4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is fast paced and had very good world building. The Stardust Thief also had a lot of action going on and it left me on edge. I also loved the main characters especially Mazen, Loulie and Qadir. I’m so excited to read the sequel I can’t wait! I’m still thinking about that ending. I highly recommend this book to those who love an Arabic inspired book.

Huge thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for the digital copy!

Thank you Orbit for my copy of this book!
This was a wonderful, sweeping fantasy story that was immersive and beautifully written. I think the pacing is a little slow somehow? The story does move along but it felt like a slower read and I think for that reason it would also be a wonderful audiobook. I loved the characters and loved their interactions as well as the plot itself.

“To live is a matter of belief. The wicked live longer simply because they believe themselves to be invincible”.

✨You will find in this book:

🌱Retellings of the old fairytales / Jinn / Magic / Friendship / Royal scheming / Adventures / Relict hunting / Revenge 🌱

So far, these series are planned as trilogy and what a beautiful debut from the author this is!

It is pretty amazing, finding the story that turns out to be everything you like.

For a long time #Daevabad has been my favorite trilogy about Jinn, but author broke my heart by making things end the way they did. Then I was looking for something similar, desperately.

I do not really want to compare these series; the only similarity is that it’s Middle East based and some mythology aspects. Which is exactly what I wanted.

I loved the way author overplayed the retelling of some 1001 night stories on her own manner. That brought some fresh/modern touch to them.

The story starts with a famous Midnight merchant tasked to find jinn relic in the Sandsea. She will be accompanied by the thief, Jinn friend who has a lot of secrets and prince, who is eager to learn more about the fairytales.

They will find out, that most of the “fairytales” aren’t fairytales at all.

I’m really excited to read further books, as they have such a huge potential to them.

This book was so good mainly due to the lively characters and the way they communicated between themselves, fair number of sarcastic comebacks (my everything).

Whist some aspects of the story were predictable, especially the villain plans and motives, there very way more unpredictable turns, which made me feel attached to the story.

Atmosphere of this book, is also something. It felt very genuine, authentic. Author definitely thought a lot of details through.

❤️This book is definitely going on my 2022 favourite list and I would suggest you to read it.❤️

What do you say about the book you didn't know you were looking for, but has the exact vibe that you've wanted since finishing Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty?? You say it's brilliant and you love it. Because that's the only thing you can say.

I loved this book. I loved Layla and Qadir and the jinn and everything basically. Although, I will admit I was a bit confused about whose mother was whose at one point. There were so many of them.

I bougbt myself the Waterstones special edition and I haven't opened it yet because instead, I just look at it and think, oh, so pretty. Mine.

This is the first in a new Fantasy series, and is inspired by/sequel to 1001 nights. We're a generation down the line from the sultan who kept murdering wives, with his sons being 2 of the key characters in this book.

Of the 2 brothers, 1 is "good" and interested in stories and exploring outside of the palace. One is "bad" and now leads to band of 40 Thieves. The good son is forced to take his brother's place in secret on a quest to find a magical relic of extreme power. Relics are hidden across the kingdom and highly sought after as they contain the magic of Jinn so he is teamed up with a legendary thief (who has also been forced into this quest) and her bodyguard.

I really enjoyed this - you have the overall quest and then all the side obstacles that they have to overcome on the way. I like the relationships established between the characters and the feeling of genuine peril - there's a question mark over whether they want to succeed given the potential impact of giving the relic to the sultan or his son.

I had a bit of a question mark over time and distance as it takes them a long time to complete sections of the journey, which doesn't seem to apply to others, but given the existence of magic this can be handwaved away.

There's not a huge cliffhanger at the end of this, but it is definitely set up for moving onto book 2 and things are not resolved where we finish here.

4.25 stars and I definitely want to read the next book!

I do love anything inspired by one thousand and one nights, so when I read the synopsis I knew this was one for me and I wasn’t disappointed at all. I loved the Multi-POV aspect of the story, especially when it’s done as well as this, the only criticism for me is the lack of romance, even a touch is acceptable, but there are feelings discussed but that’s about the gist of it, but that’s minor, that’s just me being a big smushy and that’ll be a selling point to so many others, probably not really a criticism, just personal taste ! I loved the role reversal and just so much character growth, it’s fantastic, even the minor characters had such interesting stories. This is another book I just picked up and it seemed to fly by before I was upset I was at the end, ok I take it back clearly the lack of romance really didn’t bother me. I loved it regardless

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Big thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for giving me an e-ARC of this book!

This is a tale of dark family histories and generational trauma, betrayal, revenge, and at its heart, like the shadow at the base of a flame, a story of connections broken and reforged, trust, love, and friendship. If it sounds like any other story in the world, it is, and yet it’s so much more. The power of the story lies in its telling, and Abdullah has told this story in a fashion that us modern SFF readers have sort of grown unaccustomed to reading.

