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The Sun and the Starmaker
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Expected 17 Feb 26Win a free print copy of this book!
17 days and 17:14:22
25 copies available
U.S. only
There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world... and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.
Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she’s ever known.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.
Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she’s ever known.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.
437 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 17, 2026
30574 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Griffin
4 books2,522 followersRachel Griffin writes young adult novels inspired by the magic of the world around her. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bring Me Your Midnight, The Nature of Witches, and Wild is the Witch.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel has a deep love of nature, from the mountains to the ocean and all the towering evergreens in between. She adores moody skies and thunderstorms, and hopes more vampires settle down in her beloved state of Washington.
When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the PNW, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives with her husband and growing collection of houseplants.
Rachel is represented by Pete Knapp of Park & Fine Literary and Media. You can find her on Instagram @TimesNewRachel.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel has a deep love of nature, from the mountains to the ocean and all the towering evergreens in between. She adores moody skies and thunderstorms, and hopes more vampires settle down in her beloved state of Washington.
When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the PNW, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives with her husband and growing collection of houseplants.
Rachel is represented by Pete Knapp of Park & Fine Literary and Media. You can find her on Instagram @TimesNewRachel.
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Want to read
October 23, 2025Normal readers: Oooh, pretty coverses!
Marquise: Oooh, pretty blurbses!
And that, ladies and gentlemen and literate animals, is how I requested and got an ARC of this book. Always the blurb.
I wonder if this Fantasy is somehow inspired by East of the Sun and West of the Moon? Probably not, nothing in it says it is. Nothing besides me fixating on the blurbs and guessing more than they say from reading between the lines, that is.
Either way, this is a new author for me, and what I've seen from her in interviews gave me a good impression of her, sounds like an admirable lady. It's not often that you overcome brain injury to write a book!
Marquise: Oooh, pretty blurbses!
And that, ladies and gentlemen and literate animals, is how I requested and got an ARC of this book. Always the blurb.
I wonder if this Fantasy is somehow inspired by East of the Sun and West of the Moon? Probably not, nothing in it says it is. Nothing besides me fixating on the blurbs and guessing more than they say from reading between the lines, that is.
Either way, this is a new author for me, and what I've seen from her in interviews gave me a good impression of her, sounds like an admirable lady. It's not often that you overcome brain injury to write a book!
September 27, 2025
As THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER begins to make its way out into the world, I wanted to share a little bit about the writing of this book with you. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I suffered a traumatic brain injury while in the middle of drafting this book. I completely lost my ability to write and feared I would never write another book, let alone publish one. This book quite literally taught me how to write again, and in so doing, it completely stole my heart. I've never been more proud of anything as I am of this book.
This is the most fantastical, whimsical, and magical book I've written, but it also explores some big themes regarding love and grief and finding oneself. I hope it brings you even a fraction of the comfort and joy it brought me.
And in case you haven't seen it, I want to make sure you know about the gorgeous deluxe first print edition! It has:
💕 a spot foil jacket
❄️ stained glass designed edges
💕 stamped case art
❄️ custom art color endpapers
💕 the dreamiest color palette of all time
These features will be on the first print run only, so if you'd be sad to miss out on it, I highly suggest you preorder!
Thank you so much for being here. I'm very rarely on Goodreads, but if you want to follow along, you can find me on Instagram 🤍
This is the most fantastical, whimsical, and magical book I've written, but it also explores some big themes regarding love and grief and finding oneself. I hope it brings you even a fraction of the comfort and joy it brought me.
And in case you haven't seen it, I want to make sure you know about the gorgeous deluxe first print edition! It has:
💕 a spot foil jacket
❄️ stained glass designed edges
💕 stamped case art
❄️ custom art color endpapers
💕 the dreamiest color palette of all time
These features will be on the first print run only, so if you'd be sad to miss out on it, I highly suggest you preorder!
Thank you so much for being here. I'm very rarely on Goodreads, but if you want to follow along, you can find me on Instagram 🤍
Want to read
December 11, 2025₊˚⊹ᰔ ⋮ ⌗
pre-review:
i’m actually so so so happy i got approved for this arc because it looks and sounds stunning???
i’m actually so so so happy i got approved for this arc because it looks and sounds stunning???
anticipated-releases
September 30, 2025I’m seated. The booksellers are scared and asking me to leave because ‘we only sell Portuguese books’ but I’m simply too seated.
breathlessly-anticipating
November 18, 2025This sounds incredible hello???
November 2, 2025
it's like the author went digging into my head and found out the fairytale-esque magical romantic fantasy book of my dream and set out on a noble journey to write it for me. absolutely no notes
September 29, 2025
”And when we return to the dust of the stars, I will whisper your name in the endless after so that I may find you even in death. Always I will come for you, and always will I stay.”
5 ⭐️
I initially snagged this book for the pretty cover, but the story inside far surpassed my expectations. I finished it last night and despite the tears that were shed, I loved this so much. I will absolutely be rereading this when the physical copy is released.
Aurora grew up listening to the tales about the tragic love story that befell the Sun and the first Starmaker; the sun who fell in love with the mortal. Despite her affection for the tales, she never realized how pertinent their love would be to her own future.
Generations have passed, and the current Starmaker still pulls in the sun every morning to bring light over the mountains; however, his reign is soon to end. In what appears to be a cruel twist of fate, Aurora discovers she holds the magic needed to keep the frost from invading her village. Depiste her reluctance, Aurora makes a bargain with the Starmaker in an effort to save her family- not realizing the depth in which their fates are truly intertwined. The Starmaker's outer beauty doesn't match his cold and stoic personality, but Aurora is content to shut him out to get what she needs for those she loves...or so she thinks.
The Sun and The Starmaker is such a beautiful story about love, grief, and the growth that comes with it. This was a cozy and snowlaiden tale with the perfect amount of snark, yearning, and love to wrap it all up.
I do think that this could have been a smidge longer, if only because I loved the characters and would have been perfectly content to read another hundred or so pages ;D But truly, I would have liked to have been able to see more of the main characters interactions with the village and those affected by the frost. I don't often wish for books to be longer, (normally it's the other way around) but this was one of the few that I wanted more from simply because I didn't want it to end.
Huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced digital copy.
5 ⭐️
I initially snagged this book for the pretty cover, but the story inside far surpassed my expectations. I finished it last night and despite the tears that were shed, I loved this so much. I will absolutely be rereading this when the physical copy is released.
Aurora grew up listening to the tales about the tragic love story that befell the Sun and the first Starmaker; the sun who fell in love with the mortal. Despite her affection for the tales, she never realized how pertinent their love would be to her own future.
Generations have passed, and the current Starmaker still pulls in the sun every morning to bring light over the mountains; however, his reign is soon to end. In what appears to be a cruel twist of fate, Aurora discovers she holds the magic needed to keep the frost from invading her village. Depiste her reluctance, Aurora makes a bargain with the Starmaker in an effort to save her family- not realizing the depth in which their fates are truly intertwined. The Starmaker's outer beauty doesn't match his cold and stoic personality, but Aurora is content to shut him out to get what she needs for those she loves...or so she thinks.
The Sun and The Starmaker is such a beautiful story about love, grief, and the growth that comes with it. This was a cozy and snowlaiden tale with the perfect amount of snark, yearning, and love to wrap it all up.
I do think that this could have been a smidge longer, if only because I loved the characters and would have been perfectly content to read another hundred or so pages ;D But truly, I would have liked to have been able to see more of the main characters interactions with the village and those affected by the frost. I don't often wish for books to be longer, (normally it's the other way around) but this was one of the few that I wanted more from simply because I didn't want it to end.
Huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced digital copy.
![Profile Image for vxmpslibrary [hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1765812676i%2F123295506._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 22, 2025
.3 stars.
I would say that I enjoyed this book a lot more than I would like to admit, the concept and visualization does takes my breath away and makes me want to keep it forever in my memory.
The starting grips me beautifully, with the amazing fairytale that made me mourn and love it at the same time, it was like I was present in the story as well!
For the characters, I admit I found the female lead quite annoying, yet I understand her situation, the way she kept blaming the StarMaker as if it's his fault when he also didn't have any part in it was irritating to its utmost. So I didn't learn to love her at all that much.
The characters did not connect to me the way I initially hoped them too, like the main characters they were really bland to me. Yet I loved the bond between Aurora and her siblings which was beautifully visualised.
I would definitely recommend this book for its found family and magic realism. It is not that much but it is enough.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for giving me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
I would say that I enjoyed this book a lot more than I would like to admit, the concept and visualization does takes my breath away and makes me want to keep it forever in my memory.
The starting grips me beautifully, with the amazing fairytale that made me mourn and love it at the same time, it was like I was present in the story as well!
For the characters, I admit I found the female lead quite annoying, yet I understand her situation, the way she kept blaming the StarMaker as if it's his fault when he also didn't have any part in it was irritating to its utmost. So I didn't learn to love her at all that much.
The characters did not connect to me the way I initially hoped them too, like the main characters they were really bland to me. Yet I loved the bond between Aurora and her siblings which was beautifully visualised.
I would definitely recommend this book for its found family and magic realism. It is not that much but it is enough.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for giving me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this was so beautiful 🥺 rtc!
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
— ₊˚.꒱ pre-read.
got the arc!! this sounds absolutely incredible and the cover is stunning, really excited to read this <3
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
— ₊˚.꒱ pre-read.
got the arc!! this sounds absolutely incredible and the cover is stunning, really excited to read this <3
September 18, 2025
This is the first book from Rachel Griffin that I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. She has a unique writing style that makes you feel as if you are being read a bed time story by your parents. Even though it is a fresh and unique story it feels nostalgic. Loved the romance , it literally broke my heart at one point and I’m so glad in the end they got their happy ending. This reads like an epic folklore passed down generation to generation and I loved it. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the arc 💜
October 10, 2025
"I will love you forever" she whispered
"Then perhaps I am immortal after all"
Let's start with the important things:
• I would die for Constance the rabbit
• This book made me cry. A lot.
This is a story about love and everything that comes with it. How it shapes us, how it breaks us, how it makes life worth living. It is also a story about finding ourselves and our place in this world, looking ourselves in the mirror and remember who we are.
I loved every aspect of this book. The mythology was incredibly unique, the atmosphere made me want to live in Reverie, the characters I was deeply invested in and I especially loved how we followed Aurora and the Starmaker falling in love while simultaneously finding themselves, Aurora struggling and coming to terms with her new life and the Starmaker finding a new life after years of settling for loneliness.
I am writing this after just having finished it so I'm still vulnerable from the romantic aspect but don't be fooled, they do spent the first half of this book fighting and this was also great and pretty funny. Aurora with her stubbornness truly is a girl of my heart.
My only grip with the book is calling a tomato someone's favorite fruit. I don't care if it's technically a fruit, that's weird.
So, as with every book that makes me cry so much, 5 ⭐️ (also because Constance the rabbit is immortal)
"Then perhaps I am immortal after all"
Let's start with the important things:
• I would die for Constance the rabbit
• This book made me cry. A lot.
This is a story about love and everything that comes with it. How it shapes us, how it breaks us, how it makes life worth living. It is also a story about finding ourselves and our place in this world, looking ourselves in the mirror and remember who we are.
I loved every aspect of this book. The mythology was incredibly unique, the atmosphere made me want to live in Reverie, the characters I was deeply invested in and I especially loved how we followed Aurora and the Starmaker falling in love while simultaneously finding themselves, Aurora struggling and coming to terms with her new life and the Starmaker finding a new life after years of settling for loneliness.
I am writing this after just having finished it so I'm still vulnerable from the romantic aspect but don't be fooled, they do spent the first half of this book fighting and this was also great and pretty funny. Aurora with her stubbornness truly is a girl of my heart.
My only grip with the book is calling a tomato someone's favorite fruit. I don't care if it's technically a fruit, that's weird.
So, as with every book that makes me cry so much, 5 ⭐️ (also because Constance the rabbit is immortal)
October 1, 2025
"I will love you with the warmth of the Sun and the light of the moon. I will carry you with the strength of the mountain and keep your soul tucked close to mine. And when we return to the dust of the stars, I will whisper your name in the endless after so that I may find you even in death. Always will I come for you, and always will I stay."
3.5 stars
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Fire, and Rachel Griffin for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really, really really, wanted to love this book. I love Rachel Griffin, she is one of my fvourite authors, and I was super excited to read her newest one. Unfortunately, I just didn't hit the spot. It pains me to write this review and I even feel guilty towards here, since I absolutely love and adore Rachel and I know she has been through a hard time during writing this book. But I want to write an honest review.
The Sun and the Starmaker has all the elements I love: a whimsical story, a magical landscape, a beautiful castle in a cute small town, and a slow-burn romance. But, something was missing. I just didn't connect with the characters as much as I would like. Although I love slow-burn, I just didn't really feel the chemistry and then suddenly there was a romance blooming between them. I did feel more chemistry between them later on, but since I didn't connect in the first place, it didn't feel genuine anymore. I also would have liked it if the story next to the romance was explored more about the pulling of the sun and the magic overall.
This doesn't mean I didn't like anything though. I love that the book began with a fairytale and builds further on that. It really brings more magic to the book. Although I felt the characters Aurora and The Starmaker could have been more developed, I still liked them a lot. Especially in the second halve of the book. You could feel their devotion, irritation, anger, and sadness through the book. Their love for each other was sweet and all-consuming at the same time. You could feel they would do anything for each other, even if that meant letting go. I also think it is really beautiful they still chose each other, even though they knew what was coming.This book also handles the topic of grief, preparing for the end of your life, giving up big things for the greater good, while still having a fullfilling life really beautiful. These topics can make a book quite heavy, but Rachel manages to balance them out perfectly. I also loved the setting a lot. It seems so magical there and I would really like to visit the town Reverie.
There are soooo many extraordinarly beautiful quotes in this book. I highlighted a lot of quotes. This is because Rachel is a phenomal author. She writes beautifully. Even though the story didn't grab me like I would have wanted, the book is stll very well written. I wrote all my favourite quotes down below.
Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I though I would, I think it was more of a me problem than a we problem. I suffered a great loss in the past months, which left me in a weird emotionless state. The grieving part was also really hard for me to read because of this. I think if I was in the right head space and I read it another time, I would have loved this book. Therefore, I think that a lot of people would absolutely adore this book! Even though this wasn't for me, I am definitely going to read this again to see if I will enjoy it more and I can't wait to read the next book of my favourite author Rachel Griffin.
Since I loved so much quotes from this book, I will provide my favourites here:
"Finite time was particulary cruel when one found oneself in love."
"Not everything must be based on history. You can change your mind and change it back. You can decide what you like today, even if you hate tomorrow. Don't get so caught up in who you were that you fail to see who you are."
"I am here for as long as you want me."
"But one thing I don't regret, could never regret, is loving your father. And if I had to do i tover again, I would love him again, choose him again, because our life together was worth it. I got to experience an exceptional love, and the pain I felt when he died and continue to feel today doesn't erase that - it reflects it."
"I know it may seem like your future is inevitable, but it is up to you to decide how it will look - how full your life will be, how much love it will hold, how much happiness and laughter and joy. Please do not deny yourself those things because you are afraid of the pain they may leave in their absence. Life includes pain, my darling, and you cannot escape or outwit it."
"The heart seldom yields to what one's mind desires."
" 'I will love you forever' she whispered. 'Then perhaps I am immortal after all.' "
"The Sun sets one one
to rise on another."
"Grief was love's reflection."
"I sit at the center of the universe, and the most brilliant thing I have ever been witness to is love, she said. Treasure it, protect it, and above all else, enjoy it"
3.5 stars
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Fire, and Rachel Griffin for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really, really really, wanted to love this book. I love Rachel Griffin, she is one of my fvourite authors, and I was super excited to read her newest one. Unfortunately, I just didn't hit the spot. It pains me to write this review and I even feel guilty towards here, since I absolutely love and adore Rachel and I know she has been through a hard time during writing this book. But I want to write an honest review.
The Sun and the Starmaker has all the elements I love: a whimsical story, a magical landscape, a beautiful castle in a cute small town, and a slow-burn romance. But, something was missing. I just didn't connect with the characters as much as I would like. Although I love slow-burn, I just didn't really feel the chemistry and then suddenly there was a romance blooming between them. I did feel more chemistry between them later on, but since I didn't connect in the first place, it didn't feel genuine anymore. I also would have liked it if the story next to the romance was explored more about the pulling of the sun and the magic overall.
This doesn't mean I didn't like anything though. I love that the book began with a fairytale and builds further on that. It really brings more magic to the book. Although I felt the characters Aurora and The Starmaker could have been more developed, I still liked them a lot. Especially in the second halve of the book. You could feel their devotion, irritation, anger, and sadness through the book. Their love for each other was sweet and all-consuming at the same time. You could feel they would do anything for each other, even if that meant letting go. I also think it is really beautiful they still chose each other, even though they knew what was coming.This book also handles the topic of grief, preparing for the end of your life, giving up big things for the greater good, while still having a fullfilling life really beautiful. These topics can make a book quite heavy, but Rachel manages to balance them out perfectly. I also loved the setting a lot. It seems so magical there and I would really like to visit the town Reverie.
There are soooo many extraordinarly beautiful quotes in this book. I highlighted a lot of quotes. This is because Rachel is a phenomal author. She writes beautifully. Even though the story didn't grab me like I would have wanted, the book is stll very well written. I wrote all my favourite quotes down below.
Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I though I would, I think it was more of a me problem than a we problem. I suffered a great loss in the past months, which left me in a weird emotionless state. The grieving part was also really hard for me to read because of this. I think if I was in the right head space and I read it another time, I would have loved this book. Therefore, I think that a lot of people would absolutely adore this book! Even though this wasn't for me, I am definitely going to read this again to see if I will enjoy it more and I can't wait to read the next book of my favourite author Rachel Griffin.
Since I loved so much quotes from this book, I will provide my favourites here:
"Finite time was particulary cruel when one found oneself in love."
"Not everything must be based on history. You can change your mind and change it back. You can decide what you like today, even if you hate tomorrow. Don't get so caught up in who you were that you fail to see who you are."
"I am here for as long as you want me."
"But one thing I don't regret, could never regret, is loving your father. And if I had to do i tover again, I would love him again, choose him again, because our life together was worth it. I got to experience an exceptional love, and the pain I felt when he died and continue to feel today doesn't erase that - it reflects it."
"I know it may seem like your future is inevitable, but it is up to you to decide how it will look - how full your life will be, how much love it will hold, how much happiness and laughter and joy. Please do not deny yourself those things because you are afraid of the pain they may leave in their absence. Life includes pain, my darling, and you cannot escape or outwit it."
"The heart seldom yields to what one's mind desires."
" 'I will love you forever' she whispered. 'Then perhaps I am immortal after all.' "
"The Sun sets one one
to rise on another."
"Grief was love's reflection."
"I sit at the center of the universe, and the most brilliant thing I have ever been witness to is love, she said. Treasure it, protect it, and above all else, enjoy it"
November 23, 2025
sometimes i read books that are so ridiculously good they remind me why i love reading in the first place and this was one of them. i wish i could give it infinite stars
August 14, 2025
whimsical magical enchanting stunning etc etc!!!!!! perfect!!
October 12, 2025
Everything is decent about this book but it was missing more development especially in characters to me more captivating.
December 20, 2025
Where is the 6 star button???
I was always an Aladdin girly, but if someone asks me NOW what my favorite fairytale is, best believe I’m saying The Sun & The Starmaker. This story follows Aurora, who grows up hearing legends of a Sun and a Starmaker and their tragic love. When her sister becomes gravely ill, Aurora’s path leads her into the forest, a forbidden encounter, and ultimately a destiny she never asked for, becoming the next Starmaker and stepping into a life bound by magic, duty, and sacrifice.
The romance is the heart of this book, and the yearning is impeccable. It’s tender ans so devastating paired with banter that genuinely made me giggle. I was sobbing and emotionally undone. This book reminded me of a fantasy twist to ‘Me before You’ but maybe not in the way you would think! Seeing him start to ‘live’ again? Best believe I was a blubbering mess.
The worldbuilding is stunning. Everything felt vivid and fairytale-like, the magic system was creative and beautifully executed, and the atmosphere completely came alive in my head. Aurora is a strong, compassionate heroine who knows what she wants, while the Starmaker is gentle, reserved, and quietly broken in the most Mr. Darcy-esque way. Together, they are unforgettable.
I have to pause and acknowledge how unbelievable this book is knowing that Rachel Griffin wrote and finished it while recovering from a traumatic brain injury. The emotional depth, clarity, and beauty of this story are remarkable on their own, but under those circumstances? Truly inspiring. The resilience and heart behind these pages are undeniable, and it makes this story feel even more meaningful.
Tropes
✨ Fairytale fantasy
🌟 Star-crossed lovers
💔 Tragic romance
🔥 Intense yearning
🏰 Destiny & duty
🌲 Enchanted forest
This is a beautiful, tragic love story that completely stole my heart. I’m still emotional thinking about it and cannot wait for the official release so everyone else can experience it. Store UP on tissues- I did not stop crying for 20 minutes at one point. Fair warning.
Brain power required: 🧠/5
Read if you like:Fairytales, this is so unique I’m struggling to compare it to anything! Also, hope you like crying.
Favorite part: How she made him start living again! The immortal rabbit, how picturesque this was, the mirrors!
Be like me and torture yourself, after you finished go read the first 5 pages again. It hits so hard.
I was always an Aladdin girly, but if someone asks me NOW what my favorite fairytale is, best believe I’m saying The Sun & The Starmaker. This story follows Aurora, who grows up hearing legends of a Sun and a Starmaker and their tragic love. When her sister becomes gravely ill, Aurora’s path leads her into the forest, a forbidden encounter, and ultimately a destiny she never asked for, becoming the next Starmaker and stepping into a life bound by magic, duty, and sacrifice.
The romance is the heart of this book, and the yearning is impeccable. It’s tender ans so devastating paired with banter that genuinely made me giggle. I was sobbing and emotionally undone. This book reminded me of a fantasy twist to ‘Me before You’ but maybe not in the way you would think! Seeing him start to ‘live’ again? Best believe I was a blubbering mess.
The worldbuilding is stunning. Everything felt vivid and fairytale-like, the magic system was creative and beautifully executed, and the atmosphere completely came alive in my head. Aurora is a strong, compassionate heroine who knows what she wants, while the Starmaker is gentle, reserved, and quietly broken in the most Mr. Darcy-esque way. Together, they are unforgettable.
I have to pause and acknowledge how unbelievable this book is knowing that Rachel Griffin wrote and finished it while recovering from a traumatic brain injury. The emotional depth, clarity, and beauty of this story are remarkable on their own, but under those circumstances? Truly inspiring. The resilience and heart behind these pages are undeniable, and it makes this story feel even more meaningful.
Tropes
✨ Fairytale fantasy
🌟 Star-crossed lovers
💔 Tragic romance
🔥 Intense yearning
🏰 Destiny & duty
🌲 Enchanted forest
This is a beautiful, tragic love story that completely stole my heart. I’m still emotional thinking about it and cannot wait for the official release so everyone else can experience it. Store UP on tissues- I did not stop crying for 20 minutes at one point. Fair warning.
Brain power required: 🧠/5
Read if you like:Fairytales, this is so unique I’m struggling to compare it to anything! Also, hope you like crying.
Favorite part: How she made him start living again! The immortal rabbit, how picturesque this was, the mirrors!
Be like me and torture yourself, after you finished go read the first 5 pages again. It hits so hard.
November 20, 2025
Title: The Sun And The Starmaker
Author: Rachel griffin
Synopsis: Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.
Review: I am incredibly happy that I picked up this book when I did! It is so perfect for the winter! The descriptions in it were fantastic! I loved Aurora as the main character she was so stubborn! I couldn’t get enough of her interaction with the male lead The Starmaker! I loved watching their slow burn develop! I would also like to add I really loved that there were some chapters that sprinkled in the Starmakers point of view! It was freaking and I really enjoyed seeing some of his thoughts in the story! I couldn’t help but notice as I was reading that it gave a similar vibe to Naomi Novik’s book Spinning Silver and that is also one of my favorite books! Rachel Grffin has written with so much love and care! The author truly loved writing the story that she told! I can’t wait to read more of Rachel Griffin’s work!
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!
Author: Rachel griffin
Synopsis: Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.
Review: I am incredibly happy that I picked up this book when I did! It is so perfect for the winter! The descriptions in it were fantastic! I loved Aurora as the main character she was so stubborn! I couldn’t get enough of her interaction with the male lead The Starmaker! I loved watching their slow burn develop! I would also like to add I really loved that there were some chapters that sprinkled in the Starmakers point of view! It was freaking and I really enjoyed seeing some of his thoughts in the story! I couldn’t help but notice as I was reading that it gave a similar vibe to Naomi Novik’s book Spinning Silver and that is also one of my favorite books! Rachel Grffin has written with so much love and care! The author truly loved writing the story that she told! I can’t wait to read more of Rachel Griffin’s work!
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!
November 25, 2025
It's been a while since I've read a book that hooked me from the very beginning, and I was totally here for it. I was almost in a reading slump, but this book pulled me right out of it. This book had me GIGGLING. I can't even remember the last time a fantasy book made me feel like this.
The characters were amazing and likable. Aurora's relationship with her family was adorable to read; their dynamic was just so wholesome. I also loved the banter between her and the Starmaker.
Aurora was a great main character, and her stubbornness was so endearing. She's the perfect opposite to the Starmaker's personality, and it was so nice to see them getting to know each other and starting to care for each other.
The magic was interesting, the writing was impeccable, and there wasn't a single thing I would change. Even when I felt reluctant about some things (Farren, for example), it still completely satisfied me.
Also, I would like to say that I LOVED the connection between the prologue and the epilogue. Having the same narration but in different situations was the perfect way to wrap the story up. Every detail mentioned in the book proved to be important for the plot later, so if you were paying attention, it was very satisfying.
I didn’t know the author was struggling with a brain injury while writing the book, and finding that out made me admire her even more. The fact that she pushed through it and still managed to finish the story made me extremely happy. I'm honestly so proud of her.
I'm sure there are a lot more things I could say about this book, but I'll stop here for now. Otherwise I would be here forever.
I had great expectations for this one, and it somehow surpassed them. I really hope this book gets translated into Brazilian Portuguese. I can easily see it becoming popular here.
Thank you, Netgalley, Rachel Griffin and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters were amazing and likable. Aurora's relationship with her family was adorable to read; their dynamic was just so wholesome. I also loved the banter between her and the Starmaker.
Aurora was a great main character, and her stubbornness was so endearing. She's the perfect opposite to the Starmaker's personality, and it was so nice to see them getting to know each other and starting to care for each other.
The magic was interesting, the writing was impeccable, and there wasn't a single thing I would change. Even when I felt reluctant about some things (Farren, for example), it still completely satisfied me.
Also, I would like to say that I LOVED the connection between the prologue and the epilogue. Having the same narration but in different situations was the perfect way to wrap the story up. Every detail mentioned in the book proved to be important for the plot later, so if you were paying attention, it was very satisfying.
I didn’t know the author was struggling with a brain injury while writing the book, and finding that out made me admire her even more. The fact that she pushed through it and still managed to finish the story made me extremely happy. I'm honestly so proud of her.
I'm sure there are a lot more things I could say about this book, but I'll stop here for now. Otherwise I would be here forever.
I had great expectations for this one, and it somehow surpassed them. I really hope this book gets translated into Brazilian Portuguese. I can easily see it becoming popular here.
Thank you, Netgalley, Rachel Griffin and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2025
PREORDER THIS NOW. PREPARE YOURSELF NOW. LET IT RUIN YOUR LIFE AND STITCH IT BACK TOGETHER.
September 22, 2025
Firstly, I'd like to thank Rachel Griffin, the publisher and netgalley for letting me read and review an advanced digital copy of this book.
I've just finished this book after 2 solid days of reading and I am an emotional mess, in the very best way!! I swear this book is my absolute new favourite, I will re-read it forever and I so dearly hope there will be more special editions of it because I will be buying them all!!! (Obviously already preordered the 1st edition hardcover with fancy sprayed edges and gorgeous artwork 😍)
The Sun and the Starmaker is MAGICAL 🥹 I give it INFINITE stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 PLUS AN EXTRA 2 twin stars on top of that 💫💫 (IYKYK)
This is a YA fantasy romance that I read in 2 back to back sittings because I absolutely COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!!
I cried all the tears, happy/sad and everything imbetween..it's a book of loss, love, forgiveness, magic, miracles and the importance of living your life through all the ups and downs and what mark we leave when we're gone. It was an emotional roller-coaster and had my heart in my throat for a vast majority of the book and the ending was FREAKIN PERFECTION!!!! 🥹😭
It was not quite enemies to lovers but more like "you've ruined my life and I will be angry and stubborn for as long as I wish"...to lovers (that's not a quote from the book, that's just a quote from me LOL) 🤭🌟🙌
The book starts with a prologue that sets the scene and world building for the book with a fairytale of the sun and the starmaker and how this story eventuated..fast forward to the first chapter and the story is set after there has been a few more generations of starmakers that have helped pull the sunshine to help warm the dark, icy cold village of Reverie (where this story is set)
The FMC is Aurora, she's a young woman who is headstrong in what she wants and sacrifices much for her beloved family to help protect them.
Aurora is about to get married to a man she thinks she loves, someone who she feels offers her safety (in this story if you marry, you are bestowed a gift of sunlight for your house called a "glare line" which keeps frost away and in turn helps your health, crops/food, etc) this is imperative to Aurora as her sister Elsie has already been touched by frost and Aurora and her brother Aspen are doing what they can to help their sister get better.
Aurora loved the fairytale of the sun and the starmaker when she was an innocent child but over the years of cold and hardships she has seemingly lost trust and faith in these legends.
This all changes when she runs into the current starmaker and her life is upheaved in an entirely different direction, she has to say goodbye to Farren (her current betrothed) and she makes a deal with the starmaker for the betterment of her family, but at the sacrifice of her own happiness....or so she first assumes!
Therein lies the rest of this amazing story and I LOVED the development of the relationship between the 2 main characters over the book! Rachel Griffin weaves lyrical prose throughout these pages while keeping the story engaging and fast paced throughout its entirety!!
In my opinion this story feels completely fresh, compelling, and stands out on it's own..if I had to compare it to something it has some similarities that are reminiscent of beauty and the beast and howls moving castle vibes..but honestly this completely stands on its own, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! Ruined me and put me back together in the absolute best way 🥹👌
So if you are a fan of AMAZING stories that are original, make you feel like you're reading something truely special, books that have such loveable characters including many magical side characters (an immortal fluffy white rabbit and a snow angel that's come to life, amongst others!!) a YA book you can read regardless if you are older then the target demographic, (I am a lot older then the typical YA demographic 🤣) then don't hesitate on reading this story, it blew all my expectations out of the water and that's saying something because I was so eager to read this book but it was wayyyyy better then I ever could have possibly imagined 💝
I've just finished this book after 2 solid days of reading and I am an emotional mess, in the very best way!! I swear this book is my absolute new favourite, I will re-read it forever and I so dearly hope there will be more special editions of it because I will be buying them all!!! (Obviously already preordered the 1st edition hardcover with fancy sprayed edges and gorgeous artwork 😍)
The Sun and the Starmaker is MAGICAL 🥹 I give it INFINITE stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 PLUS AN EXTRA 2 twin stars on top of that 💫💫 (IYKYK)
This is a YA fantasy romance that I read in 2 back to back sittings because I absolutely COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!!
I cried all the tears, happy/sad and everything imbetween..it's a book of loss, love, forgiveness, magic, miracles and the importance of living your life through all the ups and downs and what mark we leave when we're gone. It was an emotional roller-coaster and had my heart in my throat for a vast majority of the book and the ending was FREAKIN PERFECTION!!!! 🥹😭
It was not quite enemies to lovers but more like "you've ruined my life and I will be angry and stubborn for as long as I wish"...to lovers (that's not a quote from the book, that's just a quote from me LOL) 🤭🌟🙌
The book starts with a prologue that sets the scene and world building for the book with a fairytale of the sun and the starmaker and how this story eventuated..fast forward to the first chapter and the story is set after there has been a few more generations of starmakers that have helped pull the sunshine to help warm the dark, icy cold village of Reverie (where this story is set)
The FMC is Aurora, she's a young woman who is headstrong in what she wants and sacrifices much for her beloved family to help protect them.
Aurora is about to get married to a man she thinks she loves, someone who she feels offers her safety (in this story if you marry, you are bestowed a gift of sunlight for your house called a "glare line" which keeps frost away and in turn helps your health, crops/food, etc) this is imperative to Aurora as her sister Elsie has already been touched by frost and Aurora and her brother Aspen are doing what they can to help their sister get better.
Aurora loved the fairytale of the sun and the starmaker when she was an innocent child but over the years of cold and hardships she has seemingly lost trust and faith in these legends.
This all changes when she runs into the current starmaker and her life is upheaved in an entirely different direction, she has to say goodbye to Farren (her current betrothed) and she makes a deal with the starmaker for the betterment of her family, but at the sacrifice of her own happiness....or so she first assumes!
Therein lies the rest of this amazing story and I LOVED the development of the relationship between the 2 main characters over the book! Rachel Griffin weaves lyrical prose throughout these pages while keeping the story engaging and fast paced throughout its entirety!!
In my opinion this story feels completely fresh, compelling, and stands out on it's own..if I had to compare it to something it has some similarities that are reminiscent of beauty and the beast and howls moving castle vibes..but honestly this completely stands on its own, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! Ruined me and put me back together in the absolute best way 🥹👌
So if you are a fan of AMAZING stories that are original, make you feel like you're reading something truely special, books that have such loveable characters including many magical side characters (an immortal fluffy white rabbit and a snow angel that's come to life, amongst others!!) a YA book you can read regardless if you are older then the target demographic, (I am a lot older then the typical YA demographic 🤣) then don't hesitate on reading this story, it blew all my expectations out of the water and that's saying something because I was so eager to read this book but it was wayyyyy better then I ever could have possibly imagined 💝
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2025
A cute romantic fantasy book that felt like watching an old Disney movie, being immersed in a fairytale. Romantic, bittersweet, and nostalgic without feeling overly familiar. It took me a moment to get into it as the pacing and writing can be described as very slow burn for most of the book, but it’s a lovely story with an unexpected ending.
(CW: This book is published as YA, but there’s a small amount of spice so I would mostly recommend for older teens.)
Thank you Sourcebooks for the ARC!
(CW: This book is published as YA, but there’s a small amount of spice so I would mostly recommend for older teens.)
Thank you Sourcebooks for the ARC!
October 7, 2025
Rarely do I skim a book and call it read, but I only skimmed the last 20% of this one, so I’m giving it to myself. I have really got to stop falling for the hype, especially if I don’t know how close a recommender’s taste is to mine. This book felt like a mash up of several fairy tales and tropes. I saw the twist coming from the beginning, and the amount of time it took the FMC to realize what would happen is ridiculous. I’m over books with self-sacrificing women, although at least in this case she gets something she truly wants. I don’t mind books with explicit sex in them, but I wish they were labeled New Adult instead of Young Adult. On the plus side, the setting is evocative and beautiful, and I liked all the hat tips to Beauty and the Beast. 🌶️🌶️
July 22, 2025
rachel never misses !!!! this was truly one of the most beautiful books i’ve ever read
Want to read
September 19, 2025pre read notes:
ARC has been acquired! 🤍 I’m so excited to get to this, I know a bit about the author’s previous works and this cover?? stunning!
Published on 17 Feb 2026 🌤️
ARC has been acquired! 🤍 I’m so excited to get to this, I know a bit about the author’s previous works and this cover?? stunning!
Published on 17 Feb 2026 🌤️
November 21, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for a lovely winter fairytale, this might be the one for you. It was beautiful.
There’s not a lot of action in this book. The stakes aren’t very high, and while there is a bit of tragedy, everything is so calm and gentle. And I loved it. This really shows how sometimes there is no need for intense fights, big plot twists and thrills. Sometimes it’s enough to write a beautiful story.
And beautifully written it was. Even though there wasn’t much happening, I was pulled into the story and didn’t want to leave. It was so easy to imagine everything. And while I’m always happy to have gritty, muddy book that shows all the dark sides, sometimes it’s better to have snow angels and fairy lights.
I adored the setting of a snowy town in endless shadow, in need of magic to bring light. It had such a wonderful feel to it. The sunmaker’s task was a fantastic idea and felt unique, but I especially loved the myth behind it. The story of the Sun and the Sunmaker fit perfectly into this world, and I always enjoy it when a fantasy story has its own legends. And while this main part of the world building wasn’t huge or world changing, it was done very well. I also loved all the other little ways magic was incorporated into this. Just enough to keep reminding me that yes, this is a fantasy novel, but not so much as to overwhelm.
I’m gonna be honest - I wasn’t a huge fan of the relationship between Aurora and the Sunmaker. I would’ve been fine with companionship, and as that doesn’t fit the story, I would’ve liked to see more emotional moments between them, slowly building up their relationship. As it was, everything was a bit sudden for me.
I also wished we’d had more scenes with other characters. While they were lovely, some of them stayed a bit too one dimensional and I wouldn’t have minded it if the book had ended up being fifty pages longer.
Surprisingly, I loved the ending though. Usually this would be the kind of ending to frustrate me, but it simply fit so well. Perhaps this is due to the epilogue, that mirrors the prologue in a beautiful way and gave the book a lovely amount of closure, without being too final.
Overall - this book left me contented. It’s so cozy and sweet and I could see myself rereading this in a very snowy, wintery place. I have to recommend it. And can I just point out how lovely the cover is?
All the best to Rachel Griffin. This is only my second book by her, but I might just have to pick up another one.
If you’re looking for a lovely winter fairytale, this might be the one for you. It was beautiful.
There’s not a lot of action in this book. The stakes aren’t very high, and while there is a bit of tragedy, everything is so calm and gentle. And I loved it. This really shows how sometimes there is no need for intense fights, big plot twists and thrills. Sometimes it’s enough to write a beautiful story.
And beautifully written it was. Even though there wasn’t much happening, I was pulled into the story and didn’t want to leave. It was so easy to imagine everything. And while I’m always happy to have gritty, muddy book that shows all the dark sides, sometimes it’s better to have snow angels and fairy lights.
I adored the setting of a snowy town in endless shadow, in need of magic to bring light. It had such a wonderful feel to it. The sunmaker’s task was a fantastic idea and felt unique, but I especially loved the myth behind it. The story of the Sun and the Sunmaker fit perfectly into this world, and I always enjoy it when a fantasy story has its own legends. And while this main part of the world building wasn’t huge or world changing, it was done very well. I also loved all the other little ways magic was incorporated into this. Just enough to keep reminding me that yes, this is a fantasy novel, but not so much as to overwhelm.
I’m gonna be honest - I wasn’t a huge fan of the relationship between Aurora and the Sunmaker. I would’ve been fine with companionship, and as that doesn’t fit the story, I would’ve liked to see more emotional moments between them, slowly building up their relationship. As it was, everything was a bit sudden for me.
I also wished we’d had more scenes with other characters. While they were lovely, some of them stayed a bit too one dimensional and I wouldn’t have minded it if the book had ended up being fifty pages longer.
Surprisingly, I loved the ending though. Usually this would be the kind of ending to frustrate me, but it simply fit so well. Perhaps this is due to the epilogue, that mirrors the prologue in a beautiful way and gave the book a lovely amount of closure, without being too final.
Overall - this book left me contented. It’s so cozy and sweet and I could see myself rereading this in a very snowy, wintery place. I have to recommend it. And can I just point out how lovely the cover is?
All the best to Rachel Griffin. This is only my second book by her, but I might just have to pick up another one.
November 14, 2025
*thanks very much to the author Rachel Griffin, netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS FIRE for this e-arc! ❤️ this is my honest review*
4.5⭐️
the sun and the starmaker completely swept me away!!! 💫 i didn’t expect to love it this much, but it touched me so deeply that i ended up getting emotional and teared up a little 😭✨
let me start by saying that i wasn’t expecting this but this book is DEF one of my top reads this year 💛📚✨
the story follows fmc aurora, who’s taken from her snowy village to the starmaker’s ice castle to learn about her rare magic.
for me the core of this story is a soft, healing journey about love, grief, hope, strength, and finding purpose in life again. it felt comforting in a way i really needed 🥹 it is incredibly beautiful and super touching to read 💕
aurora felt so real and relatable to me; i found myself rooting for her from the very start 🫶
and the mmc - the starmaker is also such a enjoyable character; he begins so isolated and guarded, but slowly he opens up to aurora and lets himself feel again and it is just so precious 🧊🤍
the world felt like a whimsical, snowy fairytale with Frozen (the disney movie) vibes ❄️✨
the writing style is easy to read and emotional, i literally ate this book book in one day!!! it is just very very good ❤️🥰
overall i genuinely loved this book so much!!! 💕💕
i truly cannot describe enough how much i love this story; i’ve read 30+ fantasy books this year so far and this book is def among my top 3 favorites 💛
i’m really so glad i picked up this arc, i love love love this and im entirely utterly speechless!! 🥰 i will def pick up a physical copy when it comes out in 2026 🥹💕
4.5⭐️
the sun and the starmaker completely swept me away!!! 💫 i didn’t expect to love it this much, but it touched me so deeply that i ended up getting emotional and teared up a little 😭✨
let me start by saying that i wasn’t expecting this but this book is DEF one of my top reads this year 💛📚✨
the story follows fmc aurora, who’s taken from her snowy village to the starmaker’s ice castle to learn about her rare magic.
for me the core of this story is a soft, healing journey about love, grief, hope, strength, and finding purpose in life again. it felt comforting in a way i really needed 🥹 it is incredibly beautiful and super touching to read 💕
aurora felt so real and relatable to me; i found myself rooting for her from the very start 🫶
and the mmc - the starmaker is also such a enjoyable character; he begins so isolated and guarded, but slowly he opens up to aurora and lets himself feel again and it is just so precious 🧊🤍
the world felt like a whimsical, snowy fairytale with Frozen (the disney movie) vibes ❄️✨
the writing style is easy to read and emotional, i literally ate this book book in one day!!! it is just very very good ❤️🥰
overall i genuinely loved this book so much!!! 💕💕
i truly cannot describe enough how much i love this story; i’ve read 30+ fantasy books this year so far and this book is def among my top 3 favorites 💛
i’m really so glad i picked up this arc, i love love love this and im entirely utterly speechless!! 🥰 i will def pick up a physical copy when it comes out in 2026 🥹💕
September 22, 2025
Welcome to my first review of a 2026 release, and honestly, I couldn’t imagine starting with any other book. Rachel Griffin is truly the QUEEN of magical romances. Very few authors earn a five-star rating from me for every single book they write, but Rachel is one of them.
THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER is deeply emotional and highly romantic. I had tears in my eyes for the last quarter of the book (and if you’re new here, I never cry). When a story pulls that much emotion out of me, it instantly becomes a favorite. Even beyond that, I highlighted so many stunning lines. Rachel’s writing is simply unmatched.
Trying to write a review for a book this beautiful feels impossible. There aren’t words that can capture how perfect it is. Just read it. Then come back and thank me later. 😘
What You’ll Find:
✨ Sun magic
❄️ Eternal winter
🏡 A magical house
❤️ Star-crossed lovers
🌨️ A deadly frost
💍 Forced marriage
🐇 An immortal rabbit
THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER is deeply emotional and highly romantic. I had tears in my eyes for the last quarter of the book (and if you’re new here, I never cry). When a story pulls that much emotion out of me, it instantly becomes a favorite. Even beyond that, I highlighted so many stunning lines. Rachel’s writing is simply unmatched.
Trying to write a review for a book this beautiful feels impossible. There aren’t words that can capture how perfect it is. Just read it. Then come back and thank me later. 😘
What You’ll Find:
✨ Sun magic
❄️ Eternal winter
🏡 A magical house
❤️ Star-crossed lovers
🌨️ A deadly frost
💍 Forced marriage
🐇 An immortal rabbit
December 9, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for my review copy.
Book is due for publication in February 2026.
Oh this was an unexpected pleasure. I absolutely adore fantasy and fairytale fantasy books but it’s been a while since I’ve read something that worked as well as this.
The Sun and the Starmaker is reminiscent books like Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Spinning Silver. Maybe not in writing or story but the feelings I had as a reader. My favourite aspect of this book is how this actually reads like a fairytale.
Book is due for publication in February 2026.
Oh this was an unexpected pleasure. I absolutely adore fantasy and fairytale fantasy books but it’s been a while since I’ve read something that worked as well as this.
The Sun and the Starmaker is reminiscent books like Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Spinning Silver. Maybe not in writing or story but the feelings I had as a reader. My favourite aspect of this book is how this actually reads like a fairytale.
December 24, 2025
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an early read.
The best books are the ones that feel like a fairy-tale, but a completely new one. The author crafted a story about the sun falling in love with a mortal all the while trying to save the earth (or this mountain) from falling into frost. The sun must return to the sky, but she gives the mortal man powers and that every so many hundreds of years, another will replace the mortal man (starmaker) and the cycle continues.
Our FL is a girl who is about to be married, live happily with a man she has grown to love. While out, she attempts to slay an animal for food, but is stopped by the current Starmaker. While confronting her, he discovers that she has the power that he has, and is next in line to be the Starmaker. Since she is about to be married, she refuses, and tells him that since she is giving up her married life, a sun line (which is what those who are married with are blessed with), he should marry her and provide that to her. He begrudgingly does so, and off they go to the castle.
It kind of feels like Beauty and the Beast because of how cool and withdrawn he is (which you find out why), and she is resisting this growing change into becoming the one who will battle the frost.
There isn't a villain in this, so I guess you can say the villain is time. Of course they start to develop feelings, but at a loss: when she finishes her training into being the next Starmaker, he will die, and she will be alone for years and years until it comes time for her to train someone.
The ending was satisfying in a way that most fairy tales are when it comes to love, however simplified it felt. Still, I really enjoyed it and I recommend it to those looking for a fresh fairy tale.
The best books are the ones that feel like a fairy-tale, but a completely new one. The author crafted a story about the sun falling in love with a mortal all the while trying to save the earth (or this mountain) from falling into frost. The sun must return to the sky, but she gives the mortal man powers and that every so many hundreds of years, another will replace the mortal man (starmaker) and the cycle continues.
Our FL is a girl who is about to be married, live happily with a man she has grown to love. While out, she attempts to slay an animal for food, but is stopped by the current Starmaker. While confronting her, he discovers that she has the power that he has, and is next in line to be the Starmaker. Since she is about to be married, she refuses, and tells him that since she is giving up her married life, a sun line (which is what those who are married with are blessed with), he should marry her and provide that to her. He begrudgingly does so, and off they go to the castle.
It kind of feels like Beauty and the Beast because of how cool and withdrawn he is (which you find out why), and she is resisting this growing change into becoming the one who will battle the frost.
There isn't a villain in this, so I guess you can say the villain is time. Of course they start to develop feelings, but at a loss: when she finishes her training into being the next Starmaker, he will die, and she will be alone for years and years until it comes time for her to train someone.
The ending was satisfying in a way that most fairy tales are when it comes to love, however simplified it felt. Still, I really enjoyed it and I recommend it to those looking for a fresh fairy tale.
October 15, 2025
4.5 Stars.
The Sun and The Starmaker is the perfect tale for anyone who needs a reminder to hold onto hope, even when all odds are against you. For people who feel as though their fates are already mapped out by the stars, this book is a reminder that you can pick up the pen, take your stars, and map out your own constellations.
An upper YA fantasy that would share space on my personal shelves with Adalyn Grace, Judy I. Lin, and Olivia Atwater, you might want to consider picking this book up if you enjoy: wintery worlds filled with whimsy, stories that read like a fairytale, a stubborn spirited FMC, a sweeping romance that will make you shed a tear or two, and tales of love, grief, and perseverance through all life has to offer.
Aurora Finch is a normal young woman living at her family home in Reverie, a village near the top of a mountain peak. Not only is the village isolated from the world, but it’s the one place in the entire world that the sun cannot shine on without the aid of the Starmaker, someone chosen by the sun every few hundred years or so to use magic to pull the sun towards the town every day so that the townspeople can survive. We meet Aurora as she’s about to settle into a new chapter of her small, comfortable life when she learns she’s in line to be the next Starmaker. She is then whisked away by the current Starmaker, who must (begrudgingly) prepare her to take his job so that the village of Reverie can continue to survive. We follow her journey as she slowly uncovers more about what this mythical and mysterious job entails, what she has to sacrifice, what she has to lose, and how to balance defying fate with the consequence of condemning everyone in the village to death if she goes too far.
I truly adored this novel. The setting was stunning, I thought Rachel did a fantastic job of providing just enough detail to get a picture of the village and the castle while allowing us enough imagination to fill in the blanks. The magic system was interesting, though I personally wish that by the end of the novel, either the magic system had been explored more or that the story had been tied up in a slightly different way (specifically when it comes to the magic, not the actual outcome of the plot). The relationships were beautiful, particularly between Aurora and her family. I almost wish they had been featured a bit more; I really loved the dynamic between them and would have liked to see more of it. While the relationship between the FMC and the LI felt as though it started to shift from forced partnership to complete infatuation without quite enough substance as I would usually prefer in between those two stages, the relationship itself was so romantic that it completely won me over.
The book itself really is quite simple, but in its simplicity is a starkly beautiful fairytale. As I read it, it truly read just like a fairytale, one I’d have begged to hear over and over again as a child. The way the novel itself is written felt magical, and I still feel its enchantment days later while writing this. I’ll admit, I rarely ever cry over a novel, but I teared up multiple times towards the later part of the book. The themes of grief, love, and how powerful it is to learn to accept both to coexist within you really resonated with me.
While there were a few things that I would have preferred to either be written differently or fleshed out a bit more when it came to the plot, worldbuilding, and specifically the magic system, they’re extremely minor and entirely personal. I would say my only true critique would be that there were a few stray threads in the novel that felt as if they would end up being way more important than they were, that seemed to leave off without any sense of important and left me feeling as though I wanted more. For example, I thought that a certain animal companion would end up playing a much bigger role by the end of the story considering certain details that were sprinkled throughout the story that read to me as though they were breadcrumbs towards a bigger role, but not only was the companion not a large part of the plot, they weren’t even present in the last chapter, which was the tiniest bit disappointing.
Overall, this story completely beguiled me from the first page and kept me spellbound until the very last, from the story of The Original Starmaker to the story of Aurora The Starmaker.
Thank you to Rachel Griffin, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, and Netgalley for my digital ARC!
The Sun and The Starmaker is the perfect tale for anyone who needs a reminder to hold onto hope, even when all odds are against you. For people who feel as though their fates are already mapped out by the stars, this book is a reminder that you can pick up the pen, take your stars, and map out your own constellations.
An upper YA fantasy that would share space on my personal shelves with Adalyn Grace, Judy I. Lin, and Olivia Atwater, you might want to consider picking this book up if you enjoy: wintery worlds filled with whimsy, stories that read like a fairytale, a stubborn spirited FMC, a sweeping romance that will make you shed a tear or two, and tales of love, grief, and perseverance through all life has to offer.
Aurora Finch is a normal young woman living at her family home in Reverie, a village near the top of a mountain peak. Not only is the village isolated from the world, but it’s the one place in the entire world that the sun cannot shine on without the aid of the Starmaker, someone chosen by the sun every few hundred years or so to use magic to pull the sun towards the town every day so that the townspeople can survive. We meet Aurora as she’s about to settle into a new chapter of her small, comfortable life when she learns she’s in line to be the next Starmaker. She is then whisked away by the current Starmaker, who must (begrudgingly) prepare her to take his job so that the village of Reverie can continue to survive. We follow her journey as she slowly uncovers more about what this mythical and mysterious job entails, what she has to sacrifice, what she has to lose, and how to balance defying fate with the consequence of condemning everyone in the village to death if she goes too far.
I truly adored this novel. The setting was stunning, I thought Rachel did a fantastic job of providing just enough detail to get a picture of the village and the castle while allowing us enough imagination to fill in the blanks. The magic system was interesting, though I personally wish that by the end of the novel, either the magic system had been explored more or that the story had been tied up in a slightly different way (specifically when it comes to the magic, not the actual outcome of the plot). The relationships were beautiful, particularly between Aurora and her family. I almost wish they had been featured a bit more; I really loved the dynamic between them and would have liked to see more of it. While the relationship between the FMC and the LI felt as though it started to shift from forced partnership to complete infatuation without quite enough substance as I would usually prefer in between those two stages, the relationship itself was so romantic that it completely won me over.
The book itself really is quite simple, but in its simplicity is a starkly beautiful fairytale. As I read it, it truly read just like a fairytale, one I’d have begged to hear over and over again as a child. The way the novel itself is written felt magical, and I still feel its enchantment days later while writing this. I’ll admit, I rarely ever cry over a novel, but I teared up multiple times towards the later part of the book. The themes of grief, love, and how powerful it is to learn to accept both to coexist within you really resonated with me.
While there were a few things that I would have preferred to either be written differently or fleshed out a bit more when it came to the plot, worldbuilding, and specifically the magic system, they’re extremely minor and entirely personal. I would say my only true critique would be that there were a few stray threads in the novel that felt as if they would end up being way more important than they were, that seemed to leave off without any sense of important and left me feeling as though I wanted more. For example, I thought that a certain animal companion would end up playing a much bigger role by the end of the story considering certain details that were sprinkled throughout the story that read to me as though they were breadcrumbs towards a bigger role, but not only was the companion not a large part of the plot, they weren’t even present in the last chapter, which was the tiniest bit disappointing.
Overall, this story completely beguiled me from the first page and kept me spellbound until the very last, from the story of The Original Starmaker to the story of Aurora The Starmaker.
Thank you to Rachel Griffin, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, and Netgalley for my digital ARC!
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