This is another gorgeous tale from Bex Hogan told in her trademark lyrical style. With beautiful language thoughout, I found the storytelling to be completely immersive and almost hypnotic. For readers who enjoyed Nettle, this is a completely different story but one which features Nettle and Ellion as secondary, but important, characters. For those who have not read Nettle, this should not detract from enjoying this story.

Peppered with timeless tales, Hogan weaves a story of both romantic and sisterly love. The realms of the fae remain brutal but I felt more familiar with them this time round and enjoyed the characters moving between different kingdoms. Ilsette's actions were sometimes questionable but always understandable and there were twists in the plot which tied everything up perfectly. I didn't expect the ending but it definitely packed a punch and tugged on the heartstrings.

As a general rule, I am not a fan of faery stories, finding them dark and settling. However, on both occasions Hogan has completely won me over. There is something quite extraordinary about these stories and the storytelling: they are beautiful, classically told and just exquisite to read. Pure escapism!

Listen, I’ll be the first to admit my bias here. I have always loved books with fairies or fairy tale feeling.
But this isn’t the faerie-kind that seems to populate social media’s bookshelves lately.
This book finds its place among RJ Anderson, Malinda Lo, and Melissa Marr’s fae and Wink Poppy Midnight’s shifting fairy tale feeling. It's a longer form of Through the Woods with its own eerie beauty calling back to The Iron Stove and Bluebeard.

So much of this story made me feel like an eavesdropper and I can’t help but think of it as lovely. So when the ground the story moved on suddenly became solid, it took me by surprise how few pages were left.
I know this is a story I will return to and I hope there’s more in this world to come.

Thank you Zephyr for sharing this wonderful ARC with me

I was exceptionally blessed to receive an ARC of Bex Hogan's next book, OWL KING. I am a slightly feral fan of Bex and I made excited squeaky noises and danced about with the book when I got it.

This to say thank you to Zephyr Books, and that when it comes to Bex I'm a teensy bit biased.

But that's because she's earned it and continues to. Owl King is a standalone, set in the same Faery as Nettle and indeed Nettle makes a cameo however this is not a true sequel. It's a tale of a different kingdom and two sisters, Lyla and Ilsette. It's pitched as Swan Lake meets 1001 Nights and the parallels are obvious BUT it's still a uniquely Bex tale, by turns heartwarming and heart wrenching, (still not over Black Heat #JusticeForRayn) and it sweeps you along on Ilsette's adventure as she tries desperately to save her sister from a fatal marriage to the heartless Owl King, whilst Lyla does her best to survive and reach through the shattered heart shards of the king. Ilsette's journey is tense but fun as she journeys to find the one thing that would stop the King draining her sister's life force and watching her interact with Pi and others is gorgeous as we learn about them from the tales Lyla tells the king as they forge a bittersweet relationship that will break your heart.

All in all another triumph from Bex.

OWL KING is another gorgeous faery tale from Bex Hogan.

This is a book about sisters. Yes, there are traces of romance in it, but it is first and foremost about how far sisters will go for one another - even if that is a wildly impossible quest that risks upending the delicate balance between realms.

I really liked the folktales woven throughout. They're all avian in theme, the characters mostly all birds as befits a magical bird faery realm. They fit the overall faery tale theme of this series, little snippets of the folklore that inspired the series.

They reflect the book's theme of the different types of love. Some are good, real forms of love, reciprocated and true - though some end tragically. There's romantic love and platonic and familial. But there are also jealous and fickle loves in this book, selfish loves and deceptive loves.

I loved this focus on the breadth of different types of love (and what we call love even when it might not be.) It felt very appropriate for a faery story, fitting the ethereal, lyrical feel of the series.

This is set in the same series of faery realms as NETTLE and does feature Nettle and Ellion as secondary characters. However, it is a standalone and not a sequel as it follows a new heroine with new adventures of her own. You can read it without reading NETTLE, but I'd definitely recommend reading both!

As well as spending some time in Nettle's realm, we get to travel and see others. There's the Owl King's realm and those Islette crosses between them. I liked the Riverbed King's river and the bargains he demands. It's blood thirsty and fits so well with the darker edge Bex's faeries have.

I hope we get more books in this world!

I haven’t read the first book in this series (Nettle) and didn’t find that to be an issue. There is an obvious crossover with some characters but the story stands well on its own.
Here we have a dark faery kingdom with a cruel ruler summoning his subjects to a ball to find his next bride. Not a role anyone is keen to take on as the brides soon disappear, never to be seen again. The main character, Ilsette, is at a disadvantage being a hated half faery and when her sister is taken as the Owl King’s new bride, she is forced to flee, setting off on a quest through other realms to save her sister.
All the elements of fairy tales are included- danger, challenges and trickery. It did seem a little too easy though to work out where what she was looking for was. I would have liked to see more visiting of different realms. The ending was fitting, not exactly the happy ever after that you may have expected, but worked well with this style of story. It is branded as being like ‘The Cruel Prince’, I was not a fan of that book, but did enjoy this.
I really enjoyed the short, traditional style fairy tales woven within the main story.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a chance to read this book!

As an avid reader of Bex Hogan's work, I enjoyed this middle-grade whimsical book. Set in the world of her previous work, Nettle, we meet two sisters who risk everything for each other. This is a quick read, as the world is already established in Nettle, but from the viewpoint of Ilsette and Lyra. It's enjoyable, and the stories within the book also capture a fairytale feeling. The relationship between the two sisters particularly enamoured me, as I would do the same for my sister.

"I mourned something I might never have, yet was glad to be spared it too." - Simply and beautifully put.

6 stars, I really loved this one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Owl king is a dark and utterly gorgeous fairytale that I read in a single sitting. It is a beautifully told story of two sisters, both relying on their knowledge of stories of the faerie realm, Lyla is counting on telling compelling enough stories to the monstrous Owl King to distract him from killing her and Ilsette who is counting on the stories Lyla told her to help her navigate the treacherous Faerie realms to find the one thing that can save her sister.

I hadn’t read Nettle, an earlier book in this series before starting this (although it is now top of my to buy list) and thought it worked well as a standalone story even though characters from the earlier book make an appearance here.

What I loved in particular:
- the writing, Bex Hogan’s gorgeous descriptions made the faerie locations like the diamond river and the thorn lands come to life.
- Lyla’s stories, I liked that there were little stories that complemented the main plot scattered throughout the story.
- Pi, I liked him in both bird and faerie form.
- this book had the best depiction of wicked and trickster traditional fae that I have read in a really long time.

This book is for anyone who loved the folk of the air or Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of the Faeries.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was so excited when Bex announced another novel set in the Faery Realms; a sort of companion to Nettle. We do definitely get to see and interact with Nettle in this, but it’s also very definitely not a sequel and stands on its own well.

Owl King is a story about sisterly devotion. It’s about stories, quests and taking chances. And its (a little) about love (as all good stores should be).

One of the things I loved about this was that we get to see so much more of the Realms, and see how much difference there is between them all which was fascinating. I loved how we get to see the price of crossing, of being somewhere else.

While the book more frequently follows Ilsette and her quest to find the feather, I found myself intrigued by Lyra and the Owl King, and wishing we had more time with them as it felt a little rushed to progress how it does. I think it’s an element of being Faery and more fickle, and the lovely nature off how they can be affected by things like stories, but that’s not always clear. However that’s not necessarily all a bad thing, as I think it lends the story a subtlety. Plus it’s very much reads as an homage to fairytales and storytelling, and it’s hard not to love that.

This series is rapidly turning into a truly lovely comfort read and I find myself hoping we get more so I can spend more time immersed in it.

4.25 stars.

This was a really sweet story and I liked how reminiscent it was of classic fairytales. The fantasy elements were whimsical and dark - much like in Nettle, the first book in the series. I like the writing style a lot and think it suits the vibe of the story well.

I think I'd have been more connected to the story if the book was a little longer though but would still recommend this one!

This is a good sequel, seemed really short though, but then I realised it's only 272 pages which is very sorry for a book so it only took me 90 minutes to read it.

Tells the story of Ilsette and Lyla, sisters by choice, a swan and a nightingale, bound by loyalty and love. Lyla gets taken by the owl king and forced to marry him, cato banishes ilsette from his kingdom because she is half human, but she changes form and visits lyla in her tower. There the sisters talk about cato is stealing lylas magic for himself and leaving her weak and depleted, ilsette realises the only way to save lyla is to travel to another realm, steal a cherished artifact, not realising that to do so will cause wars between the faery realms.

I liked this, short easy read, gonna sound weird but I know I've read it before, I knew who pi was before he revealed himself and I knew what would happen at the end, can't explain that but I got major dejavu reading this book, I don't know if it's because the story is eerily similar to another book I've read or whether I have in fact read this book before, I can't explain it anyway.

I think it could have been longer, would have loved a few chapters told from Pi's perspectives and have him narrate about his feelings and hopes for the future.

I think it's charming, and whimsical, and suitable for younger readers because there is zero sex in this which is incredibly refreshing, just a sweet slow burn, old fashioned romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus and for the free eARC.

Owl King is a nice short fairy tale read. The world is rich and vivid. Readers follow two sisters Ilsette and Lyla. Once Lyla ends up putting herself in danger by protecting Ilsette, it is up to Ilsette to go on a quest and find a way to save her most important person. Ilsette needs to travel across faery realms to reach her goal and she is ready to do anything for her sister.

I liked the sisterhood aspect and the world. It is a great take on faeries. The prose is also good.

But I have felt that maybe this story was a bit too ambitious for its length. It is short enough, yet there are actually 2 POVs from Ilsette and Lyla. Plus there are stories told within the story and multiple of them. Which at times felt too rushed to be invested. Felt like would be nice to spend more time with characters and get a bit more chemistry between them.

The main conflict resolution has also left me questioning things. It felt that one plot was resolved without much need of another.

Also a small warning about romance. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me it was fitting because of the fairy tale nature of this novel. And love does concur all in some fairy tales.

Good read recommended to those who like fairy tales and faeries.

The Owl King was everything I hoped for and more. Emotionally rich, high stakes, and steeped in enchantment, it was effortless to lose myself in this beautiful world once again.

Although it can be read as a standalone, skipping Nettle would be a disservice.

Bex Hogan has a gift for weaving lush, emotionally resonant fantasy. Her storytelling is both accessible for younger readers and deeply satisfying for older ones. This is a shining example of what YA fantasy can be.

Owl King is a rich and atmospheric return to the darkly enchanting world Bex Hogan created in Nettle. While you technically can read it as a standalone, I’d strongly recommend reading Nettle first to fully appreciate the character arcs and overlapping storylines, and the fact that it adds emotional depth and context.

We’re swept back into the faery realm, but this time, the story shifts focus to sisters Islette and Lyra. When Islette’s dangerous secret threatens to be exposed, Lyra steps in to protect her, only to catch the attention of the mysterious, chilling Owl King. What follows is a tale of sacrifice, sisterhood, and peril as both women navigate different corners of the faery world.

Hogan’s lyrical prose paints each court with vivid distinction, immersing you in a realm that’s both beautiful and brutal. It’s classic fairy tale storytelling with sharp teeth: whimsical, yes, but also layered with danger, cruelty, and emotional complexity.

What I loved:
- The expanded world-building and faery court lore... each realm felt distinct and alive.
- The themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice, especially through Islette’s determination to save her sister.
- The interwoven stories that echo folklore and timeless fantasy.

A few downsides:
- The pacing was uneven in places. Some plot beats dragged, while others felt too rushed and conveniently resolved.
- One of the romances struck me as troubling, bordering on emotionally abusive. While the "people can change" message is there, the execution felt too ambiguous, and the lack of deeper reckoning with it made it hard to swallow.
- Personally, I found the writing style a little challenging at times, as I did with Nettle, and may try the audiobook when it’s available, since the narration brought the previous book to life in a stronger way for me.

Still, Owl King was a beautifully imagined continuation of a magical world I’ve come to love. It reminded me of old-school fairy tales as it was haunting, tender, and occasionally cruel. A solid read for fans of lyrical dark fantasy with roots in myth and fae lore.

Perfect for Holly Black fans!!!!

I loved Nettle for its fantasy elements, including the goblin market and fairy tale atmosphere, and Owl King delivered on these too. It's not necessary to read both books, but I would recommend doing so, starting with Nettle, as they do overlap but I won't spoil it by saying how.

I felt the faery world expanded in this book, which I really enjoyed, as I liked getting to know more characters and realms.

I will say that I still struggled with the writing style, so I am hoping to listen to the audiobook when it comes out because I enjoyed Nettle much more on audio. In both books, I felt some parts dragged and others were rushed and the ending felt way too convenient.

Also, I did find a certain romance quite problematic, seeing it more as domestic abuse, but I understand the thinking behind "people can change" and think this can be true. That said, it's a very fine line and the way it was handled didn't really sit right with me.

Overall, I still liked this story because it reminded me of folklore and other timeless fantasy stories. For that reason, I'd rate it 3.5 stars and I'm happy to have read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with the advanced reader copy.

The Owl King is a visually rich and emotionally ambitious installment in Bex Hogan’s fantasy repertoire, brimming with atmosphere and lyrical prose. The world-building remains one of Hogan’s strengths — moody forests, ancient magic, and a creeping sense of unease make for a compelling setting.

That said, while the premise promises a high-stakes journey, the pacing often drags, especially in the middle chapters. Some characters feel underdeveloped or inconsistent, which made it harder to stay emotionally invested. The central conflict resolves a bit too conveniently, leaving lingering questions that might frustrate some readers.

Still, there’s beauty here — especially for fans of darker fairy tale vibes and introspective protagonists. The Owl King doesn’t quite reach the heights of Hogan’s earlier work, but it’s a decent read for those already invested in her world.

Owl King was a beautiful and lyrical story and I loved every moment. I was hooked from the start and loved the whole fantasy realm

I have been sitting with this beautiful tale for almost a fortnight, trying to find ways to describe it without going into a ton of detail and giving things away!

I read Nettle which I adored, and was very excited to be invited to read Owl King and you know what, I loved it even more.
All the things that I appreciated about Nettle was present in Owl King but it was also more. I am not sure how to explain that except by saying that whatever I hadn’t realised was potentially missing, whatever it was I didn’t feel, from Nettle was in abundance in Owl King.

The Swan and the Nightingale are such beautiful characters. They would do anything for each other, and Ilsette almost seems the villain rather than the hero in the way she would do anything to save her sister from the Owl Kings grasp.

We meet Pi who is a lovely companion during the story, as well as familiar faces and head to both strange and familiar places, along with characters who play important roles in Ilsette's journey.

Bex Hogan’s Faery Realms are true ‘Faery Tales’ complete with lessons to be learnt and Owl King teaches us (the readers) about hope, kindness, selflessness (and selfishness). It teaches us about redemption, about how simply showing kindness – even if it doesn’t seem like it is deserved – can heal, can save, and can altar a life course, granting a freedom that you may not have ever looked for but that you thrive with.

A solid 5 star read worth every minute you will spend in Faery.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Nettle by Bex Hogan and so was delighted to be able to read the sequel, Owl King. We are back in the realm of faery and this time we get to learn more about the different courts within the realm.

Islette has a secret and her older sister, Lyra, has helped her keep both it, and herself, safe. But when everybody is told to attend the Owl King's Court she knows she will be in grave danger. Lyra steps up once more to protect her sister but suffers a terrible fate when she herself gains the attention of the Owl King. Islette is determined to save her sister and sets out on a journey across the faery realm.

The book follows Islette as she struggles to keep her secret hidden on her journey. We are also kept up to date with Lyra as she tries to find a way to survive her situation. Interwoven with the sisters' stories are tales of love, loss and betrayal that have occurred to other faeries.

The whole book comes together as a delightful tale with teeth. The prose is lyrical and each court has a distinct and well written atmosphere. You feel transported to the realm of faery. But it is not all whimsy and light. This is very much a faery tale of old, with cruelty and darkness ready to snatch up the unwary.

A great story to lose yourself in for a while.

I always enjoy reading books set in the world of faery and devoured this in one sitting. The world building is wonderful and the descriptions are so clear and vivid. I loved the characters of Ilsette, Lyra and the Owl King. They were beautifully described, their characters revealing their true thoughts and intentions. I particularly enjoyed the mini stories within the story which certainly tugged on my heart strings.
Highly recommended.

Ilsette’s journey to rescue her sister from the enigmatic Owl King is a captivating tale woven with threads of classic fairytales and lyrical prose. The writing is enchanting—graceful and melodic, like a story passed down through generations. The world feels steeped in magic and mystery, evoking that timeless fairytale atmosphere that’s both comforting and haunting.

The characters carry a quiet depth, each cloaked in a touch of wonder, and it was such a delight to see Nettle make an appearance again. I was completely absorbed. I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Here's hoping this is just the beginning of a longer series, because I’m not ready to leave this world behind.