4.5 Stars - DARK THRILLING PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel is a wonderful debut novel that reminded me of the reasons why I love paranormal romances. It’s deliciously dark, satisfyingly eerie, and absolutely enthralling.

Kassel’s writing is beautiful and utterly captivating. I really liked the premise of the story and the spooky atmosphere. This book also gave me some Twilight FEELS and I loved it! The world building is fantastic and very imaginative. I’ve never read anything about harbingers or beekeepers, so that part definitely fascinated me. The plot has plenty of action, mystery, suspense and drama that kept me on the edge and completely hooked. The characters are genuine and likable that I couldn’t help but root for them all. The romance is a bit weird at times (you’ll find out when you read the book), but I still enjoyed it. The paranormal aspects can be quite disturbing, but I didn’t mind it at all. I was completely engrossed the entire time that I didn’t want the story to end.

I liked Angie right off the bat. Her personality is inviting and that made it easy for me to connect with her. She’s also a fantastic heroine. Despite going through something horrible and having insecurities, she’s quite resilient, determined and very brave.

Reece is enigmatic, alluring, and has that “bad boy” vibe going on. You just know there’s something more about him, but whatever he’s hiding doesn’t really matter. He’s charmed his way into your heart and you just can’t resist him. I don’t know what it is exactly, but there’s something intriguing about the brooding tortured soul that always gets to me. Not to mention Reece is sweet, caring, and really handsome.

While there is an insta-love in this book, I thought it was quite well done. There’s a backstory (kind of creepy, but reasonable in the supernatural way) that helped explained why Angie and Reece were drawn to each other. I also thought that their relationship progressed at a really good pace. They didn’t rush into anything or immediately declared their feelings. They both kept each other at a distance to some extent. But no matter what, the spark between them was undeniable. I enjoyed seeing them interact and deal with their attraction. Their bantering was super adorable and had me smiling. Their kisses were steamy and so swoony. They’re just so cute and I absolutely loved their chemistry.

With gorgeous writing, an engaging story line, fantastic characters and sweet romance, Black Bird of the Gallows had me enchanted all the way through. There are so many things I love about this book and I honestly can’t recommend it enough. While this book is perfect for paranormal romance lovers, I definitely think anyone looking for a fun thrilling read would enjoy this too.

When I first saw the cover of this book on Goodreads, I knew I had to read it. Black Bird of the Gallows is a paranormal romance enriched with fierce characters, unique legends, and a creepy protagonist. This intriguing book is a constant page-turner leading up to a finale that is truly frightening but also heart warming.

One of favorite aspects of the book was the strong chemistry between Angie and Reece. Both characters are quite different in many ways, but their oppositions strengthen the attraction between them. The strong pairing of trust and brutal honesty that they share with each other allows their relationship to mature. I love that even when they have landslides and swarms of bees threatening their lives, they continue to protect each other.

Overall, I think I enjoyed this book because, although it sticks to many traditional characteristics of young adult novels, Black Bird of the Gallows is littered with new and innovative myths and legends. Those who are considered cursed still believe in redemption, and evil is provided karma-tic relief. I like that the author does not shy away from portraying the characters with their everyday adolescent struggles. Instead, these characters are provided groundwork to discover who they are through actions and reactions. They are challenged by everyday struggles and evildoers, and their hearts and minds are forced into different tug-of-war battles.

More importantly, the friendships in this novel had me smiling ear-to-ear and swooning. Self-identity, inner strength, and understanding true friendships are common themes that encompass this novel. Every page will have your eyes brimming with tears from laughter, heartache, or the simple acknowledgement that the hardest choices in life can result in the best endings.

***This book was reviewed via Chapter by Chapter Book Tours and via Netgalley

Black Bird of the Gallows, by Megan Kassel, is a haunting modern-day fable. Millennia ago, magic existed, a force to be reckoned with. It was purged from the land, though, and man’s memory of what was faded. Humans have such short memories. Magic still exists, in small pockets of being such as in the harbingers, and the Beekeepers, and in abilities like seership and mediumship. But for the most part, notions of magic are scoffed at and treated as fiction or delusion.

Reece Fernandez move into the 'murder house’ next door to Angie Dovage. Her neighbors, a year plus ago, died in a terrible murder/suicide. The house stood vacant until the Fernandez's moved in. Reece seems to be a perfectly lovely young man, but strange things accompany him. Ravens and crows surround the house, and flock around him. A man with a shifting face shadows him. And he fears bees in a way not even the allergic do.

As unlikely as Angie finds it, Reece takes an interest in her. But the closer Angie grows to Reece, the more she notices the strange and unusual. A crow with one White feather a Shadows her, and leaves her little trinkets. One night, as she is leaving her job as a DJ, the mysterious man with the shifting face accosts her. After witnessing an accident and Reece’s bizarre reaction to it, Angie pushes him for answers. Nothing could have prepared her for the truth.

Reece is a harbinger of death. Once human, but now cursed to sense impending death and feed off the energy released by it. Both his human family, and the crows, make up his harbinger family, and Reece, too, has a crow form. They move place to place, wherever the magic tells them disaster will strike. War, natural disasters, large industrial accidents all draw them.

The mysterious man is Rafette, the Beekeeper who follows Reece's harbinger flock. Beekeepers were once human as well, warped by magic long ago and turned into hideous war weapons. Each has a hive of bees living inside them (Ew and wtf). These aren't your average honeybees. To be stung by one is to go mad, but they only sting those already unstable and disposed towards violence. As the harbingers feed off of death energy, Beekeepers feed off of chaos energy. For each, it is a matter of necessity, not pleasure.

But this isn't Angie's first encounter with Rafette, and members of Reece’s flock. Why are they here now, and why were they a part of her past? Disaster is looming on the horizon. Angie, and Cadence itself, will not emerge unscathed.

Can we talk about this cover? Absolutely exquisite! The cover is what first drew me to this book. I love ravens, and purple, so there we go! It fit perfectly with the story within.

I found the Beekeepers fascinating. Their history is so sad, as is that of the harbingers. Each created through magic as some sort of bizarre hybridisation. Each immortal or as good as. The harbingers can die, but 'respawn’ (as Reece put it) as a crow. After a time they can shift back to a human form but is always at a younger age. This tickles the edge of my memory, but I cannot recall where I read something similar. Argh! The harbingers also called to mind stories of Mothman, and the Silver Bridge collapse. I must say, I do wish they would have just used harbinger, instead of tacking on ’of death’ so often. I got it after the first two or three times. Harbingers foretell death. No need to say ‘harbinger of death’ over and over.

I loved the duality of the story. Part is man vs nature, which I love. The cataclysm in this book struck a little too close to home for me. Now I'm going to make sure we stock up on shelter supplies! The conflict between Rafette and Reece was so sad. I cannot see Rafette as a villain for wanting to end an eternal torment, despite his means of attempting it. Despair and desperation are powerful motivators, and as for his chaos sowing… it’s what he was designed for. The bees only sting the already unbalanced, so just maybe, sometimes by driving certain people, like serial killers, out into the open earlier than they may otherwise have exposed themselves he actually saves lives. I do wonder, though, why bees? It seems hornets or wasps would be a more logical choice.

Black Bird of the Gallows is a beautiful, tragic tale of ancient forces in the modern world. To me, it is a reminder that we should be careful playing with our science, and stop to think how future generations might be affected by our follies and errors.

📚📚📚📚

Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins

Quick Reasons: SUPER unique, intriguing, dark plot/story!; these characters have so much heavy trauma/baggage, oh my penguins; super creeptastic, horrifying "villains"; I will never ever look at bees (or ravens) the same way; entertaining, heart-wrenching, and pivotal read

HUGE thanks to Meg Kassel, Entangled Teen, and Chapter by Chapter Book Tours, and Netgalley for sending a free egalley of this title my way in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

OH. MY. PENGUINS. I have spent the last...24? hours thinking about the best way to go about writing this review and honestly all I've come up with is incoherent sentences and a LOT of beakish squeaking because this book is SUH GOOD I can't even right now! I just... Let me just take a breath real quick.


---My heart squeezes, painfully. In a different life, under different circumstances, Reece and I would be at the start of something real. Maybe something forever. I've seen enough of the fake stuff to recognize the difference--it was all my mom could handle.---


*inhales*

*exhales*

Hmmm... Nope, didn't work. Alas, I must try to persevere--don't mind the mess I've left behind, Penguins. The glitter and confetti will be swept up eventually, right? (I really should hire a maid. These messes are chaos!)

That being said--this was SUCH a unique, creative read! I lovelovelove the harbingers of death versus "Candyman" idea (I mean, the Beekeepers aren't REALLY the Candyman...but they're so close, I was super creeped out throughout!) This entire read is filled with dark, heavy subjects and should probably have a bit of trigger warning for violence, so...there's your warning, sensitive readers! Meg Kassel did a beautiful job weaving the tragic events of this journey with the magical realism that brings this world so fully to life. I am in awe of her writing, Penguins--it's atmospheric and gorgeous, and everything that happens in this story makes sense even if it's not wholly "believable."


--This feels so wrong, it shouldn't be real. But this is my voice saying, "Goodbye, Reece." And this is my body, walking out the front door. Quite possibly leaving my heart behind.---


There is a bit of "insta-love" happening in this read, but I'm TOTES LETTING IT GO because oh my Penguin beak, Reece is exactly the type of mysterious "bad" boy next door I love to love. There was also maybe the slightest whisper of "chosen one" syndrome happening with Angie...but it was so subtle and slight, I'm choosing to ignore it (also, I ADORED this read, so that helps too!)

I just CANNOT rave enough about this book, and am super excited to see what Meg Kassel does in the future! The characters are well-rounded, complex, and endearing. The dialogue and snark was on point, the relationships were all brilliantly handled, and I just... I NEED MORE! I'd definitely, definitely recommend to lovers of darkly atmospheric writing, creeptastic magical realism, and nonstop plot. There's a change stirring on the wind, Penguins; make sure you mind the bees.

"This town is marked, making her marked. Both are fair game."

I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. The synopsis is seriously vague. But, I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. Honestly, I would have loved this tale to be a series and am a little disappointed that it appears to just be a one off! Black Bird of the Gallows is a haunting mix of mysterious curses, creepy characters, risky romance, and dangerous adventure that will have you buzzing for more!

Angie Dovage had a traumatic childhood that has left her with a need to go unnoticed. Though she is an extremely talented musician, she even shields herself behind a disguise when her colorful alter-ego Sparo when she takes the stage as a DJ at the local club. But, when the mysterious and magnetic Reece Fernandez moves in next door, he seems to notice everything about her and appears to like what he sees. However, wherever Reece goes, death and destruction are soon to follow. Angie's curious about the secrets the boy next-door is keeping. She wants to know why there's suddenly strange crows lining her street and weird bees that seem to be making people crazy, and she's cure Reece has the answers. Her town has been marked, but for what?

I loved how original this story was! Cursed crows, harbingers of death, and Beekeepers are certainly all new ones for me. On the down side, it did feel a little rushed. I would have liked it to be a little more spread out and some more explanation about aspects like what it being a "marked" town really means and how the magic of their curses came to be and functions. Still, I really enjoyed this cast of characters and their wild adventure. Angie and Reece are drawn to each other like moths to a flame, but will they be strong enough to weather the storm that's coming? Because the Black Bird of the Gallows is in town and not everyone will be alive by the time it moves on.

Angie has new neighbors and during the course of her spying/watching them move in, she spots a boy her age. Interested in the prospect of meeting a new potential friend/hot guy, she is delighted to find him at the bus stop. But there is someone with him, a man whose face seems to be changing…but that can’t be true, it must just be Angie’s eyes. But when a flock of large black birds swarm, her new neighbor does not cower but instead appears to welcome them. Angie has no idea what is going on, if she is going crazy, if the new boy is crazy, or if something more is occurring right under her nose.

This was probably one of my most anticipated reads and I have pretty much been counting down the days until I could get my hands on this book since I discover it months ago. I knew I had to read it, but a small uncertain part of me was worried that I had built the book up too much in my mind due to all the hype and I was going to be disappointed. Well, fear not, this book lived up to my lofty expectations and so much more. The story was unlike anything I have encountered before with harbingers and beekeepers (Ha, not the typical “beekeeper” mind you!) and I was thrown off my usual game of predicting what will happen next because this world was so original. It also had so much heart, great characters, and a creepy tone I appreciated. I could never have anticipated the level of suspense and creepiness that was introduced, while creating a whole new mythology to ponder.

Angie was narrating the story and I highly enjoyed her quirky voice, she is up there with my favorite female book characters recently. I related to her thoughts and actions so much I could not help but to love her. She spent the first 12 years of her life living out of a van with her drug addict musician mother, learning more about life and death than any kid should. Yet she was able to maintain her innocence and heart, making her a genuinely good person, and have the ability to express herself through music. Angie had lots of reasons for being damaged, but she persevered. She was nobody's fool either, regardless of liking a boy she refused to be a doormat and kept her integrity and questioned everything. And the awkwardness of most of her encounters was so realistic I felt embarrassed right along with her (social anxiety ran high with this one). Her friends, Dad and Roger (I lurv Roger and his sunny doggy personality- the fact that Reece reported him as happy after his previous life situation was an interesting tidbit) were the best side characters to help Angie be who she needed to be. Which leads me to the enigma of Reece. He gave the appearance of being cool and popular, and gave attitude to Angie when they bickered and defended her when she didn't expect it, yet was shy and uncertain when it came to feelings. I was right there with Angie, desperate to uncover his secrets.

This story is a standalone book which is great because I was not left hanging or waiting for forever for the next book- but on the same hand that means I don't get any more from this mysterious, creepy, magical world. This is my first encounter with Meg's books and I have been super wowed and already forcing it on my bookish friends (and some who aren't, because reading is good for them!) I look forward to whatever else Meg wants to write because I enjoyed her style and the people she brought to life for me to love.

I received this title for return purposes. Come visit my blog at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ to follow the book's tour.

Thank You to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for letting me read and review an early copy of Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel. My thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own.
I'm also excited to be a part of the Black Bird of the Gallows Blog Tour! This tour is hosted by Chapter by Chapter and Entangled Teen. I'm happy to be a part of it.
Black Bird of the Gallows is an interesting mix of things. First and foremost, it's a paranormal romance, which I always love. There are also sprinklings of disaster fiction, danger, mystery, and a bit of horror. It's an interesting mix for a book, a mix I rather enjoyed reading. The book introduces the different parts in different spots. It unveils itself as it goes along. It definitely kept me reading.
This story brought to mind some other stories I have read and enjoyed. The beginning and middle really reminded me a lot of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, in a good way! I know that comparison might not be a good omen for some people, but reading Black Bird of the Gallows gave me that feeling of when I first read Twilight, how sucked in I got to the story, and how much fun I had reading it. Black Bird of the Gallows also had a more sinister vibe, and it reminded me of a more sinister book I had read a couple of years ago. That book is The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman, which is a crazy, scary, and good book! More people should read that one.
Black Bird of the Gallows had a lot packed into it. It almost felt like it could have been put into two book, instead of just the one. There was a lot to take in, and everything went pretty fast. I would have liked the last half of the book to have been slowed down a little, but that's just because I really like reading disaster fiction.
I really liked the premise of this book. I'll admit, when I started it, I had no idea what a Harbinger of Death was. It was a very interesting life to imagine. I would have loved for Angie to have been looking at old disaster articles and pictures, and then spotting Reece in them, that would have been cool.
I also enjoyed Angie as a character. I liked how she did her own thing, and her being a DJ was an interesting hobby to have. I also really liked the relationship she had with her dad.
I don't know if I would say I swooned over the romance. I liked it well enough, but it did kind of speed along. I did enjoy the build up to it, Angie spying, but not spying on this cute, mysterious boy across the street.
I wasn't mad at the ending of the book, in fact, I think it did a good job wrapping up. As I was getting near the end, I really did wonder what was going to happen. There were directions this could have gone that I wouldn't have been happy with. So while I do think this book could have benefitted, or had the potential to be a series, I appreciate how everything wrapped up.
All in all, I enjoyed this read. Black Bird of the Gallows was fun! It had the most interesting mix of paranormal romance, mystery, horror, and disaster. It was a story that sucked me in and I enjoyed. I'd definitely say give it a read.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.8/5
A Cool Mix.

