Thursday, July 8, 2021

These Feathered Flames (These Feathered Flames, #1) by Alexandra Overy
๐ŸŽง Narrated by Fiona Hardingham

Synopsis (via Goodreads): When twin heirs are born in Tourin, their fates are decided at a young age. While Izaveta remained at court to learn the skills she’d need as the future queen, Asya was taken away to train with her aunt, the mysterious Firebird, who ensured magic remained balanced in the realm.

But before Asya’s training is completed, the ancient power blooms inside her, which can mean only one thing: the queen is dead, and a new ruler must be crowned.

As the princesses come to understand everything their roles entail, they’ll discover who they can trust, who they can love—and who killed their mother.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I really, really wanted to like These Feathered Flames. There's a lot to love, right? A Slavic-inspired fantasy! Russian folklore and culture! Twin sisters! Unfortunately, the story was slow, somewhat repetitive, and the characters were uninteresting (and also somewhat repetitive). Asya and Izaveta were incredibly frustrating, and I hated how they kept making the same mistakes over and over again. Asya gets attacked in the middle of the night? Okay, so obviously she should take a stroll through the woods where no one will hear her if she screams. Izaveta tries to use her sister as a pawn and it backfires? Yes, she should totally do it again and again hoping for a different outcome. Learn from your mistakes and BE BETTER.

I really wanted them to work together and be smarter than their enemies, but they kept choosing to do things on their own without consulting the other or asking for help. Additionally, Asya's aunt is still around (she's the previous Firebird), so it didn't make sense for Asya to try and do everything solo. She had someone she could ask for help. She could have gone to her aunt and they could have sorted through her newly emerging powers and discussed what certain things meant. However, Asya thinks she can handle it - or she doesn't want to feel like a burden - which is ridiculous. She's supposed to be training and learning how to be the Firebird. It was dumb of her to think she could do it all on her own. Izaveta has a similar story, because she thinks she can't trust anyone - not even her sister - because her mother was a manipulative bitch that didn't deserve either of her children. 

Izaveta was so caught up in playing mind games with everyone around her, that she doubted everyone's sincerity. She has MAJOR trust issues, and I wish she'd at least had one friend or confidant that she wasn't constantly analyzing or trying to control. I hated that she didn't even trust her sister (someone who kept reaching out despite receiving no response from Izaveta), and felt like Asya was just another piece in her games. Where's the sisterly love I was hoping for? It wasn't present in the first 60% of this book (which was roughly 8 hours of the audio). That's A LONG TIME for nothing to really happen. 

The world-building was interesting, and I liked the history we get to see in glimpses, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention. In addition to feeling like the characters kept making the same choices and mistakes, I was bored. I started dreading pressing the play button on my phone, and that's never a good sign. (★★☆☆☆)

Technically, this book should be included in my next DNF&Y post, but I needed an active link for NetGalley and the publisher. 

40 comments:

  1. It seems like a lot of stories hinge on refusing to ask for help. Which I can kind of understand at first but then, if the help is right there, then it gets annoying when the don't.

    Cool premise though!

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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    1. Yes! Like you said, I can understand them being reluctant at the start, but they likely would've saved themselves SO MUCH TROUBLE if they'd just asked for help. She was RIGHT THERE! A fountain of information. ๐Ÿ™„

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  2. First though, I want to slap them! They sound so frustrating!

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    1. I definitely had punchy feelings while reading this one, haha.

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  3. Aaah I'm so sorry it didn't work for you! I agree, it should have worked if you look at the whole package. Loved your honest review though.

    Did you have a blog revamp? Looking good!


    Elza Reads

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    1. Yes! I did. I'm really liking the new look. :) I had high hopes for this one, so I was disappointed when it didn't work out. I know a lot of other people really enjoyed it, but it just wasn't for me.

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  4. Sorry this wasn't for you! It's frustrating when a book has so many elements you usually enjoy but just doesn't come together for you.
    PS Love the new blog design - or maybe it's not that new but I love it!!

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    1. Thank you! It's new, haha. I smile every time I look at it. :)

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  5. Frustrating characters are the worst! Especially when the story already feels slow. Sorry this one wasn't better.

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    1. Right? If I can't root for the characters - or at least love to hate them - then what's the point?

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  6. Well at least the cover is gorgeous, right? This one had so much potential it sounds like, sorry it did not work for you.

    I love the new layout, it looks fantastic!

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    1. Absolutely love the cover! I know a lot of people really enjoyed this one, so I'm bummed it didn't work out for me.

      Thank you! I'm loving my new blog design. Kat did an amazing job. <3

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  7. Oh, that's a bummer! And the story sounded promising. Hope you love your next read, Lindsi! :)

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    1. I really loved the overall concept for the book, but I don't think it was executed very well. I've definitely read some good ones since finishing this. :)

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  8. So first of all, I LOVE the new look. I went to Kat's website because I liked it so much I wanted one for myself but she is closed to commissions so now I sob.

    I wholly agree that dreading starting it up again is a sure sign it is not for you! Sorry that it didn't work out, but I can certainly see why. The characters and their decisions sound quite frustrating, ugh. Hopefully your next book works out better!

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    1. Thank you! I love it too! I hope she's reopened her commissions because there's something else I want her to do, haha. My book blogger icon tags? The ones at the end of reviews? I would love for her to make a set that matches my blog's new look. :)

      If I have to make myself read a book, something definitely isn't working.

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  9. Oh man. This sounds like it would be a sure winner. Sucks that the characters had to be written in such a way that makes you really irritated. I can't stand when characters make life so much more difficult than it needs to be. I'm all for flawed heros, but sometimes it can become a bit too much and take away from the story.

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    1. I love flawed heroes and sister stories (especially books about twins), but the characters in this one were obnoxious and repeatedly made bad decisions. I was frustrated more often than I wasn't. ๐Ÿ™„

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  10. Oh yes, those are characteristics that would frustrate me, as well. Sorry this one wasn't what you hoped it would be. I appreciated your honest review, though.

    -Megan @ Bookstacks & Golden Moms

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    1. I'm a little disappointed when books don't work out, but there's always something else to read. ๐Ÿ™ƒ

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  11. Oh no, I am sorry that this one didn't work out for you even though you hoped it would. I would struggle with the characters not being too wise about anything and not trusting a single soul either. I have read many books where the plot gets repetitive and it can be exhausting. I hope your next read is better!

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    1. Exhausting is a good way to describe this one. They had so many people around them, yet they chose to do everything on their own - not even with each other. Especially the one sister that had been living with her aunt (?) in the woods. She's literally lived with being the Phoenix or whatever (it's been awhile since I read this, lol), and not once does she seek her out for advice. It just didn't make sense.

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  12. The problems you mention are the kinds of things that drive me nuts in a book, so yeah. I wouldn't be a fan either probably! I like the idea of the Slavic inspiration though. Bummer this didn't work out.

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    1. I was super excited about the Slavic-inspired fantasy, but it definitely didn't live up to the hype. I feel like I've read something else with Slavic themes recently, but now I can't remember what it was. Oh! Kate Daniels. The series written by Ilona Andrews. Definitely worth checking out. :)

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  13. Yeah if you find yourself not wanting to push play that speaks volumes about how much you're enjoying the book.

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  14. Sorry to hear this one didn't work for you. I think those characters would have frustrated the heck out of me too.

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    1. It's okay! There's always something else to read, right? ;)

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  15. Ooof I've heard mixed things about this book and I'm scared to read my copy lol.

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    1. Same. A lot of people seemed to really enjoy it, so I'm bummed I wasn't one of those people.

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  16. This book has such an intriguing concept! I think that I would probably finding myself not enjoying the character and the pace as well. I hope that you love your next read a bit more. :)

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    1. I haaate when a book feels like it's dragging from one thing to the next. Add frustrating characters to the mix? Pass.

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  17. I had plans to read this one, but now I am not so sure.

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    1. I would definitely borrow and not buy this one just in case it doesn't work for you. :)

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  18. Oh lord... This one would have driven me bonkers. I hate when things could be resolved if the characters were just a little less stubborn...

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    1. All they had to do was talk to each other, or anyone really. It was needlessly frustrating in my opinion.

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  19. You are right, so many of the elements appeal to me. Such a shame it fell flat. Grest review.

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    1. Thank you! Definitely has a lot of appealing elements, but they just weren't executed well.

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless