I would give it 2,5 Stars actually. The main character left a lot to wish for. The writing style was really good but the story itself had too many plot mistakes and logical mistakes. And many things about the world building were left unanswered which really bothered me because the world building could have been really interesting if it had been described better. I have never seen such useless dragons in a book, whereas I though dragons are supposed to be powerful, right? Another thing that bothered me was that one character trusted another way too fast and was waaaayyyy to stubborn to admit it. Surprisingly the ending was really good and that one character finally made a rational decision.... buuuut then did something stupid....again....yeah that was annoying. But that ending still left me curious for the second book and I will read it together with my friends to keep myself from throwing it againsg a wall....Enjoy :)

Really really really loved this book! The setting was amazing and I loved the climbing aspect. I loved the main character. Can’t wait for the second book!

2-2.5 stars

I've written so many notes while reading. In part to prepare myself to write an in depth review, where all my thoughts are neatly ordered, and easy to pen down. But also because I had quite low expectations for this, it wasn't a book I really wanted to read in the first place. So writing down a ton of notes could make the experience a bit more fun. I just had this feeling when I first saw it here on goodread, that it wouldn't be for me.

And, oh hey, would you look at that. [b:Even the Darkest Stars|26958226|Even the Darkest Stars (Even the Darkest Stars #1)|Heather Fawcett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486057260s/26958226.jpg|47008505] wasn't for me.

I'm so tired, and bored that I'm not going to go as in depth with this as I thought I would.

What this book does have going for it is the setting, and world building. It is so interesting to read the bits of lore. A damn shame all the bits I found interesting were not explored. There's even a chapter quite late in the book, that details something that happens to one of the characters. It's so so fascinating, and well-written. Had the whole story been more like that I would have been totally on board.

So since I'm so tired I'll summarise some of the parts I had problems with:

The story is very predictable. I guessed the big "plot twist" by page 147, if not a bit before that.

Character asks a question, another character responds with an answer to a whole other question.

I found three different typos/mistakes. It's not the most I've found in a book, but wow does it disturb the flow.

The fact that Rivers hair is dyed blue, which just seems extremely out of character once you read another couple of pages. It's clear that the only reason for the blue hair was for Kamzin to mistake him for "another noble jerk".

The chemistry between Kamzin and her Love Interest is non-existent, or it's just plain boring. I can't decide.

Love triangle. This trope needs to retire for at least 5 years.

Fairyloot promised me sass, witty comebacks, and cheeky characters. I didn't really see any of that to be honest. Might just be that our sense of humour doesn't align very well.

Because the characters are sort of boring in my opinion. There's not much dimension to them really. Kamzin is stubborn, River is a weirdo, Tem is loyal as a puppy, Lusha is bossy and so on.

The whole thing with Kamzin and Lusha not getting along, but we're still expected to feel touched when they share heartfelt moments.

That's actually a general problem with the book I think. Heartfelt, touching or sad moments are setup, but you either don't know the characters well enough, or something doesn't quite match up about them in the situation so you just feel slightly awkward or just don't care.

So, I clearly didn't enjoy the book very much beyond the lore and world building. I can see how some people might enjoy this, though.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.

Amid several reading slumps, Even the Darkest Stars was a lovely surprise. It follows Kazmin, who has always dreamed of getting out of her little village and becoming one of the Emperor's royal explorers, responsible for mapping the mountainous empire. And when River, the current royal explorer, arrives and hires Kazmin to climb Raskha, the tallest and deadliest mountain, in search of a rare talisman, it's Kazmin's chance to prove she's the best. After her sister betrays her and sets off in search of the talisman herself with a rival explorer, Kazmin must decide what's more important: protecting her sister, or beating her to the summit of Rashka.

I'm going to start by getting the negatives out of the way (don't worry, there are very few). Firstly, the pace did lag a bit. That's because Fawcett put so much detail and attention into the world-building, and creating a truly atmospheric and engaging read. If you're looking for a fast-paced book, I wouldn't look to this one. But if you're looking for a solid high fantasy with exceptional world-building, suspense, and immersiveness, then I would definitely keep this on your radar. Secondly, there is a love triangle, and it's pretty in your face. There's the old childhood friend, and the mysterious attractive newcomer. It's definitely not my favourite part of this book, but the book also has enough good points that I can give the love-triangle a pass.

Now onto the positives! As I said, the world-building was A+. I loved the Himalayan inspired setting, the magical aspects, the snowy mountainous landscape, and what was especially standout was the survivalist aspects. Kazmin and her team encounter avalanches, storms, and hazards of a supernatural nature. Kazmin was, beyond a doubt, an admirable protagonist. She's definitely flawed, but that makes her all the more realistic. We also have a wonderful cast of fully-fleshed out side characters.

It was a difficult book to put down because of the fantastic setting and the edge of your seat thrills. It's a solid high fantasy and it's a series I do hope to keep up with. I would recommend Even The Darkest Stars to fans of survivalist and magical fantasies.