Not a typical genre I am drawn too but this book had incredible detail and story telling. There was never really a point that I could have predicted happening and I mean that in the most incredible way - familiarity created and then blown apart in so many ways. Loved the writing style!

“She pictured her biting her lip hard enough to make it bleed pulling her hair until Cybil was gasping, pushing her against the trunk of the tree. Cybil felt as if her blood had gone molten, and her hand drifted between her legs. She pressed her fingers against herself, trembling, imagining Richter’s hand instead of her own. The fantasy was so clear in her mind she could hear that dark voice saying, My dear, if this was what you wanted, you need only have asked-“ - HELLOOO WLW

Miriam Richter is a powerful shadow entity that was created by humans for their own personal gain. Cybil Harding is a first daughter, which is a curse in their family that the first daughter has powers but also destruction surrounding them constantly.

This story takes place in three different settings, each with the same person, different names, different time line, all in England. Miriam yearns to take Cybil’s soul after finding out who she was and the power that leaks from her. Cybil has always been alone, family and friend wise, and would always notice the shadows that cling to her. Then, Miriam made herself appear to Cybil and Cybil eventually made a deal out of desperation and hatred. This deal sparked a hunt and chase throughout centuries.

WOW, this story is just wow. The emotions were there and you can genuinely feel each emotion throughout the book. The character development is phenomenal and you become to love/hate and also understand both Cybil and Miriam. Their love is truly toxic, beautiful, and a cat and mouse dynamic. I did love the wlw representation and how the characters never shy away from it. The ending was truly something that I never expected and was shocked to say the least. I will be looking forward to reading more books from this author!

This book will be great for anyone that enjoys gothic romance, LGBTQIAP+ representation , and a strong fmc. This book also reminded me of One Dark Window and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue with the shadow entities, so if you loved reading those two books, you would love reading this one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Natasha Siegel and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed the gothic, dark and very queer feel for this book. I was honestly so pulled into the story right from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. The way the author describes things is so captivating.

I very much enjoyed how the two FMC’s, Mariam and Cybil(Esther and Rosamund) were so fleshed out and how you could really connect with them. The toxic relationship they have threaded throughout 3 different lifetimes is so intriguing…I could feel the tension between them right from the beginning. I wasn’t sure throughout if I really liked Cybil/Esther/Rosamund but she was a very “human” character that you can just relate to and feel for. The way that Mariam kind of has to figure out all these new emotions she feels towards Cybil which she didn’t know she could feel.

The story was one that you don’t see much of but felt very thorough and was pretty easy to follow especially with the historical elements and magic. I did not see the ending coming but I feel like it was an interesting way to end it and hey, they ended up together (kind of) so i’m not that upset. The bits of horror was also a nice edition to the story.

Thank you Netgally and William Morrow books for this eARC for my honest review.

Ahhhh, Miriam creeped me out and this wasn’t for me. The soul eating was too close to cannibalism to me, I think, and that’s a scary topic for me. There was also a description of Miriam that her skin was pinned to her face??? 😟 She took different forms but I am too much of a wimp and couldn’t get the image out of my head.

I sincerely appreciate the advanced copy from the author, publisher, and NetGalley!

Check out this review on Fable
https://fable.co/review/dce27882-69da-4681-ab74-c76c80354635/share

As Many Souls as Stars is a powerful blend of historical fiction and personal resilience, weaving together themes of identity, persecution, and the strength of community. Siegel captures the emotional gravity of a time marked by fear and uncertainty while still managing to craft a story that feels deeply human and intimate.

The writing is both lyrical and accessible, drawing the reader into a world filled with difficult choices and quiet acts of bravery. Characters are developed with care, and while some moments lean a bit heavy on sentiment, the emotional core remains honest and impactful. The historical setting is vividly drawn without overwhelming the personal story, and the pacing stays consistent, allowing each major event to land with clarity.

The romance and relationships throughout are tender and nuanced, adding warmth and personal stakes to a story grounded in larger historical truths. While it doesn’t necessarily break new ground narratively, it delivers its message with conviction and heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Beautiful, sapphic, and Faustian—what more could you want?

As Many Souls as Stars hit all the right notes for me. I’ve been loving stories that follow souls meeting across lifetimes, and this one brought that concept to life with a darker, witchier twist that completely worked. The tone is gothic and moody, but what really drew me in was the aching, the longing—and the fact that it came from a character you wouldn’t expect to feel those things. Watching a villain unravel emotionally was one of the most compelling aspects of the book.

I’ve always been a sucker for a Faustian bargain, and this novel handled the theme in such a satisfying and inventive way. The twist at the end genuinely surprised me, and I loved how it recontextualized so much of what came before. It’s rare to be both enchanted and blindsided, but Natasha Siegel pulled it off beautifully.

