Great begining for a new series! The world is well-shown, the characters fleshed out and the story engaging. Can't wait for the continuation!

What.... A..... Read!

I had to sit with it for a few days and I'm still speedchless. The story originally reminded me of Fourth Wing but with a unique take on the system. From there on it went to a complete different direction. I was met with a description that made visualizing the events too easy to believe, a world of mystical birds who rule the skies and a tension between MC's that leaves you yearning for days!

The tagline of the book is an absolute perfect picture of the book, except that there is no warning that you'd need book two like yesterday!
Feathers of Ash and Hope is a dual POV slow burn fantasy romance set in a Roman Empire-inspired world—where magic is power, secrets are deadly, and giant birds rule the skies.

A great beginning of a new fantasy series!

The book opens with a lot of complex world building and magic to understand, but once you get your head around it and dive into the story, it builds really quickly!

Cannot wait to dive into the next book!

Feathers of Ash and Hope is a slow-burn fantasy romance full of deadly secrets, forbidden magic, and crackling tension between a cursed recruit and the centurion who can’t stay away. With a Roman-inspired world, mystical birds, and dual POV chemistry, this is a soaring start to the Flameborn series.

I received an ARC of the Feathers of Ash and Hope in return for my honest review.
Ara, the FMC is engaged to the crown prince in an arranged marriage, and to get out of the marriage she runs away to a military college. Tate, the MMC has a mysterious past and is instantly intrigued by Ara. I loved the plot, world building, the characters, they were all very well written and kept me engaged. Throughout the book we see the quirky and humorous side to Ara and how these traits either endear or make enemies of the people around her. Both Ara and Tate have a mysterious side to them that isn’t fully shared in the story and keeps you guessing as to what they are hiding. I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t put it down, highly recommend!

A Familiar Flight with a Flicker of Promise

Feathers of Ash and Hope by K.J. Altair is an ambitious entry into the romantic fantasy genre, clearly influenced by the high-flying popularity of Fourth Wing. With a military academy setting, elemental powers, and a brewing rebellion beneath layers of secrecy, fans of dragon-infused drama will feel right at home.

Altair's worldbuilding is competent, with glimpses of a deeper mythology and political complexity that hint at stronger installments ahead. The protagonist—a fierce yet emotionally guarded young woman—navigates a gauntlet of tests, rivals, and romantic tension with a voice that is engaging, if somewhat familiar. The love interest, while brooding and powerful, falls into recognizable tropes that don't quite push the boundaries readers might be hoping for.

Where Feathers of Ash and Hope shines is in its pacing and tension. Altair knows how to keep the pages turning, with cliffhangers and reveals that pull the reader along. However, much of the plot treads ground already well-worn by its predecessors. Readers who devoured Fourth Wing may find the parallels a bit too close for comfort—from the training arcs to the snarky dialogue to the enemies-to-lovers dynamic.

That said, this debut holds promise. Altair’s prose is readable and cinematic, and while it leans heavily on genre staples, it’s clear the author has more to explore. For readers hungry for more in the vein of Fourth Wing, this may be a satisfying—if not groundbreaking—ride.

Thank you to K. J. Alter and team for giving me the opportunity to read Feathers of Ash and Hope as an ARC.

Devoured this book like no other! Tate and Ara take meant to be to a whole other level. I loved the banter, not just between the two of them but Ara’s smartass comments to everyone in general.
I love that it’s dual pov so we can see just how much they are affected by each other and the fact that Ara can sense Tate’s magic 🤌. Eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Edwyn Publishing for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to get into Feathers of Ash and Hope—the first few chapters felt a bit slow for me—but once the story settled in, I was completely drawn into the world Altair created. The Roman Empire-inspired setting, the Skyrider Academy, and the magic system involving mystical bird bonds were all richly developed and unique.

Ara is a strong yet vulnerable heroine, and her dynamic with Tate was a highlight for me. Their slow-burn romance was filled with tension and banter.

The training sequences, the trials, and the high-stakes secrets Ara carried made the plot feel intense and fast-paced after those initial chapters. The side characters were enjoyable, and I appreciated the camaraderie and loyalty within the Skyriders. The ending was an absolute cliffhanger, and I’m genuinely excited to see what comes next in the series.

