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A Sea of Stars
Stars we're made of
Achille, heir to the Sicilian throne, has always been taught to hate pirates. Ever since his mother was killed by one, it has been his father’s will that one day Achille would help him hunt them all down, one by one. But Achille would much rather spend his days with the stars his mothers taught him than chase mad men at sea. It is a suffocating world in the palace, and he wonders if his life will ever be more than just being a pretty face with a royal heritage; if he will perhaps one day taste the seas and ride the winds, such as he has always dreamed of.
Amphi, Captain of Marie Antoinette, grew up with a sword in her hand. After her parents’ tragic death, Amphi roamed the streets for years before finding sanctuary on a pirate ship. She grew up with the ocean as her cradle and the stars as her compass, raised by pirates and thieves. Slowly, her hatred for the privileged elite blossomed into a burning rage. She would like nothing more than to behead the King and keep his head as a trophy, and that’s exactly what she plans on doing when she sets sail for Sicily in the summer of 1786.
When Achille and Amphi’s fates are sealed in an unexpected bargain, the prince’s curiosity for the world outside the palace walls puts him eye to eye with a kidnapping, a crew unlike anything he has ever seen before, and a love story he has only ever heard of through his books.
Amphi, Captain of Marie Antoinette, grew up with a sword in her hand. After her parents’ tragic death, Amphi roamed the streets for years before finding sanctuary on a pirate ship. She grew up with the ocean as her cradle and the stars as her compass, raised by pirates and thieves. Slowly, her hatred for the privileged elite blossomed into a burning rage. She would like nothing more than to behead the King and keep his head as a trophy, and that’s exactly what she plans on doing when she sets sail for Sicily in the summer of 1786.
When Achille and Amphi’s fates are sealed in an unexpected bargain, the prince’s curiosity for the world outside the palace walls puts him eye to eye with a kidnapping, a crew unlike anything he has ever seen before, and a love story he has only ever heard of through his books.
- GenresFantasy
482 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2024
134 people want to read
About the author
Celia Östergaard
5 books215 followersCelia Linn Serafia Östergaard was born and raised in Karlskrona, Sweden. She read her first book at the age of five and wrote her first short-story in English at ten. She has been collecting books since the age of twelve. Celia loves history just as much as she loves music, animals and spending time with her family. After three years of social studies with an international profile, she studies history and literature at Uppsala University.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 9, 2025
My second book. My second child.
So proud and nervous and excited and scared to share this with the world.
Ahhhh !!!
So proud and nervous and excited and scared to share this with the world.
Ahhhh !!!
December 30, 2024
AHHHHH I’M SO EXCITED
SO PROUD OF YOU🥹🥹
SO PROUD OF YOU🥹🥹
April 5, 2025
There’s something about pirate books that just never misses—the ships, the sea creatures, the wild freedom, the found family vibes… and 'Stars We're Made Of' hit a lot of those notes in such a fun, refreshing way.
What made this one stand out for me right away was the gender swap: the pirate is the girl, and the prince is the one ending up as the captured.
Amphi, our badass pirate captain, and Achille, the royal heir with a lot to learn, made for a dynamic pairing that constantly kept me on my toes.
One of my absolute favorite things about pirate books is the found family trope, and this one delivers that so well. The crew felt like a real, messy, loyal group of people who had each other's backs, and I loved getting snippets of their perspectives throughout the story. While Achille and Amphi are our main POVs, we also dip into the minds of some crew members here and there, and those were some of the most heartfelt and grounding moments in the book. The side characters had backstories, relationships, history—and it made the world feel so lived-in.
I also have to shout out Achille’s sister. Her presence might not be super central, but she matters, and I was genuinely happy for her in the end! Can't wait to see more of her in her new role in book 2!
This book definitely leans more into a character-focused, slower-paced style. There is a plot— Achilles disappearance, finding the Queen's treasure—but if you’re looking for something super high-stakes or plot-driven, this might feel a little too light.
What really carries the story is the emotional journey: Achille slowly integrating into the crew, discovering the truth about his family, and learning to trust others—not just in the sense of survival, but emotionally too. And on the flip side, we have Amphi’s story of realizing that Achille isn’t responsible for his father’s actions, learning to let people close to her despite all her walls, and navigating the fear of vulnerability that clearly haunts her. Both of their arcs felt raw and personal, and it made their slow-burn relationship all the more compelling.
That romance? Whew. It’s a complicated slow burn. These two hate each other at first, and not in a flirty way—they literally want the other dead. Then they start working together, and you get those moments of closeness followed by painful setbacks. It’s not an easy, swoony kind of romance—it’s messy, and tense, and very earned. I appreciated how layered it was.
That said… I did struggle with Amphi’s character. She’s the kind of heroine who’s aggressive, arrogant, and emotionally shut off, and while I’m usually here for a flawed female lead, there were moments where she pushed too far. She often treated her crew (and Achille) poorly, expected apologies without offering any herself, and contradicted her values a few times. I kept waiting for a devastating backstory to explain her hardened, abrasive nature—but when it finally came, it just didn’t feel deep or dark enough to justify the way she treated others. I wanted to empathize with her more than I actually did, which was a bit disappointing.
But despite that, the romance still worked, in a rough-edged, “we’re both disasters but maybe we’ll figure it out” kind of way. It’s a journey, and there’s something satisfying about watching two characters slowly dismantle their walls (even if you want to yell at them half the time).
The tone of this pirate book was also a bit different than others I’ve read. It’s not overly violent or dark, and the one spice scene is really tame—barely described and tucked away near the end. There’s some fighting and a few deaths, but overall it’s a gentler pirate story.
So, if you’re someone who’s curious about the pirate genre but doesn’t want anything too brutal or heavy, this would actually be a great gateway book. Plus, pirates, sirens, sea monsters and mermaids all in one? Yes, please!
In the end, 'Stars We're Made Of' might not be the most intense pirate story I’ve read, but I never got bored.
The characters kept me hooked, the emotional development was solid, and even when I didn’t love every choice or interaction, I was still turning pages to see what would happen next. It’s got that “simpler but satisfying” vibe—perfect for when you want a slower fantasy with sea air, tension, and found family without drowning in complicated world-building or nonstop action.
I’m definitely curious to see where book two takes us—especially with all the character threads still hanging and the relationships that are just starting to bloom.
If you’re in the mood for a pirate fantasy with a touch of romance, emotional messiness, and a softer edge, this one might be your next read.
What made this one stand out for me right away was the gender swap: the pirate is the girl, and the prince is the one ending up as the captured.
Amphi, our badass pirate captain, and Achille, the royal heir with a lot to learn, made for a dynamic pairing that constantly kept me on my toes.
One of my absolute favorite things about pirate books is the found family trope, and this one delivers that so well. The crew felt like a real, messy, loyal group of people who had each other's backs, and I loved getting snippets of their perspectives throughout the story. While Achille and Amphi are our main POVs, we also dip into the minds of some crew members here and there, and those were some of the most heartfelt and grounding moments in the book. The side characters had backstories, relationships, history—and it made the world feel so lived-in.
I also have to shout out Achille’s sister. Her presence might not be super central, but she matters, and I was genuinely happy for her in the end! Can't wait to see more of her in her new role in book 2!
This book definitely leans more into a character-focused, slower-paced style. There is a plot— Achilles disappearance, finding the Queen's treasure—but if you’re looking for something super high-stakes or plot-driven, this might feel a little too light.
What really carries the story is the emotional journey: Achille slowly integrating into the crew, discovering the truth about his family, and learning to trust others—not just in the sense of survival, but emotionally too. And on the flip side, we have Amphi’s story of realizing that Achille isn’t responsible for his father’s actions, learning to let people close to her despite all her walls, and navigating the fear of vulnerability that clearly haunts her. Both of their arcs felt raw and personal, and it made their slow-burn relationship all the more compelling.
That romance? Whew. It’s a complicated slow burn. These two hate each other at first, and not in a flirty way—they literally want the other dead. Then they start working together, and you get those moments of closeness followed by painful setbacks. It’s not an easy, swoony kind of romance—it’s messy, and tense, and very earned. I appreciated how layered it was.
That said… I did struggle with Amphi’s character. She’s the kind of heroine who’s aggressive, arrogant, and emotionally shut off, and while I’m usually here for a flawed female lead, there were moments where she pushed too far. She often treated her crew (and Achille) poorly, expected apologies without offering any herself, and contradicted her values a few times. I kept waiting for a devastating backstory to explain her hardened, abrasive nature—but when it finally came, it just didn’t feel deep or dark enough to justify the way she treated others. I wanted to empathize with her more than I actually did, which was a bit disappointing.
But despite that, the romance still worked, in a rough-edged, “we’re both disasters but maybe we’ll figure it out” kind of way. It’s a journey, and there’s something satisfying about watching two characters slowly dismantle their walls (even if you want to yell at them half the time).
The tone of this pirate book was also a bit different than others I’ve read. It’s not overly violent or dark, and the one spice scene is really tame—barely described and tucked away near the end. There’s some fighting and a few deaths, but overall it’s a gentler pirate story.
So, if you’re someone who’s curious about the pirate genre but doesn’t want anything too brutal or heavy, this would actually be a great gateway book. Plus, pirates, sirens, sea monsters and mermaids all in one? Yes, please!
In the end, 'Stars We're Made Of' might not be the most intense pirate story I’ve read, but I never got bored.
The characters kept me hooked, the emotional development was solid, and even when I didn’t love every choice or interaction, I was still turning pages to see what would happen next. It’s got that “simpler but satisfying” vibe—perfect for when you want a slower fantasy with sea air, tension, and found family without drowning in complicated world-building or nonstop action.
I’m definitely curious to see where book two takes us—especially with all the character threads still hanging and the relationships that are just starting to bloom.
If you’re in the mood for a pirate fantasy with a touch of romance, emotional messiness, and a softer edge, this one might be your next read.
May 31, 2025
A strong 4.5.
A captivating story with complex characters you easily get attached to, thrilling and intense battles, and beautiful writing that brings the world to life in your mind. It’s a great first book that lays a solid foundation for the continuation of the story, which—judging by the preview—will be just as good, if not even better. I'm excited to keep reading.
Grattis till en fantastisk bok Celia!!
A captivating story with complex characters you easily get attached to, thrilling and intense battles, and beautiful writing that brings the world to life in your mind. It’s a great first book that lays a solid foundation for the continuation of the story, which—judging by the preview—will be just as good, if not even better. I'm excited to keep reading.
Grattis till en fantastisk bok Celia!!
July 16, 2025
A masterpiece
I really loved to read about the crew and Amphi and Achille, love them
I really loved to read about the crew and Amphi and Achille, love them
October 25, 2025
A story that just gets better and better as you read. The writing feels so poetic and beautiful and I just can’t wait to start the sequel!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews