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Aronia #1
The Watcher of the Night Sky
Updated cover edition found here.
Fifteen-year-old Abigail Crumble has never enjoyed talking about love and marriage and other such nonsense - no matter how often her boy obsessed best friend pestered her to do so. Or so she so adamantly proclaimed. Yet on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Abigail makes the biggest, most contradictory mistake of her life. She wishes on the stars for love, or even the smallest amount of attention, without knowing the full impact of such a feat. Abigail soon finds her simple life in chaos as princes, men and mysterious creatures come to her door, each adamantly in love with her and refusing to leave her side. Mixing fantasy and romance, The Watcher of the Night Sky begins the tale of one girl's quest to rid herself of a curse that was definitely far more than she wished for.
Fifteen-year-old Abigail Crumble has never enjoyed talking about love and marriage and other such nonsense - no matter how often her boy obsessed best friend pestered her to do so. Or so she so adamantly proclaimed. Yet on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Abigail makes the biggest, most contradictory mistake of her life. She wishes on the stars for love, or even the smallest amount of attention, without knowing the full impact of such a feat. Abigail soon finds her simple life in chaos as princes, men and mysterious creatures come to her door, each adamantly in love with her and refusing to leave her side. Mixing fantasy and romance, The Watcher of the Night Sky begins the tale of one girl's quest to rid herself of a curse that was definitely far more than she wished for.
350 pages, Paperback
First published December 28, 2014
82 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Pudsey
12 books218 followersInternational Bestselling Author Rachel Pudsey was born and raised in Scotland. A graduate of psychology, she now resides in South Korea teaching English to adults in Seoul. She is the author of The Aronia Series, a light, clean, adventurous YA fantasy-romance series that follows a girl through a journey into realising one must be careful what they wish for.
The Watcher of the Night Sky, book one in the series, was a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist (2018), TopShelf Indie Book Awards Nominee (2019), and winner of the IHIBRP five-star recommended read award. The Faelti, book two of the series, won the New Apple Summer Young Adult Fantasy Official Selection Award (2019).
The Watcher of the Night Sky, book one in the series, was a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist (2018), TopShelf Indie Book Awards Nominee (2019), and winner of the IHIBRP five-star recommended read award. The Faelti, book two of the series, won the New Apple Summer Young Adult Fantasy Official Selection Award (2019).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 21, 2017
Book Reviewed by Yuli on www.whisperingstories.com Awarded 2.5 stars
The Watcher of the Night Sky isn’t your typical YA novel and that’s what attracted me to it. It is weird, it is magical(-ish) and it reminds me of Shrek. However, my opinion is a conflicted one.
The book begins with a clichè – a plain, ordinary girl who is liked by nobody and who has a beauty of a bestie. Abigail (Abi) makes a wish to the stars before her 16th birthday and voilà! Seven boys of different social statuses appear at her door confessing their love to her. Now, this would probably freak me out just like it freaks her out. I like how the author has made her reaction realistic and I also liked how her best friend decided to help her. However, I found it a little weird how quickly she believed her because the wishing on stars for the people in the book is something like a bed-time story. Furthermore, I couldn’t remember any of the boy’s names or their titles, I couldn’t really differentiate them except for the rhyming one because he was pretty obvious.
It really reminds me of Shrek to a point. It just looks like some kind of a parody and I don’t know whether to find it funny or not. While the writing is pretty light and enjoyable, it is also annoying and too descriptive of insignificant things in my opinion.
Indeed, when authors put together so many clichès the end results are always kind of funny and infuriating at the same time. That’s why I gave it a 2.5-star rating, because it’s in the middle just like my opinion.
Furthermore, while I can’t really say that I disliked the book, I can’t actually say how much I enjoyed it. It turned out to be written in a way my 13-year-old self would have enjoyed much better.
In the beginning, there was this thing with womanhood and how girls who get into puberty start noticing boys and some other nonsense where I just felt offended because of the way it was written in. (I also found it offensive to the main character as well since she isn’t interested in boys or at least not at first.) If I were older, I probably wouldn’t have found it so offensive. It was so generalising.
There was also some unrealistic speech which contributes to my comparison with Shrek, it is the way I’d imagine people in a parody of fairy tales would talk like.
Furthermore, there is also the case with the world it’s set in. At first, I thought that it was set in a small town in our world that doesn’t exist, but then I realised that this was a whole new world but it’s never explained. While I like stories that are focused on the characters, I do believe when you introduce the reader to a new world, you have to explain some things because I’ve no idea where the princes are from and what it means to be royalty in this world. And while it isn’t high fantasy, that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be explained.
The Watcher of the Night Sky is also quite predictable, but it is still enjoyable, especially if the reader is somebody younger than 17 or likes middle-grade to children’s stories, because I wouldn’t really label this as YA. However, I have read a lot of adult fantasy novels and I’m used to older characters.
One of the good things is that I was able to watch Abigail grow as a character. I like some good character development and I believe that I found it here. While I don’t really have much to say about her, I did enjoy reading her story and most of the romantic scenes were pretty sweet and lovely.
The end of the book, however, almost completely changed my opinion about it. First of all, it ends with a hell of a cliff-hanger – I like that! It makes me want to read more! And second of all, it finally shifted into something that I might enjoy more (insert devilish laugh).
The Watcher of the Night Sky isn’t your typical YA novel and that’s what attracted me to it. It is weird, it is magical(-ish) and it reminds me of Shrek. However, my opinion is a conflicted one.
The book begins with a clichè – a plain, ordinary girl who is liked by nobody and who has a beauty of a bestie. Abigail (Abi) makes a wish to the stars before her 16th birthday and voilà! Seven boys of different social statuses appear at her door confessing their love to her. Now, this would probably freak me out just like it freaks her out. I like how the author has made her reaction realistic and I also liked how her best friend decided to help her. However, I found it a little weird how quickly she believed her because the wishing on stars for the people in the book is something like a bed-time story. Furthermore, I couldn’t remember any of the boy’s names or their titles, I couldn’t really differentiate them except for the rhyming one because he was pretty obvious.
It really reminds me of Shrek to a point. It just looks like some kind of a parody and I don’t know whether to find it funny or not. While the writing is pretty light and enjoyable, it is also annoying and too descriptive of insignificant things in my opinion.
Indeed, when authors put together so many clichès the end results are always kind of funny and infuriating at the same time. That’s why I gave it a 2.5-star rating, because it’s in the middle just like my opinion.
Furthermore, while I can’t really say that I disliked the book, I can’t actually say how much I enjoyed it. It turned out to be written in a way my 13-year-old self would have enjoyed much better.
In the beginning, there was this thing with womanhood and how girls who get into puberty start noticing boys and some other nonsense where I just felt offended because of the way it was written in. (I also found it offensive to the main character as well since she isn’t interested in boys or at least not at first.) If I were older, I probably wouldn’t have found it so offensive. It was so generalising.
There was also some unrealistic speech which contributes to my comparison with Shrek, it is the way I’d imagine people in a parody of fairy tales would talk like.
Furthermore, there is also the case with the world it’s set in. At first, I thought that it was set in a small town in our world that doesn’t exist, but then I realised that this was a whole new world but it’s never explained. While I like stories that are focused on the characters, I do believe when you introduce the reader to a new world, you have to explain some things because I’ve no idea where the princes are from and what it means to be royalty in this world. And while it isn’t high fantasy, that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be explained.
The Watcher of the Night Sky is also quite predictable, but it is still enjoyable, especially if the reader is somebody younger than 17 or likes middle-grade to children’s stories, because I wouldn’t really label this as YA. However, I have read a lot of adult fantasy novels and I’m used to older characters.
One of the good things is that I was able to watch Abigail grow as a character. I like some good character development and I believe that I found it here. While I don’t really have much to say about her, I did enjoy reading her story and most of the romantic scenes were pretty sweet and lovely.
The end of the book, however, almost completely changed my opinion about it. First of all, it ends with a hell of a cliff-hanger – I like that! It makes me want to read more! And second of all, it finally shifted into something that I might enjoy more (insert devilish laugh).
August 19, 2018
Full Review on my blog!
*a copy was provided by NetGalley*
Mhmm.. An interesting take on 'when you wish upon a star' and all the chaos that can happen. The beginning starts off kinda weird and slow... took me a while to get into...
The basic plot of this book is actually really interesting; great concept! It’s a love story—overwhelming love—and dark magic, family secrets, and of course teenage angst.
The Watcher of the Night Sky is definitely not your average YA/romance. I actually enjoyed it very much. I recommend it!
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*a copy was provided by NetGalley*
Mhmm.. An interesting take on 'when you wish upon a star' and all the chaos that can happen. The beginning starts off kinda weird and slow... took me a while to get into...
The basic plot of this book is actually really interesting; great concept! It’s a love story—overwhelming love—and dark magic, family secrets, and of course teenage angst.
The Watcher of the Night Sky is definitely not your average YA/romance. I actually enjoyed it very much. I recommend it!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook
May 21, 2018
Okay, so I had to 'phone' a friend on this one. While I do read some YA, I'm more of a classics kind of girl so I needed an assist on what YA actually encompassed (Thanks Bentley!)
Moving right along... The story was really good only I don't think I'd classify it as YA, it rang more middle grade to me, which isn't bad but classification does make a difference to the reader especially if their in the frame of mind where they're expecting a typical YA story and they don't get it then they wont/can't really give the story they are reading a fair shake.
Now, while I was reading this, I saw everything in animation. I felt like this could have been one of those Happily Ever After Fairy Tales For Every Child episodes that they used to do on HBO (I loved those). For me, the shining star for this book was the story itself the characters were okay but were supported by the story instead of the other way around like I'm use to. Usually, I get invested in a person in the story and invest in their journey but here it was the other way around. Pudsey did a wonderful job creating a story that can be enjoyed by a large audience... kind of like the animated movies you think are for children but have adult puns. Definitely recommend to anyone who might have a younger book buddy they're looking to read with or just as a source of family entertainment.
Moving right along... The story was really good only I don't think I'd classify it as YA, it rang more middle grade to me, which isn't bad but classification does make a difference to the reader especially if their in the frame of mind where they're expecting a typical YA story and they don't get it then they wont/can't really give the story they are reading a fair shake.
Now, while I was reading this, I saw everything in animation. I felt like this could have been one of those Happily Ever After Fairy Tales For Every Child episodes that they used to do on HBO (I loved those). For me, the shining star for this book was the story itself the characters were okay but were supported by the story instead of the other way around like I'm use to. Usually, I get invested in a person in the story and invest in their journey but here it was the other way around. Pudsey did a wonderful job creating a story that can be enjoyed by a large audience... kind of like the animated movies you think are for children but have adult puns. Definitely recommend to anyone who might have a younger book buddy they're looking to read with or just as a source of family entertainment.
August 7, 2018
Sorry but apparently this book wasn't for me...
July 28, 2018
The watcher of the night sky 2.5⭐️
I really liked the school aspect and that abigail didnt care for boys it was a new for a protagonist but then that one boy came and ruined everything.
It had potential but also it has been done so many times. You ha e a sort of magical element that you see in twilight meaning she wasn’t attracted to anyone until someone magical comes. Also focuses around the school because having kids go to school is good for bullies, drama and love.
Had potential. If you havent read alot of books then this kind of encompasses alot of good (also things i dislike) within alot of paranormal, fantasy novels.
I hate when authors describe exactly how the characters look right away. I want to see throughout the story and what others see in them how they are look.
Thank you so much to booksgosocial via netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of The watcher of the night sky by rachel pudsey. This is already out for you pleasure.
All opinions are my own.
I really liked the school aspect and that abigail didnt care for boys it was a new for a protagonist but then that one boy came and ruined everything.
It had potential but also it has been done so many times. You ha e a sort of magical element that you see in twilight meaning she wasn’t attracted to anyone until someone magical comes. Also focuses around the school because having kids go to school is good for bullies, drama and love.
Had potential. If you havent read alot of books then this kind of encompasses alot of good (also things i dislike) within alot of paranormal, fantasy novels.
I hate when authors describe exactly how the characters look right away. I want to see throughout the story and what others see in them how they are look.
Thank you so much to booksgosocial via netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of The watcher of the night sky by rachel pudsey. This is already out for you pleasure.
All opinions are my own.
September 2, 2018
This book was very cute and well written! I loved it because it had the essence every fairy-tale should with its own unique spin on all the things we love. The characters were amazing! I would love to read more from this author! She reminds me of Mercedes Lackey!
June 15, 2018
4 stars!
Review will be on my blog: https://bookswithnoel.blogspot.com/
Review will be on my blog: https://bookswithnoel.blogspot.com/
August 15, 2018
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Watcher of the Night Sky
Wow! It was even better than I thought it would be! To the favorites list it goes!
A most excellent mixture of drama, love, fantasy, and adventure. Abigail, being a plain looking girl that no one wants to pay any attention to, gets suddenly upset when her best friend gets all the attention from boys all over. She makes a seemingly harmless wish upon the stars for someone to love her. Little did she know that the stars are cursed by the watcher of the night sky, Levana. Two rival princes, a dwarf warrior, an obese farmer, a hideous musician, a know-it-all genius, and a mysterious cloaked man show up claiming to have fallen madly in love with her. Abigail, desperate to get rid of the curse, journeys with the courters and her best friend in search of Levana. From poisonous berries to being attacked by the strange Faelti, the journey proves to be a nearly impossible task. And along with all the problems they're already facing, a new one comes to mind... Abigail's feelings towards one of the courters. Her best friend tells her to go for it, but Abigail wonders if it's just the curse that is affecting him, or if he truly loves her. I believe this is a must read for ages 15 and up. No cuss words. No sex. No major sexual references. A little bit of violence, but not scary. To me it's almost perfect. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
The Watcher of the Night Sky
Wow! It was even better than I thought it would be! To the favorites list it goes!
A most excellent mixture of drama, love, fantasy, and adventure. Abigail, being a plain looking girl that no one wants to pay any attention to, gets suddenly upset when her best friend gets all the attention from boys all over. She makes a seemingly harmless wish upon the stars for someone to love her. Little did she know that the stars are cursed by the watcher of the night sky, Levana. Two rival princes, a dwarf warrior, an obese farmer, a hideous musician, a know-it-all genius, and a mysterious cloaked man show up claiming to have fallen madly in love with her. Abigail, desperate to get rid of the curse, journeys with the courters and her best friend in search of Levana. From poisonous berries to being attacked by the strange Faelti, the journey proves to be a nearly impossible task. And along with all the problems they're already facing, a new one comes to mind... Abigail's feelings towards one of the courters. Her best friend tells her to go for it, but Abigail wonders if it's just the curse that is affecting him, or if he truly loves her. I believe this is a must read for ages 15 and up. No cuss words. No sex. No major sexual references. A little bit of violence, but not scary. To me it's almost perfect. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
January 1, 2019
I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, but it immediately caught and held my attention. The adoption and the current revelation of Clay’s identity were the only things I wasn’t surprised by. The story is full of love, friendship, loyalty, and fantastical adventure. A must read for fantasy fans, especially those looking for something a little different. Now I am off to begin the second book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2018
Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
DNF at 16%.
I know this book is a YA novel, but it just felt really juvenile. There were so many characters that felt flat that they all started merging into one, and I found myself really bored.
DNF at 16%.
I know this book is a YA novel, but it just felt really juvenile. There were so many characters that felt flat that they all started merging into one, and I found myself really bored.
May 22, 2018
The beginning starts off kinda weird, but it started to get a groove going, & suddenly I couldn’t put the book down, & even though it has a horrible extreme cliff-hanger ending, I was so engrossed a bought book 2. I would suggest readers give it a bit, not to give up right away, as the story does improve.
The plot is unique, a play on be careful what you wish for. The heroine, Abigail is unique, I was intrigued by her not being so typical of heroines. I think the supporting characters all add a unique flair to the story, & the possible love interest (Clay) is great! This had so many twists & turns I didn’t see coming too. The world building grows with the story, learning along with Abigail about what’s going on.
The plot is unique, a play on be careful what you wish for. The heroine, Abigail is unique, I was intrigued by her not being so typical of heroines. I think the supporting characters all add a unique flair to the story, & the possible love interest (Clay) is great! This had so many twists & turns I didn’t see coming too. The world building grows with the story, learning along with Abigail about what’s going on.
January 13, 2016
The basic plot of this book is actually really interesting. It’s a story of love—overwhelming love—and dark magic, family secrets, and of course teenage angst. Abigail Crumble doesn’t like romance. She’s boyish from head to toe, even her personality is closer to a male’s than a young female’s.
I thought Abigail was a good character, especially the play on her name; Crumble. That alludes to a lot more than readers think, you’ll find out when you pick up a copy of the story.
Fifteen years without love might sound like a long time but Abigail Crumble has learned to live with it. She’s only in high school after all. There comes a time when even this tom-boy realizes that love just might be worth a try. Abigail decides to make a wish for her sixteenth birthday, she decides she wants love and attention but she gets so much more than what she bargained for.
A string of boys show up at Abigail’s doorstep professing their endless love for her. She doesn’t just get love and attention, Abigail becomes an obsession. Desperate to get away from the overwhelming romance, she decides to try to cancel the sudden wish. Thus the real story begins. Why does Abigail’s wish come true and why can’t she do anything to stop it? But then, what kind of girl complains about such juicy love???
The Watcher of the Night Sky is definitely not your average romance. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to YA readers and all fans of romance. Those who enjoy supernatural love stories will especially enjoy this, though it’s not a vampire romance! The characters are all full of life and plenty of humor with Abigail serving us the serious side of things. We watch her grow as she struggles with the problems that arise in this story which demonstrates some of the great character development in this book.
Now here comes the hard part.
I really did enjoy this book, it has an awesome take on the YA romance genre and adding in the magical aspect made things all the more interesting. But there were some big errors in the writing.
Almost every sentence in this book could be cut in half. There are probably more commas than words, to be honest. And there’s just an unnecessary amount of character description. Brown hair and eyes is all I pretty much need to know unless a person’s height is integral to the story. Unless the length of their nose, the size of their shoes, or what they’re wearing on Tuesdays is going to play some sort of role in the book then I don’t care about it. I’m not saying Pudsey did this but there was a large amount of detail that didn’t need to be there.
Despite the overuse of commas and lengthy sentences, I still greatly enjoyed this book and will strongly recommend it to others. I actually look forward to the rest of the series.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I thought Abigail was a good character, especially the play on her name; Crumble. That alludes to a lot more than readers think, you’ll find out when you pick up a copy of the story.
Fifteen years without love might sound like a long time but Abigail Crumble has learned to live with it. She’s only in high school after all. There comes a time when even this tom-boy realizes that love just might be worth a try. Abigail decides to make a wish for her sixteenth birthday, she decides she wants love and attention but she gets so much more than what she bargained for.
A string of boys show up at Abigail’s doorstep professing their endless love for her. She doesn’t just get love and attention, Abigail becomes an obsession. Desperate to get away from the overwhelming romance, she decides to try to cancel the sudden wish. Thus the real story begins. Why does Abigail’s wish come true and why can’t she do anything to stop it? But then, what kind of girl complains about such juicy love???
The Watcher of the Night Sky is definitely not your average romance. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to YA readers and all fans of romance. Those who enjoy supernatural love stories will especially enjoy this, though it’s not a vampire romance! The characters are all full of life and plenty of humor with Abigail serving us the serious side of things. We watch her grow as she struggles with the problems that arise in this story which demonstrates some of the great character development in this book.
