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Amora Montara, princess of the island kingdom of Visidia, has spent her entire life preparing to be the High Animancer. While others in the realm can choose their own magic, the choice was never Amora’s to make. The rules are simple. Only one magic per person, or the magic will destroy you. Only one type of magic — Animancy — for those who rule the throne. But Amora must first prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic to secure her place as heir, and when the demonstration of her skills goes dreadfully wrong, Amora is forced to flee her home. Striking a deal with the mysterious pirate Bastian, Amora agrees to help him reclaim his stolen magic in return for his help in proving she’s still fit to rule.
Sailing the kingdom holds more danger and adventure than Amora anticipated, though. She has never seen so much of her world — the good and the bad — and she never realized there were so many things her father never told her. A destructive new magic has surfaced, and if Amora is to keep her end of the bargain with Bastian and prove herself for Visidia’s throne, she’ll have to face legendary monsters, cross oceans, find a vengeful mermaid, and conquer the wielder of this new magic before she loses the crown and her kingdom forever.
I harbor a secret love of books that feature the sea and all things pirates and mermaids, so it was no surprise I was captivated by the island kingdoms and as enticed by the tantalizing call of an ocean voyage as the main character. However, I found I didn’t like Amora at first. She treats some characters like dirt and is no stranger to killing and death. It’s odd to see a character equally reprehensive and innocent.
Overall, the characters and the world-building are well done, the magic is unique, and the pacing is steady despite some predictability in the plot twists. In my opinion, All the Stars and Teeth was enjoyable to read, but nothing particularly special.
Rated: Moderate, for violence. Some scenes can be gruesome at times, including magical torture and the dissection of a hand. The story features a few sexual references, including a character telling how he “rode” a girl to get something he wanted. Characters drink, which leads to kissing and roaming hands that almost go too far, as well as talk about having the chance to do more later. The story also incorporates topics such as menstruation, sexism, sexual assault and abusive relationships.
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