The Stars Would Curse Us

The Stars Would Curse Us #1

by Valerie Rivers, Stephanie Combs

The Iris were sent to us from the stars, but their rule is controlling and oppressive. Every season, we send our brothers and sisters to the marriage drafts . . . but the selected never return.

Aella - My world falls apart when my best friend and I are drafted to compete for the hand of Esterra’s most eligible bachelor, the devastatingly handsome Iris prince. As an elemental fae, it should be the greatest honor, but the competition is filled with violence. I question my true purpose as we fight to survive in games rigged against us.

Arianwen - Life should be simple—go on my rite and return to marry a man I’ve never met—but when a handsome stranger falls from the sky, everything is turned upside down. Secrets and lies unravel, leading me to question everything as I find myself pulled into a rebellion. My heart longs for a better world, but am I willing to forsake duty in pursuit of it?

We both face choices:

LOVE or DUTY

LOYALTY or ADVENTURE

FIGHT or SURRENDER

Is fate truly written in the stars, or have they abandoned us?

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fae, Fantasy Romance, Adult, Magic

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2024

Reviews

[Valerie Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my life, I've been dreaming up fantasy worlds and weaving stories in my mind. Because of my social awkwardness and nervousness when speaking, I never saw myself as a true storyteller. After all, what's a story if you can't share it? But after a challenge turned into a story turned into a duology…here we are – we wrote a book! We actually wrote a book! My hope is that this story inspires you, brings you an exciting escape, and that you truly enjoy this adventure with us!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go ahead and add this to your TBR now.

The Stars Would Curse Us is an action-packed romantic fantasy with two relatable FMCs and a unique world and magic system. The best way I can think to describe it is The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games with some forbidden love sprinkled in, which was SUCH a fun combination.

🩵 dual POV
💙 strong FMCS
🩵 cracked door forbidden love
💙 swoony MMCs
🩵 female friendships
💙 self growth
🩵 MIND-BLOWING, JAW-DROPPING ENDING

And that ending? All I can say is please don’t skip to the last page. It’s a doozy.

This is the first book in a duology, and it’s out now!

Pub Date: January 10, 2024

I can’t wait to read the second installment of Arianwen’s and Aella’s journeys. These two will forever have a special place in my heart.

[Stephanie Combs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope you take a chance on this debut novel my sister and I wrote together. I hope even more so that you fall in love with this world and the characters we created. Publishing a book had always been a dream of mine, but I never thought I’d make it happen. With some encouragement from my sister, and the decision to do this together, we dove into the world of indie publishing and are so excited to finally share it with everyone. Happy reading! Book 2 will be out sometime later in 2024!

[Lover of books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the is book for an honest review. Wow that was an amazing book! I am so glad it was the last book of the year!! If ya like 1 bed trope, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and heartbreak ya should definitely give this book a read. It comes out January 10th!! Really if I could give this book 10 stars I would!!

[SuzReadsALot · Rating 5 out of 5]

beta read this and absolutely fell in love. full review to come after I read the arc or published version!!

[Anila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I flew through it so fast and I already can’t wait for book two because that cliffhanger was brutal🫠I did not see it coming it all. My theories were all completely wrong😂

We follow two characters, Aella and Arianwen (Ari for short). Aella has been drafted into a competition for a chance to marry the prince, while Ari meets a mysterious stranger who turns her world upside down. Whenever a book has dual POV, I find that I always prefer one character’s POV over the other. But that was not the case with this book, I found both of the girls’ journeys to be intriguing and I constantly wanted to keep reading in order to find out what happened next.

The romance was amazing as well. Wynn and Kal were such great love interests. I was constantly flip flopping over which MMC I preferred. I do think Kal edges out Wynn in my heart, but it was very close🤭 Wynn was just such a flirt with Ari and I couldn’t stop smiling whenever they were together. Meanwhile, Kal and Aella had so much tension and chemistry. They definitely had a bit of a hate to love vibe going on. The banter for each of the couples was also everything I could have hoped for when it comes to fantasy romance.

I loved the world building as well. I haven’t had much luck when it comes to fantasy books with elemental magic, but I adored it in this book. It felt almost like a mix of dystopian and fantasy novel, especially since we had the segregation of each group based on their elements and the overwhelming power and control the Iris had over all the people.

