Set the Stars Alight

SET THE STARS ALIGHT by AMANDA DYKES is a poignant story of hope, friendship, courage and sacrifice, where lost souls find their "home" and are drawn, by their search for the truth, to the One who set the stars alight, and brought light into the darkness. Of course the study of the stars plays a bit part in the story.
The story takes place in two time frames - the present and the the early 1800's, both periods with their interesting characters whose history is mysteriously linked. There is a certain sadness running through the book and a sense of lostness in some of the characters. The author describes their feelings very sensitively and we are drawn into their joys and sorrows.
Lucy Claremont's father tells Lucy and her friend, Dashel Greene, a brilliant but lonely young boy who Lucy's parents treat as their own son, wonderful riddles, and also stories of the past which serve to inspire them in a special way and serve as breadcrumbs leading them to find what they are looking for. The story of the lost HMS Jubilee has made such an impression on Lucy that she studies Maritime Archeology and is determined to find the ill-fated ship. Dashel, who is a forensic astrologer, comes back into her life just when she needs him to help her with her search.
I am not going to tell you any more excepting to say that it is a worthwhile read..
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Some books crawl inside you and take root, staying with you long after you read the final page, and Set the Stars Alight is one of those. This is one of these books that left me speechless, but I’m going to do my best to share my thoughts.

The novel itself features two perspectives, Frederick Hanford, a Regency-era Admiral’s son, and Lucy Clairmont, a modern-day marine archaeologist. Between Lucy’s storyline and Frederick’s, Dykes leads the reader on a magical journey as Lucy, “The Matchstick Girl,” tries to solve the mystery of the HMS Jubilee, a ship that went missing two centuries ago.

This book has everything: magic, adventure, romance, and mystery. And the way Dykes weaves Frederick’s and Lucy’s stories together is phenomenal and masterful. She drops hints and clues throughout, bringing the reader into the mystery as Lucy strives to unravel it.

I’ll just warn you: this book is hard to put down! Not just because of the mystery but also the characters.

First you have Lucy, whose relationship with her parents is endearing. Dykes manages to immerse you into the family. So much so that when tragedy strikes, you really feel it with Lucy. Then there’s Frederick whose childhood is almost the opposite of Lucy’s. And you can feel the difference. Seeing the two grow up not only adds to their characterization but also draws you closer to them.

Then you have the supporting characters. Of all them, Dash is definitely my favorite. From the gangly boy to the grown man, Dash gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go. (I think he may be my new book boyfriend.)

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the spiritual themes of truth and sacrifice. Dykes weaves in these threads naturally without sounding preachy, and there were so many times in the novel I found myself reminded of God's majesty and His Son's sacrifice without her even having to mention it (although there are a few points where she does, and since you're already thinking about it, it doesn't hit you over the head.)

Overall, Set the Stars Alight is an unforgettable book you’ll want to reread as soon as you turn the last page.

(Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.)

This book was amazing! I enjoyed this author’s first book, but it wasn’t amazing. Written in first person present and a time slip. Just not my favorite. When I had the opportunity to get an advance copy of this one, I thought it would be a nice book. Boy. I was wrong.
This book is engrossing. I literally could not stop reading this book. Even though it is a time slip. I was highlighting things in chapter one and never looked back! I almost never highlight in fiction! The theme is one that is incredibly timely. The author could not have known what would be happening in the world, but it is such a fitting thing! Do yourself a favor and get this book!

“In a world as dark as ours, we—that is, people—forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention . . . setting the stars alight.”

I will be purchasing a paperback copy of this book. It is too good not to share with everyone.

This book has so much going for it--there are wonderful characters (both the main and secondary characters), two storylines (the contemporary one with Lucy and Dash, and the one set two hundred years ago, with Frederick), each of which is compelling, a mystery, family dynamics of both the heartbreaking and heartwarming variety, sweet stories passed from Lucy's father to her and Dash, love stories, and so much more--and it's all wrapped up in this beautiful writing style. There are lots of great authors in the world, but only a few of them have this almost mystical storytelling ability, and Amanda Dykes has it. This is one of those books that you want to hurry through because you HAVE to know what's going to happen but that you also want to read slowly so you can savor every single bit...and that you then want to go back and re-read as soon as you finish. Very, very well done. This will be very well-loved by many, many readers.
5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was such a lovely story.. Amanda Dykes spun a really pretty story in Set the Stars Alight. The plot was engaging, the characters were relatable, and the writing was just so beautiful. Dykes can really paint a picture with her words and it definitely suited the fairytale-like story.

Essentially, this is a story about how two children grew up together, grew apart, and found their way back to each other. However, just treating it as such would be doing it a disservice. The themes of selfless love and sacrifice were weaved into the story, especially in the earlier timeline, building a beautiful tale worthy of a bard.

I especially liked how Dykes paced both timelines, having them unfold in tandem, while still reserving a climax for the modern-day timeline at the end. Although I guessed how things would fall into place, it was still a good read because of how it unfolds. All in all, a very satisfying read.

Diversity meter:
-

If I could, I would give this book ten stars. (Or seven stars plus more - you will have to read the book to find out more about that). From the early pages, I was caught up in the story and the characters. I think what is beautiful about it is the fact that it really cannot be categorized. There is an element of fantasy, mystery, history, friendship, family and a smattering of romance. There is also a spiritual element that is woven throughout the book that connects our stories to God's plans. The word choice was exceptional. The research was well-done and created a believable plot. Having the book set primarily in London and in England also added a fascinating element.. I had never heard of a forensic astronomer before, and I enjoyed learning about that profession.. The lead female protagonist's interest in navigation and maritime archaeology was also intriguing. What else was interesting was the concept of connection - how do we relate to those around us. Woven throughout was also the quality of heroism which essentially is the willingness to give up your life sacrificially for another. Her character's choices made me ponder if I would have the same attitude. This is a book that I will read again, and I might even appreciate the beginning more now that I now what details to look for because of knowing the ending. I have read many, many books in my day, and I would rate this title in my top five. Excellent!

A big thank you to the author, Bethany House Publishers and to Net Galley for allowing me to read an advanced copy. I tremendously enjoyed this book, and the strong opinions are my own.

Oh man was this the book for me! A maritime mystery (hellooooo), two POV/timelines, a sweet romance, legends, caves, family, faith...Set the Stars Alight had it all 🌠 The writing style was very accessible but also had depth and beauty to it as well. I personally enjoyed the book because I love anything that has to do with the water, and I also think I would have devoured this as a 15 or 16 year old. The beginning especially has the fanciful mood of even a middle grade book.
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All that being said, it wasn't perfect...the author really sat heavily on the idea of allegory. I felt like she didn't really trust her reader to catch on to the concept maybe? One part of the plot seemed a bit silly and as fancy as the modern-day MCs jobs were, they weren't actually used in any way to solve the mystery? Or maybe I missed something.
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Critiques aside I really enjoyed it! I plan to read more from this author 👍

Set the Stars Alight
by Amanda Dykes
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian | Romance
Pub Date 30 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 31 Aug 2020

Yes, read this book! Yes, I will recommend it to our patrons! And Yes this is a 5-star book.
I love Bethany House Publishers and the authors. This was a great read for me because I love historical fiction and contemporary fiction. Thanks to Net Galley and Bethany House for the ARC.

Amanda Dykes is a gifted writer who pens beautiful stories of mystery, love, and sacrifice.
Set the Stars Alight is a scrumptious book to be savored. As I slipped from one century to another, the story twined together as a beautiful masterpiece. The setting is incredible and the characters found their way into my heart. I love Dash and Lucy and cheered them on in their search for truth. Dykes gave the folks, who live in the community Lucy and Dash travel to, interesting quirks and stories. I felt like I was sitting at the table with them drinking tea. This is a well done time-slip novel. If you enjoy historical fiction and contemporary fiction this is the perfect read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I read Amanda Dykes’ newest book almost two weeks ago (thank you, NetGalley) and I still haven’t written the review because, well, I just don’t have words for how beautiful it is! Seriously. It’s just gorgeous…it’s lyrical and enchanting, heartbreaking in some places and so inspiring and uplifting in others. Every little detail feels perfectly placed and meaningful in a way that honestly astounds me. Last year, Amanda’s first novel—Whose Waves These Are—was my favorite book of the year (and it's right up there with some of my favorite-of-all-time books), so needless to say, I had crazy high expectations…and I’m so thrilled that Set the Stars Alight exceeded them by far!

And just to nerd out as a writer for a sec: I remember saying to an author friend last year that the writing in Whose Waves These Are felt somehow wild and free. Which might sound silly, but that’s how it felt to me. And I would say the exact same thing for this story. I think as writers, it can be so routine to labor over the technicalities of sentences and paragraphs and structure and follow a bunch of story crafting rules–and none of that is wrong. It’s good! And I’m definitely not saying Amanda Dykes is breaking all the rules or disregarding grammar or anything like that. But it just feels like this story and the writing go beyond rules. Every once in awhile, I’ll read a book where you can almost feel the author’s intense labor—the polish and punchiness. (Again, not necessarily a bad thing.) But in this one, I felt the author’s heart. I mean, I'm sure it took immense labor to write it!! But it was like listening to a song versus just reading the lyrics. I don’t know if any of what I just said makes sense. But bottom line, the writer in me is just blown away…and also inspired to let myself write with a little more freedom and wonder.

Speaking of, this story is threaded with wonder all the way through. And I adored that!

Basically I loved every little thing about it. And I am now more interested in stars and sunken ships than I ever would’ve guessed I could be. Also, Dash is adorable. :)

Here's the deal, about a trillion years ago, a writer made sure I had a copy of her novella Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale. Which was just one long string of achingly beautiful imagery tied up with a Christmas bow. She had also written another novella called Tin Can Serenade and I kept wondering what the heck was wrong with the publishing world because where were the FULL LENGTH AWARD WINNING NOVELS. Well, I was a die hard fan. Everything this author touched turned to poetry. Frig, even her pinterest page was art.

And then I was asked (privileged) (squealed) to endorse her full length debut "Whose Waves These Are" and I watched, rapt, as everyone slowly fell in love in the way I knew they would when you become breathless at a depth of talent that makes you blink twice and sit there in awe. A talent that makes you giddy to be alive when people can write stories that will just thrill the world over. And you feel blessed that there are people who were challenged to handle the words and arrange them to light hearts the world over and slowly flicker warmth that starts in your toes and moves up: that's a Dyke's story, timeless and old as words themselves, seeking cracks to extol all that we need to know about the depth of humanity and winsomely told as if she is creaking up a log to a campfire as you put another marshmallow on a stick.


Anyways, enough back story:

Meet the watchmaker's daughter, Lucy, who lives in a world of story: her father unfolds the streets and legends of London to her so that everything is a riddle wrapped in a fairytale: from the winding, murky Thames, to the churchbells to the stars. So adamant is he that she be shrouded in a word of story, he tugs in a Lost Boy who might just be from the Second Star on the Right and Straight on til Morning , and into her cloistered world comes enigmatic Dash: for nights of lavender shortbread and tea and a way to trace the constellations he pursues while shoving his glasses up his nose.


A million stars ago, a boy named Frederick Hanford looked out to the sea and knew his destiny was wrought in smoke and oakum and knew that the great vessels that filled the harbour would be where he would find his glory. But, nearby a young girl and a cave and a shepherd and churchbells threaded through his life.And as he grew, so did his fate become intertwined with Elias, and with Juliette, and his first sacrifice of many found him saving her from a press gang and before his time, and with an unlikely ally and brother, he sets to sea, wrapped up in a sea shanty, the subject of infamy, an unlikely mystery to be solved centuries later...


Lucy survives tragedy and finds herself losing her father's stories,even as his watch ticks in her pocket, even as her family is taken, even as Dash returns to America and their close bond is severed. In adulthood, she is determined to follow the legend of the missing ship Jubilee as well as excavate the hidden story of Frederick Hanford, traitor to England. While pitching a proposal for a research grant to excavate the Jubilee in Greenwich, she is overtaken by Dash, now a forensic astronomer who knows that the stars can guide the way to hidden treasure and sunken ships.


Together, they map the stars and the sea and the ringing of nearby churchbells to marry legend with truth and unfold a story so gut-punchingly beautiful that your stomach will ache. In the meantime, they sew up the years that gapped between them and swap their own tales: Lucy ticking through time, as London crept on, Dash orbiting his beloved stars even while his heart was tucked with her on earth.

Resplendently told in a long ebb of poetic prose, Set the Stars Alight is thematic and resonant with achingly wonderful imagery and a truly brilliant sense of place.

This is the best type of yarn. Dykes is one of the most naturally gifted storytellers I have ever encountered and her imagination in the sewing of this fantastically rich and ultimately creative tale is nothing short of genius. Dash, sleuth to the stars, Lucy who gazes up through a film of tragedy, their future as certainly written as the long stanzas dedicated to the traitor man Hanford in meta after meta form of storytelling in storytelling: all reading so fluidly words slip through your fingers and you're up at 1 am and just giving in and finishing it in one fell swoop.

I mean who.... WHO... would think of throwing so many hallmarks of the western tradition and oral narrative into a blender and come out with this? Fairy tales and rhymes, sea stories and legends, sheep and ocean and stars. It is testament to the vast world in her mind that she can convey all with such wonderfully brilliant and surprising turns. Each character is worth deep-heart investment in and each chapter is a surprise and because she writes with such an ease and flourish, her descriptive writing is so mind blowingly good that she makes it look easy.



Dash thinks of Lucy as an M4 -a terminology in astronomy that tells us the stars sing. Lucy was told by her father in childhood that she is the light that gets in, Dash finds that in constellations a million miles away that cannot sneak out their sound. Dykes sings. There's no other word for how her words flow so perfectly together in meticulous arrangement.

"But the meaning beneath the letters, the words with a heartbeat and a soul, was for Elias. Frederick drew strict boundaries around the stubborn thing that beat in his chest."

"But he'd blown onto the farm like a rogue window, voice rough and deep with gravel, full of story and lore"


"And he looked back, a mirror of her questions"

"Her breath came quick as if her lungs knew the words she meant to speak could cost her much."

"Tradition is like oxygen around here, you see. So every year, the Shepherd's bells ring and we remember. "

"As if every moment between then and now had been leading up to this, the homecoming of their hands."

"If all the sorrow in the world could gather up and land in side a single soul, it had done so in Dash."

"Juliette took flight where there was no sky. This was a place of impossible. And what a beautiful impossible it was."



I mean it helps that so much of this is my natural catnip: sea stories and London and churchbells and romance. But underscored by the fact that all are lovingly held in the clutch of a master.

I once read a review that said the author "writes like an angel"

I never knew what that meant. But that's because I hadn't read Amanda Dykes yet.

Amanda Dykes whispers to each reader who opens the pages of this book, “Cuddle close. Scooch in.” With magic in her fingertips, she spins a timeless tail of wonderment and mystery, always whispering, “just think.” The impossible might not be so impossible after all. Broaden your minds. Let the story expand your reasoning.
Written in artistry, Set the Stars Alight isn’t a book meant to entertain. It’s meant to work as a parable—a lesson in story form that adheres to your mind, unfolding layer after layer of dazzling truth, which is this... No matter how dark the world gets, seek out the brilliant light, like a thousand shinning stars at midnight.

I really enjoyed this book. Not an “in your face” Christian book, but I liked the subtle similarities between characters in the book and the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for mankind. I loved the historical parts and the love shared, found and remembered found throughout the book.

Set the Stars Alight is hands down my top fiction read of Q2 2020. I came a bit late to the game with Whose Waves These Are (Dykes' first novel); when I did make it there, I knew it was something special. So I might have jumped a little too happily at the chance to read Set the Stars Alight!

The two books are standalone; feel free to read either first. I guarantee once you read one, you'll want to read the other immediately!

Dykes has a way with words that I've not experienced in many other authors. She writes lyrically, poetically--and makes this reader, anyway, vacillate between wanting to speed ahead and find out what happens next, and read ever so slowly to savor every word. (The perennial conundrum of wanting to have one's cake and eat it too?!)

I loved that certain things I thought would happen didn't. I don't say that often, but it's true here; I was happily proved wrong and left far more satisfied than if I'd been right. Whew. (This non-English major fears that when something is super obvious to me, it's going to be even more obvious to a lot more people. So yay.)

Having been to Greenwich on my last British adventure, I loved revisiting the Prime Meridian and other notable places of interest in this book. Dykes truly brought each location to life! (And can I please visit Stone's Throw now?) The mystery around the HMS Jubilee proved fascinating, and resolved even better than I envisioned.

Excellent, excellent read. I think I'll go read it again now, hmm?

I received a copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This novel is full of substance and layers. It is slow moving and thought provoking, and that is how it should be read. This is not brain candy you can gorge your way through. This one needs time to simmer and ponder. The writing is literary and beautiful. It is magical and full of wonder.

Lucy and Dashel have grown up hearing wonderful stories from her watchmaker father. Amid these stories, Lucy has become fascinated by the mystery of the HMS Jubilee and the traitor who disappeared on this ship right before he was to be hanged for his crimes during the Napoleonic wars. She has become a marine archaeologist in order to investigate this mystery. And Dashel, who has become a forensic astronomer, decides to use his special skills to help her along. The reader gets to discover this story in two ways, first by watching Lucy and Dash as they work to discover the mystery and second through reading the story of Frederick and how he became an infamous traitor to his country.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The beautiful writing sucked me in to the magic of it. I loved the themes of story and truth, the layers of meaning, and the subtle Christian undertones. I would recommend this to anyone who is in the mood for something distinct to savor.

A story that travels through generations and links two families. Loves thought lost are found, and those gone seem close again.
Great story and characters.

As a new fan of Amanda Dykes' novels, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to join the launch team for her newest book, Set The Stars Alight.

From tales at the watchmaker's knee to forensic astronomy (something I never knew existed) to childhood enemies becoming family to sacrifice and unending love, Set The Stars Alight is completely captivating. Amanda has a special talent for weaving together dual timelines while keeping the story exciting and easy to follow. Lucy and Dash's story, as well as Fredrick and Juliette's, pulled me in from the very first page and kept me completely hooked as the tale unfolded.

If you enjoy timeless love stories with a good dose of mystery and faith mixed in, this is a book you won’t want to miss.

*I received a complimentary copy of Set The Stars Alight through the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

So what do a forensic astronomer, a maritime archeologist, a humble watchmaker, and a traitor during the Napoleonic wars have to do with each other? If you enjoy convoluted plots, mysteries across generations, lush descriptions, and overall engaging stories, this is a great book! It’s not a fast read, and you won’t like it if you want a shallow, frothy romance. But, if you like themes like sacrificial love, finding home, redemption, and finding healing for brokenness, you’ll find this worth the read. This quote is one I underlined, “We none of us know quite what to do when something is broken. Might be we’ll make it worse. But if we do nothing, it’ll surely stay broken. Ain’t it worth takin’ a chance on that?”

#SettheStarsAlight #NetGalley

If there is one thing I can say about this author after having read two of her books, it's that she's a storyteller. There's no doubt about it. This, as well as her previous book, are not just mysteries or romances but intricately woven, spell-binding yarns! I was hooked (HOOKED!) from the very first chapter.

Set the Stars Alight is one of the best time jump books I've ever read and definitely the best in Christian fiction. I used to think that maybe I wasn't a fan of that style, but clearly I just wasn't reading the right authors' books. This book is romantic and I mean that in the classical sense. It's just a beautiful journey where past meets present and while it is Christian fiction, Dykes is never heavy handed or preachy.

So many of the early reviews I've read focus on the contemporary story of Dash and Lucy, and while the Star Veteran and Matchstick Girl are pretty fabulous (and the main characters), I gravitated toward the story of the Jubilee, Frederick, Elias, and the shepherd's daughter. Who doesn't adore a mystery and an all sacrificing love? Oof. Definitely many gut punches in this book! I highly recommend this one to all Christian fiction readers!

Wow! This is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time. The story was so interesting. It goes back and forth between modern-day characters trying to solve the mystery of a mutiny and the historical story of what really happened (in their fictional world) with an unexpected ending. A story that values books, story telling, family, friendship, and sacrificial love. Quirky, colorful characters. A book that reminds us that all creation--especially the stars--point us to the Creator who made them all. A story of hope and beauty in a dark and painful world. Definitely an author I will watch for!

I enjoyed this time slip novel from present to past with awesome characters and a wonderful plot.
Dykes sure knows how to draw her readers in from the beginning until the end.
Her writing is very beautiful!
I think what I really liked about this book was how the generations of Lucy's family was woven in to be believable and realistic.
A very entertaining story that will make you want to keep turning the pages of this book until you are finished.
I didn't want the book to end it was so good!
I really loved this quote " To Remember the God who is coming and coming and coming to find your heart" he'd said. Wherever you are, whatever's happened. With every miracle that around every ordinary corner. It did not feel like he was riddling them, only continuing his nightly stories.
I believe what he's telling Lucy is that God knows what is inside her heart all the time and that he's coming again.

This is a perfect example of storytelling, magic wonder. Great story building catching the readers interest at its first sentence. An intriguing story of wander, wonder, love and perseverance. The author brings to life and gives light to the story through vivacious Lucy, showing the power and struggles of friendship and life in general. A must read!

I first encountered Amanda Dykes BEAUTIFUL storytelling when I read "Whose Waves These Are" which was my favorite book of the 75 books I read that year, so to say I was excited to read "Set the Stars Alight" is an understatement. This beautiful story stretches the imagination and is lovely in every way.

I had no idea where the story would take me and I cheerfully and willingly, with pleasure went along for the ride and was completely enchanted. If I had to use three words to describe, I would choose lovely, lyrical, and lessons. Lucy's parents helped to form an enchanting tapestry of stories and truths to which Lucy and Dash could build on.

In the author's notes at the end of the book, Amanda Dykes says "Pay attention. May we all stretch toward the wonders around us May we pause to think on their significance." That is my big takeaway from this brilliant story.

Oh my goodness, This book has touched my heart in such a way...I have no words.

Amanda, if you ever read this, I just want to say THANK YOU. Thank you for writing such a beautiful story of hope and light.

I don't even know where to start. I just merely finished reading the book a couple of minutes ago, and I'm still trying to process everything.

I could never have imagined that a split time story could be this powerful...could be weaved so beautifully the past and the present, like melody and harmony, creating a beautiful story of wonder.

The story starts with the life of Lucy, a little girl named after the light, one who dreams of dragon liars and of adventures sailing the seas galore. Yet she lives a quiet life listening to her father, the watchmaker, stories by the fire and surrounded by the tender care of her mother, the three of them living in their little glass house in London.

Then one day a lost boy with huge round rim glasses and messy hair filters into their lives, filling it with star wonder, galaxies and nebulae, opening doors to hidden worlds thought his telescope. He becomes part of the watchmaker's family, the best friend Lucy never had, and they grow together, imagining their castles in the sky, planning their future, always drinking the wonders of the universe in their own simple little ways.

At the same time, we have the story of another lost boy, though his story is set far away in time from Lucy's and Dash's.

It is the 1800's and among wealth and prestige, a boy is being raised to conquer seas, to bring honor and glory to his family. But he is broken, lost, void of the things that makes everyone's hearts tick, love.

But then, the stars guide him to meet a shepherd, a girl, and a stubborn boy. It is then that he makes a vow, to protect them, to be there for them, to even give their life for this family he couldn't call his own.

Because he has made a mistake, a terrible error he would never forgive himself from, one that would hunt him to the grave, and maybe, just maybe, the nightmares would ease if he pledged himself to them. To the girl with wings made for the sun.

The story of these pairs of friends progress in time though the book, we see friends grow together, friends drift apart, friends unite... yet the stars are always the ones to bring them home. To shine the story, the Creator wrote for them since the beginning, one of hope, wonder, and light.

Oh, guys, I can't-

This story has made me so emotional. It is so beautiful, so deep.

When I first started reading it, I had no idea how Amanda would be able to bring both stories together. Yet she did marvelously.

The faith message in the book is also beautiful. To think God has written the story of our lives, that nothing happens because of luck, that everything was carefully planned by him, the Creator of the galaxies and of you.

The story is slow, but at the same time, I think I can't imagine it any other way. It brings a certain charm to it. It makes it peaceful, not rushed.

Because of the pacing, the book seems long, just a heads up for the readers who like their fast-paced books.

Amanda's writing is so beautiful, deep yet poetical, but at the same time engaging. It draws you into the story makes you feel so many things for the characters.

The characters were also superb. Each one was crafted with a unique voice and was not put on the page without a purpose. They stirred the plot forward, and sprinkled the book with light.

Set the Stars Alight will hold a special place in my heart.

I will say, the synopsis doesn't make the book justice. Yet, I can't think of one that will...It is one of those books that holds too much wonder and light in it, the only way for you to savor it is by reading it yourself.


Again, thank you, Amanda.



Cleanness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 (Glad to say this book is so so clean...Squeaky clean 😂❤️)

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5



*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. All thought are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.*

This book is exquisitely written, moving beyond all words. The author has a special gift in drawing the reader in from the first few pages. My life has been touched by this beautiful story of love, grace and redemption.

Dykes is a new author to me, whose language, pacing and story-telling reminded me of the classic writings of George MacDonald. Once settled into the style, I thoroughly enjoyed discovering, along with the characters, what happened to the ship, Jubilee. Lucy and Dash bring interesting areas of expertise - marine archaeology and forensic astronomy - to try to locate the prison ship that disappeared in 1811 with a traitor on board. The parallel story of Frederick and how he came to be on the Jubilee is alive with historical detail. Most important for all characters is the power of story, which is fitting as this story will stay with you. Recommend this to readers who love lyrical writing and a touch of magical realism, being sure they aren’t expecting a high-speed adventure. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy. Opinions expressed are my own.

“‘We keep the stories.’ He said we pass them on-it is our duty . . . and our honor. In a world as dark as this, people forget how to see the light, so we need to remind them by telling the truth, paying attention . . . setting the stars alight.”
What powerful words!
I have found this whole book is full of words like this. Amanda Dykes is a truly gifted author. She writes dual-time books in such a way that they blend in a seamless fashion. Her stories are brimming with words that are so descriptive and etiquette they will capture you and keep you reading until the very end.
From the very first page to the end, this book had me captivated and wanting to read more. I didn’t want to put it down. It really was a book I kept thinking, “just one more page!” and hours later realizing I needed to go to bed. But also, not wanting to finish it because I felt a part of the story.
In this book, Amanda Dykes has written a beautiful story of many people’s lives all intertwined and deeply touched by loss, mystery, honor, and sweet love. It touched me to the core of my being.
I loved the whole idea of story-telling and how it can change a person’s life.
This story took me on an adventure digging deep into the life of a sailor and the life of one set in the stars.
It’s also a story where we find how one life can make a difference in many lives. One choice can change many things, like a ripple in time. We all have the ability to influence those around us and those to come.
This story will sit in my heart for days to come. I highly recommend you pick it up and reach for the stars.
I was given this book by the publisher and NetGalley which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have finally found an adjetive to satisfactorily describe this book: it is <b>stunning</b>! Historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and fairy tale all in one, Ms. Dykes' writing stirs the deepest parts of a reader's soul. <i>Set the Satrs Alight</i> is one of a kind. With so many layers full of meaning, it is a book to be pondered. I would deffinetly recommend a slower reading, letting the story sink in.

Though some might say that parts of the novel are too sentimental, or repetitive, or that the beginning is slow, for me, the overall effect of the book simply wiped away these potential minuses. If considered individually, yes, they could be downpoints, but in the overall perspective of the book they are necessary parts of the whole - an <b>awe</b>some story.

<i>"He [God] sets the stars alight, my girl. And we open our eyes to this in benevolent defiance of the dark... by remembering."</i>

Amidst a world where people have become more or less automatized and dissatisfied in the whirlwind of our busy lives, Amanda Dykes invites us to pause, take a deep breath, and <i>remember...</i> Remember that we live in a world full of miracles - big and small, ordinary and extraordinary. <i>Set the Stars Alight</i> beckons us to really see the world we inhabit: a wonderous world created by an even more wonderous God, for whom <i>"nothing is impossible."</i>

I received an advanced copy of the book from the publishers via NetGalley. I was not required to offer a positive review. All the thoughts expressed here are my own.

Have you ever read a book so achingly beautiful that you weep. A story so poetic that it seeps into you and melts you into a puddle of mush. A book that you know you cannot do it justice so you wait to write a review as you savor and digest what you just read. Then look no farther as I’m sure this will be my #1 in my top 10 this year. It is dual time line so that amps it up into overdrive and Ms. Dykes tells each story with equal gusto and twines them together like a three stranded cord that cannot be broken. It is inspiring and shows that family isn’t always blood but those who loves us on our journey to where God meant us to be, as He Sets the Stars Alight within us as we find our way home. These characters...words fail me as they are just top notch. The words flow and etch a memory on your heart. I know I’m gushing but to me this was my perfect read. Deserves 10 stars and lots of awards. Recommended to all.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

Set the Stars Alight is an amazing story in finding the treasures God has for us as we discover our true passions. I adore the cover for Amanda Dykes newest novel Set the Stars Alight. What a beautiful cover! As for the story, I loved learning the past story before the present timeline learned the story. The story opens with us, readers, discovering the characters heart and early passions, then it moves into how those passions guide their future lives and love. Dash is a fascinating hero who loves the stars and everything to do with Lucy; whereas, Lucy wants to discover the reality of what her father's stories mean. As someone who misses her father, I understand the hurt that can take over with a lost parent. The story is interesting, and the writing is wonderful. Overall, Set the Stars Alight is a delightful story with unique characters and unseen twist.

I received a complimentary copy of Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

“The world is dark, so dark we sometimes forget the stars. But they are always there—we need only fight to see these places of brilliant light, these echoes of the truest story.” This book is beautifully written and mirrors the greatest “story” of all time, the story of one who “sets the stars alight.” Definitely one you’ll want to savor. Highly recommended.

Incredibly unique blending of two time periods largely through the use of fables or passed down stories. In the current day thread, Lucy befriends Dashel when they are both young children. They are lonely children and their friendship is a bright light. Lucy's father spins tales for them to enjoy and learn from.

Two hundred years prior there is a young boy, Frederick, that like Dashel feels rather alone in the world.

There is a mystery that bridges these two stories and it was enjoyable to see if unfold. While the contemporary story drew me in quickly, the tale from the past took a bit longer to engage my full interest. Ultimately though, I found myself anxious to see how things would turn out for all of them.

Amanda Dykes’ novel Set the Stars Alight delightfully weaves together stories from two time periods, developing interesting and dynamic characters. In the modern day, after losing touch for a few years, childhood friends marine archaeologist Lucy and astrophysicist Dashel find themselves thrown together to solve the mystery of the sunken ship, the Jubilee. Their research takes them on a historical journey as they discover the long-hidden story of Frederick and Juliette. Full of twists and turns, the mystery spins a tale of sacrificial love both then and now. As a master storyteller, Dykes provides a hard-to-put-down story while marrying the past and the present in a quaint and delightful tale. I look forward to more of Dykes’ novels. She’s my new favorite author.

Note: I received a copy of the novel from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Childhood friends Lucy and Dashel grow up forming treasured memories together. Separated during a time of grief, they go their own ways. Years later, Lucy is now a marine archaeologist and Dashel is a forensic astronomer, they are brought together for the search for the long lost Jubilee, driven by stories from their childhood to find the missing ship.



Two hundred years earlier we also follow the story of childhood sweethearts, as they face war and betrayal.



Timelines entwine in this powerful story of love and redemption.



This book started out slow for me as we are introduced to multiple characters in various situations, but as the dots started to connect I didn't want to put it down. This is my first read from this author, who came to me highly recommended, and this book certainly didn't disappoint! I loved how the story was told through dual timelines, and I was equally invested in both of the stories.



Well developed characters, that are complex. This book is very character driven, as well as plot driven. And I loved Lucy's father and his stories that he told. I also loved the strong faith portrayed in this beautiful and well layered book. A captivating story, poignant and powerful. You won't regret picking this one up, I know I sure don't!



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

One word to describe this book: WONDER. Amanda Dykes has a compelling author's note at the end of this book where she talks about wonder: "an aching word, a thing radiating hope if we will but pay attention and be amazed at the miracles of this life, of this very world."

This book has two stories. One is about Lucy, a marine archeologist, and Dash, a forensic astronomer. After the two childhood friends reconnect, they try to find a ship called the Jubilee, lost in 1811. The other story is about a boy named Frederick, a sailor in 1811. I loved watching how the two stories overlapped, reminding me how stories in history fade and become warped over time. The characters in this book have full hearts, the setting is homey England, and it honestly felt like a cozy Hallmark movie or a book club read. The story moves at a crawling pace though, so you'll need some patience to make it to the end.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4.5
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Bethany House and NetGalley, for the review copy!

4 1/2 Stars. Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes is a exciting read! Who doesn't love a time-slip novel. I had a little trouble at the beginning but it didn't take long to get into it. Going between the past and the present, getting to know each character makes for a challenge to decide which story line is your favorite. And I still don't know because both are good.

Trying to discover a mystery that took place 200 years earlier; Lucy Clairmont (a marine archaeologist) enlists the help of Dashel an old family friend and a forensic astronomer to help her try to gather enough information to receive a grant to complete her study.

Truths are discovered in the past and in the present, friendships and romance. A great story-I'm looking for more great books from Ms. Dykes.

Amanda Dykes has gifted us with another captivating novel in her latest release, “Set The Stars Alight.”Her lyrical writing style and her eclectic cast of characters really give this story life and breath. I’m am again amazed and the way this author crafts her words to truly place the reader into her stories and allow you to feel and experience what her characters are going through. The themes of wonder and light are used expertly throughout this story to bring both of the storylines together and ultimately point to God the creator of all things. The layered details in this story make it so deep and rich! I loved the hidden gems of Biblical parallels! This book was truly fantastic and is definitely going on my top reads of the year list!

"All stories-the very best ones, anyhow-may be full of fairy tales and nonsense and lore, but if they are to be lasting....they must have truth at their very core."

This enchanting story full of riddles, magic and wonder brings hope and love to two lost souls. Amanda Dykes prose is spellbinding, her pen that of a master storyteller. I felt as if I had slipped into one of the magical books of my childhood, filled with wonder and possibilities.

This is a split time story, one historical, one contemporary. Lucy and Dash's story warmed my heart, one of a childhood filled with the spinning of fairy tales and riddles. Now the marine archeologist and forensic astronomer wonder if these childhood memories could be the key in their search for the answer to a very old riddle? I also loved the allegory hidden amidst Frederick's story.

The secrets of the stars as well as the hidden depths of the earth and its oceans will resonate with readers as they unite two lost souls in search of the answer to a riddle. But beyond the magic, is a story as old as time, filled with an allegory of Truth, that will fill the hidden recesses of one's soul. Amanda Dyke's unique voice will captivate readers. This definitely belongs on the keeper shelf!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I have read many books. Some of them have made me laugh, cry and sigh with contentment as I read the last line. Many were well-written and "keepers" to be reread. None have left me with the feeling that I had just read a book that could be deemed a classic.

Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes is exquisitely written. The author draws you into her magical wonderland, and you are instantly transported to a small cottage in Candlewick Commons, London, England. The home of a watchmaker, his wife and his daughter Lucy. While set in the year 2000, stepping into the cottage is like stepping back further in time and the reader, along with our main character Lucy and her best friend Dash, listen to her father, the watchmaker, tell his stories. Never realizing he was giving them riddles to solve that would one day bring them together on a quest they would never have imagined possible.

I loved how the author transitioned from the present to the past and back again, mixing the story of the HMS Jubilee with the riddles Lucy's father had carefully laid out for her and Dash in stories over the years. Each somehow connected to the other, but all connected with finding the light.

The themes of sacrifice, redemption and finding the light in the darkness become more evident as the two stories collide in an ending that will stay with you long after the final page is read. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is inspiring and enchanting.

WOW!! What a wonderful book!! I usually don't like time slip books, but something keep telling me to request this book and I'm so glad I did. In my humble opinion this is a MUST READ book. It is a book you will read more than once. The authors letter at the end of the book was so uplifting and encouraging. I will be buying this book when it releases. Thank you Bethany House via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Amanda Dykes sets readers off on the right course for a paralleled romance chartered in time. Weaving together history and legend, Dykes #SettheStarsAlight to pen a tale of the Lost Boy and The Matchstick Girl. After reading "Whose Waves These Are" I was thrilled that #NetGalley offered me the opportunity to review the advanced edition.

At first, I had trouble adjusting to the dualed narratives. I found myself confused by the array of characters and wondered if the stories would intertwine? That being said, once I was hooked, I was swept away by the story. Eagerly paging through the novel to discover the truth, I hoped my favorite characters' lives would alight.

To set the scene, Lucy's formative years were spent listening to her father's legends. Dash enters her life, stirs up her emotions and becomes a surrogate family member. Without saying goodbye, Dash exited as abruptly as he arrived. Resurfacing during difficult times, Lucy is forced to shelve what felt like a forever friendship.

Years later, Lucy is pitching her research for a grant proposal when an unexpected encounter leaves her treading water. While Lucy needs a lifeline, Dykes circles back to Elias, Frederick and Juliette's journey. Readers will find themselves rooting for their favorite protagonists. Setting their sights whether the stars will align or was their chance for love, eclipsed?

Magical. If I had to describe this book in one word, that is what it would be. It’s a grown up fairytale, which I did not realize until I began reading. Amanda Dykes is not just a good storyteller - she has a gift. Few can write like that. This is a story full of symbolism and the reader must read between the lines to truly appreciate it’s depth. The old and the new are so creatively intertwined, and I much enjoyed putting the pieces together. In fact, I feel like I’d need to read this novel a second time to have a full appreciation for it. I highly recommend.

Set the Stars alight
"Set the Stars Alight" by Amanda Dykes

When I was chosen to be on the launch team for "Set the Stars Alight" , I really didn't know what to expect. This wasn't a book I would normally read, but I was up to trying something new. I was so pleasantly surprised what a great storyline "Set the Stars Alight" had.

My thoughts: What a beautifully written story. I could really see what a amazing writer Amanda Dkyes is. She was able to intertwine two different time periods into one gorgeous story. You see the different personality of all the characters, which were all likeable. They had several beautiful quotes but below is my all time favorite . It is so thought provoking and I feel it summed up a lot of the book.

Synopsis: The magic of the past comes alive each night for the family of a watchmaker. Lucy Claremont fascination with the high seas begins, which leads to her looking for a lost ship as a adult. Here childhood friend Dashel and his knowledge of stars was needed to solve a puzzle. Two hundred years earlier there are three lives that are altered when a shepherd rescues the son of a admiral. As they grow they are forever changed.

My favorite quote: "In a world as dark as ours, we --- that is, people ---- forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, pay attention ... setting the stars alight. There are thinks shining brightly all along, if we will notice."

Recommendation: I will great love to share this book on several social media sites and friends.

Rating: I give this book a rating of a 5 out of 5

Disclaimer: I received this complimentary copy from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Lyrical, beautiful, heart-warming and satisfying, Set the Stars Alight is a must-read.

Page one welcomed me in like I was coming home.

Before I even reached that page, the dedication spoke to me—the part about wonder:

"Hang on to it, brave ones.
And more—hang on to the Giver of it.
Though darkness may fall and times grow hard,
hold fast to this given light." [Kindle location 45]

Timely words for a hard year like 2020.

The novel follows two timelines: 1987 – 2020 and the 1800s during the Napoleonic wars, each revealing what’s needed to understand the other. It’s not choppy, switching timelines each chapter; instead, the story flows in segments with time enough to settle in place and care about the people involved.

In the contemporary thread, childhood friends Lucy and Dashel reunite as adults in a quest to locate a legendary shipwreck in the English Channel. The historical thread follows Frederick, a landowner’s son, and the young lovers Juliette and Elias.

Some of the many lines I highlighted in the book are sparks of light to hold close:

"Taking note of the good, the true, the just, the miracles hidden at every turn is like…a deliberate act of defiance against the darkness." [Lucy’s father, Kindle location 431]

"Such freedom, to know our limits. And to know the God who has none." [Clara, Kindle location 3347]

Others are just beautiful:

"The woman had a way of almost gliding—not in the graceful, practiced way of the ladies of gothic novels, but rather more like an apparition gliding over ice." [Kindle location 1625]

Set the Stars Alight is a novel of love and loyalty, friendship and faith, that encourages wonder and affirms the value of everyday actions and individual lives. As an added bonus, readers who loved Amanda Dykes’ debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, will welcome the quiet nod to that book in chapter 25.

For more about author Amanda Dykes, visit amandadykes.com.

[Review copy provided by the publisher via #NetGalley.]

This book took me a little bit to really feel connected but “Oh” once I did I could hardly put it down. I was so wanting to find out what happened next. A split-timeline that was heart-felt. I really was invested with both story lines and by the time it switched I was all “into” which one I was reading. I was really surprised about a certain incident but I don’t want to give too much away. I was so proud of a certain person and I don’t know if I could have done “that”. A love and loyalty as this is hard to find and it really happened with both stories. I loved Dash and Lucy, they were like a breath of fresh air, not too much romance but seemingly just right. The author knew just how to tie these stories together to give us hope and light.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I’m not sure I can find the words to adequately describe just how beautifully written this novel is. If you have had the pleasure of reading any of this authors work, you already know she is truly gifted. In this dual time line novel she has crafted an amazing story with incredible characters. This book should be read slowly because you do not want to miss one single word that she has written. That was difficult for me to do because I am a fast reader but I truly had to slow down or I found myself going back to read certain paragraphs again.

I loved the strong sense of family and friends throughout but what I loved most of were the finely crafted characters that will stay with me for a long time This was a perfect book to read to escape the heat and everything that is going on in the world right now. Amanda Dykes is an incredible storyteller and one of my must-read authors.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All onions are my own.

Oh my goodness! This story is beautifully told, the settings, history, and characters coming alive with each sentence. I love Amanda Dyke’s writing and her unique ability to pull readers into the novel with such ease. I don’t think I have ever highlighted so many great quotes in one book! I cried in the first chapter (and several chapters thereafter!) as the characters became so authentic to me almost immediately. I love their achingly realistic backgrounds, their human-like flaws, and their genuine growth in the story. I also really enjoyed the creativity of the storyline and the way the plot flowed together and eventually connected several unique pieces. There are so many layers in the novel and I was easily lost in the tale late into the night as I unpacked its storyline. The spiritual themes and truths are deep and applicable. I loved this book so much and it will definitely be in one of my top reads this year! I highly recommend this novel and cannot wait to see what this author pens next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

After just finishing Set the Stars Alight, I am awestruck at this tale of hope, wonder, and light. The author has a way of wonder with words in this book and her previous novel. I loved her previous novel, Whose Waves These Are, and was anxiously awaiting this new story. I predict this time split novel by Mrs. Dykes is going to be another triumphant success. She is able to weave two different time frames (and stories) together so that the novel transitions smoothly throughout. Readers will be on a race to the finish to determine what is going to unfold. She interweaves inspiration and the Creator throughout the story. One of my favorite quotes was, “When things seem dark, Lucy, that’s when you fight for the light.” In this year of struggles for many people, this is a poignant reminder for us to choose to fight for the light when everything seems dark. She reminds us that God is always there, will never forget us, and is constantly pursuing us. Many times, we only see the darkness, not realizing that our Creator gave us the light in the skies at night to offset the darkness and give us a glimpse of the light for the One who has come and is coming again. The present-day tale focuses on Lucy and Dash, two childhood friends who have been told stories upon stories from her dad. The story in the past is about Frederick Hanford, a known betrayer of England who left behind a mystery that fascinates Lucy. Together they seek to discover how to set the stars alight. I highly recommend this novel! I promise you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.

I don’t even know what to say about this book except it was magical. After reading the first book by this author I had been waiting expectantly for the next one to come out. I didn’t think there was any way she could begin to come close to enrapturing me the way she did with the first book. I was WRONG! It took me way too long to read this book due to work and other stuff getting in the way but once I was captured my life took a back burner. I can’t wait to see what this author does next! She is in my top 5 favorites and is now on my “purchase her books the second you can” with Nicolas Sparks and Charles Martin.

Thank you so much netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to wait any longer to read it! The review is my own.

I had the privilege of receiving an early e-copy of this book, and it has been such a breath of peace and hope in the midst of a pandemic and unrest from social injustice in our world. Set the Stars Alight doesn’t ignore the reality of the darkness, but this beautiful story nonetheless urges us to “fight for the light,” ultimately because of the God who is “coming, and coming, and coming” for us. From a coastal English farmhouse in the 21st century to the windswept moors and castles of the early 19th, this novel sweeps us away with endearing characters, exquisite prose, and a heart that encourages ours not to give up hope, but join the Creator in “setting the stars alight” with it instead. I loved Amanda’s first novel, Whose Waves These Are, but I think this one has touched my heart even more deeply…or maybe it just is such a story for such a time as this. Pick up a copy of this story…I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

"In a world as dark as this, people forget how to see the light, so we need to remind them by telling the truth, paying attention...setting the stars alight."
Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes takes readers on journey in time. Beginning briefly in 1987 London, moving forward to 2000 London, backward to 1802 Sussex and spending several years in each time frame, finishing up in 2020 Sussex. All in an effort to solve the mystery of a lost ship, you will not become lost in the transitions, but will enjoy your time spent in each era. Along the way, you will meet some unusual characters, and grow to love them as dear friends. A family connected by the past, friends connected in the present. Amanda tells the story in the style of the great authors from days gone by, so much so that sometimes you will wonder if you're reading classic literature. She paints beautiful pictures with her words. You will be caught up in the story as if you are there by the shore, or there at the caretaker's cottage at Candlewick Commons. You will begin to piece together clues to solve the mystery, but when you get to the end, you will never believe where you find the answers. So step into the pages, find out about He who hung the stars and His love for those living beneath them, no matter what century they're in.
*Note, I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and a positive review was not required.

#Set the Stars Alight# by Amanda Dykes is an historical , romance and Christian fiction novel. The story is a time split story with the story going back and forth between 2020 and 200 years ago. Frederick lived in the early 1800s. and his story is told . The story in 2020 is with Lucy and Dachel. They grew up together hearing the watchmaker stories from Lucy's father who was a watchmaker. The themes of love, sacrifice, mystery, forgiveness, action are seen throughout the book. The book is carefully researched. The poetry is carefully written adding a special touch to the book. The reader is drawn into the mystery when the reader goes back and forth with the time split story. There are Christian values and character traits are woven into the story. An example of the Christian values and traits is this quote. "God is the pursuer of your heart , Lucy," Dad had said. "He is coming, and coming, and coming after you. In every sunset, in every snatach of birdsong. In everything that stirs deep into you and makes you hungry for bigger things, eternal things. That is Him, pursuing you with tenderest grace. In the places so hard they wring your soul. In the places so beautiful they steal your breath. He is there, filling your soul, giving you breath." It is beautiful that Lucy's Dad took the time to remind her to watch for God's touch and care of her all around her. He cares for us and we often do not stop to see it. I appreciate the author weaving God's love for the character into the story. Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, the author for allowing me to read and review this book. the opinions are my own. The book is well written and a rich story. I hope the book is a success. I look forward to sharing my review on Goodreads, facebook, my blog, Amazon, bookbub. and with church staff.

** “The world is dark, so dark we sometimes forget the stars. But they are always there — we need only fight to see these places of brilliant light, these echoes of the truest story. Of a man who gave his life for another — and of a Man, centuries before him, who gave His life for the world. The One who is coming … and coming … and coming after you. Fighting for your heart. Every breath a gift.” **

Sometimes a book so deeply touches your soul, there simply just aren’t words to describe it. Such is “Set the Stars Alight,” a dual time novel by Amanda Dykes.

Hope. Wonder. Light. Coming home. “Set the Stars Alight” is a beautifully lyrical story that follows the lives of two characters — Frederick Hanford, who lived in the early 1800s, and Lucy Claremont, whom we follow from childhood to adulthood in 2020.

When Lucy’s love for the sea, and the desire to find the historic missing ship the Jubilee, brings her back into contact with her childhood friend, star-loving Dash Greene, they come together to search for the missing ship and discover its connection to Frederick, now known as a traitor.

We also follow Frederick’s story, from childhood when he dreams of working on a ship to the day where he is makes the ultimate sacrifice when found guilty of committing treason while serving aboard the HMS Avalon.

Dykes develops wonderful characters and worlds within her novel. Besides Lucy and Dash, she creates a fun and homey seaside farm environment with the intriguing Sophie, Clara and Violette; and from the 1800s, Frederick and his friends Elias and Juliette are plucky and inspirational.

“Set the Stars Alight” tells the story of love, light, sacrifice and hope, while offering deep and amazing themes, like focusing on the steadfast components in life, like the stars; take note of the true and good, while finding the miracles; defeat hopelessness by doing something within your circumstances; grief sneaks out of hidden exits; we don’t always know what to do when something is broken; the God who created the stars and the sea certainly cares for us; and making the impossible possible.

A huge theme of this novel is light — being the light, seeking the light, sharing the light. It reminds us that we need to show people the light (“In a world as dark as ours, we — that is, people — forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention … setting the stars alight. There are things shining brightly all along, if we will notice.”) It also encourages us to fight for the light when things seem dark.

Dykes writes her latest novel in a beautifully lyrical manner: “Flames — crackling hearth fire in winter months, pirouetting candlelight in the summer” and “ ‘Fabled over time’ — as if stories changed and grew, facts and twists sprinkling upon them like sweet white confectioner’s sugar from Clara’s sifter."

“Set the Stars Alight” is a beautiful, soul-touching story and I loved every minute of it.

Five stars out of five.

Bethany House Publishers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Words cannot aptly describe this fabulous novel that lifts the reader from ordinary days to the height of wonder, adventure, and what many call impossible. The author is a natural storyteller, drawing the reader in with engaging, delightful characters with unplumbed depths and a riveting tale that begins over 200 years ago with a lad, a telescope, a shepherd, and a fiery sprite in East Sussex, England. Ultimately, it is about God, who continues “pursuing you with tenderest grace.”

The watchmaker and story keeper, Simon, and his wife have one daughter, Lucy, raised far different than her peers in the early 21st century. She has more than any girl could want in terms of a loving, close-knit family. Simon spent evenings telling stories and riddles. When she was ten, her family welcomed Dash, an orphan from America who lives with his aunt in the flats Simon is caretaker for. Like Lucy, Dash is very well-read. He is as obsessed with the lights in the sky as Lucy is with maps and oceans. The stories Simon tells mesmerize Dash also, and he becomes like a member of the family. Simon teaches what he knows of the stars and helps them build a telescope.

After the death of her mother, Lucy and her father recover as best as they can. Dash and Lucy are good for each other, special companions. Until the day he did not come at the usual time. The door of the flat he and his aunt lived in was open, and a note for her on the table. His aunt moved them to America, and he would write to her. The hurt and loss cut deeply, and the solitary girl grew into a solitary young woman.

In 1802 East Essex, Frederick is a ten-year-old boy growing up at Edgecliffe Estate. His bitter, angry father, an admiral in a long line of Navy men, was injured and no longer able to serve in the Napoleonic battles. Frederick did not know what it was like to have a friend. He had a glimpse of what a real family was like when he escaped the estate one night and fell asleep. He was found by a shepherd, a tenant of his father, and breakfasted with his wife and daughter. When he collapsed of the fever that killed his mother, the shepherd carried him to the estate. The shepherd later died of the fever, and Frederick determined to find a help his daughter and later, the man of her heart.

This is a novel best enjoyed by slowly savoring, even re-reading, a beautiful Christian classic. One will ponder the beautiful images and ideas of prose that sings, for moments of the sheer wonder we lose in the weariness of daily living. See how lives are entwined from one generation, one century, to those far off in the future.

While I am not always a fan of dual-timeline novels, this author does an excellent job as she glides from one to the other. Each transition between the 19th and 21st century is easy for the reader. Spiritual lessons abound and may be different for each reader. One thing for certain is that most will put this on their “to keep” shelf. I highly recommend this novel to everyone who ponders whether the Lord is present in our lives, who seeks a childlike wonder and adventure, and enjoys historical and contemporary fiction. Reach for the stars and find His hand!

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from the author, publisher, and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

A complex split-time tale. A mystery. The tenderest love story between two childhood kindred spirits that eventually blossoms into a forever love. "It was what it meant to be seen. To have one's heart held."

Amanda has written a richly layered story of loss, hope, truth, and wonder. Interwoven throughout are lines of our Father God's pursuit of us, his children. "The God of the stars... He is coming, and coming, and coming after you. Always. The heart of a father who will never forget his daughter." The book illustrates sacrificial love and what it means to forgive.

As with other split-time novels, I found the beginning challenging to make sense of. I plodded along, as I have had to with some of the best literature, including Austen, believing a good story was about to unfold. And this novel delivered beautifully! Ms. Dykes has written an enthralling tale that pulls one in - to its deep treasure of finding light in the darkness. I am happy to recommend this novel - it is one deserving of your attention!

My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for an ARC for this my honest review.

Last year I was stunned by the beauty and depth of Amanda Dykes’ writing in Whose Waves These Are (Amazon US & UK). I promoted it as my favorite book for 2019, so I was thrilled to see another release for 2020.

And Set the Stars Alight did not disappoint. Like last year’s release this book spans time, but rather than only going back as far as a living generation it takes us back more than 200 years to the time of the Napoleonic wars weaving connections between the past and the present.

The book is a mystery of sorts: a historical search for a lost ship. Yet, it is also a search for life and family and connection and love. Set the Stars Alight is about the pursuit of dreams, the people that make those dreams matter and the breathtaking beauty of a life lived for the sake of others.

It is a beautifully written and engaging book. I love how it wraps up the framework of the mystery, while leaving a lot to the imagination.

If you are looking for a beautiful and wholesome read then I highly recommend this novel.

And isn’t the cover artwork stunning!

I received a digital pre-release copy of the novel to read for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the early 1800s, Frederick grew up as the heir to his family’s estate, but for all its grandeur, his family’s grand house was rather dead inside. His father was singularly minded on preparing him for life at sea and inheriting the estate. Since his mother died, nothing else mattered, including, it seemed, Frederick himself. He learned more about social skills and life from watching and interacting with the shepherds and farmers who worked his family’s land than from his father. Frederick grew up having a strong desire to do the right thing, and was loyal to a fault. So how then did he come to be known in history as a traitor who stole a prison ship and disappeared with a vessel that wasn’t very sea worthy?

In London during the 1980s, a girl named Lucy and her parents befriended an American boy named Dashell who found himself in a new country and suddenly living with distant relatives. Lucy, her mum, and her dad, became like a surrogate family for Dash and poored out on him the love, care, and nurturing he was desperately in need of. From them he learned to dream, find truths in stories, and not be afraid to pursue his passion for the stars. In the present, the years saw Dash and Lucy drift apart through various circumstances, but when she goes to present her proposal to ask for funds to find the missing ship HMS Jubilee that grabbed her attention as a child, Dash suddenly shows up and helps her get extra time to gather evidence to be able to better convince the board to fund her research. Using Dash’s knowledge of the stars, Lucy’s knowledge of archeology, and a little help from a rather secretive guide, they’ve found themselves at Stone’s Throw Farm on the land where the traitor who disappeared with the HMS Jubilee grew up in the early 1800s. What secrets can the land yield that will help Lucy in her quest? Is the story really what it seems? And how will their time together after so many years affect Dash and Lucy?

I could’ve finished this a month ago but I decided to savor this story. Amanda Dykes has just jumped to my insta buy author’s list, and one of the authors I admire most for her way with words and how she weaves themes into her books. I didn’t think she could get better than Whose Waves These Are, but this may be even better! Her writing is consistently magical, rich in characters and themes, and transports you so fully into the characters’ worlds. The whole introduction about Dash and Lucy meeting and growing as children was such a powerfully moving story in itself that I needed a pause afterward to just fully appreciate its beauty and let the emotions settle. You know that phrase “all the feels”? Well this book will give you all the feels. There are moments of deep love, unthinkable tragedy, beauty from ashes, tenderness, anger at injustice, redemption, awkwardness, humor, and righting of wrongs. There are so many deeply moving moments in this book that if you cry easily, you may need 2 boxes of tissues for this book (both for sad and happy tears). I really loved the way the author wove together the stories Lucy’s father told the kids as children, Frederick’s historic tale, and the present mystery of what happened to the HMS Jubilee. It comes together so well. The characters in this book face some very hard things, and they are thoroughly aware that the world is a hard place, but they also end up seeing the way beauty can come from brokenness and that there is hope and redemption in the midst of heartache thanks to the One who holds the world in His hands. The Christian themes are woven intricately through the story but never come off preachy or heavy handed. It’s very natural and artfully done. If you love beautiful writing, emotionally rich stories, and clever weaving of multiple tales into one you’ll definitely want to get your hands on this book. Highly recommended.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a little kiss. Deaths/injuries in war are mentioned but not graphically described, deaths from disease mentioned but also not graphically described, deaths/injuries from accidents mentioned but not graphically described.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pure wonder. That’s the best way to describe the utter brilliance and quiet majesty contained within the pages of this book.

For once I really feel I am at a loss for words. I could go on and detail how I loved the love stories or wax poetic about the writing style or talk about how impressed I was that the author seamlessly connected everything beginning to end. This isn’t one of those books meant to be explained, though. It has to be read, experienced, felt.

Between the story in the present with Lucy & Dash and a story in the past with Frederick, Juliette and Elias, a narrative unfolds that will burrow itself into your heart and blossom there, bringing light, hope and an ache to uncover the simple beauty in the world around us.

For the author this is a true master work. In her author’s note she wonders if the words she types matter and hopes that her words have breathed truth into the life of someone. Well I can reassure you, dear author, you have. Your book reached into my life. This story made me cry, laugh, and smile just when I needed it. Journeying through the lives of these characters brought a warmth to my heart in being reminded of the One who chases after it because, even though they’re fictional, I know the true wonder you wove into their stories is very much real.

I urge everyone to pick up this book. To follow the riddle of the Jubilee with Lucy & Dash. The path of sacrifice and redemption with Frederick. Intersecting and intertwining to create a story bubbling over with awe, reverence and love that will challenge your mind and capture your heart.

Set the Stars Alight is a rich, multilayer story that begins with, Lucy and her parents, a family in London, in modern times and the friendship of a young American boy, Dashel Greene, who has moved around living with one family member and then another. Lucy's parents were his adopted parents and meant so much to him with their rich storytelling that they passed on to Lucy and Dash. After years apart, Lucy and Dash are reunited after her parents have passed. At a time in their careers, their paths crossed. Dash is responsible for that happening.
Two hundred years ago, a couple of young boys are forced to serve on a ship for His Majesty's Navy onboard the HMS Avalon. Their relationship started off in a negative way but they ended up best friends, where one will lay down his life for the other. And a young girl is part of their story.
These two stories are crossed in today's time when Lucy, a marine archaeologist, and Dash, an astrophysicist and forensic astronomer, unite to put their specialties together to find a lost ship, the HMS Jubilee, on the East Sussex coast in England on a small farm with delightful residents.
This is a lovely story about friendship, storytelling, exploration, rich history, puzzles, seeing God's handiwork in the stars, sea, and so much more. I was drawn in and held to the end of this rich story that will stay with you after the book ends. I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary ARC from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

To say I was blown away by Amanda Dykes’ first novel would have been an understatement. So it was with eager anticipation that I awaited the release of this book, knowing that I was in for another captivating read. Dykes writes with such beautifully crafted words, drawing the reader in and keeping them entranced till they lose all track of time or life around them. She makes you want to read every word as quick as possible but also want to slow down and savor the way each sentence is composed. She honestly steals my breath at times because I am so intrinsically lost in the story that I forget to even do basic things like breathing. And the way she weaves the past and present together with both the historical and modern day stories is truly a work of art. Each story was so beautifully engaging that anytime I had to switch to the other I felt brief disappointment, only to then become lost in that timeline.
Dash was my favorite kind of hero. Yes there’s something to be said for the strong, take charge, macho types, but if I have my pick I’m always more drawn to the quiet, gentle, slightly nerdy ones. And Dash certainly fit that bill. I was simply in love with his humble unassuming self and the way he quietly loved Lucy. The sharing of stories, the message he sent on that oh so important day, finding her when she needed him but didn’t even know it, and just supporting and encouraging her in his gentle way.
Lucy was easy to love as well, my heart broke for her as she faced the losses in her life but I loved seeing her find hope again and again.
Watching Dash and Lucy’s story unfold was so sweet, two souls that were meant for each other-which was evident from their very first meeting as children.
I loved Frederick too. His journey was anything but easy and I ached for the boy who felt alone. But I admired him so much and the way he found beauty in the ashes. And especially the way he truly lived out John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I also adored the way Dykes made parallels between Frederick’s story and the gospel story. It was so beautifully woven into his life in a way that was both subtle and glaringly obvious and I don’t know how both of those things are possible simultaneously I just know that they were, like you couldn’t miss it but it also wasn’t beating you over the head. Everything about this story quietly pointed to Christ and his love for us and it was, for lack of a better word, beautiful.
I know this review is long but honestly it barely scratches the surface of my thoughts and love for this stunning story! Amanda Dykes has done it again and I can’t encourage you enough to do yourself a favor and get your hands on this one as soon as possible!

Amanda Dyke's has a gift of storytelling that invites the reader to view their real world with a sense of wonder and discovery, to see the profound in the ordinary, and to search for hidden messages from The Creator in the seemingly mundane.

I loved the dual timeline. Both Frederick's story, and Dash and Lucy's story drew me in equally, and I loved discovering with the characters how both stories fit together. Frederick's story made me want to reach through the pages of the story and give him a big hug. He was such a beautiful character, and I loved his story.

Dash and Lucy's story was like a fairytale and had me thinking back over my childhood friendships: the ones that have stood the test of time, the ones that have fallen by the wayside, and the ones that pick up where we left off every time we meet. It had me thanking God for the role each of those friendships has played in my life at different points in time.

I loved the theme of discovery and looking at life as a riddle given to us by God for us to learn hidden truths. It brought to mind the scripture, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out." Proverbs 25:2

Most of all, I love the rich, beautiful, almost musical language that Dykes uses in her stories. It makes you feel as if you are entering something magical.

If you have read Amanda Dykes' works before, you will not be disappointed with this one. It has stayed with me days and days after finishing it, and I felt as if I was leaving old friends behind that I can't wait to visit again. If you have never read a book by Amanda Dykes, this is the perfect one to start with! If you love mysteries, stories of friendships, dual timelines, English country settings, and beautifully woven tales that sweep you away, you will love this book.

**I received an advanced copy of this book for the purpose of reviewing it. All opinions expressed are my own.**

After finishing Set the Stars Alight, I know for a fact that whatever I say in my review will fail to do this breathtakingly beautiful story justice. I hadn't actually read Amanda Dykes' debut novel, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked this one up. I was intrigued by it since I'm a huge fan of timeslip novels, but I was definitely ill prepared for just how fantastic this story was going to be. I think readers everywhere are going to fall head over heels in love with this phenomenal story and its powerful message about the writer of the stars having an ultimate story for each of us if we're only brave enough to follow it.

For as long as I can remember, John 1:5 has been my favorite Bible verse, and this story was the best fictional illustration of it that's I've ever personally read. So often when books feature the moon, stars and the sky as a plot point it's done in a scientific method that never gives credit to our Heavenly Father and His ultimate design. I absolutely loved how Amanda Dykes on the contrary used these items to further the faith element in her story, and showcases the importance of the light's guidance even in the darkest of times.

I found myself interested in both time periods featured throughout the story, and I loved how romance really takes a back seat in both sections and how the focus is instead on the beautiful setting, the well plotted mystery and the development of beautiful friendships. I couldn't figure out how everything was going to come together to piece together the whole picture, but I was left feeling completely satisfied and blown away at just how many intricate details are interwoven throughout the complex plot.

I adored Lucy and her father, and the way they come to take Dash under their wing. Lucy shared such a strong relationship with her father, and the heartwarming fairy tales he so often dictates to Lucy and Dash were one of my favorite parts of the story. I think personally my favorite character ended up being Violette, as I thought she has such a complex but strong story arc, and I loved the part she plays on Lucy's journey of discovery.

Without a doubt I recommend picking this one up as I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. Amanda Dykes is truly a master at her craft, and her writing style is intricate, atmospheric and beautiful, and I can guarantee that this will not be the last book I choose to pick up by her. The only thing that kept me from giving this a five star rating is that I found the story was hard to get into for the first few chapters, but once I got past that part I could barely put it down.

Final Rating: 4.5/5


Thanks so much to Bethany House and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this!

I voluntarily read and reviwed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a beautiful story; it could have been a sadder one if not for the hope and light infused throughout. I loved the unfolding of Frederick's story and how it related to the characters in the modern day timeline. I also loved the parallels between his sacrifice and that of Jesus; the Christian story was woven in an understated way. Overall, beautifully written and inspiring story of love for friends and family.

SET THE STARS ALIGHT by Amanda Dykes is a story that captivates completely from page one. I couldn’t have been more absorbed if I watched the tale unfurl while flying over it with Peter Pan.

Settings come alive with Amanda’s use of specific, sensory details. Whether an ancient, sooty match factory or a wireless, fairy-tale-like farm ~ the reader is there, hearing the song of the bells and feeling the breeze, tasting the flavors it carries. Amanda’s poetic, lyrical writing evokes memories of fables and fairy tales, enticing readers to ignore the thrum of our frenetic planet, and fall into life with Lucy and Dash.

Characters are compelling, quirky, and so well developed that it takes no time at all to bond with them. Readers are eager to follow them on their journeys.

This author is a master not only at spinning stories, but balancing the mechanics of producing a dual-time book. She sprinkles clues to links between the two timelines, and the story flows unimpeded even when she switches between the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries. I dare say, no reader will have to flip back to an earlier chapter to reconnect with a storyline.

This story is art. Magic. Delightful. It is full of imagery, symbolism, and surprises!

