I really enjoyed this book! My only complaint is that I wish it had been a stand-alone story. I’m getting trilogy burnout. Now I have to wait for the next book to see what happens.

wowowow what an adventure this book takes you through.

This 1001 Nights retelling was so much fun!
Also I did not realize how much I was going to enjoy the cowardly prince Mazen, but he was one of my favorites, next to Qadir.

Can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy!

Thank you to Netgalley for blessing me with an e-arc!

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review will be published on Goodreads and other retail sites closer to the publication date.

I've been anticipating this book since I stumbled across it in one of those "most anticipated SFF books coming in 2022!" lists online somewhere, and it immediately grabbed my attention.

I am a sucker for stories and magic and second world fantasy, and I think that one thing Abdullah did excellently was the "story within a story." I really enjoyed the callbacks to the Thousand and One Nights, and I found these breaks to be natural, fun, and added further to the story. I also liked the three POV characters in Loulie, Aisha, and Mazen, and appreciated having their different perspectives, as well as seeing different aspects of the world Abdullah has created. I liked that apart from Loulie and Qadir, the relationship the they had with each other was reluctant and untrusting, as I think it accurately portrayed the fact that not only were they strangers prior to being thrown together, but they all had conflicts of interest in terms of goals. I loved seeing their relationships develop, and the progression felt very natural for the characters by the end, which is to say that I'm still hesitant to call them friends, but I care very much about these characters and want to see the directions that they're going to go in as Abdullah progresses her trilogy.

Abdullah has some genuinely beautiful writing here, though there are a handful of times in which I found the pacing of the journey to be a little uneven. Ultimately, I found that my quibbles with the pacing were not super noticeable, especially considering this is a debut and the first in a series (there are certain concessions I am fully ready to make for debuts, and I thought that one of the really great things about The Stardust Thief is that I didn't actually find myself going, "yes, this is a debut"). I found that overall the book reads fast and keeps your attention, and while I consider this an adult fantasy, I definitely see a lot of crossover appeal. I am interested in seeing if there will be more complex politics as the series progresses, since I felt that The Stardust Thief was pretty straightforward (which, of course, probably has something to do with the fact our POVs come from a merchant, a thief, and an idealistic prince who doesn't want the throne to begin with). I also hope to see some more risk taking with the characters, since they were played relatively safe but still very compelling.

All in all Abdullah has written a really beautiful and captivating first book, and I can only see her going up from here. You can really tell her love for storytelling from this novel, and I think it was a wonderfully crafted tale. I will now sit here patiently for my pre-ordered copy to arrive for an immediate re-read, and then I will sit here patiently for the second book, because wow I NEED to know what happens next and I NEED to know what happens to Loulie and Mazen and Aisha and Qadir, my beloveds.

This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year, if not quickly becoming one of my favorite books of all time. I just...There are no words. The lush world building, the distinct character voices, the way Chelsea Abdullah has ripped my heart out and set it aflame, only to revive it once more. I truly did not realize how much I've been craving a story like this until I consumed it far too quickly.

Please don't make me choose a favorite character, I love each of them, flaws and all. Excitedly awaiting for what comes next!

2.5 stars rounded up

I want to preface this by saying by no means do I think this is a bad book, in fact I think this is a book that a lot of people are going to love. But, for me it just ended up being a huge miss and you can say I'm disappointed because this book had so many things that I love in fantasy books.

The Stardust Thief is an adult fantasy book is about Loulie, also known as the Midnight Merchant, who with the help of her jinn bodyguard Qadir, tracks down and sells illegal magic. One day she attracts the attention of the sultan and is forced to track down and retrieve an ancient lamp that holds a the power to save their land...but at a cost of course. Loulie isn't our only POV in this book, we also get perspectives from Mazen, the sultan's son and prince and Aisha who is a fierce warrior and a member of the Forty Thieves. This book is filled with quests, magic relics, adventure, action, ancient ruins, and of course secrets.

When I first heard about The Stardust Thief a couple months ago I was so excited and eager to read it. The book for me started out on a really good note. I was intrigued by our characters and I thought the magic and world building was so so interesting. The writing was super solid and there were some really beautiful moments and quotes that really touched me. I especially loved the father/daughter relationship between Loulie and Qadir even though they bear no relation and that dynamic is something I really love in books.

I think were things fell apart for me was in the second half of the book. While I loved the characters, plot and action up to that point I still felt like something was missing and lacking. Things started to feel very mid I guess? There were some side characters and relationships that developed/ were mentioned in regards to our main character that I did not find convincing at all. And while the book was certainly action packed I felt towards the end that things kept happening and happening and it was removing me from the plot. There were many instances where I thought it was the end of the book and it just kept going and going. While I read the book in a short amount of time, it just seemed never ending.

Now I'm for sure going to be giving this book another chance because I did read the e-arc of this and I just do not like reading fantasy books in an ebook format. I don't focus on the book as much as I would if I read the physical copy. I also started this right after finishing another fantasy book I absolutely loved so I may have been a bit slumpy and not realize it.

Again, by no means is this a bad book. I think I may have set my expectations a bit too high and that is why I didn't enjoy this as much as I was hoping. But I think many will end up loving the Stardust Thief and I look forward to seeing, reading, and hearing why they do!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for provided an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I would classify this as YA. It's an uncomplicated adventure story about two young people set in a desert country with magical jinn and ifrit. Loulie is a Bedouin orphan who has had great success finding and selling magical relics, thanks to Qadir, a very powerful jinn who protects and aids her. Mazen is a prince with nothing better to do than sneak out of the palace and wander around the markets of the city in disguise. They are thrown together to find a very powerful relic for the Sultan, Mazen's father. Loulie pretty much lost my sympathy when she bemoaned how alone she was, in spite of having Qadir single-mindedly devoted to her for no apparent reason, a close relationship with Dahlia, her landlady and confidant, and the professed love and loyalty of Ahmed, the political leader of a nearby city. Poor Loulie. Mazen is more sympathetic, he is bullied by his father and brother, who are continually referred to as murderers, but maintains a high moral standard and cheerful optimism. It's a nicely told story with a reasonably solid plot, though the ending is a to-be-continued plug for the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for a chance to read an ARC of this book!
The Stardust Thief has been my most anticipated reads of the year, and it do not disappoint! Abdullah’s prose is atmospheric and awe-inspiring, weaving a narrative full of twists and turns and starring a cast of unforgettable characters. The world building and magic system are exquisite--everything about this story is.
Everyone has to read this book. It’s going down as one of the best.

The Stardust Thief is a fabulous addition to the growing number of fantasy worlds featuring jinn and a Middle-Eastern inspired culture. The world building was incredibly well-done. All the characters start off thinking they know a lot about how the world works, but it turns out they only know a tiny bit, and as they learn, so do the readers, so there's never a massive info-dump that breaks the stride. Plus, storytelling is a key theme and there are several stories interspersed as chapters in their own right that really added to the sense that this is a fully-realized world with its own lore and systems of communication.

I loved all of our main characters. Loulie, a black market merchant, shows bravado but is afraid of trusting others. Mazen, the second son of the sultan, craves adventure but isn't ready to let go of the peace he's always known. Aisha, a jinn killer in the group of hunters known as the Forty Thieves, grapples with her loyalty to Omar, the sultan's eldest son, and her own sense of right and wrong. And Qadir, though not a viewpoint character, absolutely stole my heart as Loulie's jinn bodyguard with secrets of his own and a desire to find a place to belong in a world that hates his existence.

The action was kept at a breakneck pace, with each of the conflicts so expertly drawn that I couldn't see how the stakes could be raised any higher for the actual finale (yet when that came, it was extremely satisfying to see all the threads come together). Chelsea Abdullah still made time for quiet moments with the characters even so, and they all learned valuable lessons about trust and love and loyalty. There were a few moments where things slowed down a bit too much, and some of the scenes were a little repetitive (there were a lot of different souks visited and a surprising number of enchanted hallways with hidden entrances in the desert), but the story and the characters never lost my interest. I can't wait for the sequel after that cliff-hanger of an ending!

*Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for allowing me the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Rating: 4.5/5, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

First, this book was an absolute pleasure to read. The plot twists were so unexpected and the narrative was so well-written that there was no moment where I found myself bored. I greatly enjoyed the different POVs throughout the novel and thought that they really added a significant dimension to the telling of this story.
The world-building felt so magical as well and the Arab representation was on point. The many nods to ‘a thousand and one nights’ were so fascinating to read and just contributed to the framing of this novel's plot.

The characterization of everyone in the novel was so well done and I especially enjoyed the morally grey discourses surrounding jinn and humans. P.S. I would die for Mazen, he is definitely my favourite character.

In addition, the way the relationships between characters progressed within the novel was so natural and occurred at a pace that felt neither too fast nor too slow. However, I will say that I wish there were more interactions between several of the main characters as in the beginning the group felt so divided that I didn’t even know if they were still travelling with one another at times.

After reading this book, I was left wanting more and I can say I will definitely be reading the next book!

Thank you again to Chelsea Abdullah, NetGalley and Orbit Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and Orbit Books for an honest review… AND OMG was this book a “home run”. I have read 95 books this year and this has by far taken the top spot out of all of them.
“The Stardust Thief” by Chelsea Abdullah a tale inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. Louie al-Naxari is the Midnight Merchant. She goes searching for Jinn relics and sells them for a profit all with the help of her faithful and loyal bodyguard…who is also a jinn! When she saves a cowardly prince she is off on an adventure, curtesy of the princes father, the Sultan. They survive many attacks to find the lamp that holds a powerful jinn inside to carry out the Sultans dubious plan. You want to know what this plan is? Then you got to read the book! You won’t be disappointed! This book took a turn that I probably should have seen coming, but I was so captivitated by the story taking it all of it in. This includes tales that are told to us the readers by the characters to give us more history and what they think are just stories themselves, that turn out to be real! I will be preordering a copy of this immediately for my physical collection and a digital copy to always have it with me. This will be a book I will go back to constantly for a comfort read!

THE STARDUST THIEF by Chelsea Abdullah is the first in what is sure to be a game-changing series. Full of lush prose and unforgettable characters, STARDUST THIEF takes readers on a true journey across the desert; turning classical elements on their heads with fresh takes and new twists.

FIVE STARS. A THOUSAND STARS. ALL THE STARS.

I don’t know how I am possibly going to be able to articulate my feelings about this book. This. Book!

This was an absolutely all-consuming adventure. I couldn’t put it down, and I mean that possibly the most literally I’ve ever meant it. Once I picked this up, I lost ALL interest in anything else I was reading. I disappearing into this masterfully created world.

This is a retelling of folk tales from One Thousand and One Nights. It pulled together vibrant middle-eastern mythology with lush world building and an immersive and fast-moving plot with lovable, distinct characters. This author uses every one of the book pages masterfully, and I’m shocked that it is a near 500 page book because it. did. not. feel. like. it.

I don’t know that I’ve ever been so quickly endeared to a set of characters as I was to Loulie and Mazen. Loulie is stubborn and clever, strong and caring, vulnerable and fierce-hearted. Mazen is the soft, starry-eyed, clumsy prince with an absolute heart of gold and a soul that seeks to create adventure and stories. He expresses himself with a tenderness that doesn’t belong in the world where he lives, but is fully himself all the same.

But don’t let this convince you that I’m reading just for these characters. The plot, the adventure, the magic, the action! There is not a moment of this book that drags, despite how elaborate this world is. This author also utilized multiple pov’s so perfectly, and it never felt confusing or as though the reader is being pulled in too many directions. I also absolutely adored Loulie’s relationship with her gentle but fierce Jinn protector.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. I’m completely enchanted and waiting at the edge of my seat to hear more about the next installment.

Many, many thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the opportunity to read (aka devour) this title before publishing!

The Stardust Thief is one of those novels that sweeps you away from the very beginning and doesn’t let up until you hit that final page, desperate for the next one. It follows the adventure of a thief, a merchant, a prince and a jinn as they embark on a quest for a mythical lamp— a jinn relic with untold power.

Inspired by tales from 1001 Nights, The Stardust Thief is rich with lush world building and complex, fleshed out characters. I am not typically a fan of ensemble casts, but the use of multiple POVs added a depth to the plot that wouldn’t have happened without it. Each character has their own motivation and their own stakes, all revolving around the same primary plot. I found the emotional stakes to be the most compelling, especially because all of their stories revolve around loss, betrayal and identity, albeit in very different ways.

Much like the quest the characters embark on, the plot follows the same type of rhythm. Life and death moments of battle and chase are bracketed by slower, more emotional moments of building trust and storytelling. The Stardust Thief falls on that rarely found line between character and plot driven stories where the pace serves to both create heart-stopping stakes and nurture deep character growth. There was not much I didn’t love about Abdullah’s debut and genuinely think it will be met with resounding success come it’s launch. Needless to say, I can’t wait for the next instalment!

The Stardust Thief
by Chelsea Abdullah
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Orbit
Inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, The Stardust Thief weaves the gripping tale of a legendary smuggler, a cowardly prince, and a dangerous quest across the desert to find a legendary, magical lamp.
Fantasy, Adult, Retellings, Fiction
Thanks to the author, Orbit, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. Unfortunately, as much as I was anticipating this read.... I was ultimately disappointed. It was an OK read but underwhelming.
3 stars

I think a lot of aspects of the book were quite average but nice. The fantasy world-building was pretty straightforward without being too exceptional. The writing was okay without any major flaw. The plot was good while still being predictible. The ending was a little rushed/too fast-paced compared to the rest of the book. It was a good ending nonetheless and it keeps us on our toes.
While none of these elements had a wow-factor, they still made for a good read.

Loulie was a good MC: she has a strong personality, she's brave, she has an interesting story. The best part about her, tho, is her relationship with Qadir. Anyone who knows me knows I just LOVE platonic relationships and that extends to adopted-child/parent figure. I simply loved how much they cared for each other and how Qadir would always always have her back.

The best thing about this entire book tho is Mazen. HE. is. EVERYTHING. to me. He truly is such a LOSER, I never knew I needed a character like him before but I did. Seeing him panic, fall trying to flee, confused etc was not only very endearing but also such a mood. It made my reading so much fun.

One thing I can say for sure is that I am very looking forward to Book 2 and to seeing the world of the stardust thief expands beyond what we've seen.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4543771865?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

As soon as I saw this book being talked about on Twitter, I was intrigued. And I fell in love with that gorgeous cover on first sight. So it was never in doubt that would read this one and I was so happy when I got the arc. And since it’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy novel, I decided to go with this one and then couldn’t even sleep without finishing it.

Indian mythological stories like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana may have had the most influence on me, but the stories from A Thousand and One Nights were also a part of my childhood in one form or the other and I was delighted that we were gonna get a fantasy novel inspired by these lovely stories. And wow the author delivers. The world she creates is vibrant and alive and so beautifully described, that I was left in awe. As the characters marveled at the new landscapes they encountered on their journey, I could feel their wonder, their perilous journey through the desert almost felt palpable because I could feel the heat and sand, and I could also cherish along with them when they found a small oasis in between. I think it’s also been a while since I read a fantasy which was mostly a journey and I was excited to be on this ride, though the author immerses the characters and us in numerous horrors and life threatening situations. The pacing is perfect, with the conflicts interspersed with small moments of joy or contemplation, but there’s also a thread of grief throughout because everyone has lost someone. It really kept me hooked from the first page and I didn’t wanna stop.

And themes the author weaves through the story are very subtle but can’t be missed. Through the centuries old conflict between humans and the jinn, the author weaves a narrative of power struggles, oppression, prejudice and mass murders. As oral storytelling is an important component of A Thousand and One Nights, the author uses that framework to give us small stories as interludes where we get to know tales of human heroes and dangerous jinns and the legendary wars between them. But then when we are confronted with fragments of actual memories from the jinn, the characters along with us are left to question who is in the right and who is in the wrong - is everything that we’ve been told as history true or is it just the narrative that is needed for those in power to grow more powerful. We get to experience how beautiful the oral storytelling tradition can be and how it connects people across divides and provides them respite from their daily struggles, but we also see how these same stories can be changed and exaggerated over the years to keep up a false narrative and encourage more oppression. It was very interesting to see the author navigate the issue from both sides and letting us decide for ourselves who the true culprits are.

As wonderful as the world building and story is, the characters equally complement them. Loulie or the Midnight Merchant or Layla is a mysterious figure in the Night Market who is famous for trading forbidden jinn relics. She is someone who has been shaped through the terrors she encountered in her childhood and now wants to be able to live her life on her own terms. She shows a very tough and fierce exterior but she is also a young woman who just doesn’t want to show vulnerability and thinks she has to stand alone if she wants to survive. Hers was an interesting character progression, where she goes from an independent person to someone who is forced to take up a quest along with reluctant partners and she learns many truths and lies along the way that cut deep into her heart, but she also learns that sometimes it’s ok to ask for help.

She is ably supported in all her adventures by her jinn bodyguard plus father figure Qadir. Theirs is a relationship built on adversity and grief and both of them are reluctant to bare their souls to each other, but there’s also a deep trust between them. While Loulie gives him a purpose in life when he is running away from his past, Qadir also gives her a life that serves as an escape from her grief and protects her in any way he can. Their relationship is tested throughout the book with secrets and reveals and it might feel like on the brink of shattering, but it’s really too strong and wonderfully written.

