I really loved this book. It was so saturated with wonderful descriptive writing and detailed world building. I had no idea how this was going to end and the ending took even me by surprise. I can’t wait for the second book!

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene (Book 1 in The Fair Folk Trilogy) is a romantic fantasy set in a crumbling kingdom on the brink of war. The wicked Fair Folk have stolen the queen's beloved daughter. They keep her hidden behind locked gates to the Otherworld and have cursed her and twelve other human daughters to transform into beautiful swans.

In her place, they left Fia, a Changeling, a child with the same face as the stolen princess who possesses rare, terrifying yet beautiful earth magic that has been cultivated into a weapon for the queen's bidding. 

She is sent to a magical realm to rescue the lost princess with her best friend, a prince who has been betrothed to the queen's daughter, Eala, from birth. As the two journey into the enchanted realm of the treacherous Fair Folk their lives become even more entangled and a forbidden romance begins to blossom. 

Unfortunately, their quest to break Eala's geas is not a simple one. Especially when a strange attraction to the despicable dark fae lord holding Eala captive slowly begins to complicate things further. Why does he seem to understand Fia's curious magic more than she does and is he more monster than man?

I have to admit I found the pace of the first half of the book a bit of a struggle. While I was excited by the premise, I felt like the constant back and forth to Tír na nÓg made the flow of the book a little stilted. However, I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did...

This book has layers upon layers of deception and betrayal that left me deliciously frustrated and wanting more. I stayed up to 3 am eating up the last few chapters. Each character is captivatingly flawed and damaged. I didn't know who to believe as everyone seemed to possess their own twisted motives and are also highly skilled at manipulation. 

This was a gorgeous twisted fairytale with sizzling sexual chemistry. I would have loved if it included multiple perspectives and I hope Corra make a reappearance in the sequel - which I will 100% be purchasing in the future.

I would have rated this book 3.5stars if netgalley let me. I enjoyed it and i would recommend it. However i found it slow in parts and i found it difficult to connect to the main character to begin with. It took until about 150 pages in to pick up, i enjoyed the magic/folklore elements to this romantasy however it was just a bit hit and miss in terms of pace and felt it was longer than it needed to be with not enough depth to the characters. Overall i enjoyed more of it towards the end and would read future books from this author.

Title: A Feather so Black
Author: Lyra Selene
Genre: Romantasy
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis: Set against a backdrop of perilous magic and moonlit forests, A Feather so Black by Lyra Selene delves into a world where ancient myths intertwine with the struggles of defiant characters. Fia, a rare changeling raised by the queen, embarks on a mission to save her cursed sister Eala from the clutches of the fae lord Irian, weaving a tale of love, loyalty, and deception.

The characters:
At first, I found it hard to connect with Fia, whose blind loyalty to her mother grated on me. However, as the story unfolds, her character development adds layers to her persona, making her journey all the more compelling. The same can be said for the side characters, where many books have very lacking and one dimensional side characters this definitely did not! The antagonist as well as both love interest were intriguing and their motivations well written.

On to the romance: The romantic elements, including an intriguing love triangle (which I normally really detest but in this case actually enjoyed), are skillfully integrated into the narrative, adding depth and tension to the story.
However, I found the inclusion of smut scenes somewhat jarring in the context of the fairytale-like setting. I normally really like smut and was happy to have it here too at least in the beginning but as the story progressed the smut scenes felt almost too modern in their context, I’m not sure hm how else to explain it.

As for the writing: Selene's narrative draws heavily from Celtic mythology and traditional fairytales, crafting a story filled with morally ambiguous characters and enchanting magic. While the plot may feel predictable at times, the author's lyrical prose and vivid world-building kept me immersed in the story and I loved the overall fairytale feel this book had. While the pacing occasionally lags, especially considering the urgency of the characters' mission, the overall effect is one of enchantment and intrigue. Additionally, the rushed ending left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied, though it sets the stage for future installments in what promises to be an engaging trilogy.

In conclusion, A Feather so Black offers a captivating blend of fantasy and romance, appealing to fans of traditional fairytales and lovers of magical storytelling. While it may not break new ground in terms of plot, its unique setting and compelling characters make it a worthwhile read.

If you liked:
- The cruel Prince
- Uprooted
- Spin the Dawn
- A study in Drowning

You will also enjoy this book :)

This was pitched as The Cruel Prince meets For the Wolf which I definitely felt when reading it🥰 I loved how it drew from folklore and added elements from fairytales to create a rich and magical world and it was great that the author included a pronunciation guide at the end!

The story was full of twists and turns and it was difficult to know who to trust although I couldn’t help but immediately root for Irian over Rogan… what can I say I have a type and that type is morally grey fae men with vibes of Cardan and the Bat Boys.

For me, the only thing that let this book down was that I felt it could have been shorter. I understand why it wasn’t, because narratively it makes sense that it was quite long because Fia can only enter the Fae realm once a month but it did feel a little over complicated at times or like the pace was a little off.

Despite this, there was a lovely message behind the book about finding yourself and loving yourself for who you are. It also has a fantastically gorgeous cover😍

“ A feather so black ” by Lyra Selene
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Plot: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Characters: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Adrenaline: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️


This book grew in me by the time I finished it. I won’t lie that I wasn’t ready to give up on it but then suddenly the plot picked up and the story became a bit more interesting. I think the author should put the terms that she uses often at the start of the book and not at the end. I only discovered the lexicon after I finished reading. As much as I appreciate the uniqueness of using traditional Irish words is not really fun trying to understand or stop to google every other page.

The plot is very interesting and unique with lots of twists, intrigues, love & manipulation. The characters are very well thought out and multilevelled. I enjoyed reading this book and following Fia through her story to “save” her sister while finding her true self and true love on her way.

My special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my early copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This novel engaged me right from the start. While I was slightly unsure about the concept of only being able to enter the Fae world once a month as this would seem to slow down the pace of the book, Selene made it work and pushed the narrative forward well and I was intrigued by the cast of characters. While there are some cliches, they are well done and I did enjoy the twists that remained. I'm excited to see where this series goes next.

I couldn't put this book down. I started late at night and it kept up til the wee hours. It's full of beautiful, descriptive language and Celtic folklore. The characters are very compelling and I loved the development of Fia's character as she blossomed from a victim to a badass heroine. I also loved the progression of the key relationships and romamce in the story. The author says it's 'the book of her heart' which I thought was a beautiful way to describe it. It absolutely stole my heart and I can't wait to read the sequel (roll on January!)

A beautifully enchanting read that is every romantasy lovers dream!

"I was made of earth and sky and endless waters. I was made to love fully, or not at all."

A Feather so Black is quite easily my first 5 star read of the year, from cover to cover I couldn't get enough, if you like your fae broody and a storyline with a touch of Swan Lake and a sprinkle of 12 dancing princesses then your in for an absolute treat!

"Love can create or destroy. It can be a beginning.......or it can be an ending"

Lyra Selene's writing is beautiful and lyrical making for a stunningly immersive read that will completely sweep you away into a magical world I never wanted to leave, Selenes attention to detail gave A Feather so Black wonderful depth and the world building was a pleasure to read, with an Enemies to Lovers and a love triangle ish storyline get ready to add another morally grey shadow daddy to your ever growing list!

I absolutely loved every minute of this story , the characters, the storyline and the writing , I loved everything and after that ending I can't wait for the next book!!

"Together we fell, like starlight and storms and sunlight on broad leaves. We crashed against each other like a gale against the shore, until the only thing either of us knew was each other"

100% recommend 👌

Overall, it was a good book. The writing was immersive, and it was easy to get sucked into the world the author created. Unfortunately, the plot and romance pushed me out of the story as many times and the prose pulled me in. The core ideas of the story were fun, and they made for a fun read, but there was too much repetition- which impacted the pacing a little too much to be ignored. Maybe if they could meet up more than once a month, or if they did better on their missions, or if they weren't stuck in a loop of "our love is doomed", it would've been better, but we'll never know. That isn't to say it isn't worth the read, I definitely think it was, but it had a lot of potential, and not all of it was used.

If you're in the mood for a romantasy with a different spin of faes (the changeling angle is something I haven't seen before) and great prose, then this is the book for you!

If you liked ACOTAR/Fourth Wing (or romantic fantasy in general) - this one is for you It is a very interesting book. Even though the theme was great, the story itself didn't grab me that much. The story is told from the point of view of a young woman - Fia, who, at the behest of the queen, sets out together with the prince (he is her ex) to save the princess imprisoned by the Folk. We watch how their relationship and their relationships with others develop over the course of several months. Like I said, it's an interesting story, but it had its ups and downs. The atmosphere, especially in Tír Na Nóg, was great, the characters pretty good (I especially liked Fia's development throughout the story)…unfortunately the whole thing was very predictable and the romance wasn't the greatest (but I'll admit, the second love interest was... well he was definitely interesting).

I honestly think the book would have benefited from being told from multiple perspectives (having the story from perspective of one of the swan girls would be fascinating, but I understand why it wasn't done that way)

I will definitely read the sequel though, Tír Na Nóg captivated me and I'm curious to see what happens next.

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene.

Thank you so much Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and NetGalley, for letting me read an arc of this spectacular adult fantasy, in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that so many of you are going to enjoy reading so much, like I did!! It’s said to be for readers who love books like The Cruel Prince and I agree.

This is a Romantasy but as some of those books focus most on the romance part and are a bit lacking in the fantasy department, this one wasn’t like that. The fantasy part was fantastic! And it has friends to lovers, love triangles and enemies to lovers. And there’s an amazing little magical companion, I loved so much!!!! What also made my heart beat faster reading this, were the Howl’s Moving Castle influences.

Our main character Fia is partially human and incredibly fascinating!! I loved her powers! But she’s being turned into and used as a weapon by her foster mother who has a very off way to show her love and makes Fia hate herself. Fia is the ultimate plant lady :), I was so glad when she finally did get the chance to be more herself. She really finds herself and learns to love herself in this book…

This review has turned out to be a bit chaotic but that’s what you get when you went trough a lot (in the best way!) reading a 500+ pages long fantasy book! The writing is so good (I highlighted so many amazing sentences!) and there’s revenge and deceat and many shocking revelations and passion and lots of banter and unanswered love and right and wrong choices and cruelty and power hunger and violence and sacrifices and monsters and so many emotions and magic (some wild and distorted) and an amazing Fae world! I honestly loved and was impressed by this book from page 1.

This story is a fairytale retelling too! Swan Lake has been very nicely incorporated into it. And readers who love dark forest settings will not be disappointed!

A Feather So Black was an interesting book, but the beginning was so slow and with no background information, I was tempted to DNF. I'm glad I didn't because it was really entertaining and I enjoyed being transported in a completely different world. There is a glossary at the end of the book for the unfamiliar words, but unfortunately I only found out about it when it was already too late. All in all, it's a great debut and I'm really excited for book 2!

The book was interesting but the pacing was a little slow for my taste. I think there was room for improvement. There was a little background information in the beginning that I felt that was missing and I forced myself to finished this book.

