What a fantastic conclusion to a duology! Often times sequels felt like a filler or the weakest one among the series. However, The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen is one of the exceptions. This book did not disappoint at all. It even exceeded my expectations! Now let me do my best to share my thoughts clearly because I really, really find it hard to convey my words and feelings when I absolutely love the book.

Diving into this world again felt so natural and easy for me. When I read The Merciless Crow, its world-building is my favorite element. I did not expect at all that I would fall in love with it twice. In The Faithless Hawk, many elements such as the castes and the truth behind the gods were given more details and explained clearer. The myths and lores were well-thought off and cleverly written. These things made my reading experience more enjoyable. Plotwise, the story was engaging and devastating. All the scenes were significant to the story. Nothing was thrown in there just to keep the story longer. Moreover, it was well-paced. It was not fast nor slow at all. The action scenes were evenly spread out throughout the plot. It made me look forward to what would happen next without the overwhelming feeling of taking too much information all at once. The revelations and twists were also satisfying.

Another thing that I like is the characters. Their developments just took to a new level. Every decision they made seemed what a person would really do. They were more flesh-out and flawed which made it easy to understand and sympathize to each one of them. Fie is definitely my favorite character. She had been through hard times and it seemed things were just getting worse yet she didn't give up. There were times when things broke her or slowed her, but she still chose to fight. I really admired her strong determination and fierceness.

Overall, The Faithless Hawk is a five-star read for me. Its intriguing plot, flesh-out characters, and mind-blowing twists and turns are more than the perfect ending that I wished for. I highly recommend this duology!

5/5 stars!

I've been lucky enough to get ARCs of both this book and it's predecessor, The Merciful Crow, and I'm glad for it too! This was one of those series that was on my radar but needed the push to get into, so having an ARC definitely helped that!

Now I'm part of the blog tour for its sequel, and I couldn't have been more excited when I got approved! I'd been wanting to know where the story went from the end of book 1, (though admittedly not desperate because while the ending had been dire, it ended on a somewhat good note). The beginning of The Faithless Hawk set things back in motion quickly though, and I spent almost the entire book on edge!

I honestly really enjoyed where the series ended up going in this book, from the revelations about the castes and the truth behind the gods. We got to see so much more of the world and its lore in this book, and I always love that in my fantasy stories. Myths and gods and stories are entirely my jam, and the extra focus on that in this book made it even better for me. The book also felt really well-paced, it didn't try too hard to keep twists for the end and the action was spread evenly throughout the book. It never dragged and yet also never felt like too much all at once. The only thing I didn't care as much for was the large amount of court scenes in the middle/later half of the book, and I really like seeing Fie on the road more, with her Crows. It didn't bug me enough to like the book any less though.

This sequel also did a really good job of building upon the characters we know and love from the first book, and you could really see them grow in this book, without deviating too much from their core personalities. I loved the choices that were made with all their individual plot lines, especially Fie's and Tavin's. Some journeys definitely hurt to read and often frustrated me in the moment (which was their purpose), but it fit so well into the story and the characters that I didn't actually mind as much as I usually do in books. Nothing felt like it was thrown in there for drama or to keep couples separated, it rather just felt like how a character would act in that particular situation. It made for flawed and layered characters, and were one of the strongest aspects of the series for me. I also just love Fie, how she uses her magic, and her strength. I wouldn't have loved this series as much from any other character.

I also ended up finding an audiobook on one of my many audiobook subscriptions when I was about to start my read, so I ended up going for that instead of reading it physically, and it was a great choice! The narrator brought the entire story to life for me, and it was overall an extremely enjoyable listen. I loved how the narrator narrated Fie, and her manner of speaking and tone, and it fit the character super well. It fit in perfectly with how I read the characters in book 1, as I usually have issues starting to listen to audiobooks a book into the series, as I already have a clear interpretation of them. Instead, the audiobook only increased my enjoyment of the series, rather than take away from it. I'd highly recommend listening to this series if audiobooks are your thing!

Overall, I'm super happy I traded for this ARC on the BEA convention floor (conventions feel so far away now!), and can't wait to see what this author writes next!

The Merciful Crow was one of my most favorite titles to come out last year. I loved its world, its story, and characters; I loved the romance and the found family element of it but above all I loved Fie. She’s feisty and sharp and so, so, so righteously angry. I loved her every thorny bit and her hidden soft side. So when the chance to read its sequel early came up I grabbed it with both of my greedy, impatient hands. (I might have used my feet, too. That’s how much I wanted it!)

And, all the merciful gods and goddesses, this book was everything!

