Thanks to NetGalley I received this eARC of “Secrets of the Starcrossed” by Clara O’Connor. The book itself has been out since January but thanks to baby, I just got around to reading it now— and I read it all in one day.
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Set in an alternative future where Rome never fell and the empires influence only reaches to a walled portion of southern England around London, we meet Cassandra who gets drawn into the mystery of Devyn, a classmate of hers who can seem to change his appearance and has illegal tech in his pocket. As Cassandra begins to unravel the mystery she gets drawn into a world of magic and mayhem that is much more dangerous then she could ever have imagined. Walking a fine line she attempts to do it all and in the end suffers for her nativity and optimism.
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This is book one of three. Book one was published in January, book two in March and book three will be coming out in June.
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I found the first person narration to be absolutely compelling, and it was made all the more intriguing when Cassandra is under the influence of magic and her personality completely switches. It take a talented writer to keep the core of the character the same while completely changing the lens through such a close POV.
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My first instinct was to immediately buy book two and read it but I think I will wait until book three is published and then buy them both at the same time. This will allow me to read them back to back since I am sure that the second book will end on a cliffhanger as well.
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4/5 Stars

I had a couple of issues with this book. Characters seem very immature for the ages and there’s a scene that made me just want to scream with incandescent rage. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for and egalley.

This tried to be so many things at once, the story kind of collapsed under the weight of itself, dragging down the pace at the halfway point. Unfortunately, it never really recovered. But this wasn't a bad story, it was actually quite exciting and enjoyable at first. Then the story lost momentum and some elements became a source of annoyance. Like the characters using the Greek name of gods instead of the Roman name, despite their society being part of the Roman Empire. I don't know, I wasn't alive back then, but I think Roman societies probably would've called him Pluto, not Hades.

So, the story: Katniss... No, sorry, wrong story. Cassandra has always lived by the rules of Londinium, because the rules protect her and the other Roman citizens from those savage Britons outside the walls, who want nothing more than to destroy the very last bit of Roman society in the land. And why wouldn't Cassandra want the continued survival of her city? As the daughter of one of the richest merchants, she's been betrothed to Marcus, the city's most eligible bachelor, since she was 12 years old. With graduation approaching and their handfasting ceremony on the horizon, now is not the time for anything or anyone to disrupt Cassandra's life. But then she meets Devyn, who will make her question every single thing she has ever believed.

I like the concept of the Roman Empire still being around in the very distant future. I like the concept of combining the Romans with later British history (e.g. the War of the Roses) and Arthurian legend. I like combining magic and technology. But the combination of all of those elements means that there are quite a lot of info-dump moments. And I'm still not quite sure about some of the history decisions that were made.

The romance aspect was exciting at first, with Cassandra stuck between the man she had chemistry with and the man she's been betrothed to. But after a while, it became a constant game of push-and-pull, with Cassandra going from madly in love to hate in the space of what felt like one paragraph. Maybe not that unusual for YA romance plotlines, but still quite annoying.

Speaking of YA, I'm confused about how this story is classified as YA and not NA, since all of the characters are adults. Unless I'm mistaken, some of the characters make references to their ages, putting Cassandra at 20 or 21 years old. Which is quite old for a YA protagonist.

Given that this is the first in a series, of course the book ends with a massive cliffhanger. And being totally honest, I do want to find out what happens next. So mission accomplished for this book, I suppose. I'll definitely read the second book.

I really wanted to love this one but I just didn't. There were too many things happening in one book, too many different combinations of retellings and mythologies coming together as one and just not gelling.

DNF'd 20% in.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an eARC of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

DNF @ 40%

2.5 stars for what I read.

This story is a promising mash up of fantasy, dystopia, and scifi that follows a world where the Roman Empire never fell and the elements of Arthurian legend, Celtic magic, and Roman politics are entwined.

That sounds amazing, but too much of a good thing is not a good thing and this story just had too much going on. It was hard to figure out the world building for this story, which left me confused more often then not. In addition, there is way too much focus on the romance in my opinion, and while I didn't quite get there, the set up for a classic love triangle was there. (And by classic, I mean there are two love interests, but the author makes it extremely clear which one is end game, and only included another love interest for plot/tension purposes).

Maybe I'll try and read this again at a later date.

A good start for a new fantasy series, a mix of alternate history and celtic mythology.
i was fascinated by the world building, I think it's the strongest and best element in this book.
The contrast between the technology and magic, the class system and the magic system are quite well developed.
On the other side the characters are a bit juvenile but I found them interesting.
The plot kept me reading and I can't wait to read the next book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is Book One of O’Conner’s The Once and Future Queen YA fantasy trilogy. I loved the premise- an alternative history in which the Roman Empire never fell. It was Roman yet also futuristic with technology which is so unique!
The world building was fantastic and on finishing I was so glad to see there were going to be two more books! I really connected with the characters and felt invested in their story and outcome. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the Hunger Games or the Shadowhunter Chronicles!

I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought. I thought from the description it was going to be set in a more historical background but as I was reading it was very sci-fi and futuristic which I don't always enjoy. I really liked this one though, the writing was really well done and although the story was a bit tropey in parts it was all things I had a lot of fun with. The main character was a bit unlikeable at the beginning but I really liked the character development and growth. I love when ignorance plays a main theme in a story and slowly characters, learn, grow and start developing critical thinking for themselves.

Secrets of the Starcrossed is the first novel in a new gender bent King Arthur retelling by Clara O'Connor.
This is a fantasy epic for anyone who loves dystopia with amazing world building. O'Connor's epic takes place in a history where the Roman Empire never fell, in Londoninium, Britannia.

Londinium intermingles the advanced Roman society with the savagery of the culture that has men fighting lions in a stadium. As the only daughter of a powerful merchant, Cassandra is betrothed to Marcus, the most eligible bachelor in the city and the last scion of the Old Blood. Soon she meets Devyn, who is looking for someone with magic in their blood, and he feels like what a soulmate should be.

As with literally everything I've read or watched since 2020 there is a mysterious virus making it way through the population that puts people with magic in jeopardy. This one was easy to feel like it was separate from the COVID drama of 2020 but overall I enjoyed this fantasy. The world building was amazing and the characters were complex and entertaining.

I got an arc from Netgalley, so thank you. This book had a really promising description and seemed to start off very well but it simply was not a favorite of mine. The world building in my opinion could have been better as well as the pacing. I would have loved to see more than what we actually got. Maybe with time and practice the second book will be so much better! A solid 2 stars.

This book has a unique tale to tell: it is set in an alternative history in which the Roman Empire never fell.

Londinium is the last stronghold of the Romans left in Britannia. It remains in a delicate state of peace with the ancient kingdoms that surround it. The novel’s protagonist and narrator is Cassandra, the only daughter of a powerful Londinium merchant. Since the age of twelve she has been betrothed to Marcus, the most eligible bachelor in the city. She is now twenty-two and about to graduate. Following this she’s expects to marry Marcus and abide by the Code that all loyal citizens follow.

However, she then meets Devyn, “the boy with the strange midnight eyes searching for a girl with magic in her blood. A boy who will make her believe in soulmates…” well this proves a game changer.

I didn't get into this title; the plot didn't draw me in and the characters and dialogue wasn't as compelling as would have been needed to keep me interested otherwise. I didn't finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this and give an honest review in return. I had the luck of having both the book and audible to listen too simultaneously, so I will be reviewing both.

So the main character is Cassandra. She a character I think you will love or hate really. She’s a bit of a moaner, and a bit annoying. And we also have Marcus and the bad boy Devym. I tried hard to try and connect with the main character but I found them to be very immature. Also the lack of build up in the love interest was a bit disappointing and a bit much.

The books ideas are similar to the hunger games, with the government from v-for vendeter. The world building is interesting with a mix of different influences and Roman history, thou I found it difficult to read and easily visualise in my head. It’s not a book I would recommend for people who value historical accuracy. This is probably why I found it hard to connect with.

The audiobook narrator did a great job with the material given. The pace was good, making it easy to listen to. The only thing that was a little annoying, was because the book is all in first person. The variation for me wasn’t their , leading to lose focus.

This book/audible did have some great elements and a great fantasy world. It will appeal to a lot of people. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. However do give it a chance for yourself, you may love it. I know my friends did.

*I was provided with a copy of the book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
Unfortunately, after trying to read it twice, I have to DNF this book at 24% (and I struggled through most of it). The concept sounded promising, but the execution was sorely lacking.
What I liked:
-The Premise of a world where the Roman Empire never collapsed and still ruled today.
-The way the Republic deals with criminal activity.
-The critique on technology and how every move is being monitored was a nice aspect.
-The intrigue about the Republic getting rid of sick people because of their Celtic magic in their blood was interesting, but there were too many things I disliked by the time it was mentioned to keep reading.
What I didn’t like:
-PROBLEMATIC TERMINOLOGY: The author was referring to Britons as Indigenous, and I understand the race issue she was trying to build. However, using a term such as Indigenous peoples, which refers to specific groups of peoples across the world who have been fighting to keep their culture alive against forceful assimilation and trying to have their sovereignty today and using it in a context to say that these “others” on the other side of the wall are uncivilized/barbaric/primitive is not acceptable. For example, in Chapter 6: “Nobody referenced the indigenous as barbarians anymore, but they weren’t exactly civilized either” (Chapter 6). Using these terms in the same sentence has historical and contemporary implications of colonialism that must be addressed. It would have been less bad if the author referred to the Britons as the Britons or the natives of Britannia, but this is crossing a line for me.
-Characters and Insta-love: Cassandra’s character was a classic “good girl” and Devyn’s character had a condescending “bad boy” attitude, both of which I hated. I disliked the fact that Cassandra, for the most part, couldn’t think for herself and based all her actions off of Devyn. The fact that they barely met, yet she falls for him, then moves on, then likes him again (its on, its off, its on, its off again) in the span of less than seven chapters was really annoying. The terminology used to describe their encounters just made me cringe and want to throw up. Cassandra referring to herself in objectifying language such as a ‘doe in the headlights of a predator’ or an addict looking for a fix, just makes the whole toxic insta-love situation worse. The fact that Devyn also admits to having watched her for years is really disturbing. I just could not get on board with these characters and their storyline.
-The plot is not much better. The first five chapters were girl saves guy with illegal tech from getting caught. Girl instantly falling for guy, then gets insulted and says she’ll move on. All the while complaining that she still has the tech, but also doesn’t want to give it back… Those 5 chapters could have been put into one. Then, the story starts to pick up with intrigue on the Republic but gets ruined by Cassandra running to Devyn again to ask him what is happening instead of investigating herself.
-Worldbuilding: I didn’t buy into the world building AT ALL. It seemed weird to me that a wall was what was protecting the Roman capital when the story takes place in the 21st century or more in the future, so technology would already make it so that a wall is futile against bombs or drones. The Roman military engineering was already so much more advanced in their day, so why would they just construct a wall to protect citizens? Also, if this were a world where Romans had control today, wouldn’t the Britons (natives of the area of Londonium) be part of the Roman Republic by now, considering the Romans were claiming so much for their Empire? Like wouldn’t they have expanded and conquered them considering over 2000 years had passed? The city itself would be more organized than what was described if it were Roman capital as well. Considering Romans had great civil engineering, including structures in concrete that we can’t even replicate today if we wanted to, and the fact that there was a focus on beauty, large garden spaces and grand architecture; the city being overall disorganized and shadows being thrown over gardens by skyscrapers wouldn’t make sense.
Overall, this book frustrated me. I'm officially DNF’ing it.

This is an interesting new series aimed at a YA audience. I found it hard to get into and would have prefered a little more background to the culture we are launced into. The plot itself becomes pretty straight forward once you understand a little more. Indeed it is somewhat repetiitve. The escape and recapture happens once too many times really!

It is set in an altered version of London, England but that is neither here nor there, it could be set anywhere at anytime as it is a parallel universe to anything we would know or understand. I kept looking for reference points which I could relate to in out history or even geography but there were very few and those there are are pretty irrelevant. I think the author has missed an opportunity there as it would be an interesting twist.

However my major comment about this book is the sexual content and the way it is delt with. I am not suggesting that the author implies that what happens to Cass is good or to be promoted but reading this in a week when the right of women to be safe is parramount, I found the inclusion (especially for young adults/teens) of drug sex is disturbing. On the back of this I certainly could not recommend this as a book for the (sometimes disturbed) teens with whom I work.

All in all I found the story rather drawn out towards the end and (spoiler here) there really is no ending as such, you really have to read the next book in the series to get any sense of conclusion. A clever ploy but I would like to see some level of completion for each enstallment with just a hook for wanting more rather than an absolute cliff hanger.

NB I read half the book and then switched to the audio. I prefered the experience of listening and it was well read.

DNF’ed at 20%

Sadly this book did just need fit with my mood or what I usually find enjoyable in a Young Adult read.
The pacing was off putting and the sheer amount of information dumping we had in the beginning gave me no chance to really connect with the main character.

While there was a significant amount of "world building" that it made nearly half of the book a bit slower, I actually really enjoyed this and think it's making to be an exciting trilogy!

I was first intrigued of the idea of this world and the "what if" of if past empires hadn't fallen to get us what we have today. If certain groups lost the wars, completely changing the tides of history as we know it. If the stories and myths were real. What if?

Like I previously mentioned, there's a significant amount of world building...this had caused the book to start out a little bit slower. And like the main character, the reader was just as much kept in the dark about certain elements of the plot and where things were heading. I was equally as frustrated as Cassandra when the author wasn't telling me anything! But then I thought to myself, what makes her have to tell me things until she's ready? Maybe that's all part of this ride? After that realization, I allowed myself to sit back and follow Cass, where we both learned things together.

There were multiple waves of buildup, where I kept thinking we were getting to the climax....only for there to be more to the story. That cause a little whiplash-y but overall, I enjoyed the story and our characters! It's a uniquely interesting and original world.

I'm excited to start the next one!

I received a digital arc from netgalley in exchange for a review. I particularly enjoyed the world building within the novel

OMG!!! I literally devoured this book and finished it in one day!!! I was that much hooked

I loved everything in it, the world-building was awesome and the romance is to die-for, and that cliffhanger did it for me! I want to read the next book NOW!

Everyone in this book had a personality-like literal personality as if they are real people I know, from the main characters Marcus, Devyn, Cass to even Anna, Geneve-something, and Mariana too!

I can recommend this book so much, I have felt for a long time now after reading those hyped books and realising that they don't have much of a reason for being hyped and I am seriously offended as to why I haven't seen this one more often on bookstagram!

Sadly this book wasn’t for me. Couldn’t keep up with all the different elements. I’d also heard nothing but bad things from others who read this so this could’ve also affected my own thoughts.