Blog Tour and Giveaway: Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel

Hey y'all! Welcome to the tour for Keeper of the Bees, which is Meg Kassel's second published book. You'll recall that I LOVED Black Bird of the Gallows, and that book ended up being a year-end favorite. I'm pleased to say that I adored Keeper of the Bees!

About the Book:

Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel

Book two of the Black Bird of the Gallows series

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: September 4, 2018

Official Summary:

KEEPER OF THE BEES is a tale of two teens who are both beautiful and beastly, and whose pasts are entangled in surprising and heartbreaking ways.

Dresden is cursed. His chest houses a hive of bees that he can’t stop from stinging people with psychosis-inducing venom. His face is a shifting montage of all the people who have died because of those stings. And he has been this way for centuries—since he was eighteen and magic flowed through his homeland, corrupting its people.

He follows harbingers of death, so at least his curse only affects those about to die anyway. But when he arrives in a Midwest town marked for death, he encounters Essie, a seventeen-year-old girl who suffers from debilitating delusions and hallucinations. His bees want to sting her on sight. But Essie doesn’t see a monster when she looks at Dresden.

Essie is fascinated and delighted by his changing features. Risking his own life, he holds back his bees and spares her. What starts out as a simple act of mercy ends up unraveling Dresden’s solitary life and Essie’s tormented one. Their impossible romance might even be powerful enough to unravel a centuries-old curse.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

About the Author:

Meg Kassel is an author of fantasy and speculative books for young adults. A graduate of Parson's School of Design, she’s been creating stories, whether with visuals or words, since childhood. Meg is a New Jersey native who lives in a log house in the Maine woods with her husband and daughter. As a fan of ’80s cartoons, Netflix series, and ancient mythology, she has always been fascinated and inspired by the fantastic, the creepy, and the futuristic. She is the 2016 RWA Golden Heart® winner in YA and a double 2018 RITA® finalist for her debut novel, Black Bird of the Gallows.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

My Thoughts:

I actually read this book a while ago and am now putting my thoughts together, so bear with me. I won't do a full review because this is a tour post, and I also can't remember some of the very specific details of the book. Probably for the better, because I don't want to give away too many details and spoil the magic.

I loved Black Bird of the Gallows, and was super excited to see that there would be a second book. This is actually a COMPANION sequel and not a direct sequel, though you will see how the books connect, once you read this one. I like how Kassel connected the stories!

I liked this book a lot. I liked the first book more - that book was so perfect - but I really liked this follow-up. It's different compared to the first book, and in good ways.

Dresden is such a sweetheart! He is cursed with having bees in his chest, always carrying the burden of the bees. He has no constant face, and no constant companions, as his venom kills. Dresden harbors guilt, secrets, and a long history. He is very cool in my opinion, very badass, and very selfless. I liked him from the start.

Essie is a tough girl, who has been through a lot and goes through a lot in this story. She suffers from delusions and hallucinations, and isn't "normal". Little does she know that her history is tied to Dresden's. Essie doesn't see Dresden as a monster, despite his monstrous being. Essie is a good person with a kind heart and was dealt a seriously bad hand in the game of life.

I loved watching these two slowly but surely fall for each other. This is a Beauty & the Beast retelling with a hint of forbidden romance, almost Romeo & Juliet/Shakespeare style. I loved the romance. It was slow-burn and forbidden and sweet.

The ending had me a little nervous, given this type of story and Dresden's history, but the book actually ended really well! Such a great ending! Thank you, Meg Kassel, for giving readers a positive, sweet conclusion to the story.


Check out Black Bird of the Gallows:

(Click on the cover for more information!)

The Excerpt:

“Will I see you again, Dresden?”

My throat goes dry and raw and aching. “Do you want to?”

However she answers will be excruciating. There will be no recovering from this encounter. From the memory of her touch and her wide, trusting eyes. Good gods, from her embrace.

She nods.

I am doomed. “I’ll find you later. I’ll…” What? Knock on her door and ask her aunt if I can invite her to the movies? Not in this universe. “I will see you again, Essie. I’m not sure when.”

“I’ll look for you,” she says, finally releasing her hold on my T-shirt. “Be careful.” And she’s gone, disappearing into the woods, back toward the trail.

The Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swoon Thursday (#290): Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel!

"Shut up, Dresden." She dips her head. Her lips touch mine hesitantly.

My first instinct is to pull away, but this is my mouth. My lips.

I have one last lifetime to live. Just one.

I gently lean up and kiss her, giving her plenty of time and space to pull back. Instead, her hand fists in the front of my hospital gown and her mouth parts over mine. My fingers thread into her hair, and I breathe into this first kiss, for both of us. I close my eyes and melt into a euphoria I'd completely underestimated.

Her lips curve against mine. "You still taste like honey."

- Hardcover, page 288

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

This romance was slow-burn and worth it for the end! You have to understand a little bit of context when reading this swoon - Dresden has lived for decades and his face has shifted many times. It's a very cool concept and the story was great!

Review: Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel

Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: September 5, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What's more, she knows something most don't. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

What I Liked:

I'd been looking forward to reading this book for quite some time, ever since a description was released. It has been a high-priority read for me, and a high-priority publication for Entangled. I had hoped that my expectations were not too high and I wouldn't be disappointed. I had nothing to worry about. This stunning debut is dark, imaginative, and enthralling, worth every bit of attention and hype it has received.

In this story, Angie Dovage's world is turned to chaos, and it starts with crows. It has been years since anyone bought the neighboring house, but one day, a family moves in. Angie's new neighbors are a little strange, especially the teenage boy who is in many of her classes. What's even stranger is the arrival of many crows - and bees. There is more to Reece Fernandez, there is more to the crows who follow him - and Angie - and there is more to the bees. Angie finds herself in the midst of a supernatural war between the cursed Beekeeper and the harbingers of death. The town of Cadence is marked, and there can only be one outcome: death.

From the start, I was hooked and I couldn't stop reading. There was no chance of me putting down the book until I finished. Kassel's writing and the flow of the story made it easy to get sucked into the story and lose track of time. I was never bored, so there was no worry about DNFing.

I was a little surprised when I connected with Angie almost right away! She is a bit of a social outcast in her high school, due to something in her past surrounding her mother. But she is very gifted with music, and is a DJ at a club on weekends. She is smart and talented and a hard worker. She is also so strong and resilient, especially with everything she went through with her mother.

I liked how that was revealed incrementally (what happened with Angie's mother). The first time you realize something is different about Angie's parental life, it's just this one phrase, a few words. The author slowly reveals parts of Angie's past. I love how the author ties it all together by the end. 

Reece is the male protagonist and I absolutely adored him. He is more than a swoony love interest (though he definitely is that). He's sweet and thoughtful, and occasionally he has broody moments, and protective moments, and a whole bunch of selfless moments. Reece is by no means a perfect guy, but he is very smart and full of worldly knowledge, so he understands certain things better than most. I liked him a lot and I thought he was a great character opposite Angie.

There were many lovely secondary characters worth mentioning. Angie's dad is such a cool guy; he is fairly well-off, after a lot of hard work. He loves Angie so much and has a great relationship with her. He's a single dad, but he is really slaying the parenting thing. Here is an excellent example of a healthy parent-child relationship in YA lit - he is there, in his kid's life, and he isn't oblivious or always working. 

And then there are Angie's friends, Deno and Lacy. They are wonderful friends, so supportive and loyal. I also love that they each have a thing for each other - such a cute slow-burn almost-romance happening there. But mostly I was happy to see a great friendship between the three of them. 

Reece's family isn't as present as the other characters (and with good reason), but they are a wonderful family as well. I especially liked Reece's mom and really wished something could have happened between Reece's mom and Angie's dad!

I loooooved the romance between Reece and Angie. They meet and the attraction begins, but it takes more than that for them to fall for each other. The interest is there, but the feelings start to build as the story goes. Kassel packs this book with plenty of Reece/Angie interactions, and there are a number of yummy swoons too. The romance progressed at a good pace, not too insta-love-y but not too slow either. I loved watching these two interact!

The story is very action-packed and fast-paced, though not in an overwhelming way. The beginning of the book is more focused on Angie trying to figure out what is going on with the crows, the bees, Reece, and this creepy guy (who is revealed to be the villain). Then, when things are revealed to her, the real danger begins. The creepy buy - the Beekeeper - is intent on hurting Reece, and he'll go through Angie to do so. The "why's" and the "how's" are explained!

The ending is very exciting and it wraps up well. There is a HEA. I believe this book is a standalone and I'm all for it - the story ends in a great place. But I also wouldn't hate seeing another book to follow, though it would be cool for this book to remain as it is. I loved the story and will probably being saying this a lot in the future!

What I Did Not Like:

There isn't anything specific that I didn't like. However, I would have loved to understand a little better what happened to Angie at the very end, in terms of this one thing. I didn't have a great grasp of this one aspect - the story went from one chapter to the next, one scene to the next. I can't say more without being specific and spoilery but there is something about the ending that could have used a little more explanation.

Also, I wouldn't have minded more from Reece and Angie in terms of their relationship! They were incredibly cute and lovely together.

Would I Recommend It:

Fans of YA paranormal romance, this is a book for you! I love this kind of story. I love this kind of romance. I would definitely reread this again and I highly recommend it. It is appropriate for younger teens and up, as it is low on "inappropriate" language, sex, and violence. Well, there is violence, but it isn't too graphic or gruesome. In any case, this book would be a great addition to any YA reader's shelf!

Rating:

4.5 stars. My default is to round down but this is most likely going to end up on at least 2017 favorites list of mine, regardless of the rating. I'll be looking out for more by this author for sure. This book is a one-of-a-kind debut that should be on everyone's radars!

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Swoon Thursday (#239): Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel!

His words squeeze my heart. I have so many more questions - loads of them, but they're suddenly not as important as this charged beat of quiet. Time holds still. Neither of us moves. Neither of us breathes. The air between us snaps, compresses, pulls us toward each other.

He moves forward on hands and knees at the same time I do. His hand slips around the back of my head, into my hair. He pulls me close as I reach for him. My hands land on his warm chest, curl against the rapid beat beneath.

Unlike our last kiss, I know this one's coming. I have a sudden, unbidden worry if I'm any good at this - kissing, that is - then his mouth is on mine and coherent thought blasts into a billion tiny pieces.

- Review copy, page 135

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

I started reading this book pretty much as soon as I got it (early this week)! It's very interesting so far. And I love the romance! My review will be posted soon, maybe next week. =)