I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! On the surface, it has a lot of the expected features of this type of YA story: girls with special powers, an oppressive male-dominated church, some swoony boys in different flavors, a brewing rebellion. But what makes Nightbirds stand out is that it actually does these tropes and themes well. The three main girls are all unique and interesting and they each have their own story arc as well as an arc together. I was annoyed with Æsa more than Mathilde with Sayer—she was wishy washy and morally fretting even when it became clear (to me at least) what the right side of history was.

My common complaint with fantasy ensemble casts is that characters are frequently separated and then barely interact with each other, but that is not the case here—the girls’ different stories, backgrounds, and personalities get time to play off of one other. The side characters also all have their own thing going on, and different people have their own relationships with our main girls. I liked that my opinions on several characters changed and shifted multiple times over the course of the book, especially because the main girls were going through the same confusion.

The world building was compelling enough, although I’m more interested in the hints we get of farther flung locations outside of the one city we spend this book in. The power plays of the different political factions and influences was really well done for YA and I appreciate that there was a real variety of opinions—clear right and wrong, but also nuances for the characters to develop in. The book gives you a lot of space to side with one character, then switch your allegiance as you get more information, just as the characters do.

I recommend this book for a fresh take on a classic YA premise with tons of room to grow!

What a great book I was hooked from the very beginning and I finished this in one day. I’m very intrigued to see what else this author will come out with, and I will definitely be reading. Whatever else will be published.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook.

I am not sure how I feel about this book. I don’t know if maybe I’m not a fan of fantasy. There’s nothing wrong with this book at all. The writing is beautiful. The story is beautiful. I just don’t think I like fantasy.

I really enjoyed this story. I really felt like I was in their world. Definitely want to read more of this story.

what a good debut novel. I really loved the premise of this book and enjoyed that everything is so detailed and descriptive. ALSO, we finally see all strong and badass FMCs in a book - loved that.

I enjoyed this. I flew through it. “Nightbirds” offers a richly imagined world and a fresh take on magic, appealing to readers interested in feminist themes and intricate fantasy settings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

Have you ever read a book and just really wanted to step into the world and live in it? This was that book for me! Everything is so detailed and descriptive, I could truly feel how much love and dedication the author put into creating this world. Also, all strong and badass FMCs? Heck yes! It was exciting to pick up a YA book that started out so strong, I have high hopes for any remaining books in the series!

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.

Intriguing and enchanting, this historical fantasy has complex and compelling characters and relationships, political intrigue and a fascinating magic system with sooooo much potential! If you love reads set in The Prohibition era, the vibes in this were spot on. The pace drags a little in the middle, but overall this is a solid and satisfying read.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books ,Netgalley and the author for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Im giving this book 4 ⭐

Nightbirds is a magical, atmospheric fantasy with a fresh take on power and secrecy. Set in a world where girls can gift their magic with a kiss, it follows a group of rebellious young women fighting to reclaim their freedom. The writing is lush, the world-building is rich, and the characters are fierce and unforgettable. If you love feminist fantasy with intrigue, romance, and a touch of rebellion, this one’s a must-read!

Beautiful book cover! Unfortunately, I don't think I was the target audience for this particular book. I should have looked further into the tropes to make sure I was the intended audience, which I sadly wasn't, but I feel like this will find its perfect reader.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I couldn't. There were too many characters and a lot going on. Maybe I'm not a YA fan, but this just didn't do it for me.

I was immediately drawn into this world. The middle dragged a bit for me, but by the end I knew I’d read the next book of the series to see where it goes. Good world building and characters. Very atmospheric.

I was very impressed with this book so I need to say thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book, the characters were great and the story was very well built, a bit more slow than I expected but still, I don't have a reference to compare but I do have to say that I liked the idea and the magic aspect of powerful women.
The nightbirds is a book I won't forget that easy and I can't wait for what's coming because I did stay with some questions that need an answer

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

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I enjoyed that it was so similar to The Belles and I super love that novel, however, this felt like it dragged so much in the middle that I was bored and not entirely paying attention at times. The novel really did feel like a similar storyline to The Belles and it really sort of ended in a similar situation. Overall, the novel was enjoyable and I liked the magic and 19020s type twist. I do appreciate that I am able to go straight into book two, as well!

First of all, this was such a fun and entertaining read! I had a great time reading, getting to know the characters. and living in the setting! I will be giving this book 3/5 stars!

Nightbirds follows magical girls called "nightbirds" in a 1920's-esque setting who have magical powers that can be gifted with a kiss. While magic is prohibited in this society, people willing to pay are awarded with a magical gift. When a political scheme turns their lives upside down, the Nightbirds are forced to work together to protect themselves and the ones they love and take down a society that lables them "witches."

I had a lot of fun reading this and many parts were super engaging. I enjoyed a lot of the characters and relationships in this story, as well as the magical, mystical setting in the jazz age. I loved the friendship built between the girls and how they truly worked together by the end. I predict this will continue to have a "found family" aspect in the next book. I'm excited to read book two at some point to see where these characters go next.

The reason for my 3-star rating is that there was a lot to enjoy, but there was also a lot that was very basic and middle-of-the-road for me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I felt that it was a back and forth of cliche moments and unique moments. Some really fun chapters, while others felt boring and did not catch my attention. There was not a lot of growth for most of the characters throughout, but that could still happen in book two.

I wish the villains were explained more in depth. I wanted to know more about them and their motivations, especially the religious villains in this story. I felt that we heard about them and how they were villainous but not enough backstory to warrant everything that happened.

Again, overall a fun enjoyable read, but I wish there was more depth to the story! WIll be reading book two at some point.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate J. Armstrong, and Penguin for this review copy!

Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong was a solid read with strong character work and some surprising twists. It was a slow build, but once you are in the meat of the book, it gets more engaging. I look forward to the next one to come out and hopefully get some more answers and see relationships develop further.

Such a good read ❤️ I really enjoyed this book! It's a fun fairly unique magic system and I highly recommend giving it a try!