updated review as of 4/29/23 this book will always feel like a warm hug. ”i am a boy,” he said, because the rest did not matter. “i am a boy and i always have been.” this book will never be anything but amazing. it’s written so beautifully and lyrically like all anna-marie books. but wow this was my first i read by them and so it’ll always have a special place. this book is also filled with many beautiful quotes about figuring out who you are as well as not letting anyone take who you are away from you. it’s just an amazing read. “we don’t get to become who we are for nothing. it costs something. you’re fighting for every little piece of yourself.” i am not your garden. you do not own what i grow.

A magical journey into the town of moons and pumpkins; the story of the girl named Honey and the boy named Moon is one that will remain in my heart for a long time. The brilliant and captivating writing pulled me into the cosmos of this book and I could see every little detail come to life before my eyes. It is an ageless book, a tale of finding one's identity and place in the world. A must-read for anyone seeking childlike wonder, anyone who is a little bit magic, and anyone whose best friend is the moon on lonely nights.

I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I picked up When the Moon Was Ours. The blurb was gorgeous and fascinating (and reminded me of The Night Circus, which I loved, though the two books are very different), so I had to give it a try. This novel is unlike any other I've ever read, with a refreshingly diverse cast of complex, entrancing characters whose struggles, insecurities, memories, and reflections drive the story. Rather than having things happen to them, the book explores the questions these characters ask and how they eventually find—or come to terms with—themselves; it is a cascade of interrelated events and observations rather than a predictable plot. Despite the tinge of magic that paints every page, the plot's natural unfolding made this book realistic and believable for me. When the Moon Was Ours is, at its core, about a girl named Miel and a boy named Sam. Miel has been "cursed" with roses growing out of her wrist, something that she believes has driven her family away; a part of her she hates but also cannot bear to let anyone else claim. She is haunted by half-memories that she doesn't understand, and throughout the novel she learns more about her past so that she will be able to forgive herself. Sam tries to convince himself that he's only being a boy temporarily, to be the son he thought his mother needed, even though he has grown into and cherishes this identity. His journey through the novel is driven by his struggle with who he wants to be and who he believes that he is. Though Miel and Sam are strong enough characters to make this book noteworthy, I loved that complexity that was given to all of the people we encountered, especially the Bonner sisters. It would have been easy to paint them off as cruel, pretty girls and to give them a clean redemption arc, but they too are each given a secret that they must let go of by the end of the story. This book deals with people's struggles with their identities and who they want to become versus who they are in a way that is sometimes subtle, sometimes painfully clear. I think it helped me to better understand the struggle that LGBT+ people, and underrepresented minorities, go through (view spoiler)[(moments like Ivy threatening to out Sam despite defending Peyton, or when Sam notes that Miel could understand his identity even as a little girl so no adults should struggle, were particularly striking) (hide spoiler)] and I think it can be a valuable read for anyone. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the prose is beautiful. It's definitely my literary aesthetic. However, I can understand that the sometimes-wavering sense of plot and flowery prose may be a turn-off for some readers. Interestingly, as enchanting as this story was for me, I didn't feel the soul-shattering this! is! my! favorite! thing! ever! that I feel with some books (like The Night Circus, I'll Give You The Sun, etc.) but I also feel like I will remember this book, its characters, and their stories forever. For that reason it is solidly on my personal favorites shelf. I'd encourage any reader to give it a read! You have nothing to lose and an absolutely luminous, beautiful story to gain.

“When they both realized they were heartbroken enough to want the love torn from their rib cages, they touched each other with their hands and their mouths, and they forgot they wanted to be cured.” FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED If I had to describe this book in one word I'd say exquisite, and then if I could choose a second word lush Exquisite because, writing wise, this book is a masterpiece. The writing is so breathtakingly beautiful it really feels like every single word was perfectly placed. The way the writing is used to create the creepy atmosphere, and the interesting characters and even more interesting setting was amazing. McLemore describes pumpkins turning to glass, roses growing from a wrist, women pulling lovesickness straight out of a persons chest and it all so beautifully, perfectly written it's hard not to fall in love or at least ADMIRE what she's done here. And I say lush because of the setting and the world. It is magical realism, but there was so many elements to this story I adored. The setting is so rich and I loved the elements added to it, the roses, the water, the moons, the stars, the pumpkins, the glass coffin. I love magical realism and I really loved how it was used in this book. At first it did take me a little to get into the rhythm of this book, the writing is definitely metaphor and symbolism heavy and that took me a bit to get into. But once I passed page 100 I was really into it and reaching for it all the time. This is a book thats way better if you read it slowly, because it feels like the tendrils of this book slowly wrap around you. I don't usually like slow books but I think it worked with this book, and with it's tone and elements. I think the representation was also beautifully done. There are two main characters and the book is told from their dual perspective. Miel is Latina, Sam is trans and he is also from Pakistan. There is also another side trans character, and a side lesbian character. This review talks a lot about this book + being a qpoc woman. One thing I really liked how how nuanced the representation was and the exploration of how queer identities intersect with race and ethnicity. The trans representation comes from a personal place for the author (her husband is trans) and I really recommend reading the authors note about it! Finally, the characters in general were so fun to read about. I adored Miel and Sam and their relationship together, they were such beautiful rich characters. I also liked how their sex was on page and how good they were to eachother. There romance was so soft and tender, and I love how it slowly grew and bloomed. “Someday, he and Miel would be nothing but a fairy tale. When they were gone from this town, no one would remember the exact brown of Miel’s eyes, or the way she spiced recado rojo with cloves, or even that Sam and his mother were Pakistani. At best, they would remember a dark-eyed girl, and a boy whose family had come from somewhere else. They would remember only that Miel and Sam had been called Honey and Moon, a girl and a boy woven into the folklore of this place.” I know this is a backlisted title, especially since the author has just brought out Wild Beauty but I really think everyone needs to read this! Truly such a stunning book, exploring friendship and family and culture and belonging and personal growth. The only thing I didn't like about this and why I gave it 4 stars not 5 is that some of the writing was maybe a little too symbolism heavy - for example, I don't really know what was going on with the Bonner girls. That whole storyline felt a bit messy to me. But beside that I truly adored this book and I think it's such a beautiful, unique book. It you want some YA that is doing something a bit different I definitely recommend this The pale, rose-colored light had made her expect to look out her window and find all the trees blooming. A million blushing petals against a midnight sky. Spring descended over fall in countless pink blooms.

While this was pretty good and explored some really interesting areas - the fantasy was spot on - it just lacked the groundedness needed to pull me in

Wow. This defenitly deserves more then five stars. It’s fragile, beautiful, and special. This story feels almost breakable, if you dare to touch it. The way it is written, feels often poetic, and lovesome. I have way too many tabs in this book, wanting to memorize every last piece and bit of it. It has earned the stonewall badge of honour which it so deserves. I was going into this book thinking it would just be a ya book. I was so wrong. This compares to that in no way, shape or form. The magical realism makes it even better. Just wow. I have no points, no remarks on how to make this better. It is simply gorgeous. I want to close this review with a quote; ‘I am not your garden, she said, the words no louder then the thread of her mother’s voice the wind carried. I am not one of your father’s pumpkin vines. You do not own what I grow.’

I picked this book up not knowing what it was about and I fell in love with the two main characters. I love the diversity and the fact that one of the main characters is transgender. I feel like this was magical realism and I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow at times for me and at other points I was just full of emotions. It was just beautiful!

A colourful and poignant story of finding one's identity and being brave enough to open up about it. It's written in a fairytale like prose which illustrates the author's writing style. I really enjoy the recurring images and the figurative writing style throughout the novel. While this compromises the clarity & closure within the first few chapters, that's mostly made up in the concluding chapters of the novel so when I read the latter half in a single sitting, the meaning behind feels quite potent. Overall, this is a very creative and unique story of coming in terms of your true colours!

3.5

I thought this story had beautiful writing, undeniable stunning prose. But the plot was dull and almost nonexistent. I almost gave up multiple times and in the end started skim reading, even though the writing was gorgeous. I’m in the minority here. It was just ok.

3.5