In Armstrong's intricate debut novel, magic is forbidden in the stratified theocracy in which it is set, stemming from a time when girls born with magic were hunted and killed out of fear of their power. Despite this purge, girls are still born with magic and mostly try to suppress their ability. An exception to this are the Nightbirds, young women who can transfer their magic with a kiss. At the highest level of society, the Great Houses allow and protect the Nightbirds because they can't use their power for themselves, but their magic can benefit the members of the Great Houses. The current Nightbirds, Matilde, Sayer, and Æsa, are under threat from the religious leader, the Pontifex, as well as others intent on further exploiting their powers. The three are plunged into intrigue and driven into hiding, particularly since they have become able to fully use their magic. Armstrong's writing is remarkably lean and focused. She expertly weaves together the various subplots and characters without superfluous exposition. The three Nightbirds are distinct in their differences, but they have the capacity to unite seamlessly. Clearly, they come into their own, rejecting the attempts of potential love interests to control them. The novel is packed with memorable characters but never so much as to interfere with the riveting plot. Armstrong ends the novel with "To Be Continued." Bring it!

Opposing forces seek leverage in a world in which intrinsic magic, widely believed to have been eradicated, is traded in secret. Long ago, women known as Fyrebirds wielded powerful, even deadly, magic. Accused of witchcraft and persecuted by the patriarchal church, the remaining Fyrebirds survived by concealing their abilities and marrying into the Great Houses, whose wealth and influence offered protection. Generations later, the Fyrebirds have passed into myth, while Nightbirds, their female descendants, are vessels for subtler abilities that they themselves cannot wield; instead, their abilities may be temporarily gifted to others through kisses. While the Great Houses continue to fiercely guard and regulate access to the Nightbirds' identities and gifts, those who fear--or have tasted--the Nightbirds' magic are determined to unmask them. Socialite Matilde has never questioned the system in which she participates; she enjoys having (and being) a rare secret. But soon after she's joined by street-wise Sayer and country girl Æsa, two new Nightbirds, an attack in the Nightbirds' inner sanctum sets the three girls on a different path, one with massive personal and political implications. Their present-tense narrative perspectives establish clear distinctions between them as they navigate and boldly question the intersections of patriarchy, privilege, and fear that shape their world. Lush settings, careful worldbuilding, and taut exposition are seamlessly presented through the characters' internal observations. Main characters read White; queer identities are woven into the story. An electrifying, high-stakes series opener grounded in feminist themes. (maps) (Fantasy. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this dazzling, fiercely feminist novel, teen witches dubbed Nightbirds bestow temporary doses of their unique abilities via kiss on the wealthy, highborn men of Simta's Great Houses in exchange for protection from puritanical, magic-banning powers-that-be. A madam strictly regulates access to the girls, hiding their identities until they retire to marry a Great House man and birth a new generation. Mathilde, a veteran Nightbird, believes what she's always been told--that intrinsic magic is rare; that she must not wield her magic, only gift it; and that the system keeps her safe. Then, the first evening she works with two novice Nightbirds, street-savvy orphan Sayer and sheltered immigrant Æsa, a religious zealot launches a violent attack, sparking a chain of cataclysmic events both personal and political. Debut author Armstrong uses lush, seamlessly incorporated worldbuilding, kaleidoscopic third-person-present narration told via realistically rendered characters, and fraught queer and straight romantic subplots to explore issues of classism and misogyny. With a pace that never flags and a harrowing, high-stakes plot, this distinguished read boasts texture, heft, and heart. The protagonists cue as white; supporting characters have varying skin tones. Ages 12--up. (Feb.)