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The Last of the Moon Girls
Lizzy Moon never wanted Moon Girl Farm. Eight years ago, she left the land that nine generations of gifted healers had tended, determined to distance herself from the whispers about her family’s strange legacy. When her beloved Grandmother Althea dies, Lizzy must face the tragedy still hanging over the farm’s lavender fields: the unsolved murders of two young girls.
Lizzy discovers a Book of Remembrances meant to help Lizzy embrace her own special gifts. When she reconnects with Andrew Greyson, one of the few in town who believed in Althea’s innocence, she resolves to clear her Grandmother’s name.
Lizzy discovers a Book of Remembrances meant to help Lizzy embrace her own special gifts. When she reconnects with Andrew Greyson, one of the few in town who believed in Althea’s innocence, she resolves to clear her Grandmother’s name.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2020
36032 people are currently reading
62470 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Davis
10 books4,381 followersAuthor of The Secrets She Carried, The Wishing Tide, Summer at Hideaway Key, Love, Alice. (Penguin/Berkley) When Never Comes (Lake Union) The Last of the Moon Girls (Lake Union) The Keeper of Happy Endings (Lake Union) The Echo of Old Books (Lake Union) Every Precious and Fragile Thing (Lake Union)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,098 reviews
September 1, 2020
The mystery was pretty standard which was disappointing because I was looking forward to it. It seemed ingenuine that Lizzy suddenly wanted to solve the murder and clear up her grandma’s name AFTER she died when all these years she just . . . didn’t care.
It’s like she was doing it out of regret, which maybe is not the worst motivation. I’m still gonna judge anyway.
The love story was cute but also extremely clichéd. I liked the fact that the guy’s been pining for the girl. However, it’s honestly debatable because I think he mistook obsession for love. He was sweet and protective but also lowkey kinda creepy.
The most interesting part was the magic or gifts that the Moon’s bloodline carry as well as grandma Althea’s Book of Remembrances.
It appeared that this book wanted to be a lot of things, and each of them hindered the other to fully develop. So it just came out predictable and formulaic. While I wasn’t a fan of the mystery and romance, I appreciated Lizzy’s narrative/self discovery in general.
(Read as an Audiobook)
It’s like she was doing it out of regret, which maybe is not the worst motivation. I’m still gonna judge anyway.
The love story was cute but also extremely clichéd. I liked the fact that the guy’s been pining for the girl. However, it’s honestly debatable because I think he mistook obsession for love. He was sweet and protective but also lowkey kinda creepy.
The most interesting part was the magic or gifts that the Moon’s bloodline carry as well as grandma Althea’s Book of Remembrances.
It appeared that this book wanted to be a lot of things, and each of them hindered the other to fully develop. So it just came out predictable and formulaic. While I wasn’t a fan of the mystery and romance, I appreciated Lizzy’s narrative/self discovery in general.
(Read as an Audiobook)
March 1, 2021
This charming story centers around Elzibeth ‘Lizzy’ Moon, a successful creative director and perfumer in NYC who returns to her New England hometown of Salem Creek and her grandmother Althea’s Moon Girl Farm after her death. A past tragic event involving two teenage sisters found in a pond on the property has cast a pall over Althea and all the Moon women, with townsfolk presuming Althea’s guilt and strongly intimating that all the Moon women are witches, despite the fact that they’ve always used their farm and talents to bless their neighbors. Lizzy, who left in shame after these events, now returns eight years later, and despite initial reticence, is inspired by her grandmother’s Book of Remembrances to clear Althea’s good name before she sells the Moon Girl Farm, walks away from their family legacy, and returns to her independent life in NYC. Only, someone doesn’t want her digging into the past and is finding increasingly threatening ways to try to stop her.
I had a fear early on that this was going to play like a made-for-TV movie, which isn’t really my thing, so it did take a couple chapters to feel invested. Once the storyline moved to Lizzy’s hometown of Salem Creek, the book picked up steam and came to life. Although the mystery of the deaths of the two Gillman girls at Moon Girl Farm is the central plot device to keep the story going, at the heart of it, it’s really a romance and a journey of Lizzy working through her pre-conceptions of her destiny and duty as a Moon girl, and all the perceived requirements of her legacy as such. To note, this legacy means that the Moon women remain single and independent, only needing a man long enough to impregnate them with the next Moon girl, but never giving their hearts to a relationship with them.
While I appreciated the murder mystery aspect of the plot, I honestly think that was the least successful part of the story. By the time I found out the big “whodunnit”, it felt underwhelming, mildly predictable and just a necessary thread to wrap up. If you’re looking for a big twist or shocking reveal, you may be disappointed. The reason I can still give this book an enthusiastic 4 stars is because, ultimately, I really enjoyed Lizzy’s journey of getting to the place where she’s at peace with her life, choices and personal legacy. The journal entries in Althea’s Book of Remembrances for Lizzy were deeply insightful and often extremely touching. Seriously, wise Grandma award? She’s got my vote. Equally cool is Evvie, Althea’s whip-smart devoted friend who stuck with her through her final days and offers Lizzy her own brand of wisdom.
I won’t mention specifics on one story arc involving Lizzy’s mother, so as not to spoil things, but it also adds an unexpected and emotionally satisfying depth to the story. As for romance, the “will they/won’t they” thing between Lizzy and her childhood friend Andrew, who’s been “mooning” over her all these years (see what I did there?) was in turns sweet and mildly frustrating, but a very nice arc, nonetheless. That dude is perfect. More of him please. All things said, I really liked this book. It didn’t shatter any boundaries or surprise me, but Ms. Davis wrote an engaging story with interesting characters and a lot of charm that should please those of you who like magical realism, mystery, romance and journeys of self-discovery.
★★★★
I had a fear early on that this was going to play like a made-for-TV movie, which isn’t really my thing, so it did take a couple chapters to feel invested. Once the storyline moved to Lizzy’s hometown of Salem Creek, the book picked up steam and came to life. Although the mystery of the deaths of the two Gillman girls at Moon Girl Farm is the central plot device to keep the story going, at the heart of it, it’s really a romance and a journey of Lizzy working through her pre-conceptions of her destiny and duty as a Moon girl, and all the perceived requirements of her legacy as such. To note, this legacy means that the Moon women remain single and independent, only needing a man long enough to impregnate them with the next Moon girl, but never giving their hearts to a relationship with them.
While I appreciated the murder mystery aspect of the plot, I honestly think that was the least successful part of the story. By the time I found out the big “whodunnit”, it felt underwhelming, mildly predictable and just a necessary thread to wrap up. If you’re looking for a big twist or shocking reveal, you may be disappointed. The reason I can still give this book an enthusiastic 4 stars is because, ultimately, I really enjoyed Lizzy’s journey of getting to the place where she’s at peace with her life, choices and personal legacy. The journal entries in Althea’s Book of Remembrances for Lizzy were deeply insightful and often extremely touching. Seriously, wise Grandma award? She’s got my vote. Equally cool is Evvie, Althea’s whip-smart devoted friend who stuck with her through her final days and offers Lizzy her own brand of wisdom.
I won’t mention specifics on one story arc involving Lizzy’s mother, so as not to spoil things, but it also adds an unexpected and emotionally satisfying depth to the story. As for romance, the “will they/won’t they” thing between Lizzy and her childhood friend Andrew, who’s been “mooning” over her all these years (see what I did there?) was in turns sweet and mildly frustrating, but a very nice arc, nonetheless. That dude is perfect. More of him please. All things said, I really liked this book. It didn’t shatter any boundaries or surprise me, but Ms. Davis wrote an engaging story with interesting characters and a lot of charm that should please those of you who like magical realism, mystery, romance and journeys of self-discovery.
★★★★
March 13, 2020
I just finished this gorgeous book and was blown away by the artful use of language and skilled storytelling. Author Barbara Davis uses a fine brush to draw complex, colorful characters, including a fiercely independent protagonist whose greatest obstacle is her own self-limiting beliefs. Steeped in equal parts magical realism and dark mystery, The Last of the Moon Girls is a captivating story that will leave you under its luminous spell long after you turn the last page. Do yourself a favor and pre-order this book.
*Thanks to the publisher and the author for an advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.
*Thanks to the publisher and the author for an advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 11, 2020
Lizzy Moon inherited the farm, one where nine generations of healers lived, after her grandmother Althea dies.
Two young girls were murdered on the farm, and the murders have not been solved. Althea was always a suspect.
Lizzy doesn’t want to return, but she has to. Althea left her a journal to help her recognize her own gifts. Lizzy is determined to clear her grandmother’s name.
I enjoyed the tension that built within the narrative of this story. Who committed these murders? Lizzy’s story completely fascinated me. There’s also a sweetness here that keeps it from being overly dark. Overall, I’m a big fan of this book and definitely want to read more from Barbara Davis!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Two young girls were murdered on the farm, and the murders have not been solved. Althea was always a suspect.
Lizzy doesn’t want to return, but she has to. Althea left her a journal to help her recognize her own gifts. Lizzy is determined to clear her grandmother’s name.
I enjoyed the tension that built within the narrative of this story. Who committed these murders? Lizzy’s story completely fascinated me. There’s also a sweetness here that keeps it from being overly dark. Overall, I’m a big fan of this book and definitely want to read more from Barbara Davis!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
August 2, 2020
This book is a mess. What is it trying to be? A murder mystery? A family drama? A romance? Another book hopping onto the trendy Wiccan bandwagon? Somehow it's all of these things at once but not in a good way. It's not enough of any of the categories so it kind of feels like a jumbled mess. It's definitely the most boring murder mystery I've ever read. It's so slow. And I really did not care that much about finding out who killed the Gilman girls. Lizzy goes home to sell the farm and when she gets there all of a sudden she's completely obsessed with solving this 8-year-old murder so apparently the reader is also supposed to care? Yes, Althea's reputation was ruined because she was accused of being the murderer, but since it obviously was not Althea, then I didn't really care who did it. Some random person killed some random girls? Okay? Is that really enough to be the main focus of the book? I think the whole murder mystery angle would have been a lot better if the Moons were somehow actually connected to whoever got murdered instead of it just being two random girls from town.
In regard to the family drama aspect, obviously Rhanna was going to make an appearance and they would reconcile. Very predictable. And shocker! Lizzy decides to keep the farm once she's truly "found herself?" Who could have seen that coming?
Let's not forget the romance part. Was Andrew waiting his entire life to be with Lizzy and saying he would wait the rest of his life for her supposed to be romantic? Because honestly I find that kind of pathetic. Like move on dude! You can't ruin your life because of one girl you thought was pretty in high school! It sounds great in a Disney movie but in real life? If some guy said that to me I'd think he's a total creeper. He never even knew Lizzy. They didn't speak in high school. He only ever saw her around school. So then he finds this wonderful girl in college but breaks things off because "she wasn't Lizzy?" That's supposed to be romantic? That's not romantic, that's obsessive.
In regard to the family drama aspect, obviously Rhanna was going to make an appearance and they would reconcile. Very predictable. And shocker! Lizzy decides to keep the farm once she's truly "found herself?" Who could have seen that coming?
Let's not forget the romance part. Was Andrew waiting his entire life to be with Lizzy and saying he would wait the rest of his life for her supposed to be romantic? Because honestly I find that kind of pathetic. Like move on dude! You can't ruin your life because of one girl you thought was pretty in high school! It sounds great in a Disney movie but in real life? If some guy said that to me I'd think he's a total creeper. He never even knew Lizzy. They didn't speak in high school. He only ever saw her around school. So then he finds this wonderful girl in college but breaks things off because "she wasn't Lizzy?" That's supposed to be romantic? That's not romantic, that's obsessive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2020
I'm rounding this up to three stars,as I'm struggling to know how properly to rate it.
Whilst it was a pleasant enough read,I felt it was too predictable in many of its plot lines,right from the beginning.
I also spent the whole book wondering why you'd wait for someone to die to decide to clear their name...
Whilst it was a pleasant enough read,I felt it was too predictable in many of its plot lines,right from the beginning.
I also spent the whole book wondering why you'd wait for someone to die to decide to clear their name...
August 13, 2024
Eight years ago Elzibeth Moon left Salem Creek in rural New Hampshire, she wanted to study and she’s now the creative director of Chenier Fragrances in New York. Her grandmother Alethea passes away, Lizzy had no idea she was sick and she has to return to Salem Creek to deal with the deceased estate. Moon Girl Farm has been in her family for nine generations, they grow herbs, apples and run an apothecary shop. Lizzy meets her grandmother’s friend Evangeline Broussard, she took care of her when she was ill, and the farm looks very different. The buildings haven’t been maintained, the gardens are over grown, the apothecary shop is closed and of course Evvie’s main priority was looking after Alethea.
Lizzy has to face the tragic past, two young girls Heather and Darcy Gilman were murdered eight years ago, her beloved grandmother was one of the suspects and ever since the people of Salem Creek have shunned the Moon’s. Elzibeth knows her sweet, kind and loving grandmother didn’t kill the girls, the investigation has gone cold, Lizzy wants to find the killer and clear her family’s name.
Lizzy stirs trouble in Salem Creek, she has issues with disturbing things happening on the property and this doesn’t put her off trying to find the girls killer. Althea left behind a Book of Remembrances for Lizzy, all of the Moon women have a special gift, or a light and in Lizzy’s case it’s a heightened sense of smell. She realizes it's impossible for her to move back to New York, the farm wouldn’t sell in it's present condition and her neighbor Andrew Greyson is helping her with the repairs.
Living again at Moon Girl Farm, Lizzy remembers the good times she had with her grandmother as a child, Evvie becomes a friend, her estranged mother Rhanna returns, and Lizzy embraces her gift, and it changes her plans for the future. The Last of The Moon Girls by Barbara Davis is a really captivating story, full of mystery, secrets and magick, five stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Keeper of Happy Endings.
