Kate J. Armstrong's debut novel is a fantasy set in a world where certain girls are born with magic, and where that magic is considered corrupt. The book follows 3 of those girls, called nightbirds: Matilde, Aesa, and Sayer, and alternates between their 3rd person POVs. I really liked each of the girls individually as characters, and Armstrong deftly celebrates each girls' individuality by giving them each such different backstories while also emphasizing how their lives and fates were intertwined.
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At its heart, this story is about the girls realizing (each in her own way) that they are stuck in a gilded cage and dealing with the ramifications of that. Because of this, Nightbirds read as being on the lower end of fantasy to me, because the gilded cage concept is often tackled in historical and even contemporary fiction. Though the worldbuilding definitely could have been more intense, it was well done nevertheless. I really liked the elaborate religion system that Armstrong creates and how that influences the characters. There are some great relationships in this book too, from the relationship that our main characters have with each other to those that they have with their elders to an interesting cast of supporting characters.
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Nightbirds is different than other YA fantasies that I have read in that it is more character-driven and less intense in the world-building department, but I still enjoyed it.
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A world where magic is outlawed, yet secretly bought and sold with a kiss? Nightbirds delivers an intoxicating blend of intrigue, rebellion, and feminist empowerment wrapped in a dazzling, Jazz Age-inspired fantasy setting.

The novel follows three young women—Matilde, Sayer, and Æsa—who serve as Nightbirds, rare magic-wielders in a society that seeks to control and commodify them. Each girl has her own struggles with the system: Matilde embraces it, Sayer resents it, and Æsa fears it. But when they uncover a sinister political conspiracy, they must band together to fight for their freedom—and possibly dismantle the oppressive world that keeps them caged.

Kate J. Armstrong crafts a lush, immersive setting with speakeasies, alchemical cocktails, and shadowy power plays, making the world feel both enchanting and dangerous. The feminist themes are front and center, exploring autonomy, power, and rebellion in a society that dictates women’s worth. The multiple POVs allow readers to connect with each girl’s unique struggles, though at times, the pacing slows as the narrative balances character development with plot momentum.

While the book shines with its atmospheric world-building and compelling themes, the execution isn’t always seamless—some twists are predictable, and certain moments feel drawn out. However, the strong characters and their evolution make up for it.

For fans of The Gilded Wolves and Serpent & Dove, Nightbirds is a richly woven fantasy that celebrates fierce heroines determined to break free. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel!

What took me so long to pick this up??

From the moment I started reading Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong, I knew it was going to be exceptional. Each of the main characters stands out as distinctly themselves, with strong personalities and compelling arcs. I’ve always admired when characters remain true to the traits their author has crafted for them, allowing readers to anticipate their reactions to events based on a deep understanding of who they are. Armstrong nailed this perfectly.

The story’s setup was equally impressive. The balance between explaining the magic system and society without overwhelming the reader was spot on. There’s enough detail to keep you informed and immersed, but it avoids the heavy-handed world-building that can sometimes bog down a fantasy novel.

I’m already thinking about all the people I want to recommend this book to. It’s no question that Nightbirds has earned a spot on my favorites of the year list! If you love feminist, character-driven fantasy set in a lush, Jazz Age-inspired world, this is a must-read. From speakeasies brimming with magical cocktails to the complex dynamics of the Nightbirds themselves, this story dazzles at every turn.

In Simta, magic is illegal, but the wealthy can buy it through Nightbirds—girls who transfer their powers with a kiss. This season's Nightbirds are diverse: veteran Matilde enjoys her power but resists her family's push to pass on her magic; orphan Sayer resents her life and the transactions; and novice Æsa fears her magic. When they become entangled in a deadly political scheme, they must unite to fend off exploitation, discovering their magic's true strength. They face a choice: remain controlled or fight to remake their world. "Nightbirds" is a feminist fantasy set in a Jazz Age-inspired world of magic and intrigue.

I struggled to get into the story, but once I did I loved the unique world. There were a few points where the story dragged but overall I enjoyed it!

The story is told in a focused third-person point of view following the three Nightbirds: Matilde, Æsa, and Sayer. I liked all three but found Æsa’s perspective the most interesting.

The story has a bit of a Game of Thrones style, but without the gore and with more magic.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! Thank you to @penguinteen and @netgalley for the advanced copy! All opinions are my own.

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.

* Thank you Penguin Random House for an eARC exchange for an honest review*

Unfortunately although i was so excited for this interesting plot set in the time of flappers, this ore fell a little flat for me. i felt like this story didn't hold my attention. Finished this one just over a week ago now, and 1 don't remember many details at all

Any book with a cover as gorgeous as this one is going to grab my attention immediately. The story itself is wonderfully written and the whole idea of the birds and the magic that goes with them is great. The atmosphere that this book projected me into is so warm and rich with intrigue that I couldn't put this book down.

Review was shared 3/20/2023

This will probably be one of my favorite books read this year. It reminded me so much of Six of Crows, but set in a fantasy version of the roaring 20’s, and with a female cast. Which obviously is a recipe for success.

The world building was done well, and I was gripped from the beginning. The ONLY complaint I had was that there was a certain set of characters with a promising beginning of a love story that had me suuuper excited, and then the characters were apart for the whole middle of the book, which was slightly disappointing. But even still, the other characters and their stories were enough to keep me going, and I will definitely be awaiting the sequel!

Thanks to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy!

The premise of this book was amazing. I loved the world and setting. This one ended up not being for me, but I can see a lot of other people enjoying it.

I didn’t mesh with the writing style or character.

Overall a fun read for the world.

This book gave me 1930's vibes with the speakeasy sort of secret magic clubs and female oppression. I liked the premise though the plot felt a little gapped at times. I did enjoy this novel, and I can see a group of teens liking it too.

I really enjoyed getting lost in the world of the Nightbirds. The setting had some twenties inspired glamor to it. Three very different girls are brought together by a secret they all share. They have magic in a world where magic is outlawed. They can share their gifts with others by giving them a kiss.

The book alternates chapters between the three main characters. Matilde comes from a long line of Nightbirds and has the ability to give someone the ability to look like someone else. Sayer’s mom was a Nightbird too, but she had a fall from grace. Sayer had to grow up fast, which makes her one of the toughest of the Nightbirds, and she can gift people the ability to cloak themselves in shadows. Æsa is the more naïve of the group and the newest recruit. New to Simta, she longs to go back home. She can gift people the ability to charm someone into doing whatever the gift bearer wishes.

The girls are very well taken care of and mostly live a life of luxury. However, trouble is brewing in Simta, and magic haters led by the Red Hand are getting bolder in their attacks. Soon the girls lives are turned upside down and they have to go into hiding. However once they do they find out that they are not the only girls with magic. There are many more. Not only that, but Matilde, Sayer, and Æsa all sense their own powers growing stronger. Will it be enough to stop the Red Hand and set right all the wrongs in their world?

This book was very entertaining and I really enjoyed the characters. Matilde was a little spoiled and she grated on my nerves at time. Sayer was more down to earth but also more hardened to the world due to her upbringing. Æsa was probably my favorite because she was just so genuine a person. She was loving and caring.

Overall I am glad I read the Nightbirds and I cannot wait for the next book.

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

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Thank you Netgalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I believe I discovered Nightbirds solely from its beautiful cover while browsing on Netgalley, and was interested by the "dazzling new fantasy world full of whispered secrets and political intrigue". I also read this in a physical copy and with an audiobook.

Nightbirds, for the majority of the book, follows three Nightbirds, girls who are paid and protected by high society to give members of the noble families their magic in a world where magic is outlawed. Matilde, a member of high society herself, wants to remain in a magical world that is quickly narrowing down to being married off to the highest bidder. Sayer barely wants to be a part of this world at all, but has nowhere else to go and wants answers from her noble absentee father. Aesa, the newest Nightbird, wants to return home and is desperate to find a way to survive this brand-new world. Can the three of them all achieve their individual goals alone, or will they find there are far more dangerous threats they'll need each other to survive?

Nightbirds feels like a mix of many things: think Serpent and Dove meets a little bit of Caraval/Hotel Magnifique, Six of Crows, and The Handmaid's Tale. The characters reminded me of Six of Crow, especially in the way they were all so different but had to work with one another in a found family sort of trope, along with multiple side characters who were just as vital to the story along the way. There was plenty of romantic subplots, but they weren't the focus of the characters or their story either.

The atmosphere was top tier!! I believe it was inspired by the 1920s Prohibition Era, and was full of masquerades, hidden identities, and high society-type vibes. This is the part that reminded me a bit of Caraval and Hotel Magnifique. The world is full of hidden magic, but in a way that mostly felt like part of the aesthetic.

I adored the writing in this book, too. There were too many quotes I liked that I struggled to even pick one for this review! I will certainly read book 2 of this series, but I think I would easily a try a book by Armstrong in any other genre with very little hesitation.

The plot was very reminiscent of Serpent & Dove with the witches versus the witch hunters. The magic system is different, but the FMC narrator was even the same in both books! I really enjoyed the narration here as well. It also had a dash of The Handmaid's Tale as the Nightbirds are mostly treated as property, expected to give their magic away to people who won't allow others to have magic (reminded me of the book/magazine scene in THT if you've read it) and are then expected to do nothing else but marry and provide heirs.

This could be due to misreading, but I found the weakest part of Nightbirds to be the logic of the magic system. I am really into elemental magic in fantasy, but felt as though I never had a full grasp on what abilities each person was capable of. I thought each character had a specific elemental power, but then I thought I read a character using a second element twice throughout the story with no explanation?

In total, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading Fyrebirds whenever it's released! I would recommend this book to readers who love atmospheric reads, hidden identities, high society type, complex relationship dynamics, and found families!

i’m writing this opening part about 60% into the book. i can for almost certain tell you i’m going to forget anything about this book in about 3 days.

y’all, there are so many perspectives, all muddled together. they’re not all that particularly different in voice. nor do we know who’s the character we’re following from any written indication. it makes my brain swim to catch up, and then we often move onto the next perspective by then… i genuinely would like to know the reason for writing it like this. and besides giving each of the many characters one (1) personality trait that they grab on for dear life, i genuinely wouldn’t have been able to discern who’s who. (and honestly i didn’t i swear like five characters popped up in the middle of the story and apparently we knew them???)

besides that absolute mess of a style choice, the actual pace and lack of commentary in this book says it all. it feels to me like the author had a unique concept and setting and then just threw everything at the wall. she included all these perspectives that were completely unnecessary, and the goal of the story itself got convoluted in the middle. to me, it really seems like a few more passes should’ve been made to trim the story down from nearly 500 pages. there was no reason for this story to have taken us that long, and i personally feel like it accomplished nothing. to say, finishing the book was my favorite part would be an unfortunate truth. it just was not at all as well constructed as i was hoping.

Im slowly trying to be a fantasy girl and the Nightbirds is an amazing book on that journey. The book is just as stunning as its cover.

This one was a slow start for me. I read the first 60ish% and then put it down for a few weeks. It’s not usually the best sign if I read more than half and then find myself not wanting to finish immediately.

That being said, the last 40% really did pick up. I’m excited to continue this series and read more from this author.

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Oh! So, this was epic. First off, the cover!!! Gorgeous.

Also, burning down systems that fail us?!? Yes please!!! Following these girls is a treasure and I'm so eager to keep going.

This book was slow to start, but ultimately good. I liked getting to know each character, and seeing their powers and the revolution evolve. I also liked the love stories throughout it. I will be reading the next book, absolutely. I will say the paper book was REALLY hard to get into because of how slow it was, and so I had to get the audiobook. I definitely recommend that in regards to this book, unless you like slow, character driven books.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This had some surprise queers and I LOVE that for me!!

Nightbirds is a 1920s esque fantasy about girls with secret magic. Not only is their magic illegal, but it's highly sought after. We follow four girls as they deal with their powers and find out their magic is more than they were ever taught.

I really loved this book and the world it created. It was so atmospheric and the writing just transports you to a different world. Sayer was 100% my favorite. She's queer and a bit feral and very over all the "rules" of high society. Basically my kind of girl! As things were untangled, I was so excited to learn this is a series. I need more answers and I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequels!

1.5 stars. Maybe the real treasure was me not DNFing along the way!

I really wanted to love this book. I used to be a mega YA fantasy fan — I truly devoured them all: Throne of Glass, Red Queen, The Jewel (from The Lone City Trilogy), the entire empire of Shadowhunters books. And while I haven't been in too much of a high fantasy mood in a while, I've found myself itching for one. I expected this book to be engaging — empowering, even. Unfortunately, it was neither.

I found this book to be incredibly pretentious and insignificant. What I wanted from this book — what I think any good fantasy book should do — is bring attention to timely topics in in and outside the book itself. Sure, some books are written more with the intention of whisking you away into another world, but if you are going to write an intolerant fantasy world full of harmful religious rhetoric in the year 2023, you need to have the awareness of what is happening in the world around you. When you don't even acknowledge the flaws in the arguments for intolerance you present? That's how your book can come across as insensitive and out-of-touch.

I am a queer teenager living in Florida in 2023, so I am not a stranger to people, both leaders and neighbors, using religion to police the bodies and rights of individuals, especially women. There was so much room in this book to question bodily autonomy of women. Nightbirds is written within the context of a world that outlaws magic and demonizes women who are born with the gift of it within themselves.

We should have been given the space to question why religious leaders are given authority, who has the right to speak for the "gods" in this world, how religious texts can be misconstrued and ultimately corrupted to fit someone's prejudiced views. But we weren't.

And beyond this glaring issue, I also had a lot of trouble falling into the world and caring about the characters and the stakes they were facing. There are three main girls followed in this book: Matilde, Sayer, and Æsa. All three have magic, all three are in the business of giving away pieces of it in exchange for money, all three face hardship in some way before the book and/or during.

But none of them changed throughout the entirety of the novel. Not in any significant way, at least. Matilde remained infuriatingly privileged and disassociated from the world around her. Sayer (one of the only characters I could somewhat stand) was still hot-headed and horrible at communication. Æsa remained impressionable and largely ignorant of new perspectives.

The thing is? None of these characters are new. We've seen these character stereotypes presented over and over again in fantasy. The privileged brat, the street orphan, the naive girl who is largely unaware of her inherent beauty. And honestly, they've been done better in other series, such as Red Queen or The Lone City. The same criticisms go for the magic system — it wasn't anything new or especially impressive.

Also, I'm not sure if it was something with my eARC copy specifically or if this was fixed in the final book, but there was absolutely no indication of a perspective shift, so I spent many paragraphs confused and having to reread to figure out who was thinking or acting in that moment. And OH MY GOD, I cannot take you seriously when you call your father "sire" and mother "dame."

I know there is a sequel coming out, and the book did indeed end on a cliffhanger, but I am severely lacking the motivation to see this story to its end. I simply do not care enough about the characters or this world. I will not be continuing this series, and I do not recommend it.

This books is supposed to be prohibition/flapper themed but with magic being outlawed except the execution left much to be desired. The magic system is convoluted, the constant POV switch within the chapters is dizzying, and the addition of religious motive needed to be explained more!

I honestly ended up skimming this and was just proud of myself for reaching the end LMAO