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Midnight on the Celestial
A debut, bewitching YA fantasy - Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra is perfect for fans of Caraval and Belladonna - but set on a ship!
Welcome to The Celestial, where everything is an illusion. This ship is powered by magical servants, and its wealthy guests have a first-class ticket to amusements out at sea. But amongst all the spectacle, one thing is for Crew or Guest, no one is safe in violent waters.
Roe Damarcus, an heiress with the power to summon spirits of the dead, fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic. To save her gift, Roe decides to serve a punishment sentence aboard The Celestial, an infamous ship where affluent guests can experience magical luxury without limits.
As a staff member, Roe competes with other “dangerous” magic-wielders for a coveted chance at a retrial all while serving demanding high-class guests. Her task is made even harder by an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, who seems hellbent on making sure Roe doesn't win a retrial. Determined to fight for her magic, Roe dives head-first into the chaotically enchanting world of The Celestial, which her influential Damarcus family helped create.
Her battle to earn guest favor turns into a fight to survive as the ship transforms nightly into a violent monster, killing staff members and any who wander the halls at night. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe must question her ancestors' motivations for creating not just the ship, but the trials and system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship's dark history, she's wrongly framed for a guest's murder.
Vowing to conjure her own second chance and change her fate at any cost, Roe, with help from Ivander and a powerful found family of staff members, will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets and truths of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past - before she becomes the ship's next victim.
Welcome to The Celestial, where everything is an illusion. This ship is powered by magical servants, and its wealthy guests have a first-class ticket to amusements out at sea. But amongst all the spectacle, one thing is for Crew or Guest, no one is safe in violent waters.
Roe Damarcus, an heiress with the power to summon spirits of the dead, fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic. To save her gift, Roe decides to serve a punishment sentence aboard The Celestial, an infamous ship where affluent guests can experience magical luxury without limits.
As a staff member, Roe competes with other “dangerous” magic-wielders for a coveted chance at a retrial all while serving demanding high-class guests. Her task is made even harder by an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, who seems hellbent on making sure Roe doesn't win a retrial. Determined to fight for her magic, Roe dives head-first into the chaotically enchanting world of The Celestial, which her influential Damarcus family helped create.
Her battle to earn guest favor turns into a fight to survive as the ship transforms nightly into a violent monster, killing staff members and any who wander the halls at night. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe must question her ancestors' motivations for creating not just the ship, but the trials and system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship's dark history, she's wrongly framed for a guest's murder.
Vowing to conjure her own second chance and change her fate at any cost, Roe, with help from Ivander and a powerful found family of staff members, will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets and truths of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past - before she becomes the ship's next victim.
Audible Audio
First published March 3, 2026
116 people are currently reading
21557 people want to read
About the author
Julia Alexandra
1 book134 followersJulia Alexandra lives in Orlando, Florida with her best friend, who also happens to be her twin sister. Julia can be found writing fantasy stories with magic, danger, and chaotic found families. She is passionate about mental health and is grateful to have had writing on her own mental health journey. Julia writes for those who find magical worlds a comforting escape from their own. She enjoys reading, collecting too many stuffed animals, and writing to fantasy orchestral music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
January 8, 2026
3.5
A wonderful debut! The beginning of this book definitely felt like Caraval but more dark, gothic (and more gory). Loved the world, the unique magic system & the luxury cruise ship environment.
The story was fun! I think I was just expecting more of a murder mystery type of a story based on the synopsis, but it turned out to be more of a “take down the system” type of a story, which is great in its own way - but just not what I expected.
I also wanted a bit more on-page development with our protagonist and the characters around her. We had a few moments, but I craved more of these to really build those relationships on a stronger foundation, especially with the love interest.
Overall, a great debut! Can’t wait to see what Julie Alexandra does next.
A wonderful debut! The beginning of this book definitely felt like Caraval but more dark, gothic (and more gory). Loved the world, the unique magic system & the luxury cruise ship environment.
The story was fun! I think I was just expecting more of a murder mystery type of a story based on the synopsis, but it turned out to be more of a “take down the system” type of a story, which is great in its own way - but just not what I expected.
I also wanted a bit more on-page development with our protagonist and the characters around her. We had a few moments, but I craved more of these to really build those relationships on a stronger foundation, especially with the love interest.
Overall, a great debut! Can’t wait to see what Julie Alexandra does next.
November 25, 2025
Midnight on the Celestial was such a fun mix of spooky and magical. The creepy vibe of the ship was honestly my favorite part; the author nailed that eerie atmosphere, and the magic in this world has a really whimsical feel that kept things interesting. I definitely found myself flipping pages to see what would happen next.
I think the world has a ton of potential, especially if there ends up being more books, but some of the magic rules were a little confusing. I never totally understood why the scary stuff only happened in the hallways and why everyone was magically safe behind doors. It just felt like something that should’ve been explained a bit more.
I liked the characters overall, but a few of them didn’t feel fully fleshed out and came across a bit bland at times. Still, Roe’s story kept me hooked, and the mystery of the ship was strong enough to carry the plot.
Overall, it’s an entertaining read with great atmosphere and a world I’d love to see expanded. It just needed a little more clarity and depth in a few places.
Just received my Netgalley ARC copy. This book sounds so good, kind of like Caraval, maybe? Big thanks to Austin from St. Martin's for sending this my way!
I think the world has a ton of potential, especially if there ends up being more books, but some of the magic rules were a little confusing. I never totally understood why the scary stuff only happened in the hallways and why everyone was magically safe behind doors. It just felt like something that should’ve been explained a bit more.
I liked the characters overall, but a few of them didn’t feel fully fleshed out and came across a bit bland at times. Still, Roe’s story kept me hooked, and the mystery of the ship was strong enough to carry the plot.
Overall, it’s an entertaining read with great atmosphere and a world I’d love to see expanded. It just needed a little more clarity and depth in a few places.
Just received my Netgalley ARC copy. This book sounds so good, kind of like Caraval, maybe? Big thanks to Austin from St. Martin's for sending this my way!
August 13, 2025
This was an outstanding thriller/horror. I was rooting for the FMC. I felt the story was gripping and the spooky stuff was well written. I am somewhat new to the genre and I feel like this was an amazing foray into what makes the genre great.
March 13, 2026
Thank you so much, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for sending me this ARC.
What to expect:
🚢Standalone
🔱Magic System
🚢Mystery/Suspense
🔱Love
🚢Murder
🔱Secret family history
Midnight on the Celestial is a spooky, magical YA fantasy that blends eerie atmosphere with a high‑stakes mystery aboard a dangerous cruise ship. It’s pretty intriguing overall, and the premise alone kept me hooked, even though I’m not usually a fan of spooky things.
Without giving away any spoilers, the story follows Roe, a rare resurrector. The book mixes magic trials, the consequences of failing them, and, of course, the Celestial itself, a ship that definitely knows how to make nighttime terrifying.
The atmosphere and setting lean heavily into the dark and eerie, which fits the theme well. That said, I found the logic behind the magic system a bit lacking. A few more details or clearer rules would have made a huge difference. Then, the world-building had its highs and lows, and the pacing felt inconsistent at times.
Roe was a great character. Her development felt well-balanced, powerful in some ways, and vulnerable in others, making her a strong and enjoyable protagonist. Some of the side characters could have used more depth, but Roe herself worked really well for me.
Overall, I wanted a bit more character development, more world-building, and a deeper magic system. But it was still a solid read. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a book with an eerie, gothic, spooky vibe.
3 stars for me. Might revisit and reread.
Pub Date: March 03, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
What to expect:
🚢Standalone
🔱Magic System
🚢Mystery/Suspense
🔱Love
🚢Murder
🔱Secret family history
Midnight on the Celestial is a spooky, magical YA fantasy that blends eerie atmosphere with a high‑stakes mystery aboard a dangerous cruise ship. It’s pretty intriguing overall, and the premise alone kept me hooked, even though I’m not usually a fan of spooky things.
Without giving away any spoilers, the story follows Roe, a rare resurrector. The book mixes magic trials, the consequences of failing them, and, of course, the Celestial itself, a ship that definitely knows how to make nighttime terrifying.
The atmosphere and setting lean heavily into the dark and eerie, which fits the theme well. That said, I found the logic behind the magic system a bit lacking. A few more details or clearer rules would have made a huge difference. Then, the world-building had its highs and lows, and the pacing felt inconsistent at times.
Roe was a great character. Her development felt well-balanced, powerful in some ways, and vulnerable in others, making her a strong and enjoyable protagonist. Some of the side characters could have used more depth, but Roe herself worked really well for me.
Overall, I wanted a bit more character development, more world-building, and a deeper magic system. But it was still a solid read. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a book with an eerie, gothic, spooky vibe.
3 stars for me. Might revisit and reread.
Pub Date: March 03, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
Currently reading
March 3, 2026fantastical mystery vibes on a ship sounds so good 🙂↕️
____________
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
____________
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩: 75%
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 2 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 .˚🖤𓍢˖˚🌹𓍢˖˚🦋˚.
I went in with low expectations, but I guess they weren’t low enough. This feels a lot like powerless- underveloped characters, a lack of world building, and some unoriginality mixed in. I might be picky about fantasy books, maybe I just have too high of standards, but I honestly hated this. It wasn’t all bad, ofc, but I can’t bring myself to rate it over 2 stars.
» [haunted- Taylor Swift] «
0:00 ─〇───── 4:00
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 🌹
౨ৎ fantasy with some horror elements
౨ৎ slow paced and boring
౨ৎ a romance subplot
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
ೃ⁀➷ 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯
Ages 13+
𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 🦋
౨ৎ Language- I don’t really remember but there was some
౨ৎ Romance- I didn’t finish it, so idk for sure, but so far there was almost nothing, just fantasizing about kissing.
