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Fair Folk #3
A Heart So Green
Once in a land of swan princesses and star-touched changelings two sisters were on opposite sides of a war. The cost will be high but balance must be struck in this heart-pounding and enchanting conclusion to this internationally bestselling romantasy trilogy.
After the explosive finale of the Tournament of Kings, Fia and Irian manage to escape to the wildlands, dodging pursuit by her cunning sister Eala. With Fia locked in her own mind, battling a powerful celestial entity, Irian must form new alliances to come up with a plan to defeat Eala’s terrifying magic.
With both the human and fae realm under threat, Eala's rampage must be stopped, no matter the cost. On Bealtain Eve, when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest, Fia and Irian will finally face off against the swan princess and forge the ending to their love story that was written in the stars.
After the explosive finale of the Tournament of Kings, Fia and Irian manage to escape to the wildlands, dodging pursuit by her cunning sister Eala. With Fia locked in her own mind, battling a powerful celestial entity, Irian must form new alliances to come up with a plan to defeat Eala’s terrifying magic.
With both the human and fae realm under threat, Eala's rampage must be stopped, no matter the cost. On Bealtain Eve, when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest, Fia and Irian will finally face off against the swan princess and forge the ending to their love story that was written in the stars.
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2026
97 people are currently reading
2167 people want to read
About the author
Lyra Selene
8 books654 followersLyra Selene was born under a full moon and has never quite managed to wipe the moonlight out of her eyes. She grew up on a steady diet of mythology, folklore, and fantasy, and now writes tall tales of twisted magic, forbidden romance, and brooding landscapes.
Lyra lives in New England with her husband and daughter, in an antique farmhouse that probably isn’t haunted. She is the author of the young adult duology AMBER & DUSK. A FEATHER SO BLACK is her adult debut.
Twitter: @LyraSelene
Instagram: @lyraselene
Lyra lives in New England with her husband and daughter, in an antique farmhouse that probably isn’t haunted. She is the author of the young adult duology AMBER & DUSK. A FEATHER SO BLACK is her adult debut.
Twitter: @LyraSelene
Instagram: @lyraselene
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 9, 2026
What a bittersweet but hopeful, stunning conclusion to this trilogy. My heart hurts. And it’s also full.
A perfect story to end one year and begin another. This turned out to be one of my favorite series that I started (and almost finished) in 2025. Selene’s stunning prose, soulful character depiction, and achingly beautiful love story has me enchanted.
I feel like the overarching theme that stands out in this trilogy’s conclusion is the heartbreaking cost of power. The fact that it is never those who wield its destructiveness that fully pay for the aftermath. From self discovery in book one, to self preservation in book two, Fia’s lesson seems to be surrender and sacrifice in this final book.
Throughout this series every time Fia gains something precious she turns around to lose it just as quickly: blood family, a husband, a grasp on her magic. And she takes it all in stride. While she was often reckless in book two, her actions are more thoughtful and measured here.
And her relationship with Irian? Tragically beautiful. His devotion is profound, unwavering, selfless. “Not in a thousand lifetimes will I ever let you go.” These two are constantly in an unfair dance of yearning, heated glances, stolen touches. I can’t go into what keeps them apart without giving too much away, but their love feels so unbreakable yet fragile.
Fia’s found family is incredible. The multiple points of view help us experience and appreciate their devotion to Fia and saving both humans and Folk from a war none of them started. And the sacrifices they make had me in tears.
The ending? Full circle. Devastating, optimistic, perfect. I can’t wait to see what Selene writes next. Without question, I will be reading it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A perfect story to end one year and begin another. This turned out to be one of my favorite series that I started (and almost finished) in 2025. Selene’s stunning prose, soulful character depiction, and achingly beautiful love story has me enchanted.
I feel like the overarching theme that stands out in this trilogy’s conclusion is the heartbreaking cost of power. The fact that it is never those who wield its destructiveness that fully pay for the aftermath. From self discovery in book one, to self preservation in book two, Fia’s lesson seems to be surrender and sacrifice in this final book.
Throughout this series every time Fia gains something precious she turns around to lose it just as quickly: blood family, a husband, a grasp on her magic. And she takes it all in stride. While she was often reckless in book two, her actions are more thoughtful and measured here.
And her relationship with Irian? Tragically beautiful. His devotion is profound, unwavering, selfless. “Not in a thousand lifetimes will I ever let you go.” These two are constantly in an unfair dance of yearning, heated glances, stolen touches. I can’t go into what keeps them apart without giving too much away, but their love feels so unbreakable yet fragile.
Fia’s found family is incredible. The multiple points of view help us experience and appreciate their devotion to Fia and saving both humans and Folk from a war none of them started. And the sacrifices they make had me in tears.
The ending? Full circle. Devastating, optimistic, perfect. I can’t wait to see what Selene writes next. Without question, I will be reading it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4⭐️
this book delivered an emotionally charged conclusion to the trilogy, and I’m so happy I had the chance to read it early! from the start, the stakes felt high as Fia grappled with the weight of her changing nature while Eala’s rise threatened both realms. I think one of the book’s biggest strengths is how it deepened the character arcs, especially Fia’s journey toward understanding her past and her role as a whole. additionally, the added POVs were a nice touch as they managed to make the conflict feel more layered and real.
that said, while the prose remained lush and evocative, I did occasionally struggle with pacing and clarity around some of the magic sections. there were many moments where the mechanics of the world felt harder to follow than in the previous books, and this lead a disconnect, particularly in the first 25% of the book.
all in all, I’m happy with how everything wrapped up in the end and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for new Lyra Selene books!
thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
this book delivered an emotionally charged conclusion to the trilogy, and I’m so happy I had the chance to read it early! from the start, the stakes felt high as Fia grappled with the weight of her changing nature while Eala’s rise threatened both realms. I think one of the book’s biggest strengths is how it deepened the character arcs, especially Fia’s journey toward understanding her past and her role as a whole. additionally, the added POVs were a nice touch as they managed to make the conflict feel more layered and real.
that said, while the prose remained lush and evocative, I did occasionally struggle with pacing and clarity around some of the magic sections. there were many moments where the mechanics of the world felt harder to follow than in the previous books, and this lead a disconnect, particularly in the first 25% of the book.
all in all, I’m happy with how everything wrapped up in the end and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for new Lyra Selene books!
thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2026
I absolutely loved A Feather So Black. It was the perfect swan princess story. I loved Rogan and thought it a little sad he didn’t end up with Fia but hoped the ending would show him go free and Eala get her just rewards. But alas this was not a standalone so that didn’t happen.
We got book two A Crown So Silver. I didn’t love book two, it had that dreaded middle book syndrome. I did enjoy the side characters (mainly Wayland, Balor, and Linn.) I did not like Irian in book 2. Fia was not great as well. Plus my boy Rogan was still missing and Fia didn’t seem to care at all. I thought book three will get us to the end and it’ll be excellent. Sadly it was not.
Book three A Heart so Green starts off with Fia trapped inside her own mind fighting off the Bright one Talah. She stays this way for a good 35-40% of the book. Irian is a mourning lover with no use and is extremely boring. Because of this the author decides to use 4 different narrators. We have Fia, Irian, Wayland, and Laoise. I didn’t particularly care for Laoise and still don’t. Wayland was the only one I cared for but feel like his was added just to show that he loved Fia so much too (like does this girl have super lips?!) but falls for Laoise’s brother. Even with all the narrators this part was horribly tedious. The character development was not there.
The middle part of the book is Fia awakening and they all decide to get treasures. Then they decide to go to war. You would think the war part would be the end of the book but no the characters go on journey after journey like they got all the time in the world.
Then the end, my boy Rogan gets absolutely nothing for no reason, and the ending is just a huge tragedy for what? Vibes? Like what reason for all this sadness? Is there another book on the horizon? Or do we just want our readers upset and unhappy? I thought reading the third book would give me the happy ending feeling of a finished series but it just made me mad and kind of unhappy about reading the whole series.
The well written characters in book 1 just kind of went to ash. I honestly wish this was a standalone book instead of the three.
Did I enjoy parts? Yes but I had to skim a lot to find them. The first 1/2 of the book was I’m sorry, really boring. Fia fighting inner demons, Irian being a little bitch boy, Wayland flirting. Then middle quest but like everything was easy? It seemed too easy. The pre-end was the best(?) part. The visit to the castle, the battle. But then we have the horrid ending. I just don’t know why it was done. It seems unnecessary? Unless like I said there is a spin off coming along?
I know others will enjoy this but for me sadly it was not love.
I appreciate and thank Orbit and NetGalley for the arc.
We got book two A Crown So Silver. I didn’t love book two, it had that dreaded middle book syndrome. I did enjoy the side characters (mainly Wayland, Balor, and Linn.) I did not like Irian in book 2. Fia was not great as well. Plus my boy Rogan was still missing and Fia didn’t seem to care at all. I thought book three will get us to the end and it’ll be excellent. Sadly it was not.
Book three A Heart so Green starts off with Fia trapped inside her own mind fighting off the Bright one Talah. She stays this way for a good 35-40% of the book. Irian is a mourning lover with no use and is extremely boring. Because of this the author decides to use 4 different narrators. We have Fia, Irian, Wayland, and Laoise. I didn’t particularly care for Laoise and still don’t. Wayland was the only one I cared for but feel like his was added just to show that he loved Fia so much too (like does this girl have super lips?!) but falls for Laoise’s brother. Even with all the narrators this part was horribly tedious. The character development was not there.
The middle part of the book is Fia awakening and they all decide to get treasures. Then they decide to go to war. You would think the war part would be the end of the book but no the characters go on journey after journey like they got all the time in the world.
Then the end, my boy Rogan gets absolutely nothing for no reason, and the ending is just a huge tragedy for what? Vibes? Like what reason for all this sadness? Is there another book on the horizon? Or do we just want our readers upset and unhappy? I thought reading the third book would give me the happy ending feeling of a finished series but it just made me mad and kind of unhappy about reading the whole series.
The well written characters in book 1 just kind of went to ash. I honestly wish this was a standalone book instead of the three.
Did I enjoy parts? Yes but I had to skim a lot to find them. The first 1/2 of the book was I’m sorry, really boring. Fia fighting inner demons, Irian being a little bitch boy, Wayland flirting. Then middle quest but like everything was easy? It seemed too easy. The pre-end was the best(?) part. The visit to the castle, the battle. But then we have the horrid ending. I just don’t know why it was done. It seems unnecessary? Unless like I said there is a spin off coming along?
I know others will enjoy this but for me sadly it was not love.
I appreciate and thank Orbit and NetGalley for the arc.
February 4, 2026
This just had me checked out. And a bit too bittersweet of an ending for me.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
March 19, 2026
“But those who are not willing to sacrifice their hearts for the prospect of truly living may never learn what it is to be alive."
I feel like this series hasn’t really popped off yet but it should. the first book begins as a Gaelic reimagining of swan lake, and this book was a great ending to this trilogy!!!
the prose is much better than what you get from a typical romantasy, which I really appreciated. it’s just a beautiful world that Selene has created in these books. yes there’s a central romance that the books revolve around, but i’d say the book transcends the romantasy genre. the ending is certainly more in line with what you get in a typical fantasy book than a romantasy, which I really really adored.
the reason it doesn’t get a true 5 stars is because there were some pacing issues in the beginning, and certain elements of the magic system could have been clearer.
for anyone interested in reading this, i’d recommend reading all 3 in one go (or at least close together) because I forgot a lot of stuff between these books getting released and they’re a bit too complex to just dive right back in without a recap.
non-specific spoilers ahead, but I have to rave about the ending again - it was so great and also wonderfully true to Gaelic folklore. there was no happily ever after, and there was death and loss and ACTUAL STAKES!! which never happens in romantasy and makes the battles and monsters feel so lame. I loved seeing some sacrifice.
4.5/5⭐️, really recommend to my fantasy friends out there
I feel like this series hasn’t really popped off yet but it should. the first book begins as a Gaelic reimagining of swan lake, and this book was a great ending to this trilogy!!!
the prose is much better than what you get from a typical romantasy, which I really appreciated. it’s just a beautiful world that Selene has created in these books. yes there’s a central romance that the books revolve around, but i’d say the book transcends the romantasy genre. the ending is certainly more in line with what you get in a typical fantasy book than a romantasy, which I really really adored.
the reason it doesn’t get a true 5 stars is because there were some pacing issues in the beginning, and certain elements of the magic system could have been clearer.
for anyone interested in reading this, i’d recommend reading all 3 in one go (or at least close together) because I forgot a lot of stuff between these books getting released and they’re a bit too complex to just dive right back in without a recap.
non-specific spoilers ahead, but I have to rave about the ending again - it was so great and also wonderfully true to Gaelic folklore. there was no happily ever after, and there was death and loss and ACTUAL STAKES!! which never happens in romantasy and makes the battles and monsters feel so lame. I loved seeing some sacrifice.
4.5/5⭐️, really recommend to my fantasy friends out there
December 8, 2025
.While there are still some things to like about this book (and the series) I was ultimately disappointed with this. The writing is pretty good, but the characters become very two dimensional, especially the main characters who are supposed to carry the story. The incessant Mary Sueness of Fia became very dull as the book went on. And the ending was disappointing, for reasons stated in the spoiler section.
December 29, 2025
I can’t believe this trilogy is over. I put off reading it for as long as I could because I wasn’t ready to let the characters go yet. This ending is achingly beautiful and yet so bittersweet. I loved the lore, the duality, the balance. I loved the themes of love and sacrifice. I loved the lyrical prose and the lush world-building. Most of all, I loved the promise of many more stories to be told.
The Fair Folk trilogy is perfect for readers who love fairytales, for whom once upon a time is both a beginning and an ending. Get ready to lose your whole heart to this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Fair Folk trilogy is perfect for readers who love fairytales, for whom once upon a time is both a beginning and an ending. Get ready to lose your whole heart to this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2026
You know.. This series became more of a struggle the more I read it.
Unfortunately predictable ending, and just.. not satisfying. I think I disliked almost all of the characters by the end.
Unfortunately predictable ending, and just.. not satisfying. I think I disliked almost all of the characters by the end.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ooft. This one hurt, in a number of ways.
Let me start off by making it clear that I’m a massive fan of this series and would still overall recommend it to romantic fantasy readers. However, this third book felt a bit like it bit off more than it could chew.
The biggest shift was moving from Fia’s single POV (with very occasional Irian POV chapters) to a full multi-POV style. And because I had to spend so much time getting to grips with these new perspectives, the unputdownable pace of the first two books fell off a cliff. It took until the 50% mark to find its stride. It was a bit of a slog getting there and the strength of the first two books was at times the only thing propelling me along.
The jump between 1st (Fia) and 3rd person (all other characters) was also quite jarring and impeded the flow of pace. While the extra POVs showed scenes away from Fia and Irian, I’m not sure the length of them added enough to the plot to justify the slower momentum.
That said, when the story did fully kick in, I was invested once again in these characters. The romance between Fia and Irian was a highlight for me, even if those moments were thinner on the ground this time around.
Overall, it was bit of a sluggish ride. I love these characters to bits, but the change in writing style and the lack of narrative space in the 3rd act meant the ending didn't feel quite as satisfying as I’d hoped.
Let me start off by making it clear that I’m a massive fan of this series and would still overall recommend it to romantic fantasy readers. However, this third book felt a bit like it bit off more than it could chew.
The biggest shift was moving from Fia’s single POV (with very occasional Irian POV chapters) to a full multi-POV style. And because I had to spend so much time getting to grips with these new perspectives, the unputdownable pace of the first two books fell off a cliff. It took until the 50% mark to find its stride. It was a bit of a slog getting there and the strength of the first two books was at times the only thing propelling me along.
The jump between 1st (Fia) and 3rd person (all other characters) was also quite jarring and impeded the flow of pace. While the extra POVs showed scenes away from Fia and Irian, I’m not sure the length of them added enough to the plot to justify the slower momentum.
That said, when the story did fully kick in, I was invested once again in these characters. The romance between Fia and Irian was a highlight for me, even if those moments were thinner on the ground this time around.
Overall, it was bit of a sluggish ride. I love these characters to bits, but the change in writing style and the lack of narrative space in the 3rd act meant the ending didn't feel quite as satisfying as I’d hoped.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2026
DNF at 11% story felt like it wasn’t written as well as the first book. I stopped caring about these characters sadly and just couldn’t connect again. It felt stale and flat.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*Arc review*
4.75
This is by far my fave of the trio. Absolutely devoured it and loved it.
*found family
*fae vs humans
*bargains
*folklore
*war
It had it all, it picked up where the last book left off and that ending wow wow
Thank you Netgalley, Orbit and the author, for this arc in exchange for an honest review
4.75
This is by far my fave of the trio. Absolutely devoured it and loved it.
*found family
*fae vs humans
*bargains
*folklore
*war
It had it all, it picked up where the last book left off and that ending wow wow
Thank you Netgalley, Orbit and the author, for this arc in exchange for an honest review
March 1, 2026
A Heart So Green by Lyra Selene is the third and final book in the Fair Folk series, and it holds a special place in my heart. The first book of this series was one of the first arcs I ever reviewed on NetGalley. I enjoy the author's style, and the story really shines in the descriptive writing and complicated characters. Fia starts out the first third of the novel battling a bright one in her mind and is essentially in a coma. I appreciated that Irian took his promise to Fia to not let her go literally and carried her around while he tried to find a solution. This left me following Wayland and Loisa's stories, and I just wasn't as interested in these side characters, even though they were important. Eala is one of the scariest villains I have ever read. She has a way of justifying the most horrific things. The action and my interest pick up when Fia reenters the narrative. All the storylines feel tied up with space for more to explore in the universe if the author chooses to explore it. The end of the series was beautiful and bittersweet. I felt the full range of emotions from tears to laughter while reading this series, and I recommend it to all my fantasy and romance-loving friends
There are a lot of Irish words and pronunciations in this series. I needed the glossary to understand the meaning and pronounciations through out the novel. I felt like this honored the setting and added to the origins of this story.
A big thank you to Lyra Selene, Orbit Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
There are a lot of Irish words and pronunciations in this series. I needed the glossary to understand the meaning and pronounciations through out the novel. I felt like this honored the setting and added to the origins of this story.
A big thank you to Lyra Selene, Orbit Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
February 12, 2026
Ugh revenants/zombies.....why are there always revenants/zombies...
Hey, did you know??? The cost....will be high??
Bittersweet ending. New beginnings.
Hey, did you know??? The cost....will be high??
Bittersweet ending. New beginnings.
February 5, 2026
4.5-4.75 ⭐️
I’m going to have to sit with this book and rating for a bit. As a scholar I try blend both subjectivity and objectivity in my reviews. On an objective level I feel this book leans closer to a 4.75 though I’d also accept 4.5 depending on your rubric. However, on a subjective level I’m left wrestling over the end which while objectively and even subjectivity isn’t bad—I accept it—pushes against my world-view in a bit of a fundamental way. Though that is also not bad within and of itself. Personally I believe art, yes even a fantasy trilogy, should at minimum contain the ability to challenge your thoughts, beliefs and viewpoint.
Let’s get into it. Buckle in this will be a long one with both review of technical aspects of the novel like plot, pacing, characters and writing, some gushing, and an overall final thoughts on the series + story as a whole.
This book is by far the strongest book in the series. Ironically this is a bit of a double edged sword because I do love watching authors grow and truly discover their voice and hone their craft. I also love when a series ends on a really strong and powerful conclusion which this series definitely does but part of me mourns what this series could have been had it not been Selene’s first big adult trilogy. I think had Selene had some time to really develop and voice, style and craft this would have been a transformative, amazing, perfect story and given that she does a lot of craft and story discovery during this trilogy not in a bad way but a definitely noticeable way this series falls just a bit short of being ‘perfect’ or transformative + god tier for me which is ever so slightly disappointing.
Issues that Selene had struggled with in the first two books I felt she mainly overcame in this one. The pacing felt better. I was more invested in the story and the characters who really came into their own in this final installment. Most noticeably I feel Selene really nailed her voice and lush, decant writing style in this one which had come across as dense to me in the past books. Many readers will still find Selene’s writing style even in this book to be quite dense. Her voice and style is not for everyone but I personally think that she does a really wonderful job blending traditional folklore and opulent, honey-combed, rich, vivid, archaic yet oddly timeless imagery and metaphors. Selene’s ability to create imagery and emotion through purple proses is truly evocative. There were several moments in this book that were so beautiful I felt them settle in my heart with the weight of a feather touch. It’s the exact kind of storytelling and experience that I personally want from a dark, more folklore + fairytale based story. There are little swear words. She doesn’t have modern enmities or phrases cloaked in fantasy-inspired langue. Her writing is complex and requires the reader to really engage with the prose, the text, the glossary, and yes even maybe a dictionary. While I think you could still get the how do you spell just gist of story without doing those things but there will be moments of confusion, inference, and you will probably find the writing dense and indigestible. I had felt a bit that way in the past books though not to an extent that truly docked my rating since I enjoy that a bit more than the average reader but I really think that Selene hit her stride in this final book. I enjoyed the reading process a lot more this time around. The usage of what many might find obscure or thesaurus words felt naturally and her heavy handed similes and imagery had a cadence and flow to them that lacked and felt a bit more forced and clunky in the first two novels.
Part of me felt like a proud teacher and I suppose fan as I read this book because I really felt like Selene had come into herself with her writing in this and that makes me so beyond excited to see what the future holds in store for her.
While this series overall is a bit of a slower, less adrenaline based story, I felt like the pacing of this story overall worked better. There were high moments of plot and engagement followed by softer, quieter moments that felt very balancing and kept me invested as a reader. Each side quest and plot felt a bit more like it served the story whereas in the past a couple narrative threads felt awkward and unresolved to me. The characters which I always liked but felt were a bit fledgling really shined in this book. All the work that was done in the previous books really allows them to grow and shine in their own authenticity in this book in ways they weren’t quite able to reach in the first two. I thought the inclusion of other POVs was a really marvelous addition and ended up giving the story and characters a lot more depth and impact. I kind wish that we had done this blend of third person semi-omniscient with close psychic distance and first person narration in the earlier books (sorry for the total nerd out on style there). I feel that for a story that is so complex and epic that narration style fits best and allows for the best understanding, engagement and reader experience whereas again in the past books there was some bumps in the road due to Fia the main character being or main source or narration. It made the story seem almost too vast and slow at times. On a technical and critical level, Selene’s ability to combine these two different narrative styles in a seamless and effective manner was really impressive to me. I actually didn’t even realize that she was blending voices and narration styles until about 40% of the way through and I was really impressed because doing that risks breaking continuity in voice and taking your reader out of the story which was not my experience.
I think the inclusion of the other characters POVs was brilliant. It really added layers to this world, made me more invested, and honestly just elevated the story overall. Not to mention that the side characters are all wonderful and almost deserving of their own spotlight moment given how complex and compelling their stories ended up being. Again a bit of a missed opportunity for this to be included in the first two but I’m so glad was included in this last one because it made the final impact quite a bang.
I also think the villain for this story is really incredibly strong and powerful. Sometimes authors get a little stereotype or caricature-y with villains especially in fantasy + romantasy but Eala was deeply haunting, despicable, tragic, and horrifying all wrapped up in one. Her character truly gave me the chills whenever she was on the page because she was just so deluded while also being such a victim. Personally I like more complex and ‘morally’ grey characters that are not just copy and paste and that truly challenge my perception of an idea or trope and Eala did that.
This whole story really challenges perceived expectations and asks the reader to examine some deep thematic truths. I think this is best executed in this final book but Selene accomplishes it in book with the moral of the story being a story of self-love. This installment really explore love, loss, sacrifice, storytelling, and destiny in all its raw beautiful, damming, and brutal forms. We are forced to question when does an act of love become no longer self-less but fueled by selfishness causing harm to both self and others. We find comfort in the inescapable collar of destiny yet still feel compelled to rebel against it and author our own fate. Selene forces us to examine which is best free-will or the freedom to rest in the knowledge that the story would have ended the same way no matter what. We explore sacrifice. What makes a good sacrifice? What are you wiling to sacrifice and for what and whom? Is the loss worth it? Does love for another or country or even duty, out way the harm caused? It is not you linear, easy digestible romantasy or fantasy read. Selene plays with every shade of grey and makes you feel it while exploring some really deep and beautiful thematic topics throughout the entire series.
The backbone for this entire series amongst all the muck and hardship is storytelling and balance. I’d even go as far to argue as that the only way to attain balance is through the act of storytelling. Living out one’s story no matter what ends and beginnings may come. As the story says we are all bound by circles. Truly beautiful and profound while also deeply heartbreaking and human.
Selene’s exploration of fate, storytelling, nature, balance and love are truly some of the most beautiful I’ve encountered in a hot second. The way Selene writes about nature is so incredibly moving and spiritual. Yes at times there can be moments of confusion due to the lushness of the proses but I think that is part of the point. There is so much life and eternal, god-touched understanding of art and storytelling weaved into this book. How do we distill the awe inspiring power of nature and the wonder that is the existence of humanity and our on-going lives on earth into words? I’m not sure but if you are a dreamer you will feel that thread of star-touched wonder in this series. At times this does lead to some confusion mainly in the execution of the magic system which is built on the foundation of the stars both in a literal and metaphorical sense. There are moments both in dream sequence and in plot that again have these very spiritual natures to them and can lead to a bit of a muddied understanding of what is actually occurring in scene but it was so beautiful to me that I almost didn’t mind as long as I got the essence of the moment which I felt that I did but again I think that would be a big turn off for a lot of readers.
I’m really glad we didn’t have another love triangle in this book. I’ll give a pass for book one but looking on the whole story I really feel the inclusion of a second love triangle in book two was deeply unnecessary. Irain was just astounding in this book. The love that he has for Fia and that Selene describes in this book is truly the reason I believe we as humans exist and create art. The devotion. The endless love. It really touched my heart while simultaneously making me question the level of health that type of love can be. But DAMN speak so eloquently and emotionally to me Irain! It was just profound and stunning. His love for Fia really moved me in this novel and while it might be naive of me I do believe that type of love while incredibly rare to be true. I also loved the depiction of a mother’s love which I could tell Selene has personal experience with given how purely it was portrayed.
My main gripe with this book and series is the ending. While the middle and last bit of the book are truly epic in proportion I felt that the ending fell a bit short. Most of the message of this book had been the power of love and sacrifice—that I truly can defeat all—just to have it yes defeat the big bad but leave rivers of loss and destruction. While I suppose more accurate to real life, the final choices made in the ending chapters of this book were a bit out of place to me. I don’t always need a happily ever after though I would have loved one for my characters especially after all the fucking generational trauma and bullshit they had to go through but the end is just more loss and pain with the ever so smallest sliver of hope at the end. I just don’t quite understand why we’d lean so deeply into the message of love being the healing salve just to have it be the price and end without love prevailing as the force of light and good. Yes there is hope that they can learn to love again, maybe not in the same way or with the same parties but again with the slight exception for Fia and Irain though I loved the cyclical ending of their tale but still just an unusual choice to make. Not bad, just doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the narrative. It almost seems dare I say cruel. I read another review that discusses this book and series focusing on the destruction of power and the quest for power can be and I agree especially given how unforgiving this magic system can be. I’m not sure I like that on a personal level. I accept it and it technically works story wise but I just don’t like it. It rubs up against my belief that love and goodness have the ability to prevail even in the darkest of situations. Again that’s not a bad exploration or even message but I’m just not sure I like it. I would have preferred a bit more of an uplifting and hopeful ending especially given the toll and stakes of not only this book, but the entire series and even the characters pasts. There is a lot of suffering but perhaps that is the point. Love and light cannot exist without pain and suffering they must be one.
Overall I think this is a 4.25 ⭐️ series for me with some major critics for each book. I think the story unfolds well. I don’t think less or more books were needed. The story fits wonderfully within the three books. The story does grow with each installment and ultimately culminates in a satisfying, believable and impactful ending. I loved drawing on Swan Lake and then how Selene succeeds readers expectations in each book and what a dark fantasy/ romantasy can be overall. I will be following Selene’s career and more than likely reading what she publishes in the future. I will recommend this series to certain readers and I think it has the ability to be a favorite though it’s just a little bit lower than a couple of my all time favorite reads. Still quite a special read for me personally and I’m walking away changed which I think is the main point of reading so take that for what you will.
I’m going to have to sit with this book and rating for a bit. As a scholar I try blend both subjectivity and objectivity in my reviews. On an objective level I feel this book leans closer to a 4.75 though I’d also accept 4.5 depending on your rubric. However, on a subjective level I’m left wrestling over the end which while objectively and even subjectivity isn’t bad—I accept it—pushes against my world-view in a bit of a fundamental way. Though that is also not bad within and of itself. Personally I believe art, yes even a fantasy trilogy, should at minimum contain the ability to challenge your thoughts, beliefs and viewpoint.
Let’s get into it. Buckle in this will be a long one with both review of technical aspects of the novel like plot, pacing, characters and writing, some gushing, and an overall final thoughts on the series + story as a whole.
This book is by far the strongest book in the series. Ironically this is a bit of a double edged sword because I do love watching authors grow and truly discover their voice and hone their craft. I also love when a series ends on a really strong and powerful conclusion which this series definitely does but part of me mourns what this series could have been had it not been Selene’s first big adult trilogy. I think had Selene had some time to really develop and voice, style and craft this would have been a transformative, amazing, perfect story and given that she does a lot of craft and story discovery during this trilogy not in a bad way but a definitely noticeable way this series falls just a bit short of being ‘perfect’ or transformative + god tier for me which is ever so slightly disappointing.
