What do you think?
Rate this book
Stardust: Home of the Gifted
I’d spent my entire life trying to act like my powers didn’t exist.
Society claimed we were an abomination, outcasts, and rejects.
They only wanted us when they needed saving from supernatural beasts.
With my powers going haywire I had to move to the one place I’d been avoiding.
My new home among the gifted came with unwanted roomies too.
Everyone’s powers were different, and we all had to learn to work together like fate had planned.
The guys didn’t want me there, making me feel as unwelcome as possible.
I couldn’t believe I was stuck in a house with five guys who hated me.
Well, one wanted me naked and another was sweet, but the other three?
I was going to have to learn to use my powers fast to prove my place in this town.
Welcome to Stardust: Home of the Gifted.
*This is a 182k word paranormal/ urban fantasy reverse harem standalone. It contains supernatural themes and adult content, including MM.
Society claimed we were an abomination, outcasts, and rejects.
They only wanted us when they needed saving from supernatural beasts.
With my powers going haywire I had to move to the one place I’d been avoiding.
My new home among the gifted came with unwanted roomies too.
Everyone’s powers were different, and we all had to learn to work together like fate had planned.
The guys didn’t want me there, making me feel as unwelcome as possible.
I couldn’t believe I was stuck in a house with five guys who hated me.
Well, one wanted me naked and another was sweet, but the other three?
I was going to have to learn to use my powers fast to prove my place in this town.
Welcome to Stardust: Home of the Gifted.
*This is a 182k word paranormal/ urban fantasy reverse harem standalone. It contains supernatural themes and adult content, including MM.
732 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2023
592 people are currently reading
1133 people want to read
About the author
R.E. Bond
44 books1,362 followersR.E. Bond is a dark romance author from Tasmania, Australia. She is obsessed with reverse harem books, especially if they have m/m! She collects paperbacks as a hobby, has read or written every day since she started high school, and constantly needs music in her daily life. She loves camping and rodeos in the summer, and not getting out of bed in the winter. Coffee and books are life, and curse words are just sentence enhancers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
November 22, 2023
DNF 11% in.
All of the characters in the book are supposed to be 20 - 28 years old; yet, they acted and talked as if they are 16 - 18 years old.
11% in (which means upwards of 60 pages), all everyone is talking about is sex, fucking each other, not fucking each other, or who is not having sex.
At 11% in, it's been 3 days since Salem moved into her "house" and yet, not much has happened except movie watching, her getting injured and a small tidbit about her past which she refuses to explore.
When I see that there MC's are supposed to be in their late 20's, I want them to act like it.
If the author wanted to write a HS bully academy romance, she should have just done that instead of making a city full of horny bullies.
All of the characters in the book are supposed to be 20 - 28 years old; yet, they acted and talked as if they are 16 - 18 years old.
11% in (which means upwards of 60 pages), all everyone is talking about is sex, fucking each other, not fucking each other, or who is not having sex.
At 11% in, it's been 3 days since Salem moved into her "house" and yet, not much has happened except movie watching, her getting injured and a small tidbit about her past which she refuses to explore.
When I see that there MC's are supposed to be in their late 20's, I want them to act like it.
If the author wanted to write a HS bully academy romance, she should have just done that instead of making a city full of horny bullies.
Read
November 17, 2023No rating as I just couldn’t bring myself to finish this book. It was hard for me to get into and I’m not sure if it’s me or the story. Ya know?
Characters were adults but written to sound like teens. Even the constant sex talk was immature and not sexy at all. And I LOVE me some smutty banter.
This was not smutty banter but a more immature take on that idea. It wasn’t building anything up for me.
It was just sad and gross at times bc the author just used it SO much in the first few chapters in an effort to maybe create some sexual tension but again, it fell flat for me.
The world building was sort of interesting but again, didn’t entice me.
It moved at a snail’s pace. As soon as I started looking to see how many more chapters I had in order to finish I knew it was gonna be a dnf for me. 🥺
A big problem for me was the bullying from a future mate. He wasn’t just verbally abusive but trying to use his power to kill her. Idk. It came across as icky to me. And no amount of backstory was ever gonna redeem him in my eyes. 🤷🏻♀️
To each their own tho and if you like a murdering bully for a future mate, this has your name on it sis.
RH w ⚔️✅
Physical abuse of the fmc by an eventual mate ✅
OW drama in the parts I read (not sure if it continues)✅
Kindle Unlimited ✅
PRN w a hea ✅
Characters were adults but written to sound like teens. Even the constant sex talk was immature and not sexy at all. And I LOVE me some smutty banter.