Lizzy has to face the tragic past, two young girls Heather and Darcy Gilman were murdered eight years ago, her beloved grandmother was one of the suspects and ever since the people of Salem Creek have shunned the Moon’s. Elzibeth knows her sweet, kind and loving grandmother didn’t kill the girls, the investigation has gone cold, Lizzy wants to find the killer and clear her family’s name.
Lizzy stirs trouble in Salem Creek, she has issues with disturbing things happening on the property and this doesn’t put her off trying to find the girls killer. Althea left behind a Book of Remembrances for Lizzy, all of the Moon women have a special gift, or a light and in Lizzy’s case it’s a heightened sense of smell. She realizes it's impossible for her to move back to New York, the farm wouldn’t sell in it's present condition and her neighbor Andrew Greyson is helping her with the repairs.
Living again at Moon Girl Farm, Lizzy remembers the good times she had with her grandmother as a child, Evvie becomes a friend, her estranged mother Rhanna returns, and Lizzy embraces her gift, and it changes her plans for the future. The Last of The Moon Girls by Barbara Davis is a really captivating story, full of mystery, secrets and magick, five stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Keeper of Happy Endings.
June 1, 2021
I loved this novel that transcends genres - part murder mystery, part family drama, part historical fiction, but everything magical full of love! The writing is hauntingly beautiful, easy to read, and well researched.
The story opens up with the discovery of two missing young girls’ bodies in the pond and the double homicide investigation points to blame Althea Moon.
From that point on, the writing continues to build up as Liz, Althea’s grand-daughter discovers not only the mystery behind the girls’ disappearance, but more importantly her journey in discovering her true self as one of the mystical Moon girls through letters written by Althea educating her about the herbs and its healing powers. With this knowledge, Liz is able to build up the ailing Moon Girl Farm to what it once was.
I love the story of self discovery, family, love and second chances. Davis delivered a gut wrenching and captivating story.
Consider adding this to your TBR you will love it!
The story opens up with the discovery of two missing young girls’ bodies in the pond and the double homicide investigation points to blame Althea Moon.
From that point on, the writing continues to build up as Liz, Althea’s grand-daughter discovers not only the mystery behind the girls’ disappearance, but more importantly her journey in discovering her true self as one of the mystical Moon girls through letters written by Althea educating her about the herbs and its healing powers. With this knowledge, Liz is able to build up the ailing Moon Girl Farm to what it once was.
I love the story of self discovery, family, love and second chances. Davis delivered a gut wrenching and captivating story.
Consider adding this to your TBR you will love it!
April 29, 2025
The Moon Women are Witches!
I enjoyed this mix of mystery and second chance romance. No spells or potions were needed to capture Andrew's heart - he'd loved her since he was 18. Will Andrew finally succeed in convincing Lizzy that a Moon woman CAN have a normal, happy life, despite their unique gift of Magick!
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I enjoyed this mix of mystery and second chance romance. No spells or potions were needed to capture Andrew's heart - he'd loved her since he was 18. Will Andrew finally succeed in convincing Lizzy that a Moon woman CAN have a normal, happy life, despite their unique gift of Magick!
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March 19, 2021
I am once again asking you to not use the Wise Old Black Woman trope in your witchy novels.
Can your black southern side character with magic come from Baton Rouge? Eh. A little cliché but at least it’s not NOLA. If you want to go all in make her from Shreveport!
Does she need to be creole or are you using stereotypes for shorthand rather than actually working on character development for your one black character (ahem, excuse me, *mahogany* character)? Good faith points deducted for mentioning ‘exotic’ when referring to her in-text!
Should your black southern side character say the words “a whole nother kettle of crawdads” or “bad juju”? Absolutely not!
But anyways. She’s into beads and bees and all I could think about was arrested development. BEADS? BEES!
Also: a handful of unnecessary uses of g*psy and one weird geisha reference in the epilogue. It’s 2020, y’all. Read a book.
Can your black southern side character with magic come from Baton Rouge? Eh. A little cliché but at least it’s not NOLA. If you want to go all in make her from Shreveport!
Does she need to be creole or are you using stereotypes for shorthand rather than actually working on character development for your one black character (ahem, excuse me, *mahogany* character)? Good faith points deducted for mentioning ‘exotic’ when referring to her in-text!
Should your black southern side character say the words “a whole nother kettle of crawdads” or “bad juju”? Absolutely not!
But anyways. She’s into beads and bees and all I could think about was arrested development. BEADS? BEES!
Also: a handful of unnecessary uses of g*psy and one weird geisha reference in the epilogue. It’s 2020, y’all. Read a book.
July 5, 2020
Very very mixed. Some of it was intriguing (the soap making, the magick, the relationships between generation, small town contrast and how stigmas work). Some of it as downright awful (the soppy romance with the creepy guy whose been obsessed with the heroine his whole life, who can’t help but “rescue” her, even when she’s been very clear she does not need rescuing). Prince Charming isn’t meant to be creepy, but this one certainly is.
Hated the book that was left that just so happened to have to what the character needed in it (what an awful character dev technique) and hated the “romance” passages. Also, I found it relatively predictable, calling out the murderer when they first appeared and why after her chat with the Mum. Some of the predictability wasn’t so bad though (Ben from the hardware store!)
Overall I felt this book was weakened by what I saw as an unnecessarily dominant romance plot line, and would have enjoyed it much more if whatshisface had had a less prominent role, allowing our heroine to work through all the things herself without the need to be rescued over and over. She ended up using him as a crutch, which blah.
Also, the part of waiting till someone dies before you go around digging shit up... her motivation just seemed way too light in that regard. I wish there had been more gravity to her initial intention.
Overall, a good read but spoilt by trying to “round out” the book with a bad romance plot line.
Hated the book that was left that just so happened to have to what the character needed in it (what an awful character dev technique) and hated the “romance” passages. Also, I found it relatively predictable, calling out the murderer when they first appeared and why after her chat with the Mum. Some of the predictability wasn’t so bad though (Ben from the hardware store!)
Overall I felt this book was weakened by what I saw as an unnecessarily dominant romance plot line, and would have enjoyed it much more if whatshisface had had a less prominent role, allowing our heroine to work through all the things herself without the need to be rescued over and over. She ended up using him as a crutch, which blah.
Also, the part of waiting till someone dies before you go around digging shit up... her motivation just seemed way too light in that regard. I wish there had been more gravity to her initial intention.
Overall, a good read but spoilt by trying to “round out” the book with a bad romance plot line.
August 13, 2024
I found this to be an engrossing read, part mystery, whodunnit, romance, second chances, magic and an all around good story.
It was uneven, often slow moving and the ending was never in doubt, but the journey was worth it in the end. Salem Creek in New Hampshire is where generations of Moon girls lived and made their magic. Elizebeth is the last of the Moon Girls and a mixture of lots of things, but in the end stronger than even she believed.