Issues that Selene had struggled with in the first two books I felt she mainly overcame in this one. The pacing felt better. I was more invested in the story and the characters who really came into their own in this final installment. Most noticeably I feel Selene really nailed her voice and lush, decant writing style in this one which had come across as dense to me in the past books. Many readers will still find Selene’s writing style even in this book to be quite dense. Her voice and style is not for everyone but I personally think that she does a really wonderful job blending traditional folklore and opulent, honey-combed, rich, vivid, archaic yet oddly timeless imagery and metaphors. Selene’s ability to create imagery and emotion through purple proses is truly evocative. There were several moments in this book that were so beautiful I felt them settle in my heart with the weight of a feather touch. It’s the exact kind of storytelling and experience that I personally want from a dark, more folklore + fairytale based story. There are little swear words. She doesn’t have modern enmities or phrases cloaked in fantasy-inspired langue. Her writing is complex and requires the reader to really engage with the prose, the text, the glossary, and yes even maybe a dictionary. While I think you could still get the how do you spell just gist of story without doing those things but there will be moments of confusion, inference, and you will probably find the writing dense and indigestible. I had felt a bit that way in the past books though not to an extent that truly docked my rating since I enjoy that a bit more than the average reader but I really think that Selene hit her stride in this final book. I enjoyed the reading process a lot more this time around. The usage of what many might find obscure or thesaurus words felt naturally and her heavy handed similes and imagery had a cadence and flow to them that lacked and felt a bit more forced and clunky in the first two novels.
Part of me felt like a proud teacher and I suppose fan as I read this book because I really felt like Selene had come into herself with her writing in this and that makes me so beyond excited to see what the future holds in store for her.
While this series overall is a bit of a slower, less adrenaline based story, I felt like the pacing of this story overall worked better. There were high moments of plot and engagement followed by softer, quieter moments that felt very balancing and kept me invested as a reader. Each side quest and plot felt a bit more like it served the story whereas in the past a couple narrative threads felt awkward and unresolved to me. The characters which I always liked but felt were a bit fledgling really shined in this book. All the work that was done in the previous books really allows them to grow and shine in their own authenticity in this book in ways they weren’t quite able to reach in the first two. I thought the inclusion of other POVs was a really marvelous addition and ended up giving the story and characters a lot more depth and impact. I kind wish that we had done this blend of third person semi-omniscient with close psychic distance and first person narration in the earlier books (sorry for the total nerd out on style there). I feel that for a story that is so complex and epic that narration style fits best and allows for the best understanding, engagement and reader experience whereas again in the past books there was some bumps in the road due to Fia the main character being or main source or narration. It made the story seem almost too vast and slow at times. On a technical and critical level, Selene’s ability to combine these two different narrative styles in a seamless and effective manner was really impressive to me. I actually didn’t even realize that she was blending voices and narration styles until about 40% of the way through and I was really impressed because doing that risks breaking continuity in voice and taking your reader out of the story which was not my experience.
I think the inclusion of the other characters POVs was brilliant. It really added layers to this world, made me more invested, and honestly just elevated the story overall. Not to mention that the side characters are all wonderful and almost deserving of their own spotlight moment given how complex and compelling their stories ended up being. Again a bit of a missed opportunity for this to be included in the first two but I’m so glad was included in this last one because it made the final impact quite a bang.
I also think the villain for this story is really incredibly strong and powerful. Sometimes authors get a little stereotype or caricature-y with villains especially in fantasy + romantasy but Eala was deeply haunting, despicable, tragic, and horrifying all wrapped up in one. Her character truly gave me the chills whenever she was on the page because she was just so deluded while also being such a victim. Personally I like more complex and ‘morally’ grey characters that are not just copy and paste and that truly challenge my perception of an idea or trope and Eala did that.
This whole story really challenges perceived expectations and asks the reader to examine some deep thematic truths. I think this is best executed in this final book but Selene accomplishes it in book with the moral of the story being a story of self-love. This installment really explore love, loss, sacrifice, storytelling, and destiny in all its raw beautiful, damming, and brutal forms. We are forced to question when does an act of love become no longer self-less but fueled by selfishness causing harm to both self and others. We find comfort in the inescapable collar of destiny yet still feel compelled to rebel against it and author our own fate. Selene forces us to examine which is best free-will or the freedom to rest in the knowledge that the story would have ended the same way no matter what. We explore sacrifice. What makes a good sacrifice? What are you wiling to sacrifice and for what and whom? Is the loss worth it? Does love for another or country or even duty, out way the harm caused? It is not you linear, easy digestible romantasy or fantasy read. Selene plays with every shade of grey and makes you feel it while exploring some really deep and beautiful thematic topics throughout the entire series.
The backbone for this entire series amongst all the muck and hardship is storytelling and balance. I’d even go as far to argue as that the only way to attain balance is through the act of storytelling. Living out one’s story no matter what ends and beginnings may come. As the story says we are all bound by circles. Truly beautiful and profound while also deeply heartbreaking and human.
Selene’s exploration of fate, storytelling, nature, balance and love are truly some of the most beautiful I’ve encountered in a hot second. The way Selene writes about nature is so incredibly moving and spiritual. Yes at times there can be moments of confusion due to the lushness of the proses but I think that is part of the point. There is so much life and eternal, god-touched understanding of art and storytelling weaved into this book. How do we distill the awe inspiring power of nature and the wonder that is the existence of humanity and our on-going lives on earth into words? I’m not sure but if you are a dreamer you will feel that thread of star-touched wonder in this series. At times this does lead to some confusion mainly in the execution of the magic system which is built on the foundation of the stars both in a literal and metaphorical sense. There are moments both in dream sequence and in plot that again have these very spiritual natures to them and can lead to a bit of a muddied understanding of what is actually occurring in scene but it was so beautiful to me that I almost didn’t mind as long as I got the essence of the moment which I felt that I did but again I think that would be a big turn off for a lot of readers.
I’m really glad we didn’t have another love triangle in this book. I’ll give a pass for book one but looking on the whole story I really feel the inclusion of a second love triangle in book two was deeply unnecessary. Irain was just astounding in this book. The love that he has for Fia and that Selene describes in this book is truly the reason I believe we as humans exist and create art. The devotion. The endless love. It really touched my heart while simultaneously making me question the level of health that type of love can be. But DAMN speak so eloquently and emotionally to me Irain! It was just profound and stunning. His love for Fia really moved me in this novel and while it might be naive of me I do believe that type of love while incredibly rare to be true. I also loved the depiction of a mother’s love which I could tell Selene has personal experience with given how purely it was portrayed.
My main gripe with this book and series is the ending. While the middle and last bit of the book are truly epic in proportion I felt that the ending fell a bit short. Most of the message of this book had been the power of love and sacrifice—that I truly can defeat all—just to have it yes defeat the big bad but leave rivers of loss and destruction. While I suppose more accurate to real life, the final choices made in the ending chapters of this book were a bit out of place to me. I don’t always need a happily ever after though I would have loved one for my characters especially after all the fucking generational trauma and bullshit they had to go through but the end is just more loss and pain with the ever so smallest sliver of hope at the end. I just don’t quite understand why we’d lean so deeply into the message of love being the healing salve just to have it be the price and end without love prevailing as the force of light and good. Yes there is hope that they can learn to love again, maybe not in the same way or with the same parties but again with the slight exception for Fia and Irain though I loved the cyclical ending of their tale but still just an unusual choice to make. Not bad, just doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the narrative. It almost seems dare I say cruel. I read another review that discusses this book and series focusing on the destruction of power and the quest for power can be and I agree especially given how unforgiving this magic system can be. I’m not sure I like that on a personal level. I accept it and it technically works story wise but I just don’t like it. It rubs up against my belief that love and goodness have the ability to prevail even in the darkest of situations. Again that’s not a bad exploration or even message but I’m just not sure I like it. I would have preferred a bit more of an uplifting and hopeful ending especially given the toll and stakes of not only this book, but the entire series and even the characters pasts. There is a lot of suffering but perhaps that is the point. Love and light cannot exist without pain and suffering they must be one.
Overall I think this is a 4.25 ⭐️ series for me with some major critics for each book. I think the story unfolds well. I don’t think less or more books were needed. The story fits wonderfully within the three books. The story does grow with each installment and ultimately culminates in a satisfying, believable and impactful ending. I loved drawing on Swan Lake and then how Selene succeeds readers expectations in each book and what a dark fantasy/ romantasy can be overall. I will be following Selene’s career and more than likely reading what she publishes in the future. I will recommend this series to certain readers and I think it has the ability to be a favorite though it’s just a little bit lower than a couple of my all time favorite reads. Still quite a special read for me personally and I’m walking away changed which I think is the main point of reading so take that for what you will.
March 27, 2026
I’m extremely disappointed to say that this book was a bit of a let down for me. We got there in the end, but it was soooo difficult to treck through the first 50% of this book. So much heavy world building and pacing was off compared to the first 2. Loved the ending, just wish the journey there. Still love the series as a whole but not quite what I was expecting
January 14, 2026
5 ⭐️ eARC
The story picks up right from where book two ended. The group sets off for safe harbor until they can figure out what to do with Fia and her ever-changing body. All while Fia's sister Eala has won her silver crown and has raised her army of the dead. Ela starts spreading rot and decay with her undead army, with eager power to control both human and fae realms. Will this hunger for power be her demise?
Let’s talk about a new character, an addition to the fellowship, and she may be my new favorite, about the size of a cat, red in color, and round with stumpy wings. I won’t give away spoilers, but you will not be disappointed! And because Wayland is my favorite character in this book, I would love to read more of his adventures post-war.
In the end, Love is the ultimate sacrifice one must pay. This was such a bittersweet, sad, slightly happy-ish ending. And oh, did it hurt. Great ending to a great trilogy.
I can't thank you enough, Netgalley, Orbit Books, and Lyra Selene for my early copy to review the novel before it’s published.
Pub Date: Jan 20 2026
The story picks up right from where book two ended. The group sets off for safe harbor until they can figure out what to do with Fia and her ever-changing body. All while Fia's sister Eala has won her silver crown and has raised her army of the dead. Ela starts spreading rot and decay with her undead army, with eager power to control both human and fae realms. Will this hunger for power be her demise?
Let’s talk about a new character, an addition to the fellowship, and she may be my new favorite, about the size of a cat, red in color, and round with stumpy wings. I won’t give away spoilers, but you will not be disappointed! And because Wayland is my favorite character in this book, I would love to read more of his adventures post-war.
In the end, Love is the ultimate sacrifice one must pay. This was such a bittersweet, sad, slightly happy-ish ending. And oh, did it hurt. Great ending to a great trilogy.
I can't thank you enough, Netgalley, Orbit Books, and Lyra Selene for my early copy to review the novel before it’s published.
Pub Date: Jan 20 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - Freya, arc & monthly book box pick reviewer (on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/athenafreya... )
Initial thoughts: I have been on Team Firian since the beginning (I am the person who penned the ship name in fact hehe) and I cannot believe that I have now read their entire journey.
About the book: Fia, Irian, and the rest of our characters flee from Wayland's now destroyed home and find shelter at Laoirse's secret home. They must find a way to stop Eala and the devastation she wants to bring while keeping the fae heirs alive and untithed.
What I liked 🤩: I liked we saw Wayland's pov a lot. He is such a fan character, and I would absolutely love to read a spin-off focused on him and his loved one. He changed so much in this book; he truly embraced who he is and left all uncertainties and that evil little voice that told him he wasn't good enough.
Irian, my man, the man, he is everything. I loved how Fia and Irian finally realized that Irian has been bound by oaths and promises all his life. What is Irian without his oaths? That was a significant question that I have had since the first book. And I may have cried at the scene with his mother; they are so similar with their mannerisms and personality. Oh the Fates have been so cruel to Irian. But he trusts Fia, he believes in Fia, and I must say, for a guy who doesn't talk much, Irian was the glue that kept them together in this book. Unstoppable and dependable.
I also loved the LGBTQIA+ representation ofc. We have both a f/f and a m/m romance in this book, and I read their scenes with so much interest haha
As always, I enjoyed the Irish lore the book is built on. I found it refreshing and fascinating.
What I didn’t like 🙃: It was too wordy for me, to be honest. I mean, I loved it a lot, but it felt like the book could have been shorter and yet not lose anything valuable.
Overall: 4.5 stars rounded up! I take half a star for the wordiness, but otherwise, A Heart So Green definitely lived up to my expectations. The ending is what it is, and I agree with Lyra's statement in acknowledgments that it was symbolically necessary and that it stayed true to the Irish lore she built the story on. This trilogy will always hold a special place in my heart: a beautifully heartbreaking romance in a fascinatingly brutal world.
SE info: Fairyloot will surely do a matching edition.
Initial thoughts: I have been on Team Firian since the beginning (I am the person who penned the ship name in fact hehe) and I cannot believe that I have now read their entire journey.
About the book: Fia, Irian, and the rest of our characters flee from Wayland's now destroyed home and find shelter at Laoirse's secret home. They must find a way to stop Eala and the devastation she wants to bring while keeping the fae heirs alive and untithed.
What I liked 🤩: I liked we saw Wayland's pov a lot. He is such a fan character, and I would absolutely love to read a spin-off focused on him and his loved one. He changed so much in this book; he truly embraced who he is and left all uncertainties and that evil little voice that told him he wasn't good enough.
Irian, my man, the man, he is everything. I loved how Fia and Irian finally realized that Irian has been bound by oaths and promises all his life. What is Irian without his oaths? That was a significant question that I have had since the first book. And I may have cried at the scene with his mother; they are so similar with their mannerisms and personality. Oh the Fates have been so cruel to Irian. But he trusts Fia, he believes in Fia, and I must say, for a guy who doesn't talk much, Irian was the glue that kept them together in this book. Unstoppable and dependable.
I also loved the LGBTQIA+ representation ofc. We have both a f/f and a m/m romance in this book, and I read their scenes with so much interest haha
As always, I enjoyed the Irish lore the book is built on. I found it refreshing and fascinating.
What I didn’t like 🙃: It was too wordy for me, to be honest. I mean, I loved it a lot, but it felt like the book could have been shorter and yet not lose anything valuable.
Overall: 4.5 stars rounded up! I take half a star for the wordiness, but otherwise, A Heart So Green definitely lived up to my expectations. The ending is what it is, and I agree with Lyra's statement in acknowledgments that it was symbolically necessary and that it stayed true to the Irish lore she built the story on. This trilogy will always hold a special place in my heart: a beautifully heartbreaking romance in a fascinatingly brutal world.
SE info: Fairyloot will surely do a matching edition.
November 30, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own!
A Heart So Green is the final installment in the Fair Folk trilogy, and I have been all in on this series since I picked up book one. Beautiful and descriptive writing paired with Irish/Celtic mythology, for me thats the perfect combo.
This book picks up right where the second book left off after the Tournament of Kings when Eala has become a treasure with horrifying magic and Fia is fighting to not lose herself to the new powers in her. We get multiple new POVs in addition to Fia's, which I found enjoyable. I was especially glad to get so many chapters from Irian's perspective. We follow all of the characters journey as they try to find a way to stop Eala.
I wish I could just give Irian a hug LOL, it feels like he has just been through too much and deserves to be happy.
I did have a difficult time following some of the magic and rituals throughout this book, but I was able to get the gist enough to enjoy it.
The ending of this series is both beautiful and heartbreaking. It is most definitely not your traditional HEA. But as Lyra Selene said in the dedication of this book, "'the end' is just 'once upon a time' in disguise."
A Heart So Green is the final installment in the Fair Folk trilogy, and I have been all in on this series since I picked up book one. Beautiful and descriptive writing paired with Irish/Celtic mythology, for me thats the perfect combo.
This book picks up right where the second book left off after the Tournament of Kings when Eala has become a treasure with horrifying magic and Fia is fighting to not lose herself to the new powers in her. We get multiple new POVs in addition to Fia's, which I found enjoyable. I was especially glad to get so many chapters from Irian's perspective. We follow all of the characters journey as they try to find a way to stop Eala.
I wish I could just give Irian a hug LOL, it feels like he has just been through too much and deserves to be happy.
I did have a difficult time following some of the magic and rituals throughout this book, but I was able to get the gist enough to enjoy it.
The ending of this series is both beautiful and heartbreaking. It is most definitely not your traditional HEA. But as Lyra Selene said in the dedication of this book, "'the end' is just 'once upon a time' in disguise."
December 18, 2025
Omg this ending was 😭🔥💚
The dedication: "For the ones who believe that “the end” is just “once upon a time” in disguise." was so gorgeous and with each passing page it became more and more clear. This was such a delight and brought out all the favorite parts of book 1!
Wayland is a treasure and he is like a mix of Matthew Fairchild and Finnick Odair, and his addition to this tale has allowed the author to show off more of her banter writing skills!
"Truth is an untrustworthy sovereign, child. For what is a story but a lie? And what is a story but the utmost truth?"
Fia's discovery of her past was paced well and never felt like it came out of nowhere, i loved every single reveal!
the love story was done so well reconnecting and anchoring the story. i loved the aching sadness that permeated it, and the payoff for the end was EVERYTHING
I will be recommending this series to everyone! i so love the tale and the bittersweet ending was spot on for this tale!
Thank you netgalley for this earc!
The dedication: "For the ones who believe that “the end” is just “once upon a time” in disguise." was so gorgeous and with each passing page it became more and more clear. This was such a delight and brought out all the favorite parts of book 1!
Wayland is a treasure and he is like a mix of Matthew Fairchild and Finnick Odair, and his addition to this tale has allowed the author to show off more of her banter writing skills!
"Truth is an untrustworthy sovereign, child. For what is a story but a lie? And what is a story but the utmost truth?"
Fia's discovery of her past was paced well and never felt like it came out of nowhere, i loved every single reveal!
the love story was done so well reconnecting and anchoring the story. i loved the aching sadness that permeated it, and the payoff for the end was EVERYTHING
I will be recommending this series to everyone! i so love the tale and the bittersweet ending was spot on for this tale!
Thank you netgalley for this earc!
January 23, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.0 stars.
I can’t believe it’s over, like what do we do now?! It’s been a mystical and turbulent journey, but I’ve had a fab time along the way.
This story unfolds in the trenches after the previous book, our main characters are not having the best time but we see them navigate the circumstances and it leads us on quite the path. Love and bargains, folklore and myth are still at the heart of the plot and it makes for an interesting ending after an epic head to head between our characters and the villain.
The ending made me a little sad, I almost shouted at the book because everyone went through so much and I felt like they deserved more, BUT although a little ambigious I feel like it all works out, it felt like fate.
I can’t believe it’s over, like what do we do now?! It’s been a mystical and turbulent journey, but I’ve had a fab time along the way.
This story unfolds in the trenches after the previous book, our main characters are not having the best time but we see them navigate the circumstances and it leads us on quite the path. Love and bargains, folklore and myth are still at the heart of the plot and it makes for an interesting ending after an epic head to head between our characters and the villain.
The ending made me a little sad, I almost shouted at the book because everyone went through so much and I felt like they deserved more, BUT although a little ambigious I feel like it all works out, it felt like fate.
January 25, 2026
4.5⭐️ I really love this series and this final installment did not disappoint. This one picks up right where the second ended, and unsurprisingly if you’ve read the second book, Fia is not as quite in the forefront which allows us to get several other characters povs. This series is so unlike anything that I have read. It’s beautiful, and the setting and world really comes to life through the writing. I was nervous about the ending after seeing people say it was bittersweet and I am a HEA girl through and through. Maybe slight spoilers……..
And I will confirm, yes it is bittersweet, the themes that have thread throughout the series staying true, but we are left more with the feeling of hope. And I think that this hope grew to give the characters the life that they all deserved.
It is a series that will definitely stick with me and one that I will highly recommend!
And I will confirm, yes it is bittersweet, the themes that have thread throughout the series staying true, but we are left more with the feeling of hope. And I think that this hope grew to give the characters the life that they all deserved.
It is a series that will definitely stick with me and one that I will highly recommend!
January 23, 2026
**Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; all opinions are my own.**
5 ⭐️
2 🌶
All fairytales are bittersweet. This one broke my heart and put it back together again, but still it aches. A Heart So Green is the perfect end to the Fair Folk trilogy, and I will be living in denial a little longer.