This was my first book by Siegel, but it definitely won’t be my last. I can’t wait to explore more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy!

2.5 stars

I knew going into this that this book could go either way for me, and unfortunately it didn't go well, but it's still the kind of book I think a lot of people will enjoy.

As a First Daughter, Cybil Harding is cursed to bring death and destruction to all she touches, but her father is determined to end the family's curse once and for all. When her father's activities drawn the attention of a demon and a witch hunter comes to the house out for blood, Cybil makes a deal with the demon Miriam to be reborn and given another chance at breaking the curse, with Miriam consuming her soul if she fails.

I was a little worried off the bat because I like sapphic fantasy romances and demon deals but I don't tend to like anything witchy or gothic fantasies, so I knew the chances of me liking this were pretty 50/50. Unfortunately, I could tell almost immediately that I was going to fall on the negative side because it started off very witchy. The upsides are that it's pretty easy to read and in the last part of the book I thought the historical setting was great, but that couldn't save it.

I do think there are two genuine flaws to this book outside of my personal preferences. The first is just that the choice to tell this story linearly really makes it feel flat. I think if it had started on Cybil's second or third life and we got snapshots of what led them up until this point it would have been a much more actively compelling reading experience. The second is that Cybil and Miriam aren't super interesting characters and I think as a result of that there isn't really any chemistry and it feels very insta-love/lust. Both of them have moments. I think Miriam's exchange with Isaac in the second intermission was a brief moment where I felt like her character had some real color, but other than that she doesn't feel like she could exist outside of the story because all she thinks about is being a demon and all of her actions result from Cybil's actions. Cybil also has moments. I actually was starting to like her in the third part because I think she was more interesting for being jaded but that kind of ends up being a facade and she doesn't have much else going for her. The ending also felt like it was thought up last minute.

I have read a lot of really popular books that felt like this though, so actually I think a lot of people will like it. It's possible that I should just hit the ground running whenever I see a gothic fantasy romance because clearly this is not my subgenre.

Thank you to Natasha Siegel and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

(3.5 stars rounded up)

perhaps the thing my soul was missing was gorgeously-written, sapphic erotic horror all this time

despite what the title and premise may imply, "as many souls as stars" isn't really an adaptation of "faust", neither the marlowe nor goethe versions. beyond the basic premise of there being an ambiguously gay demon (...sort of. I'll get there) willing to make a deal for the protagonist's soul, the story and characters here are entirely original. if anything, I'd compare this book to the 2024 "nosferatu" directed by robert eggers. a beautiful and sensuous story about a deeply lonely young woman with immense repressed mystical capability who ends up attracting the attention of an ancient evil, who will do anything to have her. of course, in this book, said ancient evil also happens to be a hot lesbian, which naturally makes everything better.

the story plays out over three different time periods, each well-researched and fully-realized. the prose is lush and dramatic, if occasionally the dialogue leans into cliche. the sexual tension between the main characters is absolutely electric, which does a lot to make up for the fact that unfortunately I was never entirely convinced by the romantic elements at play. miriam, despite having half the POV, is a rather distant and mysterious character, which works incredibly well in the first half of the book, where she plays a role of simple fear and lust. however, her alien (and perhaps under-explored) psychology makes the back half of the book, which is built on the understanding of true romantic love between the protagonists, relatively weaker.

my last critique has to do with the fantasy elements. this book eschews the usual abrahamic lore around demons for a more agnostic approach. miriam is not truly a demon, but a collection of shadows. selling one's soul has no promise of eternal damnation, it just seems to... kill you? not only does it make for a messy magic system (which gets rather confusing in the finale), the lack of religious weight to the characters' actions removes a lot of what makes faustian bargain stories interesting, in my opinion. but I'll freely admit that this is in many ways a matter of personal preference.

ultimately, I still really enjoyed this book, and found it compelling enough to read through unusually quickly. fans of historical fiction and erotic horror (some other reviewers called this a dark romance, that may be a more accurate term) will find a lot to enjoy here, I just think it could have been a lot stronger.

"Magic is a simple trade; light for darkness."


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Thank you to the author, William Morrow Publishing, and Net Galley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I was captivated by the protagonist, Cybil Harding, from the first chapter. She is a First Daughter in a line of witches—where the first born is the only one with power. But girl witches are cursed with uncontrollable power that is a threat to all they love. Normally, infant girls are left in the woods for the wolves, but Cybil’s father thinks of himself as a “Saint” and that he has the power of the angels that will empower him to remove the curse.

“If the first seed is that of Eve, ruin shall take root. The branches of House Harding shall wither and fall.”

When Cybil begins to show magical abilities, her father attempts to train her. However, Cybil shows no command over any powers. Undeterred, he attempts to summon and bind a shadow demon to assist him in removing the curse.

