✧・゜: *✧・゜:* Heavenly Bodies Review *:・゜✧*:・゜✧

Imani Erriu's "Heavenly Bodies" is an ethereal masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of traditional fantasy, weaving a tapestry of celestial magic and forbidden love that will leave readers breathless. This enchanting debut novel elevates the star-crossed lovers trope to astronomical heights, creating a spellbinding narrative that sparkles with cosmic brilliance.

In this mesmerising tale, we follow Elara, whose destiny is entangled with a devastating prophecy, and Prince Lorenzo, whose complex character will capture readers' hearts. Their enemies-to-lovers journey unfolds like a constellation mapping itself across the night sky – slow, deliberate, and absolutely dazzling. The tension between them crackles like starlight, building with such exquisite precision that each interaction feels like a supernova waiting to explode.

Erriu's world-building is nothing short of phenomenal, crafting a realm where cruel Star gods reign supreme and ancient magic pulses beneath the surface. The Kingdom of Aesteria and Kingdom of Helios are rendered in such vivid detail that you can almost feel the shimmer of celestial power in the air. The lore is intricately woven throughout the narrative, creating a rich tapestry that feels both fresh and timeless.

The writing is simply bewitching – every word carefully chosen to create an atmosphere that's both dreamy and intense. Descriptions float off the page like stardust, while the plot moves with the unstoppable force of a celestial event. From the indie version to the traditionally published edition, this story maintains its ethereal quality while delivering heart-pounding action and swoon-worthy romance.

This spellbinding debut has earned its place among the stars, promising a series that will undoubtedly continue to enchant and enthrall. With its masterful blend of celestial magic, political intrigue, and forbidden romance, "Heavenly Bodies" isn't just a story – it's an experience that will leave readers gazing at the night sky, wondering what secrets the stars hold.

Infinity stars hardly seem enough for this luminous masterpiece. Erriu has crafted something truly extraordinary – a story that feels both timeless and revolutionary. The slow-burn romance, the intricate magic system, the breathtaking world-building – everything comes together in perfect cosmic alignment.

This book isn't just a top five – it's a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event that readers won't want to miss. The way Erriu crafts her characters, especially the delicious dynamic between Elara and Lorenzo, is simply *chef's kiss* perfection. Their story will have you believing in the power of love to defy even the cruel machinations of gods.

Imani, please keep blessing us with more of your magical worlds and captivating characters – I'll be first in line for every book in this series!

✧・゜: *✧・゜:* A resplendent five-star masterpiece that will leave you starry-eyed and craving more *:・゜✧*:・゜✧

DNF at 20%. The prose was just too flowery and I couldn't concentrate on it. Really struggled with the narration and info dumping. It just wasn't for me.

4.25! Well well well, what do we have here but the catalyst for my transformation into a romantasy girlie? Perhaps.

I was lucky enough to snag an indie copy of HEAVENLY BODIES not long after it’s self publication, and I’ve been so looking forward to diving back into Celestia, our world of Stars that walk among their worshippers in lands governed and inspired by the western astrological zodiacs. And I was NOT disappointed!

We follow Elara and Enzo, star-crossed lovers in the very literal sense, on a quest to kill Ariete, the King of Stars for the curse of violence and misfortune he’s raining down on the world of Celestia - oh, and for the fact that Elara is prophesies to fall in love with him and it will kill them both.

Aside from the general swoon-ery going on, I think the thing I enjoyed most about this book is Elara, our “shadow mommy” narrator. She’s the sweeping and gorgeous protagonist of our story, fleeing her homeland of Asteria after Ariete, the King of Stars murders her parents over a prophecy, and falls into the hands of the King of Helios in their domain, one of the main purveyor’s of violence and persecution against Elara’s people for their worship and connection to Darkness over Light. But Elara is not our usual romantasy heroine, cursed with stunning looks and a powerful inability to be self sufficient, nor is she JUST the supremely talented fighter with a tough as nails warrior vibe. No. Elara is deeply human, emotional, she’s learned to hide her feelings for being called weak, and one of my favourite things about this story was how it centred on Elara understanding that being emotional and compassionate is a strength, and that to claim her own power she must first claim all of herself. The Dark does not exist without the Light, and vice versa. This is a powerful heart for this romantic fantasy to have, and one I deeply enjoyed seeing on the page.

Of course, the romance itself was giving me all the tropes I knew I wanted and expected going into this book, and then some. It’s the enemies to lovers, its ‘touch him OR her and you die’ it’s the he falls first AND hardest (Enzo is so down bad crying at the gym it’s unreal), it’s ‘we’re not attracted to each other we just made out because of a spell PFFTT’, it’s giving ‘if you could change your fate, would you?’ because fate turned out to be the hulking mass of Lorenzo, Prince of Helios.

Sure, there were moments when the descriptions of his muscles were gratuitous, where Enzo is the arrogant romancer, and when the sexual tension seemed to be getting a little in the way of driving the plot forward, the romance served cliche at times but it also has d great depth, and that’s what I was wanting. Their connection was also something that made this story so fun. I loved seeing Elara bite and snap at Enzo, and I loved seeing Enzo slowly warm up the cold facade she protects herself with. Their relationship was amazing and I loved how clear and direct their communication often was - Imani says NO to miscommunication!

The plot was also compelling, and to be honest I’d forgotten the twist at the end so I’m SO keen to see how it all pans out in FALLEN STARS! The pacing was quick, with short chapters that I devoured in quick sittings because I’m sure there was something addictive woven into the words. I will say that the start seemed a touch slower than the remaining 75%, and once things kicked off they REALLY kicked off with a lot of twists and turns, so the pacing of the first few chapters could probably have been tweaked.

But Imani’s worldbuilding is rich, and lushly described, and I for one enjoyed the real, fallible nature of the Stars - so often in fantasy the gods and goddesses are far off entities, omnipresent but untouchable. Here, in Celestia, they are among their crowds and people and as touchable as they are flawed. I really enjoyed the reveal for Elara and Enzo towards the end, and thought that the breadcrumbs woven all the way through the story were well placed to pique interest (bc you’ve got to have main plot alongside the h0rny scenes, or course)

I also enjoyed the deep sense of female kinship within this book - Elara forms deep bonds with some of the women side characters in this story and it was heartening to see a fantasy romance where the female lead values her friendships and sisterhoods as much as she does her romantic interest.

Overall, I had a great time with this one!

I had high hopes for this book after a friend of mine rated it 5*. For me, this is a 3.5* read. I love the idea of the book, the stars, the story, the direction it was heading, and the characters, but I feel it was lacking in so many ways. I didn't like the way the book jumped between events with no interim. An example is when Elara and Enzo argued at Isras' place, there was no journey back to the palace, and just jumped from a very intense scene to a light-hearted one back at the palace I would loved to have seen the journey back, the thought process of the characters or characters as they made their way back. It felt like something was missing throughout the book, and I was missing important elements. I would have loved more depth and a story and fewer descriptions of things (there were a lot of descriptions).. However, the ending and the events leafing up to it were very good and I can see where the next book is going.

I had so much fun with this one—there’s magic, romance, witty banter, and a heroine I couldn’t help but root for. I’ve been excited to dive into Heavenly Bodies, and it absolutely delivered on many levels.

Let’s start with Elara, the main character. She’s everything I love in a heroine—strong, confident, and flawed enough to feel real. She makes mistakes, but she owns them, and that made her super relatable. Then there’s Enzo. Oh, Enzo. He’s broody, charming, and just the right amount of cocky. The banter between Elara and Enzo is electric and adds a lot of charm to the narrative. Their dynamic kept me engaged even when the plot momentum wavered.

The magic system was another highlight. It struck this perfect balance of being unique enough to feel fresh but not so complex that I was confused. It’s woven into the story really well, so you can just enjoy it without needing a whole glossary.

The world building in this book is a blend of the familiar and the new, with a magic system that feels comfortably intuitive while also offering unique twists- the perfect combination, in my opinion. The magic system was interesting and just complex enough to be refreshing and interesting, without being too heavy. The meddling celestial beings, a core element of the plot, bring a deliciously chaotic energy that adds stakes and intrigue.

Now, the actual plot. The book throws you straight into the action. The entire history and events of what happened to Elara and her family are dropped in the first chapter, and the rest of the backstory are set up right away so that it dives right into the action. I loved that there were moments of calm between all the action- it gave the characters a chance to shine (no pun intended) and their personalities to come through. I wish that more of the characters -Leo, Merissa, Isra- had played a bigger role in the moments of calm. I wanted to see more of their interactions and personalities outside of the action.

Onto the romance. Enemies-to-lovers it was, but I wouldn’t categorize it as “slow burn.” The chemistry between Elara and Enzo escalates quickly, with their “enemies” status quickly feeling more like light bickering than genuine conflict. I’m all for developing relationships, but some of the things that they said to each other were downright unforgivable without some serious groveling… and at their next interaction, it was like it hadn’t happened at all. I loved Elara, I loved Enzo, and I loved what their relationship became… but the journey was definitely a little bumpy. Not a huge drawback though- by the last few chapters, I was fully invested in their relationship.

I had such a great time reading this book- and after that ending, I’m very impatiently waiting for book 2!

Wow! This book was amazing. From the beginning I was hooked.

The world was so well built in this and I love some good world building. It definitely felt like it was well thought out.

This book was a fantastic slow burn 🥵. I just wanted to shout at the mc’s to kiss already! The sexual tension between these two was incredible!

I loved this book so much! And I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thanks netgalley for sending this my way.

Heavenly Bodies is an otherworldly adventure with stunning world building all contained in a romantasy novel.

I enjoyed Heavenly Bodies, I didn’t think I would, there was one line at the start that made me cringe inside but I carried on and I was reworded. Erriu strikes a perfect balance between romance and fantasy, creating a rich world with an interesting mythology, detailed world building and a magic system you want to be a part of. But at the same time it’s very easy to understand, you’re not struggling at all reading Heavenly Bodies with Erriu easing you into all the concepts.

Enzo is just perfect, I love an MMC that is just totally obsessed with his girl, I’m a sucker for the whole “will do anything for her” energy that he exudes. Enzo and Elaras relationship is also so cute and in my opinion well done, there’s a level of trust in the relationship that makes it so believable.

I’m so angry at myself for not finding this book when it was indie published, because that ending… I don’t know what to do.

Thank you to Penguin, Imani Erriu and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.. the relationship between the characters was strong as was their communication and I was all here for it... the plot was fast paced and exciting and definitely a page turner.. can't wait for the next book.

All the stars in the sky!!

Romance, mythology, fantasy, star-crossed lovers - this book has it all!!

At first I was slightly confused at being thrown in to what felt like mid-way through an already begun story, but this swiftly changed as alliances were formed and truths started to emerge.

I loved the world building, and the descriptions of both Helios and Asteria, although I'd love to see more of the other worlds as the series progresses.

The ending? I won't say much other than..
I NEED to read the next installment. NOW!

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to the re-publishing of this book via netgalley.

I recieved this book as an ARC through Net-Galley, which I am grateful for but this does not influence my opinion on this book. It just so happens that Heavenly Bodies was absolutely brilliant and had me hooked from the get-go.

This book is my new obsession, I truly feel as though it altered my brain chemistry. I understand it's been indie-published prior but I had not read it nor engaged with any content surrounding the book/the characters so I went into this entirely blind. I have never been more gagged than I was throughout.

Mark my words, this book - this series - is going to be the next ACOTAR / Throne of Glass. It's going to have everyone by their necks as the series progresses. After finishing this book, I had to sit in the dark with a hot drink and take a moment to digest EVERYTHING that happened because I felt personally invested in it all. The stakes for book two are raised and I am sat, waiting for it to fall into my grubby little hands.

