The narration on this was lovely, I just didn't enjoy the book.

There were a few things that held me back from enjoying this book.



The pacing was so slow and the plot wasn’t engaging.

Heavy, I mean VERY heavy, on tried and true tropes. It feels like as many were shoved on each page as possible.

The relationship just didn’t make sense to me. It didn’t feel natural at all. I couldn’t tell you why the characters liked each other at all.

I strongly dislike the female main character and don’t care what happens to her at all.

Thank you Netgally for an ALC of A Feather so Black in exchange of my honest opinion.

A Feather so Black is about the story of this changeling, Fia, that was left in the human realm in exchange of the daughter of the queen. After being raised by the queen as a weapon, she now has to go search for her “sister” and free her of a curse that turns her into a sawn.

I believe this book had so much promise and potential but just felt short on the execution, in my opinion..
Things that I really enjoyed
• The Swan Princess retelling merged with Celtic mythology was absolutely delightful. I feel the world was lush and full of life.
• The writing was beautiful and there were moments that we had really memorable quotes.

Things that I thought it could have done better
• Descriptions of things. Sometimes I could recognize names of mythical creatures but there was not very good descriptions of it.

Things that were not for me.
• The love triangle/rectangle(?). I was actually excited at the begnning because I was in fact believing the childhood friends to benefit situation. However, as the story progressed that became sort of sour with some red flags. Then we have this mysterious/dangerous person and he seemed to have a sort of insta-love for our FMC, but I really did not believe their attraction. Lastly, the last member of this rectangle (not spoiling who it is) - I just hated it.
• The quests. Apparently everyone wants her to do things and complete hard quests but those same people that asks that for her do not seem to trust or even like her and she seemed to sense that but will still put her life in risk anyway. I really thought “why you are you going above and beyond for people that just openly do not like you?” So many times

Anyway, I think the story overall seems very beautiful but the execution did not matched my expectations.

★★★★★ - 𝓐𝓾𝓭𝓲𝓸𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene
Book 1 - The Fair Folk Trilogy
༘Spoiler free ༘
🎙️⭐️5/5 *audiobook rating
📖⭐️ 4.875/5 *book rating
🌟 4.9375/5 *combined rating
🌶️ the perfect level of spice
Young Adult, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy
🎙️ Heather O’Sullivan **5⭐️**
➳ 🧚‍♀️ faeries & changelings
➳ 🔺 love triangle
➳ 🖤 morally grey love interest
➳ 🦢 Swan Lake reimagining x Celtic Mythology
➳ 💘 forbidden love
➳ 🌱 botanical magic
➳ 👩‍👧‍👧 complicated family dynamic
➳ 🔮 prophecies & curses

✨“You won’t kill me.” His smile was feral, his lips curling up from his glittering teeth. “Whyever not?” “Because the thrill is in the joy of the hunt, not the promise of a kill.”✨
Lyra Selene’s immersive fantasy masterpiece, filled with betrayal and passion, captivates readers from the very first page. With its richly developed world, celtic lore and complex characters, this entrancing tale is destined to become a fantasy holy grail.

🎧Narration Review🎧

Whoever did the casting for this audiobook deserves a promotion. Heather O’Sullivan **nailed** this narration. In truth I was nervous going into this book as there are a number of words that are of Irish origin, and not necessarily words skilled narrators are familiar with, but I was gratefully surprised. Not only did the narrator use different voices, intonation and pacing with different characters, but she also assigned different accents to characters based on the character’s origin. She really put her heart and soul into this narration, and brought Lyra Selene’s work to life. Production really excelled here, and this is a prime example of books you absolutely need to pair with the audiobook for a lush and immersive experience.

🦢🥀🌝

Get cosy and prepare yourself for a dark and entrancing read, Heather O’Sullivan is about to be your new favourite narrator and once you start listening to “A Feather So Black” you won’t want to stop.

❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:❦:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧

📚📚📚

A Feather So Black is the swan lake and celtic mythology mashup you never knew you needed. Lyra Selene did some serious research to give us a witty and lovely romantic fantasy dripping with lore. The world building was beautifully executed, creating a tangible yet ethereal realm. Upon finishing this book i found myself instantly yearning for a reread. If you’re the type of person who enjoys tabbing books, A Feather So Black is perfect for you. Lyra Selene’s dreamy prose was paired with a masterfully paced plot that really hit the ground running.
Each individual character was multifaceted and complex, and made it obvious Selene really spent her time cultivating their lives and backstories. We get love triangles, forbidden love, and morally grey love interests. I’ve got to be honest, i’d absolutely devour some chapters and scenes from Irian’s perspective. I loved seeing how all the characters grew and changed throughout this story and the plot twists had me gasping and frantic to read on.
I will be counting down the days until the next book’s release, and reading all of Selene’s other books in the meantime. I’ve seen comparisons to the cruel prince series, and i will say this was a better balance between romance and the political fantasy aspects. It was the perfect blend of rich celtic mythology, swan lake elements and fantasy romance. A Feather So Black is easily one of my most anticipated releases, and favourite fantasy reads for 2024. Make room on your TBR, better yet plan to spend a weekend cosied up with this book. Be sure to save the date for March 12, 2024 for this fantasy holy grail.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

💖
LIKES:
⋆ Lush, rich and well researched lore. Lyra Selene brings Tír Na nÓg to life.
⋆ Top tier banter and wit between love interests. Honestly, was some of the best back and forth i’ve seen between characters in a long time. You will be kicking your feet and giggling at the dialogue.
⋆ I don’t know how many rounds of editing this went thru but somehow every single scene was necessary to the plot. While Selene’s prose is descriptive, every little bit was important and meaningful.

❤️‍🩹
DISLIKES:
⋆ None to note.

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 5/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 5/5

Thank you to the Lyra Selene, Orbit, Hachette and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.

A changeling is tasked with saving her sister who turns into a swan during the day and goes on this quest with her best friend, who is also her sister, the princess betrothed. At first, it’s explained that the Queen loved the changeling and raised her as his own, but as the story develops you can see as the outsider looking in, the manipulations of the Queen and her lackey who is also her lover. This story unfolds in the most beautiful way. The writing, while almost a little too detailed was so good and really allows the reader to immerse themselves into the story. I really felt sorry for her friend and I fell in love with her love interest. Both characters really helped make the story. The journey the main character goes on and the experiences she has really were just so beautiful and I’m so grateful I was able to get an advanced copy and read this book

Swan princess but make it dark and spicy! 

I listened to the audiobook of A Feather So Black and I felt like the narrator and her accent really helped sweep me away into the fairytale of this book. I wanted to pick this up after seeing it marketed as a swan princess retelling.

A Feather So Black is a dark fairy tale retelling in which the FMC is a changeling and has to go to the Fae realm to find her sister, break the curse, and also to find a magical object. She goes on this mission with her childhood friend Rogan and her sister's betrothed. While on this mission she meets Irian who is the dark-hearted fae lord holding her sister captive.

The atmosphere is dark, gothic, and mythological. I loved the author's prose and how she captures the feelings of this dark and relenting world.

The beginning started a little slow for me, but the narrator's voice really kept me interested through that part. After several chapters, I was finally hooked by the story and had to know where it was going to go.

If you like romantasy, folktales, and morally grey characters then I'd recommend this book.

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for sharing this advanced copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I started it over multiple times and still couldn’t follow along. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the narrator, and felt the monotone reading made the story drone on

I enjoyed the story telling aspect of this book, the narrator has a slight Irish lilt which creates a nice mysterious atmosphere. However at times I found it robotic and literal, I wished for a larger range in emotion throughout.

The book had a lot of potential but it was very sluggish. I struggled to connect to the story at first and the whole middle part could have been shortened. There was a lot of telling, not showing. The descriptions of the Fae world and tales started blending together. It made the world slightly dull and not overly engaging.

I liked the faery beastie Cora, along with Fia and her changeling magic, it was compelling. I wanted to connect to her more but it took a long time. I really liked the addition of the morally gray love interest, it was believable and helped Fia’s character growth. I just wish there was more structure to propel the story past its middle. The conflict amplified in the third part, albeit a little anti climactic, it created a more enchanting fantasy.

Straddling the line between YA and NA with a love triangle, I recommend this for fans of slow burn fantasy romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the advance listening copy to review.

Fia, a changeling raised by the Queen as a lethal weapon, finds herself on a mission with Prince Rogan to navigate the dangers of Tír na nÓg and rescue Princess Eala through the elusive thirteenth gate. Amidst the perils, including the formidable Lord Irian, Fia grapples with complex emotions directed at Rogan, Irian, Eala, her mother, and, most importantly, herself. The journey becomes a quest to discover her true identity and determine her path.

“A Feather So Black” by Lyra Selene was one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was absolutely perfect! I loved the lore of the Fae Folk being evilish and cunning instead of the Fae types of characters written in a lot of books lately. If you love Holly Black then this book is perfect. I liked everything about the story line; changeling, characters, relationships, imagery, all of it. Listening to the audio book version did not disappoint. I loved Heather O’Sullivan accent which matched how it would sound like in my head. The way the house sprite sounded like in the book reminds me of Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter which was so cute. I preordered a physical copy immediately after reading it. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would- it’s beyond perfect.

Previous reviews I have written celebrate my adoration for fairytale retellings, especially when they are a retelling of the original version of a fairytale and not the Disney version. No shade to Disney, it's just not my jam and...star wars (shudder) what they did to Star Wars. Oooop, snap back to the present and the book review

I listened to this book as an audiobook and first things first, Heather O’Sullivan was the right choice for this audiobook. Excellent emotes, vocalisations, timbre, pace and character continuity *chef's kiss* brilliant!

Narrating a book is not easy and if the story flows well and the technical construction is on point, then a narrator and a writer can always produce an exceptinal audiobook through the merging of great talents


The story itself is a delight and Lyra Selene has truly written a marmite coup de grace and either you love it or hate it. Either you prefer Disney style retellings or retellings authentinc to the original story. Our heroine Fia is a changeling, who has been adopted by the queen as a secret weapon, a spy. The queens real daughter is cursed, fated to be a swan by day and returning to her real self at nighfall. (This retelling reflects that of The Swan maiden in the Edda or in Grimms Fairy Tales, but others may see themes from the Disney retelling of 1994 and either way is ok as it is all down to interpretation) Lyra Selene has created a retelling that can stand on its own as a strong romantasy novel and not just a retelling

This version is spicy in context, has a morally grey MMC and twists and turns that will captivate and enchant the listener

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette audio, Orbit, the author Lyra Selene and the narrator Heather O'Sullivan for this stunning ALC. My review is left voluntarly and all opinions are my own

Fae, changelings, curses, and more, A Feather so Black promised all these and delivered. Here is what I liked about this book. Lyra Selene describes the world surrounding the story beautifully, it is magical and at times dark. The elements of Celtic mythology are woven throughout the story beautifully.

The story follows Fia, a changeling, who is joined by her childhood best friend to rescue the princess who as stolen by the fae, the princess from whom she was left with the humans. Fia was fairly naive at times and overly trusting; however, she does show some growth across the story. I was a bit frustrated with her at times as well. The story itself is fairly focused on the romance and character interactions, which I enjoy. I will be interested to see where the story travels next, especially after the events at the end of the book.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Heather O'Sullivan. The production and narration were very well done. The characters had enough difference between voices for me to easily follow sections of dialogue. It was easy to immerse myself in the story.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one had a lot of promise when it came to the blurb. I am always intrigued by anything that deals with the fae. Although the audiobook is great, loved the narration, the plot just didn’t live up to my expectations.

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Fia. She is a changeling who replaced a princess and has become a replacement daughter for the queen until her real child returns. She isn’t treated much different by the queen, but the others around her question her motives and see her as a plague pretty much. She is beneath them all. In some ways Fia is strong and doesn’t let others words bother her, but she does feel those snide remarks at times and it makes her vulnerable. It does make her relatable and human.

Her love interests are pretty bland though. One guy she is just pining over basically the whole time. They have history so I get it, but I don’t want to be reminded over and over again. It became repetitive. The other interest is just a mysterious shadow guy who doesn’t have much going for him besides that. A wall would be more interesting than them. I didn’t like either choice.

I wish that the plot had delivered and was more intriguing. Time passes quickly, but there is nothing really going on besides Rogan being broody and Fia trying to complete her task for the queen. It just never grabbed my attention even though I wish it had.

Overall, this one was okay but didn’t work for me.

This fantasy novel was beautifully written. The narrator's accent made it even more so. Fia, a changeling who is fae, but raised in the human world by the high queen, is asked to go on a mission to save her sister Eala. As her journey unfolds with her childhood friend, Rogan, Fia begins to question what is really going on and who she can actually trust. This was a beautiful story, not yet complete. I loved the Earth magic that Fia possesses. It was interesting to see how the characters changed throughout the novel.

Fia spent her whole life searching for true love, till she thought she doesn’t deserve it. Then he came, revealing the untold truth that was hidden by cruel deception.

When the monster isn’t really the villain, & the victim isn’t that innocent.

Amazing world building, very well described characters & great story. All highlighted by the excellent narration.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ALC.

This book was not for me. I got VERY bored, and I felt like the love diamond was too much. I wanted to love it, but it wasn't my cup of tea.