You are beautiful capable enough.

The writing is so beautiful! It's the story of a girl who just doesn't feel like she's good enough. Always feels like she has to be better in order to matter.

Isy is full of grief over the death of her friend and does what she can to make his death matter. I loved seeing her come out of her shell. The banter, the way she hands it to the men messing with her, it was all so fun! And the snakes! Omg the snakes! IYKYK!

I'll be impatiently awaiting book 2 👀

I'm giving this one a 2 star. Please note, that part of this is a direct reflection on my personal preferences in fantasy reads. Prior to requesting the ALC for this book, I checked to see who was listed as narrator. As there were two named, I made the assumption that this story would be told in dual POV. Unfortunately for me, that was not the case. A male character had the very brief last chapter and the rest of the book was told from the female protagonist's POV. Had I known this, I would not have requested.
Now, onto the actual story...I thought this was fine. There was a bit of redundancy throughout the middle of the book which caused me issues regarding the pacing. The main character, Isabel, went through the same thought processes regarding her murdered friend over and over again. Remembering, followed by sadness, then guilt and finally her bolstering herself to continue on with her chosen mission. And, she was kind of a jerk. I didn't find her likeable which made it hard to connect to her character. Also, like, I couldnt even tell you what happened for a good portion of the middle of the book because it was all wandering around on horses and her internal thoughts. The action does pick up in the last quarter of the story.
There was a bit of mystery/intrigue that held my attention. The romance was cute.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. The narrator did an amazing job very clear and can understand even at 3x. I was sucked into this story from page one, and could not stop listening

I loved this book so much. I cant wait to see what happens next. The audiobook was well performed and I would definitely recommend to audiobook lovers of Fantasy with a sprinkling of romance.

I received a gifted copy. This review is honest and voluntary.

So glad this is on audio! This was a completely fantastic story that pulled me in with humor and sarcasm from the beginning! Amazing character development and relationship building, fantastic banter and wit, and expert story crafting went into this book. It was heartbreaking, hopeful, and so purely magical. You will not regret going on this adventure.

Isabel is a feisty and strong character who, like many of us, feels her own self doubt around her like a cloak. She wants so badly to be enough for everyone around her, and any small failure feels like falling off the edge of a cliff. Her journey with self doubt and self harm is one that we don't see often in fantasy, and I liked the way her story was told with that as a part of who she is at the very fabric of her core.

Erik is a soldier through and through. He's magic. He's powerful, and he's....an idiot. He drags Isabel along as their guide under the agreement that it will help keep peace between their people, but what started as pure annoyance becomes something so much more. Erik also fights with being enough for his father, for his kingdom, and for being seen as Erik and not just a solder or a powerful Sender.

They find that as they get to know one another, they're not all that different. Have they finally found someone to see them for them and not the power or skill they possess? But then, of course, we have secrets, betrayal, and murder sprinkled throughout the book. There were a few moments where my jaw dropped and I was so shocked at the twist! I never saw it coming, but then it brought the rest of the pieces back together to form the picture of reality.

I absolutely cannot wait for book 2!

Wow! This book is beautifully written. I was captivated from the start. The storyline is engaging, and I loved witnessing the relationship develop between Isabel and Erik. This is a wonderful slow burn fantasy romance. I typically read spicier books than this, but found Illusion of Stars well worth the read for the storyline and characters. The magic system was interesting and well explained. The imagery in this book is magic in itself. I really felt like I was in the story. I can’t wait to read more from Sarah Marie Page! I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narration was fantastic! I highly recommend the audiobook. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.