What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Mother #2
Star Father
When the heavens go dark, hearts still glow for a mortal woman and a god in an exhilarating fantasy by Charlie N. Holmberg, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Star Mother.
In a heavenly war, the moon is prevailing…
It happens in an instant, filling Aija with dread: the Sun is suddenly cast from the sky, throwing the Earth into midday darkness. On the fourth day of endless night, Aija finds an unconscious man by the river. His skin is as hot as her lantern’s glass and just as golden. To Aija, a farmhand with the soul of an artist, this beautiful stranger is an inspiration—and a mystery. He calls himself Saiyon. He bleeds light. His friends are celestial. His enemies, godlings of the moon.
Between Aija and Saiyon, attraction grows warmer. For Aija, an unfathomable revelation: she’s falling in love with the earthbound Sun God. When Saiyon’s faltering powers are restored to full glory, what then? There’s a way Aija can become immortal, too. Saiyon can’t allow such a risk.
Aija has no choice but to follow her heart to places darker and more dangerous than she realizes. Whatever sacrifices lie ahead, they’re the only way to make an impossible true love last forever.
In a heavenly war, the moon is prevailing…
It happens in an instant, filling Aija with dread: the Sun is suddenly cast from the sky, throwing the Earth into midday darkness. On the fourth day of endless night, Aija finds an unconscious man by the river. His skin is as hot as her lantern’s glass and just as golden. To Aija, a farmhand with the soul of an artist, this beautiful stranger is an inspiration—and a mystery. He calls himself Saiyon. He bleeds light. His friends are celestial. His enemies, godlings of the moon.
Between Aija and Saiyon, attraction grows warmer. For Aija, an unfathomable revelation: she’s falling in love with the earthbound Sun God. When Saiyon’s faltering powers are restored to full glory, what then? There’s a way Aija can become immortal, too. Saiyon can’t allow such a risk.
Aija has no choice but to follow her heart to places darker and more dangerous than she realizes. Whatever sacrifices lie ahead, they’re the only way to make an impossible true love last forever.
319 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2022
878 people are currently reading
5221 people want to read
About the author
Charlie N. Holmberg
53 books8,847 followersCharlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction, including the Paper Magician series, the Spellbreaker series, and the Whimbrel House series, and writes contemporary romance under C. N. Holmberg. She is published in over twenty languages and is a Goodreads Choice Award, ALA, and RITA finalist. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. A BYU alumna, she discovered in her thirties that she’s actually a cat person. She lives with her family in Utah. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.
Amazon: amzn.to/2BXoQNZ
Instagram: Instagram.com/cnholmberg
Facebook: Facebook.com/cnholmberg
Twitter: Twitter.com/cnholmberg
Amazon: amzn.to/2BXoQNZ
Instagram: Instagram.com/cnholmberg
Facebook: Facebook.com/cnholmberg
Twitter: Twitter.com/cnholmberg
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
August 3, 2022
“Perhaps the Sun is dead.”
“The Sun can’t die. Gods can’t die.”
“Perhaps they can if killed by another god.”
"Star Father" is the second book in "Star Mother" series which does not exactly follow the first story, I think can be read separately.
This is the story of Ai, Aija, a mortal who falls in love with Saiyon, father of stars, the Sun.
What will you do for love? How far could you go? How many sacrifices can you take?!
What a great book, beautifully had built characters and their relationship, Unexpectedly I enjoyed every one of them.
I loved the story, the value of family, friendship, and loyalty, so incredible and fascinating.
Also, it was great to read about the moon, the moon goddess in mythology always was one of my favorites.
I think it's better don't read the following if don't want much information about this book, or didn't read the first book.
The war between dark and light continues, the darkness won one step, take some light, but not much to be the sun, only to be the Moon.
The Earth mother is sleeping, but they were supposed to stop the fight, with a piece of her heart for the moon in return for peace. The Moon used the heart to create, but she couldn't, only created creatures of the dark.
And now the Sun didn't rise, the whole world lives with only the light of the moon. What if the Sun is dead?
Huge thanks to 47North via NetGalley to give me a chance to read Star Father (Star Mother #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 08 Mar 2022
Review on: 13 Feb 2022
“The Sun can’t die. Gods can’t die.”
“Perhaps they can if killed by another god.”
"Star Father" is the second book in "Star Mother" series which does not exactly follow the first story, I think can be read separately.
This is the story of Ai, Aija, a mortal who falls in love with Saiyon, father of stars, the Sun.
What will you do for love? How far could you go? How many sacrifices can you take?!
What a great book, beautifully had built characters and their relationship, Unexpectedly I enjoyed every one of them.
I loved the story, the value of family, friendship, and loyalty, so incredible and fascinating.
Also, it was great to read about the moon, the moon goddess in mythology always was one of my favorites.
I think it's better don't read the following if don't want much information about this book, or didn't read the first book.
The war between dark and light continues, the darkness won one step, take some light, but not much to be the sun, only to be the Moon.
The Earth mother is sleeping, but they were supposed to stop the fight, with a piece of her heart for the moon in return for peace. The Moon used the heart to create, but she couldn't, only created creatures of the dark.
And now the Sun didn't rise, the whole world lives with only the light of the moon. What if the Sun is dead?
Huge thanks to 47North via NetGalley to give me a chance to read Star Father (Star Mother #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 08 Mar 2022
Review on: 13 Feb 2022
October 10, 2021
Big thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC!
The ending almost saved this book - but as much as I wanted to love it, I just couldn't. While Star Mother was a surprise and rather beautiful, this sequel doesn't have the same charm for me. I struggled with enjoying Aija as a main character; though she did have some growth near the end, she was both an independent / stubborn / feminist type woman while also being Bella-of-Twilight level obsessed with the man (god) she loves. I couldn't understand her, and I had trouble even liking her. It was upsetting to read at times, the lengths she was going for a being she had known for such a small time. I couldn't see why all the celestial beings were so enamored with her. She seemed like a regular, obnoxious mortal. Selfish and immature - so very foolhardy.
Saiyan (the sun god) also lacked dimension here. I enjoyed and was fascinated by him in Star Mother, so was looking forward to his tale, but I wasn't swept away by this love story. It fell flat. I'm looking forward to reading reviews and discussing with others, but overall - the mortals were difficult and the gods were far too human. It felt almost irreverent, despite being fantasy.
I'd recommend Star Mother, but probably wouldn't have finished this except to review.
The ending almost saved this book - but as much as I wanted to love it, I just couldn't. While Star Mother was a surprise and rather beautiful, this sequel doesn't have the same charm for me. I struggled with enjoying Aija as a main character; though she did have some growth near the end, she was both an independent / stubborn / feminist type woman while also being Bella-of-Twilight level obsessed with the man (god) she loves. I couldn't understand her, and I had trouble even liking her. It was upsetting to read at times, the lengths she was going for a being she had known for such a small time. I couldn't see why all the celestial beings were so enamored with her. She seemed like a regular, obnoxious mortal. Selfish and immature - so very foolhardy.
Saiyan (the sun god) also lacked dimension here. I enjoyed and was fascinated by him in Star Mother, so was looking forward to his tale, but I wasn't swept away by this love story. It fell flat. I'm looking forward to reading reviews and discussing with others, but overall - the mortals were difficult and the gods were far too human. It felt almost irreverent, despite being fantasy.
I'd recommend Star Mother, but probably wouldn't have finished this except to review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2021
I received a free eArc of this work in exchange for an honest review; thanks to 47North Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity.
Note: When I picked up this title I was unaware that it was part of a duology - there is another work called Star Mother which precedes this story - and while events of that story are mentioned in this book, this story works just fine as a standalone. That being said, since I did enjoy this story I am now going to check out that other one because I am a completionist and I want to know more about this world.
What wouldn't you do, to be with the one you love?
The answer in this book, is... quite a lot. A rather epic amount, actually. And this heroine shows her work!
Star Father is an adventure, and a love story - the saga of a woman who is willing to do and sacrifice whatever it takes to get her heart's desire.
I discovered Holmberg through her Paper Magician series and I have read quite a few of her other books as well. Normally, I really enjoy this author's work when I'm in the mood for something lighter with good romance and dramatic tension - they have a great narrative voice and the stories are all usually very satisfying. What was particularly a pleasant surprise for me as I read this was the more mythic, darker shift in tone of this particular story. I am pleased to find that this author is able to write so well in a somewhat different style/vibe than the other work of theirs I have read.
In particular, this story reminded me a lot of the classic fantasy I read when I was younger - it had a very Sword and Sorceress vibe to it (the anthologies do have a problematic association because of their editor but I still have deep fondness and nostalgia for classic fantasy stories with female heroism tropes) but it definitely is an improvement on that era of writing - there's a deeper social awareness of problematic topics that I see in this more mature style of work that weren't present in the stories written in the 1980's and 1990s.. TLDR, this ain't a modern formulaic YA adventure fantasy story, and I'm glad for it.
For one thing, I find it slightly refreshing that our main character is older (in her mid-thirties) and brings her life experience and past trauma to her problem solving. Her empathy, kindness, devotion to family, and artistic passion are well established and utilized effectively in the story - these things all show deeply in her actions and relationships with others. The romance is handled very well - it's not instalove and seems based on reasonable things. I like that she is sassy and forthright. I also really like the characters that make up her companions - and I think it is also nice to see some ace representation in a major side character.
I really like both the earthly world and the celestial world that we experience in the story. We spend much of the time in this story on the earthly plane, though I suspect that much of the first book in the series is spent on celestial matters, which probably adds some lovely symmetry to the story telling and world building of the duology itself. The use of time was very well handled as a story point. The hierarchy of supernatural creatures and powers makes sense - I love the diversity of beings we get to meet and that the pantheon doesn't conform to the more well-known mythologies we see historically. We do see some tropes related to beauty and villainy but it works because this reads very like a fairy tale.
I would recommend this for fans of the author who want to try something a little bit different in tone, or for fans of Anne Leicke's Raven Tower or Kevin Hearne's Seven Kennings series who want something a bit lighter. If you normally read YA like Kiersten White's Chaos of Stars and want something a bit more grown-up, this would be a good one to try.
Note: When I picked up this title I was unaware that it was part of a duology - there is another work called Star Mother which precedes this story - and while events of that story are mentioned in this book, this story works just fine as a standalone. That being said, since I did enjoy this story I am now going to check out that other one because I am a completionist and I want to know more about this world.
What wouldn't you do, to be with the one you love?
The answer in this book, is... quite a lot. A rather epic amount, actually. And this heroine shows her work!
Star Father is an adventure, and a love story - the saga of a woman who is willing to do and sacrifice whatever it takes to get her heart's desire.
I discovered Holmberg through her Paper Magician series and I have read quite a few of her other books as well. Normally, I really enjoy this author's work when I'm in the mood for something lighter with good romance and dramatic tension - they have a great narrative voice and the stories are all usually very satisfying. What was particularly a pleasant surprise for me as I read this was the more mythic, darker shift in tone of this particular story. I am pleased to find that this author is able to write so well in a somewhat different style/vibe than the other work of theirs I have read.
In particular, this story reminded me a lot of the classic fantasy I read when I was younger - it had a very Sword and Sorceress vibe to it (the anthologies do have a problematic association because of their editor but I still have deep fondness and nostalgia for classic fantasy stories with female heroism tropes) but it definitely is an improvement on that era of writing - there's a deeper social awareness of problematic topics that I see in this more mature style of work that weren't present in the stories written in the 1980's and 1990s.. TLDR, this ain't a modern formulaic YA adventure fantasy story, and I'm glad for it.
For one thing, I find it slightly refreshing that our main character is older (in her mid-thirties) and brings her life experience and past trauma to her problem solving. Her empathy, kindness, devotion to family, and artistic passion are well established and utilized effectively in the story - these things all show deeply in her actions and relationships with others. The romance is handled very well - it's not instalove and seems based on reasonable things. I like that she is sassy and forthright. I also really like the characters that make up her companions - and I think it is also nice to see some ace representation in a major side character.
I really like both the earthly world and the celestial world that we experience in the story. We spend much of the time in this story on the earthly plane, though I suspect that much of the first book in the series is spent on celestial matters, which probably adds some lovely symmetry to the story telling and world building of the duology itself. The use of time was very well handled as a story point. The hierarchy of supernatural creatures and powers makes sense - I love the diversity of beings we get to meet and that the pantheon doesn't conform to the more well-known mythologies we see historically. We do see some tropes related to beauty and villainy but it works because this reads very like a fairy tale.
I would recommend this for fans of the author who want to try something a little bit different in tone, or for fans of Anne Leicke's Raven Tower or Kevin Hearne's Seven Kennings series who want something a bit lighter. If you normally read YA like Kiersten White's Chaos of Stars and want something a bit more grown-up, this would be a good one to try.
March 9, 2022
Whilst it's predecessor Star Mother was a poignant, slow burn romance this book is an emotional, rollercoaster of a journey as Aija does everything in her limited mortal power to find a way to be with Saigon, or as we know him the Sun ! Having briefly been injured and lost on Mother Earth Saigon has found the love that no other could ever understand but his powers burn and would cripple Aija leaving the couple to travel very different paths. However Aija is perhaps the most stubborn woman to walk the leafy loam that Saigon warms and she embarks on a quest to do whatever it takes to be beside the only male that she has ever loved.
Oh my this story had me gripped not just by the beings Aija meets along the way which truly are varied and imaginative but by the heart rending relationships she forms with others as she doggedly pushes on. This made me smile, it made me want to rage as at times Aija was truly suffering and yet the end just made my heart sing and I can say no higher praises than that !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Oh my this story had me gripped not just by the beings Aija meets along the way which truly are varied and imaginative but by the heart rending relationships she forms with others as she doggedly pushes on. This made me smile, it made me want to rage as at times Aija was truly suffering and yet the end just made my heart sing and I can say no higher praises than that !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
October 24, 2021
What an amazing book and series!
I read Star Mother and was completely blown away by the worldbuilding and characters, and Star Father is just as strong.
You'll definitely understand each book better if you read both, and book one first, even though they can be read independently.
Aija lives with her mother and grandmother just outside of town, and they do the best they can with what they have. Their conditions deteriorate when the sun disappears from the sky. When she finds an unconscious man near the river, she manages to bring him home and cares for him until he wakes up.
This is the story of a mortal woman and the god Sun falling in love. When they're separated, Aija literally moves the earth and the heavens to reunite with her lover.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
I read Star Mother and was completely blown away by the worldbuilding and characters, and Star Father is just as strong.
You'll definitely understand each book better if you read both, and book one first, even though they can be read independently.
Aija lives with her mother and grandmother just outside of town, and they do the best they can with what they have. Their conditions deteriorate when the sun disappears from the sky. When she finds an unconscious man near the river, she manages to bring him home and cares for him until he wakes up.
This is the story of a mortal woman and the god Sun falling in love. When they're separated, Aija literally moves the earth and the heavens to reunite with her lover.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
March 22, 2022
2.5, but I rounded down. This one was just a let down. The narrator was so monotone it was hard to get through the audio and the story just wasn't as great as the first one. I get what the author was trying to do, and the star/sky references were still well done in my opinion, but this one just shouldn't have been made.
Star Mother was so creative to me and while I was curious to see more of Saiyon and witness him getting his HEA, this one just left so much to be desired and I wasn't a fan of the way it was written with present time in the chapters and then in-between chapters being snippets of the past and the future. It just seemed to be lacking the romance I wanted. It felt like a lot of build up for nothing at the end. I didn't feel like I got the HEA moment, but instead got text telling me it happened and it was so abrupt. Not at all what I was expecting.
Star Mother: definitely recommend
Star Father: you can skip it
Star Mother was so creative to me and while I was curious to see more of Saiyon and witness him getting his HEA, this one just left so much to be desired and I wasn't a fan of the way it was written with present time in the chapters and then in-between chapters being snippets of the past and the future. It just seemed to be lacking the romance I wanted. It felt like a lot of build up for nothing at the end. I didn't feel like I got the HEA moment, but instead got text telling me it happened and it was so abrupt. Not at all what I was expecting.
Star Mother: definitely recommend
Star Father: you can skip it
December 13, 2021
(looks at 5-star review of Star Mother)
Well, I'll somehow have to give Star Father a 6-star rating, because Miss Holmberg LEVELLED UP. If I thought the chronologically first of these companion novels was amazing, I wasn't prepared for the happily ever after Saiyon deserves (and gets). This book is much faster in its romantic development, dramatic, and written on a far more epic scale. I had wished for certain characters to make an appearance as soon as I finished the first book in the duology, and my hopes were surpassed.
Where Ceris was loving, caring, and soft, Aija is determined, stubborn, and desperately in love. And she's in her thirties! Yes! The standards sure are low for me to get so excited about her age, but a heroine past her twenties who is single and childless borders on a wonder even these days. While I was still a little suspicious of Saiyon by the end of book one, I turned into a puddle of pink mush for him by the end of his own story. And I'm still not over the way Charlie Holmberg writes kisses.
As a disclaimer, I would still recommend reading Star Mother first! While both stories can easily be read independently, the knowledge of Ceris' story will multiply your enjoyment of Aija's quest. I'm also still convinced that the worldbuilding was better delivered in the first of the two novels, though it's hard to say going into Star Father biased.
Anyway - more???
***I received a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Well, I'll somehow have to give Star Father a 6-star rating, because Miss Holmberg LEVELLED UP. If I thought the chronologically first of these companion novels was amazing, I wasn't prepared for the happily ever after Saiyon deserves (and gets). This book is much faster in its romantic development, dramatic, and written on a far more epic scale. I had wished for certain characters to make an appearance as soon as I finished the first book in the duology, and my hopes were surpassed.
Where Ceris was loving, caring, and soft, Aija is determined, stubborn, and desperately in love. And she's in her thirties! Yes! The standards sure are low for me to get so excited about her age, but a heroine past her twenties who is single and childless borders on a wonder even these days. While I was still a little suspicious of Saiyon by the end of book one, I turned into a puddle of pink mush for him by the end of his own story. And I'm still not over the way Charlie Holmberg writes kisses.
As a disclaimer, I would still recommend reading Star Mother first! While both stories can easily be read independently, the knowledge of Ceris' story will multiply your enjoyment of Aija's quest. I'm also still convinced that the worldbuilding was better delivered in the first of the two novels, though it's hard to say going into Star Father biased.
Anyway - more???
***I received a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
November 3, 2021
I did not believe this second installment could top its predecessor, Star Mother, but it did. I would describe this as truly one of the most beautiful, epic, love stories I have every read. Aija and Saiyon's love story and how far they go for love is heart-wrenching and once you start reading, you'll be unable to quit.
To personify the Sun, Moon, Earth, and more into characters without coming off as a greek mythology spin-off is a great feat. You see these celestial bodies as celestial beings capable of love, grief, pain, and empathy. My only real complaint is that I need more than a duology for this new universe.
Five full stars for another work of art from Charlie N. Holmberg. A very creative, brilliant, and kind soul.
You can read this as a standalone, but it makes for a better story to read Star Mother first.
Thank you Charlie N. Holmberg, 47North Publishing, and NetGalley for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review.
To personify the Sun, Moon, Earth, and more into characters without coming off as a greek mythology spin-off is a great feat. You see these celestial bodies as celestial beings capable of love, grief, pain, and empathy. My only real complaint is that I need more than a duology for this new universe.
Five full stars for another work of art from Charlie N. Holmberg. A very creative, brilliant, and kind soul.
You can read this as a standalone, but it makes for a better story to read Star Mother first.
Thank you Charlie N. Holmberg, 47North Publishing, and NetGalley for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 1, 2022
After finishing Star Mother, I was very excited to read the sequel. This time I was hoping to get Saiyon's point of view rather than what actually happened. The sequel was too much of a love story for me. The way Aija is portrayed and her intentions are different from the protagonist of the first book. That's fine, of course, but the intentions Ceris had seemed more interesting to me. What I did like about the sequel, though, was the interaction with Moon and Earth Mother. The latter in particular seemed like a very interesting character. Personally, I would have liked to know more about Saiyon's feelings and the void he had, or rather wanted to fill, after Ceris. Anyway, Star Father may work for some people, but not for me. The story was too transparent for my taste.
March 6, 2022
Charlie N Holmberg is an author whose works I have previously enjoyed immensely, but for some reason this one just did not work for me. I did not connect to any of the characters and did not care about the outcome of their story, but I could appreciate the writing. This leaned a little heavily on the romance storyline for me, especially given my apathy towards the characters . The most interesting part of the book in my opinion was actually the interactions between Aija and the Moon, and I wish that had been more developed.
I read an reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own.
I read an reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own.
October 20, 2021
I had no idea when I picked up this book that it was the second book of a series, and honestly I didn’t throughout reading the whole thing either! It wasn’t until reading the author’s notes at the end that I learned star mother exists.
I truly enjoyed it as I have every Charlie N. Holmberg book I’ve read.
This book is great for anyone who loves fantasy, mythology, and a good mission accomplished in the name of love.
I truly enjoyed it as I have every Charlie N. Holmberg book I’ve read.
This book is great for anyone who loves fantasy, mythology, and a good mission accomplished in the name of love.
October 1, 2021
I couldn't put this down! The protagonist is a strong woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. I didn't love this one quite as much as Star Mother, but it was still really good and I highly recommend it. I loved the little connections to Star Mother and learning more about the lore of this world.
March 14, 2022
*My thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the review copy*
When Aija found a man lying unconscious by the river, she had no idea how much this chance encounter would change her life forever.
Star Father is an adult fantasy novel and a companion to Star Mother . I hadn’t read Star Mother before I read this book, but I can totally understand the plot and can’t help fall in love with the celestial world Holmberg created. Both books can be read as a standalone, though I would still suggest reading Star Mother first (I think there are some minor spoilers!)
If you are as mesmerized by that cover as I was, I’m happy to tell you that the story inside is equally, if not even more, beautiful. Expect to read about re-discovered passion, sweet romance, strong family bond, adorable sidekicks, and misunderstood souls! Really, what more could I ask from such a good book?
I took a liking to Aija and Saiyon, the main characters, pretty early on, and only grew to love them more and more. Aija’s determination is inspiring yet relatable. I also love how much her passion for art plays an equal part as her love for Saiyon. Their story reminded me so much of An Enchantment of Ravens and Reawakened , both of which I enjoyed a lot.
The plot is medium-paced yet not without twists and turns, adventures, and romantic moments. I love how some scenes are told retrospectively while fitting right into the natural flow of the plot.
I’m still in awe and thinking about the world-building in this book long after I finished Star Father. I love the wide variety of magical beings that stir my imagination. It feels as if there is infinity to explore in this amazing world, and I’m craving more and more from it. I will definitely read Star Mother as well. I would be elastic if there are more books to come in this universe!
This is my first time reading Holmberg’s work and I can’t believe I’ve waited until now. The writing is beautiful and soothing, the plot is well crafted, and the characters are lovable. I would recommend Star Father to fantasy lovers, especially if you like reading about gods, godlings, celestial beings, and the feeling of discovering and being involved in something far greater than yourself. Go check out Star Mother first if you haven’t read it yet.
When Aija found a man lying unconscious by the river, she had no idea how much this chance encounter would change her life forever.
