Of Starlight and Midnight

Of Starlight and Midnight combines aspects of adventure, romance, magic and norse mythology in one epic book. It shows that some Fates are worth fighting for especially when the Norns get involved with the outcome. This book is a spinoff novel featuring charactering from the Firebird Faeries Tales but may be read independently of the other books in the series.

There city is safe once more but their books and relics are scattered on the supernatural black market, so light-elf brothers, Aramis and Soren, hunt them down. When Aramis gets a lead on a. Book of magic, he and Soren decide to investigate and fins more that what they originally bargained for on this quest.

A young Librarian, Asia is still grieving over the death of her mother, and all she wants to do is hide away and unravel the mysteries of the strange book she has inherited. The last thing she wants to do is help Soren work on his book, no matter how good looking he is. Soren knows Asia is hiding something and when they are attacked by dark elves, they will stop at nothing to learn the truth about this mysterious women.

A deadly war of dark and light is brewing and these characters find themselves right in the middle of it while they attempt to learn the secrets of the book of magic that has eluded them all this time. All it takes is a moment of trust, and betrayal for everything to fall apart. Danger and intrigue at every turn, magic filled with mythology and a quest to find the truth. Everything you need from an incredible book you’ll find within these pages.

★Of Starlight and Midnight by Amy Kuivalainen★
Book 1 - Spin off
༘Spoiler free ༘

⭐️4.5/5

🌶️🌶️🌶️(two full on detailed spice scenes)
Folklore, Fantasy Action & Adventure, Romantic Fantasy
Multi POV

➳ Norse Mythology
➳ Who did this to you?
➳ Magic
➳ Found family

✨ “Everyone is broken in their own way. I know I am. If you can deal with my broken edges, then I can deal with yours. Just stop letting your broken edges cut you, because sooner or later, they are going to start cutting me too.“ ✨
Of Starlight and Midnight weaves an enchanting tale that seamlessly blends adventure, romance, magic, and Norse mythology into a captivating narrative. This book took me on a journey where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, and where the intricate threads of fate are intricately woven by the Norns themselves.

📚📚📚
Detailed Review:

Amidst this magical tapestry, we meet Asta, a grieving librarian at the University of Oslo, who is haunted by the recent loss of her mother. Asta’s feisty long lost cousin turned roommate Tyra, knows more than she’s letting on, and will stop at nothing to protect her.

Her life takes an unexpected turn when she inherits a mysterious book, setting her on a path of discovery. Reluctantly, she becomes entangled with the enigmatic Søren Madsen, who is determined to unlock the secrets of their shared quest.

As the story unfolds, it becomes evident that each character harbours their own secrets, and the line between allies and adversaries blurs. Dark elves, hidden agendas, and a deadly war of light and dark emerge as the story's stakes heighten.

"Of Starlight and Midnight" is a must-read for those who crave a blend of enchantment, mystery, and a touch of romance. It offers a thrilling adventure through a world where fate is both a guiding force and a formidable adversary, and where the bonds of friendship and love are tested in the face of unimaginable challenges.

💖
LIKES:
⋆ Amy Kuivalainen demonstrates her mastery in the art of “showing and not telling” by allowing readers to immerse themselves in a world where the magical elements are portrayed with a blend of realism and logical coherence.
⋆ The worldbuilding was a captivating blend of aesthetics and authenticity, while the integration of Norse mythology seamlessly infused the very essence of the story.
⋆ The interplay of characters, their evolving relationships, and the web of secrets they protect made for a compelling and suspenseful narrative.
⋆ The author's storytelling and rich character development create a world that is both immersive and emotionally resonant.

❤️‍🩹
DISLIKES:
⋆ I would have enjoyed delving deeper into the lingering effects of Tyra's trauma. Though I believe this may be touched upon in future books.
⋆ I find myself wishing the book was longer, or that I could read the next one!

★ **Fantasy Scoring** ★
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ ✅✅✅
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅
Plot ➷ ✅
Relationships ➷ ✅✅✅✅

Oh my lord. I’m obsessed. The writing, the characters, the found family trope. The romance. The magic. The connection they have… THE MYTHOLOGY. I am severely blown away from this book, I’m now hooked to Norse mythology.

A unique, fun read! I enjoyed the Norse mythology aspects. The university aspects gave dark academia vibes. Overall a fun adventurous read with romantic subplots.

Of Starlight And Midnight is a multiple pov fantasy book filled with adventure, romance magic and norse mythology.

The book follows a grieving Liberian Asta who lost her mum and her newly found cousin Tyra who will do anything to protect her. Asta goes on adventure where she founds out about her mums hidden past and how that will now change her life forever.
Due to a heirloom Asta mum leaves behind she meets two mysterious men Soren and Aramis who are hunting down objects that were stolen from them, the heirloom being one of them.
The four of them test new friendships, romances and adventures in this amazing book.

This book had me hooked from the first word. I struggled to put it down and there was never a moment I was bored. The norse mythology had me trapped and the characters had so much chemistry that I could feel it rolling of the pages. This is one of the best books I have read this year. I definitely recommend for all fantasy lovers. It also hits all the right tropes that get you giggling and rolling around your bed.
The only downside is the book was too short and now I have to wait for the next book. I guess the only way to fill this void is to read the authors other books. This book is a spin of from one of her other series which I didn't find out until the end so I will definitely be getting on that.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me to opportunity to read this book for a honest opinion.

Loved the mythology in this one! I'm a sucker for mythology retellings especially ones that veer away from Greek-Roman stories. I also really love found family tropes and this is one of the best examples that I've read recently. The romance was really well done too without taking away from the plot. I thought the balance between the two was pretty much perfect. Recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of Norse mythology!

Thank you to Amy Kuivalainen and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book.

Of Starlight and Midnight combines adventure, romance, magic, and Norse myth and shows that some Fates are worth fighting for, especially when the Norns get involved. It's been two years since light-elf brothers Aramis and Søren fought beside Anya in Russia. The Álfr mountain city of Svetilo is safe once more, but their books and relics are still scattered on the supernatural black market. When Aramis gets a lead on a book of magic, he and Søren decide to investigate and find more than they bargained for. Librarian Asta is still grieving over the death of her mother. All she wants to do is hide at the University of Oslo, unravel the mysteries of the strange book she inherited, and hang out with Tyra-the cool Norwegian cousin she never knew she had. The last thing she wants is to help arrogant Dr. Søren Madsen work on his book, no matter how good-looking he is, but she doesn't want to get fired so she reluctantly agrees. Søren knows Asta is hiding something and when they are attacked by dark elves, he and Aramis will stop at nothing to learn the truth about the two mysterious women. But Tyra has a past of her own, and she'll do anything to protect Asta's secrets, even if it means siding with the dangerous light-elf brothers in a deadly war of dark and light.

I thoroughly enjoy reading this. If you like dark elves and mythology, this is a great book to read.

I was originally drawn to this book because of it's ties to Norse mythology and elves. I love fantasy books and this did not disappoint. In this multi pov book, we follow Asta, a grieving librarian and her cousin she only recently discovered, Tyra. Tyra will stop at nothing to protect her cousin.
Enter Soren and Aramis, two broody dark elves looking to reclaim objects stolen from them, including an heirloom that Asta's mother left her when she died. This book follows the four through their adventure, budding romance, and friendships.

The use of Norse mythology may have been what initially got my attention for this book, however the writing, world building and characters are what kept my attention. I will say that there are several references to previous books, characters, and plot points from the series this is a spin-off of that I didn't totally understand as I have not read the previous series, however it was not a detriment to the overall understanding of this book in particular. Overall I give this 4 out of 5 stars and was definitely worth the read.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me the chance to read this for an honest review, and thank you Amy for creating such an exciting world and fantastic characters.

Overall Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Worldbuilding: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Amy and NetGallery for allowing me to have a copy of this to read in exchange for an honest review! It’s the first book I’ve read on here.

Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ (those spice scenes were mmmmmm spicy 🥵)
Themes: Folklore, dark elves, mythology, action and adventure, chosen family, fantasy
Characters: multiple POVs
Type: fantasy romance/forbidden love /chosen family vibes


Storyline💬:
Asta works as a librarian at the University of Oslo. Caught up in the grief of her mother’s passing she tries to adapt to her new way of life living with her roommate, cousin Tyra, who is a whirlwind of chaos with a happy go lucky personality - no tasked with being the one person who will do anything to protect and keep Asta safe. Asta never stays in one place for long, in fact - this is the longest time she’s lived somewhere without running away.

Her life takes a turn after the inheritance of an unexpected book, which starts to make her ask questions. One day whilst she is working at the library she is approached by a tall, long haired, startlingly handsome man, Søren who enquires about a book he is searching for. Posing as a student, she reluctantly agrees to help him, enticed by his charm and whit - when things take a drastic turn and she becomes involved in secrets and a magical world she never could’ve have imagined.

As the story begins to unravel, each character has their own motivations behind their choices and why they have chosen to hide secrets. Asta discovers there is a lot more to her identity than once thought and she uncovers that there is a secret that her mother has hidden from her all her life. When these secrets begin to unfold, the lines begin to blur between allies and hidden agendas. In the background there is a war brewing, and Aramis, Søren, and Tyra must make choices in order to keep Asta safe….


What I liked ✨💜✨
* I loved the Norse Mythology elements in this, in fact that was what caught my interest from the beginning
* The dynamics between the relationships are great, I did feel that things developed naturally and nothing was forced - I enjoyed the character chemistry 🧪 ❤️
* POWERFUL WOMEN do I need to say more??
* This book DID have me hooked, I genuinely read the first 50 pages last night and read the rest in one sitting today!
* The aesthetics of the world building fleshed out some really good visuals I could completely imagine when reading


💫 What could be improved 💫
* I felt that the final sections of the book were quite rushed which was a shame - I STILL enjoyed it, it felt like there was a large jump towards the end
* from my understanding this is a stand-alone so it would’ve been better to just make the book a little longer? to expand and flesh some other things out - my complaint honestly is I WISH it was longer and in truth this had great potential to become a series
* I do feel we needed to know a little bit more about each characters background, to develop the characters a little further I think this definitely could’ve pushed another 100 pages or so

Additional note:
I did sometimes get the feeling that this was possibly connected to a broader universe that I should already understand? (So I will be delving into the other books to get a more rounded feel of everything)
* I wanted to know MUCH more about the book IN this book felt like we only scratched the surface about it


Note: my focus is always to provide a review over on NetGalley first, with a follow up review at a later date on my instagram page @pageturningseasons❤️

I had enjoyed the Firebird Faerie Tales series from Amy Kuivalainen and was excited that she did a spinoff in this world. It had everything that I enjoyed from the previous series and the characters were everything that I was hoping for. It had everything that I enjoyed from Amy Kuivalainen’s writing and characters. It uses the Norse mythology perfectly and glad I got to read this.

This is an ARC review.

This book is a standalone spin-off of the Firebird Faerie Tales series. I have not read that series, the other stand alone, or this author before. I will absolutely be checking out this entire series though.

I loved this story from start to finish. We have Norse mythology, magic, dark & light elves, multiple pov, romance, found family. I felt connected to the characters and loved the romance! I felt the pace was fairly fast, at the end it felt a little rushed. I am sad that it ended and doesn't have a sequel coming. However I do also feel like the story was tied up decently even though I definitely wanted more. I'm excited to pick up the rest of the series and find out more about the worlds and magic and other characters!

I gave this 4 stars.

3 stars including 1 entire star for sexy dark elves. This is a solid mass market fantasy romance book. I admit I am a bit weak for the norse and the dark elves, and had a lot of fun with the mythology elements of the story.

This is a standalone novel in a broader universe which I was not familiar with, and there were a lot of references to other characters and plot points that were lost on me. But it works to focus on the two main couples in the story.

The characters are a bit lusty and insta-lovey and mostly defined by their feelings for their respective partners. It did get a bit repetitive, especially with their noticeable lack of verbal communication skills (really, the fact that the partners in each of the couples could not talk directly to each other and needed their brother/cousin to explain their feelings is just silly).

