<i>Cage of Starlight</i> is one of those books I knew absolutely nothing about when I started it. I forgot to read the description and just let it blindside me with whatever story it wanted to tell. And I liked it!
At its core, it's nothing really new: There's an authoritarian regime, there's a rebellion, and two lovers that start out as enemies are thrown into the thick of it and inadvertently become important figures in the fight for justice. But Arbeaux does her own spin on this old tale. While the Evil Regime is clearly only Evil and I would have loved more nuance here, I did enjoy that the rebels aren't portrayed as the perfect group fighting for the perfect goal. There's a lot more realism and moral ambiguity involved, which elevates it from many other fictional rebellions in romantasy. The world-building is well-done though I remained a bit confused about some things, like the magic and political system. O often felt that important aspects of the world were underexplained and I couldn't really picture them clearly in my mind or makes sense of them.
I did very much enjoyed our two main characters. The book is written from Tory's perspective, a healer who might be much more than just a healer and who is caught and imprisoned in order to turn him into a weapon useable by the aforementioned Evil Regime. His captor is Sena, son of the Leader of said Evil Regime and at first seemingly loyal to a fault to him. Both of them are likeable, nuanced and complex. I enjoyed both their development as characters on their own and the slow relationship building between them. It's mostly actual slow-burn and their relationship makes sense within the context of their world and their roles in it. Sena especially tugged at my heartstrings more than I would have expected.
There are some likeable side characters, but neither of them is incredibly fleshed out. But I enjoyed them and felt for them. I liked the primary Surprise Antagonist, too, and enjoyed the twists about him.

All in all a beautiful start to what I think might be a duology or series, at least the ending definitely doesn't wrap up the story. Likeable characters, a romance full of yearning and tragedy, beautiful writing and an interesting world - give this one a try!
3,5 stars, rounding up to 4.

It was my first introduction to the author, and I was very pleased to find it to my tastes: a nice merge of things like in SFF, queer yearning, character-focused narrative, nice worldbuilding. I'll be on the lookout for more from the author!

2.5🌟 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊.

I enjoyed Arbeaux's first book, Lord of the Empty Isles (a queer, low-key sci-fi novel about found-family and eco rebellion), but I didn't get on with Cage of Starlight nearly so well.

Tory Arknett is an unregistered healer living on the fringes of society. Though he has lived by a rule of never putting down roots or getting attached to a place, he's not as good at following that rule as he thinks. When a particularly showy bit of healing attracts the attention of the governing military, he's taken in by Sena Vantaras. Tory is prodded and probed and fitted with a kill switch, and trained up in an academy/prison setting to fight as fodder in a war against some rebels. Though there's plenty of animosity at first, Tory comes to realise that Sena (with his uniform, title and restrained countenance) might not be as free as he first thought. Perhaps they even have a few things in common...

The magic system has something to do with ancient star beasts and seeds and made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever - simultaneously overexplained and underexplained, it was never tangible enough to grasp hold of. There was the nugget of something interesting hidden amidst the viney tendrils, but it never quite made its way through.

The rebellion lore was also ill-defined. Why are these people fighting? Why have so many been thrown in prison? It's not enough to stick in a one-dimensional fascist villain (who barely features) and tell them all to have at it. A couple of characters turn out to be SUPER POWERFUL (we're talking chosen-one territory) and nobody around them really seems to care? I think with a book like this, you have a certain set of expectations going in, and when they're not met you're left kind of stumped.

It contains some nice ideas and images, but structurally doesn't really hold together. When I learned the author had drafted the second half of the book first it actually made a lot of sense. That's where all the interesting stuff happens!

The main characters are well-written and dynamic and complex. I think Arbeaux actually excels at writing in the grey areas. It was the world-building that let it down for me. I just couldn't see it.

I'm struggling to verbalise this one - I will start by saying I did enjoy it ... BUT ... for me, who is a fantasy reader and not a sci fi reader at all, this one felt like it crossed genres a bit. It does have a fantasy feel but it's also quite dystopian (a corrupt leader / government that is mistreating it's people in the name of war) and sci fi (the language around abilities, implanted devices to track / destroy people, devices of war that have been created to kill) - like it all ties back to their magic but it was tricky for me to get into for this reason, and it was a slower read for me.

