Book: An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney J. Shields
Reviewed by Micca
Rating: 4/5
I love seeing the range Sydney Shields is showing going from Honey Witch to An Arcane Study of Stars. I love a dark academia read, and she brought a different look at magic systems, which I loved. There was an element of secrecy, not knowing who you can really trust, and knowing there is betrayal without knowing exactly how it will happen.
Claudia is our FMC, and she has applied to a secret magical academy, hoping this would save her from the life she was being forced into. Then she was rejected. She would do almost anything to change this, so Dorian enters the picture. A mysterious being saying he is trapped in the stars by a god, but he can make her dreams come true. All it takes is part of her soul and to free him. To fail, it will mean her life. As he takes a bite out of her soul, she also tastes the power she could have access to.
As she gets offered a spot in a different form of magica than she wanted, she walks in to Cygnus University not looking her best, and not getting the best welcome. Especially from the High Sage’s apprentice, Cassius. The hate is instantly mutual. Claudia already is a semester behind, in a field she isn’t that familiar with. So, the constant mocking and ire from Cassius and his friends wears on her even more. What is worse, is that she has a spot because the click’s friend, Odette, is no longer alive, and she is given her room. The rumors go from she just passed to she was unalived, to even Claudia being accused of it. Then Claudia starts to get pieces of Odette’s journal, piece by piece. What does it all mean? Was she unalived? Was it by someone Claudia is getting close to?
Claudia will push boundaries, go deeper into the world of nightmares, trust and have trust broken, and unravels truths that will have you completely shocked. There is enemies to lovers, with a few explicit s*xual scenes, unaliving, rituals, and blood magic.
It was not what I expected, but the ride was so intricate and full of twists I did not expect. I cannot wait to see what Sydney writes next!
Thank you to Sydney, NetGalley, and Orbit Books for the opportunity to review the eARC, and give my honest opinion. All of my thoughts and review are my own.