Four and Twenty Blackbirds (Eden Moore Series #1)

Great Start to a New Series

Pulled me in from the first page and kept me there until I finished the book. I liked it so much I went ahead and ordered the next two books in the Eden Moore series.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Home town girl makes good

I came upon Ms. Priest by accident and was instantly interested being from Chattanooga myself. That it was gothic horror cinched it. From the first chapter I was pulled into a world, where I almost felt like I was talking with a friend, being told an old family ghost story (we all have them here in the south). The characters were interesting and I found myself unable to put the book down. The tone was on the money for the southern nuiance and I cared about these characters. I'm anxious to read the next in the series (especially since I worked at the battlefield and spent my teen years there hearing about old 'Green Eyes'). I truly enjoyed this story. If you want a taste of true southern gothic and a page turner, this is your piece of pie. Write On Ms. Priest !!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Talented story teller and gifted writer

Cherie Priest is an amazing writer. She mixes excellent story telling with mystery, suspense, horror, and a dark sense of humor.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Keeping track of the names in the family tree was a little difficult. However, the author gave very good descriptions of the characters and engrossing details of their surroundings. The author held my attention at each episode, however there were some questions about the story that still leave me guestioning its significance. For example: The mysterious 'Book'! Whatever happened to it????? The story goes into deep detail about the characters efforts in trying to retrieve this special 'Book' and then the author drops the subject as if it never was mentioned in the story. Then there's a part in the story that the heroine boldly (& stupidly) drinks some smelly mysterious unknown liquid that was found in a vial in a relatives house in which she felt impending harm to herself - a stretch on the imagination. I wish the author had given explanation on the relationship with 'John Gray' (the sorcerer) and the heroines grandfather 'Avery'. You're left with another void trying to figure out what caused Avery to turn evil. Even with the unaswered questions, the author has a easy to read writing style and the book is a good past time read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Worth your time for sure

It's a good, interesting, book. Not much more to say than that. And after you read this one, read the second one. That one's also a winner. This book will keep you turning the pages.

Highly recommended.

You're lucky to come across this book, don't let this opportunity escape you.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Maybe I missed something, but there were a few unanswered questions after reading this book that left me hanging... ex: What happened to the 'mysterious book' that was so diligently being sought after by some of the characters in the book? The author holds you captive and then drops the subject as if it was never mentioned in the book. What was the point? Also, it would have been nice to have some explanation on how and why Avery turned to the 'dark side'. Finally, some things the heroine did was a bit unrealistic (like drinking some smelly stuff from a vial she found and had no idea what was in it!?!?!). Overall, the book was not a bad pasttime read. I credit the author on keeping the level of suspence high.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Awesome tale!

This book is just great! I loved it..read it in one sitting. Cherie Priest is an excellent writer and I hope she writes lots more books.

enchanting horror tale

Eden Moore lives on Signal Mountain overlooking Chattanooga raised by her maternal family especially Aunt Louise since her mom died in childbirth. She sees ghosts especially three spirits who are always there for her. Eden knows the trio is her mom and her aunts. These deceased sisters struggle to keep the child safe initially from a God fearing killer who wants her dead before she can follow the path of her evil wicked great-grandfather a necromancer and mage who cursed the living and enlivened the dead. --- The threesome knows that something even more dangerous is coming for Louise and then Eden. They try to reach out to Eden to warn her, but she fails to fully comprehend what her mom and aunts want her to know. Eden realizes she must confront something very evil without the aid of her beloved Aunt Louise or Uncle Dave. Thus she slips away heading to a family mansion and other Antebellum ruins in Georgia seeking what she does not know only that she must find this unknown to save what is left of her family. --- Besides making believers out of readers that ghosts do exist, the key to this enchanting horror tale is that the readers never know what to expect next yet when that subsequent event happens it seems very obvious. The cast is terrific especially the preadolescent heroine who holds the thriller together. Contrasting the mortal heroine and otherworldly guardians to the assassin and the malevolence add depth to a must read journey of adventure. Readers will enjoy traveling into a world filled with nineteenth century supernatural curses trying to destroy twenty-first century offspring. --- Harriet Klausner

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful new writer!

Such an intriguing story but a very talented writer. The story flows smoothly from beginning to end, keeping you guessing as to what comes next.

A Fabulous Read!

For those looking for a wonderful dark addition to their literary collections, this is the book for you! The flow of visions of this piece of finely written fiction is perhaps one of the best of this past season. I couldn't put it down from the first page until the very last. It was an evening of pure joy as I reached its conclusion. Fine work, Ms. Priest! I look forward to your next book and all that you put forth for us undying fans to enjoy!

This is an All Nighter kind of book

This is a wonderful book. It kept me up all night because I just HAD to find out what happened next. It kept me in suspense until the very last chapter. Very well written with characters that keep you on your toes. It's been a long time since I have enjoyed a book this much. I highly recommend it.

WOW! An amazing book!

Once I started I could not put it down. Every word in the book has meaning, it leads somewhere that is pointed out on a future page. This book was very compelling and flowed easily from the first page to the last. I can't wait to see what this creative and talented author comes up with next!

Fast-paced, gripping quest

Cherie Priest's first novel is an intensely vivid, surprisingly gripping, first-person quest. We meet her heroine, Eden, as a young girl who, to put it simply, sees ghosts. Over the course of this quick novel, we learn why she sees ghosts, what they're trying to tell her, and what she's got to do about it. The story takes Eden on a journey from her native Chattanooga, TN, south in search of the relatives and relics she's discovered are the keys to the secrets locked inside her. A movie adaptation would be almost unnecessary; Priest is that good at creating a rich, clear mental image in the reader's mind, of the people and settings that make up her world. Nonetheless, I think this novel would make a fantastic movie, and I'll look forward to seeing it reach the screen. (I'd bet the visuals in my head won't be far from whatever a skilled director makes of this tightly woven story.) Very little is obvious from page one, and the fact that Priest manages to incorporate some "Aha!" moments alongside the "well, of course..." revelations she's allowed the reader, makes this a monumentally satisfying read.

A stunning book that should be in every home

This book is simply one of the most pleasing books to read that I've laid my hands on. It works on all levels, its a crime novel, a horror novel, a thriller, suspense. Whichever genre of book that you enjoy there is something to enjoy here - with a fluid and easy writing style that makes you turn the pages - and means you won't put this book down until you're finished. The well developed characters lead you along a twisting and mysterious path, never quite letting you see the end, but letting you glimpse its shadow through the trees. This is the kind of book that wins awards. Three words - Buy This Book.

Super first book

A superb first novel by this very talented author. The story is suspenseful and intriquing. It holds your interest from start to finish with an imaginative and unique ending. Highly recommended!! Hope to see many future works by this up and coming author!

Excellent!

Four and Twenty Blackbirds is well written and flows easily. (NO over-descriptiveness here!) The characters are likeable and easy to identify with. The scenes are set to perfection, one can almost see the black-green swamp, hear the crunch of leaves, feel the touch of ghosts. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and literally had trouble putting it down.

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