Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop

Murder of Crows (The Others, #2)

by Anne Bishop

Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s world of the Others—where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules…

After winning the trust of the Others residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.
 
The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader—wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.
 
As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

Reviewed by liz089 on

5 of 5 stars

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SUMMARY.
As a human residing among the Others of the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Lakeside's shape-shifting leader, Simon Wolfgard wonders whether their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

Now the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent of reclaiming their blood prophet - and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

STANDALONE or SERIES.
This is the second part in The Others series !!

WHY this book.
I choose to continue this series after I finished the first book, Written in Red. I completely fell in love with it and wanted to know more.

FIRST THOUGHTS.
Awesome book ! I really liked that I could just continue everything I had to leave behind when I finished the first book. It really is a great story, and I just felt like I needed to know more, read more. This story has put me under some kind of spell that does not let me go, that has a hold on me. Even when I’m busy with other stuff it keeps poking me in the back of my head.. It really is one of a kind.

PLOT.
In this part we continue were the first one left off. We are in a world where the Others are in control and the humans are becoming more and more rebellious. We got an introduction to the drugs Gone over Wolf and Feel-Good in the first part, but it evolves more in this one. More accidents involving the drugs, and the Others come together in Lakeside Courtyard to decide how to handle this new threat. They know the drugs are being manufactured by using blood prophets and start a search for The Controller..

I really like how the plot is building in this part, the danger of a war looming.. You see things coming closer and closer, knowing that things will explode eventually.. but just not yet. It keeps you on your toes, feeling the tension building. Loved that ! Very exciting.
We get more history about were the blood prophets came from and how the Intuits play a part in that. The world keeps growing, I like that.
It also keeps that spooky background that I am really enjoying as well.

ROMANCE.
Not a lot of romance in this one too, but a bit more. You see the tension building between them, that they keep growing closer together. They are falling in love, but are not really ready for it. They are going in an easy pace, not interrupting more important parts of the plot and I really have a great admiration for that. It just stays nice on the background with some exciting stuff in between to keep it going.

SETTING.
In the first book it was more about Lakeside and the Courtyard itself, but in this book that world is growing. We get to know more about its surrounding villages and towns, and even a little bit beyond that. She really makes it all so visual.. Like I am standing there next to them.
We get to know more about the history of the land and its inhabitants. Everything is just growing bigger and bigger, not overwhelming you with a lot at once, but gradually expanding it. This way, you don’t get an information overload that makes it boring. This way, you get to progress it better and keep you interested.

CHARACTERS.
I really like how you see the characters growing as well. Not a lot of Others know how to deal with humans or have not come in contact with them. Now, there are more and more of them in the Courtyard. The Others are learning and that make for some funny scenes too !
This way everything stays logical and does not go too fast to keep it real. Like real persons they are growing and learning and you live right along with them.

FAVORITE.
I really am starting to like Monty more and more. He is a very smart guy, and things deeper than most humans do. He cares for both sides and I have a great appreciation for that. Also I feel kind of sad for him that he has to deal with his bitch ex-lover for his daughter. I want Lizzy with him !!
Oh, and I am totally enjoying the Elementals !! I wish I could draw so I could put up some nice picture of Water riding Fog or Air riding Tornado…

LEAST FAVORITE.
I don’t know if I really have someone I really hated in this book.. Yes The Controller is the big bad evil in this book, but I barely know him ! Maybe Phineas Jones ? Creepy shark dude.

THE BAD.
Even though I agree with how things are evolving.. I do wish for some more SimonxMeg action.. Hopefully in the next part !!

FAVORITE QUOTES.
“I smelled blood,” Simon said. “It was … upsetting.” He looked at her torso, just below the breasts. Did the cut open up? If it opened up and bled again, would Meg need to speak prophecy? Or did she have a fresh cut? Was that the reason she was in the bathroom? “Is there something I should write down?”
“No,” Meg replied tightly. “It’s not a cut, so there aren’t any visions or prophecies with this kind of blood.”
He cocked his head. “There are different kinds of blood?”
Vlad, who was standing closer to her, looked at her face and took a step back. Simon wished he hadn’t put on the jeans so he could grow a tail and tuck it over his male bits.
“I’m a girl!” she shouted. “It happens!”
Simon glanced at Vlad, who looked equally puzzled.
“You’re both so quick to think it’s ‘that time of the month’ whenever a girl isn’t all sweet and sunny, but it doesn’t occur to you when it really is that time of the month?”

“Simon, it’s Meg. I’m closing up the office now and … It’s not the first time you’ve had to go away, but it feels … different … this time. Empty. I don’t know. I want my friend to come home. I’m going over to Merri Lee’s to watch movies that we can cry about, but I’d rather be able to hide behind you and watch a scary movie. When you’re there, I don’t see too much of the scary. Anyway, see you soon.”

You couldn’t choose to step away once you got entangled with the Others. He just hoped that humans would gain something from the bloodshed that was coming.

FINAL THOUGHTS.
Give me book three !!! NEED to continue ! I really am falling more and more in love with this series, it is just THAT GOOD. You should most definitely read it. 5 Freyja’s !!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 13 January, 2016: Finished reading
  • 13 January, 2016: Reviewed