3🌶️ 4⭐️
* Enemies to lovers
* Fated Mates
* Slowww burn
* Touch-her-and-💀

When Princess Elara is kidnapped into an enemy kingdom she is forced to ally with her former foe, Prince Lorenzo, to plot the destruction of the Stars, the Gods and Goddesses who rule mercilessly over the kingdoms and their subjects.

Elara and Lorenzo are both more than what they seem, born enemies they both have powers and secrets buried deep. As they grow closer, their destinies become entwined in unexpected ways as they prepare to battle celestial war, prophesy and their own predetermined fates…

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!

I admittedly did a whole 180 on this book. I felt it started slow, I didn’t immediately warm to the characters and magic system. BUT, when it got going I really began to enjoy it! The 🌶️ was moderate but well done and the slow burn was 👌🏻. As a fantasy, I would maybe rate it lower, I felt it lacked some world building, but reading through a romance lens it was so good so all in all rounds off as a really solid Romantasy!

I’m looking forward to the continuation of Elara and Enzo’s story in Fallen Stars ✨.

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK and Viking UK for letting me review this ARC.

The story follows Elara and Lorenzo who are royalty from enemy kingdoms. This book had everything I could want in a fantasy book: a prophecy, scheming characters, a cool magic system and amazing side characters. The banter between our two main characters made me blush at some points and kick my feet giggling at other points.

The last 30% of this book were a wild ride with so many twists and turns that kept me on my toes, I literally couldn’t put it down. You know it’s a great book when you stay up late to finish it! I just can’t believe that we’ll have to wait a year for the next one!

I will say that the pacing felt a bit off in the middle of the book, and there were some parts that probably could’ve been removed/made shorter. However, they all added to Enzo and Elara’s characters and their relationship, so I still really enjoyed them.

If you’re looking for your next Romantasy book with strong female characters, an intriguing magic system and plot twists that make you gasp out loud this book is for you.

3/5 stars! The concept of this book was really strong and I enjoyed the narrative energy of it. I struggled more with trying to figure out what this book wanted to be. Was it trying to be a YA fantasy story? Did it aspire to be romantasy? It felt like it was stuck between genres, which in turn made it a confusing read. I think it wanted to be dark fantasy but didn't know how to deliver. Because of this, I couldn't figure out how to judge it. I think it was squarely average. There were parts I really enjoyed and other points that felt super young (again if trying to be YA then cool). But there were sections of romance that sparked and sizzled and others that had no energy (if not trying to be romantasy, confusing). There was an edge of depth and risk that lended itself to dark fantasy, but then nothing ever backed that up. It was all over the place, so I have to leave it squarely at a 3 star read until the author decides what their books are supposed to be and cements the storytelling to match their chosen genre.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Summary

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5

I’m going to preface this review and say that the indie version of this book will forever be my favourite book. Hence the rating. However, I do think some of the new traditional edits I was a little sad to see some of my favourite scenes cut and I do think that ended having direct impact on some of the character’s portrayals. The new additions to the book have been great but I really do wish they’d kept everything else in as it added so much to the story.

That being said. Imani weaves such a beautifully magical story of star crossed lovers with elemental and celestial magic bound by a cruel fate. I love both Elara and Enzo and feel they have really well fleshed out characters. Elara is as dark and sarcastic as she is brutal and Enzo is as powerful and charming as he is the protective hero.

I love the world of Celestia and it really feels like home when you read the book because the world building and magic systems are so well done. But honestly the thing I love most about this story is the brutally honest and accurate depreciation of grief and despair. When people view depression as sadness that’s not always the case, sometimes it’s the absolute black hole and void of any emotion at all and feels so much worse. So to have that represented in a book hit really deep.

The plot twists throughout the second half will have you reeling and overall this is a stunning debut fantasy romance and excellent start to what promises to be an epic series.

The cutting of scenes between Merissa, Isra and Elara (in particular scenes like the developing of female friendship whilst teaching Elara how to dance) have left the supporting characters lacking in substance and personality. Their friendship is so much less believable and that make me so sad especially with how important that is to the story of the next book.
It also makes Elara's whole personality very Enzo focused which is disappointing as that's not how she presents in the original version.

The wash over of Isra's sexual orientation was also disappointing. Again from that same scene referenced above it added depth to her character and made her more personable and was great representation for others like myself in the LGBTQ community so it's truly sad to lose that.

I really hope when editing the second book the publisher puts it to more alpha/ beta readers and preferably ones who have read the original indie version.

Wow, wow, wow! Honestly, why have I not read this book sooner? It deserves a solid 6 stars! From start to finish, this book kept me guessing and hooked. I couldn't put it down!

I can't wait to read the second book. I'll spend the next month thinking about so many different points in this book, it's unreal.

If you like any of the below, you will absolutely adore this book:
- Shadow Mama
- Light Daddy
- Prophecy
- Gods, celestial beings, stars, angels, flying lions
- Kickass fight scenes
- Seers
- The exploration of past traumas for both the male and female main characters
- Fated Mates

And so much more! Honestly, if I could recommend only one book this year, I have to say it's this one. IT'S AMAZING! 👏🙌👌❤️

Thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and ARC of this fabulous story.

Now I need all the special edition in existence 🤣 pray for my wallet 🙏 😩

I will be posting my review on release day on instagram, goodreads, amazon

Easily one of the best books I have read this year.

I adore everything about this book. The tension between Elara and Enzo oozes from the page. I am a sucker for a good side character and this book gave us 3 of the best.

It's been a good while since I had a book that had me falling in love with it before the halfway point but there were so many moments that I couldn't breathe, I was grinning like a fool or I was texting my friends gushing about these characters and this world.

I need more.

I really enjoyed this one. There was a bit of a lag in the middle that i thought was dragged out but overall definitely one of the better romantasy books that have come out.
There were some moments that felt too easy, lacked real danger and Elara and Enzo’s time “training” felt a little weak but i was invested in them as characters and really liked their personalities so it didnt matter too much what they got up to. I liked the build up to their relationship although how Elara could deny her feelings for so long was beyond me cause Enzo was super cute and funny the whole time. I liked the smut/romance in this and largely thankful that it was a tad more adult with its language than some other outings ive read. Its very isolated in that it feels like its just back and forth between the main characters but when we did get exposure to the secondary characters, i didnt enjoy them as well. Excited enough about it to read the sequel and i ordered the special editions cause i would like to have this on my shelf for keepsies. A fun outing!

Really strong storyline and I loved the magic system. I felt like each of the cities that worshipped different gods were unique and fun to explore. I do wish we got to see more of them and go a bit more into the magic that differs. I loved the characters, especially the side characters. I liked how involved they were and weren't just props for the plot.

However, I found that the romance was too fast-paced and was a means to an end with ticking off tropes. The attraction was instant and hardly enemies to lovers. Still enjoyable, but the tension wasn't carried through for long enough for the big moment to feel like WOW FINALLY.

I went into this book with zero expectations and wow I was pleasantly surprised! I really like original world-building, mixing Zodiac with Olympian mythology was a move that I wasn’t expecting to like but it was beautifully done. I liked the slow-burning romance and enemies to lovers theme. Some of the plot twists held me in suspense until the very end! Can’t wait for next book if there’s any in the works!

This book was my whole world until I finished it! Absolutely beautifully written, it’s in third person which at first I was unsure about but it’s perfect!!
It literally has you in a grip and on the edge of your seat!! I don’t even know where to go from here.. I absolutely loved it! Even though this is an arc read I am still awaiting my preorder physical book for my shelf.
I can’t wait for book 2 and continue elara’s and enzos story.
I’m normally a slowish reader and the fact I finished the book in 3 days shows how I simply couldn’t put it down, when I had too, I couldn’t stop thinking about it!
It’s a massive 5 star must read!!!!!

4.5 Stars rounded up!

'You know the most dangerous kind of villain?' she whispered. 'A woman with nothing left to lose'.

wow I really didn't know what to expect going into this book as I've seen a lot of mixed reviews but I really loved it! The world and magic system is really unique. I loved the story, I loved the characters and loved the romance between the FMC and MMC.

Cruel stars rule over the world and our FMC Elara has been cursed by a prophecy that states 'she will fall in love with a star, and it will kill them both' . When the star learns of this prophecy he descends to wreck havoc killing Elara's parents and forcing her to flee into the neighbouring kingdom who houses her enemy. When the King learns Elara could not be killed by the star he forces her to train with his son Enzo (the prince) .

The tension and banter between Enzo and Elara was *chefs kiss* I loved them together and the will they won't they was so good. My only negative was I felt that the romance was a tad fast past at the start I would have preferred abit more build up so it seems it all of a sudden happened if that make sense? Despite this I loved their story. The way Enzo looked after Elara after she was kidnapped and the way he worshipped her and literally who burn the world from her was everything.

I also absolutely love Merissa and Isra both are such strong female characters in their own right and I love the trio. I'm really intrigued to see what happened's in the next book with the 3 of them.

Also that ending? The star disappearing? Enzo left in the dreamscape? Us not knowing if he's dead or alive really? NEXT BOOK NOW PLZ

Enemies to lovers is always a win for me!

I struggled to get into it to begin with, but it was definitely worth persevering.

Clever world building where not everything is what you expect.

So happy to have this book on pre-order. I can't wait to read books 2 and 3!

I really enjoyed the first half of this book and really thought I was heading towards a high rating. Unfortunately then it seemed to go downhill. There were so many scenes that felt rushed and were very anticlimactic. At 55% we had a scene that I would have thought would have been the dramatic ending. Everytime we got into a tricky situation it was solved within 2 chapters or so, I just wanted a bit more from those parts, more anticipation, more tension. I did really enjoy Elara as a character and definitely swooned at Enzo a lot 😍 overall it wasn’t a bad book but definitely parts that could have improved to make it great!

This is a great book for someone who is looking to dive into fantasy but doesn’t know where to start. Especially for those who primarily read romance, the romance focused plot allows the reader to acclimate to the world building without being completely overwhelmed.

What I didn’t like: it felt like the pacing was overwhelming and out of sorts, I found myself going back and rereading pages, because I felt a little lost. It also seemed as though the book was centred around adding as many tropes as possible to the plot, which made the story feel a little disingenuous.

Overall I enjoyed the relationship between Enzo and Elara, it was electric and filled with banter and absolutely so enjoyable to read, and I am absolutely looking forward to reading the next book

“Elara, you are my soulmate. Do you think that something as fragile as fate would keep me from you? I defy the stars.”

What to expect:

Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
Found family
Prophesies
Soulmates
Touch him/her and die
Star crossed lovers
Celestial Gods and Stars

I was fully invested from page one and remained hooked until the end. The world building, the characters, the romance and plot were everything I wanted from a romantasy!

I need book two after that ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK and Imani Erriu for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found lots to love about Heavenly Bodies - not least a fierce princess, supportive (and artistic) prince and some great secondary characters. The whole piece is full of colours, energy and descriptions that bring the different countries and settings to vivid life. The villains are 'boo when they enter the room' bad, while the heroes are full of bravery and integrity. The book felt a little overlong and had a bit too much thrown in - some points seemed important but were never revisited. But overall I had a great time reading.

The twist at the end (presumably setting up book number two) wasn't something I saw coming from miles away so that was a great 'oh wow' moment for me and I certainly want to find out what happens next. Note this doesn't end on a cliffhanger but there are elements of the story which are still to be tied up and whole new areas to explore.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin UK and the author for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.

Star crossed lovers and celestial vibes - this is one of my favourite series! PLUS, if you love banter and epic side characters, you'll love this! 5 Stars!

heavy on the "roman" and easy on the "tasy" for this trope filled romantasy. An enjoyable easy read but not particularly unique in its storytelling.

Heavenly Bodies is one of the best books I've read this year. Want to fall into a romantasy that makes you escape so deeply into another world? Great characters, enemies to lovers, fate, spice and a unique storyline. Ticks all the boxes, you will not be disappointed.

I massively enjoyed this book and finished it within a day. The story follows Elara, who is at the centre of a prophecy that fortells she will fall in love with the King of Stars and it will kill them both. When one descends to cause havoc in her kingdom, Elara is forced to flee to the neighbouring kingdom which is home to her enemies. Whilst there Elara is forced by the king to team up with Prince Enzo in order to hone her powers to become their kingdom’s weapon.

This story was so much fun and I devoured it so quickly. Elara is actually a really likable main character. She’s strong, confident and smart. She’s quick witted and is also quite level headed. She knows who and where to point her anger. She holds her own which I really appreciated. She’s a character that fights for what she believes in. I also really loved how even though she is such a strong character, she had her vulnerable moments. I particularly enjoyed how the author handled her grief. I think that was really well done.

Enzo, the male protagonist is just exactly what you want. He’s charming, flirty, sarcastic and protective. If you like the “who did this to you” trope then I’m sure you’re gonna love him. He’s fearless and surprisingly emotionally intelligent for a male protagonist in a romantasy book. He knows when to push and when to be comforting. The amount of times this man had me giggling kicking my feet. I’m obsessed. He’s also so down bad for Elara it’s embarrassing.

This book definitely focuses more on the romance than on the plot which isn’t a bad thing because the romance is well done. I wouldn’t say it’s a slow burn at all but i did appreciate how well the tension was done. It was actually refreshing to see how good at communicating Elara and Enzo are. There were quite a few moments that could have lead to miscommunication but they are so open and honest and actually talk through their feelings that the trope was avoided. I also just loved their banter and little snipes at each other. They’ve got a great push and pull.
The side characters were also really likable. I love Leo and I need more of him asap.

As for the plot, I think it has a good base. You’re not overloaded with lore on this world but you have enough to understand it. I do think sometimes the pacing was a little off and the last part of the book, the plot kind of goes a little wayward but not enough to ruin my experience. The idea of stars and celestials and heavenly beings is so much fun in books and I really love how the author incorporated it in this book. The twists and turns towards the end did surprise me at times and the way it ends has me on the edge of my seat waiting for more.

Overall, a really enjoyable book and I can’t wait to read the sequel.