THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER, by Rachel Griffin, Sourcebooks Fire, Feb. 17, 2026, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
A young woman is forced to give up her planned future in order to save everyone she knows in The Sun and the Starmaker, by Rachel Griffin.
There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world… and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker…
Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she’s ever known.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch. —Synopsis provided by Sourcebooks Fire
The Sun and the Starmaker is a YA fairy tale that pulls you in and makes you want to keep reading.
In The Sun and the Starmaker, author Rachel Griffin has crafted a slow-burn romantic fantasy that reads like a fairy tale. There are magical elements, fantastical beings, a clear quest, a moral lesson and a transformative feel overall.
Most of the story comes from Aurora’s point of view. And you get a real sense of her life and transformation, not only as her magic grows but as a person in general. She’s a strong protagonist. You want her to find happiness. Sprinkled throughout the novel are a few chapters from the Starmaker’s point of view. And though short, those chapters add another layer to the narrative.
You could argue there’s a third main character in The Sun and the Starmaker: Reverie itself. There’s magic laced throughout it, and it almost has a mind of itself.
Griffin is a master at setting the scene. The book plays out almost cinematically, with you feeling as if you are walking side-by-side with Aurora as she explores her mountain. You feel the frost and the warmth of the sun. You understand the village and the magic that supports it.
The Sun and the Starmaker is a fast-moving read that makes you wish there were more books like it. It’s one of my favorite YA offerings in a long time.
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