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Harding and Richter's story is absolutely breathtaking and heartbreaking. Their love is gothic, toxic, deadly and enthralling. Siegel never shied away from how truly terrible and dangerous their romance was. Because to say it’s an unhealthy and obsessive romance is an understatement.

If you’ve read Siegel's previous two books, this one definitely different. There’s a lot more magic and fantastical elements, but her writing is still as poetic and beautiful as her other books.

Highly recommend!

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Lesbian English majors rejoice—we have an actual, gorgeously sapphic Dr. Faustus in our midst.

Thanks very much to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

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Natasha Siegel’s As Many Souls as Stars is a stunning feat of romantic fantasy—at once sweeping and intimate, haunting and tender. It’s a story that feels carved from stardust and shadow, perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, but with its own fierce, witchy heartbeat.

In Cybil Harding, we meet a girl cursed by birth and bound by legacy—powerful, bright, and defiant in a world that’s determined to break her. In Miriam Richter, we meet a demon made of longing and loneliness—immortal, hungry, and devastatingly human beneath the darkness. When their lives collide in 1592, it sparks a centuries-long chase, a soul-deep connection that defies time, logic, and even fate.

Their bargain—reincarnation for a soul—sets the stage for a gorgeously gothic game of cat and mouse, where every new life brings them closer to something neither dares to name: love, maybe, or something even more dangerous. The tension between them is exquisite, threaded with yearning, rage, and a fragile kind of hope. Think enemies-to-lovers, but across lifetimes, and with actual soul-bargaining on the line.

Siegel’s prose is atmospheric and lyrical, effortlessly shifting between timelines while anchoring everything in deeply felt emotion. The magic is rich and shadowy, but never overwhelms the story’s beating heart: two women navigating the unbearable weight of immortality, grief, and love.

💫 As Many Souls as Stars is a gothic epic and a tender meditation on fate, freedom, and the power of choosing each other—again and again. Let it enchant you, and don’t be surprised if it leaves a mark.

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This is the second book I have read by Natasha Siegel (The first was THE PHOENIX BRIDE, which I loved) and luckily this one did not disappoint. The author has a beautiful way of transporting the reader into the story through gorgeous prose and I know I'm always going to get an intense, well-crafted story from her. I loved the cat-and-mouse element of this book, as well as the fantastic queer representation, and how Seigel has such a unique brand of historical fiction.

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I wasn’t sure what drew me to As Many Souls as Stars, but something about it called to me the same way Miriam called to Cybil across time. This book being compared to Addie LaRue feels both accurate and inaccurate—while the changing world and Faustian deal were still there, the bond between Miriam and Cybil felt more tenuous, more like a choice each kept making over and over to return to the other even if out of spite. It’s the kind of book that whispers in your ear, walks in your dreams. It’s been haunting me since I finished it.

I really loved Siegel’s attention to all the little details in each time period. I can only imagine the research that went into each timeline and the worlds around them. All the winks and nudges that Cybil was and wasn’t the girl Miriam was waiting for, all the will-they-won’t-they made it almost impossible to put the book down even to sleep.

Above all else, I loved Cybil. I loved her wit, her brain, her compassion and self-sacrificing streak. I loved the complexity of her relationship with Miriam and how they became stuck in this ouroboros of love and hate, catch and chase. I loved how they completed each other as much as they repelled each other. I love that queer love and same-sex sexual relationships have become more common in fantasy and the way Siegel tackled each scene. I loved the ending, when I put the book down and rubbed at the goosebumps on my arms.

I loved this book deeply. Natasha Siegel has nabbed herself a lifelong fan, first in line for the preorder.

If you like toxic lesbians caught in a centuries long watching-and-waiting game, ancient magic and deals with the devil, you need to preorder this book today.

Thank you to William Morrow Books for this beautiful ARC and to Natasha Siegel for such a beautiful story!

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Cybil is a cursed woman. A first born Harding daughter will always bring ruin. And even as she fights against the idea of the curse, men and society force her into this narrative. Meanwhile, Miriam, a demon bent on consuming souls, sees the brightness of Cybil’s and starts a quest to consume her soul. Bargains and centuries later, the two are still at odds with sexual tension to match the threatening tone of their relationship.

This book revels in the tension of these two hungry women in a world filled with violent and dismissive men. But at its core, this book is about what it means to love someone, and I’m still questioning the answer. Or even if there is an answer.

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the gothic vibes are VIBING. This was a beautiful and poetic ride of a story, and adding toxic sapphics in there was the icing on top of the cake.

I loved the world building and atmosphere, but some of the story felt a little repetitive. Overall, it was an interesting and unique plot, so I enjoyed it.


I 100% recommend this book! It hits basically all of the right notes.

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I truly think this book may be one of the best ones I've read.

The women in this story bring a fire that starts small and becomes an inferno. Natasha Siegel gives us loneliness and pain in a palpable manner. Cybil's yearning for the love of her parents, the urge to be free from the yoke of the burdens they put on her. Esther's wishes to be able to show the love she deeply feels without fear. Rosamund's desire to bring an end to a pantomime stretching centuries.

In the center of it all, Miriam Richter. A woman brought to being through arrogance and pain. The eye of the hurricane that batters and breaks what it touches.

These four threads weave a rich tapestry that is captivating and haunting. One that definitely has me wanting to start the story over again, and again.

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Huge thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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A family curse, a Faustian deal, a mutual obsession that reaches through multiple lifetimes, AND its sapphic? Immediately yes.

Cybil Harding is born into a life of loneliness, grief, and melancholy as the misfortunate first born daughter of a family plagued by an ancient curse. Miriam Richter is the physical manifestation of darkness, summoned into being ages ago and burdened with an ancient curse of her own - immortality (and an insatiable hunger for souls). The two meet when Ritcher finds herself in the Harding home and crosses paths with Cybil, whose soul burns far brighter than any other Richter has ever come across, and she is determined to make a feast of it. Chaos ensues, and she makes a deal with Cybil in exchange for her deliciously luminous soul: another chance at life, so that she can try to break her family’s curse. But reincarnation only seems to amplify Cybil’s powers, and Richter is left chasing her across multiple lifetimes in an attempt to claim what was promised to her.

The writing is evocative, and I’m so impressed by how well developed the relationship between Harding and Richter was. The centuries-long mutual obsession and yearning were palpable. It’s said that opoosites attract, and this is especially true for light and darkness - as the two are all the more stark when contrasted by one another. I did feel like the pacing was a bit slow at times, but that could’ve just been because I was so eager to see how it’d end (and oh man, that ending!!)

I was admittedly hesitant when I saw this marketed toward lovers of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue since I wasn’t a fan of that one, but this story had everything I personally felt like the former was missing and I’m so glad I gave it a chance.

This was overall a fantastic read, and I’ve already recommended it to multiple people who are now eagerly awaiting its release on Nov 25!

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Finally, some toxic representation for the sapphic relationships out here in fiction!! As Many Souls As Stars is the story of Miriam and Cybil, a demon-adjacent and human respectively, but also so much more. I adored the way Siegel wrote Miriam's loose connection with existence, really shaping her to be a creature that is otherworldly and driven by entirely different motivations that a human couldn't even start to consider. On top of all that, we have that delicious helping of ennui which I am NEVER mad about. Cybil, the human counterpart, is part of your standard fantasy puritanical society, and together they are horrific. Mariam wants her soul, Cybil wants a break.

Except the story goes beyond these two, because as Cybil's arc began to wrap, I kept checking my progress to make sure something wasn't broken. I was barely a third, if that, through the book. When part 2 started, and I came to realize this was a story of recinarnation, I literally pumped my fist into the air. From there we see the soul that Miriam craves transform, living multiple lives that have a strong characterization that reminds you it started as Cybil, but now is someone new. I cannot recommend this read enough!

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3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is another case of the vision was better than what was written. The beginning had me and chokehold. I love a toxic lesbian story, especially with reincarnation and an immortal creature, but once Sybil died the first time, I grew bored, especially during her reincarnation as Rosemond. The obsession felt very flat and I think calling it a cat and mouse chase was too high of an expectation for the actual delivery. The writing was very very beautiful and I wish I felt similarly towards the relationships that Siegel portrayed.

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As someone who has really enjoyed Siegel's first two works, I honestly believed I would absolutely adore this one. Turns out, I'm not really one to enjoy toxic yuri all that much.

But, as always, Siegel's writing is gorgeous and luscious. I've previously only consumed Siegel's books in audiobook format, but the author's style still stands out well on its own without narration. There was more of a gothic flare to the writing here specifically, because of the Faustian nature of the story, which only exemplifies the sheer amount of angst drenched in this story.

The main characters, Miriam and Cybil (And reincarnations), didn't intrigue me like her previous leads. I rarely enjoy love/hate romances as is, but I had faith in Siegel to win me over with this couple, at least. And she did for the first two lives, as the contrast between Miriam's relationship to Cybil compared to Esther, the second life, to be very interesting. Then the third half felt really dragged out, and I wasn't much invested in it til the last chapter. Also, Cybil's feelings on Miriam went back and forth a lot, so much so it felt very inconsistent and contradictory. Maybe that's the appeal of a love/hate, toxic romance relationship, but, as I said, I just wasn't into it.

Overall, even with the beautiful prose, I couldn't get behind the central romance. I definitely plan to keep following Siegel's career; I can only hope I will enjoy whatever she publishes next.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Natasha Siegel, and William Morrow for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars

This book is the epitome of a historical novel with gothic elements. The writing is beautiful, it draws the reader into their transcending and tumultuous relationship. I'm loving these kinds of books that have been released or will be released in 2025. I thought the storyline and magic system were unique, featuring a witch and an immortal demon. I did have a hard time connecting with the characters. I could have used more time with Cybil each time she reincarnated. It would have also helped to understand the periods she was born into. It did lose some of my attention a little in Cybil's last reincarnation at the 75% mark. It felt like things started to drag. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading more of Natasha Siegel's works in the future. I highly recommend this book if you loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or These Immortal Truths.

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As Many Souls As Stars gives us the story of Cybil Harding and her ties to the dark and mysterious entity Miriam Ritcher while Cybil tries to break the cycle of her family’s curse. The curse is that every first born daughter will be a witch but she will bring nothing but unfortunate events and death to those close to her. A bargain is struck between the two and over many lifetimes they have a dark, seductive attraction and fascination with one another.

I loved this, the book kept me wondering the whole time where the next chapter would take me. I’d describe this as a gothic-sapphic dark romance spanning multiple lifetimes.

This book sets its tone by highlighting the effects of loss, melancholy and love found in unseen places. The ending has stayed with me and the novel left me feeling vulnerable and seen in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Thank you to Harper Collin’s on NetGalley for providing me with an eARC!

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4.5 out of 5 stars!

4.5 out of 5 stars. this is the sapphic violence and anger and twisted love i needed thank u for this FEAST

full review below:

As Many Souls As Stars is a phenomenal, hauntingly beautiful read—dark, suspenseful, and brimming with queer yearning that spans centuries. From the very first page, I was captivated by the twisted, toxic entanglement between the two main characters. It’s the kind of slow-burning, soul-binding connection that’s painful, intimate, and impossible to look away from.

Siegel masterfully builds an atmosphere that will feel familiar to fans of V.E. Schwab: rich, immersive, and tinged with both magic and melancholy. The book walks the line between historical and fantastical with ease, weaving themes of obsession, power, and fate into a story that lingers long after the final page.

At a perfect length, it never feels rushed or overindulgent—it delivers exactly what it needs to, while still leaving you aching for more. I don’t believe a sequel is planned, but I wish there were, just to keep their story going!

