StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Celyn Contrare is not the woman she seems to be. Everyone sees her merely as a maid to the Lady Merista, but in reality, she’s Digger, a skilled street thief. How did Digger end up in this position? She would like to know too. She adopts her Celyn persona to blend in, hoping to escape living with these nobs at the first chance possible, but before she knows it, she gets drawn into the sticky web of court politics. Blackmailed by the devious Lord Daul who knows her secret, Digger is forced to spy on the lords and ladies in the castle. What she uncovers may change the future of her country—and her own life—forever.

Of late, I have been reading a lot of fantasy stories, and even though StarCrossed is just another one of those, I still immensely enjoyed it. What I really love about certain fantasies is that the reader is transported to an entire new world with entire new social customs and politics. It’s fascinating just to learn about them and to see how they are being challenged or changed in the story. In StarCrossed, Digger likes to think that she’s removed from all the politics, but she ends up becoming an integral part of them anyway. Digger is really such a strong protagonist; she has undergone so many hardships and personal betrayals yet she survives and even thrives. This story was just so fascinating to follow because of the exciting plot and realistic characters; I cannot wait for the continuation of Digger’s story in Liar’s Moon.

StarCrossed is sure to be enjoyed by fans of Plain Kate by Erin Bow, The Keepers’ Tattoo by Gill Arbuthnott, Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce, and Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from publisher Scholastic