Beautifully written and deliciously complex, A Dark and Hollow Star is utterly engrossing. The magic is bloody, the humor sharp, and the murder mystery drenched in violence and intrigue. Like a fallen Fury set on vengeance, I couldn’t get enough." The laws to which we must adhere may seem harsh, but they’re our laws for a reason. Arlo Jarsdel’s case is not simple. An ironborn girl with little to no magic will find our world difficult at its kindest. It’s better, no, to set them on the path that will help them best flourish? To trim away the excess knowledge that would do them no good anyway? We’ve made these laws to keep our people safe, Your Highness. You know this.” From his watch, a sound clip began to play from a video that had gone viral in their community only days ago. I knew right then and there, I'd All eight of these representatives had been chosen to uphold the High King’s laws. Not one of them was known for displays of compassion. Facing them now for their judgment drove home that this meeting was little better than a formality: all eight minds had already made their unanimous decision on the matter of Arlo’s “suitability” for the magical world long before she’d come to plead her case.

A Dark and Hollow Star to your winter must 3 reasons to add A Dark and Hollow Star to your winter must

No one is questioning your bloodline, Miss Jarsdel,” he continued dismissively. “You are Thalo Viridian-Verdell’s daughter; of that there is no dispute. What we question here today is whether or not it matters.” She wanted to say something. She always wanted to say something whenever people like Malachite said such terribly rude things to her and others around her, but the words would never leave her tongue. Every time she felt them bubbling up inside her, those good intentions turned to cowardice and were swallowed once more by nerves.” While the Seelie Court's base is in Nevada—run by their *only* Queen Riadne, the Unseelie Court are the ones who have true power, living in good ol' Toronto, with their High King Azurean. Celadon kept Arlo’s wrist in his grasp but angled around once again to face the stands. “Councillor Sylvain,” he returned, the reply spoken light as air, yet somehow just as gravid as the mood of the room.

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However, we present to you a third option. A compromise, as it were. In light of the family from which your magical inheritance comes, the Council shall recognize the possibility of—to use the High Prince’s term—‘proper fae biology.’ You are not the first ironborn child of royal fae parentage, and none yet have followed the standard cycle of fae Maturity. But in deference to our High King’s House, we shall extend to you the option of deferring this decision to a later date.” Beautifully written and deliciously complex, A Dark and Hollow Star is utterly engrossing. The magic is bloody, the humor sharp, and the murder mystery drenched in violence and intrigue. Like a fallen Fury set on vengeance, I couldn’t get enough.” When rumblings of the murders started, the Courts insisted that the victims were human, not ironborn, and therefore not their concern. But when it became clear that the dead had, in fact, been ironborn and the Courts still did nothing, tensions between the ironborn, faerie, and fae communities grew to an all-time high. The world-building was excellent, I loved the courts and their different locations, I loved the magic for those not fully of the fae realms and the differing levels between the ‘fae’ themselves and other beings. We have a great mix-up of everything and not to mention the world-building is basically attempting to rewrite itself in the plot and holy cow did I love that.

A Dark and Hollow Star | Book by Ashley Shuttleworth A Dark and Hollow Star | Book by Ashley Shuttleworth

Councillor Larsen nodded her head, and the matter was so abruptly concluded it left Arlo reeling. “Deferment granted. The case for Arlo Jarsdel’s fae citizenship shall be heard again in eight years’ time, on this fifth day of May, by Arlo Jarsdel and only Arlo Jarsdel.” She paused to flash her gaze first at Celadon, then at the crowd by the door. “The Council dismisses the room. You are all free to go.” This was better than nothing, and despite the things Arlo had inherited from her father—her burnt-red hair, her underwhelming height, and the sturdy width of her build—Celadon had never once treated her as anything less than a true Viridian. It filled Arlo with teary relief to see Celadon, blithe as ever, wafting into the room in his tight jeans and crisp sage button-down, as usual looking like he’d just walked off the set of some glamorous photo shoot. Should you choose it, the Council will reconvene this hearing on the day that marks the start of your twenty-sixth year. At that time, you will resubmit for Weighing, and if your fae inheritance has manifested as it should, you will be allowed the full privilege and status of the royal blood that runs within your veins. However, if Maturity has not found you by this time, your choices shall revert to what they are now: human, or common magical citizen.” As the rich world she’s created unfolds around us, readers get to experience everything from the faerie grey-market hidden within a human shopping mall to the secretive club known as “The Faerie Ring”, where pretty much anything goes. It’s exciting, and lived in, and feels like a place that could really exist, just a little bit out of our own reach. A Dark and Hollow Star: Multiple slow burn queer romances

