This book had a lot of potential, it had some really cool aspects; a family curse, magical doors, gods among humans and enemies to lovers, but sadly, it just wasn't for me.

The writing was absolutely stunning but I was able to picture everything so well but unfortunately, for me the story felt flat. I was confused throughout pretty much the whole book and the build towards the end was disappointing, the plot just felt lacking and I’ve come out feeling unsatisfied.

I didn’t like the characters and found a lot of the conflicts annoying. Violet and Aleskanders romance subplot just didn't make any sense to me, I would have stayed away from that man.There was also like no character development whatsoever?

Overall I felt the atmosphere was interesting and the plot had interesting aspects but just didn’t hit the mark for me. I would be happy to try any future work from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the city of stardust, and fell deep into the world of the characters. It was a truly intriguing magical tale with rich characters, wonderfully built worlds, brimming with magic throughout. I was captivated by the journey of the characters.

The only part which fell down a little for me was the ending. It felt rushed and incomplete.

I would still highly recommend this book to magical fantasy readers.

When I spotted this book all over my social media, I knew I had to go to Netgalley and immediately request an eARC. "The Night Circus" and "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" were some of my favorite books for years, so the pull I felt from this story was immense.

Now that I'm done with it, I find my opinion to be very divided. On the one side, the prose was as magical as I was expecting it to be. I could easily immerse myself in the story and navigate through its otherworldly scenes. There was magic, gods, and a mystery, however, that's where I hit a dead end.

Although I liked the characters, I couldn't connect with them and didn't care for any of them (and the only character I really felt interested in wasn't thoroughly explored). Moreover, the magic system wasn't thoroughly explained, and too much was left to the interpretation of the reader, something that I think some people might appreciate but, at least for me, doesn't work well in a fantasy book.

Overall, I'd say "The City of Stardust" is a solid story, featuring light and beautiful prose, brimming with magic, gods, and a mysterious plot that keeps you hooked. It's sure to resonate well with fans of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern, just like it did for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

I loved this book, I never figured everything out until the end when it was all explained, which is unusual for me. The characters were well-written and believable. Reading the story from all the different perspectives was a wonderful experience.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fantasy read with a hint of mystery thrown in for good measure.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for accepting my request to read and review this book

I was super duper intrigued by the premise of this one and was thrilled to see it was a Fairyloot book pick for 2024!

I was intrigued by the intro of the book too, however, after about 10% in I had already started to get bored and by the 60% mark is where I ended up DNF’ing the book for good.

Let’s start with the characters:
I did not feel that any character was actually fleshed out enough or given enough personality to stand out or make me want to follow them and see what happens to them.

The plot….. sorry, where’s the plot?
We get told that Violet is looking for her mum in the first 20 pages I think, and by 60% in that’s basically …. All that’s happened…. There’s really nothing compelling happening she is just flirting about meeting different people and trying to fund information.

The fantasy elements…. I just don’t know what’s going on. Again: 60% through and sometime so forget this book even has a magical aspect and then we are hit with it again and I’m like…. How has this stayed a secret for so long?

Overall, the intrigue just wasn’t there. The pacing was soooo off I was constantly bored and picking this book up felt akin to picking up a university textbook. By 60% I knew I was just going to finish it for the sake of pure stubbornness so I didn’t.

A beautifully written tale about a curse on a family in The City of Stardust. This was a compelling read into the curse laid upon each generation of a family to be sacrificed for a God.

The use of magic elements in reveurite was intriguing and well developed. I enjoyed the long standing history of Violet and Aleksander. Seeing this play out and the curse that Violet is trying to break for her family was interesting. Their connection was nicely developed in the small moments we got as the subplot while not overshadowing the main focus of the story.

The worldbuilding in the City of Stardust is fantastic with using rereveurite god metal magic to travel through worlds. Penelope was a dimensional villian with many aspects to her and her goals.

The multiple POV's alternating was great in glimpsing each characters motivations and backstory. Switching between each character allowed depth for the story to progress. This was a fresh perspective on curses and portraying the magic of travelling between worlds.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder Stoughton for a arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of my book for a free and unbiased opinion.
I love portal fantasies- the idea of accessing new worlds from our own boring world is intriguing and the other world in City of Stardust is full of libraries, scholars, and forges.
The world-building in the book is beautifully rich in its description and is perhaps the best part of the book ( although I would have loved more detail about the magic and society).
Violet is the young woman trying to find a cure for the family’s curse and avoid dying- a journey that takes her around the world and meeting strange new people who want to help. But her mission is complicated by her attraction to Aleksander, the young man with a damaging past- an attraction I really didn’t get ( from both sides)- a fact that I think affected my complete enjoyment of the book.
But the character that really stands out in the book is Penelope, I loved the wholehearted evilness right till the end. I wish we had more Ambrose and Gabriel, Violets’ Uncles who put their lives on hold to look after a young gifted child who they know is doomed to follow the same family curse.

This book will appeal to so many readers, and even though this wasn’t quite everything I was hoping it to be, I look forward to future books from this author.
Content warning
Child Abuse

Violet Everly's family is cursed, and the curse is coming for her. Her mother left to break the curse when she was young, and hasn't been seen since. Violet's uncles have done their best to keep her existence a secret, but word has gotten out that Marianne Everly had a daughter, and Violet's life is about to change.

The premise of City of Stardust is intriguing - multiple worlds, gods from the stars, and a blurring between legends and reality. Summers' prose is well suited to this style of narrative. Her writing is detailed and lyrical, and the writer spares no detail regarding setting. The result is an immersive, fairy-tale-esque narrative that will suit readers who are happy to spend time steeping in the setting and vibes of a narrative.

The pacing of this book didn't work for me. The beginning is slow, while Summers spends time setting the scene and introducing a varied cast of characters. The pacing picks up towards the middle of the second act, however it drops again before the climax, where most readers would expect rising action.

The romance sub-plot didn't quite work for me, as we are told about, instead of shown, most of the main character and her love-interests initial time together. I find it difficult to become invested in a relationship when I haven't seen it develop. As a result, I never understood why these two characters were interested in each other.

The POV switches between several characters and sometimes goes from close third-person POV to a more omniscient style. These narratorial choices work well for the style of the work, adding to that sense of being told a fairy tale. The omniscient style also allows the writer to dip in and out of secondary characters without having to spend too much time grounding the reader in the POV change.

Overall, Summers' strong prose and atmospheric writing were the highlight of this book for me, and fans of more vibes-over-plot novels who still want a bit of plot, might find something special here.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC.

Violet's mum left when she was young, and her uncles took care of her. She doesn't know why or where her mum has gone. So she lives in a life of books and fairytales until one day someone comes knocking. Penelope is very keen on getting to know Violet, and her assistant Aleksander is about to show Violet that her fairytales may not be that far fetched. When years later she meets Aleksander again, she needs more details about this magical world her uncles don't want to talk about and maybe this could help her find her mum. As we follow Violet trying to find her way through the magic and the lies to find some answers, we also follow Aleksander and his life as Penelope's assistant and let's just say Aleksander might not know everything about his mistress.

I liked the story itself just fine even though I would have wished for a bit more magic and the start was a bit too slow paced for my taste.

*Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for access to this ebook against an honest review.*

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I liked this book but I didn't love it. The writing is beautiful. It just didn't hit the mark for me in regards to character development and story. I wanted so much more from it. I did love the concept of the gods and monsters. The whimsical settings and the back story but again was left wanting more.

I have no doubt other will love it more than I did so definitely worth the read. Just didn't blow me personally away.

A City of Stardust! Oooh, how magical a name is that? I was kindly given the opportunity to read this fantasy debut by Georgia Summers!

The Everlys bear a curse woven through generations. Marianne Everly, who slipped through the hands of the mysterious Penelope, vanishes, leaving her daughter Violet to unravel the threads of magic, secrets, and betrayal. Bound by fate, Violet plunges into an unknown world, determined to break the ancient curse that shadows her family and threatens to take her life. Surrounding my mystique and secrets, Violet must answer two burning questions: Where is Marianne Everly? How can she free her family from the binds of their curse?

Going into it, I was really excited because this book was giving me all the good vibes: a promise of magic and mystique, adventure, a curse, betrayal?? Aaaallllllll of the good stuff. And it did deliver! I think the world was really well built, with an interesting system of subtle magic and scholars. Summers writing is gorgeous, with beautiful ethereal descriptions. She managed to create suspense and intrigue really well, and I got hooked on the book early! I will say that because of the writing style, I found the focus was so intense on the descriptions that I didn’t really become attached to any of the characters, which was disappointing :(

I think this was a promising debut and the story opens a doorway (wink wink) to a world of adventures that could take place in it. Should Summers ever decide to write any future stories in the world, I would definitely read it!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys beautiful writing, a subtle magic system and quests with potentially fatal consequences 👀

3.75/5⭐️

A massive thank you to @hodderscape and @netgalley for allowing me to read this eARC in return for a fair and honest review 🤍

A City of Stardust will be expected to be published in the UK on 25/01/24.

What a fun little book this was, a standalone fantasy story with an almost fairy-tale like plot line with its mixture of magical realism, curses, magic and stardust!

I enjoyed my time reading this book and found the world interesting although confusing at times, I feel as though this book could have been longer to explore the very interesting world and magic system the author was building. I feel like a lot was left unsaid or up for my own interpretation.

However, the interesting plot kept me reading and I'm glad I stuck with this one.

Reminded me of The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow which I enjoyed.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an early copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

THE CITY OF STARDUST is an ethereal fantasy about crossing worlds and a curse that must be unravelled.

There is a whimsical, ethereal, haunting feel to this book. I spent a lot of time trying to decide if it was the writing style (and the third person, present tense narration) or Kitty Parker's way of reading it. Either way, I really liked it. It was a bit like floating on clouds, watching this story that was not quite in our world unfurl.

Violet is the main narrator but Aleksander and Penelope also narrate. I really enjoyed getting to see what Penelope was up to, see the lengths she'd go to and just how chillingly impersonal she was. The third person really came into its own here, allowing for a distant POV in Penelope's chapters so her thoughts didn't come through. Instead, the focus was all on her actions, letting that coldness really come through. Without her motivations (at least in the opening acts before Violet uncovers them), it comes across as very chilling because it's hard to understand the rationale behind these actions.

I enjoyed the exploration of the absent mother-child relationship, Violet's yearning but also frustration. It is a journey of acceptance and letting go, even while not really being able to because of that gap left by abandonment at a young age. I liked the way it ended up, the way Marianne breaks some of the (limiting, patriarchal) expectations of motherhood we have this society.

It is a very strong debut and I look forward to more books by the author.

{AD|GIFTED} [4.5 stars] I savoured this story over several nights as the prose was exquisite. The author is an incredibly talented wordsmith and had shades of Laini Taylor (which is a huge compliment as she wrote my favourite duology). There is not a single careless or misplaced word in the entire book.

The plot itself is a race against time for Violet Everly to rescue herself from becoming the next sacrifice of a woman bent on revenge. Violet travels the globe in a desperate bid to change her fate by finding an elusive key to a magical world. This is a story about stories, about their power and magic, about memory and perception. The beauty lies in the sheer possibilities offered by an unknowable story.

Violet's romance with Aleksander felt authentic and heartbreaking. They both experienced life-changing events yet found themselves drawn to each other. Their relationships with the people around them were particularly fascinating. Violet's yearning for her missing mother threw into relief the familial love shared by Violet and her uncles. Contrasted with this loving family, Aleksander's complicated relationship with the abusive Penelope, a mother-figure and saviour-like woman, was twisted yet understandable.

This is a standalone novel but I hope the author revisits this world as the potential is unlimited. I would love to read about Caspian's adventures as he was an engaging character with plenty of personality. Comparisons to Alix E. Harrow are valid for the portal fantasy element, whilst the writing style was reminiscent of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern. It also shared a lot of the vibes of The Starless Sea. Overall, I was completely immersed in the rich world-building, the exquisite prose, and the engaging premise.

A truly intriguing magic system set in a dark yet whimsical world.

I absolutely adored some of the comparisons I’ve seen for this book so I had really high hopes. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite reach my expectations.

It was an enjoyable and intriguing read. I liked the mystery and seeing how it all came together, and the magic system was really interesting and original. However, some of the fantasy elements felt out of place to me - the gods and goddesses and their world seemed to come out of nowhere and felt quite a stark contrast to the more urban fantasy start of the novel.

The two main characters felt real to me, even if they weren’t always likeable, and I did appreciate the nuances of their personalities and histories.

Overall, I enjoyed the world and magic system of The City of Stardust, I just felt that some aspects of it were slightly out of place in the story.

I was highly impressed by the story itself and the fairytale style of wording that was used to craft together this story.

The City of Stardust is an intricate world that lies away from our own world, separate and known but only a select few. We watch Violet Emerly grow up and suffer at the hands of fate and with a deep despair that follows her. Something unrelated to any of her own actions, an ancient curse which she seeks to free herself from.

It is a wonderful tale of a dreamer who has a strange relationship with her family, has been hidden away from the world for reasons that had been kept from her and as she starts to dip her toes into the wider world, discovers more about herself and her familial line, dating back so many generations, she is left with nothing but terrible choices before her.

I won’t spoil anything so I’ll try to be as vague as possible but the story starts slowly, almost a bit too slowly for me but it does pick up speed in a graceful way, building tension and despair well as the story unfolds. There is one character who I am still annoyed at even after the book has ended. There is a romance that blossoms with Violet and a male character which could almost be enemies to lovers except, I don’t think she ever really had any negative feelings towards him despite *things that happen*. That character was beginning to make me angry by their choices and actions, although, from their POV I can understand why they did what they did but there is a scene towards the end that had me in tears, grateful for what they decide and say.

That ending also had me in tears! Partly from relief, and in a strange way, from the romance of it. You should probably check out the trigger warnings because as much as it starts off free of violence, despite the psychological terror inflicted, there are some violent scenes further into the story that are gory and will cause some distress. Overall, I felt like this was a wonderful story and I really enjoyed it.

The City of Stardust is out on 25/01/2024
#TheCityOfStardust #NetGalley

The City of Stardust was a beautiful story that was hard to put down, eventually. I had a bit of a rough start but I find that is often the case with fantasy novels. Georgia Summers is great at describing a world and creating the perfect atmosphere. Maybe sometimes it got in the way of more conversations but I didn't seem to mind most of the time.

The story is very interesting and elaborate, but the multiple POVs per chapter weren't really my thing. I enjoy multiple POVs but I prefer it per chapter. Still, this didn't get in the way of me thoroughly enjoying this book.

I also liked the characters in this story. Voilet and Aleksander were definitely a joy to follow, and even occasional other characters were a blast. I do, however, feel like the whole story around the mother feels unfinished. I'm not sure if the idea is to write a second book around this, but it felt like something was missing here in the end.

All in all a wonderful book that I would definitely recommend!

I have some complicated thoughts on this book so I will start with the good. The premise for this book was so intriguing to me and I was really excited to read it. I found the magic system and world lore incredibly interesting. In particular, the way different versions of the same story were passed down made the world feel incredibly real— just as in real life the truth is always blurred. And those myths were beautifully written and kept me hooked throughout the book. Everything surrounding the stars themselves was deeply engrossing to me.

However, there were bits of this book I struggled with little. The main one being Violet. By the end of the book I felt like I still didn’t really know Violet, despite large chunks of it following her story. I also struggled with her naivety (to avoid spoilers: she probably should have seen the writing on the wall far earlier than she did). At one point we’re told that she’s furious but it’s just one sentence and then none of her behaviour changes to match her emotions— it’s like she was never angry! I also struggled in places with the multiple POVs. Sometimes it seemed to really work and the short snippets in each POV increased tension but in other places it pulled me out of the story and left me feeling detached.

Overall, whilst I may have a couple of issues with this book, I did enjoy it and I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.

The City of Stardust is Georgia Summers' first book and follows the story of Violet Everly.

The Everly family is cursed. Every generation, a woman named Penelope comes to take away the most valuable and deserving member of the family. When Violet's mother disappears into thin air, this fate befalls Violet. The girl will not only find herself involved in a rather dark adventure but will also have to find a way to save herself and break the curse.

This novel is a love hymn to stories, to tales. It has a poetic, lyrical, almost dreamlike style that goes well with a slow and calm narrative.
Georgia Summers takes her time but unfortunately this slowness often coincides with repetitive situations and a certain stagnation. In fact, I occasionally felt this aspect tending to get bored, but the story is still very intriguing and I appreciated its development.

Furthermore, following the story from two different POVs not only allows us to better understand the characters Violet and Alexander, but also looks at the story from different angles, grasping its different nuances.

I liked it but in short it has its flaws and I am convinced that it will appeal to those who have already appreciated vibes like this in books like Addie LaRue and The Sea Without Stars, or in books that have the same theme of the "door to other worlds" like The Ten Thousand Doors of January" or The Golden Compass.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC

I absolutely loved reading this book.

The writing was gripping and set an incredible overall tone and pace. There's an almost lyrical undertone to the prose that created a mystical atmosphere to the setting.

Part of this novel gave me the same feeling as the part of the Harry Potter novels where they are looking for horcruxes but instead of a trio, imagine it's just Hermione as the chosen one and she's gone looking on her own. An intelligent heroine with a steadfast determination to complete her goal, whom still possesses a somewhat childlike (said with affection) desire to trust despite history telling a different story.

It's ultimately a story about family, self-discovery, and trust.

What I loved most about this book is that it's complex without being complicated. The magic system is not overly complicated meaning the reader does not get bogged down in the details and pulled out of the story to try make sense of what they are reading. It's blended quite seamlessly into the writing and truly helps set the dark academia tone of secrecy and impending danger.

Rated 4.5 but rounded up to 5