This book was beyond fantastic. I have seen several people compare this book to either (or both) The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, but I have never read either so I cannot say whether or not I agree, but this book gave me SERIOUS and i mean SERIOUS The Golden Compass vibes which is probably the biggest compliment I could possibly bestow upon a book as that is my favorite book of all time.

Like The Golden Compass, this book is chock full of magic (MY FAVORITE!), stunning atmosphere, mystery, lyrical prose, flawed (but still likeable and even endearing) characters. I loved every single moment of this book. I had never heard of Georgia Summers prior to seeing this book on NetGalley, but just based on this book alone, she is already an auto-buy author for me.

I will give one heads up, though, that wasn't an issue for me (and in fact enhanced my enjoyment of this book), but this book IS "slow." It takes its time, but the payoff is there and is definitely worth it. Also, this might not be the best book for readers who ABSOLUTELY MUST know ALL of the hows and whys to a story because you sure aren't going to get that from this book. You WILL be left asking questions, but in my honest opinion, I wish more books did this because when I read a book that doesn't tie up everything nicely/doesn't answer every question, it has me CONSTANTLY thinking about the book, the possible meanings/metaphors/possibilities/motives, etc. The NOT knowing everything is EXACTLY what keeps me engaged with the story LOOOONNNNGGGGG after finishing the last page. I know that not everyone is like me, so that is just something that I wanted to mention.

I already want to do a re-read of this book and hopefully before the end of this year because I think I would appreciate it even more on second re-read and I just want to read it again because it was just so good and a fantastic escapist book for me.

I have zero critiques, no criticisms, the cover art is divine and reminds me SO MUCH of the new book cover edition of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride (GORGEOUS) and this has been one of the easiest 5 stars to give this year. I WILL be purchasing a hard copy version of this and will be recommending it to my book-reading friends, for sure.

Absolutely incredible book. Thank you SO MUCH for giving me the opportunity to review this lovely book. What a gem. Georgia Summers, you knocked it out of the park with this one!

Beautifully crafted with character that you want to hug, protect, and push out of their comfort zones. It was easy to fall for Violet and all of the Everlys. I have a massive soft spot for stories of good, yet flawed, people trying their hardest, and the Everly clan fits that mark perfectly. A slow burn romance and the mythology of gods and monsters all throughout make for an incredibly rich and rewarding world. I love a good debut, and this makes me excited to see what the author will create in the years ahead.

"She believes in curses like she believes in stories. For a curse is just another kind of story, dark and toothy and razor-edged."

The City of Stardust is a beautiful story full of wanderlust and an epic world to navigate.

Though… while the author’s writing was lovely and even poetic with her descriptions, I found her characters and overall plot a little mundane unfortunately. I really did enjoy the back stories of our main characters and how that shaped their adult lives and future decisions, but I wish there was more depth/interactions/conversations to continue those plotlines through to the end.

Magic, monsters, excitement, survival! Who could ask for more? A truly exciting adventure perfectly executed!

Highly recommend this one for those who looking for a truly amazing rollercoaster ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing book.

Recommend.

The City of Stardust is a beautifully written stand alone fantasy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars!

The Everly family is cursed; every generation one member of the family is stolen away to another world for repayment of something they don’t remember anymore. Violet’s mother is missing and if she doesn’t find her in time, she will have to take her place which will certainly led to her untimely death.

This book follows Violet as she tries to track down her mother and break her family’s devastating curse. It is full of magic, keys that transport you to other worlds, gods, a pinch of romance, mystery, and betrayal. The world building and prose are the best I have read in a while. The ending was unpredictable and wrapped everything up nicely.

I have seen comparisons to Stephanie Garber and Laini Taylor and I would have to agree.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review

