This is not a story that is all rainbows and sunshine. There is not a happy ending. However, it does touch on some hard topics in a beautiful way. Grief, feeling like you are not enough, the consequences of war, etc. While this book is not written in a completely-traditional way (for reasons that are realized in the first chapter), it captures the emotions of the main character in a poignant way. As much as I wanted to read this book in one sitting, I had to take breaks to process the emotions and the plot because of how the story was written.

I am ready for the next book, and the first one has just arrived. A great debut novel for Page, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Ok wow, I feel like I went into this book expecting one thing and ended up with so much more. This book kept me on my toes, I guessed one of the big things, and had an inkling towards another later in the book, but overall I had no idea where we would end up with it and I enjoyed that. I loved the FMC Isy- she‘s intelligent, capable, a terrible spy, and when she’s being bullied by the men she’s forced to guide through her homelands she sticks up for herself in a brilliant and hilarious way. I loved the banter in this book and adored Erik- our surly, pain the ass MMC, did I find myself thinking ‘god he’s an ass’ in the beginning? Yes, yes I did, but I love that because I adore enemies to lovers. The group of side characters were (mostly) charming, as well. I was not expecting that ending, but am grateful to learn that this is going to be a duology and I look forward to seeing these characters again! I devoured this, there were a few things here and there, like a conflict with a character that I didn’t feel like had been resolved, but I’d have to give it 4.5⭐️

This is a YA story about two souls that do not feel like they fit anywhere. This story has great banter as the two characters get to know each other while on an adventure. Isabel is forced into a job she does not want to get information about, but also wants to find out what happened to her friend. The turns in this story I didn't see coming, and I really enjoyed it.

✨️ Enemies to Lovers
✨️ Close Proximity
✨️ Illusion Magic
✨️ One Horse
✨️ Fade to Black Romance
✨️ Slow Burn
✨️ Mental Health Representation

A mad King, a dying Queen and a missing Prince. A country in peril. Isabel, a physician apprentice, is tasked with being a guide to the Vold, to find out their secrets and gain access to their weapon.

Isabel consistently felt undervalued and dispensable, longing for recognition and validation to disprove her father's negative assessment of her worth. However, it was through an unexpected connection with her adversary, Erik, that she finally experienced a sense of being truly seen and understood. Their shared experiences of paternal rejection and undervaluation forged a profound bond between them. I loved the teasing nature that developed between them as their relationship grew.

He would tear the world down for her.

Enemies to lovers, magic, betrayal, friendship, self harm & LBGTQ+ representation

This book redeemed the name Erik for me after my ex ruined it.

This is my first time reading this author and I went in with zero expectations. And I fell in love with this book. I couldn’t put it down. Erik & Isy are such a perfect match. The banter is giving. The side characters make you even more invested. And that plot twist! An amazing story. I highly recommend this one. I love Signey and Stefan.

I’m dying for a second book.

“I see you. I see all of you.”

Illusion of Stars is an excellent start to a romantasy series featuring a unique magic system, a well developed world, great characters, and a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. It took me a little bit to get into the story as is usually the case with a new fantasy series, but once I did I was hooked.

I adored Isabel and Erik and the tension and banter between them. I honestly looked forward to each of their interactions and Erik had me swooning a lil. I loved each of the characters more as I got to know them and I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in the next book, especially after that ending! There were some predictable moments but plenty of exciting ones to make up for it. Highly recommend this to my fellow romantasy lovers and I’m looking forward to reading more from Sarah Marie Page!

Thank you to Shadow Forge Publishing for the ARC!

Illusion of Stars by Sarah Marie Page is a poetically-written young adult fantasy with a unique magic system, feisty FMC, and an intricate world with a cliffhanger that will have you wanting the next book IMMEDIATELY.

The enemies to lovers within this story have quality banter that romantasy lovers eat up - although the smut is fade to black versus explicit spice that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment (unless you are looking for straight up porn - this ain’t it). There are a lot of funny moments throughout the novel along with heart crushing scenes that will bring tears to your eyes and feel like a stab to the gut. I’ll admit sometimes I did feel a little lost and confused but I was able to reread passages and make sense of it all.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Forge Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! Make sure to grab your copy when this book hits the shelves July 16, 2024.

3.5 ★’s

I’m gonna be totally honest: I DNFed this for a few weeks when I first started it. I got about 25% of the way in and had to stop because I was confused by what was going on. But I picked it up yesterday just to see if maybe I hadn’t been in the mood when I first started & I’ll just go ahead and say I read the entire thing in one sitting.

The biggest issue I had with the book was the writing style, specifically with the intense stream of consciousness that was happening. There were a lot of words & whole sentences that were constantly repeated & I feel like it was done with the intention of making a scene or action feel more precarious, but it did the opposite and just annoyed me. This got a little better by the end of the book but that could just be because I got used to it.

