DNF at 50% (if I were to rate it would be a 2.5 star, but I rounded for the sake of rating)

Moth dark is a dark, relatable, and scientific romatasy with an intriguing plot.

Personally, I was very excited beginning this book, but I quickly realized it wasn’t for me. The writing was beautiful and poetic and I was very easily able to relate to the main character, as an overachiever myself. This part of the novel was good. The next part and reason why I dnfed is on me and not on the author. I wasn’t a big fan of the discussion of sexuality and gender, and found it quite odd and uninteresting. I will say I could see others enjoying it, but for me personally it wasn’t it. It was too prominent for me to enjoy thus why I dnfed the book. If that is your forte, this book is definitely for you. I just thought the conversation of it would be more mild. Thats on me for not being educated enough.

I will say once again, this is just my preference and I find I just don’t enjoy lgbtq books.

Absolutely loved this! Moth Dark was such a unique, atmospheric read — dark, magical, and totally immersive. The writing is stunning and moody in the best way, and I was completely drawn into the world from the very first page. The main character really stuck with me, and I loved how layered and mysterious everything felt without being confusing. It’s one of those books that makes you want to reread just to soak in all the details again. If you're into lush writing, shadows and secrets, and a story that pulls you under, this is for you. I’m still thinking about it!

The writing is so lush and moody,The romance? Yes, please. Nugau is such a fascinating figure: mysterious, dangerous, genderfluid elf royalty with timelines as twisted as our heroine’s. Reading their instant connection, meeting across time, I felt every heartbeat, every stolen glance, every shadowy secret. It’s the kind of book where your heart races, then aches, then soars.Sascia is such a compelling lead—curious, brave, and utterly human—even when the timelines are all tangled.

Definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

Wow! This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read and I loved it!! The story was a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, time travel and romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed the concept. It was unique and intriguing. The whole thing kind of reminded me of Avatar in a way and would definitely make a stunning movie!

I loved the world building. It was lush and almost poetic in a way. I could see myself there with the descriptions and details.

The magic concept and time knotting was original and I really enjoyed that! It definitely pulled me in and made me think. I liked how nothing was exactly straightforward and I loved how it all came together in the end.

Then there was the characters! They stole the show for the story!

Sascia, the main character was real and flawed. She wasn’t some perfect fierce warrior. She was a woman who made some mistakes and did her best to do what she thought was right. I loved her perseverance and strength throughout. I admired her and her journey was fantastic.

Nugau was so interesting! I loved trying to understand and learn more about them. I also throughly enjoying learning about their culture.

The two of them together was thrilling. I loved the push and pull of their relationship and interactions throughout. It was perfect!

There was so much jam-packed in this story and I really can’t recommend it enough.

Tropes and themes to enjoy in this one were; enemies to allies to lovers, knotted timelines, forced proximity, lgbtq reps, genderfluid characters, morally grey characters, creatures, on the brink of war, high stakes, battle scenes, dark fantasy, sci-fi vibes, peace themes, loyal friends, new world, trials, royalty, slow dance, young adult, no spice, and so much more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

Moth Dark is dark, twisty, and completely unlike anything I’ve read recently…in the best way.

Kika Hatzopoulou blends romantic tension, eerie atmosphere, and nonlinear storytelling into something that feels both emotionally rich and deeply strange (in a good way).

Sascia is an instantly relatable main character if, like me, you’ve ever been fascinated by the unknown. Her obsession with the “dark” is intense but also kind of beautiful. She’s curious, bold, and just reckless enough to make things interesting. She stumbles into a whole other world when she meets Nugau, a gender fluid elf assassin who’s supposed to kill her…

Except time isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. The timelines between Sascia and Nugau are all out of sync, and each time they meet, something has changed; who they are, what they remember, and what they feel.

I really enjoyed the way the story plays with time. It kept me on my toes trying to piece together what was real, what was past or future, and what might be happening next. It’s a puzzle, but an enjoyable one. The world building is atmospheric, mysterious, and occasionally terrifying, full of monsters that crawl from the dark and a war that feels like it’s simmering just beneath the surface.

The romance is complicated and slow-burn, with just the right amount of angst. I loved Nugau’s unpredictability and the way their relationship with Sascia evolves across multiple versions of themselves. You can really feel the weight of fate vs. free will in their dynamic.

My only small critique: some of the timeline shifts made me pause and reread to keep up. It’s a layered book, and you need to be in the mood to let it wash over you and trust that it will come together..which it does!

Moth Dark is a gorgeously written, emotionally charged romantasy that blends the poetic and the terrifying. Definitely recommended if you’re into stories that feel like dreams with a bite.

Would love a sequel or more stories in this universe!

Thank you Penguin Group and Netgalley for the ARC.

If you're looking for a different read that has a whimsical, other worldly and dark feel to it - travelling to other worlds, a rich and intriguing romance, and a magic system (?) that is alluring, then this is the read for you.

This is my first book from the author (I do have their other books and now definitely need to start them), what I loved about the writing was that it was so immersive. It really draws you into this other world. I also really liked the voice for Sascia - it felt very realistic for her age.

The queer rep was wonderful - the whole romance and plot felt something very poetic. I think the only reason this wasn't a five stars is that the pacing at times felt off and I did sometimes find myself a bit confused near the beginning.

Ultimately, this was truly a unique and different read - a fantastical world with standout, mysterious characters. If you want something like this then check out this book when it comes out October 28th!

I really loved this one, especially because of a genderfluid dark world fae-like love interest Nugua you are so hot please stop trying to be enemies with Sascia. The book was so intriguing at first being in the human world and doing research with the crew. I felt it slowed down a bit when she went to Nugua's world and started having to do trials for a queen. It felt like a separate story within the story. But it picked back up for me when she goes back home. The other researchers/side characters were all amazing too, I'd love to see more of them and their unique specializes as it relates to the dark world.

first off, the writing?? STUNNING. so poetic and dreamy without being confusing. it just feels like a story you get lost in. the whole vibe is very foggy forest meets cult energy meets aching romance and I was SO into it.

sascia is such a chaotic, obsessive little gremlin of a protagonist and i loved her for it. and nugau??? mysterious, soft, literally obsessed. their connection is messy, painful, slow-burn deliciousness and i was eating it up every time they were on page together.

it’s def not your average ya fantasy, it’s slower, way more character-driven, and very vibes > plot, so if you want action-packed fight scenes this might not be your thing. but if you’re into dark atmosphere, tangled emotions, queer longing, and characters falling in love across timelines?? READ THIS

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.

This was my first foray into Kiki Hatzopoulou’s writing and it was the best introduction I could’ve asked for.

I love how it was set in modern day New York but it still had a a believable streak of fantasy flowing through it that didn’t feel out of place.

This book well and truly drew me in and I demolished it within days. Occasionally I did pause with the pacing of certain events, but that may have just been how I interpreted it!

Overall it’s a fantastic book and I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good Romantic Fantasy!

Such a phenomenal book.
I could not put it down..I loved everything about it.
Highly recommend for treaders loving a romantasy story

Moth Dark follows Sascia six years after the human world erupted with darkness. In New York City, the Maw is a pit of the Dark where Darkcreatures and plant matter emerge. But unlike others, Sascia finds the Dark fascinating and thrilling. She has an inherent connection with Darkmoths and spends her days studying the creatures. When she pulls a person from the Dark, her entire life is spun out of control. Nugau, heir to the Darkworld, attempts to sentence Sascia to death for betraying their people in a war that hasn’t happened yet. She manages to escape, but Sascia and Nugau are bound together in ways they don’t understand and as they grow closer, they must put aside their differences and fight for peace.

The way I am OBSESSED with this book!!!! I’m in love. I honestly think this is my favourite book of 2025. This was so incredibly fantastic and Kika Hatzopoulou is now one of my fav authors. I read the Threads that Bind duology last year and absolutely loved them. She has this amazing talent for crafting these insanely atmospheric, darkly whimsical, and descriptive worlds. I adore her writing and am so thoroughly enchanted while reading her books. Moth Dark reminded me a bit of Laini Taylor and I was so here for it.

This is a truly gorgeous story. An epic, timeline-crossing love story that is going to stay with me. The world building was incredible and I loved the concept of the Dark. It was SO cool and complex but so easy to understand and immerse yourself. The pacing was fantastic and kept me hooked from the start to the finish. And it stands alone so well. As much as I’d adore more from this world, I really loved how it ended.

Sascia is a phenomenal main character. She truly felt so real and complicated. I was rooting so hard for her and the growth she goes through was perfect. Nugau was such a fascinating and swoony love interest! The whole concept of gender and sexuality in the Dark world was so interesting and so poignant to current events. I really loved how the topic was handled. The romance between Sascia and Nugau was perfection!! I have no notes, just that I’m obsessed with them. And both of their friend groups!! So lovely and so much fun.

Overall, I’d highly recommend checking out Moth Dark if you love romantic contemporary fantasies full of love and hope and perseverance.

Huge thank you to Penguin Group and Netgalley for the arc!!

Usually I find time travel anything confusing but this was so well written that I was able to understand all of the time travel jazz and just enjoy the story. I liked how sci-fi and fantasy kind of merged together in this book. The pacing was great and I loved the unravelling of the mysteries. It was a cute story.

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous ! There are no words to describe this book! It was phenomenal ! A masterpiece from start to finish !!!

I absolutely devoured this. I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I LOVED IT

Darkly imaginative, entirely all-consuming, and beautifully rendered, Moth Dark strangled me from the first chapter and refused to let me go no matter how much I gasped for air (that I didn’t actually end up wanting).

The world was fascinating and unique—and I would read a hundred more stories set in it if I could. The characters were wonderfully flawed and jumped completely off the page, dancing around my head even when I put the book down. The romance was full of what I love in a romance—intimacy and intrigue and intoxication. The plot was consistently engaging and kept me reeling, begging for more. The themes and intrigue were captivating, and I loved the way gender was approached and talked about throughout.

And the writing—holy hell, was the writing beautiful. The prose was delivered in a way that was thought-provoking and whimsical, caressing and leading you (gently and not-so-gently) through Sascia and Nugau’s story.

You’re truly not going to want to miss this one, and I’ll be screaming that until it comes out October 28 (and after because this will always deserve to be screamed about). An absolute forever favorite.

I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I LOVED IT