This novel is full of beautiful, evocative lyrical prose. Slightly gothic, it reminded me a little bit of V E Schwabs writing and I think this would be perfect for fans of Gallant. I particularly enjoyed the setting across different European destinations and the fact that the villain was a real villain. The ending did let it down slightly for me as it feels slightly rushed, but apart from that a really good book in the stand-alone fantasy genre.

When I first heard about this book, it was said that if you loved Addie Larue, this would be right up your alley.

Thank you Hachette, Hodder & Stoughton, for this e-arc.

This book is beyond my own capabilities of dreaming and imagining. The writing itself is beautifully poetic and the sentences are a joy to devour. I’m blown away by the intricacies of this book. The magic system is very new and extremely well crafted. Your main character is strong, stubborn but also vulnerable. There is a lot of delicate trauma in this book and the way it’s described is just pure talent. I don’t read many 3rd person povs but reading this has made me question why I do not.

I love this way of story telling and Georgia Summers has excelled. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends whom I have forced to read Addie. This is obviously not Addie, but Violet’s story has had a similar impact on me as Addies did.

I am completely worn out, this book is beautiful from all sides.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow did I love this book! The City of Stardust has some of the best writing I have read in a while. The storytelling is done in such a way that the reader has no choice but to pay attention. This was multiple POV and as much as I enjoyed them I feel like Violets was a lot less fleshed out. Even though her POV was a lot more lengthy than Aleksander's. The plot was such an interesting concept, I was completely engrossed once I got into it. The pacing is the only thing that fell a bit flat for me. I found it started a bit on the slow side, but once I was in it I was a goner.

What a beautiful, stunning, glorious debut. Perfect for fans of The Night Circus, Divine Rivals and Practical Magic.

The prose, oh the prose! I was enveloped dreamily into this book from the first page, and when I wasn’t reading it; thoughts of it chased me throughout my day. I am completely in awe of how the story was so complexly woven through different worlds and times, yet didn’t leave me behind once. The world building was picturesque and captivating, and I am so grateful for a decent story told in third person. I’m a first person hater, sorry not sorry.

We follow a lot of different characters, but our girl violet steals most of the limelight with her agonising need for adventure. Abandoned by her mother as a child, she races against the clock to prevent the consequences of the dreaded everly curse.

Closely on her heels is our damaged and shy yet darling aleksander, who delightfully fits into both rescuer and rescuee boxes.

I love a book that leaves me feeling empty, yet full at the end of a story - like all emotions have been wrung out of me throughout the journey.

This book is for every book lover who daydreams about being whisked away on an adventure.
_____________________________________
Thank you Netgalley and Hodder Books for the ARC.

My review is honest, unbiased and all thoughts are my own.

2.5 Stars
One Liner: Worthy premise, flat execution

For centuries, the Everlys have been paying a debt to Penelope for something no one remembers. She is ageless and ruthless, making her almost invincible and impossible to take on. Years ago, Marianne Everly vanished to find a way to break the curse, and Penelope wants either Marianne or her daughter Violet as the repayment.
Violet has been sheltered by her uncles in an attempt to keep her safe. By hiding the truth from her, they might have put Violet at a greater risk. With very little time left on their side, Violet has to either find her mother or break the curse and be free of Penelope.
But will the woman let her go? Of course, there’s Aleksander, Penelope’s assistant, someone Violet cannot help but be drawn to. Will he be her friend or betray her?
The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters (Ambrose Everly, Violet Everly, Aleksander, and Penelope) plus an omnipresent third-person.

