3.5/5

The Stardust Thief is in my opinion a decent debut novel. An interesting set of characters plus a new take on Jinns and all that in the dessert. I know technically this is an Adult Fantasy but there was something je ne sais quoi about it that didn’t feel adult to me. Of course there isn’t like a specific formula that constitutes an Adult Fantasy but I saw a review that mentioned it was partly due to the lack of depth in the world building. Which I would agree with. I think infodumping in Adult novels isn’t always egregious if done well, The Last Smile in Sunder City and Jade City are a good example of this. I think this novel could’ve done well with diving more in depth with the history of the kingdom, heck… even the history of Loulie. and Qadir.

That takes me to my next critique… Pacing… the start of this novel was extremely slow in my opinion. It was interesting for sure but it didn’t draw me in the way others have to read it in one go. I started reading this over a month ago but only recently picked it up again simply because I was curious if it would ever pick up speed. It did of course!! But I think if the start had focused more on Loulie and Qadir at the start of their journey and then fast forward a few years I would’ve been hooked instantly. It would’ve been the Mandalorian effect… if you will… Man/Jinn adopts a lost and hurt child is one of my favourite media tropes.

This novel also felt like two in one? I felt as though there were two important climaxes opposed to one and that’s why I feel like maybe if this book HAD been split into two and the author had taken time to develop and explore her world and the characters a bit more it could’ve been a 5 star read (to ME!). Like the first climax was crazy and stress inducing like had my eyes popping out of my head. But whatever events happened there were dealt with and all that and we moved on, but if we’d ended the novel there…. the impact it would’ve had?? I still enjoyed it though!

On to the characters… I have to say I am impressed with the authors commitment to making Mazen pathetic. Like I have to stan ngl, she struck the perfect balance between pathetic and not imo. Mazen is neither Roma from TVD nor is he Alizayd from Daevabad, he’s somewhere in between. I thought his character was hilarious, low-key reading this was like reading a comedy. Same with Qadir, he was very much the “Just stands there and silently judges” character and I enjoyed reading his interactions with everyone. Aisha my beloved, the baddest of bitches, I loved her character development from hard and uncaring to hard and cares somewhat. Loulie is an enigma to me, like she knows what she’s doing for sure but she had childish bouts which of course are a product of her childhood trauma. I’d like to see where her character goes in the next book.

The dynamics between all the characters are also intriguing to me, it’s not a found family but begrudging allies who care for one another (and are annoyed about it) which I thought was cool personally. Loulie and Qadir’s relationship is so well written and imo written with a lot of care like truly their bond is like no other and I was invested in their ups and downs. Mazen is down bad for Loulie and maybe now he has a chance because [redacted] but not holding out on any hope because Loulie has standards and idk if Mazen can reach those yet. Aisha finding herself caring for Mazen is also hilarious to me like she is so annoyed at herself but I think it would do her good to have a friend so she realizes she doesn’t have to face everything alone, because Mazen also is very concerned about her well being too.

BUT LONG STORY SHORT, I had fun, there are pacing issues and that but hey!! Think it was a solid start to Chelsea Abdullah’s writing journey.

This book started off fantastic, giving serious City of Brass vibes (which was one of my favorite reads of 2021) but it lost me around 35% and unfortunately never regained my interest.

There is definite potential here, but for me, it's lost amongst mediocre characters and a slow plot.

Not sure if I will continue with the series.

This was one of my absolute MOST anticipated releases of this year and I was beyond excited when I got approved for this arc. (THANK YOU SO MUCH)

I just finished reading and it was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. It was absolutely riveting from start to finish! The magic, the storyline, the characters, I loved every single thing about this stunning debut, and the way it ends just leaves you longing desperately for the next installment. This is such a strong debut setting up for what is bound to become one of my most favorite trilogies of all time.

Mazen, one of the characters, is a storyteller, but Chelsea Abdullah has proven herself to be right up there amongst some of the best storytellers in the realms of the YA/NA fantasy genre. And I can't wait to see what she writes next.

The Stardust Thief is a beautiful book inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. It is full of magic and adventure with stunning characters and compelling twists.

This was never not going to be five stars for me. Everything about this book from the magic, the characters, and that amazing cover pulled me right in. We follow four characters: a criminal, a cowardly Prince, a jinn, and a jinn hunter on a quest for an ancient lamp.

I fell in love with the mystical nature of this book from page one. Loulie hunts magical relics - I mean come on! And the TWISTS!

I could talk this book up forever, but really I need all of you to go read it when it comes out THIS TUESDAY so that I can gush with spoilers.

This was a fun read. It did not have the same literary heft as the books in the Daevabad trilogy and that is okay. Sometimes you just need an adventure story. It’s nice that Loulie doesn’t really need a love interest. She has friendship with the nice prince and she loves her companion Qadir but it is familial love and not romantic love. The nice prince Mazen is kind of an trusting idiot but he’s a sheltered idiot so he could well grow a brain in book two now that the world has rudely slapped him one. All in all it was a delightful start to a trilogy and I look forward to the rest of the story. I’d recommend to any fantasy fan in the mood for an adventure.

Many thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Now that that's out of the way, THAT'S THE END?!!?!? When do I get the next one?!?!? I enjoyed the story, especially Qadir. I want to know more about Dahlia. I need to know what's next! I thought Loulie was great and I loved the 1001 Arabian Nights vibe.

No romance in this one, just strictly fantasy and magic and I'm here for it. The Stardust Thief comes out on the 17th and I am rating it an overall 3.5 stars. It dragged a little in some spots for me and my attention wandered but for the most part, I enjoyed it!

ARC acquired by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“The most powerful illusions are crafted from memories.”

The Stardust Thief is a Chelsea Abdullah’s debut novel. It is inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, following a legendary smuggler on a perilous quest across the desert in search of a magical lamp. Loulie, also known as the Midnight Merchant, accompanied but her jinn bodyguard, Qadir, find, trade, and sell magical artifacts. These items are deemed rare because the sultan and the Forty Thieves have eradicated most of the jinn population. Loulie quickly gets herself roped into going on a quest for a magical lamp or be thrown into prison for her smuggling.

“Let us speak of lies and truths, and of the story hidden between them.”

This book is classified as adult, but I would say that is safe for younger audiences. There are some graphic bloody scenes, and a few curse words toward the end, but nothing that I would say is too bad for upper older YA readers. This would also be a good book for YA readers who want to get into adult fantasy. The magic system isn’t hard to understand, and the writing style is easy to follow.

I really enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. From the setting to the characters to the world building, the plot, the atmosphere, basically everything. The characters are so well written with their own back story and objectives. It’s rare that I care for all of the characters in a multi POV story, but this one had me wanting more from each one, including the side characters who didn’t get a POV in this story. I enjoyed the inclusion of the stories sprinkled throughout. They added to the atmosphere and I loved them.

Overall, I am really impressed with this debut novel and can’t wait for book two. I already preordered a couple different editions and am pretty sure I’m getting another one in a subscription box for May.

“The only difference between a hero and a coward is that one forgets their fear and fights, while the other succumbs to it and flees.”

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

The setting of The Stardust Thief sold me instantly, but what really got me hooked? Were the characters 🤩 All four of the main characters are not only unique and fun and loveable (some in grumpy ways), but also chaotic?! And it works so well. My fave of course was Aisha but Qadir, the jinn, is a very close second. The Stardust Thief is such a fun story and sometimes you just want to let go and have fun, you know?
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Did I mention that Qadir turns himself into a lizard to hang out on Loulie’s shoulder? Cause Qadir definitely turns himself into a lizard to hang out on Loulie’s shoulder 👀 and as your resident reptile lover - I loved that addition 😘
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CW: child murder, slaughter/bleeding out for blood collection, graphic torture
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Hisses & Kisses 🐍
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*I received an eARC from Orbit & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

Rating 4 stars

*I received an advanced reader copy in advance from NetGalley for my voluntary and honest review.

The Stardust Thief follows the story of Loulie al-Nazari, who tracks and sells illegal magic relics as the Midnight Merchant. Alongside her is her Jinn bodyguard Qadir who saved her life as a child and has been by her side since. When they get caught selling the illegal relics they are given a choice by the sultan, punishment or search for a long lost lamp that has a jinn-king imprisoned in it. Everyone else the sultan has sent has died on this quest. So now Loulie and Qadir must be accompanied by one of the princes and his bodyguard on a perilous journey that will test all four of them in more ways than one.

I absolutely loved this book. Based loosely on A Thousand on One Nights this is a beautiful retelling and start of a trilogy. The characters are so well written each with their own objectives, despite being on the same quest. Especially with Loulie, but I did feel my own feelings resonating with the characters as I read more into the story. The world and the lore has such depths that it helps bring the story more to life. That being said the book does end with massive reveals and a cliffhanger that I almost couldn't believe it. I kept trying to flip to the next page in my ebook. And with no release date in sight for the sequel it does leave me a bit bummed.

Neither here nor there, but long ago...

The Stardust Thief lived up to every expectation I had and even surpassed them!
4.5 stars - rounded up

The story follows Loulie, the Midnight Merchant, Mazen, the hidden prince, and Aisha, one of the King's 40 thieves. Loulie and Aisha are both similar in their hardness, sarcasm, and distrustfulness. But they have extremely opposite opinions on djinn. Mazen, on the other hand, is quite the Himbo. I really do love the trope of violent/morally grey women and naive academic men. The three of them end up on a journey to find a djinn king relic across the Sandsea.

