A Dark and Hollow Star

A Dark and Hollow Star follows four teenagers in modern-day Toronto as they investigate a series of brutal murders targeting unsanctioned magic users. The protagonists include Nausicaä, an exiled Fury seeking revenge; Arlo, a noble trying to prove themselves worthy; Vehan, a prince running from his destiny; and Aurelian, an Iron Prince with dangerous secrets. The story takes place in a hidden supernatural realm where fae courts reign and magic runs beneath the surface of human society. As the investigation deepens, the four unlikely allies must navigate court politics, ancient grudges, and their own complicated relationships while racing to stop the killer before more victims surface. The novel explores themes of identity, belonging, and the cost of revenge through its diverse cast of LGBTQ+ characters and complex supernatural world. Traditional fae mythology combines with contemporary urban fantasy elements to create a narrative about outcasts finding their place and the price of justice.

Readers describe the book as a slower-paced YA fantasy focused on character development rather than action. Many appreciate the diverse LGBTQ+ representation and the found family dynamics between the main characters. Liked: - Complex world-building with fae mythology - Multiple POV narration style - Authentic queer characters and relationships - Dark humor and banter between characters Disliked: - Pacing issues in first half of book - Information dumps about magic system - Too many characters introduced early on - Plot takes time to come together Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (850+ ratings) BookTok: Frequently recommended for LGBTQ+ fantasy Common reader comment: "Worth pushing through the slow start for the character relationships and second half payoff." Several reviews note the book reads more like adult fantasy despite YA marketing, due to complex politics and darker themes.

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🌟 The book draws heavily from Celtic mythology and features eight different Courts of Faerie, each with their own unique characteristics and politics. 🌟 Author Ashley Shuttleworth identifies as a queer, non-binary writer and deliberately crafted their fantasy world to be inclusive of LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. 🌟 The story is set in Toronto, Canada, making it stand out from typical urban fantasy novels that often choose London or New York as their backdrop. 🌟 The book's title comes from a quote by Czech poet Rainer Maria Rilke: "...make use of that dark thing that sleeps in you to send shadows over your pen and paper, shadows that softly darken your craft; from these dark, hollow places, world dawns of which you could never have dreamed." 🌟 The novel was initially conceptualized during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), where authors challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in 30 days.