A debut novel by Georgia Summers, The City of Stardust is an engaging contemporary fantasy novel about a centuries-old curse on the Everly family. The book follows Violet Everly from her mother's disappearance (abandonment) through her attempts to break the family curse.

Her attempts at breaking the curse introduce her to a magical world kept hidden from her, where she meets with various gods and monsters as she searches for her mother and for a solution.

In all, this book was entertaining, but the end left me feeling let down. There were a lot of characters and plot points that weren't really wrapped up. For all the world building, I would have expected a more satisfying ending.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The City of Stardust" by Georgia Summers is a mesmerizing debut that weaves a tapestry of magic, mystery, and family legacy. Summers plunges readers into a world where the boundaries between the mundane and the magical blur, crafting a narrative that is as enchanting as it is compelling.

The novel revolves around Violet Everly, the last of her line, who is on a quest to break a centuries-old curse that has plagued her family. Her journey is fraught with danger, taking her into the heart of a magical underworld filled with power struggles, ancient gods, and vengeful monsters. The character of Violet is skillfully developed; she is a protagonist who is both vulnerable and determined, her personal struggles resonating throughout her quest.

Summers' world-building is a standout feature of the book. The magical realm she creates is richly detailed and vividly imagined, making it easy for readers to lose themselves in its depths. The use of stardust as a central motif adds a layer of wonder and mystique, enhancing the novel's fantastical elements.

However, the story's pacing can feel uneven at times, with some sections delving deeply into the lore and others rushing through key plot points. Additionally, the romance subplot between Violet and Aleksander, Penelope's enigmatic assistant, while intriguing, occasionally detracts from the primary narrative of Violet's quest.

Despite these minor critiques, "The City of Stardust" is a strong debut, showcasing Summers' talent for creating a captivating fantasy world. Her writing style is fluid and engaging, capable of transporting readers to the magical realms she conjures.

In conclusion, Georgia Summers' "The City of Stardust" is a must-read for fans of contemporary fantasy. It's a story of determination, legacy, and the lengths one will go to break free from the chains of the past. With its rich world-building and complex characters, this novel is a promising start to what could be a fascinating series.

DNF

On paper, City of Stardust had all the ingredients to be my new favorite book. I absolutely love fairytale-esque stories, dark academia themes, and anything compared to Addie Larue, so I thought this would be an exciting read. Unfortunately, this book did not work for me, and I found it to be very tedious. I couldn’t fully enagage with the writing style or story as I had hoped. Despite this, I think others will enjoy this novel, especially fans of contemporary fantasy settings and magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

The plot goes something along the lines of this: there’s a family called the Everlys. Every generation, someone named Penelope comes to collect the most powerful of the Everlys as a sacrifice. The person selected is drained of their blood for a specific purpose (you find out why later). Violet, our main character, has been selected as the sacrifice only because her mother, Marianne, was supposed to be.

But Marianne disappeared years ago to find an end to this family’s curse and hasn’t been seen since. Marianne’s two brothers, Ambrose and Gabriel, have been taking care of Violet but have been keeping this secret away from her, along with other magical things.

The brothers make a deal with Penelope: give us ten years (when Violet turns 22) to find Marianne or you can have Violet. Penelope accepts. As Violet’s 22nd birthday approaches, she and her uncles become more desperate in finding her mother.

What happens next is for you to find out.

Thoughts on the book:

Wow. Just wow.

I flew through this book so much faster than I anticipated. I love how the author wrote this book. It’s so whimsical and magical and beautiful and everything flows so nicely. I could see why some people wouldn’t like this book based on the writing though.

There are definitely a lot of questions I had throughout the book, and for some reason, I feel like the author made it this way. If you don’t like open ended books, you may not want to read this because lots of things aren’t answered at the end of the day.

Also I love how we get a little bit of folklore (maybe there’s a better word for this) to get some background on Penelope. Her story is interesting. I could have used more of her perspective, but it’s fine.

Overall, I would recommend this book! It was a great read.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This adult fantasy romance book was so amazing! The world was very well built. And the setting was perfect. I absolutely loved the romance. I would recommend this book.

What an adventure!! From stars to stardust. Doors to curses, lovers to enemies, this book covers it all. The book follows the Everly family as they try to break a curse on their family. Do they do it? You must read to find out. The characters are vast and complex but extremely interesting. The flow of the book was good and it was very intriguing I could hardly put the book down I really wanted to find out what happened next.

WOW was this written so beautifully. I quite enjoyed this and it had me on the edge of seat, holding my breath in anticipation throughout the duration of this novel. To find out this was her debut was a great surprise and her storytelling has such a niche, profound touch i throughly enjoyed reading. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for her next story and will be waiting impatiently until i can get my hands on it.

Overall:
I didn't have a bad time reading this, but I was confused too often and I didn't find the characters super compelling, and also felt like there were several plot holes -- so it just ultimately wasn't my kind of book. I can see it being RIGHT up a lot of peoples' alley, but just not for me.

Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
No. I wouldn't want to re-read this one ever. It was pleasant enough due to the writing style and the magical essence of the world, but I wouldn't want to read it again.

CHARACTERS:
I liked the main characters, for the most part. I didn't DISlike them, at any rate. Violet was fine. I think I could have really loved her, if she had been developed a little bit better. I don't feel like I got to know her well enough or see enough of her personality. Same with Aleksander. They just felt fairly superficial. I feel like I knew Caspian Verde better than either of them, honestly.

PLOT:
I like the concept of this plot. But the execution didn't really work super well for me. I am so confused as to why Violet was so necessary to Penelope, when she has taken an Everly from each generation, for a thousand years?? Why couldn't she have used one of them to get access to that door? Was it because Violet maybe potentially (we don't actually know) was fathered by an astral? But all of the Everlys after Ever Everly were apparently descended from Penelope herself so... ??? (Also: that tidbit was such a throwaway?!)

There were several places where it seemed like we were getting contradicting information, or just partial information -- things being glossed over very quickly that I felt like should have been explained or explored further, to make the plot more engaging.

Villains, heroes, gods, curses,and fairy tales. The world building and writing are exquisite in this adult fantasy novel. Violet must go on an adventure to save her life. She meets monsters and villains who want to be heroes. The curse that haunts her family and her life lead her on many paths including Prague, which the author describes in wonderful detail.
This book is for people who appreciate a standalone fantasy novel with interesting magical elements.
Thank you Redhook books and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
This book will be released January 30, 2024.

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.