Such a fun book! I was hooked into it pretty much from the beginning and between Angie's character and the whole mystery aspect, it wasn't hard to get sucked into the story. It was fun, full of humour and friendship, and had a good buildup to the romance. More than that, there was action--things were constantly happening, but not in a way that overwhelms the reader! The perfect balance between a light read and creepy-horror things!

“Stay away from the bees.”

Black Bird of the Gallows is a debut standalone paranormal YA romance that reads like a mixture of Candyman meets The Birds meets Twilight. (And I mean that mashup in the best way possible!)

“The energy flows over me, fills me, and none of it feels tainted, contaminated by the darkness of my mother’s mistakes.”

Angie Dovage lives in a small town in southwest Pennsylvania and is counting down the days of her senior year of high school, so she can finally graduate and escape the small town that won’t let her forget her childhood. She is living with her father, making music with her two best friends, and trying to ignore that past that still haunts her. That is, until a new boy moves in next door and makes her realize there may be more to her small sleepy town than anyone realizes.

Reece is not your regular human boy, but is also harboring a secret that will change Angie’s world forever. Together they are trying to uncover the fate of their small town, while also learning to trust one other and overcoming their own personal fears.

“If you had asked me a few weeks ago, I’d have said magic is impossible. Irrational. Just considering its existence in this world is insane. But I saw bees crawl out of a man’s mouth. I saw him change faces like pages of a book.”

This book has a dark and spooky vibe throughout its entirety. The writing is beautiful and for sure helps create this haunted aesthetic vibe, which I loved. This book feels and reads very much like a mystery thriller, even though it is for sure a paranormal romance. Also, I feel like the story itself was just super unique.

“I endured two centuries of horrors, and maybe it was all so I could be here with you. If my unnatural existence means nothing else, it means this. I get to be here, now, with you.”

I had a little problem with the romance in this book, and how fast and instant it seemed to be. The story later addresses this with more back content, but that addition just made me feel a little creeped out. I also felt like the ending was a little too easy and convenient for my liking, as well. But those were the only two issues I really had. Besides those, this was a really enjoyable read.

I do think it’s important to note that this book centers around death a lot. So, trigger warnings for talk of death, child abuse, and a minor plot point that surrounds a school shooting. Yes, this is a YA novel, but the nature of this book definitely deals with some dark subject matters, so please go into this book knowing that.

I completely recommend this, especially for a fun Halloween paranormal read! I really enjoyed Angie’s friendships with Deno and Lacey and then her parental relationship with her father. Also, I love that this is a standalone, because those are so unheard of nowadays, especially in the paranormal genre. This is a quick and easy read that would be super enjoyable for the fall season. And I will definitely read future books by Meg Kassel, because of this wonderful debut.

Black Bird of the Gallows tells the story of Angie Dovage and of what happens after a hot dude moves in the house in front of hers.

I kinda liked this I guess, I mean the fantasy world was pretty original and I enjoyed it but all the rest around it seemed very cliché. The romance, the plot etc.
I also didn’t really connect to the characters, which I found quite cliché as well, especially the main guy…
I mostly wasn’t enthralled by it and barely cared about any of it...

Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

So I have to admit, I'm pretty much addicted to all things Entangled Teen at this point. That, along with the fact that this cover is one of my favorites of 2017, had me racing to request this book to read. And I am so glad I did.

Plot:
If you were to ask me what the bare bones of this book were, I'd have to tell you that it's a YA book about a girl who falls for a mysterious boy with some supernatural elements thrown in there. Sounds kind of similar to a lot of other young adult books out there, right? Black Bird of the Gallows is anything but the same old young adult book. Angie Dovage is not your typical female main character, and Reece is not your typical dark, brooding male secondary character. The plot is creepy, unique, fun, and is perfect for the Fall reading season. I loved how things unfolded throughout the book. It doesn't have the typical insta-love that I tend to dread going into some YA books but rather a slow build of their relationship. Angie obviously immediately notices that Reece is attractive, sure, but what teenage girl wouldn't immediately notice a cute new neighbor? She's wary of him as she starts to experience the sudden appearance of a large murder of crows and strange things happening around her but she's also curious about him and his family. There's tension between the two, some seriously creepy characters that are introduced, and a pretty stinkin cute romance that blossoms between Angie and Reece. Everything from start to finish unfolded and flowed so well and I never felt like any part of the book was dragging on or moving too fast. I thoroughly enjoyed the constant creepy vibe that this book gave off and how things were "slowly" revealed. I say "slowly" not to mean that the book moved slow, but rather things weren't explained all at once. Information was given at just the right time at various parts and I really appreciated that the author didn't decide to do a huge info dump but rather draw it out and build up suspense. This was just such a fun and unique book and I think that anyone who is a fan of paranormal YA books will definitely enjoy it!

Characters:
I actually really liked Angie. As I said above, she's not the typical YA female main character. She's been through a lot of tough things in her life and it's very apparent in the way that she carries herself. Her anxiety and insecurities are very believable and I felt like her Sparo persona was something that she used to try and escape from being herself, if only for a few hours. But despite the things that she had been through, Angie never took crap from anyone, even when she was being bullied at school. She refused to let Reece play the mysterious new boy card that he kept trying to throw at her and I really respected her strength and determination to not only find out what Reece was hiding but also find out what was happening around her town. She's strong, smart, sassy, and incredibly brave and she really was just an all around great character to follow. I'd be happy to see more strong female main characters in YA like Angie in the future!

Reece was obviously the dark, mysterious new boy in town that had a bunch of secrets. While I was expecting him to be a harbinger of death (that's pointed out in the synopsis and is not a spoiler!) I certainly wasn't expecting another part of him that he revealed. It was actually really cool when he explained it all out and I found myself very intrigued with him and his past. He did pull the "typical" YA male character "I like you but we can't be together because of my dark secrets" thing but honestly, I had no problem with it since Angie basically calls him out and refuses to let him play her that way. The two of them had such an enjoyable character dynamic and they really played to each others strengths and supported them through their weaknesses. Their romance wasn't instant but rather a slow build up of trust and honesty, but I definitely found myself hoping that they would end up together! I did get the feeling that things kind of sped up a bit towards the middle part of the book, but when it was all explained, oh my goodness I could not stop smiling. Yes, even I enjoy a cute, cheesy romance every so often. Especially when it involves spoopy elements! All in all, I certainly enjoyed both characters in their own ways, but really enjoyed them together as well.

Also, quick shout out to Meg Kassel for creating the Beekeeper. That was one of the creepiest villain characters I've ever read about and I will never look at bees the same way again!

Writing:
Black Bird of the Gallows is the perfect book to pick up for some creepy Fall reading! The writing was superb and really delivered on the spooky vibes that reading the synopsis gave me. While reading this book, I imagined that Angie's town was under a permanent cloud cover and it was always chilly, and the cold would get more intense when the murder of crows would appear. I swear I wouldn't be surprised if Angie had to walk through fog to get to Reece's house! The atmosphere was exactly what I was hoping it would be and it really just allowed me to dive further into the world that Meg Kassel has created. Which, speaking of the world building, oh my goodness. The author has created such a beautifully dark and fantastic world of harbingers, Beekeepers, and something else called the Strawmen that appears to be more powerful than both of those beings. It's very clear that there was a lot of thought put into this world and the mythology in it and I would really love to see more about it in another book or novella!

Black Bird of the Gallows is an eerie and bewitching story with a world that begs to be expanded upon and characters that you want to follow well after the final page. If you're looking for an exciting new paranormal YA book to read, then you definitely don't want to miss this book!

I have been impatiently waiting for this book ever since Entangled: Teen sent an email out about it back in February. The cover is gorgeous and the blurb is intriguing. I didn't know just how intriguing it was going to be. Part of me was scared that I was wanting to read it so badly that it wasn't going to be good.

Angie doesn't like being in the spotlight. She made national news when she was younger and it was not for something that she wants to be remembered for. Reece is the new boy in town and the only one who Angie wants to notice her. However, he isn't quite human being a harbinger of death and all. His family and he have been living with this curse for over a thousand years. Angie's town is going to be the site of a disaster and Reece swears to keep Angie safe.

There is a horror element to this story in the form of psychosis-inducing bees that someone called a Beekeeper releases on people. I'll let you read the story for yourself to find out more about that though. There is plenty of action in this book and I didn't want the story to end. This is an excellent debut. I can't wait to read more from this author.

I wish I would have liked this better than I ended up doing.
It took me a while to read this, and then another while to work out what I didn't really like about it.
In fact I love the idea behind it.
The world building is imaginative and I loved the beekeepers and harbinger of death bits.
The story line left me divided. I loved the first half. The first bit of romance. But I wasn't a huge fan of the second part of the romance. It felt too fast too much and suddenly their attraction felt too melodramatic too put on.
Same goes for the plot. I was intrigued in the beginning, then about 60%in I kinda lost interest. I knew where it was going and frankly some of the turns felt too convenient and way too neat.

The writing style was ok. It's a bit too simplistic at times for my taste and some of the dialogues felt a bit generic.
Last but not least, the character building. Again, I felt that the first part was done better than the second part. I liked Angie and her friends. I got her insecurities, liked her relationship with her father and her friends. I loved Reece. The cast in general was interesting, even if there were a few generic support cast members thrown in. In the second part, however I felt less and less connected to the characters. I think partly this is due to the plot taking over. There was loads happening, one calamity after the other. But somehow, I found Angie, less relatable as well. It was too fast of a shift of emotions, it felt a bit unreal.

So while I think this is a really neat idea and though I did like the end, a lot. I found myself not quite convinced. It's somewhere between ok and good. So 2.5 Stars. But because I loved the first half and I adore the cover.. I rounded it up.

**** Big thank you to Entangled Publishing for sending me an copy in exchange for an honest review!****

Real Rating: 3.5

This was definitely a very unique and dark story and unlike anything I’ve ever read before, I won’t be forgetting this one any time soon! Remember when paranormal romances were big? This is how a majority of them SHOULD have been, engaging and well written! However, there were just a couple things that didn’t work enough for me to full rate this at 4 stars.

Plot

I loved how the story opens up with some interesting happenings right away, there are some mysterious new neighbors next door in the house where a family was brutally murdered. Pretty good attention grabber, right? From here the plot takes off with Angie being drawn to the new boy next door, Reece, and she starts to notice odd things happening around town such as a significant increase in the local crow and bee populations and she thinks Reece has the answers.

The plot is very fast paced and stays that way for the duration of the book, which was nice, and there definitely isn’t a lack of action at all! You’ll be able to zip right through this book! I loved how Kassel kept things interesting and kept you reading for answers and when you finally got them she’d leave you with more questions too! Her writing was spectacular and I’ll be interested to see what she’ll write next.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the world building and mythology, it was extremely creative and I wanted to know everything about it! The curses of the Harbingers and Beekeepers were really interesting but I would have liked to have known a bit more about their origins as well as the history of the magic and other magical entities that are mentioned, such as Strawmen. I would have loved a lot more depth into the world building for sure, it would have made the story even better but I did love what I got!

I also really liked how the general atmosphere of the story was kind of creepy as well since we are dealing with Harbingers of Death after all, it’s a perfect book to read for Halloween coming up here if you don’t like horror but like something a little spooky!

I also have to say that the second half of the book is where things got pretty dark and dangerous but it was also really thrilling to read through. Best part of the book, in my opinion! However, the ending to the book felt a little too…..convenient for me? I didn’t like how they are dealing with a problem for the majority of the story and then at the end it is magically solved for them, just a little too cheesy for me.

Characters

The characters were a little tricky for me in this book, while they were decent I just didn’t feel connected to any of them and felt they lacked depth.

Angie was an alright narrator and main character, she had a pretty tough break as a child but has learned to deal with it. I think one of my favorite parts about her character was her love for making and mixing music and the parts where she would DJ were a lot of fun! When she DJs she uses an alter ego she likes to keep separate from herself which she has completely understandable reasons for. However, there is a moment where she has to choose between learning more about why her life might be in danger or to reveal her DJ persona to Reece and I thought it was a bit ridiculous because come on girl your life could be in danger!

Other than Angie there are a few other characters who get “screen time” such as her friends Deno and Lacey, her father, Roger (her dog), and of course Reece. I did really like all of these characters and they did have a little background and personality but overall they just didn’t have a whole lot of depth. Like I said though I really like them, they were very supportive of Angie the entire story. (I adored the dog though, seriously)

Reece is the other central character and love interest and he does get quite a bit of background as well but he doesn’t ever really develop. He doesn’t change or grow, the only character that did that was Angie. Overall I thought Reece was just sort of okay, I didn’t love or hate him he was just kind of…there.

One character I did not care for AT ALL though was Kiera Shaw who is basically the “high school mean girl” trope and she lives to make Angie’s life miserable. I did not see the point to her character at all and even towards the end where Angie and Kiera’s pointless “rivalry” is resolved it still felt really flat and not genuine. Even Rafette who was technically the story’s main antagonist was way more sympathetic than her!

Romance

I actually did enjoy the romance between Angie and Reece and while there is an instant attraction the romance is not insta-love at all. I liked how it was slow at the start but it did feel a little rushed towards the middle of the book but it is explained so I forgive it. I actually really liked the tension that was between them at the beginning where they felt that attraction initially and it just had me rooting for them from the get go!

There was a sort of side romance between Angie’s two friends and honestly I felt it wasn’t needed at all. I liked the two characters but did we really need a side romance?

In Conclusion

Overall I loved how unique the concept of this book was and the world building and mythology were fantastic, although I didn’t care a lot ton for most of the characters. So I’d like to give this a full 4 stars but the issues I had with the book it just doesn’t feel right to rate it anything more than 3.5.

What I Loved:

Concept and general plot
The writing was engaging
World building and mythology were creative
Very fast paced and full of action
Loved the musical side of Angie, the main character
The romance was slow burn and adorable
Roger, the dog, was just the best

What I Didn’t Love:

The ending felt WAY too convenient
Could have used a little more expansion with the world building
Characters were just kind of alright, didn’t really connect
Pointless girl on girl rivalry with school mean girl

Recommend?

I highly, highly recommend checking this book out though especially if you’re looking for a very unique story concept or a creepy (but not terrifying) book to read this fall!

Black Bird of the Gallows is Meg Kassel’s debut novel and is a deeply engaging paranormal read that offers readers something new and addictive in this fast paced, romantic and well written tale that thrills from the very beginning.

Seventeen year old Angie Dovage knows there is more to her new neighbour Reece Fernandez than meets the eye. With her own painful past, Angie understands the shadows and figments of grief that lurk behind Reece’s well placed smile and can’t help the thrill that runs through her when she sees him. Reece and his family are harbouring dark histories and when something supernatural begins to affect Angie’s town, discovering Reece’s secrets is only the beginning; catapulting Angie into a dangerous world of ancient magic and violent creatures. Falling in love with Reece may seem next to impossible to avoid but with Reece’s very presence signalling an impending disaster, Angie is facing more than just the possibility of losing her heart. She may lose her very life if she and Reece can stop the forces threatening to tear them apart….

From the opening chapter of Black Bird of the Gallows, I knew I was going to enjoy the story. The prose Meg Kassel employs made for effortless reading and managed to be descriptive without being too wordy. I found myself intrigued by Angie and the world she inhabited from the get go, keen to discover more about who she was and her past, as well as the mysterious new family who had just moved in next door.

Angie was an intelligent and down to earth character who had a very personable voice. She was easy to follow and made smart choices and questioned things to my liking. I appreciated that Meg Kassel gave her a bit of a history which allowed her to be more layered and complex. She just fit within the story effortlessly and made you genuinely keen to see that she figured things out and made it out unscathed.

Kassel takes a basic YA recipe—teen girl, mysterious new boy and supernatural element—and gives it a fresh feel with Black Bird of the Gallows. The mythology and paranormal history was highly interesting with the carrion bird and bee element something I have never seen before. I loved the way Kassel took harbingers of death and wove them into the story. It was refreshing to read something very different and I find myself keen to learn more about the Beekeepers and about the Harbingers themselves.

