Quick Take
- Narration: Lori Prince handles both the action sequences and the slower character development with equal skill, differentiating Ruri and Malice clearly across twelve-plus hours.
- Themes: forbidden alliance, pack loyalty and betrayal, identity between human and monster
- Mood: Kinetic and emotionally layered
- Verdict: Urban fantasy that earns its romance by making the non-romantic stakes feel genuinely high; a satisfying listen for fans of the genre who want character depth alongside action.
I came to Five Moons Rising a little skeptical, mostly because I had read enough paranormal romance to know the risks of the genre: thin worldbuilding as backdrop for a central relationship, action sequences that feel obligatory, and characters defined almost entirely by their chemistry with each other. Lise MacTague’s book surprised me. It is, as several reviewers correctly note, more properly urban fantasy with romantic elements than straight paranormal romance, and that distinction matters for the listening experience.
The setup brings together two characters who have every structural reason to be enemies. Malice, code-named from her work as a genetically modified hunter designed to eliminate supranormal threats, and Ruri, a werewolf Beta who barely survives a massacre of her pack and is forced to operate as a lone wolf while plotting vengeance. The Ilona Andrews comparison that reviewer Racquel makes is apt: this has the same interest in supranormal politics and complicated power structures that makes the Andrews urban fantasy novels compulsively readable.
Our Take on Five Moons Rising
The book’s greatest strength is that it takes the non-romantic stakes seriously. Ruri’s pack has been massacred and an usurper controls the territory. Malice’s family connection, the real anchor to her human identity, is threatened. These are not narrative conveniences designed to bring the protagonists together. They are genuinely pressing problems that drive the plot, and the romance develops between characters who are primarily focused on surviving and achieving their separate goals rather than on each other. That dynamic produces a more interesting relationship than the manufactured proximity of many paranormal romances.
Reviewer Racquel noted feeling pleasantly surprised after initial skepticism about generic characters and plot. That tracks with the structure of MacTague’s writing: the setup looks familiar but the execution has more going on beneath it. Reviewer Issy W. identifies a key quality when she writes that the main focus is the fate of Ruri’s pack and all that entails, with a lot going on. The world MacTague builds covers at minimum two supernatural types, vampires and what she calls wolven, within a broader supranormal ecosystem that is visible but not fully mapped in this first book.
Why Listen to Five Moons Rising
Lori Prince is a strong narrator for this material. At just over twelve and a half hours, the audiobook requires sustained engagement, and Prince differentiates the two protagonists convincingly through vocal register and pacing. Malice’s sections, which have an operational, tightly controlled quality to them, sound different from Ruri’s, which carry more grief and deliberate restraint. That distinction helps listeners track the dual perspective structure without confusion, and it makes the moments where the two perspectives converge more emotionally resonant.
One reviewer flagged the sexual content as initially overbearing before tapering toward the end, which is worth noting for listeners with strong preferences either way. The book is categorized under LGBTQ+ content, and the romance is central though, as Racquel observed, it functions more like open-demographic urban fantasy than genre-specific romance fiction. That reading seems accurate: the relationship between Malice and Ruri matters to the story, but it does not overwhelm it.
What to Watch For in Five Moons Rising
The ending generates divided responses. Reviewer Book Dragon, who gave five stars, specifically wished for a longer epilogue to address lingering questions: the nature of Malice’s genetic modification, whether she has vampire or werewolf DNA, and the state of her relationship with her sister after the events of the book. These are legitimate questions that the novel raises and does not fully answer. Readers who need every thread resolved will find the conclusion less satisfying than those comfortable with open questions in a series context.
As of the review date, there is no confirmed sequel or continuation listed, which means those unresolved questions remain open. The book works as a standalone in the sense that the central conflict reaches a resolution, but the world and characters clearly have more story in them.
Who Should Listen to Five Moons Rising
Five Moons Rising is a strong listen for fans of urban fantasy in the Ilona Andrews or Patricia Briggs tradition who want female protagonists and a central f/f romance that does not overshadow the plot. It will also appeal to listeners who enjoy supranormal political intrigue and action sequences alongside their character development. Readers who want a purer romance experience with the supernatural as backdrop may find the action-heavy structure less satisfying. The sexual content, while not the book’s focus, is present and worth knowing about for listeners who prefer to avoid it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Five Moons Rising a romance or an urban fantasy?
It is more accurately urban fantasy with a significant romantic subplot rather than paranormal romance. Multiple reviewers make this distinction, and one specifically notes that the fate of Ruri’s pack is the main focus of the story rather than the romantic relationship between Ruri and Malice. Fans of the Ilona Andrews or Patricia Briggs urban fantasy tradition will find it more familiar than readers expecting a romance-first structure.
Does Five Moons Rising work as a standalone or is it the start of a series?
The central conflict reaches resolution, but the book leaves several questions open, particularly about Malice’s genetic origins and her family relationships. One reviewer specifically wanted a longer epilogue to address these threads. It reads as the foundation of a series rather than a fully self-contained story, which may or may not be an issue depending on your tolerance for unresolved threads.
How does Lori Prince’s narration handle the dual protagonist structure?
Very competently. Prince differentiates Malice and Ruri through distinct vocal qualities and pacing, which helps listeners track the two perspectives across more than twelve hours of audio. The contrast between Malice’s controlled, operational manner and Ruri’s grief-driven determination comes through clearly in the narration.
How explicit is the sexual content in this audiobook?
One reviewer described the sexual content as initially overbearing before tapering toward the later sections of the book. It is present and not insignificant, though the book is primarily action and plot-driven rather than sexually explicit throughout. Listeners with strong preferences either way should factor this in.
