A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

Thanks to NetGalley for this free eARC in return for an honest review.

A modern fairytale that leans heavily on Swan Lake. There were some lovely moments of writing, and beautiful "set- painting" but ultimately the story wasn't fulfilling. The writing ended up somewhat circular and the ending left me unsatisfied.

Arriving at a party almost immediately the reader is dazzled by the glittering spectacular of a magical Gatsbyesque party. It’s 1922, and the partygoers include struggling artist Forster and his friends Marvin and Rose. This trio are a mixture of pomp and privilege, yet loveable and charming.

When Forster becomes enchanted with the hostess of the party by a mere glimpse, he is thrown into a dizzying frenzy of artistic expression but the ultimate drive is to meet her. When he finally does, what happens before his eyes leaves him bewildered.

The language of the prose is beautiful yet complex in places, crammed into a page turning story. It is the language of magic and enchantment.

This story pivots on glittering snow, fairy tales, curses, love, art, saucers of champagne, magic, sparkling parties, and twinkling ice. Completely thrilling and charming at the same time.

For a magical Autumn, I highly recommend Upon a Frosted Star by M.A. Kuzniar.

☆☆½
(Rounded up to 3 stars for Netgalley).

When the snow falls, she will be free…

I was first drawn to Upon a Frosted Star when I saw that it was described as Swan Lake meets The Great Gatsby and because I enjoyed the authors' other book (which was a Nutcracker retelling), and since I had enjoyed it I had good expectations for this one, alas, my expectations were far (far) too high.

Upon a Frosted Star followed Forster, an artist with a major art block, who attended a party and became intrigued (if not obsessed) with the host, unfortunately for him, the party only occurs once a year and the host is a very very mysterious woman. However, he has a little luck as she becomes his inspiration for his art, which helps his career to take off, anyway back to the mysterious host. The party only occurs once a year and so Forster's windows for finding the host are limited but he has a little luck, over the course of a few years he manages to meet the host, Odette, and due to some snooping, ends up finding out more about Odette than he could ever have imagined.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't care for Forster at all, I found his Point of View dull and boring and his character to be flat. I even ended up skimming quite a bit of the beginning due to how repetitive and dull it was, like why did we spend so much of the beginning of the book on Forster just attending the parties, it felt like hardly anything happened until halfway into the book and even then I still wasn't that captivated by the book. I found the best parts of the book to be Odette's points of view, though not those at the beginning which I found to be a little basic (for lack of a better word), the chapters talking about the past though were some of the most interesting ones in a book, it was truly a shame how late they came in the book. Odette's character was also marginally more interesting than Forsters and I feel, that had she been the main character I would have enjoyed her more, alternatively, had the book been told from a larger mix of Odette and Forsters PoV I would have enjoyed it more.
As for the story, it was mainly just about Forster being in an art slump, finding Odette and then their relationship and Forsters art career, which were more things I wasn't too invested in. Talking of things I also wasn't invested in, Rose and Marvin, like they were hardly there for a large portion of the book (in part due to Forsters obsession with Odette and his absence in their lives) and I felt pretty indifferent to them, like they were just there. And one of the more interesting things about them (Marvins developments) was hardly shown due to Forster being a poor friend which quite frankly sucked.

Due to my dislike of the book and how much I skimmed I don't have many other thoughts, other than the ones of the ending (which will be minorly spoiler-y so proceed with caution).

Probably my greatest disappointment of the book was the last 10ish%, but oh how great it could have been. Despite not enjoying most of this book and struggling to get through it I somehow found the ending to be as near as bad as the rest of the book, it was a rush of everything happening all at once and here is where things start to get spoiler-y so read ahead at your own risk. <spoiler>Forster manages to track down Rothbart to try and free Odette from her curse, so you must be thinking? 'Surely things get good around here', if you do then you'd be wrong. There is no real sort of final confrontation, just Forster threatening Rothbart (a supposed powerful man) and Rothbart having no way to fight back apparently then him just agreeing to try and lift the curse, like how anti-climactic right? Unfortunately, it still manages to find a way to go downwards.</spoiler> BIGGER SPOILERS ONWARD THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TURN BACK! <spoiler>We get to the long-awaited part, Rothbart ready to lift Odette's curse, only it doesn't go well. I won't say exactly what happens (you can find that out for yourself) but wow, it was disappointing, it would've been interesting had it been what happened was due to Rothbart being spiteful and saying 'screw you' rather than it being what it was but unfortunately I didn't really get that from the book. Onto my next point, I'm someone who loves a bit of tragedy but this just didn't hit me in any of the feels or anything at all, I read it and was just like 'Oh, is that it??'. And to top it all off the ending was extremely abrupt, like we didn't spend any time there to sit and process what had just happened, we got the final chapter, a very short epilogue and then that was the book. Like thanks for nothing I guess?</spoiler>

Because I want to end this on a good note I will say there was one part of this book I absolutely loved, and I think if you liked Midnight in Everwood and Mariette you will enjoy it too!

I'm rounding my rating up to 3 stars on GoodReads and Netgalley rather than down to 2 as I felt I skimmed quite a bit which may have impacted my judgement (though had I not skimmed I don't think I would have finished it).

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise and I had such high hopes for this book. Sadly I found it hard going and I struggled to finish it. It just didn't hold my interest in afraid.

I loved the descriptions in this story, probably more than I liked the plot to be honest, although they are woven together and indistinguishable for much of the book.
It tells the story of Forster, an aspiring artist who falls in love with Odette, only for their love to be thwarted, Forster rents rooms at the beginning with Marvin, who is trying to climb the greasy pole of journalism. The two hang out in London at various clubs and restaurants where they meet Rose, a young lady of means. As Marvin and Rose fall in love so do Forster and Odette. The London settings, the house by the lake, the description of the parties and the live style, clothing and cars were all wonderful, well researched and very evocative. The descriptions of the magical ballet performances with acrobats and gifts dropping from the ceilings were also absorbing. The imagery, the magic and the friendship between Marvin, Rose and Forster were all excellent.
The pacing was a little slow in places and I was surprised by the ending but on reflection I think it was entirely appropriate and probably more satisfying than any other attempt at finishing the story.
All in all an enjoyable read.
With thanks to Netgalley and HQ for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

This was a well-written, enjoyable read. It was such a beautiful, wintery book, and one I can't wait to add to my shelves!

'I shall spin you a story of magic and wonder, horror and cruelty.’

Get ready for an utterly enchanting story from M.A. Kuzniar, with the release of Upon A Frosted Star on September 21st.

This tale is so beautifully written. M.A. Kuzniar always has such fabulous descriptions that bring everything to life. The author's descriptive language is so rich and vivid that you feel as though you are actually there.

She writes with such rich, poetic prose that her words wrap themselves around you. And the way in which she so vividly describes food, whether it's delicious pastries, crêpes or a simple piece of toast, it all sounds so sumptuous that the reader longs to join in the feast, and ends up feeling hungry... at least this reader did!

Upon A Frosted Star is described as Swan Lake meets The Great Gatsby, and it certainly fulfils that description.

It's 1922 when struggling artist Forster Sylvan receives an invitation that will change his life.

An invitation to a mysterious ball, where he finds himself enchanted and intrigued by a mysterious ballerina, has Forster determined to find out more about her.

And what he finds is Odette 'Detta' Lakely. The daughter of Lord and Lady Lakely, who perished on the Titanic. Detta fulfilled her ballet dreams in Rothbart's Theatre of Enchantments. However, she was cursed with living as a Swan, except for when the snow falls.

The pair fall in love, whilst Forster tries to end her enchantment during the summer months, searching for Rothbart and painting his muse, Detta.

I really loved Marvin and Rose, and was sorry to see their relationship deteriorate, as they were Forster's only family, however, it was good to see them find their way back to each other.

This tale tells us that 'a true fairytale never did end happily,' and Upon A Frosted Star certainly is a true fairytale in that respect. The ending is particularly sad, which was so heartbreaking. Although I hope we may hear some good news about our couple in future, much like the Easter egg about Marietta Stelle from Midnight in Everwood, which I just adored! I hope she has fulfilled her promise to find Legat again ♥️

I thoroughly enjoyed Upon A Frosted Star. It was well-written, engaging, and a story I won't forget.

Many thanks to the publishers @hqstories and @netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy.

Exquisitely beautiful, absorbing and creative. I loved the vivid magical 1920’s world, where both romance and danger appear to be constantly just around the corner. Although not quite as perfectly paced as Midnight in Everwood, it taking a little while for the story to grab me, once it did, I devoured this in just hours. Overall another delightful confection of a novel, perfect for vanishing into as the winter draws near.

With thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I invested a lot of time and attention to this sad story. It follows an aspiring artist and his friends Marvin and Rose. They're trying to find success in their careers but they do like their social lives. Once a year there are invitations which seem to fall from the sky. The manor in which the party is set, is an uninhabited place that looks spectacular when they arrive and see aerial artists swinging up in the ceiling..They know now what awaits them!. It's exciting and there's dancing, everyone is in fancy dress for whatever theme is on. Forster becomes obsessed with the host. She has the most beautiful eyes and Forster wants to get her alone and speak to her. He follows her out from the party but she's vanished! He will have to wait until the next snowstorm.
His paintings show his obsession with Detta. Will he get to talk to her when it snows next?.
The story flits back and forth in time but it's easy to follow and is linked in to the rest of the story.
I loved it from start to finish. It's quite a sad story as you can guess from the explanation but it's just beautiful and flows from the pages like a real fairytale.. I loved all the characters, good and bad, they were complex and layered. There was no point in this book that I got bored!! Magical writing!!
I received this free arc book for an honest review.
#Netgalley. #Hqbooks, #makuzniar.

I'm afraid I did not enjoy this book. It started reasonably well with the strange invitations to the sumptuous parties but after that there was a lot of repetition with the main character trying to find the mysterious woman and descriptions of at least two more parties.

After about a quarter into the book, very little had actually happened so I started to just skim it. I read a bit more closely when Rothbart was introduced but again, i found the going slow.

The plot is. of course, very slight and we know the story so that is a problem for an author who reimagines or writes sequels - how can you make your book hold the interest of the reader?

The book is not thought provoking or tense, or exciting. I had no interest at all in any of the characters and in fact although I only finished the book yesterday, I cannot remember the names of the 2 men. Even when I was trying to read the book, I kept getting them mixed up . One, our hero, is an artist and the other one is a journalist. There is also a rich heiress whose name escapes me too. Obviously Detta is Odette but I could not identify an Odile, either as a separate character or as a facet of Odette. Although I admit to not reading closely and possibly I just missed it.

Also, I found the language very annoying as it seems to me to be a mix of idioms we think of as modern such as "second guess" and "showrunner" and language we associate with the 1920s and earlier - in fact, in some parts I expected some "forsooths"! The word "flatmate" is used very early on and I when I looked up the history of this word, i found that it is older than you might imagine, perhaps it is the same for these other words but it jarred on me.

i dont like to mark low but I have given 3 stars to books I have enjoyed more so I must go for a 2.

The story centres around Forster (an up and coming artist) and Odette a ballerina who lives a cursed life. I haven't read Swan Lake so wasn't sure what to expect, but after reading and living Midnight In Everwood I couldn't wait for a second novel. Odette has been cursed to be a swan until the first flakes of snowfall when the curse is lifted and she become human once again until the last snow melts,away. Forster is one of the lucky ones who chances upon an invitation to a party simply saying 'Tonight'. This is where magic and fantasy collide in a hugely extravagant party held in Odettes manor house. No one knows who hosts the parties as there is never a name to them. Foster is mesmerised with the ballerina who appears and everyone's eyes are upon her. Once the party is over he can't stop thinking about her and vows to find out who she is, he doesn't know about her cursed life yet and soon finds himself falling in love with her even though she has told him.not to!! Once he finds out about the curse he promises to find Rothbart - The man who cursed her and get him to reverse it!
Just had to keep reading even into the early hours as couldn't put it down! Got so engrossed with the love story and couldn't believe the ending such a shocker - had me in tears!!! Can't wait for the next book. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this. Will be recommending this to everyone I know and ideal for anyone who loves a read for some escapism. Who doesn't want a bit of magic in their lives?

