Star Mother: A Novel

Written by Charlie N. Holmberg

Narrated by Khristine Hvam

A woman’s heart proves as infinite as the night sky in a breathtaking fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

When a star dies, a new one must be born.

The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.

Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.

Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Nov 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781713604327

Charlie N. Holmberg

Charlie N. Holmberg is the award-winning author of the Numina series, The Fifth Doll, and many other books. Her Wall Street Journal bestselling Paper Magician series has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company. Charlie’s stand-alone novel, Followed by Frost, was nominated for a 2016 RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, owns too many pairs of glasses, and finally adopted a dog. She currently lives with her family in Utah. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.

Reviews for Star Mother

[Elizabeth Wight · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is gorgeous. It reads like a folk tale with the heart of a mother. I could be easily convinced that this had originated in an oral tradition, passed down by mothers and grandmothers and wise women, while still feeling fresh and new.

[Nazare De Lima · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The most boring, annoying, stupid story I ever listened. I finished it expecting things to go around but never did. Shame ?

[Frances Martinez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was spectacular! I loved the character development and love story. This book was beautifully written.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 Ceris is chosen to be a star mother - it's an honor - but it is also a death sentence. And yet she survives. Much of the book is Ceris' journey to find family and somewhere she belongs. Along the way she acquires a companion in Ristriel. Ceris has to make hard choices but love ends up being a good guide.

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Queue up the heavy, and I mean heavy violin track as spirited Ceris takes on the always fatal role of Star Mother to save her sister or her fiancee's actual love. And don't be too surprised when ...Well schmaltz isn't my favorite shortening and this is just dripping with the sacrificial romance of it all.

[baochuan-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting read, the story line is good and novel. However, I felt the characters are a bit flat.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'd heard good things about this book, so I grabbed it when it came out as an Amazon First Read. Ceris is a tomboyish young woman, pulling pranks in her small village and preparing for her arranged marriage in the coming year. When the Sun chooses her village as the next town to become a Star Mother, Ceris, for various reasons, volunteers though she knows she will not live through the experience. This is such a different type of fantasy, one I thoroughly enjoyed. The author writes about themes of religion, motherhood, love, and sacrifice while creating a remarkable world and characters. The mythos is innovative while universal, including gods, demi-gods, godlings, and mortals of familiar archetypes. Grab this book for a quick and enjoyable read.