When the cover for ALL THE STARS AND TEETH was revealed, I was immediately enthralled and intrigued. After reading the synopsis, I was in!!! A seafaring adventure with pirates, mermaids and magic? SIGN.ME.UP! I read the book over the course of a week during a very difficult time in my personal life. It was the perfect mental break and distraction. I do think I want to do a reread when I'm in a different state of mind to fully absorb everything.

I love when a book has a sassy character like Bastian. His humor and snark are everything I look for in a book boyfriend! Plus he's a pirate, swoooon. Amora, the Princess, is a little lost and has a lot to learn. But her magic was something I've never seen before and I found the details of how it works fascinating. Ferrick, the stowaway, has so much heart and reminds me a lot of myself. He wants to help everyone but ends up in some tricky situations. Vataea, the mermaid, ... where to even begin with her. She is bad a$$ and never does what you expect!  The whole Sea Crew of Keel Haul (that's the ship) was just a joy to read. I really don't know if I could choose a favorite if you made me.

The book doesn't start out with extensive world building, I felt like I was just kind of thrown into it. Honestly? I kind of loved that! I feel that sometimes the world building aspects of a book can be very long and drawn out. ALL THE STARS AND TEETH is set in a world that's been divided by war. There are several islands each with their own form of magic. It took me a bit to remember what was what and who could do what sorts of magic. Overall I like how Adalyn set up her world. The plot starts out quick and the adventure never really stops. I'm really excited to see where this ends! It's going to be a long year waiting for book 2, but I can't wait.

What a great read. Amora is a great character and the adventure is fun and exciting. This book is hard to put down and the cover is so eye catching. Read this today!

It seems like the young adult fantasy genre is going to continue to explode with new authors, new stories, and some kick a** women.

All the Stars and Teeth is a gritty, dark, and magical adventure of a princess on the high seas discovering herself and her kingdom, proving once again that self exploration is often as important as global exploration.

What really stood out to me about this book was the imagery. I mentioned on my instagram how visually stunning this book is. Adalyn Grace does a spectacular job painting pictures with words, especially in some of the darker scenes. I'm not well versed in blood magic, but let's just say, things get dark quickly anytime Amaya begins to use her magic.

This is the beginning of a series, so it should be pointed out that there is a fair amount of world building that takes place. I would have preferred that the necessary background information be spread out a little, but the ideas and settings designed were wonderfully thought out.

While predictable at times, I would argue that a lot of books are predictable in general terms, but in specific details, authors can really shine, and Grace really shines in her debut.

With evocative writing, relatable characters, heart warming romance, and shocking twists, All the Stars and Teeth is a smart and imaginative kick off to a must read new fantasy series.

The first thing that made me interested in All the Stars and Teeth is of course, the cover. I mean, look at that beauty! Even if I dislike the book (which I don’t, by the way), I’d keep it simply because of its cover. Fortunately, the story inside is as amazing as its cover, which is why you have to pick up this book.

All the Stars and Teeth tells the story of Amora Montara, who’s about to perform her soul magic in front of her peoples for the first time to prove that she’s fit to be their queen. Unlike other type of magics that can be learned by everyone, only the Montara line can learn the soul magic. However, when her demonstration went wrong, Amora seeks other way to prove to her people that she can rule as their queen, by taking down a threat to the kingdom.

I love and admire Amora since the beginning. She clearly loves her kingdom and its people, and would do what’s best for them. When she finds out the dark truth of her kingdom that her father hide, she doesn’t back down and continue to fight. I also like the friendship and relationship that Amora made throughout the book, especially the budding romance between her and Bastian, a pirate who saves her. And no, despite what the beginning might implied to, there’s no love triangle in this book. It was clear who she ends up with, but I’m still glad that Adalyn made Amora and Ferrick friends.

My favorite part from this book is, hands down, the journey throughout the kingdom of Visidia. Amora and her friends went through the sea to reach their destination, and along the way, they encounter monsters, magic, and mayhem of various kind. Honestly, it kinda reminds me of Pirate of the Caribbean, but less dark. Also, I’ll admit it takes a little time to remember what’s this place and what’s that place, but once you get to remember it, you’ll realize how great and vivid the world-building is. Basically, there’s 7 islands in the kingdom, and each island is practicing one kind of magic. Every person in Visidia is only able to to learn one kind of magic, or else a curse would befall the kingdom. Since we only visited 4 of these islands in this book, I’m excited where book two will bring us.

In conclusion, All the Stars and Teeth is a wonderful story about saving a kingdom. Not only that, it’s also about growing up and realizing the hidden truth of the world, and how to right the wrongs. If you’re looking for fast-paced fantasy in a stunning world, definitely give this book a try.

This was an impressive first book by this author and a start to what I think is a duology. Her writing was captivating, the magic system seemed a lot different than the typical run-of-the-mill stuff in YA, and the world building was phenomenal and I want more, more, more. In the blurb on Goodreads it mentions how this would be for fans of the Caraval series and honestly, I agree with that when it came to the crew visiting the different islands. Every place was so unique along with the people there that is was truly magical.

Other than my intensely piqued curiosity over why/how Amora didn’t seem to know ANYTHING going on in her soon-to-be-kingdom, the main reason I enjoyed this book so much was the characters. Dudes, Amora is kick ass. Some of the scenes with her fighting and using her magic were so visceral…Sometimes that bothers me depending on how intense it is but here, it was so impressive. She might not be that relatable to most common people in that aspect but there are other parts of her that are. She cares SO much for her people, her kingdom and was horrified when she learned what kinds of things were happening that she didn’t know about. I loved her surety that she was the right person to next take charge of the kingdom because she wanted to fix things so badly. Even with that surety though, she still had moments of vulnerability that bring her more down to earth. I greatly enjoyed reading about her journey through the book and can’t wait to see what the next one will bring, especially after that ending.

Bastian, obviously, was a favorite as well (and I think he’ll be a fan favorite with basically everyone). He’s a dashing pirate that’s impeccably dressed and has a smile that earned an insta-swoon from me. There were a few STEAMY kisses that I loved, obviously. And again, I can’t wait to see what the next book brings for him as well after that ending……….As for Ferrick, he really grew on me (wasn’t sure what to think of him at first, kinda annoyed me a little) and now that I’m thinking about it, that’s kinda punny, lol. Vataea too, also super badass. Hope to see her use more of her magic in the next book.

Overall, solid start, but just wasn’t quite a five star read for me. Might just be my mood though (as I said, I’m super pregnant and super tired and some days super cranky, lol). Will 100% be snatching up that second book!

Huge thanks to NetGally and Imprint for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

All the Stars and Teeth is a comfortable book. It's not a amazing book with fantastic characters, but it's good.

Mermaids and magic and pirates and everything you could want in a book! The characters and adventure make this book worth the read! Also, love the cover!!

ALL THE STARS AND TEETH features some exciting world-building and unique magic that will intrigue readers. The Kingdom of Visida is a collection of islands where each has their own specific type of magic and is represented by a jewel. Amora is heir to the throne and has been training to take over both as queen as a the nation's High Animancer, or master of souls. Despite wanting to explore more beyond the her home island of Arida, Amora's father the King has kept her close. The royal family's magic is brutal, the manipulation of souls, and when Amora's demonstration of her powers goes disastrously, she escapes with the help of the pirate Bastian. The rest of the story follows Amora learning some hard truths about her family, the kingdom's magic system, and the broader politics of Visidia.
Some elements of ALL THE STARS AND TEETH really worked for me. I loved how each island had its own magic and culture; it was a great way to explore questions of what it meant to different people to belong to Visidia. Vataea, the mermaid, was a fantastic character and a much needed addition to the main cast. It took a while to get there, but I really loved the big reveal of the island kingdom's dark history.
There were a few things that I didn't love about the book. The story often hinged on Bastian the pirate revealing further secrets aka "Oh I didn't tell you before but..." It got a bit repetitive and wasn't the most sophisticated way to add twists to the story. Amora has a fair amount of agency in the story but I wish she were more proactive than reactive. I also wish the story had the big reveal of Visidia's corruption earlier in the story.
Overall, an entertaining read. I will likely get the sequel from the library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Imprint for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Whoaaaaa.

I’m not gonna lie: from the moment I saw pirates and mermaids, I was solidly hooked. It’s very rare that I see both of those types of characters in a novel at the same time, and I’m pretty sure the last time I saw both pirates and mermaids was in Pirates of the Caribbean?! Which was how many years ago man? I don’t even know how this duo isn’t more normalized?

Anyway.

I personally feel like the synopsis for this novel didn’t even give the book justice. There’s a specific line in the blurb about Amora’s “demonstration going awry” and when I got to that scene… I was just like “awry” was not the freaking right word for it. Shiz got REAL at her demonstration, and wow I just feel so damn bad for what happened that day. It was… insane really. I can’t even talk about it without getting into spoiler territory, but clearly from the blurb we know that it didn’t go well for her right? Yeah…. it definitely didn’t.

I don’t think that I would have even expected something like that to happen. And I don’t think that the Kingdom of Visidia even realizes how powerful and dangerous Amora can be. I think I actually found her a little bit endearing because of it. And of course everyone else involved in this little found family group is pretty damn awesome.

I am definitely curious to see what is going to happen in the sequel, or even if it’s going to be a sequel rather than a prequel or a companion novel or something like that, but I’m excited for it. Great job on your debut, Grace!

What is this book about? Amora has been training her whole life to become the leader of her kingdom, Visidia. The story follows her journey to regain her place as heir and prove herself after her demonstration goes horribly awry. Amora joins forces with a mysterious pirate, a vengeful mermaid, and unexpected passenger to stop the destruction of their kingdom.

What did I like? I loved all the adventuring! This book was not short on action, that’s for sure. And the pacing was executed perfectly. It never felt like the plot was stalling or that unnecessary pages were spent on passages of time: the author deftly moves the reader from Point A to Point B flawlessly. The world building was also written really well. There was enough information to figure out how the magic system and kingdom works, but without long info dumps or confusing terminology.

What didn’t I like? The cast of characters was so fun! I really loved being on this journey with Amora, Bastian, Ferrick, and Vataea, however, I didn’t feel as connected to Amora as I thought I should. I also felt like we only skimmed the surface of these characters, so I’m looking forward to hopefully some more depth for them in the sequel.

Overall thoughts: All the Stars and Teeth is a fun, adventurous story about the heir to a kingdom joining a cast of vastly different characters in order to prevent an evil force from destroying their world and regaining what they’ve all lost. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I look forward to checking out the next book!

A slow, yet calculated beginning of this book. An interesting magic system and of course pirates. I'm a little bummed because I felt this had standalone potential, but I am curious as to how the sequel plays out.

Disclaimer: I received a netgalley e-arc from the publisher and then pre-ordered my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: All the Stars and Teeth

Author: Adalyn Grace

Book Series: All the Stars and Teeth Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: February 4, 2020

Publisher: Imprint

Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, some sexual content)

Synopsis: She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

Review: This book was absolutely amazing! It fulfilled all my pirate wants and dreams! The characters were absolutely amazing, the world building was fantastic and I can't get over how well the magic system was built. It was also very well written and I very much enjoyed this book!

My only issue is that at one point towards the end it felt like it could have ended well for this book since I suspect there will be more but then it continued for another 20 pages. A little discombobulating for me but I won't complain about the extra pages!

Verdict: A well done pirate adventure!

The first part of this book really didn't hold my attention at all. I was bored and was constantly waiting for some spice to be added. The story built very slowly and then after almost fifty percent of the book, it got a little better.

The MC, princess Amora, was a tad bit annoying. Her constant repetition of her title got very annoying at a time, not kidding. I did enjoy reading about Bastian a lot though, and he very much reminded me of Nikolai as well as Captain hook from ouat. The magic system was a bit confusing and silly but it was good nevertheless.

I found three story very predictable, to be honest. It was like any other YA fantasy that I've read, add more elaborate magic and complicated characters. However, there are a few things that I really enjoyed.

First, it was probably my first YA fantasy where I saw the tackling of the issue of menstruation. The author tried to tackle the taboo that comes about with it, although for just a few paragraphs.

Second, the characters were very well written and so was the narration. The writing style was brilliant and extremely detailed. It was vivid and painted a beautiful imagery of the whole setting.

Third, I loved that the romance wasn't the moving element of the story, and rather was a side plot. I truly loved that.

All in all, I thing this was a good fantasy although very with a common plotline and predictable twists. I also honestly think that a sequel will be pretty unnecessary, but well, can't wait to see where the author takes this story forward to.

2020 is off to a great reading year, all thanks to this beautiful fantasy debut. All the Stars and Teeth is a powerful and adventurous debut that is bound to be a front runner in the YA fantasy section this year. This book has strong characters, pirates, mermaids, an unique magic system, and exquisite action scenes. But most of all, this story has heart and showcases what it means to handle an unknown future and to fight for a world you want to protect.

This world, this story, is everything I look for in a YA fantasy book. There’s constant action in this book, starting from the first page to the last sentence. There was never a time where the story was overwhelming or description-overload; it had the perfect amount of witty banter and magic. The world Adalyn Grace has created is breathtaking and spellbinding; I love the whole island concept and the magic system. But though I loved the world, the characters are what sold this story to me.

I absolutely loved the characters. Amora is strong and fierce and will do absolutely anything for her people and kingdom. Her bravery, selflessness, and unrelenting desire to fix the wrongs is what made her voice interesting and captivating. Her soul magic is what makes her people (and herself) frightened; it’s a magic she intends to master and use for good, but first, she has to choose to no longer be afraid of her dangerous magic and her past. Her story is one that is mesmerizing and she has a voice that demands to be heard, a voice that easily makes this story a dazzling read.

And then there’s Bastian, the pirate who wants his stolen magic back, but also wants to see a mysterious evil brought to its end. Bastian is definitely swoon-worthy, but also soft, in a good way. He has a deep and hurtful history that, at times, becomes personal to the story. His past has scarred him, but yet he continues to move on and fight for what’s right. Bastian is, in every way, a character with many flaws but a strong soul, which is why him and Amora have such a strong bond. And I loved their scenes together; they have great chemistry together and both, in similar yet different ways, want what’s best for the kingdom. Their romance is not so strong that it overtakes the whole story, but it’s strong enough to illustrate that there is more to come for both characters. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely romance (and kissing!), but it builds overtime and not all at once, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

But I have to say one of my overall favorite characters was Vataea. She’s sassy and, at some times, quite charming but she proves to be an ally and possibly a friend. Her scenes (especially with Ferrick) had me jumping for joy because I loved the idea of a powerful mermaid who fits perfectly well with this ordinary crew. I’m really hoping to see more of her in the second book; she’s got an interesting backstory, and I’d love to find out more about her.

Adalyn Grace’s writing is lush and beautiful. She depicts a world of enchantment and magic, but also filled with growing darkness and fear. I was easily able to fall into this story and imagine myself beside Amora and her crew. Grace’s writing is filled with so much heart that I could see just how much this story meant to her. Her writing is lyrical at times, especially when describing the islands and the magic system and characters. Grace can also weave together an action scene so splendidly that it felt as if I was on the ship with them, fighting the sea beast or the cursed darkness. Her writing, overall, provided the perfect voice for this wonderful fantasy story.

All the Stars and Teeth will most likely be one of my favorite reads of the year. If you enjoy fantasy stories with a swoon-worthy pirate, loyal friends, dangerous mermaids, and a unique magic system, then I definitely recommend reading this beautiful story. I can’t wait for the second book, but in the meantime, I’ll continue to gush about this book to anyone!

All the Stars and Teeth was easily a five star read for me! It's a highly anticipated book for this month and year, so my expectations were high. I am so happy to stay that it was even better than expected! (And if you've been following my reviews for a while, then you know how rare it is for a hyped book to meet or exceed my expectations.)

First, I want to talk about the world! ATSAT focuses on the seven islands, each focusing on a different type of magic (I'll talk about the magic next). At times, it was difficult to envision the world and how they all interacted with one another, but the map did help. The descriptions of each island were vibrant and distinct. Because of the descriptions, I was also able to better associate islands with their magic. For example, Mornute, symbolized by a rose beryl, practices enchantment magic. They are also known for their elaborate parties, fashion, and whimsical nature.

Additionally, magic plays a massive part in the story. The background for magic on each island is given, but if you know me, you know I invariably want more details. Some magic is the basic enchantment or elemental type, but others are totally unique and as a result, my favorites. The MC, Amora Montara, and her family possess soul magic. Besides being able to see someone's soul –– the worse of a person you are, the worse your soul looks –– she can use hair and or blood from a person to bond them to a bone. Then, the bone acts like a voodoo doll –– whatever Amora does to the bone happens to the person. It does get a bit gruesome at parts, but that is somewhat the nature of the magic. My other favorite magic was restoration magic. Most people only possess one of the types of healing magic: the ability to heal others or the ability to heal yourself. If you have the latter magic and your leg gets cut off at the knee, you can “regrow” it; kinda epic.

Amora Montara is the main character, the daughter of the High Animancer—the master of souls. She has been training to take over her father's position her whole life to continue the monarchy and to keep her people safe. Easily my favorite thing about Amora is that she's a morally gray character. Most of the time, the MCs have a clear cut stance on whatever problem they are facing, and they are used as a comparison for the morality of the other characters. I rarely see a character like Amora –– except for Jude from The Cruel Prince. She is also incredibly fierce! While somethings may scare Amora, she projects an image of a fearless leader. She isn't the pretty little princess that can't get her hand dirty. Often, she's one of the first into the fray, fighting to protect her friends and herself. She isn't afraid to take a power position, which is so incredibly wondrous. And, like any good character, she makes mistakes and learns from them. She takes her failures and tries her hardest to make it better. The internal conflict and character choices and mistakes make her feel more realistic because let's be honest, who actually makes all the right decisions and is always sure of the right thing to do. No one.

While Amora is the main character, she meets and interacts with plenty of others. The three other people she sails with are vital to her development and I loved watching their interactions. One of these characters is Bastian, a pirate with a mysterious background. At first, I didn't know where I stood on his character, but as the story continued, and he grew and his history revealed itself, I began to warm up to him. And a lot of the characters are that way. Being on a ship, there are tight quarters without a place to storm off to when mad. I found that these situations, and the life-threatening ones (there are plenty), helped to reveal a character's real personality. Each primary character has their own strengths and talents too, which aid in the journey. Vataea is a vicious mermaid who quickly shows that there's more to her than her looks. She's devious and has no qualms about doing what she needs to do to survive –– and maybe having a little fun all the while.

One of my biggest takeaways is that Adalyn Grace's writing is spectacular! With a book like ATSAT, it's easy to either get too in-depth with the world and magic or leave the reader confused without any knowledge of the world. I know that I said I wanted more details in regards to the magic, but that's just my personal preference. By the time the journey started, I felt well acquainted with the islands and some of the magic. The pace also worked well for the book. There weren't too many slow parts as there always seemed to be a surprise at every turn. It did get a bit exhausting at points, but the story needed that tempo to reflect the pressure and urgency the crew was on. Furthermore, the immersion into Visidia's island kingdom was effortless. As I've mentioned before, ATSAT has a complex world and it needs more explanation than usual to understand. And while the book was descriptive, the descriptions weren't clunky or used as filler.

Overall, Grace wrote a magnificent book that I will be reading many times over. At first, I was suspicious of all the hype (it's being called 2020's biggest YA Fantasy), but by the second chapter, I was a believer. There are so many unique and special aspects to this book that make it unforgettable. Two elements, in particular, are the magic system and Amora's fierce and morally gray character. Both added so much to the reading experiences, and I couldn't recommend this book more!

All the Stars and Teeth is the first installment in debut author Adalyn Grace's new duology. 18-year old Amara Montara is the Princess of of the Kingdom of Visidia. Amora has been training all her life to take on the mantle of High Animancer, a master of the soul magic that only the people in her family can wield. Visidia is made up of (7) islands each with one very specific magic; Arida (soul magic), Valuka (elemental magic), Mornute (enchantment), Curmana (mind magic), Kerost (time magic), Suntosu (restoration magic), and Zudoh (curse magic). Zudoh, though, was banished 11 years ago and will become the center of this entire story.

Amara's father is Arida's High Animancer & King who she will one day replace. That is if she can pass her public demonstration and prove that she can be trusted to become Queen. But, before her demonstration can even take place, Amara overhears a conversation between her father and Bastian Altair. It seems there is a legitimate threat to Arida from a man, Kaven, who wants to allow everyone to have more than one magic which is currently forbidden. Kaven has already collected a large army which could be a challenge to defeat.

After Amara's demonstration goes horribly wrong, she finds herself in a cell where Bastian urges her to join him on his quest to stop Kaven and save Zudoh which has been cut off and basically imprisoned. Bastian and Amara are joined by Ferrick, Amara's fiancé who has restorative magic which comes in handy a lot. Bastian is tied by a curse to his called Keel Haul. He's been bound to his ship for 11 years and calls himself a pirate. Bastian, Amara, & Ferrick travel to various islands in Visidia looking for a mermaid to help them cut thru the curse surrounding Zudoh.

They find Vataea who is able to sense curses. She has been held hostage for several years with no freedom to return to the sea. Vataea is the only hope that the crew has of entering Zudoh without being forever cursed to the Island. There's a rather large group of tertiary characters that are necessary for Amara, Bastian, and Ferrick to escape capture. Some have called them throw away characters because you see them once, and they're gone or are quickly killed off. However, Shanty, a face shifter, might be the most interesting in that she is now owed a favor by Amara.

There's a bit of romance between Amara and Bastian, but it isn't love at first sight. It's gradual. Bastian is trying to get his magic back which was taken from him by Kaven who isn't a paper-cut out villain. He's the real deal and dangerous to everything that Amara and her family stands for. He also holds some interesting secrets that turn everything upside down for Amara. Ferrick is kind of the odd duck in this story. He wants to do right by Amara who has no romantic interest in him whatsoever. He understands that she has her own path to walk where he can't go but he can be there for her when she gets in trouble. He's also a really big help when his friends are hurt as he has restoration magic. He can even regrow his own limb.

Amara is an interesting character who has the burden of the magic she bears, the love of her people, her desire for adventure on the open sea, and later, her desire to right a wrong that should have remedied by her own father years ago. She discovers that everything she thought she knew about magic was a lie. Her dad sheltered her all her life, so Amora has to come to terms with how he’s been intentionally lying to her and to the entire kingdom. Amara's magic is about the most violent magic you can attempt to control. Her magic requires the uses of blood, skin, bones, and other parts of the body. They method of obtaining these parts are often violent and torturous in nature.

Overall, I think this is a good start to the duology. I think there's just enough action and adventure to keep a reader satisfied. While there is a bit of romance, it doesn't stifle or overwhelm the story. I will be looking forward to the sequel as I really truly hate starting a series of 2 books, and then not finishing.

I had high expectations for this book. It has all my favorite elements of a fantasy story wrapped up into one fast-paced and delightfully brutal package. You have political schemes, royalty, smartmouth pirates, dangerous mermaids, and a unique magic system that features different powers.

I think what I liked most about the book was the magic system. There are 7 islands that make up the Kingdom of Visidia. Each island is known for its specific magical abilities. These are soul magic, elemental magic, enchantment magic, mind magic, time magic, restoration magic, and curse magic. There are two rules regarding magic in the kingdom.

I’ll admit the magic system while interesting was a little hard to follow. I didn’t really understand how soul magic worked, but you get a better sense as you see it in action and as they dive into the history of it. This is the first book in a series so it focused mostly on soul magic, restoration (healing) magic, and curse magic. I think the world-building could have been a little more fleshed out.

Because Amora has lived a very sheltered life, her first task is to visit each island to understand the true state of each island. Some are fabulously wealthy while other islands are literally dying from starvation or violence. My favorite island was Mornute where they do enchantment magic (i.e. illusions and charms). This also is where the Keel Haul crew visits The Barracuda Lounge, which was a really fun scene. The whole island had such a whimsical feel to it from the way the author described the fashion and architecture.

I felt like I could see the scenery and action playing out in front of me. I liked all the characters, but I didn’t love them. I liked our main crew, but they also didn’t read as fully fleshed-out characters. There was just something about the characters and romance felt a little flat to me. Something…not sure what. When it comes to the characters, my favorite was surprisingly Ferrick who is a side character. He is sweet, caring, and can hold his own in a fight. And honestly, he saved Amora’s butt in a lot of situations. He also makes me feel soft inside. I really hope we see more of him in book 2.

The most morally gray person in this book is Amora. She’s still very much a chosen-one type hero who is dedicated to protecting her kingdom, but she’s also not afraid to shed some blood when it that’s what it takes. She was brutal AF when she was using her blood magic. Oh, I’m sorry I meant soul magic. I got confused because of the amount of blood that is spilled from soul magic. I kind of loved her for that, but it's something to be aware of when recommending to younger teens or parents. There is also several makeout sessions and one fade to black sex scene (at least I assume the characters had sex).

Amora is not the perfect hero. She’s naive and lacks wisdom in a lot of her strategies and decisions. I found her thoughtless sometimes, but I think it works for her character and background. I liked that she wasn’t stubborn. She accepted feedback and guidance from the crew and would pull out the “princess” rank when she felt it was absolutely necessary.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a strong 4-star book with a 5-star ending. The pacing of the story felt just right throughout and then we got this really exciting and intense ending that really gripped me! There are no cliffhangers as well. I honestly feel like you could read this as a standalone if you wanted. I will definitely continue as I feel like there is so much about this world and magic system we didn’t get to see.

I received a complimentary copy of All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace from Macmillan through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. All the Stars and Teeth will be released on February 4th!
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Amora Montara must prove she is ready to become the next High Animancer of Visidia with a display of her soul magic. When her demonstration goes horribly wrong, she knows she may be executed. A Montara who can't control their magic is a dangerous thing. A pirate named Bastian breaks her out of her prison cell and offers her the chance to save her kingdom and prove she is meant to rule. When they escape, the fiancé Amora doesn't want to marry, Ferrick, stows away on Bastian's ship. The three set out to save Amora's kingdom from a man wielding dangerous magic.
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This book was so fun! I think Bastian may be the newest addition to my book boyfriend list! I love a snarky pirate. All the Stars and Teeth delivered a lot of adventure, a lot of magic, and a lot of loveable characters. There's even a very badass mermaid! I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun fantasy adventure that is also a little dark!

All the Stars and Teeth is a fantastic debut complete with a unique magic system, a fierce heroine and some really great world building. I loved Amora and her realness and sass. She has stuff to get done and shes gonna do it come hell or high water. I also loved the supporting characters of Bastian and Ferrick. I found the way that the magic system was built and explained to be really well done and the world building made me want to visit! There were a few times that the book got bogged down with mythology and explanation but that didn't effect my enjoyment of it. Overall if you are a fan of magic, pirates, mermaids and fierce heroines I definitely recommend checking out this book!

All The Stars and Teeth, by Adelyn Grace, is full of many of the elements I love in Fantasy novels. It is set in a world rich with magic and folklore. There are lots of fun characters. And the story is one where the main character must question their beliefs, and wrestle with how they perceive themselves. And it's basically a "road trip" book, set on the high seas!

What I Liked:
World-Building:

In the Kingdom of Visidia, everyone has some type of magical ability. There are people who can manipulate the elements, people who can create illusions, and people with many other abilities. But the Montara royal family of Visidia has the most influential magic of them all: soul magic.

The author did an exceptional job of explaining the types of magic and then using them at different points in the story. She also went into the world's history and how these magics came about. This made for a world with tremendous depth, and gave it an epic quality.

Characters:

Amora, the main character, is facing many challenges all at once. She must redeem herself after a terrible public failure, while confronting several uncomfortable truths about her father's reign as King. All the while, she is being chased by almost everyone! I liked that she learns from her mistakes, and doesn't make excuses for her flaws. As she travels throughout the kingdom, she begins to realize that her kingdom is not the paradise she thinks it is. Seeing the larger picture is one of the cornerstones of transitioning into thinking as an adult. The author does a wonderful job showing this transformation.

One of the people sharing her adventures is Bastian, a pirate who helps her escape prison, but has his own motives for doing so. I liked that he was more than a stereotypical pirate. His own story is compelling and full of twists and turns.

Story:

As I said, this is basically a road trip novel. As the story progresses, Amora and her friends must travel to various islands in the kingdom. This creates many opportunities for the characters to meet encounter many different types of people, customs, clothing, foood, and magic. I loved that there was such variety in the kingdom. They all had positive and negative elements that made each place unique.

Through the road trip format, the different strengths (and weaknesses) of each character are revealed. By working together, the characters overcome lots of obstacles. I loved how this make everyone a valued member of the crew.