Will be updating my review closer to my tour stop

Rook is an unapologetic thief, determined to do anything to ensure her mother and siblings survive the squalid and dangerous streets of Stamchester.

Rook slips, like a shadow, in and out of the homes of the ruling elite, the Avanish, and steals what she needs. She feels no regret, afterall, the Avanish have enslaved her people, the Saosuíasei, and worse, have now determined the Saosuíasei to be disposable and worthy of nothing other than death.

However, Rook is not the only shadowy figure in Stamchester. And far more deadly one haunts the filthy streets, striking fear into Avanish and Saosuíasei alike. A serial killer who drains every ounce of blood from his victims, and satisfies the elite's demand for blood to burn in the magical art of Bloodskill and enhance their own natural, and sometimes unnatural, abilities.

I didn't finish this book, because the writing wasn't for me. I think that the premises are really good, the setting seems interesting enough, and usually, I am always happy to see thieves as main characters but... But I was bored. A lot. I have really tried but I couldn't find a spark of interest and so I decided to just give up after 60 something pages.

First of all, I wanted to thank NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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- “How can anyone hate us just for who we are?”

“People hate what they don’t understand, and what they think is lesser than themselves”

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I was really hooked by the concept of this book. It’s set in a Victorian-esque era and follows Rook, a strong, resourceful and intuitive Sasouíasei woman. Rook has to deal with a lot, she’s struggling with grief and pain but finds solace in the arms of the Conventicle of Magpie’s gang, run by Mama Magpie. Her job is to steal from the rich Avanish, and give what is owed to the Sasouíasei employees who are underpaid and overworked. This isn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence, Avanish have always shown their discrimination, hatred and ‘superiority’ over Sasouíasei people. Magic in the form of Bloodskill is prevalent, something Billy Drainer is quick to jump on, draining Sasouíasei women of their blood, to sell for a high profit.

However, this isn’t Rook’s only fear, the Avanish have become incessant in their ploy to exterminate Stamchester of the Sasouíasei race. The Conventicle Magpies must now to the inevitable, and team up with rival, infamous gang, the Jaguars. Together they must try and prevent the killing of the innocent Sasouíasei population.

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I found it quite a struggle to start with, I just felt like I couldn’t really get into it and keep myself engaged in the story. It could be quite confusing at times because of the multiple storylines unravelling at once.

However, I found the pace picked up quite quickly and I was engrossed for a time. Sometimes I lose track of what’s going on but it’s really action packed, so it quickly draws you in.

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This book contains a lot of side characters, namely the fellow Magpies, and Rook’s family. As much as I enjoyed the aspect of the side characters, with how fast the plot moved it became somewhat difficult to visualise or pinpoint who was who.

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I did find the inclusion of race and pillaging of land a good addition to the story, touching on something so important in reality. The Avanish taking over Stamchester from the Unténsians and shunning them and the Sasouíasei races to the slums. Even though the Unténsians built up the city. This shone a light on an important truth, it’s often found that races that see themselves as ‘superior’ due to their skin colour alone, will pillage the land and kick indigenous people from their homes for the ideal that they’re better and more powerful. It’s disgraceful and it’s something the world needs to open their eyes too, so I’m glad this was touched on.

Furthermore, I really enjoyed Kestrel as a character, she was so protective, loyal and fierce. I do wish she’d been included in the storyline more than she was, I think she had a lot to give and a strong personality that could’ve been fleshed out more. I do feel like her character hopefully, will enlighten others to the ideal that transgender individuals deserve the same love, support , respect and loyalty as anyone else.

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Overall, I think this is a really good concept for a novel, there’s a lot going on, so a lot of plots to be tied up in the next novel. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into it the way I wanted to, which was so frustrating for me. I’m so glad more authors are including real world phenomenons in their writings to open people’s eyes and hopefully undo some of the desensitisation around certain situations that are happening around us everyday.

I’m sure this book would be a perfect fit for anyone interested in YA fiction revolving around; rebellions, mystery killings and fighting for justice for those who’ve been oppressed.

So for the reasons above, I have to give it 2.8/5 stars (rounded up)

Overall: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot and Theme: 4/5
Writing and Setting: 4.5/5
Vibes: 5/5
Gist of my review: A really good start to a new series! It set up a new world quite well, creating solid dynamics between characters and skillfully building up the conflict. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

*Content Warning: Death, Suicide, Murder, Incarceration*

Summary:
The Saosuíasei people have been repressed by the Avanish for decades. As the conflict between them reaches its climax, Rook and the Conventicle of Magpies find themselves in the middle of all of it.

