Shoutout to the folks over at NetGalley for the ARC.

These Wicked Stars focuses on Hazel Blackthorn, who enters the story as a Cinderella-esque character who is almost comically poorly treated by her family due to her parentage. We meet her aunt, cousin, and her fiancé, Linus. Hazel has a particularly rough night at a ball and makes a deal with a man at an inn and makes her way into the Bazaar. There, she meets some friendly faces (and some less friendly faces) as she undergoes a series of trials to help her escape the Bazaar - with both her prize and her life.

I really wanted to love this book, I promise. I love the idea of a magical portal to another world full of mystery is such an appealing concept to me. This book was frustrating to read - it feels silly to call a book "scripted" because, of course it is, it's a book - but all the dialogue and interactions felt so forced and awkward, like you're being dragged along the story for the sake of the plot rather than exploring it naturally. Upon entering the Bazaar, Hazel accepts an offered drink from a stranger that turns out to be somehow drugged, and refuses to pay part of her soul for what she took. This scene gets brought up a ton despite not feeling very important when you read it. It's touted as this sign that Hazel is "different" because she didn't pay a piece of her soul (I put in my notes #notlikeothergirls vibes)... but honestly, she was offered the drink, and I find it hard to believe that she's the first one to put up a fight when being told she has to pay her soul for what seemed to be a gift.

Afterwards, Hazel sleeps off her bad drink in the inn, wakes up to a gift from a mysterious "Zaire", and has a chat with Saskia, the innkeep, about what to do next. The dialogue feels scripted, like I mentioned before, but I could have gotten over it if not for this:

"There was a note from someone named Zaire."
Saskia's face paled. She looked towards the palace once before she slammed the shutters closed and picked up another set of glasses to wipe down. Her movements were sharp and deliberate. My stomach pooled into a tight knot.
"Should I be afraid?" I asked.
"It am sure it is nothing," Saskia said, but her eyes looked troubled.

Hazel then CHANGES THE TOPIC. Girl? A mysterious someone broke into your room and left you a present and his mere NAME puts Saskia on edge, and you ask no further questions? Oh, right, because "no one in the Bazaar can be trusted"?? How weird, because this doesn't stop her from asking everybody any other questions, only the plot-critical ones seem to be off-limits. Hazel navigates through this story uninterested in learning anything that would point you to the seemingly obvious outcome of the story. Another instance is when she is speaking to Arae, the Lord of the Underworld, who says:

"Given your blood, you should not be allowed to enter my home. And yet here you stand, alive and well."
"My blood?"
"Indeed. You are a walking contradiction. Zaire could use your abilities well."

Hazel: Oh, thanks! That clears everything up, no further questions! I would actually like to learn about the other gods now, if that's okay.

Girlie? Huh? Having Hazel being almost deliberately obtuse about who she is - we as readers know that it's obviously important for the plot - made me dislike her so immensely that, when we get to the end, she FINALLY pieces it all together, and she says "And I never made the damning connection." I said, out loud to my empty apartment, "Of course you didn't, you actively avoided knowing!"

My dislike of Hazel aside, the other characters fell sort of flat. I have fewer examples to back this up because it's more of a "vibe" for me, but we all saw Linus's betrayal from a mile away, and we saw Cassian as a shifty protector, we saw Zaire as a power-hungry ruler, and then surprise! Cassian has a twist about his loyalties that isn't really a twist and gave me the impression that it was supposed to be more dramatic than it was. Zaire, particularly, was a disappointment for me - he is introduced as this cool and calculating ruler who was always a step ahead. And yet at the very end, after Zaire has handed her the immortality well water and is once again bullying her into being queen:

[Hazel says,] "I have considered your offer," I said, forcing a sly smile onto my lips. "Perhaps you are right. I will show my family, my island, everyone, that they were wrong about me. They will fear me. Respect me."
"You see, then, the appeal of what I am offering," Zaire grinned, swiping the two goblets from the low table and setting them in front of us. "As a goddess and my queen, we will finally have the power to rule both worlds together and crush the old gods for good."

This entire interaction made me roll my eyes out of my head. She's spent this entire novel yelling that she would never be his queen, because he was a horrible murderer and she hates him so much, weh weh weh, and then suddenly in the span of a conversation she does a complete 180 and with a "sly smile" and "lowered lashes" and a "trailed my hand down his arm", he thinks she's in love with him and wants to rule? No way the man lived and ruled for a thousand years and is still an absolute numbskull. Next day's headline: Local God duped by a literal teenager doing the bare minimum.

