Thank you to the publisher for a copy via NetGalley for review.


CWs: this book has depictions and discussions of suicide in many of the chapters, violence, death, bullying


I liked this one a lot! It felt familiar even though I’d never read it before, and I really liked the vibes I got from the story. It reminded me of a lot of the YA paranormal romance/mystery stories I read in middle school.
Anora was a good character. Her power was really interesting, and I could relate to her fears around it. She didn’t really know anything, but it was interesting to learn about her powers and the world with her.
Shy was also a good character. I liked that he was torn between loyalties a little bit, and it made him feel more realistic. The connection between him and Anora was interesting, but I wish it had been explored more by the characters.
I liked the Greek mythology present in the story, and I liked the fantasy/paranormal elements. It was a fun read, and I’m excited about the sequel.

i really like this book. i've read scarlett st clair's other things, and this was in line with, and possibly better than the rest of her books. it's already on my staff pics shelf at work, and i recommend it to anyone wanting anything like this or similar to her other books.

I was so hyped for this....then seen it was YA and was a little like ehhh I gotta be in the mood for it I'll get to it when I get to it.

But after reading a touch of malice I was a hair annoyed with Scarlett because she knows how to get me hooked in an interesting plot but it was so over shadowed by the smut so getting to read just the mystery of these characters and not have to worry about the book being 87% smut was such a treat.

Now to the book.

I was hooked from the first chapter.

The main character ,Anora. Is arriving at her new school. Why is she at the new school? Because she told her mom she can see dead people and it was move or crazy house, and as soon as she shows up what does she see? But the ghost of a girl swaying from the roof with a rope around her throat. Anora wants to fit in tho and must not let people realize she sees things that aren't there and hope they don't learn about her past.

Shy, is anything but, he's the star quarter back and all around Edward Cullen of his school, but he's not just any boy. He's a Raven. Trained to protect humans but never take one as a lover which he's content to do until Anora shows up and immediately he feels this tread tethering them together and doesn't know what it means but knows he just has to be near her to keep the ache of her being away at bay.

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⚠️ Potential spoiler??? Only if I'm right
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*Stares suspiciously at the mother*

Lennon says she didn't get the ability to see ghost. (Not sure if lie or not) but that would imply that Anora Could be a "half breed" and her mother didn't know if she would have the sight or not. BUT as soon as she mentions it she is moved to the school that a few of the students are the very people sworn to protect her??

And why is she always locked up on her room??
What she doing??

I feel like she's trying to bring someone back as well...or definitely something shady...............

i like a touch of darkness series and this book synopsis for when the stars come out sounds good. Anora Silby can see the dead and turn spirits into gold coins, two things she would prefer to keep secret as she tries to lead a normal life at her new school. After all, she didn't change her identity for nothing. The book follows 2 POVs Anora and Shy. I like the supernatural element that this book has. i enjoyed this book, there were twists and turns i didn't expect.

This one really took me back to the earlier days of YA lit - right after Twilight came out and paranormal romances were everywhere. I mean this in a good way, because this was pretty enjoyable. It follows Anora who can see the dead, and Shy, a shapeshifting boy who she meets at her new school. They are inexplicably drawn together, and end up working together to solve a paranormal mystery.

This isn’t really anything particularly new or exciting. But it was so fun and it really took me back. I thought Anora and Shy were both interesting, caught between romance, their past and the secret order Shy is a part of. I loved the mystery in this, even if it was fairly predictable. Sure, I found parts of their story, mainly the shapeshifting, fairly cringey, but there were parts that were actually scary. The undead show up quite often, and are creepy and gory. There’s weird occult stuff and a lot of compelling magic. So yeah, this was a fun, easy read.

I will be recommending this to any paranormal loving students. It’s an easy read, perfect for the fall. My only hang up is some heavier/triggering topics that are handled with little nuance here. Other than that, this filled a Mortal Instruments shaped hole in my heart. What a spooky little surprise.

When the Stars Come Out opens with Anora Silby moving from New York to Oklahoma to take on a new identity, hiding her ability to see the dead and capture their souls in a resurrection coin. However, on her first day she both captures a soul and loses the resurrection coin, which gives others the ability to steal souls. When a classmate is murdered, Anora is sure the coin is the weapon. The Order, an organization that governs the dead on Earth, is looking for a mortal called the Eurydice to help them stop the loss of more lives. Anora is befriended by Lennon, seemingly a mortal, Shy Savior, a classmate who is secretly a member of the Order and Thane, his former best friend. Shy suspects that Anora is the Eurydice and is determined to protect her. Shapeshifting as a raven, he patrols her house, but is unsure who is threatening her, which is the conflict that must be resolved. This is the first book of a proposed four book series. Although written in 2018, it was rereleased in July 2022 with the book When the Sky Falls listed as the sequel by Goodreads. As of now, the sequel has not been released. In the sequel Anora is cooperating with the Order, but when an Elite member is murdered, she is the prime suspect.

This was a YA paranormal romance with a retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice! Tell me why I keep starting books thinking they’re standalones when they are series 🤦🏻‍♀️

But this was really good. Anora can see the dead and when she moves to a new town and a new school after some things happened in her past she just wants to lead a normal life. When she meets Shy the popular captain of the football team and runs into a ghost on her first day she realizes that might not be as easy as it seems. When she turns the ghost into a coin and loses it more things start to be revealed. When a girl dies Anora feels responsible but who can she trust anymore?

This definitely reminded me of the Harbinger series by JLA or Hush Hush but only by vibes. High school age paranormal romance with a strong plot. It took me a second to get into it but once I did I found myself unable to stop. As things were revealed and more secrets exposed I found even I was surprised! I love the retelling aspect and the hints of Greek mythology in there. The connection between Shy and Anora is definitely building up through the book and we get to see Shy fight between the way he feels and duty.

I will definitely be reading the next in this series if it’s ever released and I like the ending wasn’t a cliffhanger and I felt complete but left open to include more books after this one.

3.75/5 ⭐️
0/5 🌶 clean ya romance

This was so different and interesting compared to other paranormal books I've read. I have read her Hades and Persephone retellings and I loved them, so I thought why not give this one a chance too…….
And she did deliver, and did not disappoint in any way.

So a quick summary here, Anora Silby lives a regular teenage life, pretty fast paced. She fights with her mom, yeah cause which teenager doesn’t ? She has a crush on the boy at her new school, and did I mention that she can see the dead ? Just another teen know ? Yayyy ? Anora must work through her powers all the while keeping note of her surroundings. Read the book to find out more !

TWs :
suicide
Self harm (not the MC)
Loss of a loved one/grief

*this book is YA*

Considering the author, the book felt targeted for a younger audience. It was genuinely refreshing to read, quite different from the rest of her books while still being well written.

When Stars Come Out.

As a previous reader of Scarlett St. Clair’s other works I was slightly hesitant to enter this world as some I have mixed feelings about her other novels. Whilst I loved King of Battle and Blood I didn’t love the A Touch of Darkness series due to the editing issues throughout the series. However, When Stars Come Out in my opinion is definitely her best written piece of work to date. I really loved this book, I couldn’t put It down at all and I was engrossed in wanting to know what happens next.

The characters were great. Although, I was only really invested in the two main characters. Anora the main character was well written other than one of her characteristics I wasn’t too keen on but otherwise, her development was great over the span of the novel and Shy the main character’s love interest was written really well too I couldn’t help but root for then both. There were multiple side characters that I didn’t feel very invested in and because it was multiple POV, I did feel myself losing internet when it wasn’t the main characters POV.

I feel like the plot was very smooth there were no noticeable editing issues and the world building was great. Honestly, this book really shows the power of good editing, if A Touch of Darkness was edited like this I think it would be amazing.

Why I dropped this book to 4 stars is because I felt it lacked in the climax area. There wasn’t much I felt at stake that I cared about. All the other areas of the novel were great but just that moment was a bit of a let down. I felt more could’ve been done to emphasise that scene.
And the main lead could be rather frustrating at times, although I loved her arc I just felt at times she would act on things she herself wouldn’t think to do, it was almost as if she were doing the opposite of what she was thinking.

Will I reread in the future? Yes. I also understand that the author is coming out with a sequel so I will maybe reread it before that one.

Will I read anything else by the author? I have read all the authors other books. Whilst I’m not the greatest fan of A Touch of Darkness, I love King of Battle and Blood.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved every book that I've read from Scarlett St. Clair, and I'm happy to say this is no exception!

I would describe When Stars Come Out is a YA paranormal romance mystery, following Anora Silby as she tries to start her life over in a new town. This is hard, however, because she has the ability to see dead people and to capture their souls in coins. When she claims the soul of a dead girl on campus and then loses the soul coin, bizarre things start happening around her and she sets off to try and figure out what's causing it all. It doesn't help that she begins to develop feelings for Shy Savior, the popular quarterback who takes interest in her but, along with many others in this new town, are clearly hiding secrets of their own.

The book gives PLL/Vampire Diary vibes, while also bringing in mythological elements in a way that's really interesting! The twist at the end was a little bit obvious, but not out of the norm for a young adult book.

Overall a great book!

3.5*s Beautifully written and a unique premise.

** Possible spoilers..

Anora Silby was a great MC, likeable with a difficult past. I'm keen to learn more about her as I feel parts were overlooked/missing - dad, poppa and her ghost seeing abilities.

Shy Savior and other secondary characters I felt were also under-developed. I think there is alot of room to learn more about each of them & their purpose, especially Roth.
Shy was vague even when Anora learned the truth, I'm keen to see how their thread connection is explored. Anoras mum and her issues also weren't explained.

The characters all seemed older than what they were, they're 16 I believe but came across as quite mature.

I was saddened to learn who the bad guys were, definitely not expected.

This is a great start to the series, there is so much world building yet to explore, the Greek mythology is done well and the writing certainly kept me interested.

Very excited for book 2.

Thank you to the author publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Anora has an odd talent that separates her from her peers: she can collect the souls of the dead. But while her daily life consists of ordinary teenage endeavors— navigating her relationships with her friends and her mom—she can’t ignore this darker part of herself.

When her day shifts from hunting and collecting souls to being hunted, she finds herself unable to know where to go for help and who she can trust.

A dark, teenage tale full of angst and paranormal and perfect reading for the spooky season! I fully recommend this book to readers if dark Ya and fans of supernatural.


3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

Scarlett is one of my favourite authors of all time and I was estastic to receive an ARC of it. I read it pretty much in a couple of days and was an amazing and cute coming of age and romance story between Anora and Shy.

Whilst Anora is getting over her grief of her father and her powers which she doesn't fully understand, it was really refreshing to read about normal tropes - going to a new school, new friends, social media, overbearing mum.

I really enjoyed how the magic system was explained and how Sky and his friends have multiple forms depending on the state they want to be in. Im really looking forward to the sequel and seeing how the duology is furthered

i adored how they were normal teenagers that didn't always make the right decision but supported one another through their relationships and friendships

I am a Scarlett St. Clair STAN. It was fun to read her YA work, which doesn't have the same spiciness as her other novels but still works super well. This book was filled with great characters and a lot of action. Loved it!

As someone who hadn't heard of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book. So I went to read a little bit about the legend, and unfortunately, it didn't sound the least bit like something I'd enjoy. Thankfully, I read one review that said this book wasn't anything like the legend and they had no idea why it was being advertised as such, making me feel relieved to tackle the story without expecting a tragic ending.

I feel like this book was one that left me with a strange array of feelings. On the one hand, I liked the premise of the book and the mythology behind it. On the other hand, I felt like the worldbuilding was a little too flimsy for my taste? I think I needed a little more on the Valryn, their legend with the Eurydice, Charan, their existence. It all felt too clean-cut in a way but kind of not sufficient to give me enough of a feel into this world and how Anora got her powers. Anora getting her powers definitely needed more exploration because I felt her story was a bit tapped on. Not enough explanation into what happened in New York, despite how everyone felt bad for her when she explained how she'd been deceived and their hearts broke or whatever, I thought that was an exaggeration to the recounting of an event. There should have been more details, more insight into the deception and how that had destroyed her.

The characters development as well was an annoying part for me. They all felt so vague and most of the time very two-dimensional. <spoiler> Some moments, especially with Lennon and Thane were very contradictory. I know it was meant to subvert the plot into getting us away from their true intentions, but it didn't work that way. What I got in the end were very obvious intentions to have Thane be the villain and anything to try to put suspicions away from him all fell flat. He was the bad guy, he had a hand in the bad things happening, it was just a matter of how he was doing it and who was helping.</spoiler> As for Anora herself, she was such an oddball to gauge. Have you ever read a character who had the worst possible decision-making, but you somehow understood where they were coming from, only the consequences were ALL blatantly obvious and she saw them all as an afterthought. Perhaps it was about finding an alternative plan because it made sense why things would go bad and she was always surprised when it did.

Her mother too was a huge piece of work. Throughout the book it was alluded that she had 'episodes' and as such made life for Anora unpredictable and unbearable. It also somehow gave her leave to stop being a mother and to abuse Anora emotionally by threatening to have HER committed, when she would throw a bowl of pasta in her daughter's face because she was mad at her? What were the episodes? I concluded it had to be depressive episodes. But why was she not taking medication? Why was there no concern over the fact that her mother was emotionally abusive, had a high level of depression to need medication but instead would use her daughter as an emotional punching bag? I felt like her character was set up to be a villain and merely give Anora a reason for her own dark thoughts to grow, rather than a three-dimensional character who had depth. She was randomly evil to her daughter for no reason, and then randomly nice to her without precedence and would get mad when her niceness wasn't appreciated. Some days she wouldn't get out of her room, but she conveniently came out when it was time to ground her daughter.

There was just a lot of annoying things about all the characters. So much inconsistency and as a whole none were likeable. I think the book's biggest selling point was the premise, but it left me frustrated for the better part of it trying to make sense of why the characters were doing what they were doing when it was mostly out of character for them.

I didn't really know what I was getting into until I received this and I realized it wasn't real for me about halfway through. I am a new fan of this author and I have come to the realization that St. Clair's series are never the same. from the Hades and Persephone series to the Adrian and Isolde series and back to the this one I can honestly say I'm impressed with her way of not duplicating any of her characters or their arcs. I will definitely get into this book and again because I am a big fan.

When Stars Come Out is a young adult fantastical retelling or Eurydice and Orpheus. It doesn't rely too much on the Greek myth-- which was a good thing, I thought. However, it was a little boring. Anora and Shy were pretty one dimensional, and I needed more of the Valryn and their stories.

It took me awhile to get into... and then I kind of did but not so much that I was excited to read every day. For me, that's a big deal with YA fantasy. Give me some action and characters that I actually care about.

I would recommend this to younger, mature readers. There is still some horror (all the ghosts!), but the writing and love story seemed more middle school level.

While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I felt that it started out a bit slow and I was more often than not confused about what was going on. I appreciated the content warnings at the beginning though, due to some of the heavier content in the book.

I am eager to see where the rest of the story will go, now that it really set up the full story line.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’ll say Scarlet St Clair knows how to keep you hooked. This YA fantasy was just what I needed. I wish there was more world building and I’m excited to read book 2 to see what else we learn and what happened to our MC’s since they’re forbidden! The reincarnation plot and everything that it means has me super intrigued!