THE STARDUST THIEF

A fantastical Arab adventure focused on the lives of Loulie - the Midnight Merchant, Qadir - her djinn bodyguard - and Mazen - the adventurous prince!

I do not normally read fantasies set in a Middle Eastern world, so this was a pleasant surprise and I found myself enjoying it very much. The world had such vivid imagery and I found myself totally transported. The sights, sounds and smells were so well described - I could feel myself amongst the crowds in the marketplace and in the halls of the Palace.

Loulie's relationship with Qadir was a joy to read. I loved Qadir's dialogue - everything he said was so witty yet endearing. I liked her character progression, and thought she was well-rounded.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful YA fantasy story. This is not one of my favourites, but it definitely has the potential to be for others.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A mesmerizing retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights

The Stardust thief is a young adult fantasy fiction, based on the folk tales of 1001 Arabian Nights. It tells the story from three POV, Loulie, the Midnight Merchant, Mazen, the King’s youngest son, and Aisha, one of the 40 thieves hired by the King’s older son.

The troop is reluctant travellers setting off on a quest, with the Merchant’s bodyguard acting as a mentor. The worldbuilding is stunning, and I loved the added tales of Arabian nights woven into the story. While this is a young adult, I did think that it has some complicated issues, which made the characters richer and more rounded. One thing I particularly liked was the relationship between Loulie and Qadir, he is this kind of omnipresent vibe around her whenever she gets into trouble and yet he makes her question their relationship constantly.

Overall, I did enjoy the story, however, this is a retelling, and I just feel that the market is flooded with retellings of folk and fairy tales at this current time.

I was so excited to read this book, based on the stories from 1001 nights and the cover is just stunning.

Sadly, this book just didn't deliver on the exciting premise. The legendary Midnight Merchant, Loulie and her bodyguard are forced to join the gentle Prince Mazen and thief, Aisha, to cross the treacherous Sandsea in search of a long lost Jinn relic. This book should have it all; strong, female characters, a gentle, yet brave male lead, magic in a fantastic setting. I can see that this book would certainly be someone's favourite but that someone isn't going to be me.

I found the narrative to be very juvenile. There was an over reliance on telling the story rather than showing and so many adverbs I sometimes felt I was marking a year 6's creative writing project. I personally found the characters to be one dimensional and I couldn't get behind them or care for them. I did like the relationship between Loulie and Qadir, her bodyguard. I've seen this novel has a lot of five star reviews so it's one of those you'd need to read yourself to see if you'd enjoy it.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publishers for providing an ARC of this novel.

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea is a new young adult fantasy based on Middle Eastern folktalea and is a beautifully woven story of how the lives of a group of very different people become entwined.

Loulie al-Nazari is a merchant dealing in forbidden magic in objects which she tracks down with the help of her jinn bodyguard. When she saves the life of the youngest Prince of the kingdom she is drawn into the hunt for a mythical lamp. Together they joinery across the desert to far away cities and encounter enemies in different forms. All the characters have dark and complicated pasts which we slowly learn more about as the story progresses. The females characters are strong, capable women and are often the ones protecting their male counterparts which is so refreshing to read.

Chelsea is able to weave together such a beautiful story with the image of a beautiful and mysterious world. Throughout the book the characters often tells stories they know from folktales to help make sense of the magic they come across. This is a stunning first instalment of what looks to be a brilliant trilogy.

This book has already become one of my favourite reads this year. I loved the story and the characters so much. 1001 Arabian Nights are some of my favourite stories and I loved how Chelsea wove those stories with her own twist into the main arc of the story. We see the story of Scheherazade and the Sultan, the 40 thieves and more and it just made me so nostalgic as I remembered reading them when I was younger and especially being told these stories in urdu by my grandparents.

The storytelling had me completely hooked and sucked into the story and I could truly imagine the story in my head as I read. The writing is beautiful and has such a great flow that you just want to continue reading even as your eyes are literally closing. (Yes this did happen to me several times as I read.)

