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!

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.

This book was a really fast read and I enjoyed the story overall. Some parts of the book seemed a bit clichéd and reminded me of bits and pieces from other books I have read in the past. I did really enjoy the paranormal parts of the book and felt that it made for an interesting storyline. I did like how the author went into Angie’s past and how it connected with everything that was currently happening to her. I would’ve liked a little more detail about what happened at the end of the book. It all wrapped up pretty quick and while I understand what happened I felt like the why/how part was glossed over.

I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

*Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. This kindness in no way affects my opinions, and this review is honest.

"Reece leans forward, reaches for me, then drops his hand. 'I'd give anything to be a normal boy. To stay. Go to prom with you. But even one of the reasons why I'm drawn to you is because I'm attracted to death.'"
-Meg Kassel, Black Bird of the Gallows

3/5 stars

About everyone is afraid of the inevitable death that awaits one, unless if you are a harbringer of death, a beekeeper, or a scarecrow. This whole different world and everyone involved in it is unknown to everyone else until Angie Dovage, an outcast who has a troubled past, a love for music, and an obsession with her new next door neighbor Reece Fernandez, stalks and becomes a friend to the new guy Reece. With the new harbringer of death in her life, that includes more supernatural creatures like a beekeeper who is trying to bring destruction and chaos to the world and people around him coming after Angie and the ones around. As many disasters follow after one another, Reece starts unveiling everything about his world, and many more things start to become unveiled to Angie and the reader as a tale of adventure comes to play before one's eyes. As worlds collide, no one knows who will survive and who will die due to chaos and destruction beekeepers bring along for the harbringers to eat up. If Angie and Reece can try to save the world, will they be able to survive, too?

Discussion:

First, I really enjoyed reading about the characters, even though they all seem to have tragic pasts, presents, and futures.

1. Angie Dovage
Angie has a tragic past, which includes her dead mother, and a title that follows her everywhere she goes and influences every decision she makes. She is a daughter of a rich man who lives in Pennsylvania and tries to rescue Angie from her past. She is called a freak from the popular kids due to her mysterious past and character, and no one really knows her except for her two closest friends Deno and Lacey. She is also called Sparo when she is doing what she loves, which is music and creating it; however, she only plays by the rules and never does anything original until one point in the book when she realizes she needs to be herself before she regrets not doing it. She was an okay character to read about but she would always care about Reece, what he was doing, who he liked, etc. Although, I did like how she would express herself through music, and when she exposes her identity, I related with her so much since I had just revealed a secret of my own to my family. I had told them, finally, I have a blog about books and my love for them. I also realized along with her that it is good to let go of secrets that can be building up inside of you.

2. Reece Fernandez(or whatever name he chooses)
I did not really enjoy reading about Reece and his whole mysterious, puzzling life Angie was trying to discover. He was always brooding all over the place and was too mysterious for me ever to build a connection with. To me, he seemed to only stick around Angie due to her tragic past and her mother's death, which she suffered through. Also, he was always holding back information from her when Angie really needed to know it for any catastrophes coming her way. However, Reece would just hold it off until the disaster had already happened or was happening. Also, a really big part of his life, other than Angie, is his identity of being a harbringer of death. This means that he feeds off of the energy of death and that he has to move often with his makeshift family due to Beekeepers spreading chaos all over. This information is a lot to get used to since Reece, of course, tells it all at one time, which can be a little overbearing.

Along with many conflicts that intervene with the characters, relationships can either cause fireworks explosions celebrating the new couple or a stupid conflict that breaks up the troubled couple. Who cares if someone has a super cool world and many awesome characters if you have no relationships to cheer for? I would, since I was hoping that no one who I cared about would die. The main romance was Angie and Reece's. I really liked the chemistry they had together and some of the scenes they were in together; but, it was so infuriating reading about them being in the same room, wanting to kiss each other, and the two of them not being able to do anything about it. Also, even though I may have liked their chemistry and their interactions, I may bring more excitement for this couple to the table than I really have. Some scenes of their romantic endeavors made me feel weird and had assured me that the relationship between the two felt forced. Also, it had seemed to be the only relation they could hold with each other, other than never knowing about each other.

In the book, there is an emergency with a shooter near the high school. Everyone is freaking out, people are looking out the windows for a sneak peak, and students are texting everyone they know miscellaneous things. This whole event started because a boy who would never have been thought to be violent in any such way had gotten stung, which makes people turn crazy, by Ralfette, who is the Beekeeper. Even though an accident or something bad was bound to happen, this scene felt rushed and was over too quickly for me to get a good grasp on it since this event was only for Angie to see how stupid she was being about not showing off her talent for music at the local club. Also, in a bad situation, people have the normal reactions: to be scared, emotional, and wanting knowledge about what is happening. However, in this scene, it felt a little overdone or even more exaggerated than how someone would actually act in a situation like this.

