Week 20 Reviews: Star Mother, Star Father

From Goodreads:

A woman's heart proves as infinite as the night sky in a breathtaking fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

When a star dies, a new one must be born.

The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family's honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it's not nine months later—it's seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.

Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.

Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.

From Goodreads:

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 support such a risk.

Aija chooses 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.

My Review:
I had such a great time reading these books! And it was really great to read them back to back because they each focus on a character who was important to the other-the Star Mother, and the Star Father, and how each one finds their happiness-with someone else! Such great reads!

I really enjoyed the mythology of these books, of the Sun and Mother Earth being gods, and the Moon being a demi god, and how the stars are the children of the Sun and a mortal woman. There were some pieces that I was a bit confused about, but it was really interesting to learn.

Ceris was a really great character to read about. I really enjoyed her journey, of becoming the Star Mother, and then surviving that, going back to earth-and having 700 years pass. There's ups and downs, family to meet, and important facts, and it was a really great story!

And then there's Aija, who is stuck on the family farm while the war is going on, when the Sun is gone-and there's a strange man in the river. I really enjoyed watching their story progress, because the cost to be together, it took determination and cleverness, and sacrifices, to get what they both wanted! But oh, I the bargains with the demons were infuriating!

I really enjoyed reading these books, and I can't wait to read more by Charlie N. Holmberg! 

Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
Series: Star Mother #1, 2
Read: May 20th, 20th, 2022
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and they sounded really great, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2022 Books and WoW Books!
Publisher: 47North
Published: November 1st 2021, March 8th 2022

Star Mother:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Star Father: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars