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Realm of Silk and Starlight
In a world torn between the mortals and the divine, Aerilyns life took a shocking and unexpected turn. She heard the stories, that those who die the most brutal of deaths can be blessed by the Gods and join the divine in their respective realm, but she never imagined that her own tragic death would unveil a destiny beyond her wildest dreams.
Aerilyn goes from being a slave to the crown to pay off her father's debt, to a tragically brutal death. Awakening within the realm of the divine, she finds herself the object of affection for a charming high lord, but beneath his alluring surface lies a treacherous tapestry of lies that could dismantle everything she’s come to cherish.
Haunted by guilt and betrayal, Aerilyn must confront her tumultuous past as she fights against encroaching darkness that threatens the balance of the world as they know it. Will she be able to utilize her fiery spirit to help unify the realms of the divine, or will her passion only deepen the rift between her and her fated mate? Dive into the pages of Realm of Silk and Starlight and discover a tale where love and vengeance collide in the most unexpected ways. Will she harness her inner strength to bridge the worlds as the bringer of peace – or will she be the reason that it all comes crumbling down once and for all?
[ Please refer to the content warnings page at the beginning of my book before reading, or check the full list that can be found on my website. Always prioritize your well-being. This book is intended for a mature audience and is not suitable for minors. ]
Aerilyn goes from being a slave to the crown to pay off her father's debt, to a tragically brutal death. Awakening within the realm of the divine, she finds herself the object of affection for a charming high lord, but beneath his alluring surface lies a treacherous tapestry of lies that could dismantle everything she’s come to cherish.
Haunted by guilt and betrayal, Aerilyn must confront her tumultuous past as she fights against encroaching darkness that threatens the balance of the world as they know it. Will she be able to utilize her fiery spirit to help unify the realms of the divine, or will her passion only deepen the rift between her and her fated mate? Dive into the pages of Realm of Silk and Starlight and discover a tale where love and vengeance collide in the most unexpected ways. Will she harness her inner strength to bridge the worlds as the bringer of peace – or will she be the reason that it all comes crumbling down once and for all?
[ Please refer to the content warnings page at the beginning of my book before reading, or check the full list that can be found on my website. Always prioritize your well-being. This book is intended for a mature audience and is not suitable for minors. ]
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2025
24 people are currently reading
685 people want to read
About the author
Ashley J. Vinson
8 books32 followersAshley J Vinson is the author of swoon worthy and spicy adult romances. Originally from the Midwest, she currently resides on Oahu due to her husband's military orders.
Follow her on Instagram @authorashleyjvinson
Follow her on Instagram @authorashleyjvinson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
March 5, 2025
I’ve debated writing a review for a while. I decided to post this ultimately because I hope others don’t have to go through a triggering experience like I did.
I was on the ARC/Street team. I DNFed this because this has graphic torture scenes and a chapter of basically nothing but rape. There are no trigger warnings. I don’t have a lot of triggers, but rape is one of them. While the author may believe this is BDSM, when the FMC keeps thinking she is only doing what the FMC is demanding of her to avoid him being more mad at her or worse, this isn’t consent and isn’t BDSM. As a survivor of SA, I know first hand how harmful this type of content is for readers. This is why Trigger Warnings are so critical.
I asked her politely to include trigger warnings and she said she doesn’t want spoilers and her 18+ content warning is clear enough. (While I left her team because of her dismissive response, my review is not based on that interaction). I truly hope she adds appropriate trigger warnings before this is published. Readers’ mental health is more important than avoiding possible spoilers from the use of TWs.
I was on the ARC/Street team. I DNFed this because this has graphic torture scenes and a chapter of basically nothing but rape. There are no trigger warnings. I don’t have a lot of triggers, but rape is one of them. While the author may believe this is BDSM, when the FMC keeps thinking she is only doing what the FMC is demanding of her to avoid him being more mad at her or worse, this isn’t consent and isn’t BDSM. As a survivor of SA, I know first hand how harmful this type of content is for readers. This is why Trigger Warnings are so critical.
I asked her politely to include trigger warnings and she said she doesn’t want spoilers and her 18+ content warning is clear enough. (While I left her team because of her dismissive response, my review is not based on that interaction). I truly hope she adds appropriate trigger warnings before this is published. Readers’ mental health is more important than avoiding possible spoilers from the use of TWs.
March 7, 2025
No trigger warnings for the on page, full chapter rape scene and many graphic torture scenes. It could be a good story, but as of right now it reads as a poorly written version of the first 3 ACOTAR books stuffed into one rushed, plot hole filled 300 page book. It desperately needs a few more rounds of editing and to be marketed as dark fantasy.
Hopefully better trigger warnings will be added before book is published. I was a street team member, arc reader and artist till I was blocked because I simply and kindly suggested there should be better trigger warnings added.
Hopefully better trigger warnings will be added before book is published. I was a street team member, arc reader and artist till I was blocked because I simply and kindly suggested there should be better trigger warnings added.
March 6, 2025
It’s 2025 can we please for the love of sanity put trigger warnings
I honestly don’t think the graphic rape and torture has to be on page but if an author does include it add some freaking warning!
Hopefully they’ll take the feedback but seeing other reviews say they got blocked for suggesting it, I won’t hold my breath.
I honestly don’t think the graphic rape and torture has to be on page but if an author does include it add some freaking warning!
Hopefully they’ll take the feedback but seeing other reviews say they got blocked for suggesting it, I won’t hold my breath.
April 6, 2025
I wanted to love Realm of Silk and Starlight. The premise had all the makings of a standout fantasy—magic, mystery, and a dreamy setting—but the execution fell flat in more ways than one.
Right from the beginning, this book felt like I was reading a recycled version of A Court of Thorns and Roses, only slightly rebranded. From the suspiciously familiar city of “Polaris” (which is just Velaris with the first two letters switched out) to entire scenes that read as if they ran it through an AI with the prompt “rewrite ACOTAR but change the plot", the lack of originality was hard to ignore. Add to that a scene borrowed from The Mind Breaker, swapping “fairy dust” for “stardust,” and it became increasingly difficult to stay immersed in the story.
The writing style didn't help either. Nearly every description was associated with food in some way. While it might be charming once or twice, the constant repetition—especially the endless mentions of Shepherd's Pie—quickly wore thin. By the final third of the book, the pacing completely fell apart. The narrative became a disorganized mess of filler content that seemed only there to boost the word count rather than enrich the plot.
Overall, Realm of Silk and Starlight had potential, but it felt like a patchwork of better stories with little original thought. If you're looking for something fresh and innovative in the romantasy genre, this unfortunately isn't it.
Right from the beginning, this book felt like I was reading a recycled version of A Court of Thorns and Roses, only slightly rebranded. From the suspiciously familiar city of “Polaris” (which is just Velaris with the first two letters switched out) to entire scenes that read as if they ran it through an AI with the prompt “rewrite ACOTAR but change the plot", the lack of originality was hard to ignore. Add to that a scene borrowed from The Mind Breaker, swapping “fairy dust” for “stardust,” and it became increasingly difficult to stay immersed in the story.
The writing style didn't help either. Nearly every description was associated with food in some way. While it might be charming once or twice, the constant repetition—especially the endless mentions of Shepherd's Pie—quickly wore thin. By the final third of the book, the pacing completely fell apart. The narrative became a disorganized mess of filler content that seemed only there to boost the word count rather than enrich the plot.
Overall, Realm of Silk and Starlight had potential, but it felt like a patchwork of better stories with little original thought. If you're looking for something fresh and innovative in the romantasy genre, this unfortunately isn't it.
February 22, 2025
Love!!! This book has everything you could want in a fantasy novel.
After her tragic death, Aerilyn is thrust into the realm of the divine. There, she faces love, betrayal, friendship, enemies both near and far, and learns to navigate her own magic. There is exciting twists, magical creatures, and some steamy romance. I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book. Do yourself a favor and add this one to your Tbr!! 🩵
After her tragic death, Aerilyn is thrust into the realm of the divine. There, she faces love, betrayal, friendship, enemies both near and far, and learns to navigate her own magic. There is exciting twists, magical creatures, and some steamy romance. I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book. Do yourself a favor and add this one to your Tbr!! 🩵
March 2, 2025
Thank you Ashley for sending me an eARC of Realm of Silk and Starlight. This is my full, honest, spoiler-free review!
From the beginning I got hooked, we were following Aerilyn and her life in the mortal realm. Little did I expect that only a few chapters in, she dies. Oh, but do not fear; Aerilyn comes back in the realm of the divine. Her world was thrown upside down, backwards, and completely changed from what she once knew. Now we follow her in this new life of hers, seeing all that she must face. I enjoyed reading Aerilyn’s journey, and am more excited to see what else comes to light as we continue in this world.
For the characters overall, I loved that there was a found family feel. We got a sense for everyone personalities, loyalties, morals, and more. There are a few characters out of the bunch that I would be more than willing to see get their own book. In ROSAS, you’ll encounter characters you loath, and characters that you cannot help but fall in love with.
The storyline was great and entertaining. As this being a debut novel, there is room for growth, but I am not saying this in a bad way. I still very much enjoyed this read; I am stating this to say it has the potential to be ever better in the books to follow. There are more challenges Aerilyn and her friends will face, I am ready to see how they handle all that is going to come at them.
Half a 🌶️
Pepper percentage:
4% of the pages contain spicy content
9.4% of the chapters contain spicy content
From the beginning I got hooked, we were following Aerilyn and her life in the mortal realm. Little did I expect that only a few chapters in, she dies. Oh, but do not fear; Aerilyn comes back in the realm of the divine. Her world was thrown upside down, backwards, and completely changed from what she once knew. Now we follow her in this new life of hers, seeing all that she must face. I enjoyed reading Aerilyn’s journey, and am more excited to see what else comes to light as we continue in this world.
For the characters overall, I loved that there was a found family feel. We got a sense for everyone personalities, loyalties, morals, and more. There are a few characters out of the bunch that I would be more than willing to see get their own book. In ROSAS, you’ll encounter characters you loath, and characters that you cannot help but fall in love with.
The storyline was great and entertaining. As this being a debut novel, there is room for growth, but I am not saying this in a bad way. I still very much enjoyed this read; I am stating this to say it has the potential to be ever better in the books to follow. There are more challenges Aerilyn and her friends will face, I am ready to see how they handle all that is going to come at them.
Half a 🌶️
Pepper percentage:
4% of the pages contain spicy content
9.4% of the chapters contain spicy content
February 18, 2025
A Realm of Silk and Starlight
By Ashley J Vinson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ashley has written a beautiful and exciting romantasy that gripped me right from the start.
The story begins with a mortal servant girl, Aerilyn, who is betrayed and killed. But that is not the end of her story because she ends up in Wisteria the world of the Divine Beings. How she ended up there is a mystery. But she is happy and finds love with the Realm of Cloud’s High Lord, Neil. Everything is blissful and perfect…for a little while.
Aerilyn will learn that not everything that glitters is gold and you can’t trust everyone.
She will embark on a path of learning her own magical powers and strength. She will find love where she least expects it and gain a new family along the way.
Ashley has a way with words and can create vivid images in your mind and also ignites your senses.
She will keep you on your toes especially after the plot twist you definitely don’t see coming.
A Realm of Silk and Starlight is a great read. I recommend it to all my Romantasy lovers.
It has all the best tropes like: fated mates, enemies to lovers, betrayal, found family, magical powers, and more.
Definitely add this to your TBR!
By Ashley J Vinson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ashley has written a beautiful and exciting romantasy that gripped me right from the start.
The story begins with a mortal servant girl, Aerilyn, who is betrayed and killed. But that is not the end of her story because she ends up in Wisteria the world of the Divine Beings. How she ended up there is a mystery. But she is happy and finds love with the Realm of Cloud’s High Lord, Neil. Everything is blissful and perfect…for a little while.
Aerilyn will learn that not everything that glitters is gold and you can’t trust everyone.
She will embark on a path of learning her own magical powers and strength. She will find love where she least expects it and gain a new family along the way.
Ashley has a way with words and can create vivid images in your mind and also ignites your senses.
She will keep you on your toes especially after the plot twist you definitely don’t see coming.
A Realm of Silk and Starlight is a great read. I recommend it to all my Romantasy lovers.
It has all the best tropes like: fated mates, enemies to lovers, betrayal, found family, magical powers, and more.
Definitely add this to your TBR!
February 21, 2025
Realm of Silk and Starlight: Ashley J. Vinson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is simply a work of art. This book is giving everything I believed it would. I loved the spice in this book as it felt like is was a part of the plot; not just a random hook up like many other spicy scenes in other books. The love story was beautifully written, and it felt like a true enemies to lovers situation.
I loved that the action was as perfectly balanced with the romance aspect, I also loved that the battles we thought out, but not the main point, because we are focusing on a bigger evil.
I was completely blindsided by the complexity of the villains in this book because one second they are the good guy and the next second I hated them with a burning passion.
This book is perfect for you if you are having a book hangover, while it is slow in some parts, it makes you feel like you are enjoying a good stroll through the park, because the story fully entraps you!
Lastly, I am so so proud of Ashley for pushing through and giving us this beautiful work of art, I know it wasn’t easy and the grit and determination she has shown to get this book to us is truly fascinating!
#booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #mybookishnature #arcreader #ashleyjvinsonauthor #divinerealmseries #readersgonnaread
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is simply a work of art. This book is giving everything I believed it would. I loved the spice in this book as it felt like is was a part of the plot; not just a random hook up like many other spicy scenes in other books. The love story was beautifully written, and it felt like a true enemies to lovers situation.
