Genres: Fantasy Romance, Romantic Fantasy, Epic Fantasy | Release Date: 11 February 2026 | Series: The Devoured Fates | Series Book: #1 | Pages: 374 | Indie Author | Review
“I would scour the corners of the world for you.”
Stephanie Blair
Overview:
A huge thank you goes to Stephanie Blair, for letting me read an e-ARC of When the Stars Were Devoured! I’m incredibly late to reviewing this wonderful debut romantasy, but can promise Steph had to hear all of my fangirling when I first devoured this book… Here’s hoping that was a good experience for her! However, let’s not keep you waiting any longer, here’s the overview!
Within the kingdom of Noxia, King Euron rules with an iron fist, crushing the spirits of his subjects. And his right hand man, The Devourer, is just as ruthless; tasked with eliminating any threat to King Euron’s reign, Kassiel wields a destructive power that will literally destroy souls. But from the shadows, a rebellion is brewing… And Alora is at its helm. She has a plan to eliminate the king using her own powers of illusion, but when that fails? Alora and her crew manage to capture Kassiel, taking him with them as they flee the king’s wrath. Can Alora and her friends find a way to bring down the king, once and for all? Will they manage to persuade Kassiel to turn on the man he’s spent a lifetime defending? And when secrets are brought into the light, who will be left standing?
Happiness Boost:
When the Stars Were Devoured is such an enthralling romantasy, filled with a lyrical prose that left me swooning. I’m a firm believer that the atmosphere of a story is just as important as the characters and their actions, and within this book? Stephanie has delivered. I was racing through these pages, swept away into ancient forests and a darkness which threatens everything (and everyone) Alora loves. The ominous weight gets heavier with every step we take on this journey with her, and I’m such a fan of that!
Within these pages, we get broken souls, ancient powers, and an oppressive world of evil. And I’m saying yes to all of it! But Alora? This FMC’s vulnerability, her willingness to explore the shattered pieces in her own mind, she’s a heroine of the highest calibre. I adore her ability to push through when everything seems hopeless, and her fiery grit that won’t let her stand by when people are being hurt. I wish more of us (myself included) could be as brave as her, honestly.
Alora and Kassiel’s relationship is a complicated, star-crossed lovers trope that will leave you begging for book two of this series. Every time I thought Stephanie was going to take pity on us? When the Stars Were Devoured would tear into my heart once again. But this has to be a happiness boost, because don’t we want stories that will hit us with all the emotion?! And oh boy, did it ever… This romantasy didn’t pull any punches—it aimed for the heart, and its aim was true. Truthfully, I could talk about this book for days.
Downside:
I don’t have a downside, I was completely enchanted with this debut!
Final Thoughts:
When the Stars Were Devoured by Stephanie Blair is a romantasy featuring ancient magic, an oppressive regime, and a star-crossed love for the ages. If you haven’t read this? What are you waiting for?! Go get yourself a copy, you will *not* regret it! And because I’m very helpful, if you like what you’ve heard from my review? You can just click on the link below to order this beautiful tale! Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can order When the Stars Were Devoured via this link: Amazon
