THE CITY OF STARDUST is of the best books I have read in a long long time. I was completely enthralled with every page and carried away by the wonderful adventure. Violet and Aleksander are the perfect protagonists, so engaging and yet achingly flawed. The world building and ease with which the reader is immersed in the fantastical-scape is reminiscent of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern. Knowing this is a debut work floored me as – for me – this is as near a perfect book as you can get.

Violet Everly has lived with her uncle in their decaying house since her mother's disappearance when she was just ten, her other uncle an occasional, glamorous visitor. She doesn't go to school or have any friends so spends her time in the family library living vicariously with books - and it's while she's hiding in the library that she overhears a chilling conversation between her uncle and a strange woman, one in which her uncle begs for ten year's grace. Every generation an Everly is sacrificed to this woman, Penelope, and with her mother's disappearance she is next in line. Supposedly her mother is looking for a way to break the curse, but as time starts ticking away Violet knows she can't wait, she is going to have to find a way to save herself...

Dark, absorbing and totally original I inhaled The City of Stardust in one day. Books, libraries, quests, strange worlds, a doomed love, betrayal, abandonement, courage, sacrifice - this book has it all. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an Arc!

The City of Stardust was a wondrous adventure, the premise was very interesting and Georgie Summers really made it their own! Once a generation, an Everly walks into the dark, compelled by the shadows beside them. Violet’s family is cursed and one family member in each generation is stolen away to another world.

I really enjoyed Violets character, she was so fun to read and I was really rooting for her the entire time. She was such a strong and likeable character I loved reading about her and she grew as the story moved along. The dynamic of the characters was something that this book does very well, I especially loved Violet and Aleksander.

The magic in this book was also very unique, creative and mysterious! I was through intrigued by the magic system which transported me to a new and enthralling fantasy world.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves strong protagonists, fantasy worlds, and mysteries.

The City of Stardust is phenomenal. What a book. I was intrigued from the blurb, but the novel itself blew every expectation out of the water. The writing, the plot, and the characters were expertly crafted, and I found myself struggling to put the book down. Violet Everly was such a strong heroine, and her and Aleksander made my heart soar. I truly, truly hope this book blows up and gets its moment in the limelight, as it really deserves it. I think it ticks every fantasy and romantasy lover’s boxes, as well as providing some thriller elements, and some downright scary horror-fuelled descriptions.

It was on track to score a perfect five stars from me, but the very ending let it down slightly. I personally feel the vagueness of the conclusion was to the detriment of the story and the characters , and some unanswered questions feel incredibly unsatisfying. I’m happy to round it up for the sake of stars, but an accurate rating would be 4.75 stars.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

I love books about books and libraries, and magical worlds hidden in plain sight so this was right up my street - and it had been recommended for fans of The Starless Sea which is my all time favourite book. Although it didn't quite live up to the whimsy and magical-ness of TSS, it brought a more gritty aspect, with gore, and in my opinion, higher stakes for our Main Character Violet.

The relationship between Violet and Aleksander was just such a slow burn that I was grinning like a fool every time they interacted, and the villain of our story, Penelope was incredibly nuanced, and her story was beautiful in its own way.

I truly loved this book, I devoured it, and when I was away from my kindle doing something as mundane as working, I just couldn't stop thinking about this book.

Wow! I so loved this book, I resented having to put it down to go to sleep, it was so gripping. Following the glorious main character, Violet, on her flight, worrying if she would be caught and what the price would be. The ending left me worrying still about Marianne and the uncles. Recommended with umpteen stars and stardust

I absolutely loved The City of Stardust!
I was so excited to read this book as it was advertised for fans of The Starless and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and both are some of my favourite books!

City of Stardust definitely didn't dissapoint.
It was beautifully written and I really loved the the magic system!
I thought it was really well done.
I also thought Violet wasa great character and the further I got into the book the more I loved her!

I really highly recommend this book!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A glorious fantasy tale of stars, different worlds, a curse that links generations, and a woman on a mission.
Gorgeous world building, and well written characters.

Exceptional. This book falls somewhere in-between The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, yet completely original. I love this book.

This is the kind of book you really should just open up and read without thinking too much about it. Half of the magic is the mystery.

The City of Stardust is beautiful, lyrical, atmospheric, and gorgeous. The characters are real, and flawed. The magic is compelling and interesting. I loved every second.

This book will not be for everyone. Much in the same way that The Night Circus and Addie Larue aren’t for everyone. It is slower. It leaves you asking questions. It undoubtedly would benefit from a second read through; but it is stunning. This is what stories are made of, and I cannot wait to own a physical copy of it. Even as I was reading it, I wanted to hold the book in my hand and see ink on paper.

Nearly my 50th read of the year, but my first 5 star. I guarantee I will be back to read it again and again.

A wonderfully created new world full of mystery and magic. The characters are well crafted and likeable (or hated where appropriate) and the story keeps you intrigued from start to finish.

I loved this book! It’s such an interesting premise- had me hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. Thank you net galley

Marianne Everly walks away from her family to seek a way to break a curse, but it's her daughter Violet who pays the price. Hidden away by her uncles as child, Violet eventually comes to the attention of Penelope, who is determined to make the family pay. Violet needs to find Marianne and to understand the history of the mysterious hidden city to secure her own future.

I loved this, it's very clever, it draws you in to the story and it's not at all as whimsical as it sounds like it might be - there's a pretty dark heart to it all. The world building is superb, and it leaves you wanting more, there are definitely characters I'd love to see again.

This book is amazing! I couldn't put it down and I was thinking about it all the time. I didn't expect to like it so much so am incredibly glad it was sent to me. So grateful.

I am already recommending this book to everyone and it'll definitely be a reread.

• "It can be a terrible thing, to love so deeply."

With the enchantment of a fairy tale, the story reveals gods, monsters, brokenpromises, and stars; where beauty and cruelty intertwine, unveiling a exquisitely crafted world. Because it takes talent and reveurite for galaxies to be born in the hands of a dreamer.
What a marvelous gift in so few pages!

Ever Everly was an extraordinarily clever man, yet the epitome of foolishness. Marianne ran so fast chasing a dream, that nothing could ever catch her. Ambrose and Gabriel were not the chosen sacrifices, but they chose to sacrifice everything... for Violet: the young girl burdened by an immense debt.

• "What else is a curse but this? Love, stretched and warped beyond all meaning."

The Everly curse turned out to be as real as the very metal of the gods and as deadly as the star that, generation after generation, sentenced them one by one.
So, why is it so tempting to be one of them?
Perhaps, it is due to the fierceness with which they protect each other; or maybe, because I too would have loved to be a prodigious disciple in Fidelis, always dreaming of adventures in lost worlds just a magical door away, visiting forgotten cafes on uncharted corners of the planet. But mainly because, even in these moments while you read my ramblings, my thoughts linger on Caspian and his third option.
Penelope and Aleksander will have to understand it.

• "To be nothing is to be remade, after all."

My only complaint would be that at times it felt like there were too many pages postponing the grand finale, but even then, the plot never wavered.

☆☆☆☆☆
Undoubtedly, one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. It was a wonderful experience.

First, I would like to thank the author & NetGalley for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest

A beautiful written story filled with mystery, intrigue, and rich descriptions with fantastical world building.

I loved the unique magic system.
And the unique enemies to lovers plot.

The characters were fantastic, with lots of twists and plots in the storyline.

They only bit that displeased me was, I would have liked more information on what happened to marianne.

Romance
Betrayal
Heartache
Curses
Enemies to lovers
Magic
Murder
Lost family

Once a generation, an Everly walks into the dark, compelled by the shadow beside them.
Stubborn like an Everly, brave like an Everly, doomed like an Everly.

Blown away. This was fantastic - I was immediately sucked in by the prose and plot, and genuinely found myself unable to put it down. It's been a week and I still find myself thinking about the characters. What a magical adventure - cannot recommend The City of Stardust enough! I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future!

The City of Stardust is an ethereal and deeply atmospheric book full of mystery and magic.