Read more at: http://www.marykaymoody.com/2020/06/22/set-the-stars-alight-by-amanda-dykesprepare-to-be-carried-away-5-star-review/ I received a complimentary copy of this book (Thank you, NetGalley). Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #setthestarsalight

“I think it’s our duty to keep the stories, to pass them on. It is our duty—and our honor. In a world as dark as ours, we—that is, people—forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention . . . setting the stars alight. There are things shining brightly all along, if we will notice.”

For such a time as this, author Amanda Dykes’ moving new novel SET THE STARS ALIGHT is being released. We are presently facing a lot of darkness everywhere we look. Dykes has penned the perfect book to grab our attention to set the stars alight.

There are books you read to be entertained, educated or to escape. Some you quickly forget. Some stay with you a long time. A few stay with you a lifetime because they touch a place somewhere deep in your soul. Dykes’ Set the Stars Alight is one such book.

Dykes’ novel is exquisitely written. She is a masterful storyteller and paints the most beautiful word pictures with the telling of this story. She uses layered symbolism and lessons on forgiveness, sacrifice love and God throughout. She uses the themes of hope, wonder and light to tell her story. There is something powerful about Dykes writing that just draws you in and totally captivates you from beginning to end! This is novel not to be missed!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

*NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR ALERT*

After reading Bespoke for Christmas last year (you can find my review HERE) I was so excited to read another Amanda Dykes novel! Even in that lil' novella, I knew her stories had the potential to draw me in and never let go.

And I was right.

*happy sigh* The prose was . . . phenomenal. Seriously. Even during characters' banter and dialogue, the writing was flawless and beautiful. And that, of course, is a cinch to keep me reading. *grins*

Aaaaand then we've got the CHARACTERS. *clasps hands and nearly hyperventilates* Y'ALL THE CHARACTERS. I'm so, so, so in love with the characters. Lucy was actually a female protagonist that I loved. I couldn't relate to her circumstances, but I definitely could relate to her personality and insecurities. And DASHEL, MY GOOD MAN! #everyoneneedsadash

And there's Frederick . . . at first I wasn't thrilled with the way the book switched back and forth between the present and the past, but then I fell in love with Frederick's story. The traitor. Oh. my goodness. gracious. If anyone should be inspired by anyone's story, it should be Frederick's.

(really, the only complaint I have about this book is that the book is so whimsical, I kept forgetting that Lucy & Dash are in the present . . . I kept getting caught off-guard when they're checking their smartphones, haha!)

I loved reading about the historical mystery in the book—reading about Frederick and Juliette and Elias, and then about Lucy and Dash and Stone's Throw Farm, reading both the unfolding of the mystery and the individual lives of each. I looooved how every aspect of the book, whether it be about the mystery or simply something resolved in the characters' lives, unfolded and peeled back, each layer revealing something more heart-achingly beautiful than the one before it.

Was there romance in this book? Yes. Yes, there was. But I was so for it. For once, it made me grin so hard when I saw the couple(s) come together after all they'd been through. There were a couple of kisses, but they were barely described and ended quickly.

The world needs more stories about this—wholesome friendships, romances built on friendships rather than whirlwind attractions, characters that worked through their heartbreaks.

I. loved. this. book.

That is all.

(And I can't wait to read more by this author)

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

A beautiful work full of intrigue, loss, hope, truth, and the impossible.

Normally, I am not a big fan of split-time novels as I often feel wrenched from one story into another repeatedly, struggling to piece the puzzle together in its wake. However, Set the Stars Alight was so beautifully written that I was equally invested with both storylines and honestly struggled to close the book as dawn began to glow out my window. Full of deep, complex characters and intricate webs, Amanda Dykes takes you on a journey centuries-old as two lost souls seek answers and hope in the untold mystery of a lost ship and a renown traitor.

Every word served a purpose. Never did I feel a word was ill-used or a detail irrelevant. Even the way in which the story was delivered was powerful and important. I loved how Amanda Dykes demonstrated the passing of time. At times I even missed the subtle nuances and had to reread a section just to make sure I understood correctly. It does take some mental power to read, but it is worth it! Absolutely beautifully written.

As a book reviewer, while I read, I highlight and take note of any nuggets of wisdom or meaningful quotes for my blog. While reading, I had to watch myself as the book turned into a child highlighting entire passages of their Bible. I am still racking my brain as to how Amanda Dykes wrote such profound nuggets and created characters full of such depth. She must be a woman of great intelligence and thoughtfulness. At times, I would reread a paragraph just to make sure I gleamed every word and meaning.

Full of twists and misconceptions, Set the Stars Alight kept me on the edge of my seat. Amanda Dykes revealed information slowly and always at the RIGHT moment. There was always a mystery to be resolved so that even when one tidbit of information was given, another mystery arose. One thing that always remained true - my love and compassion for the characters. There was such depth to Lucy and Frederick (the narrators) that even when information was given to the contrary, I still remained true to my undying devotion to them.

Set the Stars Alight will be released June 30th. If you enjoy a well-written novel that will leave you wanting more than I highly recommend preordering now.

I was given a free copy of the book, but the opinions in this review are completely my own.

The Red Review: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
***4 Hearts: Compelling Characters, Well-Written, Interesting Storyline, Unable to Stop

This book was so amazing I don't even have the words. I fell in love with the story right away and the ending came way to soon.

I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Lucy and Dashel grew up together. Dashel was raised by his aunt who was seldom there so he gravitated to Lucy’s family. Lucy’s father loved to tell stories of the past shrouded in mystery. Both children grew up with these stories. Years later Lucy is doing research and applying for a grant about one mystery – a seaman who allegedly turned traitor. Dashel has read about Lucy’s quest and comes to offer his services. He is now a famous astronomer. Together they go to a farm near an old fishing village that is tied into the tale of this seaman. They discover many interesting things here and local lore plays into the research. Dashel and Lucy discover that all their years apart they were both remembering their childhood and each other with fondness.

This is a wonderful mystery story and has many elements – all fun to explore. I highly recommend this book.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Net Galley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

“The world is dark, so dark we sometimes forget the stars. But they are always there—we need only fight to see these places of brilliant light, these echoes of the truest stories.”

Set the Stars Alight transports readers into an unbelievable setting, with incredible characters and an enchanting story. Lucy Clairmont searches for a long-lost ship which disappeared centuries ago. But she stumbles on so much more as she follows a trail of breadcrumbs her father left her in the form of fairy-tale-like stories.

Set in two time periods, the story weaves the tale of the past with Lucy’s modern day search. She winds up being led by Dashel, her long lost childhood love, to Stone’s Throw Farm to search for proof of the infamous shipwreck. Amanda Dykes has a powerful writing style that creates deep and meaningful characters. I loved Lucy’s struggle to find herself as she connects with a town and people seeped in mystery. I fell in love with Dash, his quirkiness and genius bringing out the best in Lucy. The stories, both past and present, are seeped in imagery and themes of love and sacrifice.

The combination of Dash and Lucy makes the story rich. She is a maritime archaeologist, and he is a forensic astronomer. Together they take their childhood stories and piece them together to understand the legend behind the missing ship, the Jubilee. Their connection is deep as the waters and sky they search.

I will add that this story isn’t a quick read. I love to read as I fall asleep at night, but I had to stay awake and pay attention to absorb every word for the story to come together in my mind. I’ll probably be re-reading this one someday as there’s so much meaning and imagery in every word. I 100% recommend this to fiction lovers who want to be immersed in a beautiful and intriguing tale.

Overall: 5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)
Suspense: 4 stars (lots of action and suspense to keep me intrigued)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Have you ever had a story that kinda just hung in the air after you finish it? Like the last note of a powerful chorus echoing through an auditorium? This was that kind of story for me. There was something so deep and meaningful about the way this author wove God’s pursuit of our hearts with the fantastic stories of light in the darkness that were told to Lucy and Dash. Full review is at my website.

I received this book complimentary as a member of the author’s launch team. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are honest and my own.

5-stars is not enough for this phenomenal story! I sit here awash in blissful wonder and my words fail to do justice to this light-filled work of art, for a work of art this story truly is! Finely crafted with expert care, filled with the heart and soul of the author who penned it; this author who has clearly allowed God to fill her heart and guide her pen.

Crafted with light and love, this story is one that absolutely can not be missed! This story has woven itself around my heart, and I’m all the better for having experienced and lived this story! These dynamic characters feel like family now and are sure to live in my heart for a long time to come!

(While I received a complimentary digital copy from the publisher, I purchased a print copy of this book for my personal library. I am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

What a fascinating tale. By the time I finished, I absolutely loved how all the pieces fit together. I appreciated the value placed on the life story of each character and how their lives intertwined. There were layers of lessons about forgiveness, sacrifice, truth and God Himself woven within this well researched story of adventure. I especially enjoyed the touches of humor and romance. For each reminder that when you find yourself in the dark, one only needs to look for the light, I am very grateful. Amanda Dykes has truly written a tribute to the power of story and the importance of remembering. I will certainly be recommending this book to individuals, as well as, groups for discussion. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Set the Stars Alight
By Amanda Dykes
4.5 stars

First thing you'll notice about this novel is the authors practically poetic way of writing. Her prose about light, literally and figuratively is mesmerizing.

This split time novel covering present day Lucy and Dash and 19th century Frederick, Juliette and Elias.

Lucy and Dash use thier combined knowledge of the seas and the stars to find a supposedly lost ship. While their on the search we follow Federick as he is put into service on the high seas.

I loved Lucy and Dash's love story. It's been awhile since I've rooted for a couple this much.

I gave it 4.5 stars out of five because it was a little slow at times. But still a great read and an author to expect many many more amazing stories to come!

I am amazed at how Amanda Dykes has crafted the stories in Set The Stars Alight, how she has woven together two stories or overcoming great grief and challenges, incorporated a thrilling mystery that seems hard to believe isn’t real and all this done with a lyrical prose that sweeps the reader away.

Lucy grew up knowing the love of her parents and the stories they told her and her childhood friend, Dash. Now she has lost both parents and Dash has moved away to study the stars, but her career path - marine archaeologist - was formed through the mysteries and stories her parents shared with her. When her application for a grant to uncover the story of a ship that disappeared over 200 years ago is threatened, Dash remarkably returns to Lucy’s life and offers to join with her in her search. 200 years earlier, three lives were interwoven - a shepherd’s daughter, the young man she loved and the young boy of the estate. Their journey is forged through grief, wars, betrayal, great sacrifice and song and now 200 years later, Lucy and Dash are determined to unravel the clues of their story.

I confess I didn’t read this book at the best of times. I started it during the last week of the school term and tried to read it even though my brain was running on fumes and all I wanted to do was sleep. I don’t feel as I gave this book the attention it deserved and I would recommend to other readers that you save this for when you have a few spare afternoons, time and brain power to devote to the very clever story and wonderfully detailed writing style. Nevertheless, I was swept away by this remarkable book. It really is a little magical, a story of great sacrifice, puzzles, adventure, seafaring and romance.

I was so impressed by how the two stories came together and were woven so seamlessly. While Lucy and Dash’s romance is very sweet and their discovery of the story that occurred 200 years ago important to the plot overall, it was the historic story of Frederick that I really enjoyed. I loved Frederick’s voice, his grief and desperate hope to care for the people he had claimed as his, even if he knew they did not feel the same way about him. It was utterly heartbreaking and I’m so happy he got the ending he did.

I won’t say too much about the plot, as I think the unfolding of it all is what makes it so magical, but suffice to say there is everything of a great epic in it - stars and storytelling, wars and love, betrayal and great sacrifice.

If you love romance, mysteries and historical fiction, you are sure to delight in Set The Stars Alight.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Amanda Dykes has written an interesting dual time story that will keep you trying to figure out the link between the two! Frederick Hanford lived 200 years ago and was a disappointment to his father, lord of the manor. You will follow Fred as he is pressed into service aboard the ship Jubilee as a young lad. Fred's life is sad but full of courage and showing kindness to others --even being willing to give his life for a friend. Lucy's life was full of love from both of her parents. Her father was a storyteller for her and a lonely neighbor boy, Dashel, who they shared their home with. Like Fred, Dash was always interested in the stars and grew up to become a forensic astronomer. Lucy loved her father's stories of the high seas and became a marine archaeologist. No one knows what happened to the ship Jubilee and Lucy is determined to locate it. Lucy and Dash lose contact with each other over the years until Dash comes back to London to help her. You won't want to miss this unusual and amazing story by Amanda Dykes! I received a complimentary e-book from Bethany House and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Deeply evocative. Dykes is a masterful story weaver and I was touched in deep places by the love, sacrifice and restoration conveyed in these intertwining stories. The language is powerful and beautiful and so many lines are still floating in my mind for further exploration. Lucey and Dash in the contemporary setting and Frederick, Elias and Juliette in the early 1800’s command your full attention as they have a magical story that rivals any legend sung by the bards. You will not be disappointed by this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own and freely given.

Amanda Dykes' writing has a depth to it that one doesn't often encounter in today's contemporary fiction. It is special; it touches a part of one's heart and soul that is reserved for literature by classic authors such as Austin and Lewis. Set the Stars Alight is made up of stories leading to new stories, one the Greatest Story every told. While the reader knows a bit about where the story is leading, there are unexpected events all along the way. Once the end of the story is reached, one is likely to want to reread it right away knowing what they now know, to peek into the stories with a different lens. I most highly recommend Set the Stars Alight; once you meet this lost boy and matchstick girl and walk their path, you will be recommending it to your friends as well. I am grateful to have received a copy from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.

I know I won't be able to do this book the justice it deserves but I'm going to do my best. Amanda Dykes has magic in her fingertips. She weaves a story of wonder and enchantment that transports you through time and space.

At the time I was reading this book I was struggling to read because of a medication change yet, this was the only book I wanted to read. It took me longer because of that however, it touched my heart in a way I won't soon forget and I know I will be reading it again.

Ms. Dykes writes with lyrical, poetic prose that surrounds you like a warm blanket making you not want to leave.

I loved her debut, Whose Waves These Are but I believe Set the Stars Alight stole its favorite spot for me. I highly recommend this book! So, stop what you're reading and go grab a copy of this one. I promise, you won't be sorry!

~Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m sure that my words won’t do this book justice. It’s such a wonderful book! This book is so full of hope, wonder, and light. There’s just something magical about this one. It is just the story that I needed to read right now! I absolutely loved it! Her stories are so incredibly unique. I did enjoy the little nod to her other book. This is one book that I could read again and again!

Amanda Dykes has a signature style for sure. It’s poetic, lyrical, a bit whimsical, and wholly her own. It feels a bit like magic, but somehow all of the layers come together into something true and beautiful.

The modern day storyline involves watchmaker’s daughter, Lucy, with a heart for the sea, meeting and befriending Dash, a boy with a heart for the stars. Though time and circumstance pull them apart, later the stars and the sea bring them back together to solve a historical mystery. Lucy has set much of her academic life as a marine archaeologist on finding out what happened to a ship that disappeared two hundred years ago. Dash, an expert in his field, just might be able to help her find the answers that she needs.

Two hundred years ago, near the coast of Sussex, Frederick is the young son of a grand estate, learning everything there is to know about ships and sailing. At the same time, he craves freedom and a place to belong. As his story entwines with that of a shepherd’s daughter and another local boy, the layers build gently until the reader is left wondering where the thread began and what could Dykes possibly do to unravel this tale. Yet, she does so with finesse and ease. Though the historical story took me a bit longer to settle into, but its depth grew with each scene, and I was soon eager to know how things turned out for these characters.

The way everything relates to the present day story is well-woven tale indeed. There is such a sense of whimsy to her stories and so much charm, including fairytale-like stories, hidden paintings, secret caves, mysterious church bells, and so much more. You really just have to read it to appreciate it in all its winsome goodness. There is a substantial amount of grief, but Dykes never leaves out hope. In fact, I would say that her stories are often about acknowledging the hope’s light, even when it’s unseen, holding onto grief and hope equally, realizing there is beauty in both:

“The One who is coming…and coming…and coming after you. Fighting for your heart. Every breath a gift. He sets the stars alight, my girl. And we open our eyes to this in benevolent defiance of the dark…by remembering. Take note. Live deeply.”

I hope I always take note, live deeply, and lean into the light. I hope we all do.

I received a complimentary advanced copy of this novel from the publisher; this review is my honest opinion.

". . . this world can be a dark place. . . . We see it every day. We feel the heaviness of it descend when we turn on the news. But there is something else in this world too. And it is light. Hope. Truth. Wonder. There is proof all around us, stories in every nook and cranny, promises yearning with joy to be fulfilled. That is what this story is about at its very core."

This edited quote is from the Author's note at the end of the book. I think it's very relevant to know this at the start! I was immediately captivated with the writing style of Amanda Dykes. As you delve into the beautiful and descriptive language of Set the Stars Alight, you are transported into two fascinating timelines. No matter which story you are in, you can feel the sea spray on your face, see the sea stacks beyond the cliffs, smell the fragrant grasses blowing in the breeze, or the pages of the many tomes lining the shelves of the Bodleian library or the earthiness of the spring cellar. There were times that I got so caught up in the cadences and beauty of the words, that I had to go back and read it again to stay on track with the story.

I found friendship with each of the characters in the book. I understood their sorrow, joy, pain, pride, fear, love and loyalty. I enjoyed the time I spent with them as their journey(s) unfolded. What an amazing book!

Few authors have the gifting of words as Amanda Dykes. Set the Stars Alright is a beautiful story of giving our lives for others set into two storylines. In the historical story we learn about Frederick, Elias and Juliette as their lives interweave as they come of age and one gives his life for another. In the contemporary storyline, Lucy and her childhood friend reunite to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the ship Jubilee through astronomy and tide studies. Amanda Dykes brings the two stories together in a beautiful ending of forgiveness and love. This will be one of the best books of 2020 for me and I am planning on giving copies as gifts.
I did receive a complimentary copy of Set the Stars Alright through NetGalley thanks to Bethany House.

This is a gorgeously written dual timeline novel (1800s and 2000s) made to savor. If you want to escape into another world where wonder is alive and well, here's your chance.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

In all honesty I have never read a book quite like this one. One that I wish I could give so many more stars than five to.
The book hits a dark spot but it claws it's way out of the dark, it's hope, it's light, it's inspiration .
I loved the character's and there's no doubt the author makes them come alive on the pages for us.
The imagery I had reading this, I was just in awe as I could picture everything so vividly .
After reading this my reading senses have been reawakened and I will perceive books on a deeper level now rather than just take them at face value and I appreciate the author opening up these senses for me again.
This book will live on in my heart as unforgettable!

Published June 30th 2020 by Bethany House Publishers.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I have many thoughts about Set the Stars Alight. I love dual-time period stories, and the ties that bind them.

The contemporary side centers on Lucy Clairmont and Dashel Greene. Lucy is nicknamed the Matchstick Girl and Dash is as The Lost Boy. As a child, Dash gives her the nickname due to the fact that her bedroom was once part of a matchstick factory, and Dash is the Lost Boy, due to not having a sense of family until taken in by the Clairmonts. Lucy’s father, the ultimate storyteller, is who brings these two together and sets things in motion. I didn’t connect that well with Lucy, but mainly sympathized with Dash. Their journey, although touching, plays second fiddle (in my opinion) to the historical side of the timeline!

In the 1800s, Frederick, Juliette, and Elias are a truly memorable trio, though splintered and bedraggled in many ways. As they journey and grow from childhood to adults, their lives cross in unexpected, disastrous, and even surprisingly blessed ways. Frederick is an exceptional and unforgettable character and has left a mark on my heart. He is, by far, my favorite character in this book.

Last year I was introduced to Amanda Dykes’ writing and was wowed. Whose Waves These Are made a profound impact on me and is one of my favorite books. Set the Stars Alight is meaningful and cohesive with a much gentler pace.

With themes of family, honor, and sacrifice, Set the Stars Alight exemplifies the rewards of love and sacrifice, and the lasting power of stories and storytelling through the ages.

I was blessed to receive a complimentary digital copy of this book.

I have read Amanda’s other writings – she just gets better!!

It is difficult to review this book without giving away spoilers – so I will endeavour to portray the sentiment somewhat vaguely to keep from revealing secrets.

I do like time-jump novels and this one did not disappoint. What captivated me was the unique way the author simultaneously threaded the history, the lives, the mystery/intrigue and the emotions of the characters through time. I connected with the characters in a deeper more powerful way. By connecting the emotions and personal development of the contemporary and historical characters the knowing of and intimacy with them was more thoroughly developed. It is rare to find a book that brings history to life, providing laugh out loud moments contrasted with the sting of tears.

Well done!!

A beautiful puzzle! Amanda Dykes has woven together a story of hope, love and the impossible. It was a joy to follow Lucy and Dashel as they searched for the Jubilee following clues and riddles her father had given them in the form of stories. The themes of sacrificial love, hope and forgiveness intertwined the two stories, hundreds of years apart. An inspiring read, full of wonder!

I seldom wish I had more stars to rate a book, however, Set the Stars Alight is one of the best stories I've read. Ever. I almost feel like I should put off reading anything else for a week or a month or two so as not to be overly biased! So prepare yourself for some gushing here!

The first thing I noticed was the wonderful way in which the writer wielded words. (Sorry, it just came out that way!) The phases wrapped my soul with a sense of nostalgia, peace, hope, warmth, and contentment. It was truly magical, heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once!

Lucy's parents were storytellers. The tales and riddles they shared with Lucy and Dash were delightfully related to the mystery. The kids quoted Shakespeare to one another, despite Lucy's loathing of the bard. And they all played with puns prolifically. One of the characters was a poet and thus provided more fun with words.

Lucy attempted to solve the mystery of the Jubilee, a prison ship that had been stolen and then disappeared with a traitor on board. Frederick, the traitor, lived his story before my eyes during the Napoleonic Wars. Starting from the time he lost his mother to an illness when he was yet a boy. The parallels between his loss and ensuing loneliness and Lucy and Dash's own were so touching! I loved the way Dash and Frederick, separated by centuries, both found their home by seeking the stars.

A strong faith message pervades the story. The characters never questioned God's existence. While they struggled trusting God through hard times, the knowledge of His love and the trust that He was carrying them and in control was always stronger than their troubles.

My heart probably experienced the full gamut of emotions as I read, moving from empathy to smiles to giggles to heartache to fear and back again to hope. This is a story of overcoming grief. Of hope. Of sacrificial love. Of finding the way home. Of having the Light in your heart.

I won't even quantify who should read Set the Stars Alight. YOU should read it. If you are considered a you, grab a copy today and prepare to be delighted!

An amazing story masterfully told encompassing all of my favorite elements: adventure, history, family, mystery, inspiration, and tender romance. This was a perfect read to savor on summer evenings. I didn't want it to end!!
An instant add to my favorite books list!
"Let the story begin..."
The dual timeline worked well to bring the mystery to light and develop the characters' relationships. It moves easily between the contemporary setting in London and Channel coastline, to the early 1800's and Napoleonic War years, dropping intriguing clues along the way. It had me guessing at connections to the past and hoping for good outcomes for all of the main characters. The author's writing style flows right along, pulling the reader into the story with almost a dreamy quality sometimes.
This is indeed a story full of wonder, light and hope. It was truly inspirational, powerfully illustrating sacrificial Christ-like love without being "preachy". Other underlying themes include courage, friendship, faith growing in adversity, and the power of story. I loved the tender romances that developed slowly, rooted in friendship, mutual respect, and shared childhood experiences. I enjoyed the epilogue with a nice wrap up to both ends of the tale.
Highly recommend! Great read from start to end! 5+ stars

“This was a place of impossible. And what a beautiful impossible it was.”

In the first chapter of Set the Stars Alight, I was charmed. By the second, I was enthralled.

I loved everything about this book. The characters—from the watchmaker’s daughter to her friend who lives with his head in the stars to the landowner’s son who makes the ultimate sacrifice for a friend—the imagery, the beautiful story set inside the stories that Lucy and Dash grew up on.

This author transcends the dual time/time split stories from the depths of the sea to the heights of the stars, and every moment of the journey is wonderful and amazing and awe-inspiring. Set the Stars Alight will be on my favorite books of 2020 list.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Amanda Dykes has a beautiful way with words, that's for sure. I loved the rhythm and flow of this book, and the symbolism of light strewn throughout. I also really enjoyed watching the two stories--present and past--evolve, each with their own separate thread that, in the end, was woven together beautifully. Well done! I can't wait to see what comes next!

Wow! Amanda Dykes blew me away with her latest release. Set the Stars Alight has multiple stories that weave together despite the generations that separate them.

Wonder. Light. Stars. Oceans. Longing for a place to belong. Longing to be loved.

I highly recommend this book and suggest you put Set The Stars Alight in your TBR pile!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Set the Stars Alight is unlike any Christian fiction book I have read! I had difficulty getting into the modern day story line at the beginning of the book, but the 1800s storyline pulled me in and kept me reading. This is a beautiful, well-crafted story filled with wonder and hope, truth and loss, sacrificial love and faith. Ms. Dykes has a remarkable “way with words”! With her lyrical, expressive prose and sensory imagery, she seamlessly executes the dual-storyline technique. Her characters are engaging and memorable, and the romance in both storylines is heartwarming. Before I read this book, I had never heard of maritime archeology or forensic astronomy and was amazed at how these two sciences are woven into the story evidencing the author’s extensive research. I highly recommend this book especially for lovers of historical Christian fiction.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

“I wonder if it’s even possible to overestimate the significance of a single life ... Words spoken, hearts changed, a meal provided to a hungry sojourner - who knows? Who knows how far everyday actions reach? It’s incredible when you think of it.” - "Set The Stars Alight" - Amanda Dykes
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This novel is a heady reading experience - from the literary writing, to the celestial theme of stars and stargazing, to the intricately crafted dual timeline. The author’s 2019 debut novel "Whose Waves These Are" is a favorite and Stars exceeded my lofty expectations.
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The present-day storyline features Lucy and Dashel who grew up together, drifted apart in young adulthood, and reconnect at a crucial moment. The second timeline, 200 years earlier, features Frederick, son of a bitter Navy admiral, who finds meaning in the stars and with people of a very different lot in life. Read literally, Stars is an incredible novel, but when considered a parable, this book tells a deeply meaningful story of love, sacrifice, and redemption.

Thank you Bethany House and Netgalley for the egalley. All opinions are my own.

Lucy Clairmont grew up hearing seemingly disconnected stories from her father, along with her childhood friend, Dashel. Now, both grown up, Lucy is a marine archaeologist, and Dashel is a forensic astronomer; their career paths have now intersected and brought these two old friends back together, to a place where the past, their childhoods and their stories come together in a way to bring closure to the past and a future they could have only hoped for.

Wow! Another winner from Amanda Dykes! This was a beautiful weaving of past and present, with delightful, complex characters in both timelines. A split timeline is best when you're both disappointed to leave the timeline you are currently reading, but you're also impatient to find out what is happening in the timeline you're returning to. This book successfully makes you feel entrenched in both the historical tale and the contemporary companion.

I loved watching Frederick's tale develop in the past, even while watching Dash and Lucy discover how the puzzle pieces they'd been given fit together to complete the picture of the lost ship and the infamous Traitor. The supporting characters in both the past and the present, including the presence of Lucy's father through the stories he'd gifted Dash and Lucy, and the occupants of Stone's Throw Farm (which I desperately want to visit!) made the tale richer and left me wishing for more of their stories. This is a book that I wish wasn't a stand alone novel!

I'm not always a split timeline fan, but I give this book 5 stars!

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Whoa. That's my honest opinion...this book was way more than I expected and hit me right in the feels. Lucy and Dashel's story is one that will not soon leave my mind or heart. I haven't read Dykes' work before, but I aim to remedy that by reading "Whose Waves These Are" after this book!

Powerful imagery, lyrical writing, lovable, but imperfect characters, "Set The Stars Alight" begins with a romance between Lucy's parents and develops into the love story between Lucy and Dashel and the stars.

Every chapter is full of places yet unseen and characters that are relatable and at once magical. The challenge of finding a lost ship is woven within the main characters' childhood and leads to a reborn adventure when they become adults drifting in the mundane. Lucy takes those dreams from childhood and becomes a marine archaeologist, while Dashel becomes a forensic astronomer. Their love of the sea and stars will ultimately bring them back to one another as their personal galaxies collide. The research and investigation of the missing ship brings a new level to their relationship with each other and healing to their pasts.

There are many layers to the story and I was ecstatic to be able to read the book early, thanks to Bethany House and #NetGalley.. All opinions are my own.

Wow. I have no idea where to start with this review. I feel as though I could read this story over and over again and still get lost in the spell it weaves, still find myself discovering details and wonders that slipped by me in previous readings.

From the first page, I knew I was in the hands of a master storyteller—which, as it turns out, is exactly where characters Lucy and Dashel find themselves as they grow up listening to Lucy’s father’s stories: “And so began the gift. Dad giving, and giving, and giving them stories. True ones, made up ones, and some a mysterious mingling in between. In his hands, the simplest things become wonders, miracles, the stuff of fairy tales, because “‘in a world as dark as ours, we—that is, people—forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention . . . setting the stars alight. There are things shining brightly all along, if we will notice.’”

This story is all about seeking those things that shine brightly in the darkness, and I was as enraptured by Lucy and Dash’s story in the present as I was by Frederick’s story two hundred years earlier. The plot was intriguing in its own right, but Dykes’s prose is a work of art. It’s lyrical, perfectly nuanced, and when coupled with this particular story, achingly beautiful. Lucy and Dash were such unassuming characters in many ways, yet there was incredible depth to their characterisation. I adored them and their relationship, from the way it began all the way through to where it ended up.

And yet it is Frederick’s story that is the heart of this story, and on that I will say little because it must unfold exactly as it does in the book. It’s like Lucy’s dad always said, “All stories—the very best ones, anyhow—may be full of fairy tales and nonsense and lore, but if they are to be lasting . . . they must have truth at their very core.” I just love that paradox, and I love that while Frederick’s story is the truth Lucy and Dash were seeking, there are even deeper, greater truths at the heart of this story for those who take the time to mine for them.

Take the time to mine this story for each and every star it sets alight. You will be nourished and enriched!

In short, it’s a total work of art. Amanda Dykes’ split time novel is captivating, tragic, unexpected, satisfying, and it touches on the themes of both familial and sacrificial love. Her writing is so poetic and it’s been a long time since I have appreciated that kind of writing.

A split time novel, you will cry and rejoice with each set of characters and believe the impossible that happens.
I thought about this story days after I finished and I’m guessing you will too!

This is a story with two timelines. The contemporary timeline follows Lucy and Dash, the historical timeline follows Frederick.

Lucy and Dash grew up together. Now Dash is helping Lucy unravel the mystery behind an acclaimed traitor of the Napoleonic War, Frederick.

The story is beautifully written. The romance between Lucy and Dash slowly grows out of their common past. And the epilogue wraps both story lines up nicely.

Can I please give this book 10 stars?
It was simply fabulous and absolutely delightful!

I throughly enjoyed every moment of my reading of this title. Wow. So good!

Author Amanda Dykes pulled the time lines together so seamlessly and created characters you couldn't help but care for.
And not only that, but she beautifully intertwines a reminder that our stories matter, that our inner most longings draw us to the light of the One who Created us, to the Light of the World!

This book is a gift, please don't miss out on it!

***Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book. All views and opinions expressed in this review are my own.***

Dash loves the stars. Lucy loves the sea. And her father loves stories. Dash is a lonely boy, Lucy is the Matchstick Girl and they both grow up under the sound of stories.

This book, this writing, it's exquisite, it's lyrical, maybe even whimsical, but yet it there's a draw to this story. It picks you up and pulls you in and leaves your rooting for all the characters, even crusty Sophie.

Listen to a few lines: "...no way of knowing what's true and what's fabled over time."....As if stories changed and grew, facts and twists sprinkling upon them like sweet white confectioner's sugar from Clara's sifter."

"I think it's our duty to keep the stories, to pass them on. It is our duty - and our honor. In a world as dark as ours, we - that is, people - forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention...setting the stars alight. There are things shining brightly all along, if we will notice." I'm not sure what all is being said here, but I like the idea of stories, of passing them on, of fighting the darkness. This year has been a year of darkness for many people and we have a job to do, to set the stars alight with the love of God in our home, in our community, in our state, where ever we are called.

Two stories, two timelines intertwine in this story and it's not until the end that you really learn how it all fits together. But Frederick Hanford is an amazing man who took literally the verse in the Bible, "Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." He was willing to do that in the hope that his friend would find joy and hope. Now that's not a spoiler because I'm not saying that is what actually happened, but ..... you will simply have to read it for yourself.

I received this book from Bethany House via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review.

Such a cute story that is filled with characters to love, a setting described in such a way I want to be there and leaves me wanting more not because the story is incomplete but because I didn't want it to end.

First of all, I have to compliment Dykes on creating such an interesting way to start the story. Dash and Lucy were immediately a hit with me - both going on different journeys, and yet it seems like the stars connected them. When they met years later, and Dash pops into the scene in this bravo knight and shining amorish kind of way, I was giddy inside. And his job title? Well that literally had me searching google to see if it even existed lol. (side note - I love it when authors add this kind of quirky stuff to their stories)

But then you also have this historical romance blooming, and I didn't know which direction I wanted to read more. I think at the end of the day, I connected with Lucy and Dash more, but really it was such a well rounded story that it's a hard choice. Dykes connected all the dots between the two stories in a fabulous way - one that just left me in awe. What a beautifully written story that had my attention to the end! And what an ending by the way. The last few chapters had me at the edge of my seat.

I highly recommend reading this book, preferably in one sitting :) I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A deep compelling novel that will keep you hooked until the end. Recommended to those who like dual time lines.

Goodness. I’m not sure I have the words to fully express the beauty of this book. Set the Stars Alight by Amand Dykes is a masterfully written time-slip novel with one timeline set in present-day England and the other timeline in the early 1800s in England or aboard a ship belonging to its Navy.
This story is magic. Not the pick-a-card kind of magic, but the light-your-eyes-and-heart-
-with-wonder kind of magic. All the tales regaled in the Watchmaker’s cottage. All the impossible places visited. All the lessons learned. Imaginations stretched. It creates an atmosphere of tangible magic--the contagious kind.
The mysteries and truths of this story are the kinds that broaden the limits of our hopes and dreams. When nothing is impossible, hope and wonder rule the day.
Set the Stars Alight is one of my favorite books from this year. I absolutely loved Lucy and Dash’s story, especially all the fantastical tales Lucy’s father told by firelight in their humble cottage. And Frederick’s story, while marked with heartache, is still incredibly beautiful in its persistence of nobility and selfless love.
I would highly recommend this book to any fan of Christian fiction, especially if you are a fan of time-slip novels.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This book is not what I was expecting at all! I though it was going to be a time travel story but it wasn't. It was a wonderful woven story about looking back in past and seeing for what it was. I love Lucy. She's smart, kind, and knows what she wants. Her friendship with Dash is truly amazing. I loved how they grew up together and then went their separate ways but eventually come back to each other. I love how the author brings the past to life and tells their story as if they were a live today, and how they unknowingly left clues for Lucy and Dash to find. This is truly an amazing story if you are into adventure books. The ending will leave you speechless! Happy reading my friends.

Where do I even start with this review?! I first read Amanda's other novel a year or so back, and it was INCREDIBLE and so I was really excited to start this one. Amanda is one of my new favorite authors: her books are incredible & the storytelling is immaculate.

As with the first book, the story is told in two separate parts: one set in the past, and one set in the present. As the story progresses, the link between the two sets of stories and characters gets stronger and stronger, until they merge into one. While Dykes' two novels are not in the same series, the way they are presented are very similar.

In this book, the story is set split between the early 1800s and present time (2020), and there are two storylines. The historical line covered the story of Fredrick Hanford, while the modern storyline covers the story of Lucy and Dashel, the girl within a loving family and the parentless boy they took in. The two stories seemed to be separate for the first half of the book, but by the second half/last third, the way they would come together started becoming clearer and clearer, until by the end, the way the storylines intersected and it's incredible!

I was personally partial to Lucy and Dash's storyline, but I also just as invested in Fredrick's storyline: both were so vividly told, and the relationships, characters, and story so well developed that it was just so good to read. My favorite character was probably Lucy's dad, who was a watchmaker but who also told stories & encouraged Lucy and Dash to pursue knowledge and to tell stories.

The writing style was also incredible: it was so poetic yet not slow at all (it was a little bit slow to get into at the beginning, but only for the first 3 or so chapters). The imagery is incredible and the writing is so weighty and rich and the whole book was just so good. While it's a Christian fiction book, I would consider this more an "adult novel" than Christian fiction (at least in my mind, it's not a "girls on the cover romance" kind of Christian fiction but rather some adult person who reads a chapter or two from a book on their nightstand kind of book if that makes sense lol).

All in all, I LOVE this book, and I also highly highly recommend Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes. The storytelling in them are incredible & they are for sure books worth reading

Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes is a mesmerizing novel and should be in a category all its own. Is it historical, time slip, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, or inspirational fiction? To me, it was all of those. With characters on a quest and a tender love story that ties it all together, this book will certainly touch your heart. It will open your eyes to the majesty and love of God the Father as well. I highly recommend this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

My husband and I enjoyed listening to this book on a long car trip.
The narrator was fantastic!! Differing voices seemed no challenge to her. Her telling of the story increased my enjoyment.
I had previously read Whose Waves These Are by this same author. Her style of writing is beautiful, IMO.
I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction. Dual storylines increased my enjoyment.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I am rendered speechless.


But considering this is a written review, I should probably try to put my cartwheeling thoughts into some semblance of order. I opened this book and stepped into a world as magical as the one I passed through when I ducked under the snowy branches with Lucy as she entered Narnia for the first time. This is a world where an old clockmaker weaves tales in the sky and lights passion and questioning wonder into two young souls. He paints stories in their hearts and onto their memories, that for the time being, are wonderful adventures but merely stories meant to pass the evenings by.



Until one day, when the fires of the old clockmaker's hearth have long grown cold and his tools have gathered cobwebs, do the two souls meet again....drawn together by the stories that were merely stories... or were they? A genius of the stars and a sleuth of the deep, these two hearts from worlds apart join their hands and minds as they begin putting together the pieces of a secret long held.... A secret as magical and terrible, as exciting as it was ancient, and as healing as it is difficult. A secret in a story as truthful as it is fantastical....



This is a story that will settle deep into your mind and settle forever into your thoughts. It is a story that, long after you have flipped the last pages, your mind will return to in fond remembrance and brushes of awe, a story that will, I think....never quite finish.



A hundred stars, Amanda Dykes. Bravo.

Amanda Dykes writes stories that are meant to be savored. They are layered, immersive, and so well written. This is a time slip and I ended up loving both stories equally. I also loved how the two stories tied together so beautifully!

I really enjoyed Dash and Lucy’s story and how Lucy’s family took Dash into their lives. The secondary characters really added to their story. During the first half of the book, I didn’t want to leave Dash and Lucy, but as I continued to read, I become so absorbed in Frederick’s story that I didn’t want to leave that one! He had such a sad childhood, but the kindness shown to him by Juliette’s family made such an impact on him that it completely changed the course of his life. I loved how selfless he was.

I will say this story took me a minute to get into, but once I did I was hooked. I also felt like Juliette could’ve been a tad warmer to Frederick towards the end of the story.

All in all, I highly recommend this beautifully written story and I’m looking forward to reading whatever Amanda Dykes writes next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I also purchased my own copy. All opinions are my own.

Amanda Dykes stories are enthralling. Her descriptions are vivid.

This is a beautiful story. I highly recommend it to anyone that is interested.

This is a beautifully written story of wonder, love, loss, and hope. A dual timeline story that paints a beautiful picture of laying down your life for another and how God’s everlasting love will change your life. A mixture of the past with the present that will light up your heart with all the stars in the sky.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.