The Sun and the Starmaker

by Rachel Griffin

There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world... and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.

Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.

Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she’s ever known.

The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy

437 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 17, 2026

About the author

Rachel Griffin writes young adult novels inspired by the magic of the world around her. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bring Me Your Midnight, The Nature of Witches, and Wild is the Witch.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel has a deep love of nature, from the mountains to the ocean and all the towering evergreens in between. She adores moody skies and thunderstorms, and hopes more vampires settle down in her beloved state of Washington.

When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the PNW, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives with her husband and growing collection of houseplants.

Rachel is represented by Pete Knapp of Park & Fine Literary and Media. You can find her on Instagram @TimesNewRachel.

Reviews

[Rachel Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER begins to make its way out into the world, I wanted to share a little bit about the writing of this book with you. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I suffered a traumatic brain injury while in the middle of drafting this book. I completely lost my ability to write and feared I would never write another book, let alone publish one. This book quite literally taught me how to write again, and in so doing, it completely stole my heart. I've never been more proud of anything as I am of this book.

This is the most fantastical, whimsical, and magical book I've written, but it also explores some big themes regarding love and grief and finding oneself. I hope it brings you even a fraction of the comfort and joy it brought me.

And in case you haven't seen it, I want to make sure you know about the gorgeous deluxe first print edition! It has:

💕 a spot foil jacket
❄️ stained glass designed edges
💕 stamped case art
❄️ custom art color endpapers
💕 the dreamiest color palette of all time



These features will be on the first print run only, so if you'd be sad to miss out on it, I highly suggest you preorder!

Thank you so much for being here. I'm very rarely on Goodreads, but if you want to follow along, you can find me on Instagram 🤍

[Marquise]

Normal readers: Oooh, pretty coverses!
Marquise: Oooh, pretty blurbses!

And that, ladies and gentlemen and literate animals, is how I requested and got an ARC of this book. Always the blurb.

I wonder if this Fantasy is somehow inspired by East of the Sun and West of the Moon? Probably not, nothing in it says it is. Nothing besides me fixating on the blurbs and guessing more than they say from reading between the lines, that is.

Either way, this is a new author for me, and what I've seen from her in interviews gave me a good impression of her, sounds like an admirable lady. It's not often that you overcome brain injury to write a book!

[edie-may ౨ৎ]

₊˚⊹ᰔ ⋮ ⌗ pre-review:
‎ ‎ ‎ i’m actually so so so happy i got approved for this arc because it looks and sounds stunning???

[Isabel]

I’m seated. The booksellers are scared and asking me to leave because ‘we only sell Portuguese books’ but I’m simply too seated.

[Iqra]

This sounds incredible hello???

[Luce · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read.

Entirely enchanting, with stunning prose and a timeless love. I was CAPTIVATED.

This is a book that’s gonna have your heart in the palm of its hand, but you won’t even realise it, you won’t even know until you’re nearly at the end and it rips your heart into absolute dust. Ruins you. But in the BEST way.

Filled with all of the beautiful wintery vibes and reads like a beautiful fairytale but with emotion and depth.

This is such a special read. I love them with my whole heart and soul. I love this book. Absolute magic.

[zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's like the author went digging into my head and found out the fairytale-esque magical romantic fantasy book of my dream and set out on a noble journey to write it for me. absolutely no notes

[ishi ☆ (exams hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ⵌ 5 stars ★
⤿ arc review.ᐟ

“and when we return to the dust of the stars, i will whisper your name in the endless after so that i may find you even in death. always I will come for you, and always will I stay.”

🍡✨ ₊˚.꒱ my thoughts ⋆.˚⸝⸝
⟡ this book was so enchanting and magical <3 it's been so long since i've read a fresh, unique romantasy and this definitely delivered! i loved the whimsical setting and fairytale vibes. the characters were amazing and the writing style was absolutely gorgeous.

⟡ aurora was such a great mc, she was so sweet and relatable 🫶 the romance was so so lovely and full of yearning, i loved seeing them together 🥹 and i actually teared up a few times, the ending and epilogue were so beautifully written. i will absolutely be rereading this, and recommend it to anyone who wants a whimsical, wintry disney-esque romantasy!

⤿ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

3.75***

“I know it may seem like your future is inevitable, but it is up to you to decide how it will look—how full your life will be, how much love it will hold, how much happiness and laughter and joy. Please do not deny yourself those things because you are afraid of the pain they may leave in their absence. Life includes pain, my darling, and you cannot escape or outwit it."

this was truly such an atmospheric story & i had the most whimsical time!! this very vaguely reminded me of a disney movie - specifically frozen x beauty and the beast. with that being said, don’t go into this expecting a retelling of either of those stories. i just found there to be similar elements & vibes throughout the sun and the starmaker.

the romance was perfectly slow burn, the setting was immaculate, and the magic system was intriguing. while i loved all of the elements of this one, i found that i was a bit disconnected overall.

i think part of that disconnect came from the author doing a lot of telling instead of showing which, if you know me, you know is one of my biggest book related pet peeves. also, the side characters felt a bit flat to me and i would have loved learning more about the magic itself.

overall, i had a fun time with this and i’m glad i read this during a snowstorm - it really added to the cozy winter vibe while reading. the romance was very cute and there were a lot of beautiful quotes i highlighted, including the two in this review.

i think this will be a great read for anyone looking for a whimsical standalone romantic fantasy!

“And when we return to the dust of the stars, I will whisper your name in the endless after so that I may find you even in death. Always will I come for you, and always Will I stay."

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

”And when we return to the dust of the stars, I will whisper your name in the endless after so that I may find you even in death. Always I will come for you, and always will I stay.”

5 ⭐️

I initially snagged this book for the pretty cover, but the story inside far surpassed my expectations. I finished it last night and despite the tears that were shed, I loved this so much. I will absolutely be rereading this when the physical copy is released.


Aurora grew up listening to the tales about the tragic love story that befell the Sun and the first Starmaker; the sun who fell in love with the mortal. Despite her affection for the tales, she never realized how pertinent their love would be to her own future.

Generations have passed, and the current Starmaker still pulls in the sun every morning to bring light over the mountains; however, his reign is soon to end. In what appears to be a cruel twist of fate, Aurora discovers she holds the magic needed to keep the frost from invading her village. Depiste her reluctance, Aurora makes a bargain with the Starmaker in an effort to save her family- not realizing the depth in which their fates are truly intertwined. The Starmaker's outer beauty doesn't match his cold and stoic personality, but Aurora is content to shut him out to get what she needs for those she loves...or so she thinks.

The Sun and The Starmaker is such a beautiful story about love, grief, and the growth that comes with it. This was a cozy and snowlaiden tale with the perfect amount of snark, yearning, and love to wrap it all up.
I do think that this could have been a smidge longer, if only because I loved the characters and would have been perfectly content to read another hundred or so pages ;D But truly, I would have liked to have been able to see more of the main characters interactions with the village and those affected by the frost. I don't often wish for books to be longer, (normally it's the other way around) but this was one of the few that I wanted more from simply because I didn't want it to end.

Huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced digital copy.

[Sophie (lambsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I grew up in a very devout home, Aurora, and I have never believed in anything as much as I believe in you.”

OH MY GOOOOOOD

“There will come a day when you will be the only one sitting here, Miss Finch, and you will think of how you’d give anything to look across the table and see another person.”

Just me, over here, sobbing.

“I am well-mannered, Miss Finch…but I have never considered myself a gentleman.”

Whatever I was expecting, it was not this. This was whimsical, emotional, beautiful, hopeful, devastating, bright, and romantic. This blew through my expectations, and I’ll be thinking about it for a while.

“I’ve been waiting a long while for you.”

Set on the backdrop of a winter wonderland, nothing is wonderful about this town. The town favoured by the Sun until one day, the town sinks into the mountain, away from the Sun’s reach and is in perpetual darkness. The Sun comes down to try and save the town, only to fall in love with a surviving human. To keep the town alive, the Sun gives her love the power of immortality, or close to it, and allows the Sun's rays to come through him to light the town. Thus, the Starmaker is born. And when a new Starmaker is chosen, the old one will transfer the power of the Sun to the next Starmaker.

Looking at him was like watching a dying star, painful and beautiful and impossible to turn away from.

Our FMC, Aurora (perfect name, really), is content (mostly) to marry a village boy to secure a better future for her family, since they live in an area where the Sun's rays don’t reach. FATE INTERVENES (oh yes she does) and the Starmaker finds her and declares her the Starmaker Rising, the one to take his place. The next Starmaker.

