All the Stars and Teeth

December 15, 2019
A princess embarks on a dangerous path to the throne. In the island kingdom of Visidia, where each person is allowed just one type of magic, only the members of the royal Montara family have the ability to wield the dangerous soul magic. Princess Amora is next in line to be High Animancer, but she must first prove to her people that she is powerful enough to use her magic to protect them. But something goes terribly wrong during a critical public ceremony, and Amora runs away with dashing pirate Bastian, whose rescue comes with a price: She must help him recover his own magic, stolen away by a dangerous man leading a growing rebellion that could bring down the whole kingdom. Debut author Grace wields her own magic with a skillful balancing act between high-stakes adventure (here there be monsters, mermaids, and high-seas shenanigans), bloody fantasy, and character development in a story with a lovable found family at its core. Amora yearns for adventure just as she welcomes her right to command her kingdom; her ferocious sense of duty and legitimate need to do good shine through. The novel's further unravelling of dark secrets long kept comes with a recognized need for accountability and making amends which adds a thoughtful extra layer to the rich worldbuilding. Amora has copper-brown skin and dark, curly hair; other characters have a range of skin tones in this diverse world. An accomplished, exciting debut. (guide to the kingdom) (Fantasy. 14-adult)

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January 24, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Grace's novel combines dark fantasy with romance and a far-ranging nautical adventure. Amora Montara is heiress to the kingdom of Visidia and fiercely proud of her role as her people's protector. However, on the eve of her ascension to the throne, she comes face to face with dark secrets about her own magic. In the ensuing adventure, she battles tyrants, sea monsters, and mermaids with a siren's call, but nothing is more challenging than the truths she finds within herself. This book centers strong female characters and draws readers in with its lush description of the islands Amora visits. The characters, like the setting, are complex-at once loving and harsh, gentle and deeply violent. Perhaps because this book hints at more to come, Amora does not reach the most satisfying resolution in her relationship to the violence within and around her. While often taking care to show particular characters in nuanced ways, the book could do more to complicate Amora's unrelentingly violent conception of justice. VERDICT An alluring fantasy, recommended for readers who appreciate characters and themes of a darker nature.-Talea Anderson, Washington State University

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 24, 2020
In the island kingdom of Visidia, the royal Montaras are the only ones with the ability to practice gruesome soul magic. Anyone else trying to harness it will corrupt their own soul, waking the beast the first Montara ancestor subdued. Princess Amora Montara, 18, is among the last remaining heirs to the Montara throne. When a ceremony to prove her magical aptitude goes awry, she escapes Arida with the help of Bastian, a pirate; in return, Amora will help him regain his magic from a powerful rising rebel named Kaven, who is set on challenging the magic system imposed by the monarchy. Journeying across the kingdom aboard Bastian’s cursed ship, Amora’s fiancé, Ferrick, a skilled healer, and a mistreated, vicious mermaid named Vataea round out the crew. As Amora bears witness to the plights of her kingdom’s constituents and unveils long-hidden secrets, she must face the truth of her family’s reign. Though a reliance on genre-familiar tropes and a sprawling magic system weaken Grace’s debut, this fast-paced duology opener excels in its careful consideration of the responsibilities that come with power. Ages 15–up. Agent: Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners.