Book Review: Chasing the Moon

Book: Chasing the Moon by A. Lee Martinez

Edition: Hardcover

Description:

Diana's life was in a rut. She hated her job, she was perpetually single, and she needed a place to live. But then the perfect apartment came along. It seemed too good to be true -- because it was.

The apartment was already inhabited -- by monsters. Vom the Hungering was the first to greet Diana and to warn her that his sole purpose in life was to eat everything in his path. This poses a problem for Diana since she's in his path...and is forbidden from ever leaving the apartment.

It turns out though that there are older and more ancient monstrous entities afoot -- ones who want to devour the moon and destroy the world as we know it. Can Diana, Vom, and the other horrors stop this from happening? Maybe if they can get Vom to stop eating everything...and everyone.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Chasing the Moon follows Diana as her life and reality changed after taking a too good to be true apartment.

As she was getting settled in, Diana found out the catch to living in her new apartment. There was apparently something locked in the closet and she was informed that it would eat her if she opened the door. To make matters worse the door to her apartment disappeared and the only way she could leave is if she opened the closet door. It was a very troublesome dilemma she found herself in. Not being able to take it anymore, she came up with a plan she hoped would bring the apartment door back and allow her to escape. The only thing is, she would have to open the closet door and let whatever was in there out.

Her plan worked allowing her to not only leave her apartment but the building as well. But it looks like she traded in one problem for another because as soon as she made it outside she realized that she could see different types of monstrous beings where ever she looked. And adding to it was the monster that was locked in the closet whose name is Vom the Hungering by way, followed her outside. Despite his frightening appearance and ravenous appetite he was a pretty nice guy who told her how they were sort of stuck in between worlds as well as being stuck with each other. As his warden, she was going to be responsible for him which is a lot to contend with.

Diana was shocked by a lot of the things she saw and by what Vom was telling her but overall she was handling the news pretty well. She was quickly learning that her apartment building, the manager Mr. West and the tenants were certainly not what she expected. Even she was changing, because Diana was stuck between realities, she was starting to develop reality altering powers.

Like she doesn't have enough to get used to now she has this ability that can change things with a thought. That was going to make her attempt at trying to live a normal life impossible. And you can add attracting newly crossed over monsters to this reality/universe to her list of the new normal. Because after a strange incident she found herself with yet another monstrous new roommate, the Unending Smorgaz. However, it wouldn't be the last because two more monsters eventually joined the group.

While Diana's life was undergoing changes, there was a subplot that focused on another trapped being named Calvin, his friend/assistant Sharon, his connection to the monster Fenris who was chasing the moon and the cult that worshiped him. The cult leader Greg knew that Fenris would destroy the universe if it catches the moon but he also knew that if it did it would reshape the universe. And he was hoping that he along with his followers would survive the ordeal.

From the moment Diana became aware of her new reality, she was quickly becoming aware of Fenris and the possibility that he might bring about the end of the world. According to Mr. West this wasn't the world ending she thinks it's going to be and that she should not interfere but she can't stand by and do nothing not if she can help stop it.

I really enjoyed reading Chasing the Moon, the story wasn't something that I have read before. It's a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, humor and drama as you see Diana and her life change the more she became immersed in her new reality. I think Diana has an interesting way of taking everything in strides despite the continuous changes her life seemed to undergo. Of course she initially freaked out (who wouldn't) but she was adjusting to her new life better than expected which I believe played a big part in the outcome of this story. Diana's monster roommates (or wards) were funny, annoying, insightful and loyal, they definitely made her life more exciting that's for sure.

I'm glad I gave this a read because it was a fun, fast-paced and interestingly peculiar story that surprisingly doesn't have a sequel.