I loved that the action was as perfectly balanced with the romance aspect, I also loved that the battles we thought out, but not the main point, because we are focusing on a bigger evil.
I was completely blindsided by the complexity of the villains in this book because one second they are the good guy and the next second I hated them with a burning passion.
This book is perfect for you if you are having a book hangover, while it is slow in some parts, it makes you feel like you are enjoying a good stroll through the park, because the story fully entraps you!
Lastly, I am so so proud of Ashley for pushing through and giving us this beautiful work of art, I know it wasn’t easy and the grit and determination she has shown to get this book to us is truly fascinating!
#booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #mybookishnature #arcreader #ashleyjvinsonauthor #divinerealmseries #readersgonnaread
February 21, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️
Wow! Absolutely devoured this debut fantasy from Ashley! Ashley’s writing is just the right amount of descriptive, creating a perfect mental image, even for me who sometimes struggles with that! It’s a beautiful & easy to understand world/magical system so I always appreciate that! The characters are truly complex & their relationships even more so! This story is endearing & tragic, at times making you giggle and the next moment making you tear up & breaking your heart for the FMC. To say it’s action packed would be an understatement ! It felt like it didn’t settle down until towards the end & then ending on a VERY suspicious cliffhanger! Looking forward to the next installments in the Divine Realms series & loving these characters even more!
🌶️🌶️
Wow! Absolutely devoured this debut fantasy from Ashley! Ashley’s writing is just the right amount of descriptive, creating a perfect mental image, even for me who sometimes struggles with that! It’s a beautiful & easy to understand world/magical system so I always appreciate that! The characters are truly complex & their relationships even more so! This story is endearing & tragic, at times making you giggle and the next moment making you tear up & breaking your heart for the FMC. To say it’s action packed would be an understatement ! It felt like it didn’t settle down until towards the end & then ending on a VERY suspicious cliffhanger! Looking forward to the next installments in the Divine Realms series & loving these characters even more!
February 11, 2025
Omg this is an amazing book. I can’t put into words how much I love it. I immediately got so hooked and I’m so happy to be reading this amazing book.
March 11, 2025
This is a divine beings romantasy. Definitely has
ACOTAR vibes to it. So if you like those stories you should enjoy this one. I loved seeing her love story play out. She’s had some very hard times in her life and deserves to have a man completely devoted and obsessed with her. And he is! There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing. One of my favorite things are some of the side characters. Mateo and Calix especially have me in a chokehold. Can’t wait to see what happens based on that cliffhanger.
I didn’t mean to look at other reviews before I jumped in to this ( I was looking for a page count). But I noticed a bunch of bad reviews because off of a lack of trigger warnings. I can say that I must have a newer edition because I did not have that happen. I also saw that she has all trigger warnings for her books posted on her website too.
ACOTAR vibes to it. So if you like those stories you should enjoy this one. I loved seeing her love story play out. She’s had some very hard times in her life and deserves to have a man completely devoted and obsessed with her. And he is! There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing. One of my favorite things are some of the side characters. Mateo and Calix especially have me in a chokehold. Can’t wait to see what happens based on that cliffhanger.
I didn’t mean to look at other reviews before I jumped in to this ( I was looking for a page count). But I noticed a bunch of bad reviews because off of a lack of trigger warnings. I can say that I must have a newer edition because I did not have that happen. I also saw that she has all trigger warnings for her books posted on her website too.
March 19, 2025
What a unique storyline!
This book took me for a ride, and I had a blast! I finished this novel in under 24 hours!
The character progression that Aerilyn goes through is amazing, and I can’t wait to continue watching her character grow. Zathrian is swoon worthy, and basically perfect. However, the two characters that hold my heart are Mateo and Acheron. They were amazing, loyal friends and I hope they get the very best as this storyline continues.
The world building was so much fun, and I enjoyed the individuality of all the realms. Each realm created a clear picture of the beauty that lives inside them, and was easy to follow. I’m eager to see how the world building continues to evolve!
All in all, this was a very fun, easy read. I throughly enjoyed the main characters and the story line. I am excited to see how the story continues!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book took me for a ride, and I had a blast! I finished this novel in under 24 hours!
The character progression that Aerilyn goes through is amazing, and I can’t wait to continue watching her character grow. Zathrian is swoon worthy, and basically perfect. However, the two characters that hold my heart are Mateo and Acheron. They were amazing, loyal friends and I hope they get the very best as this storyline continues.
The world building was so much fun, and I enjoyed the individuality of all the realms. Each realm created a clear picture of the beauty that lives inside them, and was easy to follow. I’m eager to see how the world building continues to evolve!
All in all, this was a very fun, easy read. I throughly enjoyed the main characters and the story line. I am excited to see how the story continues!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3🌶️🌶️🌶️
March 6, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
This was a fun read. The FMC faced unique conflicts in her early life that lead to an entry into the Fae world that was full of grief and fear. While happy to escape where she was, Aerilyn quickly found solice in a new seemingly peaceful Fae world. Her peace is temporary as she quickly finds out. Aerilyn is forced to discover who she is in less than ideal circumstances.
This book had several of my favorite tropes including enemies to lovers, fated mates, and found family which definitely kept me reading. There were certain parts of the book that felt slightly underdeveloped or rushed but it also kept the book moving quickly. Also - the nicknames weren’t my favorite, but overall I enjoyed the characters and the conflict they faced.
This was a fun read. The FMC faced unique conflicts in her early life that lead to an entry into the Fae world that was full of grief and fear. While happy to escape where she was, Aerilyn quickly found solice in a new seemingly peaceful Fae world. Her peace is temporary as she quickly finds out. Aerilyn is forced to discover who she is in less than ideal circumstances.
This book had several of my favorite tropes including enemies to lovers, fated mates, and found family which definitely kept me reading. There were certain parts of the book that felt slightly underdeveloped or rushed but it also kept the book moving quickly. Also - the nicknames weren’t my favorite, but overall I enjoyed the characters and the conflict they faced.
May 29, 2025
Overall, this book was ok. However, I'm not a fan of an author regurgitating another authors work. Yes some things are changed of course, but in the end, its pretty much the same story. Even down to the descriptions of the two MMCs. I will say, though, that I love Aerilyn. Shes a bit different, especially when she is reborn. Shes naive but unfortunately learns quickly. She irritated me, but I also grew to love her personality. Shes softer and while that isn't a good thing in the world of the divine, it fits who she needs to be. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I want to continue the story just because of Aerilyn. While I love her, the rest of the characters felt boring and disingenuous. Even the romance felt shallow. Beautiful cover and the FMC is great, but not the book for me.
April 8, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.
I really wanted to like Realm of Silk and Starlight, but it unfortunately fell flat for me.
The world and all of the realms are written so dreamily, it’s hard not to want to get lost in the story! However, the pacing made it hard to follow along. Many of the chapters ended abruptly, and towards the end it felt like the plot was lost and the content was just filler and fluff. I also wished the characters were a little more fleshed out, as if often felt like the FMC would talk about their character traits as if the reader already knew the characters before they were really introduced.
There were also many plot points and aspects that were heavily ACOTAR influenced, which overall is not an issue, but some things were a little too similar (a controlling high lord forcing the FMC to stay in his manor, a “city of stars” called Polaris, etc.).
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.
I really wanted to like Realm of Silk and Starlight, but it unfortunately fell flat for me.
The world and all of the realms are written so dreamily, it’s hard not to want to get lost in the story! However, the pacing made it hard to follow along. Many of the chapters ended abruptly, and towards the end it felt like the plot was lost and the content was just filler and fluff. I also wished the characters were a little more fleshed out, as if often felt like the FMC would talk about their character traits as if the reader already knew the characters before they were really introduced.
There were also many plot points and aspects that were heavily ACOTAR influenced, which overall is not an issue, but some things were a little too similar (a controlling high lord forcing the FMC to stay in his manor, a “city of stars” called Polaris, etc.).
November 5, 2025
I can’t bring myself to continue this book for SO many reasons. Honestly, this book is so bad, I have to pause, breathe and pray to any God to give me patience bc this is simply a hard read and a bad book through and through.
Reasons for this claim:
1. This book is a cheap, badly written and cringy version of a court of thorns and roses by s. j. maas.
2. Chapter eleven was so unnecessary and to not have a trigger warning for it, is irresponsible and unacceptable.
3. Wattpad has better written books than this, and I don’t say this lightly. This can’t even be classified as a beginner’s english book because of the themes, the writing style is simply bad and the characters are horrible written with no depth whatsoever.
4. Again, the author can’t even deny that this book wasn’t straight up a copy of acotar. even if she admits that she just got inspired by it. the world, the festivals, the characters, all of it feels like a cheap but exact copy of acotar.
Reasons for this claim:
1. This book is a cheap, badly written and cringy version of a court of thorns and roses by s. j. maas.
2. Chapter eleven was so unnecessary and to not have a trigger warning for it, is irresponsible and unacceptable.
3. Wattpad has better written books than this, and I don’t say this lightly. This can’t even be classified as a beginner’s english book because of the themes, the writing style is simply bad and the characters are horrible written with no depth whatsoever.
4. Again, the author can’t even deny that this book wasn’t straight up a copy of acotar. even if she admits that she just got inspired by it. the world, the festivals, the characters, all of it feels like a cheap but exact copy of acotar.
April 12, 2025
I initially wasn’t going to review this book and was just going to mark it as a DNF and move on. I received this as an ARC and the trigger warning page was very vague. I DNFd after the on page rape scene that was not originally included in the TWs. I eventually received an email saying that the trigger warnings have been updated and out of curiosity I checked them, and they’re still very misleading. Everything makes a point to say (not by male lead) but at the point of the book in which I DNFd- he was who was assumed to be the male lead. I appreciate that the author has made an attempt to fix the trigger warnings but they are still a bit misleading. Other than that I really wanted to like this, it feels very heavily inspired by a court of thorns and roses- which is fine. But unfortunately I just could not get past that scene and can not continue.
April 16, 2025
This was the kind of book that had me HOOKED from the first chapter…and 8 hours later, I was done. I devoured this book from start to finish. The world and character building was a refreshing story line. Days later, I am still thinking about everything Ashley planted. The little Easter eggs with the names, the little nuances with the characters here and there, the descriptions of the realms, and THE SMUT!!! I loved every single minute of reading this book. The characters are relatable, and go through real life struggles. The romantic pairings are amazing (especially if you love a morally gray man that is not afraid to cry 👀), but the platonic friendships that Ashley emphasizes on really adds so much depth to the story. You can tell so much effort went into writing this book. I’ll be a reader for life now
March 14, 2025
We all want a book we can get completely swept away in, right? Well, Realm of Silk and Starlight is that book. Ashley J. Vinson has curated a beautiful world in this series and she has amazing attention to detail. Each character has many personality quirks. These aren't cookie cutter characters. With a good amount of characters, you get many tropes to choose from, perfect for any fan of adult romantasy. There's love, magic, found family, betrayal, steamy scenes, sheperds pie, and much more to explore. This is a book where I would rather not give too much away; I believe you need to just read it so we can talk about it! Be prepared to go through all the ups & downs on this magical journey. I will be re-reading this until the next in the series comes out. 🩵
March 17, 2025
Thank you Ashley for letting me be an ARC reader for you!
Realm of Silk and Starlight is an amazing fantasy book filled with love, betrayal, plot twists and amazing friendships.
I DEVOURED this book and loved every second of it. After her tragic death, Aerilyn leaves the mortal world and enters the divine realm where she learns about her true self but also makes some amazing friends along the way. If you’ve read ACOTAR, you’ll love this book (honestly this was everything I wanted ACOTAR to be for me)
Can’t wait for the next books that Ashley writes!!
Realm of Silk and Starlight is an amazing fantasy book filled with love, betrayal, plot twists and amazing friendships.
I DEVOURED this book and loved every second of it. After her tragic death, Aerilyn leaves the mortal world and enters the divine realm where she learns about her true self but also makes some amazing friends along the way. If you’ve read ACOTAR, you’ll love this book (honestly this was everything I wanted ACOTAR to be for me)
Can’t wait for the next books that Ashley writes!!
February 28, 2025
✨️arc review✨️ coming soon
June 19, 2025
Hate to say it, but this one wasn't for me 😔
It felt very derivative of other popular fantasy books out there.
-girl goes to new realm meets mystical man who she falls for
-pretty mystical man is very "protective" and keeps her locked in a house
-mystical man ends up betraying her
-girl ends up with powers from a lot of different realms
-falls for next mystical man from the night court 🌌 (oops, I mean Realm of Stars 🙄)
anyone else seeing a pattern here...?
But besides that (because hey, maybe all that was just coincidental 🤷🏼♀️), I didn't really connect with the characters and the relationships seemed very surface level. The magic system and world could use a little more beefing up as well; I was a little confused at times.
I do want to thank RR Book Tours and the author for my copy though 💙
It felt very derivative of other popular fantasy books out there.
-girl goes to new realm meets mystical man who she falls for
-pretty mystical man is very "protective" and keeps her locked in a house
-mystical man ends up betraying her
-girl ends up with powers from a lot of different realms
-falls for next mystical man from the night court 🌌 (oops, I mean Realm of Stars 🙄)
anyone else seeing a pattern here...?
But besides that (because hey, maybe all that was just coincidental 🤷🏼♀️), I didn't really connect with the characters and the relationships seemed very surface level. The magic system and world could use a little more beefing up as well; I was a little confused at times.
I do want to thank RR Book Tours and the author for my copy though 💙
March 8, 2025
Really wanted to like this book, but had to skim read the last 1/3 of the book to finish.
Ashley was likely inspired by the ACOTAR series by SJM as there were many overlapping themes, similar character descriptions and world building. (Realms inspired by night, day and seasons, immortals with powers, mate bonds). I found the story read like a Young Adult book, however the intimate scenes are definitely not YA, and the author has release a content warning in relation to this.
The repetitive language used was likely for dramatic effect but I found lacking of descriptive variety.
Ashley was likely inspired by the ACOTAR series by SJM as there were many overlapping themes, similar character descriptions and world building. (Realms inspired by night, day and seasons, immortals with powers, mate bonds). I found the story read like a Young Adult book, however the intimate scenes are definitely not YA, and the author has release a content warning in relation to this.
The repetitive language used was likely for dramatic effect but I found lacking of descriptive variety.
March 12, 2025
Starshine, I cannot get over how amazingly good this book was! I was hooked from the beginning. Everything about this read was perfect. The plot, the storyline, the characters were extraordinary. I cannot thank Ashley enough for giving me the opportunity to read this gem! Keep up the amazing work!!! I cannot wait for the next installment in the series!!! 😍😍💖💖
April 11, 2025
dnf. but giving it two stars for the first few chapters. those had me hooked. but then the book kind of fell off around chapter 12. I found myself truly uncomfortable in some parts. and the dialog read weird to me. that's just personal opinion. I do think the book has potential to be more than it is given that it's written just a little bit better.
April 18, 2025
Mild spoilers, not super in depth ones tho!
I give it 4 stars, I overall really loved the story and felt like it was really interesting and fun to get into. Aerilyn was a bit of a dumbass sometimes but she wasn’t aggravating as a main character. I really enjoyed her time in the realm of clouds and the amount of detail given for the surrounding areas.
I think some critiques I have are that the romance between Neil and Aerilyn honestly felt more fleshed out than the one with Zathrian. I felt like there was a steady flow of Neil and hers relationship that made it progress naturally and like there was a genuine connection there. With Zathrian however, despite this being the true relationship of the story, didn’t feel like it had a lot of development or depth like her initial relationship with Neil did.
Even with her first escape to the Realm of Stars and them having some tender moments together, I didn’t feel like it was coming together as smoothly as Neil’s relationship with her did. I wish the characters like Narcissa, Akira, and the other two girls were more fleshed out too, they were just kind of, NPCs that didn’t really add much to the story and were a bit one dimensional. If they had more screen time like Mateo and Acheron I think it would’ve been much better, those two you really got to know and care about within the story.
Another thing is the final chapters, it started to feel more like a collection of shorts/ideas rather than a cohesive story. From the swimming scene to the girls night sleepover, it all started to feel very disjointed and jumbled. I would’ve liked if chapters were longer, too, it began to feel like each chapter was maybe 5 pages or so before suddenly becoming a new chapter.
It may have been best to have ended the story shortly after the meeting with the Gods, because it felt like once it reached that climax it started to become kind of frazzled with the story telling, and seemed more like short stories than part of the whole story.
I think this book and any future additions have a lot of potential, it was wonderfully written with its detail and love for its primary set of characters. I’m really looking forward to the future of this series! :”))
I give it 4 stars, I overall really loved the story and felt like it was really interesting and fun to get into. Aerilyn was a bit of a dumbass sometimes but she wasn’t aggravating as a main character. I really enjoyed her time in the realm of clouds and the amount of detail given for the surrounding areas.
I think some critiques I have are that the romance between Neil and Aerilyn honestly felt more fleshed out than the one with Zathrian. I felt like there was a steady flow of Neil and hers relationship that made it progress naturally and like there was a genuine connection there. With Zathrian however, despite this being the true relationship of the story, didn’t feel like it had a lot of development or depth like her initial relationship with Neil did.
Even with her first escape to the Realm of Stars and them having some tender moments together, I didn’t feel like it was coming together as smoothly as Neil’s relationship with her did. I wish the characters like Narcissa, Akira, and the other two girls were more fleshed out too, they were just kind of, NPCs that didn’t really add much to the story and were a bit one dimensional. If they had more screen time like Mateo and Acheron I think it would’ve been much better, those two you really got to know and care about within the story.
Another thing is the final chapters, it started to feel more like a collection of shorts/ideas rather than a cohesive story. From the swimming scene to the girls night sleepover, it all started to feel very disjointed and jumbled. I would’ve liked if chapters were longer, too, it began to feel like each chapter was maybe 5 pages or so before suddenly becoming a new chapter.
It may have been best to have ended the story shortly after the meeting with the Gods, because it felt like once it reached that climax it started to become kind of frazzled with the story telling, and seemed more like short stories than part of the whole story.
