These are always fun reads between heavy novels. While it didn't really separate itself from other romantasy books (writers seem to create around tropes rather than the other way around at the moment) this was a fun read. The Light and Dark was a fun magic concept but I wish we had further explored it in depth.

Enemies to lovers, celestial gods, magick, a doomed love prophecy. This will definitely be popular, but it wasn’t for me.
For fans of The Book of Azrael and The Serpent and the Wings of Night.

Elara is the Queen of Asteria following her parents death by her realm’s celestial god - the King of Stars following a doomed prophecy - Elara will in love with the King of Stars, and it will kill them both.
Before she is killed herself, she is kidnapped by her enemy kingdom - to use her as a weapon to kill a Star.
The Lion of Helios, Prince Lorenzo, must dive past her shadows to unlock her true magick.

’You know the most dangerous kind of villain?' she whispered. 'A woman with nothing left to lose.'

Personally, there were too many cringy moments. A seduction competition ball scene, way too many thigh slit gold gowns, seeing each others’ worst nightmares, ‘good girl’, ‘you can take orders’, sex scenes at critical moments….

I think this will be very popular for these very things, but it really didn’t work for me.

Learning to trust, dark past and secrets, hidden trauma, slow burn, a hint of love triangle at the start… yep, there is a lot of troupes for people to love!

’Because Elara, I may be a monster, but you make me want to be a saint.'

The celestials are listed at the start with what they are known for (war, seduction, etc), but I acknowledge learning the distinctions may be overwhelming.

Just because it didn’t work for me, I am sure it will find its right romantasy ‘burn the world down’ audience.

Thank you to Viking Books for the physical arc in exchange for a review!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Loved it! beautiful written plot and multidimensional characters. I liked the world building and the magic system and thought the enemies to lovers trope was executed very well and I am a big fan of those. Quick and easy to read! So excited for the special edition of this one! 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
4 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the storytelling in Heavenly Bodies and relatable, likable characters,. Loved every single second reading it.

To be clear before you read on: This book got me out of my book slump, because it’s easy, familiar and was super enjoyable. However, I won’t pick up the rest.

My feelings towards this book are between like and indifference. I did like the two MC’s, they did have well written chemistry and I did like the slowish burn development of the romance. The FMC does start off a bit insufferable (she started off as a ‘i’m so sassy’ type which actually came off as immature and cringe) but she definitely grew on me. The MC is basically the blueprint of all romantasy MC’s but let’s not pretend we want anything else.

The plot was interesting but I needed more of it to be believable. There are some quite unique aspects of the world/magic system which I would have loved to have seen developed. What pushes this book more into the romantasy genre rather than fantasy is this: There are literal gods preparing to smite you down and all you can think about is boinking.

I still very much recommend this book to romantasy lovers as it has all of our favourite tropes and plot points, but it doesn’t really do anything different and doesn’t stand apart from other reads in an already oversaturated genre. (which is sometimes exactly what we need! so hate and nothing wrong with that)

Thank you so much for my eARC :)

This book has been on my tbr for almost three years and I am so annoyed I left it so long to pick it up because it really was a fantastic debut. I absolutely loved Enzo and Elara’s dynamic - their push and pull and ‘touch them and die’ vibes were so fun and had me basically screaming at my book JUST KISS ALREADY! The author has also written some amazing supporting characters and I am a total sucker for a sisterhood/female friendship which this book had in spades.

The only things that stopped it from being a five star read for me was the fact that I thought the world building and magic system needed a little more fleshing out and the pacing at times wasn’t quite right. BUT I do think this is a must read and I had so much fun.

I would recommend it if you love a star-crossed lovers theme, a unique and interesting magic system and a slow burn romance with delicious tension and steam so hot you’ll melt.

Thank you to Penguin UK for this wonderful ARC ❤️

Firstly thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
WOW What an amazing debut by Imani Emu definitely a new addition to my list of favourite authors.
Elara and Enzo our leading characters are so beautifully crafted, the magic is delicious, touch of humour as well as sadness and the ending will blow you away. I simply devoured this and I’m praying it will is the beginning of a series.
Highly recommend.

Elara was such a great character for Erriu to base this story around. Like other reviews, I'd have loved to have seen more of Sofia.
I'm a sucker for found family, enemies to lovers and a fresh new take on fantasy. This was everything I didn't realise I needed.

This book is told from a single point of view, that of Elara. I found Elara to be a compelling character—strong, smart, and empowered with incredible abilities. Her minor flaws, such as stubbornness and a tendency to handle everything solo, made her even more relatable.

The enemies-to-lovers trope between Elara and Lorenzo was well-executed, though I wished their initial conflict had lasted a bit longer before they transitioned to friends. Lorenzo’s equal stubbornness made their dynamic particularly engaging.

I also appreciated the character development of Merissa, who becomes a valuable friend to Elara, and while Sofia was intriguing, I would have liked to see more of her. The book has strong found-family vibes, adding depth to the story.

The concept and magic system are unique and interesting, making for an engaging read. Overall, the book presents a promising start for a debut, with a captivating plot and a well-developed magic system.

3.5/5.

Imagine a world where the stars aren’t just distant points of light in the sky—they're cruel and merciless gods, toying with the lives of those below. For Elara, fate has dealt a particularly twisted hand: a prophecy that guarantees she’ll fall for a Star, and in doing so, doom them both.

When the Star of Wrath and War descends upon her kingdom, Elara’s life takes a dramatic turn. Fleeing the devastation, she finds herself in the arms of her enemies, specifically the brooding and enigmatic Prince Lorenzo of Helios, the Kingdom of Light. If you’re thinking this sounds like the setup for some epic tension-filled encounters, you’re absolutely right.

As Elara trains under Lorenzo's watchful eye, she discovers not just the depth of her own untapped powers—powers steeped in night and shadow—but also the dark secrets lurking within the seemingly perfect Kingdom of Light. Lorenzo is no stranger to shadows himself, and as the two of them grow closer, the lines between enemy and ally begin to blur in deliciously complicated ways.

Erriu weaves a tale of star-crossed lovers that’s as intoxicating as it is dangerous.

The chemistry between Elara and Lorenzo crackles with intensity, making every moment they share feel like a dance on the edge of a knife. Add in a prophecy that’s like a ticking time bomb, ancient magic, and the looming threat of the Stars themselves, and you’ve got a story that’s impossible to put down.

Heavenly Bodies is perfect for fans of lush world-building, complex characters, and romance that’s as dark as it is dazzling.

If you’re ready to be swept off your feet by a tale of forbidden love and celestial intrigue, this book is your ticket to the stars.

Just be warned: once you start reading, you might find yourself wishing on every star that Elara and Lorenzo get their happily-ever-after!

Thank you to Penguin and Imani Erriu for this arc in exchange of an honest review

I was so happy to see this book be picked up for traditional publishing!
The romance in this is fantastic, slow burn... I adore them!
Great world building, and I love the lore behind this book!
Can't wait to read the sequel!

A good debut novel with a bit of slow burn and angst and some great banter between the MCs. Some good world building and well-developed characters. I’m looking forward to the next one!