Mazen on the other hand is a prince, probably even a favorite of the sultan, but he is struggling to live in the confines of the gilded cage created by his father. He strives to be free and has a wanderlust to travel around the world, and is also a gifted storyteller who would love to carry forward his mother’s tradition. But he is also someone who is scared of confrontation, unwilling to question things even when he knows they are wrong, and is most comfortable when is not being himself - but we see him gradually learn to be brave in his own ways, realize more truths about the world he inhabits and decide whose side he ultimately wants to be on.

Aisha took me a while to connect with. She is also someone who suffered a major loss but that has made her into a singularly determined killer and thief. She trusts her leader and is unabashed about hating the jinns but as she is forced to go on the journey with the rest of the characters, she gets confronted with a lot of information that makes her question everything she knows, and she is forced to decide what all will she do to survive and where does her true loyalty lie.

We also have multiple interesting side characters who don’t have too much page time but nevertheless leave impressions. Omar is very easy to loathe right from his first appearance and my hatred for him only increased as the story went, but the author even managed to make his arc more than just a one dimensional villain. We also meet a few of his side kicks who are equally cruel and horrible. And then there are the bookish and sweet Hakim, and the suave and charming Ahmed who were there for just a few pages but are unforgettable.

Huh !!! I’ve written too much, haven’t I?? But what to do, I loved this debut and I couldn’t shut up. It has everything I could ask for in an epic fantasy - inspired by some of my favorite childhood stories, gorgeous world building that feels so alive, an engaging plot full of quests and dangers, characters who you love immediately, and the power of storytelling as an art and as a tool woven through the whole narrative in an intricate manner. Definitely a contender for being my top favorite of the year and I can only hope the wait for the sequel isn’t too long and excruciating.

The Stardust Thief follows our main character, Louie, a merchant, Mazen, the “cowardly” prince, Aisha, the jinn killer, and Qadir, the mystery. These gang of characters make an unlikely pair as they venture into the desert in search of a lost relic.

I took way too long to finish this book in my opinion, when it was actually fast paced, which is something I enjoyed. The book follows a pacing and tone in which can keep a reader engaged with what is occurring in this universe. I found myself enjoying the world building, which I found as a decent setup for a first book. I am interested in seeing what Loulie and Mazen encounter given the ending.

I found myself liking all the characters, and I hope book two has more points of views than the three we were given now. This is due to the fact I feel every character, even the antagonist, have a reason for their being. I didn’t find myself disliking any character as well, which is strange for me!

Aisha’s realization was one I particularly enjoyed. She is a character I found who was always giving, not in the heart full sense, but in the sense that she was acting out of the expectation of others. This proved to either be her uprising or downfall, and I was proud with the decision she took in the end. I can’t wait to see what more comes of her character.

The plot twist really had my jaw drop… My shock was so evident and I felt for You Know Who. I can only imagine if that were reality, given how any person would deal with that outcome. For that alone, I leave this book at a 4.5.

Thank you to Chelsea Abdullah, NetGalley, and Orbit Books for an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

PS… I can fix Omar😅😅

One of my favorite things about reading new stories is falling in love with the world and characters created by the author and every so often there comes a book that makes me feel like I'm reading an actual fairytale - and that was how "The Stardust Thief" made me feel. I won't lie, this was one of my most anticipated books of 2022, and I am so happy to report that it did not disappoint. From the characters (my son Mazen, my darling Loulie, and don't get me started on my love of Qadir) to the setting to the adventure of finding the lamp that holds a trapped jinn king - I loved almost every single bit of it.

If I had a complaint, it is a minor one, and that it sometimes felt like a YA book rather than adult (and that is not an insult as I constantly read YA; this simply felt like it might be a good crossover book while I was hoping it would be strictly adult).

I truly cannot wait to have this book on my shelves so I can flip back through my favorite parts with ease. And with the ending?? 2023 is going to be the year of sequels that leave me screaming I can feel it. Definitely a fantastic debut and I can't wait to see what other stories Chelsea Abdullah has in store for readers!

An enjoyable YA fantasy inspired by Asian history and mythology. There were some plot points that I thought were overly predictable, but then I realized they were given away in the blurbs, which I think spoiled the reading/reveals a bit for me. But overall a fun beginning to a new series.

An absolute masterpiece of storytelling and heart, with deeply nuanced characters set in motion through a perilous journey across wild adventures, unexpected wonders, dangerous magic, and coming to an ending that will rip your heart and make you obsess over the sequel.