It was all too easy to imagine a dark and gothic Wickdon, the dense woodlands surrounding an ageing manor, and our two main characters, brought together over their need to win the Halfmoon Hunt. Allison Saft effortlessly wove together an atmospheric and enthralling tale. The thing that initially drew me into this story from page one, aside from the promise of a top tier fantasy romance of course, was the writing. Maggie and Wes make an unlikely team – a charismatic but troubled boy, and a girl who has endured life on the outskirts of a town that never welcomed her. But as the hunt takes over, the pair are drawn together as they uncover a darker magic that may put everything they hold dear in peril…Ĭontent warnings: animal death, abuse, violence, hate crimes, antisemitism, death, parental neglect, xenophobia Fired from every apprenticeship he’s landed, this is his last chance. This is her chance to bring her home.īut the rules state that only teams of two can join the hunt, and while Maggie is known as the best sharpshooter in town, she needs an alchemist.Įnter Wes Winters. Whoever tracks down and kills the hala in the Halfmoon Hunt will earn fame and riches – and if Maggie wins the hunt, she knows her mother will want to celebrate her. But when Maggie spots a legendary ancient fox-creature on her porch, her fate is changed forever. Maggie’s mother is an alchemist who has recently left town, leaving Maggie with just her bloodhound for company. In the dark, gothic town of Wickdon, Maggie Welty lives in an old creaking manor.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher

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