Okay. Flat/dislikeable characters aside, this book is just... not well written. In a scene where Hazel has been running through the Bazaar trying to get to the palace, she turns around and we get this line:

The tavern stood behind me, small enough that it looked like a child's toy.

It seems innocuous, but if she's been running through the Bazaar, described as market stalls and tents, how can she still see it? I'd get it if she were running uphill to the palace, but she's very much still in the market at this point and I shouldn't be tripping up on little lines like this.

There's another couple bits, while they're in the Underworld after Finbarr gets rocked. Cassian says:

"I don't enjoy his death, Hazel. I am not a god. I cannot help him. I'm not Zaire."

Choppy sentences aside, he says this on the next page:

"...even Zaire couldn't save him."

Okay? So why bring up Zaire in the first place? The book is riddled with little instances like this that aren't cataclysmic by any means, but the were enough to make me go "wait, huh?" and it forced me out of the story and made me think about all the nonsense this book put in for the sake of ✨dramatics✨ that felt unnecessary and frivolous.

I caught two grammatical/syntax goofs in the Kindle version as well - "their ego's, you know", and "You were a traitor who to my father who made dangerous deals." Again, not world-ending but annoying to catch in a book.

Overall, two stars because it was a cool concept and it's easy to read, even if it is unpolished. I didn't hate it as much as I hated other books I read this year.

This book was interesting and I loved the world building of the Bazaar! I had some inkling of where things were headed, but there were quite a few surprises to keep me very interested. This book is about a girl who makes a deal with a man to go a Bazaar that happens once every 30 years when the seven planets align. The man is in need of a medicine to save his sick wife and he asks the FMC (Hazel) to retrieve it. The Bazaar is a unique "between-the-worlds" place that plays on human desires. Hazel makes some friends along the way and learns about herself as well. Very good!

This is a YA Fantasy with adventure, romance, and has very good world-building.

**REVIEW!!***
These Wicked Stars by Catelyn Wilson // Pub date 10/31/2022
**4 stars** ⭐

Hazel is an outcast, a bastard child of her disgraced dead mother and a no name sailor. She plans to marry her secret fiance but finds out that he has to marry her cousin instead because of her family money. When she believes all hope is lost, she meets a man who offers her riches in exchange for visiting the mythical Bazaar and bringing him medicine for his wife. Hazel agrees and enters the Bazaar only to find out nothing is as it seems. Hazel finds herself in the sights of the King of the Bazaar and races against time to find out what the king wants and make it out of the Bazaar before it's too late.

My thoughts:
I was so excited to read this ARC and couldn't wait to share my feedback!
This is a fantastic fantasy/mythical read with twists and turns all around. In the Bazaar, anything is possible...for a price.
The magical Bazaar is mysterious and full of tricks and monsters that challenge Hazel while on her mission. I was sucked in rooting for her and wondering what she could possibly encounter next. A fun and enchanting work of fiction filled with mystery, a desperate race against time, and a dash of romance. The writing is very well done and the descriptions are captivating.
Already looking forward to book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was very intriguing! The protagonist, Hazel, is a very sympathetic character. The book is about her journey through the mystical Bazaar, to gain magical water to help a kind stranger and to fulfill her dream of having the money to be with her fiancee.

The cast of characters is both vast and small at the same time; there is a colorful background cast of intriguing beings that Hazel sees throughout the market, but there are only a few ‘main’ characters that she interacts with. They’re solidly fleshed out and have their own stories that would be wonderful to see explored further. The Bazaar is wonderfully descriptive and alive and easily visualized. You’re almost there with the drunken crowds and loud parties and you feel Hazel’s confusion and frustration as she struggles to navigate the Bazaar.

There is a romance in the story that is charming and lovely and you keep on the edge of your seat, wondering where it is going to end up. The ending takes you by surprise and it leaves you wanting for more. Catelyn Wilson weaves mythology and legend together until it resembles something entirely new. This is definitely a story to read over and over again. ‘You’ll be intrigued by both the King of the Bazaar and Hazel and never know where it’s going to end up.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next book.

Writing: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
World Building: 4/5

Warnings: Violence, Death

Themes: Fantasy, Adventure

I really liked the story and the magical world in These Wicked Stars. Immediately in the first chapter I was pulled in and couldn’t put it down. There were a couple of times something didn’t click in my brain and I had to re-read a section but it was still enjoyable to read. Hazel was a relatable character and even though there were a few times I wanted to reach in and shake some sense into her I could still see it as a necessity of her character growth. The magic in this world was fun to learn and read about.

This book is great for anyone who wants to read about a girl who gets lost in a magical world and who is trying to find out who she is and where she belongs.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a clever idea but between the stock characters, familiar plot, confused worldbuilding, and FMC who's unbelievable naive, this just wasn't a winner.

𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩. 𝘔𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵.

Monsters: 5/5
Redemption: 3/5
Sacrifice: 3/5
Plot Twists: 3/5
Love: 3/5

Hades & Persephone elements meets Caraval - that's what I would call These Wicked Stars. The starting of the story was reminiscent of Caraval though the plot and characters completely stand on their own and their sea port city is much different.

Hazel is a nobody, a girl with no standing, but what she does have is integrity, her heart and one of the kindest souls. She is nowhere as naive as some FMCs at the start of a novel are but she is an incredible realist with a sense of fantasy. Though when reality sets in, that's when she's forced to rethink her life and the possibilities that exist in the world.

Thrust into an enchanted world, Hazel has to navigate a Bazaar of bizarre entities and oddities - along with creatures and acquaintances to consider trusting. While there wasn't a large number of characters, it was enough to help develop and cement who these people are and the role they play in the Bazaar, and in Hazel's life.

While Hazel's backstory was quite predictable, you don't really get to know the how and why until much later.

The mystery of Zaire and Cassian while alluring, only scratches the surface so far and we don't get to see a deeper glimpse into their origins. Nothing really particularly stood out to me in terms of character motivations or internal struggles. It felt like we were running around the Bazaar and everyone was just there playing a part - though I would love to see more backstory in later books in the series.

The ending while not really a cliffhanger, still had some elements reminiscent of Caraval - I'm hoping that as the series goes on, it won't be too identical in that aspect, as there's so many ways this story can go seeing how the world setting is already very different (Arabian Nights vibes).

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for this eARC!

3.5 rounded to 4 stars

The beginning started out great, but the middle felt dragged-out and became boring, and there was just too much happening in the end. I loved the world and the magic, but I personally did not care for the romance. Overall, would recommend.

A dark, dirty, sad and mystical world of righteously imprisoned gods. A dark side to every deal. I would have loved more of the mysterious bizarre.

"What once was reality fled. In its place was a world of myth and legend that reeked of magic, secrets, and sin. And I realized the truth. I had stumbled into the Bazaar."

Can't wait to the next book. I really hope there is one. I loved it all. The world, the gods, the magic, the mystic creatures, the romanceeeeeeee. I got hooked from the beginning and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Hazel was amazing and so strong, so selfless. I really like reading through her. The secrets and the mistery, let's say that I was not expecting most of it. I'm going to love to see where hazels life will go after that ending. So ready for the next.

“What do you know about love?” I turned to him suddenly, and he nearly ran me over. “You live in a world full of lies, deceit, and selfishness. You’ve never loved anyone. You’re as old as Zaire and just as cruel.”

“If you know what you want, you will never find it”
“Do not sell what you cannot part with and do not buy what which price is too dear”
“I had stumbled into the Bazaar”
I am in love !!! This book just became one of my most anticipated release do this year!!!
A NA fantasy book that was the Percy combination of Caraval and Alice in Wonderland, with some undercurrent romance coming directly from OUABH !!!
I absolutely loved this book!!!
The Bazaar was so much like Caraval, it was scary and amazing at the same time!!!
Making bargains with strangers and getting through a maze, only to be loved and appreciated from people around her, Hazel will have to face something that she never expected to deal with, both when it comes to the ones she loves and who she actually is !!!
This book had an amazing writing style and actually a plot I couldn’t help but get lost into.
These characters were amazing friends to meet and I honestly hope for this story to continue and meet them all again !!!
I also fell for a certain character, whose name I’m not going to say … BUT HE IS SO FINE!!
“The Bazaar collects forgotten things”
“Don’t give up yet, Hazel. Despair doesn’t suit you”

This started out as Cinderella, but it’s more of a mix of that, Caraval (Stephanie Garber), the labyrinth and a dash of Hades and Persephone. I found the FMC was a little too trusting, especially of hooded men in dark cloaks offering more money she would know what to do with. But I enjoyed the story, the world building of the bazaar, the bazaar merchants and the adventure of it all. I’m definitely interested in continuing this adventure in the next book.

Hmmmm so what are my thoughts? When is the second book coming out!?!

Hazels character immediately tugged at my heart strings. Neglected, badly abused, forgotten and betrayed, she persevered.

I loved the budding romance between Cassian and Hazel. It’s a slow burn and is not filled with smut. (I appreciated that). You really could see them starting to fall for one another and they were not wrapped up in a blaze of lust.

Zaire was a bad guy through and through. I loved to hate him. I loved the world of the Bazaar and what felt like whimsical magic and the old magic of the gods.

Will Cassian’s home he as fantastic and magical? I need to know!

PS I want to know what happens to that weasel Linus!

Yup- I definitely need a second book.

I received this eARC from NetGalley. I want to purchase this book for my own collection when it comes out - that’s how much enjoyed it.

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book and it the first book I've ever really annotated while reading. The setting was interesting and I really enjoyed the side characters (my favorite is Saskia.) Now this is a book that if you read alot of fantasy you will know where it's going. The insta love romance didn't really make sense to me and I'd be interested in reading this from Cassian view to see the thoughts behind it. The main character I found to be kind of 2 dimensional until the end when she kind of figures something out about herself.
This book as a whole was like if Sookie from true blood got sent to Caraval. I'm interested to see how the story progresses in the next one and what happens to the side characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing company for an eARC of this title.

Once Upon a Broken Heart meets The Labyrinth in a beautiful start to a new series that features mystery, mythical wonder, and the occasional heartbreak. When Hazel's love must marry another, she sets on a mission to ensure she can have her happy ending. When a mysterious man guarantees her endless riches if she can retrieve something from the castle in the mystical Nightfall Bazaar, she sees the solution to all her problems. But the Bazaar and its king have secrets and a plan of their own for her.

These Wicked Stars was an enjoyable, straightforward read with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end. Paired with a leading character fighting for love, both her own and others, it creates a stunning adventure that readers will devour in one sitting.

Readers may find it a bit predictable, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story.

Overall, I rated These Wicked Stars four out of five stars. The ending was satisfying while still leaving the reader craving more answers.

These Wicked Stars is a perfect read for those who enjoy upper YA fantasy filled with a little mystery and a lot of mutual pining.

3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

<b> "'All you truly need to know is this: find the palace of the King of the Bazaar on the highest hill." </b>

<i> These Wicked Stars </i> is the first novel in a Young Adult Fantasy Romance series, following the character Hazel Blackthorn, a young women who has spent her life as an outcast because she is the product of adultery. When faced with the loss of her beloved because he must wed to save his family's wealth, Hazel takes on entering the infamous Bazaar, a place of power and temptation that once held the gods. She needs to find a mysterious medicine for her benefactor and, during her first day, draws the interest of the King of the Bazaar. She will need all her wits about her to uncover the mysteries behind this magic place and return to her world before she becomes trapped by the king and his silver-tongued lies.

Hazel is a young and, initially, naive girl. She idolizes her fiance and fails to see the writing on the walls. Her entering the Bazaar and seeing it for what it truly was was an eye-opening moment. I enjoyed seeing her gain knowledge and become strong. This was a truly character's journey for her and the story isn't even done yet.

Linus, her fiance, is a very one dimensional character and he felt predictable. Now, Cassian was a fascinating male character that I wish we could have dug deeper into as he balances between wanting to help Hazel but also be subservient to the King of the Bazaar. This is a low steam, no spice book but I saw glimpse of something blossoming - time will tell if it expands into the next book. Cassian contrasts the King of Bazaar really well and their story stuck with me. Overall, I felt the characters, separately, were interesting but their relationships weren't as well articulated so I couldn't invest in them like I usually do.

<b> "'Anyone who comes to the Bazaar is searching for something for themselves. Usually, they find it...By the time travellers reach my tavern, they are usually missing at least half their soul. You are the only one I have met that is still whole.'" </b>

In terms of plot, I felt some pacing was a little off as we moved into the middle of the book - I kind of felt lost on what was happening. The ending really ramped up towards the end I really enjoyed the twists that were there. I also felt some of the side characters did a great job pushing along the story, especially when we consider the Hazel begins this journey rather clueless. She needed people to start her journey and the interactions that progressed the story made sense to me.

Overall, I found <i> These Wicked Stars </i> to be a good YA fantasy book that reminded me of fairy tales and <i> Stardust </i>. The romance is low but there is a fascinating world opening up and the ending makes me curious to see how the conflict will continue moving forward.

This review is based off an ARC received from Netgalley.

I really liked the beginning, then it got boring in the middle, and there was too much happening at the end. I liked the main character and the love interest as separate characters, but I didn't care about their relationship. Overall, this was an ok start to a series.

I received this book for free on Net Galley while browsing the New Adult Section.

Although this is an entirely original tale (as far as I know), the author does an excellent job mimicking that fairy tale feel. The MC, Hazel Blackthorn, makes for a compelling heroine. Hazel's desire for love and to rise above the shame of her illegitimate birth make the reader root for her success.

This tale involves a magic Bazar that only appears once every 30 years, where everything one desires is on sale, but the only currency accepted is a part of your soul. It was like the opening scene of Stardust, and I dug it. (Honestly, I wished we spent a little more time pursuing what was on offer at the Bazar.) And the book was never explicit or original in detailing what losing a part of one's soul would mean.

The two main characters other than Hazel (Zaire and Capsian) were ciphers, though part of that is the difficulty in portraying 1000-year-old quasi-immortals.

I enjoyed the lush, lyrical prose and Hazel's POV, but I am unsure if I will pick up the follow-up books

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for sending me this e-arc in exchange for a honest review! All opinions are my own.
I wanna start with that I find the cover to be so pretty and was one of the factors of me requesting this book. I also found the synopsis interesting almost reminding me of Caraval. Unfortunately I could not connect to the characters at all. In a hero’s journey it starts with character leaving home, often being foolish making horrible decisions and most often have a big flaw (that they get tested later and learn from their mistakes), for our main character, Hazel, her flaw happened to be too trusting and needing to be desired. Hazel gets constantly tested throughout the book and she keeps failing, every person she meets she trusts, the only reason that she wasn’t betrayed was because the other person didn’t do it but Hazel herself never questions herself. I honestly think that if we would’ve seen some growth from this it would’ve improved but it just makes her character flat, and boring, I did not sympathise with her I did not care if she got hurt or what would happen to her.
The other thing that first seemed interesting was the idea of the bazaar to be open for 7 days but unfortunately there was some days (literally the first day) that felt sooo long there was just too many descriptions that it made me put the book down and take a break. I think if the introduction was shorten it would make the story flow better. I understand we need the information to understand but it was too much for just one scene.
This book also contains insta love which is why I say that Hazel didn’t learn of her mistakes because she just wanted to be loved and honestly just stayed with the first person who showed some interest in her which is literally the same problem she had with the other guy.
Overall this book had potential it just needs a shorter introduction and add growth to characters. Would I read a (the?) sequel? Probably not as I couldn’t connect to the characters to actually be invested to see what happens to them.

Hazel Blackthorne is despised on her island. The bastard daughter of her mother and an unknown sailor, Hazel dreams of marrying her secret fiancé, Linus, to escape the cruelty of her aunt's home. However, her plans are dashed when during the Alignment festival, the engagement of her cousin and Linus is announced! Turns out Linus's father is bankrupt and the only way to recoup the loss is to marry rich.

Desperate for a chance to save Linus Hazel does the unthinkable, she accepts a mysterious offer and enters the Bazaar. The mystical marketplace where anyone can find what they desire but, of course, for a price. Now, time is running out and Hazel must find the one thing she came for or risk the Bazaar keeping her soul. Is love worth the price? She's about to find out.

In the vein of Stephanie Garber and Sarah J. Maas with a hint of Stardust thrown in for good measure, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick but very entertaining read. There are a lot of twists and turns and I'm not just talking about Hazel trying to navigate the Bazaar (Some you don't see coming and some you do because that's the way reading goes). Packed full of romance, self-discovery, betrayal, myth, and of course a cloaked in black figure...I think you should pick up THESE WICKED STARS when it hit shelves.

Thank you to Net Galley and Independent for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.