Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and author for providing an ARC. Review is my honest opinion.

This book had so much promise! Alas, it fell short for me. The writing style didn't pull me in and I had trouble connecting with the characters.

I do, however, believe many people will enjoy this tale.

The premise of this really had me sold - what would life be like if the Roman Empire never fell, and the United Kingdom never was. What we know of London is the last remaining outpost in Britannia; Scotland, Wales and Kernow have their princes, and Mercia and Anglia are their own kingdoms. The Empire shuns the magic of the other kingdoms and today’s technology, with an even more futuristic spin, rules their lives. With an illness that’s spreading, and her life about to change following her upcoming marriage to her betrothed Marcus, life is about to change for Cassandra. But then she notices her classmate Devyn properly for the first time - and can’t deny there’s a connection.

For me, the comparisons with Hunger Games, isn’t fair. This is a different read; there’s no life or death trials that Cassandra must undertake, and there’s the will they/won’t they tension between her relationship with Devyn. I found the story setting and the building tension between Cassandra and Devyn really engaging. O’Connor has really built a unique world that she’ll develop with the other two books in the series. But I found this overly long and I’ll admit I did lose my way, and the repeated will they/won’t they between Cassandra and Devyn detracts from all the build up at the start.

I wanted to really like this book. Set in an alternate world where the Roman Empire never fell, sign me up. Secrets of the Starcrossed started out with so much potential. The first third of the book did a good job setting up the world, the characters, and the major plot points, but by halfway through the book it starts to get frustrating. There are only so many times a plot point can be reused before it starts to feel sloppy. Every decision made in the book is wavered on 5-6 times, and each time adds nothing of real value to the development of the plot other than extending the length of the novel.
I am giving this three stars because I really do see the potential for this story, and the characters have potential. Since this is a trilogy I'm hoping the first book only dragged itself out in order to set up the rest of the series.

SYNOPSIS:
Magic, science, and a seemingly perfect society are the ingredients in Clara O’Connor’s first book in the Once and Future Queen Series. Set in an alternate future where the Roman Empire never fell, Cassandra lives her life according to the Code. This is what every citizen abides by in order to keep the peace and promote the success of the Empire. An interaction between her and Devyn, a strange young man she has in one of her classes, challenges everything Cassandra believes to be true about the Code and the society she lives in.

REVIEW:
What immediately caught my attention about this book is the alternate future that is the setting for this really well-written fantasy! I loved this world! The Roman Empire never fell, which is a really fascinating concept for someone like me, who has always been really intrigued by history. I stayed engaged and wanted to finish this book as soon as I picked it up. I only put it down to get some much-needed sleep!

The world that has been created is complex, merging technology and magic. Two things that are often considered opposites but O’Connor did a great job bringing them together. The advancements in technology have made it easier to control society, which added to the futuristic aspect of this story. It felt so different from what we know in our own reality but yet seemed completely plausible giving it validity.

Cassandra as a character was frustrating at times, especially in the beginning. As someone living within the Empire subject to the Code, she is ignorant of the realities that Devyn shares with her, challenging, and resisting what he has to say. Devyn, on the other hand, is a rebel, who seems to hold all the answers to Cassandra’s questions and has full knowledge of how the Empire seeks to control its citizens. I really loved his character and it doesn’t hurt that he has those bad boy vibes! Despite my frustrations, as the story progressed, Cassandra’s growth from ignorant citizen to an autonomous thinker with Devyn’s help was appreciated. She matures throughout the story and by the end is not the same ignorant, sheltered character she was at the beginning.

Who doesn’t love twists and turns in a book! I was never quite sure how something would happen because I knew there could be a twist that I wasn’t expecting. I was surprised in quite a few places and I am looking forward to seeing how the second book answers some of my questions and adds to the suspense. This book isn’t without romance, another well-done aspect of the story!

This is a fantastic start to a series! I am 100% invested and want to know what happens next! Hopefully, the second installment comes soon! Another great fantasy read especially for those who liked The Hunger Games and Divergent series.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was looking forward to reading this book, as the setting sounded very interesting, However, sadly, the reading experience fell really flat for me.

The characters didn't feel very believable and especially Cassandra was annoyingly inconsistent - it felt as if she changed her mind about how she felt about things, such as about how she felt about Devyn, back and forth in every scene. Which is why their romance was also infuriating.

The only character I found slightly interesting and more multidimensional than others was Marcus.

The plot has a lot of potential and the writing style was all right to me so I feel like it could pick up in the remaining two books in the trilogy, but unfortunately this one was quite disappointing to me.

This was a very fun introduction to what feels like it will be an exciting series! I have to admit that the early chapters in which we are introduced to Cassandra put me off (her 'normal' personality isn't very attractive, and the book felt rather juvenile at that point). I am glad I stuck with it though. It is rare that I read a book and immediately think of it being made into a movie, but I would absolutely sign up to see this on a big screen (I envision it as a blend of Bridgerton and Hunger Games). Excited for the next book!

In a world where disobeying The Code means forfeiting your life to the judgement of the citizens, Cassandra is the perfect resident. Only after truly meeting fellow classmate, Devyn, does her life change.
I really loved a lot of aspects of this book-- I thought Devyn and Cassandra had great chemistry, and there was so much mystery surrounding them. The world-building was immense and sometimes a little overwhelming, but as the author gave more and more information on the universe, I found the most interesting details to be the ones she specifically kept from us, as it gave me more incentive to keep reading and learn more.
However, I think there were a lot of elements squished into the book that didn't really get their chance to bloom. I imagine this will be rectified in the rest of the series, but as the first novel it was hard to keep track of all the moving parts. Magic, Shadowers, latents, griffins-- these are only a few things that I sort of understand in this world, but not really. I think the author has an incredibly detailed outline for the world, that much is very clear. I just think that it didn't totally translate onto the page.
I also found a lot of the novel to be a bit repetitive, specifically how often Devyn allowed Cassandra close only to push her away again. I know the point the author was trying to make with this, but I think less is more sometimes. The situation is clear to the reader after it happens once or twice, but any more than that becomes a little frustrating. The same thing goes for how many times Cass tries to run away, only to be caught.
I am a firm believer that the last few pages can make or break a book and I was NOT disappointed with this one. I loved the trial scene in the beginning and the 360 right back there in the end was absolutely killer.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets of the Starcrossed follows Cassandra, a young women living in a Britain where the Romans were never pushed out of the country and where magic within the walls is forbidden. There is a strict code to abide by and failure to do so sees your crimes publicly exposed for citizens to pass judgement.

Cassandra is promised to Marcus, the senator’s son and the most eligible man in the city, that is until Cassandra start to wonder about fellow student Devyn.

I did enjoy this and am happy that books 2 and 3 are also releasing this year to get some more idea about what is going on. The couple of points I didn’t like were Devyn’s constant hot-cold-hot attitude towards Cassandra. I also reached the end of the book and really am none the wiser about the title of the trilogy The Once and Future Queen - who is/was this queen and if it turns out to be Cassandra in Book 2 there is going to have to be a lot of information that is imparted to the audience. I also feel that we really barely scratched the surface of the world in this book and to be honest, not a lot of information is given and not a lot really happens. The story is intriguing and I will pick up the second book.

*ARC provided by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter via Netgalley!*

Thank you for NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for this arc in exchange for an honest review! These thoughts and words are my own.

Whew, I am SO happy the next book release is later this year. I NEED more!

In Secrets of the Starcrossed by Clara O'Connor, Cassandra, or Cass, is anxiously waiting until the day she marries the most eligible bachelor she was matched with as a child. Needless to say, everyone envies her and her life is watched with a close eye. Being brought up in a world that strictly abides by The Code, she finds herself playing a dangerous game when it’s revealed that her society, as perfect as everyone raves it to be, may not be all what it seems.

Cassandra is a young adult who is, for a lack of a better word, naive. Who could blame her though? In the society she lives in, the Roman Empire never fell but she finds herself falling head first into the exciting new world with magic, secrets, and a boy with midnight eyes.

The romance alone is enough to keep me going but many of the characters felt very irritable and I found myself screaming at them while turning the pages. Cassandra is very reckless, Devyn is very brooding, and Marcus is set on keeping his own interests above the rest. I wouldn’t necessarily say there is a love triangle, but this novel definitely gave me hardcore The Selection vibes.

As the book progressed, I could hardly tear myself away from it. The world building alone will have me gladly pick up the next installment. Everything felt so real and I was on the edge of my seat, wondering if danger was just a page flip away. But that ending- THAT ENDING- yeah I’ll be the first in line to grab that sequel when it is released.