☆war
☆fae & magic
☆"my wife"
☆prophecies
☆fairytale vibes
☆bittersweet endings
5 ⭐️
2 🌶
All fairytales are bittersweet. This one broke my heart and put it back together again, but still it aches. A Heart So Green is the perfect end to the Fair Folk trilogy, and I will be living in denial a little longer.
☆war
☆fae & magic
☆"my wife"
☆prophecies
☆fairytale vibes
☆bittersweet endings
February 1, 2026
another fucking devastating ending; it’s fucking fine
May 1, 2026
4.25/5 stars
December 28, 2025
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
I absolutely loved the first book in this trilogy. I thought it was so beautiful. I loved the use of mythology, the setting, the conflict in the main character. So I have been really excited to continue this series. I went into this book fully expecting to love it. That didn’t end up being my experience.
I still find the use of mythology in this third book fascinating and these elements are worth reading for. There are the bones of a good story here. It’s just overwritten to the point of being distracting. As I read an arc, I’m hoping there will be final edits to let the plot shine through. The author has some lovely and interesting ideas.
The first half of the book in particular suffered from repetition. This did improve in the second half, where the plot became a bit sharper. There are too many instances of multiple metaphors being used to describe the same thing. There’s too much repetition of colour description. Every time we see a character we’re reminded of their eye colour and their hair colour even though we’ve heard this many times before. Even peripheral unnamed characters that appear for seconds have their hair colour described. The number of times the colours gold, red-gold, black and silver were described was excessive to the point it was dragging me out of the narrative. I do enjoy flowery and descriptive writing but this was done to a level that made it hard to concentrate on the story.
Some fascinating ideas from the author but this could use some further editing to really shine.
I absolutely loved the first book in this trilogy. I thought it was so beautiful. I loved the use of mythology, the setting, the conflict in the main character. So I have been really excited to continue this series. I went into this book fully expecting to love it. That didn’t end up being my experience.
I still find the use of mythology in this third book fascinating and these elements are worth reading for. There are the bones of a good story here. It’s just overwritten to the point of being distracting. As I read an arc, I’m hoping there will be final edits to let the plot shine through. The author has some lovely and interesting ideas.
The first half of the book in particular suffered from repetition. This did improve in the second half, where the plot became a bit sharper. There are too many instances of multiple metaphors being used to describe the same thing. There’s too much repetition of colour description. Every time we see a character we’re reminded of their eye colour and their hair colour even though we’ve heard this many times before. Even peripheral unnamed characters that appear for seconds have their hair colour described. The number of times the colours gold, red-gold, black and silver were described was excessive to the point it was dragging me out of the narrative. I do enjoy flowery and descriptive writing but this was done to a level that made it hard to concentrate on the story.
Some fascinating ideas from the author but this could use some further editing to really shine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
(4.5⭐)
The last two chapters genuinely broke me; I was in tears. My eyes are still burning as I write this. Truly this series has been such a journey, I will never be over it... just wow. If I had to describe the Fair Folk trilogy in one word, it would be "beautiful." Never has the dedication of a book hit more deeply than in here.
I've been lucky enough to have been reading this series through ARCs since the beginning and I've adored every single book. Ironically enough, rating-wise book 2 would be my favourite (while that's the book I know has a lot of mixed opinions), but if you asked me to choose between them all I wouldn't be able to. Each book has been such a core part of Fia's development; In A Feather So Black, Fia is overcoming her self-hatred and finding that she is worth loving, in A Crown So Silver, it was accepting the changes within her following the events of book 1 while still keeping the core parts of herself, and in A Heart So Green, Fia's finally discovering her past and taking up the role she was destined for. The only reason why I do give AHSG 4.5 is because I did feel like there were some pacing issues for me personally throughout the book, but overall I adored it.
Fia has come such a long way I always love seeing the difference between the FMC at the beginning of the series and the end🥹 IM SO PROUD OF MY GIRL. Yes she made so many decisions I would've never made but she grew from those mistakes and honestly she's just so good, you can't resist cheering for her (at least I couldn't). There was a decision she briefly made in this book that I was like uhhhh but thankfully it resolved pretty quickly (and I did understand in a way why she thought that). Seeing her growth along with Irian's was so heartwarming to see, I love them your honour.,
The romance throughout this series has been so achingly beautiful and in A Heart So Green especially do you really see just how far Fia and Irian's relationship has come. All the hardships they faced both together and individually--truly they saw everything. The love and devotion Fia and Irian have towards one another makes me want to cry. Like please give me a love like theirs??? I know many disliked how their relationship spiraled in A Crown So Silver but not only did I find it realistic after everything they had gone through in A Feather So Black but the fact that they experienced the ugliest parts of their relationship and managed to grow so much from that--accepting all the good and the bad of one another--really just makes me appreciate book 2 even more so. Yes it hurt to read about but I just love Fia and Irian even more because of all that. And in this book, I was in even more pain watching those two, for different reasons, but man does this author love to torture them😭 Just felt sad like really Fia and Irian needed to catch a break. And yet, despite the situation they were in, I still highlighted like crazy over the beautiful scenes the love of my lives had ugh why are they everything🥹 You know it's serious when I almost cry over some lines. And the end??? I don't want to give anything away but while it made me sob, it fits so well with the story and I think it's so beautiful. The parallels between book 1 and here!!!! Like my jaw dropped as the tears were falling, like hello??!! I felt as though I was stabbed repeatedly in the chest while given life. Honestly if there was one thing in this book regarding the romance that I wish had been done differently, it would be that .
And then side characters!!! Getting Laoise, Wayland and Irian's POVs!!! It was SO fun to have, I adored all their POVs so much. I fell in love even more with Laoise, her love for the draiglings??? (which btw the addition of them was the cutest thing ever) And Wayland!! Oh I want to give him a hug, he's so sweet and I love that he got to experience a new happiness with the gang after being alone for so long. Irian's POVs genuinely hurt because we got most of them in the beginning and if you read the end of book 2 you can see what I mean... but in those chapters you could really see his devotion for Fia, it melted my heart like wow this guy!!! Constantly was just thinking, why can't they all just be happy already??? Which speaking of, I will vaguely mention something in regards to the ending:
The prose as always was gorgeous to the point where I either wanted to cry, melt, or laugh many times. I have never really been one to comment too much on an author's writing in reviews but seriously, if there was one thing I told you to believe me for about this series, it's that the writing felt like magic. I always feel as though I've been transported into a book but especially here did I feel everything so vividly as if I was standing on the grounds of Tír na nÓg. The writing here truly is beyond anything I could ever hope to convey into words.
This series and its characters really will be sticking with me for the rest of my life. I cannot imagine a world where I didn't meet Fia and Irian; they mean everything to me, I've never been more thankful to Fairyloot for putting A Feather So Black on my radar like wow I so would've been missing out!! I can't wait to see what else this authors writes and you better believe I will 1000% be reading it.
Thank you Orbit Books for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!
"Every ending was its own beginning. And every story began somewhere."
The last two chapters genuinely broke me; I was in tears. My eyes are still burning as I write this. Truly this series has been such a journey, I will never be over it... just wow. If I had to describe the Fair Folk trilogy in one word, it would be "beautiful." Never has the dedication of a book hit more deeply than in here.
I've been lucky enough to have been reading this series through ARCs since the beginning and I've adored every single book. Ironically enough, rating-wise book 2 would be my favourite (while that's the book I know has a lot of mixed opinions), but if you asked me to choose between them all I wouldn't be able to. Each book has been such a core part of Fia's development; In A Feather So Black, Fia is overcoming her self-hatred and finding that she is worth loving, in A Crown So Silver, it was accepting the changes within her following the events of book 1 while still keeping the core parts of herself, and in A Heart So Green, Fia's finally discovering her past and taking up the role she was destined for. The only reason why I do give AHSG 4.5 is because I did feel like there were some pacing issues for me personally throughout the book, but overall I adored it.
Fia has come such a long way I always love seeing the difference between the FMC at the beginning of the series and the end🥹 IM SO PROUD OF MY GIRL. Yes she made so many decisions I would've never made but she grew from those mistakes and honestly she's just so good, you can't resist cheering for her (at least I couldn't). There was a decision she briefly made in this book that I was like uhhhh but thankfully it resolved pretty quickly (and I did understand in a way why she thought that). Seeing her growth along with Irian's was so heartwarming to see, I love them your honour.,
The romance throughout this series has been so achingly beautiful and in A Heart So Green especially do you really see just how far Fia and Irian's relationship has come. All the hardships they faced both together and individually--truly they saw everything. The love and devotion Fia and Irian have towards one another makes me want to cry. Like please give me a love like theirs??? I know many disliked how their relationship spiraled in A Crown So Silver but not only did I find it realistic after everything they had gone through in A Feather So Black but the fact that they experienced the ugliest parts of their relationship and managed to grow so much from that--accepting all the good and the bad of one another--really just makes me appreciate book 2 even more so. Yes it hurt to read about but I just love Fia and Irian even more because of all that. And in this book, I was in even more pain watching those two, for different reasons, but man does this author love to torture them😭 Just felt sad like really Fia and Irian needed to catch a break. And yet, despite the situation they were in, I still highlighted like crazy over the beautiful scenes the love of my lives had ugh why are they everything🥹 You know it's serious when I almost cry over some lines. And the end??? I don't want to give anything away but while it made me sob, it fits so well with the story and I think it's so beautiful. The parallels between book 1 and here!!!! Like my jaw dropped as the tears were falling, like hello??!! I felt as though I was stabbed repeatedly in the chest while given life. Honestly if there was one thing in this book regarding the romance that I wish had been done differently, it would be that .
And then side characters!!! Getting Laoise, Wayland and Irian's POVs!!! It was SO fun to have, I adored all their POVs so much. I fell in love even more with Laoise, her love for the draiglings??? (which btw the addition of them was the cutest thing ever) And Wayland!! Oh I want to give him a hug, he's so sweet and I love that he got to experience a new happiness with the gang after being alone for so long. Irian's POVs genuinely hurt because we got most of them in the beginning and if you read the end of book 2 you can see what I mean... but in those chapters you could really see his devotion for Fia, it melted my heart like wow this guy!!! Constantly was just thinking, why can't they all just be happy already??? Which speaking of, I will vaguely mention something in regards to the ending:
The prose as always was gorgeous to the point where I either wanted to cry, melt, or laugh many times. I have never really been one to comment too much on an author's writing in reviews but seriously, if there was one thing I told you to believe me for about this series, it's that the writing felt like magic. I always feel as though I've been transported into a book but especially here did I feel everything so vividly as if I was standing on the grounds of Tír na nÓg. The writing here truly is beyond anything I could ever hope to convey into words.
This series and its characters really will be sticking with me for the rest of my life. I cannot imagine a world where I didn't meet Fia and Irian; they mean everything to me, I've never been more thankful to Fairyloot for putting A Feather So Black on my radar like wow I so would've been missing out!! I can't wait to see what else this authors writes and you better believe I will 1000% be reading it.
"A feather so black will rise from pain.
A crown so silver will rise to reign.
A heart so green must bleed once more.
For light and dark to one restore."
Thank you Orbit Books for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!
February 10, 2026
Thank you to Orbit for sending me a copy of this book and access to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I really tried to have this read and reviewed before it was published, but it just didn’t quite happen for me. Part of it was that I underestimated how long it would take me to do a quick audiobook reread of the first two books in the trilogy so I was primed and ready to jump right back in. And at least the review isn’t too far behind.
After finishing my reread, I couldn’t wait to find out how the trilogy ends. Initially, Fia’s experiences are only internal, as she wrestles with a strong deity for control of her own mind and body. Irian basically falls apart for the start of the book. If I was twenty years younger, I’d probably be shipping this relationship much harder than I do, but I was secretly hoping that they would stay together at the end.
For a trilogy finale, I felt like this had a lot of oomph and was a great way to finish the series. There were a lot of powerful moments in the story, with themes of autonomy, trust, personal power, and acceptance. Fia showed an immense amount of growth over the whole series, but particularly in this book. I loved watching her mature and adapt to changing circumstances and relationships. Seeing Eala transform into even more of a villain, probably one of the worst villains that I’ve read about recently, had me fully expecting her to come to a savage demise. Without sharing any spoilers, I will say that I wasn’t disappointed.
Irian struggles for a good portion of the book, and Fia’s body being inhabited by a celestial being plus the trauma of earlier experiences in the series gives him plenty of opportunities to grow and do some adapting of his own. I was especially impressed with the growth that Wayland goes through in this book. He becomes more willing to get vulnerable and emotional, and as a result, it feels like he’s finally becoming an adult once he is out from under his father’s control. Laoise also goes through major changes, also softening and getting a bit more vulnerable, and I credit her growing baby draigs for that change in her.
Narrated by Avena Mansergh-Wallace, I’m glad that I had the audiobook as well as the print copy, because I am aware that Irish sounds significantly different than an English-speaker would pronounce it, and I was able to follow along using both to get a feel for the Irish spellings vs. pronunciations. I highly recommend both formats.
Overall, the pace is a bit slower in this story, although I loved all the different POV chapters, not seeing things only through Fia’s eyes. Instead, we also get insight into the experiences and thoughts of Irian, Wayland, and Laoise as well, which gives us a better understanding and context for the events in the book. I have to say that I am impressed with how much all of these characters grew on me from the first book to the third. Additionally, I also found myself enjoying this book a lot. The closer I got to the end of the book, the more worried I was about the ending. It wasn’t heading in a happy direction for a bit, and I was concerned about closure. Each character had a different type of ending—I was satisfied with the ending for Eala and some of the side characters; but each of the main POV characters had an ending that felt more bittersweet than anything. And I have to admit, I was extra sad about Rogan’s conclusion, which felt like he got short-changed, and he deserved better.
Bottom line: Strong ending to the trilogy, with themes of Irish folklore and mythology that were represented strongly dovetailing with themes of sacrifice and balance.
I really tried to have this read and reviewed before it was published, but it just didn’t quite happen for me. Part of it was that I underestimated how long it would take me to do a quick audiobook reread of the first two books in the trilogy so I was primed and ready to jump right back in. And at least the review isn’t too far behind.
After finishing my reread, I couldn’t wait to find out how the trilogy ends. Initially, Fia’s experiences are only internal, as she wrestles with a strong deity for control of her own mind and body. Irian basically falls apart for the start of the book. If I was twenty years younger, I’d probably be shipping this relationship much harder than I do, but I was secretly hoping that they would stay together at the end.
For a trilogy finale, I felt like this had a lot of oomph and was a great way to finish the series. There were a lot of powerful moments in the story, with themes of autonomy, trust, personal power, and acceptance. Fia showed an immense amount of growth over the whole series, but particularly in this book. I loved watching her mature and adapt to changing circumstances and relationships. Seeing Eala transform into even more of a villain, probably one of the worst villains that I’ve read about recently, had me fully expecting her to come to a savage demise. Without sharing any spoilers, I will say that I wasn’t disappointed.
Irian struggles for a good portion of the book, and Fia’s body being inhabited by a celestial being plus the trauma of earlier experiences in the series gives him plenty of opportunities to grow and do some adapting of his own. I was especially impressed with the growth that Wayland goes through in this book. He becomes more willing to get vulnerable and emotional, and as a result, it feels like he’s finally becoming an adult once he is out from under his father’s control. Laoise also goes through major changes, also softening and getting a bit more vulnerable, and I credit her growing baby draigs for that change in her.
Narrated by Avena Mansergh-Wallace, I’m glad that I had the audiobook as well as the print copy, because I am aware that Irish sounds significantly different than an English-speaker would pronounce it, and I was able to follow along using both to get a feel for the Irish spellings vs. pronunciations. I highly recommend both formats.
Overall, the pace is a bit slower in this story, although I loved all the different POV chapters, not seeing things only through Fia’s eyes. Instead, we also get insight into the experiences and thoughts of Irian, Wayland, and Laoise as well, which gives us a better understanding and context for the events in the book. I have to say that I am impressed with how much all of these characters grew on me from the first book to the third. Additionally, I also found myself enjoying this book a lot. The closer I got to the end of the book, the more worried I was about the ending. It wasn’t heading in a happy direction for a bit, and I was concerned about closure. Each character had a different type of ending—I was satisfied with the ending for Eala and some of the side characters; but each of the main POV characters had an ending that felt more bittersweet than anything. And I have to admit, I was extra sad about Rogan’s conclusion, which felt like he got short-changed, and he deserved better.
Bottom line: Strong ending to the trilogy, with themes of Irish folklore and mythology that were represented strongly dovetailing with themes of sacrifice and balance.
November 5, 2025
4.5⭐️
2🌶️
📚eARC
Themes/Tropes: Fae vs. Humans, price of love, cost of war/greed, found family, sacrifice
Firstly, a big thank you to NetGalley, Lyra Selene, and Orbit for giving me a chance to read an advanced copy of A Heart So Green. These books are so incredibly colorful and Lyra has such a descriptive way of writing that really makes you feel like you’re in that world. Her writing reminds me a great deal of the style of Rebecca Ross. Truly beautiful prose.
A Feather So Black was one of my favorite reads of early 2025 and then I gobbled up A Crown So Silver right after. I was so excited to dive back into the world of
Tír na nÓg and its star-crossed characters. This story really bounces perspectives a great deal between Fia, Irian, Wayland, and Laoise. Now, I’m not normally a fan than anymore than 2 POVs in a book. I feel like it waters down my connection to any one character, but it works well in this book. Really helps you quickly get to know Laoise and Wayland who are central to the finale of the book.
There are some absolutely precious new characters you meet in this book, like Laoise’s brother Idris and a baby dragon named Hog who will make you kick, scream, and giggle at her antics. She reminds me a lot of Poco from Blood of Hercules (IYKYK) except a chonky baby dragon and not a trash panda.
🚨 Possible loose plot spoilers below (no big giveaways, but flagging to stop here if you don’t even want the ending to be eluded to). 🚨
The plot does come to a head where we learn the price of stopping the blight that Eala has brought about the fae and human realms. I will not give any spoilers but it it’s steap. I will say if you like a neat and clean HEA, this book isn’t that. It gave me a similar vibe to the ending of Where the Dark Stands Still by AB Poranek; which is to say, it’s HEA adjacent. Possibly HEA with a case of maybe not?! Open to interpretation. Hard to explain, but 1000% worth the read. Great series.
I will say the expression I’m left with from this book is “Life sucks and then you die…” unless you’re a fae. Then life just sucks and then keeps on sucking. Ha! For me, I wanted a bit more of a HEA for the tortured souls of this book because they earned that. Their fates almost seemed as bad or worse than the fates of their enemies, which maybe is the moral of the story. Life’s not fair or kind to anyone, but you have to treasure the beautiful moments even if they may be fleeting and stay truth to yourself.
Here are some quotes I ❤️’d:
“Blood family is the tether we’re born with, but that rope is not always woven with love. Chosen family, though - some people stitch themselves into the gaps left by blood, and love by choice instead of duty. Even then, it’s a gamble. Those who choose to love you can just as easily choose to stop. And the ache of love unreturned is the most profound wound”
“I think the cost of free will is the burden of choice.”
“You’re alive, Idris. That makes you a fighter. You don’t need a blade in your hand to be strong. Strength comes in standing even when fear grips you. All it takes is one step. Then another. Be your own shield.”
“Power is not freedom - it is merely the illusion of control over a force that is always, in some way, in control of you.”
“You cannot make a fist and call it peace. Nor can you deal death and say you have ended suffering.”
“How different would our lives have been, had we not been children abused by the careless intrigues and hungry ambitions of others far more powerful than us?”
2🌶️
📚eARC
Themes/Tropes: Fae vs. Humans, price of love, cost of war/greed, found family, sacrifice
Firstly, a big thank you to NetGalley, Lyra Selene, and Orbit for giving me a chance to read an advanced copy of A Heart So Green. These books are so incredibly colorful and Lyra has such a descriptive way of writing that really makes you feel like you’re in that world. Her writing reminds me a great deal of the style of Rebecca Ross. Truly beautiful prose.
A Feather So Black was one of my favorite reads of early 2025 and then I gobbled up A Crown So Silver right after. I was so excited to dive back into the world of
Tír na nÓg and its star-crossed characters. This story really bounces perspectives a great deal between Fia, Irian, Wayland, and Laoise. Now, I’m not normally a fan than anymore than 2 POVs in a book. I feel like it waters down my connection to any one character, but it works well in this book. Really helps you quickly get to know Laoise and Wayland who are central to the finale of the book.
There are some absolutely precious new characters you meet in this book, like Laoise’s brother Idris and a baby dragon named Hog who will make you kick, scream, and giggle at her antics. She reminds me a lot of Poco from Blood of Hercules (IYKYK) except a chonky baby dragon and not a trash panda.
🚨 Possible loose plot spoilers below (no big giveaways, but flagging to stop here if you don’t even want the ending to be eluded to). 🚨
The plot does come to a head where we learn the price of stopping the blight that Eala has brought about the fae and human realms. I will not give any spoilers but it it’s steap. I will say if you like a neat and clean HEA, this book isn’t that. It gave me a similar vibe to the ending of Where the Dark Stands Still by AB Poranek; which is to say, it’s HEA adjacent. Possibly HEA with a case of maybe not?! Open to interpretation. Hard to explain, but 1000% worth the read. Great series.
I will say the expression I’m left with from this book is “Life sucks and then you die…” unless you’re a fae. Then life just sucks and then keeps on sucking. Ha! For me, I wanted a bit more of a HEA for the tortured souls of this book because they earned that. Their fates almost seemed as bad or worse than the fates of their enemies, which maybe is the moral of the story. Life’s not fair or kind to anyone, but you have to treasure the beautiful moments even if they may be fleeting and stay truth to yourself.
Here are some quotes I ❤️’d:
“Blood family is the tether we’re born with, but that rope is not always woven with love. Chosen family, though - some people stitch themselves into the gaps left by blood, and love by choice instead of duty. Even then, it’s a gamble. Those who choose to love you can just as easily choose to stop. And the ache of love unreturned is the most profound wound”
“I think the cost of free will is the burden of choice.”
“You’re alive, Idris. That makes you a fighter. You don’t need a blade in your hand to be strong. Strength comes in standing even when fear grips you. All it takes is one step. Then another. Be your own shield.”
“Power is not freedom - it is merely the illusion of control over a force that is always, in some way, in control of you.”
“You cannot make a fist and call it peace. Nor can you deal death and say you have ended suffering.”
“How different would our lives have been, had we not been children abused by the careless intrigues and hungry ambitions of others far more powerful than us?”
April 12, 2026
I loved the first book of this series, liked the second book, and was eagerly waiting for the conclusion of the story. A Heart So Green delivered on many of the points it needed to, but I think it got a little unwieldy at times—especially in the first half of the novel. I still enjoyed myself, but I found the pacing to be rough.
We open this book shortly after the conclusion of A Crown So Silver. Fia is trapped in her own body, fighting an internal battle with Talah, one of the Bright Ones, while Irian and the rest of the crew try to outrun Eala and her army of the dead. They finally take refuge in Laoise's home to recover, reset, and figure out how to free Fia from the prison of her mind. Eala is on a rampage across both the magical and human lands, and if they can't get to Fia, there will be no way to stop her. But with Fia unconscious as she fights Talah for control of her body, no one knows how to reach her and bring her back, leaving her friends and husband without hope that they can stop Eala.
I will start with what I liked about this book. I think the back half of the novel was exciting and good, old-fashioned romantasy fun. I enjoyed having multiple points of view, thought the action scenes were well described, and I liked the expansion of the world. I particularly enjoyed the barrier Lyra Selene threw in place to keep Fia and Irian apart longer (which I will not spoil here because I am not a monster). It was a nice way to keep the tension going for more of the story.
There were a few things that really didn't work for me in this final novel of the trilogy. I thought the first 40% of the book was way too long and didn't add enough value to warrant the page time. There were some nice character moments and interesting elements of the world—especially in Fia's internal narration—but there was so much talking and not enough doing for a fantasy novel with a war raging. I also thought some of the big moments felt too easy, especially when it came to unraveling the mystery of just how Fia would stop Eala. Lyra Selene really could have cut a substantial chunk of the first part of the book and devoted that page time instead to the actual action, and I think the story would have worked better.
I've seen some mixed feelings about how the book ended. I thought it actually worked pretty well here, considering how it all began. We know that it will turn out well, even if things are a bit ambiguous for our main characters. I did like that we didn't get a magically happy ending for everyone, especially considering the price exacted from our band of characters for the resolution of the magical conflict.
Ultimately, I think I'm giving this one three stars, simply for the strength of the last 40% of the book.
We open this book shortly after the conclusion of A Crown So Silver. Fia is trapped in her own body, fighting an internal battle with Talah, one of the Bright Ones, while Irian and the rest of the crew try to outrun Eala and her army of the dead. They finally take refuge in Laoise's home to recover, reset, and figure out how to free Fia from the prison of her mind. Eala is on a rampage across both the magical and human lands, and if they can't get to Fia, there will be no way to stop her. But with Fia unconscious as she fights Talah for control of her body, no one knows how to reach her and bring her back, leaving her friends and husband without hope that they can stop Eala.
I will start with what I liked about this book. I think the back half of the novel was exciting and good, old-fashioned romantasy fun. I enjoyed having multiple points of view, thought the action scenes were well described, and I liked the expansion of the world. I particularly enjoyed the barrier Lyra Selene threw in place to keep Fia and Irian apart longer (which I will not spoil here because I am not a monster). It was a nice way to keep the tension going for more of the story.
There were a few things that really didn't work for me in this final novel of the trilogy. I thought the first 40% of the book was way too long and didn't add enough value to warrant the page time. There were some nice character moments and interesting elements of the world—especially in Fia's internal narration—but there was so much talking and not enough doing for a fantasy novel with a war raging. I also thought some of the big moments felt too easy, especially when it came to unraveling the mystery of just how Fia would stop Eala. Lyra Selene really could have cut a substantial chunk of the first part of the book and devoted that page time instead to the actual action, and I think the story would have worked better.
I've seen some mixed feelings about how the book ended. I thought it actually worked pretty well here, considering how it all began. We know that it will turn out well, even if things are a bit ambiguous for our main characters. I did like that we didn't get a magically happy ending for everyone, especially considering the price exacted from our band of characters for the resolution of the magical conflict.
Ultimately, I think I'm giving this one three stars, simply for the strength of the last 40% of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up A Heart So Green on January 20, 2026.
I have never in my LIFE experienced a more epic comeback for a book series. The way I swore off these books after the disaster of A Crown So Silver must be studied, but I decided to give A Heart So Green a chance because I was genuinely curious how Fia's story ended. And boy, I was NOT disappointed.
From the beginning, this book hooked me right back into the world of Tir na Nog. I found myself invested in the new POVs and eager to learn more about our favorites' next steps. Fia's growth, both individually and with Irian, FINALLY happened and made a ton of sense. I loved her trajectory, and all of her decisions felt right and true to her character.
The plot was quick-paced but slowed down at key moments to let characters breathe and reflect. We saw new romances develop, new friendships form, and we explored more of this world and the gods that created it. Learning about the extent of the magic system alongside Fia helped me FEEL her reactions to it more and sympathize with her.
I did not sympathize with Eala, our antagonist, and just an all-around awful human being. She's so corrupted by power and control that she can't see the destruction she wreaks, and I truly felt the stakes at all times in this book as she commanded her army of the dead. Plus, the way her and Fia's fates intertwined was beautifully executed and reminiscent of a fairytale.
As for the romance between Fia and Irian... it was so good, y'all. Mature, adult conversations were had about their future, the upcoming war, what they would do after the war, what would happen if they didn't survive it. Did we really have to go through a relationship crisis in Book 2 to reach this spot? My vote is no, but I'm just a creature obsessed with happy endings.
Did we get a happy ending in this book? Debatable in the best way. No spoilers here, but it did make me tear up and yell, "WHAT" when I got to the last page. I'll be thinking about this book and these characters for a long time, I fear.
All in all, if you loved A Feather So Black but weren't sure where things were going after A Crown So Silver, this is your sign to PLEASE pick up A Heart So Green and buckle up for the ride.
I have never in my LIFE experienced a more epic comeback for a book series. The way I swore off these books after the disaster of A Crown So Silver must be studied, but I decided to give A Heart So Green a chance because I was genuinely curious how Fia's story ended. And boy, I was NOT disappointed.
From the beginning, this book hooked me right back into the world of Tir na Nog. I found myself invested in the new POVs and eager to learn more about our favorites' next steps. Fia's growth, both individually and with Irian, FINALLY happened and made a ton of sense. I loved her trajectory, and all of her decisions felt right and true to her character.
The plot was quick-paced but slowed down at key moments to let characters breathe and reflect. We saw new romances develop, new friendships form, and we explored more of this world and the gods that created it. Learning about the extent of the magic system alongside Fia helped me FEEL her reactions to it more and sympathize with her.
I did not sympathize with Eala, our antagonist, and just an all-around awful human being. She's so corrupted by power and control that she can't see the destruction she wreaks, and I truly felt the stakes at all times in this book as she commanded her army of the dead. Plus, the way her and Fia's fates intertwined was beautifully executed and reminiscent of a fairytale.
As for the romance between Fia and Irian... it was so good, y'all. Mature, adult conversations were had about their future, the upcoming war, what they would do after the war, what would happen if they didn't survive it. Did we really have to go through a relationship crisis in Book 2 to reach this spot? My vote is no, but I'm just a creature obsessed with happy endings.
Did we get a happy ending in this book? Debatable in the best way. No spoilers here, but it did make me tear up and yell, "WHAT" when I got to the last page. I'll be thinking about this book and these characters for a long time, I fear.
All in all, if you loved A Feather So Black but weren't sure where things were going after A Crown So Silver, this is your sign to PLEASE pick up A Heart So Green and buckle up for the ride.
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