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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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