I think this book and any future additions have a lot of potential, it was wonderfully written with its detail and love for its primary set of characters. I’m really looking forward to the future of this series! :”))
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
March 28, 2025Thank you to the author for the eARC.
Did Not Finish.
Of note - the author updated the trigger warnings after ARCs were received, and had I seen them prior, I wouldn't have chosen to read this story.
I did attempt, despite the updated trigger warnings. But the similarities to the ACOTAR series was just too much. Her death at the beginning didn't make any sense (and the pacing was so quick), then she's basically transported to Neil's (aka Tamlin's realm). And Neil's close buddy Acheron (...just one letter different from Archeron) was very Lucius-like.
Thank you for the opportunity, but alas, not for me.
Did Not Finish.
Of note - the author updated the trigger warnings after ARCs were received, and had I seen them prior, I wouldn't have chosen to read this story.
I did attempt, despite the updated trigger warnings. But the similarities to the ACOTAR series was just too much. Her death at the beginning didn't make any sense (and the pacing was so quick), then she's basically transported to Neil's (aka Tamlin's realm). And Neil's close buddy Acheron (...just one letter different from Archeron) was very Lucius-like.
Thank you for the opportunity, but alas, not for me.
April 10, 2025
A Fantastical Dive into the Divine Realms
Aerilyn is a relatable protagonist, though undeniably naive, and Zathrian’s shift from brooding High Lord to cinnamon roll happens almost too fast—but honestly, I’m not mad about it. The pacing of the relationship with Aerilyn and Neil is a bit wild, going from her first day in the Cloud Realm to sleeping with him in what feels like no time. I feel like more courting would have been nice in order to really fall for Neil. I wasn’t wholly convinced that he was the “good guy” like I might have been if we had seen him more in depth prior to the twist so we could fall for him the way many of us did with Tamlin from ACOTAR. Still, the chemistry is there (mostly) with both relationships, and it makes for an addicting read!
The whole book reads kind of like a Wattpad fanfic, but in the best way—dramatic, fast-paced, and impossible to put down. The world-building is immersive, the emotional stakes are high, and even with its flaws, I couldn’t help but love every second of it. If you enjoy fantasy romance with a touch of chaos, this one is definitely worth picking up. I cannot wait for book 2 & 1.5!!
Aerilyn is a relatable protagonist, though undeniably naive, and Zathrian’s shift from brooding High Lord to cinnamon roll happens almost too fast—but honestly, I’m not mad about it. The pacing of the relationship with Aerilyn and Neil is a bit wild, going from her first day in the Cloud Realm to sleeping with him in what feels like no time. I feel like more courting would have been nice in order to really fall for Neil. I wasn’t wholly convinced that he was the “good guy” like I might have been if we had seen him more in depth prior to the twist so we could fall for him the way many of us did with Tamlin from ACOTAR. Still, the chemistry is there (mostly) with both relationships, and it makes for an addicting read!
The whole book reads kind of like a Wattpad fanfic, but in the best way—dramatic, fast-paced, and impossible to put down. The world-building is immersive, the emotional stakes are high, and even with its flaws, I couldn’t help but love every second of it. If you enjoy fantasy romance with a touch of chaos, this one is definitely worth picking up. I cannot wait for book 2 & 1.5!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2025
If you like ACOTAR you are going to love this, while there are some definite similarities it’s different enough to stand on its own.
From the well written characters to the world building this is a very well written Romantasy story.
This book has it all from betrayals, mate bonds, deliciously spicey scenes to violence, torture and x rated punishments.
From the well written characters to the world building this is a very well written Romantasy story.
This book has it all from betrayals, mate bonds, deliciously spicey scenes to violence, torture and x rated punishments.
April 13, 2025
I enjoyed this read!
From the very first chapter, I was captivated and couldn't stop reading. The story is filled with great characters who are either incredibly lovable or utterly despicable. The plot was engaging with plenty of tension and twists that keep you wanting more.
This book does get dark at times (TRIGGER WARNINGS) with scenes of torture, rape and acts of heartless betrayal but it still execute it’s themes of forgiveness, love, found family, and strength very well.
Realm of Silk and Stardust is a beautiful romance fantasy in a beautiful world and I’m looking forward to more from this author.
From the very first chapter, I was captivated and couldn't stop reading. The story is filled with great characters who are either incredibly lovable or utterly despicable. The plot was engaging with plenty of tension and twists that keep you wanting more.
This book does get dark at times (TRIGGER WARNINGS) with scenes of torture, rape and acts of heartless betrayal but it still execute it’s themes of forgiveness, love, found family, and strength very well.
Realm of Silk and Stardust is a beautiful romance fantasy in a beautiful world and I’m looking forward to more from this author.
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