So…this wasn’t what I was expecting. From the blurb alone I was expecting a forbidden romance story between two teenagers. I got a lot more than that, some good, and some not-as-good.

I’m loving the Chang’e Houyi retellings, as this was a myth that captivated me since I was a kid. This book was a retelling of this myth, not so much Romeo & Juliet, as advertised, with the the feuding families the only similar aspect (which isn’t mentioned much, ironically). I loved the author’s writing. Just gorgeous prose. Short chapters made for a quick read. The ending was fitting, as well. I also found a lot to relate to in this book, down to the Mandarin words, the food, the mythology aspects, the celebrations, and even the overly strict parents. It was definitely light on plot, but I enjoy character-driven stories as long as it’s done well.

I didn’t quite love the massive amount of POVs, because in the end I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. I especially don’t think the parents’ POVs were necessary, and felt that it didn’t add much since this is very much Hunter and Luna’s story. However, I could make an argument that Cody’s POV does add to the story. The villain wasn’t very…villainous? He didn’t feel like a threat at all, even though he was built up to be one. I’m not even sure what the point of having him in the story was. The characters all seemed very one-dimensional, and it may be because we didn’t get to spend much time with any one of them. I never felt that danger of Hunter and Luna possibly being torn apart, or having to fight for their love, but I also never felt that chemistry between them that I so desperately wanted to.

Overall, it was an okay read for me. ( )

teen fiction, 17 y.o. Taiwanese-American star-crossed lovers in the fictional town of Fairbridge, 1991, with magical realism (contains sex and threats of violence/torture).

the family rivalry seems kind of forced and the ending was underwhelming, but otherwise a fun read--chapters are short and fast paced.

see also: books by Anna-Marie McLemore for more modern romances tinged with magic. ( )

Take a whiff of Romeo and Juliet, couple it with an archer worthy of Robin Hood's Merry Men and we're off. Hunter and Luna, two teens whose families detest each other, must deal with strange things creating large cracks and crevices in the roads and woods in their community. Multitudes of fireflies hover around Luna, while Hunter is constantly berated and humiliated by his parents. Still, he's able to hit anything with an arrow. While this isn't exactly a marketable skill in his community, it serves as a great stress management tool.
When circumstances bring the two close, their wariness soon becomes an understanding, then a trust, followed by serious romantic attraction. Meanwhile their families are festering about each other, Luna's parents have her fast tracked to Stanford, completely ignoring her feelings and wants, and Hunter's parents are getting more paranoid by the day.
As the history of both families is revealed, the fallout from an event halfway around the world comes to play a big part in the story as does the appearance of a truly evil bad guy. Meanwhile, Luna and Hunter are trying to figure out how to have a future together. What that future is will surprise most readers as well as giving them plenty to pause and contemplate after they close the cover. ( )