Of Fire and Stars

More accurate rating: 3.5

I think it's really interesting how the culture in Of Fire and Stars seems to draw no lines between heterosexuality and homosexuality. You woo, love, and marry whoever you wanted. Pretty cool.

I also like how the friendship between the princesses begins to change over several weeks to something more than friendship. Unfortunately, after that the romance feels rather forced to me (and I see that I may be in the minority here). Perhaps it is the teenagery I'm-going-to-die-of-this-love drama. Perhaps it's a bit of the told-not-shown problem. Perhaps it is the inconsistency in Mare's character. The two sides of her—the cursing, spitting, sneak-out-to-alehouse tomboy horse trainer and the weepy in-love girl—don't seem like two parts of the same person. I'm not saying you can't be both. It just feels like she loses all of the former when the latter comes into play. But...it IS young love.

The writing's fine, though I would have liked to have seen more distinctive voices when we switched POV between the two main characters, especially since they were both in first person. I sometimes forgot whose head I was in.

I did find myself scratching my head over a few plot holes. [SPOILER ALERT]. The main one, which is so integral to the story, it about the knife. They assume that because the assassin carries a knife from the enemy country, the assassin is from that country. Um...if I were an assassin, I'd probably use an untraceable local blade. Why don't the princesses just bring up that argument? Instead, they spend half the book trying to determine whether the knife is a fake or not, which seems to be the only way they'll convince the obtuse Directorate that the enemy country is being framed. I am also puzzled about why a king whose close relative was recently assassinated would go around unarmed and attend semi-public concerts without any armed guards or armed trusted courtiers inside the room. People also blurt out state secrets rather openly in front of people who may or may not be the secret bad guy. And why, after dismissing Mare's opinion and pretty much all logic, do Thandi and the Directorate believe the truth so readily at the end? [END SPOILERS]

I love how Denna is eager to be the good queen she was raised to be. I also love how Thandi, the prince she's betrothed to, isn't really such a bad guy for most of the book. Both of these defy popular recent tropes.

Of Fire and Stars has an interesting and important premise, and plenty of people will enjoy it a lot.

WARNING: fairly graphic sex (though not repeated)

This book had some inconsistencies and plot holes, but I thought it was okay overall.

The Good- I really liked how the main characters' romance evolved from a friendship. It was much more realistic than instalove. I also like that the book did not make a big deal about the fact that they were a same sex couple. Denna was a very likeable character. The scenes showing her complex relationship with her mother were interesting. Plus, there were some fun action scenes as various members of the royal family are targeted/ attacked by the unknown villain.

The Bad- Do you like horses? Like, really, really like horses? If you do, this might be a plus for you because there is a LOT of horse talk. I felt it was a bit much, personally. Horses aside, my main issue with this book was character inconsistencies. I know we were supposed to find Mare alluring and feisty, but I kind of felt her character was all over the place (in a bad way.) And don't even get me started on her brother, Thandi. He spends the whole book being a friendly, welcoming person, then the author does a 180 and tries to make him seem villainous near the end. Like, what? Did he have a personality transplant? I'm not buying it. There were also some plot holes, but again, it was an okay read overall.

Narrated from the POV of its two main protagonists, this opening to a fantasy series has two princesses striving to fulfill their niches in life. Both women have been born to royalty yet they couldn’t be more different.

The author has given us two vibrant females, each with her own distinct personality and yet united in their desire to help their kingdom. Dennaleia of Havemont is demure, quiet, intelligent, literate and watchful, eager to learn and prepared to forge an alliance with an arranged marriage. She has been brought up all her life in preparation for courtly existence and the royal husband she has never set eyes on until she is brought to Mynaria and she has never swerved from this path. Princess Amaranthine (preferring to be called Mare) is a rough-and-ready girl who prefers horses and the stables to the court, is bored with the very idea of books and dresses in coarse peasant clothes, the better to infiltrate the town and hear what the local spies have to say about what’s going on in the kingdom.

In spite of the fact that Mare is the more outspoken and daring of the two, she’s rather spoiled. She’s been allowed to run wild and has little concern for her father and brother, other than as nuisances and bars to her carefree existence. However, she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. At 18, she has no real aspirations beyond a vague desire to spend her life among horses. Denna, on the other hand, is smart enough to accept her fate as a future wife and queen; she knows it is the best way to help her newly adopted kingdom.

The novel sweeps us from upper to lower classes, from the courtroom to the slums, and the language and behavior rings true. There is unexpected tragedy, intrigue, despair, giddiness, joy, humor and a growing love powerful and startling in its fierceness. The story lures you in with its tangled web of machinations and assassinations and the affection between these two women. You can feel the pull between them as they grow closer and rise in each other’s estimations and respect, admiration and friendship turns to erotic love.

An unhappy ending seems in order. How can Denna and Mare continue their love affair when Denna’s marriage to Mare’s brother seems inevitable? The author gives us an ending that is a new beginning and I’m not going to spoil it here. But if you like the idea of not just one but two resilient female protagonists, magical fantasy ably mixed with political maneuvering, this is one of the better novels out there.

"Of Fire and Stars" is a really excellent YA fantasy f/f read. Adult book writers could take some lessons from the slow burn and chemistry that Coulthurst created between her two leading ladies and is one of the reasons I still read YA. YA authors just often do it better.

As fantasy stories go, it's a combination of an alternate Earth, Medieval-like royalty and certain people having an affinity with one of the six gods that includes Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Those with the affinity can use the element their born with for good or bad and, because of this, they are feared by the general public especially when someone with the ability starts killing off royalty.

The plot does take awhile to unravel and the characters do build their relationship over numerous encounters so expect a somewhat slow but steady pace.

Denna and Mare are both distinct, likable, and interesting three dimensional characters. Mare is an ice-queen, black sheep member of the royal family who wants her freedom above all else while Denna is proper, does what is expected of her, and puts her kingdom and duty first. They are 17/18 but their decisions and actions are those of intelligent, mature women doing the best they can with intense outside pressure and lousy circumstances.

The romance between them was really well done as was the mystery and the world building. Action was amped and the story held good suspense on a number of levels.

This book is currently available in the Kindle Unlimited program but I listened to its audiobook on Scribd. The story is told in their alternating points of view of Denna and Mare and the two actresses who played each role did a fantastic job. The story was engaging enough but their delivery elevated the text.

As a read, I'd say this is 4.5. But, because the narration was so good, I give it a 5.

Recommend.

This book was provided to me as an uncorrected digital proof by the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

An atmospheric and romantic debut fantasy perfect for fans of Ash and The Winner’s Curse.
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile kingdoms. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a land where magic is forbidden.
Now Denna has to learn the ways of her new kingdom while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine, sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, they discover there is more to one another than they thought—and soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.
But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

It took Of Fire and Stars a bit to catch my attention, but once it had me, I was well and truly caught. This story has well-drawn and fleshed out characters who feel like real people. They are flawed and not terribly bright sometimes, which makes them easy to relate to. The main characters, Denna and Mare, are written in such a way that both their strengths and weaknesses are laid bare. Both young women display strong character, and the struggle they face between their love for each other and the responsibility they feel toward their families and their kingdoms, only makes them more captivating. Not a lot of time is devoted to world building, but the space it is given is well used. The romance aspect is sweetly written and heart rending. I would list Of Fire and Stars among my top five fantasy reads of the year.
There is some foul language and one mildly graphic sex scene, so I would recommend this book for more mature teen readers.

Princess Dennaleia, also known as Denna, had been betrothed to the prince of Mynaria since she was a child. The problem? His kingdom are against magic and she possesses multiple Affinities, including fire, water, and wind. Not only that, but she is also slowly falling in love with her future sister-in-law, Amaranthine, also known as Mare. The more their friendship blossoms, the more she is romantically drawn to Mare. Denna doesn't know what to do with herself as the stakes continue to raise when magic users appear to be attacking the kingdom. It's a risk for her to enter the marriage, but duty calls as she's torn with making the alliance work and coupling herself with Mare while trying to protect her people.

