An all new fantasy YA trilogy, Secrets of the Starcrossed is a story set in a world in which the Roman Empire has managed to retain a stronghold in Britain, creating the walled city of Londinium and an uneasy peace with the British kingdoms around it. The city has made great advances in technology and science and citizens live strongly by the code and rules in place. Cassandra is the daughter of a wealthy merchant and she is due to marry Marcus Courtenay, but when she helps her classmate avoid trouble for carrying a piece of illegal tech, she discovers there might be more to her past than she originally knew and she might be the lost girl he is searching for.

I really wanted to love this book, I thought the premise was a really intriguing one – what if the Romans had stayed in Britain? I loved the idea of a girl with magic in her blood that had to fight to survive in a city where magic is forbidden but unfortunately this book just didn’t click with me. I wanted to know more about the magic in the world and how it worked and less about the history of the Roman Empire. The story was quite quick paced but I felt at times things were glossed over when they shouldn’t have been and then too much focus was placed on things I was less interested in.

Our main character Cassandra is the spoiled daughter of a wealthy merchant and I found her really difficult to like. She spends most her time shopping and complaining about the love interest in the story. For this reason I really struggled to root for her as a character. The story is also much more romance focused than I would have like and I found the on again off again relationship a bit grating.

I think the premise of this one is a really clever idea and I would be interested to see where O’Connor takes the story but ultimately this book just wasn’t for me. If you love YA fantasy romance stories this could be just the book for you and I’m sure fans of fast paced romance will absolutely devour this one.

I found this book quite unusual. I enjoyed it in a way, but there were some elements that were a little lacking for me.
The premise of this book is that the Roman Empire never fell and that they are in the last stronghold on the Romans left in Britannia. They are surrounded by ancient kingdoms that hold the old ways and have magic in their blood. It was nice to see references to Wales, I always enjoy seeing my country in a book. Londinium is a city full of new technology and the ‘code’ which is law, while outside the Britons hold their power through magic.
We follow Cassandra who is an elite citizen in her 20’s and preparing to graduate from the forum, until she stumbles across some new technology from a classmate. I found Cassandra’s character a little weak and naive at times. She felt like more of a teenager than a woman and I felt this could have been improved upon if she developed her strength. Her classmate, Devyn, is the one responsible for the forbidden tech and we see her develop a relationship with him. I found this quite difficult as there was a lot of frustration and questions that Cassandra was trying to figure out, however the answers were fairly obvious to the reader. There is also a strange illness affecting the citizens, Cassandra’s betrothed Marcus is trying to figure out. I think this was supposed to be a love triangle, however this felt a bit unusual to me and a little forced. There was plenty of action and suspense which I did find interesting. This book had a lot of potential, I would have liked to see more of the magic system and lore explained. I definitely enjoyed elements of this book, I would also be tempted to read the second one, however it wasn’t my usual style. I’m sure many people would enjoy this and I look forward to seeing how the author progresses in the future.

3.5* rounded up.

I liked this book. The story has a lot of wonderful pieces and characters and I definitely want to know more.

The world building is very good, but a bit lacking. There’s all this talk about the Code but very little about what the rules are and why we should care. It’s pretty clear from the beginning that the ruling Romans (but are they? I’ll get back to that) are the villains. I had difficulty knowing what the heroine ought to be feeling about her behaviour because there was no loyalty build up. We are told she’s loyal and perfect on page one, but she immediately breaks what seems like a pretty big rule for a person she barely knows. That’s not even a spoiler. That’s the first chapter. Also, insta-love. Not my favourite. I may have rolled my eyes a bit.

And before the first chapter is a prologue that still doesn’t seem to belong. I’m not really sure what to do with it.

The characters are pretty good though. I hope they get better in the second book. Devyn is my favourite. My one complaint is they seem a little two dimensional. They lack depth that I hope will be sorted in the second and third books.

And the ruling class. They’ve got Romanesque titles but I still don’t really understand what and who is from where. The disgust that comes from “citizens” to outside, native peoples is very clear, except there’s intermarrying even in the past of the elites. Who’s actually in charge? Where did they come from and what’s with the connection to the Romans? It’s interesting I just wish it had a bit more background. There was a lot about hair colour but otherwise not much. I wanted to know more than just a brief (and confusing) alternate history of the wars.

My last complaint is that I still have little to no idea what the motivation of the villains really is. I’d really like more information on that. I assume it has something to do with subjugation of the natives but it’s ... vague.