Now here comes the hard part.
I really did enjoy this book, it has an awesome take on the YA romance genre and adding in the magical aspect made things all the more interesting. But there were some big errors in the writing.
Almost every sentence in this book could be cut in half. There are probably more commas than words, to be honest. And there’s just an unnecessary amount of character description. Brown hair and eyes is all I pretty much need to know unless a person’s height is integral to the story. Unless the length of their nose, the size of their shoes, or what they’re wearing on Tuesdays is going to play some sort of role in the book then I don’t care about it. I’m not saying Pudsey did this but there was a large amount of detail that didn’t need to be there.
Despite the overuse of commas and lengthy sentences, I still greatly enjoyed this book and will strongly recommend it to others. I actually look forward to the rest of the series.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
September 25, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. The fact that the main character is not the typical heroine is refreshing. The realm Pudsey creates is highly imaginative and beautiful, drawing the reader in. There is a bit of a shock at the end, but nothing is perfect, even in a fairy tale world. I highly recommend this book to others.
February 29, 2020
Reviewed by Janelle Fila for Readers' Favorite
The Watcher of the Night Sky: Part One (The Aronia Series Book 1) by Rachel Pudsey is a young adult fantasy that tackles the adage 'be careful what you wish for.' Abigail is fifteen and doesn't want to deal with love. At least, that's what she tells her best friend who is obsessed with boys and talks about love every chance she gets. On her sixteenth birthday, Abigail uncharacteristically wishes on the stars for love and attention. But when her wish comes true, Abigail is overwhelmed by the attention! Princes, suitors, and mysterious creatures continually show up at Abigail's door, professing their undying love for her. In trying to cancel the wish, Abigail discovers a large secret her parents hid from her. Is it possible that she is cursed? And will she ever get away from this wish that is too much to handle?
This was a cute story that mixed humor, fantasy, and romance into a tale that readers will enjoy. It might appeal to romance readers more than fantasy readers, although the elements of each are nicely blended into this story. Abigail is an interesting character who has to learn from her mistake when she makes a wish in a moment of weakness. Spending the rest of the story cleaning up her mess so to speak is a good lesson for readers and one that the author portrayed very well. Nice job.
The Watcher of the Night Sky: Part One (The Aronia Series Book 1) by Rachel Pudsey is a young adult fantasy that tackles the adage 'be careful what you wish for.' Abigail is fifteen and doesn't want to deal with love. At least, that's what she tells her best friend who is obsessed with boys and talks about love every chance she gets. On her sixteenth birthday, Abigail uncharacteristically wishes on the stars for love and attention. But when her wish comes true, Abigail is overwhelmed by the attention! Princes, suitors, and mysterious creatures continually show up at Abigail's door, professing their undying love for her. In trying to cancel the wish, Abigail discovers a large secret her parents hid from her. Is it possible that she is cursed? And will she ever get away from this wish that is too much to handle?
This was a cute story that mixed humor, fantasy, and romance into a tale that readers will enjoy. It might appeal to romance readers more than fantasy readers, although the elements of each are nicely blended into this story. Abigail is an interesting character who has to learn from her mistake when she makes a wish in a moment of weakness. Spending the rest of the story cleaning up her mess so to speak is a good lesson for readers and one that the author portrayed very well. Nice job.
July 18, 2017
Rating: 3.5 stars
Sometimes you get more than you wished for. This is what happened to Abigail, tired of the boys mistreating her she wishes love upon the stars but she gets more than she was waiting for. What begins as a simple wish unveils family secrets, magical creatures, and dark curses.
Abigail is a sweet character, she sounds like an innocent teenager but with a strong personality. The rest of the characters are all great, some funnier than others. I like the mystery behind one of them, despite some of it was a bit predictable.
The whole book has an aura of innocence, it's simple and easy to read and the story is easy to understand. If you are looking for something light to read you should read this one.
I do have to say I was really angry at the end, I know it is supposed to be a series but please that was a huge cliffhanger, I was screaming at my e-reader.
*** I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
Sometimes you get more than you wished for. This is what happened to Abigail, tired of the boys mistreating her she wishes love upon the stars but she gets more than she was waiting for. What begins as a simple wish unveils family secrets, magical creatures, and dark curses.
Abigail is a sweet character, she sounds like an innocent teenager but with a strong personality. The rest of the characters are all great, some funnier than others. I like the mystery behind one of them, despite some of it was a bit predictable.
The whole book has an aura of innocence, it's simple and easy to read and the story is easy to understand. If you are looking for something light to read you should read this one.
I do have to say I was really angry at the end, I know it is supposed to be a series but please that was a huge cliffhanger, I was screaming at my e-reader.
*** I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
June 27, 2018
5/5 stars!! This was such a hilarious yet incredible high fantasy story, and I loved it! Full review coming soon!
November 3, 2018
The strange and unusual events surrounding Abigail Crumble’s 16th birthday will alter the course of history and change her life forever.
The author presents a fine group of main characters in “The Watcher of the Night Sky”. Her protagonists are richly developed and present well—With Abigail as the unassuming heroine, Olivia as her loyal sidekick, and Clay as the handsome but marred mysterious stranger. Although Pudsey’s secondary cast of princes and admirers, who are bound by Abigail’s spell, is—at first—quite stereotypical of fairytale characters, there is enough depth and history imbued in them to make them memorable and interesting.
Pudsey’s well-conceived story is charming, witty, and humorous, but it also deals with subjects that are of great concern to teenagers as Abigail loses part of her identity, and everything she has known to be true about her past is turned upside down. As she goes in search of the truth, she is confronted with the reality of her world—past, present, and future—and the role she now has to play in order to rights the wrongs committed by her wish.
Fairytales often lack in humor, but Pudsey adds just the right touch of dry wit, hijinks, and shenanigans to lighten this sometimes heavy story. Her depictions of Abigail’s bullies are quite realistic, and she shows the horrible effects that teen bullying can have on a young adolescent. Pudsey also hits the mark when the subject of a long-kept secret adoption is suddenly revealed, causing one of the main characters to suffer much angst and trauma, and the adoptive parents to deal with the grave consequences of having hidden this information from the time of placement.
“The Watcher of the Night Sky” brings up many issues that adolescents must cope with while growing up, but this journey is also filled with adventure, peppy dialogue, amazing characters, bright images of landscapes and venues, and a cliffhanger that will shock you to your core.
While Pudsey’s novel is geared toward teen girls, mothers can also take some lessons from this compelling fantasy read. I recommend it for the memorable lessons it teaches, and for providing the opportunity for daughters and mothers to connect over the key issues that I’ve cited in my review. I now find myself looking forward to the second chapter in The Aronia Series.
The author presents a fine group of main characters in “The Watcher of the Night Sky”. Her protagonists are richly developed and present well—With Abigail as the unassuming heroine, Olivia as her loyal sidekick, and Clay as the handsome but marred mysterious stranger. Although Pudsey’s secondary cast of princes and admirers, who are bound by Abigail’s spell, is—at first—quite stereotypical of fairytale characters, there is enough depth and history imbued in them to make them memorable and interesting.
Pudsey’s well-conceived story is charming, witty, and humorous, but it also deals with subjects that are of great concern to teenagers as Abigail loses part of her identity, and everything she has known to be true about her past is turned upside down. As she goes in search of the truth, she is confronted with the reality of her world—past, present, and future—and the role she now has to play in order to rights the wrongs committed by her wish.
Fairytales often lack in humor, but Pudsey adds just the right touch of dry wit, hijinks, and shenanigans to lighten this sometimes heavy story. Her depictions of Abigail’s bullies are quite realistic, and she shows the horrible effects that teen bullying can have on a young adolescent. Pudsey also hits the mark when the subject of a long-kept secret adoption is suddenly revealed, causing one of the main characters to suffer much angst and trauma, and the adoptive parents to deal with the grave consequences of having hidden this information from the time of placement.
“The Watcher of the Night Sky” brings up many issues that adolescents must cope with while growing up, but this journey is also filled with adventure, peppy dialogue, amazing characters, bright images of landscapes and venues, and a cliffhanger that will shock you to your core.
While Pudsey’s novel is geared toward teen girls, mothers can also take some lessons from this compelling fantasy read. I recommend it for the memorable lessons it teaches, and for providing the opportunity for daughters and mothers to connect over the key issues that I’ve cited in my review. I now find myself looking forward to the second chapter in The Aronia Series.
September 15, 2018
First off I need to say that I have already bought the second book of this series on eBook so I could just continue reading on.
The Watcher of the Night Sky what can I say other than it is really a good story. I sat with the funniest smile on my face through the whole book. I loved the writing style of Rachel Pudsey, in this book. And I have to say as mad as I was at the ending it was a good ending. But of course, the minute I was done with this book I went to Amazon and got the second on eBook so I can start reading it as soon as I am done writing this review. I've NEVER in my life had a need so bad that at the end of a book I HAD to get the next one right there and then. At the end of this book, I actually threw my phone down.
Anyway, have you ever wished upon a star? Did you get what you asked for? Well, Abigail wished for and received her wish. Wishing for attention and love such an innocent wish, right? Until it comes to you in abundance, then you may have a problem. So we go forth with Abigail on a journey through the lands to fix her predicament. You will smile, laugh and get understandably upset throughout this story. But, it is a great story!!!
Now on to book two, lol.
I received this eBook through Netgalley for review.
The Watcher of the Night Sky what can I say other than it is really a good story. I sat with the funniest smile on my face through the whole book. I loved the writing style of Rachel Pudsey, in this book. And I have to say as mad as I was at the ending it was a good ending. But of course, the minute I was done with this book I went to Amazon and got the second on eBook so I can start reading it as soon as I am done writing this review. I've NEVER in my life had a need so bad that at the end of a book I HAD to get the next one right there and then. At the end of this book, I actually threw my phone down.
Anyway, have you ever wished upon a star? Did you get what you asked for? Well, Abigail wished for and received her wish. Wishing for attention and love such an innocent wish, right? Until it comes to you in abundance, then you may have a problem. So we go forth with Abigail on a journey through the lands to fix her predicament. You will smile, laugh and get understandably upset throughout this story. But, it is a great story!!!
Now on to book two, lol.
I received this eBook through Netgalley for review.
November 23, 2018
Warning: This is definitely a cliff hanger. The second book "Faelti" is out and ready to buy. I found "The Watcher of the Night Sky" such a good read that I went and bought the second book. I haven't spent money on a book in a long time, but this book was so good and I wanted to know what happened next so bad, that I bought it. At the outset I thought Pudsey's book was going to be cheesy cute. The concept of a girl wishing on stars and ending up with a bunch of unwanted suitors sounded kind of silly. The book was silly in places but it ended up being very enticing, and the problem was interesting to read about. I could relate to the character of Abigail well and I was glad to discover her as she discovered herself in the book. At the end there is traditional fantasy violence, and it was not cheesy at all. It was devastating. The writing is so good, I didn't notice any major need to edit any grammar and I forgot this was from an Indie Author and not someone who went through a traditional publisher. Lovers of fantasy or of good stories should read this.
October 18, 2018
☆°☆°ARC provided by author☆°☆
well, I just love a good fantasy by a new author I have never heard of.
The watcher is book 1 in the series. It was different than what I normally would read but I enjoyed it. I felt that the author did a good job at describing each character and place.
I give this book 4 stars
Country Gals Book Blog
well, I just love a good fantasy by a new author I have never heard of.
The watcher is book 1 in the series. It was different than what I normally would read but I enjoyed it. I felt that the author did a good job at describing each character and place.
I give this book 4 stars
Country Gals Book Blog
September 27, 2018
First off, the lovely cover... Very appealing and I'll admit, part of the reason I requested it from NetGalley.
The first chapter gripped me with its flowery fingers. I loved Pudsey’s voice and the world she created. Honestly, I was super excited. This book had a unique magical feel to it. Unfortunately, though, things took a little dip downwards. When all the men showed up as a result of Abigail’s wish... I was vividly reminded of the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I mean there was even a Gandalf-like character. Despite this, the characters were fun. I loved the rivalry between the princes and the dwarf and giant were endearing. Abigail was sweet and her reactions were mostly realistic.
For the writing… Those sentences… Waaaaaaay too long with a host of commas accompanying them. While Pudsey’s voice was enjoyable, this grammar aspect was rather distracting.
Lastly, this was a clean read and I would recommend it to all ages of YA readers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The first chapter gripped me with its flowery fingers. I loved Pudsey’s voice and the world she created. Honestly, I was super excited. This book had a unique magical feel to it. Unfortunately, though, things took a little dip downwards. When all the men showed up as a result of Abigail’s wish... I was vividly reminded of the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I mean there was even a Gandalf-like character. Despite this, the characters were fun. I loved the rivalry between the princes and the dwarf and giant were endearing. Abigail was sweet and her reactions were mostly realistic.
For the writing… Those sentences… Waaaaaaay too long with a host of commas accompanying them. While Pudsey’s voice was enjoyable, this grammar aspect was rather distracting.
Lastly, this was a clean read and I would recommend it to all ages of YA readers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 19, 2018
The scenes are well written with vivid details that capture the imagination and
bring the story to life while the well-orchestrated events draw the reader in and
ensure that there is never a dull moment.
bring the story to life while the well-orchestrated events draw the reader in and
ensure that there is never a dull moment.
January 6, 2019
What a great world building!
The story follows Abigail, a human different from any other. It is believed that no one should wish on the stars or something terrible will happen but it is just a tale, right?
When young Abigail wishes upon the stars, something unbelievable happens and things turn upside down.
It was a great read with much action and magic and unpredictable situations. Also, I liked how the author takes the recent problem of bullying and throws it in the imaginary world.
I recommend it for any reader and the only complain is: where is the second?
The story follows Abigail, a human different from any other. It is believed that no one should wish on the stars or something terrible will happen but it is just a tale, right?
When young Abigail wishes upon the stars, something unbelievable happens and things turn upside down.
It was a great read with much action and magic and unpredictable situations. Also, I liked how the author takes the recent problem of bullying and throws it in the imaginary world.
I recommend it for any reader and the only complain is: where is the second?
September 7, 2018
This is an excellently written high fantasy with a lot of action and humor interspersed. I enjoyed it very much until the 'cliffhanger' ending.
It is also suitable for young adults.
Be prepared to invest in the next volume.
It is also suitable for young adults.
Be prepared to invest in the next volume.