I absolutely love this book. It has excellent world building, which made it more fun to imagine the world that Denna and Mare live in. The characters that we get to know are well developed and allow us to see the different sides to them. All of the characters have their personal and professional lives, which are entwined into one in the case of the royal characters throughout the story. It also allows us to see what it's like outside of the kingdom. While we see what it's like outside of the castle through Mare's eyes, she's in disguise, we get to see how it works and who is getting hurt in the crossfire as a war starts to rise.

It's wonderful when characters remain who they are as they fall in love and a romance ensues. Denna and Mare are two very different people, but it was lovely to watch their friendship develop as well as watching it bud into something more. I found myself rooting for them and wishing that they had a easier choice ahead of them since Denna is involved in a politically arranged marriage that's soon to come to fruition. Their friendship and romance felt very natural. Sometimes the two characters involved in a romantic pairing seem forced, and this was not the case. I also enjoyed reading from each of their perspectives and seeing the different characters throughout the story through their eyes as well as how they saw these people differently.

All in all, it's a wonderful read. I will definitely be back for another installment when it arrives. I look forward to seeing where these characters go as well as where the story takes us when it returns. I had a lot of fun reading it and found myself not wanting to tear myself away. It's one of my favorite reads of the year.

I was really excited about this book when I first real the deal announcement, so I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed. It has some of my favorite tropes: an arranged marriage, an arranged marriage being derailed by one of the parties falling in love with someone else, forbidden magic, enemies (sort of) to lovers. And it was all done with characters I loved as well as immersive world building. So, wins all around.

There was INTRIGUE and SECRETS which are two more of my favorite things to read about. Denna has to keep her Affinity a secret, which becomes harder when her powers start leaking out of her control, not to mention people suspect something is up and she has to try even harder to hide them. There were also some shady things going on in regards to diplomatic relations with another country, and someone gets assassinated, and all of it may or may not be related to both each other and to the magic thing. And because of all of this, people spend a lot of time in libraries, which is another thing I am okay with.

I loved the romance (see: sort-of enemies to lovers). Denna and Mare had a lot of chemistry, and I thought their romance developed really naturally. I also loved that the obstacle to the two of them being together wasn’t that both of them were women, since any and all relationships in this world are acceptable and valid; instead, the obstacle was that Denna was already engaged to Mare’s brother. Which, to be honest, was way more interesting, anyway, especially since Denna didn’t actually dislike her betrothed.

I can’t wait for the next book.

Politically savvy princesses falling in love with each other? YES PLEASE! The romance in OF FIRE AND STARS is everything I'd hoped it would be--swoony, sexy, and so darn ship-able. I loved the chemistry between Mare and Denna. I rooted for them from page one.

I'll admit I'm getting a *little* weary of forbidden magic stories, but this one works well because of the complicated political movements described behind the scenes. I appreciate world building where rulers are actually invested in the work of ruling...and the acknowledgment that ruling can be tedious as heck.

The romance truly carries the story, and it's brilliant from start to finish. The Game-of-Thrones-y/epic fantasy plot didn't quite pull together for me, I think because Mare and Denna acted only as witnesses until the last third of the book or so--at which point I started wishing for more M&D and less scheming/conniving on the parts of various political factions. The pace dragged a tad as that story resolved. I also wanted a little more out of the side characters, especially Thandi.

All in all, though, I really, really enjoyed this book. That romance. *sigh* So, when's Audrey Coulthurst's next book coming out? :)

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:

OF FIRE AND STARS had me hooked from the prologue, when Deena picks up a hot ember with her bare hands, much to the horror of her mother and sister - not because she’s burnt herself, but because she hasn’t. Deena has an affinity for fire magic, and although it’s easy to overlook in her home country, she’s been betrothed to the prince of a neighbouring kingdom where magic users are persecuted, exiled and killed.

