✨Stars Above the Never Sea ARC✨

I really enjoyed Stars Above the Never Sea by Evelyn Flood. It has been a while since an ARC has really sucked me in, and I was loath to put this book down and so annoyed that I had to go to work and make food and go to the gym and do normal people things when I would’ve much preferred to be reading.

It starts off quite dark with the FMC, Selene, in a very bad situation and I love the fact that she’s not a damsel in distress, despite her circumstances. There’s an enemies to lovers element to this book with Selene and the MMC, Callan, being on opposite sides of an old conflict, but I never really got full enemies vibes from them. They were always both just doing what they thought was right and what they needed to in order to survive

Found Family is one of my favourite tropes and this book had it in spades. I enjoyed the element of mystery as Selene doesn’t necessarily understand her own past and Callan is only able to fill-in some of those gaps.

I do have to warn you that it ends on a ridiculous cliffhanger, but luckily the next book is out in December, which is not that far away if you are a fan of Romantasy, then this might be the book for you. I’m certainly going to be reading the next one!

It releases on July 30th!

I genuinely have no words. This has to be the best fantasy book I’ve ever read, and for it being the first in the series? I am GAGGED. Usually I have a love hate relationship with romantasy series’ as I often find all the characters and plot hard to follow at times, however the world building was done so well that this was not an issue. The romance was done beautifully and there was a good mix between romance and fantasy. I am currently crying my eyes out at the airport and I am already counting down the days til December 2025. This series is genuinely going to be something special and I cannot wait to see more of Callan, Selene and the crew.

Stars above the never sea is a duel narrative story of a strong faeyte, Selene, the last of her kind and the cocky ship captain Callan. Evelyn’s characters are fun and affectionate making it impossible to not become emotionally attached. You will laugh with them, fear for them and cry with them. My personal favourites have to be Sol and Matthias. The sarcasm and innuendo between them made them feel so genuine. Of course special shout out to Callan. We all love a protective MMC but one that makes us laugh? 🥵

A fantastic novel filled with love, humour, magic and emotional turmoil.
The world building is excellent. Enough to paint the scene but not too much that I became lost or confused. With good focus on plot helping the story flow smoothly, I practically devoured it.
Another five star ARC read of 2025. I can’t wait for book two!

Wow, I did not expect this going in. This is really a story of two halves but I was so interested the entire time. I love Selene as a FMC. She is strong, witty and right now a total mystery. Looks wise I pictured her to be similar to Yvaine from Stardust. This had an incredible found family (enough to make me cry), a unique magic system and original world building. If you have been looking for a hangover cure from the knight and the moth this is highly recommend. It took me aback for a moment seeing eejit and da being used but in a good way, as I am Scottish it’s nice to see them being used in literature. The ending is filled with so much suspense and I genuinely never guessed what was coming. I am glad we won’t have to wait too much longer for book two because I am desperate for it!!

I devoured this book within a couple of days and I just KNOW I will be rereading at some point. I was completely hooked from the very first chapter. The high fantasy world is so unique, the characters are complex and compelling and the slow burn romance was everything I want in a book. This book has me feeling ALL the feelings, and that ending!!!

Selene is so intriguing as an FMC - her story is heartbreaking as she's the last of her kind, but I love that we get to watch as she starts to heal and finds her own found family. She is fierce, brave and I adore her. And Callan!!! The slightly broody, definitely sexy, captain with lots of secrets? I was sold immediately. The romance is a slow burn, its frustrating and tense - I loved every second.

I have to shout-out some of my favourite side characters - Merrick, Leo, Matthias, Esme honestly the entire inner circle is amazing. I love each and every one of them.

The worldbuilding is so unique and beautifully written - a sea of stars, complicated political games, and people doing everything they can to survive in a harsh world. The magic system was also different to anything I've read!! This is high fantasy at its finest, but it was so much more too. A story of grief, survival, loyalty, family, power, greed and more.

The ending had me crying, staring at my ceiling for a few hours and DM'ing the author to let her know if trade my soul for book 2. This book was a masterpiece, and one of my top reads of this year so far. Go check it out👀

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3.25/5 Stars

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🏴‍☠ Enemies To Lovers
⚓ Found Family
🏴‍☠Golden Retriever MMC
⚓ Slow Burn?
🏴‍☠He falls First
⚓Forced Proximity

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

ˋ°•*⁀➷” Punish them. Punish all of them.”

ˋ°•*⁀➷” ‘Gods.’ A hiss sounds from in front of me.
My smile is twisted. ‘There are no gods here.
Only me.’”

💭 Thoughts-

-ˋˏ✄┈┈I wanted to know more about the world's politics and just the overall way of life because I felt that felt very rushed while I was reading it.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈I know it said it was a “Slow burn” but honestly the so-called “Slow burn” felt so, so rushed and forced in all honesty.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈Girl was supposed to be this ice queen with no feelings yet immediately starts to trust everyone on the ship within a day like what is that…

Now Playing:

⊹ ࣪ ˖Fairytale By Alexander Rybak˖࣪ ⊹
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Stars Above the Never Sea completely broke me in the best way possible. I wasn’t prepared for this book to grab my heart and crush it. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I fell in love with these characters.

First off: this book is vibes. It’s dreamy, dark, magical, and a little sad in that beautiful way you only get with epic romantasy. Think pirates and fairies, with a sprinkle of divine beings, ancient grudges, and enemies-to-lovers romance that slow burns you alive.

Selene is the kind of heroine I love: angry, soft underneath all the armor, haunted by loss, and deeply powerful. Her journey home after ten years in chains??? Gut-wrenching. And then there's Callan—ugh. He's got a golden retriever soul hidden under layers of sarcasm and salt. Their chemistry? OFF. THE. CHARTS. Every interaction between them had me kicking my feet and whispering “just kiss already.”

The worldbuilding? Lush. Gorgeous. Unique. A sea made of stars. Flying ships. Forgotten gods. It's a little confusing at first, I won’t lie, but once it clicks, it’s so rewarding. Flood doesn’t spoon-feed you the lore—you discover it as the characters do, which honestly made everything feel more immersive.

And the EMOTIONS. I cried. I highlighted passages. I stared at the wall for ten minutes after finishing. This book hit so many raw nerves—grief, belonging, revenge, love, hope. If you’ve ever felt like a ghost in your own life or like you’re clawing your way back from the edge, this book will see you.

It’s perfect for fans of:

Star-crossed lovers with a tragic past (and wings 😭)

Lyrical, poetic writing that punches you in the soul

Slow-burn tension and emotionally damaged characters trying to be whole again

That feeling when you finish a book and just… sit there, ruined, but grateful

Evelyn Flood’s Stars Above the Never Sea, the first instalment of The Last Faeyte series, instantly captivated my imagination. Though the pacing falters at times and the intricate hierarchy of the Gods can feel overwhelming, Flood’s world-building is immersive and naturally woven into Selene’s journey. As the story unfolds, a beautifully slow-burning romance emerges between Selene and Callan their emotional tension tugs at the heart and lends authenticity to their bond. By the final page, the cliff-hanger grips you with such intensity that makes you want the next instalment immediately.

EDIT** as I have now been sent the correct file and devoured this book!

I have ADORED this book. I had no idea what I was getting into upon starting this story as it was the first book I read from this author, and let me tell you that any upcoming fantasy is automatically on my to-read list from there on.

I have loved the world building as much as I did the characters. The magic system was wonderfully set into place, the stakes immediately clear, and the characters only grew from there on. I jumped into this expecting a high-stakes romantasy, and I love that I got just that.

Both Selene and Callan had their depth and their flaws, fleshed out onto paper the way I love my romantasies to be written; first as separate characters before setting up any kind of romance trope. I have nothing but love for this story and where it took me. I love a found family trope and there’s nothing I like more than being instantly and pleasantly surprised by a good read!!

Thank you kindly netgalley for the arc and opportunity to read and review this book!

5 ⭐️

*Arc review*
4.5

Wow, what the fk was that ending lol I mean now we have to wait and I can't because I need to know......

Where do I start?

I loved this book, the journey of the FMC had me in my feels from the prologue. She went through and then some.

The magic system was just different and delightful.

And when I say the MMC would crawl to her...
He blinking did, wow what a love story this also is and what a man, one of my favourite couples I've read about this year.

Thank you Netgalley, the publishers and the Author for this opportunity, yet again another book I enjoyed

I liked this! Give me pirates and ships and a female shadow wielder and I’m down! Thank you for this arc

Evelyn Flood, what have you done to me?!
This incredible pirate romantasy novel has it all. It has heart, warmth, action, destruction, trauma. Our FMC is a faeyte, due to make her ascension when Asteria is invaded by the Caelumni. Her sisters give her her name, Selene Amaris, before begging her to run for her life. Years later, Callan Edgeborn and his crew are in Terrosa, making a supply run on his ship Volatus, when Selene escapes her indentured labour, and finds herself mysteriously locked in the ship's cargo hold. What happened on the day she escaped Asteria begins to be revealed to Selene, and the horrors continue to unfold as she, Callan and his crew cross the Never back to Asteria. Bonds are formed, and Selene warms to the idea that she may be able to repair the damage wreaked by the Gods on the day of the invasion when they arrive back in Asteria. But nothing is ever so simple in romantasy, is it? 😉

I can't tell you just how much I loved this book. The pacing is fantastic, and the worldbuilding is magnificent - the revealing of the world outside of the brothel where Selene has been a slave for so many years comes to us as it does to her, so we feel the shock just as she does. The imagery is vivid, and the characters are so vibrant. Each is so distinct and uniquely them, there is no blurring of one character into another. The relationships are strong and there is so much love between Callan and his crew. Be prepared to fall heavily in love with these characters! The villain of the piece is well crafted, with the reveal of his true nature an absolute popcorn spilling moment. The final chapter - absolutely DEVASTATING. The wait for part two may well destroy my nerves. Absolutely wonderful stuff.

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

I really enjoyed this book.  It had all the elements of a good romantasy. I felt the chemistry between the characters, the found family and queer rep was there, and the plot was so interesting too.  It had just the right pacing, and the cliffhanger makes you want to read the sequel.  There was just one plot point that did not get any resolution that I wish would appear in the next installment. (I can't really say what it is since it might be spoilery) But overall, a great fantasy read ☺️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC
I was so looking forward to reading it, it really sounded good and interesting to me
Unfortunately I dnf’ed it as I couldn’t get into it. I think I will give it another try in few weeks as maybe I wasn’t in the right mood.
I struggle to get myself into it, I was bored and I found the parts I have read too long and too slow, I was often confused I had to reread some paragraphs too many times.
But again I want to think it’s on me and my mood and tiredness at the time.
I wish the author all the best and I know this book is great for so many people and the right public.

Thank you to NetGalley and Evelyn Flood for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a Romantasy story with a twist, that involves a seafaring adventure, magic at a price and a vengeful goddess, then definitely give Stars Above the Never Sea a read.

The story follows our FMC, Selene, as she escapes her life as a slave and grapples with the past, yearning to return to a place she once called home. As an avid romantasy reader, I found Stars Above the Never Sea to have such a unique plot, world and magic system. Initially, it took me a second to correctly understand the terms given to different people, but once this clicked, I absolutely devoured the book.

Various elements make up this whimsical story such as: sailing, adventure, magic, the mystery of The Never, a god and goddess as well as a found family. They all knit together so well and immerse you completely in the book. Though it has a unique plot, there are all the things that you love about the Romantasy genre in this book, in addition to a few unexpected twists.

The FMC (Selene) and MMC (Callan) are both lovable characters and I quickly grew attached to them both. I feel that the dual POV in the book really compliments the story and I really enjoyed getting an insight to both of their minds. I am a massive fan of the romance in this book and found it to be very sweet and wholesome, with lots of tension. I was fully invested in it from the get to.

There are some heavy themes in the book so please check the trigger warnings.

I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment after that ending. It had me in tears. Definitely go and add this book to your TBR now, though have a box of tissues on hand.

Stars Above the Never Sea is an immersive fantasy with gritty sea merchants and just enough magic to keep you enchanted. The blend of fantasy and nautical adventure gave me Fable meets Grishaverse vibes, while still feeling unique and wholly it's own. I loved how the world-building unfolded naturally through storytelling and dialogue. It felt like I was discovering the setting alongside the heroine, which worked beautifully with the seafaring atmosphere.

Selene and Callan are older protagonists, which I appreciated, though their tone and behavior often leaned more toward a new adult feel. Their romance is a steady slow burn—not overly dramatic or swoony, but believable and earned. What stood out even more to me was the found family and casual queer rep, which gave the story real heart. While I wished for a deeper exploration of Selene’s trauma and a slightly stronger spark between the leads, the emotional payoff and action at the end pulled me right back in. Despite a few slow stretches in the middle, this was a compelling, atmospheric read—and I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next.

Wow ! I wanted a pirate / ocean / sea romantasy book and that’s EXACTLY what I got !
Selene Amaris & Callan totally stole my heart ! Commended both of them on their bravery and strength !

Selene ran from her home in Asteria after being pushed to run as her home was being invaded and her people slain. At sixteen and powerless she ran into the unknown , feeling a total loss as she was truly now alone in the world. The guilt she had felt of being unable to save anyone and for being the only survivor . 10 years later she found freedom but she was worn down, broken and a shell of the young woman she once was . After being found and bound by an unknown person on Callan’s ship, Volatus, the mystery of her powers are slowly being discovered .

Callan , on his own journey with his crew is pushed to his limit with power to try and deliver goods back to his “home” , a home that once belonged to Selene and her Feyres .

My gosh the plot was thick!! I loved the slow burn , the details , the chemistry , tension , the mystery slowly being unravelled like I LOVED this sooooo much !! The writing was intense and emotional but also had a lot of sarcastic moments ! I loved the banter between the friendship group ! I enjoyed discovering her powers and ability at the same time as Selene , this really captured her fragile and vulnerable moments but at the same time it also made me feel the power she felt and I loved the determination she had on taking control of her desire .. I am not over that intense build up , ending and twist ! The slow reveal was torture ! Like OH MY GOSH ! My heart was stuttering !

I now have to cry and wait until December 2025 for the next instalment 😭😭😭😭

✨ Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review ✨

Hooked in the first few pages and it flew by till the end. I'm already impatiently awaiting the next one! This had action, magic, found family, great character development and a complex and unique world to be set in. Lots of bits of side plots and some full gasp, "no way!", re-read and gasp again reveals.

THANK YOU NETGALLEY! I'm beyond grateful to have received an ARC. This is the kind of book I hope absolutely blows up on TikTok and every bookish platform out there. It has such good bones to be an amazing series. The imagery is breathtaking, and the magic system? Beautifully executed. It takes real talent to build a world this vivid, and convey so well to the readers. While the romance could use a bit more emotional depth, I see that as a perfect opportunity for growth in the sequel. And the FMC? Say less...I love a girl with some trauma.

This book is everything. Stars Above the Never Sea is so beautifully written, immersive in a way that made me feel like I'd been plunged into the world. The characters drew me into their orbit with their genuine love and camaraderie, and I can't help but love them and rage with them and want to fight their battles with them. The ending had me spiraling. I'm incensed and desperate for more. These characters and the world will be all I'll be thinking about for the foreseeable future. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!