Next, there is this one part in the book that I just really need to talk about because I find it so hilarious. Angie is going to watch a movie with Reece and his makeshift family at his house, which is where Reece is supposed to give the readers the information we need to understand what is going on, but runs into Hank, one of Angie's mom's ex-boyfriend and the crow with the one white feather that follows her everywhere, on the way. He tells her all the information Reece should have told us sooner, which is that Reece has had a massive crush on Angie for the longest time and all the troubles happening in Cadence, Pennsylvania at the moment. I find it so hilarious since Hank's transforms into a crow, which is so dramatic that it might as well be the movie. This is my favorite scene of the book, and I am not embarrassed nor is my my pride destroyed.

What I very much like about Black Bird of the Gallows is that it is a fantasy set in the real world. And, it is only three-hundred pages. Some fantasy books can carry on into a big series with several long thousand page books(talking about you Game of Thrones) that carry on forever, but Massel's book is a short, sweet contemporary fantasy-filled book that will leave you feeling satisfied without the longing for a second novel. This book would have been a very nice break from all the long fantasy books I have stacked up that I want to read on my bookshelf if I had not read it already. Eh, you live and you learn.

Finally, for this conclusion, I have basically written myself out in the above paragraphs. The only thing I know what to write is that this book was good, and I will certainly look out for anymore of Meg Kassel's books in the future.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

Love,
newbookcats

I've always been intrigued by those harbingers of death who appear before a town suffers a huge tragedy with lives lost like the mothman, for instance. The crows in Black Bird of the Gallows are just like that, appearing as an omen in the trees all over town. 

For Angie Dovage, this coincides with the arrival of new neighbors into the next-door house they thought would never be rented because of the deaths that occurred there. And, of course, the arrival of a cute teenage boy, Reece Fernandez, who befriends Angie even though she has a reputation of being a freak, due mostly to her mother's behavior and death.

Nothing is as it seems. Soon Angie discovers truths she may not be ready to face about what is going to happen to her town. But she also begins to learn truths about herself, which make her question whether she should keep hiding the talents she possesses as well as herself.

Black Bird of the Gallows is engrossing with a rising tension that will keep you turning pages automatically until the satisfying conclusion that tests Angie, Reece, and her friends.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Black Bird of the Gallows blends unique, and frankly bizarre, mythology into a familiar teen romance that reminds me of Twilight. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. Like Edward, Reece is much older than he appears and in a found family that moves and reinvents itself frequently. He's tortured by his nature, what he's seen and done, and fears Angie won't accept him.

Angie lives with her father in the small mountain town where Reece's family moves. She is so much better than Bella though, because she's Beca from Pitch Perfect. She DJs in a club under assumed name and creates her own music. Again, I don't mean the comparison in a negative way - I think Angie and her alter ego Sparo are awesome. And I think the familiarity is comforting during the horrific events that happen over the course of the book. (Some of these, school shootings and natural disasters, feel ripped from the headlines and could be triggering for some readers.)

But instead of vampires, there are birds, men made of bees and mysterious straw men. They are said to be all that remains of ancient magics that were purged from the earth. That story seems quite interesting and I might have liked to see a historical version where the legends were fresh.

I just didn't love the book as much as I wanted to. I like the idea of blending elements from horror and disaster films into a teen romance. But I felt like the creepy and danger overpower any warm fuzzy feelings. And I wanted more explanation of the magic.

I was really excited to read this book when i was accepted to review it. For one the cover is absolutely beautiful but also because of the synopsis! i couldnt wait to find out what was going to happen! Lets just say i wasnt disappointed at all! I loved the characters! Angie is such a connectable character who is in highschool and doesnt like attention on her while at school as she is seen as an outcast and only has a handful of friends. I also  loved her passion for music and how she was able to be herself when she was making her music. Reece, oh reece, where to start! I fell in love with reece. i loved how he was very protective of Angie straight away and how he would do whatever he takes to keep her safe from the evil that was coming! He saw right through angie and saw who she truly was and fell in love for her for who she is! I adord the romance between the two and how they trusted each other and i was reading into the night just to read more about them! Angies best friends were funny and made me laugh multiple times in the book. 

I gave this book 5 stars! I really wish there was a sequel! I need more!