Secrets of the Starcrossed: Clara O'Connor

Title: Secrets of the Starcrossed (The Once and Future Queen #1)

Author: Clara O'Connor

Publish Date: January 21st, 2021

Publisher: One More Chapter

Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for review!

Summary by Goodreads. 

In a world where the Roman Empire never fell, two starcrossed lovers fight to ignite the spark of rebellion…                                                                                       Londinium, the last stronghold of the Romans left in Britannia, remains in a delicate state of peace with the ancient kingdoms that surround it. As the only daughter of a powerful merchant, Cassandra is betrothed to Marcus, the most eligible bachelor in the city.                                                                                       But then she meets Devyn, the boy with the strange midnight eyes searching for a girl with magic in her blood.                                                                                       A boy who will make her believe in soulmates…                                                                                       When a mysterious sickness starts to leech the life from citizens with Celtic power lying dormant in their veins, the imperial council sets their schemes in motion. And so Cassandra must make a choice: the Code or Chaos, science or sorcery, Marcus or Devyn?                                                                                       Panem meets the Grishaverse in this explosive new YA trilogy perfect for readers of Marie Lu, Bella Forrest, and Cassandra Clare.

Penelope's Review

Loved it. Absolutely loved it! I have to say, the mixed reviews made me a bit nervous, but after reading this book I really can't imagine why the reviews are so all over the place! First of all, the premise for this book is absolutely fascinating - from what I gather, it's written as if the fall of the Roman Empire never happened, so it's kind of like a "this is what would have happened if they had continued to thrive". SO cool right?! Not to mention the world that Clara O'Connor created! I loved trying to imagine what she envisioned with a city built up into the sky rather than out along the ground. It put my imagination to the test that's for sure!

In terms of the premise/world-building, the only thing I will say is that sometimes the history of the different kingdoms/wars/treaties was a bit confusing. I found it hard to follow along and felt there could have been a bit more detail included. I don't think that it took away from my experience, however. as I could follow along enough to understand the major players, and that is what was important. Just something to make note of!

Character-wise, I was not disappointed! Cassandra, the main female lead, started out as a simple person with a simple life. But as she discovered truths about herself and the world around her, she transformed into a defiant, compassionate, and determined young lady. Her development as a person throughout this book was so much fun to read and experience. I found many of her reactions and actions real and relatable, which was great as I tend to put myself in the shoes of the main character! 

Devyn was also a great character. I found the beginning of the book, when Cassandra and Devyn meet for the first time, a bit fast. It kind of seemed to come out of nowhere and at the very beginning of the book without any sort of buildup. But as I kept reading, this feeling dissipated and I found myself rooting for them to be together! Devyn was a great male lead. He was dark, handsome, and mysterious (the perfect combo every time). He was confident and a bit arrogant, but it worked for him. He had the whole "bad boy" part down to an art and I loved every minute of it. 

In terms of their relationship, the only thing that REALLY frustrated me was that Devyn would NOT tell Cassandra anything. Like literally anything. There would be huge, elaborate plans that she had to be a part of, and he would give her LESS than the bare minimum. It was irritating, to be quite honest. I wish I had seen a little more spunk and defiance from Cassandra in these particular situations. But that's pretty much my only complaint there. 

And Marcus was an interesting addition that turned this into a semi love triangle type book! You'll see what I mean by that when you read it lol! He was not my cup of tea at first, but I came around as he developed into a character more worthy of my love and appreciation haha! As he also discovers the truth about the leaders of his world, he becomes much more bearable. 

Overall, I found this book fresh and exciting! I loved the Celtic elements woven throughout, and am so excited to read what comes next in the series! TALK ABOUT A CLIFFHANGER! Eek! I highly recommend this book to all YA lovers!

Rating: 4.5/5 Devils!