Member Reviews

This book has an interesting plot, like nothing I have never read before. Unfortunately my recently post-parting brain struggled to keep up with all the names (not in English) and characters, Ultimately it felt over complicated but an interesting concept and characters. Will try again when I have had more sleep!

Was this review helpful?

A new romantasy-esque adventure that packs a punch from the start. Full of intrigue, drama, action and romance, this was a truly compelling read.

Was this review helpful?

First thing first: love triangles are one of my pet peeves and there's a love triangle in this story.
I like romatasy fiction when the author did a good job in balancing the fantasy and the romance part and it worked quite well in this one.
There's a different take on the Fae world and the characters are intriguing.
There's the right part of spicy part that I duly skipped as the spicy scenes usually bore me to tears (except in some occasion).
Curious about the next part
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Was this review helpful?

This is set in a Kingdom where there is no magic.
Fia is the changeling left when the Queen's child was taken by the fae.
Her task is to find the princess and bring her back. She is joined in her quest by the princess's betrothed. There appears to be history there.
You kind of know it is highly unlikely Fia will end up with Rogan he is betrothed to the very person she is sent to find.
You want to tell her just don't!! But would she listen? NO!!
The author builds the worlds well and she creates a kind of triangle and I will be interested to see how the next book goes.
One thing I wasn't so keen on were the unpronounceable words.
Still I did enjoy the book.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

Was this review helpful?

This is a fantastic piece of fantasy writing and a great story, I loved the romance (especially the morally grey love interest) . Fia is torn between the light and the shadows, and I loved going on the journey with her as she learns about love,power, and trusting people. This story is filled with magic and heart, I’m so looking forward to the next book

Was this review helpful?

Feathers, forbidden love, and fae forests that are equal parts enchanting and deadly, what more could you want?

Lyra Selene weaves a lush, spellbinding tale in A Feather So Black, where nothing is as it seems, and the stakes are as sharp as a fae lord’s grin.

Fia, our fierce and defiant changeling FMC, walks a fine line between two worlds: one that loathes her for her fae blood and another that would devour her whole. Trained as a spy and raised as a princess, she’s tasked with an impossible mission, rescue her swan-cursed sister Eala from Tír na nÓg. (You know, the land of illusion, peril, and fae who will smile as they ruin your life. No big deal!)

But oh, the complications. The queen sends Fia’s childhood friend (and Eala’s betrothed ), Prince Rogan, along for the ride. Cue feelings…..

As if that love triangle weren’t enough, enter Irian, the dark, brooding fae lord who’s holding Eala captive. Irian is more nightmare than dream, but his chemistry with Fia is off-the-charts. (Think “enemies-to-lovers, but make it morally ambiguous” energy.)

What Makes This Book Shine:

* A forest so alive with magic and menace, you’ll feel like you’re wandering through its moonlit shadows.
* Fia’s internal conflict is beautifully complex: loyalty vs. desire, light vs. dark, duty vs. self.
* A love triangle that’s somehow both deliciously tense and heart-wrenching (Team Irian or Team Rogan? Help!)
* Secrets and twists that will keep you guessing until the final page.

Selene’s prose is lyrical and seductive, pulling you into a world where beauty is dangerous, love is messy, and every choice comes with a cost.

If you love your fantasy with morally gray characters, sizzling tension, and a heaping dose of danger, A Feather So Black will enchant you.

Was this review helpful?

Overall I’m unsure how to feel about this one. I’m leaning towards 3.5 stars. Fia has always lived in her sister’s shadow after the changeling was left in the princess’s place. Years later, Fia is sent by her mother to save her sister and a secret mission to save their kingdom. She’s forced to share this mission with her sister’s betrothed, the boy who was her best and only friend until her broke her heart and left.

The writing is quite poetic and occasionally this actually pulled me out of the story rather than in. I loved Corra and the plot was interesting but a lot of the characters seemed to fall flat. Rogan was to put it nicely a wet wipe. I have no sympathy for him. Fia wasn’t much better until the very end and Irían wasn’t too impressive either.

