[Diane’s Review:] A Dark and Hollow Star (A Dark and Hollow Star #1) by Ashley Shuttleworth

Choose your player.

The “ironborn” half-fae outcast of her royal fae family.
A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge.
A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne.
The prince’s brooding guardian, burdened with a terrible secret.

For centuries, the Eight Courts of Folk have lived among us, concealed by magic and bound by law to do no harm to humans. This arrangement has long kept peace in the Courts—until a series of gruesome and ritualistic murders rocks the city of Toronto and threatens to expose faeries to the human world.

Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind these murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike. If that’s not bad enough, there’s a war brewing between the Mortal and Immortal Realms, and one of these teens is destined to tip the scales. The only question is: which way?

Wish them luck. They’re going to need it.

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

QUEER BOOK OF THE YEAR!

ALSO I NOW LIVE IN THE UNSEELIE SPRING COURT!

Where to even begin?!

I mean, that’s obvious, so without further ado…

From the top!

Ashley kicks this book off with a killer Prologue. Normally I find myself slipping during these drawling bits of info dumping, but not theirs. I was thrown into the ring right out the gate and couldn’t stop. Everything from the description of the flooring to the snarky remarks of my girl Alecto had me trying to force myself into the pages of this novel!

The book follows four POVS of Faerie teens (well, sort of teens) with their plots split between Las Vegas, Nevada and the glorious city I call home, Toronto, Ontario.

Each character has been uniquely crafted and I personally love each one! (though my heart belongs to Arlo) The building of friendships, relationships, and just overall development of the story was one of the most natural I’ve ever read. These are teens/young adults acting as true teens and young adults. It’s not very often I find characters doing things that are completely believable, and even in some cases things I would personally do (Arlo I’m looking at you).

Ashley has written a world so incredible and full of beauty into one that I know to be so mundane. From the glamoured Faerie haunts to the location of the UnSeelie Spring Palace, I’m pretty sure they know something and are keeping it a secret.

If you read this Ashley, TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!

Just kidding, but not really.

Diane

Hi there!

I’m Diane, I suffer from wanderlust and am from Toronto, Ontario.

Since I was a wee bairn I was obsessed with reading and the fantastical worlds books would sweep my away in. Flash forward 28 years, I can now be seen running through the trees in hopes of being carried to a world far far away, but mostly just tripping over tree roots.

When I’m not reading or watching What We Do In The Shadows on repeat, I can be found tracing my lineage to the ancient Vikings and Scots. Oh! And making organic dog treats for my high-maintenance pets.