I have to admit: I requested this book because I was so ready to tear it apart or have a laugh. It sounded so much like trash, the cover doesn’t help.

But I’m taking it all back.
Imagine if Sarah J Maas had an editor, but with a fun, entertaining and inclusive story, beautiful and complex (and even allegoric) representation of mental health issues of various natures, sexual orientations and gender identities in a magical, dark and complex world full of different creatures from different mythologies.
The story starts from a series of half-fae creatures disappearing or getting killed. No one really cares about them, so officially it’s not a real thing. But some people are worried, some others see an opportunity.
Around these episodes we get introduced to our cast through different point of views. Sometimes it’s quiet chaotic and some characters are not extremely distinguishable (except from their own story) one from another or have some minor characterization issues, but Arlo and Nausicaa are gold.

I’m positively surprised, the execution of the book is both entertaining and elaborate. There is action, there is character development and there are a lot of themes that we see developed through these characters. There are also a lot of trigger warning to be made here, since we discuss about abuse, suicide, murders, grief, depression, etc. but these topics are not thrown to your face or spectacularized for the sake of it. They are managed with care.

Cruel prince meets City of bones? Thanks the Gods NO! Ashley Shuttleworth writes so much better than both Cassie Clare and Holly Black, so it’s perfect if you want something that has those vibes (plus, SJM is the major reference) but with so much potential and with such a great start!

Gritty, epic and unique, A Dark and Hollow Star kept me on the edge of my seat. The world felt fresh and exciting. It was impossible to put down!

A Dark and Hollow Star is a fun urban fantasy novel with stunning world building and brilliant characters. I had high expectations for this book since the blurb sounded amazing. Although I found it slow to start, by the end I realised I really loved it.

The world building in A Dark and Hollow Star is very well done. The level of detail is incredible. It’s clear the author spent a considerable amount of time working on the world building and it pays off. I felt completely immersed in a world which is familiar yet unfamiliar – our world but with faeries roaming the streets. The different types of faerie, the Courts, and immortals, the way it’s all hidden alongside our world, was depicted so vividly. I loved the mix of fantasy and modern-day technology and pop culture references.

However, as much as I loved learning about the world, it felt very overwhelming. There is so much information crammed into the first few chapters that my brain felt like it was going to explode from trying to absorb everything. The focus on world building also meant I felt more distanced from the characters at the start, who were well-written, but felt side-lined by the world building at times in the first half. It also meant the book had a slow pace in the early parts.

The way the world building interrupted conversations for several paragraphs made it feel disjointed and I found it hard to get into many of the early scenes as they didn’t flow. The world building is so very good, but needed to be better woven into the narrative. However, I enjoyed the second half a lot more. It wasn’t as bogged down by long descriptions and explanations, and I was able to really get into the story and enjoy the ride.

A Dark and Hollow Star is written in third person with the perspectives of four queer characters: Arlo, Nausicaä, Aurelian and Vehan. I have to say, Aurelian and Vehan seemed to fade into the background as the book went on, with Arlo really feeling like the main character for most of the book, rather than the story being split between them more equally. I haven’t counted, but it seemed like there were a lot more chapters from Arlo’s POV than the others.

Nausicaä is my favourite character from this book, probably one of my favourite characters ever. She’s sarcastic, chaotic and sassy in the best way, and every scene she was in was made ten times better by her presence. Every time she dramatically entered a scene I mentally cheered because I knew it was going to be a good one if she was in it. She made reading this book so much fun. I also adored the chemistry between Nausicaä and Arlo and how it built up slowly over the course of the book.

As each of the characters investigates the murders, they eventually end up crossing paths and, as expected, team up. Their investigation leads them to a finale that was thrilling, but also still kept some of the humour that had been present throughout the book. Sections from the viewpoint of Hero sprinkled in were intriguing, but it did mean that there weren’t many surprises left for the finale, as the reader was already privy to a lot of what had been going on.

After all of that, the book ended a bit too abruptly. After the fantastic final showdown, we get one chapter from Arlo’s perspective and an intriguing epilogue. But there’s nothing to wrap up Aurelian and Vehan’s side of the story. Their friendship is pretty rocky, and since there is a sequel, is not resolved by the end of this book, but I would have liked to have seen a chapter with them after the finale. It felt like something major was missing. We’ve followed four characters through the book, but two of them are completely missing from the ending.

A Dark and Hollow Star is a brilliant debut that is both dark and full of humour, with characters you will fall in love with and an incredibly immersive world. Although I struggled to get into it at the start, once the story really got going, I was totally invested in the characters and the outcome of their investigation. This is going to be a must-read for 2021.

I really spent years thinking I didn't like fae books only to realize the existing ones were just painfully cishet.

That said, if I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be "confusing". I started reading it and felt confused. It was halfway through; still confused. And having finished it, that hasn't changed.

The one way I can see this being a good thing is if this book was a very long introduction to a series with multiple chunky installments. But even then, I feel like the author could have done a better job adding clarity to the story, and I just found there was such a lack of structure. The world building and the plot were very hard to keep track of for me, and I really couldn't make sense of the different kinds of fae.

I realize this makes it sound like I didn't enjoy this book very much, and it may sound unlikely, but I actually did have a great time reading it. I especially loved the characters. I just spent the entire time feeling so confused and waiting for explanations, and they never came. I might end up rereading this book at some point, because I did find it enjoyable and intriguing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For centuries, the Eight Courts of Folk have lived among us, concealed by magic and bound by law to do no harm to humans. This arrangement has long kept peace in the Courts—until a series of gruesome and ritualistic murders rocks the city of Toronto and threatens to expose faeries to the human world. Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind these murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike. If that’s not bad enough, there’s a war brewing between the Mortal and Immortal Realms, and one of these teens is destined to tip the scales. The only question is: which way?

Sadly, I have had to DNF this book at 22%, which is something I truly hate doing. I really want to give books a chance but I’d hoped by 1/5 of the way in, I’d be sucked into the story - but this wasn’t the case.

I’ve found it very hard to get into the book. The world building felt too much for me, like it was one big information dump but it didn’t actually tell me what was going on. I’d be reading and just feeling utterly confused about who’s POV I was reading from and how they go about life. There were a lot of elements that just felt disjointed and unrealistic. The idea of blending mortal and immortal “realms” really appeals to me but it doesn’t work for me in how it’s been presented in this book - which is such a shame.

I love any and all stories involving magic and fae and the like. However, this just didn’t work for me. It had gotten to the point where I felt like I was forcing myself to read it which isn’t something I want to be doing as it takes all the enjoyment out of reading.

Sadly, A Dark and Hollow Star just really missed the mark for me. Maybe I’ll come back to it in the future. But for now, it’s my first DNF of 2021.

I was totally hooked on A Dark and Hollow Star from the cover alone, this book is incredible! I am a SJM fan but even I will say that fae storylines are starting to lose their appeal/originality and yet this book felt like such a breath of fresh air. I read this copy through NetGalley but immediately preordered the paperback to sit on my shelf, I just love it. There is a lot going on in this book, and a lot of good to talk about; the world building, the writing, the pace, the LGBT representation, the action, the slow burn romance, the humour, this book offers so much.

However what really sets this book apart is the characters which you just learn to love incredibly, with 4 main characters Tarim different backgrounds that must work together following a series of murders of ironborns. As I said at the start, I’m a SJM fan and if you too love Aelin Galathynius, you will love Nos/Nausicaa, right from the start, what an opener! Every time she appeared on the page I just smiled, she’s sarcastic and brazen and hides the huge pain that eats away at her behind a tough exterior. She also has wings and a katana and i would easily die for her. Arlo is the High King’s niece and feels rather irrelevant and insecure, however through the ‘mission’ in this book she learns that she is so much more than what people think she is.

Similarly there is Prince Vehan and his best friend/undeclared love/attendant Aurelian, both under the eye and power of Queen Riadne. They love each other and court obligation and threat have caused distance between them. Aurelian is definitely a slow burn, essentially he has had to emotionally withdraw himself to protect Vehan, and yet you still see that love under the surface. Vehan, on the other hand, feels alone and unloved, thinking Aurelian now hates him, and as a Prince he wants to protect and care for people like he wishes he was cared for. Vehan is a sweetheart, although Nos and Arlo were my favourite characters and my favourite parts of the book.

These characters are all struggling, with insecurity, grief, depression, loneliness etc, and it makes them feel incredibly real. Mental illness and the societal pressure to be ‘okay’ and resilient is referred to, as is suicide, and both are handled maturely, sensitively and with the promise of more exploration while other books would have just thrown it at you. You will find a part of yourself with each character, root for their inner battles, and miss them when the book ends.

This is a fun, fast adventure with characters you will love, characters you will relate to, and a depth and colour on the page that sets this book apart and promises so much for the next book.