Thank you, Orbit and NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this book. This was my first time reading Lyra Selene's work, but I will read more of her books in the future.

Fia, the main character, is an absolute badass who goes on an emotional journey throughout the book. She goes on a journey of self-discovery that had me rooting for her the whole time. I think a lot of people can benefit from reading her story. It's all about learning to accept and love yourself, flaws and all. Her story is inspiring and relatable to anyone who's struggled with self-doubt.

A few times, I was frustrated with Fia because she didn't believe in herself, but I got where she was coming from. She was raised to be a weapon, so it's understandable that she has a hard time accepting herself for who she is.

Another aspect that I love in this book is the romance. It was so intense that I was completely swept off my feet.

Overall, I'm looking forward to the second installment. Lyra Selene; you did well!

This was an absolutely lovely read. So many fairytale retellings fall flat but A Feather So Black is definitely in my top five reads of the year!

To sum this story up:

A celtic romp through fae country has a sex obsessed girl forgetting said assignment to save her country because she is fucking said assignment, and her abusive prince friend.

That is literally what I read. Five and a half hours of this. Character development and actual plot lost on this.

Juliet Mariller still remains the queen of celtic mythos and fantasy tales. Please don't think you'll get that here.

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit Books!
I adore this book so much! Celtic magic, incredible world building, a swan princess retelling all wrapped up into a beautiful story!

“Real life wasn’t like the stories. Real life ended in deception, betrayal, or tragedy. Which meant this pretty tale was either untrue or incomplete.”

The realm of Tir Na Nog was so fascinating to read about and such a joy to see the Fae of old reborn into a new tale. These are tricksters in the flesh as they were hundreds of years ago, and their land is one that cannot be described without some confusion and marvel.
This story has great pacing with such a compelling FMC, I adored and understood Fia so much. Her story is one of learning self-worth and how to love yourself, I just wanted to hug her so badly.

“I was made of earth and sky and endless waters. I was made to be loved fully, or not at all.”

Every character in this was so enchanting, whether you loved them or hated them. They each contained their own deep story and it was so easy to understand how they had come to be the way they were and would be. And so much more entertaining and stressful to watch them manipulate the world around them to meet their needs and desires.

Lyra’s writing is truly so poetic and beautiful. She made it so easy to fall into this dark, compelling world.

I loved this story so much and hated that I finished it. I cannot wait to buy myself a copy to hold and treasure.

Reasons I picked this book:
✨Swan Princess retelling
✨Celtic Mythology
✨THAT COVER by @vonbrooklyn 😍

Reasons you should pick up this book:
✨Lush atmospheric writing
✨It’s like a Grimm Fairytale retelling(adult tho)
✨Fae/folk curses, tales and rhymes

Prepare for me to never shut up about this book! It’s so so beautiful, I have highlighted so many heart wrenching passages, I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical book, which will come out March 12, 2024!

We have so many familiar fairytales combined but in a way that will keep you flipping the pages. We have:
✨Botanical magic
✨Cursed swan girls
✨A changeling forged into an assassin
✨12 Dancing Princesses
✨A love interest to devastate you
✨A golden prince
✨Ill fated love
✨The story of the black swan
✨Breathtaking descriptions

✨A curse to break, a princess to save, a tale to tell, and a kingdom to save.

Would I reread? So fast
Would I recommend? Yes! This fantasy romance balances high fantasy and sweeping romance in an absolutely stunning way! If you were ever fond of fairytales or retellings you will want to check this out!!

I really enjoyed this book! The main character was a little frustrating at times but I honestly really love her. I loved how she developed her self love. I thought the ending of the book was going to be predictable(and for some part it was) but it still managed to surprised and I can not wait to read the next installment.

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

A Feather so Black is a mystical, beautiful dark fairytale reimagining. The writing is lyrical and poetic--just stunning! I found myself getting lost in the words and not wanting the story to end. I saw swan lake retelling and was instantly fascinated.