3.5/5 ⭐️
I’m having a hard time rating this book because it was entertaining, however, to me it felt like an early draft where there are so many great ideas, but some needed to be weeded down and other enhanced. I definitely think Part One could’ve been cut, adding more mystery that is slowly fed to us. And more time could’ve been spent with her travels and spending time with the scholars. I felt like we were moving too fast during those parts and then be thrown a random detail, like, she has spent much time with the scholars, but we were never truly shown that. That aspect made me feel like I was constantly missing something, feeling like I had missed a step.
I will say the author did an amazing job switching POVs. And I loved the world they had created. It reminded me a lot of the Mirror Visitor series with the scholars and gods and secrets and deceits. Like my favorite parts had to do with anything about the gods and the Everly curse.
However, I think I liked all the other characters besides the main FMC. She fell flat. At times, like a completely different character, like between Part One and Part Two. Her goals and motivations were kind of weak, never getting me emotionally invested. In comparison, Aleksander was interesting. A boy stolen & brought to this world. Shaped to bend to his masters will but never is truly angered or rebellious against it. Someone who is constantly on the cusp of earning his place in this other world but left wanting. Yet it does not truly make him bitter or vengeful. But that being said, their relationship fell flattest of all. Not only was it surface level, never truly showing us a deeper connection between them, it felt jolty. Disconnected. Like maybe the author had numerous versions she imagined of them and used them all. A different one for each part instead of picking one & watching it develop over the course of the story. Like we’re starting anew in each part. Like it’s the first time she’s introducing the reader to them.
Overall, it was enjoyable and intriguing, but kind of sad because this story had so many good ideas and potential, but it felt like an early draft that needed some more shaping.
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books/Orbit Publishing for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Wow. This was so good!!! If you loved The Starless Sea or The Ten Thousand Doors of January, you should absolutely read this book. The story kept me hooked wondering what was going to happen to Violet Everly and her family. Between the secret doors, gods, stars, and sacrifices made you do not want to miss out on this world. I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves reading fantasy that takes place in the real world, but there are hundreds of worlds waiting to be explored. I hope to see more books come out of this author and the world they have built.

Thank you NetGalley, Georgia Summers and Redhook books for the ARC.

I'm so conflicted as I sit to write this review. This would be perfect for fans of Alix Harrow based on writing style but that would be the only similarities I could attribute.

Violet Everly’s mother left when she was young and she was raised by one of her two uncles in a decrepit manor. When a mysterious woman shows up and claims Violet’s life, as she has many an Everly before her, she is determined to find her mother and break the curse.

Georgia Summers is a debut author which is astounding based on how aesthetically pleasing the writing style is. The setting is realistic yet the magical in the same sense as Summers easily transitioned from real-world places to its alternate universe, so-to-speak, of Fidelis.

The plot premise was intriguing enough to draw me to this book however it became almost disjointed rather quickly. As a reader, we were more aware of information happening than Violet was even though it was following her journey to end the familial curse. While the overarching plot was interesting, the story presented oddly. As the reader, I knew more information than Violet did. This happens because there are flashbacks explaining everything from her mother's story, backstories of the gods in play, and the origin of the curse. It would have been more engaging and kept the reader enthralled had the reveals been made available to us as Violet was discovering them. As a result, I somewhat lost interest halfway through the book especially as I was aware what would happen to Violet.

Violet also wasn't as thoroughly fleshed out as she could have been. She is described as curious, intelligent, dying for adventure however she came across as either wooden. Aleksander, the MMC, was far more interesting and had an actual character arc even though, as a reader, you don't care for him based on his choices and storyline.

This is a really good effort on behalf of a debut author and for that, I give it a high 3.5 stars.

4.5 Stars!!
Thank you so much to Redhook and Orbit for the ARC! When I tell you I devoured this book...I MEAN I DEVOURED IT.

""Stubborn like an Everly, brave like an Everly, doomed like an Everly."

This book was whimsical, magical, and beautifully written. Immediately the prose sucks you in and Summers did a great job of painting the scenes with words. The characters are very complex and are described well, although I wish there was a little more dialogue/interactions between the characters. This book is in 3rd person POV and I do think that most of the book would have been even better if it was in 1st person (especially Violet). However, it was an amazing adventure and being able to join Violet as she travels to the "seductive magical underworld" was such a blast. Will she find the key to the city of stardust and be able to undo the curse? Guess you'll have to read to find out....
Great for fans of Alix E. Harrow and Laini Taylor. Also has vibes of Addie LaRue.

Ageless Penelope never forgives a debt, and the Everly family, well they owe a debt. The problem, though, is the generations are so far removed from the original contract that none of the Everlys remember the original agreement. Violet is the last of the Everly line after her mother disappeared. However, Violet has no plans to be another victim of the cursed contract her family had been plagued by. Can she navigate the mysterious world and the obstacles standing between her and breaking the curse?

The City of Stardust is Summers’s fantasy debut, and let me say, what a debut it is. I thoroughly enjoyed the world building and premise of the novel. Who wouldn’t love a key that opens up to a magical new world. Also, the stories within a story is a favorite writing element of mine, and it was used in such a great way throughout The City of Stardust. I love the ambiguity behind which version of Ever Everly’s story is the real version. The writing composition was incredibly well done, although it took a little bit to get used to with the changing third person point of views. I adored Violet’s tenacity throughout the story. She was determined not to fall victim to the curse/contract. I was also really intrigued by Penelope’s character despite some of the horrific things she’s done. It’s a mark of a good writer when you can get readers to see the shades of grey in the villain’s story. While I knew from the description there would be some darker moments, I was still surprised by some of the plot elements featured in the story and would recommend checking trigger warnings before reading. I definitely think this is a story worth reading. It’s reminiscent in feel to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue from a writing style meets His Dark Materials in plot, and I would highly recommend reading if you enjoyed either of those stories.

The Night Circus and The Starless Sea are my favorite books. Since I've read them, I have not been able to find another book to compare. Until I read this one. Until this point, I've struggled to find the lush and lyrical writing, the descriptiveness, just the general feeling of magic. I found all of these in this book.I loved the imagery in this book the best, that's usually what I look for in a favorite book, but I also loved the plot and the main character. I am immediately pre-ordering a hard copy of this book and it will go on my favorites shelf next to my two favorite books.

What a gorgeously lyrical, magical debut! The atmosphere was so strong and lovely throughout; my dreams will remain full of singing mountains, rambling houses, and shadow-dripped city streets for a long time. Comparisons to ADDIE LARUE and NIGHT CIRCUS are definitely not unfounded, and I know THE CITY OF STARLIGHT will inevitably become a favourite of anyone who likes the decadent, cozy darkness of those stories. It's a love letter to those who dream of other worlds, and I basked in it.

My only gripe is that the central curse didn't always feel consistent, and I wished we'd had a clearer resolution with that. It left something feeling ... missing, I suppose. There's so much hype around Violet's scheduled sacrifice, [spoiler alert] that when it doesn't come ... I don't know, it made so much of her journey feel hollow and unnecessary. She felt like a shadow protagonist flitting around the real main characters, many of whom I found more interesting!

Nevertheless, THE CITY OF STARDUST is a sumptuous feast of a novel, and I cannot wait to see what Georgia Summers writes next.

This was an enchanting dark fantasy that blended family dynamics, rich mythology, and a sophisticated atmosphere. The magic system is seamless, the plot unfolds at a satisfying pace, offering a mix of intense action and reflective moments. With echoes of V.E. Schwab, the writing is both lush and smooth, making the read thoroughly enjoyable. The creative world-building introduces gods, magical doors, and an ancient curse, incorporating darker elements for added complexity. It's a captivating narrative for those who appreciate a well-crafted blend of fantasy and reality.

NETGALLEY ARC REVIEW: Oooooh did I ever love this book. I’d liken it to if Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson had a magical, entertaining baby. If you’re going into this book looking for romantasy it probably won’t fit your vibe but if you’re looking for family, lore, atmosphere, mythology and beautiful writing please pick it up. I’m hoping the author writes more in this world because the approx 350 pages I got was NOT ENOUGH

What a truly magnificent book. From start to finish I loved this; it was such a wild, exhilarating ride that I couldn’t stop reading.

First of all, the magic and world-building was seamless. The familiar, earthly aspects blended well with this sort of bookish, scholarly atmosphere that wasn’t quite academia but gave the same sorts of vibes. The magic system also felt truly unique, especially in the links to the astrals which felt like terrible myths brought to life.

In terms of the plot, I loved how it unfolded slowly with bits of foreshadowing bringing things together as the book progressed, but still felt well-paced. There were times I was eagerly turning the pages because the action was so intense, and also some reflective sections that allowed me to slow down and take in all the implications. I felt like it was a rich story with so many fairytales and folklore-feeling aspects that beautifully meshed with real-world settings. The result was this stunningly intricate story set in a truly gorgeous world that I just didn’t want to leave.

I loved Violet too, and how much we see her grow and change throughout the book. She’s understandably naive after a lifetime of sheltered existence and seeing her experience the extent of the world and all the heartache it can bring is poignant, even with one foot firmly in a world of fantasy.

