Published 8 years ago,The Bird and the Sword is a YA fantasy with plenty of intrigue and romance. Lark is a young noblewoman with a gift most people fear. As a child, Lark’s mother sets a protective curse into motion that will silence Lark’s words, ensure protection from her father, and change the lives of the king and prince. Years later, Lark becomes a pawn between her father and the once prince, now a king. Lark must fight to break the curse and learn the power of her words. Fans of both The Cruel Prince and Fable fantasy series will likely enjoyThe Bird and the Sword.
This book was such a pleasant surprise for me. I selected it to fulfill my May ICYMI challenge as a book published in 2016. It’s been on my shelves for severals months after finding it on sale, along with other Amy Harmon books. Her book What the Wind Knows was one of my top 2019 reads.
I gave this book four stars and was happy to find Harmon’s character building and slow burn romance in a YA novel. I always enjoy a good enemies to lovers storyline and Lark and Tiras don’t disappoint. It’s a short read, which means the plot and worldbuilding are on the lighter side, but this is not a negative for me. With all the ACOTAR, Fourth Wing and Crescent City books (which I LOVE) I didn’t need this to be so immersive. Plus I love Harmon’s writing style. Her prose is so fluid and smooth that I could read just about any topic by her.
Favorite Quote from The Bird and the Sword
The words had risen from his skin even when he wasn’t speaking, and I had called them to me, collecting them like falling leaves, pressing them between the heavy pages of my memory so I could keep them.
Amy Harmon – The Bird and the Sword