When Stars Come Out by Scarlett St. Claire is a young adult urban fantasy novel with  likeable characters and unique world building. While I've seen it marketed as a Orpheus/Eurydice retelling, that doesn't quite do the story justice given that it's more loosely inspired by portions of the myth. You have ghosts, the girl that can see them, the boy thats inexplicably drawn to her, and a town with secrets. What's not to love?

The story follows Anora Silby, a girl who can see dead and turn their souls into gold coins. When she's forced to relocate to a small town with her mom, she finds that her new school and the classmates in it may hold secrets of their own. After accidentally turning the soul of the high school's resident ghost into a gold coin that goes missing, those secrets are all at risk of being exposed when the coin is connected to the murder of another student. Anora needs to figure out why she feels drawn to classmate Shy Savior and who to trust as she realizes she may not be as alone as she thought. 

I enjoyed the book a lot and, although it works as a standalone, there is a lot left to explore at the end of it. I'm hopeful it will continue as I'm interested to see how some of the threads continue to develop!

As a reminder for those coming to this book off St. Claire's Hades x Persephone or King of Battle and Blood series, this one is firmly YA and not adult/new adult.

Thanks to Bloom Books and Netgalley for the arc!

Loved the link to Greek mythology and can’t wait to see how the series pans out. An enjoyable fantasy/supernatural read.

Reading this was an interesting experience for me. I'm not already a Scarlett St. Clair, I tried her other series and it just wasn't for me. I did however think this was much more enjoyable. I thought her writing was much better, her characters more mature and it was relying less on the whole "Greek myth retelling". Having said that. I'm personally not a huge fan of people appropriating Greek myth and relying on that for their story. This is because I grew up with it, so as a reader it just always falls flat for me.

Overall, this was a solid read. It has some interesting elements and I would pick up the next book in the series. It's a 3.5 for me.

I loved all of Scarlett's books and especially this one since its YA paranormal fantasy. The story was interesting and amazing. It's unique magic system that it catched my eye when i read synopsis and I'm glad i requested the book. It's set in High school where Anola joins in and when her grandfather died, she would literally see souls and turns them into coins but unfortunately one day, a coin goes to a wrong person and before they would do anyworse, she needs to finds them. So that's the journey of Anola and what are all things she faces on her way !!

I thank the Netgalley and Publisher for ARC for my honest review.

While I've never read Clair before due to her spice levels, I was interested in her YA crossover. This is a reimagining of Orpheus & Eurydice. It is a high school paranormal fantasy full of romance, ghosts, death and strange abilities.

When her grandfather dies, Anora starts to see ghosts. When her mother sends her to a new school she encounters mean girl antics, cute guy crushes/sidekicks and see ghosts she can't escape from. This one is full mystery, a slow burn subtle romance and a bit of mythology undertone and influence.

Overall I thought this was great. I don't know if I love paranormal HS stories enough to keep going but I definitely think Clair has talent and has created some great character that you can't help but cheer on as they unravel each clue. I was also pleased that this was a true YA in terms of content. Thank you to the publisher for providing an arc for me to read.

I have not read any of the author previous books but will certainly go back and read them now. I usually read with family, either my children or grandchildren but glad I started this one myself. I would have felt so bad keeping anyone else up till 2am to finish it.

I have a new obsession because this book is so good and supposedly there’s a sequel and I need it ASAP. I’m hoping this is a duology and not a trilogy simply because I don’t have the patience to wait for two more books.

Received an ARC form NetGalley, which I requested after reading the Hades and Persephone series. I love seeing the Orpheus/Euridyce myth be reimagined. That myth has the saddest ending and I’m hoping the author will stray from what we know because I need an HEA 😂

Essentially, Anora is like the reincarnated woman from myth who can turn souls into coins, which attracts all sorts of bad attention and brings trouble after her and her moM. They have to move to Oklahoma and she starts at a new school and it’s just weird.

There’s souls everywhere. Popular kids are mean. She makes one friend Lennon and there’s an anonymous site where people post rumors that wreaks havoc. She loses a coin that she makes from a spirit at school (I suspected it was stolen and I was right by Lennon, who was also obviously in charge of that anonymous website).

And the guy Shy who has a crush on her is Orpheus and supposed to protect her he’s also a raven warrior and it’s clear that the new raven leader Roth has altering motives. Roth almost seems like Hades especially as he says he’s missing someone he loved (hello Persephone) I mean maybe it’s a stretch but he talks about controlling the underworld and making deals so… I think he was behind the raven warrior Chase who tried to kidnap Anora In New York.

Anyway, turns out Lennon is part raven and part human which the people were lied to about these mixes being inhuman. We don’t know why that lie is told but I suspect it’s because of the halflings poses. They can control some of the darkness that is around from the plethora of the dead. And Thane is working with her out of desperation.

Anora is captured by the order supposedly going to be trained. Im sure Roth will kidnap her eventually for his own purposes.

Anyway this book is so good and fun and crazy. Such a unique take on this myth. Definitely a book for fans of Jennifer L Armentrout’s early YA series like White Hot Kiss. Same underworld dark vibes and fun teenage angst and connections.

I really loved this book! It had everything in a book that I like! A school setting, a sort of "chosen one" trope, magical beings, intrigue. It gave me the vibes of a mixture between Fallen and Ninth House (and some other books) and I loved that! The characters were kind of stereotypical, but for this story I really didn't mind that! A dark, grumpy character. A character who is like the popular guy in every form of the way. A jealous girl best-friend. And the "weird" girl who tries to help the brooding, sad main character. All really stereotypical, but I loved it. It fit in amazingly with the story for me.
It also read really easily and was really enjoyable to read. Good writing, not too difficult to understand or get into from the start. You experience and figure everything out as you go, along with the main characters. It also didn't focus on the romance part, it felt more like a sub-plot to me and I also liked that a lot. That it wasn't all about the romance and everything.
I just really liked the story and it was really a book for me. I can't wait for book 2 to come out and to read that because it also ended amazingly and made me really curious. It was a really good book with an amazing story and totally a new favorite of mine!

The synopsis got me interested in reading this book because I was fascinated with the concept of YA and Urban Fantasy since I haven't read that many in the urban fantasy genre. The concept of being able to see ghosts was pretty amazing and well hard on her, but amazing. Enter the mysterious boy, Shy, who makes her smile and well, she's confused between who to trust and who not to trust.

I would've given this book a higher rating if not for it feeling too rushed and feeling like it's something you'll find on wattpad. I love Scarlett St. Clair's writing with Touch of Darkness and all but this book just wasn't for me. Maybe as a 13 year old I would've enjoyed this much more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4/5 stars.

This is a great YA book and I found myself really enjoying the story. I figured out the mystery as the book kept going but I still enjoyed the conclusion all the same.

Anora is attending a new school in Oklahoma. Her dad has passed away and she lives with her mother. She can see ghosts. Upon starting her first day of school she sees the ghost of a girl hanging from a tree. This ghosts follows her around the school and tells her “they are coming to get her”. Before Anora can ask more she captures the spirit in a cocoon of gold thread and turns her into a coin. But Anora isn’t the only one who knows of her existence when her coin is stolen. The order quickly catches wind and a series of terrible events occur. Anora also seems to have a instant connect with Shy- a popular boy at her school. They quickly become friends but the order (who is after Anora) has rules and other things in mind.

Realized going into this book that I know nothing of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. This storyline has an interesting magic twist to their story. This book doesn't play too much into the original story.. the only thing related is bringing people back to life from the dead. This book is a paranormal romance about Anora who can see the dead, pull souls out of bodies and also help their souls pass over. Shy is her protector. The soul that has been with her throughout all her lifetimes to help keep her safe but also becomes her lover. The Order has been looking for Eurydice since her last death and it took much longer for her to be reincarnated this time around. Who can Anora trust?

When Stars Come Out was a fun and easy read. Sometimes a quick YA paranormal book is what gets you through a reading slump and this one definitely did. Thank you to Net Galley for giving me this ARC!

I really liked this story, Anora a gril that can see ghosts and we get Shy, I liked both characters, it gives a lot of other books vibes but original by itself, I like both POVs so I could get into more of the story, it was pitched as a retelling but it's more to that. There are some trigger warnings for some readers so proceed to check if you have any. The story started a bit slow paced, but picked up quite nice, and I was entertained and engaged during it all. This is a YA, some might want to see more as any other NA ones but truly it is good, and you can read it as a standalone, even though there are more in the series.

Another great book from Scarlett St Clair! I couldn’t put this book down! Great characters and a fantastic story! What more could you ask for? Highly recommend!

Following the death of her grandfather, Anora quite literally sees dead people. Her mom, however, is one step away from committing her after Anora tells her about her ability. After an incident, they move to Oklahoma to start over in a new town and school.

Going to a new school is difficult, especially when trying to hide the fact you see dead people, until…Anora finds out that she’s not the only one who can. But in true high school fashion, being the new girl inspires curiosity around the school, as well as brings some Mean Girls vibes.

I recommend When Stars Come Out to readers of paranormal YA urban fantasy (especially one with a unique magic system!)

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the ARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.

Anora clearly has powers she doesn’t understand and at her new school, things are not what they seem. Everyone seems to know more than she does but they only give her half-answers. Who can she trust?

A fascinating new world created by Scarlett St. Clair. I enjoyed her entry into the YA space and will be recommending it to customers

Summary: Seeing dead people is a tough secret to keep. Anora Sibley struggles to fit in at her new school— partly because of her “I see dead people” secret and partly because her classmates are keeping secrets of their own. Like being teenage mutant soldiers in a shadow government that exists to protect the living from the dead, for instance. One of these soldiers is charming Shy Savior. When their secrets collide, Anora has to decide which of her new friends she can trust and which ones might want to use her to destroy the world as she knows it.

Strengths: I am a sucker for YA paranormal romance and mythology retellings. I thought the romance progressed at a pace that seemed genuine to the characters. I also thought that the value on friendships felt real. Overall, most of the relationships in the book were well written and engaging. The retelling of Charon aspect is unique and a fantastic foundation for a story.

Plot and pacing: The premise was great. The world was fascinating, and I was impressed by how complex the politics were in big (Valryn government) and small (high school hierarchy) ways. The pacing was off though. The world building slowed down the plot at times instead of enriching it. I think the pacing could have been improved by different POV choices and snappy dialogue.

Dialogue: The dialogue was not polished at all. Most characters sounded the same and much of it was unrealistic and awkward. The story would have been so much stronger with realistic dialogue.

POV: The story is told in present tense with a dual first person POV which pivots between Anora and Shy. I don’t enjoy reading books in present tense, and I found it really distracting in this book. I prefer past tense. In addition, the oscillating pov was meh. Neither of the character’s voices was distinct enough to do well in first person, however. I think the story would have been stronger in third person or with a single narrator.

Character development: The diversity of characters was interesting. My favorite character was Jacobi because he had unique interests and skills. His dialogue was strong and seemed realistic for his character. His actions matched his motivations.I hope to see more of him in subsequent books. I also liked Natalie’s character. Her motivations and actions seemed true to who she was. Plus, every high school and organization has a goody goody rule follower ( *coughs* it was me *coughs*).

My least favorite character was Anora’s mom whose name I don’t even remember because she was so bland. I get that she’s mentally ill (same, girl, same) but good lord be a parent. A character doesn’t have to be likable to be well written. But the mom is neither likable nor well written. None of her actions made sense. She was the weak link in the cast of characters.

Rating: 2.5 stars, but I think I’ll start the next book in the series because I think there is a good chance the pacing will improve since the world isn’t brand new to the reader, the characters are interesting, and I’m hoping the mom gets killed off.

Thank you, Bloom Books, for the opportunity to review this ARC!

Anora has these abilities and has no clue why, or what she's supposed to do with them. She knows she sees dead people, and captures spirits into coins. From there, she has no idea, until she attends a new school and discovers more people can see the dead. The truth about who she is and her abilities eventually come to light.
I enjoyed this! The story was captivating, and I didn't want to put it down, needing to know what happened next. I can't wait to read the next book.

I absolutely loved When Stars Come Out. Scarlett St. Clair is my favorite author and I will literally read anything she publishes. This meant a lot to me because I’ve actually met Scarlett and she’s a lovely person. I was a little intimidated because this is a YA novel and of course it did not disappoint me. I love all of her retellings and especially her characters. I rushed to my nearest book store after work to buy a physical book. I am so happy it’s sitting on my bookshelves. Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me this opportunity. I read the entire novel in one sitting and I loved everything about it.

his was my first introduction to Scarlett St. Claire's work and I thourghly enjoyed this. It's a dark fantasy with a strong female character who doesn't give off the "not like other girls" vibes like in a lot of other YA fantasy. Anora is strong albit a little naive but with the potential for growth and by the end of the book really starts to come into her own.

I also enjoyed Shy as the other narrator in the story. Major Cinnamon Roll but could also easily kill you energy.

Overall, I had fun reading this. It's been a minute since I read YA fantasy and I had fun, I did call part of the twist at the end but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. One thing I felt though is the Valryn world was interesting I wish it was a little more fleshed out. That being said I am looking forward to the sequel.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐. 75

A creepy spellbinding experience that will have you eagerly flipping through the pages for more!

So I made the horrible mistake of reading this book at 3 in the morning. This book scared me so badly and it's funny cause I read the version that came out in 2018 so I should have known what was going on but it still surprised me! I loved everything about this book the gore, the violence, and the romance *chef's kiss*! The entire world was just amazing! All the characters too were so good! So everyone check this book out if you're looking for a dark paranormal YA romance with plot twist after plot twist!

Thank you Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks early reads, and NetGalley for the eARC!!