Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC to review.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable debut which had me hooked from the start. The magic of the world Georgia Summers created really sang through this book but the mystery attached to the world really helped to create a feeling of intrigue throughout. It had me wanting to continue reading out of desperation to know what I was dealing with.

Summers introduced an interesting cast of characters and created a real feeling of uncertainty around how you should feel about some of the characters which always adds a new dimension to the character building.

Also for me, you can just never go wrong with a secret society type set up focussed around knowledge and scholarly pursuits.

Overall really enjoyable and I will definitely read more of Summers’ work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc.

I really wanted to love this book. I had such high hopes but in the end I had to DNF due to the fact I didn’t connect with any of the characters and the little bits we did get piece by piece to put the plot holes together felt like it took such a long time to connect.

I wish I could’ve finished it as I thought it would be a book I loved but I didn’t enjoy the writing style.

Enjoyable fantasy tale which ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I hope there’s more from this wonderful author!

This book has an interesting setting and story. I loved the atmosphere in here - it is perfect for the cold weather. None of the characters impressed me much, but they were ok. I will try other books by this author in the future.

The City of Stardust is a great new fantasy that is equally intriguing, magic filled and adventurous. I would recommend to others who enjoy Fantasy with a bit of mystery and darkness. The characters were all unique, with varying motives and actions that eventually all link together in the story as it leads towards the climax. It's hard to know who to trust in the story as each character has the potential to reveal something completely new that could change the perspective of the reader. It kept me on my toes throughout. Penelope's character is complex, a beacon of beauty with a sinister heart, that makes her terrifying in her unpredictable nature and her cruelty/disregard for human life. There are some pretty dark moments in the book, but they weave into the story and are explained later. All up it was an intriguing tale of magic, scholars, and travelling between worlds that will keep you guessing right up until the end.

Thank you for my eARC of this book. I love the satisfaction of a stand-alone fantasy book. This did take me a bit to get into, but I really enjoyed my time with this book!

I honestly had high expectations for this book. In all defense for the book, I think I overhyped it in my mind and therefor it fell short on my expectations. It had a really good plot, I just don't think it was executed well to hook me well enough. I might give this book a second read in the future, to see if my opinions change, but until then, this will be it for me.

This book has very quickly become one of my all time favourites, I doubt I’ll ever stop recommending it! Georgia Summers has written a beautiful tragic and enchantingly magic story that captivated me from the very beginning to the very end. It is safe to say that I lost sleep to this book, Georgia has managed to create a narrative that moves quickly and flows effortlessly whilst leaving you feeling cemented on the story long after you’ve put it down. A city of stardust is equal parts coming of age story, portal fantasy and tragic love story that features secret societies, dark magic and a lot of morally grey characters that’ll have you questioning what you would give up if you were in the same situation. I can’t wait to see what Georgia Summers writes for us next!

I received a copy of The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers from NetGalley. This fantasy novel focuses on the story of Violet Everly. For centuries, the Everlys have been cursed, with one child from each generation led to a dark path by Penelope.
The story begins when Violet is a child and overhears her uncles discussing about someone. She is given ten years till Penelope will come to collect her. As the end of the given decade is looming, Violet discovers the secrets of her family. This leads her to a magical underworld filled with magic, mysteries, power, and greed. Violet needs to find a way to break this curse and sets out on a mission to do it.
Violet meets Aleksander when Penelope comes to visit her for the first time; he is Penelope’s assistant. It's through him that she gets her first taste of magic. When years later, he reappears in the café she works, she can't help but be drawn to him. Violet is a curious character from the beginning. She is academic and smart. Her uncles have kept her in the dark about magic as they search for her mother. Her curiosity about a new adventure is elevated further when she becomes friends with Aleksander. However, there is a lot she does not know about him.
When her uncles decide to take Violet to a safe house to protect her from the curse, she leaves on her own. She studies, researches, and travels all over the world to find her mother, who seems to hold the key to breaking the curse. The book takes an adventurous sort of turn at this point. She meets Aleksander again. He didn’t show up like he had promised her the last time they saw each other. She is hesitant, but they do end up spending time together again.
The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers is a standalone fantasy romance book. Overall, I enjoyed reading it.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I was into it, I flew through it! It was whimsical and magical and just all round amazing. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting more books from Summers.

Welcome to "The City of Stardust," a mesmerizing standalone fantasy that intertwines magic, mystery, and a dash of darkness. In a world where Everlys vanish as punishment for a long-forgotten crime, Violet Everly embarks on a perilous quest to find her missing mother before she becomes the next victim.
As Violet delves into a seductive magical underworld filled with power-hungry scholars and vengeful monsters, she encounters Aleksander, an enigmatic figure whose loyalties are uncertain. With time running out and the stakes higher than ever, Violet journeys to the edges of the world in search of her mother and the key to unlocking the secrets of the city of stardust.
With its poetic prose and atmospheric world-building, "The City of Stardust" is sure to enchant fans of magical realism and dark fantasy alike. Summers' debut novel is a stunning achievement that promises an unforgettable journey into a world where dreams and nightmares collide.

Thank you NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Hodderscape for providing access to both the digital and audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh Georgia Summers, why did you do this to me...

(SPOILERS INCOMING)

When I first started the audiobook, I had to stop and immediately ask for access for the ebook as well. Not because the narration was lacking in any shape or form - in fact, it fit the dreamy and yet dark atmosphere of the book perfectly - but the descriptions and overall writing style hit me in the face with their beauty, and I wanted to make sure I treasured every word.

I adored everything about the beginning of the book. I went to visit a friend and during my stay there I kept bringing it up, shouting high praises, recommending it from the bottom of my heart, and comparing it to other books I considered masterpieces. It reminded me so much of Sorcery of Thorns, in the best way possible, while still having it's own incredibly distinct identity. The mysteries of the book kept me hooked, and the pages kept going, leaving me in complete and utter awe at the depth of the writing style. I liked Violet, I got incredibly attached to Aleksander, and really really enjoyed Penelope - that's a scary but well-crafted villain, that you never took for granted. Her dark moment always hit hard, which is something I am incredibly grateful for.

The problems came in the second half of the book. Suddenly my enthusiasm started to fade, and despite reaching the climax of the story, every page felt longer than the last. At first, I wasn't sure - until I realised that the weakest point of the story for me ended up being the two main leads. I'll start with Violet. She's a decent protagonist, yes, but she rarely feels like she played a 'key' (pun unintended) role in her own story. Her mother, absent throughout 99% of the book, always stole the show and proved to be a much more active participant during her time. Violet isn't even the reason why the curse ended. Nor has she accomplished much in her life outside of the curse, despite her so-called talent. Aleksander, however, was the biggest disappointment. He had such great potential to become the newest sweetheart of our beloved book community. He had it all - attractive beyong words, with a tragic past, a love for reading and learning, great ambition and desire to explore as much as possible. And yet... he ended up switching sides more often than I switch my socks. Not because of how cunning he was, but because of his clouded feelings and lacking willpower. He is a victim of Penelope's abuse and manipulation, yes, objectively it makes sense. But I really wish he fumbled the bag less and played the game at least a little, rather than looked like a kicked puppy in every single one of his scenes in the 2nd half of the book. His relationship with Violet also had the potential to become a heartbreaking epic, but instead it left me bored and disappointed.

Overall, there was a lot to love about the book, and a lot to mourn. It started with all the right ingredients, but sadly faded into a shadow of what it was shaping up to be. However, I am too intrigued by Georgia Summer's gorgeous writing, and will probably pick up her next release as well. She's definitely someone to look out for.

Oh I adored this book! It's been a little while since I've read a new book that has totally swept me away!

The writing is beautiful and it makes you want to not put the book down.

Violet Everly is our main protagonist in this story. Living with her two uncles Ambrose and Gabriel after her mother left her with them and disappeared. Violet is kept hidden away, although she doesn't know why until a strange woman arrives at their home and she overhears a conversation between this woman and her uncle about a deadline and how the debt must always be paid. Every generation, an Everly must be sacrificed due to a curse. This generation was supposed to be Violet's mum, Marianne, but she's vanished, which means it now falls on Violet.

Violet, always aware and knows that things aren't quite what they seem, discovers that her instincts are right and that her uncles have shielded the truth from her for far too long. Violet meets a strange boy Aleksander in her cafe and this boy brings the promise of magic and answers that Violet so desperately seeks. Aleksander meanwhile, has his own agenda. Violet wants to know why her mother abandoned her, why people are seeking her so badly and why truth of this other world has been kept from her. The truth, however, is much harder to learn than she is prepared for. Should she accept the curse and her fate? or should she fight for her uncles and her own life? We shall see.

This is an amazing story, full of twists and turns. It's a great take on a different kind of magic-led story that is a bit more gory/gritty and darker than others. There's a lot of sacrifice and betrayal throughout the story but it's also full of magic, curses, stardust, gods, scholars, adventure and a smidge of romance! The world-building is beautiful and the characters are well-rounded.

Stunning, absolutely stunning.

It's a shame that it's a standalone, i'd love to see where it could go if there were to be a second book given how it ended.

This book was absolutely spectacular - and one of my favourite recent reads. It had enough intrigue to keep you guessing as to what exactly was going to happen throughout, and the writing of the book was fantastic too. I think this will be one I will be snapping up special editions of, as I know I'll want to re-read this again, it was just such a beautiful read.

Beautifully rendered and atmospheric prose, although the pacing felt a tad slow at times. An impressive debut, will be looking out for more of this author's works in the future.

I found this very slow to get in to and then drawn out as it went on, I now can barely remember much of the plot since reading it a few months ago.
Written in third person and I just felt detached from the characters, I didn’t care about them enough.
Penelope was probably the most interesting character, I actually felt things when she was on the page.
Beautiful descriptions but not enough world building.
Overall an okay read.

3.5 stars This book was beautifully written with rich evocative prose, but unfortunately the characters and plot didn't quite hit the mark for me. I didn't feel particularly invested in anything that was happening, which seemed like not a whole lot for a large portion of the book.

What a brilliant read. Addictive from start to finish. A debut that will stay with me for a long time and I cannot wait to read more from Georgia. You have magic, lore, a family curse and just a story full of mystery that will keep the reader hooked from beginning to end.

City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

My rating: ****

Genre: Fantasy

Tags (I’m just starting to do this, and doing it from memory when I read the books, so this might not cover them all!) Dysfunctional family, Magic, Romance.

Violet Everly is raised by one of her uncles after her mother leaves her when she’s young, to go and break the family curse. When Violet grows up, she also wants to find her mother, and also break the curse.

Aleksander is the assistant to Penelope, a powerful person in the world of Scholars, which Violet is on the very fringes of.

I was cheering Violet on as she uncovered secrets and works at trying to break the curse.

I found the story to be interesting and unexpected, with a wide cast of characters, some of whom are just background, but others are more solid.

I found this jumps around a bit, so it makes it hard to know what characters were up to some times. So overall, I found it to be good but not marvellous!

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton.

This was a super anticipated book for me and it didn’t disappoint. It was beautifully written and the world building was absolutely incredible. I felt drawn into the story and reality just disappeared around me! I’m excited to read more from the author in the future.