This was a fun read! The writing is so lyrical and beautiful. The Celtic inspiration was very cool. The characters are really rich and engaging. I’m looking forward to the sequel to see what will happen next.

I had a few things that keep it from 5 stars, but I think they’re things that could improve in the next book. For one, I needed more world building. It was so lyrical that sometimes it wasn’t actually descriptive in a way that helped me *see* settings in my mind. Another issue for me (and this is totally personal) was that I just am tired of tropes, and this book was riddled with them. And finally, I needed a *smidge* more at the end. I really like that final chapter from Irian’s POV, but I was still left asking, “But what happened? Where did everybody go?” I’m all for a cliffhanger but that’s not what it was; we follow him for days after the “showdown” but just don’t hear what happened in the immediate aftermath. Did Eala flee? Is Rogan with her? Did Chandi make it?

3.75 Stars!

I was absolutely enchanted by the world of A Feather So Black — it’s been awhile since I’ve read a retelling and I quite enjoyed this one.

Fia is a Changeling, left in the place of Princess Eala who is stolen away to the lands of the Fair Folk destined to become a swan by day and maiden by night. Fia, raised in the human realms by the Queen is forged to be a weapon — one able to retrieve her sister and bring her back.

Taught to hate her own blood, Fia is more than willing to go up against the tànaiste of the Sept of Feathers — Irian — and steal his treasure to break the geas upon her sister and bring magic to the human lands.

Paired with her childhood love Prince Rogan, she sets off on her mission to save her sister but the more she spends time in Tír na nÓg the more she begins to question everything she’s been raised to be.

I enjoyed the magic, the setting, the new take on the Swan Princess, and the overarching arc of what it means to love. At times I wish the world building went a little deeper and we explored more of the stories told. The romance was on the medium burn side but was good none-the-less. I’m definitely interested in reading the next book to see where it goes! Overall a great read! Thank you Orbit for the chance to read early!

This book was a wild ride. I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this book but the FMC is a BA changeling who is on a mission to find her cursed sister. There’s romance (bit of a love triangle), there’s magic, fae, and there’s some political intrigue with a villain I wasn’t expecting. Looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc of a wonderful retelling of black swan mixed with Celtic mythologies.

This is was written beautifully, and the prose themselves reflects the idea of balance: an important theme in the novel.

I love seeing Fia’s character growth as she grew into her rot and moss, learning to love herself. I’m excited to see her again along with Irian in the next book, and what they’ll do to carry out their duty.

Another character I love is Corra. I love their interaction with Fia. Them moving from murals to murals, bring them to life.

The last quarter did feel a bit draggy and repetitive as Fia learn all she needed to complete her mission. But it took her a while to get to the point where she made her final deduction.

Overall, it’s a wonderful story of balance, magic and love and following Fia on a journey to find herself.

I am struggling a bit on what to rate this one. Overall I really enjoyed this story and I completely devoured it over two days.

Some of the things I thought this book did really well was the three main characters. I felt very conflicted over the first MMC Rowan. I had feeling of cringe, annoyance, and overall distrust towards him. This eased a bit thru-ought the book as we found out some more of his back story and the reasons behind his actions. I still didn't love him very much though. The story between him and Lia gave me a lot of similar parallels as Maleficent and Stefan. I was just waiting for that shoe to drop and for him to turn on her.

I really liked the character Irian, especially in the beginning of the book. He was a great broody/mysterious character that might be understood but definitely was villainous at the same time. His character did lose some of his personality as the book progressed I felt. He seemed a bit instant lovey which unfortunately isn't for me. I truly love the stretched out slow burn.

Then there is Eala, who right away gave me mean girl vibes. There was a point in the book where I was connecting and felt like I was in the scene of the Mean Girls movie. Where she seems like she is being nice to your face but you can't trust her at all. Some of the decisions Lia made regarding Eala, drove me a little batty but I did understand as she considered her as a sister and was desperate to be loved/accepted by family.

The characters are where this book excelled and where I was gripped. I wanted to see what happened next in the Fae world and wasn't too interested when they were back in the human world. Each chapter we go back and forth between the worlds. There is a month in between each one when the veil is the thinnest and Rowan/Lia can cross over. I found unfortunately was we reached the end of the book that I wasn't really that engaged in the overall plot or really cared too much what happened. I ended up skimming some of the last bits. I think its because this book did such a great job setting up the reader for strong characters and their development, but maybe to the sacrifice to the overall plot. I found the plot and resolution unfortunately to be the weak side of this book.

I really enjoyed this book for what it was. I think it would be honestly perfect as a stand alone. For this reason I don't think I will continue on with the series, as I like this one just as it is and I don't feel compelled to read what happens next.

I would really recommend this book to others who love fantasy romance. It has many of the favorite tropes and the two MMC's and FMC are really strong. There are even really cute side creatures that help the FMC along the way that I really loved.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit books for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

TW: parental abuse (non-physical), gas lighting

This book was a bit frustrating to read. On one hand the prose was beautiful, if you love anything to do with the fae this is your book right here. The culture and lore was rich, the world building was beautiful, it was set up so nicely. On the other hand I wanted to strangle our FMC no less than 5 times.

Fia is a half human half Folk woman, a changeling stolen into the human lands in exchange for the queen's real daughter. She grows up trying to gain everyone's love by doing anything and everything she's told. She's molded into a weapon and taught to hate her fae side and abilities. It was quite sad how much she hated half of herself. She falls in love with her childhood best friend, Prince Rogan, he's the only one who shows her any kindness but he leaves her when she's 16 right after they took their friendship to the next level. But it's four years later and he's returned and they've been thrown together and tasked with rescuing the real princess, his betrothed, from the fae lands. Awkward!

Fia, while I felt so bad for her the way she grew up, she is constantly falling prey to people's lies because she craves that love she was never really given. Each time she fell into bed with Rogan I was like GIRL! COME ON! He didn't love ALL of her, most of her yes, but he couldn't get past that fae side and if it's not all of her then it shouldn't be any of her. This was somewhat of a love triangle (UGHHHHH! I loathe them!) but there's not really a big struggle of who to choose or anything. When the tall dark handsome villain shows up we know who endgame is going to be right? lol Irian is definitely hot and softens for her pretty quickly, their exchanges of stories was cute and I liked how Fia didn't get phased by his wicked side.

The ending is a bit of a soft cliff hanger because the fate of the Folk is left hanging, we don't know what's going on but you get a satisfaction that our couple made it. I will be continuing the series because I need that bitch to get her comeuppance but I hope our mains will be making less frustrating decisions in their lives. Thank you so much to Orbit books for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available 3/12/24!

The Cruel Prince meets For The Wolf in this sizzling romantasy! Yessssss the Fae are fae in this book so they aren’t pretty boys with no depth but vile and cruel and STEAMY. I loved it.

Beautiful cover. Lovely title. However, this was...not for me. On the surface, the world, the setup, and the protagonist have a lot of potential. But the pining and angst right off the bat disrupted what was most exciting to me (the action, the protagonist's mission etc)

I also don't get why the protagonist is okay with the male lead calling her changeling. I guess we're supposed to think it's endearing that she doesn't mind it when it's coming from him but it's still a derogatory term in that world, right?

I do want to emphasize that while this book did not appeal to me, it has all the tropes that are popular on booktok nowadays so there's an awareness of the target audience and market.

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for this DRC in return for an unbiased review.

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.
“Love can create or destroy. It can be a beginning… or it can be an ending.”

In a world separated by parallels Fia finds herself trying to survive and find balance. While Fia may live in the human realms she is anything but a typical ward of the Queen. Fia is a changeling. Years ago Fia found herself within the palace walls, no memory of her past, and now left in the place of the stolen princess. As time passes Fia becomes the Queen’s greatest weapon, tasked with the mission of retrieving the princess from Tír na nÓg. With knowledge of the weakening of the enchanted gates that bar entry into this magical realm Fia begins her quest joined by Rogan, Fia’s longtime friend and betrothal of princess Eala. Journeying into the moonlit forests and unraveling the mysteries of the past may prove more challenging then anticipated as curses and secrets are revealed.

A Feather So Black is an enchanting fairytale reimagining steeped in Celtic mythology that I absolutely could not put down! Lyra Selene’s descriptions paint a vivid world filled with both wonder and danger. The lyrical prose made every vine, flower, and thistle perfectly painted so the reader can become truly immersed in the novel’s atmosphere. The plot has a perfect blend of fairy tale retelling and mythology and while being inspired by these it still manages to feel unique. Fia as a FMC was both strong and vulnerable, her relatability was refreshing to read and connect with. As a first installment in a series this book is incredibly success for the author has given us such a rich expansive world that the potential for continued stories is so immense! I look forward to the sequel and can not wait to see what comes next!
For anyone who is looking for a fantasy book with an enchanting romance, mystical forests, magical fae, Celtic Mythology, and dark curses then you absolutely need to read this book!

A Feather so Black comes out March 12th, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fia is a changeling child that was exchanged for a princess. The Queen and her Druid have raised Fia to be the ultimate weapon for human kind against the Folk. The human world is crumbling and desperate to get magic back, so Fia and her childhood friend and love are sent into the world of the Folk to free the long lost princess and to steal magic back from the Folk.
This was a beautiful and dark fairy tale a little reminiscent of the Swan Princess. I loved the characters and I loved the world. I can’t wait for the next book!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC!

“ I was made of earth and sky and endless water. I was made to be loved fully or not at all”. AHHH I loved this book. The world building was top notch, there was adventure, friendship, romance. It gave me These Hollow Vows vibes and that’s one of my favorite books. It has morally grey MMC, touch her and you die trope, and complex characters all around.

I enjoyed reading this book, I enjoyed it so much I forgot that I was writing a review. I was caught up in the story. Instead of getting bogged down in background information storytelling was used. The magic system is based on balance. Twisted story of swan princess. The use of the love triangle helped kept this story interesting. I also like all the characters in this book, the good and the bad.

A beautifully written dark fairytale about a changeling named Fia raised by a mortal queen and forged into a weapon. When the queen sends Fia and her childhood friend turned lover on a mission to rescue her true daughter, they must cross into the realm of the fae and figure out how to break her sister’s curse before it’s too late.

This book is rich with Celtic mythology, magic entwined with nature, and deadly faerie curses. There’s a love triangle, a dark-haired silver-eyed morally grey fae, and a bit of spice. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes a good romantasy!

Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC!

I am so grateful to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lyra Selene’s poetic and thought provoking prose is absolutely enchanting. This story pulled me in from the get-go and definitely will win over other fans like me who enjoy romantasy series such as Holly Black’s The Folk of Air.

I’m not deeply familiar with Celtic lore, but I am always impressed when writers choose to go by the Wheel of the Year and celebrate the moon cycles.

Throughout this story we follow our flawed female lead, Fia. Fia has had a strange upbringing to say the least - she struggles to find her purpose and to truly accept herself as she is. She has been manipulated, tormented and used a weapon by her adoptive mother, The Queen. She is sent on a mission to bring home her mother’s birth daughter, Eala, with whom she was switched with 13 years ago. The fate of her sister is to marry Fia’s childhood friend/lover Prince Rogan, a union that has been planned since before she was even born. The two of them set off on an adventure to save the Princess, but of course it’s far more complicated than that…

I recommend this book to folks who love fantasy, enemies to lovers, love triangles, magic, the supernatural, and well-written spice. I cannot wait to consume the next installment in the series!

This book did not impress me. It seemed like a long list of cliches. I have read books like this over and over again. There was nothing original about this at all.

DNF at 45%. While the premise intrigued me initially, the execution fell flat for my taste. Although I appreciate lyrical writing, in this case, it didn't really resonate with me. It's not necessarily a bad book, and I can see it resonating well with a specific demographic, but it failed to maintain my interest, so I decided to DNF.

As soon as I seen the comparison to The Cruel Prince, I was sold! I love the idea of the more traditional Fae and the fact that Fia is a changeling!? Amazing. Unfortunately this just didn't hit with me - I think the writing, while extremely lyrical, just wasn't for me. It did feel clunky, and I think the fact that where I read up to everything was taking place once a month was jarring and i found the pacing off due to that.

I do think that this book will really hit with romantasy lovers, and will be quite popular!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
*DNF @ 43%

First, thank you Lyra Selene, Orbit Books, and Net Galley for the advanced copy!

What an enchanting first installment for a fae story that is both fresh and familiar at the same time (hello Swan Princess). We start with our Changeling (Fia) as she navigates a task given to her by her foster mother who happens to be a war queen. This sets the stage of Fia's life up to this point - to be useful, to put herself to task for the love of her mother, to be a weapon above all else while spurning her fae roots.

After succeeding at this initial task (which is not necessary to Fia's arc, but is a very solid way to show how her mother operates and to introduce Rogan, aka Princeling), Fia's real story begins. She is set to accompany Rogan to rescue her lost sister Eala from Tir Na Nog (fairy land) and bring back magic to their desolate and plagued lands. Their task is difficult and their history makes it more so. BUT I WILL STOP THERE SO YOU CAN ENJOY THIS YOURSELF.

This is such a good example of using lore properly. I won't lie - Google and I got REALLY well-acquainted because 1) I needed to know how to pronounce stuff and 2) the lore is DEEPLY Celtic so I needed to know WHAT she was actually saying/describing. If you disagree, sit down. I have no real experience with Celtic lore so it felt legit to me. I really appreciate the care that went into writing it out. I also love that the fae were NOT NICE. They were tricky, mean, bloodthirsty, and apathetic to human woes.

And the characters ~ they were all multifaceted, well-written, and believable. I would like to say that everyone calling my boy Irian a shadow-daddy... DISAGREEEEEEEEEEEE. He has shadows but it was not a thing. He was a warrior, lonely, tattooed..but really he's a bird daddy. Fight me. I was actually a little disappointed because I thought he was going to be another shadow-daddy rip off but look at me now - in love with a bird daddy made of wind and sky.

I really could go on but I think I'd just give away the ending that was so lovely. Kinda predictable but the predictable that we enjoy.

I am very interested in the next book (thank you for the sneak peak hehe) and would strongly encourage folks interested in lore, fae, romance, and plants to check this out.

The writing was clunky and not for me. I stopped after chapter 1 (4%). I imagine it will be three to four stars for the target.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

The Cruel Prince meets For the Wolf in a sizzling fantasy romance inspired by Celtic mythology, spinning a magical tale of a defiant changeling, her cursed sister, and the dangerous fae lord she must defeat to save her family.

This was delightful and everything I want from a romantasy. Well done!