I could not (read: would not) put this book down. From start to finish, I was hooked into this fantasy tale full of pirates, soul-magic wielding princesses, and mermaids! Amora was a riveting character, full of vicious determination and iron will. She’s not going to let fear keep her from saving her kingdom. Plus, if you like roguishly handsome pirates with a chip or two on their shoulder, then it’s safe to say you’re going to fall hard for this book. You should definitely add it to your TBR!
Amora Montara has been training all her life to take on the mantle of High Animancer, a master of the soul magic that only the people in her family can wield. In order to secure her as the heir to the throne, she has never been given another choice in what magic to practice. However, when the ceremony to display her magic goes wrong, she flees, and is forced to strike a deal with the ever mysterious pirate Bastian. He’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she helps him get his magic back. While sailing, Amora finds more wonder and danger than ever before, along with a vengeful mermaid, and an unexpected stowaway. She’ll have to conquer the dangers they face, or risk losing Visidia to the darkness forever.
Let me start off by saying that I was honestly hooked on to this story from the moment I read the summary, and it definitely starts strong. It’s a fast-paced story with very high stakes, and I was on edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. I love the tension at the beginning of the story, Amora’s nerves and worry about the ceremony bleed through the page. Most of her emotions do, actually. Although she tries to wear this unwavering mask of calm, there’s a bottomless swirl of thoughts and feelings going through this young woman that I can’t help but want to know more about her.
Bastian’s character is also great (he’s a pirate, what more need be said?). He’s good at making himself be mysterious, but with an acerbic wit that is quite on par with Amora. The tension between these two at the beginning of the story is palpable. There’s so much that Amora and Bastian are both trying to make the other believe, and the friction is so good. Then there’s Ferrick, our sneaky stowaway. He tries to act like a big lunk, but he’s honestly a big old goof. The interactions between him and Bastian were my favourite, because they start to develop a bit of a bromance toward the end. Then there’s our vengeful mermaid, Vataea. Man, what a woman. She’s got a grudge bigger than the ocean is deep I’m sure. She’s also not afraid of a little chaos for the sake of chaos. Definitely my kind of gal.
My goodness, there’s definitely a lot of world building happening, but more importantly, I loved the depiction of the magic system. There’s six different magic types going on, and people are only allowed to practice one. Soul magic is the sole (ha) exception. The only people allowed to practice soul magic are the royal family. The reasoning behind this is both fascinating, but also dark. Basically, this magic is so powerful, you can only be named the High Animancer if you can display control over the magic, otherwise it’s an all-consuming magic. This magic uses blood and bones, and there were moments where this was a little graphic. There’s something more to the story, and it’s precisely what Amora wants to find out. There’s a seventh magic that’s developed, cursed magic, which is spreading through the realm and it’s up to Amora to stop it. My favourite magic was definitely the enchantment magic.
There’s definitely romance in this book, and I love how a lot of things were handled regarding this aspect, particularly at the end of the book. There’s a lot of talk about having the choice to do something vs. having it taken away, and I was there for it. I can’t go into too much detail without spoiling the story, but it’s definitely something I think a lot of readers will enjoy seeing. I love development of romance that doesn’t sacrifice the development of the characters. There’s so much life in this story, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
Nothing is black and white in this story, and it makes all the difference, even with the antagonist. I loved to see how good intentions became corrupted and created more chaos. On the other side, I also enjoyed seeing how despite the corruption, there was still a goodness instilled in certain populations of the realm. They may not trust every stranger they come upon, but it’s for good reason.
This story is a 10/10 for me. It’s beautiful storytelling, with strong characters that readers will surely adore. I can’t wait to have a finished copy sitting on my shelf. More importantly, who would want to miss out on pirates!
All The Stars and Teeth is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good retailers as of February 4th 2020.
Will you be picking up All The Stars and Teeth? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.
She will reign.
As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.
When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.
But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.
I’m definitely tempted by this great review!