Star Mother

A Novel (Star Mother, Book 1)

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.

©2021 by Charlie N. Holmberg. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Holmberg knows just how to please fantasy fans.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Holmberg is a genius at world building.” (Booklist)

"Khristine Hvam narrates this captivating fantasy with the relaxed pace and warmth of a summer's day.... Listeners will appreciate Hvam's credible delivery of characters ranging from simple townsfolk to celestial beings as Ceris journeys through space and time, experiencing extraordinary love and crushing loss. Hvam's portrayals of Ceris and the diverse cast of mystical characters she encounters are presented with ease and authenticity that will sweep listeners into the heavens along with Ceris as the tale of STAR MOTHER settles into their hearts.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“In this stunning example of amazing worldbuilding, Holmberg (Spellbreaker) features incredible creatures, a love story, and twists no one could see coming. This beautiful novel will be enjoyed by fantasy and romance readers alike.” (Library Journal)

“Gods and men mingle in this fantasy tale of celestial beings, battling gods, and time travel. Fans of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust (2008) will appreciate the unique characters in this fantasy adventure.” (Booklist)

Captivating, magical and well narrated

I loved this story & the narration of it so much! I don’t typically leave a written review, however I wanted to tell anyone thinking of listening should definitely do so. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I am off to find my next one by them! I can’t wait until Star Father comes out!!

Fabulous!

What a terrific fairy tale! Sun, Moon, Earth, godlings, and stars all living beings. A human female is needed to give birth to new stars, which kills the mother. But what if a mother survives?

I can't wait until the next book is out in March.

absolutely amazing

I was enthralled by this story from beginning to end. I will definitely be listening to it again.

Sweet celestial story

This was a sweet story about the mother of stars, the sun, the moon, and twilight. The narrator was very good as well. This wasn’t a heavy read, but a delightful fable. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I definitely look into his other books.

Excellent mythological fantasy vibe, yet without any direct basis in our real world myths

I really appreciated the way this book is reminiscent of a mythology retelling but the gods demi-gods, and godlings of this story are unique and enchanting.

good read

I wasn't sure about it at first but by the end I was sad it was over. definitely different but amazing

Beautifully written

I alternated between ebook and audiobook. It is an original story that is beautifully written. The author uses words to weave her own tapestry of starlight and godlings. I do wish thr world building had been better done - all of the background and secondary characters really seem two dimensional. And for a world that is so intertwined with the gods and religion, it is curious that not much more is built of it.

it is a short book, almost a novella, so I really can't fault the lack of depth too much. But the lack did extend beyond the world building. Ristriel seems to have a backstory and depth.... but Ceris not so much. it is as though she is being built as the story is unfolding, which I suppose she is in a way. But why does she interact and do as she does? Similarly, the relationships between characters are lacking in their building. The building is there... but limited in depth. With the author's ability to write so beautifully, it left me wanting to read more and more.

As for the audiobook reader - she was great most of the time. Aometimes her tone or cadence really didn't match what she was reading, though. So that was a bit odd.

All the feels

Fantastic narration and a lovely story. The characters are fantastical but relatable. There are tender moments of pain and love and joy.

A Magical Tale

This was a wonderful story. I could never predict the turns it would take and found it deeply touching.

Captivating

Absolutely captivating performance by the narrator and another beautifully written story by Charlie N Holmberg.

The celestial mythology/lore gives this novel, what I consider a beautiful and unique element. This book is deeply emotional, it has been a long time since a novel has made me cry for multiple chapters but the last 2-3 chapters were intense. They speak deeply to what it means to love, to lose loved ones, to sacrifice for those you love and what it means to experience true loneliness. I know some reviewers felt the book wasn't dramatic enough, but it honestly if you have not felt these emotions intensely for yourself you may miss these nuances.