All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace | Book Review + Mini Interview
I was chosen to be a part of All the Stars and Teeth Street Team, and had the opportunity to read an e-ARC of the book, so thank you Adalyn Grace and Imprint! My Rating: 4 / 5 🌟 Being a debut novel, All the Stars and Teeth has been high on my radar ever since I heard about it and especially with all the buzz surrounding it, my anticipation grew bigger and bigger. After finding out I was a part of the street team, I was really excited to have such an opportunity but it also created a fear within me that I might not enjoy this book. Fortunately, this book completely blew me out of the waters in the best way possible and yes, pun intended. The world that Adalyn created to tell this story was absolutely captivating. From the lifestyle of the people on each island to the positioning of the islands in the kingdom, Adalyn spared no detail to be left untold. It's been a while since I've read a book that was set in a beautifully crafted world such as this one, and this aspect itself deserves my highest compliment. With the well-established world as its backbone, All the Stars and Teeth did not fail to serve an adventurous story incorporating both the islands and the sea. Each chapter was filled with something new to be explored and the momentum of the book as a whole never seem to slow down as the story progresses. My inner wanderer appreciated how the book truly took this particular aspect and used it to its fullest potential. Another thing I have to highlight is the writing style that was used throughout the book. Adalyn's way of writing was exactly how All the Stars and Teeth needed to be told. From how each detail was lively described to how she gave character to the ship and the sea, I absolutely fell in love with her style of writing and I can't wait to see how her writing will evolve after this duology. The only minor complain I have are the characters. As All the Stars and Teeth focuses mainly on the world and the plot, it left little room for the characters to show their personalities beyond the surface level. Although I really did enjoy the characters, it felt as if I didn't have a chance to get to know them well enough. But knowing that there will a be sequel to this story, I have hopes Adalyn will show more depth to the characters in the next book. All in all, I had a really fun time reading this book and am highly anticipating for the sequel. If you're looking for an adventurous story set in a beautifully crafted world, All the Stars and Teeth should definitely be your next read.
I got the opportunity to ask Adalyn Grace, the author of the book, a few questions about "All the Stars and Teeth"!
And yes, this interview is SPOILER FREE.
1. "All the Stars and Teeth" is a story that incorporated a lot of different elements such as magic, pirates and even politics. What inspired you to write such a story?
Adalyn: While the story is very much all the things you just listed, I never actually set out to write a book that brought all those elements together. The inspiration for this book was very much Amora, and came from my desire to write a morally gray heroine. I wanted to write a story where the main character could be vain. She could want things, and not feel the need to apologize for them. She could love being in the thick of action, while also enjoying dressing up and makeup and dating. When I wrote the first chapter, it was all to explore this character. All I knew was that she was on a ship, about to celebrate her birthday, and had to prove some kind of magic to her people. And if there’s a ship, there’s obviously water, so I at least figured the setting out pretty easily. Everything else came through writing different ideas and experimenting, and through a lot of trial and error and figuring out what elements of stories I loved and would want to write about!
2. How did you come up with the title "All the Stars and Teeth" and what made you decided to pick it as the title of this book?
Adalyn: You know, it’s funny to say, but it just never had another title. “All the Stars and Teeth” just popped into my head one day when I was drafting, and that was it. I was worried that, somewhere along the line, an agent or an editor or someone would ask me to change it because it’s so funky. But I really don’t think there’s a better title for the book. It fits so perfectly, and represents the beauty and viciousness of the world, main character, and the story’s journey so well.
3. "All the Stars and Teeth" is set in a world filled with 7 islands, each with its own personality and uniqueness, what was the process like for you to come up with all the islands?
Adalyn: Before I came up with the islands, I first figured out the magics! I wrote down a list of different magics I liked or thought would be fun to write about, and kept tweaking them to try to make them as innovative as possible. Once I had those narrowed down, I built the islands around them, and would ask myself how that specific magic would influence the island. For example, how would it influence the jobs people on the islands had? How would it influence their daily life? How would it influence what they wear? What they eat? What their town looks like? If I built my islands first, I feel like the magic would have gotten lost. For me, I wanted to make this world reek with magic, and for each island to really feel like its own character.
4. If you were to live in Visidia, what type of magic would you want to learn and why?
Adalyn: I think it’d be so much fun to have Enchantment magic! That way, I never have to waste time getting ready! I could just snap my fingers and my hair could be a beautiful pink and my makeup would be perfect, and it just feels so fun. I’d also love to learn Valukan water magic, because I think water is the fiercest and most dangerous of the basic elements, and I’d just feel super powerful being able to command it! Hahaha.
5. For the readers who are still hesitating to pick up "All the Stars and Teeth", why do you think they should give it a go?
Adalyn: If you’re in the mood for an adventure story, magic on the high seas, or you like morally gray heroines, I think All the Stars and Teeth would be right up your alley! The story is rich with magic, action, and it's really just one big boatload of adventure that I feel like so many people can enjoy!
Thank you so much for reading and click here to add "All the Stars and Teeth" by Adalyn Grace to your Goodreads!