4.5

I absolutely loved this book, to me it had a perfect balance of romance and plot. It did get slow sometimes and had some things that didn't get fully explained or understood, and sometimes it even felt rushed with some of the romance and I was wondering if there was actually a connection more than just physical.
This book did have some flaws but I loved it and read it within one sitting having the best of times.

There couldn't be more separating Lorenzo and Elara. From different kingdoms and enemies, how can Lorenzo possibly teach Elara to use her powers? While the pick up for Heavenly Bodies was fast - I felt like before we got a sense of who Elara was she was kidnapped - it's a book that grows into a crashing wave. After I got over the brisk beginning, I settled into enjoying that Heavenly Bodies examines two kingdoms, and families, which have dealt blows to each other before Lorenzo and Elara were born. There's this history of animosity and how could their relationship, even friendship, ever blossom? It very much feels star crossed in a book about Stars!

I seen many people discussing this book prior to it being traditionally published, so when I spotted it on Netgalley I figured why not. Elara and Enzo are from separate sides of a war, when fate forces them together....they fall for each other. SHOCK! Elara must unlock her power, Enzo will help.

This is book one in a series, so there's definitely some set up. It's very obvious from the start where this story is headed. The tropes are troping hard. Right from the start you can pick them out. The concept of starborn power had a lot of potential, but I just got very bored quickly. Some of this could just be me, but it wasn't my cup of tea. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of Heavenly Bodies.

Started out semi-strong but the longer the book went on the more clear it was that this is a debut novel. It felt more like I was reading tropes instead of an actual plot and the pacing was far too slow. This novel also could’ve been condensed down in the editing process and would have made for a more enjoyable read.

The pacing felt all over the place, the ending was truly disappointing and it felt like this book was trope after trope and it just really did not work for me.

A fantastic blending of the mythology we know (astrology) to create a strong world that feels wholly its own. A fresh change with the lead being the one bringing in darkness, rather than the male character. The secondary characters are just as developed as the female and male lead, bringing a stronger sense of depth to the entire world. Excited to see where this story takes us.

This NetGalley edition seems to be a reprinting of a 2022 book. The premise is one we have had before - person is taken to be trained to fight a common enemy. Then, they find out they are fated for greatness. There are various forms of magic tied to someone’s homeland and the star in their world, who are like gods. However there were other gods before.

This book seemed to strain to want to be more than it was. There was fake bravery and numerous fake outs, too much hesitation, people somehow knowing things and taking drastic measures that somehow turned out correct even though there was not enough information for how they figured this out. It was only okay for me and the last chapter set up more books that don’t seem necessary.

Overall a fairly average read in the romantasy genre, I enjoyed the world setting and the magic system, but unfortunately that’s all I liked. The characters were all a combination of tropes, nothing new or interesting to drive the characters. Even the side characters were so stereotypical to the romantasy genre that I was bored through most of the book. I will say I should have DNF’d it at 20% but I’ve heard such good things about it that I had high hopes. Unfortunately this book was another stereotypical romantasy that had potential but fell prey to tropes.

While I overall enjoyed this book, there were a few items that I didn't like which I think are more personal preference than anything else. I found the main character Elara to be mary-sueish at times (is this still a term people use?) and it seemed like she was being written in a way that I didn't enjoy as much. I thought there were times where it seemed like the stakes were set so high and then nothing really happened or it was easily resolved, which I would like to have seen played out more. I also felt that at times the pacing was really good and other times it seemed to skip things I wish I had seen. I don't think that I would read the second one, again, because of personal choice, but I do think this book will be appealing to a lot of the patrons at our library and so I will recommend that we buy this book and the sequel in the future. I think that it will circulate well. Overall, I'd rate this book 3.9/5.

The setting sounded interesting but once I started reading it I didn't find anything that drew me in. Nor did Elara seem like a very interesting character to me, her personality was made up of a lot of overused tropes that I was just not feeling. It seemed very similar to a lot of other books that I've read recently with nothing that helped it stand out from the crowd. Though I imagine there are plenty of people who will enjoy this book, it wasn't for me.

Pretty heavily laden with romantasy tropes that - after the mass appeal of Fourth Wing - seem a bit tired. But this is tempered by the exciting magic system and premise, which uses the zodiac structure to exciting results. I'm desperate to read a book with a protagonist over the age of 20, however.

4/5 stars. Overall, I had a great time reading this book. I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline. There is nothing that I love more than a badass female main character, and this book was totally bringing that energy. There was angst and tension, which was almost as good as the spice. I am docking one star because there were a few small plot holes that made the storyline confusing at some points in the book, but it was still very good!

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

The book's world-building is captivating, weaving a tapestry of celestial mysticism that feels otherworldly and intimate.
The characters are compelling, each one feeling unique, with their own strengths, flaws, and emotional depth. While some secondary characters could have been more fully developed, the core relationships are heartfelt, and the exploration of identity, love, and power dynamics adds a thought-provoking layer to the narrative. The plot is well-paced for the most part, though there are moments where it feels slightly droll especially in the beginning.

Overall, Heavenly Bodies is an enchanting read with a few minor flaws. Its lush storytelling, creative world-building, and emotional resonance make it a must-read for fans of fantasy and romance.

I'm in love, this is Romantasy at its finest! If you're a Romantasy person this is a must add to your TBR, I honestly cannot recommend it enough. The chemistry between our two leads Elara and Lorenzo are just off the charters and the banter between the two is just masterfully done. Imani Erriu has created such a vivid world with characters that you simply cannot get enough of. The magic is this world is so unique and fun, and such a refreshing take on make that I truly truly think it might be my newest favorite magic system. Honestly I could go on and on but I don't want to give too much away, If you're a fan of The Hurricane Wars or Until the Stars Fall this is definitely right up your alley!

Elara is a woman cursed by a prophecy that predicts she will fall in love with a Star, leading to both of their deaths. In the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Light, the Stars, cruel godlike beings, reign as Elara flees the destruction brought by Ariete, the Star of Wrath, only to end up in the arms of her supposed enemy, Prince Lorenzo of Helios. His apparent brightness harbors its shadows. The prophecy hanging over her life adds a palpable tension to her choices, especially as her fate becomes entwined with Prince Lorenzo. Elara has nothing to lose, making her a dangerous force in a world ruled by merciless Stars. Her relationship with Lorenzo adds complexity as they wrestle with their duties, pasts, and an undeniable attraction threatening to upend everything they know. Their chemistry is explosive, and the "star-crossed" nature of their fate. Their journey from mistrust to connection is central to the story's emotional core.

The story is heavy on romance and does have some spicy. The novel's greatest strength lies in its world-building, creating a unique universe. However, while the book excels in its romantic tension and world-building, it sometimes stumbles with pacing. The middle portion of the story, which focuses on Elara's training as a weapon against the Stars, sometimes drags. The buildup to the final confrontation feels fast-forward and too fast. The magical system could have been fleshed out more to realize its potential for the characters fully. Overall, the emotional intensity and descriptive world make this book enjoyable, and I look forward to reading the next book.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Random House.

Heavenly Bodies followed our main character Elara and her journey about figuring out who she is, how to avenge her family, all while dealing with the new emotions of love. The overall concept and main plot points were done well and were quite captivating, but I do believe at some points there could have been more discussion and history behind the Stars, Celestes, and other parties involved with the prophecy.

The pacing of the story was consistent from the start to the ending, making the time jumps apparent but not choppy. The dialogue was also good, with the banter between Enzo and Elara always entertaining.

The only major critique was that I wish there was more worldbuilding and a deeper discussion into the magic system, including more history behind the Stars. Other than that the story is very entertaining and I can't wait for the next one!

I will be honest, I have mixed feelings about this book. I know it’s popular and I was looking forward to reading it. However the story just felt it was missing something, it was very hard for me to get into and It felt a bit like a chore to finish.

I will still be ordering this for my library as it is popular and I know people are interested in it. I am hopeful the next book is stronger and easier to be absorbed into the world

I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it was a little flat. I think the concept was unique and interesting but the dialogue and characters were a bit one dimensional and had a hard time connecting with the story and staying engaged.

This book was definitely an easy to get into fantasy. Princess Elara sees horrors in her kingdom due to a prophecy the Gods are trying to stop. It turns out that her nations enemy is actually her greatest ally. While they kidnap her they also treat her pretty decent. The enemy to lovers lasted about 5 minutes which is fine by me. The romance between Princess Elara and Prince Lorenzo was actually cute as can be and I loved how protective he was with her. Their power sharing and working through their trauma together was *chefs kiss. The fight scene at the end was full of suspense and mystery, it could have been an awesome ending. I feel like this could have just been a longer book and skipped the drawn out series, but maybe I am just bummed that I won't know what happens for quite some time.

I will admit this did take me a minute to get into but once I was in I was locked in. I thought the plot was so good and the world was interesting around 25% when the romance picked up I couldn't put it down. the ending had me questioning everything and I need book 2 immediately. I love anything soulmatey and this is as good as it gets for that. Enzo. The man that he is oh my lord the romance plot in this book was my favourite part it was so well done. This will definitely be one of my top romantasy recommendations in the future.