There’s a lot happening in Stars and Soil. It’s got political intrigue, competing religious sects, forbidden magic, and deals heavily with grief. It’s all told from the POV of Caitlyn, the successful daughter of two merchants who works for the family business, although more out of a sense of familial obligation to her fathers than a true desire to do the work. The story is mostly told in the present, but there are some chapters that are memories of past events.

I liked Caitlyn as a character and empathized with her, but found myself struggling to believe the depth of some of her relationships, as there’s a lot of time spent on worldbuilding and politicking and not as much spent on developing those connections. I think it’s interesting that the world itself is very diverse, with plenty of LGBTQ couples, non-binary characters, and even a couple of non-human races, but it’s still rather misogynistic and patriarchal.

My copy was an ARC, but this is an edited republishing of an existing novel, and the eBook contained numerous grammatical errors throughout. Not enough to make me DNF or not recommend the book, but enough that I’m sticking with 3 stars rather than rounding up for what is more like a 3.5 star read for me.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.

This book has so much potential and I really, really wanted to rate it higher. However, there were things that needed to be fleshed out better and things that needed to have heavily edited out. Parts of the book dragged on and on without explaining much. I can't wait to see what the author does next and expands the story in future installments because there's a lot they could do with it.

I really wanted to love this book. I loved the concept and the cover art looked awesome. However, the actual book was pretty lackluster. The book really needs some heavy editing. Like, really heavy editing. There was just so much going on. Don't get me wrong, I loved the queer normative world, but xie/xir pronouns are probably fairly new to most people and I actually got lost in the beginning of the book when Caitlin was describing her late wife. I feel like Brenna's name needed to come up. I don't know. I loved the use of xie pronouns, but the writing made it difficult to keep track of. Also, there were multiple typos and even at least one instance of using she/her pronouns for Brenna.

Overall, this book has so. much. potential. However, I would not recommend buying a copy of this unless it had a huge edit before it was published.

I could not fully get into this book, no matter how hard I tried.

There was just so much happening but so little of it was moving the plot along. We had countless characters, loads of political intrigues and STILL I felt like DNFing multiple times.

The idea was really interesting, a grieving woman finds herself as a spy and trying to destroy the monarchy from within. It sounded SO fun and intriguing. But then it was all stuffy dialogues, some typos, a somewhat confusing writing style, entire paragraphs that added nothing and a weird timeline.

I think with a little more honing, this book could be awesome, because the potential is definitely there!

To end on a positive note, I liked how the author treated grief, abuse, abortion, all delicate themes really well conveyed. It was also great having a more mature MC than average fantasy books, with a life prior and her own ghosts. The clergy not so subtly threatening her, constant suspicions, assasins guild and the council meetings gone wrong were engaging enough, but I would not read this book again or recommend unless I know you specifically like complex worlds with lots of characters and okay-ish pacing up until just the end.

“She cannot grieve a freedom that she never had.”

“Stars and Soil,” by Dax Murray

I’m not entirely sure why I didn’t like this book very much. The number of times she says Xir in the beginning was super annoying. I felt maybe the timeline of the story took way too long, it was over many years, and it was at a slow pace. Also, the male character I liked was hardly ever in it. I couldn’t tell if she was bisexual because she made it seem that way through actions, but she said she was just a lesbian so idk. I just kind of didn’t like it much, 2 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

all in all, this was an interesting read. the world building was absolutely immaculate, the characters were all uniquely complex and there were interesting, deep woven relationships between them all. i enjoyed how the political components within this universe were at play and explained more than other novels of this nature.

the book follows our main character, caitlin as she navigates life during grief, court politics and finding romance. i thoroughly enjoyed seeing the fact that being queer was natural in this world, there was no shame alongside it.

overall, it was an easy read and i look forward to reading more from dax. this book will be available for purchase on Oct 30th.

A fantastic read - so refreshing to read a book where LGBTQ+ characters aren't an add on but the norm, I loved the use of different pronouns, although slightly confusing at first (potentially a explanation in the beginning would be good). As a disabled woman it was so great to hear about disabled characters who are just as powerful even though they have their bad days - will look to read the next one too

This was a strong start to the Scions and Shadows series, it had that fantasy element that I was looking for from the description. I enjoyed the world that was created and how everything that I enjoyed about this genre. The characters worked well overall and was glad I got to read this. I’m excited to read more in this world and from Dax Murray.

I went into this book knowing very little about the plot and where it was going to go. I assumed it follows the typical fantasy structure - a young heroine who bands together with revolutionaries to overthrow a corrupt government.

My main worry was that the story begins with her wife’s death and this is almost the catalyst for the chain of events that we follow in this novel. I was therefore sceptical about the romance plot - as how can a new romance have weight and how can we root for their love, when she’s still grieving the wife she lost at the start of the book? The romance, however, wasn’t a major plot point in this novel.

Additionally, going into a new fantasy world with its own magic systems and political structures is always difficult. This is especially true, as was the case here, if the author doesn’t set them up very well. I.e. if the reader isn’t given an explanation as to what’s going on. This can lead to confusion and affect the flow of the story, as more time is spent by the reader just trying to grasp what is going on.

There was something about the writing style of this that just didn’t click for me. The use of multiple short sentences made the flow of the story seem choppy and jumpy, which made the story feel very abrupt and non-fluid. Especially with the random time jumps in the middle of a chapter with no obvious indicator that one had occurred - this made for a very confusing read!

I did, however, love the characters and the world. Caitlin is someone who’s lost a lot and just wants to make her dads proud. You can tell she’s really struggling and yet still manages to find inner strength. This made her a complex character that really stood out. The idea that she once again is put in a position she’s not fully comfortable with, essentially a rebellion spy, as she couldn’t refuse a royal proposal.

In terms of the world building, whilst confusing in parts, the themes of discontent and rebellion within the city really shone though. This made for a vivid picture of where the book was taking place and striking themes of espionage and court politics.

Overall, this book seemed to have a good base plot - but just didn’t click for me. If you prefer more high fantasy reads, that focus more on courts and politics, then this could be the read for you.

ARC copy provided by BooksGoSocial & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While I thought the world building was done well I felt overwhelmed by the amount of characters being thrown in. With a little more explanation to how they fit the story I may have been able to keep track better, but I kept getting confused. I enjoy books with many character, this style must not have been for me.

The pacing was pretty good. A tad rushed in the end, but still good. With a little polishing I think this could turn into a great read.

I wanted to like this book but I had to DNF at 15%.
I found the read confusing and there was lots going on.
I personally found the tense of the book odd and so kept finding myself re-reading sentences to make sure I understood.
There were large chunks of dialogue that I often found myself skipping over.
I think the book would improve the further into it you get but I couldn't get through the world building.

Thanks to net galley for this book in return for an honest review.

This was okay. I liked the plot of the book, but it felt like it kinda dragged on. I feel like a little bit more editing would've made this book better.

The best thing about this book was absolutely its world-building. It's clear that so much work was put into this society and a lot of attention was paid to the intricate politics and different factions within this world. The class issues and rebellions in this book were really fun and I enjoyed the way they influenced the plot. I love an epic fantasy with an emphasis on court politics, conflicting motives, scheming and secrets so that was an aspect that I really loved! The queer-normative world was also great and I especially liked how there were gender non-conforming races and individuals as that's something that isn't present in too many high fantasies.

I really loved the main character as well. I thought she was written in a really complex and interesting way and her grief over the loss of her wife was a thread that stayed strong throughout the whole book, adding a lot of depth to her character and helping to make her more sympathetic and relatable. Her grief was written really well in my opinion and I enjoyed the dual timeline at the beginning of the book exploring her relationship with her wife.

However, while her grief remained consistent throughout the book, it's really the only thing that did. Her relationship with her fathers, her friendships, loyalties and motives all felt temporary and mercurial. Things that seemed to have incredible importance for a few chapters suddenly became irrelevant as soon as their purpose was served and the main character no longer seemed to think much about them. The romantic subplot also felt really rushed and underdeveloped. The love interest's character seemed to change out of nowhere to serve the plot and the chemistry between them felt forced. I think if the romance was left out of the book, nothing really would have been lost and the motives of the main character would make a lot more sense without the love interest to further confuse them. While the main character was well developed and had an interesting and developed back story, not many of the other characters felt anywhere near as developed and many of them were forgettable. This was especially an issue with how large the cast was as it became hard to follow who was who. The prophecy aspect of the plot also came out of nowhere, and the main conflict of the story definitely needed a lot more build-up and time on page to feel like more of a threat.

Overall, I loved the world that this story took place in and I thought the main character was great and her complexity was written really compellingly. However, the plot felt a little weak and many of the side characters were forgettable and inconsistent. If you enjoy epic fantasy with extensive world building and a queer-normative society, I would recommend this, but the story itself may be a little underwhelming and the romance especially leaves a lot to be desired.

2.5/5

A web of lies, deceit and traitors. Caitlin finds herself thrown in the midst of it due to the choices she both makes for herself and allows others to make for her. Eventually these decisions catch up with Caitlin as she walks the fine line of survival and spy where she doesn’t know if the next person she attempts to put trust in will get her killed…or worse.

At its core Stars and Soil is an interesting story. I enjoyed the world and the plot, the potential is there but I feel like it still needs a little more polishing.

There were a few typos, a few errors that threw off the flow of the sentences and one or two misspellings of character names. Some of the transitions between scenes felt clunky, I had to go back a few times to the previous pages confused because the change had been so sudden that I thought I must’ve skipped a few pages. Overall, however, the writing was easy and enjoyable to read.

The romance I thought felt forced, for a character so worked up in her grief that she mentions her wife every few pages it just didn’t feel like it clicked for me. There was no chemistry. I thought there was more chemistry between Caitlin and Diarmuid personally. That being said, I did really appreciate that queerness was just simply a part of the world, something natural.

The characters were plenty but I found myself getting lost in all the names, not everyone was memorable and it got a little confusing near the end when the pace suddenly picked up in the book and everything was happening at once.

I wish there had been more explanations about the magic and Gods, by the end of the book there were so many things happening that it just felt convoluted. Caitlin did not know much herself and the reader is a reflection of that but I think it would have benefited with a little more information trickling through the book as a whole, not just in the final arc.

Like Caitlin you find yourself railroaded through without much time to process what is happening and then all at once it’s over and it’s just a listing of names and explanations of what happened to them after the main conflict concluded.

With a little more polish and editing this book could be a good read for those that enjoy political intrigue.

This book WILL make you cry. There's a ton going on, but not in an overwhelming way. Caitlin is an incredibly strong protagonist and as we view the world and courtly drama through her eyes, we can't help but root for her to finally find a happy ending.

I really enjoyed the overall worldbuilding and magical elements and loved the nuances of the political intrigue. Definitely recommend this book with a hot cup of cocoa and some tissues to help you work through the expansive range of emotions this will invoke.

This captivating fantasy novel is brimming with epic world building, political maneuvering, and shifting alliances. Lady Caitlin, caught in a web of deception, must navigate a kingdom in turmoil and uncover a hidden prophecy to avoid becoming a pawn in a centuries-old plot.

This was OK! The plot was good and it really got you interested. However, the story did tend to drag with details that were not relevant to the story.

Book Review: Stars and Soil by Dax Murray

Dax Murray’s Stars and Soil: Scions and Shadows is an intricate, emotionally charged fantasy novel that blends courtly intrigue with deeper explorations of power, loss, and identity. In this first installment of the Scions and Shadows series, readers are plunged into a richly detailed world on the brink of collapse, where kingdoms rot from within, rebellion brews, and ancient forces stir beneath the surface.

The protagonist, Lady Caitlin, is a character defined by her grief and apathy, having lost everything that once tethered her to her former life. But where others might fade into the shadows of such tragedy, Caitlin's evolution pulls her directly into the political chaos of the kingdom. Her initial indifference is shattered when fate forces her to confront the powerful figures in her life, including a charismatic rebellion leader and a dangerously apathetic prince. As she navigates the deadly politics of the court, Caitlin finds herself ensnared in an even more insidious web—one woven by dark forces that have long been biding their time.

The novel shines in its portrayal of court intrigue, deceit, and alliances. Murray creates a palpable atmosphere of distrust, underscored by a memorable line that perfectly sets the tone: "Don't trust anyone, Lady Caitlin. Not even me. Especially not me." In this world, allegiances shift like quicksand, and Caitlin must balance the weight of her own grief with the constant threat of betrayal. The court itself becomes a character—dangerous, manipulative, and steeped in secrets.

Stars and Soil excels in character complexity. Caitlin is a captivating heroine, whose struggles with both external and internal battles feel raw and deeply personal. Murray carefully layers her growth, allowing readers to empathize with her desire for destruction while still hoping for her redemption. Surrounding her is a diverse cast of characters, each vividly drawn, with hidden motives and conflicting loyalties. The representation of queer relationships and characters with disabilities further enriches the narrative, contributing to the depth and inclusivity of the world.

Beyond the personal drama, the novel’s exploration of larger themes—such as the cost of power, the price of loyalty, and the weight of centuries-old conspiracies—sets the stage for an epic tale. The prophecy Caitlin is entangled in lends an air of foreboding to the story, suggesting that the real stakes stretch far beyond the crumbling kingdom she inhabits. Dark magic, militant revolutionaries, and secretive priestesses complicate Caitlin's journey, making the story an immersive experience where every action carries unforeseen consequences.

The strength of Stars and Soil also lies in its vivid worldbuilding. Murray paints a decaying kingdom with meticulous detail, from the opulence of the court to the growing unrest among the people. The narrative is rich in description, immersing readers in a realm rife with political tension and shadowy intrigue. Comparisons to Seth Dickinson’s The Traitor Baru Cormorant and Tessa Gratton’s The Queens of Innis Lear are apt, as Murray similarly crafts a world where politics and personal ambition are inseparable from the greater fate of the realm.

However, for some readers, the complexity of the plot and the sheer amount of court intrigue might require patience. The deliberate pacing, especially as it builds the groundwork for future books, may feel slow at times, though this also allows for deeper character development and the unraveling of intricate subplots.

In conclusion, Stars and Soil is a compelling start to what promises to be a thrilling fantasy series. Dax Murray deftly combines political intrigue, personal stakes, and deep worldbuilding to craft a narrative that keeps readers on edge, second-guessing every character's intentions. For fans of intricate fantasy worlds, morally complex characters, and stories that balance the personal with the political, Stars and Soil offers a gripping, emotionally resonant experience. As Caitlin’s path leads her deeper into danger and deception, the series is poised to grow into something truly remarkable.