Usually love triangles fall flat, and even though you could tell where it was going to lead, for a split second I did have hope for both of them. I loved how Irían and Fia talked in stories to get to know each other.

I definitely will read the next book but I’m not sure it’ll be on the top of my TBR. Thank you to Netgalley and Orbitbooks for an arc of this book for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding and characters of this story. Lyra Selene writes with an ease and emotion that had me hooked. I read through this start in a series in only a handful of days, most of them all at once, because once I hit the 40% mark, I simply didn’t want to stop reading.
I don’t particularly like love triangles but I did enjoy how it was handled in this book - childhood romances and expectation and just not working together. I also enjoyed Fia’s relationship with Irian. I do enjoyed a good enemies to lovers and I enjoyed the process of Fia learning about herself, about how she is able to love and who is really is, through her time with the man who’s is supposed to be her enemy.
I am so excited for book 2!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the copy of A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene for an honest review.

A Feather So Black follows Fia a changeling in a kingdom that has lost its magic, she is a changeling left by the fair folk in place of the queens daughter, the princess Eala was stolen back to  Tír na nÓg.

When a hidden gate is found a plan is hatched to go through this gate to save the princess and bring her back. One condition she has to go with Prince Rogan Eala's betrothed and the prince Fia has grown up with and been in love with.

As they venture through the Fair Folks forests Fia finds her task difficult with her feelings for Rogan and also the Dark Fae Lord holding Eala captive.

Soon Fia begins to question the truth of her mission but time is running out to break the curse keeping the swan maidens captive.

I really enjoyed this book the writing was mystical and whimsical and kept me reading till the very end.

The story of course is very reminiscent of swan lake and the swan princess but with a twist and I loved this new take on the tales.

Though I was a real fan of Fia and Rogans romance and I found that abit sad that that burnt out so quickly in favor of the Fae lord. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of this but I am willing to read and see how this goes in book 2.

I also feel we didn't really get to the bottom of Ealas character but again questions that can be answered in the second book.

Overall a really interesting fantasy read that I would recommend!

Was this review helpful?

A Feather So Black was such a great read! Lyra Selene has created this immersive world where magic is gone from the human realm, and Fia, our main character, is stuck between two worlds. She’s a changeling, left by the Fair Folk and raised by a queen who sees her as both a weapon and a daughter. From the start, Fia’s journey captivated me as she tries to figure out if she is a tool for others, or if she can she forge her own identity.

One of my favorite parts was how Selene captured the magic and darkness of Tír na nÓg. The descriptions are so rich that I could almost feel the magic lurking in the shadows. This is one of those books where the surroundings feel alive, boht beautiful and dangerous, with secrets Fia has to uncover to truly find herself.

I also really loved the romance in the book, especially the complex and morally grey love interests. Fia is caught in a love triangle (which I normally do not like), but here it works because each relationship brings out something different in her. She’s torn between the light and the shadows, and the way it is written, it really adds layers to her story as she learns about love, trust, and her own power.

If you’re into fantasy with complex characters and beautiful writing, this book is for you! The story is filled with magic, myth and heart, and I can’t wait for the next book to see where Fia’s journey takes us next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

My god what a book!! Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

'I told you once before - I wouldn't mind oblivion if you were the one to deliver it'.

It was different to other things that I've read. We followed Fia in her quest to fulfil her adoptive mothers wishes and find her lost sister and break their curse. She's always been in love with Rogan & he's always loved her but they were doomed never to be... She's a 'green' witch who can manipulate earth and plants around her.

But when she meets the shape shifting by day/shaddow daddy by night fae male (Irian) she instantly falls for him. My heart absolutely broke when he fell for her more and more as time went on and shared truths that he'd shared with no one else... and she believed her sister that he was manipulating her.

When it was her sister that had been manipulating her all along, just like her mother.

The twist at the end.... Irian always knew he had to die so that the magic of his line could be passed on to someone else. If it wasn't passed on then the magic would be left to roam wild and war would ensue. The story ends with Irian begging her to kill him, saying he wants her to be the one to do it. This is right after they exchange their marriage vows!!

But she carves out her own heart & offers it to the earth and she's the lost heir of the Sept of Antlers!! She says she wants to save them all, she will gladly sacrifice herself and anyone else that needs to die to restore balance in the world. But the magic accepts her tithe & allows her to live! It also allows Irian to live & they finally get to say good morning to each other!!

We still don't know whether her sister, Rogan, the other swan ladies, her mother etc are dead. But the story continues in the second book and I already can't wait to read it!

Absolutely loved this from start to finish! And the fact that I couldn't read a lot of the place or creature names really didn't matter! lol! Well worth a read!

Was this review helpful?

This novel adds Celtic mythology to a Swan Lake retelling, following changeling Fia's quest to rescue a cursed princess (whom she is a duplicate of) from the mysterious Otherworld. Accompanied by Prince Rogan, her childhood love, she finds herself drawn to the dark fae lord Irian, who holds the key to breaking the curse. The story masterfully blends court intrigue with ancient magic in a moonlit adventure.

Perhaps the best part of the book is the lush, immersive writing that brings the magical world to life. However, like many other stories that incorporate mythologies, if that mythology is unfamiliar the terminology can be challenging to follow and slow you down a bit. If you are familiar with Celtic mythology and folklore though, it has been incorporated thoroughly and you will enjoy it. I am mildly familiar and it was still a great read.

Spice: 3 (this book might be spicer than you would expect from the cover/description).
Tropes:
Childhood friends
Forbidden Romance
Enemies to Lovers

This dark romantic fantasy is perfect for readers who enjoy morally grey characters and folklore-inspired tales with a darker edge.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this eCopy to review

I recently read A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene, and it was quite an intriguing journey. The novel is set in a world of perilous magic and moonlit forests, blending Celtic mythology with a dark, romantic fantasy.

The story follows Fia, a changeling raised by the human High Queen after being left behind by the Fair Folk. Fia’s mission to rescue the cursed princess Eala from Tír na nÓg, alongside her childhood friend Rogan, was filled with tension and unexpected twists. I found myself drawn to Fia’s internal struggles and her journey towards self-acceptance, which was both empowering and heart-wrenching.

One of the highlights for me was the complex relationship between Fia and the dark-hearted fae lord, Irian. Their dynamic was intense and captivating, adding a layer of depth to the narrative. However, the love triangle involving Rogan felt a bit predictable and didn’t resonate with me as much.

While the writing was beautifully lyrical and the world-building immersive, I did find the pacing to be somewhat slow and overly descriptive, so sense of urgency was sometimes lacking.

Overall, A Feather So Black is a beautifully written tale with rich characters and a compelling plot, a good read for fans of romantasy and those who enjoy a blend of magic and mythology

Was this review helpful?

It's a bit complicated to judge this book, but in a very summarized way, I would say: the retelling of Swan Lake is wonderful, as is the way the world of the fae is portrayed. I would have liked more depth in the romantic part, especially in the transition from one love interest to the other, which felt too quick to me (while I enjoyed the relationship between the protagonist and her first love in the beginning). I will read the second book because I like the writing style, the story is intriguing, and the world the author created is wonderful. And after that ending, I need to find out what she has in store.

Was this review helpful?

I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but unfortunately it wasn't my favorite.

I've really loved the messaging relating to trauma and toxic parental relationships and that was an extremely important point of the book for me. I appreciate how the theme was portrayed.

The plot itself was interesting, but it had a lot of plot holes and it was very drawn out and repetitive. The romance was also pretty repetitive and I got bored of it to be honest.

I feel like if the book was shorter, I'd enjoy it more. It could have been more polished and edited down in my opinion, as I've overall sometimes felt as if it was a chore to read it.

That being said, again, I appreciate the themes and the atmosphere. I'll check out the author's next release because of that, even if this book wasn't perfect for me.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars, rounded up.

This story drew me in, another book I was reading was abandoned in favor of this one. The book is well written, reminiscent of One Dark Window to me at times. It has stories within stories and the plot has so much promise.

Fia, brought up by a human queen who has trained her to be a weapon in her arsenal, is tasked with rescuing the Queen’s daughter, Eala, from the magical and mysterious Folk. Whilst trying to accomplish this seemingly impossible task, Fia is entangled with Eala’s betrothed human prince and the shadow-wielding Folk Heir - ticking all the romantasy boxes there, including spice.

The story is so dense with beautiful Celtic folklore but some details went unexplained, like lesser Folk mentioned once with little to no further description. It’s by no means a deal breaker, and others may not notice this at all, but I’m a bit of a stickler for details. I want to know every aspect of the world building. I think it would benefit from the addition of a map and a glossary. I also did find the pacing off, it was slow but then in the last 100 pages, everything kicks in.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately I didn't vibe with this one, very hard to follow and the main character seemed to lack depth so I didn't feel bothered about her thoughts.

Was this review helpful?

"for someone so small, you possess a shockingly large capacity for hate"

When I began this I didn't look at the comps and I'm glad. I wouldn't say this was like the Cruel Prince other than the fae element but For the Wolf is pretty accurate.

I enjoyed elements of this book. I liked the quest, I liked the fae world and I like the main characters magic. Unfortunately I didn't like much else. The ending was a little confused in my opinion, it didn't really fit and didn't make me want to read book 2 - it just made me glad it was over.

The main character's internal conflict was interesting but we were so focused on the quest and the love triangle that it never really got fleshed out enough. And despite the main character spending for one night a month to enter the fae realm we slowly see less and less of her time. From an interest perspective this makes sense but not a logistical one, I am not sure why the time frame wasn't shortened and have the portal open more often (outside as this being a 'natural' way to build the main romance)

I don't generally enjoy mini stories in a story and here this was done a lot when the endgame love interests are flirting. Typically my problem is that it's difficult to connect with these stories if they are third person without context and that's what these were which was unfortunate as it happened a significant chunk of the story.

Was this review helpful?

This book was heavily influenced from Celtic mythology - I really love having the opportunity to learn about different cultures. Unfortunately in this book I found a lot of the terms very difficult to wrap my head around. There were so many new words (and pronunciations) in such short spaces of time that, even with a glossary I struggled to remember everything. A slower, more integrated approach to introducing readers to these terms could have aided my understanding significantly.

The love triangle with Rogan was a bit tedious, but luckily the romance with Irian more than made up for that. I found myself really waiting for those scenes and I loved how that part of the story played out.

Ultimately I found the writing to be rich and the story carried a lot of depth. I enjoyed it, but the elements I mentioned previously took away from the experience.

Thank you so much to Little, Brown Book Group for the arc via NetGalley. I really appreciate. being given the opportunity to give my honest feedback on this book.

Was this review helpful?

This book delivered a compelling start and showed immense potential, particularly in the first half. However, the FMC's ongoing entanglement with a problematic "Tamlin-type" character until well over halfway became frustrating. Given the narrative hints pushing readers towards a different male lead, these scenes felt unnecessarily prolonged.

Additionally, while the protagonist’s allies professed loyalty, their actions conveyed otherwise. Despite being raised as a warrior, the FMC overlooked several red flags, seeming to lack self-preservation and caution. That said, the endgame MMC was a standout, carrying a familiar yet unique charm that kept the story engaging. His qualities felt reminiscent of a "Rhys" archetype, but with distinct traits that added depth and intrigue. However, his limited presence due to the FMC’s conflict with the other character left a gap.

Despite these frustrations, the plot was intriguing and captivating, especially as the story progressed. The book effectively set the stage for what could be an impactful sequel.

Was this review helpful?