I loved Tory and his reluctant chosen one vibes, the found family that has but isn't sure if they actually like him, because he thinks he's so unlikeable. He's sassy and devil may care, but he is hell bent on surviving no matter the cost. He's a great MMC!
But I also loved Sena, he needs a hug! He is convinced of his evilness thanks to his abilities, his family, his role in the military. The untouchable Rogue from X Men vibes broke my heart a little bit.
And these two together, two sad boys who kind of hate each other until they warm up to each other and become friends that think they aren't friends because neither of them deserves it, until their eyes linger and they feel warm when the other smiles - perfection. I love yearning, slow burn, will they won't they and the hint of something more and this ticked the box for me.

In terms of the world and plot, we've got a military facility, a war (which could do with a little more explaining for me and some development of the 'other side'), an evil dictator, rebels who may or may not be doing the right thing for the right reasons, and some fierce protective vibes between our MMCs as they grow to like each other.

I would read something by this author again for sure but I would want to go in with a better understanding of the genre I guess, because it was tricky for me to wrap my head around and I'd want to do it when it suits me.

This book kept me hooked, and I enjoyed the worldbuilding, the magic system, and how the two protagonists found their identities within that system. They are both engaging characters, although in the first part of the book, I found Tory to be rather one-note emotionally (that did change in the second half of the book, though). The relationship between the two characters is pitch-perfect: not sweet and sappy, but perfectly in character.

My only real issue with the book is that it's too violent for my tastes. They want peace, but they're going to war to get it... I've seen that play out too many times in the real world, and it never ends well, so I don't enjoy seeing 'a just war' romanticised in fiction.

An incredibly well crafted story which swept me up and transported me to a dystopian land, where those with magic are conscripted to the army and kept under lock and key. I loved Tory and Sena’s story and slowly getting to know them both better through the book, as they open up but also as they face challenges at every turn. It may seem like they’re on opposite sides but do they really know each other?

The enemies element was really strong and gifts us a really slow burn romance that hit all the right notes without these characters ever even kissing! An absolute feat from Jules Arbeaux, who crafted something incredibly hopeful in Tory and Sena. A magnificent book with equally magnificent main and side characters. Even better than Lord of the Empty Isles, with just as much emotion, plenty of secrets, and unlikely love.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

Cage of Starlight grabbed my attention right off the bat and didn't let me go for a single page. Seriously. Usually when I read I take breaks every other chapter, but I couldn't put this down for literal hours!!

The plot is fast-paced and action-packed, with a lots of suspense and tension. Tory is constantly in dangerous situations; while he's constantly planning ways to escape, he also doesn't take shit from anyone, and is more than willing to antagonise Sena just for the sake of it.

The cover is giving cozy high fantasy vibes, so I was pretty surprised by how high tech and militaristic the setting is. A lot of it takes place in a high tech military training facility, and guns are pretty commonplace in this world. This isn't to say that this book is all dystopian gloom; there are some really intimate, magical moments, that feel all the more precious contrasted with the intense high stakes of everything else.

Speaking of intimate moments, let's talk about the romance! This one is a little complicated. The author has described the relationship in this book as "enemies to lovers", but Tory and Sena's relationship didn't read as romantic to me. They definitely start off as enemies; sometimes you read something pitched as enemies to lovers and the "enemies" just argue a little while making eyes at each other, but in this case Tory feels pure, unadulterated loathing for Sena from the second they meet.

I feel that enemies to lovers can be hit or miss, depending on how it's executed, but in this case the author did a wonderful job. I love how Tory and Sena gradually deepen their understanding of each other, and the way they grew closer over the course of the story felt very natural. While I don't feel like their relationship is romantic, it can certainly be read that way, and regardless, the relationship development is brilliant and also better than a lot of enemies to lovers romances out there.

This is a standalone novel. The ending wraps it up pretty well but there is definitely room for a sequel. I am being so serious when I say this, if the author wants to write another book following Tory and Sena I AM SO DOWN PLEASE I'LL READ ANYTHING I NEED THEM TO STAY TOGETHER FOREVER.

Obviously, I'm chill and normal about this book. Go read it y'all <3

DNF 20%

While the summary intrigued me, I found the first chapters very slow, and the worldbuilding info-dump that we got right at the start didn't help. However, I found Tory to be a very intriguing character, so I might give this book another chance in audio format.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc.

Jules Arbeaux could write a dictionary and I would read it ok. Lord of the empty isles was one of my favorite book of last year. And Cage of starlight will be in my top 5 too.

I would kill people for Tory and Sena’s happiness. Like. I had to put the book down multiple times just to take a breath. This book made them go through a meat grinder, BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAD A LITTLE RESPITE and it was amazing.

Tory had to hide all is life, running away from the military who is hunting people like him who have powers. He lives a quiet life until an incident forces him to flees his safe place, aaaand he got captured by none other than Sena. Another being with similar power as Tory but Sena was born into the military, he had no choice but to join.

Their relationship is not the best from the start but little by little they start seeing something in each other, and it was just beautiful.

I won’t say more but, I loved how the story went, loved how protective they were of each other and I cannot wait to reread it.

3.5/5 stars

Cage of Starlight is a standalone queer fantasy from Jules Arbeaux. Tory Arknett is a young runaway with secret healing magic, hiding his power so he won’t be conscripted into his country’s unnecessary war. But when he is discovered and captured by Sena Vantaras the youngest son of the warlord dictator, he is sent to a training facility then to the frontlines of the war. After a botched mission leaves them both stranded in enemy territory, they must work together if they want to survive and earn both their freedoms.

I loved the author’s debut novel, the devastatingly beautiful Lord of the Empty Isles, a queer-platonic science fiction that reads like a fantasy. This time around, Jules Arbeaux has written a fantasy that reads like a YA dystopian science fiction. Unfortunately, I have mostly moved past this phase of my reading and didn’t like it quite as much. The far-too-complex magic system comes across like superpowers and the presence of so much science and technology and the typical militaristic government made this comparison all too accurate. The plot is slow to progress yet each story beat somehow feels like it’s going too fast as well. There’s a lot of action, some tists and turns, and a few frustratingly YA-feeling moments. While telling a standalone story, the book leaves us off with an impression of it being the first of a series.

The best part of the book is its two main protagonists, seen in limited dual PoV that mostly follows Tory. Tory is brash, emotional, and impulsive, often reacting before he thinks things through. Sena is closed off and in control, raised to be an example and used by his father as another tool in his ongoing war. In Sena, Tory sees the worst type of person that allows themself to be used to perpetuate evil. In Tory, Sena sees the person he can never be—someone who acts how he feels and connects with others. But as they are forced to see each other’s perspectives, they grow to understand and learn to trust each other. They are both relatable and understandable characters that you will want to root for despite some frustrating traits. Although there is an Achillean romance between them, it is mostly just suggested and they don’t even kiss or go so far as to admit any feelings to each other.

Cage of Starlight is not exactly the queer romantic fantasy it was advertised to be.

*Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC via NetGalley

This book and I don't match for some reason. It's a pity. Lord of the Empty Isles was one of my favourite books of last year. I was therefore really looking forward to this one. I kept on hoping that the book would grab me at some point. That something would happen to change my feelings on this book. There just is a point where I can no longer wait.

The main issue of this book is the world building. I'm almost halfway and I still don't really understand what's going on. There is a lot of info in the beginning. Maybe a lot of it was explained there, but the explanation didn't stick. I have issues understanding what those people are fighting for, who they are fighting against and how this situation could happen.

And because I felt a little lost in the world, I also had issues connecting with the characters. I just didn't feel a connection. Both the main characters clearly had their fair share of hurt and pain in their life, but since we only get snippets of their past, it's hard to understand them and their reasons for doing things, saying things and taking certain risks.

I was also waiting for the plot to catch up with the summary of it. The moment promised however, where both characters are sent on a mission and will have to choose between freedom and living, still has not happened.

I therefore noticed that picking up this book was hard. It felt like a chore. And I decided that both I and the book don't deserve that. I'm sure there are a lot of people who will enjoy this book, I saw some really positive reviews, but this book and I are not a match and I gave up hope that it will happen later in the story.

With Jules Arbeaux's Cage of Starlight, we're in very much the same territory as we were with her debut Lord of the Empty Isles: a central enemies-to-friends arc (though here, there's a hint of asexual romance), both fantasy and SF elements, and the exploration of potentially destructive magic. I was interested to learn in the afterword that Arbeaux in fact wrote this novel first, and Lord of the Empty Isles does, in my opinion, have richer, more original world building. Cage of Starlight occupies familiar SFF territory, focusing on 'Seeds', members of the population who are forcibly drafted into a war against another fantasy kingdom because of their powers. Our protagonist Tory has tried his best to hide his abilities, but when he's caught by scout Sena Vantaras, he's sent to a training camp where, if he does not escape, he's sure he'll meet death on the front line. Surprisingly, though, as he gets to know Sena, he realises that Sena is as much a prisoner of his magic as he is, and neither of them really understand what they can do. The magic system here feels much more well-worn than the 'tethers' in Lord of the Empty Isles, and the final quarter of the novel is the usual SFF showdown; I'm not a huge fan of action, so this never does much for me. Nevertheless, Tory is an endearing protagonist, I liked the exploration of a platonic romantic bond, and overall, this was fun escapism. 3.5 stars.

3.5 stars

Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to netgalley and the publisher for gifting me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I genuinely think this is a great book and I truly hope it gets a lot of attention because I feel so many readers will absolutely LOVE it. It is a wonderful blend of fantasy and science fiction with also a sense of dystopian peeking through.

the highlight of this book for me was definitely Tory and Sena. I think the growth of their relationship and friendship was beautiful to see and although I wouldn’t say it was very romance heavy, you could definitely see the building of this amazing love between them. individually I thought they were both such strong characters, each with their own things to work through and build on. I love how their powers complimented each other too, I felt it was very symbolic of how they compliment each other as people.

the powers were definitely interesting and I enjoyed seeing the different powers in this world and also finding out more about Tory and Sena’s in particular. However, I did feel like I got slightly confused with aspects of this world building and the magic/powers. it felt like we had a lot thrown at us from the start which was helpful but at times a bit too much, leading to my confusion - however this could just be a me thing and not an issue for others! I wouldn’t say the confusion hindered any enjoyment of this for me anyway.

I enjoyed how the story developed and wrapped up as a stand-alone but with potential for more. I do think it was a strong plot, but it wasn’t always clicking for me. I felt a lot more of a connection to the characters than the plot itself, again this is probably just a personal thing and I wouldn’t let it put you off as the plot does have a lot of features that readers would definitely enjoy. it could just be that it felt more sci-fi to me at times, more than I was anticipating, which is a genre I’m not as used to. this did get better as we got further into the book and the action started happening as I was more engaged then.

overall, this was a solid read and I would definitely recommend!

I am finding this a really, really tough one to review and I wish I could rate it higher because it had some truly strong points going for it. Some of the issues are probably just a matter of taste and reading preferences, but I do also think there were a few more technical thing that made this a little hard to get through.

First and foremost, our main characters Tory and Sena are fantastic. Both are multi facetted characters who are in ways total opposites and yet also have plenty in common which also makes them a great duo. I'd argue that this book is very light on the romance side but the slow burn was nonetheless well done and I generally loved how their enemies to allies dynamic gradually grew. The writing was well done and I liked the premise of this book.

The first issue I had has the pacing and info dumping. It was extremely slow to get the ball rolling, at around 25% I felt that I had read close to nothing but world building and explanations around the magic system. At around 65%, I felt very much the same. It was as though more than half of the book was a set up and the actual meat of the plot just wouldn't take off. But what makes it even worse, for all the worldbuilding and intricate magic system, I feel like I only have the vaguest idea of what this world is meant to be like.

I kind of went into this thinking it's more of a high fantasy setting but the magic system feels very much more like science fiction. There's more science than magic going on here. And that's fine! It's just that I am still unsure which of the two it's meant to be The original set up, the lore and general vibe feels like it's more of a medieval-esque setting. And yet the magic is largely based on psychic abilities and there are plenty of human experiements, high tech devices and weapons. So as far as world building goes, I am utterly confused.

Then there is the magic system - we spend so much time explaining how it works but it remains a vague concept to me. This also didn't help with the battle scenes and devices. There are items that are part plant and part machine or crystal - they're vaguely described as balls but they are vines wrapped around a crystal. They are extremely dangerous but I don't understand what it is they do or where they come from exactly. It's a device but it's also implied that it may have a mind of its own. From the moment they were mentioned to the last chapter, I did not understand their purpose, their origin, how they function or what exactly they looked like. And I fel tmuch the same about wider battle scenes. So much was happening and action scenes aren't always the most straight forward to write but I just spent so much time confused.

So, ultimately, I felt almost everything was extremely over and under explained - too much in some areas, not enough areas. That also made this a pretty slow read to get through and it is just such a shame as I truly enjoyed the characters. I will say that I personally would have liked just a wee bit m ore romance, but I think I understand what the author was aiming for and there are also plenty of readers out there who prefer no to little romance, so this is truly just a personal preference.

Cage of Starlight was my first read from Jules Arbeaux and I'll be picking up their previous title for certain!

We follow Tory as he's imprisoned by the government and forced to work for the military, stuck with a piece of tech that can kill him if he misbehaves. He's paired up with Sena who oversees him during his training and after they both end up stranded after a mission gone wrong they have to make some difficult decisions between life and freedom.

