Crescent Moon

By: Delilah Devlin

Narrated by: Phil Gigante, Natalie Ross

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

From ancient Egypt to present-day New Orleans, a woman of exceptional strength is called to protect against an unspeakable evil...and to experience an unforgettable seduction. Khepri still isn’t used to being The God’s Wife. The daughter of a common farmer, she’s more comfortable being friends with servants than employing a whole team of them. Lately she’s had doubts about the role she’s been thrust into. She’s had yearnings for another sort of life, one where she’s loved intimately, rather than only adored from afar. When a powerful man lures her away from her temple, she’s thrilled at the chance for an adventure. Her adventure quickly becomes a nightmare when the handsome vizier mummifies her alive, until she awakens in a distant future. Alone and needing a guide in this strange and garish new world, she turns to the troubled man who set her free...

When New Orleans police detective Justin Henry Boucher is called to the Garden Museum to investigate stolen Egyptian artifacts, it’s not exactly the adrenaline rush he used to get working a homicide. But with a reprimand on his record and a sorrow he can’t shake, he will take what he can get - as long as he can keep his badge. What he doesn’t count on is having to keep his cool when he finds one of the priceless artifacts - a golden-skinned goddess wrapped in fabric like a mummy, left to die and needing his help. She’s a mystery he’s determined to unravel. She might also be the cure for his lonely heart.

©2013 Delilah Devlin (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved

Wow! This was different and fresh.

Would you listen to Crescent Moon again? Why?

The story was good, but I have to say I see why Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross and king and queen of two person narration. They hit it out of the park. So many accents, so many different voice, did wonders to immerse me into the story.

What did you like best about this story?

It was different. It started out in ancient Egypt, there are Pharaoh's, Mummy's (not the living dead kind), magic, time travel (sort of) whats not to like. The story was still really grounded, nothing to over the top. It felt fresh and original.

What does Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

As I said, I see why these guys are cream of the crop. They are awesome. I've been wanting to try them out for a while, and when I heard what this story was about, I said ok impress me. And they did that in spades. They are fantastic.

Any additional comments?

It was just refreshing from your normal shifter, vampire fare. The sex isn't over done and it focuses ore on story. There are sex scenes of course but its not every other page or even chapter. If thats more important to you it may not be for you. If you want a good entertaining story that doesn't need such fillers, this is a good one to get.

I took a chance on this one due of the narrators..

Would you consider the audio edition of Crescent Moon to be better than the print version?

Yes.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Crescent Moon?

One of the most memorable moments of this story was when the hero lost his heart to the unknown and took a leap of faith.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending...Not going to spoil it... Great read.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Any additional comments?

I normally have a different line of romance taste. I took a chance on this book because of the narrators and it so paid off. Great Read by both narrators. I would choose another by them anytime.

"Mummy Returns Too"

Where does Crescent Moon rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This author has mixed works, mostly in erotica, but this story has the all elements of a very good mystery, almost in a short story format. Great editing!

What other book might you compare Crescent Moon to and why?

The Mummy, movie, but not gruesome. This has hot romance and yet draws on ancient characters to make it a great buy and listen

What about Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross ’s performance did you like?

They are great together and when there is hot romance, no other couple does it better!
Phil is great on his own. Ms Ross his wife, in real life, has a great male reading voice. My all time faves Linda Howard's After the Night and Shades of Twilight, HOT

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes as it had good use of author's imagination

Wonderful Book With Great Narration

I downloaded this book because the synopsis intrigued me. I'm glad I did, because I really enjoyed it!

Khepri is a wonderful character. She is The God's Wife, (a type of high priestess and spiritual wife to Amun) who is, because of her position, quite highly regarded as second to the Pharaoh in power. She is quite naive in some respects, living a sheltered life, but she has wisdom beyond her years. I liked her a lot.

Justin Henry Boucher is also another wonderful character. He is a police detective who has had a sideways promotion to robbery division after his partner was killed. He is tough, cynical and world wary. However, after meeting Khepri, he realises there is more to this mysterious woman than meets the eye. I loved this character's protective streak.

This is a very interesting romance story. I love ancient Egyptian history; I find it fascinating. However, this book is very much a modern romance. The author has taken poetic licence with the use of the gods and turned this book into a time travelling romantic adventure. Originally a serial released as a chapter at a time, this book has been put together to give the reader the opportunity to read it whole. The characters are very lifelike and likable. I found myself completely transfixed by the story and it surprised me when I came to the end! I must admit that I did find the motives and actions of the Vizier were not fully explained properly (in my opinion). However, the story was a fast paced action/adventure/romance with danger in the form of a resurrected, power hungry Pharaoh. There is a wonderful chemistry between Khepri and Justin (Juste to his friends). Their passion sizzles on the pages! I even enjoyed meeting Michael, Juste's police partner, who sounds rather dishy himself! I wonder if the author is considering (or had considered) writing a story with him in mind? I would love to read it if she has! The end of the story was quite touching, and I even shed a tear or two! (I love a happy ending!).

Delilah Devlin has written a steamy romance novel that kept me hooked from the first page. Her pacing on the story was a bit bumpy in places but, I suppose as it was written and released in stages, that is understandable. However, that did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. She is an author I have listened to before, and this book was a great example.

Due to scenes of a sensual nature that (although not as explicit as some books I have read) are on the steamy side, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I recommend this book if you love hot, steamy romance novels.

I am not usually a fan of dual narrators but Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross were outstanding with the delivery of the story. They made the story come to life and a most enjoyable listen.

Fun story

3 Stars for me!

My rating range of this story... 2.5 - 3.5 Stars
If significant, why?

Main Character Ratings...
H = 7/10
h = 7/10

Narrator Rating(s)
M = 7/10
F = 8/10
If below 5/10,why?

Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of? No

Angst Level? Moderate
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
3 Stars for me!

Internal Monolog? Moderate
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop

Scenes with heat... Yes
What point does it start? 40%
How much of the story? 10%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained

Heat Rating... 6/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above

Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No

The back story... The blurb says it all

The Romance... n/a

The drama explosion... The big battle with the ultimate baddy
Did it feel Real, OK or contrived? n/a
Was it OTT? No
Separation involved? No
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Interesting

Final Notes... This was a fun story with a unique storyline. A suspension of disbelief is required but it was entertaining.

HEA or HFN? HFN

Great Story, Unparalleled Narration

For the first time ever, I bought a book based on who the narrators were rather than the book's synopsis or author. I hadn't heard of Delilah Devlin before, and while I love paranormal romance, I'm not so big on the Egyptian theme. Still, it was a Phil and Natalie production, and I honestly think this fantastic narration team could make a grocery list sound interesting, so I took a chance and bought the book.

Happily, I was not disappointed. I expected the fantastic narration, but I was very pleased with this story as well. Khepri is a woman from ancient Egypt, a humble girl raised to the exalted position of The God's Wife. A powerful priestess, she is essentially mummified while alive so that she could awake in present day New Orleans and defeat a powerful evil.

Justin is a seasoned cop. After losing his best friend and partner, he loses his temper with a superior. He's been kicked out of the homicide division and reassigned to investigate thefts. He and his new partner pick up a case investigating the theft of Egyptian artifacts at a local museum.

In the process of the investigation, Justin breaks all the rules when he rescues the beautiful, mysterious Khepri and spirits her away to his home. Is she the woman of his dreams? Or is she a delusional lunatic who believes she's the wife of a God, destined to save the world from a supernatural evil? The more Justin sees of Khepri, the more he likes her, as things develop, he slowly begins to understand that she's exactly who she claims to be.

I was pleased with the character development, the writing style and very happy with the layout of the plot. It certainly kept me tuned in, eager to hear what would happen next.

There are liberal and graphic sexual situations. This book is adult erotic fiction done well, but would not be appropriate for a younger audience.

Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross delivered a stunning performance. Separately, they are both wonderful narrators, but together, they bring life to a story. Thank you Audible! Well done!

Okay story, Great narration.

I liked it but I didn't get overly excited about it. I have always liked myths and lore's of all cultures, and while this one was loose with the details it was fun to see how it was interweaved into the story. The characters went through the motions but I didn't really get a good sense of who they were. You have to suspend belief at how the characters reacted to events and the whole wife to a God was a little weird how that played out. The transition from ancient Egypt to modern day for the heroine was way too easy. The writing was a bit choppy, but from what I understand this book came out as a serial on Amazon. I picked this up using the Whispersync for about 3.98. Narrators were both good, Phil Gigante has a very sexy voice and he makes it worth listening.

Old with the new

I truly enjoyed this the way u brought the old tales with new ones. it made me smile with the true love.

Love Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross.

These two are a match made in heaven. As always the performance was amazing. The characters were well developed with an engaging story line.

That was...

GREAT. THE NARRATORS DOING THE VOICES WAS AWESOME. THAT IS HOW ALL THE AUDIO BOOKS SHOULD BE DONE. PPL THAT KNOW HOW TO CHANGE THEIR VOICES & A MALE & FEMALE TO VOICE THE STORY.