The classic tale of star-crossed lovers, Michael Singleton and Alena Andrick. Book one in the award-winning contemporary fantasy trilogy about a tribe of shape shifters in the inhospitable forest of northern Maine USA. Ten years after departing this world, Michael Singleton returns to the valley nestled along the Blackwater River. Michael suffers from a rare disease, the curse of his tribe. … suffers from a rare disease, the curse of his tribe. Because of this, Michael’s soul will be damned to wander the Shadowlands, the domain of the Witch Goddess, for eternity. To escape this fate, Michael must unlock the spell that opens the portal to Corvus’s kingdom, the Otherworld. It is a secret known to only one man, the powerful Guardian of the Dead.
Alena is the only child of the Guardian of the Dead. Her safe, predictable life is turned upside-down when she meets Michael at the Solstice celebration. When Michael is accused of murdering the Captain of the Guard, Alena must choose between obeying her instincts or the laws of her people.
An IHIBRP 5-Star Recommended Read.
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Blackbird was an intriguing story. L.E. Harrison built a world in which religion and magic are intertwined and the shifting between human and bestiae (the non-human form) are tied to the religion itself. The pacing of the story kept me wanting to know what was next and how the Alena and Michael would get themselves out of the various situations they found themselves in.
The two lead characters are interesting. Alena Andrick is lovely and impulsive. She is also loyal. The daughter of one of the highest level priests, she trains to inherit his duties as Guardian of the Dead. Her defense of Michael puts that particular future and many other things about her life at risk.
Michael Singleton grew up outside the valley and returned to attempt to find a way to pass over to the afterlife and back. He is also a shifter, something that is seen as a curse and is punishable by death. Alena believes that he is not cursed and seeks to protect him and also learn the truth.
I found the love story hard to buy into and wished she hadn’t fallen in love with him so quickly. I generally find love at first sight hard to believe, but in this particular tale, she seemed drawn to his appearance beyond anything else and I wasn’t always certain if he cared for her or if he was using her. It was not the healthiest relationship in a lot of ways. But none of her relationships were healthy, so it could be argued that theirs was one of the better ones.
The ending does leave you hanging a bit, but the next two books have already been published, so that is easy to remedy, and I’m curious enough about how certain developments will be addressed, that I plan to pick them up and finish the story.
Trigger warnings: Quite a bit of domestic violence, slander, murder and death, one sex scene (which, while not my preference was necessary to the story).
I received a free copy of this book by the author and have reviewed it willingly.
This is wonderful story where a parallel realm exists beyond the great veil found in the state of Maine. Alena is in training to take on the role of Guardian of the Dead but hasn’t learned all there is to know. She meets Michael and is immediately attracted to the beautiful man even though he carries the curse and is marked for execution. The children of Corvus have their own set of sacred laws which though Alena questions some of them; she is yet unable to change them.
Well-written with fantastic characters, the story moves at good pace. The details of the culture are sprinkled without bogging down the action. Highly Recommended.
I’m not sure if it’s the way this story is written or the narration, but I kept getting confused and a little lost in the plot of this story. I do however have a curiosity that wants to know where this all leads in the Children of Corvus series.
Reviewed for Audiobook Obsession
Blackbird (The Children of Corvus #1) was a good read by L.E Harrison. This book is about a tribe of shape shifters in the forest of northern Maine, called Blackwater Hills. Alena is the only child of the Guardian of the Dead. She meets Michael cat the solstice celebration and it turns her life upside down. Michael is accused of murdering the Captain of the Guard, and Alena must choose between obeying her instincts and the laws of her people. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
Blackbird is a fabulous fantasy that takes place in contemporary Northern Maine, in an alternate dimension known as Blackwater Hills. The worldbuilding is expansive and very original. I was immediately sucked into Alana and Michael’s story of magic, dangerous power struggles, a curse, and young love. Despite the large cast of characters and twisty interrelationships, I never felt lost or confused. I just dove in and enjoyed the action and emotional turmoil. Highly recommended.