3.5/5 pirates. Need I say more?

This book has pirates (as previously mentioned), shadow magic, a poetic MMC, and lots of banter.

I did feel like some parts of this story were rushed. It wasn't necessarily insta-love, but it was insta-lust with the FMC also immediately trusting a random pirate man she has never met before. She was just too trusting off the bat, even trusting and caring for the entire crew pretty dang fast.

Because it was insta-lust, it did take a while for me to find their relationship believable, I wanted them to work for it a bit more. It did end up in a way that I thought made sense, but it did take me a bit. I'm just really particular about how relationships form in books. (But this was such a likable MMC with some genuinely great qualities that made him feel like such a well-rounded person with depth and opinions and feelings. This dude was just trying to do his job and look out for his crew.)

Every now and then the pacing did feel a bit off and strange, but that could totally be a person preference and opinion. I just thought that some moments were fast and well-paced, grabbing my attention, and then it would get really slow to build up to the next big moment (but not in a way that works within the story).

Overall, I had a good time reading this and I can definitely see myself going back for the sequels!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I don’t even know where to start. Stars Above the Never Sea completely wrecked me in the best, most soul-twisting way. From page one, there’s this weight hanging over everything, like you can feel how much Selene has been through before you even know the full extent. And when you do find out, it hurts. She’s cold and so guarded, but it never once felt like she was closed off for the sake of being "strong." She’s just surviving the only way she knows how. And somehow, that made me love her more.

And then there’s Callan. Callan. The way he watches, waits, listens and never pushes, just shows up for her over and over again. He’s such a slow burn, quiet kind of love interest, but when it hits, it hits hard. Their relationship is full of tension and silence and things unsaid, but it works. It builds. And when it starts to unravel, it’s the kind of chemistry that makes your stomach flip.

Also, the setting is a sea made of starlight. I was so weirdly obsessed with the whole atmosphere- it felt like being caught in a dream you’re not sure you want to wake up from. Add in the found family vibes (I would die for Leo, truly), the dark magic, the subtle worldbuilding that doesn’t overwhelm you but keeps you curious... it's just so well done.

And the ending? No. I’m not okay. I closed the book and sat there for a full five minutes just staring into space like, “how dare you.” This book gave me heartbreak, magic, longing, survival, and slow-burn tension that felt like a punch to the chest. I loved it and can't wait for the next book in the series to drop in December!

Thank you Net Galley and Evelyn Flood for gifting me my NEW TOP READ FOR 2025!!!

Evelyn Flood, what have you done to my heart?! Stars Above the Never Sea is an achingly beautiful, emotionally rich tale with stunning worldbuilding and unforgettable characters. If you've ever wished for a Hook and Tinkerbell love story, this delivers in the most magical, heartbreaking way. The world building is masterfully paced, with vivid imagery and a cast that feels so real and distinct. The bond between Callan and his crew is heartwarming, the villain perfectly crafted, and the final chapter? Utterly devastating. I fell hard for this story!!! Waiting for book two might just ruin me. Absolute perfection.

⚠️ CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS ⚠️

I. Am. Gutted.

And the final page of the book... “I know. I’m sorry.” WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!!!

I don’t even know where to start. I loved Selene so much. She was put straight through hell the entire book but not once did she ever falter in strength. She learned to love, even though it shouldn’t have been possible for her kind. And she didn’t just fall in love with Callan, she fell in love with all of them. Merrick, Leo, Esme, Matthais, Sol.

And for her to find out who her parents were from her father before he was killed!!! Ahhhhhh my heart.

But in all seriousness, this is by far one of the best stories I’ve ever read. I cannot wait to put this on my bookshelf and to reread it when I need a reminder that love is pain. December can’t come soon enough.

Plot 500000/10 ⭐️
Spice 6.5/10 🌶️
Emotional 1000/10 ⭐️

Bravo!

First of all thank you NetGalley and Evelyn Flood for allowing me to read this Advance Reader Copy of Star Above The Never Sea.

I devoured this book in 1 day. That's how much I was invested in it!

Writing: The writing was beautifully done. Everything was described in such a way that I could picture everything in my head. I get turned off by bad writing quiet easily and there wasn't anything that I found annoying at all. The only thing that mildly annoyed me was the use of the insul eejit. I found that a little weird but only mildly so.

Characters: Wow! I loved all of them! I am not a romance read typically and not into tropes except found family. And this has a wonderful found family. I loved every single one of them. Also FMCs usually annoy me however I loved Selene.

Story: The story grabbed me right away. The magic system is quite unique and the world etc was also quite unique as well. There were definitely some loosely borrowed themes, but changed enough to be it's own thing.

Overall: I really wish it would allow half ratings because I would honestly give it 4.5 stars but I am rounding up to 5 out for fairness. I loved this book a lot and highly recommend it when it's released on July 30th. I also cannot wait for the next book because that cliffhanger ending!

A stunning slow-burn fantasy romance that completely hooked me

From the very first chapter, this book had me. It’s brutal and emotional in all the right ways, with gorgeous writing and characters that stay with you long after you stop reading.

Selene is such a brilliant heroine. She’s been through so much and you can feel her strength even in her quietest moments. She’s not hardened completely, though, and that makes her so relatable. And Callan? Protective, charming, broody in the best way — exactly the kind of MMC I love.

The romance is proper slow burn, and I loved every bit of the tension and little moments building between them. It feels natural and earned, and their chemistry was perfection.

The world feels fresh and really easy to sink into without being overwhelming. I loved the little magical details and the found family vibe of the crew too — the side characters were such a great addition.

It also gave me the same kind of feelings I got reading Daughter of No Worlds, which is one of my all-time favourites — and that’s such a huge compliment.

This ended up being a 4.75–5⭐️ read for me — absolutely gorgeous, and I’m already desperate to get my hands on the next book. Highly recommend!

“If I am to be without a fate, without a Calling, then I claim this one for myself”

“A heart that beats as strong as yours is endless with possibility”

What was THAT ??? How can you leave me with that ENDING??? Omg I cannot believe it !!! It’s cruel. It’s evil. It’s strategic. It’s masterful!!! This book was absolutely addicting !!! I started reading it in the morning and by noon I was already finished. Magical creatures, revenge, betrayal, loss, loneliness, found family, forced proximity, a bit of pirate vibes and a bit of spice … I think this book had it all without being overwhelming. The story of a young woman who loses it all and has to survive. The story of a young man who’s trying to help the people he loves. A story of powers, of great kingdoms falling, of fate being written before you know it, of love blossoming when you think you’re not able to fall in love. It was wonderful. Selene is such a strong and resilient character and I could easily follow down her path and making (sometimes unfortunately) her same choices. A mystical creature who believes she is the last of her kind. And Callan … the things this man made me feel!!! I cannot go into heavy details about it because it would spoilt it for other people. I’ll just say that he has the cocky pirate vibes we all love and he is ready to do ANYTHING for the people he loves!!! And when their souls clash … boys, what an explosion of starlight it is !!!! I’m so so glad I had a chance to read this book and I cannot wait for the next one already !!!

“I have never given much concern for fate, Selene, but you make me believe in something bigger than us”

“I did not expect you”
“But I was waiting for you”

If I am to be without a fate, without a Calling, then I claim this one for myself.

I had to take a few days to regroup after that ending. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would! Absolutely no complaints. I was hooked from the first page. The world building was perfect, the character development was realistic, and the MMC? Callan will be your new favorite book boyfriend. He falls first and hard. The one thing I loved the most was instead of touch her and die he is very “touch anyone I love and die.”

This time the FMC, Selene, has the shadows and one of my favorite scenes is her shadows attaching to Callan while they sleep. My heart burst then shattered at the ending. Thank GOODNESS the second book comes out in December because I will be an emotional wreck until then.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers for the ARC copy. ✨

Thanks to Netgalley for an arc copy to review!

Stars Above the Never Seas by Evelyn Flood

Pirates, faeries and gods with a good helping of hefty emotions and found family.

The imagery was stunning, the book starts a little slower but picks up once the stage is set and we get into the meat of the story.

The writing and pacing were easy to follow but my favourite was how honest and real the relationships, especially the platonic ones felt. The characters are all really well written and feel like whole, real people - which I always love. This made the banter between Selene and Callan super enjoyable and flow really easily.

I absolutely DEVOURED this! I loved it! I love the characters, even the side characters, and the FMC and MMC were some two of the best main characters I’ve read about in a long time. I loved Selene and Callan, their slow burn romance and the banter between the two was just so sweet and it was nice to finally read a book that doesn’t revolve around insta-love and constant spicy internal thoughts. The storyline was so different to anything I’ve read, I was honestly so hooked from the very beginning and I knew it was going to be a good read for me. The writing style is great, the storytelling and world building was fab and as I’ve already said, the characters were 10/10. Love love loved it!

Stars Above the Never Sea by Evelyn Flood is a lush and emotional start to a new romantasy series filled with magic, heartbreak, and slow-burning romance. Selene and Callan are complex, opposites-attract protagonists whose journey across the starlit Never Sea is equal parts danger and discovery. With vivid worldbuilding, lyrical prose, and a deep sense of longing, this first installment delivers high-stakes fantasy alongside tender, character-driven moments. Perfect for readers who enjoy found family, fierce heroines, and romances touched by fate. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

A HUGE thank you to Evelyn Flood and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

By the first few chapters, I was hooked.. and by the midpoint, I was addicted!!

The character development..the backstory..the intrigue.. the twists and turns and betrayals.. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. A word of caution, your heart will be broken.

Hot tropes:
-Slow burn & he falls first
-Found family
-Unique magic systems
-Forced proximity
-Shadow magic
-Pirates, faeries, and gods.. oh my!

The book is gives Hook & Tinker Bell vibes in the sea of never and then transforms into a fae hellscape. You will be clapping to prove you believe in faeries until the devastating cliffhanger.

4.25/5 ⭐️ - RECOMMENDED!!

I’m truly at a loss for words! THE ENDING!!?!?! This books is so magical and beautiful! I need the second book PLEASE !!! I fell in love with the side characters and I fell even deeper in love with Selene & Callan 😍😍 I NEED there story to continue like I need food and water!

A wink to the Peter Pan story and not a retelling, in case someone gets confused.
I loved everything about this book.
The characters, the plot and the universe.
Selene, is the strong, no-nonsense FMC that we were longing for. She supposedly cannot feel much but that is neither here nor there. People around her believe that but we are in her head and we know better.
Callan is our golden retriever MMC, who loves his found family and he would do everything for them.
The magic system is really interesting in this one. There is a significant cost for using magic and it is not the same for everyone.
A bit of enemies-to-lovers and fated mates (even though this is not a concept in this world).
The cliffhanger cut deep and I am definitely impatient reading the second one.

Thank you to the author and #NetGalley for the copy!

✨ Stars Above the Never Sea by Evelyn Flood completely swept me away. From the very first chapter, I was hooked—this book is utterly engaging and impossible to put down. Flood’s storytelling is rich and immersive, with characters and a world that stayed with me long after I closed the final page.

The ending left me balanced on a knife’s edge (no spoilers!), and while I’m still recovering from the emotional rollercoaster, I’m equally excited and terrified for what’s to come in the sequel. Evelyn Flood has absolutely destroyed my mind—in the best way possible—and I can’t wait to dive back into this breathtaking world when the next book arrives.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for granting me ARC access!

I took away a star for each unforgivable act this book committed. 1. opens up with a brutal genocide and the sole survivor living in sex slavery for 10 years. hey! thats not fun. would have preferred literally anything else have happened to her in those 10 years like she couldn't have just been locked up somewhere? idk im very sensitive to human trafficking and the first part of this book almost made me stop altogether. 2. there was too much happening with the magic systems and the mysteries and the gods and fate and I just felt like there were so many plot holes and things that got ignored for sake of thats how the story plays out. the main character basically doesnt try to figure anything out when she makes it back to her home and relies on her random magic to lead her. 3. ended on the biggest bitch of a cliffhanger without even a hint of happiness truly just a horrendous ending. so ultimately very little joy to be found in the book besides the rare moments characters eke out that have the most ominous chekhovs gun lurking in the background.

I think there are interesting parts to this story but if this is the story the author wanted to tell I think the book needed to be longer with more care given to character development, there was some attempt and I found the voices of characters string but there just wasn't much growth besides the romance aspect which I dont love given how recently the main character fled sex slavery! Feels like she should get a minute. idk i think this book has a lot of potential and if other people are able to look past the things that bothered me they would likely enjoy it! wasn't my cup of tea in the end. very vivid imagery and strong author voice, the writing and prose itself weren't a problem i am just not a fan of how the plot shook out.

I think if the sex scene had taken place in the female main characters Pov it would have lended to her agency and development rather than it being from the persepctive of a man who always thought she was beautiful anyways.

That ending was insane!! It’s not even out yet and I need book two immediately. The found family in this was so freaking good. I need to know who put her on that ship in the beginning…the magic system in this seems very unique and I love the faetys storyline.

I feel like a lot of this was very predictable, I knew she was in love with him. Callans a very likable character, I wish there was more depth to him though. I need more. A slow burn is an immediate yes.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc.

A 5 stars for all the fantasy lovers! Magic, love, betrayal and friendship- this book has it all! I was absolutely obsessed since chaoter one and could not put the books down!

loved every moment of this book! It’s an intense start, seeing everything that Selene goes through and what follows.
She is the epitome of strength and resilience. I adored getting to see her softer sides as the book progressed, seeing how she tentatively forged relationships with those around her

Callan is just top tier! He is funny, charming and just worthy of everything. The way that he approached Selene is beautiful, the definition of if he wanted to he would. He takes on so much guilt and weight of those around him, I loved how kind and human he is throughout the whole book

The plot of this is fantastic. Evelyn has built a really wonderful complex world with a tiered magic system, mystery and strong moral compass. The pirate vibes are immaculate and have me screaming for more.
If you’re a fan of the Ever King series or the Bridge Kingdom series you should definitely check this out 💗

✨ Romantasy series
✨ Pirates/Fae
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Forced proximity

💕 The crew! All of them but especially Leo
💕 The Never sea crossing
💕 The hot springs
💕 The ending 🤯

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌶️

This story is gripping from beginning to end.

Evelyn Flood did a spectacular job detailing this world and the characters in it.

There's so many lessons. Empathy, vengeance, forgiveness, friendships, and love. This story is filled to the brim with emotions.

There is no character untouched by loss and heartbreak. And they do not all cope the same way. I loved all the characters. The main characters, supporting, and even the villains. And I don't mean I like the villains themselves, I just think theyre written perfectly evil to hit their mark.

This is a series I will definitely be following up with. I need to know what happens next.