This one is book one of a duology centered around three particular US assassins/spies working for the covert Talon organization during WW1.

It follows two street orphans, Ivy and Philip (best friends), as they are taken in and trained by Talon. A seasoned agent, Jack Vale, takes them under his wing, and the three seek out a deranged madman out to unleash weapons of mass destruction and rule the world.

There’s lots of adventure, epic romance and of course (being a duology), there’s a cliffhanger. There’s obviously some far-fetched parts, but I enjoyed the author’s writing (I’ve read her before) and the historical elements.

Looking forward to reading the conclusion.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing the free early arc of The Brilliance of Stars for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Action, adventure, with a side of romance. Set during WW1 & the Russian revolution in Washington DC & Russia, it felt like I was on a roller-coaster ride with leanings of early CIA. I got to the end and just about cried when I realized I'd have to wait for book 2 to find out what happened.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Well, I just don't even know what to talk about first. The action? The intrigue? The romance? The espionage? Everything about The Brilliance of Stars screams, "Drop everything and read this in one sitting!" I have been so impressed and so captivated by every one of J'nell Ciesielski's books, so I knew going into The Brilliance of Stars that I was going to love it...and oh my word, I did. And I'm thrilled it's the first in a series...I can't wait for the next one!

Interesting read! The storyline was engaging and made me want to keep reading. However, the characters (particularly Ivy) were annoying to me by the end. I know the love story was a big part of the story, but I think I would have enjoyed it more without that part. I rolled my eyes at a lot during the love story parts.
I would rate this 3.5 stars…. Maybe 4?

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

From the first chapter of The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesieskli, she introduces the readers to a world of spies and trouble. Right away, the story jumps into the action. There are plenty of backstory to develop Ivy’s character. Jack is just sprinkled in with a little bit of his backstory. Readers are given hints, but readers do not fully understand what his story is and why it is important to the development of his character. Whereas, Ivy has a deeply hurt background that helps motivate her movements in the story. The romance takes away the reader’s breath. Many moments of the heroine and hero jumping through the hoops to try to stop the overarching pending danger. Plenty of action when the climactic moments occur, but there are moments of taking a deep breath and watching the characters relax and plot their next movement. The story does end in a cliff-hanger, so who knows how long it will be until the next book. Definitely something that I have to keep on hand because I will probably have to read again before I read the next book in the series. Overall, The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesieskli started with a bang, then flipped to some training and background, but then it jumped back into the high tension moments. I think this was a nicely handled World War I spy novel, but I can not wait to read the next novel.

I received a complimentary copy of The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesieskli from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

This book kept me holding on until the end. I was really hoping it would resolve but it ends on a cliffhanger. Jack, Ivy and Phillip are interesting, complex characters. All have an incredibly hard history and were orphaned or left at a young age. When they meet they become a family. The relationships grow and change throughout the book. I did have to suspend reality a few times but I loved all the intrigue, action and romance in this book. I think I am looking forward to the next book, if my heart can take it! This book is a thrill ride from beginning to end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Washington DC and Russia 1914

The beginning of the novel drew me right in. What's not to love about two orphans getting a chance to improve their standard of living?

As the story line transitioned to missions in Russia and beyond, my head was spinning a bit at all Phillip, Jack and Ivy went through. Readers will find plenty of espionage and action as the three main characters and more work together to fight against those set on using weapons of mass destruction. I loved the historical details included in the pages and the marriage proposal.

I didn't enjoy this novel as much as Beauty Among the Ruins, however, the two are very different types of novels. The author is showing diversity in voice with the Jack and Ivy Series.

The Brilliance of Stars is a wonderful book, full of suspense, romance and adventure. The author got right into the story and there was no lull in setting up the plot. Ivy and Philip's sibling relationship was phenomenal. The story is full of twists and turns, and the ending is unpredictable, which I enjoyed. I recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction and romance novels.

This was a really interesting read that definitely steps outside the bounds of Thomas Nelson's typically tidy lines, which intrigued me. The setting and premise of the book, that being a romance-spy-adventure plot, was well done and executed. The well-written dialogue was probably the highlight for me, with many witty one-liners between characters.

For my personal taste, this book was too graphic violence wise and in the more paranormal aspects towards the end of the book. It was quite a dark read, both emotionally and spiritually. The last 30-40% of the book became a bit too in-the-weeds for me, with too many threads and plot aspects blurring together. I felt it could have been condensed or written in a more clear way. All in all, I would still recommend this book and enjoyed reading it, especially the first half.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Have been unable to review due to illness. Review coming soon! This novel looks fantastic and I highly recommend this author to everyone! Can't wait to read this one, because she sure does know how to write a wonderful story and romances!

First sentence: She kissed Jack hard on the mouth, then aimed her Beretta over his shoulder and fired a round of shots down the medieval corridor of Dobryzov Castle.

The Brilliance of Stars is a spy-thriller-romance with hints of the supernatural. It is set during the midst of the first world war or the "great war" or the "war to end all wars." It is published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publisher, so I assumed that it would be Christian fiction.

Ivy and Philip are orphans continually down on their luck. Though not biologically related, they've been there for each other in their darkest of days. And their luck changes--for better or worse--when they are together on the streets. They stumble across something that could potentially prove deadly... a very private conversation with spies in a super secret spy organization. But, the two are taken back to head quarters and are essentially recruited. (Because why not??? Homeless orphans with no education are prime potential spies.) Philip is drawn to the weapons and inventions and the fighting action--or potential thereof. And Ivy, well, Ivy is drawn to the intellectual aspects of it. She'll learn to read and write English, and pick up a dozen plus foreign languages in just a year or possibly two. All the while packing away history, literature, and folklore for multiple cultures. She'll need quick recall of all the above for her super-secret missions in warring countries.

Jack Vale, our super-dreamy hero, is training both Philip and Ivy. Though he's falling truly, madly, deeply in love with Ivy. (Though pretending not to.) When they are deemed field ready, he'll be supervising them both. The three of them will form part of a team...and most of their mission will occur in a war-torn, toppling Russia.

Their spy missions have absolutely nothing to do with World War I OR with the Russian Revolution. Their spy missions instead have completely everything to do with super secret spy organizations with occult ties. So think MARVEL MOVIES or ALIAS. The potential 'supernatural' connection has more to do with vampire folklore and the occult than to anything else. I also feel the author was inspired by this Marvel-esque super soldier idea.

I was drawn to this one potentially because of WORLD WAR I and, you know, actual history. Whether the focus was on World War I in general OR the Russian Revolution, it didn't matter so much. But I wasn't interested in a spy/thriller that was focused more on occult super secret evil organizations. So the book began to lose me when it went that direction.

There is so much potential for stories set in the real world in Russia during 1917 that I didn't need this other.

The romance I felt was a little heavy-handed. The dialogue was very cheesy. Which might work for some readers. No judgment. But it gave off Anakin and Padme vibes. Again, just my opinion. And to be published by a Christian publisher, I felt it was a little too physically graphic. Granted, they were married. But still. That doesn't mean readers need so much information about intimate moments.

I don't know exactly what I expected from this tale (it's the cover art that initially drew me in!) but I was surprised by it. It isn't my usual read, yet I enjoyed the adventure and spy aspects. I like Jack and Ivy, but this is so different from my usual genres/subject matters. There's a lot of action and heart, but I prefer something a little bit softer.

If you've read this author's previous work (Beauty Among Ruins/The Socialite), The Brilliance of Stars is a bit different, but I'm confident you'll enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my complimentary copy!

You know those action movies with super heroes or super confident human fighting machines who sprout witty and humorous remarks while fighting with the villain? Well, this book has a few of those. The writing and dialogue are not bad but I just lost interest after the first few chapters. It may be due to not being convinced how two street kids could be hired into a top level secret society just like that. I'm sure many would enjoy this type of story and my suspension of belief device may be malfunctioning at the moment.

You won't find much spiritual elements too. So this would classify more as clean historical fiction/thriller/romance.

I may try it again at a later date but for now, it is a 3 stars for me.

This book races around the globe with a duo that feels like a combination of Mission Impossible and the first Captain America. Add in a villain with Red Skull overtones and you have a good feel for this novel. I enjoyed reading it. Those who love action with a strong romance will enjoy this novel. Note, the romance is on the clean side of steamy but intense.

Set amidst world war 1, a clandestine organization tries to rid the world of a megalomaniac. That's the cliff notes version, there's romance, spying, intrigue. This is excellent, rich in descriptive settings and excitement, it's fast moving and yet you care for these characters. The author set up the world of the Talon agents very well. I did have a hard time with their ages, they seem incredibly young to be assassins. I mentally aged them a decade to compensate. I'm a little frightened for the follow up, no spoilers, but I have my doubts it will end well for everyone involved. This is my first book from this author and I feel I need to seek out her other books now. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A perfect blend of both adventure and romance, The Brilliance of Stars was both hard to put down and has me wishing the next installment was already available. I’m already fully invested in Jack and Ivy’s story along with their friends.

I loved reading about the development of 2 orphans finding their place in belonging with Talon, along with the growth in Jack and Ivy’s relationship, and their friendship with Philip. The characters warred with their trust and rejection struggles coming out growing up abandoned or on their own, while having to rely on and work with each other in the espionage work they were a part of.

I also really loved how each person has their own talent, while also having to still be adept at basic fighting and strategy required in their line of work. Their personalities and baggage played well in their strengths and weaknesses.

The book ended on a cliffhanger and I’m looking forward to the next book to see how it ends. I think the ending really left a realistic note and didn’t just tie things up in a pretty bow, and I appreciate that.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4 ⭐️

The Brilliance of Stars had it all--adventure, romance, suspense, and intrigue. This was my first book by J'nell Ciesielski, and a new author plus a gorgeous book cover were two things I couldn't turn down.

The pacing of the story was really great. The author wasted no time with a slow beginning; instead, she jumped right in, introducing the characters while maintaining a fast pace. I really loved Ivy and Philip's brother/sister relationship and how they'd protected each other since they were kids. They really had a great relationship, and I loved the scenes they were both in together. Also, just gotta say it--Jack was awesome. He had a great sense of humor and could make you laugh in one scene, but he was also deep and serious and could have you feeling the weight of whatever he was feeling--guilt, regret, or longing. The author did a great job with his character development throughout the story.

The only thing that's keeping me from giving this book a higher rating (because it really was an enjoyable read) is this: a content warning.

**SPOILER**

There's a scene in chapter twenty I ended up skipping because, well, it was quite obvious the direction it was headed in--a wedding night and a bedroom scene. (That sounds awkward to say, lol.) Although there wasn't explicit content (I probably would have DNFed the book if there was), there were enough descriptions for me to go, "Okay, I'm gonna skip this scene" because...I don't want to know what a husband and wife are doing on their first night of being married, haha. In a real-life marriage relationship, I know this would have been so sweet (and not to mention, appropriate) to experience, but as a fictional story, I'm not a fan of these kinds of scenes. (Please note that this is my personal preference, and if you don't have a problem with non-explicit bedroom scenes, then I think you'd give this book a higher rating than me.) There was also another comment made by the husband a few chapters later into the story that was quite suggestive (Awkward hint: a mention of bathing suits by the wife...and the husband made a suggestive comment about it), and I wished it wasn't included in the story.
(Comments like that always make me feel uncomfortable.)

Besides that scene in chapter twenty and a few other comments (all of my content warnings start to take place about 70%ish percent into the book, so you can still read a very decent amount of the book before they happen), I enjoyed this book. The author has a great writing style, great pacing and plot development, and a wonderful bunch of characters. Also, just gotta say--the ending made me mad. Because it was a cliff-hanger. Which means I was left in suspense. And have to wait for the next book to release. Ahh.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of The Brilliance of Stars. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled to see this book through and I’m not entirely sure why. I thought it was extremely well written; it read as a cross between The Umbrella Academy and James Bond and I found the passages really easy to imagine playing out in my head. However this did sometimes result in feeling a little bored by the end of a chapter.
I thought the character development was very good but ultimately I found it hard to be invested in any characters except Jack and Ivy so found it quite slow at times.
I would still recommend this as I can’t really put my finger on what didn’t capture my imagination and the writing was excellent.

J'nell Ciesielski Is very quickly becoming one of my favorite historical fiction authors, and this was another fantastic book!

Two orphans, Ivy and Philip, who consider themselves siblings, have been living on the streets of the Washington DC area in 1914. After the accidentally overhear something they’re not supposed to, they’re taken in by a covert agency, Talon, to refine the skills that their leader thinks can be used for good. Ivy falls in love with a fellow agent, Jack, and when the two of them along with Philip and several other agents end up in Russia, they are tested by the pure evil that they encounter there.

This was an amazing book where the most compelling themes for me were friendship, love, and trust can become an anchor that keeps these characters fighting against evil, even when it seems impossible. J'nell Ciesielski’s writing is evocative and eloquent that I read this story in one sitting, much longer than I meant to.

I absolutely can’t wait until the next book comes out, especially with that ending!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I heard this book compared to Marvel's The Winter Soldier, and I knew I wanted to read it! From the very beginning I was hooked when we met Ivy and Philip as orphans hawking newspapers on the streets of DC. What follows is a well-written adventure brimming with assassins, secret societies (hello, S.H.I.E.L.D), and romance.

This was a book I didn't want to put down but also had to put down at times to take a little bit of a breather. The action is intense and descriptive and the evil presented is truly evil. I loved how engaging the story was.

What I didn't love was the super dark feel (which may not bother some readers) without much hope. As far as content, there's talk about the "Fates" controlling life but also a mention of an Almighty God. There is one use that I recall of a curse word. There is a wedding night scene that is a bit of fade to black. This isn't Christian fiction by any means. There's a running theme of the end justifying the means that will get you to thinking about what you would do in certain situations.

All things considered, I was enthralled with the plot and the characters and holding my breath on more than one occasion. I will definitely be reading the sequel!

Recommended to Marvel fans for sure!

*I received a copy of the novel from NetGalley and the publisher, but I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.*