Que drama, a grumpy MMC who hates mornings and is not a fan of Aurora at all, heartbreak, an immortal rabbit named Constance who I would die for, and HEARTBREAK (but in capitals). I think the Starmaker may have made my Book Boyfriend list?? I just loved his every interaction, his personality, his tone, (his physical description was just it for me), his backstory, literally everything. Also, the humour was top-tier. The magic was enchanting and pulled you right in, with crying statues, a snow angel come to life, a singing lampost that pulls you into sleep, and a sled that only travels vertically.

“I have lived many lifetimes and paid many prices. To think you know me because you have spent a day in my castle would be a mistake.”

I cannot even put into words how much I died a little reading this. I highlighted half this book, and I think I showed a good amount of restraint not including a million quotes. Not great restraint, you can see how long this is, but some restraint nonetheless lmao

"Don’t get so caught up in who you were that you fail to see who you are.”

Aurora did piss me off for a little while, and I was going to lower my star rating because of it, but then I thought, NO, she honestly deserved to be dramatic, angry, and whiny for her situation. She deserved to have to grieve her life, what she would lose in the future, what she would have to endure, so I thought, 5 stars, because I don’t hate women who show emotion.

“I’m thinking that of all the hard things this life entails, outliving you will be the hardest by far.”

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks and the author for this ARC!

One of the saddest quotes I’ve ever read, if you needed more convincing after the novel I just wrote:

“You will stop aging as soon as you come into your magic,” he said, “and there will come a time not long from now when every person you’ve ever known, ever cared for, will be dead. You will spend your days illuminating a village that will know you only by your role, and you will bury your household staff and all your animals many times over as your life stretches out into infinity. You will force yourself to speak solely to remember the sound of your own voice, and one day you will have to reach into the farthest corners of your memory to recall what your name was before it was Starmaker. And finally, when someone else is born with the magic of the Sun, you will pass along all of your knowledge to them, and then you will die alone, only to be buried in the land so that your magic is not wasted.” The Starmaker took a breath, his eyes never leaving Aurora’s. “There will be no rest for you. Not even in death.”

[vxmpslibrary [hiatus exams] · Rating 3 out of 5]

.3 stars.

I would say that I enjoyed this book a lot more than I would like to admit, the concept and visualization does takes my breath away and makes me want to keep it forever in my memory.

The starting grips me beautifully, with the amazing fairytale that made me mourn and love it at the same time, it was like I was present in the story as well!

For the characters, I admit I found the female lead quite annoying, yet I understand her situation, the way she kept blaming the StarMaker as if it's his fault when he also didn't have any part in it was irritating to its utmost. So I didn't learn to love her at all that much.

The characters did not connect to me the way I initially hoped them too, like the main characters they were really bland to me. Yet I loved the bond between Aurora and her siblings which was beautifully visualised.

I would definitely recommend this book for its found family and magic realism. It is not that much but it is enough.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for giving me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a perfectly crafted fantasy standalone. While it isn't a retelling and entirely its own story, reading this felt like it had heart and whimsy from Beauty & the Beast [Disney], Narnia and Little Women.

The village of Reverie is so far North, not even the sun can reach it. But as per legend, the sun once fell in love with a mortal from the village and gave him powers that turned him into the Starmaker: a being not quite human and not quite immortal either who collects the sun's light to a lamppost to shine across the village and its mountain. Our story takes place during the reign of the fourth Starmaker and follows Aurora; she lives in the darkest cottage with her family and does her best to keep everyone well from the cold.

When I mention Beauty & the Beast, I don't mean our main character is a fair maiden whisked off by a beastly individual - it is more in the sense of her having to go and live in a magical castle - with an anti social gruff - in order to help her family. The castle and forest on the mountain are truly the fairy tale kind of magical, and while animals don't exactly talk, this ever lasting winter wonderland with animals (and magic lamp posts) does feed into that nostalgia.

Aurora is a strong character - she has her flaws but she's smart and does what it takes. She cares deeply for her family, especially her younger sister with whom she shares a bond. Moving to the Starmaker's castle is essentially a big set back for her, especially in regards to some of her own dreams such as becoming a writer. But her banter with the polar opposite Starmaker is perfectly done. It's neither trying too hard nor does too little, this is exactly how a good opposites attract in a semi isolated setting ought to be.

While there is certainly romance, there are several theme explorations such as familial love, self love and discovery, processing of grief and loss as well as questions around immortality. This book was absolutely beautifully done. The only thing I would caution - and this is not meant as criticism as such - is that I have seen an increase of sexual content in young adult books and this book is not an exception. I will say that I think the intimate scene(s!) were well written, suited the plot and timing and whilst fairly detailed, I wouldn't go as far as to call it graphic. I am just pointing this out because I do think a lot of people - myself included - feel caught off guard by such scenes in YA books and I think it's also worth keeping in mind when getting this for a younger reader. As such, I would say this is more an upper YA. The story is also written in a way that I think it could very well pass as an adult book - not NA - but I do think it has enough nuance and is engaging in a way that would appeal to people who are more likely to read adult over YA.

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book from Rachel Griffin that I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. She has a unique writing style that makes you feel as if you are being read a bed time story by your parents. Even though it is a fresh and unique story it feels nostalgic. Loved the romance , it literally broke my heart at one point and I’m so glad in the end they got their happy ending. This reads like an epic folklore passed down generation to generation and I loved it. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the arc 💜

[Eden]

2.75 stars rounded up

This is a tough tough tough one, because I loved the beginning. I was all in on the fairytale/Beauty & the Beast/Howl’s Moving Castle vibes. And I loved the angry and annoyed dynamic between the MCs…at first… But then they were too angry and annoyed with one another for me to believe a romance between them. A romance that went from dislike to love almost instantly. I needed to see their relationship develop. Also, her ex was kinda crazy and I wasn’t expecting that from him. All of their conversations took away from the development I needed to see between her and the Starmaker. I did like the ending, but I skimmed from 60-80% bc I was bored. Do with that info what you will!

[Morwen]

I'll blame Courtney for this one @prosebeforebrose

[ThianeJansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where is the 6 star button???

I was always an Aladdin girly, but if someone asks me NOW what my favorite fairytale is, best believe I’m saying The Sun & The Starmaker. This story follows Aurora, who grows up hearing legends of a Sun and a Starmaker and their tragic love. When her sister becomes gravely ill, Aurora’s path leads her into the forest, a forbidden encounter, and ultimately a destiny she never asked for, becoming the next Starmaker and stepping into a life bound by magic, duty, and sacrifice.

The romance is the heart of this book, and the yearning is impeccable. It’s tender ans so devastating paired with banter that genuinely made me giggle. I was sobbing and emotionally undone. This book reminded me of a fantasy twist to ‘Me before You’ but maybe not in the way you would think! Seeing him start to ‘live’ again? Best believe I was a blubbering mess.

The worldbuilding is stunning. Everything felt vivid and fairytale-like, the magic system was creative and beautifully executed, and the atmosphere completely came alive in my head. Aurora is a strong, compassionate heroine who knows what she wants, while the Starmaker is gentle, reserved, and quietly broken in the most Mr. Darcy-esque way. Together, they are unforgettable.

I have to pause and acknowledge how unbelievable this book is knowing that Rachel Griffin wrote and finished it while recovering from a traumatic brain injury. The emotional depth, clarity, and beauty of this story are remarkable on their own, but under those circumstances? Truly inspiring. The resilience and heart behind these pages are undeniable, and it makes this story feel even more meaningful.

Tropes
✨ Fairytale fantasy
🌟 Star-crossed lovers
💔 Tragic romance
🔥 Intense yearning
🏰 Destiny & duty
🌲 Enchanted forest


This is a beautiful, tragic love story that completely stole my heart. I’m still emotional thinking about it and cannot wait for the official release so everyone else can experience it. Store UP on tissues- I did not stop crying for 20 minutes at one point. Fair warning.

Brain power required: 🧠/5
Read if you like:Fairytales, this is so unique I’m struggling to compare it to anything! Also, hope you like crying.

Favorite part: How she made him start living again! The immortal rabbit, how picturesque this was, the mirrors!

Be like me and torture yourself, after you finished go read the first 5 pages again. It hits so hard.

[Vavo ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I will love you forever" she whispered
"Then perhaps I am immortal after all"

Let's start with the important things:
• I would die for Constance the rabbit
• This book made me cry. A lot.
This is a story about love and everything that comes with it. How it shapes us, how it breaks us, how it makes life worth living. It is also a story about finding ourselves and our place in this world, looking ourselves in the mirror and remember who we are.
I loved every aspect of this book. The mythology was incredibly unique, the atmosphere made me want to live in Reverie, the characters I was deeply invested in and I especially loved how we followed Aurora and the Starmaker falling in love while simultaneously finding themselves, Aurora struggling and coming to terms with her new life and the Starmaker finding a new life after years of settling for loneliness.