The nature aspect of the story was also something I very much enjoyed with the disaster that effects Angie and her loved ones exciting and thrilling. Kassel wonderfully mixed the dangers of a natural disaster with threats of a supernatural kind beautifully. It was truly thrilling and action packed reading.

A beautifully written debut filled with wonderful characters, sweet romance and a different paranormal aura, Black Bird of the Gallows was a very satisfying read. Meg Kassel has introduced me to some refreshing mythology I’m looking forward to seeing more of in the future. This is definitely an author to keep an eye on!

I was intrigued by the synopsis of Black Bird of the Gallows when I first saw it on Goodreads. But then as I began reading it, I was reminded of the Twilight books because it was SO similar.

It started off interesting enough. Angie Dovage is a social outcast in school because of the mysterious past issues surrounding her mother’s death. Angie was unwittingly cast into the media spotlight when that happened. So she has tried to stay in the shadows as much as possible.

All of that changes when the hot new guy moves in next store and attends school with her. But Angie knows that he is not normal. Crows follow him wherever he goes, but they do not attack him. Add in a creepy man with bees coming out of his mouth, and Angie knows that something is seriously wrong, and so she sets out to follow Reece wherever he goes until he confesses the truth about what he really is.

That part is one of the issues I had. Angie has no issues sneaking out into the middle of the night with no regard to her safety just to get Reece to tell her the truth. She should have just ASKED him instead of being creepy.

Black Bird of the Gallows is essentially a Twilight like book, but with the parts slightly reversed. Instead of the girl being the new person in town, it's a guy, and he has the weird family just like in Twilight. He is of course ridiculously good looking, which instantly makes him popular. Of course, the bitchy mean girl immediately sets her sights on him, which upsets Angie.

Meanwhile since Reece’s arrival in town, the presence of crows and bees has increased, and people are turning crazy. Nobody knows why, except for Reece. It takes Angie being attacked by the creepy “Beekeeper” for Reece to finally explain what the heck is going on.

Honestly, throughout the book I was struggling to maintain interest. Nothing exciting was happening. Angie was following Reece around all while people are going crazy. The action did not pick up until almost the end of the book.

Reece was also your cardboard cut out hot dude with barely any personality. He was so bland. Even the bad guy had more emotion than Reece. He needed MORE!

The ending was alright, except the tag line on the cover pretty much spoiled it before I even read it.

Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this story more if it had been published 10 years ago, because it was just too similar to Twilight for me to really enjoy. I did like the harbinger aspect, that was different!

I was going to do this exactly like I do each review I post - write out my notes in to review form and post - but you know what? I’m going to do this one a little differently because my usual way just won’t be able to convey what I felt whilst reading.




For this review only I give you my unedited review notes!


Just “met” Deno, Only a few pages (literally like only a handful) in and liking Deno already.



The almost creepy -but-not-quite atmosphere, the build-up of tension, that feeling off “Oh my days what’s going to happen next?” is so well done; you feel as if you can almost reach out and touch it.


I couldn’t take much more of the tension, I was (internally) screaming just tell me what Reece’s hiding!“ at the book.



Okay, forget what I said before about not quite creepy. This is FULL ON creepy.



Sometimes the most unassuming books are the best. I had thought that this would be another guy-moves-into-new-town-falls-for-girl-secrets-a-revealed book (obviously with a supernatural bent to it but I was wrong.




Angie is SASSY (with Reese at least) and you know how I love sassy protagonists!




WHY ISNT THIS BOOK GOING FASTER? *cries*… Not that it’s a bad thing, oh no. I just want to know what the story is with Reese and everything. I CAN’T TAKE THE SUSPENSE ANYMORE.



The author writes a different kind of supernatural being than we’re used to, I know I’ve never read anything featuring this particular supernatural creature before and even though I love my witches, werewolves and Vampires, this was a welcome change.



Blackbird of the Gallows is the perfect read for the lead up to Halloween, I absolutely loved it and I loved the fact that everything is resolved within one book you don’t have to wait and see what happens.

Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel is a contemporary YA paranormal fantasy novel that includes an interesting way to look at bees and crows, as well as, death, immortality and love.

After years of living in a van with her mom, Angie Dovage, has spent the last five years moving on and getting settled in a comfortable life with her father and friends. When Reece Ferenandez moves in next door, with what appears to be a flock of crows in tow as well as a weird fear of bees getting close to her, things start to get more interesting.

Black Bird of the Gallows is a book that grows in complexity and detail as you read it, by the end you are enthralled with what is happening and where things will go. Reece is more than he seems. I like that he manages to be both a believable high school student, as well as, a harbinger of death. Angie is insecure but filled with hidden talents and depths. Reece helps bring these to the forefront. As their relationship gets stronger it also gets more complicated and I felt that Ms. Kassel did a very nice job in balancing her characters and making the reader care about them and what they care about.

Overall, I felt that Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel was a very well written and intriguing novel and I very much like how it was composed and developed with great characters, imagery and world building. I would very much recommend.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

This book has been on my radar since I first saw that gorgeous cover and you have to admit, it is a pretty well done cover. I believe this is Kassel's debut book and I can firmly say that I am interested in seeing what she writes in the future and will make sure to give any new books by her a chance.

"Black Bird of the Gallows" tells the story of Angie Dovage, a high school senior living with her father and their lovable and trusty dog in a town called Cadence. Reece Fernandez, a new boy, moves in next door and while Angie is immediately aware of how gorgeous he is, she is also aware that something isn't quite right. In addition, Angie and her friends, Lacey and Deno, are not part of the "in" crowd so she finds it to think that Reece is interested in her whatsoever. Anyone thinking this is just a "typical" YA love story, stop because it's so much more and it's the "more" that made this book totally readable for me.

Reece is a harbinger of death who morphs into a crow and feeds upon death energy. He and the other harbingers have flocked to Cadence in preparation for a huge disaster that is forecast. This disaster has also brought forth a "Beekeeper." This individual brings death and destruction wherever he arrives by stinging people with the bees that reside within his mouth. Once stung, the individual loses their mind and starts becoming more and more violent until they eventually are killed or die on their own. Reece knows what's in store and he wants nothing more than to keep Angie safe.

This was a very quick and engaging read. Although there were some elements of paranormal romance, the book also contained elements of bullying, drug abuse and non-traditional families (I loved that Angie's father is actually present in the book and not your typical absent YA parent). Their is tons of action in the later half of the book and overall, there is a very dark tone to the entire plot. The beekeepers are rather scary individuals and although I had flashbacks to the "Candyman" movie, they are a pretty original concept.

My main concern with the book is that the ending seemed rushed and wasn't quite what I wanted. I don't want to give anything away, but I feel like everything was wrapped up in a nice and neat package at the end and I didn't think it was necessarily called for. As far as I know this is a stand-alone novel so the ending works, but it could have went in a different direction and still not called for a sequel.

If you love dark tales and don't mind some YA angst thrown in amidst some good horror and great writing, then I would suggest you pick up "Black Bird of the Gallows."

I received this book from the author and Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly ... Sorry, I kept hearing this song each time I read the title and music does feature in the book so it's not completely out there ...

The first thing I absolutely have to address about Black Bird of the Gallows is that cover. If you want people to need to buy a book without even knowing what it's about, then it seems like L.J. Anderson from Mayhem Cover Creations is your go to person. I simply adore the cover design and use of colour. I want a huge framed print of this cover artwork for my wall so I can constantly admire it.

Now, where was I? Oh, the book. I really enjoyed it. What was it about? The birds and the bees, but not the way you're thinking!

Angie has had it tough, spending a large part of her upbringing living in a van or at random mens' places with her drug addicted mother. While she's still haunted by her past, she now lives with her father, one of the most adorably sweet fathers I've come across in real life or the other real life (books). She has great friends, Lacey and Deno, and her very own secret identity as Sparo, a DJ in a nightclub.

The house next door has been vacant since a tragedy made it impossible to sell. However, one day a moving truck appears and lo and behold, Angie spies (literally, through binoculars) the new cute boy moving in next door with his family. Mystery cute boy with the dark eyes isn't what he appears to be and as Angie gets to know him, she learns he's not quite as human as he looks, and apparently he looks really, really good.

I loved the whole premise of this story. I'm a sucker for anything mythological so naturally I was drawn in by the origin stories of the tortured harbingers and Beekeepers. I wanted to know more about them though and I definitely wanted a backstory for the Strawmen. I'd love to read something from all of their perspectives that shed more of a light on them. Plus there's indications there are other entities/creatures/part human part something else types in this world and I want all the details about them as well.

I had two favourite characters in this book. Rafette, who we spend a considerable amount of the book running from or on the lookout for, is someone I really empathised with. I found myself seeing the story from his point of view and didn't view him as a baddie at all. Maybe it's partly due to the soft spot I have for bees but my heart broke for Rafette and the pain he's endured in his life. I need to know so much more about him! And best friend Lacey ... supportive, intuitive and loving, yet willing to bash her best friend over the head with a golf club if that's what it takes to keep her safe. I loved Lacey!

Tissues Used: 0, which surprised me as I came prepared. Although my icy cold heart experienced somewhat of an earthquake, none of the cracks melted into tears.

Food craved during reading: Pancakes. Oh, they sounded so delectably droolworthy.

Something I thought would be important to remember when reading or rereading: The names and stories of those you don't think will come back into the story. I found sections of this book to be in the 'six degrees of separation' category where peoples' stories linked together like one big crow shaped jigsaw puzzle. Prepare to get halfway through the book and go 'oh, I remember them!'

Now for the niggles:

* A minor thing, sure, but what's Reece's real name?

* The insta-love frustrated me along with the whole 'our love is destined to be doomed and we'll both be miserable for all of eternity or for as long as we live (whichever is applicable) so we shouldn't be together. But first, let's kiss some more'.

* Reece telling Angie that he's been in love with her since they were six. Now, this would have been worthy of an aww if not for the fact that [spoiler: he would've been about 190, give or take a few years, at that stage which kind of morphed my aww into eww!].

* The whole thing about the big 'event' when loved ones are being searched for. [spoiler: When they all meet up at Angie's house after being separated did Angie not wonder or bother to ask Deno if his parents were alive or dead?]

* You know the whole horror movie girl victim/heroine who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the door? I had that frustration with Angie. I kept wanting to yell at her to just leave! You can't say she didn't have ample warning time, yet she still managed to wind up caught up in the 'event' like everyone else. What use is fair warning if you don't listen, sweetheart?

So, my rating. If I didn't have this many niggles, the writing would've deserved ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The niggles and frustration I felt while I was reading would usually have made it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ but the writing was just so darn good. So I'm splitting the difference and giving this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback. I will definitely read future books by Meg Kassel and I'll be stalking Amazon to grab my copy of the prequel novella when it's released in October 2017.