![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/icons/nav_back_xs.png)
Member Reviews
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-micro.png)
“You aren’t your worst moments.”
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me have an eARC of this book for an honest review! I loved this book. I loved the whole idea of forgiving yourself and self love and letting yourself be loved despite all your darknesses. I loved the idea of the Devil being the Phantom and Damien being Raoul. Roisin was so cute and sweet and had every capability of being the mean girl who tried to sabotage Lila. Except she was this super sweet girl who understood Lila’s pain. Damien was super sweet with this dark secret and helps Lila start to understand that she can be everything she is and still be loved. Even if she doesn’t realize it til the end. This book is all about self-acceptance and realizing that we are not our worst parts. I loved this book and absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of it.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-placeholder-micro.png)
This book had such a promising premise. I was expecting something dark, mysterious, magical, and tragic since the story describes itself as “Hades and Persephone” meets “Phantom of the Opera.” However, I was greatly disappointed. The writing was overly descriptive. The author uses a lot of metaphors, similes, and flowery expressions. Although at times, it does create a strong imagery relevant to the story, majority of the time, it just additional words that became repetitive and tedious to read.
In addition to the writing, the plot was also very inconsistent. For example, there is a scene in the novel where our main character, Lila, witness a horrific ritual of a girl on an alter surrounded by angels. She runs away, but later encounters our male angel, Damien, where she than learns about the reason behind the pageant. She is then offered an Angel Fruit, which is basically a psychedelic to humans to help them forget to the point where all they feel is euphoria. However, she ends up remembering certain memories of that day. This is where the plot just kind of broke down for me. Why would Lila even consider eating a fruit offered by an angel after witnessing the horrific event? Why would she even participate in the pageant when she remembers running from an incident that might have been a sacrifice? Also, later on it was mentioned that she didn’t remember the ritual until after the Faith trial. That made no sense, because in earlier chapters it was hinted, she might remember snippets of it. Other things that didn’t make sense in the novel was the lore. Why would Lucifer want to destroy the island he loved so much? It seemed like he was happy being human on the island. If anything, I feel bad for him being trapped in the sea after saving his brothers and sisters. It was just never explained what made him truly a demon.
Besides the plot, the characters are also under developed. Lila is just pure guilt and self-loathing. At first you can kind of sympathize with her. What Asian child haven’t felt the pressure and disappointment of not living up to their parents’ expectations. I mean all she wanted was to be respected and loved. However, as the story progressed you would expect the character to self-reflect and develop over time, but that is not the case in Lila’s situation. Even though there are moments of revelation where she acknowledges that she is enough, these moments are very short lived, because in the next sentence/paragraph she is back to being angsty. It’s very exhausting to read. Then you find out what happened between Lila and her mother, and I can’t help thinking to myself, what she really needs is intensive therapy and not be sent to an island. As for Damien, I felt the author really didn’t do his character justice. He was just there to support and dance with Lila. Damien went through so much with his family, especially with his abusive father, and yet this sensitive topic was never fully discussed in the story. The author brings up a lot of sensitive topics, but never fully address them, which is a shame. I felt it was important for the characters to talk about these issues, and not just brush it aside and move on. There is also romance in this story, but I honestly don’t understand why they like each other. There is no foundation.
Overall, this story did not live up to my expectations. As stated previously, the writing, the plot, and the characters were just so underwhelming and not well developed. Even the ending was just ridiculous. I am sorry, but you can’t solve everything through magical dancing. I felt the author spend too much time on the aesthetics of the story, and because of that, everything else just suffered. Honestly, I was really excited to read this story, but in the end, it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers (Holiday House/Peachtree/Pixel+Ink) for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar676333-micro.png?1734572603)
Dance of the Starlit Sea by Kiana Krystle drew me in with a fun premise and stunning cover but did have a few notable hiccups.
What I loved
1. The poetic style of the prose was very reminiscent of Lani Taylor, an author I love dearly
2. Our main character dealing with being effectively banished from her caregivers for what is fairly normal young adult behavior was heartbreakingly relatable.
3. Pacing for character arcs and overall plot development was handled well.
What didn't work for me?
1. The dialogue does not work at all with the character's personalities as presented or the author's chosen style of prose.
2. The hades and Persephone comparison didn't come through for me.
Who I would recommend this title for
Dance of the Stalit Sea will likely be an enjoyable read for fans of works like The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar1359006-micro.png?1734572603)
I was able to make it 25% of the way through this book before I gave up.
This book is incredibly poorly written and needs to be heavily edited or not published at all.