This was not smutty banter but a more immature take on that idea. It wasn’t building anything up for me.
It was just sad and gross at times bc the author just used it SO much in the first few chapters in an effort to maybe create some sexual tension but again, it fell flat for me.
The world building was sort of interesting but again, didn’t entice me.
It moved at a snail’s pace. As soon as I started looking to see how many more chapters I had in order to finish I knew it was gonna be a dnf for me. 🥺
A big problem for me was the bullying from a future mate. He wasn’t just verbally abusive but trying to use his power to kill her. Idk. It came across as icky to me. And no amount of backstory was ever gonna redeem him in my eyes. 🤷🏻♀️
To each their own tho and if you like a murdering bully for a future mate, this has your name on it sis.
RH w ⚔️✅
Physical abuse of the fmc by an eventual mate ✅
OW drama in the parts I read (not sure if it continues)✅
Kindle Unlimited ✅
PRN w a hea ✅
November 25, 2023
If this book was 1000 pages, it wouldn't be enough!! This book was everything I didn't think I needed. It tugged at my heart strings for all the different characters (past & present). The spice level was up there and had me a little flustered, but this book was definitely a great read!! Would definitely recommend it.
November 30, 2024
|DNF 40%
This one? A total shit-show.
The worldbuilding feels disjointed, the romance plot is all over the place with no chemistry between the characters. The backstory of the FMC and the society of these gifted people are vague and, in my opinion, poorly outlined.
This one? A total shit-show.
The worldbuilding feels disjointed, the romance plot is all over the place with no chemistry between the characters. The backstory of the FMC and the society of these gifted people are vague and, in my opinion, poorly outlined.
November 12, 2023
DNF @ 20%.
I'm setting this book aside for now. My biggest issue presently is that I KNOW the characters are in their mid to late 20s. However, they are acting like they're 15/16, and the dichotomy of what I think they should be and where they seem to be is distracting. I was hoping to get into a well developed plot with settled MCs and less struggle over who they are and their purpose. BUT it feels exactly the same as a high school bully romance with all the drama and what feels like no real communication between MCs. Maybe that changes later in the book, who knows! For now, this isn't the vibe I'm looking for.
I'm setting this book aside for now. My biggest issue presently is that I KNOW the characters are in their mid to late 20s. However, they are acting like they're 15/16, and the dichotomy of what I think they should be and where they seem to be is distracting. I was hoping to get into a well developed plot with settled MCs and less struggle over who they are and their purpose. BUT it feels exactly the same as a high school bully romance with all the drama and what feels like no real communication between MCs. Maybe that changes later in the book, who knows! For now, this isn't the vibe I'm looking for.
March 29, 2024
So … if this book was a tv show it would be a bottle episode. There is not a lot of world building. Even though the story takes place in the community of Stardust, almost everything occurs in the home of the characters. And for this book it works extremely well.
This book is long, so we get to know and love the characters. They come together with hatred, dislike and distrust. We get to see them grow and fall in love.
There are lots of twist and turns, with some heartbreak along the way. Oh .. and lots of 🌶️😏.
My recommendation … read it!!!
This book is long, so we get to know and love the characters. They come together with hatred, dislike and distrust. We get to see them grow and fall in love.
There are lots of twist and turns, with some heartbreak along the way. Oh .. and lots of 🌶️😏.
My recommendation … read it!!!
December 14, 2023
I never thought I'd say this but the amount of sexual tension and "lovey feely" tension just 10% into the story was alarming. It felt entirely out of character with how hard Salems persona was supposed to be. She was supposed to hate being with people yet the amount of times she was actually alone was close to nil? And her memories were wiped of good sex and good orgasms but she had a collection of sex toys? Her ease of falling into a relationship with the first guy that's nice to her in the house?? All a whole bunch of unrealistic happenings all in just the first few chapters.
Not to mention the addition of her original team. Not enough detail went into how she adopted the brainwash ideology after she thought Frost died as a child. She was willing to hurt others to stop herself from hurting supposedly. Did she ever fully retrieve her memories with her old team? If she did remember everything, would she have not betrayed her old team as she did? The idea that the old team was brainwashed but she was able to remove that brainwashing in herself seems hard to believe. If she had started getting her memories back why did the brainwashing ideologies not return?? If the memories of the torture was that significant and the thought of killing Frost so abhorrent, how did she fall to the idea of supporting the board in the first place? What went into the brainwashing for her to form a team with the original guys in the first place. What made her morals change from not wanting to hurt Frost to "let me go kill others for the Board".
Unless the author is trying to say that because her love for her original team was built on the brainwashing from the Board. And that is why the love of her new team helped her overcome her brainwashing even when her memories returned. Otherwise her "love" is cheap...for her to so easily kill off her original team... Both her and Storm being able to overcome the supposed brainwashing even after their memories returning seem very unbelievable. If a memory wipe was all it took for their morals to realign themselves why didn't they try to do the same for the original team than say they were "too far gone"? If she and Storm could get a second chance since they didn't remember everything from the past, why couldn't the original team get the same luxury? Also, what about Storms initiation into the original team? What was his brainwashing that made him want to join the team that was in charge of killing failed experiments? Why did he still care about his brother, Frost, if his memories from the old team returned. And if he always cared about his brother in some way, how was he able to accept the job to watch over/eventually kill the failed experiments in the first place?
We also never got an explanation why Frost's memory replacement was so drastically different from everyone else. Was it because he had a closer bond with Salem? So they planted more violent memories just to eff with him? How did Frost and Salem get the chances alone to form a closer relationship while the others didn't and they were only able to see glimpses of others? Why were Frost and Salem able to be left alone for long enough for them to be able to sneak around behind the facilities back?
The more I think through their actions the more questions I have. None of their reactions are realistic. Let alone supposed age groups of these people. It's not a school but they're in their late twenties and learn to work as a team? They look like they're in their late twenties but they were in the facility for 40 years while they all talk and act like they're still teenagers? Geez Louise. The longer this review gets the more points I'm deducting. Started with 3.5 and now I'm down to a 2.5. I'm going to round down on this one to a 2. Do not plan on rereading ever again for fear of frying my brain any further.
Not to mention the addition of her original team. Not enough detail went into how she adopted the brainwash ideology after she thought Frost died as a child. She was willing to hurt others to stop herself from hurting supposedly. Did she ever fully retrieve her memories with her old team? If she did remember everything, would she have not betrayed her old team as she did? The idea that the old team was brainwashed but she was able to remove that brainwashing in herself seems hard to believe. If she had started getting her memories back why did the brainwashing ideologies not return?? If the memories of the torture was that significant and the thought of killing Frost so abhorrent, how did she fall to the idea of supporting the board in the first place? What went into the brainwashing for her to form a team with the original guys in the first place. What made her morals change from not wanting to hurt Frost to "let me go kill others for the Board".
Unless the author is trying to say that because her love for her original team was built on the brainwashing from the Board. And that is why the love of her new team helped her overcome her brainwashing even when her memories returned. Otherwise her "love" is cheap...for her to so easily kill off her original team... Both her and Storm being able to overcome the supposed brainwashing even after their memories returning seem very unbelievable. If a memory wipe was all it took for their morals to realign themselves why didn't they try to do the same for the original team than say they were "too far gone"? If she and Storm could get a second chance since they didn't remember everything from the past, why couldn't the original team get the same luxury? Also, what about Storms initiation into the original team? What was his brainwashing that made him want to join the team that was in charge of killing failed experiments? Why did he still care about his brother, Frost, if his memories from the old team returned. And if he always cared about his brother in some way, how was he able to accept the job to watch over/eventually kill the failed experiments in the first place?
We also never got an explanation why Frost's memory replacement was so drastically different from everyone else. Was it because he had a closer bond with Salem? So they planted more violent memories just to eff with him? How did Frost and Salem get the chances alone to form a closer relationship while the others didn't and they were only able to see glimpses of others? Why were Frost and Salem able to be left alone for long enough for them to be able to sneak around behind the facilities back?
The more I think through their actions the more questions I have. None of their reactions are realistic. Let alone supposed age groups of these people. It's not a school but they're in their late twenties and learn to work as a team? They look like they're in their late twenties but they were in the facility for 40 years while they all talk and act like they're still teenagers? Geez Louise. The longer this review gets the more points I'm deducting. Started with 3.5 and now I'm down to a 2.5. I'm going to round down on this one to a 2. Do not plan on rereading ever again for fear of frying my brain any further.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2023
There are some really great reviews for this book... but I just couldn't do it. I got to 34%, or page 213 and had to throw in the towel. I am sure it get better, as some people really love this book. Yet I stumbled - they HURT her. I mean, Frost HURT her. Not just emotionally, but physically hurt her. Yes, she heals, yes, there is an entire mystery behind her, yes he was protecting the others - but dang it, I just couldn't do it.
More than bullying to me, which I also don't like in a romance, though to each their own.
More than bullying to me, which I also don't like in a romance, though to each their own.
November 18, 2023
Didn’t Click…
I liked this book but I just didn’t love it.
I wanted to love this but I just didn’t click with Salem or her team. I liked some of them more then others.
This was a very long book and I was somewhat invested in the beginning but somewhere along the way I zoned out. It’s a well written PNR book but I think it could have easily been a duet with how long it was and how rushed that last 15% felt.
The story was leading up to this big bad Board and they were a bunch of duds. I think this could have been trimmed quite a bit. There was too much fighting then hate sex within the group, too many gym moments and just the unicorn story line just didn’t hold my attention. And what was with all the walking everywhere?
When Ash, Zeo and Thor were brought in is when I lost all hope of liking Salem and this fizzled out for me. I liked them more then her other team of guys. Salem turned her back on these men that she supposedly loved awfully quick and didn’t even fight for them. They were brainwashed just like everyone else but Minerva could have used her powers on them. If Salem loved them so much and did what she did to them I have no faith in her “love” for Storm, Frost, River, Smokey and Fox.
I love this author’s imagination and that will never change. I know most will love this book but sadly it just didn’t get there for me.
I liked this book but I just didn’t love it.
I wanted to love this but I just didn’t click with Salem or her team. I liked some of them more then others.
This was a very long book and I was somewhat invested in the beginning but somewhere along the way I zoned out. It’s a well written PNR book but I think it could have easily been a duet with how long it was and how rushed that last 15% felt.
The story was leading up to this big bad Board and they were a bunch of duds. I think this could have been trimmed quite a bit. There was too much fighting then hate sex within the group, too many gym moments and just the unicorn story line just didn’t hold my attention. And what was with all the walking everywhere?
When Ash, Zeo and Thor were brought in is when I lost all hope of liking Salem and this fizzled out for me. I liked them more then her other team of guys. Salem turned her back on these men that she supposedly loved awfully quick and didn’t even fight for them. They were brainwashed just like everyone else but Minerva could have used her powers on them. If Salem loved them so much and did what she did to them I have no faith in her “love” for Storm, Frost, River, Smokey and Fox.
I love this author’s imagination and that will never change. I know most will love this book but sadly it just didn’t get there for me.
November 8, 2023
Oh my god! I cannot put into words how much I loved this book! If I could give it more than five stars, I would! This is definitely my favorite book I’ve read this year, and I can’t stop thinking about it!
This book has everything I love: reverse harem/why choose, MM, enemies to lovers, plot twists, tons of action, so much spice, fantasy/paranormal, angst, and a juicy plot! I laughed, I was shocked, got angry, my jaw actually dropped a few times, and I was so focused on the story and invested in it that I flew right through this thicc book. Every time I thought I figured out what was going on…bam! Plot twist! Then again, plot twist! It doesn’t happen often anymore where I can’t figure out the plot or the bad guy(s) or what is going to happen, but this book kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat until the very last page! You’ll never be able to guess who you can trust or not.
Salem and her guys are all great! Such clashing personalities really led to a lot of great moments throughout the book. Each guy is different not only with their power but also their personality. You get the full range of the spectrum from sweet to goofy to brooding to angry to cocky. The world-building is phenomenal with the creatures, powers, Board, and the whole story.
The last few chapters are full of action, and you won’t be able to put the book down unless it’s to catch a ten-second breather. The ending was so wholesome and provided closure for everyone. I’m going to recommend this book to everyone because it’s just that good!
This book has everything I love: reverse harem/why choose, MM, enemies to lovers, plot twists, tons of action, so much spice, fantasy/paranormal, angst, and a juicy plot! I laughed, I was shocked, got angry, my jaw actually dropped a few times, and I was so focused on the story and invested in it that I flew right through this thicc book. Every time I thought I figured out what was going on…bam! Plot twist! Then again, plot twist! It doesn’t happen often anymore where I can’t figure out the plot or the bad guy(s) or what is going to happen, but this book kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat until the very last page! You’ll never be able to guess who you can trust or not.
Salem and her guys are all great! Such clashing personalities really led to a lot of great moments throughout the book. Each guy is different not only with their power but also their personality. You get the full range of the spectrum from sweet to goofy to brooding to angry to cocky. The world-building is phenomenal with the creatures, powers, Board, and the whole story.
The last few chapters are full of action, and you won’t be able to put the book down unless it’s to catch a ten-second breather. The ending was so wholesome and provided closure for everyone. I’m going to recommend this book to everyone because it’s just that good!
November 18, 2023
DNF at 60%. I tried to push through to see if it got better and there would be some character growth or redeeming qualities for the guys but there wasn’t. It reads like a child wrote this for a class assignment and someone went back through it and added smut. The characters were all annoying as F and couldn’t be bothered to communicate to save their lives (literally). One of my biggest pet peeves are books where the characters have multiple opportunities to question something or talk to figure out an issue and the other person just refuses and stomps off all angry. It’s F’ing annoying…that’s not tension, just immaturity and these are supposed to be characters in their upper 20s?? Just..no.
December 27, 2023
Interesting 3.5 stars
This book was interesting. It's got alllll the steam in various levels of spice. It's a very long book. I didn't feel like there was a clear reason behind the antagonists' motives, so all the events that led to the characters powering up, just felt like they were getting more powerful just for the sake of it. I'm still not sure what the board's objective with Stardust was. They kept saying it was to make an army and that a war was coming, but an army for what, who were they supposed to fight, and where was the war? There were literally 4 guys who were "against" them, and I'm pretty sure she could have convinced the 3 who were in love with her to switch sides. Having said that, the character development was great and it was engaging enough that I read the whole book.
This book was interesting. It's got alllll the steam in various levels of spice. It's a very long book. I didn't feel like there was a clear reason behind the antagonists' motives, so all the events that led to the characters powering up, just felt like they were getting more powerful just for the sake of it. I'm still not sure what the board's objective with Stardust was. They kept saying it was to make an army and that a war was coming, but an army for what, who were they supposed to fight, and where was the war? There were literally 4 guys who were "against" them, and I'm pretty sure she could have convinced the 3 who were in love with her to switch sides. Having said that, the character development was great and it was engaging enough that I read the whole book.
November 20, 2023
million trillion gazillion stars
January 23, 2025
Dnf at 25%.
A lot of mystery but they talk only about sex and I think maybe this smis a rh
A lot of mystery but they talk only about sex and I think maybe this smis a rh
February 13, 2025
Well, this book messed me all the way up. Everything i thought
November 19, 2023
You’d think by now I’d stop being surprised by how much I love RE’s books, but no! This one shocked me by how much I was captivated by the plot and characters. I need more!
November 17, 2023
There were some good things, some not so good things but...but..
The one plot twist in this book really really really didn't work for me and made me not trust any of her love 🤷♀️ how do I know she ain't gonna do the same to her current guys? How is this love different?.. if they were truly evil, I would have felt better, but I actually felt sad for them and just disliked the h and one of the Hs immensely from that point..
The one plot twist in this book really really really didn't work for me and made me not trust any of her love 🤷♀️ how do I know she ain't gonna do the same to her current guys? How is this love different?.. if they were truly evil, I would have felt better, but I actually felt sad for them and just disliked the h and one of the Hs immensely from that point..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2023
This one was tough to rate - I felt super rushed and the characters and storyline didn't get the depth they deserved.
(Potential Spoilers Ahead)
The twists were fun but lost a bit of their excitement because there wasn't a lot of build up or background (either before or after). As I was reading it felt like this book was a novella about side character from another series, one that I hadn't read. While I could imagine parts of the world from the descriptions it was very 'loosely' explained so I definitely had to add my own detail through assumption. There was also an expectation that the MFC was so deeply and instantly protective over characters who she had just been told were from her (recent) past and the characters in general were immature and their intentions/personalities were fully formed.
I loved the concept and the plot lines, there were lots of aspects that kept me reading because I wanted to see them play out. However, they just didn't hit that spot like I wanted them too. I finished the book feeling like maybe I would have enjoyed a more fleshed out version - with better pacing and more descriptive details. Maybe if it became a duet or series and the relationships/connections were explored more deeply before they grew - particularly with the second group she meets/reunites with.
(Potential Spoilers Ahead)
The twists were fun but lost a bit of their excitement because there wasn't a lot of build up or background (either before or after). As I was reading it felt like this book was a novella about side character from another series, one that I hadn't read. While I could imagine parts of the world from the descriptions it was very 'loosely' explained so I definitely had to add my own detail through assumption. There was also an expectation that the MFC was so deeply and instantly protective over characters who she had just been told were from her (recent) past and the characters in general were immature and their intentions/personalities were fully formed.
I loved the concept and the plot lines, there were lots of aspects that kept me reading because I wanted to see them play out. However, they just didn't hit that spot like I wanted them too. I finished the book feeling like maybe I would have enjoyed a more fleshed out version - with better pacing and more descriptive details. Maybe if it became a duet or series and the relationships/connections were explored more deeply before they grew - particularly with the second group she meets/reunites with.
November 12, 2023
Stardust: Home of the Gifted by R.E. Bond
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️~Stars and MORE
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️~Spice
📌 “They’re asking me to f#ck you and put all those broken pieces of you back together, but I don’t fix pretty things, Salem. I f#cking break them.”📌
▪️ I can't find the right words for this masterpiece! This book was a real page turner and R.E. Bond really knows how to write an absolutely phenomenal book! The way she manages to draw one into her words and stories is nothing short of magic🙌🏻 If you are looking for a book that is filled with magic, excitement, powers, love, heat and a whole lot of other deliciousness then this book is definitely something for you! I absolutely loved every page of this book and R.E. Bond really knows what she's doing with her stories. So do as I did and enjoy this magical world that I sincerely hope that we will get to return to in the future🖤 As usual, I leave no spoliers here but you will simply have to take my word for it when I say that this is a masterpiece from our dear Queen🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️~Stars and MORE
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️~Spice
📌 “They’re asking me to f#ck you and put all those broken pieces of you back together, but I don’t fix pretty things, Salem. I f#cking break them.”📌
▪️ I can't find the right words for this masterpiece! This book was a real page turner and R.E. Bond really knows how to write an absolutely phenomenal book! The way she manages to draw one into her words and stories is nothing short of magic🙌🏻 If you are looking for a book that is filled with magic, excitement, powers, love, heat and a whole lot of other deliciousness then this book is definitely something for you! I absolutely loved every page of this book and R.E. Bond really knows what she's doing with her stories. So do as I did and enjoy this magical world that I sincerely hope that we will get to return to in the future🖤 As usual, I leave no spoliers here but you will simply have to take my word for it when I say that this is a masterpiece from our dear Queen🖤
November 20, 2023
I want to give five stars in the worst way. Love the paranormal, love the harem, love the steam but the story lost me a bit. The story development with Salem and her boys was great. It was thoughtful and you could really understand their characters growth and love for each other. I loved the multiple POV. In comes her “original team”. That she need to ….. we are to understand she loved/loves them and she has no other choice to do what she does . It just felt rushed and I was left wanting more. There needed to be More understanding more care to those other guys. I feel like if they were part of Salems life “before” they deserved more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2023
The ending killed it for me
I honestly think I would’ve gave four or five stars for the first 80% of the book. The demise of the villain was anti-climatic after so much hype put into it. But what really killed it for me was what happened with the other team. The justification for it was just plain stupid. With a little imagination, a more satisfying outcome could’ve been created. I think the author was just trying to create unnecessary “drama”. I think she should’ve put that focus more on writing a more in depth finish with the “puppet masters“ It made me really resent the book in its entirety.
I honestly think I would’ve gave four or five stars for the first 80% of the book. The demise of the villain was anti-climatic after so much hype put into it. But what really killed it for me was what happened with the other team. The justification for it was just plain stupid. With a little imagination, a more satisfying outcome could’ve been created. I think the author was just trying to create unnecessary “drama”. I think she should’ve put that focus more on writing a more in depth finish with the “puppet masters“ It made me really resent the book in its entirety.
January 22, 2024
I went into this book completely blind. It had it's good moments, but I didn't find myself enjoying it nearly as much as I wanted to.
I loved the original take on the magical/paranormal academy and the concept of this book, but the world building was lacking and I felt like the author just brushed the surface of a lot of plot points without really diving into the details. It had enough of a mystery hook to keep me interested and going because I really wanted to know what happened next, but the lack of world building left me lost at times and wanting more information.
I liked that Salem's relationship was different with each of the guys because there was some uniqueness I hadn't encountered in other Reverse Harem/Why Choose types of books and I loved that she was the glue that brought all of the various personalities together. I liked that the characters were older, but a lot of the time they acted like teenagers and that would throw me off. The relationships also felt very shallow in so many ways. More about lust than love. I just didn't find myself rooting for any of them, even with the tragic backstories that came to light.
This was a long book, but it just didn't feel fully fleshed out to me. Slightly slower pacing, more descriptive details, and more hints on the world around the main characters would've helped. Even just establishing a deeper connection between the characters could have helped me to give this a much higher rating. This concept could have made a great series or even a duet with those things, but as it stands now was an only an OK read for me.
I loved the original take on the magical/paranormal academy and the concept of this book, but the world building was lacking and I felt like the author just brushed the surface of a lot of plot points without really diving into the details. It had enough of a mystery hook to keep me interested and going because I really wanted to know what happened next, but the lack of world building left me lost at times and wanting more information.
