I’ll start with the good sides. The first thing I’ve noticed is how imaginative her idea is! On one side, there are the Anlights, a good people with wings, and on the other, Varkins, a very bad people with enhanced strength. I must admit I simply loved how what’s inside one’s heart is shown by their appearance. It’s very original. The author uses a good and poignant imagery and has a knack for describing locations. The way she switches point of views is also to be noted as it does not leave a sour feeling of confusion but keeps you reading. The book is filled with action and romance – despite the latter not being of much interest to me, I must admit it was interesting and well-woven. The author makes use of good vocabulary, considering English is her third language. There is also her biography at the beginning of the book to explain why sometimes sentences can sound weird or unidiomatic – a wise decision, if you ask me. The cover of her book is worth mentioning: it is aesthetically beautiful, with a quote explaining the story, it is poignant, and it shows a special something that belongs only to Annabel… Could you find it? Last but not least, there are many twists and turns worth your time. I was surprised at one twist in particular, but don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you!

Now is the time for the bad sides. One thing that seriously bothered me was how Annabel is a courageous and strong woman at the beginning, but then as soon as she’s safe she starts acting weak, shy, and isolates herself. She doesn’t want to go anywhere or try anything different. She appears to be a totally different person… Only at the end does she go back to being the one she was when we first met her. I liked her a lot until she started acting so weirdly; she then became just a normal character, a flat one. Other than that, there is a lack of description of emotions. We barely feel what’s going on in Annabel’s mind and heart; more insight on this would be great! Moreover, the Anlights, the good people, are a little too good… and cheerful. After having lost most of their families and people, I don’t think they’d be so happy in general. I understand that they are meant to represent the goodness, but sometimes it’s a bit exaggerated as most people wouldn’t be so helpful or ready to help, or sensitive. I’ve also noticed there is no table of contents – one thing I particularly like in a book in order to know where I’m at and just to read the chapters’ titles. Call me curious and I’ll agree.

Overall, the story is an entertaining read. Considering that the author is Ukrainian and that Black Wings is her first book, one can overlook the mistakes and sometimes strange sentences for the sake of the story itself, which is very good. I give it a 4 out of 5 rating for the interesting story; the writing needs more practice, though. I sincerely believe, thanks to the creative story, that this should be a best-seller!

P.S.: I want to congratulate the author, Iryna K. Combs, once again on her first book! Also, I hope there is a sequel coming for it left me wanting more of Annabel, Dexter, and this new world.

P.S. 2: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This was a brilliantly written book. I was completely new to this author, and must say I will be looking out for more to dive straight into, as I really loved the writing style and story weaving that she has given us, in this book.

I loved the futuristic sense to the story. It is always a style and genre that I enjoy reading, and this was definitely top notch. The story really gave you a feel that you were there, in the moment, but though it felt natural, you were well into a future setting.

The characters were all done well, be it main or secondary characters. Each was given a lot of thought, both in background and personality. They had their own style and interacted together in a very interesting way. I also, personally, loved the main.

The pace was excellent. I felt swept off my feet, caught up in the moment and really kept guessing and interested in what was happening. I was always wondering what was next and how it would affect those I had grown to know.

Overall, I highly recommend this read, especially if you like futuristic reads. I know I will be reading more by Iryna.

**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )