City of Stars and Shadows

by Will J. Fawley

Henry and Bess Hawe left their rural Virginia home to hunt goblins in Washington D.C.—but their latest assignment is far more dangerous than they expected.

Tasked with tracking a mysterious elf accused of treason, the sibling duo uncovers an underground resistance fighting to protect humanity from a goblin plague that drains people’s magic and transforms them into mindless monsters. When Bess is bitten by a goblin and infected with the very curse they've been battling, Henry must confront dark secrets from his family’s past and unlock the true power of his volatile magic.

With Bess’s life hanging in the balance, Henry must race against time to save her, stop the goblin plague, and uncover the truth behind the dark forces threatening everything they hold dear.

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2025

About the author

Will's queer speculative fiction has appeared in various journals and anthologies, including Prairie Fire, Arlington Literary Journal, The Northern Virginia Review, Parallel Prairies, and Expanded Horizons. City of Stars and Shadows is his debut urban fantasy novel.

Reviews

[Joshua Waselynchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first queer urban fantasy I had ever read, so wasn't sure what to expect. overall the story is about Henry and Bess (brother and sister) who are fighting goblins to save humanity. An oncoming war, elves, etc all involved. but what I also liked about this story there was an undertone of chosen/found family, finding yourself, queer love - leaving your home to go and find yourself but ending up back where you grew up to face things you were running from.

I enjoyed this book, and recommend to anyone interested in queer urban fantasy series

[Christopher Dahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I’m going to make this a lengthy review since I’m one of the first. This was my first time reading anything by this author, and I was excited to check out his queer urban fantasy debut. I’m not new to this genre, but the premise really caught my attention—and overall, I’m glad I gave it a shot.

The worldbuilding was a standout for me. I loved the way goblins, elves, and their roles in society were portrayed. The setting felt fresh but familiar in a way that made it easy to get immersed. The author did a great job making the magic system in an urban world feel believable.

I really liked the main characters. The brother and sister duo were easy to root for, and their bond felt genuine throughout the story. Most of the other characters they met along the way were interesting too, though Thren didn’t quite click for me. They weren’t bad, but I don’t think they really added anything and could’ve been left out without affecting the story much.

There was a deeper theme running through the book about how people with magic aren’t always accepted, especially in smaller communities, and I thought that was handled well. It added a nice layer of meaning without being heavy-handed. I also really enjoyed this author’s take on fairies and the overall universe. It was creative and left me wanting to learn more.

Some of the dialogue between characters was a bit too back-and-forth at times; simple exchanges that didn’t always feel natural, but it didn’t take too much away from the experience.

By the end, it definitely felt like the author was setting up more stories in this world, and I’m absolutely on board. I’m especially curious to see where things go with Henry and Celestar’s relationship. Can’t wait to see what’s next!

[Stepphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, the premise felt unique and well thought out. I really enjoyed the magic system in this book, how it all linked to constellations and how everything is connected.

I felt like the story this book is telling was too big for one book to contain. There was mention of new zodiac constellations but only a few were mentioned or elaborated on. I think including them in a glossary at the end of the book would have helped to avoid confusion and an easy reference point as you progress through the story.

I loved the characters in this story. I felt like their relationship development would have benefitted from being elaborated on a bit more, demonstrating the dynamics between them, or showing a building of trust

This book could have easily have been split in two, giving the author time, and room, to elaborate more on the lead up to the final battle, and everyone’s role within it