The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

This is the group thread for When the Moon Hatched!

Content Warnings:
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Murder, Gore, Sexual content, Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Violence, and Cursing
Moderate: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, and Torture
Minor: Sexism.

This thread is open for discussion beginning July 1st! Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed (mark as a spoiler) in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days of the month can be used to catch up if needed! Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads.

The Group Read Discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 07/01
July 01: Chapters 1-3 or 24 pages
July 02: Chapters 4-6 or 24 pages
July 03: Chapters 7-9 or 24 pages
July 04: Chapters 10-12 or 24 pages
July 05: Chapters 13-15 or 24 pages
July 06: Chapters 16-18 or 24 pages
July 07: Chapters 19-21 or 24 pages

Week of 07/08
July 08: Chapters 22-24 or 24 pages
July 09: Chapters 25-27 or 24 pages
July 10: Chapters 28-30 or 24 pages
July 11: Chapters 31-33 or 24 pages
July 12: Chapters 34-36 or 24 pages
July 13: Chapters 37-39 or 24 pages
July 14: Chapters 40-42 or 24 pages

Week of /15
July 15: Chapters 43-45 or 24 pages
July 16: Chapters 45-48 or 24 pages
July 17: Chapters 49-51 or 24 pages
July 18: Chapters 52-54 or 24 pages
July 19: Chapters 55-57 or 24 pages
July 20: Chapters 58-60 or 24 pages
July 21: Chapters 61-63 or 24 pages

Week of /22
July 22: Chapters 64-66 or 24 pages
July 23: Chapters 67-69 or 24 pages
July 24: Chapters 70-72 or 24 pages
July 25: Chapters 73-75 or 24 pages
July 26: Chapters 76-78 or 24 pages
July 27: Chapters 79-81 or 24 pages
July 28: Chapters 82-84 or 24 pages

Week of /29
July 29: Chapters 85-87 or 24 pages
July 30: Chapters 88-end or 24 pages


You can read the group book at any time during the month and at your own pace. This is the pace the group will be using, but if you read ahead or will be giving spoilers, please mark them (click the "some html is ok button"). If you have any questions a mod or another member can help you.

Chapters 1-3

(view spoiler)[ I’ll be honest, there are farrrrrr too many terms and phrases. I almost had a stroke looking at the glossary. I get that there needs to be a well established world-but does it need to be that established?

I really like Raeve’s interaction with Levvi, I hope she pops up again. The interaction with the hooded male (that’s how I’m describing him lmao) was definitely the most interesting part so far.

Raeve is an assassin, which we’ve already seen come into play. I can already tell that she is my favourite kind of heroine. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 4-6

(view spoiler)[ The diary entry was very interesting, I kind of interpreted it as being in the Pov of a child of royalty. The hooded male possibly? (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 13-15

(view spoiler)[ So, we got a new pov, Kaan. I’m going to hazard a guess that Kaan is the hooded male that met Raeve before? It also kind of sounded like he was from royalty, which leads me to believe that the diary entry’s have been his.

It was interesting that we got to see his niece, Kyzari. I do wonder how her supposedly falling in love with the man (Caelis) from the Aether stone is going to come into play. Could it link Raeve and Kaan together again?

Poor Essi 😔😭, I feel so bad for Raeve. She has really been going through it.

I can’t remember a Rekk Zharos, is he just a new character?

We also got another new pov, The Other. From what I read and if I had to guess, I would think it’s some sort of alter ego to Raeve. (hide spoiler)]

@Sophie agree on the glossary! I skipped it because it's meant to be an accompaniment, but as soon as Ch 1, I found that terms were confusing and had to look it up in the glossary.

I thought this was lazy writing. I think new terms should be explained within the story without the reader having to go and read a glossary for that (other than as a reminder)

I do like the drawing in the prologue and thought the prologue was well written. the prose set up the story nicely.

up to 6
(view spoiler)[ I thought the diary entry was interesting too and suspects it was the hooded male as well hahha so whoever wrote it is the descendent of the king left to protect the crown with the black stone. seems like the stone zaps the life from the wearer.

I like Raeve too and loved her brand of justice (hide spoiler)]

up through end of chapter 18: I am enjoying this so far in the sense that this feels like a very unique story and not one I’ve read before. All of the terms and glossary and such is intimidating but it’s helpful that it’s there for reference. Raeve - really like her! The Other - 👀. That is all lol

I'm done with 12 chapters and the story seems beautiful to me. It started out almost like an old world poetry and I read the first few pages multiple times because I just found it so brilliantly written. Now that the story is advancing, I'm having some trouble with the terms too but that doesn't take away from how much I'm enjoying this book.

@Sophie I believe that Kaan is the hooded male too, and he's the King's brother. Rekk Zharos was mentioned in the first few chapters, he's been hired by the Crown to hunt the rebels. (view spoiler)[ but I think the diary entries are Raeve's when she was a child. so she's possibly of royal blood but I wonder how she's connected to the current King and Kaan (hide spoiler)]

So seems like only the women have been wearing the diadem with the aether stone - but only those of the first king's blood has the power to wield it, so that makes me think, seems like the last few kings, including the current one would not have been royal blood but rather they married into royalty and became the King. Seems like such a burden for the Queens who have their lives drained from wearing the stone.

Up to 18
(view spoiler)[ I was not expecting to have a character death so soon but I guess it needed to happen to get to this point. Raeve have been hiding her real abilities or maybe she isn't aware that she's a dual beader given that she only used the power of the wind last time. I wonder how Raeve/The Other will get out of this predicament. (hide spoiler)]

so I got carried away
till end of 32
(view spoiler)[ I didn't realise there are 3 kings and that Kaan is a king too.
I knew the plan was to smuggle Raeve out via a death by dragon. that was pretty clever.

and screammmms when Kaan said his beloved was Elluin!!!! did his dad kill Elluin's family so that he can take their throne and make Elluin marry his son. it means that Elluin's family was the original wearers of the aether stone, and since Kyzari is now wearing it, she's Elluin/Raeve's daughter?? Just how old is Raeve? I thought she was in her 20s. (hide spoiler)]

the story is definitely picking up, lots of questions I look forward to getting answers to.

up through end of chapter 33:(view spoiler)[
Okay - so I don't think the diary entries are related to Raeve but they are *definitely* Kaan's wife (right?).
I am intrigued by this Aether Stone and how Kaan's niece (?) is dealing with it compared to the previous females who wore it.
Why did the Queen try to save Raeve and why was Kaan so shocked by her name? (hide spoiler)]
So many questions and I am definitely intrigued on this! The world and language are getting easier to follow but (view spoiler)[good lord can Raeve chill a bit and maybe show a modicum of trust towards Kaan? Her petulance (for lack of a better word) is a bit annoying currently. (hide spoiler)]

@Brianna (view spoiler)[ I think like Kaan, the Queen recognised Raeve. She either looks like someone from their past, or she's actually that someone, just that she's lost her memories. also I agree that Raeve's distrust is annoying but in a sense it is understandable given the rumours about the Kings, and how Kaan's brother had hired people to hunt her and kill her. I'm sure the things about Kaan and his land are exaggerated, similar to Rhysand. (hide spoiler)]

Dia wrote: "@Brianna [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I haven't ready any ACOMAF or whatever that series is but I know the name Rhysand. lol
In general things are probably exaggerated but potentially on purpose?
It could also make sense that she just doesn't remember past a certain point - she seems familiar with black outs because of her 2nd ability so may not question not remembering things. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 28-30

(view spoiler)[ The Queen must know Raeve, maybe have some familial connection to her, she wouldn’t protect some random nobody.

Raeve being escorted out via Kaan’s dragon, Rygun, was hilarious lmao. The Raeve and Kaan scenes are so entertaining. The story is really picking up for me now. I was a little unsure up until this point, I wasn’t fully vibing with the story, but the language has become easier to understand and the pace has picked up. (hide spoiler)]

Sophie wrote: "Chapters 28-30"


(view spoiler)[YES! Raeve in Kaan's mouth was pretty epic. (hide spoiler)]

@Brianna sorry for assuming you've read ACOTAR! yes I totally forgot about her blackouts but you're right!

Dia wrote: "@Brianna sorry for assuming you've read ACOTAR! yes I totally forgot about her blackouts but you're right!"

No worries! I think I am one of the few who has not read it. I read Throne of Glass years ago and just didn't vibe. I have been considering picking up others by SJM - just haven't yet.

Chapters 31-33

(view spoiler)[ Call me crazy, but I lowkey think that Elluin could be Raeve, or who she used to be. Bar hearing about her in a cell with Fallon, we got nothing from her past. Elluin was left vulnerable after Hadeon and her parents passed, so it’s a possibility.

But the only thing making me second guess is Kaan taking revenge against his father on Elluin’s behalf. Surely he would recognise her, no? (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 43-45

(view spoiler)[ I knew Raeve was Elluin, the lack of Raeve talking about her past pre Fallon, and Elluin’s diary entries not surpassing her being 18 gave it away.

I’m curious to see if Raeve/Elluin remembers her past. I’m guessing not but maybe she gets flashes of moments she can’t remember?

I swear there was some hinting at Elluin leaving Kaan for Tyroth? Most likely out of blackmail for some kind, from her diary entries it was obvious she wanted to steer clear of him.

And who needs her? Kaan mentioned that there was someone who needed her……? (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 46-48

(view spoiler)[ So we’ve now got a new pov, Veya. From what we’ve seen of her, she’s pretty likeable. There’s obviously some history there between her and Raeve/Elluin, and it didn’t sound like it ended on a good note. (hide spoiler)]

Finished this the other day and I have theories! I am excited to see what others think since y'all catch things I miss!

uhh Ch 35 is so weird, I feel like that came out of nowhere especially when Raeve was able to (view spoiler)[ free herself and run wth. but this convinced me that Kaan knows her, or someone who looks like her because he doesn't want meaningless sex, I mean what meaning can you derive if you've just met? (hide spoiler)]

ahh so here comes the reveal at Ch 45

@Sophie re Ch 43-45 (view spoiler)[ I believe from the diary entries Elluin was betrothed to be married to Tyroth against her will of course. While she was kept prisoner for 3 years, I believe that's when she and Kaan fell in love? the person that needs her will be her daughter, Kaan's niece that was wearing the crown with the aether stone. (hide spoiler)] but I guess you'd already have made the connections as you've read further than I have at this point