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Crown of Feathers #1
Die Töchter der Phönixreiter
Einst wurde das Reich von Pyra von mächtigen Phönixreitern regiert. Bis der Krieg zwischen zwei königlichen Schwestern das Land zerriss.
16 Jahre später träumen die Kriegswaisen Veronyka und ihre ältere Schwester Val davon, selbst Phönixreiter zu werden. Doch als Val Veronyka aufs Schlimmste hintergeht, beschließt Veronyka, sich alleine auf die Suche nach den letzten verbliebenen Reitern zu machen. Auch wenn das bedeutet, dass sie sich als Junge verkleiden muss. Gerade als Veronyka das Gefühl hat, in den Reihen der Phönixreiter akzeptiert zu werden, kehrt Val zurück und enthüllt ein Netz aus Lügen, das alles für immer verändern wird.
16 Jahre später träumen die Kriegswaisen Veronyka und ihre ältere Schwester Val davon, selbst Phönixreiter zu werden. Doch als Val Veronyka aufs Schlimmste hintergeht, beschließt Veronyka, sich alleine auf die Suche nach den letzten verbliebenen Reitern zu machen. Auch wenn das bedeutet, dass sie sich als Junge verkleiden muss. Gerade als Veronyka das Gefühl hat, in den Reihen der Phönixreiter akzeptiert zu werden, kehrt Val zurück und enthüllt ein Netz aus Lügen, das alles für immer verändern wird.
604 pages, Hardcover
First published February 12, 2019
787 people are currently reading
53047 people want to read
About the author
Nicki Pau Preto
8 books1,682 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,485 reviews
April 4, 2021
Oh. My. Gosh.
I hate it. I hate it with a passion.
The pacing - mind numbingly slow.
The characters - horrendously predictable.
AND the entire plot HINGES on a series of completely unnecessary lies - the entire plot would be utterly gone if the people would stop lying about every little thing for like one freaking chapter.
just kill me now.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
August 24, 2019
well, isnt this just the most surprising adventure!? i mean, i had no idea phoenixes were what i needed in my life, but now i cant get enough!
its definitely the showcasing of this very under-appreciated magical beast that makes the story so unique. because to be honest, everything else is super familiar. i mean, this story is a YA fantasy trope lovers dream. you have the whole ‘those with magical abilities outcasted and enslaved.’ you can check off ‘girl pretends to be boy to live her best life.’ dont forget ‘tumultuous family dynamics that hide a darker secret.’ like i said, it had every classic trope you can think of.
did that stop me from enjoying this? not at all! i loved the phoenixes and i loved tristan. man, if the entire book had been just him and his phoenix, rex, i would have been soooo happy. i really enjoyed reading about their bond, but maybe thats because that was the only phoenix/rider bond that was portrayed throughout most of the book.
still, this is a fun and easily entertaining novel. i think interesting things are in store for the sequel, so im excited to see where this series goes!
↠ 3.5 stars
its definitely the showcasing of this very under-appreciated magical beast that makes the story so unique. because to be honest, everything else is super familiar. i mean, this story is a YA fantasy trope lovers dream. you have the whole ‘those with magical abilities outcasted and enslaved.’ you can check off ‘girl pretends to be boy to live her best life.’ dont forget ‘tumultuous family dynamics that hide a darker secret.’ like i said, it had every classic trope you can think of.
did that stop me from enjoying this? not at all! i loved the phoenixes and i loved tristan. man, if the entire book had been just him and his phoenix, rex, i would have been soooo happy. i really enjoyed reading about their bond, but maybe thats because that was the only phoenix/rider bond that was portrayed throughout most of the book.
still, this is a fun and easily entertaining novel. i think interesting things are in store for the sequel, so im excited to see where this series goes!
↠ 3.5 stars
September 18, 2019
Five Feather-Crowned Stars!
Plot: 4.5/5 Characters: 4.5/5 Writing: 5/5
When I realised that this book was not only about phoenixes but also phoenix riders I knew I had to read it. I probably love phoenixes just as much (or maybe even more) than I love dragons and I really hoped this book would do these ferocious, fiery creatures justice. It sure did. It probably increased my love for phoenixes tenfold. If I could, I would definitely become a phoenix rider without hesitation.
Crown of Feathers told the tale of a people still recovering from the aftermath of a brutal war and trying to live in peace in the face of oppression and discrimination.
Apart from the phoenixes, I loved the world building and the history of the novel. It was clear that the author took her time to fully flesh out her world and all that happened in it. I've seen other people complaining about there being too much info-dumping in the book which ruined their reading experience, however, I actually liked it. It didn't feel like info-dumping to me because the extra information was relavant to the story line and was actually really intriguing.
The plot was quite slow-paced and character-focused which was interesting but some parts felt a bit unnecessary and could have easily been taken out. The book was from three character perspectives which I think was handled pretty well.
16 years before the start of the book there was the Blood War between two sisters: Avalkyra and Pheronia. Avalkyra was an animage and a phoenix rider. After the war, animages were feared by the Empire and any known animages had to pay a tax or become a debt-bonded slave.
POV Characters:
☆ Veronyka was an animage who lived in hiding with her sister Val. Val's love for Veronyka was twisted and she showed it by controlling her life and never allowing her to settle in any place or form long lasting friendships with anyone- all apparently for Veronyka's own good. After having been betrayed by Val, Veronyka left her to join a group of phoenix riders. However, there was one problem: they only accepted boys and men. Therefore, Veronyka disguised herself as a boy to gain entry and fulfill her greatest wish of becoming a rider.
I liked Veronyka- she was definitely my favourite character and the POV character I connected the most with. She was brave and strong without hurting or controlling people, she was compassionate and would never force an animal to do something for her, she would just kindly request. Despite everything that had happened, she was always full of hope that the future would hold better things and her determination to make that future happen knew no bounds. Out of all of the POVs, she seemed to get the most, 'screen time' which was good because her story was fascinating but it also would have been good to give the other two perspectives more time to develop.
☆ Tristan was an animage and an apprentice phoenix rider who was the son of the commander of the phoenix riders. He never felt like he was good enough for his father because no matter how well he did his father would always pick out the one thing he had done wrong and make him suffer for it. I thought he was a kind and understanding character. He valued honesty and tried his best to change the things he thought were wrong. However, he was the POV character I felt the most distant from and it was harder for me to empathise with his emotions in comparison to the other characters. Also, I feel like his relationship with his phoenix could have been portrayed better.
☆ Sev was an animage in hiding who was a soldier for the empire. His parents were phoenix riders who had died in an attack when he was young and ever since that tragic event, Sev spent his life running away from who he was and living in fear. He buried his animage identity deep in favour of living in peace and out of slavery while his fellow animages suffered. During the book, his character develops so much and he realises the importance of having people he belonged with and people he would do anything to protect. He realised that instead of hiding his identity he should embrace it and use it to help others like him. I found him to be a really interesting character and I wish we got to see his perspective more in the book. Also, his relationship with Kade was so briefly mentioned and never got time to develop which is something I hope happens in the next book.
I know this book wasn't perfect in every way but I enjoyed reading it so, so much. What really differentiates a four star book from a five star book for me is the emotions it evokes from me. Whilst I was reading it, every plot twist shocked me to the core (there were so many and I didn't predict some of them!) and I felt the pain, sorrow, happiness and anger of the characters as if it were my own. Crown of Feathers was a truly magical read for me and deserves five fiery, feather-crowned stars!
Thank you to Black & White Publishing and Nicki Pau Preto for providing me with a digital arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The quotes I used are from an arc of the book and may change upon publication.
PS: If you're a fellow phoenix/dragon fan, let me know in the comments!
This review and more can be found at Sereadipity.
Plot: 4.5/5 Characters: 4.5/5 Writing: 5/5
When I realised that this book was not only about phoenixes but also phoenix riders I knew I had to read it. I probably love phoenixes just as much (or maybe even more) than I love dragons and I really hoped this book would do these ferocious, fiery creatures justice. It sure did. It probably increased my love for phoenixes tenfold. If I could, I would definitely become a phoenix rider without hesitation.
"Like poetry on wings, soaring through ash and flame"
Crown of Feathers told the tale of a people still recovering from the aftermath of a brutal war and trying to live in peace in the face of oppression and discrimination.
Apart from the phoenixes, I loved the world building and the history of the novel. It was clear that the author took her time to fully flesh out her world and all that happened in it. I've seen other people complaining about there being too much info-dumping in the book which ruined their reading experience, however, I actually liked it. It didn't feel like info-dumping to me because the extra information was relavant to the story line and was actually really intriguing.
The plot was quite slow-paced and character-focused which was interesting but some parts felt a bit unnecessary and could have easily been taken out. The book was from three character perspectives which I think was handled pretty well.
"I am a daughter of death....From the ashes I rose, like a phoenix from the pyre"
16 years before the start of the book there was the Blood War between two sisters: Avalkyra and Pheronia. Avalkyra was an animage and a phoenix rider. After the war, animages were feared by the Empire and any known animages had to pay a tax or become a debt-bonded slave.
POV Characters:
☆ Veronyka was an animage who lived in hiding with her sister Val. Val's love for Veronyka was twisted and she showed it by controlling her life and never allowing her to settle in any place or form long lasting friendships with anyone- all apparently for Veronyka's own good. After having been betrayed by Val, Veronyka left her to join a group of phoenix riders. However, there was one problem: they only accepted boys and men. Therefore, Veronyka disguised herself as a boy to gain entry and fulfill her greatest wish of becoming a rider.
I liked Veronyka- she was definitely my favourite character and the POV character I connected the most with. She was brave and strong without hurting or controlling people, she was compassionate and would never force an animal to do something for her, she would just kindly request. Despite everything that had happened, she was always full of hope that the future would hold better things and her determination to make that future happen knew no bounds. Out of all of the POVs, she seemed to get the most, 'screen time' which was good because her story was fascinating but it also would have been good to give the other two perspectives more time to develop.
"Some families you were born into. Others you made along the way."
☆ Tristan was an animage and an apprentice phoenix rider who was the son of the commander of the phoenix riders. He never felt like he was good enough for his father because no matter how well he did his father would always pick out the one thing he had done wrong and make him suffer for it. I thought he was a kind and understanding character. He valued honesty and tried his best to change the things he thought were wrong. However, he was the POV character I felt the most distant from and it was harder for me to empathise with his emotions in comparison to the other characters. Also, I feel like his relationship with his phoenix could have been portrayed better.
☆ Sev was an animage in hiding who was a soldier for the empire. His parents were phoenix riders who had died in an attack when he was young and ever since that tragic event, Sev spent his life running away from who he was and living in fear. He buried his animage identity deep in favour of living in peace and out of slavery while his fellow animages suffered. During the book, his character develops so much and he realises the importance of having people he belonged with and people he would do anything to protect. He realised that instead of hiding his identity he should embrace it and use it to help others like him. I found him to be a really interesting character and I wish we got to see his perspective more in the book. Also, his relationship with Kade was so briefly mentioned and never got time to develop which is something I hope happens in the next book.
