BLACK BIRD OF THE GALLOWS by Meg Kassel

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What’s more, she knows something most don’t. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

My thoughts on the book:
Black Bird of the Gallows is one of the strangest novels that I've ever read, and I mean that in a good way. I like different and bizarre, and this novel definitely has those two qualities. In addition to being completely unique, the characters are well-developed, the writing is gorgeous, and the pacing and plot are fantastic. The world-building is a little sparse, which is the only reason I rated the book lower than an A. While this is a standalone story, there is another novel coming out that's set in this world, and I can't wait for Keeper of the Bees to come out in September!

Angie was a great main character. She was flawed and broken, but still a good person. She was an easy character to connect with, and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. She was strong and capable and intelligent. Reece was an interesting male lead, and I thought for a bit that this book was going to go Twilight on me and make Reece out to be some billion year old creeper, but it didn't, thankfully. He was selfless and he tried to make the best of his curse and tried to do what was right. I really had a lot of sympathy for him because he had a rough life to say the least. The secondary characters weren't overly developed, but they had their own personalities, and I think they contributed nicely to the story. I would have liked a bit more background on Deno and Lacey, but they felt real nonetheless.

The plot for this story was a bit complex, and I enjoyed that. Nothing really was what it seemed, and it kept me engaged. The pacing was spot-on, and I didn't get bored and nothing felt rushed. The writing was well-done, and the descriptions were wonderfully written. Some parts of this book are horrifying and not for the faint of heart, and the author doesn't pull any punches. That being said, there are no gratuitously violent scenes. There was a lot of heart put into this book, and I did tear up a few times, and I also had quite a few laughs, so I was also emotionally engaged with these characters and the story. My only complaint is the world-building. While the different creatures did a bit of explanation of the magic and their world, I still don't feel like I fully understand what was going on. That could have been the reason. It was the first book in this series, and even though it can serve as a standalone, since the sequel will have new characters and a new location, I assume the world will keep building in the next installment. The ending tied things up nicely for these characters. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a slightly horrifying and bizarre YA paranormal romance. The premise is extremely interesting and it's executed very well.