I am writing this after just having finished it so I'm still vulnerable from the romantic aspect but don't be fooled, they do spent the first half of this book fighting and this was also great and pretty funny. Aurora with her stubbornness truly is a girl of my heart.

My only grip with the book is calling a tomato someone's favorite fruit. I don't care if it's technically a fruit, that's weird.

So, as with every book that makes me cry so much, 5 ⭐️ (also because Constance the rabbit is immortal)

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I will love you with the warmth of the Sun and the light of the moon. I will carry you with the strength of the mountain and keep your soul tucked close to mine. And when we return to the dust of the stars, I will whisper your name in the endless after so that I may find you even in death. Always will I come for you, and always will I stay."


3.5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Fire, and Rachel Griffin for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!


I really, really really, wanted to love this book. I love Rachel Griffin, she is one of my fvourite authors, and I was super excited to read her newest one. Unfortunately, I just didn't hit the spot. It pains me to write this review and I even feel guilty towards here, since I absolutely love and adore Rachel and I know she has been through a hard time during writing this book. But I want to write an honest review.

The Sun and the Starmaker has all the elements I love: a whimsical story, a magical landscape, a beautiful castle in a cute small town, and a slow-burn romance. But, something was missing. I just didn't connect with the characters as much as I would like. Although I love slow-burn, I just didn't really feel the chemistry and then suddenly there was a romance blooming between them. I did feel more chemistry between them later on, but since I didn't connect in the first place, it didn't feel genuine anymore. I also would have liked it if the story next to the romance was explored more about the pulling of the sun and the magic overall.

This doesn't mean I didn't like anything though. I love that the book began with a fairytale and builds further on that. It really brings more magic to the book. Although I felt the characters Aurora and The Starmaker could have been more developed, I still liked them a lot. Especially in the second halve of the book. You could feel their devotion, irritation, anger, and sadness through the book. Their love for each other was sweet and all-consuming at the same time. You could feel they would do anything for each other, even if that meant letting go. I also think it is really beautiful they still chose each other, even though they knew what was coming.This book also handles the topic of grief, preparing for the end of your life, giving up big things for the greater good, while still having a fullfilling life really beautiful. These topics can make a book quite heavy, but Rachel manages to balance them out perfectly. I also loved the setting a lot. It seems so magical there and I would really like to visit the town Reverie.

There are soooo many extraordinarly beautiful quotes in this book. I highlighted a lot of quotes. This is because Rachel is a phenomal author. She writes beautifully. Even though the story didn't grab me like I would have wanted, the book is stll very well written. I wrote all my favourite quotes down below.

Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I though I would, I think it was more of a me problem than a we problem. I suffered a great loss in the past months, which left me in a weird emotionless state. The grieving part was also really hard for me to read because of this. I think if I was in the right head space and I read it another time, I would have loved this book. Therefore, I think that a lot of people would absolutely adore this book! Even though this wasn't for me, I am definitely going to read this again to see if I will enjoy it more and I can't wait to read the next book of my favourite author Rachel Griffin.


Since I loved so much quotes from this book, I will provide my favourites here:


"Finite time was particulary cruel when one found oneself in love."


"Not everything must be based on history. You can change your mind and change it back. You can decide what you like today, even if you hate tomorrow. Don't get so caught up in who you were that you fail to see who you are."


"I am here for as long as you want me."


"It is complicated to want you. Your very existence is ending mine, and yet I would rather die having known you than live a thousands lives as strangers."


"But one thing I don't regret, could never regret, is loving your father. And if I had to do i tover again, I would love him again, choose him again, because our life together was worth it. I got to experience an exceptional love, and the pain I felt when he died and continue to feel today doesn't erase that - it reflects it."


"I know it may seem like your future is inevitable, but it is up to you to decide how it will look - how full your life will be, how much love it will hold, how much happiness and laughter and joy. Please do not deny yourself those things because you are afraid of the pain they may leave in their absence. Life includes pain, my darling, and you cannot escape or outwit it."


"The heart seldom yields to what one's mind desires."


" 'Why will you not look at me?' When the Starmaker finally met her eyes, Aurora wished she had let him be. He looked so pained. So tortured. 'Because every time I do, it makes me want to live so badly I can hardly breathe.' "


"Loving Caspian was as inevitable as breathing, and whenever she had tried to fight against it, she was left gasping for air."


"Then I must tell you that the only solace I take in dying is knowing that my magic will help sustain the earth you walk upon, and my deepest hope is that you feel it with every step you take."


" 'I will love you forever' she whispered. 'Then perhaps I am immortal after all.' "


"The Sun sets one one
to rise on another."


"She accepted it all, hoping she would never forget, not for a single moment, that the magic she possessed had once belonged to the man she loved, had once flowed through his veins and moved through his heart."


"Grief was love's reflection."


"I sit at the center of the universe, and the most brilliant thing I have ever been witness to is love, she said. Treasure it, protect it, and above all else, enjoy it"

[millena ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

sometimes i read books that are so ridiculously good they remind me why i love reading in the first place and this was one of them. i wish i could give it infinite stars

[lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

whimsical magical enchanting stunning etc etc!!!!!! perfect!!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This sounded like everything I would normally love, and it started out really whimsical and fairytale-esque. I thought I would love it, but I found the main character, Aurora, so irritating that I wanted to DNF. Unfortunately, even though she improved, I still didn't really like her.

I thought the author really tried to convince us that she's a great person, but I didn't see it (with rare exceptions).

For me, a big problem with the writing was that it was mostly telling instead of showing, especially when it came to the relationship. At 400 pages, I thought it wasn't a great choice.

And while the fairytale aspect means magic is involved and things won't necessarily make sense, I don't think you can explain everything away by saying the place is magical. I could accept that they hang sunlight from a lamppost, but I didn't like that their isolated frosty village (literally, no one can reach or leave it) is able to produce and grow everything, and even have a printing press, book shop, stationery shop... I thought there was no effort in making it believable, but this could just be a me problem.

Another thing that really stood out to me is that the supporting characters are so flat. Aurora's sister and mother have a bit more personality, but the palace staff has two named characters with zero traits.

The whole palace idea seemed odd to me, actually. So many people are supposed to work there, yet Aurora is shocked by how luxurious the palace is. It's not very far, don't the workers ever leave it or talk to the other villagers?

Overall, it just ended up not being to my taste at all, sadly.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything is decent about this book but it was missing more development especially in characters to me more captivating.

[Michelle (Bamamele.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for the preview. All opinions are my own.

OMG I AM A WRECK! This book is so heart-shatteringly beautiful. I think I cried for approximately 40% of the book, and I LOVED IT! Rachel Griffin created pure magic in this book, and I'll never recover.

The Sun and the Starmaker is a story about love, and life, and choosing what kind of life we want, and the stories that shape us. Aurora and the Starmaker start out as antagonists, as he is ready to relinquish his role, and she is resentful at being chosen to replace him. They're both grumpy and prickly to start, but ohhhhhh the slow burn as she starts to bring him back to life. The ACHE of him realizing the things he could have done differently, but only once it's almost too late. The star-crossed devastation of these two just had me weeping and leaking for so much of the book. I can't count how many time I had to put down my Kindle just to wipe my eyes enough to see the words.

And the ending! The ending was so beautiful and lovely! This is a capital R Romance, and we did work for it! But it was so fitting and perfect. The epilogue was a gorgeous partner to the prologue as well. Special shoutout to Tilly, the most precious snow angel. This is also just the most perfect wintry book!

I truly cannot recommend this book enough! Go get yourself a beautiful copy!!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Griffin’s books always crack open the pieces of my heart and find their way to my soul. They’re not only full of so much beauty in the characters, their journeys, the romance and the overall plot, but each one always embodies nature as a bridge to connection, and it speaks to my soul, and this gorgeous wintery tale was no different.

In a village rooted in tales of star-crossed love, hope and sacrifice, a young girl finds herself thrown into a new life with a mysterious mentor she can’t help but be drawn to, but at what cost to herself and her heart?

The lush, atmospheric prose and storytelling drew me into this novel and kept me compelled by the beautiful fantasy escape with wintery castles, snowy hillsides, horse drawn sleighs and otherworldly magic. But at the heart of this story, is our star-crossed lovers. The slow burn partnership to friendship to something more made my heart ache with its tender beauty and incredible angsty push and pull of their relationship. I loved seeing it blossom along with the story surrounding them. It made my heart melt!

I can rave on and on about this story! It is one that will stay with me.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

[Brittany |planted.library · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Thank you @sourcebooksfire and @netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

I can’t even believe how much I loved this. I initially requested it on NetGalley because this cover like hello! It’s gorgeous and whimsy, and I love me a white hair MMC.

“𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅.

And ugh I loved this so much, it was the slowest slow burn, filled with some sadness, wonder and hope. Plus just the magical whimsy of it all, I honestly loved everything about this story. And I would love to see a prequel story with you know who.

[Kaylee Pereyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

PREORDER THIS NOW. PREPARE YOURSELF NOW. LET IT RUIN YOUR LIFE AND STITCH IT BACK TOGETHER.
--

Absolutely, undoubtedly, 10000000% one of my favorites of the year. I ADORED THIS. I cursed this for the pain and agony I was feeling. I loved it all over again because of it. What a beautiful story about live, grief, loneliness, companionship, friendship, life! I feel like I’m leaning heavy on the waxing poetic of it all, but how else can you talk about a story as special as this one?

This is my first Rachel Griffin book but it certainly won’t be my last. AURORA, YOU BEAUTIFUL STUBBORN GIRL, I LOVE YOU. She is such a strong, funny, and enchanting protagonist. I found her frustrating and inspiring and I wish I could carry her spirit around with me in my pocket. I loved her openness and selflessness. I loved that she refused to back down from what she wanted, I loved her fear and panic and grief, I loved how she challenged the Starmaker at every turn. I truly just enjoyed her as a character so much and I was so happy to watch her journey evolve.

It’s no secret how much I love a romance plot, and WOOF. This is one for the ages. I couldn’t get enough of Aurora and the Starmaker; even from their fraught, combative interactions at the beginning. It was refreshing to see that they really were at odds with each other and there was no insta-love happening; it made their eventual bond that much sweeter and lead to unbelievable kindness and care at the end.

The worldbuilding was so lovely! I loved learning about all of the stories, seeing the magic of the castle and the light. Tilly and Constance! Even the flowers and the animals of the world just felt so wonderful to read about. I absolutely adored the ending and love that we took the time to see how Aurora worked beside her grief, embraced her role, and learned to foster the connection with the Sun. I would read so many more stories about these two but I’ll treasure this one if it’s the only one we get! I’ll be thinking about this book for a long while.

[Diana (diana_reads_and_reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rarely do I skim a book and call it read, but I only skimmed the last 20% of this one, so I’m giving it to myself. I have really got to stop falling for the hype, especially if I don’t know how close a recommender’s taste is to mine. This book felt like a mash up of several fairy tales and tropes. I saw the twist coming from the beginning, and the amount of time it took the FMC to realize what would happen is ridiculous. I’m over books with self-sacrificing women, although at least in this case she gets something she truly wants. I don’t mind books with explicit sex in them, but I wish they were labeled New Adult instead of Young Adult. On the plus side, the setting is evocative and beautiful, and I liked all the hat tips to Beauty and the Beast. 🌶️🌶️

[Kassyreadsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Sun And The Starmaker

Author: Rachel griffin

Synopsis: Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.

Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.

The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.

Review: I am incredibly happy that I picked up this book when I did! It is so perfect for the winter! The descriptions in it were fantastic! I loved Aurora as the main character she was so stubborn! I couldn’t get enough of her interaction with the male lead The Starmaker! I loved watching their slow burn develop! I would also like to add I really loved that there were some chapters that sprinkled in the Starmakers point of view! It was freaking and I really enjoyed seeing some of his thoughts in the story! I couldn’t help but notice as I was reading that it gave a similar vibe to Naomi Novik’s book Spinning Silver and that is also one of my favorite books! Rachel Grffin has written with so much love and care! The author truly loved writing the story that she told! I can’t wait to read more of Rachel Griffin’s work!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!

[Kelly||sketchbooksandsoftbacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

This is more of a 3.5 rounded up!

This was a beautiful story of fate, magic and love! The poetry in the magic is what had me enjoying most of this book. The relationship between the two love interests seemed a little flat to me and I didn’t have enough built up to buy into their fated love.

Aside from the relationship, the rest of the story read to me like a beautiful Disney Princess retelling! There were magical animals and side characters who encouraged the main character through her trials. The Starmaker had big grumpy energy (similar to the Beast from Beauty and the Beast) and it was fun to watch the banter between him and Aurora (Princess name for sure!) Alas, banter isn’t enough for me to feel the connection was merited or real.

This was a lovely magical tale for lovers of Disney Princess and grumpy princes for sure :)