Summary: Fia is a rare changeling who was left behind by the wicked Fae when they stole the Queen’s daughter. Despite many people hating her heritage the Queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy and to fight. One day the queen tasks her and Rogan(childhood friend and other princess betrothed) to go to the Fae realm to bring back her daughter and break her swan curse. The Queen also tasks her with a separate mission to seduce the Fae prince in order to retrieve a desired object that wields magic.

Tropes
🌿enemies to lovers
🌿friends to lovers
🌿dare i say star crossed lovers?

Here is what you can expect
✔️ morally gray shadow daddy 🩶🥵
✔️complex characters
✔️love triangle
✔️touch her and die vibes 🔪
✔️Celtic mythology
✔️unique magic-heroine has botanical magic 🌿
✔️story telling/riddles
✔️HFN

Fia grows up wanting to only be loved and has to constantly prove her worth to others due to her fae heritage. She is trained to be an assassin and goes through much abuse by the queen’s right hand. I found her to be an extremely likable and relatable heroine. She’s learning who she is as a woman and discovering herself. While also having to discover the truth because everyone is spinning a different tale. She’s strong, fierce, funny, but also vulnerable and wants to feel true love.

Rogan is her childhood best friend and the prince who is betrothed to the princess. He always showed her kindness and as they grew older they fell in love with each other. But due to political reasons he did not choose her and this broke Fia. Do I dislike Rogan? Yes and no. He’s a product of his environment and has been fed lies distorting his beliefs. During their mission feelings com back and confuses the lines of their friendship. I believe he does love Fia in his own way but not all parts of her.

Irian aka shadow daddy 🤪 is mysterious, dangerous, powerful and full of secrets. Something about a man that tries to kill you upon meeting is kind of hot ..talk about a meet-cute 🤭 I will fall hard for any morally gray character it’s a natural given..I’m hoping in the next book we get more information about him he’s an intriguing character. I loved their moments together he loves Fia fiercely and allows her to be herself.

Spice Level
2.5/5 🌶️
It was much spicier than I thought and I’m in no way complaining.

Overall, I highly recommend if you are a romantasy girlie. The writing will leave you entranced and longing for more. The ending I did not see coming whatsoever I’m still gathering my emotions because it was intense. I loved this so much and desperately need the second book. I will also be buying this in hardcover so I can highlight and annotate.

Thank you to Netgallery and Orbit Books for this Arc!!


Quotes\ Favorite Interactions
“For anyone who has ever doubted if they were the main character in their own story.You are.” Omg I loved this so much!!! This is the dedication♥️

You are a weapon, little witch. You were made to hurt. And men only know how to use weapons-they do not know how to love them.”

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

He was beauty and bane, magnificence and malice,delight and dread.

"The first time I saw your face, I thought you were a hallucination conjured up by the magic I have misused. A creature born of balance, sent to destroy me at last. A punishment for my arrogance. My selfishness. The violence I have caused. And for a moment, I thought—" He paused. His thumb skated along my jawline, and the look in his eyes verged on wonder. "I thought I might not mind oblivion, if you were the one to deliver it."

But if love demands alteration to exist, is it even love at all?"

"And know that you are lovely, colleen. Bewitchingly so. Try not to blame me for wanting to keep that beauty all to myself."

"When you give me your heart, colleen, I want all of it. I want all of you. If you are sharp with broken thorns, let them cut me. If you churn with dark shadows, let them engulf me. And if your love only destroys, let it destroy me. I am already a doomed man."

“I wanted to live. I wanted to love. But more than anything, I wanted to be where I was always meant to be. I wanted to go home.”

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
What a beautiful fantasy read! It follows our main character, Fia, who is a changeling and was trained to be a weapon for her mother, the Queen. She and her childhood friend are sent on a quest: to bring back magic to their land and the true Princess. The characters in this story are complex, with lots of adventure, romance, heartbreak, Fae, creatures, and so much more. I absolutely loved it and cannot recommend it enough!

I had to DNF this around 30%. I just think that this story didn't find me at the right time. I think the premise is really great and it is steeped in lore, but I just couldn't get into the story. It felt like things happened and I didn't really understand the point of it all. I will definitely try to pick it back up again, but I think the slower pace of the story didn't grip me this time.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to my new obsession. In keeping with my love of dark, atmospheric, gothic and somewhat creepy fairy tales, A Feather So Black made perfect sense as my next read. When I saw the cover, I was immediately intrigued (that black, green and gold is SO GORGEOUS) and then when I read the blurb I had really high hopes - a retelling of Swan Lake? Count me in! I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read it with a NetGalley Arc and when I finally started the book, I couldn’t put it down. I was completely transported to Fia’s two worlds - the human world and the land of the Fair Folk. Lyra Selene writes just beautifully. Her descriptions are unparalleled - so clear and real that I was absolutely taken in. Fia was the perfect main character - real, flawed, feeling, brave. My heart ached for her and her lonely life as a changeling among humans and I rooted for her in her simple desire to have a place, to be loved. As she sets out on the quest bestowed upon her by her adoptive mother (the Queen) to save her sister from the Fair Folk we unravel Fia’s relationships with many different people - her childhood friend and her sister’s betrothed, Rogan; the cold and calculating Queen; the man who trained her as an assassin and spy, Cathair; the man imprisoning her sister, Irian; and finally, her adoptive sister Eala. The relationships between Fia and the cast of characters we meet are all so complex and nuanced, I couldn’t wait to see how each of them evolved. If you liked One Dark Window, A Study in Drowning, Nettle & Bone or Spinning Silver, you MUST check out this masterpiece. I expect to see it at the top of the charts next year when it releases. It has skyrocketed to the top of mine.

This book had a very very slow start I don’t know why I had such a hard time with it. I started really getting into it about 25%. And then about 40% I couldn’t put it down.

I really wanted to jump through my kindle and tell Fia “no no no quit, they are using you” so many times. I am so glad she ended up where she was meant to be in the end. I am so in love with him, and those two are absolutely amazing together. But I have to say, Corra is my absolute favorite with the riddles and turn around answers.

I cannot wait for book 2, from that sneak peek in the end I know it’s going to start out with a bang!

I was given an advanced readers copy by #netgalley and Orbit Books in exchange for a Faire review.

This is a lovely Fae combo Swan princess (a Celtic mythology story) romantsy. It feels like a story mixture of Juliet Marillier / Holly Black/ and a touch of Howl’s Moving castle.

Fia is a changleling left in place of the rightful princess who was stolen away. Her and Prince Rogan (who is her best friend and first love) are tasked by the queen to save the princess together.

This is a story of learning how to step out of your toxic environment and see the world with your own eyes. A story about learning to accept yourself and love yourself.

It’s also a deeply romantic love story and I won’t give any spoilers but I loved her relationship growth.

It was very atmospheric, beautiful, and dreamy. I couldn’t put it down.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC of 'A Feather So Black.'

I really loved the magical world Lyra Selene crafted. The story takes you on a journey of self-discovery, connecting with the earth, and exploring different kinds of love—first love, the powerful love, and self-love. The banter with the character Corra adds a delightful touch, bringing humor into the mix. Overall, an enjoyable read!

Very beautifully written story, I loved it very much. The romance was so lovely! I’m glad I requested this even though the title seemed awkward and almost steered me away. I’m glad I gave this a chance, 4 stars!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc copy!! I was so excited to pick it up.

This book had me in its grip from the start. I enjoyed the exploration of her relationship with her mother. I also really enjoy the use of Gaelic, and mythology to create this world, and the fae. I would love to see more like this, and read more from this author.

4.5 stars from me!

Am so happy to see a book focused around Celtic mythology! You can tell the author did a lot of research on the subject. I appreciated the inclusion of the glossary so much.
What I loved:
- Celtic mythology
- CORRA
- the exploration of a complicated and toxic mother/daughter relationship
- Fia’s growth as a character
- The botanical magic

What didn’t work for me:
- the love triangle. It felt unnecessary to me, but maybe that’s just because I wasn’t a fan of one of the love interests at all.
- A little too much spice (personal preference)
- While the writing was beautiful at times. Some of the descriptions and metaphors felt over done and repetitive, which took away from my enjoyment of the writing.