౨ৎ Violence- body horror (mainly just corpses rotting and stuff), death, blood
౨ৎ Other- drinking (I think), idk what else
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 🖤
⤷ Roe- she was honestly quite underdeveloped, and annoying at times, but not as bad as some FMCs
⤷ Ivander- he was so bland and boring 😭 I’m sorry, but he literally had no personality. I honestly don’t have much to say about him
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 🗝️
The setting was okay, and I found some parts to be entertaining, but honestly, that’s it.
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 🥀
ok get ready for a rant…
First of all, it was incredibly boring, so boring that I had to dnf it. I found myself forcing myself to read it, and I literally couldn’t read more than one chapter at a time because I kept losing focus and getting distracted from reading it. It felt like work to read, and it literally took me over 2 months to read.
The romance was also really not great. There was absolutely no chemistry, and I wasn’t invested in it at all. The banter wasn’t great, the pacing was off, everything just felt forced. It was marketed as enemies to lovers, but THEY WERE NEVER ENEMIES. Just two people who mildly disliked eachother 😭
also, there was barely any worldbuilding, aside from the way magic is dealt with in the world, and the concept isn’t that great to begin with- a girl works on a cruise ship so she doesn’t lose her magic. And yes, half the book was just her working on a cruise ship
I could tell the writing style was trying so hard to be poetic and beautiful, and the author really wanted to have “quoteable” lines, but it fell flat. Somehow, it still seems simplistic and immature. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by books like divine rivals and a study in drowning, but this wasn’t anything near a literary masterpiece.
Now, I don’t mind horror elements. But this book added them in in a way that didn’t feel unsettling or scary- just gross. I don’t need a page if descriptions of rotting corpses. I was literally disgusted reading some parts of it. And it’s not dark, it actually felt weirdly light considering the premise and plot, it’s just… I don’t even know what. Not to mention how some descriptions of injuries were very inaccurate.
now, moving on to the plot and pacing. The pacing of it just felt so off, I don’t know how to explain it but it did. And it was so random. Like a random monster appears when it never said there were monsters in that world, but it gives no further explanations and treats it like a normal thing???? come on 😭
Ok, I swear this is my last point: it was very unoriginal. While it wasn’t as bad as, say, powerless, it seemed to be heavily inspired by a few books I’ve read. And ofc, maybe the author hasn’t read them, but it seems too similar to be a coincidence. First of all, immortal consequences. The entire trying to be the best student (or in this case, cruise ship employee) to compete in a magical trial for something very important, and only one person gets selected for it however often and then the government being evil thing is literally the exact same! while reading it, I kept thinking, “I’ve read this plot somewhere before”, and then I remembered that, surprise, it’s the exact plot of immortal consequences! Also, I noticed some parts involving the magic were very similar to curious tides.
|🖤| post-read~
dnf at 76%
I tried so hard to like this, but everything just fell flat- the worldbuilding, the romance, the characters. The writing style wasn’t great, and I honestly can’t find much to like about it. Also, it took me 2 months to read, which is extremely unusual for me.
rtc
|🥀| pre-read~
I got another arc after a few months! I dont really have any expectations for this, or know much about it, but I’m hoping it’ll be good. I’ve been really loving fantasy lately, so this is perfect, and I can’t wait to see what it’s like
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 2 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 .˚🖤𓍢˖˚🌹𓍢˖˚🦋˚.
I went in with low expectations, but I guess they weren’t low enough. This feels a lot like powerless- underveloped characters, a lack of world building, and some unoriginality mixed in. I might be picky about fantasy books, maybe I just have too high of standards, but I honestly hated this. It wasn’t all bad, ofc, but I can’t bring myself to rate it over 2 stars.
» [haunted- Taylor Swift] «
0:00 ─〇───── 4:00
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 🌹
౨ৎ fantasy with some horror elements
౨ৎ slow paced and boring
౨ৎ a romance subplot
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
ೃ⁀➷ 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯
Ages 13+
𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 🦋
౨ৎ Language- I don’t really remember but there was some
౨ৎ Romance- I didn’t finish it, so idk for sure, but so far there was almost nothing, just fantasizing about kissing.
౨ৎ Violence- body horror (mainly just corpses rotting and stuff), death, blood
౨ৎ Other- drinking (I think), idk what else
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 🖤
⤷ Roe- she was honestly quite underdeveloped, and annoying at times, but not as bad as some FMCs
⤷ Ivander- he was so bland and boring 😭 I’m sorry, but he literally had no personality. I honestly don’t have much to say about him
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 🗝️
The setting was okay, and I found some parts to be entertaining, but honestly, that’s it.
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 🥀
ok get ready for a rant…
First of all, it was incredibly boring, so boring that I had to dnf it. I found myself forcing myself to read it, and I literally couldn’t read more than one chapter at a time because I kept losing focus and getting distracted from reading it. It felt like work to read, and it literally took me over 2 months to read.
The romance was also really not great. There was absolutely no chemistry, and I wasn’t invested in it at all. The banter wasn’t great, the pacing was off, everything just felt forced. It was marketed as enemies to lovers, but THEY WERE NEVER ENEMIES. Just two people who mildly disliked eachother 😭
also, there was barely any worldbuilding, aside from the way magic is dealt with in the world, and the concept isn’t that great to begin with- a girl works on a cruise ship so she doesn’t lose her magic. And yes, half the book was just her working on a cruise ship
I could tell the writing style was trying so hard to be poetic and beautiful, and the author really wanted to have “quoteable” lines, but it fell flat. Somehow, it still seems simplistic and immature. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by books like divine rivals and a study in drowning, but this wasn’t anything near a literary masterpiece.
Now, I don’t mind horror elements. But this book added them in in a way that didn’t feel unsettling or scary- just gross. I don’t need a page if descriptions of rotting corpses. I was literally disgusted reading some parts of it. And it’s not dark, it actually felt weirdly light considering the premise and plot, it’s just… I don’t even know what. Not to mention how some descriptions of injuries were very inaccurate.
now, moving on to the plot and pacing. The pacing of it just felt so off, I don’t know how to explain it but it did. And it was so random. Like a random monster appears when it never said there were monsters in that world, but it gives no further explanations and treats it like a normal thing???? come on 😭
Ok, I swear this is my last point: it was very unoriginal. While it wasn’t as bad as, say, powerless, it seemed to be heavily inspired by a few books I’ve read. And ofc, maybe the author hasn’t read them, but it seems too similar to be a coincidence. First of all, immortal consequences. The entire trying to be the best student (or in this case, cruise ship employee) to compete in a magical trial for something very important, and only one person gets selected for it however often and then the government being evil thing is literally the exact same! while reading it, I kept thinking, “I’ve read this plot somewhere before”, and then I remembered that, surprise, it’s the exact plot of immortal consequences! Also, I noticed some parts involving the magic were very similar to curious tides.
|🖤| post-read~
dnf at 76%
I tried so hard to like this, but everything just fell flat- the worldbuilding, the romance, the characters. The writing style wasn’t great, and I honestly can’t find much to like about it. Also, it took me 2 months to read, which is extremely unusual for me.
rtc
|🥀| pre-read~
I got another arc after a few months! I dont really have any expectations for this, or know much about it, but I’m hoping it’ll be good. I’ve been really loving fantasy lately, so this is perfect, and I can’t wait to see what it’s like
March 9, 2026
Midnight on the Celestial
by Julia Alexandra
YA Fantasy Cozy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 3, 2026
St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books
Ages: 15+
With the power to summon spirits, it was almost a given that Roe would pass the trial that would allow her to keep her gift. When she fails, as per law for anyone who fails, her power is deemed too dangerous, and she must give up her powers or serve a punishment aboard the Celestial, a magical cruise ship her grandfather created, run on magic, for the rich.
Against her father's wishes, she flees to the ship and begins her sentence as a concierge, now serving those she had once welcomed in her home. If she can please those guests, she could earn enough of their votes to receive a new trial. But if she can't get one within her 5(?) year sentence, then she'll be forced to forfeit her magic.
But the bosses who run the ship are cruel, and the ship transforms during the night, and staff members die. As the days go on, Roe begins to question the true agenda of the ship and trials.
The story grabbed my interest right away, and Roe's magic was intriguing, but I feel there could have been more demonstrations of her magic to show how powerful, beautiful it was, and how potentially dangerous it could be.
Once on the ship, though, it started to feel as if it was turning into a teen 'high school reality show cozy romance,' but luckily it only hovered on that edge, though it was enough to where I started skimming here and there because repetitiveness of the troupe started to slow down the story, and I got bored.
It wasn't a bad story, and if there had been more action; magic use, this could have been a lot better. The book cover... beautiful!
There is a little violence, especially... spoiler... but the romance is clean, so it's suitable for readers fifteen and older. It also left off as a minor cliffhanger, so I'm expecting another book, but I'm not sure if I'll be reading it.
Almost reached the next star.
2 Stars
by Julia Alexandra
YA Fantasy Cozy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 3, 2026
St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books
Ages: 15+
With the power to summon spirits, it was almost a given that Roe would pass the trial that would allow her to keep her gift. When she fails, as per law for anyone who fails, her power is deemed too dangerous, and she must give up her powers or serve a punishment aboard the Celestial, a magical cruise ship her grandfather created, run on magic, for the rich.
Against her father's wishes, she flees to the ship and begins her sentence as a concierge, now serving those she had once welcomed in her home. If she can please those guests, she could earn enough of their votes to receive a new trial. But if she can't get one within her 5(?) year sentence, then she'll be forced to forfeit her magic.
But the bosses who run the ship are cruel, and the ship transforms during the night, and staff members die. As the days go on, Roe begins to question the true agenda of the ship and trials.
The story grabbed my interest right away, and Roe's magic was intriguing, but I feel there could have been more demonstrations of her magic to show how powerful, beautiful it was, and how potentially dangerous it could be.
Once on the ship, though, it started to feel as if it was turning into a teen 'high school reality show cozy romance,' but luckily it only hovered on that edge, though it was enough to where I started skimming here and there because repetitiveness of the troupe started to slow down the story, and I got bored.
It wasn't a bad story, and if there had been more action; magic use, this could have been a lot better. The book cover... beautiful!
There is a little violence, especially... spoiler... but the romance is clean, so it's suitable for readers fifteen and older. It also left off as a minor cliffhanger, so I'm expecting another book, but I'm not sure if I'll be reading it.
Almost reached the next star.
2 Stars
March 6, 2026
thoughts can't even be summed up, just WAITTTT for this review omg 😭
May 31, 2025
ARC Review - Thank you St. Martin's Press!
Rating: ⭐⭐.5 | Rounded up to 3 stars
I don't quite know how to feel about this book. Because of the ending, I'm assuming it's a standalone, and all I can really say is that it was satisfying but typical.
Don't take my entire word for this, as the book is getting published a year after I write this review, and it likely might have changed here and there.
The basic plot without any spoilers is: a girl mistakenly believes that a group of people/system is okay until she's banished or made an outcast from her community, and has to realize that the group of people/system is flawed and cruel, and then she fights back against it. She also falls in love with one of them. That's the book. It wasn't even made unique by the details, some of the plot is exactly what you would expect of a YA romantasy. There wasn't any new revelation or new insight that made her particularly unique. It just was.
I will admit I liked some of the depictions of the hospitality industry aboard the ship, and Ivander was sweet. You can't blame me for being unable to stop myself from drooling over boys who smirk constantly like their life depends on it. I know it's cliche, but I don't care.
It was a VERY weak enemies-to-lovers, as in they probably begin liking each other like a week after they meet. Even then, it was just Ivander thinking Roe was a spoiled brat who thought she was better than everyone else.
Like I said previously, satisfying but typical. You will not be that surprised by a single thing in this book. Not a character, nor a plot point.
The ending was also so cheesy that I might just start reading A Little Life just to get that taste out of my mouth😅.
The prose was decent, nothing special nothing bad.
Tropes:
✅Enemies to Lovers (very faintly)
✅Evil Family Member
✅Resurrection (Both figuratively and literally)
✅Found Family (sort of)
Spice Rating: 0/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️(Incredibly clean, there's mostly a bunch of kissing)
Rating: ⭐⭐.5 | Rounded up to 3 stars
I don't quite know how to feel about this book. Because of the ending, I'm assuming it's a standalone, and all I can really say is that it was satisfying but typical.
Don't take my entire word for this, as the book is getting published a year after I write this review, and it likely might have changed here and there.
The basic plot without any spoilers is: a girl mistakenly believes that a group of people/system is okay until she's banished or made an outcast from her community, and has to realize that the group of people/system is flawed and cruel, and then she fights back against it. She also falls in love with one of them. That's the book. It wasn't even made unique by the details, some of the plot is exactly what you would expect of a YA romantasy. There wasn't any new revelation or new insight that made her particularly unique. It just was.
I will admit I liked some of the depictions of the hospitality industry aboard the ship, and Ivander was sweet. You can't blame me for being unable to stop myself from drooling over boys who smirk constantly like their life depends on it. I know it's cliche, but I don't care.
It was a VERY weak enemies-to-lovers, as in they probably begin liking each other like a week after they meet. Even then, it was just Ivander thinking Roe was a spoiled brat who thought she was better than everyone else.
Like I said previously, satisfying but typical. You will not be that surprised by a single thing in this book. Not a character, nor a plot point.
The ending was also so cheesy that I might just start reading A Little Life just to get that taste out of my mouth😅.
The prose was decent, nothing special nothing bad.
Tropes:
✅Enemies to Lovers (very faintly)
✅Evil Family Member
✅Resurrection (Both figuratively and literally)
✅Found Family (sort of)
Spice Rating: 0/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️(Incredibly clean, there's mostly a bunch of kissing)
March 13, 2026
4.5⭐
Thank you so much to @bookbreakuk and @firstinkbooks for the early copy! 💙
I loved the mix of a fantasy book with horror elements. The idea of a magical ship that is all amazing and dreamlike in the day but dangerous where you can’t leave your room at night sounded so cool and was better than I expected! I found it was a great line between magical and terrifying 🚢 It was crazy to read how insanely different your experience would be depending on if you were a guest or staff. The bosses were so creepy and their punishments so cruel. I felt so bad for the abuse the staff had to deal with from them on top of dealing with certain demanding guests.
I found the magic system to be intriguing and finding out about the different gifts. I was hooked early on and I found myself easily rooting for Roe. I really loved the side characters in this book. They all had their own personalities and I enjoyed reading about the friendships. Ivander was a kind and selfless character and Roe’s romance with him was a really sweet slow burn. It was also a subplot which is always a fav for me.
The twists in this book were great and it was often a case of little details suddenly fitting together after reveals were made. There was a particular twist that was creepy and scary and although I had guessed another it didn’t take away from my enjoyment! I did think that it was slightly too fast with wrapping everything up near the end as I would’ve liked to have seen more. I thought it ended really nicely and was a really great YA debut! 🌊
Thank you so much to @bookbreakuk and @firstinkbooks for the early copy! 💙
I loved the mix of a fantasy book with horror elements. The idea of a magical ship that is all amazing and dreamlike in the day but dangerous where you can’t leave your room at night sounded so cool and was better than I expected! I found it was a great line between magical and terrifying 🚢 It was crazy to read how insanely different your experience would be depending on if you were a guest or staff. The bosses were so creepy and their punishments so cruel. I felt so bad for the abuse the staff had to deal with from them on top of dealing with certain demanding guests.
I found the magic system to be intriguing and finding out about the different gifts. I was hooked early on and I found myself easily rooting for Roe. I really loved the side characters in this book. They all had their own personalities and I enjoyed reading about the friendships. Ivander was a kind and selfless character and Roe’s romance with him was a really sweet slow burn. It was also a subplot which is always a fav for me.
The twists in this book were great and it was often a case of little details suddenly fitting together after reveals were made. There was a particular twist that was creepy and scary and although I had guessed another it didn’t take away from my enjoyment! I did think that it was slightly too fast with wrapping everything up near the end as I would’ve liked to have seen more. I thought it ended really nicely and was a really great YA debut! 🌊
March 12, 2026
Midnight on the Celestial is an entertaining story with lots of twists and turns. Although I was entertained the entire time, I wanted a deeper dive into some of the issues presented, more connection to the characters, and more use of the ship in the story.
Many of the issues in the story seemed readily solved and wrapped up in a pretty bow, while the main conflict, the deep seated distrust, subjugation, and exploitation of Morphic people by corrupt individuals, was glazed over and left open ended.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and the author for the gifted ALC of this book.
I liked Ro, the FMC. She was willing to fight to keep her morphia and was proud of her powers as a resurrector. Her struggles on the ship were well presented and understandable. For a girl who struggled with bullying in boarding school, she readily befriends several people aboard the Celestial and creates a found family she would die to protect. I felt the selfless and kind behavior of this found family was difficult to believe in the environment presented, but was sweet.
I didn’t feel connected to many of the characters in this book. I think the characters needed more development and time in the story. The budding romance between Ro and Ivander was sweet but other than mutual attraction, I didn’t feel invested in their connection.
The Celestial itself needed more focus in the story. The setup for this magical prison cruise ship was cool: it drives itself, and contains/stores raw morphia, beautiful by day, deadly by night. I feel the ship was underutilized in the story. We learn very little about it, including why only the hallways are impacted by the morphia, and how it drives itself. Although the floors and/or walls opening and swallowing someone is scary, there could’ve been so much more done with it.
The plot was medium paced with several plot twists.
The world building was interesting. The magic system was cool! I thought the author did really well with setting up the political and social impacts of magic use (Morphic vs non-Morphics) in this world. Her writing was descriptive, and the setting clear.
This book does not have spice, but has some steam with kissing scenes.
The audiobook has a single narrator, and she did a great job! Her voices and presentation were well done.
Overall, I was entertained throughout. I needed more from the story and felt the ending was insufficient for the issues presented.
Many of the issues in the story seemed readily solved and wrapped up in a pretty bow, while the main conflict, the deep seated distrust, subjugation, and exploitation of Morphic people by corrupt individuals, was glazed over and left open ended.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and the author for the gifted ALC of this book.
I liked Ro, the FMC. She was willing to fight to keep her morphia and was proud of her powers as a resurrector. Her struggles on the ship were well presented and understandable. For a girl who struggled with bullying in boarding school, she readily befriends several people aboard the Celestial and creates a found family she would die to protect. I felt the selfless and kind behavior of this found family was difficult to believe in the environment presented, but was sweet.
I didn’t feel connected to many of the characters in this book. I think the characters needed more development and time in the story. The budding romance between Ro and Ivander was sweet but other than mutual attraction, I didn’t feel invested in their connection.
The Celestial itself needed more focus in the story. The setup for this magical prison cruise ship was cool: it drives itself, and contains/stores raw morphia, beautiful by day, deadly by night. I feel the ship was underutilized in the story. We learn very little about it, including why only the hallways are impacted by the morphia, and how it drives itself. Although the floors and/or walls opening and swallowing someone is scary, there could’ve been so much more done with it.
The plot was medium paced with several plot twists.
The world building was interesting. The magic system was cool! I thought the author did really well with setting up the political and social impacts of magic use (Morphic vs non-Morphics) in this world. Her writing was descriptive, and the setting clear.
This book does not have spice, but has some steam with kissing scenes.
The audiobook has a single narrator, and she did a great job! Her voices and presentation were well done.
