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A Murder of Magpies
by
Winter in Black Orchard, Wisconsin, is long and dark, and sixteen-year-old Vayda Silver prays the snow will keep the truth and secrecy of the last two years buried. Hiding from the past with her father and twin brother, Vayda knows the rules: never return to the town of her mother’s murder, and never work a Mind Game where someone might see.
No one can know the toll emotion ...more
No one can know the toll emotion ...more
Paperback, 326 pages
Published
October 28th 2014
by Month9Books, LLC
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This is a novel on how special powers may not be a blessing but a curse . Don't expect a typical action-packed YA story; it is slow-paced but well written and the characters are anything but shallow teenagers. In my opinion it is a sad book about loss, betrayal , narrow-mindedness , neglect, misunderstandings and poor judgement with a glint of hope .
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com ...more
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com ...more

I've had a chance to read this book during its earlier drafts and I must tell you, I can't wait for everyone to read A MURDER OF MAGPIES.
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You can also read my review HERE.
"Cardinal Rule: You never know who's watching, and I promise you someone is always watching"
Well, how do I start this? I guess by saying that I completely fell in love with that cover! I just know that I have to read it. And I am so lucky to be part of this tour and to review A Murder of Magpies.
Vayda and Jonah are twins. Everywhere they go, they can't escape the fact that people find them strange. Well, they kind of are. Both of them has their own mind game tha ...more

I was excited to read A Murder of Magpies by Sarah Bromley because I love dark mysteries and just look at that cover! Bromley doesn't disappoint.
This book stars Vayda, who is Romani, and her love interest, Ward, who is "gadjo" or an outsider. Vayda has a twin Jonah, and both of them have powers that they label Mind Games. Something bad happened with their mother who died in a fire and they've been on the run ever since. Vayda is scared of her powers and tries not to use them, but Jonah loves his ...more
This book stars Vayda, who is Romani, and her love interest, Ward, who is "gadjo" or an outsider. Vayda has a twin Jonah, and both of them have powers that they label Mind Games. Something bad happened with their mother who died in a fire and they've been on the run ever since. Vayda is scared of her powers and tries not to use them, but Jonah loves his ...more

This book was written by a friend and as such, let me tell you, I am always wary of reading and reviewing such novels because who wants to be in the position of giving their opinion on a creation that is very dear to the friend's heart. C'mon seriously, it's like stabbing that person in the heart essentially if you give the novel a bad review.
Thank GOD I am not in that position at all!
A Murder of Magpies has a gorgeous cover that speaks of the elegance of the writing inside. Eerie and atmospher ...more
Thank GOD I am not in that position at all!
A Murder of Magpies has a gorgeous cover that speaks of the elegance of the writing inside. Eerie and atmospher ...more

A dark debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Bromley is a master of creating creepy atmosphere that will send chills down your spine. Each character is beautifully written, real, flawed, and beautifully broken. Couldn't put this one down. A fantastic read!
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The book cover, simple as it is, has an alluring quality to it, coupled with the interesting title. The solitary bird under the glaring light from the street lamp post, featured on a sepia toned cover with a touch of color only for the title, makes this cover one of the most intriguing book covers I have ever seen. Readers could interpret it in many ways. The font of the title is beautiful. Also, the title is very cleverly formed. It has the word ‘Murder’ in it since there is a murder in the sto
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A thoroughly enjoyable trek through the dark depths. Vayda and her family have special powers but can't let others find out. They are called names like Gypsy and Witch because of their gifts. Their mother was murdered and all they know is that they should not go back to where it happened. But something is trying to find them, and Vayda has to be very careful at all times to hide her past and her present from the world. I have never been through anything like what Vayda goes through in the book,
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So this was my first read this year and it's a YA Gothic Paranormal with Romani siblings (Vayda and Jonah Silver) for protagonists. The atmospheric writing is deliciously creepy, and the incredible (but dangerous) powers of the Silver twins amps up the stakes between life and death. I loved the mystery that surrounds their past–-a mystery that has murder in it–-and the way it creeps back into their present lives, no matter how hard they try to hide from it.
The story is told in two POVs, one of t ...more
The story is told in two POVs, one of t ...more

I want to preface this review by saying that I'm a member of this book's street team. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. And my opinion of the book does not change the fact that I love being on this street team because Sarah is awesome!!! I will continue to help promote this book to the best of my ability.
With that said, A Murder of Magpies is not the type of book I typically read, though it definitely intrigued me. My curiosity and desire for answers preven ...more
With that said, A Murder of Magpies is not the type of book I typically read, though it definitely intrigued me. My curiosity and desire for answers preven ...more

A Murder of Magpies is an intriguing, mysterious tale and it is one that I highly enjoyed. Even after finishing the story, I feel there are mysteries that still need to be unraveled. I loved the setting, the fantastically written characters and the incredibly unique story.
Vayda, our MC and one of the two POV's and Jonah are brother and sister. Twins, to be exact, They each have their own individual "mind games" that they play, and these "games" must be hidden at all cost. Vayda is calm and qu ...more
Vayda, our MC and one of the two POV's and Jonah are brother and sister. Twins, to be exact, They each have their own individual "mind games" that they play, and these "games" must be hidden at all cost. Vayda is calm and qu ...more

Vayda and her twin brother Jonah have to deal with bullying, ostracism and hiding from their sullied past because, like their late mother, they can work powerful "Mind Games"--telepathy, telekinesis and mind control. It looks like they might be chased away from their new home in Wisconsin just as Vayda finds a love interest--an emotionally damaged but likable boy named Wade.
What I liked: interesting and well-written enough to keep me reading all the way through; a great canine character (an eld ...more
What I liked: interesting and well-written enough to keep me reading all the way through; a great canine character (an eld ...more

I really enjoyed this debut from Sarah Bromley! It's the perfect fall/winter read. A Murder of Magpies is dark and mysterious, as you learn about the abilities Vayda and her twin brother Jonah have, and the motivations for the characters. I loved the relationship between Vayda and Ward. Their romance was sweet, and they balanced each other out. I have to say I was a bit thrown by the ending and I think there could easily be a sequel. :)
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This is one of my favorite books. Sarah Bromley is one of those authors who has it. She just does. She creates this creepy atmosphere that makes you feel like you're there in the story. I laughed. I cried. I was angry at the characters, but I love them so much. Please read this book. It's amazing, and I can't wait for the world to read it.
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It was okay. There were quite a few issues with the writing...the dialogue was a bit stilted at times and conversations jumped around a lot. It doesn’t have good flow. There were quite a few editing errors, which always annoys me. But the really irritating thing for me was the ending. There’s absolutely no resolution...yet this is a standalone?

I had the pleasure of review A MURDER OF MAGPIES and hosting an interview with the lovely and talented, Sarah Bromley! To read my review and interview, click on the provided link:
http://mariemeyerbooks.com/2014/11/03... ...more
http://mariemeyerbooks.com/2014/11/03... ...more

Jul 07, 2014
Michelle
marked it as dnf
Just don't think this book was for me, however just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it wont work for you! Would totally give it a try :)
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Had to put this aside for a while because I couldn't get into it!
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This book was written by a friend and as such, let me tell you, I am always wary of reading and reviewing such novels because who wants to be in the position of giving their opinion on a creation that is very dear to the friend's heart. C'mon seriously, it's like stabbing that person in the heart essentially if you give the novel a bad review.
Thank GOD I am not in that position at all!
A Murder of Magpies has a gorgeous cover that speaks of the elegance of the writing inside. Eerie and atmospher ...more
Thank GOD I am not in that position at all!
A Murder of Magpies has a gorgeous cover that speaks of the elegance of the writing inside. Eerie and atmospher ...more

What I liked: I ended up really enjoying the dual point of view style of the book. It made things interesting, plus the things that were sort of kept as a bit of a mystery element kept me flipping the pages as quickly as possible to find out the answers! And the way the author worked in the book’s title? Flawless. Each of the characters held up on their own and felt really fleshed out to me, so I believed they were real. Vayda’s character was so interesting, I wanted to know more about her! Jona
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Told in two different perspectives, Ward and Vanya. A Murder of Pagpies is an atmospheric read set in Black Orchard, Wisconsin. Vanya is overcome with emotions that are hard to control and Ward, tries to feel no emotions at all. When their paths cross, they seem to equal each other out. While Vanya tries to take a more controlled effort in her abilities her twin Jonah releases his unrestrained. Together with their father they are on the run from their past.
I enjoyed the mixture of characters and ...more
I enjoyed the mixture of characters and ...more

I really enjoyed this one. It was very dark and creepy (definitely older YA), and kept me intrigued the whole time.
Vayda and Jonah are twins who just moved across the country with their father. They were forced to flee their former home and change their identities, following their mother's mysterious death in a house fire. Vayda is an "empath," and can influence other people's moods. She and her brother call their powers "mind games," and while Vayda is fearful of her power, Jonah tends to abuse ...more
Vayda and Jonah are twins who just moved across the country with their father. They were forced to flee their former home and change their identities, following their mother's mysterious death in a house fire. Vayda is an "empath," and can influence other people's moods. She and her brother call their powers "mind games," and while Vayda is fearful of her power, Jonah tends to abuse ...more

I received a free copy of A Murder of Magpies.
I must admit, I'm still not real sure about the significance of the Magpie. Seems like it was just added in there for no apparent reason, but who cares, I enjoyed the book anyway.
I was a little unsure about this book, and even though I enjoyed it, I still have questions, like:
Why magpie?
Is there a story behind the origin of the twins' powers?
What's the deal with the Romani and Gajo thing?
Why did the nun seem evil to Vayda and then turned out not ...more
I must admit, I'm still not real sure about the significance of the Magpie. Seems like it was just added in there for no apparent reason, but who cares, I enjoyed the book anyway.
I was a little unsure about this book, and even though I enjoyed it, I still have questions, like:
Why magpie?
Is there a story behind the origin of the twins' powers?
What's the deal with the Romani and Gajo thing?
Why did the nun seem evil to Vayda and then turned out not ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

You have no idea how much I wanted to love this book. I kept trying and trying but I just couldn't do it. Did not finish at about 50%.
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I really did like this book but I remain vaguely dissatisfied for reasons I can't quite pinpoint. Maybe it's that things escalated so slowly and peaked so fast. I do look forward to a sequel.
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Sarah Bromley drinks too much coffee, likes her music loud and off-key, and has loved spooky things since she first saw “An American Werewolf in London” when she was five years old. She currently lives in the St. Louis area with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-heroic-husband, three children, and three dogs. You can find her on Twitter and at her blog. She is represented by Miriam Kriss of the Ir
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