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"In this life, Fen's been two people: Ana, the girl she was before, and Fenlin Brae, the one who came after. But the roots bind them as one, wanting to stitch them together, ripping open all the doors she's kept locked."

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and Netgalley for both an e-ARC and physical review copy of this book.

Nightbirds was one of my favorite books of 2023, so I was delightfully surprised when Penguin Teen reached out to me with a paperback set of this duology for my bookshelves! It was a treat to get to dive back into the world of Simta and discover what had happened to the main characters and their friends/loved ones!

I finished this book in April, and only now found time to write this in July, so please forgive that my exact recollection of the book is a little hazy and brief compared to my usual essays. I can confidently say that I found the writing just as beautiful this time, and struggled to pick a favorite quote. I also admire how Armstrong can convince me so easily to care about not just several main characters, but also all of their relationship dynamics (and how different each dynamic is)! I don't remember anything negative except that I may have been a bit confused about the magic system at one point. I don't think it was anything glaringly obvious, especially since I can't even remember what it would have been! I do remember that I was very frustrated at the ending, but I think it pulled through in the final pages. I would recommend this duology to people who enjoy feminist, historical YA fantasies, and I would definitely read another series by this author in the future.

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RATING: 4 out of 5 Enchanted Roses


ONE-WORD REVIEW: Feral


TAGLINE: With tensions rising and their powers no longer a secret, the Nightbirds must decide for whom and for what they are willing to fight for and how far they will go 


OPENING LINE: Matilde Dinatris is a girl with many faces.

REVIEW:

Huge thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC of 𝐹𝓎𝓇𝑒𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹𝓈!


Kate J. Armstrong has given us a feminist high fantasy that reads like Six of Crows collided with The Scorpio Races—and I mean that in the best, blood-and-bone, salt-air, fire-magic kind of way.

𝒮𝒽𝑒'𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒷𝓊𝓇𝓃𝓈.

This world is rich and feral. Think: political games in stone castles, and an ancient order of witches who know what it means to bleed for power. The sisterhood in 𝐹𝓎𝓇𝑒𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹𝓈 is raw and real—equal parts teeth and tenderness. Each girl has her own thread in the tapestry, and Armstrong lets them unravel and twist together with care.

𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝑜 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝒾𝓉. 𝒲𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓅𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓂𝓃.

The prose is gorgeous but grounded. Lyrical without losing grit. And the themes? Delicious. Grief. Ambition. Duty. The cost of legacy. There's a slow-burn romance that simmers under the surface, but make no mistake: this is a story about girls claiming their power—not just finding love, but defining themselves outside of it.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:

✨Found family of dangerous girls
✨Magic that feels earned, not given
✨Matriarchal magic systems
✨Training montage but with teeth
✨Chosen-one energy with a twist
✨Political backstabbing meets ancient prophecy
✨Slow-burn queer and het tension

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉: 𝐹𝓎𝓇𝑒𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹𝓈 is a call to arms for every girl who’s ever felt too much and been told to shrink. It’s fierce. It’s feminist. It soars. If you’re into stories where women wield power like wildfire and protect each other with fang and flame, this one belongs on your shelf.

Happy Reading!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
Bookstagram: @TheTatteredPage
www.TheTatteredPage.com

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This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

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After reading the first book in the series, I was so excited for Fyrebirds. However, the pacing of this book started so slowly that I could not get invested and DNF-ed around 25%. I plan to pick it up again in the future, as I love the feminine rage coursing through this series and the romance between Sayer and Fen.

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Fyrebirds is the sequel to Nightbirds and fills in a lot of the lore behind this fantasy world. It's still pretty character-driven like its predecessor, though, and since Mathilde, Sayer, and Aesa are actually separated for most of this book, we're able to get a more intimate look at their personalities and lives. It picks up pretty much were Nightbirds left off, with our main characters being outed as nightbirds. It was interesting reading about how differently each girl reacts to the repercussions of this, including how it led them to lose trust in each other (hence why they're separated for so much of this).

We learn about the story of the old fyrebirds--powerful women who were pretty much unstoppable when they came together--so as the political landscape of their world changes with rebellions, tenuous alliances, and the threat of being taken over by another kingdom, the girls need to decide whether it's worth it to work through their issues and put their powers together for a common good. Having a main plot point in this book being about relational issues gave it a relatable quality. While I enjoyed revisiting the perspectives of all three girls, I will say I sympathized with Mathilde the most because it's palpable how much she needs Sayer and Aesa, and she is also dealing with a lot of drama brought on by a romantic relationship.

A strong sequel with a little more worldbuilding than its predecessor and a heavy dose of emotionality.

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An amazing finale to the story!

I loved how it really focused on the girls learning to trust themselves and each other. Their love for each other and its power are written beautifully!

I had a hard time setting this book down, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.

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I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

I am so glad I got both novels back to back because this one picks up, almost seamlessly, where Nightbirds left off. If I had read these with the year between publishing dates I feel like I would have been super lost. Again, this storyline felt very much like The Belles series, which was enjoyable because I do love that series. I feel like even the love stories were quite similar to The Belles.... in some ways, this felt a little redundant but it was still, overall, a cute and sweet story. I really enjoyed the magic in this novel and the ending was wonderful and sweet.

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As the sequel to Nightbirds, Fyrebirds had big shoes to fill, and while it didn’t quite capture the same magic as its predecessor, it was still an engaging and satisfying continuation of the story. With the Nightbirds' secrets exposed and their powers evolving into something even more formidable, this book raises the stakes—politically, emotionally, and magically.

Kate J. Armstrong excels at crafting a lush, immersive world with high-stakes intrigue, and Fyrebirds leans even further into the shifting power dynamics of Eudea. The tensions between the ruling class, the underground resistance, and external threats made for a gripping plot, and the deeper exploration of magic’s potential kept me hooked.

The characters continue to be a highlight, though some of their arcs felt a bit rushed compared to Nightbirds. The relationships—both romantic and platonic—are compelling, and I loved seeing how the bond between the four girls evolved as they grappled with their growing power. However, the pacing was uneven at times, and certain events, especially toward the end, felt a bit too convenient.

That said, Fyrebirds delivers a strong sequel with compelling themes of power, identity, and sacrifice. If you loved Nightbirds, you’ll still find plenty to enjoy here. While it may not have quite the same seamless magic, it remains an exciting and worthy follow-up in this spellbinding fantasy series.

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I loved book 1 more, but this book had its own amazing story. The continuation of this dualogy had the angst, suspense, and intrigue I wanted. I love reading books about strong female characters Each character embraced their power, however reluctantly, and helped change their world. Once again, love a good "f***k the patriarchy" book.

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Not quite as captivating as night birds but still very good! I loved this story and the magic system and the characters throughout. I do feel the ending was maybe a little rushed and took the bit of the easy way out since it felt like everyone just died.

I’m said to see this duology end.

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Fyrebird is an interesting and unexpected story. What Armstrong writes is not the story I (or maybe even other readers) wanted. But I can step aside from that and enjoy the story that I was given. The story is more one of political intrigue than magic (this is where I say it is not the story I wanted). But the characters still drive the story and the climax is beautiful bringing the Fyrebirds to rise. With deft riding and characters readers love, Fyrebirds, closes the saga with statisfacation.

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In this magical, powerful, and enthralling sequel and final book in her debut duology, Kate J. Armstrong delivers a fascinating and high-stakes conclusion to the stories of the Nightbirds Sayer, Matilde, Aesa, and Fen. Living with the consequences and fallout from the previous book, Eudea is a new place now, and new threats towards Fyrebirds and girls with magic emerge as their powers become more visible. With war and other threats to the stability of Eudea looming in the background, the four women must decide what they will risk to save Simta and themselves from these external threats. Again with her incredibly detailed and exciting magic system and four very different and very powerful protagonists starring in this novel, readers will love the new twists and turns and the further development of the world and its inhabitants in this final and thrilling novel. Armstrong’s characters are the true star of the show, and the continued development of the relationship between the four protagonists (and their new dynamics and relationships introduced in this book) are brilliantly handled and further engage readers with the story. Exciting, amazing, and totally inspiring, this final book will give readers a fulfilling ending to the duology and keep them wanting more from Simta, Eudea, and the Fyrebirds.

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Wasn’t quite as good as night birds but still enjoyed the read. I loved being able to see more character growth and will be looking out for any future books from this author

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The first book was fun, but this was a little disappointing. I liked the glitz and glamor of book one, and I liked how much the women interacted and liked each other. This book is thematically darker, the women at split up for most of the book, and there was too much focus on very mid romances. If you liked book one, I’d suggest just imagining what you would want the sequel to be.

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Starting right where Nightbirds ended, the girls are all separated, each following their own way they think will bring peace and safety for all the magic girls. There is so much tenseness and I was frustrated and angry at the way those in power (great houses, royalty, and the church) kept saying that the magic girls belonged to them, or needed to be killed in order to give the Wellspring back the magic. So of course I was rooting for the Fyrebirds and hoping they would get the band back together and change the world in one fell swoop!

Tons of action, destruction and mayhem on the way to peace but the Fyrebirds are up to the challenge, both in changing peoples' view (most of them) about magic girls not being a danger and when a new drug shows up (super scary) that takes away the will of magic girls, the stakes got even higher. It was a well written story because although the Fyrebirds are super powerful (alone and even stronger together), they also had their weaknesses and it made for a more enriching story to see. Fen with her addiction, Æsa with her struggles about whether using magic was the right thing to do or was it too destructive, and of course Sayer coming to terms with violence not being the only solution to driving out corruption. A lot of the book was about Matilde because she was trying to change things from the inside by Dennan's side. I wasn't quite as interested in those parts but I did enjoy the book on the whole and will be looking forward to new books that the author might write.

Go Fyrebirds!!!

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Fyrebirds is a great continuation of this politically motivated story where the powers in control want to control the magic hidden deep inside young women. Women who have grown up as nightbirds giving away there magic but as we learned in book one they are not meant to do that they are meant to use them themselves and when they use their powers with other nightbirds they are so much more then a party trick. This knowledge has woken other women with this magic and now they have to fight to be stronger then those who want to quell there magic and control. I love it and it hard to say for sure if we are getting more or not.

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fyrebirds picks up months after nightbirds, with matilde, sayer, æsa, and fen still separated. with their magic no longer a secret, different factions within the city and further abroad vie for control of the nightbirds and other magical girls, and the nightbirds themselves must decide if they will come together to embrace their shared power and connection like the fyrebirds of old.

while still a very paint-by-numbers YA fantasy, armstrong’s writing is stronger here than it was in nightbirds. i enjoyed the limited exploration of duty (and i would have liked to see more of that, particularly in the context of the original fyrebirds’ sacrifice), but i’ve spent close to 900 pages with these characters now and i think it’s safe to say that this series is just not for me. while there was more character development in this book, it was so predictable and i didn’t love how fen’s addiction was handled.

ultimately my issue is that i think armstrong relies too heavily on YA stereotypes and clichés and that makes her own story less memorable. there’s potential here, but it’s largely lost beneath what seems to be a “throw everything at the wall to see if it sticks” approach.

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After reading Nightbirds (this authors beautiful debut novel, and part one in this duology) I was beyond excited to read this one. To be back in the magic, to be back in the joy. However, this one did fall a little flat. I found myself questioning how things were happening, really arguing with the plotline in general, which doesn't make for the best reading experience. Sayer is still my absolute favorite character, followed closely only by Fen. The majority of this book tended to be focused on Matilde and I just wasn't as giddy. Matilde is just there, nothing special. Kate's writing continues to be atmospheric however, and her prose is so lyrical and beautiful that it just flows. I really do love and fully recommend this series as the feminine rage, and the truth of how powerful women are is truly one of the best and most inspiring things to read about.

Thank you Kate Armstrong and NetGalley for this e-Arc in exchange for my honest review!

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I had high expectations for Fyrebirds after really enjoying Nightbirds, this wasn't what I was expecting I guess? I still enjoyed it but I wasn't 100% into it. I still couldn’t put it down. The story is packed with action and twists, but at times it felt like there was just too much happening, making the pacing a bit uneven and hard to stay fully connected. It wasn’t until I was about 75% through that it finally started to draw me in.

The writing is beautifully atmospheric, and the character development stands out. The story picks up right after the events of Nightbirds, following Sayer, Fen, Matilde, and Æsa as they each fight to save the other magical girls in their own ways. We see them come together again when magical girls start disappearing and a dangerous drug is discovered that forces them into submission.

It’s a multi-POV third-person narrative I loved how well each character was portrayed. However, I did wish there was a more balanced split between the characters' perspectives, as Matilde’s POV felt the most featured.

Overall, this was a great ending to the duology, filled with action and lost of twists

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I really wanted to love this! I just could not get into this sequal. I am not sure if I just needed to re-read the previous book. But my brain refused to really get into it and I just pushed through the read.

Although this wasn't for me, I still think it was well written. The author is very talented and I will still love to read more books from them in the future.

Thank you for Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

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