Violet Everly lives a life of solitude with her uncle in their decaying family home after her mother's disappearance. The Everly family is cursed so that every generation, one of them is taken by a woman named Penelope.

Similarly to The Invisible Life of Addie Larue or The Starless Sea, The City of Stardust is told in the most beautiful prose. It is a compelling read with flawed and loveable characters as well as fantastic world building.

I highly recommend this book! If you enjoyed the books I mentioned above, you are bound to be swept away by this deeply enchanting debut!

This book was absolutely incredible, the best fantasy book i have read this year... I can't believe this is a debut work!
The world building was excellent, the locations and worlds really felt lived in and real.
The writing is lyrical and atmospheric, and while whimsical it doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of the story.
Violet is a phenomenal protagonist, determined to break her family curse not just for herself, and Penelope was such an excellent antagonist, dark and menacing in the most polite way.

Fantastic read, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman or Erin Morgenstern.

I really enjoyed this novel. The villain is truly a villain and written expertly. The mystery surrounding her family curse is what made this story enticing and addictive. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be recommending this to my students after summer. Perfect for autumn and winter reads!

I absolutely loved this book. The world created by Georgia Summers had echoes of The Night Circus for me, and it was a really immersive read. Violet Everly's mother has abandoned her, and now it falls to Violet to break the family curse. But this is much more than a story about a curse, it's a story about love, and about how far people are willing to go to get the things they think they want. I devoured it!

**I received a pre-release copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review**

The Everly family is cursed, and every generation their best, brightest, and most talents is taken by the mysterious woman Penelope. A woman who never ages, never forgets, and never forgives a debt. When Violets mother vanishes, the curse falls on her, unless she can break it first.

There is always that worry when you hear of a book with a really interesting premise, from an author that you don't know. Will they be able to live up to this idea, this potential?

The City of Stardust didn't disappoint. I absolutely loved this book.

There was beautiful imagery, and magical scenery, all tempered with a dark evil undercurrent. Characters had internal conflicts of interest; weighing up their ambition, their moral values, and their self-preservation. Which all made the world so much more believable.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more works written by this author.

A really great and intriguing read. I loved the characters and the story. Will look out for more from this author.

I read an eARC of this so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher.

This was a delightful read, charming yet dark, whimsical yet constant sense of menace.

We follow the Everley family who are under a horrible curse. Violet’s mother disappeared one night in a bid to break the curse and now it falls to Violet to pay the price. We follow Violet as she tries desperately to break the curse to avoid paying a horrendous cost that was decided for her.

Violet is curious and determined, an excellent main character. She’s very brave in the face of a looming horror. We have a malicious and frightening villain. Who seems initially fairly benign but we soon learn that’s not the case.

The book has an interesting magic system linked to a fantastical metal and allowing instant travel. There are moments in this book that are quite horrifying and there is significant violence and cruelty.

The plot was fantastic and the writing was beautiful. I loved this author’s style and the pace was excellent. My only criticism is I wasn’t a fan of the romance. I felt there was too much harm in that relationship. Otherwise though this was a wonderful read.

If you like an urban fantasy story with a twist, of secrets and keys, of blood and sacrifice, then this is a must-read for you.

This book follows the struggles of a young woman, abandoned into the care of her Uncles by her Mother, who begins to search for a way to save her life and end a curse of their family that leaves the brightest in a generation to the clutches of a mysterious woman called Penelope.

Violet has to learn her way through the world, who to trust and who to flee from. It is a story of love, loss, heartbreak and betrayal. But at the heart of it, it is about a young woman finding out who she is, and how she wants to live her life, if she can live it.

A wonderful story, with a rich setting and engaging characters. A must-read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review*

This book was SO good that I couldn't believe how it must be only a debut. It was amazing, it was one of those books you want to read them again for the first time. Fast paste, awesome characters and a wonderful world-building. I was immersed in the first page. Loved it.

There is a mysterious curse that befalls the Everly family where one member from every generation must be taken to pay the debt that is owed. However, Violets mother has disappeared and now the debt has fallen to her.

