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Crown of Feathers #3
Wings of Shadow
In the heart-stopping finale to the Crown of Feathers trilogy, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake calls “absolutely unforgettable,” Veronyka must face her most devastating enemy yet: her own sister.
I had a sister, once…
Veronyka is no longer an orphaned stable boy or a nameless Phoenix Rider apprentice: she is the daughter of Pheronia Ashfire, the last queen of the Golden Empire…and the niece of Avalkyra Ashfire, the resurrected rebel queen who tore the empire apart.
We shone brightly, burned fiercely.
Now that the secret is out, everyone at the Eyrie treats Veronyka differently, and with Tristan still a hostage of the scheming Lord Rolan—and Sev with him as a spy—Veronyka feels very much alone. Except for her beloved phoenix, Xephyra, of course, and her new friend, Kade, who has his own reasons for wanting to save Tristan.
Was it always going to come down to this? Sister against sister? Darkness against light?
Veronyka is determined to do whatever it takes to get Tristan back, even if that means revealing her identity to the world and inheriting a throne she’s not sure she wants. But when she discovers that Avalkyra has bonded with a strix—a legendary creature of darkness that feeds off the life force of others—Veronyka realizes she has more to deal with than an encroaching war with the empire. Val is willing to destroy everything to get her revenge on a world that rejected her, and if Veronyka wants to bring peace to the empire and Pyra alike, she must face down her sister once and for all.
The world began with Ashfire queens…perhaps they will also be its destruction.
I had a sister, once…
Veronyka is no longer an orphaned stable boy or a nameless Phoenix Rider apprentice: she is the daughter of Pheronia Ashfire, the last queen of the Golden Empire…and the niece of Avalkyra Ashfire, the resurrected rebel queen who tore the empire apart.
We shone brightly, burned fiercely.
Now that the secret is out, everyone at the Eyrie treats Veronyka differently, and with Tristan still a hostage of the scheming Lord Rolan—and Sev with him as a spy—Veronyka feels very much alone. Except for her beloved phoenix, Xephyra, of course, and her new friend, Kade, who has his own reasons for wanting to save Tristan.
Was it always going to come down to this? Sister against sister? Darkness against light?
Veronyka is determined to do whatever it takes to get Tristan back, even if that means revealing her identity to the world and inheriting a throne she’s not sure she wants. But when she discovers that Avalkyra has bonded with a strix—a legendary creature of darkness that feeds off the life force of others—Veronyka realizes she has more to deal with than an encroaching war with the empire. Val is willing to destroy everything to get her revenge on a world that rejected her, and if Veronyka wants to bring peace to the empire and Pyra alike, she must face down her sister once and for all.
The world began with Ashfire queens…perhaps they will also be its destruction.
704 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2021
154 people are currently reading
9420 people want to read
About the author
Nicki Pau Preto
11 books1,675 followersNicki Pau Preto is a fantasy author living just outside of Toronto—though her dislike of hockey, snow, and geese makes her the worst Canadian in the country. She studied art and art history in university and worked as a graphic designer before becoming a writer full-time.
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November 27, 2019Maybe if I was an animage like our Phoenix Rider friends, the wait for this book wouldn’t be so bad 😩
August 24, 2025
*REREAD UPDATE* : Any book that can make you sob again on a reread is automatically five stars. Val will always be my queen.
Like with the first two books in the Crown of Feathers trilogy, there is so much I could talk about in this book, and this could go on forever. To keep it simple for me and you, I’m going to talk about my three favorite things from this book that do NOT contain spoilers.
The first thing is the bond between Veronyka and Avalkyra. I didn’t think their connection could become any more interesting after the end of Heart of Flames, but Nicki Pau Preto took everything I thought I know about shadow magic, turned it on it’s head, and made it a million times better. The magic of shadowmages in this series is probably my favorite form of magic in anything—whether it be movie, tv, or book. It is so rich in detail, so interesting, and rooted in the connections people form with those closest to them.
Next, I loved the addition of the chapters told from Sparrow’s point of view. From hen Sparrow first walked onto the page in Crown of Feathers, I, along with several other people in the First Riders Street Team, thought she was one of the most interesting characters in the series. Getting a look inside her head, and seeing the world the way she does (in Sparrow’s case this is especially interesting because she is blind and uses her animal magic to help move through the world), is something I’ve wanted since Book 1 and I am so grateful Nicki let us have some.
My last big thing I want to talk about right now is Sev. Sev has steadily moved up in my list of favorite characters after each book and now he is a close second (sorry, but Avalkyra will always be my favorite). Sev in this book is so interesting, so raw, so emotional, and, in his own way, so powerful. In many ways, Sev is the character I think I am most similar to, and I loved how his journey has progressed from the beginning to the end.
I’ve said this in other places before, and I’m going to say it again here: Nicki has made my life so much easier by writing this book, because now when I am asked if I have a favorite, I can say this one. I’ve never cried, laughed, smiled, or felt so much while reading a book before. And I think Wings of Shadow will never fail to make me feel all of these feelings again. I cannot think of a more just way to end this series, or a series that has a more satisfying ending.
I cannot believe this series is over. I cannot believe how much this series changed my life since I first read Crown of Feathers when it came out in February 2019. These books, this world, the character—especially my queen—and all of the friends I have made in the Crown of Feathers fandom will be with me for the rest of my life.
Like with the first two books in the Crown of Feathers trilogy, there is so much I could talk about in this book, and this could go on forever. To keep it simple for me and you, I’m going to talk about my three favorite things from this book that do NOT contain spoilers.
The first thing is the bond between Veronyka and Avalkyra. I didn’t think their connection could become any more interesting after the end of Heart of Flames, but Nicki Pau Preto took everything I thought I know about shadow magic, turned it on it’s head, and made it a million times better. The magic of shadowmages in this series is probably my favorite form of magic in anything—whether it be movie, tv, or book. It is so rich in detail, so interesting, and rooted in the connections people form with those closest to them.
Next, I loved the addition of the chapters told from Sparrow’s point of view. From hen Sparrow first walked onto the page in Crown of Feathers, I, along with several other people in the First Riders Street Team, thought she was one of the most interesting characters in the series. Getting a look inside her head, and seeing the world the way she does (in Sparrow’s case this is especially interesting because she is blind and uses her animal magic to help move through the world), is something I’ve wanted since Book 1 and I am so grateful Nicki let us have some.
My last big thing I want to talk about right now is Sev. Sev has steadily moved up in my list of favorite characters after each book and now he is a close second (sorry, but Avalkyra will always be my favorite). Sev in this book is so interesting, so raw, so emotional, and, in his own way, so powerful. In many ways, Sev is the character I think I am most similar to, and I loved how his journey has progressed from the beginning to the end.
I’ve said this in other places before, and I’m going to say it again here: Nicki has made my life so much easier by writing this book, because now when I am asked if I have a favorite, I can say this one. I’ve never cried, laughed, smiled, or felt so much while reading a book before. And I think Wings of Shadow will never fail to make me feel all of these feelings again. I cannot think of a more just way to end this series, or a series that has a more satisfying ending.
I cannot believe this series is over. I cannot believe how much this series changed my life since I first read Crown of Feathers when it came out in February 2019. These books, this world, the character—especially my queen—and all of the friends I have made in the Crown of Feathers fandom will be with me for the rest of my life.
July 31, 2023
3.5/5 stars, a gorgeous cover to end this series
This series initially sucked me in for the gorgeous covers and the phoenixes that appeared to have amazing worldbuilding behind them, and while I definitely found that in these books I was left feeling just slightly disappointed by the conclusion. I think this is largely based on a few things that stuck out to me, though it didn't deter all of my enjoyment of the book. The end was wonderfully written especially for how the series progressed so I think it was very accurate to what I was expecting.
Something that I noticed about this book was that it was really thick, which I was excited for but it ended up being part of the downfall of my enjoyment. While there was a lot happening in both the beginning and the end, the middle lacked for me. I'll acknowledge that there were some important things that happened, but the writing didn't seem to communicate that and it felt very slow-paced. I felt that there were scenes that could have been cut out though, and even character POVs, and the same message would have been communicated. This was disappointing because I was really looking forward to more stories with tons of important moments but it didn't totally live up to everything I wanted in that regard.
Something I've always loved about the series is the worldbuilding and even the settings, there's a lot of history that is taught through the series in little notes, info dumps, and intricate moments. There was still some of that in this book, and I liked seeing the development of some new things we hadn't seen. Sometimes though it felt like there were things we had already learned, or that the reader could assume, that were being re-taught and didn't need to be. This element just wasn't as strong as I noticed it was in the last books.
The strongest part of these books is the three "main" characters (character POVs who get the most time) Veronkya, Tristan, and Avalkyra especially with the themes they bring to the story. Veronyka's journey through this story has been so central to the plot, she went from a lost girl looking for somewhere only told in stories to a strong young woman who understands the balance of good and evil, power, and personal sacrifice. She really is my favorite part of this book besides phoenixes and I love seeing how she grew in this book as well, she's always constantly improving. Tristan is a nice love interest for her, he balances her out in some ways, and I do adore him for this. Avalkyra is also a great antagonist, there's a lot to her and it's not a simple evil. Though I do think the characters Sev and Elliot, even Sparrow were not strictly necessary for this story and I didn't find myself very excited to read their stories.
Overall, it was sort of a disappointing end to the series in terms of my expectations but I do really think the ending made total sense and I really enjoyed that part. I'm so excited to continue reading Nicki Pau Preto books and see her grow as an author, this was such a unique idea it'll be great to continue to support her.
[TW: death of loved ones, murder, gore (light), injuries, knife wounds, kidnapping]
This series initially sucked me in for the gorgeous covers and the phoenixes that appeared to have amazing worldbuilding behind them, and while I definitely found that in these books I was left feeling just slightly disappointed by the conclusion. I think this is largely based on a few things that stuck out to me, though it didn't deter all of my enjoyment of the book. The end was wonderfully written especially for how the series progressed so I think it was very accurate to what I was expecting.
Something that I noticed about this book was that it was really thick, which I was excited for but it ended up being part of the downfall of my enjoyment. While there was a lot happening in both the beginning and the end, the middle lacked for me. I'll acknowledge that there were some important things that happened, but the writing didn't seem to communicate that and it felt very slow-paced. I felt that there were scenes that could have been cut out though, and even character POVs, and the same message would have been communicated. This was disappointing because I was really looking forward to more stories with tons of important moments but it didn't totally live up to everything I wanted in that regard.
Something I've always loved about the series is the worldbuilding and even the settings, there's a lot of history that is taught through the series in little notes, info dumps, and intricate moments. There was still some of that in this book, and I liked seeing the development of some new things we hadn't seen. Sometimes though it felt like there were things we had already learned, or that the reader could assume, that were being re-taught and didn't need to be. This element just wasn't as strong as I noticed it was in the last books.
The strongest part of these books is the three "main" characters (character POVs who get the most time) Veronkya, Tristan, and Avalkyra especially with the themes they bring to the story. Veronyka's journey through this story has been so central to the plot, she went from a lost girl looking for somewhere only told in stories to a strong young woman who understands the balance of good and evil, power, and personal sacrifice. She really is my favorite part of this book besides phoenixes and I love seeing how she grew in this book as well, she's always constantly improving. Tristan is a nice love interest for her, he balances her out in some ways, and I do adore him for this. Avalkyra is also a great antagonist, there's a lot to her and it's not a simple evil. Though I do think the characters Sev and Elliot, even Sparrow were not strictly necessary for this story and I didn't find myself very excited to read their stories.
Overall, it was sort of a disappointing end to the series in terms of my expectations but I do really think the ending made total sense and I really enjoyed that part. I'm so excited to continue reading Nicki Pau Preto books and see her grow as an author, this was such a unique idea it'll be great to continue to support her.
[TW: death of loved ones, murder, gore (light), injuries, knife wounds, kidnapping]
July 28, 2021
3'5-4*
This is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, I loved the first and third book the most :)
Also, I feel seen due to the relationship between Veronyka and Val, because not everyone comes from "normal" families, so I appreciate to see people surviving toxic relationships in books.
More on my upcoming review, which will be on line on August 4, 2021 here https://youtu.be/hkZCqZ9DA3Y
This is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, I loved the first and third book the most :)
Also, I feel seen due to the relationship between Veronyka and Val, because not everyone comes from "normal" families, so I appreciate to see people surviving toxic relationships in books.
More on my upcoming review, which will be on line on August 4, 2021 here https://youtu.be/hkZCqZ9DA3Y
September 1, 2021
4.25
I would definitely go on the record and say that this was an improvement and a solid conclusion to the Crown of Feathers trilogy. Nicki Pau Preto really executed her vision. Overall this series was always just going to be good for me. There were elements that just didn't sit right with me and I was truly hoping those elements would be handled differently going forward. Although it took three books we finally got there.
The characterization in Wings of Shadow were chefs kiss. All the characters had there time to shine from Veronyka to Tristan and all the way down Sev and Sparrow. The only character for me who struggled and has always struggled was Val. Now prepare for spoilers if you haven't read this series, Val as the villain was just not cutting it for me. A villain with no motive besides selfishness and anger falls right below the red line.
Crown of Feathers - 3.5/5
Heart of Flames - 3.5/5
Wings of Shadow - 4.25/5
Crown of Feathers Trilogy - 11.25/15
As for the story, Wings of Shadow had the most consistent and well paced plot in the entire trilogy. It was a very strong and well paced story from beginning to end. The only qualm I have with the story is that the ending fight was great, but rushed. Which I mean happens for most YA novels nowadays, so nothing to major.
All in all, Wings of Shadow and the entire Crown of Feathers trilogy was a good series. I am glad I gave this series a try because it truly got better and better with each book.
I would definitely go on the record and say that this was an improvement and a solid conclusion to the Crown of Feathers trilogy. Nicki Pau Preto really executed her vision. Overall this series was always just going to be good for me. There were elements that just didn't sit right with me and I was truly hoping those elements would be handled differently going forward. Although it took three books we finally got there.
The characterization in Wings of Shadow were chefs kiss. All the characters had there time to shine from Veronyka to Tristan and all the way down Sev and Sparrow. The only character for me who struggled and has always struggled was Val. Now prepare for spoilers if you haven't read this series, Val as the villain was just not cutting it for me. A villain with no motive besides selfishness and anger falls right below the red line.
Crown of Feathers - 3.5/5
Heart of Flames - 3.5/5
Wings of Shadow - 4.25/5
Crown of Feathers Trilogy - 11.25/15
As for the story, Wings of Shadow had the most consistent and well paced plot in the entire trilogy. It was a very strong and well paced story from beginning to end. The only qualm I have with the story is that the ending fight was great, but rushed. Which I mean happens for most YA novels nowadays, so nothing to major.
All in all, Wings of Shadow and the entire Crown of Feathers trilogy was a good series. I am glad I gave this series a try because it truly got better and better with each book.
January 6, 2022
I don't think there will ever be words to properly describe how much this book means to me and how good it was. I spent almost a month reading this book because I was so scared for this series to be over and literally as I sit here writing this review I'm starting to cry. If you do nothing else in your reading journey, please make sure the Crown of Feathers series is on it.
oookKAY now to actually review this book.
Wings of Shadow is the third and final book of the Crown of Feathers trilogy. Up to this point we have followed multiple perspectives of an empire torn apart. We have Veronyka our main main character who has aspired to be a phoenix rider all her life. Val, her sister and Tristan, the phoenix rider commander's son and Veronyka's love interest. Sev, an animage soldier turned spy; and many many many wonderful more characters. As you can expect from a final book we are following the final battle between our two sisters and where it will leave this empire.
First of all we need to talk about this WORLD. Nicki has done a phenomenal job of building this world including history that just builds upon what is currently happening. I annotated this book and tabbed so many "interesting history" tidbits. One of my particular favorites was learning about the Also the different settings and ways the phoenixes interacted in those settings.
THE CHARACTERS THE CHARACTER THE CHARACTERS. I am 100% a character driven story lover and this story does NOT disappoint in that department. I feel like I could write an essay about each of these characters and the impact and emotional depth they provide to the story even down to the side characters. Everyone matters in this world which is why every single death that did happen hurt. Even though I could touch on every single one of these characters my favorite is of course Veronyka. Seeing her come into her confidence was so heartwarming and her leadership skills are so genuine. I love everything about her.
The PLOOOTTTT. I swear, I'm a character driven story line person as I already said but this book is ALSO plot driven?! How does Nicki even do it?! There are so many twists and turns and elements I did not expect. I am very very focused and paid attention to details and there were moments I was able to guess things but for the most part I was shocked at every turn.
This story gripped me from the start and held on tight to my heart until the very last page. Thank you Nicki for writing this incredible world that I could watch grow and build a little phoenix riders patrol around myself. I will forever be grateful for this story and what it gave me.
Okay, I'm gonna go cry some more now - bye!
oookKAY now to actually review this book.
Wings of Shadow is the third and final book of the Crown of Feathers trilogy. Up to this point we have followed multiple perspectives of an empire torn apart. We have Veronyka our main main character who has aspired to be a phoenix rider all her life. Val, her sister and Tristan, the phoenix rider commander's son and Veronyka's love interest. Sev, an animage soldier turned spy; and many many many wonderful more characters. As you can expect from a final book we are following the final battle between our two sisters and where it will leave this empire.
First of all we need to talk about this WORLD. Nicki has done a phenomenal job of building this world including history that just builds upon what is currently happening. I annotated this book and tabbed so many "interesting history" tidbits. One of my particular favorites was learning about the Also the different settings and ways the phoenixes interacted in those settings.
THE CHARACTERS THE CHARACTER THE CHARACTERS. I am 100% a character driven story lover and this story does NOT disappoint in that department. I feel like I could write an essay about each of these characters and the impact and emotional depth they provide to the story even down to the side characters. Everyone matters in this world which is why every single death that did happen hurt. Even though I could touch on every single one of these characters my favorite is of course Veronyka. Seeing her come into her confidence was so heartwarming and her leadership skills are so genuine. I love everything about her.
The PLOOOTTTT. I swear, I'm a character driven story line person as I already said but this book is ALSO plot driven?! How does Nicki even do it?! There are so many twists and turns and elements I did not expect. I am very very focused and paid attention to details and there were moments I was able to guess things but for the most part I was shocked at every turn.
This story gripped me from the start and held on tight to my heart until the very last page. Thank you Nicki for writing this incredible world that I could watch grow and build a little phoenix riders patrol around myself. I will forever be grateful for this story and what it gave me.
Okay, I'm gonna go cry some more now - bye!
August 1, 2021
I rate this book 4.4/10 by Bookroast's CAWPILE system (see details below). This review might contain minor spoilers.
That was a painful read. The writing style started to bug me in the second book and it annoyed me even more in this one. There was simply no need to have so many different POVs, especially since they often acted as spoilers and nipped any intrigue in the bud. I can't believe we still got like 5 chapters or so of various POVs AFTER the freaking plot end. Each character had long monologues in their heads that interrupted the flow of the action/dialogues and were also unnecessary since most of them were about things we already knew. We also got two characters describing the SAME PLACE in the exact same way only because one arrived after the other - the readers don't need to be told what a place looks like twice just because of the damn different POVs, especially since both characters perceived the place very similarly.
The ending was also very disappointing to me. We have the climax of a buildup that spans three books and culminates (as expected) in war, but the losses are so insignificant. Everything was written in a way to cause a little bit of impact, but not much - there is even a character whose THROAT gets SLICED and still they don't die. What?! There's magic lost but then regained, phoenixes who can conveniently choose to be reborn or not whether it suits the plot or not, and a very convenient way to deal with the villain. It feels more like a child's book than YA, and there's no excuse for it - even the battle of Hogwarts saw significant losses that grieved the characters and the readers, while here we get almost a Disney-like happy ending.
This series started out all right, the premise is interesting and the world is well built - unfortunately, finishing it felt very much like a chore.
Characters 6/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Writing style 3/10
Plot 5/10
Intrigue 3/10
Logic 4/10
Enjoyment 3/10
Edit: The cover art is absolutely stunning, though. I wish the book lived up to it. Still, looking at the other reviews, mine seems to be a very unpopular opinion lol
That was a painful read. The writing style started to bug me in the second book and it annoyed me even more in this one. There was simply no need to have so many different POVs, especially since they often acted as spoilers and nipped any intrigue in the bud. I can't believe we still got like 5 chapters or so of various POVs AFTER the freaking plot end. Each character had long monologues in their heads that interrupted the flow of the action/dialogues and were also unnecessary since most of them were about things we already knew. We also got two characters describing the SAME PLACE in the exact same way only because one arrived after the other - the readers don't need to be told what a place looks like twice just because of the damn different POVs, especially since both characters perceived the place very similarly.
The ending was also very disappointing to me. We have the climax of a buildup that spans three books and culminates (as expected) in war, but the losses are so insignificant. Everything was written in a way to cause a little bit of impact, but not much - there is even a character whose THROAT gets SLICED and still they don't die. What?! There's magic lost but then regained, phoenixes who can conveniently choose to be reborn or not whether it suits the plot or not, and a very convenient way to deal with the villain. It feels more like a child's book than YA, and there's no excuse for it - even the battle of Hogwarts saw significant losses that grieved the characters and the readers, while here we get almost a Disney-like happy ending.
This series started out all right, the premise is interesting and the world is well built - unfortunately, finishing it felt very much like a chore.
Characters 6/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Writing style 3/10
Plot 5/10
Intrigue 3/10
Logic 4/10
Enjoyment 3/10
Edit: The cover art is absolutely stunning, though. I wish the book lived up to it. Still, looking at the other reviews, mine seems to be a very unpopular opinion lol
July 18, 2020
With the cliffhanger in book 2, I don’t know how I’ll survive this year!!! I could barely even make a week waiting for this book! Nicki Pau Preto is an evil genius! If anyone deserves a real Phoenix of their own, it would be her!
July 15, 2021
This was actually my favourite book out of the series! Veronyka became just a stronger and stronger protagonist, and I really enjoyed watching her (and her Phoenix's) development!
Although, I have to say that Sev, who I really enjoyed as a character in the previous book, really got on my nerves in this one!
Although, I have to say that Sev, who I really enjoyed as a character in the previous book, really got on my nerves in this one!
July 10, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for free. It does not impact my review which is honest and unbiased.
Wings of Shadow is the finale I was waiting for from the beginning. Preto delivers a satisfying, tear inducing ending that will make you want to re-read from the beginning. There’s a cosmic rightness to this book, moments where you step back and want to appreciate all the threads Preto is weaving together. It’s sheer majesty and if you finished Heart of Flames and loved it, then you don’t need me to tell you to read Wings of Shadow. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Wings of Shadow will hit all your emotional highs and lows. The way that Preto showcases complex sisterhood with a capital C. All the themes of change, re-creation and re-birth, and how we have to see the value in ourselves – chefs kiss! This epic finale is jam packed with action and an expansive feeling of scale. It’s a thick book, but it’s just what the doctor ordered after Heart of Flames! Featuring characters which have stolen my heart - I love me some good ruthlessness – Preto allows the characters to take off in Wings of Shadow.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Wings of Shadow is the finale I was waiting for from the beginning. Preto delivers a satisfying, tear inducing ending that will make you want to re-read from the beginning. There’s a cosmic rightness to this book, moments where you step back and want to appreciate all the threads Preto is weaving together. It’s sheer majesty and if you finished Heart of Flames and loved it, then you don’t need me to tell you to read Wings of Shadow. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Wings of Shadow will hit all your emotional highs and lows. The way that Preto showcases complex sisterhood with a capital C. All the themes of change, re-creation and re-birth, and how we have to see the value in ourselves – chefs kiss! This epic finale is jam packed with action and an expansive feeling of scale. It’s a thick book, but it’s just what the doctor ordered after Heart of Flames! Featuring characters which have stolen my heart - I love me some good ruthlessness – Preto allows the characters to take off in Wings of Shadow.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
November 8, 2021
5 Stars
I could rave about this book and series for ages but at the risk of giving something away, I won't.
If you love fantasy - READ THIS SERIES. It is brilliant in every single way. Amazing worldbuilding? Check. Brilliant characters filled with personality that you get emotionally invested in? Check. Mind blowing magic and magical creatures? Check. Stunning writing that supports an incredible storyline? Check. Twists and turns you won't see coming? Check! I could go ON and ON about the positives of this series!
The three things I LOVED The most are:
1) The Phoenix. The characterisation and personality of each one shone through and I completely fell in love with them.
2) The multi POV. I love chapters in different points of view and Nicki Pau Preto did an expert job of it. Really helped bring the story alive.
3) The Characters. The leads are amazing but what set this story apart was the side characters, there are ALOT but with such unique stories and personalities that it never got confusing. They added such depth to the story and I was emotionally involved in all of them! Sev was a personal favourite for me, especially in this book.
Basically - READ THIS SERIES.
I could rave about this book and series for ages but at the risk of giving something away, I won't.
If you love fantasy - READ THIS SERIES. It is brilliant in every single way. Amazing worldbuilding? Check. Brilliant characters filled with personality that you get emotionally invested in? Check. Mind blowing magic and magical creatures? Check. Stunning writing that supports an incredible storyline? Check. Twists and turns you won't see coming? Check! I could go ON and ON about the positives of this series!
The three things I LOVED The most are:
1) The Phoenix. The characterisation and personality of each one shone through and I completely fell in love with them.
2) The multi POV. I love chapters in different points of view and Nicki Pau Preto did an expert job of it. Really helped bring the story alive.
3) The Characters. The leads are amazing but what set this story apart was the side characters, there are ALOT but with such unique stories and personalities that it never got confusing. They added such depth to the story and I was emotionally involved in all of them! Sev was a personal favourite for me, especially in this book.
Basically - READ THIS SERIES.
November 1, 2021
This is such an underrated series.
This is jam packed with all our favourite characters from the previous books. I still absolutely just love phoenixes...how are there not more books about them??
The world building and history is rich, and fascinating.
This was a great conclusion to the trilogy, possibly a little long but i really enjoyed it and will be on the look out for this authors future books.
This is jam packed with all our favourite characters from the previous books. I still absolutely just love phoenixes...how are there not more books about them??
The world building and history is rich, and fascinating.
This was a great conclusion to the trilogy, possibly a little long but i really enjoyed it and will be on the look out for this authors future books.
July 22, 2021
I am emotional. The amazing trilogy that is Crown of Feathers is over. The ride has ended, the Phoenixes have landed, and Wings of Shadow has been released. WoS is a spectacular end to a long story, filled with rich world building, edge of your seat action, and fantastic characters, human and animal alike, that you can't help but feel are as real as we are.
There aren't many books coming out today, not just in the YA sphere but in all of US Publishing that reaches the level of world building that Nicki Pau Preto has achieved here. Pyra and the Golden Empire is quite simply alive. With its history, its queens, its language, its battles, and its variety of magical people it reaches Lord of the Rings level of epic. That’s right, I compared this trilogy to the most famous high fantasy series of our age because it deserves it. Crown of Feathers could be this generation’s LOTR, if only we gave it the chance to be.
Wings of Shadow starts off almost immediately after CoF book two, Heart of Flames ends. Our heroes are separated, the world is at war, and everything is uncertain. I’m not gonna lie, I was worried that everything that needed to be resolved would not fit into this 600+ page tome. I should have known better. WoS is the best installment yet and everything is wrapped up in such an impressively satisfying way that had me clutching the book with tears streaming down my face as I finished it.
What drives this book is of course its epic, finalizing plot, but also the characters that we have come to know, love, hate, and fight over. I feel like I know these characters better than I know my family and that is all down to how well Pau Preto portrays the intricacies of bonds, bond between family, between friends, lovers, and companions. Nothing in life is simple and Pau Preto’s work reflects that. Nothing in this trilogy is one note. Everything is thought out, but none of it is predictable, almost as if we are watching our own history unfold instead of reading a story. Personally, I could read about the Phoenix Riders and their bondmates forever. I would love a series of spin off stories about some of the secondary characters, all of them from Sparrow and Elliot to Sev and Kade to just the phoenixes themselves interacting!
Speaking of the phoenixes themselves, they are such an important part of Pau Preto’s world that I would be remiss not to mention them. I work with birds (smaller unfortunately than these majestic birds of lore) and I will always be in awe of how well written these animals they are. They are characters in every sense of the word, they have bigger than life personalities and I love that they are shown as such. It is easy to think of birds as just being animals but once you get to know them individually they really do have minds of their own that shine out! What originally drew me to the story in 2019 was the phoenixes and all these years later they are still my favorite part. What I wouldn’t give to have a bondmate of my own!
There is a certain type of longing that comes from reading a fantasy such as this, one that makes you want to leave our world behind, to be chosen, to be sent on a quest, to gain a bond with a phoenix. I haven’t felt that special type of longing in years and I’m so grateful that this trilogy has given me that, both figuratively and literally in my case as I am one of the lucky few who has been alongside Nicki as she went on her own epic journey of giving the public her fantasy world. I think WoS will always have a special place in my heart because I’m in it. I’m in the acknowledgements along with several of my friends from the First Riders Street Team. It has been the greatest pleasure getting to help people discover this series. The bonds I’ve made will outlast anything and I’m so grateful to Nicki for letting us join her on this wildly fun ride!
There aren't many books coming out today, not just in the YA sphere but in all of US Publishing that reaches the level of world building that Nicki Pau Preto has achieved here. Pyra and the Golden Empire is quite simply alive. With its history, its queens, its language, its battles, and its variety of magical people it reaches Lord of the Rings level of epic. That’s right, I compared this trilogy to the most famous high fantasy series of our age because it deserves it. Crown of Feathers could be this generation’s LOTR, if only we gave it the chance to be.
Wings of Shadow starts off almost immediately after CoF book two, Heart of Flames ends. Our heroes are separated, the world is at war, and everything is uncertain. I’m not gonna lie, I was worried that everything that needed to be resolved would not fit into this 600+ page tome. I should have known better. WoS is the best installment yet and everything is wrapped up in such an impressively satisfying way that had me clutching the book with tears streaming down my face as I finished it.
What drives this book is of course its epic, finalizing plot, but also the characters that we have come to know, love, hate, and fight over. I feel like I know these characters better than I know my family and that is all down to how well Pau Preto portrays the intricacies of bonds, bond between family, between friends, lovers, and companions. Nothing in life is simple and Pau Preto’s work reflects that. Nothing in this trilogy is one note. Everything is thought out, but none of it is predictable, almost as if we are watching our own history unfold instead of reading a story. Personally, I could read about the Phoenix Riders and their bondmates forever. I would love a series of spin off stories about some of the secondary characters, all of them from Sparrow and Elliot to Sev and Kade to just the phoenixes themselves interacting!
Speaking of the phoenixes themselves, they are such an important part of Pau Preto’s world that I would be remiss not to mention them. I work with birds (smaller unfortunately than these majestic birds of lore) and I will always be in awe of how well written these animals they are. They are characters in every sense of the word, they have bigger than life personalities and I love that they are shown as such. It is easy to think of birds as just being animals but once you get to know them individually they really do have minds of their own that shine out! What originally drew me to the story in 2019 was the phoenixes and all these years later they are still my favorite part. What I wouldn’t give to have a bondmate of my own!
There is a certain type of longing that comes from reading a fantasy such as this, one that makes you want to leave our world behind, to be chosen, to be sent on a quest, to gain a bond with a phoenix. I haven’t felt that special type of longing in years and I’m so grateful that this trilogy has given me that, both figuratively and literally in my case as I am one of the lucky few who has been alongside Nicki as she went on her own epic journey of giving the public her fantasy world. I think WoS will always have a special place in my heart because I’m in it. I’m in the acknowledgements along with several of my friends from the First Riders Street Team. It has been the greatest pleasure getting to help people discover this series. The bonds I’ve made will outlast anything and I’m so grateful to Nicki for letting us join her on this wildly fun ride!
February 3, 2022
AHHHHHHHH
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOODDDDDDD
OMG HOW WILL I WRITE THIS AGHHHHH
EDIT: last night I got all fancy on my computer and added in the spoiler sections for some parts, but the app doesn’t acknowledge all that work 🙄 so watch out, there are spoilers
*spoilers for books one and two, probably*
*i.e. don't get mad at me if I accidentally spoil something*
okay, so I will start with the characters
Veronyka (idk abt spelling)
Her character development is amazing. Like, the first book, I almost got annoyed with her, and found her immature. The last book? She is so mature, I wish I could be like her. I also just like her as a person now, she isn't a Mary Sue but she is a good person.
Avalkyra (Val)
I kinda have a soft spot for villians...
I love her lol. Sure, yeah, she's a villain. Yeah, she's evil. But Nicki Pau Preto wrote her so well, and I could understand why she is a villain. Also, the power hehe I really love power hungry women villains. Avalkyra hit all the boxes as a villain too. Not even close to being morally grey, she is so dark.
I think I have problems.
Tristan
Well, I kinda thought that he was overrated. However, I do like him purely because the fact that Veronyka liked him. They are very, very sweet together.
Xephyra
Yes, technically a phoenix, not a person, whatever. I don't care. XEPHYRA IS AMAZING OMG THE HUMOR IS OFF THE CHARTS I LOVE HER!
Sev
My boy is so dumb and clueless, but he has such a heart it's amazing. I also
Kade
I really liked him as a person in these books, so I was vaguely disappointed that we didn't get a POV chapter from him. (Or maybe we did? Idk, hard to remember.)
Sparrow
Icon
Elliot
I was really annoyed by the fact that like his relationship with Sparrow was so weird. I have no clue if they have a sibling bond, or a romantic bond, or a platonic bond, and I think it was supposed to be hinted at, but I am clueless. So. Other than that, I also got annoyed by him, definitely more than Tristan, but whatever. I didn't hate him.
There are probably way more characters I should talk about, but whatever. This is my review, I do what I want.
That one battle scene at the end:
Overall:
THIS IS SO GOOD PLEASE READ THE SERIES PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOODDDDDDD
OMG HOW WILL I WRITE THIS AGHHHHH
EDIT: last night I got all fancy on my computer and added in the spoiler sections for some parts, but the app doesn’t acknowledge all that work 🙄 so watch out, there are spoilers
*spoilers for books one and two, probably*
*i.e. don't get mad at me if I accidentally spoil something*
okay, so I will start with the characters
Veronyka (idk abt spelling)
Her character development is amazing. Like, the first book, I almost got annoyed with her, and found her immature. The last book? She is so mature, I wish I could be like her. I also just like her as a person now, she isn't a Mary Sue but she is a good person.
Avalkyra (Val)
I kinda have a soft spot for villians...
I love her lol. Sure, yeah, she's a villain. Yeah, she's evil. But Nicki Pau Preto wrote her so well, and I could understand why she is a villain. Also, the power hehe I really love power hungry women villains. Avalkyra hit all the boxes as a villain too. Not even close to being morally grey, she is so dark.
I think I have problems.
Tristan
Well, I kinda thought that he was overrated. However, I do like him purely because the fact that Veronyka liked him. They are very, very sweet together.
Xephyra
Yes, technically a phoenix, not a person, whatever. I don't care. XEPHYRA IS AMAZING OMG THE HUMOR IS OFF THE CHARTS I LOVE HER!
Sev
My boy is so dumb and clueless, but he has such a heart it's amazing. I also
Kade
I really liked him as a person in these books, so I was vaguely disappointed that we didn't get a POV chapter from him. (Or maybe we did? Idk, hard to remember.)
Sparrow
Icon
Elliot
I was really annoyed by the fact that like his relationship with Sparrow was so weird. I have no clue if they have a sibling bond, or a romantic bond, or a platonic bond, and I think it was supposed to be hinted at, but I am clueless. So. Other than that, I also got annoyed by him, definitely more than Tristan, but whatever. I didn't hate him.
There are probably way more characters I should talk about, but whatever. This is my review, I do what I want.
That one battle scene at the end:
Overall:
THIS IS SO GOOD PLEASE READ THE SERIES PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU
December 27, 2021
SPECTACULAR FINALE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I have been reading series ender duds over and over and FINALLY, hit a closing book that brought it home. This was incredible and fully solidifies my recommendation that get this on your TBR!
For over 600 pages, I hardly felt it was exhaustingly long. The pages were used well and kept the story moving and involved. I love Veronyka as the ultimate main heroine. She is incredibly strong, full of love, and uses her strengths to lift and care for others. I adored the side romance with Tristan and how supportive they were of each other. No ridiculous miscommunications here.
Sev was all things I love too. He had some personal crises that had me wishing I could lift him up. I was so excited seeing his character arc and learning to love who he is and the power he brings to the table. Kade was also insanely supportive and those two melted my heart. All of these ships melted my heart. [Honorable mention the sweetness of Elliot and Sparrow too!!]
Along with the fantastic friendships, family relationships, were insane amounts of action. Wild tension that had me gasping so much my husband stopped and asked me what was wrong ~whoops~. Each time things started to pick up, I never knew quite what would happen and I loved that.
I loved even more how the final scenes with the main villainess went. It wasn’t typical and became profound as Veronyka and Val had a last clashing. The scene was memorable and full of emotion. I love that it gave Val more than just the antagonist role, but this whole other set of layers. She was one of the main POV’s throughout the series too and I loved being in her mind too.
I could keep gushing. This series has a great set of the three books. I don’t remember being let down by any of them. One of the last things I’ll mentioned I couldn’t get enough of were all of the phoenixes. They all had personalities and quirks and cared deeply for their riders. Definitely one of the best parts of the entire trilogy.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses to closed door scenes
- Violence: war themes, weaponry, loss of life, physical and magical altercations, fire
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I have been reading series ender duds over and over and FINALLY, hit a closing book that brought it home. This was incredible and fully solidifies my recommendation that get this on your TBR!
For over 600 pages, I hardly felt it was exhaustingly long. The pages were used well and kept the story moving and involved. I love Veronyka as the ultimate main heroine. She is incredibly strong, full of love, and uses her strengths to lift and care for others. I adored the side romance with Tristan and how supportive they were of each other. No ridiculous miscommunications here.
Sev was all things I love too. He had some personal crises that had me wishing I could lift him up. I was so excited seeing his character arc and learning to love who he is and the power he brings to the table. Kade was also insanely supportive and those two melted my heart. All of these ships melted my heart. [Honorable mention the sweetness of Elliot and Sparrow too!!]
Along with the fantastic friendships, family relationships, were insane amounts of action. Wild tension that had me gasping so much my husband stopped and asked me what was wrong ~whoops~. Each time things started to pick up, I never knew quite what would happen and I loved that.
I loved even more how the final scenes with the main villainess went. It wasn’t typical and became profound as Veronyka and Val had a last clashing. The scene was memorable and full of emotion. I love that it gave Val more than just the antagonist role, but this whole other set of layers. She was one of the main POV’s throughout the series too and I loved being in her mind too.
I could keep gushing. This series has a great set of the three books. I don’t remember being let down by any of them. One of the last things I’ll mentioned I couldn’t get enough of were all of the phoenixes. They all had personalities and quirks and cared deeply for their riders. Definitely one of the best parts of the entire trilogy.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses to closed door scenes
- Violence: war themes, weaponry, loss of life, physical and magical altercations, fire
July 22, 2021
Review of this novel will come later this year. I just want to say that Crown of Feathers is amongst my all-time favourite fantasy series and I think Wings of Shadow is a very strong final novel (that it gave me the closure that I sought for with a hint of hopefulness & openness that guarantees a lot of food for thoughts)!
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: violence, emotional blackmail / abuse, grief, blood mention, weapons, and death
(4.5 stars out of 5)
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: violence, emotional blackmail / abuse, grief, blood mention, weapons, and death
(4.5 stars out of 5)
September 26, 2021
i love this series with my whole heart <3
September 21, 2022
*4.5 stars, though I'd say more like 4.25.
This is definitely the best of the three books in the trilogy, much faster-paced, with an exciting and satisfying climax that threw out more surprises (though I do think all three books could have been cut back by even as much as a third). The writing has improved (much less infodump interrupting the flow), though there are still a few issues I have with the logic of some aspects of the story/politics, and environmentally it could have been a bit more descriptive or immersive. It shines when it comes to character, though, each POV - and relationship too - has depth and introspection, though , making it a very character-driven story in a way that I always really like. My favourite character is .
From what I've found by googling, there is not a whole lot of fiction based around phoenixes, at least that appeals to me, and this trilogy definitely stands out as the best there is out there centred around these magnificent creatures. Nicki Pau Preto absolutely does them justice, giving them her own unique mythology and history. I highly recommend the trilogy, but be prepared to settle in for a long - slow-moving at times - read.
This is definitely the best of the three books in the trilogy, much faster-paced, with an exciting and satisfying climax that threw out more surprises (though I do think all three books could have been cut back by even as much as a third). The writing has improved (much less infodump interrupting the flow), though there are still a few issues I have with the logic of some aspects of the story/politics, and environmentally it could have been a bit more descriptive or immersive. It shines when it comes to character, though, each POV - and relationship too - has depth and introspection, though , making it a very character-driven story in a way that I always really like. My favourite character is .
From what I've found by googling, there is not a whole lot of fiction based around phoenixes, at least that appeals to me, and this trilogy definitely stands out as the best there is out there centred around these magnificent creatures. Nicki Pau Preto absolutely does them justice, giving them her own unique mythology and history. I highly recommend the trilogy, but be prepared to settle in for a long - slow-moving at times - read.
February 5, 2025
I love love love this series. And I can’t believe it’s done 🥹 I’m going to miss the world, the characters and the phoenixes. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy especially YA fantasy!! It’s soooo underrated please go read it!
November 18, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
March 20, 2022
4.5/5 stars.
A fantastic ending to our phoenix riding journey. Jam packed with action, emotion and fire. It was slow to start but then I struggled to put it down. A series I will read again in the future. A story for all those fighting for their place, for what is right and for love.
A fantastic ending to our phoenix riding journey. Jam packed with action, emotion and fire. It was slow to start but then I struggled to put it down. A series I will read again in the future. A story for all those fighting for their place, for what is right and for love.
April 30, 2023
I loved how this book ended the series! Everything was wrapped up by the end of the story, and all the questions that I had were answered. I have loved watching the characters grow since the beginning of the series, and I am happy to see where they are at the end of the book. The big battle at the end was very entertaining, and I am sad that the series is over. Right now these are some of my favorite books that I’ve read in a long time, and I am going to miss the world and character so much. I hope that one day the author might write more books in this world.
February 16, 2022
Painful read.
Boring, boring, boring. It's not necessary to have so many POV for nothing. Characters were annoying, with monologues around their love interest. Where is the war ? At the end of the book ahah... In the 100th left pages. And it was not interesting. To predictable.
Boring, boring, boring. It's not necessary to have so many POV for nothing. Characters were annoying, with monologues around their love interest. Where is the war ? At the end of the book ahah... In the 100th left pages. And it was not interesting. To predictable.
August 9, 2022
I CANT BELIEVE IVE FINISHED THIS TRILOGY. AHHHHHHHHH I LOVE THIS STORY AND THE CHARACTERS IM SO SAD THAT ITS OVER
July 13, 2021
This book completely blew me away and my standards were already sky-high!
First, I want to talk about Veronyka, the main protagonist, and consequently Tristan too. In the past, I haven’t always loved her for reasons I couldn’t quite pinpoint, but in my rereads of the first two books and in reading Wings of Shadow, she really grew as a character to me. Veronyka is criticized throughout the series for occasionally being naïve or entitled (because of her relationship with Tristan), but no one can insult her abilities in WoS. In standing up to her sister and trying to take her place as heir, Veronyka becomes so much more powerful, especially once she sheds any self-loathing remaining from her abilities with shadow magic. While I love Avalkyra as well, Veronyka showed her love for her companions and care for their well-being in so many ways that made me want her to win. Tristan was also amazing, and one of the things I never get over is how in his relationship with Veronyka, he doesn’t question anything. Nothing about her could make him draw back and the two of them complement each other so well, a quality I wish I saw more of in the young adult genre. He and Veronyka contributed so much to each other’s personalities in so many positive ways, and his confidence grew so much in tandem with hers.
Secondly, MORE ABOUT AVALKYRA. She’s so amazing. Throughout most of the book, I was thinking, “Oh, she’s cool but she’s horrifying!” and that didn’t change much. 😂 Val’s point of view is so incredible and insightful to the story because it shows her complete disregard for others. Val is power hungry and driven, a deadly combination that both impressed and scared me. She doesn’t hesitate to go for what she wants, which is a quality I actually wish I could see in more PROtagonists.
Next, Sev!!! He frustrated me SO MUCH. Sev has always been my favorite, but in WoS he was different from before. Knowing what he does about what Kade has after Heart of Flames, he’s so scared that he’s irrelevant to Kade and the Phoenix Rider cause, which both made so much sense and bothered me so much. I wanted to go into the book and give him a hug and tell him he’s amazing! His mind was another one that I loved seeing into because of how much he had changed. It was so clear to me that he became so much more confident and heroic from Crown of Feathers to here, even if he didn’t think so. Especially in the last hundred pages of the book, I was just so excited to see his journey. My only critique for his point of view was that I wanted so much more!
Lastly for characters, Sparrow and Elliot. My brain labeled them as unnecessary for a while because they weren’t the “core three” point of view characters, but these two have so much. For one thing, I thought it was so amazing that Sparrow was the one to connect so much to [REDACTED] as opposed to the others. Sparrow understands animal magic in a much more powerful way than most of the cast, which is so cool to explore. Her relationship with Elliot is also amazing, especially because it’s so ambiguous. They care for each other a lot, but there isn’t a word that could describe the two besides “loyalty”. I don’t have too much to say about these characters without spoilers, but I wish I could tell Past Lydia not to disregard them in Heart of Flames.
I also just want to talk about the world and plot. I finished this book, which is about 600 pages, in three hours. I’ve seen people complain about pacing issues in book one, but this doesn’t have any of those. 😂 Secondly, Pau Preto is just so talented in writing the world around the characters! Usually I’m horrible at keeping track of politics, countries, and more, but she makes use of the elder characters and interstitials between chapters to give the most information possible to truly show the extent to which she’s familiar with the world she created. One of my last points is still about the characters, but more about the writing of them. There are so many parallels to the first two books in Wings of Shadow, which I love because of how much my favorites have grown! Between Veronyka growing into her title and Sev being selfless without a second thought, my attachment to these characters and pride in them only grows with every word Nicki Pau Preto writes. She’s clearly grown as a writer, and so to have her characters grown as people in the best ways possible. I cried a lot with the end to this story, but I can’t wait to see what she does next!
First, I want to talk about Veronyka, the main protagonist, and consequently Tristan too. In the past, I haven’t always loved her for reasons I couldn’t quite pinpoint, but in my rereads of the first two books and in reading Wings of Shadow, she really grew as a character to me. Veronyka is criticized throughout the series for occasionally being naïve or entitled (because of her relationship with Tristan), but no one can insult her abilities in WoS. In standing up to her sister and trying to take her place as heir, Veronyka becomes so much more powerful, especially once she sheds any self-loathing remaining from her abilities with shadow magic. While I love Avalkyra as well, Veronyka showed her love for her companions and care for their well-being in so many ways that made me want her to win. Tristan was also amazing, and one of the things I never get over is how in his relationship with Veronyka, he doesn’t question anything. Nothing about her could make him draw back and the two of them complement each other so well, a quality I wish I saw more of in the young adult genre. He and Veronyka contributed so much to each other’s personalities in so many positive ways, and his confidence grew so much in tandem with hers.
Secondly, MORE ABOUT AVALKYRA. She’s so amazing. Throughout most of the book, I was thinking, “Oh, she’s cool but she’s horrifying!” and that didn’t change much. 😂 Val’s point of view is so incredible and insightful to the story because it shows her complete disregard for others. Val is power hungry and driven, a deadly combination that both impressed and scared me. She doesn’t hesitate to go for what she wants, which is a quality I actually wish I could see in more PROtagonists.
Next, Sev!!! He frustrated me SO MUCH. Sev has always been my favorite, but in WoS he was different from before. Knowing what he does about what Kade has after Heart of Flames, he’s so scared that he’s irrelevant to Kade and the Phoenix Rider cause, which both made so much sense and bothered me so much. I wanted to go into the book and give him a hug and tell him he’s amazing! His mind was another one that I loved seeing into because of how much he had changed. It was so clear to me that he became so much more confident and heroic from Crown of Feathers to here, even if he didn’t think so. Especially in the last hundred pages of the book, I was just so excited to see his journey. My only critique for his point of view was that I wanted so much more!
Lastly for characters, Sparrow and Elliot. My brain labeled them as unnecessary for a while because they weren’t the “core three” point of view characters, but these two have so much. For one thing, I thought it was so amazing that Sparrow was the one to connect so much to [REDACTED] as opposed to the others. Sparrow understands animal magic in a much more powerful way than most of the cast, which is so cool to explore. Her relationship with Elliot is also amazing, especially because it’s so ambiguous. They care for each other a lot, but there isn’t a word that could describe the two besides “loyalty”. I don’t have too much to say about these characters without spoilers, but I wish I could tell Past Lydia not to disregard them in Heart of Flames.
I also just want to talk about the world and plot. I finished this book, which is about 600 pages, in three hours. I’ve seen people complain about pacing issues in book one, but this doesn’t have any of those. 😂 Secondly, Pau Preto is just so talented in writing the world around the characters! Usually I’m horrible at keeping track of politics, countries, and more, but she makes use of the elder characters and interstitials between chapters to give the most information possible to truly show the extent to which she’s familiar with the world she created. One of my last points is still about the characters, but more about the writing of them. There are so many parallels to the first two books in Wings of Shadow, which I love because of how much my favorites have grown! Between Veronyka growing into her title and Sev being selfless without a second thought, my attachment to these characters and pride in them only grows with every word Nicki Pau Preto writes. She’s clearly grown as a writer, and so to have her characters grown as people in the best ways possible. I cried a lot with the end to this story, but I can’t wait to see what she does next!
July 15, 2021
“The spark ignited. Her fear had held her back, but now she let it go, and the heat inside her grew.”
By far my favorite out of the three. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and Nicki Pau Preto did not disappoint! Like the other two, I was pulled into the world and reading made me desperately want a phoenix of my own.
Veronyka must face her sister, Val, and keep the empire from being further torn apart. She has just recently found out that she is a descendant of the last queen of the Golden Empire, and is not sure what she wants to do with that information. But soon she finds out that Val has bonded with a legendary Strix, a creature of darkness. With Val being willing to do anything for the throne, Veronyka needs a plan to gain allies and find peace.
Okay this starts where HoF left off, and it is a rollercoaster. Not just with events, but with my emotions. This is a big book, and there is no wasted space. A lot is packed into the 600+ story, but the pacing is well done.
The character development was amazing! I honestly fell more in love with the characters I already liked, and then found some new favorites. I think that HoF did a great job at this too, but WoS has it beat in my opinion. There is a large cast of characters, and all get there time to shine throughout the whole trilogy.
I think that the relationships within the series is fabulous as well. You get to see growth between the characters, not just within themselves. The amount that is packed in within this book is almost unbelievable. Like the relationship between Val and Veronyka is so complicated. It is throughout the whole series, but as the trilogy comes to an end, a lot of revealed about them and their bond.
There is a lot going on in the series. You see it throughout all three books. Because there is a large cast of characters, there can be multiple plot lines happening at once. Some may not like that format (I honestly wasn’t a huge fan in CoF) but once you read the books, you realize that each plot line is important and really adds to the story as a whole.
Like the other books, the chapters have added content of letters and stories from the past. I love getting the history of the empire and queens of old. I think this adds an extra layer to the story. It also helps to understand how things got to where they are in the present. If you’ve read the other two, you’ll know, but the past passages help to reveal more about a certain character.
I could really see how Nicki has evolved as a writer. Along with her characters, she has grown and created the magical world of fire and ash- life and death.
I’m sad to see a favorite series end, but it was a beautiful ending. If you have not picked up this series, but love YA fantasy, mythical creatures, and strong female leads, I would highly recommend getting your copies.
By far my favorite out of the three. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and Nicki Pau Preto did not disappoint! Like the other two, I was pulled into the world and reading made me desperately want a phoenix of my own.
Veronyka must face her sister, Val, and keep the empire from being further torn apart. She has just recently found out that she is a descendant of the last queen of the Golden Empire, and is not sure what she wants to do with that information. But soon she finds out that Val has bonded with a legendary Strix, a creature of darkness. With Val being willing to do anything for the throne, Veronyka needs a plan to gain allies and find peace.
Okay this starts where HoF left off, and it is a rollercoaster. Not just with events, but with my emotions. This is a big book, and there is no wasted space. A lot is packed into the 600+ story, but the pacing is well done.
The character development was amazing! I honestly fell more in love with the characters I already liked, and then found some new favorites. I think that HoF did a great job at this too, but WoS has it beat in my opinion. There is a large cast of characters, and all get there time to shine throughout the whole trilogy.
I think that the relationships within the series is fabulous as well. You get to see growth between the characters, not just within themselves. The amount that is packed in within this book is almost unbelievable. Like the relationship between Val and Veronyka is so complicated. It is throughout the whole series, but as the trilogy comes to an end, a lot of revealed about them and their bond.
There is a lot going on in the series. You see it throughout all three books. Because there is a large cast of characters, there can be multiple plot lines happening at once. Some may not like that format (I honestly wasn’t a huge fan in CoF) but once you read the books, you realize that each plot line is important and really adds to the story as a whole.
Like the other books, the chapters have added content of letters and stories from the past. I love getting the history of the empire and queens of old. I think this adds an extra layer to the story. It also helps to understand how things got to where they are in the present. If you’ve read the other two, you’ll know, but the past passages help to reveal more about a certain character.
I could really see how Nicki has evolved as a writer. Along with her characters, she has grown and created the magical world of fire and ash- life and death.
I’m sad to see a favorite series end, but it was a beautiful ending. If you have not picked up this series, but love YA fantasy, mythical creatures, and strong female leads, I would highly recommend getting your copies.
July 18, 2021
3.8🌟
Be still, my heart 🥺
So, wings of shadow picks up right after Heart of flames and we see how Veronyka stands upto multiple threats - both her sister, Val and also the whole of Pyra. I should say that with each book, the plot progression got better and better, and this book is probably my favorite out of all the three.
I don't usually like books which are too political, but this series introduced them in a way which didn't feel like info dumping, and I quite enjoyed the pace. Ultimately though, one of the most important things which made this book amazing was its characters. Veronyka was in her element now, and just watching her grow makes my heart full. I also really loved Tristan and her together🥺 I absolutely loved the fact that they're stronger together and they're relationship is very pure.
Along with them, all of the other side characters were also done extremely well, special mention to Sev and Kade, while I found Sev boring in book 1, he's slowly climbed his way upto the top. And of course, can't go without mentioning Elliot and Sparrow because they're so precious 🥺
I should think that Val as an antagonist worked really well and she was excellently done. The turmoil between both of them and their complicated relationship was astounding, and it made me cry because as much as Val wanted power, she did love Pheronia and Veronyka in her own twisted way, and that made me so emotional 🥺
Overall a job well done by Nicki, and I'll be sure to check out her future works ❤
Be still, my heart 🥺
So, wings of shadow picks up right after Heart of flames and we see how Veronyka stands upto multiple threats - both her sister, Val and also the whole of Pyra. I should say that with each book, the plot progression got better and better, and this book is probably my favorite out of all the three.
I don't usually like books which are too political, but this series introduced them in a way which didn't feel like info dumping, and I quite enjoyed the pace. Ultimately though, one of the most important things which made this book amazing was its characters. Veronyka was in her element now, and just watching her grow makes my heart full. I also really loved Tristan and her together🥺 I absolutely loved the fact that they're stronger together and they're relationship is very pure.
Along with them, all of the other side characters were also done extremely well, special mention to Sev and Kade, while I found Sev boring in book 1, he's slowly climbed his way upto the top. And of course, can't go without mentioning Elliot and Sparrow because they're so precious 🥺
I should think that Val as an antagonist worked really well and she was excellently done. The turmoil between both of them and their complicated relationship was astounding, and it made me cry because as much as Val wanted power, she did love Pheronia and Veronyka in her own twisted way, and that made me so emotional 🥺
Overall a job well done by Nicki, and I'll be sure to check out her future works ❤
October 27, 2025
I loved the character development in this one. It really felt like they had grown into themselves after everything that happened in the first two books. The relationships are complex, messy, and surprisingly tender at times, and that emotional depth was definitely the highlight for me.
That said, I did find myself a little bored in places. The story dragged more than I expected, and while the worldbuilding is still incredible, the pacing sometimes made it harder to stay fully invested. It’s one of those books where I loved being in the world, but didn’t always feel the pull to pick it back up right away.
Still, it’s a satisfying conclusion to a creative and underrated fantasy series. The character arcs and themes of loyalty, legacy, and identity carry it through, even when the action slows down. If you’ve made it this far in the series, it’s worth seeing it through to the end.
That said, I did find myself a little bored in places. The story dragged more than I expected, and while the worldbuilding is still incredible, the pacing sometimes made it harder to stay fully invested. It’s one of those books where I loved being in the world, but didn’t always feel the pull to pick it back up right away.
Still, it’s a satisfying conclusion to a creative and underrated fantasy series. The character arcs and themes of loyalty, legacy, and identity carry it through, even when the action slows down. If you’ve made it this far in the series, it’s worth seeing it through to the end.
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