Overall, I was entertained throughout. I needed more from the story and felt the ending was insufficient for the issues presented.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3☆ | Hopes were high for this book when I had originally started it, though it quickly fell flat. I wasn't entirely invested in the story or characters. I think I was expecting something different based on the synopsis. But it was wasn't the most enjoyable read.
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
I loved the world of this book, the magic system and the overall vibes of it all. I loved how it was set on a cruise ship and there were things that were different and I hadn't yet before read in a book.
The first like 60 percent of this book was boring, like...really boring. I even thought about dnf'ing once or twice. It did pick up after that, which I glad for, but a huge part of this boom was just plain unenjoyable to read.
I do wish that there was more...bonding? With Roe and the people around her. Like if they had spent more time together for example
Both Roe and Ivander (also I'm sorry but what is that name? 😭) felt a bit underdeveloped and bland to me. I found myself not caring all too much about stuff that was happening to them.
I also didn't really believe much in the romance, I didn't see any chemistry between them. And this isn't really an enemies to lovers book because they weren't enemies. Maybe rivals if anything but still I'm not sure about that.
𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍:
This was a decent debut book, not jaw dropping but I really enjoyed the story telling and magic of it all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Ebook - 0🌶 - 3☆
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
I loved the world of this book, the magic system and the overall vibes of it all. I loved how it was set on a cruise ship and there were things that were different and I hadn't yet before read in a book.
The first like 60 percent of this book was boring, like...really boring. I even thought about dnf'ing once or twice. It did pick up after that, which I glad for, but a huge part of this boom was just plain unenjoyable to read.
I do wish that there was more...bonding? With Roe and the people around her. Like if they had spent more time together for example
Both Roe and Ivander (also I'm sorry but what is that name? 😭) felt a bit underdeveloped and bland to me. I found myself not caring all too much about stuff that was happening to them.
I also didn't really believe much in the romance, I didn't see any chemistry between them. And this isn't really an enemies to lovers book because they weren't enemies. Maybe rivals if anything but still I'm not sure about that.
𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍:
This was a decent debut book, not jaw dropping but I really enjoyed the story telling and magic of it all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Ebook - 0🌶 - 3☆
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love books set on cruise ships, and this one was a magical cruise ship??? With a mystery element too? SOLD.
The premise of this is so unique and fun! I did find that the execution let me down a bit but I definitely enjoyed the story overall.
Basically, in this world, magic exists but is closely monitored. Once a young person with magic comes of age, they take a test to show that they can control their power. If they cannot, they have to serve on this magical cruise ship and can earn opportunities to test again to see if they can control their magic and be able to leave the ship.
Ro, the main character, has failed her test and goes to this cruise ship (not a spoiler; this is revealed in the synopsis and it happens really early on in the book as well) to try to win an opportunity to retest.
I loved the idea of a magical cruise ship! All of the different things that the workers did to make the cruise fun for the guests onboard was so cool, like the animated towel animals, or the magical drinks and fireworks. I also loved the slightly creepy atmosphere of the ship. I wish the book had done more with that because those were my favorite parts. Sadly, a big part of the book is taken up with the romance. While I liked him fine as a character, the romance felt unnecessary (partly because it just sort of happened). The friend group was a bit confusing too, since they were all introduced at the same time, hated Ro, and then became friends with her.
I really liked that this was a standalone. There aren’t many fantasy standalones so that was a refreshing change. I did find some aspects of the story predictable, but overall this was an interesting debut.
The premise of this is so unique and fun! I did find that the execution let me down a bit but I definitely enjoyed the story overall.
Basically, in this world, magic exists but is closely monitored. Once a young person with magic comes of age, they take a test to show that they can control their power. If they cannot, they have to serve on this magical cruise ship and can earn opportunities to test again to see if they can control their magic and be able to leave the ship.
Ro, the main character, has failed her test and goes to this cruise ship (not a spoiler; this is revealed in the synopsis and it happens really early on in the book as well) to try to win an opportunity to retest.
I loved the idea of a magical cruise ship! All of the different things that the workers did to make the cruise fun for the guests onboard was so cool, like the animated towel animals, or the magical drinks and fireworks. I also loved the slightly creepy atmosphere of the ship. I wish the book had done more with that because those were my favorite parts. Sadly, a big part of the book is taken up with the romance. While I liked him fine as a character, the romance felt unnecessary (partly because it just sort of happened). The friend group was a bit confusing too, since they were all introduced at the same time, hated Ro, and then became friends with her.
I really liked that this was a standalone. There aren’t many fantasy standalones so that was a refreshing change. I did find some aspects of the story predictable, but overall this was an interesting debut.
August 8, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
Really good world building! I thought the magic system was super original and Roe’s magic was so cool to read about. I got the vibe that this book was a standalone, but I’d love to read another in the same world by this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital arc.
Really good world building! I thought the magic system was super original and Roe’s magic was so cool to read about. I got the vibe that this book was a standalone, but I’d love to read another in the same world by this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital arc.
November 11, 2025
Magically captivating while simultaneously dark and harsh, Julia Alexandra’s debut novel Midnight on the Celestial is a well-paced and solid YA fantasy story that effortlessly walks the line between the fantasy and thriller genres. Prominently featured on both the book’s cover and in its blurb, the focal luxury cruise line enchanted with opulent and imaginative magic immediately catches attention but there’s a lot more to this story than what meets the eye. A dark fantasy thriller featuring a likable group of found family friends paired with a great plot and excellent age-appropriate character writing, Midnight on the Celestial is a great all-rounder book that tells a compelling standalone story with dazzling visuals.
The land of Tamarynth is overseen by the elected Council and system that regulates those with magical powers. Referred to as morphia, this substance possessed by certain individuals grants them a variety of powers, in Roe Damarcus’s case the power of resurrecting spirits from the afterlife. As the famed daughter of one of the councilmen and only member with magical powers, her powers are largely used for show at high society events. However following a failed trial to evaluate the control of her powers, she is faced with either forceful loss of her resurrection skill or a four-year stint working aboard the luxury cruise liner the Celestial. Full of magic, demanding guests, but also unspoken horrors and danger, Roe must not only prove herself worthy of a retrial over all the other staff members competing for the available spots, but also survive both the suppression by the Bosses on board as well as the cruise ship itself.
I will be the first to admit that I picked up this book on the premise and cover alone, a fantasy thriller and mystery aboard a dangerous magic-filled cruise ship is an amazingly cool concept. Yet, as fascinating the Celestial ship is, this book has a lot more story and content to beyond its dreamy cruise line. While enchanted at first glance, Alexandra’s world has a lot of interesting framework and context surrounding the famed ship. While Roe’s family holds prestige and status thanks to her father’s position on the council and skills as an alchemist, the consequences for morphic users is dire when it comes to their mandatory trials that can result in the loss of their magic or sentence them to potential death upon the Celestial. Tamarynth’s society is one that thrives off the skills of select types of morphics (primarily menders and crafters) while others are feared for their power or potential abuse. As the reader follows Roe as she navigates her trial and service upon the Celestial, nothing in this book is as it appears. The Bosses she’s oppressed by, the stuffy family she is assigned to serve, the goal of a retrial and redemption in the eye of society, every narrative element of this book holds unexpected surprises behind a layer of rose-tinted magical whimsy.
Serving dual purpose as a high-end luxury vacation experience as well as a penal reformatory, the cruise is a fascinating concept. On-board the ship, indentured morphic users are subjected to an unfair and soul-crushing experience, subjected to the whims of both their wealthy clientele as well as the twistedly ruthless Bosses that run the cruise. Warned against venturing into the ship’s halls at night, staff are also at risk of death as the halls come alive with horrifying visuals, lethal traps, and psychological warfare induced on its inhabitants. The events and experiences on the Celestial initially seem contradictory, both shimmeringly magical while also brutal and threatening, but the end result works well. Additionally, the juxtaposition of the cruise’s opulent service sitting just above the disturbing system that facilitates it is creative and imaginative in the dastardliest ways. Violent and brutal at times, this is a YA book that skews on the older end of the reader demographics. The reformatory system, political agendas, and trajectory of the story also give the book an almost dystopian feel to it, though dystopia has never looked and felt more ethereal than in Midnight on the Celestial. The plot is polished and solid, very appropriately crafted for YA readership without dumbing down or dulling its more ambitious ideas.
While the story almost resembles a thriller at times, even a horror on occasion, the book is filled with wonderful fantasy visuals that balance out the darker elements of the narrative. From fancy enchanted cocktails, to shapeshifting staff and experiences, to dazzling interior decor, and finally aerial silk performances; yes, Ivander the main male character is not only handsome and muscled but is also a graceful silk dancer. In short, this book has no shortage of magic and beautiful visuals. Alexandra’s visuals are not only striking when in sparkly aesthetic moments, but also in darker scenes as well. Roe’s swirling and mysterious forms of resurrection, the graphic descriptions of the dead, deathly scenes on the Celestial including mild body horror are all handled and presented vibrantly. Another area that’s handled well is the descriptions and intimidation factor of the Bosses. When extracted from people with powers, the morphic substance is portrayed as a volatile, powerful, and mysterious material. The Bosses that run the Celestial who use and are drawn to the morphic substance are portrayed like addicted drug users, both behaviorally and physically (the visual descriptions are unsettling to great effect).
Another one of the book’s strengths is its character work. I really enjoyed Roe as a main character narrator who at the start of the book, feels a little trying, too confident and entitled with her pursuit of a retrial. But that’s completely by design given her sheltered upbringing and her abrupt fall from grace. Over the course of the book, her character grows not only more confident in herself and powers, but also in her understanding of others. I was particularly impressed with Alexandra’s character logic that feels age appropriate and embodies that specific teenage angst, drive, and sense of righteousness (aka, also relentless stubbornness). That YA touch also extends to the story’s themes of freedom and loss of choice, confronting one’s fears, and found family following the loss or conflict with one’s nuclear family. I thought Ivander was a nice foil to Roe’s personality, as both the charitable, mature, yet frustratingly put together protector of the ship’s friend group and elegant aerial performer. The other characters are quite varied in terms of personality and powers, particularly Roe’s assigned mistress Asralyn. Their fraught and strained stewardess-guest acquaintance is well written and dynamically shifts as Roe’s investigation into the ship’s history progresses. Despite being a story focused on Roe and to a lesser extent Ivander, you really start to care about the rest of the friend group by the end of the story and are rooting for them to survive. The characters’ challenges, backstories, and dreams are all effectively built on and brought full circle by the ending, the Celestial being the catalyst for change in unplanned and unexpected ways. It’s worth noting that although this book is sometimes tagged as a romance novel, the romance is very light and plays a supporting act to the main fantasy thriller/mystery storyline. Ivander adds a bit of abrasive eye candy turned mentor ally, but the romance is not the focus and shouldn’t be why one reads this book. In fact, romance shouldn’t be a listed genre for this book at all and is likely only there for marketing purposes.
Ambitiously crafted and very well plotted, if I had to critique anything in this book, it would be that the start of the story isn’t quite as exciting compared to Roe’s time on the Celestial and that early chapters slightly suffer from mild info-dumping. Understandably, the book is well aware that the magical ship is the big draw for the book and wants to get Roe on to it ASAP, but the scope of the story requires a good amount of world-building and narrative purpose to be established prior to Roe’s service. While it’s far from being poorly handled, the morphic and council politics of Tamarynth are breezed through a bit too quickly and densely to fully stick, which becomes a mild concern once the story gets into its final act. Roe’s extended family members aren’t quite given enough time and familiarity for some of their later emotional beats to hit quite as hard as they could, though again, it’s understandable as YA books need to be snappy to satisfy younger readers with shorter attention spans. The same could be said about the prose which is generally simplistic and merely serviceable, but is appropriate for a YA read. Even milder nitpicks are that the alchemy power is sort of used as a catch-all a bit too often as a convenient plot mechanism and the evening horrors on the Celestial don’t really have much rhyme or reasonable explanation apart from being a poorly understood phenomenon. However, these points do not actively hinder the story nor are they very noticeable for more casual readers.
Featuring a creative and engaging story with characters relatably written and age-appropriate, Midnight on the Celestial is a very solid and well-rounded YA fantasy novel. Balancing its macabre elements with magical visuals and splendor, the ship and its surrounding narrative are perfectly set up for its appealing characters to move around in. Applying elements of thriller, mystery, psychological horror genres complimenting a dark fantasy story, the book has something for everyone. While some adult fantasy readers may find the characters or story to be a little juvenile, the book’s plot twists and world-building complexity will likely catch them pleasantly by surprise. And if all else fails, the magical Celestial cruise ship is the stuff of childhood fantasy dreams, the crucial element the book certainly delivers on!
This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press via Netgalley.
*For more reviews, book lists and reading updates, check out my blog TheBookGrind!
The land of Tamarynth is overseen by the elected Council and system that regulates those with magical powers. Referred to as morphia, this substance possessed by certain individuals grants them a variety of powers, in Roe Damarcus’s case the power of resurrecting spirits from the afterlife. As the famed daughter of one of the councilmen and only member with magical powers, her powers are largely used for show at high society events. However following a failed trial to evaluate the control of her powers, she is faced with either forceful loss of her resurrection skill or a four-year stint working aboard the luxury cruise liner the Celestial. Full of magic, demanding guests, but also unspoken horrors and danger, Roe must not only prove herself worthy of a retrial over all the other staff members competing for the available spots, but also survive both the suppression by the Bosses on board as well as the cruise ship itself.
I will be the first to admit that I picked up this book on the premise and cover alone, a fantasy thriller and mystery aboard a dangerous magic-filled cruise ship is an amazingly cool concept. Yet, as fascinating the Celestial ship is, this book has a lot more story and content to beyond its dreamy cruise line. While enchanted at first glance, Alexandra’s world has a lot of interesting framework and context surrounding the famed ship. While Roe’s family holds prestige and status thanks to her father’s position on the council and skills as an alchemist, the consequences for morphic users is dire when it comes to their mandatory trials that can result in the loss of their magic or sentence them to potential death upon the Celestial. Tamarynth’s society is one that thrives off the skills of select types of morphics (primarily menders and crafters) while others are feared for their power or potential abuse. As the reader follows Roe as she navigates her trial and service upon the Celestial, nothing in this book is as it appears. The Bosses she’s oppressed by, the stuffy family she is assigned to serve, the goal of a retrial and redemption in the eye of society, every narrative element of this book holds unexpected surprises behind a layer of rose-tinted magical whimsy.
Serving dual purpose as a high-end luxury vacation experience as well as a penal reformatory, the cruise is a fascinating concept. On-board the ship, indentured morphic users are subjected to an unfair and soul-crushing experience, subjected to the whims of both their wealthy clientele as well as the twistedly ruthless Bosses that run the cruise. Warned against venturing into the ship’s halls at night, staff are also at risk of death as the halls come alive with horrifying visuals, lethal traps, and psychological warfare induced on its inhabitants. The events and experiences on the Celestial initially seem contradictory, both shimmeringly magical while also brutal and threatening, but the end result works well. Additionally, the juxtaposition of the cruise’s opulent service sitting just above the disturbing system that facilitates it is creative and imaginative in the dastardliest ways. Violent and brutal at times, this is a YA book that skews on the older end of the reader demographics. The reformatory system, political agendas, and trajectory of the story also give the book an almost dystopian feel to it, though dystopia has never looked and felt more ethereal than in Midnight on the Celestial. The plot is polished and solid, very appropriately crafted for YA readership without dumbing down or dulling its more ambitious ideas.
While the story almost resembles a thriller at times, even a horror on occasion, the book is filled with wonderful fantasy visuals that balance out the darker elements of the narrative. From fancy enchanted cocktails, to shapeshifting staff and experiences, to dazzling interior decor, and finally aerial silk performances; yes, Ivander the main male character is not only handsome and muscled but is also a graceful silk dancer. In short, this book has no shortage of magic and beautiful visuals. Alexandra’s visuals are not only striking when in sparkly aesthetic moments, but also in darker scenes as well. Roe’s swirling and mysterious forms of resurrection, the graphic descriptions of the dead, deathly scenes on the Celestial including mild body horror are all handled and presented vibrantly. Another area that’s handled well is the descriptions and intimidation factor of the Bosses. When extracted from people with powers, the morphic substance is portrayed as a volatile, powerful, and mysterious material. The Bosses that run the Celestial who use and are drawn to the morphic substance are portrayed like addicted drug users, both behaviorally and physically (the visual descriptions are unsettling to great effect).
Another one of the book’s strengths is its character work. I really enjoyed Roe as a main character narrator who at the start of the book, feels a little trying, too confident and entitled with her pursuit of a retrial. But that’s completely by design given her sheltered upbringing and her abrupt fall from grace. Over the course of the book, her character grows not only more confident in herself and powers, but also in her understanding of others. I was particularly impressed with Alexandra’s character logic that feels age appropriate and embodies that specific teenage angst, drive, and sense of righteousness (aka, also relentless stubbornness). That YA touch also extends to the story’s themes of freedom and loss of choice, confronting one’s fears, and found family following the loss or conflict with one’s nuclear family. I thought Ivander was a nice foil to Roe’s personality, as both the charitable, mature, yet frustratingly put together protector of the ship’s friend group and elegant aerial performer. The other characters are quite varied in terms of personality and powers, particularly Roe’s assigned mistress Asralyn. Their fraught and strained stewardess-guest acquaintance is well written and dynamically shifts as Roe’s investigation into the ship’s history progresses. Despite being a story focused on Roe and to a lesser extent Ivander, you really start to care about the rest of the friend group by the end of the story and are rooting for them to survive. The characters’ challenges, backstories, and dreams are all effectively built on and brought full circle by the ending, the Celestial being the catalyst for change in unplanned and unexpected ways. It’s worth noting that although this book is sometimes tagged as a romance novel, the romance is very light and plays a supporting act to the main fantasy thriller/mystery storyline. Ivander adds a bit of abrasive eye candy turned mentor ally, but the romance is not the focus and shouldn’t be why one reads this book. In fact, romance shouldn’t be a listed genre for this book at all and is likely only there for marketing purposes.
Ambitiously crafted and very well plotted, if I had to critique anything in this book, it would be that the start of the story isn’t quite as exciting compared to Roe’s time on the Celestial and that early chapters slightly suffer from mild info-dumping. Understandably, the book is well aware that the magical ship is the big draw for the book and wants to get Roe on to it ASAP, but the scope of the story requires a good amount of world-building and narrative purpose to be established prior to Roe’s service. While it’s far from being poorly handled, the morphic and council politics of Tamarynth are breezed through a bit too quickly and densely to fully stick, which becomes a mild concern once the story gets into its final act. Roe’s extended family members aren’t quite given enough time and familiarity for some of their later emotional beats to hit quite as hard as they could, though again, it’s understandable as YA books need to be snappy to satisfy younger readers with shorter attention spans. The same could be said about the prose which is generally simplistic and merely serviceable, but is appropriate for a YA read. Even milder nitpicks are that the alchemy power is sort of used as a catch-all a bit too often as a convenient plot mechanism and the evening horrors on the Celestial don’t really have much rhyme or reasonable explanation apart from being a poorly understood phenomenon. However, these points do not actively hinder the story nor are they very noticeable for more casual readers.
Featuring a creative and engaging story with characters relatably written and age-appropriate, Midnight on the Celestial is a very solid and well-rounded YA fantasy novel. Balancing its macabre elements with magical visuals and splendor, the ship and its surrounding narrative are perfectly set up for its appealing characters to move around in. Applying elements of thriller, mystery, psychological horror genres complimenting a dark fantasy story, the book has something for everyone. While some adult fantasy readers may find the characters or story to be a little juvenile, the book’s plot twists and world-building complexity will likely catch them pleasantly by surprise. And if all else fails, the magical Celestial cruise ship is the stuff of childhood fantasy dreams, the crucial element the book certainly delivers on!
This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press via Netgalley.
*For more reviews, book lists and reading updates, check out my blog TheBookGrind!
September 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Beautifully captivating from the start! Midnight on the Celestial immediately drew me in with its stunning cover, but the story inside is just as magical. This original fantasy tale features a unique magic system, thrilling twists, and world building that feels like stepping through a door into another realm. Though listed as YA fantasy, it has something for everyone, friendships that shine, a touch of romance, a murder mystery, high stakes action, and even the artistic beauty of aerial acrobatics seamlessly woven into the narrative. The descriptive writing made the setting vivid and immersive, and I could easily picture this as a movie or TV show. I loved everything about this story and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastical escape. Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Thank you to @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#SMPEarlyReaders #FantasyBooks #YAFantasy #BookRecommendation #BookReview #BookTok #Bookstagram #MustRead #ARCReview #FantasyReads #Bookish
Beautifully captivating from the start! Midnight on the Celestial immediately drew me in with its stunning cover, but the story inside is just as magical. This original fantasy tale features a unique magic system, thrilling twists, and world building that feels like stepping through a door into another realm. Though listed as YA fantasy, it has something for everyone, friendships that shine, a touch of romance, a murder mystery, high stakes action, and even the artistic beauty of aerial acrobatics seamlessly woven into the narrative. The descriptive writing made the setting vivid and immersive, and I could easily picture this as a movie or TV show. I loved everything about this story and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastical escape. Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Thank you to @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#SMPEarlyReaders #FantasyBooks #YAFantasy #BookRecommendation #BookReview #BookTok #Bookstagram #MustRead #ARCReview #FantasyReads #Bookish
August 25, 2025
I knew I wasn’t really into this book when it took me 2 days to read it.I don't feel like this book had anything particularly new to say. Overall, this book might be liked by many readers but it wasn't for me.
November 28, 2025
4/5 stars!
Julia Alexandra's Midnight on the Celestial delivered on all the magical, spooky YA fun that I was looking forward to! The worldbuilding was fleshed out, the characters were compelling, and the plot was moved with excellent pace. It also had some differentiating elements to help it stand out from the rest of the YA crowd, particularly its unique world.
The author did a fantastic job building a nuanced society for this beautiful fantasy novel to take place in. While the magic system is compelling, my favorite part by far was the complex system of politics Alexandra developed to give her created world nuance while also allowing the reader to draw insights into our own. That is my favorite part about Midnight on the Celestial: while it works perfectly well as a good YA fantasy, it can also be read much deeper as a critique of our own society, particularly the penal system and criminal justice.
The only critique that I have is that I wanted more! The world Alexandra created was so excellent, I'm disappointed to leave it so soon. Moreover, there seemed to be a lot of room for a sequel but it doesn't look like it's getting one? There seemed to be some loose ends that I would love to see gathered in a companion novel.
Julia Alexandra's Midnight on the Celestial delivered on all the magical, spooky YA fun that I was looking forward to! The worldbuilding was fleshed out, the characters were compelling, and the plot was moved with excellent pace. It also had some differentiating elements to help it stand out from the rest of the YA crowd, particularly its unique world.
The author did a fantastic job building a nuanced society for this beautiful fantasy novel to take place in. While the magic system is compelling, my favorite part by far was the complex system of politics Alexandra developed to give her created world nuance while also allowing the reader to draw insights into our own. That is my favorite part about Midnight on the Celestial: while it works perfectly well as a good YA fantasy, it can also be read much deeper as a critique of our own society, particularly the penal system and criminal justice.
The only critique that I have is that I wanted more! The world Alexandra created was so excellent, I'm disappointed to leave it so soon. Moreover, there seemed to be a lot of room for a sequel but it doesn't look like it's getting one? There seemed to be some loose ends that I would love to see gathered in a companion novel.
November 24, 2025
Not at all what I expected when I picked it up but this one was very enjoyable, thank you Wednesday!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Midnight on the Celestial is a macabre, intriguing YA fantasy/horror with deeper themes of bigotry, political intrigue, and morality.
Magic evokes both awe and fear in the nation of Tamarynth, where those who possess it (Morphics) are often exploited for their abilities or imprisoned for them. An uneasy peace exists after strict measures suggested by the Damarcus family were put in place to ensure that Morphics who misuse their power or pose a danger to society are kept in check.
Roe Damarcus is proud of her family's legacy in ending years of civil war, and of her own powerful abilities as a ressurectionist. Her gift enables her to summon the spirits of the dead, providing the high society nobles who attend her family's balls to visit with deceased loved ones. Yet when Roe fails to pass her magical trial on her eighteenth birthday, she is subject to the laws established by her great-grandfather: be stripped of her magical abilities forever, or serve a prison sentence aboard the Celestial, with an opportunity to earn a retrial. After boarding the ship, Roe soon learns that the system she thought upheld justice is inherently corrupt.
I enjoyed the world building in this story, particularly the contrast between the dark and light aspects of both magic and society. By day, the Celestial is a luxury cruise ship where wealthy guests are entertained with glittering displays of magic, but at night the hallways are stalked by deadly and grotesque terrors. While the Morphics serving on the ship are viewed as dangerous criminals given a chance to redeem themselves, in reality they are relatively harmless young people being victimized and tortured by the cruel bosses who oversee them.
The author did a great job creating settings that were sinister and eerie, as well as enchanting and fun. I do think the book would have benefitted from a map of the world, as several provinces within Tamarynth were mentioned and it would have helped me to envision it as a whole more clearly.
I wish there had been a little more context or background given to Roe's relationships with her family members. It wasn't clear to me why so much hostility existed between Roe and her sister, Eliza. Was it because Eliza voluntarily gave up her magic to please their mother, but Roe is determined to hold on to her abilities? If their mother is so opposed to magic, why did she choose to marry a Morphic? Can they not have differing views about Morphia without being nasty to each other? I also didn't fully understand why Roe's father divorced his first wife, Lysandra, even after certain details were later revealed.
While Roe's character arc allowed her to grow and change throughout the story, some of the secondary characters experienced drastic shifts "off the page" that seemed very sudden and harder for me to believe. The story is limited to Roe's point of view and knowledge, but I still feel like some things that she learns about from others could have been expanded upon. They felt hastily explained and difficult to accept. It's hard to say more without giving away spoilers.
I liked Roe as a main character, and respected her desire to dismantle a corrupt system without compromising her own values and morals.
Overall I think this was an interesting story and a good debut. While this book makes a satisfactory standalone, I hope to see the story continue with a sequel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Magic evokes both awe and fear in the nation of Tamarynth, where those who possess it (Morphics) are often exploited for their abilities or imprisoned for them. An uneasy peace exists after strict measures suggested by the Damarcus family were put in place to ensure that Morphics who misuse their power or pose a danger to society are kept in check.
Roe Damarcus is proud of her family's legacy in ending years of civil war, and of her own powerful abilities as a ressurectionist. Her gift enables her to summon the spirits of the dead, providing the high society nobles who attend her family's balls to visit with deceased loved ones. Yet when Roe fails to pass her magical trial on her eighteenth birthday, she is subject to the laws established by her great-grandfather: be stripped of her magical abilities forever, or serve a prison sentence aboard the Celestial, with an opportunity to earn a retrial. After boarding the ship, Roe soon learns that the system she thought upheld justice is inherently corrupt.
I enjoyed the world building in this story, particularly the contrast between the dark and light aspects of both magic and society. By day, the Celestial is a luxury cruise ship where wealthy guests are entertained with glittering displays of magic, but at night the hallways are stalked by deadly and grotesque terrors. While the Morphics serving on the ship are viewed as dangerous criminals given a chance to redeem themselves, in reality they are relatively harmless young people being victimized and tortured by the cruel bosses who oversee them.
The author did a great job creating settings that were sinister and eerie, as well as enchanting and fun. I do think the book would have benefitted from a map of the world, as several provinces within Tamarynth were mentioned and it would have helped me to envision it as a whole more clearly.
I wish there had been a little more context or background given to Roe's relationships with her family members. It wasn't clear to me why so much hostility existed between Roe and her sister, Eliza. Was it because Eliza voluntarily gave up her magic to please their mother, but Roe is determined to hold on to her abilities? If their mother is so opposed to magic, why did she choose to marry a Morphic? Can they not have differing views about Morphia without being nasty to each other? I also didn't fully understand why Roe's father divorced his first wife, Lysandra, even after certain details were later revealed.
While Roe's character arc allowed her to grow and change throughout the story, some of the secondary characters experienced drastic shifts "off the page" that seemed very sudden and harder for me to believe. The story is limited to Roe's point of view and knowledge, but I still feel like some things that she learns about from others could have been expanded upon. They felt hastily explained and difficult to accept. It's hard to say more without giving away spoilers.
I liked Roe as a main character, and respected her desire to dismantle a corrupt system without compromising her own values and morals.
Overall I think this was an interesting story and a good debut. While this book makes a satisfactory standalone, I hope to see the story continue with a sequel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 23, 2026
Thank you @stmartinspress @wednesdaybooks #partner for the gifted copy of this book!
OKAY BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra because WOW. I am having a dangerously good reading year with books that were not even on my radar and then just absolutely wreck me. AND YES...THIS IS A DEBUT FRIENDS! The debut authors are out here swinging and I am LIVING for it. The debut game is officially lit this year🔥 (I think that’s what the kids say?).
Anywho...in this one we follow Roe, who has the ability to summon the dead 😮💨— casually iconic. When she fails an important trial, she’s given a choice: lose her magic forever OR serve her punishment aboard the mysterious ship The Celestial. THANK YOU FOR FAILING ROE, because what follows is an unforgettable and wildly imaginative sea bound adventure that I did not want to end.
Once onboard, Roe quickly learns she has to prove herself. There will be no coasting on family connections here like some may think. The crew, the guests, the shipmates were all levels of intriguing. Roe learns she has to adapt FAST or things are not going to end well. I just loved all that tension!
This book hit so many of my favorite things:
✨ Locked door thriller vibes…but make it fantasy
✨ Magic that feels fresh and dangerous
✨ Found family (uhhh my fav)
✨ A slow burn romance that had me kicking my feet
✨ An imaginative setting that felt like a character all on its own
The creativity in this one was absolutely on point. The Celestial felt alive, atmospheric and bursting with mystery. This story genuinely felt like a breath of fresh air and I could not get enough of it.
I am 100% buying a finished copy for my shelf because this one earned its trophy spot 🏆📚
Julia Alexandra...SIGN. ME. UP. I am all in for whatever adventure you take us on next.
OKAY BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra because WOW. I am having a dangerously good reading year with books that were not even on my radar and then just absolutely wreck me. AND YES...THIS IS A DEBUT FRIENDS! The debut authors are out here swinging and I am LIVING for it. The debut game is officially lit this year🔥 (I think that’s what the kids say?).
Anywho...in this one we follow Roe, who has the ability to summon the dead 😮💨— casually iconic. When she fails an important trial, she’s given a choice: lose her magic forever OR serve her punishment aboard the mysterious ship The Celestial. THANK YOU FOR FAILING ROE, because what follows is an unforgettable and wildly imaginative sea bound adventure that I did not want to end.
Once onboard, Roe quickly learns she has to prove herself. There will be no coasting on family connections here like some may think. The crew, the guests, the shipmates were all levels of intriguing. Roe learns she has to adapt FAST or things are not going to end well. I just loved all that tension!
This book hit so many of my favorite things:
✨ Locked door thriller vibes…but make it fantasy
✨ Magic that feels fresh and dangerous
✨ Found family (uhhh my fav)
✨ A slow burn romance that had me kicking my feet
✨ An imaginative setting that felt like a character all on its own
The creativity in this one was absolutely on point. The Celestial felt alive, atmospheric and bursting with mystery. This story genuinely felt like a breath of fresh air and I could not get enough of it.
I am 100% buying a finished copy for my shelf because this one earned its trophy spot 🏆📚
Julia Alexandra...SIGN. ME. UP. I am all in for whatever adventure you take us on next.
January 8, 2026
I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books for the opportunity to read and review Midnight on the Celestial. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.
Midnight on the Celestial is the best thing since sliced bread. This book quite literally consumed me, I was so invested!
The atmosphere throughout the story was creepy yet whimsical which was honestly addictive. The world building was honestly excellent, so much so that I'm sad that this book is a standalone. I would read a whole series based in this world.
As for the vibes, if you like The Night Circus or Hotel Magnifique I think you'd really enjoy this book.
I was so invested in the characters. Roe is so powerful and even more so when she realises she has people behind her. I love how everyone had their own story but there were similarities throughout, there was understanding and there was compassion.
The plot had me on the edge of my seat but the real star of the show for me is the Celestial. Anything ship related, especially when there's a magic or creepy factor, I will be all over it.
I absolutely loved this book and I so hope that the author continues to write, because I cannot wait to read more.
It truly feels like this book was written for me.
Midnight on the Celestial is the best thing since sliced bread. This book quite literally consumed me, I was so invested!
The atmosphere throughout the story was creepy yet whimsical which was honestly addictive. The world building was honestly excellent, so much so that I'm sad that this book is a standalone. I would read a whole series based in this world.
As for the vibes, if you like The Night Circus or Hotel Magnifique I think you'd really enjoy this book.
I was so invested in the characters. Roe is so powerful and even more so when she realises she has people behind her. I love how everyone had their own story but there were similarities throughout, there was understanding and there was compassion.
The plot had me on the edge of my seat but the real star of the show for me is the Celestial. Anything ship related, especially when there's a magic or creepy factor, I will be all over it.
I absolutely loved this book and I so hope that the author continues to write, because I cannot wait to read more.
It truly feels like this book was written for me.
March 11, 2026
Midnight on the Celestial is unlike anything that I have ever read and for that I loved it! This follows a young girl who is able to resurrect the dead (animals and humans alike) in various forms. Other magic in this world includes shifter magic, alchemy, healing, emotive, amongst others. Their magic does have a price which keeps them in check. The spooky/creepy cruise ship was such a unique setting for a dark fantasy and I really admire the creativity with the magic system and how it interacts with the cruise ship.
I did not realize this was going to the a standalone while I was reading and was surprised when things were wrapping up quickly at the end. I do wish we got a little more depth from some of the characters, especially Ivander. That being said, I can always appreciate a standalone fantasy!
The romance is very much a subplot in my opinion. Its a YA fantasy that has some dark elements. I really enjoyed this debut!
Audiobook Review: 5/5
Honestly no notes on the audiobook here it was perfect. I did an immersion read for this book with the ebook and loved it.
Style: single narrator
Pacing: 5/5
Performance: 5/5
Thank you Wednesday Books and St. Martins Press for the advanced reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. 💕
I did not realize this was going to the a standalone while I was reading and was surprised when things were wrapping up quickly at the end. I do wish we got a little more depth from some of the characters, especially Ivander. That being said, I can always appreciate a standalone fantasy!
The romance is very much a subplot in my opinion. Its a YA fantasy that has some dark elements. I really enjoyed this debut!
Audiobook Review: 5/5
Honestly no notes on the audiobook here it was perfect. I did an immersion read for this book with the ebook and loved it.
Style: single narrator
Pacing: 5/5
Performance: 5/5
Thank you Wednesday Books and St. Martins Press for the advanced reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. 💕
February 28, 2026
Roe finds herself the Celestial ocean liner after a failed trial to keep her resurrection powers. With the help of her new shipmates, she starts to realize that things on the Celestial are much more dangerous than they initially seemed.
This was such a fun, spooky, and whimsical YA journey! I thoroughly enjoyed myself the entire time, and there were so many things I loved about this novel.
The whole plot premise of Midnight on the Celestial was very intriguing to begin with, and it really delivered on the magical/creepy front. The author did an incredible job immersing the reader in the settings on land and on the ship. The descriptions and specific word choice led to some really intense scenes. The magic system was fresh and set up in a way that made it easy to follow along with. The pacing was very consistent, and it kept my attention through the end.
There’s a lot of found family/friendships found in the book, and I think I would have loved even more information about some of the side characters. Regardless, I loved Roe’s friendships and her blossoming romance throughout the story.
A really fun YA horror-fantasy! If it sounds like it’s your cup of tea, definitely pick it up when it comes out March 3rd.
This was such a fun, spooky, and whimsical YA journey! I thoroughly enjoyed myself the entire time, and there were so many things I loved about this novel.
The whole plot premise of Midnight on the Celestial was very intriguing to begin with, and it really delivered on the magical/creepy front. The author did an incredible job immersing the reader in the settings on land and on the ship. The descriptions and specific word choice led to some really intense scenes. The magic system was fresh and set up in a way that made it easy to follow along with. The pacing was very consistent, and it kept my attention through the end.
There’s a lot of found family/friendships found in the book, and I think I would have loved even more information about some of the side characters. Regardless, I loved Roe’s friendships and her blossoming romance throughout the story.
A really fun YA horror-fantasy! If it sounds like it’s your cup of tea, definitely pick it up when it comes out March 3rd.
February 4, 2026
It was fine for a debut…but the crazy large shift in narrative really threw me off and was a drag to get through the last %30
October 28, 2025
I'm being generous with 2 stars. I'll say I'm rounding up.
I really enjoyed what this story could have been. The actual story, plot, world was very interesting. However, this book was just terrible to read.
Conversations and world building went right up to the last page in a way that was frustrating. It is very uncomfortable to have 2 characters that exist in the same world having discussions explaining their culture and world building. They both know it, why would they be discussing it and explaining it? The inner thoughts suffered the same issue. Having this book in 1st person was a choice, and not a great one.
As I was reading the book, I was complaining about it on a livestream chat. I was being incredibly vague about my complaints, and the host guessed correctly the most ridiculous things. They guessed the person I was complaining about would be working for the villain, and they guessed magic and drugs. At no point did this book surprise me.
What is the FMC's name? No clue. I know her last name, but only because she was being super strange about her dad. This is also a failing of 1st person pov.
This book has also made me double check my shelves for publishers. It seems as though Wednesday books is buying "on trend" books. They have several romantasy books on my shelves, and I'm unsure if they actually hold up. It is following a trend, not setting one, and not standing out along the way. Divine Rivals (mixed reviews following the second book) and Heartless Hunter (I don't hear much about the second book) are published under Wednesday Books. This might be a "me thing" to notice this part.
The magic. I actually like the magic here. This is what got it that 1 full star. This is the ONLY part of the book I like. Edit out everything except the magic. I enjoy the strict rules to the magic. I like how the magic functions. The trial can go, but I'll accept it. The ship magic is cool. The guards and magic is cool. The nighttime part, I like it. The way the character struggles / uses magic, yes, fun, good job. Magic alone however can't save this book.
My margin notes consisted of
"why"
"stop explaining it to me"
"you're being weird"
"why are you saying this"
"eww"
"stop it"
I really enjoyed what this story could have been. The actual story, plot, world was very interesting. However, this book was just terrible to read.
Conversations and world building went right up to the last page in a way that was frustrating. It is very uncomfortable to have 2 characters that exist in the same world having discussions explaining their culture and world building. They both know it, why would they be discussing it and explaining it? The inner thoughts suffered the same issue. Having this book in 1st person was a choice, and not a great one.
As I was reading the book, I was complaining about it on a livestream chat. I was being incredibly vague about my complaints, and the host guessed correctly the most ridiculous things. They guessed the person I was complaining about would be working for the villain, and they guessed magic and drugs. At no point did this book surprise me.
What is the FMC's name? No clue. I know her last name, but only because she was being super strange about her dad. This is also a failing of 1st person pov.
This book has also made me double check my shelves for publishers. It seems as though Wednesday books is buying "on trend" books. They have several romantasy books on my shelves, and I'm unsure if they actually hold up. It is following a trend, not setting one, and not standing out along the way. Divine Rivals (mixed reviews following the second book) and Heartless Hunter (I don't hear much about the second book) are published under Wednesday Books. This might be a "me thing" to notice this part.
The magic. I actually like the magic here. This is what got it that 1 full star. This is the ONLY part of the book I like. Edit out everything except the magic. I enjoy the strict rules to the magic. I like how the magic functions. The trial can go, but I'll accept it. The ship magic is cool. The guards and magic is cool. The nighttime part, I like it. The way the character struggles / uses magic, yes, fun, good job. Magic alone however can't save this book.
My margin notes consisted of
"why"
"stop explaining it to me"
"you're being weird"
"why are you saying this"
"eww"
"stop it"
November 1, 2025
Listen… I have mixed thoughts about this book. There was nothing wrong with it, per se, but I found that I was forcing myself to keep going and finish the next page or the next chapter.
I think the biggest drawback for me was the characters. I just didn’t have any attachment to them, and didn’t really care if things worked out for them or not. This might have been because the book was pretty plot-driven, and I tend to lean towards character-driven books.
Another thing that lost me was the frequent time skips. I don’t mind one or two, but when pretty much every chapter starts with a time skip, it starts to get old.
QUICK-FIRE LIST OF THINGS I DID LIKE:
-the magic system!
-roe/ivander’s relationship
-the final few scenes in the jail
I just want to be clear that this is NOT a bad book! For me, I think I was still on my Raven Boys high, which kinda made everything else seem worse in comparison.
I think the biggest drawback for me was the characters. I just didn’t have any attachment to them, and didn’t really care if things worked out for them or not. This might have been because the book was pretty plot-driven, and I tend to lean towards character-driven books.
Another thing that lost me was the frequent time skips. I don’t mind one or two, but when pretty much every chapter starts with a time skip, it starts to get old.
QUICK-FIRE LIST OF THINGS I DID LIKE:
-the magic system!
-roe/ivander’s relationship
-the final few scenes in the jail
I just want to be clear that this is NOT a bad book! For me, I think I was still on my Raven Boys high, which kinda made everything else seem worse in comparison.
June 4, 2025
Loved this!! Roe was a great main character, with both a light and a dark side. The world was pretty unique aboard the boat (loved all the details the author added). The chapters were short enough that you could read a little at a time or binge it in one/two sittings. Hopefully a sequel comes but it didn’t leave off in a major cliffhanger (which I’m thankful for).
May 17, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I won this ARC through a Goodreads Giveaway. I really enjoyed the story - the magic, the ship, the friendships, and the betrayals. I could picture it all! I think (hope!) there will be a sequel!
July 31, 2025
5⭐
Thank you to Julia Alexandra for having me in the Inaugural Sailing STREET Team and Austin Adams from Wednesday Books for this digital review copy!
𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 is about Roe Damarcus, who after failing her realm's trial to keep her magic, flees to the mysterious and luxurious magic cruise ship where staff members — who also happen to be prisoners on the ship — have to compete for votes from guest to earn a retrial. When the true dangers surface at night when the Celestial transforms the halls into nightmares that kills its staff at night, Roe questions the ship and the system of trial. She must use whatever power she has to uncover the truth and change the system before she becomes the next victim of the Celestial . . .
I can never talk enough about this book! It is my most anticipated young adult release for 2026 and it did not disappoint! I could not believe that this was a debut novel because of how well it was written.
This novel was written as a strong standalone but has done space for more tales in this world. Julia Alexandra writing style is whimsically descriptive, with rich prose and plotlines interwoven into this tale. There is so much subtle foreshadowing from the very first page. The lush and dangerous backdrop was lyrical and whimsically written and the author does not sway away from dangers of the world in the descriptions.
The twists were foreshadowed so subtly that I did not realise that they would lead upto the outcome presented. There a re a few red herrings that played a pivotal role until the truth was uncovered — which honestly blew my mind on how brilliantly that was written without rousing any doubts.
Despite being a young adult book, I really loved how the author did not sway away from the dangers created by the flawed and inequality in the government. The flawed system of the world played such a pivotal role in this book that it shaped the book. The injustice, rage, inequality and horrors of this world weren't sugarcoated at all.
The magic system is very unique. There are different types of morphics — who are essentially magic-wielders. Their magic system is based on consequences for magic used, which can range from physical to mental torture and pain.
I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading — even from the very first chapter. The haunting and dark backdrop along with the claustrophobic and consequential environment created the perfect atmosphere for the thriller and horror setting.
𝐑𝐨𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 had me fall for her the second she chose herself, her power over comfort and silence. Even when people saw her only as a privileged and spoiled girl, she did not give up on herself. She's strong willed, with a mind that is willing to do anything to get justice for herself and all those who were imprisoned. Even when her gift is treated and used for performances, she doesn't loose her compassion and hope, the strength to fight for the staff members. She's punished for daring to exist and speak out — which was something that made me respect her character because she did not give up even when she would physically and mentally tortured, even when her mind was riddled with nightmares.
𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 is the silk aerialist and charmer who could have left the cruise even before his first year but chose to give up his chances so his friends with less chances could make out alive with their magic. He's sarcastic and witty, with a lot of smirks and compassion with a soft heart that not everyone sees. He's initially cold towards Roe but slowly warms up as he sees through her cracks that she's not some spoiled rich girl with privileges that could effect their chances.
Their romance was slow burn, with distant coldness to allies to lovers. Ivander was gentle and perfect for Roe. The found family has to be one of my favourite aspects of this book. Their little group was perfect and their characters were fleshed out. I loved the friendship between Roe and Alana so much.
The commentary and irony in this book cannot go unnoticed. I loved how this was perfectly subtle yet mainstreaming across the entire book.
Overall, if you enjoy a dark romantic fantasy tale with silks and secrets, with commentary and a found family, 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 is the perfect read!
Thank you to Julia Alexandra for having me in the Inaugural Sailing STREET Team and Austin Adams from Wednesday Books for this digital review copy!
𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 is about Roe Damarcus, who after failing her realm's trial to keep her magic, flees to the mysterious and luxurious magic cruise ship where staff members — who also happen to be prisoners on the ship — have to compete for votes from guest to earn a retrial. When the true dangers surface at night when the Celestial transforms the halls into nightmares that kills its staff at night, Roe questions the ship and the system of trial. She must use whatever power she has to uncover the truth and change the system before she becomes the next victim of the Celestial . . .
I can never talk enough about this book! It is my most anticipated young adult release for 2026 and it did not disappoint! I could not believe that this was a debut novel because of how well it was written.
This novel was written as a strong standalone but has done space for more tales in this world. Julia Alexandra writing style is whimsically descriptive, with rich prose and plotlines interwoven into this tale. There is so much subtle foreshadowing from the very first page. The lush and dangerous backdrop was lyrical and whimsically written and the author does not sway away from dangers of the world in the descriptions.
The twists were foreshadowed so subtly that I did not realise that they would lead upto the outcome presented. There a re a few red herrings that played a pivotal role until the truth was uncovered — which honestly blew my mind on how brilliantly that was written without rousing any doubts.
Despite being a young adult book, I really loved how the author did not sway away from the dangers created by the flawed and inequality in the government. The flawed system of the world played such a pivotal role in this book that it shaped the book. The injustice, rage, inequality and horrors of this world weren't sugarcoated at all.
The magic system is very unique. There are different types of morphics — who are essentially magic-wielders. Their magic system is based on consequences for magic used, which can range from physical to mental torture and pain.
I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading — even from the very first chapter. The haunting and dark backdrop along with the claustrophobic and consequential environment created the perfect atmosphere for the thriller and horror setting.
𝐑𝐨𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 had me fall for her the second she chose herself, her power over comfort and silence. Even when people saw her only as a privileged and spoiled girl, she did not give up on herself. She's strong willed, with a mind that is willing to do anything to get justice for herself and all those who were imprisoned. Even when her gift is treated and used for performances, she doesn't loose her compassion and hope, the strength to fight for the staff members. She's punished for daring to exist and speak out — which was something that made me respect her character because she did not give up even when she would physically and mentally tortured, even when her mind was riddled with nightmares.
𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 is the silk aerialist and charmer who could have left the cruise even before his first year but chose to give up his chances so his friends with less chances could make out alive with their magic. He's sarcastic and witty, with a lot of smirks and compassion with a soft heart that not everyone sees. He's initially cold towards Roe but slowly warms up as he sees through her cracks that she's not some spoiled rich girl with privileges that could effect their chances.
Their romance was slow burn, with distant coldness to allies to lovers. Ivander was gentle and perfect for Roe. The found family has to be one of my favourite aspects of this book. Their little group was perfect and their characters were fleshed out. I loved the friendship between Roe and Alana so much.
The commentary and irony in this book cannot go unnoticed. I loved how this was perfectly subtle yet mainstreaming across the entire book.
Overall, if you enjoy a dark romantic fantasy tale with silks and secrets, with commentary and a found family, 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 is the perfect read!
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