Poor Violet is clueless to her mothers whereabouts and no-one can give her the answers she desperately craves. With time running out she must unravel the mystery and break the curse herself…but how?

With so many captivating twists and turns, this book had me hooked from the start. The whimsical world building was simply beautiful and I loved the mystery throughout the story. I love the element of intrigue and I enjoyed that the story wasn’t predictable.

The pace was slow in places but I enjoyed that as we worked up to the more action-packed parts. The character building and development was in-depth and I throughly enjoyed getting to know more about Violet, Gabriel, Ambrose, Aleksander & Penelope.

I highly recommend this book. It was a fabulous read & I would absolutely LOVE to see another story from this world, just magical. Please let there be a second instalment! ✨

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton & Georgia Summers for an Advanced Review Copy in return for an honest review!

“Impossible is a much thinner slice of the world than she’d thought.”

The City of Stardust is a truly fantastic read and is one I implore everyone to get their hands on when it releases in early 2024. Magic and intrigue ooze from each and every page and the author gives little snippets of information that you have to piece together over the course of the book. You aren’t spoonfed the details of the inner workings of the world Georgia Summers has created and the journey of discovery is all the more satisfying for it!

Violet Everly’s mum disappears one night and Violet lives in hope that she will return from her “adventures” one day, however as the years slip by and Violet sees glimmers of a world not entirely ‘normal’, it becomes increasingly clear that if she wants answers she is going to have to get them for herself.

Marbles that contain galaxies, keys that open doors to untold destinations, and a secret society of scholars with the never aging Penelope at the head. The list of questions Violet has seems to be rapidly growing whilst her list of answers remains disappointingly dormant.

There are countless examples of the author constructing truly mesmerising passages of prose that make you sit back and take a deep breath. She also has a talent for depicting the more macabre and gruesome scenes in a way that leaves an impact on you. It is definitely more of a fantasy aimed at adults due to some of these occurrences! From what I can tell, this is her debut book and that genuinely surprises me. There is a clear talent for writing here and it feels like a talent honed over time rather than the raw ability of a debut author. She is definitely an author to add to my list to keep an eye on for future works!

The first 2/3rds of the book were absolutely 5 star material for me. I do feel the final third dropped off a little from the lofty standards of the rest of the book, however topping the standard set earlier in the book would have been a herculean task! It definitely still ends up closer to 5 stars than 4 though.

The City Of Stardust.

The Everly family is cursed.
Violet is determined to find her mother and break the seemingly endless curse.

A stunning and darkly wondrous story, full of intrigue and mystery.

Summers has given us a book rich with beautiful and luxuriant storytelling with outlandish skilled and truly beautiful world-building.

The plotline is full of intrigue, at times, quite slow-paced but unique and brilliantly done.

The character development is superb and delves deeply into the mind of Violet.

This book leaves you wanting more from these beautifully depicted characters and the lush and magical world.
I pray for a second instalment.

I just reviewed The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers. #TheCityofStardust #NetGalley

As soon as I began reading The City of Stardust, I knew it was something different and also rather special.
There is a fairy tale, lyrical quality to the writing, that plants you firmly in other-worldly territory where nothing is quite as it seems.
Everything is at once familiar; like the Everly's family home, the coffeeshop where Violet works, and references to Paris, Vienna and Prague, yet also downright strange - there are Gods, monsters and magic.
At the heart of the story, a brave, but vulnerable girl just wants to know what happened to her mother. But of course, this is epic fantasy at its best, so you can expect puzzles, riddles, maps and keys to other worlds, along with vengeful enemies and perilous quests,
The characters are well drawn, real and memorable, I loved Violet's brothers - Gabriel and Ambrose, and Penelope is the perfection of evil. The growing affection between Violet and Aleksander is sweet and complex, whilst never veering into predictability.
This is a book to read and savour, to soak up the atmospheric worldbuilding whilst being taken on an a rollicking, bloodthirsty adventure with a formidable heroine at its core.

Georgia summer’ storytelling is lyrical yet engaging enough to have one hooked to the story since the very beginning. It was touching and entertaining!

