I received a copy through NetGalley for review, thank you so much for letting me read this one early! I am so grateful!

Just NOTE for other readers: I've seen some feedback on this, and I just want to note that many of the characters you'll meet in this world are part of quite old Irish Mythology, that's been around for centuries. If you aren't familiar with many of those old stories you might miss a lot of what's going on in this series. The Smith King is a well known character for me and I was delighted to see him make an appearance here. I am an absolute nerd for this stuff and it's why this series has felt so well researched to me.

We find Fia, about 4 weeks after her sacrifice, reborn as the Tanaiste to the Sept of the Antlers, heir to the treasure of the Heart of the Forest. She is made anew by a sacrifice that was not hers to give.
Irian had expected to die. Fia was supposed to live on as his widow and he never expected to love anyone or anything so much.

To Fia, hardly any time has passed, she remembers her death, but not in the same way Irian remembers losing her, still tied to the Sky-Sword it was as if he has guided the sword through her chest himself. He has an immense amount of guilt and grief, and will do anything to protect Fia from harm and from the short 13 years together that has begun ticking down, a sacrifice still required, now from them both- once again.

Fia and Irian have much to work out in their new relationship, as they both have lived. Both have somehow survived despite each other's plans.
Irian wants so desperately to protect Fia both from herself and her recklessness that now has a whole lot of renewed power behind her. She still flings herself right into everything, but as a changeling and new Tanaiste she still doesn't understand all the rules of the otherworld and its major players.

Eala is still out there, Fia's changeling sister, now has immense power over the control of many of the gates after sacrificing many of her swan sisters to take power. She wants to control everything, both Fodla and Tir na nOg, and over everyone. Rogan is no more than Eala's mindless puppet now, everything that made the Prince is gone.

Drawn into the Gavida, the Smith King's annual games, Irian and Fia must travel to meet Iran's foster father, the one who threw him out. Bringing Wayland, Iran's brother into the picture as a new player.
Everything in Aduantas is not what it seems and the Smith King's secrets and buried deep, all dance to his tune and he's pulling all the strings. Much will be revealed.

There are many players in this game, some new, some very, very old.
There were so many beautiful stories and mythologies woven into this, that little bit of Tam Lin nearly did me in.

I am eager to see what happens to Fia in this next stage, horrified to see that Eala is much more terrifying that I gave her credit for. And for the few new players how they come together or hold their own in the changing powers of Tir na nOg. Poor Irian, he just cannot catch a break.

I love this one so much! Its a different feel from A Feather So Black- this is the aftermath of surviving when you never though you would, and Fia and Irian are truly a mess, but united -they are a mess for everyone else.

I really enjoyed the second book in the Fair Folk trilogy. Beautiful, lyrical writing like in A Feather So Black. The first 40% or so was quite slow moving, but when things picked up I was hooked and sucked right in. It was a strong (although not perfect) sequel--I finished reading it in less than 24 hours. I have high hopes for the third book and can't wait to read that, too!

Read if you enjoy evil twin plotlines in soap operas, have ever wished to converse with your favourite tree, or think that “may your wishes come true” is a curse, not a blessing

Fia and Irian survived Book One, married and in love. Despite this happy ending, Fia is haunted by her new magic, her sister's schemes, and Rogan's enthrallment, while Irian is haunted by losing Fia. Running from their demons leads them to an isle on the edge of the world, where they compete in a tournament for a magical boon against hundreds of others—including each other.

Although the beginning is somewhat slow, I enjoyed this book overall and look forward to reading what comes next. The book beautifully explores what happens after a "happily ever after' and how surviving the story transforms the characters involved and what they need to be happy.

Rating: 4

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing me with an advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of A Crown so Silver.

This was one of my top anticipated romantasy releases of 2025 so I was thrilled when I got a copy early. A Feather so Black was a standout from 2024– a surprise favorite. I really enjoyed A Crown so Silver, but it is definitely a middle book in a trilogy.

We pick up almost exactly where we left off in A Feather so Black. Fia has sacrificed herself at the Heartwood and Irian is bereft without her. Within a chapter, our couple is back together but it is clear the events of that fateful night have changed them for good. Fia is flush with power and behaving recklessly, without regard for how her actions impact those around her. Irian is terrified of losing the woman he loves a second time so he is overly cautious to the point of suffocating Fia and taking away her agency.

Irian leads Fia and their posse of women (Sinead and Chandi from book 1, as well as Laorise, a new addition to the crew) to the magical island where he was raised. There he plans to enter a tournament where the Smith-King of the island will grant one boon. Irian plans to use it to destroy Fia's Treasure. But when they arrive on the island, they find two familiar faces who will give them nothing but trouble.

Let's start with the things I really liked about this book. Lyra Selene did a great job of expanding the setting and the magic system. Those were my favorite parts of A Feather so Black and she continued the work in the sequel. I also loved the addition of the new supporting characters, including Laorise, Sinead, Wayland and Linn, the aughisky. They provided some much-needed levity and color to this very heavy story. The plot moves much faster in this book which some might consider a positive since book one was slow-moving. I don't think that's a positive or negative, just something to note.

Ok, now for the things I found challenging. Fia is truly a young adult in this book. She behaves like her frontal lobe is not fully formed and it's pretty irritating after her competence in the first book. Her reckless behavior, poor judgement and lack of consideration for others can be hard to read at times. I thought she was a more compelling character in the back third of the book, but it takes a while to get to a point where you sympathize with her. Likewise, Irian needs to have a conversation with her instead of bottling up his trauma and forcing his decision making on his wife. Do I sympathize with Irian more than Fia? Sure, but that doesn't make him right.

I am very intrigued by how the book ended and will definitely be pre-ordering the third book in the series. A Crown so Silver leaves us on a cliffhanger with an intriguing set up for the conclusion to the trilogy.

I’m OBSESSED with this series. This book did such a great job of immediately putting me back into the story, and making sure I remembered what happened - without feeling repetitive at all. I *love* Lyra Selene’s writing style so much. I couldn’t put this down, and even though Fia makes choices that I internally scream over; I still love her and the rest of the cast of characters in this story. I can’t wait for book three!!!! Thank you to NetGalley & Lyra Selene for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A Crown So Silver, book 2 of a planned trilogy, picks up directly after the end of A Feather So Black. Our heroine, Fia, has been transformed by magic and her new husband Irian mourns her. Lucky for us readers this transformation is incredibly short and Fia is soon back to participate in spicy activities with Irian until pesky duties and responsibilities coupled with a MacGuffin or two lure this lusty couple into an epic quest.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review. I am giving this book 3⭐️. This book is firmly an it was ok I liked it book, but I didn’t love it and won’t be continuing with this series.
The best I can say for this book is that it works well enough as a story for young women about resisting control. Irian tries to circumvent Fia, he withholds truths from her, manipulates circumstances against her so she separates from him. She is physically put under the control of an evil King and cut off from her magic. The ending involves her being placed under the control of even more magical forces.
The cliffhanger that the book ends with was heavy handed and predictable.
In general there isn’t anything groundbreaking happening in this series and it isn’t one that I would highly recommend. This is firmly in the it’s ok catagory.

In the second book of the Fair Folk trilogy we find Fia awakening and learning her new power. It is the most like herself she has ever felt, but she is easily losing control. She and Irian were hastily married before she died, and now that she is alive, they are navigating a rushed relationship. This finds them traveling to Irian’s adoptive childhood home to compete in the Tournament of Kings, which is a deadly fight seeped in lore put on by Irian’s foster father and King. Can Fia and Irian come back together and win, or will their differences tear them apart?

I will say that I struggled for the first part of the book. The characters felt completely different from the last book without the evolution to get there. Then it got interesting for a while, and then the ending. I know we have to get set up for book three, but I did not enjoy the last two chapters. I look forward to book three and hope it reads more like book one.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC!

The book begins slowly, focusing on the strained relationship between Fía and Irian. Their tension stems largely from their differing views on how to move forward after the events of the previous book. Personally, I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and I found myself frustrated during the first part, especially with Fía, who I thought was being pretty childish.

However, the story picks up momentum midway as the characters enter a new setting, introducing fresh faces, intriguing mysteries, and exciting adventures that totally pulled me into the story. This is also when we start to understand Fía’s actions better, as she works through her issues and experiences significant personal growth.

The ending was a thrill ride, filled with cinematic scenes that I found myself reading over and over. There are several jaw-dropping cliffhangers that I never saw coming, and now I'm dying to know what happens next!

Overall, I’m glad I stuck with it. The book was definitely worth finishing, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of the first.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: January 21, 2025

Thank you NetGalley for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No way, no way, no way. What an ending. What a sequel. Definitely improved on the first book. I was worried about the direction this was taking but like other reviews have pointed out, once you reach about 40% things really kick into high gear. We have new characters, a magical deadly tournament, and Fia's insane sister being super villainous. The King who created the four lost Treasures hosts a tournament every year for the folk to compete to win a magical forgery from the King. Fia wants one of the two lost Treasures to be restored to fight against Eala. Irian wants the King to unmake Fia's Treasure so she would not be forced to tithe her life to an early grave. And Eala, who forces Rogan to compete for her after robbing him of his free will, wants her own Treasure that will help her conquer both the folk and the human lands.

I was worried because Irian and Fia are definitely learning about marriage the hard way lol. There's a lot of secrets and betrayals but I love the journey they go on as we learn more about these characters and why they behave the way they do. Fia struggles with her newfound power and Irian struggles with his overprotectiveness because he lost Fia and doesn't want to lose her again. I must say I'm glad Rogan is essentially silent throughout, sorry! I can't wait for the next one. I loved the new characters, Wayland, Laoise, Balor, and Linn and all the folk creatures.

eARC Review: A Crown So Silver by Lyra Selene 👑

I’m a bit lost for words when it comes to getting my thoughts together for this review. For one, I loved the expansion of this world, the inclusion of more Celtic and Irish mythology into the story, the addition of two new characters, and that treacherous cliffhanger. But the drama between Irian and Fia done mostly (in my honest opinion) by the latter . . . Ooo, that really turned what could have been a binge read into “I-need-to-read-this-in-chunks” read. 😮‍💨

For the positives. I really liked the deeper dive into Selene’s Tír na nÓg and how it incorporates Celtic and Irish mythology. The inclusion of the Fomorians and Fir Bolg from the Mythological Cycle was an interesting take, though I would’ve loved seeing more of them in general. The addition of Laoise (a mysterious redhead who shows up out of nowhere) and Wayland (a tortured prince with dreams of his own) to the gang was great in my opinion, though I wasn’t too keen on the weird love triangle happening again with the latter. I also really enjoyed the deeper look into Irian’s background and childhood as it really expanded his character from a tragic antihero. While the way he goes about his goals in this book wasn’t the best of ideas, I can still see why he did what he did and was more willing to give him some grace than apparently Fia was. 🪶

Now on to my main issue with this book: the main character. I don’t know what it was about Fia in this book, but man did she annoy me to no end. Her recklessness takes on a whole new level in this book and at times, I was on Irian’s side of “girl, hold your freaking horses!” I also really didn’t like the fact that she just casually dismisses Irian’s trauma over the event that includes her but I won’t mention it in case of spoilers. I also was just astounded by her inability to remember that she doesn’t know Folk culture and traditions and yet blindly goes into deals with them without a second thought. Like come on girl, think for once!! 😡

As much as I really disliked Fia in this book, I can see where she is coming from in the end. The ending 25% started really making sense as to why all the characters were making just the worst possible decisions imaginable. This is definitely one of those books where you just have to trust that the author knows what they’re doing even if it is making you incredibly mad with the characters. The cliffhanger at the end really gets you pumped for the third and final book, and I’m even more so interested because of what a piece of work Eala is in this one. 😳

Either way, huge thank you goes out to Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and the Selene for really making me question everything for a hot second there. ❤️

Publication date: January 21!

Overall: If I’m rating solely on Fia’s actions, 3; if I’m rating on the plot itself, 3.75; so with my terrible math skills, it’s averaging around 3.5/5 ⭐️

👑 ARC Buddy Read Review 👑
Thank you Orbit for the gifted eARC

A Crown So Silver
Lyra Selene
Publishing Date: January 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

➡️ Swipe for Synopsis ⬅️

Ahhhhh this is a tough one to review. Let me first say that I LOVED A Feather So Black, and read it recently, so expectations here were pretty darn high. Unfortunately I think this book fell victim to the second book slump and bridge book problems. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as amazing as the first book.

This book was a slow buildup to the main action and then so much happened so fast, and I feel like a lot of things weren’t fully explained or resolved. We are left with a cliffhanger ending, which did leave me wondering what happens next.

The dynamics between our FMC and MMC were so frustrating throughout this book, they honestly acted like children. However, I do appreciate the development their relationship went through. I don’t want to spoil, but the author easily could have taken things a different way and I appreciated that she didn’t.

After loving the first book so much, I am definitely still eager to see where this story goes. Lyra Selene has a beautiful writing style, and I have faith that this book was a necessary bridge to get us from book one to the next chapter in these characters journey.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Love love love! My most anticipated released.I absolutely loved A Crown So Silver.From the very first page, I was swept away into an enchanting world filled with intrigue, complex characters, and a plot that kept me hooked until the very end. The author’s world-building is simply masterful; the descriptions of the settings are vivid and immersive, making it easy to picture every scene in my mind.

The characters are so well-developed, with emotional depth that makes them feel real. I found myself rooting for the protagonist, as they navigated the challenges of power, politics, and personal growth. The romance in the story was equally captivating — it was slow-burn, perfectly paced, and full of tension that kept me turning the pages.

The twists and turns in the plot were unexpected and kept me on the edge of my seat. The pacing was spot-on, with enough action and emotional moments to balance the tension.

Overall, A Crown So Silver is a beautifully written fantasy that I can’t recommend enough. If you love fantasy with strong world-building, compelling characters, and a plot full of twists, this book will not disappoint!

This book and series have so much potential but fail to deliver. I hoped to get an interesting Celtic high fantasy and thought maybe book two would grow up, but no. Still juvenile, like twilight in a costume.

Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
A Crown So Silver is the second book in the series, following A Feather So Black. After Fia's sacrifice, she inherits powerful magic and is determined to stop her sister from waging war on their homeland. Her husband Irian suggests they find safe haven on a far away island, and Fia reluctantly agrees. The Silver Isle is ruled by a king who ensnares them in his Tournament of Kings, a competition in which the winner gets a treasure of their choice. Fia sees this as an opportunity to gain power against Eala, but Irian sees it as an opportunity to grant his wife safety. At odds with one another, Fia realizes she can only rely on herself to see things through.

Like the first book, the second was rife with Celtic folklore, mythic creatures and earth magic. Fia and Irian struggle with their differences and continuous arguments. Fia believes it to be her responsibility to set things right. She defeated death and gained an immense amount of magic, which she intends to put to use. "What is any of it good for, if not this?" Irian does not want to lose her again, but this causes him to become controlling and manipulative. He ends up pushing her away, and losing her in another sense. Overall, there was tons of character development. I had no idea where this story was going at any given time but it worked. Absolutely loved Linn. Thank you to Lyra Selene, NetGalley, and Orbit Books for the advance reader copy!

This book was so good! It is the second book in the feather so black series and I loved it so much! The world was so interesting and I could not put the book down!

I had planned to binge these first 2 books thinking that it would be a lot of fun, and only after deeply disliking the first book did that strike me as a horrible idea BUT here we are.

This book can't decide if it's classic celtic fantasy or a trashy tiktok romantasy, and the back and forth really gives me whiplash. The flowery prose and constant use of gaelic words makes me expect a deep and well thought out fantasy, but the romance between juvenile characters feel too YA and unrealistic to allow me to get lost in the story.

The second book syndrome is heavy in this one, and considering how messy the first book is that did not leave a lot of room for enjoyment for me. I was struggling with the pacing and repetition, and found myself more frustrated than not.

I cannot express how disappointing it was to see YET ANOTHER useless love triangle in this series. I could understand the first one if I really stretched it, but this time I could not get behind it. The characters often feel like they're making the most brain dead decisions possible, and this situation really made me think that the author doesn't have a clear understanding of who these characters are or what she wants them to be doing.

I didn't have high expectations at all, but this book proves that this trilogy is not for me.

A Crown So Silver

Lyra Selene is back with a beautiful second installment of the Fair Folk Trilogy, A Crown So Silver. I absolutely devoured this book, and I’ve waited far too long to share my review. A Crown So Silver pulled me out of a book slump-it was a lovely dive back into all things fair folk, Celtic mythology, and a stunning expansion of the earth-magic filled realm we see in A Feather So Black. And yet, it’s a completely different journey than we experience in book one-new settings, new characters, new deadly challenges, and *new fair folk creatures*-I love it all.

Milld spoilers below if you haven’t read the first book! Please check out my review of A Feather So Black and READ IT before picking up this volume.

A Crown So Silver picks up after Fia’s sacrifice and mysterious release as the heart of the forest. Equipped with a thorny, new magic and the determination to learn its bounds, Fia follows Irian’s lead to the Silver Isle where a Tournament of Kings is behind held by a tyrant blacksmith king. Conflict arises when Eala enters the tournament with Rogan as her champion, and new characters, quarrels, and political tension thickens the stakes.

My girl Fia goes THROUGH IT in the first book, and even more so in the second book. The ending of A Crown So Silver has me in a chokehold. Feelings? Fia has them, and in the plot in A Crown So Silver we see Fia go through every shade of her emotional composition-from unbridled rage (we love to see it) to the most intimate moments of vulnerability. All of the characters go through a fine-tuning of development. After a Crown So Silver, I truly feel like I understand the depth of Irian’s motivations and Fia’s passion.

Also Rogan? *sigh*

My heart has been squeezed one too many times by this book.

Inspired by Celtic lore, I adore all of the cunning (and oftentimes conniving) mythical creatures that Selene brings into her books. I’m 100% invested in Pond Scum’s, Fia’s mischievous steed of sorts, lore and subsequent backstory.

If you love:

- found family, new characters with intriguing side plots
- ROMANCE (ofc)
- ~love triangle~
- deadly tournament
- heist vibes
- touch her and I’m worried for you, bc Fia bites back

You’ll love this book!

I’m so excited for the January release-it’ll be the best beginning to a year full of highly anticipated fantasy releases.

For me, I LOVED A Feather So Black that I was wicked excited to get this e-arc. However I found myself disappointed overall with the story.

I loved Irian in the first book and found him too possessive (though I do get why he was) for me for a lot of the book. I rolled my eyes a lot. I also found myself not caring for Fia in the second book as much I did it in the first. I don’t care for the “I know it all” attitude when you clearly don’t. I can get behind a strong female who respects the people she is surrounded with and what they bring to the table too, and I didn’t find her that way for a lot of the book.

We have a sort of love triangle and some games being played but I wish we had seen Irian in action for that a little more. There were things that easily fell into place that had me asking, why that was allowed, like the whole apple situation. I hope that’s explained more in the third book.

There were things I loved too but mostly I was left feeling disappointed in the sequel. I am hoping for more in the third book. The writing and magic systems though, continue to be my favorite pieces of these stories.

This book was really slow to get into. Slow enough that I had a difficult time paying attention to the details of what was going on. Overall good writing and good plot, it was just slow and kind of meh in comparison to book 1.

Picking up slightly before the end of A Feather So Black, but from another POV, A Crown So Silver hooked me immediately. Like with A Feather So Black the fae world keeps you on your toes and you are still often unsure of who you can trust or what you can believe. I wasn't sure where we would be going in this sequel but it defiantly went places I did not expect and kept me engaged from start to finish. I really like Fia and Irian as well as the side characters and even though their struggles were frustrating at times, they made sense in the context of the story. Lyra dances the line with the love triangles in both books, my normal annoyance with this trope isn't as intense as it normally is since as it becomes clear who Fia loves. I still have so many questions and cannot wait for the next book.