City of Stardust - Georgia Summers 4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review this book. These are my honest opinions.
First, a breakdown of my rating system:
5 stars - phenomenal book; I’ll recommend this one to everyone, I want to live in this world, and I will read this one over and over!
4 stars - great book. I enjoyed the story and the characters, but I probably won’t reread it.
3 stars - good story and characters. I can’t see myself coming back to this one, but it was an entertaining read
2 stars - hard to finish. The story was not for me, and I had to make myself keep reading.
1 star - DNF. Absolutely could not finish.
I love a good fantasy story. New worlds, magic, traveling from world to world - the more the better. City of Stardust has all of the characteristics and features of a spectacular fantasy novel. And yet… I still feel it could have been better. Violet is a character whose fate and path has been predetermined for her in many ways. Her mother has left, and her uncles have been raising her while also trying to solve a pressing problem. If they cannot find her mother, Violet will more than likely die - taken in the place of her mother, paying a price for a bargain she did not make. This story is full of intrigue, mystery, longing, love, beauty, and pain. It is beautifully written and draws you into its depths quickly and fully. But I still feel a bit lost at the end. I feel that something has been left out. I walk away wanting just a bit more. Don’t get me wrong, this book is wonderful. I am so happy I read it. I just don’t think I would read it again. Regardless of that, it is a journey well worth taking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The vibes were so immaculate for this that I forgave the lack of much happening. To get the bad stuff out of the way, Violet kind of spends the book meandering around and isn’t the one who actually breaks the curse.

I did like her dynamic with Aleksander and her uncles. I appreciated some choices with how the story ended, and overall thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
Huge thanks for the eARC of The City of Stardust. I truly loved the premise of this book and the potential it had. It really ended up falling flat for me with how choppy the story was. At one point we would jump from location/time with no notification it was even coming and feeling like I needed a lot of the in between information. The writing is beautiful but the story just wasn’t there for me. If you are a fan of Divine Rivals you may love this book. I struggled with the choppy parts of that story as well.

I think this book had so much potential, it just didn’t hit the mark for me. I dnf around 47% that doesn’t mean don’t give it a try! There was just a little too much fluff, when the plot was amazing and should speak for itself!

This is a debut novel about a generational curse, a search for the truth, and magic sprinkled with a little bit of romance. The story revolves around portal magic and a young girl’s quest to avoid being turned over to a powerful woman against her will. Our main character has grown up without her mother, because her mother went on an adventure that she never returned from. Violet doesn’t know if her mom is alive or dead, but knows that her mother was running from the family curse in which the strongest member is sacrificed to Penelope, now that her mother is nowhere to be found, Violet learns, that she must take her mother’s place. The story takes her on a journey through a whole other world with gods, monsters, and Penelope’s assistant. She has 10 years to find her mother or break the curse. A fun adventure with some wonderful world building however, the world could’ve been fleshed out more, but that may be due to this being a debut. I would definitely recommend and thank you NetGalley for providing me with the e-book.

2.5 stars*

I enjoyed the beginning of this story. I loved the atmosphere - an old victorian house? Say no more! I think this book had a lot of potential, however it fell flat for me. Violet as a main character was not my favorite & the characters felt one dimensional.

I liked the concept of the magic system. However, I was confused exactly how it worked. There wasn’t enough world building for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This took me a *long* time to read because it dragged quite a bit in the middle and took a really long time for me to become interested in the characters. Something about the main character made her difficult to like or empathize with. It also feels very similar to Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea (which I love), revolving around keys and doors and glittering parties, although this one is much darker and has a more sinister atmosphere.

I contemplated putting it aside several times, but then I finally hit my stride with it and ended up really liking it.

The premise is interesting and becomes more so as the story slowly unfolds. The characters take a while to warm up to but they do acquire layers as the story progresses. They start the story quite sheltered and naive, and it takes them a while to break out of that.

The writing was beautiful and while it occasionally crossed the line into overdone, it added to the mystery and atmosphere of the story. It became quite dark and sinsiter by the end, and I found myself wishing I could look away several times.