These characters have my whole heart, Loulie and Mazen were such wonerful characters. So different from each other but they had such great chemistry together. Qadir fast became a favourite, he gave me tired dad chasing after his hyper daughter vibes with Loulie and I am here for it. I really loved seeing their relationship develop throughout the story. Aisha was a surprise and even though I was wary about her, she still won me over. All four of them had some great banter and I especially loved when they were sassy and sarcastic with each other.

However my favourite thing was that Mazen was the single sunshine amongst this group of grumpy travellers. All he wants is to see the world and hear all the stories and somehow he gets dragged into this quest with Loulie and is completely out of his depth in every way but still perseveres. His older brother Omar is the leader of the 40 thieves and yet Mazen can barely swing a sword. It was an interesting contrast to see that between the brothers. When we first meet Mazen he is escaping the palace in search of a storyteller that has come to the city and that causes a domino effect where he ends up fighting ghouls in the desert with Loulie and the others. I loved his character development throughout the story and how we see him change and become braver, though I do think he is brave in a different way, and always the optimist that also showed the others that they were more than the labels given to them.

Loulie is a thief and con artist and very good at her job, so much so that she has created a persona for herself which quickly becomes famous and results in the sultan sending her on the quest. Her story arc was so heartbreaking to read and you can see why she does not trust people and only relies on herself but I loved seeing her slowly learn to trust the others as the story progresses.

Throughout the story through the events and the wonderful short stories within the story we learn of the history of the world and how and why the jinns are hunted and killed, this is lead by Omar and his thieves. It was such an interesting backstory and honestly I could read a whole book about the jinns before they were almost exterminated by humans.

This book is fast paced and action packed we are thrown right into the story from the very beginning and we slowly learn more as the characters learn more. Once I got about halfway I could barely breathe because the revelations and the plot twists left me screaming! I was stressed and absolutely terrified for these characters, the neat death experiences one after the other and it did not stop until the very end. I absolutely need the next book immediately after that ending and I don’t know how I will wait a whole year for that sequel.

This was an interesting book with plenty of great details. I loved the setting and the characters and the plot was good. I do, however, find that it's way too long and that it takes effort to get through it. There's action in there, and things that pull you in and make you want to keep reading, yet it often feels like you're not getting enough reward for pushing through. It's a long road between interesting events and that makes the journey not really worth the payoff.

It's a good read though, and I can highly recommend it.

I expected more from this. This was well-recommended and I was drawn to the story. The characters felt monotonous and uninspired and the story became forgettable. I don't think this was for myself as felt like a light fantasy and it definitely showed.

Reviewed by my co-blogger, Celeste, on Novel Notions

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, Orbit Books, in exchange for an honest review.

The Stardust Thief is the first in what is sure to be a solid, atmospheric new fantasy trilogy. This is Abdullah’s debut novel, and I found it to be a strong, well written story with compelling characters and an enchanting setting. A new riff on the classic tale of The Thousand and One Arabian Nights at its core, The Stardust Thief carves a new path into uncharted territory while still beautifully honoring its inspiration. I’ve read very little Arabic-inspired fantasy, but this book made me thirsty for more.

“Death in a free land is better than life in a gilded cage.”


Loulie is the infamous Midnight Merchant, a seller of jinn relics that are nearly impossible to locate. In the land of Madinne, jinn are viewed as monsters and killed on sight, harvested for their silver blood, which is the only thing that can breathe life into the arid landscape. The more lush the oasis, the more jinn blood has been spilled there. These jinn often leave behind relics, magical objects that can do different things, and these objects are considered priceless. Thus, Loulie has a booming business. Her secret? A magic compass and and inhuman bodyguard. She is our main perspective character, joined by Mazen and Aisha. Mazen is a prince, the youngest son of the sultan. He’s obsessed with stories, and I found him and his development delightful. Aisha is one of the forty thieves, and she took a while to grow on me.

