I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

Overall I found this to be an exciting adventure with interesting characters. I did enjoy the narrators performance. I think the narrator was a great fit for this book and great to listen to. My real only issue was pacing as there were times the story really slowed down and other times it was fast paced and tense. There is a lot of focus on the inner thoughts of the main character and her dilemmas, which some readers would appreciate as well as the main character's struggles.

On the cubic planet of Arrei, human Braviael's life is forever changed when a roaming group of catlike clom destroys her village, kills her father, and curses her mother. She's rescued by Dithyn Noorlander, another clom, who takes her to the capital city of Delgany. It's there that Braviael learns of the prejudice and strife between the races and of the existence of a magical stone that could save her mother or doom the world in the wrong hands.

It's a solid fantasy that depends on many of the typical fantasy tropes but makes them feel original thanks to engaging characters and good writing. Braviael is easy to connect with thanks to a story that pulls you in. The many clom characters have distinct personalities that help drive the story through interactions that range from sweet to enraging. All happening in a world that feels familiar enough that Perry doesn't have to spend much time explaining things.

My one complaint is that the ending feels super rushed. So much build-up and then it fizzles when it could have been exhilarating. I kind of get the why of it, as the page count was getting up there and a resolution needed to happen, but it still felt like too soft after everything that came before it.

The narration by Emma Andreasen Moore is great. Scenes are suffused with the perfect emotion without losing any clarity. There are so many unusual terms and names that I loved getting to hear how they're pronounced because I have a feeling I would not get any of them right otherwise.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and the author for the advanced preview of the audiobook!

Great story full of adventure. Narrators done a great job reading this book.i really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to readers.

A story about seeing beyond the outer appearance of a person and overcoming racism and preconceived notions with regards to race (technically species in this book). The main character is a human girl who is thrust into a society in which humans are looked down upon and lay-abouts and a lesser being than the majority cloms. All this while uncovering secrets of the past and fighting with sword and fist towards a better future along side a group of cloms.

The story in The Moon Jewel is surprisingly good. While the biggest "twist" of the book is relatively blatant long beforehand, there are several lesser plot twists that I did not expect and added greatly to the drama. This book feels geared towards a younger audience as the breadth of the story is pretty shallow, but I didn't mind that as, even at the surface level, there are multiple elements to interest even if none really dig in deep.

The characters were hit or miss for me. Once again the shallow writing hurt here as the more interesting characters are never really able to shine. There is also a romance subplot between two of the characters that I actually enjoyed thanks to the way in which the author made the romance relevant to the plot.

Despite my issues with The Moon Jewel, I wholeheartedly recommend it for younger readers that are interested in fantasy. More mature readers might like this as well for an easy read with a decent story.

A great read. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.

CW: Death of a Parent, Fantasy Violence, Classism, Racism

7/10

With magical artifacts, martial arts, and a journey to save humanity, The Moon Jewel is a solid middle-grade fantasy set on an intriguing cubic world affected by climate changes caused by the turning of the cube, which altered access to sunlight and quality of life. Braviael, a human girl, loses her father and entire village when Clom marauders attack. We quickly learn that violence between Cloms and humans is common, with each species generally believing it is superior to the other and preferring to remain isolated from the other. Braviael is rescued by Dithyn Noorlander, a former vigilante and martial arts master. With nowhere else to go, she puts her trust in Dithyn and his family. Braviael is immersed in Clom culture and soon must face not only her prejudices but those ingrained in the society she joins against humans. If she is to have any hope of saving her mother, she must work together with her new allies.

A variety of characters are portrayed with different motivations for their actions, beliefs, and habits, with some explored more thoroughly than others. This is one of the story's strongest points. The history and context of the racial struggles between cloms and humans are well executed and thoughtfully handled. Despite a large cast, most characters are distinct and easily recognizable as individuals with their own motivations and personalities. No one character feels unnecessary. The pacing of this story is slow for most of the narrative, but in the final act, it speeds up significantly and, in my opinion, feels rushed given the buildup throughout. The relationships among the characters significantly influence the story's pace, with much of the plot development driven by evolving relationships and understanding. There is a romantic subplot that is one of the best examples of how relationships drive the narrative, and it was executed in a really impactful way that felt rewarding as a reader who typically doesn't read for romance.

Ultimately, this is a solid middle-grade story that emphasizes looking beyond our own prejudices, external appearances, and past experiences. While the pacing isn't perfect and the progression could be more distinct, the audiobook narration does a good job of making the story flow smoothly and keeping the listener engaged.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley for an audio ARC of this title.

I listened to the audio book version of this book and found myself a little grateful due to some of the names. The narrator was a decent fit, but sometimes felt a little nasally to me. The story seemed to be geared towards a little bit younger crowd. Though it did a great job addressing larger issues like racism and discrimination. Braviael is a human girl who ends up in a clom village after her village is attacked. Killing her father and leaving her mother cursed and basically catatonic. Rescued by Dithyn, she starts training under him while trying to find the answer on how to save her mother. But it’s a classic good vs evil and was entertaining enough to keep my interest.

This story was delightfully original. The themes are a tale as old as time - racism is certainly not new - but the moon goddess and the dark god and the two different peoples were so interesting. I liked, too, the way we saw how it’s not just the Chom that are prejudiced against humans. Braviael was treated unfairly and singled out while in Delgany but Dithyn was treated exactly the same by the humans when he was living amongst them. Watching the relationship with Braviael and the Choms grow stronger was wonderful. The ending leaves me wanting more and wanting to see how they finish the rest of the prophecy. At the same time, if this is a standalone, then it does feel like a satisfactory ending.