The Faithless Hawk solidified TMC‘s place as one of my forever favorite series. It tied the whole duology neatly, picking up the threads left over from the first book for a most satisfying ending.

But not without putting Fie, Tavin, and Jasimir through the grinder first.

The story hits the ground running, loaded with explosive revelations even from the very first chapters. Fie, now chief of her band of Crows, meets one of the old Crow gods and receives some very cryptic stuff about the Crows’ birthright, the oath she thought she’d already fulfilled, and, most important of all, about herself — who she was, is, and her possible future self. With the knowledge that more rides on her making good on her part of the bargain and with Queen Rhusana becoming bolder and more ruthless in her quest to grab power, Fie reunites with Tavin and Jasimir to save the Crows and, in turn, the whole of Sabor.

Switching up from TMC‘s quest-type adventure where she took us on a trip throughout Sabor, Margaret Owen seamlessly takes readers deeper into the more intricate parts of the world she has created, exploring the complexities of court politics and social class workings. It was an interesting change, one that I enjoyed very much as it made me understand Fie’s world better — how it worked from the inside, why things were the way they were. Coupled with what had been already laid out in the first book, the new insights TFH gave me made me appreciate Owen’s worldbuilding work and plotting: detailed, well-planned, and executed with careful precision.

The amazing worldbuilding and plotting aside, what I loved most about this whole series were its characters. Having been thrown together in book one and going through some really tough stuff, Fie, Tavin, and Jasimir formed a strong bond. That bond, however, was tested throughout TFH. I don’t want to go into details because I might accidentally spoil something, but the trio does come through it — bruised and battered, but also a little bit wiser and a whole lot tougher and stronger.

Looking back to the start to their stories, Fie, Tavin, and Jasimir have all grown so much, Fie most of all. While she’s pretty much the same Fie we’ve known and loved from the first book, she’s more vulnerable in this sequel, unsure of herself, and, behind the tough exterior, scared for everyone she loves. But she’s also more open, more in touch with her powers as a Crow witch, and still as relentless as ever in fighting against the injustices done against her people. Of course, though the trio often find themselves in some very dangerous situations in this book, everything is not all doom and gloom all the time. Owen generously injects much-needed levity and humor throughout TFH. Honestly, she got me cackling my head off a lot of times while I was reading this book.

The Faithless Hawk is a gem of a sequel and ending to an amazing series. It tackles issues that hit too close to home sometimes, especially given the state of our own world. Margaret Owen shines as a writer in this one. With her expert plotting and worldbuilding, and especially her characters — from the mains to the secondary ones — she breathes life to such a special story, one that I will be coming back to again and again.

The Gist: Crow chief Fie has finally delivered the prince to safety and has thus fulfilled her end of the Covenant Oath. Or has she?? Ahaha come on, of course she hasn’t. The evil queen is still in the palace, after all, and as long as she’s around there will not be peace in Sabor, especially not for the lower-caste Crows. It's time to take a b*tch down.

My Thoughts: I thought The Merciful Crow was fun, if a bit repetitive in spots. However, this one is non-stop action to the end, and while it doesn’t have as much ~court intrigue~ as I was hoping, the expansion of the lore and the Big Mystery we slowly uncover made up for it. I still loved Fie, that sassy witch, and watching her discover and then fulfill her destiny was a fun journey to be on.

My one major criticism is that there’s a big “twist” in here regarding the romance that is….not twisty at all if you’ve read any YA. This was the only time I thought Fie was a true idiot. [The cemetery makeouts ALMOST make up for this though. hehe. (hide spoiler)]

Recommended for: Fans of the first book, cat lovers, dentists

Aaaahhhh! I LOVED this book and this ending!

The Faithless Hawk had everything I loved from The Merciful Crow and more! You get more Crows, more about the other castes, different magics, more romance and more betrayal! Could you really ask for more?

I really enjoyed how in depth this part of they story got. We really get to understand more about the magic systems and the castes, and it was so fun and so interesting. You also get more background story about the Old Gods and what happens to them when they die and how any oaths they make may affect that.

The beginning of this book both broke my heart and devastated me. I really felt for Fie and Jasimir. They both go through so much in the first book and to see what happens right off was just..... Thankfully Fie is still just as badass and always finds a way to make things right. I loved watching Fie and Jasimir's friendship grow throughout this book.

The plotting, planning and betrayal will keep you on your toes! Add in all the magic that takes place in this second book and it is EPIC! You won't believe how creative and dark this tale gets. Let's just say, my heart was all over the place! Especially with the romance factor.