“We’re all afraid, Prince. The only difference between a hero and a coward is that one forgets their fear and fights, while the other succumbs to it and flees.”

I ended up really enjoying all three perspective characters. I was never tempted to skim through one to reach another. All three of these characters had some serious issues to work through, but they all experienced some pretty fantastic development over the course of the story. But, while they had faults, they also had characteristics that drew me in from the beginning, especially Loulie and Mazen. I came to care about them quickly, which made me even more invested in their development. They felt realistic to me.

“…one cannot know the outcome of a journey if one is not brave enough to take it.”

While I very much enjoyed the characters, the setting was probably my favorite element of the story. I loved the descriptions of the oases, and found Abdullah’s dark take on their existence fascinating. The idea of a people being brutally slaughtered because their deaths bring life to the desert is horrifying, and not a concept I had seen before. The descriptions of the markets, and the food, and the palaces, and even the desert were all equally enchanting. Speaking of enchanting, I found the magical relics populating the story fascinating. They were so varied; some held immense power, while others may do something small, like an endless hourglass or a ring that lets you breathe underwater for a few seconds. But whatever their power, they were always unique.

“No one knows what the dead want, Loulie. All we can do is honor them in the ways we understand.”

Periodically throughout the book, Abdullah would include little stories in the style of the Arabian Night tales. I loved these, and the subtle shift in the voice of the writing that accompanied them. These stories, and what Abdullah says about the power of stories, were in my opinion the heart of the entire novel. The stories we tell have such power. The power to keep those we love alive, the power to shift perspective to such an extent that we essentially rewrite history, the power to inspire and enrage and transport. Abdullah’s belief in this power shone through in her writing.

“If there is only to be one more tale tonight, let it be the one about the storyteller who changed her fate with her fables. Let it be a story about stories and the power they have to sway mortal hearts.”

If I had any qualm with The Stardust Thief, it would be the pacing. Sometimes things seem to be trudging along for so long that, when the action suddenly hit, it felt a bit like whiplash. There were points where it was both difficult to keep up and keep going. In that regard, it felt very much like a first novel. And while I loved the characters, there were points where I became so exasperated with their stubbornness or lies or what have you that I would have to put the book down for a time and cool down before continuing. However, these complaints were infrequent, and I thought that overall this book was a strong foundation for whatever comes next.

“Though only the gods know how long we may live, we humans are the ones who decide when legacies die.”

The Stardust Thief is a truly enchanting debut, with a lush setting and characters who are easy to root for. There were times when I was reminded of Strange the Dreamer, a story I adore. And I loved the ways in which this fresh, original story paid homage to one of the oldest and most revered sets of stories in written history. This was a wonderful first installment for a fantasy series, and I can’t wait to see where Abdullah takes the story next.

All quotations taken from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.

Expected publication: May 17th, 2022

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for the e-ARC in exchange of a honest review!

Rating: 4,5 rounded up!

WOW, this book was a RIDE. Quite literally, given the majority of the plot is a quest. It never got boring, though.
The narrative does a great job keeping the reader interested, even during the (short) moments the characters can breathe without the world crumbling around them. Short chapters, fast pacing, plot twist after plot twist, excellent characters – my favorite combo.

The Stardust Thief follows three main points of view: Loulie, a merchant who sells jinn magic, Mazen, the prince who’s never left his palace before, and Aisha, one of the legendary forty thieves who work for the sultan. They are thrown together in a quest for a famous jinn relic, the lamp, which will assist the sultan in his goal of eliminating all jinn. Of course, it won’t be so easy: the lamp is said to be lost in the Sandsea, where the jinn city is buried. But still, they leave; and during this journey, they’ll discover so much more than what they’d intended to.

I love all three main characters. Loulie is snarky, distrusts everyone, although has soft spots for some people. I love how her main struggle is to accept that she can and should rely on others, for her burden can be too much to carry alone.

Mazen is described as the “cowardly prince” and YES, he’s exactly that, but also so much more: he’s a storyteller, like his mom, and all he wanted to do was to live an adventure as epic as the stories he grew up listening to; but once he gets this opportunity, Mazen realizes it’s not quite easy. Making the right choice is hard, and trusting people blindly might not help him the way he expected. Even so, his good heart never wavers. I can’t wait to see his journey in the next books.

Now Aisha is my favorite. She’s just so ruthless and straightforward and always gets shit done. Also very unpredictable – every time I thought I had her figured out, I would turn the page and be surprised again.

Another relevant feature is Qadir, a jinn who saved Loulie’s life when she was a child – and even though he doesn’t have a POV, he is definitely one of the most interesting characters, and I can’t wait to know more about him.

Also, the world building is just so lush and easy to get into. I love all the settings, everything about the magic (it’s a different twist to jinn’s magic that I haven’t seen before!), and all the jinn tales told in interludes, which made the book so rich. Such a great debut. Definitely recommend it!

Arab fantasy you say?? This book truly blew me away- I can’t believe this is a debut novel!

We follow Loulie al-Nazari, more commonly known as the ‘Midnight Merchant’, who sells magic jinn relics illegally. Glued to her side is her broody bodyguard who is also a jinn. The two get caught up in a quest to find a magic lamp by the powerful sultan, accompanied by a cowardly prince and a mysterious assassin.

I never knew I needed this book in my life until now. It’s so full of adventure, magic, rich and luscious world building, and I never wanted it to end. The characters truly make this book such an entertaining read. They were all morally grey and struggling with their own pasts, as they embark on this adventure through the desert together. Loulie has had a tough life and I just loved the way she handled herself. She isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in, but she equally cares most about her best friend and bodyguard Qadir and would basically burn the world for him. This feeling is mutual with Qadir, who is so broody and handsome, and honestly I may have fallen for this fictional man a little too hard. His dead-pan jokes and banter with the rest of the gang was hilarious, and I loved finding out more about him- frankly I wanted moreeeee.

Then we have the cowardly prince Mazen, who is just a cinnamon roll. He’s not brave or good at combat, but he’s emotionally aware of others and cares deeply for the rest of the crew. I loved how he is always thinking about others and that spurs him into action, even though he isn’t the strongest in the room. Next, we have the gorgeous Aisha- our mysterious assassin. She’s definitely on this quest for her own goals, but I loved finding out who she really is when she takes the mask off. Her friendship with Mazen was developed so well, and I just loved their insulting banter towards each other. And my favourite thing about this book was that it had so many cute moments but no romance... and I LOVED IT!

These characters were written so well. And I think this is one of those rare books where both the plot and the characters were done beautifully, which made this book such an addictive read. The world is described in such detail that I felt like I was on this journey with the gang. The snippets of jinn stories and myth were woven in beautifully and oh the writing. Lyrical and gorgeous, I just couldn’t get enough!

Overall, if you want to read about a ragtag group on an epic quest full of Jinn, magic, possessions and banter, in an Arab-inspired world, look no further!

A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC.

I have been longing to read this book ever since it was announced, and when the publication date was somewhat nearing, then I was longing for an ARC. So you could say that I've been thirsting and dreaming for this book for a LONG WHILE. And it did not disappoint. Oddly, it shattered my high expectations with its excellency.

There are many great books out there. Great--as in the writing was superb. Great--as in it took my soul and ran away, and I'm thankful for it. Great as in impactful. I can think of many books that fit in each category of great, but it's rare to read something that fits in all three categories of great. The Stardust Thief is a rare precious diamond among books. Reading it is a transcending experience. I was completely and utterly immersed into the Sandsea and the characters' journey. I truly felt like I was there. But the most magical part was that whenever I resumed reading it, it felt like I could breathe again. I was relieved to be back. I didn't care much about anything except that I was back in the story. I trusted the story to go wherever it was supposed to do, and it did. It was my oasis, and I'm very grateful that I read it when I really needed to have an oasis.

