Heavenly Bodies #1

Heavenly Bodies

Specs:

What The Vibes Are

What It’s About

OVER 100,000 COPIES SOLD. AN INSTANT INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER.

A runaway TikTok sensation, Heavenly Bodies is the first book in a dazzling new romantasy series that blends Greek mythology and shadow magic with a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance that will rewrite the stars.

“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins. 

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…

Progress Thoughts & Rants

Page 308 //

I’m enraptured with the woven lore of this world! Stars/astrology mixed with Greek Myth is stunning. Then, incorporating sirens and pirates? Officially, my book for January.

As far as the prophecy goes, I have a feeling that Enzo is actually a Star. There’s a lot of foreshadowing about something… Has to be something huge if it was worthy enough to buy another Star’s favor. My guess is that he’ll become the King of Stars since there’s no way Elara will fall in love with Ariete. Which seems to be essential to the fruition of the prophecy.

Also, Ariete & Gem’s puppet show??? Fucking macabre and sick. Poor Sofia.

Oh! And Lukas, what a cuck. Although I am getting the feeling that he didn’t actually summon Ariete. What if it were Sofia? Or better yet, it was most likely Enzo — revenge for his mother. Who, I have another feeling, learned of the prophecy and was killed for it. If it is true that Elara’s parents killed her. My guess is that Idris killed his wife — if my theory about Enzo being a star is true, her death could’ve been a retaliation for infidelity.

I can’t wait to figure out what the sirens’ submission meant, and what the leader meant by its impossibility. What role do the sirens play in this impending war? And who the fuck is Elara?

What I thought about it

***Possible Spoilers below

I wish so much that I read Heavenly Bodies sooner! Although I am happy I waited cause I got such a pretty edition!

Heavenly Bodies took place in the fictitious world of Celestia, which was ruled by 12 Stars — celestial beings — each with a patron kingdom. The story opened with the main female character, Princess Elara of Asteria, fleeing into the neighboring kingdom after the Star, Ariete, obliterated her family and court. Shockingly, she was the only survivor, which was unheard of. Ariete descended upon the Asterian people after learning of the prophecy spoken on Elara’s Nameday. Elara will fall for the King of Stars, and it will kill them both. Her survival solidified the prophecy as she cannot be killed by a star. When Elara entered Helios, she was captured by King Idris’s men and taken to the Sun Palace.

Once in the King’s audience, Elara kept her graceful demeanor, beautifully paired with her sharp tongue. King Idris forced Elara to train to become a weapon against the Stars. He ordered that she be trained by his son, the handsome Prince Lorenzo, “Lion of Helios.” Per the trope, they fall in love, but boy, I was not ready for the heartbreak of Elara’s losses, the twists, and the epic love between Enzo and Elara.

Heavenly Bodies was a romantasy through and through. The precipice of this tale was love — a star-crossed, tragic love that ripped my heart out. Erriu took my hope, gave it back, then took it again before departing with a vengeful cliffhanger. So rude.

Favorite Quotes

“You overestimate my compassion, Elara, and underestimate how deeply mine you are. I would let the whole world burn if it kept you warm.”

“You look like the Light has made love to you.”

“That I would have taken the crumbs you fed me. Taken you in sips, even when I wanted to drown, if it meant I could be near you.”

“You are the love of my life, El. My love of lifetimes.”

“You’re the most beautiful woman anywhere. But that wasn’t enough to say. To tell you that you look beautiful seemed a lazy, easy thing to do to describe the way you look. Because I can barely put it in to words.

So I didn’t want to tell you that you looked beautiful. I wanted to tell you that you look like a fallen star.”

“But I am not a little boy any more. Nor a prince. I am king,’ the Lion of Helios finished. ‘Long may I reign.”

When Enzo said this to his dad before killing him, I was CHEERING!

“My muse. Look how fucking beautiful you are.”

“Elara, if you were in Aphrodea without me during the solstice,” he raised his hands in exasperation, “I would burn the kingdom to the ground.”

“You wonder why I haven’t kissed you again?” he murmured. “It’s all I’ve fucking thought about. You plague me, Elara. For once I wanted to be good.”

“She was in love with him. And not only that, when he had kissed her in the clouds, she had felt a lightning bolt of power that she could not deny. It had felt familiar. A quiet recognition. As though after all this searching, her soul had said, ‘Oh, there you are.”

“You hurt what is mine,” he whispered, “and you’ll die.”

“You came,” she cried. He put her gently down, cupping her face.
“Of course I came. I will always come for you, El.”

“To Elara, a reader was an alchemist. They turned the mundane into something extraordinary, transforming words on a page into entire worlds. To steal away from reality, to feel real emotions for things that didn’t exist? Elara knew she possessed the Three, but reading was a special kind of magick.”

Conclusion

Heavenly Bodies was a pleasure to read. Have you ever felt honored to read a book? Cause that’s how I felt reading it. It’s a story that sticks with you, it buries itself deep in your soul, and heals something within you. With the way this book ended, the sequel — Fallen Star — will showcase the fury of a woman who’s had her love taken. I’m excited to see her wrath, and hopefully, finally see the end of Ariete.

Do you like Greek mythology? Astrology? How about the Stars? Or a Star-Crossed Romance? Yes? Then what are you waiting for? You have to read Heavenly Bodies! If you have read it, what did you think? Did you see those twists coming, or were you at the edge of your seat like I was?! Do you trust Merissa? How do you think Elara will defeat Ariete in the next book? Comment your thoughts!

♡ G&P