Welcome to the Black Wings Beating tour! I am so pleased to be a part of this tour. I absolutely devoured this book and cannot wait to tell you more about it in my review. Here’s more about the book:
The people of Uztar have long looked to the sky with hope and wonder. Nothing in their world is more revered than the birds of prey and no one more honored than the falconers who call them to their fists.
Brysen strives to be a great falconer–while his twin sister, Kylee, rejects her ancient gifts for the sport and wishes to be free of falconry. She’s nearly made it out, too, but a war is rolling toward their home in the Six Villages, and no bird or falconer will be safe.
Together the twins must journey into the treacherous mountains to trap the Ghost Eagle, the greatest of the Uztari birds and a solitary killer. Brysen goes for the boy he loves and the glory he’s long craved, and Kylee to atone for her past and to protect her brother’s future. But both are hunted by those who seek one thing: power.
Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indiebound
About the Author:
Alex London writes books for adults (One Day The Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War), children (Dog Tags series; An Accidental Adventure series) and teens (Proxy). At one time a journalist reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, he is now a full time novelist living in Brooklyn, NY, where he can be found wandering the streets talking to his dog, who is the real brains of the operation.
My Thoughts:
Confession: I’ve really been struggling with reading YA lately. I’ve had a stressful job change and just a million little things going on in my life and I’ve had so much trouble sticking with the books I pick up. And then I started Black Wings Beating. I devoured this book! I skipped lunch and was nearly late to work because I just did not want to stop reading it! Here are some of the main things that kept me reading:
A world built around birds of prey: This was the most surprising thing for me. In general I think that birds are dirty and gross (I tell my students that is one of my most firmly held beliefs!) But I was simply fascinated by the different ways the people groups in this book viewed birds of prey. I loved learning more about how these viewed shaped their cultures and how it affected the ways they interacted. It as all just so cool! And the idea of the “hollow tongue?” Fascinating!
The relationship between the twins: Brysen and Kylee are so very different. I loved that we got the story from both of their perspectives. Both Kylee and Brysen seem to resent that she has a gift that he desperately wants. It’s clear they’re keeping some pretty big secrets from one another. My heart broke for them but at the same time I loved the delicious tension it created. There’s so much more in store for them and I’m already anxious because I don’t see how any of this can end well for both of them!
Intrigue: I won’t go into much detail her for fear of spoilers but I was so into the way you cannot trust anyone in this book! And I already have some ideas about characters motives that might be revealed in the next book…
London does an excellent job of drawing the reader into the story and keeping them on the edge of their seat! A unique world, captivating characters, and an engrossing story. Black Wings Beating is not to be missed.
Leave a Reply