September 7, 2018
This is an excellently written high fantasy with a lot of action and humor interspersed. I enjoyed it very much until the 'cliffhanger' ending.
It is also suitable for young adults.
Be prepared to invest in the next volume.
It is also suitable for young adults.
Be prepared to invest in the next volume.
July 20, 2018
I could not put this book down! I literally finished it within a day!
In this fairy-tale adventure, Abigail is a plain and very relatable teenager, who is picked on by her peers for being studious and "ugly". Her best friend, Olivia, however, is beautiful and receives the attention of many boys in their quaint village where marriage is on the mind after one reaches sixteen. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Abigail makes a wish upon a star that brings seven suitors to her door, all vastly different and all in love with her and none of them will leave without her. As she embarks out on a journey to correct the wish that enchanted these men, she finds herself accompanied by each of them and Olivia on an unexpected quest that is anything but simple.
The plot is genius, the characters engaging and the writing superb, which makes for an electrifying adventure. Pudsey's prose is entertaining and while this is the first book I have read by her, I am definitely a fan now and can't wait to start the next book.
In this fairy-tale adventure, Abigail is a plain and very relatable teenager, who is picked on by her peers for being studious and "ugly". Her best friend, Olivia, however, is beautiful and receives the attention of many boys in their quaint village where marriage is on the mind after one reaches sixteen. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Abigail makes a wish upon a star that brings seven suitors to her door, all vastly different and all in love with her and none of them will leave without her. As she embarks out on a journey to correct the wish that enchanted these men, she finds herself accompanied by each of them and Olivia on an unexpected quest that is anything but simple.
The plot is genius, the characters engaging and the writing superb, which makes for an electrifying adventure. Pudsey's prose is entertaining and while this is the first book I have read by her, I am definitely a fan now and can't wait to start the next book.
August 31, 2018
Nothing like wishing on the stars and getting more than you bargained for. That's what happened to Abigail. She winds up with seen suitors. The story line is very well written and the characters well developed. Rachel's writing style pulls you into the story and keeps your interest to the last page. However it does end in a cliffhanger. I am eager to read the next book in the Aronia series.
July 16, 2018
I don't think I have enough words to describe just how much I enjoyed this book. I choose to read it because the cover was gorgeous and the plot sounded different. Indeed a girl who wishes upon the stars and ends up with a bunch of men madly in love with her.
The plot was well written and kept you guessing as to what was going to happen. As this is only part one it left off on a massive cliff hanger. One that insures if you read the first part you will jump right into getting the second.
For fans of fantasy, romance, and quests.
The plot was well written and kept you guessing as to what was going to happen. As this is only part one it left off on a massive cliff hanger. One that insures if you read the first part you will jump right into getting the second.
For fans of fantasy, romance, and quests.
July 16, 2018
A young girl makes a wish and finds herself being wooed by princes. Not my usual type of book, I think it would appeal to girls in their early teens, but it was well written.
June 2, 2024
I truly enjoyed this twist on the Fae
I think this book introduced a very interesting approach to the Fae that differs from the kind of novels I usually read! It made me feel that thing where you’re left with a cliff hanger and just can’t wait to get your hands on the next book. Luckily for me I already have it downloaded on my Kindle and I simply can’t wait to get to it. Rachel Pudsey is a brilliant author who has a very unique twist on what is a very popular trope. I found her mythology to be very interesting and so I’m hoping that this is built on in subsequent books in the Aronia series. I usually try to stay spoiler free but the author is so witty that I just have to quote my favourite one liners; ‘I would be inclined to believe women preferred their bulk in the muscular form’ and ‘you can’t just ask someone why their face is strange’ this was so mean girls and I love it haha!
The variety of characters bought its own brand of humour into the plot but by the time I was half way through I was simply ready for that to be done with and the characters to become more developed. It generally felt like Abi and Clay were there for the plot and the others for comic relief which means that there aren’t a lot of characters me to fall in love with yet. All in all it ended up being a very long introduction and I I believe that the second book will be way better.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think this book introduced a very interesting approach to the Fae that differs from the kind of novels I usually read! It made me feel that thing where you’re left with a cliff hanger and just can’t wait to get your hands on the next book. Luckily for me I already have it downloaded on my Kindle and I simply can’t wait to get to it. Rachel Pudsey is a brilliant author who has a very unique twist on what is a very popular trope. I found her mythology to be very interesting and so I’m hoping that this is built on in subsequent books in the Aronia series. I usually try to stay spoiler free but the author is so witty that I just have to quote my favourite one liners; ‘I would be inclined to believe women preferred their bulk in the muscular form’ and ‘you can’t just ask someone why their face is strange’ this was so mean girls and I love it haha!
The variety of characters bought its own brand of humour into the plot but by the time I was half way through I was simply ready for that to be done with and the characters to become more developed. It generally felt like Abi and Clay were there for the plot and the others for comic relief which means that there aren’t a lot of characters me to fall in love with yet. All in all it ended up being a very long introduction and I I believe that the second book will be way better.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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