We Are Bound by Stars

We Are Blood and Thunder #2

by Kesia Lupo

The next adventure in Kesia Lupo's stunning and original YA fantasy world. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Laini Taylor.

On a mysterious island where the inhabitants worship a god of secrets and hidden truths, masked assassins are trained to do his bidding - or so they believe. Beatrice is one of three mask-makers. Her blood is a conduit for the god's wishes and her creations reflect his desires. But her mother warned of a terrible secret released upon her death, and soon Beatrice finds herself asking whether her future has really been foretold and if it is truly set in stone.

Livio is a descendent of the most powerful family on the island. He will be the first male ruler in centuries, but what he hasn't told anyone is that his magic is out of control. Is he infected by Chaos or has his destiny already been decided for him?

Beatrice and Livio don't realise their fates are bound together. They are puppets in someone else's game. It is up to them to stop a masked assassin with a deadly agenda who could bring down not only the temple, but the gods themselves.

Another thrilling, plot-driven adventure, with an even bigger twist, We Are Bound by Stars is a tale of masks, politics, desire and deception that will have you gripped once again in Kesia Lupo's rich fantasy world.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, High Fantasy

384 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2020

About the author

Kesia Lupo studied History at Oxford University and Creative Writing at Bath Spa. She's currently an associate literary agent with the Bindery Agency.

We Are Blood and Thunder is her debut, a standalone YA fantasy published in the UK in April 2019. We Are Bound by Stars, her second novel, is another standalone story set in the same world and published in July 2020.

Let's Play Murder is a YA horror/thriller set in a VR game - published in April 2023.

Reviews

[Luckie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually a little disappointed with this book. The cover looked great, and the worldbuilding was fantastic, but I feel as though the plot was a little vague and slow.

I didn't know that We Are Blood and Thunder had been released a year or so ago, but it's okay because even though the books are set in the same world, they follow different characters and are in different parts of the fictional universe. I didn't feel like I was missing anything when I read We Are Bound by Stars.

I'm just on the fence. This book was by no means bad, and I'm still excited to read the other book, but I think I was expecting a little more from the plot side of things.

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot is really good but I heavily disliked the writing at first, a bit info dumpy. Plot also had a very long build up and then was over very quickly. Had gay tho

[Bec (Aussie Book Dragon) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review first appeared on my Instagram, @booktineus and was also posted on Happy Indulgence Book Blog.

The Good Things
+ Companion to We Are Blood and Thunder. It's set after the events of WABAT but can easily be read separately without too many spoilers.

+ Introduced new types of magic which were fascinating! Astromancy and the masks.

+ Seriously loved the sandwolves and the masks.

+ Sister relationship! As one of three siblings, I related to the triplets a lot.

+ Features a rebellion, but it was different to the usual YA rebellions. The rebels are the actual villains and stay the villains! (In most YA the rebels are morally right and the MCs end up joining them to fight against their corrupt rulers).

+ Really liked Livio's character and journey to leadership.

+ There is a mask at the end of the story that I seriously need a whole book about. The concept is creepy and amazing!

The Not-So-Good Things
- Just like the first book, there was so much potential plot lines and world that wasn't explored as deeply as I'd like. And all the things I found most interesting weren't introduced until the very end. I wanted more of it! Especially one particular mask's magic.

- It set up what I thought was going to be a LGBTQ romance with a strong place in the story, but then that fizzled... twice.

- Carlotta, a secondary character who was barely in three or four chapters, is a character I found more interesting than Beatrice, the actual main character...

- The rebellion felt like it was barely in the novel. It was introduced in the beginning, then we kept hearing about it but events directly relating to it were scarce until the last third. It was quite anticlimactic honestly.

- The villain was pretty cliche. This was particularly disappointing after the villain in WABAT.

TLDR;
I enjoyed this book overall but was left feeling underwhelmed. The most interesting plot points were fascinating but not introduced until the very end of the story which was frustrating.

[Kara (bookishskippy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are bound by the stars is companion sequel to the We are blood (which i have yet to read).
This story is based on 2 different character POV named Beatrice and Livio who are destined for a life which they dont really want to have it. The book will go back and fro in chapters to understand the characters POV.
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What i love about this book the fact there was some LGBTQ topics and a bit of romance.The way the author created this whole fantasy world 🌎 which was based in italy 🇮🇹. It is super duper captivating with so many different gods methodology and maps.The plot was to die for and i honestly love the way she wrote this book especially. You will not be confused while reading it but might want to finish it in one go🐵
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This book gave me vibez of strange the dreamer and the shadow and bone series. The world building of the fantasy was some what similar to them. If you read these books you might like this one. Highly recommend it.
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Thank you @definitelybooks and
#pansing for sending this copy in my way to review it. This book currently available at all good bookstores both in SG and Msia. Do check it out

[Izzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Bound by Stars is a solid fantasy story, full of myth and magic and masks, which works well as a standalone, taking place in the same world as Kesia Lupo's debut, We Are Blood And Thunder but on a different continent.

It starts off with an info dump of a list of the nine gods and their magics, but that info never really plays a huge part. The story of the masks and the triplets, however...

The story takes place entirely in the city of Scarossa, which seems to be based on Vienna, but never does it feel confined or restricted by this, as it is a big city with a long history and a hidden underworld. Our two main characters, 'Vico' and Beatrice, don't even interact until late in the novel, but there's enough mystery and magic in their disparate storylines that I didn't even mind, and when they finally do meet, all hell has broken loose.

As a YA fantasy, We Are Bound by Stars does the job perfectly, and I know my teen self would have loved this. Furthermore, I read this in just two days, which speaks volumes for the fast-paced plot and writing.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much, but I did really enjoy we are Blood and Thunder though so I was pretty sure going in I was going to love this too, this is just as an amazing read as the first, think I just clicked a bit more with the first book. Kesia’s writing again is beautiful and stirring, I adore Bea and Livio so much , she writes characters with depth and that you root for and you watch them grow as you journey with them through the story. This book is just everything, magic, intrigue, beautifully written and full of wonder. Highly recommended for those with heart and imagination


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Jodie Reneé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t Put it Down

Loved this tale of two youngsters, Livio and Beatrice, and their journeyed towards self-understanding and dining purpose.

For the first time in ages, I found myself unable to skim over the duller bits because there weren’t any! I couldn’t put this book down. Great world building and glorious original story telling from Lupo. The characters were likeable and believable and I just want more! I hope there is a possibility of this stand alone being adapted into a series because I’d love to read more! Next up, We are Blood and Thunder!

[Ayesha the Great 🍉 (Barbie's Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I'm DNFing it for for now, cos I can't really get into the world right now. Sorry, but I'm too pumped for Rule Of Wolves to actually focus on this one. But, I liked what I've read up until now, and probably will return to it.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the characters and worldbuilding, but I just wish it had been 50% longer - it felt like there were a lot of aspects that weren't really explored much.

[Ebba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bättre än vad jag trodde den skulle vara

[Mina Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so good!! kesia lupo is such a talented writer - this is perfect if you like the grisha books or laini taylor. here are just a few of the reasons i loved it:

⚔️ lush italy-inspired fantasy world
🏳️‍🌈 lgbtq+ romance
✨ unique magic & world-building
🖋 genuinely captivating, visual writing
👫 dual narrative from two equally compelling characters
📘 even though it's set in the same world as we are blood and thunder, its still a standalone

really loved it, though my heart has been broken into many, many pieces

[Charley Henly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Are Bound by Stars is the follow on to We Are Blood And Thunder, the story follows Livio, who is destined for great things. He is destined for a life he has worked so hard to stay away from, but it is time for him to inherit the family legacy. The story also follows Beatrice, who is one of three sisters, who are all mask-makers. It isn’t until an assassin cause great problems for both Beatrice and Livio, that the two finally meet. There is great tragedy in both of their lives, but can they stop what caused it?

So firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for allowing me to read the ARC for the above book.

The story has the same kind of feels for me as the last one, although this is a sequel, I think that it can be read without having read We Are Blood and Thunder. I don’t feel as though their is really a link at all between the two, apart from the relations between Constance & Livio. So it isn’t entirely necessary to read the first beforehand, but it does make sense when the character Constance is mentioned.

Again I feel like a lot lacked in the book, there wasn’t much suspense, and I felt like it was also a bit of a chore to finish and it’s not the kind of feeling anyone wants to have with a book. It just didn’t grasp my attention as much as I would have hoped, and it wasn’t a particularly fast paced book either. But also, like the last I felt like the end is incredibly rushed when it could have perhaps been delved into a little more.