This was such a solid start to what I hope will be a long, emotionally rich fantasy romance series.

Feathers of Ash and Hope follows Ara, who wants to become a skyrider in order to protect herself from a curse. She does this against the knowledge of her family, deciding to disguise herself as a boy in order to go undetected. Told in dual POV, we also follow Tate, who is hiding secrets of his own.

It did take me a while to get into this - I sometimes found the writing a bit juvenile and I thought some of the plot points weren’t very believable. However, this was a very fun and easy read, and I did enjoy reading it.

There was more of a focus on the romance than the fantasy elements. Whilst I did enjoy reading the romance between Ara and Tate, I would have preferred more focus on the fantasy plot elements and the world-building. The world seemed really interesting, I just wish it was fleshed out a little bit more. The world-building felt very surface level.

Overall, I would recommend if you’re looking for an easy, fun read, or if you’re a reader who loves a romantasy book with a larger focus on the romance elements.

I received this through Netgalley and I couldn't put this book down. I stayed up all night to finish it. Don't let the similarities to Fourth Wing fool you...this is an exciting read all on it's own. The slow burn had me ready for more. If you like academy settings, girls pretending to be boys while flaunting the rules to do her own thing, slow burn romance and magical animals then this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and K.J. Altair for sending me an early copy of Feathers of Ash and Hope!

Wow—what a book!

I finally had the chance to sit down and read Feathers of Ash and Hope, and I ended up loving every second of it. If you're a fan of the Fourth Wing series, you definitely need to add this to your TBR. The pacing was fast, the writing was super easy to get into, and I felt such a strong connection to the main character, Ara. The world-building was vivid and immersive—it felt like such an escape.

Honestly, I couldn’t put it down. The characters were so well written and relatable, and there were twists, secrets, and constant scheming that kept the story moving at a perfect pace. I was hooked from start to finish.

Tropes I loved in this book:

Military college + deadly trials
Bonding with animal companions (yes, they talk telepathically and it’s amazing)
Forbidden love
Slow burn romance
Tension + yearning
Dark and brooding MMC
Badass FMC
Magic
Spice that’s tastefully done

Basically, this book checks all the boxes for me. The storyline was so intriguing and well thought out, and the slow burn/romantic tension was done perfectly. I also really appreciated how the spice was written—it fit naturally into the story and didn’t feel forced.

The ending left us with a bit of a cliffhanger, and now I’m officially in a chokehold until book two drops.👀I definitely didn’t expect that ending!

This was a well written book with some really poetic moments. I did struggled with the pacing and felt it dragged a bit for me in the middle. Some of the side characters felt a little flat as well. Overall it was good story if you’re into slower, reflective fantasy, it might work for you. Just wasn’t a showstopper of a book for me, but I’m glad I gave I read it!

Oh wow that ending!!!

Okay I am getting a little bit ahead of myself. I loved this book, it’s giving fourth wing but with birds. A slow burn which lasts and is just witty perfection. The humour, the story telling and the dual point of views make it perfection.

I need the second book now!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an early copy of this for review.

I unfortunately DNF this at around 25%. I’m loathe to DNF anything and can count on one hand how many times I’ve done so in the past few years, but between the blatant similarities to Fourth Wing and the writing it just wasn’t working for me. It was SO similar to Fourth Wing in parts that I wondered whether it was AI. I may have been able to get past that, but the writing really just wasn’t keeping me immersed. I feel that this author could use a good editor. Considering that this was an ARC I’m hoping it will be improved upon publishing so I won’t rate it below 3 stars, but the dialogue felt extremely stilted and not at all the way people would ever actually speak to one another, which is probably my biggest reading “ick” and ultimately was the reason I chose to finally DNF.

4 star’s - I really liked this book and WHY did it end like that?! I wanted more... no, I needed more!!
If you're a fan of Fourth Wing, go ahead and add this to your TBR immediately. Seriously, who doesn't love a good slow burn romance that really starts burning by the end? The tension, the build up, the payoff.....l'm still recovering.
Highly recommend to my Romantasy girlies, this book needs way more hype!!

I feel the idea was definitely there. Overall I don’t enjoy instalove, which is a large portion of my rating. This story has a lot of jumps in the timeline.

