Two words: vicious mermaids. I absolutely adored the world that Adalyn Grace created. I love every book about mermaids, and this novel did not disappoint! This book had all of the bone-chilling, goosebump plot points you needed to stay engaged. I cannot wait to see what else this author does.

I was given an early e-copy from the publisher, and I was so excited to dive into this world and its story! Right off the bat, Amora felt like a real person—someone I could be friends with and root for at the same time. I sympathized with her and felt her desire to do good by Visidia in my bones.

Bastian was so much fun. I loved their banter, and I loved his ship. Ferrick was also so sweet! They had me laughing out loud so many different times.

Vataea was such a good character. She’s fiery and feisty and powerful, but she’s also not invincible, which I really appreciated.

I truly enjoyed this story and the characters, and will definitely be picking up the sequel when it comes out! Adalyn has delivered a mesmerizing tale full of magic and adventure!

The cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous and I went into it with high hopes. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping I would. I can't really put my finger onto why. The characters and story line just didn't pull me in. I will say that the magic system was interesting. I don't think I'll read the sequel. 2.5/5 stars

I received a digital ARC as a part of Adalyn Grace's street team.  There is so much to love about All the Stars and Teeth (ASTAT): blood magic, pirates, mermaids, the high seas adventures, a race to save the kingdom.  Grace does an excellent job of creating a vividly unique world and magic system.  The jeweled islands fit perfectly within the YA realm, and the feat of creating a culture and magic unique to each one was impressive for a debut novel.

I was pleased to find the MC, Amora, not your typical pretty princess.  She is raw and flawed, loyal and fierce.  The fact that so many find her downright scary is definitely a plus in my book.  The supporting cast of characters were adequately developed for a the first of a YA series.  I found myself intrigued by the beautiful and fearsome mermaid, charmed by the pirate scoundrel, and empathizing with the jaded lover.  I'm hoping to get to know them more as the series progresses.

While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't love for me.  This stems from my inability to connect to the writing.  For the entirety of the book, I felt as though something was missing to give this book an edge over other YAs of the time.  At times the writing comes across as flowery, contrived, and even corny at times.  Anyone that knows me, knows I love cheesy lines, but this fell short for me.  There also lacked a sense of urgency in the writing style, which the plotting demanded.  It's predictable.  This being a high-stakes, on-the-run adventure, I expected to be on the edge of my seat and sorely missed the rush.

In the end, I was entertained reading it and intrigued enough to read the next book.  I recommend this for YA fantasy readers who enjoy pirates or high seas adventure.  Similar reads would be To Kill A Kingdom, Daughter of a Pirate King, and Ash Princess.

I really wanted to like this. Pirates! Magic! Mermaids! I love all those things -- and I've seen them a million times before, and there was nothing that felt new or interesting about them in this book. If this were my first swashbuckling YA pirate novel, I'd probably still be annoyed by the insta-romance-just-add-water, but I'd also probably think it was a fun ride. As it wasn't my first pirate adventure, it just felt like a ride I'd been on too many times before.

All The Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace is a YA Fantasy novel that is full of magic and exciting yet dangerous sea adventures.

The novel is about Amora, a princess who was forced to flee from her kingdom after failing the test of becoming the High Animancer. When a mysterious, charming pirate offered her a second chance to redeem herself and prove that she could protect and fit to rule the kingdom, she desperately jumped to the offer. So they went to a mission to save a vanished and long-forgotten island that once part of the kingdom from a rotten curse that now surrounded the whole island.

I couldn’t believe it myself that I was able to finish this novel for only two sittings. My bookish friends know how slow I read books, especially fantasy ones. Devouring this book so fast just meant I truly enjoyed this novel that I couldn’t put it down. There were a lot of things I like about this novel.

First, the world-building. I liked how vibrant and full of magic it was. The kingdom was consist of seven islands, and these islands were represented by a jewel and the type of magic the people practiced. The people knew that they could only practice one magic which they chose because practicing two or more would corrupt their soul or worse they could die. Although this kind of magic system is already familiar, the author still managed to make it fresh and unique.

