I adored this book. It was so unique and gorgeous. I've never read anything else like it! In my booktok review I wrote "beautifully written force of nature chases her witch girlfriend through multiple reincarnations to try and eat her soul--yum!" and credited Net Galley with giving me access to a pre-release copy.

As Many Souls as Stars is a rare, gothic story that delivers tension, toxicity, and depth. It examines the pull between light and dark, as well as the thin line between love and hatred. It’s a tale about the ordeal of being known, and I was on the edge of my seat. At first, I didn’t find Miriam complex enough, whereas Cybil became more layered and formidable with each rebirth. But slowly, I realized that Miriam did as well. They were so poetically intertwined, the perfect mirrors of each other, that one could not evolve without the other. This is a beautifully and intricately written book. I admired how each historical setting was purposeful rather than just aesthetic too. Cybil, Esther, and Rosamund have to contend with witch hunts and societal expectations in addition to their curse. All of these things pose an equal barrier to her accepting her true nature and coming into her power, which makes the story feel more raw and real. I really have nothing bad to say about this, other than the word “mayhap” was used way too many times. It didn’t quite have that 5 star spark (it’s probably a ~4.5) for me, but it undoubtedly could for others. Reminiscent of S. T. Gibson and V. E. Schwab, Natasha Siegel will be an author to watch for me from here on out!

Reading a dark, sensual, gothic Faustian novel in the spring was oddly perfect. The prose is velvety rich with descriptions I legit gasped over.

I was hooked from the start when we first meet Miriam Richter, the shadow that is the catalyst of this tale. She is summoned by Cybil Harding's father in a ritual and meets the soul she will scour the earth to devour. Cybil is cursed as a First Daughter of her family. Cybil wants to be free of her curse but also burn the world down and Miriam wants nothing more than to give her what she desires.

The story spans centuries with the deal the two strike together. This was the part that lost me until about 35% through. Cybil didn't appeal to me much; I wanted more fire from her and not only literal fire.

But then we meet Esther and the plot twists and turns and picks up the pace. Her and Miriam's connection is volatile and beautiful, Esther has a fierce spirit, unlike Cybil, and made me interested in the battle between her and Miriam, their attraction and the deal with the devil that keeps them apart. I dove right in, experiencing the lust and love between them. The horrors that Esther's cousin keeps in his bedroom.

Then it lost me again. It did feel a bit redundant once we meet Rosamund. The chase could have been faster and more urgent. Miriam never seemed in a rush or a dire situation. Which I suppose adds to the fire of their attraction; Miriam wants her soul but also her. It's an incredibly sensual lust that happens between the two women and I think this book appeals to anyone on the romantasy train. However, the back and forth grew tiresome.

While the latter half of the book and ending fell flat for me, the writing is gorgeous and the story is classic. I loved the lore of the Harding family and the mystery of Miriam. This will certainly not be my last Natasha Siegel book.

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

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review.

I would actually give this book 4.5 stars. It was well written and gripping from the very beginning. Read this book if you like:

⭐️Magic
⭐️Sapphic Themes and LGBTQ representation
⭐️Historical Themes
⭐️Interesting and complex characters
⭐️Toxic Romance (but so so well done)
⭐️Beautiful writing

I would recommend this book and it is one of my favorites so far in 2025.

I love the plot of you become what destroys you and how you can see our main character slowly turn into something the reader doesn’t recognize anymore. Very poetic writing that helped immerse me and made every moment more impactful and painful. Will be reading more by this author.

As Many Souls as Stars is a dark historical fantasy that explores the sapphic romance between a girl with magical powers, and an immortal demon. Cybil is the cursed heir to a line of magicians and witches. It is prophesied in her family that any surviving eldest girl child will inherit a curse which dooms all around them. For Cybil, the curse seems to hold true. Although she has great magical power, and is able to make pacts with the shadowy forces that surround her, all the people that Cybil loves seem to meet grim ends. When Cybil catches the eye of the demon Miriam, the two are drawn to each other with a force both compelling and destructive. Miriam wants nothing more than to consume Cybil’s beautiful soul, but Cybil is a wily creature and the two enter a compact which forces Miriam to chase Cybil through multiple lifetimes.

Full of sapphic yearning and feminine rage, As Many Souls as Stars is a compelling story about what it means to love, and the depths of hatred. This book has strong themes of self discovery, love, hate, obsession, and the obstacles women face throughout history. As Many Souls as Stars is an exploration of feminine power, dark desires, and the cost of facing our most haunting shadows.

I recommend this book to fans of Weyward and Our Infinite Fates.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for the ARC of this book.

Romantic and unhinged, which is high praise as far as I'm concerned.

Cybil is born to a family of magic users who (by the time the story starts) are in complete denial that they're using magic. Her father is convinced he's communing with angels and doing god's will yada yada when he's actually practicing witchcraft and consorting with demons. (Easy mistake to make.) Eventually, Cybil's father strikes a deal with the wrong demon, setting off a chain of events that leads to Cybil's fraught reincarnation romance with the aforementioned demon, Miriam.

Cybil and Miriam. Miriam and Cybil. They love each other. They hate each other. They're each other's salvation and doom. I'm not usually a big fan of hate-romance (I don't know what else to call it - enemies to lovers is too tame a phrase), but these two work. I think the key is that Miriam is a demon (of sorts) so when she does terrible things you're not surprised in the same way you wouldn't be surprised if a cat brought you a dead mouse. It's in her nature to steal souls and trick people. Of course you shouldn't trust her. Even if she likes you, you shouldn't trust her. It's common sense! When she meets with Cybil in different lives, you know shit is about to go terribly wrong, but it's also when the story is the most compelling. Miriam brings out the worst in Cybil, and I am here for it.

This is a bit of an aside to the romance, but I wanted to note it in my review: Miriam isn't exactly a woman, but she's also definitely not a man. She's not human and doesn't abide by the rules of gender for the form she takes, which is very significant for the historical settings of the story. She crossdresses in time periods where that isn't allowed, and she wasn't raised as a woman with all the baggage that would entail. This is a huge contrast to Cybil whose lives are time and time again heavily impacted by her gender and the misogyny of society. I think that makes for a very interesting dynamic between the two of them and a space to really dig in and analyze these concepts — especially when you hit the ending. I won't spoil it, but I will be looking for places to discuss it with others because it's just so exciting to me, especially around this concept of what does gender mean to Miriam and Cybil.

My main complaint about this story, and the reason I can't bring myself to give it five stars, is that I was expecting Cybil to be reincarnated a lot more times than she was. I won't say the number of lives we see for her, but it wasn't enough for me. I just feel like we could have played around with the concept so much more than we did.

First, thank you so much to William Morrow and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this to read for a fair review. Thoughts are, of course, my own. As Many Souls as Stars is a sapphic romantic fantasy, though it's also so much more than that. The plot unfolds in different locations and different time periods, over the course of the three lives of our main character, Cybil (she is known by other names later). Primarily, it follows the ramifications of a contract between Cybil and Miriam, a witch whose power is derived from making deals with shadows. As a result of this deal, Miriam and Cybil become entangled across centuries in a complicated relationship that explores the boundaries between love and hate.

For me, this book was stunning. I was completely taken with the complexity of Cybil and Miriam's relationship. They both felt so fully realized, and the way Cybil's character evolved throughout the course of her lives while still remaining consistent to her principles was impressive. It would've been easy to lean into the camp villainy of Miriam, but Siegel is masterful at ensuring we see her vulnerability and emotion, even when she is doing terrible things. It's so rare that you get an enemies-to-lovers type of story where they actually loathe each other just as much as they love each other and even rarer when the emotion is authentic and tangible, but As Many Souls as Stars delivers.

On a prose level, the writing is gorgeous, I would've underlined so many lines if I'd been reading a physical copy, and I'm sure I'll do that at some point in the future. More importantly, it fits the tone of the story and the magic within the world. While I wouldn't say the ending was a huge surprise, it was well foreshadowed and everything felt completely earned. To me, it wraps up perfectly and feels well-done as a standalone, but I could also see how the author could continue to explore this world if she wanted to. I would definitely read a sequel if there ever was one.

I've seen it compared to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which it definitely has a lot in common with. It also reminded me Kat Dunn's Hungerstone, but this book is much darker and more sinister. Highly recommended, especially for anyone who loves gay yearning and Faustian deals with the devil.

This is an absolutely unique novel - full of emotional depth and intriguing social dynamics, As Many Souls as Stars is perfect for fantasy readers who like some political intrigue in the worlds of their novels.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I thought this was a good book...interesting and original story line, I liked the characters, for the most part...I have definitely never read anything else like it. Eating souls? Falling in love with someone you know is basically there to kill you? I really liked the reincarnation part and how the memories can come back from other lives...I do not think it is worth the five stars it repeatedly gets but that is not for me to judge. Those people probably don't like the books I give five stars too...but I can recommend this book to anyone who like a little mystery, a little romance, and a little action.

I really enjoyed this! The banter between the two FMCs was everything I wanted and more. Their relationship was so complex it had me fending for more. I couldn’t get enough of them! The only thing about the book that I didn’t like was that it was a bit slow at parts. I liked it overall though and would recommend once it releases in November.

As Many Souls as Stars follows the cat-and-mouse chase of devil Miriam and human Cybil across centuries, after they make a Faustian bargain which Cybil tries desperately to escape. This was a very engaging read, with swift, compelling prose and decent chemistry between the two leads. However, I was left a bit disappointed at the predictability of the plot twists and the redundant nature of the narrative's structure. And although the Miriam and Cybil's relationship with each other was fascinating, I was expecting a bit more agency from the two of them -- Cybil especially. Overall, the book was very enjoyable though, and I would probably recommend it to first-time readers!

📖 Bookish Thoughts
If you’re into sapphic gothic vibes with a touch of feminine fury and angst, this one might be for you. These two were so toxic and somehow it worked The writing is genuinely beautiful and I couldn’t stop reading!

💀 What You Can Expect
• Sapphic gothic
• Reincarnation
• Dark toxic romance
• Demon x witch
• Enemies to mostly lovers

🗓 Pub Date: November 25, 2025
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.
📖 Final Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5, rounded up)

This was a wonderfully dark book with desire and suspense. Miriam was a fascinating character from the beginning and watching her evolve was truly an experience. Cybil/Esther/Rosamund was glorious, it was a making and unmaking and another sort of evolution. Esther was probably the most real of the lives and more of her could have been told. But this was an excellent novel with an ending you could have wished for, but not quite in the way you imagined.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC!
A stunning and beautifully devastating sapphic Faustian fantasy. Siegel has perfectly entwined this messed-up love story across centuries, and it will be a long time before I stop thinking about Miriam and Cybil’s story.
Wonderfully lyrical prose draws you through this book with ease, and I devoured this as quickly as shadows do souls. While perhaps a little rushed toward the end, in a way that made it feel I had relearn our main character too quickly, it is easily forgiven by the unforgettable conclusion that brought tears to my eyes.
This has a permanent place on my shelf and my recommendation list, and I am so excited to grab a physical copy on its full release.

This book will stick with you for days after you're done, you should get a copy for your shelves ASAP.

This book has been on my mind for days, even after turning the last page.

Richter and Harding are stuck in a battle of wit and longing over multiple lifetimes. Richter is adoring, provocative, and manipulating, incessant in her desires to have Harding as her own. Harding is morally strong and desperate to live a normal life, living in relative isolation to protect those around her. My initial opinion of Harding was that she is unlikable and self-pitying, but evolves into a strong, clever, and resilient protagonist. Over the course of the book, these characters grow into themselves with each rebirth, and their lives and personalities become more intertwined.

What I enjoyed most about this read was the parallelism of the lives lived by Harding. The through line in each lifetime was the treatment of the main character by men, both peer and father figure - a powerful woman is one to be feared. Instead of acknowledging the sheer power and strength of Harding's magic, people dismiss her as being cursed and undeserving of her magic.

The storytelling is fanciful and poetic, adding a dark whimsical quality to the novel. Although macabre at times, this story of longing is absorbing and beautiful. Thank you to the author, William Morrow, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A TIMELESS RICH, LYRICAL, POETIC GOTHIC ROMANTASY

As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel is a faustian sapphic gothic historical fantasy. This novel is rich, lyrical, and brimming with poetic intensity. Natasha Siegel has crafted a story that reads like a haunting melody. Her writing has an almost ethereal quality, drawing readers into a world where light and shadow are inextricably bound.

This novel is a meditation on duality encompassing how light cannot exist without darkness, and how love is often tangled with resentment. Cybil, with her luminous soul, becomes an anchor across time, a constant flame that Miriam, made of shadows, cannot help but be drawn to. Their dynamic is magnetic: a love story braided with centuries of longing, bitterness, and inevitability

An obsessive and possessive demon stalks her prey across multiple lifetimes? Demon falls first? I ate this up. The book delivers. The Dark Romance girlies would LOVE this! Add it to you TBR IMMEDIATELY!

The creativity unique telling of the story reeled me in. As an avid mood reader I am sometimes unmotivated or uninterested in a book. No fault of the book but I can tell a book is going to capture me if it can motivate me to to want to read it. ( This is while i am in the middle of a reading slump!) The “magic system” in this book was amazing!

Cybil and Miriam's characters had so much depth and this isn't easy to accomplish i n such short amount of time sometimes. The pacing of the book was just right in progression to the rising towards the end where WOW...just WOW!

I can honestly say this is a story I will carry with me for a very, very long time. It has left a mark on me that is soul-deep. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy for my TROPHY SHELF.

This book is perfect for readers who appreciate atmospheric storytelling, morally complex characters, and love stories that defy convention and time itself. A stunning achievement. A story that lingers long after the final page.

Quotes:

"You can have as many souls as stars, my love, and all those lives would be unhappy as the first"

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-“ - UMMMM HELLO! WHAT!!!!

Thanks to Netgalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.25 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Cybil Harding is a first daughter, cursed to bring ruin to those around her. Miriam Richter is an immortal creature of shadow, seeking to claim the incredible light that is Harding’s soul. After a cursed life meets an ill-fated end, Richter makes a deal with Harding, reincarnation in exchange for her soul, creating a deadly pursuit across three lifetimes.

The sapphic love story between Richter and Harding is truly haunting. Richter is a morally black, shadow mommy who wishes to feast upon Harding in every sense of the word.
The battle they share between love and hate, desire and fear is captivating.

This book is dark, moody, and mysterious. The wording while dense at times, was artistically written. The historical portions of this book were very interesting to me. I enjoyed meeting each version of Harding, and seeing how each time period affected her. You can tell the amount of work and love that went into researching each time period. From the clothing, the food, and the culture, you get a true painting of each era.

There were a few things I would have liked more of or to have seen play out differently. I would have liked more on the origins of Richter. I also would have liked a slightly different ending.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for those looking for a dark sapphic romance with fantasy elements.

The cover, while gorgeous, is deceiving: this book is dark and gothic with creepy occult blood magic. If that's your vibe, you must pick up this book!

Prose: 5 stars. It has been a long time since I've read such a gorgeously written book. I frequently stopped to reread passages because they were just so evocative and perfect.

Romance: 2 stars, generously. But I'm really not a dark romance girly. The chemistry between Harding and Richter was felt forced rather than compelling; however, the concept of hate sex is completely baffling to me and that's pretty much their whole dynamic, so I'm probably just the wrong audience.

Female rage: 4 stars. Nothing makes women's blood boil like a witch hunt, and Siegel expanded that tradition (and the characters' rebellions against it) in such a three-dimensional way.

Character work: 3.5 stars. Interesting that the feminism was so well done, and yet my favorite characters were all male. I wanted Isaac to have approximately 70x more speaking parts (I want a whole book about him), and I wanted Harding to grieve [redacted] at least a little. The FMCs themselves were well-developed, but not as colorful.

Overall: a better spooky gothic than romance; excellent nonetheless. A must-read for lovers of that genre. Worth the read just for the incredible prose (and Isaac's one-liners).