The parts about the Old Gods was probably my favorite part, though I thoroughly loved it all. But give me history, myth and unravel the truth of it all, GOOSEBUMPS! Pure excitement to realize what actually took place and how it ties into the present! READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY!!!

Also, Rhusana is insane! I loved watching her be taken down.

I honestly wish there was more to this story, but I believe it is only a duology. I'm ok with that too, but I love these books so much. I can not wait to see what Owen's comes out with next, I'll buy anything from her at this point!

Thank you to Henry Holt for an ARC of Faithless Hawk in exchange for an honest review. This review posted across all platforms on 8/19, including Edelweiss.

Fully formatted at Novellives.Com
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Faithless Hawk (Merciful Crow #2) By Margaret Owen

First things, first. This is a spoiler-free review for The Faithless Hawk (there is a tiny spoiler at the very end of the review on my website, which I give plenty of warning for, at the very, very end).

HOWEVER, there absolutely will be spoilers for The Merciful Crow, book one in the duology. If you haven't read The Merciful Crow (WHAT?!) and do not want to be spoiled, then please do not go further than this first section. Please, read my review for The Merciful Crow and interview with Margaret Owen, which are linked. I was thrilled to have the opportunity.

Before I move on to the actual review of The Faithless Hawk and tell everyone to scram. There is something important I would like to say about Margaret Owen, in the interweb space. It is hard to find people on the net that are informative, kind, and just seem like the type of person that would make you better. Do I know her in real life? Nope. Could I be wrong? Absolutely. For all, I know she is sitting at home, rocking back and forth muttering craziness. If that is the case. That is one hell of a trick.

All I know is from twitter. And from that, I believe even if her writing weren't my thing (I do follow good people because good people), I would follow her account. If you are looking for someone to follow that might not drive you berserk, may help you grow a couple of brain cells, and isn't a super-bitch? Check @what_eats_owl out. That's all.

Ok, all you weirdos that haven't read The Merciful Crow, scram! I have some tea to spill on The Faithless Hawk, and it is going to rain fire.
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Core Of The Merciful Crow Duology

Here's the thing. I bled for The Merciful Crow. Doubt me? Read my review, and you won't. If I had any fear going into The Faithless Hawk, it was that what made The Merciful Crow such a standout, last summer would somehow fade to the background. My fears made one thing abundantly clear (about me).

Yes. Yes, I am the idiot that, that village is missing.

Faithless Hawk grounded itself and brought the Merciful Crow Duology full circle on its foundational themes of social justice and oppression. The Merciful Crow duology (as I said in my review of The Merciful Crow) sets itself apart from many (not all) of its fantasy counterparts by firmly integrating these themes. They are not throw-away plot devices or represented in typical fantasy fashion. Nor is it just an afterthought. Instead, it picks up right where Merciful Crow leaves off.

"The queen could pick off a dozen sparrows, certainly but there'd be too many gaps in schedules, too many worried families looking for them. Someone would notice."

Fie let the unspoken question hang over them all: And no one noticed twenty Crows dead in the road?

That was the pinch of it, though. They'd notice. But so long as the plague beacons were answered, they'd look the other way. And since the Crows would starve without viatik, those beacons would keep being answered.

Once established, I realized that Faithless Hawk would jump Merciful Crow with a quickness, and become a completely different ballgame hairball. It took everything I loved about The Merciful Crow and added layers of dagger-sharp qualities. Margaret Owen decisively twisted them into my bleeding heart.
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Faithless Hawk: Murderers. Bastards. Traitors. Queens.

The second I saw that tagline, I posted a Goodreads Monday. How could I not? First, how the devil in the blue dress did Margaret Owen get Bastards on the cover of any book, let alone a Young Adult book? That's some kind of voodoo. Second, that tag is fierce. Did it clue me into the thought that there might be some fierce writing happening there? <See village idiot, above>

Margaret Owen, Fie, And Faithless Hawk Are A Mood That Will Suffer No Fuck Bucks

Who knew 2020 would drop us into the Hunger Games, or that the odds wouldn't be in our favor because 2020 burned all favorable odds. Fast-forward to August 2020 and Faithless Hawk's "Murderers. Bastards. Traitors. Queens," tagline AND THIS WRITING BEHIND IT.

Between Merciful Crow and Faithless Hawk, something happened. Don't ask me. I read things and know nothing. Maybe Fie and Owen hashed it out, or Owen planned it this way. Either way? The end result was exacting, unyielding, damnation written.