I know this book wasn't perfect in every way but I enjoyed reading it so, so much. What really differentiates a four star book from a five star book for me is the emotions it evokes from me. Whilst I was reading it, every plot twist shocked me to the core (there were so many and I didn't predict some of them!) and I felt the pain, sorrow, happiness and anger of the characters as if it were my own. Crown of Feathers was a truly magical read for me and deserves five fiery, feather-crowned stars!
Thank you to Black & White Publishing and Nicki Pau Preto for providing me with a digital arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The quotes I used are from an arc of the book and may change upon publication.
PS: If you're a fellow phoenix/dragon fan, let me know in the comments!
This review and more can be found at Sereadipity.
June 2, 2020
5 stars
Wow. It wasn’t perfect, the beginning was an info dump—but this was amazing, and one of the best series openers I’ve read recently in YA fantasy.
World Building: ★★★★★
Characters/Character Arcs: ★★★★
Readability: ★★ 1/2
Plot: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Crown of Feathers is impressive, but it is not for the casual YA fantasy reader. I enjoy reading dense fantasy fiction and I had a hard time connecting to the first 100 pages.
Veronyka and her sister, Val, are two animages on the run from the current anti-magic empire. An animage is a magic user who can connect with animals, and more importantly, can connect with phoenixes. In this world, there used to be a caste of people called the Phoenix Riders who bonded with phoenixes and created their own flying warrior race. However, when we meet Veronyka and Val, the Phoenix Riders are gone.
In addition to Veronyka and Val's life on the run, we're also introduced to these series of letters, historical documents, and other writings interspersed throughout the novel that allude to the past queens who ruled the contested land. These two sisters were the ones who catapulted the empire into chaos and conflict, and led to the current political climate. This past plot line was incredibly confusing at the beginning (and let's be honest, the middle, too) but it did connect by the end.
While I was under the impression that Crown of Feathers would be a sister/sister bonding book, the real plot is quite different and involves multiple POVs.
Veronyka embarks on a quest to find surviving phoenixes, and finds herself at the heart of a rebel band of Phoenix Riders trying to reclaim their power. This section of the book felt similar to other YA books that deal with training camps, magical schools, etc. Veronyka learns more about phoenixes, the history of the conflict, and works toward becoming a Rider herself.
Sev is an animage in hiding, currently a soldier in the empire working to destroy the remnants of his people. His plot line is interesting and deals with the empire's frame of mind, but honestly I think he'll be a much more rewarding character in the second installment.
Tristan is an apprenticing Phoenix Rider in the rebel camp. He is the son of the camp's commander. His plot line was much more interesting than Sev's, mainly because he actually interacted with Veronyka and had a more central role in the primary plot.
Things I loved: The world building, the lack of romance for most of the book—let's be real, it is alluded to and is coming—the interesting role of gender in the present and past plot lines, and the sheer enjoyment I got from reading it. Crown of Feathers reminded me what it is I like about YA fantasy.
Things I didn't like: This probably won't bother others, but I did not appreciate the "boy's only" club that the Phoenix Riders had in the rebel camp. It was very clearly a form of oppression, and was messily addressed at the end. Hoping it is cleared up in the next book.
Recommended for anyone and everyone who reads YA fantasy. This was glorious.
Blog | Instagram
Wow. It wasn’t perfect, the beginning was an info dump—but this was amazing, and one of the best series openers I’ve read recently in YA fantasy.
World Building: ★★★★★
Characters/Character Arcs: ★★★★
Readability: ★★ 1/2
Plot: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Crown of Feathers is impressive, but it is not for the casual YA fantasy reader. I enjoy reading dense fantasy fiction and I had a hard time connecting to the first 100 pages.
Veronyka and her sister, Val, are two animages on the run from the current anti-magic empire. An animage is a magic user who can connect with animals, and more importantly, can connect with phoenixes. In this world, there used to be a caste of people called the Phoenix Riders who bonded with phoenixes and created their own flying warrior race. However, when we meet Veronyka and Val, the Phoenix Riders are gone.
In addition to Veronyka and Val's life on the run, we're also introduced to these series of letters, historical documents, and other writings interspersed throughout the novel that allude to the past queens who ruled the contested land. These two sisters were the ones who catapulted the empire into chaos and conflict, and led to the current political climate. This past plot line was incredibly confusing at the beginning (and let's be honest, the middle, too) but it did connect by the end.
While I was under the impression that Crown of Feathers would be a sister/sister bonding book, the real plot is quite different and involves multiple POVs.
Veronyka embarks on a quest to find surviving phoenixes, and finds herself at the heart of a rebel band of Phoenix Riders trying to reclaim their power. This section of the book felt similar to other YA books that deal with training camps, magical schools, etc. Veronyka learns more about phoenixes, the history of the conflict, and works toward becoming a Rider herself.
Sev is an animage in hiding, currently a soldier in the empire working to destroy the remnants of his people. His plot line is interesting and deals with the empire's frame of mind, but honestly I think he'll be a much more rewarding character in the second installment.
Tristan is an apprenticing Phoenix Rider in the rebel camp. He is the son of the camp's commander. His plot line was much more interesting than Sev's, mainly because he actually interacted with Veronyka and had a more central role in the primary plot.
Things I loved: The world building, the lack of romance for most of the book—let's be real, it is alluded to and is coming—the interesting role of gender in the present and past plot lines, and the sheer enjoyment I got from reading it. Crown of Feathers reminded me what it is I like about YA fantasy.
Things I didn't like: This probably won't bother others, but I did not appreciate the "boy's only" club that the Phoenix Riders had in the rebel camp. It was very clearly a form of oppression, and was messily addressed at the end. Hoping it is cleared up in the next book.
Recommended for anyone and everyone who reads YA fantasy. This was glorious.
Blog | Instagram
February 10, 2020
Crown of Feathers is a YA fantasy centered around 2 sisters in a land once ruled by phoenix riders.
I almost DNF'ed this book at 25%, in fact i did stop and read another book instead before picking it back up!
I was really interested in the concept going in and the first couple of chapters were pretty good but after that the story slowed and started to drag. It is pretty heavy on the description which i'm not the biggest fan of but i am really glad i stuck with this. Around the half way point this started to really pick up and i was a lot more engaged in the story. I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks and thought that telling another story through letters was a really clever idea and done incredibly well.
The world building was excellent and the world itself had a rich and fascinating history that really added depth to the story.
I liked the characters for the most part but i didn't really love any of them. I was really enjoyed Veronyka's and Tristan's story lines but found Sev's to be a little dull at first but far more interesting in his last 3 or 4 chapters.
If you're a fan of YA Fantasy you might like this but do persevere through the first quarter!
I almost DNF'ed this book at 25%, in fact i did stop and read another book instead before picking it back up!
I was really interested in the concept going in and the first couple of chapters were pretty good but after that the story slowed and started to drag. It is pretty heavy on the description which i'm not the biggest fan of but i am really glad i stuck with this. Around the half way point this started to really pick up and i was a lot more engaged in the story. I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks and thought that telling another story through letters was a really clever idea and done incredibly well.
The world building was excellent and the world itself had a rich and fascinating history that really added depth to the story.
I liked the characters for the most part but i didn't really love any of them. I was really enjoyed Veronyka's and Tristan's story lines but found Sev's to be a little dull at first but far more interesting in his last 3 or 4 chapters.
If you're a fan of YA Fantasy you might like this but do persevere through the first quarter!
May 23, 2019
DNF @ 36%
Crown of Feathers has a cool concept on the surface, the cover is beautiful and (eek!) cute phoenixes. Unfortunately that’s where the excitement ends in this one. I found the plot to be typical, the characters undeveloped and overall the tone of the writing to lack excitement.
Characters
There is really nothing more important than characters having strong personalities when they are the POV. We have the POV of three major characters (lead female and two male). Each of these POVs are unique and eventually intersect with one another in some way. However in all three instances I felt like the characters were archetypes and not really 'real' people. They lacked authenticity and were very two dimensional. Whether it was their anger, grief or frustration that drove their actions I felt too much like I had to be told what a character felt and not enough like I really 'felt' what they were feeling.
Plot
So sub in phoenix for dragon or magic and you pretty much have the standard teen plot for a fantasy novel. Crown of Feathers is a girl who wishes to learn to fly (and obtain) a phoenix and become one of the historic (but banned from the current empire) Phoenix Riders. So of course there is training, love interests along the way, struggle with lost or dead family members, etc. All very standard themes for the average fantasy lead. Especially the dead parents. What is the obsession with orphans in teen literature? Do we just not want to have the complication of adults telling our characters what to do?
Overall
I really wanted there to be some magic to this book. The use of a phoenix (over a dragon) hasn't been overdone and I felt like there was a cool opportunity here to talk about reincarnation/resurrection, properties of fire, and personalities of a phoenix. And while Nicki Pau Preto does touch on these three items it just wasn't enough to keep me reading. There is a lack of narrative that made me excited. I honestly felt like I was falling into a slump every time I picked this one up. Twice I even found myself avoiding reading because I didn't really want to pick this up, which is terrifying! Looking at other reviewers comments on Crown of Feathers I decided there was unlikely to be anything worth continuing on for. So I am content to let this one go and not even find out which of our two men (as I assume it becomes a love triangle, ugh) the heroine ends up with.
Although the opening couple chapters still have me wanting a baby phoenix; because baby phoenix!
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Crown of Feathers has a cool concept on the surface, the cover is beautiful and (eek!) cute phoenixes. Unfortunately that’s where the excitement ends in this one. I found the plot to be typical, the characters undeveloped and overall the tone of the writing to lack excitement.
Characters
There is really nothing more important than characters having strong personalities when they are the POV. We have the POV of three major characters (lead female and two male). Each of these POVs are unique and eventually intersect with one another in some way. However in all three instances I felt like the characters were archetypes and not really 'real' people. They lacked authenticity and were very two dimensional. Whether it was their anger, grief or frustration that drove their actions I felt too much like I had to be told what a character felt and not enough like I really 'felt' what they were feeling.
Plot
So sub in phoenix for dragon or magic and you pretty much have the standard teen plot for a fantasy novel. Crown of Feathers is a girl who wishes to learn to fly (and obtain) a phoenix and become one of the historic (but banned from the current empire) Phoenix Riders. So of course there is training, love interests along the way, struggle with lost or dead family members, etc. All very standard themes for the average fantasy lead. Especially the dead parents. What is the obsession with orphans in teen literature? Do we just not want to have the complication of adults telling our characters what to do?
Overall
I really wanted there to be some magic to this book. The use of a phoenix (over a dragon) hasn't been overdone and I felt like there was a cool opportunity here to talk about reincarnation/resurrection, properties of fire, and personalities of a phoenix. And while Nicki Pau Preto does touch on these three items it just wasn't enough to keep me reading. There is a lack of narrative that made me excited. I honestly felt like I was falling into a slump every time I picked this one up. Twice I even found myself avoiding reading because I didn't really want to pick this up, which is terrifying! Looking at other reviewers comments on Crown of Feathers I decided there was unlikely to be anything worth continuing on for. So I am content to let this one go and not even find out which of our two men (as I assume it becomes a love triangle, ugh) the heroine ends up with.
Although the opening couple chapters still have me wanting a baby phoenix; because baby phoenix!
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
October 21, 2023
Huge disappointment!
I've so rarely come across books with/about phoenixes that the expectations were too high. Although it's just young-adult, I was hoping it would be a good kind of. But despite interesting premises the story is predictable and full of cliches. And the main character, along with a bunch of side characters, are super annoying and dumb.
In general, seems like author spent too much time on a worldbuilding (there's a lot of info on a history and mythology of this fantasy world) and too little time on the plot and characters' development.
I've so rarely come across books with/about phoenixes that the expectations were too high. Although it's just young-adult, I was hoping it would be a good kind of. But despite interesting premises the story is predictable and full of cliches. And the main character, along with a bunch of side characters, are super annoying and dumb.
In general, seems like author spent too much time on a worldbuilding (there's a lot of info on a history and mythology of this fantasy world) and too little time on the plot and characters' development.
January 29, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Two sisters rip apart an empire through war and to find peace the Phoenix Riders must be buried. 16 years later, Veronyka dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider with her controlling sister. After a shocking betrayal she sets out alone to follow rumors of the riders and to join them even if it means dressing as a boy. Veronyka is not the only one pursuing rumors, so is the new empire and they mean to wipe out the riders once and for all.
The short review...
I took out some of the spoilers in the premise... I hadn't read it again after the first time I read it way back so when I went to read Crown of Feathers I really didn't have a clue about it except PHOENIX RIDERS!!
I am a total fangirl of paranormal creatures and phoenix are right up there with dragons and griffin... the best thing about Crown of Feathers is I wasn't disappointed in the phoenix! They about rip your heart out and makes for a powerful part of Veronyka's story. I love getting to explore creature world building... how are they born, what do they eat, how are they taken care of... all of this and more is explored and we get a really good sense of phoenix as creatures that bond with a rider.
And I was totally invested from that beginning betrayal. Veronyka is a bit of a dreamy character who isn't allowed to grow up due to her controlling sister. And because she doesn't have to take care of much of anything she isn't as observant as she should be. She's a kind soul though and has developed skills that will serve her well despite all of her sister's domination. At first I wondered if I would come to dislike Veronyka since I found her sister quite intriguing with her morally gray personality. Once I accepted the kind of girl Veronyka is I was able to bond with her and root for her dream to come true.
Cover & Title grade -> A-
The art is not the absolute best... I wish I could see the girl on the back of the phoenix better, but the phoenix itself was stellar! You know what Crown of Feathers is going to be about and there is no need to dress it up beyond that. As a graphic designer I just don't love the typography of the title... but its serviceable and doesn't detract from the phoenix, which is most important.
Why is Crown of Feathers a GREAT start to a new epic YA fantasy?
-The multiple POVs!
Many don't enjoy more than 2 points of view and in Crown of Feathers we get 3! I actually found the story a lot more well rounded getting all three.
Tristan gives us a really great view of the Phoenix Riders and their situation. Of all the POVs we could have easily done without his. I'm glad his was included though... learning the little details about the riders through him felt more organic to the story. I also loved seeing his relationship with Veronyka grow from friendship to perhaps more.
Sev is the third POV and there were pages that were NOT as exciting as the other two characters... but the more I read the more essential his part of the story felt as a whole. This has a political aspect that is shown through Sev and the characters he meets and it adds a lot of tension to the story. I also found the way his character grows quite compelling compared to Tristan.
There is also this other quasi-POV we are seeing of the war that lead up to the current events. It's quite reflective of what has happened between Veronyka and her sister and the entire time you are wondering what this has to do with the story. It all comes together in the end and it blows you away!
-The world building!
Phoenix!! Riders! Bonds!! There are also wild phoenix... an unethical situation involving them and a magnificent battle too. We get to see a baby hatch too!
There are actually more than just phoenix to this world... there is also the magic! Animages are people who can connect to animals and control them. Phoenix are a subset of this idea but sense they are sentient it is a little different. I really loved how animages worked and how it connected to the phoenix as well. There is also shadow magic. At this point its quite simple and I hope it becomes more complex in the later books but its used to great effect in Veronyka and her sister's lives.
There are also a slew of characters I haven't mentioned that I quite came to admire... Trix, Kade, Cassian, Sparrow! They all add so much through there roles and parts in Crown of Feathers.
-The sisters!
Veronyka's sister is quite an important character as we come to see through the story... And I loved that! I became worried that the sister relationship wasn't going to be the focus of Crown of Feathers and for a while I was really disappointed in that. I love relationships that are more than just lovers and that was why I read this book... so I am pleased to say that Val will blow your mind... you sense it in the beginning and she comes through by the end.
As a Writer...
Many who read Crown of Feathers may wonder why we don't follow Veronyka's sister's POV. She's morally gray, badass in every form of the word and totally independent. Too independent. There is no way Val would have worked with any of the people Veronyka did. It's okay that Veronyka is a little more clueless than her sister because then she wants to belong, she willingly relies on others and she thinks about others besides herself.
Actually I quite like the differences between Veronyka and Val and applaud the author's choice to go with such different sisters.
Crown of Feathers is a fascinating start to a new epic fantasy in a world of phoenix riders, animages and an empire who won't leave either alone! Two sisters find their lives interwoven in this battle for survival and their relationship struggles under the burden. With the help of new friends one sisters finds a place to belong while to other takes the battle on alone.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
November 15, 2018
This was everything I could have asked for in a book. This is the best debut book I’ve read ever. I can't even right now.
Full Review on my blog! - Full review contains spoilers~
Omg. I LOVE this book. The world building, vivid descriptions, the compelling and complex characters, the bond between the phoenixes and their riders, romance and history of the Phoenix Riders, and backstory, was on point. There are a few different POV's but they're easy to follow, also, at the end of each chapter we get an insight to what Avalkyra Ashfire is thinking, which I'm just realizing now after re-reading the ones I highlighted.
It was just perfect, it was everything. It's going to take me a while to get over this one. This is easily the best debut book I’ve read this year. I cant wait to read more from this author!
I'll be honest, some parts were a little confusing, but you HAVE to read til the end, everything will make sense, because the freaking EPILOGUE literally ties the book together, it's so cleaver and perfect.... did I mention PERFECT? It's going to really hard for me not to spoil anything... argghhh
When Veronyka's 'sister' Val comes home with two phoenovo (Phoenix eggs) only one makes it, and it bonds with Veronyka instead, and not Val, who was the one raising it during incubation. Val isn't happy when that happens, she completely changes, she feels angry and cheated, because she wanted the phoenix to be hers... and we get to see why, later in the book.
But, certain events occur, that make Veronyka not want to be around Val, so she leaves her sister in search of more eggs, and other animages (animal magic; people who can control animals with magic), but she isn’t allowed to join them to train to be a rider.
Why?
Because she’s a girl, and at the time there were hardly any eggs left so they only let the boys train, so Veronyka disguises herself as a boy, and calls herself Nyk.
Mhmm that's all I'm going to say... and judging from the epilogue, there's going to be a book two, and it's going to be epic. YOU NEED TO GET THIS. I highly recommend it!
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Full Review on my blog! - Full review contains spoilers~
Omg. I LOVE this book. The world building, vivid descriptions, the compelling and complex characters, the bond between the phoenixes and their riders, romance and history of the Phoenix Riders, and backstory, was on point. There are a few different POV's but they're easy to follow, also, at the end of each chapter we get an insight to what Avalkyra Ashfire is thinking, which I'm just realizing now after re-reading the ones I highlighted.
It was just perfect, it was everything. It's going to take me a while to get over this one. This is easily the best debut book I’ve read this year. I cant wait to read more from this author!
I'll be honest, some parts were a little confusing, but you HAVE to read til the end, everything will make sense, because the freaking EPILOGUE literally ties the book together, it's so cleaver and perfect.... did I mention PERFECT? It's going to really hard for me not to spoil anything... argghhh
When Veronyka's 'sister' Val comes home with two phoenovo (Phoenix eggs) only one makes it, and it bonds with Veronyka instead, and not Val, who was the one raising it during incubation. Val isn't happy when that happens, she completely changes, she feels angry and cheated, because she wanted the phoenix to be hers... and we get to see why, later in the book.
But, certain events occur, that make Veronyka not want to be around Val, so she leaves her sister in search of more eggs, and other animages (animal magic; people who can control animals with magic), but she isn’t allowed to join them to train to be a rider.
Why?
Because she’s a girl, and at the time there were hardly any eggs left so they only let the boys train, so Veronyka disguises herself as a boy, and calls herself Nyk.
Mhmm that's all I'm going to say... and judging from the epilogue, there's going to be a book two, and it's going to be epic. YOU NEED TO GET THIS. I highly recommend it!
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May 3, 2019
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto is the first book in the young adult fantasy series by the same name. This series takes readers into a world in which the Phoenix exist and introduces the warriors that ride them. The story is told from the multiple points of view of Veronyka, Sev and Tristan.
Veronyka is what is known as an animage who has the ability to communicate with animals. Since the end of the blood war animages have been in hiding and with a lack of Phoenix eggs the once mighty Phoenix warriors are no more but during her years of hiding with her sister, Val, Veronyka wants nothing more than to become a Phoenix rider.
While Sev is also an animage he has hidden his abilities right in front empire by becoming one of their soldiers. The empire has ruled since the blood war and would stop at nothing to wipe out the animage and riders. Meanwhile, Tristan is part of the small rebellion of Phoenix riders left in the world and along with Veronyka and Sev all three are on a path to bring them together.
I will be the first to admit being a bit hesitant picking up Crown of Feathers thinking oh boy another lengthy fantasy at close to five hundred pages but instead of my usual slow and boring rant this one shows why I continue taking a chance. While there might have been a tad bit of a slow start with this one it continued to add to the world, story and characters to keep me entertained. In the end I’ll definitely be looking forward to book two while rating this opener at 4 1/2 stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Veronyka is what is known as an animage who has the ability to communicate with animals. Since the end of the blood war animages have been in hiding and with a lack of Phoenix eggs the once mighty Phoenix warriors are no more but during her years of hiding with her sister, Val, Veronyka wants nothing more than to become a Phoenix rider.
While Sev is also an animage he has hidden his abilities right in front empire by becoming one of their soldiers. The empire has ruled since the blood war and would stop at nothing to wipe out the animage and riders. Meanwhile, Tristan is part of the small rebellion of Phoenix riders left in the world and along with Veronyka and Sev all three are on a path to bring them together.
I will be the first to admit being a bit hesitant picking up Crown of Feathers thinking oh boy another lengthy fantasy at close to five hundred pages but instead of my usual slow and boring rant this one shows why I continue taking a chance. While there might have been a tad bit of a slow start with this one it continued to add to the world, story and characters to keep me entertained. In the end I’ll definitely be looking forward to book two while rating this opener at 4 1/2 stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 7, 2019
The digital arc of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ website in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked:
- The diversity in this book was great and it felt natural;
- The initial ideas and worldbuilding were fascinating; I'd really like to see more books featuring phoenixes.
What I didn't like:
- The info-dumping was very frequent and interrupted the flow of the story; sometimes pretty much the same things were repeated from different POVs and it got annoying very quickly;
- The characters were flat and almost interchangeable; the romance, by extent, I also couldn't care about.
- The book was way too long in general and the plot lost any momentum it could've gained by dragging every plot line for way too long.
What I liked:
- The diversity in this book was great and it felt natural;
- The initial ideas and worldbuilding were fascinating; I'd really like to see more books featuring phoenixes.
What I didn't like:
- The info-dumping was very frequent and interrupted the flow of the story; sometimes pretty much the same things were repeated from different POVs and it got annoying very quickly;
- The characters were flat and almost interchangeable; the romance, by extent, I also couldn't care about.
- The book was way too long in general and the plot lost any momentum it could've gained by dragging every plot line for way too long.
November 24, 2023
Second Read
This remains one HELL of an epic fantasy. I did this reread as audio instead of my physical copy, and it was incredible. Everything I loved still hits the same, and my one complaint about the beginning still stands, despite how necessary it is.
First Read
I was fortunate enough to meet Nicki Pau Preto at the Cassandra Clare signing last weekend in Vancouver (read kind of accidentally ambushed her on the way out of the bathroom). At the time I was halfway through Crown of Feathers and loving it, and I had to tell her that. She was very kind and gracious, so I'm going to say it was a good thing I was only halfway through the book then. Because I'm pretty sure my reaction when I finished this would have scared the crap out of her. THIS WAS AMAZING!!
Overall this was a solid debut and a fantastic fantasy to sink your teeth into. The story is divided into three points of view. Veronyka—an animage slash shadowmage who wants nothing more than to be a phoenix rider but struggles after being under her sister's thumb for so long. Tristan—a phoenix rider who is trying to be worthy of his position and prove to his father that he can be a good leader. And Sev—an animage in hiding as an empire soldier who battles with figuring out who he is and where he fits in. Primarily the story is told through Veronyka's eyes, with Tristan building upon it and Sev bringing up the rear with his own plot line. This novel is heavy with themes of community and having a place to belong that build and spur this story on.
The world built by Pau Preto is lush and big. A small warning to you that the beginning of this book is quite a bit of info-dumping that could be toned down. One line of dialogue followed by a page of background information was a bit much at times. Looking back though, it proves how expansive this fantasy is. The history, the queens of old, and phoenix riders of lore, the women who carried it all on their shoulders; all of it is absolutely fascinating. There is a thick vein of feminism and sisterhood throughout it all that makes it even more entrancing. I love the concept of phoenix riders in this story and how it was executed. Phoenixes aren't used much, in my opinion, and they were utilized to perfection in this. The magic system seems to be well-thought out and has a lot more to explore in the next book.
I thought this was incredible story-telling. Yes, as I said, it was a wee bit info-dumpy in the beginning, but it balanced itself out and I found myself glad for the information given. However, it is clear that this is a well-thought out tale with a hell of a lot of room to grow. The synopsis mentions a betrayal that splits the sisters apart, and good grief was it crushing. I made the mistake of reading that particular chapter before bed and was left rather distraught on behalf of Veronyka. It had to happen, but wow. You gotta read it to know. This story blew me away in the last half. Plot twists came fast and furious that left me reeling and looking at the certain characters, past actions—the story as a whole, damn it—completely different. A large chunk of the end of the book is devoted to a battle scene, and considering how long it was you'd think it'd be dragged out and boring. WRONG! Everything that happened served a purpose, either for the plot, character development or future twists. It was easy to follow and well written, which deserves a star all on its own.
The "girl pretending to be a boy" trope is one of my absolute favourites, and in looking at my shelf I am shocked to find I don't actively seek out more of these stories. In asking myself why I enjoy it so much, perhaps it's because it makes me feel so proudly feminist to see a girl playing alongside the boys who said she couldn't do it, right under their noses. And more often than not she does it better than the boys, and it makes my heart sing. Or maybe I love it so much because I get to laugh each and every time at how stupid boys are sometimes. Apparently all it takes for someone to pass as a boy for them is a shaved head and no boobs. No one questions the lack of a deep or cracking voice, the no need to shave, etc. Cracks me up every time.
This remains one HELL of an epic fantasy. I did this reread as audio instead of my physical copy, and it was incredible. Everything I loved still hits the same, and my one complaint about the beginning still stands, despite how necessary it is.
First Read
I was fortunate enough to meet Nicki Pau Preto at the Cassandra Clare signing last weekend in Vancouver (read kind of accidentally ambushed her on the way out of the bathroom). At the time I was halfway through Crown of Feathers and loving it, and I had to tell her that. She was very kind and gracious, so I'm going to say it was a good thing I was only halfway through the book then. Because I'm pretty sure my reaction when I finished this would have scared the crap out of her. THIS WAS AMAZING!!
Overall this was a solid debut and a fantastic fantasy to sink your teeth into. The story is divided into three points of view. Veronyka—an animage slash shadowmage who wants nothing more than to be a phoenix rider but struggles after being under her sister's thumb for so long. Tristan—a phoenix rider who is trying to be worthy of his position and prove to his father that he can be a good leader. And Sev—an animage in hiding as an empire soldier who battles with figuring out who he is and where he fits in. Primarily the story is told through Veronyka's eyes, with Tristan building upon it and Sev bringing up the rear with his own plot line. This novel is heavy with themes of community and having a place to belong that build and spur this story on.
The world built by Pau Preto is lush and big. A small warning to you that the beginning of this book is quite a bit of info-dumping that could be toned down. One line of dialogue followed by a page of background information was a bit much at times. Looking back though, it proves how expansive this fantasy is. The history, the queens of old, and phoenix riders of lore, the women who carried it all on their shoulders; all of it is absolutely fascinating. There is a thick vein of feminism and sisterhood throughout it all that makes it even more entrancing. I love the concept of phoenix riders in this story and how it was executed. Phoenixes aren't used much, in my opinion, and they were utilized to perfection in this. The magic system seems to be well-thought out and has a lot more to explore in the next book.
I thought this was incredible story-telling. Yes, as I said, it was a wee bit info-dumpy in the beginning, but it balanced itself out and I found myself glad for the information given. However, it is clear that this is a well-thought out tale with a hell of a lot of room to grow. The synopsis mentions a betrayal that splits the sisters apart, and good grief was it crushing. I made the mistake of reading that particular chapter before bed and was left rather distraught on behalf of Veronyka. It had to happen, but wow. You gotta read it to know. This story blew me away in the last half. Plot twists came fast and furious that left me reeling and looking at the certain characters, past actions—the story as a whole, damn it—completely different. A large chunk of the end of the book is devoted to a battle scene, and considering how long it was you'd think it'd be dragged out and boring. WRONG! Everything that happened served a purpose, either for the plot, character development or future twists. It was easy to follow and well written, which deserves a star all on its own.
The "girl pretending to be a boy" trope is one of my absolute favourites, and in looking at my shelf I am shocked to find I don't actively seek out more of these stories. In asking myself why I enjoy it so much, perhaps it's because it makes me feel so proudly feminist to see a girl playing alongside the boys who said she couldn't do it, right under their noses. And more often than not she does it better than the boys, and it makes my heart sing. Or maybe I love it so much because I get to laugh each and every time at how stupid boys are sometimes. Apparently all it takes for someone to pass as a boy for them is a shaved head and no boobs. No one questions the lack of a deep or cracking voice, the no need to shave, etc. Cracks me up every time.
February 11, 2019
My Video Review:
https://youtu.be/jHpJd5Op9oM
At first, I wasn’t going to do a review, but I think I might film one now. This is interesting because I had some big problems with pacing, but I ended up having a fun time and enjoying the drama despite the first 50-ish pages being a huge info dump. Like, a dump so bad that you turn the AC off in the car when you’re near it. I’ll leave a link to the review and leave a rating when the review goes up!
https://youtu.be/jHpJd5Op9oM
At first, I wasn’t going to do a review, but I think I might film one now. This is interesting because I had some big problems with pacing, but I ended up having a fun time and enjoying the drama despite the first 50-ish pages being a huge info dump. Like, a dump so bad that you turn the AC off in the car when you’re near it. I’ll leave a link to the review and leave a rating when the review goes up!
March 4, 2019
I have only one thing to say: the book does start slow, and soon you’ll drown in historical details and characters. It’s really hard to keep up in the beginning, it’s not an easy read. I compared it to Game of Thrones and I stick to this comparison. I kept reading because I did too with the Game of Thrones series and ended up loving it, so I gave Crown of Feathers a chance... And I’m so happy I did, so much was happening, I wasn’t able to stop reading it! With all the action, the info didn’t seem to bother me as much as in the beginning of the book. And now I can’t wait for book 2!!!
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for my e-copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for my e-copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2018
5 FIERY STARS
Praises from NYT bestselling authors:
WHY DID I READ THIS EARLY, NOW I HAVE TO WAIT LONGER FOR BOOK 2 DAMN IT!!
PLOT - 4.5
WRITING STYLE - 5
CHARACTERS - 5
ROMANCE - 5
UNPUTDOWNABLE LEVEL - 5
EPIC. GORGEOUS. RIVETING.
There are so many things I love about this book; the rich and vibrant world-building, the vivid descriptions especially of the phoenixes, the compelling and complex characters, the bond between the phoenixes and their riders, the almost lowkey romance (has potential to be more swoonworthy in book two) I can go on and on but I don’t want to spoil! You guys have to experience this book. It’s one of those books that leaves-awesomeness-behind!
A little warning, there's information overload. Bits and pieces of the past were inserted in the beginning of every chapter. It's a struggle at first, but I didn't really mind because the writing style and the story itself were interesting.
P.S. My copy is an uncorrected/ARC version and the paragraphs are not properly indented (making it a bit hard to read) BUT. I. STILL. READ. IT. AND. LOVED. IT. Can’t wait to read the well-formatted version on its release date!
So far, this is officially my top favorite debut this 2018. I NEED THE SEQUEL SO BAD I WANNA CRY :((((
”From the ashes I rose, like a phoenix from the pyre.”
Praises from NYT bestselling authors:
"A fierce and incendiary tale of warrior women, sisterhood, and the choices that define us, all set in a soaring new world that readers will fall in love with. I couldn’t put it down."
— Lisa Maxwell, author of the Last Magician series
"The unique and imaginative world of the Phoenix Riders had my rapt attention from the first sentence. Nicki Pau Preto is a bright new talent, and I can't wait to read more!"
— Morgan Rhodes, author of the Falling Kingdoms series
Crown of Feathers is a feast of magic, action, and romance. An immersive, deeply satisfying fantasy that will stay with you long after the story is finished. Nicki Pau Preto is an author to watch!
— From Elly Blake, author of FROSTBLOOD
WHY DID I READ THIS EARLY, NOW I HAVE TO WAIT LONGER FOR BOOK 2 DAMN IT!!
PLOT - 4.5
WRITING STYLE - 5
CHARACTERS - 5
ROMANCE - 5
UNPUTDOWNABLE LEVEL - 5
EPIC. GORGEOUS. RIVETING.
There are so many things I love about this book; the rich and vibrant world-building, the vivid descriptions especially of the phoenixes, the compelling and complex characters, the bond between the phoenixes and their riders, the almost lowkey romance (has potential to be more swoonworthy in book two) I can go on and on but I don’t want to spoil! You guys have to experience this book. It’s one of those books that leaves-awesomeness-behind!
A little warning, there's information overload. Bits and pieces of the past were inserted in the beginning of every chapter. It's a struggle at first, but I didn't really mind because the writing style and the story itself were interesting.
P.S. My copy is an uncorrected/ARC version and the paragraphs are not properly indented (making it a bit hard to read) BUT. I. STILL. READ. IT. AND. LOVED. IT. Can’t wait to read the well-formatted version on its release date!
So far, this is officially my top favorite debut this 2018. I NEED THE SEQUEL SO BAD I WANNA CRY :((((
January 2, 2021
there are no words that could describe my love for this book :)))
Want to read
May 29, 2018Can't wait for this!
January 16, 2019
The sort of epic high fantasy that fills up your imagination and heart. Veronyka is a tender soul - I felt for her in her loneliness and betrayal then joy and friendship.
So many elements of this story are done beautifully- Veronyka and Val’s complicated relationship and definitely the magic and mystery behind animage and phoenix.
A must-read!
So many elements of this story are done beautifully- Veronyka and Val’s complicated relationship and definitely the magic and mystery behind animage and phoenix.
A must-read!
December 3, 2018
Uncorrected eARC copy received from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
1.5 ★ : good premise, diversity and disability — predictable and just a bunch of info-dumping
Review in English | Reseña en español (abajo)
Crown of Feathers is the first instalment of a new epic high fantasy series about phoenixes, warriors and a falling Empire through a narration with different third-person past POVs. To be honest, I was bored to tears reading this novel and I thought about dnf-ing several times, but I’d read a lot of good reviews and I wanted to know what was going to happen in case it blew my mind –spoiler alert: it didn’t–. Nevertheless, there were a few good things I want to point out:
1) The premise and world-building: I really liked this fantasy world where, instead of dragons, the magical creatures were phoenixes. I’ve always been fascinated by these creatures –blaming Dumbledore and Fawkes here– and it fell really original reading about magic bonds between animages and those fantastic beasts (and other animals as well). The setting was okay and although we’ve read a lot about falling kingdoms and Empires, in this case, the past history of two sisters fighting for power was somewhat interesting.
2) Diversity, disability, non-heterosexual relationship(s), feminism – at least this book is different about portraying racial and sexual diversity: from two gay romantic subplots that kept me interested into the story to POC, disabilities (a blind girl), and a female MC disguising as a boy (Veronyka / Nyk) for more than half of the book. Women are the leading characters of the story and although their actions and arcs were rather flat, it fell original and innovative some way.
However, the pacing, writing style, plot development and info-dumping ruined entirely this book for me. There was so much info dumping that it stunted the plot –this, instead of moving forward, the info and temporary jumps caused the action to decay and we found ourselves with just little bits of dialogues and zero plot development–. I also wasn't attached to any of the characters, the plot twists were predictable and utterly convenient, and it has a lack of tension and mystery.
All in all, I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’re okay with info-dump and major explanations of world-building and/or you like phoenixes, family intrigues in fantasy and slow plot development.
P. S. I'm not English, so if you see any mistakes let me know so I can correct them, please
——
Crown of Feathers es el primer libro de una nueva serie de fantasía épica sobre fénix, guerreros y un Imperio en decadencia a través de una narración con diferentes POV en tercera persona pasada. Siendo sincera, he perdido años de vida leyendo este libro y pensé en abandonar la lectura varias veces, pero había leído muchas buenas críticas y quería saber qué iba a suceder en caso de que alucinase –spoiler alert: no aluciné con nada–. Con todo, siempre hay algunas cosas buenas a destacar:
1) La premisa y la construcción del mundo: Sinceramente me gustó bastante este mundo de fantasía donde, en lugar de dragones, las criaturas mágicas eran fénix. Siempre me han fascinado estas criaturas –aquí la culpa la tienen Dumbledore y Fawkes–, y me pareció bastante interesante la creación de esos 'lazos mágicos’ entre animagos y fénix (y con otros animales). Los diferentes escenarios estaban bien construidos y, aunque se ha escrito mucho de fantasía sobre caída de reinos e imperios, en este caso la historia pasada de dos hermanas luchando por el poder fue algo interesante.
2) Diversidad y discapacidades, relaciones no heterosexuales, feminismo: al menos este libro es diferente en la representación de personajes (diversidad racial y sexual) y relaciones homosexuales –dos subargumentos románticos fueron los que me mantuvieron enganchada a la historia–, personajes de color y discapacitados físicos, y una protagonista femenina que se hace pasar por hombre (Veronyka / Nyk) durante más de la mitad del libro. Los personajes principales son mujeres y, a pesar de que sus acciones y arcos argumentales eran bastante planos, de alguna manera se notaban originales e innovadores.
Sin embargo, el ritmo, el estilo, el desarrollo de la trama y el volcado de información arruinaron por completo este libro para mí. Había tanta información sobre la construcción de este mundo que atrofió la trama –esta, en lugar de avanzar, la información y los saltos temporales hicieron que la acción se descompusiera y nos encontramos con solo pequeños fragmentos de diálogos y cero desarrollo de la trama–. Tampoco estaba interesada ni llegué a empatizar con ninguno de los personajes; los giros argumentales eran predecibles y absolutamente convenientes, y en general el libro carece de tensión y misterio.
En resumidas cuentas, no recomendaría este libro a menos que no tengas problemas con el info-dumping y las explicaciones infinitas sobre la construcción del mundo y/o te encante la fantasía con fénix, las intrigas familiares y el desarrollo lento de la trama.
1.5 ★ : good premise, diversity and disability — predictable and just a bunch of info-dumping
«What did the great heroes do when the sun fell from the sky? They leapt onto those wild flames and learned how to fly»
Review in English | Reseña en español (abajo)
Crown of Feathers is the first instalment of a new epic high fantasy series about phoenixes, warriors and a falling Empire through a narration with different third-person past POVs. To be honest, I was bored to tears reading this novel and I thought about dnf-ing several times, but I’d read a lot of good reviews and I wanted to know what was going to happen in case it blew my mind –spoiler alert: it didn’t–. Nevertheless, there were a few good things I want to point out:
1) The premise and world-building: I really liked this fantasy world where, instead of dragons, the magical creatures were phoenixes. I’ve always been fascinated by these creatures –blaming Dumbledore and Fawkes here– and it fell really original reading about magic bonds between animages and those fantastic beasts (and other animals as well). The setting was okay and although we’ve read a lot about falling kingdoms and Empires, in this case, the past history of two sisters fighting for power was somewhat interesting.
2) Diversity, disability, non-heterosexual relationship(s), feminism – at least this book is different about portraying racial and sexual diversity: from two gay romantic subplots that kept me interested into the story to POC, disabilities (a blind girl), and a female MC disguising as a boy (Veronyka / Nyk) for more than half of the book. Women are the leading characters of the story and although their actions and arcs were rather flat, it fell original and innovative some way.
However, the pacing, writing style, plot development and info-dumping ruined entirely this book for me. There was so much info dumping that it stunted the plot –this, instead of moving forward, the info and temporary jumps caused the action to decay and we found ourselves with just little bits of dialogues and zero plot development–. I also wasn't attached to any of the characters, the plot twists were predictable and utterly convenient, and it has a lack of tension and mystery.
All in all, I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’re okay with info-dump and major explanations of world-building and/or you like phoenixes, family intrigues in fantasy and slow plot development.
P. S. I'm not English, so if you see any mistakes let me know so I can correct them, please
——
Crown of Feathers es el primer libro de una nueva serie de fantasía épica sobre fénix, guerreros y un Imperio en decadencia a través de una narración con diferentes POV en tercera persona pasada. Siendo sincera, he perdido años de vida leyendo este libro y pensé en abandonar la lectura varias veces, pero había leído muchas buenas críticas y quería saber qué iba a suceder en caso de que alucinase –spoiler alert: no aluciné con nada–. Con todo, siempre hay algunas cosas buenas a destacar:
1) La premisa y la construcción del mundo: Sinceramente me gustó bastante este mundo de fantasía donde, en lugar de dragones, las criaturas mágicas eran fénix. Siempre me han fascinado estas criaturas –aquí la culpa la tienen Dumbledore y Fawkes–, y me pareció bastante interesante la creación de esos 'lazos mágicos’ entre animagos y fénix (y con otros animales). Los diferentes escenarios estaban bien construidos y, aunque se ha escrito mucho de fantasía sobre caída de reinos e imperios, en este caso la historia pasada de dos hermanas luchando por el poder fue algo interesante.
2) Diversidad y discapacidades, relaciones no heterosexuales, feminismo: al menos este libro es diferente en la representación de personajes (diversidad racial y sexual) y relaciones homosexuales –dos subargumentos románticos fueron los que me mantuvieron enganchada a la historia–, personajes de color y discapacitados físicos, y una protagonista femenina que se hace pasar por hombre (Veronyka / Nyk) durante más de la mitad del libro. Los personajes principales son mujeres y, a pesar de que sus acciones y arcos argumentales eran bastante planos, de alguna manera se notaban originales e innovadores.
Sin embargo, el ritmo, el estilo, el desarrollo de la trama y el volcado de información arruinaron por completo este libro para mí. Había tanta información sobre la construcción de este mundo que atrofió la trama –esta, en lugar de avanzar, la información y los saltos temporales hicieron que la acción se descompusiera y nos encontramos con solo pequeños fragmentos de diálogos y cero desarrollo de la trama–. Tampoco estaba interesada ni llegué a empatizar con ninguno de los personajes; los giros argumentales eran predecibles y absolutamente convenientes, y en general el libro carece de tensión y misterio.
En resumidas cuentas, no recomendaría este libro a menos que no tengas problemas con el info-dumping y las explicaciones infinitas sobre la construcción del mundo y/o te encante la fantasía con fénix, las intrigas familiares y el desarrollo lento de la trama.
April 11, 2020
“History was a living, breathing, changing thing - even when it was your own”.
Ay, lo que me costó a mí leer este libro. De hecho, primero lo empecé como audiolibro, pero no me estaba enterando de nada, así que decidí volver a empezarlo en mi copia física y allí las cosas fueron mucho mejor. Aunque, sí debo advertírselos, es un libro largo, denso y con un montón absurdo de información que, a la larga, lo que puede hacer es alejar a los lectores y no engancharlos.
Dicho eso, en Crown of Feathers nos presentan un mundo en el que, antaño, existieron los animages y los jinetes de fénix, que eran reverenciados por todo el Imperio. Sin embargo, en un momento, el Imperio decidió que eran peligrosos y decidió extinguirlos y acabar tanto con las criaturas como con sus jinetes. Obviamente, algunos sobrevivieron y, a lo largo de los años, han vivido en el exilio y escondidos de los ojos del Imperio. El libro empieza con Val y Veronyka, dos chicas animages que siempre han querido ser jinetes de fénix. Después de años de búsqueda, encuentran un par de huevos y hacen todos los rituales para que eclosionen, pero sólo nace un fénix y escoge a Veronyka como jinete. Val, que siempre ha sido dominante y envidiosa, no puede con la situación y, después de unos meses, envenena al fénix de su hermana y lo mata. Veronyka, histérica y sintiéndose traicionada, abandona a Val y se va en busca de un grupo de rebeldes que entrenan para ser jinetes de fénix, pero la cosa es que, cuando llegue, tendrá que hacerse pasar por un chico porque sólo entrenan allí a hombres.
Por otra parte tenemos a Sev, un animage que trabaja como soldado en las filas del Imperio a pesar de que fueron ellos quienes mataron a sus padres. Durante años, Sev ha observado el comportamiento de las tropas y, en un momento, se da cuenta de que hay una facción de rebeldes que planea sabotearlos y darle una ventaja a los jinetes de fénix, así que se une a ellos y a sus estratagemas para derrocar al Imperio. Y así, poco a poco, las líneas de Veronyka y Sev se irán uniendo hasta que sus historias confluyen.
Y sí, no sólo lo piensan ustedes, este libro tiene muchas vibes a Eragon. Si bien la premisa suena interesante, creo que la autora peca por bombardearnos con información sobre el mundo, la mitología y el pasado demasiado pronto y sin mesura. Creo que los buenos autores de fantasía saben encontrar ese balance perfecto que les permite introducirnos en un nuevo mundo, un sistema de magia y una mitología sin abrumarnos de información, dándonos pequeñas cápsulas y pistas sobre el macrouniverso que han creado, pero sin que sintamos que se les fue todo el primer libro de la saga explicándonos cómo funcionaba todo. Y, lastimosamente, Nicki Pau Preto no lo supo hacer bien.
Las primeras cien páginas de Crown of Feathers se hacen tan introductorias que pensamos que el libro nunca va a empezar. De hecho, los acontecimientos importantes quedan eclipsados porque estamos confundidos todo el tiempo. No sólo el libro tiene muchos puntos de vista en el presente, sino que también, entre los capítulos, hay unos apartes de textos antiguos sobre el pasado de ese mundo que nos dejan más perdidos aún. Es, quizá, alrededor de la página 250 cuando empezamos a engancharnos en la historia y a entender hacia dónde van Veronyka, Tristan, Sev y Val.
Quizá otro de los fallos que noté y que alargaron muchísimo el libro fue la repetición de información. Muchas veces, cuando se cambiaba de una perspectiva a otra, se repetían hechos o escenas que ya conocíamos y que no tenían nada nuevo a pesar de que las narrara otro personaje. Creo que, en ese sentido, le hizo falta edición a la historia.
Ahora, debo admitir que el romance y el trope tipo Mulán de "chica que se tiene que pasar por un chico para que la acepten en un campo de entrenamiento" me gustó bastante. Sobre todo porque, en este caso, quien sería Shang sencillamente acepta que se puede enamorar de la esencia, del alma, de una persona sin importarle si es chico o chica. Eso me encantó. Además, él (no les voy a decir el nombre porque eso sí que sería un spoiler) es adorable. Es de esos personajes que no son perfectos, que tienen retos que cumplir y miedos que superar. Lo amé.
Creo que una de las cosas que salva este libro, para mí, de ser un dos estrellas es el final. Es justo en esas últimas páginas cuando todos estos textos extraños del pasado empiezan a tener sentido y revelan a un personaje oculto que, de hecho, había estado a la vista de todos durante toda la historia. Ese tipo de giros me gustan muchísimo y espero que, ya que nos comimos todo el info-dump en este primer tomo, la historia mejore en las siguientes entregas de la saga.
Ay, lo que me costó a mí leer este libro. De hecho, primero lo empecé como audiolibro, pero no me estaba enterando de nada, así que decidí volver a empezarlo en mi copia física y allí las cosas fueron mucho mejor. Aunque, sí debo advertírselos, es un libro largo, denso y con un montón absurdo de información que, a la larga, lo que puede hacer es alejar a los lectores y no engancharlos.
Dicho eso, en Crown of Feathers nos presentan un mundo en el que, antaño, existieron los animages y los jinetes de fénix, que eran reverenciados por todo el Imperio. Sin embargo, en un momento, el Imperio decidió que eran peligrosos y decidió extinguirlos y acabar tanto con las criaturas como con sus jinetes. Obviamente, algunos sobrevivieron y, a lo largo de los años, han vivido en el exilio y escondidos de los ojos del Imperio. El libro empieza con Val y Veronyka, dos chicas animages que siempre han querido ser jinetes de fénix. Después de años de búsqueda, encuentran un par de huevos y hacen todos los rituales para que eclosionen, pero sólo nace un fénix y escoge a Veronyka como jinete. Val, que siempre ha sido dominante y envidiosa, no puede con la situación y, después de unos meses, envenena al fénix de su hermana y lo mata. Veronyka, histérica y sintiéndose traicionada, abandona a Val y se va en busca de un grupo de rebeldes que entrenan para ser jinetes de fénix, pero la cosa es que, cuando llegue, tendrá que hacerse pasar por un chico porque sólo entrenan allí a hombres.
Por otra parte tenemos a Sev, un animage que trabaja como soldado en las filas del Imperio a pesar de que fueron ellos quienes mataron a sus padres. Durante años, Sev ha observado el comportamiento de las tropas y, en un momento, se da cuenta de que hay una facción de rebeldes que planea sabotearlos y darle una ventaja a los jinetes de fénix, así que se une a ellos y a sus estratagemas para derrocar al Imperio. Y así, poco a poco, las líneas de Veronyka y Sev se irán uniendo hasta que sus historias confluyen.
Y sí, no sólo lo piensan ustedes, este libro tiene muchas vibes a Eragon. Si bien la premisa suena interesante, creo que la autora peca por bombardearnos con información sobre el mundo, la mitología y el pasado demasiado pronto y sin mesura. Creo que los buenos autores de fantasía saben encontrar ese balance perfecto que les permite introducirnos en un nuevo mundo, un sistema de magia y una mitología sin abrumarnos de información, dándonos pequeñas cápsulas y pistas sobre el macrouniverso que han creado, pero sin que sintamos que se les fue todo el primer libro de la saga explicándonos cómo funcionaba todo. Y, lastimosamente, Nicki Pau Preto no lo supo hacer bien.
Las primeras cien páginas de Crown of Feathers se hacen tan introductorias que pensamos que el libro nunca va a empezar. De hecho, los acontecimientos importantes quedan eclipsados porque estamos confundidos todo el tiempo. No sólo el libro tiene muchos puntos de vista en el presente, sino que también, entre los capítulos, hay unos apartes de textos antiguos sobre el pasado de ese mundo que nos dejan más perdidos aún. Es, quizá, alrededor de la página 250 cuando empezamos a engancharnos en la historia y a entender hacia dónde van Veronyka, Tristan, Sev y Val.
Quizá otro de los fallos que noté y que alargaron muchísimo el libro fue la repetición de información. Muchas veces, cuando se cambiaba de una perspectiva a otra, se repetían hechos o escenas que ya conocíamos y que no tenían nada nuevo a pesar de que las narrara otro personaje. Creo que, en ese sentido, le hizo falta edición a la historia.
Ahora, debo admitir que el romance y el trope tipo Mulán de "chica que se tiene que pasar por un chico para que la acepten en un campo de entrenamiento" me gustó bastante. Sobre todo porque, en este caso, quien sería Shang sencillamente acepta que se puede enamorar de la esencia, del alma, de una persona sin importarle si es chico o chica. Eso me encantó. Además, él (no les voy a decir el nombre porque eso sí que sería un spoiler) es adorable. Es de esos personajes que no son perfectos, que tienen retos que cumplir y miedos que superar. Lo amé.
Creo que una de las cosas que salva este libro, para mí, de ser un dos estrellas es el final. Es justo en esas últimas páginas cuando todos estos textos extraños del pasado empiezan a tener sentido y revelan a un personaje oculto que, de hecho, había estado a la vista de todos durante toda la historia. Ese tipo de giros me gustan muchísimo y espero que, ya que nos comimos todo el info-dump en este primer tomo, la historia mejore en las siguientes entregas de la saga.
February 17, 2019
Synopsis
Veronyka is a war orphan who was raised by her deceased grandmother and her older sister, Val. Veronyka and her sister are "animages", and have the ability to communicate with animals. This is not uncommon in the world they live in, but ever since the war their kind have been persecuted. Val and Veronyka want nothing more than to become Phoenix Riders, like the heroes who fought during the war.
After a terrible betrayal, Veronyka flees from her sister and finds a sanctuary for her kind, a place where apprentices are being trained as Phoenix Riders. The only catch? If she wants to become a Phoenix Rider--to follow in her parents’ footsteps and become the hero she’s always dreamt of being—she’s going to have to pretend to be a boy.
Characters and Plot
It’s difficult to separate out characters and plot for this book, since there are several point of view characters, and each of their plotlines are heavily influenced by who they are.
We primarily follow three characters in this book. All three of them have fascinating story arcs. All three of them overcome their fears over the span of the first novel in this trilogy and begin the journey of accepting who they truly are.
First off, there’s Veronyka, the protagonist, who escapes from her (let’s face it—abusive) sister to join the Phoenix Riders while masquerading as a boy. Her storyline is perhaps the most engaging, as it is the main focus of the story. I absolutely love her unadulterated adulation of phoenixes and her sheer will to do whatever it takes to become a Phoenix Rider.
Tristan is the son of Commander Cassian, who is the leader of the Phoenix Riders and runs the place where the apprentices are being trained. Tristan has the most compelling secret. He’s deathly afraid of fire. It becomes apparent right away that he's Veronyka's love interest. Their scenes are cute and refreshing, and if you’re expecting some awkwardness a la “Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare (he does think she’s a boy after all), then you’re in for a treat!
Sev, the third POV of the story, is an Empire soldier who’s secretly an animage, but he cannot let anyone know or he will be treated as less than everyone else. His chapters start off slower than the other two POVs, but they get extremely thrilling towards the end of this book, as his plotline ties into the others.
All three main characters have interesting story arcs over the course of this novel. I’m very eager to see how they further develop in the follow-up instalments in this trilogy!
Worldbuilding
Pau Preto has packed a lot of world-building into a 477-page book. But it never lags down the plot. Every little thing she mentions--sometimes offhand comments, sometimes more detailed descriptions-- all contributes to creating a dynamic and three-dimensional fantasy world that I would kill to live in.
Between many chapters the author employs an epistolary-style of writing to provide background into the history and legends surrounding the Phoenix Riders. Not only do these inserts contribute to our understanding of why the world is the way it is and provide interesting little snippets for us history lovers out there, but it actually provides clues as to what’s really going on, making the twists later in the book even more satisfying.
While this book does deal with a few tropes--(the girl who must pretend to be a boy, the girl who has special “powers” unlike anyone else, to name a few), Crown of Feathers provides a unique and fresh take on these stereotypes. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a light YA fantasy (that isn’t without its dark moments), that is chock full of adventure, intrigue, and, of course, majestic, magnificent, and magical phoenixes.
*Thank you to Simon Pulse and the author for the book for review!*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Instagram | Blog | Website | Twitter
My 2019 Reading Challenge
Veronyka is a war orphan who was raised by her deceased grandmother and her older sister, Val. Veronyka and her sister are "animages", and have the ability to communicate with animals. This is not uncommon in the world they live in, but ever since the war their kind have been persecuted. Val and Veronyka want nothing more than to become Phoenix Riders, like the heroes who fought during the war.
After a terrible betrayal, Veronyka flees from her sister and finds a sanctuary for her kind, a place where apprentices are being trained as Phoenix Riders. The only catch? If she wants to become a Phoenix Rider--to follow in her parents’ footsteps and become the hero she’s always dreamt of being—she’s going to have to pretend to be a boy.
Characters and Plot
It’s difficult to separate out characters and plot for this book, since there are several point of view characters, and each of their plotlines are heavily influenced by who they are.
We primarily follow three characters in this book. All three of them have fascinating story arcs. All three of them overcome their fears over the span of the first novel in this trilogy and begin the journey of accepting who they truly are.
First off, there’s Veronyka, the protagonist, who escapes from her (let’s face it—abusive) sister to join the Phoenix Riders while masquerading as a boy. Her storyline is perhaps the most engaging, as it is the main focus of the story. I absolutely love her unadulterated adulation of phoenixes and her sheer will to do whatever it takes to become a Phoenix Rider.
Tristan is the son of Commander Cassian, who is the leader of the Phoenix Riders and runs the place where the apprentices are being trained. Tristan has the most compelling secret. He’s deathly afraid of fire. It becomes apparent right away that he's Veronyka's love interest. Their scenes are cute and refreshing, and if you’re expecting some awkwardness a la “Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare (he does think she’s a boy after all), then you’re in for a treat!
Sev, the third POV of the story, is an Empire soldier who’s secretly an animage, but he cannot let anyone know or he will be treated as less than everyone else. His chapters start off slower than the other two POVs, but they get extremely thrilling towards the end of this book, as his plotline ties into the others.
All three main characters have interesting story arcs over the course of this novel. I’m very eager to see how they further develop in the follow-up instalments in this trilogy!
Worldbuilding
Pau Preto has packed a lot of world-building into a 477-page book. But it never lags down the plot. Every little thing she mentions--sometimes offhand comments, sometimes more detailed descriptions-- all contributes to creating a dynamic and three-dimensional fantasy world that I would kill to live in.
Between many chapters the author employs an epistolary-style of writing to provide background into the history and legends surrounding the Phoenix Riders. Not only do these inserts contribute to our understanding of why the world is the way it is and provide interesting little snippets for us history lovers out there, but it actually provides clues as to what’s really going on, making the twists later in the book even more satisfying.
While this book does deal with a few tropes--(the girl who must pretend to be a boy, the girl who has special “powers” unlike anyone else, to name a few), Crown of Feathers provides a unique and fresh take on these stereotypes. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a light YA fantasy (that isn’t without its dark moments), that is chock full of adventure, intrigue, and, of course, majestic, magnificent, and magical phoenixes.
*Thank you to Simon Pulse and the author for the book for review!*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Instagram | Blog | Website | Twitter
My 2019 Reading Challenge
April 17, 2021
I had the good fortune to get my hands on an early version of Crown of Feathers, and I immediately fell in love with Pau Preto's beautiful writing. I loved the characters, especially Veronyka and her complex relationship with her sister Val. Fans of action, romance, magical characters, and deep world building will adore sinking their teeth into this richly imagined world!
January 22, 2022
I love it when I stumble upon an amazing book, and even more so when it's the beginning of a series I just know is going to be incredible. More people need to know about this book, it's that good! The world-building is rich and the characters are well developed. The first half was a slow build as it introduced the plot and characters. But then the second half took off and didn't let go.
This is a book about the broken relationship between two sisters, as the world is on the brink of war. Veronyka and Val live in a secluded cabin, each with a magical gift that must be kept secret. All her life Veronyka has heard stories about the legendary pheonixes, and their human riders, that once flew the skies. But while all Veronyka wants to do is find the magical firebirds and others like her, her sister Val believes they can only survive together. I loved watching Veronyka come into her own as she fights for her dream of becoming a Pheonix Rider.
I also enjoyed the multiple points of view. I really liked Sev's story and can't wait to see more of him. There were some intense battle scenes and moments between the main characters that were raw and heartwrenching.
This book had some crazy twists and reveals that left me slack-jawed. The last chapters are explosive. It was a fantastic read and I can't wait to start book two.
This is a book about the broken relationship between two sisters, as the world is on the brink of war. Veronyka and Val live in a secluded cabin, each with a magical gift that must be kept secret. All her life Veronyka has heard stories about the legendary pheonixes, and their human riders, that once flew the skies. But while all Veronyka wants to do is find the magical firebirds and others like her, her sister Val believes they can only survive together. I loved watching Veronyka come into her own as she fights for her dream of becoming a Pheonix Rider.
I also enjoyed the multiple points of view. I really liked Sev's story and can't wait to see more of him. There were some intense battle scenes and moments between the main characters that were raw and heartwrenching.
This book had some crazy twists and reveals that left me slack-jawed. The last chapters are explosive. It was a fantastic read and I can't wait to start book two.
February 2, 2026
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. No hesitation. This fantasy book was a ✨ piece of art ✨!
🔥 Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto is a completed trilogy with rich, fully developed history and complex worldbuilding, that's set in a world on the brink of war.
It features phoenixes, fallen kingdoms, phoenix rider camps, hidden identities, and a broken sister relationship.
There is romance, but it isn’t the main focus (more of a subplot).
⇢ What to expect:
∘ YA High Fantasy (that doesn't read like YA)
∘ Multiple POV
∘ Phoenix & Phoenix Riders
∘ Diverse representation
∘ Slow paced action
∘ Sibling Rivalry
∘ Lies & Betrayals
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Hidden Identity — "girl pretending to be a boy"
∘ Hidden Power
∘ Enemies to Lovers
⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯
I loved the magic, the history and I'm usually not a fan of the politics, but I just wanted to know more.
I absolutely LOVE Veronyka, but I still don't like Val and I don't think I will.
• The worldbuilding is awesome. If you're not a fan of long descriptions, you may have a hard time getting into this, but once you get used to the writing style, you won't want to leave.
• We have multiple POVs, and they are executed so good, we get to know the characters and be witness to their development. I loved the diversity of characters and that each one of them had a role to play.
• Veronica will forever be my favorite and she's turning into such a great heroine! And we must not forget about Tristan, who I'd love to know more about.
As for Val, she's a cruel and selfish ... person, I hope she gets what she deserves soon.
• The book is slow-paced, but I found I really appreciated the descriptions and the lengthy explanations.
Anyway, it's a fantasy worth reading. It was my first read that included Phoenixes and I simply adore this graceful creatures ❤
🔥 Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto is a completed trilogy with rich, fully developed history and complex worldbuilding, that's set in a world on the brink of war.
It features phoenixes, fallen kingdoms, phoenix rider camps, hidden identities, and a broken sister relationship.
There is romance, but it isn’t the main focus (more of a subplot).
⇢ What to expect:
∘ YA High Fantasy (that doesn't read like YA)
∘ Multiple POV
∘ Phoenix & Phoenix Riders
∘ Diverse representation
∘ Slow paced action
∘ Sibling Rivalry
∘ Lies & Betrayals
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Hidden Identity — "girl pretending to be a boy"
∘ Hidden Power
∘ Enemies to Lovers
⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯ ⋯
I loved the magic, the history and I'm usually not a fan of the politics, but I just wanted to know more.
I absolutely LOVE Veronyka, but I still don't like Val and I don't think I will.
• The worldbuilding is awesome. If you're not a fan of long descriptions, you may have a hard time getting into this, but once you get used to the writing style, you won't want to leave.
• We have multiple POVs, and they are executed so good, we get to know the characters and be witness to their development. I loved the diversity of characters and that each one of them had a role to play.
• Veronica will forever be my favorite and she's turning into such a great heroine! And we must not forget about Tristan, who I'd love to know more about.
As for Val, she's a cruel and selfish ... person, I hope she gets what she deserves soon.
• The book is slow-paced, but I found I really appreciated the descriptions and the lengthy explanations.
Anyway, it's a fantasy worth reading. It was my first read that included Phoenixes and I simply adore this graceful creatures ❤
December 20, 2019
Okay, so for like 60% of this book - I was bored out of my damn mind. So much information was being dumped on me left, right, top, down - EVERYWHERE. I honestly didn't care about anything because I was so freaking bored. THEN at like 61%, shit got better. THANK GOD GUYS.
Crown of Feathers was an interesting book that revolved around phoenix riders. Yes, things do happen between a sisterly bond that you wouldn't expect. Some things broke my heart a little bit but there was always some weird mysterious thing circling these two: Val and Nyk. Not going to lie, when the ending revealed everything my mind was a little blown. It just sucks that more than half of this book, I just didn't care about anything. I almost dnf'd this thing too.
So freaking glad that I didn't because the last 40% definitely made up for it. I loved everything about Nyk because she grew into her own person. She definitely got a stronger backbone when it came to what she wanted to do, what she believed in, and how to stand up to Val. Then there's Val who had so many dark secrets in her and I have no idea what the hell is up her sleeve for the next book.
Besides the girls, there are the boys - Tristan and Sev. Loved Tristan and Rex, his phoenix, because they were freaking adorable with Nyk and her own phoenix Xephyra. Definitely going to ship all of that if I ever dive into the next book of this series. Then there's Sev..and I'm still confused as to why I got his POV. Maybe he was supposed to be important but I honestly thought they were pointless?
Again, I was bored for MOST of this book so it is probably all my fault.
Crown of Feathers was an interesting book that revolved around phoenix riders. Yes, things do happen between a sisterly bond that you wouldn't expect. Some things broke my heart a little bit but there was always some weird mysterious thing circling these two: Val and Nyk. Not going to lie, when the ending revealed everything my mind was a little blown. It just sucks that more than half of this book, I just didn't care about anything. I almost dnf'd this thing too.
So freaking glad that I didn't because the last 40% definitely made up for it. I loved everything about Nyk because she grew into her own person. She definitely got a stronger backbone when it came to what she wanted to do, what she believed in, and how to stand up to Val. Then there's Val who had so many dark secrets in her and I have no idea what the hell is up her sleeve for the next book.
Besides the girls, there are the boys - Tristan and Sev. Loved Tristan and Rex, his phoenix, because they were freaking adorable with Nyk and her own phoenix Xephyra. Definitely going to ship all of that if I ever dive into the next book of this series. Then there's Sev..and I'm still confused as to why I got his POV. Maybe he was supposed to be important but I honestly thought they were pointless?
Again, I was bored for MOST of this book so it is probably all my fault.
November 20, 2018
Mini review:
Trigger warning: Mention of death and war. Up till the point I read.
DNF
I received this E-ARC via Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Crown of Feathers has been getting a lot of buzz and excitement. When I saw it on Netgalley I requested an arc to see what the buzz was about. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it.
The first few chapters were fairly interesting. There was quite a bit off info dumping but I found it to be useful to understand the world. However it came to a point where I started to get annoyed. There was so much info dumping that it stunted the plot. And it started to get annoying. I also wasn't attached to any of the characters.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend it. It really depends on you're tolerance with info dumping.
Trigger warning: Mention of death and war. Up till the point I read.
DNF
I received this E-ARC via Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Crown of Feathers has been getting a lot of buzz and excitement. When I saw it on Netgalley I requested an arc to see what the buzz was about. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it.
The first few chapters were fairly interesting. There was quite a bit off info dumping but I found it to be useful to understand the world. However it came to a point where I started to get annoyed. There was so much info dumping that it stunted the plot. And it started to get annoying. I also wasn't attached to any of the characters.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend it. It really depends on you're tolerance with info dumping.
February 17, 2020
While I enjoyed the world and the historical aspects, the pacing of this just felt all over the place, and really dragged on in parts!
Crown of Feathers centres on a world which contains Animages, the most proficient of which are Phoenix riders, who are persecuted after a rebellion. This felt a little Mulan-esque to me at points (which is definitely bonus points!).
I found the characterisation of Phoenixes and their magic and intelligence brilliant! And the world itself and the characters were richly developed, interwoven with historical accounts. However, large parts of this felt very info-dumpy and long-winded, and it felt very slow up until the last 20% or so.
Crown of Feathers centres on a world which contains Animages, the most proficient of which are Phoenix riders, who are persecuted after a rebellion. This felt a little Mulan-esque to me at points (which is definitely bonus points!).
I found the characterisation of Phoenixes and their magic and intelligence brilliant! And the world itself and the characters were richly developed, interwoven with historical accounts. However, large parts of this felt very info-dumpy and long-winded, and it felt very slow up until the last 20% or so.
February 20, 2019
ALL THE FIERY STARS 🔥🌟🔥🌟🔥🌟🔥🌟🔥
I had the pleasure of receiving the ARC of Crown of Feathers, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by being given this opportunity!
How am I supposed to write a review for this magnificent book when I can’t even form proper words right now! Guys, Guys, Guys, buy this book. Request it at your library. Do whatever you have to, but support Nicki however you can! Crown of Feathers is beyond superb and I will fight to my death shouting about how incredible this story was and how many emotions it brought out in me (I cried 3 times okay?? Only a few books have the honor of having made me cry)!
I think one of the reasons this book really tugged on my heartstrings is that much like the animages (those that have animal magic and can communicate with animals), I am very much an animal person. I empathize maybe a little too much with them, but I can’t really control that. So *certain* parts of this book pulled on those empathetic strings of mine and brought out a reaction I honestly wasn’t expecting. And let’s be real, *that* scene (that I am not going to ruin for all of you) made me ball my eyes out so hard I had to put the book down and walk away. If you want to know what scene I am talking about I suggest you read this book, when you get to that scene you’ll know, you will definitely know.
The representation in this book was beyond amazing, and honestly it felt so natural?? Why can’t all books feel and read this way? Nicki did such a wonderful job including rep for the disabled – like Sparrow! Who is a loveable little girl that happens to be blind but in no way lets that slow her fiery spirit down, she is one of my favorite characters! There was also rep for mental illnesses such as phobias!?? Like, how amazing is this book already? Tristan has an incredible and intense fear of fire, which is even more difficult for him because he has to face his fear E V E R Y day since he is a Phoenix Rider. And if you didn’t know, Phoenix’s are… literally made of fire. There was also rep for non-heterosexual romance and I am here for it. I don’t want to ruin who it was between but let’s just say it’s my F A V O R I T E trope in the world, enemies to lovers! I lived for those scenes and saw it coming from the very beginning with those subtle shifts in their interactions and it made my heart stop once or twice at the thought of this romance blossoming into something bigger!
I’ve read other early reviews and some people are saying there was a lot of info dumping and it ruined the story for them and I’m like…??? I NEED MORE info on this incredibly detailed world! How could I ever complain about a story that comes with a TIMELINE of past events and a glossary of terms!? Nicki literally built her own world that is entirely unique, and I honestly devoured every page of it. I hope we delve even DEEPER into this rich world in book two! Nicki’s writing style allowed me to perfectly visualize the landscape and the surrounding areas, so much so that I felt as if I was a part of this story. I wish I could be, because who wouldn’t want to be a warrior Phoenix rider?
The storyline in Crown of Feathers was also indescribable! I won’t even try to put the synopsis into words, which is why I left the official Goodreads synopsis above! There was so much depth to the characters that I truly cared about the decisions they made, and I loved seeing how the story progressed. Every page was a new adventure and I loved being a part of it. Like when Veronyka decided not to let overbearing males get in the way of her being a Phoenix rider so she disguised herself as a boy just so she could join their team when they didn’t allow female riders? 100% ballsy. There were also quite a few surprises along the way that I wasn’t expecting! I truly enjoyed seeing the story unfold and by the end when we learn more secrets of the past, I think my jaw actually dropped. It was like watching a puzzle be put together, suddenly all the pieces fit together and everything made sense. I am beyond excited for book 2 to come out (honestly Nicki when can I get my hands on it!!) so I can hopefully get some answers to my many burning questions!
Another reason I loved this book so much is the characters! They all felt so relatable and portrayed in such a way that I felt like I could be friends with them. There is nothing more important to me in a book than being able to relate and empathize with the characters. If I don’t feel anything towards them or care about their well-being how could I ever care about anything else that happens in the book? Like my sweet SWEET cinnamon roll Tristan. I knew from his first word that I would end up loving his character and him being friends with Veronyka was a match I could have only dreamed of. They are so in sync with each other and I love that they honestly brought out the best in each other. There is no better character development than the kind that changes them for the better. And these two are better together! There are tons of other characters I could talk about for days but honestly, you’d be better off experiencing it for yourself by reading this masterpiece!
So, if you haven’t gathered by now this book is one of my favorites and might *actually* be my favorite read of the year so far. It was so well put together and if I had the time and adulting didn’t get in the way I would have finished this in one sitting because it 100% grasped my full attention and I didn’t want to ever put it down. Nicki, thank you. Thank you for writing such a beautiful story and I am so so so excited to see your career take off and watch you grow as an author! 5 glorious burning fiery stars for this book!
I had the pleasure of receiving the ARC of Crown of Feathers, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by being given this opportunity!
How am I supposed to write a review for this magnificent book when I can’t even form proper words right now! Guys, Guys, Guys, buy this book. Request it at your library. Do whatever you have to, but support Nicki however you can! Crown of Feathers is beyond superb and I will fight to my death shouting about how incredible this story was and how many emotions it brought out in me (I cried 3 times okay?? Only a few books have the honor of having made me cry)!
I think one of the reasons this book really tugged on my heartstrings is that much like the animages (those that have animal magic and can communicate with animals), I am very much an animal person. I empathize maybe a little too much with them, but I can’t really control that. So *certain* parts of this book pulled on those empathetic strings of mine and brought out a reaction I honestly wasn’t expecting. And let’s be real, *that* scene (that I am not going to ruin for all of you) made me ball my eyes out so hard I had to put the book down and walk away. If you want to know what scene I am talking about I suggest you read this book, when you get to that scene you’ll know, you will definitely know.
The representation in this book was beyond amazing, and honestly it felt so natural?? Why can’t all books feel and read this way? Nicki did such a wonderful job including rep for the disabled – like Sparrow! Who is a loveable little girl that happens to be blind but in no way lets that slow her fiery spirit down, she is one of my favorite characters! There was also rep for mental illnesses such as phobias!?? Like, how amazing is this book already? Tristan has an incredible and intense fear of fire, which is even more difficult for him because he has to face his fear E V E R Y day since he is a Phoenix Rider. And if you didn’t know, Phoenix’s are… literally made of fire. There was also rep for non-heterosexual romance and I am here for it. I don’t want to ruin who it was between but let’s just say it’s my F A V O R I T E trope in the world, enemies to lovers! I lived for those scenes and saw it coming from the very beginning with those subtle shifts in their interactions and it made my heart stop once or twice at the thought of this romance blossoming into something bigger!
I’ve read other early reviews and some people are saying there was a lot of info dumping and it ruined the story for them and I’m like…??? I NEED MORE info on this incredibly detailed world! How could I ever complain about a story that comes with a TIMELINE of past events and a glossary of terms!? Nicki literally built her own world that is entirely unique, and I honestly devoured every page of it. I hope we delve even DEEPER into this rich world in book two! Nicki’s writing style allowed me to perfectly visualize the landscape and the surrounding areas, so much so that I felt as if I was a part of this story. I wish I could be, because who wouldn’t want to be a warrior Phoenix rider?
The storyline in Crown of Feathers was also indescribable! I won’t even try to put the synopsis into words, which is why I left the official Goodreads synopsis above! There was so much depth to the characters that I truly cared about the decisions they made, and I loved seeing how the story progressed. Every page was a new adventure and I loved being a part of it. Like when Veronyka decided not to let overbearing males get in the way of her being a Phoenix rider so she disguised herself as a boy just so she could join their team when they didn’t allow female riders? 100% ballsy. There were also quite a few surprises along the way that I wasn’t expecting! I truly enjoyed seeing the story unfold and by the end when we learn more secrets of the past, I think my jaw actually dropped. It was like watching a puzzle be put together, suddenly all the pieces fit together and everything made sense. I am beyond excited for book 2 to come out (honestly Nicki when can I get my hands on it!!) so I can hopefully get some answers to my many burning questions!
Another reason I loved this book so much is the characters! They all felt so relatable and portrayed in such a way that I felt like I could be friends with them. There is nothing more important to me in a book than being able to relate and empathize with the characters. If I don’t feel anything towards them or care about their well-being how could I ever care about anything else that happens in the book? Like my sweet SWEET cinnamon roll Tristan. I knew from his first word that I would end up loving his character and him being friends with Veronyka was a match I could have only dreamed of. They are so in sync with each other and I love that they honestly brought out the best in each other. There is no better character development than the kind that changes them for the better. And these two are better together! There are tons of other characters I could talk about for days but honestly, you’d be better off experiencing it for yourself by reading this masterpiece!
So, if you haven’t gathered by now this book is one of my favorites and might *actually* be my favorite read of the year so far. It was so well put together and if I had the time and adulting didn’t get in the way I would have finished this in one sitting because it 100% grasped my full attention and I didn’t want to ever put it down. Nicki, thank you. Thank you for writing such a beautiful story and I am so so so excited to see your career take off and watch you grow as an author! 5 glorious burning fiery stars for this book!
March 30, 2023
ik it's 500 pages but u guys should read this 🤭🙏 (ily rosh tysm for the rec)
May 9, 2024
1.5
this is genuinely the yaiest book to ever ya. what a waste of such a perfect premise 😔 also, the author forgot to give any of the main characters a personality! how silly!
this is genuinely the yaiest book to ever ya. what a waste of such a perfect premise 😔 also, the author forgot to give any of the main characters a personality! how silly!
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