Recommended.
It was uneven, often slow moving and the ending was never in doubt, but the journey was worth it in the end. Salem Creek in New Hampshire is where generations of Moon girls lived and made their magic. Elizebeth is the last of the Moon Girls and a mixture of lots of things, but in the end stronger than even she believed.
Recommended.
November 24, 2020
When I requested this book from NetGalley, I thought that if the inside were as impressive as the outside, I would be a lucky girl. Well, I’m a lucky girl. This book is a beautifully written, mystical story of a woman who has fought her true destiny as one of the gifted Moon girls who have had the power of healing for nine generations. After her grandmother’s death, Lizzie must return home to the family farm from New York City to settle the estate. She has no intention of staying, but events and people thwart her decision. Lizzie decides to investigate an old mystery that deeply affected her grandmother and turned the townspeople against them. As a result, she receives death threats and is at the receiving end of other strange events. With Andrew’s help, a neighbor from her past who has harbored feelings for her since childhood, she makes small renovations to the property and moves forward with her investigation.
What didn’t I like about this book? Not much, but I did get annoyed with Lizzie at her stubbornness to let Andrew into her life. The story also dragged a bit at times, but not enough to stop me from reading. What else did I like? I loved the letters that her grandmother Althea wrote to her. They were profoundly moving with beautiful words, and I highlighted quite a few. Lizzie and her mother’s unpleasant reunion and subsequent forgiveness, as advised by her grandmother, was also a lovely thing to see.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this remarkable book. I gave it 4.25 stars rounded down to four.
What didn’t I like about this book? Not much, but I did get annoyed with Lizzie at her stubbornness to let Andrew into her life. The story also dragged a bit at times, but not enough to stop me from reading. What else did I like? I loved the letters that her grandmother Althea wrote to her. They were profoundly moving with beautiful words, and I highlighted quite a few. Lizzie and her mother’s unpleasant reunion and subsequent forgiveness, as advised by her grandmother, was also a lovely thing to see.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this remarkable book. I gave it 4.25 stars rounded down to four.
August 12, 2024
“We all of us have a story – one we tell knowingly or not with our hours and our days. No one should write your story but you.”
After falling in love with the author’s “The Echo of Old Books,” I knew it was time for me to check out any of her other books I hadn’t read. And, as it turned out, I hadn’t read this one. The most important question for me was, will it bring up similar magical feelings for me?
In this one, there was murder, mystery, light romance, finding oneself, family connection with hints of magical realism. It was sweet and touching with all the right meaningful life lessons that made it an easy read.
The fact that it was predictable, made it also an okay, quick read, but still interesting because there was a mystery to be solved.
“In the end, light is the only thing that has ever chased away darkness – the only thing that ever will. Seek truth in all things. There can be no healing without it.”
“The Echo of Old Books” Review Here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After falling in love with the author’s “The Echo of Old Books,” I knew it was time for me to check out any of her other books I hadn’t read. And, as it turned out, I hadn’t read this one. The most important question for me was, will it bring up similar magical feelings for me?
In this one, there was murder, mystery, light romance, finding oneself, family connection with hints of magical realism. It was sweet and touching with all the right meaningful life lessons that made it an easy read.
The fact that it was predictable, made it also an okay, quick read, but still interesting because there was a mystery to be solved.
“In the end, light is the only thing that has ever chased away darkness – the only thing that ever will. Seek truth in all things. There can be no healing without it.”
“The Echo of Old Books” Review Here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 2, 2020
What is it like to be the last of the Moon girls?
Lizzy wasn't sure, but she WAS the last of the Moon girls.
When her grandmother passed away and Lizzy found a journal from her, she knew she had to go home to settle the estate.
It turns out that along with the estate, she is going to try to settle the rumors that her grandmother had something to do with the deaths of two teenage girls eight years ago.
The farm Lizzy lived on with her grandmother when she was a child brought back so many memories when she returned.
It also gave us a glimpse into the life Lizzy lived and the love that was there.
There was a love from way back but not the love of her family. It was a love that Lizzy had always resisted, and his name was Andrew.
We follow Lizzy as she tries to solve the mystery of who really did kill the Gilmore sisters.
Ms. Davis outdid herself with THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS.
We are treated to her beautiful pull-you-in story telling skills and storyline, a strong female character, a mystery, family ties, and love.
THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS is a sweet read that includes suspense and a little bit of magic. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lizzy wasn't sure, but she WAS the last of the Moon girls.
When her grandmother passed away and Lizzy found a journal from her, she knew she had to go home to settle the estate.
It turns out that along with the estate, she is going to try to settle the rumors that her grandmother had something to do with the deaths of two teenage girls eight years ago.
The farm Lizzy lived on with her grandmother when she was a child brought back so many memories when she returned.
It also gave us a glimpse into the life Lizzy lived and the love that was there.
There was a love from way back but not the love of her family. It was a love that Lizzy had always resisted, and his name was Andrew.
We follow Lizzy as she tries to solve the mystery of who really did kill the Gilmore sisters.
Ms. Davis outdid herself with THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS.
We are treated to her beautiful pull-you-in story telling skills and storyline, a strong female character, a mystery, family ties, and love.
THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS is a sweet read that includes suspense and a little bit of magic. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2020
A bit overwhelming
Startlingly reminiscent of Alice Hoffman's Owens family, this book tried to be too much-- tale of generational witches, unsolved murder mystery, story of dysfunctional mother and daughter, and lukewarm romance. I love magic realism and could have fallen hard for the generational witch story with the gorgeous garden, healing herbs, soaps, tinctures, perfumes, trained bees, and the women's history, work, and relationships on the farm. But that's not how it went. The protagonist, Lizzy, turns out to be annoying with her neglect of the loving grandma who'd raised her. Then to add to it, she unattractively plays with the man next door and his affections. For eight years she never visited her grandma! Then she comes home when grandma dies to clear her grandma's name. Why care now that grandma is dead?
The characters are stereotypical-- cold NY career woman, the wise crone, the voodoo practicing beekeeper from Louisiana, the wild, hippie mother, and the handsome, accomplished man next door. This man has been in love with dizzy Lizzy for 20 years! He hasn't seen her since she left home but has been carrying a torch!! He's faithfully living the single life and waiting next door, hoping aha, perhaps she might come back!? Unbelievable. As expected, she severely spurns him until the last page!
Strangely he's so devoted to her... until... a knife wielding madman goes after her. He then rescues her, but stupidly leaves her totally alone in a rural area while he goes to Boston! Some white knight! Why was she, as an independent, feisty 36 year-old woman from NY, never armed to defend herself while this murderer consistently tries to harm her? Thus we have the mystery subplot, the very predictable cold, double murder case which is revived, to clear grandma's name, by Lizzy and friends, provoking the murderer's wrath. Soapy, huh?