We learn that magic is a bargain that is made in trade with the shadows. For each favor they provide, a sliver of the witch's soul is devoured. Cybil, and those before her, chose not to embrace the shadows that whisper to them—which leads to unfortunate events manifesting when they are is distress. Thus the curse.

Our antagonist is Miriam Richter, a creation of magic summoned from shadows.

Her materiality was entirely the result of the intention of her creators. They had signed a pact designed to create a demon, and Miriam was the demon they had envisaged. That was why she was subject to ludicrous laws like salt circles and deal making; she was the moon, reflecting others light.



Miriam is drawn to Cybil as her soul is a brightly shining beacon—a feast for centuries. She hungers for Cybil’s soul more than anything else, and is willing to be patient in its pursuit.

Miriam repeatedly tries to trick Cybil into a Faustian bargain, but Cybil steadfastly refuses. There is nothing that Miriam can offer that Cybil desires. That is until she promises her a life free of the curse.

This story has similar elements to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue , but is an entirely different tale. The young women in these two stories are intelligent and fiercely independent but also lonely. They have a strange attraction to the Shadow demon which offers them a deal, but both women use their wits to win the upper hand in any bargaining. While TILoAL was set in 1700’s France (in the Age of Enlightenment), this tale begins in the Elizabethan period near Ipswich, England (~1590’s) —at a time when “witch hunters” are executing women for all manner of offenses.

This story is also different in that the main character is reincarnated, and thus a different person with lingering memories of the past. However, I did not find the timelines of Esther (1813 London) or Rosamund (1920s- Transatlantic ship) as compelling as Cybil's.

Beginning with the Esther timeline, we see elements of a dark attraction between Ester and Miriam. A longing that neither quite understands, but is powerless to ignore.

"You are mad," Esther said.
"Does that scare you?"
"No," she replied. "In a way, it is a relief. Madness has long been a solitary art for me. It will be a comfort to share it."


But Esther does not remember her prior life as Cybil, only dreamlike glimpses of the past. They give her a sense of foreboding and a wariness where Miriam Richter is concerned.

"Have you ever had a dream so beautiful that when you woke, you wept?"
Richter's smile widened. "Do I feel like a dream?"
"No, Esther said, "you feel like the moment I wake up."



This is not the case with the next First Daughter reincarnation, Rosamund. She comes into the world knowing, and with three souls powering her magic, she is quite formidable. She hides herself from Miriam in order to plan for their inevitable encounter.

“Machiavelli once said that the best way to defeat an enemy is to do voluntarily what she plans to make your do by force.”



By the time I got to Rosamund's story, I was ready for the ending. While the prose was wonderful, I grew tired of the cat and mouse between the characters and was more interested in the resolution than the lead-up events. While TILoAL gave us a character growth and a building story that invested the reader in her plan to best her demon, the character changes in this story break that type of continuity. Still this story was beautifully written and anyone who appreciates a good Faustian tale will enjoy this book.

Not sure how I can get over such a toxic and hateful love being so beautifully written. May that kind of love never find me 🤣

Really enjoyed the style and concept of this story. Cybil’s story had me hooked. I had a harder time connecting to Esther and Rosamund’s stories.

I was pleasantly surprised in the ending, and thought things wrapped up better than anticipated.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

As Many Souls as Stars is a sharp, emotional, and beautifully executed speculative romance. Natasha Siegel takes a high-concept premise—a cursed witch and an immortal demon locked in a chase across lifetimes—and turns it into something intimate, character-driven, and surprisingly moving.

Cybil and Miriam’s relationship is the clear core of the book: complicated, obsessive, and layered with tension. Every time they meet, something shifts, and watching their dynamic evolve is half the thrill. The stakes are personal even when the story spans centuries, and the emotional payoff lands.

The prose is genuinely beautiful—clear, elegant, and immersive without ever being overwrought. It makes the book a joy to spend time in. Even when the story turns dark or heavy, the writing keeps you rooted, making every scene feel vivid and intentional.

If you liked the themes of Addie LaRue but wanted a story that leaned further into darkness, queer romance, and tighter plotting, this is one to pick up. Atmospheric, romantic, and well worth your time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is going to be one of my top books for 2025 for sure. This Is How You Lose The Time War wrapped up in a macabre now with all the gothic elements you can literally touch. The prose in this is so stunning. Can’t wait to get a physical copy!

3.5, rounded up (it feels wrong to round down, but I don’t know)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked the bones of this story: a witch makes a pact with a demon (kinda sorta, it’s complicated) for her soul, and I thought it was executed in a rather interesting way. The prose is downright beautiful (and full of more colons and m-dashes than you can shake a hat at), and I thought the pacing was fine. The first bit of the book wasn’t my favorite so it took me a little bit to get into, but I think it got better as it went on.

I thought the writing of the characters was good for the most part, particularly Miriam (I’m a sucker for morally gray-leaning black characters), and I liked her back and forth with Harding. The romance between Harding and Miriam ranged from good to alright, depending on the scenes, but it tended towards good. That ending though. Damn. That alone made me bump it up half a star. If you’re looking for a sapphic romance with a good ol’ Faustian bargain and darker elements, I’d recommend this book.

2.5 rounded up.

I'll start with the good: gorgeous writing, very fascinating concept, and I was utterly hooked, reading this in two days. Especially part 1 was so, so good.

But the bad: this entire story hinges on the relationship between Cybil and Richter, and I just never bought into it. Cybil seems straight-up bipolar the way she goes between her behaviors towards Richter, and not in a fun, toxic way, or a dark romance way, but just bad, inconsistent writing.

I would've liked more time with Rosamund, but things were starting to feel very repetitive towards the end. So maybe I would've liked it to be different, heh.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

Harding and Richter's story is absolutely breathtaking.

The author's devastatingly gorgeous prose envelops you in a haunting, gothic world of magic, feminine rage, social politics and power, and a truly epic, dark love story that tears its way across three lifetimes. Harding is the blinding light to Richter's endless darkness—a witch taught to curse her power and commit herself to a life of social ostracism in a world that demands women make themselves small and weak, and swiftly crushes those who do not. Miriam Richter is a morally grey, enigmatic shadow demon resigned to wandering the world forever alone until she develops an insatiable hunger to unravel the conundrum that is Cybil Harding and witness the entirety of her being, hidden deep beneath a lifetime of fear and cold indifference.

In addition to the unique setting and characters, the emotional complexity of this book does their relationship justice, as we get to witness these two become enemies, friends, and lovers—often simultaneously—many times over throughout their journey. They are one another's destruction and salvation. Their love, hate, desire, anger, and fear are as inextricably linked as their existence is to each other. Miriam's moments of raw, sometimes violent, yearning while she tries to decide whether she wants to consume, worship, or ruin Harding were among my favorite parts of this book.

This was everything I needed, and more, in a dark, fantasy romance. The plot was unique, the emotions were complex and beautifully written, the banter was amazing, and Miriam Richter's mouth had me absolutely sat. It should definitely be on your TBR this year!

Thank you to the author, William Morrow Publishing, and Net Galley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for giving me an ARC of this book. Now I just LOVE LOVE LOVE a dark gothic romance, and here we have toxic lesbians who are just obsessed with each other, that effortlessly morphs into a dark romance across three lifetimes, well, one of them is immortal. The writing is beautiful, poetic, creative and draws you in - I loved the style and it is very obvious this book was a labor of love for the author.

I had the privilege of reading this book ARC. I was incredibly intrigued by the book description to begin with. I loved a queer friendly love story meets fantasy. The ending was certainly unexpected, but a lovely way to wrap up this story line. The three different time periods I felt a bit challenged by because each one felt too short for different reasons.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for the chance to read this in advance in exchange for my honest opinion.

As many souls as stars is overwhelmingly melancholic. I cannot think of a better way to describe this book. Every page is poetry, and will continue to live within my thoughts for a long time after reading this.

Cybil, the unloved and cursed daughter is full of so much rage that it is almost— almost bursting at the seams. Much like the boughs of the trees she breaks, her spirit is initially broken.

Miriam, our other “almost” female main character is the opposite. Overwhelmed with driving, vicious hunger, she is insatiable.

Both of these women are born into a legacy that craves destruction. Finding each other in every reincarnation becomes a game with an incredible prize. A way to break the curse attached to a first born daughter.

This was an incredible read and I find myself so very sad (in the best kind of way) after finishing it. You won’t regret picking this up.

4.25

These characters are TOXIC and I really couldn’t have had a better time with them. I’m not sure if I have ever read something where the lovers truly hate each other and find joy in each other's suffering as much as Miriam and Harding. Yet they also quite obviously cannot resist each other. Even with their destructive relationship, you find yourself just as enthralled by them as they are by each other.

My only (mild) issue was the pacing. The very beginning had me intrigued. After the first few chapters there was a lull until about 35% and then I was HOOKED.

The cover is so gorgeous, I can’t wait to have it on my shelf! But don’t let the whimsical vibes fool you. This book is DARK, a little gothic, and maybe even a little horror? Whatever it is, I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this eARC.

Somehow, a book about toxic, miserable lesbians that ruin the lives of everyone around them turned into a romance I could somewhat root for? Miriam is a shadow-devil-thing, and Cybil/Esther/Rosamund is a somewhat cursed sort-of witch. While I wish the author had done more to flesh out the magic system in this book, she did a good job showing the alienation from their surroundings someone might experience after living three times over five centuries. The conflict's resolution was clever and something I genuinely didn't see coming, resulting in a hopeful ending.
Poor Isaac and Walt. They deserved better.