The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
poisoned_icecream's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Death
emily_mh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I really liked the writing style of this one. It was descriptive and poetic without being too over-the-top and ridiculous. For that reason alone I’d be interested in checking out more books by this author. This particular story ended up falling a bit flat, though.
The plot started off super strong but kind of waned at the halfway point. Everything ended up feeling half-baked or unrealistic. I was left confused about the motives of those involved, and the resolution was downright unbelievable.
The world-building was so plain. There was nothing compelling or captivating about it.
Eliza’s character development was rushed, so that it felt unnatural. She was so firmly set in her ways that I didn’t believe her change in character could have happened within a few days. I will say that Anna and Nathaniel’s development WAS well done, however. In both cases it felt like a long time coming and the events of the plot provided that catalyst for change, so the development felt earned.
Even though the quality of this book wasn’t great, I did actually enjoy reading it! And as I said, the writing style was fab. So this author is definitely not a write-off for me!
Rep: sapphic MC, lesbian (word not used even though there were opportunities to use it, and words like aromantic and asexual exist) MC, aroace MC
Rep: sapphic MC, lesbian (word not used even though there were opportunities to use it, and words like aromantic and asexual exist) MC, aroace MC
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Ableism, Blood, Child death, Death, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Gun violence, Classism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: imprisonment, loss of a loved one, fainting Minor: sick loved one, blackmail, theft, capital punishment, child birthmxbluet18's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Trigger warnings for Tarnished are the Stars include: medical content, childbirth and pregnancy, child death, grief, death, physical violence, parental abuse, physical abuse, ableism and classism.
☆
☆
I initially picked this up because I knew it has an asexual character in it, but it quickly became that I was invested in the characters (some more than others though) and I just had to finish it to find out where the story was going.
~
I read Fire Becomes Her last year and found myself loving the writing style and characters in that one, and had had Tarnished on my TBR for a while so I made it a priority when I managed to get hold of it. I've also used the book to talk about an important point in an essay I'm working on about asexuality in the written media.
~
For me, having asexual representation, and aromantic asexual representation is something I love to see in the books I read, especially if the ideas or the feelings portrayed are a depiction I can relate to or sympathise with. Suffice it to say, I loved the representation in the book, I loved the characters (or those I was supposed to love anyway), I loved the character arcs, and the plot was rich and delicate.
☆
☆
I initially picked this up because I knew it has an asexual character in it, but it quickly became that I was invested in the characters (some more than others though) and I just had to finish it to find out where the story was going.
~
I read Fire Becomes Her last year and found myself loving the writing style and characters in that one, and had had Tarnished on my TBR for a while so I made it a priority when I managed to get hold of it. I've also used the book to talk about an important point in an essay I'm working on about asexuality in the written media.
~
For me, having asexual representation, and aromantic asexual representation is something I love to see in the books I read, especially if the ideas or the feelings portrayed are a depiction I can relate to or sympathise with. Suffice it to say, I loved the representation in the book, I loved the characters (or those I was supposed to love anyway), I loved the character arcs, and the plot was rich and delicate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Classism, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Grief
laurenleigh's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found this title for the “science fantasy” prompt in the Queer Lit Readathon. I guess I assume that science fiction and fantasy genres always overlap, but I’m realizing that’s not necessarily so! Definitely lots of steampunk vibes in this one, where clockwork hearts keep people alive but are also outlawed. I really grew to care for our three main characters, and I like novels where we get to jump between perspectives in each chapter. I enjoyed seeing the same event through different lenses, as well as watching the relationships unfold. I could have maybe used more exposition, and I would have liked more world building. But I’m also not the kind of fantasy reader that needs every potential plot hole to be filled! I had a fun ride with these characters, and that’s enough for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Medical content
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
readingelli's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed this, especially having an explicitly aromantic/ asexual character, one lesbian and one bisexual (they are described as kissing a boy and then like a girl).
I thought the plot was good, I liked the twists and the character development.
I thought the plot was good, I liked the twists and the character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, Death, Child death, and Medical content
Moderate: Violence and Ableism
Minor: Sexual content
animaepanda's review
adventurous
emotional
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
I love the aroace and sapphic rep so much! :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Blood, and Colonisation
Moderate: Grief and Terminal illness
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Lesbophobia
The ace/arophobia is internalized ace/arophobia.nabecker13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
mandaoof's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The premise of the book was really appealing, and it was a fun read. But the characters while going through development, somehow I never gained an emotional connection to them. Multiple deaths in the book occurred and yet I never was sad over it. I think part of it was the multiple POV's- the author was busy building up a world and establishing characters while developing them. Things also moved pretty damn fast- the development and the plot. Like, if I I kept track of things right, things seem to have happened over a two week period or something? Without going into spoilers, that is a short time period for the characters to have dealt with what they did and come to healthy conclusions, overriding years of thinking.
However- the aroace scene? This aroace fucking loved it. Took a picture of it to send to some friends who are ace because I was just going 'yessss!!!!'. I just found it very ironic that the romance plot made me go 'ew' because of my small romance repulsion lmao. So if you are aromantic and reading this to see if you want to read it, don't if you experience romance repulsion to a decent degree. To be fair, it is a YA novel. I knew what I was risking.
Overall, it is a good read. I am going to be passing the book on to a friend whose reading tastes fits more so with this genre. I would also buy this book for any young teens in my life to read.
However- the aroace scene? This aroace fucking loved it. Took a picture of it to send to some friends who are ace because I was just going 'yessss!!!!'. I just found it very ironic that the romance plot made me go 'ew' because of my small romance repulsion lmao. So if you are aromantic and reading this to see if you want to read it, don't if you experience romance repulsion to a decent degree. To be fair, it is a YA novel. I knew what I was risking.
Overall, it is a good read. I am going to be passing the book on to a friend whose reading tastes fits more so with this genre. I would also buy this book for any young teens in my life to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
elwirax's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5/5
The blend of fantasy and Sc-fi in "Tarnished Are the Stars" was done really well and I adored the overall concept and atmosphere.I loved the sapphic romance (albeit the betrayal annoyed me) but what stole my heart was the Aro-Ace representation. I rarely see good Aro-Ace portrayals in media so it was great seeing a character I could relate to (Nathaniel was an absolute sweetheart).
However, the story started off quite strongly but was watered down as it progressed. Although there was definitely some good world building, it lacked a wee bit and left me with many questions surrounding the "adjacent Earth" and the workings of the TICCERS. There also didn't seem to be a lot of stakes, the characters trusted eachother too quickly and parts were a bit too convenient.
It's evident this is a debut with the many inconsistencies, yet, as a whole it was thoroughly enjoyable.
The blend of fantasy and Sc-fi in "Tarnished Are the Stars" was done really well and I adored the overall concept and atmosphere.I loved the sapphic romance (albeit the betrayal annoyed me) but what stole my heart was the Aro-Ace representation. I rarely see good Aro-Ace portrayals in media so it was great seeing a character I could relate to (Nathaniel was an absolute sweetheart).
However, the story started off quite strongly but was watered down as it progressed. Although there was definitely some good world building, it lacked a wee bit and left me with many questions surrounding the "adjacent Earth" and the workings of the TICCERS. There also didn't seem to be a lot of stakes, the characters trusted eachother too quickly and parts were a bit too convenient.
It's evident this is a debut with the many inconsistencies, yet, as a whole it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death and Blood
Minor: Medical content
massivepizzacrust's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A very quick read but worth it. I'll be picking up the next book from this author for sure. There are definitely some loose threads in the plot and I think the pacing could be more even, but I loved the characters and how they dealt with the expectations placed upon them. Also own voices ace rep!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Medical content