I loved Olivia Hawker’s The Ragged Edge of Night and had high expectations for her second book. The best part of One for the Blackbird for me was the development of the characters. The book is written from multiple points of view, and I started to feel like I could guess how each character would react to different situations.

There were a few parts that didn’t connect with me. Although I loved the development of the characters, the book felt long. One part of the story in particular (I won’t give it away because the author mentions in her note at the end that this is a crucial part of the story) did not seem necessary to me. I also didn’t like the undercurrents of pantheism.

Overall, there were some great parts of her book. but I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

This was such an unusual story and I loved it. The characters were so real and flawed and amazing. I was drawn into the main character's calm sensitivity and awareness and it was just thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. The plight of winter and how the coming together pains and enlightens had such raw reality it helped me to identify and root for each of the characters. Nothing felt contrived o thrown in to make the story come together more easily it was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it, would easily recommend it to my book club and would read more from this author. Very well done. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawkes is a very different kind of historical fiction, inspired by Hawkes' great grandparent's names. It is mostly narrative with a small amount of dialogue and is told from multiple points of view. It is the story of a personal tragedy the ended up bringing people together in some very odd ways. The story takes place out on the plains of Wyoming sometime in the middle to late 1800's. Beulah is the heroine of the book and she is a 13/14 year-old girl who is odd. She is one with her surroundings and appears to be able to see the future sometimes. Her mother had had sex with the neighbor down by the river and her father saw and shot the neighbor. He then went home and told his family, when to his neighbor and told her about shooting her husband, and went into town to turn himself in to the sheriff. Shortly thereafter the sheriff came to the farm to report that he had been given a two-year jail sentence. Then things started happening. The man who died was named Substance and he had become a cruel, hard man. He hit his wife and son and was generally no one to be around. They didn't really feel sorrow for his death, but they both knew life on the prairie would be much tougher with him gone. Worse, was the life of the family of his killer.

As these people got to know one another, the walls between them broke down for various reasons. They grew to respect one another and in some cases love. It was a deeply personal book as well as a book that looked deep into the souls of the persons involved. They all took 180-degree turns in their lives. It is a story beautifully told. It is tragic: a tale of selfishness, self-centeredness, and immaturity. In many ways it is a coming of age novel, with several characters coming of age, not all from childhood. Hawkes' choice of genre is interesting as it is not entirely historical fiction, but really more women's fiction. The way it is written, as well as the subject, made it difficult to read in long sittings. It was an entirely interesting book. One I would recommend if you have patience and an interest.

I received a free ARC of One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #onefortheblackbirdoneforthecrow

This book grabbed my attention for a while but I soon found myself skipping sections to see what would happen next. I normally love historical books from this time but for some reason, this one didn't quite do it for me, unsure if it was the characters, the plot or simply myself s as there was nothing that I could say I dislike about this book.

The book is about two families living on the Wyoming Prairie that soon find themselves with more in command than just their farms. They both will find themselves need to survive the coming winter with their husbands to help, only their children.

The journey this two-woman go though throughout this book are many from betrayal, heartache, forgiveness and finally friendship.

16-year-old Clyde Webber is now the man of the house to his mother Nettie Mae Webber, so he will have to step up to do all the duties on the farm to help his mother now his father is gone. When he learns that Beulah is doing all the work on the Bemis's farm he lands a hand going against his mother's wishes. How could he let a girl so young to all that work alone?

Cora Bemis lives as the Webber's neighbours with her four children Beulah, Benjamin, Charles and Miranda once her husband is jailed for murder. A murder that is all her fault, can she live with her guilt? She has no choice as there is no one left to do the heaving work on the farm but to approach the one person that should never want to she her face again. But due to their lonely isolated life in this very harsh environment, Cora must ask for help from the Webber's if she wants to keep her children alive and safe through the winter.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Olivia Hawker for the chance to read this book this is my honest and voluntary review of this book that I read.

A character-driven historical novel by new-to-me author Olivia Hawker, ONE FOR THE BLACKBIRD, ONE FOR THE CROW, took me to the unpopulated Wyoming prairie in the late 1800s where two families had to figure out how to survive when one father is killed and the other goes to jail for the crime.
The struggle of both families in an area where they only have each other takes on new meaning when the women are forced to do whatever it takes to keep their children safe through the harsh and unforgiving winter, even if it means they have to live and work together. Nettie Mae Webber has every reason to hate Cora Beemis, after all, it’s her fault they are in this mess. Fortunately for the Beemis family, her son Clyde has no desire to leave a woman and her children, especially three young ones, unprepared for the winter to come. When it becomes obvious that Clyde, despite the help of the eldest Beemis child, Beulah, can’t keep two farms going through the winter, the only real solution is to combine resources and families under one roof, Nettie Mae grudgingly opens her home.
There was so much in this novel, such a connection to the land, and the descriptions of it and the struggles faced daily were well-written, that you felt like you were there, almost experiencing it yourself. This is a novel of family, forgiveness, companionship, and resiliency, all wrapped up with, what seemed to me, a touch of magic. Beulah’s connection to the land and everything around her was beautiful, and it’s easy to see how it would make some people uneasy. The characters are three-dimensional and interesting to observe as the novel progresses, as they grow and change with each hardship they face.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#OneforTheBlackbirdOnefortheCrow #LakeUnionPublishing #OliviaHawker #NetGalley

Overall, I loved this book. While it is long, that's not a bad thing here. I did not get bored reading this book, nor did I find myself skimming to speed it along. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, and because of the length, the reader gets a much deeper feel of the characters. If anything, I'm rooting for a sequel since I'm not ready to give up these characters yet.

Each character is interesting in his or her own right, but I especially loved Beulah, the thirteen year old who is wiser well beyond her years (and then some.) She adds a mystical element to this book as she can see deeper than others. Nettie Mae -- a protagonist of sorts, but it's more complicated than that -- was also well thought out and developed, and the reader can't help but empathize with her, even as she acts out against the other characters. She is flawed but not hopeless.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my review. It did not influence my opinion.

Honey. This book is like honey. It's sweet, complex, sometimes a challenge, but so worthwhile. One of those books that will stick with you for a long time.

Long But Beautiful. This is an incredibly detailed story of loss and love set in the Old West, and while the basic premise has been told many times in many settings, Hawker does an excellent job of highlighting a side to it not often shown. While the tale could have arguably been told with less specific details and at least 100-150 fewer pages, Hawker uses the extra detailing well – in service to the story rather than detracting from it. I know, it is approaching end of year and if you’re concerned about the number of books you’ve read this year, 500 pages is daunting. Trust me, you’re going to want to read this one anyway. 😉 Very much recommended.

1876 Wyoming. Life on the frontier was hard and for the Bemis and Webber families very isolated. Maybe that was why one man started an affair with the other man's wife. There was very little warmth anyway in Substance and Nettie Mae's marriage in the first place but when he was killed by Bemis, Nettie Mae felt that she was done wronged by and hated Cora Bemis with a vengeance.

What started out as bitter enmity, had to be put aside when circumstances forced the two families to live together for pure survival. With limited resources of both food and warmth and lack of labour to handle two farms the two eldest children, both teenagers decided to come together to just survive the hard winter ahead.

The story of the two women, trying hard to adjust, Cora being submissive to Nettie Mae as she was the offender. Netti Mae biting back her hatred because of the weakness of her son, knowing that he needs the Bemis family support to survive is a story of tolerance, hard work and just getting on with life, however hard it seems to be.

When a romance builds up between the two teenagers, the entire story is out of the mother's hands and the next step forward is taken in reconciliation and getting to grips with family.

A tough story, very well told.

