roseybot's review against another edition
4.0
Gripping, certainly, though I may need to digest this further. I'm not totally sure I want to read the next book if that makes any sense?
abalvarez's review against another edition
5.0
Until Blackbirds I had only read Chuck Wendig's books on writing.
This is what it is like to read a Miriam Black book: imagine you are duct-taped to a rickety wooden chair bolted to the floor in a large abandoned warehouse where the only light is from a cracked skylight dripping water from a torrential downpour directly above the building. Your mouth is also duct-taped.
That is the feeling I had the entire time I was reading Blackbirds. It didn't matter if the scene was happening in the brightest of daylight or the darkest of night. I was always in the warehouse. In the dark. With water pouring down from the skylight.
I couldn't tear myself away from what was happening even if I wanted to.
I really liked this book. If you like your horror horrible then this book is for you.
This is what it is like to read a Miriam Black book: imagine you are duct-taped to a rickety wooden chair bolted to the floor in a large abandoned warehouse where the only light is from a cracked skylight dripping water from a torrential downpour directly above the building. Your mouth is also duct-taped.
That is the feeling I had the entire time I was reading Blackbirds. It didn't matter if the scene was happening in the brightest of daylight or the darkest of night. I was always in the warehouse. In the dark. With water pouring down from the skylight.
I couldn't tear myself away from what was happening even if I wanted to.
I really liked this book. If you like your horror horrible then this book is for you.
elisanns's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ithaca's review against another edition
3.0
Wendig is a great writer but I couldn't stomach the numerous gruesome parts.
beardedbarista's review against another edition
5.0
Very satisfied. I picked this book up crazy random at the book store and barely read the back to find out about what was going on. The book just looked and felt right.
Recently I saw that Chuck is writing for Star Wars .. the name hit me and I was like "I have one of his books!"
I immediately unshelved BlackBirds and got to reading! WOW!! cant wait to read more of his stuff and as for the story its gritty, just the way I like it.
Miriam (a name I really like) is kick ass and going to be a character I will follow from now on.
The book was paced well and suspenseful I am now in the process of collecting and reading the Star Wars Canon and look forward to seeing how Chuck takes on such an epic genre and title.
thanks friends for reading my ramblings :)
Justin
Recently I saw that Chuck is writing for Star Wars .. the name hit me and I was like "I have one of his books!"
I immediately unshelved BlackBirds and got to reading! WOW!! cant wait to read more of his stuff and as for the story its gritty, just the way I like it.
Miriam (a name I really like) is kick ass and going to be a character I will follow from now on.
The book was paced well and suspenseful I am now in the process of collecting and reading the Star Wars Canon and look forward to seeing how Chuck takes on such an epic genre and title.
thanks friends for reading my ramblings :)
Justin
hana_almansouri's review against another edition
3.0
While it was not entirely awful, I'm not that crazy about it. The writing is very good, its fresh and nice and engaging, however that does not help mask the pointlessness of the book and yeah yeah i get that its supposed to be this fun read but it doesnt work for me. I should stop reading YA books. Yes this book qualifies as YA to me.
amberunmasked's review against another edition
4.0
A shotgun blast of adrenaline, indeed, as other critics and fans have said. Wendig delivers twisted, sometimes quite sick action in terms of violence, sex and run-for-your-life sequences. There were a couple times I thought I might give up and not get through the whole book only because I used to be such a cozy mystery girl - the kind that read books themed around B&B's and cats and food. I love those books and have abandoned for a while to read the greasy gritty modern pulps like Wendig and Swierczynski. Even though I enjoyed Miriam Black and her sorted tale about fate and her special death ability, I think I need to reread some Mary Daheim and Lilian Jackson Braun this summer.
Also, since my copy of the paperback was a gift from another author, I may have received an advanced copy which is usually reserved for members of the press. It took me a few weeks to read it and by then tons of reviews were already out. Reason for my speculation is because I actually did find two grammar typos. Even in my favorite books, those things happen especially when a real word is used but happens to be incorrect for the sentence.
Also, since my copy of the paperback was a gift from another author, I may have received an advanced copy which is usually reserved for members of the press. It took me a few weeks to read it and by then tons of reviews were already out. Reason for my speculation is because I actually did find two grammar typos. Even in my favorite books, those things happen especially when a real word is used but happens to be incorrect for the sentence.
libraryofalibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
aschwartz184's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED this book! Miriam was such an awesomely dangerous (or dangerously awesome?) character. Chuck Wendig's writing style really sucked me in from page 1 and the story didn't let me out of its death grip until long after the last page. Miriam has a sharp wit, a mouth like a sailor, and the unfortunate ability to see people's deaths when she touches them. This book was intelligent, exciting, and contained excellent characterization - I cared about all characters, not just the major players.
I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a good crime noir story with classic action/thriller elements mixed in with notes of modernity and delightfully gratuitous violence. I recommended it to my mother, who promptly checked it out of the local library and read a quarter of it in a single night. I very rarely give books 5 stars, but this is very well earned.
I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a good crime noir story with classic action/thriller elements mixed in with notes of modernity and delightfully gratuitous violence. I recommended it to my mother, who promptly checked it out of the local library and read a quarter of it in a single night. I very rarely give books 5 stars, but this is very well earned.