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The Kingdom of Crows #1
House of Beating Wings
USA Today bestselling author Olivia Wildenstein pens an epic romantasy novel full of deceit, betrayal, and false loves that could swallow a person whole, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Piper CJ.
Free the crows, Fallon, and they will make you queen.
Until an oracle predicted my regal future, I'd never imagined myself rising above the curve of my round ears. After all, I was the magicless halfling loved by beasts but loathed by every pure-blooded faerie at court. Well . . . by all but one.
Dante Regio, prince of Luce, had owned my heart since he gave me my first kiss. If gathering a slew of iron relics could help me overthrow the current monarch and crown his brother to rule at my side, then treasure hunting I'd go.
If only the oracle had warned me what winged demon I was releasing into the world.
And that I'd become this demon's obsession.
Free the crows, Fallon, and they will make you queen.
Until an oracle predicted my regal future, I'd never imagined myself rising above the curve of my round ears. After all, I was the magicless halfling loved by beasts but loathed by every pure-blooded faerie at court. Well . . . by all but one.
Dante Regio, prince of Luce, had owned my heart since he gave me my first kiss. If gathering a slew of iron relics could help me overthrow the current monarch and crown his brother to rule at my side, then treasure hunting I'd go.
If only the oracle had warned me what winged demon I was releasing into the world.
And that I'd become this demon's obsession.
544 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2022
11709 people are currently reading
136075 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Wildenstein
51 books5,262 followersOlivia is a USA Today best-selling author of romantasy. When she’s not swooning over her characters’ steamy escapades, or plotting their demise, you can find her sipping wine and crafting her next twisted, romantic masterpiece, all while trying to convince her children and leading man that she loves them more than her laptop.
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Ready to fall in love? Sign up to her Newsletter to claim your FREEBIE: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/hmniv0406r
WEBSITE: http://oliviawildenstein.com
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/olives21/
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@owildwrites
FACEBOOK READER GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Olivi...
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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TWITTER: https://twitter.com/OWildWrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,911 reviews
May 3, 2023
dante can eat shit, fallon was so weak and annoying as fuck sometimes & the love quadrangle pissed me off, but i can't believe i can say i have a crow as a book boyfriend now??
December 1, 2022
a very interesting fantasy that combines the atmosphere of medieval italy and the magic of celtic folklore.
while i found the MC to be a bit annoying at the beginning, i do think she goes through a decent enough development that she began to grow on me. i enjoyed the quest she was sent on and meeting all of the different characters along the way. i think the way the magic is introduced and how it relates to the worlds political history is done well and creates an intriguing plot.
i will say though that i think this is a bit too long, especially for a first installment. i think some more editing revisions could have tighten up the narrative and fixed the pacing issues in the places where it feels slow.
but overall, a very entertaining first book in what i hope will be an equally engaging series.
↠ 4 stars
while i found the MC to be a bit annoying at the beginning, i do think she goes through a decent enough development that she began to grow on me. i enjoyed the quest she was sent on and meeting all of the different characters along the way. i think the way the magic is introduced and how it relates to the worlds political history is done well and creates an intriguing plot.
i will say though that i think this is a bit too long, especially for a first installment. i think some more editing revisions could have tighten up the narrative and fixed the pacing issues in the places where it feels slow.
but overall, a very entertaining first book in what i hope will be an equally engaging series.
↠ 4 stars
December 29, 2022
Fallon is so stupid. Literally, she is just so dumb. Not even just child-like. She has absolutely no critical thinking skills and has no idea what deductive reasoning is. It's so much worse than just naivety. It was infuriating having this book told from her POV. All the other characters were so much more interesting and dynamic. If not for Fallon, this could have been a 5 star novel.
Also, I could have forgiven her stupidity if she at least had a good heart, but she's selfish and immature. She's a judgemental bitch and I got so sick of her holier than thou attitude just because she was a virgin. She calls the girls she works with friends, but is constantly thinking about how she's too good to do their jobs and gets offended when someone has the audacity to assume she does what they do.
And then this obnoxious little girl is just handed the opportunity to run a kingdom. She gives as much thought into becoming queen as I do when someone offers me a flyer on the street; I mindlessly take it and just keep walking. Literally, the only reason she gives for wanting to be queen is to marry the idiot prince. That reason alone has soooo many issues, but if it was one of many, it could be overlooked. But no, she literally doesn't put any thought into the empire, the land, its people, its problems, the politics, or anything else. Just another example of someone who doesn't deserve power being given way too much.
Also, I could have forgiven her stupidity if she at least had a good heart, but she's selfish and immature. She's a judgemental bitch and I got so sick of her holier than thou attitude just because she was a virgin. She calls the girls she works with friends, but is constantly thinking about how she's too good to do their jobs and gets offended when someone has the audacity to assume she does what they do.
And then this obnoxious little girl is just handed the opportunity to run a kingdom. She gives as much thought into becoming queen as I do when someone offers me a flyer on the street; I mindlessly take it and just keep walking. Literally, the only reason she gives for wanting to be queen is to marry the idiot prince. That reason alone has soooo many issues, but if it was one of many, it could be overlooked. But no, she literally doesn't put any thought into the empire, the land, its people, its problems, the politics, or anything else. Just another example of someone who doesn't deserve power being given way too much.
October 13, 2022
This was a DNF at 94 percent and I'm not sure why I didn't give up before this.
This came recommended by another author who's work I respect, and having read Wildenstein already I know they has proven themselves to be a fantastic writer with the first two books in the Angels of Elysium books, so I have no idea what happened here.
It reads like a first draft slapped together, given a beautiful cover and sent on its way. The writing is incredibly juvenile and very poorly edited. I am surprised beta readers (assuming there were any) didn't flag any of this before the final story was released.
One such example if the narrators constant stream of side thoughts. Dozens of lines which add nothing but word count. Yes a decent editor should have advised it all be left on the cutting room floor but a write of Wildenstein's usual caliber should also have seen at second glance of her manuscript that it was all utter rubbish.
The plot has fantastic potential but it's execution is sloppy and poorly explained, leaving confusing and awkwardly paced world building. The first 40 to 50 percent of the story is pure filler with basically nothing going on. The characters are unlikable, and there are so many of them added in with no purpose it leaves for a mind boggling game of memory to remember who is who.
The main character Fallon has no clear purpose or character growth, she just goes blindly into literally everything without a second of questioning. And not to mention every character conveniently adds into the plot in the most seamless and unproblematic way it makes no sense.
There were so many amazing shoot offs Wildenstein could have explored here, but she ignored a grand total of all of them and chose to waste readers time with silly things. - Don't get me started on the weird "you should sell your virginity" path we headed down for no reason."
An exciting plot idea wasted with lazy writing, lazy editing, and cheap troupes poorly executed. Very disappointing.
This came recommended by another author who's work I respect, and having read Wildenstein already I know they has proven themselves to be a fantastic writer with the first two books in the Angels of Elysium books, so I have no idea what happened here.
It reads like a first draft slapped together, given a beautiful cover and sent on its way. The writing is incredibly juvenile and very poorly edited. I am surprised beta readers (assuming there were any) didn't flag any of this before the final story was released.
One such example if the narrators constant stream of side thoughts. Dozens of lines which add nothing but word count. Yes a decent editor should have advised it all be left on the cutting room floor but a write of Wildenstein's usual caliber should also have seen at second glance of her manuscript that it was all utter rubbish.
The plot has fantastic potential but it's execution is sloppy and poorly explained, leaving confusing and awkwardly paced world building. The first 40 to 50 percent of the story is pure filler with basically nothing going on. The characters are unlikable, and there are so many of them added in with no purpose it leaves for a mind boggling game of memory to remember who is who.
The main character Fallon has no clear purpose or character growth, she just goes blindly into literally everything without a second of questioning. And not to mention every character conveniently adds into the plot in the most seamless and unproblematic way it makes no sense.
There were so many amazing shoot offs Wildenstein could have explored here, but she ignored a grand total of all of them and chose to waste readers time with silly things. - Don't get me started on the weird "you should sell your virginity" path we headed down for no reason."
An exciting plot idea wasted with lazy writing, lazy editing, and cheap troupes poorly executed. Very disappointing.
September 15, 2022
4.5 stars.
I’ll write a more thorough review once the book is actually out but for now here’s a non-spoilery review:
📚What I loved:
〰 Right off the bat, I immediately recognized the difference between the writing style in this book and in the author’s other works (the last book I read by her being Starlight). Although I love that series, I have to say that the writing worked a lottt better for me here. It just seemed much more mature (which makes sense given this is a NA/adult novel instead of YA). I personally love it when characters curse and speak freely and plainly in my books —they just seem more relatable to me once they curse lmao— which is probably why this worked so well for me.
〰 The second half of the book (specifically, the last 30%) made me up my rating to 5 stars. I was sick while reading this (I’m not saying that the book made me sick lol, I’m saying that I had a cold and was literally sick) and although the book was tad bit too long, I was fully immersed in the world and the plot.
〰 So far, I think this is Wildenstein’s best world building. We have politics, a war, magic, multiple supernatural creatures and more… (and all of them were well done).
📚 What I didn’t love:
〰 Although Fallon undergoes a lot of growth throughout this book, she kind of annoyed me at the beginning (and middle) with her obsession with the prince (not a spoiler- it’s literally mentioned in the synopsis). However, I will say that I’m super glad that by the end of this novel, that was all done. That’s why I think the next installment will be better than this one— because we hopefully won’t have any more unnecessary love triangles (which, as we all know, I absolutely hate lol).
〰 We don’t technically meet the Hero until the second half of the book— this didn’t bother me too much but I thought it was worth mentioning. Think of it like the ACOTAR series (don’t worry though, Lorcan gets a lot more screen time in this than Rhys did in Acotar).
📚 What I hope to see in the next installment:
〰 No love triangles.
〰 Fallon slowly falling in love with Lorcan without OW/OM drama and slowly learning to trust him and his people.
〰 More of Syb and Phoebs.
〰 Fallon discovering who she really is and growing as a character and heroine.
〰 More of the Crow Kingdom and its inner workings.
📚 Final thoughts:
〰 I’m honestly genuinely super excited for the next book. I truly believe that everything about it will be even better than this Installment (which, I obviously still loved since a 5 star rating is incredibly rare for me lol). Did the book drag on for a bit and was longer than necessary? Yes. Did I care? Not really. This made me forget I was sick and that’s pretty much all I could ever want from a book. In other words, I definitely encourage you to pick this up once it comes out in September! Meanwhile, I will be trying to look for ways to get myself an ARC of the sequel (If you know how I could possibly do that please let me know🥲).
Happy reading everyone!!
———————————————-
I actually have a copy of it right now and I think I’ll read it soon
I’ll write a more thorough review once the book is actually out but for now here’s a non-spoilery review:
📚What I loved:
〰 Right off the bat, I immediately recognized the difference between the writing style in this book and in the author’s other works (the last book I read by her being Starlight). Although I love that series, I have to say that the writing worked a lottt better for me here. It just seemed much more mature (which makes sense given this is a NA/adult novel instead of YA). I personally love it when characters curse and speak freely and plainly in my books —they just seem more relatable to me once they curse lmao— which is probably why this worked so well for me.
〰 The second half of the book (specifically, the last 30%) made me up my rating to 5 stars. I was sick while reading this (I’m not saying that the book made me sick lol, I’m saying that I had a cold and was literally sick) and although the book was tad bit too long, I was fully immersed in the world and the plot.
〰 So far, I think this is Wildenstein’s best world building. We have politics, a war, magic, multiple supernatural creatures and more… (and all of them were well done).
📚 What I didn’t love:
〰 Although Fallon undergoes a lot of growth throughout this book, she kind of annoyed me at the beginning (and middle) with her obsession with the prince (not a spoiler- it’s literally mentioned in the synopsis). However, I will say that I’m super glad that by the end of this novel, that was all done. That’s why I think the next installment will be better than this one— because we hopefully won’t have any more unnecessary love triangles (which, as we all know, I absolutely hate lol).
〰 We don’t technically meet the Hero until the second half of the book— this didn’t bother me too much but I thought it was worth mentioning. Think of it like the ACOTAR series (don’t worry though, Lorcan gets a lot more screen time in this than Rhys did in Acotar).
📚 What I hope to see in the next installment:
〰 No love triangles.
〰 Fallon slowly falling in love with Lorcan without OW/OM drama and slowly learning to trust him and his people.
〰 More of Syb and Phoebs.
〰 Fallon discovering who she really is and growing as a character and heroine.
〰 More of the Crow Kingdom and its inner workings.
📚 Final thoughts:
〰 I’m honestly genuinely super excited for the next book. I truly believe that everything about it will be even better than this Installment (which, I obviously still loved since a 5 star rating is incredibly rare for me lol). Did the book drag on for a bit and was longer than necessary? Yes. Did I care? Not really. This made me forget I was sick and that’s pretty much all I could ever want from a book. In other words, I definitely encourage you to pick this up once it comes out in September! Meanwhile, I will be trying to look for ways to get myself an ARC of the sequel (If you know how I could possibly do that please let me know🥲).
Happy reading everyone!!
———————————————-
I actually have a copy of it right now and I think I’ll read it soon
January 10, 2023
This was bad. The writing is bad, the pace is bad, the characters are bad, the story had so much potential but was ruined by all the mentioned things. This needs an editor that will probably cut 80% of the book.
FMC is annoying. Im pretty sure the book says she is 22 years old but mentally she is like 12 years. She is naive, useless, stupid & more like a young adult character. She is obsessed with the Prince Dante so the only words that come out of her mouth are Dante this, Dante That, Dante, Dante...I hate that name! I am never reading a book with a character named Dante.
FMC is annoying. Im pretty sure the book says she is 22 years old but mentally she is like 12 years. She is naive, useless, stupid & more like a young adult character. She is obsessed with the Prince Dante so the only words that come out of her mouth are Dante this, Dante That, Dante, Dante...I hate that name! I am never reading a book with a character named Dante.
February 22, 2023
This started off a lil rocky and I feel like the set-up for the story could have been smoother, but when I hit the 20% mark I couldn't stop reading, I finished it in a day and picked up book 2 immediately.
If you like Plated Prisoner or Fortuna Sworn then I think you'll enjoy this one!
If you like Plated Prisoner or Fortuna Sworn then I think you'll enjoy this one!
September 30, 2024
LOVED this book. Such a unique plot, and I’m a sucker for the long-game romance. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
September 19, 2023
istg I posted the review, but it never posted😭
3.5/5⭐
.5/5🔥
Reading this I was like damn.... am I? am I attracted to a crow- turned out I was, and it was a heavenly experience.
This was very refreshing fantasy book. I really liked it, but it felt a little less maybe it's with the fact that this was the first book in the series.
The first part of this book was boring. I was angry at Fallon for being so dumb. Couldn't bear her. But then when the world was slowly beginning to build, all of it made sense I mean it was so good!! The plot twists were amazing. I saw most of them coming but still it was enjoyable reading about them.
And the 'War scene' it was so perfectly done!!🤌 I mean it has been ages scene I've seen a good well build war scene or fighting scene where everything is taken slowly and there is desperation in our hearts that if the mmf or fmc are going to survive or no. Yeah, Loved that about this book.
I can't wait to explore more of this world.
Lorcan djfhkhfkjshkj 🧎🏽♀️
Fallon's Character development🤌😭
Dante that mf-🙄🤚
---
Thank you so much, beautiful Lyra for reading this with me. It was a lovely experience sweety💖
3.5/5⭐
.5/5🔥
Reading this I was like damn.... am I? am I attracted to a crow- turned out I was, and it was a heavenly experience.
This was very refreshing fantasy book. I really liked it, but it felt a little less maybe it's with the fact that this was the first book in the series.
The first part of this book was boring. I was angry at Fallon for being so dumb. Couldn't bear her. But then when the world was slowly beginning to build, all of it made sense I mean it was so good!! The plot twists were amazing. I saw most of them coming but still it was enjoyable reading about them.
And the 'War scene' it was so perfectly done!!🤌 I mean it has been ages scene I've seen a good well build war scene or fighting scene where everything is taken slowly and there is desperation in our hearts that if the mmf or fmc are going to survive or no. Yeah, Loved that about this book.
I can't wait to explore more of this world.
Lorcan djfhkhfkjshkj 🧎🏽♀️
Fallon's Character development🤌😭
Dante that mf-🙄🤚
---
Thank you so much, beautiful Lyra for reading this with me. It was a lovely experience sweety💖
February 9, 2025
why does dante remind me of tamlin? why is she dicknotized?? 🤧😮💨
redone review to come 💗
~~~~~~~~~
✮✮✮✮✮
this is one of my all time faves!!! i love this book (the whole series actually) so so much. it’s definitely not for everybody, but i loved it (bear with me because i’ve reread it twice- the last time was a few weeks ago).
˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
**before i start this review, i’d just like to say - the book description does NOT do this justice. it is so so so much more.
features -
✮⋆˙ relationships - EEEK. i actually adored them so much, even though the never really have a real relationship in this book.
✮⋆˙ world building / plot - checked all boxes ✓ i will say however, that the ending is a semi cliffhanger. you gotta read the next book.
✮⋆˙ the journey - alright, this book had juuuust enough romance mixed with fantasy and adventure. the whole begging of the adventure with morrgot was a bit slow, but their banter made up for it <33
redone review to come 💗
~~~~~~~~~
✮✮✮✮✮
this is one of my all time faves!!! i love this book (the whole series actually) so so much. it’s definitely not for everybody, but i loved it (bear with me because i’ve reread it twice- the last time was a few weeks ago).
˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
**before i start this review, i’d just like to say - the book description does NOT do this justice. it is so so so much more.
features -
✮⋆˙ relationships - EEEK. i actually adored them so much, even though the never really have a real relationship in this book.
✮⋆˙ world building / plot - checked all boxes ✓ i will say however, that the ending is a semi cliffhanger. you gotta read the next book.
✮⋆˙ the journey - alright, this book had juuuust enough romance mixed with fantasy and adventure. the whole begging of the adventure with morrgot was a bit slow, but their banter made up for it <33
June 11, 2023
4.5 ✨
The book proved to be a delightful surprise, offering much more than I had anticipated, with each aspect bringing something new and exciting to the table. Although our FMC was kind of obsessed over another guy in 60% of the book, which was confusing AF at the time. And the storyline took its time to get to the main point, but when it did, oh boy, I read it non-stop, powering through to the end in just two days without a single wink of sleep. Such was the addictive nature of the plot. What I truly appreciated about the book was its remarkable writing technique, which ensured that I never experienced any sense of boredom or fatigue throughout the story. Very impressive!
However, the only thing I didn't like was the cover of the book, it didn't fit the story at all.
The book proved to be a delightful surprise, offering much more than I had anticipated, with each aspect bringing something new and exciting to the table. Although our FMC was kind of obsessed over another guy in 60% of the book, which was confusing AF at the time. And the storyline took its time to get to the main point, but when it did, oh boy, I read it non-stop, powering through to the end in just two days without a single wink of sleep. Such was the addictive nature of the plot. What I truly appreciated about the book was its remarkable writing technique, which ensured that I never experienced any sense of boredom or fatigue throughout the story. Very impressive!
However, the only thing I didn't like was the cover of the book, it didn't fit the story at all.
May 15, 2022
LEGIT IN THE TOP READS OF 2022.
This is so so so so so so good. A refreshing NA/Adult romantasy with the perfect broody hero. Happy to add another to my book BF harem!
This is so so so so so so good. A refreshing NA/Adult romantasy with the perfect broody hero. Happy to add another to my book BF harem!
April 4, 2023
Reading House of Beating Wings felt like the equivalent of trying to teach your child basic math, or maybe something like watching Blues Clues as an adult. "A clue, a clue!" Like, Steve, my brother in Christ, the clue is right there in front of your face. I know Steve isn't on Blues Clues anymore, I'm old, forgive me. But you get what I'm saying - you try to be nice and patient but there comes a point where you just want to tear your hair out because the solution to whatever problem or puzzle is just. So. Obvious. It's a unique kind of infuriating.
So yes, being in the backseat for Fallon's adventures throughout this novel was insanely frustrating. There were so many instances of Fallon being oblivious to information that was painfully obvious. I mean, she has access to all of the same information that we, as the audience, do - but she just can't seem to put 2 and 2 together. It's infuriating to read as Fallon continues to glaze over important details and never attribute any meaning to them. On some level, I get it - we've all sipped a little too much of the Dumb Bitch Juice at one point or another - but Fallon really seems to live by it. It also doesn't help that this MC (lack of brain cells aside) is just.. not that likeable. I'm struggling to come up with anything I enjoyed about her character. She's self-righteous, judgmental, and naïve. There's a ton of both subtle and not-so-subtle slutshaming coming from pure, innocent Fallon, which was supremely irritating. She loves animals but this is shown so selectively that it didn't feel like a major aspect of her personality. The side characters that *are* likeable are barely featured at all, and aside from Fallon, none of the other characters are really developed and feel completely flat.
It also doesn't help matters that the majority of Fallon's internal monologue and headspace are occupied by super important matters, such as her first love interest, Prince Dante, how she'll act when she's queen (though her thoughts never venture beyond a surface level of "I'll help these people" and "I'll punish these other people"), and the state of her nipples. I really wish I'd been flagging how many times she mentions her nips on my Kindle, because it's A LOT. I also want to touch on the author's questionable use of certain words and phrases. At one point, Fallon refers to a group of jungle Fae as "savages." I feel like I don't have to explain why that particular term was a poor choice to use. Another phrase I noted was: "his temper is worse than Sybille's around her blood cycle." What in the name of Jesus, Mary, and the Church would possess a woman to make that comparison? I could have sworn this MC's name was Fallon and not Pickmeisha. There were multiple instances throughout this novel where I found myself taken aback by what I was reading - and this is not even mentioning the word choices that just made me cackle.
All the issues with Fallon & co. aside, the plot itself was equally frustrating. For the first two thirds of the novel, there really isn't much plot happening - I'm pretty sure most of this section could be axed from the story and nothing of importance would actually be missing (which is kind of hilarious in a 500+ page novel). The overarching narrative is pretty basic - there's a prophecy that states poor, lowly Fallon will be queen if she can find and reunite 5 crow statues. Easy. When the plot actually starts plotting though, it's laughable - Fallon stumbles into everything through a Series of Extremely Fortunate Events. After being told the prophecy, she finds the first crow by accident. She finds the next one through a vision that is presented to her. She's told where the third one is. The final two are essentially brought to her by other characters. Do you see where I'm going with this? Everything is so contrived and convenient, it's like reading a novel designed for a middle schooler. It even robs Fallon of any kind of positive character development because she never seems brave or clever. Everything is done for her and it feels like she's just along for the ride. Her motivations feel non-existent by the time the story wraps up, and it's pretty clear for the majority of the novel she has no idea what she's doing or the implications of her actions. But there's barely any page-space dedicated to her contemplating such trivialities, because there's her nipples to think about.
I also wished there was more time dedicated to world-building and fleshing out the magic system. The city of Monteluce gave off Venice vibes, which made for an interesting setting, but there's rarely any culture, religion, or just.. anything remotely interesting mentioned. There's the very cliché "this is where the rich, affluent Fae live, and the other side of the canal where the oppressed halfbloods live." There are also several wars mentioned (the Magnabellum and Pri-something-or-other that I've already forgotten) that are never really explained, yet are fairly relevant to the plot and how some of the characters came to be where they are. Oh well, I guess? There's also the magic system - if you can call it that - that is simply not explained at all. So, there are elemental Fae (The Last Airbender style) to cover the basics of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. These Fae are mentioned, but it's never clear where their power comes from, or what their limitations are (what they can and can't do). Fallon randomly mentions Water Fae would have the ability to move water, or do laundry more quickly - but could they part a sea, Moses-style?? Apparently Air Fae can summon massive gusts of wind (and create a tidal wave.. somehow) but they can't fly or hover. I think it was randomly mentioned by one of the side characters in the last 20 pages of the novel that she was able to use magic freely because she had a ton "stored up" - this has several implications about how magic works, but of course, there's never any detail provided. It feels like such a huge oversight in this fantastical world, to have the magic completely backgrounded unless it's convenient to the plot.
If it weren't for the swearing, cringey sex scene (which felt borderline non-consensual.. overall it was a giant no from me, dawg) I would have no problem believing that this was a middle school novel, or the first draft of a novel trying to cash in on the teen-romance era that followed the success of something like Twilight or Fallen. Granted, the romance is mostly sitting on the backburner here (to make way for the super intricate plot, clearly). I'm blown away that this book has such a high average rating - did I read a different book? It's lacking the elements of a good fantasy novel, the romance was predictable and disappointing, and the characters were borderline insufferable. I'm struggling to come up with anything redeeming about House of Beating Wings but 1 star feels harsh, so 1.5 it is. Having said that, I'll probably read the second book because hating myself is a full time job, and my work is never done. Thank god for public libraries.
So yes, being in the backseat for Fallon's adventures throughout this novel was insanely frustrating. There were so many instances of Fallon being oblivious to information that was painfully obvious. I mean, she has access to all of the same information that we, as the audience, do - but she just can't seem to put 2 and 2 together. It's infuriating to read as Fallon continues to glaze over important details and never attribute any meaning to them. On some level, I get it - we've all sipped a little too much of the Dumb Bitch Juice at one point or another - but Fallon really seems to live by it. It also doesn't help that this MC (lack of brain cells aside) is just.. not that likeable. I'm struggling to come up with anything I enjoyed about her character. She's self-righteous, judgmental, and naïve. There's a ton of both subtle and not-so-subtle slutshaming coming from pure, innocent Fallon, which was supremely irritating. She loves animals but this is shown so selectively that it didn't feel like a major aspect of her personality. The side characters that *are* likeable are barely featured at all, and aside from Fallon, none of the other characters are really developed and feel completely flat.
It also doesn't help matters that the majority of Fallon's internal monologue and headspace are occupied by super important matters, such as her first love interest, Prince Dante, how she'll act when she's queen (though her thoughts never venture beyond a surface level of "I'll help these people" and "I'll punish these other people"), and the state of her nipples. I really wish I'd been flagging how many times she mentions her nips on my Kindle, because it's A LOT. I also want to touch on the author's questionable use of certain words and phrases. At one point, Fallon refers to a group of jungle Fae as "savages." I feel like I don't have to explain why that particular term was a poor choice to use. Another phrase I noted was: "his temper is worse than Sybille's around her blood cycle." What in the name of Jesus, Mary, and the Church would possess a woman to make that comparison? I could have sworn this MC's name was Fallon and not Pickmeisha. There were multiple instances throughout this novel where I found myself taken aback by what I was reading - and this is not even mentioning the word choices that just made me cackle.
All the issues with Fallon & co. aside, the plot itself was equally frustrating. For the first two thirds of the novel, there really isn't much plot happening - I'm pretty sure most of this section could be axed from the story and nothing of importance would actually be missing (which is kind of hilarious in a 500+ page novel). The overarching narrative is pretty basic - there's a prophecy that states poor, lowly Fallon will be queen if she can find and reunite 5 crow statues. Easy. When the plot actually starts plotting though, it's laughable - Fallon stumbles into everything through a Series of Extremely Fortunate Events. After being told the prophecy, she finds the first crow by accident. She finds the next one through a vision that is presented to her. She's told where the third one is. The final two are essentially brought to her by other characters. Do you see where I'm going with this? Everything is so contrived and convenient, it's like reading a novel designed for a middle schooler. It even robs Fallon of any kind of positive character development because she never seems brave or clever. Everything is done for her and it feels like she's just along for the ride. Her motivations feel non-existent by the time the story wraps up, and it's pretty clear for the majority of the novel she has no idea what she's doing or the implications of her actions. But there's barely any page-space dedicated to her contemplating such trivialities, because there's her nipples to think about.
I also wished there was more time dedicated to world-building and fleshing out the magic system. The city of Monteluce gave off Venice vibes, which made for an interesting setting, but there's rarely any culture, religion, or just.. anything remotely interesting mentioned. There's the very cliché "this is where the rich, affluent Fae live, and the other side of the canal where the oppressed halfbloods live." There are also several wars mentioned (the Magnabellum and Pri-something-or-other that I've already forgotten) that are never really explained, yet are fairly relevant to the plot and how some of the characters came to be where they are. Oh well, I guess? There's also the magic system - if you can call it that - that is simply not explained at all. So, there are elemental Fae (The Last Airbender style) to cover the basics of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. These Fae are mentioned, but it's never clear where their power comes from, or what their limitations are (what they can and can't do). Fallon randomly mentions Water Fae would have the ability to move water, or do laundry more quickly - but could they part a sea, Moses-style?? Apparently Air Fae can summon massive gusts of wind (and create a tidal wave.. somehow) but they can't fly or hover. I think it was randomly mentioned by one of the side characters in the last 20 pages of the novel that she was able to use magic freely because she had a ton "stored up" - this has several implications about how magic works, but of course, there's never any detail provided. It feels like such a huge oversight in this fantastical world, to have the magic completely backgrounded unless it's convenient to the plot.
If it weren't for the swearing, cringey sex scene (which felt borderline non-consensual.. overall it was a giant no from me, dawg) I would have no problem believing that this was a middle school novel, or the first draft of a novel trying to cash in on the teen-romance era that followed the success of something like Twilight or Fallen. Granted, the romance is mostly sitting on the backburner here (to make way for the super intricate plot, clearly). I'm blown away that this book has such a high average rating - did I read a different book? It's lacking the elements of a good fantasy novel, the romance was predictable and disappointing, and the characters were borderline insufferable. I'm struggling to come up with anything redeeming about House of Beating Wings but 1 star feels harsh, so 1.5 it is. Having said that, I'll probably read the second book because hating myself is a full time job, and my work is never done. Thank god for public libraries.
February 16, 2023
Buddy read with the WONDERFUL Huda! Thanks for doing this with me babe!🥰❤️❤️
(And Lila, this is because of you—my little devil influence 😘)
—4.5 stars—
“Free the crows, Fallon.”
————about the book————
Age: NA
Genres: fantasy
Cliffhanger: a little
Writing: 7/10
Quotes: 8/10
World building: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Romance: 8/10 (so much potential for the next book!)
My rating: 9/10
‼️spoilers below‼️
———my feelings———
While I found this quite hard to get into at the start, mostly because Fallon was annoying me, I really enjoyed itas soon as the crow turned up from about 1/3 of the way through! I went from really disliking Fallon to loving her and how fearless and brave she is! That’s character development if you ask me.
And oh my god the world was SPECTACULAR. It reminded me of a magical Venice, and I love Venice.
But honestly, I never felt lost in the world, it was all well thought out.
And eheheehehe
I saved the best for last...
LORCAN (my lil crow)
I love him so so so so much. THE BANTER. HOW SWEET HE IS. HIS CUTE LIL CROWS.
Omigod the bit at the end where he turned back into a human...... AHHHHHH
(And Dante can go die somewhere. I hate him.)
———Characters ———
Fallon: she went from being naive and selfish, to being the badass she is now! I love how she talks back to people!
Lorcan: 😍😍😍stop I love him so much. He’s the BEST. MY PRECIOUS.maybe I could steal him from Fallon...
Dante: HATE HIM HATE HIM HATE HIM.
That sex scene was honestly awful to read. I’m so glad Fallon’s realised how bad he is now.
(Ooh and a shout-out to Fallon’s friends, because they’re amazing!)
————Quotes————
“I promise that I will lie, because unlike the Fae, I can.”
“You read too many books.”
“And you read too few.”
“What need would a king have for charm?”
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, Fallon.”
————Songs————
Black and gold -Gio Navas
Big guns -Ruelle
I just want a lover -Noah Cyrus
———Random extra thoughts———
Lorcan calling her little bird is so fucking adorable omggggg
(I honestly considered just typing Lorcan for my whole review 😊)
Thanks for reading!❤️
(And Lila, this is because of you—my little devil influence 😘)
—4.5 stars—
“Free the crows, Fallon.”
————about the book————
Age: NA
Genres: fantasy
Cliffhanger: a little
Writing: 7/10
Quotes: 8/10
World building: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Romance: 8/10 (so much potential for the next book!)
My rating: 9/10
‼️spoilers below‼️
———my feelings———
While I found this quite hard to get into at the start, mostly because Fallon was annoying me, I really enjoyed it
And oh my god the world was SPECTACULAR. It reminded me of a magical Venice, and I love Venice.
But honestly, I never felt lost in the world, it was all well thought out.
And eheheehehe
I saved the best for last...
LORCAN (my lil crow)
I love him so so so so much. THE BANTER. HOW SWEET HE IS. HIS CUTE LIL CROWS.
Omigod the bit at the end where he turned back into a human...... AHHHHHH
(And Dante can go die somewhere. I hate him.)
———Characters ———
Fallon: she went from being naive and selfish, to being the badass she is now! I love how she talks back to people!
Lorcan: 😍😍😍stop I love him so much. He’s the BEST. MY PRECIOUS.
Dante: HATE HIM HATE HIM HATE HIM.
That sex scene was honestly awful to read. I’m so glad Fallon’s realised how bad he is now.
(Ooh and a shout-out to Fallon’s friends, because they’re amazing!)
————Quotes————
“I promise that I will lie, because unlike the Fae, I can.”
“You read too many books.”
“And you read too few.”
“What need would a king have for charm?”
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, Fallon.”
————Songs————
Black and gold -Gio Navas
Big guns -Ruelle
I just want a lover -Noah Cyrus
———Random extra thoughts———
Lorcan calling her little bird is so fucking adorable omggggg
(I honestly considered just typing Lorcan for my whole review 😊)
Thanks for reading!❤️
August 30, 2023
3.75 ⭐️ Bardzo ciekawy pomysł na fabułę. Ta książka to jeden wielki wstęp do historii więc liczę na to, że kolejne tomy jeszcze mnie zachwyca. Dobra rozrywka i świetni drugoplanowi bohaterowie. Główna bohaterka jest trochę naiwna, nie domyśla się rozwiązań, które przeciętny czytelnik ogarnie 100 stron wcześniej. Uważam, że to seria z ogromnym potencjałem co zapowiada ta książka. Dużo się w niej rozpoczęło i myślę, że bardziej adekwatne będzie ocenienie całej serii. Czekam na rozwój tych wszystkich wątków. Mam spory niedosyt.
Read
March 24, 2024DNF @ 50%
There were so many instances where modern phrases were used such as “meet-cute”, “calm your tits”, etc.
But what really was the nail in the coffin was our FMC poking the CLOACA of a bird statue and not being able to tell if the crow checking out her naked body was a man because it didn’t have any genitalia.
I just… no. I’m sorry, no.
There were so many instances where modern phrases were used such as “meet-cute”, “calm your tits”, etc.
But what really was the nail in the coffin was our FMC poking the CLOACA of a bird statue and not being able to tell if the crow checking out her naked body was a man because it didn’t have any genitalia.
I just… no. I’m sorry, no.
September 30, 2022
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November 12, 2022
*2.5*
Here is the thing. I like certain aspects of this book. I think the world is so incredibly fascinating and well described, and the plot is intricate and thought through.
I also really like the diversity of the characters, and many of their characteristics!
However… what ruins almost the entire book for me… is the MC. I’m sorry to say but she was so incredibly naive and stubborn, and could not see so many “plot twists” that were legit right in front of her!! There are so many connections that took her ages to realize while I feel like we as readers could see it from a mile away…
And I don’t even wanna touch on the whole love triangle situation because it infuriated me like nothing else I have ever experienced.
I was grabbed by the world build in the first like 10% of the book. The next 50% proceeded to make me roll my eyes and make fumes come out of my ears :)))
The plot FINALLY started to get interesting around 60% and I started liking the story again, but the MC still made me wanna scream at her to open her eyes :)))
However, I must say that the last 25% or so were so thrilling that I really started to enjoy the story despite the MC being annoying. I’m not sure how much the pain of going through the first half of the book is worth it though…
I think what ruins a lot of this book for me, well besides the MC being VERY naive and immature, is the fact that we as readers can see where the story is going from the very beginning. It’s not hard to sus out which characters we should be wary of and which direction the plot was gonna move. I was lowkey just waiting for the MC to catch up with what I assume most readers had already suspected from the start.
I do have a lot of respect for this author, and have absolutely LOVED some of her previous books. Unfortunately however, this one did not hit the mark for me…. I was too annoyed by the MC although I am VERY intrigued by the male character we get introduced to later…
I honestly don’t know if I would read the second book… I could possibly be tempted if it has dual POV.
Ps. Idk if it’s just me but I found myself comparing a lot of components to the first ACOTAR book… although the world is very different.
Here is the thing. I like certain aspects of this book. I think the world is so incredibly fascinating and well described, and the plot is intricate and thought through.
I also really like the diversity of the characters, and many of their characteristics!
However… what ruins almost the entire book for me… is the MC. I’m sorry to say but she was so incredibly naive and stubborn, and could not see so many “plot twists” that were legit right in front of her!! There are so many connections that took her ages to realize while I feel like we as readers could see it from a mile away…
And I don’t even wanna touch on the whole love triangle situation because it infuriated me like nothing else I have ever experienced.
I was grabbed by the world build in the first like 10% of the book. The next 50% proceeded to make me roll my eyes and make fumes come out of my ears :)))
The plot FINALLY started to get interesting around 60% and I started liking the story again, but the MC still made me wanna scream at her to open her eyes :)))
However, I must say that the last 25% or so were so thrilling that I really started to enjoy the story despite the MC being annoying. I’m not sure how much the pain of going through the first half of the book is worth it though…
I think what ruins a lot of this book for me, well besides the MC being VERY naive and immature, is the fact that we as readers can see where the story is going from the very beginning. It’s not hard to sus out which characters we should be wary of and which direction the plot was gonna move. I was lowkey just waiting for the MC to catch up with what I assume most readers had already suspected from the start.
I do have a lot of respect for this author, and have absolutely LOVED some of her previous books. Unfortunately however, this one did not hit the mark for me…. I was too annoyed by the MC although I am VERY intrigued by the male character we get introduced to later…
I honestly don’t know if I would read the second book… I could possibly be tempted if it has dual POV.
Ps. Idk if it’s just me but I found myself comparing a lot of components to the first ACOTAR book… although the world is very different.
June 23, 2022
I have received this ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
House of Beating Wings ended up being a pretty fun book to dive into. I will admit, though, at times it did feel like nothing was truly happening. At least the ending made up for those parts because I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
In this, you will meet Fallon. She lives in a world that constantly looks down at her. Probably because she's the only one that can lie but I'm sure it's because of other things as well. She currently works at a tavern and has seen some things. Men are completely horrible, but the women aren't saint's eithers. They all seem to have an opinion about her, and I was not happy about any of them.
Other than that, we do get some romance. Well, hints of a horrible love triangle. Spoiler alert: I didn't like either guy. I feel like she should leave them both in the dust and go off with the bird. Just saying. I feel like she would be happier, and I would be too.
In the end, I still have some unanswered questions and hope to get some answers in the next book.
House of Beating Wings ended up being a pretty fun book to dive into. I will admit, though, at times it did feel like nothing was truly happening. At least the ending made up for those parts because I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
In this, you will meet Fallon. She lives in a world that constantly looks down at her. Probably because she's the only one that can lie but I'm sure it's because of other things as well. She currently works at a tavern and has seen some things. Men are completely horrible, but the women aren't saint's eithers. They all seem to have an opinion about her, and I was not happy about any of them.
Other than that, we do get some romance. Well, hints of a horrible love triangle. Spoiler alert: I didn't like either guy. I feel like she should leave them both in the dust and go off with the bird. Just saying. I feel like she would be happier, and I would be too.
In the end, I still have some unanswered questions and hope to get some answers in the next book.
July 4, 2023
I’m trying to get back into the fantasy-romance kindle unlimited groove and randomly picked this one up. It was okay. Definitely not a new favorite. I’m very torn between 2 and 3 stars, but for now I’ll go with 3 since I do think some aspects of the book were very well done
❌ FALLON WAS NOT my favorite main character… in fact, she might be one of my least favorite female MC’s ever. I just could not relate to a single thing she did. At first, she bothered me because of her naive outlook on love and her relationship with Dante. And then later in the book, when she tried developing a backbone, she bothered me because she felt like a moody and insolent teenager with the way she kept talking back and having sass while still being a big ditz.
🆗 THE ROMANCE WITH the real love interest didn’t really start until over halfway through the book. Honestly, I question his sanity because I don’t know how he can be even remotely interested in Fallon. Because of their mind connection, he could read all her thoughts, and boy did she have a lot of dumb thoughts. If I had to listen to her incessant daydreaming about Dante and how she’s going to marry him and be queen all day long then I would definitely NOT be interested. But I guess she’s probably BeaAuTiFUl so why would a personality matter 🤡
✅ THE BEST THING about this book was definitely the world-building. It was very well thought-out and I appreciated all the little details. I think the magic and the different cities/races were all well explained and kept me interested in the story. We kept learning more and more about the history and the different races and it was a nice and steady release of information.
✅ THE SIDE CHARACTERS were also really enjoyable and were very well-written! I’m glad Syb and Phoebs are going to continue to be a big part of the next books and I hope they get a lot more page-time. I also really like Nonna and I hope we can close the loop on her relationship with Fallon in the next one too.
Overall, the interesting world and fast-paced plot definitely carried this book considering the main character was bleghhh and the romance isn’t doing anything for me right now. I feel like I could go on and on about how much I dislike Fallon, but I’ll end it here and keep my fingers crossed that she goes through some intense character development in the next book 🤞🤞
❌ FALLON WAS NOT my favorite main character… in fact, she might be one of my least favorite female MC’s ever. I just could not relate to a single thing she did. At first, she bothered me because of her naive outlook on love and her relationship with Dante. And then later in the book, when she tried developing a backbone, she bothered me because she felt like a moody and insolent teenager with the way she kept talking back and having sass while still being a big ditz.
🆗 THE ROMANCE WITH the real love interest didn’t really start until over halfway through the book. Honestly, I question his sanity because I don’t know how he can be even remotely interested in Fallon. Because of their mind connection, he could read all her thoughts, and boy did she have a lot of dumb thoughts. If I had to listen to her incessant daydreaming about Dante and how she’s going to marry him and be queen all day long then I would definitely NOT be interested. But I guess she’s probably BeaAuTiFUl so why would a personality matter 🤡
✅ THE BEST THING about this book was definitely the world-building. It was very well thought-out and I appreciated all the little details. I think the magic and the different cities/races were all well explained and kept me interested in the story. We kept learning more and more about the history and the different races and it was a nice and steady release of information.
✅ THE SIDE CHARACTERS were also really enjoyable and were very well-written! I’m glad Syb and Phoebs are going to continue to be a big part of the next books and I hope they get a lot more page-time. I also really like Nonna and I hope we can close the loop on her relationship with Fallon in the next one too.
Overall, the interesting world and fast-paced plot definitely carried this book considering the main character was bleghhh and the romance isn’t doing anything for me right now. I feel like I could go on and on about how much I dislike Fallon, but I’ll end it here and keep my fingers crossed that she goes through some intense character development in the next book 🤞🤞
April 30, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
June 8, 2022
One of my top reads for the whole year. This book was so captivating. I felt transported to another world instantly.
The world building was absolutely phenomenal. From the different creatures, to all the land, islands and laws, I felt like I could clearly imagine it all right in front of me.
Fallon is a girl looked down upon in society. Working at the tavern, not a brothel, she has seen the worst of the worst when it comes to men. Known as the “serpent charmer”, everyone stays on edge wondering what if she truly has powers, even though she says otherwise. And watching her character grow through the book was done perfectly.
There is a hint of a love triangle in this book.
Speaking of love, I had no idea it was possible to absolutely love a character that isn’t even in the first half of the book. If you know, you know…new book boyfriend!
This book has a prophesy, magic, Fae, Crows, Serpents, someone who sees the future, banter, action, ghosty/phantom hands, and questions left to be answered. The cliffhanger leaves you excited and ready for book 2!
I. Can’t. Wait.
The world building was absolutely phenomenal. From the different creatures, to all the land, islands and laws, I felt like I could clearly imagine it all right in front of me.
Fallon is a girl looked down upon in society. Working at the tavern, not a brothel, she has seen the worst of the worst when it comes to men. Known as the “serpent charmer”, everyone stays on edge wondering what if she truly has powers, even though she says otherwise. And watching her character grow through the book was done perfectly.
There is a hint of a love triangle in this book.
Speaking of love, I had no idea it was possible to absolutely love a character that isn’t even in the first half of the book. If you know, you know…new book boyfriend!
This book has a prophesy, magic, Fae, Crows, Serpents, someone who sees the future, banter, action, ghosty/phantom hands, and questions left to be answered. The cliffhanger leaves you excited and ready for book 2!
I. Can’t. Wait.
February 13, 2025
¿Hola?
Sé que es más de lo mismo en el mundo del romantasy pero ME HA FLIPADO MUCHÍSIMO!?!?!?!?! Por favor, no sé cómo no hay más gente chillando con este libro: la trama, la magia, la protagonista, el misterio y la acción... BRUTAAAAAAL <3
Sé que es más de lo mismo en el mundo del romantasy pero ME HA FLIPADO MUCHÍSIMO!?!?!?!?! Por favor, no sé cómo no hay más gente chillando con este libro: la trama, la magia, la protagonista, el misterio y la acción... BRUTAAAAAAL <3
August 31, 2023
Po jaką książkę sięgnęliście z myślą, że pewnie Wam się spodoba, ale po zakończeniu… nie spodziewaliście się, że zachwyci Was aż tak bardzo?
U mnie tak było właśnie z „Domem trzepoczących skrzydeł”: po opisie, motywach i zapowiedzi sądziłam, że to coś dla mnie, ale… O, przenajsłodszy jeżu, otrzymałam o wiele więcej, niż oczekiwałam.
To powieść dla osób lubujących się w motywie podróży, poszukiwania magicznych artefaktów, gdzie wątek miłosny, choć nie na pierwszym planie, jest bardzo znaczący dla całości historii. I może nie jest wypełniona dynamiczną akcją, to jednak w żadnym momencie nie czułam się ani trochę mniej zaintrygowana co wydarzy się dalej. Od samego początku mocno zaangażowałam się w fabułę i polubiłam postać głównej bohaterki, Fallon, która przez swoje mieszane pochodzenie w świecie fae nie miała lekko.
I na pewno nie zgodzę się ze stwierdzeniem, że powieść jest podobna do Dworów, czy jakiejkolwiek innej książki, ponieważ mamy tutaj naprawdę ciekawie zarysowany świat, pełen niedostępnej dla większości osób magii, krwiożerczych bestii krążących w odmętach wodnych tuż pod stopami zwykłych mieszkańców, czy rozmaitych istot. W połączeniu z zarysem fabularnym stanowi cudowny powiew świeżości w dzisiejszej fantastyce. I choć chciałabym poznać szerszy obraz świata, w którym rozgrywała się akcja, jego historii, czy wierzeń, to jak na pierwszy tom trylogii jestem usatysfakcjonowana.
Polubiłam Fallon ze wszystkimi jej wadami, naiwnością czy młodzieńczym zaślepieniem, ale to drugoplanowi bohaterowie, a zwłaszcza jeden gbur, całkowicie mnie oczarowali. Zarówno czytałam dla samej fabuły, niesamowicie wartkiej i wciągającej, jak i dla jednego z jej bohaterów. Chociaż byli i tacy bohaterowie, którzy bez kawy potrafili mi mocno podnieść ciśnienie i rozbudzić, abym mogła czytać dalej do 3-4 w nocy.
Zakończenie pozostawiło mnie z mocnym niedosytem, więc, mam nadzieję, że Wydawnictwo Nowe Strony nie będzie nam kazało długo czekać na kolejną część…
U mnie tak było właśnie z „Domem trzepoczących skrzydeł”: po opisie, motywach i zapowiedzi sądziłam, że to coś dla mnie, ale… O, przenajsłodszy jeżu, otrzymałam o wiele więcej, niż oczekiwałam.
To powieść dla osób lubujących się w motywie podróży, poszukiwania magicznych artefaktów, gdzie wątek miłosny, choć nie na pierwszym planie, jest bardzo znaczący dla całości historii. I może nie jest wypełniona dynamiczną akcją, to jednak w żadnym momencie nie czułam się ani trochę mniej zaintrygowana co wydarzy się dalej. Od samego początku mocno zaangażowałam się w fabułę i polubiłam postać głównej bohaterki, Fallon, która przez swoje mieszane pochodzenie w świecie fae nie miała lekko.
I na pewno nie zgodzę się ze stwierdzeniem, że powieść jest podobna do Dworów, czy jakiejkolwiek innej książki, ponieważ mamy tutaj naprawdę ciekawie zarysowany świat, pełen niedostępnej dla większości osób magii, krwiożerczych bestii krążących w odmętach wodnych tuż pod stopami zwykłych mieszkańców, czy rozmaitych istot. W połączeniu z zarysem fabularnym stanowi cudowny powiew świeżości w dzisiejszej fantastyce. I choć chciałabym poznać szerszy obraz świata, w którym rozgrywała się akcja, jego historii, czy wierzeń, to jak na pierwszy tom trylogii jestem usatysfakcjonowana.
Polubiłam Fallon ze wszystkimi jej wadami, naiwnością czy młodzieńczym zaślepieniem, ale to drugoplanowi bohaterowie, a zwłaszcza jeden gbur, całkowicie mnie oczarowali. Zarówno czytałam dla samej fabuły, niesamowicie wartkiej i wciągającej, jak i dla jednego z jej bohaterów. Chociaż byli i tacy bohaterowie, którzy bez kawy potrafili mi mocno podnieść ciśnienie i rozbudzić, abym mogła czytać dalej do 3-4 w nocy.
Zakończenie pozostawiło mnie z mocnym niedosytem, więc, mam nadzieję, że Wydawnictwo Nowe Strony nie będzie nam kazało długo czekać na kolejną część…
August 25, 2023
DNF @ 9% (46 pages in)
This is a strange one because while there isn't anything I overtly disliked, reading this felt like work. It was so supremely blah.
It's very possible I'll come back to this sometime in the future. For now, I'm cutting my losses unless someone can convince me it's actually amazing and I just need to get to X page.
This is a strange one because while there isn't anything I overtly disliked, reading this felt like work. It was so supremely blah.
It's very possible I'll come back to this sometime in the future. For now, I'm cutting my losses unless someone can convince me it's actually amazing and I just need to get to X page.
August 28, 2023
DNF 14% / 2 eme chance : 4 stars
July 14, 2024
House of Beating Wings completely consumed me. This magical world filled with fae grabbed a hold of my heart and refused to let go. There was peril and heart stopping moments within the pages! Truces were made with consequences attached to them. And the characters and story-line leaped from the pages! Fans of fantasy won't be able to put this story down!
Fallon was a magicless halfling who was given a prophecy, free the crows and they will make you queen. Being loathed by the full blooded fae, Fallon was intrigued to go above her station. Especially since she saw a chance with having a future with her friend, Dante. Who was brother to the crown. Fallon's world was changed forever when she started her quest to free the crows!
I loved Fallon! She was brave, head strong, honest, had a good heart and loved her friends. Because of her rounded ears, she was discriminated against and it hurt my heart. Yet there was so much more to Fallon than meets the eye. She could supposedly charm the beasts that lived in their waters. And one of them captured my heart, I was just as nervous for his fate and I was for Fallon's. I was also so nervous for Fallon because she seemed to have all of her faith and trust in Dante. And as her Grandma reminded her, they could never be. Yet the key to her future revolved around releasing the crows, so we jumped head first into a spellbinding adventure with Fallon!
