I enjoyed this one. The pacing was a bit slow with the fact they could only go into the other realm once a month on a full moon and it took me a fare while with the description but once those hurdles were met then well it got better.
I mean I couldn't put it down anyways but the last 50% gripped me. I loved the character growth of the main characters especially Fia. Irian is now another shadow daddy on my book boyfriend list. Enemies to lovers is becoming my fave type of story line.
This isn't for the faint hearted though, if you're just starting out in fantasy I would suggest reading others and then you'll get to grips with how descriptive this book and others can be.

A Feather So Black is a darkly enchanting tale that blends fantasy, folklore, and an atmospheric writing style. The world-building is rich, and the story has a haunting, almost dreamlike quality that keeps you engaged. While the premise is compelling, the pacing feels uneven at times, and some characters could have been more fully developed. Still, it’s an enjoyable and immersive read with a unique, eerie charm.

I ended up buying this book because I missed the download window, and I'm so glad I did! Loved this book

This was a deeply immersive, dark-ish fantasy story. I really loved the world and the characters, the story was fast paced and had plenty of action and romance so I was hooked the whole time. I really loved the main character and I can't wait for book 2!

I really enjoyed this read, it’s starts off slow with world building and character introductions but the pace soon pick up. It’s incredibly well written and the author’s description really ignites the imagination. The next book is due soon and I can’t wait for her story to continue.

I enjoyed this light easy going fantasy where not a lot happens but thats OK. It gave me Legends and Lattes vibes in the gentleness of the story. It was great escapism from the dark evenings under a cozy blanket, but not a lot happens, there is no real peril, no twists, no turns just.... gentle

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

This is a weird one - I enjoyed it but also realised afterwards that not a lot happened.

The main character, Fia, is a changeling who was left in place of Eala, the daughter of the High Queen. Despite her Folk nature, she becomes a second daughter to the High Queen—though we slowly realise that she wasn't so much a daughter but a trained weapon by the end. It's very clear from the start that Fia has been made to feel unworthy at all points of her life and that she should be grateful for anything given to her. I got malevolent vibes from her mother almost from the start, and I didn't care for her 'Only I can love you'.

It's unsurprising then that Fia is naive and unsure of herself throughout this book. She goes on a quest to Tir na nOg, the land of the Folk, to bring back her stolen sister and a Treasure that will allow her mother to thwart the plagues and general bad luck plaguing the land. Of course, given how much Fia has been subtly beaten down, she's more than happy to save her sister and feels a kinship with the girl she's never met.

As you might expect, her expectations are quickly dashed when she enters the world of the Folk. She's forced to travel with Rogan, her childhood best friend and the man she loves. Unfortunately for her, he's also the man who's been betrothed to her sister since birth, and he chose her sister. Rogan is there to woe Eala back to break her geas (curse), much to the heartbreak of Fia.

To her surprise, she comes across Irian, the keeper of the Treasure she's been tasked to find and the abductor of her sister and the other swan maidens. But he's not like she expected either, and throughout the book, we slowly see Fia begin to embrace her Folk nature that she's been made to feel so bad about.

This was great to see, as Fia started out feeling ashamed of her magic but embraced it and used it to her advantage. A big part of that was Irian, who accepted her for who she was and didn't want her to change or hide any part of herself from him. This, in turn, led to her becoming more confident and willing to stand up for herself and her thoughts.

The main downfall of this book was the pacing - it started out at a good pace but then stalled pretty quickly. This is because Fia can only go to Tir na nOg every full moon - what this means is that we get to have one night in the Folk realm before they have to go back. This carries on for almost a whole year, and when Fia is back in the human realm...well...nothing much happens. She explores the castle and makes bad decisions regarding Rogan. This also means I'm expected to believe Irian and Fia's love story when they only properly interact for five days in total?!

Either way, it was generally enjoyable and I wish we'd had more time spent with Irian, but I'm willing to suspend my disbelief. There's lots of Irish mythology and language used in this, which helped build the world we're dropped into - I wish the pronunciation glossary was at the start instead of the end, as I had no idea how to pronounce most of the words.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this. The premise was very interesting and was well written however it was just not my personal preference. But I think that the author is great and will look out for thier other works

I don't quite know what it was about this, but I really struggled to stay engaged. I really struggled to tell some of the side characters apart, particularly the two love interests, With what I understood of the plot, I thought we were on a kind of race against time, but the story spans months, so there was no sense of urgency and thus it did feel very slow-paced. I did like the Celtic background to the world and I liked the powers that our main character Fia had; I'll probably read the sequel, but I'm not in any hurry.

A fun read with a unique plot that I really enjoyed. Well built characters and romance that I enjoyed for the most part, but it was perhaps a little too obvious and haven’t we done enough love triangles already?

Well crafted world that felt deep and rich. Enjoyed the writing and the lore. It was a nice read that kept me wanting more. A great start to a new series.

A Feather so Black is an exciting start to a series. Extremely atmospheric and filled with unique magic. I am excited to see where the story goes!

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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!