The magic system was really interesting, but again, I was confused in how it worked and what certain “branches” of their magic actually did. There was a scene earlier on where she goes to the Vold camp and sees a “better me” and THAT kept throwing me off, I had literally no idea what was going on.

Ok anyway, enough of the ~critiques~, now for the fun stuff:

It’s not spicy! Which is nice (for me)! I think the message Sarah is trying to get across runs through the entire length of the story, is never forgotten in favor of the romance, and ends on a satisfying note. I genuinely liked Isabel and the way she interacted with the characters around her, especially the Volds & I’m really looking forward to seeing her interacting with Signey more later on.

I also enjoyed Erik & Isy together (and also liked that it was mostly Erik in trouble all of the time, not vice versa – love me some hurt/comfort >:)).

As a debut novel, I think it’s a good start and I’m excited to see how Sarah’s writing evolves throughout these books. Thank you a ton to Sarah & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!!

Who wouldn’t want to read a book with such a gorgeous title? That’s what captured my attention in the first place, then the cover. This is a really good book for anyone who likes fantasy. Strong characters, magic, fortune telling, visions, bravery, heartache and a little romance all mixed together to make one stunning story. I found it difficult to put down and can’t wait for the next part. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wonderful characters, banter, world building and imagery. Solid fantasy plot arc. Truly enjoyed and had a hard time putting down, got very caught up in the story.

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. The concept was so cool and really fun to read. Isabel and Erik were EVERYTHING. I’m absolutely obsessed with there relationship. This book made me laugh, cry, and honestly… I felt all the feelings. It had twist and turns that I definitely didn’t see coming. And the ending?! An absolutely 10/10. I can’t wait for the second book.

𝘏𝘦
𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥
𝘵𝘩𝘦
𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵
𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.
Just… wow. I absolutely loved this book.
I was lucky enough to be approved on NetGalley to receive an advanced copy and omg am I glad that I requested this one. I found Isabel’s story so inspiring, and I love the relationship development between the characters. The world building is woven into the story which I really appreciated and the world and magic system that Sarah has created is unique and intriguing. The message that Sarah is sending through her story is a beautiful one too - 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙. I was hooked from the moment I started reading it and I can’t wait for the next book.

I LOVED this book so much! As a lover of romantasy books, this one was right up my alley. The writing was very beautiful, even lyrical at times, and enjoyable to read. I also loved how character driven this story was. I connected with Isabel and her journey with her self worth, so safe to say I felt seen by the mental health rep in this book. And I LOVED our love interest Erik. He honestly becomes such a softie for Isabel, I loved it so much.

If you like:
Fade to black spice scenes
INCREDIBLE banter
One horse trope (unique spin on it)
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
Forced Proximity
AND SO MUCH MORE... read this book!!!

I enjoyed what I read of this book, but I had to DNF after 12 chapters for 2 reasons: format and preference for fantasy. The pages were mostly dark grey on my kindle app, so it was difficult for my eyes to focus on the words. This is no fault to the author, simply a misprint and technological error on the download side. I stopped reading because the world building became an information dump and took away from the progression of the story and what I felt was strong character development. This is in no way the fault of the author; I prefer gradual world building where pieces come together throughout the entire story and alongside the main character development. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the characterization of Isabel. She had great depth and a fascinating backstory. Once again, my preference in fantasy is to focus on the character and their relationship rather than the world building.

I firstly would like to start with how this was a breath of fresh air of a YA fantasy for me. I've personally read a lot of YA fantasies so whenever I start reading one I hold off on any thoughts until I get to the end of the book.

Let me tell you all the thoughts I had after finishing this book put me in Lore speculation mode, and when a YA fantasy does that - they've won me. If I'm still thinking about the book after I finish it, that's a good indication that I want to share my thoughts about it and share this book with others too. The banter, tongue in cheek behaviour and will they won't they dynamic between Isabel and Erik has the right amount of tension which I loved. I also felt that a lot of this story so far has been about learning to love all your broken parts and accepting them as a part of you - and that gives a somewhat coming-of-age feel to the story. This is only book 1, so really the story has just begun. The whole 'I see you' feelings that were shared honestly had me welling up a bit because there was such a sincere approach to how these tough emotional moments were handed with such care.

I want to remind people that this is a *Fade to Black romance, and whilst I personally am I fan of intimate scenes I felt that these *Fade to Black romance moments within IOS really did strike a cord with me and I did feel an emotional connection towards both Isabel and Erik, I also felt the romance really beginning to stir between them in this first instalment and I appreciated how it felt a little different to other slow burns I've read. I'd also say at times Isy is an unreliable narrator, but she is RELATABLE for that reason. She's constantly torn at so many points and the further you get into the book the further it all unravels.

I actually found that the magic system in this was quite fascinating, and I really enjoyed how Page delved into explaining all the elements, the Volgaard's powers/affinities and how they worked. I felt that it was broken down in a way that I could visually imagine it all as I was reading the story. The focus around the world building and dipping in and out of the History of the locations was a great touch too. I felt like I could understand the direction the story was going in.

I hope we get some MPOV in the next book, that's the only thing that I felt was a little lacking. This is not a reflection of the book itself, it's simply that I feel MPOV's would've offered us a chance to dig a bit deeper into the background of other characters, even a little early on. I know we DO get another POV (not spoiling anything) but I think we needed just a smidge more. I hope in book 2 we reaaaally get to see more of Sidney and learn more about her because damn, I love her!

Also I WAS SUS FROM THE START AND I KNEW IT AND I'M STILL MAD THAT I KNEW IT ARRRRGH

Cannot wait for book 2!!!

FIVE STARS

Forced Proximity? Check.
One Horse? Check.
Enemies to Lovers? Check.
Reluctant Hero? Check.

If you love a good romantasy (A Fate Inked In Blood, Throne Of Glass, etc.) then you'll LOVE Illusion Of Stars!

I have just finished this book and all I can say is WOW. The book was truly very well written and the world that the author created was very well done. The characters development of the book was really well done especially when it came to the sub character plot lines and the use of magic in the story was done so beautifully written.

You could really feel the angst and tension between the Erik and isabella. The enemies to lovers storyline I really liked as I love the tension between characters. Overall the book was really good and I would give it a 3.5 stars as it was a good read for me and very different to the books I read. I am very thankful to NetGalley for the ARC and allowing me to read the book before it goes live.

"I see you".

And I see you, Sarah. And I see the magic you have created with the pages of Illusion of Stars. I am honoured you chose me as your ARC reader and allowed me to dive into this beautiful story early. Illusion of Stars is being released on July 16th.

Illusion of Stars is so much more than your typical fantasy book; this is a story of people who always felt small, felt like they were less and the story of them learning to accept their worth and that they are enough and more.

I fell in love with the story and have loved every page of it. The writing style is lyrical and poetic without being overbearing; it matches perfectly the emotional turmoil the characters go through. We are gifted with the story of two broken people finding their way to each other amid impending war and political intrigues. Isabel and Erik should be enemies, coming from enemy countries, and while they might be enemies and strangers at first, their kindred souls will rise above that and just see each other for who they are. They see all their broken pieces, all the good and bad; they see, and they see past it. They see a soul yearning for love and acceptance and give it.

I loved Isabel and Erik, but I also loved how Sarah truly gave life to her side characters. They all made the story as enthralling and inspiring as it is. I loved the humour, the banter, and the little quirks; they highlighted the developing relationships.

I feel this makes Illusion of Stars a story that needs to be read and experienced: the tapestry of love, hurt, betrayal, friendship, banter, and healing. Illusion of Stars is a story of the healing process, and I felt it deep in my bones. I understood the feeling and relived it myself. So, please, give Sarah and Illusion of Stars a chance to shine upon you; you won't regret it!

And that cliffhanger... I'm already counting down the days until I can reunite with Erik and Isabel, witnessing their journey unfold in all its glory!

Illusion of Stars will gift you
🤍trauma healing
🤍mental health rep
🤍self-acceptance
🤍lyrical writing
🤍strangers to lovers
🤍forced proximity
🤍one horse
🤍 fade to black romance
🤍found family
🤍 ends on a cliffhanger

My favourite thing in this book was the banter, good banter and enemies to lovers is absolute top tier romantasy 🫶

Isobel, an apprentice physician is tasked with accompanying the enemy on a mission, asked to infiltrate their camp & bring the generals son to his knees.. literally

For me to devour a YA book, it has to be good and this was GOOD - it was so captivating and unique and I love love love Isy and Erik 🥹

This book has such incredible world building, it has set us up for what is looking like an unforgettable series - the imagery was so stunning and I really felt like I was on those islands. Alongside the world building, unique magic systems & a fiesty FMC - Sarah touched on some heavy topics (check the trigger warnings)
These hardships are so beautifully written, and added so much depth to the characters - the enemies have more in common then they know - all they want is to be seen yet they didn’t expect to feel seen by eachother.

“I was a friend and lover. A daughter. Radiant. Not small like sand, but a fulmar unfurling her wings”

The need for book 2 is insane, I cannot wait to continue this journey 💗

Thank you so much Netgalley , Sarah & Victory Editing for my advanced copy of this book - it is one I will always remember! 🫶

This story has alot of potential and positives but unfortunately it wasn't my style. This book was not for me.
Even though it wasn't my style, I was still able to appreciate the positives of this book.
The world building was dense and believable.
The magic system was unique and well written.
I loved the banter between Erik and Isabella.
Alot of work was done in character building, so I found I really enjoyed the side characters to this story such as Katrina.
I found it difficult to relate to Isabella. If I find it hard to relate to the female lead of a story, it's difficult for me to fully enjoy the story. I found her dialogue cringey and awkward at times.
This book has the 'enemies to lovers' aspect with a slow burn. I think the tension could have been more intense. The transition from enemies to lovers happened very quickly.
Thankyou for NetGalley for the arc.