The romance in this book will keep you on your toes! It was brilliant how it all unfolded. I found myself vacillating between Antoni and Dante. I didn't know which one would be the right choice for Fallon and I liked them both for different reasons. But hold on, because a few somethings happened and my mind was reeling. The story took me somewhere that had my pulse pounding, I beyond ecstatic and it was absolutely genius! Fans of slow burn romance are going to love it!
The crows, oh there is so much I want to say but my lips are zipped except for a few things. Dark sarcasm, it was phenomenal! The lengths that were went to to protect, oh my heart there was nothing that was off limits. And the way Fallon was led, there were so many secrets and twists within the pages. I loved watching the little pieces of the puzzle come together. Looking back some of my guesses were correct! Others I didn't even see coming. I don't even know how many times I gasped out loud or was muttering omg again and again to myself. This story blew my mind!
With a richly imagined world, a dark and luscious story and characters that were brilliantly done, House of Beating Wings was a phenomenal start to a new series! This story kept me glued to the pages and consumed my every waking thought. The ending left us at the perfect stopping spot but I'm anxiously dying for that next book, I have to know what happens next. Fans of fantasy should definitely have this book on their tbr!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Antoni squeezes my waist. “One day soon, there’ll be peace.”
I frown because I hadn’t realized we were at war.
Fallon was a magicless halfling who was given a prophecy, free the crows and they will make you queen. Being loathed by the full blooded fae, Fallon was intrigued to go above her station. Especially since she saw a chance with having a future with her friend, Dante. Who was brother to the crown. Fallon's world was changed forever when she started her quest to free the crows!
I’ve stolen a mythical, murderous creature. I shudder as the depth of what I’ve done folds over me like dark water.
I loved Fallon! She was brave, head strong, honest, had a good heart and loved her friends. Because of her rounded ears, she was discriminated against and it hurt my heart. Yet there was so much more to Fallon than meets the eye. She could supposedly charm the beasts that lived in their waters. And one of them captured my heart, I was just as nervous for his fate and I was for Fallon's. I was also so nervous for Fallon because she seemed to have all of her faith and trust in Dante. And as her Grandma reminded her, they could never be. Yet the key to her future revolved around releasing the crows, so we jumped head first into a spellbinding adventure with Fallon!
“Don’t betray me and I won’t betray you.”
The romance in this book will keep you on your toes! It was brilliant how it all unfolded. I found myself vacillating between Antoni and Dante. I didn't know which one would be the right choice for Fallon and I liked them both for different reasons. But hold on, because a few somethings happened and my mind was reeling. The story took me somewhere that had my pulse pounding, I beyond ecstatic and it was absolutely genius! Fans of slow burn romance are going to love it!
“You’re such an ass.”The chuckle that resounds between my temples widens my eyes. “Did you just . . . laugh, Morrgot?”
A charmless ass like myself laugh? You must be hearing things.
The crows, oh there is so much I want to say but my lips are zipped except for a few things. Dark sarcasm, it was phenomenal! The lengths that were went to to protect, oh my heart there was nothing that was off limits. And the way Fallon was led, there were so many secrets and twists within the pages. I loved watching the little pieces of the puzzle come together. Looking back some of my guesses were correct! Others I didn't even see coming. I don't even know how many times I gasped out loud or was muttering omg again and again to myself. This story blew my mind!
I’m not defective.
My lids burn. My chest hurts from how chaotically my heart beats.
I’m not defective.
With a richly imagined world, a dark and luscious story and characters that were brilliantly done, House of Beating Wings was a phenomenal start to a new series! This story kept me glued to the pages and consumed my every waking thought. The ending left us at the perfect stopping spot but I'm anxiously dying for that next book, I have to know what happens next. Fans of fantasy should definitely have this book on their tbr!
I won’t fail you, I whisper through the bond.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
For more of my reviews, please visit:
March 24, 2023
I couldn’t even make it past the 5%.
How much are people being paid to give this 5 stars and promote the book?
MC is not only an idiot but holier than thou (a ✨virgin✨).
“My first lover will be my last!”
“You can’t buy my love, you must win it!”
🤮
“I gaze out…”
“I return my attention…”
“I taste the lie… “
“I grasp…”
“I swivel…”
“I wonder…”
Literally every single paragraph start with first person and a verb. There’s a whole bunch of telling but absolutely no showing. Yawn.
Petty reason for dropping:
This is set is a fae kingdom so why is this Venice, Italy wanna be? The names. The language. The nicknames. The NONNA 😐
How much are people being paid to give this 5 stars and promote the book?
MC is not only an idiot but holier than thou (a ✨virgin✨).
“My first lover will be my last!”
“You can’t buy my love, you must win it!”
🤮
“I gaze out…”
“I return my attention…”
“I taste the lie… “
“I grasp…”
“I swivel…”
“I wonder…”
Literally every single paragraph start with first person and a verb. There’s a whole bunch of telling but absolutely no showing. Yawn.
Petty reason for dropping:
This is set is a fae kingdom so why is this Venice, Italy wanna be? The names. The language. The nicknames. The NONNA 😐
September 3, 2023
jeśli tak samo jak ja kochacie slowburn romanse w fantastycznym świecie pełnym fae, morskich potworów, zdrad, intryg politycznych,
macie słabość tak jak ja do pełnych cieni złoczyńców oraz lubicie motyw wron, to niezwłocznie ogłaszam, że to jest książka dla Was, dziekuje do widzenia klaniam się nisko
macie słabość tak jak ja do pełnych cieni złoczyńców oraz lubicie motyw wron, to niezwłocznie ogłaszam, że to jest książka dla Was, dziekuje do widzenia klaniam się nisko
February 21, 2023
5⭐
1.5🌶
Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Narration, Single - 5⭐
Unfinished Series
▪︎
Quick synop:
Fallon is in love with a prince, but she is nowhere near Royalty. She is told that if she gathers 5 crow statues, she will become queen. Fallon is willing to do anything to get what she wants, but is what she risking worth it?
▪︎
Have you ever finished a book, then immediately wanted to go back and reread it? Ya that happened here.
How does one describe perfection? Also, I guess I'm into crows now. Olivia has a magical way of words that completely consumes me. I was hooked right from the beginning until the amazing ending!
This is definitely a slow burn in every sense of the way, both plot and romance. And how she created tension between these characters is absolutely outstanding.
▪︎
I loved Fallon. I thought her character was hilarious and she kept me entertained the entire book. The banter was soooooo fun!
I loved every single side and main character. Everyone had a role to play and they were written incredibly well.
I thought this book had a good balance of plot and romance, which is right up my alley.
Ya. Definitely recommend this book
1.5🌶
Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Narration, Single - 5⭐
Unfinished Series
▪︎
Quick synop:
Fallon is in love with a prince, but she is nowhere near Royalty. She is told that if she gathers 5 crow statues, she will become queen. Fallon is willing to do anything to get what she wants, but is what she risking worth it?
▪︎
Have you ever finished a book, then immediately wanted to go back and reread it? Ya that happened here.
How does one describe perfection? Also, I guess I'm into crows now. Olivia has a magical way of words that completely consumes me. I was hooked right from the beginning until the amazing ending!
This is definitely a slow burn in every sense of the way, both plot and romance. And how she created tension between these characters is absolutely outstanding.
▪︎
I loved Fallon. I thought her character was hilarious and she kept me entertained the entire book. The banter was soooooo fun!
I loved every single side and main character. Everyone had a role to play and they were written incredibly well.
I thought this book had a good balance of plot and romance, which is right up my alley.
Ya. Definitely recommend this book
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