Blackbird (Blackbird, #1) by Anna Carey

May 11, 2014 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it did not like it · review of another edition

You wake up. You yawn. You look around. The room is still dark. You turn on the lights. You go to the bathroom. You brush your teeth. You stare at yourself in the mirror. A bleary-eyed face looks back at you. Where did that tattoo come from? Were you that drunk last night? You walk downstairs. You're hungry. You're hung over. You want food.

You pick up an apple. You change your mind. You reach for a bar of chocolate and donuts instead. Hell, you pick up a bottle of vodka and take a swig. It's onl ...more

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Jun 02, 2014 Giselle added it · review of another edition

Shelves: signed, own, arc

Yeah I'm DNFing this. The 2nd person tense is hard to get used to, but the bigger issue is how unrealistic - and cheesy - it is. Some random guy just shot a woman from a few stories high (who knew it was that easy to hit a target? >.<), kills her, and he's just like ok with it because she was going to kill someone else anyways. Then I hear he randomly gets eaten by a dog or something odd like that. Anyways, I put this one down a month ago bc I was bored and I don't ever plan on finishing it. ...more

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Jan 22, 2014 Neil (or bleed) rated it liked it · review of another edition

It is very common in novels (mostly dystopia or mystery) where the main character is suffering from amnesia (scientifically-made or not). Not that I can blame the authors for that since it was a good device to conceal the truth about the main character itself and probably, the world. So, you'd probably guessed that the main character didn't remember anything in this book and did gather some information about her as the time went by? You are right. Yay!

Blackbird started with a bang when the main It is very common in novels (mostly dystopia or mystery) where the main character is suffering from amnesia (scientifically-made or not). Not that I can blame the authors for that since it was a good device to conceal the truth about the main character itself and probably, the world. So, you'd probably guessed that the main character didn't remember anything in this book and did gather some information about her as the time went by? You are right. Yay!

Blackbird started with a bang when the main character, Sunny, was lying in a train tracks without remembering anything. And with the train coming for her. That was thrilling already, for me, and it became more thrilling when the cat-and-mouse chase surfaced. Since Sunny doesn't remember anything, she can't understand what is happening. Me either. And probably that is the main reason why I read, read and read. I want to know the truth, everything. I want my questions to be answered. Who is he? Who is she? Why it is happening? Why her? and more.

Anyhow, though the explanations are limited, they were semi-concrete. I mean there is already a shape of what this book is all about, what this book is hiding. But, it is still lacking. I'm just choosy I guess and I'm giving reasons to vague the idea that I really need to read the sequel. Hehe.

Nevertheless, if I'm not mistaken, this is the first time I've read a book told in second person narrative. I don't know why the author did this but I have an idea that she did this for us, readers, so will truly feel the thrill, the suspense, the tension. I think it succeed, for me, but I still found it weird and awkward since the MC is a girl.

There are also some point of views that inserted to give information or to confuse me more. Heck! And there is a mild insta-love, yet I'm not annoyed anyway. Maybe, I'm fueled by the tension and suspense that I couldn't care about the romance anymore.

Blackbird is frightening actually, if I try to think about it; with that haunting plot and unnamed characters waiting to be revealed. It's just kinda frustrating that truth is still unclear and remained contained. ...more

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Oct 02, 2014 Zoe rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller-horror

*sighs* This was easily one of my most anticipated reads of the month, and just as easily one of the most disappointing. The concepts are there, but the execution and the final reveals were disappointing.

Blackbird follows a girl as she wakes up on some train tracks, with a train heading right towards her. All her memories are gone, and she doesn't know who she is or how she got there. The one thing she is completely sure about is that people are trying to track her down and kill her...

The p

*sighs* This was easily one of my most anticipated reads of the month, and just as easily one of the most disappointing. The concepts are there, but the execution and the final reveals were disappointing.

Blackbird follows a girl as she wakes up on some train tracks, with a train heading right towards her. All her memories are gone, and she doesn't know who she is or how she got there. The one thing she is completely sure about is that people are trying to track her down and kill her...

The premise is probably the main problem I had with this: By the time the story ends, we have no explanations to anything that happened to this girl, and are left with more questions than we started with. How did she loose her memories? Why is she on a train track? Who's trying to hurt her and why?

