Star Mother

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Manufacturer: Charlie N. Holmberg
Brand: Fantasy
Brew: Ebook
Steeping Time: 268 pages
Tea Service: Amazon First Reads
Strength:

Synopsis: When a star dies, a new one must be born.

The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.

Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.

Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.

It has been a long while since I’ve stepped into a book as magical as Star Mother.

And I think I’ll be walking through the pages for months and months to come. Star Mother felt unique and new with a mysteriousness to it that gripped me throughout. Ceris was a wonderful protagonist, and I loved following her journey from regular young woman, to sacrificial lamb, to Star Mother, and far, far beyond. Honestly, I don’t know where to begin with this book review. I loved everything about it so very, very much.

The pace felt even throughout, with slower areas for breathing room to gear you up for the breakneck speed that came with the intensity of other scenes. There were a lot of high-stakes moments that kept me glued to the pages and reading long into the night. Even in the slower, calmer moments, I never felt bored. I walked with Ceris through every moment, and I’d happily do it again and again.

The celestial setting was hauntingly beautiful.

I loved the locations in Star Mother. From the strange not-palace of the Sun God to the vast heavens of Ceris’ star, even the regular world here on Earth that Ceris lives in, they are all magical. Ceris’s regular world holds so much more for her now that her eyes have been opened to the deeper layers of the realms around her. It makes for a fascinating setting that is ever-changing.

Every character felt deep and complex, with layers that continuously unfold. The Sun God had the potential to be flat and one-dimensional, but I was pleasantly surprised to watch the reveal of his character. All of the character relationships are complex as well, deeply intertwined with one another.

While Star Mother is ultimately a love story, don’t be put off if you think there will be tons of spicy scenes.

There aren’t. While a few scenes do depict sex, they aren’t in depth or detailed. What stands front and center is the love story that Ceris finds and creates for herself. It is a beautiful story that draws on mythology with heavy themes of love, loyalty, loss, and determination.

I was interested to learn that there is a sequel to Star Mother. Perhaps companion book is a better name for it because Star Mother and Star Father are said to both work as stand-alone novels. I can definitely attest to this for Star Mother. Ceris’ story is complete by the end of the book, and Star Father is set years later. Personally, I went and bought Star Father immediately. I’ll be sad to go back to Ceris’s world without her, but I’m eager to see what happens with Saiyon, the Sun God. Holmberg’s writing is beautiful, and I’m eager to read another book written by her hand.

Pick up Star Mother if you enjoy fantasy novels, love stories, and mythology. It’s a fairy tale like no other and is a story that will linger long after you’re done reading it.

Have you read Star Mother? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own.
Cheers,
Lydia