I liked that Salem's relationship was different with each of the guys because there was some uniqueness I hadn't encountered in other Reverse Harem/Why Choose types of books and I loved that she was the glue that brought all of the various personalities together. I liked that the characters were older, but a lot of the time they acted like teenagers and that would throw me off. The relationships also felt very shallow in so many ways. More about lust than love. I just didn't find myself rooting for any of them, even with the tragic backstories that came to light.
This was a long book, but it just didn't feel fully fleshed out to me. Slightly slower pacing, more descriptive details, and more hints on the world around the main characters would've helped. Even just establishing a deeper connection between the characters could have helped me to give this a much higher rating. This concept could have made a great series or even a duet with those things, but as it stands now was an only an OK read for me.
November 10, 2023
A unique story that stands apart from all the rest. Stardust is a must read for any urban fantasy lover or any RH lover. There is drama, mystery, suspense and smut, everything you could want from a book is compiled in this story so perfectly.
Salem is a FMC you can’t help but love and want to understand more about her and where she came from and her affinities for the elements. In her way are five delicious males who are uneasy about her but yet are drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Smokey, River, Storm, Fox and Frost all have elemental affinities and have been living at Stardust for what seems like forever. Salem comes in and shakes up their entire world, makes them questions things they never would have before.
When their pasts come to a head on collision with their presents will love over come the dangers set to drag them apart? This book had me had me in a choke hold from start to finish. I could not have predicted the twists and turns and oh my heart hurt for Salem. I LOVED IT!
Salem is a FMC you can’t help but love and want to understand more about her and where she came from and her affinities for the elements. In her way are five delicious males who are uneasy about her but yet are drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Smokey, River, Storm, Fox and Frost all have elemental affinities and have been living at Stardust for what seems like forever. Salem comes in and shakes up their entire world, makes them questions things they never would have before.
When their pasts come to a head on collision with their presents will love over come the dangers set to drag them apart? This book had me had me in a choke hold from start to finish. I could not have predicted the twists and turns and oh my heart hurt for Salem. I LOVED IT!
September 23, 2024
5/5 ⭐️
Yall this book had me hooked from the very start!!
I am not a big fantasy reader but for some reason this book was calling to me!! So I gave it a chance and it didnt dissappoint!!
There was so many secrets and plot twits it kept me guessing!!
It was spicy af and yet so angsty!!
There is MM in this story as well!!
I am so glad i took the chance!! Loved this!!
Salem, Frost,River,Smokey,Fox, Storm 🖤🩷🖤🩷
Yall this book had me hooked from the very start!!
I am not a big fantasy reader but for some reason this book was calling to me!! So I gave it a chance and it didnt dissappoint!!
There was so many secrets and plot twits it kept me guessing!!
It was spicy af and yet so angsty!!
There is MM in this story as well!!
I am so glad i took the chance!! Loved this!!
Salem, Frost,River,Smokey,Fox, Storm 🖤🩷🖤🩷
November 29, 2023
DNF @43%.
This book was literally all sex and no plot almost half way through.
The characters were literally bipolar, hating the FMC and then wanting to bang her in the next second.
There’s bullying and then there’s whatever the fuck this book was….
It all felt super immature and gave me whiplash.
There’s also some random shit going on with unicorns??? Idk it’s just really not giving me what I need and the writing feels very sloppy.
Gtg.
This book was literally all sex and no plot almost half way through.
The characters were literally bipolar, hating the FMC and then wanting to bang her in the next second.
There’s bullying and then there’s whatever the fuck this book was….
It all felt super immature and gave me whiplash.
There’s also some random shit going on with unicorns??? Idk it’s just really not giving me what I need and the writing feels very sloppy.
Gtg.
November 17, 2023
✨2.5✨
🧠 Bully Romance (reverse harem)
🫀 "Touch Her and Die"
🫁 Magical Powers
🌶️ 3.5 / 5
The author had put up a really good frame 🖼️ for the world and plotlines, but then forgot to actually put something into the frame.
Don't get me wrong, some action does happen but this is most definitely a character driven story
- everything that happens only happens to strengthen the bond between the characters. This made the plotlines fall short for me. Everything just felt like it was kind of bumping along, not smoothly.
So many things and issues just got glossed over for the sake of characters having their bonding moments instead.
With the way it was written, the big revelations and conclusions just didn't feel as epic and amazing as it could've been.
The characters' ages did not align with their behavior at all. They are mid to late twenties, but act like they're in high school or college.
There was no reason behind their rudeness most of the time, and it was just there to make the story go along. Even our female lead is such a bitch in the beginning.