None of these questions are answered, and as a result, it kind of makes the book itself feel like a bit of a ripoff.

The characters themselves were a bit bland as well. They had some simplistic development, but not much more than that. There was nothing to make these characters stand out, especially our protagonist. I found it hard to connect to our protagonist because I never got the feeling that I truly knew her because of her memory loss. I wanted backstory on how she became the person she is now and I wanted a bit more growth from her, but I just didn't get that. The antagonists were predictable and a bit cliche, and I wish we would have gotten a bit more into their development as well.

This is written from a 2nd person POV, and, in my experience, second person usually either succeeds wonderfully (All the Truth That's in Me was written beautifully in 2nd person) or fails epically as a narrative style. Here, however, I was a bit indifferent to it. From a technical standpoint, I found it decent enough, but there were definitely times when I struggled to find a reason why it was necessary to the story.

I suppose I will read the 2nd book in the duology, just to get actual answers if nothing else. Sadly though, I can't honestly say this is something I'd recommend highly, but if none of the above sounds like it would bother you, certainly give it a try. ...more

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May 12, 2014 Merril Anil rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book

Where is the rest of the book?

Admittedly this was my first experience reading a book written in second person and because of which I had a little trouble getting a grip over the whole narrative technique of the book. it is kind of weird with lines like "you are now doing this" " you are now about to do that.” It was more or less like my mom. Running and shouting around “miss, you are going to do this, right NOW”.

Blackbird is exactly like Jason Bourne, waking up with no recollection of who you ...more

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Jun 05, 2016 Elise (On The Bookshelves) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Full Review from On The Bookshelves

2.5 / 5 STARS

Blackbird is a thrilling and action packed story by Anna Carey and it is the first installment in the Blackbird duology.

A girl wakes up on the train tracks and soon realises there is a train hurtling towards her so she prepares herself as the train speeds over her. The girl does not know her name, where she is or who she is. As she flees the incident in a panic, the only thing she knows is that she must not contact the police and she has a tattoo Full Review from On The Bookshelves

2.5 / 5 STARS

Blackbird is a thrilling and action packed story by Anna Carey and it is the first installment in the Blackbird duology.

A girl wakes up on the train tracks and soon realises there is a train hurtling towards her so she prepares herself as the train speeds over her. The girl does not know her name, where she is or who she is. As she flees the incident in a panic, the only thing she knows is that she must not contact the police and she has a tattoo of a blackbird with the code 'FNV02198' on her wrist.

When I was reading the first few pages, I picked up that the book was being told in second person. As I kept reading, I then realised the whole book was going to be told in second person and instantly groaned. In my own opinion, I think second person can be okay here and there, but not for the entirety of a book. Why? Because you see the words such as you, he, she etc etc all the time and it becomes very frustrating.

For this book, because there was so much narration in comparison to conversation, that's where it found its downfall. The book became a little better when the main character, the girl with amnesia who names herself Sunny, conversed with other characters, but during narration? It was beyond frustrating.

However, the story was somewhat compelling. It's a very short book, only about 250 pages, so it didn't hold much exciting content and the relationships that developed happened very quickly. The only gripping thing that I got excited about was when Sunny began to have flashbacks about what happened to her, and instantly I connected it to a 'The Maze Runner' feel, and funnily enough, that's part of the Goodreads synopsis.

Unfortunately, I was hoping for a more exciting ending than what it was as it just fell so flat. Yes, there was the little fight sequence between Sunny and the people that did this to her, but it was nothing fantastic. I was a little surprised about Ben though so that was a bonus.

Overall, I give this book a 2.5 out of 5. I usually steer clear of half ratings, but I just couldn't decide between a 2 and 3! I don't think I'll be picking up the sequel to read, but I'll definitely check out the plot on the Internet to find out what happens. ...more

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Oct 25, 2014 Angela rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, 1-star-reads

Putting this one to bed for now. Just Couldn't get into it. Probably pick it up later ...more

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Jan 06, 2018 Donna Backshall rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 131-in-2018, on-overdrive, mystery-suspense, reviewed-goodreads, fiction, series, reviewed-amazon, reviewed-bookbub, regret-i-read-it, weird-undercurrent

Writing an entire book in the second person point of view was a risk. I'm all for creativity and writing outside the lines. You win some, you lose some. In this case, for this reader, however, it was a firm loss. The entire feel was just "off".

I would have let this novel slide through with three stars, but the ending was a big fat middle finger at me: nothing but an abrupt cliffhanger for book two of the "duology", with no answers, no explanations and no resolution of any of the important questi ...more

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May 28, 2014 Gisbelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, series, mystery-thriller, young-adult-contemporary, highly-recommended, all-time-favorite, arc, contemporary, first-in-series

My thanks to HarperTeen & Edelweiss

Point of View: Multiple
Writing Style: MC's POV is told in second person, and the rest are in third person | Present Tense
Setting: Los Angles
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery Thriller

In a nutshell: A nail-biting suspense with a mind-blowing plot twist.

I still cannot believe how much I loved this book since I was really reluctant at first when I started reading and found out it is written in second person (it's multiple POV book, but mostly it's told from MC's POV, so ...more

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Apr 29, 2014 AH rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers, young-adult, arc-edelweiss, survival, zzread-oct-2014

Initial Thoughts: About a 3 star read for me. I must admit that I am not used to second person narratives, so this book took a little time to get used to. Blackbird was unlike any book I've read before and the mysterious elements kept me guessing throughout. The book begins with a girl who has no memories, only a strange tattoo on her wrist. She doesn't know her name, only that people are following her with bad intentions. She slowly gets some memories back, but she still doesn't know who she is ...more

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Jun 30, 2014 Rayne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, romance, thriller, mystery, between-3-and-4-stars, survival, better-than-expected

photo 66a8b565-133d-47b8-ad26-ccd35465d791_zpsa3965190.jpg

3.5 stars

Whenever I think back on this book, it is, I kid you not, like an explosion of awesome in my brain. I know, very eloquent of me, but that's exactly what it feels like. When I think about the mystery behind this novel, the big reveal, the explosive ending, I get giddy and start praying to the gods of YA for a quick release for the sequel. And yet, when I start tearing it apart in my head, when I go to the details instead of looking at the whole picture, there's just something missing

3.5 stars

Whenever I think back on this book, it is, I kid you not, like an explosion of awesome in my brain. I know, very eloquent of me, but that's exactly what it feels like. When I think about the mystery behind this novel, the big reveal, the explosive ending, I get giddy and start praying to the gods of YA for a quick release for the sequel. And yet, when I start tearing it apart in my head, when I go to the details instead of looking at the whole picture, there's just something missing from this novel.

This book was nothing like the only other novel I've read by this author, Eve, for which I am immeasurably thankful. I severely disliked Eve, but I was glad to see that, not only did these two books have absolutely nothing in common, Blackbird was a step up in basically every single thing that bothered me from Eve: it had better writing, better characterization, tauter plotting and at least some attempt at world building and background information.

What differentiates the book the most is the author's decision to tell the story in second person POV. Though I mostly tend to love books told in second person, I struggled with this one. This is going to be a make or break point for most readers, and though I tolerated it for the most part, the truth is that I often found myself wishing the author had chosen a more traditional style to tell her story. I simply failed to see the point of it, other than bringing something new to the genre, that is. In most books I've read in second person, there is a purpose to the way the story is told. More often than not, the narrator is telling the story in that way because he or she is addressing the narrative to a specific person. In this case, the only reason I can think of for why the author would choose to tell the story this way is because she wanted the reader to connect with the character, to feel like the character and internalize her experience so that the thrilling nature of the story had more of an effect. The logic behind my reasoning lies on the fact that the main character, Sunny, is left more or less a blank slate throughout the story, with barely any discernible personality traits, pretty standard emotional responses and no quirks or defining aspects, aside from her circumstances, that would mark her as a different individual. This is one of the reasons why the book failed to capture me completely. It's not so much that I didn't like the POV as much as it was that I just didn't see the purpose to it, because if it was, indeed, to put me in Sunny's shoes, it didn't work as well as I imagine the author intended. Sunny remained separate from me entirely and she failed to make much of an impression as a main character.

