The Prince of Starlight: The Heir to Moondust: Book One

The Heir to Moondust #1

by Lou Wilham

An outbreak of strange curses. A kingdom in chaos.




With the kingdom of Lunette's people in peril, their prince has one choice. Aided by his best friend and protector, knight Dame Ignacia, Prince Cricket-young, cheerful, and oft-times ridiculous-set out in search of answers.




Swords and opinions clash as Cricket and Ignacia work together to solve the mysteries that surround them. But they must set aside their differences to find the culprit before the perpetrator can launch their next attack on Lunette and plunge the kingdom into darkness.




A frolicking LGBTQ+ fantasy novel steeped in action, wit, and all of the corniness. Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld, Neil Gaiman's Stardust, and William Goldman's The Princess Bride.

Genres: Fantasy

558 pages, Hardcover

Published December 15, 2021

About the author

Born and raised in a small town near the Chesapeake Bay, Lou Wilham grew up on a steady diet of fiction, arts and crafts, and Old Bay. After years of absorbing everything, there was to absorb of fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi she's left with a serious writing/drawing habit that just won't quit. These days, she spends much of her time writing, drawing, and chasing a very short Basset Hound named Sherlock.

When not, daydreaming up new characters to write and draw she can be found crocheting, making cute bookmarks, and binge-watching whatever happens to catch her eye.

Learn more about Lou and her future projects on her website: https://louinprogress.com

Or follow her on social media @lou.wilham on Instagram or @louwilham on Facebook.

Reviews

[Tiny Elf Arcanist · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prologue recounts Cricket's story, written with the beauty of a legend lost in time.

Following a charismatic queer elf (not me) with a sincere dimpled smile, it's a sweet and funny tale of found family and determination. Filled with cute encounters with a dashing white knight, lovers of the grumpy/sunshine trope may find it captivating.

"People love me! I'm very lovable! Lovable and cute."
-Prince Cricket

(I'm still not convinced Cricket isn't based on myself.)

There's not a lot of action, but enough mystique to trap you in. The author seemed to have fun writing interactions between Prince Cricket and his sisters/best friends.

I loved this book. It made me feel all mushy and keep thinking about the characters even after the end. Fortunately, Cricket's story is still not over.

[Justin Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was something different- in the best of ways! On one end, it has the vibes of an anime series. On the other end, there’s a disney-esque feel in it’s whimsy. The world building is elaborate but not so much that it bogs the story and characters down. The first chunk had me thinking of Cinder and Sailor Moon. Other areas I’d compare to The Last Unicorn or Swan Princess. Yes like I said- there’s a unique blend going on in this book. But I like my books like my coffee roasts- blended.

Speaking of the characters- they are so much fun and their banter is the best part for me, especially when it comes to poking fun at Cricket’s awkward flirting.

For anyone scrolling reviews, it’s good to know ahead of time that this book is the result of a serial, and so the story as a whole can feel episodic. I enjoyed this, personally. Some adventures I enjoyed more than others but that’s to be expected and will vary from reader to reader.

All in all, this was a fun, feel good read with a hefty dose of imagination and color. All things that I’ve come to expect from this author, and it’s delivered here in fullest force.

I did receive an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

While I enjoyed The Prince of Starlight, I had a few issues with the storytelling and one major issue really frustrated me that I could not bring myself to give it a higher rating. I am changing up my review style for this book, and I will be listing a few notes below.

The prologue- I absolutely loved this and I thought it set the whimsical and fantastical tone of the story quite well. It made me look forward to what’s to come.

The beginning- It really took awhile for me to get the feel of the story, especially the weird way the White Knight was introduced and how Cricket initially interacted with him.

The storytelling and pacing- I knew beforehand by reading other reviews that this was initially released as a serial story online, and that warning really helped prepare me so I knew what I was getting into. The story is quite episodic with the prince traveling to different places investigating the root of the magical problems. Given the format of the story, the episodic nature worked and did not take away from the experience. I also thought the somewhat slow pacing was good as it gave me time to get to know the characters better.

The characters- I liked the subtle LGBT representation that just came out naturally through the storytelling. I liked Cricket, and he came across quite well with his charm and earnestness despite his flighty demeanor. Ignacia was a strong presence but mostly in a sidekick kind of way. Yoshi won me over despite the rough introduction and his own stoicism. He may have few words, but you feel him in the story. It was also quite obvious in the end that the author left stuff out about him for future installments. The hints of a romance were there, but it was just that—hints. So don’t read this thinking it’s an MM romance.

The Asian rep- There were some Asian/Japanese touches, but I thought it was mostly superficial (mostly in the names) otherwise I really would not have noticed. And I myself am Asian.

The twists and reveals- I saw the primary villain a mile away, it was quite obvious so I’m not sure if it was meant to be or not, but knowing early on didn’t hinder my enjoyment. The other twist came out of no where and the author did not give adequate explanations or justifications that I just did not buy it at all and it left me scratching my head.

The ending- The final confrontation and resolution came on way too fast, especially compared to the slow and steady pace of the rest of the story. The book then ended super duper abruptly. It felt like it cut off mid-story, and this just really frustrated me so much. Almost no story threads were tied up and it came off like everything was left up in the air for the sequel. I felt slighted in all honesty.

*I received an ebook copy of this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a delightful mixture of older lesser known fairy tales and modern sensibilities. It's got a bit of an episodic feel to it, but I believe it was originally written as a serial. Cricket was a quirky, larger than life main character, by turns playful and immature or wiser than his years. Everything else in the book felt a bit pale and understated and I'm not sure how much of that was the 3rd person limited POV with a somewhat unreliable narrator who only saw what he wanted to see and felt no need to explain what he already knew and how much of that was the way the story emulated some of the historic roots it was built on complete with dry humor. All to say that understated isn't a bad thing - think more like a lyric poem that can be sparse, yet still deep and profound. I especially like the pro found family and adopted family is real family themes.

Filed under: stories that ended too soon. The main conflict in this book was resolved, so this is not a cliff hanger, more it is a lovely, rich world and I feel like we only got to see a glimpse of it. There was a lot more complexity to the main conflict that was left hanging as well even though the central issue was resolved, and I think that contributes a bit to the unfinished feel. I was glad to see there are more books planned in this world as I did enjoy this; it was a fast entertaining read. Cricket and Yoshi are absolutely adorable and there is still much more to their story.

[grace (vintagelygrace) · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautifully told story, with elements of mythology woven in! with the rise of queer retellings of traditional folklore, this one hit home in all the best ways. every single chapter, down to its paragraphs and lines, was filled with elegant and vivid prose that flowed as naturally as ink on paper. each chapter felt like an episode of an ongoing webseries, with an undulating pace that was just enough to keep me addicted.

many a fantasy novel has the tried and tested formulae that i can't help but enjoy. but The Prince Of Starlight doesn't just follow it — it also goes out of the way to offer new perspectives within the genre. thank the universe i'm a "character-driven" reader, because i absolutely adored the two main characters of this story. they've become one of my favorite queer fantasy fictional pairings. their slow-burn truly reminded me of another danmei series i've heard rave reviews about: Heaven Official's Blessing).

am i going to re-read this in June? of course. it's an underrated gem hidden within a goldmine.

as this is the first book in a planned quartet, i'm looking forward or impatient for to the sequel!

(NOTE: this review was honestly written, in exchange for an e-ARC.)

[Louis C · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE PRINCE OF STARLIGHT
BY: Loui Wilham

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As they sat together, they were not a crown prince, not a lady in waiting, not a royal advisor. They were simply Cricket, Iggy, and Annie. They were old friends, finding comfort in one another the way old friends could.

THE PRINCE OF STARLIGHT is book one in a planned to be four-book series. In this installment, you are following the prince and heir to the throne Cricket, who lives together in a castle with Anstice and Ignacia, and of course a bunch of other family members and staff. Everything seems to be peaceful and all until strange things are starting to happen in the kingdom, and to prove to his Uncle isn’t an arrogant boy with no idea what kind of responsibilities are ahead of him, Cricket takes the initiative to figure out what exactly is causing such weird stuff. Together with Ignacia, he sets foot in the outside world.

So this fantasy has a journey arc to it, which has been done very well. The simple writing style mixed with the easy world-building made it fast-paced and entertaining. The characters are the strong suit of the story, even the side characters are distinct enough to remember their roles in the story. The way they get introduced makes it very friendly for the reader to figure out why they are important in the story. Yoshi, especially, has been my favorite so far, we love a grumpy one with too many secrets but he is just soft.

The storyline had a very DND feel to it, maybe because there is so much traveling and solving problems. The big reveal of who was behind it all wasn’t that big for me, but I could see why it made sense and that is all I care about when problems like this get introduced, better have a reason that might have been clear from the start than one that doesn’t make sense. Nevertheless, the pacing of the story never felt too fast or slow, except at the end, because the ending did feel a bit rushed. Considering the stakes get personal and the choices Cricket makes during those chapters, it is understandable, but in comparison with the rest of the book, I feel like there was room to develop it more.

All in all, I will be keeping an eye out for the rest of the books! It is a great book for people that want to get into fantasy, since it is very friendly with politics and world-building, and the casual LGBTQ+ is always a plus in my book. Can’t wait to read the next of the series to see what it has in store!

[Kübra Demir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lou Wilham, once again, did not disappointed me! I had a such fun time reading this book. I love how they come across different curses in each town and they had to think creatively to find solutions to them. I also love the main characters' relationships and how they annoy each other daily :D Normally how it made me feel would be enough for a five star but I was questioning almost every decision of the main characters because they often ignore the basic truths or did not think the first things that a normal person would think in the same situations and that made me annoyed a bit. Also if the author didn't say that Prince Cricket is 17, I would NEVER guess that because he usually acts like a 12 yo child, or maybe 14 at most. Yet I'll most definitely continue to the series.

[Divya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent story! I really liked prince Cricket's character and the way he behaves towards his subjects and friends. All the characters were quite distinct with a personality of their own and the interaction between the main characters was also entertaining. The story moves at a good pace and is full of magic and adventure! I received a free copy of the book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Whitney Spradling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Wilham’s writing really sucked me in from the beginning. I loved going on this adventure with Cricket and Iggy, and eventually Yoshi. The mysteries and puzzles they had to solve kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing right along with them. I loved the character development the most, I think. Each character had depth and intrigue and felt for each and everyone of them. I can’t wait to see where book 2 takes them!

[Sissy Lu {Book Savvy Reviews} · Rating 5 out of 5]

A read full of magic, adventure, budding romance, and fun!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really enjoyed reading this, it was a wonderfully done fairy tale with great characters. I look forward to more from the author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cozy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series. It's cute, full of magic, problem solving and adventure. Our main characters are Prince Cricket and Ignacia (his kick butt handmaid) we get to follow them on an adventure to stop some incidents from happening around the kingdom and area beyond. It has humor, character growth, as well as great LGBTQIA+ rep.

I can't wait to continue on this journey with these characters in the next books! 😍

This is the perfect book to get into if you love adventure and traveling.




*I recieved a gifted arc from the author which I voluntarily read and am leaving an honest review*

[Elle Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for fans of C-Drama! Great characters and an interesting world.

[Aubrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a Young-Young Adult book, I'd say the target audience might be 12-13. For that reason I would rate it a 3, whereas for myself it lands more in the 2 stars category. Another note, this is the first book in a series and this book does not finish all of the story and kind of leaves you hanging for character resolutions (even if the major final conflict is resolved).
This is the story of Prince Cricket who goes out with his trusted companion (babysitter) Ignacia to investigate odd occurrences (read: curses) throughout his kingdom. The justification to send these two as opposed to a qualified larger group is not really explained too well, but whatever (glossing over plot holes happens often in this story). Along the way they meet the "White Knight," Yoshi, who isn't really assigned a personality other than "stoic, upright and obedient (at least after the first town, anyway)." Unfortunately, Cricket is the only character that seems mostly defined, but he isn’t consistent throughout. The author really also wants you to know that Cricket his a good prince, who, somehow is recognized EVERYWHERE.
Before I go too far into some of the negatives, I do want to applaud this book for its casual LGBTQ+ representation. There is nothing explicitly stating “this character is trans” or “these characters are gay” but it threaded through the narrative. It is not the focus, it is not the challenge, they are just existing and living their lives as this world obviously welcomes this diversity and does not condemn the little flirtations between the characters. It actually is really rather sweet.
Unfortunately, the general goodwill and optimism of the populace in the book is about the closest we get to understanding the setting, as the rest of this world-building is a little lackluster. There are Japanese influences throughout (or I think so), which is unique compared to a lot of the other fantasy books. The magic rules are left a little undefined, unfortunately, most of the magic rules seem to grow to suite whatever plot device the characters need at any one moment in the story. It makes everything last longer and drag.
The pace is slow and a little bit cumbersome. The author tried to employ a flippant tone to make it humorous, but it read mostly like the unfunny class-clown trying to get attention instead of genuinely funny. Most of the book is spent trying to figure out the curse item(s) to break the curse on a given town. There are a few unique elements to this, but there is far too much time spent on this that actually had no bearing on the overall plot.
Another recurring issue is that a lot of contrivances had me actively rolling my eyes. The characters (who were supposed to be smart, I think) made so many nonsensical decisions or convoluted decisions that seemed to only stretch the story out. Their problem solving or deductions were also similarly elaborate (like taking three right turns to make a left).
The ending manages to wrap up the major conflict (rather abruptly, actually) but it is the most engaging part of the book. At about 80% through the book the style and pace really improved and it seemed to promise that the next book might be better. There were a few twists that actually were surprising (one of which didn’t have any hinting at in the book which I feel diminished the reveal).
The book is promising, but the promise is left unmet. There are so many good nuggets buried in narrative. There are unique elements and influences that I wish were just a touch enhanced, with more attention paid to building out the character relationships. A lot of Yoshi’s part was just following Cricket and being stoic, he could have been built out with more personality because there is obviously an intended backstory the author will fill in later. If this story had cut away the filler, it would have been a lot stronger and the unique and wonderful parts would have shown through a lot more.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet G rated LGBTQ book. The audience does seem to be primarily young teens or preteen. It seems like it could have some promise to someone who just wants a slow journey with a quirky and nervous Prince and his companions.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Hanii Aburame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curses, dragons, a handsome white Knight, oh my!
3.5* stars.

This is not your average fairy tale. Prince Cricket, the only son to the King of Lunette. He's loved by all and cares deeply about his subjects. So much so, he is willing to endanger his life to save the towns in his country that are plagued by mysterious curses that no one knows the origin of or how to cure. He and his loyal handmaiden/body guard/adoptive sister conduct investigations to get to the bottom of things, and along the way they run into a mysterious (and handsome) white Knight from the neighboring country who is also investigating the strange happenings, and they join forces to find out who the real culprit is.

The atmosphere of the story is totally inducive of a fairy tale, it was masterful. From reading the first page I found myself totally lost in the world of Lunette and trying to picture what the country looked like. The descriptions of what the characters were doing or handling was well written, but I found the overall scenery description to be a bit lack luster. While it was simple enough to use my imagination to envision what a castle or small town would look like in a fairy tale setting, it took me out of the story a bit. Though about half way through the descriptions did get better.

The characters themselves were well thought out and definitely had a personality of their own. I did find Cricket's childish attitude a bit annoying at times, especially when he would pout a lot, but I did enjoy when his handmaiden, Ignacia, called him out and whipped him back into shape, like the sister she is to him. I also found Yoshi, the white Knight, and Cricket's interactions incredibly adorable! I couldn't stop giggling through those parts, especially when Cricket's charms seemed to have null effect on him, but would later be softer to the prince and his antics.

The book is told from in 3rd party point of view (pov), meaning it has a narrator, but it is told from Cricket's perspective. Cricket is young and turned 18 during the course of the book, being so young of course he would still have quite a few youthful characteristics, like not wanting to admit his crush on Yoshi when he is trying to concentrate on doing his princely duties of saving his people, but I found it tiring when half of what Cricket thought about Yoshi would be taken back by the last sentence of the paragraph he was thinking it in. Ignoring your feelings, especially as young person, is completely normal and natural, but constantly taking back everything you just said in the same manner each time felt repetitive. There was also quite a few phrases used repetitively that I felt were overused. Thankfully by the later chapters of the book the repetitiveness and retracting got a lot better and it was easier to fully immerse myself into the characters feelings and doings.

All-in-all, it was a really fun book that I can't wait to continue into volume 2, (The Prince of Daybreak,) to get lost into the world of Lunette, follow Cricket and his friends on their adventures, and see if Prince Cricket and white Knight Yoshi make a go of things.


