Dual Fantasy Review: The Cast’s Witchy New Duology
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The Moonstruck series by New York Times bestsellers P.C. and Kristin Cast promised gods, grief, and a grown-up kind of magic—but somewhere between Draw Down the Moon and Give Up the Night, I found myself drifting, more moonlost than moonstruck. This fantasy duology offers a world of celestial stakes, aching romance, and stories of found family and fractured fate… and yet, not every spell sticks. In this dual review, I’ll pull apart the pieces—what worked, what faltered, and why this adult series left me feeling more meh than mesmerized. No spoilers, just a brutally honest dive into two books that almost had me. Let’s begin.
The Moonstruck Duology
Title: Draw Down the Moon (Moonstruck, 1)
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Teens & YAFantasy, Teens & YAPopular Fiction, Teens & YAPopular Fiction
Release Date: April 02, 2024
Pages: 336
Star Rating: 2.5 stars
Draw Down the Moon
Wren Nightingale isn’t supposed to glow. Born of magickal parents but not under a moon sign, she was fated to live her life on the outside of the world she secretly longed for—until, on her eighteenth birthday, the impossible happened. In the blink of a heartbeat, her entire world changes. Suddenly, Wren is whisked away to the hidden Academia de la Luna, a magickal school tucked behind a veil off the Seattle coast. There, the stars aren’t just pretty—they’re powerful, and the story she thought she knew begins to fracture.
“If she’s not magical, I don’t know who is.”
Lee Young has always known where he belongs. With the family name to uphold and a future crafted in legacy, he’s trained his whole life to count among the best. But no amount of preparation could ready him for the arrival of the girl he’s been silently in love with for years—Wren. As trials begin and shadows deepen, Wren and Lee are forced to question everything: their destinies, loyalty, and the safety of the Academia itself.
As far as New York Times bestsellers go, the Moonstruck series has a premise that should be magnetic. It promises secret schools, zodiac magick, murder, romance, and celestial prophecy—all wrapped in the moody sheen of fantasy. And to give credit where it’s due: the content is here. Kristin Cast and P.C. Cast know how to draw a compelling concept. The use of moon magick tied to astrological signs adds a grandeur I adored. The dual POV works. The setup glows.
But the reading experience? Not quite.
I read and listened simultaneously—hoping the audiobook would lend a little extra sparkle—but the tone felt surprisingly middle grade, despite its adult themes. The prose was clean. The pacing? Not. It dragged too long for a book meant to dazzle. Everything I wanted—a magnetic pull, danger that leaves your spine tingling, romance that aches—only arrived in the final 25–50 pages. By that time, I was already halfway out the window.
“Lee belongs with you; I’ve been waiting for you two to realize you’re more than friends for years.”
There’s a lot to love: the world built around the Academia de la Luna, the prophecy, the trials, the blood-drenched secrets hidden beneath starlight. But this story left me on the outside looking in. I kept hoping for a moment to draw me under, one that would return the investment of time and curiosity I gave it.
Instead, I’m left with a review that feels like this: Draw Down the Moon could’ve been brilliant—but too often, it was just a flicker, not a flame.
Give Up the Night – A Story That Glows… Then Flickers
Title: Give Up the Night (Moonstruck, 2)
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Teens & YAFantasy, Teens & YAPopular Fiction, Teens & YAPopular Fiction
Release Date: April 01, 2025
Pages: 304
Star Rating: 2.5 stars
Give Up the Night begins in the silence left behind by Draw Down the Moon—a seamless continuation that slides into place like the moon’s shadow swallowing the sky. There’s no jarring jump, no disorienting shift. The pacing pulls you forward. And yet… despite the smoother entry, the journey still stumbles over the same stones.
Like its predecessor, this book is easy to read and follow and is soaked in good description. The world opens wider—but not deeper. As I continued my immersive experience, listening to the audiobook and reading the ebook, I hoped for something more—for something to draw me in and not let me go. Instead, I found myself drifting—adrift in a sea of unrealized content.
This is a young adult fantasy. And while I still read YA and often adore it, this duology reads younger than its label. It’s not a fault—it just isn’t for me. The romance is soft, family drama simmers under the surface, and there are flickers of emotional resonance. But those flickers never quite ignite.
“The fierce one’s element is gifting her and us with clean, pure water. It is because Ruby shows appreciation for it. All Elementals want to be appreciated.”
Lee is caught between the world he’s been bred for—poised and corporate like a CEO—and the boy who longs to chase stardust instead of status. But his journey feels stunted. His character arc is slow, almost still. When he finally sees beyond the rules, it’s too late. The story’s already closed in around him.
The elementals should have been the star of this story. They are vast, strange, and moody as the moon itself. The Earth trial especially sings—it introduces a creeping horror, a textured fear that gave me chills. But the rest? The trials blur together like fog on glass—less test of will, more polite introduction. “Hi, I’m not here to kill you, just trying to do this ritual thing,” and that’s that. It misses the tension, the soul-shaking transformation a fantasy trial should provide. It’s a whisper when it needed to be a storm.
“Wait, what?” Luke blurts. “You didn’t tell me you thought Celeste killed your sister! Why would she do that?”
There’s a window here. A glimpse of something larger. Of books that could’ve been deeper. Lore that could’ve been layered. Of characters who could’ve grown. And even though the Cast duo gave us a duology that spans two moons, two books, and countless elements, I’m left wishing this had been one haunting story. A standalone with bite.
Ultimately, Give Up the Night is only marginally stronger than its first half. The romance stays tame. The fantasy sparkles, then dims. And while I love what this duology tried to do, the execution left me floating above the world, never quite stepping in.
This wasn’t a bad read. But it wasn’t unforgettable.
Just another time the moon looked full but never rose.
Who Would Like This Duology (and Who Might Not)
If you’re a middle grade reader slipping into the shimmer of young adult, this is an easy entry—sparkling with elemental magic, friendship, and moon-drenched mystery. But if you’re a seasoned YA reader craving grit, complexity, or emotional depth, this story may feel like it barely scratches the surface.
Love super clean romances, where kisses are rare and yearning is more metaphor than moment? This one’s for you. But if you live for slow burns with bite, banter, and heart-clenching payoff, the romance here may feel more like background noise than a beating pulse.
You’ll enjoy the premise if you’re drawn to fantasy worlds that glimmer just beyond reality, with magical schools, ancient trials, and secret societies. But if you crave immersive worldbuilding with rules, history, and tangible lore, you’ll likely be left flipping pages for a foundation that never quite forms.
You’ll get that here if you like your books fast-paced and bingeable with clear good vs. evil stakes. But if you’re hoping for morally grey characters, nuanced arcs, or growth that cracks people open, prepare to be a little frustrated, especially when some characters (Lee) stall just when they should soar.
If you’re in this for the P.C. and Kristin Cast name, the New York Times seal, or because the duology looks damn good on a shelf, you’ll want to add it to your TBR. Just know—it’s beautiful on the surface, but might not hold up to a deep dive.
Don’t forget to shop your local indie bookstores and grab a copy of the Moonstruck duology, Draw Down the Moon, and Give Up the Night! Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me an ecopy of Draw Down the Moon and a finished copy of Give Up the Night!
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