Midnight on the Celestial coming March 3rd, 2026 from Wednesday Books; 352 pages
Content Warning: Blood, death, drugs, graphic body mutilation
About the Author: “JULIA 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” (Bio from author’s Bookshop profile).
Find Julia Alexandra on the following platforms:
Rosalie “Roe” Damarcus has always felt the pressure of living up to her family’s reputation. The Damarcus line is known for their morphia, a kind of magic, and Roe is a resurrector with the rare ability to raise the dead, a power that makes people both admire and fear her. When she fails the test that decides if she is worthy of keeping her morphia, she is told her magic will be permanently extracted from her. Refusing to accept that, Roe escapes her fate and flees on board The Celestial in search of another chance. But life on The Celestial is far from what she imagined. On the ship, Roe is employed as a concierge for a particularly difficult family, whilst also competing for enough votes to keep her morphia. Strange supernatural events begin to happen around her, and people from all over the ship make it their mission to sabotage her. As Roe uncovers the lies she’s been sheltered from, she must decide if she’s willing to fight for her magic and question everything she’s ever believed.
The Celestial felt like the Titanic on steroids—grand, mysterious, and full of danger on every deck. One of my favorite themes was the idea of finding family. Roe wasn’t expecting anything to be handed to her when she boarded the ship, and she certainly didn’t get any advantages because of her family name. I loved seeing how she had to work as a concierge for a family from hell while also trying to earn enough votes for a retrial. It made her journey feel real and showed that she couldn’t rely on the Damarcus family name. Meeting Ivander, her assigned supervisor on the ship, gave her a much-needed reality check. Her friends were genuinely supportive also, helping her complete tasks to earn her votes for her retrial. Even though Asralyn was a side character, she quickly became my favorite. At first, I found her attitude toward Roe annoying, but Roe needed Asralyn’s approval as a concierge to earn more votes, and Asralyn’s tough love helped her grow. Their scene at the spa was especially sweet, showing that you never know what struggles people carry day by day. I kind of predicted the plot twist, but one part of it actually shocked me. I wasn’t even thinking that particular outcome was possible, and it made the story feel even more intense. Julia Alexandra’s debut is exciting and emotional, and even though it’s fantasy, it somehow made me a little more nervous about cruises.
Midnight on the Celestial releases on March 3rd, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Keonte Emerson, Pine Reads Review Writer, Editor, and Social Media Manager