The world building can be a bit overwhelming at first, however, as Rory learns more about his abilities so do we as the audience and it answers so many questions without overwhelming you. The magic systems were intriguing and the differences in ideologies between the factions and their treatment of the magic users but also how they used magic was super interesting.

The characters were such a standout for me and Tory was my absolute favourite, compassionate and hotheaded in a wonderful mix. Sena grows on you as you uncover more about him throughout the story and there's a whole host of side characters to love.

Thanks to Netgalley + Hodder and Stoughton for this arc.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I absolutely loved Jules Arbeaux’ debut novel; the way they write complicated people and the relationships between them is so very special to me.
It’s not about the magic, it’s not really about the world building; it’s about Tory and Sena, and the hurt between them.

I didn’t love this as much as Lord of the Empty Isles, but it was still a fantastic story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75⭐️

When I read Arbeaux's debut last year, I fell in love with their writing and it quickly became my joint favourite book of all time. As such, this was a very anticipated read for me, and I was very excited to dive in. And - for the most part - it did not disappoint!

One of Arbeaux's greatest strengths is their ability to write emotion, and this really shone in Cage of Starlight. And their strength lies not only in writing the characters' complex and nuanced emotions, and leading readers to become irreversibly attached and fall in love with them, but in how they produce emotions within the reader. Reading this felt like a visceral experience for me in the best of ways. I grew so attached to Tory and Sena that I felt their emotions alongside them, felt their pain as vividly as if it were my own, and cheered for them right through to their end. I think, on the whole, visceral is an excellent word to describe this story. Tory and Sena have both suffered immensely, and are now left fighting tooth and nail for freedom and agency, and its raw and brutal and emotional and heartbreaking, and yet still somehow beautiful and filled with hope and determination.

I fell in love with Tory's character immediately, and loved seeing a slightly different take on a protagonist. He's angry and hurting and scared to let others in and he never stops fighting, which I admired greatly. I also loved the asexual representation with him (I'm aroace, so this made me very happy), and very much enjoyed his gentle and subtle romantic bond with Sena alongside this. Speaking of Sena, his character may have broken me, in all the best ways. He, again, is a slightly different take on a protagonist, with a nuanced and layered backstory (that I do wish we got to see more of) which made his character so complex. Sena too is hurting and scared and his journey to finding hope again and allowing himself to indulge in freedom was beautiful. But I love him most for the neurodivergent representation. There's no confirmation on what sort of neurodivergent Sena is exactly, but as an autistic person, I related to him immensely and found such comfort in the representation. The representation was so thoughtful, and clearly so important to Arbeaux, and I adored seeing sensory issues and social struggles woven into this sci-fi/fantasy melded adventure. Whilst I think the character work with Tory and Sena was really strong, I don't think the side characters were as strong as those in Lord of the Empty Isles, and I found it much harder to connect with them.

The world in this book - based upon plants and energies and with subtle hints of science - is very expansive and complex, and a little tricky to get your head around at times, and I think does sometimes lean more towards sci-fi than fantasy, which I didn't mind at all! There's a lot of information on the worldbuilding and magic system fed to the reader at once at the start of the novel, which I usually would critique, but, even though it was a lot to wrap my head around, I actually didn't mind it! We spend most of the first part of the book in solely Tory's POV, and he doesn't know any of this information either, so I thought this worldbuilding method was actually quite effective with connecting readers with Tory and his journey and the new world he's acclimatising too. In a similar vein, I thought the plot of this book was strong, and worked with a similar effect to the worldbuilding. Tory and Sena spend most of the book in the dark about what is going on, piecing together the threads of intrigue themselves, as we readers do so alongside them, and I thought this was particularly effective for some of the antagonists' motivations and reveals.

This is also an intensely political book, just like Lord of the Empty Isles was, and I think the social commentaries were handled excellently. This book tackles some heavy themes, and tackles them with respect and force and determination in the best of ways, weaving activism throughout this tale of rebellion and agency. Arbeaux tackles incarceration and labour camps, forced conscription and a world upturned by the military, imprisonment and agency, and the nuances of rebellion and the consequences of corruption. The interweaving of social commentaries is another of Arbeaux's greatest strengths, and it was definitely a standing out point of this book.