So, I still have this 3.5* because this is a genuinely interesting story and I read it quickly because I wanted to know what happens! I still want to know. There was a disappointing lack of reveal in this book. I liked how this was paced and I think it was very nicely plotted. I’m keeping my eye on book two!

I was really looking forward to reading this after reading the synopsis and im thankful to netgalley for allowing me early access however this book could have been so much more than what it was, i just felt like what the plot was and how it was written were on two different levels. The writing wasn't bad at all, i mean i finished this book in a couple of sittings however it just felt too easy on how the story played out and as a reader i knew how it was going to go. i am going to read the next book in the series as i want to know what is next for Cassandra after the way this first book ended. i just hope there are some surprises along the way that will keep me on my toes.

The concept of this book was really original, unique, and clearly well-thought out and researched. It’s definitely has all the right vibes of a dystopian novel but for me, the plot was slightly anticlimactic. Though the pacing was breakneck - we literally jumped right into the meat of things page 1 - I felt like I was struggling to capture the nature of this world while also keeping up with the characters. It’s pretty accurate though that fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games will really like this book, especially if you still actively reach for those kinds of books. Huge kudos to the author because this world is super unique and a great imagining!

This is the first book in a new trilogy, The Once and Future Queen series. I really enjoyed this one. It started off a little slow but picked up quickly to the point where I couldn't put it down. And that ending! Whew, I wish the sequel was already out!

This book has an interesting concept. What would have happened if the Roman empire never fell? It seems to be set in what we know as London but Great Britain was never formed and the Romans are secured in an ultra-technology based city. To make this a fantasy book, the old Britons and anyone with Briton blood can do magic. I was intrigued.

The story focuses on an 18 year old named Cassandra that is considered an elite in the Roman City she lives in. She's lives by a "code" and codebreakers have to go to through an awfully similar experience to the justice of gladiator times, complete with the thumbs up or down to determine their fate. Cassandra, or "Cass", is set to marry the most eligible bachelor because of the match system that is used. However, she encounters a codebreaker and everything gets turned upside down.

There were some things about the main character that bugged me to include the whole damsel in distress thing but ultimately I wanted to keep reading. As I mentioned, the book ended on a big cliff-hanger so I just have to know what happens!

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC.

I really enjoyed Secrets of the Starcrossed. I was somewhat confused near the beginning about just what age range our protagonists were supposed to be but once it became apparent they were in their early 20s I felt more comfortable working their story.
The story between Cass and Devyn swings wildly from hot and heavy to non-existent and I think this shows just how conditioned these people are by the societal demands of the worlds they inhabit. For Cass growing up under The Code has taught her a different right than Devyn who was beholden to a whole other set of rules and codes to live by. I think there was a great chemistry between them and I rooted for them 100%.

I always judge a debit book in a series on whether I want to read more or if I can literally close the book on that particular world and move on, in the case of Secrets of the Starcrossed I am desperate for the second book...that ending!

This book was a slow burn that when finally ignited went out quickly with an abrupt unfinished ending. While I understand this is the first of a trilogy it's still not cool to play with my emotions like that!

The idea of a future where Rome never fell is an interesting one. The old notion of being a Roman citizen plays out in a decadent landscape of glass where the lives of its inhabitants are transparent and the Code is respected above all.

Cassandra is a model citizen who lives charmed life as an elite and will soon be married to the most eligible bachelor, to whom she has been matched since age 12. She has everything so could ever dream of. But one small blip in her normally flawless judgement sends her perfectly planned life into a tailspin when she becomes involved with Devyon and get a peak behind the curtain of what is real.

I really enjoyed the idea of this book and the love story it paints. However the first half is very slow and the helpless female character who needs a man to realize her potential is a trope I could do without.

All that said, I still want to know what happens and will invest in the second book when it comes out. Things were finally getting good!

When I first heard about the book, I was very enthusiastic and thought it had great potential. The concept of the book itself (celt uchronia mixed with a dash of magic and a lot of mystery) is indeed very promising.

In terms of background, I found this mix of past history, technology and supernatural quite nice. At first the world building was really intriguing and interesting. But that didn't last. Those good ideas were unfortunately poorly exploited. In fact, it goes in all directions, without really any structure or explanation. While I remain convinced that the author had a built a very complex universe in her mind, I don’t think she did a good enough job at explaining it.

The same can be said of the plot, which mixes a lot of elements, too many elements: prophecy, strange illness, discovery of magic, class struggle, political machinations, insta-love, love triangle... For me, it felt like O’Connor was trying to recycle too many classical YA Fantasy plot points at the same time. I really struggled to get through the first part of the book, which pacing was also really slow, which didn’t help.

It’s only halfway through that I found my cruising speed: the pace finally changes, adventures follow one another and the plot develops elements that piqued my interest. Well, it helps that the author doesn't explain anything... the mystery remains. But as a result, now I want to continue the adventure to know what this is all about.

Thanks NetGalley, Author Clara O'Connor, and One More Chapter for providing an E-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
2.75 stars
This book had a great premise of a world that was created in an alternate world based on real historical events/people. The world building/society was a little confusing due to that fact some of the events that took placed were either added or removed or not fully explained. I was unsure why some of the kingdoms were mentioned as well as the rules that governed this world. The characters were not really well developed and kind of typical of YA fantasy. The romantic relationships were not likeable! The couples were not believable in their feelings for each other. First, the relationship between Cass and Devyn was insta-lovely and somewhat problematic during one scene that had questionable consent! Then, the relationship between Cass and Marcus had no real chemistry except for that was created by devices given to them during the hand-fasting. The story moved along pretty quickly despite the lack of any major plot. I really wanted to like this book more. The premise, of the story and the world building was what drew me to this book in the first place. I feel this first book was written to set up for the next book in the series to give the characters and plot more room to grow. I will look forward to reading the next installment in this series just to see where the author has decided to take this story.

I feel like this book was a bit of a mixed bag. I was interested, and I didn't ever just stop reading this book, but I also kept going back to the synopsis trying to see what it was that I was looking forward to. That Panem callout in the synopsis kept me going. It did feel a little like Panem from the controlling aspect, but I don't think that's enough of a connection to use that city.

The world is like ours, but with changes to history. I was really confused in the beginning. They reference historical British royalty family bloodlines, but their histories are changed, so just know going in that any history you know won't match with this version.

I didn't really enjoy the romance between Dev and Cass. It felt fast and forced. I did like her fiance, LOL, which I can't decide if I was supposed to or not.

Things I did like:
- Dystopian atmosphere with a controlling government.
- Cass's inner thoughts. I enjoyed her toiling with the need to be the perfect citizen.
- The narrator did a great job with this book. I think she had a compelling voice that pulled me into the story!

Overall, I think there are a lot of readers that will really love the YA fantasy, magical aspect of this book. I think it just felt rough around the edges and could have been further developed to really be an outstanding story.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

As alternate histories go, this book was unlike any others I’ve read or heard of. O’Conner does a great job at building a believable world that could have been if things had gone differently with the Roman Empire in England while including a magic system that makes sense and even has consequences.

Admittedly it took a bit for me to get into the book. I had a hard time following what exactly was going on, especially when it came to the connection between Devyn and Cassandra. Things felt a bit jumbled at times, but I still felt I needed to know what was going to happen next, especially towards the end.

I’m glad that I won’t have to wait long for the next book in the series because I definitely need to know what happens to our heroine and her companions.

As someone who is a huge fan of the hunger games, I was very excited for this book as it had an interesting take on fantasy that I had not seen before. I was especially excited for the historical Roman aspect and was excited to see how that would play into this fantasy novel. However, I was disappointed. I normally don’t mind when books throw the reader into the middle of the plot without explanation, however with this book, it was like the explanation never came. I was a quarter of the way through the book, and all I felt was confusion, and all I could think was what is the point of the book? What is Cassandra’s goal? What is the conflict? Also, instead of introducing and explaining the world, the author introduced the idea of an untrustworthy government before the book was even halfway over. Cassandra is honestly a weak character, and I wish there had been some more information and some more buildup before certain things were revealed.

I am not a fan of the insta-love trope and so when that was introduced, I was turned off by the book even more, but I kept reading in hopes that something would grab me, but that never really happened. Cassandra had absolutely no desire to lead her own life, and a weak female protagonist is something that I simply cannot stand. This book has interesting aspects, but overall, it could have been done so much better.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book - I thought the world was really exciting and an interesting concept - what if the Romans had continued their rule? I loved the idea that everyone in this city has a vote in public hearings for crimes and was interested to see more of how the Roman rule would impact the future. However, I did feel like the story dragged a bit in the middle it was a little long-winded and I felt like it was easy enough to put down when I reached the end of a chapter. However once again the last quarter of the book piqued my interest as things started taking turns and the cliffhanger ending had me interested and wanting to pick up the sequel soon. I am hoping that the sequel brings some more world-building because that is what I missed the most from this book but I am excited to see where the events of this book take the characters later on in the series.
3 out of 5 stars.

REVIEW: 'Secrets of the Starcrossed' by Clara O'Connor almost had me

I really wanted to like Secrets of the Starcrossed after seeing excitement about it online. It took me a while to properly make up my mind about it, though.