This epic novel is filled with magic, stardust and the darkest secrets of our hearts. It takes our ability to daydreams about opening doors to new worlds onto the page, but twists it just so that it changes into a nightmare with every turn of the page. There is no escaping the choices characters must make between love and betrayal.

For centuries, the Everly Family have seen their brightest disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers. Their tormentor is a women who never ages and never forgives a debt. Ten years ago, her mother lefts to break a curse but never returned. Now Violet must find her mother, or she must take her place. Her search leads her into a seductive magical world of power hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters being on revenge.

It leads her right onto the path of the apprentice scholar, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted. And yet, to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn. With time running out, Violet will travel to the edged of the world, and the one in between, to find her mother and the key to the City of Stardust. Which is where this story began.

This is an ode to story lovers. This is for those of us who have spent our entire lives wishing for a hidden war into another world, into some great adventure, into somewhere other than here. Books have always been an escape and this one takes you on an adventure to an epic world not unlike our own filled with magic, monsters and promise. If you only have the key, then you can step through the door into another world.

Thank you to Hodder Books for an advanced reader copy via NetGalley of The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful arc. The Cuty of Stardust is a gorgeous book, beautiful world building, fantasy at its best.

An incredibly fresh and lyrical fantasy debut. Strong world building, a unique magic system and beautiful writing - what more could you want. Summers is one to watch.

This is a phenomenal book! Georgia's writing is fantastic, and you get so easily immersed inside the story. Violet and Aleksander are amazing protagonists, engaging but also achingly real. This is one of those books where you completely forget you're reading, it's magical and beautiful and amazing!

Thank you to the publisher, Georgia Summers and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I'm so happy I was given a chance to read this book. It was totally different then my recent fantasy reads. The writing was phenonenal. I've got completly lost in this incredible world - full of mysteries, magic and hidden doors.
Violet and Aleksander felt so real to me.
This is the kind of story you definitely won't forget.

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Hidden worlds
Unique magic system
Quest to break the curse
Gods among humans
Mystery and intrigue

Thank you, NetGalley for an ARC of The City of Stardust!

It took me awhile to go through this book and not because it was a tough read; quite the opposite. I fell in love with the world and the writing from the first couple of chapters, and I didn't want it to end. So, instead of my usual approach of devouring a book I love, I really took my time and enjoyed every second I spent with the characters.

The City of Stardust is one of my favourite books of this year and I'm looking forward to getting a printed copy of it just so I can reread it. First, the writing style is so clean and easy, it's a pleasure to read. This, mixed with the interesting world Georgia Summers has built, turns into a story that grabs your imagination straight away and doesn't let go until the very end. Maybe even afterwards, because it's been a few days since I finished and I still can't stop thinking of this book.

Can't recommend it enough and am so excited to read everything else that comes out of Georgia Summers' mind!

4.5 (rounded to a 5)

It took me a while to find the words I need to praise this book. I was so captured by the writing from page 1 that I struggled to put this book down, especially when Violet's adventure finally begins.
This book was bloody, full of betrayals and a vast world that had me grasping for answers just like Violet.
I love the fact that we get the perspective of everyone in this story, especially Penelope. It takes a certain skill to create a villain and make the reader feel bad for them, to an extent.

I short this book was: Wonderful. Magical. Beautiful.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC for my honest review*

First of all many thanks to the publisher for letting me review such a brilliant read .

I've not read a good sifi for along time when I saw this brilliant book was coming up for review I had to find out the hype was all about , as it been compered to so many amazing books , was it worth it TOTALLY !! it's now one of my favourite books I've read this year .

I loved the feeling this book gave me ,magical and also very gripping ,it had my head spinning but in such a great way, the twists in the story had me totally gobsmacked everytime . I always thought I knew what was coming how wrong in was !! .

The charaters I loved everyone one of them they all brought something to the story even side charaters ,as for the main charater Violet Everly totally gritty and badass she totally blown me away . Thankyou Georgia !! Great charater buliding .

Georgia writing is pure gold ,I loved how she made you think you had everything in the palm of my hand and then took it away all at the same time amazing .and it flowed wonderfully.

I'm highly recommend you read this book .

I'm giving this totally phenomenal book 5 bright stars 📚

City of Stardust by @ge_summers is a standalone fantasy book, and has without a doubt become my most anticipated read of 2024!

In this book we follow Violet Everly as she discovers and attempts to fight a curse placed on her family line by a terrifying and mysterious woman named Penelope. She travels across the world, uncovering dark secrets and unveiling things many would remain hidden..

I utterly utterly adored this book, the worldbuilding, the pacing, the characters, the romance were all impeccably written and kept me hooked throughout. Everything about this book was so good, the uniqueness of the plot and how it unfolded; with more nuance and detail being revealed over time - without overloading the timeline or dropping a ton of lore on the reader.
I absolutely inhaled this book; reading the first ⅔rds in about two hours and the final ⅓rd over a few days (real life delays 💔) - the fastest ive read anything since the reading slump The Virgin Suicides put me into lol.
Would 100% reccomend to anyone trying to get into fantasy as its fabulously written and is a beautiful segue into the genre 🥰

I loved the magic of the story, not too fluffy either like some can be. It was a nice side of dark, and with a growing love story, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were fantastic, I enjoyed Violet's journey and never knowing how it was going to end. A perfect read for these autumnal days and evenings.
Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The City of Stardust.]

Rating: 5/5

Overflowing with magic and secrets, The City of Stardust is a stunning standalone fantasy that will enchant you until the very last page. Georgie Summers has written an absolutely beautiful book. Stories like these that completely sweep you off your feet don’t come along often and I’m so happy to have been able to read an early copy. If you love fantasy wrapped in mystery with characters that will pull on every heartstring then this is a book you have to check out.

Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow, Erin Morgenstern and Ava Reid, The City of Stardust takes the reader on a twisting journey led by Violet Everly, a young woman who will do whatever it takes to break an age-old curse that has haunted her family for generations, a curse that takes away the brightest and most talented Everly’s. When Violet’s mother vanishes into the night searching for a way to break the curse, a bargain is made and Violet is left with ten years to either find her mother or be taken in her place by their eternal tormentor, Penelope, a woman who never forgets a debt.

As her deadline draws near, Violet embarks on a journey to the edges of the world in search of her mother and the key to the city of stardust where their family’s story began. As secrets unravel and new information comes to light, Violet must learn everything she can about this new, seductive underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and cities lost to time. It’s a turbulent adventure wrought with highs and lows but nothing will stop Violet from doing everything that she can to keep her family safe.

Violet is a brilliant FMC who is very much a product of her upbringing. Having spent a lot of her childhood in isolation, she has a very naïve understanding of how the world works making her a frustrating narrator at times. As a reader, it can be easy to tut and roll your eyes when a character does something that you don’t agree with but the author does a tremendous job of reminding us of why Violet is the way that she is. It would also be easy to think that Violet is too trusting, too hopeful and too ambitious in this dark world, but personally I can’t imagine her any other way. Her hopeful nature drives the story forward, and even when that becomes difficult, her tenacity and bravery will take your breath away.

There are so many amazing elements to this story. Violet is such a rich and vibrant character but I could also spend a long time explaining my love for the incredibly complex Alexsander – assistant to Penelope and a character that dealt with his own extremely complicated circumstances. I could also go on about the beautiful prose that pulls you into this magical world where anything seems possible if you have the right key, or the strong bonds of family that are as fragile as they are unwavering. To put it plainly, there’s simply no end to the beauty contained within The City of Stardust, and I think that this makes it all the more magical.

This is a story for the dreamers, for people who will always strive for the best outcome even when all hope is lost. This is for anyone who believes in the magic of adventure, and who understands that the idea of good vs. evil is much more complex than it may seem. I’ve no doubt that I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time and will absolutely be keeping an eye out for future stories from this author.

Reads like a love letter to book lovers.