Fie muffled a cold laugh in her sleeve and let the fire go, and darkness swallowed the Hall of the Dawn once again... The embers of fire-song in Fie's own bones did not argue. The finest, stiffest, most high-bred Peacock families in Sabor had turned to little better than beasts trying to claw their way out.

She felt dangerous, she felt raw and undeniable, like vengeance made flesh, like a walking curse. And she was not done with them yet.

Christ on a crouton if Owen doesn't write the shit out of Fie, out of the whole of Sabor. And it reverberates off the page, right through your nervous system.

Here's the kicker. I'm pulling the best quote(s) I can without spoiling anything. I could spoil The Faithless Hawk, pick the best quotes for every character, from all my tabs, and not even write a review. It would be decimating. But. No.

I can even prove it, without spoilers. This review is a few days late because of an idiotic reason. I did something I never do. And now I remember why. I took my ARC and my final copy. Then, I tabbed out all the notes in my Kindle.

It took hours and I ran out of the original color I chose because- THAT WRITING.
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Character Dynamics

How do I even summarize this without ending up with a 2,000-word dissertation that spoils everything? Let me start with this generalization. The King is dead, Queen Rhusana is trying to usurp the throne from Jasimir, and Tavin and Fie are already a thing. Because of this, the romance factor isn't as prevalent in The Faithless Hawk as it was in The Merciful Crow. Now that I can put the two books together, I think that the enemies-to-lovers trope in Merciful Crow, (really not even a trigger thing because I wasn't in that space when Merciful Crow came out), took up too much space. With that on the back burner in Faithless Hawk, there was room for SO MUCH MORE. And MY GOD. Margaret Owen SOARED.

Also, there is this new character. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HER SO MUCH. And her relationship to Fie and how brilliant and perfect it is written. But I can't and I'm sad. READ THE DAMN BOOK.
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First, there is Jasimir and Fie. Their friendship was both heart-filled and smart-ass, and just everything. Owen nailed it from moment to moment.

He let her go, but when she reached the stairs, he called after her, "Fie."

"Aye?" She looked back.

"...If I lose you too..."

She knew that break in his voice; it matched hers, when she'd laid all her failings at Pa's feet days ago. So, she gave him a sad grin and said, "Not just me. You've got the cat, too. Now sit tight for a bit, aye? Help's on the way."

"They leave holes. She'll know where they belong."

"Then put more holes in," Jasimir said with a strained kind of calm. "Really, Fie, since when do I need to tell you to stab things?"

There is also the trio of Khoda, Jasimir, and Fie, who spend quite a bit of the book trying to sort out all of the things. While they are all keeping a mess of secrets, fears, and political issues from each other and Sabor, they are stepping forward with each other, in the best of intentions. In the middle of the blood (oh does Faithless Hawk get all kinds of gory), magic, rage, ruination, and reckonings, there is room for even more. They manage to become official cat masters.

At one point, I was waiting for Mango/Jasifur or Patpat to come running through the castle with a look on their face and something exploding behind them, and you know they are thinking... WHAT HAVE I DONE?

"Jasimir straightened his shoulders. "I have an idea. Let me go first."

"You're the ranking cat-master," Fie returned.

Jasimir strode down the hall, Patpat trotting at his side...
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And then later Draga dismisses them...

"Very well. Cat-masters, take your leave. We will make another appointment for later."
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What Can I Even Say About The Damn Story?

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Owen wrote the hell out of it. But what can I say about it without spoiling everything? It is a fight of will, magic, blood, deception, politics, oppression, fear, strength, ancestral secrets, and a meddling God of epic proportions.

Friendships and relationships are tested. Bodily sinew is tested.

In the end, The Faithless Hawk takes The Merciful Duology and ends it on a flashbang that lit up every piece of humanity inside of me. I don't know the why of it not being a trilogy. However, I can still see the possibility. Maybe someday, that might happen. I'll be here if it does. In the meantime, it is evident that Margaret Owen is on a trajectory to set the world ablaze. I imagine that is where Fie gets it from.

Fantasy at its best!

Compassionate, unsure (until angry and then watch out), gifted, amusing, self deprecating--all words to describe the now new Crow leader, Fie.
Crows--in a world peopled by twelve castes, the Crows are the untouchables, the lowliest of the low. Only they can cleanse villages and cities from the Sinner's Plague. The Crows are immune. They give mercy to the victims, burning away the ravages incurred. This is their duty. They cannot go against the Covenant and ignore the summoning beacon's black plumes of smoke. But is that what the Crows were originally intended to be when the gods created the castes? Fie's god given mission is to reclaim the Crow's lost birthright. Whatever that might be.
What stands in her way? Only a ruthless queen who's enslaved and seduced the realm's King and the powerful into supporting her claim to the throne, buoyed by her terrifying witchcraft abilities. A queen who hates the crows and allows other castes to harass and even kill them. In The Merciful Crow, Fie had challenged the Queen's payment in Fie's role as chief of her Crow band.
When the fires are lit to signal King Surimir's death Fie and her Crows supported by their Hawk escort head for the palace along with Prince Jasimir and Tavin. As the story unfolds many things Fie's taken on faith begin to unravel. Her quest is on the verge of floundering, betrayal a hare's breath away.
I am still working through the magic of the teeth as determined by the Covenant as payment to the Crows. How they then become a powerful artifact is fascinating. When the Queen begins to spread doubt about the very existence of the plague as deadly, her attempts to nullify the role of the Crows brings about unforeseen and grisly results.
A story of greed and power, offset by Fie's determination and doggedness. A fabulous read that ratchets up the tension so fantastically that I was gripped from the get go.
I love this world Owen has created, rich and nuanced that deserves a reread to grapple with the various tenets and social organization depicted.
A great ending to the quest that began with The Merciful Crow!

A Macmillan Children's Group ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Why I requested this: I adored the first book which I actually received an ARC of.

Pros: The magic system? The magic system. It grows in book two, but that it is such a treat.
But it’s also a political fantasy see aforementioned bargain between chieftain and crown prince.
The crows and how they remind me of plague doctors. But honestly, this spot could just be for the characters in general.
Also, there are cats. Just saying.

Overall: Political, magical and a breath of fresh air. This is one of my favorite duologies that I have read in a long time. I can’t wait to see what Margaret Owen cooks up in the future.

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Henry Holt & Co (BYR) for the advanced review copy of this book!

If you're not familiar with this series, a quick synopsis: Fie is a 16 year old girl who lives in a world of castes. From the highest Phoenixes, the Hawk soldiers, to the lowest - the Merciful Crow. Fie is part of the Crow caste, and in the first book is tasked with bringing the Phoenix Prince Jasimir to his people after the evil queen Rhusana attempts to have him killed. Although she commits to this task in the first book, she soon finds out in the second that this is not enough to fulfill the covenant oath, and she ends up having to give more than she could've imagined.

Honestly? Bravo Margaret Owen. The worldbuilding in the first book was fantastic. I loved learning about the castes and how the Crows are an easy scapegoat for the problems of Sabor. How they're treated as less than because of what they do despite that thing being imperative to the fabric of society. But Owen managed to take these things and expand upon them in a way that gave us a comprehensive view of the history of the Crows and Phoenixes so we can better understand why things are happening this way, and what Fie's role will end up being.

This book was so full of emotion. I cried with Fie more than once and my heart broke with hers. I was angry with and for her and I gasped when I learned the truth of things muttering to myself 'I knew it. I knew. I fucking knew it!' (I didn't know it, but I was incredibly hopeful throughout). I was kept on the edge of my seat and fell completely off by the end, but good writing amirite?

Our idealist fave, Prince Jasimir, is back in all his wonderful glory, and I loved his character development. He goes on such a journey of 'this is the law, this is what we must do, I am the only one who can rule' to 'well idk maybe we should try this instead' and that's called growth friends. Khoda was a welcome addition, the grumpy voice of reason to Fie and Jas's hairbrained scheming, and I had a real shine for him by the end.

Tavin. My sweet, cocky Hawk boy. His entire storyline is such that I can't even mention it here without spoiling it, but it's honestly a whole heartbreaking journey, and I'm so glad I got to go on it.

This second and final book wraps everything up so nicely. We finally learn the why's and how's and the end will absolutely have you clutching your book, waiting to see what was going to happen. This was one of those 'I stayed up way too late reading but it's fine, everything is fine *sobs*' books, and that's a really great compliment.

More than anything though. this series is about doing what you want to do and doing what you have to do, and how those two paths shape us. How what we choose can end up hurting not just ourselves, but those around us. How sometimes we have to weigh that hurt against a future with less pain. It's a great commentary, actually, on what's going on today. The oppression of the Crows and their fight to be seen as human, as worthy of basic human needs starkly reminded me of the struggles the vulnerable portion of our population faces, especially in the current political climate. The White Oleanders, pretending purity and superiority, only to have a toxic and poisonous rot at their core. I know Owen didn't write with this in mind, as she said she finished the books some time ago, but still. Way to give commentary on the future!

Please read these books! They were such a joy, and a real boon for fantasy lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher & TBR And Beyond Tours for a chance to review this book!

The first book in this series – well that book was amazing. I had no idea what to expect going into this one. Mostly because it had been a bit, and I worried I would have trouble dropping into this book from that. I need not have worried, because apparently the last one made such an impact it was still quite clear for me when I read this one. There were a few parts I had to really search my memory on though. Overall, I was so excited to get back into this world and see what Owen was going to deliver to us this time.

I really do not have the words for this book. I sat for probably a good ten minutes staring into nothing after I finished the book. I could not even think properly after that! I was stunned into silence and then into a book hangover. So very rarely do I think second books surpass the first – sometimes I feel like there is a struggle. But this book…this book was just as good, if not better, than the first book. I mean, yeah, there were parts where I was grinding my teeth and practically screaming at the characters. It was hair tearing intense.

Own is a master storyteller. There are moments in this book where you’re on the edge of your seat and you cannot stop reading. I certainly couldn’t. But I adore Owen’s writing style. I find it easy to read and delightful. It sucks me in, and the pacing always works really well for me throughout this book. In fact, it has some of the best pacing I’ve ever read.

You know how sometimes authors split up characters and most of it is annoying and eye roll inducing? And sometimes hard to keep track of? Yeah, not the case here. At no point did I feel that it was annoying or eye roll worthy. In fact I loved how it happened. It worked so well for the plot of the book. Speaking of the plot of the book I never knew which way the book was going to go. I had many FEELINGS during entirety of this book. As in I was practically weeping at one part. Also, you already know about the screaming.

This book is one large emotional rollercoaster ride. It was!!! Just something that I cannot even speak about. I’m still struggling to wrap my mind around this book. So perhaps I need to wrap this up will bullet points.
-Fie. An amazing character. I love her. Adore her. My fave.
-Tavin. Yes. Good. Love him too.
-Jasimir. Again, love him.
-Khoda. He’s grown on me. Love him.
-Barf. CLEARLY the best character.
-ALL THE CATS. It’s the little things like the cats in this book that make me happy.
-Really, no character was bad. I felt that they were all well developed.
-Now, the plot was great. The plot in this one worked SO WELL and I love how things tied together at the end. It made me very happy.
-Honestly, if you’ve read the first one, you need to read this one. It is the perfect conclusion to this series. I would love short stories about the afterwards. I think it would be really cool. Or prequel stories. I’m actually quite invested in this world, and I am not ready to leave it yet.
The end.
P.S. 5/5 stars for this book. Seriously.

I had a hard time getting into The Faithless Hawk, not because it wasn’t good but because I should have re-read The Merciful Crow first. So don’t be me and either find a really good summary or try to re-read the first book before diving into the second!

Okay so with that out of the way, this was such an amazing second book and conclusion to this duology. It wrapped everything up perfectly while leaving the possibility of re-visiting this world open. I’ll try not to give too much away but second book reviews are always hard for me.

I had issues with the world-building in the first book and thought maybe they’d be cleared up for me in book two. This was not the case and I just pushed through it and tried not to focus on it too hard. This has been the case for me though with the last couple books I read. Again, I just go with the flow and hope things are explained again in the moment of big scenes.

Fie was still a spitfire and I loved her attitude and sass when dealing with the crap hand, made only slightly better by the events in book one, life had dealt her. She’s in charge now and that’s a ton of responsibility on her shoulders so we get to see how the affects her. The more things change the more the stay the same. Or do they?

Tavin, our romantic interest for Fie was separated from the group at the end of the first book. Writing romances while the characters are not together is HARD. Owen perfectly executed it though and I loved the development of it. While it does move a tad fast from the first book, I still found it very believable and loved that it didn’t really hit any “bumps” that authors sometimes like to toss in. So much love overall though and I’ll miss Fie and Taven.

I missed Jasimir in this book! He was my favorite in the first book and I think he needed more page time, but it was understandable why he didn’t get it. I loved the dynamic of the trio and it very much gave me Throne of Glass original trio vibes.

The Faithless Hawk took so many unexpected turns and had a ton of twists I didn’t see coming. If you enjoyed the first book the second is a must. This was the perfect ending and for once I’m actually sad it was a duology and not a trilogy. I can’t wait to see what Owen plans on writing next but she’s officially on my “need to watch” list!

This is the perfect wrap-up for the first novel. Fleshed out the mythology and the tensions between castes, and provided a very satisfying end for Fie and her band.

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Henry Holt and Co. in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was so mesmerized by the story line of this book that I had to jump in and read it. The dilemma that the crows face when the queen witch reigns in power destroying the kingdom of Sabor and the fate of the kingdom rests in Fie and her friends. They call upon allies to band together and take back Sabor once and for all until the Queen Witch destroys it all. I could not take my eyes off the pages and I could not help but fall in love with the characters. I am looking forward to hearing what our teen book club thought of the book and the discussions that will arise.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I really loved this series. Fie is fierce, Fie is powerful, Fie is a complete boss, and we need more girls like her in YA novels. Everything was better in book two. The writing was better, the pacing was faster, the overall world building was stronger. It was still full of action and extremely captivating. I feel like this was the perfect ending to this duology. I am now a huge fan of Margaret Owen and I cannot wait for her to release a new book / series!

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher! Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Faithless Hawk

Author: Margaret Owen

Book Series: The Merciful Crow Book 2

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: fantasy, bird themes, war

Publication Date: August 18, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (language, death, violence, gore)

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co

Pages: 400

Synopsis: As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana's merciless bid for the throne.

With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.

A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.

Review: For the most part this book was pretty good. It helped clear up a lot of the confusion I had with the first book and the writing was much better and clearer. The characters continued to be fully developed and overall I really liked this one.

However, I did feel like the pacing was a bit too slow in this one and the plot wasn’t that interesting. In the beginning it was pretty interesting, but the plot slowed down midway and then came to a head at the end.

Verdict: It was pretty good!

This is the second book in The Merciful Crow YA fantasy series. And I have actually not read the first one. And surprisingly it was not a problem. I actually enjoyed this one very much, though I'm sure I missed some references to the first book, and some elements of the world building from book one.
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I understood that the book starts a few months after the story from book one. The beginning was very strong, and a bit shocking for me, as the MC, Fie, having to take another young girl's life. Of course this is all part of the duty of her cast (but I didn't know that, since I had not read the previous 😅).
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It was pretty great how some humor was peppered throughout the book, in many scenes, just enough to make the ragtag heroes more relatable and less self-absorbed or self-important, even in the middle of the all the crazy things happening around them.
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I'll just mention that they have a cat (which is pretty great in my opinion) - and I think works really great with the story - he was a rescue cat from book one, and is a full team member now. And then there are more cats and a tiger 🤩.
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This is a very entertaining book. The first third of it is a bit slow, but it definitely picks up and its a great blend of action, humor and romance.
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I will be picking up book one, and hope that I will like it at least as much as this one. And I do recommend it to all lovers of YA fiction.
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Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s not often that the sequel in a duology is better than the already amazing first book, but The Faithless Hawk surpassed every single high expectation I had of it. Margaret Owen has written a fantastic conclusion to this duology!

It was so easy for me to fall back into this world. The book picks up slightly after the ending of The Merciful Crow. The stakes are even higher in this one and the pacing was absolutely perfect: not too fast, not too slow. The plot really delivers in The Faithless Hawk. From betrayals to plot twists, there’s plenty to keep the reader hooked and intrigued. There was plenty of action and I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. The “faithless hawk” part of the story really added some extra angst which is maybe why I enjoyed it even more than the first book. You know I can’t resist some good romantic angst.

Fie really comes into her own here and she starts to discover more about who she is. Her character arc was amazing. We see her grow and change as she fights for the Crows and seeks to fulfill her oath, as well as struggle when certain truths come to light. We get more of the Crows’ history and magic which added so much more to this story. I really loved how the book ended!

The Faithless Hawk is the perfect conclusion to this duology. From the amazing characters, to the plot, to the final ending, this sequel was executed flawlessly.

This is an excellent fantasy series, but listen, I do not understand why publishers and goodreads continue to market this series as young adult when it is clearly adult fantasy. For one, it does not read like young adult since it deals with some heavy themes including castes, plague, and political machinations in a thoughtful way. It also does not follow any of the stereotypes found in YA and contains well-developed world-building, which is comparable to other founds in adult fantasy. So, you have been warned this is not a young adult novel and that's actually a good thing.

"The Faithless Hawk" starts shortly after Fie defies her status as a lowly crow and bargains protection for her fellow crows in exchange for delivering Prince Jasimir safely. As Fie wanders away from the Prince and his half-brother, Tavin, she quickly finds that fate has another challenge in store. Not only does a plague beacon light for King Surimir and start an all-out war between Jasimir and Queen Rhusana, but Fie discovers that she failed to keep her oath in this life and must protect the Prince to fulfill her end of the bargain.

Thurst once more into the middle of the political struggle between Jasimir and Rhusana, Fie must outsmart the Queen to win Jasimir the throne. Queen Rhusana has used the King's death to poison the purpose of the Crows and made the kingdom believe that they are no longer needed to stop the plague. As the plague spreads throughout the kingdom, Fie ventures into enemy territory and leaves behind her band of Crows to stop the queen before Sabor is torn apart. However, Fie is faced with betrayal and must forge ahead even though she does not know who to trust anymore.

I have already raved about Owens' world-building, but let me take a moment to really discuss what made this book better than the first one. In "The Merciful Crow", Owens introduces the concept of the Crows and how they live a nomadic existence in order to maintain control over the plague and deliver mercy, as well as, how the kingdom shuns them from society. This book takes that information and expands upon it by looking at the historical underpinnings of the Crows and the class system. Mainly, examining how the Phoenixes rose to power and maintained it, which created an imbalance.

However, what I absolutely adored about this sequel was how Owens expanded upon the Crows' history. In my first review, I mentioned that it seemed that Crows were somehow immune to the plague, but I did not remember an explanation ever being given for this. I was delighted to see Owens address this straightaway as Fie along with her father and band visits the Crow shrines and we learn that Crows believe themselves to be reborn gods. In fact, it is a cycle and souls are reborn into different castes depending on their behavior in their previous life. The Crow history was an excellent piece of world-building and it also tied into the plot as Fie relied on this knowledge to save Sabor.

Overall, this was an excellent sequel as Owens filled in some of the gaps from the first book and also delivered an action-packed plot with some unnerving twists. There were moments when I shouted at the book "that can't actually be happening?!" Major bonus points for incorporating twists that did not feel arbitrary. She also deftly handled Fie's character development as she goes from navigating her role as chieftain, to facing the ultimate betrayal, and finally, giving Fie an ending that felt true to the character and the story.

*This review is based on an uncorrected proof copy provided by the publisher.*

5/5 stars

In the conclusion to Margaret Owen's debut YA fantasy duology, Fie finds herself leading a band of Crows and struggling to make peace with their lot in life. After crossing the empire to keep Prince Jasimir, the heir to the Phoenix throne, and his guard, the Hawk Tavin, safe from a looming threat, Fie thought she was free to go about her business. But, after visiting one of the great Crow shrines and getting tantalizing information about her past and future, Fie and the Crows are once more thrust into the dirty politics of an unsteady empire. Rhusana, Jasimir's stepmother, has taken the throne and will do anything to keep it. Betrayal, loss, love, and fire await Fie along her path. Welcome to our roads, cousin.

Once again, Owen has woven a startlingly original and satisfying fantasy. This book is both solid on its own and an excellent conclusion to Fie's story. Owen proves that character and diversity doesn't have to get lost among all the fantasy tropes, action sequences, and magic systems. The writing is both snappy and evocative, and readers can get lost in Fie's unique voice that shows her growth from book one.

All our old favorite characters are back, from calm Pa to chaotic, freewheeling Madcap, but we also see new characters who expand Owen's world. Rhusana is the epitome of an evil queen, with all the plotting and casual violence of the best villains. We spend more time in the palace, exploring the world of Jasimir and the Splendid Castes, who do nothing but preen, plot, and look down on the Crows. The legends of Sabor are also explored in more depth in this volume, and Fie is introduced to hidden secrets and frightening truths.

The three core protagonists--Fie, Tavin, and Jasimir--are tested, broken, and reborn in the best of ways. Owen manages to keep you invested in all aspects of the story, even when it seems the plot takes a sidebar or makes a U-turn. I would love to see more stories set in the world of Sabor, set either before or after the events of this duology. I will certainly be reading anything Owen releases in the future and looking forward to more superb writing and bitingly-good characters.

Perfect for fans of unique YA fantasy, diverse casts of characters, and explorations of what it is to be human. Owen is certainly an emerging voice in the genre, and fans will be eagerly awaiting this conclusion. A can't-miss for teens and adults alike.

I was really pleased to see I received this ARC to review!! I thoroughly enjoyed The Merciful Crow and I think Owen is a wonder with words. Having the opportunity to read and review this piece early was amazing and I couldn’t as for more.

The worldbuilding is phenomenal, and Owen knows exactly what she is doing throughout her work. I can tell you that the writing alone makes her a “Must-buy” author for her future works. Follow this up with the excellent representation she has in this duology, and the fact that Fie is such a bad ass female MC, she as my heart won and has me forever interested. The romance was sweet and I definitely approved of the relationship, but I think a slow burn could have made it even better. The only downside was that beginning seemed to drag and I had some pacing issues. Otherwise, I thoroughly recommend you read this duology immediately!!