This book further cements for me how much I enjoy Holmberg's writing.

The story started off a little slow, but picked up speed by the middle and by the end I was practically speed reading. Following our main character, Pell, as she goes on this familiar yet confusing journey by trying to fill in gaps of a larger story she knows is surrounding her was engrossing. The cast of characters felt real and the slow burn romance in the background was heartbreaking.

The ending was satisfying, but also please write a sequel! I absolutely need more of this world in my life.

Thank you to NetGalley & 47North for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, Charlie N. Holmberg, alright! This author’s standalone’s romantasies can differ vastly from each other, and I would probably put this one in the same categiry as Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet: Weird secondary worlds that throw you into a surreal reality, somewhere between fantasy and sci-fi. The romance is kept to a minimum, the love interest remaining a mystery for the most part. But so does the reader’s understanding of the worldbuilding. It will all be revealed to you, but mostly you'll sit through it with a deep frown edged into your forehead - maybe permanently.

In Still The Sun, Pell serves her small desert community as a gravedigger - although she is good at unearthing things only because of her fascination with the ancient artefacts she excavates whenever possible. Mechanical parts, pieces some bigger apparatus, she is sure, although no one knows who the people who left them behind were. As the village's resources keep dwindling - there being no distinction between night and day, only periods of scorching sun or fog - she turns her eyes to the horizon, where an endless wall looms and a tower without entrance stands vigil.

When a stranger knocks at her door, an outsider when where there is no "outside", inviting her inside the impenetrable tower and asking her to fix a series of intricate machines in exchange for any scrap metal she might have use for, her dreams of engineering suddenly come true. But who is the foreign-looking man and why is his companion acting so distant? What are the fuel-less machines inside the hulking building for? And most importantly, who destroyed them?

Though I deeply admire Holmberg for her inventiveness and the craft she displays in all of her books (this time giving off huge Skyward Sword vibes), I get why many readers were put off by the descriptions of machines and mechanics. The locations are limited, and those we get descriptions for seem bleak. It all seems a little far-fetched, even once all questions are answered - but you gotta hand it to Holmberg, I personally could never have come up with it.

If you don't mind a practical heroine and are looking for something truly out there, I suggest you give this book a try! And if you don't, but you are a fan of Holmberg's works, it's a must-read anyways.

I loved the mix of ancient technology, mystery, and slow-burn romance in this book! Pell’s curiosity and determination made her such a compelling character, and her chemistry with the enigmatic Heartwood had me hooked. The world-building was rich and intriguing, perfect for fans of romantic fantasy with a dash of sci-fi adventure!

_Still the Sun_ by Charlie N. Holmberg is a leisurely paced and character centered fantasy romance read. Engineer and digger Pell lives in a small village where resources are scarce and sunlight is eternal. One day she is called upon by strange visitor Moseus to fix machines made by the ancients in a long abandoned tower. The stranger is joined by Heartwood, another mysterious outsider that Pell believes is somehow connected to her. Pell must endeavor to fix the machines to reveal the truth of her people’s past. It’s a slow-burn book for readers interested in mystery and fantasy.

Rating: ⭐⭐
Themes: Fantasy, Action, Romance Fantasy
Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
Book Publication date: May 29, 2024
Page Count:
Book publication date: July 1, 2024
Audiobook publication date: July 1, 2024
Audio length: 9 hours 34 minutes
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Book Cover first thoughts: The book cover is beautiful

Story Review / Summary:
I unfortunately felt very bored with this book. Within the first few chapters I thought it was promising but it fell short. The majority of the book was about this mysterious thing and the reveal was not until the last part of the book and it was just very lackluster. Still unsure what it is? I had more questions than answers when reading the last chapter.

Narration Review:
All narration was completed Natalie. Narrator's voice was fine

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Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Still The Sun #StilltheSun by Charlie N. Holmberg, narrated by Natalie Naudus. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is July 1, 2024. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Charlie N. Holmberg sets her tale on a walled land with a small village that is barely surviving. The sun stays directly overhead with mists coming to darken the land at what would be night. Pell tries to understand ancient artifacts and designs the tools the village needs. Then one mist night two unknown men come to her for help in rebuilding the machines in an ancient tower she had long thought sealed. But at the heart of this puzzle story is who built the machines, the tower, and set Still the Sun (hard from 47North). All of the devices were built with a dangerous reason, and Pell is oblivious because she is falling for one of the two strangers. This is an intense puzzle tale well worth reading.

This book was a fun, unique experience once you get into it. I had to start several times because the first couple of chapters were not sticking with me. However, once I got going - I was gone. Personally, I felt like this was a blend of Holmberg's Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet and The Fifth Doll with the best parts taken from both books. The mystery of the machinery and Pell's memories were the most intriguing parts. As the book unraveled, I made some guesses but none were correct. And I loved that I was wrong. What this book is truly about is way more interesting than any theories I had made.

As in true Holmberg fashion - the characters were outstanding. Pell was funny, kind, serious, and stubborn in all the best ways possible. I have definitely read enough of Holmberg to have immediately known who the love interest was going to be. And the slow burn was there as it always is. I really enjoyed Pell's revelations of what was happening. It was enjoyable discovering the truths with her and the ending was so well done. When you look back on the book, it doesn't seem like much happened but this is not an action fantasy book. It's all about the discovery.

Overall, Still the Sun by Charlie N Holmberg had a slow start but once you get going, be prepared to go. I thought the mystery behind the machines and Pell's memories were interesting. These aspects wanted me to keep going until I discovered what was going on. Pell's personality was so enjoyable in this book. Her cleverness and sharp tongue made her memorable. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy mystery fantasy novels.

Still the Sun takes readers on a unique journey filled with intriguing characters and otherworldly elements. While I found myself intrigued by Heartwood and the story’s mystical aspects, the heavy focus on machines and the slower pacing in the beginning made it a bit challenging to stay fully immersed. However, the latter half of the book did pull me in, and I appreciated the creativity behind the world-building. As a new reader of Holmberg, this was an interesting introduction to her work, and I’m curious to explore more of her stories. 3 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It started off differently than most other novels, and was enjoyable to solve the mystery with Pell. The story was definitely a slow burn, but it deftly kept me enthralled and sucked in. What was going on with Pell? Was Emgarden really the only city on this whole planet, and why were they doomed to just barely get by? Just when you start to figure Pell out, we meet Moseus and Heartwood, with a whole other level of mystery.
I've learned you can't go wrong with a Charlie Holmberg novel. The twists and turns just keep you guessing and then, at the end, there's a completely bewildering element that ties everything in.

Charlie does it again! (I feel like all my reviews of her books start that way 😂)

Still the Sun was a stunning fantasy book. Pell was a fantastic heroine and Heartwood and Moseus were so mysterious and intriguing. I loved all the machinery involved, even if I didn't really understand it. 😅

This book felt like a puzzle that I kept trying to piece together, and once it all clicked it created such a surprising finished work that made me want to read it again from the start to see if I could pick things out that I'd missed before.

I don't know how Charlie keeps coming up with such unique and interesting worlds and magic systems and characters, but I will be here to devour them as she continues churning them out.

A big thanks to NetGalley and 47North for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think Holmberg is slowly becoming a favorite author.

Still the Sun by Charlie N. Holmberg is a YA fantasy novel all about memory and preserving the past. Pell is an engineer and digger by trade—unearthing and repairing the fascinating artifacts left behind by the mysterious Ancients who once inhabited the sunbaked planet of Tampere. She’ll do anything to help the people of her village survive and to better understand the secrets of what came before. Heartwood and Moseus are keepers of a forbidding tower near the village of Emgarden. Inside are the remnants of complex machines the likes of which Pell has never seen. Considering her affinity for Ancient tech, the keepers know Pell is their only hope of putting the pieces of these metal puzzles together and getting them running. The tower’s other riddle is Heartwood himself. He is an enigma, distant yet protective, to whom Pell is inexplicably drawn. Pell’s restoration of this broken behemoth soon brings disturbing visions—and the discovery that her relationship to it could finally reveal the origins of the tower’s strange keepers and the unfathomable reason the truth has been hidden from her.

I have no words. I just loved this book so much. And I think everyone needs to read it.

]StS started as your typical post-apocalyptic story: barren lands, limited human population, lost technology. Pelnophe (a reference to Penelope?) also seems like your typical post-apocalyptic MC—a scavenger/tinkerer/digger of ancient devices. Then everything changed when she stumbled upon a machine from a lost time.

This book crept on me during the last half of my reading. I was about to give it a 3.5, but when the plot threads finally unraveled, it was hard not to give it a 4. I like how the story has sufficient lore for one book—it's quite self-contained in the sense that it doesn't need another volume but is still rich enough to be interesting. However, I felt like it took me forever to reach the juicy part of the story. Pell's inner monologue was also sometimes distracting--I didn't know which part was the present, which part was a flashback. That said, I devoured it in three days.

*thank you to NetGalley and 47North for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my review*

This one is for the nerdy girls, the problem solvers, the thinkers and feelers who have long felt the need to prove their worth to the world. Pell is the heroine written for those of us who are endlessly curious and feel that there’s always something else out there for us.

In complete honesty, I struggled to connect with the story in the first 15%, but the plot rushes at you after that, and it all makes sense in the end. The pacing, the unanswered questions in that first 15%…it’s worth it.

I love it when an author can keep both the characters and the reader curious and learning what’s happening at the same pace. It’s a refreshing experience. Once the plot got moving, I was hanging on every clue until I got to the next and the next… This book is by no means a mystery, but our main girl (Pell) is a problem solver, and the problems she has to solve are quite mysterious!

Heartwood is *chef’s kiss* tortured boy, and we love to see him lose control every now and then, don’t we?

I really enjoyed the complexity of this plot and world-building. I occasionally got bogged down in the technical descriptions, but it was fun to stretch my imagination in a totally new way! While I’m not sure I have a full grasp on how I feel about the characters, I really loved this story, and it’s another Holmberg win for me! I feel a reread in the not-too-distant future is in order!

I was really excited about this book since Charlie N. Holmberg is one of my all-time favorite authors. But this book didn't quite hit the mark for me. The idea of an ancient machine with secrets sounded super cool, but the way it played out wasn't great.

The characters felt kinda flat and didn't have the depth I usually love in Holmberg's books. Pell's engineering skills and love for ancient tech should have made her an awesome lead, but her interactions felt awkward and her character didn't really grow.

The story had a lot of potentials but was slowed down by pacing issues. It often felt sluggish, and the romantic angle between Pell and Heartwood just didn't have the spark that could've made their relationship interesting.

All that aside, Holmberg's world-building is still top-notch. The sunbaked planet of Tampere and the mysterious tower are described so vividly, creating an awesome setting for the story. But even that couldn't make up for the other flaws.

Overall, it was a letdown for me, so I'm giving it 2.5 out of 5 stars. I'm hoping Holmberg's next book brings back the magic that made me a big fan in the first place.

A big thank you to 47North and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author (which came highly praised!) and it did not disappoint!
Her writing style is lovely and engaging and I enjoyed the world she created.
This definitely won't be my last book from her!

On the sunbaked world of Tampere there lies a small village, Emgarden, whose people eek out a living together in a land of limited resources.

Pell, a digger, repairs and reuses the ancient artifacts she unearths, and does what she can to make the lives of the villagers better.

Heartwood and Moseus, keepers of a nearby previously impenetrable tower, ask Pell to repair the complex machinery found inside.

As she works to repair the mechanisms, she is forced to question her reality and to unearth the secrets hidden in her past.

I was happy to read another work from the author of The Paper Magician series, Charlie Holmberg. The story she weaves is elaborate and deep, the characters compelling, with settings one feels they can reach out and touch. This fantasy adventure novel took me places I never anticipated.

While I am not usually a fan of dystopian fiction, I enjoyed this powerful book and I am thankful I had the opportunity to read it.

Published by 47North July 1, 2024

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#Fantasy #Romance #Fantasy #adventure #action #dystopian #Fiction #secrets
#47North #charlieholmberg
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I have some mixed feelings about this one. The story takes several chapters to really get moving, but once it does, it really takes off. Charlie Holmberg writes plenty of fantasy that has some other genre elements mixed in, but this was the first time there was science mixed with the magic. Maybe that is why the pacing took some time to get flowing, I just needed to adjust to this new sci-fi feel.

I struggled to grasp how I felt about Pell or Emgarden. Holmberg often writes very immersive worlds, but they are very microscopic to the exact story we are reading. This is the first one that felt broader, like it was trying to mimic the Cosmere (a megaverse by Brandon Sanderson). My spidey sense was tingling that these characters or the world snake or the machine will tie into later stories. Not sure that is remotely close to reality, but those emotions were overriding while reading. My headspace just kept throwing me off from deeply immersing into Still the Sun specifically.

Once my emotions settled down into something rational, I couldn't get enough of the machines or the people. While it may not be my favorite Holmberg novel, it provided exactly what I want when I pick up one of her books--emotionally invested entertainment.

Still the Sun
by Charlie N. Holmberg


"Still the Sun" by Charlie N. Holmberg is a captivating blend of fantasy and sci-fi. The story follows Pell, an engineer, as she unravels the mysteries of ancient machines on the planet Tampere.
Initially, the book is hard to get into, with confusing world-building and mechanical jargon, but it picks up significantly after a few chapters.
The chemistry between Pell and Heartwood is well-written, with their evolving relationship adding a charming touch. The plot is unique and engaging, though it could benefit from more clarity and faster pacing. Despite some slow parts and overuse of descriptive language, the final act is satisfying.
Holmberg’s ability to create a quirky, immersive world stands out. Overall, "Still the Sun" is a refreshing and intriguing read for fans of fantasy with a hint of steampunk.

Why do I pick up series on here? Why do I torture myself so?

This was amazing. I loved Whimbrel House, so I picked this up thinking I would enjoy it too. I was absolutely right.

The beginning is a bit obtuse; the reader is immersed in a world and story with no background, which can be hard to get into. Once I was a couple of chapters in, though, I was HOOKED, especially once I deduced who Heartwood was to Pell and who Cassnia was. The machine talk is a bit confusing to someone not well versed in mechanics and tinkering, but easy enough to deal with when layered with this plot. And boy what a plot. I’m so sad I have to wait for the next in the series because I am invested now!

I’m curious as to the genre of this book as it isn’t explicitly outlined and could be dystopian if we have more backstory. It could also just be sci fi. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. 4.75⭐️ and the only reason it isn’t a 5⭐️ read is because I understood little machine talk without really focusing, as it is important to the book.

I was very excited to be reading from Holmberg again after I read ARC of her Paper Magician series many moons ago! Just like her previous series, Holmberg presents us with a unique and somewhat quirky world and characters! While parts of a fantasy are familiar and the standard, Holmber again manages to create a world and a story that have a freshness and uniqueness to them. This time, we have a slight steampunkness feel to the world with the cogs and machines.

The chemistry between the main characters was written really well, I loved seeing their relationship development, and I enjoyed their banter and conversations. They're definitely an easy couple to route for!

Final note, Holmberg has given us another story with some wonderful mysteries to uncover and solve.

My only critique is the excessive use of the word "hale". It was used enough that it became noticable and annoying to spot.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this and cannot wait to read yet another novel from Holmberg!