The city of stardust is a magical whimsical tale perferct for anyone looking for an escapism read. I loved everything about this. The world building. The aesthetics. The characters. Literally everything. Im actually mind blown by how much I enjoyed this, it is such a perfect reading gem perfect for winter, when you can curl up next to the Christmas tree, near the fire with this cozy tale.

The stakes are high but it somehow doesn't take away from the comfort this book brings.

A really original story that pulls on your heart -strings. It is a story about a girl who was hidden away so that she would not fall prey to the curse on her family line and be fed to a demon when she comes of age. Her mother ran, travelling worlds, seeking a way out but really - it turns out - she ran to save herself. Violet is left to find her strength and her power to face the demon once and for all and end the curse. A gripping tale of love, betrayal and the ties that bind.

"It’s the unspoken tale singing its way through her family history: once a generation, an Everly walks into the dark, compelled by the shadow beside them."

This is one of the most beautiful books I have read this year. It is full of atmosphere, mystery, poetic writing, flawed characters, and convoluted twists of worlds full of magic hidden behind doors that can only be opened by specific people with specific materials. The City of Stardust is a story about a curse placed on the Everly family that has lasted for thousands upon thousands of years. Violet Everly's mother has disappeared, on an adventure, scouring the world to find a way to break the curse and save her and her daughter's life. But time is running out, Penelope - the curse-giver, is impatient and she is willing to skip a generation and take Violet in place of her mother. So Violet does what her mother would do and leaves on her own adventure to try break the curse, but in doing so she uncovers truly horrifying things, gets swept up into an underground world of hushed secrets told at opulent parties, and experiences love, friendship, betrayal and loss.

This book is an intricately woven scavenger hunt, a mixture of fairy tale, myth and terrible truths, all tied together in the most gorgeous prose I have read in a long time. Georgia Summers' writing is absolutely exquisite throughout, it truly captures the mystical atmosphere of the worlds she is building and draws you in with tantalizing foreshadowing, switching POVs revealing breadcrumbs that keep you guessing but also reveal harrowing information, and poetic pieces that will have you highlighting quotes in every chapter. I truly felt like I had been swept up into another world and I didn't want to leave it behind when the story finished. This is a world that Summers could expand upon for years to come in spin off stories, and if she did I would happily read them all.

There were a few small parts that I had issues with, mostly due to the pacing and the characters. This book is only 350 or so pages long but it felt longer, there were times when I would think I was half way done and then check my progress and realize I wasn't. In ways this really serves the story because it forces you to slow down and focus on what is happening, and meant that I understood some of the more complex parts more easily because I was already taking it slowly. But in other parts it dragged a little bit, sadly. The characters were also another strange point for me, Penelope and Aleksander are both wonderfully written, detailed characters and I enjoyed every scene where they were present, but some of the other characters fell just a little bit flat. The main one being Violet. The majority of the story is told from her eyes but through the third person perspective and because of that it felt like we were shown a lot about what she was seeing but not as much about what she was feeling, or even something as simple as describing her appearance. I could imagine Penelope and Aleksander, the worlds described and adventures she traveled so vividly but when I try to envisage her she is nondescript, she could be anyone, she could look like anything, I think maybe she has brown hair and square hands?

Overall though, this was a truly outstanding read and one I highly recommend. If you prefer something slightly more fast-paced then it might not be the one for you but if you enjoy immersing yourself in a fantastical fairy tale like worlds wrought with curses, magic, gods who walk among us and wreck destruction, questions of morality and a heart-warming but also heart-wrenching romance - then this is story for you. I am very glad to have read it. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This standalone story is a true fairytale and is told like one. As a reader you feel like you are being pushed forward in someone else's dream, relentlessly.
I have finished this book in two days because I could not stop listening. In the end though, I was still left with questions. They were the good kind of questions, not the ones where you think the author could have tied everything up better. No, the ones where you wonder what has happened and what might still be happening, and what the meaning is in all this.
This debut book has been compared to Addie LaRue and other stories, but to me it has way more Daughter of Smoke and Bone meets Neil Gaiman vibes.
I liked the characters, but they are not this book's strongest suit. It's more their place in this wondrous world that makes them intriguing.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks @hodderbooks for both the eARC and the ALC.