Krystle uses way too much purple prose and needs to tone down on the thesaurus use. I'm also confused about the entire premise of this island as it makes zero sense. I have no idea why the main character would just buy into the magic of the place after spending a day there. The dialogue does not sound like actual human conversation and seemed like it was lifted from poorly written fanfiction. The characters are als shaping up to be incredibly one dimensional including the tired stereotype of a mean girl.
I will mention this book as part of my July wrap up on TIk tok but otherwise won't publish any reviews as I don't like publishing reviews of books I technically didn't finish.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar1181925-micro.png?1734572603)
I didn't finish this book, I stopped reading 25% in.
I really wanted to love this book. I adore the Hades & Persephone dynamic, and I was excited to see how it was done in this story, but unfortunately, I didn't make it very far into the plot. I don't think this is a horrible book, I just knew three sentences in that this writing style was not for me. The only way I know to describe it is that I just think there's too much of a focus on the aesthetic of it all. I didn't feel connected to the main character at all, partly due to the writing and partly because she was simply annoying in my eyes. Maybe she gets better later on, I didn't want to risk it. The love interest... I'm sure he's interesting. At some point. I didn't get that far.
All in all, I didn't see anything in the writing or plot that made me wanna stick around.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar451006-micro.png?1734572603)
It pains me to write this review, and I will try to be as critical as possible without hurting anybody's feelings because, after all, authors put their time and soul into writing books, especially debut novels. However, I hope the author takes into consideration the reviews, even the bad ones because they will always be part of their career, but they can also help make the next book awesome.
"Dance of the Starlit Sea" has an appealing cover that captures the audience's attention. It also has an eye-catching synopsis, encouraging readers to give the book a chance. However, beyond the visual appeal, the story itself needs some revision and editing.
The book follows the story of Lila Rose, a former ballerina who was banished from her home by her parents for "misbehaving" against her mother. She is sent to live with her aunt on a magical island where angels exist and the people there host a pageant to choose a sacrifice to worship the angels, introducing a cult-like theme.
Readers' initial impressions of the book change quickly after the first chapter. I must say that the concept of the cult island seems unrealistic, and despite the overwritten prose, the protagonist also seems quite erratic with the whole "pick me girl" idea that gets out of control. I don't think the book lives up to its marketing references, such as "Hades and Persephone meets Daughter of Smoke and Bone" and "Inspired by the Phantom of the Opera." As a big fan of all three inspirations, I don't see any of those references reflected in the book. Moreover, the promised aesthetics from the cover and description do not come through in the dialogue. I go as far as comparing it with the dialogue that dubbed movies use, which never seems to make sense with what's going on in the movie.
I wish the author success with the next book, and I hope her editing team improves.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar339307-micro.png?1734572603)
DNF.
While the cover was gorgeous, I couldn't get very far before I had to stop.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-placeholder-micro.png)
Dance of the Starlit Sea described itself as being Hades and Persephone meets The Phantom of the Opera by way of Laini Taylor, and that was enough to sell me on this title. I love all 3 of those things! Unfortunately, that's not quite what was delivered with this book.
While the ideas and concepts themselves were interesting, the execution fell flat. I might not be a ballerina, but I am a Chinese immigrant who understands much of what Lila Rose Li struggles with. Striving for perfection to repay those who fought tooth and nail to create a life in a foreign country, the feeling of not belonging, learning who you are when you aren't trying to meet other people's expectations. These are all powerful themes, but they did not mesh well with the wish-fulfillment, pastel Barbie dream aesthetic. Taking a step back from that beautiful dream and having Lila's jaded outsider perspective notice how things are off—discordant, strange, rotting beneath the spun-sugar veneer—would've added tension while parallelling Lila's own inner darkness. Sure, Lila notices weird things happening on the island, but she is perfectly comfortable stepping back into boy talk over tea with her new friend Roisin.
This book loves to make references to Persephone, and there was a perfect opportunity to examine the stifling weight of being forced to remain in girlhood as your parents' obedient child when it's time to emerge from that chrysalis into adulthood. It didn't really do that, instead focusing on giving Lila everything she could ever want as she outshines every other girl on this picture-perfect island without even trying. All of her triumphant Persephone one-liners subsequently fall flat.
The writing is so determined to deliver a very intricate aesthetic that it veers into purple prose territory instead. When presented with all of these fantastical details, I end up distracted, taken out of the story. My brain starts to wonder in disbelief how anything on this island functions, even if the story handwaves it all away as being "thanks to the angels." Compared to a book like The Night Circus, which similarly uses long passages of fantastical prose to create atmosphere, Starlit Sea was unable to capture me. The dialogue felt unnatural, and the character beats felt random rather than organically developed. Lila's relationship with Damien seemed to flip back and forth with no rhyme or reason. Events were repetitive as Lila would see something and run off, with either her aunt or Roisin asking after her without pressing for details, every 1-2 business days. She would attend a tea party, try on a new dress, and fight with Damien before doing it all over again.
If Krystle would cut some of the fluff for more meaningful character development and a thoughtful deconstruction of girlhood underneath the frills, that would go a long way in helping the book feel like it is building up to its climax. There is a powerful story here, but it unfortunately needs to be polished and cut a lot more before it can truly shine.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-micro.png)
Magical world both around and within yourself ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The lyrical prose paints a magical world within our own shores, hidden in plain sight like Wakanda but more Wonderland. Everything is more than meets the eye, there is always so much more beneath the surface, from the mysterious mythology to the complexity of mother-daughter relationships.
I was curious then reeled in from this siren song of a mystery girl in a Midsummer’s night dream realm. The first chapter alone I had 26 highlights for the imagery alone, Like the sea metaphor throughout, you take for granted the power of the writing. There’s always something deeper under the surface.
Real Life juxtaposed with this fantastical world-building was well done. Angelic and mythical beings are just your everyday mirror. Being set in a sleepy little ocean-side town that had elements of Amsterdam, Paris, and a whimsical afternoon tea shack right across the bay from San Francisco…it was extra trippy reading this while literally having afternoon tea in Amsterdam after just coming from Paris and living in San Francisco 😆 The descriptions are en pointe like the ballerina she is. This would make the most visual Disney or anime movie with the ocean and flowers and colors overflowing everywhere.
This would be an especially great gift for young girls so they feel less alone in their turbulent emotional experience. If anybody has ever been young, vilified and outcast for your complicated feelings or ever made an unforgivable mistake in life- you should read this. If anybody has ever had to start a new life for yourself without your past mistakes haunting you- you should read this.
EXTRA DIVERSITY PROPS Reading has been my go-to coping mechanism since the Pandemic. Who doesn’t want to forget the world sometimes. But the best ones bring you back to the “real world” and inspire you to make your reality as magical a ride too.
And out of hundreds if not thousands of books, maybe a handful actually had an Asian main character?!? Most Asian mother-daughters are born from a culture where all feelings are not only suppressed and “bad” in order to be a “good” daughter. Even celebration and joy is muted, so forget about rage and frustration. Love is rarely spoken out loud and self-love is a foreign selfish concept. It accurately reflected the cultural dynamic with limited dialogue (most traditional Asian families don’t speak directly especially about their feelings), and the colorful emotional world around served as a way to communicate what she struggled to express in words.
I was thrilled seeing a young AAPI lead and astonished this was a first-time author.
It’s heartening and important to see representation and to show that emotions are living messages. That you need to feel to heal, accept and love all parts of yourself, and release your own expectations that parents and society throw on you. Only then you can be free to be your authentic self. And that entire self is beautiful and worthy and deserving of being loved. Girls need this. Thank you!!!
UPDATE REGARDING OTHER REVIEWS
After posting my review I am stunned at the undeserved vitriol and hate on NetGalley. This coordinated gang bang of 1-2 ⭐️ petty reviews of a debut author is the epitome of mindless mob mentality. At best, there is a cultural divide lost in translation and it’s just misunderstanding. At worst, many of these just appear jealous that they aren’t published authors and wish they could be, and they feel in their power by tearing down others.
This is not constructive criticism, this is casual and callous cruelty.
I read a book a night sometimes and have gone through thousands of books. This is nowhere near the simplistic basic writing of many YA books and debut authors. Even Twilight’s twist on vampires overrode how banal the actual writing was and nobody was complaining about that. Just because it’s YA doesn’t mean it should be dumbed down. Here you have to discover the subtext, nothing is as it appears on the perfect facade surface- both the island itself and the people.
They miss the ENTIRE moral of the story and do not take into account the nuance. No action is black and white. You’re not unworthy because you’re not perfect. They are unable to understand how complex and seemingly contradictory nature of warring teenage emotions and reactions can be and how misunderstood they feel. They embody the Mean Girls and bullying mentioned in the beginning of the story. Maybe because mean girls in real life would not have such a quick redemption arc and we all wish they’d suddenly be so nice?
People are triggered when they see too much of themselves and have not yet had the courage to confront that part within. They hate about others what they hate most about themselves. They hate others living their dream life. Their heightened emotions, exactly what the story speaks about, can distort the truth standing in front of them.
When people react instead of respond to the story, when they lash out because it’s taken too personally...the review becomes more about themselves than the actual story or technical writing. Maybe the author could make the book longer and flesh out the mean girls/villains sub-narrative more, develop the relationships deeper so the motivations behind the change are more apparent. But that does not mean a rating needs to be penalized to DNR.
Those reviewers miss the point about not judging an entire person for a singular thing and can only be consumed by their rage. The child-mind (psychology term for still learning state) has yet to understand that beneath rage is extreme hurt. This aftermath of coming to consequences with your actions maybe was too much for them to comprehend in their life stage. The brain doesn’t even stop developing this emotional cortex until age 26! It’s a coming-of-age journey to go from angsty wild emotions to come to an emotional depth and understanding.
As the character did- we grow and learn empathy and compassion for why people do the things they do, and forgiveness for others and yourself is paramount. I hope one day those reviewers can read this from the perspective of a teenager who is growing and learning, because there is a lot of value to be had from this for kids who are navigating processing all these overwhelming feelings. Uncharted emotions can make you do things that are irrational.
I hope the author isn’t discouraged or damaged by these small people who have yet to understand these characters, themselves, or the ripple effect of their own heartless actions.
They don’t understand the moral of the story: that you are more than the worst thing you’ve ever done.
This story helps you navigate all relationships both past and present- with your mother, your friends, but most importantly yourself. It’s that scary relationship with your shadow self and the “imperfect” and “ugly” parts you don’t want others to see but must ultimately learn to love in order to grow. It does what great books do and inspires discourse and critical thinking about emotions and feelings once taboo.
Keep going developing your craft, you are gifted! Next one can be about surviving and thriving the mean girl mobs, just look at Taylor and her post-snake era.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar1224600-micro.png?1734572603)
I DNF’d this book at around 23%. The marketing for this book was top-tier but it the end did it absolutely no favors. You cannot promise something such as “Hades x Persephone meets Phantom of the Opera” and not DELIVER and this absolutely did not. This book really tried to get by on coquette vibes alone. The writing needs so much work and it was painful to even get as far as I did.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar1106405-micro.png?1734572603)
Oh no. This was not it. What a painful reading experience. The prose needed such a heavy hand in the editing room. The characters felt extremely self inserting / Mary Sue. This felt like a checklist of tropes and phrases without any rhyme or reason. Beyond the premise being interesting, nothing else was worth it
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-micro.png)
Dance of the Starlit Sea is a whimsical and beautifully vulnerable take on contradictions- dainty petit fours packaged expectations of perfection, and the untamed gardens of lila’s unresolved and feral demons. And only when you fully surrender to the seductive call of the darkness lurking beneath the sea, in facing every facet of anger and shame’s shadow, can you begin to heal and embrace the mesmerizing kaleidoscope of what loving every part of yourself can do.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar998061-micro.png?1734572603)
First, I would like to thank NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the eARC.
I really wanted to like this book. I love ballet. I love mythology and mythology retellings. I just didn’t feel like I saw the relation to Phantom of the Opera from the description, and the reference to ballet was haphazard and odd. I get that there was supposed to be a magical element on the island, but it didn’t really flow. Plus, one fall with an outburst and she is sent away? I also didn’t see a real link to consider it a retelling of Hades and Persephone.
Lila is the FMC. She is more Mean Girl than anything. Damien is the MMC and her love interest. Neither character really had growth and development. I didn’t feel attached to them at all. There was a lot of repetitiveness that got to the point to where it was annoying. Especially talking about Lila’s nails. Ok. That was a weird thing to keep repeating over and over.
I feel like with some work and editing, this book could be better. I want it to be. In its current form, it was difficult to get through. I did finish so I could write a review. I will not post on social media or review sites until at least a week after its release, since it is less than a 3 star review. Others might enjoy the story, and I don’t want to negatively impact the author.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-placeholder-micro.png)
I ended up DNF-ing this book pretty early on. It just isn't written very well unfortunately. It's definitely going for flowerly/purple prose but it comes acros as very stilted, I think because it's trying to add drama but it just feels a little cringe inducing instead. I think authors need to understand that adding forced breaks into every sentence doesn't read well, those need to be added sparingly and only when there is actual drama to be had. I think the plot was a really cool idea though so I was excited to read it. I think if it could go through some intense editing it would be so much better and worth reading. But personally, I don't want to waste my time on poorly written books.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-placeholder-micro.png)
Sent to live with an aunt she barely knows - on her eighteenth birthday, no less - Lila is sure her dreams of becoming a star ballerina are forever dashed. So when her aunt and a friendly local girl try to convince her to complete in the island's pageant, she relents. After all, what else does she have to do? But there's more to Luna Island than meets the eye, and soon Lila finds herself caught up in a fantastical mystery that could prove deadly. Will she learn to trust in herself and the people who love her before its too late?
While I enjoyed the plot of Dance of the Starlit Sea, the characters (particularly Lila) were a bit difficult to love. Making mistakes and doubting yourself/your value is one thing; rooting for a character who is constantly fluctuating between redemption and doom is another. I also found her romance with Damien and friendship with the other girls on the island a bit far-fetched, given how little time seemed to be invested in those relationships.
All told, a promising storyline without the necessary character development to truly draw me in.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar536576-micro.png?1734572603)
CW: parental abuse, violence (strangulation), blood, gaslighting, kidnapping, allusions to hallucinogenic drug use
“Defective. Ballerinas don’t fall onstage. Purple babies don’t survive. Perfect daughters don’t throw tantrums.”
Dance of the Starlit Sea by Kiana Krystle was not what I expected it to be.
Lila Rose Li was a magnificent and revered ballerina in her home of California, but when the pressure to be perfect caught up with her, she was shipped off to the lovely Luna Island as her penance. Considering Luna Island is the perfect mixture of Stars Hollow of Gilmore Girls and Cousins Beach of The Summer I Turned Pretty, it didn’t feel much like a punishment…at least at first. As luck would have it, Lila arrives on this island paradise just days before the start of their Angel of the Sea pageant that only happens every 7 years. This competition is like no other; the winner gets, not only praise, but also is named High Priestess of the angels who bless the island. With the help of her new friend, Roisin, Lila enters the pageant and is engulfed in the world of Luna Island and its…less than angelic lore.
I have a lot of feelings about this book, but I want to preface my thoughts by saying that this is not a book that I would typically pick up. I am not a big fantasy/paranormal romance reader, so please, take what I have to say with a grain of salt.
Overall, this is a book about girlhood and angst and the intrinsic need to prove yourself.
I thought it was a fun and exciting read that kept me interested until the very end. The writing was stunning; it is apparent that the author had a very clear vision of every aspect of the plot, characters, and setting. The plot was appropriate for the author’s intentions. I’ve seen a lot of criticism that a beauty pageant as a mask for a devil worshiping cult could have done so much more, and they are right, it could have-- if it were intended for a different audience with different intentions. Yes, a badass dark romance thriller would be INCREDIBLE with this concept, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t. This plot is appropriate for the intended audience and appropriate for the backstory presented in Lila. Just because the concept would lend itself to other tales doesn’t negate the validity of this one.
Dance of the Starlit Sea wasn’t perfect, but it was an entertaining read with heart that should be celebrated.
That said, I do have a couple critiques.
As aforementioned, it was beyond apparent through the descriptions that the author had a vision of every interaction that occurred, but there were a few occasions where the descriptions overshadowed the plot. This happened specifically during the dancing scenes, and, while it only took a reread or two of the passage to catch on, it still is a hazard with artistic and flowery writing.
Similarly, there were a couple words and phrases that were reused just a touch too often. This tends to happen when you search and search and search and find the perfect word to describe something-- which is awesome!-- but repeating descriptors that aren’t commonly used may make them stick out all the more. The main culprits here are the stiletto nails and “gossamer.” Both are perfectly applicable and excellent uses of the words, but they’re just so specific that when you see them repeated it feels like “Man, didn’t I just see this word?”
Overall, 4 stars.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar510552-micro.png?1734572603)
Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for sending me this beautiful vibe of a book. This book was empowering and full of girl power. Angles, demons, magic, and beauty. A MC learning to love themselves and women supporting women in the midst of competing. A reminder of the way the world should be. We can all seek to succeed, while still encouraging the others soft d us to be their best as well.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-placeholder-micro.png)
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. I really thought I would enjoy this. At the beginning, I loved how aesthetic the descriptions were but it soon became extremely repetitive and dragged the pace of the story. It was unbearably slow. I also did not like any of the characters.
![](https://netgalley-profiles.s3.amazonaws.com/avatar1363520-micro.png?1734572603)
I’m disappointed with this book. The premise was amazing- Hades and Persephone? A ballerina? Mysterious island? Yes, please!
It was a bunch of purple prose. The main character was hard to relate to. I could not force myself to finish the book. Seeing that the author is bashing people for honest reviews makes it even more disappointing. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
![](https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/65fed9235e/images/profile-placeholder-micro.png)
After finally getting this to send to my e-reader.... First of all, thank you for the opportunity to read this! Unfortunately it just fell flat for me and I could not get into this story.