I should start by saying that readers who rejoiced in Goodreads’ new romantasy category in the Choice Awards will probably enjoy this book a lot.

I am… kind of one of those readers. I love romance. The problem is that this book never really felt like a genuine, heartstopping romance to me, but a melodrama with two male love interests whose only real personality traits are to be mysterious, and attractive. For me, romance should complement all the other things happening in the story, rather than consume it.

A Feather So Black started off promisingly. Selene leans much more into the detail of Irish mythology than many writers, and the land of the fae feels properly otherworldly and unknowable. The MC, Fia, has a complicated relationship with her mother and compelling personal motivations for her quest.

Then she meets the second love interest, who basically feels like Darkling!lite, and everything goes downhill. Fia’s internal monologue feels like watching a tennis match, as she quickly spins back and forth between two potential suitors. Any wits or self-determination she demonstrated early on go out the window as she continues to pursue both men despite plenty of evidence that this is a bad idea and neither being a great conversationalist. And the broader plot is promptly forgotten unless it can be used as a reason for her to change her mind about who she loves, again.

I really wanted to love this book and hoped it would be a good entry point given I am daunted by the sheer scale of the romantasy genre. But I unfortunately couldn’t take the sheer levels of melodrama seriously, and was hoping for something slightly different from this one.

A Feather So Black is a compelling choice for fans of The Cruel Prince and These Hollow Vows seeking a more mature twist. The detailed descriptions vividly paint both the human and Fae worlds, striking a perfect balance between action and intrigue. The pacing, with its thoughtful justification for differences between worlds, adds to the story's appeal, creating a desire to delve into both realms.

Fia's character arc, evolving from a naive and trusting individual, adds depth to the narrative. The vivid depiction of her magical abilities and their unique applications enhances the overall storytelling experience. The plot, rife with twists and turns, keeps readers guessing about whom to trust, culminating in a satisfying revelation that ties earlier foreshadowing to character motivations.

As the story unfolds, the reader becomes invested not only in Fia's fate but also in the destinies of Rogan, Eala, Irian, and Chandi. A Feather So Black earns a solid four stars for its imaginative world-building, engaging characters, and a plot that leaves readers eager to discover what lies ahead for the cast of intriguing personalities.

Thoroughly enjoyed the relationships, trying to figure out who is deceitful and who to trust. This was an easy read with some fun elements to it and I will be picking up the next book.
However, I do wish there was slightly more depth to the plot and the deception.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
I really liked the author's writing and I think she has a real talent with storytelling. I would have liked to see the Celtic mythology explained and woven in better. Some words were not explained and it was not obvious what she was referring to.

I also disliked the love story (or love triangle) and the over focus on Rogan, who was not likeable. I felt like the novel was predictable and we spent a lot of time reading about Rogan and Fia, when ultimately I could see the development of Fia's relationship with the fae lord in the future.

All of the above, plus the slow progression of the plot means that after reading half of the book, I did not find it interesting enough to continue to the end. A shame as the author clearly is skilled and writes beautifully! I wish she picked a different story to tell.

For fans of The Cruel Prince & These Hollow Vows who want to read something skewing older. A Feather So Black is a unique take on Fae stories, both the human & Fae world are such described in great deta that you'll be able to visualise both easily. I really enjoyed the pacing & the reasoning for the differences in pace between each world worked perfectly. It provided a great balance between all the action & intrigue and you'll be desperate to return back to each world to continue the story in both. We start off as Fia goes to help her childhood love, Rogan, rescue her sister from Tír na nÓg.

Fia starts off quite naive & trusting and grows throughout the story as she discovers the truth of her task & the stories being told by multiple characters. The magic she uses is described in vivid detail and there's such unique applications of it throughout the story.

The story is full of twists and turns and you'll struggle to know who to trust! However, the truth is discovered and you'll appreciate the earlier foreshadowing and have a greater understanding to other character's motivations. It definitely leaves you wanting to know what happens next to not only Fia but Rogan, Eala, Irian & Chandi.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for this Arc, I will publish this review on Goodreads, Storygraph & Waterstones on the 1st March. Amazon upon release.

I really love romantasy but this didn't quite work for me. I wasn't sure what exactly was going on most of the time, or what the stakes were. It all kept shifting. I just got confused..

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. What a gorgeous book! The author has a great gift for characterisation - nuanced, interesting, believable people.

Sincerest thanks to Orbit Books for an ARC of "A Feather So Black" in exchange for an honest review.

"I have never known a love that did not twist, did not curdle, did not poison. Life hurts. Death levels. But love—love destroys."

"A Feather So Black" was enchanting. I really felt like I got swept up in an old fairytale and this is thanks to Lyra Selene's beautiful prose and expansive worldbuilding. I had a couple of "complaints" about the romance and little things here and there but this was a solid fantasy book. This novel was a breath of fresh air in a sea of half-assed fae-based fantasy books dropping every two days. I highly recommend reading "A Feather So Black" if you like Irish mythology, beautiful fairy tales, grim folk legends, and everything related to fae and Fair Folk. Absolutely loved this one and looking forward to the sequel.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

what a great read! i couldn't put it down. the characters and the world building were great.the banter was amazing!i couldn't put it down honestly what a great book!! can't wait to read more by this author!
10/10 would recommend!

There was a lot to like about this book. There were a lot of familiar themes, but a fresh, unique story. The dedication gave me an early hint at where this tale was going, but I loved the message at the heart of it.
The development of Fia’s relationship with the romantic lead was well done, but even better was seeing the evolution of her other relationships with her family and friends, and her self-development alongside that.
I was pretty confused by the ending- it was fortunate that the first chapter of the sequel was included as until I read that, I don’t think I had correctly understood the conclusion. However, I am left wanting to read the sequel, which is always a good sign!
Thank-you to NetGalley and Little Brown for the opportunity to read this eArc in return for an honest review. As requested, I will not publish it to Goodreads until nearer to the publication date.

I really liked Fia and Irian together (Although they didn't actually spend much time together). Fia grew a lot and Irian was great. I also enjoyed the magic and the different realms. I would have liked to spend less time in the human realm or for the time in Tír na nÓg to be less rushed.

The writing was good, I liked that the stories used were short and to the point. I did think the ending was a bit rushed, I would have liked to understand more about Fia, but hopefully this will be in the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an enjoyable read. The world building, the character growth, the folklore, I thought it was absolutely magnificent.

I enjoyed this book start to finish but the second half I just couldn’t put down.

What I loved most was how folklore was used in this book, it was beautifully done. Our main character Fia is a changeling, she replaced a princess who was taken to Tir Na Nog as a child, closely resembling the princess but with dark hair and different coloured eyes. Fia has green magic which often flares out of her control, giving some she touches back to nature.

Fia and her former lover are sent to rescue the princess Eala. However Rogan is betrothed to the princess and had previously left Fia cruelly some years ago. An awkward and damaged pairing sent to reduce the princess from a dangerous world.

We saw excellent character growth in Fia. Always with dignity and continually learning. Fia is often too trusting and others take advantage of her, but throughout the story she grows in herself and learns to challenge what she’s told and question the motives of others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and I can’t wait to read more!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley.

I enjoyed this book and read it quite quickly. I really liked the love triangle and also the sassiness of the FMC. The only thing I'm not sure about is the ending, I don't know how there can be a second book how it ended, I feel it would be better as a standalone.

This was a really enjoyable read a fairytale reimagining , it has beautiful lyrical writing that pulls you in and keeps you engaged.

Descriptive world building a unique type of botanical magic, heavy in Celtic mythology and folklore that added so much to the story and kept it interesting and intriguing.

The character and relationship development were incredible and really helped move the plot along as it is mainly a character driven book. The romance plot was a major focus but that didn’t stop the fantasy world building or storyline suffer in away and the romance only helped move the plot along.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves a fantasy romance with fae, darker themes a love triangle done the right way with also a little bit of spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a arc in exchange of an honest review.

I could not put this down! The world building was done perfectly - straight into the plot from the start then fleshing out the world as the story progressed without being too overwhelming. Sometimes fantasy books can feel very clunky with information dumps thrown in to set the scene - I didn't feel this once.

On top of this the relationships explored were so interesting and the main reason to continue the series... I need to know more!! 'Mother' is also the queen of manipulation wow! I also think this is one of the best examples of a love tringle situation not feeling forced or too cringe. Both Rogan and Irian have so much going on, are totally different and brought so much out of Fia. Plus I am so intrigued about Eala and the other swans, their backstory and where this is going.

However because the story is so character/relationship driven that the mission element felt like a subplot, that everyone involved didn’t take this too seriously until it was crunch time. Also the period this book covers is basically a year, the jumps in time felt a little jarring and that I was missing out on something during the gaps.

Overall this was a super fun easy read and left me wanting more, if fae/folk fantasy and romance is your vibe definitely give this a go!

This book just confused me.

The world building was definitely unique. I wouldn’t compare it to The Cruel Prince because this world is so much more complex.

Honestly I didn’t know what was happening. The timeline confused me as months passed between chapters (?) was this all happening over years? Because it could have been weeks …

Just not for me.


2.5 ☆

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"For anyone who has ever doubted if they were the main character in their own story. You are."
Right from that dedication I fell in love with this book. The writing was enchanting and weaved a beautiful story.

This book has:
✅️ Friends and enemies to lovers
✅️ A love triangle
✅️ Celtic Mythology
✅️ A dark and brooding morally grey man
✅️ Great character development
✅️ A little bit of spice

The story is told from the point of view of Fia a changling left in the human realm by the fae who stole the queens daughter. The Queen raises her whilst also training her as a weapon through many forms of abuse disguised as training.
From the start I felt a strong distaste for the Queen, she was saying things such as “Only I know how to love someone like you, and no one will ever love you more than I do.” which to a girl who wants nothing more than to be loved may seem affectionate and not seen as the manipulation it is.
The Queen sends Fia and her childhood friend Rogan, who she is in love with on a mission to save the princess, who is also Rogan's betrothed, from the folk realm.

While they venture into the folk realm to make a plan of action on how to save the princess we also meet Irian and dark and mysterious gentry. As the story progresses it turns into a bit of a love triangle alongside the story, I'm not normally a fan of love triangles but this one was well written and you could feel how confusing it was for Fia trying to navigate her feelings for both men.

The ending I could see part of it coming but was not expecting as many twists and shocks as we were given, I cannot wait to read the next book to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to netgalley and little brown book group for my arc copy for my honest review.

This review will also be posted on goodreads and amazon on release day

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is perfection! There's not a single imperfect sentence in A Feather So Black. Not a meaning to be missed. I'm so in love with it, and I can hardly wait for book 2.

If you loved The Cruel Prince and longed for his adult sister, look no more: A Feather So Black is very much the adult sister of The Cruel Prince, and that is the Highest Compliment I can give because The Cruel Prince is legendary.

A Feather So Black has a prose with vivid imagery; its cunning sharp as a sword yet its tenderness soft as a feather. The author describes the environment as vividly as if she lived in that world. Every image, every texture, every smell echoes through the pages immersing the reader irrevocably. In the beginning, I thought that this would be a novel I'd like but felt too wordy, but around 20% I think, I just fell completely and utterly in love with everything. Me who doesn't like lengthy descriptions sought all kinds of setting descriptions out and drank them in (not that they were lengthy, to begin with). The worldbuilding is inspired by Celtic mythology, and I thought it was so fresh and unique! There's simply no other word for it: I just fell in love with this world, these characters, and the undeniably compelling voice.

The book is told by Fia's point of view. Fia is the changeling girl who was left behind at the castle when the Princess was taken. She grew up in an unkind, cruel world where non-humans are detested and hated. She grew up to become a weapon in order to be appreciated and loved. And the cruelest thing was that she thought she was loved. She swore her unyielding loyalty to a woman who kept telling her that she's the only one who could ever love her, and Fia longed for that love, felt grateful for that love and she didn't even consider why on Earth only she could love me? She thought she was loved when she was being controlled and confused a leash with love, and it was so tragic, so sad, so heart-wrenching to watch Fia feel like this. Even as I realized all this, I still felt for Fia because her portrayal was that good; I wasn't annoyed or jested, I was deeply sad for her. And I rooted for her happiness more than I have for any other character I've read.

Our princeling, Rogan, definitely played his role very well. The best friend, the friend with benefits sort of, the one who got away and tried to get back. I liked him a lot, but I never saw him as endgame for Fia because 1. hello, Irian, my beloved, and 2. he called her changeling. Fia and Rogan had this playful banter where they called each other princeling and changeling. If you loved Fia wholly and unconditionally, if you loved every part of her, you wouldn't call her a changeling as in the presumed name of her species. It was something that I had in my mind every time he did it. And then, he showed all the more how weak his character was.

Whereas Irian has maintained a strong heart since he was a child, being hunted for his bloodline. Even at his lowest, he showed more strength, more grit than Rogan ever did. I was so worried that Irian would get hurt because he was truly the one who has been doomed since he was born, so I was practically sitting and biting my lips and nails the whole time. I adored Irian! I mean his name is to die for! Tall, dark, with broad shoulders, silver eyes of Moonlight that stare into your soul, and broody enough to keep you obsessed with him! Absolutely adore Irian! I'm the feather on his shoulder, the ink on his arm!

And the banter between Fia and Irian, oh my goodness! The constant push and pull! The secrets in form of stories and glances and hidden meanings! The flirting and the witty, vivid banter between two people who saw themselves for WHO they were and not WHAT they were, between two equals who saw and embraced their differences and their similarities. It was so beautiful, so soft and tender, and so delightful spicy in all aspects!

They say the plot thickens, and it's so true in this book. Just when you think you discovered it all, boom, a new plot twist and a new possibility came up! Even when you see something coming, you have no idea how it will be solved and how the story is going to go. And I thought it was brilliant! Another theme of the book is women's empowerment and how women have been belittled and used as pawns as well as the lengths people will go to in order to gain power. I thought the author weaved these nuances very well and very thoroughly not only with the prose and characterization but also with the plot, as well. Masterful storytelling all in all!

This story may have a toxic found family but it was the purest found soulmate storyline ever!

I absolutely love everything about this book, even the commas! And I'm proud to be the one who coined their ship name: Firian.

If you love dark fairytales, stories about fae, stories about self-love, delightfully witty romance, and a prose that grips your soul, this is it: A Feather So Black.

If you're still obsessed with Jude and Cardan *like me*, you must read this book. There's a new fae romance queen in town, and her name is Lyra Selene, whose name and storytelling are as beautiful as the fae themselves....

Lyra Selene has written a wonderful story, and the first chapter had me hooked. What happens when you go on a considering questing with your most memorable love to assist him with saving ... his pledged? I adored Fia's excursion of going from the High Sovereign's placeholder and spy to a legend unto herself! Everything isn't as it appears and perusers will leap out of their seats when a dull, agonizing fae shows up! Vivid world structure, unusual writing, holding experience, and heart halting sentiment,

“I wanted to live. I wanted to love. But more than anything, I wanted to be where I was always meant to be. I wanted to go home.”

Where do I even start with this review?

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this Arc to review! It was an absolute pleasure to read from start to finish.

A Feather so Black is a mystical, magical, breathtaking fairytale of Celtic inspired reimagining. To me,
if you asked me what the core message in this story is I would say, this book seeks to answer the following question: " what does it mean to come home to yourself? the true part of yourself that has been waiting to live? ".

Fia is an absolutely fascinating character, she has lived a semi-shelter life under the thumb of her adopted mother, who is also a Queen. She was left behind and exchanged as a child with the Queen's real daughter, who was taken to the lands of Fae. However, the Queen chooses to raise Fia as her daughter and trains her how to be one thing - a weapon. Fia becomes everything that the Queen desires - she is dark, cruel and vengeful and she knows how to kill. One day the Queen decides that Fia must go and find her daughter. Suddenly, her childhood friend that she hasn't seen in years 'returns', a Prince who broke her heart - is betrothed to the 'sister' she's supposed to save, or rather, retrieve from the Far realm so order can be brought to the human world. However, the Queens daughter has been cursed by said 'dark magic', and Fia must find a way to break the swan curse.

Fia is also tasked with a secret mission - to find an item that wields magic that her Queen mother desires.

You can expect:
(1) Enemies to lovers
(2) forbidden love elements
(3) human vs fae
(4) 'touch her and die' vibes
(5) Unique magical system (empowered by Celtic mythology)
(6) love triangle
(7) multidimensional characters
(8) storyteller/riddles

I found Fia a truly likeable and relatable FMC. She was so raw, honest, and determined throughout much of this story. The thing is, she was trained to make herself 'unlovable' by those closest to her, she was taught that humans would only fear her for who she was and her magic, and she experiences so much emotional manipulation in her life - she is taught that she should be 'happy' to receive love in whatever form it comes in, even if that love is used to make you hard like a weapon. Halfway through this story, Fia decides to choose herself - or rather, discover who she is without other people feeding her a narrative about WHO she should be. She chooses that she no longer wants to be a weapon. There is something that I truly admire about her, when she starts to make those decisions for herself. She's strong, vulnerable, and prepared to sacrifice herself in more ways than one. Her growth in this book from beginning to where it ends made me so proud of her!

Do I dislike Rogan as a character? Yes and no. I think there are a few reasons for this - whilst some of it comes down to political reasons, and his position as a Prince - I don't believe he has it in himself to sacrifice in the same way. For example, he didn't get a choice in being betrothed to Fia's 'sister', but his stance politically is more about what he can gain. I think the relationship him and Fia has bloomed from co-dependency. Yes, they showed each other kindness during childhood and became best friends that slowly grew into lovers - but was that love healthy? I'll let you make up your mind about that. I don't believe Rogan has it in him to love all of her. I think he simply loves the idea of her.

I grew to love Irian through this book - his life has up until now being precarious. He was put in a position as a child to make decisions no child should have to make. He is faced with some truly difficult decisions throughout and honestly? I felt for him. He's mysterious, dashing, and darn-right mystical. I wouldn't classify him as your standard morally grey character - the reason for this is because, yes, his life has been built of secrets - however, you'll grow to understand why he has kept himself so hidden, where the source of his pain comes from and why he becomes so enamoured with fia. I'm really looking forward to seeing more from his POV in the next book! also, the unconditional acceptance he has towards Fia truly warms my heart.

The Spice level, oof I was not expecting that much spice! so that was a nice lil' surprise.

I'll be honest - this is an intense story, especially on the emotion side. If you're a romantasy type I'd definitely recommend it and if you love bad-ass FMC's?! then uh, pick this one right up! I'm still feeling a bit emotional about it and I've had to collect myself for this review. Honestly, I want the second book already - pleaaaaaaase!