Wow. This was fantastic. I wasn't sure at first, to be honest. But once the world-building started to pick up and all the pieces came together I couldn't get enough. This was so clever and wonderfully written. An absolute dream to read. I can't wait for this to come out so I can recommend it at book talks!

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

this book was a bit of a trial to get through particularly because of how slow it was but the theme of women's rights really kept me wanting to finish it. i loved the characters and the ending left me intrigued to how the sequel is going to go.

Nighbirds is an imaginative and intriguing fantasy following three girls possessing magic in a country that condemns its use. Aesa, Matilde, and Sayer are Nightbirds, harbored by the Great Houses and capable of sharing their magic through a kiss. As the three girls play into this clandestine magical black market, they begin to notice strange shifts in their powers, and consider lives away from the confines of the Great Houses. When a fervent religious sect and a power-hungry queen threaten their safety, Aesa, Matilde, and Sayer find themselves at the heart of political, religious, and magical upheaval threatening them at every turn.

Nightbirds was an entertaining and really enjoyable fantasy read. I found the world extremely well done, from the political intrigue to the Great Houses to the connection between the church and the state. The treatment of magic was fascinating, and I liked how it was formally prohibited but the privileged were able to use it more freely.

I did find that it took a little while for Matilde, Sayer, and Aesa to really stand out as individual characters. I found them hard to distinguish with their personalities at the beginning of the book, but I think they found their footing as individuals later on. The action was definitely piled on at the end, but I didn't think the lack of it in the beginning made the book boring. There was a lot of background and world building to set up, which I thought was done very effectively without much info dumping.

Overall, a great fantasy read that I imagine would be perfect for fans of Caraval and Furyborn. The only drawbacks for me were the characters being difficult to distinguish at the beginning, and some repetitive description. I also struggled to see the connection between the elemental magic and some of the girls' new powers, like mind reading and shape shifting (though this could certainly be something the author is holding onto for a sequel). The world building and interaction between magic, religion, and politics really made this book for me, and I would definitely recommend it.

I was unable to finish this book because it was slow to start and very confusing to read. I did not like the way the point of views shifted with no warning. It made it confusing to follow the story. I wish the different points of view were separated by a chapter or just a new heading. It made it difficult to follow what was really going on.

This is one of the best books I read all year. I loved the girls and their powers and their STRENGTH. I loved the worldbuilding that definitely had some nods to the 20s and classism and I'm obsessed with the theming. The hiding who you are because of fear and everyone not understanding? We can all relate to that completely. Mathilde was my favorite (perhaps because I'm a fire sign?), but Aesa was a close second. I loved her heritage and her sweet romance. This book is also unique because of all the things in between chapters- bits of songs, conversations from other POVs, poems, snippets of legends. I'm seriously in love with this whole thing and I'm very eager to see where everyone's journey takes them in the sequel, which I need right now. This book was glittering, sparkling, intense, fun, romantic, and magical AF. If this is not on your list for the new year, add it ASAP!

I really enjoyed the 1920's prohibition vibes but with magic instead of alcohol. I enjoyed the multiple points of view and learning about each girl and their magic. Every girl has a different element she connects with and as a reader, you are learning about this just as each Nightbird is. With this old magic coming back, and so much history lost due to the prohibition, I'm curious to see how each girls powers develop.

I felt like we could have had more "sister" moments that showed how the girls were bonding together and learning to trust each other. Some of their actions and chemistry together felt a bit forced. Overall, I enjoyed the story and am excited to see where it goes.

I found this book to be engaging, and reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties, with magic instead of alcohol being outlawed. This first book in a series sets up the Nightbirds, girls who have a gift of magic that they can bestow on others, and who live in a house with a dame. The main characters, Mathilde, Sayer, and Aesa join forces with childhood friends and friends forged through underground dealings as they attempt to hide their status as Nightbirds. However, the relationships and bonds they begin to form with others help them see that they are not really free, and there is a much more adventurous and exciting world beyond the safety of their house.

The book ends in a cliffhanger, which can be frustrating, but I am curious to see how the author ties up some of the loose ends. I felt that the characters were well written with complex feelings and agency. The magic and fantasy aspect was very enjoyable, and there is a good amount of suspense and adventure that I think would be good for fans of fantasy and magic.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was overall a fun and exciting read, quite the page tuner after the first half of the book, as the beginning was a bit slow to me but once it picked up.... I didn't want to put it down and finished it pretty quickly. Overall I enjoyed this read but some things weren't as exciting for me.

A page turner, I found myself wanting to know how it was all going to end. The girls are each individually likeable and readers will see a bit of themselves in each. This story is ultimately a familiar story to girls and women who have been told their whole lives that they are not worthy or good enough. There are so many parallels to the experience of women throughout time, all wrapped up in a magical world that is created so wonderfully. The story looks at sisterhood, identity, friendship, love and finding out who you are what is worth fighting for. I recommend this book.

Okay, I loved this book, but I do have a couple issues with it. I loved the idea of this forbidden magic, I love any book with magic in it, but I felt like the magic wasn't actually as big a part of the story as I was expecting. I was hoping for more about the religion and government and why they are so against magic and how the government actually operates. I just feel some of the areas were a little underdeveloped. I loved the concept however, and I am curious to see how it all plays out in the next book.

Ahh this was such a perfect read between the secret magic society, the found family trope and the secret of old magic plus the incredible bonding moments between the girls it was a perfect perfect read and I can't wait for the sequel! I can't wait to see where the story leads Matilde, Aesa, and Sayer next! I feel like the main characters were honestly the perfect main characters because even though they were opposites they bonded over being nightbirds and having to keep that secret, plus even though Matilde was the 'leader' of the group she still considered the others feelings in the whole plan of everything.

this was honestly just such a fun, lighthearted and magical read and I loved everything about it (especially some queer characters <3) and I really just didn't want it to end (so I dragged it out)

Honestly, just not the book for me. Certain aspects were really well done. But most of it just fell really flat for me.

The concept of this forbidden magic is cool. And how the world doesn’t accept it, but there’s a black market for it is cool. It’s even cooler when you realize that it’s not just the initial three girls that are gifted but many more. And this world that is like prohibition era America but set in Victorian era British Isles is such a cool world.

But after that it started to lose me.

First and foremost, much of the magic isn’t really developed. And I don’t feel like much magic was used in the story. Secondly we understand very little about the religion and why it doesn’t like magic. And we know even less about the government and how that operates.

The first half was very slow. The second half picks up but gets convoluted. Especially towards the end. Why is Sayer’s father suddenly interested in her? He’s clearly known about her all her life and what power she has. How did Matilde poison Epinine? I might have missed that somehow until we got to the reveal. Dennan? Just like… what’s his motivation! Why does Matilde trust him?

And then there’s the romance. It was hinted at but other than that was completely lackluster. I was also disappointed Willan didn’t have a more active roll in the story as he was the character I felt I understood and liked the most.

I don’t think I was ready for this book, as it seems to have surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to be this immersed into the story and and the characters and their world. It’s definitely a sold 5 stars read for me.

Mathilde, Sayer, and Aesa are Nightbirds - women with forbidden magic that can gift others their magic with just a kiss. Theirs is the kind of magic that can only be given, never used themselves - or say they've been told. After a series of events exposes them and throws them into the path of the men who would hunt them down and kill them, the three girls must truly band together in order to survive. As more secrets and lies are unearthed, the girls begin to break down the stories they've been told about who they are and what they can do. No longer are they content to sit by and let those in power control them because change is coming. Together, they have the power to change their world for the better or destroy it...

Nightbirds was an incredibly fun and entertaining read. The magic system felt fresh and new while still being understandable. None of the girls felt bland or less important than the rest. They each had a unique perspective on life and their current situation and each character went through a lot of growth throughout. I cannot wait to see what the girls do next and the ways they deconstruct their world and make it for the better. The book leaves off in a great place for a solid sequel and leaves room for a lot more development. I would love to see more development, especially in the romance category. It was the one big area I felt that was lacking. For two of the "couples," we are told they have previous history but as the reader, we do not really get to feel the tension or build-up of their relationships, so they feel incredibly rushed. Aesa and Willan were perhaps the most rushed of all - with so little page time together, it felt unbelievable that they were already so close by the end of the novel. While none of these "couples" are truly couples yet, I still was not fully buying their relationships/feelings. It's something that can use some improvement in future books but all in all, is not a huge problem.

I will definitely be recommending this book to teens and young adults looking for a fun read.

Absolutely loved this book! Super quick read because I didn't want to put it down. Can't wait to share it with the world