Only in darkness can you see the stars…As the Tarot incarnation of Justice, tracking down the outlaws of the psychic community and delivering them to Judgment is Sara Wilde’s business…and business is good. Now a rival syndicate known as The Shadow Court seeks to impose their own brand of justice, restricting magic to only the richest and most influential psychics, while stripping power from … psychics, while stripping power from all the “undesirables” along the way. Their top priority? Hit Sara Wilde, guiding light of psychics everywhere, where it hurts…
Right in the heart.
From the crackling fires of Burning Man to Sara’s even more incendiary high school reunion, the path is never more twisted than when you follow The Wayward Star.
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Every time this woman puts pen to paper -so to speak- wonders occur. And this time was no different.
Continuing the Wilde Justice series with this slightly lighter edition, Jenn Stark once again brings us back into the world of the Arcana Council. Although a large part of the storyline is whimsical in nature, we are still faced with the ominous Shadow Court. They are now starting to make more overt, more perspicuous moves. And the Arcana Council, if it wants to prevail, must move out of the shadows and into the light. And with that realization comes necessary mobilization. They need to step up.
But in anticipating how they will do that, well, it’s Sara Wilde, so you know it won’t be in any boringly conventional way. No, not when our wonderfully outrageous Nikki Dawes persuades Sara to go to her high school reunion. After all, it’s the perfect place to bring the Council into the public eye, wouldn’t you say?
There is the usual insanity, coupled with mystery and action galore, as is always the case when Sara is on the scene. And with Armaeus still not remembering their shared past, things are even more conflicted and disquieting for her. Trying to get just one step ahead of the Shadow Court is proving to be one of the more harrowing tasks Sara has had put before her by the Council. And having Armaeus take an active role is both exhilarating and depressing, but most of all, confusing. Bring in Eshe, and you have brought the fantastical into the storyline.
I don’t want to give away any of the story, so I intend to stop here with the hints. The one thing I will say is, Jenn Stark never disappoints. In this addition to the series, there may have been a bit more whimsy, which helped lighten the mood a bit, but don’t let that fool you. There is still plenty of intensity that will keep you enthralled. And plenty of questions left without answers. At least not just yet. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Once again, Jenn Stark, you have succeeded in enriching this series, making it worthy of immediate notice once the book is released. You have definitely placed Immortal Vegas/Wilde Justice at the very top of my favorite series list, actually replacing the previous number one. Sorry, JY!
As usual, Excellently Done, Jenn Stark, Excellently Done Indeed.
This was given to me as an ARC. My review is in my own words and of my own volition. As always.
If you love the Dresden files, you will love Wayward Star!! Twist and turns at every turn of the page. Magic, love and Burning Man! Get this book, you will not be disappointed!
I sat thinking about this book after I finished it for some time, trying to discover just why these stories are just so very good. I think it’s because Jenn Stark respects her readers. She doesn’t lead us by the nose through the stories. She allows us the space to try and guess what is happening, builds the mystery and the tension. This story is no different. Unlike the other’s though, this one does make me want to sit in her kitchen and bring her coffee until she gives me the next part of the story.. A deep breath before we are off again. This romance with the Magician is just epic. It’s deep and confusing and the tension is delicious! He’s as much a mystery as the rest of the story!
And someday, I would love to read a story about Nikki and the Devil… Just sayin…
I did receive an ARC of this story for review. Jenn’s the only author I do this for…so worth it!
Jenn Stark nailed this one. I want to mention that Stark has a great sense of humor that you rarely see noticed in her reviews. Outside of all the fast-paced action and multifaceted characters, this author is funny…laugh out lout funny at times. Each book obviously has some twists but the one she threw us in The Hallowed Knight knocked us readers flat! The Wayward Star is starting to build us back up and I can’t wait to see how she works things out in the upcoming books. WRITE FASTER!!!
The Wayward Star is the fifth book in the Wilde Justice series by Jenn Stark and you definitely have to have read the previous books to know where you and other characters stand at this point. Sara Wilde is again in the thick of things, trying to keep the peace between the Arcana council whilst preparing for war with the Shadow Court. She also has to deal with an invitation to her high school reunion as well as the Burning Man festival… to try and balance all that she also has to deal with her emotions when it comes to the Magician and moving on with that relationship despite him forgetting who she is and what they had/have together.
This is a fast-paced book with a lot going on and the usual characters making an appearance: Brodie, Nikki, The Devil to name but a few. As usual with Sara, everything seems to be in the air and she is juggling a lot of responsibilities, dealing with betrayals and learning truths about her past which hit her like a semi! There are always some funny moments (Nikki is just hilarious) and a tie in to another series, as well as maybe some redemption from one of the Arcana Council…. we’ll have to wait and see how that develops.
As always with Jenn Stark books there is lots of description, action and will they/won’t they between Sara and the Magician. Although I have to say that the scenes with them in are beautifully written, passionate and heart-breaking at the same time.
Jenn Stark books are definitely books’ that you want to read, entertaining, knowledgeable and fast paced. You need to give them a try!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: https://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
One of the most compelling books I’ve read in a long time. I got the first three books in the Immortal Vegas series in a bundle deal and loved them enough to keep reading and I don’t regret it for a second!
Just as soon as you think you’ve got a handle on what’s going on, your entire perspective will be changed. Faces we haven’t seen in a long time come back around, betrayals that we could have never seen coming, and reunions we’ve longed for!
I don’t want to discredit any of the other books in this series, but this one was phenomenal!!!!
Let there be n doubt every single star on this rating has been earned by this author. As the stories and escapades of Justice Sarah Wilde continues we get to know more about her and her high school years right before everything literally went up in smoke. Things that leave her and the council spinning to control the outcome, the exposure and the harm to innocents. Of course that’s not the only thing that sends them in reaction mode. With natural disasters and connected under attack the last thing she needs to deal with is Burning Man and her High School reunion and that includes blast from the past. Don’t trust anyone has never been truer as the Shadow Council shows their hand and she finds out just how betrayed she was and how much of her past was orchestrated. Oh and I’m just going to say this new man Mr. Magician has become definitely is keeping her off kilter and well us too.
Loving this series!! I was so excited when I saw it appear I pushed everything else to the side. It’s refreshing to know there are authors out there that you can always depend on to consistently provide reads that will keep you pumped up all the way from the beginning to the end. I love that these characters are always evolving not giving you the opportunity to get bored or for the tale to become redundant. Absolutely a fan.
A superb book that shows the further development of the wonderful characters while entrenching the readers to every word and wanting more. This series has the true making of being the next big Twilight series and would make a great TV series or movie. This is a must-read book.
A shining example of Jenn keeping the characters fresh and expanding the universe of the connected. Not your typical High School reunion. Sara may not have been a star in high school but now everyone wants her for good or bad. Justice is demanded and justice will be there for all.
The Shadow Court shows more of their hand and Sara must evolve more to deal with the needs of connected and non-connected alike. How to deal with shadows without faces? How to help humanity grow and stop those whose visions are for only the elite. Sara has a burning need to get to the truth that drives her growth. Just when you think you have a good grasp of what Sara and council the story leads in unexpectedly refreshing directions that keep me coming back for more. Shine on!
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This doesn’t affect the content of my review.
I received this book in ARC for my honest review and I am so glad I did. I loved The Wayward Star. Sara Wilde and crew get ready for battle – looks like the gloves are coming off in dealing with the Shadow Court. There are many changes coming still for Sara . . . What will she become? I am so excited to continue to follow this heroine and her family as they navigate the ever-changing magic world.
The Wayward Star
I love this series. I read a lot and no author I have read in the last few years makes every book as good or better than the first that got me hooked.
Sarah Wilde is smart, funny, adventurous and always full of surprises. She is really developing into a a Justice to all, not just Connected’s. The description of her Hall of Justice is great. I feel like I am in there with her sleeping with my face on the tubes and drooling. And the adventure…The Swiss Alps, Burning Man, Bali, and as always the Arcana Council’s base in crazy Vegas.
There is a lot of enrichment of existing characters, new characters, Arcana vs. Shadow Council, and overriding it all is the electric love of Sarah and Armaeus in their ever expanding universe.
I received this book as an ARC, and am giving this review of my own volition and in my own words. Jenn Stark is the only author I do this for because I love her books and want others to get the same enjoyment.
Since the reveal of the Shadow Court’s long-running things behind the scenes from the Arcana Council, Sara Wilde, as Justice, along with the other councilmembers are trying to discern what the motives of the Shadow Court are and how much the Council will step in to help those caught in the crossfire.
The plus side, Sara and Armaeus, since recovering his memories, have been working on the threat side-by-side. On the other side, Sara also must contend with her high school reunion, and sometimes facing your past is more intense than facing a diabolical rival supernatural syndicate.
The Wayward Star was a great continuation from The Shadow Court. I loved the pacing and how it wasn’t super full of conflict instead focusing on unfolding more about what makes the Shadow Court tick, who is involved and why, and what their ultimate plans are.
There’s a turning point for the Council that is refreshing from how we’ve seen the Council operate up to this point. I really enjoyed the change up and I look forward to seeing where the new dynamic takes the upcoming stories in the series.
Sara and Armaeus continue to rediscover each other since the loss and subsequent retrieval of his memories, and I really loved the ease at which they interact. Even though there’s still a tentativeness in their interactions, it’s not really a reset on where they once were, but there is a lightness to their relationship. I think it’s the idea of Armaeus being more open instead of closed off and mysterious. He may still be mysterious about his motivations, but he’s also more open to sharing the reasoning behind his actions.
I felt like the high school reunion scenario was kind of just thrown into the story, but I also love delving back into Sara’s past and I feel like high school is always a fun one to revisit. Jenn Stark has done an awesome job of taking what we thought we already knew and continually adds another twist to the story without making it seem contrived. Instead making Sara’s past as though Sara herself sees things from new eyes which, technically, she does as Justice.
The Wayward Star was a nice transitional book in the series. I loved opening new avenues to explore in future books and the whole idea of the Shadow Court, and their history, is still so intriguing. This has been a great way to end one year and start a new one!
Another Wilde ride in this great series. We continue to follow Sara in her role as Justice on the Arcane Council. The war on magic is growing, a missing friend from High School in town for a reunion, forces Sara to the Burning Man Festival. With Niki at her side and the other council members taking action will they win the battle? Another must read. I love in the inter mixing of Tarot cards with the story.
A Wilde High School Reunion….
As appointed Justice to the Arcana Council, Sara Wilde has enough on her plate, first and foremost fight the claim to power of The Shadow Court, a rival organization, which seeks to restrict the use of magic to the wealthy. This time the Council seem to be in for the ride, not only Armaeus, Kreios and Simon join Sara actively in the field, but also Viktor and Eshe will help in the background. If it weren’t for Eshe behaving very “un-Empress”-like and Viktor deceptive nature…the ongoing strange behaviour of Armaeus….. and then there is Nikki, the best friend a heroine can have, always supportive, never afraid to call her out.
And of course, Sara will not be our Sara if nothing crazy happened down the journey… this time the crazy comes in the shape of…… High School Reunion. Events overlap, Sara goes to Burning Man (a most satisfying trip), Warwick of the Syx has a cameo role, and we cannot ask for more, what of course does not stop for wanting more… more adventures more book, more Sara, more everything, it is good to know Jenn Stark keeps on delivering.
Jenn Stark’s writing style is unique, a mixture of hardcore adventure and whimsicality, that makes the book simultaneously light and surprisingly deep, with characters that show very real-life qualities in seemingly fantasy situations.
“The Wayward Star” is the fifth installment in the “Wilde Justice” Series, a directly follow up of the Immortal Vegas Series featuring Sara Wild as a magical-artifacts hunter. I keep repeating myself, and rightly so: Jenn Stark keeps on delivering the best urban fantasy out there… This verse deserves its own TV-Show, seriously!!!!!
I recieved this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I love the direction the Wilde Justice series has taken. While I loved Immortal Vegas, I feel that the character development and plot twists are better in this one. I was taken on an emotional roller coaster, laughing, crying, and everything in between. I love the small sub plots that are completed in each book. The cameos by characters from the previous series always tickle me, too. I quite enjoyed Tesla’s dialogue, The Syx’s part, and Eshe’s greater role in this story. The direction Dal and the Magician are taking is brilliant. Over the course of both series, I feel as though I know the characters, they’ve become my friends and nemeses, and I’m fully invested. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Great addition to the series and cannot wait to see what happens next
okay first things first, nigel is back for a little bit!! i think he needs more page time, i love him.. i am loving the new side of the magician and more supporting characters to add to the ones we know.. the devil and nikki are awesome as usual and we get to see eshe get out of her tower and interact which was different, but fun.. warrick and his demons made an appearance and of course we’re still wondering about the emperor and if he’s evil or no.. tesla shows up again, i’d like to see more of him.. sara keeps getting more interesting and sariah should get together with brody, just my personal opinion =) it was a great book and i keep wanting the series to wrap up but the same time never end, and to me that’s what makes an awesome series..
There is so much to love about this book. Nazi treasures, favourite characters, a high school reunion, and Sara and the Magician walking the path of true love. Anything else is a spoiler! You will love it – buy it!