The Magic Within Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods: Book Review

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One stormy morning, beneath the shadowy depths of the ocean, whispers the words of fate and forgotten fairy tales, Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods emerges. A wholly original tale of love, magic, and power. This enchanting historical fantasy, woven within the echoes of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella, sweeps readers into the world of Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy French shipowner.

But Lucinde isn’t waiting for a glass slipper or a prince to secure an advantageous marriage. No Luce, is crafting her own power in the treacherous waters of Saint-Melo, where English smugglers lurk and destiny shimmers like a moonlit night on the clear glass sea. It’s a world where the sea sings and English smugglers scheme and love that is dangerous as it is irresistible that Luce craves. This is a tale of dark secrets, sacrifice, power, control, and the kind of magic that lingers long after the last page.

Title: Upon a Starlit Tide

Author: Kell Woods

Publisher: Tor Books

Genre: Historical Fiction, Retellings, Fantasy

Release Date: February 18, 2025

Pages: 331

Star Rating: 4.25

Spice Rating: 0

The Scales of a Sea Maid and Faerie Magic

I have loved Ariel and by extension The Little Mermaid since the moment two-year-old me first laid eyes on her glittering red hair. So, when I saw that Tor was publishing a retelling of one of my favorite fairytales I did what any self respecting book lover would do: I hunted down an ARC (and practically begged) of Upon a Starlit Tide like a siren luring sailors to their doom.

Going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect. And if I’m being honest? At first I was bored. The pacing dragged, slow in a way that didn’t quite serve the story. For over one hundred pages there’s what could be generously considered world-building unfolds. Day after day Luce scales the high walls of Saint-Malo to sneak off and meet her best friend, English smuggler Samuel grasping at scraps of adventure while her father Jean-Baptiste Leon keeps her caged like the treasure she’s so aptly named. It sets the stage. Drenched in atomosphere. Every glittering star, every ripple against the hull of The Dove, every eerie glimpse of the tide witches’ long snout emerging from the cool cave. While some details are exquiste, some don’t make sense and the current pulls slow.

Be Brave. Be Free.

Luce is the kind of character you can’t help but see yourself in. Torn between her sisters in a competition her mother has set to secure advantageous marriages, she refuses to let that tension overshadow the deep bond she shares with Charlotte and Veronique. Strong, determined, and fiercely willful, Luce is a woman who knows what she wants—except when it comes to love. Caught between two love interests, the magnetic stranger’s charm, Morgan. And the one who truly holds her heart, Samuel, Luce finds herself at the crossroads of desire and duty. But in the end, it’s her own power that calls the shots, and she’s not about to let anyone dim her light.

Then, part two hits. And it’s like night and day. Imagine a torrential downpour that suddenly gives way to sunlight, warm and relentless, beating down on your skin. This is the turning point, the moment of clarity. What felt sluggish before now makes sense, and everything clicks into place. Suddenly, you see the story for what it truly is, and why it was paced the way it was. This is where the engagement begins. The plot finds its flow, the pacing sharpens, and everything propels forward with a newfound urgency. And with this new understanding you find yourself enwrapped in the tale with new pleasure.

Luce’s journey is not about the love of another but the love of oneself. Discovering your own identity and the power you hold within. While Morgan brings charm is impossible to ignore, it is Samuels, the one that holds steady and true, who pulls at Luce’s heartstrings in the ways that makes her heart sings. This contrast between the two (among other things) stems from something deeper. Creating a compelx emotional landscape for Lucinde to navigate.

“Anything is possible when sorrow meets sea.”

Not only that her relationship with her sister’s play a pivotal role in the story, not as rivals but as reflections of her own desires and struggles. The tension created between the love she wants and the duty she must uphold makes every choice feel weighty, and it’s in these quiet yet personal moments that Luce truly evolves. She learns that the power to choose, her own power, is all that she needs. That is what defines her.

The way that Woods weaves together these relationships is masterful. Each character, whether they’re a love interest, family member, or ally, feels fully fleshed out and integral to Luce’s development. Their motivations, struggles and connections to Luce makes her decisions feel all the more poignant and real.

While I have to admit that I wasn’t quite sure whether or not Woods’ writing style would be for me, I quickly discovered that her writing style is nothing short of mesmerizing. Her ability to blend historical elements with fantastical details is seamless, creating a world that feels both familiar and utterly enchanting. The writing is rich and lyrical, with descriptions that evoke the magic of the sea and the emotional pull of Luce’s choices. Woods has a knack for turning the ordinary into something fantastic. The way she describes elements like the shimmering scales of a sea-maid or the delicate yet deadly nature of a sea-glass slipper gives the story an ethereal quality, as if we’re walking through a world that exists just on the edge of reality.

“Secrets. Secrets in the dim.”

The tone of the book is steeped in the same sense of longing and wonderment that often characterizes fairy tales, but Woods doesn’t shy away from the darker, more complex elements of the story. There’s a subtle tension that builds throughout the book—a balance between romance and tragedy, fantasy and reality—that keeps the reader on their toes. It’s this blend of the magical and the real that makes Upon a Starlit Tide so compelling. You feel the weight of Luce’s choices, the pull of the tide, and the consequences of living in a world where fairy tales are more than just stories—they’re a way of life.

Woods’ style invites you to lose yourself in the world she’s created, but it’s her ability to make you feel deeply for her characters that truly sets this book apart. Like the best fairy tales, this is a story that stays with you long after you turn the last page.

You definitely have to add Upon a Starlit Tide to your TBR. Make sure you grab a copy and support indie bookstores!

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