My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"I had a sister, once…
In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.
I promised her the throne would not come between us.
Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.
But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.
Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.
Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.
Crown of Feathers is an epic fantasy about love’s incredible power to save—or to destroy. Interspersed throughout is the story of Avalkyra Ashfire, the last Rider queen, who would rather see her empire burn than fall into her sister’s hands."
Y'ALL. So full disclosure, this book is long, and I am not finished. I'm about two-thirds of the way through, and while I got impatient at first for the story to really get going, I think it is fabulous. I was hooked from the beginning, both by the premise (badass warriors who fight on the backs of Phoenixes, primarily female warriors? What's not to love!) and by the relationship between Veronyka and Val. Is Val really as unfeeling as she seems? Or does she actually love and care for Veronyka? Are the moments of vulnerability she shows, like when she cries during the phoenix hatching at the start of the book, sincere? Or for show? I MUST KNOW! Another thing I love about it is the snippets at the beginning of every chapter and the pages included at the end of some chapters revealing the story of Avalkyra Ashfire and Pheronia bit by bit. Fantastic.
Nicki Pau Preto writes so beautifully and evocatively, you can't read it without seeing and feeling everything that the characters do. Take this gorgeous description of Veronyka's bond with her Phoenix, for instance:
"It wasn't love--such a small word couldn't begin to encompass the feelings of respect and devotion, of trust and codependence that existed between human and beast. The bond was a unity that was written in the stars, older than the empire and the valley and the mountains, older than the gods, a connection that not even death could shake. Endless, limitless, and somehow timeless, Veronyka's fate was tied to this creature, and they would always be together."
Chills. Just beautiful.
Do you need more? Let's talk about the rich world-building and character development. So many amazing details, like the custom among Veronyka's people of keeping their hair in braids and weaving into them tokens of like experiences, like a shell from the beach Veronyka swam to after she first learned how. And the strong personalities of each character (Kade is my dude, from the first time he talks to Sev he had my heart). Even characters who (at this point, at least) are side characters have a fully formed, developed history. That so much detail is worked in about characters you only catch glimpses of blows my mind.
I would love to continue raving about this empowering, thrilling story, but I presented for the first time ever at a professional conference today, then drove several hours home, and it is now almost an hour past my bedtime, so if I want to sneak in a few chapters before I pass out, I need to sign off and head upstairs. Read this book, though, friends! Especially if you're a fan of strong female characters, because Veronyka will inspire you. Read it! And then comment and tell me what you think.