Synopsis: Loulie al nazari aka the midnight merchant is on a dangerous mission. Accompanying her is her bodyguard , Qadir , the supposed to be foolish Prince , Mazen and a cunning thief . What awaits them forms the rest of the story.

Review: Take this review as my plea to read this gripping fairytale retelling of The Arabian nights . The plot of this book is something that's familiar yet quite enchanting. The protagonist is a badass female with secrets to hide and a tumultuous past. What I loved about the characterisation is the flawed yet intriguing personalities of the main as well as the side characters. My favorite character is Aysha bint louas , the cutthroat thief , who has so many layers to her character . Mazen as the soft-spoken cowardly prince and his transition is quite a treat to read. Qadir is that lovely companion whom we would all love to have. The book features lyrical and beautiful writing which is quite the chef's kiss. The author takes us on a ride amidst the sandstorms and introduces us mythical creatures , we are not so familiar with. I'm glad to see representation of the middle eastern culture in fantasy which is a rarity and has been beautifully crafted. This book is one of the best debuts of the year and deserves all your love. I'm sure that this book would be an excellent gift to anyone who loves stories.
Rating : 5/5
Tw: murder/possession/gore
#thestardustthief
#chelseaabdullah #sandseatrilogy #netgalley #newreleasebooks #5starbooks #orbitbooks #debutbooks2022 #fantasyseries

I enjoyed this book - it is a clever story weaving together tales from the One Thousand and One Nights into an adventure between four very mismatched heroes. None of them are telling the full truth about themselves, all of them need to fight their own demons and together the future of the country might just rest on their shoulders.

As this novel progresses the characters travel across the desert fighting mythical beasts, battling legends that are turning into reality and bickering with each other.

The book really hinges on our understanding of what a story is - the way tales and legends and the act of story telling weave through this book is a delight. Watching an insecure Prince turn into a commanding and masterful storyteller? Who isn't rooting for that?

The book did take me a long time to read. I've been struggling to concentrate sadly - whenever I did sit down to read this, it pulled me along with it and made me disappear into the world of magic, jin, relics and living myths.

You know that feeling when you're reading a book, and you're so immersed in the story, and when it ends there's nothing you can think of that would have made it a better reading experience for you?

Yeah, that's this book.

We follow three different POVs: Loulie, the Midnight Merchant, who finds old relics and makes a living selling them on the black market, Mazen, the prince who longs for the adventures he hears about in stories but is stuck in the palace, and Aisha, one of the infamous forty thieves. All of the perspectives are interesting, and I never found myself wanting to skip over one of the characters so I could get more of a different one. The pacing of the story is great, even though the book is on the large side, and the stakes get really high. I had a few "oh, shit" moments while reading this. The quality of the writing is excellent too. I also loved the short stories within the story, where we get to learn more about the folklore surrounding the jinn. Overall, I'm really impressed with this debut.

All the characters quickly endeared themselves to me, although it took me a bit longer to warm up to Aisha. I loved the dynamic among them, but my favourite was always going to be the bond between Qadir and Loulie. There were so many moments that made me want to hug them, and the book. The other notable thing is the lack of romance. The only whiff of it is between Loulie and Ahmed bin Walid, a side character, but it's very slight, which was honestly refreshing, even though I liked their relationship as well.

The shining star of this book is the setting and the Arab representation. Chelsea Abdullah doesn't coddle anyone, and that made me so happy. Characters frequently use Arabic phrases, the food was familiar, the garments were familiar, and she even spells Arabic words out in the Arabic alphabet! Not to mention the hints of 1001 Nights sprinkled throughout, from references to the king of the forty thieves, to the jinn in the lamp. Even though it was a fantasy world, it felt comforting, and a bit like home.

Despite the presence of jinn in the story, there are no references to Islam in this world (although one character is named Ahmed, which is a Muslim name, but I guess that on its own doesn't necessarily mean anything).

4.8/5✨

The Stardust Thief is a dazzling fantasy inspired by the stories like Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin, from One Thousand and One Nights.

The story follows a group of misfits who goes on a quest to find an ancient magic lamp. The group consists of Loulie Al Nazari, a merchant who sells magical things; Qadir, her jinn bodyguard; Mazen Bin Malik, a story-obsessed prince; and Aisha Bint Louas, one of the infamous forty thieves. Will they be able to succeed in their quest specially when everyone is keeping deadly secrets?

I loved and enjoyed this book very much! The world building is very detailed and amazing. It is full of jinns, ghouls, and magic. All the characters are very well crafted and likeable. I enjoyed Mazen's storytelling. Loulie and Qadir's friendship is very heartwarming, and Aisha is my favourite one.

The Stardust Thief is a perfect mix of fantasy, adventure, suspense, and a bit of horror. I absolutely enjoyed it and looking forward to book 2.

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

I absolutely loved this. Everything about it was 5 stars.

Firstly the cover... Beautiful, fiery, really works well with the plot and it gives off that middle Eastern vibe!

The plot. I loved it, so layered, so in depth. There's a quest, almost a treasure hunt and lots of magic along the way. Loved all the twists and turns and it kept coming!!!

The characters, honestly THE BEST characters I've read in a while. Loved them all but Qadir the most!!

Overall, I loved this. Cannot wait for book 2!!!

Thank you to Nazia and Orbit Books for providing me an ARC. This is a great story!

The Stardust Thief is without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most epic tales I've ever read. It has felt like I've not scratched the surface, yet there is so much more in this world to discover. This is a gorgeous world full of unique references from Arabic culture and it's a vast library of rich literature. You will see influences of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and tales from the 1001 nights. I love this book because it explores a new culture, something that is different apart from Medieval Europe. As I type this now, I am seriously impressed with Abdullah's method of writing and how she has successfully managed to weave multiple stories into one.

Writing such a tale requires a lot of patience, and no doubt this must have gone through many revisions. This world was immersive, so immersive that I got lost in the wonderful descriptions of gorgeous red-sun like deserts and latticed buildings. This represents a new triumph in the world of fantasy. Medieval Arabia and the Golden Age of Islam provide many great tales that are perfect for a fantasy setting. The Jinn are central to this theme, and while we get the stereotypical 'genie', this is a hardcore version of what the Jinn are. I think Abdullah also must have studied the Ancient Arabian Kingdoms of Saba and Nabaetea because they too were essential civilisations that created the culture of what we know as Arabia.

At first, the start was a little slow. Some scenes felt a bit slow-paced in some areas. And I didn't agree with the cold hard attitudes of Aisha and the Midnight Merchant, to some degree. I do feel that what they've been through has made them that way. In a way, I could spoil this story. But I do not wish to. Simply because of how epic this tale is...makes me think the sequel is going to be even better, even more epic, even more, wow. I feel like this is the beginning of an epic journey that I've been through. I've been with characters such as Prince Mazen, who I love. His honesty and his foolishness do provide me with some hope in this world that people like do need to exist in a world where coldness and hostility existg. Qadir is the most mysterious character and I implore you to take on his subtle hints because he will drop many. I did like the Midnight Merchant, but I have not gotten too attached to her yet. As for Aisha, she was alright to a certain extent. I didn't like Omar however, he is a snake in the grass. That being said, these were my reactions. The truth is more complicated, and Mazen's ability to tell and narrate the stories of old are wonderfully written. I loved during the tales of stories, that there was a printed scroll. I definitely think that more fantasy books should take this approach!

This is a dazzling, epic action adventure novel with great characters in an Arabian setting, with a great story. I whole heartily recommend this!! 10/10 from me!

I have submitted my Amazon and Waterstones Review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I've always been fascinated by the 1001 Nights tales, so it was great to see a fantasy novel set in that world. The world-building was great, and I really enjoyed the narrative, even though it did tend to get sidetracked slightly with the stories of the jinn. I also thought it was interesting that the blurb focuses so heavily on Loulie when the plot is much more of an ensemble. But I enjoyed the story and will definitely read the next installment.

This was such an amazing read! I was so excited to get into this because I have been hearing that this is perfect for The City of Brass fans. I was so so happy to finally be able to read something similar, with such an epic and exciting adventure. I loved how easy and fast the story and pacing were, and absolutely loved that this book had short chapters. It's just better in my opinion 😅.

My only complaint about this book is that I don’t personally feel like this has enough complexity to be classified as adult fantasy. I also felt like the characters were a little bit hard to love. Now I love flawed characters, it makes them so much more realistic but I just wasn’t feeling a connection with most characters (although I adore Mazen).

Having said this, amazing debut, amazing world-building and great writing. I just know that the sequel is going to be amazing.

Huge thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for the eArc!

(Published on Goodreads - 18/05/2022)

The Stardust Thief was an utterly enchanting read and had me hooked right from the start. It reminded me of Arab folk tales from the One Thousand and One Nights, such as Aladdin and Alibaba and the Forty Thieves.

The plot is that of a quest, told from three different perspectives. Loulie al-Nazari, the Midnight Merchant, sells illegal jinn artefacts on the black market with the help of her jinn bodyguard Qadir. When she crosses paths with prince Mazen bin Malik, who has a love for storytelling and is exploring the city in disguise (reminding me strongly of Jasmine in Aladdin), she ends up saving his life. She draws the attention of the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp, while Mazen is forced by his older brother to take his place in the travelling party. Loulie and her bodyguard journey into the desert in search of the artefact with the Mazen and Aisha bint Louas, one of the fourty thieves. Aisha's is the third perspective in the narrative, and I particularly enjoyed her character growth in this first installment of the Sandsea Trilogy.

I absolutely adored the cast of character, I was completely immersed in the magical world created by Chelsea Abdullah and I also loved the various stories told the within the story. It's a feat of masterful storytelling with a cast of engaging characters, set in a world with jinn, ifrit and marid that will definitely appeal to those who enjoyed the Daevabad trilogy.

Neither here nor there, but long ago …

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah is the first book in The Sandsea Trilogy.

The world is inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights like Aladdin and that added so much atmosphere and a bit of familiarity as I love those stories. I immediately felt at home reading this book and was so invested in it.

Our protagonist is Loulie who is the legendary Midnight Merchant. She hunts and sells magic and is accompanied by her jinn bodyguard Qadir. Those two are quite the team and especially Loulie is so badass and I love her.

One day she saves the life of prince Mazen and she draws the attention of the sultan himself. While this might seem like an honor to some, it’s rather an inconvenience for Loulie. And then the sultan forces her to find an ancient lamp that is a long lost family heirloom.

Mazen is a prince and golden boy. But in this book he has to go on quite the adventure. He loves stories and throughout the book tells some and I love that so much.

Overall, The Stardust Thief is such an amazing book and one of my new favorites. The characters and world are so vivid and mesmerizing and I loved every page. I already can’t wait for the next installment. 5 stars.

(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review. This review was posted on all platforms on May 16th and on the release day to Amazon.)

The Stardust Thief had me hooked from the first chapter. The story is about Loulie al-Nazari Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp.

Stardust Thief was like reading a story inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, a middle Eastern folk tale. It is an adventurous story, full of magic, action, ancient enchantment, and secrets. The pacing of the story was consistent throughout, with some gripping plot sequences.

The storytelling style was simplistic, clear, and concise, which fits into the Eastern style – the magical flavour the author is aiming for. To be honest, it conjured happy memories of Sinbad, Forty Thieves etc. There are only three points of view, Loulie, also known as the Midnight Merchant, her jinn bodyguard Qadir, Mazen the Sultan’s son and Aisha who is a fierce warrior and a member of the Forty Thieves.

All these characters are interesting and intriguing, as I was sucked into this world, I wanted to know more. The characters were nicely developed and the relationship between Loulie and Qadir and Mazen was done well, although some dialogue felt cheesy.

I had an enjoyable time reading this book, for all its YA feel it was an engaging, light, easy read for a first book. It will be interesting to see what direction to author takes for book two.

My thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for a free e-arc. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars.
I've loved every second of reading this book! The way these characters connect throughout their journey was great and I loved to see how they handled each obstacle they faced.

Based off 1001 Nights, The Stardust Thief follows the perspective of 3 characters: Loulie, a merchant who sells her Djinn artefacts on the black market along with her Djinn companion, Qadir. Mazan, one of the three princes/sultan's children with an affinity for storytelling. He has a very Jasmine from Aladdin kind of vibe to him in the beginning. And Aisha, one of Prince Omar's 40 thieves. These characters are pushed together on an unlikely journey to find and retrieve a Djinn artefact for the sultan. I have to say, I haven't specifically enjoyed one perspective over another, which is a change for me as I normally gravitate to one character in multi-perspective books. But all 3 were important and fun to follow. If I had to choose a favourite character though, it would probably be Aisha as her character growth throughout this books was amazing - and I love me some good character growth. On the other hand, I do wish I had learned more about Qadir's past. We do learn more and more throughout the story, but I am left wanting to find out more at the end, so maybe books 2 will give more info?

When I saw this book on Netgalley, I had to request it. I've been really enjoying books with Djinn in them lately - The Daevabad trilogy and The Master of Djinn. So when I got the go ahead to read it, I wanted to jump right in. I have been wowed once again by another author writing within this kind of world. The way the author sets the scene and describes the surroundings is amazing! You don't feel like you're reading some huge long descriptions like you do with some books. It's very visual and you can see the world grow and the characters travel.

So, to describe the setting of a world we explore in this book, we are in the human part of the world where some of the Djinn have crossed over to. A number of people have taken up/being tasked with the role of Djinn killer because the blood of Djinn makes the land lush and come to life. This is why we see Djinn characters trying to hide from humans in the guise of a human, Qadir being one of them.

I also really enjoyed the adventure storyline where they travel from place to place. It was well done, though it was a very typical travel trope where things happen in each place they go to and then they travel a bit in between. Even though that was done, it didn't feel too repetitive (though that was present).

I had to give this book such a high rating because, honestly, there's not much bad to say about it. And every time I've picked the book up, it's been very hard to put back down, so immerged in the world was I. I highly recommend this book when it comes out!