The blurb says it all really: a Roman empire, Celtic influences, and people with magic in their blood? Secrets of the Starcrossed sounds like the perfect book for me...in theory. Unfortunately, I felt some of the writing choices let what promised to be an exciting story down.

Our main character, Cassandra, isn't overly likeable at first. She seems lacking in agency and, disappointingly, this doesn't change. One of the main tropes present in this book is insta-love -- so if you don't like that, chances are you won't get along with this story. The insta-love between Cassandra and Devyn didn't grab me, and only served to harden my opinion that Cassandra has no agency. Either she is unable to resist Devyn, and therefore goes along with whatever he thinks (or is irresistibly drawn by him so that she can't do anything but wonder about him), or she is trapped -- in more ways than one -- by the Code and her rigorous upbringing.

This idea of being trapped by the Code is explored in less-than-pleasant ways, highlighting the awfulness of the rule Londinium lives under. While I'm all for a corrupt government, there was one element that really didn't sit right with me.

At one point, there is an intimate scene between two of the characters, and there is no legitimate consent given -- by either party. It is clearly expressed that one character is drugged (despite claiming she is in a lucid state of mind), and the other clearly says "no" multiple times, before apparently changing his mind. I understood that the author was trying to demonstrate the twisted workings of the ruling class through the use of "bridal tea", yet the was this scene of questionable (read: no explicit, legitimate) consent was unnecessary. Especially because it was played off as being okay, and I would like to highlight here, especially to younger readers, that this is not okay.
If this questionable scene wasn't enough to dissuade me from the qualities of Secrets of the Starcrossed, by the time I got to the end I realised that...nothing really happens. The same plot point is used three times to build a story, and by the end there is no particular advancement. Yes, we learn bits about the characters and the world. But in all honestly, the book could have been half its length and I would not have felt a loss.

As for the worldbuilding, there is an attempt at bringing in lots of different elements, which sounded amazing. Yet it was done in such a way as to alienate the reader. For those not versed in medieval British history (honestly, even though I am from the UK, the fact I study this period at university was a big help), you might struggle. Clara O'Connor has attempted to weave together Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxon England, and Celtic history together, but sadly missed the mark.

Overall, the more I think about this book, the more disappointed I am. I doubt I will be reading the rest of the series!

If, unlike me, this book hooked you, great! You will be pleased to know that the final two books in this trilogy will be published later this year, in March and June 2021.

I want to start off by saying the world the author builds in this book is really interesting. A mixture of Fantasy/Sci-Fi and Historical fiction, Londinium is a Roman settlement in Britain, technologically advanced whilst the rest of the 'natives' of Britain waste away outside the walls. There were plenty of throwbacks to ancient Rome, senators in charge, an almost Gladiator ring, but all with a modern twist that made it a really fresh and fun take. Unfortunately the main characters made it impossible for me to like this book.

The main character Cassandra is pretty spoilt and entitled, which would be fine if she redeemed herself throughout the book, and while there were one or two moments where her 'good side' came out, she was entirely self-serving for most of the story, consequences be damned. It could have worked, the world she grew up in was not one where women are treated as equals so if she has been ruthless, determined to bring down the leaders, I could have lived with that. Unfortunately she was just a bit of a brat, unused to not getting her own way. Devyn was a bit of a dick if I'm being honest, and another character who was overly self-serving. He leads Cassandra on so many times, leaving her with more unanswered questions every time they meet. He turns her world upside down, but is unwilling to be there for her.

There are a few other characters mentioned, Marcus is Cassandras 'chosen' and they have been promised since she was 12. Marcus was pretty much the only character in the book that I liked, he grew up with a life of luxury but went against his fathers wishes to become a doctor helping both the rich and the poor. Cassandra pretty much treated him like crap, and yet he still came through for her in the end instead of turning her in. The rest of the characters were not well developed and it was hard keeping track of who was who.

The romance was way over the top and honestly took up so much of the story line which I felt could have been better spent developing the world. Because I didn't really like the characters, I wasn't invested in it at all. There was too much will they/wont they. I think the author was aiming for angst but it just came across as two people who really shouldn't be together. For a YA book this was just a really bad example of a relationship to be sending people. There was a moment where one character was under the influence of drugs and basically forced another character into having sex, even after multiple instances of them saying no. In fact the whole relationship was based around one person saying no, and the other not caring and just throwing themselves at them.

I'm really sad with just how much I disliked this book because it has so much promise, but just fell so flat. Had the author developed the world better and given us an MC with better motives than wanting an unlikable boys d*** it could have been so much better. Alas, it just didn't work for me and the only reason I powered through was because I enjoyed the 'world building' parts.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cassandra has everything she could wish for. Her father is a powerful merchant and she is betrothed to the most eligible bachelor in Londinium.

Things start to change when she crosses paths with a strange boy who is on a quest to find a missing girl.

Meanwhile an unexplained illness is making its way through the city. The illness only seems to be targeting those who have Celtic magic in their blood.

Cassandra will soon discover that she does not live in the haven she once thought she did and she will be forced to make some choices that test everything she once believed in.

What I liked about this book

The concept is really interesting. The Roman Empire didn't fall and some of them live in a walled city within Britannia.

The author references real historical places and people throughout the story.

I enjoyed the romance between Cass and Devyn.

I found the use of both magic and technology intriguing.

What I didn't like

It takes a long time for the story to build up.

There is very little in the way of explanation. There is a lot of speculation but not very much confirmation (if that makes sense). After finishing the book, I felt like I still had no idea what's going on.

This is the first instalment in the series so a cliff hanger ending was to be expected, but I feel like the ending is really abrupt.

It took me a long time to get into this book but once I did I couldn't put it down. I flew through the last 50% but I was quite disappointed by the end. Though I do think I would read the next instalment to see where the story goes.

3 stars
✮✮✮

⭐️ YA Dystopia ⭐️

“In a world where the Roman Empire never fell, two starcrossed lovers fight to ignite the spark of rebellion…”

📚 Like the above blurb says, “Secrets of the Starcrossed” is the first in a series that features a world where the Roman Empire never fell, and present day Londinium is a cultural, technological, and powerful mecca — at least for members of the Elite like Cassandra. She lives her life by the Code that rules them all, and is happy for her safe place amongst the cogs. Until one day she intercepts a piece of forbidden tech from her mysterious classmate Devyn, falling headfirst into conspiracy, love, and magic.

👍🏻 The Good: From the get-go this premise suckered me in — I adore Roman antiquity. So reading about O’Connor’s richly crafted world was a treat. It was a fabulous mix of old artifacts from ancient times (like the Roman Forum) and newer futuristic technology. I thoroughly enjoyed Cassandra: this book has the “privileged MC discovers her world isn’t perfect” trope which I happen to love. I also must mention Devyn, who is one of the most delicious, broody, protective and mysterious romantic interests I’ve read in a while! O’Connor really made him unique and his own person, as opposed to just a support for Cassandra. The plot of the book started a tad slow, but really hit its stride fast — I binged it within 48 hours and was reeling over the ending!

👎🏻 The Meh: I found Cassandra’s narration to be repetitive at times. As if she just really really wanted the reader to believe what she was saying by telling us instead of showing us. I also got a little frustrated by the fact that Devyn just kept refusing to tell Casandra what was going on — as a reader you kind of assume to know this big secret that’s being kept but they just kept dragging it out. And, as already said, the start is a tad slow.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
World Building: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this read and would recommend it for those looking for a unique dystopian read with a fascinating twist on historical antiquity.

I have mixed feelings about this book. First of all is the title secrets of the star-crossed of the once and future queen? The story is set in an alternate reality where the Roman Empire didn’t fall and Londinium is a shiny walled city where the British Wilders aren’t allowed in. The citizens of Londinium live by a strict code, which monitors their life and dictates everything that they do. The story centers around Cassandra a wealthy elite who is the daughter of a rich merchant with the world at her feet. She is matched to Marcus, the son of a senator and who is in effect the crown prince of the city, but falls for Devin a boy from her class who is brooding and mysterious and isn’t what he appears to be.

Even though Cassandra is meant to be in her 20s she comes across as very young and has the whole spoilt oblivious princess thing down pat. Even when her eyes are opened to her reality, she’s still very naive and annoying. I struggled to find her likable. Devin also lays the mysterious angle on thick and is quite annoying for most of the book. I actually liked Marcus the most. The whole is she the mysterious girl Devin has been searching for or not was very convoluted and took up 2/3rds of the book, The book is very long and quite slow paced considering not much happens in the first half. The 2nd half picks up and the various escape attempts are interesting. The end was ... enough of a cliffhanger for me to want to read the second series even as I’m not super invested in the characters.

This is more of 2.5 stars than 3 but rounding up as I finished the book and I would consider reading the next one.

Despite an incredibly captivating concept and intriguing world building, The Once and Future Queen never really reaches the peak of excitement that it is capable of and is at times repetitive and boring.