The Stars Want Blood

by Morgan Lawson

When a summer's wind whips through the spring gardens, when air meets earth, a fate that has long since been written amongst the stars will unfurl itself…

There was only so long that anybody could handle living while disregarding every single piece of advice from their psychiatrist, and Hazel Culhane was reaching their breaking point. Hoping to recharge themself enough to handle the challenge of getting better, they tuck themself into a hidden cabin for a week. It wasn’t a bad idea, but they couldn’t have predicted that something would be waiting for them in those woods, something significantly more frightening than their own crumbling sanity…

All of the Constellites — the celestial gods borne from the stars of the zodiac constellations — knew what fate had planned for them. It was the same in each generation of them. And as the Virgo god, Ezra Thompson should have been no exception. He doesn’t know why his Gemini counterpart came along so late, or why their newfound divinity doesn’t fit them, but it doesn’t take him very long to figure out that the quirky and unstable Hazel — the Constellite of Geminorum — is still his fate.

Fate has given them love, but with it, destruction. Will they be able to rewrite fate and save themselves? Or will they get pulled into the event horizon that fate has waiting for them?

... and it will demand blood.

The Stars Want Blood is the first installment of the Star Eaters series, a gut-wrenching dark romantasy that ties together religious mysticism, Greek mythology, and astrology. Filled to the brim with mentally ill characters, elaborate lore, and spice, this story is the perfect read for fans of D.Gray-Man, Moon Knight, and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Ebooks, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Adult

455 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 19, 2024

About the author

Morgan Lawson was born and raised in the snow-trodden city of Buffalo, New York. Growing up, Morgan had always found themself fascinated with all things dark and creepy and taboo. That love of theirs combined with their need for an outlet for all of their feelings and daydreams has helped to shape them into the writer that they are today. When they're not writing, they're curled up in bed watching anime or snuggled on the couch reading with their two adorable cats or hiking in the lush scenery of Western/Upstate New York.

Morgan can be found on X/Twitter as @writing_morgan and IG/Threads as @authormorganlawson. For more information, news, and extras, please visit morganlawsonbooks.com

Want to get all Star Eaters news sent right to your inbox? Subscribe to Lawson's newsletter at: https://morganlawson.beehiiv.com

Reviews

[quynh-anh · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUCK GIVE ME THE SECOND ONE NOW.

- non-binary rep
- fated love
- constellations
- ftm transgender rep
- human into gods

MAGICAL. EXTRAVAGANT. SO MUCH ANGST. BUT THAT CLIFFHANGER... GIVE ME THE SECOND BOOK NOW.

[Ronan Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m gonna do my best to write a review through tears:

Morgan Lawson’s debut and introduction to the Stars universe is a stunning display in masterful world building and inviting the reader to camp out in the minds of their characters.

The more time I spent with Hazel and Ezra, the more I felt their profound hurt and genuine love. Readers will wholeheartedly ache for their happiness both as individuals and together— no matter what the stars had planned for them.

Lawson has lovingly crafted a cast of characters, who felt just as real and complex and charming as you would think a friend. Silas and Hadeon, specifically, were two that I found myself the most intrigued to learn more about & I greatly look forward to more of them!

This story has such a raw and genuine handling of mental health that was both refreshing and tummy-twisting (when you find yourself wanting to climb in and comfort the characters you have grown to love).

A spectacular novel; Morgan Lawson is an author to watch!

[sara.gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good read! Loved the unique gods and magic system that blended Greek mythos with astrology to make a compelling story of fate, love, mental illness, and the heartbreak that can ensue from all of it. Can’t wait for the next chapter in Ezra & Hazel’s story!!

[d_uhreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Book. Right. Here.

This book is absolutely breathtaking with its world building and dynamic characters. It is based in Greek mythology, astrology, and has the perfect blend of Lore to sweep you away.

It's dark, it's spicy, it's phenomenal.

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you suggesting that if I get used to all of this bullshit, I’ll stop panicking so much?”

He shrugged his shoulders and they caught the wince that he tried to hide behind a buttery soft smile. “That depends on you. It’s been a decade and a half for me, and I haven’t stopped panicking.”

The Stars Want Blood is honestly an incredible win for the chronically distressed and medicated Gemini sun besties out there.

TSWB has:
✨️Incredibly well done and unique religion based on a mix of astrology, catholicism and Greek mythology.
✨️Unflinching portrayals of mental illness. Deeply and truly appreciate any representation of 'being a little off' as someone who's been on and off anti-depressants since childhood. I love the influx of messy characters published in the last few years, it just makes my heart happy tbh.
✨️Weird little dudes!!! Silas? Baby, get behind me.
✨️Doomed romance and the determination to run from fate
✨️Insanely good prose! At least 90% of my ebook is highlighted!

Overall, I genuinely loved Ezra and Hazel and their little found family of sorts. Hazel and Ezra are exactly my favorite type of couple to read: messy grumpy x sunshine? delicious *chefs kiss*

Thank you to Morgan Lawson for providing me with an ARC copy and I can't wait to have this book on my shelf in June!

[Alx Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are not enough words in the world to perfectly verbalize how much i love this book? The plot? The characters? dealing with mental health issues that I can relate to? A non binary MC? All while adjusting with a new set of information and world you never knew before?? Oh YOU HAVE TO READ THIS

[silver]

I really enjoyed this read. I immediately loved all of the characters, even though there were so many so fast - I felt like I learned about them and remembered their names at the same pace as Hazel, which helped and felt very immersive. 

The mental health representation is really refreshing and felt authentic both to the real world and also in regard to how finding out that you're a god would hit you!

The world is fascinating; I loved the elemental magic, astrological aspects, and mythos. 

The prose is beautiful and I found myself making lots of highlights! There are lines that will definitely stick with me.

I felt like I had an emotional hangover afterwards, the ending hit real hard.

I'm excited to see where the adventure goes next! 

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to collect myself before I can write a review. You should definitely read this though 🫶

[Gosia · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐥 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟… 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝.”

Jumping from a cozy romantasy to this book was perhaps a bit cray-cray of me, to be honest… And no, that’s not a bad thing, that’s actually a compliment toward the book—however poorly delivered. Because, you see, this book IS beautifully written, but also tends to break a heart.

The Stars Want Blood—the first book in ‘Star Eaters’ series—tells a story about entering a world of ancient gods by a person anything but ready for it (who would be ready though, right?). I’m not a huge fan of Greek mythos references but the author fused that part with astrology and Catholicism making it… Well, delightfully refreshing. At first, the many, and I mean MANY, names made me dizzy, but what brought a laugh was reading how the MC was struggling with that too, constantly trying to remind who is who. That was funny and helped at the early stages of the book.

Through the plot, we meet many interesting characters that hopefully we’ll learn more about in the future. As for main leads, Hazel is very well written and we actually get to know a lot about them, whereas while I wouldn’t say we miss a lot about Ezra, I would happily read a bit more about his ‘human realm’ experiences, especially as he loves that realm. However, I may be biased with this complicated cinnamon roll of a character, because I absolutely adore him and I don't even know if a whole book from his POV would be enough to satisfy me.

From the sides that truly touched me, a sure thing is a whole mental illness and trauma rep—how they were delivered. I felt a whole range of emotions throughout the book, but some of the main characters’ thoughts made it hard to read, as they so very well resembled my own. I guess it’s true proof of a book being well written, when it manages to evoke that kind of relation in a reader.

As for romance… We have everything here, in this book: a solid friendship, a bit of banter, open-door sex scenes, poetic words of love and longing—all of that very pleasant to read. The couple’s dynamic is marked by the tough experiences of both characters, which makes it also very real.

It may not be for everyone, this book, but if you give it a chance, you might find it painfully beautiful.

The book releases on June 19th and it may be for those interested in:

♥︎ LGBT+ dark romances
♥︎ astrology mixed with Greek mythos and Catholicism
♥︎ friends to lovers
♥︎ feisty/cinnamon roll MCs
♥︎ spice—sweet and loving, but also angry and impulsive
♥︎ mental illness rep
♥︎ mentions of trauma

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow. I'm overwhelmed (in the best way) after reading this book. The world building was incredible, the characters were full of emotions, and the story was engaging. I read this book slower than I normally read books, my mind trying to take in all the little details of the world and the many characters in it. It's like I knew I needed to take my time with it and let things settle before continuing on, because there was definitely a sense of heaviness on my chest when I was reading. How is it possible for something to be so heartbreaking and gut-wrenching, but be so beautiful and magnificent? The writing is how! The prose brought every imaginable emotion to life and made me feel them. I laughed, cried, raged, and sat in a vacant void. Absolutely incredible.

There are so many characters in this book and I loved them all for different reason. Every type of personality seemed to be present and every range of their emotions showcased. Besides the fantasy and astronomy elements, this is what stood out the most. The exploration of human connection, the battles we rage within ourselves and for the people we love, and to keep going even when everything screams to give up. Hazel appears fragile and emotional, yet can be strong and resilient, facing down any challenge. Ezra appears laid back and put together, yet is haunted and sensitive, feeling empathy for everyone around him. In both Ezra and Hazel's POV, I felt so deeply embedded in their mind, going through their highs and lows.

There's so much I could say about this book, I just don't know if I could adequately put it into words. It's dark and eerie and wondrous. There's death and spice and words used like weapons. There's trauma and love and friendship. So much is packed into this book. Besides all of the emotions and relationships, I loved the world! I'm always down for gods and legends, and I think this is the first book I've read with the zodiac constellations. I am fascinated by astronomy and all the different meanings in everything, but I am not an expert, lol! I really enjoyed how everything was woven throughout book, adding another layer. Some of the symbolism smacked me in the face late in the book and I just couldn't believe it.

Incredible, incredible, incredible. I highly recommend to anyone who wants a fantasy romance that is emotionally deep and complex.

I also just have to say how much I loved Lucas. I don't think a more perfect friend exists and he deserves all the good things in life.

[Miryam Drakon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stars Want Blood" is the first installment in the new "Star Eaters" series by Morgan Lawson.

Ok, I don't even know where to start. This debut was, in one word "Everything". Hats off to Morgan for creating this world.

Hazel Culhane, on disregarding every advice from their psychiatrist is finally reaching their breaking point. Hoping to recharge themself in a hidden cabin, they decide to take a break for a week. But something sinister was waiting for Hazel, which they couldn't have even imagined in their wildest dreams.
Ezra Thompson, Constellite of Virginis, had been waiting for his counterpart for so long. When they finally show up, Ezra doesn't understand why their divinity doesn’t fit them.
Will Hazel, Constellite of Geminorum, finally decide to accept their divinity? Will they be Ezra's destined fate after all? With love comes great destruction. Will they be able to rewrite what fate has in store for them, or will they fail and be pulled into the event horizon that demands blood?

I'm going to be honest here: the beginning can be a bit confusing. Once you understand it, Istg you're gonna LOVE what comes next!!! And for some reason, I've always loved the name "Ezra", so that's a plus, hehe.

First, I need an Ezra in my life. Second, what on earth was that ending!!! I have to wait for a year!!!??? Third, don't miss this book y'all.

This book is perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Just make sure you check the trigger warnings beforehand.

This hit home,
“You did what you had to do for yourself. You gotta put your own oxygen mask on before you can help anybody else with theirs and all that shit, right?”

Loved this!!!
"If the stars wanted blood, Hazel would give it to them in gallons, poured from their own veins and nobody else’s. The stars were never going to see a drop of Ezra’s blood. Hazel would make damned sure of that."
I was so graciously gifted the arc by the author, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew, let's get right into it! This is also spoiler free!!

I had the lovely pleasure of being a beta reader for Morgan and I have to say this blew me away! Once I got started, I was pretty hooked and read thru the book rather quickly.

Characters 5/5!!
• Hazel, one of our main characters, is amazing. I love a good enby representation. Being enby doesn't make them a flat character. They have depth to their issues and beliefs.
• Ezra is as they say, a sweet person who just wants to help people and I love him!!
• I'm not gonna go into all of the characters cuz there certainly are a lot, but I hope you'll love them all (or hate some of them heh)!! Sadie in particular is a dark horse who I was pleasantly surprised to find myself loving after initially not thinking much of him!

Story 5/5
I think it is so important to be able to start a story and not feel completely lost. Of course, it's difficult with fantasy stories because they have a whole world to build, but it's very possible for more contemporary or stories that have real world basis to be confusing. That isn't the case in Stars! I definitely was able to jump right in and take in the information to understand what was happening and that makes me happy!! There's a pretty clear direction as well and I can't wait for the next one.

Overall 5/5
I think the overall 5/5 is important because this wouldn't have been a book I'd pick up normally! Not that it doesn't sound interesting but sometimes books don't seem to be your cup of tea. Despite that, I dove into this one and I'm so happy that I did because now I have a whole new series to look forward to! Definitely give Stars a read and a review. Enjoy the adventure~

[Jake Vanguard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.
The Stars Want Blood was a lot more of an emotional rollercoaster (more of a downward spiral) than I expected. Hazel's constant worries and self-deprecation mixed with their yearning for love and praise were so perfectly displayed and written, I had to take a break from reading.
Then there's Ezra, suffering from anxiety and PTSD caused by his upbringing, always trying to do what's best for Hazel. Hurting all the way, every time Hazel throws daggers at him (literal and verbal).
Fated love, star-crossed love, two souls in one body - it's all incredibly intense.

The worldbuilding's fantastic. At first it's a lot that's thrown at the reader, but that's soon forgotten as everything fits together and easily makes sense.

Then there's the other Constellites. All with their distinct personalities, none of them boring. I desperately hope we'll see more of Sadie/Silas in the next book. He's incredibly fascinating in his own cryptic way. Of course there's also Antares/Hadeon, who's just too fascinating and handsome (and flirty).

Incredibly excited for the sequel, especially with that cliffhanger!

[Deana Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’ll be the stars that light your way each and every night through every eternity.”

3.75⭐️ Not going to lie, I was bit confused in the beginning, there were a lot of characters and names to keep track of. But once I learned who everyone was, it wasn’t hard to follow along. I really enjoyed the world building the author put into this story along with the plot and how well they encompassed the mental health aspect throughout the entire story. This story was engrossing to me with all of the Gods and astrology and the LGBTQIA+ rep. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and how “real” Hazel was with things, the characters were definitely relatable. At times I felt certain aspects were a little bit repetitive to me and the pacing was slower than I personally would have preferred. But overall it was a really good book and I would be interested to read the next one.

[Tillyzreadz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stars want blood was a good read i loved the Astrology/ greek god like aspect of the book it was very well intertwined in the story. The characters reminded me of a few of my friends which made them relatable.
A few times i found myself laughing about the banter.
The author had me feeling like i was right there going thru it with the characters.
Tropes
Mental illness
LGBTQIA+ rep
Dual pov
Grumpy/ sunshine
Astrology/ greek gods

[Destiny Foxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

GORGEOUS
I’m almost done finally and it’s so beautifully crafted, I can see everything happening in my head and I’m falling in love with hazel and the rest of the characters
I received the book in a surprise PR package and I recommend so hard like obnoxiously 100/10

[el · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely fucking magical. holy shit.

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF it .. wasn’t bad just wasn’t for me

[T.N. Vitus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stars Want Blood is a stunning debut. Lawson weaves together elegant prose with lovable characters and a magic system that will keep you engaged to the very end. While it is easy to be drawn in by the premise, it is the utterly raw portrayal of mental health that will leave you breathless. Not in recent memory have I read a book that made me feel so seen, flayed open alongside the characters.

If you enjoy a good old-fashioned friends-to-lovers dynamic, sizzling chemistry, and authentic dialogue, you will find things to root for in the main romance. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor after that ending, and I cannot wait for the next edition.

For fans of: astrology-themed magic systems, dark fantasy that marries the realistic with the fantastical, and grounded prose that punches you in the gut

[Cauliflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still not done with my SYK books :)

This one was good, sometimes exhausting, but mostly very rewarding. Compared to The Hourglass Keeper it barely deserves the Dark Romantasy designation, but the heros' sufferring is a big theme, often making me scream at the book TALK TO EACH OTHER FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!
Other than that, especially the first half, was just lovely

I was bothered a little by how many Christian elements were in the Elysian faith, sometimes it felt like the author read up some on the stars and a tiny bit on Greek mythology, but then didn't bother thinking of actual rites and just copy/pasted stuff from Christianity, only changing a few words, e.g. "tarbent" instead of "hellbent", Fosmas in place of Christmas

I will follow up on that one, but not immediately, towards the end it really was exhausting

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book specialises in funky magic/fantasy religion overlapping with the modern setting in the coolest way, and then serving it up with an incredible romance, raw portrayal of BPD and a giant helping of angst to round everything out. The dialogue is funny and perfectly on beat, the sex scenes are HOT and the concept of the constellations as gods just hits SO GOOD.

I love Hazel with my whole heart. I want them to be happy SO bad.

I know this series is going to ruin me and I am terrified and I desperately need book two, now.

[Jenn Ferlita · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ but I’m rounding up. I wanted to love this. The concept was unique and I loved the idea of having a non-binary MC. It started off strong, but it was very confusing to follow with all the characters having two identities and different names being used interchangeably was too much. I asked myself “who TF are we talking about?” multiple times and I think it took away from the storyline. Confusion aside, it just fell a little flat and nothing was super exciting.

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accurate: 3.5 rounded up! Okay, okay, you have me in your grip; I’ll be reading the next one for sure!

While the prose and the pacing could be a little clunky, I found myself really enjoying this book. I am intrigued by the concept, the characters & their relationships, and the mythology that I can forgive the clunkiness. It was a fun read and I appreciated all the rep included.
I will definitely keep my eye out for book #2 ☺️

[A.M. Hamill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not often you come across a book that has both such rich and detailed world-building AND such complex, beautifully-written characters. This book some how succeeds on both fronts. I really enjoyed it. And that ENDING.

[Alexis Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so so good! The characters were well thought out, the mental illnesses were throughly researched and greatly represented. I really enjoyed all the love and passion throughout the book and am looking forward to reading the next one when it comes out.

[Magik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal. Amazing world building. Top notch angst. The enby rep is *chef's kiss*. It's really fucking good. The kind of good I could never hope to achieve in my own writing. That ending is fucking illegal though (my babies 😭😭) and I need book 2 now 😭

[Devynn Buck]

Review coming

[♡ kim ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Hannah Gillispie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read!
I ached for Ezra and Hazels situation. The world building helped make this book such a great one!
You could get into the minds of the characters and really feel the way they felt through Morgan Lawson writing!