Stars: 3.5
Review Release: N/A
Review Platform: N/A
Review: I’m unsure where to start with this, as I have mixed feelings about it. While I loved that romance wasn’t the focal point in this story, I feel there wasn’t much substance within it. We follow Saya and Andres on a journey through time, where they must save the world due to a prophecy. It’s a trope we have seen in fantasy books, and I feel it could have been done better in this story. The ending has confused me, and I am unsure of the author's intentions. While the concept of the story is promising and gave me “Strange the Dreamer” vibes, I don’t think I will be promoting the book to friends as it has left me disappointed.


There will be no social links for this review as the book cannot be located on any platform.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

First things first, the premise of this novel is lovely and fresh. A world with time travelers, where dreams are stolen, and where fae blend in with humans. A mysterious government of sorts that steals your dreams, although the why and how is not immediately clear. Twisting timelines that blend together and tease at a love story. The writing is almost lyrical and incredibly lightweight to read.

However, in that same vein, the storytelling was at times too lofty and far away that I had trouble envisioning any parts of this interesting world. Throughout the story, I wanted to feel more connected to the characters and the settings, both past and present. No matter how closely I read or how far I got into the story, the main characters felt like strangers. They had no purpose but to be in the novel. No thoughts outside of the plot. With a bit more dimension, the story and its leads would absolutely shine. I also found the characters' language to be juvenile at times, which felt contradictory to the poetic descriptions and mystical plotline. A little more cohesion between the world and its people would have made this more exciting to read, but without it, I found myself wandering through the book, wondering when we were getting to the intense part. I didn't fully buy into the story despite its almost unlimited potential.

I see massive potential from the writer and this world - I can't wait to connect with their future stories.

Let me start with some positives.

This book has some absolutely beautiful imagery as well as a couple striking quotes that I saved as I went along. What little of the story I followed seemed bittersweet and could have been a much higher rating if it had been more accessible to the reader.

Which leads me to the negatives.

If this hadn't been an arc read I would have given up on it within the first few pages. Abstract writing like this is good for poetry and maybe short stories but not for entire books and novels. Especially when you're dealing with something as complicated as time travel it just sort of seems like you're covering your tracks by leaving your readers completely lost and confused because you don't know what you're doing either as the writer.

It's a very interesting concept and I'm sure difficult to write. Some aspects of the writing really grips you but not for long enough to push through the copious amount of pages that just didn't make enough sense. Reading this felt like I was reading only half the story all of which was inside the writer's mind at the time but wasn't communicated to the reader. You absolutely have to give your reader more to go off of than what was done in the story. There's reading between the lines and then there's hopelessly extensive chasms that the reader has no hope of crossing without more insight than what is given from the author. Which just leads to frustration and, honestly, DNFs by your readers.

It's a shame because I got the feeling that the author had some truly deep and beautiful things to communicate to us as the readers and there were times that I could pick up on those feelings which moved me, but it was just abstract pieces here and there floating between long stretches of nonsensical concepts. I don't think many people are going to stick with a story that they don't feel like they can relate to in any way... it's hard to relate to something on that deep of a level when the very building blocks of the story aren't even clear on a surface level.

This was such a confusing book for me. I liked the ideas the author had, but I could not connect with the characters or the writing style. I usually enjoy more poetic prose, but this time, it didn't work for me. The majority of the time I was reading, I wasn't sure why I was continuing.

The book starts out confusing. There are two POVs in different time periods, and we get a lot of worldbuilding and backstory. The world-building was interesting. I liked the idea of World Trees dreaming out realities, and this Black Tree was eating the dreams of the people, leaving them husks of themselves. The problem I had was I didn't feel immersed in the world, I felt confused by the lore. It was not a smooth build, and that left me wondering what was happening. There is an inconsistency in the pacing; some things moved way too quickly, while others were way too slow. I am usually one who loves an intricate fantasy world, but this one was just too much for me.

Saya and Andreas's relationship didn't feel real or fleshed out. There wasn't much I could connect to with Saya. Her story and background were rushed, and her alliances jumped quickly. Andreas is given more page time to expand his background, but even then, it was not enough for me to like his character.

The ending was supposed to be ambiguous and tragic. I just felt let down. I wish I could have enjoyed this book. Maybe if things were laid out differently and more clearly, I would have enjoyed it. The problem with stories that include time travel is that they're hard to follow.

I struggled with too many aspects of this book to really enjoy it. I think the author is talented, but I just couldn't get into the book the way I wanted to.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️
This is a beautifully written fantasy story unlike any other I have ever read. I definitely had to have my brain fully turned on to try and keep all the timelines and stories organized. I absolutely loved how at it's core, it was a love story about a love born in dreams that would not die. The author's prose was not what you usually see in books these days, and it truly transported you to this beautifully broken world in full detail. The mash-up of the old world and the new world and how it got to this point was just as engaging as another storyline in this book. I'm sorry to say this book will not be for every fantasy lover. If you ever tried to read The Lord of the Rings and just couldn't get into the wordy set-up, you might also struggle with this book. If you can stick with this book, I recommend you do. It's a differing flavor from what you commonly see in fantasy right now in all the best ways. There is some serious darkness in this book at times, including talk of mutilation and slavery. My biggest complaint is that this book is not available on goodreads for me to spread it to more people's feeds.
⌛Time traveling
🌠Changeling
⌛Dream world meeting
🌠Rebellion

This book was great! The cover was really pretty and it made me want to read this book! And I was not disappointed. The plot was very well written and easy to read.

This book had an interesting premise—time travelers, faeries, and a prophecy-driven plot—but in the end, it was just mid for me. The world-building was ambitious, with the concept of a dream-eating World Tree and a rebellion against its tyranny, but it sometimes felt overwhelming rather than immersive. There were a lot of fascinating ideas, but they didn’t always come together smoothly.

Saya and Andreas had potential as characters, especially with their past connection, but their dynamic didn’t fully grab me. Their trust issues and slow-building alliance had moments of intrigue, yet their relationship felt underdeveloped compared to the grand scope of the plot. I also would have liked a deeper emotional connection between them to make their journey more compelling.

The writing itself was fluid and easy to follow, which made the book an enjoyable read despite its flaws. However, the pacing was inconsistent—some parts dragged while others felt rushed, making it hard to stay fully engaged.

Overall, it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. If you love intricate fantasy worlds and don’t mind a story that takes a while to find its footing, it might still be worth a read. The book gets 3 ⭐ from me.

Once upon a time a section of land separated and lifted into the sky. The Floating City as it’s called requires all its citizens to sacrifice their dreams to fuel this landmass from falling back down to the flat lands to ensures the safety.

This book offers a lot of unique depth and complexity. The intricate world-building and poetic writing really bring the story to life. There is a heavy use of timelines and time loops which made it slightly hard to follow at times in the beginning. I swear just hang in there. The effort to understand the story pays off in the end. It’s worth the slight confusion. I loved the character development—especially Saya’s backstory. The book's ambition and creativity are worth the effort if you're into more complex, high-fantasy stories. I loved the theme of finding your true self and the in-depth dreams and their meanings. I even found myself crying at a few different moments toward the end. (I literally never cry over books!)

I will say I think a map of the world would be helpful to have. Navigationally I was lost at times in relation to other places in the story.

Loved the Title, the premise of the story, and the art on the book.

I think this was a good idea for a story. The writing is poetic, the world building is there, I like that we are in the heads of both characters, and pacing was fine.

The world building and time travel was the hardest to follow at time especially in the beginning. Though the writing was descriptive, the dialog needs work.

Thank you to Author for letting me read this and happy release month.

This is a beautiful but heart wrenching story of fated love. We have great world building and deep, complex characters.
I loved the chemistry between Saya and Andreas, noticeable from the very first moment the crossed paths in the book.
I have to admit that the first 42 pages were a bit heavy, but necessary to understand how things worked and not get lost deeper in the story.
I don't have more to say than: It is so well written it was a pleasure to read it, to learn about and with the characters how the story evolved.

DNF @ 45%

I really, really wanted to like this book. The cover was appealing, the title was gorgeous, and the premise was intriguing.

Essentially, we follow our two main characters: Saya and Andreas. Saya is a faerie, a shape shifter, who was captured and her wings removed, and has now been sent into the world on a mission to capture a time traveller. Andreas… Well, he’s the time traveller. And somehow, Saya can’t quite work out why he feels so familiar. He might be the man from her dreams who gave her wings once upon a time…

The first 10-20% was confusing. There’s a lot of lore, backstory, and world-building kind of dumped on you, and it can be difficult to work out what’s what. After that, I was reassured by other reviews, it gets better.

For me, that wasn’t the case, unfortunately. It got less confusing, yes, but I still struggled to connect with the characters and the plot. The initial confusion I experienced left me constantly trying to figure certain things out while also trying to absorb new information as the story progressed. I can push myself through books like there is no tomorrow, but I just could not get into this one, and it was so frustrating and upsetting.


I think the potential here is MASSIVE. The writing is beautiful and the concept could be truly excellent. I just feel that it needed some refinement to allow a smoother entry into the story, giving the reader time to connect and process the starting point of the plot, so that when it does kick off at the 20% mark, you get to enjoy the ride more.

No-one is more disappointed than me for not falling in love with this. I had really high hopes. And I’m not saying I won’t go back and try again in future - maybe I will - but if I’m not enjoying a book when I’m almost halfway through, I feel that forcing myself through it rarely ends with a changed mind.

Maybe my brain wasn’t in the right headspace for this, maybe I read it at the wrong time. Others seem to have enjoyed it, so maybe I’m just the exception. If you think this sounds like it’s for you, don’t let my bad experience stop you from picking it up!

Across Time and Starlight by Alessandro Candotti os a masterpiece! I loved this book so much. I couldn't stop reading this book and I couldn't put it down for a bit. So so good.

The premise and artwork really sucked me in. This book had a lot of over explanation that slowed down me really being able to enjoy the full story.

Favorite Quote: "“I’ll find you, in this world or any other.”

Thank you to Netgalley for one of my very first e-arcs.

First and foremost, the premise from the description was really what drew me in as well as the multi-perspective. The beginning of the book was quite lore heavy, but it also made me want to keep reading to find out more about Saya when she gets introduced. Once the story gets going a few chapters in, it was evident that I needed to ensure I kept track of which perspective I was reading and the information presented (which took a little bit away from the reading experience). Some were important, some not. I did appreciate the flourishing descriptions of the world and of course, Saya and Andreas' journey and timeless hope and passion for each other.

"And we have found each other, across time and starlight. Is it any wonder, then, we want to run away together?"

This book is definitely a unique and ambitious read, blending time travel, fate, lost dreams, and mythical origins into one sweeping high-fantasy story. It follows Saya and Andreas, two people who once met in a dream and are now trying to find each other again—though, of course, it’s not that simple.

The writing itself is poetic and beautifully descriptive, which really helps bring the world to life. That said, the storytelling can be a bit of a challenge. There are a lot of timelines, flashbacks, and time loops that sometimes make it hard to follow, and I found myself flipping back to reread sections just to keep track of everything. Saya’s backstory is mostly crammed into the first chapter, which made it harder to connect with her early on, whereas Andreas’ development is spread out, making him feel much more fleshed out as a character.

One thing that really pulled me out of the experience was the poor ebook formatting. It was frustrating to deal with and made an already complex story even harder to follow. On top of that, there are some darker elements, including violence, explicit scenes, and a dream sequence where consent is ignored, which some readers might find uncomfortable.

Overall, this book has a lot to offer if you enjoy lyrical prose and intricate world-building, but it does require some patience. If you don’t mind working through a dense narrative (and some formatting issues), it’s worth checking out!

Thanks to NetGalley, Greenleaf Book Group, and River Grove Books for this e-arc!

The cover art is beautiful! The premise sounds promising. This book was beautifully written, lush, and poetic! I did have trouble getting into the story and pacing. There was too much over explanation in the beginning and the time travel lost me tbh. Definitely took my time reading this, It's pretty heavy in the world building and descriptions that you forget what the story is even about.

This book had a really interesting premise and I think readers who love very poetic prose and some ambiguity will really like it. The prose is lovely and proves rich descriptions.

Personally I found the story rather frustrating. The time travel led to a lot of circular logic and despite the story already taking place in multiple times periods there were so many flashbacks. I found myself often having to go back a couple pages and reread sections to follow the plot.

Most of Saya's backstory was all in the first chapter which I found very hard to follow but Andreas' was spread more throughout. This made Andreas feel much more real as a character. I wish Saya had had more agency as it often felt like her whole existence was just being his dream girl.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

The cover, the title and the topic of time travel made me expect more of a sci-fi book than a fantasy one, but that wasn't a problem in the end - the fantasy world presented had such a fresh and in parts alien feel to it I really enjoyed getting lost in it. Candotti came up with some beautiful and beautifully strange visuals that he managed to put into words wonderfully.

I had some trouble getting into the story at first. A lot of exposition, explaining the setting and its past and constant flash backs of previous experiences of the characters were a bit of a hindrance to really get into a flow while reading. But I did enjoy the general switch of perspectives between the "Old Time" and the "New Time" in the first part of the book. Especially since so much of what happened and who we met in the "Old Time" did actually have an impact on the story and the world of the "New Time".

Once the setting and the characters were set up, the story managed to really intrigue me. There were passages where I didn't want to put the book down at all because I just HAD to find out what was going to happen next. Sadly, towards the end, the plot kind of lost me. It felt like some things were overexplained while others weren't explained or set up enough, making me really struggle to understand what whas happening and why certain characters did the things they did.

To end on a positive note: the central themes of hope and love really work for me. More than that, I loved how important self-love and self-acceptance became to the plot as well.

ACROSS TIME AND STARLIGHT comes in ambitious - which can be a fantastic thing for a fantasy novel. The worldbuilding, at least on the back end and in the author's mind, is clearly very lush: two time periods in one setting, ruled by a World Tree that seeks meaning through stories. Saya and Andreas, the lovers divided by time, are passionate individuals with intriguing stories. And their ultimate foe, the giant Melasquez (and the Dark Fate that feeds into and from him) is a terrifying enemy: somehow both childlike and controlling.

Tackling a bootstrap paradox like this one is daunting. Adding multiple strands to that paradox - multiple paradoxes, even - muddies the waters even further. While there are glimmers of beauty and romance, it feels like there are too many plates spinning. The reader is occasionally left feeling like something is missing - not like there are threads yet to be untangled, but like something didn't make it to the page that's necessary for full appreciation of the story. Perhaps it's a side effect of dual first-person narrators, necessitating shifts in perspective and occasionally leaving out context, but much of the book reads like something key has been left on the cutting room floor. It's a story I would love to see fleshed out and given more attention. And, in fact, if something was lost in the process, it would be lovely to see it restored.

This book has very poetic prose. It can get a bit dense at times. It was mostly well written but could benefit from some cutting.