I really enjoyed this book. As soon as you start reading, you are transported into this world where magic (Morphia) exists. However you need to pass a trial to keep it. When Roe takes her trial, she fails. She decides to board the Celestial, a magical boat for wealthy customers, to have a chance of earning, through her service, a retrial and keep her Morphia. As the story progresses, Roe and her new friends on the Celestial begin to realize that the things they were told about this magical ship are false.

I thought that the world building was extensive. The story is fast paced and it really captivated me. This book is YA, but the writing didn’t feel like it. I really liked the aspect of found family. This book had quite a lot of political intrigues, the romance was more of a subplot.
I did not expect the ending. The story was wrapped up pretty well, but I would still love to explore more of this world and its characters ! I definitely recommend reading this book !

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.

4.25 stars! I really liked the setting aboard the Celestial. The ship on the cover is what first drew me to this book. I thought the story was a fun adventure with a really cool dark and creepy atmosphere to it. I would love to read more about Roe’s resurrection ability. The romance plot was sweet and I really liked the found family aspect as well. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Really liked this one! The premise was what drew me in and the characters were what made me stay!! Definitely recommending this one

I really enjoyed this book! It’s completely different than a good many of the fantasy books out right now! There’s mystery, suspense, love, murder and all kinds of goodies that were put together well that it kept me interest! Highly recommend this book!

I really enjoyed reading Midnight on the Celestial and its vibes that were similar to Caravel and The Night Circus! It felt a bit lighter in tone than those books, but still had the themes of magic, performances, and mystery. I thought that the plot was very well thought out and well explored, especially for being a debut novel.

The magic system was very interesting and, while similar to some that I've read before, did have a sense of originality. It felt complex without being confusing and I was always intrigued to see how it would impact the direction of the story.

The FMC Roe is was a fun main character to follow and her dynamics with her family (especially father) were complex and interesting. It was easy to empathize with her as she and her magic are deemed too dangerous for society and she boards the mysterious Celestial. The romance between Roe and the MMC Ivander was fine, but I felt as though it fell a bit flat and could've been a lot better.

All in all this was a great debut and I'm excited to see what the author writes next!

Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra
🌟 🌟🌟🌟/5

Wow! This was incredible. Fantasy / Horror readers will appreciate this one. I literally couldn’t put it down. It was compelling, fast paced, mysterious and downright creeptastic!

The magical system is unique. Society is separated by Morphic or Non-Morphic humans. The Morphics are required to pass a trial using their magic and if they fail they risk having their Morphia extracted or worse. They may end up on the Celestial cruise ship.
Political unrest, magic, power and a secret family history threaten the future of the realm and everyone in it.

The MFC, Roe Damarcus is a brave, powerful character. Her ability is Resurrection! Her friends have specific abilities. There are shifters, crafters, immersives, emotives, menders, alchemists. They are well developed and essential to the plot.
The world building is incredibly detailed and immersive.

What an incredible debut novel! Thank you to @wednesdaybooks for the opportunity to read this in return for an honest review!

the world and premise was amazing! I really liked the descriptions, it didn't feel too over the top which was a good thing for me.

“Midnight on the Celestial” begins with a trial as Roe attempts to prove her worth as a resurrectionist in order to keep her Magic, but when she fails she escapes to a cruise ship where others like her work to win a second chance using their magic to charm the guests but there’s something sinister lurking in the halls and if she’s not careful she may find herself on the wrong side of her gift.

This is a tricky one and almost feels like it was a couple different ideas for books thrown together and I’m not quite sure it was successful.

Let’s start with what I liked , I think Roe and the rest of the characters were well done. I really enjoyed her fumbling as she really was a fish out of water when trying her best at hospitality. She stumbles and gets it wrong while biting her tongue against her host family and that’s very relatable for anyone who has had to work in the service industry and watching her grow and make connections was one of my favorite aspects of the story. The collection of characters and their undying loyalty to one another even if it meant losing their opportunity to escape for the chance at saving everyone was very powerful.

I struggled most with the way the plot was structured. We get introduced to this trial and magic system which was somewhat lose but smoothed out a tad as we moved forward. No sooner did it begin we find ourself on the ship where magic takes center stage, by pun intended, making this grand adventure and opportunity to explore talents while also showing that there is this dark underbelly controlled by the bosses and what could be a consequence of taking their magic as a punishment. This part worked and I think was the strongest part of the story which was great because we spend a lot of time here and it felt like the Night Circus but if every worker hated their life in a way that made sense to the reader because it is meant to show the danger behind the fantasy.

Where it lost me is the last chunk where we dive into a more political uprising that seems so much bigger than we actually see it be and is resolved just as quickly? I almost felt like we needed a cut off and then a sequel to really give more weight to some of the more serious elements and the betrayals, moments of shock and the strength some find to really expand upon what they thought they could achieve. It gets explained a way in flashbacks weighed down in heavy exposition which didn’t help with any sort of emotional payoff and I found myself feeling cheated a bit and just how easy it was to go up against something that was centuries in the making.

I am not sure about this one and if what I enjoyed can hold its own against what didn’t quite work but I do hope other readers can find more of the positive!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Roe, a resurrectioner, failed her trial to prove her morphic powers weren't dangerous. Her only options were to have her Mophia extracted where she would never conjure a spirit again or board the Celestial, a holding ship for dangerous Morphics and a vacation cruise for the rich. Aboard the ship, she works towards a retrial while making friends, finding terrifying things roaming and changing the halls of the ship, and realizing that there might be a flaw in her family's system after all.

The magic system in this was so cool and exciting. I really liked the aspect of raw morphia and how it changed certain things around it. I was really surprised by the twist in here and thoroughly enjoyed the show of morphia at the end.

The only reason why this isn't a 5⭐️ for me is I had to skim a portion of this book to get through some parts. It seemed like the book itself was also skimming because there were parts that were over descriptive and other parts that needed more descriptions and details for it to be important to the story and reader. This stretches from the settings and foods to characters' personalities. I would like more and less in these aspects if this makes sense 🙃

This was definitely an incredible debut with an insanely unique setting that absolutely stole the show for me (I have never read a fantasy set on a cruise ship so it was really really unique and different). Roe (FMC) was really interesting because she starts off as a really spoiled/almost ignorant rich kid and I think that set a really good platform for character growth as she was unlikeable also you could see where she had these views.

The plot and betrayals and general storyline really sold it for me, I can't lie I was a bit unconvinced of the romance/it didn't feel necessary for me? Ivander could have been an amazing best friend type figure but then they suddenly liked each other and that was a bit iffy to me but it wasn't a deal breaker.

I think the book closed/wrapped up together super neatly as a standalone so would highly recommend purely because of the unique setting !!

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

I really like the concept of this book. Boarding a magical cruise ship as a form of punishment/trial to earn the right to keep your magic is unique, and I loved the cruise ship setting.

Beyond the setting, unfortunately not much stood out to me. The characters felt very one dimensional to me so it was hard for me to connect with them, and I didn’t find the main plot and the politics of it to be all that interesting. That’s not to say that this book is bad by any means, but while the setting is unique, nothing else about the book breaks the mold, in my opinion.

Regardless, the book is well-written and easy to read; it’s a solid ya fantasy that I think a lot of readers will enjoy, even if I personally didn’t connect with it.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

JULIA GIRL, I have been following your process since May of this year. I really didn't know what Julia would be getting to create in her beautiful world. But I was anchored in and here to feel the ocean waves. I wasn't prepared to FALL IN LOVE with this magical world. Anytime there was time to myself I was running back to the book, so I see what happens next!!

Following along with the story I could really feel what Roe was going through. The horror attributes were fun, the magic was compelling, and the plot was thickening!! Thank you so much Julia (and Net galley) for letting me read this story for an honest review. I can't wait for the rest of the world to read this next March!

First off, thank you so much to the author Julia Alexandra and NetGallery for providing me with an ARC! From the moment I read the synopsis, I knew this was a book I’d pick up on release day if I didn’t get the chance to read it early, and it did not disappoint.

The worldbuilding was fantastic, seamlessly blending modern elements (a cruise ship in a fantasy world… how cool is that?) with classic fantasy tropes in a way that felt completely fresh. Which made me feel like I’ve never read anything like this before.

I absolutely adored the progression of Ivander and Roe’s relationship, it gave me all the warm, fuzzy feelings that’s I have been missing from other books. One thing that really surprised me was Eliza’s character arc, especially given her early interactions with Roe. It wasn’t what I expected, and do think there should’ve been more building to that.

While the ending wraps up nicely and satisfying, making it feel like a standalone, I think there’s tremendous potential for a sequel. This was such an amazing read, easily one of my favorites of the year that actually pulled me out of a reading slump. And best believe I will be on the lookout for Julia Alexandra’s future releases.

Thank you to Julia Alexandria, St. Martin's Press, and Net Galley for this ARC!

⭐️- Worldbuilding
The world building was the absolute star of this show! The time period subtly hinted at feeds in well to the discussion and use of magic within this world, how its divided up, how a government can utilize it, and what can happen if things go wrong. I think the ship could’ve been explored even more, but what we were given was really lovely.


⭐️- Character Development
Personally I do think the main character falls under that unfortunate quality of not being as interesting as the side characters. Row, in general felt like one of those “not like other girls” characters with a slight arrogance and elitism that made her distasteful. There’s a reason why which I will get into in another section. That being said, the author did put in the work to give her an arc and development that made her more palatable. While I personally did not care fo her, she does undergo development that makes her worthy of being the main character. The other characters were an absolute joy to read! From the family, to the found family aboard the ship, to the guests of the ship itself! I particularly enjoyed the captain of the Hawks, so look out for him!

⭐️-Writing
The writing, especially when explaining the world was absolutely stellar. I felt that similar feeling of being on my toes, wondering what will happen next. However, I severely dislike books in first person. I think they do such a disservice to the book unless you’re really going for an unreliable narrator with a big twist down the road. It makes a reader not want to be in your main character’s head so intimately. I know there were certain thoughts Row had where I was thinking to myself thank goodness this was a thought she didn’t share out loud. However aside from this, the writing had such a good pace. We were never kept comfortable for too long which was exactly how this journey alongside Rod should feel. The intimate moments were sweet, and I appreciate someone actually taking the time to understand theatre and aerial silks, and to some extent how cruise ship staffs function!

⭐️-Plot
I really enjoyed the plot up until the last couple chapters. I think the twist hit its mark but was not resolved in a way that felt satisfying. The last thing I wanted was for Roe to have any position of power. To me, she hadn’t properly built up the skillset to do it, or at least hadn’t demonstrated enough of it. It truly felt like it was because of her name and power, and of course because she’s the main character which is fine. Throughout the majority of the book however, you get such an investment into the story and how it progresses. You’re kept in the dark just enough that you feel like you’re also solving a mystery, which makes it all the more exciting as you go.

Thank you again for this ARC, it was a pleasure to read.

I just have to say Midnight on the Celestial had me hooked from the first glimpse. There is this wild tension right away.the magic, the failure, the choice Roe faces between losing her gift or getting stuck working on a magical cruise ship just feels so high stakes. And then the ship itself turns into something straight out of a nightmare at night, and suddenly it is not just a job it is survival.

What really got me though was Roe. She feels real.your heart is rooting for her even while everything around her is falling apart. The romance with Ivander has that spark you want but it does not steal the show. It stands beside all the other relationships.the friendships and rivalries and those found family bonds that make you care about people who are not even traditional heroes.

The world building is vivid without being overwhelming. Food and performances that feel almost alive. And the mystery twists kept catching me off guard in the best way. It drips with eerie charm but never forgets that at its core it is Roe trying to hold onto who she is while this ship tries to swallow her whole.

I am already thinking about how this story will stay with me long after. If you like your fantasy eerie and character driven, you really should keep this one on your radar.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

A standard trial/competition romantasy that aims to be upper YA but reads like middle grade. Everything was overexplained, as if the author doesn’t trust the reader to understand.

This interesting young adult novel which is set to come out next year is a very good read. I really enjoyed it because of the magical supernatural elements which made it wonderful to follow alobg to. The main fmc Roe was indeed a very strong and likeable character. Her ability to stand up for what she believes in is indeed a very powerful source of action. Overall the author does a very wonderful job of story telling what with this being her debut novel.

I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

I love it when an author delivers exactly what they promise. The summary of this book was very intriguing, naturally I had great expectations. I’m pleased to say they were succeeded.

After failing her trial to keep her magic, Roe is given two choices: either give up her magic or serve a punishment sentence aboard the infamous ship The Celestial in order to get the chance to earn a retrial. Simple, right? Roe will succeed and shortly be on her merry way home. Unless, there’s more to this mysterious ship.

From the very beginning I was immersed into this world. The world-building and magic system were of my favourite things; the characters I grew very fond of as well. I was able to sympathise with many of them, especially the MCs. The book was very well paced, I did not find any dull moments, I wanted to keep on reading.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable read. I would definitely read a sequel, as I think there were some things that could’ve been further developed. The ending did not feel rushed, but again, there are some things I would’ve liked to see more of. But nevertheless, I so enjoyed this book!

Firstly thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book for my honest review. Within the first few chapters I was instantly enamored by this story. In a world full of magic and non magic users Rosaline Demarcus has the power to resurrect the dead and is often forced to preform for wealthy families to show her gift. Rosaline or as her friends call her Roe ends up realizing her life isn't what it was cracked up to be and their are others out their trying to take her magic from her. Roe escapes to what she used to think as the magical Celestial so she can keep her magic only to discover the dark reality. This book for being labelled as YA is very dark and grotesque throughout. While I did enjoy reading their were times I questioned if this book was in the right category as i think it only got the YA label as the characters are 16 and up but the themes are definitely not for the faint of heart. Time for the cons: Movement wise at times this book dragged on especially leading up to Roe escaping and once she was aboard the Celestial for anything to truly move the story forward. The character of Roe does become very whiny and intitled throughout which can be off putting when she is initially described as being independent and strong willed. It also felt the relationship between Ivander and Roe that to me as the reader I didn't believe they had any connection at all. There was too many character names to keep track of at times that I found myself confused on the relationship between them and Roe. Finally last con: is that the ending felt rushed and random with some appearances like the author struggled to tie up loose ends and threw everything she could to make it seem resolved but also allowing some untied should they make another book and continue the series. Because of these cons and my overall enjoyment of the story that is why I have given it 4 stars.

This book was really good, I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. It felt very well paced and very engaging.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.