This book was not my cup of tea. I liked the premise but not the execution. There were so many characters with enough overlap that it was hard to keep them straight. The kissing device also made it hard to untangle legitimate relationships vs magic transfers.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a hard book to get into, because of all thr constant pov shifts within the start of thr book. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read with lots of suspense and a great opening to thr sequel.

I’ve had this book on my TBR shelf for now almost a year, and I finally got around to reading it. I was really curious about the story and the world found in Nightbirds, but I just never got around to reading it because, I was always telling myself I should get my hands on the sequel, so if I love it, I can read it right after.

Now, that I’ve read it, I do have to say I enjoyed it. It was an interesting world, with interesting characters and an interesting kind of magic. I ended up half listening to the audio book, half reading it, so I could get through it within a day without having to stop. And I’m glad I got to read it all in one day. I do have to say, I did find some of the characters were easy to mix up (I always struggle with following multiple characters at the same time, so that’s a me issue), so I did find that some characters were a lot more interesting for me to follow (I actually really liked Mathilde, so she was the one I was the most interested in.)

Overall, it was a good read. I will have to check out the sequel Fyrebirds to find out what will happen next, so hopefully my Library will add the e-book soonish. I’m also curious to see what else Kate J. Armstrong might write (as I couldn’t see anything else announced so far.

I hate to give this a 2 because it's not like it wasn't written well, I just really could not get into it. I think a big part of it was because there was always SO much going on and there were SO many characters to keep track of that it made my mind wander rather than staying focused and enjoying the story. There were so many words that I wasn't familiar with, I'm not sure if they're common words in fantasy novels because I only recently started reading them but it really kept breaking my concentration having to stop and try and figure out what they were talking about that at one point, I just gave up. All of the characters were written like they were pre-established and that we were supposed to know who they were like this was a sequel but as far as I know, it's the first in the series. I also felt nothing for the characters and nothing that happened was thrilling or exciting and I didn't really feel any sense of danger for the characters. It didn't start picking up until 65% of the way in and even then I was fighting staying focused. Again, it was written well, just really boring so I can't say I'd recommend this one.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! On the surface, it has a lot of the expected features of this type of YA story: girls with special powers, an oppressive male-dominated church, some swoony boys in different flavors, a brewing rebellion. But what makes Nightbirds stand out is that it actually does these tropes and themes well. The three main girls are all unique and interesting and they each have their own story arc as well as an arc together. I was annoyed with Æsa more than Mathilde with Sayer—she was wishy washy and morally fretting even when it became clear (to me at least) what the right side of history was.

My common complaint with fantasy ensemble casts is that characters are frequently separated and then barely interact with each other, but that is not the case here—the girls’ different stories, backgrounds, and personalities get time to play off of one other. The side characters also all have their own thing going on, and different people have their own relationships with our main girls. I liked that my opinions on several characters changed and shifted multiple times over the course of the book, especially because the main girls were going through the same confusion.

The world building was compelling enough, although I’m more interested in the hints we get of farther flung locations outside of the one city we spend this book in. The power plays of the different political factions and influences was really well done for YA and I appreciate that there was a real variety of opinions—clear right and wrong, but also nuances for the characters to develop in. The book gives you a lot of space to side with one character, then switch your allegiance as you get more information, just as the characters do.

I recommend this book for a fresh take on a classic YA premise with tons of room to grow!

What a great book I was hooked from the very beginning and I finished this in one day. I’m very intrigued to see what else this author will come out with, and I will definitely be reading. Whatever else will be published.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook.

I am not sure how I feel about this book. I don’t know if maybe I’m not a fan of fantasy. There’s nothing wrong with this book at all. The writing is beautiful. The story is beautiful. I just don’t think I like fantasy.

I really enjoyed this story. I really felt like I was in their world. Definitely want to read more of this story.

what a good debut novel. I really loved the premise of this book and enjoyed that everything is so detailed and descriptive. ALSO, we finally see all strong and badass FMCs in a book - loved that.

I enjoyed this. I flew through it. “Nightbirds” offers a richly imagined world and a fresh take on magic, appealing to readers interested in feminist themes and intricate fantasy settings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

Have you ever read a book and just really wanted to step into the world and live in it? This was that book for me! Everything is so detailed and descriptive, I could truly feel how much love and dedication the author put into creating this world. Also, all strong and badass FMCs? Heck yes! It was exciting to pick up a YA book that started out so strong, I have high hopes for any remaining books in the series!

Really impressed with this debut novel. What a great start to what has potential to be a great series. I love all the strong female leads and I can’t wait for the next one to come out and hopefully get some more answers and see relationships develop further.

Intriguing and enchanting, this historical fantasy has complex and compelling characters and relationships, political intrigue and a fascinating magic system with sooooo much potential! If you love reads set in The Prohibition era, the vibes in this were spot on. The pace drags a little in the middle, but overall this is a solid and satisfying read.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books ,Netgalley and the author for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Im giving this book 4 ⭐

Nightbirds is a magical, atmospheric fantasy with a fresh take on power and secrecy. Set in a world where girls can gift their magic with a kiss, it follows a group of rebellious young women fighting to reclaim their freedom. The writing is lush, the world-building is rich, and the characters are fierce and unforgettable. If you love feminist fantasy with intrigue, romance, and a touch of rebellion, this one’s a must-read!

Beautiful book cover! Unfortunately, I don't think I was the target audience for this particular book. I should have looked further into the tropes to make sure I was the intended audience, which I sadly wasn't, but I feel like this will find its perfect reader.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I couldn't. There were too many characters and a lot going on. Maybe I'm not a YA fan, but this just didn't do it for me.

I was immediately drawn into this world. The middle dragged a bit for me, but by the end I knew I’d read the next book of the series to see where it goes. Good world building and characters. Very atmospheric.

I was very impressed with this book so I need to say thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book, the characters were great and the story was very well built, a bit more slow than I expected but still, I don't have a reference to compare but I do have to say that I liked the idea and the magic aspect of powerful women.
The nightbirds is a book I won't forget that easy and I can't wait for what's coming because I did stay with some questions that need an answer