The City of Stardust creates a unique magical world that used to be a crossroads being worlds - until it wasn't. The book follows Violet Everly as she tries to break the curse on her family and save her own life in the process.
There were a lot of interesting, unique creations in this book. The magic system and the alternate world it belongs to was fascinating to learn about. The keys that certain people have the ability to use to walk between worlds allowed for some blending of the 2 worlds, but only for select people.
The pacing of time in this book was one of the things that I didn't really jive with. We start with Violet as a small child and her mother leaving, then about 8 years (ish) pass, we get to spend some time with Violet, and then we skip ahead by almost another year and then time slows wayyy down for about a month where we get to dive more deeply into what Violet is doing to try and break her family's curse. I found myself having to stop and try to remember how much time had passed since the previous time jump because I kept getting confused.
There were also some unanswered questions in the end that I felt needed answering, like WHERE THE HECK IS MARIANNE? Ambiguously, she is just "gone" and never coming back, but that feel like such a waste when part of the plot was dedicated to Violet's uncles and the 10 year search to find Marianne. Also, as a mother, how could she just disappear and not come back to her child even if she didn't find a way to break the curse.
There were a couple twists I wasn't expecting, especially around the big bad Penelope, and they definitely added to the unfolding of the plot.
Overall, this was a 3.5/4 star read.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this book. The cover is stunning; the premise is so intriguing, but this one fell a bit flat for me. While it still had enjoyable moments, I just didn't get into it like I wanted to. There's fantasy where you forget you're reading and feel like there's a movie happening in your brain. Then there is fantasy like this where I feel like I trudge along and never feel fully immersed. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or just the plot itself, but this was a miss for me.

This is a standalone Adult fantasy with Horror aspects.

The writing is a beautiful fairytale-like style telling the story of Violet’s family’s curse, and a city filled with magic. The writing is reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. If you liked Addie, you might like this one as well. Addie was also a 3 star read for me, however I know a lot of people loved it.

The synopsis had everything I thought I would enjoy, but it fell a little flat. There were too many questions left unanswered. Plus it is a little more horrific than I prefer. This is definitely not Young Adult due to the violence.

There are also a lot of plot holes (why characters do or don’t do things); things that just didn’t make sense.

In the end, it was entertaining enough to keep me reading.

This might be my biggest case of "it's not you, it's me" to date. I requested this ARC because I genuinely loved the premise of the blurb. When I started reading, I was intrigued by the inciting conflict and was interested in our main characters. I also appreciated the prose I was reading; the novel seemed well-crafted and the writing was nice and intricate without being purple.

As I read, the worldbuilding felt lacking and the pacing seemed to drag. I didn't love Violet and the decisions she was making; she seemed too naive and hesitant that I was reluctant to root for her. She seemed to lack any urgency for a climax with a definitive timeline, and because of that I found myself only able to read a couple pages at a time.

Perhaps at some point I'll pick this book back up again and give it another go. But for now, I'm going to move on.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley and exchange for a fair review. This novel really surprised me! Although there might have been some clunky moments in the story, overall, I was fascinated and enraptured in the plot, characters and the world that we are seeking to discover alongside Violet, the protagonist. I strongly recommend this novel for fans of fairy tale, retellings, as well as fantasy readers, and honestly anyone who enjoys a great read.

Violet Everly has largely been kept in the dark about her mother's disappearance and her family curse, until one night when a deal is made that affects her future and her family's survival.

There were so many elements of this book that I really liked. I liked that it was set in a modern world, but had magic and ideas from mythology - especially that the stories changed depending on who told it. I just thought that the pacing was off. Sometimes I wished the book was split into a duology and we got more of Violet's adventure while she was searching for her mom and then a big part of me wondered why her mom even played as big of a role as she did. Overall I liked it, I think some of my students would enjoy it as well!

In this captivating tale, Georgia Summers weaves a mesmerizing narrative around the Everly family, cursed for generations by a mysterious woman named Penelope. The story follows Violet Everly, the last hope to break the family's curse after her mother's disappearance. With a gripping blend of magic and suspense, Violet embarks on a perilous journey into a seductive underworld filled with power-hungry scholars, vengeful monsters, and enigmatic gods. Alongside the intriguing character of Aleksander, Violet navigates a world beyond her wildest imagination, driven by a ticking clock and the fate of her lineage. As she travels to unearth the truth about her family's past and the elusive Marianne, Violet confronts her deepest fears and discovers the key to the city of stardust, where her, and her family's, destiny awaits.

This book was a little slow for me at first, but it just kept getting better and better the more I kept reading. It is so mysterious that I couldn't help but keep reading to see what would happen next with Violet. You truly are going on the spellbinding adventure with her. It feels like every character has their own story to tell and secrets to keep. It was all very entertaining. If there was anything I wish there were more of is an extended epilogue. I wanted to know more about all the characters new lives in the end. The full circle moment at the end was very sweet and I just wanted to read more into it. All around, this was an excellent fantasy story.

Wow, what a book. The first thing that instantly stands out to me is the writing: the third-person narrator style gave me major flashbacks to movies like Amélie or reading V. E. Schwab‘s Addie LaRue. It is quite different from current trends in fantasy-writing, which was refreshing albeit required constant attention (POV shifts within chapters). Alexander, my poor child, is a beautifully complex and wounded character; his relationship with Penelope is an impactful depiction of the wounds abused children carry into adulthood. My dislike for Penelope is intense!!! Violet growing into her agency was a beautiful journey and aided by the narrator. Extra points for the interesting cast of supporting characters. I was very excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and it did not disappoint!

Writing was very pretty, however, the world building and character building was rough, I was enjoying the read, because it was a unique premise and I could see the potential in the writing. However, the parts that were underdeveloped left me confused and needing clarification.

City of Stardust by Georgia Summers is a wonder. This book was not on my radar at all, but I’m glad it fell into my waiting arms. It’s brilliant and tragic and had me in absolute despair. But Violet Everly, our leading lady, would not let me wallow, and she forced me to follow along on her journey through the real and unknowable places between stars.

A mother says goodbye to her daughter and purposefully strides into the night away from her ancestral family home. A pristine woman with a sharp smile steals a lonely boy and brings him into her care. These decisions will shape and shatter two young lives and rattle the stars. The girl, Violet, will grow up isolated and blissfully ignorant of the curse suffocating her family, while the boy, Aleksander, will become immersed in a magical world where he knows much but never enough. Violet and Aleksander are part of a magical scholar society, one that lives adjacent to a lost world. Celestial gods once lived among scholars and artisans who melded the stardust that fell from the sky into magical keys, but a tragic love story doomed the once grand city. And as the door to that world remains closed, sacrifices must be made. Violet’s curse and Aleksander’s obedience will collide as both seek to unlock the secrets of their mysterious and malicious magical society.

I would describe City of Stardust as plot-driven, but Summers did a great job characterizing Violet and Aleksander through their subdued thoughts and actions within the story. The relationships and feelings between characters did not have much of an impact, but I appreciate how much I was able to learn about them without much dialogue or time devoted to exploring their emotions on a deeper level. Violet is brave and self-assured as evidenced by her actively trying to take fate back into her own hands. Aleksander is the inverse of Violet and has a more soft, sensitive nature. When Violet pushes forward, Aleksander is more prone to shy away. Neither character concedes to the other, and it’s nice to see them stay so true to themselves and their goals while orbiting around each other.

The world-building was not in-depth but it suitably supported the plot. The lore surrounding the celestial gods and the magical scholars felt vague and shallow, but we don’t truly need to know these elements intimately to understand Violet’s plight. It’s a fast-paced book, often relying on vignettes to give the reader doses of information but only enough to give us the shape of the story before carrying on. This is not a complaint but merely an observation, and despite leaning more toward character-focused stories I was delighted by City of Stardust. It reminded me that books can be light on dialogue and emotion but still create devastation in how the events unfold and utterly fail the characters.

The book has an ever-present foreboding theme of powerlessness. The Everlys are cursed due to no fault of their own, and though they fight against their fate, there is nothing and no one who can help them. I loved that the story leaned into a darker fairy tale vibe and made your hope sputter out like a candle in the wind each chapter. Violet is a tenacious protagonist with a sad and lonely story because she has to find a way to save herself. No matter how strong her family is or how helpful the people are on her journey, at the end of the day Violet only has herself to either cure or face the curse on her family. This realization was both upsetting and freeing in a way, and I love that Summers doesn’t give Violet any easy way-outs.

Much like a star shooting across the night sky, City of Stardust by Georgia Summers was completely unexpected, mysterious, and a wonder to behold. It’s an enticing dark tale that effortlessly creates devastation and awe. I highly recommend you grab a copy and become inspired by Violet’s strength and tenacity like I was.