Overall, I recommend for anyone familiar with the series already and/or into dark elves. Either will do. Thanks to netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so much potential and I was definitely so excited to jump into it! The plot was really interesting and as a first time reader of this author, I found the world was tricky for me to get into, mainly because it feels like while it's a standalone type book, there is tie-ins from another series which this stemmed from.

Not to say this book wasn't good, because I had a lot of fun enjoying it for what it was! There was magic, norse mythology, and a whole heaping load of "who did this to you?" trope (my favourite!!). This was a ton of fun, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a spinoff novel that features characters from the Firebird Faerie Tales, which can be read independently of the other books in the series (but now I want to go back and read the whole series). There is some insight into Norse Mythology, which is one of my favorites but admittedly don't know as much about it as I'd like to. Asta is grieving the death of her mother and trying to get answers on the strange and mysterious book she inherited from her mother. She doesn't expect to clash with Dr. Søren Madsen, the arrogant, rich doctor who comes in asking for help. We realize that Søren isn't exactly who he claims to be when they are attacked by dark elves. But Søren and his brother Aramis also believe Asta isn't who she believes she is, either.

I fell in love with the characters in this series. I think that Amy Kuivalainen did an amazing job with this spinoff. Like I said, I didn't read the main series, but I am definitely adding them to my tbr. The concept of the book is really fun and I liked the authors style of writing. I think that there was a lot of world building happening, that might have been easier to understand if I had read the other books in the series. I liked the characters more than the plot. I understood what was happening but it was hard to follow in some areas. Overall, I do recommend this one, I think it was probably a good edition to the series and I wish there was a sequel coming to hear more about the ending of the story. I feel it left a lot to desire.

Thank you to NetGalley, BHC Press and Amy Kuivalainen for the eARC of Of Starlight and Midnight in exchange for an honest review. Publication date for Of Starlight and Midnight by Amy Kuivalainen is set for 19 March 2024.

Epic fantasy adventure, with plenty of heat! Magic, secrets, royal hijinks, revenge, and yes, building simmer that underlies a complex and fantastical world. Will keep you holding your breath until the satisfying end. Hope to see more!

A quick and fun read, and filled with lots of magic and banter, this book was pretty enjoyable. I loved the Norse mythology elements, and the characters were all likable and had good chemistry. I especially liked Aramis and Tyra’s development. My only gripe with it was how short it was. I wanted to know more about the world, and everything felt very rushed. A lot of the world building and story set up was given to us in the form of the characters talking about it, which felt like an info dump. I would have preferred to have more scenes with more “show, don’t tell” vibes. I feel like this book would have been so much better if it had more depth and took its time, but I still really enjoyed it.

Loved revisiting these characters and this world. This is a novella set in the Firebird Faerie Tales and I think it’s probably easier to enjoy if that series is read first though this could be read as a standalone. I liked the romance in this book but some of it felt rushed. However, the authors writing is so lyrical and beautiful I will pretty much read anything she writes. Would recommend for all fantasy romance lovers.

<i> Another fantastic addition to the Firebird Faerie Tales series. </i>

I don't know about anyone else, but I finished Rise of the Firebird and immediately was like, " BUT WHAT ABOUT SOREN AND ARAMIS??? WHAT ABOUT THE HOT ELVES??". And as usual, Amy gives us simple mortals what we desire and even more than we could have hoped.

This book was full of hot elves, magic, evil villains, and two badass heroines. Tyra and Asta were such seamless additions to this world and I cannot get over how perfect they fit with our two broody boys. Tyra was the chaotic force that I so desperately wanted for our poor Aramis. Seeing those two dance/fight around each other until the tension was too great? *chef's kiss* And then we have Asta, who was a pleasant surprise, I loved her duality of softness and determination. She and Soren fit so well together, and I loved her ability to sneak past his long-built walls and enchant this dark hero. They both have experienced such intense grief in their lives and I felt their connection came across as effortless.

I loved our plot twist ending, but cannot help but feel like Amy is teasing me and leaving me in anticipation for a novella of Tyra and Aramis going to find her father... IFYKYK

All in all, I adored every second of this book and I cannot wait to see what Amy has in store next.

* A big thank you NetGalley and BHC Press for the ARC! *

Firstly, thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this ARC.
Of Starlight and Midnight is a spin-off story from Amy Kuivalainen’s “The Firebird Faerie Tales”.
Of Starlight and Midnight follows Asta posing as a Librarian working at the University of Oslo. She is in hiding after her mother's sudden passing alongside her overprotective cousin Tyra. The only thing Asta has left of her mother is a book. A book that eventually causes her paths to cross with the arrogant Dr. Søren Madsen, who is there to work on his book, or so he says anyway. Suddenly attacked by Dark Elves, Asta’s world is flipped on its head and it turns out there is a lot more about the world, herself and the very handsome, very arrogant Dr. Søren that she needs to wrap her head around and learn as quickly as possible.

I went in hesitantly with this book, I’d just come off a previous one that I had really struggled with, but I have to say that this one completely flipped everything pulling me out of the beginnings of a reading slump and just consumed me. The story follows four main characters, Asta, Søren, Aramis and Tyra in what at the time really felt like the beginnings of an epic fantasy tale taking heavily from Norse mythology. I later came to learn that this story is a spinoff book from Kuivalainen’s The Firebird Faerie Tales and 5th book in all of that, so I’m definitely going to have to go back at some point and read the others.
The chemistry between all the characters was enjoyable, it was cheeky and flirtatious and it never got tiresome. I do wish the tale had been a smidge longer as I feel that, particularly in the latter half, a lot of information and events were packed into the last few chapters leaving me with questions about context and prior events that I’m going to have to figure out or wait for the next instalment if there is one.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, I just wish there was more of it.

Fun story with humorous characters and a unique storyline. I enjoyed Amy Kuivalainen's Of Starlight and Midnight.

The plot was a fast-paced, multi-POV story, but it was set in a previous world created by Kuivalainen. I think she does a good job of balancing this spin-off story. Amy makes each of the characters unique and their voices are strong. I think that helps to keep the story moving. I loved their dialogue and off-beat humor. It was a nice change from what I had been reading previously.

I hope to get more from these characters in the future.

I loved this book. I've read all the other books in the Firebird Faerie Tales series and this one is my favorite. Amy Kuivalanen's ability to weave a story is remarkable. She has an ability to write characters that are relatable, damaged, and funny. Reading Of Starlight & Midnight takes us to Søren & Aramais from the earlier Tales. It's been a few years since Anya and they've found a path forward after all the destruction caused by Yanka. Søren & Aramais are on the hunt for items looted from Svetilo. Of course this leads to two ladies who bring new secrets to be uncovered. Asta & Tyra aren't looking to get tangled up with two Ljósálfar. Things change when Asta is attacked and Søren rescues her.

One thing I enjoy most about Amy's stories is the way she writes female characters. Her FMCs are nuanced & older than the typical 20 something ingenue that is typical in fantasy series. They don't shy away from the dark/damaged parts of themselves or the worlds they live in. Asta & Tyra both have their own traumas but they don't let that be their defining feature. Amy's characters often find strength in embracing the dark & traumatized parts of themselves & others. Experiencing how the four characters navigate this is what makes the resolution so satisfying. If you like second chances, redemption arcs, found family, magic, elves, and flirting as combat then I highly recommend Of Starlight & Midnight.

Thank you to Netgalley,BHC and Amy Kuivalainen for providing me with a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great Novella. The pacing was perfect, the characters believeable and well developed. The slow burn had just the right amount of tension. The only thing that felt a bit lacking was the world building but as this is a Novella in an existing world, I think reading the main trilogy would solve that. This is the only reason I am not giving it 4 stars. It absolutely stands on its own as a great read but I have a feeling that I would have been even more invested in Soren and Aramis if I knew them from the rest of the series.

It reminds me of the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs, you can read and enjoy it but if you have read Mercy Thompson, you can read it and adore it.

I'll definitely be adding The Firebird Faerie Tales to my TBR.