Wow. WOW. This book was truly a masterpiece of storytelling. From the worldbuilding to the masterful inclusion of tales from folklore, every page was artfully crafted to tell a story unlike one I’ve ever read before.

The first half of the book seemed slow to me initially as I waited for the journey to begin, but once it began, I realized why all of those previous events were necessary. Everything tied together in a way that left my jaw dropping in shock; the pieces were everywhere, and the puzzle formed before my eyes as I went on this journey with the characters.

I must talk about Loulie. My sweet sweet Loulie. I loved her!! I loved how determined and fiery she was, while still possessing that vulnerability that makes you want to root for a character in the first place. I spent the whole book just wanting her to find the peace she deserved. Her bond with Qadir was one of my favorite dynamics in the book. They truly are platonic soulmates, for lack of a better term. Fate tied them together and it was lovely to see them grow past the obstacles and secrets that arose between them.

And Mazen! My sweet prince! He’d have me laughing one minute and feeling bad the next. So different than most male leads in fantasy books that I’ve read, and yet he offered such a stark contrast to Loulie’s impulsiveness that it just worked perfectly. Don’t even get me started on Aisha. THAT TWIST. Perfect!!!

The ending just left me wanting more. So many revelations and yet so much to uncover. This was such an amazing to start to this trilogy, and I cannot wait to see what Chelsea Abdullah does next!! 4.5 stars rounded up!

The stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah was my first @betgally book and I am so happy they gave me the chance to read and review it. I love fairy tale retellings and this one was such an imaginative take on Aladdin and the 40 thieves. The first thing I really loved about this retelling was that the roles were gender swapped so we had Prince Mazen and the feisty midnight merchant Loulie alongside her Jinn companion. Loulie is a savvy merchant making a living selling illegal Jinn relics and Mazen is a gentle story loving Prince looking for a little adventure. This story was full of rich descriptions of the world the characters live in and has great pacing for the action and non action scenes. The story was full of its own Jinn mythology, which I think creates even more world depth. I really enjoyed all of the characters but my favorites had to be Loulie and Aisha. I just loved how each of them were such badass women in their own way. Loulie, the most famous seller of magical Jinn relics and Aisha, one of the most deadly of the 40 thieves. This book was a great fantasy read. I loved the Aladdin vibes, the world building was dripping in interesting details, the fight scenes were epic, and I cannot wait for the second book!

It’s hard to believe that The Stardust Thief is Chelsea Abdullah’s debut! It is beautifully written, and is a fascinating combination of traditional storytelling and compelling characters. It is so easy to get lost in the pages and imagine yourself right there in the story, especially once they set off into the desert on their quest! My kindle died right in the middle of an action-packed scene and I couldn't get it charged fast enough! I loved Loulie and Qadir’s relationship and found Mazen endearingly relatable. I can’t wait for the continuation of the trilogy! I haven’t seen a fiction novel rooted in storytelling so well written in a while!!

This was an incredibly strong debut! The storytelling was beautiful with rich world building. I loved the desert setting and the inspiration of One Thousand and One Nights. It was very easy for me to visualize the world. There was a good balance of descriptions and action. I loved the inclusion of the Jinn and their magic. The pacing was a bit inconsistent, but that didn't bother me as much because this is a debut novel. I loved following Loulie, Qadir, and Mazen on their journey in this epic adventure, and I cannot wait for book 2!

I have found myself drawn to Arab inspired fantasy stories the past year or two and Chelsea Abdullah's debut novel was exactly what I was looking for. The first in a continuing trilogy, The Stardust Thief introduces us to a world where Djinn are hunted and magical relics are highly prized. Our main character, Loulie, has both of these: a djinn bodyguard who saved her during the slaughter of her village when she was a girl and an enchanted compass that points the way to the things she most desires. Loulie has made a name for herself in the capital of Madinne as the Midnight Merchant selling hard to find magical relics. Unfortunately, this fame brings her to the attention of the Sultan, who tasks her with finding a royal heirloom that may or may not hold a trapped ancient djinn king or die. But as Loulie soon finds out, this quest is not all it seems and many of her companions are keeping secrets from her.

Abdullah does a wonderful job of creating this magical world and weaving stories and history from our own world to make it feel lived in and real. Stories play such an important role in our understanding of the past and I adored how the author wove that important aspect into this novel. Stories, even if fiction, always hold a modicum of truth whether it be in the lesson or the understanding of the human condition. The only complaint I have is that the narrative would occasionally drag and the lore was confusing at points, mainly because were are being told it from unreliable perspectives who are deliberately trying to misdirect the other characters. I am hopeful, however, for the second book where we should get more solid answers about the history of the djinn in this land.

I couldn't finish this book - not because it was bad but because I just ran out of time with work and other books I'm currently reading.

That said: I did enjoy reading this! It was a unqiue premise and seemed very different from what I've read so far. I love folklore/classic remixes and this hit the spot.

When I finish with everything on my tbr (lmao probably not), I'm going to return to this book and finish.

I had lots of fun reading this book and would recommend it to fans who enjoy unique fantasy books. It was well written and very engaging. A solid debut.

4.75 ⭐️

Oh wow, WOW!! What a fantastic book! I most definitely had high expectations when I started reading The Stardust Thief and this was EVERYTHING!!!

There were just so many things I loved about this book, I don’t even know where to start.
The world building was marvellous! I loved how we got a short story right in the beginning which was related to the fantasy aspect of the book because that already cleared up so many things for me. I also loved that there were so many stories interwoven into this book and that it was a retelling of 1001 nights. The little nods to the original story were some of my favourite parts and whenever I got to them, I was left with an ‘oh’ reaction.

Now let’s talk about the plot twists. To say that this book hit me with the amount of plot twists and that too unexpected ones would be a huge understatement. Most of the times, I didn’t knew what was going to happen next, where the story would go because there were just so many twists that whenever I thought I knew what’s coming, the author took a turn with the events.
These were my facial expressions most of the time: 😱😰🫣🤯😩

The characters. If you didn’t know already, this book has three different POVs and four main characters at it’s centre. All of them have their own stories going on. It might sound like it’s too much (I was intimidated in the beginning too) but it was such a fun journey that by the end, I wanted to have four POVs instead of three!
I loved all four of the main characters! They were fleshed out and so different from each other: their lives, their habits, their style of living, everything! And all of them were hiding their own secrets so that’s a plus point for the mystery aspect. Even though I just said I loved all four of our main characters but I have to say that I have a very soft spot for Qadir. Without spoiling anyone, I just want to mention that he was my favourite and most intriguing character in the entire book!

Now, I’m not Arab or from Arab origin but I do know Arabic and lots of Arabic words are spoken on a daily basis in my household so based on that experience, I ADORED the Arab rep!! I had heard of almost all the names of the characters in the book in real life, some relatives or just people I know in general and it was amazing!! They were eating/ drinking the things I love, greeting each other in the words I use daily and all of that made me giddy with excitement because that rarely ever happens!! I LOVED IT!!

All in all, this was a fantastic debut and after that last plot twist, I’m so, soo eager for the next book and more words from Chelsea Abdullah!

A huge thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for my e-arc of this wonderfully immersive fantasy adventure!

The Stardust Thief is a solid debut! This book has magic, lore, and vivid imagery. If you're a fan of A Thousand and One Nights, this book should be on your radar.

While I did enjoy this book, I had some issues with the pacing. As much as I hate to say it, there were times when I was bored. First, it felt like it took a while for the action to start, and then I felt like I was waiting for the book to end. My second complaint is the characters. This book is told from 3 points of view: Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha. Sadly, I never felt connected to Loulie. It felt like the author was telling me about Loulie’s personality rather than showing me these things. Mazen and Aisha felt a bit more fleshed out. That being said, none of them are my favorite. That title belongs to Qadir. The only character without a POV. Fingers crossed, he gets one in the next book!

Overall, I think The Stardust Thief is a good book. It lays the foundation for the series and the characters’ journeys. I have no doubt the next book will be better and full of magic and adventure!

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.

For a debut novel Chelsea knocked this out of the park. I have never read One Thousand and one Night but now I want to so I can see what inspired this wonderful novel. I felt like I was in the desert with everyone partaking in the journey they were on. Chelsea's character development was great, and there were characters that grew on me as the story went on.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and I look forward to the rest of this series and anything else Chelsea writes.

Thank you to Orbit and NG for an early copy.

This book is a fun adventure featuring relatable characters, dashing escapades, and daring endeavors. The role of storytelling/stories and figures from mythology are well-incorporated. I liked the amount of attention and detail given to Aisha, Mazen, Qadir, and Loulie's backstories. The plot is nothing unexpected, but the alternations between character narrations/perspectives keep the book engaging. I did think there were too many attempted plot twists squeezed in regarding one of the characters, and the entire plot seemed to rely on one character always saving the day. While there was court intrigue worked in, I would have liked for it to have been more present throughout the story; it felt sort of dumped in at the end. However, the ending of this book sets up nicely for the sequel. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy adventure.

I was so excited to find another fantasy title with djinn and found family. Thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book!

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Just wow. This book immediately draws you into the world with very little effort. I was wandering that souk with the Midnight Merchant and Qadir before I knew what was happening. The sights, the sounds, the smells - they all felt so deliciously real. And the tension between humans and jinn was ever-present. It set the stage really well.

I thought the story moved a little slow at first but having finished it, I now realize that in the beginning, I was staring out at the desert and just taking it all in. And then, as it moved along, it's like someone was pointing out the different features to me. It became clearer and clearer and I appreciated the set-up even more.

The layers to this story are incredible. Not only is the plot intricate and unpredictable, the characters are detailed and dynamic. There are so many tragic backstories but they each feel unique. Watching Loulie and Mazen and Aisha grow was beautiful. Qadir is my favorite, hands down. He's compelling and magical and I want to know more about his story. Though I do appreciate that one of the characters uses they/them pronouns! That was a delightful surprise.

I have been recommending this book to everyone, with the caveat to have patience. "One cannot know the outcome of a journey if one is not brave enough to take it."

This book was so much fun…think gender swapped Aladdin but way richer and more steeped in Arabian folktales. And that ending…I am EAGERLY awaiting book 2.

This was a fun traveling quest adventure that was action packed and full of twists and turns and based on a mythology/folklore we don’t see very often in books. I had such a fun time with this book and can’t recommend it highly enough if you’re looking for a story that feels like someone telling you a story near a campfire on a windswept night in the desert. Full video review to come on my YouTube (https://www.YouTube.com/RodgersReads)

This is a beautiful debut book that I hope everyone will read. I was hooked by the different magic systems and the lore of the real world myths that they were inspired by. I can't wait for more by this author.

This debut is inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.

The Midnight Merchant and her jinn companion find magical relics and sell them to the highest bidder.
Stories of a magical lamp with a jinn trapped inside have reached the sultan. Whoever has the lamp can command the jinn to do his bidding. Who better to retrieve the lamp for him than the infamous Midnight Merchant.

I loved the mythology. These characters are fantastic. Some to love and some to hate. This is a great story and I look forward to more from this author.

3.75/4 stars. Ok, so this book definitely felt like a book one in a trilogy. I loved the characters especially Mazen, and I think especially at the end we have so much more to learn about the minutiae present between Jinn, and Ifrit’s. I did feel like the pacing in the beginning dragged a bit, but by about 60% the story is truly finding it’s own stride and it finishes really strong. I love a Middle Eastern inspired fantasy setting, I would’ve loved more world-building in the sense of setting. I often couldn’t picture where the characters were at beyond just “desert” or “ruins”, so more embellishment there would’ve made this a 4+ star book, for me. Overall, strong debut and looking forward to the continuation!

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Everything about the stardust thief is incredible. I have no words. A truly stunning book. I will be buying myself a hardcover special editor asap

Chelsea Abdullah crafts storytelling like no other. The fantasy genre for all its pros, can sometimes all feel like the Sam's story retold with different characters names but The Starsust Thief is the absolute refresh the genre needed. From the beginning the characters voices has me instantly hooked and the connection to them only grew the more i read until closing the book or flipping to the last page felt like losing something

From the line, "I wish you were in your lizard shape," I was hooked. It’s a book that sometimes gets a little goofy, but most of the time feels lushly mythological.

Here is my video review: https://youtu.be/bqJ33eMl384?t=1006

In this book, we follow two main characters. One is Loulie, a merchant of magic. With her father-figure jinn, she travels the desert searching for magical artifacts to sell (don't worry, it's only kind of illegal piracy). The other main character is Mazen, a sheltered prince who wants adventure (and to get away from his dysfunctional family).

In this story, pretty much everyone has a secret. This creates the most delicious irony as the ramifications of those secrets grow more and more dire. Much drama is created through those secrets, and it is all earned. It isn’t just cheap melodrama, because it’s set up from the beginning how much these secrets means to all the characters.

The story is also driven by many small conflicts. There is the larger conflict of the main plot, of course. But there are always smaller conflicts between the characters that get created and resolved. It makes each scene feel important and the entire book feel fast paced.

The one thing about this book that didn’t work for me was the ending. The larger plot only feels half-resolved, and the other half left to the sequel. Additionally, some of the character arcs culminated in moments that I didn’t feel were earned by who the characters were in the first half of the book.

Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.