City of Stardust is a fantasy novel with splashes of mystery and intrigue as we follow in the footsteps of Violet Everly. The Everly line has been cursed for generations and after the disappearance of her mother, Violet is next in line to suffer the fate of her predecessors — the price? Her life.

The story begins with Violet discovering the nature of the curse, realizing how sheltered she’s been her whole life thanks to efforts of her uncles who have kept it a secret. From there, characters are introduced and the mystery begins to build and unravel, but it still took me about 50% of the book to feel like the plot began to have a stronger footing and I was able to be pulled in. And even longer for me to connect to the characters. I don’t think I fully engaged until Violet’s character development began to take shape and she finally sets out to fix the curse. There’s also a bit of a romantic subplot, though at the start Aleksander and Violet’s connection felt a bit rough and forced. That changes later on, and not entirely in a good way. The villain of the story, Penelope, adds the most intriguing elements to the plot as it unfurls, providing some depth that was lacking in the prior story progression.

Overall the writing is very descriptive and creates an interesting magical world beyond the ordinary, which I enjoyed and was intrigued by. But the pacing tended to jump around and the third person narrative switched in the middle of the chapters, which left me feeling rather confused and disconnected at times. And as we neared the ending it felt like the crescendo was within reach, the culmination of all that transpired in the latter half coming to a conclusion, and it fell completely silent. There were implications that worlds and lives were at stake throughout the entirety of the story and then it just ended. The lack of payoff was quite a surprise. It gives off that open ended air but left me feeling rather unsatisfied. Like a sip of wine… I enjoyed the initial taste, savored it a bit in the middle, but the after taste burns.

Such an intriguing premise and magical world but lacked the depth and execution to fully bring it to life for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for the chance to read a review this eARC.

This was a really cool and fun story. I feel like it was pretty unique. It was a little slow because of the world building but once you got into the action it was super fun. I loved learning about and getting to know the characters. I liked seeing them interact with one another as well. I would definitely recommend this book and want to read more by the author/series for sure!

I really wanted this to be more exciting than it was. I feel like it falls into a growing category of books that masquerade as really cool fantasy, but don't explore the concepts in the ways that they should. I would comp it more to When Women Were Dragons, The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare, and The Book Eaters, rather than The Starless Sea or Addie Larue. It just felt a little flat and I would have loved to have explored the world and magic way more than the family drama that drove the story.

For a debut author, holy moley!

I’m one for hating the dread of impending surprises within my novels, it’s why I reread favorites, because I know what’ll happen. If you ALSO need this, pick up this book— you go into the book and continue to read, obtaining and knowing more than the FMC. I felt more at peace while reading because of this and it allowed me to fully immerse myself into the story. While the plot thrills & the romance hides deep within the subplot, this third-person narrative intertwines fantasy with urban legends, allowing something new to be born.

The City of Stardust is a fantasy novel about Violet Everly, born into the family of magical Everlys who report to the mysterious, unaging Penelope. After her mother's disappearance, Violet decides to try to break her family's curse.

I had a really hard time with this book, although I'm not really sure why. It reminded me a lot of the Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (love letter to writing/books, magical hidden worlds), which I liked fine. I just had a very hard time getting into it. I had no idea that this was at least partially set in the modern day until someone mentioned a cell phone like 40% in. I had been picturing Victorian adjacent the whole book. I wasn't very compelled by any of the characters. At around 60%, I realized that I had no idea what was going on and that I didn't really care to find out. I ended up DNFing at this point. Which is sad!!! I really wanted to like this one. I generally struggle with fantasy plots (here for the vibes) but those weren't enough to keep me interested. This might have been a wrong-place-wrong-time situation as I just read a bunch of fantasy books back to back and maybe I'm just fantasy fatigued. However, I also think that the plot/characters were not compelling enough for my liking and it was very slow to get through for me.

I recommend this book if you absolutely loved The Starless Sea OR really like love letters to literature, reading, etc. This one wasn't for me. 2.5 stars rounded down to 2. Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book, my thoughts are my own!

This book was nothing like what I was expecting it to be but in a good way. From the very first scene with the uncles talking about the girl I knew I was in for a beautiful ride of twists and turns in this world where things clearly weren't quite right under the surface.