#CityOfStardust #netgalley #bookstagram

<b>City of Stardust</b> is one of the best written books I have read in a while. The prose is absolutely stunning, which worked really well to enhance the beauty of the setting. It’s a writing that demands attention and forces you to slow down to savour everything.

The plot was very interesting and fully captured my attention, to the point I was just going to read a chapter before sleeping and when I noticed the time, it was Monday 5.30 am and I haven’t slept a bit.

While I did love the book, it took me a bit to warm up to the way the story was being told. We see everything unfold through different characters perspectives, but the story is always told in the 3rd person. This made City of Stardust a bit less immersive that what I tend to prefer and made me feel I knew more about what the characters were seeing than feeling. This is more relevant for Violet’s POV than Aleksander, which despite being less lengthy, it is somewhat more fleshed out.

I have seen this book being compared a lot with <b>The Invisilble Life of Addie Larue</b>, and while I understand the comparison, I have found it much more reminiscent of <b>His Dark Materials</b>. If you enjoyed either one of them, do not hesitate to pick City of Stardust in January 2024.

<i>I would like to thank Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape and Netgalley for the for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review</i>.

*ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion*

Omg! This book was so beautifuly written, the world(s) creation was so phenomenal, I could not stop reading, This is this kind of fantasy book that has every trope I love.

So if you love:

- enemies to lovers
- unique and complex magic system
- gods amoung humans
- mysteries
- breaking a curse
- hidden worlds

City of Stardust will be defenetly for you!

Fans of The Starless Sea and The Ten Thousand Doors of January will LOVE THIS BOOK! A perfect balance of beautiful and lyrical writing, an over-arching plot that spans centuries, mythology, adventure, and complicated human relationships.

I really enjoyed the character Penelope. I love a female villain and Penelope is the queen of female villains! I was intrigued by her 'relationship' with Alexsander and how complicated, layered, and toxic it was. I kind of wish that was addressed a bit more.

Seeing how the fantasy world and the mundane blend into one another was exhilarating and I completely identified with Violet and her desire for adventure!

What a debut from Georgia Summers! The City of Stardust is a bold and atmospheric story of love, perseverance and magic, mixed in with a dash of dark academia and The Starless Sea-esque vibes. I loved it!

Following the story of Violet Everly, TCoS entangles a family curse with godlike magic as we traverse the globe with Violet as she tries to free herself from the villain’s clutches— a woman called Penelope who is both powerful and bloodthirsty. I loved how effortlessly Summers combined one woman’s quest for answers with gorgeous prose. It’s truly a story that sucks you in and keeps you reading long past your bedtime. The elements around magical scholarship brought the dark academia vibes well Violet and Aleksander’s relationship provided the perfect tempering of slow burn romance. It was surprisingly more violent than I was expecting, but that just made Penelope a very convincing and spine chilling villain. Truly, I’m impressed with how fleshed out the story was in a relatively short amount of pages.

Perfect for readers who love a bit of atmosphere, poetic prose, and a genuinely fascinating secret society of magical scholars, Georgia Summers’ debut is sure to be a big hit!

I absolutely loved reading this book.

The writing was gripping and set an incredible overall tone and pace. There's an almost lyrical undertone to the prose that created a mystical atmosphere to the setting.

Part of this novel gave me the same feeling as the part of the Harry Potter novels where they are looking for horcruxes but instead of a trio, imagine it's just Hermione as the chosen one and she's gone looking on her own. An intelligent heroine with a steadfast determination to complete her goal, whom still possesses a somewhat childlike (said with affection) desire to trust despite history telling a different story.

It's ultimately a story about family, self-discovery, and trust.

What I loved most about this book is that it's complex without being complicated. The magic system is not overly complicated meaning the reader does not get bogged down in the details and pulled out of the story to try make sense of what they are reading. It's blended quite seamlessly into the writing and truly helps set the dark academia tone of secrecy and impending danger.

Rated 4.5 but rounded up to 5