My Thoughts:
I requested the book for the cover and the premise (since it was supposed to be an adult fantasy). Well, let’s say the results are mixed. Also, the book might work better as New Adult Fantasy (which explains why I couldn’t like it much).
The book has potential. No two ways about it. Despite the lack of structure and insufficient world-building, the writing has a sense of ethereal quality, which will work for some readers. Didn’t make an impact on me, but I can see the talent in there.
The major issue is with the main character, Violet. The plot is too big for her fragile shoulders. It’s more than okay to have a naïve lead who makes mistakes. But for her to continue being the same doesn’t help.
The side characters are like sheets of paper fluttering in the wind- so random and not rooted enough to assert themselves.
Penelope is pure evil, or so it seems. She manages to stand out and carries the book as much as possible.
The romance between Violet and Aleksander is expected. However, I couldn’t care less about the track. Never mind that Violet needs helluva growing up to do. Aleksander shows great promise with some grey shades and a tragic past, though the arc is not fully developed.
The concept of keys to the world is intriguing. The cover is perfect for the setting. Yeah, many aspects of world-building are unexplained. I think I have a vague idea (think being the operative term). It is easy to go with the flow since there isn’t much I can otherwise do.
The ARC copy doesn’t have proper formatting. There are no indicators for scene breaks. Countless times, I had to reread a paragraph to understand there had been a POV and scene change from the previous one. When the narrative jumps at random between characters, not having clear markers is a recipe for disaster.
Moreover, the present tense doesn’t help the narrative as the story weaves between the random past and the present. It gets exhausting to fit the event into the timeline, like trying to fit the puzzle pieces.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, but let’s say I did not like it much either. There is no explanation for how Violet’s growth. We have to accept it since the characters say so (and this happens throughout the book).
The pacing is inconsistent, too. The first half progresses quickly, but after that, the story goes on and on. The climax is so simple that it made me wonder if we needed all this.

To summarize, The City of Stardust has great potential but ends up as a lukewarm read with half-baked characters. It needs more development to hit the right notes. I really wanted to like this one, but it’s not to be. Do check out other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton (Hodderscape), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
*******
The review will not be posted on Amazon due to the low rating.

Once a generation an Everly must gave up one family member. Why?

The City of Stardust was beautiful story about young girl who tried to break her family curses and investigate the missing mother. The story bring together magic based on stars, family mystery with atmospheric setting. The premise really intriguing and make me engaging until the last page.

The writing is really good, lush with beautiful romantic prose and bring unique world alive. I personally enjoy the lore from begining each part about love story between a star Goddess and mortal craftsman. It is beautiful, romantic and mysterious.

The 3rd person POV gave us poetic descriptive narration. Sadly for me the characters was lack  personality. I knew Violet struggles but she lack something that will make her standout from another book's heroine. The relationship between Violet and Aleksander is unique when contains friendship and betrayals but the romance is unconvincing.

The plot is slow burning and the pace slower than my normally reads.
It is make me enjoy the narrative but less invested into the story.

It is a pleasure to read debut book and saw the potential, I would love to try another from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape from Hodder & Stoughton for providing copy of this ebook and audiobook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting Publication : 25 Jan 2024

An absolutely stunning debut from Georgia Summers, perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Alix E. Harrow!

Each generation, the brightest of the Everlys is collected by a woman who never ages, taken as punishment for a long forgotten crime and never seen again. Over a decade ago, Violet Everly’s mother left to break the curse on their family and never returned, leaving her daughter in the care of her two uncles. Now Violet must find her mother, or Penelope will collect her in her mother’s place.
But no one puts up a fight like an Everly, and Violet is determined to find a way to break the curse. Her search leads her into a magical underworld of power-hungry scholars and vengeful gods, and into the path of Penelope’s assistant Aleksander, and into a world she wouldn’t have imagined possible.

I absolutely adored The City of Stardust and was fully invested in Violet’s quest as well as in the subtle romance subplot to this fantasy novel. While the novel is an enchanting read, there are very dark elements to the world building. I enjoyed Violet’s mettle and loved discovering the magical underworld alongside her. Penelope was an absolute storybook villain – it was great to also get her POV in some parts of the story. The novel is rich in world building – I loved all the fairytales that were included and woven into the plot, and the tarot-style fortune readings using astrals instead of arcana. Totally engrossing - my eARC is full of highlighted passages. For me, there was one central question that didn’t get answered and which I’m still puzzling over, so taking that into account it’s 4.5 stars (rounded up here) from me.

For ages, the Everlys have witnessed their brightest and most exceptional members vanish mysteriously, a consequence of an ancient crime lost to memory and a purpose shrouded in enigma. Their relentless tormentor is Penelope, a woman untouched by time and ailment, harbouring an unrelenting grudge against an undisclosed debt.

A decade has elapsed since Violet Everly's mother embarked on a quest to shatter the curse, disappearing without a trace. Now, Violet stands on the precipice of sharing the same fate unless she locates her mother swiftly.

Her quest plunges her into an enchanting magical realm, where power-hungry scholars, capricious deities, and vengeful monsters vie for supremacy. Along this perilous journey, Violet encounters Aleksander, Penelope's seemingly unassuming assistant, whom she instinctively distrusts. Yet, an undeniable attraction draws her toward him.

Bound by an imminent deadline, Violet traverses the farthest reaches of the world in pursuit of her mother and the elusive key to the city of Stardust, the origin of the Everly saga. In this mesmerizing odyssey, secrets unfold, alliances shift, and Violet unravels the threads connecting her family to the cosmic tapestry of destiny.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Georgia Summer's debut is a solidly written fantastical tale that enchanted me on page 1. It tells the story of Violet Everly, starting when she's still a sweet little child. She's born into a family cursed to see a mysterious woman named Penelope take their brightest daughters once every generation. When it becomes clear that Violet is next on Penelope's list, she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery of the curse, find her missing mother who seems to have escaped said curse and in the end, save her own life.

Summer's writing is beautiful, yet always kept me a little detached from the characters and events happening. While it is almost lyrical at times, I sometimes had a hard time keeping up with the abrupt pov changes in the middle of chapters, especially because the different povs (Violet, her uncles, her love interest Aleksander, Penelope...) don't have distinct voices to help keep them apart. The pacing is also rather slow for the story that is being told, and the novel could have benefitted from editing out some of the less (or not at all) relevant parts especially in the middle and all throughout the end. The plot is interesting but a bit meandering at times, but I did like the world building surrounding it.
I quite liked Violet as our protagonist, mostly because she's such a bookworm and her struggles are interesting. She doesn't really have much of a personality beyond that though, so in the end, she remains rather forgettable. Her love interest, Aleksander, is generally more intriguing - not only does he gives us glimpses into the magical society of this world, he's also the personal assistant to our main antagonist, Penelope. He does keep making exactly the same choices over and over again, which is kind of annoying, and he's also not the most complex character as a whole. I really didn't enjoy their romance either, because quite frankly it made Violet look like a complete idiot most of the time and they simply lack chemistry. I vastly would have preferred them to just become slow friends and allies instead of pushing them into an unnecessary romance because these kinda books just have to have a romance. Penelope is a really interesting antagonist and I LOVED her backstory and the whole mythological world building connected to it. The secondary characters are sadly entirely unmemorable and I couldn't even tell you the names of Violet's uncles.

In conclusion, I really liked the concept of the story but the execution mostly didn't work for me. 2,5 stars, rounding up to 3.

The hype is real. I've heard a lot about this so I was delighted to be able to get both audio and ebook arcs on @netgalley. It's difficult to believe that this is a debut novel, it's so good. Reminiscent of Erin Morgenstern and Laini Taylor, this lush ethereal fairytale for grown ups consumed me.
I listened to most of it driving to and from work, reluctant to leave the car at either end and leave the characters behind before swallowing the ending in one frenzied reading chunk on Saturday.
This story is fraught with tension as the Violet races to end the curse that has taken one member of her family every generation for centuries, racing against a deadline to save her own life whilst battling her feelings for Alexander the boy beholden to the very person that cursed her family. All of the characters are rich and complex and the world is so lush. Even the villain evokes sympathy even as you want to throttle the life out of her for the trail of destruction she wreaks across the story.
I long to spend more time with these characters to see Fidelis and the other worlds.
@ge_summers style is literary but yet not pretentious, and Kitty Parker narrates it so beautifully like a softly gripping bedtime story so even in Penelope's bloodiest most vicious moments it feels like some kind of lucid dream one, the terror and the horror are real but yet it feels like it did as a child reading fairytales at bed time, the witch might be wicked but you're safe in your bed, wrapped in a warm duvet. (Even if in reality I was attempting to drive down the M62 whilst cursing it's endless traffic jams and supposedly 'smart' motorway)
This is an instant modern classic and I intend to throw it at all my friends with ferocity.

The City of Stardust gave me Locke and Key vibes and not only because there's a key on the absolutely gorgeous book cover.

Violet discovers that there's a curse on the Everly family, her family, one that her mother seemingly ran away from leaving Violet in her place to be the next Everly taken by the curse. We don't find out why her mother actually left. Personally I don't think she would have left her daughter willingly, I'm sure she's trapped somewhere.

Decade long deals are made to ensure Violet's safety and so she's kept pretty much in the dark until she's almost 18 years old. I get why her uncles didn't say anything, but I don't agree with their decision. They should have been honest and upfront with her from the start, but they wore blinders and were content to pretend that they weren't running out of time.

Alexander was an enigma. I'm not sure how I feel about him. I do hope he's changed for the better and I appreciated the insight into his growing up with Penelope. It definitely helped to make sense of why he did the things he did, but I'm not sure how I feel about him and Violet. I preferred Caspian honestly.

All in all an enjoyable read and a series I'd like to continue reading.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley!

I fell in love with the cover straight away as it is so beautiful! *-* The blurb was also interesting, so I happily got into the story of the Everlys.

The Everly family has been cursed for a long time. They captivate the most talented of all their generations. This task is performed by a mysterious blonde-haired woman every single time. She's called Penelope, and she does not look a day older than when the curse started...

The last generation of the Everly family consists of three siblings (Gabriel, Ambrose, and Marianne) and their sister's daughter, Violet Everly. One day, Violet's mother turns into a mist, so Penelope intends to collect Violet instead of Marianne. She gives them some time - ten years to be exact - but the clock keeps ticking and they see little chance of breaking the curse. A boy also accompanies Penelope, Aleksander, who was a small child at the time, meets Violet, who is the same age as him. Aleksander wishes that one day he can become too a scholar, like the others that Penelope has collected over time. Scholars are searching for talented people who can manipulate reveurite (precious materials from stars).

Many years pass, meanwhile, Violet has grown up and works in a coffee shop. One day she meets with Alexander again. But can she trust in him? But the best is yet to come, so there will be something to be excited about!

I didn't find all the answers to my questions but I recommend it to those who liked it Alix E. Harrow: The Ten Thousand Doors of January book.



I was thinking between 3.5-4 stars and ended up giving this story 4 stars.
★★★★☆

Overall, I liked it, and I recommend it to others!

THE CITY OF STARDUST ✨🗝️ by Georgia Summers was an enigmatic and lyrical fantasy novel set in our world and a world beyond our own. It is a stunning book filled with ancient worlds, a hidden city and a story that goes through generations. The protagonist, Violet Everly is a young woman who is part of a family’s generational Everly curse. Violet was a character I connected with through her love for books and dreams.

Violet embarks on a journey to find her mother, Mariette after she left a decade ago after trying to break the curse. Violet’s journey was fraught with tension and intrigue as she meets people from the hidden city of Fidelis, home to the Scholars with secret keys and doorways. Aside the Scholars, Fidelis is home to a woman named Penelope, who hunts down Everlys due to said curse.

Aleksander, the second main character was interesting to learn about as he was someone who’d grown up in the secret city of Fidelis and serves as Penelope’s assistant. Aleksander and Violet’s path cross multiple times and I enjoyed their interactions from distrust to mutual interest.

I absolutely devoured this book and liked how beautiful and lyrical the prose was. Getting to travel to countries within the book was wonderful and I learned about Prague and their underground cities!

The character development between the characters were phenomenal. As for Violet’s uncles, Ambrose and Gabriel Everly who were her guardians, really reminded me of the Salvatore siblings - particularly Gabriel Everly and his leather jacket.

I loved how the book revolved around doorways and keys, together with the history and myths surrounding the mysterious Penelope and the lore behind the worlds of the Outside world (Earth) and Fidelis (the hidden city between worlds) The world building was great and I liked the fantasy elements to this book.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for review.

Violet Everly's mother mysteriously disappears one day on an adventure to break the family curse. Nearly twelve years later, with time running out, it's up to Violet to uncover the truth of the cures and find a way to end it once and for all.

Honestly, I was hooked into this story from the first chapter wanting to know all the secrets and the mysteries of these other worlds that can magically appear with the turn of a key. And I was not disappointed! This book was such an adventure from start to finish. Because of the way this story was told, there weren't too many sort of plot twists and surprises (not to say that there weren't any at all, because there certainly were) but that being said, I was still so intrigued by this entire story.

And the romance subplot!!! I love a good romantasy but I actually really enjoyed that in this case it really wasn't meant to be a main feature and very much a subplot that just lent itself well into moving the story along and providing motivations around certain actions and decisions.

4.5 stars

Published 25th January 2024.

I think we might be looking at the next huge fantasy book that is going to be talked about for years to come!

With comparisons to The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, I knew this would be a truly special and magical read, but I did not expect to be blown away by it as much as I was.

Firstly, the fact that this is a debut is astonishing. The craft that Georgia Summers shows here isn't present in many established writers who I regularly read from - it is a phenomenal standard that other authors should be aspiring to. Alongside her world building and character development, Summers' writing had such a cinematic quality that I could totally see this story being adapted (and equally adored) for the big screen.

In Violet, we have the best kind of main character that everyone can relate to. I mean, who can say they never dreamt of adventure and magical worlds when they were younger? To see her growth throughout the novel was an absolute joy and her strength and commitment to her quest is something to be admired. In her adversary - Penelope - we have a VERY Mrs Coulter (His Dark Materials)-esque villain who stoops to the lowest of lows to get what she wants (Actually there's low, and then there's Penelope's definition of low!!)

Just the most astonishingly enchanting and magical book that I hope gets all the praise it deserves.

I found this to be a fascinating read although for me not quite perfect as I truly struggled to actually like the characters. To say Violet has been imprisoned is too strong a word for it but certainly carefully sheltered at home following her mother deciding to leave without a trace. Her two uncles have sheltered her but they have kept secrets from her that are as terrible as they are terrifying. Violet is little more than a pawn it seems but she’s determined to find why her mother left her and just what it was she searched for.
As I mentioned I just didn’t feel empathy for the characters which truly is a shame. I feel I should have more sympathy and yet if blunt I only thought her youngest uncle showed any true feelings of love. Ah love that word conjures up a myriad of possibilities and yes there is a character here who is significant in Violets journey but even then it’s not an obvious and straightforward romance. There is a resolution and a hope for a better future for these protagonists and if you have ever wondered what it would be like to be divine then this story certainly is a cautionary tale.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

"Do you really believe the curse isn't real? That the divine never touches you? That the wheeling cosmos is but an abstract of chemicals? Do you not hear the stars sing, little dreamer?"

The City of Stardust. Oh, the promise this book holds.

Once a generation, an Everly walks into the dark, compelled by the shadow beside them and they do not return. Terrified at the idea of her days being numbered, Violet Everly is doing everything she could to break her family curse and escape death. But with so little knowledge of the world, as her two uncles are so keen to keep her hidden in hope of safety, and her mother's disappearance with absolutely zero clue; she ought to seek help from people she barely knows.

The prose are hauntingly beautiful. Yet so many parts of the book lead the readers blindly from one door to the next, it's getting to the point where it feels frustrating, especially the switch from one point of view to the next is not shown clearly. Unanswered questions left in the wake.

I feel like this could be written in two books, because there are so many things to explore and the pacing feels rushed. I would love to know more about her uncles, Gabriel and Ambrose. What convinced Ambrose to give Violet permission is getting a job, what kind of job Gabriel does when he leaves home. And most of all, I want to learn more about Penelope. Her feelings, her life before. And the astrals.

I love Violet's character, she is strong. I find her fascination towards fairy tales and desire for adventure endearing. Overall it's still a gorgeous book with impressive writing despite its minor flaws.

I loved this so much, I wanted to get my hands on a physical copy and immediately scribble my thoughts all over the pages.

This one is people who thought books like Strange the Dreamer, Addie and The Starless Sea spoke directly to their soul.

I loved every minute of this, my only criticism is that I would have liked a little bit more.

Brimming with Starless Sea vibes, I adored and subsequently DEVOURED The City of Stardust like a starved Astral. This world was so beautifully wrought. I need more of this world!

LOVED THIS! It was such a wonderfully written story, I loved both of the main characters and I definitely would love to see more in this universe as it sounds so incredible.

I kept panicking towards the end that it wasn't going to wrap up enough but it was a needless fear as it ended perfectly I cannot fault it whatsoever.

I look forwards to seeing what Georgia Summers writes next!