Second, the plot. I haven’t read many books about the sea. Maybe that’s why I really liked the plot. Pirates, mermaids, legendary sea creatures, curses, princesses, treachery — this book had all of them. It is fast-paced, bloody, and action-packed. There were twists and turns that were surprising. The book also included some heavy topics like sexism, sexual assaults, and abusive relationships. The author handled these sensitive topics really well.

Third, the characters. I swore all the characters in this novel were well-written and intriguing. I love the crew. They consisted of a pirate, a beautiful and dangerous mermaid, a kind-hearted healer, and a fierce princess. At first, I couldn’t root for the main protagonist since I found her quite annoying and a spoiled brat the way she treated her fiance. However, over time she grew on me. My favorite was definitely none other than the pirate. He was mysterious and way too charming. He kind of reminded me of Captain Hook on Once Upon A Time series.

Lastly, the romance. I liked how the romance is completely different yet still part of the plot. The banters were funny and enjoyable. I could feel the dynamics and chemist of the love interests to each other.
Overall, All The Stars and Teeth is such a fast and enjoyable read. I recommend this novel!

4.5/5 stars!

Pirate stories are hard to tell, how do you make them seem...... not smelly? No bathing, all that salt, grog, and FISH!

Well Adalyn Grace can tell you! This debut is viciously violent, intoxicatingly romantic, and the mythology is richly woven. This is a series you can sink your TEETH into. I love scrappy crews of misfits, and you will love the characters in this series.

The perfect setting for this read is in a pool, on a floatie, with a rum and tropical drink.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Mermaids. The spectacular cover. A powerful female lead. Pirates. All things that would have intrigued me to the point of purchasing had I not found this on NetGalley!

This is a book I would categorize as "a good time," which is just what you want sometimes, you know? The story, writing, and characters are strong and vivid. And that's pretty exceptional for a debut author!

Definitely enjoyed reading this and couldn't put it down! Can't wait to see what else this series holds!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

This book was simply intoxicating! This is one of those books that you want to read again immediately after you finish it because the story comes so alive in you.

This is such a richly imagined world. I was mesmerized by all of the different magics within this world and the islands on the map where they originated. I loved all of the distinctive world-building related to the different islands and magics. I also liked the ocean and ships. I felt like I was truly a part of this world while reading this. It was very atmospheric.

The plot of this story was expertly crafted. There was so much that went into the story. The plot is intriguing and suspenseful. The story also flows perfectly. I also very much enjoyed the author's writing style. It was very easy to fall into the story.

I really loved this ragtag group of characters. They go on quite an adventure and going on it with them is invigorating. These characters really did give me so many feels. I liked that I was able to connect well with the characters and root for them throughout the story. I loved the dynamic that they had as a group and individually with one another. I loved Amora's strength and she has some nice character growth. Bastian also had some great character growth.

I enjoyed the romance between Amora and Bastian. They both leaned on each other and saw the best pieces of the other. They had an easy way with each other that really stood out. And, of course, I loved the steamy kisses!

Overall, this book was dark, vibrant, vicious, and utterly addicting! This is a world that devoured my thoughts long after I finished reading. This was such an impressive debut and I can't wait for book two!

Loved the story and the characters in this book can’t wait for the sequel. The cover is beyond gorgeous!

First off, this cover is absolutely amazing. 2nd, this book was great. Amora was a great main character and I can't wait to read the sequel.

This was such an interesting book! I loved the world building and a heroine to root for! Can’t wait for the next books by this author.

This young adult fantasy novel is book 1 in the series, All the Stars and Teeth. Book 2 is All the Tides of Fate. Amora is the heir to the throne of Visida. This island kingdom is surrounded by an ocean of mermaids and pirates. Almost everyone in the kingdom can do magic but only 1 kind. They cannot cross over once they declare their magical power. Amora must master soul magic to take over for her father but there are forces at work who want to change the rules. Young adults will enjoy the strong young woman lead and her struggle to be loyal to her parents but take care of the people on the island. Fantasy speaking, this is a well written story but not my favorite genre. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

'All the Stars and Teeth' has been one of the biggest most anticipated books for early 2020 by many people, myself included. I don't normally get caught up in the hype and let the popularity overshadow the book itself. But when I read the description and it said the word "magic" - I knew I had to read it. And I will admit that this book lives up to the hype and was everything I hoped for and more.

There were a lot of aspects that I liked about this book but if I talk about all of them, I'll end up rambling on forever. So I'll make it easy on you and myself by listing out the things that I loved the most.

World Building: I think if I had to pick my top favorite aspect of this book, it would have to be the amazing world building. The author did a magnificent job of bringing this new world to life in front of my eyes - where I not only felt like I could see it if I closed my eyes, but I could smell things in the air, see the different structures and landscapes, feel the ocean breeze on my face and in my hair. A big thing for me was that the author didn't just create this amazing world for the story to be set in, but she went a step further and divided up this world/kingdom into different lands - each with their own unique people, atmosphere, ways of living, and just being. Each was so different from the others that they were truly original and because of the ridiculously well done world building, I felt like I was there at each place alongside Amora. I felt what she did, saw what she saw, smelled what she smelled - everything. As if I was literally right beside her in these amazing and drastically different places. Detailed descriptions and vivid imagery played a huge part in bringing everything to life. I also loved learning everything I could about the kingdom, the history of each of the lands, the history of the kingdom itself, and - most of all - the magic. The different types of magic and their abilities was utterly fascinating and I could've read and learned about it so much more. I honestly can't say enough about the world building and how much I truly adored it. I got swept away from the first page and I didn't want to come back out.

Characters: Amora (our main character) was perfect in my opinion. She was incredibly realistic and I immediately connected with her right from the beginning of the book. She has some fantastic qualities: she's brave, strong, courageous, smart, loyal to her family and her kingdom, and loving. Not that she's doesn't have her flaws: She can be insecure, unsure of herself and her choices, naive, too trusting of those around her, and makes mistakes just like all of us. She was basically born with her life decided for her - she will train to control her magic and then become queen of the kingdom. She's accepted this as her destiny and even looks forward to it. But part of her wants freedom - from the life she has to live, the fiancee she has to marry without question - and her soul longs to travel her kingdom. I loved watching her character change, grow, mature, and come into her own throughout the book. She changes a lot throughout the story and I enjoyed each obstacle and triumph she faced. Bastian was of course another fantastic character and Amora's love interest (and a pirate!) with secrets of his own, living the life of freedom on the open seas. Amora of course falls for him because there has to be a bit of romance. Normally I hate when romance plays a role in the story because it tends to take over the story and overshadows the main plot. That wasn't the case here at all. I actually loved watching Amora and Bastian together and seeing them go from weary partners to in love. It was sweet and adventurous and captured my heart.

Writing Style: The last thing is the author's choice of writing style. This is very important to me and can make or break a book for me personally. I almost always prefer the first person point of view because of the deeper personal connection the reader gets to have with the narrator. Luckily for me, the author wrote the story in the first person from Amora's perspective. I loved this so much. I got to really get inside Amora's head and get to know her incredibly well. We learn her hopes and dreams, fears, memories, emotions, and her innermost thoughts and feelings. This was the icing on the cake for me with this book and made it one of my favorites so far this year. I can't wait to see where the next book will take us but I hate the fact that we have to wait so long to find out. I very highly recommend this book to fans of YA, fantasy, magic, adventure, pirates, and romance.

This book was a little slow for me, which could have resulted from the world building that takes place in the first of a fantasy series. I liked the magic systems that were created and how they were described, but there really wasn't any twist and turns that kept me interested in the story. Overall, I wish the there was a little more character development for certain characters, a little less predictable story that was quicker paced. BUT I will be picking up the next one to see where Adalyn Grace has taken this world and these characters!

[Review will be posted on 4/14/20]

Well, I devoured this book in a five-and-a-half-hour sitting! If you’ve been looking for a pirate YA adventure with a morally grey female protagonist, fantastic squad banter, and a medium burn romance... be sure to pick up All the Stars and Teeth!

"Frigid air floods my lungs the moment I step outside. It's coating in a thin veil of mist that wraps around my skin and sweetly coats my face, greeting me like a forgotten friend. The odor of brine and seaweed is thicker than I've ever known it."

The writing is beautiful and descriptive, lush and vivid. The language flows but doesn't overburden the narrative. As a person who has spent her life near the ocean, reading this book gives me the distinct feeling of being on the water with the wind in my hair and salty brine in my nostrils.

"Magic is part of a person's being; everyone has it. You can learn it, study it, grow with it, but you cannot make it disappear once it's yours. Even if you never use it, it's still forever with you."

For the most part, the worldbuilding and exposition is done incredibly well. The magic system and its limits are explained well so I wasn't left confused or craving more information. As a lover of intricately built fantasy worlds, I am very pleased with Visidia's worldbuilding. The book is effortlessly plotted with a number of twists and turns, some I anticipated but a few took me by surprise!

I will admit the pacing of the second and third chapters dragged for me. The book is in the first-person perspective of Amora, and I found these chapters a bit heavy-handed in conveying her anxiety for her upcoming performance. It felt like I was beat over the head with foreshadowing, but chapter 4 hooked me and didn't feel the narrative dragged in any other place. (Speaking of chapter 4, Adalyn shared that she wrote it to the Witcher 3 soundtrack during her book launch event at Mysterious Galaxy. Before then, she didn't really know ~how~ Amora's magic would work. 🗡️ It explains a lot and I kind of love it! .)

But this just isn't your run-of-the-mill pirate adventure! In addition to the fast-paced plot, battles with sea monsters, and various mysteries to solve, the cast of characters is lovable and complex with their own goals.

"I am Amora Montara, Princess of Visidia and heir to the High Animancer's throne. There is no ship I cannot sail. There is nothing I cannot master."

Amora Monatara is powerful and Chosen to rule, but she still needs to prove herself to her people that she is capable of it. Like a good Slytherin, she craves power and respect from those around her but unfortunately isn't taken seriously. When she is forced to flee with Bastian, she embarks on an adventure she's craved all her life.

"His tongue and wit are as sharp as the blade in his hand."

I love the medium burn romance! The flirtatious banter and chemistry between them is palpable which I thoroughly enjoy. I have a type, and it is the dark and mysterious pirate type with sarcastic wit.

"Fiance, huh? Pardon my ignorance, I've no idea how I overlooked the gushing chemistry between you two."

Ferrick... well, poor Ferrick. He's the literal foil to Bastian: honorable, from the "right upbringing," and a good guy trying to do the right thing (even though it's not what either of them really want). I appreciate his growth as he shifts from this righteous ownership of Amora into a friend genuinely there for the good of all. But not only that, he puts Amora in her place for her materialistic and careless treatment of him. Ferrick truly deserves better and I hope the second book gives him the love he deserves!

"Vataea's smile gleams wicked. 'Dismemberment for anyone who ever tried to touch me. The tongue flayed from those with wicked mouths. And the hearts eaten from any man who's ever told me to smile.'"

While Ferrick has my favorite character arc, Vataea is absolutely my favorite character of the book. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Vataea's fury for how she's been treated by men knows no bounds. But she joins the Keel Haul crew and rounds off their found family in such an endearing way. A sapphic character who expresses curiosity about the opposite sex, I like that she isn't broken by what she has experienced. I simply adore the Keel Haul crew and their found family.

I love how feminism is intertwined with this story; the 'girl power' is strong. There is this hilarious scene where Amora's period begins, dirtying her white trousers to the abject horror of Bastian and Ferrick. They are so uncomfortable, suggesting that they catch her some salmon to help with her condition, and she is like "whatever this is just a fact of life" and goes about her business. I appreciate seeing menstruation normalized in fantasy!

"The mistakes I made in the past do not make me weak; instead, I'll use them to become stronger. I'm done being afraid of my own power."

All the Stars and Teeth touches on the notion of power and myth and how cycles of violence are perpetrated throughout generations. One of my favorite things about this book is a revelation that I won't even allude to, but it kicked up my love of this book a notch for sure!

Overall, All the Stars and Teeth is an impressive YA debut with the spirit of adventure woven into its pages. Absolutely no shade, but this is the book I hoped These Rebel Waves would be (I liked the book, but the marketing misled the community into thinking it is a pirate adventure). I am really looking forward to the second book in this duology!

Representation: lesbian side character (Vataea), periods
Content warnings: animal torture (pgs 299-301), blood magic, domestic violence, sexism

eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected opinions in any way. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and subject to change upon final publication.

A magical princess, a pirate and a mermaid all on the run set out to save their kingdom from being overthrown... All the Stars and Teeth is not your typical YA fantasy novel that starts by meandering itself in world building. This story delves right into the action from chapter one. It takes a little bit to get your bearings with the magic and the characters but you're so drawn in by the action that it all comes together quickly. I love that the story is full of darkness and peril. In a lot of ways it reminds me of Odysseus's journey in the Odyssey. There are mythical monsters in the sea, forbidden love affairs and several moments where you start to wonder just who is good and who is evil. I adored Amora as the main character and the crew who assembled around her developed well throughout the story. Can't wait for the sequel on this one!

I received an ARC of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

First off, let me say this, it isn’t pictured here, but I actually really love the OwlCrate edition cover. Nothing against this one, because it is lovely as well, but the OwlCrate one has little pops of color that just make it so much more attractive to stare at. Instead of it all being a blue monochrome, there’s little bits of like green and coral and it is fantastic.

The magic system in this book is…rather interesting, honestly. It definitely plays a big part in the overall worldbuilding for this duology, which I found to be fascinating. Speaking of, I loved looking at the world map in the book as well.

Also, the characters were pretty darn cool too. Especially Bastian; I definitely was a fan of Bastian from the moment we met him. He just has this pirate-like charisma and charm to him and I was hooked.

I actually don’t know what it was about this book. Maybe I read it at the right time, but I was hooked on it so quickly and I just flew through the story. When I would stop reading I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again.

I’ve seen some reviews since from people who found the characters to be bland and shallow and the story to be nothing all that exciting, and it’s one of those situations where I can’t help but wonder if we were reading the same story. Or maybe it is a situation like mine with my review from earlier today (My Lady Jane) where the other reviewer just wasn’t in the proper mindset for this story. Or you know, it could always be that not every story is for every reader, which is totally fine. It’s just fascinating how five different people can read the same book and walk away with five completely different opinions on the subject. Reading is wild.

I loved watching Amora get to travel her kingdom and learn more about the peoples and the magic, and to see her start to grow as she added this new knowledge to what she already knew. And to see her get stronger mentally and physically through the journey. I’m really curious what will happen in the sequel/conclusion, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what that cover will look like.

I really loved the setting and premise of this story and the characters were a lot of fun. There were times when I felt like the plot was a little under developed and then there were times when I thought it was a little too detailed. That inconsistency ket me from giving this one more than 3 stars. It also was a little inconsistent with pacing. There were parts where I was on my toes waiting for what was going to happen next and then other times when I was getting a little bored. All in all, it was an entertaining read, but I don't know that it will be too memorable. Thank you to NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Amora Montara is the next in line to rule the magical kingdom of Visidia, but when the ceremony to prove her capabilities goes horrifyingly wrong, she enlists the help of a mysterious pirate named Bastian to help her flee the kingdom and fix her mistakes. On the way, they soon find that they have a surprising stowaway, enlist the help of a fierce mermaid, and find that they are also facing an enemy much deadlier and cunning than they had bargained for. Can Amora fix everything and get back home in time, or will she lose everything?
I enjoyed this book very much. I thought the world building was well done, the descriptions were detailed, and the characters were easy to invest in. I was pulled right into the story and could easily imagine what was taking place. I loved the chemistry and banter between Amora and Bastian, as well as the adventure the characters experienced. The gore was a little much for me, so that would be the only thing I would caution readers about, as well as some of the language used. In spite of those things, I would definitely read a sequel if there is one in the works because the ending was a little open ended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.