Highly recommended for fantasy readers who love their stories dark, sapphic, and dripping with atmosphere.

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This was beautiful! Loved the magic lore, and the storytelling. It was well-written, and intriguing. A delightful escape!

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Natasha, your words are so poetic and the story was PHENOMENAL. I fell in love so fast and I am obsessed with the characters and the story line.

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As Many Souls As Stars is a sapphic dark fantasy that follows the story of a young woman plagued by a family curse and haunted by a demon set on consuming her soul. The writing is beautiful and the unique concept initially drew me in. Cybil's part of the story in particular had me in a choke-hold. However the pacing felt off as we went on and overall the writing and the romantic storyline began to feel repetitive. By the time we've reached Rosamund's story the excitement I initially felt with this book had lost its grip on my attention.

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4.75 ⭐️

For fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, but make it gothic and throw in some toxic lesbian witches. 😗👌🏼

“You believe love is submission,” Cybil replied. “If that is so, then how can he ever love you back?”

“…You saw the magic that followed you, you heard the fear of those around you, and you blamed them, blamed yourself. In your moments of anger, perhaps, the shadows tried to please you; but most darkness, darling, is nothing compared to that which lies in men’s hearts.”

The prose in this book was so beautifully done. Those two quotes are just a few of the many highlighted passages I made. This book had a powerful message of self fulfilling prophecies and the AUDACITY of men to project their own misfortune and tragedy on the fault of women.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC. An absolute gem!

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Acknowledgements: This book was given to me as an eARC, by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and Ms Siegel for this opportunity.

Trigger Warnings: Violence, assault, death, toxic romance, anti-religious themes and commentary

Summary: 1592. Cybil Harding is a First Daughter. Cursed to bring disaster to those around her, she is trapped in a house with a mother paralyzed by grief and a father willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of magic.

Miriam Richter is a creature of shadow. Forged by the dark arts many years ago, she is doomed to exist for eternity and destined to be alone—killing mortals and consuming their souls for sustenance. Everything changes when she meets Cybil, whose soul shines with a light so bright, she must claim it for herself. She offers a bargain: she will grant Cybil reincarnation in exchange for her soul.

Thus begins a dance across centuries as Miriam seeks Cybil in every lifetime to claim her prize. Cybil isn’t inclined to play by the rules, but when it becomes clear that Miriam holds the key to breaking her family curse, Cybil finds that—for the first time in her many lives—she might have the upper hand. As they circle each other, drawn together inescapably as light and dark, the bond forged between them grows stronger. In their battle for dominance, only one of them can win—but perhaps they can’t survive without each other.

Personal Thoughts: Look, I’m not going to lie, hot demon/morally grey lesbians are one of my weaknesses. Miriam is absolutely eating and I 100% support women’s wrongs, here. Cybil is cunning and intelligent, and despite her desires, Ms Siegel portrays her strength in such a way that I was living for the clashes and banter between her and Miriam. For about 75% of the book.

I will say that I felt like the story had reached a good conclusion, then kept going and this happened at least twice. I kept checking my page count, like, how many more pages do I have to GO, it says I’m only 87% of the way through HOW, the book is oVER.

I absolutely loved the characters though, they were given care, depth, and personalities that stayed consistent throughout. The prose was spot on, deeply unique, and absolutely beautiful. I loved so many of the lines, they packed a sucker punch into every other paragraph.

Though I would describe this book as low fantasy, the “magic system” such as it was, seemed way more realistic than it had any right to, and it just made sense, it seemed like it could be real, like I could check out books on it from a library and learn it. In my opinion, that’s one of the hardest things to do in a book when you’re creating your own mythos, magic and legends.

As a play on the Faustian demon-bargain, it really, really worked. Curses, souls, magic and demons are abound in this book so if that’s your deal, I recommend this book immediately. 3.5/5, rounded up to 4/5.

AL

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