I'm not sure I would read it again, but I'm glad I read it.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Redhook for providing an early copy for review.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I had high hopes for this book. It was really good I read it in a couple days but the ending fell flat for me. I really liked Violet and Aleksander and their relationship. There was a lot of mystery that was really fun to unravel. It was just unfortunate that the ending didn’t live up to all the foundation that was built in the story. I really thought I’d love this book but it’s getting a 3 star because of the ending.

A really good premise, but the execution was a bit lacking. I really liked the idea of portal magic and learning about your history. I also thought that the idea of trying to track someone down and learning how to live with curses was a great premise. But I just didn't feel connected to the characters, thought the plot was a little lacking, and there wasn't nearly enough "fantasy" elements for this to be a qualified fantasy novel. I think that there is a lot of potential in Summers' work but it just didn't live up to my expectations.

This book mesmerized me, it is beautifully written, captures the imagination, and holds onto your mind until the very last page.

Let's just say I loved this book, the mystery, the secrets, the magic, absolutely everything I love about reading is in this book and just when I thouht it couldn't get better it did.

Violet is that rare character that is strong and still vunerable, that can take care of herself but isn't afraid to ask for help, or make a bargain here and there she may or may not regret.

If you're looking for a book where people can be monsters and monsters can be exactly what you expect them to be this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for providing a copy of this e-book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thouhts and opinions are my own.

Have you ever read a book based on the cover? Because honestly that was the biggest sell about this book. It’s gorgeous! 🤩

Short Synopsis:
One Everly from each generation disappears and is taken by Penelope. No one understands why. When Violet gets old enough, she searches to find her missing mother, but learns of magic and hidden worlds.

My Thoughts:
At its core, this is a book about magic, family secrets and secret worlds. I loved the premise of this book. It was dark, mysterious and completely. If you’re a fan of V.E. Schwab, I think this is a book you’ll inhale.

Read if You Like:
🔑 Curses
🔑 Mystery
🔑 Magical Travel and Doors
🔑 Standalone fantasy
🔑 Family secrets

What I loved about this book: It felt like a fairy tale. The prose, the premise.... it was like a modern tale mixed with stories within stories. Violet is clever but inexperienced, which brings in our cast of others on the outskirts of the fantastic.

Now for what didn't work for me, though they may have for others: The narrative did not get very much into our protagonist's head, not in a way that made me feel close to her. There is a section at the beginning of her search for answers that is simply telling a few things. In fact, many of the parts where I'd have preferred to see the scene play out but it didn't. The emotional weight suffered for that, I think. This style of writing is not my cup of tea, though I did enjoy the book overall.

The ending feels quite open, which I loved. It left me with the feeling that the characters' lives were going to be just as rich as what we'd seen so far, if not moreso. Overall, this was a wonderful read.

I thoroughly enjoyed City of Stardust! The writiteas gorgeous and I loved the world that Summers created. This was one of those books that I didn't want to end and found myself reading slowly toward the end, despite wanting to know what was going to happen.

I had a hard time following the story. We jump around from to different POVs some know more about the world, some know nothing, and some only think they know.

The idea is interesting and in general you get the concept. But I felt like I was always just a step behind everyone else till the very end.

It’s a bigger world but wouldn’t be able to tell you about it. Because it was hinted at but not explained. So I know there are “stars” that can turn human/god/monster and be on our world… yeah no clue.

I’d say it’s a good try.

Before I begin this review, I want to thank Net Galley for allowing me to read The City of Stardust for free in exchange for an honest review. Make sure to check out this book, as it has already been released!

Georgia Summers introduces an unbelievable story of gods and curses. Violet grows up alone with only her two uncles and books to keep her company. As days and years pass, the ever-looming Everly curse hanging over her head becomes more real. Aleksander was just a boy when they first met, but now showing up as a man with a mysterious past and present, he introduces Violet to a life beyond the bounds of her family home and the cafe where she works. With only a year left to break a curse she had thought was just another story, Violet goes on an epic adventure, meeting new people and apathetic gods.

I absolutely love this book! It has quickly become one of my favorites! There is so much to uncover, and the writing style and plot kept me engaged from beginning to end.

