This book had a slower build than I expected, and it took a little while for me to buy in to Matilde, Sayer, and Aesa, but once they really became a sisterhood, I was fully engaged! I really like the world building in this, and a lot of it reminded me of a mix of Six of Crows and Blood and Honey.

"In a dazzling new fantasy world full of whispered secrets and political intrigue, the magic of women is outlawed but four girls with unusual powers have the chance to change it all.

The Nightbirds are Simta's best-kept secret: Girls with a unique and powerful magic they can gift with just a kiss. Some would kill to possess them; the church would kill them outright. But protected by the Great Houses, the Nightbirds are well-guarded treasures.

As this Season's Nightbirds, Matilde, Æsa, and Sayer will spend their nights bestowing their gifts to well-paying clients. Once their season is through, they're each expected to marry a Great House lord and become mothers to the next generation of Nightbirds before their powers fade away. But as they find themselves at the heart of a political scheme that threatens not only their secrets, but their very lives, their future suddenly becomes uncertain.

When they discover that there are other girls like them and that their magic is far more than they were told, they see the Nightbird system for what it is: a gilded cage. Now they must make a choice - to remain kept birds or take control, remaking the city that dared to clip their wings."

Anyone else getting magical Hunger Games vibes? With perhaps a touch of Carnival Row?

Kate J. Armstrong has a way with words, with plot, with characters, with this book!

Prohibition but make it magic, women coming into their power, discovering more about themselves, and learning about each other.

I'm still reeling at the climax/conclusion of this book and just absolutely loved it.

If you love magic, if you love witches, if you love tales of strong women, if you love the flash of the roaring '20s (that's how I imagined this setting), if you love twists and turns, heartbreaks, shocks, and love screaming into the void because of these fantastic characters, then this is the book for you.

A dazzling masterpiece. The writing is exquisite, and the plot captivating with the complex set of characters. I was completely enthralled by them. The pacing kept me eagerly turning pages, and the blend of action, emotion, and thoughtful world-building made it a truly unforgettable read. Highly recommended!

‘Together, they were strong enough to shake the world.’

This is a sharply written, vibrant world full of forbidden magic, delicious 1920s glitter and grit, and badass females.

I loved the whole concept of the Nightbirds and Fyrebirds! The secrecy mixed with prohibition times and a rich backstory of old legends by way of Bridgerton meets Six of Crows wartime was great.

The Nightbirds were all really fun to dig into and I loved going on this journey with these strong females:

Matilde. The Goldfinch. Bright. Fierce. Reckless.

‘She loves being a secret glittering in plain sight.’

Sayer. The Ptarmigan. Badass. Thief. Outcast.

‘After all, she is not a star made for ‘if only’ wishes. She’s the kind of star that burns.’

Aesa. The Nightingale. Beautiful. Timid. Powerful.

‘Sometimes beautiful seems like a dangerous thing to be.’

Standout moments are:

✨ The Nightbirds
✨ Lady Gang Boss Fenlin Brae
✨ Madam Crow
✨ Alchemist Alec
✨ ‘Wave to wave, we ride together.’
✨ Lady Frey is a badass
✨ ‘Welcome to the Underground.’
✨ Heart Tied
✨ Smashing the patriarchy
✨ ‘I have a knife under my dress.’

This is a scrappy story about finding your family in unlikely places, enduring sisterhood, rising up and conquering your fears.

asdfjkasaksljfawksdfjdksdfj that absolutely blew my expectations. (I LOVE WOMEN AND MAGIC AND WOMEN)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Really cool world that I enjoyed diving into. I loved the political intrigue and the magic. YA, which isn’t always my favorite, but didn’t find it too juvenile in tone. Look forward to the next!

I would say this book is like a mix of Shadow and Bone with Revelle. I enjoyed that each of our main girlies had different personalities. I adore the new cover for the book as well. I first read this book in a book club the same month it came out. It was a lot of fun to read with friends, I just struggled with all the POV's. Now I am in a place where I LOVE books with multiple POV. It just took some easing into.