The second half of this book is fast-paced, engaging and thrilling. The first part is almost the entire opposite. The first half stumbled around a bit, slowly and awkwardly at times, which I suppose goes nicely with Sunny's state of mind at that point in the story, but also left me feeling slightly disconnected from the story for most of the novel. It was also stuck in a sort of repetitive loop where Sunny did mostly the same thing over and over and had very little to show for it. I was a bit exasperated with it by the time the second half rolled around, but somehow, against all odds, the story managed to reel me in completely, which is a feat not many books managed to accomplish after an uninspiring first half.

To be honest, none of the characters made much of an impression on me. They were not particularly well-rounded, nor were they given much time to develop and grow, but the hook of the story is not the characters but the mystery and the brutal game behind it all. The progress of the novel relied a bit too much on coincidences or conveniences during the first half, and though there's a certain suspension of disbelief required to make the novel work as a whole, the second half was far too engaging for me to care. Which is why I have so many conflicting feelings for this book.

This book was cool, but that's mostly because of the mystery behind the novel and the reason behind Sunny's situation. The execution of the book might've failed a bit when it came to taking it to its full potential, but I was still engaged and invested enough to go through it all rather quickly and anticipate the sequel now. The novel is flawed, but for some reason it has lingered and I think back on it with an excitement I never expected to have. It took a while to get there, but once it did, I had a really good time reading this book and I am very eager for the sequel. ...more

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Mar 31, 2015 Dark Faerie Tales rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-kaitlin

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: My expectations weren’t high, but this suspenseful novel surprised me with its grit and originality.

Opening Sentence: The sun holds the heat of the sun, even an hour after it has sunk beneath the pavement, pushing its way below the sprawling city.

The Review:

I’ll admit that I have been holding off on reading Blackbird. Bad review after bad review rolled through my Twitter feed and the Goodreads page, making me hesitant to even crack the cover. An Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: My expectations weren’t high, but this suspenseful novel surprised me with its grit and originality.

Opening Sentence: The sun holds the heat of the sun, even an hour after it has sunk beneath the pavement, pushing its way below the sprawling city.

The Review:

I’ll admit that I have been holding off on reading Blackbird. Bad review after bad review rolled through my Twitter feed and the Goodreads page, making me hesitant to even crack the cover. Anyway, it’s less than 300 pages, and I’m adventurous, so I decided to power through so that I could write my review and be done. I was prepared for the absolute worst: shaky narrative, unexplained mysteries, plot holes. Instead, I found myself enjoying the first half. I wondered, will it go downhill from here? But in my mind it got better. It was unique, incredibly creepy, and gave me nightmares (yay!). I couldn’t help but enjoy the main character’s struggle and for me, the second person narrative style actually helped me to connect with the MC. True, I wish she had more depth, but her feelings of fear, angst, and anger are well done, and that’s what she feels the majority of the book. One little tidbit I disliked was that the whole book, she never learned her real name. Like, ever. Mostly the side characters think about her as “the girl” when they get their side chapters. She goes by Sunny a couple times, so I’ll call her Sunny in the review for the sake of convenience.

Ben was the love interest for book one, though it wasn’t a very deep romance. It was more of a fling, something to take up the time where Sunny wasn’t being chased by maniacs with secrets. She liked him for his body, and he said a few cute lines, but in the end it isn’t a relationship built to last. I doubt that they will stay together book two, though I can’t say for sure, after such a Ben-related-twist at the end. There was also the question of the boy in her few memories, the one who was protecting and kissing her. I am positive that book two will delve more into their relationship and I look forward to it with their history. In book two, I also look forward to Sunny getting back more of her memories and learning more about how the Island operates. I actually am excited for the sequel, because there are a couple burning questions I still have.

Lots of people found the second person narrative style to be hard to read. Instead of, “I put the book down”, or “she put the book down”, it’s “you put the book down.” It’s not easy to get used to, that’s for sure. But once I got past a couple chapters I felt myself sinking more into the perspective and I believe it allowed for more suspense and a closer relationship with the main character. The book was paced well, not too fast, not too slow, never a second of peace. Just when you thought the pace was slowing, bam! Another bomb dropped and you find the chapters of this short novel fly past. At least, for me. I seem to be the black sheep for this novel. Baaaaa.