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If the most recent case had indeed occurred right here in Canada—in territory that belonged to UnSeelie Spring—their government could no longer afford to do nothing. The Fae High Council would be forced into searching out possible culprits; they had enough to keep them occupied without grilling Arlo for what was now twice as long as her Weighing should have taken, but throwing their failures in their faces and rushing them along probably wasn’t the best way to force their meeting’s conclusion—certainly not, given the look on most of the Councillors’ faces. Arlo is quiet and reserved on the outside but get her around family and her true colors show lol, I loved her. Prince Vehan was a hoot as well, I think he’s just this little cinnamon roll that we should all protect from the world, he and Arlo quite clearly have HUGE hearts, and he also has a strong sense of justice. Celadon ignored her obvious embarrassment. “For most fae, this tiny elemental magic is all they’re ever able to do, on top of the basic Sight and glamour all folk should be able to wield. Not every fae even comes into a true elemental Gift, correct? We don’t all possess the required strength to do things like manipulate others by the water in their bodies, or make weapons out of elements, or pull secrets from the air. Has it not occurred to any of you that it isn’t Arlo Jarsdel’s humanity keeping her from her inheritance, but proper fae biology?” The Council shifted uncomfortably, both at Celadon’s implication of negligence with the murders and at the reminder that the Assistance wasn’t as easily rooted out as they’d originally hoped when the group first started attracting wider attention. In response, Arlo’s own unease ratcheted higher, fearing what this not-so-subtle accusation would do to her chances of a favorable outcome in this Weighing. She had several other cousins and relations (however removed) who came and went, passing winds who thought nothing of asking rude and prying questions into her life and made very little effort to keep their whispers about her to themselves.”

A Dark and Hollow Star: Volume 1 (Hollow Star Saga)

A Dazzling sequel with enough tantalizing court intrigue, reveals, and secrets to keep you on the edge of your seat. Shuttleworth expertly expands the beautiful and cruel world of the fae with rich worldbuilding and intricate character work in this must-read follow up to A Dark and Hollow Star.” ~ Liselle Sambury, author of BLOOD LIKE MAGIC The cast of characters was GREAT (though admittedly Aurelian was a bit of a weak link though I have incredible hope that he’ll win me over completely in the next book). They were all quite varied from each other and I’ll be real I would totally want to spend the day with Arlo and her cousins, but not her mom, because her mom terrifies me lol. Vehan turned to stare at her, mildly incredulous. Nausicaä, meanwhile, could hardly contain her laughter. “Okay, folks, if we come across anyone, make sure to also ask for directions to the nearest bathroom on top of whether they’ve been murdering children to make philosopher’s stones and kidnapping people and why.”This quartet all have plenty of their own problems – and most of their stories don’t even intersect in any real way for at least the first half of the novel. But the thoughtful, deft way they all come together is both entertaining and natural, and you’ll find yourself rooting for all of them by the end. A Dark and Hollow Star: Complex plotting and worldbuilding It… it should matter that I’m a Viridian,” Arlo heard herself say, in a voice made small by nausea and nerves. “My magic might not be very strong, I might have much more of my father’s iron blood than you’d like, but I can still alter and conceal my appearance with a glamour just fine, and I possess enough of the Sight to see through the glamours of other folk as well…” In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world. The number one law of the universe is choice, after all — bad things happen to the people who take that option away from you.” If that isn’t enough to satisfy your misgivings, let me remind you of something else: it counts a great deal that your suppliant today is the blood of House Viridian. I, myself, as an example, was a late bloomer. Me, the faeborn son of High King Azurean. I didn’t begin to demonstrate any affinity for air—that element of my Court—until Maturity hit nearly two years ago, when I turned nineteen. And it was only months ago that I discovered I possessed a Gift in addition to that affinity.”