Starbright

by Catherine Hall, Melissa Krauss (Illustrator)

If they fail, their world will end…

Banished from her kingdom by the evil Queen Morag, Princess Gwyneth, a young sorceress, is forced to undertake an urgent and perilous quest to recover a powerful ring from the bottomless Well of Souls, deep inside the dreaded Spider Forest.

But first Gwyneth must rescue Starbright, a unicorn, imprisoned inside The Crystal Mountain. Because only Starbright’s horn can neutralize the poisoned water in the Well of Souls.

On a journey fraught with danger, Gwyneth is confronted by every nightmare she's ever had, plus some she never could have imagined. Along the way, she rescues a fish from a dying lake, a hive of bees from a fire, and a falcon from a deadly eagle attach. Unable to leave them behind to face certain death, she takes them with her.

In the final, cataclysmic showdown at the Well of Souls, as Gwyneth and Morag are locked in a battle to the death, the Princess discovers that even the smallest creatures can be powerful allies. And that not everything is as it seems.

210 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2020

About the author

CATHERINE HALL was born in the Lake District in 1973. She worked in documentary film production before becoming a freelance writer and editor for a range of charities specialising in human rights and development. Her first novel was Days of Grace (Portobello, 2008).

Reviews

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author for me. Very well-written, interesting and fast-paced story. Characters were well-developed, insightful and very likable. Always love a tale with a strong female heroine. Definitely recommend this book.

[Anne Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful and enchanting fairytale, and Starbright, Gwyneth’s unicorn, is possibly the character I’ve been waiting for all my life. Incidentally, the book opens with a pronunciation guide, which I loved because I do tend to try to hear the words I read, so thank you for that, Ms. Hall! This story takes you along as Gwyneth is on her quest; it is never forced or awkward, and the dialogue is natural and easy to read. The blurb has the basics of the story, so I’m not repeating those. This is a book that will, I think, appeal to all ages. At the end, Owen says “’T as if I’ve been awake and asleep at the same time for months … she has ensorcelled us.” I think it is the author that has ensorcelled the readers, and we are better for it!

[Salina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Catherine Hall and it honestly won't be the last.
All the characters were incredibly well developed and well likeable. The story plot itself went from slow to fast pace, I wasn't expecting most of their journey to be so insightful yet daring and dangerous. I truly loved how much we got to see Gwyneth grow and mature. She was used to a life full of control and routine. Soon she's thrust into a life of uncontrollable and unpredictable events, with no certainty of the outcome. But with each passing trial, she grew and strengthens, encountering new friends. It's a bit of a different twist to other paranormal stories but so worth the read!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This genre is not my typical choice but I loved it. It is such a fantastic story, a true fairytale. I was drawn in from the very beginning. Princess Gwyneth is the character I wish I had when I was growing up. I want to be her when I do grow up. She is strong and capable and rescues a unicorn! A unicorn!!! This will be a book I go back and read over and over. I also cannot thank the author enough for adding the pronunciation key, I have read many books that I wish had something similar.

[Margaret Lander · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different genre for me but I loved it! The flow of the story was so smooth. Characters are strong and well developed. There wasn't any guesswork needed to figure out the characters. I loved that the story was fast paced and exciting. I look forward to reading more from this author. Definitely a must read for anyone.

[Night Owl Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic adventure into a fantasy world that will enchant you! I loved everything about this book. The storyline is easy to follow and is very enjoyable. The characters are wonderfully written even the evil Queen Morag and Princess Gwyneth is such a badass. I don't read fantasy or YA often but this book is just amazing and I am so glad I did. Highly recommended!

[Cheryl Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and is great for all ages. Great action, adventure, and fantasy all rolled into one. This book follows the adventure Princess Gwyneth as she seeks out to save Starbright a Unicorn and the lost Ring of Rhwn before the evil Queen Morag does.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starbright Amazing

Amazing story. Like a paranormal fairy tale. With suspense and mystery. Enjoy reading.
Gwyneth sweet girl . Her father the king was not a good father. He just ignored his daughter. Brought home the Evil Queen.
Will Gwyneth be able to save the kingdom?
Before evil Queen destroys it?
One click read

[Annemieke Westerbeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantasy story is amazing. It’s about, courage, perseverance, friendship and love and standing strong for what you believe in and so much more. I started the story and I could not stop. It is written vividly and the characters are wonderful and I loved it very much. Go read this book.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was beautifully written and I loved all the characters in the story. I can't wait to share this one with my daughter because I know she will love it as well. I'm hoping for more wonderful stories from this author.

[Deb Moncrief · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Hall is a new author to me. I typically don't read YA or fantasy, but I am glad that I did. I felt the book was well-written. The story flowed very well. I really enjoyed the characters and thought they were well-developed. I liked Starbright very much.

[Jane Bibbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolved this book from start to finish. Couldn't on it down. It has me loving each character apart from Morag. I highly recommend this to everyone. 10/10

[Spunky N Sassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spunky N Sassy Rating: 4.0

~~~~~~~~~~Lindsey's ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Great Book

This book was definitely worth the read. I was hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down.

[Kathy Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amazing Story

I love this story. A story about a journey. A journey from childhood to adulthood. A journey of adventure and magic.