*I listened to the Audiobook*

All the Stars and Teeth was wrapped up in a fantastic audio production. The Narrator did a great job portraying the gore, hurt, love, adventure and magic in this novel.

When the Princess first displayed her magic, I was horrified. I honestly did not know if I personally could continue reading this book. It was intense. But I kept going. After a turn of events she is working and fighting to redeem herself and her kingdom.

With a band of found friends, the plot easily flows through their dynamics without loosing sight of the main story. There are many types of fables and magic mixed into this book and it makes it feel so much more fantastical.

This is dark and has TW of blood, gore, murder, and a few more.

DNF about 25% of the way through. I wanted to like it and I will give it another try sometime. It may not have been a good time for me to read this one.

All the Stars and Teeth is a mermaid story with bite and adventure. Princess Amora has been studying to be High Animacer to prove her place in the kingdom, however after her failed trial she is forced to leave home and make her way. Stumbling in the path of a mysterious pirate, Bastian, she travels the seas to even more dangerous adventures. The lush, otherworldly, under the sea vibes show that life is better under the sea. This story has classis YA fantasy troupes, but is an enjoyable, swoon worthy read, nonetheless.

I have this a two star. It took me a while to get into this book. It fell flat for me. I lost interest while I was reading it. I really was hoping to enjoy it though.

All the Stars and Teeth is a high seas fantasy where a princess with soul magic teams up with a pirate, a mermaid, and her fiancé from a political marriage arrangement to stop a growing rebellion on an island that has been excised from the kingdom. While it seemed like an exciting premise at the outset, it got too bogged down in its own worldbuilding to be paced well. Some of the worldbuilding - like the mermaids - was executed very well and created a few memorable scenes, but it took quite a while of slogging through nearly irrelevant details like the jewels that represent each island to get to that point.

However, I found myself bored by the lack of concrete stakes. It becomes clear early on that we don’t want the current monarchy in charge of the kingdom, nor do we want this new rebellion leader. The princess is determined to be a better ruler than her father, but it’s not at all clear how she’s going to be different. In the end, I had a hard time finding someone in this book I really wanted to root for.

This book was empowering, bold, exciting, and bloody! I loved it! I can't wait to read the next installment (which I luckily already have!)

I was very excited when I heard about this book (And not just because of the gorgeous cover design) and I instantly had to request it! With mermaids, pirates, princess, and magic what more could I ask for? And while It is definitely not without flaws I still thought it was a very enjoyable read. I thought the premise of this book was super original and I LOVED the unique world and magic system that Grace created!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Even though I am scared of the ocean and deep water, I love books set on the high seas. All The Stars And Teeth by Adalyn Grace was right up my alley. This YA debut is a unique fantasy story about a princess who will do anything to save her kingdom. I simply ate this one up with a spoon – reading so quickly. I was unable to set this book down until I turned the last page. It was THAT compelling.

All The Stars And Teeth is about Amora Montara, Princess of Visidia. Amora has been raised to practice soul magic which is limited to the royal family as it is so dangerous. However, practicing it keeps the beast at bay and her people protected. Amora is is prepared to demonstrate her skill and be initiated into becoming High Animancer and eventually the ruler of Visidia. Unfortunately, she messes up her ceremony and is thrown in jail after. With the help of a pirate named Bastian, Amora is on her way throughout the kingdom comprised of different islands and magics to confront a threat to her kingdom and people as well as to prove she deserves to rule.

It’s hard to explain why but All The Stars And Teeth gave me Poison Study vibes. I think maybe it was the different magics that was why. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. As a matter of fact, I cannot wait to head back for the sequel. I will probably pick up anything Adalyn Grace writes from here on out. Amora’s journey and unraveling of the secrets surrounding her kingdom is excellent and well crafted. Each morsel is parceled out in a way that is not overwhelming but also not too slow.

I loved Amora’s romance with Bastian and the undeniable chemistry. Additionally, I loved Amora’s fiance, Ferrick. His magic and role are so well written. He has his own growth and development. Then there’s the mermaid, Vataea, who is so badass and different. The crew, aboard the Keel Haul, form a found family. Their interactions with each other show development of trust as time goes on. The characters really make this book. Also, the setting. The set up is that the kingdom of Visidia is comprised of multiple islands. On each island the people there practice one type of magic. If they were to try multiple magics, the beast would rise up and destroy Visidia. The setting and worldbuilding are immersive. Recommended if you’re in the mood to be transported to a magical island kingdom and really go on a journey.

This book completely took me by surprise! I loved the plot and the cast of characters! Can’t wait to read the next book! Definitely recommend this!

I really loved the premise of this book and was excited to read it, but I just found it to be a little bit...underwhelming. There were moments where I felt like I couldn't put the book down, and moments where I felt like the story dragged on a bit. There was also nothing that made it stand out to me amongst the hundreds of YA fantasy books I've read--which is not necessarily a bad thing. I think there are thousands of people out there who will pick this book up and enjoy it, but as someone who reads and reviews multiple YA books a year I think it's just fine.

You will definitely want to get this entire series asap. Yes, I say this and Ive only been introduced to the first book in this series. What a journey to take that you will not want to miss!!

Blood magic, pirates, mermaids adventure, sea monsters?? A ragtag crew?? Sure, there are some tropes in here, but I found this refreshing in its manner of taking no prisoners.

LOVED this book!!!!
Had everything I love in a book and more.
Loved the second installment too!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles.
I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

Initial Thoughts
I was super excited to read this book when it came out. I actually came by the book in NetGalley before the sequel came out and was thrilled to review it here as well.