M A Kuzniar's last book to this day is still one of my all time favourite books and in this follow up, she creates another beautiful atmospheric and captivating tale, perfect for autumn/winter vibes.

Swan lake meets the Great Gatsby with beautiful prose and a magical setting. I'm not the biggest fan of either of these stories but I usually love a fairy-tale retelling.
However it fell a little short for me, I really struggled to keep engaged and found myself a little bored.
If you're a fan of the source material you'll probably enjoy it more, this one was just not for me.

It’s 1922, almost 1923. Foster Sylvan is clinging on to his twenties by his fingertips. He’s an aspiring artist, sharing a bedsit with his best friend Marvin, a journalist who wants to rise through the ranks. Rose, their friend makes them a trio, a tight band of friendship.
Once a year the invites appear for a party at a mysterious cliff top manor. Foster finds an invitation, which will change how he feels about his life and lifestyle.

I must admit I don’t know the story of swan lake, even though I have always been aware of it, so was unsure how this book adaptation would play out.
I found the book easy to read, but the characters in this book mainly ate sweets and sugary delights, washed down with alcohol or Turkish coffee, but having said that I did like the descriptions of the parties and performances.
The theme of the story seemed to follow a similar pattern throughout the book.
The book ended quite abruptly for me, not what I was expecting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

I was really looking forward to this but sadly it fell a little flat for me. Whilst trying to be magical and beautiful, it felt repetitive and disjointed at times which pulled me out of the story unfortunately.

This is billed as Great Gatsby meets Swan Lake. Like its predecessor – Midnight in Everwood – its prose is lush and dreamlike, which sometimes pulled me in and sometimes repelled me. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters but I liked the overall story and the blend of history and fantasy was enjoyable. I suspect I’m slightly outside the target audience but if you want a sparkling soun sugar fairytale in time for Christmas, this could well be for you.

The Great Gatsby meets Swan Lake. As soon as I read those words, I knew I would be hooked, but I did not believe I could fall so vastly in love with a book!

This story is enthralling, combining two opposite forces together in such a beautiful way. The extravagance and flamboyance of the parties hosted amongst these pages, followed by the gliding elegance and softness of a dark fairytale, was like a dance upon the page!

The writing is as decadent as a bite from the most indulgent chocolate cake: rich and infectiously sweet. However, parts are also like a whisper, a gentle caress upon your mind, compelling you to always read on.

Combined with the captivating characters that spiral off the page and into your heart, ensnaring you for all eternity by their bittersweet ending.

This is a book I would have been heartbroken to have missed and need a physical copy immediately!

Having read midnight In everwood, the authors precious novel, I was really looking forward to upon a frosted star and thanks to netgalley was lucky enough to read it before publication. I felt gripped from the very start with the abundance of descriptions however this became a tiny bit distracting causing a bit of a sensory overload in the firsts few chapters in a way that began to feel slightly rushed, having said that this soon settled and I was pulled into the world of oddette and Forster which I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked the use of short chapters as this gave the story a steady pace and flowed really well. Moving between the current and oddettes recounting of the oct was also really effective. I would say that like the start, the ending felt somewhat rushed and ended quite abruptly I found this made the outcome of the story a bit disappointment but still very much a worthwhile read and a perfect book to curl up with with then approaching winter months. While I have given 3 stars I would say it’s more 3.5+ but has just been let down slightly by the sudden ending stopping me from giving 4 stars I

Book Review 📚
Upon a Frosted Star by M.A Kuzinar - 3.5/5 ⭐

My first read from this Author and I'm pleased to say, not the last. Kuzinar has such a beautiful way with words and is unbelievably descriptive with the writing. You can see and feel the beauty from the book by the words alone.

The story was unusual, but amazing. It's not what I expected from the cover and title. There's hints of magic, romance and even mystery. Although it was slow paced, it wasn't boring. It was beautiful and creative.

I was mind blown by the ending, a prediction I never would of seen coming! It was beautifully written with an amazing plot containing se characters who had phenomenal development along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.