Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong is a clever fantasy set in a fascinating world and filled with intriguing characters. The Nightbirds of the title are a group of young girls who wield magic in a society where it has been effectively banned. Shrouded in secrecy they meet their clients while masked and guarded and bestow their individual gifts by means of a kiss. When the girls find themselves caught up in a political scheme that threatens both them and their families they learn that they have not been told the truth about their powers, and the society that they thought was protecting them was in fact little more than a cage. Will they rise up and take control of the society that tried to clip their wings? 
I loved the premise of this book,  I was immediately drawn to the sense of mystery and intrigue that surrounded the NIghtbirds and those around them, and though it took me a little time to warm to some of the characters, I did find myself growing more invested as their stories unfolded. There is a lot of world building and lore incorporated into the storytelling but it is very well done and I found that it added to my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Setting it in a world that was reminiscent of the prohibition era, if magic was controlled rather than alcohol, was a touch of genius. 
This is lush, vividly imagined tale of action and adventure and above all empowerment and I enjoyed it very much indeed. 
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.