The next time I'm asked for a fantasy rec, THIS is what i'll be sending someones way. I'll buy them a copy myself if I have to, if only to have someone else to gush over the characters, the plot, the worldbuilding to.

I really enjoyed the vibes of this book. The magic system was easy to understand, I think the romance was easy to see from the start but that was fine as the tension was great.

Excited to see what this author does next!

✨3 stars✨

The summary of this books had so much potential especially with the Stars having such a big part in the plot and the powers that went along with them.

However, I found the pacing to be a little off. In the description of this book it claims to be an enemies to lovers but this relationship happened too quickly. I prefer enemies to lovers that develops a lot slower than this book personally.

As a result, I think a lot of people would enjoy this book a lot more than me especially if this is a genre that you normally reach for!

I received an ARC via NetGalley from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

What a journey this was. From start to finish I was hooked. The world building and characters were fab. Also that ending!!!! So much that can happen going forward and I am excited to read it!

R E V I E W

Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu

☆☆☆☆.5

Advanced Reader Copy graciously provided by Penguin General UK via Netgalley.

After seeing a lot of praise for this book, which is about to be traditionally published in the UK, I was keen to dive in and see if it lived up to the hype. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed Heavenly Bodies, a star-crossed enemies-to-lovers story festooned with a whole host of other popular tropes.

From a very young age, Princess Elara Bellereve was kept hidden away in the kingdom of Asteria, away from the eyes of her court with little to no explanation as to why. When an illicit outing reveals Elara's involvement in a hidden prophecy, one that foretells her own future entwined with the love and death of the King of Stars, Elara finally understands why she has been sequestered away all this time. But when that very Star learns of the fabled prophecy, Elara suddenly finds herself alone in the foreign enemy kingdom of Helios after the death of her family. Commited to taking down the all-powerful stars, the King of Helios is determined to transform Elara into his own personal weapon, shaped and trained by his son to bring down the King of Stars.

This was a well-written captivating read with an interesting story arc as Elara and Enzo, the prince of Helios, put aside their differences in order to battle the stars. The development of their relationship from enemies to friends and then more felt natural, although in light of their initial sharp-tongued meeting, their enmity didn't last as long as I would have liked. The side characters were interwoven seamlessly into the plot, adding a found family element to the narrative and the run-ins with the different Stars made for an intriguing concept, with each star seemingly having their own agenda.

This book felt quite long, as though it could have been fleshed out and split into 3 separate installments; nevertheless, I found myself rushing towards the conclusion, hoping to find some resolution to the problem of the dreaded prophecy and Elara and Enzo's contradictory but clear love. The last portion of the book held a lot of revelations, some that could have been laid out with more care. However, despite this, I eagerly await the next book in the series.

I was really intrigued to read this book now that it has been traditionally published. I felt engaged with Elara and I thought her character had depth, however the relationship between her and Enzo fell a little flat for me. Both characters were strongly written yet the dynamic between them felt rushed and a little too tropey for me. I know the book promotes itself with its use of tropes however, I think there can be a time when they came one after another and it fell flat.
On a positive note, the side character were wonderful and really added to the story. Perfectly done. I loved the magic and the ideas about the Gods in each location. Beautiful environmental descriptions and magic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Elara has been bound by a prophecy from birth. She is destined to fall in love with a Star, a ruthless god-like creature, which will lead them both to their deaths. When the Star finds out, he attempts to kill Elara and everyone she loves, so she is forced to flee. She ends up in enemy hands, hidden from the Stars, and trained by the prince to awaken her dark and shadow magic to become a weapon to defeat the Star.

Imani weaves such a beautifully magical story of star crossed lovers with elemental and celestial magic bound by a cruel fate, and I really love the concept of a celestial fantasy world.

The plot twists throughout the second half will have you reeling and overall this is a stunning debut fantasy romance and excellent start to what promises to be an epic series.

Some of my favourite tropes included in this book!
- enemies to lovers
- slow burn
- political plotting
- fated mates
- plot twists

This story is a very intriguing blend of mythology and astrology, mainly following the trope of enemies to lovers. I was hooked from the start and just couldn't put it down!

Elara has been bound by a prophecy from birth. She is destined to fall in love with a Star, a ruthless god-like creature, which will lead them both to their deaths. When the Star finds out, he attempts to kill Elara and everyone she loves, so she is forced to flee. She ends up in enemy hands, hidden from the Stars, and trained by the prince to awaken her dark and shadow magic to become a weapon to defeat the Star.

I really love the concept of a celestial fantasy world! The vibe reminded me a little of the "Daughter of a Moon Goddess" series - which I also really recommend. However, I would have loved some more world-building. I feel like there was space for more depth about this universe. I also thought that the ending was a bit rushed. It was full of twists - which were very interesting - but also slightly difficult to follow at times. I wish there was less going on, or that it took on a slower pace at the end, as I did get slightly confused.

Overall, this was still a very enjoyable read with great character dynamics. I'm excited to dive into the next book and see where the events take us next.

4⭐

Thank you Erriu and Netgalley and Pengiun for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since i joined Booktok, I have seen this floating around, so when ibsae it was on Netgalley and it was going to be traditionally published I JUMPED on the chance to read this.

I am so happy to say this was my 5 star book of november. I wasn't disappointed. Though it did feel like this could have been 2 books, but I still enjoyed myself.

To begin with, this has a slow start, but after 30% it was starting to pick up and i didn't want to out it down.

It's books like these that remind why i love fantasy romance.

✨️enemies to lovers
✨️slow burn
✨️political plotting
✨️fated mates
✨️plot twists EVERYWHERE

Elara was such a badass fmc. She knew when she could be vulnerable, she knew when she needed her strength.

Enzo... loved him. To see his nightmare and a child. He childhood flashback, that was tough to read. But to see him take control .. wow.🥵 I just hope he's okay.

I would have enjoyed Leo scenes and see more of his story. And see if there's any chemistry between him and Merissa.

3🌶️ 4⭐️
* Enemies to lovers
* Fated Mates
* Slowww burn
* Touch-her-and-💀

When Princess Elara is kidnapped into an enemy kingdom she is forced to ally with her former foe, Prince Lorenzo, to plot the destruction of the Stars, the Gods and Goddesses who rule mercilessly over the kingdoms and their subjects.

Elara and Lorenzo are both more than what they seem, born enemies they both have powers and secrets buried deep. As they grow closer, their destinies become entwined in unexpected ways as they prepare to battle celestial war, prophesy and their own predetermined fates…

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!

I admittedly did a whole 180 on this book. I felt it started slow, I didn’t immediately warm to the characters and magic system. BUT, when it got going I really began to enjoy it! The 🌶️ was moderate but well done and the slow burn was 👌🏻. As a fantasy, I would maybe rate it lower, I felt it lacked some world building, but reading through a romance lens it was so good so all in all rounds off as a really solid Romantasy!

I’m looking forward to the continuation of Elara and Enzo’s story in Fallen Stars ✨.

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK and Viking UK for letting me review this ARC.

The story follows Elara and Lorenzo who are royalty from enemy kingdoms. This book had everything I could want in a fantasy book: a prophecy, scheming characters, a cool magic system and amazing side characters. The banter between our two main characters made me blush at some points and kick my feet giggling at other points.

The last 30% of this book were a wild ride with so many twists and turns that kept me on my toes, I literally couldn’t put it down. You know it’s a great book when you stay up late to finish it! I just can’t believe that we’ll have to wait a year for the next one!

I will say that the pacing felt a bit off in the middle of the book, and there were some parts that probably could’ve been removed/made shorter. However, they all added to Enzo and Elara’s characters and their relationship, so I still really enjoyed them.

If you’re looking for your next Romantasy book with strong female characters, an intriguing magic system and plot twists that make you gasp out loud this book is for you.