Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I absolutely adored this book. I accidentally read The Rookery first so went back to read this immediately afterwards. I'm in love with the world building, the magic system, and the characters! This is an absolute must-read for anyone who enjoys portal fantasy, or a reader who is looking for a magical adventure in a unique alternate London with a complex, gorgeous history and mythology all its own.

I loved the sound of the is book, it reminded me a lot of Neverwhere which I adore. Unfortunately it didn’t really grab me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read The Nightjar by Deborah Hewitt - a fantasy novel with a fascinating concept. The world-building is interesting, largely set in an alternate London where people have different abilities based on the elements: fire, water, earth and air. While the magic system is fairly standard, the idea we have guardians for our souls and only certain people can see them is special. I loved how this novel played with the idea of death - it's Pullman-esque, in that way. The romance didn't quite work for me, but the imagination of this author with this story kept me turning the pages long after dark. Thank you.

Set in an alternative Victorian London, The Nightjar feels familiar but is very much its own thing. The writing is beautiful but never gets in the way of a fast paced, engaging plot. The story bridges the gap between horror and beauty, friendship and isolation and even life and death. It was very accomplished debut. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I found this book very confusing, I think it would probably have written better as YA maybe? The protagonist Alice was really frustrating even right in the beginning making bad decisions and the writing style felt unpolished and somewhat immature. I ended up DNFing it as I checked other reviews and it sounds like that all the things I found annoying continue throughout the book.

The Nightjar, by Deborah Hewitt, is a fantasy set in present-day England. The main character, Alice Wyndham, discovers that she has a gift. She can see invisible birds, known as nightjars, which reveal the innermost secrets of a person’s soul. After meeting Crowley, she discovers that there exists an organisation within the magical world, run by Vince Kelligan, who know about her gift. Her best friend, Jen, winds up in a coma as a result of this and Crowley is the person to warn her of what she must do to protect her gift and rescue her friend.

As the story continues, the plot takes many twists and turns, with Crowley not being all as he seems. Alice meets other aviarists like herself, who teach her to use her gift and they go on to become her friends. But the relationship between her and Crowley is awkward and complicated, with lots of mixed emotions and tied loyalties.

As much as I liked this story, it is one I would have to read again to fully absorb the plot. I find certain kinds of fantasy, whilst enjoyable, more complex to read and often understand the story better the second time I read it. However, I really liked Alice and Crowley’s characters and watching their relationship unfold. Whilst romance was a light feature in the story, it was not the focal point. Their bond was very indicative of how it would play out in real life. They share the same awkward character traits and I enjoyed watching their story unfold.

I also really liked the plot twists within the story. Even towards the end, Hewitt doesn’t shy away from unsettling the reader and adding another unexpected element to the plot. It keeps the story rich and engaging. I found myself sympathising a lot with Alice as after overcoming one hurdle, she is immediately faced with another.

If I have one slight criticism of the book, it would be some of the descriptions. Some are a little cliche and telling where actions would be far more effective in conveying the emotions expressed.

Although for me, it requires a second read, I recommend this book to other fantasy readers. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, but the book is now available on Amazon.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC via NetGalley of Deborah Hewitt’s ‘The Nightjar’ in exchange for an honest review.

I quickly fell in love with this novel and as it had just been published I elected to purchase its Kindle/Audible combination for an immersive experience. The audiobook was brought vividly to life by its narrator, Tamaryn Payne.

Alice Wyndham has had a fear of birds her entire life and at times has frightening visions of them. Her best friend, Jen, is the only person who understands her fear. When Alice witnesses the death of an old woman in Trafalgar Square it sets off a series of events that reveals a hidden city that intersects with London. A mysterious man named Crowley helps her understand her special ability to see nightjars, magical birds that guard the human soul.

When Jen is involved in an accident and lies in a coma, Alice has to find a way to travel to Death’s aviary to retrieve Jen’s nightjar.

This is just a taste of what lies within the pages of this wonderful novel. I was stunned by Hewitt’s rich world-building and quickly became invested in Alice’s journey to save her friend as well as to adjust to this strange, new reality.

Since childhood I have loved tales about magical lands that lie just beyond ordinary perception. Hewitt has skilfully woven in elements of Finnish folklore and mythology into her imagined world.

