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The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass #2
The Boi of Feather and Steel
Tav struggles to come to grips with who they are — and who they are becoming — in this thrilling sequel to the moving, lyrical fantasy The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass.
After Tav’s dangerous journey to the magical City of Eyes, they realize they’re more than just a purple-haired, motorcycle-riding teenager who can see magic — they know how to use it.
Returning to the human world, the City of Ghosts, Tav’s team races to heal the wounds in the veil between worlds as Tav struggles to come to grips with who they are — and who they are becoming. Meanwhile, an army of child witches has risen up to overthrow the tyrannical world-eating Coven. With blood and magic spilled on both sides, who will survive?
After Tav’s dangerous journey to the magical City of Eyes, they realize they’re more than just a purple-haired, motorcycle-riding teenager who can see magic — they know how to use it.
Returning to the human world, the City of Ghosts, Tav’s team races to heal the wounds in the veil between worlds as Tav struggles to come to grips with who they are — and who they are becoming. Meanwhile, an army of child witches has risen up to overthrow the tyrannical world-eating Coven. With blood and magic spilled on both sides, who will survive?
448 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2021
6 people are currently reading
1518 people want to read
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June 9, 2020B O I
April 19, 2021
This picks up right after the first book, showing us how Eli is coping with her new magical heart and Kite's plan to take the Witch Lord down. I liked that we jumped back into the plot and the battle for the heart and the fate of Earth. The story is divided among Eli, Tav, and Kite's points of view. Eli and Tav are at odds a lot, Tav seemed a bit moody and irritable that Eli wasn't sure what she wanted. I felt for Tav, but also thought they could have been more sympathetic.
Kite was my favorite character in this one, she was fighting to take down her mother and the coven which is a huge task. She wanted the Earth to be safe and pursued her goals, even when it seemed like she may die in the process. Kite also worried for Eli and I wanted them to be reunited asap!
The pacing was kind of slow and I felt like the story went in a circle. Eli and the gang took the heart to keep it safe but then had to return it, so what was the point? Maybe to give them time to fight against the coven first? I would have like more action and a bit less angst, but I appreciated the found family bonds. This wrapped up well and was a good ending for the duology.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Ingram for the copy.
Kite was my favorite character in this one, she was fighting to take down her mother and the coven which is a huge task. She wanted the Earth to be safe and pursued her goals, even when it seemed like she may die in the process. Kite also worried for Eli and I wanted them to be reunited asap!
The pacing was kind of slow and I felt like the story went in a circle. Eli and the gang took the heart to keep it safe but then had to return it, so what was the point? Maybe to give them time to fight against the coven first? I would have like more action and a bit less angst, but I appreciated the found family bonds. This wrapped up well and was a good ending for the duology.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Ingram for the copy.
March 8, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Boi of Feather and Steel in exchange for an honest review.
I'm so torn. I absolutely adored The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. From a technical sense, I like where the plot and characters ended up. The writing style's pretty similar too so I should have loved this too, but I just didn't.
Jerreat-Poole is a gorgeously unique storyteller which was part of why I loved the first book so much, but something about this one felt more 'lyrical-for-the-gimmick' than 'lyrical-for-the-story' and I had a lot less fun with the narration. This one's a lot longer than book one which I don't think was really needed from a plot perspective since I feel like a lot of stuff was repeated from too many perspectives and it really derailed the urgency of the narrative.
Sometimes I'm let down by sequels and wish I'd just stopped at the first book, but I'm still glad I had the opportunity to read this because like I said, I do really like where the story ends up. I suppose I just didn't like a lot of the things that got us to that point.
I'm so torn. I absolutely adored The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. From a technical sense, I like where the plot and characters ended up. The writing style's pretty similar too so I should have loved this too, but I just didn't.
Jerreat-Poole is a gorgeously unique storyteller which was part of why I loved the first book so much, but something about this one felt more 'lyrical-for-the-gimmick' than 'lyrical-for-the-story' and I had a lot less fun with the narration. This one's a lot longer than book one which I don't think was really needed from a plot perspective since I feel like a lot of stuff was repeated from too many perspectives and it really derailed the urgency of the narrative.
Sometimes I'm let down by sequels and wish I'd just stopped at the first book, but I'm still glad I had the opportunity to read this because like I said, I do really like where the story ends up. I suppose I just didn't like a lot of the things that got us to that point.
April 20, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to be honest here people.. I was really hesitant to dive into The Boi of Feather and Steel. Mostly because I gave the previous book, The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass, two stars. Once I found a buddy to read this with.. well, I figured it was high time to put on my big girl pants and dive into the book.
I'll admit, this started off on a pretty interesting note. It also had some things that made cringe and regret having snacks nearby. I'm not sure why everyone was so obsessed with eating one another.. when a burger sounds a lot more delicious. Do they even have burgers in this world? If not, well, they are missing out.
Besides that, not a lot happened for most of this book. So it's safe to assume that I was bored during this. At the same time, it was nice to see Kite, Cam, Eli and Tav going off on their adventures and planning their little revenge. I just feel like the pacing and the chapter lengths were really throwing me off and I think it would have been a lot better if it was more consistent.
In the end, I'm not even sure what to think about this book. I'll admit it was a bit better than the first one and I liked the action scenes that I got. I just didn't like the build up to such a short battle with the coven. I wanted more. Something bigger.
I'm going to be honest here people.. I was really hesitant to dive into The Boi of Feather and Steel. Mostly because I gave the previous book, The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass, two stars. Once I found a buddy to read this with.. well, I figured it was high time to put on my big girl pants and dive into the book.
I'll admit, this started off on a pretty interesting note. It also had some things that made cringe and regret having snacks nearby. I'm not sure why everyone was so obsessed with eating one another.. when a burger sounds a lot more delicious. Do they even have burgers in this world? If not, well, they are missing out.
Besides that, not a lot happened for most of this book. So it's safe to assume that I was bored during this. At the same time, it was nice to see Kite, Cam, Eli and Tav going off on their adventures and planning their little revenge. I just feel like the pacing and the chapter lengths were really throwing me off and I think it would have been a lot better if it was more consistent.
In the end, I'm not even sure what to think about this book. I'll admit it was a bit better than the first one and I liked the action scenes that I got. I just didn't like the build up to such a short battle with the coven. I wanted more. Something bigger.
April 18, 2021
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Oh boy, I really wanted to like this one, because I loved the first book in the series and the cover is stunning as always, but maaan this fail to exceed my expectations.
Adan Jerreat-Poole's writing is excellent as always, but I was so confused 80% of the time about where the story was going. This could have been so much shorter because the pace was so slow at times and there were so many repetitions.
I loved the characters and the atmosphere as I did in the first book. but this time I had a hard time connecting with them, mostly because I didn't understand where the plot was going.
I'm sure this book will find its favorite readers soon, but it fell flat to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.
Oh boy, I really wanted to like this one, because I loved the first book in the series and the cover is stunning as always, but maaan this fail to exceed my expectations.
Adan Jerreat-Poole's writing is excellent as always, but I was so confused 80% of the time about where the story was going. This could have been so much shorter because the pace was so slow at times and there were so many repetitions.
I loved the characters and the atmosphere as I did in the first book. but this time I had a hard time connecting with them, mostly because I didn't understand where the plot was going.
I'm sure this book will find its favorite readers soon, but it fell flat to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.
May 19, 2021
I thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2/5 stars*
“There is no we with witches. Only one can rule.”
The Boi of Feather and Steel begins directly where book 1 leaves off. After reading the first installment (which I equally rated 2/5 ), I wrote the following:
“I’ll be the first to say it - I am confused. The concept is really neat. Witch-made assassins? Queer characters? Magic? I love all of these things! However, I think that the execution leaves something to be desired. It seems like maybe the author has created this really cool world that makes sense to them, so they skipped a few steps when introducing us to it. I hope that in the sequel there will be a little bit more explanation about witchy hierarchy, the magic system and what the heck is happening.”
The Boi of Feather and Steel begins directly where book 1 leaves off. I think that some of my key criticisms were answered with this sequel. We were walked through more of the witchy hierarchies and Eli’s magic assassin blades, which was great. However, by about halfway through this book I decided that maybe I am just not supposed to understand.
The world building is so desperately lacking that my enjoyment of the book was seriously compromised by desperate head scratching. Because I was simultaneously confused and bored by the plot, I did not have time or energy to become attached to the central characters.
In terms of the representation in this book, Eli, Kite, Cam and Tav are a very queer crew (which I love to see as a queer reader), but I think this book missed the mark specifically with Tav’s character. Tav [a witch-adjacent human] wants to use magic to save the human world from injustice and pain, which is a strong motivator, but whenever Tav’s lived experience as a Black, non-binary, queer character was addressed it felt shallow and cavalier. I think, when injustice is one of Tav’s central motivators, this should have been more meaningfully explored.
The only brand of reader that I would recommend this to are individuals who read for the writing. Adan Jerreat-Poole does write beautiful sentences and paragraphs that are very quotable, but if you tend to prefer plot or character driven books (as I do) this one likely will not be for you.
*Rating system for reviews is as follows:
5/5 - I would recommend this book to anyone and I plan to read it again (likely a book I would call my favourite)
4/5 - I would recommend this book to anyone
3/5 - I would recommend this book if it fit the specific genre/trope/style you were looking for
2/5 - I would not recommend this book, but I will not discourage others from trying it
1/5 - I would discourage you from reading this book
2/5 stars*
“There is no we with witches. Only one can rule.”
The Boi of Feather and Steel begins directly where book 1 leaves off. After reading the first installment (which I equally rated 2/5 ), I wrote the following:
“I’ll be the first to say it - I am confused. The concept is really neat. Witch-made assassins? Queer characters? Magic? I love all of these things! However, I think that the execution leaves something to be desired. It seems like maybe the author has created this really cool world that makes sense to them, so they skipped a few steps when introducing us to it. I hope that in the sequel there will be a little bit more explanation about witchy hierarchy, the magic system and what the heck is happening.”
The Boi of Feather and Steel begins directly where book 1 leaves off. I think that some of my key criticisms were answered with this sequel. We were walked through more of the witchy hierarchies and Eli’s magic assassin blades, which was great. However, by about halfway through this book I decided that maybe I am just not supposed to understand.
The world building is so desperately lacking that my enjoyment of the book was seriously compromised by desperate head scratching. Because I was simultaneously confused and bored by the plot, I did not have time or energy to become attached to the central characters.
In terms of the representation in this book, Eli, Kite, Cam and Tav are a very queer crew (which I love to see as a queer reader), but I think this book missed the mark specifically with Tav’s character. Tav [a witch-adjacent human] wants to use magic to save the human world from injustice and pain, which is a strong motivator, but whenever Tav’s lived experience as a Black, non-binary, queer character was addressed it felt shallow and cavalier. I think, when injustice is one of Tav’s central motivators, this should have been more meaningfully explored.
The only brand of reader that I would recommend this to are individuals who read for the writing. Adan Jerreat-Poole does write beautiful sentences and paragraphs that are very quotable, but if you tend to prefer plot or character driven books (as I do) this one likely will not be for you.
*Rating system for reviews is as follows:
5/5 - I would recommend this book to anyone and I plan to read it again (likely a book I would call my favourite)
4/5 - I would recommend this book to anyone
3/5 - I would recommend this book if it fit the specific genre/trope/style you were looking for
2/5 - I would not recommend this book, but I will not discourage others from trying it
1/5 - I would discourage you from reading this book
July 20, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Boi of Feather and Steel picks up immediately after the events of The Girl Of Hawthorne and Glass. Tav, Eli, and Cam dealing with the fallout of the world-eating witch coven coming after them, looking to devour the heart of Earth. Meanwhile, child witches are staging a rebellion against said coven in hopes to recreate the coven in their image. Can Tav, Eli, and Cam save the earth as well as an unknown number of worlds after? And which is the lesser evil, children witches or those already in power?
I really really really want to like this series. I mean, witches making assassins out of inanimate objects? World devourers? Labrynth laid worlds and queer representation? All of these paint a picture worthy of five stars. However, while I gave book 1 three stars due to the plot making up for a lack of world building, I cannot give this more than 2 stars. I still don't fully understand the worlds I was reading about or how the witches devoured the world. I don't understand what about earth made it special enough to defy the witches to essentially save itself. The characters were on this save the world mission but had time to stop and have sex with someone they had known for all of two weeks? It just seems like the priorities of telling this story fell flat. The elements that make you care about a world or characters just weren't there for any of the many main characters, some of them just felt like cannon fodder.
I wish I could recommend this book, but I feel it would be a disservice to readers to do so. Skip this series and find your next great literary love, or reread a world that has captured your heart.
The Boi of Feather and Steel picks up immediately after the events of The Girl Of Hawthorne and Glass. Tav, Eli, and Cam dealing with the fallout of the world-eating witch coven coming after them, looking to devour the heart of Earth. Meanwhile, child witches are staging a rebellion against said coven in hopes to recreate the coven in their image. Can Tav, Eli, and Cam save the earth as well as an unknown number of worlds after? And which is the lesser evil, children witches or those already in power?
I really really really want to like this series. I mean, witches making assassins out of inanimate objects? World devourers? Labrynth laid worlds and queer representation? All of these paint a picture worthy of five stars. However, while I gave book 1 three stars due to the plot making up for a lack of world building, I cannot give this more than 2 stars. I still don't fully understand the worlds I was reading about or how the witches devoured the world. I don't understand what about earth made it special enough to defy the witches to essentially save itself. The characters were on this save the world mission but had time to stop and have sex with someone they had known for all of two weeks? It just seems like the priorities of telling this story fell flat. The elements that make you care about a world or characters just weren't there for any of the many main characters, some of them just felt like cannon fodder.
I wish I could recommend this book, but I feel it would be a disservice to readers to do so. Skip this series and find your next great literary love, or reread a world that has captured your heart.
May 25, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of this book.
Content Warnings at end of review
Immediately following the events of The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass, this book continues with the war between the Coven and the Witch Children. It adds the pov's of Kite, the Heir, and Tav, the Healer, as they both fight to save the earth from the Coven and Tav tries to understand their new powers.
Unlike the first book, this is slower paced and a lot longer. It allows for more character building to take place, which I think is a plus for this sequel. I still felt a little like I didn't really know the characters or their relationships as well as I would like to.
There are a lot of events happening in this book. I almost feel like it is trying to do too much? There is a lot of magic and world-building elements that I still don't fully understand after two books, and I feel like this would have been more consuming if I had understood those things better.
I do absolutely love the diversity in this series! A lot of different identities amongst the characters that are not shied away from, which I really like.
Pub Date: May 25, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Racism and homophobia
Content Warnings at end of review
Immediately following the events of The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass, this book continues with the war between the Coven and the Witch Children. It adds the pov's of Kite, the Heir, and Tav, the Healer, as they both fight to save the earth from the Coven and Tav tries to understand their new powers.
Unlike the first book, this is slower paced and a lot longer. It allows for more character building to take place, which I think is a plus for this sequel. I still felt a little like I didn't really know the characters or their relationships as well as I would like to.
There are a lot of events happening in this book. I almost feel like it is trying to do too much? There is a lot of magic and world-building elements that I still don't fully understand after two books, and I feel like this would have been more consuming if I had understood those things better.
I do absolutely love the diversity in this series! A lot of different identities amongst the characters that are not shied away from, which I really like.
Pub Date: May 25, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Racism and homophobia
December 22, 2021
This book was everything the first one promised and more. It jumps RIGHT in where “The Girl of Hawthorne and Glass” leaves off, something I always wish for in sequels — naturally, I recommend a quick refresh on the end of the first, before diving in!
It’s hard to say it better than the back of the book does: Adan’s is a voice that this genre has been waiting for. Their imagination is boundless. The diversity of the cast is exactly what I hope for when I crack open a fresh spine, and the story twists and turns, surprising me at every new chapter. I honestly had no idea where it/I was going to end up, even over halfway in — which, to me, is a trademark of a good fantasy.
2021 has been a year of contemporary, no-magic, no-nonsense, romance books for me, and this novel was the perfect way to break out of my rut. I can’t wait to see what this author gives us next!
It’s hard to say it better than the back of the book does: Adan’s is a voice that this genre has been waiting for. Their imagination is boundless. The diversity of the cast is exactly what I hope for when I crack open a fresh spine, and the story twists and turns, surprising me at every new chapter. I honestly had no idea where it/I was going to end up, even over halfway in — which, to me, is a trademark of a good fantasy.
2021 has been a year of contemporary, no-magic, no-nonsense, romance books for me, and this novel was the perfect way to break out of my rut. I can’t wait to see what this author gives us next!
December 24, 2024
The first 150 pages were tough. I usually like switching between narrators but these chapters were 2 or 3 pages and stopped just when something, anything, happened. AFTER a much-awaited hookup in a field, things were looking up.
I loved seeing the final rise of Tav. A queer person of color who used the power, trauma, resistance of their ancestors and everyone that never fit in one world to take down a rotten white witch. Even the made-hunter had respect for them in the end. (bonus, everyone thinks they are super cool and powerful and wants them)
AND WHYYYY did they not play into the love triangle more.
Not all wounds are empty; some grow gardens. Pg. 339
She did not know that simple truth, had never learned to recognize failure as beauty and power as self-harm. Pg. 391
I loved seeing the final rise of Tav. A queer person of color who used the power, trauma, resistance of their ancestors and everyone that never fit in one world to take down a rotten white witch. Even the made-hunter had respect for them in the end. (bonus, everyone thinks they are super cool and powerful and wants them)
AND WHYYYY did they not play into the love triangle more.
Not all wounds are empty; some grow gardens. Pg. 339
She did not know that simple truth, had never learned to recognize failure as beauty and power as self-harm. Pg. 391
May 14, 2021
The story is magical and brilliant. The author was able to express the story in a lyrical way that would keep you engrossed in the events happening within the story. The setting and the characters were vivid and well-illustrated that you feel like you would want to be in their world and see it first hand. I love how the author represented each main character's strengths and weaknesses. Narrated in multiple POVs, the story was beautifully written but was slow-paced at some parts.
The story picks up to where The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass left off and was more focused on Tav, one of the main characters, trying to know who they are and how can they use magic to change the world. Eli, who carries the heart of the world within herself trying to find a way to return the heart to its true home and save her dying world.
I love the revelations about some of the characters especially with Kite, who was a trueborn witch who loves books, and how she fought the enemies with them. I love that another made-daughter was introduced in the story and fought with them at the end.
Overall, this was an excellent book full of magic, action-packed scenes, and delightful characters. A book that conveyed the characters to discover their true selves, this book will inspire and will surely resonate with those who feel different in a society full of prejudice, discrimination, and inequality.
Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story picks up to where The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass left off and was more focused on Tav, one of the main characters, trying to know who they are and how can they use magic to change the world. Eli, who carries the heart of the world within herself trying to find a way to return the heart to its true home and save her dying world.
I love the revelations about some of the characters especially with Kite, who was a trueborn witch who loves books, and how she fought the enemies with them. I love that another made-daughter was introduced in the story and fought with them at the end.
Overall, this was an excellent book full of magic, action-packed scenes, and delightful characters. A book that conveyed the characters to discover their true selves, this book will inspire and will surely resonate with those who feel different in a society full of prejudice, discrimination, and inequality.
Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 8, 2021
This book is beautiful.
I adored the brief, exciting chapters from Tav’s point of view, or Eli’s, or Kite. It gave me a chance to get inside those 3 extremely interesting characters, to get to know them.
The pace was fast; the scenes changed quickly. I had to put it down sometimes for a day to catch my breath, and deal with my real life. Then, I could dive back in.
Like the first novel in this duology, the settings are magnificently unusual, fantastic, and the descriptions made me pause sometimes just to savour them.
I loved the purple love scene!
A fascinating, hold on to your seat, ending!
I adored the brief, exciting chapters from Tav’s point of view, or Eli’s, or Kite. It gave me a chance to get inside those 3 extremely interesting characters, to get to know them.
The pace was fast; the scenes changed quickly. I had to put it down sometimes for a day to catch my breath, and deal with my real life. Then, I could dive back in.
Like the first novel in this duology, the settings are magnificently unusual, fantastic, and the descriptions made me pause sometimes just to savour them.
I loved the purple love scene!
A fascinating, hold on to your seat, ending!
September 7, 2021
Tav struggles to come to grips with who they are ― and who they are becoming ― in this thrilling sequel to the queer witchy fantasy The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass.
After stealing the Heart of a magical world with the help of a supernatural assassin, Tav discovered that they can’t just see magic ― they know how to use it. Returning to the human City of Ghosts, Tav, Eli, and Cam race to heal the wounds in the veil between worlds before the Earth’s lifeforce is drained by the tyrannical Witch Lord … and Eli’s new Heart-infused body falls apart.
Meanwhile, in the City of Eyes, Kite has joined forces with the bloodthirsty childwitch Clytemnestra, and together they are raising an army to overthrow the world-eating Coven.
With blood and magic spilled on both sides, who will survive?
A magical story with a unique cast of characters.
I loved reading about each time that a witch was stripped from their physical form down to their true essence. Described as a ball of light, it reminded me of “Navi” from my Nintendo 64 days playing Zelda.
In The Boi of Feather and Steel, Adan Jerrat-Poole again takes readers into mystical scenes that are beyond imaginative. I was blown away by the scenes in The City of Eyes in the first book of this series, and was even more impressed in this book during the tale of Kite’s journey through the library in her realm. Books had feelings, and were like creatures. For instance, Kite “fed sacrifices of insects and fishbones to the living words”. I was entranced by Kite’s visits to the library.
Tav’s character is non-gender conforming and uses they/them pronouns. This isn’t difficult to read and follow in the first book, but this time around it did trip me up in the story because of several jagged transitions between perspectives. A few times we’re in Tav’s view and then suddenly in Eli’s who is referred to as she. The jumps between them weren’t clear at times and would pull me out of the story.
I appreciated the raw honesty that Adan wrote into their foreword of this book. They wrote this story during a rough year of a global pandemic. I can relate deeply to the feelings they were brave enough to share. The acknowledgements hit me in the feels too. As a supporter of equality for all people, I loved their bravery to encourage readers to explore history of indigenous peoples, and the true origin of the black lives matters movement. A lot of people wouldn’t dare mention anything of either topic. Adan is brave, and that bravery bleeds into the characters of their stories.
After stealing the Heart of a magical world with the help of a supernatural assassin, Tav discovered that they can’t just see magic ― they know how to use it. Returning to the human City of Ghosts, Tav, Eli, and Cam race to heal the wounds in the veil between worlds before the Earth’s lifeforce is drained by the tyrannical Witch Lord … and Eli’s new Heart-infused body falls apart.
Meanwhile, in the City of Eyes, Kite has joined forces with the bloodthirsty childwitch Clytemnestra, and together they are raising an army to overthrow the world-eating Coven.
With blood and magic spilled on both sides, who will survive?
A magical story with a unique cast of characters.
I loved reading about each time that a witch was stripped from their physical form down to their true essence. Described as a ball of light, it reminded me of “Navi” from my Nintendo 64 days playing Zelda.
In The Boi of Feather and Steel, Adan Jerrat-Poole again takes readers into mystical scenes that are beyond imaginative. I was blown away by the scenes in The City of Eyes in the first book of this series, and was even more impressed in this book during the tale of Kite’s journey through the library in her realm. Books had feelings, and were like creatures. For instance, Kite “fed sacrifices of insects and fishbones to the living words”. I was entranced by Kite’s visits to the library.
Tav’s character is non-gender conforming and uses they/them pronouns. This isn’t difficult to read and follow in the first book, but this time around it did trip me up in the story because of several jagged transitions between perspectives. A few times we’re in Tav’s view and then suddenly in Eli’s who is referred to as she. The jumps between them weren’t clear at times and would pull me out of the story.
I appreciated the raw honesty that Adan wrote into their foreword of this book. They wrote this story during a rough year of a global pandemic. I can relate deeply to the feelings they were brave enough to share. The acknowledgements hit me in the feels too. As a supporter of equality for all people, I loved their bravery to encourage readers to explore history of indigenous peoples, and the true origin of the black lives matters movement. A lot of people wouldn’t dare mention anything of either topic. Adan is brave, and that bravery bleeds into the characters of their stories.
April 23, 2021
“The rule of the Coven is ending. The children have risen, and we bring chaos, freedom, and anarchy. When the Witch Lord is ready to meet our demands, she can find me in the Labyrinth. We are not afraid,” she went on, “and we are no longer in hiding. Welcome to the end of the world — and the beginning of a new one.”
The Boi of Feather and Steel begins a short time after the events of The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass. Once more, we’re thrown the life of the witch made girl, Eli, who now carries the heart of a world within herself.
The narrative advances in three perspectives, Eli- the heart- who is changing both physically and mentally. Tav- the healer- a human witch hybrid who still doesn’t understand the true extent of their own power. A boi who wants to change the world they live in and make it a better place. Kite- the heir- constantly struggling between her own identity and what her mother- the Witch Lord wants her to be.
This book is a journey of self-discovery for all the characters- Tav and Kite most of all. Their struggles are different from the people around them and so are their motives. I loved to see the world through both of their perspectives, something that was missing in the first book.
This one is far less confusing and complicated than the first book, because we know the world better now. The motives come clear of a lot of characters (though I’m still confused about many). The characters and the conflict seem a little absurd at times but the plot was as interesting as the first one so that was a bargain I was ready to make. Again, like the first book, it had me hooked from the first to the last page.
The world building offers us new elements in the same city of eyes. As we know by the end of the first book, the children are raising a war against the coven and reading that part was my favourite thing about the book.
I wish we could see more of Clytemnestra and Cam. those are characters with so much potential and I felt it was not used to it’s full extent.
One thing that really had me wanting for more was the relationship between Kite and the library, it was SO wholesome and will resonate with so many of you out there.
Overall it was good to see all the stories come together in a comforting end and giving most characters their due. I would personally not mind getting more books in the world and knowing more about it!
A big thanks to NetGalley for sending me an E-ARC of the book
The Boi of Feather and Steel begins a short time after the events of The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass. Once more, we’re thrown the life of the witch made girl, Eli, who now carries the heart of a world within herself.
The narrative advances in three perspectives, Eli- the heart- who is changing both physically and mentally. Tav- the healer- a human witch hybrid who still doesn’t understand the true extent of their own power. A boi who wants to change the world they live in and make it a better place. Kite- the heir- constantly struggling between her own identity and what her mother- the Witch Lord wants her to be.
This book is a journey of self-discovery for all the characters- Tav and Kite most of all. Their struggles are different from the people around them and so are their motives. I loved to see the world through both of their perspectives, something that was missing in the first book.
This one is far less confusing and complicated than the first book, because we know the world better now. The motives come clear of a lot of characters (though I’m still confused about many). The characters and the conflict seem a little absurd at times but the plot was as interesting as the first one so that was a bargain I was ready to make. Again, like the first book, it had me hooked from the first to the last page.
The world building offers us new elements in the same city of eyes. As we know by the end of the first book, the children are raising a war against the coven and reading that part was my favourite thing about the book.
I wish we could see more of Clytemnestra and Cam. those are characters with so much potential and I felt it was not used to it’s full extent.
One thing that really had me wanting for more was the relationship between Kite and the library, it was SO wholesome and will resonate with so many of you out there.
Overall it was good to see all the stories come together in a comforting end and giving most characters their due. I would personally not mind getting more books in the world and knowing more about it!
A big thanks to NetGalley for sending me an E-ARC of the book
March 13, 2024
Unfortunately not as good as the first book.
I think the relationships between the main trio was really frustrating here, Cam really gets shoved to the side and literally spends the main villain fight under the earth somewhere. He was underdeveloped and not on par with the other two.
Eli was annoying me because despite her character development she wasn't communicating any of her problems or explaining her fears and I swear she tried to sacrifice herself like 5 times by the end of the book which was just exhausting.
Tav was my main problem. They were really getting on my nerves this book and seemed to have reverse character development from the previous book. They were being so mistrusting towards Eli and the two of them were arguing the whole time. I do not ship them at all and they had no cute or sweet moments the whole book literally just horny moments and then they hook up in a field.
Like every time Tav looks at Eli they're always getting horny but like, what do you like about her personality? Do you like spending time together? Apparently not since every time they interact they end up having a fight and Eli gets so pissed off she phases out of existence- relationship goals! I really was not seeing any cuteness or chemistry together and Tav was being really aggressive and controlling to Eli regarding the Heart. They were cuter together last book and I feel like that was lost here.
I liked Kite a lot, I think she felt a lot more "human" than the last book and I was actually rooting for her, it was also nice to see her interact with Cam a bit (before he got sent into the underground for half the book).
Another issue with Tav- bro did not give a shit that Cam disappeared they considered it for like a minute then just forgot about it? HELLO? THAT'S YOUR ONLY FRIEND? HE'S MISSING IN AN ALIEN WORLD?
Also the plot was a bit disorganized this book because they went through the whole palaver of getting the Heart to fix the vortexa and then realise that they don't even need to heart and give it back to the City of Eyes?
Also Tav literally one hit KO the Witch Lord. HELLO?????????
Anyway, what did I actually like about this book? Once again I thought the concept was interesting and enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery and the world building, as well as the magic and everything else.
I think the relationships between the main trio was really frustrating here, Cam really gets shoved to the side and literally spends the main villain fight under the earth somewhere. He was underdeveloped and not on par with the other two.
Eli was annoying me because despite her character development she wasn't communicating any of her problems or explaining her fears and I swear she tried to sacrifice herself like 5 times by the end of the book which was just exhausting.
Tav was my main problem. They were really getting on my nerves this book and seemed to have reverse character development from the previous book. They were being so mistrusting towards Eli and the two of them were arguing the whole time. I do not ship them at all and they had no cute or sweet moments the whole book literally just horny moments and then they hook up in a field.
Like every time Tav looks at Eli they're always getting horny but like, what do you like about her personality? Do you like spending time together? Apparently not since every time they interact they end up having a fight and Eli gets so pissed off she phases out of existence- relationship goals! I really was not seeing any cuteness or chemistry together and Tav was being really aggressive and controlling to Eli regarding the Heart. They were cuter together last book and I feel like that was lost here.
I liked Kite a lot, I think she felt a lot more "human" than the last book and I was actually rooting for her, it was also nice to see her interact with Cam a bit (before he got sent into the underground for half the book).
Another issue with Tav- bro did not give a shit that Cam disappeared they considered it for like a minute then just forgot about it? HELLO? THAT'S YOUR ONLY FRIEND? HE'S MISSING IN AN ALIEN WORLD?
Also the plot was a bit disorganized this book because they went through the whole palaver of getting the Heart to fix the vortexa and then realise that they don't even need to heart and give it back to the City of Eyes?
Also Tav literally one hit KO the Witch Lord. HELLO?????????
Anyway, what did I actually like about this book? Once again I thought the concept was interesting and enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery and the world building, as well as the magic and everything else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2021
The Boi of Feather and Steel is a sequel to The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass and is the conclusion to a duology.
I was fascinated by the story overall but found it very difficult to get immersed in. The language very much reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, describing frankly absurd things the characters did. Kite and Clytemnestra are both magic born, born in the City of Eyes, so they don’t have as strong a human reference point, as Eli, Tav, and Cam do. So the things they do aren’t always rooted in human expectation or morals. Something about the writing style was just very hard for me to absorb and I really struggled to get through the novel.
I very much appreciated the queer inclusion. Tav is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns and Eli is definitely queer as well, having been in a relationship with Kite, who is female presenting, and with Tav. The descriptions were very well done and definitely set a vivid scene, even if I didn’t always understand what was happening. The story was at times repetitious and covered many of the same topics as the first book. Eli kept suffering the effects of the heart but it was understood from the beginning that she would survive. There was no closure from the events of the first book, from what happened with Eli’s mother/creator.
I would have liked more from Cam’s point of view. He seemed to be ignored for much of the book, only seen through the eyes of others and cast aside for the latter half until the very end. He seemed like a neat character.
It’s really hard for me to rate this because I just couldn’t get into it and give it the attention it deserved. I think it was the book itself, as I was able to successfully read two other books in the midst of this one. I can definitely appreciate the descriptions and the characters and how they were written, so perhaps it was the plot where I lost interest. The found family aspects are always appreciated, especially when the characters are queer. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more of the author’s work because it was so interestingly written. As I mentioned, it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. It also gives me Seanan McGuire vibes, with her Wayward Children series. I feel the characters in both series would get along very well.
I was fascinated by the story overall but found it very difficult to get immersed in. The language very much reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, describing frankly absurd things the characters did. Kite and Clytemnestra are both magic born, born in the City of Eyes, so they don’t have as strong a human reference point, as Eli, Tav, and Cam do. So the things they do aren’t always rooted in human expectation or morals. Something about the writing style was just very hard for me to absorb and I really struggled to get through the novel.
I very much appreciated the queer inclusion. Tav is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns and Eli is definitely queer as well, having been in a relationship with Kite, who is female presenting, and with Tav. The descriptions were very well done and definitely set a vivid scene, even if I didn’t always understand what was happening. The story was at times repetitious and covered many of the same topics as the first book. Eli kept suffering the effects of the heart but it was understood from the beginning that she would survive. There was no closure from the events of the first book, from what happened with Eli’s mother/creator.
I would have liked more from Cam’s point of view. He seemed to be ignored for much of the book, only seen through the eyes of others and cast aside for the latter half until the very end. He seemed like a neat character.
It’s really hard for me to rate this because I just couldn’t get into it and give it the attention it deserved. I think it was the book itself, as I was able to successfully read two other books in the midst of this one. I can definitely appreciate the descriptions and the characters and how they were written, so perhaps it was the plot where I lost interest. The found family aspects are always appreciated, especially when the characters are queer. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more of the author’s work because it was so interestingly written. As I mentioned, it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. It also gives me Seanan McGuire vibes, with her Wayward Children series. I feel the characters in both series would get along very well.
June 20, 2021
⭐️⭐️ / 2 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for gifting me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Boi of Feather and Steel picks up right after the first book. It shows how Eli is coping with her new magic and Kite’s plan to take control.
The book starts out with multiple POV’s, more than in the first book. At first this was a bit confusing for me. Especially since the changes happened within the chapters and not per chapter.
Everything the first book ended with this book continued. The first book ended on a confusing and weird note. I struggled to follow the story and this book wasn’t different in this aspect. When I’d read one third of the book, I still wouldn’t been able to tell somebody what was happening if I was asked. It was just confusing and even rereading chapters didn’t help.
Because it was so confusing, I became a bit irritated by the book. I didn’t want to reread chapters just so I could understand what I was reading. It felt like it took forever just to finish this book. The pacing also was really slow and the parts I did understand in the plot felt like everything went in circles. Their motives, background stories and everything I found missing in the first book weren’t told here. Their actions still didn’t make any sense and thus I still couldn’t believe in the characters.
I appreciated the found family bonds this book had, but I felt pretty indifferent the characters themselves. There was a lot of angst written in this book, and I just didn’t care for any of it. Whenever something bad happened, I was like; yeah okay, and just continued on without a thought.
Overall, the book just didn’t do it for me. I felt very indifferent and couldn’t enjoy it. The hopes I had for this book fell flat. I still love the idea of this series, but the executing didn’t do it justice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for gifting me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Boi of Feather and Steel picks up right after the first book. It shows how Eli is coping with her new magic and Kite’s plan to take control.
The book starts out with multiple POV’s, more than in the first book. At first this was a bit confusing for me. Especially since the changes happened within the chapters and not per chapter.
Everything the first book ended with this book continued. The first book ended on a confusing and weird note. I struggled to follow the story and this book wasn’t different in this aspect. When I’d read one third of the book, I still wouldn’t been able to tell somebody what was happening if I was asked. It was just confusing and even rereading chapters didn’t help.
Because it was so confusing, I became a bit irritated by the book. I didn’t want to reread chapters just so I could understand what I was reading. It felt like it took forever just to finish this book. The pacing also was really slow and the parts I did understand in the plot felt like everything went in circles. Their motives, background stories and everything I found missing in the first book weren’t told here. Their actions still didn’t make any sense and thus I still couldn’t believe in the characters.
I appreciated the found family bonds this book had, but I felt pretty indifferent the characters themselves. There was a lot of angst written in this book, and I just didn’t care for any of it. Whenever something bad happened, I was like; yeah okay, and just continued on without a thought.
Overall, the book just didn’t do it for me. I felt very indifferent and couldn’t enjoy it. The hopes I had for this book fell flat. I still love the idea of this series, but the executing didn’t do it justice.
May 14, 2021
The story is magical and brilliant. The author was able to express the story in a lyrical way that would keep you engrossed in the events happening within the story. The setting and the characters were vivid and well-illustrated that you feel like you would want to be in their world and see it first hand. I love how the author represented each main character's strengths and weaknesses. Narrated in multiple POVs, the story was beautifully written but was slow-paced at some parts.
The story picks up to where The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass left off and was more focused on Tav, one of the main characters, trying to know who they are and how can they use magic to change the world. Eli, who carries the heart of the world within herself, is trying to find a way to return the heart to its true home and save her dying world.
I loved the revelations about some of the characters especially with Kite, a trueborn witch who loves books, and how she fought the enemies with them. I loved that another made-daughter was introduced in the story and fought with them at the end.
Overall, this was an excellent book full of magic, action-packed scenes, and delightful characters. A book that conveyed how the characters discover their true selves, this book will inspire and will surely resonate with those who feel different in a society full of prejudice, discrimination, and inequality.
Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story picks up to where The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass left off and was more focused on Tav, one of the main characters, trying to know who they are and how can they use magic to change the world. Eli, who carries the heart of the world within herself, is trying to find a way to return the heart to its true home and save her dying world.
I loved the revelations about some of the characters especially with Kite, a trueborn witch who loves books, and how she fought the enemies with them. I loved that another made-daughter was introduced in the story and fought with them at the end.
Overall, this was an excellent book full of magic, action-packed scenes, and delightful characters. A book that conveyed how the characters discover their true selves, this book will inspire and will surely resonate with those who feel different in a society full of prejudice, discrimination, and inequality.
Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 19, 2021
I recieved an audio book version of The Boi of Feather and Steel. Never heard of it and definitely did not read the first one, so I feel like I missed a lot of background information.
That being said, it was pretty good, even if it was difficult for me to focus on it.
The PoV split between three main characters; Eli, Tav, and Kite, with Kite being my favorite. She seemed the most dynamic and the one with a clear purpose: to take down her mother and the coven.
The action scenes were decent, but the final battle could have been... bigger?
As I said it was hard for me to focus, as I normally do not enjoy audiobooks.. its really hard to listen to them with two puppies and three boys in the home, however I did put in tremendous effort for this. I did NOT enjoy this narrator. Her voice effects didn't do anything for me, I found them annoying more often than not.
That being said, it was pretty good, even if it was difficult for me to focus on it.
The PoV split between three main characters; Eli, Tav, and Kite, with Kite being my favorite. She seemed the most dynamic and the one with a clear purpose: to take down her mother and the coven.
The action scenes were decent, but the final battle could have been... bigger?
As I said it was hard for me to focus, as I normally do not enjoy audiobooks.. its really hard to listen to them with two puppies and three boys in the home, however I did put in tremendous effort for this. I did NOT enjoy this narrator. Her voice effects didn't do anything for me, I found them annoying more often than not.
June 5, 2021
We find our characters right where the last book left off. Eli is trying to figure out how to manage with her new heart. We also read from Tav and Kite's perspective in this one.
I was a little hesitant with Kite at first because she was kind of all over the place in the last book. Almost too "quirky" in her witchlingness, I wasn't sure if she would be believable as a character. But I found myself rather enjoying her perspective.
Overall, it was a solid read, it was a little slow paced and a bit all over the place at times, but again, I enjoyed my time in this world.
I was a little hesitant with Kite at first because she was kind of all over the place in the last book. Almost too "quirky" in her witchlingness, I wasn't sure if she would be believable as a character. But I found myself rather enjoying her perspective.
Overall, it was a solid read, it was a little slow paced and a bit all over the place at times, but again, I enjoyed my time in this world.
February 28, 2022
The best part of this duology is the diversity and so much queer rep. The world is interesting, the fantasy and magic have a dreamlike quality, very Alice-esque which I absolutely love. However the plot is often confusing, meandering, and repetitive and there are still things I can’t quite make sense of. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and I’m glad I read the sequel. I found the ending satisfying. Kite really came into her own in this book and she was easily my favorite. This isn’t a series I would re-read but I’m glad I read it once.
May 3, 2021
The Boi of Feather and Steel is the sequel to The Girl of Hawthrone and Glass. Like the first book, it has great characters and a fantastic atmosphere. Unfortunately also like the first book I found it confusing and wasn't sure where the story was headed. It is very well-written and I know it will find its audience.
October 29, 2021
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* ah yup once again started a series without reading the first book lmao, really good book but def will have to reread after i read the first book lol
August 9, 2022
I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEE TAV AND ELI this book was very good i enjoyed all the tension it was a perfect sequel imo!!!
October 27, 2023
Pretending this sequel does not exists. Tav and Kite are so annoying Gsus. Also, super confusing and boring compared to the first book
August 12, 2024
The book left a strong impression on me. I loved the happy ending, the satisfying resolution of questions from the first book, and the nonbinary representation. However, I found it difficult to follow the multiple points of view because the author didn't differentiate the voices clearly. Additionally, the plot felt overloaded with tropes, making it less believable in the context of the already fantastical world. Furthermore, the excessive fantastical descriptions made it challenging for me to visualize much of the story. I also struggled to keep track of time due to the frequent jumps in location without clear references.
July 17, 2021
NetGalley Audio ARC.
I did not realize this was a sequel until about a half hour into the audiobook and I was like something is not right here, these characters are established. Come to find out I had the e-book ARC from NetGalley as well of The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass so I read that and then started this one over. It made much more sense! BUT I did not love it. I really liked what the author was going for and the inclusivity and LGBTQIA+ rep. Fabulous. But I felt like the story was kind of confusing and all over the place. This is one where I would've rather read than listened.
I did not realize this was a sequel until about a half hour into the audiobook and I was like something is not right here, these characters are established. Come to find out I had the e-book ARC from NetGalley as well of The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass so I read that and then started this one over. It made much more sense! BUT I did not love it. I really liked what the author was going for and the inclusivity and LGBTQIA+ rep. Fabulous. But I felt like the story was kind of confusing and all over the place. This is one where I would've rather read than listened.
June 15, 2021
*Netgalley Audio ARC*
The story picks up right where the first one ends which was nice. I binged the first and second book together. Despite the amazing cover, this book fell completely flat for me. There were so many directions it was like the author couldn't decide on one linear plot so chose them all. There's so many story influences from other books/series that it's difficult to keep up with the important pieces. Each character definitely had their own arc which was nice but they felt buried under the chaos that was occurring. The final boss battle was as short as Voldemort dying in HP7. I had to backup because I missed it, much like when I read HP7. Over all, very underwhelmed with the book and series.
The story picks up right where the first one ends which was nice. I binged the first and second book together. Despite the amazing cover, this book fell completely flat for me. There were so many directions it was like the author couldn't decide on one linear plot so chose them all. There's so many story influences from other books/series that it's difficult to keep up with the important pieces. Each character definitely had their own arc which was nice but they felt buried under the chaos that was occurring. The final boss battle was as short as Voldemort dying in HP7. I had to backup because I missed it, much like when I read HP7. Over all, very underwhelmed with the book and series.
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