This book portrayed a brilliant portrayal of hatred and prejudice, where suspicion breeds violence on both sides of the issue. With her marriage to the prince, new laws will restrict travel of magic users in Deena’s homeland, something Deena had no idea when she first arrived. As the violence of the city spills into the castle, Deena is more anxious than ever to prove to her new kingdom that she can help make a difference, even if no one else will take her seriously.

Although Deena is promised to Thandi, it’s Mare, his sister, who wins her heart. The girls do not get along at first, and it was lovely to see them start seeing not only each other's’ strengths, but also how well they could work together. They have very different upbringings: Deena has been preened and prepared to one day be queen, and Mare has been left to herself, learning more from her excursions outside the castle than in dance or dialogue classes. They manage to bounce ideas off each other and solve some mysteries way before the officials running the kingdom do.

Horses are incredibly important in her new country, and I found all the discussions about what makes a horse fit to be a warhorse were fun and informative. I was really impressed with the way equine details not only foreshadowed events, but were also critical to the plot at the end of the book. Horses pop up in lots of little ways, but my favourite was the bracelets made of horsehair, which represent how many how many horses the wearer has raised and trained and are worn as a badge of skill and devotion.

What truly made this a nearly perfect book for me was the way same-sex relationships were handled; it wasn’t a big deal. Characters were upset about a character’s hidden magic powers, but who the person chose to live their life with wasn’t important. Throughout the book, some people were in same-sex relationships, and it wasn’t commented on much more than that. The drama that comes out of Mare and Deema’s relationship was because she was promised to Mare’s brother first, not because they are both girls. Mare even mentions, early on, that if she were forced to marry, she would marry a woman so there aren’t any awkward questions about the legitimacy of any offspring.

I’ve developed a love for stand-alone fantasy books, especially ones where the world-building is “big” enough to accommodate more stories, but where the author has chosen a very specific one to tell. The intrigue in OF FIRE AND STARS was fun, the dramatic conclusion was incredible and the romance felt just right for a young adult book. Overall, it was magical.

Review based on advanced copy.

3.5 stars

Plot: Of Fire and Stars starts off as you would expect: a young princess with an unspeakable power travels to a faraway land to meet her betrothed. The true plot centers over multiple assassin attacks and the uneasy truce between magic users and non-magic users. These magic users have been criminalized and made the target of an entire kingdom, and Princess Denna must keep her secret to herself if she wants to stay alive. The plot, while basic, kept me rapt with attention and I truly enjoyed how Coulthurst crafted the end.

Characters: It was the characters that kept me from savoring this book. For me, this book was written emotionless which kept me as an observer and never truly immersed in this story. There are some truly traumatic and emotional moments during Of Fire and Stars, but the author never gives her characters time to grief or express themselves. I felt that both our leading ladies were going through the emotions.

Their love story was a slow burn, which I usually live for. All the pieces were there, but again, the sense of permanent apathy kept me from losing myself in the story.

Worldbuilding: Coulthurst's comprehensive world was just what the fantasy lover in me wanted. The worlds are well crafted and the threats are both realistic and intriguing. I'll be on the look out for more fantasy titles by this author in the future.

Short N Sweet: Of Fire and Stars was a strong debut novel that could have been better if the characters were giving more opportunities to explore their emotions.

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“But some things are stronger than years of lessons.
The draw of fire.
The longing for freedom.
Or a girl on a red horse.”

This was a YA fantasy story about a princess with a fire affinity, who fell in love with her fiancée’s sister.

Dennaleia was a strong character and it was easy to see why she was so scared of the truth about her abilities getting out when everyone seemed to be on the hunt for magic users. Mare was also a strong character and she had real grit and determination to do what she felt was right. I did feel sorry for the Prince though, as he was really screwed over by Denna and Mare’s relationship.

The storyline in this started with Denna going to Mynaria in preparation for her wedding to the Prince, and developing a friendship with the Princess (Mare) instead. We then got lots of horse riding, as well as trouble brewing in the form of magic, with blame being laid on a neighbouring kingdom, whilst Denna and Mare were convinced that they were being framed. We also got a GLBT romance between Denna and Mare, although it took a long time for me to really get invested in the relationship.

The ending to this was pretty good, and I would definitely be interested in reading a sequel.

7 out of 10

*This book has its issues: The worldbuilding isn’t fleshed out enough, the politics are described in a way that makes them too complex (when it’s really quite simple), and the magic system is vague and confusing.

*Despite the drawbacks that a lot of people have, I really loved this book. I was deeply pulled in, mostly by the two interesting and well-done female leads, as well as their interactions

*This is a book about two princesses, Dennaleia and Amaranthine, falling in love and the building of the romance is so wonderful and sweet and I completely loved it. It was written excellently (#ownvoices) and watching the two young ladies go from strangers to friends to lovers was 110% wonderful and beautiful.

*The book is written as a standalone, but it has an open ending that would leave room for a sequel. I would love a chance for the story of Mare and Dennaleia to be continued, as well as giving the author a chance to more firmly establish the world-building, culture, and magic.

*This book isn’t for everyone. It’s got a lot of middling and negative reviews on Goodreads, but I think it was definitely worth it to read. Maybe I’m just a sucker for girls falling in love with one another.

This is an engaging fantasy novel that seems to be beginning a series. Princess Dennaleia has been betrothed to the Crown Prince of Mynaria since she was six years old. Now sixteen, she is finally traveling to Mynaria to meet him.

Dennaleia finds a prince who just seems to see her as a trophy and who seems uninterested in her as anything by an ornament. Her years of training to rule are completely disregarded. She also learns that people who have magic are being persecuted in that kingdom. She has been told since she was small that she needs to keep her affinity to fire a secret. Now the secret must be kept even closer which is hard because her gift seems to be growing and getting harder to hide.

Dennaleia finds herself lonely in her new life. The only one she would like to be her friend is her betrothed's sister Princess Amaranthine who prefers to be called Mare and prefers to spend her time training and breeding horses. Mare has also been set aside by her father and brother as having no purpose other than being someone to marry off for political gains.

When the king's adviser is murderded Mare and Denna team up to try to find out the killer despite being discouraged by the king and crown prince. The two also begin a relationship that starts with a tentative friendship and builds into a romance.

The story is filled with action and tension as the country hovers on the brink of war with a neighboring county and deals with rebellions magic users. I loved the way the love between Denna and Mare grew gradually through the story. I liked the world building and would be glad to read more stories set in this world.

Of Fire and Stars follows two princesses from different countries. One is set to marry a prince yet she falls for his sister. This is a story about Denna and Mare finding their way to each other and fighting to keep what they hold most dear close. Each other.

The love I have for this book is one of those epic love stories you hear about in other books. I am the girl who is knocked completely off kilter by a man, and the man in this case is the book.

Mare is everything I wish I could be. She is strong, she is brilliant, and she is so sure of what she wants. She fights for her freedom.

While Denna is book smart and has logic on her side, she also proper and knows that her duty to her betrothed and the crown she was raised to wear. Denna is a princess in every way, until she meets Mare.

The angst between these two made me sit on the edge of my seat! Audrey has written a masterpiece and this is definitely on my list of favorite books I have read this year.

I read and reviewed a copy of this wonderful book via Arc around the World Tours, I was very excited to give this book a try as I not read very many books where you get a nice twist on who falls in love with who and why. This book had everything i expect to find in a fantasy novel. You got magic, love, princesses and evil character who trying to take over the world.
I was swept up in the story as it moves a long a good clip switching between the two main female characters Mare and Denna. I instantly loved Mare character as she really clung to just wanting to be herself and training horses instead of being some princess high in a tower watching over things and getting married to the best alliance. Then you got Denna who is the exact opposite she their simply for an alliance marriage but she got a secret she burning to keep a secret. I also thought the romantic tryst was handled very well and it worked very well for this story.

I really liked how the magic was handled in this fantasy it a wrapped up in this deceit plot where one country wants to rule over another, I got wrapped up in the details of who done what and you really thought was the evil mad man. It a very well done story for debut novel and looking forward to seeing what else the author has to offer.

*I received this book as an eARC from Blazer + Bray in exchange for an honest review*

I want more books like this! Queer YA Fantasy! Of Fire and Stars checks so many of my boxes. There's a queer romance element. It's YA. There's political intrigue. It's a fantasy with amazing worldbuilding and elemental powers!

All of the characters have depth and their relationships develop naturally throughout the book. The characters complement eachother nicely. The world is also so intriguing. We stay mostly in a castle and the surrounding city, but the world beyond is delved into thoroughly.

I liked seeing Mare's passion for horses. I'm not that familiar with horses, but I could connect to her passion.

I give this awesome book a 5/5. I HIGHLY recommend it to readers looking for a Queer YA Fantasy! I want more books like this! NOW!

While the world building was a little lacklustre for my taste, the progression of the relationship between Mare and Denna was very realistic. I did enjoy this novel. When Denna and Mare were discovered in bed together, it was so refreshing to have Thandi's anger being directed at the fact that Denna had 'cheated' on him, rather than them being attracted to each other. I also loved the scene where Mare is being taken away (I can't remember the reason now), and she says to Denna "Here's something to remember me by." and just kisses her in front of everyone. I just loved the visual!

However, the magic and political subplots couldn't quite grip me in the way the romance did. I did mourn the death of Casmiel, but everything else fell into the background for me.

I'm so happy that Denna and Mare ended up together at the end. All in all, the book serves its purpose, and I'd recommend it to read.

So this definitely was a little slow for me especially after all the expectations and hype I had for it but overall I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. These are strong characters that you get to see just become stronger through out this story. The relationship was so incredible to see grow. Mare has to be my favorite just because of how strong she is and how sarcastic she was. Even though I enjoyed Denna's chapters a lot Mare's were definitely my favorite. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

OF FIRE AND STARS is refreshing in every way, and captivates readers from the opening sentence: "When I was seven winters of age, my mother caught me in the hearth stacking red-hot coals with my bare hands." A hint of magic, an unusual girl, and off we go!

I agree with author Malinda Lo - "A deeply romantic, bold, and nuanced fantasy. You will be captivated by Denna and Mare and their star-crossed love for each other"- and author Corinne Duyvis: "Coulthurst's debut is an absolute delight; I loved seeing these smart, fierce princesses fall in captivating, slow-burn love as they investigate political assassinations and unravel magical conspiracies."

I loved the intelligent protagonists, the moments of humor, and the compelling mystery the two heroines must unravel, as well as the inner journey they embark on as they discover what they're made of, and what really matters in the end.

Audrey Coulthurst calls her novel an examination of the choice between duty and love, and said in her note to Owlcrate readers, "Very few things we do in life are as challenging - or as rewarding - as embracing our true selves and our power. I hope reading about Denna's and Mare's journeys will inspire you to believe in and honor yourselves."

Coulthurst is a new author to watch! I'm looking forward to her two novels to be published in 2018, THE INKMISTRESS, and STARWORLD (with co-author Paula Garner).

A perfect blend of forbidden magic, political intrigue, and hidden romance, OF FIRE AND STARS is exactly what I was hoping it would be. LGBTQUIA fantasy fans are sure to love Denna and Mare, who fall for each other in spite of the fact that Denna is betrothed to Mare's brother. Although being gay is a fairly normalized thing in this world, duty and alliances still trump desire, which lends real politicized stakes to the novel without excluding or demonizing queerness or queer readers. Just brilliant.

First Impressions

I picked this up, curious about the description. As I read it, I got more and more excited. By the end, I was ecstatic. Lesbian high fantasy, here I come! I didn't end up reading it immediately, but it made the excitement build. I ended up starting it during the drive down to Florida for ALA. I had to put it down partway through (traffic and reading don't mix), but picked it up when we got to where we were staying. I might have read through dinner to finish the book.

Characters

I LOVED Denna and Mare. It was interesting seeing with Denna how she didn't really like where her life was headed, but she was willing to make these sacrifices if it would benefit her kingdom. Also, FIRE POWERS! She's so scared of her abilities, but I love seeing her start to embrace them. As the description says, Mare is definitely prickly, though she has good reason. Her family never treated her with much respect, largely due to her gender. So Mare makes her own path, which ends up crashing her and Denna together. Their romance is a slow burn, but I loved every second of it!

World Building

I love this world so much. One of the biggest things I love is how LGBT characters are portrayed. Being lesbian, gay, or bisexual is not a big deal. It's just a part of their culture. So instead of having to 'come out' or be worried about who they like, people can just fall in love.

Also in this world is magic. In the kingdom Denna comes from, magic isn't illegal, but it isn't fully encouraged either. But in the kingdom where Denna moves, Mynaria, magic of any sort is illegal. This isn't exactly good for Denna, since she has magical abilities. The occurrence of magic also leads to some interested plot points.

I really loved this book. If I could, I would go back in time and read it all over again. Heck, I might just go reread it now!

Unique story, but everything was very lacking and plain. Characters had maybe one or two traits, and they never grew or developed. There was very little world building, and I found myself a little lost with things that I felt I was supposed to know. The story was very slow moving and by the end, it didn't feel like much had even happened. I was excited for this, but it sadly let me down. Maybe her next book will grab me.

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a good job of making it clear that lesbian or gay relationships are not considered unusual in the world in this book. It is refreshing to not have to have homophobia as a plot point. Other than that it was a typical fantasy-with-a-map-at-the-front type of book, with kingdom politics, sneaking out of castles, and trying to figure out how to work with magic. I'm dying for a sequel.

A fantasy book with a lesbian romance and assassinations was exactly what I needed apparently because I loved this book. It's well written, the characters are fantastic, and the romance is so sweet (and no insta-love!). I am loving the LGBTQ+ representation and I am really excited for more books by the author because if this is her debut novel I cannot wait to see what else she writes.

I was very interested in reading this book after seeing its author at Wondercon. It did not disappoint. A very nice, entertaining read. I really appreciated the characters and the path of the story. I am going to enjoy reading more from this author.

this book was amazing and broke my heart and put it back together. it's definitely not a book for those who don't like a love story, but it'll make even skeptics believe in true love. this is such an amazing story and i'd recommend it to everyone

I didn't have the highest of expectations for this book, since most of my friends only gave it 3 stars, but I ended up really liking it. I loved the world, the political aspect of the book, the characters, the romance... everything.

First Impressions

I picked this up, curious about the description. As I read it, I got more and more excited. By the end, I was ecstatic. Lesbian high fantasy, here I come! I didn't end up reading it immediately, but it made the excitement build. I ended up starting it during the drive down to Florida for ALA. I had to put it down partway through (traffic and reading don't mix), but picked it up when we got to where we were staying. I might have read through dinner to finish the book.

Characters

I LOVED Denna and Mare. It was interesting seeing with Denna how she didn't really like where her life was headed, but she was willing to make these sacrifices if it would benefit her kingdom. Also, FIRE POWERS! She's so scared of her abilities, but I love seeing her start to embrace them. As the description says, Mare is definitely prickly, though she has good reason. Her family never treated her with much respect, largely due to her gender. So Mare makes her own path, which ends up crashing her and Denna together. Their romance is a slow burn, but I loved every second of it!

World Building

I love this world so much. One of the biggest things I love is how LGBT characters are portrayed. Being lesbian, gay, or bisexual is not a big deal. It's just a part of their culture. So instead of having to 'come out' or be worried about who they like, people can just fall in love.

Also in this world is magic. In the kingdom Denna comes from, magic isn't illegal, but it isn't fully encouraged either. But in the kingdom where Denna moves, Mynaria, magic of any sort is illegal. This isn't exactly good for Denna, since she has magical abilities. The occurrence of magic also leads to some interested plot points.

I really loved this book. If I could, I would go back in time and read it all over again. Heck, I might just go reread it now!

Unique story, but everything was very lacking and plain. Characters had maybe one or two traits, and they never grew or developed. There was very little world building, and I found myself a little lost with things that I felt I was supposed to know. The story was very slow moving and by the end, it didn't feel like much had even happened. I was excited for this, but it sadly let me down. Maybe her next book will grab me.

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a good job of making it clear that lesbian or gay relationships are not considered unusual in the world in this book. It is refreshing to not have to have homophobia as a plot point. Other than that it was a typical fantasy-with-a-map-at-the-front type of book, with kingdom politics, sneaking out of castles, and trying to figure out how to work with magic. I'm dying for a sequel.

A fantasy book with a lesbian romance and assassinations was exactly what I needed apparently because I loved this book. It's well written, the characters are fantastic, and the romance is so sweet (and no insta-love!). I am loving the LGBTQ+ representation and I am really excited for more books by the author because if this is her debut novel I cannot wait to see what else she writes.

I was very interested in reading this book after seeing its author at Wondercon. It did not disappoint. A very nice, entertaining read. I really appreciated the characters and the path of the story. I am going to enjoy reading more from this author.

this book was amazing and broke my heart and put it back together. it's definitely not a book for those who don't like a love story, but it'll make even skeptics believe in true love. this is such an amazing story and i'd recommend it to everyone

I didn't have the highest of expectations for this book, since most of my friends only gave it 3 stars, but I ended up really liking it. I loved the world, the political aspect of the book, the characters, the romance... everything.

I really liked this story - the characters (set as foils to each other, maybe a bit predictable, but still enticing) are engaging, and the relationship between them grows pretty organically; plus magic and adventure!

Wonderful slow burn love story. The elements of magic were excellent, and I REALLY hope there will be a book 2 in which that is the focus. I can also see how more world building could be brought into book 2 with the developing political climate. In some ways this is your standard princess, castle, political intrigue story... except this time it's two girls in love and that brings such a delicate nuance to the genre. I loved this book, just brilliant.

Absolutely beautiful, so adorable, and a truly great love story. It's the story my imagination always wanted. I love fantasy novels where the engaged princess falls for someone else but I always wanted her to fall for one of her court or another princess. This is everything I dreamed of and more.

I honestly can't fathom the words necessary to give this a proper exaltation. This book filled me with so much life over the past two days of reading it. The intrigue. The world. And even a romance crafted so elegantly. It was beautiful and I recommend it to anyone with a remote interest in women loving women and fantasy. This was a treat to read.

This book kept me interested and left me wanting more. I can't wait for the sequel to come out in 2019. The characters are refeshing and interesting, and while parts of the plot were a bit predictable, there were enough surprises that it felt like a great read all around.

I really, really wanted to love this book. I really did.

But unfortunately, a lot of the criticisms I've seen are on point. The characters and the world are pretty one dimensional from start to finish.

As for the love story, it certainly wasn't instalove, but it lacked.. fire? I don't know. The way that Denna was so quiet for most of the novel, so reserved in telling Mare her feelings, but then VERY forward with her sexual desires was a bit disconcerting. I liked it enough, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone and I'd be on the fence about reading a sequel.

So, when is the movie coming out? And the sequel??
Of Fire and Stars is the debut novel of YA author Audrey Coulthurst and I hope there's many more to come.
I seriously look forward to a sequel, but if there isn't I'd check her future works without question.
Thank you Audrey for writing such a wonderful book!

Very much a "classical" fantasy story, except the girl gets the girl at the end. I liked the plot and the characters (even the main character's male betrothed was surprisingly sympathetic) and while the villain was a bit predictable, didn't take away from my enjoyment.

I can't say enough good things about this astonishing debut. The characters were strong, the plot kept me needing to know what would happen next. As well, for me it had the right blend of fantasy and romance!!!