Book Review: “Tome of Stars”
Posted: November 28, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Collection, Poetry, Review | Tags: Book Review, Kaye Lynne Booth, Poetry Collection, Stargazer, Tome of Stars, Writing to be Read 1 Comment
About Tome of Stars
What is Tome of Stars?
Tome of Stars is equal parts art, therapy journal, and (failed) exorcism, both a celebration and an elegy. As a single narrative arc tracing the birth and death of a relationship, the poems follow a timeline of passion, longing, and prolonged grief.
Cosmic imagery saturates the collection, a tribute to the beloved, who transformed the heavens into symbols of devotion, wonder, and longing. The work is a flawed attempt to chart a universe of feeling and experience through emotional and psychological labyrinths that have for decades left the author lost and bewildered.
All poetry is by Stargazer. The verse and accompanying synthetic art/music are public domain, CC0, with no restrictions on use. Nothing is monetized.
Purchase Link: https://www.tomeofstars.net/books
My Review of Tome of Stars
I received a color illustrated hardback print copy of Tome of Stars from the author, Stargazer, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own. The author sent a beautifully color illustrated hardback print copy. I was led to believe that it was available in other formats, such as black & white, or digital formats, but I have no purchase links available.
My first impression was that the entire collection is a love poem to the universe. I’m very fond of sonnets, which made the reading easy and smooth, and quite enjoyable. As I read on, I discovered that although these sonnets speak of the universe, and sometimes, to their intended as a goddess in the stars, they actually chronicle the rise and fall of a love relationship which is viewed through the eyes of the poet in cosmic proportions.
I found it refreshing to find the obvious Eastern influence expressed in this traditional poetry format. The sonnets in this collection would make Shakespear proud. I had several favorites; too many to reprint them all here, but I feel the need to include a small sample. Tome of Stars is a large collection, literally a tome, and the choosing is difficult indeed.
Divine Mud
Beneath this grin, my grave of secrets rots,
Both vile and pure, each thread too lightly grasped,
A knotted web where truth and silence fought,
Too dark for light, too precious to unclasp.
Agleam within the ruins of my mind,
A single shard shines bright amongst the waste:
A sublime rose once shattered in my crimes,
Revealed as glow no gloom could ever fade.
For love is godly – bright and black the same,
A mixture rough of mortal mud divine,
Where sorrow mangles joy, yet gestates flame,
Jailed soulmates thrust within the genes’ design.
We build from what we break towards light,
Or so we dream in fever through our night.
And another:
Alarippu
On verdant stage, a rose begins to prance,
Inhaling astral breath; her sepals wink,
To rhythmic beats, the bud shakes off her trance,
As lim s unwind, aroused to softly sync.
In graceful arcs, the petals stretch and bend,
Sure steps of symmetry, precisely placed,
Grand geometric lines their glamour lend;
Each stem and lead their destined roles embraced.
Beneath starshine, a lush crescendo swells —
Potential bursts into kinetic power
With fragrant splendor, stunning beauty melds;
The world’s rapt audience beholds the flower.
The cosmic Gardener, with fertile breeze,
Bestows the blessing on the dance, well-pleased.
Easy to read and beautiful to enjoy, Tome of Stars is a delightful collection of sonnets with a story. I give it five quills.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