Rating: City of Stardust - 8.0/10

This story immediately captured my attention with the prologue and held it in a tight grip throughout. The writing was beautiful, the world magical and seductive. The story itself sprinkled in just enough truth mixed with myth to keep me engaged and guessing until the very end. This was very much a "just one more chapter" story for me, I didn't want to put it down.

That said the writing style felt very unique and while I jived with it right away, I can see this being something that might not appeal to everyone. The story is told in 3rd person and unfolding through multiple POVS that jump from paragraph to paragraph. I personally found this style engaging and contribute it to why I couldn't stop reading, but I do think the character development suffered a little with this style and could have been fleshed better. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it very much felt like a grown up fairytale and I can't wait to see what other stories Georgia Summers cooks up.

This gorgeous, dreamy, magical book is perfect for fans of The Starless Sea or Daughter of Smoke and Bone… which is me, so this was SO right up my alley. I absolutely loved this book, to the point where I was dragging it out because the idea of finishing it and leaving this works behind. We’ve got magic keys and doors to other worlds, we’ve got a mysterious missing mother, a curse, and a falling down old family house. And then we’ve got a handsome magician, a bad witch-type enemy, and a quest. I mean, could I want more? How about a fairy tale/myth that may or may not be true and a whole set of lost gods and goddesses? I’m dreaming of her next book already.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC!!

I want to start by saying I truly love fantasy books. It’s a huge part of my reading and I really love worldbuilding, however this just seemed somehow too much and yet not enough at the same time.

Violet Everly’s family cursed. She has been dreaming of adventure ever since her mom disappeared to try and break the curse. She goes on this quest to try and figure out what happened to her mom years ago while also trying to figure out who she is.

The magic was very interesting but I felt as though I needed more to understand the whole world. The writing was beautiful and poetic, but sometimes turns confusing and I only felt interested in what was happening about 60% of the time.

Would read more by her just due to the writing.

I really went into this book not knowing anything about it which is not my Normal way of reading.
I found The City Of Stardust interesting at first then it got a little slow half way through but then the author brings you into a seductive magical world full of betrayal , a family cursed, self discovery, power hungry people, people who disappear, gods and other secret hidden worlds.
Thank you netgalley

A big thanks to NetGalley and RedHook Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I may or may not have requested this book solely for it's cover.

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers is a fantasy novel. For centuries, the Everlys have seen their best and brightest disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor, a woman named Penelope, never ages, never grows sick – and never forgives a debt. Violet Everly was a child when her mother left on a stormy night, determined to break the curse. When Marianne never returns, Penelope issues an ultimatum: Violet has ten years to find her mother, or she will take her place. Violet is the last of the Everly line, the last to suffer. Unless she can break the curse first. Her hunt leads her into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge. And into the path of Penelope's quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted – and yet to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn. With her time running out, Violet will travel the edges of the world to find Marianne and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began.

I honestly wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I moslty blame it on the discombobulation of the plot. As I was able to sucked in with the prologue, but as soon as the actual story started I was confused. While the romance was severely underdeveloped, and made it kind of weird towards the end. Overall, this was a cool concecpt but a let down of an execution.

The Everlys are cursed. For centuries, someone in their family disappears. They are taken by a woman named Penelope that never ages, and never forgets. The Everlys have no idea what their ancestors did to get on her bad side, but that makes no difference to Penelope.
Violet Everlys mother disappeared on a rainy night when she was little. Now that she's older, Penelope will take her unless Violet's mother returns to her. Violet's uncles thought Penelope took her. Now they have to find her or lose Violet forever.

This was one of most anticipated reads. Sadly, I didn't love it. I didn't like the writing style, it felt like most of it was told in conversations. The middle of the book was a slog. And I didn't like any of the characters enough to care what happened to them. 3 stars is generous, it's maybe a 2.5.

The City of Stardust, Georgia Summers' debut in adult fantasy, presents a fascinating premise centered around the Everly family's generational curse, forcing them to surrender their most magically gifted member to the enchanting realm of Fidelis. As the chosen family member disappears, a gripping 10-year countdown begins for the Everly's to find a solution to break the curse.

Despite its promising premise, City of Stardust struggles to fulfill its potential, drowning in whimsical prose that leaves limited space for profound character development and world-building. The narrative often relies on 'tell and not show,' narrating events off-page, creating a disjointed feeling over the 10-year span and leaving gaps in the storytelling. The slow-paced nature of the book contributes to a sense of uncertainty about the story's direction, even well into its course.

While the prose is beautiful and whimsical, the vivid descriptions expected of the magical city, Fidelis, are elusive, making it challenging for readers to fully envision the landscape. The untapped potential of the story becomes evident as the reader yearns for more details, such as Violet's childhood, insights into the scholars' community, and the history of other chosen Everly's.

Violet, with more in-depth character building, had the potential to be an intriguing protagonist, but unfortunately, she remains underdeveloped. The romance subplot feels implausible, with the protagonist seemingly drawn back to a questionable relationship. The uncle relationship, although having the potential for sweetness and warmth, falls flat due to lack of development.

The City of Stardust might be a divisive read, falling into the category of a 'love it or hate it' book, with little middle ground. My thanks to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the opportunity to review an advanced reader copy of The City of Stardust.

2.5/5 Stars

The City of Stardust is Georgia Summers’ debut novel, but she writes like someone with years of experience. With elements of The Night Circus and Philip Pullman’s work combined with entirely new worlds, this is a great book to start the new year with.

I loved how Summers frames The City of Stardust; it’s a story within a story. Each section begins with a different version of the same fairytale. They hint at the mysteries of the larger narrative but leave readers questioning what the true past really is. This fleshes out the fairly simple world-building in a way that feels natural.

As the central character, Violet is fascinating. She’s the restless, cooped-up heroine with whom fantasy readers are fairly familiar. When the curse finally comes for her, she’s largely left to her own devices. But despite the dangerous situation, Violet’s first time out in the world is still an adventure. She seizes the opportunity to travel and experience new things. I appreciated that Violet is both tenacious and wide-eyed, even as she’s running for her life.

I’ve seen a few reviewers describe The City of Stardust as romantasy, but I don’t agree. While there is a romance plot, it isn’t the central focus. It may have actually been the weakest part of the novel. There’s never a satisfying resolution to a major betrayal mid-way through the book, and so the romance fell flat for me.

If you loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January or anything by Erin Morgenstern, The City of Stardust is the perfect read. This book is for anyone who loves an atmospheric fantasy set in a unique yet familiar world.

The description for The City of Stardust captivated me as soon as I read it. Here’s what hooked me: “A young woman descends into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge to break her family's curse in this spellbinding contemporary fantasy debut.” There are so many things that grab me in that little synopsis. A “seductive, magical underworld?” Sign me up. “Power-hungry scholars?” Forever and always. Fickle gods and family curses? Yes, please. While I did get all of those things, the story itself didn’t land quite as solidly for me as I had hoped it would.

This story brought to mind a multitude of others. I was reminded of The Ten Thousand Doors of January in bits and pieces of the writing style, as well as in the key and door motifs. Strange the Dreamer came to mind in terms of tone and texture, and even the story itself. There was a whiff of The Starless Sea, a subtle hint of The Night Circus. By and large, these are books that I adore. So to say that my expectations for The City of Stardust were through the roof would be an understatement. And high expectations are always risky.

I found this to be one of those odd stories that is strongest in the middle. It got off to a bit of a slow start, and the finish felt shaky and not wholly formed. But the middle 200 pages or so were incredibly engaging. This was the quest portion of the tale, and it was well crafted and well delivered. It was here that I found our main characters, Violet and Aleksander, to be at their most compelling. The various settings were all beautifully rendered. I felt that the pacing and tension, both in terms of plot and romantic undertones, were wonderfully balanced in this section. I could have overlooked the weaker beginning had the ending not unraveled. At least, it did so in my eyes. The tension dissipated where it should have been the tightest.

I liked The City of Stardust, and there were aspects of it that I absolutely love. The descriptions of Violet’s bookish childhood was fantastic. I loved Ambrose and Gabriel, Violet’s uncles, though I actually wish they had been given more time on the page. I was fascinated by the hidden world of Fidelis, and the scholarly underworld that had found its way from that world into our own. Aleksander was a very intriguing character, and I was never quite sure where he was going to fall in terms of relationship with Violet. The mythos here was pretty fascinating, and the supernatural entities were a wonderful blend of awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Georgia Summers created something lovely in The City of Stardust, if a touch unbalanced in terms of pacing and a maintenance of tension. I might have felt a bit ambivalent about the way things wrapped up, but by and large I think this was a solid debut. If everything that comes from Summers’ pen is this lovely, I can’t wait to read whatever she puts out next!

While the writing was occasionally lovely, it was more often immersed in ochre colored gore with a meandering and unnecessarily convoluted storyline.