Loulie was such a relatable wonderful main character. You could really understand her reasoning and feel her stubbornness through each page. She's smart and resourceful, and her character development was really, REALLY good and beautiful.

Qadir is mine. Sorry, everyone, Qadir is my person and no one is allowed to hurt him. He is so strong and so self-aware. He knows his strengths and his weaknesses, and he owns his mistakes (even though expressing himself isn't the easiest, most natural thing. Even immortal jinn need their baby steps, and it's okay!).

Mazen was a surprise for me. I don't usually gravitate or like characters that are so soft and naive. (Please don't come at me for this😅🙈). But I like Mazen. He's naive but in an adorable kind of way, and I think I like him because he sees and understands what's wrong and what isn't. He doesn't condone or make excuses for it, no matter who has committed the evil action. His character development was also done SO WELL. He really grew along the journey. I went from "Mazen, honey, no!" to "Yes, Mazen, you got this, boo!"

Aisha was like a storm personified. She made me like her, hope for her, infuriated me, made me want to scream at her, before I finally gave in, "Now she's got it." I haven't felt all these contradicting emotions so starkly about a single character before, and I found myself getting all the more intrigued. Because what is her journey? What is her destiny? I can't help but wonder, and that's sooo enthralling.

Plot-wise, I should say that it isn't the most fast-paced book, but it is an epic fantasy, after all. However, I found it refreshing. I want the characters to take a breather. I want myself to enjoy reading without feeling rushed and experiencing murders, battles, and suspense all the time. I thought the pace suited the story and the narrative style that reminisces of 1001 Arabian Nights. Though, this is not to say that things aren't happening, because holy moly!! Adventure awaits at every corner in this book.

World-building, I don't think that there are words adequate enough to describe how glorious the world-building and setting are. I mean, ARAB FANTASY WRITTEN BY AN ARAB WOMAN?!!! Only research cannot evoke this kind of authenticity and genuineness. Nothing was unclear. Everything was perfect like it always belonged there.

If you enjoyed Tasha Suri's Empire of Sand, if you enjoyed Hafsah Faizal's Sands of Arawiya and wanted something in the adult age group, if you love jinn (like me!!), then you should really pre-order/buy this book.

I absolutely adored this book, and I have no doubt that it's one of the best books of the year. In fact, I think The Stardust Thief is a book I'm going to re-read many times. I already yearn to dive back into this world.

A truly beautiful book that mesmerized me from the beginning. I loved it so much. I already want the sequel. Book 2, can you come sooner?

I loved this book! I really enjoy new fantasy writers ,who set their works in mythical/ fairytale worlds of different cultures. This book, set in the world of 1001 and one nights, is a great addition to the list. The characters are all unique, and memorable, and wholly believable - none of them suddenly acquire powers, all the dangers they face and how they conquer them are excellently written. The writer's descriptions are lovely and evocative and move beyond cliched descriptions of bazaars and crowds and the exotic Orient. I'm so glad this will be a trilogy!

Thanks, Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review! Lovely read! The reluctant allies trope is beautifully explored and each of the main cast has a POV chapters that allow us to get deeper in our understanding of these amazing, introguing and very different characters. The worldbuilding and setting is very imaginative! Very good start of these series and can't wait for the second book!

Yes hello, new favourite of the year! I read the blurb, thought it sounded fun, but did definitely not expect to love "The Stardust Thief" as much as I do. This is a wildly imaginative, fun story with a lot more depth to it than I thought, full of amazing, complex characters.

And the characters are what made me truly fall in love with this story. I'm a very character-driven reader, so while good plots definitely get me hooked, I need to really care about the characters in order to truly enjoy a book. There is not one, not a single one character I disliked. "The Stardust Thief" is an adventure story set in a world inspired by the tales of the One Thousand and One Nights, with little nods and story beats being found all throughout the book. It's about Loulie, a thief and merchant selling magical Jinn relics to the highest bidders. These rare relics cannot be found by just anyone, and she does it with the help of her closest confidante and bodyguard, a Jinn himself. At some point, they meet the young prince Mazen who likes to sneak out of the palace in a disguise in order to listen to storytellers and mingle with his subjects. Their paths cross again when Mazen's father, the sultan, more or less forces Loulie to go and find a very specific Jinn relic for him - a lamp that is said to house an especially powerful Jinn. What ensues is a long, adventurous journey that rarely allows the reader to sit and breathe for just a second.

Loulie is an amazing protagonist, complex and genuinely good with just a dash of grey morals, shaped by a tragic past and one of the most interesting relationships with her Jinn friend Qadir - a relationship that is not romantic, which I loved. Mazen starts of as a cowardly little prince who grows into himself, and the third pov, Aisha, is a morally ambiguous Jinn hunter who might just be my favorite of them all. Now, none of them invent the wheel, they're all the kind of characters we've read often enough to make them predictable. But they're charming, they're well-written and they make the reader feel for them. The central Big Bad, Mazen's brother Omar, might be one of my favourite characters, too. Not only is the book literally named after him, but there seem to be so many layers to him that we haven't peeled off just yet that I'm most excited to learn more about him.

The plot is fast-paced with some slower parts, and it's highly entertaining. There's excitement around every corner, with interesting antagonists (though one of them admittedly falls flat because we don't really know much about him, he's just evil) and intriguing plot developments. There are some good twists, and all in all I really need the next book because there are so many more stories to tell. I loved the way the book ended and I need more, more, more. The writing is beautiful and lush, allowing for intricate world-building. The world is a vivid one, the mythology is exciting, and you simply need to read it.
4,5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to the publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc for an honest review!

3.5 star— solid start to the trilogy!

Neither here nor there, but long ago…

To be honest, the reading experience of The Stardust Thief left me a bit confused. Whilst the Stardust Thief is a delightful fantasy read that brings together adventure and the love & act of storytelling, it left me wanting more. The plot, the characters and the relationships felt a bit simplistic for an adult fantasy.

The Stardust Thief is about Loulie, a criminal who trades on relics that Jinn enchants. When she caught the attention of the sultan, she’s forced to retrieve a certain powerful relic with three travel companions: the bodyguard, the cowardly prince and the thief.

This installment is mainly about the journey of retrieving the relic and the many dangers they face on the way. I’m not someone that typically likes long journeys in fantasy but The Stardust Thief is well-paced and kept my interest the entire way. the dangers are fast-moving, there’s always secrets that are being revealed and the world-building is really well interwoven into the actual adventure. If you are a reader who love adventures, I think you will find The Stardust Thief a delightful read!

That being said, it’s also where I find my frustration lies. We are always moving from one danger to another and in moments of seemingly graved danger, some sort of secret will be revealed to save our main characters. I feel like it reduces the sense of danger but also begs the question, why are there still secrets after secrets following *repeated* conversations of ‘no more secrets!!’? I don’t think the book has done enough establishing the characters’ past or motivation to convince me why some secrets have to be kept even after promises of ‘no more secrets’.

On a different note, Storytellers and storytelling play an important role in The Stardust Thief and it’s one of my favorite things about this book. It explores the power of storytelling and how stories/myths/legends come about from history.

Despite some of my problems(?) with The Stardust Thief, it is a solid first book in a trilogy (and debut too!). The writing style is pretty and easily digestible and overall it’s a light, easy fantasy read. A solid foundation is set and I’m excited to find out what direction the author takes with the story!

The Stardust Thief is a spectacular debut novel by Chelsea Abdullah - a retelling of the stories of One Thousand and One Nights which is a collection of folklore from Arab and Middle-Eastern culture.

This Arabian fantasy is told from different perspectives. The first is by Loulie, a trader of forbidden and magical jinn relics, who is also the main character of the novel. Loulie’s illegal activities are truncated when she is blackmailed by the Sultan to embark on a quest to find a magical lamp which brings nature to barren lands. Travelling with her is her jinn bodyguard Qadir, as well as the two other companions from whose perspectives the narrative is also told: Mazen, the Sultan’s son who has lived a sheltered life, and Aisha, a thief and jinn assassin who seems to have a hidden agenda. Together, the reluctant partners embark on a thrilling and perilous journey through desert sands and ancient ruins battling humans and monsters along the way. Throughout the novel there are interludes where the characters will share their stories and we gain further insight into Jinns, magical relics and the conflicts between humans and jinns that are murdered for their silver blood. The switch between the different points of view was well done by the author.

The strongest and most endearing relationship in the novel is the father daughter type relationship between Loulie and Qadir, both of whom rely on each other and display both strength and vulnerability. Every character has a story to tell, but I felt the other relationships and the character development in general in the novel could have been more deeply explored, multi-layered , and more entwined in the lives of the other travellers.

That said, I did enjoyed reading the novel and would recommend to anyone, in particular young adults who will love the retelling of the classic tales, the quests, scenery, magic relics and epic action scenes.

It might seem odd, but with the fantasy genre, I also find that I enjoy the novels more if I read a physical rather than an e-copy. I already have a copy of ‘The Stardust Thief’ on pre-order so that I can re-read at a later date.

Thanks to Little Brown and Net Gallery for the digital proof copy.

The moment I read about this release I was quick to request an ARC which was thankfully granted. I was extremely excited to read a new interpretation of the Arabian Nights, and that excitement was compounded knowing it was woman telling the tale.
The Stardust Thief was just about everything I hoped for, with little moments of surprise. At first I thought I would be disappointed that the legendary Scherezade (here, Shafia) was long dead but as events unfolded I found myself totally immersed both in the familiar and the new. I did find at times that more attention could be paid to proofreading- it's unfortunate that the author has been allowed to sink into some obvious new writer pitfalls. Dozens upon dozens of times the characters are eyebrow emoting, so much that it stops being quirky and becomes grating. Eventually even the mention of an eyebrow made me groan. Overall though I am pleased with the beginnings of this world building and the seeds of the characters in it. I look forward to returning to this author's vision and all the magic it contains in future volumes.

wow wow Wow WOw WOW. This is the best thing I’ve read this year. It reminds me so much of City of Brass😍 with a YA audience.

I have no words to describe how amazing and beautiful this book was. The writing was phenomenal and the world building and descriptions were just A++++. I had so much fun reading about Layla, Mazen, Quadir and Aisha. I fell in love with all of them.

So many twists and turns that had me gasping and emotional in the same second. I couldn’t get enough of the different souks and worlds. The writing is extremely immersive.

My favourite character by far is Layla. She grows so much but still has her vulnerabilities. I can’t wait to read more and I already wish the next book was out😭

I took quite a long time to read this book, sometimes I felt that I had been reading a long time but wasn’t getting anywhere with the story. It was a good story woven around the Arabian Nights and Ali Baba and the forty thieves, I liked the characters and the way the story focussed on a small group so you really got to know them. The imagery was lovely, the colours, sights and sounds of the souk, the costumes and atmosphere and environment was evocative and conjured up visual images of the scenes. I just felt it was missing something, a magical spark in the writing to add a better sense of mystery or a touch of tension. The action scenes were vividly described and exciting. I liked the stories woven through the narrative and the gradual revelations of Mazen’s and Qadir’s past. Loulie’s past in comparison was rather over egged and out of all the characters I found her least interesting. The ending was hopeful and leads nicely into a sequel. I did feel it was a trifle overlong reflecting the long desert journey perhaps but I enjoyed it and will look forward to the next one in the series.

4.25 stars

Richly imagined and extravagantly told The Stardust Thief is a 2022 debut to be reckoned with. An atmospheric desert setting, beautiful storytelling, cinnamon roll characters, politics, plotting and a plenty of magical mischief - this book truly has everything you could ask for!!

We follow Loulie, known as the Midnight Merchant, who finds magical djinn relics and sells them (somewhat illegally) along with the help of her secret djinn bodyguard Qadir. When she finds herself involved in saving one of the princes lives and mixed up with the royals, the Sultan blackmails her into find for him a powerful ancient relic along with the help of the crown prince and one of his loyal warriors, know as the 40 thieves. The crown prince, Omar, and his thieves are djinn hunters and are on a mission to kill any djinn they find. Meanwhile Mazen, one of the younger princes who longs to escape the confines of the place strikes a deal with his brother to switch places and Mazen ends up being the one to go with Loulie on her mission into the desert. Mazen and Loulie must contend with underhanded plots threatening the empire, magical ancient beings out for vengeance and their own secrets and pasts, along with those of their companions.

One of my favourite things about this book (and i'm about to cringe at myself for saying this) was the vibes. It perfectly encapsulates the cosy feeling of being told a bedtime story combined with that sense of magical adventure and nostalgia from favourite childhood stories. I really liked all the mythology and atmosphere of the story as well - it was beautifully created and imagined. I don't usually like to comp titles but this gave me very similar vibes to the daevabad series (which I love), so I think if you enjoy that series you will also really like this.

The prose is excellent; one of my favourite styles where it is descriptive and feels lush while not being overly flowery and still very easy to read. I was engaged while reading every sentence and nothing felt like it was put in there unnecessarily. Also in very high praise of this book it was one of the only fantasy books that I could read in the evenings whilst revising for exams, which I think speaks a lot to how engaging it was.

Additionally I really enjoyed the characters. We follow 3 main POVs - Loulie, Mazen and Aisha who are all delightful to follow in addition to a strong cast of side characters.

<b>Loulie</b>-Loulie was a very engaging main character to follow. Her personality was really fun and I really enjoyed her interactions with all the other characters. I also really liked the magical artefacts she collects - I love stuff like this and the little worldbuilding details made it very enjoyable.

<b>Mazen</b>-Mazen was definitely my favourite character - I'm a sucker for the pathetic cinnamon roll princes who are kind of incompetent at everything but have a heart of gold. I really enjoyed Mazen's story of him slowly coming out of his sheltered life and exploring what the world has to offer whilst trying to do the best he can (and often failing lol but never giving up). The relationships he has with his family are also interesting, Omar his brother is a very shady character, and subsequently has quite a complex dynamic with Mazen which is interesting to explore. His other half brother Hazeem is a bastard prince and they have a really sweet relationship but it's complicated by the politics and sultan's attitude.

<b>Aisha</b>-Aisha wasn't my favourite at first but something happens in her character arc about 60% into the book which made her so much more interesting and I think she has a lot of potential for the sequel. She is also a lot more morally grey than Loulie/Mazen and her goals and motivations are not too clear.

Not a POV character but I did really like his character was Qadir, Loulie's bodyguard and djinn companion. He has a lot of secrets and was a fascinating character to slowly peel back the layers from. I also really enjoyed his brand of grumpy (but secretly a cinnamon roll) over-protective bodyguard. I really loved his and Loulie's relationship as well (it was favourite relationship in the book) - initially I thought it might be romantic but I'm actually really glad it wasn't. They have a very caring and sweet relationship and lots of fun banter - it was just very enjoyable to read and added a lot to the story!

I loved seeing our characters finding more about themselves and the depths of their strengths and what values truly matter to them. Also I liked exploring the attitudes to djinn in the world - they are widely feared and hunted but Loulie believes they are not all bad (especially given her attachment to Qadir) and the other characters are learning throughout the there is a lot more complexity to the djinn than they thought.

The only reason I think I didn't give this book 5 stars was I do feel like some elements of the plot could have been a bit better structured and paced but I still really enjoyed the book and cannot wait for book 2!