Her writing is beautiful and there is plenty of action and adventure, twists and revelations. It was an assured debut and I was very happy to learn that she is writing a sequel as there was so much potential for further exploration.

Highly recommended.

This was such a nice surprise. I really enjoyed it. I loved the magic, the world building, the characters. It was a very smart book that's well written.
If you're looking for a good fantasy, this is an option.

Thanks a lot to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest opinion

There was a lot of good stuff here, but there was also a lot that was really frustrating and quite generic at times. It tells the story of Alice, a pretty average woman was has been haunted by visions of birds all her life. When she meets Sylvie, she discovers a whole world of magic and danger and a frantic race against time begins. Firstly the good - the world created was interesting and quite original in terms of the Finnish influence. The Nightjar motif was innovative, although it felt a little shoehorned in at times. The stakes are suitably high and the pacing was good, particularly towards the end. Unfortunately, there were a few things that I found really disappointing. First and foremost was the characterisation of Alice. I appreciate that she was supposed to be an average individual, but being average doesn't mean that you consistently refuse to listen to sensible advice and continually barrel forward, never learning from past mistakes. It also doesn't mean that your primary response to danger is to wait to be rescued, which invariably is what happened. There were a couple of reveals in the narrative, one of which was so telegraphed that I was just waiting for it. The writing was a bit jarring at times and some of the character motivations just didn't ring true. Overall, I think that this was one of those books that ultimately didn't live up to its potential, but was a pretty enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an absolutely stunning and unique read, the world building is phenomenal and the writing just beautiful. I didn’t know what to expect from this, but I was left pleasantly surprised by one of my favourite reads of this year, so original, clever, it’s a captivating read and just so magical. Looking for something new , interesting and original, look no further, pick up this book and step into an amazing world.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked after reading the synopsis and was so happy that I got to read this before it is published! Deborah Hewitt has created a magical and unique world that captivates you and has you wanting more.

The characters in this book are relatable and most of all have flaws. While I really liked Alice and was rooting for her throughout, I felt that she was impulsive and made stupid decisions, not really thinking about the consequences. Crowley is reserved and mysterious, however I felt that at times if he had just been honest with Alice and not given her half the information then she wouldn’t have been so reckless. However, that didn’t stop me from loving either of these characters!

There is a hint of romance, but it really didn’t interfere with the story and to be honest I was happy with that. As much as I’m a sucker for a good romance story this book needed to be focused and when everything started happening and there were twists coming out of nowhere it just made everything more intense, especially their relationship.

The only reason that I’m not giving this book a five-star review is because quite early on I had guessed certain plot points which did come true and felt disheartened that the book had become a little bit too predictable.

However, it was a brilliant read and I really do recommend giving it a read if you’re on the fence about it. It’s a fast paced and magical book that is one I will be most definitely picking up a physical copy for and re-reading in the future!

Alice, who has a bad history with birds, is introduced to a world of magic after a very strange commute into work. Following a car accident that’s threatening her best friend’s life, she’s tasked with saving her friend’s soul by finding her nightjar, a mythical bird that protects her soul. Everyone has one. Alice learns that she is one of a very few select people that can see the nightjars (she’s an aviarist), which could give her the power to tell when someone is lying, learn their hidden thoughts and even control them. Drawing on Finnish lore, The Nightjar is full of magic with a rich and detailed world that mirrors our own. There are others in this magical world who have different powers which are loosely based on the elements. There’s intrigue and mystery, with shady goings on and it’s always unclear who the real bad guys are. Hewitt also manages to throw in some unexpected twists with a sad ending. Whilst I enjoyed it, it felt overly long and I would have loved more development into Alice’s relationship with Crowley. Some of her interactions with the supporting characters are really entertaining, particularly with August.

Having had no idea what to expect from a cursory glance at the cover, this book surprised me in the best possible way. The protagonist, Alice, appears at first to be a normal woman having a very bad day. I felt sympathetic to her right from the start and the writing style effortlessly drew me into her life as she discovered a hidden world called the Rookery. The secondary characters were all well fleshed-out - I particularly liked Jude, and an eye for detail made the fantasy elements unique. I was utterly engrossed in the world that Hewitt created and couldn't bear to put the book down! Five stars from me!