Thank you so much to the author and publisher who gave me this arc review. All thoughts here within are completely my own.

Check out my bookstagram! @Witchy.Otaku

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

“With the kingdom of Lunette's people in peril, their prince has one choice. Aided by his best friend and protector, knight Dame Ignacia, Prince Cricket—young, cheerful, and oft-times ridiculous—set out in search of answers.

Swords and opinions clash as Cricket and Ignacia work together to solve the mysteries that surround them. But they must set aside their differences to find the culprit before the perpetrator can launch their next attack on Lunette and plunge the kingdom into darkness.”

I didn’t think this book was too bad, but it was kind of a chore to get through. I couldn’t get excited about anything that was happening, though a lot of the chapter endings kept me on my toes. While the reasons for the curses were not easily guessed, some of the “twists” that popped up were quite predictable. The ending climax seemed rushed, and I wasn’t terribly happy with what happened with Yoshi.

Speaking of Yoshi, as stoic and rigid as he was, he was also my favorite of the characters. I found Cricket to be whiny and flighty, and Ignacia wasn’t any better, arguing every time Cricket asked anything of her, and only relenting when Cricket would use his princely status against her.

Near the end of the book there’s a plot point that comes out of nowhere. I think building up to it would’ve made more sense, or at least hinting at it, but it’s just something g that happens because of a curse, and no one really seems bothered by it for some reason.

The humor fell flat to me. I don’t recall laughing at anything that was intended to be funny (but it takes a lot to make me laugh so others might find it more humorous).

The world building was a little lackluster; it had the vibes of being in a medieval setting (think The Last Unicorn) yet had Japanese elements scattered throughout. The system of Magic didn’t make a lot of sense. Everyone seems to have it, but the main characters very rarely use it, except near the end when Cricket wants to, and then it’s met with a lot of criticism from Ignacia.

It would be a good story for middle grade kids, and maybe even early teens. I like how the LGBT elements are not the main focus, and no one the group meets on their travels has any issues with them - Cricket never tries to hide his feelings toward Yoshi (except from Yoshi himself out of shyness and embarrassment). It’s always nice when a kingdom set in such an early time period accepts things like that as normal, and the characters trying to hide it because of fear is not a major plot point.

The story has potential, but there are definitely things that need to be reworked before the sequel.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pygmy Potamus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a refreshing tale of a prince trying to help his people and solve a magical mystery.

I have been reading a lot of high heat and insta love stories recently and this one was a breath of fresh air with an enchanting story and a great cast of characters that make you want the best for them.

I loved the journey our characters took and seeing a more subtle magic system that I am so excited to explore more - I loved seeing the different scenarios and how the mysteries were explored by Cricket and us readers together. I was not expecting one of the twists though! Even though the big bad was a little predictable I can only commend the author especially with regards to the consequences the characters now face which show all the characters growth and merit.

I did think that the banter and the interactions between the prince and his handmaiden were sometimes a little childish or they didn’t make sense as the characters were described one way but acted differently occasionally - but this was just me and does add depth to the characters and interactions especially as childhood friends/sibling relationships so this is just a personal preference. I did love how the characters develop and keep their core values I think my standards have definitely risen!

Also can I just say that meet cute(?) between our prince and white night was just brilliant and I liked seeing the different scenarios (if you read it you’ll understand).

I can’t wait to see what happens next and where the story is leading - I really hope we see a bit more from Yoshi’s perspective as I am greedy and a sucker for dual POV stories with a sweet little sunshine and the brooding strong boy who just wants to keep them safe. Swoon.

4*s from me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shrike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neat world with unpleasant characters.

Wilham sets up a pretty cool world! I really liked how she incorporates names from different real-world regions as opposed to making up a fantasy language.

The plot was very iffy for me. There's an odd dissonance when a situation is described as deadly while the characters joke around like kids. In addition, magic is inconsistently used and never explained. Lots of Cricket saying "I just know" when asked.  This was okay at first, but when the stakes get as high as amputating a woman's finger because Cricket "just knows" it's the only option, I can't help but shake my head.

On that note, my largest concerns lie with the characters. I don't mind cozy fantasy; I'm all for cute and sweet characters! But these folks, while clearly intended to be cute, come across as grating. Everyone is whining, huffing, and pouting. It reads as very fanfic-like...and not in a good way.

Cricket is the worst of them all. He's a brat, and well aware of it. Unfortunately, this does not translate as charming. He is naive, immature, and has no royal decorum. I honestly relate more to the "rude" characters who roll their eyes at his antics.

In addition, townsfolk respond very strangely to our MCs. Either they grovel or drop into over-casual and condescending remarks that should NOT fly.

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this book for free. I am leaving this review of my own accord.

[Chandaly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked reading The Prince of Starlight. Lou Wilham is an author I discovered last year and so far, I have liked all the stories I read from her.

This novel was not what I expected. I thought it would be a retelling of the tale of the rabbit and the moon and in fact I would say that the story takes place in the world the tale is based on.

The hero, Prince Cricket has just reached his majority and is actually learning what it means to be a Crown Prince. In order to fulfill his duty to his people, he goes on an adventure in his realm to save his citizens.

I liked the story. It was beautiful in its simplicity. As I had noticed in my previous reads, the author is also really good at creating endearing secondary characters.

I liked Prince Cricket well enough, but to be honest, he was not my favourite. I think he whined and pouted too much (I mean this as a joke but these verbs really came a lot in the novel and coloured my impression of him.)

Maybe the plot was a bit predictable as well.

Still, it was a good first novel and I can't wait to read more about the adventures of Prince Cricket.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tiffany Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a shelf-browser more often than making selections in other ways. I'm not sure why it was in the adult section at the library, but I'm so delighted to have come across it.

The story follows a prince who is seventeen, turns eighteen. The mentality is pretty spot on, and the growth is very believable in all aspects he encounters on his journey. His friendships are so heartwarming. Though he is moving out of the naive-mindset, his clinging to solve problems peacefully and with as much kindness as one can have while being fair remains intact without compromising the integrity of his character. It was wonderfully written, an easy read.

Though it is a longish book considering the easy-read nature of it... The world-building required no long-winded jargon, making it a casual fantasy with the standard hero's journey in place. I also like that the obvious romantic interest isn't instantly gratified, which might annoy some people... But he's eighteen at the end of the story, and the journey only took two months. That in mind, it felt rightly done.

(I'm actually annoyed because my library doesn't have the second book anywhere in its catalog, so I've requested it. Likely I'll buy both, because I always buy books I enjoy this much since I know I'll read it again).

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks BookSirens for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

It was amazing read. I didn't know it started as an original fiction, but it's amazing. The narrative went quite smoothly although there were few repeatings of words and phrases that bugged me a little, as well as the often use of "Father" and "Uncle". The characters were very intriguing and I loved their interactions throughout the whole story. True friendship just burst from the novel and it's a delight to follow their adventures! I loved the slowburn between Cricket and Yoshi. That last scene between the two of them and the meaning behind the Helio amber earring just made me scream.^^ Without telling spoilers, I'm just gonna say Ignasia is a true genius, I love that woman! I loved the overall plot, although I knew the uncle would be the main bad guy from the very beginning. I think there would've been a greater mystery around him or the author could've tried to villainize the least possible character. But there definitely was a surprise with Cricket's curse and little Anstice's true intentions.

Can't wait for Book two and three. ^^ The story is lovely.

[Elpis G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book ended up completely blowing me away. It started off slow and I had a hard time getting into it at first but once Cricket and Ignaccia left the castle I started to enjoy it a lot more and once I reached the halfway point, I was literally reading it non stop. Cricket, Ignaccia and Yoshi all had a good dynamic when working with each other trying to solve the curses plaguing their kingdom. Cricket was a bit of an irritating character at times but Ignaccia and Yoshi did a good job keeping him and each other in check while dealing with dangerous situations. I also enjoyed how action packed it was and how while romantic elements between Cricket and Yoshi were certainly there it didn't take over the whole book.

The worldbuilding and character development felt a bit weird at times for me, but we learned more about the characters and the world throughout the book so I'm not complaining too much. I did find the beginning of the book to be a bit slow and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who.

Overall 4.75/5 stars

[Kamilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a solid 3 stars for me. I did receive a free ARC through BookSirens.

The book was a fun and easy read. The language is straight-forward, you'll find no purple prose here. The worldbuilding was fairly vague and somewhat simple compared to a lot of fantasy books, but it works out well, and personally I didn't consider this a bad thing. You get the information you need to dive into the plot. The story itself is whimsical and mostly lighthearted, which is what I expected going in. The almost episodic story arcs within the overall plot was also a fun factor for me, with several smaller mysteries to solve.

One thing I really appreciated was the very casual queer rep in the book. Several queer characters with no big deal made out of it is always nice.

I generally enjoyed the characters (the banter between Cricket and Iggy was one of my favorite things about the book), even if they weren't necessarily super fleshed out. This is probably part of what made it an easy read, but it does drag it down slightly for me, because characters are usually what makes me return to books. That being said, I would most likely pick up the next book in the series when it comes out.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very character driven story. Because of that, it may take some time for you to read it (it took me a month but that's more a me issue than a book one). It is though, one that is more slice of life mixed Asian fantasy. I found that with that in mind, I was able to pick it up and put it back down and know what was happening to an extent, but it also can be a drain for someone who isn't ready for that story at the moment. Especially in the beginning. It has the atmosphere of the donghua series of heaven's official blessings etc. and I would highly recommend it for those fans. I think my absolute favorite moments were the times that the characters were figuring things out and just getting along but the romance (if you could call it that its very slow burn) is in the background and the friendships were in the foreground. But my least favorite was that there was one too many mini missions. I think the story would have benefitted from one less to keep the middle from being too long. Overall though, I would highly recommend this, and I am excited to see what the other books have in store. 4.5 out of 5 stars

[Mandy Kell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince of Starlight by Lou Wilham is the perfect found family, cozy fantasy full of whimsical worldbuilding, LGBTQ rep, and an adorable epic quest. Cricket is lovely and I want to protect him with everything in me! Yoshi is the perfect opposite with his grumpy demeanor and reigned in persona. I love how they play off of each other throughout the story. Iggy is exactly how I feel like I would be if tasked with watching over a manic pixie dreamboat like Cricket and I love their friendship. The book has a fast-paced cinematic feel and the author pours whimsy and magic into every scene. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and see what our little prince gets himself into next.

[Ming's fantasy myth library · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 stars

This book is unique. It's like a melting pot of many mythical figures and creatures. The story is intriguing despite its cozy vibes. Reading this book felt like watching a Ghibli movie somehow, for the silliness of the characters and the world-building. The characters remind me of Chinese BL story, Heaven's Official Blessing (though I haven't read the novel, only watched the animation). The only thing that made me uncomfortable while reading this book is the writing style. I can't relate with character's feelings because the author keep bouncing from serious to silly. However, the ending is pretty emotional.
I like this book a lot, can't wait to continue the series.

[Teagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It follows a young prince named Cricket, who goes around his kingdom solving magical problems. The main bad guy's identity was fairly obvious (I figured it out by the second chapter!), but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

I loved seeing Cricket grow as a person, and become close to Yoshi. I wasn't super clear on what happened with Cricket and Yoshi at the end of the book, but it was explained a touch more in book 2 so I was fine with it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gemma Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really entertaining start to a new series and there was so much to enjoy. I found Cricket a little annoying to start with but he really grew on me over the course of the novel and I especially liked his relationship with Ignacia and all their banter.

Lou Wilham has a wonderful way of writing natural, fun and intriguing characters and I really loved this book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Thank you to @Lou.wilham for the gifted copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.

[Amy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a slow burn and took some time for me to get engaged. I was glad I came across the review that told me it was released as a web series, because that definitely helped and made sense to me. At about 40% of the way in, I really got attached to characters, intrigued by their quirks and relationships and hooked to the story. I’m curious to see Yoshi’s development especially in future books.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[aliteraryarchivist · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series kicks off with The Prince of Starlight, which follows Cricket as he searches for answers about the outbreak of curses. Cricket’s adventure brings out all the cozy fantasy vibes. Lowkey reminds me of a DnD campaign. We are also introduced to Yoshi (more on him later). The Prince of Starlight is a wonderful start to the series.

Thank you to @lou.wilham for allowing me to read this book!!