Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book follows the story of Cybil, daughter of an alchemist and Miriam, a demon who was accidentally summoned by Cybils father. We follow our two main characters through multiple lifetimes and centuries as they are embark on a cat and mouse chase. But who is chasing who?

This book was very evocative and emotional for me, as at parts I wasn’t sure if our main characters were lovers or if they hated each other or both. I was gripped as I wanted to find out how it ended and I had to know how it ended, I was very satisfied with the ending. This book kept me guessing and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, I liked the intermissions as it was a nice break in the story. This book was a bit dark in places and I think other readers will remember it long after turning the last page. Overall I would highly recommend it.

I'm not gonna lie, I slammed the Request button so hard on this one. I went into As Many Souls as Stars for the gothic atmosphere and the Faust-style bargain—and stayed because the central relationship is gloriously, unapologetically toxic. Watching Miriam circle Cybil through lifetime after lifetime felt like reading a cat-and-mouse romance where the cat brings an existential crisis instead of flowers. It was nice to get a shadow mommy instead of a shadow daddy for a change. I fantasy; swapping that rather tired dynamic for a dangerously compelling female villain was a refreshing change.

The novel opens in sixteenth-century Suffolk, where Cybil’s alchemist father fumbles a summoning and essentially hands his daughter’s soul over to Miriam. From there we leapfrog across three more eras—each incarnation giving Cybil a new name and a slightly different edge while keeping the same doomed spark with her pursuer. I was a little worried the reincarnation device might feel repetitive, but Siegel makes each period distinct enough (from ruffled collars to drawing rooms to smoky early-1900s streets) that the pattern never wears thin. The historical details aren’t dumped on the page; they slide in through dress, dialogue, and the small chores of daily life, so every setting feels lived-in.

Plot-wise, the first part moves at a measured pace—fair warning if you prefer instant fireworks—but once Cybil figures out the rules of Miriam’s bargain, the tension builds fast. I especially enjoyed the meta-game of power: Cybil always tries to outwit her captor, even while half-wondering if she wants to. Miriam, for her part, vacillates between ruthless and weirdly gentle, which keeps the stakes murky in a good way. Their push-pull is messy, petty, occasionally brutal—exactly the kind of relationship that makes you glance around, grin, and admit, “Yes, this is terrible for both of you, please keep going.”

If I have a quibble, it’s that some side characters flash by before they can leave a real dent, and the final twist wraps up a bit neatly after so many centuries of chaos. Still, the prose is lush without tipping into purple, and the book never loses its sense of eerie wonder. It’s the rare historical fantasy that feels equally comfortable with candlelit crypts and emotional gut punches.

Bottom line: come for the reincarnated soul-deal premise, stay for the deliciously messed up toxic yearning. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed reading this book—it’s beautifully written and brimming with all the angst, passion, and obsession you’d expect from a toxic love/hate dynamic. The characters are what made it shine for me: deeply complex, layered, and REAL..

The first half was definitely my favorite—I loved the darker, more gothic tone and atmosphere. My interest dipped slightly in the more contemporary sections, but I was still fully invested, rooting for the main character to break free from her curse and finally live, not so much for the “shadow” character though, i’m kind of glad it did not go into a “redemption” arc in the end

It’s also so refreshing to read LGBTQ fiction that’s not only emotionally resonant, but also this well-crafted.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC!

Really enjoyed this strange and twisting love story, that equally fell into the mystery thriller bracket – just across several generations. Faustian bargains are rich fodder for a story set up but rarely do they pay off well. I’m happy to report that is not the case here. Cybil and Miriam meet over and over again across centuries, becoming more emotionally entangled. The writing is also beautiful. Highly recommended but especially for fans of This is How You Lose the Time War.

As Many Souls as Stars is a haunting, lyrical Gothic fantasy that spans generations, lives and lifetimes, weaving a darkly romantic tale of power, obsession and fate. Natasha Siegel has created a sweeping and intricate story where history, magic and emotion collide in the most mesmerising way.

The heart of this book lies in the intense bond between Cybil Harding, cursed from birth, and Miriam Richter, an immortal demon condemned to walk the earth in shadow. Their bargain is simple in theory but devastating in execution: Miriam grants Cybil reincarnation, and in return, she will one day claim her soul. But neither woman expects the emotional entanglement that follows them across centuries, with each meeting becoming more charged, more layered, and more impossible to escape.

Spanning multiple lifetimes, this book is a masterclass in atmosphere. Every era is vividly brought to life, and it is clear how much care and research has gone into crafting each historical setting. Whether in 16th century England or beyond, the sense of place never falters. The Gothic tone is maintained throughout, with dark corners, ghostly whispers and an ever present sense of foreboding that keeps the tension high and the stakes sharp.

What truly set this book apart for me was the strength of its prose. It is the kind of writing that demands to be savoured. I found myself highlighting line after line, not just for the beauty of the language, but because of the way it captured emotion so precisely. There were moments in this book that genuinely made me pause to take them in, and others that struck with quiet emotional force.

The characters are deeply drawn. Cybil is clever, defiant and entirely human, even as she moves through lives shaped by grief and misfortune. Miriam, too, is more than her monstrous nature. There is yearning, pain and conflict in every choice she makes. Their relationship is a game of light and dark, but also one of power, connection and reluctant intimacy. Even the side characters felt distinct and essential to the story. Some I adored, others I despised, but all left a lasting impression.

As Many Souls as Stars is a book that lingers. It is lush, intense and emotionally resonant, filled with the kind of storytelling that sinks into your skin. If you love beautifully written historical fantasy with Gothic undertones, soul deep romance and characters who are as flawed as they are unforgettable, this is one not to miss.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I know I'm super early, as the book comes out in November, but I was just too excited to read this. having recently read our infinite fates, I was so thrilled to read something with a similar concept. And luckily, it did not let me down. (To be fair though, don't go in thinking this is exactly like our infinite fates, as it is not. The concept is close, but the story itself is really different.) Minor spoilers ahead!

This book had a bit of a slow start, even though the three parts are about equally long, the first felt the longest. But after the slow start, I was hooked into the story and I couldn't stop reading. I loved the history elements and the magic throughout the story, even though I would have liked even more of the magic elements. I loved the writing style, but I think that was also the main problem with the slow start.

The romance elements came a bit out of nowhere, and even though I enjoyed Cybil and Miriam's story, I would have liked a bit more chemistry between them. Especially in the first life. I think Esther and Miriam had the most chemistry together, and therefore especially the ending with Rosamund, wasn't as satisfying as I didn't feel like Rosamund ever had feelings towards Miriam. Because of this, I didn't enjoy the way this book ended.

All in all, I really enjoyed the story, and the vibes of it. The ending was not my favorite, but the rest of it was quite good! 4 stars.

As Many Souls As Stars is an utter delight—rich, lyrical, and brimming with poetic intensity. Natasha Siegel has crafted a story that reads like a haunting melody, with prose that borders on the sublime. Her writing has an almost ethereal quality, drawing readers into a world where light and shadow are inextricably bound.

At its heart, this novel is a meditation on duality—on how light cannot exist without darkness, and how love is often tangled with resentment. Cybil (and her later counterparts), with her luminous soul, becomes an anchor across time, a constant flame that Miriam—made of shadows—cannot help but be drawn to. Their dynamic is magnetic: a love story braided with centuries of longing, bitterness, and inevitability.

Siegel explores timeless themes through a fresh and imaginative lens, masterfully balancing the tension of a cat-and-mouse pursuit with emotional depth and philosophical resonance. The result is both intimate and expansive, a story that lingers long after the final page.

I can honestly say this is a story I will carry with me for a very, very long time. It has left a mark on me that is soul-deep. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy and treasure it like the masterpiece it is.

This book is perfect for readers who appreciate atmospheric storytelling, morally complex characters, and love stories that defy convention and time itself. A stunning achievement.

We follow Miriam and Cybil, Cybil and Miriam in this sapphic gothic tale witches, demons, alchemists, and a Faustian deal as an inciting incident.
Siegel’s craft is 5 stars, the characterisation, mood and the tone are 4-4.5 stars.
The plot is 3 stars.
I highly recommend this book to the lovers of
- gothic stories
- stories with witches
- moody Faustian tales
- sapphic love (I often do not go for this but even for someone who is less interested in this as a criteria, but rather as a natural part of a story, I liked this aspect, It was well done and detailed,)

As Many Souls as Stars was a captivating story following the lives of Cybil and Miriam, two souls who are very different yet alike in ways too.

The world building in this book was marvellous, it came to life beautifully in my mind. The plot is perfectly paced and engaging from the start, and the development of our leading characters throughout their souls journey really is unlike anything I have ever read before.

I adored delving into the different periods of time in which they exist, and the way in which I couldn't help but find myself becoming attached to both characters, despite their contrasting personalities.

An utterly unique, moving story that I believe everyone needs to experience!.

This was a fantastic read. The writing was absolutely stunning and poetic. The world building I thought was wonderful, and I love the atmosphere you’re sunk into, a dark gothic vibe, with some elements of slight horror to it. The plot was paced well and really enjoyable, I couldn’t put my kindle down at all because of how engaged I was in the story. The historical elements I found really interesting as well as the different reincarnations our MFC had going through the different time periods, though I would have loved to have seen how the story could have been brought about if they ended up in a modern time line!

The two main characters Cybil and Miriam, were written wonderfully. I felt a connection to both, one I adored by how she found her strength over each reincarnation she has. The other which gave me mixed emotions, debating whether I hated or liked her. Which I suppose shows she’s a well written character, especially when at times I felt empathy towards her, even after some cruel things she had done. The concept overall I thought was fantastic and I really loved immersing myself in this world! The ending I really did not expect at all, it was very clever I thought and actually ended on what I think is a bittersweet note. A sort of repentance for a certain characters action which leaves questions or thoughts remaining for that character, could they be happier this way or suffer a similar fate?

I definitely recommend this if you love a sapphic gothic, with a bit of history intertwined into it!

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a tightly written engaging Sapphic, gothic, historical fantasy with a lot of dark romance woven in.

From Elizabethan England to the height of the 'ton, to the 1900's, this is a story of revenge and love, lust and hunger. A possessive demon shadow lady and the soul she hungers for.

The last period was the weakest setting for me - running from 1908 to 1931, and yet no real mention of something very important that happens during that time. But on the flip side, that version of our MFC is perhaps the most realised because of what has come before.

I loved the moments where the various facets - fragments - of the people she had been battled each other, spoke to each other. They were all different and yet undeniably the same.

The minor characters are all fleshed out and wonderful. I would have loved to have known more about Isaac, for him to play a bigger role, but such is the curse when a story is set across several time periods.

Great story, great ending and don't let its short(ish) page count stop you - this is worth it.

3.5 stars rounded up

As Many Souls as Stars is a gothic historical fantasy romance that follows an alchemists daughter after she makes a Faustian deal with a shadowy demon-figure. This story is part star-crossed love story, part cat-and-mouse chase written across generations and lifetimes.

This book was beautifully written, with stunning prose and a dark, gothic setting. I really enjoyed the concept, which reminded me a little of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. However, it felt totally unique and it’s clear that the author did their research on the historical side of things, as it felt very authentic.

Although I overall enjoyed this book, for some reason I couldn’t connect to the characters, which did hinder my enjoyment a little. I wish that the book had been slightly longer and explored more lifetimes and locations, which would have given me more time to get to know the characters.

The pacing was great, and the ending was very clever. If you’re looking for a sapphic gothic romantasy, I would definitely recommend giving this one a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Refreshingly different, I really enjoyed this gothic novel where the characters find that love and hate can become indistinguishable.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Not my usual category and I’m not sure I am the target audience but this was an interesting and ultimately enjoyable fantasy gothic romp. Lots of demon and heroine action. Great fun!

With a sweeping plot spanning generations, As Many Souls as Stars is a breathtaking Gothic historical fantasy. From the number of different time periods featured, I can tell that Natasha Siegel did extensive research to transport the reader fully into each new generation of the Harding family. The Gothic atmosphere was maintained throughout, making the game of cat-and-mouse between Miriam and Harding compellingly tense. I was gripped from the first page.

Not only were the main characters multifaceted, but I often found myself rooting for (or hating!) the side characters. This is quite rare for me with shorter fantasies like this. Each character was well fleshed out and distinct. This was in part due to the delicicately written and gorgeous prose. I don't think I've ever highlighted so many passages during reading. I felt like Natasha Siegel was able to capture many of my feelings perfectly, so this read was emotional for me.

As Many Souls as Stars is an excellent read, with feminist themes masterfully woven throughout. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a darker historical fantasy with a twist.

As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel was a masterpiece! I rated this book 5 stars and I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

This fantasy tale which starts with a demon, Miriam, and Cybil, is a fantastic story with well drawn characters and I would recommend it highly. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of this page turner of a novel.