4.25⭐️3🌶️

High Fantasy

Adult Fantasy

1st pov

Swan lake retelling

Celtic folklore

Unique Magic System

Changlings

Assassin FMC

Royalty

Mythical creatures

Enemies to lovers

The glossary is at the end. It would read so much easier if the glossary had been at the beginning of the book. Sometimes the language made it hard to connect with the story because of my unfamiliarity. I think that would have been amazing as an audiobook!

The magic system felt unique and fresh in its delivery! The immense Irish folklore and whimsical writing was steeped in nature and balance. The druids, sprites and all manner of impish beasties formed a world filled with whimsical treachery. I wish that the author leaned a little more into the description of these creatures, instead of letting the Celtic language do all the talking. But I really enjoyed how much of the folklore was actively used throughout the book. 

The plot was such a great take on the Swan Princess and 12 dancing princesses. I think that it taking place over a full year, while not ideal in having to gloss over months in a chapter so that the time and action could take place during the full moon, it didn’t hurt the story. You had to suspend disbelief in that aspect.

The main characters were really solid! I adored the character growth in regards to the FMC had to choose between who she was and who she was becoming. That was well played with the love interests. I was very thankful that there wasn’t any overlap. In regards to the me . I wanted to hit one and I wanted the other to really come into his own and not fit the mold of other fantasy leading men. I think that the shadows could have been done away with and the author could have really leaned into the sky powers to make Irian stand strongly apart from other “booktok shadow daddies”. Could they all have had a little more depth? Yes. But I think that is more the fault of the pov and time laps between chapters. 

I wish that the side characters had been a little bit bigger. We don’t get much about them and it makes their motivations feel a little bit flat. Other than Corra. That little sprite was the best.

While it wasn’t a 5⭐️, it was still really good. I will be reading the next book!