I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion*

I have read the majority of Sarah Crossan’s work so picking this up was a ‘no brainer’.

Edward Moon was forced to sign a confession to a crime he never committed. Moonrise is told from Joseph Moon’s perspective some 10 years later as his brother has had his date set for his execution.

Edward, Angela and Joseph didn’t have the best upbringing when they were kids, their mother was an alcoholic and neglected them. It was down to their aunt Karen to take the up the role of the parent but as a christian had very strict rules. When Edward was seventeen he left home, unable to tolerate the his aunts strict demands. His moment of freedom was short-lived as he gets incarcerated for the murder of a local policeman. 10 years on and Joseph is to make the journey to Texas to find out what really happened and to say his goodbyes as Edwards execution has been scheduled. Joseph moves in to a decrepit motel room and gets by doing chores for the local diner. His month-long stay in Texas is to get to know his brother again only to say goodbye.

This book was just OK, it deals with a topic that is not widely written about in YA books but I did prefer ‘One’ and ‘The weight of water’. In true Sarah Crossan fashion this book is written entirely in verse, it can be read as individual poems or as a story whatever your preference. This book was not as thought-provoking as her other books and whilst the topic is something that intrigues me, I felt it could have been more emotional and had more character development, the emotional side of things just wasn’t captured well in the writing and I think that’s what let it down for me. It’s probably my own fault, as I tend to go into these book with high expectations. I feel like capital punishment could have been addressed more and given the audience more awareness of executions.

Even though I thought this was only OK, I would still recommend trying it for several reasons, 1. the topic, 2. it’s written in verse. 3. Everyone else seemed to love it.

I rated this 3 out of 5 stars.

This title was a Did Not Finish. Unfortunately, I was unable to connect with it whether it be for characters, story-line or writing style.

Thank you for providing me with a copy.

I read this book both on eBook and on audio book but I would still really love to read the hardback because I imagine it is beautiful. The reason I imagine this is because Sarah Crossan's writing is beautiful. She can take serious issues, such as those explored in this book and write about them so beautifully, you almost forget the issues that the characters are going through!



This book, like Sarah's last, is written in verse so each chapter and therefore each page is quite short. The audio book that I listened to was just under 4 hours long and yet the book has 400 pages, this gives you an idea of how the layout effects the length and the flow of the book. Some chapters have only a few words and some pages the same. This means that, yes it is quick to read, but also it means that you have time to take everything in and explore the enormity of what Joe is facing.



Now the subject matter of this book isn't easy and so you really do need to think about whether a book a about a boy who is facing the fact that his brother has been sentenced to death is your cup of tea or not. But if you are in any way on the fence then let me try and help you by stating that never is the issue forced upon you, this doesn't feel like and issues led book, and also the structure of the writing turns something completely terrible into something you can see as beautiful and in fact life affirming.



There were some points in this book where it felt fairly slow paced and I may have skimmed a few of the chapters but overall I enjoyed getting to know Joe. I wanted to rescue him and his family and somehow change their situation but alas, I can't jump into the book with them! As I say, consider the subject matter before picking this book up but let me reassure you that this is truly a beautiful read.

I read the book a while ago and do not remember much about it

Although this book was published in September, it took me a while to get around to reading it.  And I'm truly sad that I didn't read it sooner, because it is a truly brilliant read.  

The story had me gripped and the short chapters sped the narrative along.  Told by Joseph Moon, aged 17, the story tells how his brother, Edward, is on death row for the murder of a police office - a crime he claims he is isn't of. A topic not often covered, and with a teen narrator to boot, this was a unique tale that I engaged with more than I expected.

Joseph has travelled across the country in order to be closer to Edward for his last few weeks.  He has little money and no idea how to really communicate with a brother he hasn't seen in years.  Unsure of his brother's guilt or innocence, he is miles away from his sister and he might just be falling in love with a local girl.

Having read and enjoyed 'One', I knew Sarah Crossan was a skilled writer, but 'Moonrise' was definitely more than I expected and I definitely won't wait to read more from Crossan in future.