Some Things I Liked
Magic system. I thought the magic system in this book was really unique and unlike anything I had seen before. I also really liked how the magic tied into the world building.
Complex political plot. Although the story centers around magic and a royal conspiracy, I also really enjoyed how the political landscape developed.
Morally grey main character. Amara doesn't always make the best choices and she struggles at times to understand the motivations behind those choices. I really loved her inner monologues where she weighed her decisions.

Series Value
I can't wait to keep reading this series. I have really high hopes for the second book in the series as well as for Adalyn Grace as an author. I love the way she writes characters and can't wait to see more from her in the future.

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. I am excited for the sequel and can't wait to keep reading.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommended for fans of
Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift

Set in the amazing world of Visidia, Amora is ready to show her subjects she's worthy of being their next High Animancer. But her test goes awry, causing her to be imprisoned. When an opportunity arises for Amora to escape, she does. Among the way, she and her new crew learn about what is happening in the kingdom and set out to right the wrongs.

I loved this book so so much. Amora is a headstrong young woman that just wants to take her rightful place. She's impulsive and inquisitive, and just a touch selfish. But as she grow through her trials and tribulations, Amora becomes worthy to lead her people.

Bastian is that cocky pirate you want to hate but can't. And as the story progresses we see his faults and his shame, making Amora and the readers love him that much more. There are so many more characters I could explain and I enjoyed them all.

The journey they go on is one of learning and war prevention. Amora sees the lack of support her father has given some of the islands, and promises to fix it. She also learn more about her family's soul magic, along with the other magics purple have. In the end, war still comes no matter how much she tried to stop it.

I feel so bad that it took me forever to read this, but I absolutely can't wait for more.

First of all, I want to comment on how gorgeous the cover of this book is. Absolutely one of my favorite covers! It really makes you want to find out more about this book! Actually, the cover is what first drew my attention to this book and I'm so glad it did! In this story, we follow Amora, the princess of Visidia, and the next ruler of her kingdom. She just has to master a magic that only her bloodline possess. But, when her test doesn't go as planned, she flees with a handsome pirate named Bastian, who is more than what he seems. Yet, she has no choice but to trust him if she wants to return to her kingdom with a second chance. Unfortunately, her fiancé (through an arranged marriage) stows away on the ship as well and the three of them are off on a nearly impossible mission that will help Amora regain her kingdom and Bastian regain is lost magic. However, to achieve their goals they have to face a man who has the power and the army to challenge Amora's father and bring their kingdom down. With the help of a mermaid, this unlikely crew finds themselves not only in the battle of their lives, but for the lives of everyone in all of the islands within the kingdom.

You will find great storytelling and top-notch writing in this YA fantasy. There is a romance, but is not the center focus of the book. However, it is nicely woven into the story-line and there is no insta-love between the characters. All the characters are well developed with their own unique personalities. You will definitely enjoy the adventure and death-defying experiences of Amora and her crew.

All the Stars and Teeth is a fun, yet dark YA fantasy that is very well written, refreshingly original and definitely action-packed. Filled with adventure, romance, strong lead characters, and a high-stakes quest that will take you to the edge and back. A great debut and looking forward to reading the next book!

Amara is set to be the next ruler but she doesn’t pass the test in front of her father or the people of the kingdom that are watching. She’s imprisoned but escapes with Bastian, a mysterious pirate. Amara’s fiancé Ferrick travels with them also. They’re trying to figure out how to stop Kaven. He’s become a ruthless leader and vows to conquer Amara’s father. Along the way, the three of them meet a mermaid and help her escape her servitude and she willingly helps the crew of rebels. They reach Kaven and see firsthand what his rule has cost his people. Amara touches a cursed dagger and sees the memory of what truly happened to the magic so many years ago. The truth could crush her father’s rule. When Amara and her crew return home, they find it under a vicious attack. They jump into the fight and have to do some quick thinking if they’re going to survive. I love the main characters and the development they underwent throughout this book. Amara, Bastian, Ferrick and Vataea are strong, brave and have great loyalty and integrity. I enjoyed the section on Sira’s memory and how it adds a twist to everything Amara and her kingdom know. A grand adventure, 5 stars!

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is taking me a year to review because I am so torn on it. I had to literally check this book out from work three times every time trying to read it only to put it down before it stuck with me. I think about the time it hit the 50% mark I was finally able to sit down with the book and fully feel apart of the story. The main character just had so little growth until the end of the book that it took me a while to warm up to her. Thankfully, I feel like her love interest had enough depth to him that I felt that connection to him which kept me reading. Then the mermaid showed up and man I really love her. I am going to give the second book a try mainly because I want to see where the story goes from here with the hope that the plot and the characters pick up and continue growing.

I really loved the premise of this one, but unfortunately, I never felt truly invested in the story or characters. The pacing was very slow and though I understand a great deal of world building has to occur, it just made the story feel very bogged down. The detailed descriptions of clothing was especially distracting to me. The plot was fairly predictable and I didn't feel like the romance between Amora and Bastian added anything to the story. It felt too forced and the final confrontation in the book felt a bit anticlimactic after all of the build up. The book does end with a cliffhanger, but it doesn't leave the reader hanging.

The narration by Shayna Small was overall fine, but I found her male voices to be very underwhelming. Her attempt to make them distinct worked, but it unfortunately made them almost comical and over the top. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed this one more if I had just read it. Overall, it was fine, but I'm not sure I care enough to read the next book.

Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 3 stars
Story 3 stars

I really enjoyed this book, and I was not sure I would at first. Some of the world-building took me a while to get into, but once I was acquainted with the world and characters, I could not put the book down. I have already ordered the sequel to this book and plan to read it very soon. I am so excited to share this one with my students.