I loved this swan lake retelling! The narration for this audiobook by Heather O'Sullivan was amazing and enhanced my reading experience immensely. I felt immersed in the fantasy world Selene crafted based on Irish folklore. The author used many popular tropes, but it was so well done I did not feel like I was reading another version of the same formulaic fantasy novel. I cannot wait for the next installment of this series!

*Amazon review pending*

Thank you to Orbit Books, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read an arc in exchange for my honest review.
3.8 stars

Contrary to most people I was enjoying the beginning of the book and getting to know Fia although that not much was going on. By the time the characters go on they quest and things start happening I felt like a lot of it was kind of fillers. I'm not sure if that was the point but I did not like most characters and I honestly tried so hard to like Fia (although that I understood her character, she still annoyed me) but I couldn't most of the time. Rogan was a very weird Character, the way I read it, it felt like the author was trying to save his relationship with Fia and at some point she changed her mind. I did understood his reasons to leave and I honestly for like the first 50% of the book I thought it was building up to a second chance relationship but it took another path. I honestly don't know how I feel about Irian, maybe is just me because I have read many characters with an alike personality and I'm just picky now. However, I did like how supportive he was of Fia and how in general he was better for her.

I loved the world building, the Celtic lore influences and the dark take on the Swan Princess story. I enjoyed very much the twist with the black swan and the ending. Although I didn't like Fia I was happy to see how she chose herself when it mattered.

I'm curious to see what will happen next.

As soon as I started this book, I knew it was going to be divisive, if I had picked it up another time in a different mood, I’m fairly certain I would have gone the other way, but as it is, I picked it up at exactly the right time & right mood, so I LOVED it!

I don’t even know where to start with this review, I feel like I can’t do it justice. Look, I know purple prose isn’t for everyone, I have liked some books with it but disliked many more because of it, this one though, blew me away! It was just so beautifully written, every word & metaphor felt thought out & carefully placed, it was overtly flowery (figuratively & metaphorically) which I loved. The vibes were also impeccable, it read in my head like a pre-Raphaelite painting, if that makes sense? Or a hazy flashback in a film, almost fever like in quality. I loved it either way!

The pacing was fairly slow, especially in the first half at least, but I enjoyed the build up & world building that gave. It’s definitely a slower paced book, however I think it pays off very well by the end. The slow reveals leading up to the ending were executed well & left me wanting more! Although it’s a loose Swan Lake retelling, it goes off nicely in its own direction but still incorporates the story we know & love seamlessly. One of my favourite things about this book was how tricksy & brutal the fae are! I love it when they’re still feral, rather than just humans with magic, so this was good to see!

I really liked Fia, she felt real & well thought out, her journey throughout the book was very plausible & I wanted her to succeed. Her flaws made her a more substantial character to me, I’m sure a lot of people won’t agree with some of her actions but that’s what made her believable, I definitely would have made those choices in her position, no one is perfect! Rogan I mostly just wanted to slap tbh, but I guess we need one of those in every book…? Irian I took a while to warm up to (again, planned), but by the end I was rooting for him! Special shout out to Corra for being an absolute delight!

I would definitely recommend the audiobook, Heather O’Sullivan does an incredible job! Her accent suits the material so well & her pronunciations were so helpful for when I flipped between the 2 formats especially. Her voice added a beautiful dreamlike quality to the book, I would definitely listen to more books narrated by her. I really appreciated that the publishers chose an Irish native to read this book too.

Thank you to Orbit UK (e-arc)/Orbit US (audio arc) and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

To begin with, the narrator, Heather O'Sullivan, I found to be amazing. Their natural style and accent really helps in setting the scene and plunging you into the depths of Irish folklore. Honestly, I cannot fault a single thing about the narrator, and fully appreciate their work.

As for the book... maybe it was because in a new format that I was not overly fond of, but I found myself struggling with this book, occasionally struggling to follow, and honestly, it felt incredibly long. I did consider DNF'ing this one, just because it was so long and I didn't feel invested in it at all.

That's not me saying that was a fault of the author, though. Selene's words were poetic and raw, and I loved that. I loved the natural imagery, the depth of folklore, it was so beautifully done.

The characters, for me personally, felt a bit flat. I didn't feel invested in their fates or the love that was shared. There were a few spicy scenes, which is fine, but it felt like those were the climax of the book (pun very mildly intended) rather than the adventure. My preference is fantasy first, romance as a sub-plot. This felt more romance first, fantasy sub, which again, is fine, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Overall, it's not a bad book. Just be ready for a very long read and a thriving romance.

A Feather So Black is the first novel in Lyra Selene’s Fair Folk series of Celtic romantic fantasy. I loved the magic, mystery, romance, and intrigue. Our changeling heroine Fia was easy to root for, and I found the other characters interesting, though I wasn’t sure if any of them could be trusted. The story kept me guessing right up to the end, which was not at all what I expected (and that’s a good thing).

Readers seeking constant action may be disappointed, but I found the story easily held my attention, and I want to know what happens next for all of these characters. I recommend this book for fans of romantic fantasy, Celtic mythology, and political intrigue.

The audiobook production was excellent, and I loved the narration by Heather O’Sullivan. She’s a joy to listen to, with a delightful accent and distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

ENCHANTING!

“But if Love demands alternation to exist, is it even love at all?”

•Swan Lake retelling
•Irish folklore
•Enemies to lovers
•FMC w/ botanical magic
•Wild wicked MMC
•Enchanted Forest
•Compelling villains
•Slow burn romance
•Love square?
•Magical creatures
•Betrayal

I took my time with this book and LOVED every second of it. I listened to the audiobook with my ears while reading the ebook with my eyes simultaneously, and I think it’s the best form of consumption. Trust me. This was filled with words I didn’t know existed.. did I know half of them? Absolutely not. Loved learning though. 😄 hopefully the glossary is in the front of the book when printed. (Not in the back please)

The author’s lyrically poetic prose had me enthralled. The world was so enchanting I never wanted to put this book down. Like Irían, I was “savoring” it.. 😏 all the magical creatures, mythology and Irish folklore woven throughout.. masterpiece.

“Liberate yourself from ideas of heroes and villains, good and evil, right and wrong. Here, we are all villains.”

The characters.. I fell in love with our kickass FMC with nature magic. 🥹 she was everything I wanted. Yes she could be silly and imperfect, but it just made me love her more. Her character arc is just.. perfection.

“She fell in love with the forest. She fell in love with the night. But she never-ever--thought to fall in love with herself."

Irian… ❤️‍🔥 wild, wicked, and dangerous. Just how I like em. Beastly beauty.

Corra! Corra had me ROLLING. I have oh so many highlights. Please read for Corra.

“Corra preformed a saucy little dance.”

The ending?! Gah. I need book two like now.

Also this was her debut? I’m sorry.. debut? Insanity. This is one of my top reads of 2024. All the stars. I want to start over and read it again.

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

Absolutely loved the audiobook narration. Definitely recommend.

As a changeling, Fia has grown up in the human realm despised for her fae blood. Left to the High Queen in place of the Princess Eala, Fia has been raised as the queen’s fosterling and trained as a spy.

When a hidden gate to the fae realm of Tír na nÓg is discovered, Fia is sent with her childhood friend, Prince Rogan, who is also Eala’s betrothed, to rescue Eala and retrieve a fae treasure that will bring magic back to the human realm. However, nothing is quite as it seems.

With nods to Celtic mythology and Swan Lake, this dark Romantasy is a touch long and tends to drag. The events that drive this story fall on the nights of full moons and span over the course of a year. So there is quite a bit of down time. However, the intrigue and beautiful imagery of this dark world push the story along. I also enjoyed seeing Fia grow and come to realizations about her life and her world.

Listening to the audiobook enriches the experience and helps depict each character distinctly. I can still hear Eala’s refined and teasing voice quite clearly. The voice actresses tones defined the differences in each character and there was good distinction between all the female characters.

Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this unique read.

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene was a surprise hit for me that I fell in love with immediately. I listened to the audiobook with the amazing Irish accent of Heather O’Sullivan who brought the story to life. This was such a beautifully written dark fairytale with amazing lyrical prose and so many touching lines that will live in my heart. I adored Fia's character arc and how so often she had to make decisions that altered her perception of both her human home and the fae lands. Her development and learning to love herself was a refreshing aspect of the book. Irian was an amazing MMC who I fell for right away with the easy banter and slow building tension. The mythology and folklore was absolutely captivating and I loved how everything was slowly revealed and was easy to follow. My favorite side character was Corra, with her witty humor and sarcasm, really stole some scenes for me. I was lucky that I listened to the book so I didn't have to worry about properly pronouncing anything but there is a glossary in the back. I am trying to be as spoiler free as possible here but the ending was devastating in more ways than one. I normally clean or do something to keep my hands busy while listening to books but I had to sit down to listen to the last few chapters with my mouth agape not being able to move. The plot twists at the end were jaw droppingly good and I cannot stop thinking about this fabulous world.

🦢 Fantasy romance
🦢 Swan princess reimagining
🦢 Love square (??)
🦢 Enemies to lovers
🦢 Friends to lovers
🦢 Morally grey MMC
🦢 Stabby FMC
🦢 Everyone is a villain
🦢 Unique magic
🦢 Lots of angst

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I will go on record as saying this is the type of book I usually stay far away from. I am not a romance novel person (much less a hetero romance novel person) and have made it a point to avoid romantasy because it just strikes me as needlessly spicy romance with some fairies thrown in for the hell of it. So off the bat, this book had a LOT to overcome when it came to my usual interests. BUT IT DID THAT! I thought I would tire of the book quickly, with it being one of my least favorite genres, but Selene did such an EXCELLENT job with her worldbuilding that I was hooked.

The idea of a changeling going to rescue the human they had replaced was such an intriguing idea to base a story on, and I really enjoyed the execution. I also loved Fia as a character. Her fleshed-out backstory <spoiler> (hello, family trauma!) </spoiler> and motives made me cheer her on. I also really enjoyed how magic functioned in this story, especially when it came to Fia's magic.

The inclusion of retelling elements from such stories as "The Swan Maiden" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" made this story all the more enjoyable because of these familiar (yet delightfully new) elements.

Some reviews mention that the book is a "smut without plot" story, and I did not find this to be the case, as the plot and the suspense were very well done! I think the suspense around Irian's plot line and the mysteries around his character/motive were especially interesting to read about. (Do rest assured if you like spice, there is certainly some of that as well, though for readers like myself who are generally not fans of those types of scenes, it's really not too unbearable.)

My only complaint about the book would be Rogan's character. He really sucked as far as love interests go, and for the life of me, I had no idea what Fia saw in him in the first place. I think the author intended his prince background combined with a lack of common sense to be endearing, but I found it super annoying. He just didn't have enough of a personality/motive to be interesting in the slightest. <spoiler> Hence, I was quite happy when the love triangle stopped love triangling and Fia made her choice to be with Irian. </spoiler> Despite this, I will definitely check out the next book in this series because I sincerely did enjoy this one!

I don't think this book was strong enough to push me into the romantasy girlies' world (I still will never read ACOTAR), but I think it's made it more likely for me to pick up a book in this genre if the premise seems interesting enough, and that's some high praise.

Publication Date: 12 March 2024

I rated this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Fia is a changeling that grew up in the castle of a human queen. Always feeling apart, she was sharpened into a blade for that human kingdom. She's sent on a quest with her best friend and first love to save his betrothed and the human world.

Overall the story was good. I however grew extremely tired of Rogan. I could have done with him not in the story at all or just as her best friend. The pace was off for me. The beginning was strong and the ending was strong! The middle was a lot of wasted time for me especially when the story focused on her and Rogan. The world building was also a little off for me which added to the pacing issues. The glossary at the end of the audiobook should have been at the beginning.

I really enjoyed the magical and mystical vibes, the Eala storyline and the love story between Fia and Irian!

The book was a 3 until the ending which bumped it up to a 3.5. A female choosing herself over the stupid boys will always excite me. She got her happy ending with Irian because she deserved it after choosing herself.

I listened to the audiobook free from Netgalley for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook! Her voice added to magical and mystical vibes of the book. She was perfect.

I really enjoyed this twist on a magic system! The twist of her “sister” becoming the villain was really beautifully done as was the swan imagery.
The narration was very well done and I didn’t hear any issues!

There was a lot to enjoy about this book: the otherworldly fae world, the complicated relationship between the MC and her mother, and the childhood friends to lovers subplot were all very well done. I liked the fact that the MC and that original love interest had a very real reason preventing them from being together, and the tension that added to their quest. The audiobook narration by Heather O’Sullivan was great, and added so much to the novel's atmosphere.

This was such a fun and different romantasy!

A Feather So Black is a fantasy romance that is so deeply steeped in Celtic lore & mythology, which is something I am not terrible familiar with but absolutely loved the inclusion of. This world felt enchanting in a sinister way, with all manner of strange creatures and dangerous encounters. It also explores themes of self-love and unlearning internalized beliefs that come from parental abuse and mistreatment. I loved Fia's journey related to this, and how she notices all of the ways she's been manipulated and mistreated gradually and realistically, but also so powerfully. This felt very central to the story overall, and I loved how it developed and later came to. a head within the plot.

There is a very explicit love triangle in this story, which I know some people don't enjoy, but I found that it worked very well and entangled with Fia's own internal transformation nicely. The only thing I didn't enjoy about it was not having been sold on Rogan at all, which made it a bit harder to get invested in this aspect of the story even if it worked from a technical standpoint. I much preferred Fia's later interest, and am happy with where things went for the two of them, especially as their conflict and how it "resolves" by the end truly surprised me!

I really enjoyed the adventure and action, as well as the plentiful use of storytelling and very seamless world building. The ending had me a bit emotional, although I wish it had been better explained how this outcome came to be from a magic perspective. The only other gripe I will share about this story Is that it felt like actual plot movement was slow going and rather formulaic. I did enjoy Fia's visits to the faerie realm, but it also felt a bit repetitive at times as she normally visits once a month, learns a story, and then returns to her normal routine. These stories to matter to the plot later, but the pacing of it felt strange,

Nonetheless, I did really enjoy this story. I would recommend it to those who enjoy a more classic, sinister fae story but especially those who love lots of lore and Celtic mythology. I also would recommend this to those who enjoy a good self-love and discovery story, as well as a healthy dose of suspicion and betrayal. Thank you to Hachette Audio, Orbit and NetGallet for this audio arc!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! What an incredible story and an immaculate audiobook pairing to go with it. I truly adored this from start to finish. It captured me from the first chapter and never let go.

2.25/5
Major props to Heather O’Sullivan because her lovely Irish accent is probably the only reason I finished the book. I had hopes at the beginning because there was some good, descriptive writing and I felt like the vibes were promising, but it quickly devolved into a lot of the tropes that, as much as I want to, make it hard for me to love romantasy.

Forests. Creatures. Magic. Curses. Love…squares? This book has it all, but in a sweeping, poetic voice that pulls you into their worlds. It allows the reader to be drawn to the magic of nature. The main character is both strong, yet introspective that I found very intriguing and endearing. The love interests were unique, but neither wholly terrible which created extra tension. I ended the book absolutely wanting book 2 and already planning a re-read!

I had the pleasure of both ebook and audiobook for this experience. The audiobook is read by Heather O’Sullivan whose voice added so much atmosphere to this Celtic inspired tale! I could listen to her read anything for hours!

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Orbit Books, and author Lyra Selene for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Orbit Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

This dark fairytale was enchanting with a folklore element that includes Fair Folk, humans and magic. There is a nice balance to the story setting; the magic was present but does not overshadow the story and characters. Fia is the center of this tale, she is a kindhearted changeling who is blind to the faults of those around her. Her rescue mission between magical realms will open her eyes to the true nature of those she trust and love. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good retelling, folklores and fairytales.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio, Orbit for this Audio ARC!

Our FMC is a changeling with a green mark/connection to the forest is swapped for the princess who is taken off to the faerie lands and put under a curse. She is raised by the queen as her own child and is then sent off to save the 'sister' along with the prince who is betrothed to the princess, but has also had a relationship with our FMC.

Everything about this story captured me from the beginning, from the Celtic mythology, fairytale/black swan, and of course the quintessential romantasy plot/love story.

This book is not spicy but it really is a romantasy at heart, if you are looking for a super deep fantasy this may not be for you, but for what it is it still does a really good job with the world and character depths other than just focusing solely on the romance. I think if you approach this with the right expectations you will love it. I will definitely be continuing on with this series.

I listened to the audiobook I received from NetGalley, and I have to say that the narrator made the experience 1000 times better. The book is already really good and captivating, but the immersion that was reached with the audiobook was unmatched!
The story was very interesting and spun out very well, I particularly enjoyed the descriptions with the peculiarities of every character being translated in the language of nature. It helped with making the story more real.
4.5 rounded to 5 because I can’t wait to read the next

I very much love this story! Lyra Selene makes her original story "A Feather So Black" feel as if it is an old fairytale or retelling of a myth, FMC Fia is a changeling, with no memories of her life before 8 years of age, when she - a changeling- was left in place of the Crown Princess. Now years later, her mother, the Queen, has sent her to retrieve her "sister" with the boy she grew up with and loved, and secretly to retrieve a weapon so mighty it will win wars, from the Fair Folk. Rogan, her partner in the mission, is a Prince betrothed to the Princess. Both have spent years training, Fia particularly, to be a wielded as a weapon. The Queen has worked throughout the years to ensure Fia's loyalty to her, and her alone. But this mission allows Fia to see more of the world and to be on her own for the first time in memory.

While they discover the gates to the realm of the Fair Folk, they find so much more than the Princess. As time passes, webs become further entangled, and both Fia and the reader, won't know who or what to trust. The Princess seems skilled at playing games and manipulation, and flat out states she wants power. Meanwhile Fia has been brought up to distrust all Fair Folk yet meets and develops a trust/distrust relationship with Irian, the Fair Folk who has bound the princesses to his realm. While a month passes between each meeting, as Fia and Rogan cannot access the gate accept once a moon without trapping themselves, the progression of their mission is slow-going, and allows the time for distrust/trust, love/hate, and more to fester.

"A Feather So Black" is steeped in Earth magic, Celtic mythology, and Fair Folk. There are multiple love interests and the book is TBD as a romantasy, since it is a trilogy and the book ends on a cliff hanger. Fia is a relatable young woman, displaying a strong and fierce personality while inwardly just wanting to feel truly loved and accepted for who she is as a person, as a changeling.

I listed to the audio ARC narrated by Heather O'Sullivan, an Irish actor. The narration was PERFECT for this book, and while I cannot wait to reread this in hardback, I hope for the opportunity to review the audio ARCS will remain in the future and that Orbit continues the series with Heather O'Sullivan. Thank you to Lyra Selene, Orbit, and Net Galley for providing the ARC for an honest review.