Altogether, this novel was a lot of fun to read, a whirlwind of suspense and action. I was a little put off by a couple of things, such as the number of questions left unanswered and the lack of much positive emotion. It was a very dark read. The second person style didn’t bother me at all, though many had much more trouble than I did, and the plotline was unique and complex without many plot holes. I do wish the cover was more satisfying: the colors are very powerful but the graphic just isn’t visually appealing to me. Maybe it was my extremely low expectations that made me enjoy it so much more. After all, I expected to have to forge through like a determined soldier rather than enjoy the ride. Either way, I would recommend the book to anyone looking for dark, suspenseful mysterious with a little twist. If you’re the kind of person who is put off by second person, however, skip it; it’s not worth all the angst.

Notable Scene:

It was real, you think, it happened.

But when you turn around the narrow alley is deserted. Not a single car is in the parking garage. There is only that shallow wash of blood and the rush of the freeway above.

FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Blackbird. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more

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Mar 25, 2018 lobelyys (tired af) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, finished-series, read-in-2018, wholesome-partners

REREAD

This is one of those books that no one knows, and that's kind of sad.

I remember it more scary but it still gave me the chills for the second time. I only didn't like one thing about this book, and it's the POV and the writing. It's way too fast and you need to read it a few times to understanf what happened. And there are a lot of plot holes. There are a lot of plot twist too so if you like it, read it.

This deserves a little more recognition. ...more

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Apr 29, 2014 Melanie added it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, books-i-own, contemporary, dnf, e-arc

Unfortunately, I couldn't go on with this one any further because the 2nd person POV wasn't working AT ALL for me. DNF. ...more

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Jun 16, 2014 JilltheOWL rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I really really struggled with this book. It started with the fact it's written in 2nd person. Perfect for when I would want to give my students both an example of 2nd person AND an example of why it's difficult to read. I tried super hard to get past it and get used to reading a book written in this style. In the end I just couldn't get beyond it. I couldn't take reading things like "you wake up slowly and look around" - "you" do this and "you" do that. I just found it very distracting to me. I ...more

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Apr 29, 2014 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, romance, r2r-complete, as, contemporary, young-adult, mystery, read-2014

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
A teenage girl wakes up paralysed on a railway track with no idea what her name is, or how she came to be there. She finds a note in her back that says to call a number for information, and when she bumps into a boy in the process of making this call, she uses the alias ‘Sunny’.
Who is ‘Sunny’ really? How did she end up on the train track? And why can’t she remember anything (Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
A teenage girl wakes up paralysed on a railway track with no idea what her name is, or how she came to be there. She finds a note in her back that says to call a number for information, and when she bumps into a boy in the process of making this call, she uses the alias ‘Sunny’.
Who is ‘Sunny’ really? How did she end up on the train track? And why can’t she remember anything of her life before?

This book wasn’t what I expected, and the lack of answers grew tiresome.

‘Sunny’ was an okay character, but I didn’t love her. I felt a bit sorry for her, but the writing and her jumpy way of thinking bothered me. I think this was probably more the writing than anything, how many sentences can start with the word ‘you’ before you get irritated with it?
You don’t hear the kids laughing.
You raise your head.
You can sense this.
You only have one choice.
You lie back.
You stare into the train’s dark underbelly.
You are still lying there.
Your voice surprises you.
You can’t look.
You are watching the bottom.
You’re able to sit up.
You glance down at your outfit.
You’re wearing new jeans and shoes.
You push yourself to sit.
You pull your bag closer.
You don’t have any.
You search your mind.
You stand.
You’re still dizzy,
You push through the turnstile,
You give the intersection a quick glance
You just need some time to think.
You need to call the number,
You turn,
You hold the straps of the knapsack.

Had enough yet? I hope not, because that is only chapter 1!

The storyline in this was a little odd. ‘Sunny’ has no idea what her name is, where she has come from, what is happening to her, or anything really, and neither does the reader. I mean I can put up with that for a certain length of time, but I didn’t feel like I really discovered anything until the 90% mark, which for me was just too late. I got to the point where I wanted this book to just be over because I was sick of the writing, and sick of the lack of answers.
There was some romance, but I wasn’t really feeling it. It felt rushed, and I just couldn’t get into it.

The ending was okay, and we did get a little smidgen of information right at the end. There was one twist that I didn’t see coming, but we were then left with a massive cliff-hanger.
I’d have to say that after reading and liking this author’s other series, this was a big disappointment.
Overall; quirky writing, and a lack of answers,
6 out of 10.
...more

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May 04, 2014 Stuti Rai rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

Now now, this story might have been stupid, unbelievable, contrived, illogical, without sequence and any number of shit that I hate in other books. BUT! But perhaps it was a stroke of luck or the vagaries of my mood; I ended up really enjoying it.

There was action! Boom yeah!
There are secrets! Boom yeah!
Betrayals so fucking obvious that yet take me down convoluted paths! Boom yeah!
And ending that had just the bare amount of emotion! Boom yeah!

The fact that it's written in second person present wi ...more

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Feb 10, 2014 Morgan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: If you are looking for something different, and mysterious!

Shelves: series, fast-paced, little-bit-of-romance, favorites, 2014-releases

I had no idea this book hd sequel! The whole time I was wondering how it could possibly end and then there it was blackbird number one. Anyway I love the second person point of view. For me it did not disconnect me from the main character. Sometimes it was scary because "you" almost die and you can really picture yourself as the main character.
Speaking of characters I really liked "you", she was really smart and funny at points. Her not knowing anything about herself even her name made everythi ...more

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Mar 16, 2015 Colleen Houck added it · review of another edition

Shelves: murder-mystery

Wow this was scary and creepy. I don't think I've ever read a book in second person before. It was so interesting and different. I just wanted to reach through the pages and save this girl. Talk about edge of your seat action. Love the end! I hope this means there's a sequel. The reveals at the end. Did not see that coming! ...more

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Feb 08, 2015 Tamara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Quick three hour read.

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Nov 04, 2015 Adriana Espada leyton rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series-that-i-finished, 2015

3.25
weird, interesting... i need the second one in this duology

raro, interesante... necesito el segundo en esta duologia

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Jan 22, 2014 BookLoversLife rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle, for-review, wish-list, edelweiss

A girl wakes up on the train tracks with a train baring down on top of her. With only seconds before it hits, she puts her arms down at her side and hunkers down, hoping to survive. Thankfully she does but she has no recollection of who she is, where she is or how she got to the station. She has a backpack with her and a tattoo on her wrist of a blackbird in a box with letters and numbers below it. She doesn't remember getting it nor what it means.

The only thing she knows is that if the police A girl wakes up on the train tracks with a train baring down on top of her. With only seconds before it hits, she puts her arms down at her side and hunkers down, hoping to survive. Thankfully she does but she has no recollection of who she is, where she is or how she got to the station. She has a backpack with her and a tattoo on her wrist of a blackbird in a box with letters and numbers below it. She doesn't remember getting it nor what it means.

The only thing she knows is that if the police arrives at the train station she will be in trouble. She has to run. Leaving the place she enters a supermarket and literally bumps into Ben. He sees the state of her and offers assistance but she refuses. He gives her his number in case she needs it. She leaves quickly but soon figures out that someone seems to be following her. She tries to lose him but he seems to be at every turn. Who is he and why is he following her, and worse, who is trying to kill her.

With no idea where to go, she turns to the only person she knows. Ben. Can he help her remember and can he keep her alive?

This is the first book I've read that's told in second person, and while it took me a while to get used to it, it kind of works for Blackbird! I admit that at the start I was going to put it aside because it was so odd reading second person, but I'm so glad I didn't! I'm glad I kept reading because the story was amazing!

When the girl wakes up, she is asked her name, which she doesn't know, so she says Sunny. Sunny was a fantastic character. She is thrust into a world with no memory and where people are trying to kill her, yet she is strong, resilient and brave. She gets a few flashbacks but yet she still has no idea what is happening to her. Why is she here and why are people trying to kill her. She has to try escape the killers and figure out who she is before its too late.

I didn't know what to make of Ben at the start. He is a drug dealer so immediately I didn't like him but getting to know him, you cant help but like him. He feels sorry for Sunny so tries to help, but is he biting off more than he can chew?

The plot was what I loved about Blackbird. It was gripping and thrilling. The first half of the book was a little slow, but that was because it was setting the scene but when we get about half way through, it really kicks into gear. I loved trying to figure out who Sunny is and why people are after her.

Overall Blackbird is an intense and thrilling read. The second half of the book is action packed and with plenty of twists. While second person mighn't work for everyone, I urge you to give it a go. It was definitely a unique experience for me. Blackbird leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions and ends in a huge cliffhanger so I am eagerly awaiting the sequel of it!!
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Feb 18, 2014 Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book was so different than anything else I've read. I'm not sure yet if that's a good thing or bad thing. Other than the cover, this book never really caught my eye until I found out that it was written in 2nd person tense. I don't think I've ever read a book written this way and this intrigued me enough to try out the audio. While the style it is written might not be for everyone, I think it worked for me because it was so different, and because it was on audio. I can see how this would be This book was so different than anything else I've read. I'm not sure yet if that's a good thing or bad thing. Other than the cover, this book never really caught my eye until I found out that it was written in 2nd person tense. I don't think I've ever read a book written this way and this intrigued me enough to try out the audio. While the style it is written might not be for everyone, I think it worked for me because it was so different, and because it was on audio. I can see how this would be weird if I were reading it, but the fact that it was an audiobook, and someone is telling you their story this way just made it work for me. Unfortunately, this mixed with the fact that I wasn't sure what was going on most of the time (since the MC has no idea what it going on) definitely made it frustrating sometimes.

Despite the writing style and not knowing what was going on most of the time, this story still managed to hook me in. It was definitely fast paced and had that thriller aspect to it. I ended up listening to it in less than 3 hours. The more answers we get towards the end, the more questions it leaves us with. With a cliffhanger ending, I'm looking forward to the next book, even if this one didn't wow me. I think this story would have worked so much better for me if it were a little bit longer. At 256 pages (especially written this way), it doesn't give us a lot of time for everything I wanted to know. The story was good and the mystery was good and I liked the romance, but I just wanted a little bit more of everything. Adding a little bit more to this book would have helped a lot. Still, this was very different and I ended up liking it.

Audiobook Comments: Emma Galvin is such a pro at narrating audiobooks. One of the biggest reasons why I even wanted to listen to this book. Even though she is great at different genres, I think she shines the most in books like this and Divergent. Her performance adds that extra level of excitement and danger when you need it most. She definitely made this a great audiobook experience.

***
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Dec 14, 2014 Laura (Booksforbreakfast) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

When I saw that Anna Carey had a new series out, I had to get it. I adore her Eve trilogy and expected the same caliber of writing from this one. I admit that I wasn’t as gripped as I was with Eve, but it still was an enjoyable read!

I think the main issue I had with this novel is that it’s written in second person. It was hard for me to relate to the heroine because I kept thinking of myself. Once I got the the middle, it was easier to identify with her and by the end I really grew to love her. ...more

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Nov 04, 2014 Vicki rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thrillers, science-fiction, dystopia

I loved that this book was written in 2nd person POV. It is definitely unique, or at least I don't recall reading a book in 2ndperson before.

The main character, known as "you" finds herself in quite a predicament due to amnesia. She is hunted by killers who she somehow manages to escape. My early prediction was that she had amnesia due to being traumatized when witnessing a crime. Of course, I won't say if I was right or not.

I'm ready for book 2, and it JUST came out! Lucky me!

Recommendation: ...more

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Feb 14, 2014 Taylor Knight rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The second person narrative really threw me off and I just couldn't get into it.
Full review: http://bibilophilegathering.com/2015/... ...more

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Feb 17, 2014 Kassidy rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs, 2014-release, for-review

*3.5*

This book definitely grabbed my attention and entertained me. The amnesia aspect made for a fun and mysterious read. I enjoyed trying to figure everything out along with the main character.
This book is also unique because it is told in second person. I can't decide how I feel about this. At first it was off-putting and took some getting used to. Once I did get used to it, it didn't really make that much of a difference to me. I'm not sure if it is really necessary. I think I would have enj *3.5*

This book definitely grabbed my attention and entertained me. The amnesia aspect made for a fun and mysterious read. I enjoyed trying to figure everything out along with the main character.
This book is also unique because it is told in second person. I can't decide how I feel about this. At first it was off-putting and took some getting used to. Once I did get used to it, it didn't really make that much of a difference to me. I'm not sure if it is really necessary. I think I would have enjoyed the book the same amount if it was told in first or third person.
I think the second person writing is a good way to grab the reader in the beginning and it makes the book a bit more thrilling in the first part. However, in the rest of the book, it didn't make that big of a difference. I don't think it was done poorly, but the novelty of it wore off throughout the story.

There is a lot of action and the mystery keeps the reader on edge. I was always wondering what was going to happen next. The plot gets pretty crazy with a few twists thrown in.
There are some flashbacks and changing of perspectives to help develop everything. I think these elements worked at points, but some disrupted the flow of the story. I also felt some were unnecessary. A few even left me more confused.
I don't think the book had enough answers in it. After finishing, I am still confused on certain parts that I think should have been resolved. I think the book could have been a little longer.
However, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel/conclusion and I will definitely read it in hopes of getting more closure and answers.

If you're looking for a quick read that has a lot of mystery and action, I would recommend this. Also, if you are willing to read something with a unique writing style.
This isn't one I would suggest rushing out to buy, but if you have the opportunity to read it, I would recommend.

* I received an eARC of this book for free from Edelweiss and HarperTeen in return for an honest review.*

Review originally posted at: http://travelingthroughpages.booklike... ...more

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Feb 25, 2014 Kat rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, udate, thriller, mystery

Blackbird took me completely by surprise, in the very best of ways. The opening scene sets the feeling for the whole book – mysterious and intense, and it pretty much never lets up from beginning to end. It’s been a long long time since I read a book written in second-person narrative, and not because I specifically avoid them, they just don’t seem that prevalent in the types of books I read. In Blackbird however it works almost flawlessly because it’s so easy to connect the narrative style to t Blackbird took me completely by surprise, in the very best of ways. The opening scene sets the feeling for the whole book – mysterious and intense, and it pretty much never lets up from beginning to end. It’s been a long long time since I read a book written in second-person narrative, and not because I specifically avoid them, they just don’t seem that prevalent in the types of books I read. In Blackbird however it works almost flawlessly because it’s so easy to connect the narrative style to the plot line.

Perhaps the only downside to Blackbird being written in second-person narrative is that it’s more difficult to connect with the main character because it’s assumed that you know yourself. On the flip side however, the MC doesn’t know herself or her past, so it does really fit with the plot.
There are a few flips in perspective that shift to third-person narration, and they are perfectly placed to offset the intensity of the second-person and also to give little glimpses of the plot from different sides, and I really appreciated the insight that I gained with each one.

I want to say so much about Blackbird’s plot, but it would be a minefield of spoilers so I’m just going to say that I thought the mystery element was fantastically done – I didn’t see anything coming until it was literally being spelled out for me, and it kept me reading because the twists were so bloody addictive. The plot the mystery is based around is also fascinating – and I’ll definitely be reading the next book because I have to know what happens next. The ending is indeed a cliffhanger, and quite a brutal one at that.

There is a lot jammed into the 250-ish pages of Blackbird, but it’s so readable – I could have easily devoured it in one sitting, and it completely held my attention the whole way through. The action is non-stop, the mystery is hard to predict and although it’s hard to get to know the characters, at times I actually did feel like I WAS the MC myself. I’ll definitely be waiting impatiently for the next book – I’m so curious about where Carey will take the story next, and what surprises will be lurking. ...more

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Jul 06, 2017 Kerryn (RatherBeReading) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books

3.25 stars

I listened to this on audiobook and, I will say, it did take a while to get into the narration and I found the story quite hard to focus on.

I also really didn't like the kind of, not insta-love, but insta-connection that Sunny has with Ben.

I really love the commentary that Izzy makes at one point about slut shaming of teenage girls who have been the victims of a boy sharing intimate pictures of them.

The ending had some many reveals and WTF moments that I couldn't wait to pick up book t ...more

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Apr 29, 2014 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

If there is one thing you can count on about me is that I am always on the lookout for something new, something different and something truly stand out. Sometimes, and more often that not, it can get me into trouble but once in awhile instead it can lead me to new adventures and stories and authors that I have might not otherwise have discovered.

While Carey isn't a new discovery, her writing in this book is.

This book starts off in the second person point of view and I am not going to lie, it t ...more

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