Characters: 4.5/5
Rook is a total badass. I love her character, her story, and everything about her. While this book was written in third person limited, I think there could have been some more focus on the other characters’ stories, as I often found myself a little confused or curious about certain aspects of them, especially with Kestrel’s story. I also wanted to know a little more about Dru. That being said, the dynamics between them all were wonderfully depicted. I especially loved Pit’s relationship to everyone, the evident tension really drew me in.

Plot and Theme: 4/5
I think the book has a very well written plot, but it seemed to be written as just a beginning. There was plenty of action, but it felt as if it was leading up to something that never came. I know it’s the beginning of a new series, and the story must continue in future books, but each book in a series should be able to stand alone as a full story in itself.

Writing and Setting: 4.5/5
I do think that the setting was spun quite well. I was able to easily picture the world and all its dynamics through vivid imagery that well complemented the story, which is not an easy thing to do. Some of the word choice flowed a bit awkwardly, but other than that it was written eloquently and thoughtfully. This was also one of the first books I’ve read in a while that did not have any romantic aspects with the main character to it, and I must say, it’s quite refreshing!

Conclusion:
Pros: I’m a sucker for a new series, and I cannot wait to read the whole thing! It’s a refreshing take on the genre with no romance for the main character.
Cons: Rising action that didn’t really seem to culminate. I guess that makes me more excited for the next one?
Overall: 4/5

An exciting and well written story that kept me hooked and I thoroughly enjoyed.
Excellent world building and character development, a plot that flows.
I can't wait to read the second part of this duology, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the story of Rook, a woman who belongs to a marginalized group in her Victorian-esque society. Seeking some form of protection in a society where she is unvalued and often targeted, she joins a street gang known as the Conventicle of Magpies. With the looming threat from the elite group as well as a serial killer stalking the slums around her, Rook must rely on her friends and use all of the skills available to her if she is going to survive and keep her friends and family safe.

There is a lot going on in this book! It is very action-packed and the plot moves quickly. Rook is courageous and determined, and I liked her a lot. There were a lot of things that I was intrigued by--the conflict between two people groups, the element of magic involving blood, and the mystery with the serial killer--but I never felt like any of those were well fleshed out within the story. In addition, there are a lot of characters, but I had a hard time keeping all of them straight.

Overall, I was never bored as I was reading, but I do feel like this book could have benefited from a little more focus on certain areas. Hopefully the second book in the duology will be a little more clear and focused!

A Conventicle of Magpies is the first book in the Bloodskill duology by L.M.R. Clarke. It’s set in an industrial town of Stamchester in a unique world with factories, early automobiles, and even some telephones, but also magic called bloodskill that is available for all. The world is referred to as Victorian in the book description, but it’s not steampunk/gaslight punk—or very Victorian in general. Edwardian, maybe, if one absolutely has to utilise period descriptions from our world.

Stamchester is a hotspot of political tension. It has belonged to one set of people conquered by the Avanish, who have then brought in a different set of people, the Saosuíasei, to live there as cheap labour while they plunder the original country of the Saosuíasei. For some reason that isn’t given a very good explanation for, other than prejudice, the Avanish have now decided to empty Stamchester of the Saosuíasei, with violence if necessary.

Rook is a young Saosuíasei woman living in the slums where her people have been banished. She belongs to a gang of women led by Mama Magpie who steal to protect the Saosuíasei women. When the Avanish begin to move against the Saosuíasei, the women team up with another gang, Jaguars, to try to save their people.

The book took a while to get going, or decide what the story it wanted to tell was. Rook has a lot going on in her life. She has lost an older sister and father, and has to take care of her ten siblings practically alone. A serial killer haunts the slums, emptying the victims of blood to use it in blood magic—a storyline that never really moved the plot and seemed superfluous despite the importance of blood to all magic users. A childhood friend has chosen to side with the enemy, much to the sorrow of Rook and her adoptive sister Kestrel, another gang member. It isn’t until the gangs unite against the Avanish that the story finds a direction that holds until the end.

Rook is an interesting character who always tries to do the right thing despite the enormous pressure she is constantly under from every direction. She’s good with bloodskill and stealing, but not overly superior. She comes across as a bit aloof though, and apart from Kestrel, she doesn’t really connect with any of the side characters. And neither does the reader.

Side characters were the main weakness of the story. There were simply too many of them, and the focus never stayed in them long enough for the reader to form an attachment. At the beginning of the book there were one set of people with Rook, in the middle there was another, and then again a new set, none of which were properly introduced to the reader. They simply appear, do their part in that section of the plot, and then disappear.

The character most ill served by this was Kestrel, Rook’s stalwart companion and the main side character. She was clearly meant to give the book LBQT+ status, but she turned out to be a mere token. She’s a biological male presenting as a woman, but her main concern seemed to be her looks, and her only role was to save Rook from scrapes. I found it especially disappointing that she was pushed aside when the plot required infiltration to a women’s prison. The excuse was that she would have had to strip, but that didn’t even happen to the women who eventually participated, publicly anyway.

It’s an author’s job to put their characters in difficult situations, and then extradite them whilst staying true to their characteristics, not push them aside when they become incovenient for the story. There would’ve been plenty of ways to include Kestrel, but she wasn’t. So, instead of being inclusive, the message here is that she isn’t good enough as she is to have agency or a proper role, even as a side character in a make-believe world. I hope this is done better in the next book.

The book ends when the war with the Avanish finally begins. I find it difficult to imagine how the Saosuíasei will save the day against the far superior enemy who have almost destroyed them already. But, despite the issues I had with this book, I’m definitely going to find out how the story ends.

***I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

“How can anyone hate us just for who we are?”

A Conventicle of Magpies is set in Victorian era, a world where the Avanish have enslaved the Saosuíasei. It follows the story of Rook, a Saosuíasei and a thief with proficiency to use Bloodskill. Rook has grown up in a world that hates and discriminates against her race, the Saosuíasei. She's a member of the Conventicle of Magpies, one of one of the city’s most notorious gang. But when they learned that the the Avanish wishes to exterminate them all, it was time to fight for freedom and equality in an unequal world. To top that, there's a serial killer haunting the streets preying on Saosuíasei, draining their blood to satisfy the elite's demand.

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A+++ for the amazing cover! It's beautiful, detailed, and appropriate for the book.
The Conventicle of Magpies is action packed and fast paced. So much is happening! The sequence of events was well laid out and the scenes were rich with details. I enjoyed the entire book, especially the rising rebellion. The characters are likeable especially Rook! She's unapologetic, resourceful, and tough. I love how the magic system is based on blood and the mystery element. LMR Clarke's writing style is easy to follow and has a good mix of dialogue and description. I'm sure things will get even better in the next installment! Can’t wait!

First of all, I find the cover of this book appropriate, eye catching and clever.
I love reading books set in history and I love a good victorian fantasy/thriller. I enjoyed the writing style and thought it was more or less appropriate given the time setting. The author was also very descriptive throughout which really helped with keeping the visuals clear.
I liked Rook's character. She is tough and practiced thief in a gang of lady's, who are fighting to bring about justice to their society. Blood is a powerful and valuable source, "enhancing speed and strength and agility", and people are being killed for it.

"Billy Drainer stalks the night,
Ready to give you all a fright.
Seven swift knocks to your head,
Drains your blood and then you're DEAD!"

The elite want the minority gone, furthermore Billy Drainer is picking them off, so in order to take control and survive, they must unite with others.
This book is exciting, fast paced and keeps you wanting more.
My only criticism is, I found some of the formatting strange in parts and the newspaper text hard to read, but overall, I think it's an interesting story and I will be certainly tuning in for book two.

Set in a fantasy version of a Victorian city, Rook is a member of the oppressed minority of society. She is also a member of a all female gang that works undercover to bring justice and order to the women in their society. The ruling elite wish to wipe them out and in addition there is a Jack the Ripper type character killing them off. Rook and her fellow gang members must join forces with another gang to try to help their people overcome both the serial killer and the governing class.
This is a thrilling and intelligently written story. The characters are exciting, resourceful and adventurous. The plot is fast paced and diverse. Themes of the book are among others oppression, genocide, power and injustice.
A dark Victorian thriller but with a very modern take. I can't wait to read the concluding part.