Star Father is an adult fantasy novel and a companion to Star Mother . I hadn’t read Star Mother before I read this book, but I can totally understand the plot and can’t help fall in love with the celestial world Holmberg created. Both books can be read as a standalone, though I would still suggest reading Star Mother first (I think there are some minor spoilers!)
If you are as mesmerized by that cover as I was, I’m happy to tell you that the story inside is equally, if not even more, beautiful. Expect to read about re-discovered passion, sweet romance, strong family bond, adorable sidekicks, and misunderstood souls! Really, what more could I ask from such a good book?
I took a liking to Aija and Saiyon, the main characters, pretty early on, and only grew to love them more and more. Aija’s determination is inspiring yet relatable. I also love how much her passion for art plays an equal part as her love for Saiyon. Their story reminded me so much of An Enchantment of Ravens and Reawakened , both of which I enjoyed a lot.
The plot is medium-paced yet not without twists and turns, adventures, and romantic moments. I love how some scenes are told retrospectively while fitting right into the natural flow of the plot.
I’m still in awe and thinking about the world-building in this book long after I finished Star Father. I love the wide variety of magical beings that stir my imagination. It feels as if there is infinity to explore in this amazing world, and I’m craving more and more from it. I will definitely read Star Mother as well. I would be elastic if there are more books to come in this universe!
This is my first time reading Holmberg’s work and I can’t believe I’ve waited until now. The writing is beautiful and soothing, the plot is well crafted, and the characters are lovable. I would recommend Star Father to fantasy lovers, especially if you like reading about gods, godlings, celestial beings, and the feeling of discovering and being involved in something far greater than yourself. Go check out Star Mother first if you haven’t read it yet.
June 26, 2025
I devoured this in a day.
A woman who falls in love with the sun and looks for a way to stay with him forever.
A woman who falls in love with the sun and looks for a way to stay with him forever.
May 19, 2025
Sometimes I am an idiot and forget to check what I thought about a first book in a series, such is the case with Star father.
I love most of Holmbergs work and whilst this was a beautiful story, it's really really full of love and feelings and love and feelings and love and feelings, I just got the ick a little.
I felt our lead character and heroine Aija turned into a selfish dreamy, lovestruck twat to be honest, I loved it when she got sent to oblivion by the moon, who's an absolute bitch and stuck a crown on Aija's head so if she took it off she would die, I was hoping she'd accidently knock it off but alas she lived and saved the world.
But dont listen to me im an Aromantic, If your a fan of gushy love and romance this is definitely a book I'd recommend :)
I love most of Holmbergs work and whilst this was a beautiful story, it's really really full of love and feelings and love and feelings and love and feelings, I just got the ick a little.
I felt our lead character and heroine Aija turned into a selfish dreamy, lovestruck twat to be honest, I loved it when she got sent to oblivion by the moon, who's an absolute bitch and stuck a crown on Aija's head so if she took it off she would die, I was hoping she'd accidently knock it off but alas she lived and saved the world.
But dont listen to me im an Aromantic, If your a fan of gushy love and romance this is definitely a book I'd recommend :)
December 2, 2021
I received an arc of this book and all I can say is it’s nearly brought me to tears so many times. Beautifully written and romantic as hell, it’s left me speechless. I love Saiyon more than words can express, have since the first book, and I’m so, so happy to see him find his own happiness in Aija
February 28, 2023
Okay this was a really good one
I'm not normally one for romance books so I was looking for something with strong characters and world building in addition to romance. When I came upon this book the cover, combined with that summary? I had to read it. And it seriously blew me away!
The first part begins with Aija, an artist who returned to her family farm to escape war, finding a beautiful and mysterious man by the river. This coincides with the disappearance of the Sun ;) and as she falls for the handsome Saiyon, we get to watch their romance bloom under the threat of the celestial war.
Saiyon must leave and return to his Duties, and the Second part then follows Aija and her loving cousin Zyzi as they search for a way for Aija and Saiyon to be reunited. This leads us to a number of destinations and meetings with Demons, Gods, and godlings.
The lore of this world is absolutely beautiful, and there were several times I wanted to weep for Saiyon, Ist, Tereth, and the eternal power of love. I also absolutely loved the depiction of the ace character, the support she received from Aija, and her whole vibe in general.
Really just a beautiful and enchanting book. It comes out officially in a month!
I'm not normally one for romance books so I was looking for something with strong characters and world building in addition to romance. When I came upon this book the cover, combined with that summary? I had to read it. And it seriously blew me away!
The first part begins with Aija, an artist who returned to her family farm to escape war, finding a beautiful and mysterious man by the river. This coincides with the disappearance of the Sun ;) and as she falls for the handsome Saiyon, we get to watch their romance bloom under the threat of the celestial war.
Saiyon must leave and return to his Duties, and the Second part then follows Aija and her loving cousin Zyzi as they search for a way for Aija and Saiyon to be reunited. This leads us to a number of destinations and meetings with Demons, Gods, and godlings.
The lore of this world is absolutely beautiful, and there were several times I wanted to weep for Saiyon, Ist, Tereth, and the eternal power of love. I also absolutely loved the depiction of the ace character, the support she received from Aija, and her whole vibe in general.
Really just a beautiful and enchanting book. It comes out officially in a month!
June 8, 2022
I like the storytelling - it reads a bit like a fairy tale or an origin story. But I worry I’m losing my ability to suspend the part of me that reacts with horror to the shit that women put up with in love stories. Saiyon is a LITERAL GOD, and yet he does basically nothing to help his mortal lover. She literally sacrifices her entire self, everything she was before she met him, and he can’t even be bothered to show up when she calls him. Knowing the author is very religious, it reads uncomfortably like a story about someone dedicating their entire life to God and being rewarded with “immortality” (ie heaven) as a result. It just makes me feel yucky. That and the Black-coded cousin, who also sacrifices her entire self to be Aija’s sidekick. Nope nope nope.
March 20, 2022
Book received for free through NetGalley
This book is absolutely fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. I came across the first book, Star Mother, through Amazon first reads and chose it without reading the description as this author is fantastic! I then looked this book through Netgalley and had the absolute joy of reading them back to back. I think it only took three days for both and was amazingly epic. You will definitely want to read Star Mother first to fully grasp this fantastic world. They are amazing together. One of those few books you truly wish you could forget to read fresh again. So good.
This book is absolutely fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. I came across the first book, Star Mother, through Amazon first reads and chose it without reading the description as this author is fantastic! I then looked this book through Netgalley and had the absolute joy of reading them back to back. I think it only took three days for both and was amazingly epic. You will definitely want to read Star Mother first to fully grasp this fantastic world. They are amazing together. One of those few books you truly wish you could forget to read fresh again. So good.
July 7, 2022
First of all... I'm not gonna click "this contains spoilers", because frankly, this book was spoiled from the start. If you're stupid enough to wanna read the book and think you'll like it simply because of how much you LOVED Star Mother, well, I highly doubt it. It's an utter shitfest! And if you DID like this shity book, then God you're hopeless! If you wanna hear me complain for awhile then read on.... if not, click away. I don't think I give too many details of the book away below to completely ruin the plot for you IF you haven't read it yet, but honey, this plot was already ruined from very the start. *You've been warned* ....
Anyway...
Normally, I love Charlie's work but this one just sucked ass! I read Star Mother and was moved to tears within a few minutes of reading it, lol. You could root for the girl, be totally drawn in with her character and feel like you're suffering right along with her, and just really feel for her the whole way thru the book till the bitter end. Now THAT book, I absolutely loved! THAT book was worth the read and I'd happily read it again! This one tho..was just utter trash. I even waited a really long time to write a review because at first, I just thought I was being a salty wench and should probably just sober up a bit first before writing my review, lol (What can I say... books, bubble baths and bottles of wine just go hand in hand! Lol), then eventually I just said fuck it, it ain't even worth my time, don't write a review.. But now, even all these months later, EVERYTIME I see this danmed book title in my read list, I give it a silent fuck you, scorn it for wasting my precious time and mutter to myself for a few minutes until I give up and move on down the list. Well, honestly I just couldn't bite my tongue any longer. I HAD to say SOMETHING just so MAYBE it'll FINALLY stop TORMENTING me everytime I see it, but I highly doubt it tho.. lol. Now, I've read some real trash in my time (C'mon, we've all seen some of the free books and short stories on Amazon that are, *ahem*, less than stellar. The horrible grammar and lack of proofreading alone... God help us all!) and STILL I wasn't nearly as annoyed with any of THOSE books like I am with THIS one! Idk, I literally think THIS is THE WORST book I've EVER read in my entire life and I've read thousands of books. (Not bragging, I promise. I just love books!) Idk... Maybe it's because I was just SO disappointed with this and was upset at just how bad I felt like Charlie let us all down with this rubbish, (and whomever the moron editor it was who told her this was an EXCELLENT idea to a sequel, let's print it!.. Ugh, fucking idiots! Never hire "yes" men.) Idk... she's typically a REALLY good author, and I think I've read all of her books thus far, so yea, as a fan of her stuff I guess I just expected MUCH better work from her. Now, if you've read Star Mother already then you'd naturally likely THINK that THIS book would be about the Star Father, literally like the title suggests, right? Well, I know I sure fucking did! (I mean, who has time to read descriptions anyway. 🙄 lol) Well, we all met him in book one, and although we didn't really get to know him all like that, because he was never always around, we were all still pretty curious about him, amirite? Yep, I sure was. I THOUGHT in book two that just MAYBE we could learn more about him and his world, since that's where he and our amazing star mother now live, along with her family, his family and all their cute, lil precious star babies. Ya probably kinda felt bad for him at the end of book one, I certainly did, although, throughout the whole story I did just kinda want to kick his stupid ass a bit and be like bro, seriously, wtf are you doing?! Soooo... when THIS book came out, I thought alright, it'll be ALL about him, maybe even see her too, check up on her a bit and Idk, maybe have something really interesting happen with that whole situation, Idk. We'll maybe get to follow him around a bit and get inside his head...ect. THAT'S what I thought. THAT'S what I hoped for. Did I get it tho? Nope. Not even fucking close. Well, I guess it is about him, to a degree, but its more about this stupid ass random new girl whom, Idk about you, but I just couldn't connect with her AT ALL. Her character was just so... danmed grating. Idk. There was just something about her that just absolutely annoyed the shit outta me! It's been awhile since I read it, so sorry if I'm fucking up some of the details, I apologize boss, but if I recall, wasn't she all like "No, I don't even like boys. I don't wanna marry anyone. Hmpff! " And then, like 2 chapters in she's already dropping her panties for this guy she JUST met?! She starts off good, like she could be a real strong willed character, full of grit and determination, a total badass, ya know, and then immediately turns into the mushy, lovesick damsel in distress type, and gets all weak in the knees for the first cute guy to ever look her way and show her some attention. Complete opposite of whom we were introduced to, like who IS this pathetic girl anyway? Where'd the strong girl go?! Come back! She gets all super obsessive with him like immediately, like even before he wakes up from the coma in which she found him by the river, I think, and like I TOTALLY get it, sometimes love makes you act like a complete idiot. But man.... this girl just rankled me thru THE. WHOLE. ENTIRE. STORY! I found myself zoning out, skipping over tons of shit and then having to reread it over again and again cuz I just couldn't focus, halfassed listening and daydreaming most of the time, but I gave it my all, I promise, FULLY determined to finish the book come hell or high water, and even when I FINALLY arrived at the end, I STILL could not give even one little rat shit turd about her OR of ANYTHING that happened to her! Couldn't care less! Honestly, I was WAY more interested in the Moon (What a gal, amirite?! Love her!) and meeting her with all her messy baggage and drama, than I was with constantly following around this annoying little lovesick puppy. Thank God I didn't have to actually physically see her in real life fawning all over the Sun and making all cutsie doe eyes at him the whole time! I probably woulda gouged my own eyes out, I think, lol. Picturing her always drawing and doodling little hearts in her notebook like an infatuated lil school girl crush and probably scribbling different ways of writing her name as Mrs. Sun over and over again 😂, I mean the girl was charcoal sketching his face CONSTANTLY, like get your fucking shit together already, you dimwitted lil twit! Ugh.... (I'm sorry. I hated her so much. And as cruel as it sounds, I was actually SO RELIEVED when she had to trade her art abilities for immortality, just so I could FINALLY STOP hearing about all the pictures she kept making of him! Danm, I know it's pretty sinister of me to cheer about, esp being an artist myself, but this girl seriously pushed me to the point of being actually elated about it! Ugh, I'm going to hell, ain't I?! Lol) ... And I was also super, SUPER annoyed with the Sun, because somehow NOW he could find ALL this time to come hangout with THIS vexatious girl, but before, in book one, he just couldn't be bothered to find time to visit with the actual mother of his child/ren WHO LIVED, unlike all the other mothers before her, and then he was SHOCKED when he didn't get the girl in the end?! Like No shit, dumbass! Idk, THAT first book had me crying like a little girl scout from beginning to end. Yea, I'm pretty pathetic, you can laugh at me, Idc..lol. But yea, this one tho.... Ugh Idk, I just hated it SO MUCH, I couldn't care less. I was slowly finding myself rooting against the main girl, hoping he'd dump her stupid ass or hoping she'd die like all the other star mothers or suffer some other cruel fate, but nope. I couldn't even get THAT satisfaction, because OF COURSE, fairy tale ending! 🤦🏻♀️ Normally, I cheer for the main characters, become "friends" with them even, but this one was literally THE WORST cookie cutter stereotype of a strong, independent woman turned into a twitterpated, codependent little dimwit simply over a stupidly hot guy with sudden a hero complex.... or something like that. Lol. Star Mother should've just been a stand alone book if they were gonna take it in that direction. We didn't WANT Star Father, we didn't NEED Star Father, and now we're all even DUMBER for reading it. Sigh*
Ya know, I tend to say some pretty fucked up shit from time to time, (ok, ALL the time, lol) and am in NO WAY a role model to ANYONE, nor SHOULD I be, (Watch out kiddies!😈) but like seriously, before I wander off to go read another book, I just wanna ask yinz this... What kind of message is this book REALLY sending to the young girls and boys (maybe) reading it, I mean really? If you LITERALLY worship, obsess over and chase after a guy to the ends of the earth just hard enough, never giving up hope, and risk your life JUST enough and with NO care or regard for your safety or yourself OR of the toll it'll bring to you AND all those who love you, that SOMEHOW, against all odds eventually you'll TOTALLY get the guy in the end?! That it'll ALWAYS work out no matter what?! That they'll ALWAYS love you forever just cuz they said so?! Or because you want it to be so?! That it'll ALWAYS turn out to be a beautiful fairy tale ending?! That it's perfectly ok to just throw yourself at complete strangers simply because you THINK they're hot and they've shown just a modicum of interest in you and losing your virginity to a total stranger is completely acceptable?! That beautiful people are ALWAYS good, and will NEVER hurt you?! That giving up the ONE thing you love THE MOST in the world, and sacrificing YOUR hopes and dreams just to be with someone else is somehow perfectly OK?! If you JUST wish hard enough, and give up JUST enough then it'll decidedly be so?! Ugh. Fuck.... Idk, I guess I'm just way too danmed sullied and cynical to believe that ANY of this is a good message to anyone. Looks aren't always everything, promises don't always keep, and sacrifices aren't always worth the price you pay for them in the end, even if the books wanna tell you otherwise. Sigh*
I'll leave it off here with my favorite quote from Marilyn Manson:
"When all of our wishes are granted, many of our dreams will be destroyed."
End rant. 🧏🏻♀️
Anyway...
Normally, I love Charlie's work but this one just sucked ass! I read Star Mother and was moved to tears within a few minutes of reading it, lol. You could root for the girl, be totally drawn in with her character and feel like you're suffering right along with her, and just really feel for her the whole way thru the book till the bitter end. Now THAT book, I absolutely loved! THAT book was worth the read and I'd happily read it again! This one tho..was just utter trash. I even waited a really long time to write a review because at first, I just thought I was being a salty wench and should probably just sober up a bit first before writing my review, lol (What can I say... books, bubble baths and bottles of wine just go hand in hand! Lol), then eventually I just said fuck it, it ain't even worth my time, don't write a review.. But now, even all these months later, EVERYTIME I see this danmed book title in my read list, I give it a silent fuck you, scorn it for wasting my precious time and mutter to myself for a few minutes until I give up and move on down the list. Well, honestly I just couldn't bite my tongue any longer. I HAD to say SOMETHING just so MAYBE it'll FINALLY stop TORMENTING me everytime I see it, but I highly doubt it tho.. lol. Now, I've read some real trash in my time (C'mon, we've all seen some of the free books and short stories on Amazon that are, *ahem*, less than stellar. The horrible grammar and lack of proofreading alone... God help us all!) and STILL I wasn't nearly as annoyed with any of THOSE books like I am with THIS one! Idk, I literally think THIS is THE WORST book I've EVER read in my entire life and I've read thousands of books. (Not bragging, I promise. I just love books!) Idk... Maybe it's because I was just SO disappointed with this and was upset at just how bad I felt like Charlie let us all down with this rubbish, (and whomever the moron editor it was who told her this was an EXCELLENT idea to a sequel, let's print it!.. Ugh, fucking idiots! Never hire "yes" men.) Idk... she's typically a REALLY good author, and I think I've read all of her books thus far, so yea, as a fan of her stuff I guess I just expected MUCH better work from her. Now, if you've read Star Mother already then you'd naturally likely THINK that THIS book would be about the Star Father, literally like the title suggests, right? Well, I know I sure fucking did! (I mean, who has time to read descriptions anyway. 🙄 lol) Well, we all met him in book one, and although we didn't really get to know him all like that, because he was never always around, we were all still pretty curious about him, amirite? Yep, I sure was. I THOUGHT in book two that just MAYBE we could learn more about him and his world, since that's where he and our amazing star mother now live, along with her family, his family and all their cute, lil precious star babies. Ya probably kinda felt bad for him at the end of book one, I certainly did, although, throughout the whole story I did just kinda want to kick his stupid ass a bit and be like bro, seriously, wtf are you doing?! Soooo... when THIS book came out, I thought alright, it'll be ALL about him, maybe even see her too, check up on her a bit and Idk, maybe have something really interesting happen with that whole situation, Idk. We'll maybe get to follow him around a bit and get inside his head...ect. THAT'S what I thought. THAT'S what I hoped for. Did I get it tho? Nope. Not even fucking close. Well, I guess it is about him, to a degree, but its more about this stupid ass random new girl whom, Idk about you, but I just couldn't connect with her AT ALL. Her character was just so... danmed grating. Idk. There was just something about her that just absolutely annoyed the shit outta me! It's been awhile since I read it, so sorry if I'm fucking up some of the details, I apologize boss, but if I recall, wasn't she all like "No, I don't even like boys. I don't wanna marry anyone. Hmpff! " And then, like 2 chapters in she's already dropping her panties for this guy she JUST met?! She starts off good, like she could be a real strong willed character, full of grit and determination, a total badass, ya know, and then immediately turns into the mushy, lovesick damsel in distress type, and gets all weak in the knees for the first cute guy to ever look her way and show her some attention. Complete opposite of whom we were introduced to, like who IS this pathetic girl anyway? Where'd the strong girl go?! Come back! She gets all super obsessive with him like immediately, like even before he wakes up from the coma in which she found him by the river, I think, and like I TOTALLY get it, sometimes love makes you act like a complete idiot. But man.... this girl just rankled me thru THE. WHOLE. ENTIRE. STORY! I found myself zoning out, skipping over tons of shit and then having to reread it over again and again cuz I just couldn't focus, halfassed listening and daydreaming most of the time, but I gave it my all, I promise, FULLY determined to finish the book come hell or high water, and even when I FINALLY arrived at the end, I STILL could not give even one little rat shit turd about her OR of ANYTHING that happened to her! Couldn't care less! Honestly, I was WAY more interested in the Moon (What a gal, amirite?! Love her!) and meeting her with all her messy baggage and drama, than I was with constantly following around this annoying little lovesick puppy. Thank God I didn't have to actually physically see her in real life fawning all over the Sun and making all cutsie doe eyes at him the whole time! I probably woulda gouged my own eyes out, I think, lol. Picturing her always drawing and doodling little hearts in her notebook like an infatuated lil school girl crush and probably scribbling different ways of writing her name as Mrs. Sun over and over again 😂, I mean the girl was charcoal sketching his face CONSTANTLY, like get your fucking shit together already, you dimwitted lil twit! Ugh.... (I'm sorry. I hated her so much. And as cruel as it sounds, I was actually SO RELIEVED when she had to trade her art abilities for immortality, just so I could FINALLY STOP hearing about all the pictures she kept making of him! Danm, I know it's pretty sinister of me to cheer about, esp being an artist myself, but this girl seriously pushed me to the point of being actually elated about it! Ugh, I'm going to hell, ain't I?! Lol) ... And I was also super, SUPER annoyed with the Sun, because somehow NOW he could find ALL this time to come hangout with THIS vexatious girl, but before, in book one, he just couldn't be bothered to find time to visit with the actual mother of his child/ren WHO LIVED, unlike all the other mothers before her, and then he was SHOCKED when he didn't get the girl in the end?! Like No shit, dumbass! Idk, THAT first book had me crying like a little girl scout from beginning to end. Yea, I'm pretty pathetic, you can laugh at me, Idc..lol. But yea, this one tho.... Ugh Idk, I just hated it SO MUCH, I couldn't care less. I was slowly finding myself rooting against the main girl, hoping he'd dump her stupid ass or hoping she'd die like all the other star mothers or suffer some other cruel fate, but nope. I couldn't even get THAT satisfaction, because OF COURSE, fairy tale ending! 🤦🏻♀️ Normally, I cheer for the main characters, become "friends" with them even, but this one was literally THE WORST cookie cutter stereotype of a strong, independent woman turned into a twitterpated, codependent little dimwit simply over a stupidly hot guy with sudden a hero complex.... or something like that. Lol. Star Mother should've just been a stand alone book if they were gonna take it in that direction. We didn't WANT Star Father, we didn't NEED Star Father, and now we're all even DUMBER for reading it. Sigh*
Ya know, I tend to say some pretty fucked up shit from time to time, (ok, ALL the time, lol) and am in NO WAY a role model to ANYONE, nor SHOULD I be, (Watch out kiddies!😈) but like seriously, before I wander off to go read another book, I just wanna ask yinz this... What kind of message is this book REALLY sending to the young girls and boys (maybe) reading it, I mean really? If you LITERALLY worship, obsess over and chase after a guy to the ends of the earth just hard enough, never giving up hope, and risk your life JUST enough and with NO care or regard for your safety or yourself OR of the toll it'll bring to you AND all those who love you, that SOMEHOW, against all odds eventually you'll TOTALLY get the guy in the end?! That it'll ALWAYS work out no matter what?! That they'll ALWAYS love you forever just cuz they said so?! Or because you want it to be so?! That it'll ALWAYS turn out to be a beautiful fairy tale ending?! That it's perfectly ok to just throw yourself at complete strangers simply because you THINK they're hot and they've shown just a modicum of interest in you and losing your virginity to a total stranger is completely acceptable?! That beautiful people are ALWAYS good, and will NEVER hurt you?! That giving up the ONE thing you love THE MOST in the world, and sacrificing YOUR hopes and dreams just to be with someone else is somehow perfectly OK?! If you JUST wish hard enough, and give up JUST enough then it'll decidedly be so?! Ugh. Fuck.... Idk, I guess I'm just way too danmed sullied and cynical to believe that ANY of this is a good message to anyone. Looks aren't always everything, promises don't always keep, and sacrifices aren't always worth the price you pay for them in the end, even if the books wanna tell you otherwise. Sigh*
I'll leave it off here with my favorite quote from Marilyn Manson:
"When all of our wishes are granted, many of our dreams will be destroyed."
End rant. 🧏🏻♀️
September 10, 2024
I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however it took me so long to read it I've since purchased both the ebook and audiobook versions of the book. As always all opinions are my own.
I read Star Mother ages ago, and it had a unique concept. Both books read as standalones, but this book give Saiyon's story closure. I do recommend reading Star Mother first to get a better handle on the world and the lore.
This takes place after the events of Star Mother and follows Aija, a farmer and artist in the wake of the sun disappearing from the sky. The world enters into darkness, and her family does their best to survive in the endless night they've found themselves in. A few days after the sun's disappearance, Aija finds a sick man by the river on her way to gather water. As she nurses him back to health she realizes he's not a normal man, but in fact he is the Sun God and he has lost his divinity. An attraction quickly develops between Aija and Saiyon, but they know their time together is fleeting. He must return to the his war with the Moon Goddess that has been raging for millennia and once his powers return he can't be with Aija without hurting her.
Aija is determined to be with her true love and she is willing to sacrifice anything to be with him. She begins a quest for immortality and makes many sacrifices and suffers greatly on her way. She isn't willing to give up until she gets her man. Aija comes off as a bit obsessed with Saiyon and she is willing to hurt everyone else in her life to be with him. I kind of had a problem with the fact that she abandoned her family and everyone else that took care of her while she was sick and injured for a man. I'm all for love and making sacrifices to be with the one you love, but she came off a bit over the top stubborn and obsessive. I'm all for a strong, determined, female main character but Aija came off a bit lovesick and boy crazy.
The world building was good and unique and I liked the concept of the gods and godlings. Overall this wasn't to my taste but think others who enjoy a more romance heavy plot will enjoy this.
I read Star Mother ages ago, and it had a unique concept. Both books read as standalones, but this book give Saiyon's story closure. I do recommend reading Star Mother first to get a better handle on the world and the lore.
This takes place after the events of Star Mother and follows Aija, a farmer and artist in the wake of the sun disappearing from the sky. The world enters into darkness, and her family does their best to survive in the endless night they've found themselves in. A few days after the sun's disappearance, Aija finds a sick man by the river on her way to gather water. As she nurses him back to health she realizes he's not a normal man, but in fact he is the Sun God and he has lost his divinity. An attraction quickly develops between Aija and Saiyon, but they know their time together is fleeting. He must return to the his war with the Moon Goddess that has been raging for millennia and once his powers return he can't be with Aija without hurting her.
Aija is determined to be with her true love and she is willing to sacrifice anything to be with him. She begins a quest for immortality and makes many sacrifices and suffers greatly on her way. She isn't willing to give up until she gets her man. Aija comes off as a bit obsessed with Saiyon and she is willing to hurt everyone else in her life to be with him. I kind of had a problem with the fact that she abandoned her family and everyone else that took care of her while she was sick and injured for a man. I'm all for love and making sacrifices to be with the one you love, but she came off a bit over the top stubborn and obsessive. I'm all for a strong, determined, female main character but Aija came off a bit lovesick and boy crazy.
The world building was good and unique and I liked the concept of the gods and godlings. Overall this wasn't to my taste but think others who enjoy a more romance heavy plot will enjoy this.
February 1, 2023
Though I didn't love it quite as much as Star Mother, this was a fantastic tale of romance and adventure and feminine strength. Lots of unexpected and unique twists.
May 22, 2024
A truly lovely story. I think I like this one more than the first, but in a different way. Women are capable of wondrous, foolish things when they love completely.
December 10, 2022
**Update**
Upon reflection, I am bumping down this "grade" to four stars. There are other books I've read this year that hold up better and deserve to be a bit higher. Still, no shade. This book is fantastic!
This book is beautiful and unique. It will stand out to me in my mind as time passes because I don't think I've read anything like it.
It reads like a fairy tale or Greek myth retelling. The writing reminded me of Madeline Miller's.
Also, if you enjoyed the 80s animated movie, The Last Unicorn, I think you would enjoy this book. There are many similarities: a human and a celestial being fall in love. The human has to go on a quest to find and be with their love. Along the way, a group of uniquely distinct companions join the quest.
I will definitely be picking up more of Holmberg's work.
Upon reflection, I am bumping down this "grade" to four stars. There are other books I've read this year that hold up better and deserve to be a bit higher. Still, no shade. This book is fantastic!
This book is beautiful and unique. It will stand out to me in my mind as time passes because I don't think I've read anything like it.
It reads like a fairy tale or Greek myth retelling. The writing reminded me of Madeline Miller's.
Also, if you enjoyed the 80s animated movie, The Last Unicorn, I think you would enjoy this book. There are many similarities: a human and a celestial being fall in love. The human has to go on a quest to find and be with their love. Along the way, a group of uniquely distinct companions join the quest.
I will definitely be picking up more of Holmberg's work.
December 25, 2021
I'm so glad I got to read this early! I finished Star Mother, and then read this immediately after. It didn't disappoint. Everything by this author is on my favorites list.
July 14, 2024
I didn’t feel fully engaged until around two-thirds of the way through. However, once I reached that point, I absolutely loved it. Before that, I was enjoying it, but I wasn't completely immersed like I was with Star Mother. Perhaps my strong connection as a mother influenced this, making me relate more to the protagonist.
As I said though, that final third had me hooked, and I found myself deeply invested in the main character, her found family, and her journey. I began really rooting for them. I am so happy that Saiyon got his well-deserved happy ending after the events of Star Mother as well. It was a beautiful way to conclude the story.
As I said though, that final third had me hooked, and I found myself deeply invested in the main character, her found family, and her journey. I began really rooting for them. I am so happy that Saiyon got his well-deserved happy ending after the events of Star Mother as well. It was a beautiful way to conclude the story.
March 3, 2022
Star Father is the companion sequel to Star Mother. While I enjoyed some of the foundations for the world set in the first novel, this story can be read as a standalone. The events from the first installment are also mentioned in this book, so it is ideal to read both in order, but it is not necessary to enjoy either novel. The main story follows Aija, a mortal artist in her thirties, who falls in love with Saiyon, the Sun and father of the stars. While the two stories in the series have overlapping characters, they have slightly different focuses in terms of themes. While the first one focuses a lot on loyalty and motherhood, this one focused more on romance. I greatly enjoyed both and loved how the stories worked both together and separately.
When the Sun is knocked out of the sky and falls to Earth, the sky grows dark. Aija volunteers to venture from her family’s farm to gather water from the nearby river. Here she comes across a strange man who needs help, so she takes him with her back to the farm. The attraction between them was instant, but the build-up to their connection and love was a slower burn over the course of the story. Saiyon inspired Aija to continue her art and the two begin to get to know each other. When it is discovered that the human Saiyon that Aija knows is the Sun, their relationship becomes more complicated. Aija needs to become immortal to be with him, but she has no idea if this can be accomplished. Saiyon leaves her to return to his duties, so Aija sets out to try and reunite with him.
Each story in the duology followed a mortal woman and her interactions with immortals, but each protagonist was incredibly different and enjoyable. After being introduced to Saiyon in the first novel, it was lovely for him to have a story with him at the center. There were moments when he was frustrating as a character, but I liked him overall. Aija is a stubborn and determined woman who is set on achieving her goal. She was not perfect and made many mistakes along the way, but she learned from them over time. This story felt original and was very entertaining. The reader is invested in Aija’s journey for immortality and roots for her to reunite with Saiyon. The duology had two stories that each felt unique, yet they felt cohesive without a lot of overlap, which is great for readers who only read one of the stories. I am thrilled that I read both and will gladly continue to read more novels by the author!
**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, 47North, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
When the Sun is knocked out of the sky and falls to Earth, the sky grows dark. Aija volunteers to venture from her family’s farm to gather water from the nearby river. Here she comes across a strange man who needs help, so she takes him with her back to the farm. The attraction between them was instant, but the build-up to their connection and love was a slower burn over the course of the story. Saiyon inspired Aija to continue her art and the two begin to get to know each other. When it is discovered that the human Saiyon that Aija knows is the Sun, their relationship becomes more complicated. Aija needs to become immortal to be with him, but she has no idea if this can be accomplished. Saiyon leaves her to return to his duties, so Aija sets out to try and reunite with him.
Each story in the duology followed a mortal woman and her interactions with immortals, but each protagonist was incredibly different and enjoyable. After being introduced to Saiyon in the first novel, it was lovely for him to have a story with him at the center. There were moments when he was frustrating as a character, but I liked him overall. Aija is a stubborn and determined woman who is set on achieving her goal. She was not perfect and made many mistakes along the way, but she learned from them over time. This story felt original and was very entertaining. The reader is invested in Aija’s journey for immortality and roots for her to reunite with Saiyon. The duology had two stories that each felt unique, yet they felt cohesive without a lot of overlap, which is great for readers who only read one of the stories. I am thrilled that I read both and will gladly continue to read more novels by the author!
**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, 47North, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
March 8, 2022
Phenomenal as usual. I’m glad Holmberg ended up turning this into two books, even if that wasn’t her original intention. I could see both working as stand-alones, but then you would miss so much of the rich drama, as well as two stories that need to be told, and in Holmberg’s unique fashion of creative writing.
The second was completely unlike the first, yet the similarities are there. It took me off guard, but in a positive way. New characters to fall in love with, including her two non-human companions which exhibit so much love, loyalty, and concern for Ai’s well-being and outcome, that you can’t help but become enraptured by them. Her cousin surprises you when she gets caught up in the story, going against who you may think she is.
All this in a world that has already been set up and built in the first.
Immensely enjoyed the fact that the Sun got His happy ending in a totally unexpected way.
I will admit there’s parts of His character, which makes you toggle back and forth between a love/hate relationship.
Does He deserve happiness, even though He’s so by the book which causes others to pay the price of His law, as He knows it? But than you see parts of Him that makes you realize He’s just doing what He’s been "taught" to do as His job as a God-which is to uphold what’s right, at all cost. Even though He’s a God, He’s not perfect, and has His flaws, just like humankind does.
He does have more compassion and benevolence, along with a strong sense of standards, principles, and an ethical sense of philosophy, far deeper than some of the other Gods and Demi-Gods.
How you can’t fall in love with Ai from the beginning is beyond me. She’s very self sufficient, with a side of vulnerability, that tugs at your heart, no matter how much she tries to fight or deny it. You end up with the understanding of what has brought her to this point in her story, it’s hard not to root for her, and her happy ending as well. She definitely comes across as one tough cookie, and the heroine we all beg to see more of in novels. She literally goes to Hell and back for what she strongly believes in, willing to give up so much, in order to get there!
I did receive an advanced copy for my honest, unbiased review of this book.
Thank you Charlie for even making that possible!
The second was completely unlike the first, yet the similarities are there. It took me off guard, but in a positive way. New characters to fall in love with, including her two non-human companions which exhibit so much love, loyalty, and concern for Ai’s well-being and outcome, that you can’t help but become enraptured by them. Her cousin surprises you when she gets caught up in the story, going against who you may think she is.
All this in a world that has already been set up and built in the first.
Immensely enjoyed the fact that the Sun got His happy ending in a totally unexpected way.
I will admit there’s parts of His character, which makes you toggle back and forth between a love/hate relationship.
Does He deserve happiness, even though He’s so by the book which causes others to pay the price of His law, as He knows it? But than you see parts of Him that makes you realize He’s just doing what He’s been "taught" to do as His job as a God-which is to uphold what’s right, at all cost. Even though He’s a God, He’s not perfect, and has His flaws, just like humankind does.
He does have more compassion and benevolence, along with a strong sense of standards, principles, and an ethical sense of philosophy, far deeper than some of the other Gods and Demi-Gods.
How you can’t fall in love with Ai from the beginning is beyond me. She’s very self sufficient, with a side of vulnerability, that tugs at your heart, no matter how much she tries to fight or deny it. You end up with the understanding of what has brought her to this point in her story, it’s hard not to root for her, and her happy ending as well. She definitely comes across as one tough cookie, and the heroine we all beg to see more of in novels. She literally goes to Hell and back for what she strongly believes in, willing to give up so much, in order to get there!
I did receive an advanced copy for my honest, unbiased review of this book.
Thank you Charlie for even making that possible!
March 20, 2022
Considered a standalone, this book follows the story Saigon (Sun) and Aija. I will tell you I thought Sun was a very cold, heart-less character for most of the first book, but knowing what his character endured over the centuries I understood. He was just still not someone i ever thought could have a heart, so i was cautious about how it was all going to play out in this book.
The story documents a love between a god and a moral. A battle between the Moon and Sun for dominance of the Heavens, leads the Moon's forces strick at the Sun when he was the weakest and cast him down to land upon Mother Earth. The damaged god was forced to look into the Heavens daily and miss his place among the stars. This once selfish god, who now is forced to live and rely on mortals, has a softening of a heart that he that he thought no longer had. Aija softened that heart and started a fire burning within him again.
It was a love that may have burned brighter than Sun when he was still in the sky but is just as deadly for a mortal to hold. Realizing what is happening, Sun parts with Aija to protect her. Silly god-child should know that most earth woman are stubborn and will fight for what they believe in.
What proceeds is an imaginative and creative story about growth and relationships, about finding your true self. It's about how the people we meet along the way of life's journey and how they connect with us, touch our lives, change us, and help us get to where we need to go. We fall and smile, rage and cry; but it is these experiences along the way that shaping us.
As I reader, C. Holmberg has delved deeper into her writing and the complexity of what makes "us" and I applaud her. I feel her characters. I want to laugh, cry, yell, and celebrate with them. They are real to me. It's the highest achievement a reader can give an author to be vested in them and their stories. Bravo!🤗
** Thank to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review this advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. **
The story documents a love between a god and a moral. A battle between the Moon and Sun for dominance of the Heavens, leads the Moon's forces strick at the Sun when he was the weakest and cast him down to land upon Mother Earth. The damaged god was forced to look into the Heavens daily and miss his place among the stars. This once selfish god, who now is forced to live and rely on mortals, has a softening of a heart that he that he thought no longer had. Aija softened that heart and started a fire burning within him again.
It was a love that may have burned brighter than Sun when he was still in the sky but is just as deadly for a mortal to hold. Realizing what is happening, Sun parts with Aija to protect her. Silly god-child should know that most earth woman are stubborn and will fight for what they believe in.
What proceeds is an imaginative and creative story about growth and relationships, about finding your true self. It's about how the people we meet along the way of life's journey and how they connect with us, touch our lives, change us, and help us get to where we need to go. We fall and smile, rage and cry; but it is these experiences along the way that shaping us.
As I reader, C. Holmberg has delved deeper into her writing and the complexity of what makes "us" and I applaud her. I feel her characters. I want to laugh, cry, yell, and celebrate with them. They are real to me. It's the highest achievement a reader can give an author to be vested in them and their stories. Bravo!🤗
** Thank to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review this advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. **
Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews