THE ENDING OF THIS HAD ME WANTING MORE!!

thank you Evelyn Flood & her team for allowing me to read this as an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this in one night…that’s how much I enjoyed it. The world building was so unique, the cloud above the sea especially and their “Maegis”/magic system was different than what we’re used to. I ALSO LOVED that it had a “shadow” mommy 🤭 with wings too.


This follows the journey of Selene, who mysteriously ends in the cargo on the boat of Callan Edgeborn and his team on their way back to Asteria, which used to be her home, but it was attacked by Callan’s people 10 years prior. Honestly a lot of the book took place on the boat, & I didn’t hate it. It gave us a lot of insight into the characters and it was easy to enjoy the story with NOT a lot of action going on. Even when they landed, and the answers to the history and who Selene truly was were thrown at her, the author didn’t make it feel rushed. It was like puzzle pieces fitting together. Usually the main reason why u read romantasy books is the ROMANCE. But this book did it perfectly. It wasn’t strong feelings/hatred for each other from the beginning but we get to see the building up and the trust and they become “friends”. The found family in this also had my whole heart.

And for these reasons, I will gladly say I’m excited for book 2 🥳

I was initially a little daunted when the first chapter told me it would take 34 mins to read according to my kindle. But I pushed on! I'm so glad I did. This was such a uniquely crafted story.

We start with a girl who's just enjoying her last moments of being a child on the day of her Ascension where at 16 she will be an adult and get blessed with her gift from Hala. She's looked forward to this day, and now filled with anxiety she only asks for one more day. Things quickly seem to be off though, something just isn't right and next thing you know she's being told to run. Metal monster's have invaded, people are screaming... And her? She's running. Running as fast as she can. Watching her world fall apart she believes she's at the end, standing at the dock where she was told to go. Monster's at her back and the sea ahead of her. With only one option left she let's herself fall back into the sea... and nothing is ever the same again.

This story has had me gripped into it. Following along for each moment that happens, the character's we meet. Selene wanting freedom and home. Callan doing all he can for those he loves. Follow their story and watch as everything unfolds before them. Learn about both the pasts of each people and what atrocities happened to lead them to where they all are now.

I've almost thrown my kindle, I've cried, I've gasped. This is a book I don't think I can soon forget and so glad that I got the chance to read the eARC thanks to Netgalley and the author.

This was such a unique and original story. The world building and magic system are so creative and the plot was captivating and unpredictable. The main female character faces a lot of terrible things early in her life but she is strong & resilient. I found myself rooting for her the entire time. The main male character is sweet, protective, and is a total cinnamon roll. Honestly, it’s hard to not fall in love with all the characters and the found family theme that runs throughout the book. It took me a few chapters to understand what was going on and get into the plot but once I did, I could not put the book down!
I want to thank NetGalley and Evelyn Flood for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book

Completely floored. Stars Above the Never Sea is one of those books that is in intriguing from the first page and then you hit that point and the story just hooks you and won’t let go. This is book 1 of Evelyn Flood’s new series The Last Faeyte. Having never read books by this author before I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I am so glad I picked this book up.
So unexpected and new. Beautifully written and heart wrenching in the best ways. Selene is complex and guarded, coming into powers she doesn’t understand and still trying to heal from her trauma. Callan is an incredibly cocky pirate with this hidden depth that once you see you fall in love with. Low spice - which is nice to have the chance to truly appreciate and understand these complex characters - but lots of angst. I cannot wait to see where is series goes.

Read if you love:
💫 Slow burn
💫 He falls first and harder
💫 Last of her kind
💫 Lost family
💫 Found family
💫 Romantasy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars!

Stars Above the Never Sea by Evelyn Flood completely sucked me in with its beautiful writing. It also had a found family that feels so real and heartwarming! 💖 The slow-burn romance between Selene and Callan is pure🔥🔥🔥 — full of yearning, tension, and emotional depth that had me rooting for them every step of the way. Their struggles made their connection feel so authentic and satisfying.

The world-building is rich and complex, with rules and backstory that sometimes made me pause to catch up, but honestly, that only made it feel that much more immersive and intriguing. 🌌 I won’t lie, the start was a bit slow for me and it took a while to get the lingo down, but once it took off, it was an absolute ride—with twists and turns that kept me hooked until the very end! 😱

The ending left me shook, and I’m beyond thankful that book two is coming out this year because I cannot wait to jump back into this amazing world! 📚✨ Stars Above the Never Sea was a surprise gem that I’m so glad I found. One of the best I've read so far this year!

Huge thanks to Evelyn Flood and NetGalley for the advanced eBook! 🙌💫

This is the first book in the fantasy romance series, The Last Faeyte. I received an advance review copy and my thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my eArc.

Tropes and themes include:
✨Hook x Tink vibes
✨Shadow mommy
✨Found family
✨He falls first
✨She wears his shirts
✨Winged FMC
✨Mental health rep (anxiety)
✨Angst
✨Vengeful gods
✨Touch her and die
✨Slowburn

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Flames

The Lovely: This book his home on so many front - a beautiful found family, a tension filled relationship between the main characters and a world and story that sucked me in. The world and backstory are complex but explained in a way that was easy to understand. The main characters have a slow developing relationship that is fraught with their own internal struggles. They are so right for each other but will that be enough?

Also Lovely: That ending shook me. You know it’s rough when the author’s first word after the ending is “sorry.” Part of it I saw coming. But not the very, very end. Like, dang, how are they supposed to come back from that? I’m glad book two is expected to come out yet this year.

Recommendation: I knew of this author from her omegaverse romances (which I’ve liked) so when I saw this fantasy romance pop up, I jumped on it. And I’m so glad I did. If you like an emotionally charged fantasy romanced complete with an epic world and beautiful found family, I think you’d like this book.

DNF @ 67%

I pushed through as far as I did because I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, and I feel bad DNFing—especially when, based on other reviews, this seems to be pretty well-received so far—but I think this was just not for me.

I could see the vision and the potential, but I wasn’t able to connect with the story or the characters, and I found that I didn’t care all that much about what happened to them.

The writing skewed more YA in my opinion—which is not a bad thing but not what I reach for these days—and could have benefited from some smoothing out. And I found the world-building and magic system to be underdeveloped.

The characters weren’t especially captivating, and their relationships between one another felt unearned. The FMC was overly trusting given the circumstances, and no one had to really work to gain her friendship/trust. She also wasn’t nearly as curious or inquisitive as you might expect of someone returning to a homeland they haven’t seen or even heard about in years and now know nothing about. She sort of just coasts along, passively receiving information as it's offered to her rather than proactively seeking answers.

The romance was lackluster as well. The MMCs affection for the FMC seemed unfounded, and the progressions of their relationship didn’t feel believable. They had no foundation to build on aside from some light forced proximity. His possessiveness and obsession with her sort of spikes out of nowhere, abruptly jumping from “I want to help you because it’s the right thing to do” to “I will literally kill for you.” There needed to be more chemistry, depth, and meaningful conversations before that leap.

Ultimately I just wasn’t invested in these characters and their journey. I do think this book will find its audience, but unfortunately it’s not me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Evelyn Flood for providing me with a copy of this book for review consideration.

Stars Above the Never Sea is a dreamy, emotional twist on a classic story. Evelyn Flood takes us back to Neverland, but this time with a fresh perspective that feels both magical and deeply personal. The writing is poetic without being over the top, and the characters have real heart. It’s one of those books that makes you think about growing up, holding on, and letting go, all at once. A lovely, thoughtful read that lingers after the last page.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the twist on the Fates and what they can do. While there’s magic and a love story (obviously, it’s romantasy) there were different concepts compared to what I’ve previously read. Such as, how the magic of the Caelumnai works and the consequences of using it.

I loved the chemistry between Callan and Selene and how they started out disliking each other. This is what a true enemies to lovers story should be. And he definitely had the ‘I’ll burn the world down’ factor too.

I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2 and where we go after that cliffhanger!

OMG!! 😭 This is a must-read! I could tell from the start that this book was going to be 5 stars. I was fully engaged in every sentence (which is rare because I have ADHD) from beginning to end.

I was immediately intrigued. I actually took a day off working because I wanted to keep reading 🤭. Definitely my favorite book I’ve read so far this year 100%. I purchased the physical copy before I even finished. 😬 I HAD TO HAVE IT

Stars Above The Never Sea was action-packed, emotional, and romantic. I found it to be the perfect blend of fantasy and romance. It was very easy to get emotionally attached to all of the characters in this book. Selene is very bold and straightforward. After meeting Callan and his friends, she starts to find a new side of herself she didn’t think possible. Callan is such a sweetie but protective when it comes to Selene. And I mean these two YEARN for each other. This story was just so tragic but beautiful at the same time.

Also, THAT ENDING!? This will be replaying in my head until I can read the next one. 🥲

Spice: 1/5
Tropes:
- Slow Burn
- Found Family
- Fate/Gods
- Powers
- a little bit of Politics
- very strong and powerful FMC
- flirty and protective golden retriever MMC

Thank you to Net Galley and Evelyn Flood for the ARC! My opinions are my own.

Evelyn, I'm obsessed. Selene and Callan are such a dreamy pairing and the rest of the cast are fantastic! I absolutely adored this Hook and Tinkerbell inspired fantasy. I can't say too much as it ends on a cliffhanger and isn't done yet, but prepare to have your tissues close.

Thanks so much for an advance copy I can't wait for book two!

I loved this book! It was such a refreshing read. Selene’s backstory was tragic, yet incredibly unique. And the book started off with such a great jump start that I was immediately hooked.

If you’re looking for tension, yearning, trauma, found family, a dash of spice but in the best way, you’ll find it here.

The Faeytes were massacred. Selene was the only survivor and she has suffered for 10 years, waiting to return to her homeland, to her sisters. One day that chance comes and she takes it. Takes her own life back into her own hands and boards a ship, not knowing she’s about to embark on the most epic journey that will change her whole life. She will meet Callan, a man who she may just be destined for. They will journey across the Never Sea to try and fix the damage that was caused by the men who destroyed her home on that fateful day ten years ago.

Cannot wait for book 2 because this one ends on the most devastating cliff hanger

5 stars
Spice Level: 1 (Mild – Tension-filled, slow-burn)

"Stars Above the Never Sea" by Evelyn Flood is a beautifully written romantasy that immediately drew me in with its rich worldbuilding and emotional depth. With nods to Hook and Tinkerbell, this story weaves together elements of found family, ancient magic, heartbreak, and vengeance into a gripping and immersive read.

Serene is a standout protagonist — strong, vulnerable, and easy to root for. Her journey of self-discovery, as she learns she’s the last of her kind and must navigate her shadow magic without guidance, is powerful and poignant. The author does a fantastic job showing her growth and internal struggles.

The chemistry between Serene and Callan is palpable. Their slow-burn connection is filled with emotional tension and sweet moments that had me fully invested in their relationship. I especially appreciated how their bond developed organically amidst the darker threads of the plot.

The story ends on a major cliffhanger, and I’m already eagerly anticipating the sequel. I highly recommend this to fans of romantasy who love strong female leads, emotional stakes, magical intrigue, and a touch of longing romance.

3.5 ⭐

This was a very cute romance fantasy read. Not too much world building although I personally would’ve preferred a little more. Overall I did enjoy this for a nice, light fantasy read!

This book literally had me gripped from the very very beginning!! It's a fantasy romance which leans on a hook x Tinkerbell retelling vibe. The world building is absolutely spot on! You have the faeytes who are magic welding, winged race of which our FMC Selene is one. Then there's the Caelumnai who are also a magic welding race of which you can be one of three types, and our MMC Callan falls into this bunch. This story follows the aftermath of a huge catastrophic event, which sends part of the world into a treacherous place. The side characters are all absolutely fantastic, the dynamics between the main group are so fun! I just have no notes, stunning from start to finish, although Evelyn that ending I was absolutely not prepared for 😭 and I should definitely not have finished it in my car before work this morning... Literally cannot wait for book number 2 and I cannot recommend this enough!!!

I really enjoyed this story, it was pretty unique and nothing I have personally read before.
The magic system is quite complex, it took me a while to get my head around it and even still it is a bit hazy but personally it didn't take away from the story for me.
I must say I do feel that this Installment of the series focused alot of the romance side over plot (im not mad about it)
Callan - the devotion this man has for Selene, sheesh.

Selene- her story hit, what she has went through and still going through.

I loved the side characters, the found family aspect was great and the contrast of what Selene thought they would be (evil, sadistic, monsters) but seeing the kindness they showed her.

Parts of story was a bit choppy and didn't flow thay I had to reread but again it didn't take away from my enjoyment of reading. The cliffy had me on edge and I look forward to book 2.

This was only an okay read for me, there was nothing really wrong with it - it’s well written romantasy, with adventure, some tension and plot twists. It’s definitely the kind of book that has you hooked, flipping through pages to find out what happens next.

There’s a LOT of world building, and it is a unique world, though the magic system took some effort to get my head around (that might be a me problem though!)

I think the slow burn romance was maybe not slow enough for me, unfortunately, but I know some readers will love it and find that it’s the right amount of build.

Like I said, a well written book but the plot and setting weren’t quite my cup of tea.

3.5 ⭐️

I was really excited for this book. I had heard so many great things. It wasnt what I expected at all.

Although the characters were loveable I found the story quite slow and lackluster, in some places I was bored willing for some kind of action or drama.

The magic system confused me, so I wished there was more explanation and clarity and not bushed over so quickly.

I felt some of the book didn't flow well and felt like bits were missing. There was one chapter that was only 2 pages and could have been missed or added to the previous chapter.

I feel the ending was disappointing.

Overall the book was good, with some memorable amazing aspects, Selene jumping after Leo, the laughter and stories and the deep friendships.

Oh buddy this is a solid start to a new romantasy series!!!
This has slow burn, found family, magic, and a cliffhanger!
The FMC has complex trauma from her past.
The MMC is what I want in a romantasy MMC. A little bit cocky but lovable.

The world building is very unique and easy to picture!

I do plan to continue with this series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

This one absolutely hit different. Selene’s story ripped me in- enslaved for ten years, winged and broken, then forced back into a homeland she doesn’t recognise. Callan’s world? A dangerous sea made of starlight and all the feels-of-survival meets found family. This book tore me wide open.

Found family chemistry? Chef’s kiss. Slow-burn romance? Um, yes. Magic, loss, rebellion, and a cast that feels like people I’d want on my side if the world ended. Just when I thought I was safe, the ending pulled the rug- straight into a cliffhanger that had me cursing in public. 😭

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Evelyn Flood for the ARC- I’m already obsessed and ready for book two. If you’re craving emotionally resonant fantasy with ❤, this is it.