whose work on 10 Things That Never Happened I really enjoyed last year, and I can't believe I otherwise wouldn't have heard of it - I really enjoyed it!
The Alchemy of Moonlight is a YA retelling of The Mysteries of Udolpho, and it perfectly blends the deliciously dark atmosphere and motifs you'd expect of a classic Gothic novel with refreshing elements like a queer love triangle and a more modern supernatural twist.
The pacing throughout was impressive, carefully raising the stakes and building up tension for a satisfying reveal towards the end, without ever compromising the Gothic vibes. I actually was surprised at how grotesque some of the horror and violence was, considering this is YA, but it wasn't over the top and served the story's atmosphere well.
One aspect I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did is how flawed and messy the protagonists are allowed to be, and how the love interests in particular discuss and navigate those flaws with each other, as the story develops. There were a few places where I felt affronted by the direction I thought the story was going in these regards (one scene in particular), but Ferraro proved himself an author I could put my trust in, and I was very happy with how everything played out.
Needless to say, Will Watt gave a stellar performance on the audiobook.
Looking forward to more from this author in the future!
I stumbled upon this little gem through the narrator, whose work on 10 Things That Never Happened I really enjoyed last year, and I can't believe I otherwise wouldn't have heard of it - I really enjoyed it!
The Alchemy of Moonlight is a YA retelling of The Mysteries of Udolpho, and it perfectly blends the deliciously dark atmosphere and motifs you'd expect of a classic Gothic novel with refreshing elements like a queer love triangle and a more modern supernatural twist.
The pacing throughout was impressive, carefully raising the stakes and building up tension for a satisfying reveal towards the end, without ever compromising the Gothic vibes. I actually was surprised at how grotesque some of the horror and violence was, considering this is YA, but it wasn't over the top and served the story's atmosphere well.
One aspect I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did is how flawed and messy the protagonists are allowed to be, and how the love interests in particular discuss and navigate those flaws with each other, as the story develops. There were a few places where I felt affronted by the direction I thought the story was going in these regards (one scene in particular), but Ferraro proved himself an author I could put my trust in, and I was very happy with how everything played out.
Needless to say, Will Watt gave a stellar performance on the audiobook.
Looking forward to more from this author in the future!
July 15, 2024
Weirdest possible way to get spoiled for The Mysteries of Udolpho. One star for worryingly accurate depiction of the risk analysis, object permanence, and decision making ability of three teenage boys; one star for the bold, fresh decision to throw in Carmilla from Carmilla. I would give it another star for the whole decapitation plot line but I still don’t really know what to do with that
January 6, 2023
With beautiful writing and a generous portion of Gothic horror, this retelling of the Mysteries of Udolpho was a delight. With strong action sequences, burgeoning romances and some pithy humor, this is sure to breathe life into the seminal Gothic classic, gaining it a new following with its more modern approach.
Great job David! We're looking forward to seeing what you have next!
Great job David! We're looking forward to seeing what you have next!
dnf
September 13, 2023Note: I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. This has not impacted my review.
DNF at 35%
Quick word of caution, please don't read the official blurb of this book because it INCLUDES A SPOILER. I read it before writing this review and it revealed plot points that I didn't even reach myself by the 35% mark in the book. Now, on with the review:
Our main character—Emile—is 17, an orphan, and on the lookout for receiving his inheritance once he turns 18. Unfortunately Emile's aunt disavows him upon discovering his sexuality, from whereon he is on the run as a servant under false pretences until he is of age. From here a love triangle ensues, alongside some sinister machinations that Emile sets out to uncover.
I enjoyed the gothic, sinister atmosphere of this story. Oddly, the writing style contrasts quite a bit with the tone of the story. The writing feels somewhat juvenile at times, whereas the tone of the story itself feels more mature despite this being a YA novel. Regardless, it didn't deter me from reading this book.
What did ultimately deter me from finishing this, however, is the direction of this book's plot and the decisions Emile makes that we as a reader are meant to go along with. Emile's affections oscillate between two men in this novel. One is so glaringly kind, trustworthy and wholesome, while the other appeared wonderful initially but soon revealed his true colours. Simply put, this second love interest is a douche. Yet it feels like both the characters' potential as a love interest for Emile are given the same weight. They are equally sexualized and romanticized in Emile's head—which, it's important to acknowledge that a protagonist's thoughts don't always reflect the narrative intent. But here, I had a hard time making the distinction. I don't understand how I'm supposed to be convinced of a love triangle when one option is so glaringly problematic while the other is wonderful, yet they're both seemed to made out as almost equally viable options by the protagonist. I'm just not invested enough because of this.
Since I DNF'd this story, I can't give any insight into how satisfied I am with how the plot plays out. I will say however, that Emile's justifications for playing amateur sleuth in whatever plot he is uncovering seems farfetched to me. He thinks he can uncover some secret from Count Montoni's mansion as use that as leverage. But the mystery in this book involves murder (which Emile unfortunately stumbles upon in the beginning of this story) so you're telling me Emile doesn't think him snooping around might get him killed? I know he's 17 so the more nuanced side of my brain wants to give him leeway and allow him to think like that given the stress that he's under—which is definitely a valid argument—but in reality I cannot convince myself that someone in his position wouldn't realize his risk for being killed. But then again, I suppose we need some excuse to move the plot forward, I suppose I wish the author had a more convincing explanation for Emile's involvement in the mystery, because then I would have been invested in Emile's amateur sleuthing.
I think this is a story that has its audience. Unfortunately, I wasn't a part of that audience because I need to find stories convincing in order to be invested in them.
October 21, 2023
Gothic. Eerie. Spooky. Werewolves. THOROUGHLY enjoyed.
June 7, 2023
*I received an audio copy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
I am torn about this book.
The writing was good. The plot was really interesting, and I never really knew what was going to happen or how it would all turn out. There were some things that took me by surprise, and I liked the ending a lot. The supernatural elements were really interesting too. There were moments where it even felt more like horror to me, which really added to the mysterious, gothic vibes.
Also, this felt like quintessential YA where there are hot guys popping up everywhere, and of course they’re into the main character, and also rich and/or successful, and also maybe paranormal, except this time it was queer, and you know what? That was fun!
…Which made it all the more unfortunate that the romances (love triangle) lacked depth. It was just Emile thinking, “I have feelings for him! But I have feelings for him too! But I miss him! But I love him!” except I didn’t actually feel any of it. I didn’t even know what he was feeling for either of them in between these occasional mental updates. Henri and Bram both seemed interesting, and Emile’s relationship with each was so different, and Henri and Bram had their own history of friendship and animosity, so there was so much that could’ve been explored and shown. It could’ve been so great.
Another thing, lots of characters did a lot of flip flopping of emotions and reasons and actions, in ways that didn’t feel natural. They also did a lot of things that didn’t make sense and seemed to be just for the sake of setting up certain situations in the story.
I have no complaints about the audiobook narration though. Will Watt was great! He sounded so natural and suited the character perfectly. He did different enough voices and accents for each character. He brought the story to life so well.
Overall, I did enjoy this, just not as much as I would’ve had the romance elements been more fleshed out and had certain things seemed a little less forced. But this was a queer, fun, occasionally horrifying, mysterious, gothic, paranormal story.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes upper YA, historical gothic settings, dangerous mysteries, werewolves, and love triangles.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
I am torn about this book.
The writing was good. The plot was really interesting, and I never really knew what was going to happen or how it would all turn out. There were some things that took me by surprise, and I liked the ending a lot. The supernatural elements were really interesting too. There were moments where it even felt more like horror to me, which really added to the mysterious, gothic vibes.
Also, this felt like quintessential YA where there are hot guys popping up everywhere, and of course they’re into the main character, and also rich and/or successful, and also maybe paranormal, except this time it was queer, and you know what? That was fun!
…Which made it all the more unfortunate that the romances (love triangle) lacked depth. It was just Emile thinking, “I have feelings for him! But I have feelings for him too! But I miss him! But I love him!” except I didn’t actually feel any of it. I didn’t even know what he was feeling for either of them in between these occasional mental updates. Henri and Bram both seemed interesting, and Emile’s relationship with each was so different, and Henri and Bram had their own history of friendship and animosity, so there was so much that could’ve been explored and shown. It could’ve been so great.
Another thing, lots of characters did a lot of flip flopping of emotions and reasons and actions, in ways that didn’t feel natural. They also did a lot of things that didn’t make sense and seemed to be just for the sake of setting up certain situations in the story.
I have no complaints about the audiobook narration though. Will Watt was great! He sounded so natural and suited the character perfectly. He did different enough voices and accents for each character. He brought the story to life so well.
Overall, I did enjoy this, just not as much as I would’ve had the romance elements been more fleshed out and had certain things seemed a little less forced. But this was a queer, fun, occasionally horrifying, mysterious, gothic, paranormal story.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes upper YA, historical gothic settings, dangerous mysteries, werewolves, and love triangles.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 22, 2023
READ THIS BOOK NOW.
rtc.
rtc.
May 16, 2024
Henri is a jerk and not at all what I'd call complex and understandable, nor is he at all redeemed after being an utter villian for far too long. There's a place for possessive narcissists in literature and it isn't YA. I'm also not a fan of power imbalance or lack of consent (dubious or otherwise) in YA books. Let's teach our youth about healthy relationships before introducing them to "things we accept in fiction that are unacceptable in real life". I don't like to DNF books but I did scroll through chunks of the book once I realized I didn't like Henri, I was quickly losing respect for Emile, and ohmygod I wanted Bram to find someone else so I could root for his love story instead. Add to that the fact that the "secret" was so obvious yet dragged out for so long, and I just could not enjoy this.
I read a lot of YA and especially PNR/fantasy and can handle romance as a subplot but I at least have to support the relationship to enjoy it's presence. Basically, Henri is a jerk/ Emile is a doormat/ Bram is too good for everyone yet they all end up together in the very end. Like, the very end- I honestly feel so bad for Bram because I would have easily read a book with his love story even after disliking this one. And to be clear, I don't mind the polyam romance, it's the people involved who made the romance not work for me.
I honestly didn't mind the juvenile writing style but I agree the plot had way too much filler and not enough substance. I'm glad I borrowed this book from the library instead of paying for it. I probably should have read reviews before jumping right in, too, but I borrowed it the day it hit the library so it didn't occur to me to check Goodreads first. Plus, the gorgeous cover of the book fooled me into thinking this would be an incredible YA gothic I would love with all my heart.
I read a lot of YA and especially PNR/fantasy and can handle romance as a subplot but I at least have to support the relationship to enjoy it's presence. Basically, Henri is a jerk/ Emile is a doormat/ Bram is too good for everyone yet they all end up together in the very end. Like, the very end- I honestly feel so bad for Bram because I would have easily read a book with his love story even after disliking this one. And to be clear, I don't mind the polyam romance, it's the people involved who made the romance not work for me.
I honestly didn't mind the juvenile writing style but I agree the plot had way too much filler and not enough substance. I'm glad I borrowed this book from the library instead of paying for it. I probably should have read reviews before jumping right in, too, but I borrowed it the day it hit the library so it didn't occur to me to check Goodreads first. Plus, the gorgeous cover of the book fooled me into thinking this would be an incredible YA gothic I would love with all my heart.
February 6, 2024
This read like a first draft that was only edited for grammar & spelling errors. None of the characters felt 3 dimensional and kept changing their minds & opinions on a dime. There were also a lot of easy answers to questions or answers too soon. The whole situation with the parents felt like filer information until the end where it felt like a last minute ending. It was not satisfying at all.
Also, i felt like this story could have started off at a different point in time. It would have been set beautifully if the story started with him running away. Then some of the relationships, settings, and urgency would have been set up at the beginning. As it is now, everything felt too fake. And I don't even want to get started on the relationships between the MC & his 'suitors'.
No.
I will anyway.
Within the first few pages, the MC says that he's never had someone and was scared of having someone due to his station in life and aunt. Then, a man is quickly introduced and all of those worries go out the window? my suspension of belief does not reach that far. Then there is suddenly a jealous master who is quickly (it seems) forgiven for nearly forcing him into a relationship. The only repercussions of this incident is that the MC doesn't fall for him sooner. What? And then to tie it into a neat little bow at the end where they are all together? No. I mean, if the tension between all of them had been written better, I might have believed it more. As it is...no.
Also, i felt like this story could have started off at a different point in time. It would have been set beautifully if the story started with him running away. Then some of the relationships, settings, and urgency would have been set up at the beginning. As it is now, everything felt too fake. And I don't even want to get started on the relationships between the MC & his 'suitors'.
No.
I will anyway.
Within the first few pages, the MC says that he's never had someone and was scared of having someone due to his station in life and aunt. Then, a man is quickly introduced and all of those worries go out the window? my suspension of belief does not reach that far. Then there is suddenly a jealous master who is quickly (it seems) forgiven for nearly forcing him into a relationship. The only repercussions of this incident is that the MC doesn't fall for him sooner. What? And then to tie it into a neat little bow at the end where they are all together? No. I mean, if the tension between all of them had been written better, I might have believed it more. As it is...no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2023
Thank you to Page Street Reads and David Ferraro for an advanced copy of TAOM !
— I really loved this gothic romance of horror and the supernatural. I’m always going to be a sucker for werewolves and the werewolves here are both sexy and horrific! Really, the way they’re described is terrifying. We have enemies to lovers , a fun queer love triangle. It’s all here ! I will say, the romance is at the forefront here , and David definitely focuses on the development of two specific characters, giving more of the spotlight to our more , ahem , harrier romantic interest. But I’m not complaining ! Just an observation.
Perhaps the werewolf reveal could have been announced earlier on in the novel, otherwise this was a great mix of gothic horror and intense gay romance ! A very stunning Debut ! I can’t wait to see what the future has for David.
— I really loved this gothic romance of horror and the supernatural. I’m always going to be a sucker for werewolves and the werewolves here are both sexy and horrific! Really, the way they’re described is terrifying. We have enemies to lovers , a fun queer love triangle. It’s all here ! I will say, the romance is at the forefront here , and David definitely focuses on the development of two specific characters, giving more of the spotlight to our more , ahem , harrier romantic interest. But I’m not complaining ! Just an observation.
Perhaps the werewolf reveal could have been announced earlier on in the novel, otherwise this was a great mix of gothic horror and intense gay romance ! A very stunning Debut ! I can’t wait to see what the future has for David.
August 3, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up.
If you wished books like Twilight were queer and polyamorous. (Yay!) The writing is about on par with Twilight-- steer clear if you aren't keen on cheesy, extra saccharine romance with a side of insta-love.
There was a spooky gothic storyline at the heart of this, but the pacing was strange, the protagonist dense and a lot of time was spent on romances that felt like they shouldn't have been a priority for the main character considering their circumstances. It was an okay YA read, but if your primary interest in the book is the gothic genre or an eerie plot, I think you can skip this.
If you wished books like Twilight were queer and polyamorous. (Yay!) The writing is about on par with Twilight-- steer clear if you aren't keen on cheesy, extra saccharine romance with a side of insta-love.
There was a spooky gothic storyline at the heart of this, but the pacing was strange, the protagonist dense and a lot of time was spent on romances that felt like they shouldn't have been a priority for the main character considering their circumstances. It was an okay YA read, but if your primary interest in the book is the gothic genre or an eerie plot, I think you can skip this.
February 10, 2023
LISTEN!!! I’m not saying I called it, but I did I did I diddddd 😎 Exactly the ending I wanted.
P.S. The spiders sent me into cold sweats multiple times.
P.S. The spiders sent me into cold sweats multiple times.
May 2, 2023
Thank you NetGalley, Page Street Publishing and David Ferraro for providing me with an ARC of The Alchemy of Moonlight. I had the wonderful pleasure of being able to Hybrid-read this as an eARC and an Audio ARC.
3.75 rounded to 4. Available on 30 May 2023. Will share to socials closer to the publication date.
This cover is beautiful and the premise is wonderful. My eyes went wide when the author started describing the water fountain with the Greek mythology components and I was soooooooo keen. My Lord I was ready for some Moon Alchemy mythology realness. This key part of the lore was very interesting to me but unfortunately I felt that it wasn't explored to it's full potential. But that is probably just because I am a stan for Rick Riordan work.
Instead we get this wonderful love corner - meets love triangle - which is nicely streamy without spicy. I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the slow reveal of the natures of the relationships between each of them. Then Part Four! Honest to god this book turns into a horror story in Part Four! I am not much of horror person so maybe it was more of a Marvel Cinematic Universe Horror Story but still.
I think that the audio book acting is a very well done representation of the manner and tone of speech within the context of the story - Gothic, French, Bridgerton-esque. The issue for me though is that the this meant I was much more connected to the characters when I was reading as opposed to the fancy accents they all had on the audio. Again, this is exactly what the voice acting called for, and if you love queer period novels in that manner then you will enjoy this, but for me I was just put off by them.
TL;DR - Little bit steamy, Queer, supernatural, period story for those that love a bit of conflicting romance with a side of evil villain.
3.75 rounded to 4. Available on 30 May 2023. Will share to socials closer to the publication date.
This cover is beautiful and the premise is wonderful. My eyes went wide when the author started describing the water fountain with the Greek mythology components and I was soooooooo keen. My Lord I was ready for some Moon Alchemy mythology realness. This key part of the lore was very interesting to me but unfortunately I felt that it wasn't explored to it's full potential. But that is probably just because I am a stan for Rick Riordan work.
Instead we get this wonderful love corner - meets love triangle - which is nicely streamy without spicy. I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the slow reveal of the natures of the relationships between each of them. Then Part Four! Honest to god this book turns into a horror story in Part Four! I am not much of horror person so maybe it was more of a Marvel Cinematic Universe Horror Story but still.
I think that the audio book acting is a very well done representation of the manner and tone of speech within the context of the story - Gothic, French, Bridgerton-esque. The issue for me though is that the this meant I was much more connected to the characters when I was reading as opposed to the fancy accents they all had on the audio. Again, this is exactly what the voice acting called for, and if you love queer period novels in that manner then you will enjoy this, but for me I was just put off by them.
TL;DR - Little bit steamy, Queer, supernatural, period story for those that love a bit of conflicting romance with a side of evil villain.
August 3, 2023
This was an amazing gothic romance the only love triangle I have liked too much since I really enjoyed how it was resolved. The characters were amazing and really felt like people from that time period I especially loved Emile, Bram and Henri they had great chemistry this was one love triangle that I loved reading about. I liked Emile for how selfless he could be and for when he starts to care he cares deeply. I loved Bram for how gentlemanly he was and his genuine care for Emile and for being a generally wonderful person. It took a bit longer to like Henri he was a bit controlling at first he made up for his mistakes but I do love how protective and loving he can be for Emile. I also loved the people around them Henri's sister Blanche was very likable as was Annette thee were other great characters as well as a hate able villain. I loved the plot it starts out with Emile hiding out as a servant to get away from his Aunt who would send him to an asylum for being gay or would force him to marry some woman. He finds out many strange things where he is falls in love with two different men there are many issues with each of them other things happen more secrets are revealed and they have a happy ending where they are all together.
August 18, 2023
I did genuinely enjoy my time with this queer gothic werewolf story. I just wish it went deeper into character development because a lot of them felt 1 dimensional. As someone who has read the Mysteries of Udolpho, Alchemy of Moonlight perfectly captures the gothic atmosphere of the original work. I loved all the nods to Radcliffe’s work. I just felt myself desperately wanting to love the characters but never truly getting there
I did enjoy how the love triangle ended up even though it felt a bit forced for most of the book. Overall a fun story
I did enjoy how the love triangle ended up even though it felt a bit forced for most of the book. Overall a fun story
June 12, 2025
they never explained the spiders...
that's not all that's wrong here, but it's the most pressing in my opinion
that's not all that's wrong here, but it's the most pressing in my opinion
May 29, 2023
This is a perfectly paced story that slowly builds and takes you back to a time when appearances mean everything, even if you must deny who you are. Emile finds himself in this situation when his aunt gives him a choice—he can marry and produce an heir or be committed and stripped of his inheritance. The problem is Emile is gay and that is simply not acceptable in society. Emile flees and finds solace by tending to the Montoni family. The family has a handsome young count, Henri that is quite taken by Emile. The dashing town doctor Bram has also taken an interest in him. Emile begins to notice many unsettling things about the Montoni’s and becomes frightened. Heated conversations, body parts and spiders to name a few! Everything starts to unravel when his aunt shows up and throws a wrench in his plans.
This is well written and demonstrates that the author has the gift of creating an atmospheric tale of horror and suspense that is captivating. The love triangle, the suspense and those stupid spiders kept me on the edge of my seat, what a fantastic debut!!
The audiobook was narrated so well!! The accents, the French, C’est Magnifique!
5 ⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheAlchemyofMoonlight #DavidFerraro
This is well written and demonstrates that the author has the gift of creating an atmospheric tale of horror and suspense that is captivating. The love triangle, the suspense and those stupid spiders kept me on the edge of my seat, what a fantastic debut!!
The audiobook was narrated so well!! The accents, the French, C’est Magnifique!
5 ⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheAlchemyofMoonlight #DavidFerraro
August 4, 2023
Reads like a debut whose author has room to grow. At least the romance is in the right place. Do not hire this protagonist for planning and executing his plans. Annette is the best. Pair with Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue for a set of gay disaster nobility gothic YA. (It's weird that it's happened twice.)
I picked this up because I'm always on the look-out for a good werewolf novel, and I've been reading a lot of gay fantasy written by women of late, so I wanted a more own voices perspective. In the second, it sounded a lot more like what I imagine gay kissing would actually be like. As for the first, the werewolf parts weren't bad, but it took a while to get there and I had a hard time finishing the book because of the exasperating stupid happening. (I don't read much horror. A friend assures me that horror protagonists are allergic to doing the smart thing and this is genre-typical.)
The protagonist is a sweetheart (with occasional plans to blackmail ((??))) and he at least articulates that a sexual relationship between employer and employee is too prone to exploitation to be entered into or asked. YAY!
Notes (spoilers included):
Ferraro and editor need to not use "stallion" interchangeably with "fancy nobleman's horse." The most jarring editorial thing in the whole book was when a stallion was led out and the rest of the paragraph used she/her pronouns for the horse (which couldn't talk and presumably wasn't sentient or a trans horse)
This kid literally had one job/goal at the start and managed to escalate it to "I'll blackmail this dangerous family" VERY quickly.
Emile cannot execute a plan successfully to save his life, and he is a sweet idiot.
+I'll blackmail a murderer, but I must be careful so he doesn't murder me.
+WHAT?! The family that has weird seizures every full moon and sends most of the staff away that night ARE WEREWOLVES? Who could have predicted this? I had no idea!!!
+Running away from the evil werewolf didn't work the first few times because he caught up with me on the trail and dragged me back. Doing it a third or fourth time will DEFINITELY WORK.
+Yes, continue splitting the party. Going anywhere in a group would concentrate our power against our single opponent and make defeating him possible.
I picked this up because I'm always on the look-out for a good werewolf novel, and I've been reading a lot of gay fantasy written by women of late, so I wanted a more own voices perspective. In the second, it sounded a lot more like what I imagine gay kissing would actually be like. As for the first, the werewolf parts weren't bad, but it took a while to get there and I had a hard time finishing the book because of the exasperating stupid happening. (I don't read much horror. A friend assures me that horror protagonists are allergic to doing the smart thing and this is genre-typical.)
The protagonist is a sweetheart (with occasional plans to blackmail ((??))) and he at least articulates that a sexual relationship between employer and employee is too prone to exploitation to be entered into or asked. YAY!
Notes (spoilers included):
Ferraro and editor need to not use "stallion" interchangeably with "fancy nobleman's horse." The most jarring editorial thing in the whole book was when a stallion was led out and the rest of the paragraph used she/her pronouns for the horse (which couldn't talk and presumably wasn't sentient or a trans horse)
This kid literally had one job/goal at the start and managed to escalate it to "I'll blackmail this dangerous family" VERY quickly.
Emile cannot execute a plan successfully to save his life, and he is a sweet idiot.
+I'll blackmail a murderer, but I must be careful so he doesn't murder me.
+WHAT?! The family that has weird seizures every full moon and sends most of the staff away that night ARE WEREWOLVES? Who could have predicted this? I had no idea!!!
+Running away from the evil werewolf didn't work the first few times because he caught up with me on the trail and dragged me back. Doing it a third or fourth time will DEFINITELY WORK.
+Yes, continue splitting the party. Going anywhere in a group would concentrate our power against our single opponent and make defeating him possible.
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