Struggled to get into this one. It was a bit slow at the start, which made it hard for me to feel invested in the story and the characters.

Ohhhh this book! I absolutely adored it, the mirroring of two stories, two sisters, first loves and real loves, magic and finding yourself.

Fia was such an awesome FMC and I loved her development through the book and how she learned to love herself and make the change to hers & Irian’s story - not entirely sure how she has changed the rest of the world after what Eala did. Going to the fae world finally made her be proud of who she is and go home. ‘I was made to be fully loved, or not at all’

Rogan was a character I was so torn on. I really did like him at parts even though I never thought he would be endgame, Fia loves him and you can see why. But then there were the little parts that got to me. Like when they slept together and her Greenmark sent flowers out and he said ‘I wish you wouldn’t do that’ just another notch in the coffin for Fia hating what she is and trying to hide it. But I truly think that he THINKS he loves all of her and that it’ll be enough. I really hope he managed to get free of Eala’s compulsion.

Eala I instantly just had a bad feeling for although she did still surprise me. The other swan maidens clearly saw her as a leader, but for her to slaughter them for her own gain at the end was a shock. And for her to control Rogan against his will, although she has made it clear she hates men. I kind of expected her to be working with her mother, but she ended up hating her and that caused more of this. She’s so manipulative and I wish Fia had seen it a bit earlier. But her & Fia’s dynamic was awesome and I hope we get more in the second book.

Overall this was such a great book and I am already excited for the sequel 😍

I got thit book as an ARC on @netgalley a while ago. I had a hard time getting into it because the author insisted pn using sooo (and I mean SO MANY) many unkown words in the first few chapters, that it really made me dread reading it. There was a glossary, at the end of the book, with no mention of it in the beginning, so I didnt know about it until I actually finished the book. It didn't bother me so much to have all the unknown words, it bothered me that they were never actually explained. Throughout the whole book I kept asking myself wtf is a tanaiste wtf is a sept. Maybe I'm also dumb, but the power dynamics of the fae made no sense otherwise, and even naming them in these different categories didn't make it easier, because they were never explained enough.
About the story. It was ok. Our main character is naive af. In the beginning she said she was a weapon, went on many missions to kill people, she was an assassin, bla bla. And then in the end, she says she is failing her "first mission".
I also noticed that I'm not so much into self discovery stories, because most characters keep telling themselves lies and are all naive and I keep wanting them to stop whining and just go kill someone, lol.
Anyway. The self discovery was rather ok here, I enjoyed how Fia struggled, and persevered, how she was finally able to let go of her first love.
I wish however that the author explained more stuff in plain words. I enjoy lyrical writing, but i also felt that there was so much left to my own interpretation, that im not actually sure what happens at times.
I read for fun, not to get confused.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but I found it really difficult with all the Gaelic words. A lot of books will give pronunciations of these words to make the story glow a bit easier.

Aside from that, I was really interested in the story but got to around 40% before adding it to the DNF pile. Not really sure why but this book just wasn't for me.

3,25 - 3,5 / 5

This is one of those books where I’m not sure if everyone around me read one version of the book (and loved it) and I read another one and don't seem to “get it”.

Fia and Rogan didn’t make any sense to me. Their whole relationship is based on their teenage past and every time they have a moment, I felt like the author was forcing them on me. Especially for like the whole first half of the book. It was just a bold attempt to make me believe they have any chemistry. Which they didn’t.
Yet at the same time, Fia and Irian were somewhat having a vibe. I too would melt if someone were to say I look exquisite. Ignoring the sort of love triangle situation (which: ew), I’m not sure if Fia and Irian made more sense to me, because they just genuinely made more sense and Irian really grew on me (considering who and what they are, I guess they did) or because I couldn’t stand Rogan. Either way, I was happy when Rogan finally was more of a subplot situation.

Fia was surely something. She wasn’t really annoying, but definitely naive to the point of annoyance. Especially when it comes to her sister. And Rogan for that matter.
The fact that this book was written in first person and as a reader you know everything that goes on in Fia’s head, Fia herself seemed very oblivious to her own thoughts and suspicious. She could very clearly see through everything Eala said and yet she still decided to believe her sister’s words over her own instincts. Mind Blowing, really.

The last 15%-20% of the book dragged on for what felt like forever. Not sure why.

The writing reminded me at times of storytelling. A lot of the descriptions were a mouthful/over the top/too much. Whatever you want to call it. There was really no need to describe that one thing for like five or six (short) sentences, even though I understand the intent behind it. It was fitting for the world and the Folk. Someone might want to call it poetic, which I would agree with to a certain extent.
But then again the world confused me so much, especially during the beginning (and this might be my own fault for not paying 100% attention) that I’m not sure if the writing added to the confusion or not.

In regards to the Folk, if you enjoyed Emily Wilde, you might enjoy this too. Though this is Emily Wilde in a not so Emily Wilde way.

I might also have enjoyed this more, if it weren’t written in first person.

Thank you to Orbit UK for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of A Feather So Black. The author had all the ingredients to weave an enthralling story, combining Celtic mythology and Swan Lake. But the book had crazy potential that, unfortunately, was terribly wasted.

But let's go in order.
The story follows Fia, a changeling left behind in the mortal world, and Rogan, her childhood friend/crush. Their mission is to return Eala, the high queen's real daughter and Rogan's betrothed, from Tír na nÓg, the fae realm. The cruel and ruthless Irian holds Eala captive. But is he really the monster Fia thinks he is?

One of the first problems with the story is pacing. Although the story spans 12 months, there's not much happening for much of the book, as Fia and Rogan can only be in Tír na nÓg for one night per month. Fia and Rogan don't seem to grasp the urgency of their task: they stall, waste time and seem to completely lose sight of their mission. They only realize how little time they have left toward the end and that's when things get hectic. Overall, the sensation is of a slow and dragged narrative.

I'm not a fan of love triangles, but this story has a love square, which - needless to say - isn't really my thing. Moreover, the romance drags in the repetition of the same (unnecessary) drama between Fia and Rogan (with Irian entering the mix later on), creating a cycle of mutual pining, lust, disappointed hopes, and feelings of guilt. Spiced up with scenes of sex here and there, this book is meant to be an adult fantasy, but the characters have little personality and act more like YA characters. The wordbuilding is only hinted at and never explored in-depth, and the plot is decidedly too vague.

As other readers have already pointed out, this book (and my disappointment) is a product of its time. The romantasy genre reigns supreme, making it increasingly difficult to find good fantasy novels with a romance plot-line. More often than not, I come across books that forget the detail in the plot and the care in the construction of fantasy universes, turning the fantasy component into nothing more than a pretext to write spiced-up fairy smut stories with too many plot holes.

2.5 ⭐️

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.