Review: Under the Moon (Goddesses Rising #1) by Natalie J. Damschroder

TLDR Recap

Quinn Caldwell is your average, everyday woman- aside from the fact that she’s a goddess who draws power from the moon, of course. When a leech begins stealing powers from goddesses around the country, Quinn sets out to find the culprit with her assistant, Sam, and her sexy protectorate, Nick. But will Quinn be able to stop whoever it is before they gain too much power? And could Quinn be the leech’s next target? Under the Moon is a GraveTells recommended read!

Title: Under the Moon
Series: Goddesses Rising #1
Author: Natalie J. Damschroder
Prominent Characters: Quinn, Nick, Sam
Recommended Reader Age: 17+
Sexual Content Level: moderate

***This review contains slight spoilers for the initial plot setup, but nothing major***

Thoughts

Quinn Caldwell has a pretty good life. She runs her own bar, Under the Moon, and is a strong goddess who uses the moon as the source of her power. She even has a business assisting people who need the help of a goddess- she makes no secret of the fact that she is one. When Nick Jarrett suddenly shows up at the bar one night, Quinn knows something is wrong. Nick is her protector, and he’s been in Quinn’s life for years, guarding her each time the new moon comes around, when Quinn’s power is at its weakest. Quinn has longed for Nick since she met him, and the sexual tension between them is hot!

Quinn soon learns that several goddesses have recently been leeched of their powers. But when she tries to contact the Society (a sort of goddess organization) to learn more, they refuse to let her in on what they know. Shocked, and feeling a little betrayed, Quinn decides to take matters into her own hands. With the help of Nick, and her assistant, Sam, she sets off to find the person who’s been stealing powers from goddesses. And since a leech can only be created when another goddess bestows power upon them, Quinn must also look for the woman who betrayed them all.

I loved all the relationships in Under the Moon, especially the one between Quinn and Nick. You can’t help but hope these two find a way to be together. 🙂 Knowing they’ve been fighting their attraction to each other and suppressing their feelings for years creates even more delicious tension. And Quinn’s relationship with Sam is sweet, too. I’m hesitant to call it a love triangle, however, since the reader can easily tell which guy Quinn is leaning towards.

I also like the world that Natalie Damschroder has created, and I think it’s cool that each goddess is unique and gets their power from a different source. I don’t think the Society is as amazing as Quinn believed it was, since the people there treated her pretty poorly throughout the novel. But I suppose that at the end, when you find out why they acted the way they did, it makes some sense.

Quinn is a likable heroine. She’s brave, selfless, and level-headed. She does what needs to be done, but she’s kind and compassionate, too. I like that she didn’t sit by and wait for the Society to solve the leech problem, but left her home behind to stop the leech before any other goddesses got hurt. She wasn’t afraid to jump right into the action.

Under the Moon was a good start to the Goddesses Rising series. It’s got action, romance, mystery, AND a pretty badass heroine. What’s not to like about that? 😉

Memorable Quotes

Poor Sam. Get ready to walk through the hotel lobby shirtless…

“She ripped my shirt!” Sam cried from inside the car. The valet stood at the driver’s door, staring at Quinn and Nick, then at Sam.
“Embrace your inner stud and let’s get her upstairs, dude.”

Helllooooo, Nick. *winks*

Steam billowed out ahead of Nick, a navy blue towel around his waist and a pale blue towel turban-style around his head. Quinn laughed with a surge of affection. He was competing with Sam—and doing very well, with his powerful arms and shoulders, solid chest, and flat abdomen—but cutting the threat of such a competition by being goofy.

If you liked Under the Moon…

I recommend First Grave on the Right, the first book in the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones. It mixes urban fantasy, romance, and humor like Under the Moon does.

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews. This one also mixes urban fantasy and romance!

Final Thoughts

If you like strong heroines, goddesses, and magic, you’ll enjoy Under the Moon! And the two drool-worthy guys in Quinn’s life make the book even more fun 🙂 I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the Goddesses Rising series.

Under the Moon is a GraveTells Recommended Read!

Rating: Under the Moon

Related Links

Natalie J. Damschroder’s website: www.nataliedamschroder.com