This series has quickly secured a place in my heart. Kate J. Armstrong has crafted a story with complex characters I care about with my whole heart, unique world building, and intricate magic systems. My favorite part of this sequel is that the characters are all allowed to grow and go on their own adventures, but the core sisterhood is still there and at the heart of it all. It makes all the characters individually stronger and also better as a group as they all come into their own power and heal their past wounds.
This is the kind of book I love. A book about choosing your fate and your family. A book about not letting men (or anyone really) decide who you are. A book about all kinds of love being equally important.
There are some storylines I wish were more fleshed out and it did wrap up rather quickly, but overall I thought it was a fitting ending. And I'm going to be yelling about these books for a long time because more people need to find them!

Nightbirds was one of my top favorite books of last year. I still loved and enjoyed this book but it didn’t have the same magic as the first book. The girls were pinned into roles and forced to split, which left them fighting back on their own instead of a united front. It felt like the story went backward, to when all the Nightbirds were mired in their own misery – even though I understand why they had to essentially divide and conquer. The girls did grow stronger on their own both magically, knowing who they truly were on the inside, and finally accepting it.

"She hates that men like this think they can take what they want without consequence. She hates that this girl, any girl, feels powerless to stop it."

Matilde wasn’t my favorite Nightbird, and unfortunately for me, a good chunk of time was spent with her. She did what she thought was best but her efforts resulted in getting her own wings clipped. The other three girls weren’t surrounded by as much political maneuvering and I enjoyed their story arcs much more. I really wanted to see more secreted Fyrebird history and we don’t get much of that either – only the tidbits Matilde and Sayer uncover.

I enjoyed the slow-build journey of the story but the ending felt rushed. The Farlands and Joost coming to Simta could have been written as another book. Overall, I enjoyed my return to Eudea but was hoping for more from the sequel. Many thanks to Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read the follow-up to one of my favorite books. I enjoyed this duology and the author’s writing style and will continue to watch for titles from Kate Armstrong.

While I still enjoyed this one, it fell as little flat for me after how much I absolutely loved the first book. Overall. still an enjoyable experience, but just let me down a little bit

I truly enjoyed this sequel to Nightbirds! This was a novel that saw the growth of each of the main characters, and I loved seeing this reaffirmation of female empowerment. Yes, there was quite a bit of turmoil and heartfelt sorrow, but this just added to the joy of seeing these powerful young women grow into themselves.

There were many thematic topics to explore including power, family, loyalty, betrayal, kinship, and sisterhood. I especially appreciated that most of the author's narration wasn't a blatant expression of these themes, but her writing gently led you to some positive conclusions.

This fantasy has a touch of romance, a huge amount of betrayal, and the undeniable force of sisterhood. The plot had enough twists and turns to keep things suspenseful and to keep me turning pages. Enjoy, my friends!

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was very eager to get back to the world that Kate created in The Nightbirds. I had so many questions that needed to be answered and stories to continue.
I don't know if it was because I LOVED The Nightbirds SO much that I had extremely high expectations for this book, but it didn't have the same spark that the first book did. The story was really enjoyable, but it didn't have that spark, magic, nuance that the first book had. There were questions in the plot that I didn't have in the first one, but it didn't take away from the story. I also felt that the end was a bit rushed, slow to build, fast to conclude.
Now to the stuff I loved about it; I was HERE for the feminine rage and the overall stories of the women. I loved having all of the Pov's of our Fyrebirds, it just added to the story.
All in all, I am sad that this story is over, that the world of the Fyrebirds is done. I will be forever picking up anything that Kate J. Armstrong writes...as should you.

Nightbirds was dark.
Despite the name, Fyrebirds is darker.

In the vein of many sequels, the second book takes a turn.
"To use your magic, you must own it fully. You must believe it's yours, and yours alone."

And in the darkness, usually hope is found. It takes some time in this one. A long time.
"No tree stands alone. Their roots reach out through loam and wave, braiding together."

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Eudea’s Nightbirds have long been a secret known only to the elite circles, but now, not only is does everyone know about them, but the four Nightbirds have been revealed to have powerful magic like the Fyrebirds of old, they can wield the elements themselves. The new suzerain is working to lift the prohibition on magic but faces opposition from both the church and the gangs. More and more girls with magic are appearing now that the secret is out and there is no lack of people trying to control them either. Meanwhile, the king of the Farlands who is desperate to acquire some magic for himself decides to take advantage of the unstable situation in Eudea and is preparing to invade. But one discovery the girls have chosen not to reveal yet is that when they stand together, their magic becomes even more powerful, capable of feats unheard of, truly like the legendary fyrebirds. With the threat from outside and their own people divided, they must decide if embracing this ability is worth what it might cost.

Fyrebirds was one of the sequels this year I was really looking forward to, as the first book, Nightbirds, was an interesting read (not to mention the cliffhanger it ended on), so I’m especially glad to have been able to read this a bit early!

This sequel had a very strong plot and it was what kept me reading. Magic intertwined with politics and religion in Fyrebirds and girls with magic are dealing with troubles on all fronts, with the church condemning them as witches, the nobility seeking to control them, the gangs who want to exploit them and a mysterious new drug made by an unknown party that can seemingly be used to command them and their magic.

The main thing I had trouble with regarding this book is that the only thing I recalled about book one was the magic system. Normally I like it when sequels dive straight into things, but with over a year between books in this case (more because I had an ARC of book one), I think a brief recap or atleast enough context in the first few chapters to remind the reader of the main events is not unreasonable to expect. I think it should be a standard across all books, but I’ll save that discussion for another time.

Speaking of the magic system, it was what intrigued me the most previously, and it continued to be my favorite part of this sequel too. The discoveries the four girls made about their abilities throughout this book, and how they each learned to come to terms with and wield it was so much fun to read about.

The world building was still a little lacking on a broader scale in my opinion. Some of the characters did travel away from Eudea, but I feel like we didn’t get a good enough idea of those places as it was too brief. The main focus of the story was definitely in the city. There was some expansion on the lore and I did like the little excerpts before each chapter, but I was hoping for something more in depth.

The pacing was definitely off in this book. It wasn’t a very long book, but the first half still dragged a little, and nothing really started moving until the last 30% or so – and then almost too much was going on, like the story was rushing to fit everything into the remaining pages. I even checked to see if there was going to be a third book in the series as I wasn’t sure that the story could be properly wrapped up.

Where in the last book, all four characters’ POVs felt balanced, this time around, the narrative felt more skewed towards Matilde. All of them got equal page time, but outside of a few instances, Matilde’s arc was the most interesting.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed each of their arcs, and I thought Fen’s in particular, as well as Aesa’s was very well written. The romances on the other hand, I wasn’t nearly as invested in – I think if the book was a bit longer or if this was a trilogy, that would change, but when a book already has so much happening as this one did, I prefer the focus to remain on the plot.

As expected, the ending was hugely rushed. While the story was brought to a satisfying conclusion, and all the plotlines were tied up properly, I felt there were a lot of missed opportunities. The biggest one was King Joost – when he was introduced at the beginning of the book, he sounded like a promising villain, but his whole arc was underwhelming and was pretty much just squeezed in at the end when this could have easily been developed into a whole other book.

Fyrebirds was a decent read overall, and I’m glad I picked it up. This was a great conclusion to the Nightbirds duology, and I would recommend it for fans of the genre!

Title: Fyrebirds by Kate J. Armstrong
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pub Date: August 27, 2024
📖 381 pages

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elemental Magic
Strong Female Protagonists
Secret Resistance
Multiple POVs
Fanatical Religious Cult

I loved this duology, and Fyrebirds was a great sequel! I wish there had been an extra few chapters because the end felt a little rushed but it was still so great!

I adore Armstrong's prose. The pacing she sets is perfect and the way she does multiple POV moves the story along so well. This book definitely focused more on Matilde's POV than the other three girls, and I wish that we'd gotten more Æsa and Willan (begging for a spin-off/novella, because they're so cute and I can't get enough!!).

Thank you so much, Penguin Teen and NetGalley, for the digital review copy ❣️

#penguinteenpartner

This was truly a wonderful addition to Nightbirds. Again Armstrong strikes the perfect balance of girl power energy and keeping the stakes high for our girls. There were a few threads of side plot that would have benefited from some expansion, but as it is they do not detract from the overall story. The worldbuilding continues throughout the second book explaining culture, the geography, history and religion of the region. There's scheming and fighting, laughter and tears. If you loved Nightbirds like me, this is gonna bring you joy. Thank you to @netgalley for providing this ARC for my honest review!

As word of magic spreads throughout Simta, long-kept secrets are revealed, and the Nightbirds must determine what this means for them and their newly discovered power. The Great Houses, the church, and the gangs are all vying for control, naturally ignoring the girls who hold it. However, more people are becoming aware of magic than they think, and a new development in this area is imminent. To become Fyrebirds, the Nightbirds must learn how to cooperate with one another.

Fyrebirds, the sequel to *Nightbirds*, brings back the magic and adventure of the first book but doesn’t quite hit the same high notes. The story follows Matilde, Sayer, Fen, and Æsa as they face growing threats, both magical and political, in a world where powerful men are determined to control girls with magic. While the writing is still beautifully atmospheric and the themes of female empowerment are strong, the pacing felt a bit off. Most of the action happens towards the end, leaving the beginning to drag a little. I also wished for more balance between the characters' perspectives—Matilde takes center stage, leaving Sayer and Fen feeling sidelined.

That being said, I still really enjoyed the journey. The multi-POV format kept things interesting, and the romances were well done without overshadowing the plot. If you loved *Nightbirds*, this is definitely a worthy follow-up, even if it doesn’t quite reach the same level of magic. With its themes of resistance, power, and feminine rage, *Fyrebirds* is a satisfying conclusion to this duology.

The Nightbirds’ magic has been discovered. And as legends arise from the past the girls have to who to believe and how to fight.

Read if you like: fantasy that feels like Gatsby, gangs and undergrounds, powerful girls, unique magic systems, multi POV, slow burn romance that keeps you on your toes.

With the news of magic spreading all around Simta- long hidden truths are uncovered and the Nightbirds have to figure out what that means for them and their new found power. The gangs, the church, and the Great Houses are all clambering for power, and of course disregarding the girls’ who wield it. But the news of magic is spreading father than anyone realizes and a new thereat is on the horizon. The Nightbirds have to find how to work together and rise as Fyrebirds.

This second installment of Nightbirds is again- delightfully surprising. It has less slow burn and more action as all the characters have to work together while fulfilling their own roles and agendas. There was so much happening that I was expecting a cliffhanger and book three. However, everything was masterfully wrapped up at the end. The characters are so fun and layered that I really had no idea how things were going to play out or how they could possibly get out of trouble. I swooned. I laughed. I was shocked and impressed. I really enjoyed the social discourse around power and women and how things can get twisted but we can still find the truth. And I really loved the characters’ relationships with each other. The girls’ relationships with each other were just as important as the romantic relationships. Lots of personal growth and working together. A great end to a fun duology.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this! It really just sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. In my opinion, those are the best books and I couldn't get enough.

Fyrebirds is the sequel to Nightbirds and the story is beautiful. It doesn’t have quite the same captivating power as Nightbirds but it is still a wonderful read and I will be watching out for future Kate J Armstrong works in the future.

# Fyrebirds
# 9/8/2024 ~ 9/9/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fyrebirds by Kate J. Armstrong continues where The Nightbirds left off, with Matilde, Sayer, Fen, and Aesa scattered and separated, longing for the connection and friendship they shared, for the magic they performed. While separated, they remain united in purpose, namely trying to help save other magical girls however they can, each in their own way. However, something much darker is on the horizon as a jealous king prepares to invade Simta and take all the magical girls for himself, and so the girls must come back together and fight off this new threat, all while avoiding the dangers still lurking in the streets of Simta, for magical girls have begun to go missing and there are rumors of a new drug, called Sugar, that can make a magical girl susceptible to someone else's commands.

The great worldbuilding and character writing of the first book continues as we learn more about magic, the mysterious Fyrebirds of the past, other nations, and explore relationships. Of the four main girls, Matilde was definitely my favorite and I loved to see her grow into herself throughout this book and trying to find her own way despite everyone around her trying to decide her fate for her. Of the relationships however, Sayer and Fen were definitely my favorite, with a tragic friends to lovers arc. Meanwhile, Aesa, initially scared of her powers, learns to accept who she is and learn just what she is capable of.

Content warning for brief depictions of sexual assault and parental abuse.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an excellently written YA fantasy book inspired by the magical girl genre with fantastic worldbuilding and incredible characters

Such a different book that was really well written that I could not put it down. I loved it including the characters and the world building.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the e-arc!
At last the sequel Nightbirds is finally here! Nightbirds was such a wonderful read and I am so excited to be continuing with this series. The first book was such a unique read with amazing characters and such a interesting magic system. I had such high hopes for the second book and I am glad to say it definitely lives up to expectations. I found that the pacing was a lot better in this book as the story starts right up. From the first chapter, there is action drama magic, which just leaves you wanting more and more and more.

I really enjoyed this installment - and was so pleasantly surprised to see that the formatting issues I had struggled with for Nightbirds was not an issue in Fyrebirds. I thought the elements from the first book really continued on their growth - from the characters and magic system to the plot and worldbuilding. There were some parts where the pacing felt a bit off and rushed, but otherwise this was a great read, I'm looking forward to what the author does next.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc.

While the magic of the world of Nightbirds remains, the 2nd installment in this series does suffer from a few sequel issues. The usual pacing issues and picking up the story for 4 different main characters that are in 4 different locations with 4 different mindsets is a little daunting. Overall, this world is one that I love but my favorite part of the story is the development of the characters. Coming into their own powers as well as their voices is uplifting to read.

Thank you again for the arc!!!

"She's the kind of star that burns."

I got the uncorrected ARC from Netgalley of Fyrebirds. Me, being an idealist reader, I read the first book first, Nightbirds. I didn't know that I'd spend the next 3 days ravishing both book 1 and 2!

Fyrebirds is the sequel to Nightbirds, a tale of four girls from different backgrounds, with contrasting personalities, and with forbidden magic flowing through their veins. These four unlikely sisters will have to learn to control their growing powers while hiding from a rooted patriarchy system that thinks women are not suited for such great power... that is until they decided not to hide anymore.

Like the first book, Fyrebirds is a fast paced full of action story. Every chapter has got me wanting to read more, gripping the edge of my seat. But despite the quick pacing, the author managed to develop the characters beautifully. All four characters, and even more. The worldbuilding was complex but the author managed to describe them in between the actions, making it not boring at all. I have grown to love Simta and it's magical setting. It was also an easy read, with beautiful description and metaphors which made my heart flutters and filled with dread at times.

Stories like this always touches me deeply; stories about sisterhood against patriarchal system, stories about women empowerment; about found family; and about believing yourself when the world is against you. I loved every bit of this duology and I just had to give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!