I desperately wanted to give this book 5⭐️ for all that it made me feel, and in my soul it deserves those stars, but I can't deny that I just wanted a bit more out of it. I wanted more out of Tory and Sena's backstories. I wanted more expansion on the worldbuilding and the war and how that all came to be. I wanted some plot points to be tidied up a bit and expanded upon. I just wanted more. This book is officially a standalone, but Arbeaux has said they left it open for possibly writing more in the future, and I desperately hope that they do. To me, this book didn't feel like a standalone (though I do think it can be read mostly satisfyingly as one), but instead felt like the start of something bigger, something incredible, and I think a sequel would allow space to expand upon the things I found to be a bit lacking or messy in this book. I want to spend more time with Tory and Sena and their sweet, slowly blooming bond. I want to see this world expand and dive more into the politics and war and see the oppressive system crumble. I just adored this story and this world so much and desperately want more of it because I know Arbeaux is incredible and there is so much potential here!

Overall, I did absolutely adore this book and was completely hooked from the very start. With excellent protagonists, nuanced social commentary, unique worldbuilding, this original sci-fi and fantasy blend was a beautiful tale of loss and suffering and yet also strength, rebellion, agency, and hope. I'm very honoured I got the chance to read this early and definitely recommend picking up a copy when it releases next month!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the eARC.

'Solitude can make even the vastest domain into a cage, and starlight is no gentler a prison than any other.'

Having enjoyed Lord of the Empty Isles I knew I'd be in for a treat with Cage of Starlight. In a lot of respects it delivered. Jules Arbeaux's writing just really hits the spot for me. It flows beautifully, the descriptions rich and immersive. The world created in Cage of Starlight was in many ways brutal and unforgiving but there is such wonderful imagery and raw depictions of tender moments that it was easy to lose myself in.

The characters, as in LotEI, were probably my favourite part of the book. Whilst it centered around Tory and Sena there were a couple of side characters I particularly liked who provided some comic relief, too. But the main two messes of human beings were loveable and I enjoyed their enemies-to-kind of lovers arc (there is plenty of love, trust me, just nothing physical). One idiot deprived of love and another who has kept it at bay lest he lose it all, forced proximity, the revelation of one's true nature—excllent stuff.

It's hard to explain why I didn't really feel like this hit for me, though. I enjoyed the beginning and end but the middle sort of lulled, and it was somewhat predictable in a lot of ways sticking to a very familiar fantasy formula. The worldbuilding was okay, and I did enjoy the world itself, but it also left a lot of questions for me. It doesn't look like there's a sequel planned which is a shame as I would have liked to follow on the journey.

All in all it was an enjoyable read and perfect for anyone who fancies a touching slow burn amongst themes of survival, betrayal and learning to love.

"Cage of Starlight" by Jules Arbeaux impresses with its vivid characters, emotional depth, and an exciting blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements.
The writing style is easy to read, emotional, and I was immediately drawn into the story. It starts off a little slow, but that didn’t bother me much. Instead, it gave us more time to get to know the characters and understand the situation they are in. After that, the plot picks up significantly and surprised me with some twists I truly didn’t see coming.
One of the strongest aspects is the dynamic between Tory and Sena. Their initial enmity evolves convincingly into reluctant allies who regard each other with distrust but gradually learn to trust and understand one another.
This transition worked very well for me. However, the next step—from reluctant allies to lovers—only semi-worked in my eyes. Most of the time, it felt more like a deep friendship rather than a romantic relationship. I can't really judge how Arbeaux usually writes romance since this was my first book by her, but personally, I would have liked a bit more explicit development in that regard.
My favorite character is definitely Tory. He grows beautifully from a cautious outsider into a confident survivor. Sena, on the other hand, was harder for me to grasp at first. I leaned more toward finding him unlikeable and often wanted to shake him, but he also gained more depth as the story progressed.
I found the worldbuilding a little less convincing. It could have been much more detailed, especially regarding the magical elements, the structure of the world, and the general explanations, which all felt a bit thin to me. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun with the story—though, you know, something just felt a little missing.

Overall, Cage of Starlight is a captivating story about freedom, trust, and self-discovery that will especially appeal to readers who love strong characters and emotional growth. Despite some minor weaknesses, the book offers great reading enjoyment—I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author!

I was a little bit worried going into this book, because I loved Lord of the Empty Isles SO MUCH. So much.

You know, I loved this almost as much. Maybe I'm more critical because it's the author's second book, but that means it's 4.5* instead of 5* 😂

Tory was just as angry as Remy, but Tory had something a little more adult about him, and a little more relatable. You understand Tory finally growing sick of appeasement.

And Sena? I just, I didn't realise he was so young. He's... yeah.

This review probably isn't too useful but the book is beautiful, I enjoyed it and I would really recommend it. An excellent second novel.