This was my first book by this author.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book was exactly what I needed to get me out of the reading slump I was in at the start of the month. I love fairy tale inspired stories and this was no exception. The beginning was super fast paced and had me hooked instantly and although the middle was a little slow for me I never lost interest in the story. After the abundance of Greek mythology books these last couple of years it was so refreshing to read a new mythology! Despite knowing nothing about Celtic mythology going into this book I never felt lost or confused and felt the author did a great job of implementing Irish Gaelic terms without the need for too much explanation. It was obvious to me that the author put a lot of care into the use of Gaelic in this book and I appreciated the handy pronunciation guide in the back! I would've enjoyed a little more exploration of Tír na nÓg and getting to know the other swan maidens a little better rather than spending more time in the human realm and I'm hoping we get that in book 2 which I will definitely be picking up! I'm not usually a huge fan of romance in my fantasy or of faeries but I'm glad to say this was an exception.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc of this book.

✩‧₊˚So I've finally gathered my thoughts to write a review about this book.

"But stories were by nature false—designed to fool the eye and twist the mind, to make us believe in things that couldn’t ever be true.
Stories gave us hope, and I hated them almost as much as I hated my stolen face, my uncertain origins, and my wild and wicked magic."

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷Characters

Fia
I actually liked the main character. I think she was badass, and never bore be. Her relationship with her "mother" was an aspect of the story that I loved.

"Only I know how to love someone like you," she reminded me. "And no one will ever love you more than I do."

She felt like this wasn't her story, that she was just a side-character in someone else's book deeply resonated with me. Reading about her sorrows and triumphs was probably the best thing in this book.

“I was made of dusk and leaves and hidden places. I was not made to be loved by men.”

Irian
✅dark haired
✅fae
✅somehow he has shadow powers
✅morally grey
I think I've just described the love interest from every second romantasy book, but somehow it works every time. Despite being called a monster on many occasions (by himself or others) I didn't think he did many horrible things. I feel like his personality was way more tell than show.

"I might not mind oblivion, if you were the one to deliver it."

Rogan
I hate love triangles. I despise them. The only reason I didn't have a problem with it in this one was because it was more of a "falling out of love with a guy and then falling in love with a new one" type of thing rather than "hmm which one should I choose??"
I had no problems with Rogan, he was a pretty solid character, but of course I'm gonna root for the morally grey fae lord. Man didn't stand a chance.

Eala
I knew she was a b!tch the first time she appeared on page. That's probably her only personality trait too.

Chandi
I found it a bit strange that out of all the swan maidens she was the only one who was given a name, a personality and a role, but I understand it. I liked her, wish she got more page-time tho.

The Queen
She was badass. She was evil. I loved her- yes, she might not have been a good character, but she was definitely an interesting one.

Corra
My absolute favorite. They made the story brighter and more interesting, I loved them and can't wait to find out more about them in the future

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷Plot

It is likened to "The cruel prince", but instead of a mortal girl living in Faerieland, Fia is a fae changeling living in the mortal realms. It was filled with Celtic mythology, which I really liked. Overall, I think the plot was interesting, however I found the pacing a bit off. It is also a "slow-burn" romance, but if you really think about it, they only met for one day each month, so while many months passed, Fia and Irian fell in love in mere days. I wished they had spent more time together, and not just by the end of the book. I also wish there was more of the other Fae Folk, because we only got a glimpse into their world.

The writing style was absolutely beautiful, and there were so many quotes that I annotated!

"The thorny vines climbing my spine grew tiny buds of perilous desire."

However, some phrases were repeated a lot of time and it became quite annoying.

If "[...] to catch the sound in his mouth" wasn't used like 6 times, then it wasn't used at all. The same goes for "And I-I ". I don't know why that was used so many times.

┊͙ ˘͈ᵕ˘͈ To sum it up, this was a highly enjoyable read, and I recommend it to fans of romantasy and Fae. Even though I prefer my fantasy plot- and character-driven, not romance, I still liked this very much.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Fia, her story was so captivating and my heart just opened up to her. Irian is also fantastic, I love his and Fia's relationship and I loved how beautifully it bloomed and that their love language was stories. I think I'm going to be recommending this one for a while.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for a review.

’She was raised to be strong, hammered to be hard, and whetted to be sharp. But she had a weakness for green things, for she carried the forest in her blood.’

Writing this review is hard and it truly does feel as if it’s pulling me in two directions to do so. This book had elements that I long to gush about, particularly it’s mesmerising writing that can’t fail to haunt you, and left me entranced for about two thirds of its narrative. Yet I struggled with its final section which has deeply impacted my enjoyment of the novel as a whole. Hopefully I’m in the minority with that though as for its writing alone this novel deserves to be a hit.

Naturally I need to start by praising the aforementioned writing which enchanted me from its very first page. There were so many segments that I jotted down for potential quotes to accompany this review; so many sentiments that haunted me and were depicted beautifully. The writing is lyrical and mesmerising, reeling you in with its haunting prose that perfectly ties in with both this novel’s retelling nature and its fae dynamics.

Similarly I swiftly found myself beguiled by the world that this book is set within. Any mention of the fae tends to grab my attention and this book depicted them gloriously. There are differing species, some seeming more monstrous than others. The human world is aware of their existence and, given past events that I’ll leave you to uncover, despise them. Plus their own lands have intriguing characters to uncover and political scheming brewing at all times.

For the most part I found myself fascinated by the characters depicted here (Corra was an instant favourite for me) and loved uncovering their various pasts. There was banter that brought a smile to my face on many an occasion, friends and enemies to lovers, intriguing nature based magic and sultry scenes that will make your toes curl. It also depicted ideas surrounding love, hate and self worth beautifully.

So yes it pains me to get to the aspects that I struggled with but I can’t deny the difficulty I had with this book’s third section. Throughout the pace is fairly slow but this didn’t really bother me as it suited the lyrical style of the writing beautifully. Yet as more and more time passed for Fia I couldn’t help but feel that she needed to be a bit more proactive. With curses and deadlines involved I didn’t really feel like she was making much of an effort to get the answers that she was looking for. Instead as more and more time passed the focus seemed to increasingly fall upon her relationships. And yes I enjoyed the banter, yes the seductive scenes were beautifully described bur personally a lot of the interactions felt more lust than loved based to me.

My other major struggle comes down to Eala who I wasn’t fully convinced by although I won’t go into details due to the spoiler risk. Personally I’d have loved a few more scenes showing her among the other swan maidens though, something I feel may have helped with this aspect.

So altogether I’m torn although I would still advice checking this book out for yourself. It’s beautifully and lyrically written and depicts a world that I adored exploring. I had a couple of struggles with it towards the end but I truly hope that I’m in the minority in that regard. The romance focus, I’m sure, will appeal to a lot of fantasy romance fans and going into this book expecting it to be more character than plot led could also help. I probably will check out the sequel given how bewitching the writing was and how enchanted I was by its world.

I really loved how immersive the world felt. It truly transported me to another reality, it was amazing! I thought the story line was very interesting, especially the first half.

The things is I never really trusted majority of the characters, I was always waiting for the shoe to drop. I feel like I kind of saw what was coming which took the excitement out of it for me. Also it took me a while to get use to the different names used.

Despite that, I think this was a good first book. I read it in a day, I really wanted to know what happened next. I am really intrigued to see how this story continues! Thank you Net galley and orbit for the arc!

4 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Fia, a changeling who left behind to replaced a stolen princess. The queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. The Queen tasks her & Rogan (Childhood friend) with defeating the dangerous fae lord who is keeping the princess captive.

There was a bit of repetition, especially with Rogan, a childhood friend turned on and off lovers but he’s betrothed to the stolen princess and due to politics always rejected Fia’s want for more. Which forced together on the journey it forces them to choose what is best.

Then enters Irian, a morally grey dark haired fae. IYKYK

Overall I enjoyed it, a bit slow to start and a bit of filler due to only being able to go to the fae realm on a full moon. But I wanted to know what happened and carried on. The ending was unexpected and I’d be interested to see where it goes (and hope for a bit more of a faster pace for the second book)