Packed with beautiful writing this book was really enjoyable from the moment I started the ARC until the moment I finished it on audiobook (It came out before I could finish the ARC but if you were wondering the audiobook narrator was wonderful also). Overall it was a great read that kept me engaged with twists I wasn't expecting and characters that kept me on my toes.

This story was great. It was well written and had a lot of feeling behind it. The world was original and you could tell

Went into this blindly and I’m glad I did as I was not sure what to expect with this one. Fun read. It started off strong and towards the middle pacing was off to me but picked up again at the end. 😲

"The City of Stardust" by Georgia Summers is a standalone fantasy novel (hoping for more) that follows the story of Violet Everly, a young woman on a mission to break a family curse that has seen the brightest and best of her family line disappear generation after generation. The curse is tied to a crime forgotten by time, with their tormentor, Penelope, a figure who never ages or forgives a debt. Violet's journey takes her into a magical underworld filled with power-hungry scholars, fickle gods, and revengeful monsters. Very different world created here. She is driven by the ultimatum issued by Penelope to find her mother, Marianne, who left years ago to break the curse and never returned. Violet's quest is not only to find her mother but to discover the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began, and break the curse once and for all.

Family curses and quest for identity are the main themes here which is fun to play with in a magical world. The consequences of seeking power is explored well here.

Huge thanks for this enchanting read NetGalley and Redhook Books! ✨

Georgia Summers is a new author to me. I really enjoyed this fantasy/romance! The book was a satisfying, enthralling read. Violet, the main character, was complex and didn't fall into the many tropes that plague romance. Her evaluations of people while sometimes slow in coming rang true and as she traveled the world to solve her mystery she grew independent, strong and true to herself. I highly recommend! Georgia Summers, the author is definitely one to watch! I look forward to her next book!

4.5 stars.

For centuries the Everly family has been cursed; a family member from each generation is stolen away to another world for repayment of something that they don’t remember anymore.

That time is quickly approaching for Violet Everly, the youngest of her family. Terrified, yet determined to break the mysterious curse and avoid death, she begins the search for her mother, who vanished in the middle of a stormy night when Violet was a child.

Violet uncovers a world full of secrets, power-hungry scholars, monsters and gods - and the key to the mystery surrounding the Everly family’s curse. But will she be able to save herself and her family?

I really enjoyed this book - very reminiscent of The Starless Sea which I loved and had hoped to find something similar for years. Summers has written a great debut fantasy novel full of beautiful prose and excellent world building - full of adventure, diverse settings and landscapes. The sense of urgency by the impending deadline keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. This is one that I would pick up again in the future.

This book felt like a classic as well as something new. It was full of dark and twisting turns and revelations. It was slow at the beginning and a lot of things weren’t explained so I was lost but as the book went on was explained and weaved beautifully. This isn’t really the genre that so reach for but I enjoyed this book immensely!

Georgia Summers has a beautiful way with words. I often found myself feeling like I was reading poetry. The premise of the story was unique and compelling and there were even some unexpected twists.

I definitely got Ninth House vibes in reference to the scholars and their "tests," they felt very much like an elite, secret society. The romance is more of a subplot but I enjoy a nice slow burn (essentially no spice/YA). This was set in modern day, which is different from my normal fantasy preferences (medieval) but traveling between worlds made it feel plenty "fantastical."

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Summer's work!

This was a slow read for me, but a beautifully written story. The beginning was a bit slow, however the story picked up and I really e joyed it. It is perfect for fan of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

I was so excited to read this fantasy novel. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and the summary sounded like something I would enjoy. Unfortunately, this was a big miss for me.

My biggest complaint was the sudden POV changes. This story is told by multiple characters, and sometimes, the POV changes right in the middle of a page or even a paragraph. We don’t get any notice of the change coming. We’re just suddenly thrust into another person’s head. It felt so disjointed, confusing, and jarring that it constantly took me out of the story, which became increasingly frustrating the further I got into the story.

The pacing was also poorly done. The first half of the book was very slow-paced, and I became rather bored with it, though I was still intrigued, hoping it would get better. (It took me almost a month to read it.) It did…and it didn’t. It does pick up in pacing in the second half of the book, specifically the last quarter. However, it still didn’t pull me into this world. I wanted a lot more fantasy elements. I wanted many more action sequences. I wanted the story to surprise me and take me on a wild ride, which it failed to do. Ultimately, it felt like nothing really happened.

The story had a unique premise but needed better execution. It was very atmospheric but the world-building felt a bit sloppy. The story was a bit complex and hard to follow at times. I wasn’t even sure what I was reading about for the majority of the story. Unfortunately, it’s not a story that will stick with me long-term. It’s not very memorable.

The writing is beautiful but it’s overshadowed by too much flowery description and not enough dialogue and substance. I found myself skimming the majority of the book. I felt like not enough details and information were given; therefore, it was difficult to visualize locations, settings, and the world being built.

As for the characters, I couldn’t connect to any of them; therefore, I didn’t really care about any of them. They all lacked character development and felt one-dimensional and flat. The romance felt forced, and I didn’t get any chemistry from the main couple. There is some language but no spice (clean, closed-door romance), just a few kissing scenes.

If I wasn’t reading this for NetGalley, I probably would’ve DNF’d it in the beginning. Overall, this had so much potential but ended up being a big disappointment for me. I didn’t really like any aspect of it, and can’t recommend it.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

City of Stardust is full of curses, mysteries, and magic. The book follows Violet Everly as she searches for her missing mother and the curse that has plagued her family for centuries. Violet is sheltered by her uncles and yearns for capital A adventure (or just any kind of life outside her home). But more interesting than the mysteries and curses surrounding Violet are the magical worlds connected to her family. Because as Violet learns about her mother, she also learns about the magical world Marianne was a part of - a world of magic, knowledge, scholars, politics, and intrigue.
I wanted to know so much more about this world, Fidelis. About the scholars, their keys, even Aleksander. Despite the fact that this book is told from multiple POVs, much of it takes place in the real world rather than the magical. What does take place is confusing and disjointed. The story jumps around both in time and location, making it hard to follow at times. Important scenes take place off the page and we only find out what happened later which makes character motivations unclear rather than leading to a big reveal.
City of Stardust has great potential. I like the premise of keys that open doors to magical worlds. The writing is lyrical and the characters likeable. I just wanted a little more from the story itself.

Violet Everly's mother left when she was young and her uncles who are raising her are hiding a dark secret. The family line is cursed with one member of each generation taken to pay a blood debt that no one remembers. Her mother left to find a way to break the curse. Now it is Violet's turn and she must venture into an unknown magical underworld to find her mother and escape her fate. This dark fantasy is very unusual with it's tales of fallen star gods seeking to return to the heavens. Violet is a well drawn character with her individual quirky personality. As the story unfolded I could not foresee where the tale was headed and how this could possibly be wrapped up which kept me glued to the pages. Told in third person with lots of dialogue detailing the unique world of magical doorways and keys which we see through the eyes of the protagonist the tension builds slow and steady. I actually had a hard time visualizing the city of stardust and the concept of its controlling librarians. Many of the characters are morally grey and choose a diabolical path. If you enjoy a dark and gritty fantasy with a very unique world gives this narrative a try. It is reminiscent of "Starless Sea" and similar novels.

Starting off, I felt this book had so much potential. Violet Everly has grown up away from the world she was destined for, and then the book just lost me. There were storylines and ideas that seemed thrown in without further explanation, which just seemed to muddle the whole story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this title. I will admit, the cover drew me to this story more than anything else, but I was intrigued by the blurb. The story started off well, but the character development and execution of the overall storyline fell short for me. There were many questions that weren't answered when it was all said and done that made me wonder why I spent the past few days reading it.

I found this to be a dark, yet enchanting story of magic doors and keys, blood oaths, soul-eating goddesses, secret knowledge, and sacrifice. It swept me away and then delivered a conclusion I found to be very satisfying. I don't know if this will appeal to everyone, but I loved it.

Georgia Summers created something lovely in The City of Stardust, It was a solid debut.

DNF unfortunately. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good enough to continue to justify reading. I wasn’t engaged in the characters or the plot. It would have been a chore to continue.