The story starts with Violet as a young child stuck inside the boundaries of her house, finding comfort in books. Then, a couple of chapters later, she is a grown woman craving adventure more than anything.

Aleksander owes his life to Penelope; after all, she has taken in him and promised more than he would have ever gotten out of life otherwise. He grows into an ambitious young man who wants more than anything to become a scholar.

While I enjoyed the story and the premise, the characters were admittedly lacking. There isn't much to know about Violet other than she craves adventure and is willing to find her mother to no bounds. Similarly, all we know about Aleksander, besides his want to become a scholar, is how he feels indebted to Penelope for taking him in. I also didn't find the romance between Violet and Aleksander that interesting, but the book's ending did help reveal much more about the characters, making up some of what the beginning failed to do.

With all of those things said, Penelope, to me, was the most compelling character, having a mysterious and dark backstory that is connected to the book's plot in many ways. She starts as an otherwise abusive character who turns out to be a dark and twisted force to be reckoned with, which helps add to the tension and plot within the book.

The plot is intriguing and had me glued to this book! At first, I was invested in figuring out what happened to the children that Penelope had taken, but as soon as things unraveled, more details were introduced, creating a compelling story that made me try to figure out the many mysteries for myself. It is incredible how every small and relatively mundane scene in this book seems to lead to something bigger and interconnected.

I loved the worldbuilding in this book! Between the keys that allow one to travel to different worlds and the gods and goddesses trapped inside a world that does not belong to them, we get a magical book filled with many possibilities.

As for the writing style, it is beautiful! The book is in third person and changes perspectives quite often, which could have been the cause for the characters to feel slightly underdeveloped. Still, Summers does an excellent job setting the scene and using whimsical and creative language to draw her readers in.'

I highly recommend this book if you love books that are a bit slow-burn but have ancient gods and goddesses willing to do anything to return to their homes and a girl somehow intertwined in their endeavors. There is no doubt that between the whimsical language and the tension as the plot builds, this book is worth five stars!

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers tells the story of the Everly family burdened with a curse, a bargain made with a mysterious woman named Penelope, who always comes to collect. Marianne Everly, determined to lift the curse, leaves her only daughter, Violet, behind with her brothers. The problem arises when Violet’s mother never comes back. After years of no sign from Marianne, time is ticking down to the wire when Penelope will come for Violet. Aleksander, Penelope’s assistant, is intertwined with Violet’s fate and aspires to become Penelope’s right hand as a Scholar in the fabled city known as Fidelis.

From the beginning, the world Summers has created is ripe with mysteries. Before the name Fidelis is even mentioned, Marianne’s whereabouts drive Violet to leave the comfort of home to track her mother. I’m not usually fond of novels where the questions are more important than the answers or where the journey seems more important than the destination. However, Violet’s journey to find her mother and the questions about Penelope and Fidelis have an air of Neil Gaiman-like whimsy if underneath that trail of whimsy laid a path of blood. It has that true fairytale-like feeling, the real ones where people die, and the heroes sometimes get a monkey’s paw-finger curling ending that isn’t quite as happy as it seems on the surface.

The relationship between Aleksander and Violet is the crux of the book. Violet, longing to have a relationship with this world her mother was a part of, feels a pull from Aleksander to learn about the Scholars, Fidelis, and the magic surrounding it. Despite working directly for Penelope and the edict placed upon the scholars not to help any Everly, Aleksander feels drawn to helping Violet even though it might cost him the one thing he’s been pursuing most of his life. They both feel like they’re running away from their problems of not knowing their place in the world to each other.

As an antagonist, Penelope is a legitimate, frightening presence from beginning to end, starting as a mere debt collector coming for what she is owed to her shadow and claws growing larger as the Everly family’s deadline comes to a head. She is the kind of creature that’d say they don’t make threats, only promises she is one hundred percent committed to doing, especially when it comes to the Everlys. The way Summers tells us who Penelope is and what the origin of the Everly curse is is so well done, using a story told multiple times of a man and a god falling in love and the deals that must be struck for their relationship to even exist. Each time it’s told, it becomes a guessing game of which one is the true version of the tale.


