Fans of Castle in their Bones should be extremely happy with this awaited sequel.

Picking up right where CITB left off, our heroines have to deal with their lives after the loss of Sophie. Beatriz and Daphne are dealing with grief as the dark political themes of their story and relationships with their mother keep swirling. Though Beatriz is featured more this time and she is taking on the morally grey mantle. (Here for it!) The new POV, Violie is trying to keep her promises and stay afloat in her guilt while forming a friendship with Prince Leopold.

What I liked: I love how each main character has their own issues to work through and Laura Sebastain is a masterclass in character writing. She draws me into their lives, and her strong world building. I'm emotionally involved till the end.

What I thought could use work: It just seemed a little too long? But if I'm honest, it would never stop me from rereading because I'm looking forward to the third book.

STARDUST IN THEIR VEINS is available now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Stardust in Their Veins is the second novel in the Castles in Their Bones trilogy. As the story is continuous, readers should read the first novel before beginning this one to avoid any spoilers and to also gain background on how the story builds. Before beginning to look at the content, I will mention that the covers between the UK edition and US edition are different. While the extra blue in the US edition may standout on my bookshelf, the UK one matches the style of the first novel. Since the covers are mainly a publisher edition while an author usually just controls the content, I did not consider this when thinking about a rating and instead just noted it. Like the first novel, the story includes multiple POVs from the characters and takes place in multiple kingdoms.

After the events of the previous story, readers find the characters in vastly different places compared to the beginning. Princess Beatriz is now back in Bessemia, their home country, while Daphne is still in Friv. In addition to the two sisters, there is a POV from Viole, Sophie’s maid, who adds a new perspective to the story. With Sophronia gone, it was an interesting new dynamic between the different stories and how they interacted. Viole interacts with Leopold, and I enjoy their dynamic, although I hope this stays a friendship and no sudden romance develops. As for romance, Daphne and Bairre were cute and have a lot of chemistry. There is a lot of tension and obstacles between them to be together and I enjoy the push and pull of this relationship. There is not a lot of romantic moments, but this relationship still has a lot of potential and kept me curious to learn more. Beatriz and Pasquale have great chemistry, too with a very slow-burn romance forming between them.

This story is not quite my favorite compared to the first novel, but there is a lot there where I cannot wait to read more. The writing itself is immersive and was easily read in a single setting. There are some slow moments as the characters need to regroup from events in the first novel and set themselves up for the finale in the next novel. Each novel seems to highlight a sister with the first being Sephronia, the second being Beatriz, and the third will be Daphne. Since Daphne will be on the cover of the third novel, I cannot wait to see what it will look like and, of course, see how their stories end. Although this seemed to be Beatriz’s novel, it was overshadowed at times by the building up of the magic system. I enjoy Beatriz, but I loved the magic exploration a little more. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this sequel, and I cannot wait to read the next one!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

‘“You said it yourself–if Sophie and her sisters hatch a plan, the stars themselves can’t stand in their way. Where, exactly, do you think they learned that from?”’ - Leopold, from Stardust in Their Veins

I’m not in the habit of highlighting many lines in my first read-throughs of books. I want to enjoy the ride, you know? But I somehow knew this line wasn’t some throwaway line, and it ended up being the only line I notated so I could put it in my review because to me, this line sums up not only what went wrong in the first book, but it’s also what forges the bridge between the first and second book and it will be the through line from the second book and into the third and final book, but with a malicious and vengeful twist.

I know a lot of people were very upset with how the first book, Castles in Their Bones, ended, but I saw it as an inevitability, consistent with Sophronia’s character, and I knew both Daphne and Beatriz would need a strong catalyst to throw the rest of the story into motion. So I’m going to leave that issue there, because I want to talk about this book and not rehash the previous book.

Since we’re missing Sophronia from this book but these books are meant to be told from three POVs, this book is told from Daphne, Beatriz, and Violie’s (Sophronia’s maid and former spy for her mother in the previous book) POVs. Exactly why Violie was chosen isn’t truly vitally important until very late in the book, but it was still a wise choice, because Violie is truly a trained spy who knows how to play every role in a castle, from a lowly scullery maid to a princess. She was trained in much the same ways the princesses were, even though she came from a totally different way of life. That makes her indispensable to both Daphne and Beatriz, along with the importance of her keeping the vow she gave to Sophronia to keep Leopold safe.

Now, all told, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first book, but that’s not unusual with me and second books in trilogies. It’s a thing with me. There was a lot of ground to cover in this book. There were a lot of new characters to introduce and some characters who needed to exit stage left. There were plot lines to wrap up, plot lines to hustle along, and plot lines to introduce. There were matters that needed to be cleared up, matters that needed to be muddied, and matters that needed to be eliminated. It’s not easy to write a second book in a trilogy, because you’re in the middle of a chess game. And that’s especially true with this trilogy, where the Queen and the Princesses are all expert players. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything but plot, plot, and more plot, so worldbuilding, charm, magic, and any sort of romance seems to take a huge step back. In the first book, Sophronia and Beatriz got any and all of those things. In this book, Daphne has finally let her shell crack enough to let some people in to find a little friendship and romance in, and she’s starting to come to love and respect Friv and its people. Granted, she’s still a prickly pear, but once she lets the loss of Sophronia finally hit her and she has some important conversations she comes to realize that her mother may be wrong, and it kind of spins her world around.

The thing I love about Laura Sebastian–and have always loved about her–is her ability to write redemptive characters of all shapes and sizes. Yeah, your maid may have been a spy for your mother, but once she realizes your mom is wrong and explains herself, they aren’t stuck in purgatory. They can work for forgiveness. They may have planned to once kill you, but they decided not to, and they’re sorry and that’s what’s important. Are there people unworthy or redemption in Sebastian’s books? Yes, but there are also completely innocent people who are proud to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Sebastian’s books are all about balance. 256 shades of grey, and Laura Sebastian has a shade for every single character.

It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world, and Laura Sebastian wrote it. And I gladly read it. And you should read it too.

I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley and the author. All views and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Thank you.

File Under: YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance/Fantasy Series/Coming of Age/Young Adult/Fantasy/Fantasy Romance

I’m glad to have gotten to read this ARC. It’s not as strong as the first one I think, it felt a little slower paced like it could use a bit of editing. Still quite enjoyable with good interesting characters. It’s marked as teen but it’s one of those teen books that would be just fine for adult readers too. The characters are slightly younger but they don’t behave childishly and it really is more that there’s not excessive sex and explicit gory violence.

Daphne and Beatriz try to process their sister Sophronia's death. Daphne continues to dodge assassination attempts and makes another attempt at wedding Bairre while refusing to believe that her mother is responsible for her sister's death. Beatriz escapes from the Sororia with Nigellus's help and rescues Pasquale in the process. They happen upon Viole, King Leopold, and Ambrose in an inn and decide how to move forward now that they know the Empress wants her daughters dead. Who will survive to oppose the Empress and her plans?

Castles in Their Bones made it to my favorite books of 2022 list thanks to its excellent characters and high stakes political machinations, plus a killer ending. Naturally I couldn’t wait to get the sequel in my greedy little hands to see if Beatriz and Daphne could exact much deserved revenge. This proved to be an eventful sequel that didn’t suffer from middle book fatigue, but it didn’t quite give me the starry eyed sense of awe the first book imparted.
The story picks up shortly after the dramatic events concluding Castles in Their Bones and we find Beatriz trapped in a Cellarian sororia (nunnery) determined to escape so she can rescue Pasquale who is trapped in a similar situation. Daphne is still in frigid Friv, working with the rebels trying to depose their ruler. Violie, Sophronia’s maid and former spy for Empress Margaraux, has taken her place as the third POV character. She and Leopold escaped the rebels in the city of Kavelle but are now cautiously making their way to Cellaria through snow covered terrain. It’s fascinating to read about this cast of characters each facing their own dangers and I must say, rather satisfying when the groups converge.
Daphne stood out strongly as my favorite character this time around, though she seems as cold as Friv and determined to carry out her mother’s will. She and Bairre have this terribly tense, and agonizingly slow burn romance between them - neither can truly admit they care about the other because they know the mountain of secrets between them. Beatriz has an interesting arc, discovering more about her empyrea gifts which gives the reader much more insight on the magic system as a whole. I like the concept of wishing on a star to make a wish come true, but with the caveat that each wish literally pulls a star from the sky and they are therefore, finite resources. And then there’s the prophecy…the blood of stars and majesty spilled. The prophecy seems like it will play a much bigger role in the third book and wasn’t expounded upon much despite its frequent references. Violie’s role was that of protector, guide, and messenger which unfortunately underused her talents and when she did use them she bungled things. She hauled Leo around, served as messenger and spy for Beatriz, and ultimately helped out Daphne who in turn saved Violie at the end.
Overall, this was a solid sequel that gave plenty of answers but also created new questions. I like the direction the story is taking and I hope our trio of powerful ladies can conquer nations and vanquish their enemies. The pacing of this was much slower than that of the first book, I think largely due to the amount of traveling done. All of them were traveling either within or between countries and it was dull. I’m definitely planning to read the third book! Also, I’d like to just say, I’m really disappointed that the US edition’s cover changed - it looks awful! If I end up buying physical copies, I’ll be getting the UK editions.

SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE BELOW.

Now armed with the knowledge of her mother’s tyrannical plans to rule the whole continent at her daughters’ expense, Beatriz vows to fight back against her in order to honor her sister Sophronia’s memory. She’s entirely at odds with Daphne, the sister who’s very much still under their mother’s thumb. With the kings of both Temarin and Cellaria on the run, and Friv under Daphne’s gaze, it seems that the Empress’s plans to conquer will soon come to pass. But how much longer can Daphne turn a blind eye to the evils her mother is asking her to commit? Can Beatriz convince her sister to join the cause against her?

A worthy follow up to Castles in Their Bones, this installment picks up right where the first one left off. In the wake of Sophronia’s death, her friend and maid, Violie, takes over as the third narrator in this ever-shifting tale. The girls’ voices are as distinct as ever, and their perspectives change as new betrayals and bombshells come to light. I especially loved following Daphne and her conscience as she grappled with the reality in front of her that’s become too blatant to ignore. And Violie and Leopold’s unexpected friendship is a welcome addition to the three separate romances that dominated the first book.

The political intrigue is hiked up a notch, and it can be a bit of a brain teaser to remember who knows what and who is allied with whom – but a brain teaser that is nevertheless enjoyable to watch unfold. I can’t tell you how many times I wish I could just tell a character what another was thinking/doing/planning because the miscommunication and crossed lines manage to tweak heartstrings with surprising accuracy. I’d say certain content gives this one just a slighter darker tone that the first one, but easy to read and engrossing all the same.

The twists kept managing to surprise me, yet ANOTHER book in this series that ended in a cliffhanger that will pick at my brain until the third (and final?) installment is in my hands. I’m very excited and unendingly curious as to how the author will manage to wrap up all the remaining loose ends. Yet another novel by Laura Sebastian I won’t be able to put down. I highly recommend for fans of politically minded fantasy.

Content warning: kidnapping, poison, grief.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Stardust in Their Veins picks up just after the end of Castles in Their Bones, as we follow Beatriz and Daphne after the death of their sister.

This was a long book, and I say that both positively and negatively. On the one hand, I loved getting to know Beatriz and Daphne more, as well as getting acquainted with Violie's POV. A lot of this book's plot is staunchly rooted in political maneuvering and character, which is excellent for enrichment of the overall series-long story. On the other hand, not much actually happened. We pick up after a major event that forces the stakes to escalate, and then we watch the stakes escalate a tiny bit more, and that's it. It's just tension that increases slightly over time, with little to no minor resolutions. This is mostly forgivable, given that this is the second book in a series, but it did make those 570-ish pages feel extra long.

Even so, Castles in Their Bones remains a strong and memorable series, and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment!

Following the dramatic aftermath of Castle in Their Bones, Stardust in Their Veins follows the sisters as they try to survive the political upheaval that their mother has schemed and turn the tables.

It was definitely interesting hopping into this after the way the first book ended. Sebastian was bold enough to kill off one of her three heroines at the end of the first book, which heightened the stakes because of the precedent it set. The politics and moral questions raised in this sequel are still compelling and the remaining heroines set down their own very different journeys, but unfortunately, this feels a bit like a middle book dragging us along until we can reach the finale. Necessary, but not as fun as the first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC of this book! Spoilers for the first book in the series below. Go read Castle in Their Bones first!

Stardust in Their Veins is the sequel to Castles in Their Bones and continues right after the events of the first book and deals with the repercussions of them all. Daphne is still in denial that their mother would have caused Sophie's death, and that she would have been planning for their deaths all along. Beatriz is on the move and is trying to mess up their mother's plans without being obvious about it, or get killed along the way. Leopold and Viola are dealing with Sophie's death and trying to hide and convince Daphne of the truth. We learn more about star magic and Beatriz's extra specials powers. Their mother is truly the big bad evil in this series and I can't wait for them to take her down. This series is something you should read if you want a YA that focuses more on the political fantasy world than romances. The author still manages to surprise me in every book.

Stardust in Their Veins doesn't have as much action as the first book, in this one its more political intrigue now that Beatriz is aware of what her mother is up to, and she is trying to outmaneuver something her mother had in the works before the triplets were even born. She absolutely has her work cut out for her. Thankfully she has Pasquel and her other friends and some unlikely allies to help her.
This story is full of twists and turns and I was never sure how anything would play out.
I really enjoyed the addition of Vioile's POV, and while I initially didn't like Daphne very much, as she is very much her mother's daughter I really loved her character growth in this book. After all the reveals, and how it ended I can't wait to see how it's all going to end!

Excellent continuation to the series and I'm excited to see what happens next.

While I didn't enjoy this quite as much as book 1 (probably because there's a little bit less intrigue and mystery), I still really liked how the story developed. I was initially uncertain about the additional POV added in this book, but I came to really like Violie's POV and how it deepened the characters.

I'm still not perfectly clear on how stardust works or about some of the finer points of the worldbuilding, but I love the writing so much that I'm good with just going along for the journey without fully understanding everything.

Warning! This review contains Castles in Their Bone spoilers!!!


Stardust in Their Veins picks up after the conclusion of Castles in Their Bones. Sophronia has just died, Beatriz has been taken to the Solaria, and Daphne is the ever-obedient daughter, blindly following her mother's commands. A surprising twist is a new narrator in the story, Violie, Sophie's lady-in-waiting. Violie is desperately trying to obey Sophie's last wishes, helping Leopold to safety and assisting Sophie's sisters in any way she can. While I wanted to hate Viole, I couldn't, finding myself enjoying the character very much. The shift in her POV helped to ease the animosity I felt towards her after book one, and I'm eager to see how some of Violie's secrets unfold. Beatriz makes an unlikely ally setting a new and unexpected course for her and Pasquale. The devotion between the pair blossomed, making me love this duo even more than I did. And lastly, Daphne has to come to terms with Sophie's death and if she genuinely believes her mother was at fault. The tension between her and Bairre is electric, and I am rooting for the two to put aside their differences and team up.

We see more of Queen Eugenia's plan in this tale and learn more about how the stars blessed the triplets. The beautifully built worlds collide in this fantastic novel, showing that there are more pieces at play than Queen Eugenia. Rebel forces in Friv are creating quite a problem, as well as Nicolo and his sister. By the end of this novel, you will wonder how many chess games are being played and who the pawns are. Book 3 cannot come soon enough!

Thank you to Random House for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!

While I may not have consumed this book as quickly as the first one, it is still an enthralling story filled with deception, backstabbing and redemption. In Stardust in their Veins, we are thrown into the story to be immediately after the the cliffhanger in Castles in their Bones. While this story is similar to what is expected for the middle book in a trilogy (setting up the plot for the final book), it isn't without its fair share of puzzle pieces. We learn a lot more about the theological background of the world and find new alliances being formed. I found myself stressing that something crazy was going to happen that it had be on edge into the very last pages.

4/5 stars

An excellent continuation in a fascinating young adult political fantasy!

I especially enjoyed learning more about the magic system of stars, and the history surrounding the stars. The character growth, while frustrating at some points as the main characters accept their life of manipulation, was satisfying at the end.

While I thought the book was a bit long, the plot twists had me hanging onto every page! I’m excited to see how the author continues this story in the next book.

Thank you the publisher and net-galley for an ebook in exchange for my review.

I received an ARC of Stardust in Their Veins for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

After the action and adventure in the first book of the series, I had high hopes for Stardust in Their Veins. I won't say that I was disappointed, but there was a definite case of second-book syndrome. It just felt like nothing happened, plot-wise. The book was excellent, don't get me wrong. But there wasn't much in the way of things happening. There wasn't any action. And after the ending of Castles in Their Bones, I expected action.

Now, that was the only thing that I disliked about this book. I enjoyed the characters' interactions and the growth they all showed. I love Daphne and Beatriz and their ragtag group of friends they've gathered along the way. I even enjoyed the addition of the new point of view character, which I was not expecting. I won't spoil it and say who it is, but I after finding some things out, I understand why she was added.

I also still enjoyed the amount of plotting that the characters do. Each one of them has to think thirteen steps into the future because each of them has been trained to anticipate people's actions that far out, and it's crazy to see how it all comes together in the end.

And that ending! Again! I'm a little upset that I got to read this book early because now I have to wait even longer for the next one to come out. Even though I didn't like this one quite as much as the first, this is still a fantastic series, and the third book is now one of my most anticipated reads for the next year.

Not as strong of an installment as the first book, but still enjoyable for the most part!

While the focus of the story is controlling kingdoms, it's still light on the court politics, which I like. The scheming is done in a way that is accessible and doesn't get bogged down with mundane details or dense military strategy. I feel like this continues to make the actual manipulations more impactful. I also found all of the POVs to be equally interesting.

But the major weakness of this sequel is that it's too drawn out. The length is way too long and could definitely use some editing down. The plot and pacing also could be tweaked a bit more so that it's not as slow. It's just not as engaging and fun as the first book is.

But overall, I think readers who have remained invested in these characters and the story that began in ‘Castle in Their Bones’ should be looking forward to picking up this sequel.

Happy Thursday y'all! I hope everyone's been having a good week so far- mine has been busy, but great! Work wise, I've had so many projects to complete, personal life wise, I've had plans pretty much every night, which is a lot for me, and book wise, I've finished 3 books so far this week, which is great. One of those books was Stardust in Their Veins which comes out on Tuesday, 2/7, and is the 2nd book in the Castles in Their Bones series. Thank you so much to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of this book!
Stardust in Their Veins 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
Immerse yourself in the second book in a fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Princess series. The sequel to Castles in Their Bones is the story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown.
Princesses Beatriz and Daphne have lost their older sister, but their mother's grand scheme of taking the continent of Vesteria is far from complete. With the country of Temarin now under the Empress's control, only the nations of Cellaria and Friv remain free from her rule. What's worse, an ominous prophecy has begun to shine through the constellations: the blood of stars and majesty spilled.
Usurped by conniving cousins Nico and Gigi, Beatriz fears for her life, while in icy Friv, Daphne continues her shaky alliance with the rebels even as she struggles to stay a step ahead of them. But when an unlikely ally offers Beatriz a deal, she finds herself back in her mother's sights.
With enemies around every corner and the stars whispering of betrayal, Daphne and Beatriz can't trust anyone—least of all each other. If they've learned anything, though, it's that the Empress's game is constantly changing. And the arrival of surprise visitors from Temarin just might tip the scales in the princesses' favor . . . if they manage to avoid meeting their sister's fate before they can make their next move.
This was such a great sequel to Castles in Their Bones! While I didn't like it quite as much as I liked Castles in Their Bones, it was still a really great book where Empress Margeaux was still 5 steps ahead of her daughters at all times, no matter what Daphne and Beatriz thought. I really liked how in this book we got to see more of Daphne and her growth as a character. I also liked all of the Violie chapters and how large of a part she played in the book- I'm very excited to see where things go with her in book 3! I also enjoyed the revelations that Beatriz got about herself and who she is and what that means for the continent as a whole. I also really like Bairre and Pasquale and how they help their respective princesses grow and even Leopold grew on me in this book. I cannot wait to see where Laura Sebastian takes things in the next book! Make sure y'all keep up with everything these princesses are doing and everything their mother has planned by picking up Stardust in Their Veins as soon as it comes out on the 7th!

Overall I think those who loved the original installment will be satisfied with this second book. There were lots of twists and turns, different personalities of the POV characters, and some growth overall for characters and relationships.

However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book, and noticed the same problems with this one that I had hoped might be addressed. The first 75% of the plot is quite meandering. I continued to feel that the world was thinly drawn, the present tense 3rd person POV was clunky and awkward (I personal feel that choice needs very evocative prose like Addie Larue, which this book does not have). I also struggled to care as much about the characters (other than Daphne) as I felt I should, and it felt like it could have easily been 100 pages shorter with editing and less repetitive scenes.

I will likely read the final book because I’m still interested to know what happens (and see more from Daphne), but I will go in expecting these same issues.

I enjoyed the book just as much is the first, if not more! I really love the interesting world building and how this book takes place in multiple different countries, each so different with their own laws and political issues that effect everything Daphne and Beatrice do. It was well paced and had me on the edge of my seat at times never know what was going to come next. I am glad that Daphne started to finally believe her sister and choose the right side! After that ending, I can’t wait to see what is next for everyone!