Review ~ Murder of Crows ~ Anne Bishop

Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
The Others #2
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased on Nook
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: 
Goodreads

Synopsis
After winning the trust of the terra indigene 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.

Oh boy! I sure do love this world and spending time with the inhabitants of Lakeside and its Courtyard. I'm guessing you can tell how much I love it considering how quickly I read book #2?!? =)

Murder of Crows picks up essentially where Written in Red ended. The Others are still dealing with the threat to themselves as well as trying to avoid an all out war and also trying to protect Meg from those who'd try to take and/or harm her. And there's another issue - that of Simon and Meg's friendship/relationship and all the ramifications it could have.

I adore all these characters - their dynamics and interactions. Seriously love. But what makes this story that much more rich and engaging is that it's so thought-provoking. I think there are many parallels in Bishop's world and our own. I think there are some lessons we would learn - lessons in things like nature vs nurture, preconceived notions and prejudices, and the cyclical nature of animosity...I have 2 pages of notes! My family knows all about Meg, Simon, and the Others because it's a story that is constantly making me think and I have to share. LOL Maybe it's just me and Bishop didn't intend for all this thinking to occur...but this world affects me.

On the lighter side of things, I'm enjoying watching Meg and Simon as the fall for one another. And while its certainly a slow-burn (I don't even know if anything will ever come of it!) and I wouldn't mind things between them moving along more quickly, things have to move at this pace because Meg is so inexperienced in the world. It wouldn't work with her and Simon any other way.

I also admire how Simon and his Courtyard have taken on Meg's pack, how Simon's Courtyard differs from all others in their dealing with humans, and how it sets an example for all the others and Others.

I liked the new characters I met in this installment - especially Jean and the Intuits and I'm excited to see their impact on the story overall. I'm simply excited, period. I'm eager to see what happens next - what new danger will present itself and how relations between humans and Others will change - better or worse?

There's not a thing I didn't like about this story. And I'll be reading book #3 ASAP.