All in all, I would highly recommend checking out this book! It has all the elements to become your next fantasy romance obsession💙

Thank you to the authors for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BOOKSTA: abundance.of.my.heart💖


WHAT DID I JUST READ?????? The hold this book has over me is unreal! The END? Just 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯



I can’t even formulate coherent thoughts right now, I’m just so thankful to have gotten an ARC of this book, I will definitely be updating this reveiw eventually, I just can’t even form words… just know that I give this book EVERY STAR IN THE SKY🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal debut by Valerie and Stephanie! Early on you get some Hunger Games, Selection, and Princess Trials vibes but this was a unique telling that I absolutely enjoyed!! It follows two separate ladies on their own paths faced with difficult decisions. The Iris are oppressive rulers over the elemental fae and by age 25, a woman is either drafted into the marriage trials or faced with an arranged marriage if they are single.

Aella is drafted into the marriage trials to win the hand of the Iris prince and soon finds out how deadly the games really are. She is torn between her feelings for the prince and the wrong his people have caused. Arianwen is arranged to be married after completing the marriage rite but crosses paths with a stranger that forces her to choose between love and her prior commitments. The storylines were woven together beautifully and I loved every minute of this incredible journey!

I was completely immersed in the world the authors created and it was so easy to navigate. The tension at the end of each chapter when it would switch to the other couple had me yearning for more! I could not read fast enough and finished this book in less than a day!! We get one bed, one cave, one horse and even one majestic bird (iykyk).

The main characters were so relatable which caused all the emotions to be felt 10x harder and, let me tell you, some scenes were gut-wrenching, tear my heart out with emotion. There are so many characters I loved in this book and they added some fantastic humor that made me laugh out loud to take away some of the pain from the other parts. Wynn by far stole the show for me though with his cocky attitude yet protective nature. I was eating up everything he said and those nicknames gave me all the feels.

“𝘔𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦.”

My jaw literally dropped at that cliffhanger ending! I did not see that coming and I have no idea how I am supposed to wait for the next book in this duet! I highly recommend this one!!

*My second read of this book was even more enjoyable than the first! LOVE this book so much!*

[Ashley Mural · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes place in Esterra. We follow two 25yr old FMCs, that belong to the Court of Water, whom I just couldn’t care for. I don’t hate them, they weren't whiney or annoying but just juvenile when they talked to the males and their inner monologue. They seemed like they were around the age of 17/18 mentally. When a female elemental fae turns 25, she either gets an arranged marriage in her own court OR gets put into a draft to marry an Iris noble. The Iris Noble live in Prisma, the only place in Esterra where all elemental fae can live together. Deadly trials take place, winner gets an Iris noble, and we get left on a cliffhanger I didn't see coming.

I felt the initial romantic connections in both storylines were superficial and juvenile. Definitely and insta-love vibe. I have whiplash from their emotions towards their love interests. One minute the FMC is mad about the dumbest thing and then forgives him quickly 🤷🏻‍♀️. The banter was OK, I just felt the romantic aspect could've been sharpened up. I've definitely read better so it was just OK in my book.

The authors did a great job with the world building and the magic in an easy, not overly-described way. Obviously there will be a couple of holes because this series has a total of 3 books (1 being a prequel) so I can understand that things may get unanswered for now. When I did have a question, it was quickly answered within the next couple of sentences or pages.

Also appreciated a map and pronunciation guide was included. Cracked open door spice.

MY NOTES WHILE READING
- Aella and the Prince seemed forced? Unnatural, immature, why are they grumpy towards each other…for Whattttt?
- Reverse grumpy x sunshine?
- Aella is overly dramatic and about whaaattt?
- Power reserves fill by just swimming in the water
- Why is Ari following him?
- Aella not drinking because she didn’t know what to expect for her first trial, but then ended up drinking anyways
- The guilt about Ulli was a little much for someone you’ve known for 24hrs
- Ari is annoying…giving this guy a hard time because he’d rather fly so stupid
- The fact that no one knows what happens at these trials is crazy
- The “changes” Aella saw/could hardly recognize yourself after one week LOL, girl it’s been 7 days….

[S.R. Plett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was incredibly honored to be able to ARC read this before it came out and it absolutely did not disappoint.

I would give this 6 stars but that's not an option .

This book had me hooked from the very beginning, the Dual POV was super well done, I'm super glad both POV were in 1st person, but I definitely found myself waiting for Arianwens POV the most.

Wyn has a special place in my heart and if you read it you will understand why.

Kal and Aella are perfection and I hope we see there relationship grow more in book two!

The magic system and world building were incredible and I didn't have to struggle with figuring out how to make sense of it.

You've got strong FMC, cracked door spice (the perfect amount, and I found for the story line you didn't need to much more), respectful love interests, magic, fae...what more could you want honestly!

Another reviewer said to not skip to the end because it will ruin it for you, I'm so glad I didn't because WOW I knew something was coming but not that!

Release Day: January 10, 2024

[S.E. Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preorder and add this to your TBR right now. TRUST ME.

Do you like the ACOTAR series? How about Hunger Games and Trial of the Sun Queen? If so, you’re going to LOVE this book.

Okay, where do I start? The banter in this book? Incredible. I found myself smiling at my phone like I was back in junior high texting my crush. I had to set it down several times because I was laughing so hard.

Both characters arcs are beautiful written and extremely relatable. I sometimes struggle to follow multiple points of view but not in The Stars Would Curse Us. Stephanie and Valerie did an incredible job and kept me invested in both plots the entire time.

I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the book. I even stayed up until 2am reading, something I haven’t done since reading ACOTAR. I’m going to be thinking about it until the next one is released.

[Liana Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes the reader on an exciting and beautiful journey through a fantasy world with elemental fae. It has the perfect amount of soft spice and heartwarming romance mixed with adventure and unexpected twists and turns along the way.

I found myself very invested in the story and characters right from the beginning. The setting and world building are unlike any fantasy book I have previously read and very easy to understand.

There were many moments that tugged at my heart and left me emotional for the characters and what they were going through. There were also many victories and the shocking twist at the end made the book for me!

If you are looking for a cozy, fantasy mixed with a touch of romance and spice, this should be next on your list. 🤍

[Courtney Royer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honored to receive this ARC to read and review before this released.

HOLY COW. If I could give this every star in existence, it would have them.
I never know what to expect when reading ARCs, especially someone's debut novel but this delivered and then some!

I truly loved the dual POV between Aella and Ari. From the beginning of the story, I was hooked and did not want to put the book down. Very eager to hear more about both of them, and THAT ENDING. Left me speechless.

If you're a fan of ACOTAR, the Crowns of Nyaxia duo, or the Trial of the Sun Queen series, then I have a feeling you'll love this book. Itching for book 2's arrival and hope to be fortunate to receive an ARC of that as well, because I certainly don't want to wait!

[Kristen Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

“LOVE or DUTY LOYALTY or ADVENTURE FIGHT or SURRENDER Is fate truly written in the stars, or have they abandoned us?”


This was such a fun, whimsical, action packed story and I loved every second of it.

If you like the Hunger Games with some romance, this is for you!

In this book you’ll find…
✨Elemental Fae
✨Political intrigue and games
✨Swoony romances full of tension (not spicy but just enough you’ll be begging for more)
✨Dual POV
✨A twist at the end that’ll have your mind blow.

*this does end on a cliffhanger

I truly loved how unique and fresh this story felt. It was quick and easy and addictive!! So proud of these two ladies and can’t wait to read the next installment!

Thank you to the authors for the ARC 🫶🏻

[Lou Nova]

Thank you so much Steph & Val for giving me an ARC!!

I became so feral about this book. It is so GOOD once you get into it.
A stunning debut with a dreamy writing style that is such a credit to the consistency of the authors and the editor, with fierce feminist main characters to match.
This book was a treat for a cracked door spice romantasy The Bachelor lover like me - yes that’s right, this book is if The Bachelor was deadly, which is such a unique take on the whole royal courting system too - and I am going quite possibly sing its praises forever, because it’s SO GOOD.
All the characters, muah! Written brilliantly! Worldbuilding is absolutely FANTASTIC!! Plot is PHENONOMAL, and the plot twist sent me reeling.
Here is my parting question; men who are not Wynn, why?

[Miranda Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

If you love magical worlds with competition and slow burn romance go ahead and add this to your TBR now. This story captured my interest from the very first chapter with the beautiful imagery and intricate storytelling. The dual POV was done in a way I’ve never personally seen before and I’m obsessed. The twist was incredible and I was reeling by the end. Aella and Arianwen will go down in history as two of my absolute favorite badass FMC’s and the male love interests had me feral 😅. The side characters were beautifully woven into the story and I fell in love with them just as much. I wish I could reread it for the first time all over again!

[Rachel Fallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stars Would Curse Us follows two separate but converging plot lines, with a twist that I definitely didn’t see coming! The elemental fae are separated from one another and not allowed to intermingle. The Iris rule over them, being sent from the stars with divine right to rule. One plot line follows Aella, a water fae who is chosen for the marriage draft to compete for the Prince’s hand. She and her best friend find themselves taken from home, where they’ll never be allowed to return, and dumped into the unfamiliar world of the Iris. The other plot line follows Arianwen, who has dodged the draft but now faces an arranged marriage. Following tradition, she sets out on a journey before being wed, where she comes across when of the air fae—a species supposedly extinct, according to the Iris, who has been shot down by them. A healer, she tends to him and finds herself intrigued by the fae, Wynn, who takes her back to his hidden land.

I loved the two storylines and how it was basically like following two separate but connected romantasy stories, both containing some of my favorite tropes, before it goes wildly off the trope rails at the end! I’m so excited for the next book to see how this takes shape from here. The reveal at the end made me cry buckets though. I was not expecting it at all, didn’t see it coming whatsoever, and it hurt! After getting attached to something, especially in a story like this, you tend to expect predictably and happy evenings, and this is very different. But not in a bad way! Just because something doesn’t follow a perfect path doesn’t make it not meaningful after all. Or not worth the time invested in it. This was a beautiful story. Even if it broke my heart!

I loved the world this was set in as well. The four different groups of fae are all so different, and seeing those differences was a lot of fun. They have silver, gold, bronze, or opal skin depending on the type of fae they are, and they live in environments suitable to their magic. Aella lives in a place that’s half underwater, while the air fae live in a secret settlement on a mountain, for instance. The Iris reminded me of the Asteri from Crescent City. The dominance and lies and control all parallel them nicely. We learn through both of plot lines of the different lies they’ve told. Airanwen learns of them from Wynn and the books in the library there, while Aella learns how they truly behave when taken to their court. They’re despicable, seeing the elemental fae as beneath them and only good to be used and discarded. They’ve very careful to ensure no one can ever tell about what they’ve seen too.

Aella runs into Prince Kaleidos while she goes for a swim, and he’s drawn to her right away. He appreciates that she doesn’t show deference to him, and seems to hate him and his role as an Iris. He has a complicated relationship with his own people, but feels stuck in an impossible situation. Not taking action as the King controls everything, and he’s as powerless as her when it comes to making any changes. Still, the two somehow find themselves developing feelings for each other. But Aella is determined to find a way out for her and her best friend, Viera. But Aella is hiding a secret, one she’s never told anyone. When she begins to explore it, she hopes to use it to her advantage against the king. Her hope being Kaleidos can step in and change things after. I won’t say much about what happens from there other than there is an epic moment I loved and that I want to shake sense into the Prince!

Airanwen meets Wynn on her trek before being married, and after healing him, she’s so drawn to him she doesn’t want to leave him on his own. Helping him escape the Iris patrols, he takes her back to his land. The two have a very flirty banter relationship I adore, and it’s clear he’s just as into her as she is with him. Still, he holds himself back from making a move. While in his kingdom, she makes friends for the first time in her life and works as a healer, meanwhile, her relationship with Wynn grows. The two even go on an adventure to help save and bring back refugees. Things inevitably progress, and Ari feels like she might find her place there. I won’t say what happens from there, as it’s such a jaw dropper I don’t want to ruin it!!

I really loved this and can’t wait to see what comes next. The next book is definitely going to be very different than I imagined even at 90% of the way through! That ending shakes up everything. I’m still completely flabbergasted, honestly! I’m going to miss where I imagined one of these stories was heading, but still, I’m incredibly excited to see what does come. The prophecy we learn about is due to come into full play, and the results are sure to be something else! With how they managed to write these two plot lines, I’m sure it’ll be equally as fantastic next book. The characters and relationships were great and made me get attached to them (hence why I’m having such an emotional reaction to that ending!), and the world is set up in such a fun way to explore. I’ll be anxiously waiting for July for more!

I received an eARC of this book. These are my honest thoughts and review.

[Nirav · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written and edited so flawlessly that you wouldn't know that the two different storylines were written by different people.

That doesn't mean that there's no difference in the characters, they do feel and act as very different people, while one is ready to jump into a fight other is much more held back, but the world they both exist-in feels cohesive.

I have to mention this, cause it's an achievement from my perspective all in itself and needs to be appreciated! I've read books written by multiple authors, in which the scenes feel so disjointed that it takes you out of the narrative. So great job on that front!

The story is magnificent! It's fast paced and exciting. Hunger games and the last Airbender could have been the inspirations behind this, so if you've ever thought, what if hunger games had a sprinkle of elemental magic, here you go! It would be really tough, to get a story of this scale done this well.

The information which is unveiled is perfectly paced, I was never overwhelmed but always curious to learn more! This in my opinion shows how prepared the authors have been in getting to a point where the story feels so flawless. This isn't one of those ideas dumped into books, clearly there would be multiple drafts (I think) to reach this level of complexity which still feels so smooth.

I could not believe that this was a debut! It feels so professional. Writing is so mature. They know what they're doing, it will take you on a rollercoaster ride! Chapter 41 broke me. It is what it is and that.. well, you gotta read it to know it.

From the first page, I was never deterred, the book had my complete attention! I'm thankful for Valerie and Stephanie for providing me an advanced copy to read. Can't wait to see where the adventure goes from here!

This one is going to be in top of my recommendations list, what a way to start 2024!

[Lou Wilham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner!

Combs & Rivers perfectly blend together a high fantasy adventure and an ACOTAR meets Hunger Games style plot that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Arianwen's story has a coming of age vibe that felt mature, but also innocent by turns. First love, secrets, and rebellion kept me wondering what else Ari would discover. While Aella's story had more of a dystopian meets fae vibe. It's action-packed and it doesn't pull any punches.

I definitely can't wait for the next book to see what happens with these two strong female main characters.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and entertaining start to what I know is going to be an amazing duology. I loved the unique magic system, always been a sucker for elemental magic and deadly competition. Loved the ending and the twist( even if I did see it coming, veteran fantasy reader problems😅). Cannot wait for July to see where the heck this story is going to go now, I'm so invested.

-Fav Quote- "I think it would be beautiful to live in a world where our element or the color of our hair and skin didn’t define us.”

-Read if you like-
✨Dual POV
✨Cracked door spice
✨Found Family/Strong Female Friendship
✨Fae
✨Elemental Powers
✨One Bed
✨Deadly Competition
✨Secret/twist/Cliffhanger

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨The Stars Would Curse Us✨

Well, here I sit… just hours after finishing this and I’m still so shocked by the cliffhanger that I’m not sure if I’m distraught by the information or by the way it twisted my heart into a tiny double knot. I haven’t had my jaw drop like that since The Wicked King, which means they did a GOOD job. So, I’m going to do my best for this review without giving spoilers! Forgive me if I slip somehow- I’m new to this. 🙈
I really enjoyed this book. The world building was very beautiful, colorful and fantastical. The lore was intriguing and I enjoyed the multiple POVs.
You walk through the story between 4 main characters: Ari & Wynn and Aella & Kaleidos. Through most of the book there is no distinguished connection between the two couples other than both females are Argenti. But all of this comes to light later. The romance is swoon worthy and super angsty and the authors did an amazing job at swapping POVs at the right time to dangle that forbidden fruit just out of reach. They did a great job building everything up and leading you deeper into these relationships, building a heartfelt connection.
There were many unanswered questions remaining by 70% and all came to a head at the end. I’m eager for the sequel. Especially after that cliffhanger….. which I’m still not sure my heart is happy with. It rocked my world and I’m not sure how things will transpire in book 2 to heal my old beater, but I’m here for it!
Full of fae, elementals, slow burn, witty banter, angst, one bed, life/death trials. Cracked door spice (1 scene). Grab this book TODAY!

[K.L. Hester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I am speechless! Move over Fourth Wing! This book deserves ALL THE HYPE!

First, as a fan of ATLA, ACOTAR, Hunger Games, and the Selection series, this book is the perfect combination of all four! You have your fae elemental courts, the air court that everyone assumes is extinct, and you have a fight to win and survive scenario where the winner gets to marry the prince. It was

And it only gets better with the dual pov with story lines that have you on the edge of your seat with anticipation. I usually prefer one pov over the other, but not with this book! Each storyline was enthralling and made me care about the characters and what they were experiencing.

And that cliffhanger?! Oh. My. Gosh!

I did not see that coming! I am glad I was home alone since I stared at the book with my mouth open in shock as I tried to wrap my mind around it! The cliffhanger is just *chef’s kiss*

Thank you to the authors for the opportunity to read this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[my.literary.addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Huge thank you to Valerie Rivers & Stephanie Combs for sending me this eARC!***

This book is definitely going on my list of best books I’ve read this year. Holy shit balls that was a trip. The magic systems & different races of fae was so cool & then the history. My fantasy loving heart was just in awe. When I got closer to the end of the book I remembered what the elemental fae reminded me of. The Na’vi from Avatar: The Way of Water in how they were similar but different. Again I thought everything about this was so cool! I can honestly say that I don’t think I have read a book like this.

These characters are fantastic!!! I can’t choose a favorite one. Though Wynn… 🤦🏻‍♀️. I still like you but really dude? I’m going to be selfish here and say I would have loved his POV & I just want some more chapters. The tension in this book is too good. Some of my favorites & also the banter. I live for it. I’m so glad it was mainly a dual POV because I love that in books. I may just be a nosey person but I like knowing what certain characters are thinking. It ended too soon. I’m just not ready to say goodbye & to have to wait for next year for book two. That ending. You’re killing me smalls. Pick it up! Do it!

[Sarah Barker Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, thank you Valerie and Stephanie for giving me the opportunity to ARC review your book. This book was so good! I did not want to put it down! Both main character POV’s of Aella and Arianwen were beautifully written.

There were so many things I loved! There was romance, tension, magic, a slow burn and so much more! The ending caught me by surprise and I was so shocked! I kept trying to scroll to the next page for more! I strongly recommend that everyone read this book. Five stars from me!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was enthralling and intriguing from the first chapter. If your wondering what would happen if you married the Batchelor with the Hunger Games this is it.

I loved the elemental fae concept with the water fae having all the fun mermaid vibes! The romance was swoony and heartbreaking and the banter was so well done!

I can't decide which fmc or mmc I love most each one was so unique and their stories were so beautifully woven. The trials and the high stakes from both povs had me on the edge of my seat for the whole journey.

The Stars Would Curse Us was an amazing and enthralling debut and I can't wait for book two that cliffhanger was beyond brutal, I was still thinking about it days later.

[Ashley | A Pair of Readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing fae fantasy with multiple POVs that keeps you guessing until the end. Valerie and Steph did a wonderful job of balancing the two narratives and showing both FMCs on very different journeys.

I really enjoyed watching each of the FMCs discover more about their world...which has some sinister plots happens happening in them. The duo does a good job of balancing darker themes with witty banter, unique worldbuilding, and fun dialogue.

[Elsa L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I hit the 15% mark I could not stop. It was confusing to see multiple povs and two storylines and it wraps up beautifully.

Wynn and Ari’s story was just beautiful and tragic they were my favorite part. I did not put it together until I saw Aella’s powers 🫢

As for Aella and Kal, I have questions and I need to know more about Kal. Will be reading book 2 to get all my answers.

[Sian Atherton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elemental magic is at the heart of this painfully slow-burn fantasy romance. Combs and Rivers create a segregated world in Esterra, with each element confined to its own court: Argenti (Water), Aurum (Fire), Aereus (Earth), and the extinct Court Adamas (Air). The majority of the narrative unfolds from the perspective of our two female protagonists, Aella and Arianwen, who are both from the water court. There were a couple of small interruptions of one of the MMC POVs, which seemed strange at first, but I understood why his POV was included at the end, but I was extremely perplexed why we didn't have four points of view before that. As a long barbaric regime threatens Esterra's freedom, both women must determine how they fit into this unstable world: fight for love and survival, or succumb and surrender.

Everything is clearly set up from the beginning, and the adventure gets underway quickly. Both stories are balanced throughout the narrative, and I never felt like there was too much of one and not enough of the other. I soon became engrossed in each story; the only drawback was the amount of swooning in both FMCs' internal dialogues, and a lot of more intense feelings seemed to be hastily abandoned to make way for the burgeoning relationships. Don't get me wrong, I loved the romance between both couples; two slow-burns in one book was pretty torturous, but there was so much in this world that was fascinating, yet these experiences seemed so brief.

I enjoyed all of the small details between our main couples that were so nicely incorporated into the plot, and noticing these things reveals the richness of the plot's history. The secondary characters were lovable, and the significance and loyalty of friendship was heavily suggested throughout the narrative. It's just unfortunate that many of the side characters appear only briefly.

In a society in upheaval, where the ruling class, the Iris in the capital Prisma, find enjoyment in violence and depravity, I felt that the actual effect of these themes was lacking. However, I enjoyed the pace of the writing and both narratives, which come to a very satisfying conclusion.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants The Hunger Games with fae characters.

[Rikke's Reading Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway and I’m so glad I did! As usual I’m not one to read the blurb, so I was not entirely sure what I was getting into.

It’s tough trying to describe this book without giving spoilers, because there are things you, as a reader, need to discover yourself. The book is divided into two points of view: Aella: Fae female, who is forced into a marriage game and there’s deadly trials to win the hand of the handsome prince, and the other woman, Arinwen, who stumbles upon a wounded stranger and love ensues. But then it takes a slight turn into unexpected territory which was absolutely delightful! I love it when I can’t guess what happens next! And while there are story-beats that are common to the genre, which leads the reader to think they know what will happen next, we just don’t.

I liked all the characters for different reasons, but Wynn calling Arianwen “My star” is just swoonworthy! The love and relationships were interesting, and it’s a fade to black/closed door romance. We get a bit of kissing, but nothing beyond that. So this book could sit in the YA territory?

I loved the world building, initially it felt like I’d read it before - elemental courts are not new to the fantasy genre, ,but what the authors have done is create an interesting take on these concepts. I enjoyed how distinct each race of fae was, and I was very grateful for the page descriptions at the start. Speaking of, I LOVE to see authors include a pronunciation guide as a non-native speaker, and they also included a bunch of quick references for each race and court, which was helpful.

I am gobsmacked that this is written by two authors, it does not read like that. I will assume they each wrote one of the PoVs, but it doesn’t feel jarring or confusing at any point. They clearly worked very closely to create this world and characters.

All in all, this is a great fantasy romance - I don’t think it quite qualifies as romantasy…And definitely worth reading if you like the genre and want something a bit different. The twist at the end is what edge this from a 4 to a 5 star, because there’s no way I saw that coming - you might, of course, but I sure as heck did not!

[Faye Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stars Would Curse Us is a debut romantasy novel, and the first in a duology set in a world where fire, earth and water elemental Fae are segregated and ruled over by the Iris, their powerful and abusive leaders. This first book follows two main characters. Aella, a water elemental, is drafted into a competition where 30 elemental Fae women compete in dangerous and lethal challenges in order to marry the Iris Prince. Meanwhile, Arianwen, a fellow water elemental is not drafted, but is instead placed into an arranged marriage. She sets out on the traditional voyage that marks the end of her single life but is distracted from her purpose when her healing skills are required for a Fae male who has fallen from the sky.

The romance in this book is closed door and is definitely suitable for a YA audience. I enjoyed the two perspectives of Aella and Arianwen and thought they were perfectly balanced throughout the book. I never tired of either perspective and there was always something interesting happening!

That last 10% was something else entirely though. The ending/cliffhanger/twist situation was so good. I was shocked but I don't want to say too much else on that incase it gives away any spoilers to someone who hasn't read the book yet, because it's definitely worth experiencing this book unspoiled!

I am already looking forward to reading the sequel when it releases because I suspect the next book will be even better based on that ending!

Note: This book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.