Feels all too plausible (acutely so!) and verse style makes it very accessible and punchy. Powerful read that does offer a positive and feminist conclusion to draw some hope from!

I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this incredible book via the author's Twitter page, but this does not affect my review in any way.

For me, verse has this emotional intensity and power that never fails to draw me in. Here Cuthew has achieved the same effect with this empowering tale of female friendship that rails against patriarchal stigma. 

Periods are often shunned as a taboo topic, but here the shame is forced to stop. I loved reading Cuthew's author note about how her struggles with endometriosis informed Frankie's story and actually this is something that we need to discuss more. Women's struggles are being silenced because it is a topic that some people find uncomfortable and this is inexcusable. The stigma around periods needs to be broken and books like this help the process of breaking down that wall.

We need to have those uneasy discussions that may be prompted by the story about periods, but also about our culture of online shaming and the double standards around sexuality. Frankie is shamed for her intimate experience, but Benjamin does not experience this to the same extent. Every aspect of Frankie's life is affected by what should have been a private moment and sadly this is a reality for so many people around the country. 

There is just something about the sparsity of language in a verse novel that just packs such an emotional punch and really helped me to connect with Frankie. Her relationships with Harriet, her dad and Benjamin were so well drawn through just a few words. The characters all felt so real and easy to empathise with, never feeling two-dimensional or flat. Their voices were so clear through Cuthew's clever manipulation of language, showing her immense skill. 

Blood Moon has clearly established a new bold, fiercely feminist voice in YA literature that I am desperate to hear from again soon.