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker is a full length, standalone novel and like no other book I've read, a unique story.
The book tells the tragic story of two families, the love story of two young people, Beulah and Clyde.
The story is set in deep rural middle of the 19th century with characters I easily connected with and a captivating story. I was hooked from chapter one and read the book in one sitting , cover to cover. I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happens to the characters.
I loved the writing and the story, the beautifully thought out words and the beautufully thought out characters.
One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is told in multiple POVs and to be hónest, it took me a minute to get into thge story, but then I was intrigued, captivated, hooked, sitting on the edge of my seat. I give 4,5 stars.

This novel was lyrical and haunting from the very first line. It’s a story of loss and ruin, family and friendship. It’s strange and melodic and quite possibly the best novel I’ve read this year. I’m not sure I could be nearly as strong as any of the characters and the way they adapted and forged forever ties despite hardships and necessity.

Beulah, one of the central characters, is an odd one, and yet absolutely beautiful in her head-in-the-clouds and oneness with the earth. She “communicates” with the earth, with the harvest, with the animals, with those who have passed – and that sounds so creepy and wrong – but it’s actually done very well. Maybe “aware” is a better word than “communicates” – she’s hyperaware and connected with everything around her.

Overall, I can guarantee this will not be everyone’s cup of tea. The pace of the prose is meandering. The style of writing is unique. The story itself, however, is brimming with feelings and evocative imagery. I absolutely loved it.

My thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this title via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Two families joined by hardship on the Wyoming prairie

This is really a story of what it was like for women and children living on the harsh prairie land of Wyoming Territory in the 1870s.

Two couples and their children settle near each other on the Wyoming prairie under the watchful eye of the Bighorn Mountains. They get along cordially enough until the husband of one couple finds his wife with the other's husband and shoots him dead. The living husband is sent to jail for two years.

This is also the story of Beulah and Clyde, the oldest children (actually teens) of each family as they work together to keep each homestead productive to support each family. Beulah is different. She seems to understand all the plant and wildlife around her, plus tunes in to what the future looks like.

When the first winter rolls around, it becomes apparent that to stay alive the two families must live under one roof and the two mothers must learn to tolerate each other.

I loved this story. For one, I've lived part of my life in Wyoming and understand the beauty and the hardships of living there. The story is told from four points of view - Beulah, Clyde, and each of the mothers.

It is a slow moving story but kept my interest all the way through. I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes historical fiction or Wyoming fiction.

I received this book from Lake Union Publishing (Amazon Publishing) through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Sometime the beauty is not about the story, but how the story is told. One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow isn’t an extraordinary story, it is a fairly simple piece of logic, but the writing, the unfolding that comes within each page is mesmerizing and glorious. Weighing in at around five hundred pages, I was hesitant and concerned that so many words would become cumbersome, weighty and maybe just boring. This was a great lesson to never prejudge – I happily lingered and lost myself in the artistry of Hawker’s composition. Her prose is equal to her skill and command of her people and their circumstances. She knows how to insert minor characters who move the story along without ever distracting from the flow. Her major characters are an imperfect group who wriggle into your conscious and make you feel the hardship, the hurt, rejection, fear and love. The description of life on the Wyoming prairie in 1870 depicts farm life as astonishingly difficult but also with equal parts of beauty and wonder.

A very special piece of writing. So many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy.

With one gun shot, the lives of the Bemis and Webber families are changed forever. Life on the prairie in 1872 was not easy, and it's even harder when the adult males are killed and in jail respectively. Cora's husband killed Nettie Mae's husband when he found Cora lying with him. Cora was left with four children, the oldest of whom, Beulah, is 13. She narrates part of this wonderful novel and she's entranced not only with the farm but also with Clyde, Nettie Mae's 16 year old son. The women realize they won't make it through the winter unless they move in together. Nettie Mae's anger and grief colors much of their lives except when danger strikes- an illness, a flood, a fire, the winter- but they stick it out even as Cora plots an escape back to St Louis. There are terrific descriptions of farm life, especially with regard to sheep (and a horror of a lamb). I learned a bit as well as enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans of historical fiction and realistic depictions of farm life in Wyoming.

