I was in 6th grade when Titanic came out. It was one of the first experiences I had learning about the history and the tragedy of the ill-fated ship. From then, I've always had a fascination with the Titanic. I've read quite a bit on it, but from the perspective of people on the Titanic. I really enjoyed reading a perspective from the Carpathia. I also thought it was really interesting that it was based on true accounts.

It was a quick read and moved very fast. It was also very powerful and moving.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for providing this book for my review. This book is one of a kind. I truly believe everyone should read this. I will purchase this book for myself as soon as possible. This historical fiction novel alternates between a young woman on the Titanic and the Captain of the Carpathia. I have never read a story that focused on the amazing rescue efforts of the Carpathia and what the people on board must have experienced. The author did an amazing job at really showing all sides of this tragic event in history. I also love the quotes from survivors as well as the Captain of the Carpathia at the end of each chapter. This book will stay in my heart forever. Thank you so much for writing this book. It is so special. Thank you again to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for allowing me to review this beautiful work of art.

I really enjoyed reading this insightful book. This came across as well-researched book, many of the characters were based on real people, and the author had clearly worked hard to make sure they were represented as fairly as possible. I was particularly struck by the cruel irony of 2 passengers having the same name and the wrong family being informed of her survival.

In this historical fiction account of the Carpathia, we are exposed to what happened on the vessel on the night that she rescued the 700+ survivors of the Titanic disaster. The tale alternates between the first-person account on the Carpathia by Captain Arthur Rostron and that of Kate Connolly (love that this is also the author’s last name) and her friends who were 3rd steerage passengers on the Titanic. A lover of historic fiction, I found that I could not put this down. The detailed account and reaction of the passengers on both ships made me feel as if I was there or watching a newsreel. There were some parts that I skimmed through as it was too much details that really weren’t pertinent to the story such as the citing of the hymns during the religious service. However, interspersed in the story is the addition of Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Astor, and the reference to the band playing on as the boat sank, which added greatly. It was very sobering. At the end of each chapter were cited notes and quotes from those who were present which only added to the story. This book, while fiction, gave me a new appreciation for the tragedy that night and the also of the courageous people who survived and those who helped the survivors. It was well done and I enjoyed it.

Many thanks to #netgalley #abriliantnightofstarsandice #rebeccaconnolly for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm normally not much for non-fiction and historical fiction. I like my books light and happy. I picked this up because I love Rebecca Connolly's books.

While it was not my usual read, once I got 40 pages in, I couldn't put it down. I was fascinated by the aspects of this great tragedy I'd known nothing about. I had never heard of The Carpathia, or Captain Arthur Rostron. This account showed me the beauty of humanity. I loved the unity and sacrifice of this amazing crew in their efforts to go the rescue.

I had to come back and add more to this review. This is a book I keep talking about with my family and friends. I had to share the amazing efforts the crew went to with my sons. The staggering rate of loss and the faith exhibited was shared with my daughter. I knew my husband would love the way Captain Rostron stood up for the passengers with the aggressive members of the press. This book led me to think about the survivors, the poor souls who were lost, and those who risked all to answer the distress call. I have been driven to search out more information. My husband thinks I should give up on clean romance and read more non-fiction. Ha!

Content: clean (no language, mild violence, a sinking ship)

hope, rescue, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, drama, tragedy, Atlantic-ocean*****

The Captain of the Carpathia had a choice: admit defeat in the face of overwhelming odds or try his very best with all of the limited resources at hand and save as many of the Titanic's passengers from certain death as he possibly could. This is a very moving story told mostly from two perspectives. See the publisher's blurb for a good intro.
It would have made for easier reading for me if it was TTS enabled.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing via NetGalley.

Rescuing Titanic-A true story of quiet bravery in the North Atlantic by Flora Delargy is a limited form of this story written for readers aged 7 - 11 Years.

I finished this book in a day, that's how much I enjoyed it. It was such an interesting and new perspective on the story of the Titanic. I don't read much historical fiction but this book captivated me. The beginning quarter seemed a little rushed for me, as the last quarter dragged out a bit, overall a really solid and enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone (even if you're not a history buff).

I am obsessed with the Titanic and its story, and this is one side you never hear about. I have heard of the Carpathia before in my research on the Titanic, but I never knew much about it. I loved this story and how it told another point of view on the story we all know. I know this was a fiction story, but I feel as though there was quite a bit of facts in it that made it almost seem like you were reading the true story of that night from someone on the boat.

Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy for my review. “A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice” gives a new perspective to the story of the Titanic. Vivid characters and detailed historical facts bring the actions of the Carpathia to life, and offers readers a new point of view on what happened that infamous night.

See the moving and emotional story of the Titanic through a unique perspective.

In this novel we get to experience the events of the Titanic’s sinking in alternating POVs, from one of its survivors and from the one captain who answered its distress call.

My favorite part was reading from Captain Arthur Rostron’s perspective. He strives to maintain his composure through the night's disaster but cannot help the heartache he feels for each of Titanic's passengers. He is sentimental, but courageous as he does all he can to come to their aid. We know that night was horrible for every Titanic passenger, survivor or not, but I never gave much thought to the risks involved for their rescuers and how the night affected them. As captain of the Carpathia, Arthur must navigate the same icy waters that brought Titanic down, see the wreckage remaining on the sea, and witness firsthand the raw horror and grief in the survivors just hours after they lost everything.

Kate Connolly is a 3rd class passenger on Titanic and one the few that survived. She boarded alone, and had no husband or family to be separated from. I liked her character, but there was nothing particularly unique or memorable about her story. It seems this was intentional, and I don’t view it as a negative. Instead of focusing solely on her character, I found myself feeling sympathetic towards all the passengers. She acted as the eyes and ears that allowed the reader to see the effects of loss for everyone on Titanic, whether it was great or small. It emphasized, as is mentioned in the book, “A loss for one was a loss for all.”

Bottom Line: Would recommend for fans of Titanic, maritime history, historical fiction based on fact, or those wanting a unique view on a familiar story.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Overall a clean read. Of course, Titanic being the tragedy it was, there is going to be talk of death, grief, and injury. Some parts were sad to read about, but it was handled well. Enough to tug at your emotions but not graphic that it becomes disturbing.
Romance: None
Profanity: Maybe one or two minor curse words.
Religious aspects: Mention of people praying and providence. Most references are consolidated to the chapter where the memorial service takes place which I skimmed through.

A couple of favorite quotes:

“The sea would be his companion, the ship his instrument, and their song that of his heart.”

“Amazing how compassion could bridge the divide of classes when little else could.”

I received this eARC free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice is a well-researched historical fiction about the captain and crew of the RMS Carpathia, which rescued 705 Titanic survivors. The author, Rebecca Connelly, has done a terrific job gathering facts about the two ships, their crew, and several passengers, and spinning them into a stunning survival story.

The main characters in this book are the captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, and Titanic steerage passenger, Katie Connelly. The novel unfolds as a dual storyline, which ultimately comes together as the passengers from the sunken Titanic settle onto the Carpathia.

For me, it was a little off-putting to begin the novel with a three page list of characters. Usually when a book begins with a long list of characters, the reader instantly knows they will have to slow down and spend a lot of time memorizing who is who for the first few chapters. In this book, the majority of the characters on the lists were very minor characters in the story, and I was able to establish the main characters fairly quickly.

Once I got into the story, the pages raced by! Even though we all know how the story of the Titanic ends, this author was able to spin a very fascinating and fast paced story of their survival.

I appreciate how much I learned about the Carpathia and its crew. Captain Rostron and his crew truly were the heroes of that disaster. Previously, I didn’t know the details of the risky decisions the captain and crew made in order to rescue as many passengers as possible. The author’s research and development of the Carpathia crew is fantastic!

I highly recommend this book, especially to lovers of historical fiction and anyone interested in the Titanic. 4.25 Stars.

In the words on Mr. Knightly "if loved you less I might be able to talk about it more." That is absolutely how I feel about this brilliant story. I am at a loss for words. How have I lived my life never knowing (or even wondering) about the ship that came to the Titanic's rescue?

I feel a profound sense of loss for all the lives lost with the sinking of the Titanic and at the same time extreme pride in those who assisted in the rescue. Captain Rostron is to be praised for all of the tough decisions he had to make and for caring more about the survivers than anything else. What an amazing man and what an incredibly dedicated crew.

The story of Kate, though fictionalized, was insightful and brought the story to life. I can not even fathom the terror and pain of that night.

Rebecca Connolly did a beautiful job of blending the two POVs coming from the Carpathia and the Titanic to create a realistic look at what that night held for everyone involved. I've been a long time fan of Rebecca Connolly and can only say that she made the leap to a new genre of writing spectacularly!

"The magnitude of the tragedy will overshadow everything else— as it should. The losses will outweigh the gains; that is simply human nature. Our providential moment in the sea will fade against the tales of each life lost, each lifeboat launched, and each member of the crew who sacrificed himself or herself to the sea."

Solid 5 star historical fiction! Loved every second of reading it.

Things to know about content: tragedy and death. No language or sex.

This book is a great historical fiction. I love books about the Titanic disaster. A Night of Brilliant Stars and Ice looks at the shipwreck from the perspective of the Carpathia. This book was very well written and the author stayed very true to history with her timeline and characters.


A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice is definitely a book I recommend everyone read!

(3.75 STARS, ROUNDED UP TO 4)

An intriguing look into the character, emotions, and heroism of Carpathia's Captain Rostron. I especially loved the references to Carpathia's other crew by name, particularly the officers and Purser Brown. These names, as the author rightly says at the novel's conclusion, seem to be left out of the history books unlike Rostron.

Having a Titanic passenger in Kate Connolly overlap with Rostron on Carpathia was a great way of weaving together the two ships, showing Carpathia's transition from a ship of happenstance to a ship of salvation. My only comment on this part of the novel is the author's frequent use of the same name for multiple characters - while I appreciate the reasoning behind it, that being the use of rather common Irish names, it became difficult to follow as a reader with multiple Marys, Martins, and Katies to keep track of.

I really liked the use of quotes from the testimonies of Captain Rostron, Carpathia passengers, and Titanic survivors placed between chapters to break them up. There's always something haunting about reading the exact words of firsthand witnesses which adds an extra element of poignancy.

Overall, A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice was an enjoyable and emotive read and I will certainly be purchasing a copy upon its release to add to my Titanic historical fiction library!

Connolly breathes life into the harrowing Titanic rescue mission from the viewpoint of the Carpathia. Switching between Captain Arthur Rostron of the Carpathia and Kate Connolly, a third-class passenger aboard the Titanic, the events on April 14th, 1912 are relayed minute by minute.

It is a pristinely told story of unbearable grief and stomach churning loss that morph themselves into brilliant inspiration, hope, and the goodness of humankind.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the chance to review. I cannot wait to get my own copy for my bookshelf.

I have no shame in saying I love reading anything and everything Titanic related. I just finished Stacey Lee's The Luck of the Titanic (a great YA historical told from a Chinese-British POV) so was thrilled to have gotten approved for this title as well. This book provides a different perspective to an event many of us already know so well, told from the POV of those on the Carpathia that answered the Titanic's distress call, as well as providing perspectives from the Titanic. An engrossing read and a nice addition to the canon of Titanic fiction out there.

When the Titanic hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912, the tragedy that we are all so familiar with quickly unfolded. The Carpathia, another passenger steamship that was 4 hours away, heard their distress call early in the morning on April 15th, and tried to come to their aid. As we know, they were too late.
The story of the Titanic (and the sequence of events involved in the only voyage it took) has always been something that has fascinated me. I've always read books & accounts of the tragedy, wanting to learn all I could. As soon as I read the description of this book, I knew I needed to read it.

What I loved about this book was that it didn't take the usual route of Titanic books, as it was really focused more on the Carpathia & imagining how the events unfolded for their passengers & crew. The story is told from two perspectives - Captain Arthur Rostron (the captain of the Carpathia) and Kate Connolly (a third class passenger on the Titanic). The sinking of the Titanic was featured, of course, but it focused more on the Captain's perilous journey to try to save the Titanic. He literally entered a minefield of ice & unknown conditions, putting himself & his boat at risk to try to save this other ship in distress. I love how the author put his perspective into the book. He was calm, collected, and entirely in charge of all going on. His goal was to save people. For me, Kate's perspective was not as heart wrenching as some of the accounts from survivors have been, but I understand that wasn't the focus.

I did love that the author stayed very true to history with her timeline & characters. So many of the characters named throughout the book (including Titanic survivors) are actual real life people, and I loved being able to look them up (or recognize them) as I read. I'm very glad that this book really focused on what the Carpathia did, as it is a bit of history that people forget about (or overlook) when thinking about the Titanic. I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in this piece of history!

What a great historical fiction. I think many dont consider what the people aboard the Carpathia we’re going through. And this story gave a voice to people from both ships. It was an engrossing read to say the least.

Like many people, I devour books about the Titanic disaster. A Night of Brilliant Stars and Ice looks at the shipwreck from the perspective of the Carpathia, which has become a footnote to the tragic events. I loved the history of the book but the storyline and characters fell a little flat. I think I would have preferred this in a nonfiction format but it was still engrossing and a fast read.

#BrilliantNightOfStarsAndIce #NetGalley

This book gripped me from the beginning., based on a true story. The book is told from the voice of Captain Arthur Rostron of the Carpathia and Kate Connolly, a third class passenger of Titanic. With the authors attention to detail, it wasn't hard to imagine the sheer panic of those aboard the Titanic. This book was well written and I think Rebecca Connolly, did a good job of recreating what happened.