I did like the relationship Beatrice has with her sisters in the book, it’s a very love hate kind of relationship, which I can completely relate to, being the oldest of my siblings, we can definitely have that in our household! And also how Beatrice was kind of the ‘black sheep’ out of the three, she wanted freedom, whereas her sisters would much rather prefer to have the easy life they currently had. The life that was CHOSE for them.

I also liked Livio as a character, where at the beginning of the book he is someone else to the world, but at home he is almost royalty and now destined to take over with the death of his cousin coming to light.

Both characters long for freedom but neither can have it, as their futures were already determined long before either were born, and I think that’s the most grasping part of the story for both characters, alongside the tragedy within Beatrice’s life as the book goes on.

It may be because it is a YA/Fantasy that I didn’t particularly enjoy it as much as I would have hoped, therefore I would probably recommend this to anyone below the age of perhaps 16? It’s definitely a book that I would have perhaps been more invested in maybe five or so years ago! I know a lot of my readers enjoy a lot of YA – so perhaps I’m even growing out of it now! Who knows? – I personally hope I haven’t!!!

[Aria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you so much Pansing for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! We Are Bound by Stars by Kesia Lupo is available at all good bookstores.

The second book that is set in the same world as Lupo's We Are Blood and Thunder ,  We Are Bound by Stars focuses on Livio who is a descendent of the most powerful family on the island, and Beatrice who is one of part of the triplet mask makers whose creations have special powers that can be wielded by the wearer. The story alternates between the points of view of these two characters, allowing us to experience two narratives and have a better understanding of how the world functions.

Although it starts out interesting, Livio's side of the story is, in overall, lackluster compared to Beatrice's. The ups and downs he goes through are expected, resulting in a predictable progressions through the story. Moreover, Livio is a rather expected kind of main character—the kind we've seen in many other variations in other similar books. So, even though I do like his character, he's just....I'm sorry to write this but, he's just boring. Fortunately, there's Beatrice's whose side of the story is more thrilling and fresh. Though, she can also be predictable, the twists to her story are more surprising which made reading her side more enjoyable.

Another issue I have with this book is the pacing. At the beginning, Livio's story moves quicker in comparison to Beatrice's and because of that, a dissonance in the pacing is established. I think the only moments when the pacing between the two points of view are in harmony is when Livio and Beatrice meet and at the epilogue. Otherwise, the dissonance remains throughout and it made it confusing for me to hold on to the perception of time as established in the book (ie: is noontime for Livio also noontime for Beatrice, or has Beatrice's side of the story moved forward in time?).

All that aside, the amount of effort the author has put into building this world is especially amazing. I really appreciate the inclusion of the maps, the profiles of the gods, the little story of how the kingdom of the Wishes came to be, and the list of rules of the Mascherari. Not all aspects of the aforementioned have been explicitly touched upon in this book but it definitely lends credence to the solid worldbuilding that has been done. Thinking about it, this might be the most detailed and rich worldbuilding I've ever come across in a young adult novel!

All in all, We Are Bound by Stars is a slightly better than average read for me. There is much potential in the world created by the author, and I would love to read more of it.

[Art Hyrst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review: https://inkandplasma.wordpress.com/20...

The world-building was just as lush and interesting, and I enjoyed seeing a different part of the world to Duke’s Forest and getting focus on an aspect of the magical religion that we didn’t experience much in Blood and Thunder. The masked god, Mythris, was barely talked about in the first book due to the setting and plot focus but in this book the whole island worship them. It was fascinating. The mask-makers in particular was a particularly cool piece of mythology, even if the idea of triplets being fated to die together is tragic, and I loved the idea of Bestial, Grotesque and Ornamental masks giving chosen wearers particular powers. The other magical powers we got to see (I’m being intentionally vague to avoid spoilers, but they’re so interesting) and the sandwolves were so cool and really added to the depth and beauty of this universe.

I loved Livio and Beatrice, both were strongly characterised and I liked the way that they contrasted with each other. It was easy to get invested in both, because their motivations made sense and I felt for them both as the story developed and the masked assassins seemed set on ruining both of their lives. Even the side-characters were delightful, and I loved all of them. Particularly their attitudes to fate and destiny, and the way those things were woven into their whole lives.

The plot was as incredible as I’ve come to expect from Kesia Lupo. It took me a little while to get hooked (though faster than We are Blood and Thunder) but once I was into it, there was no way I was putting it down. I read about 70% of this in a blur because I couldn’t look away. I don’t want to go into the plot much, because I loved the way it unfolded and think it’s definitely more satisfying to experience it with no idea what’s happening, but it’s just as intoxicating and twisty as We are Blood and Thunder and had plenty of gasping out loud moments.

[Gabriella Finegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This review does have mild spoilers!
I enjoyed this book but I found that I put this book down after a couple chapters and didn't pick it back up for about a week which doesn't happen very often. I found the plot good and it definitly got better as it went on but at times it moved too fast.

First I'll talk about Livio. I thought he had a good character but he's not very unique in very many ways. Firstly Livio is of royal blood in a way and he wants something beyond palace life so he has a secret life. I think most of us have heard that trope. Now, I did thoroughly like the touch of LGBTQ+ as not a huge amount of authors add it to their books, but at the start I thought Livio had completely gotten rid of Elisao but then I wished that he was gone at the end...I thought that that was particularly cruel to Elisao and he hadn't even gotten any proper character development. It's also kinda like, Livio is the worst in his class even though he's supposed to rule someday, but then magically he discovers something else that he is just natrually amazing at and he impresses everyone and saves the day. Not saying I didn't like his character because I did, I just thought I'd point that out.

Then there's Beatrice. Her fate is bound and she is supposedly not ever going to be able to change it. I thought that she didn't have enough development, as in, she's kind of just like any other character until close to the end. I also thought that her sister's death was too abrupt in all ways. Just one second, they're arguing and the next two are dead. Like, What's that about? Otherwise I thought she had a good character.

I also wish that it had gone into more context about the different gods and the different temples. I don't know if the other book based in this universe covers that since I haven't read it but I would have liked to know more about the different disciples.
Ty for reading my review! All in all this is a pretty good book, and I would recommend.

[Mollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I feel a rush of warmth. Scarossa is my city, but this is my world.”
Is it normal to love a sequel just a much as the first book? I was captivated by the cover when I first saw this on the shelves in Waterstones. The book, I feel, was actually calling my name when I was browsing the shelves.

I give We Are Bound By Stars 5/5 ⭐️

I still can’t get over how pretty and gorgeous this cover is!!😱😱🥰🥰
I absolutely adore the world and characters that @kesialupoauthor has created in this duology. I have to say though... I much preferred Livio and Beatrice’s story more than I did Lena and Constance in We Are Blood And Thunder. I’m so glad that Kesia has written these characters, as I feel like I connect to them.

Let’s move on to the characters:
I loved the development of Livio and Beatrice(who are our leading characters) they have such a strong development over the course of the story about the way the path of their life goes.

I actually really feel for Beatrice in her story... having been fed a lie her entire life about her identity and finding out that the Contessa had pieces together for her.

Livio, he wants to lead a double life as the heir to Scarossa, but after meeting the charming young man Elisao in the city, can he keep holding his double life?

I really hope we get to see more of Livio and Beatrice and Lena from WABAT one day, or even if they cross paths in another story.

Kesia’s work is just amazing and beautifully told Andy hope we get to see more work in the future.

Can I please have a Sandwolf??

“The only working puppet here is me. And now Shadow has my strings.”

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, did this book surprise me or what!? I read We Are Blood and Thunder earlier on this year, and I really did not like it. If I remember correctly, I did not like either of the main characters and the world-building was lacking for me. So it definitely wasn't looking too good for the sequel.. but thankfully that was not the case!


This time, we follow Beatrice and Livio POV. I really liked both of these characters, especially Beatrice. I really looked forward to her chapters, as I loved getting to know more about her and her sisters, and the relationship that they have with one another. One thing that I struggled with Livio's POV was his already developed romance (a LGTQ+ one). We were thrust into it from the very beginning and I would have liked more of a back story to it, just to really develop the chemistry between the two.


I can't fault either of the characters, they were full of depth and both equally interesting. I hope to see more of them in the future!


The world-building was a lot more fluid this time around and kept my attention, as I wanted to know more! I didn't find the magical system as confusing this time and it was a lot more interesting.


The ending did feel just a tad rush towards the end and I would have liked more of an interaction between Livio & Beatrice.


We Are Bound By Stars felt purely action and mystery which I absolutely adored. I loved how the author used family as a central theme. I only wish this book had been a bit longer!


5 stars!

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is told in dual perspectives which is similar to the previous book, and I found both stories to be as interesting as the other.

Livio’s story is a bit more slow paced and focuses more on magic and world building whilst Beatrice’s chapters are more exciting and detail her role as a mask maker but also her personal struggle with not fitting in with her role and how she is different from her sisters. I liked both characters and their unique voices, I also liked the balance between the action and the emotional parts of the story and their struggles.

I really enjoyed the writing style of the book and loved how everything was paced. Not much happens in terms of plot/action because the book does develop on a lot of points so is not focused on action however, I did like this as it helped me connect to the story and characters.

Everything was so well paced however I was conscious that the story was near ending and there was not a climax/resolve which I felt was rushed and disappointing. The reveal was predictable and there was such a build up to the main villain who ends up being defeated way to easily. I was also disappointed by the romance in the story, only Livio has a romance subplot and his love interest was in the story for such a brief time at the start and then again near the ending and then it ends so abruptly.

4/5

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Bloomsbury & Kesia Lupo for my arc of We Are Bound by Stars in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Set in the original fantasy world of We Are Blood and Thunder the new book from Kesia Lupo finds Livio, descendant of the greatest family on a mysterious island in the heart of the wishes. Livio is the first Male descendant in many years, and he doesn't want his fate. But fate has a different idea. Beatrice is one of three mask makers, fated triplets destined to make the magical masks worn by the powerful guards. Together they must save their island and the future of the islands of wishes.

While I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the first book it was still a good read. I liked the characters and the world building was fantastic I love stories that feature masks, they're always something I've found fascinating and beautiful. It was great to see more of the world from We Are Blood and Thunder and the little tie ins were done nicely. My only real criticism is that the pacing was a bit off. 3/4 of the book were a great pace but the ending felt a little rushed with everything happening quickly and I think that could have been stretched out a bit more. Other than that an enjoyable read that could be read as part of the series or as a standalone.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are bound by stars
Spoiler free review

I absolutely devoured this book. The world in which the story takes place, is so rich and yet dark. I was captivated and drawn to the whole concept of how everyone is like a puppet to the gods they worship.

I fell in love with Livio and Beatrice, whose stories we follow throughout. It’s definitely a page turner, that sucks you in from the start.

I just wish we explored more of the world and seen a bit more magic.

I rate this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘S

Synopsis

On a mysterious island where the very earth holds magic, masked assassins plague the city and strange creatures rise from the desert. Livio has riled against his destiny his whole life. Beatrice longs to escape her life of servitude. But when a twist of fate unites them, it is up to them to stop a deadly revolution.
Are they just puppets in someone else's game? Will they have to accept the hands they have been dealt or can either change their fortunes?

Thank you to Kesia Lupo, Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC copy of We are bound by stars for an honest review.
#netgalley #weareboundbystars

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed We Are Bound By Stars.

It's a fast paced, exciting political fantasy, one of my favourite subgenres.

The magic system was interesting, with a lot of the intricacies left unexplained, the book focused on explaining the most relevant areas and this worked really well for me.

The same principle applies to the political factions. It felt like there was a lot going on in the background that wasn't made explicitly clear, particularly the different temples, but this never detracted from the plot and lengthy exposition would have just slowed the book down too much.

The battle for control of Scarossa was instead told with pace and vigour, making for a thrilling ride.

The twists and turns of the plot were expertly done, and the whole thing was full of intrigue and mystery. The threats and peril felt real and deadly and the elements of feminist authority and gay romance were both welcome touches, lightly applied as they were.

We Were Bound By Stars sacrifices extensive lore dumps for a fast paced narrative full of threat and intrigue, and is a great fantasy novel for it.

[Eiman Elsir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read a fantasy novel with so much detail about the world itself. The characters were fabulous and enjoyable to read about. I feel like even without the strong plot I still would’ve loved to just read about these characters and their lives.

I found the book gave a lot of context to the world and the characters stories and how they got to where they are rather than moving forward. The plot only really started two thirds into the book.

I guess I would’ve loved to see some more development in other potential plot points in the novel rather than focusing on a revolution when it was super unclear what side the main characters were on or what they were even fighting for.

I was kinda left feeling underwhelmed in the ending. Maybe thought it could’ve been more fleshed out.

Some parts of the dialogue didn’t seem the most organic, but still, I really loved reading this book and would love to learn more about the world created.

[Rowena Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I have to say that I love the cover for this book and it was certainly love at first sight. Now, though I think it is the perfect reflection of the story itself. This was an intriguing read, and a fantastic sequel to the first book, taking that world and in my opinion taking the worldbuilding up a notch. The world was beautifully realised in this book, full of detail and intrigue, and it expanded on so much that was only hinted on in book one. The writing itself was brilliant, and the story hooked me in and wouldn't let up and I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't look away, and not just because of the world - although that was my favourite part - but because the characters, Livio and Beatrice that we followed were developed so well throughout the story and we learnt so much about them that you needed to find out what happened to them next.

[Nez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

We Are Bound by Stars by Kesia Lupo. The book starts with map and some information about the world building which was interesting but I feel this would have been better in the text as part of the story but that's just personal preference maybe.

We follow two points of view, Beatrice and Livio. At first I preferred Livio's chapters but I did enjoy Beatrice's chapters later on. The characters are likeable and engaging, I found them a little naive at times but they are young and it was interesting to see how their stories intertwined. I enjoyed the magic system and the lore, however I would have liked a little more detail about how the magic works, a bit more description maybe.

The story was fast paced, exciting and kept me interested as I read this fairly quickly. Overall a fun fantasy story that I enjoyed a lot.

[Adventures_of_reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Bound by Stars is the companion sequel to We Are Blood and Thunder. I have not read the first one yet but after reading this I definitely will be. This book is told from dual perspectives, following the story of Livio and Beatrice, both who are destined for lives they do not want.

From the beginning, I love the world-building we get with a map and descriptions of all of the Gods in this world. The main God that is focused on in this book is Mythris and those who worship them. The plot was incredible and the story so captivating, it did take me a while to get fully invested but once I was I could not put the book down.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the plot itself because I love the way it played out and I wouldn't want to spoil anything for anyone but if you love Gods, magic, mythology and a little bit of romance then this is the book for you!

[Nala · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lush and enthralling magic system had me wrapped around like a soft blanket on a cool evening. I loved the layered aspects of it. The book isn't that plot driven, but it worked so well here. I like how, like the We are Blood and Thunder, the dual perspectives do not touch each other's lives until the very end. But in this one, it was done with more subtlety. Overall, a great fantasy read that is refreshing and unique, both in terms of plot themes and magic system.

note: this can be read as a standalone, and there is only one major spoiler from We are Blood and Thunder in this book, if you wish to pick that one up after reading this.

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Bound By Stars is a bit of a slow build, with fantastically lyrical world building. I hadn't read the other book in this series, but I still found it quite easy to follow. The magic system was incredibly detailed and not something I've seen before!

The characters were vibrant and distinct, although I think Livio got a little lost later in the book because Beatrice felt like the stronger personality.

I found this book to be a completely immersive fantasy with a good cast and thrilling twists!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Kesia Lupo's writing is so wonderful and magical and I love the characters so much. I found it so easy to fall into the world of this book as the world-building is done so well and in-depth. Bea and Livio were both so interesting and had so much complexity to them that I found it so easy to root for them and follow along their journey easily. The book being told in two perspectives also adds to the fun that I had reading this. Highly recommend to everyone!

Thanks to netgalley for sending me a copy to review!

[Dreximgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I didn't enjoy this quite as much as We Are Blood and Thunder I did still like it a lot. Following Livio and Beatrice we got to see two different perspectives and I enjoyed both of them. Livio was adorable though I really wished we had got to see more of his romatic relationship and I felt really sorry for Beatrice all the way through. The plot was well thought out and overall the pacing was good. There were definitely some surprising moments and some sad moments.

Overall I give the book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Eimer Allott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.25. This is a companion novel to We are Blood and Thunder, and it really annoyed me when I finished this as I thought the worldbuilding and expansion of the magic system were so well done, incredibly compelling, and in my opinion done much better than the first book. However, the ending was rushed so much more! It was such a shame! Also I love how ruthless Lupo is, though I would say that most of the deaths needed more time to digest to make more of an impact. I am certainly intrigued as to what she will come up with next!