Without giving away too many spoilers, I also felt like it was such a suitable end for so many reasons. I loved that no one compromised in what they wanted, that they all had the strength to do what they had to do to recover and figure out who they were without the weight of their burdens bringing them down. There’s this pervasive notion throughout the story that most of the core characters don’t fit into the moulds that they’re supposed to in one way or another, but in the end, that’s the very thing that saves them and their humanity. The cost of fitting in and of towing the line is so great that it’s perfect that most of them continue to reject what they perhaps should do in favour of what is important to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was the perfect winter fantasy read. If you’re looking for a great new fantasy come January, definitely keep your eyes open for this one.

Thank you to both Net Galley and Redhook Books for the complimentary ARC!

I wanted so badly to love this book. A magical, hidden city, star-born characters, what could become enemies to lovers, betrayal and secrets….unfortunately, it ended up feeling like a murky slog.

I’m okay with finding out information as the book goes on; I actually love lots of little reveals. With this one though, we don’t get any information to establish a baseline. The world building is completely absent. It felt more like a long series of drawn out adjectives than a cohesive story.

And on cohesiveness, the POV switch between paragraphs without any breakers or context was jarring. It pulled me from the story and seemed to not serve any greater purpose.

The characters also fell flat for me; I can’t tell what their motivations are. And I will never be a fan of the naive, helpless FMC bit.

I would definitely read this author’s next book, because the descriptions and general concept of the world are both compelling. However, I think this one could’ve used some more editing from someone not familiar with the storyline to hopefully establish some more concrete world-building and increase the depth of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for the free ARC! I’m glad I got the chance to check this out, even if it wasn’t for me.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The plot was so interesting and pulled me in right from the start. The writing was beautiful and full of lush imagery.

I will definitely be checking out more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook, and Georgia Summers for an e-arc of City of Stardust in exchange for an honest review.

This book is absolutely entrancing. It's been a long time since I read a fantasy standalone, and this one just hits different! From the beginning, I was pulled in with the curse, secrets about a magical world, and Aleksander's morally gray POV. And not to mention the writing is spellbinding.

For a standalone, this book does a great job of creating a complete, complex world. I never felt bogged down with details, and everything is revealed in an organic way. There is so much detail, so much lore, that I would have loved more books set in these worlds, yet it holds its own as a standalone.

I wouldn't say this is a fast-paced book, but there's always tension with the curse and time running out. I think all the different POVs helped move the story along, and the constant reveals also kept my interest. I love books that have a villain POV that shows their villain origin story and all the different sides of them, and this book did a fantastic job showing that.

My only complaint is that the eloquent writing kept me a little removed from Violet and Aleksander. I wanted to feel their emotions as they felt them. Perhaps I needed more character growth from Violet. But still an captivating story with a beautiful ending. I think fans of Laini Taylor and V.E. Schwab will enjoy this!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Hatchette Book Group, for the arc!
Releases Jan 30, 2024

Trigger/Content Warnings: parent abandonment, fighting violence, death and gore, child kidnapping and sacrificial death, torture recounted, one brief open door scene

This one was disappointing. I JUMPED at the chance to read this when I heard it was like the Starless Sea (which is one of my all-time favourite books).

Unlike the Starless Sea, The City of Stardust DOES have a plot. It has lore. And the writing was absolutely beautiful. I think the prose was what kept me reading even when the characters didn’t really intrigue me. It was really quite pretty, and I felt transported to another world when reading.

However! The characters fell flat for me. Violet had the potential to be such a cool main character but she just didn’t get the chance! I felt like we as readers knew a lot about the world but we didn’t get to go on that journey of exploring it with Violet. Aleksander was ok but the romance felt really forced. I knew going in that there was supposed to be a romance element but it was just… it was fine. I didn’t like it, but that’s because I don’t like insta-romance stuff that doesn’t feel necessary. Ambrose and Gabe had potential to be such great supporting characters. We don’t get much clarity about Penelope but I wanted her to be some White-Witch level of manipulative trickery.

Oh and the grand finale/climax moment made me really frustrated. I felt cheated!! For a book that supposedly was no plot just vibes there was just enough plot for me to expect it to go somewhere!

Great read for the vibes, doors to other worlds, sense of grand adventure out there somewhere. Not great read for strong character development.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

A gorgeous, dark fantasy! Loved this debut author’s writing style, and couldn’t believe it was a debut. Bravo!