An incredible fantasy that had me gasping, giggling, and now begging for book 2 as soon as humanly possible! With relatable characters and the perfect amount of humor in the mix, this was a binge read that I wasn't willing to put down until I finished it (especially with the delicious slow-burn tension!). It's not easy to write a fantasy nowadays that has original worlds, magic systems, or plots, but K.J. Altair has done it and I am now chomping at the bit waiting for wherever she takes this next!!

K. J. Altair's "Feathers of Ash and Hope," the electrifying first installment in the Flameborn Series, is a compelling new adult fantasy romance that delivers on its promises of high stakes, a richly imagined world, and a tantalizing slow burn. Fans of academy settings, elemental magic, and intricate political intrigue will find themselves quickly drawn into Ara's desperate fight for survival.

The novel centers on Ara, a young woman living under the shadow of a deadly curse that imperils her entire family. Her only recourse is to join the formidable Skyrider Academy, a place of elite training where aspiring riders bond with magnificent, mystical birds called aetheras and master potent magic. What sets Ara apart, and what makes her journey so compelling, is the web of lies and secrets she must weave to conceal her true identity and the nature of her curse – exposure would mean ruin.

Altair's world-building is a standout, particularly the evocative Roman Empire-inspired setting blended with unique elemental magic and the majestic aetheras. The Skyrider Academy itself is a rigorous and dangerous proving ground, teeming with both potential allies and dangerous rivals. The dual point of view, primarily through Ara and the formidable, scarred centurion Tate, offers a fascinating look into their individual struggles and the burgeoning, forbidden attraction between them. Tate, burdened by his own dark past, initially clashes with Ara's seemingly reckless nature, but their undeniable chemistry and slow-burning tension are palpable from their first encounters.

“Feathers of Ash and Hope" excels in its character development. Ara is a resilient and complex protagonist, burdened by her past and forced to make difficult choices, yet consistently fighting for those she loves. Tate is an intriguing blend of gruffness and hidden depth, and their dynamic is expertly crafted, building anticipation with every stolen glance and tense interaction. The novel delves into heavy themes of inherited trauma, the psychological toll of institutional pressures, and the constant battle for self-worth, giving the story a welcome layer of emotional resonance beyond the romance.

While the pacing is generally strong and the world-building immersive, there were a few minor instances where the narrative felt like it lingered a tad longer than necessary, or perhaps a secondary plot thread could have been slightly more streamlined. However, these are small points in an otherwise engaging and powerfully imagined story.

"Feathers of Ash and Hope" is a strong debut from K. J. Altair. It offers a thrilling blend of fantasy, romance, and gripping suspense, perfectly setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting series. If you're looking for a new adult fantasy romance with a unique setting, high stakes, and a magnetic slow-burn romance, this is definitely one to pick up

I just couldn't continue after 24%, dnfed. too many similarities with fourth wing. Even though there's birds and "they condemn their souls to elet". That did me that did and I just couldn't continue. Not happy as really wanted to enjoy this one

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an early eARC of this book.

3 stars. This book was a solid fantasy romance read. It features Ara who is a part of a noteworthy family and the youngest of 4 older brothers who decides to enter the Skyriders against the wishes of her older brothers. She decides to conceal her identity and pose as a boy while trying to hide that she is cursed meaning she can drain other people’s magic. She meets Tate and slowly it becomes harder for her to keep all her secrets. The story continues from there.

This story has several interesting elements to it. I enjoyed Ara and the idea of her needing to hide her identity. I found the idea of her being cursed very interesting. I liked the idea of the skyriders being bonded to birds. However, this idea is not entirely unique and felt very reminiscent of Fourth Wing.

I felt like the pacing was a bit off for me. I feel like the author had so many ideas on where the plot of this story could go that there was a lot of random scenes or events that took place that did not need to be included in this story. I felt like so much was happening that at times it distracted from the main point of the plot. Because of this the book seemed to progress quite slowly and I found myself not as invested into the book. I think this book could have benefited from simplifying the plot a bit and cutting down the number of pages.

With all this being said, I did enjoy my read. I think this is a solid fantasy romance with interesting elements.

This review is currently available on Goodreads.