To top off the many subplots, Lizzy's long-lost mother appears. Lizzy almost instantly forgives her rebellious, embarrassing mother who has for years ignored her, after abandoning her as a child. The rotten folk-singing, Tarot-reading mother returns to the farm after hitchhiking across country from CA. How else could this hippie mom have travelled in this novel? They are, by the end, on the best of terms !! Kiss, kiss. Plot all wrapped up in a lovely package. Farm saved, murderer found. Everyone loves each other. It's a bit overwhelming. An herbal bath needed.
Startlingly reminiscent of Alice Hoffman's Owens family, this book tried to be too much-- tale of generational witches, unsolved murder mystery, story of dysfunctional mother and daughter, and lukewarm romance. I love magic realism and could have fallen hard for the generational witch story with the gorgeous garden, healing herbs, soaps, tinctures, perfumes, trained bees, and the women's history, work, and relationships on the farm. But that's not how it went. The protagonist, Lizzy, turns out to be annoying with her neglect of the loving grandma who'd raised her. Then to add to it, she unattractively plays with the man next door and his affections. For eight years she never visited her grandma! Then she comes home when grandma dies to clear her grandma's name. Why care now that grandma is dead?
The characters are stereotypical-- cold NY career woman, the wise crone, the voodoo practicing beekeeper from Louisiana, the wild, hippie mother, and the handsome, accomplished man next door. This man has been in love with dizzy Lizzy for 20 years! He hasn't seen her since she left home but has been carrying a torch!! He's faithfully living the single life and waiting next door, hoping aha, perhaps she might come back!? Unbelievable. As expected, she severely spurns him until the last page!
Strangely he's so devoted to her... until... a knife wielding madman goes after her. He then rescues her, but stupidly leaves her totally alone in a rural area while he goes to Boston! Some white knight! Why was she, as an independent, feisty 36 year-old woman from NY, never armed to defend herself while this murderer consistently tries to harm her? Thus we have the mystery subplot, the very predictable cold, double murder case which is revived, to clear grandma's name, by Lizzy and friends, provoking the murderer's wrath. Soapy, huh?
To top off the many subplots, Lizzy's long-lost mother appears. Lizzy almost instantly forgives her rebellious, embarrassing mother who has for years ignored her, after abandoning her as a child. The rotten folk-singing, Tarot-reading mother returns to the farm after hitchhiking across country from CA. How else could this hippie mom have travelled in this novel? They are, by the end, on the best of terms !! Kiss, kiss. Plot all wrapped up in a lovely package. Farm saved, murderer found. Everyone loves each other. It's a bit overwhelming. An herbal bath needed.
March 27, 2020
THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS is an intoxicating page-turner wrapped around an unsolved double homicide. It’s the story of Elzibeth, a successful perfume maker with a closely guarded secret: she can read people by their scent. Her unique gift is a legacy and a curse, because it identifies her as the last in a long line of mystical women.
Mothers, grandmothers, and healers, the Moon women have deep roots in a small New England community that has treated them with suspicion and fear and, in the last decade, labeled Elzibeth's grandmother, Althea, a murderer.
When Althea dies, Elzibeth reluctantly leaves her New York world for the ailing family farm and discovers a treasure trove of her grandmother's wisdom, written down in The Book of Remembrances.
The story that follows is a unique blend of herbal healing, dark truths, and family secrets. Add a sexy neighbor, and townsfolk who don't want Elizabeth digging up the past, and THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS is a compelling read. As Elzibeth struggles to honor her legacy and write her own future, we discover Barbara Davis at her best!
Mothers, grandmothers, and healers, the Moon women have deep roots in a small New England community that has treated them with suspicion and fear and, in the last decade, labeled Elzibeth's grandmother, Althea, a murderer.
When Althea dies, Elzibeth reluctantly leaves her New York world for the ailing family farm and discovers a treasure trove of her grandmother's wisdom, written down in The Book of Remembrances.
The story that follows is a unique blend of herbal healing, dark truths, and family secrets. Add a sexy neighbor, and townsfolk who don't want Elizabeth digging up the past, and THE LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS is a compelling read. As Elzibeth struggles to honor her legacy and write her own future, we discover Barbara Davis at her best!
April 30, 2021
I have just forced myself to finish this book having realised, too late on, that there wasn't going to be more to it than it seemed.
The majority of the book is introspection by the main character - Lizzy - and these are painfully repetitive. The same ideas are discussed over and over again in the style of someone who is trying desperately hard to sound poetic. At first I enjoyed this, but the further I got into the book the more it felt that these pieces were just recycled from earlier parts. There is also no change in views, no matter what happens in the story, her views barely change. She seems to even fall in love but still repeats the exact same reasons for leaving the farm.
At the start of the book there is a lot of focus on the family story and Lizzy's grandmother. About half way through this basically just stops until the end, which felt like the author forgot where she was going with it until she reached the end and realised she should probably close that bit off with the predictable letter that changes everything... just before some more recycled introspection of course. Another thing about the grandmother. It seems she was close with her while growing up and then just decided to move away and not visit again so that she could pursue a different career? This is not a believable thing to happen, especially not in someone who suddenly comes back to sell a house and decides to solve a cold cause to clear that same grandmother's name.
In fact, none of the relationships make sense. The romance is with someone who has been obsessed with her since childhood, despite not even having a friendship. She avoided him for years as a kid and randomly decides she might love him years later. She stays in the house with some random lady who she doesn't know, who just claims to be friends with her grandmother and calls her 'little girl' throughout, which i found odd in itself. The piece de resistance is the relationship with her mother which, without a gradual thawing, is suddenly healed following the climax of the story.
The climax in itself is dull. The plot means it should really have felt tense, but I was hugely underwhelmed. The way it was narrated meant that the struggle was over before I noticed I was supposed to be excited. It wasn't helped by the fact that the culprit of the murder in the main 'mystery' of the book was a random character with no prior relationship to any of the main characters. It felt like a murder mystery without suspects. To be honest, it wasn't much of a mystery at all.
There is a big thing made of the Moon girls' powers throughout the book, but had no relevance that I could see to the storyline. Other than perhaps an opportunity for more repetitive descriptions. By half way through the book I could probably predict the smells that would be used to reflect the various emotions experienced. Another thing that seemed a bit forced was Lizzy's desperation to return to New York at all. There was no friend or romantic relationship (other than a weirdly toxic relationship with her boss) and for all the mentioning of how important her job was she didn't seem to actually enjoy it. Her desire to return ended up feeling like it was just happening because it was a decision she made once and she was too stubborn to change her mind.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the further I got through it the more it irritated and bored me. I don't want to read essentially the same conversations over and over with different characters or the same scenes with different locations. By the time there was any character development I honestly didn't care what happened to them any more. It felt like a book that wanted to fit into too many genres and unfortunately just didn't hit the mark with any of them.
The majority of the book is introspection by the main character - Lizzy - and these are painfully repetitive. The same ideas are discussed over and over again in the style of someone who is trying desperately hard to sound poetic. At first I enjoyed this, but the further I got into the book the more it felt that these pieces were just recycled from earlier parts. There is also no change in views, no matter what happens in the story, her views barely change. She seems to even fall in love but still repeats the exact same reasons for leaving the farm.
At the start of the book there is a lot of focus on the family story and Lizzy's grandmother. About half way through this basically just stops until the end, which felt like the author forgot where she was going with it until she reached the end and realised she should probably close that bit off with the predictable letter that changes everything... just before some more recycled introspection of course. Another thing about the grandmother. It seems she was close with her while growing up and then just decided to move away and not visit again so that she could pursue a different career? This is not a believable thing to happen, especially not in someone who suddenly comes back to sell a house and decides to solve a cold cause to clear that same grandmother's name.
In fact, none of the relationships make sense. The romance is with someone who has been obsessed with her since childhood, despite not even having a friendship. She avoided him for years as a kid and randomly decides she might love him years later. She stays in the house with some random lady who she doesn't know, who just claims to be friends with her grandmother and calls her 'little girl' throughout, which i found odd in itself. The piece de resistance is the relationship with her mother which, without a gradual thawing, is suddenly healed following the climax of the story.
The climax in itself is dull. The plot means it should really have felt tense, but I was hugely underwhelmed. The way it was narrated meant that the struggle was over before I noticed I was supposed to be excited. It wasn't helped by the fact that the culprit of the murder in the main 'mystery' of the book was a random character with no prior relationship to any of the main characters. It felt like a murder mystery without suspects. To be honest, it wasn't much of a mystery at all.
There is a big thing made of the Moon girls' powers throughout the book, but had no relevance that I could see to the storyline. Other than perhaps an opportunity for more repetitive descriptions. By half way through the book I could probably predict the smells that would be used to reflect the various emotions experienced. Another thing that seemed a bit forced was Lizzy's desperation to return to New York at all. There was no friend or romantic relationship (other than a weirdly toxic relationship with her boss) and for all the mentioning of how important her job was she didn't seem to actually enjoy it. Her desire to return ended up feeling like it was just happening because it was a decision she made once and she was too stubborn to change her mind.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the further I got through it the more it irritated and bored me. I don't want to read essentially the same conversations over and over with different characters or the same scenes with different locations. By the time there was any character development I honestly didn't care what happened to them any more. It felt like a book that wanted to fit into too many genres and unfortunately just didn't hit the mark with any of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2020
I usually like books with some magic in them. I'm not a fan of murder mysteries but I thought I'd give it a try. Barbara Davis crafts a good sentence and writes well. I just didn't like the story. It felt predictable to me and oddly formulaic - the town "against" the family, gossip, blame, etc.
For a 36 year old woman, Lizzy has little insight into her life. People who aren't willing to look at their issues annoy me so I really didn't care for her or her mother.
Mostly I believe I'm the wrong audience for this book because most people seemed to enjoy it. I did finish it though which says something. I often won't finish a book I'm not engrossed in, but then I also hoped something surprising would happen.
For a 36 year old woman, Lizzy has little insight into her life. People who aren't willing to look at their issues annoy me so I really didn't care for her or her mother.
Mostly I believe I'm the wrong audience for this book because most people seemed to enjoy it. I did finish it though which says something. I often won't finish a book I'm not engrossed in, but then I also hoped something surprising would happen.
July 4, 2020
Ok so I could NOT finish this book.
Firstly, I could not take it seriously. One of the lines was literally " he looked like Johnny Depp without the eyeliner."
... Okay so he looked like Johnny Depp?
Then it switches to this guy's narrative about how he was obsessed with Lizzy ever since she was a kid and still dreams about her 8 years later. And I stopped reading right then and there because I loathe books that make creepy guys try to seem romantic. I just couldn't do it anymore.
Honestly I'm so glad this was a free Amazon prime read because I returned it right away.
Firstly, I could not take it seriously. One of the lines was literally " he looked like Johnny Depp without the eyeliner."
... Okay so he looked like Johnny Depp?
Then it switches to this guy's narrative about how he was obsessed with Lizzy ever since she was a kid and still dreams about her 8 years later. And I stopped reading right then and there because I loathe books that make creepy guys try to seem romantic. I just couldn't do it anymore.
Honestly I'm so glad this was a free Amazon prime read because I returned it right away.
June 22, 2022
“Bees are like people, little girl. They attack when they feel threatened-when they’re afraid. It’s the same for us. It’s always the things we fear that sting us in the end. The things we hide from or push against. When we drop the fear-the resistance-things take their course in a more neutral and painless way.”
Elizibeth Moon, aka Lizzy, is a perfumer who currently resides in NYC. However, her hometown (one she is not fond of) is Salem Creek, New Hampshire, where she was raised on the Moon Girl Farm. She came from nine generations of gifted healers, each with their own special gift. She ran from Salem Creek because she did not like being “different”. In NYC, she can blend in and be “normal”. But now, her grandmother that raised her, Althea, has passed away and she must return to pack up her things and hopefully put the farm up on the real estate market for immediate sale. She is ready to be done with Moon Girl Farm once and for all. But will it be that simple?
Once she returns, she finds her gran’s best friend Evvie living in her home. Evvie is a tough cookie and it takes a while for the two of them to warm up to each other. Once she begins going through Althea’s belongings, feelings about the unresolved murders of Heather and Darcy Gilman come up and Lizzy feels compelled to try to clear her grandmother’s name. Even though Althea was never charged, the majority of the town blamed her for their deaths since they ended up dead in her pond. She knows kindhearted Althea did not kill the girls. So, Lizzy begins an investigation of her own. But someone in town is not fond of her digging up old memories, and Lizzy begins to receive threats. On top of that, the boy next door that had the biggest crush on Lizzy, Andrew Greyson, will not leave her alone. Should Lizzy entertain any form of relationship with Andrew? Also, her estranged mother Rhanna shows up and Lizzy is anything but thrilled.
This was an incredibly easy read that you will fly through. This book offers a little bit of everything; magical realism, historical fiction, thriller/murder mystery, romance, and a whole, whole lot of family drama. I loved the redemption aspect of the story and that it showed how it is never too late to fight for what we believe in or live our lives the way we want to. Lizzy did a lot of soul searching, and I think we all get to a point in our lives where we embrace who we truly are. While some might find it odd that Lizzy dove right into trying to clear Althea’s name, I think it made sense. She came back to the farm and immediately regretted not coming back sooner and seeing Althea before she died. So, this was a way to deal with her guilt from that and make amends.
There were multiple parts of the story that were predictable, but that did not bother me that much. I think it all flowed well and was a quick, magical story.
“But I understand now that there are an infinite number of paths in this life. Some are well traveled, others must be forged. But none should be walked with a guilty or bitter heart.”
3.5 Stars
Elizibeth Moon, aka Lizzy, is a perfumer who currently resides in NYC. However, her hometown (one she is not fond of) is Salem Creek, New Hampshire, where she was raised on the Moon Girl Farm. She came from nine generations of gifted healers, each with their own special gift. She ran from Salem Creek because she did not like being “different”. In NYC, she can blend in and be “normal”. But now, her grandmother that raised her, Althea, has passed away and she must return to pack up her things and hopefully put the farm up on the real estate market for immediate sale. She is ready to be done with Moon Girl Farm once and for all. But will it be that simple?
Once she returns, she finds her gran’s best friend Evvie living in her home. Evvie is a tough cookie and it takes a while for the two of them to warm up to each other. Once she begins going through Althea’s belongings, feelings about the unresolved murders of Heather and Darcy Gilman come up and Lizzy feels compelled to try to clear her grandmother’s name. Even though Althea was never charged, the majority of the town blamed her for their deaths since they ended up dead in her pond. She knows kindhearted Althea did not kill the girls. So, Lizzy begins an investigation of her own. But someone in town is not fond of her digging up old memories, and Lizzy begins to receive threats. On top of that, the boy next door that had the biggest crush on Lizzy, Andrew Greyson, will not leave her alone. Should Lizzy entertain any form of relationship with Andrew? Also, her estranged mother Rhanna shows up and Lizzy is anything but thrilled.
This was an incredibly easy read that you will fly through. This book offers a little bit of everything; magical realism, historical fiction, thriller/murder mystery, romance, and a whole, whole lot of family drama. I loved the redemption aspect of the story and that it showed how it is never too late to fight for what we believe in or live our lives the way we want to. Lizzy did a lot of soul searching, and I think we all get to a point in our lives where we embrace who we truly are. While some might find it odd that Lizzy dove right into trying to clear Althea’s name, I think it made sense. She came back to the farm and immediately regretted not coming back sooner and seeing Althea before she died. So, this was a way to deal with her guilt from that and make amends.
There were multiple parts of the story that were predictable, but that did not bother me that much. I think it all flowed well and was a quick, magical story.
“But I understand now that there are an infinite number of paths in this life. Some are well traveled, others must be forged. But none should be walked with a guilty or bitter heart.”
3.5 Stars
October 13, 2020
I loved this book! I loved it all. A magical sweet mystery with a bit of hanging on to the edge of your seat who done it. There is love and finding oneself. Forgiveness and compassion. One of my favorites this year for sure.
September 2, 2020
3:5 Stars
August 2, 2020
DNF at 40%. This book had the too-sweet, puritanical feel of a Hallmark movie, as well as the same basic plot - woman leaves her evil city life to return to her small town country roots and the handsome man next door who is still inexplicably obsessed with her 20 years later. Everybody is white as snow except for the token mysterious-but-kind Creole lady who just stays in the house, bakes things and offers wise advice.
Once I got to the part where the main character (again, she's a supposedly modern young woman) was absolutely APPALLED that 15 year old would have a need for condoms, I was done.
Once I got to the part where the main character (again, she's a supposedly modern young woman) was absolutely APPALLED that 15 year old would have a need for condoms, I was done.
November 26, 2022
Elsbeth Moon gets a message that her grandmother has died and she needs to leave her job in an upscale perfume company in New York to go home and clean out her things. Elsbeth plans to sell the ancestral farm and never go back. Her mom ran out on her when she was a child. She has no other relatives and believes her life is no longer in New Hampshire. When she arrives a Cajun lady is living in the house and raising bees. The gardens are a mess and the out building are ramshackle at best. The place will need repairs before it can be sold. The Moons have always been different and not everyone wants them around. A nasty note and a doll dressed as witch are left in a tree. An old murder from 8 years prior comes up, where Elsbeth’s grandmother was presumed to have murdered two teenage girls because they were found in the pond on the property. No case was other brought and no real investigation was done either. Elsbeth is determined to find out what happened and clear her grandmother before the last Moon girl leaves the town forever. Someone in town may help her do that for good.
March 8, 2020
The Last of the Moon Girls is an enchanting tale of letting go and finding forgiveness. You will fall in love with Althea’s sage advice and her magical Book of Remembrances, and root for Lizzy as she opens up the past to make way for the future. A five-star must read. –
August 22, 2020
After reading this, I was gobsmacked that readers gave it such high praise and an average four star rating. Here’s a few of my favorite stupid lines from the book. I think these passages speak volumes of what to expect.
“...his hair was still the color of young corn.”
“She’d caught the faint tingle of urine on her breath-“
“He looked like Johnny Depp without the eyeliner.”
“...his hair was still the color of young corn.”
“She’d caught the faint tingle of urine on her breath-“
“He looked like Johnny Depp without the eyeliner.”
January 3, 2021
This book really doesn't hit the spot on anything it tries to achieve. I went in expecting something possibly whimsical given the idea of a magical lineage of women, or maybe something sad given it's about the last of a lineage, or even possibly something romantic given the summary. Unfortunately, it pretty much fails to do any of that and the end result is a book that is tropey, cliché, predictable and at ,many times, eye-roll inducing.
The strongest point of this novel is the idea behind the magical lineage of the Moon girls. This was by far the most intriguing point of the novel and I really wished there was more about the Moon girls. It was mentioned that Moon girls have powers, and it's explained what the current living Moon girls' powers are, but that's about the extend of the reach into the Moon family the book goes. There's very little impact towards the plot at all asides from the Rhanna (Lizzy's mother) having a power that heavily impacted her mental health and relationship with her daughter, but the same effect could have been achieved easily with something else not magical. The matter of the fact is, if the entire plot of the book had been copy and pasted into a setting with no magic, almost nothing would have changed and it would've still largely read as the exact same story.
The romance in this novel really turned me off. What's off-putting about it in particular is that Andrew's actions are absolutely obsessive to the point where if this happened in real life, it would be extremely creepy and it's so blatantly obvious that it's difficult for any reader to think that this was just a simple case of "true love" as the book so implies. But at the same time, the novel is also written in a way to try to push the reader towards the direction that what Andrew is doing is the pinnacle of someone truly in love with another and that it should be viewed as something deeply romantic. I do believe that long obsessive love can be romanticized properly in a novel if done correctly - and reads beautifully as well when done so- but the writing in this book falls quite short of the line, leaving me with conflicting messages on how I should be feeling about the romance between Andrew and Lizzy and overall very disappointed.
Lizzy as a character left something to be desired as well. She falls perfectly into the "beautiful but strange and not like other girls but also just trying to be normal" trope. I don't like her character because she simply just does things. There's so little emotion for all the things she's going through. In the time span of a month, she's suddenly decided to investigate an old murder case, she's trying to clean up a huge farm to sell, she's living in a town where everyone is prejudiced against her, she's trying to juggle two men who are both immediately jealous when they hear her even mention another mans name (don't worry, this part isn't even as interesting as it might sound, rather it's actually really stupid). You would think between all this stuff going on there would be some sort of emotional deterioration, or something to show for the stress. Instead we're given pretty much nothing, and to me it feels more like a case of superhero syndrome rather than an oversight on character development.
The worst part about Lizzy is that she doesn't even do anything. The murder mystery literally solves itself after she decides to stick her hand in the pot of clues and go for a stir. Every time something goes wrong she runs to Andrew. The sole number of times she breaks things off with this guy and then comes running to him for help is mind-blowing. She's a grown ass woman trying to leave her past behind and yet can't get over the whole "Moon girls don't marry" bullshit despite having a personal prince charming on call at all times and just runs in circles the whole book chasing her own tail about it.
As a whole the book is very predictable. It's your standard run of the mill strong main female lead coming to terms with her past type of story with a slight murder mystery twist that isn't even particularly well done. You could basically summarize it as a hot successful chick decides to go to her childhood home/farm after her grandma dies and decides basically on a whim to try to solve an 8 year old murder case related to her grandma that she is entirely unqualified to do and at the same time try to sell off the farm in its decrepit state and also reunite with an old high school classmate who is conveniently extremely attractive and obsessively in love with her to the point where she should've filed a restraining order and also occasionally deal with her creepy ex-lover boss, who is just one giant HR nightmare, by just not answering his calls or messages and also maybe at some point pack up her dead grandma's stuff like she originally returned home for. This could've been a hilarious sitcom.
Would not recommend.
The strongest point of this novel is the idea behind the magical lineage of the Moon girls. This was by far the most intriguing point of the novel and I really wished there was more about the Moon girls. It was mentioned that Moon girls have powers, and it's explained what the current living Moon girls' powers are, but that's about the extend of the reach into the Moon family the book goes. There's very little impact towards the plot at all asides from the Rhanna (Lizzy's mother) having a power that heavily impacted her mental health and relationship with her daughter, but the same effect could have been achieved easily with something else not magical. The matter of the fact is, if the entire plot of the book had been copy and pasted into a setting with no magic, almost nothing would have changed and it would've still largely read as the exact same story.
The romance in this novel really turned me off. What's off-putting about it in particular is that Andrew's actions are absolutely obsessive to the point where if this happened in real life, it would be extremely creepy and it's so blatantly obvious that it's difficult for any reader to think that this was just a simple case of "true love" as the book so implies. But at the same time, the novel is also written in a way to try to push the reader towards the direction that what Andrew is doing is the pinnacle of someone truly in love with another and that it should be viewed as something deeply romantic. I do believe that long obsessive love can be romanticized properly in a novel if done correctly - and reads beautifully as well when done so- but the writing in this book falls quite short of the line, leaving me with conflicting messages on how I should be feeling about the romance between Andrew and Lizzy and overall very disappointed.
Lizzy as a character left something to be desired as well. She falls perfectly into the "beautiful but strange and not like other girls but also just trying to be normal" trope. I don't like her character because she simply just does things. There's so little emotion for all the things she's going through. In the time span of a month, she's suddenly decided to investigate an old murder case, she's trying to clean up a huge farm to sell, she's living in a town where everyone is prejudiced against her, she's trying to juggle two men who are both immediately jealous when they hear her even mention another mans name (don't worry, this part isn't even as interesting as it might sound, rather it's actually really stupid). You would think between all this stuff going on there would be some sort of emotional deterioration, or something to show for the stress. Instead we're given pretty much nothing, and to me it feels more like a case of superhero syndrome rather than an oversight on character development.
The worst part about Lizzy is that she doesn't even do anything. The murder mystery literally solves itself after she decides to stick her hand in the pot of clues and go for a stir. Every time something goes wrong she runs to Andrew. The sole number of times she breaks things off with this guy and then comes running to him for help is mind-blowing. She's a grown ass woman trying to leave her past behind and yet can't get over the whole "Moon girls don't marry" bullshit despite having a personal prince charming on call at all times and just runs in circles the whole book chasing her own tail about it.
As a whole the book is very predictable. It's your standard run of the mill strong main female lead coming to terms with her past type of story with a slight murder mystery twist that isn't even particularly well done. You could basically summarize it as a hot successful chick decides to go to her childhood home/farm after her grandma dies and decides basically on a whim to try to solve an 8 year old murder case related to her grandma that she is entirely unqualified to do and at the same time try to sell off the farm in its decrepit state and also reunite with an old high school classmate who is conveniently extremely attractive and obsessively in love with her to the point where she should've filed a restraining order and also occasionally deal with her creepy ex-lover boss, who is just one giant HR nightmare, by just not answering his calls or messages and also maybe at some point pack up her dead grandma's stuff like she originally returned home for. This could've been a hilarious sitcom.
Would not recommend.
October 19, 2021
For a chick descended from a centuries-long line of benevolent witches who all lived on the same farm and each left behind a book containing their spells and secrets for the next generation, Lizzy Moon was a complete dud of a main character - the literary equivalent of watching paint dry. No passion, no sense of humor, nada. It's hard to understand why the hot, eligible boy next door has been pining for her for years.
Lizzy wants no part of her fascinating legacy. She's not going to write her book and pass it on to her daughter in the time-honored tradition. So when her grandmother dies, Lizzy returns to Moon Girl farm after an eight year absence, and gets ready to sell it.
There's a murder mystery that hangs over the farm, and Lizzy decides to solve it to clear her grandmother's name - and up the resale value. Yawn. This seemed like a mash-up of a bunch of different books that I've read recently. Not terrible but nothing memorable.
I found myself wishing that the author chose to write a different novel entirely - focused more on the magic element, with a chapter devoted to each of the Moon Girls through the centuries. That would have been a book I enjoyed much more than this tepid romance/not-that-interesting murder mystery.
Lizzy wants no part of her fascinating legacy. She's not going to write her book and pass it on to her daughter in the time-honored tradition. So when her grandmother dies, Lizzy returns to Moon Girl farm after an eight year absence, and gets ready to sell it.
There's a murder mystery that hangs over the farm, and Lizzy decides to solve it to clear her grandmother's name - and up the resale value. Yawn. This seemed like a mash-up of a bunch of different books that I've read recently. Not terrible but nothing memorable.
I found myself wishing that the author chose to write a different novel entirely - focused more on the magic element, with a chapter devoted to each of the Moon Girls through the centuries. That would have been a book I enjoyed much more than this tepid romance/not-that-interesting murder mystery.
March 30, 2020
"Each of us comes in to the world with a story to tell." For Lizzy Moon, she thought she knew what her story would be. She'd left her childhood home with all of its memories and heartaches, and had built a new, successful life for herself. When she returns to Moon Girl Farm following the death of her grandmother, old wounds are reopened, but so are the possibilities of a life she never dreamed she could have. This hauntingly beautiful novel transcends genre--it is a mystery, it is magical, it is a story of legacy and reconciliation and home. I was so drawn to Lizzy, enthralled by her story, her doubts, her fears, her dreams; I felt every step of her journey to find herself, to reconcile her past, to follow her heart, and to write her own story, to find her magick. My heart was completely engaged while reading this book, as I went though a myriad of emotions; there were times my heart nearly stopped, times my heart was broken, times my heart was hopeful, times my heart was overflowing with love.
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