All three of them are forced to face their short comings and prejudices regarding each other and djinn. Their character arcs were fantastic.

I found it extremely enjoyable to read another story that involved djinn, marid, and ifirit after reading the Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty. The stories are in no way similar, being completely unique in every aspect but I felt like I had some extra insider information having read those.

This will for sure be popular with the fantasy lovers and I can't wait to see the love it will receive.

I will be honest, I jumped on the bandwagon with this title and I’m so happy I did. I was pulled in from the very start. Just mentioning a story set in the desert with magic and a jinn, I’m sold. All I can think about are Aisha, Mazen, and Loulie. I feel like I really got to know these people over such a long story. I’ve heard that this is part of a trilogy and I hope that is true, because I can’t wait for more. I loved this title so much I’ve preordered a physical copy.

Wow. I absolutely cannot believe that this is Chelsea Abdullah’s first novel. It was THAT GOOD. The world building, the characters, the FOUND FAMILY. Just.. perfection.
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If you like stories about Jinn magic (like I do) The Stardust Thief does not disappoint. Abdullah takes the reader on an immersive adventure full of Magic, Friendship, Action, and Storytelling. She does so in a way that captures your attention from the start and keeps it in a chokehold until the last word. The world building in this novel is how all world building should be. Never boring/info dumpy, just weaved beautifully and naturally into the story. The characters and their dynamics are top notch. They are all beautifully developed and their relationship dynamics keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. You also can’t help rooting for them (in my case, even the villains). I would die for both Aisha and Mazen.. just saying.
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Overall, The Stardust Thief blew me away. Chelsea Abdullah crafted a truly beautiful and thrilling story. Her captivating world and intricate characters will be sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. I need book 2.. like now.

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah is an epic start to a trilogy inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.

Loulie al-Nazari, the Midnight Merchant, began illegally hunting and selling ancient relics after the slaying of her family. With the help of her jinn bodyguard, Qadir, she has built up her reputation on the black market selling these sought-after relics.

In the city of Madinne, the sultan has decreed that jinn be hunted and killed for their blood and relics. There is one relic, a legendary magical lamp, that the king has coveted for some time. Since his Forty Thieves have been unable to locate it, he blackmails Loulie into searching for it with the assistance of one of his sons.

Together, a jinn killing member of the Forty Thieves, a prince, a jinn in disguise, and the Midnight Merchant set out to find this powerful lamp. Nothing will come easy for this unlikely group. They’ll face countless obstacles and betrayals long before the end of their journey is in sight.

This Arab-inspired fantasy alternates between three perspectives. The writing style is very captivating and held my attention all the way through. The setting and the world-building are so vibrant, and the descriptions of food are so scrumptious.

The beginning was a tad slow, but the rest was evenly paced, between quieter and action-packed scenes. All of the characters grew on me, especially Qadir and Aisha.

I liked that the characters had to work for everything; they didn’t just instinctively know what to do; they had to fight tooth and nail every step of the way. It kept things realistic (as realistic as a fantasy novel can be).

The ending left off on a major cliffhanger. I cannot wait to see how the world expands in the next instalment.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing an arc via Netgalley and a physical copy in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah was one of my most anticipated reads this year, but unfortunately I ended up not finishing it. I’m completely sad as I loved The Daevabad Trilogy and thought this would be a perfect fit for me.

The world building was enticing as well as the magic and lore, but what it really came down to was my inability to connect with the characters. I was expecting an adult fantasy read, but Loulie and Mazen just felt like familiar YA fantasy characters. Of course, I think this is going to be a big hit with many readers, unfortunately it wasn’t all that I hoped it to be.

2.5/5 stars

In one sentence: a merchant, a prince, and an assassin are tasked with finding an ancient lamp.

What I liked:
-I enjoyed the inclusion of myths throughout the story, they were easily my favourite aspect of the novel.
-I greatly enjoyed the premise of the story, as well as the magic system.

What I didn't like:
-I think that to promote this book as an adult fantasy is to do it a disservice. A lot of the themes are reminiscent more of YA fantasy than of adult fantasy, and going into this thinking it was adult fantasy gave me the wrong expectations.
-I wanted a lot more from the writing, it felt very basic when it could have been adding to the ambience of the story.
-I appreciated that romance was not at the forefront of this story, especially as I thought it one of the weaker aspects of the novel. I think my biggest issue with it stems from the fact that I did not see what about Loulie made her love interests want to be with her.
-I wanted more from the characters, they felt very one-dimensional and as a result I wasn't particularly invested in what happened to them. Their relationships with each other could have also been better fleshed out.
-The fight scenes were incredibly lazy, and while fight scenes are not something I particularly care about in novels, the lack of attention to them really stood out to me.

Overall this reminded me a lot of the Aladdin cartoons I used to enjoy as a child, the premise and magic system were fun, and this made for an easy read, but the characters and story lacked the depth I was looking for.

I literally don’t have words to express how much I love this book. Like 5 stars isn’t enough! Where do I start? Let’s try with the characters! Every single POV character was beautiful fleshed out and you rooted for each one, you cried with each one, you laughed with each one, and you just fell in love with every one of them. Somehow Chelsea even made you care about a secondary character you barely see but somehow you sob with their death. The characters are probably my favorite part of this book and I already miss Loulie, Qadir, Mazen, and Aisha! The plot of this book was also amazing. It’s constantly hit after hit and plot twist after plot twist. Especially the last 100 pages. I just couldn’t stop screaming and sobbing. Chelsea’s prose is also one of those that just IMMEDIATELY draws you in and keeps you hooked. The characters jump off the page, the scenes are as clear as a movie screen, the dialogue is perfect, and just AGH I don’t have enough words ok! I couldn’t recommend this book enough! I just finished book 1 but already need book 2 in my hands. Seriously, this is already a top read of this year!

This book was alright. Maybe the worst thing was that I didn't feel as immersed in the story as I expected. I also think myth-based books are just not my favorite, same with storytelling within a book, so it brings me out of the story more than for other readers. If I knew more about the culture, then that might have also helped, because there isn't much explanation about many specific things

If you’re seeking adventure, look no further than The Stardust Thief. This books is packed with well developed characters, world building, and excitement. It reminds me a lot of Aladdin with more magic and a prince stuck in a palace dreaming of the outside world instead of a princess. If you like hidden identities, this book is full of them - even until the very end! Truly a fun read!

I absolutely loved this book! The Stardust Thief tells the story of Loulie, a smuggler, and her (secretly jinn) bodyguard as they get stuck on a quest for the Sultan accompanied by the prince and a Jinn hunter. The story is inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. And while I'm not incredibly familiar with the source material, I could see the threads of some of the characters and stories I did know a little bit about and I liked how the seemed to be weaved into the story and world without it being a straight retelling. (Though admittedly, it might be a retelling of a story that I am just completely unfamiliar with). I also liked that this was weaving in bits from multiple stories instead of focusing on a singular story as its inspiration, it really helped make the world feel very well realized.

We get this story primarily through the POVs of Loulie and Mazen, the prince and I found that I enjoyed both of these POVs pretty equally which is definitely a feat! I've seen some reviews who found the characters to be somewhat predictable in their personalities, but I was not bothered by this because they were character personalities that I really enjoyed. I loved seeing a more cowardly take on a prince character and love a good take no shit heroine making her way in the world. And Loulie's relationship with Qadir, her bodyguard, was fascinating and felt like quite a different take than I had expected. We also get a third POV from Aisha, the Jinn hunter, and my one complaint if I were to have one for this book was I wanted more of her chapters! I don't think the story suffered from the amount we got, but I loved her enough to just crave more and I hope we get more of her in the next book.

This book also has made me realize that I really liked desert settings in fantasy books and I thought Abdullah did a great job painting this vibrant picture of the different towns and areas they traveled to during the course of this story. I loved the world she built here and how she dropped bits of lore throughout the book about the different jinn rulers that revealed things as they were needed.

This book also has no romance, which is something that I was quite surprised by because usually when I see mythology retellings of this sort I assume they have a heavy romantic storyline and while I would not have been unhappy if there was one (or if one develops in later books) it was refreshing to see one without because I know in adult fantasy that's something some people are looking for.

Overall I loved this adventure story and I am eagerly awaiting the second book in this series!

Another delightful romp just in time for the weather in Chicago to start to heat up. This was a quick and fun read taking inspiration from One Thousand and One Nights. I had a blast with the characters and the magic of the world of the Stardust Thief.

Chelsea Abdullah's debut follows Loulie al-Nazari, a merchant who procures and sells illegal magic items, as she is forced to hunt down a magic lamp. Accompanying her are the son of the sultan, a royal jinn hunter, and Loulie's own jinn bodyguard. The group faces obstacles of their own making as well as those of both human and magical means.

I loved that the ambition within the book was for each of Abdullah's leading characters to thrive within their situation. They were, generally, less interested in power and more interested in a life they could find peace and every day happiness in. The adventure portions of the book were well paced. The relationships between characters really shines throughout the book, both those that were established before this story and the connections that are made throughout the groups travels. Absolutely, a great way to spend the first of true summer weather.