I do have to say that I wish the main character Cass had a friend she could lean on because it was tough seeing her internalize all her feelings of inadequacy and loneliness when everyone around her treated her like a delicate flower in need of protection. I’m hoping for more character development on her part, more magic, and perhaps seeing what exactly is behind those walls.

What a great start to a series! #omcreads

Thank you to the HarperCollins UK One More Chapter team for providing this digital ARC for review!

What immediately caught my eye when reading the description for this book was how it was recommended for fans of The Hunger Games, the Grishaverse, and Marie Lu, among others, and I was so happy while reading to find out that that was completely right.

If there is a way to start a series, this is it. Every page turn had me wanting to find out more as the story progressed—I was completely enthralled by the story’s world-building within an alternate dystopian Roman Empire and the forbidden relationship between Cassandra and Devyn. Before this book, I had never read anything having to do with Celtic legends and myths and I found myself so interested as Cassandra finds herself deciding between the life she’s always known, the perfect daughter of a wealthy merchant in a world with a strong moral code, and the life that Devyn introduces her to that might have been hers all along.

The book had plenty of plot twists and turns throughout that kept me reading, and while Cassandra’s character sometimes fell flat, it eventually grew into something more as she learned about the truth of the world within the walls that she’s always known and the world outside that has always been off-limits. The fact that the main character was around my age (early twenties) was something I really liked as most YA fantasy novels have a much younger set of characters. This also allowed for more mature themes at times throughout the exploration of Cass and Devyn’s forbidden relationship.

I truly cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of Clara O’Connor’s 'The Once and Future Queen' series—especially after that cliffhanger! #omcreads

This book has so many interesting things going for it, unfortunately, I think it’s trying too hard. There are far too many things going on. I think this story could have greatly benefitted from losing half of the crap going on. I feel like every possible plot was thrown into this book and it's just not necessary.


Also, I am still confused as to if I missed something or not because I cannot figure out if they are grown-ass adults, why are they in class with lockers? Honestly, I had a hard time reading this one. The characters lacked chemistry, as well as maturity. It just was not my kind of romance/fantasy book.


*Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Secrets of the Starcrossed" had all of the potential to be an amazing book - alternate history, magic, surprise twists - but unfortunately it did not live up to this potential. The characters were annoying - Devyn was condescending in every interaction with Cassandra. Cassandra, on the other hand, seemed naive and indecisive. Apparently the characters were meant to be in their 20s, but they acted like teenagers. The world-building was interesting, but not fully developed either - some changes to location names, mentions of the different places of worship, etc. but no real understanding of how this new world worked.

DNF at 25%.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC.

This book has a very interesting concept in which the Roman Empire never fell, but it’s still set in (what I assume to be) our time. There’s a lot of interesting details put into this story like names, places etc. that still carry that Roman feel. The world building in this book is quite fantastic, and I’m very curious to see where the author will take it in the sequel.

The main character in this book is Cassandra and her world is turned upside down in this book. From learning more about her own identity to discovering secrets and conspiracies run by the gouvernment, it’s a whole new world opening up to her.

I did have some trouble getting into this book. I think it’s because it needs quite a bit of build-up to make sure the reader knows the world, the characters and the dynamics of the city. It does work as the second part of the book is very quick-faced and you’re just fully emersed. To make it more obvious, it took me about a quarter of the time it took me to read the first half as it took me to read the second.

All in all, I definitely recommend this book and am curious to see where this story will go.

Wow! What a way to start a trilogy. Secrets of the Starcrossed is a modern retelling of an Arthurian tale with lots of twists and turns on the original tale! I love Arthurian retellings. This one has modern twists and a major alternative history.

If the Roman Empire never fell, magic was real and technology was highly advanced, this setting is what you would have gotten. Londinium, the walled Roman city, had to develop upwards, not outwards. Not to mention that it is one of the last Roman strongholds in Britannia due to the 1776 Treaty between the Britons and the Romans. The tech in this novel is advanced, the government monitors and controls everything.

Our main character POV is Cass. A young woman finishing her schooling (think university) before getting her citizenship and marrying her intended, Marcus Courtenay. Cass is the daughter of a wealthy merchant. She lives a very privileged life and is very typical of an elite member of the society. She follows the Code, meets her parents' standards and never does anything that could affect her future. That is until Devyn and her lives cross and her eyes are opened to how the world is for those less fortunate than her. All this before she learns of a disease that raging through the "lower class" and her intended, Marcus, throwing himself into finding a cure.

The plot line, events and tension in the story all are excellent. You become fully engrossed in the plot extremely quickly. This is a book where nothing is as it seems, you never know who Cass should be trusting (including herself). There's a slow burn romance, a potential love triangle, as well as the idea "perfectly matched" mates and soulmates.

The mix of Roman empire with the hints of history from Celtic and English history is well planned and thought out. You could actually believe that this is what the world could be if the Roman Empire prevailed. The world building is exceptional and well paced. The twists and turns will keep you engaged throughout the whole novel. I do know I will definitely be reading Curse of the Celts and no doubt Legend of the Lakes, as I am fully invested in this complicated, and amazing story.

I would like to thank NetGalley, One More Chapter (Harper Collins) and Clara O'Connor for sending me a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Firstly, I want to say thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book, I really appreciate the opportunity.

I loved the idea of this book, as soon as I saw it had been announced I knew that I needed to read it as soon as possible. I was so chuffed to get myself an early copy. I wasn't quite expecting it to be about what it was, I feel like a lot was kept away from the synopsis which definitely isn't a bad thing.

I found the writing style very easy to read, it was one of those books that you could pick up and not want to put down. It was one that I literally flew through every time I picked it up. I say every time I picked it up, I ended up reading it in two sittings. The plot for this definitely did intrigue me, and in parts I did struggle to put it down. But at other times it fell flat.

I really liked the characters in this book, I found them easy to connect to however at times they did irritate me. I really didn't like the romance though, it had a trope in it i really don't get on with and romance just isn't my favourite anyway. I think if I was a romance lover I would have liked this book more.

I didn't love this book but I definitely didn't hate it. The ending has me on edge and I definitely need the next one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Alternative histories (especially sci-fi/fantasy ones) are one of my favourite genres - I love to imagine what might have been different. O'Connor does a great job here of staying true to her source material while imagining a new path for British history if the Romans had never left, particularly what this might mean for a young woman. The characters are vivid and believable and the plot never lets up, with some satisfying twists and a very annoying cliff-hanger ending! I can'twait for the next installment.

I am so very looking forward to this series. I loved the cliffhanger. The Arthurian Legend is something that's not new to literature, but this series seems to take it in its own unique way that I'm excited to follow.

The book follows the life of a young gill in Londonium, a city in the Roman Empire in this alternative histroy young adult novel. She is the member of the elite in the society, bethrothed to the most elligible bachelor in the city. She is also a very rule abiding young woman who is ready to become a full member of the society. However, one day she helps a young boy in her class by helping him hide a piece of forbidden tech, and thus breaking the Code. From then on her life takes unexpected and unplanned for turns.
The book has a very interesting premise - Roman empire had never fallen, people still live in that Roman culture. Roman empire is surrounded by pagan barbarian areas. All elements which would otherwise guarantee a very interesting novel. This however suffers from the standard problems of first time authors - inconsistency of tone, endless repetition of facts (which are sometimes confused and confusing) and the bane of all YA novels - forced and inconsistent angst.
I hope that in the following books of this series the author irons out these issues and that we get more from her truly interesting imagination.

GREAT PREMISE BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT

Actual rating: 2.5 ⭐

Honestly, this was not a bad book. It really wasn't. It just wasn't all that it could have been. It really had potential to be good. It started out as something that was going to be good. But it lost momentum about halfway through and it didn't pick up again in my opinion.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Premise: A world were the Roman empire never collapsed on itself. It persisted all the way up to our present day and further. That's the premise of this book and that really appealed to me. It was a thought provoking premise that could have been turned into something really good.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Inaccurate: If there's one thing I absolutely loathe and cannot discount it is something inaccurate. And I found such a thing in this book. This is a proposed Roman society. And yet... the people in this world say "to Hades"! Hades is a Greek god. The Romans would have said "to Pluto".

Pace: At first I didn't mind the pace because I was enjoying the world building. But soon the world building failed and so did the pace. It was just too slow and drawn out.

World building: Again, at first the world building was intriguing and interesting. But that didn't last. It's obvious that O'Connor has built a very wide and complex universe in her mind. But I really don't think she did a good enough job of explaining and laying down her world. It got confusing.

Romance: Devyn and Cassandra are drawn to each other. And then they are not. And then they are. And then they are not. And then they are. And then they are not. Must I continue?

I ended up skipping through this book since it was so boring. I wasn't expecting the future setting at all and it really threw me off. I will not be reading the rest of the series and I hated the first-person point of view.