I do like Tavin‘s irrepressible, flippant humour. He knows how to break the tension; they‘re running for their lives with Queen R and the equivalent of the KKK after them and they‘ve just realised everything is even worse than they thought.
(Fie has had to make up Crow alibis for them and give them fake names; Mongrel & Pissabed.)
pickThis book follows a young chieftain from a lowly caste of mercy-killers who strikes a bargain with the crown prince to preserve the future of her clan.
Amazing plot, beautiful character development, and a lovely love story. Can‘t stop reading books from Margaret Owen!
Overall review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4/5 stars)
In a land where every caste has a gods-given birthright only the Crows do not. But they are immune to the Sinners' Plague which can literally wipe a village off the face of the earth within a month and so they collect the bodies of plague victims, dispatching them if necessary. Crows are the untouchables of their world, despised and even hunted down.
so-soThis book had potential to end up being amazing.
Characters were a tiny bit flat, quite stereotypical but not unlikable. I liked the cruel world that was created but it's history was never told.
Story was first interesting but then started to drag at some point. I really liked the bittersweet ending and overall liked this book.
#FabulousFebruary #SeriesRead2022 #TBRDeckofCards (2/52) #TheSupernaturalYear (God)
I was SO excited to be one of the #RoaringWolf winners. My goodies came today!!! Thank you so much for hosting this fun challenge every month and for sending me these fun prizes @Roary47 and @Littlewolf1 !!! I think your prompts every month are so fun and creative. I'm always excited to see what books I can find to match!!
bailedWanted to like this one, but couldn‘t STAND the way Fie talks. Loved the idea of the caste system but I couldn‘t stay interested. Stopped at 50 pages. Hoping that it wasn‘t the right time to read this ( I have a week until grad classes start, which limits my reading) and may come back to it this summer to try again on audiobook.
bailedI was annoyed by how they spoke mostly. Something about it was weird and not very smooth. Fie annoyed me and I think the only person I liked was Tavin. But not enough to finish the book. It was sadly not my vibe. And the audiobook wasn‘t much better. My first read was a sad DNF!
pickWhat a fantastic story! I loved the world setting and the different characters and their flaws and how everything came together. Such a wonderful fantasy series, I‘ve already picked up and finished the second book!
#bookspin for November @TheAromaofBooks
“He looked at you the same way you look at roads.” Jasimir‘s voice cracked. “Like where they go frightens you, and you love them for it.”
She‘d no call to fear wolves in summer, not with fresh kill in their belly. The wolves of winter, though … Pa‘d taught her to watch the starving wolf. When beasts go hungry too long, he‘d said, they forget what they ought to fear.
It wasn‘t that she wanted to burn the world down, no. She just wanted the world to know that she could.
I tried this on audio and absolutely hated the narration - her male voices and different accents grated on my nerves and I couldn't get into the story. Decided to try again with the physical book and I'm enjoying it much more!
pickThis was great! First the cover is amazing. Second, The story is interesting and not like anything I‘ve read before. I do wish there was more but I enjoyed it! I really want book 2, which is another amazing cover! #bookspinbingo
pickThis is a review of both books in the duology. I feel like these books are revolutionary, because they are a Romantic Fantasy which features healthy relationships. When that is added to a very entertaining, unique and exciting plot, it makes for a very satisfying read.
I'm sure Owen wondered would her audience believe that people would vilify those who help suppress plague. Ha! Strong pick in the 15-25 yr old category. As an Old I still enjoyed
so-soWell....I finished?
Honestly, the story wasn't horrible but I didn't care for the writing. OR The writing wasn't as bad as I thought it was but it just didn't match up with the narration. Either way, I'm probably not going to continue the series. 🤷♀️
#ReadYourSign ♌ Published in July/August
#MidYearRush 📖 in progress: 1/9
@Clwojick @Meaw_catlady
pickYa fantasy set in a world with magic and extreme caste systems. A girl has to help someone she doesn‘t like for the sake of her people.
pickOkay so I finished The Merciful Crow and how has no one told me how absolutely amazing it is because it has officially made it on to my favorite books shelf because I loved it so damn much! Better believe I pre-ordered The Faithless Hawk the second and I mean the second I finished it.
Amazing plot
Stunning visuals
Wonderful characters
LGBT+
POC characters
CHARACTERS WHO ACTUALLY TALK SHIT OUT INSTEAD OF BROODING AND LIKE IDIOTS
A small #bookoutlet order. 😊🤗
#bookhaul
pickExcellent example of all the things I love when it comes to YA Fantasy! 💚
The characters and the world building were both rich and complex. There's magic, lots of action, moral dilemmas to help young characters grow, and even mammoths 😁
I'm excited for the next one!
• The Merciful Crow, Wilder Girls, and Miss Mayhem
• Gemina
• slowing making my way through The 100
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
AudioBook while working in Save The Dates to marry my girl!
pickThe second of three I knocked out last weekend.
A YA Fantasy! One of the first ones I've actually not DNF'd in maybe a year or more? I think the caste system really sold me, and the world felt fairly tangible and real for a YA. The romance also took quite some time to set up, which I appreciated. It took a definite back seat for most the novel, a huge win.
#YAFantasy #TheMercifulCrow #DarkFantasy
pickAfter restarting this and taking a slow pace with reading,the Caste System finally started making sense. Overall the plot is intriguing and the caste system is actually really fascinating. Part 1 and 3 are what gives this a pick rating for me, while part 2 was bogged down with the instalove. But I do like all the characters! I look forward to book 2.
#wintergames #elfies
15pts TBR read 1pt =16pts
pickI loved this book! The author creates an immersive world and a fascinating caste system. I can't wait for more.
Two chapters to go. I‘m still not much in the mood for reading but I‘m also enjoying this a lot!
My #BookHaul from the Fierce Reads Tour. The top book is an ARC, the others are all books I got signed at the event. 🧡🧡🧡🧡
I am so beyond confused with this book. The caste system seems so cool but I am just so confused. And my mind is having issues really focusing on what is being written. I keep re-reading sentences and paragraphs and Im still not understanding. It‘s making it frustrating to read. I want to like this, I like the caste system idea but I don‘t get why it‘s not making any sense to me.
so-soThis book has been publicized pretty widely on social media, and I had some high expectations. The story was interesting in parts, but my mind would wander in many other areas which is a red flag that a book isn‘t holding me captive. The relationship between Jasimir and Tavin is endearing but for the most part the book is predictable, but still ok.
Anyone heard of this one I‘m thinking I want to get it 📖😋
#7days7covers #covercrush day 4!
seven covers in seven days, no explanation!
tag someone new each day!
@ahsatan82 care to play?
Interesting that it has illustrated papers indicating what part we‘re in. Don‘t see that too often.
Fairyloot read a long for this starts today. Not sure how much I‘m gonna like it but we‘ll see.
pickReally ended up enjoying this. Was a little confused by the different castes at first, but it really was a great book in the end. I wanted to punch people so many times 😅
pickExcellent YA fantasy were all, magic user or not, belong to a bird caste system from the royal phoenix to the plague undertaker crows. We follow the prince feeling the evil queen with his hawk bodyguard double hidden among a band of crows.
My Fairyloot box arrived today! So happy, got some amazing items.
SFF challenge for #24in48, I'm hoping to finish my arc of this upcoming YA fantasy this weekend! I've been really enjoying it, 12 bird-named castes each have a type of power (peacock and swan are two, no Crow emoji to match the title), and the Crow witches use teeth to access power. A fantasy take on systemic discrimination, the different responses of the Prince and his guard about being confronted with it deliver an interesting contrast. @24in48
I have been in love with this cover since I first saw it. Hopefully the book is as god.
#CoverLove #YAedition
July 30
pickI don't know exactly what to say, it was okay, i think. I liked the plot and the characters but i don't know... i felt like nothing was happening through almost all the book. I loved the battles and the writing, and Fie is an amazing girl, but i guess i would like to have seen more. I still want to read the next book, i need to know if Fie finally gets what she wants.
I don't know if it's a pick but it's not a “so-so“. It's just a normal book???
pickAfter nearly losing my purse & getting trampled to get this #arc at #bookcon, I jokingly said “This book better be one of the best I‘ve read in a long time...”
It was.
•More ambitious than a lot of YA
•Gripping plot
•3D & realistic chars
•Inventive Magic system
•Topical (w/o pandering)
•Balance of drama & humor
•A cat named Barf , who I‘d die for ♥️
5/5. Add to your TBR. Comes out July 30th.
As if this glorious ARC couldn‘t get any more wonderful, how the character deals with her period & contraceptive is addressed! (Also bonus for mentioning that women use birth control for reasons other that contraceptive). The protag in this uses it for both. We need more of this in fantasy & ESPECIALLY YA fantasy. Props to Margaret Owen!
There is a cat in this book. The cat‘s name is “Barf”. I would die for Barf the Cat. 😻
The Merciful Crow | 