A solid 4 star read!

*Mild spoiler*
I also really liked that parallel’s between Eala and her mother’s hunger for power.

A gripping tale!

This was everything I love about faeries; lush, huge focus on nature, slightly grim…. If you liked Cruel prince but thought it needed more spice and romance, this is for you.

Although the story itself is engaging the main focus is the romance. If like me you you are not a fan of love triangle worry not… it is more like a love timeline. It simply show how we sometimes grow out of certain relationships.

Other than the romance the complicated family dynamic are another important aspect of this story. Not wanting to spoil anything I will just say that I found this book very empowering. Without having experienced any of the situation portrayed I still found the FMC very relatable.

I found the second romance a bit less…deep than the first. It’s a much more open and respectful relationship but the MC don’t know each other as well and it shows. Since this just the first book I’m eager to see where it goes and hope to feel more invested in their relationship once they get more time together!

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up A Feather So Black on March 12, 2024.

I loved this book so much. It captured me from the start, ensnaring me with a compelling FMC, intricate magic, and an incredibly fleshed-out world. Lyra Selene made Fodla and Tir na Nog come to life before my eyes, painting such a visceral setting that I couldn't help getting sucked in.

Fia's character arc throughout the story felt so powerful. I loved watching her learn to love her thorns, accepting herself wholly and coming to understand the importance of self-love. I understood her choices completely, even if some of them had me screaming at her through my phone. She just felt wonderfully real and relatable, despite being a changeling.

Selene's execution of the romance was phenomenal. Watching Fia navigate her complicated past with her former friend-turned-lover-turned-rival was excruciating, and her wary obsession with the enemy Fae warrior was swoon-worthy. I couldn't get enough of both relationships, for different reasons.

This book perfectly balanced the seriousness of a high fantasy story with the steep emotional stakes of a romance. If you're any kind of fantasy romance lover, RUN, don't walk, to pick up this book in March.

Thank you to Orbit, Lyra Selene, and NetGalley for an eARC of A Feather So Black in exchange for my honest review.

This book surprised me. For starters, I did not hate the love triangle, which I am normally very against in books. In this case, the love triangle is almost necessary to the character's growth. Fia is a powerful, strong character who goes on an emotional journey throughout this book. Readers get to join Fia on her journey to love herself and I truly believe that Fia's story will be beneficial to so many others out there. In A Feather So Black, Fia is trying to save the queen's daughter Eala from Tir na nOg, which turns out to be much more difficult than she originally anticipated. Along the way, Fia is forced to face many twists and turns, some expected and others unexpected. As the plot progresses Fia begins to realize not only her worth but just how greatly the environment you were raised in can shape you.

I am keeping this review as vague as possible because I think every fantasy romance reader should go into this book blind, and fall in love with it just like I did. I cannot wait for the next book to come out and will be purchasing my own copy when this book comes out in March so I can reread it time and time again.

NETGALLEY ARC REVIEW: This was definitely more of a 3.5 star read for me but I try and round it up on good reads to help out the books average rating.

Ok so this book was very average for me, but that could be because it leaned more Romantasy whereas I tend to need more work put into the fantasy aspect. The tropes in this book were pretty common and at no point did I find any plot twists I couldn’t guess. One of the tough things for me while I read this were how many one off things that would happen and then seemingly never be explained or fleshed out. That could change in the next book. I didn’t find too much about the characters or the plot very memorable.

THAT BEING SAID - where this author shines is in the descriptive language and research she puts into her world building. My god. This books world was atmospheric and had me actively excited to finish work so I could dive back in and finish it thanks to the interesting settings and magical fae worlds. Once the main characters get where they are headed, the book was infinitely better because I wanted to turn pages just to experience the new location. Definitely brought this book up a full star for me.

I don’t think I’ll be reading the next book in this series as I’m not very invested in the stakes but who knows, maybe this will be one of those ones that I think about long enough after that I’ll find myself reaching for the sequel.