Olivia Hawker’s descriptive storytelling Whisked me away to 1870s Wyoming. Gritty and raw this is a tale about resilience, acceptance, and forgiveness. Two families living on the Wyoming Prairie with their nearest neighbors over 20 miles away. When the husband of one family and the wife of another are caught in a compromising position. One man is killed and the other man is sent to jail, leaving the women Cora and Nettie Mae to pick up the pieces. Life on the frontier is hard and these women have to find a way past their grief, guilt, and hurt and help each other survive.

The strength of the story was in these characters. They will tug at your heart strings, you will cry with them, you will sweat with them, you will laugh with them, and you’ll pray with them. The main focus of the story for me was Beulah. Beulah was such a free spirit with a spark of magic. This was a quiet understated story that was loosely based on the author’s own family history. Sometimes it’s just nice to cozy up with a good book! An old fashion well told story full of colorful characters and descriptive writing that envelops you.

This book in three emojis: 💪🏻 👩🏼‍🌾 🙏🏻

*** Big thanks to Lake Union for my copy of this book ***

Hawker knows how to tell a story. When two neighboring families are split apart by betrayal, the two women (along with their oldest children) must work together in order to survive the brutal winter. Set in Wyoming in the 1870’s, this story is about overcoming, healing, hope and most of all forgiveness. The characters are perfectly portrayed and the story comes alive on the page with Hawker’s lyrical writing.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

Wyoming, 1870. For as long as they have lived on the frontier, the Bemis and Webber families have relied on each other.

Two women learning how to live together, keep their children safe and coping with a harsh environment. Densely packed read, good story.

3.25☆

Wyoming 1876, 2 families - neighbors trying to survive on American frontier

The 2 men are now gone, so it is up to the rest to work together.
Cora has some making up to do, she has to pull it together
Nettie Mae has been wronged by 2 or 3 of them, now she has the right to some sorrow
Clyde and Beulah begin doing what needs doing, cannot be stopped

I want to tell more than I should here .. I will wait for final copy before posting more, so much good to say

Some seeds refuse to grow until they've been tempered
until it experiences true suffering, the seeds won't sprout

I liked how there was a "theme"- then that was applied to each character

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is a lyrically written story of 1870's Wyoming and the hardships of two tragically connected families. This is a story of healing and hope. Olivia Hawker's beautiful writing is a story to be savored!

The premise of this story captured my interest. Two women, Cora and Nettie Mae, are forced to live together in order to survive the harsh winter in 1870’s Wyoming. It’s a horrible situation for them. Cora’s husband caught her in a compromising position with Nettie Mae’s husband and shot him. Now he is in jail and Nettie Mae is a widow.

Cora is full of remorse and will do anything to earn Nettie Mae’s forgiveness. Nettie Mae is bitter and past hurts have caused her to put a wall around her heart. Throughout the cold winter, nothing seems to soften Nettie Mae’s anger towards Cora.

Clyde, Nettie Mae’s only son, is keeping the two farms running with the help of Cora’s oldest daughter, Beulah. Beulah has a special gift for knowing things about nature, animals and those around her. A sixth sense seems to guide her and this gift she has unnerves Nettie Mae.

During this year of strife, some hardships occur that cause the women to have to come together for the sake of their children and gradually they begin to make their peace. As they get to know each other better, they come to understand one another and a friendship begins to grow.

The writing is beautiful and full of detail about the countryside, nature and the atmosphere where the story takes place. This is very much a character driven story, with the views of Cora, Beulah, Nettie Mae and Clyde being presented.

Two things stood out for me as I read. One was Nettie Mae. I had an aunt by the same name and every time I read Nettie Mae’s part, I couldn’t help but picture her as my aunt. The second item that stood out was the story about the birth of the lamb. A very similar thing happened on my uncle’s dairy farm when a calf was born. This one had a head at each end. We took a picture of that calf to show and tell at school so many times that at some point the picture disappeared.

I thought this was a beautiful story and am happy to recommend to other readers who have a love for historical fiction, the outdoors and the theme of forgiveness.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.