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Black Wings Beating
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
41 posts | 21 read | 43 to read
"Epic thrills, heart-punching romance, and a marvel of a hero" --Adam Silvera, New York Times-bestselling author of They Both Die at the End The people of Uztar have long looked to the sky with hope and wonder. Nothing in their world is more revered than the birds of prey and no one more honored than the falconers who call them to their fists. Brysen strives to be a great falconerwhile his twin sister, Kylee, rejects her ancient gifts for the sport and wishes to be free of falconry. Shes nearly made it out, too, but a war is rolling toward their home in the Six Villages, and no bird or falconer will be safe. Together the twins must journey into the treacherous mountains to trap the Ghost Eagle, the greatest of the Uztari birds and a solitary killer. Brysen goes for the boy he loves and the glory he's long craved, and Kylee to atone for her past and to protect her brother's future. But both are hunted by those who seek one thing: power. In this first young-adult fantasy novel in a trilogy, Alex London launches a soaring saga about the memories that haunt us, the histories that hunt us, and the bonds of blood between us.
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review
Merethebookgal
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Pickpick

The world building in Black Wings Beating was super interesting, and I think I was able to enjoy it more because of another book I read a couple of years ago (called H is for Hawk) in which I learned a lot about falconry and caring for falcons. If I didn‘t have that foundational knowledge, all of the falconry talk in this book may have been a bit confusing. I could be wrong, but I still think it improved my appreciation of the story & the world⬇️

Merethebookgal I won‘t lie, one of the main characters was particularly annoying, but I‘m definitely interested in continuing the series to find out what happens next. 4y
jmtrivera @Merethebookgal The falconry actually wasn't off-putting to me, but the characters sure as heck were! 4y
44 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Book_yogi
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Panpan

I just finished this forgettable fantasy. I am surprised I didn‘t enjoy it at all since it was on a recommended list by Adam Silvera and I see there are others that loved it. Does that ever happen to you?

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Nitpickyabouttrains
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Mehso-so

This was a YA that felt very young. The main characters acted like teens - short sighted, temperamental, and illogically. I didn‘t totally get into the world building.

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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Mehso-so

An interesting society & political system centered around falconry. I like the imagery, & the way he told the story from differing perspectives helped create the sense of impending conflict. I didn't love the characters themselves. Brysen is whiny, selfish, & oh-so-foolish. Kylee is more interesting & relatable, but her enabling of Brysen's foolishness got on my nerves. I really liked the set-up here, but I might wait and see where it goes.

CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian I felt very similarly about this book 5y
jmtrivera @CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian Glad it's not just me. 5y
18 likes2 comments
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alayarachel
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Mehso-so

I got this at the YA book festival a few months ago and finally read it last week. I have a mighty weakness for falcons and falconry, so I knew I‘d love that part. The characterization and plot were a little simple but it was a decent read and I‘m looking forward to the sequels.

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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Feeling kind of blah, so I'm settled on my sofa with this book, a cup of tea, and the Backstreet Boys on Spotify.

Still not sure how I'm feeling about it, but if you want to read and discuss with me, it's on Kindle deals today.

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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Obviously, I want more reads than this since summer break starts this month and the #EclecticReadathon is coming in a few weeks. But here's a tentative #JuneTBR.

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jerra
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Pickpick

#BookCon haul day one.

I got a few books I could read for my #pridemonth challenge and a few others that I just couldn‘t refuse. Plus hand painted chocolate. And socks.

How wonderful.

tpixie Chocolate! 🍫 socks! 🧦 FUN!! 5y
7 likes1 comment
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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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This has been my lunchtime book, but today I had to set it aside because I was yelling at the protagonist too much. 😂 Some of my students caught me, too. I'm sure they all left believing I'm even crazier than they thought! 😂😂

Merethebookgal 🤣🤣🤣 5y
19 likes1 comment
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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Reading goals this week.

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AutumnRLS
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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This week's book haul.

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PNWBookseller85
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Panpan

Liked the concept, hated the execution. It felt sloppy. Too many characters, too little depth.

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ElishaLovesBooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this YA fantasy about a culture centered around birds of prey. Great world building and the main characters are twins who end up on an epic journey to capture a legendary bird. Thanks for the recommendation @TracyReadsBooks 💖💖

55 likes1 stack add
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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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I didn't PLAN to take new books out of the school library. I just happened to notice they had Alex London's new book, which he talked about in his recent interview with @EclecticReaders and then the school librarians convinced me that it was okay to check out more than one. Their fault for being so nice and knowing me so well, really. 😂 #libraryhaul

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ElishaLovesBooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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#currentlyreading If I can manage not to fall asleep. . . 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ #singleparentforaweek #survivalmode #onedayatatime

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EclecticReaders
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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This is such a fun interview! ‪Alex and Carmen met for the first time at our interview but quickly bonded over their shared love of early Christian Slater movies. 😂 We talked about how dolphins are the frat boys of the sea, that genres sometimes hinder writers, and how a great book can be so much smarter than its author. Listen at eclecticreaders.fireside.fm/63 or subscribe to Eclectic Readers in your favorite podcast app!
#EclecticSpringBreak

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EclecticReaders
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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One week till we release this hilarious interview during #EclecticSpringBreak!

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annieftbooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
Mehso-so

Dnf 51% I will probably finish this book someday but right now I just can't... It's so boring and I can't find any reason to keep reading. I will think on it once I finish my exams, sorry.

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jmtrivera
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Also, if you didn't catch it from @EclecticReaders, @Merethebookgal and I got to interview 8 different YA authors, so those will be coming to a podcatcher near you shortly! They were all so amazingly warm and insightful and funny! So excited to share those. #NTBF19 #EclecticReaders

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Merethebookgal
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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NOVATeen was amazing as usual! This was from the Revolution Panel:
“Readers and writers are partners in stories” Cinda Williams Chima
“I want to ask questions I was asking myself as a teen” Dhonielle Clayton
“I don‘t think you can change the world until you imagine change” Alex London
“Each book I write is a form of catharsis” Tracy Banghart
“I love things that are horrible and beautiful all at once” Heidi Heilig #NTBF19

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annieftbooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London

Starting this one... All this thing with the birds seems very interesting!

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TracyReadsBooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Pickpick

Ok, this one was interesting. The real strength of the book is the worldbuilding—the story takes place in a brutal, forbidding desert land where natural & human threats abound. It also features a great lead, Kylee, willing to do whatever necessary to protect the ones she loves. If I have one complaint, it‘s that Kylee is really the only truly compelling character. Still, it‘s a good story, love the falconry, & I‘ll definitely read the sequel.

16 likes2 stack adds
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TracyReadsBooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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The big stack of new library books to preview has dwindled to three. Two YA, including the tagged book, and one MG. First up, this one.

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TracyReadsBooks
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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New books in the library—yesterday it was the picture books and today it was all the MG and YA. Of course, as luck would have it, they came after we were done seeing classes. So, I brought a stack home to preview. Tuesday, when we‘re back in school, I‘ll start recommending them. Looking forward to a weekend of reading and, hopefully, the end of my Black Leopard Red Wolf book hangover!

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j9brown
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Mehso-so

The concept for the setting was cool. Not to sound like a pretentious twat, but it had very little depth or complexity. I know it's a YA novel but still. Just okay.

Won from a #goodreads giveaway
#arc #ya

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j9brown
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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A good year in books! Though I'm finishing on a weak note, quitting one and making little progress on another. Still, if I counted right, my total is somewhere close to 60 😁

#in2018 @RealLifeReading #2018

KatieDid927 That‘s one thing I like about Goodreads, it keeps the tally for ya. 5y
RealLifeReading Well done! 👍👍 5y
23 likes2 comments
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Violetsunrise84
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Pickpick

I am ready to read book two. Kylee and Brysen despite their differences have a beautiful bond as twins. What they learn at the end of the story is truly eye opening. #blackwingsbeating #alexlondon

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mdemanatee
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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My listen today. I don‘t know why I was surprised birds played such a large role when it was all laid out for me right here 😂

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StellarDoc
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Fierce Reads Tour in Dallas @ Interabang Books!

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rachelsbrittain
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Mehso-so

Mixed feelings on this one. Interesting falconry / bird based world building and great lgbtq rep at the center of a fantasy series from both main characters (as well as several others), & yet I was dragging through the whole first half of the story. Really wanted to love it--& I didn't hate it--but it just didn't quite live up to what I had hoped. Beginning of a series so maybe it'll improve from here.

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rachelsbrittain
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Update since this picture was taken: he's now lying on my kindle. That's one way to keep me from reading 😅

squirrelbrain Gorgeous boy! 😻 6y
CatLass007 Handsome fella. 6y
ReadingVampire He‘s a #KAL = kitties against literacy 😹 6y
See All 7 Comments
Tanzy13 🐱 6y
rachelsbrittain @Puredragonstar I love that 😂 6y
rachelsbrittain @squirrelbrain @CatLass007 @Tanzy13 he really is gorgeous! Much sweeter than my cat too (but don't tell her that 😅) 6y
mcipher Look at those beautiful eyes! 😻 6y
49 likes7 comments
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rachelsbrittain
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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This very sweet boy is a bit distracting 😅

Texreader Oh please give him loads of love from me!! 6y
rachelsbrittain @Texreader I definitely am! He's one of the sweetest / snuggliest cats I've ever met 6y
46 likes2 comments
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Tanzy13
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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In this first fantasy novel in a trilogy, Alex London launches a soaring saga about the memories that haunt us, the histories that hunt us, and the bonds of blood between us...

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LibrarianRyan
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Reminds me of A Line In The Dark , and other black bird covered books.

September 25
#CoverLove #YAedition

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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Pickpick

This is a dark fascinating #YA fantasy. I loved the world-building of this dangerous place that revolves around falconry as status and commerce. I loved Kylee, with a special ability to speak the ancient language of birds. She's tough, smart, compassionate, & complex. Her brother Brysen, the other MC, though: he's selfish, reckless, impulsive, & jealous. I had a hard time connecting with him and resented how his actions negatively affected Kylee.

36 likes1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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"Among hawks, males -- called tiercels -- are about a third of the size of females. The injustice of humanity was that most of the battle boys at the Broken Jess were bigger than Kylee. If she punched one of them in the teeth, the rest of their flock would be on her faster than a hummingbird's heartbeat."
I like her.

rachelsbrittain I'm hoping to start reading this one soon! 6y
33 likes1 stack add1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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That anticipatory feeling when you're about to start a book you're really excited about. This one has a gay hero and ace heroine who are brother and sister! #QueerYA #QueerBooks

34 likes2 stack adds
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rachelsbrittain
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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Just got auto-approved for my first publisher on Netgalley and two new books I'd requested to go along with it!! 😍

kate_reads Blanca & Roja is so lovely 😩 6y
rachelsbrittain @kate_reads I'm so excited to read it! 6y
29 likes2 comments
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LibrarianRyan
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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#Bookexpo18 #bookhaul part 3

I really did not expect to get books today.

azulaco I need to read The Joy of Cookies. (edited) 6y
MeganAnn My son loved Barbara O‘Connor‘s other books so he will be excited to hear about 6y
72 likes2 comments
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kate_reads
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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The #bookmail gods are shining down on me this week 🤗 Happy #FriYAY

KateFulfordAuthor If you like the quirky narrative and well developed characters, may I recommend another — my debut novel - to you? 6y
31 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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kamoorephoto
Black Wings Beating | Alex London
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One of the highlights of #Yallwest yesterday, was, after suspecting that I‘d been told to stand in the incorrect line for 15 mins (I had been), catching Alex London at the table before he was about to sign away literally the last book to 2 young ‘uns (who were highly unlikely to read a YA killer-bird fantasy and really were there for his middle grade novels). Can not wait to read this one, plus #coverlove

59 likes3 stack adds