I didn't write a review for this book on my blog due to being busy at the time. Moonrise is again in free verse, in individualised titled poems and tells the story of a young man visiting his brother on Death Row. There's a bleakness to the verse which gives very little hope. As always, Sarah Crossan's writing is perfectly measured and emotive.

Book Review:

Moonrise was a book that I randomly picked a proof copy of at YALC and on a whim, I decided that I would read it and I don't regret this one bit. Moonrise was a poignant book that you will not forget months after reading it.

I had had some negative experiences with Sarah Crossan in the past as I didn't really love One which is her most famous book but this was not the case and I really loved Moonrise.

Moonrise follows two brothers as one of them is on death row and the other has gone to have a relationship with his brother before he dies. This story was very touching and even though you can expect the ending the story has a way of having hope as they try to get him out of prison.

The book is also written in verse which makes it even more powerful with one line pages that are quite poignant. This also makes it a lot easier to read and you can do read it quickly for better or for worse.

I really did love Moonrise which was a surprise and it did make an impression on me and was a really great book. I would highly recommend it.

The Verdict:

Moonrise is a wonderful and powerful read but get your tissues ready this one would definitely have you weeping.

In stories about murder, the focus tends to fall on the victim and those close to them. But what about the families of those accused of the crime?

This is essentially the question posed in Sarah Crossan’s latest novel Moonrise.

The story is about Joe. Joe was a young boy when his older brother Ed was accused of murder and was sentenced to death by execution. It is the story of how he and Ed reconnect during Ed’s last few months on death row.

It isn’t an easy book to read because anyone who reads it will go into the story with conviction of their beliefs. For me, I am against the death penalty. I have been since I was old enough to have a mature opinion about it and it is due to this opinion that I couldn’t help but feel that this story was harrowing. The magic of Sarah Crossan’s writing is that she says so much in so few words and that truly is a talent.


Moonrise is definitely a book to recommend to young readers or to help get a debate going.

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan is available now.

For more information regarding Sarah Crossan (@SarahCrossan) please visit www.sarahcrossan.com.

For more information regarding Bloomsbury Children’s Books (@KidsBloomsbury) please visit www.bloomsbury.com/childrens

After reading Sarah Crossan's 'One', I knew I wanted to read more of her writing. 'Moonrise' follows Joe, as he comes to terms with the fact that his brother, Ed, is on death row and seems to have no chance of survival.
Emotionally evocative, as you'd expect from Sarah, but it did feel as though it dragged a little at times. The outcome was predictable, but I wish the story had been a little longer so that we could have experienced more of the fallout. Definitely makes you think about the ethics (or lack of) behind the death penalty, especially when there's reasonable doubt of a convict's guilt.

Edward Moon was coerced to sign a confession of homicide at seventeen years of age, legally binding and convicting the innocent young man. Moonrise is a poignant and provoking narrative of seventeen year old Joseph Moon and his brother who is scheduled to be executed in Kirkland Texas.

As children, Edward, Angela and Joseph were often neglected, their mother a verbally abusive alcoholic. Parental responsibilities are entrusted to Karen, their mother's single, Christian sister. At seventeen years of age, Edward escaped the confines of their regimented home only to be incarcerated for the death of a police officer. Edward's execution has been scheduled and despite Karen's disapproval, Joseph begins his journey to farewell his brother. The narrative is incredibly distressing as the responsibility is placed upon Joseph, temporarily living within the decrepit Kirkland motel, abandoned by Karen and Angela.

Capital punishment is a contentious discussion, sanctioned throughout the United States although abolished in Australia. Intense and confronting, the nonlinear narrative explores the familial relationship between siblings. Edward has been imprisoned for ten years and estranged from his siblings and with their mother absent, Karen has denied Angela and Joseph access to their brother.

Sarah Crossan is a monumental storyteller and with so few words is, able to captivate and immerse readers. Tragically, poignantly beautiful.

*I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoy free-verse novels, and wish I read more of them, so I was pretty pleased when I found out this novel was in this format. It makes the story so much more meaningful and poignant, and I can definitely tell I enjoyed this format far more than if this same story had been written in the regular way.

At first I was a bit apprehensive of the poetic style of the book. But I became to really love it! There are not many words, but they are powerful and really are able to create a very atmospheric novel. A teenager leaves home to spent the last month with his brother, who is sentenced to die. Through flashbacks we learn about their upbringing and short relationship. I thoroughly recommend this book to get an insight into the inhumanity of the death sentence.

Have previously enjoyed Sarah Crossan books but this one wasn't for me and I've had to DNF it. Didn't like the plot or characters and would rather spend my time reading something I'm interested in.

I love Sarah Crossan's writing and this is another excellent book, although a different style to the others. I enjoyed the very sad story which has stayed with me. I would recommend this book and this writer

Really enjoyed the set out of this book, it was something different and made for a quick read. The book is rather sad, but the way we're given 'mini titles', works really well! Really enjoyed reading it!

Such an emotional story. I really enjoyed the family connections between the characters and loved the main character and his development. There is also anger within the story, how the characters ended up in this situation to begin with and the fact that this actually happens today! You can't go wrong with Sarah Crossan. And the hardback cover is GORGEOUS!

A very sad and touching story, which can be read in just a few hours. I thin this book dealt with important issues in a very clever way that younger readers could relate to. The characters felt real and the story was gritty and didn't hold back. Very good!

A heart-breaking story about a boy, Joe, from New York, whose brother is on death row in Texas for a crime he swears he did not commit. Poignant, written in verse like One, this is another brilliant book by Sarah Crossan, which shows the inhumanity of the American penal system.

REVIEW
I have previously read a book by Sarah Crossan and loved that, so it was the authors name that initially caught my attention and made me want to learn more about the book. As soon as I read the blurb I decided I had to read the book!

The main colour of the cover is different shades of dark or muted blue, with the addition of a crescent moon so depicting the night time. There is a lone figure standing looking at the moon and stars. When you read the book you learn this is actually a scene described in the book, the lone figure being Joe. You'll know the scene when you get to it. Oh and have those tissues ready. The genre for this book has been classified as Literary,Teens & YA but to be honest I think it would appeal to a wider range of readers to include those who love contemporary and adults would also love this book.

The main character of this book is Joe Moon, who is just 7 years old when the book begins with a flashback. Joe is the only in the house to answer the telephone when it rings so naturally he answers it. The phone call is from his older brother Ed. Immediately Joe begins asking Ed when will he be home to play baseball but Ed has something very serious to tell Joe. Ed has been arrested and it's for something serious, people may start saying awful things about him and he needs Joe to know he didn't do it. As Ed is trying to explain to 7 year old Joe, their mother arrives home so Joe hands over the phone to his mom shouting "The police got Ed". Ed's mom is in a state of shock when she puts the telephone receiver down and tells Joe, the police have Ed and they are charging him with murder! Even with his mum telling him that Ed is in serious trouble, Joe still hopes that Ed will just walk through the door again soon.
Joe's main male figure has been his older brother Ed, he has been the one to make sure he got up in the morning and made it to school with some sandwiches for lunch time. Their mother was, well wasn't coping and had been turning to drink for quite some time. The person, Joe, Angela and Ed and also their mom rely on is Aunt Karen. So later as the book progresses when their mom literally goes out one day and doesn't come back it is Aunt Karen who tries her best to keep what is left of the family together.
Then the book jumps to present day where Joe has moved down to be near to Kirkland Farm where Ed is still on death row but has finally been given his date for execution! Though he is optimistic that there are a few options left before he will be executed. Angela who is Joe's older sister has a job and is saving hard to be able to take a trip to join Joe to see their brother Ed. Angela also has the task of attempting to find a lawyer they can afford to put across Ed's case of his innocence in a last ditch attempt to prevent him being executed.

The book follows Joe and Ed's brotherly relationship, separated when Joe was just 7 years old. Joe is in a strange place, in a grotty rented apartment with very little money to survive on. Joe has what little money he has earned from his job working with his friend Reed at Reed's Uncles garage. So when he is in the diner and hears there may be a job vacancy for a delivery driver, he jumps at the chance. Unfortunately there's a rather big hitch, the delivery driver needs his own transport as the delivery vehicle is broken down. Joe strikes a deal with Sammy the diner owner that if he can fix the car, he gets the job! Simple, right? Well not so simple but Joe is not a quitter and the food he is given whilst attempting to repair the vehicle solves his immediate money problem.

I absolutely adored the relationship between Joe and Ed. Ed has been both brother friend and father to Joe. Ed is also the one who attended all the parents evenings Joe can remember. Even though he has only just left school Joe bravely moves to Kirkland to be near his brother. In fact Ed has to apply for special permission for the under 18 year old Joe to even be allowed to visit him. Joe is in shock when he first visits Ed, he is totally out of his depth and stunned that there is thick glass separating them and that to speak and be heard by each other they have to used a telephone receiver. Joe is absolutely way out of his comfort zone which proves he would do anything he possibly can for his brother. Everything is a steep learning curve for Joe, never having lived alone, not knowing anyone other than the waitresses at the diner and no money for entertainment even if there were things to do in Kirkland. When Joe's older sister Angela rings for up dates, Joe hides how awful the apartment is, how he is "working" for just food. Money is tight for Angela as Aunt Karen has moved out and she is having to pay the full rent, meaning it will take her longer to save money to travel to Kirkland. It is no wonder Joe feels weighed down with responsibility.

As August the 18th draws closer Ed's case is reported on the TV which means people realise who Joe has been visiting. He has to put up with some rather verbal judgemental people in his face. The friends Joe has made rally round him. In fact one of the waitresses Sue tells Joe to just ignore them, as most people who live in Kirkland make a living doing a job that wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Kirkland Farm Prison. The other waitress Nell is younger, nearer Joe's age and does hang around with him, in fact they end up dating. However Joe eventually finds out why Nell is reluctant for her father to meet or even see Joe. It is another blow for an already emotional Joe. The cover depicts a beautiful scene from within the book, and yes it had me emotional, and eyes all bleary with tears. As I said in the Cover description you will need some tissues handy for a few places in this book. Your heart truly aches for Joe and Ed. I haven't really gone into whether Ed is guilty or not guilty or if he is executed as planned on the 18th August in the book as mentioning those would be too spoilery. There's a lot that goes on in the book that I am so limited on revealing as I don't want to give away spoilers. It is never my intention to over reveal,or over discuss in a way that would ruin someone discovering and reading the books themselves.

I really enjoyed reading this book and soon got into the flow of reading from the different perspectives. There's the present where Joe is in Kirkland and the past where Joe is telling us, the reader what has happened before he came to Kirkland. I really loved the use of the letters and telephone call's Ed makes to Joe. The descriptions are great for example when Aunt Karen's voice is described as "as hard as the stone in an apricot". You totally felt the mood of Joe's 11th birthday when he describes his cake, candles and the meal they ate as the cake was only for dessert. They way Joe reports that "dad was gone ten years and Ed was gone for." Joe obviously keeping a tally of the years his father and Ed have been gone.
I also adored the conversation between Angela and Joe, describing living with her Aunt Karen and her rules as being like being in the military. Yet at the same time they are both grateful for the plentiful supply of milk in the fridge as well as the clean clothes in the closets. Though young they both know that Aunt Karen is really only trying to do her best for them. Aunt Karen is the person you call for help, and she normally came through for you and sorted out the mess. I honestly feel I cannot praise this book enough and how much I totally loved reading it. Seriously I cannot recommend this book enough! If you loved Countless by Karen Gregory, This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees, The Possible by Tara Altebrando or any of Lisa Heathfield books then this is a book you do not want to miss.

My immediate thoughts as I finished reading this book were that the book was a powerful, emotionally packed, amazing book. It has made me want to read more Sarah Crossan books soon.

Another change of direction for Sarah Crossan with this setting and her style of writing is still SO appealingly. Her great choice of words draws you in & you compulsively read paga after page.