I would like to start by thanking Craig Montgomery for sending me a copy of his book in return for an honest review. I hope to do your book justice, sir.
All Casper Bell has ever wanted is to belong. But now, abandoned by his friends and family after being outed, he has nothing left to lose when the people of Novilem abduct him.
Except Earth.
Teleported to a world where stars grant humans magic, Casper discovers he has the rare ability to draw from all twelve astrological signs — a gift that makes him a political pawn for the Estellar Council. But Novilem’s inhabitants seem as hard and cold as the stone their city is carved from, and Casper’s new role leaves him more isolated than ever. Until he meets the grandson of the council’s most powerful woman. Helix is kind, playful, and heartbreakingly handsome, yet it’s the way that Helix makes him feel that gives Casper hope.
As rebellion brinks in the city, even the council starts to fracture, reaching for extreme measures that could cost Casper not only his newfound abilities, but the first place he has ever wanted to call home.
Together with Helix, he must uncover the secrets of his full potential — because the survival of Noxilem hinges on Casper’s powers, whether he’s using them or not.
Set inside a hidden lunar city where astrology is magic, and your birth sign defines your social status. A Circle of Stars is a queer young adult fantasy filled with political intrigue and romance.
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This was an interesting read. We're thrown right into the action, left just as hurt and confused as Casper is. Being thrown from his house is hard enough. Getting abducted by strangers literally the next day? Unbelievable. I really felt bad when they were just throwing phrases at him without giving him the chance to fully understand what was even happening. Kid stood no chance.
I have a small bone to pick, though. Which is what detracted the one star from this book. Mr. Montgomery's overuse of the letter "E" in naming groups. There were three separate groups that had similar length names that all began with an E, which sometimes I got mixed up trying to remember which name belonged to which group. Perhaps in future books we can try to steer away from alliterative names? Just a thing with me.
I knew something was up with at least Brissa. She was clearly hiding something, but I had no idea it went as far as it did. I'm glad it was as hidden, though. I couldn't quite guess what was going on and that made it just all the better when it was finally revealed. I liked how each of the Houses had their own unique "magic" related to their zodiac sign and that they weren't strictly to their own and could help one another.
The romance was done well. The differences between Novilem and Earth are astounding. I adored Helix's befuddlement when Casper had to explain specific Earth phrases to him. It was cute seeing Novilem's golden boy absolutely lost and needing help to understand. It made him feel far more real to me to have someone from a foreign world actually not understand.
In the end, I rated this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I know its only half of a duology, but I think part of the major conflict could have occurred earlier in the book. It felt a bit rushed at the end trying to get the BBEG boss battle through in the last like 10% of the book. I'm looking forward to picking up the sequel when it comes out!!
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A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery will be available through Amazon on 16 June 2023
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