Heavenly Bodies: Book One of the Heavenly Bodies series

Heavenly Bodies #1

by Imani Erriu

OVER 100,000 COPIES SOLD. AN INSTANT INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER.

A runaway TikTok sensation, Heavenly Bodies is the first book in a dazzling new romantasy series that blends Greek mythology and shadow magic with a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance that will rewrite the stars.

“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist...

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Magic, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published February 14, 2022

Reviews

[Ayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’m pretty sure i lost a significant amount of hair reading the last 4 chapters. like why was the plot edging me? the twists. the turns. it hit me like a brick to the face and no after care?!? like slow down dammit i’m having a heart attack🤚🏽

this is star-crossed lovers done right. their love is poetry and i was rooting for them from the very beginning. they make my heart ache and my chest quiver. i was fighting for air every time they were put up with a challenge. like i fr thought my autopsy would read: “death by fictional characters that can’t find a moment of peace.” reading the angst truly made me see stars.

I enjoyed reading the whole book through Elara’s pov (3rd pov) but honestly the second Enzo was introduced i couldn’t think straight. Whenever she’d describe him, physically that is, something primal and animalistic came out of me. like i felt like i was turing into a werewolf.

“you overestimate my compassion , Elara, and underestimate how deeply mine you are. I would let the world burn if it kept you warm.” now if a man said that to me i fear the nation’s birth rate would go up…🤭

“I would give every part of myself to you if it meant that you could shine.” #needhimsobadly

the plot was moving the same way the romance was. tbh i could’ve gone without some of the filler writing. i felt as though i was reading the same sentence over again. but none of that is gonna keep me from breaking into the author’s house to steal the manuscript for book 2. also if i see that Ariete mf, i’m throwing a brick at him and running away.

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Imani Erriu for bringing back yearning!

This read is EVERYTHING that a torturous romantic wants. The tension, the yearning, the FIRE. The love…oh my goodness. The stars, the gods, the fates. A PROPHECY! This beautiful celestial world and these star crossed lovers really put me through the ringer but I am utterly obsessed with it.

Romantasy is back!!!!!!!!

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll give 3.5


And I'm going to go full review mode because most of the reviews at the moment are a bunch of people who haven't even read it and just randomly giving 5 stars. I'm sorry... You haven't read the book...? Oh and you gave it 5 stars..?? For what? You don't have to rate and review just to say you want to read a book... Do y'all realize there is an actual to-read shelf?




---PLOT---

I don't have all that much experience with fantasy, so my comparison might be a little off. But I am getting a mix between ACOTAR and Zodiac Academy.

So basically, Heavenly bodies is written in third person limited omniscient mainly focusing on our heroine Elara after her kingdom gets overthrown by the star Ariete and she has to flee to a neighboring country. The story starts off as she's looking for a way into the palace to ask the king for refuge. Here she meets Prince Lorenzo, The Lion of Helios. In completely new place with entirely different traditions and customs, Elara starts to train and grow her powers to try and take back her kingdom and learn how to defeat the stars.

Oh and let's not forget the prophesy she was cursed with: She will fall in love with a star, and it will kill them both.

Now, I think it is necessary to say that romance was the biggest plot in this book. I'm very much a romance whore and don't have all that much to complain about with that. But for the people that like more balance between plot-romance or a plot-heavy story, this book might not hit the right spots for you.


---CHARACTERS---

Elara's a Queen. She's clever, strong, and confident. And yes she does fall, and yes there are some very cute possessive "who did this to you" scenes with Enzo, but I still admire how she holds her own. Even when Enzo is down or not able to help, she makes the plans and executes them and dives off the cliff hoping for the best. Literally.

“A woman can be anything she wishes. Soft and fierce. Deadly and kind. She does not have to choose.”

"You know who the most dangerous kind of villain is?" she whispered. "A woman with nothing left to lose."

Lorenzo - Enzo - is the hottest kind of hero there is. A charming, sarcastic, protective ass who would do anything for the people he loves. He knows when to push Elara and when to hug her. He's strong and fearless and absolutely hot in general

As for their relationship? *chefs kiss*

No miscommunication trope here. AHH this was so refreshing to read.

The communication between Elara and Enzo was AMAZING. I loved how they were straight to the point and open with each other. It made my broken heart happy to see how many issues they avoided by simply talking about their feelings, and the confidence that they both had in their relationship. Obviously, there were some hiccups, but overall their relationship held strong. I loved their interactions with each other and their bickering and how possessive Enzo was. Burn the world down for her? Drowning the world in darkness for him? *swoon*

Enzo gave a dark laugh. "You overestimate my compassion, Elara, and underestimate how deeply mine you are. I would let the whole world burn if it kept you warm."
"So you'd set the world on fire for me," she mused. "Well I would turn the world into darkness for you. If you were taken from me, not a single light would shine until you were back home,"

And while it was advertised as slow-burn, this book did not feel slow-burn just because of the endless amount of flirting and cute scenes Elara and Enzo got from the very beginning. The enemies was there, but it did not last long.

"If you pose a threat to my kingdom, I will kill you."
"Then I should warn you," she murmured, making sure her hair tickled his cheek as she leaned into him, "that I don't take kindly to threats. And that if you make another, perhaps that will be your last."

---WHAT I DIDN'T ENJOY---

While I did love the story, it took me a while to really get into it. The pacing felt all over the place.

The first chapter was nice and slow with a lot of vivid descriptions. But pretty much right after meeting Enzo, things started moving pretty quickly with them and their interactions, while the plot remained relatively stagnant. It felt like scene after scene it was only ever one trope after another after another. It was like the author was just ticking off list of tropes to see how many could fit in one book. I wished there was more interaction and slow progression with them and the side characters. You didn't really get to see Marissa and Elara become close friends, you were just told they were. At times some scenes between Elara and Enzo even felt forced and out of place.

Also it was kind of weird seeing the words "dragun" and "magick" spelled like that. I thought it was a typo at first but I figured after the amount of times it happened it wasn't.

The ending was also something I didn't enjoy. There were so many twists and turns and scenes I was getting lost at what exactly was happening. One moment they were chasing each other and another someone got stabbed and was falling through the air??

A lot of really great ideas that I felt could've been developed a little more. Really, the ending didn't need to have that much going on. I think some of the plot twists could've maybe been implemented earlier in the book to create more plot interest in between all those Enzo and Elara scenes.


Overall, the book was still really enjoyable. I loved the relationship between Enzo and Elara. One of the best ones I've read in a fantasy. Heavenly Bodies was a great read and I'll be patiently waiting for the next book to come out.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. This was a lot better than I thought it was going to be! Full RTC Shortly.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ "𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷, 𝓔𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓭𝓮𝓮𝓹𝓵𝔂 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮. 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓵𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓲𝓯 𝓲𝓽 𝓴𝓮𝓹𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓶." ⊹₊｡ꕤ˚₊⊹

⠀
"𝓢𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓸𝓷 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮," 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓾𝓼𝓮𝓭. "𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓵, 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓸 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓶𝓮, 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓪 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓵𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮," 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓭𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓮𝓽𝓵𝔂, 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓽𝓸 𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓼 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓮𝓻.
┊ ┊ ┊ ♡ ┊
┊ ┊ ┊ ˚ ♡
┊ ┊ ♡ ⋆ +
♡ ⋆ ┊ .
+ ♡

🤍Found Family
🤍Touch Her and Die
🤍Enemies to Allies to Lovers
🤍Slow Burn x Tension
🤍Shadow FMC
🤍Fire MMC
🤍Zodiac x Celestial Lore

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[Brooke Merritt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book tok has led me to another shitty book and I’m taking a very long break from their recommendations. This book had potential but it was very obvious this was her first novel. The pacing was all wrong and there was every trope imaginable thrown into it. The dialog of the characters was cringe and varied from casual to overly proper. It was wayyyyyyyyy too long. It’s a huge shame bc this story could’ve been so good. It’s such a good plot but it was just written like a watt pad story the whole second half.

I think this author has potential and I hope she grows as a writer bc she def has some good ideas the execution was just not there.

[Koya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw the author on tiktok talking about the book and it got me so excited and hyped up! I can’t wait to read it so I’m here early to show my support!

[Bailee Latham · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!!

The way that this book had me kicking my feet and giggling is actually CRIMINAL. I expected to like this, I didn't expect to love it this much. This is exactly what I want when I say I want a romantasy. Was it cheesy at times? Yes, but it was done SO WELL. The pining, the banter, the magic, all of it, I loved it. Right book, perfect time.

"You're the most beautiful woman anywhere. But that wasn't enough to say. To tell you that you look beautiful seemed a lazy way to describe how you look. So I didn't want to tell you that you looked beautiful. I wanted to tell you that you look like a fallen Star."

In a world that is ruled by the Stars, Elara is a queen with a throne was taken from her, who's family was murdered, and who was kidnapped right after all of this and taken to her enemy's kingdom. Lorenzo, said enemy, is a prince who is tasked with training Elara so that she can take down the evil that rules them all, the King of the Stars, who also just so happens to be the one Elara is supposed to fall in love with, according to a prophecy.

Twists and turns and plot twists and YEARNING and so much more. I loved this. I loved THEM. Enzo is down BAAAAAAAD and honestly, I can't even blame him, because Elara had me down bad too. The last 50 or so pages of this book gave me so much whiplash, I didn't know what to believe or even if everything would be okay in the end. I need the second book, NOW.

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.08!

This was everything the stars are dying wished to be....

"You’re the most beautiful woman anywhere. But that wasn’t enough to say. To tell you that you look beautiful seemed a lazy, easy thing to do to describe the way you look. Because I can barely put it into words."

Oh my! This was so enjoyable although with a few things that did affect my reading experience but I'll try not to be harsh on a debut novel.

The characters and the side characters. They were so well written I loved Elara and I loved Lorenzo they were so good together like who gave them the right to be that hot and that cute at the same time 😭 I loved them so much and the side characters were ones that you'd definitely ask a spin offfor and the ones who have enough personality to pull them off.

Elara started off as a really badass character and I really liked her. I loved how the prophecy was their revolving around but she still chose to fight it and for the things that she believed in. I liked how her loss was depicted and how she struggled with it as well.

For Lorenzo this man 🤌 the amount of times he had to put up with Elara and the way he was so down bad for her. Absolutely loved him. I love how MMC capture us more than the FMC 😭 he literally cared for her so much and was willing to loose everything for her.

"He took her hand, and the tension between them rose and shimmered, her lungs constricting at his burning touch. “You are already a light, Elara. It’s why the shadows flock to you."

The romance, there was a bit of slow burn and angst but honestly not that much. There was ALOT of banter and I loved that alot the banter was probably my most favourite thing out of all. The way Elara and Lorenzo communicated and were together was so well done. The actions when they were around each other the way that was written was also well done. I liked the romance alot especially the last bits Woooohooo that was spicy. Lorenzo had me fanning myself.

Bits of their banter:
" 'i hope their poisonous'. 'me too. It will be a shorter suffering than having another conversation with you' "
.
"He raised an eyebrow 'are you always this insolent?'. 'are you always this insufferable' she retorted"
.
"The rest of the world can rot' she said "how altruistic of you' Enzo drawled. 'im in good company then,' she spat back"

There were so many tropes in this book like:
•He falls first
•Hate to love
•She helps him during his nightmare
•He takes care of her when she's sick
•Banter
•Found family
•Prophecies
•Star-crossed lovers
•Knife to the throat
•Forced proximity

"Because Elara, I maybe a monster, but you make me want to be a saint."

The writing style for the first 75% mark was really good I loved the fact that I was flying through it. The way Imani wrote this made me feel like they were actually my family. Everything was perfect but there was this chunk of 20% that really ruined my experience because the writing deteriorated and Elara was acting in such an annoying way which was really frustrating for me but in the end it did develop into something I can be okay with.

The only problem besides the writing I had was that I felt something was missing. Idk it was just this one feeling I can't pin point it but something was definitely missing and it kept bugging me. Also that 10% shouldve been shaved off.

"I’m a princess,” she replied. “Why can’t I look pretty as I stab you?

Finally, the plot and the world building. For the WB I think the foundation is there and it was kind of a main focus on this book so the next books can add and develop it but it'll only benefit it and for the plot it was interesting I'm a sucker for prophecies and fates + all the stars were reincarnations of zodiacs so fun to see that but the plot was definitely light here...like the romance was definitely where the spotlight was on and by romance I mean romance not smut and the plot didn't feel like it was the main focus. It was a 60/40 situation
~~~

When she is about to jump and he says he won't save her but jumps after her when she falls 🥹🖐️❤️‍🩹

[Sophie Jayne Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️!!!! Loved

[ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

this ending #fucked me up! 😁 the trope this book ended up being… IYKYKKKKKK it will absolutely gut me every single time. ugh. Enzo & Elara get behind me pls because I would DIE for both of you. idk if I wanna be her or be with her? both probably????

the lush world-building, banter, tension, yearning, banter, and also the banter were my favourite parts forsureeee 😮‍💨 I can’t believe I didn’t pick this up sooner. this man was FERAL for her. the way that as a couple they encapsulated both the beautiful perfect wholesome healing moments as well as the gritty dark unhinged romantasy dynamic???? obsessed. I’m gonna need book 2 yesterday ideally

[Reecereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it and it was good. Not great but good and to be honest I was a bit disappointed. I felt like it was too long and the pacing was all over the place.

I also felt like it was way too tropey. I've noticed that alot of authors these days are writing tropes and essentially creating stories that read the same. I'm pretty sure I read these same characters in several other fantasy romance books.

3 stars because the author was spot on with her marketing and because, in truth, this IS a debut novel.


The way I'm just DYING to read this boooooookkk ugggghhh

[vanessa ⋆.☕︎ [semiᝰia] · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5 stars.
“You’re the most beautiful woman anywhere. But that wasn’t enough to say. To tell you that you look beautiful seemed a lazy, easy thing to do to describe the way you look. Because I can barely put it into words.”
Heavenly Bodies was honestly an experience, to say the least. I went into it with so much excitement, everyone had been talking about it, and the premise sounded like everything I could ever want in a fantasy romance. It promised that magical blend of love, destiny, and danger that usually owns my heart. But somewhere along the way, it just… didn’t hit the way I hoped it would.

sigh!!! Honestly, this book had me rolling my eyes so many times I thought they’d get stuck 😩 Like, it was that level of frustrating. But did I stop reading? Nope. I pushed myself all the way to the end like a warrior in the name of curiosity and stubbornness, I kept hoping it would redeem itself somehow, that something would click, but girl… it was a struggle.

But honestly, I’m so grateful for my bestie Anna Jane who buddy read this book with me! We were both on the same wavelength the whole time, side-eyeing the same scenes, ranting about the same moments!🤍

okaay so let’s begin our session.

ˋ°•*⁀➷ The Characters:
“I do not just tolerate you, Elara. You are my favourite part of the day.”
Elara possessed an incredible amount of potential; her fierce determination and the weight of a celestial prophecy seemed to be her destiny. Yet, despite these compelling traits, I often found it challenging to truly connect with her character. She felt somewhat aloof, as if she existed on the page but lacked the vibrancy that would make her come alive. I yearned to experience her emotions, the fear that gripped her, the strength she wielded, and the struggles she faced, but instead, her essence often felt muted and subdued. There were fleeting moments when I thought, finally, this is the breakthrough! But just as quickly, that spark would dissipate, leaving me longing for a deeper connection that never fully materialized.

“You overestimate my compassion, Elara, and underestimate how deeply mine you are. I would let the whole world burn if it kept you warm.”
And then there’s Enzo… oh, Enzo, he supposed to be this broody, powerful, morally gray prince, but instead, he’s giving nothing but mixed signals and zero depth, I kept waiting for that moment where I’d fall for him, where I’d finally get the hype, but nope. Every time he opens his mouth, I get whiplash. One second he’s being all sweet and soft, and the next he’s acting like he’s never experienced a single human emotion in his life.
It’s like he’s trying so hard to be that smooth, mysterious type, but it just ends up awkward and confusing instead, I can’t tell if I want to laugh, cringe, or both at the same time. Someone please teach this man how to flirt without emotionally traumatizing me. He had so much potential, I wanted to love him, but he just kept missing the mark over and over again.

“You are the love of my life, El. My love of lifetimes.”
The romance, the part I was most looking forward to, felt kind of forced. I kept waiting for that spark, that moment when I’d feel their connection deep in my chest, but it never really came. Their relationship felt more told than shown, and instead of this fated, cosmic love, it just felt flat and rushed. And that was such a letdown, especially when the whole story revolves around a love that’s supposedly written in the stars.


“I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day.”
The plot… honestly, it started off so promising. The setup had everything I usually eat up, celestial prophecies, warring kingdoms, magic woven through fate, and that promise of a love that could either save or destroy everything. Like, tell me that doesn’t sound amazing?! I was ready to be obsessed.

But once I got deeper into it, things started to fall apart. The pacing felt all over the place, slow when it should’ve been intense, rushed when it needed time to breathe. Some scenes dragged on forever, and others (the important ones!!) were over before I could even process what happened. It was frustrating because the bones of the story were so good. It just wasn’t executed the way it deserved.

And don’t even get me started on the “enemies to lovers” promise, it was nowhere to be found. 😩 The tension was basically nonexistent. They went from “I hate you” to “I’m obsessed with you” in the blink of an eye, and it didn’t feel earned at all. I wanted the angst, the emotional tug-of-war, the delicious tension… and instead, I got insta-love sprinkled with confusion.

By the time I reached the middle, I was just reading to see how it would all end, not because I was genuinely invested. The ending did pull things together a bit, and I’ll give it that, it saved the book from being a total flop. But overall, the plot felt like a missed opportunity. It could’ve been epic, but it just stayed floating in that “almost good” space without ever fully landing.



SPOILERS AHEAD: (don’t read this because it contains spoilers of the ending)
So, the ending of Heavenly Bodies honestly threw me for a loop. After everything that happened, all the back and forth between Elara and Enzo, all the talk about fate, prophecy, and celestial power, I was expecting a big emotional, jaw-dropping conclusion that would make everything click. And while it tried to deliver that, it still felt kind of rushed and… messy, but I liked it.

Elara finally embraces her power (which I’d been waiting for since page one, by the way), but it happens so suddenly that it barely feels satisfying. Like, girl, you spent the whole book doubting yourself and now in two pages you’re just like, “I am the chosen one.” Okay?? Where was that energy the entire time?! 😭

And then Enzo’s big moment, sacrificing himself for her, should’ve shattered me. That was supposed to be the emotional peak, but I just didn’t feel it. Maybe because their relationship never truly convinced me, or maybe because everything happened so fast. One moment they’re fighting fate, the next he’s all “I’d die for you,” and then boom, he’s gone. I was like, wait, what just happened?

Then there’s that final twist, the whole “he might not actually be dead” thing. You can tell it’s setting up for a sequel, but it left me more frustrated than excited. Like, you can’t just drop a vague “maybe he’s still out there” after all that chaos and expect me to feel closure.

END OF SPOILERS.

So yeah, the ending had the right ideas, it just didn’t stick the landing. It tried to be grand and emotional, but for me, it felt like a rushed attempt to tie things up while still leaving the door open. I closed the book feeling more confused than heartbroken, and that’s not exactly the ending I was hoping for.

────୨ৎ────

“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”
⋆♡⸝💌⊹➴ I can’t wait to start this book, I’ve seen it everywhere lately, so I really want to see where all the hype stands! 👀 It’s an enemies to lovers story set in a magical world full of twisted kingdoms, and I’m so ready to dive in and find out what it’s all about.
I just hope it doesn’t disappoint me, because you know how scary TikTok-popular books can be sometimes 😭 But to make things even better, I’ve teamed up with my beautiful bestie Anna Jane for a buddy read, and yes, here we are, about to tackle it together! ✨💖

[Shea · Rating 1 out of 5]

You can't just write trope after trope and think that it makes a worthwhile story. One giant cliché and the writing was boring. I wanted to like it, and I bought into the hype but yikes.

[Jaime Fok · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO MUCH FUN omg! If you’re looking for a romantasy with celestial-based magic, Greek mythology, prophecies, soulmates, magical creatures, all with a backdrop of royal kingdoms, balls & solstices etc… pick this one up immediately.

The end was almost a bit too twisty for me, with little to no explanation - would have liked to sit with that moment a bit more.

So fast-paced (again, to the point where I actually wanted a few parts to slow down haha) and really fun!

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩ 3.5 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Captive FMC
➼ Prophecy/Fated Future
➼ Enemies-to-Allies-to Lovers
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Touch Her & Die
➼ Found Family
➼ Star Gods
➼ Rival Kingdoms
➼ Secret Identities
➼ Third Person POV

This started out strong, but my interest lagged at about 45%. I took a break and read another book and then really struggled to get back into the story. Our FMC had already been captured by the MMC’s kingdom, so when she ended up being held captive by someone else, I just kind of lost respect for her character.

The idea that she is to be used as a weapon is a little flimsy and needed too much propping up by the prophesy that could surely have been altered once it was known. There were also maybe too many revelations at the end that could have been written a little better. I had to reread it because it was too much info to take in at once, especially since some of the information we were told was then quickly walked back by other events.

Additionally, I know authors love a training sequence, but this plot would have felt much more sturdy if she had already been a skilled fighter. There were some angsty moments to the romance that were well executed, but once they were truly together I really wasn’t the biggest fan of their romance. Some swoon worthy lines here and there, but also several I would have removed.

All in all this was a decent start to the series and I do plan to continue. I hope to see more of the winged creature depicted in the Fairyloot edition in book 2!

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: So many of my most anticipated reads are currently downloaded in my Libby account! I can barely read them fast enough at this point! ✨✨🤩

[Iqra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would’ve been the PERFECT standalone. Genuinely had everything to make me love it. It being stretched on to more than one book is fair enough considering the world building that’s required but tbvh it’s not smth I’m drawn to continuing.

I’m gna happily live on pretending the book ended on page 474 💋💋💋

I see what the hype was about now and it was low-key worth getting to the last 60 pages but also not worth the bore that was the second half of the book. The pacing was inconsistent which continuously put me in a slump but this time I was determined to finish it once and for all.

I’m glad I did force myself to finish bc that ending was refreshing.


***

IVE BEEN WAITING TO READ THIS FOR AGES AND THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME IM LITCH SO GASSED RNNNN

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

in a world ruled by stars: merciless gods, princess Elara has been cursed by fate. the prophecy predicts that she’s destined to fall in love with a star and it’ll kill them both. so when she grabs the attention of the god of wrath and chaos, Ariette, it forces her to flee to the neighboring kingdom of Helios for protection. prince Lorenzo of Helios and his father Idris have plans for Elara though and as Enzo trains Elara to strengthen her magic and become a weapon against the stars, their feelings for eachother deepen and they start to question everything they’ve been be told to believe.

He fixed her with his eyes as he laid himself bare. “I would have taken you right against that door. I’d have fused our bodies so irreparably that I wouldn’t know where I ended and you began. Drunk off your lips, I would have lost myself in you. I’m barely holding it together. Elara, one word from you, and I’ll unravel.”

i LOVED the romance between Elara and Enzo, they have such amazing chemistry and are polar opposites that compliment eachother so well. the amount of times the flirting had me internally screaming was insane, this is another example of yearning done right. i also loved Elara and Enzo’s personalities in general and appreciated that Elara was the one with the shadow magic, Enzo has power over the light. i thought the magic itself and the world was really cool and the first half of this book had me thinking it’d be a 4.5 star read. unfortunately, things kinda took a downward spiral in the second half. the plot was all over the place and some of the reveals were so predictable, you could tell that this was a debut book for the author cause there were a million ideas thrown into the story. this book is more of a solid 3 but i have to give that little half point for how obsessed I was with Elara & Enzo’s romance.

[aeryn rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

"So, you'd set the world on fire for me. Well, I would turn the world to darkness for you. If you were taken from me not a single light would shine until you were back home."

I haven't had a solid five star in a while, but THIS??? 100% deserves it. This was a masterpiece. There are no words to describe the wheel of emotions this put me through. I loved every bit of it!!

The characters in this book were so amazing. The FMC is such a badass and we LOVE a strong FMC who takes nothing but nobody!! Her personality was just so likable and her character growth throughout the book was phenomenal. The MMC is one of my all-time favorites. This man would do ANYTHING for the woman he loves. This was a true enemies-to-lovers and the tension? The love? The loyalty? Unmatched. The side characters made the book even better, if that was even possible.

The plot itself in this was beyond words. The beginning jumped straight in to it no time wasted. The middle got a bit slow, but it was extremely character driven and not once did I feel bored reading this. The stakes were so high and I was immersed entirely. It's so easy to follow along and everything ends up getting explained so there are no loose ends. The ending of the book hurt my soul, but I think it wrapped up so nicely and set up a good premise for the next book.

Overall, I am so happy that this ended up being a five star. It had the makings of it and man did it deliver. I'm a bit nervous to read the next book, as I've seen it has mixed reviews, but based on how much I loved this one I think it will be okay! If you haven't read this, PLEASE pick it up. This was randomly chosen by my best friend and it's safe to say this woman knows me so well cause this delivered in every sense!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My best friend picked this out for me AND it's Greek Mythology! WIN WIN I'm so excited 💙✨

[lauren‎♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧ (semi-ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5💫

Im glad this book is over but I also enjoyed it. I considered dnfing this one about halfway through because it was moving so slow, but im glad i stuck this one out. I think the book lost me around 150 pages in because we kind of lost the plot and our characters were just going on side quests. I had a fun time with them and in this world in the beginning and end of the book, but the middle lost me. The world was very magical and i liked the storyline we were following. I loved how the book ended, i think that specific plot is super interesting, but i was honestly so confused for the last like 30 pages it was hard to make sense of what was going on. Im not sure if I will continue this series or not, I think I would need a lot of convincing but it’s not a no from me yet.

I loved Enzo but idk how to feel about Elara. She was kind of annoying and I got tired of her at times. Enzo though, he is such a softie and such a gentleman. I loved how he cared for and looked out for Elara. He was such a good guy. I loved the light and the dark between them, i thought that was super interesting, but i wish we saw more of their powers together.

Overall, I enjoyed this one, but I didn’t love it. If this is on your tbr, I think you should still pick it up because I still had a fun time for the most part, but maybe audiobook it so it doesn’t read as slow!

🌑🌙⭐️

[hailey🥀🦢✮˖°. · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay! let me just get this out of the way first so i can get my one complaint done and over with: are there some flaws in the writing? small ones, yes. mostly the way the quotations are written for dialogue can be a little jarring at first. is it enough for me to care with how good everything else is? that’s a big, fat nope!

THISSSSS is the kind of romance i want in a fantasy romance. holy cow !!! it had me smiling like an idiot, blushing, sweating (this man’s mouth🥵) and giggling & kicking my feet uncontrollably. the tension! the yearning! the connection between the main characters! the banter! the jealousy! the emotions were literally jumping off the page. i wouldn’t say it’s quite enemies to lovers (more like rivals to lovers) but it’s done so well ! a true story of star-crossed lovers!

the back and forth of banter between them was some of my favorite i’ve ever read. this man ALWAYS has a comeback ready to go and elara can also hold her own. i swear i highlighted most of their conversations. every word that came out of that man’s mouth had me weak at the knees. i need him biblically.

this world was so fun. i am one of those “crazy” astrology girlies, so this was absolutely right up my alley. gods that are actually stars based on the zodiac signs?? sign me tf up! and the fmc is the shadow wielder? yup. good shit. i also really liked the magic system even though it wasn’t super elaborate.

the two main characters were amazing. enzo really blew me away and jumped up to the top of my book bf list. he’s just perfect. (to me!👆) bring back yearning !! and this man KNOWS how to yearn. elara is such a good fmc. dare i say also a new fav fmc?? she’s a snarky, stabby badass, but somehow not annoying. like i genuinely think she has potential to become one of my all time favorite fmcs if i already love her this much after only the first book of the series. she’s so strong and powerful and i love to see it.

i will say, this is more romance heavy. so if you’re not a fan of that, this might not be for you. however, i’m a romance lover through and through so this was my ideal type of fantasy romance. and the romance in this is so scrumptious. truly so well done. like i seriously need authors to take notes on how to create chemistry between characters from these two. their love for each other is some of the best i’ve read in a whileeeee.

i cannot wait to see how the series progresses. also: there’s a hot villain. so, loving that.

[Laura Greenhalgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was kicking my feet and giggling for the majority of this book, it was such a fun read with all the elements we come to know and love in a romantasy. i loved both of our main characters and found the world Imani has created so beautiful, this was a solid four stars for me throughout but the ending left my jaw on the floor and i immediately knew it had to be five stars.

[Madison Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75!!!! the ending of this was crazyyy & i’m SO excited for fallen stars!!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐ What a wild ride! That ending has me gasping!


"Do you think something as fragile as fate would keep me from you? I defy the Stars."


WHAT TO EXPECT:⁠
✨ romantasy⁠
✨ celestial inspired world⁠
✨ star crossed lovers⁠
✨ prince x princess⁠
✨ she's being held captive in the enemy kingdom
✨ he's the rakish prince forced to train her
✨ enemies to reluctant allies to lovers⁠
✨ forced proximity⁠
✨ hate to love
✨ slow burn⁠
✨ he falls first⁠
✨ banter⁠
✨ soulmates⁠
✨ touch him/her and d!3⁠
✨ shadow mommy ⁠
✨ training sessions
✨ prophecies and gods⁠
✨ found family⁠
✨ dream magic⁠
✨ single POV
✨ cliffhanger


My Thoughts:

I enjoyed the overall story. A lot of heart pounding moments with an ending that had my head spinning. I love Enzo and Elara 💕

But, this book has A LOT going on and it was really tropey. Like chapter after chapter, there were new tropes, so many that it did feel like there was a checklist. And I kept thinking “we’ve seen this exact same scene play out in other Romantasy book.” So while the world building was unique, the story didn’t really feel fresh. Also, a lot of things happened without thorough explanations. We would just go from scene to scene and have to accept why was going on with a simple explanation and that was it. It did make sense but there wasn’t much development.


Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a physical ARC copy! As always, all opinions are my own.


Favorite Quotes:

"Your reputation is that of a wicked rake. Nothing more."
"I can show you just how 'wicked and rakish' I can be."
_______

"I'd rather let a winged lion maul me to death than ever set foot in your bedroom."
_______

A reader was an alchemist. They turned the mundane into something extraordinary, transforming words on a page into entire worlds.
_______

"Oh this?" she asked. The fabric bunched around her thigh as she slipped her dagger from its place there. She cocked it towards him. "Why can't I look pretty as I stab you?"
_______

"If I knew that to get you to be agreeable all I had to do was buy you food, I would force-feed you all day."
_______

"For a princess, you sure do behave like a wild animal."
_______

"Stop squirming," he commanded. She stopped resisting him, allowing her body to relax. "Good girl. You can take orders."
_______

"Fear is just a monster. And monsters can be slain."
_______

"You told me you were a dragun Elara . . . Spread. Your. Fucking. Wings."
_______

"I think you would be very easy to worship."
_______

"I do not just tolerate you, Elara. You are my favorite part of the day."
_______

"I wanted to tell you - that you look like a fallen Star."
_______

"I may be a monster, but you make me want to be a saint."
_______

"If I cannot kill you, then I will keep you."
_______

"You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose."
_______

"You think I care that he's a Star? Fuck immortality. Even gods can burn."
_______

"I loved him more than the Dark loves the night," he sang, "and he loved me more than the day loves the Light-"

"Lions may fly, and overs will die, but my love - that will live one."
_______

"Do you know how good you look wearing my crown, Elara?"

"It suits me better than you, I know," she teased.

"It does. Keep it on. I've always wanted to know what a queen tastes like."
_______

"I would have taken the crumbs you fed me. Taken you in sips, even when I wanted to drown, if it meant I could be near you."
_______

"Something tells me you enjoy me on my knees."

"I've never seen such a pretty sight," Elara crooned.

"Instead of a queen, I'll make you a goddess. Then I can worship you the way I'm supposed to. . . Yes, I think I'll pray to you with my tongue."
_______

"You've made me a better man, you know that? I was blinded for so long by the Light, that I never saw the beauty in the shadows. You opened my eyes. You made me see."
_______

"You overestimate my compassion, Elara, and underestimate how deeply mine you are. I would let the whole world burn if it kept you warm."
_______

"The day that someone in this realm speaks plainly will be the day that I die."
_______

"Even in death, I will be by your side. My love will live one."
_______

"Monsters are not born, they become."
_______

[brittany:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When shadow and light combine, a Star will fall…” ✨🌙⭐

OH MY STARS… this book had me geeking out from page one! 🌌💫 Since I’m obsessed with all things spiritual, celestial, and astrology-driven, I knew I was going to love this—but wow, I was not prepared for how much. 😭✨

First off, the way the gods are named after the 12 zodiac signs? Ingenious. ♓♋♈♊ I loved how astrology played into the story—it felt so intentional and beautifully woven into the world. And speaking of the world… the world-building was immaculate. 🌠 The descriptions? Breathtaking. The vibes? Everything. I could picture every magical city, celestial kingdom, and starry sky so vividly. 🌙✨

Now let’s talk about Elara & Enzo—the ultimate dark vs. light dynamic. 🖤🔥 Enemies to lovers done right!! Their tension was instant from the very first moment they met, and when the romance finally hit? Ohhh, it was 10x more intense. 💥 And let’s not forget the touch her and die moments… screaming. 😭🌙

Elara is the ultimate shadow mommy—a Dreamwalker, Illusionist, and shadow wielder. Meanwhile, Enzo wields light and fire, and let me introduce you to your new Solar Daddy. ☀️🦁 (Shadow Daddies, move over—it’s time for the Light Kings to shine! 👀🔥) Together, they are everything. ✨

This book has it all—prophecies, fate, soul ties, celestial magic, gods, kings, queens, and powers beyond comprehension. 💫 Literally everything I love in a romantasy. Mwah, perfection. No notes. 💋✨

BUT BABY, THAT TWIST HAD ME SCREAMING!!! 😱📖 I may or may not have thrown my Kindle across the room. I am unwell.

✨🌙⭐ I rate this infinity stars! ♾️⭐✨ Im for certain no other romantasy will top this for me. 🌙⭐

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was good at first but it felt like a wattpad quality book in the end, the author has potential

[✶ ✶ Hummingbird ✶ ✶ · Rating 1 out of 5]

14% in.

She escapes from her kingdom and seeks a super secret refuge in a neighbouring kingdom. She’s met 5 main characters till now and ALL of them already know who she is? Lol some well-kept secret she is.

This book reminds me of target knockoff of TOG. Except she ends up with prince Dorian and…… Here is a major spoiler for the ending… I skipped ahead and checked. Even the arc of the king (her soulmates dad) being the villain is the same from TOG.


26% in. Officially DNF-ing
Ok I've calmed down a bit and will clean up my review now and write a more articulate review about why I didn't like this book.

-The world is intriguing but is not built. What I know about her world is what I've learnt from the premise and some odd mentions here and there.

-As I previously mentioned, she meets 5 people: the king, the prince (playboy), the bff of the prince (captain of the guard), the seer, the ladies-maid (idk what she is called, I don't read a lot of court fantasies) and guess what? most of them are the good guys. The king is the bad guy. Sound familiar?

-The prince has had a bad past and must "find release" somehow. and according to his bestie... "he has plenty of release"- his words not mine. Prince is the soulmate of the FMC btw... why do authors do this? Make men man-whores and even till 26% in, he was seen (for whatever reason) flirting with OW. While she was propositioned by someone who's position is higher than the prince (the star of their country/state)- and not only does she immediately deny him (the star) but she "feels the need to clarify to him that she said no. She doesn't know why" 🙄 when he (the prince) asks pouting about whether she will take him up on his offer.

- my eyes are rolling so hard they can now move 360*.

-I HATE OW drama/man-whores in a fantasy book WITH SOULMATES!

-did I mention that when they first speak to each other he has SOMEONE ELSE ON HIS LAP and he was stroking her back and whispering in her ear while speaking to his bestie. of course since we are in HS (sarcasm), as soon as the FMC sits down beside him, he pushes off the brunette from him.

- he treats her badly but when she treats him just as badly she feels bad and has to go apologize. God forbid should her trauma get in the way of her princess-sensibilities.

-She is like a snarky Mary Sue. That's it... that's exactly how she is.

-And of course there is the "who hurt you trope" but reversed. See our MMC is sooooo misunderstood that when she lashes out at him for his bad behaviour, he says "have you seen my scars?". Mind you, they were NOT talking about childhoods, battles, school or SCARS. He says this sooo out of the blue, not only it is inorganic but laughable. It lit made se giggle.

-Then she says "of course you don't have any scars" and he says "you know nothing about me". Very next chapter he has a nightmare and she conveniently (never done before) walks into his nightmare and pulls out Tris (from Divergent) like abilities to talk to him and say: this is not real. See... just a nightmare.

-They have a heart-to-heart. Why? Not only do they not have ANY chemistry but also whatever vulnerabilities they have are soooooo forced, I can't even.

-When two characters who have these god/star-like super-powers and are super-duper ultra special people than others in the story and have a destiny to fulfill, I like to think myself safe (if I were in the book) in the hands of people who are at least somewhat mature. These two not only danced so long around their chemistry but also the OW drama thrown in made me not root for them.

-It was not slow burn, it was NO CHEMISTRY. They go through a separation (of sorts) in the end. I didn't finish, simply skipped ahead. yea I do that, life is short, why waste time reading a book you might not like when you could be reading a great one. But that's just my opinion.

The cringe is strong with this one.

[dak ⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ 🌠 💙 ⛲️ 🔥 💫 💭 🌊

⁺. ✦ “𝓘 𝓭𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓔𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝔂.” ⏾⋆.˚

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆

✨ℯ𝓃ℯ𝓂𝒾ℯ𝓈 𝓉ℴ 𝓁ℴ𝓋ℯ𝓇𝓈🗡️
🗡️𝓎ℯ𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒷𝒶𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓇✨

the 𝒸ℯ𝓁ℯ𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓁 + 𝓂𝓎𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓁ℴℊ𝓎 vibes were everything i am obsessed!!

☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ ♈︎ ♌︎ ♐︎ ♉︎ ♍︎ ♑︎ ♊︎ ♎︎ ♒︎ ♋︎ ♏︎ ♓︎ ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽

the world and magic in this book are amazing 10/10
i ateee the plot up. those twists??? jaw on the fucking floor 😯 … 🤯 … 🫨

HEHEHE i was 𝓰𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓴𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓽 the whole damn time
i love 𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚊 and 𝚎𝚗𝚣𝚘 💓 their romance their banter AHHHH 💘 TOP TIER!!!
⁺. ✦ “𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕟 𝕚𝕗 𝕚𝕥 𝕜𝕖𝕡𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕞.” ⏾⋆.˚

𝚎𝚗𝚣𝚘 🌞 𝓁𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀🌜 𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚊
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚★⋆｡˚ ⋆
┊ ┊ ┊ ⋆
┊ ┊ ★⋆
┊ ◦
★⋆ ┊ . ˚
˚★

[BookishByTammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im torn on this, there were moments I really enjoyed and moments I was confused. I really liked how the romance was built, the relationship was believable and I was rooting for them.
My issue is with the world and magic system, I felt like it wasn’t properly explained, so the ending felt like it came out of nowhere.
It felt like one of those situations where anything goes because there is no set rules to the magic or world.

I loved Enzo, I loved that he was light and she was shadows, I loved the side characters Leo, Merissa and Isra.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This first chapter had so much potential! And then the more I read the worse it seemed to get. By the 8th/9th chapter it had more of a wattpad quality feel to it with a bunch of popular tropes shoved in (which weren’t done very well) and was about 200 pages too long.