The threat of Penelope and the curse looms over everything Violet does. Summers takes us around the world as Violet intermingles with the Scholars of Fidelis to find information about her mother, but because of the curse, she doesn’t have the time to enjoy any of the places she travels to. It sometimes makes the action feel like it’s moving too fast alongside the heavy dialogue portions, which can make the book’s pacing feel imbalanced. However much I enjoyed the book, I left it wishing for more Violet moments or chapters and fewer other point-of-view chapters, as short as they were, from minor characters. Though they do build up Penelope as this credible threat following Violet’s trail additional Aleksander chapters could have done the same.

That minor quibble aside, The City of Stardust’s magic tells a thrilling tale of bargains made for power, information, and belonging without questioning the cost of such a bargain. Not just the Everly family but the Scholars, Aleksander, and even Penelope herself. It’s the kind of magic that even if the author were to explain it all with expositional dialogue, you wouldn’t fully understand it, nor would you want to, as if comes from another world, another plane, or another state of being. The version of The City of Stardust with that kind of exposition would probably be worse off for it. It’s better not to know it all and place the puzzle pieces together in your imagination for yourself.

Another case of wanting to love but falling short.
I thought this would be very Night Circus-esque, but I felt bored half the time. I also didn't feel the romance much at all, and the big mystery of the book was never even resolved. Basically it was okay, but the execution wasn't there for me.

** Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review **

In this story, we follow Violet Everly on her adventure to break her family's curse.

I feel like I first need to talk about how this is the first ARC I've found myself highlighting passages in, which is to say I did love the writing style. It was very reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in that regard. I can definitely see how readers who enjoyed Addie would enjoy this one.

The plot was an interesting one filled with magic, gods, and fairytales. That's what drew me in initially and is part of the reason that I stayed until the end. It was all very interesting though bits and pieces still remain a mystery.

The characters I did enjoy overall (mostly the side characters which I wish we got to see more of), though I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance. It felt a bit forced by the end given the characters' history with each other.

There were times I got a bit lost with the POV changes and the timeline jumps. And there were also times when things felt repetitive like we were being given the same information over and over.

I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt almost too neatly tied up and almost anticlimactic and predictable.

Overall, I thought this book was a fabulous debut from the author. Although it fell a bit flat for me, I would still definitely recommend it to those who enjoyed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Ten Thousand Doors of January. And I'm excited to see what she writes next!

I feel bad rating this so low, it had so much potential to be more. Unfortunately for me, I found it lacking. It started very promising, I was intrigued by the curse and the magic. T
They only character I found interesting was Penelope, the other ones seemed very dull. Our main character Violet grew up in a flop of a page but we don’t really see her character grow, and our MMC didn’t have a back bone…. Seems like we were missing a strong character (other than Penelope).
It was a bit hard to follow the story with all the jumps of characters and places and conversations. The way the author writes was very beautiful, but the plot didn’t flow for me. I don’t like to DNF books, so I stuck to it and finished it, I was hoping we would get more by the end.
Maybe I’m being unfair because I picked this up right after a 5 star read and had a book hangover, maybe I should give this another try some other time and hopefully have a different perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhood Books for allowing me to read this advance copy!

Immersed in a tapestry of magic and adventure, "The City of Stardust" unfolds a compelling narrative well crafted by Georgia Summers. The vivid descriptions seamlessly transport readers into Violet's world, the prose is quite lyrical. The storyline, marked by a commendable absence of slow points, maintains a medium-fast-paced rhythm, inviting readers to piece together the enigmatic narrative and unravel the truth behind the curse.While the climax promises surprises, the conclusion, though satisfying, leans towards simplicity, subtly tying the story's threads together. Awarding it a rating of 3.75 stars, the novel, albeit brimming with potential, falls slightly short of achieving brilliance. The narrative's pacing, occasionally lacking urgency, and the presence of certain plot holes contribute to a sense of missed opportunities. Despite these nuances, "The City of Stardust" stands as a recommendation, particularly for those immersed in contemporary and dark fantasy realms.