Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Promising premise, but lost in the stardust
“There was magic in her bones and curses in her blood.” That line had me hooked. The City of Stardust had all the makings of a book I’d love—dark academia vibes, generational curses, mysterious libraries, and whispered magic. And while the bones of the story were solid, the execution didn’t fully deliver for me.
The pacing was uneven. The beginning lured me in with atmospheric prose and haunting family secrets, but somewhere in the middle, it dragged. Plot threads felt tangled rather than intricate, and I often found myself re-reading passages to try and grasp what exactly was happening or why. The stakes were there, but the emotional weight didn’t always land.
The characters—particularly the FMC—had potential, but I wanted more. More vulnerability. More fire. More connection between her and the other characters. I could see glimmers of brilliance in the relationships, especially with the concept of legacy and sacrifice, but it didn’t quite hit deep enough to break me open.
That said, the writing was undeniably beautiful in places. Moody, lyrical, and rich in imagery. And the ending? Intriguing enough that I’d consider picking up something else from this author in the future, especially if they lean further into that gothic, cursed fairytale feel.
Spice level: None. This one leans fully into the fantasy side.
Tropes: Generational curse • Magical library • Lonely heroine • Family secrets • Fate vs. free will
Most highlighted quote: "Even stardust has weight." (A whole mood, honestly.)
Overall, this was a book I wanted to love, but ended up just liking. Not a bad read, just not a standout for me personally.
“There was magic in her bones and curses in her blood.” That line had me hooked. The City of Stardust had all the makings of a book I’d love—dark academia vibes, generational curses, mysterious libraries, and whispered magic. And while the bones of the story were solid, the execution didn’t fully deliver for me.
The pacing was uneven. The beginning lured me in with atmospheric prose and haunting family secrets, but somewhere in the middle, it dragged. Plot threads felt tangled rather than intricate, and I often found myself re-reading passages to try and grasp what exactly was happening or why. The stakes were there, but the emotional weight didn’t always land.
The characters—particularly the FMC—had potential, but I wanted more. More vulnerability. More fire. More connection between her and the other characters. I could see glimmers of brilliance in the relationships, especially with the concept of legacy and sacrifice, but it didn’t quite hit deep enough to break me open.
That said, the writing was undeniably beautiful in places. Moody, lyrical, and rich in imagery. And the ending? Intriguing enough that I’d consider picking up something else from this author in the future, especially if they lean further into that gothic, cursed fairytale feel.
Spice level: None. This one leans fully into the fantasy side.
Tropes: Generational curse • Magical library • Lonely heroine • Family secrets • Fate vs. free will
Most highlighted quote: "Even stardust has weight." (A whole mood, honestly.)
Overall, this was a book I wanted to love, but ended up just liking. Not a bad read, just not a standout for me personally.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Started and finished date – 19.09.25 to 22.09.25.
My rating – Three Stars.
This book was okay, but I didn’t love it, and I was a little bit disappointed with is book also I think people who like is book a dark inheritance by H.F. Askwith or all the devils by Catelyn Wilson may like is book. The cover of book was simple but stunning. The writing was fine, but it took some time to get used to also the ending was okay.
The atmosphere was okay, but it was bit bland, and I would have like the atmosphere to be more gothic also both the world building and magical realism was pretty good. I have mixed feeling about third person narrative in the book and the romance in the book was okay, but I didn't love it. The paced of plot was well structured and the plot was steady paced. The characters was okay but I found them to be forgettable, and they needed be flash out more
My rating – Three Stars.
This book was okay, but I didn’t love it, and I was a little bit disappointed with is book also I think people who like is book a dark inheritance by H.F. Askwith or all the devils by Catelyn Wilson may like is book. The cover of book was simple but stunning. The writing was fine, but it took some time to get used to also the ending was okay.
The atmosphere was okay, but it was bit bland, and I would have like the atmosphere to be more gothic also both the world building and magical realism was pretty good. I have mixed feeling about third person narrative in the book and the romance in the book was okay, but I didn't love it. The paced of plot was well structured and the plot was steady paced. The characters was okay but I found them to be forgettable, and they needed be flash out more
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes