These Feathered Flames

October 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Identical white twins Asya and Izaveta were separated at 10 after a ceremony determined Izaveta would be the next queen of Tourin, while Asya would be the next Firebird, a creature who demands a price in exchange for magic. Six years later, after the sudden death of their mother, they are reunited as the time has come to fulfill their predestined roles. Each maintains secrets as they struggle to get to know one another again. Izaveta has been taught everything is a game to be won, while Asya has been isolated with her strict aunt teaching her how to be the feared Firebird. Based on the Russian folktale "The Firebird," this debut fantasy novel, first in a series, slowly unfurls its world-building, creating a detailed setting where people are worried about "the fade," magic leaving the land. Told from both sisters' points of view, this is a story of court intrigue, loneliness, and two young women struggling to do the right thing in a world where they have no choices in their future. VERDICT An engrossing fantasy tale about sisterhood and what it means to be able to fully trust another person. A first purchase for libraries where fantasies are popular.-Rebecca Greer, Hillsborough County P.L. Coop., FL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2021
Grades 9-12 Debut author Overy draws from the Russian fairy tale ""The Firebird"" in her dark fantasy about twin princesses, one destined to be Queen of T�urin, the other to be the Firebird, a magical debt collector compelled to enforce the blood cost of doing magic. Asya and Izaveta were separated at age 10 to train for their future positions: Asya with their grim Firebird aunt; Izaveta with their cold, calculating mother, the queen. Now 17, the sisters inherit their duties early when the queen is murdered by magic. Asya must find the culprit before the magical imbalance threatens T�urin, while Izaveta must secure alliances in a slippery political landscape if she hopes to remain queen. This compelling series opener is narrated by both sisters as they struggle to overcome fear and distrust to be true allies. Though the sisters' relationship is paramount, their relationships with others, including Asya's burgeoning romance with a female guard, prove crucial. This will appeal to those who enjoy character-driven stories of magic and courtly intrigue.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2021
Seventeen-year-old twin sisters become living legends in this reimagining of the Firebird folktale. T�urensi tradition dictates that one royal twin will become queen, responsible for the country, while the other will become the Firebird, responsible for maintaining the country's magical balance. Where once T�urin's magic was abundant, requiring minimal payment in exchange for access, there is now a Fading, and those who do not (or cannot) pay may lose limbs--or their lives--to the Firebird. When the queen dies unexpectedly, Izaveta prepares to take her place while her twin, Asya, receives a Calling to right a magical imbalance related to their mother's death. Desperate for answers, Asya struggles to wield the Firebird's power even as she grows closer to Yuliana, the beautiful, antagonistic palace guard who shadows her. Asya's na�ve perspective alternates with Izaveta's cunning as they each navigate the royal court, the increasingly dangerous consequences of Asya's unfulfilled Calling, and the threats posed by foreign interests and the powerful Church. Asya's exhilarating, tightly plotted fights and Izaveta's clever political machinations play out against Slavic-inspired historical and cultural elements to create a thoroughly compelling tale of strength and sisterhood. A White default is assumed for main characters; some secondary characters have dark skin, and one secondary character communicates through sign language. Richly constructed and wholly riveting. (map, pronunciation guide) (Fantasy. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.