If you just want character bonding and some character development (which I'm not hating on, I sometimes like to read something like this as well, this one was unfortunately just not a hit for me.), you might like this one.
All in all, for what this book is, it definitely didn't need to be over 600 pages long.
🧠 Bully Romance (reverse harem)
🫀 "Touch Her and Die"
🫁 Magical Powers
🌶️ 3.5 / 5
The author had put up a really good frame 🖼️ for the world and plotlines, but then forgot to actually put something into the frame.
Don't get me wrong, some action does happen but this is most definitely a character driven story
- everything that happens only happens to strengthen the bond between the characters. This made the plotlines fall short for me. Everything just felt like it was kind of bumping along, not smoothly.
So many things and issues just got glossed over for the sake of characters having their bonding moments instead.
With the way it was written, the big revelations and conclusions just didn't feel as epic and amazing as it could've been.
The characters' ages did not align with their behavior at all. They are mid to late twenties, but act like they're in high school or college.
There was no reason behind their rudeness most of the time, and it was just there to make the story go along. Even our female lead is such a bitch in the beginning.
If you just want character bonding and some character development (which I'm not hating on, I sometimes like to read something like this as well, this one was unfortunately just not a hit for me.), you might like this one.
All in all, for what this book is, it definitely didn't need to be over 600 pages long.
November 15, 2023
It was really hard to get through this book. The characters are supposed to be in their late twenties but act like teenagers. All they talk is sex, who wants to fuck whom, how she's slut etc. Not to mention the bullying.
November 9, 2023
Holy crap I was captivated instantly by these characters. These characters are mostly mid to late 20s in age which is a change from the usual high school/college age characters I typically find in the books I read so it was a nice change not having to read about the school type drama. The character building is amazing (and frankly for me that is the most important part of any story). This book was full of plot twists and I loved it. There was one part at the end of the book that had me literally sobbing because of the emotions conveyed in that scene.. I loved watching how these characters grew/evolved through the story in a way that really made them go from seeming very surface level to being these thoughtful, emotion filled guys. This is a fantasy/Paranormal standalone book filled with powers, dragons, unicorns, evil scientists, and experiments. This was definitely a nice break from my typical reads and I loved it. I also loved that this is a complete standalone story so no cliffhangers or other books need to be read to get the full story (I've honestly been feeling burnt out by longer series so it was a nice change).
Please be aware that if you have an issue with m/m interactions then this may not be the book for you. It also contains scenes of children being tortured by scientists so if that would be triggering for you it may be best to skip reading this one.
Please be aware that if you have an issue with m/m interactions then this may not be the book for you. It also contains scenes of children being tortured by scientists so if that would be triggering for you it may be best to skip reading this one.
November 15, 2023
Didn’t finish it
I hated how the men were in here, they were unpleasant, bullying, lying asses. I couldn’t finish this book and will not pick another up by this author
I hated how the men were in here, they were unpleasant, bullying, lying asses. I couldn’t finish this book and will not pick another up by this author
January 18, 2025
So this is my second time reading this. I originally didn't write a review I just rated it 3 stars so I figured I'd reread it. I mean it was ok so I guess that's why rated it a 3 but it was more a 2.5 rounded to a 3. There were just too many twists and some of the mind fücks didn't even matter they were just threw in there. Idk I just felt like the twist a 3rd way through was not needed and ruined the book for me. It just wasn't something I personally would have read if I had known. So I'll add a Spoiler at the end.
****SPOILER ALERT BELOW ****
OK so the beginning frost is all believing the fmc is there to kill them because of some fake past (we still are never explained to why they'd plant this past in his mind because it is planted) anyways it's proven his memories were altered but so were hers and everyone's. Which cool fine. But then a 3rd way through you find out her and storm both were like double agents turned triple agents. Cuz they were sent to kill the other guys. And she had a team with storm and was in love with her original team and then at the end that team was killed by her and her new team. Like nope not for me lol. It was just really an unneeded addition to the book just to prolong it is how it seemed. So that's why I'd rate it a 2.5 star read.
****SPOILER ALERT BELOW ****
OK so the beginning frost is all believing the fmc is there to kill them because of some fake past (we still are never explained to why they'd plant this past in his mind because it is planted) anyways it's proven his memories were altered but so were hers and everyone's. Which cool fine. But then a 3rd way through you find out her and storm both were like double agents turned triple agents. Cuz they were sent to kill the other guys. And she had a team with storm and was in love with her original team and then at the end that team was killed by her and her new team. Like nope not for me lol. It was just really an unneeded addition to the book just to prolong it is how it seemed. So that's why I'd rate it a 2.5 star read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews