I loved the premise of this book but was frustrated by the info dumps and backstory slowing down the action at the beginning. Hoping to finish reading the second half soon because who doesn't want to fly with griffins? *raises both hands* "Pick me!"

I initially had a problem with the pacing, the plethora of details, and Sev's story line in this book. I found myself wanting to skip through the pages to get back to Veronyka or Tristan's story, but just hang in there because this book definitely gets better.

This author does an excellent job of world building and drawing the reader into whatever scene is taking place in the story. As the story progressed I became vested in character's lives that I really didn't care much about in the beginning of the book and when all of the details fell into place, this book really ramps up. Crown of Feathers is filled with action, complicated relationships, likable characters, and a twist at the end that you will never see coming.

4.25 stars

Oh man this book!! *insert heart-eyes emojiiii* It’s soooo good!! I’ve already been on the lookout for other books with the “Mulan” trope because I love ittt!

Before we get started, I want to thank NetGalley, Simon Pulse of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Nicki Pau Preto for blessing me with this arc! I’m kind of late with this review, but I hope I can still help give it the attention it deserves!

Alright, I’m going to skip the summary, if that’s ok, and get to the good stuff.

First of all, the characters were all so interesting and complex! I felt like I learned strength particularly from Veronyka’s journey, which felt truly genuine. It was also amazing to see her experience love in ways she didn’t know existed because of her sister.

And TRISTAN *once again, I call upon the heart eyes emoji!* he’s such a sweetie; you don’t want to miss him!

Basically the character development all around, even the development of characters I didn’t mention, was just so GOOD.

Next up, the plot was just incredible, and I adore the individuality of the novel, whether it was because of the phoenixes, or their relationships with humans, or the plot itself, I don’t even know. It never ceases to amaze me, whenever I wonder if there’s anything else we could come up with to write about, some genius writer renews something like phoenixes! Just so awesome!

And then, of course, there’s the moment where Mulan’s identity is revealed to Li Shang and she’s in trouble! Oh, the drama (that I eat up, of course). LOVE IT!

Well, I’ll do you guys a favor and stop gushing, but I will say this: you guys need to read this! It’s unique, it’s addicting, and it’s immersive! I don’t really have anything to pick at either! Yay haha.

Au revoir!




Oh, and if you enjoyed this review and want to experience even more of my craziness, be sure to follow me here on Goodreads! I also have a bookstagram under @ashton_reads if you’d like to follow that as well. Thanks guys!

Any time someone asks "What is your favorite mythological creature," my answer was easy, dragons.
But I had no idea what I was missing. Phoenixes. Are. Amazing. And I would like to be a Phoenix rider now, please!
YA Fantasy is easily one of my favorite genres and this book just emphasized that point. It was fantastic from start to finish. I felt so immersed in the world and am anxiously awaiting book 2!

Thank you SO MUCH to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!

I received this e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

After finishing this book I had no words for it. I knew immediately after reading that there were 1. Phoenix riders and 2. A girl having to disguise herself as a boy, I would love it. And. That. Cover. It is absolutely beautiful! This book was so well written. For Nicki's debut, I was insanely impressed. I've already put this in my top 5 favorite books I read this year so far. I was so impressed with the world, and history behind this amazing world, and the characters. Nicki has a way of writing characters that you will fall in love with and won't be able to stop thinking about. She also is an amazing world builder! I loved this world she created.

So we have 3 POVs and letters to tell us about the past. There is Veronyka, Sev, and Tristan. Veronyka is an orphan along with her older sister Val. Veronyka and Val are very different in their thinking, and how they see the world. This ultimately makes Veronyka want to leave her sister to find the Phoenix riders on her own. Not only does she have to travel alone to find them, but once she does she can't be herself. She has to disguise herself as a boy. Sev is hiding a secret and also pretending to be something he is not. When he gets himself mixed up with a few slaves who know the truth about him he finally starts seeing who is really should be. Our last POV, Tristan, is in the Phoenix rider camp training to become a Phoenix rider. His father is the commander over the camp and tends to be a tad harder on his son than anyone else. I really enjoyed each POV. Sev was my least favorite in the beginning but after a wise almost halfway in, I really appreciated his parts. 

I really loved how we also go to know more of the history with the letters between the sisters. And I really enjoyed learning all the history of this world. Nicki seriously did an amazing job. I loved how she wrote about the Phoenixes and the special bonds they have with their human. I thought that was pretty awesome. And I really loved that all of these characters were strong in their own ways. At first glance, you don't see it, but their development was on point.

I read about half of the book since I got the arc, but I ended up finishing the audiobook. I recommend buying the book of course, but the narrators did such a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. I'm really glad that I got a chance to listen to it. I am so excited to get my hands on the second book!!!

Great beginning to a new fantasy series!
Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss and Simon Pulse for the opportunity to read and review Crown of feathers by Nicki Pau Preto!
Val and Veronyka are sisters who can communicate with animals (animages) and convince the animals to do their bidding. The sisters also have that same effect on people (shadowmages). The law prohibits this behavior, so the sisters are in hiding and they have been for years, alone and on their own, moving from place to place to survive and hunt for Phoenix eggs to rejuvenate the Phoenix riders. They discover two eggs and one hatches; the Phoenix chick chooses Veronyka instead of the elder sister Val.
Sev is a soldier by choosing service instead of punishment for his crimes. He accidentally sees Veronyka and her Phoenix, Xyphera, while Raiders are attacking her cabin. Sev and a prisoner help her escape the notice of the raiders. Later, Val kills Xyphera because she thinks Veronyka has raised her poorly. This breaks Veronyka’s heart and she leaves Val behind to search for Phoenix eggs and Phoenix riders on her own. During her search, Veronyka meets Sparrow, an animage with a bird companion named Chirp.
Tristan is a Phoenix rider who’s afraid of fire and he feels like he’s a constant disappointment to his father. The group of Phoenix riders that Veronyka finds only accepts boys and Sparrow gives her the idea to pose as a boy, becoming Veronyka’s “brother”, Nyk. Nyk meets Tristan, the son of the Phoenix riders’ Commander. They have a tumultuous relationship for a while because Tristan is under his father’s thumb. Everything comes to a head when Nyk sees Val in the crowd! Veronyka’s life becomes much more complicated after Val shows up and many truths are revealed, leaving Veronyka questioning everything about who she is. 5 stars for this complex and unique fantasy!

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto is the first in a series set in a world where airborne warriors known as Phoenix Riders were legendary—until that world is ripped apart by two queens. The story is set 16 years after the war when protagonist Veronyka searches for any hints of the Riders she’s heard of in stories, and decides to disguise herself as a boy after being turned away by the commander of the Phoenix Riders for being a girl.

Preto’s debut novel starts with an information dump in the first few chapters to set up the story and introduce readers to the different characters: Veronyka, Sev and Tristan. It can be overwhelming for those who want a good balance between world building, plot and character development, and isn’t something I normally enjoy reading. However, I have no regrets for sticking through the buckets of information to get to the best parts of the story. While some plot points were predictable for me as an avid fantasy reader, I loved the relationships developed between the characters and the involvement of phoenixes in the world.

Crown of Feathers is a beautifully written debut with phoenixes and warrior queens, perfect for those who want a story where a girl dresses as a boy to chase her aspirations.

This book has sooo much to offer. I wasn't able to finish it before it expired in my reader, but what I did read was compelling and fresh. Picking it up soon to finish!

I honestly didn't think I would be able to get through this book - the first 50 pages were really testing me. I'm glad I pushed on though.

The storytelling is good and I enjoyed this book a lot. My main issue (aside from the beginning) was the info dumping. The intro to this book is just that, and we see it scattered throughout the book as well. During a lot of those times, I found myself skimming, as a) it wasn't interesting, b) it took me out of the action and c) was sometimes unnecessary.

Buuuttt, that aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters could use a little more work, but this is the first book, so I’ll expect more development later. The ploy had some great moments and twists. And the world-building was wonderful.

This was SUCH a good book! I wouldn't be surprised if people DNF just because it's pretty slow. Which doesn't necessarily mean I was bored, but that sometimes the world-building was Too Much. I wanted to learn everything I could about Phoenix Riders and the empires, though, it was just hard to keep everything straight. And anyway, I can see a lot of people getting bogged down in the details. But I really enjoyed the historical snippets, the conversations, the mystery behind what happened way back when. When two very different sisters started a war they couldn't end. I'm a SUCKER for sibling stories, especially if it involves sisters, and I loved how Crown of Feathers explored that kind of relationship. The push-and-pull, the hate and love, the way that sometimes family isn't enough, and trying to reconcile your feelings when the person you love is so toxic that you can't stand to be around them. But you still love them. Veronyka had to leave her sister just to figure out who she was and go after her dreams. I loved seeing her come into her own and fight for what she wanted. There was like no actual romance, but I see how they'll play out in the sequel, and I'm excited! I adored Nyk and Tristan and even Sev. I wasn't expecting 3 POVs, but it worked, and I'm so invested in their stories! I can't wait for more!

Rating: 4.5 Paw Prints!

Crown of Feathers is a story of a girl who tries to find a way (by pretending to be a boy) to join a group of warriors that ride phoenixes into battle. First of all, let’s talk about the phoenixes: beautiful and captivating. The world-building was also intriguing, and so were its characters. However, while the premise sounds exciting, there was simply too much information loaded into this book, so much that it took away from the excitement of reading. However, I would love to read the second book in this series as I’m interested to find out what happens next. Perhaps this would be a good story for younger students?

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Nicki Pau Preto’s Crown of Feathers is an epic fantasy that centers on a world that has been torn apart by a war between two warrior queens who also happen to be sisters. The legendary Phoenix Riders were the heroes of that world until the war between the sisters destroyed everything. Years later, many are still struggling to make ends meet and keep food on the table, including main character Veronyka, who is an orphan because of the war. Veronyka is also an animage, which means she can communicate with animals. Animages are considered dangerous by the new empire, so Veronyka lives in hiding. As an animage, however, Veronyka’s biggest dream is to find and join the Phoenix Riders. She knows they’re still out there somewhere and is willing to do whatever it takes to become one of them, especially if it will get her away from her psychologically abusive sister, Val.

When Val betrays Veronyka in a most heinous and cruel way, Veronyka abandons her and sets out on her own, determined that she will either find the Phoenix Riders or die trying. She finally locates a compound where apprentices are being trained to become Phoenix Riders. It’s everything she hoped it would be, except there’s a catch. They aren’t taking new apprentices because they don’t have anymore available phoenixes and even if they were, they only train boys. To join their ranks, Veronyka disguises herself as a boy, Nyk, and signs on as a stable hand. She makes friends with Tristan, the son of the Phoenix Riders’ commander, who promises to sponsor Nyk as an apprentice Phoenix Rider the next time they’re taking on new apprentices.

Can Veronyka keep her true identity hidden? Where’s Val during all of this? Are the Phoenix Riders safe from the new empire? What will happen if they’re discovered?


My favorite character, by far, in Crown of Feathers was Veronyka. The author had me in her corner from the first moment we meet her and see how poorly her sister Val treats her. And as much as I hated it when Val betrays Veronyka, I loved the growth we get to see in Veronyka when she sets out on her own. She’s determined, she’s fierce, and just a real force to be reckoned with, especially the closer she gets to making her dream come true. She had my sympathy right away but eventually she earned my respect and admiration as well.

I also really liked the other two main characters, Tristan and Sev, and thought they also had interesting journeys in this book. As I mentioned earlier, Tristan is the son of the Phoenix Riders’ commander. He is under tremendous pressure to live up to his father’s high expectations so that he might lead the Riders someday. In addition to watching his relationship with Nyk/Veronyka grow, much of Tristan’s journey focuses on him desperately trying to overcome his fears and make his father proud. Sev, like Veronyka, is an animage in hiding. Unlike Veronyka, however, Sev is hiding in plain sight, working as a soldier in the empire’s army. His life takes an interesting and even more dangerous turn when he is approached by someone who knows what he is and is tasked with spying on the enemy from within.

Having the story unfold from these three unique perspectives added so many complex layers and interesting relationship dynamics. I really enjoyed watching all three of these characters grow and mature.

Aside from the characters, I also loved the whole concept of the Phoenix Riders. The visual of these fierce warriors riding on fiery phoenixes gave me chills, and I also loved the way the author describes the unbreakable bond that forms between a phoenix and his or her rider of choice. Everything about this was just so well thought out and well written. The author made it very easy to see why becoming a Phoenix Rider was Veronyka’s dream.

The ending was actually my absolute favorite part of Crown of Feathers. If you’re into epic battle scenes, this book is for you. I don’t want to spoil anything but think along the lines of the battle in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows or even the battles to protect the wall in Game of Thrones. It was so intense and had me flying through the pages to see who would come out on top. Regardless of my overall rating, I’d give the last 100 or so pages 5 stars.

My biggest issue with A Crown of Feathers centered on the worldbuilding. As I mentioned, I thought the world itself was fantastic, especially the Phoenixes and the whole idea of the Phoenix Riders. I just had a hard time with the way all of the background information was inserted in large clumps throughout the story. It’s probably just me but getting the information that way really slowed the pacing of the story for me at times and just felt in the way of the action.

I also wanted more interaction between Val and Veronyka. I have a thing for complicated sibling dynamics and was so excited by the way this story started off with Val betraying Veronyka in such a big way. Then she just disappeared for hundreds of pages. I spent much of the book wondering when she was going to make an appearance and either redeem herself or make things even worse between herself and Veronyka.

Even though I struggled with the pacing in the first half of the book, I still think Crown of Feathers is a very solid series opener and a stellar debut effort. The way this first book ended has me very excited to find out where the story is going next. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy, fierce female protagonists, and of course, those beautiful fiery phoenixes.

Who wouldn't love a story with a phoenix in it!? This story was great! The characters in this story were great! The different perspectives only added to the story, the world was fabulously laid out, the pace was perfect! Best of all was the relationships between the waring sisters. I've already ordered this for my library and look forward to what comes next!

. I really wanted to love this story. It has everything that I love, sisters battling it out, magical creatures, and girls rebelling. But it fell flat, largely because of the pacing. The pacing was AWFUL The beginning of the book felt like nothing but an info dump, which really should have been scattered throughout the story. I understood that the things discussed were important, so I trudged through it - but really that info could have been spread out to make the beginning seem less like a history lesson and more like the start of an epic adventure. It really interrupted the flow of the story, to the point were I put the book down several times. I usually am able to finish a book fairly quickly, but this one -- I struggled with all the way through.

There were so many points of view in this story that it really bothered me that we did not get Val's point of view, especially given the initial betrayal involving the phoenix. It seemed like an awful waste to not get into Val's head and truly understand why she is doing the things she is doing.
Some of Sev's chapters were convoluted and didn't make much sense. They messed with the over all flow of the story as well, unfortunately.
It wasn't all bad though! There were a lot of things I enjoyed about the book.

I really loved that the author included such a diverse cast, from gender bending to non hetero relationships, this book had something for everyone when it came to being able to identify with a character.
The magical creatures were AMAZING! I was skeptical but the author did justice for them in that sense. The first time the Phoenix died, I was aghast -- until I remembered it was a phoenix and it would be back. After that, it wasn't that upsetting when things happened.
The dynamic between Val and Veronyka was believable and thrilling. There is something about the love and hatred of sisters that lends these tropes to create devastatingly real relationships between them.

I really wanted to love this book, it had everything I swoon for: sisters, magic, animals, but over all it was a let down. Perhaps, if the info dumping hadn't been so evident I would have felt differently. The pacing of the book was too slow for me as well, with the bulk of the action happening at towards the end of the book.
Overall, I gave this book at 3 STAR rating. I will probably pick up the next one, just because I want to know what happens.

I read Crown of Feathers last weekend and I couldn’t put it down. I was completely enchanted by the story, the characters, and the writing.

Crown of Feathers was told through two different points of view. I absolutely loved both of them and thought that they were equally engaging. It was fascinating to see how both main characters developed over the course of the novel. I thought that Nicki Pau Preto did a fantastic job of creating multi-dimensional characters that were all well developed.

This book seriously had everything I love - spies, court politics, hate to love romance, sister relationships, found family, and magical beasts. The phoenixes were one of my favorite parts of the book! I’d highly recommend Crown of Feathers if you’re looking for a YA fantasy or going through Fantastic Beasts withdrawal. This is one of my only five star reads this year that wasn’t a reread.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This was such a wild ride (pun intended). If you read the synopsis and was attracted to the concept of Phoenix Riders, you won't be disappointed. The animals are described with such power and beauty. The whole lore of flames and resurrections are also critical to the story as well.

The book switches POVs between three characters: Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev. The story is also told in two settings. One takes place at the Phoenix Rider camp with Veronyka and Tristan. The other setting is with the empire soldiers where Sev is. For a good chunk of the book, you don't really see any connection between the two. There aren't any overlapping characters taking part in either setting, but it all comes together later.

Veronyka is definitely the main character of this book. And she is ambitious, honorable, and brave. Her older sister, Val, is also ambitious, but with a cold ferocity that drives all her decisions. She speaks, attacks, and loves viciously. I found their dynamic really interesting and it definitely seems like things will get even deeper in later books.

I found the world building to be pretty good. There is a lot of info dumping at first so I recommend that you flip to the handy dandy timeline and glossary at the back of the book. There aren't any spoilers for the story and may give you a clearer sense of the world. Between most chapters, there are pieces of information from past historical documents or letters between the two queens (who caused the civil war in the land) that give you a better understanding of the political climate or magic.

In the present time, those who control animals (these include the Phoenix Riders) are living as slaves of the empire or in secret. A small group of Phoenix Riders have banded together to recruit and train male animages to become Phoneix Riders. Veronyka joins this group after leaving Val, but disguised as a boy.

Phoenixes, dragons, and other magical animals have never been a big draw for me. I have always been more attracted to witches, sorcerers and more elemental magic systems, and any magical animals were a pleasant addition to the story. However, I really enjoyed the concept of animages and phoenixes having a deep soul bond, and how in this world, they become fierce warriors together. They feel each other's emotions and physical pain. I found myself becoming really emotional when reading about Veronyka and her bonded Phoenix.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, magic, and land. If you love epic high fantasy, I don't think you will be disappointed.


**Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Pulse for giving me a digital arc of the book in exchange for my honest review.**

Looking for some epic fantasy? How about an empire with a history of devastating war between factions supporting royal sisters? In the aftermath of the war the animages who fought on the losing side have been driven into hiding in outlying areas. The valiant Phoenix Riders, known as phoenixaeres, have been destroyed. And the Empire keeps tight control over the borders, eager to prevent any resurgence of their fallen foes.

Even if you are not so much into world building and all the history and backstory that go into it, perhaps you will be lured in by the characters and all their quirks. Here's a quick sampling...There are Veronyka and her sister Val, orphaned daughters of Riders, and now living on the run - but keeping the dream alive that the Riders will rise again. Sev, an unwilling soldier of the Empire, is also an animage in hiding. Tristan is the son of a Phoenix Rider, and his father also has the dream of bringing the Riders back.

There are politics, jealousies (historical and current), possible love interests, magic, and the beautiful and deadly phoenixes. What more could you really want?

Just released this week and ready for YA or mature middle grade readers.

Whoa! What a ride. I picked up CROWN OF FEATHERS by Nicki Pau Preto not knowing much about it, aside from the fact that I loved the cover. Ha! I admit that I only skimmed the synopsis (I'm notorious for this) but once I saw that it was about Phoenixes, I knew I had to read it. Once I started reading I couldn't stop!!! This book had me hooked from the very beginning.

It's told through several different points of view: Veronyka, an animage on the run with her sisters Val, who are on a quest to become Phoenix Riders. Sev, who is a soldier with a secret; he's an animage hiding in plane sight. And Tristan, a Phoenix Rider trying to prove himself to his father. Each characters story in a different place, so it was really cool to anticipate and discover how they would each overlap and intertwine.

The human characters were great, but the real star of this show was the phoenixes! I don't think I've ever read a book that has a phoenix in it, aside from Fawks in Harry Potter (obviously). The Phoenix is a mythical bird that can rise and be reborn in flames and ashes. I thought this was a fun addition to the YA fantasy genre.

The way that Nicki wove the storylines together was brilliant! I also loved the addition of letters and writings from historical characters and texts statically placed throughout the book. This was the authors debut novel, but it definitely didn't feel like one. I think her educational background plays a huge role into how well the book was crafted. CROWN OF FEATHERS is a story about family, friendships, love, love, the ties that bind us together and the lengths that one person will go to to reach their goal. If this book wasn't on your radar, it should be!!!

"You're like fire too - you light the way."

I am at a loss for words. I absolutely loved this book. The characters were fantastic and I really loved the dual POV throughout the story. I want to go into details but need time to gather my thoughts properly...

5/5 Stars

I loved this book with my whole YA fantasy and mythical creature loving heart! It was everything I needed to pull me out of a mini reading slump.

The story begins with the history of two sisters, one born without magic and one an animage and phoenix rider. Both sisters were fighting for the right to rule the kingdom until they tore it apart. Years later, two animage sisters, Val and Veronyka, are fighting as well, but to survive in a world where animages are imprisoned or enslaved and phoenix riders are something of legend. Veronyka ends up being betrayed by her sister and leaves to find the phonenix riders that she still believes exist.

The overall story was complex, historical, and beautiful. I loved the inserted bits of phoenix legends and history here and there that truly added to the overall story and world building. It was pure fantasy magic! The reader really gets a sense of the diverse world through the stories and the many different points of view.

I completely fell in love with the characters and creatures in this story. I loved the main characters and each point of view presented including Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev. The little bits with Sparrow really had me wanting a happy ending for her as well. She was just this little character that kept popping up and I absolutely loved her personality. I also enjoyed every single scene between Veronyka and Tristan. There was definitely a hate to friendship story going on and I loved that the author took the time to develop it.

There was definitely several twists, lies and betrayals that unfurled along the way in this story that I didn't see coming. This book ripped my heart out in the beginning with the certain betrayal scene hinted at with Veronyka and Val. It's been awhile since I had to put a book down from reading an emotional scene, but I definitely had to at that point. I felt it went beyond backstabbing. The villains in this book were truly hate-worthy even if some are slightly gray area in the morality department. It took me awhile to pick the story back up after that scene, but it completely set everything in motion. The pacing of the story was good, but I felt it went faster after Veronyka goes in search of the phoenix riders.

Overall, I loved this book and believe it will easily be one of my favorites I read this year!

I highly recommend this book if you love phoenixes, mythical creatures, sister rivalry stories, girls in disguise, a little hate to love romance in your fantasy, LGBT side characters, stories within stories, history with your world building and multiple POVs!

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for allowing me the chance to read this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I truly appreciate it and will be waiting in fiery anticipation for the sequel!